Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fault-tolerant Filter based on an Evolvable Hardware Technique: a case study.

This work addresses the problem of providing fault tolerance to an eighth order low-pass filter, employing the principles of evolvable hardware. The filter under study is implemented through the cascade connection of four biquadratic filters in a field programmable analog device. The reconfiguration process of the filter involves the execution of a genetic algorithm (GA) in an external computer, after a fault detected. To perform the test of the filter, we assume that the method of transient analysis is applied. The GA performance is evaluated by fault simulation, employing a parametric fault model. The fault simulation results show that GA finds solutions that meet the established restrictions and presents relatively short run times.
Dominance of IMP-4-Producing Enterobacter cloacae among Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae in Australia

ABSTRACT The prevalence of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) has been increasing worldwide. blaIMP has been reported to be the predominant carbapenemase-encoding gene within Enterobacteriaceae in Australia. However, there are limited data currently available on CPE from Queensland, Australia. A total of 58 CPE isolates were isolated between July 2009 and March 2014 from Queensland hospitals. The clonality of isolates was determined by Diversilab repetitive sequence-based PCR. The isolates were investigated for the resistance mechanisms carbapenemase, extended-spectrum β-lactamase, and AmpC β-lactamase and for aminoglycoside resistance and plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance genes by PCR. The plasmid types associated with carbapenemase-encoding genes were characterized. The majority of the CPE were Enterobacter cloacae (n = 29). The majority of Queensland CPE isolates were IMP producers and comprised 11 species (n = 48). Nine NDM-producing Enterobacteriaceae were identified. One NDM-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae isolate coproduced OXA-48. One K. pneumoniae isolate was an OXA-181 producer. The incidence of IMP producers increased significantly in 2013. blaIMP-4 was found in all IMP-producing isolates. blaTEM, qnrB, and aacA4 were common among IMP-4 producers. The HI2 (67%) and L/M (21%) replicons were associated with blaIMP-4. All HI2 plasmids were of sequence type 1 (ST1). All but one of the NDM producers possessed blaCTX-M-15. The 16S rRNA methylase genes found among NDM producers were armA, rmtB, rmtC, and rmtF. The substantial increase in the prevalence of CPE in Queensland has been associated mainly with the emergence E. cloacae strains possessing HI2 plasmids carrying blaIMP-4 over the past 2 years. The importation of NDM producers and/or OXA-48-like producers in patients also contributed to the increased emergence of CPE.
Experiments on host-finding and host-specificity in the monogenean skin parasite Entobdella soleae

The oncomiracidium of the monogenean skin parasite Entobdella soleae finds its flatfish host, Solea solea, by chemoreception. The free-swimming larva responds to a specific substance secreted by the skin of the common sole, attaches itself to this skin and immediately sheds its ciliated epidermal cells. Larvae respond in the same way to agar jelly which has been in contact with the skin of S. solea. The oncomiracidia attach to S. solea skin in preference to that of other soleid fishes (Buglossidium luteum and Solea variegata), pleuronectid fishes (Limanda limanda, Pleuronectes platessa) and elasmobranch flatfishes (Raia spp.). Larvae respond strongly to isolated epidermis from Solea solea but show no response to the fish's cornea, indicating that the attractive substance is produced by the mucus cells in the fish's epidermis. The larvae attach with equal readiness to skin from the upper and lower surfaces of S. solea. Thus the preponderance of young parasites on the upper surfaces of soles is due not to a preference for the upper skin but to the fact that the lower skin is in contact with the substratum and cannot be reached by the larvae. These results led to speculations on the way in which host specificity evolved in the Monogenea. I am indebted to Mr J. E. Green of the Plymouth Laboratory for setting up a tank containing infected soles and for maintaining the tank and feeding the fishes for many months. I am also grateful to the Directors and Staff of the Plymouth Laboratory and the Fisheries Laboratory, Lowestoft, for hospitality and assistance. I am particularly grateful to Mr J. Riley of the Lowestoft Laboratory for providing various flatfishes.
Plagiarism Detection through Internet using Hybrid Artificial Neural Network and Support Vectors Machine

