Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dynamic Scene Segmentation through Object Hypotheses Ranking

A novel framework for highly dynamic scene segmentation through foreground hypothesis is developed here. This framework enables robust foreground segmentation by ranking object hypothesis over spatial space to achieve consistent object candidates and binary segmentation of a video sequence. Inside object candidates derived from spatial features in each frame are first estimated. This is followed by ranking the object candidates over a specific hypothesis space so as to yield consistent and dense object proposals. An efficient higher-order graph-cut method is adapted to optimize a Markov Random Field (MRF) model, which is instantiated by the estimated foreground hypothesis with highest score. We demonstrate the performance of our approach through experimental evaluation on a typical dynamic scene benchmark from Freiburg-Berkeley Motion Segmentation Dataset. Compared with a state-of-the-art algorithm, our method achieves improved and robust segmentation performance when dealing with highly dynamic image sequences. The segmentation accuracy of the proposed method improved by 10.19% and 92.66% pixels are correctly classified.
From Usenet to CoWebs - Interacting with social information spaces

This book has the worst title ever. The title is not only too literal but it really does nothing to indicate the book’s true value. The book is really about something much more engaging than the title implies, and academics, researchers and teachers (especially teachers already working in online environments – which is in fact, the perspective of this reviewer), will find much of what is written here of value.
The immunosuppressant mycophenolate mofetil improves preservation of the perforant path in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures: A retrograde tracing study

Previous studies with excitotoxically lesioned organotypic hippocampal slice cultures (OHSC) have revealed that the immunosuppressant mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) inhibits microglial activation and suppresses neuronal injury in the dentate gyrus. We here investigate whether MMF also has beneficial effects on axon survival in a long‐range projection, the perforant path. Complex OHSC including the entorhinal cortex were obtained from Wistar rats (p8); the plane of section ensuring that perforant path integrity was preserved. These preparations were cultured for 9 days in vitro with or without MMF (100 μg/ml). After fixation, the perforant path was retrogradely labeled by application of the fluorescent dye DiI (1,1′‐dioctadecyl‐3,3,3′,3′‐tetramethylindo‐carbocyanine) in the hilus of the dentate gyrus, and neuronal perikarya were immunohistochemically stained by the neuron‐specific marker NeuN. Analysis of DiI‐labeled and NeuN‐stained OHSC by confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed double‐labeled neurons in the entorhinal cortex, which projected to the dentate gyrus via the perforant path. Quantitative analysis showed that the number of these double‐labeled neurons was 19‐fold higher in OHSC treated with MMF than in control cultures (P < 0.05). Our findings indicate that MMF treatment improves preservation of the perforant path and encourage further studies on development and regeneration of long‐range projections under the influence of immunosuppressants. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Substrate noise suppression method analysis of integrated circuit

With the development of the large-scale System On Chip, the chip's integration is higher. A big potential risk for the performance of System On Chip is the substrate noise. The substrate noise has received extensive attention. The paper analyzes a simple mixed digital-analog circuit whose digital circuit is an inverter and the analog circuit is an amplifier. This paper analyzes three substrate noise suppression methods: add the guard rings, increase the distance between analog and digital circuits and add the complementary circuit of the digital circuit. Based on the circuit simulation, the paper discusses the impacts of the substrate noise on the circuits without suppression methods and with different suppression methods, and analyzes the impacts on the amplifier's gain. By comparing the three suppression methods, increase the distance between the analog and digital circuits is the best method on suppressing the substrate noise.
Incidence and Outcome of Cerebrovascular Events Related to Cervical Artery Dissection: The Dijon Stroke Registry

Background Reliable epidemiological data on the true incidence of cerebrovascular events related to spontaneous cervical artery dissection, including stroke and transient ischemic attack, are scarce. Aims To evaluate the incidence, characteristics, and outcome of cerebrovascular events due to cervical artery dissection. Methods All cerebrovascular events (stroke and transient ischemic attack) occurring in Dijon, France, from 2006 to 2011, were retrieved from a population-based registry. Patients with a cervical artery dissection were identified. Incidence rates, baseline characteristics, and outcome at three-months were described. Results Among the 1368 patients with cerebrovascular events, 27 had cervical artery dissection (2·0%, 52% men, mean age 49·1 ± 17·1), including 10 patients with internal carotid artery dissection, 16 patients with vertebral artery dissection, and one patients with both internal carotid artery dissection and vertebral artery dissection. The crude incidence rate of cerebrovascular events due to cervical artery dissection was 2·97/100 000/ year. Corresponding rates were 1·21/100 000/year for internal carotid artery dissection, and 1·87/100 000/year for vertebral artery dissection. Seventy per cent of patients had a stroke and among these, higher severity was observed in those with internal carotid artery dissection. A good outcome (m-Rankin score 0–2) was observed in 89% of patients at three-months, whatever the location of the cervical artery dissection. One patient with vertebral artery dissection died at day 38. Conclusion The incidence of cerebrovascular events related to vertebral artery dissection is greater than previously reported, which may indicate a better identification of patients due to improvements in diagnostic procedures.
A computational holographic model of memory for abstract associations

