Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A new nonlinear state estimator using the fusion of multiple extended Kalman filters

For linear systems, the optimal filtering is provided by the celebrated Kalman filter. For nonlinear systems, only suboptimal filters can be obtained in general. The Extended Kalman filter (EKF) is such a suboptimal filter. It helped the promotion of the Kalman filter. With the development of more advanced nonlinear filters, however, the EKF is receiving less and less attention because it performs the worst most often. The EKF is based on the first-order Taylor series expansion. Ideally, the ground truth of the state should be picked as the expansion points, which are unfortunately unavailable in estimation problem. Instead, the most recent estimates are used. As a result of this misspecification, the EKF may have degraded performance or even failure. To overcome this, a multiple model extension to the EKF is proposed in this paper. Its key idea is to use multiple probabilistically weighted points to represent the whole state space. Then the linearization about each weighted point will lead to a possible model. Correspondingly, the original nonlinear filtering problem is changed into a variable structure multi-model estimation problem. How to design finite number of probabilistically weighted points to approximate the posterior densities is suggested. Numerical examples show that the proposed extension to the EKF is quite promising when compared to several existing competitive nonlinear filters.
Trans-splicing ribozymes

The present invention is self-connected is based on the catalytic core of group I intron-up as possible on the novel ribozymes, the trans-trans catalyst. It is possible to construct that use the design of the ribozyme Let Li which can be connected to the 3 'exon sequence of the new effective in any target RNA sequence selected very accurately. Ttoheun inactive pro-ribozymes are within the present invention.
Preservation of cognitive function with antihypertensive medications: a longitudinal analysis of a community-based sample of African Americans.

BACKGROUND Results of previous studies of white older adults suggest that antihypertensive medications preserve cognition. We assessed the long-term effect of antihypertensive medications on cognitive function in a community sample of African American older adults. METHODS We conducted longitudinal surveys and clinical assessment of cognitive function in a random sample of 2212 community-dwelling African Americans 65 years and older. We identified 1900 participants without evidence of cognitive impairment at baseline, 1617 of whom had subsequent follow-up information, and 946 of whom had blood pressure measurements. Cognitive function was measured at baseline and at 2 and 5 years by means of scores on the Community Screening Instrument for Dementia and neuropsychological and clinical assessment for dementia and cognitive impairment. Prescription and nonprescription medication use was derived from in-home inspection of medications and participant and informant reports. RESULTS Of 1900 participants, 288 (15.2%) developed incident cognitive impairment. Using logistic regression to control for the effects of age, sex, education, baseline cognitive scores, and hypertension and angina or myocardial infarction, we found that antihypertensive medications reduced the odds of incident cognitive impairment by 38% (odds ratio, 0.62; 95% confidence interval, 0.45-0.84). Corresponding analysis using blood pressure measurements on the subset of participants was inconclusive. CONCLUSION Antihypertensive medication use is associated with preservation of cognitive function in older African American adults.
Effective identification of source code authors using byte-level information

Source code author identification deals with the task of identifying the most likely author of a computer program, given a set of predefined author candidates. This is usually . based on the analysis of other program samples of undisputed authorship by the same programmer. There are several cases where the application of such a method could be of a major benefit, such as authorship disputes, proof of authorship in court, tracing the source of code left in the system after a cyber attack, etc. We present a new approach, called the SCAP (Source Code Author Profiles) approach, based on byte-level n-gram profiles in order to represent a source code author's style. Experiments on data sets of different programming-language (Java or C++) and varying difficulty (6 to 30 candidate authors) demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.A comparison with a previous source code authorship identification study based on more complicated information shows that the SCAP approach is language independent and that n-gram author profiles are better able to capture the idiosyncrasies of the source code authors. Moreover, the SCAP approach is able to deal surprisingly well with cases where only a limited amount of very short programs per programmer is available for training. It is also demonstrated that the effectiveness of the proposed model is not affected by the absence of comments in the source code, a condition usually met in cyber-crime cases.
Unsupervised Learning of Surgical Smoke Removal from Simulation

The surgical smoke produced during minimally invasive surgery can not only reduce the visibility of the surgeons, but also severally affect the performance of image processing algorithms used for image guided surgery such as image tracking, segmentation, detection and retrieval. Besides from physical smoke evacuation devices, many research works address this issue by using vision-based methods to filter out the smoke and try to recover the clear images. More recently, end-to-end deep learning approaches have been introduced to solve the de-hazing and de-smoking problems. However, it is extremely difficult to collect large amounts of data for the effective learning of the implicit de-smoking function, especially for surgical scenes. In this paper, we propose a computational framework for unsupervised learning of smoke removal from rendering smoke on laparoscopic video. Compared to conventional image processing approaches, our proposed framework is able to remove local smoke and recover more realistic tissue colour but will not affect the areas without smoke. Although trained on synthetic images, the experimental results show that our network is able to effectively remove smoke on laparoscopic images with real surgical smoke.
SCREENING OF PHYTOCHEMICAL AND ANTIPROLIFARATION OF CELL GROWTH LAGENARIA SICERARIA STAND. FRUIT BY PHYTOTOXIC BIOASSAY MODELS

Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Many of the Cucurbitaceae plants possess antitumor activity on the traditional use. The present study was carried out to evaluate the anticancer activity of extracts Lagenaria siceraria Standley Fruit. This fruit has the antioxidant activity so the plant may have anticancer activity. Preliminary phytochemical tests of successive extraction of Lagenaria siceraria Standely Fruit powder had performed to find out the different chemical moieties. Preliminary anticancer screening by exposure of different extracts Phytotoxic Bioassay model was carried out to find out the lead extract which shows the promising cell growth inhibitory activity. Cereals Moth seeds were selected for the Phytotoxic Bioassay which shows the phytotoxicity that compared with standard antimitotic drug (colchicine). n-Butanol extract of Lagenaria siceraria Standley Fruit powder shows the promising anticancer activity or cytotoxicity, so that it is selected as a lead extract. Further isolation of active moiety from n-Butanol extract for anticancer activity by chromatographic techniques is completed.
Serine Protease(s) Secreted by the Nematode Trichuris muris Degrade the Mucus Barrier

The polymeric mucin component of the intestinal mucus barrier changes during nematode infection to provide not only physical protection but also to directly affect pathogenic nematodes and aid expulsion. Despite this, the direct interaction of the nematodes with the mucins and the mucus barrier has not previously been addressed. We used the well-established Trichuris muris nematode model to investigate the effect on mucins of the complex mixture of immunogenic proteins secreted by the nematode called excretory/secretory products (ESPs). Different regimes of T. muris infection were used to simulate chronic (low dose) or acute (high dose) infection. Mucus/mucins isolated from mice and from the human intestinal cell line, LS174T, were treated with ESPs. We demonstrate that serine protease(s) secreted by the nematode have the ability to change the properties of the mucus barrier, making it more porous by degrading the mucin component of the mucus gel. Specifically, the serine protease(s) acted on the N-terminal polymerising domain of the major intestinal mucin Muc2, resulting in depolymerisation of Muc2 polymers. Importantly, the respiratory/gastric mucin Muc5ac, which is induced in the intestine and is critical for worm expulsion, was protected from the depolymerising effect exerted by ESPs. Furthermore, serine protease inhibitors (Serpins) which may protect the mucins, in particular Muc2, from depolymerisation, were highly expressed in mice resistant to chronic infection. Thus, we demonstrate that nematodes secrete serine protease(s) to degrade mucins within the mucus barrier, which may modify the niche of the parasite to prevent clearance from the host or facilitate efficient mating and egg laying from the posterior end of the parasite that is in intimate contact with the mucus barrier. However, during a TH2-mediated worm expulsion response, serpins, Muc5ac and increased levels of Muc2 protect the barrier from degradation by the nematode secreted protease(s).
THE DELPHI TECHNIQUE: AN INFORMAL HISTORY OF ITS USE IN AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION RESEARCH SINCE 1984.

This investigation addresses the use of the delphi technique in agricultural education research from I984 to the present . Delphi has been used steadily in the discipline over the course of that time with the exception of an activity peak in 1991-1993 . Its most frequent application is in the area of curriculum planning . Delphi appears to be a unique alternative to tie more traditional kinds of evaluation and survey work and will likely see continued use in the future of agriucultural education research . However, there are some indications that the validity of the technique, relative to its use in agricultural education, should be tie focus of additional study.
Relevance of a Full-Length Genomic RNA Standard and a Thermal-Shock Step for Optimal Hepatitis Delta Virus Quantification

ABSTRACT Hepatitis D virus (HDV) is a defective RNA virus that requires the surface antigens of hepatitis B virus (HBV) (HBsAg) for viral assembly and replication. Several commercial and in-house techniques have been described for HDV RNA quantification, but the methodologies differ widely, making a comparison of the results between studies difficult. In this study, a full-length genomic RNA standard was developed and used for HDV quantification by two different real-time PCR approaches (fluorescence resonance energy transfer [FRET] and TaqMan probes). Three experiments were performed. First, the stability of the standard was determined by analyzing the effect of thawing and freezing. Second, because of the strong internal base pairing of the HDV genome, which leads to a rod-like structure, the effect of intense thermal shock (95°C for 10 min and immediate cooling to −80°C) was tested to confirm the importance of this treatment in the reverse transcription step. Lastly, to investigate the differences between the DNA and RNA standards, the two types were quantified in parallel with the following results: the full-length genomic RNA standard was stable and reliably mimicked the behavior of HDV-RNA-positive samples, thermal shock enhanced the sensitivity of HDV RNA quantification, and the DNA standard underquantified the HDV RNA standard. These findings indicate the importance of using complete full-length genomic RNA and a strong thermal-shock step for optimal HDV RNA quantification.
Performance Evaluation of OLSR and BATMAN Protocols for Vertical Topology Using Indoor Stairs Testbed

