Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Automatic segmentation of optic disc using modified multi-level thresholding

Diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma are chronic eye diseases that lead to blindness if not diagnosed and treated in time. In the study of the different stages of Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) and Glaucoma, the use of retinal image analysis has become indispensable. The structure of the optic disc, the cup-to-disc ratio (CDR) and the thickness of the blood vessels are indicators of the condition of the eye. This paper proposes a novel method of automated OD (optic disc) segmentation using a modified multi-thresholding technique on a pre-processed fundus image. The algorithm we propose proceeds through three main steps: Pre-processing on the fundus image, followed by segmentation using the proposed novel multi-level Thresholding method and finally using morphological operations over the processed image to obtain the segmented results. The results from this method of segmentation are compared with those obtained using K-means clustering algorithm and the superiority of our method is demonstrated.
Analysis and Validation of Active Eavesdropping Attacks in Passive FHSS RFID Systems

In this paper, we present a generalized framework for active eavesdropping in a frequency hopping spread spectrum passive radio frequency identification system. In our model, there exists an adversarial reader who is able to transmit its own continuous wave signal outside the frequency band of the legitimate reader. Due to the fact that under backscatter modulation, the tag cannot distinguish different frequencies and simply sets the impedance in its circuitry to either low or high to reflect a bit of 1 or 0, and the adversarial reader's received signal is a weighted sum of the response to both its own signal and the legitimate reader's signal. Using this model, we provide a theoretical analysis of the capability of the adversarial reader in terms of the decoding error probability for slow frequency and fast frequency hopping systems. We derive analytic formulas and conduct experiments using software defined radios that act as the legitimate reader, the adversarial reader, and Intel Wireless Identification Sensing Platform tags with parameters as specified in EPC Gen2. Simulations are also used to validate our findings. We find from the theoretical analysis as well the experimental results that the active eavesdropper can achieve a better decoding error rate than a conventional passive eavesdropper, even in the case that the eavesdropper's signal is a low power signal.
Cell age–specific vulnerability of neurons to anesthetic toxicity

Anesthetics have been linked to widespread neuronal cell death in neonatal animals. Epidemiological human studies have associated early childhood anesthesia with long‐term neurobehavioral abnormalities, raising substantial concerns that anesthetics may cause similar cell death in young children. However, key aspects of the phenomenon remain unclear, such as why certain neurons die, whereas immediately adjacent neurons are seemingly unaffected, and why the immature brain is exquisitely vulnerable, whereas the mature brain seems resistant. Elucidating these questions is critical for assessing the phenomenon's applicability to humans, defining the susceptible age, predicting vulnerable neuronal populations, and devising mitigating strategies.
Identification and characterization of Caenorhabditis elegans palmitoyl protein thioesterase1

Infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (INCL; Batten disease) is a severe neurodegenerative disorder of childhood characterized by the accumulation of autofluorescent storage material in lysosomes. It is caused by mutation of the CLN1/PPT1 gene, which encodes the lysosomal enzyme palmitoyl protein thioesterase‐1 (PPT1), but the mechanism of disease pathogenesis and substrates for the enzyme are unknown. Caenorhabditis elegans is a simple nematode worm, with a fully sequenced genome, which is easy to maintain and manipulate. It has a completely mapped cell lineage and nervous system and has already provided clues about the pathogenesis of several human neuronal and lysosomal storage disorders. We have identified and characterized a PPT1 homologue in C. elegans. We found that, although this gene was not essential for the animal's survival, its mutation resulted in a mild developmental and reproductive phenotype, affected the number and size of mitochondria, and resulted in an abnormality in mitochondrial morphology, possibly suggestive of a role for this organelle in INCL pathogenesis. This strain, deleted for ppt‐1, potentially provides a model system for the study of PPT1 and the pathogenesis of INCL. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Generating continuous free crab gaits for quadruped robots on irregular terrain

