Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Field Longevity of a Fluorescent Protein Marker in an Engineered Strain of the Pink Bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders)

The cotton pest, pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders)), is a significant pest in most cotton-growing areas around the world. In southwestern USA and northern Mexico, pink bollworm is the target of the sterile insect technique (SIT), which relies on the mass-release of sterile pink bollworm adults to over-flood the wild population and thereby reduce it over time. Sterile moths reared for release are currently marked with a dye provided in their larval diet. There are concerns, however, that this marker fails from time to time, leading to sterile moths being misidentified in monitoring traps as wild moths. This can lead to expensive reactionary releases of sterile moths. We have developed a genetically marked strain that is engineered to express a fluorescent protein, DsRed2, which is easily screened under a specialised microscope. In order to test this marker under field conditions, we placed wild-type and genetically marked moths on traps and placed them in field cages. The moths were then screened, in a double-blind fashion, for DsRed2 fluorescence at regular intervals to determine marker reliability over time. The marker was shown to be robust in very high temperatures and generally proved reliable for a week or longer. More importantly, genotyping of moths on traps by PCR screening of the moths was 100% correct. Our findings indicate that this strain - and fluorescent protein markers in general - could make a valuable contribution to SIT.
Joint prediction of road-traffic and parking occupancy over a city with representation learning

As journey planning services begins to include real time traffic forecast features in order to compute more accurate routing along the journey, adaptive traffic control systems can also benefit from this prediction so as to minimize traffic congestion. But these two systems dedicated to end user and road traffic management authorities could also benefits from other information, and particularly from parking availability prediction since cruising for parking spot represents a significant part of urban traffic: when looking for a parking, drivers must guess where to go, and if they are wrong, may face long distances to find the next location, resulting in considerable time loss and a worsening of traffic congestion. We focus on the simultaneous prediction of traffic and parking availability. Our approach relay on machine learning techniques and more precisely on representation learning methods: each road and car-park is represented by a vector in a common large dimensional space which captures both structural and dynamical information about the observed phenomenon. Such a model is thus able to jointly capture the spatio-temporal correlations between parking and traffic resulting in a high performance prediction system. The results of our experiments on the Grand Lyon (France) urban area show the effectiveness of our approach compared to state of the art methods.
An iterative method for non-linear channel equalization in OFDM systems

In this paper, we present an algorithm for the nonlinear equalisation in OFDM transmission systems. We suggest to apply a disjoint iterative method for the linear multipath channel estimation and the nonlinearly distorted transmitted data recovery. A simple technique is proposed for the channel re-estimation on the basis of the recovered transmitted data. For the nonlinear noise cancellation, we use a procedure of the nonlinear noise estimation at the receiver. The presented simulation results confirm the efficiency of the proposed algorithm.
Hematocrit and the Risk of Recurrent Venous Thrombosis: A Prospective Cohort Study

Background Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a multicausal disease which recurs. Hematocrit is associated with a thrombotic risk. We aimed to investigate if hematocrit is associated with the recurrence risk. Methods Patients with a first VTE were followed after anticoagulation. Patients with VTE provoked by a transient risk factor, natural inhibitor deficiency, lupus anticoagulant, homozygous or double heterozygous defects, cancer, or long-term antithrombotic treatment were excluded. The study endpoint was recurrent VTE. Results 150 (23%) of 653 patients had recurrence. Only high hematocrit was significantly associated with recurrence risk [hazard ratio (HR) for 1% hematocrit increase with the third tertile 1.08; 95% CI 1.01–1.15]. No or only a weak association for hematocrits within the first and second tertile was seen (HR 1.03; 95% CI 0.97–1.09, and 1.07; 95% CI 1.00–1.13). Hematocrit was associated with recurrence risk only among women. After five years, the probability of recurrence was 9.9% (95% CI 3.7%–15.7%), 15.6% (95% CI 9.7%–21.2%) and 25.5% (95% CI 15.1%–34.6%) in women, and was 29.2% (95% CI 21.1%–36.5%), 30.1% (95% CI 24.1%–35.7%) and 30.8% (95% CI 22.0%–38.7%) in men for hematocrits in the first, second and third tertile, respectively. Men had a higher recurrence risk (1.9; 95% CI 1.1–2.7; p = 0.03), which dropped by 23.5% after adjustment for hematocrit. Hematocrit was not a significant mediator of the sex-difference in recurrence risk (p = 0.223). Conclusions High hematocrit is associated with the recurrence only in women. The different recurrence risk between men and women is possibly partly explained by hematocrit.
Cutaneous resonance running time varies with age, body site and gender in a normal Chinese population

