Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Detail-Preserving Smoothing Classifier Based on Conditional Random Fields for High Spatial Resolution Remote Sensing Imagery

In the field of high spatial resolution (HSR) remote sensing imagery classification, object-oriented classification and conditional random field (CRF) approaches are widely used due to their ability to incorporate the spatial contextual information. However, the selection of the optimal segmentation scale in object-oriented classification is not an easy task, and some pairwise CRF models always show an oversmooth performance. In this paper, a detail-preserving smoothing classifier based on conditional random fields (DPSCRF) for HSR imagery is proposed to apply the object-oriented strategy in the CRF classification framework, thus integrating the merits of both approaches to consider the spatial contextual information and preserve the detail information in the classification. The DPSCRF model defines suitable potential functions based on the CRF model for HSR image classification, which comprise the spatial smoothing and local class label cost terms. Both terms favor spatial smoothing in a local neighborhood to consider the spatial information. In addition, the local class label cost also considers the different label information of neighboring pixels at each iterative step in the classification to preserve the detail information. In order to deal with the spectral variability of HSR imagery, a segmentation prior is used by the object-oriented processing strategy. This models the probability of each pixel based on the segmentation regions obtained by the connected-component labeling algorithm. The experimental results with three HSR images demonstrate that the proposed classification algorithm shows a competitive performance in both the quantitative and the qualitative evaluation when compared to the other state-of-the-art classification algorithms.
Polycarbonate and polystyrene nanoparticles act as stressors to the innate immune system of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas, Rafinesque 1820)

The accumulation of plastic debris in the environment has been recognized as a matter of international concern. A minimum of 5.25 trillion plastic particles were estimated to float on the surface of the ocean which is due to a low amount of recycling (37 %) and mismanaged waste that enters into the environment. Large plastic debris can lead to suffocation and death after entanglement or ingestion. Small plastic items like microplastic (< 5 mm) and nanoplastics (< 100 nm) can harm organisms on the cellular level since their small size enables them to pass cell boundaries and enter surrounding tissues. The amount of microplastic, and potentially nanoplastic, is increasing due to their release to the environment and the breakdown of larger plastic items in aquatic ecosystems. Microplastic has been observed to enter into the circulatory system of mussels inducing inflammatory reactions and granulocytoma formations. A facilitated uptake of nanoparticles into the cells and an interaction with the immune system is enhanced due to their small size and their specific surface characteristics. Therefore, the health hazards of nanoplastics on aquatic organisms that are potentially chronically exposed to these compounds were assessed. The hypothesis tested here is that that polycarbonate (158.7 nm) and polystyrene (41.0 nm) nanoparticles impact the immune system of the freshwater fish fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas, Rafinesque 1820) which is as a model fish organism frequently used for toxicology tests. The size of the particles was measured in plasma and in vitro neutrophil function assays were used to assess the effect of polystyrene and polycarbonate nanoparticles (0.1 µg/µl) on the innate immune system of fathead minnows. The exposure of neutrophils to the particles revealed a significant increase in oxidative burst activity, release of primary granules and release of extracellular nets release (NETs) compared to a non-treated control. The results underline the stress response of the fish innate immune system to polystyrene and polycarbonate nanoparticles and highlight their potential to interfere with the disease resistance in fish populations.
DOES CENTRAL FATIGUE LIMIT MUSCLE FORCE GENERATION CAPACITY DURING FATIGUE

There is general agreement on peripheral factors of muscle fatigue that develop within the muscle and impair muscle fiber contractile mechanisms and muscle performance. Central factors of muscle fatigue that arise within the central nervous system have also been suggested to influence muscle force during fatigue. However, no direct empirical evidence of their influence on muscle force capacity has yet been reported. We used a force model to investigate whether peripheral factors are sufficient to explain the loss of muscle force generation capacity during fatiguing submaximal voluntary contractions that is commonly attributed to central factors. Our simulations showed that the force behavior during fatigue could be explained solely by peripheral factors. These data raise concerns about the influence of central factors on muscle force generation capacity during fatigue.
Elevated corticospinal excitability in patellar tendinopathy compared with other anterior knee pain or no pain

