Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estimating Angles And Curvature Features In Grey Scale Images

This paper presents a quantitative analysis of the error of the edge angle measurement obtained from edge detector in the presence of grey level gaussian noise. Our analysis shows that the uncertainty of the angle measurement is only related to the grey level noise power and the gradient of the edge point at which the angle is measured. Both image independent upper bound and image dependent estimate of the noise variance of the angle measurement are given. With this result, we argue that one can provide better angle and curvature estimates by filtering the measurements adaptively according to the local uncertainty without having to compromise detail sensitivity and noise robustness. As an example of application, a new method of detecting curvature features is derived. The experimental results show that this algorithm works well, and in particular it can handle some difficult situations where other methods may fail.
Behaviour of zircon and monazite during crustal melting

Ages retrieved from accessory minerals in high-grade metamorphic rocks place important constraints on the timing of events and the rates of tectonometamorphic processes operating in the deep crust. In suprasolidus rocks, the dissolution and growth of zircon and monazite are strongly dependent on the P–T conditions of metamorphism and the chemistry and quantity of anatectic melt present. Along a clockwise P–T path, prograde heating above the solidus leads to episodic melt loss and changes in melt chemistry that have important implications for the dissolution and growth of zircon and monazite. In this study, phase equilibria modelling of open-system melting is coupled with experimental data on zircon and monazite solubility to evaluate the stability of these minerals at suprasolidus conditions along several schematic clockwise P–T paths. In migmatite melanosomes and residual granulites, some zircon is expected to survive heating to peak temperature and subsequent isothermal decompression, whereas monazite may be completely consumed, consistent with the observation that inherited cores are less common in monazite than in zircon. After decompression, during cooling to the solidus, new zircon and monazite growth from melt trapped along grain boundaries in melanosomes and residual granulites is expected to be limited. By contrast, leucosomes in migmatites and anatectic granites are predicted to contain mostly newly formed zircon and monazite with minimal inherited components, unless significant entrainment of these minerals from the source occurs. The preservation of cores inside newly formed zircon, as observed in many anatectic granites, demonstrates that segregation, ascent and emplacement is commonly fast enough to limit dissolution of these inherited grains.
Effects of toremifene and tamoxifen on lipid profiles in post-menopausal patients with early breast cancer: interim results from a Japanese phase III trial.

OBJECTIVE Toremifene and tamoxifen have been used for adjuvant therapy in post-menopausal patients with breast cancer in Japan. Dyslipidemias are common in post-menopausal women. However, limited data are available on the effects of these agents on lipid profiles in Japanese patients. The Japan Toremifene Cooperative Study Group has been conducting a Phase III randomized trial of post-menopausal patients with breast cancer. One of its secondary endpoints is to confirm the effects of these agents on serum lipid profiles. METHODS The subjects were post-menopausal Japanese patients who had undergone surgery for early breast cancer. Toremifene or tamoxifen was administered for 2 years. Lipid levels were measured before and up to 24 months after initiation. RESULTS Compared with baseline, at 24 months, the toremifene group (n = 123) showed significantly decreased total cholesterol (P < 0.001) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (P < 0.001), and significantly increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (P < 0.001). Their triglyceride levels were not affected (P = 0.677). The tamoxifen group (n = 120) also showed significantly decreased total cholesterol (P < 0.001) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (P < 0.001); no significant changes occurred in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P = 0.297) or triglyceride levels (P = 0.120). CONCLUSIONS Distinct differences between two selective estrogen receptor modulators on lipids were observed. Toremifene improved lipid profiles, particularly as an enhancer of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. To a large extent, tamoxifen improved low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. The impact of these improved lipid profiles on the risk of cardiovascular diseases needs further confirmation.
Effect of Aging on Feasibility and Contribution of Joint Mechanisms in Balanced Standing Using Biomechanical Modeling

