Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Improving Traffic Light Recognition Methods using Shifting Time-Windows

We propose a novel method of improving algorithms recognizing traffic lights in video sequences. Our focus is on algorithms for applications which notify the driver of a light in sight. Many existing methods process images in the recording separately. Our method bases on the observation that real-life videos depict underlying continuous processes. We named our method FSA (Frame Sequence Analyzed). It is applicable for any underlying algorithm and improves it by adding an additional result post-processing step. Our experiments are based on improving a published realtime traffic light recognition algorithm. Its general description has been provided by its authors, which allowed us to create a best-effort implementation for testing. We verify the effectiveness of the FSA method on a public dataset, acquiring very good results - improving the underlying algorithm in terms of all considered error measures. In the end, conclusions and possible future improvements are discussed.
A High LO-to-RF Isolation 34–53 GHz Cascode Mixer for ALMA Observatory Applications

This paper presents the implementation of a downconversion single-ended mixer fabricated by $\pmb{0.1-\mu} \mathbf{m}$ GaAs pHEMT process with wide IF bandwidth, high LO-to-RF isolation, and low LO power for ALMA band-l applications. The mixer is a single-ended cascode structure using cold bias $(\pmb{V}_{\mathbf{DS}}\pmb{=0})$ mixing core for wide IF bandwidth, and LC resonators to restrict LO power coupling to the RF port. According to the measurement, the proposed mixer performs well conversion gain, good gain flatness, and wide IF bandwidth with 0 dBm LO power in 34–53 GHz RF frequency which covers ALMA band-l. The measured LO-to-RF isolation is better than 37 dB. The LC resonated technology successfully solves the main drawback of poor LO-to-RF isolation of single-ended mixers. Compared with published works, the proposed single-ended mixer shows lower LO power and competitively high LO-to-RF isolation which is better than conventional single-ended mixers and comparable to balanced mixers.
Evaluation of survival of 8 mm-length implants in posterior resorbed ridges: A pilot study

Context: Rehabilitation of jaws with reduced bone height is technically demanding and expensive. Short implants are emerging as an alternate in such cases. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the survival of implants of 8 mm in length (short implants), clinically and radiographically, in posterior resorbed ridges. Materials and Methods: A total of 11 patients with single missing posterior tooth, having 9–10 mm of residual bone height determined using radiographs, were selected for the study. Twelve implants of 8 mm length were inserted in the resorbed alveolar ridges following standard operating procedure. A second-stage surgery was performed 4–6 months after implant placement for placement of gingival former. This was followed by placement of prosthesis. Twelve months after prosthesis placement, all the patients were examined clinically and radiographically. Results: According to Albrektsson et al.'s criteria, all implants were successful with mean bone loss of 1.1 ± 0.32 mm mesially and 0.83 ± 0.35 mm distally with healthy gingival condition at 12-month follow-up. Conclusion: Short implants (8 mm in length) can be a viable alternative in cases of atrophic alveolar ridges.
Crocin synergistically enhances the antiproliferative activity of 5‐flurouracil through Wnt/PI3K pathway in a mouse model of colitis‐associated colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cause of cancer‐related death, and hence there is a need for the identification of novel‐agents to improve the efficacy of existing therapies. There is growing evidence for the antitumor activity of crocin, although its activity and molecular mechanisms in CRC remains to be elucidated. Here we explored the therapeutic application of crocin or its combination with 5‐flurouracil in a mouse model of colitis‐associated colon cancer. The antiproliferative activity of crocin was assessed in two‐dimensional and three‐dimensional cell‐culture models. The migratory behaviors were determined, while the expression levels of several genes were assessed by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction/Western blot analysis. We examined the anti‐inflammatory properties of crocin by pathological evaluation and disease‐activity index as well as oxidative or antioxidant markers: malondialdehyde (MDA) and total‐thiols (T‐SH) levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity. Crocin suppressed cell‐growth and the invasive behavior of CRC cells through modulation of the Wnt‐pathway and E‐cadherin. Moreover, administration of crocin alone, or in combination with 5‐FU dramatically reduced the tumor number and tumor size in both distal/mid‐colon followed by reduction in disease‐activity index. Crocin also suppressed the colonic inflammation induced by dextran‐sulfate‐sodium and notably recovered the increased levels of MDA, decreased thiol levels and activity of CAT levels. Crocin was able to ameliorate the severe inflammation with mucosal ulcers and high‐grade dysplastic crypts as detected by inflammation score, crypt loss, pathological changes and histology scores. We demonstrated an antitumor activity of crocin in CRC and its potential role in improvement of inflammation with mucosal ulcers and high‐grade dysplastic crypts, supporting the desireability of further investigations on the therapeutic potential of this approach in CRC.
Genome-scale analysis to identify prognostic microRNA biomarkers in patients with early stage pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma after pancreaticoduodenectomy

