Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Efficient 3D Segmentation Method for Spinal Canal Applied to CT Volume Sequence Data

With modern treatment planning techniques, the accurate definition of the target volume as well as the organs at risk is a crucial step for the treatment outcome. One of the key organs that must be protected during the irradiation treatment is the spinal canal. Nowadays, high resolution computed tomography (CT) data are required to perform accurate treatment planning, and there is demand for quick but accurate segmentation tools. In this work, a very simple approach that can accurately extract the spinal canal in three dimensions (3D) from CT images is presented. The user must define only the starting point for the algorithm, and the rest of the process is performed automatically. The core of the method is a boundary-tracing algorithm combined with linear interpolation techniques in the longitudinal (z) direction.
The fat and protein content of the sheep milk under different conditions

In Hungary the Hungarian Combing Merino has been and still is the most common sheep breed. In order to increase the milk production traits, especially the milk components, several crossings were made. In an experiment lasting three years the fat, protein and dry matter contents of the milk produced by ewes belonging to different genotypes: Merino, (Merino x East-Friesian) F1, (Merino x Langhe) F1, (Merino x Sarda) F1, (Merino x Pleven) F1 and (Merino x Awassi) F1 were studied. The test milkings of the ewes were carried out fortnightly, twice a day. From the study the following conclusions could be drawn: (i) the East-Friesian F1 ewes produced the largest amount of fat, protein and dry matter in their milk; followed by Langhe F1, Sarda F1, Pleven F1, Awassi F1 and Merinos in the ranking; (ii) the improvement in conditions gave an increased yield of the studied traits; and (iii) the pre-selection of Merinos on the basis of milk production should be made prior to the start of crossbreeding considering to increase the milk production traits.
Gender and Family: Conceptual Overview

This paper starts from the fact that women receive lower pensions than men on average, and considers policies to address that fact. Women typically have lower wages than men, a greater likelihood of part-time work and more career breaks, and thus generally a less complete contribution record. In addition, pension age may be lower for women and annuities may be priced using separate life tables for women. The paper looks at three strategic ameliorative policy directions: policies intended to increase the size and duration of women’s earnings and hence improve their contribution records; policies to redirect resources within the pension system, including for survivors and after divorce; and ways of boosting women’s pensions with resources from outside the pension system.
Modeling regenerative braking and storage for vehicles

The fuel saving benefits of regenerative braking and storage for vehicles are often described but not quantified. For example, the federal government and automobile manufacturers are sponsoring a Program for a New Generation of Vehicles (PGNV) with a goal of obtaining a performance of 80 mpg in a family size car. It is typically suggested that such a vehicle will be a hybrid engine and electric drive with regenerative braking. The authors note that while regenerative braking has the potential of saving fuel, it may also do more harm than good as a result of additional weight, less than ideal charge/discharge efficiency on the batteries or storage flywheels and the limited portion of the entire driving cycle when regenerative braking can be utilized. The authors also noted that if regenerative braking can have a net benefit, it would be on a heavy vehicle such as a municipal bus because of the frequent stop and go requirements for both traffic lights and passengers. Thus the authors initiated a study of regenerative braking on such a vehicle. The resulting analysis presented in this paper includes data following municipal buses to define the driving cycle, modeling the bus power requirements from weight, aerodynamics and rolling resistance, and then calculating the fuel saving that could result from an ideal regenerative braking system.
Theoretical study of high-sensitivity surface plasmon resonance fiber optic sensing technology

Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) has been widely investigated for chemical and biological sensing applications. Especially, fiber optic SPR sensors have recently drawn considerable attention because of their fundamentally simpler structure, lower cost, and suitability for remote-sensing applications. This paper will present a research work for a novel multichannel SPR sensing technology. Based on the Kretschmann's SPR theory, we theoretically investigate the surface parameters effects to SPR wavelength changes. Emphasis will be placed on a theoretical design and numerical simulation of a multichannel fiber optic SPR sensing scheme based on a geometrical tapered fiber optic sensor probe that coated with nanoparticles imprinted polymer on the SPR sensing region. The parameter effects of SPR sensing area that include metal thickness, sensing area length and dielectric overcoat layer. SPR spectra that change with incidence angle and wavelength are investigated by using numerical calculations and simulations. While nanoparticles imprinted polymer for enhancement of sensitivity can serve as an enhanced transduction mechanism for recognition and sensing of target analytes in accordance with different requirements, the scheme of a multichannel fiber optic SPR sensor can be further adapted to the design and development of multi-channel optical fibers SPR sensor probes by combining SPR with other technology as a comprehensive sensor design.
Integrated filters for switch-mode power supplies

A consequence of a maturing switch-mode power supply technology is an increasing standardisation of components and a smaller variation in switching frequency. Input and output filters account for a major portion of component cost and in the face of better devices, higher levels of silicon integration and improved packaging, it has become important to improve the filter technology. It is proposed that a range of integrated filters could be introduced using a few standardised cut-off frequencies. By careful design it may be possible to control the frequency domain transfer function sufficiently to integrate both of the series connected low frequency and high frequency low pass filters into a single component, The suitability of electrolytic, metal film and ceramic capacitor based integrated filters are investigated, and analysis and experimental results are also presented.
Bandwidth enhancement and size reduction of patch antenna by etching linear slots in the ground plane

Conventional patch antenna suffers from very narrow broadband and of larger size. This poses a design challenge for the patch antenna designer to meet the broadband techniques especially for compact size antenna. However, the bandwidth and the size of an antenna are generally mutually conflicting properties, that is, improvement of one of the characteristics normally results in degradation of the other. In this work, a novel type patch antenna with slotted ground plane is presented to achieve broad band performance with miniaturized size. The construction of the patch antenna under consideration is shown in Fig. 1. The antenna is designed on popular FR4 substrate (e r =4.3, loss tangent of 0.021 and the thickness is 1.6 mm). As shown in Fig. 1(a) the air gap between the patch and the ground plane is 1.25 cm. Fig.1 (b) shows the top view of the ground plane with all the slots positions and dimensions. The ground plane size is 8 cm × 5 cm and the patch size is equal to the ground plane size.
Reservoir Management: Principles and Practices

Reservoir management is a method that seeks to maximize the value of a hydrocarbon asset. However, different companies and authors have differing approaches to reservoir management, and no generally accepted definition of this activity exists within the industry. This paper reviews some of the origins of reservoir management techniques and provides an overview of reservoir management principles. Reservoir management is directed toward maximizing the value of a hydrocarbon asset. The value of any reservoir is defined differently by different people at different times. To develop a reservoir optimally to maximize its value, the exact meaning of value must be clearly understood. Also, the uncertainty always associated with the parameters that determine the value of a reservoir must be clearly understood to optimize its value. Different reservoir management approaches covering different time frames are typically used to optimize the development of a field. The focus and organization of both short- and long-term reservoir management activities are reviewed, along with overall strategies for study and strategy implementation.
NETLAW IN E-COMMERCE

As the Internet becomes increasingly commercialized, the role of national and international laws for regulating the Internet has moved to the forefront. The unique nature of conducting business and communicating over the Internet challenges numerous well-established legal principles and standards. Internet law, or "netlaw", deals with the legalities of Internet usage and provides an understanding of how laws interrelate with other aspects of online culture and society. This chapter explores some of the important legal issues involved in e-commerce, and provides a general understanding of the concepts, developments, and benefits of netlaw.
De novo characterization of the genetic polymorphism and transcript abundance of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in tissues of swamp buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) from Guangxi, China

