Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Path Selection and Multipath Congestion Control

In this paper we investigate the potential benefits of coordinated congestion control for multipath data transfers, and contrast with uncoordinated control. For static random path selections, we show the worst-case throughput performance of uncoordinated control behaves as if each user had but a single path (scaling like log(log(N))/log(N) where N is the system size, measured in number of resources). Whereas coordinated control gives a throughput allocation bounded away from zero, improving on both uncoordinated control and on the greedy-least loaded path selection of e.g. Mitzenmacher. We then allow users to change their set of routes and introduce the notion of a Nash equilibrium. We show that with RTT bias (as in TCP Reno), uncoordinated control can lead to inefficient equilibria. With no RTT bias, both uncoordinated or coordinated Nash equilibria correspond to desirable welfare maximising states. Moreover, simple path reselection polices that shift to paths with higher net benefit can find these states.
Thematic review series: Adipocyte Biology. Adipocyte stress: the endoplasmic reticulum and metabolic disease Published, JLR Papers in Press, May 9, 2007.

In the context of obesity and its related maladies, the adipocyte plays a central role in the balance, or imbalance, of metabolic homeostasis. An obese, hypertrophic adipocyte is challenged by many insults, including surplus energy, inflammation, insulin resistance, and considerable stress to various organelles. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is one such vital organelle that demonstrates significant signs of stress and dysfunction in obesity and insulin resistance. Under normal conditions, the ER must function in the unique and trying environment of the adipocyte, adapting to meet the demands of increased protein synthesis and secretion, energy storage in the form of triglyceride droplet formation, and nutrient sensing that are particular to the differentiated fat cell. When nutrients are in pathological excess, the ER is overwhelmed and the unfolded protein response (UPR) is activated. Remarkably, the consequences of UPR activation have been causally linked to the development of insulin resistance through a multitude of possible mechanisms, including c-jun N-terminal kinase activation, inflammation, and oxidative stress. This review will focus on the function of the ER under normal conditions in the adipocyte and the pathological effects of a stressed ER contributing to adipocyte dysfunction and a thwarted metabolic homeostasis.
Synaptic Facilitation and Behavioral Dishabituation in Aplysia: Dependence on Release of Ca2+ from Postsynaptic Intracellular Stores, Postsynaptic Exocytosis, and Modulation of Postsynaptic AMPA Receptor Efficacy

Sensitization and dishabituation of the defensive withdrawal reflex in Aplysia have been ascribed to presynaptic mechanisms, particularly presynaptic facilitation of transmission at sensorimotor synapses in the CNS of Aplysia. Here, we show that facilitation of sensorimotor synapses in cell culture during and after serotonin (5-HT) exposure depends on a rise in postsynaptic intracellular Ca2+ and release of Ca2+ from postsynaptic stores. We also provide support for the idea that postsynaptic AMPA receptor insertion mediates a component of synaptic facilitation by showing that facilitation after 5-HT offset is blocked by injecting botulinum toxin, an exocytotic inhibitor, into motor neurons before application of 5-HT. Using a reduced preparation, we extend our results to synaptic facilitation in the abdominal ganglion. We show that tail nerve shock-induced facilitation of siphon sensorimotor synapses also depends on elevated postsynaptic Ca2+ and release of Ca2+ from postsynaptic stores and recruits a late phase of facilitation that involves selective enhancement of the AMPA receptor-mediated synaptic response. To examine the potential role of postsynaptic exocytosis of AMPA receptors in learning in Aplysia, we test the effect of injecting botulinum toxin into siphon motor neurons on dishabituation of the siphon-withdrawal reflex. We find that postsynaptic injections of the toxin block dishabituation resulting from tail shock. Our results indicate that postsynaptic mechanisms, particularly Ca2+-dependent modulation of AMPA receptor trafficking, play a critical role in synaptic facilitation as well as in dishabituation and sensitization in Aplysia.
Notes on the Precision of Numerical and Volumetric Plankton Estimates from Small‐sample Concentrates1