Background The aim of the study was to investigate potential prognostic microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers for patients with early stage pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) after pancreaticoduodenectomy using a miRNA-sequencing (miRNA-seq) data set from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). A miRNA expression-based prognostic signature was generated, and the potential role of target genes in overall survival (OS) in patients with PDAC was examined. Methods A miRNA-seq data set of 112 PDAC patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy was obtained from TCGA. Survival analysis was performed to identify potential prognostic biomarkers. Results Eleven miRNAs (hsa-mir-501, hsa-mir-4521, hsa-mir-5091, hsa-mir-24-1, hsa-mir-126, hsa-mir-30e, hsa-mir-3157, hsa-let-7a-3, hsa-mir-133a-1, hsa-mir-4709, and hsa-mir-421) were used to construct a prognostic signature using the step function. The 11-miRNA prognostic signature showed good performance for prognosis prediction (adjusted P<0.0001, adjusted hazard ratio =4.285, 95% confidence interval =2.146–8.554), and the time-dependent receiver operating characteristic analysis showed an area under the curve of 0.864, 0.877, and 0.787 for 1-, 2-, and 3-year PDAC OS predictions, respectively. Comprehensive survival analysis suggested that the prognostic signature could serve as an independent prognostic factor for PDAC OS and performs better in prognosis prediction than other traditional clinical indicators. Functional assessment of the target genes of the miRNAs indicated that they were significantly enriched in multiple biological processes and pathways, including cell proliferation, cell cycle biological processes, the forkhead box O, mitogen-activated protein kinase, Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription signaling pathways, pathways in cancer, and the ErbB signaling pathway. Several target genes of these miRNAs were also associated with PDAC OS. Conclusion The present study identified a novel miRNA expression signature that showed potential as a prognostic biomarker for PDAC after pancreaticoduodenectomy.
Editorial: Evolutionary Feedbacks Between Population Biology and Genome Architecture

This eBook presents all 10 articles published under the Frontiers Research Topic "Evolutionary Feedbacks Between Population Biology and Genome Architecture", edited by Scott V. Edwards and Tariq Ezaz. With the rise of rapid genome sequencing across the Tree of Life, challenges arise in understanding the major evolutionary forces influencing the structure of microbial and eukaryotic genomes, in particular the prevalence of natural selection versus genetic drift in shaping those genomes. Additional complexities in understanding genome architecture arise with the increasing incidence of interspecific hybridization as a force for shaping genotypes and phenotypes. A key paradigm shift facilitating a more nuanced interpretation of genomes came with the rise of the nearly neutral theory in the 1970s, followed by a greater appreciation for the contribution of nonadaptive forces such as genetic drift to genome structure in the 1990s and 2000s. The articles published in this eBook grapple with these issues and provide an update as to the ways in which modern population genetics and genome informatics deepen our understanding of the subtle interplay between these myriad forces. From intraspecific to macroevolutionary studies, population biology and population genetics are now major tools for understanding the broad landscape of how genomes evolve across the Tree of Life. This volume is a celebration across diverse taxa of the contributions of population genetics thinking to genome studies. We hope it spurs additional research and clarity in the ongoing search for rules governing the evolution of genomes.
Resistive Switching Characteristics and Reliability of SiNx-Based Conductive Bridge Random Access Memory

