Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fast gradual matching measure for image retrieval based on visual similarity and spatial relations

In this article, we propose a new method to retrieve images containing a request set of regions. The user is asked to specify a set of regions belonging to a single image. Then this request set of regions is compared to the sets of the regions of the images in the database. We propose a comparison measure that not only evaluates the similarity of regions one to the other, but that also takes into account the spatial configuration of the regions. The spatial structure of the regions is represented by means of fuzzy spatial relations, like horizontal and vertical disposal and connexity. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Int Syst 21: 711–723, 2006.
Interference alignment in multi-user MIMO systems

As a promising technique to obtain optimal degree of freedom (DoF) on multi-user wireless communication systems, interference alignment (IA) has been studied extensively in recent years. The most effective approach of IA is to deploy optima linear transceiver by exploiting spatial characteristics of wireless channels, and it is evaluated in measured multi-input multi-output (MIMO) interference channels. The number of alignment constraints and channel diversity are two main issues faced by IA. Moreover, imperfect, noisy, localized and possibly delayed nature of channel knowledge feedback to the transmitters remains also as the urgent problem to be solved. These challenges have excited ingenious solutions in the implementation of IA schemes. In this work, we present a review of existing techniques for IA in typical multi-user MIMO systems, and on this basis, consider some future research issues related to implement. The study covers IA's feasibility conditions, solution algorithms in MIMO interference channel and MIMO multi-cell networks, with an emphasize on the CSI feedback technology which remains as the major challenge of IA.
Importance of Hyaluronan Metabolism and Signalling in Tumour Progression

The glycosaminoglycan hyaluronan is important in many tissue-repair processes. We have investigated the synthesis of hyaluronan in a panel of cell lines of fibroblastic and epithelial origin in response to PDGF (platelet-derived growth factor)-BB and other growth factors. Human dermal fibroblasts exhibited the highest hyaluronan-synthesizing activity in response to PDGF-BB. Analysis of HAS (hyaluronan synthase) and HYAL (hyaluronidase) mRNA expression showed that PDGF-BB treatment induced a 3-fold increase in the already high level of HAS2 mRNA, and increases in HAS1 and HYAL1 mRNA, whereas the levels of HAS3 and HYAL2 mRNA were not affected. Furthermore, PDGF-BB also increased the amount and activity of HAS2 protein, but not of HYAL1 and HYAL2 proteins. Using inhibitors for MEK 1/2 [MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase)/ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase) kinase 1/2] (U0126) and for PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase) (LY294002), as well as the SN50 inhibitor, which prevents translocation of the active NF-kappa B (nuclear factor KB) to the nucleus, we observed a complete inhibition of both HAS2 transcriptional activity and hyaluronan synthesis, whereas inhibitors of other signalling pathways were without any significant effect. TGF-beta 1 (transforming growth factor-beta 1) did not increase the activity of hyaluronan synthesis in dermal fibroblasts, but increased the activity of HYALs. Imponantly, inhibition of hyaluronan binding to its receptor CD44 by the monoclonal antibody Hennes-1, inhibited PDGF-BB-stimulated [H-3]thymidine incorporation of dermal fibroblasts. We conclude that the ERK MAPK and PI3K signalling pathways are necessary for the regulation of hyaluronan synthesis by PDGF-BB, and that prevention of its binding to CD44 inhibits PDGF-BB-induced cell growth.
Utility-Optimal Random Access for Wireless Multimedia Networks

In this letter, we consider the uplink random access problem in a wireless multimedia network (WMN) with audio, video, and best effort applications. Since these multimedia applications have different quality-of-service (QoS) requirements, we model their utilities with concave, step, and quasi-concave functions. We assume that the access point performs admission control and assigns transmission probabilities to the users for random access, based on solving a non-convex network utility maximization problem. We propose a novel enumeration algorithm to obtain the global optimal solution by solving a number of computationally tractable convex optimization problems. We characterize the total number of iterations of the algorithm analytically. Simulation results show that our proposed algorithm achieves a higher average network aggregate utility than a carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) scheme implemented in a slotted time system.
Nonlinear Effects of the LMS Adaptive Predictor for Chirped Input Signals

