Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Omnidirectional structure element of mathematical morphology applied to wood computed tomography testing

With the increase of wood demand, wood nondestructive testing technology becomes more and more important. Many nondestructive technologies are established on the basis of multi-subject and high technology. Wood nondestructive testing technology is a comprehensive subject. Recently it has achieved fast development. X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning technology has been applied to the detection of internal defects in the logs for the purpose of obtaining prior information, which can be used to arrive at better log sawing decision. In addition to the recognition of wood internal defects, computed tomography (CT) technology can be applied to wood nondestructive testing. Math morphologic is a new science based on strict math theory basis, taking set theory as basis, analysing and understanding the digital image, which is also a good tool of geometry morphologic analysis and description; having be a new theory and method under digital image management area, producing great influence on digital image management theory and technology. An approach of image edge detection based on morphology of omnidirectional and multi-scale structuring element is constructed by weighting method of morphological operation.
D ec 2 00 5 Dynamics of Social Systems : Cooperation and FreeRiding

We study the mean field dynamics of a model introduced by Phan et al [Wehia, 2005] of a polymorphic social community. The individuals may choose between three strategies: either not to join the community or, in the case of joining it, to cooperate or to behave as a free-rider. Individuals’ preferences have an idiosyncratic component and a social component. Cooperators bear a fixed cost whereas free-riders support a cost proportional to the number of cooperators. We study the dynamics of this model analytically in the mean field approximation for both parallel and sequential updating. As we vary one of the parameters while keeping the other parameters fixed, the phase diagram experiences a rich class of bifurcations. Noticeably, a limit cycle is shown to exist in both parallel and sequential updating, under certain parameter settings. A comparison of the analytical predictions with computer simulations is also included.
Energy minimization for hybrid BIST in a system-on-chip test environment

This paper addresses the energy minimization problem for system-on-chip testing. We assume a hybrid BIST test architecture where a combination of deterministic and pseudorandom test sequences is used. The objective of our proposed technique is to find the best ratio of these sequences so that the total energy is minimized and the memory requirements for the deterministic test set are met without sacrificing test quality. We propose two different heuristic algorithms and a fast estimation method that enables considerable reduction of the computation time. Experimental results have shown the efficiency of the approach for finding reduced energy solutions with low computational overhead.
Preclinical Testing of Novel Oxytocin Receptor Activators in Models of Autism Phenotypes

Abstract : Currently, there are no established pharmaceutical strategies that effectively treat core autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms, including pervasive social deficits and repetitive behaviors. The oxytocin pathway has an important role in normal human social behaviors, and oxytocin dysregulation has been implicated in ASD-associated behavioral symptoms. There is now emerging evidence that oxytocin has therapeutic efficacy in ameliorating core ASD symptoms associated with social behavior. However, from the standpoint of drug discovery, oxytocin is a poor candidate as a standard clinical treatment. Oxytocin is rapidly metabolized and has low brain penetrance with peripheral administration. The goal of the proposed studies is to discover new small-molecule compounds that enhance oxytocin signaling, as novel drug interventions for social deficits and abnormal repetitive behavior relevant to ASD. In this third year, we have extended our published findings that oxytocin can effectively overcome representative ASD phenotypes in two mouse lines that model ASD-like behaviors, including overt alterations in social behavior, and we have confirmed these effects in a genetic model of social impairment, the Grin1 knockdown mouse. We have also evaluated one synthetic oxytocin agonist, Compound 39,and one oxytocin metabolite, for efficacy against social deficits in BALB/cByJ mice, and we are currently evaluating a second oxytocin metabolite for prosocial effects. Overall, we have successfully validated three mouse models as preclinical screens for compounds targeting the oxytocin receptor, and provided leads for a drug discovery campaign for social deficits and other core autism symptoms.
A New Efficient and Secure POR Scheme Based on Network Coding

Information is increasing quickly, database owners have tendency to outsource their data to an external service provider called Cloud Computing. Using Cloud, clients can remotely store their data without burden of local data storage and maintenance. However, such service provider is untrusted, therefore there are some challenges in data security: integrity, availability and confidentiality. Since integrity and availability are prerequisite conditions of the existence of a system, we mainly focus on them rather than confidentiality. To ensure integrity and availability, researchers have proposed network coding-based POR (Proof of Retrievability) schemes that enable the servers to demonstrate whether the data is retrievable or not. However, most of network coding-based POR schemes are inefficient in data checking and also cannot prevent a common attack in POR: small corruption attack. In this paper, we propose a new network coding-based POR scheme using dispersal code in order to reduce cost in checking phase and also to prevent small corruption attack.
Electromagnetic Fields and Cancer: The Cost of Doing Nothing