This paper presents a method for generating free gaits for quadruped robots capable of performing statically stable, omnidirectional locomotion on irregular terrain containing forbidden areas. The rule-based deliberative algorithm can generate flexible sequences of leg transferences while maintaining constant vehicle speed. The foothold planning method is compatible with the use of these flexible leg sequences, and is designed to maintain a minimum absolute stability margin despite the terrain height uncertainty. The integration of exteroceptive terrain profile data has been considered to improve adaptability. Experimental results are presented to show the gait's efficiency in adapting to an irregular terrain containing forbidden areas.
Intramolecular Disulfide Bond of Tim22 Protein Maintains Integrity of the TIM22 Complex in the Mitochondrial Inner Membrane*

Background: Tim22 is a central component of the mitochondrial inner membrane protein insertion machinery TIM22 complex. Results: Lack of the disulfide bond of Tim22 destabilizes Tim22 and impairs substrate protein assembly. Conclusion: The disulfide bond of Tim22 has a role in stabilization of the TIM22 complex, which is important for the TIM22 protein assembly pathway. Significance: Tim40(Mia40)/Erv1-independent disulfide bond formation contributes to protein stability in mitochondria. Mitochondrial proteins require protein machineries called translocators in the outer and inner membranes for import into and sorting to their destination submitochondrial compartments. Among them, the TIM22 complex mediates insertion of polytopic membrane proteins into the inner membrane, and Tim22 constitutes its central insertion channel. Here we report that the conserved Cys residues of Tim22 form an intramolecular disulfide bond. By comparison of Tim22 Cys → Ser mutants with wild-type Tim22, we show that the disulfide bond of Tim22 stabilizes Tim22 especially at elevated temperature through interactions with Tim18, which are also important for the stability of the TIM22 complex. We also show that lack of the disulfide bond in Tim22 impairs the assembly of TIM22 pathway substrate proteins into the inner membrane especially when the TIM22 complex handles excess amounts of substrate proteins. Our findings provide a new insight into the mechanism of the maintenance of the structural and functional integrity of the TIM22 complex.
Gag Proteins of Drosophila Telomeric Retrotransposons: Collaborative Targeting to Chromosome Ends

TAHRE, the least abundant of the three retrotransposons forming telomeres in Drosophila melanogaster, has high sequence similarity to the gag gene and untranslated regions of HeT-A, the most abundant telomere-specific retrotransposon. Despite TAHRE's apparent evolutionary relationship to HeT-A, we find TAHRE Gag cannot locate to telomere-associated “Het dots” unless collaborating with HeT-A Gag. TAHRE Gag is carried into nuclei by HeT-A or TART Gag, but both TART and TAHRE Gags need HeT-A Gag to localize to Het dots. When coexpressed with the appropriate fragment of HeT-A and/or TART Gags, TAHRE Gag multimerizes with either protein. HeT-A and TART Gags form homo- and heteromultimers using a region containing major homology region (MHR) and zinc knuckle (CCHC) motifs, separated by a pre_C2HC motif (motifs common to other retroelements). This region's sequence is strongly conserved among the three telomeric Gags, with precise spacing of conserved residues. Nontelomeric Gags neither interact with the telomeric Gags nor have this conserved spacing. TAHRE Gag is much less able to enter the nucleus by itself than HeT-A or TART Gags. The overall telomeric localization efficiency for each of the three telomeric Gag proteins correlates with the relative abundance of that element in telomere arrays, suggesting an explanation for the relative rarity of TAHRE elements in telomere arrays and supporting the hypothesis that Gag targeting to telomeres is important for the telomere-specific transposition of these elements.
Cell surface levels of endothelial ICAM‐1 influence the transcellular or paracellular T‐cell diapedesis across the blood–brain barrier

