Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Algorithms for the Automatic Detection of Trees in Laser Scanner Data

Laser scanner data can be used to describe the state of forests and its changes as a base for forest management activities. An automatic evaluation of typical forest parameters using laser scanner data enables the detection of trees with minimal user interaction. This paper describes an algorithm for detecting trees in a semi-automatic way. The detection runs in several steps beginning with filtering the scanned data to eliminate outliers in the point cloud. In the second step a digital terrain model (DTM) is generated. Based on the DTM, horizontal layers with a constant distance above the terrain are generated. Besides the interesting tree stems, these layers contain other objects such as bushes or tree crowns. To filter such objects in the layers, several methods are used. The residual tree stems in the layers are mapped as circle rings, which are detected by using a Hough-transformation and measured accurately by using a fit circle algorithm and a fit ellipse algorithm. For these standard pattern algorithms the layers are mapped on a regular raster and are saved in an image format with multi channels according to the different layers. The resulting set of circle parameters and the set of ellipse parameters contain the dimension and the position of the tree rings in a mixed-up form which is not sorted by individual trees. To rank them, the intersection of the tree ring area is used. In a final step a validation check of the resulting trees is done with a linear regression. For the use of this method in a standard application the processing time is essential. The listed time span for the process sequence show that the filter methods for the raw point cloud and the extraction of layers out of the filtered point clouds are too slow. To improve running time for these methods another data concept for holding the raw point cloud is essential and has to be developed. Furthermore, the data volume for raw data and results is stated.
Tracking melody in polyphonic audio . MIREX 2008

In this work a melody extraction technique is introduced to the MIREX 2008 campaign. The task’s objective consists in estimating the pitch of the main melody in polyphonic audio. The proposed method is based in three separate modules. The first one evaluates the presence of quasi-stationary harmonic sources in a frame level based approach. Next, sources are tracked using the output of the first step, obtaining a set of pitch contours. In the last step, it is decided whether or not each contour at each time is part of the main melody.
Peri-implant reconstruction using autologous periosteum-derived cells and guided bone regeneration.

AIM This investigation evaluated the bone healing in peri-implant defects treated with periosteum-derived cells (PCs) and guided bone regeneration (GBR). MATERIAL AND METHODS PCs were harvested from six beagle dogs and characterized in vitro with regard to their osteogenic properties. The animals were subjected to teeth extraction in the mandible, and after 3 months of healing, implant sites were drilled, bone dehiscences were created and implants were placed. Dehiscences were randomly assigned to: PCs+GBR, GBR, PCs and non-treated defects. After 3 months, the implants/adjacent tissues were processed. Bone-to-implant contact (BIC) bone fill (BF) within implant threads, and bone area (BA) in a zone lateral to the implant were obtained. RESULTS In vitro analyses confirmed the osteogenic potential of PCs. Histometrically, no statistically significant differences were observed among the PCs+GBR, GBR and PCs groups for both BF and BIC (p>0.05), whereas these groups showed statistically higher values, as compared with the non-treated group (p<0.05). With respect to BA, the PCs+GBR and GBR groups presented significantly higher means, as compared with the PCs and non-treated groups (p<0.05). CONCLUSION Although successful outcomes have been promoted by using the combined approach, PCs in conjunction with membranes did not provide additional benefit during peri-implant bone regeneration, when compared with the therapeutic approaches used alone.
Norcantharidin Ameliorates Proteinuria, Associated Tubulointerstitial Inflammation and Fibrosis in Protein Overload Nephropathy

Norcantharidin (NCTD), the demethylated analog of cantharidin isolated from Mylabris, is an anticancer drug routinely used against various human cancers in China. The aims of this study are to learn if NCTD has a protective action against severe proteinuria and consequent interstitial inflammation and fibrosis, and if the inhibition of nuclear factor-ĸB (NF-ĸB) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) by NCTD might be involved. Male Sprague-Dawley rats with protein overload nephropathy induced by intraperitoneally injected bovine serum albumin were used as a model. The histopathological examination of kidney tissue in the 9th week by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy revealed that inflammatory cells had extensively infiltrated into the tubulointerstitial areas with interstitial fibrosis. The administration of NCTD at 0.1 mg/kg/day to the bovine-serum-albumin-injected animal models effectively reduced the proteinuria, and prevented the proteinuria-induced interstitial inflammation and fibrosis. Expressions of the NF-ĸB p65 subunit and CTGF, detected by immunohistochemistry, Western blotting and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, were upregulated in protein overload nephropathy and were attenuated by NCTD. Inhibition of the expressions of the NF-ĸB p65 subunit and CTGF was one beneficial effect of NCTD. These results suggest that in addition to the antiproteinuric action of NCTD, due to its anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic effects as shown in the present study, it may become a therapeutic agent for proteinuria and its associated chronic inflammatory and fibrotic nephropathy.
Multimedia information retrieval using fuzzy cluster-based model learning

