Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Surface parameters from seviri observations through a kalman filter approach: Application and evaluation of the scheme to the southern Italy

Geostationary satellites are capable of resolving the diurnal cycle by providing time sequence of observations with a very high temporal resolution. A Kalman filter methodology was developed to exploit such time continuity in order to simultaneously retrieve surface temperature and emissivity from SEVIRI (Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager) data. The methodology was applied and tested over a geographic region in Southern Italy characterized by different surface features: arid, cultivated, vegetated and urban areas, and sea water. The objective is to implement a real-time continuous monitoring of surface parameters, which could be used for the various purposes of tourism and agronomy, land surveillance, natural hazards and risk assessment analysis. The retrieval of surface parameters was performed for the whole of 2013 and the results were compared to other similar satellite observations such as those derived from AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) and MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer). Comparisons with ECMWF (European Centre for Medium range Weather Forecasts) analyses for sea surface are provided as well.
Towards the use of Citizen Sensor Information as an Ancillary Tool for the Thematic Classification of Ecological Phenomena

The combination of Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) with remote sensing classification techniques is addressed rarely, yet has masses of potential in the domain of improving data collection and annotation for environmental monitoring. This position paper delineates the benefits of using VGI within ecological research and identifies key research challenges in gathering ecologically robust data from citizens. The importance of VGI design and sampling typologies in understanding the patterns of and mechanisms of improving data quality are emphasised. Finally, future work in addressing the quality of crowd ground truth information for map generation in a remote sensing context is outlined with the hope that the traits of VGI can be aligned to meet the authoritative rigor required for it to be of use within ecological research applications.
Full-Rate Bang-Bang Phase/Frequency Detectors for Unilateral Continuous-Rate CDRs

Full-rate bang-bang phase detectors (BBPDs) and bang-bang frequency detectors (FDs) are presented for continuous-rate clock and data recovery (CDR) circuits. The proposed BBPDs have only six latches, so they save the power and area. Their symmetric architecture minimizes the clock skew caused by the nonsymmetric layout. The proposed unilateral FDs have a wide detectable frequency range. The theoretical analysis for the proposed FDs is given. Two continuous-rate CDR circuits using the proposed BBPDs and FDs have been fabricated in a 0.18-mum CMOS process. They recover the NRZ data of a 231-1 PRBS from 622 Mbps to 3.125 Gbps. All of the measured bit error rates are less than 10-12.
Population‐based cancer registries for quality‐of‐life research

With the increasing number and diversity of cancer survivors, studies of survivors' physical, emotional, and social health and well being are of growing importance. Population‐based cancer registries, which collect data on incident cases, can play an important role in quality‐of‐life (QoL) studies. In this review, the authors provide an overview of QoL studies that have used cancer registry data in this emerging area of research.
Plant-rich mixed meals based on Palaeolithic diet principles have a dramatic impact on incretin, peptide YY and satiety response, but show little effect on glucose and insulin homeostasis: an acute-effects randomised study

There is evidence for health benefits from ‘Palaeolithic’ diets; however, there are a few data on the acute effects of rationally designed Palaeolithic-type meals. In the present study, we used Palaeolithic diet principles to construct meals comprising readily available ingredients: fish and a variety of plants, selected to be rich in fibre and phyto-nutrients. We investigated the acute effects of two Palaeolithic-type meals (PAL 1 and PAL 2) and a reference meal based on WHO guidelines (REF), on blood glucose control, gut hormone responses and appetite regulation. Using a randomised cross-over trial design, healthy subjects were given three meals on separate occasions. PAL2 and REF were matched for energy, protein, fat and carbohydrates; PAL1 contained more protein and energy. Plasma glucose, insulin, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP) and peptide YY (PYY) concentrations were measured over a period of 180 min. Satiation was assessed using electronic visual analogue scale (EVAS) scores. GLP-1 and PYY concentrations were significantly increased across 180 min for both PAL1 (P= 0·001 and P< 0·001) and PAL2 (P= 0·011 and P= 0·003) compared with the REF. Concomitant EVAS scores showed increased satiety. By contrast, GIP concentration was significantly suppressed. Positive incremental AUC over 120 min for glucose and insulin did not differ between the meals. Consumption of meals based on Palaeolithic diet principles resulted in significant increases in incretin and anorectic gut hormones and increased perceived satiety. Surprisingly, this was independent of the energy or protein content of the meal and therefore suggests potential benefits for reduced risk of obesity.
Low Glycated Hemoglobin and Liver Disease in the U.S. Population

