Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Extracting regions of symmetry

This paper presents an approach for extending the normalized-cut (n-cut) segmentation algorithm to find symmetric regions present in natural images. We use an existing algorithm to quickly detect possible symmetries present in an image. The detected symmetries are then individually verified using the modified n-cut algorithm to eliminate spurious detections. The weights of the n-cut algorithm are modified so as to include both symmetric and spatial affinities. A global parameter is defined to model the tradeoff between spatial coherence and symmetry. Experimental results indicate that symmetric quality measure for a region segmented by our algorithm is a good indicator for the significance of the principal axis of symmetry.
Energy-Efficient Power Control of Cognitive Femto Users for 5G Communications

We study the energy efficiency issue in 5G communications scenarios, where cognitive femtocells coexist with picocells operating at the same frequency bands. Optimal energy-efficient power allocation based on the sensing-based spectrum sharing (SBSS) is proposed for the uplink cognitive femto users operating in a multiuser MIMO mode. Both hard-decision and soft-decision schemes are considered for the SBSS. Different from the existing energy-efficient designs in multiuser scenarios, which consider system-wise energy efficiency, we consider user-wise energy efficiency and optimize them in a Pareto sense. To resolve the nonconvexity of the formulated optimization problem, we include an additional power constraint to convexify the problem without losing global optimality. Simulation results show that the proposed schemes significantly enhance the energy efficiency of the cognitive femto users compared with the existing spectral-efficient designs.
Analysis of polarization diversity at terahertz frequencies

Terahertz frequencies offer the possibility of high resolution surveillance capabilities in areas requiring high levels of security. Terahertz imaging offers wavelengths providing high resolution with modest apertures while remaining able to penetrate clothing. In addition, they are not significantly affected by scatterers such as dust, fog and rain particles. Signal-to-noise ratio, dependent on antenna alignment, plays a critical role in providing high fidelity images. In this paper, performance of this ratio is analysed for the case of mutual orthogonality in three dimensions. Multiple-input multiple-output polarization diversity offers a way of improving system performance without the limitations associated with spatial diversity. In the general case of a Rician fading channel the inclusion of a third orthogonal dipole may provide a useful additional degree of freedom and allow high capacity irrespective of antenna alignment. We develop a novel Rician fading channel model for a tri-orthogonal half-wave dipole transmitter and receiver imaging system employing polarization diversity. Capacity is observed to be more robust than that of a dual-polarized system over the majority of a field of view. Simulation results have been compared to reference papers and show excellent agreement. The model design is applicable to other areas of high capacity systems research.
Antigen Processing and Remodeling of the Endosomal Pathway: Requirements for Antigen Cross-Presentation

Cross-presentation of endocytosed antigen as peptide/class I major histocompatibility complex complexes plays a central role in the elicitation of CD8+ T cell clones that mediate anti-viral and anti-tumor immune responses. While it has been clear that there are specific subsets of professional antigen presenting cells capable of antigen cross-presentation, identification of mechanisms involved is still ongoing. Especially amongst dendritic cells (DC), there are specialized subsets that are highly proficient at antigen cross-presentation. We here present a focused survey on the cell biological processes in the endosomal pathway that support antigen cross-presentation. This review highlights DC-intrinsic mechanisms that facilitate the cross-presentation of endocytosed antigen, including receptor-mediated uptake, maturation-induced endosomal sorting of membrane proteins, dynamic remodeling of endosomal structures and cell surface-directed endosomal trafficking. We will conclude with the description of pathogen-induced deviation of endosomal processing, and discuss how immune evasion strategies pertaining endosomal trafficking may preclude antigen cross-presentation.
Adsorption energy and charge transfer of tin oxide to characteristic gases dissolved in transformer oil

