Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Semi-Automatic Approach for the Extraction of Sandy Bodies (Sand Spits) From IKONOS-2 Data

The automatic or semi-automatic extraction of features from satellite images has always become a challenge for remote sensing researchers. The analysis of satellite imagery of natural scenes presents many unique problems, because they cannot be represented easily by regular rules or grammars. A sand spit does not present a well-defined topographic boundary, because they are influenced by tides, waves and wind. Moreover, the bubbles and foam caused by the breaking waves and the turbidity of the water difficult an accurate extraction of the boundary between land (sand spit) and water. This paper presents different approaches in order to extract sand spits from IKONOS-2 data. A novel semi-automatic approach is proposed, which is based on global thresholding through the Otsu's method, further refined through detected edges (GThE). The performance of GThE is compared with traditional pixel-based and object-based classification algorithms. The dataset is composed by six IKONOS-2 images, acquired between 2001 and 2007, covering a sand spit (Cabedelo) located in Portugal. The performance of the three methods used in the estimation of the sand spit area was evaluated through two sets of reference values of the sand spit area. The proposed GThE method presented better results than the other traditional methods, with a clear advantage of a considerable faster performance, beyond requiring a minimum operator intervention. Finally, the relation of the sand spit area with several hydrodynamic and agitation parameters was investigated, where it was demonstrated that the river discharge was the parameter with higher influence in the Cabedelo area.
LIS research in the United Kingdom

This article discusses the development of academic research in the LIS domain and the purpose of LIS research. It is argued that there are several constituent parts of the research tradition, both theoretical and empirical, and that this has created tensions and misunderstandings between researchers and practitioners. Against this background, the impact of the Research Assessment Exercises since 1988, and especially the implications of the outcome of RAE 2008, are analysed and discussed. Sources of funding, and the roles of various stakeholder bodies in the research process, are also discussed. It is concluded that in the UK, LIS research has been absorbed into the mainstream of academic research, but that it is still producing outputs which are transferable into the sphere of professional practice.
La phase inflammatoire de la cicatrisation cutanée

Dans un article precedent La phase vasculaire de la cicatrisation cutanee, nous avons vu que suite a une lesion cutanee avec rupture des vaisseaux superficiels, on observe une reaction locale immediate, l'hemostase, qui est accompagnee d'une vasoconstriction rapide, et qui a essentiellement pour but l'arret du saignement . Le sang qui s'est echappe des vaisseaux endommages vers le tissu environnant va coaguler et former la croute qui va isoler provisoirement le tissu cutane lese de l'environnement. Dans (.)
The Cantatas of J. S. Bach: With Their Librettos in German-English Parallel Text

List of illustrations Abbreviations PART 1 INTRODUCTION TO BACH'S CANTATAS 1. History of the cantata before Bach 2. Development of the Bach Cantata 3. Performance pratice in Bach's cantatas PART 2 CHURCH CANTATAS 1. Cantatas for the church year: Advent to Trinity 2. Cantatas for the church year: First to Twenty-seventh Sunday after Trinity 3. The Marian Feasts 4. The Feast of St John the Baptist 5. The Feast of the Archangel Michael 6. The Reformation Festival 7. Church and Organ Consecration 8. Council Elections 9. Weddings 10. Funerals 11. Various occasions PART 3 SECULAR CANTATAS 1. Festive music for the courts of Weimar, Wessenfels, and Cothen 2. Festive music for the Electoral House of Saxony 3. Festive music for Leipzig University celebrations 4. Festive music for Leipzig council and school celebrations 5. Leipzig music of homage for nobles and burghers 6. Weddings 7. Various occasions Appendix: Doubtful and spurious cantatas Bibliography Indices
Flocking of Multi-agent Systems with Non-smooth Control

