Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Splitting Bregman-Based Compressed Sensing Approach for Radial UTE MRI

A splitting Bregman-based compressed-sensing (CS) approach (CS-SplitBerg), using the nonuniform fast Fourier transform, is proposed to reconstruct radial magnetic resonance (MR) images from undersampled k- space measurements. Using the splitting Bregman framework, the proposed CS-SplitBerg approach takes fully into account the measurement noise and exploits the combined sparsity of MR images, i.e., ℓ1- norm and total variation regularization. With convergence guaranteed, the CS-SplitBerg approach uses the Bregman update process and some auxiliary variables to relax the constrained optimization problem to a sequence of easily solved unconstrained minimization problems. Experimental results using both a phantom example and a mouse cardiac example demonstrate that, under different undersampling rates, the CS-SplitBerg approach performs better than the CS-CG approach, which was introduced in our previous work. With an affordable computational cost by considering the influences of noise, the CS-SplitBerg approach can further reduce the necessary number of MR imaging (MRI) measurements for the recovery and better differentiate true MRI images from noisy data.
Substrate integrated waveguide crossover formed by orthogonal TE102 resonators

A simple yet efficient substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) crossover circuit is presented. It is formed by excitation of two orthogonal full-wavelength (TE102-mode) resonators whose centers coincide with that of the symmetric SIW cross junction. Half-wavelength (TE101-mode) resonators are added in all four ports to increase bandwidth. The SIW crossover is designed to operate at 24.75 GHz with a bandwidth of 3 GHz. A prototype is fabricated on RT/duroid 6002, and measurements agree well with simulations. The minimum measured return loss is better than 17 dB, maximum insertion loss is 1.1 dB, and isolation between the channels is better than 12 dB. Based on these results, two other crossovers with isolation better than 23 dB are proposed.
Subspace identification of MIMO LPV systems using a piecewise constant scheduling sequence with hard/soft switching

A novel subspace based identification algorithm is presented which is able to reconstruct the deterministic part of a multi variable state-space Linear Parameter Varying (LPV) system with affine parameter dependence, in the presence of process and output noise. It is assumed that the identification data is generated with the scheduling (or weights) constant on a number of intervals. This assumption implies that the algorithm is also valid for the identification of Piece Wise Linear (PWL) systems with hard and soft switching. The intervals where the scheduling is constant allows to use LTI subspace identification methods to identify a number of models with a constant weight, stationary sequence models, with no common basis in the state space. Using the data of the transition between the stationary weight models, the crucial step can be made to relate these bases of state space to the same basis. The stationary sequence models, in the same basis, can be uniquely transferred to an LPV model. Once the LPV model is identified it is valid for other scheduling sequences as well. The sensitivity with respect to process and output noise is investigated using a Monte-Carlo simulation.
Comparative Study of CCPT Systems With Two Different Inductor Tuning Positions

Capacitively coupled power transfer (CCPT) technology has been proposed and investigated as an alternative to inductive power transfer solution in certain low-power applications with the advantages of being able to transfer power across metal barriers and having low standing power losses. A series inductor is often used to compensate a CCPT system for the reactance introduced by the capacitive coupling, and there is a preconception that the tuning inductor can be placed either before or after the capacitive coupling without affecting the system performance. This paper develops a simple circuit model to enable the performance differences of placing such a tuning inductor on the primary and secondary sides of the circuit to be compared. The output voltage transfer function, voltage across the tuning inductor, displacement power factor, and total harmonic distortion are evaluated, and it is found that due to the existence of cross capacitive coupling there are significant differences in each of these performance indices when coupling variations are considered. The output voltage can be boosted, the misalignment tolerance can be improved, and the total harmonic distortion can be reduced when the tuning inductor is placed on the primary side of the circuit. The theoretical analysis is verified by experimental results.
Interaction of Chlamydia trachomatis organisms and HeLa 229 cells

The infection of HeLa 229 cells in monolayer culture with trachoma (B/TW-5/OT) and lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) (L2/434/Bu) organism was studied in terms of two parameters: radioactivity counts of cell-associated tritium labeled organisms at the initial stage of inoculation for measurement of attachment, and inclusion counts of infection cells after incubation for measurement of growth. Factors affecting attachment and inclusion formation and correlation of the two are presented. It was shown that attachment is an important initial step in infection by Chlamydia trachomatis. The rate of attachment was temperature dependent. The attachment of LGV organisms was affected more profoundly by temperature than was that of trachoma organisms. Attachment and inclusion formation of trachoma and LGV organisms were inhibited by heparin. Diethylaminoethyl-dextran was again shown to enhance attachment and inclusion formation of trachoma but not LGV organisms. NaF had no effect on attachment, but inhibited inclusion formation of both trachoma and LGV organisms. Both attachment and inclusion formation of trachoma organisms were strongly enhanced by centrifugation of the inoculum onto the cell monolayer. Although inclusion formation of trachoma organism was much greater in susceptible cells (HeLa 229) than relatively insusceptible cells (fetal tonsil), attachment was only slightly greater. The results based on the test of two cell lines suggested that attachment prpbably is not a critical factor in determing a cell line's susceptibility to infection with trachoma organisms.
U.S. Monetary Regimes and Optimal Monetary Policy in the Euro Area

