Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Field-warp registration for biomedical high-resolution thermal infrared images

Biomedical protocols based on thermal infrared images often require effective image registration. Algorithms specifically designed for registration of thermal images are hardly available and use of algorithms designed for other imaging techniques may result poorly reliable. In fact, registration algorithms developed for other biomedical images often require rigid-body assumption or limited range for intensity values. Such assumption may not be applicable for human body thermal images. Therefore, we present here an adaptation of a field-warp based method as a possible solution for thermal image registration. The method was applied for registering images taken from an experimental protocol aimed at comparing total body skin temperature distribution in natural or altered posture. The method appears to be effective into providing a reliable tool for objective intra and inter individual skin temperature distribution comparisons
Proteome Analysis of the Wild and YX-1 Male Sterile Mutant Anthers of Wolfberry (Lycium barbarum L.)

Pollen development is disturbed in the early tetrad stage of the YX-1 male sterile mutant of wolfberry (Lycium barbarum L.). The present study aimed to identify differentially expressed anther proteins and to reveal their possible roles in pollen development and male sterility. To address this question, the proteomes of the wild-type (WT) and YX-1 mutant were compared. Approximately 1760 protein spots on two-dimensional differential gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) gels were detected. A number of proteins whose accumulation levels were altered in YX-1 compared with WT were identified by mass spectrometry and the NCBInr and Viridiplantae EST databases. Proteins down-regulated in YX-1 anthers include ascorbate peroxidase (APX), putative glutamine synthetase (GS), ATP synthase subunits, chalcone synthase (CHS), CHS-like, putative callose synthase catalytic subunit, cysteine protease, 5B protein, enoyl-ACP reductase, 14-3-3 protein and basic transcription factor 3 (BTF3). Meanwhile, activities of APX and GS, RNA expression levels of apx and atp synthase beta subunit were low in YX-1 anthers which correlated with the expression of male sterility. In addition, several carbohydrate metabolism-related and photosynthesis-related enzymes were also present at lower levels in the mutant anthers. In contrast, 26S proteasome regulatory subunits, cysteine protease inhibitor, putative S-phase Kinase association Protein 1(SKP1), and aspartic protease, were expressed at higher levels in YX-1 anthers relative to WT anthers. Regulation of wolfberry pollen development involves a complex network of differentially expressed genes. The present study lays the foundation for future investigations of gene function linked with wolfberry pollen development and male sterility.
Surgical site infection prevention: how we do it.

BACKGROUND Efforts to prevent surgical site infection (SSI) employ methods that are valid scientifically, but each institution and each surgeon also incorporates methods believed to be useful although this has not been proved by clinical trials. METHODS The surgical literature was reviewed, as were practices at the University of Virginia that the authors believe are of value for the prevention of SSI. RESULTS Preventive antibiotics are established measures. A case can be made for increasing the dose in patients with a large body mass, and antibiotics probably should be re-administered during procedures lasting longer than 3 h. Chlorhexidine showers for the patient are not proven; however, they are inexpensive and of potential benefit. Hair removal is always done with clippers and in the operating room at the time of the procedure. No scientific case can be made specifically for using antiseptic at the surgical site before the incision. Keeping the blood glucose concentration and the core body temperature near normal probably are important, but how close to normal is unclear. Transfusion enhances SSI, but leukocyte reduction of transfused blood may be of benefit. Some evidence supports the value of antibacterial suture in preventing SSI. CONCLUSIONS Many proven and potentially valid methods are employed to prevent SSI. Coordinated and standardized protocols with good data collection can assist the multi-disciplinary efforts to reduce SSI within the unique practices of a given institution.
RF-spectrum opportunities for cognitive radio networks operating over GSM channels

In this paper we characterize the radio frequency (RF) spectrum opportunities available in a common GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) channel to support the operation of a cognitive radio network (CRN). In a first step, we describe the technical details involved to sample the channel using a Software Defined Radio (SDR) device. Adopting a simple Energy-based detector, we identify the two energy regions where the GSM system is active or inactive. Based on the output of the detector, we show that the distribution of the durations of busy and idle periods are approximated by geometric distributions. Finally, we validate a theoretical model for the distribution of the service time. The validation results indicate that the service time can be successfully represented by a discrete Generalized Pareto (dGP) distribution, which is confirmed by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Because the throughput of the CRN is represented by the inverse of the service time, the proposed analysis provides an upper bound for the networks' throughput, indicating the maximum throughput that can be attained when a single SU transmits over a GSM cellular channel. The results presented in the paper are validated with real data, confirming the accuracy of the proposed service time model.
Interactive Modeling and Authoring of Climbing Plants

