Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gamma scintigraphic study of the hydrodynamically balanced matrix tablets of Metformin HCl in rabbits

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo performance of gastro-retentive matrix tablets having Metformin HCl as model drug and combination of natural polymers. A total of 16 formulations were prepared by a wet granulation method using xanthan, tamarind seed powder, tamarind kernel powder and salep as the gel-forming agents and sodium bicarbonate as a gas-forming agent. All the formulations were evaluated for compendial and non-compendial tests and in vitro study was carried out on a USP-II dissolution apparatus at a paddle speed of 50 rpm. MOX2 formulation, composed of salep and xanthan in the ratio of 4:1 with 96.9% release, was considered as the optimum formulation with more than 90% release in 12 hours and short floating lag time. In vivo study was carried out using gamma scintigraphy in New Zealand White rabbits, optimized formulation was incorporated with 10 mg of 153Sm for labeling MOX2 formulation. The radioactive samarium oxide was used as the marker to trace transit of the tablets in the gastrointestinal tract. The in vivo data also supported retention of MOX2 formulation in the gastric region for 12 hours and were different from the control formulation without a gas and gel forming agent. It was concluded that the prepared floating gastro-retentive matrix tablets had a sustained-release effect in vitro and in vivo, gamma scintigraphy played an important role in locating the oral transit and the drug-release pattern.
Color digitizing and modeling of free-form 3D objects

This paper deals with the problem of capturing the color information of physical 3D objects thanks to a class of digitizers providing color and range data, like range finders based on structured lighting. It appears typically in a modeling procedure that aims at building a realistic virtual 3D model. The color data delivered by such scanners basically express the reflected color intensity of the object and not its intrinsic color. A consequence is therefore the existence, on the reconstructed model, of strong color discontinuities, which results from acquisition done under different illumination conditions. The paper considers three approaches in order to remove these discontinuities and obtained the desired intrinsic color data. The first one converts the reflected color intensity into the intrinsic color by computation, using a reflectance model and known acquisition parameters. The use of simple reflectance models is considered: Lambert and Phong, respectively for perfectly diffuse and mixed diffuse and specular reflection. The second approach is a hardware solution. It aims at using a nearly constant, diffuse and omnidirectional illumination over the visible parts of the object. A third method combines the first computational approach with the use of several known illumination sources. An experimental comparison of these three approaches is finally presented.
1 All Around the Table

INTRODUCTION We discuss some of our research on interactive tabletops and its relation to ‘designing for families’ and report on two strands of research. The first author has conducted two evaluation studies of interactive installations in museums – an environment in which family groups are a dominant ‘population’, it being important to serve their needs and interests. The first and the third author taught a physical computing course with the theme of ‘remote intimacy’ at the University of Potsdam, where the second author developed a concept design around the notion of sharing the daily ritual of sitting around the table to have a meal.
One for All and All for One: Simultaneous Approximation of Multiple Functions over Distributed Streams

Distributed monitoring methods address the difficult problem of continuously approximating functions over distributed streams, while minimizing the communication cost. However, existing methods are concerned with the approximation of a single function at a time. Employing these methods to track multiple functions will multiply the communication volume, thus eliminating their advantage in the first place. We introduce a novel approach that can be applied to multiple functions. Our method applies a communication reduction scheme to the set of functions, rather than to each function independently, keeping a low communication volume. Evaluation on several real-world datasets shows that our method can track many functions with reduced communication, in most cases incurring only a negligible increase in communication over distributed approximation of a single function.
A Trajectory Preserving Method Based on Semantic Anonymity Proxy

Privacy protection attracts more and more attention from researchers to users. Due to the unreliability of mobile devices which often leads confidential information such as personal trajectory data divulged. We propose a new trajectory privacy protection method based on Semantic Anonymity Proxy proved to have some excellent characteristics. We alter the traditional ways which used to rely on the center anonymous server, adopting semantic anonymity and proxy request to construct the SAP tree on account of background map model to satisfy the location based services. The comparative results have shown that the new method achieves better performance than the classic ways on higher efficiency and quality.
Fast time series classification under lucky time warping distance

In time series mining, the Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) distance is a commonly and widely used similarity measure. Since the computational complexity of the DTW distance is quadratic, various kinds of warping constraints, lower bounds and abstractions have been developed to speed up time series mining under DTW distance. In this contribution, we propose a novel Lucky Time Warping (LTW) distance, with linear time and space complexity, which uses a greedy algorithm to accelerate distance calculations for nearest neighbor classification. The results show that, compared to the Euclidean distance (ED) and (un)constrained DTW distance, our LTW distance trades classification accuracy against computational cost reasonably well, and therefore can be used as a fast alternative for nearest neighbor time series classification.
Semiblind channel estimation for space-time coded WCDMA

