Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficient Parametric Model Checking Using Domain-Specific Modelling Patterns

We propose a parametric model checking (PMC) method that enables the efficient analysis of quality-of-service (QoS) properties of component-based systems. Our method builds on recent advances in PMC techniques and tools, and can handle large models by exploiting domain-specific modelling patterns for the software components. We precompute closed-form expressions for key QoS properties of such patterns, and handle system-level PMC by combining these expressions into easy-to-evaluate systems of equations.
Palmprint gender classification by convolutional neural network

Palmprint gender classification can revolutionise the performance of authentication systems, reduce searching space and speed up matching rate. However, to the best of their knowledge, there is no literature addressing this issue. The authors design a new convolutional neural network (CNN) structure, fine-tuning Visual Geometry Group Network, up to 19 layers to achieve a 20-layer network, for palmprint gender classification. Experimental results show that the proposed structure could achieve good performance for gender classification. They also investigate palmprint images with 15 different kinds of spectra. They empirically find that a palmprint image acquired by the Blue spectrum could achieve 89.2% correct classification and could be considered as a suitable spectrum for gender classification. The neural network is able to classify a 224 × 224 × 3-pixel palmprint image in <23 ms, verifying that the proposed CNN is an effective real-time solution.
Reassessing global change research priorities in mediterranean terrestrial ecosystems: how far have we come and where do we go from here?

Aim Mediterranean terrestrial ecosystems serve as reference laboratories for the investigation of global change because of their transitional climate, the high spatiotemporal variability of their environmental conditions, a rich and unique biodiversity and a wide range of socio-economic conditions. As scientific development and environmental pressures increase, it is increasingly necessary to evaluate recent progress and to challenge research priorities in the face of global change. Location Mediterranean terrestrial ecosystems. Methods This article revisits the research priorities proposed in a 1998 assessment. Results A new set of research priorities is proposed: (1) to establish the role of the landscape mosaic on fire-spread; (2) to further research the combined effect of different drivers on pest expansion; (3) to address the interaction between drivers of global change and recent forest management practices; (4) to obtain more realistic information on the impacts of global change and ecosystem services; (5) to assess forest mortality events associated with climatic extremes; (6) to focus global change research on identifying and managing vulnerable areas; (7) to use the functional traits concept to study resilience after disturbance; (8) to study the relationship between genotypic and phenotypic diversity as a source of forest resilience; (9) to understand the balance between C storage and water resources; (10) to analyse the interplay between landscape-scale processes and biodiversity conservation; (11) to refine models by including interactions between drivers and socio-economic contexts; (12) to understand forest–atmosphere feedbacks; (13) to represent key mechanisms linking plant hydraulics with landscape hydrology. Main conclusions (1) The interactive nature of different global change drivers remains poorly understood. (2) There is a critical need for the rapid development of regional- and global-scale models that are more tightly connected with largescale experiments, data networks and management practice. (3) More attention should be directed to drought-related forest decline and the current relevance of historical land use.
Twenty-five Years

The Council have asked me to speak to you about the history of this Institute over the past twenty-five years; and, since I myself regard it as a “success story”, I shall try to make it something rather more than a mere sequence of reminiscences. I want therefore to tell you how the Institute came to be founded in 1947. I want to go back and recollect some of our archaeological experiences in the very different world of the nineteen-fifties – to remind you about the Institute's expansion, after Michael Gough took over the Directorship from me in 1961 – and finally to say something about how things are going in the nineteen-seventies, under the direction of Dr. D. H. French – ably assisted, as you know, by his wife and other associates. But I also want to add something about what (to use a very hackneyed expression) one may call the “wind of change” in archaeology; I mean changes in the approach to, and even in the ultimate purpose of excavating, as they are now frequently explained to me by people younger than myself. So, let me begin at the beginning and remind you that the foundation of our Institute was almost entirely due to the initiative of one man: the late Professor John Garstang, whom everyone remembers because, as Herodotus wrote the first history of the Greeks, Garstang wrote the first history – at least in this country – and also the first geography of the Hittite Empire.
In search of hidden Q-fever outbreaks: linking syndromic hospital clusters to infected goat farms

