Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Single Image Façade Segmentation and Computational Rephotography of House Images Using Deep Learning

Rephotography is the process of recapturing the photograph of a location from the same perspective in which it was captured earlier. A rephotographed image is the best presentation to visualize and study the social changes of a location over time. Traditionally, only expert artists and photographers are capable of generating the rephotograph of any specific location. Manual editing or human eye judgment that is considered for generating rephotographs normally requires a lot of precision, effort and is not always accurate. In the era of computer science and deep learning, computer vision techniques make it easier and faster to perform precise operations to an image. Until now many research methodologies have been proposed for rephotography but none of them is fully automatic. Some of these techniques require manual input by the user or need multiple images of the same location with 3D point cloud data while others are only suggestions to the user to perform rephotography. In historical records/archives most of the time we can find only one 2D image of a certain location. Computational rephotography is a challenge in the case of using only one image of a location captured at different timestamps because it is difficult to find the accurate perspective of a single 2D historical image. Moreover, in the case of building rephotography, it is required to maintain the alignments and regular shape. The features of a building may change over time and in most of the cases, it is not possible to use a features detection algorithm to detect the key features. In this research paper, we propose a methodology to rephotograph house images by combining deep learning and traditional computer vision techniques. The purpose of this research is to rephotograph an image of the past based on a single image. This research will be helpful not only for computer scientists but also for history and cultural heritage research scholars to study the social changes of a location during a specific time period, and it will allow users to go back in time to see how a specific place looked in the past. We have achieved good, fully automatic rephotographed results based on façade segmentation using only a single image.
Detecting Malicious Switches for a Secure Software-defined Tactile Internet

The rapid development of the Internet of Things has led to demand for high-speed data transformation. Serving this purpose is the Tactile Internet, which facilitates data transfer in extra-low latency. In particular, a Tactile Internet based on software-defined networking (SDN) has been broadly deployed because of the proven benefits of SDN in flexible and programmable network management. However, the vulnerabilities of SDN also threaten the security of the Tactile Internet. Specifically, an SDN controller relies on the network status (provided by the underlying switches) to make network decisions, e.g., calculating a routing path to deliver data in the Tactile Internet. Hence, the attackers can compromise the switches to jeopardize the SDN and further attack Tactile Internet systems. For example, an attacker can compromise switches to launch distributed denial-of-service attacks to overwhelm the SDN controller, which will disrupt all the applications in the Tactile Internet. In pursuit of a more secure Tactile Internet, the problem of abnormal SDN switches in the Tactile Internet is analyzed in this article, including the cause of abnormal switches and their influences on different network layers. Then we propose an approach that leverages the messages sent by all switches to identify abnormal switches, which adopts a linear structure to store historical messages at a relatively low cost. By mapping each flow message to the flow establishment model, our method can effectively identify malicious SDN switches in the Tactile Internet and thus enhance its security.
A novel detection algorithm for radar signal under non-Gaussian clutter

Radar signal detection has important applications in cognitive radio. Previous investigations on pulse radar signal detection only considered Gaussian noise. In this paper, a novel detection algorithm is proposed for the time sparsity of pulse radar signals. The proposed detection algorithm combines the sliding window approach with signal detector based on fractional lower order moment. Simulation results show that the proposed detection algorithm can effectively determine whether the pulse radar signal exists or not in the presence of non-Gaussian clutter.
Time-Aware Computing on the Extreme Edge