Hydrogen (H<inf>2</inf>), carbon monoxide (CO), and some hydrocarbon gases such as methane (CH4), ethane (C<inf>2</inf>H<inf>6</inf>), ethylene (C<inf>2</inf>H4) and acetylene (C<inf>2</inf>H<inf>2</inf>) are the typical fault gases extracted from transformer oil. Based on the framework of Density Function Theory (DFT), tin oxide SnO<inf>2</inf> surface model, gas molecular models and adsorption models were built, responsibility. A first principles calculation using Cambridge Sequential Total Energy Package (CASTEP) program was performed, and the total energies, electronic structures and adsorption properties were investigated in detail. These theoretical calculations provides a qualitative explanation to the gas sensing properties of semiconductor oxide SnO<inf>2</inf> based sensor to various fault characteristic gases, namely H<inf>2</inf>, CO, CO<inf>2</inf>, CH4, C<inf>2</inf>H<inf>6</inf>, C<inf>2</inf>H4 and C<inf>2</inf>H<inf>2</inf>, which were extracted from power transformer oil.
iHeartrate: a heart rate controlled in-flight music recommendation system

Travel by air, especially long distance, the enclosed environment of the aircraft cabin causes discomfort and even stress to flight passengers. In this paper, we present a new heart rate controlled music recommendation system. Heart rate is used as a stress indicator. If the user is stressed and his/her heart rate is higher/lower than normal, the system recommends a user preferred calm/uplift music playlist to transfer the heart rate back to normal; An user experiment is done to validate our system. The experiment results not only show that our system keeps the user's heart rate at normal but also show that the passenger's stress level can be reduced by our system.
Vector representation of lithium and other mica compositions

In contrast to mathematics, where a vector of one component defines a line, in chemical petrology a one-component system is a point, and two components are needed to define a line, three for a plane, and four for a space. Here, an attempt is made to show how these differences in the definition of a component can be resolved, with lithium micas used as an example. In particular, the condensed composition space theoretically accessible to Li-Fe-Al micas is shown to be an irregular three-dimensional polyhedron, rather than the triangle Al(3+)-Fe(2+)-Li(+), used by some researchers. This result is demonstrated starting with the annite composition and using exchange operators graphically as vectors that generate all of the other mica compositions.
Soil pipe collapses in a loess pasture of Goodwin Creek watershed, Mississippi: role of soil properties and past land use

Little is known about the association of soil pipe collapse features with soil properties or land use history. Three loess covered catchments in northern Mississippi, USA were characterized to investigate these relationships. Soil pipe collapses were characterized for their size, type feature and spatial location along with soil properties across the three catchments. Although mapped as the same soil, one of the catchments did not contain pipe collapse features while the other two had 29.4 and 15.4 pipe collapses per hectare. These loess soils contained fragipan layers that are suspected of perching water, thereby initiating the piping processes. Pipe collapses associated with subsurface flow paths were not always consistent with surface topography. The surface layer tended to be non‐erodible while layers below, even the upper fragipan layers, were susceptible to erosion by pipeflow. Soil properties of the lowest fragipan layer were highly variable but tended to prevent further downward erosion of soil pipes and thus formed a lower boundary for gullies. Middle to lower landscape positions in one of the piped catchments contained anthropic soils that were highly erodible. These anthropic soils were previously gullies that were filled‐in in the 1950s when forested areas, assumed to have been established when land was previously converted from crop to forest land, were converted to pasture. Three decades after this land use change from forest to pasture, pipe collapses became evident. In contrast, the adjacent catchment that does not exhibit pipe collapse features experienced severe sheet and rill erosion prior to the 1930s while in cotton production. The surface horizons above the lower fragipan layer were completely removed during this period, thus the top‐soil layer that tends to form a bridge above soil pipes in the more erodible subsoil layers was removed. This study showed that knowledge of soil characteristics or topography alone do not explain the distribution of soil pipe collapses as past land use can play a definitive role. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Preservation potential for Late Quaternary river alluvium

Valley sequences of Late Quaternary alluvial units reflect alluvial preservation as well as alluvial production factors. Effects of lateral channel migration, incision, aggradation and channel stability on preservation potential are explored and then considered in the light of 14 available data sets: cartographically dated and model data based on lateral channel migration; well‐mapped and dated Late Quaternary valley unit surveys; and composite age–frequency plots for dated alluvial units and flood sediments.
A new modular flux-switching permanent magnet drive for large wind turbines

