Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
One new method on image super-resolution reconstruction

According to the image quality degradation in super-resolution reconstruction, we present a new algorithm for a single image super-resolution reconstruction to improve the image resolution. Considering the limitations that the extracted features of low-resolution image can not adapt to image direction changes, we propose a new feature-extracted method, and we build a new global optimization framework with analysis sparse prior based on the multiple extracted features, joint dictionary learning. Experiments show the effectiveness of our method.
A Joint Enhancement-Decoding Formulation for Noise Robust Phoneme Recognition

We consider a dictionary based speech enhancement in the context of automatic recognition of noisy speech. Speech in each analysis frame is denoised as a front-end processing using a class-specific (e.g. phoneme) dictionary selected based on the estimated class label. However, when the estimated label is erroneous, a wrong class model is chosen for many frames. We propose a Joint Enhancement-Decoding (JED) algorithm to overcome this issue by jointly optimizing for labels of all the frames and the decoding path. The algorithm optimizes over multiple enhanced versions of each frame using different phoneme specific dictionaries and gives the maximum likelihood path of state sequences as well as the best (in the maximum likelihood sense) choice of the enhanced observation sequence as its output. The number of phoneme-specific dictionaries used for enhancement in an analysis frame is varied from 1 to 5 based on the phoneme confusion matrix and the recognition results are reported for each case. Experiments with TIMIT corpus and five different noises at 0, 5 and 10 dB SNRs show that the recognition performance varies with the number of dictionaries, and in most of the cases, is the best when two or three dictionaries are employed.
QT Interval Prolongation as Predictor of Sudden Death in Patients with Myocardial Infarction

SUMMARYFifty-five patients with recent myocardial infarction and 55 healthy controls, matched for age, sex, race, height, weight, education and job, had an electrocardiogram taken every two months for seven years. Twenty-eight patients and one control had a sudden cardiac death. The QT, (mean of all values recorded) was found prolonged in one control (2%), five of 27 surviving patients (18%) and in 16 of 28 patients who had sudden death (57%). The difference between surviving and sudden death patients is significant (p < 0.01). It is interesting that the only control with a long QT was the one who died suddenly of myocardial infarction. Among patients with previous myocardial infarction a prolonged QT, constitutes a 2.16 times greater risk for sudden death. We conclude that a constant prolongation of QT, in patients with myocardial infarction may help, with other risk factors, in defining a subgroup at higher risk for sudden death.
Application of Artificial Immune System Approach in MRI Classification

Numerous scholars have submitted the theory and research of artificial immune systems (AISs) in recent years. Although AIS has been used in various fields, applying the AIS to medical images is very rare. The purpose of this study is using the clonal selection algorithm (CSA) of artificial immune systems for classifying the brain MRI, and displaying a single organism image which can finally offer faster organism reference information to a doctor; hence reducing the time to ascertain large number of images, so that the doctor can diagnose the nidus more efficiently and accurately. In order to verify the feasibility and efficiency of this method, we adopt statistical theory for manifold assessment and compare with the perceptron network of double layers, FCM method. The result proves that the method of this study is both feasible and useful.
Mode and user selection for multi-user MIMO WLANs without CSI

A Multi-User MIMO (MU-MIMO) Access Point (AP) can obtain a capacity gain by simultaneously transmitting to multiple clients. This technique requires Channel State Information (CSI) at the transmitting AP to set antenna gains and phases to enable simultaneous reception through beamforming. The AP must also select both the mode (number of transmit and collective receive antennas) and the user set prior to transmission. While the ideal mode and user selection is a function of CSI, CSI must be estimated with an overhead intensive channel sounding process. We design, implement, and evaluate Pre-sounding User and Mode selection Algorithm (PUMA), a method for mode and user selection prior to channel sounding. We show that even without CSI, PUMA (i) exploits theoretical properties of MU-MIMO system scaling with respect to mode, (ii) characterizes the relative cost of each potential mode, and (iii) estimates per-stream transmission rate and aggregate throughput in each mode for a potential user set, all without CSI. Once PUMA has selected the appropriate mode and user group, the chosen protocol's channel sounding method is used on the intended user subset to carry out the transmission. We show that, on average, PUMA selects the mode and group that achieves an aggregate rate within 3% of the saturation throughput of what would have been achieved by sounding all users (which would require significant additional overhead). Moreover, we show that PUMA obtains 30% higher aggregate throughput compared to the best fixed-mode policy that uses the maximum number of available transmit and receive antennas.
Soaring across continents: decision‐making of a soaring migrant under changing atmospheric conditions along an entire flyway

