Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SWIN-RIND: Edge Detection for Reflectance, Illumination, Normal and Depth Discontinuity with Swin Transformer

Edges are caused by the discontinuities in surface-r eflectance, i llumination, surface-n ormal, and d epth (RIND). However, extensive research into the detection of specific edge types has not been conducted. Thus, in this paper, we propose a Swin Transformer-based method (referred to as SWIN-RIND) to detect these four edge types from a single input image. Attention-based approaches have performed well in general edge detection and are expected to work effectively for RIND edges. The proposed method utilizes the Swin Transformer as the encoder and a top-down and bottom-up multilevel feature aggregation block as the decoder. The encoder extracts cues at different levels, and the decoder integrates these cues into shared features containing rich contextual information. Then, each specific edge type is predicted through independent decision heads. To train and evaluate the proposed model, we used the public BSDS-RIND benchmark, which is based on the Berkeley Segmentation Dataset and contains annotations for the four RIND-edge types. The proposed method was evaluated experimentally, and the results demonstrate that the proposed SWIN-RIND method outperforms several state-of-the-art methods.
Spatial and seasonal variability of watershed response to anthropogenic nitrogen loading in a mountainous watershed

Anthropogenic activity has greatly increased watershed export of bioavailable nitrogen. Escalating levels of bioavailable nitrogen can deteriorate aquatic ecosystems by promoting nuisance algae growth, depleting dissolved oxygen levels, altering biotic communities, and expediting eutrophication. Despite these potential detrimental impacts, there is notable lack of understanding of the linkages between anthropogenic nitrogen inputs and the spatial and seasonal heterogeneity of stream network concentrations and watershed nitrogen export. This dissertation research seeks to more accurately define these linkages by investigating the roles of landscape position and spatial distribution of anthropogenic nitrogen inputs on the magnitude and speciation of watershed nitrogen export and retention and how these roles vary seasonally across contrasting landscapes in a 212 km mountainous watershed in southwest Montana. Results indicate localized inputs of anthropogenic nitrogen occurring in watershed areas with quick transport times to streams had disproportionate effects on watershed nitrogen export compared to spatially distributed or localized inputs of nitrogen to areas with longer transport times. In lower elevation alluvial streams, these effects varied seasonally and were most evident during the dormant winter season by amplified nitrate peaks, elevated dissolved organic nitrogen:dissolved organic nitrogen (DIN:DON) ratios and lower dissolved organic carbon (DOC):total dissolved nitrogen (DOC:TDN). During the summer growing season, biologic uptake of nitrogen masked anthropogenic influences on watershed nitrogen export; however, endmember mixing analysis of nitrate isotopes revealed significant anthropogenic influence during the growing season, despite low nitrate concentrations and DIN:DON ratios. In contrast, streams draining alpine environments consisting of poorly developed, shallow soils and small riparian areas exhibited yearlong elevated nitrate concentrations compared to other sites, suggesting these areas were highly nitrogen enriched. Watershed modeling revealed the majority of watershed nitrogen retention occurred in the upland environment, most likely from biological uptake or lack of hydrologic connectivity. This work has critical implications for watershed management, which include: 1) developing flexible strategies that address varying landscape characteristics and nitrogen loading patterns across a watershed, 2) avoiding clustering nitrogen loading in areas with quick travel times to surface waters, 3) seasonal monitoring to accurately gauge watershed nitrogen saturation status, and 4) incorporating spatial relationships into streamwater nitrogen models.
Software Compartmentalization Trade-Offs with Hardware Capabilities

Compartmentalization is a form of defensive software design in which an application is broken down into isolated but communicating components. Retrofitting compartmentalization into existing applications is often thought to be expensive from the engineering effort and performance overhead points of view. Still, recent years have seen proposals of compartmentalization methods with promises of low engineering efforts and reduced performance impact. ARM Morello combines a modern ARM processor with an implementation of Capability Hardware Enhanced RISC Instructions (CHERI) aiming to provide efficient and secure compartmentalization. Past works exploring CHERI-based compartmentalization were restricted to emulated/FPGA prototypes. In this paper, we explore possible compartmentalization schemes with CHERI on the Morello chip. We propose two approaches representing different trade-offs in terms of engineering effort, security, scalability, and performance impact. We describe and implement these approaches on a prototype OS running bare metal on the Morello chip, compartmentalize two popular applications, and investigate the performance overheads. Furthermore, we show that compartmentalization can be achieved with an engineering cost that can be quite low if one is willing to trade off on scalability and security, and that performance overheads are similar to other intra-address space isolation mechanisms.
Searching for Compact Hierarchical Structures in DNA by means of the Smallest Grammar Problem