Background: Reduced muscle strength due to aging may adversely affect the ability of the body in postural balance. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to numerically investigate the effects of aging on muscle recruitment patterns in keeping the balance during static standing posture. Methods: In this numerical study, a total of 4096 static postures were considered by changing in the angles of three lower limb joints i.e. ankle, knee and hip in two complete human musculoskeletal models of young and old body with 44 muscles in the leg. Inverse dynamics approach was used to find the muscle activation in all postures. The joint mechanisms were assessed by considering the ratio between related muscle activities to the total activation. Results: Results showed that the muscle efforts in both models were posture-dependent and the knee played a relieving role specifically for the aged model. The possible postures that the young person could provide balance was wider than the elders. Also, the aged model expended more effort in doing the same tasks. The muscles revealed distinct joint mechanisms in the young model in contrast to the elders which used higher but non-distinguishable joint mechanisms. Conclusions: Collaboration between the joint mechanisms was higher in the aged model but the young could more rely on individual mechanisms during static postural balance.
Implied Motion Activation in Cortical Area MT Can Be Explained by Visual Low-level Features

To investigate form-related activity in motion-sensitive cortical areas, we recorded cell responses to animate implied motion in macaque middle temporal (MT) and medial superior temporal (MST) cortex and investigated these areas using fMRI in humans. In the single-cell studies, we compared responses with static images of human or monkey figures walking or running left or right with responses to the same human and monkey figures standing or sitting still. We also investigated whether the view of the animate figure (facing left or right) that elicited the highest response was correlated with the preferred direction for moving random dot patterns. First, figures were presented inside the cell's receptive field. Subsequently, figures were presented at the fovea while a dynamic noise pattern was presented at the cell's receptive field location. The results show that MT neurons did not discriminate between figures on the basis of the implied motion content. Instead, response preferences for implied motion correlated with preferences for low-level visual features such as orientation and size. No correlation was found between the preferred view of figures implying motion and the preferred direction for moving random dot patterns. Similar findings were obtained in a smaller population of MST cortical neurons. Testing human MT+ responses with fMRI further corroborated the notion that low-level stimulus features might explain implied motion activation in human MT+. Together, these results suggest that prior human imaging studies demonstrating animate implied motion processing in area MT+ can be best explained by sensitivity for low-level features rather than sensitivity for the motion implied by animate figures.
Using GNU Radio for Experiments on Data Distribution in Wireless Ad-hoc Networks

Both simulation and experimentation in a real environment are important in the evaluation of protocol performance in wireless ad-hoc networks. Simulation is useful for evaluating systems that are difﬁcult to implement inexpensively. However, it is not easy to simulate the behavior of radio signals in the real world on a large scale. Experimentation is required to evaluate implemented software/hardware systems and to understand their behavior in the real world. However, evaluating wireless ad-hoc networks under various conditions requires many devices, a wide experimentation ﬁeld, and a huge amount of human resources. In this paper, we discuss using GNU Radio, which can control various wireless signal processing tasks more ﬂexibly than off-the-shelf Wi-Fi and Zig-Bee devices, to build a ﬂexible, narrow-space wireless network testbed. We evaluated a protocol that disseminates a data item in an opportunistic way and uses a random network coding technique in the real world and through simulation. We then present guidelines for building an experimental environment for a wireless ad-hoc network using GNU Radio in a small space.
Scheduling Periodic Continuous Queries in Real-Time Data Broadcast Environments

