Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SURF Descriptor and Pattern Recognition Techniques in Automatic Identification of Pathological Retinas

Automatic systems for eye disease identification are important in the ophthalmology field. Medical image processing and analysis have enabled prevention, diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases which were assumed to incurable, in the past. Despite the advances in technology, automated systems for retina component detection are affected by the large diversity of images and degradation caused by artifacts originated by diseases. These diseases can potentially degrade images and cause inaccurate diagnosis for automated systems as well as specialists. Therefore, several researches have been employed to overcome these drawbacks. In this study, we introduce a computer-aided diagnosis system that can identify patients who present risks of vision loss and require greater assistance of a specialist. Our approach applies the Speed-Up Robust Feature algorithm to find points of interest to form visual dictionaries. These dictionaries describe an image as a vector of characteristics which is input to the step that classifies retina image as healthy or pathological. We evaluated the proposed system in 1674 images of six public databases and obtained 96.70% accuracy and Kappa index of 0.9 (excellent).
Cooperative Routing for Multi-flow Wireless Sensor Networks

In data-centric and application-oriented Wireless Sensor Network, effective energy-saving is an eternal theme, while in the scenarios deployed multiple flows, the network resource competition directly influences the whole network performance. To address this issue, a cooperative routing scheme is developed by comprehensively taking both the routing selection and contention avoidance into account, in which, for the delay-tolerant sensing tasks, the concept of abstract domain is introduced to extend the coverage relay nodes, and the cooperative routings are carefully selected in terms of the specific sensing and transmission requirements. Simulation conducted on NS-2 platform demonstrates that the proposed cooperative routing outperforms the compared routing selection strategies in significantly balancing the energy distribution and prolonging the network lifetime.
Prognosis of Ti abundance in Sinus Iridum using a nonlinear analysis of Chang' E‐1 Interference Imaging Spectrometer imagery

We report here on the relationship between titanium abundance and its spectral features on the Moon, using 36 craters exposed in Sinus Iridum, a landing site for China's Lunar Exploration Program. Six absorption parameters (full width at half maximum, absorption depth (D), absorption position (λ), absorption area (A), absorption asymmetry (S), and (Rmin)) at the wavelength of 500–550 nm were computed, and the lowest reflectance values (Rmin) to characterize the properties of titanium abundance and its spectral features were calculated. The correlation between Rmin and TiO2 abundance calculated by Clementine multispectral images is 0.812, and a second‐order polynomial fits the data better with a correlation of 0.837. The TiO2 abundance inversed by the Chang' E‐1 Interference Imaging Spectrometers (IIM) data is thus relatively higher than that revealed by the Clementine data. This good correlation between Rmin and TiO2 abundance may thus be used very effectively to estimate the Ti distribution on the surface of the Moon by IIM hyperspectral data.
Simulations on Interruption of Circuit Breaker in HVDC System with Two Parallel Transmission Lines

This paper describes the Erectro Magnetic Transients Program (EMTP) simulation results for a study on specifications and duty of an HVDC circuit breaker in an HVDC system. The HVDC breaker employs an inverse current injection method and a capacitor precharged from the line voltage. The HVDC system is mono-polar, but has two parallel transmission lines and is the simplest multi-terminal system. The simulations demonstrated that the HVDC breaker can interrupt successufully under various breaking conditions.
Bombesin-evoked gastrin release and calcium signaling in human antral G cells in culture.