A new modular drivetrain for large wind turbines currently under development is presented. The electromechanical drivetrain has a direct-drive configuration with a modular flux-switching permanent magnet generator. The full-power converter consists of 12 parallel back-to-back 2L-VSC converter modules. A novel method of modulation is used to improve harmonic quality while maintaining a low switching frequency. Benefits of the new design include simplified manufacturing and transport, increased system availability due to fault-tolerance and redundance, and avoidance of an LCL filter. Measurements results are shown from a 500kW test rig.
Niflumic acid suppresses interleukin-13-induced asthma phenotypes.

RATIONALE Chloride channels have been implicated in the regulation of mucus production in epithelial cells. Expression of hCLCA1, a calcium-activated chloride channel, has been reported to be increased in the airway epithelium of patients with asthma. Interleukin (IL)-13 induces the cardinal features of bronchial asthma, and glucocorticoids are not sufficient to suppress IL-13-induced airway hyperresponsiveness or goblet cell hyperplasia. OBJECTIVES We studied the effects of chloride channel inhibitors in IL-13-induced asthma. METHODS The effects of niflumic acid (NA), a relatively specific blocker of calcium-activated chloride channel (CLCA), on goblet cell hyperplasia, eosinophil accumulation, and airway hyperresponsiveness were evaluated after IL-13 instillation into the airways. Because IL-13-dependent features rely on JAK/STAT6 signaling, the effect of NA on phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT6 after IL-13 stimulation was examined in airway epithelial cells in vitro. The expression of the mCLCA family in mouse lung after IL-13 local administration in vivo was analyzed using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Treatment with NA inhibited not only IL-13-induced goblet cell hyperplasia but also airway hyperresponsiveness and eosinophilic infiltration. NA suppressed the eotaxin levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids and overexpression of the MUC5AC gene, a marker of goblet cell hyperplasia, in the lung after IL-13 instillation. NA suppressed JAK2 activation, STAT6 activation, and eotaxin expression in epithelial cells. The expression of mCLCA3 (mouse homolog hCLCA1), but not that of other CLCA family members, was up-regulated by IL-13. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that a chloride channel inhibitor can control IL-13-mediated airway features at least by suppressing JAK/STAT6 activation.
A new climatology for atmospheric correction based on the aerosol inherent optical properties

[1] In the aerosol remote sensing algorithms over ocean, the aerosol models are deduced from the spectral dependence of the path radiances in the near-infrared region. In the classical scheme of atmospheric corrections, the key point is the derivation of atmospheric signals in the visible part of the solar spectrum using these aerosol models. The aerosol climatology generally includes the standard aerosol models. Nevertheless, the latter may not be representative enough of the variety of aerosols encountered over coastal areas. One way to extend this climatology is to generate additional aerosol models. The latters will be described by their micro-physical properties and their inherent optical properties (IOPs) can then be computed with the Mie's theory. Coastal and inland stations of CIMEL sun-photometers from the AERONET (AErosol RObotic NETwork) offer an extensive and representative data set of aerosol characteristics (i.e., the apparent optical properties from which can be derived the IOPs) in the marine environment through solar extinction and sky radiance measurements. An iterative method, developed at the ≪ Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire des Sciences de l'Environnement ≫ (LISE, Wimereux-France), allows to extract the aerosol phase function from these ground-based measurements. CIMEL data, collected over 25 stations during several years, were processed to build-up a database with more than 7000 sequences including single scattering albedos and phase functions at two wavelengths (675 nm and 870 nm). Statistical methods have been applied on this data set to discard the wrong sequences and to suggest a classification in aerosol models through their IOPs.
The Spectral Ocean Wave Model (SOWM), a Northern Hemisphere Computer Model for Specifying and Forecasting Ocean Wave Spectra