This paper investigates the nonlinear effects of the Least Mean Square (LMS) adaptive predictor. Traditional analysis of the adaptive filter ignores the statistical dependence among successive tap-input vectors and bounds the performance of the adaptive filter by that of the finite-length Wiener filter. It is shown that the nonlinear effects make it possible for an adaptive transversal prediction filter to significantly outperform the finite-length Wiener predictor. An approach is derived to approximate the total steady-state Mean Square Error (MSE) for LMS adaptive predictors with stationary or chirped input signals. This approach shows that, while the nonlinear effect is small for the one-step LMS adaptive predictor, it increases in magnitude as the prediction distance is increased. We also show that the nonlinear effect of the LMS adaptive predictor is more significant than that of the Recursive Least Square adaptive predictor.
The design of a defence mechanism to mitigate the spectrum sensing data falsification attack in cognitive radio ad hoc networks

Cognitive radio networks (CRN) address the problem of spectrum scarcity by allowing unlicensed users known as secondary users (SUs) to utilize the unused spectrum band of licensed users known as primary users (PUs) without causing interference to the PUs. However, this results in some security challenges in which malicious SUs report incorrect spectrum observations. This attack is known as the spectrum sensing data falsification (SSDF) attack. In this paper, we investigate the SSDF attack in cognitive radio ad hoc network (CRAHN). We propose an integration of the reputation and the q-out-of-m rule schemes to mitigate the effects of the SSDF attack. The reputation based scheme and the time stamp of the last update of the reputation is used by the SU to determine the trustworthiness of its neighboring nodes based on their past reports. The q-out-of-m rule, in which the final transmission decision is informed by q sensing reports out of m nodes randomly polled. The integrated scheme is implemented in CRAHN where the presence of a data fusion Centre is not required. The proposed scheme is evaluated analytically.
Análise orientada a objetos para a classificação do uso e cobertura da terra do assentamento São José da Boa Morte, RJ.

O uso de tecnicas de sensoriamento remoto para a classificacao do uso e cobertura das terras tem crescido e acompanhado o avanco tecnologico nessa area, devido a oferta de sensores de alta resolucao espacial e metodos para a classificacao digital das imagens. Nesse contexto, a analise de imagem orientada a objetos geograficos (GEOBIA) possibilita explorar atributos da imagem como forma e textura, ao mudar o elemento de classificacao, que passa do pixel para uma regiao homogenea de pixels, aumentando a precisao da classificacao. O objetivo deste trabalho foi aplicar a GEOBIA em uma imagem de alta resolucao espacial para classificar o uso e cobertura da terra em uma area de Mata Atlântica, o Assentamento Rural Sao Jose da Boa Morte, RJ. A segmentacao e a classificacao da imagem foram aplicadas as quatro bandas multiespectrais do satelite World-View II e aos seus principais componentes. O metodo aplicado permitiu identificar os atributos que mais contribuiram para a classificacao, sendo eles: as medias dos PC 2, 3 e 4; o Indice de Vegetacao por Diferenca Normalizada; e a Matriz de Co-ocorrencia de Niveis de Cinza. As areas nao classificadas totalizaram 20%, mostrando a necessidade de prever novos procedimentos para seu melhor desempenho.
A Novel Quantitative Approach for Eliminating Sample-To-Sample Variation Using a Hue Saturation Value Analysis Program

Objectives As computing technology and image analysis techniques have advanced, the practice of histology has grown from a purely qualitative method to one that is highly quantified. Current image analysis software is imprecise and prone to wide variation due to common artifacts and histological limitations. In order to minimize the impact of these artifacts, a more robust method for quantitative image analysis is required. Methods and Results Here we present a novel image analysis software, based on the hue saturation value color space, to be applied to a wide variety of histological stains and tissue types. By using hue, saturation, and value variables instead of the more common red, green, and blue variables, our software offers some distinct advantages over other commercially available programs. We tested the program by analyzing several common histological stains, performed on tissue sections that ranged from 4 µm to 10 µm in thickness, using both a red green blue color space and a hue saturation value color space. Conclusion We demonstrated that our new software is a simple method for quantitative analysis of histological sections, which is highly robust to variations in section thickness, sectioning artifacts, and stain quality, eliminating sample-to-sample variation.
Human melanopsin forms a pigment maximally sensitive to blue light (λmax ≈ 479 nm) supporting activation of Gq/11 and Gi/o signalling cascades