Multimedia data, particularly digital videos, which contain various modalities (visual, audio, and text) are complex and time consuming to model, process, and retrieve. Therefore, efficient methods are required for retrieval of such complex data. In this paper, we propose a multimodal query level fusion approach using a fuzzy cluster-based learning method to improve the retrieval performance of multimedia data. Experimental results on a real dataset demonstrate that employing fuzzy clustering achieves notable improvement in the concept-based query retrieval performance.
Using Data Mining to Combat Infrastructure Inefficiencies : The Case of Predicting Non-payment for Ethiopian Telecom

Data mining and machine learning technologies for business applications have evolved over the past two decades, and are regularly applied in contemporary organizations to everything from manufacturing to online advertising in fields ranging from health care to motor racing. Unfortunately, data mining techniques are not applied as often to problems in the developing world. Despite the fact that some industries, such as banks, airlines, courts, and telecommunications firms, necessitate data storage as part of their business process. We argue that data mining could be used to reduce infrastructure inefficiencies, which is one of the largest problems faced by Africa. We demonstrate that we can potentially reduce the infrastructure inefficiency of the Ethiopian telecommunications industry by ranking customers according to their likelihood of nonpayment using a data mining approach.
A teleconferencing system capable of multiple person eye contact (MPEC) using half mirrors and cameras placed at common points of extended lines of gaze

In this paper a novel method of providing eye contact for multiple participants in a teleconferencing system is presented. This method proposes a simple idea to fulfill the requirement for eye contact, for two or more local and remote participants simultaneously, by using half mirrors and cameras placed at the common points of the extended lines of gaze of each participant. In contrast to the commonly available one to one eye contact of video phone systems, which also use half mirrors, the proposed system has the advantage of serving more than one person at a given location, hence named multiple person eye contact (MPEC) teleconferencing system. We observed the resultant images by using a preliminary experiment and also by building a prototype system. The results from both of these experiments proved the merits of the proposed idea. One of the main features of this system is that, it gives any participant, a feeling of "being looked at" if any remote participant is actually gazing at him. On the other hand if none of the remote participants are looking at him, then he gets the feeling of "not being looked at" which is also extremely important for effective inter personal communication. Furthermore, this system preserves the spatial continuity of neighboring participants, since all the participants at a given location are captured by each video camera. >
Influence of endosulfan on pentobarbitone sleeping time and blood and brain concentrations in male rats

on an oscilloscope. The electrode array was such that a length of nerve could be superfused with any desired solution. The nerve was initially superfused with frog Ringer solution until the action potential amplitude (read at 5 min intervals) remained constant for 3 readings. The nerve was then superfused with a 0.1 M solution of metiamide in frog Ringer for 20 min with readings every 5 min. The recovery of the superfused with frog Ringer alone, was also followed. The nerve was then superfused with a 0.01 M solution of procaine in frog Ringer until action potential was reduced by 50% when the superfusion was continued with frog Ringer until recovery was seen. In the preliminary investigation of the guinea-pig wheal test there was not a normal frequency distribution of the no-response scores taken from all the sites. When only the mid-line sites were considered, however, a normal distribution of scores was found. The local
Lethal cardiac arrhythmia during central venous catheterization in a uremic patient: A case report and review of the literature

Double‐lumen central venous catheter (CVC) is a rapid access technique for hemodialysis (HD) when an arteriovenous fistula or graft is not available. A variety of procedure‐related complications have been reported, such as infection and pneumothorax, but serious cardiac complications are relatively less mentioned. We report a uremic woman with preexisting left bundle branch block who required emergent HD and received jugular double‐lumen CVC insertion, which was complicated by short‐duration ventricular tachycardia followed by complete atrio‐ventricular block and bradycardia. Pharmacological management did not reverse heart rate and rhythm. External pacing was not applied because she remained hemodynamically stable in the course of HD. Heart rate returned to sinus rhythm with left bundle branch block 4 hours later and did not recur through the whole admission period. We speculate that the transient arrhythmia might have been induced by mechanical contact with the ventricular wall during the procedure with the guided metallic wire. In conclusion, physicians responsible for CVC catheterization should pay more attention to patients with preexisting cardiac arrhythmia to prevent such technical mistakes from transpiring.
A Front-End Approach for User Query Generation and Information Retrieval in the SemanticLIFE Framework

