Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Segmentation and recognition of characters in scene images using selective binarization in color space and GAT correlation

This paper proposes a new technique of segmentation and recognition of characters with a wide variety of image degradations and complex backgrounds in natural scenes. The key ideas are twofold. One is segmentation of character and background by local/adaptive binarization of one of Cyan/Magenta/Yellow (CMY) color planes with the maximum breadth of histogram. The other is affine-invariant grayscale character recognition using global affine transformation (GAT) correlation. In experiments, we use a total of 698 test images extracted from the public ICDAR 2003 robust OCR dataset containing images of single characters in natural scenes. In advance, we classify those images into seven groups according to the degree of image degradations and/or background complexity. On the other hand, we prepare a single-font set of 62 alphanumerics for templates. Experimental results show an average recognition rate of 70.3%, ranging from 95.5% for clear images to 24.3% for little-contrast images.
Model-Driven Security With Modularity and Reusability For Engineering Secure Software Systems

Context: The more human beings depend on software systems, the more important role that software security engineering must play to build secure software systems. ModelDriven Security (MDS) emerged more than a decade ago as a specialised Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) research area for engineering secure software systems. MDS is promising but not mature yet. Our recent systematic literature review (SLR) has revealed several current limitations and open issues in the state of the art of MDS research. Objectives: This PhD work aims at addressing three of the main open issues in the current state of the art of MDS research that are pointed out by the SLR. First, our SLR shows that multiple security concerns need to be handled together more systematically. Second, true Aspect-Oriented Modelling techniques for better ensuring the separationof-concern in MDS approaches could have been leveraged more extensively. Third, complete tool chains based on integrated MDE techniques covering all the main stages of the development cycle are emerging, but still very rare. Methods: On one hand, we develop a full MDS framework with modularity based on domain-specific modelling, model transformations, and model-based security testing. This MDS framework can help us to deal with complex delegation mechanisms in access control administration, from modelling till testing. On the other hand, we propose a highly modular, reusable MDS solution based on a System of Security design Patterns (SoSPa) and reusable aspect models to tackle multiple security concerns systematically. Results: First, an extensive SLR has been conducted for revealing and analysing the current state of the art of MDS research. Second, a full MDS framework focusing on modularity has been proposed that integrates domain-specific modelling, model transformations, and model-based security testing to support all the main stages of an MDS development cycle. Third, we have developed a highly reusable, modular MDS approach based on a System of Security design Patterns for handling multiple security concerns together systematically. Finally, we have showed how our MDS approaches can be integrated in a full MDS framework, called MDS-MoRe, which could be the basis of a complete tool chain for MDS development of secure systems. Conclusion: In this thesis, integrated MDS methodologies with modularity and reusability have been proposed for engineering secure software systems. This work has tackled three main current open issues in MDS research revealed from an extensive SLR.
DNA end recognition by the Mre11 nuclease dimer: insights into resection and repair of damaged DNA

The Mre11–Rad50–Nbs1 (MRN) complex plays important roles in sensing DNA damage, as well as in resecting and tethering DNA ends, and thus participates in double‐strand break repair. An earlier structure of Mre11 bound to a short duplex DNA molecule suggested that each Mre11 in a dimer recognizes one DNA duplex to bridge two DNA ends at a short distance. Here, we provide an alternative DNA recognition model based on the structures of Methanococcus jannaschii Mre11 (MjMre11) bound to longer DNA molecules, which may more accurately reflect a broken chromosome. An extended stretch of B‐form DNA asymmetrically runs across the whole dimer, with each end of this DNA molecule being recognized by an individual Mre11 monomer. DNA binding induces rigid‐body rotation of the Mre11 dimer, which could facilitate melting of the DNA end and its juxtaposition to an active site of Mre11. The identified Mre11 interface binding DNA duplex ends is structurally conserved and shown to functionally contribute to efficient resection, non‐homologous end joining, and tolerance to DNA‐damaging agents when other resection enzymes are absent. Together, the structural, biochemical, and genetic findings presented here offer new insights into how Mre11 recognizes damaged DNA and facilitates DNA repair.
Mitochondrial preparations from the leaves of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum).

