Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Perceptually Linear Parameter Variations

Most visual analysis tasks require interactive adjustment of parameter values. In general, a linear variation of a parameter, using for instance a GUI slider, changes the visual result in a perceptually non‐linear way. This hampers interactive adjustment of parameters, especially in regions where rapid perceptual changes occur. Selecting a good parameter value therefore remains a time‐consuming and often difficult task. We propose a novel technique to build a non‐linear function that maps a new parameter to the original parameter. By prefixing this function to the original parameter and using the new parameter as input, a linear relationship between input and visual feedback is obtained. To construct the non‐linear function, we measure the variation of the visual result using image metrics. Given a suitable perceptual image metric, perceptually linear image variations are achieved. We demonstrate the practical utility of our approach by implementing two common image metrics, a perceptual and a non‐perceptual one, and by applying the method to a few visual analysis tasks.
Optimal direct path detection for positioning with communication signals in indoor environments

Recent development in wireless communication-based positioning systems using time-of-arrival (TOA) methods poses a significant challenge for the estimation of signal propagation time in indoor environments. Due to the possible obstruction of the direct path, the signal component from direct propagation can be very weak and therefore, the performance of TOA estimation will be significantly degraded, especially when the received signal experiences severe multipath propagation effects. An optimal direct path detection algorithm using multipath interference cancellation is proposed in this paper to improve the accuracy of communication-based positioning systems. By maximizing the probability of correct identification between the strong interfering paths and noise-only paths, an optimal threshold is derived for interfering multipath component selection. The interference of multipath components is reconstructed and then subtracted from the received signal to enhance the accuracy of direct path detection. The performance of the proposed algorithm is verified by simulations.
Interoperating with Services in a Mobile Environment

Mobile computing is characterised by users carrying portable devices that allow communication between people and continuous access to networked services independent of their physical location. A mobile application must discover and interoperate with the required application services available to them in their present location. However, these services will be developed upon a range of middleware types (e.g. remote method invocation, publish-subscribe, message-oriented and tuple spaces) and advertised using different service discovery protocols (e.g. UPnP and SLP) unknown to the application developer. Wireless environments are also subject to changes in network QoS and connectivity, and mobile applications operate on devices with limited resources. Given these properties, existing middleware technologies are inappropriate to support mobile client-based applications; developing upon a single middleware platform restricts the possible mobile services that can be interacted with. Therefore, a middleware platform for mobile computing must adapt its behaviour to interoperate with any type of discovered service, provide the best level of service in an environment that is frequently changing and finally, be lightweight in resource use due to the constraints of mobile devices. This paper proposes reflection as a well-suited technology to implement the adaptive features of mobile middleware and identifies what the key requirements of a dynamic middleware platform are. In addition, we describe ReMMoC (Reflective Middleware for Mobile Computing), a middleware platform that dynamically adapts its structure to interoperate with a range of middleware types that may exist in the mobile environment. Finally, the use of ReMMoC in a typical mobile scenario is presented and the memory footprint cost of utilising reflection to create a mobile middleware platform is evaluated.
Biometrics System based Human Identification using STR DNA Marker

Human identification plays an important role in numerous fields in the world, such as forensic, government institution, medical application, . etc. Biometric is a metric to measure the biological characteristics that has then been used for identification and verification functions. The verification process is performed by compare the biometric characteristic such as, fingerprint, iris, DNA, etc., with a pre-stored record, while the identification process done by find the best match between the biometric characteristic and all records saved in a database. In this paper, we propose a biometrics system based on the DNA as a biometric technology for human identification using sixteen Short Tandem Repeats (STRs) DNA marker. A database of 139 records has been considered for Iraqi Diyala Province Population as a real data. In addition, a million DNA profiles has been generated randomly to test the performance of the proposed system. A database has been built using SQL SERVER software environment that provides a high efficiency in human identification. The proposed identification system introduces different search and matching methods with distinct matching level ratios that ease the utilization by users. The outcome results of the proposal system show a flexibility in term of inserting, searching, updating and a high ratio of matching. General Terms Bio-metrics System, DNA fingerprint.
Central nervous regulation of vascular resistance.