Formulating unambiguous queries in the Semantic Web applications is a challenging task for users. This paper presents a new approach in guiding users to generate clear requests based on their common nature of querying for information. The approach known as the "front-end approach" gives users an overview about the system data through a "virtual data component" which stores the extracted metadata of the data storage sources in the form of an ontology. This approach reduces the ambiguities in users' requests at very early stage; and allows the query refinement process to easily to fulfill users's demands. Furthermore, the approach provide a powerful query engine, called "context-based querying", that recommends the appropriate query patterns according to the user's querying context. These features help the user in generating clear query more easier.
Computed Tomographic Analysis of the Anatomy of the Left Atrium and the Esophagus: Implications for Left Atrial Catheter Ablation

Background—During left atrial (LA) catheter ablation, an atrioesophageal fistula can develop as a result of thermal injury of the esophagus during ablation along the posterior LA. No in vivo studies have examined the relationship of the esophagus to the LA. The purpose of this study was to describe the topographic anatomy of the esophagus and the posterior LA by use of CT. Methods and Results—A helical CT scan of the chest with 3D reconstruction was performed in 50 patients (mean age, 54±11 years) with atrial fibrillation before an ablation procedure. Consecutive axial and sagittal sections of the CT scan were examined to determine the relationship, size, and thickness of the tissue layers between the LA and the esophagus. The mean length and width of the esophagus in contact with the posterior LA were 58±14 and 13±6 mm, respectively. The esophagus had a variable course along the posterior LA. The esophagus was close (10±6 mm from the ostia) and parallel to the left-sided pulmonary veins (PVs) in 56% of patients and had an oblique course from the left superior PV to the right inferior PV in 36% of patients. The mean thicknesses of the posterior LA and anterior esophageal walls were 2.2±0.9 and 3.6±1.7 mm, respectively. In 98% of patients, there was a fat layer between the esophagus and the posterior LA. However, this layer was often discontinuous. Conclusions—The esophagus and posterior LA wall are in close contact over a large area that may often lie within the atrial fibrillation ablation zone, and there is marked variation in the anatomic relationship of the esophagus and the posterior LA. Both the esophageal and atrial walls are quite thin. However, a layer of adipose tissue may serve to insulate the esophagus from thermal injury, explaining why atrioesophageal fistulas are rare.
Comparison of Ray Tracing Simulations and Millimeter Wave Channel Sounding Measurements

Temporal-Angular channel sounding measurements of an indoor millimeter wave channel (60 GHz) is analyzed to determine the location of two dimensional clusters of arrivals at the receiver. The measurement scenarios are also emulated by a ray tracing tool. The results are similarly analyzed to verify possible agreements and determine the effectiveness of such tools in predicting cluster locations as well as ray arrival statistics within clusters in millimeter wave indoor channel.
Online but Accurate Inference for Latent Variable Models with Local Gibbs Sampling

We study parameter inference in large-scale latent variable models. We first propose an unified treatment of online inference for latent variable models from a non-canonical exponential family, and draw explicit links between several previously proposed frequentist or Bayesian methods. We then propose a novel inference method for the frequentist estimation of parameters, that adapts MCMC methods to online inference of latent variable models with the proper use of local Gibbs sampling. Then, for latent Dirich-let allocation,we provide an extensive set of experiments and comparisons with existing work, where our new approach outperforms all previously proposed methods. In particular, using Gibbs sampling for latent variable inference is superior to variational inference in terms of test log-likelihoods. Moreover, Bayesian inference through variational methods perform poorly, sometimes leading to worse fits with latent variables of higher dimensionality.
Restoration of Tetraplegic Hand Function by Use of the Neurocontrol Freehand System

Nine tetraplegic patients with C5 or C6 level spinal cord lesions had the Freehand System, an eight channel Functional Electrical Stimulation device, implanted to allow of hand opening and grasp. This paper describes the surgical implementation of the system and the challenges encountered. Seven of the subjects are currently daily users of the device. One subject is unable to use the system due to disruption of bowel function when the system is used. A second subject suffered a lesion of the posterior interosseous nerve, but this was not thought to be related to system use. Additionally, one subject exhibited symptoms of autonomic dysreflexia, which were alleviated by reduction of the strength of the stimulus. Despite such problems, the Freehand system can significantly improve the functional ability of C5 and C6 lesion tetraplegics.
Colorectal cancer: molecules and populations.