The switching properties of Te and TeTiW top electrodes (TEs) on TiW/SiN/TiN resistive switching memory devices are explored in this paper. The TeTiW TE device exhibits more favorable bipolar resistive switching behavior because of the decrease in binding energy after its use. This finding is confirmed through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses. The filament of the TeTiW TE device is metal like after forming, and the reset process corresponds with the thermal-dissolution mechanism. A physical model based on a Te filament is constructed to explain such phenomena. The TeTiW TE device provides the excellent endurance of more than 104 cycles, with an ON/OFF ratio of 500. The improvement can be attributed to the filament’s robustness during the forming and set processes, which prevent its diffusion even at high temperature. The device also features long retention for up to 104 s at 225 °C without stress, and 104 s at 85 °C with stress of −0.3 V. Therefore, it has high potential for high-density nonvolatile memory applications.
Fractal triangular search: a metaheuristic for image content search

This work proposes a variable neighbourhood search (FTS) that uses a fractal-based local search primarily designed for images. Searching for specific content in images is posed as an optimisation problem, where evidence elements are expected to be present. Evidence elements improve the odds of finding the desired content and are closely associated to it in terms of spatial location. The proposed local search algorithm follows the fashion of a chain of triangles that engulf each other and grow indefinitely in a fractal fashion, while their orientation varies in each iteration. The authors carried out an extensive set of experiments, which confirmed that FTS outperforms state-of-the-art metaheuristics. On average, FTS was able to locate content faster, visiting less incorrect image locations. In the first group of experiments, FTS was faster in seven out of nine cases, being >8% faster on average, when compared to the second best search method. In the second group, FTS was faster in six out of seven cases, and it was >22% faster on average when compared to the approach ranked second best. FTS tends to outperform other metaheuristics substantially as the size of the image increases.
Magnitude of Voriconazole Resistance in Clinical and Environmental Isolates of Aspergillus flavus and Investigation into the Role of Multidrug Efflux Pumps

The magnitude of azole resistance in Aspergillus flavus and its underlying mechanism is obscure. We evaluated the frequency of azole resistance in a collection of clinical (n = 121) and environmental isolates (n = 68) of A. flavus by the broth microdilution method. ABSTRACT The magnitude of azole resistance in Aspergillus flavus and its underlying mechanism is obscure. We evaluated the frequency of azole resistance in a collection of clinical (n = 121) and environmental isolates (n = 68) of A. flavus by the broth microdilution method. Six (5%) clinical isolates displayed voriconazole MIC greater than the epidemiological cutoff value. Two of these isolates with non-wild-type MIC were isolated from same patient and were genetically distinct, which was confirmed by amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis. Mutations associated with azole resistance were not present in the lanosterol 14-α demethylase coding genes (cyp51A, cyp51B, and cyp51C). Basal and voriconazole-induced expression of cyp51A homologs and various efflux pump genes was analyzed in three each of non-wild-type and wild-type isolates. All of the efflux pump genes screened showed low basal expression irrespective of the azole susceptibility of the isolate. However, the non-wild-type isolates demonstrated heterogeneous overexpression of many efflux pumps and the target enzyme coding genes in response to induction with voriconazole (1 μg/ml). The most distinctive observation was approximately 8- to 9-fold voriconazole-induced overexpression of an ortholog of the Candida albicans ATP binding cassette (ABC) multidrug efflux transporter, Cdr1, in two non-wild-type isolates compared to those in the reference strain A. flavus ATCC 204304 and other wild-type strains. Although the dominant marker of azole resistance in A. flavus is still elusive, the current study proposes the possible role of multidrug efflux pumps, especially that of Cdr1B overexpression, in contributing azole resistance in A. flavus.
Nanolipid Formulations of Benzoporphyrin Derivative: Exploring the Dependence of Nanoconstruct Photophysics and Photochemistry on Their Therapeutic Index in Ovarian Cancer Cells

