Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficient Hardware Implementation of the Fast Hybrid Morphological Reconstruction Algorithm

This work presents a hardware implementation of the morphological reconstruction algorithm for biomedical image analysis. The morphological reconstruction algorithm is based on the Fast Hybrid Reconstruction (FH). In this case, a hardware architecture has been developed and implemented by mapping the FH algorithm into a Cyclone V SoCKit-FPGA based platform, including an ARM processor. The developed architecture has been described in VHDL language, and it is scalable for image sizes of up to $512\times 512$ pixels using a neighboring element of $3\times 3$. The developed architecture can be replicated in order to allow the parallel processing of large images divided into blocks (one block being processed by an architecture module). Several results are presented comparing software, HW/SW co-design, and hardware implementations.
Development of Humanoid Robot and Biped Walking Based on Linear Inverted Pendulum Model

This paper describes the exploration and development of a teen-size humanoid robot platform, from the design of the humanoid robot mechanism, the configuration of degrees of freedom, to the establishment of humanoid robot forward kinematic model and inverse kinematic model which is in closed-form. Using linear inverted pendulum model (LIPM) to make the robot achieve a stable walking after planning gait. We used inertial measurement unit (IMU) for measuring ZMP and the orientation of the trunk of the robot.
Incremental Adaptive Probabilistic Roadmaps for Mobile Robot Navigation under Uncertain Condition

As the application domains of sampling-based motion planning grow, more complicated planning problems arise that challenge the functionality of these planners. One of the main challenges is the weak performance when reacting to uncertainty in robot motion, obstacles, and sensing. In this paper, a multi-query sampling-based planner is presented based on the optimal probabilistic roadmaps algorithm that employs a hybrid sample classification and self-adjustment strategy to handle diverse types of planning uncertainty. The proposed method starts by storing the collision-free generated samples in a matrix-grid structure. Using the resulted grid structure makes it computationally cheap to search and find samples in a specific region. As soon as the robot senses an obstacle during the execution of the initial plan, the occupied grid cells are detected, relevant samples are selected, and in-collision vertices are removed within the vision range of the robot. Furthermore, a second layer of nodes connected to the current direct neighbors are checked against collision which gives the planner more time to react to uncertainty before getting too close to an obstacle. The simulation results in problems with uncertainty show significant improvement comparing to similar algorithms in terms of failure rate, processing time and minimum distance from obstacles. The planner was also successfully implemented on a TurtleBot in two different scenarios with uncertainty.
Iss2Image: A Novel Signal-Encoding Technique for CNN-Based Human Activity Recognition

The most significant barrier to success in human activity recognition is extracting and selecting the right features. In traditional methods, the features are chosen by humans, which requires the user to have expert knowledge or to do a large amount of empirical study. Newly developed deep learning technology can automatically extract and select features. Among the various deep learning methods, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have the advantages of local dependency and scale invariance and are suitable for temporal data such as accelerometer (ACC) signals. In this paper, we propose an efficient human activity recognition method, namely Iss2Image (Inertial sensor signal to Image), a novel encoding technique for transforming an inertial sensor signal into an image with minimum distortion and a CNN model for image-based activity classification. Iss2Image converts real number values from the X, Y, and Z axes into three color channels to precisely infer correlations among successive sensor signal values in three different dimensions. We experimentally evaluated our method using several well-known datasets and our own dataset collected from a smartphone and smartwatch. The proposed method shows higher accuracy than other state-of-the-art approaches on the tested datasets.
Grid connected PV system using FB-PSO

This Paper presents a MPPT (maximum power point tracking) design for a Grid connected PV (Photo-voltaic) system using FB-PSO (Forward Backward particle swarm optimization) Technique. The FB-PSO is a new improved method which results in maximum efficiency, fast tracking of maximum power point, less steady state oscillations compare to PO (Perturb and Observe) and CPSO (Conventional PSO) methods. The proposed scheme is examine under PSC (partial shading conditions) and its results are compare with other two methods. The FB-PSO algorithm is implemented in MATLAB/SIMULINK and it is observed that proposed method is best compare to PO and CPSO MPPTs.
Crystal structure of [{FeCl3}2(μ-PCHP)2] [PCHP = 1,3-bis(2-diphenylphosphanylethyl)-3H-imidazol-1-ium] with an unknown solvent

In the crystal structure of the title compound, binuclear centrosymmetric molecules are present. The FeIII cation exhibits a trigonal–bipyramidal environment, being coordinated by three Cl ligands in the equatorial plane and two P atoms of symmetry-related PCHP ligands at the axial sites. The complex molecules are linked into layers by intermolecular C—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonding.
Overexpression of CDCA8 promotes the malignant progression of cutaneous melanoma and leads to poor prognosis