Thermal soaring birds reduce flight-energy costs by alternatingly gaining altitude in thermals and gliding across the earth's surface. To find out how soaring migrants adjust their flight behaviour to dynamic atmospheric conditions across entire migration routes, we combined optimal soaring migration theory with high-resolution GPS tracking data of migrating Honey Buzzards Pernis apivorus and wind data from a global numerical atmospheric model. We compared measurements of gliding air speeds to predictions based on two distinct behavioural benchmarks for thermal soaring flight. The first being a time-optimal strategy whereby birds alter their gliding air speeds as a function of climb rates to maximize cross-country air speed over a full climb-glide cycle (Vopt). The second a risk-averse energy-efficient strategy at which birds alter their gliding air speed in response to tailwinds/headwinds to maximize the distance travelled in the intended direction during each glide phase (Vbgw). Honey Buzzards were gliding on average 2.05 ms-1 slower than Vopt and 3.42 ms-1 faster than Vbgw while they increased air speeds with climb rates and reduced air speeds in tailwinds. They adopted flexible flight strategies gliding mostly near Vbgw under poor soaring conditions and closer to Vopt in good soaring conditions. Honey Buzzards most adopted a time-optimal strategy when crossing the Sahara, and at the onset of spring migration, where and when they met with the best soaring conditions. The buzzards nevertheless glided slower than Vopt during most of their journeys, probably taking time to navigate, orientate and locate suitable thermals, especially in areas with poor thermal convection,. Linking novel tracking techniques with optimal migration models clarifies the way birds balance different trade-offs during migration. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Laboratory and field measurements of body composition.

OBJECTIVE This background paper was prepared in response to a request to review the concepts related to measurement of body composition, to discuss laboratory and field methods of assessing body composition and to discuss the practical applications of the methods--how they might be used singly or in combination to provide data for a selected population. DESIGN The common laboratory and field methods are described and discussed, with particular attention to the assumptions involved and the applicability of the methods to the different population groups. Most measurements of body composition are made in the field, at the bedside or clinic as opposed to in the laboratory. The laboratory methods have a role to play in their own right, in research into new concepts, models and methods. However, they are particularly important in establishing the accuracy of the field methods. SETTING Field, bedside and laboratory studies. SUBJECTS Children, adults, the elderly, ethnic groups. RESULTS Laboratory estimates of body compositions are best performed by multi-component methods or by 2-component methods adjusted for to the populations under investigation. There is a scarcity of data for most of the populations in the world. CONCLUSIONS Energy requirements based on body weight are an approximation since they do not take into account differences in body composition, which will better determine the true requirements. The measurement of body composition occurs in many branches of biology and medicine. It is used in the assessment of nutritional and growth status and in disease states and their treatment. Energy stores, skeletal muscle and protein content can be determined and changes monitored. In human energetics, body composition is widely used for the standardisation of other variables, such as basal metabolic rate (BMR), in the assessments of ethnic and environmental differences and of variability and adaptation to different levels of nutrition. Choosing a method is very problematic. Users want simple, inexpensive, rapid, safe accurate methods to measure body composition but speed and simplicity come at the expense of accuracy. Recommendations are made for age, sex, and in some cases, fatness and ethnic specific methods.
Design and implementation of virtual network function development toolkit