On-demand broadcast is a promising data dissemination approach in mobile computing environments thanks to its adaptability and scalability for large-scale and dynamic workload. An important class of emerging data broadcast applications needs to monitor multiple time-varying data items continuously to be kept aware of the up-to-date information. This paper investigates the broadcast schedule problem for disseminating timely data to periodic continuous queries, and a systematic and highly efficient solution for applications of this type is provided. In particular, we propose a novel measure, called Bandwidth Utilization, to quantify the minimum bandwidth demand of a periodic continuous query set. The timing predictability can be ensured if a set of periodic continuous queries passes a bandwidth utilization based schedulability test. The schedulability test techniques are also extended to deal with dynamic query arrival and departure. An efficient online scheduling algorithm, called RM-UO, is developed, which can fulfill the timing constraints combined with the proposed query release and deletion policies. To demonstrate the effectiveness of theoretical results, an illustrative algorithm implementation is presented along with comprehensive performance analysis. Simulation results show that our solution offers nice timing predictability whereas other comparable best effort scheduling algorithms such as SIN-Q and DTIU experience different deadline miss ratios at different query workloads.
Mental State Transitions and the Role of Polysynaptic Pathways

Brain state transitions are crucial for high order mental processes, but the relationship between the white matter architecture of the brain and its implementation of these transitions remains under study. We address this question using network control theory by first defining a brain state as a pattern of activity across brain regions, and then delineating a model of brain dynamics. From this we can calculate the optimal input signals necessary to shift the brain into states of activity in different cognitive systems, and subsequently assess the contributions made by different brain regions. We can show that these contributions are correlated with regional weighted degrees of control efficiency and network communicability, a measure of connectedness both by direct and longer, indirect pathways between brain regions. Finally, we identify an optimal weighted calculation of communicability in order to improve this correlation, lending insight on the role of longer polysynaptic pathways in facilitating brain state transitions. This insight can subsequently lead to further knowledge of the biological basis by which these longer pathways were formed and maintained, despite an apparent evolutionary disadvantage. We found that scaling the communicability values by weaker functions than the original exponential, such as linear functions, led to an improvement in the correlation between control efficiency and communicability, indicating influences of longer transition pathways which have not been fully accounted for in previous definitions of communicability.
Performance Improvement and Low Power Design of Embedded Processor

This paper presents a branch prediction algorithm and a 4-way set-associative cache for performance improvement of 32-bit RISC processor and a clock gating algorithm using ODC (observability don't care) operation for a low-power processor. The branch prediction algorithm has a structure using BTB (branch target buffer) and 4-way set associative cache using pseudo LRU (least recently used) algorithm. The proposed algorithm is applied to OpenRISC1200 processor, embedded processor and implemented on Xilinx VIRTEX-4 XC4VLX80 FPGA device and the FPGA executes at the maximum frequency of 53.042MHz. As a result of estimation of performance and dynamic power, the performance of the OpenRISC1200 processor using the proposed algorithm is improved about 5~9% and dynamic power of the processor using Samsung 0.18 mum technology library is reduced by 13.9%.
Analysis of RF energy harvesting in large-scale networks using absorption function

This paper reveals an impairment of well-known path-loss model generally assumed in conventional works with radio frequency (RF) energy harvesting. We will prove that, when RF energy harvesting is considered in a large-scale network, the summation of energy transferred to nodes in the network diverges while the radiated energy must be finite. Thus, we propose a new absorption function meeting this law and derive several expressions of average harvested energy based on the model. Furthermore, the effectiveness of RF energy harvesting with Poisson point process (PPP) network with a single transmitter is demonstrated.
Resolving Multiple Wh-Fragments in English: A Syntax-Pragmatics Approach

Park, Sang-Hee. 2009. Resolving Multiple fdo.fragments in English: A Syntax-Pragmatics Approach. SNU Working Papers in English Lingnistics and Langnage 8, 16-27. This study attempts to provide a new analysis of multiple wh·fragments, the so-called 'multiple sluicing', in English. Against previous approaches which resort to a reconslruction-based resolution or gapping, the proposed analysis captures multiple wh-fragments without positing a copy-deletion mechanism. In fact, multiple wh-fragments are viewed as a root clause whose interpretation can be determined by previous discourse context. This is achieved by suggesting a new type constraint for multiple wh-fragments, based on the analysis of fragment by Bertomeu and Kordoni (2005). (Seoul National University)
Simple proofs for duality of generalized minimum poset weights and weight distributions of (Near-)MDS poset codes

