Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Object Boundary Detection in Ultrasound Images

This paper presents a novel approach to boundary detection of regions-of-interest (ROI) in ultrasound images, more specifically applied to ultrasound breast images. In the proposed method, histogram equalization is used to preprocess the ultrasound images followed by a hybrid filtering stage that consists of a combination of a nonlinear diffusion filter and a linear filter. Subsequently the multifractal dimension is used to analyse the visually distinct areas of the ultrasound image. Finally, using different threshold values, region growing segmentation is used to the partition the image. The partition with the highest Radial Gradient Index (RGI) is selected as the lesion. A total of 200 images have been used in the analysis of the presented results. We compare the performance of our algorithm with two well known methods proposed by Kupinski et al. and Joo et al. We show that the proposed method performs better in solving the boundary detection problem in ultrasound images.
Fe b 20 08 Renormalized area and properly embedded minimal surfaces in hyperbolic 3-manifolds

If Y is a properly embedded minimal surface in a convex cocompact hyperbolic 3-manifold M with boundary at infinity an embedded curve γ, then Graham and Witten showed how to define a renormalized area A of Y via Hadamard regularization. We study renormalized area as a functional on the space of all such minimal surfaces. This requires a closer examination of these moduli spaces; following White and Coskunuzer, we prove these are Banach manifolds and that the natural map taking Y to γ is Fredholm of index zero and proper, which leads to the existence of a Z-valued degree theory for this mapping. We show that A(Y ) can be expressed as a sum of the Euler characteristic of Y and the total integral of norm squared of the trace-free second fundamental form of Y . An extension of renormalized area to a wider class of nonminimal surfaces has a similar formula also involving the integral of mean curvature squared. We prove a formula for the first variation of renormalized area, and characterize the critical points when M = H and γ has a single component. All of these results have analogues for 4-dimensional Poincaré-Einstein metrics. We conclude by discussing the relationship of A to the Willmore functional.
CAPS2 promotes BDNF secretion in hippocampal neurons and is critical for the development of hippocampal GABAergic interneuron networks

Calcium-dependent protein for secretion 2 (CAPS2) is a dense-core vesicle associated protein that is involved in the secretion of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF has a pivotal role in neuronal survival and development, including the development of inhibitory neurons and their circuits. However, it is largely unknown how CAPS2 affects BDNF secretion and what its biological significance in inhibitory neurons is. Here we reveal the role of CAPS2 in the regulated secretion of BDNF and show the effect of CAPS2 on the development of hippocampal GABAergic systems. We show that CAPS2 is colocalized with BDNF, both synaptically and extrasynaptically in axons of hippocampal neurons. Overexpression of exogenous CAPS2 in hippocampal neurons of CAPS2 knockout (KO) mice enhanced depolarization-induced BDNF exocytosis events in terms of kinetics, frequency and amplitude. We also show that in the CAPS2 KO hippocampus, BDNF secretion is reduced and GABAergic systems are impaired, including a decreased number of GABAergic neurons and their synapses, a decreased number of synaptic vesicles in inhibitory synapses and a reduced frequency and amplitude of mIPSCs. Conversely, excitatory neurons in the CAPS2 KO hippocampus were largely unaffected with respect to
An Online Fault Management Method for Live Media Applications

It is an important task to provide the QoS-insured live media application in dealing with the fault effectively. The paper suggests a classification method to perform online fault management in the Live Media Service Grid (LMSN), which adopts online fault management, and can achieve low-overhead online learning, and adaptively adjust measurement sampling rates based on the states of monitored components, and maintain a limited size of historical training data to achieve efficient real-time fault control. The method can achieve more efficient fault management than conventional reactive and proactive approaches.
To Predict the Equity Market, Consult Economic Theory

