Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Independent component analysis for unmixing multi-wavelength photoacoustic images

Independent component analysis (ICA) is a blind source unmixing method that may be used under certain circumstances to decompose multi-wavelength photoacoustic (PA) images into separate components representing individual chromophores. It has the advantages of being fast, easy to implement and computationally inexpensive. This study uses simulated multi-wavelength PA images to investigate the conditions required for ICA to be an accurate unmixing method and compares its performance to linear inversion. An approximate fluence adjustment based on spatially homogeneous optical properties equal to that of the background region was applied to the PA images before unmixing with ICA or LI. ICA is shown to provide accurate separation of the chromophores in cases where the absorption coefficients are lower than certain thresholds, some of which are comparable to physiologically relevant values. However, the results also show that the performance of ICA abruptly deteriorates when the absorption is increased beyond these thresholds. In addition, the accuracy of ICA decreases in the presence of spatially inhomogeneous absorption in the background.
Riemannian Frank-Wolfe with application to the geometric mean of positive definite matrices

We study projection free methods for constrained geodesically convex optimization. In particular, we propose a Riemannian version of the Frank-Wolfe (RFW) method. We analyze RFW's convergence and provide a global, non-asymptotic sublinear convergence rate. We also present a setting under which RFW can attain a linear rate. Later, we specialize RFW to the manifold of positive definite matrices, where we are motivated by the specific task of computing the geometric mean (also known as Karcher mean or Riemannian centroid). For this task, RFW requires access to a "linear oracle" that turns out to be a nonconvex semidefinite program. Remarkably, this nonconvex program is shown to admit a closed form solution, which may be of independent interest too. We complement this result by also studying a nonconvex Euclidean Frank-Wolfe approach, along with its global convergence analysis. Finally, we empirically compare Rfw against recently published methods for the Riemannian centroid and observe strong performance gains.
Mer590, a novel monoclonal antibody targeting MER receptor tyrosine kinase, decreases colony formation and increases chemosensitivity in non-small cell lung cancer

The successes of targeted therapeutics against EGFR and ALK in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have demonstrated the substantial survival gains made possible by precision therapy. However, the majority of patients do not have tumors with genetic alterations responsive to these therapies, and therefore identification of new targets is needed. Our laboratory previously identified MER receptor tyrosine kinase as one such potential target. We now report our findings targeting MER with a clinically translatable agent – Mer590, a monoclonal antibody specific for MER. Mer590 rapidly and robustly reduced surface and total MER levels in multiple cell lines. Treatment reduced surface MER levels by 87%, and this effect was maximal within four hours. Total MER levels were also dramatically reduced, and this persisted for at least seven days. Mechanistically, MER down-regulation was mediated by receptor internalization and degradation, leading to inhibition of downstream signaling through STAT6, AKT, and ERK1/2. Functionally, this resulted in increased apoptosis, increased chemosensitivity to carboplatin, and decreased colony formation. In addition to carboplatin, Mer590 interacted cooperatively with shRNA-mediated MER inhibition to augment apoptosis. These data demonstrate that MER inhibition can be achieved with a monoclonal antibody in NSCLC. Optimization toward a clinically available anti-MER antibody is warranted.
Tinnitus: network pathophysiology-network pharmacology

Tinnitus, the phantom perception of sound, is a prevalent disorder. One in 10 adults has clinically significant subjective tinnitus, and for one in 100, tinnitus severely affects their quality of life. Despite the significant unmet clinical need for a safe and effective drug targeting tinnitus relief, there is currently not a single Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug on the market. The search for drugs that target tinnitus is hampered by the lack of a deep knowledge of the underlying neural substrates of this pathology. Recent studies are increasingly demonstrating that, as described for other central nervous system (CNS) disorders, tinnitus is a pathology of brain networks. The application of graph theoretical analysis to brain networks has recently provided new information concerning their topology, their robustness and their vulnerability to attacks. Moreover, the philosophy behind drug design and pharmacotherapy in CNS pathologies is changing from that of “magic bullets” that target individual chemoreceptors or “disease-causing genes” into that of “magic shotguns,” “promiscuous” or “dirty drugs” that target “disease-causing networks,” also known as network pharmacology. In the present work we provide some insight into how this knowledge could be applied to tinnitus pathophysiology and pharmacotherapy.
A Parallel Radix-Sort-Based VLSI Architecture for Finding the First  $W$ Maximum/Minimum Values

