Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Detecting and Tracking Volunteers in Expo Videos

A method is introduced for detecting and tracking volunteers in expo surveillance videos. A detection box slides on the images from the videos from left to right and then from up to down. Since the volunteers wear the green clothes, only the patches of enough green pixels are passed for further processing. Then, three kinds of features i.e. RGB color features, SURF features and HOG features are extracted from the patches. These features are sent to a trained cascade boosting classifier to determine whether the patches are the volunteers. In the experiments, the proposed method demonstrates good performances on three videos.
Catecholamine response is attenuated during moderate-intensity exercise in response to the "lactate clamp".

Catecholamine release is known to be regulated by feedforward and feedback mechanisms. Norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (Epi) concentrations rise in response to stresses, such as exercise, that challenge blood glucose homeostasis. The purpose of this study was to assess the hypothesis that the lactate anion is involved in feedback control of catecholamine concentration. Six healthy active men (26 +/- 2 yr, 82 +/- 2 kg, 50.7 +/- 2.1 ml.kg(-1). min(-1)) were studied on five occasions after an overnight fast. Plasma concentrations of NE and Epi were determined during 90 min of rest and 90 min of exercise at 55% of peak O2 consumption (VO2 peak) two times with exogenous lactate infusion (lactate clamp, LC) and two times without LC (CON). The blood lactate profile ( approximately 4 mM) of a preliminary trial at 65% VO2 peak (65%) was matched during the subsequent LC trials. In resting men, plasma NE concentration was not different between trials, but during exercise all conditions were different with 65% > CON > LC (65%: 2,115 +/- 166 pg/ml, CON: 1,573 +/- 153 pg/ml, LC: 930 +/- 174 pg/ml, P < 0.05). Plasma Epi concentrations at rest were different between conditions, with LC less than 65% and CON (65%: 68 +/- 9 pg/ml, CON: 59 +/- 7 pg/ml, LC: 38 +/- 10 pg/ml, P < 0.05). During exercise, Epi concentration showed the same trend (65%: 262 +/- 37 pg/ml, CON: 190 +/- 34 pg/ml, LC: 113.2 +/- 23 pg/ml, P < 0.05). In conclusion, lactate attenuates the catecholamine response during moderate-intensity exercise, likely by feedback inhibition.
A method to measure the adhesion of thin glass coatings on polymer films

Abstract A simple and reliable method to measure the adhesion of thin, hard coatings on polymer substrates is presented, based on the rupture mechanics of brittle films on ductile substrates. The regular fragmentation pattern of the coating obtained after straining specimens under uniaxial tension is analyzed through a classical shear-lag analysis at the coating/substrate interface. The model links the mean crack spacing measured on strained specimens to the interfacial shear strength and the reversible adhesion energy. Fragmentation tests were carried out on a PET film coated on both sides by SiO2 layers (24 nm on the thick side, and 6nm on the thin side). The interfacial shear strength was found to be close to 100 MPa for both coatings and the adhesion energy of SiO2 on PET was found to be of the order of 230 mJ m2, both values being slightly higher for the thin coating side.
An Architecture for Specification-Based Detection of Semantic Integrity Violations in Kernel Dynamic Data

The ability of intruders to hide their presence in compromised systems has surpassed the ability of the current generation of integrity monitors to detect them. Once in control of a system, intruders modify the state of constantly-changing dynamic kernel data structures to hide their processes and elevate their privileges. Current monitoring tools are limited to detecting changes in nominally static kernel data and text and cannot distinguish a valid state change from tampering in these dynamic data structures. We introduce a novel general architecture for defining and monitoring semantic integrity constraints using a specification language-based approach. This approach will enable a new generation of integrity monitors to distinguish valid states from tampering.
MOP Reduction During Long-Term Methamphetamine Withdrawal was Restored by Chronic Post-Treatment with Fluoxetine