My research focuses on enhancing time-sensitive and inference capable batteryless mobile computing devices; and addresses the growing need for sustainable sensing and control solutions. Advancement in batteryless and energyconstrained systems is necessary to realize continuous and pervasive sensing as battery replacement is cumbersome and hard to scale. To illustrate, even with a battery life of 10 years, when the number of IoT (internet of thing) devices reaches one trillion by 2035 [20], we will replace 274 million [21] batteries daily. While existing works on batteryless computers primarily concentrate on harvesting units, real-time clock, intermittence management, and memory management (Fig 1), their timeliness, data-processing efficiency, self-adaptation, and user interactions are still unexplored. Without time-sensitivity and an efficient processing layer, these systems fail to capture and process data within the deadline and generate irrelevant and ineffective results. It makes batteryless systems unsuitable for a wide range of necessary applications, from infrastructure monitoring to wildlife tracking, medical implants, and long-term health monitoring. For example, the long-life and low maintenance of batteryless systems make them perfect for tracking endangered wildlife (e.g., IBM's Project Rhino [23] monitors a herd of impalas for early rhino poacher detection). However, such a system is futile if it fails to notify the forest rangers before the poachers reach the rhino. Besides, these extreme edge devices require sophisticated inference and self-adaptation techniques for accurate and relevant outcomes. Moreover, application-specific constraints, user interaction, and programmability play a crucial role in their usability and integration.
Expansion microsopy reveals Plasmodium falciparum blood-stage parasites undergo anaphase with a chromatin bridge in the absence of mini-chromosome maintenance complex binding protein

The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum undergoes closed mitosis, which occurs within an intact nuclear envelope, and differs significantly from its human host. Mitosis is underpinned by the dynamics of microtubules and the nuclear envelope. To date, our ability to study P. falciparum mitosis by microscopy has been hindered by the small size of P. falciparum nuclei. Ultrastructure expansion microscopy (U-ExM) has recently been developed for P. falciparum, allowing visualization of mitosis at the individual nucleus level. Using U-ExM, three intranuclear microtubule structures are observed: hemispindles, mitotic spindles and interpolar spindles. A previous study demonstrated that the mini-chromosome maintenance complex binding-protein (MCMBP) depletion caused abnormal nuclear morphology and microtubule defects. To investigate the role of microtubules following MCMBP depletion and study the nuclear envelope in these parasites, we developed the first nuclear stain enabled by U-ExM in P. falciparum. MCMBP deficient parasites show aberrant hemispindles and mitotic spindles. Moreover, anaphase chromatin bridges, and individual nuclei containing multiple microtubule structures were observed following MCMBP knockdown. Collectively, this study refines our understanding of MCMBP-deficient parasites and highlights the utility of U-ExM coupled with a nuclear envelope stain for studying mitosis in P. falciparum.
Flygenvectors: The spatial and temporal structure of neural activity across the fly brain

What are the spatial and temporal scales of brainwide neuronal activity, and how do activities at different scales interact? We used SCAPE microscopy to image a large fraction of the central brain of adult Drosophila melanogaster with high spatiotemporal resolution while flies engaged in a variety of behaviors, including running, grooming and flailing. This revealed neural representations of behavior on multiple spatial and temporal scales. The activity of most neurons across the brain correlated (or, in some cases, anticorrelated) with running and flailing over timescales that ranged from seconds to almost a minute. Grooming elicited a much weaker global response. Although these behaviors accounted for a large fraction of neural activity, residual activity not directly correlated with behavior was high dimensional. Many dimensions of the residual activity reflect the activity of small clusters of spatially organized neurons that may correspond to genetically defined cell types. These clusters participate in the global dynamics, indicating that neural activity reflects a combination of local and broadly distributed components. This suggests that microcircuits with highly specified functions are provided with knowledge of the larger context in which they operate, conferring a useful balance of specificity and flexibility.
Variable Freshwater Influences on the Abundance of Vibrio vulnificus in a Tropical Urban Estuary