It is some years since it was proposed that the central nervous system (eNS) initiates or sustains patterns of cardiovascular response appropriate to par­ ticular sets of physiological conditions (39). Initially, this idea was based on studies of the defense reaction, since it had been shown that arousal is accompanied by a pattern of response in anticipation of severe muscular exertion [see (37) for references]. Muscle vasodilatation is a constant fea­ ture, together with vasoconstriction in splanchnic and renal beds and in skin, while venoconstriction and increased cardiac activity ensure an in­ creased cardiac output. A decreased compliance of the pulmonary arteries will contribute to the mobilization of blood reservoirs (79). Each component of this overall pattern of change is expressed to a different extent in different individuals, and thus their combined effect on arterial blood pressure varies. Usually, however, both mean pressure and pulse pressure are increased. The various features of the response are mainly brought about by the sympathetic outputs, as confirmed by recent studies of the postganglionic innervation of skin and muscle (47). The vasoconstric­ tor nerve fibers to skeletal muscle are apparently inhibited when the vasodilator fibers are excited (11). This inhibition is independent of the baroreceptor reflex. Indeed, an investigation of cardiac and renal sympa­ thetic nerve activity (in addition to heart-rate, blood pressure, and muscle blood flow) recently confirmed that the baroreceptor reflex can be inhibited completely on electrical stimulation within the hypothalamic defense area (10).
Key Factors Affecting Strength Development of Steel Slag-Dredged Soil Mixtures

Some of the steel slag from ironworks and dredged soils from marine and waterfront engineering work are partially treated as waste. However, a mixture of these two kinds of waste has the potential to be used as construction materials when mixed, due to chemical reactions forming secondary phases. Utilizing waste of such kind as a resource will help to improve sustainability in society by reducing waste and replacing virgin resources such as cement. Recently, it was reported that mixtures of steel slag and dredged soil hardens under specific conditions. The phase compositions of dredged soils and steel slags vary depending on the quantity of each component, which results in unpredictable strength development of mixtures. The effect of the variations in the components of steel slags and dredged soils on strength development of the mixtures is not yet clear, limiting the utilization of both materials. Understanding the hardening mechanisms of the mixtures will enable the prediction of strength development. Focusing on the variations in the components in steel slags and, especially of dredged soils, this study aims to identify the components in both materials that affect the secondary phase formation that are responsible for strength development. We found support for suggestions that calcium silicate hydrate, C-S-H, is one of the secondary phases responsible for the strength development of the mixtures. From a comparison of two kinds of steel slags and various dredged soils, the amount of portlandite in the steel slags and the amount of amorphous silica in the dredged soils are suggested as a couple of the key components of starting materials involved in the C-S-H formation.
The Forgotten Role of Alcohol: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Clinical Efficacy and Perceived Role of Chlorhexidine in Skin Antisepsis

Background Skin antisepsis is a simple and effective measure to prevent infections. The efficacy of chlorhexidine is actively discussed in the literature on skin antisepsis. However, study outcomes due to chlorhexidine-alcohol combinations are often attributed to chlorhexidine alone. Thus, we sought to review the efficacy of chlorhexidine for skin antisepsis and the extent of a possible misinterpretation of evidence. Methods We performed a systematic literature review of clinical trials and systematic reviews investigating chlorhexidine compounds for blood culture collection, vascular catheter insertion and surgical skin preparation. We searched PubMed, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality website, several clinical trials registries and a manufacturer website. We extracted data on study design, antiseptic composition, and the following outcomes: blood culture contamination, catheter colonisation, catheter-related bloodstream infection and surgical site infection. We conducted meta-analyses of the clinical efficacy of chlorhexidine compounds and reviewed the appropriateness of the authors′ attribution. Results In all three application areas and for all outcomes, we found good evidence favouring chlorhexidine-alcohol over aqueous competitors, but not over competitors combined with alcohols. For blood cultures and surgery, we found no evidence supporting chlorhexidine alone. For catheters, we found evidence in support of chlorhexidine alone for preventing catheter colonisation, but not for preventing bloodstream infection. A range of 29 to 43% of articles attributed outcomes solely to chlorhexidine when the combination with alcohol was in fact used. Articles with ambiguous attribution were common (8–35%). Unsubstantiated recommendations for chlorhexidine alone instead of chlorhexidine-alcohol were identified in several practice recommendations and evidence-based guidelines. Conclusions Perceived efficacy of chlorhexidine is often in fact based on evidence for the efficacy of the chlorhexidine-alcohol combination. The role of alcohol has frequently been overlooked in evidence assessments. This has broader implications for knowledge translation as well as potential implications for patient safety.
Mixed-phase deconvolution of speech based on a sine-wave model