SUMMARY Large Q-fever outbreaks were reported in The Netherlands from May 2007 to 2009, with dairy-goat farms as the putative source. Since Q-fever outbreaks at such farms were first reported in 2005, we explored whether there was evidence of human outbreaks before May 2007. Space–time scan statistics were used to look for clusters of lower-respiratory infections (LRIs), hepatitis, and/or endocarditis in hospitalizations, 2005–2007. We assessed whether these were plausibly caused by Q fever, using patients' age, discharge diagnoses, indications for other causes, and overlap with reported Q fever in goats/humans. For seven detected LRI clusters and one hepatitis cluster, we considered Q fever a plausible cause. One of these clusters reflected the recognized May 2007 outbreak. Real-time syndromic surveillance would have detected four of the other clusters in 2007, one in 2006 and two in 2005, which might have resulted in detection of Q-fever outbreaks up to 2 years earlier.
Greater severity of peanut challenge reactions using a high‐fat vs low‐fat matrix vehicle

Food allergy is a potentially life-threatening disease with a detrimental effect on the quality of life of caregivers and children. (1) Although many different types of food have been identified as potential elicitors of allergic reactions, only a small number of these foods cause the majority of reactions. (2) Food consists of a complex mixture of nutrient and non-nutrient components and their molecular interactions, which are known as the food matrix. Individual matrix components, or the matrix as a whole, may interact with a food allergen and may influence the clinical response to that allergen. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
mesenchymal stem cells isolated from hUman Periodontal liGament

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were isolated from human periodontal ligament (hPDL-MSCs) and characterized by their morphology, clonogenic efficiency, proliferation and differentiation capabilities. hPDL-MSCs, derived from normal impacted third molars, possessed all of the properties of MSC, including clonogenic ability, high proliferation rate and multi-lineage (osteogenic, chondrogenic, adipogenic, myogenic) differentiation potential. Moreover, hPDL-MSCs expressed a typical MSC epitope profile, being positive for mesenchymal cell markers (CD44H, CD90, CD105, CD73, CD29, Stro-1, fibronectin, vimentin, α-SMA), and negative for hematopoietic stem cell markers (CD34, CD11b, CD45, Glycophorin-CD235a). Additionally, hPDL-MSCs, as primitive and highly multipotent cells, showed high expression of embryonic markers (Nanog, Sox2, SSEA4). The data obtained provided yet further proof that cells with mesenchymal properties can be obtained from periodontal ligament tissue. Although these cells should be further investigated to determine their clinical significance, hPDL-MSCs are believed to provide a renewable and promising cell source for new therapeutic strategies in the treatment of periodontal defects. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 175062 i br. III 41011]
Intelligent Living Room System Which Learns Human Activities

Visions of smart houses and home automation technologies have been around for over three decades. Since that time, computers and technology have made a huge step forward and simple home automation is not so appealing anymore. In this paper we propose and prototype an intelligent adaptive living room system that enhances people everyday life by figuring out our desires from our natural gestures, facial expressions and speech without direct interaction. Human behavior such as gestures, facial expressions and preferences vary depending on the person and environment. The meaning of the same gesture and facial expression made by different persons, or by the same person but in different situation, can have a different meaning. Therefore the system must be able to recognize the person and the situation and learn the preferences. In order to achieve this, artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms, such as Hidden Markov Model (HMM) and Growing Hierarchical Self-Organizing Map (GH-SOM) are used. Microsoft Kinect for Windows sensor is used to monitor gestures, voice and locate people in the living room. The information gathered from multiple sensors and users’ desires recognized from gestures and facial expressions are combined in order to make correct decisions. As a result, the system seamlessly enhances people everyday life by making it more comfortable by, for example, controlling the temperature, room lighting setting and ventilation. The system will learn each individual’s preferences in different situations. It will adapt to users and take actions based on user’s postures, gestures, speech and facial expressions and also location in the room.
Formal and Data Association Aware Robust

