Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Within-plant signaling by volatiles leads to induction and priming of an indirect plant defense in nature

Plants respond to herbivore attack with the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can attract predatory arthropods and/or repel herbivores and thus serve as a means of defense against herbivores. Such VOCs might also be perceived by neighboring plants to adjust their defensive phenotype according to the present risk of attack. We exposed lima bean plants at their natural growing site to volatiles of beetle-damaged conspecific shoots. This reduced herbivore damage and increased the growth rate of the exposed plants. To investigate whether VOCs also can serve in signaling processes within the same individual plant we focused on undamaged “receiver” leaves that were either exposed or not exposed to VOCs released by induced “emitter” leaves. Extrafloral nectar secretion by receiver leaves increased when they were exposed to VOCs of induced emitters of neighboring plants or of the same shoot, yet not when VOCs were removed from the system. Extrafloral nectar attracts predatory arthropods and represents an induced defense mechanism. The volatiles also primed extrafloral nectar secretion to show an augmented response to subsequent damage. Herbivore-induced VOCs elicit a defensive response in undamaged plants (or parts of plants) under natural conditions, and they function as external signal for within-plant communication, thus serving also a physiological role in the systemic response of a plant to local damage.
Estimation of the human performance for pedestrian detectability based on visual search and motion features

This paper proposes a method for estimating the human performance of pedestrian detectability from in-vehicle camera images in order to warn a driver of the positions of pedestrians in an appropriate timing. By introducing features related to visual search and motion of the target, the proposed method estimates the detectability of pedestrians accurately. Support Vector Regression (SVR) is used to estimate the detectability. Here, SVR is trained using features calculated by the proposed method with the ground truth obtained through experiments with human subjects. From experiments using in-vehicle camera images, we confirmed that the proposed features were effective to estimate the detectability of pedestrians.
VLSI preprocessing techniques for MUD and MIMO sphere detection

While it has been shown that sphere detectors for multiuser detection (MUD) and multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems can be efficiently designed, a significant hindrance to their feasibility arises from the preprocessing requirements of these algorithms. This paper investigates a number of approaches that may be taken to address this issue, and evaluates their performance in fixed point and reduced precision floating point simulations to determine the most suitable approach. A very large scale integrated circuit (VLSI) implementation strategy is also proposed to show how the chosen method may be efficiently built in hardware
Acute superior oblique palsy in monkeys: I. Changes in static eye alignment.

PURPOSE To investigate immediate and long-term changes in static ocular alignment with acute acquired superior oblique palsy (SOP) in monkeys. METHODS The trochlear nerve was severed intracranially in two rhesus monkeys. After the surgery, the paretic eye was patched for 6 to 9 days, and then binocular viewing was allowed. Three-axis eye movements (horizontal, vertical, and torsional) were measured with binocular, dual search coils. Eye movements were recorded over a +/-20 degrees horizontal and vertical range of fixations before the lesion and then, beginning the first day after surgery. Changes in alignment with +/-30 degrees head tilt were also studied. RESULTS The main findings were (1) misalignment (10-12 degrees vertical in adduction, down; 10-12 degrees torsional in abduction, down); (2) changes in vertical deviation (VD) with head tilt (Delta 2-6 degrees with left versus right 30 degrees tilt); and (3) changes in comitance and VD over time. During the early postlesion period, before binocular viewing was allowed, VD decreased and comitance improved. Once binocular viewing was allowed, VD increased and comitance worsened. CONCLUSIONS Rhesus monkeys with induced SOP show a characteristic pattern of misalignment that helps define the ocular motor signature of acute denervation of the superior oblique muscle. The animals also showed striking changes over time in the amount and comitance of the vertical misalignment that depended on whether viewing was monocular or binocular, suggesting a role for proprioception in adaptation to misalignment with habitual monocular viewing.
A Matrix Pencil Approach to the Blind Source Separation of Artifacts in 2D NMR Spectra

Multidimensional proton nmr spectra of biomolecules dissolved in aqueous solutions are usually contaminated by an intense water artifact. We discuss the application of the generalized eigenvalue decomposition (GEVD) method using a matrix pencil to solve the blind source separation problem of removing the intense solvent peak and related artifacts. 2D NOESY spectra of simple solutes as well as dissolved proteins are studied.
A Dynamic Game-theoretic Approach to the Modified Prisoner's Dilemma

In this paper a paradox similar to the classical Prisoners’ Dilemma paradox is presented and analyzed using the theory of game transformation. This modified version of Prisoner’s Dilemma is more paradoxical than the classical one and the process of game transformation, recently introduced in literature, is used to transform an intractable initial game to a solvable final game with a stable equilibrium state, which is also a rational outcome of the game. The transformation takes into account intangibles like uncertainties, risks, threats, aspirations and converts them into player motivation in the form of a global goal, is arbitrary to start with but the transformation solution is shown to remove this arbitrariness.
A Linear 19-Mer Plant Defensin-Derived Peptide Acts Synergistically with Caspofungin against Candida albicans Biofilms