A new semiblind channel estimation technique is proposed for space-time coded wideband CDMA systems using aperiodic and possibly multirate spreading codes. Using a decorrelating matched filter, the received signal is projected onto subspaces from which channel parameters and data symbols can be estimated jointly. Exploiting the subspace structure of the WCDMA signaling and the orthogonality of the space-time code, the proposed algorithm provides the least squares channel estimate in closed form. A new identifiability condition is established. The mean square error of the estimated channel is compared with the Cramer-Rao bound, and a bit error rate (BER) expression for the proposed algorithm is compared with differential schemes.
Innovative Non-Destructive Device for Fruit Quality Assessment

Maturity at harvest greatly affects kiwifruit storage potential and quality at consumption: if fruits are picked too early, they undergo a precocious softening during storage, and do not reach full flavour and aroma when ripe. In Actinidia deliciosa, soluble solids content and dry matter has been proposed as maturity indexes. In Actinidia chinensis, the optimal harvest time is determined on the basis of flesh colour (Hue Angle= °H). In the last decade, non-destructive techniques, such as NIRs (Near Infrared Spectroscopy) have been used for evaluating kiwifruit quality. However, these devices require time consuming calibrations and they are used to measure the same parameters which are determined by traditional techniques (SSC; DM, °H). As a consequence, they do not give any added values as compared to the traditional methods to assess fruit quality. Recently, the University of Bologna patented innovative and simplified NIRs equipment (DA-Meter and Kiwi-Meter) which allows to define fruit maturity stage by means of an index based on the difference in absorbance between specific wavelengths (IDA). This index correlates with the main traditional parameters as well as with changes in flesh colour. In addition the availability of simple and portable instrument allow their use on the fruit attached to the trees to monitor the maturation and the ripening evolution, and determine the best cultural management practices (such as pruning, thinning, nutrition, etc) that allow to reduce the fruit ripening heterogeneity and simplify post-harvest management of the fruits. In the present work, results on different cultivars of Actinidia deliciosa and Actinidia chinensis are reported.
MicroRNA Response Elements-Mediated miRNA-miRNA Interactions in Prostate Cancer

The cell is a highly organized system of interacting molecules including proteins, mRNAs, and miRNAs. Analyzing the cell from a systems perspective by integrating different types of data helps revealing the complexity of diseases. Although there is emerging evidence that microRNAs have a functional role in cancer, the role of microRNAs in mediating cancer progression and metastasis remains not fully explored. As the amount of available miRNA and mRNA gene expression data grows, more systematic methods combining gene expression and biological networks become necessary to explore miRNA function. In this work I integrated functional miRNA-target interactions with mRNA and miRNA expression to infer mRNA-mediated miRNA-miRNA interactions. The inferred network represents miRNA modulation through common targets. The network is used to characterize the functional role of microRNA response element (MRE) to mediate interactions between miRNAs targeting the MRE. Results revealed that miRNA-1 is a key player in regulating prostate cancer progression. 11 miRNAs were identified as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers that act as tumor suppressor miRNAs. This work demonstrates the utility of a network analysis as opposed to differential expression to find important miRNAs that regulate prostate cancer.
Amelioration of Hypertriglyceridemia with Hypo-Alpha-Cholesterolemia in LPL Deficient Mice by Hematopoietic Cell-Derived LPL

Background Macrophage-derived lipoprotein lipase (LPL) has been shown uniformly to promote atherosclerotic lesion formation while the extent to which it affects plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels varies in wild-type and hypercholesterolemic mice. It is known that high levels of LPL in the bulk of adipose tissue and skeletal muscle would certainly mask the contribution of macrophage LPL to metabolism of plasma lipoprotein. Therefore, we chose LPL deficient (LPL-/-) mice with severe hypertriglyceridemia as an alternative model to assess the role of macrophage LPL in plasma lipoprotein metabolism via bone marrow transplant, through which LPL will be produced mainly by hematopoietic cell-derived macrophages. Methods and Results Hypertriglyceridemic LPL-/- mice were lethally irradiated, then transplanted with bone marrow from wild-type (LPL+/+) or LPL-/- mice, respectively. Sixteen weeks later, LPL+/+ →LPL-/- mice displayed significant reduction in plasma levels of triglyceride and cholesterol (408±44.9 vs. 2.7±0.5×103 and 82.9±7.1 vs. 229.1±30.6 mg/dl, p<0.05, respectively), while a 2.7-fold increase in plasma high density lipoprotein- cholesterol (p<0.01) was observed, compared with LPL-/-→LPL-/- control mice. The clearance rate for the oral fat load test in LPL+/+ →LPL-/- mice was faster than that in LPL-/-→LPL-/- mice, but slower than that in wild-type mice. Liver triglyceride content in LPL+/+→LPL-/- mice was also significantly increased, compared with LPL-/-→LPL-/- mice (6.8±0.7 vs. 4.6±0.5 mg/g wet tissue, p<0.05, n = 6). However, no significant change was observed in the expression levels of genes involved in hepatic lipid metabolism between the two groups. Conclusions Hematopoietic cell-derived LPL could efficiently ameliorate severe hypertriglyceridemia and hypo-alpha-cholesterolemia at the compensation of increased triglyceride content of liver in LPL-/- mice.
NanoKaryotyping: Application of Micro- and Nanotechnologies in Cytogenetics