The epidemiology and molecular biology of colorectal cancer are reviewed with a view to understanding their interrelationship. Risk factors for colorectal neoplasia include a positive family history, meat consumption, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Important inverse associations exist with vegetables, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), hormone replacement therapy, and physical activity. There are several molecular pathways to colorectal cancer, especially the APC (adenomatous polyposis coli)-beta-catenin-Tcf (T-cell factor; a transcriptional activator) pathway and the pathway involving abnormalities of DNA mismatch repair. These are important, both in inherited syndromes (familial adenomatous polyposis [FAP] and hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer [HNPCC], respectively) and in sporadic cancers. Other less well defined pathways exist. Expression of key genes in any of these pathways may be lost by inherited or acquired mutation or by hypermethylation. The roles of several of the environmental exposures in the molecular pathways either are established (e.g., inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 by NSAIDs) or are suggested (e.g., meat and tobacco smoke as sources of specific blood-borne carcinogens; vegetables as a source of folate, antioxidants, and inducers of detoxifying enzymes). The roles of other factors (e.g., physical activity) remain obscure even when the epidemiology is quite consistent. There is also evidence that some metabolic pathways, e.g., those involving folate and heterocyclic amines, may be modified by polymorphisms in relevant genes, e.g., MTHFR (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase) and NAT1 (N-acetyltransferase 1) and NAT2. There is at least some evidence that the general host metabolic state can provide a milieu that enhances or reduces the likelihood of cancer progression. Understanding the roles of environmental exposures and host susceptibilities in molecular pathways has implications for screening, treatment, surveillance, and prevention.
TrichOME: A Comparative Omics Database for Plant Trichomes1[C][W][OA]

Plant secretory trichomes have a unique capacity for chemical synthesis and secretion and have been described as biofactories for the production of natural products. However, until recently, most trichome-specific metabolic pathways and genes involved in various trichome developmental stages have remained unknown. Furthermore, only a very limited amount of plant trichome genomics information is available in scattered databases. We present an integrated “omics” database, TrichOME, to facilitate the study of plant trichomes. The database hosts a large volume of functional omics data, including expressed sequence tag/unigene sequences, microarray hybridizations from both trichome and control tissues, mass spectrometry-based trichome metabolite profiles, and trichome-related genes curated from published literature. The expressed sequence tag/unigene sequences have been annotated based upon sequence similarity with popular databases (e.g. Gene Ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, and Transporter Classification Database). The unigenes, metabolites, curated genes, and probe sets have been mapped against each other to enable comparative analysis. The database also integrates bioinformatics tools with a focus on the mining of trichome-specific genes in unigenes and microarray-based gene expression profiles. TrichOME is a valuable and unique resource for plant trichome research, since the genes and metabolites expressed in trichomes are often underrepresented in regular non-tissue-targeted cDNA libraries. TrichOME is freely available at http://www.planttrichome. org/.
Development of other microtubule-stabilizer families: the epothilones and their derivatives

Chemotherapy is the mainstay of treatment for numerous cancer types, but resistance to chemotherapy remains a major clinical issue and is one of the driving influences underlying the development of new anticancer medications. One of the most important classes of chemotherapy agents is the taxanes, which target the cytoskeleton and spindle apparatus of tumor cells by binding to the microtubules, thereby disrupting key cellular mechanisms, including mitosis. Taxane resistance, however, limits treatment options and creates a major challenge for clinicians. Ongoing research has identified several newer classes of microtubule-targeting chemotherapies that may retain activity despite clinical resistance to taxanes. Among these classes, the epothilones have been studied most extensively in the clinical setting. Like taxanes, epothilones stabilize microtubulin turnover, and they have properties favoring their development as anticancer agents. The most clinically advanced epothilone analog is ixabepilone, which is currently the only approved epothilone derivative. Ixabepilone is indicated for the treatment of metastatic or locally advanced breast cancer in combination with capecitabine after failure of an anthracycline and a taxane, or as monotherapy after failure of an anthracycline, a taxane, and capecitabine. In phase II and III trials, ixabepilone showed efficacy in several patient subgroups and in various stages of breast cancer. Common adverse reactions include peripheral sensory neuropathy and asthenia. This paper will discuss the preclinical and clinical development of epothilones and their derivatives across a variety of cancer types.
TCP/IP Model and Intrusion Detection Systems

To accommodate the information security growth and hacker's improved strategies and tools, Intrusion Detection Systems (IDSs) are required to be allocated across the network. Furthermore, previous studies showed that the choice of network features used for the IDS is dependent on the type of the attack. Accordingly, each TCP/IP network layer has specific type of network attacks, which means that each TCP/IP network layer needs a specific type of IDS. This paper proposes a new categorization for IDS depending on the TCP/IP network model: Application layer IDS (AIDS), Transport layer IDS (TIDS), Network layer IDS (NIDS) and Link layer IDS (LIDS). Each of these IDS types is specialized to a specific network device. So, the detection process will be distributed among all TCP/IP network model layers through the network devices. To design each of these different types of IDS, several experiments have been conducted using two different features selection approaches to select the appropriate features set for each IDS type. The experimental results indicate that each IDS type has different features set that can not only improve the overall performance of the IDS, but it also can improve its scalability.