Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Eikonal-based vertices growing and iterative seeding for efficient graph-based segmentation

In this paper we propose to use the Eikonal equation on graphs for generalized data clustering. We introduce a new potential function that favors the creation of homogeneous clusters together with an iterative algorithm that place seeds vertices at smart locations. Oversegmentation application shows the effectiveness of our approach and gives results comparable to the state-of-the-art methods.
How to Detect Amygdala Activity with Magnetoencephalography using Source Imaging

In trace fear conditioning a conditional stimulus (CS) predicts the occurrence of the unconditional stimulus (UCS), which is presented after a brief stimulus free period (trace interval)1. Because the CS and UCS do not co-occur temporally, the subject must maintain a representation of that CS during the trace interval. In humans, this type of learning requires awareness of the stimulus contingencies in order to bridge the trace interval2-4. However when a face is used as a CS, subjects can implicitly learn to fear the face even in the absence of explicit awareness*. This suggests that there may be additional neural mechanisms capable of maintaining certain types of "biologically-relevant" stimuli during a brief trace interval. Given that the amygdala is involved in trace conditioning, and is sensitive to faces, it is possible that this structure can maintain a representation of a face CS during a brief trace interval. It is challenging to understand how the brain can associate an unperceived face with an aversive outcome, even though the two stimuli are separated in time. Furthermore investigations of this phenomenon are made difficult by two specific challenges. First, it is difficult to manipulate the subject's awareness of the visual stimuli. One common way to manipulate visual awareness is to use backward masking. In backward masking, a target stimulus is briefly presented (< 30 msec) and immediately followed by a presentation of an overlapping masking stimulus5. The presentation of the mask renders the target invisible6-8. Second, masking requires very rapid and precise timing making it difficult to investigate neural responses evoked by masked stimuli using many common approaches. Blood-oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) responses resolve at a timescale too slow for this type of methodology, and real time recording techniques like electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) have difficulties recovering signal from deep sources. However, there have been recent advances in the methods used to localize the neural sources of the MEG signal9-11. By collecting high-resolution MRI images of the subject's brain, it is possible to create a source model based on individual neural anatomy. Using this model to "image" the sources of the MEG signal, it is possible to recover signal from deep subcortical structures, like the amygdala and the hippocampus*.
A Knowledge-Based Approach to the Analysis of Loops

The paper presents a knowledge-based analysis approach that generates first order predicate logic annotations of loops. A classification of loops according to their complexity levels is presented. Based on this taxonomy, variations on the basic analysis approach that best fit each of the different classes are described. In general, mechanical annotation of loops is performed by first decomposing them using data flow analysis. This decomposition encapsulates closely related statements in events, that can be analyzed individually. Specifications of the resulting loop events are then obtained by utilizing patterns, called plans, stored in a knowledge base. Finally, a consistent and rigorous functional abstraction of the whole loop is synthesized from the specifications of its individual events. To test the analysis techniques and to assess their effectiveness, a case study was performed on an existing program of reasonable size. Results concerning the analyzed loops and the plans designed for them are given.
Optical spectroscopy of wide bandgap semiconductor nanoscale structures

The optical properties of GaN nanocolumn structures containing InGaN quantum disks are investigated by optical microphotoluminescence spectroscopy using pulsed lasers, and cathodo- luminescence. The results are analyzed in the context of current theories regarding an inho- mogeneous strain distribution in the disk which has been theorized to generate lateral charge separation in the disks by strain induced band bending, an inhomogeneous polarization field distribution, and Fermi surface pinning. Simulations of the strain distribution for the relevant materials and structures are also performed, and the results analysed. It is concluded from ex- perimental measurements that no extreme lateral separation of carriers occurs in the quantum disks under investigation. Internal field screening by an increased carrier density in the QDisks at higher excitation densities is observed via a blue-shift of the emission and a dynamically changing decay time. Other possible explanations for these effects are discussed and discounted. Microphotoluminescence studies are also carried out on a single GaN nanocolumn struc- ture that has been removed from its growth substrate and dispersed onto a patterned grid. An analysis of the dynamics of the carriers in the nanocolumn is presented. Suppression of the GaN luminescence from the area of the column in the vicinity of the InGaN QDisk in addition to a delayed emission from the QDisk relative to the GaN is observed. Time resolved spatial maps of the luminescence intensity from the column are also presented, illustrating the evolution of the carrier density in the system. Additional, albeit early-stage, work on novel structures based on the production of GaN nanocolumns, namely nanotubes and nanopyramids, is also presented.
Myosin 1c Participates in B Cell Cytoskeleton Rearrangements, Is Recruited to the Immunologic Synapse, and Contributes to Antigen Presentation