Cutaneous melanoma is very aggressive and results in high mortality rates for cancer patients. Determining molecular targets is important for developing novel therapies for cutaneous melanoma. Cell division cycle associated 8 (CDCA8) is a putative oncogene that is upregulated in multiple types of cancer. The present study aimed to examine the role of CDCA8 in cutaneous melanoma, with a focus on the association of its expression to prognosis and metastasis. First, the mRNA expression of CDCA8 in cutaneous melanoma tissues was investigated using the ONCOMINE and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. Furthermore, the relationship between the expression of CDCA8 and cutaneous melanoma patient survival was analyzed using a Kaplan-Meier plot and Log Rank test. In addition, the effects of CDCA8 on proliferation, migration and invasion of cutaneous melanoma cell lines were investigated using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), Cell Counting kit-8, colony formation assay, wound healing and Matrigel assay. Finally, the expression levels of key proteins related to the Rho-associated coiled-coil-containing protein kinase (ROCK) signaling pathway were measured by western blot assay. The results demonstrated that CDCA8 was overexpressed in cutaneous melanoma tissues and cells lines compared with normal tissues, and high expression of CDCA8 was significantly associated with poorer prognosis in patients with cutaneous melanoma. In in vitro experiments, CDCA8 knockdown inhibited A375 and MV3 cell proliferation, migration and invasion. In addition, CDCA8 knockdown reduced the phosphorylation levels of ROCK1 and myosin light chain, two downstream effector proteins of the ROCK pathway. In summary, the present findings suggested that CDCA8 may be a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of cutaneous melanoma.
Neuroanatomical features and its usefulness in classification of patients with PANDAS

Objective An obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) subtype has been associated with streptococcal infections and is called pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococci (PANDAS). The neuroanatomical characterization of subjects with this disorder is crucial for the better understanding of its pathophysiology; also, evaluation of these features as classifiers between patients and controls is relevant to determine potential biomarkers and useful in clinical diagnosis. This was the first multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) study on an early-onset OCD subtype. Methods Fourteen pediatric patients with PANDAS were paired with 14 healthy subjects and were scanned to obtain structural magnetic resonance images (MRI). We identified neuroanatomical differences between subjects with PANDAS and healthy controls using voxel-based morphometry, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and surface analysis. We investigated the usefulness of these neuroanatomical differences to classify patients with PANDAS using MVPA. Results The pattern for the gray and white matter was significantly different between subjects with PANDAS and controls. Alterations emerged in the cortex, subcortex, and cerebellum. There were no significant group differences in DTI measures (fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, radial diffusivity, and axial diffusivity) or cortical features (thickness, sulci, volume, curvature, and gyrification). The overall accuracy of 75% was achieved using the gray matter features to classify patients with PANDAS and healthy controls. Conclusion The results of this integrative study allow a better understanding of the neural substrates in this OCD subtype, suggesting that the anatomical gray matter characteristics could have an immune origin that might be helpful in patient classification.
Single Event Upset tests for a CMOS 0.35μ front-end and readout electronics for high-flux particle detectors

The Single Event Upset rate of a 64 channels integrated circuit, designed in CMOS $0.35 \mu m$ technology, has been measured and analyzed at the SIRAD facility of the Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN). The chip, named TERA09, is a current to frequency converter designed to readout monitor chambers in particle therapy. In this field, the accelerator development is moving toward compact solutions providing highintensity pulsed-beams. The TERA09 chip is capable to operate in a wide input current range, from few nA to hundreds of $\mu A$, with linearity deviations in the order of few percent. The chip is designed to be located aside of the monitoring chambers, far from the therapeutic beam, and no protection from data corruption from single events was implemented in its design. However, considering the relatively large area of the chip covered by data registers and the secondary neutrons field produced during the irradiation, the potential exposure to data corruption by Single Event Effect phenomena need to be addressed. The aim of the tests at SIRAD is to study the upset rate as a function of the energy deposited by single events by irradiating the chip with ions of different LET. From the analysis of the data it is possible to predict the single event effect cross-section in a clinical environment and estimate the readout failure probability in a real application scenario.
Measurements with a PET Coincidence Setup Based on the PETA5 ASIC and FBK RGB-HD SiPMs

