Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Three-Step Segmentation of the Lower Airways with Advanced Leakage-Control

Segmentation of the tracheo-bronchial tree of the lung serves as an important tool for diagnosis and treatment planning of various pathologies, e.g. by allowing accurate volume measurements or detecting malformations. However, segmenting the airways of the human lung is notoriously difficult. This is due to the small size of the participating anatomical structures, which are moreover subject to partial volume and noise effects. Limited intensity contrasts between air and lung parenchyma also complicate segmentation. In this paper, we present our hybrid segmentation method consisting of three main steps, which are iterated until a satisfactory result is achieved. User interaction is limited to the specification of a seed point inside the easily detectable trachea. Further, we discuss the performance of our method within the EXACT09 challenge, where 20 test datasets with varying quality and pathologies had to be processed.
The cost of address translation

Modern computers are not random access machines (RAMs). They have a memory hierarchy, multiple cores, and virtual memory. In this paper, we address the computational cost of address translation in virtual memory. Starting point for our work is the observation that the analysis of some simple algorithms (random scan of an array, binary search, heapsort) in either the RAM model or the EM model (external memory model) does not correctly predict growth rates of actual running times. We propose the VAT model (virtual address translation) to account for the cost of address translations and analyze the algorithms mentioned above and others in the model. The predictions agree with the measurements. We also analyze the VAT-cost of cache-oblivious algorithms.
Evaluating a Text Mining Based Educational Search Portal

In this paper, we present the main features of a text mining based search engine for the UK Educational Evidence Portal available at the UK National Centre for Text Mining (NaCTeM), together with a user-centred framework for the evaluation of the search engine. The framework is adapted from an existing proposal by the ISLE (EAGLES) Evaluation Working group. We introduce the metrics employed for the evaluation, and explain how these relate to the text mining based search engine. Following this, we describe how we applied the framework to the evaluation of a number of key text mining features of the search engine, namely the automatic clustering of search results, classification of search results according to a taxonomy, and identification of topics and other documents that are related to a chosen document. Finally, we present the results of the evaluation in terms of the strengths, weaknesses and improvements identified for each of these features.
Multi-objective worst-case scenario robust optimal design of switched reluctance motor incorporated with FEM and Kriging

In this paper, one multi-objective robust optimization algorithm is applied to the optimal design of switched reluctance motor. The performance robustness against uncertainty in design variables is evaluated utilizing the first order sensitivity assisted-worst case scenario approximation. In order to reduce the computing cost required by the finite element analysis, the Kriging surrogate model is used to predict performance of switched reluctance motor during optimization process. With the help of multi-objective particle warm optimization algorithm, a set of robust optimal designs are obtained through making a balance between maximizing average torque and minimizing torque tipple.
Differential baseline expression and angiotensin II–stimulation of leukemia-associated RhoGEF in vascular smooth muscle cells of spontaneously hypertensive rats

Purpose Studies to explore angiotensin II (Ang II) and its downstream signaling pathways via Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factors (RhoGEFs) and RhoA signaling are crucial to understanding the mechanisms of smooth muscle contraction leading to hypertension. This study aimed to investigate the Ang II–induced expression of RhoGEFs in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and to identify the possible regulator associated with hypertension. Methods Cultured VSMCs of the aorta from SHRs and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were treated with or without Ang II or Ang II plus Ang II type 2 receptor antagonists. The expression levels of RhoGEF messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein were determined. To evaluate the changes of aortic ring contractile force in response to Ang II, a nonviral carrier system was adopted to deliver the leukemia-associated RhoGEF (LARG) small interfering RNA via nanoparticles into aortic rings. Results The baseline mRNA levels of three RhoGEFs in cultured VSMCs of WKY rats did not increase with age, but they were significantly higher in 12-week-old SHRs than in 5-week-old SHRs. Expression levels of LARG mRNA were higher in SHRs than in age-matched WKY rats. The baseline LAGR protein of 12-week-old SHRs was about four times higher than that of WKY rats of the same age. After Ang II–stimulation, LAGR protein expression was significantly increased in 12-week-old WKY rats but remained unchanged in 12-week-old SHRs. LARG small interfering RNA was successfully delivered into aortic rings using nanoparticles. LARG knockdown resulted in 12-week-old SHRs showing the greatest reduction in aortic ring contraction. Conclusion There were differences in age-related RhoGEF expression at baseline and in response to Ang II–stimulation between SHRs and WKY rats in this study. Nanotechnology can assist in studying the silencing of LARG in tissue culture. The findings of this study indicate that LARG gene expression may be associated with the genesis of hypertension in SHRs.
Evaluating the Use of Blood Cultures in the Management of Children Hospitalized for Community-Acquired Pneumonia