Anterior knee pain (AKP) is a frequent clinical presentation in jumping athletes and may be aggravated by sustained sitting, stair use, and loading of the quadriceps. Corticospinal activation of the quadriceps in athletes with AKP has not yet been investigated, but is important in guiding efficacious treatment. This cross‐sectional study assessed corticospinal excitability (CSE) of the quadriceps in jumping athletes using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Groups consisted of Control (no knee pain); patellar tendinopathy (PT) [localized inferior pole pain on single‐leg decline squat (SLDS)]; and other AKP (nonlocalized pain around the patella). SLDS (numerical score of pain 0–10), Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment Patellar tendon (VISA‐P), maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), active motor threshold (AMT), CSE, and Mmax were tested. Twenty nine athletes participated; control n = 8, PT n = 11, AKP n = 10. There were no group differences in age (P = 0.23), body mass index (P = 0.16), MVIC (P = 0.38) or weekly activity (P = 0.22). PT had elevated CSE compared with controls and other AKP (P < 0.001), but no differences were detected between AKP and controls (P = 0.47). CSE appears to be greater in PT than controls and other AKP. An improved understanding of the corticospinal responses in different sources of knee pain may direct better treatment approaches.
SCIL-STROKE (Subcutaneous Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist in Ischemic Stroke): A Randomized Controlled Phase 2 Trial

Background and Purpose— The proinflammatory cytokine IL-1 (interleukin-1) has a deleterious role in cerebral ischemia, which is attenuated by IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra). IL-1 induces peripheral inflammatory mediators, such as interleukin-6, which are associated with worse prognosis after ischemic stroke. We investigated whether subcutaneous IL-1Ra reduces the peripheral inflammatory response in acute ischemic stroke. Methods— SCIL-STROKE (Subcutaneous Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist in Ischemic Stroke) was a single-center, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial of subcutaneous IL-1Ra (100 mg administered twice daily for 3 days) in patients presenting within 5 hours of ischemic stroke onset. Randomization was stratified for baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score and thrombolysis. Measurement of plasma interleukin-6 and other peripheral inflammatory markers was undertaken at 5 time points. The primary outcome was difference in concentration of log(interleukin-6) as area under the curve to day 3. Secondary outcomes included exploratory effect of IL-1Ra on 3-month outcome with the modified Rankin Scale. Results— We recruited 80 patients (mean age, 72 years; median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, 12) of whom 73% received intravenous thrombolysis with alteplase. IL-1Ra significantly reduced plasma interleukin-6 (P<0.001) and plasma C-reactive protein (P<0.001). IL-1Ra was well tolerated with no safety concerns. Allocation to IL-1Ra was not associated with a favorable outcome on modified Rankin Scale: odds ratio (95% confidence interval)=0.67 (0.29–1.52), P=0.34. Exploratory mediation analysis suggested that IL-1Ra improved clinical outcome by reducing inflammation, but there was a statistically significant, alternative mechanism countering this benefit. Conclusions— IL-1Ra reduced plasma inflammatory markers which are known to be associated with worse clinical outcome in ischemic stroke. Subcutaneous IL-1Ra is safe and well tolerated. Further experimental studies are required to investigate efficacy and possible interactions of IL-1Ra with thrombolysis. Clinical Trial Registration— URL: http://www.clinicaltrials. gov. Unique identifier: ISRCTN74236229
RpoS‐dependent sRNA RgsA regulates Fis and AcpP in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