We present results obtained with a positron emission tomography (PET) coincidence setup provided by the group of Prof. Peter Fischer from the University of Heidelberg (Lehrstuhl für Schaltungstechnik und Simulation, Institut für Technische Informatik). The setup employs two facing detector blocks which are built from an LYSO matrix of 30 × 30 × 10mm3 in size with a crystal pitch of 2.5 mm read out in a one-to-one readout scheme by FBK RGB-HD SiPMs with a SPAD size of 25 μm. Each SiPM channel is digitized by a single input channel of a PETA5 (Position-Energy-Timing ASIC). Four PETA5 chips, each with 36 input channels, are mounted on one of the ceramic detector PCBs which incorporate a liquid cooling maze. We used multiple 22Na point sources for calibration and evaluation purposes. In the calibration and result extraction, all available channels were taken into account simultaneously. The time-to-digital-converter (TDC) bins were calibrated and the noise pedestal for each channel was determined. The energy was calibrated and corrected for saturation using the 511 keV and the 1275 keV peaks, that were identified in the noise-pedestal-corrected ADC-value spectrum. Time offsets of all readout crystals were calibrated using coincident and qualified singles. The distribution of the TDC bin sizes was evaluated to have a mean of 50.2 ps and a standard deviation of approximately 20.2 ps. We determined the energy resolution of the setup for qualified coincidences as 13.0% and the coincidence resolution time as approximately 310 ps.
Challenges of High-Capacity DRAM Stacks and Potential Directions

With rapid growth in data volumes and an increase in number of CPU/GPU cores per chip, the capacity and bandwidth of main memory can be scaled up to accommodate performance requirements of data-intensive applications. Recent 3D-stacked in-package memory devices such as high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and similar technologies can provide high amounts of memory bandwidth at low access energy. However, 3D-stacked in-package memory have limited memory capacity. In this paper, we study and present challenges of scaling the capacity of 3D-stacked memory devices by stacking more DRAM dies within a device and building taller memory stacks. We also present potential directions and mitigations to building tall HBM stacks of DRAM dies. Although taller stacks are a potentially interesting approach to increase HBM capacity, we show that more research is needed to enable high-capacity memory stacks while simultaneously scaling up their memory bandwidth. Specifically, alternative bonding and stacking technologies can be investigated as a potentially major enabler of tall HBM stacks.
OBSTACLES FACE BY SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES (Smes) IN CAMEROON TO APPLY FOR BANK LOANS

-The objective of this paper is to understand issues constraining SMEs to apply for bank loans. The study differs from previous findings because it highlights various obstacles impeding SMEs to apply for bank loans. Likewise, previous studies emphasise on the challenges SMEs encounter to access bank loans. To achieve the objective of the study, we used a qualitative research approach characterised by semistructure interviews with 25 owners of SMEs. Owing to the objective of the study, the sample frame consists of SMEs that did not resort to bank loans. The respondents were asked question about their decisions not to apply bank loans. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using content analysis. The result of the study revealed that excessive rate of interest applied on loans, unawareness about lending procedure and conditions, elaboration of a business plan, the delay by banks in granting loans to SMEs, and lack of real assets as collateral mostly hinder SMEs to apply for bank loans. Therefore, to instigate SMEs to apply for bank loans, commercial banks should revise their lending conditions and practices.
A High-Throughput Workflow to Study Remodeling of Extracellular Matrix-Based Microtissues.

IMPACT STATEMENT The described microtissue-microwell workflow is uniquely suited for high-throughput study of extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels and demonstrates possibilities of studying progressive, heterogeneous diseases in a way that is meaningful for drug discovery and development. We outline several assays that can be utilized in studying tissue-level diseases and functions that involve cell-ECM interactions and ECM remodeling (e.g., cancer, fibrosis, wound healing) in pursuit of an improved three-dimensional cell culturing system. Finally, we demonstrate the ability to cryopreserve cells encapsulated in microtissue constructs while remaining highly viable, proliferative, and retaining cell functions that are involved in ECM remodeling.
Effects of exercise using a mobile device on cardiopulmonary function, metabolic risk factors, and self-efficacy in obese women

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a 12-week walking exercise using a mobile device on cardiopulmonary function, metabolic risk factors, and self-efficacy in obese middle-aged women. For this study, 14 middle-aged subjects with obesity were included and performed walking exercise of 50%–60% maximum oxygen uptake intensity 3 times a week for 12 weeks. As a result, weight, % body fat, body mass index, and waist circumference significantly reduced. In addition, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, and hemoglobin A1c significantly reduced, while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and flexibility significantly increased. Furthermore, exercise using a mobile device significantly increased self-efficacy. In conclusion, walking exercise using a mobile device is a good method to constantly increase the exercise participation rate, as it improves metabolic risk factor and obesity index, and increases self-efficacy.
Analysis of Elliptical Aperture Metasurface Antennas

A Method of Moments (MoM) based analysis is presented for elliptical aperture metasurface (MTS) antennas. The MTS is represented as a sheet transition impedance boundary condition incorporated in a transmission line which accounts for the substrate interaction with the patches layer. The algorithm uses the Fourier-Bessel basis functions (FBBFs) and is inspired from the circular domain analysis. The computation time is then comparable to that of an equivalent size circular aperture MTS. Numerical results obtained with the proposed method are compared with the full wave Contour-FFT (CFFT) based MoM simulation of a MTS implemented with sub-wavelength printed patches.
Twelve tips for developing and running a successful women’s group in international academic medicine