Previously, we found fluoxetine reduces methamphetamine preference in mice. However, effects of fluoxetine on developed methamphetamine preference and on methamphetamine induced gene expression changes have been largely unknown. The present study investigates effects of post-treatment with fluoxetine on methamphetamine dependence and on gene expressions after long-term withdrawal in mice. First, we examined whether chronic post-treatment with fluoxetine attenuated methamphetamine-conditioned place preference. Next, we examined the changes in gene expression levels after long-term withdrawal (with saline or fluoxetine treatment) following chronic methamphetamine treatment. Using mRNA from the pooled frontal cortices of 10 mice per group, gene expression analyses were performed using a custom-developed cDNA array and a real-time quantitative reverse transcription-PCR. Chronic post-treatments with fluoxetine abolished the conditioned place preference developed by methamphetamine administrations. Even after long-term withdrawal from repeated methamphetamine administration, µ-opioid receptor (MOP) gene expression was significantly reduced in the frontal cortex. The reduced MOP gene expression in the frontal cortex was restored by chronic administration with fluoxetine. These changes were confirmed by Western blot analyses. These findings suggest that the chronic post-treatments with fluoxetine might be effective for restoring the reduction of MOP levels in the frontal cortex following long-term abstinence from methamphetamine.
Ultrahigh Temperature Assessment Study: Ceramic Matrix Composites

Abstract : As part of the U.S. Air Force initiative to develop high temperature materials for use in future gas turbine engines, a literature survey coupled with an assessment of recently completed experimental programs sponsored by the Air Force was made to evaluate prospective materials capable of operating at 1650 deg C or above in oxidizing environments. The assessment reviews fundamental considerations associated with the use of ceramics and ceramic matrix composites in representative environments and includes discussions on potential performance requirements. Key material categories (e.g., borides, carbides, nitrides, silicides, beryllides, and oxides) are evaluated with respect to their strengths and weaknesses. The reinforcements available for high temperature composite applications are reviewed and several prospective composite systems considered. A principal conclusion relative to possible uses for long-term man-rated gas turbine engines is that oxide/oxide composites-have the best potential for functional use in oxidizing environments above 1650 deg C provided adequate single-crystal reinforcement fibers can be developed. Several nonoxide materials and composites were identified for possible uses in short- duty cycle non-man-rated applications. In addition to materials development, there will be critical need for high-temperature test facilities that can be operated in representative oxidizing environments. Ceramics, Composites, Ultrahigh temperature, Matrix, Fiber reinforcement, Oxidation, Fracture toughness, Strength, Creep, Fatigue.
Quantum clone genetic algorithm based multi-user detection

Multi-user detection based on quantum optimization algorithm has aroused intense interests recently. Quantum clone genetic algorithm has many shortcomings such as: low efficiency, poor population diversity, slow convergence speed, easy to trap in local minimums, blindness in global optimal searching direction and so on. An improved quantum clone genetic algorithm (IQCGA) is proposed in this paper. The algorithm have many merits: (1) Adopting nicking probability division initialization strategy, the population diversity is enhanced; (2) Introducing quantum whole interference crossover, the information is spread in the whole population, so it helps to avoid trapping in local minimums, and accelerates convergence speed; (3) Making use of adaptation strategy in quantum rotate gate updating, the searching speed for optimal solution is accelerated; (4) In order to avoid premature and evolution stagnation, the superior individual whole crossover quantum catastrophe strategy is adopted, which helps the population to search the objective solution in different directions. Simulation results prove that the multiuser detection based on given algorithm has lower bit error, rapider converge speed, better resisting MAI ability and better Near-far Resistance ability than other multi-user detections based on quantum clone genetic algorithm and classical genetic algorithms obviously.
Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG decreases TNF‐α production in lipopolysaccharide‐activated murine macrophages by a contact‐independent mechanism