Motivated by the goal of discovering hierarchical structures inside DNA sequences, we address the Smallest Grammar Problem, the problem of finding a smallest context-free grammar that generates exactly one sequence. This NP-Hard problem has been widely studied for applications like Data Compression, Structure Discovery and Algorithmic Information Theory. From the theoretical point of view, our contributions to this problem is a new formalisation of the Smallest Grammar Problem based on two complementary optimisation problems: the choice of constituents of the final grammar and the choice of how to parse the sequence with these constituents. We give a polynomial time solution for this last problem, which me named the ''Minimal Grammar Parsing" problem. This decomposition allows us to define a new complete and correct search space for the Smallest Grammar Problem. Based on this search space, we propose new algorithms able to return grammars 10\% smaller than the state of the art on complete genomes. Regarding efficiency, we study different equivalence classes of repeats and introduce an efficient in-place schema to update the suffix array data structure used to compute these words. We conclude this thesis analysing the applications. For Structure Discovery, we consider the impact of the non-uniqueness of smallest grammars. We prove that the number of smallest grammars can be exponential in the size of the sequence and then analyse the stability of the discovered structures between minimal grammars for real-life examples. With respect to Data Compression, we extend our algorithms to use rigid patterns as words and achieve compression rate up to 25\% better compared to the previous best DNA grammar-based coder.
Parallelization on graphic hardware : contributions to RNA folding and sequence alignment. (Parallélisation sur matériel graphique : contributions au repliement d'ARN et à l'alignement de séquences)

Bioinformatics require the analysis of large amounts of data. With the recent advent of next generation sequencing technologies generating data at a cheap cost, the computational power needed has increased dramatically. Graphic Processing Units (GPU) are now programmable beyond simple graphic computations, providing cheap high performance for general purpose applications. This thesis explores the usage of GPUs for bioinformatics applications. First, this work focuses on the computation of secondary structures of RNA sequences. It is traditionally conducted with a dynamic programming algorithm, which poses significant challenges for a GPU implementation. We introduce a new tiled implementation providing good data locality and therefore very efficient GPU code. We note that our algorithmic modification also enables tiling and subsequent vectorization of the CPU program, allowing us to conduct a fair CPU-GPU comparison. Secondly, this works addresses the short sequence alignment problem. We present an attempt at GPU parallelization using the seed-and-extend paradigm. Since this attempt is unsuccessful, we then focus on the development of a program running on CPU. Our main contribution is the development of a new algorithm filtering candidate alignment locations quickly, based on the pre computation of tiles of the dynamic programming matrix. This new algorithm proved to be in fact more effective on a sequential CPU program and lead to an efficient new CPU aligner. Our work provides the example of both successful an unsuccessful attempts at GPU parallelization. These two points of view allow us to evaluate GPUs efficiency and the role they can play in bioinformatics.
Networks among retired British Women in the Costa Blanca :insiders, outsiders, ‘club capital’ and ‘limited liability'

Much has been written on the subject of Intra-European retirement migration spanning a range of disciplines including social policy, sociology, geography, migration studies, tourism, social gerontology, sociology and anthropology. Such movement — predominantly from northern to southern Europe — has largely been attributed to increased life expectancy, early retirement, greater affluence and previous tourism experiences. Historically, migration to Spain centred on the Costa del Sol and more recently the Costa Blanca; the Spanish Costas remain popular destinations for British retirees. This area is populated by large numbers of migrants who have retired, often early, and bought ‘a place in the sun’. Focusing on retired British migrants in new social and cultural contexts, I explore how a degree of superficiality or ‘sense of belonging’ to networks is sufficient to enable retirees to thrive in their new country. Although bonding social capital is often associated with migrant populations, I highlight how retired British women utilize ‘club capital’ — denoting looser, superficial linkages — and how their social networks are characterized by ‘limited liability’. Adopting a structural narrative approach, I examine how retired migrants from the UK to Spain pursue their interests and on what premises
Long-term health outcomes of Q-fever fatigue syndrome patients

Abstract This study determined long-term health outcomes (≥10 years) of Q-fever fatigue syndrome (QFS). Long-term complaints, health-related quality of life (HRQL), health status, energy level, fatigue, post-exertional malaise, anxiety, and depression were assessed. Outcomes and determinants were studied for the total sample and compared among age subgroups: young (<40years), middle-aged (≥40–<65years), and older (≥65years) patients. 368 QFS patients were included. Participants reported a median number of 12.0 long-term complaints. Their HRQL (median EQ-5D-5L index: 0.63) and health status (median EQ-VAS: 50.0) were low, their level of fatigue was high, and many experienced post-exertional malaise complaints (98.9%). Young and middle-aged patients reported worse health outcomes compared with older patients, with both groups reporting a significantly worse health status, higher fatigue levels and anxiety, and more post-exertional malaise complaints and middle-aged patients having a lower HRQL and a higher depression risk. Multivariate regression analyses confirmed that older age is associated with better outcomes, except for the number of health complaints. QFS has thus a considerable impact on patients’ health more than 10 years after infection. Young and middle-aged patients experience more long-term health consequences compared with older patients. Tailored health care is recommended to provide optimalcare for each QFS patient.
A multimodal deep learning architecture for smoking detection with a small data approach