Amplification of mRNA from a human antral cell culture preparation demonstrated the presence of two receptors of the bombesin and gastrin-releasing peptide family, GRPR-1 and BRS-3. Single cell microfluorometry demonstrated that most cells that exhibited bombesin-evoked changes in intracellular Ca2+ concentration were gastrin immunoreactive, indicating that antral G cells express the GRPR subtype. There were two components to the intracellular Ca2+ response: an initial nitrendipine-insensitive mobilization followed by a sustained phase that was inhibited by removal of extracellular Ca2+ and 20 mM caffeine and was partially inhibited by 10 μM nitrendipine. Preexposure of cells to thapsigargin and caffeine prevented the response to bombesin, indicating activation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3)-sensitive stores. Gastrin release could be partially reversed by removal of extracellular Ca2+ and blockade of L-type voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels, indicating that a component of the secretory response to bombesin was dependent on Ca2+ influx. These data demonstrated that bombesin-stimulated gastrin release from human antral G cells resulted from activation of GRPRs and involved both release of intracellular Ca2+ and influx of extracellular Ca2+through a combination of L-type voltage-gated and IP3-gated Ca2+ channels.
Carbon Catabolite Repression in Bacillus subtilis: Quantitative Analysis of Repression Exerted by Different Carbon Sources

ABSTRACT In many bacteria glucose is the preferred carbon source and represses the utilization of secondary substrates. In Bacillus subtilis, this carbon catabolite repression (CCR) is achieved by the global transcription regulator CcpA, whose activity is triggered by the availability of its phosphorylated cofactors, HPr(Ser46-P) and Crh(Ser46-P). Phosphorylation of these proteins is catalyzed by the metabolite-controlled kinase HPrK/P. Recent studies have focused on glucose as a repressing substrate. Here, we show that many carbohydrates cause CCR. The substrates form a hierarchy in their ability to exert repression via the CcpA-mediated CCR pathway. Of the two cofactors, HPr is sufficient for complete CCR. In contrast, Crh cannot substitute for HPr on substrates that cause a strong repression. Determination of the phosphorylation state of HPr in vivo revealed a correlation between the strength of repression and the degree of phosphorylation of HPr at Ser46. Sugars transported by the phosphotransferase system (PTS) cause the strongest repression. However, the phosphorylation state of HPr at its His15 residue and PTS transport activity have no impact on the global CCR mechanism, which is a major difference compared to the mechanism operative in Escherichia coli. Our data suggest that the hierarchy in CCR exerted by the different substrates is exclusively determined by the activity of HPrK/P.
Young SHR express increased type 1 angiotensin II receptors in renal proximal tubule.

A potential role for the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in the development and/or maintenance of hypertension in the genetic model of rat hypertension, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), has been suggested by studies indicating that treatment of immature animals with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors prevents subsequent development of hypertension. Because young SHR also demonstrate RAS-dependent increased sodium retention, we examined proximal tubule type 1 angiotensin II receptor (AT1R) mRNA expression in young (4 wk) or adult (14 wk) SHR compared with age-matched Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. Proximal tubules were isolated by Percoll gradient centrifugation, and AT1R mRNA expression was measured by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). At 14 wk, when SHR had established hypertension [mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) of SHR vs. WKY: 145 ± 6 vs. 85 ± 5 mmHg, n = 14-15], there were no differences in proximal tubule AT1R mRNA levels [SHR vs. WKY: 79 ± 14 vs. 72 ± 14 counts/min (cpm) per cpm mutant AT1R per cpm β-actin × 10-6, n = 6; not significant (NS)]. In contrast, in 4 wk SHR, at a time of minimal elevations in blood pressure (MAP: 70 ± 8 vs. 63 ± 3), SHR proximal tubule AT1R mRNA levels were 263 ± 30% that of WKY (143 ± 18 vs. 60 ± 11 cpm per cpm of mutant AT1R per cpm β-actin × 10-6, n = 8; P < 0.005). We have recently shown that chronic ACE inhibition decreases proximal tubule AT1R expression and have also shown that chronicl-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalamine (l-DOPA) administration inhibits AT1R expression in adult Sprague-Dawley proximal tubule and cultured proximal tubule, and this inhibition is mediated via Gs-coupled DA1 receptors. When 3-wk-old animals were given l-DOPA or captopril for 1 wk, MAP was not altered (70 ± 8 vs. 60 ± 4 or 61 ± 5 mmHg), but proximal tubule AT1R mRNA was no longer significantly different between SHR and WKY (68 ± 9 vs. 38 ± 7 or 20 ± 3 vs. 47 ± 15 cpm per cpm of mutant AT1R per cpm β-actin × 10-6), due to a significant decrease in proximal tubule AT1R expression in SHR ( P < 0.005, compared with untreated SHR). Immunoreactive proximal tubule AT1R expression also was increased in 4 wk SHR and was reversed with captopril orl-DOPA treatment. Therefore, these results indicate that young, but not adult, SHR have increased expression of proximal tubule AT1R and that chronic l-DOPA or captopril treatment decreased the elevated AT1R expression to control levels. These results provide further support for an important role of the RAS in the development of hypertension in SHR.
$2^{\log^{1-\eps} n}$ Hardness for Closest Vector Problem with Preprocessing