Standard enumeration and volumetric determination techniques wcrc employed to measure littoral plankton in a shallow prairie lake. Numerical and volumetric estimates were obtained from two-liter water samples which had their plankton (and tripton) content concentrated by means of a continuous-flow centrifuge. Microplankton were enumerated, and their volumes were calculated on a species and total basis employing a two-stage sampling scheme. Distributions of various species in Scdgwick-Rafter ccl1 mounts from four representative samples (containing at least 73 species) were examined. Occurrences of certain forms in the “fields” of Scdgwick-Rafter ccl1 mounts conformed very closely to the Poisson scrics while others dcpartcd significantly, A majority of the latter were adcquatcly iitted by the ncgativc binomial distribution, For illustrative purposes, totals of selected spccics distributed as Poisson and negative binomial were cstimatcd ar;ld assigned confidence limits. The value of the contagion or over-dispersion factor, l/lc, in constructing confidcncc limits was pointed out. In addition, the sample size required to yield an estimate having a spccificd precision was computed for a selected species distributed as Poisson. It was generally concluded that the error of estimated individual species totals usually greatly exceeds the desired level. Hence the size of subsamplc necessary to secure reasonably precise estimates for the numbers of each microplankton species in a given sample conccntrstc would be, as a rule, quite unwieldy. Total microplankton counts per subsample wcrc assumed to be normally distributed. Applications of standard statistical techniques indicated that effrcicncy in the two-stage sampling scheme is most effectively incrcascd by including counts from additional primary sampling units (Sedgwick-Rafter cell mounts). The most practical subsampling ratio from the standpoint of increasing the precision of over-all numerical estimates without expcnding additional time and labor appeared to bc four ccl1 mounts and ten micrometer “fields” per mount. Microplankton volumetric determinations were made employing a “calculated” volume method. The precision of volumetric unit counts for individual species was indeterminable bccausc of the unknown distribution of the volumetric units. A lack of knowledge concerning such contagious distributions precludes a rigorous assessment of the ‘Lcalculated” volume’s utility. Macroplankton were counted and had their volume calculated in a manner similar to that described for the microplankton except that the elementary sampling unit constituted an entire Sedgwick-ltaftcr ccl1 mount. Very adequate numerical and volumetric estimates of individual macroplankton spccics and total macroplankton were secured from counts and measurements in only three cell mounts per sample concentrate. It was determined that had the allowable error of estimate been relaxed to 20 per cent (h) of the true value, on the average, a sample size of only one ccl1 mount would have suffrccd for estimating total macroplankton.
Training-induced compensation versus magnification of individual differences in memory performance

Do individuals with higher levels of task-relevant cognitive resources gain more from training, or do they gain less? For episodic memory, empirical evidence is mixed. Here, we revisit this issue by applying structural equation models for capturing individual differences in change to data from 108 participants aged 9–12, 20–25, and 65–78 years. Participants learned and practiced an imagery-based mnemonic to encode and retrieve words by location cues. Initial mnemonic instructions reduced between-person differences in memory performance, whereas further practice after instruction magnified between-person differences. We conclude that strategy instruction compensates for inefficient processing among the initially less able. In contrast, continued practice magnifies ability-based between-person differences by uncovering individual differences in memory plasticity.
Influence of cross-sectional geometry on the sensitivity and hysteresis of liquid-phase electronic pressure sensors

Cross-sectional geometry influences the pressure-controlled conductivity of liquid-phase metal channels embedded in an elastomer film. These soft microfluidic films may function as hyperelastic electric wiring or sensors that register the intensity of surface pressure. As pressure is applied to the elastomer, the cross-section of the embedded channel deforms, and the electrical resistance of the channel increases. In an effort to improve sensitivity and reduce sensor nonlinearity and hysteresis, we compare the electrical response of 0.25 mm2 channels with different cross-sectional geometries. We demonstrate that channels with a triangular or concave cross-section exhibit the least nonlinearity and hysteresis over pressures ranging from 0 to 70 kPa. These experimental results are in reasonable agreement with predictions made by theoretical calculations that we derive from elasticity and Ohm's Law.
Physiology of thermoregulation in the pika, Ochotona princeps.