Introduction: Covert tobacco advertisements often raise regulatory measures. This paper presents that artificial intelligence, particularly deep learning, has great potential for detecting hidden advertising and allows unbiased, reproducible, and fair quantification of tobacco-related media content. Methods: We propose an integrated text and image processing model based on deep learning, generative methods, and human reinforcement, which can detect smoking cases in both textual and visual formats, even with little available training data. Results: Our model can achieve 74% accuracy for images and 98% for text. Furthermore, our system integrates the possibility of expert intervention in the form of human reinforcement. Conclusions: Using the pre-trained multimodal, image, and text processing models available through deep learning makes it possible to detect smoking in different media even with few training data.
Consistent sphere reductions of gravity to two dimensions

Consistent reductions of higher-dimensional (matter-coupled) gravity theories on spheres have been constructed and classified in an important paper by Cveti\v{c}, L\"u and Pope. We close a gap in the classification and study the case when the resulting lower-dimensional theory is two-dimensional. We construct the consistent reduction of Einstein-Maxwell-dilaton gravity on a $d$-sphere $S^d$ to two-dimensional dilaton-gravity coupled to a gauged sigma model with target space ${\rm SL}(d+1)/{\rm SO}(d+1)$. The truncation contains solutions of type AdS$_2\times \Sigma_d$ where the internal space $\Sigma_d$ is a deformed sphere. In particular, the construction includes the consistent truncation around the near-horizon geometry of the boosted Kerr string. In turn, we find that an AdS$_2\times S^d$ background with the round $S^d$ within a consistent truncation requires $d>3$ and an additional cosmological term in the higher-dimensional theory.
Chinese Women's Acceptance of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women

Few studies have empirically examined factors influencing attitudes toward acceptance of intimate partner violence (IPV), and no study has yet studied the topic in China. We empirically test the effects of attitudes toward gender roles and exposure to violence during childhood on the acceptance of IPV and the moderating effects of education and income on these relationships. Using survey data collected from 600 Chinese women from southern China, we found that education and income moderate the relationship between belief in gender equality and acceptance of IPV. The effect of exposure to parental physical violence on the acceptance of IPV is moderated by education.
Tailoring CONSORT‐SPI to improve the reporting of smoking cessation intervention trials: An expert consensus study

Abstract Background and Aims Inadequate reporting of smoking cessation intervention trials is common and leads to significant challenges for researchers. The aim of this study was to tailor CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials)‐SPI (Social and Psychological Interventions) guidelines to improve reporting of trials of behavioural interventions to promote smoking cessation. Method Informed by missing data from the IC‐SMOKE (Intervention and Comparison group support provided in SMOKing cEssation) systematic review project, this study used a multi‐stage Delphi process to examine which items could be added or modified to improve the reporting of smoking cessation trials. The first stage involved an on‐line survey of 17 international experts in smoking cessation and trial methodology voting on the importance of items for inclusion in the updated guidelines. This was followed by a face‐to‐face expert consensus meeting attended by 15 of these experts, where the final inclusion and exclusion of new items and modifications were agreed upon. A nine‐point Likert scale was used to establish consensus, with suggested modifications requiring agreement of 75% or more. Disagreements in the first stage were presented again at the second stage for discussion and a second round of voting. Only items which reached the threshold for agreement were included. Results The experts agreed on the inclusion of 10 new items and the specification of 12 existing items. This included modifications that could apply to trials more widely (e.g. the rationale for the comparator), but also modifications that were very specific to smoking cessation trials (e.g. the reporting of smoking cessation outcomes). Conclusions A Delphi study has developed a modified CONSORT‐SPI guideline (CONSORT‐SPI‐SMOKE) to improve the reporting of trials of behavioural interventions to promote smoking cessation.
Comparing Orthopaedic Randomized Control Trials Published in High-Impact Medical and Orthopaedic Journals