Very-large-scale integration (VLSI) architectures for finding the first W (W>2) maximum (or minimum) values are required in the implementation of several applications such as nonbinary low-density-parity-check decoders, K-best multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) detectors, and turbo product codes. In this brief, a parallel radix-sort-based VLSI architecture for finding the first W maximum (or minimum) values is proposed. The described architecture, called Bit-Wise-And (BWA) architecture, relies on analyzing input data from the most significant bit to the least significant one, with very simple logic circuits. One key feature in the BWA architecture is its high level of scalability, which enables the adoption of this solution in a large spectrum of applications, corresponding to large ranges for both W and the size of the input data set. Experimental results, achieved by implementing the proposed architecture on a high-speed 90-nm CMOS standard-cell technology, show that BWA architecture requires significantly less area than other solutions available in the literature, i.e., less than or about 50% in all the considered cases and about 50% in the worst case. Moreover, the BWA architecture exhibits the lowest area-delay product among almost all considered cases.
Novel fibre lasers as excitation sources for photoacoustic tomography and microscopy

Two custom fibre lasers have been developed. One is designed for widefield photoacoustic tomography (PAT) and uses a custom drawn large core diameter fibre (100μm) to provide high pulse energies (5mJ). It also provides a variable pulse repetition frequency (100Hz-400Hz) and pulse duration (10-150ns) and is compact (of comparable dimensions to a desktop PC) and does not require external water cooling. This system was used to acquire in vivo images of the subcutaneous microvasculature in the human palm. The second laser is designed for Optical Resolution Photoacoustic Microscopy (OR-PAM) and provides a high quality beam (M2<1.1), pulse energies >1μJ with a pulse repetition frequency (PRF) up to 2MHz, and a 532nm emission wavelength. The high PRF of this laser was exploited for ultra-fast image acquisition. The compact size and enhanced functionality of these lasers offers a major opportunity to facilitate the translation of photoacoustic imaging to practical applications in medicine and biology.
Towards a security baseline for IaaS-cloud back-ends in Industry 4.0

The popularity of cloud based Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) solutions is becoming increasingly popular. However, since IaaS providers and customers interact in a flexible and scalable environment, security remains a serious concern. To handle such security issues, defining a set of security parameters in the service level agreements (SLA) between both, IaaS provider and customer, is of utmost importance. In this paper, the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA) guidelines are evaluated to extract a set of security parameters for IaaS. Furthermore, the level of applicability and implementation of this set is used to assess popular industrial and open-source IaaS cloud platforms, respectively VMware and OpenStack. Both platforms provide private clouds, used as backend infrastructures in Industry 4.0 application scenarios. The results serve as initial work to identify a security baseline and research needs for creating secure cloud environments for Industry 4.0.
Appearance of a Carcinoid–like Pattern in Rat Hepatic Tumors Induced by 3′–Methyl‐4–dimethyl ‐aminoazobenzene

This study investigated the histological distribution of argyrophilic cells in experimental hepatic neoplasms, the number of these cells, and the proportion of neoplasms with such cells. Seventy 6–week–old male Donryu rats were given a 0.06% 3′–methyl–4–dimethyl–aminoazobenzene (3′–MeDAB) diet for 10 weeks, followed by an ordinary diet for an additional 10 weeks. Of the 70 rats, 50 were used for this investigation; 29 had hepatic tumors, 18 had cholangiofibrosis, and the other three had oval cell proliferation only. Hepatic tissues were stained with Grimelius and Fontana–Masson stains as well as routine hematoxylin–eosin stain. Argyrophilic cells were found in the hepatic neoplasms of 8 rats without argentaffin cells, while cholangiofibrosis was associated with argentaffin cells in almost all cases. Of the 8 rats with argyrophilic cells, three had an abundant population of these cells. The argyrophilic cells were found in areas of the neoplasms with a glandular, trabecular, tubular, or poorly differentiated pattern. Electron microscopy revealed that the neoplastic cells with a positive argyro–phil reaction contained small round electron–dense endocrine granules. In addition, in the areas of cholangiofibrosis, two different types of gut endocrine cells were present (G and EC cells). These results suggest that 3′–MeDAB might induce hepatic carcinoid under certain conditions, though we have yet to confirm the development of a pure hepatic carcinoid due to this substance.
Navigating competing conceptions of civic education: lessons from three Israeli civics classrooms

Abstract The concentration of this study was the documentation and analysis of ways in which competing conceptions of citizenship play out in actual classroom settings. Examining three cases in the context of the Israeli education system, its findings show that civics teachers’ views and beliefs influenced ways in which they interpreted the curriculum standards and reacted to schools policies and atmosphere, even in cases where these views contradicted. Nevertheless, when confronted with competing conceptions of citizenship as presented by their students, the teachers were less willing to open true democratic conversations, resulting in lessons that did not necessarily create a true democratic atmosphere.
A novel strategy for kernel-based small target tracking against varying illumination with multiple features fusion