Background/objectives: One phenomenon of skin aging is loss of cutaneous elasticity. Measurement of cutaneous resonance running time (CRRT) is a method to assess skin elasticity. Yet, information regarding the directional changes of CRRT associated with age, body sites and gender is not yet available. In the present study, we assessed whether changes in CRRT vary with age, body sites and gender in a normal Chinese population.
Out of the Woods: Tales of Resilient Teens

ment of defenses in children and adolescents and on the maturation of development in clinical populations are the most powerful, both for clinical technique and as a method to demonstrate the efficacy of our discipline. Cramer titles her book Protecting the Self to emphasize a second fundamental function of defenses: to protect self-esteem, in addition to defense’s classical function to protect against anxiety. I do not find it easy to separate anxiety from threats to the self. However, this is a quibble as the substance of the book is about defense development. The weakness of the book comes from what appears to be insufficient editing. A bold editor could have reduced the 384-page book by at least one-third, strengthening its impact. The Introduction reads like a book proposal for a publisher, with uncertainty about the intended audience of the book. At times it sounds like a book for the lay person, as in subtitles such as Why Study Defenses? and Defenses Occur Everyday, or in a vignette about Cramer’s 4 year-old daughter or her childhood memory of three monkeys. At other times it reads like a book for researchers, and at still other times like a book for clinicians, including psychoanalysts. The ‘evidence’ from folktales could be dropped with no loss to the power of the book. The extended clinical vignettes in one chapter are quite varied: ranging from defense changes over the course of a 12-session treatment, to the case of a convicted serial killer, to the case of a 10 year-old in a community mental health clinic. (No psychoanalytic treatment is mentioned, to my reading). What can a psychoanalyst make of them? Again, this could have been edited out, as it detracts from the persuasiveness of the book. But the core of this book is the three decades of careful developmental research on three defenses, documenting defense development and change in some clinical populations. This will endure. Our discipline benefits from this author’s dedication, thoughtfulness and care.
Applying compensation techniques on i-vectors extracted from short-test utterances for speaker verification using deep neural network

We propose a method to improve speaker verification performance when a test utterance is very short. In some situations with short test utterances, performance of ivector/probabilistic linear discriminant analysis systems degrades. The proposed method transforms short-utterance feature vectors to adequate vectors using a deep neural network, which compensate for short utterances. To reduce the dimensionality of the search space, we extract several principal components from the residual vectors between every long utterance i-vector in a development set and its truncated short utterance i-vector. Then an input i-vector of the network is transformed by linear combination of these directions. In this case, network outputs correspond to weights for linear combination of principal components. We use public speech databases to evaluate the method. The experimental results on short2-10sec condition (det6, male portion) of the NIST 2008 speaker recognition evaluation corpus show that the proposed method reduces the minimum detection cost relative to the baseline system, which uses linear discriminant analysis transformed i-vectors as features.
Recovering Perspective Pose with a Dual Step EM Algorithm

This paper describes a new approach to extracting 3D perspective structure from 2D point-sets. The novel feature is to unify the tasks of estimating transformation geometry and identifying point-correspondence matches. Unification is realised by constructing a mixture model over the bi-partite graph representing the correspondence match and by effecting optimisation using the EM algorithm. According to our EM framework the probabilities of structural correspondence gate contributions to the expected likelihood function used to estimate maximum likelihood perspective pose parameters. This provides a means of rejecting structural outliers.
Long-Term Latent Murine Gammaherpesvirus 68 Infection Is Preferentially Found within the Surface Immunoglobulin D-Negative Subset of Splenic B Cells In Vivo