Recently, Mobile Ad-hoc Networks (MANETs) have become very attractive for their usage in time-critical applications and indoor environments. In this paper, we evaluate our indoor stairs MANET test bed in terms of throughput and delay. We analyze the behavior of Optimized Link State Routing (OLSR) and Better Approach To Mobile Ad-hoc Network (BATMAN). We design and implement two experimental scenarios in vertical topology: static stairs scenario and shifting stairs scenario. From our experiments, we show that as the number of hops increases to three or more hops, the performance of the communication decreases for both routing protocols. The communication becomes more difficult when the nodes are mobile, as noticed in the shift stairs scenario. However, OLSR shows a better performance than BATMAN.
Landscape of Pin1 in the cell cycle

Pin1 is a peptidyl-prolyl isomerase which plays a critical role in many diseases including cancer and Alzheimer's disease. The essential role of Pin1 is to affect stability, localization or function of phosphoproteins by catalyzing structural changes. Among the collection of Pin1 substrates, many have been shown to be involved in regulating cell cycle progression. The cell cycle disorder caused by dysregulation of these substrates is believed to be a common phenomenon in cancer. A number of recent studies have revealed possible functions of several important Pin1-binding cell cycle regulators. Investigating the involvement of Pin1 in the cell cycle may assist in the development of future cancer therapeutics. In this review, we summarize current knowledge regarding the network of Pin1 substrates and Pin1 regulators in cell cycle progression. In G1/S progression, cyclin D1, RB, p53, p27, and cyclin E are all well-known cell cycle regulators that are modulated by Pin1. During G2/M transition, our lab has shown that Aurora A suppresses Pin1 activity through phosphorylation at Ser16 and cooperates with hBora to modulate G2/M transition. We conclude that Pin1 may be thought of as a molecular timer which modulates cell cycle progression networks.
Managing communication with young people who have a potentially life threatening chronic illness: qualitative study of patients and parents

Abstract Objectives: To examine young people's and parents' accounts of communication about cancer in childhood. Design: Semistructured interviews analysed using the constant comparative method. Setting: Paediatric oncology unit. Participants: 13 families, comprising 19 parents (13 mothers, six fathers) and 13 patients aged 8–17 years, recruited from one paediatric oncology unit. The patients had cancer or brain tumour. Results: Most parents described acting in an executive-like capacity, managing what and how their children were told about their illness, particularly at the time of diagnosis. Their accounts were shaped by concerns to manage their identity as strong and optimistic parents and to protect their child's wellbeing. The patients identified elements of their parents' role that both facilitated and constrained their communication, and while they welcomed their parents' involvement, some expressed unease with the constraining aspects of their parents' role. Some young people described feeling marginalised in consultations and pointed to difficulties they experienced in encounters with some doctors. Conclusions: There are difficulties in managing communication with young people who have a chronic, life threatening illness. Health professionals need to be aware of how the social positioning of young people (relative to adults) and the executive role of parents can contribute to the marginalisation of young people and hamper the development of successful relationships between themselves and young patients. What is already known on this topic The BMA has supported the principle of open communication with young patients Young people are sometimes excluded from participating in consultations and parents are reluctant to communicate openly with their seriously ill children What this study adds Parents take on an executive-like role, managing what and how their children are told about their illnesses This role both facilitates and constrains communication with young people Some young people feel marginalised in consultations—they described unease with this and problems in their relationships with some doctors
Human Skin Detection via Semantic Constraint

Human skin detection is a fundamental preprocessing step in many content based image processing applications and has received much attention. In this paper, we propose a novel Semantically Constrained Skin Detection (SCSD) method. Different from traditional skin detection algorithms, our method introduces the semantic constraint, which is based on the dependence between skin pixels and human body parts (skin pixels should be overlapped with body parts) to refine the detection. By employing the semantic constraint, the environmental skin-like pixels are removed effectively, while the true skin pixels constituting body parts are retained still. Experimental results on two public datasets demonstrate the significantly improved performance of our method over the state-of-the-art algorithms.
Twinkle box: a three-dimensional computer input device

During the past fifteen years, use of two-dimensional computer input/output devices has become commonplace. Since the earliest uses of the light pen for target identification in air defense systems it has been obvious that two-dimensional input would be interesting and useful. A large number of two-dimensional tablets and digitizers have been developed and have come into quite effective use. These devices have made use of mechanical, electrical, magnetic, optical, and acoustic phenomena. (See bibliographical references.)
The role of reverse cholesterol transport in animals and humans and relationship to atherosclerosis This work was supported by P01-HL22633 from the NHLBI. Published, JLR Papers in Press, December 8, 2008.

Reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) is a term used to describe the efflux of excess cellular cholesterol from peripheral tissues and its return to the liver for excretion in the bile and ultimately the feces. It is believed to be a critical mechanism by which HDL exert a protective effect on the development of atherosclerosis. In this paradigm, cholesterol is effluxed from arterial macrophages to extracellular HDL-based acceptors through the action of transporters such as ABCA1 and ABCG1. After efflux to HDL, cholesterol may be esterified in the plasma by the enzyme lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase and is ultimately transported from HDL to the liver, either directly via the scavenger receptor BI or after transfer to apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins by the cholesteryl ester transfer protein. Methods for assessing the integrated rate of macrophage RCT in animals have provided insights into the molecular regulation of the process and suggest that the dynamic rate of macrophage RCT is more strongly associated with atherosclerosis than the steady-state plasma concentration of HDL cholesterol. Promotion of macrophage RCT is a potential therapeutic approach to preventing or regressing atherosclerotic vascular disease, but robust measures of RCT in humans will be needed in order to confidently advance RCT-promoting therapies in clinical development.
Improving High-Speed Scanning Systems by Photometric Stereo

High-speed scanning systems can be extremely valuable for Cultural Heritage applications, especially when large collections of small objects have to be acquired. However, fine details may not be acquired using this technology. Nevertheless, it is possible to try to recover them by taking advantage of the additional data provided by these systems: the calibrated video sequence of the acquisition, and the position of the projector light for each frame. In this paper, we propose a workflow that processes the video sequence with a photometric stereo approach, in order to refine the coarse geometry provided by the scanner. A normal map is first extracted by a method that accounts for the unevenly distributed sampling that generally results from the particular trajectory followed by this kind of scanners during the acquisition. This normal map is then integrated in order to recover missing geometric features. Good performances are achieved, since the whole workflow is particularly suited to GPU programming.
Invited Reviews: Carcinogenic and Systemic Health Effects Associated with Arsenic Exposure—A Critical Review

Arsenic and arsenic containing compounds are human carcinogens. Exposure to arsenic occurs occupationally in several industries, including mining, pesticide, pharmaceutical, glass and microelectronics, as well as environmentally from both industrial and natural sources. Inhalation is the principal route of arsenic exposure in occupational settings, while ingestion of contaminated drinking water is the predominant source of significant environmental exposure globally. Drinking water contamination by arsenic remains a major public health problem. Acute and chronic arsenic exposure via drinking water has been reported in many countries of the world, where a large proportion of drinking water is contaminated with high concentrations of arsenic. General health effects that are associated with arsenic exposure include cardiovascular and peripheral vascular disease, developmental anomalies, neurologic and neurobehavioural disorders, diabetes, hearing loss, portal fibrosis, hematologic disorders (anemia, leukopenia and eosinophilia) and multiple cancers: significantly higher standardized mortality rates and cumulative mortality rates for cancers of the skin, lung, liver, urinary bladder, kidney, and colon in many areas of arsenic pollution. Although several epidemiological studies have documented the sources of exposure and the global impact of arsenic contamination, the mechanisms by which arsenic induces health effects, including cancer, are not well characterized. Further research is needed to provide a better understanding of the pathobiology of arsenic-induced diseases and to better define the toxicologic pathology of arsenic in various organ systems. In this review, we provide and discuss the underlying pathology and nature of arsenic-induced lesions. Such information is critical for understanding the magnitude of health effects associated with arsenic exposure throughout the world.
A Study of the Effectiveness of Case Study Approach in Software Engineering Education

Software engineering (SE) educators have been advocating the use of non-conventional approaches for SE education since long. In this context, we conducted action-research to compare the effectiveness of a case study approach with conventional lecture based approach. We designed and taught a first course in SE, that involved case study approach as well as the traditional lecture based approach. We recorded and analyzed student's perception of learning over using well defined parameters that reconciled with cognitive, skills and metacognitive goals of SE education. Results corroborated that case study approach is more effective and interesting for learning SE than the lecture based approach. These results indicate that academia and industry should further explore learning-by-doing paradigm, specially the case studies. Benefits of approach include bridging of the industry- academia gap and creation of professionals who are well versed with theory and practice and have experienced the intricacies of real software development even before entering the industry. This paper provides empirical data to support that case study approach is very effective in SE education and hence useful for curriculum designers. This work is useful for SE educators and researchers as it describes methodology for rigorous scientific educational research.