State-of-the-art belief space planning (BSP) approaches assume data association to be solved or given. Some of the current authors have recently proposed a relaxation of this assumption, resulting in a more general framework of belief space planning where data association is incorporated within the belief (DABSP). Unfortunately, this can quickly become intractable under non-myopic planning. In this work, we seek to harness recent approaches in formal methods (specifically, linear temporal logic in the context of planning under uncertainty), to obtain formal-DA-BSP, an approach that incorporates high-level domain knowledge, to obtain more tractable planning. Thanks to generalised form of specification, the framework can also incorporate other complexities including explicit collision probability and determining planning horizon. The initial concepts are shown in an abstracted example of a robot janitor lost in one of the two floors.
NADPH Oxidase 5 Is a Pro‐Contractile Nox Isoform and a Point of Cross‐Talk for Calcium and Redox Signaling‐Implications in Vascular Function

Background NADPH Oxidase 5 (Nox5) is a calcium‐sensitive superoxide‐generating Nox. It is present in lower forms and higher mammals, but not in rodents. Nox5 is expressed in vascular cells, but the functional significance remains elusive. Given that contraction is controlled by calcium and reactive oxygen species, both associated with Nox5, we questioned the role of Nox5 in pro‐contractile signaling and vascular function. Methods and Results Transgenic mice expressing human Nox5 in a vascular smooth muscle cell–specific manner (Nox5 mice) and Rhodnius prolixus, an arthropod model that expresses Nox5 endogenoulsy, were studied. Reactive oxygen species generation was increased systemically and in the vasculature and heart in Nox5 mice. In Nox5‐expressing mice, agonist‐induced vasoconstriction was exaggerated and endothelium‐dependent vasorelaxation was impaired. Vascular structural and mechanical properties were not influenced by Nox5. Vascular contractile responses in Nox5 mice were normalized by N‐acetylcysteine and inhibitors of calcium channels, calmodulin, and endoplasmic reticulum ryanodine receptors, but not by GKT137831 (Nox1/4 inhibitor). At the cellular level, vascular changes in Nox5 mice were associated with increased vascular smooth muscle cell [Ca2+]i, increased reactive oxygen species and nitrotyrosine levels, and hyperphosphorylation of pro‐contractile signaling molecules MLC20 (myosin light chain 20) and MYPT1 (myosin phosphatase target subunit 1). Blood pressure was similar in wild‐type and Nox5 mice. Nox5 did not amplify angiotensin II effects. In R. prolixus, gastrointestinal smooth muscle contraction was blunted by Nox5 silencing, but not by VAS2870 (Nox1/2/4 inhibitor). Conclusions Nox5 is a pro‐contractile Nox isoform important in redox‐sensitive contraction. This involves calcium‐calmodulin and endoplasmic reticulum–regulated mechanisms. Our findings define a novel function for vascular Nox5, linking calcium and reactive oxygen species to the pro‐contractile molecular machinery in vascular smooth muscle cells.
Multiple RNA recognition patterns during microRNA biogenesis in Material Supplemental

Material Supplemental http://genome.cshlp. org/content/suppl/2013/07/25/gr.153387. 112.DC1. html References http://genome.cshlp. org/content/23/10/1675.full. html#ref-list-1 This article cites 64 articles, 35 of which can be accessed free at: License Commons Creative . http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ described at a Creative Commons License (Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported), as ). After six months, it is available under http://genome.cshlp. org/site/misc/terms.xhtml first six months after the full-issue publication date (see This article is distributed exclusively by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press for the
A Graded Offline Evaluation Framework for Intelligent Vehicle’s Cognitive Ability