Despite more than half a century of research on forecasting stock market returns, most predictive models perform quite poorly when they are put to the test of actually predicting equity returns. In fact, many authors, including Bossaerts and Hillion (1999), Brennan and Xia (2005), and Welch and Goyal (2008) suggest that equity returns cannot be predicted at all. This brief proposes a simple yet very effective solution to improve the quality of stock return predictions by taking economic theory into account.
Adaptive Framework for the REA Accounting Model

Business applications must be able to adapt to a changing business environment, to access large amount of data and to be efficient. A framework for business applications must also be reusable and provide uniform access to information. We have developed a framework based on the REA accounting model that meets these requirements. It uses the active objectmodel and composite query technique for adaptability, the Interpreter pattern and the integrated query system for information uniformity, and incremental computation for performance. Each idea in our framework can be applied to many other business-object implementations.
Skin Aging and Photoaging Alter Fatty Acids Composition, Including 11,14,17-eicosatrienoic Acid, in the Epidermis of Human Skin

We investigated the alterations of major fatty acid components in epidermis by natural aging and photoaging processes, and by acute ultraviolet (UV) irradiation in human skin. Interestingly, we found that 11,14,17-eicosatrienoic acid (ETA), which is one of the omega-3 polyunsaturated acids, was significantly increased in photoaged human epidermis in vivo and also in the acutely UV-irradiated human skin in vivo, while it was significantly decreased in intrinsically aged human epidermis. The increased ETA content in the epidermis of photoaged human skin and acute UV-irradiated human skin is associated with enhanced expression of human elongase 1 and calcium-independent phophodiesterase A2. We demonstrated that ETA inhibited matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 expression after UV-irradiation, and that inhibition of ETA synthesis using EPTC and NA-TCA, which are elongase inhibitors, increased MMP-1 expression. Therefore, our results suggest that the UV increases the ETA levels, which may have a photoprotective effect in the human skin.
Numerical simulation of boundary layer structure and cross-equatorial flow in the Eastern Pacific

Abstract Recent observations from spaceborne microwave sensors have revealed detailed structure of the surface flow over the equatorial eastern Pacific in the boreal fall season. A marked acceleration of surface wind across the northern sea surface temperature (SST) front of the cold tongue is a prominent feature of the regional climate. Previous studies have attributed the acceleration to the effect of enhanced momentum mixing over the warmer waters. A high-resolution numerical model is used to examine the cross-frontal flow adjustment. In a comprehensive comparison, the model agrees well with many observed features of cross-equatorial flow and boundary layer structure from satellite, Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) moorings, and the recent Eastern Pacific Investigation of Climate Processes (EPIC) campaign. In particular, the model simulates the acceleration across the SST front, and the change from a stable to unstable boundary layer. Analysis of the model momentum budget indicates that the hydrostatic .
Implementation of parallel algorithms on cluster of workstations

Most of the DNA sequence comparison techniques are based on heuristic as it is the fastest even though it does not guarantees that the optimum results will be produced. In DNA sequence comparison - a basic operation in sequencing projects most of the methods uses heuristic approach. The algorithm proposed by Needleman and Wunsch obtains the best global alignments at the expense of very high computing power and huge memory requirements. In this paper we have presented and evaluated our experiments with two different methods to run the Needleman and Wunsch algorithm on a cluster of workstations using a Distributed Shared Memory System. Our results on cluster of workstations which consist of total 24 cores presented very good speedups and shows that notable improvements can be achieved, depending on the methods used. Also, we present some theoretical remarks on how to reduce the amount of memory used.
Separation and Modularization of Design Patterns-Specific Concerns in Detailed Architectural Design

In this paper we outline an aspect-oriented approach to support separation and modularization of crosscutting concerns in multi-agent systems. Aspects are used as abstractions to capture social patterns as concerns that crosscut software agents in multi-agent systems, whose separation and modularization are not taken into account in current agent-oriented software engineering. Social patterns are described using a template and UML-based diagrams to represent the pattern’s structure and behaviour in an aspect-oriented context.
Sad music induces pleasant emotion

