Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ADAPTIVE SHAPE PRIOR MODELING VIA ONLINE DICTIONARY LEARNING

“Shape” and “appearance”, the two pillars of a deformable model, complement each other in object segmentation. In many medical imaging applications, while the low-level appearance information is weak or mis-leading, shape priors play a more important role to guide a correct segmentation. The recently proposed Sparse Shape Composition (SSC) 49,51 opens a new avenue for shape prior modeling. Instead of assuming any parametric model of shape statistics, SSC incorporates shape priors on-the-fly by approximating a shape instance (usually derived from appearance cues) by a sparse combination of shapes in a training repository. Theoretically, one can increase the modeling capability of SSC by including as many training shapes in the repository. However, this strategy confronts two limitations in practice. First, since SSC involves an iterative sparse optimization at run-time, the more shape instances contained in the repository, the less run-time efficiency SSC has. Therefore, a compact and informative shape dictionary is preferred to a large shape repository. Second, in medical imaging applications, training shapes seldom come in one batch. It is very time consuming and sometimes infeasible to re-construct the shape dictionary every time new training shapes appear. In this chapter, we introduce an online learning method to address these two limitations. Our method starts from constructing an initial shape dictionary using the K-SVD algorithm. When new training shapes come, instead of re-constructing the dictionary from the ground up, we update the existing one using a block-coordinates descent approach. Using the dynamically updated dictionary, sparse shape composition can be gracefully scaled up to model shape priors from a large number of training shapes without sacrificing run-time efficiency. Our method is validated on lung localization in X-Ray and cardiac segmentation in MRI time series. Compared to the original SSC, it shows comparable performance while being significantly more efficient.
A Neuromorphic Architecture for Object Recognition and Motion Anticipation Using Burst-STDP

In this work we investigate the possibilities offered by a minimal framework of artificial spiking neurons to be deployed in silico. Here we introduce a hierarchical network architecture of spiking neurons which learns to recognize moving objects in a visual environment and determine the correct motor output for each object. These tasks are learned through both supervised and unsupervised spike timing dependent plasticity (STDP). STDP is responsible for the strengthening (or weakening) of synapses in relation to pre- and post-synaptic spike times and has been described as a Hebbian paradigm taking place both in vitro and in vivo. We utilize a variation of STDP learning, called burst-STDP, which is based on the notion that, since spikes are expensive in terms of energy consumption, then strong bursting activity carries more information than single (sparse) spikes. Furthermore, this learning algorithm takes advantage of homeostatic renormalization, which has been hypothesized to promote memory consolidation during NREM sleep. Using this learning rule, we design a spiking neural network architecture capable of object recognition, motion detection, attention towards important objects, and motor control outputs. We demonstrate the abilities of our design in a simple environment with distractor objects, multiple objects moving concurrently, and in the presence of noise. Most importantly, we show how this neural network is capable of performing these tasks using a simple leaky-integrate-and-fire (LIF) neuron model with binary synapses, making it fully compatible with state-of-the-art digital neuromorphic hardware designs. As such, the building blocks and learning rules presented in this paper appear promising for scalable fully neuromorphic systems to be implemented in hardware chips.
Analyzing throughput of power and thermal-constraint multicore processor under NBTI effect

NBTI (Negative Bias Temperature Instability) which can degrade the switching speed of PMOS transistors has become a major reliability challenge. In this paper, we investigate the throughput impact of NBTI on power and thermal-constraint multicore processors and show up to 30% degradation when both process variation and NBIT are considered. Then we evaluate the effectiveness of core rotation, adaptive voltage scaling and adaptive body biasing to improve the throughput of power and thermal constrained multicore processors. Our experimental results demonstrate 11.1% improvement in VDD is sufficient to guarantee throughput after 10-yr NBTI influence when processor variation is not considered. In contract, ABB technique is not able to recover throughput loss caused by NBTI.
Friendships under strain: The work–personal life integration of middle managers

