Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fractal Art based on "The Butterfly Effect" of Chaos Theory

This paper proposes and demonstrates a new integration of the theory of fractals and the butterﬂy eﬀect of chaos theory. They both have long histories in creating digital artworks, but besides of many existing fractal software programs, none of them allowed us to achieve the proposed integration. Moreover, our program is the ﬁrst to provide the functional concepts of overlapping results and sequential transformations, which allow us to generate a wider variety of patterns. Our program not only has the potential of creating 2D digital artworks but also supports the creation of animated abstract artworks.
Home monitoring using portable polygraphy for perioperative assessment of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

OBJECTIVE To overcome very few facilities available for polysomnography, a portable device of polygraphy was introduced into home monitoring for the assessment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in children. METHODS Forty-eight children (aged 2-11) presenting with snoring and sleep apnea were subjected to home monitoring. Sleeptester™ (Fukuda Lifetech, Japan) was used for this purpose, which was equipped with 5 channels for oronasal airflow, thoracoabdominal effort, snoring, body position, and oximetry (SpO2). Sensors were placed by guardians, and they were requested to attend their children as long as possible during a night. Results were analyzed manually by sleep technologists. Adenotonsillectomy was performed in all 48 children, and the same monitoring was utilized postoperatively. RESULTS The mean duration of monitoring was 460 ± 172 min. (Mean ± S.D.) in the preoperative test and 471 ± 126 min. in the postoperative test. The mean apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was 20.6 ± 16.6 and 4.4 ± 2.1, respectively. There was a statistically significant decrease (p < 0.001). The lowest SpO2 value was 76.7 ± 17.1% preoperatively and 80.8 ± 14.6% postoperatively, demonstrating no significant difference (p = 0.16) CONCLUSION Attended home monitoring by guardians using a portable device can be useful in the perioperative assessment of pediatric OSAS.
Bounds on the speed of propagation of the KPP fronts in a cellular flow

We consider a reaction-diffusion-advection equation with a nonlinearity of the KPP type in a cellular flow. We show that the minimal pulsating traveling front speed c∗(A) in a flow of amplitude A satisfies the upper and lower bounds C1A ≤ c∗(A) ≤ C2A for A 1. We also analyze a related eigenvalue problem and establish an “averaging along the streamlines” principle for the positive eigenfunction when A 1.
Microarray-Based Gene Expression Profiling Suggests adaptation of Lung Epithelial Cells Subjected to Chronic Cyclic Strain

Background/Aims: Mechanical strain of the lung tissue is a physiological process that affects the behavior of lung cells. Since recent evidence also suggests alterations in the expression of certain genes as a consequence of mechanotransduction, our study aimed at the analysis of the gene expression profile in lung epithelial cells subjected to chronic cyclic strain. Methods: Various human lung epithelial cell lines (A549 as principal adherent cell line and four others) were subjected to cyclic strain (16 % surface distension, 12 min-1) in a Strain Cell Culture Device for 24 h. In comparison to static controls, expression analyses were performed by gene microarray and qPCR. Results: Microarray analysis revealed many differences in the gene expression but at moderate levels. Altogether 25 genes were moderately down-regulated (0.86-fold ± 0.06) and 26 genes were up-regulated (1.18-fold ± 0.10) in A549 and the others. Strain-regulated genes often code for transcription factors, such as E2F4 and SRF. qPCR analyses confirmed the up-regulation of both transcription factors and further genes, such as PLAU (urokinase-type plasminogen activator) and S100A4 (S100 protein A4). Moreover, we showed the down-regulations of AGR2 (anterior gradient 2) and LCN2 (lipocalin 2). Conclusions: We identified many genes of which the expression was moderately altered in lung epithelial cells subjected to chronic cyclic strain. Although many moderate changes in the gene expression profile might affect cellular behavior, it also suggests an effective adaptation of cells to mechanical forces in long-term conditions.
Contemporary Regulatory Policy