This paper describes a new method of deconvolving the vocal cord excitation and vocal tract system response. The technique relies on a sine-wave representation of the speech waveform and forms the basis of an analysis-synthesis method which yields synthetic speech essentially indistinguishable from the original. Unlike an earlier sinusoidal analysis-synthesis technique that used a minimum-phase system estimate, the approach in this paper generates a "mixed-phase" system estimate and thus an improved decomposition of excitation and system components. Since a mixed-phase system estimate is removed from the speech waveform, the resulting excitation residual is less dispersed than the previous sinusoidal-based excitation estimate or the more commonly used linear prediction residual. A method of time-varying linear filtering is given as an alternative to sinusoidal reconstruction, similar to conventional time-domain synthesis used in certain vocoders, but without the requirement of pitch and voicing decisions. Finally, speech modification with a mixed-phase system estimate is shown to be capable of more closely preserving waveform shape in time-scale and pitch transformations than the earlier approach.
Preparation and in vitro evaluation of plasma-sprayed bioactive akermanite coatings

Bioactive ceramic coatings on titanium (Ti) alloys play an important role in orthopedic applications. In this study, akermanite (Ca2MgSi2O7) bioactive coatings are prepared through a plasma spraying technique. The bonding strength between the coatings and Ti-6Al-4V substrates is around 38.7–42.2 MPa, which is higher than that of plasma sprayed hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings reported previously. The prepared akermanite coatings reveal a distinct apatite-mineralization ability in simulated body fluid. Furthermore, akermanite coatings support the attachment and proliferation of rabbit bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). The proliferation rate of BMSCs on akermanite coatings is obviously higher than that on HA coatings.
Quorum Sensing and the Confusion about Diffusion

Two hypotheses, termed quorum sensing (QS) and diffusion sensing (DS), have been suggested as competing explanations for why bacterial cells use the local concentration of small molecules to regulate numerous extracellular behaviours. Here, we show that: (i) although there are important differences between QS and DS, they are not diametrically opposed; (ii) empirical attempts to distinguish between QS and DS are misguided and will lead to confusion; (iii) the fundamental distinction is not between QS and DS, but whether or not the trait being examined is social; (iv) empirical data are consistent with both social interactions and a role of diffusion; (v) alternate hypotheses, such as efficiency sensing (ES), are not required to unite QS and DS. More generally, work in this area illustrates how the use of jargon can obscure the underlying concepts and key questions. Quorum sensing It is frequently assumed that bacterial cells use a process that has been termed 'quorum sensing' (QS) to regulate behaviours in response to cell density. Bacteria produce and release small diffusible molecules, usually termed signals (see Glossary), which have two main consequences [1,2]. First, the uptake of these molecules into cells regulates (autoinduction) a whole variety of behaviours, including the production of a range of exofactors that are released from the cells to aid growth, motility, and/or biofilm formation (Table 1). Second, the uptake of these molecules also leads to an increase in the production of the signal molecule itself (autoregulation). The production of these signal or autoinducer molecules therefore leads to positive feedback at high cell densities, which results in a considerable increase in the production of signal and QS-controlled factors. The hypothesis here is that producing certain extracellular factors is most beneficial at high cell densities, and that QS provides a mechanism which allows cells to increase the production of extracellular factors at high cell density [3]. In recent years, there has been debate over the extent to which the QS hypothesis described above represents the function of producing and responding to autoinducer molecules. This hypothesis assumes that QS is a social trait that coordinates behaviours across cells [4–6]. In an important challenge to this accepted idea, Redfield [7] suggested that the adaptive role of autoinducer molecules is not social communication between cells (signalling) but rather to assess the rate at which secreted molecules move away from the producing cell. This diffusion sensing (DS) hypothesis therefore suggests that autoinducer …
Srb/mediator proteins interact functionally and physically with transcriptional repressor Sfl1

Srb/mediator proteins that are associated with RNA polymerase II holoenzyme have been implicated in transcriptional repression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We show here that the defect in repression of SUC2 caused by mutation of SRB8, SRB9, SRB11, SIN4 or ROX3 is suppressed by increased dosage of the SFL1 gene, and the genetic behavior of the sfl1Δ mutation provides further evidence for a functional relationship. Sfl1 acts on SUC2 through a repression site located immediately 5′ to the TATA box, and Sfl1 binds this DNA sequence in vitro. Moreover, LexA–Sfl1 represses transcription of a reporter, and repression is reduced in an srb9 mutant. Finally, we show that Sfl1 co‐immunoprecipitates from cell extracts with Srb9, Srb11, Sin4 and Rox3. We propose that Sfl1, when bound to its site, interacts with Srb/mediator proteins to inhibit transcription by RNA polymerase II holoenzyme.
Client perceptions of the polysomnography experience and compliance with therapy

Abstract A grounded theory approach was used to generate theory about clients’ perceptions of polysomnography, and the relationships between these perceptions and compliance with therapy. Interviews were conducted with two groups of clients: those who complied with recommended therapy (Continuous Positive Airways Pressure) and those who did not. Compliance with suggested therapy appeared to be related to the degree of benefit derived by the client. In addition, there were problems with the process of diagnosis and follow-up that impacted on client satisfaction and may have influenced their compliance. These findings have highlighted issues which have been used to generate theories that will be tested in future research.
Trends in 10-Year Predicted Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in the United States, 1976 to 2004