How do humans learn the syntax and semantics of words from language experience? How does the mind discover abstract relationships between concepts? Computationalrelationships between concepts? Computational models of distributional semantics can analyze a corpus to derive representations of word meanings in terms of each word’s relationship to all other words in the corpus. While these models are sensitive to topic (e.g., tiger and stripes) and synonymy (e.g., soar and fly), the models have limited sensitivity to part of speech (e.g., book and shirt are both nouns). By augmenting a holographic model of semantic memory with additional layers of representations, we demonstrate that sensitivity to syntax relies on exploiting higher-order associations between words. Our hierarchical holographic memory model bridges the gap between models of distributional semantics and unsupervised part-of-speech induction algorithms, providing evidence that semantics and syntax exist on a continuum and emerge from a unitary cognitive system.
Collisional properties of weakly bound heteronuclear dimers

We consider collisional properties of weakly bound heteronuclear molecules (dimers) formed in a two-species mixture of atoms with a large mass difference. We focus on dimers containing light fermionic atoms as they manifest collisional stability due to an effective dimer-dimer repulsion originating from the exchange of the light atoms. In order to solve the dimer-dimer scattering problem we develop a theoretical approach, which provides a physically transparent and quantitative description of this four-atom system in terms of three- and two-body observables. We calculate the elastic scattering amplitude and the rates of inelastic processes such as the trimer formation and the relaxation of dimers into deeply bound molecular states. Irrespective of whether the heavy atoms are bosons or fermions, the inelastic rate can be significantly lower than the rate of elastic collisions. Moreover, the measurement of the inelastic rate which is a four-body observable, can be an efficient and precise tool for determining three-body observables such as the three-body parameter, positions of Efimov states, and their lifetimes.
The environmental practices and performance of transnational corporations

This article presents a framework that relates financial, regulatory and organizational variables to the environmental practices and performances of transnational corporations. The framework is tested empirically using multiple regression analysis. The results suggest that organizational and regulatory factors influence environmental practices, but that the relationship between practice and performance is weak. No relationship is found between environmental performance and subsequent financial performance.
Near-infrared fluorescence imaging using a protease-specific probe for the detection of colon tumors.

BACKGROUND/AIMS Early tumor detection is crucial for the prevention of colon cancer. Near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging using a target-activatable probe may permit earlier disease detection. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) participate in tumorigenesis and tumor growth. The aim of this study was to determine whether NIRF imaging using an MMP-activatable probe can detect colon tumors at early stages. METHODS WE UTILIZED TWO MURINE COLON CANCER MODELS: a sporadic colon cancer model induced by azoxymethane (AOM), and a colitis-associated cancer model induced by a combination of AOM and dextran sodium sulfate (DSS). Colonic lesions were analyzed by histologic examination, Western blotting, immunohistochemical staining, and NIRF imaging using an MMP-activatable probe. RESULTS Multiple variable-sized tumors developed in both models and progressed from adenomas to adenocarcinomas over time. At the early stage of the AOM/DSS model, diffuse inflammation was observed within the tumors. MMP expression increased progressively through normal, inflammation, adenoma, and adenocarcionoma stages. NIRF signal intensities were strongly correlated with each tumor stage from adenoma to adenocarcinoma. NIRF imaging also distinguished tumors from inflamed mucosa. CONCLUSIONS NIRF imaging using a protease-activatable probe may be a useful tool for early tumor detection. This approach could translate to improve the endoscopic detection of colon tumors, especially in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
Blood coagulation and intravascular hemolysis.

The coagulation system was investigated in five patients with hemolytic diseases, three patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and two with congenital spherocytic hemolytic anemia. A tendency to short cephalin times, and high levels of antihemophilic A factor (AHA = factor VIII) and fibrinogen was observed. The results indicate a tendency to a hypercoagulable state of the blood in patients with hemolytic diseases.Experiments were done with injections of different amounts of sterile hemolysed own blood intravenously into normal persons, with investigations of plasma clotting system before arid after the injections. Injection of 30 ml hemolysed citrated own blood into two normal persons produced a temporary increase in the levels of AHA, fibrinogen and proaccelerin (factor V), with top values of AHA and fibrinogen on the second day after the injection.The results of the injections of lysed blood in normal persons in the direction of hypercoagulability seem to he in agreement with the findin.
Fluorescent Signal Detection of Immunochroma-tographic Chip Based on Pyramid Connection and Gaussian Mixture Model