We prove that for an arbitrarily small constant $\eps>0,$ assuming NP$\not \subseteq$DTIME$(2^{{\log^{O(1/\eps)} n}})$, the preprocessing versions of the closest vector problem and the nearest codeword problem are hard to approximate within a factor better than $2^{\log ^{1-\eps}n}. $ This improves upon the previous hardness factor of $(\log n)^\delta$ for some $\delta > 0$ due to \cite{AKKV05}.
Age/Sex/Location: Uncovering the Social Cues in the Development of Online Relationships

Past research on online relationships has predominantly been concerned with how the quality of online relationships compares with offline relationships. This research has been more concerned with the medium itself than with the meanings that users construct around their interpersonal interactions within this medium. The current paper seeks to redress this imbalance by exploring the ways that available social cues are used to shape the meanings of online relationships. Sixty Internet users, ranging in age from 19-51 years, were interviewed about their online relationships. It was found that ideals that are important in traditional relationships, such as trust, honesty, and commitment are just as important in online relationships; however, the cues that signify these ideals vary.
Physical properties of DNA in vivo as probed by the length dependence of the lac operator looping process.

Plasmid constructs containing a wild-type (O+) lac operator upstream of an operator-constitutive (Oc) lac control element exhibit a length-dependent, oscillatory pattern of repression of expression of the regulated gene as interoperator spacing is varied from 115 to 177 base pairs (bp). Both the length dependence and the periodicity of repression are consistent with a thermodynamic model involving a stable looped complex in which bidentate lac repressor interacts simultaneously with both O+ and Oc operators. The oscillatory pattern of repression with distance occurs with a period approximating the helical repeat of DNA and presumably reflects the necessity for proper alignment of interacting operators along the helical face of the DNA. In the length regime examined, the presence of the upstream operator enhances repression between 6-fold and 50-fold depending upon phasing. This reflects a torsional rigidity of DNA in vivo that is consistent with in vitro measurements. The oscillatory pattern of repression is best fit with a period of either 9.0 or 11.7 bp/cycle but not 10.5 bp/cycle. This periodicity is interpreted as reflecting the average helical repeat of the 40-bp interoperator region of plasmid DNA in vivo, suggesting that the local helical repeat of DNA in vivo may differ significantly from 10.5 bp/turn. The apparent persistence length needed to fit the data (aapp) is only one-fifth the standard in vitro value. This low value of aapp may be due in part to DNA bending induced by catabolite activator protein (CAP) bound to its site between the interacting operators. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Spinal cord interneuron degenerative atrophy caused by peripheral nerve lesions is prevented by serotonin depletion

