Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Parallel Variable-length Decoder Architecture for Alternated Coded GR-Codes

The entropy coding of high peak, heavy-tailed probability distributions such as the Laplacian, Cauchy, and generalized Gaussian have been a topic of interest because they are able to provide good models for data in many coding systems, especially in image and video coding systems. This thesis studies the entropy coding of such high peak, heavy-tailed probability distributions. By summarizing the encoding of such distributions under the concept “Unary Prefixed Codes” (UPC), the thesis depicts the encoding via a different approach. By extending the concept of UPC, the thesis proposes a universally applicable coding algorithm “Unary Prefixed Huffman” (UPH) that could be applied to both finite and infinite sources. The code set resulting from the UPH algorithm has a coding efficiency which is upper-bounded by entropy + 2 given that the entropy is finite, and is able to provide sub-optimal encoding of the sources studied in the thesis. The thesis also proposes several different variations of UPCs that are simple in structure yet efficient for use for several variations of the high peak, heavy-tailed distributions that are commonly found in image and video coding systems. By applying the concept of the UPC, the thesis further proposes a coding method named the “Alternating Coding” (ALT) method. The ALT coding provides a coding pattern that is different from the conventional method which enables the extraction of special properties of the UPCs. Using the extraction of the special property of the UPCs, decoding could be greatly simplified and parallel decoding could be a possibility. Moreover, for the highly structured UPCs that are widely used in image and video coding systems, the ALT coding enables an error resiliency mechanism to be applied, which helps to improve the error tolerance of these UPC packets to a significant extent. Simulations and actual application results of the ALT coding are discussed in the thesis. By applying the ALT coding, the hardware architecture of the decoder changes accordingly. The ALT decoder is different to the conventional variable length decoders that have been applied in the decoding of UPCs, as it is able to utilize the special properties of the UPCs and thus simplify the decoder architecture. As shown in the thesis, the ALT decoders are smaller in size, faster in speed and consume much less power compared to the conventional decoders. This is particularly true for those highly structured UPCs that are commonly used in image and video coding systems. Actual realizations of several ALT decoders are discussed in the thesis, and comparisons are made to the conventional decoders. The improvements are shown to be very evident.
Acetaldehyde as a drug of abuse: insight into AM281 administration on operant-conflict paradigm in rats

Increasing evidence focuses on acetaldehyde (ACD) as the mediator of the rewarding and motivational properties of ethanol. Indeed, ACD stimulates dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens and it is self-administered under different conditions. Besides the dopaminergic transmission, the endocannabinoid system has been reported to play an important role in ethanol central effects, modulating primary alcohol rewarding effect, drug-seeking, and relapse behavior. Drug motivational properties are highlighted in operant paradigms which include response-contingent punishment, a behavioral equivalent of compulsive drug use despite adverse consequences. The aim of this study was thus to characterize ACD motivational and rewarding properties employing an operant-conflict paradigm in which rats, trained to lever press in order to get ACD solution (0.9%), undergo extinction, reinstatement and conflict sessions, according to a modified Geller–Seifter procedure. Furthermore, the role played by CB1 receptor system in modulating ACD-induced effects were investigated through the administration of CB1 receptor antagonist, AM281 (1 mg/kg, i.p.) during the extinction-, relapse-, and conflict-experiments. Our results indicate that ACD is able to induce and maintain an operant behavior, a high number of responses during extinction, an increase in the lever presses during the reinstatement phase, and a higher emission of punished responses during the conflict experiments, when compared to controls. The administration of AM281 is able to decrease ACD-seeking behavior during extinction, the number of lever presses during reinstatement and to strongly decrease the punished responses for ACD. Our data strengthen the idea that ACD may be responsible for the central effects of ethanol, and pinpoint at the CB1 system as one of the neural substrates underlying its addictive properties.
ARF1.GTP, tyrosine-based signals, and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate constitute a minimal machinery to recruit the AP-1 clathrin adaptor to membranes.

At the trans-Golgi network, clathrin coats containing AP-1 adaptor complexes are formed in an ARF1-dependent manner, generating vesicles transporting cargo proteins to endosomes. The mechanism of site-specific targeting of AP-1 and the role of cargo are poorly understood. We have developed an in vitro assay to study the recruitment of purified AP-1 adaptors to chemically defined liposomes presenting peptides corresponding to tyrosine-based sorting motifs. AP-1 recruitment was found to be dependent on myristoylated ARF1, GTP or nonhydrolyzable GTP-analogs, tyrosine signals, and small amounts of phosphoinositides, most prominently phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, in the absence of any additional cytosolic or membrane bound proteins. AP-1 from cytosol could be recruited to a tyrosine signal independently of the lipid composition, but the rate of recruitment was increased by phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate. The results thus indicate that cargo proteins are involved in coat recruitment and that the local lipid composition contributes to specifying the site of vesicle formation.
PASCAL Boundaries: A Class-Agnostic Semantic Boundary Dataset

