Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
RooTrak: Automated Recovery of Three-Dimensional Plant Root Architecture in Soil from X-Ray Microcomputed Tomography Images Using Visual Tracking1[W]

X-ray microcomputed tomography (μCT) is an invaluable tool for visualizing plant root systems within their natural soil environment noninvasively. However, variations in the x-ray attenuation values of root material and the overlap in attenuation values between roots and soil caused by water and organic materials represent major challenges to data recovery. We report the development of automatic root segmentation methods and software that view μCT data as a sequence of images through which root objects appear to move as the x-y cross sections are traversed along the z axis of the image stack. Previous approaches have employed significant levels of user interaction and/or fixed criteria to distinguish root and nonroot material. RooTrak exploits multiple, local models of root appearance, each built while tracking a specific segment, to identify new root material. It requires minimal user interaction and is able to adapt to changing root density estimates. The model-guided search for root material arising from the adoption of a visual-tracking framework makes RooTrak less sensitive to the natural ambiguity of x-ray attenuation data. We demonstrate the utility of RooTrak using μCT scans of maize (Zea mays), wheat (Triticum aestivum), and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) grown in a range of contrasting soil textures. Our results demonstrate that RooTrak can successfully extract a range of root architectures from the surrounding soil and promises to facilitate future root phenotyping efforts.
Medial temporal atrophy on MRI in normal aging and very mild Alzheimer's disease

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based volumetric measurements of medial temporal lobe (MTL) structures can discriminate between normal elderly control subjects and patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) of moderate to advanced severity. In terms of clinical utility, however, a more important issue concerns the ability of the technique to differentiate between normal elderly control subjects and AD patients with the very mildest form of the disease. We performed MRI-based volumetric measurements of the hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, and amygdala in 126 cognitively normal elderly control subjects and 94 patients with probable AD. The diagnosis of AD was made according to NINDS/ADRDA criteria, and disease severity was categorized by Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scores. Patients with CDR 0.5 were classified as very mild, CDR 1 as mild, and CDR 2 as moderate disease severity. Volumes of each structure declined with increasing age in control subjects and did so in parallel for men and women. The volume of each measured MTL structure also declined with age in patients with AD. The volume of each MTL structure was significantly smaller in AD patients than control subjects (p < 0.001). Of the several MTL measures, the total hippocampal volumetric measurements were best at discriminating control subjects from AD patients. The mean hippocampal volumes for AD patients relative to control subjects by severity of disease were as follows: very mild AD (CDR 0.5) -1.75 SD below the control mean, mild AD (CDR 1) -1.99 SD, and moderate AD (CDR 2) -2.22 SD. Age- and gender-adjusted, normalized MRI-based hippocampal volumetric measurements provide a sensitive marker of the MTL neuroanatomic degeneration in AD early in the disease process.
The body and the fading away of abstract concepts and words: a sign language analysis

One of the most important challenges for embodied and grounded theories of cognition concerns the representation of abstract concepts, such as “freedom. ” Many embodied theories of abstract concepts have been proposed. Some proposals stress the similarities between concrete and abstract concepts showing that they are both grounded in perception and action system while other emphasize their difference favoring a multiple representation view. An influential view proposes that abstract concepts are mapped to concrete ones through metaphors. Furthermore, some theories underline the fact that abstract concepts are grounded in specific contents, as situations, introspective states, emotions. These approaches are not necessarily mutually exclusive, since it is possible that they can account for different subsets of abstract concepts and words. One novel and fruitful way to understand the way in which abstract concepts are represented is to analyze how sign languages encode concepts into signs. In the present paper we will discuss these theoretical issues mostly relying on examples taken from Italian Sign Language (LIS, Lingua dei Segni Italiana), the visual-gestural language used within the Italian Deaf community. We will verify whether and to what extent LIS signs provide evidence favoring the different theories of abstract concepts. In analyzing signs we will distinguish between direct forms of involvement of the body and forms in which concepts are grounded differently, for example relying on linguistic experience. In dealing with the LIS evidence, we will consider the possibility that different abstract concepts are represented using different levels of embodiment. The collected evidence will help us to discuss whether a unitary embodied theory of abstract concepts is possible or whether the different theoretical proposals can account for different aspects of their representation.
Automatic Tuning of Local Memory Use on GPGPUs

The use of local memory is important to improve the performance of OpenCL programs. However, its use may not always benefit performance, depending on various application characteristics, and there is no simple heuristic for deciding when to use it. We develop a machine learning model to decide if the optimization is beneficial or not. We train the model with millions of synthetic benchmarks and show that it can predict if the optimization should be applied for a single array, in both synthetic and real benchmarks, with high accuracy.
Improvement of speech emotion recognition with neural network classifier by using speech spectrogram