Animal studies and human clinical trials have shown that Lactobacillus can prevent or ameliorate inflammation in chronic colitis. However, molecular mechanisms for this effect have not been clearly elucidated. We hypothesize that lactobacilli are capable of downregulating pro‐inflammatory cytokine responses induced by the enteric microbiota. We investigated whether lactobacilli diminish production of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α) by the murine macrophage line, RAW 264.7 gamma (NO–), and alter the TNF‐α/interleukin‐10 (IL‐10) balance, in vitro. When media conditioned by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) are co‐incubated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or lipoteichoic acid (LTA), TNF‐α production is significantly inhibited compared to controls, whereas IL‐10 synthesis is unaffected. Interestingly, LGG‐conditioned media also decreases TNF‐α production of Helicobacter‐conditioned media‐activated peritoneal macrophages. Lactobacillus species may be capable of producing soluble molecules that inhibit TNF‐α production in activated macrophages. As overproduction of pro‐inflammatory cytokines, especially TNF‐α, is implicated in pathogenesis of chronic intestinal inflammation, enteric Lactobacillus‐mediated inhibition of pro‐inflammatory cytokine production and alteration of cytokine profiles may highlight an important immunomodulatory role for commensal bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract.
NEUTRINO-DRIVEN TURBULENT CONVECTION AND STANDING ACCRETION SHOCK INSTABILITY IN THREE-DIMENSIONAL CORE-COLLAPSE SUPERNOVAE

We conduct a series of numerical experiments into the nature of three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamics in the postbounce stalled-shock phase of core-collapse supernovae using 3D general-relativistic hydrodynamic simulations of a 27 M⊙ progenitor star with a neutrino leakage/heating scheme. We vary the strength of neutrino heating and find three cases of 3D dynamics: (1) neutrino-driven convection, (2) initially neutrino-driven convection and subsequent development of the standing accretion shock instability (SASI), and (3) SASI-dominated evolution. This confirms previous 3D results of Hanke et al. and Couch & Connor. We carry out simulations with resolutions differing by up to a factor of ∼4 and demonstrate that low resolution is artificially favorable for explosion in the 3D convection-dominated case since it decreases the efficiency of energy transport to small scales. Low resolution results in higher radial convective fluxes of energy and enthalpy, more fully buoyant mass, and stronger neutrino heating. In the SASI-dominated case, lower resolution damps SASI oscillations. In the convection-dominated case, a quasi-stationary angular kinetic energy spectrum E(ℓ) develops in the heating layer. Like other 3D studies, we find E(ℓ) ∝ℓ−1 in the “inertial range,” while theory and local simulations argue for E(ℓ) ∝ ℓ−5/3. We argue that current 3D simulations do not resolve the inertial range of turbulence and are affected by numerical viscosity up to the energy-containing scale, creating a “bottleneck” that prevents an efficient turbulent cascade.
Is quantitative insulin sensitivity check index, a fair insulin sensitivity index in humans?