Currently, most of the plagiarism detections are using similarity measurement techniques. Basically, a pair of similar sentences describes the same idea. However, not all like that, there are also sentences that are similar but have opposite meanings. This is one problem that is not easily solved by use of the technique similarity. Determination of dubious value similarity threshold on similarity method is another problem. The plagiarism threshold was adjustable, but it means uncertainty. Another problem, although the rules of plagiarism can be understood together but in practice, some people have a different opinion in determining a document, whether or not classified as plagiarism. Of the three problems, a statistical approach could possibly be the most appropriate solution. Machine learning methods like k-nearest neighbors (KNN), support vector machine (SVM), artificial neural networks (ANN) is a technique that is commonly used in solving the problem based on statistical data. This method of learning process based on statistical data to be smart resembling intelligence experts. In this case, plagiarism is data that has been validated by experts. This paper offers a hybrid approach of SVM method for detecting plagiarism. The data collection method in this work using an Internet search to ensure that a document is in the detection is up-to-date. The measurement results based on accuracy, precision and recall show that the hybrid machine learning does not always result in better performance. There is no better and vice versa. Overall testing of the four hybrid combinations concluded that the hybrid ANN-SVM method is the best performance in the case of plagiarism.
Parameter-uniform finite difference scheme for a system of coupled singularly perturbed convection–diffusion equations

In this paper, we discuss the parameter-uniform finite difference method for a coupled system of singularly perturbed convection–diffusion equations. The leading term of each equation is multiplied by a small but different magnitude positive parameter, which leads to the overlap and interact boundary layer. We analyze the boundary layer and construct a piecewise-uniform mesh on the variant of the Shishkin mesh. We prove that our schemes converge almost first-order uniformly with respect to small parameters. We present some numerical experiments to support our theoretical analysis.
An Approach to the Conditional Error Rate Principle with Nuisance Parameters

Summary In the presence of nuisance parameters, the conditional error rate principle is difficult to apply because of the dependency of the conditional error function of the preplanned test on nuisance parameters. To use the conditional error rate principle with nuisance parameters, we propose to search among tests that guarantee overall error control for the test that maximizes a weighted combination of the conditional error rates over possible values of the nuisance parameters. We show that the optimization problem that defines such a test can be solved efficiently by existing algorithms.
Using a MILP model for battery bank operation in the “White tariff” Brazilian context

In this paper, the optimal operation of a battery bank in the presence of a Photovoltaic System (PV System) is approached. The battery bank charge and discharge must be controlled to reduce the consumed electrical energy cost. Different tariffs are considered according to the day hour. The optimization model was formulated and solved by mixed integer linear programming - MILP - with Big-M formulation. The problem context, assumed model hypothesis, objective function, constraints, and results are discussed. This work aims to contribute for the insertion of micro distributed generation into the Brazilian energy matrix.
GRACILARIA VERMICULOPHYLLA (RHODOPHYTA, GRACILARIALES) IN HOG ISLAND BAY, VIRGINIA: A CRYPTIC ALIEN AND INVASIVE MACROALGA AND TAXONOMIC CORRECTION 1

Gracilaria in Virginia, USA, is abundant and composed of thalli either having relatively flat or cylindrical branches. These two morphologies were referred to previously as G. foliifera (Forsskål) Bøgesen and G. verrucosa (Hudson) Papenfuss. However, G. verrucosa is regarded an invalid name, and the flat specimens are now referred to as G. tikvahiae McLachlan. This has created confusion about the nomenclature of Gracilaria from this region. Here we document that the cylindrical form that dominates Hog Island Bay, Virginia, is G. vermiculophylla (Ohmi) Papenfuss, an alien macroalga from the West Pacific. Most of the ecological studies performed at the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) site in Hog Island Bay used this cylindrical species. The present study clarifies the taxonomical status of this species, and we identify attributes that make this alien successful in turbid coastal lagoons.
Cytokine-Release Patterns in Elderly Patients with Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome

Background: Information is scarce about the inflammatory responses to infection in elderly patients. Objective: To investigate the inflammatory pattern in elderly patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Methods: We assessed the value of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in elderly patients with SIRS at the time of consultation in the emergency room and on the fourth day of hospitalization. Results: Of 100 patients with SIRS, 92 had a clinical suspicion of infection and 46 were microbiologically confirmed. Basal TNF-α and IL-6 levels were higher in patients with bacteremia (p < 0.001 and p = 0.017, respectively). Basal levels of TNF-α (p < 0.001) and fourth-day levels of CRP (p = 0.004), TNF-α (p < 0.001) and IL-6 (p = 0.002) had a positive correlation with the length of hospitalization. Higher IL-6 levels on the fourth day showed a correlation with mortality (p = 0.016), while the other cytokines and CRP did not show this association. Conclusion: Febrile elderly patients showed an inflammatory response pattern to infection equivalent to that reported in younger patients. Despite some limitations of our study, among febrile elderly patients, pro-inflammatory cytokine levels can be good markers for evaluating the prognosis of infections.
Establishment and clinical application of a highly sensitive enzyme immunoassay for determination of N‐acetyl‐seryl‐aspartyl‐lysyl‐proline

N‐acetyl‐seryl‐aspartyl‐lysyl‐proline (AcSDKP) is a natural inhibitor of pluripotent hematopoietic stem cell proliferation and is normally found in human plasma. Because AcSDKP is hydrolyzed by the N‐terminal active site of angiotensin converting enzyme and partially eliminated in urine, its plasma level is a result of a complex balance between its production, hydrolysis by ACE, and renal elimination. In this study, we attempted to establish an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for quantifying AcSDKP‐like immunoreactive substance (IS), which is applicable for monitoring plasma AcSDKP levels in healthy subjects and patients with chronic renal failure. Using β‐ d‐galactosidase‐labeled Gly‐γAbu‐SDKP as a marker antigen, an anti‐rabbit IgG‐coated immunoplate as a bound/free separator and 4‐methylumbelliferyl‐β‐ d‐galactopyranoside as a fluorogenic substrate, a highly sensitive and specific EIA was developed for the quantification of AcSDKP‐IS in human plasma. The lower limit of quantification was 0.32 fmol/well, and the sharp inhibition competitive EIA calibration curve obtained was linear between 8.0 and 513 fmol/ml. This EIA was so sensitive that only 10 µl plasma sample was required for a single assay. The coefficients of variation (reproducibility) for human plasma concentrations of 0.2 and 2.1 pmol/ml were 7.2 and 7.7%, respectively, for inter‐assay and 13.3 and 7.8% for intra‐assay comparisons. Plasma AcSDKP‐IS level was significantly higher in patients with chronic renal failure (0.92 ± 0.39 pmol/ml) compared with healthy subjects (0.29 ± 0.07 pmol/ml). These results suggest that our EIA may be useful to evaluate plasma AcSDKP level as a biomarker in various patients. Copyright © 2012 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Loss of INI1 Protein Expression Defines a Subgroup of Aggressive Central Nervous System Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumors

Pediatric embryonal brain tumors can be difficult to classify. Atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumors (ATRT) contain rhabdoid cells, while primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs) are composed of “small round blue cells. ” Loss of INI1 is a common event in ATRT; therefore, we investigated if the loss of INI1 protein expression was also observed in central nervous system (CNS) PNET and pineoblastoma. A histological review of 42 CNS PNETs and six pineoblastomas was performed. INI1 expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Sequencing was performed on the mutational hotspots of INI1. INI1‐immunonegative tumors were further investigated using fluorescence in situ hybridization. Epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) protein expression was assessed in six CNS PNETs to further define the phenotype. Five CNS PNETs without rhabdoid cell morphology were immuno‐negative for both INI1 and EMA. Of these primary CNS PNET patients, three died <11 months postdiagnosis, which was dissimilar to the INI1‐immunopositive primary CNS PNETs where 18/24 (75%) patients were alive 1 year postdiagnosis. We have identified a small subgroup of CNS PNETs which lack INI1 protein expression, but have no evidence of rhabdoid cell morphology. INI1 protein loss may occur through mechanisms other than gene deletion. INI1 immunohistochemistry should be performed for all CNS PNET cases.
Understanding the architecture of software systems