Recently, Network Function Virtualization (NFV) has been getting the attention for reason of operational efficiency, cost savings and service scalability. The NFV can be described as integrating an independent software on the general purposed hardware such as server and switch in order to replace the legacy hardware-based network device. Therefore, NFV can help ensure that carriers can quickly respond to the change of communication environment by shortening lots of cost and time to introduce new network service. In this paper, we design and implement a toolkit for NFV. This toolkit allows the DevOps development of virtual network functions in rapid cycle, which enables the carriers to deploy NFV environment quickly and easily.
Ontogenetic phenomena, temporal aspect, and ecological factors in the successful invasion of round goby Neogobius melanostomus in the River Danube.

Plasticity in life-history traits is thought to be one of the key factors that contribute to adaptation of invasive species to the novel environment at the beginning of an invasion. It has been found that round gobies Neogobius melanostomus from freshly invaded areas (invasion front) exhibit different life-history traits than individuals from core or central areas with well-established populations. The theory of alternative ontogeny and invasive potential predicts such differences. Nevertheless, it is difficult to distinguish between the effects of intrinsic ontogenetic phenomena and the effects of particular ecological factors on life-history traits of populations at various stages of invasion. Thus, the main aim of this study was to test the prediction that two sub-populations of round gobies from two habitats exposed to a different intensity of anthropogenic pressures in the River Danube, but at the same stage of invasion, will have significant differences in their reproductive parameters. Females from the relatively undisturbed habitat were predicted to have 1) larger oocytes, 2) lower absolute number of oocytes, and 3) lower real absolute fecundity. For two parameters (1 and 3), differences were statistically significant, as predicted. For parameter 2, the difference was as predicted, though not significant. Several studies suggest that changes in life-history traits observed over the progressing invasions of fishes are typical rather than accidental. They appear to be related to the stage of the invasion and closely associated with ontogenetic phenomena (the capability to generate alternative ontogenies). However, ecological factors also play an important role in this process. If the habitat is exposed to permanent disturbances, the established invasive population will probably keep the same life-history traits as at the beginning of the invasion.
ELEMENTOS PARA UMA TIPOLOGIA DO RITMO (LINGÜISTICO) DA FALA A LUZ DE UM MODELO DE OSCILADORES ACOPLADOS

The study of durational patterns of utterances in a language is viewed under the framework of a couple-oscillators dynamical model of speech rhythm production. This model has two main components: a two-coupled-oscillator model (a syllabic and a phrase stress oscillator) and an integrated gestural score specifying the coordination between abstract gestures. The phrase stress oscillator deals with the metrical component of the model by delimitating stress groups, the syllabic oscillator imposes a vowel flow continuum along the entire utterance, and the integrated gestural score is the domain where non-derivational lexical contrasts take place. In the model framework, two techniques allowing the systematisation of rhythm typology research under a dynamical perspective are presented. The first technique is the automatic detection of stress group boundaries from analysis of patterns of syllable-sized durations, and the second is the estimation of model parameters from inversion of the equations describing period coupling.
Sitagliptin: Is It Effective in Routine Clinical Practice?

Aim. The present study was conducted to determine the glycaemic effects of sitagliptin in type 2 diabetes patients. Methods. Data was collected from patient medical records of a major teaching hospital in Malaysia, from 2009 to 2012. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) values prior to and up to 12 months after the initiation of sitagliptin were analysed. The change in HbA1c values was accounted for based on a generalized linear model generated using the Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) method. Results and Discussion. Of the 457 patients, 53.6% were elderly and 81.4% were overweight. The mean HbA1c (standard deviation) before initiation of sitagliptin was 8.5 (1.4)%. This dropped to 7.7 (1.4)%, 3 to 6 months after initiation of sitagliptin, with a mean difference of 0.8% (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.7–1.0; P < 0.001). However, this value increased to 8.0 (1.7)% after 7 to 12 months on sitagliptin (P = 0.002) with a mean difference from baseline of 0.6% (95% CI: 0.4–0.7; P < 0.001). Conclusion. In routine clinical practice, sitagliptin produces a significant reduction in mean HbA1c (0.8%) within the first 6 months of use which corresponds to efficacy data obtained in controlled clinical trials. However, this reduction was lesser, 7 to 12 month later.
DCA wireless networks under high offered loads: the need for bandwidth reservation