Everyone is exposed to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) from electricity (extremely low frequency, ELF), communication frequencies, and wireless devices (radiofrequency, RF). Concern of health hazards from EMFs has increased as the use of cell phones and other wireless devices has grown in all segments of society, especially among children. While there has been strong evidence for an association between leukemia and residential or occupational exposure to ELF EMFs for many years, the standards in existence are not sufficiently stringent to protect from an increased risk of cancer. For RF EMFs, standards are set at levels designed to avoid tissue heating, in spite of convincing evidence of adverse biological effects at intensities too low to cause significant heating. Recent studies demonstrate elevations in rates of brain cancer and acoustic neuroma only on the side of the head where individuals used their cell phone. Individuals who begin exposure at younger ages are more vulnerable. These data indicate that the existing standards for radiofrequency exposure are not adequate. While there are many unanswered questions, the cost of doing nothing will result in an increasing number of people, many of them young, developing cancer.
Determinants of inconsistent condom use with female sex workers among men attending the STD clinic in Singapore

Background/objectives: Female sex workers and their male clients have been identified as risk groups for the transmission of STDs and HIV. Behavioural interventions targeting clients need to address inconsistent condom use among them. The aim of the study is to assess the sociodemographic, behavioural, and psychological factors associated with inconsistent condom use among clients of sex workers. Methods: 229 male patients attending the STD clinic in Singapore who reported paying for sex in the previous 6 months were interviewed. Response rate was 91%. Results: Overall, 45% used condoms inconsistently; these clients were more likely to have poor STD knowledge, visit sex workers five or more times in the past 6 months, have lower self efficacy, less favourable social norms for condom use, and more likely to forget condom use when intoxicated (alcohol impaired decision making). Conclusions: Behavioural interventions for clients need to improve STD/HIV transmission knowledge and focus on improving client’s self efficacy in using condoms.
A novel arrangement of field coil for large capacity superconducting motors

In this paper, a novel arrangement of field coil is proposed to decrease the additional iron loss caused by magnetic flux sag between the adjacent field coil sides with the same current direction. The comparison of iron loss between the novel and traditional arrangement of field coils at different conditions are discussed. The novel arrangement can decrease the iron loss from the analytic results.
The effect of microstructure on the electromigration lifetime distribution

In this work we analyze the influence of the statistical distribution of copper grain sizes on the electromigration time to failure distribution based on numerical simulations. We have applied a continuum multi-physics electromigration model which incorporates the effects of grain boundaries for stress build-up. It is shown that the lognormal distribution of grain sizes causes a lognormal distribution for the times to failure. Moreover, the increase of the standard deviation of the grain size distribution results in an increase of the electromigration lifetimes standard deviation.
Presentation tools for high-resolution and multiple displays

Presentation software was originally developed as a way to design overhead transparencies to be used as visual aids in talks. While much of the software has since then changed, the basic design using the slide metaphor still follows the original purpose and does not accommodate the different needs and uses presentation software has today. We describe our experiences and design process in developing MultiPresenter -- a presentation system that works on multiple displays designed to promote audiences' learning. Our human-centered approach includes observing instructors use of traditional visual aids such as whiteboards and blackboards as well as newer aids such as computer-generated slide presentations, interviews with instructors during the requirement gathering phase, and multiple iterations of design and testing during the implementation phase. We describe our current and future plans for evaluating and extending our system. Evaluations focus on the deployment of MultiPresenter in actual classrooms to gain valuable feedback from both instructors and students on our design decisions and on the effects that our system has on learning.
Communiplay: a field study of a public display mediaspace

We present Communiplay, a public display media space. People passing by see their own contour mirrored on a public display and can start to play with virtual objects. At the same time, they see others playing at remote displays within the same virtual space. We are interested whether people would use such a public display media space, and if so, how and why. We evaluate Communiplay in a field study in six connected locations and find a remote honey-pot effect, i.e. people interacting at one location attract people at other locations. The conversion rate (percentage of passers-by starting to interact) rose by +136% when people saw others playing at remote locations. We also provide the first quantification of the (local) honey-pot effect (in our case it raised the conversion rate by +604% when people saw others playing at the same location). We conclude that the integration of multiple public displays into a media space is a promising direction for public displays and can make them more attractive and valuable.
Chinese Immigrant Food Habits: A study of the nature and direction of change