The first activity performed by maintenance programmers when approaching the task of understanding a system is often trying to discover its high level structure, that is identifying its subsystems and their relations: in few words, the software architecture of the system. In this paper, an approach for the architectural analysis of software systems, together with an environment implementing the approach, are described. The approach is based on a hierarchical architectural model that drives the application of a set of architectural recognizers. Each recognizer builds an abstract view describing some architectural aspects of the system, or of some of its parts.
Effective Thermal Resistivity for Power Cables Buried in Thermal Backfill

Existing methods for calculating cable ampacities assume that buried cables are surrounded by a single, homogeneous material. These ampacity programs have limited application when a thermal backfill material is used to increase the current carrying capability of underground cables. This paper presents a method of calculating an effective thermal resistivity for any combination of backfill materials that are placed adjacent to the cable. Results are presented for a rectangular region of backfill covered by a protection layer. The concept of an effective thermal resistivity can extend the use of existing ampacity programs to cases involving non-homogeneous soil layers.
Chemotactic and chemokinetic properties of topical ophthalmic preparations

Purpose. Chronic ocular inflammation can be due to a disease process or to iatrogenic factors that attract inflammatory cells to the anterior chamber. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of commonly used ophthalmic preparations on leukocyte migration. Methods. A modified multi-well Boyden chamber was used to study the chemotactic and chemokinetic effects of 33 commercial ophthalmic preparations. To determine whether the chemotactic effect was a property of the commercial ophthalmic preparation or other chemicals present in the products, experiments were also done with some common preservatives and excipients. Results. Of the drugs, 14 (42.4%) showed chemokinetic and/or chemotactic activity and 19 (57.6%) had either no effect or decreased neutrophil migration. Of the preservatives and excipients, 5 (62.5%) were found to be chemotactic. Eleven of 14 chemotactic drugs (78.6%) and 8 of 19 nonchemotactic drugs (42.1%) were positive for at least one chemotactic excipient. The correlation between chemotactic ophthalmic preparations and the presence of a chemotactic excipient in their composition was significant (p < 0.05). Conclusions. Chemotactic activity was commonly found in commercial ophthalmic preparation. Furthermore, the presence of certain chemotactic preservatives and/or excipients was a contributing factor enhancing this property. Avoiding known chemotactic compounds or adjusting the intervals of the treatment may help to eliminate this iatrogenic component of the inflammatory process especially in patients with chronic ocular inflammation.
Psychometrics of the Symptoms and Functioning Severity Scale for High-Risk Youth

Youth in residential care have significant mental health needs, which require regular progress monitoring; however, very few emotional or behavioral assessments have been examined with this unique, high-risk population. This study examined the psychometrics of the Symptoms and Functioning Severity Scale (SFSS), a brief 24-item measure designed to assess the emotional and behavioral status of youth. This study examined the SFSS ratings from 143 youth with a disruptive behavior diagnosis living in a group-home facility in the Midwest and 52 of their service providers. Overall, the findings suggest that the psychometrics of the SFSS, when rated by staff or youth, were similar to the original outpatient clinical samples. More specifically, the Rasch analyses indicate that the SFSS items and the overall scale are performing adequately, and the confirmatory factor analyses replicated the two-factor structure for staff. However, the fit of the two-factor model was less compelling for youth ratings. In all, the brief SFSS seems a promising measure for assessing problem severity for youth in residential care.
Choice of infusion-sampling mode for tracer studies of free fatty acid metabolism.

To determine the preferred infusion-sampling mode for isotopic studies of free fatty acid (FFA) metabolism, tracer [( 14C]palmitate) was infused into the left ventricle of five anesthetized dogs, and tracee ([3H]palmitate) was infused into three separate peripheral veins of each dog. The [14C]palmitate specific activity (SA) was lower in mixed venous than arterial blood, and [3H]palmitate SA was equal in both sites. The actual infusion rate of [3H]palmitate [2.15 +/- 0.31 X 10(5) disintegrations/min (dpm). kg-1.min-1] could be accurately predicted (2.14 +/- 0.32 X 10(5) dpm.kg-1.min-1) using the known [14C]palmitate infusion rate and the arterial plasma [14C]-to-[3H]palmitate ratio. In contrast, the mixed venous [14C]-to-[3H]palmitate ratio resulted in overestimates (P less than 0.05) of the actual [3H]palmitate infusion rate. In summary, venous tracer infusion with arterial blood sampling for FFA tracer studies provides the most accurate estimates of tracee rate of appearance.
Influence of horizontal curvature radius and bent skew angle on seismic response of RC bridges