ABSTRACT Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (γHV68; also known as MHV-68) can establish a latent infection in both inbred and outbred strains of mice and, as such, provides a tractable small-animal model to address mechanisms and cell types involved in the establishment and maintenance of chronic gammaherpesvirus infection. Latency can be established at multiple anatomic sites, including the spleen and peritoneum; however, the contribution of distinct cell types to the maintenance of latency within these reservoirs remains poorly characterized. B cells are the major hematopoietic cell type harboring latent γHV68. We have analyzed various splenic B-cell subsets at early, intermediate, and late times postinfection and determined the frequency of cells either (i) capable of spontaneously reactivating latent γHV68 or (ii) harboring latent viral genome. These analyses demonstrated that latency is established in a variety of cell populations but that long-term latency (6 months postinfection) in the spleen after intranasal inoculation predominantly occurs in B cells. Furthermore, at late times postinfection latent γHV68 is largely confined to the surface immunoglobulin D-negative subset of B cells.
Master–Slave Control of a Teleoperated Anthropomorphic Robotic Arm With Gripping Force Sensing

This paper details the design and development of a low-cost control rig to intuitively manipulate an anthropomorphic robotic arm using a bilateral master-slave control methodology. Special emphasis has been given to the ease of operation and some form of force sensation. The control rig is fitted to the user's arm, and the forces exerted by the robotic arm's various joints are fed back to the user. Of special significance is the force feedback from the slave when its gripper is in contact with a real object. Several methods of force sensing have been explored and detailed. The effectiveness of the proposed method is confirmed by experiments on a commercially available robotic arm, which is controlled by a prototype three-axis master unit. The robotic arm mimics the dexterity of the human hand, wrist, and fingers. The proposed master control unit is cost effective and will have wide-ranging applications in the fields of medicine, manufacturing, security, extreme environment, entertainment, and remotely operated vehicle teleoperation in undersea recovery or extraterrestrial exploration vehicle
Foundations of Trust: Contextualising Trust in Social Clouds

In this paper, we lay the foundations for a contextualisation of trust, the role it plays, and its different layers within the context of a novel paradigm: Social Cloud Computing. In a Social Cloud, trust plays a vital role as a collaboration enabler. However, trust is not trivial to define, observe, represent and analyse as precursors to understand exactly what role it plays in the enablement of collaboration. We do this through the definition of structure of a Social Cloud as a sequence of social and cognitive processes. We then survey research from the domains of computer science, economics and sociology that consider trust in online communities and exchange scenarios to illustrate the complexity of modelling trust in our scenario. Finally, we define trust within the context of a Social Cloud and identify the core components of trust to facilitate its understanding.
Classification of hybrid-pol data based on Euclidean distance between Stokes vectors

In this paper, a new classification technique for hybrid-pol SAR data based on Euclidean distance between Stokes vectors is introduced. The minimum Euclidean distance specifies the maximum similarity between two Stokes vectors which in turn indicates the maximum similarity between polarization behavior of corresponding backscattered waves. On the basis of this similarity, the backscattered wave from a scatterer is classified into three basic scattering mechanisms. We demonstrated that the proposed technique is able to correctly classify the three basic scattering mechanisms and performs better than existing hybrid-pol classification algorithms such as m - δ and m - χ.
Imperfect CSI impact on sum-rate performance of IA: A comprehensive analysis