OBJECTIVE To characterize the association of low HbA1c values (<4.0%) with liver enzymes and steatosis. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Cross-sectional study of 12,533 participants without diabetes aged <20 years in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988–1994). Logistic regression models were adjusted for demographic, lifestyle, and health status variables. RESULTS HbA1c values ranged from 3.2 to 15.7%, and 84 participants had HbA1c <4.0% in the population (mean age 44, 52% female, 15% black or Hispanic). We observed J-shaped associations between HbA1c and liver enzymes and hepatic steatosis. In adjusted models, HbA1c <4.0% was strongly associated with elevated alanine aminotransferase (OR 3.62 [95% CI 1.09–12.02]) and aspartate aminotransferase (6.80 [2.99–15.43]). CONCLUSIONS Low HbA1c values were associated with liver enzymes and steatosis in the U.S. population. Liver disease may partially explain the association of HbA1c with mortality and other long-term outcomes.
Synthesis of 2‐Hydrazolyl‐4‐Thiazolidinones Based on Multicomponent Reactions and Biological Evaluation Against Trypanosoma Cruzi

A series of 18 novel 2‐hydrazolyl‐4‐thiazolidinones‐5‐carboxylic acids, amides and 5,6‐α,β‐unsaturated esters were synthesized, and their in vitro activity on cruzipain and T. cruzi epimastigotes was determined. Some agents show activity at 37 μm concentration in the enzyme assay. Computational tools and docking were used to correlate the biological response with the physicochemical parameters of the compounds and their cruzipain inhibitory effects.
Object cut: Complex 3D object reconstruction through line drawing separation

This paper proposes an approach called object cut to tackle an important problem in computer vision, 3D object reconstruction from single line drawings. Given a complex line drawing representing a solid object, our algorithm finds the places, called cuts, to separate the line drawing into much simpler ones. The complex 3D object is obtained by first reconstructing the 3D objects from these simpler line drawings and then combining them together. Several propositions and criteria are presented for cut finding. A theorem is given to guarantee the existence and uniqueness of the separation of a line drawing along a cut. Our experiments show that the proposed approach can deal with more complex 3D object reconstruction than state-of-the-art methods.
GraphLoc: a graph based approach for automatic detection of significant locations from GPS trajectory data

Abstract Automatic discovery of significant locations from row GPS data is the first phase of mining mobility pattern and developing location-aware services. Unfortunately, current location discovery algorithms are ineffective when locations have different local properties such as density. Moreover, these algorithms suffer from the sharp boundary problem that is assigning some close points to different locations while they intuitively belong to one location. This article presents a novel framework, GraphLoc that formulates location discovery as a network community detection problem to address these issues. Experimental results show that GraphLoc’s locations lead to higher performance in mobility mining and location prediction.
Modeling and Simulation Techniques for Voltage Drop Due to Multiple Input Switching Transitions

As IC technology scales down, the metal width is decreasing, making the resistance along the power lines increase substantially. Together with the nonlinear scaling of the threshold voltage that makes the ratio of the threshold voltage to the supply voltage rise, the IR drop becomes a serious problem in modern VLSI design. Thus, the verification of the power distribution network is of critical importance to ensure reliable performance. However, with the increasing number of transistors on a chip, the complexity of the power network has grown. The available computational power and memory resources impose limitations on the size of the networks that can be analyzed using currently known techniques. In this paper, we present a fast and efficient method to analyze power distribution networks in the time-domain. The key concepts in our approach are a current source-based model and a voltage controlled resistor. The library elements are pre-characterized with respect to the modeling requirements and their models are used during the transient simulation. The new model takes into account the Multiple Input Switching (MIS) Transitions including Single Input Switching (SIS) Transitions, which mostly neglected in the past due to the fact that the resulting current waveforms are difficult to model. The proposed techniques provide good analysis results compared to the reference with a reduction of the run-time by a factor of 200, although the cell pre-characterization is based on SPICE simulation. Our model is independent of power network parasitics, which implies that different power network scenarios may be analyzed based on the same model and the same cell characterizations. The run-time and accuracy of the proposed approach are demonstrated on some industrial designs.
Using Knowledge of Redundancy for Query Optimization in Mediators

Many autonomous and heterogeneous information sources are becoming increasingly available to the user through the Internet -- especially through the World Wide Web. The integration of Internet sources poses several challenges which have not been sufficiently addressed. In particular, knowledge of redundancy can be used to reduce the number of source accesses that have to be performed to retrieve the answer to the user query. Moreover, probabilistic information about source overlap can help derive efficient query plans for delivering partial answers to queries.
Autologous transplantation of bone marrow–derived endothelial progenitor cells attenuates monocrotaline-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension in rats