Price, C. A. & Thimann, K. V. (1951). Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 33, 170. Remmert, L. F. & Lehninger, A. L. (1959). Proc. nat. Acad. Sci., Wash. , 45, 1. Sacktor, B. , O'Neill, J. J. & Cochran, D. G. (1958). J. biol. Chem. 233, 1233. Smillie, R. M. (1955). Aust. J. biol. Sci. 8, 186. Smillie, R. M. (1956). Aust. J. biol. Sci. 9, 81. Switzer, C. M. & Smith, F. G. (1957). Canad. J. Bot. 35, 515. Umbreit, W. W. , Burris, R. H. & Stauffer, J. F. (1957). Manometric Techniques and Tissue Metabolism. Minneapolis: Burgess Publishing Co. Vickery, H. B. & Wilson, D. G. (1958). J. biol. Chem. 233, 14. Weier, T. E. (1958). Amer. J. Bot. 45, 603.
Efficient Techniques for Comprehensive Protection from Memory Error Exploits

Despite the wide publicity received by buffer overflow attacks, the vast majority of today's security vulnerabilities continue to be caused by memory errors, with a significant shift away from stack-smashing exploits to newer attacks such as heap overflows, integer overflows, and format-string attacks. While comprehensive solutions have been developed to handle memory errors, these solutions suffer from one or more of the following problems: high overheads (often exceeding 100%), incompatibility with legacy C code, and changes to the memory model to use garbage collection. Address space randomization (ASR) is a technique that avoids these drawbacks, but existing techniques for ASR do not offer a level of protection comparable to the above techniques. In particular, attacks that exploit relative distances between memory objects aren't tackled by existing techniques. Moreover, these techniques are susceptible to information leakage and brute-force attacks. To overcome these limitations, we develop a new approach in this paper that supports comprehensive randomization, whereby the absolute locations of all (code and data) objects, as well as their relative distances are randomized. We argue that this approach provides probabilistic protection against all memory error exploits, whether they be known or novel. Our approach is implemented as a fully automatic source-to-source transformation which is compatible with legacy C code. The address-space randomizations take place at load-time or runtime, so the same copy of the binaries can be distributed to everyone - this ensures compatibility with today's software distribution model. Experimental results demonstrate an average runtime overhead of about 11%.
PINTER: interactive storytelling with physiological input

The dominant interaction paradigm in Interactive Storytelling (IS) systems so far has been active interventions by the user by means of a variety of modalities. PINTER is an IS system that uses physiological inputs - surface electromyography (EMG) and galvanic skin response (GSR) [1] - as a form of passive interaction, opening up the possibility of the use of traditional filmic techniques [2, 3] to implement IS without requiring immersion-breaking interactive responses. The goal of this demonstration is to illustrate the ways in which passive interaction combined with filmic visualisation, dialogue and music, and a plan-based narrative generation approach can form a new basis for an adaptive interactive narrative.
Antibiotic Resistance Profiling of Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Clinical Specimens in a Tertiary Hospital from 2010 to 2012

MRSA infection can affect a wide array of individuals that may lead to treatment failure. Also, the infection has the potential to spread from one area to another particularly health care facilities or communities eventually causing minor outbreaks. With this premise, the study aimed to describe MRSA infections using the hospital-based data of a tertiary hospital in Bacolod City, Philippines, from 2010 to 2012. Specifically, this study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial resistance of S. aureus isolated from clinical specimens and to put emphasis on the prevalence of MRSA and Inducible Clindamycin Resistance. A total of 94 cases from 2010 to 2012 were diagnosed to have S. aureus infection using conventional bacteriologic methods. From these cases, 38 (40.6%) were identified as MRSA and 37 (39.4%) were inducible clindamycin resistant. Wounds and abscesses were considered to be the most common specimens with MRSA infections having 71.05% while blood was the least with 5.3%. For drug susceptibility, out of the 94 S. aureus cases, including MRSA, 100% were susceptible to linezolid making it the drug of choice for this study. It was then followed by tetracycline having a mean susceptibility of 95%;, while penicillin G was ineffective with 94 cases having 0% susceptibility.
Public system usability analysis for the valuation of cognitive burden and interface standardization: A case study of cross-ATM design

ABSTRACT Humans are unable to effectively handle machines that have poor interface and interaction patterns. The Automated Teller Machine (ATM) is one of the machines that is most frequently operated by a wide spectrum of people. Hence, it is common to apply Human–Computer Interaction (HCI) technology in the design of ATMs. User–ATM interaction, however, has barriers such as a user’s working memory limit, lower literacy level, or lack of awareness and access. Moreover, the diversity of interfaces hurt user motivation, perception, and experience significantly. For example, each bank has its own ATM design targeting its customers only and, thus, when clients of other banks come across such a machine, they suffer from cognitive burden and commit many errors. To this end, we conduct an analytical survey of ATMs used in Pakistan through user analysis and heuristics analysis. We figure out the influence of design diversity and user perception on ATM users’ cognitive stress with the cognitive walkthrough analysis on the survey. We also uncover a realism-usability gap by reviewing the sampled ATM screens from the viewpoint of HCI heuristics. Finally, we suggest the guidelines on the cross-ATM design, characterized by the standardized fast-cash menu and the fail-safe mechanism for novices. This study demonstrates that users are reluctant to switch out of their comfort zones, due to learning costs and a lack of motivation. Therefore, we should design public systems in a very standardized way, which becomes more crucial for a user’s cognitive relief as interface and design patterns are becoming more diverse in our daily lives.
Calcium Signals Activated by Arachidonic Acid in Embryonic Chick Ciliary Ganglion Neurons

Arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4) has been reported to modulate a variety of calcium-permeable ionic channels, both in the plasma membrane and in the endoplasmic reticulum. We have studied the effects of AA on calcium signaling in a well-characterized model of developing peripheral neurons, embryonic chick ciliary ganglion neurons in culture. When given at low non-micellar concentrations (5 µM), in the majority of cells AA directly activated a delayed and long-lasting increase in [Ca2+]i, involving both the cytoplasm and the nucleoplasm, that was completely reversed by abolition of extracellular calcium. Other fatty acids (FAs), either saturated like arachidic acid (20:0), or unsaturated like linoleic (18:2) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6), shared its ability to activate calcium influx. This entry was not suppressed by voltage-dependent calcium channel inhibitors ω-conotoxin and nifedipine, by the voltage-independent calcium channel antagonist LOE-908, by pre-treatment with blockers of AA metabolic pathways or with pertussis toxin. The arachidonate-activated calcium pathway was permeable to Mn2+ and blocked by La3+, Gd3+ and Ni2+. In a neuronal subpopulation, AA at the same concentration was also able to elicit calcium release from thapsigargin-sensitive intracellular stores; we provide evidence that cytochrome P450 epoxygenase is involved in this process.
Fabrication of a hollow needle structure by dicing, wet etching and metal deposition

We previously proposed a novel fabrication process, which combined mechanical dicing and anisotropic wet etching, to reduce the cost of micro-electro-mechanical system devices, and fabricated various solid-type microneedle structures using this process for trans-dermal drug delivery systems. The current research involved us enhancing our previous processes by applying metal plating and using a minimum number of photolithography steps, and we fabricated a hollow-type micro-needle structure, in which a flow channel was formed at the center of the needle projection, for supplying medical solutions from the area behind the needle. We fabricated two different shaped needle structures, pyramidal and flattened needles. The height and pitch of both needle types were 120–250 µm and 230–280 µm, respectively. The developed process is useful for producing disposable microneedles for bio-medical applications.
Solvent-transfer assisted photolithography of high-density and high-aspect-ratio superhydrophobic micropillar arrays

An effective and facile route of solvent-transfer assisted photolithography (STAP) was explored to successfully fabricate uprightly standing high-density (HD) and high-aspect-ratio (HAR) micropillar arrays with excellent superhydrophobicity. The collapse problem that frequently occurs with the HAR micro or nano-structures was simply resolved by the combined optimization of an SU-8 UV photolithographic process that aimed to maximize the stiffness of HAR pillars and minimize the capillary effect by fully optimizing UV exposure, resist baking and the final step of rinse and drying. The SU-8 micropillar array with high density close to 29% and varied aspect ratio up to 13:1 can be fabricated in an equivalently effective but less time-consuming and simpler way compared to conventional techniques of supercritical point drying and freeze drying. As a result, the SU-8 surfaces structured with the upright standing HD and HAR micropillars created by the combined optimization of the STAP process were demonstrated to be of superhydrophobicity with a contact angle up to 162° and those pillars array with varied AR above 5:1 assumed a slightly varied level of superhydrophobicity.
Using the Saccharomyces Genome Database (SGD) for analysis of protein similarities and structure

The Saccharomyces Genome Database (SGD) collects and organizes information about the molecular biology and genetics of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The latest protein structure and comparison tools available at SGD are presented here. With the completion of the yeast sequence and the Caenorhabditis elegans sequence soon to follow, comparison of proteins from complete eukaryotic proteomes will be an extremely powerful way to learn more about a particular protein's structure, its function, and its relationships with other proteins. SGD can be accessed through the World Wide Web at http://genome-www.stanford. edu/Saccharomyces/
On the contact and adhesion of rough surfaces

The elastic contact of rough surfaces has been studied by Greenwood and Williamson [Proc. R. Soc. London, Ser. A 295, 300 (1966)] for Hertzian contacts and by Fuller and Tabor [Proc. R. Soc. London, Ser. A 345, 327 (1975)] for Johnson-Kendall-Roberts contacts. The theory for Deryagin-Muller-Toporov contacts is proposed here and compared with previous results. An extra load due to adhesion forces acting around the contacts appears, which can account for the friction under negative load and the increase in the apparent friction coefficient on clean surfaces.
Energy-efficient real-time task scheduling with temperature-dependent leakage