Chromosome abnormalities, such as translocations may cause various genetic disorders and are also associated with heametological malignancies. Translocation is a rearrangement between two chromosome arms that results in two derivative chromosomes. The current detection methods such as karyotyping and FISH require a use of expensive reagents and can only be performed in specialized laboratories. This PhD project aims at developing new strategies for point-of-care detection of chromosome translocations by applying microand nanotechnologies to increase the sensitivity. The project started with development of a microfluidic device for controlled chromosome spreading. The device, made in Topas®, was used to facilitate the evaporation of the fixative solution to achieve proper spreading. In the device we obtained a comparable spreading efficiency to the traditional methods but with reduced reagents volume. To propose a new strategy for chromosome translocation detection we developed a double hybridisation assay. To detect the translocation it is necessary to determine that the two DNA sequences forming a derivative chromosome are connected, which is achieved by two subsequent hybridization steps. The first example of the translocation detection was presented on lab-on-a-disc using fluorescently labeled DNA fragments, representing the derivative chromosome. It allows for sorting of the DNA chromosomal fragments into separate compartments followed by translocation detection. To allow for cheaper detection an electrical label-free approach has been investigated using silicon nanowires BioFETs, metallic and conductive polymer electrodes. We present here our findings regarding the DNA hybridisation sensing using these sensors. They showed an improved sensitivity and are all label-free, which makes them inexpensive candidates for a novel cytogenetic analysis as a replacement of standard techniques. The metallic electrodes as the most reliable were selected for further development of a complete device for translocation detection. We developed a setup enabling electrochemical measurements on a spinning lab-on-a-disc platform. An electrical swivel was used to provide reliable connections between the electrodes on a disc and a potentiostat. We have demonstrated the applicability of the setup to standard electrochemical techniques. Lab-on-a-chip devices are being constantly developed to improve the analysis at a reduced cost and time. The presented devices that were developed using microand nanotechnologies are label-free and due to their sensitivity show a potential to be applied to chromosome translocation analysis with an improved detection efficiency.
A hierarchical control scheme for energy quota distribution in hybrid distributed video coding

Hybrid Distributed Video Coding (HDVC) has emerged as an attractive solution for energy and resource constrained video pro-cessing systems in different domains like distributed video sensors, mobile devices with dynamically varying energy levels, or hybrid paradigms where mobile devices are communicating with high-end servers. In this paper, we present a hierarchical control scheme for determining and distributing the energy quota in HDVC encoder and decoder under scenarios of dynamically varying energy levels and user constraints. The energy quotas are computed and controlled online at various hierarchical levels (like group of frames, frames, and macroblocks), while jointly accounting for the computation and transmission energy. For energy reduction, the processing of selective regions is intelligently distributed at both encoder and decoder sides, considering the texture and motion properties of different video regions and available spatial/temporal correlations. Experimental results demonstrate that our scheme provides on average 20%-25% reduced energy consumption compared to state-of-the-art HDVC schemes. The key to high energy efficiency is to leverage the video content properties.
Stage Specific Assessment of Candida albicans Phagocytosis by Macrophages Identifies Cell Wall Composition and Morphogenesis as Key Determinants

Candida albicans is a major life-threatening human fungal pathogen. Host defence against systemic Candida infection relies mainly on phagocytosis of fungal cells by cells of the innate immune system. In this study, we have employed video microscopy, coupled with sophisticated image analysis tools, to assess the contribution of distinct C. albicans cell wall components and yeast-hypha morphogenesis to specific stages of phagocytosis by macrophages. We show that macrophage migration towards C. albicans was dependent on the glycosylation status of the fungal cell wall, but not cell viability or morphogenic switching from yeast to hyphal forms. This was not a consequence of differences in maximal macrophage track velocity, but stems from a greater percentage of macrophages pursuing glycosylation deficient C. albicans during the first hour of the phagocytosis assay. The rate of engulfment of C. albicans attached to the macrophage surface was significantly delayed for glycosylation and yeast-locked morphogenetic mutant strains, but enhanced for non-viable cells. Hyphal cells were engulfed at a slower rate than yeast cells, especially those with hyphae in excess of 20 µm, but there was no correlation between hyphal length and the rate of engulfment below this threshold. We show that spatial orientation of the hypha and whether hyphal C. albicans attached to the macrophage via the yeast or hyphal end were also important determinants of the rate of engulfment. Breaking down the overall phagocytic process into its individual components revealed novel insights into what determines the speed and effectiveness of C. albicans phagocytosis by macrophages.
A Comparison of Searching Functionality of a VuFind Catalogue Implementation and the Traditional Catalogue