Myosin 1c (Myo1c) is a member of the unconventional class I myosins of vertebrates, which directly link the plasma membrane with the microfilament cortical web. Although this molecular motor has been implicated in cell functions such as cytoskeleton organization, cell motility, nuclear transcription, and endocytosis, its role in hematopoietic cells is largely unknown. In this study, we show that Myo1c is abundantly expressed in murine B lymphocytes and is preferentially located at the plasma membrane, especially in peripheral processes such as microvilli. We observed that this motor concentrates at the growing membrane protrusions generated during B cell spreading and that it is actively recruited to the immune synapse. Interestingly, Myo1c was detected in lipid rafts of B cells and showed strong colocalization with MHC-II, particularly after cross-linking of these molecules. By transfection of a dominant negative form of Myo1c or specific siRNA, we also detected alterations in the spreading and Ag-presenting ability of these cells. The data suggest that Myo1c is involved in the cytoskeleton dynamics and membrane protein anchoring or sorting in B lymphocytes.
Reproductive Tactics of Sexes and Fitness in the Dragonfly, Diastatops obscura

Abstract The sexual selection strategies of territorial Odonata that do not present courtship behavior is still not completely understood, especially the role of the females. Diastatops obscura Fabricius (Odonata: Libellulidae) females participate in mate selection in a passive manner, allowing copulation with the first male that captures them and afterwards choosing whether to oviposit or not. This study introduces the idea of female passive choice as an adaptative tactic in intersexual selection. Also discussed is the adaptative value of this tactic and its flexibility according to environmental conditions and reproductive strategies adopted by the males. A natural population of Diastatops obscura was observed in the Pitimbu River of northeast Brazil. Focal continuous and ad libitum techniques were used to record attempted copulation, copulation, and oviposition behavior, in addition to registering male territoriality. An estimate of individual reproductive success (IRS) was obtained by recording 187 reproductive events. Territorial males, mainly occupying areas near the river margin, achieved greater copulation and oviposition success (IRS = 0.371) than did satellite males (IRS = 0.028). Females that copulated with territorial males experienced, for the most part, only one copulation and oviposition event, while those that copulated with satellite males fled or performed a second copulation with a territorial male. Thus, the best tactic adopted by the D. obscura males was to occupy a territory providing the greatest access to females, while the females used passive choice for fitness optimization.
Long-term exposure to traffic emissions and fine particulate matter and lung function decline in the Framingham heart study.

RATIONALE Few studies have examined associations between long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and lung function decline in adults. OBJECTIVES To determine if exposure to traffic and PM2.5 is associated with longitudinal changes in lung function in a population-based cohort in the Northeastern United States, where pollution levels are relatively low. METHODS FEV1 and FVC were measured up to two times between 1995 and 2011 among 6,339 participants of the Framingham Offspring or Third Generation studies. We tested associations between residential proximity to a major roadway and PM2.5 exposure in 2001 (estimated by a land-use model using satellite measurements of aerosol optical thickness) and lung function. We examined differences in average lung function using mixed-effects models and differences in lung function decline using linear regression models. Current smokers were excluded. Models were adjusted for age, sex, height, weight, pack-years, socioeconomic status indicators, cohort, time, season, and weather. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Living less than 100 m from a major roadway was associated with a 23.2 ml (95% confidence interval [CI], -44.4 to -1.9) lower FEV1 and a 5.0 ml/yr (95% CI, -9.0 to -0.9) faster decline in FEV1 compared with more than 400 m. Each 2 μg/m(3) increase in average of PM2.5 was associated with a 13.5 ml (95% CI, -26.6 to -0.3) lower FEV1 and a 2.1 ml/yr (95% CI, -4.1 to -0.2) faster decline in FEV1. There were similar associations with FVC. Associations with FEV1/FVC ratio were weak or absent. CONCLUSIONS Long-term exposure to traffic and PM2.5, at relatively low levels, was associated with lower FEV1 and FVC and an accelerated rate of lung function decline.
Grand unification through gravitational effects

We systematically study the unification of gauge couplings in the presence of (one or more) effective dimension-5 operators cHG(mu v)G(mu v)/4M(pl), induced into the grand unified theory by gravitational interactions at the Planck scale. These operators alter the usual condition for gauge-coupling unification, which can, depending on the Higgs content H and vacuum expectation value, result in unification at scales M-X significantly different than naively expected. We find nonsupersymmetric models of SU(5) and SO(10) unification, with natural Wilson coefficients c, that easily satisfy the constraints from proton decay. Furthermore, gauge-coupling unification at scales as high as the Planck scale seems feasible, possibly hinting at simultaneous unification of gauge and gravitational interactions. In the Appendix we work out the group theoretical aspects of this scenario for SU(5) and SO(10) unified groups in detail; this material is also relevant in the analysis of nonuniversal gaugino masses obtained from supergravity.
Prognostic factors in oral cavity and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