Middle managers in today's organisations have reported experiencing longer working hours and intensified work regimes. These increased pressures, in turn, have led to growing difficulty in addressing the integration of their work and personal lives. In an exploratory study of the daily workplace experiences of Australian middle managers and the impacts on their personal lives, one of the key themes to emerge was respondents’ concerns about the negative effects on their friendships. This paper discusses middle managers’ recognition of the value of friendships for their wellbeing, and the resultant anger and sadness reported at the strain on these relationships due to competing time demands. The significant role that friendships play in alleviating some of the stresses of work demands, while concurrently being impeded by these same demands, is an important issue for organisations to consider. These findings indicate the need for middle managers to truly have an ability to engage in activities – and friendships – which will aid them in their working lives. The study also indicates a need for further investigation into the development and maintenance of friendships for both middle managers and other groups of employees.
Hilbert's space-filling curve for regions with holes

The paper presents a systematic strategy for implementing Hilbert's space filling curve for use in online exploration tasks and addresses its application in scenarios wherein the space to be searched obstacles (or holes) whose locations are not known a priori. Using the self-similarity and locality preserving properties of Hilbert's space filling curve, a set of evasive maneuvers are prescribed and characterized for online implementation. Application of these maneuvers in the case of non-uniform coverage of spaces and for obstacles of varying sizes is also presented. The results are validated with representative simulations demonstrating the deployment of the approach.
Missense Mutations in Exons 18–24 of EGFR in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Tissues

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor, plays important roles in various cancers. In nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC), EGFR mutations cluster around the ATP-binding pocket (exons 18–21) and some of these mutations activate the kinase and induce an increased sensitivity to EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Nevertheless, data of EGFR mutations in HCC are limited. In this study, we investigated EGFR expression by immunohistochemistry and EGFR mutations (exons 18–24) by PCR cloning and sequencing. EGFR overexpression in HCC and matched nontumor tissues were detected in 13/40 (32.5%) and 10/35 (28.6%), respectively. Moreover, missense and silent mutations were detected in 13/33 (39.4%) and 11/33 (33.3%) of HCC tissues, respectively. The thirteen different missense mutations were p.L730P, p.V742I, p.K757E, p.I780T, p.N808S, p.R831C, p.V851A, p.V897A, p.S912P, p.P937L, p.T940A, p.M947V, and p.M947T. We also found already known SNP, p.Q787Q (CAG>CAA), in 13/33 (39.4%) of HCC tissues. However, no significant association was detected between EGFR mutations and EGFR overexpression, tissue, age, sex, tumor size, AFP, HBsAg, TP53, and Ki-67. Further investigation is warranted to validate the frequency and activity of these missense mutations, as well as their roles in HCC tumorigenesis and in EGFR-targeted therapy.
Performance of Mandarin Connected Digit Recognizer with Word Duration Modeling

Digit string recognition is required in many applications such as automatic banking system, database information retrieving system, etc. In order to design a high performance recognizer, duration information is explored in this study. In a Mandarin connected digit recognizer, insertion and deletion errors amount to more than two thirds of the total recognition errors because there exist two monophonemic digits and a heavily rhotacized vowel. A major weakness of conventional Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) is that they implicitly model state durations by a geometric distribution. In order to use duration information more efficiently, we propose a method to model context dependent word duration information and then incorporate it directly in the decoding algorithm. Experimental results show that this method reduces word error rate by as much as 32.1%.
Determination of thermodynamics and kinetics of RNA reactions by force