In 1991, Wei introduced generalized minimum Hamming weights for linear codes and showed their monotonicity and duality. Recently, several authors extended these results to the case of generalized minimum poset weights by using different methods. Here, we would like to prove the duality by using matroid theory. This gives yet another and very simple proof of it. In particular, our argument will make it clear that the duality follows from the well-known relation between the rank function and the corank function of a matroid. In addition, we derive the weight distributions of linear MDS and Near-MDS poset codes in the same spirit.
Why are People Honest? Internal and External Motivations to Report Honestly

We create and validate measures capturing internal and external motivations to report honestly as individual differences. Both measures have high levels of reliability, as well as convergent and divergent validity. To test their predictive validity, we conduct two experiments. In the first, MTurk participants have the opportunity and incentive to misreport with no immediate consequences, and in the second, participants with management experience report how they would act in a similar business context. We find that participants who are higher in internal motivations to report honestly are, indeed, more likely to report honestly than others. Partial evidence supports that people higher in external motivations report more honestly when we introduce management controls. We also provide evidence of unintended consequences; people who are higher in internal motivations actually misreport more under certain controls than they do absent those controls, consistent with self-determination theory. Results should be of interest to management and those charged with governance or oversight within an organization. Our measures are also useful to researchers investigating honest reporting by allowing them to identify, ex ante, individuals who wish to be honest versus appear honest.
Co-Culture with Listeria monocytogenes within a Dual-Species Biofilm Community Strongly Increases Resistance of Pseudomonas putida to Benzalkonium Chloride

Biofilm formation is a phenomenon occurring almost wherever microorganisms and surfaces exist in close proximity. This study aimed to evaluate the possible influence of bacterial interactions on the ability of Listeria monocytogenes and Pseudomonas putida to develop a dual-species biofilm community on stainless steel (SS), as well as on the subsequent resistance of their sessile cells to benzalkonium chloride (BC) used in inadequate (sub-lethal) concentration (50 ppm). The possible progressive adaptability of mixed-culture biofilms to BC was also investigated. To accomplish these, 3 strains per species were left to develop mixed-culture biofilms on SS coupons, incubated in daily renewable growth medium for a total period of 10 days, under either mono- or dual-species conditions. Each day, biofilm cells were exposed to disinfection treatment. Results revealed that the simultaneous presence of L. monocytogenes strongly increased the resistance of P. putida biofilm cells to BC, while culture conditions (mono-/dual-species) did not seem to significantly influence the resistance of L. monocytogenes biofilm cells. BC mainly killed L. monocytogenes cells when this was applied against the dual-species sessile community during the whole incubation period, despite the fact that from the 2nd day this community was mainly composed (>90%) of P. putida cells. No obvious adaptation to BC was observed in either L. monocytogenes or P. putida biofilm cells. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis showed that the different strains behaved differently with regard to biofilm formation and antimicrobial resistance. Such knowledge on the physiological behavior of mixed-culture biofilms could provide the information necessary to control their formation.
Les transformations des modes de contrôle croisés entre associations et autorités publiques dans le secteur du handicap

Resume A partir d’une enquete menee en region Rhone-Alpes, l’article montre comment evoluent les relations de controle croisees entre operateurs associatifs et autorites publiques dans le secteur du handicap. A des relations marquees par les connaissances personnelles et l’autoregulation succedent – au gre de l’affirmation des dirigeants salaries dans les associations et des recompositions de l’action publique – des modalites de controle a distance. Cette forme de controle stabilise la polarisation du secteur entre grandes et petites associations et fait evoluer les relations sociales, qui s’intensifient et se diversifient tout en etant plus impersonnelles et detachees de preoccupations militantes.
Gestion du mauvais comportement des récepteurs dans les Protocoles de Contrôle de Congestion Multipoint