Objectives:Bone marrow–derived endothelial progenitor cells have been shown to circulate to damaged vascular endothelium and differentiate into mature endothelial cells. This study investigated whether bone marrow–derived endothelial progenitor cell therapy ameliorates monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension in a rat model. Design:Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to receive MCT (75 mg/kg) only (group 1), MCT plus autologous bone marrow–derived endothelial progenitor cell (1.2 × 106 cells) transplantation (group 2), and saline injection only (group 3). Mononuclear cells were obtained from femoral bone marrow of group 2 rats and isolated by Ficoll gradient centrifugation. The cells were cultured for 21 days in endothelial culture medium. Setting:An animal research laboratory at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. Measurements:Hemodynamics, ventricular weight, expressions of connexin43, endothelial nitric oxide synthase messenger RNA gene, Bcl-2, and number of alveolar sacs and small lung arterioles were measured. Results:Hemodynamic measurements on day 28 after MCT treatment revealed the development of significantly increased pulmonary arterial hypertension in MCT-treated groups (p < .0001). The bone marrow–derived endothelial progenitor cells were intravenously transplanted in group 2 on day 28 after MCT-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension. By day 90 after MCT treatment, the right ventricular systolic blood pressure and right ventricular hypertrophy were significantly increased in group 1 compared with groups 2 and 3 (all p values <.01). In addition, connexin43 and endothelial nitric oxide synthase messenger RNA gene expressions of lung and right ventricle and Bcl-2 protein expression of right ventricle were significantly lower in group 1 than in groups 2 and 3 (all p values <.01). Furthermore, the number of alveolar sacs and small lung arterioles were significantly lower in group 1 than in groups 2 and 3 (all p values <.01). Conclusions:Autologous bone marrow–derived endothelial progenitor cell transplantation effectively ameliorates MCT-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Increase of GII.2 norovirus infections during the 2009–2010 season in Osaka City, Japan

During the 2009–2010 season, a significant numerical increase of genotype GII.2 norovirus (NoV)‐associated outbreaks was observed in Osaka City, Japan. The most common genotype in that season was GII.2 (44.6%), followed by GII.4 (39.2%). Mostly, GII.2 strains were associated with outbreaks in children and with person‐to‐person contact. The National Infectious Disease Surveillance Center reported that GII.2 NoV infections were widespread in Japan in that season. Comparative phylogenetic analysis of RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and capsid sequences revealed that this GII.2 epidemic resulted from two genetic strains. The first, GII.2p2 strains, had an identical genotype in the RdRp and capsid genes. GII.2p2 strains in the 2009–2010 season were a different genetic cluster from the strains of spring 2004, the previous epidemic of GII.2 NoV, but showed no unique amino acid change. The second, GII.2 chimera virus (GII.2p16), had GII.16 RdRp and GII.2 capsid genotypes, suggesting prior recombination at the junction of ORF1 and ORF2. GII.2p16 strains had four significant amino acid changes in the P2 subdomain, suggesting antigenic changes. Before the 2009–2010 season, GII.2 chimera viruses had been observed only sporadically. This spreading of GII.2p16 strains in the 2009–2010 season might be the first epidemic of GII.2 chimera virus. This study revealed that the NoV epidemic in the 2009–2010 season differed considerably from the prior season, when GII.4 was predominant. Furthermore, GII.2 strains persisted in human populations by drastic recombination and gradual accumulation of mutations, indicating a prevalent pattern of non‐GII.4 genotypes with genetic evolution. J. Med. Virol. 84:517–525, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
ANALYSIS OF DIFFERENT FORMS OF LOCOMOTOR BEHAVIOR IN LAMPREY

The ability to locomote, that is move actively in space, is characteristic of the animal kingdom. Many species are capable of different forms of locomotion. They include forward and backward locomotion, fast and slow progression, etc. A general goal of this study was, by comparing three different forms of locomotion observed in the lamprey (a lower vertebrate), to estimate the similarities and distinctions of their control mechanisms. The main and well studied form of locomotion in the lamprey is fast forward swimming (FFS) based on periodical waves of lateral body flexion propagating from head to tail. The lamprey is also capable of two other forms of undulatory locomotion, slow forward swimming (SFS) and slow backward swimming (SBS). In the present study, it was shown that continuous tactile stimulation of a large area in the middle part of the body evokes SFS. By contrast, continuous tactile stimulation of a large area in the head or gill region causes SBS. Lesions of afferent inputs showed that sensory information critical for elicitation of SFS is transmitted through the dorsal roots in the middle part of the spinal cord. By contrast, sensory signals that induce SBS are transmitted not only through the dorsal roots in the gill region of the spinal cord but also through afferents of the lateral line nerves and trigeminal nerves. In the present study, the kinematical and electromyographic patterns of SFS and SBS were characterized and then compared with those of FFS. During SBS, the waves of lateral body undulations propagated from tail to head. The EMG bursts on the two sides alternated, and the EMG in more caudal segments led in phase the EMG in more rostral segments. During SFS, the waves of lateral body undulations propagated from head to tail. The EMG bursts on the two sides alternated, and the EMG in more rostral segments led in phase the EMG in more caudal segments. The most striking feature of SFS was non-uniformity of the shape and speed of locomotor waves propagating along the body: in the vicinity of the site of stimulation, the waves slowed down, and the body curvature increased several-fold due to the enhanced muscle activity. It was found that SFS and SBS have some important features in common. In both forms of slow swimming, the cycle duration was similar, and it was much longer than the cycle duration of FFS. Besides that, both SFS and …
Neonatal Adaptation in Infants Prenatally Exposed to Antidepressants- Clinical Monitoring Using Neonatal Abstinence Score