The influence of horizontal curvature radius, bridge bents skew angle, and type of column bents, on the seismic response of bridges is studied in the paper. A total of eighteen frame-system bridges were analysed. More than 2700 nonlinear dynamic analyses were conducted for earthquake records matching a particular location by the magnitude, distance from fault, and foundation soil conditions. The response analysis shows that the system’s vulnerability increases with a decrease in curvature radius.
Robotic Arm-Assisted Sonography: Review of Technical Developments and Potential Clinical Applications.

OBJECTIVE Ultrasound imaging requires trained personnel. Advances in robotics and data transmission create the possibility of telesonography. This review introduces clinicians to current technical work in and potential applications of this developing capability. CONCLUSION Telesonography offers advantages in hazardous or remote environments. Robotically assisted ultrasound can reduce stress injuries in sonographers and has potential utility during robotic surgery and interventional procedures.
Study of No-Reference Video Quality Metrics for HEVC Compression

The paper proposes a No-Reference (NR) quality assessment measurement originally developed for H.264, used for High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC). In particular, authors present an investigation of NR metrics to objectively estimate the perceptual quality of a set of processed video sequences. The authors take into account typical distortions introduced by the block-based coding approaches like HEVC codec. The underlying processing used for the quality assessment considers the blockiness caused by the boundaries of each coded block and the blurring as a lack of spatial details. The correlation between the NR quality metrics and the well-known and most widely used objective metric, the Video Quality Model (VQM), is performed to validate the quality prediction accuracy based on the provided scores. The Pearson correlation coefficients obtained stand for promising results for different types of videos. Keywords—High Efficiency Video Coding, No-Reference metrics, Quality of Experience, Video Quality Assessment.
Decay of the IS 10 antisense RNA by 3′ exoribonucleases: evidence that RNase II stabilizes RNA‐OUT against PNPase attack

RNA‐OUT, the 69‐nucleotide antisense RNA that regulates Tn 10/IS 10 transposition folds into a simple stem‐loop structure. The unusually high metabolic stability of RNA‐OUT is dependent, in part, on the integrity of its stem‐domain: mutations that disrupt stem‐domain structure (Class II mutations) render RNA‐OUT unstable, and restoration of structure restores stability. Indeed, there is a strong correlation between the thermodynamic and metabolic stabilities of RNA‐OUT. We show here that stem‐domain integrity determines RNA‐OUT's resistance to 3’exoribonucleolytic attack: Class II mutations are almost completely suppressed in Escherichia coli cells lacking its principal 3′ exoribonucleases, ribonuclease II (RNase II) and polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase). RNase II and PNPase are individually able to degrade various RNA‐OUT species, albeit with different efficiencies: RNA‐OUT secondary structure provides greater resistance to RNase II than to PNPase. Surprisingly, RNA‐OUT is threefold more stable in wild‐type cells than in cells deficient for RNase II activity, suggesting that RNase II somehow lessens RNPase attack on RNA‐OUT. We discuss how this might occur. We also show that wild‐type RNA‐OUT stability changes only twofold across the normal range of physiological growth temperatures (30–44°C) in wild‐type cells, which has important implications for IS 10 biology.
Pattern fidelity control in Multi-patterning towards 7nm node

Multi-patterning technology using 193nm immersion lithography has been used since the 22nm logic node generation and it appears that it will continue to be used as far as the 14nm generation. At the same time, the industry trend is to simplify pattern design and reduce complexity in lithography though single directional (1D) layout[1]. On the other hand, there is increasing concern about pattern placement error in the application of this technology. This paper focuses on pattern placement variation in the process steps of pattern formation in 1D layout design, presents the results of a study on the effects of factors other than overlay accuracy on microscopic behavior, and describes techniques for improving pattern placement.