A subset of mammalian retinal ganglion cells expresses an opsin photopigment (melanopsin, Opn4) and is intrinsically photosensitive. The human retina contains melanopsin, but the literature lacks a direct investigation of its spectral sensitivity or G-protein selectivity. Here, we address this deficit by studying physiological responses driven by human melanopsin under heterologous expression in HEK293 cells. Luminescent reporters for common second messenger systems revealed that light induces a high amplitude increase in intracellular calcium and a modest reduction in cAMP in cells expressing human melanopsin, implying that this pigment is able to drive responses via both Gq and Gi/o class G-proteins. Melanopsins from mouse and amphioxus had a similar profile of G-protein coupling in HEK293 cells, but chicken Opn4m and Opn4x pigments exhibited some Gs activity in addition to a strong Gq/11 response. An action spectrum for the calcium response in cells expressing human melanopsin had the predicted form for an opsin : vitamin A1 pigment and peaked at 479 nm. The G-protein selectivity and spectral sensitivity of human melanopsin is similar to that previously described for rodents, supporting the utility of such laboratory animals for developing methods of manipulating this system using light or pharmacological agents.
RAIL: A Case for Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Links in Data Center Networks

While there are many proposals to reduce the cost of data center networks (DCN), little attention has been paid to the role played by the physical links that carry packets. By studying over 300K optical links across many production DCNs, we show that these links are operating quite conservatively relative to the requirements in the IEEE standards. Motivated by this observation, to reduce DCN costs, we propose using transceivers—a key contributor to DCN cost—beyond their currently specified limit. Our experiments with multiple commodity transceivers show that their reach can be “stretched” 1.6 to 4 times their specification. However, with stretching, the performance of 1–5% of the DCN paths can fall below the IEEE standard. We develop RAIL, a system to ensure that in such a network, applications only use paths that meet their performance needs. Our proposal can reduce the network cost by up to 10% for 10Gbps networks and 44% for 40Gbps networks, without affecting the applications’ performance.
Factors That Affect The Acceptance Of New Technologies In The Workplace: A Cross Case Analysis Between UK And Hong Kong

The introduction of a new IT application within an organisation represents change, and the acceptance of such change starts with the individual end users since they are the ones that often resist the newly introduced IT. This research identifies the factors that affect the acceptance of new technologies in the workplace in order to understand better how end-users can influence the successful introduction of IT in academic institutions. We use one Higher Education Institution (HEI) in Hong Kong and one HEI in the UK in order to gather our data and cross analyse the differences between the two countries. Our research shows that the staff at both universities have a high Behavioral Intention (BI) to use new technologies. However, there is no significant difference between the two universities, which means that although there is a general difference in the Hofstede’s cultural dimension scores between the two populations, these dimensions have no effect on the staff who works at these universities.
China’s Water-Saving Irrigation Management System: Policy, Implementation, and Challenge

In response to the increased competition for water, the Chinese government has determined to promote water-saving irrigation (WSI) followed by a range of institutional arrangements and policy goals. Three management mechanisms are analyzed in this study in terms of effectiveness, including the top-down regulation mechanism using direct control or economic instruments, the design-bid funding mechanism mobilizing local governments by competitive grants program, and the bottom-up participation mechanism transferring more irrigation management responsibilities to end-users. Although the WSI management has achieved notable improvements by the combination of different mechanisms, conflicts among different policy goals, uneven distribution of financial resources, and insufficient participation from water users caused the difficulty in aligning stakeholders’ incentives. Approaches are needed to enable sustainable management by coordinating incentives from different stakeholders in the management, as well as incorporating end water users to assist decision-making.
Meta-analysis of metabolome QTLs in Arabidopsis: trying to estimate the network size controlling genetic variation of the metabolome

A central goal of systems biology is to develop models that are both predictive and accurately describe the biological system. One complexity to this endeavor is that it is possible to develop models that appear predictive even if they use far fewer components than the biological system itself uses for the same process. This problem also occurs in quantitative genetics where it is often possible to describe the variation in a system using fewer genes than are actually variable due to the complications of linkage between causal polymorphisms and population structure. Thus, there is a crucial need to begin an empirical investigation into the true number of components that are used by biological systems to determine a phenotypic outcome. In this study, we use a meta-analysis of directly comparable metabolomics quantitative studies using quantitative trait locus mapping and genome wide association mapping to show that it is currently not possible to estimate how many genetic loci are truly polymorphic within Arabidopsis thaliana. Our analysis shows that it would require the analysis of at least a 1000 line bi-parental population to begin to estimate how many polymorphic loci control metabolic variation within Arabidopsis. Understanding the base number of loci that are actually involved in determining variation in metabolic systems is fundamental to developing systems models that are truly reflective of how metabolism is modulated within a living organism.
Privacy-preserving participatory sensing