Cognitive ability evaluation in intelligent vehicles is conventionally evaluated by classical autonomous driving dataset, which lacks comprehensive annotations of driving difficulty. Realistically, different driving conditions require vast different level of cognitive ability, e.g., driving in highly congested traffic is much more challenging than driving on limited access highway; driving in a blizzard/hurricane requires much more robust environmental cognition abilities than driving under ordinary conditions. Different datasets contain different proportions of various driving conditions, rendering intelligent vehicle evaluation susceptible to dataset variations. To overcome such limitations, we propose to first benchmark the driving difficulty with the proposed “Cascaded Tanks Model” and obtain a fine-grained per-segment difficulty rating based on our proposed Semantic Descriptor. With the proposed Graded Offline Evaluation (GOE) framework, it is demonstrated that offline validation of the cognitive abilities in Intelligent Vehicles (IV) is more consistent regardless of dataset choice.
Population growth of Rhopalosiphum padi L. (Homoptera: Aphididae) on different cereal crops

The bird cherry-oat aphid Rhopalosiphum padi L. (Homoptera: Aphididae) is one of the main pests in a number of crops in the semiarid Pampas of Argentina. In the present study, the effect of different host plants, including Triticum aestivum L. , ? ~Triticosecale Wittm. , Hordeum vulgare L. , Hordeum distichum L. , Avena sativa L. , and Secale cereale L. on biological parameters of R. padi L. was studied in the laboratory at 24 ? } 1 ? C, 65 ? } 10% RH and a 14:10 photoperiod. Longevity, intrinsic rate of natural increase (rm), net reproductive rate (R0), mean generation time (T), doubling time (DT), and finite rate of increase (? E) of the bird cherry-oat aphid on the different cereal crops were estimated. Differences in fertility life table parameters of R. padi among host plants were analyzed using pseudo-values, which were produced by Jackknife re-sampling. Results indicated that beer barley might be the most suitable food for R. padi due to greater adult longevity (20.88 d), higher fecundity (41 nymphs female-1), higher intrinsic rate of natural increase (0.309 females female-1 d-1), lower doubling time (2.24), and lower nymphal mortality (22.2%). Therefore, it can be concluded from the present study that R. padi prefers beer barley for fast and healthy development over other cereal crops.
Listeria monocytogenes in food: Control by monitoring the food processing environment

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that is widely dispersed in the environment; it is found in soil, water and plant material, and can grow at refrigeration temperature and at unfavourable conditions of pH (up to pH 4.7) and salt (up to 10%). It can persist in the harsh conditions of the food processing environment from which it can contaminate food. Listeriosis, infection with L. monocytogenes, can be mild but the ability of the pathogen to cross the epithelial barrier of the intestinal tract, the blood brain barrier and the feto-placental barrier can also result in more severe illness including bacteremia and meningitis or spontaneous miscarriage. Although relatively rare, infection with L. monocytogenes can have a mortality rate of up to 30%, resulting in a serious hazard, particularly for the high risk groups of the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. As consumer demand for less processed, less preserved, longer shelf-life ready-to-eat food increases, the threat of L. monocytogenes to public health and the food industry continues to rise. In addition to being a public health threat, L. monocytogenes is a major economic burden on industry in terms of costs of analysis and potential product recalls. Awareness of its ubiquitous nature and understanding of its physiology and survival are important aspects of its control in the food processing environment with the aim of reducing the public health concern. Appropriate methodologies are required for its detection and isolation. Characterisation of strains by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and other genotypic methods can facilitate identification of putative contamination routes. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) of outbreak strains is becoming a part of outbreak investigation. Such WGS will lead to a greater understanding of the physiology of the organism as well as contribute to understanding epidemiology and pathogenicity. However, despite the advances, the best mechanism of public health protection is still prevention. Awareness of its presence, and control by conventional hygiene methods or by novel biocontrol methods such as bacteriocins and bacteriophage will help prevent cross-contamination of food from the environment and therefore reduce the public health burden. Key words: Listeria monocytogenes, food, occurrence, prevalence, control.
Stochastic Dominance Constraints in Elastic Shape Optimization