Dynamic channel allocation policy (DCA) in wireless networks is known to be better than the fixed channel allocation (FCA) policy from the aspect of the call level QoS such as handoff dropping probability. Because of this superiority the DCA networks are usually designed without the call admission control (CAC). However, given the decrease of cell sizes, together with increasing mobile phone and terminal population, and with the bandwidth requirements of multimedia applications, it is likely to come to the situation when high traffic area size exceeds the area where channel borrowing can ensure bounded QoS. This paper analyses the performance of the DCA networks without the CAC under high intensity traffic and shows that under such conditions DCA network fails to ensure sufficiently low level of QoS. Further, we propose CAC which can stabilize the QoS under high loads and changing traffic conditions. This CAC integrates well with distributed DCA policies.
How to Use a 64-Bit Virtual Address Space

Most operating systems execute programs in private address spaces communicating through messages or les. The traditional private address space model was developed for 16and 32-bit architectures, on which virtual addresses are a scarce resource. The recent appearance of architectures with at 64-bit virtual addressing opens an opportunity to reconsider our use of virtual address spaces. In this paper we argue for an alternative addressing model, in which all programs and data reside in a single global virtual address space shared by multiple protection domains. Hardware-based memory protection exists within the single address space, providing rewalls as strong as in conventional systems. We explore the tradeo s in the use of a global virtual address space relative to the private address space model. We contend that a shared address space can eliminate obstacles to e cient sharing and exchange of data structures that are inherent in private address space systems. The shared address space o ers advantages similar to some capability-based computer systems, but can be implemented on standard page-based hardware, without the performance costs and restricted data model typical of capability-based systems. We introduce Opal, an operating system to support this model on paged 64-bit architectures. The key feature of Opal is a at virtual address space that includes data on long-term storage and across the network.
Towards Correlating Search on Google and Asking on Stack Overflow

Search engines and Question and Answer (Q&A) sites are the two commonly used ways for developers to seek information on the web. In this paper, we ask whether the questions developers ask on Q&A sites correlate with the information developers search for using search engines. We report on our empirical study to investigate the correlations of the 185 popular technical terms developers search on Google and ask on Stack Overflow using search statistics obtained from Google Trends over a 574-weeks span and question statistics derived from Stack Overflow Data Dump over a 300-weeks span. Our study shows that technical terms searched and asked have strong correlation over time. Search and asking of newer, specific technical terms have stronger correlation, compared with older, general technical terms. We have developed a web interface for accessing our dataset and empirical results available at http://comparetrend.appspot. com/. Inspired by our empirical results, we present future directions that can harness Stack Overflow as sampled data for supporting time-aware search and semantic search.
Supervisão, formação de professores e Indisciplina: um estudo baseado na perspectiva de professores estagiários Supervision, Teacher Education and Indiscipline: A study-based on the student teachers perceptions

The purpose of supervision is not to make judgments about teachers’ competences neither to control their work, but work cooperatively with them. Resolution of disciplinary problems is an obstacle that student teachers have to overcome. This study aims at knowing if student teachers receive theoretical and practical training on classroom management and resolution of disciplinary problems in their degrees; identifying problematic situations experienced by student teachers and; identifying situations of individual or collective action constituting the decision-making regarding one or more disciplinary problems in context. As such the qualitative method was used. We conducted eleven interviews with student teachers, from the final year of the degree in Basic School Teachers. Data analysis was done using the technique of content analysis. We concluded that the student teachers do not receive enough theoretical training about classroom management and resolution of disciplinary problems.
A novel shape prior based segmentation of touching or overlapping ellipse-like nuclei