What is regulation? Why do governments regulate, and how does regulatory change take place? Exploring these and other questions, the second edition of "Contemporary Regulatory Policy" demystifies the field of regulatory politics. Eisner, Worsham, and Ringquist have completely updated their examination of the regulatory process in seven major areas: antitrust, banking and securities, telecommunications, environmental protection, occupational safety and health, consumer products, and energy. They also address the extent to which presidential partisanship, ideological shifts in Congress, and other forces, both within and external to government bureaucracy, influence regulation. Recognizing that no single theory can sufficiently explain regulatory politics, the authors offer students a comprehensive set of tools for navigating recent policy transitions and considering the future direction of US regulation.
Watermarking Using Artificial Intelligence Techniques

All Berne union member countries in Berne, Switzerland accepted an international agreement for governing copy right called, The Berne Convention, in 1886 and is modified at Paris in 1971 (Fitzgerald, Brian, Shi, Xiaoxiang, Foong, Cheryl, Pappalardo, & Kylie, 2011). The countries have realized the importance of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) after the establishment of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995. The term Digital Rights Management (DRM) is applied to refer the protection of copyrights of digital media files (Hannibal Travis, 2008). Digital watermarking represents the authentication through inserting a watermark into the digital content. The quality measures used for digital image watermarking robustness are peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR), normalized correlation (NC), bit correct ratio (BCR) and mean absolute error (MAE) etc. (Shih & Wu, 2005). A number of digital watermarking applications were developed based on Fuzzy logic and Neural Networks applications. The present review is conducted in two broad categories of artificial intelligent techniques. The intelligent techniques considered in the review are (i) Fuzzy logic techniques (ii) different neural network (NN) architectures including Multi-Layer Perception (MLP), Radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) and recurrent neural networks. The review is conducted based on the papers published in journals/international conferences/edited volumes in the areas of digital image watermarking and information hiding. The rest of the paper is organized as follows: Section 2 presents Overview of Fuzzy logic and Neural Networks areas and section 3 presents reviews of papers dealing with the application of fuzzy logic and NN. Section 4 gives insights and section 5 concludes the review with future directions.
A Motion Planning Strategy for a Spherical Rolling Robot Driven by Two Internal Rotors

This paper deals with a motion planning problem for a spherical rolling robot actuated by two internal rotors that are placed on orthogonal axes. The key feature of the problem is that it can be stated only in dynamic formulation. In addition, the problem features a singularity when the contact trajectory goes along the equatorial line in the plane of the two rotors. A motion planning strategy composed of two trivial and one nontrivial maneuver is devised. The trivial maneuvers implement motion along the geodesic line perpendicular to the singularity line. The construction of the nontrivial maneuver employs the nilpotent approximation of the originally nonnilpotent robot dynamics, and is based on an iterative steering algorithm. At each iteration, the control inputs are constructed with the use of geometric phases. The motion planning strategy thus constructed is verified under simulation.
Multiple Agents, and Agricultural Nonpoint-Source Water Pollution Control Policies

Assuming asymmetric information over farmer profits and zero transaction costs, prior literature has suggested that when regulating nonpoint source water pollution, a tax on management practices (inputs) can implement full-information allocations and is superior to a tax on estimated runoff. Using mechanism design theory under asymmetric information, this paper shows that under the same assumptions, management practice taxes and taxes on estimated runoff are equally efficient.
Do Terms of Trade Drive Real Exchange Rates? Comparing Oil and Commodity Currencies

This paper investigates whether terms of trade have an impact on real exchange rates for commodity exporters and oil exporters. To this end, we estimate a long term relationship between the real effective exchange rate and economic fundamentals, including the commodity terms of trade. The estimation relies on panel cointegration techniques and covers annual data from 1980 to 2007. Our results show that real exchange rates co-move with commodity prices in the long run and respond to oil price somewhat less than to commodity prices. We also find that some pegged currencies have been driven away from their equilibria by wild fluctuations in the key currencies, on which they are anchored.
Learning to Colour Greyscale Images

This paper is about the colouring of greyscale images. More specifically, we address the problem of learning to colour greyscale images from a set of examples of true colour ones. We employ Genetic Programming to evolve computer programs that take as input the Lightness channel of the training images and output the Hue channel. The best programs evolved can then be used to give colour to greyscale images. Due to the computational complexity of the learning task, we use a genome compiler system, GenCo, specially suited to image processing tasks.
Widespread Occurrence of Expressed Fungal Secretory Peroxidases in Forest Soils