Peripheral nerve section causes a degenerative atrophy of substance P sensory input and of met‐enkephalin interneurons in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. Radioimmunoassay of both peptides indicates that the decrease in peptide levels ranges from 30 to 50%, that it occurs several days after lesioning, and that it is simultaneous for the two peptides. Quantitative immunocytochemistry performed by computer‐assisted analysis of met‐enkephalin‐positive boutons shows that following sciatic nerve lesions there is a decresed density of immunoreactive boutons per unit area in densit of immunoreactive boutons per unit area in the substantia gelatinosa of the dorsal horn in the lumbar cord ipsilateral to the lesion. Within 24 h of nerve injury there is a significant and transient enhancement of serotonin turnover, as indicated by the increased levels of 5‐hydroxyindolacetic acid in the lumber cord, without any change in serotonin concentrations. The restoration of normal serotonin metabolism at d 10 postlesioning coincides with the peptidergic loss. However, if, prior to nerve resection, serotonin stores are depleted by p‐chlorophenylalanine treatment, the damage to met‐enkephalin interneurons in fully prevented, while substance P loss does still occur. These results suggest that signals caused by the section of a peripheral nerve are directly responsible for substance P loss in the spinal cord and are, presumably, rapidly transported into the CNS, causing an activation of the serotoninergic raphe neurons projecting to spinal cord. The activation of this system is likely responsible for the degenerative atrophy of the met‐enkephalin interneurons. These results further confirm our previus suggestion (Di Giulio et al: Peptides 6:24–256, 1985; Brain Res 342:405–408, 1985) that the peptidergic loss induced by perpheral nerve section may be intraspinally regulated, and that pain sensations which develop after nerve lesions may be related to intraspinal alterations, such as the atrophy of met‐enkephalin‐containing interneurons, rather than to the formation of a large neuroma by the injured axons. As a matter of fact the increased serotonin turnover is triggered within 24 h, while neuroma formation requires several days following nerve lesion.
Type I-E CRISPR-Cas Systems Discriminate Target from Non-Target DNA through Base Pairing-Independent PAM Recognition

Discriminating self and non-self is a universal requirement of immune systems. Adaptive immune systems in prokaryotes are centered around repetitive loci called CRISPRs (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat), into which invader DNA fragments are incorporated. CRISPR transcripts are processed into small RNAs that guide CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins to invading nucleic acids by complementary base pairing. However, to avoid autoimmunity it is essential that these RNA-guides exclusively target invading DNA and not complementary DNA sequences (i.e., self-sequences) located in the host's own CRISPR locus. Previous work on the Type III-A CRISPR system from Staphylococcus epidermidis has demonstrated that a portion of the CRISPR RNA-guide sequence is involved in self versus non-self discrimination. This self-avoidance mechanism relies on sensing base pairing between the RNA-guide and sequences flanking the target DNA. To determine if the RNA-guide participates in self versus non-self discrimination in the Type I-E system from Escherichia coli we altered base pairing potential between the RNA-guide and the flanks of DNA targets. Here we demonstrate that Type I-E systems discriminate self from non-self through a base pairing-independent mechanism that strictly relies on the recognition of four unchangeable PAM sequences. In addition, this work reveals that the first base pair between the guide RNA and the PAM nucleotide immediately flanking the target sequence can be disrupted without affecting the interference phenotype. Remarkably, this indicates that base pairing at this position is not involved in foreign DNA recognition. Results in this paper reveal that the Type I-E mechanism of avoiding self sequences and preventing autoimmunity is fundamentally different from that employed by Type III-A systems. We propose the exclusive targeting of PAM-flanked sequences to be termed a target versus non-target discrimination mechanism.
How Should We Be Treating Children with Congenital Hypothyroidism?

Early detection by newborn screening and appropriate L-thyroxine treatment leads to normal or near-normal neurocognitive outcome in infants with congenital hypothyroidism. Many newborns with congenital hypothyroidism have some residual thyroid hormone production, and even in those with athyreosis, transplacental passage of maternal thyroid hormone offers some protection for a time. Given the serum T4 half-life of 6 days, the neonatal T4 level will fall and disappear over the first 2-3 weeks of life. Thus, there is a crucial 'window of opportunity' to correct the hypothyroidism and minimize the time the brain is exposed to hypothyroxinemia. While there are few truly prospective, randomized clinical trials investigating treatment parameters, studies measuring IQ outcome support a starting L-thyroxine dose of 10-15 microg/kg/day. Further, studies show that the most severely hypothyroid infants are at risk for a 5-20 point decrease in IQ. Such infants may benefit from a starting dose of 12-17 microg/kg/d, which has been shown to normalize T4 in 3 days and TSH in 2 weeks. Target serum T4 or free T4 levels appear to be higher in the first two weeks of treatment. Infants require more frequent laboratory monitoring, every 1-2 months in the first 6 months and every 3-4 months until age 3 years, as the developing brain has a critical dependence on thyroid hormone in the first 2-3 years of life.
Impedance networks and its Application in Power for Electric Traction Systems