RgsA is a phylogenetically conserved small regulatory RNA (sRNA) in Pseudomonas species. This sRNA has been shown to be directly controlled by the major stationary phase and stress sigma factor σS (RpoS), and also indirectly regulated by the GacS/GacA two‐component system. However, the role and the regulatory targets of this sRNA remain unclear. Here, two direct regulatory targets of RgsA, the mRNAs coding for the global transcriptional regulator Fis and the acyl carrier protein AcpP, were identified in P. aeruginosa. RgsA downregulates the synthesis of Fis and AcpP by base‐pairing, and this regulation requires the RNA chaperone protein Hfq. Alignment of RgsA homologs in Pseudomonas revealed a conserved core region, which is strictly required for RgsA target recognition. Specifically, RgsA inhibits fis expression via an 11 + 11 bp RNA duplex, whereas this interaction region is not sufficient for repression and the 35 nt downstream region is also required. Interestingly, two functional start codons initiate fis mRNA translation and both are repressed by RgsA. Furthermore, deletion of rgsA significantly increased swarming motility in P. aeruginosa. Together, this study suggests a novel regulatory role of sRNA in which the versatile transcriptional regulator Fis and the stress regulator RpoS are connected by RgsA.
Maternal Condition but Not Corticosterone Is Linked to Offspring Sex Ratio in a Passerine Bird

There is evidence of offspring sex ratio adjustment in a range of species, but the potential mechanisms remain largely unknown. Elevated maternal corticosterone (CORT) is associated with factors that can favour brood sex ratio adjustment, such as reduced maternal condition, food availability and partner attractiveness. Therefore, the steroid hormone has been suggested to play a key role in sex ratio manipulation. However, despite correlative and causal evidence CORT is linked to sex ratio manipulation in some avian species, the timing of adjustment varies between studies. Consequently, whether CORT is consistently involved in sex-ratio adjustment, and how the hormone acts as a mechanism for this adjustment remains unclear. Here we measured maternal baseline CORT and body condition in free-living blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) over three years and related these factors to brood sex ratio and nestling quality. In addition, a non-invasive technique was employed to experimentally elevate maternal CORT during egg laying, and its effects upon sex ratio and nestling quality were measured. We found that maternal CORT was not correlated with brood sex ratio, but mothers with elevated CORT fledged lighter offspring. Also, experimental elevation of maternal CORT did not influence brood sex ratio or nestling quality. In one year, mothers in superior body condition produced male biased broods, and maternal condition was positively correlated with both nestling mass and growth rate in all years. Unlike previous studies maternal condition was not correlated with maternal CORT. This study provides evidence that maternal condition is linked to brood sex ratio manipulation in blue tits. However, maternal baseline CORT may not be the mechanistic link between the maternal condition and sex ratio adjustment. Overall, this study serves to highlight the complexity of sex ratio adjustment in birds and the difficulties associated with identifying sex biasing mechanisms.
Modelling and analysis of the electrostatic adhesion performance considering a rotary disturbance between the electrode panel and the attachment substrate

ABSTRACT In real-world applications of electrostatic adhesion technology, the electrostatic adhesion force decreases when the electrode panel slides or rotates relative to the attachment substrate due to an external disturbance. However, little work has been done to study this phenomenon. This paper presents a model and analysis method to evaluate the electrostatic adhesion performance considering a rotary disturbance between the electrode panel and the attachment substrate. First, dynamic variations of the electric fields for any point on the attachment substrate are analysed. Then the decrease in the electrostatic adhesion force is explained based on the analysis results and our previous work. The analysis results and explanations are experimentally validated on three different attachment substrates. The fundamental cause of the decrease in adhesion force is the loss of the lined layer polarization due to the rotary disturbance. The results provide a good explanation to the phenomenon and make the existing electrostatic adhesion theory more self-consistent.
An equivalent impedance model for lead-free solder joints based on crack propagation

After a case study on single solder joint,an equivalent impedance model was established for lead-free solder joints based on the crack propagation and skin effect of the joint,and the way to calculate the parameters included in the model was introduced.Simulation was then performed using the Matlab software.The results show that with the crack propagation,the impedance of solder joints changes slowly first and then abruptly.And,the higher the signal frequency is,the earlier the abrupt change takes place.At a frequency of 500 MHz,the abrupt change of impedance occurs when the area of crack is about 75% of the cross section of solder joint;while the DC resistance only changes sharply right before the failure of solder joint.
Density kernel optimization in the ONETEP code