Monetary policy in the US has been documented to have switched from reacting weakly to inflation fluctuations during the '70s, to fighting inflation aggressively from the early '80s onwards. In this paper, I analyze the impact of the US monetary policy regime switches on the Eurozone. I construct a New Keynesian two-country model where foreign (US) monetary policy switches regimes over time. I estimate the model for the US and the Euro Area using quarterly data and find that the US has switched between those two regimes, in line with existing evidence. I show that foreign regime switches affect home (Eurozone) inflation and output volatility and their responses to shocks, substantially, as long as the home central bank commits to a time invariant interest rate rule reacting to domestic conditions only. Optimal policy in the home country instead requires that the home central bank reacts strongly to domestic producer price inflation and to international variables, like imported goods relative prices. In fact, I show that currency misalignments and relative prices play a crucial role in the transmission of foreign monetary policy regime switches internationally. Interestingly, I show that only marginal gains arise for the Euro Area when the ECB adjusts its policy according to the monetary regime in the US. Thus, a simple time-invariant monetary policy rule with a strong reaction to PPI inflation and relative prices is enough to counteract the effects of monetary policy switches in the US.
Language use and choice in selected Malaysian agricultural organisations

How organisations cope and manage language matters in the workplace is largely absent from research literature. This is because language and communication has been a surprisingly neglected subject of research in the agricultural workplace domain as it is an area often overlooked by organisations in Malaysia and throughout the world. Addressing this gap,language practices of three selected agricultural organisations from Malaysia are investigated. More specifically, this study investigates to what extent English and other languages are used within the communicative practices in the workplace of these organisations and the underlying factors that govern language choice. Furthermore, the study explores the dominant role of English and other languages in the communicative practices of the selected agricultural based companies. Three complementary theoretical frameworks are used to examine language use and choice in the agricultural workplace domain which are, Fishman’s (1972) concept of who speaks what language to whom,Transactional Process Model (Adler and Towne, 1999), and Giles and Coupland’s (1991) communication accommodation theory are used to examine and explore the complex and dynamic language practices of the managers and employees in these organisations. Data were collected using the quantitative approach by using questionnaire. To support the quantitative findings, a qualitative approach based on interviews, observation and document and website analysis were also used. The results show that there is a flexibility where both employers and employees typically will use a language that works best for a given situation and always in the best interest of the organisation. The employers and employees highly value the role of English as the lingua franca in the agricultural business domain as it plays a critical and dynamic part related to career mobility and progression. Lastly, implications for the study indicate that language practices in the agricultural industry are contrary to the Malaysian language policy.
Angiotensin II‐induced dilated cardiomyopathy in Balb/c but not C57BL/6J mice

Balb/c mice, which are T‐helper lymphocyte 2 (Th2) responders, are highly susceptible to infectious and non‐infectious heart diseases, whereas C57BL/6 mice (Th1 responders) are not. Angiotensin II (Ang II) is not only a vasopressor but also a pro‐inflammatory factor that leads to cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis and dysfunction. We hypothesized that Ang II exacerbates cardiac damage in Balb/c but not in C57BL/6 mice even though both strains have a similar level of hypertension. Twelve‐week‐old male C57BL/6J and Balb/c mice received either vehicle or Ang II (1.4 mg kg−1 day−1, s.c. via osmotic minipump) for 8 weeks. At baseline, Balb/c mice exhibited the following: (1) a lower heart rate; (2) an enlarged left ventricular chamber; (3) a lower ejection fraction and shortening fraction; and (4) twice the left ventricular collagen deposition of age‐matched C57BL/6J mice. Angiotensin II raised systolic blood pressure (to ∼150 mmHg) and induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in a similar manner in both strains. While C57BL/6J mice developed compensatory concentric hypertrophy and fibrosis in response to Ang II, Balb/c mice demonstrated severe left ventricular chamber dilatation, wall thinning and fibrosis, leading to congestive heart failure as evidenced by dramatically decreased ejection fraction and lung congestion (significant increase in lung weight), which are both characteristic of dilated cardiomyopathy. Our study suggests that the Th phenotype plays an active role in cardiac remodelling and function both in basal conditions and in hypertension. Angiotensin II‐induced dilated cardiomyopathy in Balb/c mice is an ideal animal model for studying the impact of the adaptive immune system on cardiac remodelling and function and for testing strategies to prevent or treat hypertension‐associated heart failure.
Cytotoxic-T-cell responses, viral load, and disease progression in early human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection.