The detection of fluorescent signal in chromatographic chip is the key of disease diagnosis by immunochromatographic assay. We propose a new algorithm for the automatic identification of fluorescent signal. Based on the features of chromatographic chips, mathematic morphology in RGB color space is used to filter and enhance the images, pyramid connection is used to segment the areas of fluorescent signal and then the method of Gaussian Mixture Model is available to detect the fluorescent signal. At last we calculate the average fluorescence intensity in obtained fluorescent areas. It can be proved that the algorithm has a good effect to segment the fluorescent areas and it can detect the fluorescent signal quickly and accurately to achieve the quantitative detection of chromatographic chip through experimental data analysis.
Assessing the Credibility of Decisional Guidance Delivered by Information Systems

Abstract This work investigates the independent and joint influences of suggestive guidance and credibility indicators in a repeated choice environment laden with risk and uncertainty. Consistent with expectations, results from two studies reveal that aggressive and conservative suggestive guidance influence participant decision making. Credibility indicators partially moderate these relationships such that low credibility indicators lead to increased risk taking when suggestive guidance is conservative and decreased risk taking when suggestive guidance is aggressive. Post hoc analyses designed to examine differences in results across the two studies reveal unexpected differences in risk trends across participant type. Together, these findings contribute to the decision support system (DSS) literature by illustrating how credibility indicators can push users toward or away from either beneficial or detrimental suggestive guidance, and further, by challenging the commonly held assumption that inexperienced and experienced decision makers accept similar levels of risk in DSS settings where risk and uncertainty prevail.
Rectal enema is an alternative to full mechanical bowel preparation for primary rectal cancer surgery

According to the French GRECCAR III randomized trial, full mechanical bowel preparation (MBP) for rectal surgery decreases the rate of postoperative morbidity, in particular postoperative infectious complications, but MBP is not well tolerated by the patient. The aim of the present study was to determine whether a preoperative rectal enema (RE) might be an alternative to MBP.
Spatial Data Infrastructure in India: Status, Governance Challenges, and Strategies for Effective Functioning

The paper describes the status of the national spatial data infrastructure (NSDI), spatial data infrastructure (SDI) of India in terms of its vision, data formats, metadata, various standards (metadata standard, exchange standard, and application protocol), network framework, macro- policies, data- pricing and dissemination policies, copyrights, and clearinghouse issues. It identifies the challenges of governance and proposes a framework for governance. It presents technical, financial, and a detailed account of institutional and policy-level challenges and describes the missing link between the National Map Policy (NMP) and NSDI. The paper presents strategies for effective functioning of NSDI using a strategic management model. A SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat) analysis is undertaken to assess the internal and external environments of the geographic information (GI) industry in the context of NSDI in India. A possible strategic direction for the GI industry in India in terms of shared vision, better inter-governmental relations, co-production, and collaboration is suggested. The paper describes the strategic plans using the SWOT matrix, which are strength-opportunity strategies, weakness-opportunity strategies, strength-threat strategies, and weakness-threat strategies. Finally, the paper suggests a research agenda for the effective functioning of SDI in a developing country. The governance framework and strategies presented here will be useful for the effective functioning of SDI in developing economies in general and of NSDI in India in particular.
Virulent and nonvirulent forms of Plasmodium yoelii are not restricted to growth within a single erythrocyte type

The present studies were designed to investigate whether the erythrocyte preferences displayed by both virulent and nonvirulent forms of Plasmodium yoelii were fastidious growth requirements of these parasites. When inoculated into mice depleted of reticulocytes by lethal irradiation (900 rad), virulent parasites, which have been reported to grow predominantly in mature erythrocytes, gave rise to high parasitemias which were equivalent to those seen in unirradiated, normal mice. In addition, virulent parasites serially passaged in lethally irradiated mice showed properties of enhanced virulence upon inoculation back into normal mice. When inoculated into lethally irradiated mice, nonvirulent P. yoelii, which were reported to preferentially invade reticulocytes, invaded mature erythrocytes, and the infection progressed at a higher level of parasitemia than in unirradiated, normal mice. The inoculation of virulent parasites into mice made reticulocytemic by pretreatment with phenylhydrazine produced infections marked by the invasion of reticulocytes rather than mature erythrocytes, yet these infections remained lethal for the murine host. When nonvirulent parasites were inoculated into reticulocytemic mice, lethal infections resulted in which the parasites predominantly invaded reticulocytes. These results indicate that both the virulent and nonvirulent forms of P. yoelii possess the ability to invade and proliferate within more than one erythrocyte type and that their apparent erythrocyte preferences are not strict growth requirements.
Subword extensions for video processing on mobile systems