Our data illustrate that, in the absence of strong seasonal variation in water temperature in the tropics, variation in salinity driven by rainfall becomes a primary controlling variable on V. vulnificus abundance. There is thus a tendency for a rainfall-driven seasonal cycle in V. vulnificus abundance which is inverted from the temperature-driven seasonal cycle at higher latitudes. ABSTRACT To better understand the controls on the opportunistic human pathogen Vibrio vulnificus in warm tropical waters, we conducted a year-long investigation in the Ala Wai Canal, a channelized estuary in Honolulu, HI. The abundance of V. vulnificus, as determined by quantitative PCR (qPCR) of the hemolysin gene (vvhA), varied spatially and temporally by nearly 4 orders of magnitude (≤3 to 14,000 mL−1). Unlike in temperate and subtropical systems, temperatures were persistently warm (19 to 31°C) and explained little of the variability in V. vulnificus abundance. Salinity (1 to 36 ppt) had a significant, but nonlinear, relationship with V. vulnificus abundance with the highest vvhA concentrations (>2,500 mL−1) observed only at salinities from 7 to 22 ppt. V. vulnificus abundances were lower on average during the summer dry season, when waters were warmer but more saline. The highest canal-wide average abundances were observed during a time of modest rainfall, when moderate salinities and elevated concentrations of reduced nitrogen species and silica suggested a groundwater influence. Parallel quantification of the vcgC gene suggested that C-type strains, which are responsible for most human infections, comprised 25% of the total V. vulnificus on average, but their relative contribution was greater at higher salinities, suggesting a broader salinity tolerance. Generalized regression models suggested that up to 67% of sample-to-sample variation (n = 202) in log-transformed V. vulnificus abundance was explained using the measured environmental variables, and up to 97% of the monthly variation in canal-wide average concentrations (n = 13) was explained with the best subset of four variables. IMPORTANCE Our data illustrate that, in the absence of strong seasonal variation in water temperature in the tropics, variation in salinity driven by rainfall becomes a primary controlling variable on V. vulnificus abundance. There is thus a tendency for a rainfall-driven seasonal cycle in V. vulnificus abundance which is inverted from the temperature-driven seasonal cycle at higher latitudes. However, stochasticity in rainfall and its nonlinear, indirect effects on V. vulnificus concentration means that high abundances can occur at any location in the canal at any time of year, making it challenging to predict concentrations of this pathogen at a high temporal or spatial resolution. Much of the variability in canal-wide average concentrations, on the other hand, was explained by a few variables that reflect the magnitude of freshwater input to the system, suggesting that relative risk of exposure to this pathogen could be predicted as an average for the system.
Comparative genomics reveals electron transfer and syntrophic mechanisms differentiating methanotrophic and methanogenic archaea

The anaerobic oxidation of methane coupled to sulfate reduction is a microbially mediated process requiring a syntrophic partnership between anaerobic methanotrophic (ANME) archaea and sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB). Based on genome taxonomy, ANME lineages are polyphyletic within the phylum Halobacterota, none of which have been isolated in pure culture. Here we reconstruct 28 ANME genomes from environmental metagenomes and flow sorted syntrophic consortia. Together with a reanalysis of previously published datasets, these genomes enable a comparative analysis of all marine ANME clades. We review the genomic features which separate ANME from their methanogenic relatives and identify what differentiates ANME clades. Large multiheme cytochromes and bioenergetic complexes predicted to be involved in novel electron bifurcation reactions are well-distributed and conserved in the ANME archaea, while significant variations in the anabolic C1 pathways exists between clades. Our analysis raises the possibility that methylotrophic methanogenesis may have evolved from a methanotrophic ancestor.
Influence of temperature on the transition cross-sections and the optical gain of highly Yb-doped potassium double tungstates

sections and the optical gain of highly Yb-doped potassium double tungstates Y. S. Yong, S. Aravazhi, S. A. Vázquez-Córdova, J. L. Herek, S. M. GarcíaBlanco, and M. Pollnau 1 Optical Sciences Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands 2 Integrated Optical Microsystems Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands 3 Department of Materials and Nano Physics, School of Information and Communication Technology, KTH−Royal Institute of Technology, Electrum 229, Isafjordsgatan 22−24, 16440 Kista, Sweden
Exploring Peoples' Perception of Autonomy and Reactance in Everyday AI Interactions