We present a novel system for the interactive modeling of developmental climbing plants with an emphasis on efficient control and plausible physics response. A plant is represented by a set of connected anisotropic particles that respond to the surrounding environment and to their inner state. Each particle stores biological and physical attributes that drive growth and plant adaptation to the environment such as light sensitivity, wind interaction, and physical obstacles. This representation allows for the efficient modeling of external effects that can be induced at any time without prior analysis of the plant structure. In our framework we exploit this representation to provide powerful editing capabilities that allow to edit a plant with respect to its structure and its environment while maintaining a biologically plausible appearance. Moreover, we couple plants with Lagrangian fluid dynamics and model advanced effects, such as the breaking and bending of branches. The user can thus interactively drag and prune branches or seed new plants in dynamically changing environments. Our system runs in real‐time and supports up to 20 plant instances with 25k branches in parallel. The effectiveness of our approach is demonstrated through a number of interactive experiments, including modeling and animation of different species of climbing plants on complex support structures.
Enhancing Accuracy of Multilabel Classification by Extracting Hierarchies

A novel algorithm of extracting hierarchies with the maximal F-measure for improving multilabel classification performance, the PHOCS, builds Predicted Hierarchy Of Classifiers. Nodes contain classifiers, and each intermediate node corresponds to a set of labels, and a leaf node to a single label. Any classifier in the extracted hierarchy deals with a considerably smaller set of labels as compared to the number L of labels, and with a more balanced training distribution. This leads to an improved classification performance. Our method has linear training and logarithmic testing complexity with respect to L. The experiment was conducted on 4 multilabel datasets and it has confirmed the effectiveness of the PHOCS algorithm.
On How To Measure Managerial and Organizational Capabilities: Multi‐Item Models for Measuring Distinctive Competences

This paper specifies how to construct and validate an instrument based on multi‐item scales for the cataloguing and measurement of managerial and organizational capabilities on the basis of management perceptions. The construction and reduction of the scales have been reinforced by the Delphi and retesting techniques. The use of this methodology was illustrated in a sample of Spanish industrial firms. The paper enhances the value of the instruments for a resource‐based view with regard to the faithful and rigorous measurement of its key concept, distinctive competences. The scales created provide consistent empirical evidence to remove doubts surrounding managerial self‐evaluation, including those arising from problems of self‐esteem and reinforcement effects. In addition, the paper provides empirical evidence to support the predictive ability of distinctive competences on current and long‐term performance variability.
Intraspecific variation in the thermal plasticity of mitochondria in killifish

SUMMARY Populations of the Atlantic killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) inhabit salt marshes and estuaries along the eastern coast of North America from Newfoundland to northern Florida, and are thus exposed to a large range of temperatures. Previous studies have shown higher whole-organism metabolic rates in the northern subspecies (F. h. macrolepidotus) compared with the southern subspecies (F. h. heteroclitus) of these fish. Here, we examine phenotypic plasticity in the response to cold temperatures between the two subspecies by acclimating fish to 5, 15 and 25°C and comparing several mitochondrial and muscle properties. The relative area of oxidative muscle versus glycolytic muscle fibers was greater in the northern subspecies at the 5 and 15°C acclimation temperatures. However, there were no differences in capillary density between the two subspecies or at different temperatures. Mitochondrial volume and surface densities increased in response to cold temperature acclimation in red and white muscle, but only in the northern killifish. Citrate synthase activities also increased in the northern killifish at 5 and 15°C. The ratio of calculated [free ADP] to [ATP] increased in the 5°C acclimated southern killifish but not in the northern killifish at 5°C when compared with the 15°C acclimation group, suggesting that there are differences in adenylate signaling for mitochondrial respiration between subspecies at low temperature. Taken together, our data indicate that the northern subspecies have a greater ability to increase mitochondrial capacity at colder temperatures compared with the southern subspecies, providing one of the few examples of intraspecific variation in phenotypic plasticity in mitochondrial amount in response to cold temperatures.
Molecular basis of organ fibrosis: Potential therapeutic approaches