Public health problems are associated with device-associated biofilm infections, with Candida albicans being the major fungal pathogen. We previously identified potent antibiofilm combination treatment in which the antifungal plant defensin HsAFP1 is co-administered with caspofungin, the preferred antimycotic to treat such infections. In this study, we identified the smallest linear HsAFP1-derived peptide that acts synergistically with caspofungin or anidulafungin against C. albicans as HsLin06_18, a 19-mer peptide derived from the C-terminal part of HsAFP1. The [caspofungin + HsLin06_18] combination significantly reduced in vitro biofilm formation of Candida glabrata and C. albicans on catheters, as well as biofilm formation of a caspofungin-resistant C. albicans strain. The [caspofungin + HsLin06_18] combination was not cytotoxic and reduced biofilm formation of C. albicans in vivo using a subcutaneous rat catheter model, as compared to control treatment. Mode of action research on the [caspofungin + HsLin06_18] combination pointed to caspofungin-facilitated HsLin06_18 internalization and immediate membrane permeabilization. All these findings point to broad-spectrum antibiofilm activity of a combination of HsLin06_18 and caspofungin.
Capturing Relightable Human Performances under General Uncontrolled Illumination

We present a novel approach to create relightable free‐viewpoint human performances from multi‐view video recorded under general uncontrolled and uncalibated illumination. We first capture a multi‐view sequence of an actor wearing arbitrary apparel and reconstruct a spatio‐temporal coherent coarse 3D model of the performance using a marker‐less tracking approach. Using these coarse reconstructions, we estimate the low‐frequency component of the illumination in a spherical harmonics (SH) basis as well as the diffuse reflectance, and then utilize them to estimate the dynamic geometry detail of human actors based on shading cues. Given the high‐quality time‐varying geometry, the estimated illumination is extended to the all‐frequency domain by re‐estimating it in the wavelet basis. Finally, the high‐quality all‐frequency illumination is utilized to reconstruct the spatially‐varying BRDF of the surface. The recovered time‐varying surface geometry and spatially‐varying non‐Lambertian reflectance allow us to generate high‐quality model‐based free view‐point videos of the actor under novel illumination conditions. Our method enables plausible reconstruction of relightable dynamic scene models without a complex controlled lighting apparatus, and opens up a path towards relightable performance capture in less constrained environments and using less complex acquisition setups.
Growth Rates and Structures of MHD Modes in Stellarator/Heliotron

Recently, high-b plasmas with ·b O ~ 3 % have been established in two different types of helical devices, namely, Large Helical Device (LHD) and Wendelstein 7 -AS (W7-AS). These devices are designed with complementary physics concepts. The purpose of the present work is to theoretically understand the properties of ideal Magneto-HydroDynamics (MHD) instabilities in those high-b plasmas and to try to explain the experimental results on a common theoretical basis, namely, the linearized ideal MHD global mode analyses using compressible perturbations. Physically correct growth rates and mode structures make the direct comparison between theory and experiment possible.
Performance evaluation of a hybrid MAC protocol for wireless sensor networks