Applications using Artificial Intelligence (AI) have become commonplace and embedded in our daily lives. Much of our communication has transitioned from human–human interaction to human–technology or technology-mediated interaction. As technology is handed over control and streamlines choices and decision-making in different contexts, people are increasingly concerned about a potential threat to their autonomy. In this paper, we explore autonomy perception when interacting with AI-based applications in everyday contexts using a design fiction-based survey with 328 participants. We probed if providing users with explanations on “why” an application made certain choices or decisions influenced their perception of autonomy or reactance regarding the interaction with the applications. We also looked at changes in perception when users are aware of AI's presence in an application. In the social media context, we found that people perceived a greater reactance and lower sense of autonomy perhaps owing to the personal and identity-sensitive nature of the application context. Providing explanations on “why” in the navigation context, contributed to enhancing their autonomy perception, and reducing reactance since it influenced the users' subsequent actions based on the recommendation. We discuss our findings and the implications it has for the future development of everyday AI applications that respect human autonomy.
In Silico Prediction of Novel Probiotic Species Limiting Pathogenic Vibrio Growth Using Constraint-Based Genome Scale Metabolic Modeling

The prevalence of bacterial diseases and the application of probiotics to prevent them is a common practice in shrimp aquaculture. A wide range of bacterial species/strains is utilized in probiotic formulations, with proven beneficial effects. However, knowledge of their role in inhibiting the growth of a specific pathogen is restricted. In this study, we employed constraint-based genome-scale metabolic modeling approach to screen and identify the beneficial bacteria capable of limiting the growth of V. harveyi, a common pathogen in shrimp culture. Genome-scale models were built for 194 species (including strains from the genera Bacillus, Lactobacillus, and Lactococcus and the pathogenic strain V. harveyi) to explore the metabolic potential of these strains under different nutrient conditions in a consortium. In silico-based phenotypic analysis on 193 paired models predicted six candidate strains with growth enhancement and pathogen suppression. Growth simulations reveal that mannitol and glucoronate environments mediate parasitic interactions in a pairwise community. Furthermore, in a mannitol environment, the shortlisted six strains were purely metabolite consumers without donating metabolites to V. harveyi. The production of acetate by the screened species in a paired community suggests the natural metabolic end product’s role in limiting pathogen survival. Our study employing in silico approach successfully predicted three novel candidate strains for probiotic applications, namely, Bacillus sp 1 (identified as B. licheniformis in this study), Bacillus weihaiensis Alg07, and Lactobacillus lindneri TMW 1.1993. The study is the first to apply genomic-scale metabolic models for aquaculture applications to detect bacterial species limiting Vibrio harveyi growth.
Chemical Kinetics and Propagation Dynamics of Laminar and Turbulent Flames

Recognizing the fundamental and practical importance of premixed flames in combustion research, the present dissertation consists of a series of studies on the chemical kinetics and propagation dynamics of both laminar and turbulent flames. First, starting with the relatively simple but fundamental configuration of the laminar unstretched flames propagating in quiescent environments, the laminar flame speeds of hydrogen flames have been measured, to validate and improve the corresponding kinetic models. Based on the updated model, the analysis on the kinetic networks shows the opposing role of the reaction H+O2(+M) = HO2(+M) under different conditions. Then, the dynamics of laminar flame propagation have been studied; On one hand, in a local perspective, the collision of flames has been studied with the emphasis on the dynamics and flow pattern of the flame corners generated. It is demonstrated that the flame corners are controlled by the interaction of preferential diffusion and kinematic restoration, generating the vortices of considerable strength relative to the turbulent eddies. On the other hand, in a global perspective, we have looked into the evolution of cellular instabilities, including hydrodynamic and diffusional-thermal modes. The influence of preferential diffusion as well as thermal expansion, on the onset of the instability and acceleration of flame propagation, has been studied. Next, in light of the knowledge of laminar flames, the turbulent flames have been studied thereafter recognizing the effect of hydrodynamic instability. A scaling analysis has been performed on the interaction between the growth of hydrodynamic cells and the wrinkles by the turbulent eddies, within different regimes in the turbulent flame regime diagram. The turbulent flame speeds have been measured experimentally, and subsequently compared with their scaling law under various conditions with the diffusionally neutral mixtures. Furthermore, we shall demonstrate the essential role of the molecular preferential diffusion in the structure and propagation of turbulent flames. It will be demonstrated that due to preferential diffusion, the mixtures, whose concentrations are near or beyond the conventional flammability limits, can be rendered to burn strongly in turbulence, with distinctive finger-shape structures on iii the flame surfaces. Finally, the key remarks in this dissertation have been summarized, with recommendations for further explorations on the study of laminar and turbulent premixed flames.
Increased Levels of Circulating Angiogenic Cells and Signaling Proteins in Older Adults With Cerebral Small Vessel Disease