Background: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are innate signaling receptors, which sense invading pathogens and play roles in induction of immune responses to counter infection. In this study, we for the first time, cloned, sequenced and characterized the coding sequences of TLRs 1-10 in the Chinese “swamp-type” Guangxi (GX) buffalo breed. Results: Protein sequence analysis of the 10 TLRs showed that GX buffalo share significant sequence similarity with river buffalo (94.7 to 99.9%) and other ruminants (89.6% to 99%), but similarity with non-ruminants was low (48% to 91%). Prediction of functional domains revealed the presence of Toll/IL-1 receptor domains and variable numbers of leucine-rich repeats (LRRs) in all TLRs of GX buffalo. Transmembrane domain and signal peptide were absent in TLRs 7, 9 and TLRs 1, 3, 9, 10, respectively. When comparing GX buffalo and Nili-Ravi (NR) buffalo, the similarity of TIR domains ranged from 95.9% to 100%, while variations were found in the number of LRR motifs between these two breeds. Phylogenetic analysis based on the coding DNA and protein sequences demonstrated that, GX buffalo and NR buffalo were closely related with respect to TLRs 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 10. However, regarding TLRs 3, 6, and 9, GX buffalo clustered with genera Bos and Bison, but not NR buffalo. RT-qPCR analysis provided an overview of TLRs transcription in tissues of GX buffalo. Conclusions: Our study obtained and characterized the full sequences of 10 TLR genes of GX buffaloes, and comparatively quantified the mRNA expression of these genes across various tissues of GX buffaloes. These findings lay the groundwork for discovering breed-specific differences in the occurrence and progression of infections in buffalo.
Combining Risk Analysis and Slicing for Test Reduction in Open Architecture

Abstract : The Navy s open architecture framework is intended to promote reuse and reduce costs. Relevant cost components include both planned test and evaluation effort and possible future failures of deployed software. Pairing system risk analysis using fault trees with NPS research on dependency analysis should enable these benefits and keep resource requirements at feasible levels. This paper describes methods that evaluate the risk impact of software components. The approach combines system risk analysis, dependency analysis applied to source code, and automated testing applied to executable component implementations. Determining the level of reliability required for each software component to achieve acceptably low system risk exposure is a key concern in this context, since the number of test cases required can be derived from this information. The paper applies open architecture principles to reduce testing effort and costs by finding the minimum testing effort required to reduce exposure to identified risks. When combined with our previous work on safe test reduction in cases where the requirements and code for a subsystem have not been changed, but the component will be used together with new or modified components, or may be reused in a different context with different operational loads and different system risk exposures, the results will enable further safe reductions in testing costs. These situations are common in the Navy due to technology advancement upgrades and policies that emphasize component reuse across systems.
Assessment of Dummy Models by Using Objective Rating Methods

The numerical simulation is an inherent process of the development of the passive vehicle safety. Robust and predictable computational models are the base of the successful application of numerical simulations. This study is focused on the assessment of the quality of dummy models used in occupant simulations. The progress of those models was remarkable over the past years. By increasing the quality, the potential of further improvements declines. Hence, the assessment of model improvements and their impact on the quality of simulations is getting more and more complicated. Major improvements of sub-parts do not necessarily improve the overall performance of a model. Therefore, a standardised objective evaluation of models would ease the definition of priorities of model updates. Objective rating tools could help to solve this problem. These tools are calculating the level of correlation between two signals, usually coming from test and simulation. All signal ratings can be merged to a global rating of a loading case. However, the analysis of only one loading case is not sufficient to calculate a reliable and a robust quality score of a dummy model. A more comprehensive approach is required to provide a valid rating for all relevant loading conditions. Furthermore, it must distinguish between good and poor models and should correlate with user experiences. This paper provides guidelines of defining boundary conditions of an overall quality rating of dummy models. The LS-Dyna ES-2 dummy model was used as a demonstrator of the new approach. The study analyses the possibilities of an objective rating tool. Various tests with dummy parts, sled tests as well as dummy certification tests were analysed to define a set of characteristic loading conditions of the ES-2. Furthermore, the extraction of the most relevant dummy responses was an essential part of the evaluation, too. Finally, all defined scenarios were applied to different releases of the same dummy model. The calculated quality scores were verified with the experiences of users of the model. The findings of this feasibility study are limited to the LS-Dyna ES-2 model. However, they can easily be transferred to other ES-2 models. If another side impact dummy or a dummy for a different crash scenario (e.g. frontal impact) is used, then the selection of loading cases and signals must be revised.
İçerik Türüne Dayalı Öğretim Yaklaşımının Kural Öğretimi Üzerindeki Etkililiği