Fibrosis, a non-physiological wound healing in multiple organs, is associated with end-stage pathological symptoms of a wide variety of vascular injury and inflammation related diseases. In response to chemical, immunological and physical insults, the body’s defense system and matrix synthetic machinery respond to healing the wound and maintain tissue homeostasis. However, uncontrolled wound healing leads to scarring or fibrosis, a pathological condition characterized by excessive synthesis and accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins, loss of tissue homeostasis and organ failure. Understanding the actual cause of pathological wound healing and identification of igniter(s) of fibrogenesis would be helpful to design novel therapeutic approaches to control pathological wound healing and to prevent fibrosis related morbidity and mortality. In this article, we review the significance of a few key cytokines (TGF-β, IFN-γ, IL-10) transcriptional activators (Sp1, Egr-1, Smad3), repressors (Smad7, Fli-1, PPAR-γ, p53, Klotho) and epigenetic modulators (acetyltransferase, methyltransferases, deacetylases, microRNAs) involved in major matrix protein collagen synthesis under pathological stage of wound healing, and the potentiality of these regulators as therapeutic targets for fibrosis treatment. The significance of endothelial to mesenchymal transition (EndMT) and senescence, two newly emerged fields in fibrosis research, has also been discussed.
WLAN scanning strategies for RSSI-based positioning

We present a novel scanning algorithm to enable mobile units to obtain measurements from surrounding access points for indoor positioning using the wireless local area network (WLAN) infrastructure. Our scanning algorithm adapts to minimize its impact on network throughput and battery power consumption while meeting a target positioning accuracy. This is achieved by using a learning procedure that dynamically adapts the parameters of the WLAN scanning procedure. Further, we show static algorithms that do not consider high-traffic scenarios will not only fail to meet positioning accuracy targets, but they also severely degrade network throughput.
Problem-Based Learning: Providing Students the Opportunity to Solve Real-World Industry Problems in the Safety of the Classroom

The heart and soul of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is the problem. Conceptualizing problems that can be digested by students is another matter altogether; it takes an inordinate amount of time and effort to write just one. Worse still, one is hard pressed to find a bank of problems that can be referenced to cut the time it takes to write them unless teaching a health- or sciences-related course. This article describes a technique that was developed to condense the time it was taking to write problems for an undergraduate hospitality and tourism sales course. The technique involves inviting industry professionals into the classroom to personally share a sales-related problem that their business is experiencing. Student teams then develop their proposals and submit them to the client who then ranks (for grading purposes) and returns them to the students. This technique has been a tremendous benefit to students because it gives them a chance to work on real-world, industry-related problems in the safety of the classroom.
Prevalence and Diversity of Small Mammal-Associated Bartonella Species in Rural and Urban Kenya

Several rodent-associated Bartonella species are human pathogens but little is known about their epidemiology. We trapped rodents and shrews around human habitations at two sites in Kenya (rural Asembo and urban Kibera) to determine the prevalence of Bartonella infection. Bartonella were detected by culture in five of seven host species. In Kibera, 60% of Rattus rattus were positive, as compared to 13% in Asembo. Bartonella were also detected in C. olivieri (7%), Lemniscomys striatus (50%), Mastomys natalensis (43%) and R. norvegicus (50%). Partial sequencing of the citrate synthase (gltA) gene of isolates showed that Kibera strains were similar to reference isolates from Rattus trapped in Asia, America, and Europe, but that most strains from Asembo were less similar. Host species and trapping location were associated with differences in infection status but there was no evidence of associations between host age or sex and infection status. Acute febrile illness occurs at high incidence in both Asembo and Kibera but the etiology of many of these illnesses is unknown. Bartonella similar to known human pathogens were detected in small mammals at both sites and investigation of the ecological determinants of host infection status and of the public health significance of Bartonella infections at these locations is warranted.
Perceived Age and Perceived Physical Attractiveness

The purpose of the present study was to determine if there exists an inverse relationship between perceived age and perceived physical attractiveness, i.e., are older faces evaluated as less attractive? Four groups of 15 subjects were studied: adult males and females (aged 31 to 38 yr., M = 34.53 yr.), adolescent males and females (aged 14 to 16 yr., M = 14.63 yr.). Subjects were given written instructions asking them to arrange two sets of photographs, male and female, according to physical attractiveness and then according to age. Perceived age and perceived physical attractiveness were negatively correlated (rho = –.91, p < .01), i.e., as perceived age increased perceived attractiveness decreased. Differences in rankings by 30 male vs 30 female subjects and by 30 adolescent vs 30 adult subjects were not significant. However, there was greater agreement among the adolescent females than among members of the other groups for rankings of both males' attractiveness and females' age. All subjects showed greater agreement for what constitutes females' physical attractiveness than for what constitutes males' physical attractiveness.
‘A Feeling of Being Connected’: Friendships between People with and without Learning Difficulties