This research presents a novel algorithm for detecting human emotion via speech recognition by using speech spectrogram. The proposed algorithm aims to detect the emotional by using information inside the spectrogram. Neural network was used for being the classifier. A new approach to feature extraction based on analysis of two dimensions time-frequency representation of a speech signal have been presented. The algorithm was tested with EMO-Database. The experimental results show that the proposed framework can efficiently find the correct speech emotion compared to using the comparing method.
Sensitive and Specific PCR Systems for Detection of Both Chinese and Japanese Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus Strains and Prediction of Patient Survival Based on Viral Load

ABSTRACT Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease with a high case fatality risk and is caused by the SFTS virus (SFTSV). A retrospective study conducted after the first identification of an SFTS patient in Japan revealed that SFTS is endemic to the region, and the virus exists indigenously in Japan. Since the nucleotide sequence of Japanese SFTSV strains contains considerable differences compared with that of Chinese strains, there is an urgent need to establish a sensitive and specific method capable of detecting the Chinese and Japanese strains of SFTSV. A conventional one-step reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) (cvPCR) method and a quantitative one-step RT-PCR (qPCR) method were developed to detect the SFTSV genome. Both cvPCR and qPCR detected a Chinese SFTSV strain. Forty-one of 108 Japanese patients suspected of having SFTS showed a positive reaction by cvPCR. The results from the samples of 108 Japanese patients determined by the qPCR method were in almost complete agreement with those determined by cvPCR. The analyses of the viral copy number level in the patient blood samples at the acute phase determined by qPCR in association with the patient outcome confirmed that the SFTSV RNA load in the blood of the nonsurviving patients was significantly higher than that of the surviving patients. Therefore, the cvPCR and qPCR methods developed in this study can provide a powerful means for diagnosing SFTS. In addition, the detection of the SFTSV genome level by qPCR in the blood of the patients at the acute phase may serve as an indicator to predict the outcome of SFTS.
Generating intentions through argumentation

In this paper we consider how a BDI agent might determine its best course of action. We draw on previous work which has presented a model of persuasion over action and we discuss a formalism based upon this model which extends the BDI agent architecture to include the notion of value functions. This formalism will allow BDI agents to reason and argue about practical action, in accordance with our underlying model.
CQNCR: Optimal VM migration planning in cloud data centers

With the proliferation of cloud computing, virtualization has become the cornerstone of modern data centers and an effective solution to reduce operational costs, maximize utilization and improve performance and reliability. One of the powerful features provided by virtualization is Virtual Machine (VM) migration, which facilitates moving workloads within the infrastructure to reach various performance objectives. As recent virtual resource management schemes are more reliant on this feature, a large number of VM migrations may be triggered simultaneously to optimize resource allocations. In this context, a challenging problem is to find an efficient migration plan, i.e., an optimal sequence in which migrations should be triggered in order to minimize the total migration time and impact on services. In this paper, we propose CQNCR (read as sequencer), an effective technique for determining the execution order of massive VM migrations within data centers. Specifically, given an initial and a target resource configuration, CQNCR sequences VM migrations so as to efficiently reach the final configuration with minimal time and impact on performance. Experiments show that CQNCR can significantly reduce total migration time by up to 35% and service downtime by up to 60%.
From biological inspiration toward next-generation manipulators: manipulator control focused on human tasks

This paper presents our approach to extend the niche of behavior-based robotics toward manipulation. We use results from neuroscience to derive some qualitative design rules for the mechanics of the manipulator, resulting in a next-generation manipulator, the "soft arm". By defining the basic behaviors of the manipulator as trajectory-producing behaviors (which is also biologically plausible), we have designed a first test case: writing on a board with a mobile manipulator. The soft arm has not yet been developed; therefore, we have emulated such a soft robot arm on an industrial robot.
The Typological Model of Social Change: Reply

1972. Sociolinguistic patterns. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. LANE, R. B. 1961. A reconsideration of Malayo-Polynesian social organization. American Anthropologist 63:711-20. LOUNSBURY, F. G. 1964. "The structural analysis of kinship semantics. " Proceedings of the Ninth International Conference of Linguists, edited by H. G. Hunt, pp. 1073-93. MURDOCK, GEORGE PETER. 1949. Social structure. New York: Macmillan. 1964. Genetic classification of the Austronesian languages: A key to Oceanic culture history. Ethnology 3:117-26. 1968. Patterns of sibling terminology. Ethnology 7:1-24. SCHEFFLER, HAROLD. 1965. Choiseul Island social structure. Berkeley: University of California Press. 1971. "Dravidian-Iroquois: The Melanesian evidence," in Anthropology in Oceania: Essays presented to Ian Hogbin. Edited by L. R. Hiatt and C. Jayawardena, pp. 231-54. Sydney: Angus and Robertson.
A comparison between three psychogeriatric rating scales