In this paper, we address the boundary detection task motivated by the ambiguities in current definition of edge detection. To this end, we generate a large database consisting of more than 10k images (which is 20 bigger than existing edge detection databases) along with ground truth boundaries between 459 semantic classes including both foreground objects and different types of background, and call it the PASCAL Boundaries dataset, which will be released to the community. In addition, we propose a novel deep network-based multi-scale semantic boundary detector and name it Multi-scale Deep Semantic Boundary Detector (M-DSBD). We provide baselines using models that were trained on edge detection and show that they transfer reasonably to the task of boundary detection. Finally, we point to various important research problems that this dataset can be used for.
Automated Guide Vehicles Dynamic Scheduling Based on Annealing Genetic Algorithm

Dispatching automated guided vehicles (AGVs) is the common approach for AGVs scheduling in practice, the information about load arrivals in advance was not used to optimize the performance of the automated guided vehicles system (AGVsS). According to the characteristics of the AGVsS, the mathematical model of AGVs scheduling was established. A heuristic algorithm called Annealing Genetic Algorithm (AGA) was presented to deal with the AGVs scheduling problem,and applied the algorithm dynamically by using it repeatedly under a combined rolling optimization strategy. the performance of the proposed approach for AGVs scheduling was compared with the dispatching rules by simulation. Results showed that the approach performs significantly better than the dispatching rules and proved that it is really effective for AGVsS. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.11591/telkomnika.v11i5. 2481
Designing Response Categories of Agreement Scales for Cross‐national Surveys in East Asia: The Approach of the Japanese General Social Surveys

The existing cross-national surveys use various types of scales including 2-point, 3-point, 4-point, and 5-point scales, and the translations of response statements vary depending on responsible organizations even within the same country. This paper examines how differences in response categories of the agreement scale may impact the distribution of responses in cross-national surveys and reports the strategies for designing the agreement scale for the East Asian Social Survey (EASS) project. Among the four EASS countries and region, the response pattern of the Japanese is somewhat different from that of Taiwanese, Korean, and Chinese people; the Japanese prefer to give a mid-point or close-to-the-middle response instead of a definite expression of agreement or disagreement. Social surveys in Japan often handle this tendency by avoiding the use of strong adverbs and excluding mid-point and off-scale options from agreement scales. Based on examinations of existing surveys results and conducting pretests, the following strategies to ensure procedural equivalence as well as interpretive equivalence in the EASS project were contrived: (i) The agreement scale was designed to have a sufficient variability in response distributions for all countries and the region; a 7-point scale with the adverb “strongly” at both ends and a mid-point was adopted. (ii) The translations of response statements as well as questions for all teams were carefully checked and adjusted through several languages.
A New Approach of Query Optimization with Join of N Relations

An important subject in integration of information in the large scale is to select Topic with a view to ranking from multiple sources so that transfer cost is become minimum. For this purpose in relations join, the suitable size of relations inputs for getting Top K must be determined. We are presenting in this article, according to the quantity k that is determined in query, a dynamic algorithm for determining input size of N relations in rank aware Queries in the from of hierarchical description that in this case we can efficiently answer to the queries with join of N relations for getting Top K. we implemented suggested algorithm and it is observed according to the gotten results that the amount of sent information by pruned records extraordinarily will be decreased in comparison with traditional algorithm and also the time of query processing extraordinarily will be decreased.
Effect of Methylphenidate on Orthodontic Tooth Movement and Histological Features of Bone Tissue in Rats: An Experimental Study.

INTRODUCTION Methylphenidate is a psychostimulant drug, which is commonly used by children and teenagers. This age group receives most orthodontic treatment. Effect of this drug on tooth movement is unknown. AIM The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of methylphenidate on orthodontic tooth movement and histological features of bone tissue in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty-two Wistar rats (male) were selected and divided to three groups, randomly (n=14). The control group (Group 1) received no drug, the experimental Group 2 received a constant dose of methylphenidate daily for 14 days while the experimental Group 3 received increasing doses of methylphenidate daily. To exert force, a NiTi coil spring was placed between the maxillary right first molar and the maxillary right central incisor. At the end of the study period, the amount of tooth movement was measured and then the rats were sacrificed for histological analysis of bone tissue. Differences between the experimental groups were analysed using Kruskal-wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. RESULTS No significant differences were found in the amount of orthodontic tooth movement or osteoclasts and lacunae, between the experimental groups (p>0.05). Mann-Whitney U analysis showed significant differences in the depth of resorption lacuna between Group 2 and 3 (p=0.037). CONCLUSION Methylphenidate has no significant effect on orthodontic tooth movement or histological features of bone tissue in rats.
Exposure to Bisphenol A From Drinking Canned Beverages Increases Blood Pressure: Randomized Crossover Trial

