Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
FPGA implementation of low-power and high-PSNR DCT/IDCT architecture based on adaptive recoding CORDIC

The discrete cosine transform (DCT) and its inverse (IDCT) are widely used in image and video compression standards. In this paper, we propose a novel unified architecture for DCT and IDCT based on adaptive recoding coordinate rotation digital computer (ARC). The proposed architecture requires two types of ARC rotators. In addition, an efficient adder and shifter-based scale factor approximation is used in the proposed architecture. To verify the function and evaluate the performance, the proposed architecture is validated on a Virtex 5 FPGA development platform. Under DCT-only mode, compared with the proposed architecture, a state-of-the-art DCT architecture uses 12% more hardware resources, increases the critical path delay by 7.12%, consumes 10.1% more power and decreases 4.8 dB in PSNR. Under DCT/IDCT mode, the latest unified DCT/IDCT architecture has a factor of 2.17-fold in latency, needs 74.9% more hardware resources and dissipates 52.5% more power when compared to the proposed architecture. In addition, PSNR of the proposed architecture is better by 2 dB.
Smoking Identities and Behavior: Evidence of Discrepancies, Issues for Measurement and Intervention

Although researchers and health care practitioners tend to use standard categories to classify smokers and nonsmokers, recent research suggests that individual smokers may use a variety of self-definitions regarding their smoking behavior. The purpose of this study was to examine smoking identity and smoking behavior among college students, specifically, the relationship between self-identifying as a smoker, nonsmoker, occasional smoker, or social smoker and number of days smoked in the past month. Data were obtained during a campuswide health assessment of randomly selected full-time students (N = 741). Results indicate discrepancy between smoking identity and cigarette use. Twenty percent of students who smoked in the past 30 days self-identified as nonsmokers. Such discrepancies have implications for data collection in research as well as on questionnaires and in health care interviews. Failure to understand actual smoking behavior may increase the risk that individuals will not receive effective smoking prevention and cessation interventions.
Survival of Female Harlequin Ducks During Wing Molt

Abstract Survival rates of waterfowl during wing molt have rarely been described, leading to uncertainty about the importance of this annual cycle stage for management. We quantified survival probability of 247 radiomarked female harlequin ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) during wing molt in Prince William Sound, Alaska, USA. The daily survival rate (DSR) was extremely high (DSR = 0.999; 95% CI: 0.994–1.000) during the 37-day interval over which remiges were replaced and individuals were rendered flightless. Our DSR estimate corresponded to a cumulative survival probability of 0.99 (95% CI: 0.81–1.00) for the 20 August–15 October postbreeding period as a whole, which is appreciably higher than estimates that have been derived for breeding or overwintering stages. We conclude that wing molt is a comparatively safe stage of the annual cycle for harlequin ducks that does not constrain population growth rate, with the implication for wildlife managers being that, in the absence of anthropogenic influences, management prescriptions may be most effective when focused on other stages of the annual cycle.
Electroantennogram Responses of Nilaparvata lugens (Homoptera: Delphacidae) to Plant Volatile Compounds

Abstract Electroantennogram (EAG) recordings were made from the plaque organ receptors of the rice brown plant hopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål). The receptors of the distal plaque organ of both male and female hoppers responded to the air from above chopped rice plants, and those of females gave a larger response. Female hoppers, tested with 27 plant volatiles, gave dose-related responses to 16 of the compounds, including a range of green leaf volatiles. The aliphatic aldehydes hexanal and (E)-2-hexenal elicited a larger response than a range of green leaf alcohols. Of the remaining compounds, acetophenone, benzaldehyde, ethyl and methyl benzoate, and amyl and isoamyl acetate were among the most effective in eliciting responses. Receptor recovery times showed some variation between compounds. A comparison of the dose-related response of 16 compounds in paraffin oil and in pentane showed that considerably larger responses were recorded when the highly volatile solvent pentane was used.
Area efficient switch box topologies for 3D FPGAs

The dense routing channels of long global interconnects in today's high performance Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), as principle counterpart for ASICs, is a dominant factor in continuous increase in the delay, power, and also the chip area. Using the three dimensional (3D) technology is an essential and also attractive technique to solve these problems. However, the limitation on the number of through silicon vias (TSVs) is one of the most important challenges of 3D FPGAs. This paper proposes two modified topologies for the 3D switch boxes (SBs), named Universal-MTwist and Wilton-MTwist, which increase the efficient use of TSVs. The simulation results manifest that the two new SB topologies efficiently reduce the number of TSVs 60% and 66%, respectively. Additionally, the use of them reduces the horizontal channel width 7% and 6%, respectively, compared to the 3D Disjoint SB. Meanwhile, the delay remains almost the same.
A complex wire used for mesh reflector antenna