The mean body temperature of pika measured by radiotelemetry under field and laboratory conditions was 40.1 °C (range = 37.9–42.7) over an ambient temperature range of −9.3 to 24 °C. The maximum daily fluctuation in any one individual was less than 2.6 °C and no seasonal difference in the level of body temperature maintained was observed. Hyperthermia and death occurred after a 2-h exposure to ambient temperatures higher than 28 °C, inclusive.The basal metabolic rate was 1.53 cc O2/g h and the thermal conductance was between 0.096 and 0.050 cc O2/gh °C, 143% and 101–53%, respectively, of their predicted weight-specific values. The relatively high body temperature of pika is attributed to its high basal metabolic rate and good insulation. The low thermal conductance, which indicates a reduction of energy consumption at ambient temperatures below the lower critical temperature (21 °C), favors the overwinter survival of this species when only limited food storage is available.
Factor graphs for pixelwise illuminant estimation

This paper presents a method to recover the pixel-wise illuminant colour for scenes lit by multiple lights. Here, we start from the image formation process and pose the illuminant recovery task in hand into an evidence combining setting. To do this, we construct a factor graph making use of the scale space of the input image and a set of illuminant prototypes. The computation of these prototypes is data driven and, hence, our method is devoid of libraries or user input. The use of a factor graph allows for the illuminant estimates at different scales to be recovered making use of a maximum a posteriori (MAP) inference process. Moreover, we render the computation of the probability marginals used here as exact by constructing our factor graph making use of a Delaunay triangulation. We illustrate the utility of our method for pixelwise illuminant colour recovery on two widely available datasets and compare against a number of alternatives. We also show sample colour correction results on real-world images.
Overview of received signal strength based fingerprinting localization in indoor wireless LAN environments

In recent years, indoor localization technique is anticipated to play an increasingly important role in our society. In general, the indoor localization techniques include trilateral, triangulation and fingerprinting localization. As an important alternative, fingerprinting localization techniques are extensively studied and applied in the existing localization systems. This paper presents an overview of the fingerprinting localization system based on the received signal strength (RSS) in indoor wireless LAN (WLAN) environments. In particular, we describe the structure of localization system and then analyze the challenges that most existing research works try to deal with. Corresponding solutions and several pattern matching algorithms are also presented. Furthermore, we demonstrate a comparative study of existing fingerprinting localization systems and address the possible directions of future research in indoor localization techniques.
Chemoarchitecture of the middle temporal visual area in the marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus): Laminar distribution of calcium‐binding proteins (calbindin, parvalbumin) and nonphosphorylated neurofilament

We studied the distributions of interneurons containing the calcium‐binding proteins parvalbumin and calbindin D‐28k, as well as that of pyramidal neurons containing nonphosphorylated neurofilament (NNF), in the middle temporal visual area (MT) of marmoset monkeys. The distributions of these classes of cells in MT are distinct from those found in adjacent areas. Similar to the primary visual area (V1), in MT, calbindin‐immunopositive neurons can be objectively classified into “dark” and “light” subtypes based on optical density of stained cell bodies. Calbindin‐positive dark neurons are particularly concentrated in layers 2 and 3, whereas light neurons have a more widespread distribution. In addition, a subcategory of calbindin‐positive dark neuron, characterized by a “halo” of stained processes surrounding the cell body, is found within and around layer 4 of MT and V1. These cells are rare in most other visual areas. In comparison, parvalbumin‐immunopositive cells in area MT have a relatively homogeneous distribution, although with a trend toward higher spatial density in lower layer 3, and are relatively uniform in terms of density of staining. Finally, MT shows a characteristic trilaminar distribution of NNF‐immunopositive pyramidal cells, with stained cell bodies evident in layers 3, 5, and 6. Although the laminar distribution of cells stained for the three markers overlap to some extent, these subcategories can be readily distinguished in terms of morphology, including cell body size. Chemoarchitectural parallels observed between MT and V1 suggest comparable physiological requirements and neuronal circuitry. J. Comp. Neurol. 500:832–849, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Recombinant human erythropoietin is effective in correcting erythropoietin‐deficient anaemia after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