Background—There have been significant bidirectional changes in the prevalence of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors over time in the United States, making the net trend in risk for incident CV disease unknown. We assessed these trends by applying the Framingham Heart Study prediction model to national data. Methods and Results—The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) II (1976–1980), NHANES III (1988–1994), and NHANES 1999–2004 are cross-sectional representative samples of the noninstitutionalized population of the United States. We excluded people with a history of CV disease, pregnant women, participants with missing CV risk factors data, and individuals outside the Framingham age range of 30 to 74 years. The Framingham risk function was used to estimate the 10-year risk for incident symptomatic CV disease. We calculated the slope of change or rate of change per year between NHANES II and III, and between NHANES III and 1999–2004. The difference between slopes was calculated and compared to zero. The average age-adjusted 10-year CV risk between NHANES II and III decreased from 10.0% to 7.9% between NHANES II and III, with a statistically significant slope (P<0.001). However, the average age-adjusted CV risk decreased at a lesser magnitude between NHANES III and NHANES 1999–2004 from 7.9% to 7.4% (P<0.001). These slopes were significantly different (P<0.0001). In women and middle-aged participants, CV risk did not change between NHANES III and NHANES 1999–2004 (P=0.40). Conclusions—The estimated net risk for CV disease in the US population decreased from 1976–1980 to 1988–1994 but has changed minimally from 1988–1994 to 1999–2004, particularly in women and middle-aged people.
Opposite effects on spodoptera littoralis larvae of high expression level of a trypsin proteinase inhibitor in transgenic plants

This work illustrates potential adverse effects linked with the expression of proteinase inhibitor (PI) in plants used as a strategy to enhance pest resistance. Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv Xanthi) and Arabidopsis [Heynh. ] ecotype Wassilewskija) transgenic plants expressing the mustard trypsin PI 2 (MTI-2) at different levels were obtained. First-instar larvae of the Egyptian cotton worm (Spodoptera littoralis Boisd.) were fed on detached leaves of these plants. The high level of MTI-2 expression in leaves had deleterious effects on larvae, causing mortality and decreasing mean larval weight, and was correlated with a decrease in the leaf surface eaten. However, larvae fed leaves from plants expressing MTI-2 at the low expression level did not show increased mortality, but a net gain in weight and a faster development compared with control larvae. The low MTI-2 expression level also resulted in increased leaf damage. These observations are correlated with the differential expression of digestive proteinases in the larval gut; overexpression of existing proteinases on low-MTI-2-expression level plants and induction of new proteinases on high-MTI-2-expression level plants. These results emphasize the critical need for the development of a PI-based defense strategy for plants obtaining the appropriate PI-expression level relative to the pest's sensitivity threshold to that PI.
Simultaneous activation of mouse main and accessory olfactory bulbs by odors or pheromones

It is generally believed that the main olfactory system processes common odors and the accessory olfactory system is specifically for pheromones. The potential for these two systems to respond simultaneously to the same stimuli has not been fully explored due to methodological limitations. Here we examine this phenomenon using high‐resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to reveal simultaneously the responses in the main (MOB) and accessory olfactory bulbs (AOB) to odors and pheromones. Common odorants elicited strong signals in the MOB and weak signals in the AOB. 2‐Heptanone, a known mouse pheromone, elicited strong signals in both the MOB and AOB. Urine odor, a complicated mixture of pheromones and odorants, elicited significant signals in limited regions of the MOB and large regions of the AOB. The fMRI results demonstrate that both the main and the accessory olfactory systems may respond to volatile compounds but with different selectivity, suggesting a greater integration of the two olfactory pathways than traditionally believed. J. Comp. Neurol. 489:491–500, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Recovery Period of Fluvial Sediment Transport after a Major Earthquake

Fluvial sediment transport reflects the rate of geomorphic change in river catchment. By retrospection long-term observation data of fluvial sediment, the recovery period of sediment transport after a large earthquake can be assessed. We proved that the recovery period in a given catchment is positively correlated with the peak ground motions triggered by an earthquake. The correlation indicates that a recovery period of more than four years is required if a catchment is affected by an earthquake with a ground acceleration greater than 400gal. Major earthquake is an important factor for sediment yield, especially within a few years after a large earthquake. Therefore, within a few years after a major earthquake, fast geomorphic change in river catchment should be considered as one of environmental conditions for engineering and natural-disaster prevention work.