This paper deals with shape optimization for elastic materials under stochastic loads. It transfers the paradigm of stochastic dominance, which allows for flexible risk aversion via comparison with benchmark random variables, from finite-dimensional stochastic programming to shape optimization. Rather than handling risk aversion in the objective, this enables risk aversion by including dominance constraints that single out subsets of nonanticipative shapes which compare favorably to a chosen stochastic benchmark. This new class of stochastic shape optimization problems arises by optimizing over such feasible sets. The analytical description is built on risk-averse cost measures. The underlying cost functional is of compliance type plus a perimeter term, in the implementation shapes are represented by a phase field which permits an easy estimate of a regularized perimeter. The analytical description and the numerical implementation of dominance constraints are built on risk-averse measures for the cost functional. A suitable numerical discretization is obtained using finite elements both for the displacement and the phase field function. Different numerical experiments demonstrate the potential of the proposed stochastic shape optimization model and in particular the impact of high variability of forces or probabilities in the different realizations.
Assessing Debris Flow Susceptibility in Mountainous Area of Beijing, China Using a Combination Weighting and an Improved Fuzzy C-means Algorithm

Susceptibility analysis is important in any study of debris flows. This paper presents a model for debris flow susceptibility analysis using a combination weighting and an improved fuzzy C-means algorithm. Twelve factors of influence were acquired by 3S technologies. Analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and entropy method were performed to obtain subjective and objective weighting of the factors, respectively. Game theory was carried out to determine the combination weighting since it provides analytical tools to model interactions among factors. An improved fuzzy C-means clustering analysis was applied to determine the susceptibility level of debris flows. This method is based on a particle swarm optimization algorithm, which is an evolutionary algorithm that can achieve global optimization, and is not sensitive to the initial cluster centers. Results showed that the susceptibility levels for one of the debris flow catchments was high, four were moderate, and five were low. Our quantitative assessments based on these nonlinear methods were consistent with field investigations.
Electron Ionization (EI) Induced Mass Spectral Analysis of SubstitutedPhenylacetamides

A variety of substituted Phenylacetamides of piperidine and morpholine as potent mosquito repellents have been synthesized and their mass spectral fragmentation pattern under electron impact have been studied. All these amides follow a unique pattern in their mass spectra fragmentation and formation of the fragment ions depends on the substitution on both the phenyl ring and amines. These fragmentation patterns are useful for unambiguous identification of these amides during their GC MS analysis.
Angiotensin II receptor I blockade prevents stenosis of tissue engineered vascular grafts

We previously developed a tissue‐engineered vascular graft (TEVG) made by seeding autologous cells onto a biodegradable tubular scaffold, in an attempt to create a living vascular graft with growth potential for use in children undergoing congenital heart surgery. Results of our clinical trial showed that the TEVG possesses growth capacity but that its widespread clinical use is not yet advisable due to the high incidence of TEVG stenosis. In animal models, TEVG stenosis is caused by increased monocytic cell recruitment and its classic (“M1”) activation. Here, we report on the source and regulation of these monocytes. TEVGs were implanted in wild‐type, CCR2 knockout (Ccr2−/−), splenectomized, and spleen graft recipient mice. We found that bone marrow—derived Ly6C+hi monocytes released from sequestration by the spleen are the source of mononuclear cells infiltrating the TEVG during the acute phase of neovessel formation. Furthermore, short‐term administration of losartan (0.6 g/L, 2 wk), an angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist, significantly reduced the macrophage populations (Ly6C+/−/F480+) in the scaffolds and improved long‐term patency in TEVGs. Notably, the combined effect of bone marrow‐derived mononuclear cell seeding with short‐term losartan treatment completely prevented the development of TEVG stenosis. Our results provide support for pharmacologic treatment with losartan as a strategy to modulate monocyte infiltration into the grafts and thus prevent TEVG stenosis. —Ruiz‐Rosado, J. D. D. , Lee, Y. ‐U. , Mahler, N. , Yi, T. , Robledo‐Avila, F. ,Martinez‐Saucedo,D. ,Lee,A.Y. ,Shoji,T. , Heuer, E. ,Yates,A.R. , Pober, J. S. , Shinoka,T. , Partida‐Sanchez, S. , Breuer, C. K. Angiotensin II receptor I blockade prevents stenosis of tissue engineered vascular grafts. FASEB J. 32, 6822‐6832 (2018). www.fasebj. org