R ecently, Katz et al. [1] have proposed a new accurate method for assessing insulin sensitivity in humans. This new method has been called QUICKI for quantitative insulin sensitivity check index and is defined from fasting plasma glucose and insulin as (1/ [log (insulin) + log (glucose)]. QUICKI was found highly correlated with insulin sensitivity measured by the hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp, this correlation being higher with QUICKI than with minimal model analysis of a frequently sampled iv glucose tolerance test. Thus, the authors suggested that QUICKI might be useful for clinical research. This prompted us to test this new index of insulin sensitivity. We then measured QUICKI in a population of 26 subjects with a wide range of insulin sensitivity including 9 healthy lean controls, 8 obese nondiabetics and 9 type 2 diabetics, who participated in a clamp study [2]. The characteristics of the subjects are listed in Table I. We compared QUICKI with the results obtained from the hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp and the so-called homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) defined as (fasting insulin [mU/l] X fasting glucose [mmol/l])/22.5. Insulin mediated glucose disposal was measured using the hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp method at two insulin infusion rates (40 and 400 mU/m × min). The continuous insulin infusion was maintained for 100 min at each rate. In the diabetic subjects, glucose infusion was started when plasma glucose concentration had decreased from hyperglycemic to normoglycemic levels, which required less than 60 minutes. The mean glucose infusion rates (GIR) of the last 30-min of insulin infusion were used to assess insulin responsiveness. Plasma glucose levels were determined with a glucose oxidase method (Beckman Glucose Analyzer II). Plasma insulin was assayed using the polyethylene glycol separation method and ERIA radioimmunoassay kit (Bis-Ins Diagnostics Pasteur, France). Results are mean ± SE and differences between groups were determined using one-way analysis of variance followed by a Fisher protected least significant test for pair wise differences. To analyze relationship between pairs of indexes of insulin sensitivity, linear regression analysis was performed. The threshold for significance was set at p = 0.05. As shown in Table I, obese diabetic and obese non-diabetic subjects were more insulin resistant than lean control subjects, the most insulin resistant being the obese diabetics whatever the insulin sensitive assessment test used. Values for QUICKI in the three groups of subjects were comparable to those reported by Katz et al. [1]. We found significant correlations between GIR and both QUICKI and HOMA (r = 0.815, p < 0.001 and r = – 0.639, p < 0.001, respectively). When HOMA was log-transformed, the correlation between GIR and log (HOMA) was almost as good as the one between GIR and QUICKI (r = – 0.801, p < 0.001). As a matter of fact, we found a high correlation between QUICKI and log (HOMA)
Hierarchical POMDP Controller Optimization by Likelihood Maximization

Planning can often be simplified by decomposing the task into smaller tasks arranged hierarchically. Charlin et al. [4] recently showed that the hierarchy discovery problem can be framed as a non-convex optimization problem. However, the inherent computational difficulty of solving such an optimization problem makes it hard to scale to real-world problems. In another line of research, Toussaint et al. [18] developed a method to solve planning problems by maximum-likelihood estimation. In this paper, we show how the hierarchy discovery problem in partially observable domains can be tackled using a similar maximum likelihood approach. Our technique first transforms the problem into a dynamic Bayesian network through which a hierarchical structure can naturally be discovered while optimizing the policy. Experimental results demonstrate that this approach scales better than previous techniques based on non-convex optimization.
Recent progress in organic–inorganic halide perovskite solar cells: mechanisms and material design

While energy shortage is always an issue, the impending exhaustion of fossil fuel sources makes it an ever increasingly pressing one. Photovoltaic technology brings hope in the struggle to alleviate this problem, but no solar cell has yet fulfilled the requirements of the viability of large scale production together with high efficiency and low cost. Fortunately, recently reported organic–inorganic halide perovskites, possessing the desirable properties of a high absorption coefficient, a long charge diffusion length, an appropriate band gap, and solution processability, show great potential for photovoltaic applications. Within a few years, the power conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cells has increased from 3.8% to 19.3%. Reports on new preparation methods and materials continue to emerge. While reviews have focused on mechanisms, cell structures, preparation methods and materials applied, it is important to give a combined overview of all these aspects. Furthermore, this review considers the newly reported preparation methods and mechanisms and summarizes the applied materials for each function of these solar cells.
A Nonreversible 10-kW High Step-Up Converter Using a Multicell Boost Topology

The subject of this paper falls under the development of power electronics for more electric aircraft systems. The study concerns the design of a converter whose function is to generate a 300-V dc bus from a standard 28-V dc avionic network. Various systems, such as motor drives, need to be connected to the 28-V dc network. Their design could be simplified significantly, and standardized, by introducing this intermediate 28–300-V stage. The step-up converter in the proposed configuration is integrated as a part of the system. The power specification is 10 kW, which leads to very high-current values on the 28-V side. The choice of the converter topology, therefore, needs to match this central constraint. The proposed converter uses six boost cells, associated to constitute a series–parallel architecture. This arrangement leads to significantly more optimal sizing for high step-up ratios than conventional boost-cell configurations. Cell interconnection is implemented by means of a monolithic InterCell transformer to reduce the weight of the magnetic part. This paper describes the topology, design, and construction of the lab prototype, as well as experimental results obtained during testing.
Parallel Matrix Multiplication Design for Monocular SLAM