1. Introduction 326 2. Instrumentation 328 2.1 Instruments to study mechanical properties of RNA 328 2.1.1 AFM 328 2.1.2 Magnetic tweezers 328 2.1. 3 Optical tweezers 330 2.2 Optical trap instrumentation 330 2.3 Calibrations 332 2.3.1 Calibration of trap stiffness 332 2.3.2 Calibration of force 333 2.3. 3 Calibration of distance 334 2.4 Types of experiments 334 2.4.1 Force-ramp 334 2.4.2 Force-clamp or constant-force experiments 335 2.4. 3 Extension-clamp or constant extension experiments 335 2.4. 4 Force-jump, Force-drop 336 2.4. 5 Passive mode 336 3. Thermodynamics 336 3.1 Reversibility 336 3.2 Gibbs free energy 337 3.2.1 Stretching free energy 338 3.2.1.1 Rigid molecules 338 3.2.1.2 Compliant or flexible molecules 339 3.2.2 Free energy of a reversible unfolding transition 339 3.2.3 Free energy of unfolding at zero force 340 3.2.4 Free energy of an irreversible unfolding transition 340 3.2.4.1 Jarzynski's method 341 3.2.4.2 Crooks fluctuation theorem 343 4. Kinetics 345 4.1 Measuring rate constants 345 4.1.1 Hopping 345 4.1.2 Force-jump, Force-drop 347 4.1. 3 Force-ramp 348 4.1. 4 Instrumental effects 350 4.2 Kinetic mechanisms 351 4.2.1 Free-energy landscapes 351 4.2.2 Kinetics of unfolding 353 5. Relating force-measured data to other measurements 354 5.1 Thermodynamics 354 5.2 Kinetics 357 6. Acknowledgements 357 7. References 358 Single-molecule methods have made it possible to apply force to an individual RNA molecule. Two beads are attached to the RNA; one is on a micropipette, the other is in a laser trap. The force on the RNA and the distance between the beads are measured. Force can change the equilibrium and the rate of any reaction in which the product has a different extension from the reactant. This review describes use of laser tweezers to measure thermodynamics and kinetics of unfolding/refolding RNA. For a reversible reaction the work directly provides the free energy; for irreversible reactions the free energy is obtained from the distribution of work values. The rate constants for the folding and unfolding reactions can be measured by several methods. The effect of pulling rate on the distribution of force-unfolding values leads to rate constants for unfolding. Hopping of the RNA between folded and unfolded states at constant force provides both unfolding and folding rates. Force-jumps and force-drops, similar to the temperature jump method, provide direct measurement of reaction rates over a wide range of forces. The advantages of applying force and using single-molecule methods are discussed. These methods, for example, allow reactions to be studied in non-denaturing solvents at physiological temperatures; they also simplify analysis of kinetic mechanisms because only one intermediate at a time is present. Unfolding of RNA in biological cells by helicases, or ribosomes, has similarities to unfolding by force.
Coupled Transmission Lines as Impedance Transformer

A theoretical investigation of the use of a coupled line section as an impedance transformer is presented. We show how to properly select the terminations of the coupled line structures for effective matching of real and complex loads in both narrow and wide frequency ranges. The corresponding circuit configurations and the design procedures are proposed. Synthesis relations are derived and provided for efficient matching circuit construction. Design examples are given to demonstrate the flexibility and limitations of the design methods and to show their validity for practical applications. Wideband matching performance with relative bandwidth beyond 100% and return loss RL > 20 dB is demonstrated both theoretically and experimentally. Good agreement is achieved between the measured and predicted performance of the coupled line transformer section.
Optimization of SPECT-CT Hybrid Imaging Using Iterative Image Reconstruction for Low-Dose CT: A Phantom Study

Background Hybrid imaging combines nuclear medicine imaging such as single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) or positron emission tomography (PET) with computed tomography (CT). Through this hybrid design, scanned patients accumulate radiation exposure from both applications. Imaging modalities have been the subject of long-term optimization efforts, focusing on diagnostic applications. It was the aim of this study to investigate the influence of an iterative CT image reconstruction algorithm (ASIR) on the image quality of the low-dose CT images. Methodology/Principal Findings Examinations were performed with a SPECT-CT scanner with standardized CT and SPECT-phantom geometries and CT protocols with systematically reduced X-ray tube currents. Analyses included image quality with respect to photon flux. Results were compared to the standard FBP reconstructed images. The general impact of the CT-based attenuation maps used during SPECT reconstruction was examined for two SPECT phantoms. Using ASIR for image reconstructions, image noise was reduced compared to FBP reconstructions for the same X-ray tube current. The Hounsfield unit (HU) values reconstructed by ASIR were correlated to the FBP HU values(R2 ≥ 0.88) and the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) was improved by ASIR. However, for a phantom with increased attenuation, the HU values shifted for low X-ray tube currents I ≤ 60 mA (p ≤ 0.04). In addition, the shift of the HU values was observed within the attenuation corrected SPECT images for very low X-ray tube currents (I ≤ 20 mA, p ≤ 0.001). Conclusion/Significance In general, the decrease in X-ray tube current up to 30 mA in combination with ASIR led to a reduction of CT-related radiation exposure without a significant decrease in image quality.
Value invention in data exchange