This study compares a new psychogeriatric rating scale, the Organic Brain Syndrome (OBS) scale, which is a combined observation and interview scale, with two other scales. Twenty‐eight elderly demented patients took part in the study. The OBS scale was compared to the Gottfries, Bråne and Steen (GBS) scale, the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) scale and a global rating. The correlations between OBS, GBS and MMSE were high, showing that the concurrent validity is good. The ratings of the OBS scale were independent of the patient's physical disabilities as measured by Katz's index, ie the discriminant validity was good. The analyses show similarities and differences between the clinical dimensions described in the rating scales. The OBS scale contributes unique clinical information and is a valid instrument for assessment of dementia symptoms.
An Evolving Neuro-Fuzzy System with Online Learning/Self-learning

A new neuro-fuzzy system's architecture and a learning method that adjusts its weights as well as automatically determines a number of neurons, centers' location of membership functions and the receptive field's parameters in an online mode with high processing speed is proposed in this paper. The basic idea of this approach is to tune both synaptic weights and membership functions with the help of the supervised learning and self-learning paradigms. The approach to solving the problem has to do with evolving online neuro- fuzzy systems that can process data under uncertainty conditions. The results proves the effectiveness of the developed architecture and the learning procedure.
Substrate Specificities of Three Members of the Human UDP-N-Acetyl-a-D-galactosamine : Polypeptide N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferase Family

From the ‡School of Dentistry, University of Copenhagen, Nørre Allé 20, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark, the ¶Department of Molecular Biology, University of Odense, Campusvej 47, Odense, Denmark, the iEppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, and the **Imperial Cancer Research Fund, 44 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2A 3PX, United Kingdom
THE ADOPTION OF ELECTRONIC DATA INTERCHANGE (EDI) TECHNOLOGY BY NIGERIAN SMES: A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

In these days, the adoption of information technology (IT) in business operations is no longer privilege to large organizations; Small-Medium-Enterprises are also trying to adopt the IT in process of gaining the benefits of using it. Nigerian SMEs have been slow to adopt EDI due to perceived high cost of implementation, lack of willing trading partners and lack of awareness of EDI benefits. However, there has been little research conducted and published on the adoption of Electronic Data Interchange among SMEs in Nigeria. Most previous researches done in the context of developed countries. This study aimed to examine factors affecting the adoption of EDI Technology in Nigerian SMEs and to proposed EDI Technology model to the Nigerian SMEs. The study accepts three factors as determinants of the adoption of electronic data interchange (EDI): perceived benefits, organizational readiness and perceived pressure. A model of Iacovou et al., (1995) used to test the adoption of EDI as was found to be influential in prior EDI research. The primary data was collected by distributing questionnaires to 306 SMEs out of 1500 SMEs in the Northern part of Nigeria their responses analyzed using the SPSS software. All three factors were found to be significant in SMEs EDI adoption, with direct benefits, financial resources, and external pressure being considerably more important than technological resources and internal pressure.
Polyp detection with MDCT: a phantom-based evaluation of the impact of dose and spatial resolution.

OBJECTIVE The objective of our study was to evaluate the impact of dose and spatial resolution on the detection of colonic polyps using a 4-MDCT scanner. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-four latex phantoms that simulate the large bowel and contain artificial polyps of different sizes and shapes were constructed. The polyps were divided into three size groups (diameter, 0-2, 2-5, and 5-10 mm) and were classified into four shape groups: pedunculated; broad-based; ulcerated or depressed; and sessile or flat. The colon phantoms were submerged in a water tank and scanned on a 4-MDCT scanner using 12 protocols with various settings of slice thickness, pitch, and tube current. The images were independently evaluated by three radiologists using axial 2D multiplanar reconstruction images and a 3D surface-rendering technique (fly-through). RESULTS At a constant dose (i.e., dose-length product [DLP]), the polyp detection rate increased with increasing axial spatial resolution. For the standard protocol (2.50-mm slice thickness, 1.5 pitch), the detection rate for all polyp sizes decreased from approximately 70% at 100 mA to 55% at 40 mA. Between a 60- and 100-mA tube current, the detection rate for the largest polyps (> 5 mm) was almost constant, close to 90%. CONCLUSION The detection of polyps in the large bowel using a standard protocol can be improved without dose penalty by increasing the axial spatial resolution of the image acquisition and adjusting the tube current setting. If the analysis can be restricted to polyps larger than 5 mm, the dose can be substantially reduced without compromising the detection rate.
"Urbanism as a Way of Life"