Abstract Gender inequity in academic medicine remains an important issue worldwide. While institutional programs and policies can help promote equity in recruitment, retention, scholarship, promotion, and leadership, they often do not address the physical and social isolation that many women in international academic medicine face. Creating networking opportunities through building women’s groups can provide a personal and professional support structure that decreases isolation and promotes the advancement of women. Based on a multidisciplinary literature review on change processes, group formation, and women’s empowerment, as well as lessons learned from personal experience, we offer 12 tips to successfully create, maintain, and support physician women’s groups, employing Kotter’s change-management framework. We believe that these groups can provide a structured platform for networking opportunities to advance women physicians in academic medicine worldwide.
Analysis of Fault Current Distribution

The grid current is one of the important key parameter of substation grounding grid design. It is the some fraction of ground fault current. The worst fault generally occurs within the substation which results maximum grid current. This maximum value of grid current directly affects the safety of the people in terms of stringent criterion such as step voltage, touch voltage, transferred potential and ground potential rise [GPR]. The fault current has several alternate paths to return to source which feed the fault. The key parameters which affect the distribution of fault current such as conductor configuration, number of spans of power lines, tower footing resistance, type and material of the ground wires are analysed using FCDIST [Fault Current Distribution] module of Autogrid-Pro software of SES & Technology Canada. The results revels that low value of the tower footing resistance and by the use of earth wire having high conductivity and larger area of cross section up to few spans, lessen the grid current which enhances the safety level of substation.
A 3-dB Quadrature Coupler Using Broadside Striplines for FM Power Amplifiers

A 3-dB quadrature coupler is an important component for FM power amplifiers to realize high power output. Conventional couplers are realized by using tightly quarter-wavelength transmission lines. An FM Frequency range is low frequency that increases the physical size of conventional couplers which may be unsuitable to fabricate. This paper presents the 3-dB quadrature coupler using broadside striplines for FM power amplifiers. The broadside-coupled striplines technique can reduce the physical size of 3-dB quadrature couplers which are suitable for FM power amplifiers. The proposed coupler uses low-cost FR-4 printed circuit boards (PCB) with 0.8 mm substrate thickness to implement. An overall dimension of the proposed coupler is $\mathbf{75 x85}$ mm. Experimental results show that return losses of all ports are lower than −15 dB. Coupling coefficients of the coupled port and the directed port are −3.4 dB and −3.3 dB respectively. Relative phase differences between two output ports are $\mathbf{90}, pm \mathbf{2}^{\mathbf{o}}$. The proposed coupler is simple, low cost and small size that can be used in FM power amplifiers.
The House That Knows You: User Authentication Based on IoT Data

Home-based Internet of Things (IoT) devices have gained in popularity and many households became "smart" by using devices such as smart sensors, locks, and voice-based assistants. Given the limitations of existing authentication techniques, we explore new opportunities for user authentication in smart home environments. Specifically, we design a novel authentication method based on behavioral features extracted from user interactions with IoT devices. We perform an IRB-approved user study in the IoT lab at our university over a period of three weeks. We collect network traffic from multiple users interacting with 15 IoT devices in our lab and extract a large number of features to capture user activity. We experiment with multiple classification algorithms and also design an ensemble classifier with two models using disjoint set of features. We demonstrate that our ensemble model can classify six users with 86% accuracy, and five users with 97% accuracy.
Identify origin of replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae using two-step feature selection technique

MOTIVATION DNA replication is a key step to maintain the continuity of genetic information between parental generation and offspring. The initiation site of DNA replication, also called origin of replication (ORI), plays an extremely important role in the basic biochemical process. Thus, rapidly and effectively identifying the location of ORI in genome will provide key clues for genome analysis. Although biochemical experiments could provide detailed information for ORI, it requires high experimental cost and long experimental period. As good complements to experimental techniques, computational methods could overcome these disadvantages. RESULTS Thus, in this study, we developed a predictor called iORI-PseKNC2.0 to identify ORIs in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome based on sequence information. The PseKNC including 90 physicochemical properties was proposed to formulate ORI and non-ORI samples. In order to improve the accuracy, a two-step feature selection was proposed to exclude redundant and noise information. As a result, the overall success rate of 88.53% was achieved in the 5-fold cross-validation test by using support vector machine. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION Based on the proposed model, a user-friendly webserver was established and can be freely accessed at http://lin-group.cn/server/iORI-PseKNC2.0. The webserver will provide more convenience to most of wet-experimental scholars.