THIS STUDY researches the food habits of a randomly selected group of 102 Chinese immi grant mothers who live in two locations in New York City, one predominantly Chinese, namely China town, and the other Queens, a mixed ethnic commun ity. By use of detailed questionnaire and interview, it determines the relationships between traditional food habits before immigration, neighbourhood differences and three time frames since immigration to the United States: under two, two to five and over five years. Significant change has occurred in food habits when comparing those habits practiced before immigration to those practiced in the United States. Of all the items studied, food items showed the greatest changes, parti cularly with respect to meat and dairy products. Some, but not all other food habits changed. The food habits of the respondents in Chinatown, although not com pletely traditional, changed less than the food habits of those living in Queens. Comparing groups by years since immigration, those respondents in the United States fewer than two years ago showed an appreciable change while those in the United States more than five years showed a reversal in some food habits to tradi tional food habits.
Polygalacturonase from Sitophilus oryzae: Possible horizontal transfer of a pectinase gene from fungi to weevils

Abstract Endo-polygalacturonase, one of the group of enzymes known collectively as pectinases, is widely distributed in bacteria, plants and fungi. The enzyme has also been found in several weevil species and a few other insects, such as aphids, but not in Drosophila melanogaster, Anopheles gambiae, or Caenorhabditis elegans or, as far as is known, in any more primitive animal species. What, then, is the genetic origin of the polygalacturonases in weevils? Since some weevil species harbor symbiotic microorganisms, it has been suggested, reasonably, that the symbionts' genomes of both aphids and weevils, rather than the insects' genomes, could encode polygalacturonase. We report here the cloning of a cDNA that encodes endo-polygalacturonase in the rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (L.), and investigations based on the cloned cDNA. Our results, which include analysis of genes in antibiotic-treated rice weevils, indicate that the enzyme is, in fact, encoded by the insect genome. Given the apparent absence of the gene in much of the rest of the animal kingdom, it is therefore likely that the rice weevil polygalacturonase gene was incorporated into the weevil's genome by horizontal transfer, possibly from a fungus.
Joint rate control and routing for energy-constrained wireless sensor networks

In the following paper, we study the tradeoff between network utility and network lifetime for energy-constrained wireless sensor networks(WSNs). By introducing a parameter r, we combine these two objectives into a single weighted objective, and consider rate control and routing in this tradeoff framework simultaneously. First, using the dual decomposition method, we decompose the tradeoff model into two subproblems: congestion control/routing problem and network lifetime problem, both of which interact through the dual variables for energy dissipation constraints. Based on decomposition results, we derive a partially distributed algorithm where the network lifetime is a global information. Second, we propose a fully distributed algorithm by approximating the network lifetime maximization problem by the network utility maximization(NUM) framework. Our algorithms are more competent for practical implementation than those of literatures, since we have considered more practical factors in our network model.
Factores que determinan los honorarios de auditoría: Análisis empírico para México

La escasa investigacion internacional sobre auditoria en el ambito latinoamericano ha motivado el desarrollo de esta investigacion. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar empiricamente los factores que influyen en el monto de los honorarios de auditoria en Mexico, partiendo de una muestra de 59 empresas que cotizan en la Bolsa Mexicana de Valores (BMV), durante el periodo de 2002 a 2008. La metodologia empleada, en linea con los estudios previos, se basa en un modelo de regresion multiple, a partir de un conjunto de hipotesis relacionadas con diversos factores que afectan la determinacion de los honorarios, vinculados a la empresa auditada y a la firma auditora, recolectados de la base de datos de las cuentas anuales de las empresas. Los resultados revelan que, en el mercado mexicano, los factores determinantes de los honorarios de auditoria son el tamano de la empresa, el riesgo del cliente, la complejidad de la empresa, la reputacion del auditor, los servicios adicionales que presta el auditor, la duracion del contrato con el auditor, el sector al que pertenece la empresa y los anos en que se realice la auditoria. En conclusion, se evidencia la globalizacion de la profesion, y que los factores determinantes de los honorarios del auditor en el mercado mexicano, son similares a los obtenidos por otros investigadores en otras regiones geograficas.
SEARCH FOR ASTROPHYSICAL NEUTRINO POINT SOURCES AT SUPER-KAMIOKANDE