In general, sad music is thought to cause us to experience sadness, which is considered an unpleasant emotion. As a result, the question arises as to why we listen to sad music if it evokes sadness. One possible answer to this question is that we may actually feel positive emotions when we listen to sad music. This suggestion may appear to be counterintuitive; however, in this study, by dividing musical emotion into perceived emotion and felt emotion, we investigated this potential emotional response to music. We hypothesized that felt and perceived emotion may not actually coincide in this respect: sad music would be perceived as sad, but the experience of listening to sad music would evoke positive emotions. A total of 44 participants listened to musical excerpts and provided data on perceived and felt emotions by rating 62 descriptive words or phrases related to emotions on a scale that ranged from 0 (not at all) to 4 (very much). The results revealed that the sad music was perceived to be more tragic, whereas the actual experiences of the participants listening to the sad music induced them to feel more romantic, more blithe, and less tragic emotions than they actually perceived with respect to the same music. Thus, the participants experienced ambivalent emotions when they listened to the sad music. After considering the possible reasons that listeners were induced to experience emotional ambivalence by the sad music, we concluded that the formulation of a new model would be essential for examining the emotions induced by music and that this new model must entertain the possibility that what we experience when listening to music is vicarious emotion.
Lessons on collisionless reconnection from quantum fluids

Magnetic reconnection in space plasmas remains a challenge in physics in that the phenomenon is associated with the breakdown of frozen-in magnetic field in a collisionless medium. Such a topology change can also be found in superfluidity, known as the quantum vortex reconnection. We give a plasma physicists' view of superfluidity to obtain insights on essential processes in collisionless reconnection, including discussion of the kinetic and fluid pictures, wave dynamics, and time reversal asymmetry. The most important lesson from the quantum fluid is the scenario that reconnection is controlled by the physics of topological defects on the microscopic scale, and by the physics of turbulence on the macroscopic scale. Quantum vortex reconnection is accompanied by wave emission in the form of Kelvin waves and sound waves, which imprints the time reversal asymmetry.
Analysis of different shapes of micro-strip patch antenna at 1.5 GHz

Patch antenna is basically used for wireless communication systems. Design a several shapes of micro-strip patch antenna has been done. The proposed micro-strip patch antenna works in frequency of 1.5 GHZ. FR4 lossy as a dielectric substrate with relative permittivity εr is 4.3 and thickness of 1.6mm. Various shapes of micro-strip patch antenna (Rectangular, Circular, and Triangular) with feeding line is presented in this paper. Micro-strip feeding technique is used to design for all shapes of patch antenna. Simulation results of bandwidth, directivity and radiation pattern of the designed patch antenna is being presented and the obtained values of the parameters are also analyzed.
Is There a “Biological Gear” in the Human Middle Ear?

Objective: A mammal’s ability to hear high-frequency sound is due to unique structures such as 3 distinct middle-ear (ME) ossicles. In larger mammals such as humans, the ME features a cylindrical malleus cross section, differing eardrum areas on each side of the malleus handle, and a mobile saddle-shaped malleus-incus joint (MIJ). Method: Based entirely on 3D reconstructions of micro-CT images, a finite element biocomputation model was constructed, which includes the ear canal, eardrum, ossicles, suspensory soft tissue attachments, and ME joints modeled as mobile and fluid-filled. Frequency responses of acoustics-structure interactions were calculated using COMSOL Multiphysics solvers. Results: Results indicate that at low frequencies, hinge-like motion is dominant as expected, and that the orthotropy of the eardrum boosts the ME gain due to increased peak displacement. However, at high frequencies we observe multi-resonance vibration modes at the eardrum and a bevel-gear-like motion at the MIJ, and the orthotropy of the eardrum makes the rotation axis of the malleus more coincident with its long axis. This supports the hypothesis that a “twisting” motion of the malleus and incus is required in larger mammals at high frequencies in order to compensate for larger moments-of-inertia of the larger ossicular masses. Conclusion: We argue that a new “twisting” gear-like motion is necessary for efficient high-frequency sound transmission in larger mammals, due to higher moments of inertia for hinge-like motion in these species. These features favor the existence of the twisting motion of the malleus-incus complex in addition to the classical hinge-like motion.
Was the Writing on the Wall? An Options Analysis of the 2008 Lehman Brothers Crisis