Abstract : The Spectral Ocean Wave Model (SOWM) in use at the Fleet Numerical Oceanography Center since 1974 has been used to produce spectra for a 20-year ocean wave climatology for the Northern Hemisphere oceans. The data sources and concepts used to develop the computer model are described; and the equations and computer program structure for the model are given in this report. The accuracy of the model is evaluated by analysis of studies that used spacecraft radar altimeter measurements of significant wave height and by comparison of predicted and estimated frequency spectra and significant wave heights. This report also describes sampling variability effects and incorporates them into the interpretation of the accuracy of the model specifications. In addition, rapid spatial and temporal variations of actual waves that are not reproduced by the model are documented; and possible errors in the specification of swell are suggested. With care in interpretation, a SOWM wave climatology, which is in preparation, should prove to be more accurate than those based on conventional ship reports. (Author)
STAT5 and Oct-1 Form a Stable Complex That Modulates Cyclin D1 Expression

ABSTRACT Signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) is activated by numerous cytokines that control blood cell development. STAT5 was also shown to actively participate in leukemogenesis. Among the target genes involved in cell growth, STAT5 had been shown to activate cyclin D1 gene expression. We now show that thrombopoietin-dependent activation of the cyclin D1 promoter depends on the integrity of a new bipartite proximal element that specifically binds STAT5A and -B transcription factors. We demonstrate that the stable recruitment of STAT5 to this element in vitro requires the integrity of an adjacent octamer element that constitutively binds the ubiquitous POU homeodomain protein Oct-1. We observe that cytokine-activated STAT5 and Oct-1 form a unique complex with the cyclin D1 promoter sequence. We find that STAT5 interacts with Oct-1 in vivo, following activation by different cytokines in various cellular contexts. This interaction involves a small motif in the carboxy-terminal region of STAT5 which, remarkably, is similar to an Oct-1 POU-interacting motif present in two well-known partners of Oct-1, namely, OBF-1/Bob and SNAP190. Our data offer new insights into the transcriptional regulation of the key cell cycle regulator cyclin D1 and emphasize the active roles of both STAT5 and Oct-1 in this process.
Performance evaluation of a DHT-based integrated mobility architecture

Internet population is growing quickly: 1.8 billion people were connected to the Internet at the end of 2009 [1] and this number is expected to grow to 2.2 billions within 2013. Right now, these people are, and will be even more surrounded by heterogeneous devices with advanced networking and rendering capabilities; in their daily life, they will demand a wide set of services and the opportunity to access more and more content in a fast, flexible and reliable way.
A low-sodium solution for airway care: results of a multicenter trial.

BACKGROUND Normal saline is sometimes instilled into the endotracheal tube preparatory to airway suctioning, to assist in removing thick secretions. However, saline can damage the antimicrobial properties of airway secretions. We previously described a low-sodium physiologically based solution for airway care and reported a small (n = 60) randomized trial in neonates, which showed trends toward less ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and less chronic lung disease with the new solution. We now report a multicenter trial of that solution. METHODS We conducted a before-and-after study with a parallel control group, in 4 level-3 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). During year 1, all 4 NICUs used saline for airway care. During year 2, one NICU used the test solution exclusively while the other NICUs used saline exclusively. The 2 study outcomes were VAP (cases/1,000 ventilator days) and chronic lung disease, defined 3 ways: supplemental oxygen at 28 days; supplemental oxygen at 36 weeks gestation; and supplemental oxygen on hospital discharge. RESULTS During the study period 1,116 neonates had endotracheal intubation for respiratory management. Of those, 1,029 received the standard saline for airway suctioning, and the 87 in NICU 4 received the test solution. NICU 4 had a decrease in VAP rate, from 4.2 VAPs/1,000 ventilator days with saline, to 1.6 VAPs/1,000 ventilator days with the test solution (P = .04), and also had the lowest prevalence of chronic lung disease (P < .001 for each definition). CONCLUSIONS The test solution significantly reduced the VAP and chronic lung disease rates.
Next‐generation sequencing technologies for environmental DNA research