It has been hypothesized that large fluxes of neutrinos may be created in astrophysical “cosmic accelerators. ” The primary background for a search for astrophysical neutrinos comes from atmospheric neutrinos, which do not exhibit the pointlike directional clustering that characterizes a distant astrophysical signal. We perform a search for neutrino point sources using the upward-going muon data from three phases of operation (SK-I, SK-II, and SK-III) spanning 2623 days of live time taken from 1996 April 1 to 2007 August 11. The search looks for signals from suspected galactic and extragalactic sources, transient sources, and uncataloged sources. While we find interesting signatures from two objects—RX J1713.7−3946 (97.5% CL) and GRB 991004D (95.3% CL)—these signatures lack compelling statistical significance given trial factors. We set limits on the flux and fluence of neutrino point sources above energies of 1.6 GeV.
Comparison of an everolimus-eluting stent and a paclitaxel-eluting stent in patients with coronary artery disease: a randomized trial.

CONTEXT A thin, cobalt-chromium stent eluting the antiproliferative agent everolimus from a nonadhesive, durable fluoropolymer has shown promise in preliminary studies in improving clinical and angiographic outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the safety and efficacy of an everolimus-eluting stent compared with a widely used paclitaxel-eluting stent. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS The SPIRIT III trial, a prospective, randomized, single-blind, controlled trial enrolling patients at 65 academic and community-based US institutions between June 22, 2005, and March 15, 2006. Patients were 1002 men and women undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention in lesions 28 mm or less in length and with reference vessel diameter between 2.5 and 3.75 mm. Angiographic follow-up was prespecified at 8 months in 564 patients and completed in 436 patients. Clinical follow-up was performed at 1, 6, 9, and 12 months. INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized 2:1 to receive the everolimus-eluting stent (n = 669) or the paclitaxel-eluting stent (n = 333). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary end point was noninferiority or superiority of angiographic in-segment late loss. The major secondary end point was noninferiority assessment of target vessel failure events (cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or target vessel revascularization) at 9 months. An additional secondary end point was evaluation of major adverse cardiac events (cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or target lesion revascularization) at 9 and 12 months. RESULTS Angiographic in-segment late loss was significantly less in the everolimus-eluting stent group compared with the paclitaxel group (mean, 0.14 [SD, 0.41] mm vs 0.28 [SD, 0.48] mm; difference, -0.14 [95% CI, -0.23 to -0.05]; P < or = .004). The everolimus stent was noninferior to the paclitaxel stent for target vessel failure at 9 months (7.2% vs 9.0%, respectively; difference, -1.9% [95% CI, -5.6% to 1.8%]; relative risk, 0.79 [95% CI, 0.51 to 1.23]; P < .001). The everolimus stent compared with the paclitaxel stent resulted in significant reductions in composite major adverse cardiac events both at 9 months (4.6% vs 8.1%; relative risk, 0.56 [95% CI, 0.34 to 0.94]; P = .03) and at 1 year (6.0% vs 10.3%; relative risk, 0.58 [95% CI, 0.37 to 0.90]; P = .02), due to fewer myocardial infarctions and target lesion revascularization procedures. CONCLUSIONS In this large-scale, prospective randomized trial, an everolimus-eluting stent compared with a paclitaxel-eluting stent resulted in reduced angiographic late loss, noninferior rates of target vessel failure, and fewer major adverse cardiac events during 1 year of follow-up. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00180479.
Transmission System for ISDB-S

Broadcasting satellite (BS) digital broadcasting of HDTV in Japan is laid down by the ISDB-S international standard. Since it has a unique transmission technique that can use a number of modulation schemes simultaneously in one RF carrier, the most suitable modulation scheme for the broadcast content can be selected even within one RF carrier. In addition, a hierarchical modulation technique that can mitigate rain attenuation can be introduced as an application of this transmission system. This paper shows how the transmission system establishes such a versatile function.
Transition Planning Inventory (TPI)

Any student for whom future planning is desirable, particularly students who have been identified as needing special or related services. According to the authors, specific groups with which the inventory has been used successfully include students who have learning disabilities, mental retardation, behavioral disorders, sensory impairments (visual or hearing), and physical or health impairments.
Intercell Interference Reduction by the Use of Chebyshev Circular Antenna Arrays with Beam Steering

Advanced antenna arrays at the base stations are one of the key techniques to reduce interference in WCDMA cellular systems. This paper presents the use of the beam steering method with circular arrays along with Chebyshev current distributions in order to reduce the value of the ratio of intercell interference to received intracell power in WCDMA cellular systems. The intercell to intracell interference ratio of the beam steering case with the proposed arrays is compared to that of the conventional omnidirectional case. The obtained results demonstrate a notable superiority of the proposed antenna arrays.