This paper analyzes the stability of a multi-agent system following a virtual leader. The velocity of the leader is time-varying and its acceleration is not known. The interconnection topology of position network switches based on the distances between agents and the velocity graph topology switches arbitrarily. These changes introduce discontinuities in the agent control laws. To track the leader in flocking, a neighbor-based local piecewise smooth controller is proposed for each agent. Using the control method, all agent velocities asymptotically approach the desired velocity while collisions can be avoided between agents. Some simulation results are provided to demonstrate theoretical results.
Vacuoles Induced by Helicobacter pylori Toxin Contain Both Late Endosomal and Lysosomal Markers*

Intoxication of mammalian cells with the vacuolating toxin (VacA) released by Helicobacter pyloricauses the formation of large acidic vacuoles containing the vacuolar ATPase proton pump and Rab7, a late endosome marker. Here, we describe a novel subcellular fractionation procedure, and we show that nanomolar concentrations of VacA induce a clear redistribution of lysosomal membrane glycoproteins among endocytic compartments. This redistribution is an early event in the process of cellular intoxication by VacA and precedes the formation of macroscopic vacuoles. The absence of the cation independent mannose 6-P receptor and the presence of Rab7 and of lysosomal membrane proteins in the newly formed compartment suggest that the vacuolating toxin induces the accumulation of a post-endosomal hybrid compartment presenting both late endosomal and lysosomal features.
A Novel Membrane Protein That Is Transported to Protein Storage Vacuoles via Precursor-Accumulating Vesicles

A novel protein, MP73, was specifically found on the membrane of protein storage vacuoles of pumpkin seed. MP73 appeared during seed maturation and disappeared rapidly after seed germination, in association with the morphological changes of the protein storage vacuoles. The MP73 precursor deduced from the isolated cDNA was composed of a signal peptide, a 24-kD domain (P24), and the MP73 domain with a putative long α-helix of 13 repeats that are rich in glutamic acid and arginine residues. Immunocytochemistry and immunoblot analysis showed that the precursor-accumulating (PAC) vesicles (endoplasmic reticulum–derived vesicles responsible for the transport of storage proteins) accumulated proMP73, but not MP73, on the membranes. Subcellular fractionation of the pulse-labeled maturing seed demonstrated that the proMP73 form with N-linked oligosaccharides was synthesized on the endoplasmic reticulum and then transported to the protein storage vacuoles via PAC vesicles. Tunicamycin treatment of the seed resulted in the efficient deposition of proMP73 lacking the oligosaccharides (proMP73ΔΨ) into the PAC vesicles but no accumulation of MP73 in vacuoles. Tunicamycin might impede the transport of proMP73ΔΨ from the PAC vesicles to the vacuoles or might make the unglycosylated protein unstable in the vacuoles. After arrival at protein storage vacuoles, proMP73 was cleaved by the action of a vacuolar enzyme to form a 100-kD complex on the vacuolar membranes. These results suggest that PAC vesicles might mediate the delivery of not only storage proteins but also membrane proteins of the vacuoles.
Liver cell dysplasia and hepatitis B surface antigen in liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma

Liver tissues of 223 autopsy cases of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma were examined for liver cell dysplasia in relation to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) detected with orcein stain. Liver cell dysplasia was found in 94 cases (42.2%): 37 were from cases of cirrhosis only, and 53 were from cases of cirrhosis with hepatocellular carcinoma. There was a significant difference in the overall incidence of HBsAg in cases with and without dysplasia (70.2%:32.6%). A similar difference was found in all groups, i.e., those with cirrhosis, cirrhosis with hepatocellular carcinoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma only, in which none of 11 cases of HBsAg negative had dysplasia. A good correlation was seen between the semiquantitative grade of dysplasia and the incidence of HBsAg. These findings suggest a close relationship of HBsAg with liver cell dysplasia.
Micro-change and Macro-change in Diachronic Syntax