This paper presents a novel kernel-based method for small Target Tracking with multi-feature fusion against Varying Illumination. Firstly, the conventional tracker based on color histogram is unreliable or even failed under varying illumination. Therefore, a new fuzzy color histogram creation is proposed based on the HSV color space and utilizes the local background information around tracking target to dynamically correct its fuzzy color histogram model and eliminates the sensitive of conventional color histogram to illumination change and noise. Secondly, there is still not an effective method to cope with object occlusion, angle variation, scale change etc. The tracking algorithm utilizes feature points extracted by improved SIFT as the reference points of Mean-Shift and calculates the target area center, which combines the two methods together seamlessly. Lastly, the whole tracking algorithm utilizes fuzzy color histogram model and combination of improved SIFT as the reference points of Mean-Shift for small target tracking. Experiment results show that the proposed algorithm can keep tracking object of varying scales and various illumination even when the surrounding background being similar to the object's appearance.
Chinese Remainder Theorem-Based Sequence Design for Resource Block Assignment in Relay-Assisted Internet-of-Things Communications

Terminal relays are expected to play a key role in facilitating the communication between base stations and low-cost power-constrained cellular Internet of Things (IoT) devices. However, these mobile relays require a mechanism by which they can autonomously assign the available resource blocks (RBs) to their assisted IoT devices in the absence of channel state information (CSI) and with minimal assignment conflicts. To address this problem, in this paper, we develop an autonomous sequence-based RB assignment scheme that dispenses with CSI. The sequences underlying the proposed scheme are designed using the Chinese remainder theorem (CRT). In particular, the CRT is used to combine the cyclic sequences generated by simple cyclic group structures into longer ones. The combining process introduces additional degrees of freedom in sequence generation, thereby enriching the set of RB assignment sequences. Simulation results show that the sequences generated by the proposed CRT-based scheme outperform those generated by currently available autonomous ones.
Terrorism and visibility in Algeria’s ‘black decade’: Des hommes et des dieux (2010)

This article addresses the audio-visual representation of the victims of Islamic fundamentalist terrorism in Algeria in the 1990s, drawing on both historical and testimonial sources before examining Xavier Beauvois’s Des hommes et des dieux (2010). Based on a true story – the abduction and murder of a group of ex-colonial French monks– it offers a useful platform on which to interrogate the interactions of the representational and the political in relation to terrorism. Critical accounts of contemporary terrorism suggest that there has been a shift in focus from governments and terrorist organisations to an apprehension of the individual victim. However, examinations of the audio-visual can inform terrorism studies, pointing towards representational and socio-political occlusions by illuminating an implicit hierarchy of visibility. Certain lives, generally Western and Christian, are visible and mourned publicly when lost, while others, in this case Algerian, remain without an image.
Assessment of Neutron Contamination Originating from the Presence of Wedge and Block in Photon Beam Radiotherapy

Background: One of the main causes of induction of secondary cancer in radiation therapy is neutron contamination received by patients during treatment. Objective: In the present study the impact of wedge and block on neutron contamination production is investigated. The evaluations are conducted for a 15 MV Siemens Primus linear accelerator. Methods: Simulations were performed using MCNPX Monte Carlo code. 30˚, 45˚ and 60˚ wedges and a cerrobend block with dimensions of 1.5 × 1.5 × 7 cm3 were simulated. The investigation were performed in the 10 × 10 cm2 field size at source to surface distance of 100 cm for depth of 0.5, 2, 3 and 4 cm in a water phantom. Neutron dose was calculated using F4 tally with flux to dose conversion factors and F6 tally. Results: Results showed that the presence of wedge increases the neutron contamination when the wedge factor was considered. In addition, 45˚ wedge produced the most amount of neutron contamination. If the block is in the center of the field, the cerrobend block caused less neutron contamination than the open field due to absorption of neutrons and photon attenuation. The results showed that neutron contamination is less in steeper depths. The results for two tallies showed practically equivalent results. Conclusion: Wedge causes neutron contamination hence should be considered in therapeutic protocols in which wedge is used. In terms of clinical aspects, the results of this study show that superficial tissues such as skin will tolerate more neutron contamination than the deep tissues.
Explorando Aspectos Indígenas da Gestão Numa Organização Financeira: Jeitinho e Sociedade Relacional

There is an increasing interest from researchers to understand concepts which are meaningful for our own society, and not imported from other cultures, called indigenous management approaches. Following this line of research, this article carried out a socio-anthropological literature analysis in the field of organizational studies on Brazilian culture which resulted in a synthesis of five distinctive traits of our society: Hierarchy, Ambiguity, Trickery (Malandragem), Jeitinho and Relational Society. The article focused on Jeitinho and Relational Society and aimed to identify and analyze the incidence of both traits, in the management of a financial organization. A questionnaire, using a Likert scale, was developed and applied to a sample of 303 employees from such an organization. Jeitinho can be described through a three-dimensional structure: circumvent rules, flexibility and an informal problem-solving strategy. The Relational Society, also a multidimensional construct, was composed of personal relationships, familiar-affective relations, trust-dominance over impersonal relations and personal relationship dominance over professional ones. Regardless of the socio-demographic variables,Jeitinho was identified as a common social practice and Relational Society was seen as an environment that favors the use ofJeitinho.
Reference Genes for Real-Time PCR Quantification of Messenger RNAs and MicroRNAs in Mouse Model of Obesity