Background Blood cultures are often recommended for the evaluation of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). However, institutions vary in their use of blood cultures, and blood cultures have unclear utility in CAP management in hospitalized children. Objective To identify clinical factors associated with obtaining blood cultures in children hospitalized with CAP, and to estimate the association between blood culture obtainment and hospital length of stay (LOS). Methods We performed a multicenter retrospective cohort study of children admitted with a diagnosis of CAP to any of four pediatric hospitals in the United States from January 1, 2011-December 31, 2012. Demographics, medical history, diagnostic testing, and clinical outcomes were abstracted via manual chart review. Multivariable logistic regression evaluated patient and clinical factors for associations with obtaining blood cultures. Propensity score-matched Kaplan-Meier analysis compared patients with and without blood cultures for hospital LOS. Results Six hundred fourteen charts met inclusion criteria; 390 children had blood cultures obtained. Of children with blood cultures, six (1.5%) were positive for a pathogen and nine (2.3%) grew a contaminant. Factors associated with blood culture obtainment included presenting with symptoms of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.10–2.89), receiving intravenous hydration (OR 3.94, 95% CI 3.22–4.83), receiving antibiotics before admission (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.17–1.89), hospital admission from the ED (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.05–2.60), and having health insurance (OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.30–0.60). In propensity score-matched analysis, patients with blood cultures had median 0.8 days longer LOS (2.0 vs 1.2 days, P < .0001) without increased odds of readmission (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.45–1.97) or death (P = .25). Conclusions Obtaining blood cultures in children hospitalized with CAP rarely identifies a causative pathogen and is associated with increased LOS. Our results highlight the need to refine the role of obtaining blood cultures in children hospitalized with CAP.
Contouring in Illustrative Visualization

Although traditional line illustrations are very abstract representations, they can communicate the form of an object effectively. This is only possible by the use of perceptual cues, mastered by professional artists. To create effective line illustrations from 3D models, it is important to use these perceptual cues to avoid visual dissonance and ambiguity, and also to create visual effects like shading, emphasis and depth perception. In this paper, we propose the adaptation of a technique called Perspective Contouring, used by illustrators to create emphasis in contour line drawings. The technique uses perceptual principles to manipulate line attributes, like width, spacing and length, around regions of interest determined by the user, creating the illusion that those regions advance towards the observer. The whole process is controlled through an intuitive sketch-based interface. Keywords-illustrative visualization; focus of attention; line illustration; hatching; non-photorealistic rendering
Fructose- and sorbitol-reduced diet improves mood and gastrointestinal disturbances in fructose malabsorbers.

BACKGROUND Fructose malabsorption is characterized by the inability to absorb fructose efficiently. As a consequence fructose reaches the colon where it is broken down by bacteria to short fatty acids, CO2 and H2. Bloating, cramps, osmotic diarrhea and other symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome are the consequences and can be seen in about 50% of fructose malabsorbers. We have previously shown that fructose malabsorption is associated with early signs of mental depression and low serum tryptophan concentrations. It was therefore of interest whether a fructose-reduced diet could not only improve gastrointestinal complaints but also depressive signs seen in fructose malabsorbers. METHODS Fifty-three adults (12 males, 41 females), who were identified as fructose malabsorbers according to their breath-H2 concentrations, filled out a Beck's depression inventory-questionnaire, and a questionnaire with arbitrary scales for measurement of meteorism, stool frequency and quality of life for a 4-week period before dietary intervention and 4 weeks after dietary change as for fructose- and sorbitol-reduced diet. RESULTS Depression scores were reduced by 65.2% after 4 weeks of diet (P < 0.0001), and there was a significant reduction of meteorism (P < 0.0001) and stool frequency (P < 0.01). Improvement of signs of depression and of meteorism was more pronounced in females than in males. CONCLUSION Fructose- and sorbitol-reduced diet in subjects with fructose malabsorption does not only reduce gastrointestinal symptoms but also improves mood and early signs of depression.
Methodologies of Internet portals users' short messages texts authorship identification based on the methods of mathematical linguistics

The article deals with the peculiarities of Internet portals, blogs and websites short messages texts authorship determination. The article focuses on possibility to search people who have several different accounts and send messages from them. Sentences dependence on the number of words in portals users' comments is represented. The model of Internet portal text message is provided. Method of Internet portals users' short messages texts authorship identification based on the naive Bayesian classifier is represented. The specific feature of the proposed method is not only frequency dictionary analysis based on messages selection to identify users, but their usage of rules and connections on the base of language syntactic information. The parts of speech frequency and connection frequency between parts of speech are given. The communication graph of parts of speech connections of limited natural language in commentaries is represented. Linguistic characteristics used to identify portal user are given. Structures are distinguished on the base of the communication graph between parts of speech as regards noun prepositional casal form of limited natural language used to identify text authorship. The experiment showing achievable indicators of Internet portal user identification probability depending on training sample is carried out. Probability diagrams of authorship identification based on selected characteristics are represented.
Nanopositioning and Actuation in Extreme Environment Using Piezoelectric Multilayer Actuators and Motors