Leakage power consumption contributes significantly to the overall power dissipation for systems that are manufactured in advanced deep sub-micron technology. Different from many previous results, this paper explores leakageaware energy-efficient scheduling if leakage power consumption depends on temperature. We propose a pattern-based approach which divides a given time horizon into several time segments with the same length, where the processor is in the active (dormant, respectively) mode for a fixed amount of time at the beginning (end, respectively) of each time segment. Computation is advanced in the active mode, whereas the dormant mode helps reduce the temperature via cooling as well as the leakage power consumption. Since the pattern-based approach leads to a steady state with an equilibrium temperature, we develop a procedure to find the optimal pattern whose energy consumption in steady state is the minimum. Compared to existing work, our approach is more effective, has less run-time scheduling overhead, and requires only a simple scheduler to control the system mode periodically. The paper contains extensive simulation results which validate the new models and methods.
Opportunities of advanced driver assistance systems towards overtaking

Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are available on the market whilst the development of existing systems and new systems continues. Improving safety is one of the key purposes of these systems. ADAS would therefore be welcome to support overtaking manoeuvres, since these cause many fatal accidents each year. Before an ADAS could be developed that can assist drivers with overtaking a thorough task analysis of overtaking is necessary and presented in this paper. The overtaking manoeuvre is divided in five phases, in which more than 20 subtasks are distinguished. Next, possibilities of ADAS towards overtaking are verified. Almost all subtasks of an overtaking manoeuvre can be assisted with existing ADAS functionalities, combined in a so-called active overtaking assistant. Unfortunately, for the more complex subtasks such as ‘judging the distance with the first opposing vehicle’ and ‘monitoring the deviations of the lead vehicle’ no ADAS functionality is available yet.
Numerical Schemes for Hyperbolic Balance Laws - Applications to Fluid Flow Problems

Balance laws arise from many areas of engineering practice specifically from the fluid mechanics. Many numerical methods for the solution of these balanced laws were developed in recent decades. The numerical methods are based on two views: solving hyperbolic PDE with a nonzero source term (the obvious description of the central and central-upwind schemes; (Kurganov & Levy, 2002; LeVeque, 2004)) or solving the augmented quasilinear nonconservative formulation (Gosse, 2001; Le Floch& Tzavaras, 1999; Pares, 2006). Furthermore, the methods can be interpreted using flux-difference splitting (or flux-vector splitting), or by selecting adaptive intervals and the transformation to the semidiscrete form (for example (Kurganov & Petrova, 2000)). We prefer the augmented quasilinear nonconservative formulation solved by the flux-difference splitting in our text. We try to formulate the methods in the most general form. The range of this text does not give the complete overview of currently used methods.
Assessing Macroinvertebrate Biodiversity in Freshwater Ecosystems: Advances and Challenges in DNA-based Approaches

Assessing the biodiversity of macroinvertebrate fauna in freshwater ecosystems is an essential component of both basic ecological inquiry and applied ecological assessments. Aspects of taxonomic diversity and composition in freshwater communities are widely used to quantify water quality and measure the efficacy of remediation and restoration efforts. The accuracy and precision of biodiversity assessments based on standard morphological identifications are often limited by taxonomic resolution and sample size. Morphologically based identifications are laborious and costly, significantly constraining the sample sizes that can be processed. We suggest that the development of an assay platform based on DNA signatures will increase the precision and ease of quantifying biodiversity in freshwater ecosystems. Advances in this area will be particularly relevant for benthic and planktonic invertebrates, which are often monitored by regulatory agencies. Adopting a genetic assessment platform will alleviate some of the current limitations to biodiversity assessment strategies. We discuss the benefits and challenges associated with DNA-based assessments and the methods that are currently available. As recent advances in microarray and next-generation sequencing technologies will facilitate a transition to DNA-based assessment approaches, future research efforts should focus on methods for data collection, assay platform development, establishing linkages between DNA signatures and well-resolved taxonomies, and bioinformatics.
The Behçet's Disease Quality of Life: Reliability and Validity of the Korean Version

Purpose The Behçet's Disease Quality of Life (BD-QoL) is a BD-specific measure developed in the UK. The aim of this study was to adapt the BD-QoL for use in Korea. Patients and Methods The translation was based on the guidelines for cross-cultural adaptation. A total of 201 Korean patients with BD participated in this study. To evaluate the psychometric properties, internal consistency and test-retest reliability were used. Factor analysis was performed to examine the construct validity. To provide further evidence for validity, the correlation of BD-QoL with the Clinical Activity Form for Korean Patients with BD (BDCAF-K) and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) scales was assessed. Results The Korean version had high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha, 0.93) and test-retest reliability (r = 0.835). Factor analysis of the questionnaire revealed one interpretable factor as a general health-related quality of life factor. The Korean version significantly correlated with scores of CES-D (r = 0.749, p= 0.000), self-rating scale of well-being over the past 28 days (r = 0.446, p= 0.000), and BDCAF-K score (r = 0.502, p = 0.000). Conclusion Adaptation of the BD-QoL for use in Korea was successful. Together with the BDCAF-K, it may be a valuable tool for assessing the influence of interventions in BD patients and outcome in clinical trials.