UNLABELLED Obesity and metabolic syndrome is increasing health problem worldwide. Among other ways, nutritional intervention using phytochemicals is important method for treatment and prevention of this disease. Recent studies have shown that certain phytochemicals could alter the expression of specific genes and microRNAs (miRNAs) that play a fundamental role in the pathogenesis of obesity. For study of the obesity and its treatment, monosodium glutamate (MSG)-injected mice with developed central obesity, insulin resistance and liver lipid accumulation are frequently used animal models. To understand the mechanism of phytochemicals action in obese animals, the study of selected genes expression together with miRNA quantification is extremely important. For this purpose, real-time quantitative PCR is a sensitive and reproducible method, but it depends on proper normalization entirely. The aim of present study was to identify the appropriate reference genes for mRNA and miRNA quantification in MSG mice treated with green tea catechins, potential anti-obesity phytochemicals. Two sets of reference genes were tested: first set contained seven commonly used genes for normalization of messenger RNA, the second set of candidate reference genes included ten small RNAs for normalization of miRNA. The expression stability of these reference genes were tested upon treatment of mice with catechins using geNorm, NormFinder and BestKeeper algorithms. Selected normalizers for mRNA quantification were tested and validated on expression of NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase, biotransformation enzyme known to be modified by catechins. The effect of selected normalizers for miRNA quantification was tested on two obesity- and diabetes- related miRNAs, miR-221 and miR-29b, respectively. Finally, the combinations of B2M/18S/HPRT1 and miR-16/sno234 were validated as optimal reference genes for mRNA and miRNA quantification in liver and 18S/RPlP0/HPRT1 and sno234/miR-186 in small intestine of MSG mice. These reference genes will be used for mRNA and miRNA normalization in further study of green tea catechins action in obese mice.
Estimating the Maximum Expected Value through Upper Confidence Bound of Likelihood

Estimating the maximum expected value of a set of independent random variables is important in many domains, e.g., reinforcement learning. In this paper, we introduce a new estimator, simplified weighted estimator, and discuss its performance and that of existing estimators, both theoretically and empirically, in a multi-armed bandit setting. The estimates of our estimator are a weighted average of samples, where the weight of a sample is derived from the likelihood that the arm that yielded the sample is the optimal among all arms. Our estimator has better computational feasibility than an existing weighted estimator and higher accuracy than other existing estimators. The bias of an estimator is defined as the difference between its estimates and the ground truth value. Through theoretical analyses, we show that the bias of our estimator converges to zero as the sample size increases under a reasonable assumption, and that it is reasonably small before convergence while existing estimators have large positive or negative biases. In our experiments, we empirically show the effectiveness of our estimator in a practical setting, where samples are collected by popular strategies in reinforcement learning: UCB1, softmax, and epsilon-greedy. Estimator performances are evaluated by the degree to which the biases, variances and mean squared errors decrease with respect to the number of samples observed. For various sets of random variables, our estimator's performance is not always the best, but good in most configurations.
RARE: A Spectrum Aware Cross-Layer MAC Protocol for Cognitive Radio Ad-Hoc Networks

This paper proposes a spectRum Aware cRoss-layEr (RARE) medium access control protocol for cognitive radio ad-hoc networks. The RARE protocol initially splits the network into clusters, where cluster formation is defined as maximum edge biclique problem. Besides, in order to maintain the integrity of the cluster-based network, super-frame structure, and topology maintenance protocols are also presented in this paper. Moreover, RARE also integrates a delay-aware routing protocol, where the routing protocol is defined as a weighted graph problem. It is anticipated that clusters in RARE adapt themselves dynamically with respect to spectrum availability and nodes mobility. Furthermore, the routing protocol in RARE is expected to select stable paths while ensuring faster data delivery from a source node to the destination. Simulation is conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed RARE protocol, where it is found that RARE outperforms existing approaches by maintaining a lesser number of clusters and a steady number of common channels. The simulation results also show that route selection in RARE proves to be more stable with the lowest packet transmission delay compared with the other approaches.
Assessing professional competence : from methods to programmes

INTRODUCTION We use a utility model to illustrate that, firstly, selecting an assessment method involves context-dependent compromises, and secondly, that assessment is not a measurement problem but an instructional design problem, comprising educational, implementation and resource aspects. In the model, assessment characteristics are differently weighted depending on the purpose and context of the assessment.