Fungal secretory peroxidases mediate fundamental ecological functions in the conversion and degradation of plant biomass. Many of these enzymes have strong oxidizing activities towards aromatic compounds and are involved in the degradation of plant cell wall (lignin) and humus. They comprise three major groups: class II peroxidases (including lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase, versatile peroxidase and generic peroxidase), dye-decolorizing peroxidases, and heme-thiolate peroxidases (e.g. unspecific/aromatic peroxygenase, chloroperoxidase). Here, we have repeatedly observed a widespread expression of all major peroxidase groups in leaf and needle litter across a range of forest ecosystems (e.g. Fagus, Picea, Acer, Quercus, and Populus spp.), which are widespread in Europe and North America. Manganese peroxidases and unspecific peroxygenases were found expressed in all nine investigated forest sites, and dye-decolorizing peroxidases were observed in five of the nine sites, thereby indicating biological significance of these enzymes for fungal physiology and ecosystem processes. Transcripts of selected secretory peroxidase genes were also analyzed in pure cultures of several litter-decomposing species and other fungi. Using this information, we were able to match, in environmental litter samples, two manganese peroxidase sequences to Mycena galopus and Mycena epipterygia and one unspecific peroxygenase transcript to Mycena galopus, suggesting an important role of this litter- and coarse woody debris-dwelling genus in the disintegration and transformation of litter aromatics and organic matter formation.
A Novel Random-Rotation Quasi-Orthogonal Space-Time Block Code

A novel random-rotation quasi-orthogonal spacetime block code(RR-QO-STBC) transmission scheme is proposed. This transmission diversity scheme randomly rotates every information symbol vector, thus the inter-symbol interference between multi-antennas of QO-STBC is randomized and alleviated. Simulation results suggest, in the high SNR scenario, under the ML detection rule, the proposed scheme outperforms the conventional QO-STBC by about 4dB, and still better than ST-LCP 0.5-1dB. The new scheme owns similar performance with the Constellation Fixed Rotation(CFR) scheme when SNR is above 16dB. The performance loss due to the limitation of number of RandomRotation matrixes in the practical scenario is investigated. When the number of matrixes is greater than 16, the performance loss is negligible.
Fast adaptive eigenvalue decomposition: a maximum likelihood approach

A new adaptive subspace estimation algorithm is presented, based on the maximisation of the likelihood functional. It requires little computational cost and the particular structure of the algorithm ensures the orthonormality of the estimated basis of eigenvectors. Application to moving sources localization shows the very good behavior of the algorithm when applied to problems of practical interest.
Exploring personality's effect on users' rating behavior

Rating is a simple and easy way for people to explicitly express their preferences and opinions. This study investigated whether and how personality characteristics affect people's rating behaviors. We conducted a large-scale online survey and collected 1020 reliable users' responses on both a personality assessment inventory and their ratings for retail products. Our empirical results show that the traits of agreeableness, conscientiousness and neuroticism positively relate to the percentage of users' positive ratings. Emotionally stable individuals are likely to rate items from more categories than neurotics. The ratings from introverts and individuals who are high in emotional stability tend to have more diverse and evenly distributed ratings. The findings contribute to the HCI community by providing a new perspective of understanding human interaction behaviors, in particular to researchers and practitioners interested in user modeling and evaluation.
The ecological consequences of complex topology and nested structure in pollination webs.