One of the classical methods to study the performance of networking protocols and algorithms is to use simulation tools like OPNET, NS-2, OMNet++, . etc. An alternative to simulation tools is to use formal modeling techniques. The advantage of using formal modeling techniques over simulation tools is that the user can do both performance evaluation and model verification. One of these methods is Petri Nets. A Petri Net is a mathematical and graphical tool, invented by Carl Adam Petri, used to verify systems and protocols. Petri Nets have been used to analyze and verify systems in different areas of computer science such as parallel processing, distributed systems and computer networks, artificial intelligence.etc. In this paper, we use the Colored Petri Nets (CPN), an extension for Petri Nets, to model and evaluate the performance of our EQ-MAC protocol [1]. EQ-MAC is quality of service and energy aware hybrid MAC protocol specifically designed for wireless sensor networks. After developing the Petri models for the EQ-MAC protocol, the GreatSPN software system is used to validate the correctness of the developed models and evaluate the performance. Two important performance measures are defined, which are average delay and packets delivery ratio; The results demonstrate the efficiency of our protocol. Furthermore, this work demonstrates the ability of Petri-Nets to model and evaluate MAC protocol for wireless sensor networks.
Survival after long-term isoflurane sedation as opposed to intravenous sedation in critically ill surgical patients: Retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND Isoflurane has shown better control of intensive care sedation than propofol or midazolam and seems to be a useful alternative. However, its effect on survival remains unclear. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to compare mortality after sedation with either isoflurane or propofol/midazolam. DESIGN A retrospective analysis of data in a hospital database for a cohort of consecutive patients. SETTING Sixteen-bed interdisciplinary surgical ICU of a German university hospital. PATIENTS Consecutive cohort of 369 critically ill surgical patients defined within the database of the hospital information system. All patients were continuously ventilated and sedated for more than 96 h between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2010. After excluding 169 patients (93 >79 years old, 10 <40 years old, 46 mixed sedation, 20 lost to follow-up), 200 patients were studied, 72 after isoflurane and 128 after propofol/midazolam. INTERVENTIONS Sedation with isoflurane using the AnaConDa system compared with intravenous sedation with propofol or midazolam. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Hospital mortality (primary) and 365-day mortality (secondary) were compared with the Kaplan–Meier analysis and a log-rank test. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) [with 95% confidence interval (95% CI)] were calculated by logistic regression analyses to determine the risk of death after isoflurane sedation. RESULTS After sedation with isoflurane, the in-hospital mortality and 365-day mortality were significantly lower than after propofol/midazolam sedation: 40 versus 63% (P = 0.005) and 50 versus 70% (P = 0.013), respectively. After adjustment for potential confounders (coronary heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, acute renal failure, creatinine, age and Simplified Acute Physiology Score II), patients after isoflurane were at a lower risk of death during their hospital stay (OR 0.35; 95% CI 0.18 to 0.68, P = 0.002) and within the first 365 days (OR 0.41; 95% CI 0.21 to 0.81, P = 0.010). CONCLUSION Compared with propofol/midazolam sedation, long-term sedation with isoflurane seems to be well tolerated in this group of critically ill patients after surgery.
An effective fusion scheme of spatio-temporal features for human action recognition in RGB-D video

We investigate the problem of human action recognition by studying the effects of fusing feature streams retrieved from color and depth sequences. Our main contribution is two-fold: First, we present the so-called 3DS-HONV descriptor which is a spatio-temporal extension of Histogram of Oriented Normal vector (HONV), specifically designed for capturing the joint shape-motion vision cues from depth sequences; on the other hand, an effective RGB-D features fusion scheme, which exploits information from both color and depth channels, is developed to extract expressive representations for action recognition in real scenarios. As a result, despite its simplicity, our 3DS-HONV descriptor performs surprisingly well, and achieves the state-of-the-art performance on MSRAction3D dataset, which is 88.89% in overall accuracy. Further experiments demonstrate that our latter feature fusion scheme also generalizes well and achieves good results on the one-shot-learning ChaLearn Gesture Data (CGD2011).
Security of Rechargeable Energy-Harvesting Transmitters in Wireless Networks

In this letter, we investigate the security of a single-antenna rechargeable source node in the presence of a multi-antenna rechargeable cooperative jammer and a potential single-antenna eavesdropper. The batteries at the legitimate transmitting nodes (i.e., the source node and the jamming node) are assumed to be limited in capacity and are modeled as queueing systems. We investigate the impact of the energy arrival rates at the batteries on the achievable secrecy rates. In our energy-constrained network, we propose an efficient scheme to enhance the system's security by optimizing the transmission times of the source node. The jammer uses a subset of its antennas and transmit radio-frequency chains to create a beamformer which maximizes the system's secrecy rate while completely canceling the artificial noise at the legitimate destination. Our numerical results demonstrate the significant average secrecy rate gain of our proposed scheme.
Six- and Twelve-Month Results From First Human Experience Using Everolimus-Eluting Stents With Bioabsorbable Polymer

Background—Everolimus, an active immunosuppressive and antiproliferative agent of the same family as sirolimus (rapamycin), has demonstrated significant reduction of neointimal proliferation in animal studies. The First Use To Underscore restenosis Reduction with Everolimus (FUTURE) I trial was the first in-human experience to evaluate the safety and efficacy of everolimus-eluting stents (EES), coated with a bioabsorbable polymer, compared with bare metal stents (BMS). Methods and Results—FUTURE I was a prospective, single-blind, randomized trial that enrolled 42 patients with de novo coronary lesions (EES 27, BMS 15). Patient and lesion characteristics were comparable between the groups. Major adverse cardiac event rates were low at 30 days and 6 months, without any early or late stent thrombosis for either group (P =NS). Between 6 and 12 months, there were no additional reports of major adverse cardiac events. The 6-month angiographic in-stent restenosis rate was 0% versus 9.1% (1 patient) (P =NS), with an associated late loss of 0.11 mm versus 0.85 mm (P <0.001), and the in-segment restenosis rate was 4% (1 patient) and 9.1% (1 patient) (P =NS) for EES and BMS, respectively. Intravascular ultrasound analysis revealed a significant reduction of percent neointimal volume in EES compared with BMS (2.9±1.9 mm3 /mm versus 22.4±9.4 mm3 /mm, P <0.001). There was no late stent malapposition in either group. The safety and efficacy of the EES appeared to be sustained at 12 months. Conclusions—In this initial clinical experience, EES with bioabsorbable polymer demonstrated a safe and efficacious method to reduce in-stent neointimal hyperplasia and restenosis.
Neurosecretion Competence, an Independently Regulated Trait of the Neurosecretory Cell Phenotype*