Piezoelectric devices find numerous applications in Science projects, when precise and fast positioning is needed, particularly in harsh environment. This paper reviews some of the latest environmental tests performed on piezoelectric devices, illustrating how they enable higher performance or even new technical solutions. In the field of particle accelerators and instrumentation, two applications can be mentioned: the precise goniometer to be installed in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and active Lorentz force detuning compensation systems. Multilayer actuators have been demonstrated over a wide range of temperatures, from cryogenic (1.8 K) to 220°C, in vacuum and under radiation. Other examples can be mentioned within the ITER project: the In-Vessel Viewing System (IVVS) and the Electron Cyclotron Emission (ECE) diagnostic. For these applications, a piezo motor is needed. The Piezo Actuator Drive (PAD) was demonstrated at high temperature, vacuum and submitted to high magnetic fields. INTRODUCTION Science projects and in particular particle accelerators often have a need for actuation in harsh environment. Requirements cover a wide spectrum, from nanopositioning to long range actuation. In some cases, the capabilities of conventional electromagnetic actuators such as voice coils and stepper motors are exceeded, either in terms of performance (response time for example) or simply because of incompatibilities with the environment. In such cases, piezoelectric devices can become the preferred choice, offering a combination of fast and precise motion with a low susceptibility to typically occurring environment (vacuum, low temperature, magnetic field). Two families of devices can be considered: actuators and motors. Actuators such as multilayer stacks (Fig. 1) provide solid-state displacements typically in the range 20-200 μm at room temperature and are analogous in terms of function to voice coil actuators. Motors (Fig. 2) make use of a mechanical transmission to accumulate small movements generated by an actuator in order to provide unlimited motion, analogously to electromagnetic motors. Figure 1: Piezoelectric actuator. Figure 2: Piezoelectric motor. Multilayer piezoelectric actuator have been developed since the 1980s [1] and address some of the limitations of electromagnetic actuators, opening-up for new applications. Nevertheless, it is a relatively recent technology and the adaptation and qualification of these products to specific environmental conditions has been a major field of research recently. APPLICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS
Projected state machine coverage for software testing

Our research deals with test generation for software based on finite state machine (FSM) models of the program specification. We describe a set of coverage criteria and testing constraints for use in the automatic generation of test suites. We also describe the algorithms used to generate test suites based on these coverage criteria, and the implementation of these algorithms as an extension of the Murϕ model checker[4]. The coverage criteria are simple but powerful in that they generate test suites of high quality and moderate volume, without requiring the user to have a sophisticated grasp of the test generation technology. The testing constraints are used to combat the endemic problem of state explosion, typically encountered in FSM techniques. We illustrate our techniques on several well-known problems from the literature and describe two industrial trials, to demonstrate the validity of our claims.
Electroencephalography and High-Density Electrophysiological Source Localization

In 1924, Hans Berger, a German psychiatrist, performed the first electroencephalographic (EEG) recording in humans (Berger, 1929), a discovery that was initially greeted with great skepticism by the scientific community. By recording from one electrode placed over the forehead and one over the occipital cortex, Berger discovered the existence of rhythmic activity oscillating at approximately 10 Hz, particularly during relaxed wakefulness and in the absence of sensory stimulation or mental activity. In this landmark discovery, Berger described for the first time what would become known as alpha waves. As a result, Berger was among the first to suggest that the periodic fluctuations of the human EEG may be associated with mental processes, including arousal, memory, and consciousness. Over the years, developments in data collection and analyses transformed EEG into one of the prime techniques for studying the human brain. Table 3.1 summarizes selected landmark discoveries and developments that have contributed shaping the EEG field throughout the century. The past two decades in particular have witnessed unparalleled progress in our ability to image human brain function noninvasively. Different imaging techniques are currently available to investigate brain function based on hemodynamic (functional magnetic resonance imaging, fMRI), metabolic (positron emission tomography, PET), or electromagnetic (electroencephalography, EEG; magnetoencephalography, MEG) measurements. In order to investigate spatiotemporal dynamics of brain activity, methods that directly assess neural activity are required. By measuring electrical activity of neuronal assemblies with millisecond temporal resolution, EEG and MEG, unlike hemodynamic techniques, offer the possibility of studying brain function in real time. Unfortunately, as will be discussed in this chapter, the spatial resolution afforded by EEG/MEG is constrained by several factors. The most important of these factors are the distorting effects of the head volume conductor,1 low signal-to-noise
The Novel Cyclophilin Inhibitor CPI-431-32 Concurrently Blocks HCV and HIV-1 Infections via a Similar Mechanism of Action