In multicast congestion control, receivers can misbehave b y maliciously causing congestion to steal network bandwidth from well behaved flows. I n source driven congestion control protocols (SDCC), receivers misbehave by sending a wrong fe edback to the source. In receiverdriven congestion control protocols(RDCC), receivers mis behave by inflating their subscriptions. In this report, we present techniques to deal with these misbeh aviours. Firstly, we show that when network tomography tools such as MINC are used in conjunction wi th SDCC protocols, they can aid in misbehavior detection. But in order to use MINC for misbeh aviour detection, MINC itself must be made immune to misbehaviour. we analyze the effect of misb ehavior within MINC and propose two techniques to detect and prevent misbehavior in MINC. Fo r RDCC protocols, a misbehaviour prevention mechanism based on in-band distribution of keys wa recently proposed for FLID-DL protocol. In this report, we show how we can design keys which can prevent misbehaviour in most RDCC protocols. Key-words: MINC, Network Tomography, Misbehavior, Multicast Congest ion Control, secret sharing. Gestion du mauvais comportement des récepteurs dans les Protocoles de Contrôle de Congestion Multipoint Résumé :Les protocoles de contrôle de congestion actuels peuvent pe rmettre à des récepteurs peu scrupuleux de mal se conduire en accaparant plus de bande pas sante qu’ils ne devraient. Avec les protocoles de contrôle de congestion contrôlés par la sourc e (SDCC), il est possible à des récepteurs malveillants de falsifier les rapports de réception qu’ils e nvoeint à la source. En ce qui concerne les protocoles de contrôle de congestion contrôlés par les r écepteurs (RDCC), certains récepteurs peuvent décider de s’abonner à toutes les couches de la sourc e sans tenir compte des débits qui leur sont alloués. Dans ce rapport, nous présentons des techniqu es po r prévenir ces comportements indésirables. Nous montrons comment un outil de tomographie d e réseau comme MINC peut être utilisé pour détecter ces comportements malveillants avec les protocoles SDCC. L’outil de tomographie doit dans un premier temps être rendu insensible à ces attaqu es. Nous analysons le comportement de MINC et proposons des mécanismes de détection et préventi on contre ces comportements malicieux. Pour les protocoles RDCC, un mécanisme de préventi on de comportement malicieux basé sur la distribution de clés a été proposé récemment pour le pr otocole FLID-DL. Nous proposons un nouveau mécanisme de génération de clés pour la plupart des p rotocoles RDCC. Mots-clés : Attaques, Contrôle de Congestion Multipoint, MINC, Outils de Tomographie du Réseau, partage de secrète. Dealing with Receiver Misbehavior in Multicast Congestion Control 3
Neuroprotective Role of the PI3 Kinase/Akt Signaling Pathway in Zebrafish

Neuronal survival and growth in the embryo is controlled partly by trophic factors. For most trophic factors (such as Insulin-like growth factor-1), the ability to regulate cell survival has been attributed to the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt kinase cascade. This study presents data illustrating the role of PI3K/Akt in attainment of normal brain size during zebrafish embryogenesis. Blocking PI3K with inhibitor LY294002 caused a significant reduction in brain size (in addition to global growth retardation) during zebrafish embryogenesis. This PI3 Kinase inhibition-induced brain size decrease was recovered by the overexpression of myristoylated Akt (myr-Akt), a constitutive form of Akt. Further analysis reveals that expressing exogenous myr-Akt significantly augmented brain size. Whole mount in situ hybridization analysis of several marker genes showed that myr-Akt overexpression did not alter brain patterning. Furthermore, the expression of myr-Akt was found to protect neuronal cells from apoptosis induced by heat shock and UV light, suggesting that inhibition of neuronal cell death may be part of the underlying cause of the increased brain size. These data provide a foundation for addressing the role of PI3K/Akt in brain growth during zebrafish embryogenesis.