The proliferation of mobile devices such as smart phones has enabled participatory sensing systems that collect data from users through their mobile devices and infer useful information from the data. However, users have concerns regarding possible privacy leakage from their data and lack incentives to contribute their data. To effectively motivate users to participate, both privacy and incentive issues need to be addressed. In this article, we address how to simultaneously protect privacy and provide incentives for participatory sensing. We review previous approaches, discuss their limitations, and propose new approaches for two types of participatory sensing systems.
Development of tools to prevent food waste: Short Version of the Final Report

In recent years the issue of food waste has received growing attention. In 2011, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) published data about the amount of global food waste which revealed that about 1.3 billion tons per year, or one-third of all food produced globally, is never eaten. At the same time, according to FAO estimates, more than 900 million people suffer chronic hunger. The losses of edible food are a central problem not only for moral and ethical reasons, but also from an environmental perspective. The production and processing of food entail serious environmental impacts which could be reduced significantly by lowering food loss rates. Against this background, the project is the first to deliver a reliable estimate of the environmental impacts that result from losses during production, distribution, and consumption of food for and by the German population. Based on an analysis of existing proposals and further possibilities for binding governmental action, specific measures are proposed that are suitable for effectively reducing relevant food waste and that can be realized by the Federal Environment Ministry in the context of the German Waste Prevention Programme. Development of tools to prevent food waste
Development of SMT-Based Bounded Model Checker for embedded assembly program

Recently, embedded assembly programs have properties dependent on hardware (direct operation of address spaces, memory mapped I/O, interruption, etc.) in the process of development. Thus, demands about the established method of formal verifications corresponding to those properties are increasing from the point of view of shorter development and high reliability. Our work aims at enabling formal verification for embedded software. We propose the detailed verification method with SMT-Based BMC for the Assembly Code Block (ACB). In addition, we have developed the automatic verification. Our method is based on the verification for the assembly program [1] and the verification using SMT-Based BMC for the embedded ANSI-C program [2] [3]. In this paper, we have developed the parser and the model converter for source codes of assembly program (assembly codes). Moreover, we show the validity of our method by experiments.
Molecular and immunogenic features of myelin lipids: incitants or modulators of multiple sclerosis?

Myelin lipids have long been thought to play intriguing roles in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). This review summarizes current understanding of the molecular basis of MS with emphasis on the: (i.) physico-chemical properties, organization and accessibility of the lipids and their distribution within the myelin multilayer; (ii.) characterization of myelin lipid structures, and structure–function relationships relevant to MS mechanisms, and; (iii.) immunogenic and other features of lipids in MS including molecular mimicry, lipid enzyme genetic knockouts, glycolipid-reactive NKT cells, and monoclonal antibody-induced remyelination. New findings associate anti-lipid antibodies with pathophysiological biomarkers and suggest clinical utility. The structure of CD1d-lipid complexed with the lipophilic invariant T cell receptor (iTCR) may be crucial to understanding MS pathogenesis, and design of lipid antigen-specific therapeutics. Novel immuno-modulatory tools for treatment of autoimmune diseases including MS in which there is both constraint of inflammation and stimulation of remyelination are now emerging.
Long-Term Effects of Sectioning the Olivocochlear Bundle in Neonatal Cats

The olivocochlear bundle (OCB) was cut in neonatal cats to evaluate its role in the development of normal cochlear function. Approximately 1 year after deefferentation, acute auditory nerve fiber (ANF) recordings were made from lesioned animals, lesion shams, and normal controls. The degree of deefferentation was quantified via light microscopic evaluation of the density of OCB fascicles in the tunnel of Corti, and selected cases were analyzed via electron microscopy. In the most successful cases, the deefferentation was virtually complete. ANFs from successfully lesioned animals exhibited significant pathophysiology compared with normals and with other animals in which the surgery failed to interrupt the OCB. Thresholds at the characteristic frequency (CF), the frequency at which ANFs are most sensitive, were elevated across the CF range, with maximal effects for CFs in the 10 kHz region. Frequency threshold or tuning curves displayed reduction of tip-to-tail ratios (the difference between CF and low-frequency “tail” thresholds) and decreased sharpness of tuning. These pathological changes are generally associated with outer hair cell (OHC) damage. However, light microscopic histological analysis showed minimal hair cell loss and no significant differences between normal and deefferented groups. Spontaneous discharge rates (SRs) were lower than normal; however, those fibers with the highest SRs remained more sensitive than those with lower SRs. Findings suggest that the interaction between OC efferents and OHCs early in development may be critical for full expression of active mechanical processes.