The extravasation of CD4+ effector/memory T cells (TEM cells) across the blood–brain barrier (BBB) is a crucial step in the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) or multiple sclerosis (MS). Endothelial ICAM‐1 and ICAM‐2 are essential for CD4+ TEM cell crawling on the BBB prior to diapedesis. Here, we investigated the influence of cell surface levels of endothelial ICAM‐1 in determining the cellular route of CD4+ TEM‐cell diapedesis across cytokine treated primary mouse BBB endothelial cells under physiological flow. Inflammatory conditions, inducing high levels of endothelial ICAM‐1, promoted rapid initiation of transcellular diapedesis of CD4+ T cells across the BBB, while intermediate levels of endothelial ICAM‐1 favored paracellular CD4+ T‐cell diapedesis. Importantly, the route of T‐cell diapedesis across the BBB was independent of loss of BBB barrier properties. Unexpectedly, a low number of CD4+ TEM cells was found to cross the inflamed BBB in the absence of endothelial ICAM‐1 and ICAM‐2 via an obviously alternatively regulated transcellular pathway. In vivo, this translated to the development of ameliorated EAE in ICAM‐1null//ICAM‐2−/−C57BL/6J mice. Taken together, our study demonstrates that cell surface levels of endothelial ICAM‐1 rather than the inflammatory stimulus or BBB integrity influence the pathway of T‐cell diapedesis across the BBB.
Dam Methylation Participates in the Regulation of PmrA/PmrB and RcsC/RcsD/RcsB Two Component Regulatory Systems in Salmonella enterica Serovar Enteritidis

The absence of Dam in Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis causes a defect in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) pattern associated to a reduced expression of wzz gene. Wzz is the chain length regulator of the LPS O-antigen. Here we investigated whether Dam regulates wzz gene expression through its two known regulators, PmrA and RcsB. Thus, the expression of rcsB and pmrA was monitored by quantitative real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting using fusions with 3×FLAG tag in wild type (wt) and dam strains of S. Enteritidis. Dam regulated the expression of both rcsB and pmrA genes; nevertheless, the defect in LPS pattern was only related to a diminished expression of RcsB. Interestingly, regulation of wzz in serovar Enteritidis differed from that reported earlier for serovar Typhimurium; RcsB induces wzz expression in both serovars, whereas PmrA induces wzz in S. Typhimurium but represses it in serovar Enteritidis. Moreover, we found that in S. Enteritidis there is an interaction between both wzz regulators: RcsB stimulates the expression of pmrA and PmrA represses the expression of rcsB. Our results would be an example of differential regulation of orthologous genes expression, providing differences in phenotypic traits between closely related bacterial serovars.
Multivariate empirical mode decomposition

Despite empirical mode decomposition (EMD) becoming a de facto standard for time-frequency analysis of nonlinear and non-stationary signals, its multivariate extensions are only emerging; yet, they are a prerequisite for direct multichannel data analysis. An important step in this direction is the computation of the local mean, as the concept of local extrema is not well defined for multivariate signals. To this end, we propose to use real-valued projections along multiple directions on hyperspheres (n-spheres) in order to calculate the envelopes and the local mean of multivariate signals, leading to multivariate extension of EMD. To generate a suitable set of direction vectors, unit hyperspheres (n-spheres) are sampled based on both uniform angular sampling methods and quasi-Monte Carlo-based low-discrepancy sequences. The potential of the proposed algorithm to find common oscillatory modes within multivariate data is demonstrated by simulations performed on both hexavariate synthetic and real-world human motion signals.
The Conversion of Plastic Work to Heat Around a Dynamically Propagating Crack in Metals

Investigations of the temperature rise at a dynamically propagating crack tip using an infrared detector array are reported. Also, a measurement of the fraction of plastic work converted to heat using a split hopkinson bar apparatus in conjunction with an infrared detector array is summarized. For 4340 steel it is seen that ≈85% of the plastic work is converted to heat leading to a temperature rise of 300°C at a crack tip propagating 600 m/s in steel. This results is compared to earlier studies that report a 450°C temperature rise at a crack tip propagating 900 m/s in steel. In a titanium alloy the temperature rise is higher than that in steel for equal plastic work rate densities. The conditions at the crack tip are shown to be adiabatic, and, as a result, this effect is due to the difference in density, heat capacity and crack tip speed. Thermal conductivity has no effect.
Smart Sensing Strategy for Wireless Channel Based on Sequence Characterizes Matching Method