With the rapidly emerging designs and applications of light‐activated, photodynamic therapy (PDT)‐based nanoconstructs, photonanomedicines (PNMs), an unmet need exists to establish whether conventional methods of photochemical and photophysical characterization of photosensitizers are relevant for evaluating new PNMs in order to intelligently guide their design. As a model system, we build on the clinical formulation of benzoporphyrin derivative (BPD), Visudyne®, by developing a panel of nanolipid formulations entrapping new lipidated chemical variants of BPD with differing chemical, photochemical and photophysical properties. These are 16:0 and 20:0 lysophosphocholine‐BPD (16:0/20:0 BPD‐PC), DSPE‐PEG‐BPD and BPD‐cholesterol. We show that Visudyne® was the most phototoxic formulation to OVCAR‐5 cells, and the least effective was liposomal DSPE‐PEG‐BPD. However, these differences did not match their optical, photophysical and photochemical properties, as the static BPD quenching was highest in Visudyne, which also exhibited the lowest generation of singlet oxygen. Furthermore, we establish that OVCAR‐5 cell phototoxicity also does not correlate with rates of photosensitizer photobleaching and fluorescence quantum yields in any nanolipid formulations. These findings warrant critical future studies into subcellular targets and molecular mechanisms of phototoxicity of photodynamic nanoconstructs, as more reliable prognostic surrogates for predicting efficacy to appropriately and intelligently guide their design.
Modeling Short-Channel Effects in Asymmetric Junctionless MOSFETs With Underlap

This paper proposes a semianalytical model to estimate short-channel effects for independent gate operation in double-gate (DG) junctionless (JL) MOSFET incorporating gate-to-source/drain underlap, through the solution of Poisson’s equations in the subthreshold regime. The model also accounts for the asymmetry in device operation through variation in gate oxide thicknesses, gate work functions, and underlap lengths. Subthreshold drain current, threshold voltage, and subthreshold swing, evaluated from the channel potential, show reasonable agreement with simulation data. Results suggest the use of negative back gate bias and longer underlap length to reduce off-current. This paper highlights the role of doping, underlap length, and back gate bias in tuning the threshold voltage. This model serves as a generic formulation (within limits) with different asymmetries to estimate, design, and optimize self-aligned DG JL transistors for subthreshold logic applications.
An Effective Method to Compensate Total Ionizing Dose-Induced Degradation on Double-SOI Structure

The existence of buried oxide (BOX) layer and the strong coupling effect between the front and back channels can worsen the radiation-induced degradation on fully depleted silicon-on-insulator (FDSOI) device. To mitigate the radiation impact, a new structure named double SOI is introduced in this paper. This new structure exhibits potential benefits of reducing the radiation-induced degradation effectively and independently, thanks to the additional electrode, which can be used to control the internal electrical field of the BOX layer. With this structure, FDSOI device parameter degradation due to total dose is studied, and some abnormal phenomena, such as the transconductance hump and the mobility enhancement, are observed and discussed. Sentaurus TCAD simulations are used for further analysis. Moreover, the impact of negative back-gate bias to transistor parameter degradation is investigated, and an improved back-gate compensation strategy is proposed. Technology improvement such as thinning the BOX on total ionizing dose (TID) amelioration is also discussed with TCAD simulation.
A Closed-Form Expression of the Drain Current of Asymmetric Double-Gate OTFTs

A continuous, physically based, and analytic current–voltage (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${I}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>–<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${V}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>) model of asymmetric independent double-gate organic thin-film transistors is presented. The model is worked out from a closed-form solution of Poisson’s equation. A fully analytical expression of interface potentials, accumulation charges, and charge carriers, valid in all the regimes of operations, is derived. Charges and potentials are computed by means of a single nonlinear equation that ensures a natural transition between the hyperbolic and trigonometric modes. The drain current is based on the variable-range hopping and accounts for all the regions of operation. The model is validated by comparisons with the full numerical solution and a very good agreement is shown.
Fabrication of Polymer Microstructures of Various Angles via Synchrotron X-Ray Lithography Using Simple Dimensional Transformation