Since 2005, advances in next‐generation sequencing technologies have revolutionized biological science. The analysis of environmental DNA through the use of specific gene markers such as species‐specific DNA barcodes has been a key application of next‐generation sequencing technologies in ecological and environmental research. Access to parallel, massive amounts of sequencing data, as well as subsequent improvements in read length and throughput of different sequencing platforms, is leading to a better representation of sample diversity at a reasonable cost. New technologies are being developed rapidly and have the potential to dramatically accelerate ecological and environmental research. The fast pace of development and improvements in next‐generation sequencing technologies can reflect on broader and more robust applications in environmental DNA research. Here, we review the advantages and limitations of current next‐generation sequencing technologies in regard to their application for environmental DNA analysis.
Heterotrimeric G-protein signaling in Arabidopsis

Seven transmembrane G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are commonly used by eukaryotes to sense extracellular signals to switch on cellular responses through the activation of cognate heterotrimeric G-proteins. In Arabidopsis thaliana, GCR2 has been proposed as a GPCR for the plant hormone abscisic acid. On the other hand, biochemical analysis demonstrates that the sole Arabidopsis heterotrimeric G-protein α subunit, GPA1, is in the activated state (GTP-bound) by default, suggesting that the heterotrimeric G-proteins may act without any GPCRs.
Biochemical and pathological changes in tissues of Friesian cattle during the experimental induction of copper deficiency

1. Copper deficiency was induced in five Friesian cattle offered a semi-synthetic diet containing < 1 mg Cu/kg. Changes in blood and liver Cu contents and in the Cu-containing enzymes, ferroxidase I (caeruloplasmin; EC 1.16.3.1) and monoamine oxidase (EC 1.4.3.4) of plasma and cytochrome oxidase (EC 1.9.3.1) of liver and skeletal muscle were monitored during Cu depletion. 2. Rapid decreases in blood and liver Cu and plasma ferroxidase I activity were found at least 80 d before the first appearance of overt clinical signs of deficiency. Plasma monoamine oxidase and liver cytochrome oxidase activities decreased less rapidly and thus may provide useful indices of chronic Cu depletion. 3. Although results of these assays indicated that Cu depletion was occurring and metabolic defects supervening, none facilitated the early recognition of individuals that subsequently showed marked overt clinical signs of Cu deficiency compared with those less severely affected. 4. Irrespective of their clinical appearance at slaughter, Cu-depleted cattle showed gross or microscopic lesions of the skeleton and cardiovascular system and, in some instances, lesions of the ligamentum nuchae and small intestine. The aetiology of these lesions is considered with particular respect to changes in the activities of the Cu-dependent enzymes studied and to the interpretation of field surveys based solely upon determination of blood or liver Cu content. 5. A second group of five cattle was offered the same diet supplemented with Cu to provide 8 mg Cu/kg and, later, 15 mg Cu/kg. Although no pathological lesions attributable to Cu deficiency were detected at slaughter a marked reduction in liver Cu content, a decrease in plasma ferroxidase I activity and, in four animals, the development of a diarrhoea controlled by oral administration of Cu, suggested that 8 mg Cu/kg diet did not meet their requirement for Cu.
Frequency Domain Channel Equalization Using Circulant Channel Matrix Diagonalization

Channel impairments and additive noise tend to introduce distortion in the transmitted data, so that it cannot be perfectly recovered at the receiver. Several channel equalization techniques are used to undo the channel effect, and are classified into time domain equalization and frequency domain equalization. This paper focuses on the frequency domain equalization, employing the diagonalization of the circulant channel matrix. Applying the cyclic prefix before transmission, channel matrix becomes a circulant matrix, whose eigenvector decomposition leads to the diagonalization of channel matrix. The synthesis and analysis filter banks can be found from this approach and channel can be equalized by using inverse of the diagonal matrix coefficients. Simulation results validate the eigenvector approach for channel dependent equalization