Providing video-over-wireless capability to mobile computing platforms results in several interesting challenges. Wireless networks provide less transmission bandwidth than hard wired networks. Because today's wireless local area network technology can provide only around 2 Mbps transmission rates, video compression is essential for transmitting to mobile devices. Due to increased user sensitivity to cost and power consumption, mobile computing platforms prefer a host processor-only solution, opposed to a host processor in conjunction with a digital signal processor. Most general purpose microprocessor architectures have recently extended their instruction set architectures to include parallel instructions for improved performance on multimedia applications, including MPEG (Motion Pictures Expert Group) video. The article highlights the features of several of these extended ISAs for processing MPEG video. Each uses a modified single instruction, multiple data execution model as a technique to enable concurrent execution. In the modified micro SIMD execution model, a single instruction initiates parallel execution on data organized in parallel. The article illustrates the micro SIMD execution of an add instruction. Micro SIMD execution using packed data types (with byte, half word, or word quantities) makes more efficient use of the processor data path for 64 or 128 bit architectures. We refer to this particular form of micro SIMD execution as subword execution.
Tubulo-Reticular Clusters of Peroxisomes in Living COS-7 Cells

We characterized more complex peroxisomal structures, i.e., tubulo-reticular peroxisomal clusters, in greater detail under in vivo conditions in COS-7 cells that were transfected with a GFP-PTS1 fusion protein. Live cell imaging revealed the dynamic nature of peroxisomal clusters and allowed a detailed analysis of the motile properties of a heterogeneous peroxisome population. Furthermore, peroxisomal clusters were found to be associated with lipid droplets. The frequency of peroxisomal clusters correlated with an increase in cell density and in the size of lipid droplets. These data provide further evidence for the dynamic nature of the peroxisomal compartment and indicate that peroxisomal clusters have a function in lipid metabolism.
Network decomposition for the optimization of connection structures

In many practical situations, connection structures have to be laid out in an environment with a strong inner structure. This article presents a new general mathematical formulation of cor responding design problems in which the layout possibilities are represented by a network. Because in practice such networks are often very large and sparse, there is great interest in the utilization of decomposition techniques for the optimization of connection structures. New decomposition methods for the determination of optimal paths without interference (independent decom position), of k node-disjoint paths with minimal total costs and of optimal Steiner trees are presented. The new methods are compared with other techniques under different aspects of practical importance.
The imagined audience on Facebook: Analysis of Estonian teen sketches about typical Facebook users

This paper analyses Estonian high–school students ( N =15) perceptions about the imagined audience on Facebook. Students’ sketches ( N =39) and reflections on focus group interviews indicate that the youth are well aware of the plurality of the imagined audience on Facebook. From the total of six prevalent user types and sub–types that emerged, just one user type could be considered representative of an ideal audience on Facebook in the eyes of youth.
A Multi-Resolution Photogrammetric Framework for Digital Geometric Recording of Large Archeological Sites: Ajloun Castle-Jordan

The generation of reality-based 3D models of archeological sites is the future of representing existing ancient structures. Such approach requires substantial economic and logistical costs which limit this application. In this context, this paper presents the use of photogrammetric workflow, based on Structure from Motion techniques (SfM) to derive 3D metric information from Structure-and-Motion images. The interdisciplinary 3D modeling framework consists of fusion of multi resolution images from both overlapped low-altitude aerial and multi-view terrestrial imagery. The acquisition of aerial photographs survey was based on archived oblique aerial stereo pair photos acquired from the Aerial Photographic Archive for Archaeology in the Middle East (APAAME) project, while terrestrial of close range photos covering the castle walls has been acquired using portable camera. Camera calibration and orientation were carried out by VisualSFM, CMPMVS (Multi-View Reconstruction) and SURE (Photogrammetric Surface Reconstruction from Imagery) software. The resulted cloud points were processed using cloud Compare, MeshLab, Agisoft, and Skethup Softwares. A complete 3D digital geometric recording of the site was accomplished based on dense 3D point clouds with realistic metric accuracy and photorealistic performance to meet all the surveying and archaeological needs. The final Ajloun castle’s digital model geometry was added as a 3D building layer on Google Earth.
Design and evaluation of a high-performance haptic interface

SUMMARY A haptic interface is a computer-controlled mechanism designed to detect motion of a human operator without impeding that motion, and to feed back forces from a teleoperated robot or virtual environment. Design of such a device is not trivial, because of the many conflicting constraints the designer must face. As part of our research into haptics, we have developed a prototype planar mechanism. It has low apparent mass and damping, high structural stiffness, high force bandwidth, high force dynamic range, and an absence of mechanical singularities within its workspace. We present an analysis of the human-operator and mechanical constraints that apply to any such device, and propose methods for the evaluation of haptic interfaces. Our evaluation criteria are derived from the original task analysis, and are a first step towards a replicable methodology for comparing the performance of different devices.