The use of impedance networks in different types of DC/DC, DC/AC and AC/AC converters, has increased significantly, and many converters topologies and articles VSI and CSI with impedance networks have been presented for the purpose of overcoming the limitations and problems of voltage and current that frequently occurs in these topologies. The selection and implementation of a topology of network impedance would improve the reliability and performance of the power system. This article presents a study and analysis of different network impedance topologies, the modulation techniques and control for the adapting to power converters for applications in electric traction.
Optimal lossy segmentation encoding scheme

In this paper, we present a fast and optimal method for the lossy encoding of object boundaries which are given as 8-connect chain codes. We approximate the boundary by a polygon and consider the problem of finding the polygon which can be encoded with the smallest number of bits for a given maximum distortion. To this end, we derive a fast and optimal scheme which is based on a shortest path algorithm for a weighted directed acyclic graph. We further investigate the dual problem of finding the polygonal approximation which leads to the smallest maximum distortion for a given bit rate. We present an iterative scheme which employs the above mentioned shortest path algorithm and prove that it converges to the optimal solution. We then extend the proposed algorithm to the encoding of multiple object boundaries and introduce a vertex encoding scheme which is a combination of an 8-connect chain code and a run-length code. We present results of the proposed algorithm using objects from the 'Miss America' sequence.
Weighted Semi-Blind Channel Identification by Cross Relation Method

Problem statement: The bandwidth efficiency of many communication systems could be improved if the transmission channel was estimated blindly without resort to training sequences. GMSK was a spectrum-efficient modulation scheme and it was adopted as the modulation standard of GSM systems. Approach: However, because of its phase modulation, Gaussian filtering and partial response signalling properties, Results: The simulation results showed great potential of semi-blind identification algorithms, since we used no extra antenna or over-sampling the received signal. Conclusion: GMSK was not a linear modulation. Linear approximation of the GMSK signal made the blind equalization system model applicable for GSM. In the sequel, a linear approximation of GMSK signals was presented and a blind GSM and semi-blind channel identification algorithm based on the cross relation method was suggested.
A longitudinal study of grapheme-color synesthesia in childhood: 6/7 years to 10/11 years

Grapheme-color synesthesia is a condition characterized by enduring and consistent associations between letter/digits and colors. This study is the continuation of longitudinal research begun by Simner et al. (2009) which aimed to explore the development of this condition in real time within a childhood population. In that earlier study we randomly sampled over 600 children and tested them aged 6/7 and 7/8 years. We identified the child synesthetes within that cohort and measured their development over 1 year, in comparison to a group of non-synesthetic children with both average and superior memories. We were able to show the beginnings of a developmental progression in which synesthetic associations (e.g., A = red) mature over time from relatively chaotic pairings into a system of fixed consistent associations. In the current study we return to this same population three years later when participants are now 10/11 years. We used the same paired-association memory task to determine the synesthetic status of our participants and to also establish synesthetes' inventories of grapheme-color associations. We compared their inventories to those from age 6/7 and 7/8 years to examine how synesthesia matures over time. Together with earlier findings, our study shows that grapheme-color synesthesia emerges with a protracted trajectory, with 34% of letters/digits fixed at age 6/7 years, 48% fixed at 7/8 years and 71% fixed at 10/11 years. We also show several cases where synesthesia is not developing in the same time-frame as peers, either because it has died out at an older age, or because it was slower to develop than other cases. Our study paints the first picture of the emergence of synesthesia in real-time over four years within a randomly sampled population of child synesthetes.