The creation of values to represent incomplete information, often referred to as value invention, is central in data exchange. Within schema mappings, Skolem functions have long been used for value invention as they permit a precise representation of missing information. Recent work on a powerful mapping language called second-order tuple generating dependencies (SO tgds), has drawn attention to the fact that the use of arbitrary Skolem functions can have negative computational and programmatic properties in data exchange. In this paper, we present two techniques for understanding when the Skolem functions needed to represent the correct semantics of incomplete information are computationally well-behaved. Specifically, we consider when the Skolem functions in second-order (SO) mappings have a first-order (FO) semantics and are therefore programmatically and computationally more desirable for use in practice. Our first technique, linearization, significantly extends the Nash, Bernstein and Melnik unskolemization algorithm, by understanding when the sets of arguments of the Skolem functions in a mapping are related by set inclusion. We show that such a linear relationship leads to mappings that have FO semantics and are expressible in popular mapping languages including source-to-target tgds and nested tgds. Our second technique uses source semantics, specifically functional dependencies (including keys), to transform SO mappings into equivalent FO mappings. We show that our algorithms are applicable to a strictly larger class of mappings than previous approaches, but more importantly we present an extensive experimental evaluation that quantifies this difference (about 78% improvement) over an extensive schema mapping benchmark and illustrates the applicability of our results on real mappings.
Heat shock proteins can be targets of regulatory T cells for therapeutic intervention in rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterised by excessive immune responses resulting in inflammation of the joints. Although current therapies can be successful in dampening inflammation, a long-lived state of tolerance is seldom achieved. Therefore, novel therapies are needed that restore and maintain tolerance in patients with RA. Targeting regulatory T cells (Tregs) is a successful strategy to achieve tolerance, as was shown in studies performed in animal models and in human clinical trials. The antigen-specificity of Tregs is crucial for their effectiveness and allows for very specific targeting of these cells. However, which antigen is suitable for autoimmune diseases such as RA, for which the autoantigens are largely unknown? Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are ubiquitously expressed and can be up-regulated during inflammation. Additionally, HSPs, or HSP-derived peptides are immunogenic and can be recognised by a variety of immune cells, including Tregs. Therefore, this review highlights the potential of HSP-specific Tregs to control inflammatory immune responses. Targeting HSP-specific Tregs in RA can be achieved via the administration of HSPs (derived peptides), thereby controlling inflammatory responses. This makes HSPs attractive candidates for therapeutic intervention in chronic autoimmune diseases, with the ultimate goal of inducing long-lasting tolerance.
The teacher's professionalism in the sociological dimension

The precipitous changes taking place in the country have brought about substantial changes in the economic, sociopolitical, and spiritual foundations of society. As a result, large social groups and communities of people as well as vital social institutions, which also include the system of education, are in a situation of dysadaptation. The crisis in education is chiefly the result of Russian society's attitude toward its own functioning and development, manifested in the policies of the structures of authority, the economy, and frustration among the public.
Ocular effects of changes in oxygen and carbon dioxide tension.