ONETEP is a linear scaling code for performing first-principles total energy calculations within density-functional theory (DFT). The method is based on the density-matrix formulation of DFT and involves the iterative minimization of the total energy with respect to a set of local orbitals and a density kernel. An overview is given of the kernel optimization methods proposed in the literature and implemented in ONETEP, focusing in particular on the constraints of compatibility, idempotency and normalization that must be applied. A method is proposed for locating the chemical potential which may be useful in applying the normalization constraint and analysing the electronic structure near the Fermi level.
International Journal of Production Research

This paper proposes a distributed multi-agent approach for dynamic part routing in automated manufacturing systems. In particular, each part in the system is associated to an intelligent software agent that must select its next destination autonomously (i.e. ignoring the actions of the other agents) and in real time (i.e. at each time it completes an operation on a workstation). Diﬀerently from other existing approaches, we overcome the typical myopia of negotiation algorithms based on dispatching rules by allowing the part agents to take decisions not only about the imminent operation, but also for the subsequent ones. The anticipated decisions are transmitted to workstation agents, which are also designated to detect and resolve conﬂicts by modifying part agents’ decisions. To describe the single agents and their interaction schemes in a formal way, we take advantage of DEVS discrete-event modelling tools, which also allow us to develop a detailed simulation platform for our multi-agent system. The simulation experiments obtained on a detailed model of a manufacturing system derived from the literature conﬁrm the eﬀectiveness of the proposed approach.
Modeling and Evaluation of a Metadata-Based Adaptive P2P Video-Streaming System

In this paper, we present a multi-parent adaptive video-streaming system (MAVSS). MAVSS is a cooperative video-streaming system, based on the peer-to-peer (P2P) content distribution concept, to simultaneously adapt and stream video contents to heterogeneous users. In order to ensure video codec independence, we emphasize on structured, metadata-based adaptation. Therefore, MPEG-21 generic Bitstream syntax description is chosen to describe the parts of the video contents selected for adaptation operations. Additionally, without an optimal solution, it is hard to judge the efficiency of such systems. Therefore, in this paper, we first present the fundamental properties of MAVSS. We then present a mathematical model of the adaptive streaming system, where we define efficient streaming as an optimization of a cost function that can be solved as an integer linear programming problem. The model illustrates the relation among all the parameters that affect the resource contribution, resource utilization, load balancing and service fairness. We use this model to analyze the trade-offs that exist between service fairness and system efficiency.
Waist-to-height ratio and its relation with cardiometabolic risk factors in children from

Background: Currently, the waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) has emerged as a practical and useful indicator for identifying cardiometabolic risk in child and adolescent population. Objective: To evaluate the association between the WHtR and cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRFs) in a cohort of children in Bucaramanga, Colombia. Methods: Analytical cross-sectional study. Child population between 6-10 years old from Bucaramanga (n = 1,282). Dependent variables: hypertension, pre-hypertension, overweight/obesity, impaired glucose, insulin resistance and dyslipidemia. Main independent variable: waist-to-height ratio. The association between dependent and independent variables was evaluated using binomial regression models. Results: 9.77% of the children presented a WHtR of risk (95% CI: 8.19% to 11.52%). After adjustment for age, sex, socioeconomic status and physical activity, the WHtR of risk was significantly associated with lower HDL levels and higher levels of triglycerides, insulin resistance, hypertension and pre-hypertension (PR = 2.46 95% CI :1.70 a 3.55, p = 0.000, PR = 2.24 95% CI: 1.50 a 3.35, p = 0.000, PR = 9.39 95% CI: 5.40 a 16.30, p = 0.000, PR = 8.03 95% CI: 2.01 a 32.07, p = 0.003 y PR = 2.67 95% CI: 1.60 a 4.47, p = 0.000, respectively). Conclusion: Children with WHtR of risk were more likely to develop high levels of blood pressure and triglycerides, insulin resistance and lower levels of HDL.
Cost, Revenue, and Profit Efficiency of Islamic versus Conventional Banks: International Evidence Using Data Envelopment Analysis

