Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Electrothermally-Actuated Bistable MEMS Relay for Power Applications

This thesis first develops a bistable mechanism that does not rely on internal stress or hinges for its bistability, which is then combined with transient electrothermal actuation and contact structure to develop a MEMS relay for power switching. The relay components, fabricated by a through etch of a silicon wafer using deep reactive ion etch (DRIE), move laterally in the plane of the wafer. The synthesis, analysis, design, fabrication and testing of the relay are all described in this thesis. The bistable mechanism comprises two parallel cosine curved clamped-clamped beams that are also clamped together at their centers. If designed properly it exhibits a second stable deflected shape that is nearly a mirror image of its as-fabricated shape mirrored through the centerline connecting its clamped ends. Both theoretical and finite-element analyses are applied to the modeling, design and optimization of the force-displacement characteristic of the curved beam mechanism. The analyses results agree well with experimental measurement after accounting for fabrication variations. If fabricated properly, the mechanism is mechanically robust; some mechanisms have been switched between their bistable states one million times without sign of failure. The bistable mechanism is combined with two contacts to form a crossbar relay. The contact structure is designed with flat shape and additional compliance; and proper metalization process is developed for its DRIE etched sidewalls; both contributing to a more reliable and low resistance contact. Because of bistability this relay requires no actuation power in either its on or off states. Therefore, transient electrothermal actuators to switch its states are designed, partially with a mechanical model developed for cantilevers subjected to both lateral and axial forces. These actuators typically require 1-ms 50-V pulses to switch the relay. In the off state, the relay contacts stand off more than 200 V. In the on state the best relay contacts exhibit a total resistance of 60 mQ and a current carrying capacity of 3 A. The relay can switch at a maximum 5 Hz rate. These characteristics make it a good candidate for power protection applications. Thesis committee: Alexander H. Slocum (Chairman), Professor of Mechanical Engineering Jeffrey H. Lang, Professor of Electrical Engineering Martin A. Schmidt, Professor of Electrical Engineering
A Methodology Based on Maximal-Profit Spanning Tree for Designing Application Specific Networks on Chip (ASNOC)

In this paper, a methodology based on a mix-mode interconnection architecture is proposed for constructing application specific networks on chip to minimize the total communication time. The proposed architecture uses a globally asynchronous communication network and a locally synchronous bus (or cross-bar or multistage interconnection network MIN). A complete graph is constructed such that each vertex represents an IP core or a set of IP cores connecting by a locally synchronous bus (or cross-bar or MIN) and each edge has a weight (profit) representing a communication ratio (CR) for each pair of vertices. A maximal-profit spanning tree is constructed to represent the final network on chip. Comparisons on cost and total communication times with the SPIN architecture, mesh architecture, and binary tree architecture using Huffman-coding-like algorithm show that the new methodology has better results
Content Clustering Based Video Quality Prediction Model for MPEG4 Video Streaming over Wireless Networks

The aim of this paper is quality prediction for streaming MPEG4 video sequences over wireless networks for all video content types. Video content has an impact on video quality under same network conditions. This feature has not been widely explored when developing reference-free video quality prediction model for streaming video over wireless or mobile communications. In this paper, we present a two step approach to video quality prediction. First, video sequences are classified into groups representing different content types using cluster analysis. The classification of contents is based on the temporal (movement) and spatial (edges, brightness) feature extraction. Second, based on the content type, video quality (in terms of Mean Opinion Score) is predicted from network level parameter (packet error rate) and application level (i.e. send bitrate, frame rate) parameters using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The performance of the developed model is evaluated with unseen datasets and good prediction accuracy is obtained for all content types. The work can help in the development of reference-free video prediction model and priority control for content delivery networks.
Central Activity in the Barred Galaxy NGC 3367

We report the radio continuum structure of the barred galaxy NGC 3367 with an angular resolution of ∼4. ″5. The radio structure indicates emission from the disk and from a triple source consisting of the nucleus straddled by two extended sources (the lobes). The triple source shows an excess of radio continuum emission compared with the emission expected from the total radio-Hα correlation, suggesting a nonthermal origin probably related to activity of an active galactic nucleus (AGN) and not to star formation processes. The triple source is approximately 12 kpc in extent at P.A. ≈ 40°, close to (but not aligned with) that of the stellar bar, P.A. ≈ 65°. Only the southwest lobe is polarized. The polarization asymmetry between the two lobes suggests that the triple-source axis is slightly out of the plane. If the origin of the emission is an outflow of plasma from an AGN, as seen in weak radio galaxies and NGC 1068, then NGC 3367 provides an excellent laboratory object to study a possible interaction of the ejected material and the barred galaxy.
TRP Channels as Therapeutic Targets in Diabetes and Obesity