Imperfect channel state information (CSI) always hinders the practical implementation of interference alignment (IA) in current mobile communication systems, where channel estimation error, delay and frequency offset are major factors that cause the unmatched CSI with unignorable error. In this paper, we quantitatively analyze the imperfect CSI impact on the sum-rate performance of IA system, in multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) cellular networks. Based on the 3GPP spatial channel model (SCM), we obtain the relationships between the sum-rate loss and all factors that cause the imperfect CSI, and show which one incurs the more serious sum-rate loss. Furthermore, applying Cochran's theorem, the accurate closed-form expression of ergodic sum-rate under imperfect CSI is first derived. Our results will shed some significant lights on the IA design under practical scenarios.
An Average-Case Depth Hierarchy Theorem for Boolean Circuits

We prove an average-case depth hierarchy theorem for Boolean circuits over the standard basis of AND, OR, and NOT gates. Our hierarchy theorem says that for every d ≥ 2, there is an explicit n-variable Boolean function f, computed by a linear-size depth-d formula, which is such that any depth-(d - 1) circuit that agrees with f on (1/2 + on(1)) fraction of all inputs must have size exp(nΩ(1/d)). This answers an open question posed by Hastad in his Ph.D. thesis [Has86b]. Our average-case depth hierarchy theorem implies that the polynomial hierarchy is infinite relative to a random oracle with probability 1, confirming a conjecture of Hastad [Has86a], Cai [Cai86], and Babai [Bab87]. We also use our result to show that there is no “approximate converse” to the results of Linial, Mansour, Nisan [LMN93] and Boppana [Bop97] on the total influence of constant-depth circuits, thus answering a question posed by Kalai [Kal12] and Hatami [Hat14]. A key ingredient in our proof is a notion of random projections which generalize random restrictions.
Predicting the cost of error correction in character-based text entry technologies

Researchers have developed many models to predict and understand human performance in text entry. Most of the models are specific to a technology or fail to account for human factors and variations in system parameters, and the relationship between them. Moreover, the process of fixing errors and its effects on text entry performance has not been studied. Here, we first analyze real-life text entry error correction behaviors. We then use our findings to develop a new model to predict the cost of error correction for character-based text entry technologies. We validate our model against quantities derived from the literature, as well as with a user study. Our study shows that the predicted and observed cost of error correction correspond well. At the end, we discuss potential applications of our new model.
Two complete mitochondrial genome sequences of white-spotted char Salvelinus leucomaenis (Salmoniformes: Salmonidae)

Abstract We sequenced two complete mitochondrial genomes of the white-spotted char Salvelinus leucomaenis from two wild populations. The complete genome is 16,655 bp in size and its gene content, arrangement, codon usage and base composition are identical with those observed in salmonids. The detailed comparison with other complete mitochondrial genomes of Salvelinus revealed signs of recombination in one of them.
Ambulatory Monitoring Detects Sorafenib-Induced Blood Pressure Elevations on the First Day of Treatment

Purpose: Hypertension is a mechanism-based toxicity of sorafenib and other cancer therapeutics that inhibit the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling pathway. This prospective, single-center, cohort study characterized ambulatory blood pressure monitoring as an early pharmacodynamic biomarker of VEGF signaling pathway inhibition by sorafenib. Experimental Design: Fifty-four normotensive advanced cancer patients underwent 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring before and between days 6 and 10 of sorafenib therapy. After blood pressure changes were detected among the first cohort within 10 days, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was done during the first 24 hours of treatment for the second cohort. Results: For the entire patient population, the blood pressure increase [mean systolic, +10.8 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 8.6-13.0; range, −5.2 to +28.7 mm Hg; mean diastolic, +8.0 mm Hg; 95% CI, 6.3-9.7; range, −4.4 to +27.1 mm Hg] was detected between days 6 and 10 (P < 0.0001 for both) and plateaued thereafter. Variability in blood pressure change did not associate with: age, body size, sex, self-reported race, baseline blood pressure, or steady-state sorafenib plasma concentrations. In the second cohort, the blood pressure elevation was detected during the first 24 hours (mean systolic, +8.2 mm Hg; 95% CI, 5.0-11.3; mean diastolic, +6.5 mm Hg; 95% CI, 4.7-8.3; P < 0.0001 for both). Conclusions: Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring detects the blood pressure response to VEGF signaling pathway inhibition by sorafenib during the first 24 hours of treatment. The magnitude of blood pressure elevation is highly variable and unpredictable but could be important in optimizing the therapeutic index of VEGF signaling pathway inhibitor therapy. (Clin Cancer Res 2009;15(19):6250–7)
Contribution of the Mevalonate and Methylerythritol Phosphate Pathways to the Biosynthesis of Dolichols in Plants*