As of spring semester 2010, Georgia Southern University began using a VuFind implementation as the default access to the library catalogue on the library Web page while maintaining a secondary link to the traditional Voyager "classic" catalogue. VuFind is an open-source product that has been adopted and adapted by all the state universities and colleges in the state of Georgia. For approximately ten years, Georgia libraries have used Voyager as their catalogue, and it remains available to users as the "classic" search option. This report examines the local VuFind implementation compared to the more traditional Voyager implementation, emphasizing the differences in the searching capabilities of each.
Propagation-Based Image and Depth Reconstruction from A Space-Variant Defocused Image

In this paper, we present a propagation-based method to reconstruct image and depth from a space-variant defocused image. Our proposed method mainly contains three parts: blur identification, image deconvolution and artifact removal. For blur identification, we adopt belief-propagation to obtain the initial patchbased depth map. We divide the input images into patches and form a Markov network to assign each patch a node. To each node, we deblur the corresponding image patch with total variation regularizer scale by scale. Then we form the compatibilities of belief-propagation by calculating the reconstruction error term among these deblurred image patches, the curvature of these reconstruction error, and the difference between the overlapping deblurred regions. After several iterations, we can obtain an initial patch-based depth map. For image deconvolution, we propose a deblurring algorithm called TTV/L2 model with both benefits of Tikhonov-like regularizer and total variation (TV) regularizer. For the artifact removal, we deal with two traditional artifacts: boundary artifacts and ringing artifacts. To avoid the boundary artifacts, we deconvolute each patch with its neighboring patches and extract the deconvoluted part from the center patch. In the other hand, to avoid the ringing artifacts, we propose an edge-aware deringing algorithm to obtain a pixel-based depth map meanwhile reconstruct the all-in-focus result image. Although to reconstruct image and depth from a defocused image is spacevariantly ill-posed and extremely challenging, the experimental results of both natural images and medical images demonstrate our proposed method is promising.
Toward a framework for action research in information systems studies

Based on recent reviews regarding its use in information systems (IS) studies, this paper argues that action research is still not well recognized by IS researchers and mainstream IS journals especially in North America. To make the situation worse, existing criteria used to assess the quality of action research studies are found to be inadequate when applied to IS. In order to advance its understanding and use by IS researchers and practitioners, the IS action research framework proposed recently by Lau is refined and presented as a set of guidelines in this paper. The implications of this refined framework on IS research and practice are discussed.
Singapore ’ s ICT Policy for the New Millenium : Implications for SMEs

This paper outlines the ICT policies in Singapore and draws implications of these plans for local small and medium enterprises in Singapore. Whilst a large literature exists on ICT policy in Singapore, currently, only anecdotal evidence is available on how these policies impact SMEs. The paper utilises an economic framework for the discussion and analysis of these policies, and concludes that future ICT policy will need to be more broad-based and flexible, in order to prevent severe market distortions from arising.
Auxiliary Cuts for General Classes of Higher Order Functionals

Several recent studies demonstrated that higher order (non-linear) functionals can yield outstanding performances in the contexts of segmentation, co-segmentation and tracking. In general, higher order functionals result in difficult problems that are not amenable to standard optimizers, and most of the existing works investigated particular forms of such functionals. In this study, we derive general bounds for a broad class of higher order functionals. By introducing auxiliary variables and invoking the Jensen's inequality as well as some convexity arguments, we prove that these bounds are auxiliary functionals for various non-linear terms, which include but are not limited to several affinity measures on the distributions or moments of segment appearance and shape, as well as soft constraints on segment volume. From these general-form bounds, we state various non-linear problems as the optimization of auxiliary functionals by graph cuts. The proposed bound optimizers are derivative-free, and consistently yield very steep functional decreases, thereby converging within a few graph cuts. We report several experiments on color and medical data, along with quantitative comparisons to state of-the-art methods. The results demonstrate competitive performances of the proposed algorithms in regard to accuracy and convergence speed, and confirm their potential in various vision and medical applications.