During the last three to four decades the prevalence of obesity and diabetes mellitus has greatly increased worldwide, including in the United States. Both the short- and long-term forecasts predict serious consequences for the near future, and encourage the development of solutions for the prevention and management of obesity and diabetes mellitus. Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels were identified in tissues and organs important for the control of whole body metabolism. A variety of TRP channels has been shown to play a role in the regulation of hormone release, energy expenditure, pancreatic function, and neurotransmitter release in control, obese and/or diabetic conditions. Moreover, dietary supplementation of natural ligands of TRP channels has been shown to have potential beneficial effects in obese and diabetic conditions. These findings raised the interest and likelihood for potential drug development. In this mini-review, we discuss possibilities for better management of obesity and diabetes mellitus based on TRP-dependent mechanisms.
A haptic probe for soft tissue abnormality identification during minimally invasive surgery

This paper proposes a novel haptic probe for the identification of tissue properties during minimally invasive surgery (MIS). The purpose of such a device is to compensate a surgeon for a portion of the loss of haptic and tactile feedback experienced during robotic-assisted MIS. A prototype for validating the concept in an ex-vivo setting was developed and used to characterize two different testing modalities - rolling tissue indentation and uniaxial tissue indentation. A MIS compatible design (capable of passing through 10mm hole) is also presented. The key feature of the wheeled device is the ability to measure the tool-tissue interaction force as well as the rolling indentation depth concurrently. The purpose of the rolling indentation is to generate a mechanical image which can indicate tissue abnormalities, such as tumors, which are difficult to isolate under static testing conditions. After locating the abnormal region, the uniaxial indentation is subsequently conducted on the region of interests for detailed investigation. Experiments on a silicone phantom show that the developed prototype is capable of rapidly locating embedded hard nodules within the silicone model. Moreover by performing static additional uniaxial indentation, the device can be used to identify the parameters of the tissue viscoelastic constitutive equation.
Supervisory Control of (max,+) automata: Timing aspects

(max,+) automata, an important class of both timed automata and weighted automata, are used as a model of a class of timed discrete event systems and their supervisory control is developped. The concept of supervised product is introduced to control (max,+) automata and its properties are studied. Decomposition of morphism matrix of the controlled system based on the tensor dioid algebra is proposed and the supervisory control of (max,+) automata is studied using residuation theory of formal power series. Finally we discuss the synchronous composition of (max,+) automata that yields a more general class of timed automata: product interval automata.
Characterising depressed speech for classification

Depression is a serious psychiatric disorder that affects mood, thoughts, and the ability to function in everyday life. This paper investigates the characteristics of depressed speech for the purpose of automatic classification by analysing the effect of different speech features on the classification results. We analysed voiced, unvoiced and mixed speech in order to gain a better understanding of depressed speech and to bridge the gap between physiological and affective computing studies. This understanding may ultimately lead to an objective affective sensing system that supports clinicians in their diagnosis and monitoring of clinical depression. The characteristics of depressed speech were statistically analysed using ANOVA and linked to their classification results using GMM and SVM. Features were extracted and classified over speech utterances of 30 clinically depressed patients against 30 controls (both gender-matched) in a speaker-independent manner. Most feature classification results were consistent with their statistical characteristics, providing a link between physiological and affective computing studies. The classification results from low-level features were slightly better than the statistical functional features, which indicates a loss of information in the latter. We found that both mixed and unvoiced speech were as useful in detecting depression as voiced speech, if not better.
Building a Bio-Event Annotated Corpus for the Acquisition of Semantic Frames from Biomedical Corpora

This paper reports on the design and construction of a bio-event annotated corpus which was developed with a specific view to the acquisition of semantic frames from biomedical corpora. We describe the adopted annotation scheme and the annotation process, which is supported by a dedicated annotation tool. The annotated corpus contains 677 abstracts of biomedical research articles.
Structure of Social Networks in a Passerine Bird: Consequences for Sexual Selection and the Evolution of Mating Strategies

The social environment is a critical determinant of fitness and, in many taxa, is shaped by an individual’s behavioral discrimination among social contexts, suggesting that animals can actively influence the selection they experience. In competition to attract females, males may modify sexual selection by choosing social environments in which they are more attractive relative to rivals. Across the population, such behaviors should influence sexual selection patterns by altering the relationship between male mating success and sexual ornament elaboration. Here we use network analysis to examine patterns of male social behavior in relation to plumage ornamentation and mating success in a free‐living population of house finches. During the nonbreeding season, less elaborate males changed associations with distinct social groups more frequently, compared to more elaborate males that showed greater fidelity to a single social group. By the onset of pair formation, socially labile males effectively increased their attractiveness relative to other males in the same flocks. Consequently, males that frequently moved between social groups had greater pairing success than less social individuals with equivalent sexual ornamentation. We discuss these results in relation to conditional mating tactics and the role of social behavior in evolutionary change by sexual selection.
Nutrient status: a missing factor in phenological and pollen research?