This paper uses risk neutral densities (RNDs) of stock options to investigate the markets perceptions of crash risk in the recent U.S. subprime crisis. RNDs were estimated using the double lognormal method for the S&P 500 market index, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sachs. We find strong evidence of bimodality in the RND of Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch as early as April 2008. In contrast, no evidence of bimodality was found for either Goldman Sachs or the S&P 500 index. These results vindicate the usefulness of the RND as a forecasting tool in extreme market conditions.
Regulation of Dissimilatory Sulfur Oxidation in the Purple Sulfur Bacterium Allochromatium Vinosum

In the purple sulfur bacterium Allochromatium vinosum, thiosulfate oxidation is strictly dependent on the presence of three periplasmic Sox proteins encoded by the soxBXAK and soxYZ genes. It is also well documented that proteins encoded in the dissimilatory sulfite reductase (dsr) operon, dsrABEFHCMKLJOPNRS, are essential for the oxidation of sulfur that is stored intracellularly as an obligatory intermediate during the oxidation of thiosulfate and sulfide. Until recently, detailed knowledge about the regulation of the sox genes was not available. We started to fill this gap and show that these genes are expressed on a low constitutive level in A. vinosum in the absence of reduced sulfur compounds. Thiosulfate and possibly sulfide lead to an induction of sox gene transcription. Additional translational regulation was not apparent. Regulation of soxXAK is probably performed by a two-component system consisting of a multi-sensor histidine kinase and a regulator with proposed di-guanylate cyclase activity. Previous work already provided some information about regulation of the dsr genes encoding the second important sulfur-oxidizing enzyme system in the purple sulfur bacterium. The expression of most dsr genes was found to be at a low basal level in the absence of reduced sulfur compounds and enhanced in the presence of sulfide. In the present work, we focused on the role of DsrS, a protein encoded by the last gene of the dsr locus in A. vinosum. Transcriptional and translational gene fusion experiments suggest a participation of DsrS in the post-transcriptional control of the dsr operon. Characterization of an A. vinosum ΔdsrS mutant showed that the monomeric cytoplasmic 41.1-kDa protein DsrS is important though not essential for the oxidation of sulfur stored in the intracellular sulfur globules.
The Improvement of Telerobotic System Behavior in Contact with Remote Environment by Extension of an Impedance Controller

The teleoperation (telerobotic) systems often face two key challenges: the existence of communication delays between the master and slave site as well as the addition of force feedback to improve the user's sense of presence. The first goal of this paper is that the slave manipulator should track the position of the master manipulator and the second goal is that the environmental force acting on the slave, when it contacts a remote environment, be accurately transmitted to the master. For solving both problems we proposed the symmetric impedance matched teleoperation systems with a wave filter in feedback loop. Simulations results using a single-degree of freedom master/slave system are presented showing the performance of the resulting system.
An extended model for void growth and coalescence

A model for the axisymmetric growth and coalescence of small internal voids in elastoplastic solids is proposed and assessed using void cell computations. Two contributions existing in the literature have been integrated into the enhanced model. The first is the model of Gologanu–Leblond–Devaux, extending the Gurson model to void shape effects. The second is the approach of Thomason for the onset of void coalescence. Each of these has been extended heuristically to account for strain hardening. In addition, a micromechanically-based simple constitutive model for the void coalescence stage is proposed to supplement the criterion for the onset of coalescence. The fully enhanced Gurson model depends on the flow properties of the material and the dimensional ratios of the void-cell representative volume element. Phenomenological parameters such as critical porosities are not employed in the enhanced model. It incorporates the effect of void shape, relative void spacing, strain hardening, and porosity. The effect of the relative void spacing on void coalescence, which has not yet been carefully addressed in the literature, has received special attention. Using cell model computations, accurate predictions through final fracture have been obtained for a wide range of porosity, void spacing, initial void shape, strain hardening, and stress triaxiality. These predictions have been used to assess the enhanced model.  2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Using a redundant Wi-Fi network as an emergency detour route to proactively reduce disaster risk in Wakkanai, Hokkaido