Background Intrauterine exposure to antidepressants may lead to neonatal symptoms from the central nervous system, respiratory system and gastrointestinal system. Finnegan score (Neonatal Abstinence Score, NAS) has routinely been used to assess infants exposed to antidepressants in utero. Aim The purpose was to study neonatal maladaptation syndrome in infants exposed to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI) in utero. Method Retrospective cohort study of women using antidepressants during pregnancy and their infants. Patients were identified from the electronic health record system at Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge containing pre-, peri- and postnatal information. Information was collected on maternal and infant health, social factors and pregnancy. NAS sheets were scrutinized. Results 220 women with reported 3rd trimester exposure to SSRIs or SNRIs and who gave birth between January 2007 and June 2009 were included. Seventy seven women (35%) used citalopram, 76 used (35%) sertraline, 34 (15%) fluoxetine and 33 (15%) other SSRI/SNRI. Twenty-nine infants (13%) were admitted to the neonatal ward, 19 were born prematurely. NAS was analyzed in 205 patients. Severe abstinence was defined as eight points or higher on at least two occasions (on a scale with maximum 40 points), mild abstinence as 4 points or higher on at least two occasions. Seven infants expressed signs of severe abstinence and 46 (22%) had mild abstinence symptoms. Hypoglycemia (plasma glucose <2.6 mmol/L) was found in 42 infants (19%). Conclusion Severe abstinence in infants prenatally exposed to antidepressants was found to be rare (3%) in this study population, a slightly lower prevalence than reported in previous studies. Neonatal hypoglycemia in infants prenatally exposed to antidepressant may however be more common than previously described.
A constrained non-negative matrix factorization in information retrieval

A novel method, which is called constrained non-negative matrix factorization, is presented to capture the latent semantic relations. An objective function is defined to impose three additional constraints, in addition to the non-negativity constraint in the standard non-negative matrix factorization. The update rules to solve the objective function with these constraints are presented, and its convergence is proved. In contrast to the standard non-negative matrix factorization, the constrained non-negative matrix factorization can capture the semantic relations as orthogonal as possible. The experiments indicate that the constrained non-negative matrix factorization has better precision than the standard non-negative matrix factorization in information retrieval.
A higher control center of locomotor behavior in the Drosophila brain

In order to elucidate the behavioral significance of the central complex (CC), we have examined walking in 15 Drosophila mutant strains belonging to eight independent X-linked genes that affect the structure of the CC. Compared to four different wild-type strains, all are impaired either in a general or in a paradigm-dependent manner. Behavioral deficits concern walking activity, walking speed, or “straightness of walking” as measured in an object fixation task, in fast phototaxis, and in negative geotaxis. Behavioral deficits of three strains with mutations in different genes were studied in detail using mosaic analysis and high-speed cinematography. In all cases the focus for declining walking activity is located in the brain and is fully correlated with the respective defect of the CC. A high correlation between the degree of the behavioral impairment and the severity of the structural defect in two strains further adds to the evidence. Declining walking activity is not an unspecific side effect of structural brain defects, as steady walking is observed in structural mutants of the visual system and mushroom bodies. In mutant flies no- bridgeKS49 (nob), step size as a function of the stepping period is reduced. The focus of the resulting reduced average and maximum walking speeds resides in the brain and, again, the behavioral impairment fully correlates with the structural defects of the CC. While no indication is found for a role of the CC in setting up the basic stepping rhythm in straight walking (a respective phenotype in mutant central- complexKS181 flies resides in the ventral ganglion), a role in turning and start/stop maneuvers is suggested by aberrations in the stepping pattern of nob flies during such episodes.