In this paper, we use the software-defined radio platform GNU Radio + USRP to implement a GSM channel smart sensing system by using the wireless channel smart sensing strategy based on sequence characterizes matching method. We adopted multi-step to design the system from physical layer. First, we rough scan the signal intensity of GSM channels, then select the channel that has better signal intensity to precise scan and save the data. Then, according to the sequence characterizes of different type channel, we analysis these data and realize the utilization rate of channels.
Parallel algorithms for index-permutation graphs. An extension of Cayley graphs for multiple chip-multiprocessors (MCMP)

The index-permutation graph (IPG) model is a natural extension of the Cayley graph model, and super-IPGs form an efficient class of IPGs that contain a wide variety of networks as subclasses. In this paper, we derive a number of efficient algorithms and embeddings for super-IPGs, proving their versatility. We show that a multitude of important networks can also be emulated in super-IPGs with optimal slowdown. Also, the intercluster diameter average intercluster distance, and bisection bandwidth of suitably constructed super-IPGs are optimal within small constant factors. Finally we show that when parallel computers, built as multiple chip-multiprocessors (MCMP), are based on super-IPGs, they can significantly outperform those based on hypercubes, k-ary n-cubes, and other networks in carrying out communication-intensive tasks.
High prevalence of type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes in adult Zoroastrians in Yazd, Iran: a cross-sectional study

Background: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) varies among ethnic groups. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes mellitus, impaired fasting glucose (IFG), and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) for the first time in an ethnic population, specifically Zoroastrian citizens in Yazd, Iran whose ages were 30 or older. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, participants aged≥30 years were selected using systematic random sampling. An inventory, including socio-demographic data, was completed. Weight, height, body mass index (BMI), and blood pressure (BP) were measured using standard methods. Also, blood levels of glucose, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), urea, creatinine (Cr), and uric acid were measured. The latest criteria established by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) were used to diagnose DM. Results: The mean age of the participants (n=403) was 56.9±12.8 years. The total prevalence of diabetes, including previously diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes, IFG, and IGT was 26.1%, 18.6%, 7.5%, 34.7% and 25.8%, respectively. Participants with diabetes had higher fasting blood sugar (FBS) (P<0.001), oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) (P<0.001), urea (P=0.019), BMI (P=0.001), systolic blood pressures (P<0.001), TG (P=0.007) and lower HDL (P=0.034) than patients with IFG, IGT, and normoglycemic subjects. Conclusions: The current study showed a high prevalence of T2DM in the Zoroastrian population of Yazd, Iran. One-third of the total cases with diabetes were undiagnosed.
GSM-Based Positioning Technique Using Relative Received Signal Strength

Context-aware applications have been gaining huge interest in the last few years. With cell phones becoming ubiquitous computing devices, cell phone localization has become an important research problem. Database Correlation Method DCM is a positioning technology that based on a database of a premeasured location dependent variable such as Received Signal Strength RSS. DCM has shown superior in terms of accuracy. Absolute RSS values received from a base station change with time, but the relative RSS RRSS values which refer to the relations of the RSS values between different base stations are more stable. This study proposes and implements a robust RRSS GSM-based technique for both positioning and traffic estimation. The study was tested and analyzed in Egypt roads using realistic data and Android smart phones. The performance evaluation showed good results. Mean positioning accuracy was about 29m in urban areas and velocity estimation was about 1 km/h in rural areas.
Bitwise and Dictionary Modeling for Code Compression on Transport Triggered Architectures