Networks must be safeguarded against disasters. From the network-management viewpoint, safeguards should be considered during the network design phase. In this study, we surveyed the potential for establishing redundant Wi-Fi networks in schools in the Soya region of Hokkaido, to proactively create a bypass network that can be used if a natural disaster occurs. During emergency situations such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and floods, traditional disaster response may not be able to provide adequate communication services to emergency-management teams. We conducted a medium-scale trace-driven study of redundant networks to determine how to decrease disaster risk. We set up wireless nodes at four network locations of different sizes, including the access link between the Wakkanai city office and Wakkanai Hokusei Gakuen University networks. By proactively establishing a redundant wireless network as a detour emergency route using our approach, an organization can reduce disaster risk without consuming much time during disasters.
Twice-Cooperative Spectrum Sensing in Cognitive Radio Systems

The sensing performance of local detection in cognitive radio systems will be degraded when the channel experience fading and shadowing, and hidden terminal problem is inevitable for the primary transmitter-sensing. To overcome this problem, cooperative spectrum sensing has been proposed. We propose a twice-cooperative sensing algorithm to improve the sensing performance. By comparing to the single-cooperative, the simulations show that the proposed algorithm can enhance the sensing performance and the proposed algorithm can also save the band width of the control channel.
A Simple Multicloud Parameterization for Convectively Coupled Tropical Waves. Part II: Nonlinear Simulations

Observations in the Tropics point to the important role of three cloud types, congestus, stratiform, and deep convective clouds, besides ubiquitous shallow boundary layer clouds for both the climatology and large-scale organized anomalies such as convectively coupled Kelvin waves, two-day waves, and the Madden–Julian oscillation. Recently, the authors have developed a systematic model convective parameterization highlighting the dynamic role of the three cloud types through two baroclinic modes of vertical structure: a deep convective heating mode and a second mode with lower troposphere heating and cooling corresponding respectively to congestus and stratiform clouds. The model includes both a systematic moisture equation where the lower troposphere moisture increases through detrainment of shallow cumulus clouds, evaporation of stratiform rain, and moisture convergence and decreases through deep convective precipitation and also a nonlinear switch that favors either deep or congestus convection depending on whether the lower middle troposphere is moist or dry. Here these model convective parameterizations are applied to a 40 000-km periodic equatorial ring without rotation, with a background sea surface temperature (SST) gradient and realistic radiative cooling mimicking a tropical warm pool. Both the emerging “Walker cell” climatology and the convectively coupled wave fluctuations are analyzed here while various parameters in the model are varied. The model exhibits weak congestus moisture coupled waves outside the warm pool in a turbulent bath that intermittently amplify in the warm pool generating convectively coupled moist gravity wave trains propagating at speeds ranging from 15 to 20 m s 1 over the warm pool, while retaining a classical Walker cell in the mean climatology. The envelope of the deep convective events in these convectively coupled wave trains often exhibits large-scale organization with a slower propagation speed of 3–5 m s 1 over the warm pool and adjacent region. Occasional much rarer intermittent deep convection also occurs outside the warm pool. The realistic parameter regimes in the multicloud model are identified as those with linearized growth rates for large scale instabilities roughly in the range of 0.5 K day 1 .
A Few Considerations on Structural and Logical Composition in Specification Theories

Over the last 20 years a large number of automata-based specification theories have been proposed for modeling of discrete, real-time and probabilistic systems. We have observed a lot of shared algebraic structure between these formalisms. In this short abstract, we collect results of our work in progress on describing and systematizing the algebraic assumptions in specification theories.