RESPIRATION is a characteristic common to living tissue. The respiration of ocular tissues, as compared with that of other vertebrate tissues, is unique. Retinal energy requirements are such that this tissue has the highest rate of oxygen consumption in the body. In man, an elaborate dual circulatory system meets these needs. Immediately adjacent lies the largest avascular collection of tissues in the body: the vitreous, lens, and cornea. The integrity of these tissues depends upon an unceasing expenditure of energy largely generated by local intracellular oxidation of organic substrates with molecular oxygen. Carbon dioxide is a product of such oxidation. Most ocular diseases are associated with local or distant cellular derangements leading to impaired organ function. Respiration is a basic cell function and oxygen and carbon dioxide are basic elements of this function. A thorough knowledge of the ocular effects of changes in the concentrations of these gases is therefore fundamental to an understanding of ocular disease. It is our purpose to describe a series of experiments in which the ocular effects of manipulating oxygen and carbon dioxide tension are examined. These experiments, performed during the last three years, have aimed at the problems of acute and chronic ischemic ocular disease. It is now clinically possible to obtain blood oxygen tensions as high as 2500 mm Hg (normal, 100 mm Hg) by hyperbaric oxygenation. Initial attempts to oxygenate an acutely ischemic retina by elevating the oxygen tension in the adjacent intact choroidal circulation met with little success.1-3 An experimental program has therefore been undertaken to learn more about the responses of the normal retina to ischemia, hyperoxia, hypercapnia, and hypocapnia. The results of these studies will, we hope, establish a more rational basis for improving oxygen delivery to the retina in patients with both chronic and acute ischemic retinal disease.
Effective and Accurate Processing and Inversion of Airborne Electromagnetic Data

Airborne electromagnetic (AEM) data is used throughout the world for mapping of mineral targets and groundwater resources. The development of technology and inversion algorithms has been tremendously over the last decade and results from these surveys are high-resolution images of the subsurface. In this keynote talk, we discuss an effective inversion algorithm, which is both subjected to intense research and development as well as production. This is the well know Laterally Constrained Inversion (LCI) and Spatial Constrained Inversion algorithm. The same algorithm is also used in a voxel setup (3D model) and for sheet inversions. An integral part of these different model discretization is an accurate modelling of the system transfer function and of auxiliary parameters like flight altitude, bird pitch, etc.
Changes in Leg Strength and Kinematics with Uphill — Downhill Sprint Training

This study examined the effects of an 8-week uphill-downhill sprint training programme on the force generation capacity of leg muscles. Twenty-four university students were randomly allocated to one of two training groups (combined uphill–downhill and horizontal) and a control group. The combined training method produced significant improvements in maximal isometric force (7.1%) and rate of force production (≈ 25%) of the knee flexor muscles (p<0.05). The combined training was also significantly more effective in improving the maximum sprinting speed (5.9%, p<0.05) and associated kinematic variables. In particular, the propulsive phase of contact decreased significantly by 17% (p<0.05) indicating a link between the improved rate of force production during the isometric test and the rate of production of propulsive forces during sprinting. The increased capacity of the leg flexor muscles to generate force appears to contribute to the improvement of sprinting speed perhaps due to a more efficient muscle function during the support phase of the stride.
Design of a 10GHz clock distribution network using coupled standing-wave oscillators

In this paper, a global clock network that incorporates standing waves and coupled oscillators to distribute a high-frequency clock signal with low skew and low jitter is described. The key design issues involved in generating standing waves on a chip are discussed, including minimizing wire loss within an available technology. A standing-wave oscillator, a distributed oscillator that sustains ideal standing waves on lossy wires, is introduced. A clock grid architecture comprised of coupled, standing-wave oscillators and differential, low-swing clock buffers is presented. The measured results for a prototyped standing-wave clock grid operating at 10GHz and fabricated in a 0.18/spl mu/m 6M CMOS logic process are presented. A technique is proposed for on-chip skew measurements with subpicosecond precision.
Endosomal Na+/H+ exchanger NHE5 influences MET recycling and cell migration

The neuron-enriched Na+/H+ exchanger NHE5 is expressed in C6 glioma cells, acidifies recycling endosomes, and modulates cell surface abundance of receptor tyrosine kinases MET and EGFR. NHE5 depletion impairs MET recycling and facilitates degradation, thereby impairing cell migration and polarity.