__________________________________________ Complex plant-pollinator networks 1.28 "To me the most important thing in composition is disparity. [. ] Anything suggestive of symmetry is decidedly undesirable, except possibly where an approximate symmetry is used in a detail to enhance the inequality with the general scheme. " "A Propos of Measuring a Mobile"
Space-time power optimization of variable-rate space-time block codes based on successive interference cancellation

Based on a zero-forcing with successive interference cancellation (ZFSIC) method, we construct variable-rate space-time block codes (STBCs) for two, three, and four transmit antennas in Rayleigh fading channels. Considering the error-propagation effect in the ZFSIC scheme, we analyze the bit-error rate (BER) and optimize the transmit power so that the average BER is minimized. Unlike the approach based on zero-forcing (ZF), the method adopted in this paper can construct variable-rate STBCs even when the receive antennas are fewer than the transmit antennas. In addition, to improve the BERs further, we propose space-time power optimization. Numerical results show that the codes presented in this paper provide much lower BERs, compared with the codes developed by Kim and Tarokh.
Knowledge for Intelligent Industrial Robots

This paper describes an attempt to provide more intelligence to industrial robotics and automation systems. We develop an architecture to integrate disparate knowledge representations used in different places in robotics and automation. This knowledge integration framework, a possibly distributed entity, abstracts the components used in design or production as data sources, and provides a uniform access to them via standard interfaces. Representation is based on the ontology formalizing the process, product and resource triangle, where skills are considered the common element of the three. Production knowledge is being collected now and a preliminary version of KIF undergoes verification.
The AMIGA sample of isolated galaxies III. IRAS data and infrared diagnostics

Aims. We describe the mid- (MIR) and far- (FIR) infrared properties of a large (∼1000) sample of the most isolated galaxies in the local Universe. This sample is intended as a “nurture-free” zero point against which more environmentally influenced samples can be compared. Methods. We reprocess IRAS MIR/FIR survey data using the ADDSCAN/SCANPI utility for 1030 out of 1050 galaxies from the Catalogue of Isolated Galaxies (CIG) as part of the AMIGA project. We focus on diagnostics (FIR luminosity LFIR, R = log(LFIR/LB), and IRAS colours) thought to be sensitive to effects of environment or interaction. Results. The distribution of log(LFIR) sharply peaks from 9.0–10.5, with very few (<2%) galaxies above 10.5. Review of available optical images of the most FIR luminous galaxies finds the majority likely to be interacting systems missed in our earlier morphological reevaluation. The optically normalised luminosity diagnostic R = log(LFIR/LB) shows a sharply peaked distribution between 0.0 and −1.0. These results were compared to the magnitude limited sample of the Center for Astrophysics that was selected without environmental discrimination. This modestly (e.g., compared to cluster, binary galaxy, and compact group samples) environmentally affected sample shows a significantly higher mean log(LFIR), and R, whereas the mean log(LB) is the same. Our sample shows a strong LFIR vs. LB correlation, with a slope steeper than one (LFIR ∝ L 1.41 B ). Interacting galaxies were found above this correlation, showing an enhancement in LFIR. With respect to the IRAS colours, we found higher F60/F100 values for ellipticals and late-type galaxies than for spirals, indicating a higher dust temperature. The mean value of F60/F100 was found to be lower than for interacting samples from the literature. Conclusions. The results indicate that the FIR emission is a variable enhanced by interaction, and that our sample probably shows the lowest possible mean value. This attests to the utility of our sample for defining a nurture-free zero point.
Carriage of the V279F Null Allele within the Gene Encoding Lp-PLA2 Is Protective from Coronary Artery Disease in South Korean Males

Background The Asia-specific PLA2G7 994G-T transversion leads to V279F substitution within the lipoprotein-associated phospholipase-A2 (Lp-PLA2) and to absence of enzyme activity in plasma. This variant offers a unique natural experiment to assess the role of Lp-PLA2 in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease (CAD) in humans. Given conflicting results from mostly small studies, a large two-stage case-control study was warranted. Methodology/Principal Findings PLA2G7 V279F genotypes were initially compared in 2890 male cases diagnosed with CAD before age 60 with 3128 male controls without CAD at age 50 and above and subsequently in a second independent male dataset of 877 CAD cases and 1230 controls. In the first dataset, the prevalence of the 279F null allele was 11.5% in cases and 12.8% in controls. After adjustment for age, body mass index, diabetes, smoking, glucose and lipid levels, the OR (95% CI) for CAD for this allele was 0.80 (0.66–0.97, p = 0.02). The results were very similar in the second dataset, despite lower power, with an allele frequency of 11.2% in cases and 12.5% in controls, leading to a combined OR of 0.80 (0.69–0.92), p = 0.002. The magnitude and direction of this genetic effect were fully consistent with large epidemiological studies on plasma Lp-PLA2 activity and CAD risk. Conclusions Natural deficiency in Lp-PLA2 activity due to carriage of PLA2G7 279F allele protects from CAD in Korean men. These results provide evidence for a causal relationship between Lp-PLA2 and CAD, and support pharmacological inhibition of this enzyme as an innovative way to prevent CAD.
Increasing lifespan and achieving energy efficiency of wireless sensor network