Plant isoprenoids are derived from two biosynthetic pathways, the cytoplasmic mevalonate (MVA) and the plastidial methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway. In this study their respective contributions toward formation of dolichols in Coluria geoides hairy root culture were estimated using in vivo labeling with 13C-labeled glucose as a general precursor. NMR and mass spectrometry showed that both the MVA and MEP pathways were the sources of isopentenyl diphosphate incorporated into polyisoprenoid chains. The involvement of the MEP pathway was found to be substantial at the initiation stage of dolichol chain synthesis, but it was virtually nil at the terminal steps; statistically, 6–8 isoprene units within the dolichol molecule (i.e. 40–50% of the total) were derived from the MEP pathway. These results were further verified by incorporation of [5-2H]mevalonate or [5,5-2H2]deoxyxylulose into dolichols as well as by the observed decreased accumulation of dolichols upon treatment with mevinolin or fosmidomycin, selective inhibitors of either pathway. The presented data indicate that the synthesis of dolichols in C. geoides roots involves a continuous exchange of intermediates between the MVA and MEP pathways. According to our model, oligoprenyl diphosphate chains of a length not exceeding 13 isoprene units are synthesized in plastids from isopentenyl diphosphate derived from both the MEP and MVA pathways, and then are completed in the cytoplasm with several units derived solely from the MVA pathway. This study also illustrates an innovative application of mass spectrometry for qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the contribution of individual metabolic pathways to the biosynthesis of natural products.
Association of Respiratory Syncytial Virus M Protein with Viral Nucleocapsids Is Mediated by the M2-1 Protein

ABSTRACT Cytoplasmic inclusions in respiratory syncytial virus-infected cells comprising viral nucleocapsid proteins (L, N, P, and M2-1) and the viral genome are sites of viral transcription. Although not believed to be necessary for transcription, the matrix (M) protein is also present in these inclusions, and we have previously shown that M inhibits viral transcription. In this study, we have investigated the mechanisms for the association of the M protein with cytoplasmic inclusions. Our data demonstrate for the first time that the M protein associates with cytoplasmic inclusions via an interaction with the M2-1 protein. The M protein colocalizes with M2-1 in the cytoplasm of cells expressing only the M and M2-1 proteins and directly interacts with M2-1 in a cell-free binding assay. Using a cotransfection system, we confirmed that the N and P proteins are sufficient to form cytoplasmic inclusions and that M2-1 localizes to these inclusions; additionally, we show that M associates with cytoplasmic inclusions only in the presence of the M2-1 protein. Using truncated mutants, we show that the N-terminal 110 amino acids of M mediate the interaction with M2-1 and the subsequent association with nucleocapsids. The interaction of M2-1 with M and, in particular, the N-terminal region of M may represent a target for novel antivirals that block the association of M with nucleocapsids, thereby inhibiting virus assembly.
Reference architectures and variability: current status and future perspectives

Reference architectures refer to a special type of software architecture that achieves well-recognized understanding of specific domains, promoting reuse of design expertise and facilitating the development, standardization, and evolution of software systems. Designed for various domains and purpose, they have increasingly impacted important aspects of system development, such as productivity and quality of such systems. In another perspective, variability has been considered in several research topics as a mechanism that facilitates software development and evolution. In this context, the main contribution of this paper is to present the current status regarding variability in the reference architecture engineering. It is also presented future research perspectives that could be conducted, providing new directions to the reference architecture engineering in order to become existing and new reference architectures more effective elements to the development and evolution of software-intensive systems.