Phenology ranks among the best ecosystem processes for fingerprinting climate change since temperature explains a high percentage of the interannual or spatial variation in phenological onset dates. However, roles of other environmental variables, such as foliar nutrient concentrations, are far from adequately understood. This observational study examined the effects of air temperature and 11 nutrients on spring phenology of Betula pendula Roth (birch) along an urban–rural gradient in Munich, Germany, during the years 2010/2011. Moreover, the influence of temperature, nutrients, and air pollutants (NO2 and O3) on the amounts of pollen and catkin biomass in 2010 was evaluated. In addition to the influence of higher temperatures advancing phenological onset dates, higher foliar concentrations of potassium, boron, zinc, and calcium were statistically significantly linked to earlier onset dates. Since flushing of leaves is a turgor-driven process and all the influential nutrients are involved in cell extension, membrane function, and stability, there might be a reasonable physiological interpretation of the observed association. The amounts of pollen were negatively correlated with temperature, atmospheric NO2, and foliar iron concentration, suggesting that these variables restrict pollen production. The results of this study suggested an influence of nutritional status on both phenology and pollen production. The interaction of urbanization and climate change should be considered in the assessment of the impact of global warming on ecosystems and human health.
From interactive surfaces to interactive game pieces in hybrid board games

Recent advances in interactive surfaces and Tangible User Interfaces (TUIs) have created new opportunities for hybrid board games that aim at mixing the social affordances of traditional board games with the interactivity of video games. Within this area of research, we propose an approach centered on the concepts of tokens, constraints, spatial expressions, and interaction events. Rather than using interactive surfaces as the primary interaction medium, our approach relies on physical manipulation of interactive, computer-augmented game pieces on conventional surfaces. The design of our approach has been informed by a literature review that took into account 27 hybrid board games from both academia and industry. This review allowed us to identify technology strands used to implement interactive board games and discuss the pros and cons of the different alternatives in the design space. After describing our approach, we report how it was applied to the design and development of a game for training emergency workers. Building on feedback from user evaluations and our experience with the development, we outline design opportunities and challenges of the approach.
Autistic savants. [correction of artistic].

OBJECTIVE The objectives of this study were to examine common patterns in the lives and artwork of five artistic savants previously described and to report on the clinical, neuropsychological, and neuroimaging findings from one newly diagnosed artistic savant. BACKGROUND The artistic savant syndrome has been recognized for centuries, although its neuroanatomic basis remains a mystery. METHODS The cardinal features, strengths, and weaknesses of the work of these six savants were analyzed and compared with those of children with autism in whom artistic talent was absent. An anatomic substrate for these behaviors was considered in the context of newly emerging theories related to paradoxical functional facilitation, visual thinking, and multiple intelligences. RESULTS The artists had features of "pervasive developmental disorder," including impairment in social interaction and communication as well as restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interest, and activities. All six demonstrated a strong preference for a single art medium and showed a restricted variation in artistic themes. None understood art theory. Some autistic features contributed to their success, including attention to visual detail, a tendency toward ritualistic compulsive repetition, the ability to focus on one topic at the expense of other interests, and intact memory and visuospatial skills. CONCLUSIONS The artistic savant syndrome remains rare and mysterious in origin. Savants exhibit extraordinary visual talents along with profound linguistic and social impairment. The intense focus on and ability to remember visual detail contributes to the artistic product of the savant. The anatomic substrate for the savant syndrome may involve loss of function in the left temporal lobe with enhanced function of the posterior neocortex.
GiAnt: stereoscopic-compliant multi-scale navigation in VEs

Navigation in multi-scale virtual environments (MSVE) requires the adjustment of the navigation parameters to ensure optimal navigation experiences at each level of scale. In particular, in immersive stereoscopic systems, e.g. when performing zoom-in and zoom-out operations, the navigation speed and the stereoscopic rendering parameters have to be adjusted accordingly. Although this adjustment can be done manually by the user, it can be complex, tedious and strongly depends on the virtual environment. In this work we propose a new multi-scale navigation technique named GiAnt (GIant/ANT) which automatically and seamlessly adjusts the navigation speed and the scale factor of the virtual environment based on the user's perceived navigation speed. The adjustment ensures an almost-constant perceived navigation speed while avoiding diplopia effects or diminished depth perception due to improper stereoscopic rendering configurations. The results from the conducted user evaluation shows that GiAnt is an efficient multi-scale navigation which minimizes the changes of the scale factor of the virtual environment compared to state-of-the-art multi-scale navigation techniques.
A study of document image degradation effects on font recognition