BACKGROUND Early in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection there is a decline in viral replication that has been attributed to host immunity, but the components of this response, particularly the ability of cytotoxic T lymphocytes to control viral burden and influence the outcome of disease, are poorly understood. METHODS We prospectively studied 33 patients with primary HIV-1 infection for HIV-specific activated cytotoxic T lymphocytes and memory cytotoxic T lymphocytes and compared these lymphocyte responses with changes in viral load and clinical status over the subsequent 18 to 24 months. RESULTS Soon after infection, activated HIV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes, mediated primarily by CD8+ cells, were detected in 17 of 23 patients (74 percent). Memory cytotoxic T lymphocytes were found in 6 of 6 patients tested (100 percent) during the first three months of infection and in 17 of 21 patients (81 percent) tested during the first six months. The frequencies of memory cytotoxic T lymphocytes varied markedly over time, but overall they declined over the first 6 to 8 months and then stabilized over the next 12 to 18 months. The patients with higher frequencies of Env-specific memory cytotoxic T lymphocytes had a median level of plasma HIV-1 RNA about one third that of the patients with lower frequencies, (median number of RNA copies per milliliter, 22,000 vs. 62,000; P=0.006). Patients with low frequencies of Env-specific memory cytotoxic T lymphocytes (or none) in early infection had a more rapid decline to less than 300 CD4+ cells per cubic millimeter (P = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS In early HIV-1 infection, the induction of memory cytotoxic T lymphocytes, particularly those specific for Env, helps control viral replication and is associated with slower declines in CD4+ cell counts. Host cytolytic effector responses appear to delay the progression of HIV-1 disease.
Writer's identification by using word reason feature transform

Automatic identification of the author of a document has a variety of applications for both online and offline handwritten data such as facilitating the use of writer-dependent recognizer's verification of claimed identity for security, enabling personalized HCI and countering repudiations for legal purposes. Most of the existing writer identification techniques require the data to be from a specific text or a recognizer be available, which is not always feasible. Text-independent approaches often require large amount of data to be confident of good results. Unique offline text independent author identification methodology supported scale invariant feature remodel (SIFT), composed of coaching, enrollment, and identification stages. Altogether stages, associate degree identical LoG filter are initial wont to phase the handwriting image into word regions (WRs). Then, the SIFT descriptors (SDs) of WRs and also the corresponding scales and orientations (SOs) square measure extracted. Within the coaching stage, associate degree Coyote State codebook is made by agglomeration the SDs of coaching samples. Within the enrollment stage, the Coyote States of the input handwriting square measure adopted to make associate degree Coyote State signature (SDS) by trying up the SD codebook and also the SOs square measure utilized to get a scale and orientation bar graph (SOH). Within the identification stage, the SDS and sol of the input handwriting square measure extracted and matched with the registered ones for identification. Support Vectors Machines (SVM) have recently shown their ability in pattern recognition and classification.
Visuo‐attentional and sensorimotor alpha rhythms are related to visuo‐motor performance in athletes

This study tested the two following hypotheses: (i) compared with non‐athletes, elite athletes are characterized by a reduced cortical activation during the preparation of precise visuo‐motor performance; (ii) in elite athletes, an optimal visuo‐motor performance is related to a low cortical activation. To this aim, electroencephalographic (EEG; 56 channels; Be Plus EB‐Neuro) data were recorded in 18 right‐handed elite air pistol shooters and 10 right‐handed non‐athletes. All subjects performed 120 shots. The EEG data were spatially enhanced by surface Laplacian estimation. With reference to a baseline period, power decrease/increase of alpha rhythms during the preshot period indexed the cortical activation/deactivation (event‐related desynchronization/synchronization, ERD/ERS). Regarding the hypothesis (i), low‐ (about 8–10 Hz) and high‐frequency (about 10–12 Hz) alpha ERD was lower in amplitude in the elite athletes than in the non‐athletes over the whole scalp. Regarding the hypothesis (ii), the elite athletes showed high‐frequency alpha ERS (about 10–12 Hz) larger in amplitude for high score shots (50%) than for low score shots; this was true in right parietal and left central areas. A control analysis confirmed these results with another indicator of cortical activation (beta ERD, about 20 Hz). The control analysis also showed that the amplitude reduction of alpha ERD for the high compared with low score shots was not observed in the non‐athletes. The present findings globally suggest that in elite athletes (experts), visuo‐motor performance is related to a global decrease of cortical activity, as a possible index of spatially selective cortical processes (“neural efficiency”). Hum Brain Mapp, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The TICKPRO computer program for predicting Ixodes ricinus host-seeking activity and the warning system published on websites.