This paper measures and compares the cost, revenue and profit efficiency of 43 Islamic and 37 conventional banks over the period 1990-2005 in 21 countries using Data Envelopment Analysis. It assesses the average and overtime efficiency of those banks based on their size, age, and region using static and dynamic panels. The findings suggest that there are no significant differences between the overall efficiency results of conventional versus Islamic banks. Overall, the results in this paper are favorable with the ‘new’ banking system.
Nanoscale ZnO‐Enhanced Fluorescence Detection of Protein Interactions

Proteins are the key components of the cellular machinery responsible for the processing of detailed biological functions decoded from genetic information. The rapid pace in the discovery of new gene products by large-scale genomics demands significant improvements in current technology pertaining to quantitative and functional proteomics. Specifically, the de-sign of alternative strategies for analyzing protein functions via novel high-throughput approaches is highly warranted in this information-rich age of whole genome biology. Biomolecular fluorescence is the most widely used detection mechanism in both laboratory-scale and high-throughput proteomics research, as evidenced by its use in essential techniques such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, fluorescent gel staining
An amorphous Si TFT array with TaO x /SiN x double layered insulator for liquid crystal displays

An experimental a-Si thin-film transistor (TFT) for liquid-crystal-display applications, with a double layer of reactively sputtered TaO/sub x/ and plasma CVD SiN/sub x/ insulator, is described. In comparison to TFT with SiN/sub x/ (400-nm) single-layered insulator, TFT with TaO/sub x/ (200-nm)/SiN/sub x/ (200-nm) insulator showed mobility increased by 30%, on-current twice as large, and off-current reduced to one half. The sizes of a TFT and a storage capacitor may be reduced by using the double layer with an effective dielectric constant of about 10. TaO/sub x/ layer acts as a projection layer for ITO pixel electrodes during fabrication process. Experimental TFT arrays showed larger operating margin and superior stability. >
HyRA: A Hybrid Recommendation Algorithm Focused on Smart POI. Ceutí as a Study Scenario

Nowadays, Physical Web together with the increase in the use of mobile devices, Global Positioning System (GPS), and Social Networking Sites (SNS) have caused users to share enriched information on the Web such as their tourist experiences. Therefore, an area that has been significantly improved by using the contextual information provided by these technologies is tourism. In this way, the main goals of this work are to propose and develop an algorithm focused on the recommendation of Smart Point of Interaction (Smart POI) for a specific user according to his/her preferences and the Smart POIs’ context. Hence, a novel Hybrid Recommendation Algorithm (HyRA) is presented by incorporating an aggregation operator into the user-based Collaborative Filtering (CF) algorithm as well as including the Smart POIs’ categories and geographical information. For the experimental phase, two real-world datasets have been collected and preprocessed. In addition, one Smart POIs’ categories dataset was built. As a result, a dataset composed of 16 Smart POIs, another constituted by the explicit preferences of 200 respondents, and the last dataset integrated by 13 Smart POIs’ categories are provided. The experimental results show that the recommendations suggested by HyRA are promising.
Dispersion and localization of elastic waves in materials with microstructure

This paper considers the interaction of elastic waves with materials with microstructure. The paper presents a mathematical model of elastic waves within a lattice system incorporating rotational motions and interaction between different lattice elements through elastic links. The waves are dispersive and the lattice system itself is heterogeneous, i.e. the elastic stiffness and/or mass are non-uniformly distributed. For such systems, one can identify stop bands, representing the intervals of frequencies of waves, which become evanescent and cannot propagate through the structure. Filtering properties of such lattices are studied in this paper. Defect modes are created by removing a periodic array of elastic links, which leads to localization within a macro-cell. Special attention is given to the evaluation of the effective group velocities and to the study of standing waves within the system. Analytical estimates are accompanied by numerical simulations and analysis of dispersion surfaces. We also consider an example showing the focusing and the creation of an image point by a flat elastic ‘lens’ formed from a finite micropolar lattice system.