Background: Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is associated with increased risk of stroke and dementia. Progressive damage to the cerebral microvasculature may also trigger angiogenic processes to promote vessel repair. Elevated levels of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and pro-angiogenic signaling proteins are observed in response to vascular injury. We aimed to examine circulating levels of EPCs and proangiogenic proteins in older adults with evidence of SVD. Methods: Older adults (ages 55–90) free of dementia or stroke underwent venipuncture and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Flow cytometry quantified circulating EPCs as the number of cells in the lymphocyte gate positively expressing EPC surface markers (CD34+CD133+CD309+). Plasma was assayed for proangiogenic factors (VEGF-A, VEGF-C, VEGF-D, Tie-2, and Flt-1). Total SVD burden score was determined based on MRI markers, including white matter hyperintensities, cerebral microbleeds and lacunes. Results: Sixty-four older adults were included. Linear regression revealed that older adults with higher circulating EPC levels exhibited greater total SVD burden [β = 1.0 × 105, 95% CI (0.2, 1.9), p = 0.019], after accounting for age and sex. Similarly, a positive relationship between circulating VEGF-D and total SVD score was observed, controlling for age and sex [β = 0.001, 95% CI (0.000, 0.001), p = 0.048]. Conclusion: These findings suggest that elevated levels of circulating EPCs and VEGF-D correspond with greater cerebral SVD burden in older adults. Additional studies are warranted to determine whether activation of systemic angiogenic growth factors and EPCs represents an early attempt to rescue the vascular endothelium and repair damage in SVD.
Stress Hyperglycemia in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke Due to Large Vessel Occlusion Undergoing Mechanical Thrombectomy

Stress hyperglycemia may impair outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) undergoing mechanical thrombectomy (MT). The glucose-to-glycated hemoglobin ratio (GAR) was used to measure stress hyperglycemia. Data from our database of consecutive patients admitted to the Udine University Hospital with AIS who were treated with MT between January 2015 and December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. We included 204 patients in the study and stratified them into four groups according to the quartiles of GAR (Q1–Q4). The higher the GAR index, the more severe the stress hyperglycemia was considered. Patients with more severe stress hyperglycemia showed a higher prevalence of 3-month poor outcome (Q1, 53.1%; Q2, 40.4%; Q3, 63.5%; Q4, 82.4%; p = 0.001), 3-month mortality (Q1, 14.3%; Q2, 11.5%; Q3, 15.4%; Q4, 31.4%; p = 0.001), and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (Q1, 2%; Q2, 7.7%; Q3, 7.7%; Q4, 25.4%; p = 0.001). After controlling for several confounders, severe stress hyperglycemia remained a significant predictor of 3-month poor outcome (OR 4.52, 95% CI 1.4–14.62, p = 0.012), 3-month mortality (OR 3.55, 95% CI 1.02–12.29, p = 0.046), and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (OR 6.89, 95% CI 1.87–25.36, p = 0.004). In summary, stress hyperglycemia, as measured by the GAR index, is associated with a detrimental effect in patients with AIS undergoing MT.