Introduction: Orthopaedic studies published in high-impact medical journals are often believed to have a high prevalence of negative or neutral results and possess methodological characteristics that may bias toward nonsurgical treatments. The purpose of this study was to compare study characteristics, methodologic quality, exposure, and outcome direction among orthopaedic randomized control trials (RCTs) published in high-impact medical and orthopaedic journals and to identify study attributes associated with greater impact. Methods: RCTs published between January 2010 and December 2020 in the five medical journals and 10 orthopaedic journals with the highest 5-year impact factors were analyzed. Inclusion criteria were RCTs reporting on orthopaedic surgical intervention compared with nonsurgical or less-invasive surgical procedures. Study characteristics, methodologic quality (Jadad scale), outcomes, and altmetric data were collected. Primary outcomes were categorized as positive (favoring surgical/more-extensive surgery), negative (favoring nonsurgical/less-extensive surgery), or neutral. Results: One hundred twenty-eight RCTs were analyzed; 26 from medical and 102 from orthopaedic journals. Studies published in medical journals included more authors (P < 0.001), larger sample sizes (P < 0.001), more institutions (P < 0.001), and more often received funding (P < 0.001). The average Jadad scale did not significantly differ between journals (P = 0.14). The direction of the primary study outcome did not differ between journals (P = 0.22). Average AAS and annual citation rates were higher in RCTs published in medical journals (P < 0.001). Publication in a medical journal was the only covariate associated with higher annual citation rates (P < 0.001) and AAS (P < 0.001) on multivariable analyses. Discussion: High-impact medical journals do not publish orthopaedic RCTs with negative or neutral findings at a rate that significantly differs from orthopaedic journals. However, the higher impact and digital coverage of the studies published in medical journals may disproportionally influence the practices of nonorthopaedic providers. Raising awareness of critical findings published in orthopaedic journals may be particularly important for improving healthcare policies and orthopaedic referral patterns for musculoskeletal problems.
Foxn1 is not essential for T‐cell development in teleosts

In mammals, T‐cell development depends on the activity of the Foxn1 transcription factor in the thymic epithelium; mutations in the vertebrate‐specific Foxn1 gene are associated with profound T‐cell lymphopenia and fatal immunodeficiency. Here, we examined the extent of T‐cell development in teleosts lacking a functional foxn1 gene. In zebrafish carrying a deleterious internal deletion of foxn1, reduced but robust lymphopoietic activity is maintained in the mutant thymus. Moreover, pseudogenization or loss of foxn1 in the genomes of deep‐sea anglerfishes is independent of the presence or absence of the canonical signatures of the T‐cell lineage. Thus, in contrast to the situation in mammals, the teleost thymus can support foxn1‐independent lymphopoiesis, most likely through the activity of the Foxn4, an ancient metazoan paralog of Foxn1. Our results imply that during the early stages of vertebrate evolution, genetic control of thymopoiesis was functionally redundant and thus robust; in mammals, the genetic network was reorganized to become uniquely dependent on the FOXN1 transcription factor.
Inverse Optimal Control Design of a VTOL Aircraft

A Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) aircraft is capable of short/vertical takeoffs and landings, thus eliminating the requirement of long runways. This feature makes them suitable for a broader variety of missions, generally not achievable by a traditional aircraft. The dynamics of the VTOL aircraft in the vertical plane has been used as a benchmark problem to demonstrate the effectiveness of different nonlinear control techniques, mainly due to being highly coupled and non-minimum phase. This paper presents the design of an inverse optimal control for a simplified VTOL aircraft model. The proposed control law is based on a Control Lyapunov Function (CLF) which exploits the normal form typically used for control design through feedback linearization. The suggested control law is compared with dynamic feedback linearization based control law and a comparison is drawn based on their efficacy and robustness.
LSTM-Driven Vehicle Counting for Bridge Health Monitoring with a Magnetostrictive Vibration Sensor

In this study, we propose an innovative method for counting heavy vehicles traversing bridges in order to estimate the accumulated damage to the bridge structure. A custom-designed vibration sensor utilizing a magnetostrictive material was used to measure bridge vibrations owing to vehicle traffic. Vehicle detection, achieved through analysis of the bridge vibration waveforms, was made by a long short-term memory (LSTM) network. The difference between the predicted output calculated by the LSTM model and the actual sensor output was represented by the error distance. Vehicle sizes were classified according to the magnitude of the error distance. A rate of 84.5% was achieved for enumerating for the passage of large vehicles.
Mapping the intrinsic photocurrent streamlines through micromagnetic heterostructure devices

Significance Direct imaging to track photocurrent streamlines in quantum optoelectronic devices remains a key challenge in understanding exotic device behavior. Here, we combine laser imaging with light-sensitive devices to show images of photocurrent streamlines through a working device. We design a type of device called an electrofoil that allows us to contort, compress, and expand these photocurrent streamlines in a similar way to wings, which contort, compress, and expand the flow of air. With imaging resolution spanning over an order of magnitude in spatial scale, we have shown that photocurrent streamline microscopy is a robust experimental tool for obtaining detailed visualization of photocurrent in quantum materials.