Syntactic theory has come a long way in the past couple of decades. Despite superficial disagreements, almost every researcher in every major framework is now committed to a conception of a grammar as a large, language-particular, and open-ended population of lexical items (richly specified correspondences between sets of phonological, syntactic, and semantic properties), related by a small, universal set of syntactic operations (see, e.g., Chomsky 1995, Steedman 2000, Bresnan 2001, Sag 2012). Gone are the phrase-structural or transformational rules of Chomsky (1957) or Gazdar et al. (1985); the parameters of Chomsky (1981) are on their way out, too, except insofar as they can be reduced to properties of individual lexical items (e.g. Borer 1984) or perhaps to properties of interfaces between syntax and neighbouring domains (Berwick and Chomsky 2011).
An O(v|v| c |E|) algoithm for finding maximum matching in general graphs

In this paper we present an 0(√|V|¿|E|) algorithm for finding a maximum matching in general graphs. This algorithm works in 'phases'. In each phase a maximal set of disjoint minimum length augmenting paths is found, and the existing matching is increased along these paths. Our contribution consists in devising a special way of handling blossoms, which enables an O(|E|) implementation of a phase. In each phase, the algorithm grows Breadth First Search trees at all unmatched vertices. When it detects the presence of a blossom, it does not 'shrink' the blossom immediately. Instead, it delays the shrinking in such a way that the first augmenting path found is of minimum length. Furthermore, it achieves the effect of shrinking a blossom by a special labeling procedure which enables it to find an augmenting path through a blossom quickly.
Effects of Power Wheelchairs on the Development and Function of Young Children With Severe Motor Impairments

Purpose: The purpose of this pilot randomized controlled study was to identify any effects of power wheelchairs on the development and function of young children with severe motor impairments. Methods: Participants were 28 children with various diagnoses, aged 14 to 30 months when they entered the study. The Battelle Developmental Inventory (BDI), Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory, and Early Coping Inventory were administered at entry and after 12 months. Results: The on-protocol analysis comparing median change scores showed the experimental groups' BDI receptive communication scores, and their Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory mobility functional skills, mobility caregiver assistance, and self-care caregiver scores improved significantly more than the control group's scores. An intention-to-treat analysis upheld the findings and revealed an additional difference between the groups' BDI total score. Conclusion: The results support use of power wheelchairs with children as young as age 14 months to enhance development and function, although additional research is needed.
Statistical discourse analysis of young children's peer tutoring at computers

Past studies have shown that active participation is essential for peer tutoring and collaboration that successfully yields subsequent individual learning gains (e.g., Mackie, 1983; Gauvain & Rogoff, 1989). Yet these studies are lacking in two ways: (1) excessive focus on tutor actions can limit our understanding of the tutees' contributions (Chi, Siler, & Jeong, 2004); and (2) understudied sequential mechanisms between early actions and later actions of tutors and tutees within and across peer tutoring sessions may limit our understanding of moment-by-moment tutoring dynamics (Ellis & Gauvain, 1992). These challenges become compounded when we look at young children as a peer tutoring population, because, compared to studies of older populations, the limited indicators of participation (often verbal expression of new ideas or disagreement, Roscoe & Chi, in press) are not sensitive enough to capture younger children's emerging (and sometimes effective) tutoring processes (Cooper, Ayers-Lopez, & Marquis, 1982).
Meta-Analysis of Genome-Wide Association Studies to Understand Disease Relatedness