Large reflector antenna contains a large number of metal-insulator-metal (MIM) junctions. When illuminated by high-power microwave radiation, passive intermodulation (PIM) products may disturb satellite communication system. The general materials used for space-borne antenna are stainless steel coated with nickel, gold-plated tungsten wire, gold-plated molybdenum wire etc. This paper presents a new complex wire, produced by gold-plated molybdenum wire and polyimide fiber. Passive intermodulation risk can be reduced, due to the improvement of the thermal stability of the wire gauze. The test results show that the mechanical properties of the complex wire meet the requirement of mesh antenna.
Investigation of Fundamental Properties of Multiatomic Molecules by Methods of Vibrational Rotation Spectroscopy of High Resolution by the Example of Molecule PHD2.

This work is devoted to elaboration and practical application of analysis methods of thin structure of complex vibrational-rotation spectra of multiatomic molecules under highly excited vibrational conditions as applied to the conditions of actual modern experiment. Elaborated common methods and approaches will be tested based on the analysis of actual originally registered spectra of high resolution of deuterium- derivative molecules PH2D, PHD2.
Clusters in Ionization Tracks of Electrons in Silicon Dioxide

An electron transport code is used to generate electron tracks in silicon dioxide. The location of all ionizing interactions is recorded and the distances between each pair of locations calculated. Application of elementary cluster analysis reveals the clustered nature of such tracks. The results for 600 keV primary electrons show a cluster pattern not compatible with the assumptions of columnar recombination or geminate recombination.
Natural language processing applied in itinerary recommender systems

In this paper we present a mobile application based on a hybrid multi-objective genetic algorithm and Natural Language Processing that can be used by tourists to smartly generate itineraries. Besides allowing users to find interesting Points of Interest based on highly detailed information, the semantic search approach is also capable of providing recommendation without requiring a lot of information regarding the current user. A multi-objective genetic algorithm has been used in order to find Pareto-optimal solutions in near real-time for the itinerary problem. The proposed system requires minimum input from the user and it is easy to use, thus we can state that our solution is both complex and at the same time user-oriented.
Is Enhanced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy an Effective Intervention in Eating Disorders? A Review

In this study the author reviews the current empirical research regarding Enhanced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT-E) in the treatment of the full range of eating disorders (EDs): anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and eating disorder not otherwise specified. All peer-reviewed outcome studies identified through electronic bibliographic databases and manual searches of article reference lists are reviewed. A total of six studies (n = 6) were found. The author reports the results of these studies consisting of open-trials of CBT-E applied to different ED diagnoses, comparing two forms of CBT-E (focused and broad) to waitlist, and comparing CBT-E plus Motivation Focused Therapy. There is evidence to support the use of CBT-E for the treatment of EDs; however, this evidence is tentative as CBT-E is still in its early phases of empirical testing. No trials found CBT-E to be ineffective. Although these research designs are not randomized control trials, these results are promising for ED research. There are few efficacious treatments for EDs, especially for those with “chronic” EDs and adults with anorexia nervosa. CBT-E is one of the first interventions that focuses on particular symptomatic behaviors of EDs manifested in individual clients rather than treating ED diagnoses generically.
The advantages and limitations of seeking sex online: a comparison of reasons given for online and offline sexual liaisons by men who have sex with men.

The Internet has developed as a major site for sexual activity, both cybersex and for making contacts for sex in real life (IRL). As part of a major study of HIV-risk behavior on the Internet and IRL , we obtained on-line responses from 1,017 Latino men who have sex with men (MSM) in the U.S. Open-ended questions solicited responses regarding whether respondents preferred to meet sexual partners first IRL (48.4%), on the Internet (31.6%), or "it depends" (20%), and "why? ". Data were analyzed by theme, with themes grouped into overarching domains. Data indicate that for those preferring the Internet, themes represented were ease of Internet use, its advantages for people who were shy, and its anonymity, safety, the excitement and opportunity for experimentation of Internet contact, ability to avoid interpersonal contact, and control of visuals and the environment. Reasons for preferring meeting IRL included some of the same themes, but emphasizing the importance of a "real presence" and the possibility to build a relationship. Where "it depends", key themes were contextual: mood, time, setting, alcohol and drug use, sexual needs and urgency, and relationship intentions. Antagonistic advantages were often noted for cybersex and IRL. These data suggest that motivations for making Internet sexual contact in MSM are complex, depend on the context and nature of the relationship sought, and that the Internet has allowed the development of a class of sexual contacts located between IRL and fantasy.
Sex Differences in the Haptic Change Task