The wireless sensor network is designed to install the smart network application or network for emergency solution, where human interaction is not possible. WSN consists of many sensors to monitor physical or environmental conditions, such as health state monitoring, military applications, temperature, sound, pressure, motion or pollutants and to cooperatively transfer the data through network to a central location. The main constraint of WSN are low power and minimum processing. The nodes in WSN have to self organize as per the users requirements to monitor environments. The sensor nodes are deployed in an unreachable location for particular mission, it is difficult to exchange or recharge the nodes battery. To increase the lifespan of Wireless Sensor Network, well-organized utilization of power is required. This paper present mechanism for Cluster head selection using basic information of node and objective function. In all algorithms, data processing is done at the Cluster Head(CH) which use huge amount of energy because energy consumption depends upon the length of the packet which is transmitted and the distance between nodes to CHs and CH to BS. The proposed work minimizes the length of the packet by processing the data at the node. Furthermore We emphasize on Node state switching mechanism which helps to increase the lifespan of WSN.
Rhn1, a Nuclear Protein, Is Required for Suppression of Meiotic mRNAs in Mitotically Dividing Fission Yeast

In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, many meiotic mRNAs are transcribed during mitosis and meiosis and selectively eliminated in mitotic cells. However, this pathway for mRNA decay, called the determinant of selective removal (DSR)-Mmi1 system, targets only some of the numerous meiotic mRNAs that are transcribed in mitotic cells. Here we describe Rhn1, a nuclear protein involved in meiotic mRNA suppression in vegetative fission yeast. Rhn1 is homologous to budding yeast Rtt103 and localizes to one or a few discrete nuclear dots in growing vegetative cells. Rhn1 colocalizes with a pre-mRNA 3′-end processing factor, Pcf11, and with the 5′–3′ exoribonuclease, Dhp1; moreover, Rhn1 coimmunoprecipitates with Pcf11. Loss of rhn1 results in elevated sensitivity to high temperature, to thiabendazole (TBZ), and to UV. Interestingly, meiotic mRNAs—including moa1+, mcp5+, and mug96+—accumulate in mitotic rhn1Δ cells. Accumulation of meiotic mRNAs also occurs in strains lacking Lsk1, a kinase that phosphorylates serine 2 (Ser-2) in the C-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II (Pol II), and in strains lacking Sen1, an ATP-dependent 5′–3′ RNA/DNA helicase: notably, both Lsk1 and Sen1 have been implicated in termination of Pol II-dependent transcription. Furthermore, RNAi knockdown of cids-2, a Caenorhabditis elegans ortholog of rhn1 +, leads to elevated expression of a germline-specific gene, pgl-1, in somatic cells. These results indicate that Rhn1 contributes to the suppression of meiotic mRNAs in vegetative fission yeast and that the mechanism by which Rhn1 downregulates germline-specific transcripts may be conserved in unicellular and multicellular organisms.
An Analytical Process for Screening Susceptibility Genes of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Using Pooled DNA Microarray Data

There is currently no consensus on the effectiveness of preprocessing methods used in pooled DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) microarray analysis of SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) data. We investigated two normalization methods, cyclic loess and quantile, before identifying susceptibility genes of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The probe data set is filtered by discrimination score and range of estimate allele frequency to remove unreliable probe intensities. The results show that both normalizations can reduce variation; however, there is no significant difference in identifying significant SNPs. The probe data set that uses only perfect match intensity is preferred. The mismatch probe intensities are used to exclude unreliable SNPs in the step of filtering.