The survival of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains unaffected despite recent therapeutic advances. To reverse this trend, reliable and clinically applicable markers of tumor aggressiveness must be identified. One such marker may be the tumor‐associated macrophage content. The authors hypothesized that tumor‐associated macrophages contribute to HNSCC aggressiveness, and the objective of the current study was to prove this hypothesis using mRNA expression analysis and a large cohort of clinical specimens.
Multiband UWB transceivers

This paper presents the design of UWB transceivers from both system-level and circuit-level perspectives. Following a detailed analysis of the impact of RF imperfections on the performance of the system, we review a number of transceiver and synthesizer architectures that can satisfy the MBOA UWB standard requirements. Next, we describe a new transceiver architecture that accommodates, with three PLLs, the 12 bands specified by the recent MBOA proposal. We also present CMOS circuit techniques for UWB receivers and transmitters and demonstrate a new upconversion path for transmitters that achieves high linearity and low power dissipation. Packaging and testing aspects of the design are also summarized.
Adaptive potential of ash (Fraxinus excelsior) populations against the novel emerging pathogen Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus

An emerging infectious pathogen Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus has spread across much of Europe within recent years causing devastating damage on European common ash trees (Fraxinus excelsior) and associated plant communities. The present study demonstrates the presence of additive genetic variation in susceptibility of natural F. excelsior populations to the new invasive disease. We observe high levels of additive variation in the degree of susceptibility with relatively low influence of environmental factors (narrow‐sense heritability = 0.37–0.52). Most native trees are found to be highly susceptible, and we estimate that only around 1% has the potential of producing offspring with expected crown damage of <10% under the present disease pressure. The results suggest that the presence of additive genetic diversity in natural F. excelsior populations can confer the species with important ability to recover, but that low resistance within natural European populations is to be expected because of a low frequency of the hypo‐sensitive trees. Large effective population sizes will be required to avoid genetic bottlenecks. The role of artificial selection and breeding for protection of the species is discussed based on the findings.
An Improved Bound on the Sizes of Matchings Guaranteeing a Rainbow Matching

A conjecture by Aharoni and Berger states that every family of $n$ matchings of size $n+1$ in a bipartite multigraph contains a rainbow matching of size $n$. In this paper we prove that matching sizes of $(3/2 + o(1)) n$ suffice to guarantee such a rainbow matching, which is asymptotically the same bound as the best known one in case we only aim to find a rainbow matching of size $n-1$. This improves previous results by Aharoni, Charbit and Howard, and Kotlar and Ziv.
A Nonlinear Model for the Operation of Fiber Optical Parametric Oscillators in the Steady State

In contrast to fiber optical parametric amplification, theoretical studies on the dynamics of fiber optical parametric oscillation are rare. In this letter, we propose a precise nonlinear model to predict the saturation gain and the output power of a fiber optical parametric oscillator (FOPO) in the steady state. This model utilizes the sinusoidal-input describing function as a quasi-linear approximation of the nonlinear dynamics of parametric amplification. To complete the nonlinear model of a FOPO, a model for the linear part of the FOPO cavity is established, and then the block diagram of a FOPO is derived. Based on this block diagram and the related transfer function, a graphical approach to attain the saturation gain and output power is introduced. In addition, a simplified graphical approach and a theoretical upper bound for the output power are investigated. Finally, the proposed model is experimentally verified, in which the theory is in agreement with the experiment.
A Glimpse into the Cultural Situatedness of Computer Science: Some Insights from a Pilot Study

To what extent is students' understanding of computer science culturally situated? This, possibly philosophical question, has come to the surface at Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden, where many Chinese students study computer science together with the local students. We did an exploratory study using email interviews to see if our intuitions could be relied on. We collected data from Chinese students studying in master programs and analysed the data using a phenomenographic perspective. A complex intertwined relationship between the content of their learning (the WHAT), the ways in which they went about studying (the HOW), the aims of their studies (the WHY), and the competencies developed from the intercultural context they studied in (the WHERE) was observed. In this paper we offer some insights from the results of the pilot study and discuss how they have shaped our on-going study in the field.
Development and Applications of Terahertz Near-Field Microscopes for Surface Plasmon Imaging