ABSTRACT Recently, programmatic attempts to encourage close ties between people with learning difficulties and typical citizens have increased. It is believed that such relationships will extend the assimilation of people with learning difficulties into society. The researcher presents the perspectives of four pairs of friends about the meaning of their friendships. The informants shared similar ideas and expectations about the characteristics of friendship in general. These included its mutual, exclusive, and voluntary nature; the rights, obligations, and responsibilities of friends to each other; and the positive regard or affection found between friends. Despite efforts on the part of service providers to support the development of friendship between people with and without learning difficulties, the biggest barriers for the individuals in this study were the practices of the human service system, which curtailed opportunities for people which would have promoted the development and maintenance of frie.
New Route to Three‐Dimensional Photonic Bandgap Materials: Silicon Double Inversion of Polymer Templates

cient refractive-index contrast to open a complete photonic bandgap. In this report, we overcome these problems by employing a novel, versatile, scalable, and cost-effective silicon double-inversion method to synthesize the first Si replica of a polymeric photonic crystal. This method can be applied to any photoresist template produced by direct-laser writing (DLW), holographic laser lithography, or combinations thereof. It also incorporates a template-independent step to fine-tune the filling fraction of the high-index material, thereby allowing larger PBGs to be obtained than with the template alone. The procedure exclusively comprises straightforward, inexpensive, industry-compatible steps, perfectly suitable for mass production of complex and functionalized photonic-crystal-based de
Catch-up growth in childhood and death from coronary heart disease: longitudinal study

Abstract Objective: To examine whether catch-up growth during childhood modifies the increased risk of death from coronary heart disease that is associated with reduced intrauterine growth. Design: Follow up study of men whose body size at birth was recorded and who had an average of 10 measurements taken of their height and weight through childhood. Setting: Helsinki, Finland. Subjects: 3641 men who were born in Helsinki University Central Hospital during 1924-33 and who went to school in Helsinki. Main outcome measures: Hazard ratios for death from coronary heart disease. Results: Death from coronary heart disease was associated with low birth weight and, more strongly, with a low ponderal index at birth. Men who died from coronary heart disease had an above average body mass index at all ages from 7 to 15 years. In a simultaneous regression the hazard ratio for death from the disease increased by 14% (95% confidence interval 8% to 19%; P<0.0001) for each unit (kg/m3) decrease in ponderal index at birth and by 22% (10% to 36%; P=0.0001) for each unit (kg/m2) increase in body mass index at 11 years of age. Body mass index in childhood was strongly related to maternal body mass index, which in turn was related to coronary heart disease. The extent of crowding in the home during childhood, although related to body mass index in childhood, was not related to later coronary heart disease. Conclusion: The highest death rates from coronary heart disease occurred in boys who were thin at birth but whose weight caught up so that they had an average or above average body mass from the age of 7 years. Death from coronary heart disease may be a consequence of poor prenatal nutrition followed by improved postnatal nutrition.
Instrumental relationships: A potential relational model for inner‐city youth programs

In this article, a distinct type of adult–youth relationship found in some youth programs and characterized as instrumental is discussed. Such relationships focus primarily on joint work on a task or project, or in a discipline, with the adult having expertise and a strong identity in the substantive domain involved, rather than in youth work per se. It is hypothesized that, by virtue of their matter-of-fact quality, their substantive focus, and their particular interactional patterns, instrumental relationships offer potential for some reworking of adolescents' sense of self. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comm Psychol 33: 11–20, 2005.
Methods and Uses of Face Recognition

The use of biometric systems (systems whose methods take as parameters physical and behavioral characteristics to identify a human) is a relevant and active field of study in the field of Human-Computer-Interaction. Face Recognition is a form of identity detection that has grown in demand in recent years due to its wide range of versatility. Section 1 provides an overview of the generic process of Face Recognition. Section 2 focuses on the history and background of Face Recognition, and the main goal in research of the study. Section 3 focuses on specific conditions and elements that can impair a computer’s ability to detect a face, along with feasible solutions. Section 4 illustrates example applications for Face Recognition, in addition to its benefit to people’s ability to interact with computers and each other. Section 5 concludes the relevance of Face Recognition, in addition to providing ideas and direction for any future research in the field.
Dynamical Friction and the Distribution of Dark Matter in Barred Galaxies

We use fully self-consistent N-body simulations of barred galaxies to show that dynamical friction from a dense dark matter halo dramatically slows the rotation rate of bars. Our result supports previous theoretical predictions for a bar rotating within a massive halo. On the other hand, low-density halos, such as those required for maximum disks, allow the bar to continue to rotate at a high rate. There is somewhat meager observational evidence indicating that bars in real galaxies do rotate rapidly, and we use our result to argue that dark matter halos must have a low central density in all high surface brightness disk galaxies, including the Milky Way. Bars in galaxies that have larger fractions of dark matter should rotate slowly, and we suggest that a promising place to look for such candidate objects is among galaxies of intermediate surface brightness.