Louis Wirth's classic description of the social and psychological effects of urbanism is organized into a model for the purpose of reviewing relevant theory and empirical research. Evidence on predicted structural effects (differentiation, formal integration and anomie) and individual effects (sensory overload, role mobility, isolation and deviance) is, at most, mixed. The best-supported predictions are of differentiation and deviance. Alternative models of urban life are explored, and, in the process of the review, research directions are suggested.
Adaptability of model comparison tools

Modern model-based development methodologies require a large number of efficient, high-quality model comparison tools. They must be carefully adapted to the specific model type, user preferences and application context. Implementing a large number of dedicated, monolithic tools is infeasible, the only viable approach are generic, adaptable tools. Generic tools currently available provide only partial or low-quality solutions to this challenge; their results are not satisfactory for model types such as state machines or block diagrams. This paper presents the SiDiff approach to model comparison which includes a set of highly configurable incremental matchers and a specification language to control their application.
How effective is retrieval support for witnesses with different levels of working and source memory?

The present study examined the effectiveness of retrieval support for witnesses who differ in working memory capacity (WMC) and source monitoring abilities. We hypothesised that the provision of retrieval support, relative to free recall, would compensate deficits linked to lower working memory and source monitoring abilities by providing more structure and context cues for retrieval. Thus, we expected no associations between recall performance and WMC and source monitoring abilities in the retrieval support group, but significant positive associations in the free recall group. This study combined data from two experiments (N = 125) in which participants either received retrieval support with the Self-Administered Interview or completed a free recall along with working and source memory tests. Contrary to our expectations, presence of retrieval support did not moderate the relationship between WMC and recall performance. In one of two source memory tests, higher source memory scores were associated with more accurate accounts in the retrieval support group, whereas in the free recall group, lower source memory scores were associated with higher recall accuracy. This suggests that individuals with lower source memory abilities may not benefit from retrieval support. We encourage replication with a more heterogeneous sample.
Episodic Cessation of Gambling: A Numerically Aided Phenomenological Assessment of Why Gamblers Stop Playing in a Given Session

The topic of permanent cessation of gambling behavior has received increased attention as the rates gaming (and pathology) increase with accessibility and legalization. Despite this increased attention there is a paucity of research on why people stop gambling in a given session, i.e. episodic cessation. We propose that the study of first-person experiential accounts of why gamblers stopped engaging in play within a given session will shed light on the progression and maintenance of wagering behavior. Using numerically aided phenomenology, we systematically examined accounts of episodic cessation. In doing so, we were able to identifying recurrent themes and then clustering these accounts according to similarities in theme profiles. People reported that episodic cessation occurred because they had lost all their money or because they were forced to (Cluster I), a sufficient amount of money had been won or lost (Cluster II), and a priori limits on wins or losses had been reached (Cluster III). As predicted, gamblers with maladaptive reasons for episodic cessation (Cluster I and II) reported more illusory perceptions of control and negative attitudes toward treatment seeking than those who engage in responsible gambling behavior (Cluster III). Moreover, illusions of control mediated the effect of cluster membership on attitudes toward treatment seeking. The findings of the present research help to integrate recent studies of gambling progression and maintenance.
New Trifluoromethyl Triazolopyrimidines as Anti-Plasmodiumfalciparum Agents

According to the World Health Organization, half of the World’s population, approximately 3.3 billion people, is at risk for developing malaria. Nearly 700,000 deaths each year are associated with the disease. Control of the disease in humans still relies on chemotherapy. Drug resistance is a limiting factor, and the search for new drugs is important. We have designed and synthesized new 2-(trifluoromethyl)[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine derivatives based on bioisosteric replacement of functional groups on the anti-malarial compounds mefloquine and amodiaquine. This approach enabled us to investigate the impact of: (i) ring bioisosteric replacement; (ii) a CF3 group substituted at the 2-position of the [1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine scaffold and (iii) a range of amines as substituents at the 7-position of the of heterocyclic ring; on in vitro activity against Plasmodium falciparum. According to docking simulations, the synthesized compounds are able to interact with P. falciparum dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (PfDHODH) through strong hydrogen bonds. The presence of a trifluoromethyl group at the 2-position of the [1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine ring led to increased drug activity. Thirteen compounds were found to be active, with IC50 values ranging from 0.023 to 20 µM in the anti-HRP2 and hypoxanthine assays. The selectivity index (SI) of the most active derivatives 5, 8, 11 and 16 was found to vary from 1,003 to 18,478.