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have become a popular method of surveying haplotype variations within populations. The recent explosion and success of these studies has allowed for identification of multiple gene variations and non-genetic risk factors that are often involved in pathogenesis of many diseases (XavierR The International HapMap Consortium, 2007) and development of GWAS databases (Johnson&O'Donnell, 2009) such as Genomes.gov (Hindorff et al., 2009). The HapMap database of genetic variants and the ever progressing technology involved in identifying genetic disease susceptibility markers has allowed for identification of shared genetic associations that were undetectable with previous methods for identifying deleterious mutations effects for individual genes (Xavier&Rioux, 2008). We are now capable of detecting common susceptibility markers between previously unassociated diseases with the ability to assess combined association signals shared by biological pathways (Wang et al., 2011). Research of immune-mediated disease susceptibility has benefited from the discovery of shared haplotypes. GWAS with a focus on autoimmune diseases, which included celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and type 1 diabetes (Lettre&Rioux, 2008), have shed light on shared genetic markers. Such markers can be exploited to identify biomedical traits that translate to improved diagnostic and treatment techniques (McCarthy et al., 2008). Under the common disease/common variant hypothesis (Wang et al., 2005), one would assume that shared variants result in shared disease phenotypes, and this commonality could serve as a global target for effective treatment options. It is under this assumption that many disease association studies are conducted. The Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium (WTCCC) conducted a study in which nearly 2000 individuals were examined for coronary artery disease (CAD), hypertension, type II diabetes (T2D), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Crohn’s disease (CD), type I diabetes (T1D) and bipolar disorder (BD) susceptibility against a shared set of about 3000 controls (The Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium, 2007). The study revealed several association loci for the seven diseases, with some of these indicating risk for more than one of the studied diseases (The Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium, 2007).
Superoxide dismutase from the extremely halophilic archaebacterium Halobacterium cutirubrum

Halobacterium cutirubrum, a member of the archaebacteria, contains one superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1). This enzyme functions in the high-ionic-strength intracellular environment and protects the organism against the toxic effects of the superoxide anion. The enzyme has been purified to about 90% homogeneity by a four-step procedure which never removes it from conditions of high ionic strength. The subunits of the purified enzyme have a molecular weight of 25,000 and are possibly in tetrameric association. The enzyme shows anomalously high resistance to azide inhibition and sensitivity to inactivation by hydrogen peroxide. Metal analysis indicates 0.2 atom of Mn, less than 0.03 atom of Cu, and less than 0.001 atom of Fe per subunit. The low content of Mn may explain the low specific activity found for this enzyme compared with that of eubacterial enzymes. Optimum activity occurs in 2 M KCl; KCl gives about twice as much activity as NaCl over the range of 2 to 4 M. The enzyme appears to be related to those isolated from other archaebacteria but also exhibits several novel features.
2-D Simulation of Hot Electron-Phonon Interactions in a Submicron Gallium Nitride Device Using Hydrodynamic Transport Approach

In this study, a thermal and electrical coupled device solver is developed to simulate the energy transfer mechanism within a GaN FET with a gate length of 0.2 mm. The simulation simultaneously solves a set of hydrodynamic equations (derived from the Boltzmann Transport Equation) and the Poisson equation for electron, optical phonon and acoustic phonon energies, electron number density, electric field and electric potential. This approach has been previously established for gallium arsenide (GaAs) devices [36,37], but has not been extended to GaN due to the lack of readily available property values for GaN devices that are required. Via extensive literature study, high-fidelity properties for GaN were collected in analytical forms with respect to many dependencies, e.g. lattice temperature, electrical field, electron number density, doping rate, defects rate. These properties are then implemented into the developed code to provide a high accuracy sub-micron GaN device simulation. Simulations show that non-equilibrium heat generation is exhibited in a typical device while the drain current is reduced due to the decrease in electron mobility. Future analysis is needed to quantify the hot-electron effect on reducing the drain current and to discover more effective ways of heat removal.
Role of bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells in the prevention of hyperoxia‐induced lung injury in newborn mice

BPD (bronchopulmonary dysplasia) is predominantly characterized by persistent abnormalities in lung structure and arrested lung development, but therapy can be palliative. While promising, the use of BMSC (bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cell) in the treatment of lung diseases remains controversial. We have assessed the therapeutic effects of BMSC in vitro and in vivo. In vitro co‐culturing with injured lung tissue increased the migration‐potential of BMSC; and SP‐C (surfactant protein‐C), a specific marker of AEC2 (type II alveolar epithelial cells), was expressed. Following intraperitoneal injection of BMSC into experimental BPD mice on post‐natal day 7, it was found that BMSC can home to the injured lung, express SP‐C, improve pulmonary architecture, attenuate pulmonary fibrosis and increase the survival rate of BPD mice. This work supports the notion that BMSC are of therapeutic benefit through the production of soluble factors at bioactive levels that regulate the pathogenesis of inflammation and fibrosis following hyperoxia.
The effects of rest interval on quadriceps torque and perceived exertion in healthy males.