Bu arastirmanin amaci; icerik turune dayali ogretim yaklasiminin, iliskisel ve islemsel kural ogretimi uzerindeki etkililigini belirlemektir. Arastirma, deneme oncesi arastirma desenlerinden biri olan tek grup ontest-sontest modelinde desenlenmistir.Deneysel uygulama, Eskisehir’de bir ilkogretim okulunda, ilkogretim altinci sinifta ogrenim goren 241 ogrenci ile gerceklestirilmistir. Arastirma verileri, arastirmaci tarafindan gelistirilen, on test, son test ve kalicilik testi olarak kullanilan Bilisim teknolojileri dersi basari testi ve Ogrenme stratejilerini belirleme olcegi ile elde edilmistir. Arastirma verileri; bagimsiz gruplar t testi, korelasyon analizi ve regresyon analizi yoluyla cozumlenmistir. Arastirmada asagidaki sonuclara ulasilmistir: Icerik turune dayali ogretim, kurallarin ogretimi konusunda kullanilabilecek etkili biryaklasimdir. Icerik turune dayali ogretim yaklasimi, her tur kuralin ogretiminde etkili olmakla birlikte; islemsel kurallar ile kiyaslandiginda, iliskisel kurallarin ogretiminde daha etkili bir yaklasimdir. Guduleyici ogrenme stratejileri, kural ogrenme duzeyini yordayan etkili bir degiskendir. Ogrencilerin kullandiklari tum ogrenme stratejileri ile karsilastirildiginda, duyussal ogrenme stratejileri ogrenme duzeyinin % 6,3'unu aciklar niteliktedir.
AN IMPROVED DIFFERENTIAL EVOLUTION ALGORITHM FOR OPTIMAL LOAD DISPATCH IN POWER SYSTEMS INCLUDING TRANSMISSION LOSSES

This paper presents an Improved Differential Evolution (IDE) algorithm to solve Economic Load Dispatch (ELD) problem with non-smooth fuel cost curves considering transmission losses, power balance and capacity constraints. The proposed IDE varies from the Standard Differential Evolution (SDE) algorithm in terms of three basic factors. The initial population in IDE is generated through the concept of Opposition Based Learning (OBL), applies tournament based mutation and uses only one population set throughout the optimization process. The performance of the proposed algorithm is investigated and tested with two standard test systems, the IEEE 30 bus 6 unit system and the 20 unit system. The experiments showed that the searching ability and convergence rate of IDE is much better than the SDE. The results of the proposed approach were compared in terms of fuel cost, computational time, power loss and individual generator powers with existing SDE and other meta-heuristics in literature. The proposed method seems to be a promising approach for ELD problems based on the solution quality and the computational efficiency.
Circular microphone array for meeting system

This paper describes two circular microphone arrays and a square microphone array which may be used for sound localization and sound capture. Sound capture by microphone array is achieved by Sum and Delay Beam Former (SDBF). A dedicated PCI 128-channel simultaneous input analog-to-digital (AD) board is developed for a 128-channel microphone array with a maximum sampling rate of 22.7 /spl mu/s/sample. Our 128-channel circular microphone array is under construction, but a 24 channel circular microphone array and a 128 channel square microphone array have been completed. The 24 channel circular microphone array can capture sound from an arbitrary direction. The 128-channel square microphone array can capture sound from a specific point. The 24-channel circular microphone array and the 128-channel square microphone array are evaluated by using frequency components of the sound. The 128-channel circular microphone array is evaluated by simulations of the sound pressure distribution. These microphone arrays will be used as the capture method of "a meeting system " which automatically takes minutes of a conference.
Inversion of Infrared Nondestructive Testing with Evolution Algorithm