The computer program with the acronym TICKPRO (tick prognosis) facilitates medium-range forecasts of the level of host-seeking activity in ticks within a 1-4 day horizon. The program is based on the medium-range weather forecast routinely produced at the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (CHMI), as well as on previously developed mathematical models describing the correlation of meteorological factors with the host-seeking activity of Ixodes ricinus. These models are based on a 6-year whole-season monitoring of I. ricinus host-seeking activity on experimental fields in the Central Bohemia Region in a typical habitat, oakhornbeam forest, where tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus and Borrelia burgdorferi s.str. , B. afzelii, and B. garinii have been found. Meteorological data provided by the CHMI meteorological station in Prague-Libus were used, and during the development of the forecasting algorithm micrometeorological data have been collected directly at the tick monitoring sites under selected synoptic weather situations. In the TICKPRO program, the two most successful models utilized ambient air temperature, quantity of atmospheric precipitation, and relative air humidity. The prediction determines 5 levels of risk of attack according to the current proportion of host-seeking ticks, and thus determines the risk of TBE infection. The levels of risk defined by the TICKPRO program are supplemented by instructions on how to prepare oneself for entering sites with potential tick occurrence, how to move around once there, and how to behave on returning home. This warning system is weekly published on websites of National Institute of Public Health and CHMI, Prague, over entire season (March-November).
Three-dimensional core–shell ferromagnetic nanowires grown by focused electron beam induced deposition

Functional nanostructured materials often rely on the combination of more than one material to confer the desired functionality or an enhanced performance of the device. Here we report the procedure to create nanoscale heterostructured materials in the form of core–shell nanowires by focused electron beam induced deposition (FEBID) technologies. In our case, three-dimensional (3D) nanowires (<100 nm in diameter) with metallic ferromagnetic cores of Co- and Fe-FEBID have been grown and coated with a protective Pt-FEBID shell (ranging 10–20 nm in thickness) aimed to minimize the degradation of magnetic properties caused by the surface oxidation of the core to a non-ferromagnetic material. The structure, chemistry and magnetism of nanowire cores of Co and Fe have been characterized in Pt-coated and uncoated nanostructures to demonstrate that the morphology of the shell is conserved during Pt coating, the surface oxidation is suppressed or confined to the Pt layer, and the average magnetization of the core is strengthened up to 30%. The proposed approach paves the way to the fabrication of 3D FEBID nanostructures based on the smart alternate deposition of two or more materials combining different physical properties or added functionalities.
Diversity, Community Composition, and Dynamics of Nonpigmented and Late-Pigmenting Rapidly Growing Mycobacteria in an Urban Tap Water Production and Distribution System

ABSTRACT Nonpigmented and late-pigmenting rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) have been reported to commonly colonize water production and distribution systems. However, there is little information about the nature and distribution of RGM species within the different parts of such complex networks or about their clustering into specific RGM species communities. We conducted a large-scale survey between 2007 and 2009 in the Parisian urban tap water production and distribution system. We analyzed 1,418 water samples from 36 sites, covering all production units, water storage tanks, and distribution units; RGM isolates were identified by using rpoB gene sequencing. We detected 18 RGM species and putative new species, with most isolates being Mycobacterium chelonae and Mycobacterium llatzerense. Using hierarchical clustering and principal-component analysis, we found that RGM were organized into various communities correlating with water origin (groundwater or surface water) and location within the distribution network. Water treatment plants were more specifically associated with species of the Mycobacterium septicum group. On average, M. chelonae dominated network sites fed by surface water, and M. llatzerense dominated those fed by groundwater. Overall, the M. chelonae prevalence index increased along the distribution network and was associated with a correlative decrease in the prevalence index of M. llatzerense, suggesting competitive or niche exclusion between these two dominant species. Our data describe the great diversity and complexity of RGM species living in the interconnected environments that constitute the water production and distribution system of a large city and highlight the prevalence index of the potentially pathogenic species M. chelonae in the distribution network.