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used in plastic bottles and inner coating of beverage cans, and its exposure is almost ubiquitous. BPA has been associated with hypertension and decreased heart rate variability in the previous studies. The aim of the present study was to determine whether increased BPA exposure from consumption of canned beverage actually affects blood pressure and heart rate variability. We conducted a randomized crossover trial with noninstitutionalized adults, who were aged ≥60 years and recruited from a local community center. A total of 60 participants visited the study site 3 times, and they were provided the same beverage in 2 glass bottles, 2 cans, or 1 can and 1 glass bottle at a time. The sequence of the beverage was randomized. We then measured urinary BPA concentration, blood pressure, and heart rate variability 2 hours after the consumption of each beverage. The paired t test and mixed model were used to compare the differences. The urinary BPA concentration increased after consuming canned beverages by >1600% compared with that after consuming glass bottled beverages. Systolic blood pressure adjusted for daily variance increased by ≈4.5 mm Hg after consuming 2 canned beverages compared with that after consuming 2 glass bottled beverages, and the difference was statistically significant. The parameters of the heart rate variability did not show statistically significant differences.The present study demonstrated that consuming canned beverage and consequent increase of BPA exposure increase blood pressure acutely.
B-lymphocyte heterogeneity: development and characterization of an alloantiserum which distinguishes B-lymphocyte differentiation alloantigens

CBA/N mice and F1 male mice, which are hemizygous for the CBA/N X chromosome, have an immune defect which is associated with the absence (deficiency) of a subpopulation of mature or late developing B lymphocytes. This characteristic was utilized to develop an antiserum that was specific for this subclass of B cells. C57BL/L mice were immunized with DBA/2 spleen calls, and the resulting antisera was absorbed with lymphoid cells derived from immunologically abnormal (CBA/N female X DBA/2 male)F1 male mice. The absorbed antisera was cytotoxic for a subpopulation of lymphocytes that was present in the spleens of adult DBA/2 and (CBA/N female X DBA/2 male)F1 female mice. The cells killed by the absorbed antisera were Ig-bearing, complement receptor-bearing B lymphocytes, which had a low-to-intermediate density of total surface Ig. Moreover, the cells remaining after treatment of adult (CBA/N female X DBA/2 male)F1 female spleen cells with the absorbed antisera and C had a high ratio of surface IgM to IgD. The development of this cytotoxic alloantisera, which is specific for a late developing (mature) subpopulation of B lymphocytes, will allow the functional characterization of subclasses of B lymphocytes.
Indoor SLAM for Micro Aerial Vehicles Control Using Monocular Camera and Sensor Fusion

This paper represents research in progress in Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) for Micro Aerial Vehicles (MAVs) in the context of rescue and/or recognition navigation tasks in indoor environments. In this kind of applications, the MAV must rely on its own onboard sensors to autonomously navigate in unknown, hostile and GPS denied environments, such as ruined or semi-demolished buildings. This article aims to investigate a SLAM technique that fuses visual information and measurements from the inertial measurement unit (IMU), to robustly obtain the 6DOF pose estimation of a MAV within a local map of the environment. The monocular visual SLAM algorithm along with the IMU calculate the pose estimation through an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF). The system consists of a low-cost commercial drone and a remote control unit to computationally afford the SLAM algorithms using a distributed node system based on ROS (Robot Operating System). Some experimental results show how sensor fusion improves the position estimation and the obtained map under different test conditions.
The Development of the Spiritual Focus in Counseling and Counselor Education

This article summarizes the Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling's (ASERVIC's) history with the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the Summit on Spirituality. It includes comments on the importance of spirituality in counseling and the rewarding aspects of infusing spirituality into counseling from the perspectives of Mary Thomas Burke, Eugene Kelly, and Judy Miranti. The article concludes by exploring issues related to fusing spirituality with counseling and presents recommendations.
Conducting international nursing research: challenges and opportunities.