The confined nature of surface plasmons (SPs) often imposes challenges on their experimental detection and makes specific near-field probes necessary. While various SP detection methods have been developed in the optical domain, only a few examples of SP imaging have been reported in the terahertz range. In this thesis, specific problems of current terahertz near-field detection systems have been addressed which has led to the development of two new SP imaging methods. In the first method, SP imaging is demonstrated using the integrated subwavelength aperture near-field probe. The photoconductive antenna inside the probe is sensitive to the SP electric-field despite the orthogonal spatial orientation between the antenna and the SP polarisation. This enables SP imaging directly on a metallic surface employing a photoconductive antenna. This unexpected sensitivity has been applied to SP imaging in two examples: first, the SP propagation has been imaged on a resonant THz bow-tie antenna and second, the SP excitation by a strongly focused terahertz beam directly on the metallic probe surface has been investigated. The second method presents an electro-optic micro-resonator for SP imaging. A micro-resonator structure has the potential to provide a better sensitivity and spatial resolution, as well as a lower level of invasiveness compared to bulk crystals, which are commonly used in terahertz near-field systems. The micro-resonator design is explained in detail and the impact of the micro-resonator geometry on the probe performance is discussed. This micro-resonator has then been fabricated and embedded into an electro-optic detection system. This detection system has been fully characterised with the focus on two functional units which are essential for its performance: a tapered parallel plate waveguide for broadband terahertz transmission and the balanced detector for noise reduction. The overall performance of the detection system has been evaluated for its use as a terahertz near-field microscope.
Radiation induced depassivation of latent plasma damage

The radiation impact on antenna devices can give new insights on basic mechanisms underlying the latent plasma damage nature and radiation hardness of commercial CMOS technologies for space applications. When MOS structures are exposed to ionizing radiation, electron-hole (e/sup -/-h/sup +/) pairs are created along the track of the incident particle. Some fraction of these e/sup -/-h/sup +/ pairs will recombine, and that fraction is a function of the oxide material, the kind of radiation, and the applied oxide electric field. In general, thinner oxides are less prone to radiation effects than thicker ones; applied bias permits to investigate (modulate) the trap creation in the bulk oxide and at the interface. In this study X-rays and e-beam sources have been considered. Although an e-beam LINAC with 8 MeV electrons is a standard source for radiation hardness characterization, its use is difficult for irradiating wafer with a large diameter. On the other side, fully automated protestations with X-ray tubes are commercially available. As a fair comparison, for a given dose and SiO/sub 2/ oxide technology, X-rays usually have a larger detrimental impact on MOSFET I-V characteristics with respect to the e-beam. Electrical stresses reactivate the latent plasma damage as well as ionizing radiation, but fewer studies have addressed the latter aspect and most of them date back to the older MOS technologies of the 70's and 80's. More recently, plasma damage reactivation in a 17.5- nm oxide due to ionizing, radiation has been addressed. The rapid evolution of plasma equipments and MOS technologies, such as the reduction of the gate oxide thickness well below 10 nm and the increase of the metal levels, suggests extending this investigation to more recent CMOS generations. This has been the purpose of this work, which is concentrated on the latent damage reactivation induced by ionizing radiation on a commercial 0.35 /spl mu/m (t/sub ox/=7 nm) CMOS technology.
TRP channel activation by reversible covalent modification

Allyl isothiocyanate, the pungent principle of wasabi and other mustard oils, produces pain by activating TRPA1, an excitatory ion channel on sensory nerve endings. Isothiocyanates are membrane-permeable electrophiles that form adducts with thiols and primary amines, suggesting that covalent modification, rather than classical lock-and-key binding, accounts for their agonist properties. Indeed, we show that thiol reactive compounds of diverse structure activate TRPA1 in a manner that relies on covalent modification of cysteine residues within the cytoplasmic N terminus of the channel. These findings suggest an unusual paradigm whereby natural products activate a receptor through direct, reversible, and covalent protein modification.
Early Surgical Intervention following Inguinal Hernia Repair with Severe Postoperative Pain

Introduction Severe postoperative pain is an important risk factor for onset of chronic inguinal pain following inguinal hernia repair. All measures must be taken to eliminate postoperative pain. Materials and methods This case report highlights the problems of severe postoperative pain following transabdominal preperitoneal patch plasty (TAPP) inguinal hernia repair and describes a systematic treatment path that may include surgical intervention. Results Following TAPP operation for lateral inguinal hernia, this patient who had been operated on in an external hospital still experienced intense, stabbing inguinal pain on postoperative day 7 during movement, despite optimal pain treatment. Diagnostic examination did not reveal any findings of note. The surgical report documented that the surgeon had used metallic tacks for mesh fixation, i.e., at the pectineal line of the pubic bone, pubic symphysis, upper margin of the mesh, and for closure of the peritoneum. During surgical revision on postoperative day 7, eight tacks and the mesh were removed and, following further dissection, a new mesh was placed and fixed with glue. The patient’s intense stabbing pain resolved immediately after surgery. Conclusion Since the results of late intervention for chronic inguinal pain are anything but satisfactory, early surgical intervention should be considered for patients with severe postoperative pain >3 days of suspected surgical origin.