Program code size has become a critical design constraint of embedded systems. Code compression is one of the approaches to reduce the program code size; it results in smaller memories and reduced cost of the chip. In this paper, bitwise and dictionary modeling schemes for code compression are evaluated on transport triggered architecture processors, designed for four applications taken from different application domains. Results of the bitwise modeling scheme are promising, whereas the dictionary modeling scheme needs further improvements to be profitable.
A Physically Based Percolation Model of the Effective Electrical Conductivity of Particle Filled Composites

The fundamental mechanism of the non-universality of exponent t in the classical percolation equation is discussed on the basis of the comparison of lattice percolation and continuum percolation systems in the present study. The intrinsic universality of percolation exponents is revealed by analyzing the power-law percolation relationship between two different scales (microstructure and macroscopic properties). In view that the classical percolation equation with fitting parameters lacks a clear correlation to the microstructure features, a physically based percolation model is proposed to characterize the effective electrical conductivity of particle filled composites by means of the combination of effective medium (EM) and percolation equations with universal exponents. It is shown that the present model agrees well with the experimental data. Furthermore, the effect of particle shape on the percolation threshold and the effect of electrical conductivity of particle on the effective properties of composites are discussed.
of the Fifth International Conference on Graph Transformation-Doctoral Symposium ( ICGT-DS 2010 ) Using Graph Transformations and Graph Abstractions for Software Verification

In this paper we describe our intended approach for the verification of software written in imperative programming languages. We base our approach on model checking of graph transition systems, where each state is a graph and the transitions are specified by graph transformation rules. We believe that graph transformation is a very suitable technique to model the execution semantics of languages with dynamic memory allocation. Furthermore, such representation allows us to investigate the use of graph abstractions, which can mitigate the combinatorial explosion inherent to model checking. In addition to presenting our planned approach, we reason about its feasibility, and, by providing a brief comparison to other existing methods, we highlight the benefits and drawbacks that are expected.
Traffic-Related Air Pollution and Cognitive Function in a Cohort of Older Men

Background Traffic-related particles induce oxidative stress and may exert adverse effects on central nervous system function, which could manifest as cognitive impairment. Objective We assessed the association between black carbon (BC), a marker of traffic-related air pollution, and cognition in older men. Methods A total of 680 men (mean ± SD, 71 ± 7 years of age) from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Normative Aging Study completed a battery of seven cognitive tests at least once between 1996 and 2007. We assessed long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution using a validated spatiotemporal land-use regression model for BC. Results The association between BC and cognition was nonlinear, and we log-transformed BC estimates for all analyses [ln(BC)]. In a multivariable-adjusted model, for each doubling in BC on the natural scale, the odds of having a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score ≤ 25 was 1.3 times higher [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.1 to 1.6]. In a multivariable-adjusted model for global cognitive function, which combined scores from the remaining six tests, a doubling of BC was associated with a 0.054 SD lower test score (95% CI, −0.103 to −0.006), an effect size similar to that observed with a difference in age of 1.9 years in our data. We found no evidence of heterogeneity by cognitive test. In sensitivity analyses adjusting for past lead exposure, the association with MMSE scores was similar (odds ratio = 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1 to 1.7), but the association with global cognition was somewhat attenuated (−0.038 per doubling in BC; 95% CI, −0.089 to 0.012). Conclusions Ambient traffic-related air pollution was associated with decreased cognitive function in older men.
Prodding the ROC Curve: Constrained Optimization of Classifier Performance

When designing a two-alternative classifier, one ordinarily aims to maximize the classifier's ability to discriminate between members of the two classes. We describe a situation in a real-world business application of machine-learning prediction in which an additional constraint is placed on the nature of the solution: that the classifier achieve a specified correct acceptance or correct rejection rate (i.e., that it achieve a fixed accuracy on members of one class or the other). Our domain is predicting churn in the telecommunications industry. Churn refers to customers who switch from one service provider to another. We propose four algorithms for training a classifier subject to this domain constraint, and present results showing that each algorithm yields a reliable improvement in performance. Although the improvement is modest in magnitude, it is nonetheless impressive given the difficulty of the problem and the financial return that it achieves to the service provider.