AIM To describe practical experiences before, during and after gaining entry into research fields in Kenya and Uganda. BACKGROUND Planning, conducting and implementing international research can be an arduous task. Novice researchers need practical guides to accessing international fields and mitigating challenges met in the field. DATA SOURCES The researchers conducted three different studies in two developing nations. REVIEW METHODS This paper reviews challenges encountered when conducting international research. Solutions used to overcome these challenges are discussed. DISCUSSION Establishing and maintaining effective partnerships is critical to the success of international research efforts. Researchers must be tactful, flexible and creative when handling methodological, ethical and logistical challenges encountered in settings poor in resources. CONCLUSION International research provides opportunities for increasing dedication, building cross-cultural competence and advancing health professional practice globally. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH/PRACTICE This paper contributes to nursing scholarship by highlighting the practical challenges of conducting international research. Illustrations aimed at lending insight and encouraging others to expand their dedication to conducting international research are offered.
Legal Commentary: Responding to Riot: Lessons from August 2011

Prominently reported at the time, the episodes of large-scale crime and disorder in England over five days in August 2011 have subsequently attracted much dissection and analysis. Rioting on that scale ‘was unprecedented in the modern era because of the number of different incidents taking place in different locations over the same period of time’ (House of Commons, 2011). Beginning in Tottenham, North London with an initially peaceful protest in response to the fatal shooting by police of an unarmed black man, tensions mounted and fighting, fires and looting resulted. Disorder then occurred in other areas of London before spreading to several other cities and towns.1 A Ministry of Justice (MoJ) overview (2011) detailed that across the ten police force areas principally affected 5112 disorder-related crimes were recorded, most commonly involving some form of acquisitive crime which accounted for 50 per cent of this total, with criminal damage accounting for a further 36 per cent. Though five members of the public were killed, violent offences were less numerous, comprising seven per cent of the total. Just over half (51 per cent) of all crimes were committed against commercial (usually retail) premises, a further 19 per cent targeting vehicles, while 13 per cent were against individuals, predominantly featuring robbery and assault. Six per cent of offences were against the police. By early September those ten police forces had arrested 3900 persons for their part in the disorder. Over half of the 1984 persons who subsequently appeared in court by 12 October, facing prosecution for burglary (45 per cent), public order offences (such as violent disorder or affray), criminal damage etc, were aged 20 or younger, 26 per cent being juveniles aged under
Use of quantitative competitive PCR to measure Epstein-Barr virus genome load in the peripheral blood of pediatric transplant patients with lymphoproliferative disorders

A quantitative competitive PCR (QC-PCR) assay for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been developed to provide accurate measurement of EBV genome load in pediatric transplant recipients at risk for developing posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD). The assay quantifies between 8 and 5,000 copies of the EBV genome in 10(5) lymphocytes after a 30-cycle amplification reaction. For 14 pediatric patients diagnosed with PTLD, the median EBV genome load was 4,000, and 13 of the 14 patients had values of >500 copies per 10(5) lymphocytes. Only 3 of 12 control transplant recipients not diagnosed with PTLD had detectable viral genome loads (median value, 40). This median was calculated by using the highest value obtained by PCR testing on each of these patients posttransplantation. PCR values of >500 copies per 10(5) lymphocytes appear to correlate with a diagnosis of PTLD. By a modified protocol, the EBV genome copy number in latently infected adults was estimated to be <0.1 copy per 10(5) lymphocytes.
Role of the Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor in Penetration of Low Density Lipoprotein into Rabbit Aortic Wall

The present study was designed to determine whether binding of low density lipoprotein (LDL) to endothelial LDL receptors contributes significantly to the penetration of LDL into the normal rabbit aorta. Initial flux rate was used as a measure of uptake of LDL. Reductive methylation of LDL is known to block its recognition by the LDL receptor. Therefore, the difference in flux rates of native LDL and reductively methylated LDL (methyl-LDL) was assumed to represent the receptor-dependent uptake. Native LDL and methyl-LDL were labeled with different isotopes (125I or 131I) and both were injected simultaneously into the same rabbit. After 30 to 60 minutes, trichloroacetic acid-precipitable counts were determined in aortic specimens. The initial flux rates, expressed as plasma clearance (nl/g/hr), were 1787 for native LDL and 1924 for methyl-LDL. The difference was not significant, which suggests that the flux of LDL into the aorta is not significantly dependent upon, or regulated by, endothelial LDL receptors, but is mediated by other mechanisms.
Epidemiology of lameness in dairy cattle: description and analysis of foot lesions

Information from 37 dairy farms, in four regions of England and Wales provided data on 8991 lesions and the preventive trimming of 4837 cows' feet. Of the total of 13,828 forms returned, veterinary surgeons treated 32 per cent and farmers or stockmen 46 per cent. Of the 8645 lesions associated with episodes of lameness, lesions in the hindlimbs accounted for 92 per cent, of which 65 per cent were in the outer claw, 20 per cent in the skin and 14 per cent in the inner claw. Sole ulcers (40 per cent) and white line lesions (29 per cent) were the predominant diseases of horn, and digital dermatitis (40 per cent) was the most common disease of the skin. Subjective assessments showed that sandcrack, penetration of the sole by foreign bodies and interdigital necrobacillosis were associated with the most severe cases of lameness. There was a significant seasonal effect in the reporting of lesions.