Summary Two children affected by severe aplastic anaemia (SAA) underwent allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) using partially matched family donors. In both cases there was a successful engraftment of donor haemopoietic stem cells. However, after an initial erythropoietic recovery, 5 months following BMT both children became severely anaemic. Although multiple factors were responsible for anaemia, in both cases there was a markedly impaired erythropoietin response to anaemia, as indicated by the inappropriately low levels of serum erythropoietin (EPO). Treatment with recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) induced a sustained erythropoietic response with complete correction of anaemia. This pilot study suggests that rHuEPO can be effective in correcting long‐lasting anaemia after marrow transplantation, characterized by inadequate erythropoietin production.
Strategies to Extend Thrombolytic Time Window for Ischemic Stroke Treatment: An Unmet Clinical Need

To date, reperfusion with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) remains the gold standard treatment for ischemic stroke. However, when tPA is given beyond 4.5 hours of stroke onset, deleterious effects of the drug ensue, especially, hemorrhagic transformation (HT), which causes the most significant morbidity and mortality in stroke patients. An important clinical problem at hand is to develop strategies that will enhance the therapeutic time window for tPA therapy and reduce the adverse effects (especially HT) of delayed tPA treatment. We reviewed the pharmacological agents which reduced the risk of HT associated with delayed (beyond 4.5 hours post-stroke) tPA treatment in preclinical studies, which we classified into those that putatively preserve the blood-brain barrier (e.g., minocycline, cilostazol, fasudil, candesartan, and bryostatin) and/or enhance vascularization and protect the cerebrovasculature (e.g., coumarin derivate IMM-H004 and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor). Recently, other new therapeutic modalities (e.g., oxygen transporters) have been reported which improved delayed tPA-associated outcomes by acting through other mechanisms. While the above-mentioned interventions unequivocally reduced delayed tPA-induced HT in stroke models, the long-term efficacy of these drugs are not yet established. Further optimization is required to expedite their future clinical application. The findings from this review indicate the need to explore the most ideal adjunctive interventions that will not only reduce delayed tPA–induced HT, but also preserve neurovascular functions. While waiting for the next breakthrough drug in acute stroke treatment, it is equally important to allocate considerable effort to find approaches to address the limitations of the only FDA-approved stroke therapy.
Development of a B-factory monolithic active pixel detector-the continuous-acquisition pixel prototypes

Future vertex detection at an upgraded KEK-B factory, currently the highest luminosity collider in the world, will require a detector technology capable of withstanding the increased track density and the larger radiation exposure. Near the beam pipe, the current silicon strip detectors have projected occupancies in excess of 100%. Advances in monolithic active-pixel sensors (MAPS) look very promising to address this problem. These devices are also quite attractive due to the possibility of making them very thin-essential for improved tracking and vertexing in the low-momenta environment of a B-factory. In the context of the Belle vertex detector upgrade, the major obstacles to realizing such a device have been concerns about radiation hardness and readout speed. Two prototypes implemented in the TSMC 0.35 /spl mu/m process have been developed to address these issues. Denoted the continuous-acquisition pixel (CAP), the two variants of this architecture are distinguished in that CAP2 includes an eight-deep sampling pipeline within each 22.5 /spl mu/m/sup 2/ pixel. Experience with this deep submicron process indicates tolerable threshold voltage shifts for ionizing radiation in excess of 20 Mrad. In order to maintain low occupancy and insensitivity to radiation-induced increased leakage current, correlated double sampling with a 10 /spl mu/s frame period is needed. Device description, hit resolution, and irradiation results are presented.
How are stressed prehypertensive rats pressured? Endothelin pleads guilty.