BACKGROUND The ability to generate maximal muscular force is dependent upon time mediated mechanisms of fatigue. Interset rest interval length may not only affect force production but may also manifest changes in ratings of perceived exertion (RPE). The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of rest interval on quadriceps torque and RPE during multiple sets of resisted knee extensions. METHODS 14 healthy male volunteers were assessed for concentric isokinetic quadriceps peak torque, total work, and average power on the Biodex System II Isokinetic Dynamometer at a preset angular velocity of 180 deg.sec-1. Perceived exertion was measured with a modified category-ratio scale (CR-10). Under isometric conditions the perceptual range was anchored with one high and two low anchors. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of two groups: short rest interval (Group 1, 40 sec) and long rest interval (Group 2, 160 sec). All subjects performed 4 sets of 20 maximal isokinetic contractions with an inter-set rest interval that corresponded to their group assignment. Following the completion of each set subjects were asked to assign a rating out of 10 to the feelings in their quadriceps by visually observing a chart of the CR-10 scale. RESULTS The results demonstrated a significantly greater decline in quadriceps peak torque (p < 0.05), total work (p < 0.05), and average power (p < 0.05) by Group 1 as compared to Group 2. Changes in RPE across the 4 sets of exercise did not show a significant difference between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS The generation of quadriceps torque is a function of rest interval length, whereas perceived exertion appears to be unaffected.
Performance Analysis of Dynamic Wireless Charging System for Electric Vehicles: A Queueing Approach

Dynamic wireless charging (DWC) has recently been acknowledged as a promising solution to alleviate the range anxiety and long-charging-duration issue of electric vehicles (EVs) on highways. However, modeling and analyzing the DWC system are highly challenging because the system dynamics from both the underlying power system and the transportation system have to be jointly considered, which makes the problem highly complicated. Existing works use either simulation-based methods or oversimplified models, where the influences and interactions of system parameters on the resulting performances cannot be well understood. In this paper, we propose a unified analytical model for the DWC system, which captures the major influencing factors in both the underlying power and transportation systems, based on the M/G/s/s state-dependent queueing approach. We also undertake performance analysis to identify significant trade-offs between different important system parameters for DWC infrastructure planning.
Places to walk: convenience and regular physical activity.

Regular physical activity fosters good physical and mental health.1 Described as “today’s best buy in public health,”2 one needs to accumulate only 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week, of moderately intense physical activity, such as brisk walking.3 For almost everyone, walking is a familiar activity performed in the conduct of normal daily activities. Nevertheless, only 25% to 30% of Americans report doing activities that meet current recommendations for physical activity, and 30% to 40% report no participation in physical activities away from their work.4,5 These data have not changed over at least the past decade.5 The availability6–8 and awareness9 of places conducive to physical activity are associated with higher levels of physical activity. To guide our efforts to promote regular physical activity, we used the Georgia Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to determine (1) whether adult Georgians were aware of safe and convenient places for walking, (2) what places they most commonly envisioned, and (3) whether the proximity of those places was associated with self-reported physical activity behaviors.
Efecto de la posición del telómero en la regulación de la expresión génica

Los telomeros son estructuras importantes para la funcion celular debido a que participan en diversos procesos celulares, como la meiosis o la regulacion transcripcional. Los telomeros son regiones de heterocromatina con caracteristicas unicas debido a que forman un “T-loop” en los extremos de los cromosomas; estas estructuras son mantenidas y protegidas por proteinas telomericas especificas, factores de union a repetidos telomericos 1 y 2 (TRF1, TRF2) y otras proteinas, como las implicadas en la reparacion de la rotura de ADN de cadena doble. Recientemente, se esta estudiando una funcion telomerica: la regulacion de la transcripcion de genes telomericos cercanos. La importancia de esta funcion es que puede estar implicada en la senescencia celular y mediar la propension a enfermedades como el cancer