HCV-related liver disease is the main cause of morbidity and mortality of HCV/HIV-1 co-infected patients. Despite the recent advent of anti-HCV direct acting antivirals (DAAs), the treatment of HCV/HIV-1 co-infected patients remains a challenge, as these patients are refractory to most therapies and develop liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver cancer more often than HCV mono-infected patients. Until the present study, there was no suitable in vitro assay to test the inhibitory activity of drugs on HCV/HIV-1 co-infection. Here we developed a novel in vitro “co-infection” model where HCV and HIV-1 concurrently replicate in their respective main host target cells—human hepatocytes and CD4+ T-lymphocytes. Using this co-culture model, we demonstrate that cyclophilin inhibitors (CypI), including a novel cyclosporin A (CsA) analog, CPI-431-32, simultaneously inhibits replication of both HCV and HIV-1 when added pre- and post-infection. In contrast, the HIV-1 protease inhibitor nelfinavir or the HCV NS5A inhibitor daclatasvir only blocks the replication of a single virus in the “co-infection” system. CPI-431-32 efficiently inhibits HCV and HIV-1 variants, which are normally resistant to DAAs. CPI-431-32 is slightly, but consistently more efficacious than the most advanced clinically tested CypI—alisporivir (ALV)—at interrupting an established HCV/HIV-1 co-infection. The superior antiviral efficacy of CPI-431-32 over ALV correlates with its higher potency inhibition of cyclophilin A (CypA) isomerase activity and at preventing HCV NS5A-CypA and HIV-1 capsid-CypA interactions known to be vital for replication of the respective viruses. Moreover, we obtained evidence that CPI-431-32 prevents the cloaking of both the HIV-1 and HCV genomes from cellular sensors. Based on these results, CPI-431-32 has the potential, as a single agent or in combination with DAAs, to inhibit both HCV and HIV-1 infections.
Recommendation vs Sentiment Analysis: A Text-Driven Latent Factor Model for Rating Prediction with Cold-Start Awareness

Review rating prediction is an important research topic. The problem was approached from either the perspective of recommender systems (RS) or that of sentiment analysis (SA). Recent SA research using deep neural networks (DNNs) has realized the importance of user and product interaction for better interpreting the sentiment of reviews. However, the complexity of DNN models in terms of the scale of parameters is very high, and the performance is not always satisfying especially when user-product interaction is sparse. In this paper, we propose a simple, extensible RS-based model, called Text-driven Latent Factor Model (TLFM), to capture the semantics of reviews, user preferences and product characteristics by jointly optimizing two components, a user-specific LFM and a product-specific LFM, each of which decomposes text into a specific low-dimension representation. Furthermore, we address the cold-start issue by developing a novel Pairwise Rating Comparison strategy (PRC), which utilizes the difference between ratings on common user/product as supplementary information to calibrate parameter estimation. Experiments conducted on IMDB and Yelp datasets validate the advantage of our approach over state-of-the-art baseline methods.
Ontology-based Distinction between Polysemy and Homonymy

We consider the problem of distinguishing polysemous from homonymous nouns. This distinction is often taken for granted, but is seldom operationalized in the shape of an empirical model. We present a first step towards such a model, based on WordNet augmented with ontological classes provided by CoreLex. This model provides a polysemy index for each noun which (a), accurately distinguishes between polysemy and homonymy; (b), supports the analysis that polysemy can be grounded in the frequency of the meaning shifts shown by nouns; and (c), improves a regression model that predicts when the "one-sense-per-discourse" hypothesis fails.
Brain tumour stem cells: the undercurrents of human brain cancer and their relationship to neural stem cells

Conceptual and technical advances in neural stem cell biology are being applied to the study of human brain tumours. These studies suggest that human brain tumours are organized as a hierarchy and are maintained by a small number of tumour cells that have stem cell properties. Most of the bulk population of human brain tumours comprise cells that have lost the ability to initiate and maintain tumour growth. Although the cell of origin for human brain tumours is uncertain, recent evidence points towards the brain's known proliferative zones. The identification of brain tumour stem cells has important implications for understanding brain tumour biology and these cells may be critical cellular targets for curative therapy.
Recent trends in production of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) concentrates

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are getting more attention due to their role in human health. Nowadays, a growing awareness of health benefits of omega-3 (ω-3 or also referred as n-3) fatty acid has been found. Present overview provides importance, source and different methods used for the production of PUFA concentrates. Recent developments on production of omega-3 PUFA have been reviewed.