In this paper, we developed a method of fabricating polymer microstructures at various angles on a single substrate via synchrotron X-ray lithography coupled with simple dimensional transformations. Earlier efforts to create various three-dimensional (3D) features on flat substrates focused on the exposure technology, material properties, and light sources. A few research groups have sought to create microstructures on curved substrates. We created tilted microstructures of various angles by simply deforming the substrate from 3D to two-dimensional (2D). The microstructural inclination angles changed depending on the angles of the support at particular positions. We used convex, concave, and S-shaped supports to fabricate microstructures with high aspect ratios (1:11) and high inclination angles (to 79°). The method is simple and can be extended to various 3D microstructural applications; for example, the fabrication of microarrays for optical components, and tilted micro/nanochannels for biological applications.
A Study of 48deplCa100MoO4 Scintillation Crystals for the AMoRE-I Experiment

Advanced Molybdenum-based Rare process Experiment (AMoRE) searching neutrinoless double-beta (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$0\nu \beta \beta $ </tex-math></inline-formula>) decay of <sup>100</sup>Mo from <sup>48depl</sup>Ca<sup>100</sup>MoO<sub>4</sub> (CMO) scintillation crystals has been preparing CMO crystals for the phase-I stage, AMoRE-I. Nine CMO crystals with a total weight of 3.39 kg were produced by the FOMOS-Materials in Russia and delivered to the Yangyang Underground Laboratory (Y2L) in South Korea for about 2 years until the end of 2016. Acceptance tests of all the nine crystals on weight, dimension, transmittance, light output, energy resolution, and internal radioactivities were completed in the middle of 2017. We have set the upper limits of internal radioactivity levels for <sup>228</sup>Th, <sup>226</sup>Ra, and <sup>227</sup>Ac (daughters of <sup>232</sup>Th, <sup>238</sup>U, and <sup>235</sup>U), and the total alpha activity of U/Th in the crystals via a GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulation to achieve zero background in region of interest. We used a delayed-coincidence analysis to separate the alphas from gamma background events. Results of the acceptance tests showed that all the crystals are qualified for the AMoRE-I. We will present the test results of the nine crystals together with a reference crystal.
Complete plastome sequences from Bertholletia excelsa and 23 related species yield informative markers for Lecythidaceae

Premise of the Study The tropical tree family Lecythidaceae has enormous ecological and economic importance in the Amazon basin. Lecythidaceae species can be difficult to identify without molecular data, however, and phylogenetic relationships within and among the most diverse genera are poorly resolved. Methods To develop informative genetic markers for Lecythidaceae, we used genome skimming to de novo assemble the full plastome of the Brazil nut tree (Bertholletia excelsa) and 23 other Lecythidaceae species. Indices of nucleotide diversity and phylogenetic signal were used to identify regions suitable for genetic marker development. Results The B. excelsa plastome contained 160,472 bp and was arranged in a quadripartite structure. Using the 24 plastome alignments, we developed primers for 10 coding and non‐coding DNA regions containing exceptional nucleotide diversity and phylogenetic signal. We also developed 19 chloroplast simple sequence repeats for population‐level studies. Discussion The coding region ycf1 and the spacer rpl16‐rps3 outperformed plastid DNA markers previously used for barcoding and phylogenetics. Used in a phylogenetic analysis, the matrix of 24 plastomes showed with 100% bootstrap support that Lecythis and Eschweilera are polyphyletic. The plastomes and primers presented in this study will facilitate a broad array of ecological and evolutionary studies in Lecythidaceae.
Deep Convolutional Pixel-wise Labeling for Skin Lesion Image Segmentation

Melanoma is one of the deadliest form of cancer with an increasing incidence rate. The development of automatic diagnostic tools for the early detection of skin cancer lesions in dermoscopic images can help to reduce melanoma-induced mortality. In this paper, we present an automatic method for skin lesion image segmentation based on a deep learning algorithm for pixel-wise labeling. Experimental results have been obtained by testing two network architectures on publicly available data and, in order to show that the used approach is not data set related, we have used the ISIC database for training the network and the PH2 database for testing. The results show that the proposed approach achieves a very accurate segmentation even in presence of hair and air/oil bubbles. An additional contribution of this work is the development of a semi-automatic GUI for data annotation that can be used to generate more test images.