ABSTRACT Three experiments examined gender differences in picture location memory in the sense of touch involving the change task. In Experiments 1 and 2, blindfolded sighted participants felt 15 tangible raised-line pictures and memorized their locations for 8 min. Subsequently, they felt another set of raised-line pictures that were identical to the original set, but locations were exchanged for 6 of them. The change task required participants to indicate which raised-line pictures were moved to new locations and which were not moved. It was expected that females would show superior picture location memory compared with males. The results showed that females had a significantly higher number of correct picture location judgments than males in Experiment 1. No differences appeared between males and females on the change task when the task was much more difficult and the raised-line pictures were irregularly arrayed in the second experiment. Task difficulty was too high in Experiment 2, and a third experiment reduced the number of pictures in the irregular array to 12. Females performed better than males in Experiment 3. Gender differences in the change task are small in magnitude in touch as well as in vision. The results of the present experiments using touch are consistent with the larger literature in vision.
Detection of Mutated K‐ras DNA in Urine, Plasma, and Serum of Patients with Colorectal Carcinoma or Adenomatous Polyps

Our previous studies demonstrated that urine contains DNA derived from the circulation and that this DNA originated, in part, from organ sites and tumors distal to the urinary tract. To explore the potential use of DNA from urine as compared to other body fluids as a source for circulating DNA for cancer detection, the DNA concentration and the frequency of detection of mutated Kristin‐ras (K‐ras) DNA in serum, plasma, and urine were examined. The concentration of DNA in the urine was similar to that in the serum, but the DNA concentration in plasma was significantly lower than in either urine or serum (P < 0.05). When DNA derived from 10 μL of body fluid was used in each mutation assay, the detection frequency of mutated K‐ras DNA was comparable among serum, plasma, and urine. However, when DNA derived from 200 μL of body fluid was used, the incidence of detecting mutated K‐ras DNA in urine was significant higher (95%) than in either serum (35%) or plasma (40%) (P < 0.0005), suggesting that inhibitory factors in serum/plasma may be more limiting than in urine. The use and practicality of urine as a source of circulating DNA for cancer detection are discussed.
Squamous cell carcinoma, malignant melanoma and malignant fibrous histiocytoma arising in burn scars

Summary The most common cancer arising from an old burn scar is squamous cell carcinoma, while malignant melanoma is rare. There are only four reports in the literature on the combination of the more common tumour with a malignant melanoma and only two cases of malignant fibrous histiocytoma alone. This paper reports the first occurrence of the combination of all three types of cancer in burn scars of the same patient. The factors that promote malignant transformation, such as immunological factors and karyotype, are discussed. We also performed an immunohistochemical study using anti‐p53 antibodies.
A Hairpin-like Structure within an AU-rich mRNA-destabilizing Element Regulates trans-Factor Binding Selectivity and mRNA Decay Kinetics*

In mammals, rapid mRNA turnover directed by AU-rich elements (AREs) is mediated by selective association of cellular ARE-binding proteins. These trans-acting factors display overlapping RNA substrate specificities and may act to either stabilize or destabilize targeted transcripts; however, the mechanistic features of AREs that promote preferential binding of one trans-factor over another are not well understood. Here, we describe a hairpin-like structure adopted by the ARE from tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) mRNA that modulates its affinity for selected ARE-binding proteins. In particular, association of the mRNA-destabilizing factor p37AUF1 was strongly inhibited by adoption of the higher order ARE structure, whereas binding of the inducible heat shock protein Hsp70 was less severely compromised. By contrast, association of the mRNA-stabilizing protein HuR was only minimally affected by changes in ARE folding. Consistent with the inverse relationship between p37AUF1 binding affinity and the stability of ARE folding, mutations that stabilized the ARE hairpin also inhibited its ability to direct rapid mRNA turnover in transfected cells. Finally, phylogenetic analyses and structural modeling indicate that TNFα mRNA sequences flanking the ARE are highly conserved and may stabilize the hairpin fold in vivo. Taken together, these data suggest that local higher order structures involving AREs may function as potent regulators of mRNA turnover in mammalian cells by modulating trans-factor binding selectivity.
A Novel Method of Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Isolation with Resultant Increased Cell Yield