Cell nuclei segmentation is a key issue in automatic cell image analysis for nuclear malignancy. However, due to the complexity of microscopic images, it is usually not easy to obtain satisfied segmentation results, especially on the separation of touching or overlapping nuclei. We propose a method to separate overlapping nuclei whose shapes are similar to ellipses, even if they are tightly clustered and no edge is present where they touch. As a class-specific approach, it introduces a statistical shape model as an extra constraint within the energy functional that measures the homogeneity of regional intensity. The desired contours of each nucleus can be obtained by minimizing this energy functional. The proposed algorithm has been tested on human cervical nuclei images. Experiment results show that our method can separate touching or overlapping ellipse-like nuclei from each other accurately, and the tests on noisy and textured nuclei images also demonstrate its robustness. The resulting segmentation contours are ellipses in different sizes and directions, therefore the shapes of the nuclei have been preserved to a certain degree. The algorithm can be naturally extended to color images, and also has the potential to deal with the separation for overlapping nuclei of other shapes.
Mechanism of photosensitization by microsphere-bound chlorin e6 in human bladder carcinoma cells.

Photodynamic therapy is an experimental method of cancer treatment in which a photosensitizer is administered and subsequently the tumor is irradiated with light. Due to problems of prolonged skin phototoxicity with hematoporphyrin derivative, new photosensitizers and methods of localization are being sought. The goal of this study was to compare the photosensitizer chlorin e6 (Ce6) free and bound to 1-micron-diameter microspheres (MS) for phototoxicity, uptake and efflux characteristics, phagocytosis rates in malignant and benign cells, and effects of NaN3, D2O, and buthionine sulfoximine on phototoxic efficacy. Incubation of MGH-U1 human bladder carcinoma cells with Ce6-MS (0.43 microM Ce6-equivalent; 18 h) and subsequent irradiation using an argon laser-pumped dye laser at a radiant exposure of 20 J/cm2 caused 100% cell death 24 h after irradiation. In contrast, MGH-U1 cells incubated with free Ce6 (0.43 microM; 18 h) remained 100% viable 24 h after irradiation at a radiant exposure of up to 50 J/cm2. The presence of D2O during irradiation increased the phototoxicity to MGH-U1 cells, whereas the presence of NaN3 decreased it; these data support an important role for 1O2. Irradiation of MGH-U1 cells in the presence of the glutathione depleter buthionine sulfoximine also increased the phototoxicity, demonstrating a role for intracellular glutathione and possibly free radical intermediates. The cellular uptake of Ce6 was approximately 50 times lower than that of Ce6-MS at equivalent incubation concentrations. Efflux experiments showed that the phototoxicity of Ce6-MS was reduced by 40% for a 5-h washout time as compared to no washout time. In contrast, for free Ce6, the decrease was 95.3% under identical conditions. Because the total intracellular concentration of Ce6-MS after an efflux time of 5 h was only slightly changed, the decreased phototoxicity is attributed to an altered intracellular localization. Confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy data appear consistent with this hypothesis although they are not conclusive. The observed patterns were different at 0 and 5 h. Comparison of the phagocytosis rates of Ce6-MS by carcinoma and benign cells showed that on average 20 MS/cell were phagocytosed by MGH-U1 compared with 2.5 and 8.3 in the benign human fibroblasts and keratinocytes, respectively. After incubation with Ce6-MS (0.1 microM; 18 h) and irradiation at 10 J/cm2 the surviving fraction of MGH-U1 cells was 76.3 +/- 0.95% (mean +/- SE) and 40 +/- 3.49% for fibroblasts. In contrast, for keratinocytes the surviving fraction was 93.5 +/- 0.83%. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)