As software profiling is conducted to determine which section of program demand high processing computation in monocular SLAM inverse depth estimation, matrix multiplication is identified to be one of the most time consuming process. The processing is more demanding when the number of features inserted to the image is increased. For that reason, this paper proposes a parallel matrix multiplier design which could accelerate the execution time. In this design, Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technology which allows parallel design to be implemented is presented. The design manipulates existing classical matrix multiplication algorithm into an architecture that would enable data to be processed concurrently.
Contrasting effects of allergen challenge on airway responsiveness to cysteinyl leukotriene D4 and methacholine in mild asthma

Background: Cysteinyl leukotrienes (cysteinyl-LTs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of allergen induced airway responses. Airway responsiveness (AR) to inhaled cysteinyl-LTs is dramatically increased following allergen challenge in animal studies. The effect in man has not been evaluated. Methods: Ten mild steroid-naïve asthmatic subjects with an isolated early asthmatic response (EAR) and 21 with an additional late asthmatic response (LAR) took part in a randomised controlled crossover study to assess AR to inhaled methacholine (MCh) and cysteinyl-LT D4 (LTD4) 22 and 24 hours, respectively, after allergen challenge. Eight subjects had two further LTD4 challenges separated by a 2 week washout period to assess the reproducibility of inhaled LTD4 challenge. Results: In subjects with an isolated EAR, non-significant mean (SE) increases in AR of 0.4 (0.4) doubling doses (DD) for MCh and 0.4 (0.5) DD for LTD4 followed allergen challenge compared with control. A significant correlation between AR to MCh and LTD4 followed both control (r=0.91, 95% CI 0.67 to 0.98; p=0.0002) and allergen challenge (r=0.79, 95% CI 0.32 to 0.95; p=0.0063). In subjects with an additional LAR there was a significant increase in AR to MCh (1.2 (0.3) DD, p=0.0005) following allergen challenge but no overall effect on AR to LTD4 (0.69 (0.4) DD, p=0.11). A significant correlation between AR to MCh and LTD4 was again observed (r=0.70; 95% CI 0.38 to 0.87; p=0.0004) following control, although it was reduced following allergen challenge (r=0.48; 95% CI 0.063 to 0.76; p=0.027). LTD4 challenge was highly reproducible with a mean difference of 0.2 (0.3) DD between challenges. Conclusions: Allergen challenge significantly increases AR to inhaled MCh but not to LTD4 in subjects with LAR. The lack of a comparable increase in AR to LTD4 is surprising. Endogenous cysteinyl-LTs are produced in abundance following allergen challenge and may enhance AR to MCh or induce a degree of tachyphylaxis to LTD4.
Protein sequences of linked genes are highly conserved in two bacterial species

It has been shown that proteins encoded by linked genes have similar rates of evolution and that clusters of essential genes are found in regions with low recombination rates. We show here that proteins encoded by linked genes in two closely related bacterial species, namely Escherichia coli K12 and Salmonella typhimurium LT2, evolve more slowly when compared with proteins encoded by genes that are not linked as assessed by protein sequence similarity. The proteins encoded by the identified linked genes share an average sequence identity of 82.5% compared with a 46.5% identity of proteins encoded by genes that are not linked.
A computational strategy for poroelastic problems with a time interface between coupled physics

This paper deals with a computational strategy suitable for the simulation of multiphysics problems and based on the LArge Time INcrement (LATIN) method. One of the main issues in the design of advanced tools for the simulation of such problems is to take into account the different time and space scales that usually arise with the different physics. Here, we focus on using different time discretizations for each physics by introducing an interface with its own discretization. The proposed application concerns the simulation of a 2‐physics problem: the fluid–structure interaction in porous media. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.