Background: The authors have developed a novel protocol for isolating adipose-derived stem cells from human lipoaspirate. In this study, they compare their new method to a previously published standard protocol. Methods: Human adipose-derived stem cell isolation was performed using two methods to compare cell yield, cell viability, cell proliferation, and regenerative potential. The new and conventional isolation methods differ in two key areas: the collagenase digestion buffer constituents and the use of an orbital shaker. The osteogenic and adipogenic potential of adipose-derived stem cells isolated using both protocols was assessed in vitro, and gene expression analysis was performed. To assess the ability of the isolated cells to generate bone in vivo, the authors created critical-size calvarial defects in mice, which were treated with adipose-derived stem cells loaded onto hydroxyapatite-coated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) scaffolds. To test the ability of the isolated cells to enhance adipogenesis, the cells were added to lipoaspirate and placed beneath the scalp of immunocompromised mice. Fat graft volume retention was subsequently assessed by serial computed tomographic volumetric scanning. Results: The new method resulted in a 10-fold increased yield of adipose-derived stem cells compared with the conventional method. Cells harvested using the new method demonstrated significantly increased cell viability and proliferation in vitro (p < 0.05). New method cells also demonstrated significantly enhanced osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation capacity in vitro (p < 0.05) in comparison with the conventional method cells. Both cell groups demonstrated equivalent osteogenic and adipogenic regenerative potential in mice. Conclusions: The authors have developed a protocol that maximizes the yield of adipose-derived stem cells derived from lipoaspirate. The new method cells have increased osteogenic and adipogenic potential in vitro and are not inferior to conventional method cells in terms of their ability to generate bone and fat in vivo. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, V.
Experimental validation of mathematical models of storage systems for smart grids

The traditional electrical grid is evolving towards a Smart grid, in order to mainly guarantee: 1) efficiency enhancement by maximizing asset utilization; 2) integration of renewable resources including solar and wind at levels from consumer premises to centralized plants to advance global energy sustainability; 3) integration of all types of energy storage and other resources such as plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) to counter the variability of renewable resources and demand. With the integration of energy storage systems into the smart grids, their accurate modeling becomes a necessity, in order to gain a robust real-time control on the network, from a point of view of stability and energy stock forecasting. Battery storage appears to be most promising due to improvements in technology as well as economies of scale. Therefore, in this paper a modified Shepherd model to represent electrochemical battery behavior is presented. The model parameters are identified through the use of experimental static discharge curves of the battery. Experimental results relating the characterization of three types of batteries are shown. The identified models are validated in dynamic conditions.
A conceptual framework of decentralized learning neural network control approach for multi-robot cooperation in an object balancing task

This paper presents a conceptual framework of a neural network control approach for robot manipulator cooperative, which is based on decentralized learning. Back propagation neural network is used for learning procedure to adapt and adjust the neuron-controller's parameters which depend on the approximated error. Dynamic model of two cooperating 3-DOF robot manipulators are defined and implement with neural network control. Visual feedback enables two robots to correct and calibrate their movement to compensate their object balancing task whereas both robots hold a flat plate balancing a round object on it. This conceptual framework of the decentralized learning procedure will be verified by a simulation and experiments in near future.
Development of crash frequency models for safety promotion of urban collector streets

ABSTRACT The merits for development and application of crash frequency prediction models for safety promotion on any road type, with a focus on urban collector streets, are presented in this article. The city of Yazd, a medium-sized city in the middle of Iran, was selected as a case study and the data required for modelling crash frequencies along five collector streets comprising 31 street sections were collected. Six models including Poisson and negative binomial models and their deviations along with a hybrid artificial neural networks (ANN) model were developed to predict crash frequency along each street section. The overfitting problem was addressed using appropriate sensitivity analysis methods which were also used to identify the input variables with significant impact on the model performance. The results indicated that the developed hybrid ANN model provided the best performance in terms of accuracy and the number of input variables. The application of hybrid ANN model to evaluate the safety impacts of four different strategies, each resembled by one of the input variables of this model, indicated that these models can successfully be used for this purpose.
An inventory for measuring depression.

The difficulties inherent in obtaining consistent and adequate diagnoses for the purposes of research and therapy have been pointed out by a number of authors. Pasamanick12in a recent article viewed the low interclinician agreement on diagnosis as an indictment of the present state of psychiatry and called for "the development of objective, measurable and verifiable criteria of classification based not on personal or parochial considerations, but on behavioral and other objectively measurable manifestations. " Attempts by other investigators to subject clinical observations and judgments to objective measurement have resulted in a wide variety of psychiatric rating scales.4,15These have been well summarized in a review article by Lorr11on "Rating Scales and Check Lists for the Evaluation of Psychopathology. " In the area of psychological testing, a variety of paper-and-pencil tests have been devised for the purpose of measuring specific