Neurosecretion competence is intended as the ability of neurosecretory cells to express dense and clear vesicles discharged by regulated exocytosis (neurotransmitter release). Such a property, which so far has never been studied independently, is investigated here by a heterotypic cell fusion approach, using a clone of rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells totally incompetent for neurosecretion that still largely maintains its typical molecular and cellular phenotype. When fused with wild-type partners of various species (rat, human) and specialization (PC12, neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y, HeLa), the defective cells reacquire their competence as revealed by the expression of their secretion-specific proteins. Fused wild-type cells therefore appear able to complement defective cells by providing them with factor(s) inducing the reactivation of their secretory program. The mechanism of action of these factors may consist not in a coordinate unblocking of transcription but in the prevention of a rapid post-transcriptional degradation of the mRNAs for secretion-specific genes.
Efficient design of Substrate Integrated Waveguide power dividers for antenna feed systems

An efficient design technique for Substrate Integrated Waveguide (SIW) power dividers for applications in SIW antenna feed networks is presented. The analysis and optimization procedure employs mode-matching techniques using square via holes. A simple square-to-circular via hole conversion produces the final power dividers with only very little performance discrepancy between the components with square and circular via holes. Five power divider designs for K-band applications, ranging from two-way to four-way dividers, are presented and validated by commercial field solvers. Good agreement with measurements is demonstrated for a Ka-band two-way divider.
Microfiber Bragg grating for liquid-level variation sensing

We report a liquid-level variation sensor based on a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) inscribed in a 6.5-μmdiameter microfiber. The proposed microfiber Bragg grating (MFBG) in air has two separated reflection peaks, which are caused by the fundamental mode reflection and the higher-order mode reflection. Each of the two peaks will split into another two adjacent peaks when a fraction of the MFBG sensor immerses into liquid. By measuring the reflectivity difference between the two original peaks and their respective adjacent liquid-induced peaks, the liquid-level variation can be determined.
Communication complexity

In this paper we prove several results concerning this complexity measure. First we establish (in a non-constructive manner) that there exist languages which cannot be recognized with less than <italic>n</italic> communication (obviously, communication <italic>n</italic> is always enough for recognizing any language). In fact, we show that for any function<italic>f(n)-&-lt; n,</italic> there are languages recognizable with communication<italic>f(n)</italic> but not with communication<italic>f (n)</italic>-&-minus;1. In other words, this complexity measure possesses a very dense hierarchy or complexity classes, as miniscule increments in communication add to the languages that can be recognized.
Credit contagion and credit risk

We study a simple, solvable model that allows us to investigate effects of credit contagion on the default probability of individual firms, in both portfolios of firms and on an economy wide scale. While the effect of interactions may be small in typical (most probable) scenarios they are magnified, due to feedback, by situations of economic stress, which in turn leads to fatter tails in loss distributions of large loan portfolios.
Improved Active Shape Model for Facial Feature Extraction in Color Images

— In this paper we present an improved Active Shape Model (ASM) for facial features extraction. The original ASM developed by Cootes et al. [1] suffers from factors such as, poor model initialization, modeling the intensity of the local structure of the facial features, and alignment of the shape model to a new instant of the object in a given image using simple Euclidian transformation. The core of our enhancement relies on three improvements (a) initializing the ASM model using the centers of the mouth and eyes, which are located using color information, (b) incorporating RGB color information to represent the local structure of the feature points, and (c) applying 2D affine transformation in aligning the facial features that are perturbed by head pose variations, which effectively aligns the matched facial features to the shape model and compensates for the effect of the head pose variations. Experiments on a face database of 70 subjects show that our approach outperforms the standard ASM and is successful in extracting facial features.
Efficient real-time loop closure detection using GMM and tree structure

In this work, fast and efficient appearance-based methods for visual loop-closure detection are proposed. The widely used technique based on the Bag-of-Words image representation has shown some limitations especially with aliasing problem. In this work, however, an appearance-based approach for loop closure detection using local invariant and colour features is proposed. The first technique uses Bayes Decision Theory for loop closure detection based on Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM). A new technique based on the combination of GMM with the KD-Tree data structure is presented as well. The techniques have been validated using monocular image sequences from several environments.