Salt-sensitive hypertension in rodents has been associated now for many years with activation of the endothelin (ET) system. This has been reported in deoxycorticosterone-salt hypertensive rats1 and in genetic forms of hypertension, such as the Dahl salt-sensitive rat.2 However, the involvement of the ET system, as demonstrated by elevation of plasma levels of ET-1, increased tissue concentration of ET-1, or blood pressure–lowering effects of ET antagonists, has been shown when hypertension, often severe, was well established. The same has been suggested for humans, in whom evidence that the ET system was activated was found mostly in stage 2 hypertension,3 and particularly in subjects with salt-sensitive hypertension, such as blacks.4 This has been further affirmed by the recent DORADO (darusentan in resistant hypertension) Trial in resistant hypertension in humans, with a favorable response to an ETA selective receptor blocker.5 However, there have been reports of effective BP lowering by ET blockade in stage 1 hypertension.6 Moreover, a role of the ET system was already described a few years ago in children of hypertensive parents, in whom mental stress evoked a pressor response that was associated with an elevation of circulating ET immunoreactivity.7,8⇓ In the current issue of Hypertension , D'Angelo et al9 …
A SVM and K-means Clustering based Fast and Efficient Intrusion Detection System

The intrusion or attack in the computer network is one of the most important issues creating problems for the network managers. However many countermeasures are taken for the security of the network but continuous growth of hackers requires to maintain the defending system up to data. This paper presents a K-means and support vector machine based intrusion detection system. The support vector machine is optimal partitioning based linear classifier and at least theoretically better other classifier also because only small numbers of classes required during classification SVM with one against one technique can be the best option and the K-means clustering filters the un-useful similar data points hence reduces the training time also hence provides an overall enhanced performance by reducing the training time while maintaining the accuracy. The proposed algorithm is tested using KDD99 dataset and results show the effectiveness of the algorithm. The paper also analyzed the effect of different input parameters on classification accuracy.
Lecture Video Enhancement and Editing by Integrating Posture, Gesture, and Text

This paper describes a novel framework for automatic lecture video editing by gesture, posture, and video text recognition. In content analysis, the trajectory of hand movement is tracked and the intentional gestures are automatically extracted for recognition. In addition, head pose is estimated through overcoming the difficulties due to the complex lighting conditions in classrooms. The aim of recognition is to characterize the flow of lecturing with a series of regional focuses depicted by human postures and gestures. The regions of interest (ROIs) in videos are semantically structured with text recognition and the aid of external documents. By tracing the flow of lecturing, a finite state machine (FSM) which incorporates the gestures, postures, ROIs, general editing rules and constraints, is proposed to edit videos with novel views. The FSM is designed to generate appropriate simulated camera motion and cutting effects that suit the pace of a presenter's gestures and postures. To remedy the undesirable visual effects due to poor lighting conditions, we also propose approaches to automatically enhance the visibility and readability of slides and whiteboard images in the edited videos
Let the Experts Decide? Asymmetric Information, Abstention, and Coordination in Standing Committees

We examine abstention when voters in standing committees are asymmetrically informed and there are multiple pure strategy equilibria-swing voter's curse (SVC) equilibria where voters with low quality information abstain and equilibria when all participants vote their information. When the asymmetry in information quality is large, we find that voting groups largely coordinate on the SVC equilibrium which is also Pareto Optimal. However, we find that when the asymmetry in information quality is not large and the Pareto Optimal equilibrium is for all to participate, significant numbers of voters with low quality information abstain. Furthermore, we find that information asymmetry induces voters with low quality information to coordinate on a non-equilibrium outcome. This suggests that coordination on "letting the experts" decide is a likely voting norm that sometimes validates SVC equilibrium predictions but other times does not.