The technology of infrared nondestructive testing is an important method to detect where the defect is, and its order of severity. In pulse heating stage, obviously there is also temperature difference between defect area and no defect area. So this paper uses temperature difference between defect area and no defect area in the pulse heating stage, according to 1-D transient heat conduction model of finite thickness defect slab under Neumann boundary condition and heat conduction equation, builds a least-square formula to inverse the depth of defect area in the defect slab with evolution algorithm. The results show that this evolutionary algorithm is reliable, and it has only small errors, and is especially suitable for detecting large defect area. To do the more accurate detection, it still needs to find a new data processing method for infrared nondestructive testing from starting with three-dimensional heat conduction inverse problem.
Low power instrumentation to measure barotropic fluctuations

At periods longer than about one day, the oceanic horizontal electric field (HEF) is proportional to the vertically integrated, spatially averaged water velocity. Similarly, seafloor pressure fluctuations are proportional to large-scale barotropic fluctuations. Both types of measurements have found applications to studies of large-scale oceanic phenomena like western boundary currents. This paper describes two low power instruments designed to make these HEF and pressure fluctuation measurements on the seafloor for extended deployment periods. The pressure instrument measures small pressure fluctuations at full ocean depth. The sensor uses a Bourdon tube to rotate a mirror in an optically centered, electro-optical feedback arrangement with a resolution of about . 1 millimeter of water depth. Precise temperature is also recorded to remove temperature-induced errors on the pressure signal. The second instrument measures the horizontal electric field with a sensitivity of . 01 uV/Meter. Electrode sensor drift is removed by alternately swapping the electrode contacts to opposite ends of a three-meter salt bridge. Data from an internal compass with pitch and roll information is recorded to orient the instrument on the seafloor. Both instruments use low power processors from Microchip to control instrument functions and provide a simple user interface for testing and deployment. Data is stored internally on non-volatile FLASH memory. Precise timing is achieved with a real time clock driven by a crystal optimized for use at ocean bottom temperatures.
Parallel Robots with Configurable Platforms

This thesis explores the fundamentals of a new class of parallel mechanisms called parallel mechanisms with configurable platforms as well as the design and analysis of parallel robots that are based on those mechanisms. Pure parallel robots are formed by two rigid links, the base and the end-effector, connected in parallel by independent serial chains, called legs. The novel concept behind parallel robots with configurable platforms is that the rigid end-effector is replaced by a closed-loop chain, the configurable platform. Some of the links of this closed-loop chain are attached to the legs so its configuration can be fully controlled from the actuators located on the base. The use of a closed-loop chain instead of a rigid end-effector allows the robot to interact with the environment using multiple contact points on the platform. This results in a robot that can combine motion and grasping capabilities into a structure that provides an inherent high structural stiffness. All the actuators are grounded on the base requiring no additional motor at the end-effector location to provide the grasping. High-speed pick-and-place robots and haptic interfaces are examples of devices that can benefit from this new type of architecture.
Adaptive co-channel interference (CCI) cancellation for OFDM communication systems

This paper proposes a new adaptive co-channel interference (CCI) canceller for an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) scheme. It employs a parametric CCI cancellation scheme, least-mean-squares (LMS) maximum-likelihood estimation (MLE), which simultaneously estimates time-varying channels and transmitted symbols both for desired and CCI signals. Computer simulations were performed on interference canceling characteristics of the proposed CCI canceller both under static and Rayleigh fading conditions, wherein a single CCI is considered. Computer simulations confirm that the proposed canceller attains a BER of 1.5/spl times/10/sup -2/ at a signal-to-interference ratio of -10 dB in Rayleigh fading condition with the maximum Doppler frequency of 52 Hz and average E/sub b//N/sub 0/ of 30 dB.