A font recognition system allowing the identification of font families, weights, slopes and sizes with an accuracy of 99% for weights and slopes and 96% for families and sizes, has been developed. Our system uses a knowledge base of 240 fonts models, which have been created from a training set of text images written with these different fonts. In this paper, a study of image degradations effects on the system performances, is presented. The evaluation that has been carried out, shows that the system is robust against natural degradations such as those introduced by scanning and photocopying, but its performances decrease with very degraded document images. In order to avoid this weakness, a degradation modeling strategy has been adopted, allowing an automatic adaptation of the system to these degradations. The adaptation is derived from statistical analysis of features behavior against degradations and is performed by specific transformations applied to the system knowledge base. Some promising results are reported.
Cryoprotection by urea in a terrestrially hibernating frog

SUMMARY The role of urea as a balancing osmolyte in osmotic adaptation is well known, but this `waste product' also has myriad other functions in diverse taxa. We report that urea plays an important, previously undocumented role in freezing tolerance of the wood frog (Rana sylvatica), a northern woodland species that hibernates terrestrially in sites where dehydration and freezing may occur. Wood frogs inhabiting an outdoor enclosure accumulated urea to 65 mmol l-1 in autumn and early winter, when soil moisture was scarce, but subsequently urea levels fell to ∼2 mmol l-1 as the availability of environmental water increased. Laboratory experiments showed that hibernating R. sylvatica can accumulate at least 90 mmol l-1 urea under relatively dry, warm conditions. During experimental freezing, frogs synthesized glucose but did not accumulate additional urea. Nevertheless, the concentrations of urea and glucose in some tissues were similar. We tested urea's efficacy as a cryoprotectant by measuring lysis and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage in samples of R. sylvatica erythrocytes frozen/thawed in the presence of physiological levels of urea or other osmolytes. In conferring protection against freeze/thaw damage, urea was comparable to glycerol and as good as or better than glucose, cryoprotectants found in freeze-tolerant frogs and other animals. Urea treatment also improved the viability of intact tissues frozen in vitro, as demonstrated by post-thaw measures of metabolic activity and LDH leakage. Collectively, our findings suggest that urea functions both as an osmoprotectant and a cryoprotectant in terrestrially hibernating amphibians.
Novel Method for Simultaneous Quantification of Phenotypic Resistance to Maturation, Protease, Reverse Transcriptase, and Integrase HIV Inhibitors Based on 3′Gag(p2/p7/p1/p6)/PR/RT/INT-Recombinant Viruses: a Useful Tool in the Multitarget Era of Antiretroviral Therapy

ABSTRACT Twenty-six antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), targeting five different steps in the life cycle of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), have been approved for the treatment of HIV-1 infection. Accordingly, HIV-1 phenotypic assays based on common cloning technology currently employ three, or possibly four, different recombinant viruses. Here, we describe a system to assess HIV-1 resistance to all drugs targeting the three viral enzymes as well as viral assembly using a single patient-derived, chimeric virus. Patient-derived p2-INT (gag-p2/NCp7/p1/p6/pol-PR/RT/IN) products were PCR amplified as a single fragment (3,428 bp) or two overlapping fragments (1,657 bp and 2,002 bp) and then recombined into a vector containing a near-full-length HIV-1 genome with the Saccharomyces cerevisiae uracil biosynthesis gene (URA3) replacing the 3,428 bp p2-INT segment (Dudley et al., Biotechniques 46:458–467, 2009). P2-INT-recombinant viruses were employed in drug susceptibility assays to test the activity of protease (PI), nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase (NRTI), nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase (NNRTI), and integrase strand-transfer (INSTI) inhibitors. Using a single standardized test (ViralARTS HIV), this new technology permits the rapid and automated quantification of phenotypic resistance for all known and candidate antiretroviral drugs targeting all viral enzymes (PR, RT, including polymerase and RNase H activities, and IN), some of the current and potential assembly inhibitors, and any drug targeting Pol or Gag precursor cleavage sites (relevant for PI and maturation inhibitors) This novel assay may be instrumental (i) in the development and clinical assessment of novel ARV drugs and (ii) to monitor patients failing prior complex treatment regimens.