gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Predictive motion field segmentation for image sequence coding (2002)

A method is described for improving block-based motion-compensation techniques by segmenting blocks into regions corresponding to objects moving with distinct velocities. The method uses standard block motion-estimation techniques and assumes that each distinct velocity within a block is approximated by one of the motion estimates in a neighborhood of that block. A multiresolution approach to segmenting each block is taken. It is based on a Markov random-field model of the segmentation field and incorporates additional constraints which reflect an assumption that the blocks are small relative to objects in the scene. In order to avoid transmitting the segmentation, the method computes the segmentation of previous frames at the receiver and transmitter and predicts the current segmentation from past ones. Experimental results show that the method eliminates most artifacts due to block motion compensation at edges of moving objects and achieves 30-50% reductions in displaced frame-difference energy in frames where reliable motion estimates are available.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">></ETX>
An efficient approach to transmission line simulation using measured or tabulated S-parameter data (1994)

In this paper we describe an algorithm for ecient circuit-level simulation of transmission lines which can be specied by tables of frequency-dependent scattering parameters. The approach uses a forced stable section-by-section `2 minimization approach to construct a high order rational function approximation to the frequency domain data, and then applies guaranteed stable balanced realization techniques to reduce the order of the rational function. The rational function is then incorporated in a circuit simulator using fast recursive convolution. An example of a transmission line with skin-eect is examined to both demonstrate the eectiveness of the approach and to show its generality.
A new sound coding strategy for suppressing noise in cochlear implants (2008)

In the n-of-m strategy, the signal is processed through m bandpass filters from which only the n maximum envelope amplitudes are selected for stimulation. While this maximum selection criterion, adopted in the advanced combination encoder strategy, works well in quiet, it can be problematic in noise as it is sensitive to the spectral composition of the input signal and does not account for situations in which the masker completely dominates the target. A new selection criterion is proposed based on the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of individual channels. The new criterion selects target-dominated (SNR > or = 0 dB) channels and discards masker-dominated (SNR<0 dB) channels. Experiment 1 assessed cochlear implant users' performance with the proposed strategy assuming that the channel SNRs are known. Results indicated that the proposed strategy can restore speech intelligibility to the level attained in quiet independent of the type of masker (babble or continuous noise) and SNR level (0-10 dB) used. Results from experiment 2 showed that a 25% error rate can be tolerated in channel selection without compromising speech intelligibility. Overall, the findings from the present study suggest that the SNR criterion is an effective selection criterion for n-of-m strategies with the potential of restoring speech intelligibility.
Das russische Bildungs-Web und seine internationale Öffnung (2003)

[In dem folgenden Beitrag] werden zwei mit der „Informatisierung“ [...] zusammenhängende aktuelle Kontexte des aktuellen „Modernisierungs“-Prozesses im Bildungswesen in [Russland] einbezogen, die Anhebung der Bildungsqualität im weitesten Sinne sowie die Öffnung des Internet für die Bildung der gesamten Bevölkerung. Wesentliche Aspekte stellen hierbei die staatliche Steuerung und die internationale Einbindung dar, die im Zuge seiner internationalen Öffnung auch das russische Bildungswesen erreicht hat. (DIPF/Orig.)
Inhibition of Listeria innocua and Brochothrix thermosphacta in vacuum-packaged meat by addition of bacteriocinogenic Lactobacillus curvatus CRL705 and its bacteriocins (2006)

Establishment of biopreservation as a method to ensure the microbiological safety of vacuum-packaged fresh meat at 2 degrees C.
Design of a polypeptide FRET substrate that facilitates study of the antimicrobial protease lysostaphin (2008)

We have developed a polypeptide lysostaphin FRET (fluorescence resonance energy transfer) substrate (MV11F) for the endopeptidase activity of lysostaphin. Site-directed mutants of lysostaphin that abolished the killing activity against Staphylococcus aureus also completely inhibited the endopeptidase activity against the MV11 FRET substrate. Lysostaphin-producing staphylococci are resistant to killing by lysostaphin through incorporation of serine residues at positions 3 and 5 of the pentaglycine cross-bridge in their cell walls. The MV11 FRET substrate was engineered to introduce a serine residue at each of four positions of the pentaglycine target site and it was found that only a serine residue at position 3 completely inhibited cleavage. The introduction of random, natural amino acid substitutions at position 3 of the pentaglycine target site demonstrated that only a glycine residue at this position was compatible with lysostaphin cleavage of the MV11 FRET substrate. A second series of polypeptide substrates (decoys) was developed with the GFP (green fluorescent protein) domain of MV11 replaced with that of the DNase domain of colicin E9. Using a competition FRET assay, the lysostaphin endopeptidase was shown to bind to a decoy peptide containing a GGSGG cleavage site. The MV11 substrate provides a valuable system to facilitate structure/function studies of the endopeptidase activity of lysostaphin and its orthologues.
Both transmembrane domains of SecG contribute to signal sequence recognition by the <i>Escherichia coli</i> protein export machinery (2000)

A chimeric protein containing the uncleaved signal sequence of plasminogen activators inhibitor-2 (PAI2) fused to alkaline phosphatase (AP) interferes with Escherichia coli protein export and arrests growth. Suppressors of this toxicity include secG mutations that define the Thr-41-Leu-42-Phe-43 (TLF) domain of SecG. These mutations slow down the export of PAI2-AP. Another construct encoding a truncated PAI2 signal sequence (hB-AP) is also toxic. Most suppressors exert their effect on both chimeric proteins. We describe here five secG suppressors that only suppress the toxicity of hB-AP and selectively slow down its export. These mutations do not alter the TLF domain: three encode truncated SecG, whereas two introduce Arg residues in the transmembrane domains of SecG. The shortest truncated protein only contains 13 residues of SecG, suggesting that the mutation is equivalent to a null allele. Indeed, a secG disruption selectively suppresses the toxicity of hB-AP. However, the missense mutations are not null alleles. They allow SecG binding to SecYE, although with reduced affinity. Furthermore, these mutated SecG are functional, as they facilitate the export of endogenous proteins. Thus, SecG participates in signal sequence recognition, and both transmembrane domains of SecG contribute to ensure normal signal sequence recognition by the translocase.
Nanosized rods agglomerates as a new approach for formulation of a dry powder inhaler (2011)

The results obtained lend support to the hypothesis that controlled agglomeration strategies provide an efficient approach for the delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs into the lungs.
Integration of simulated annealing and genetic algorithm to estimate optimal solutions for minimising surface roughness in end milling Ti-6AL-4V (2011)

In this study, simulated annealing (SA) and genetic algorithm (GA) soft computing techniques are integrated to search for a set of optimal cutting conditions value that leads to the minimum value of machining performance. Twointegration systems are proposed; integrated SA–GA-type1 and integrated SA–GA-type2. The considered machining performance is surface roughness (R a) in end milling. The results of this study showed that both of the proposed integration systems managed to estimate the optimal cutting conditions, leading to the minimum value ofmachining performance when compared to the result of real experimental data. The proposed integration systems have also reduced the number of iteration in searching for the optimal solution compared to the conventional GA and conventional SA, respectively. In other words, the time for searching the optimal solution can be made faster by using the integrated SA–GA.
Current Nondestructive Inspection Methods For Aging Aircraft (1992)

This report identifies and describes current methods used during the nondestructive inspection (NDI) of commercial transport aircraft for structural damage. The six most prevalent NDI methods identified are visual, eddy current, radiography, ultrasonic, penetrant, and magnetic particle. The physical principles, generalized performance characteristics, and typical applications associated with each method are described. In addition, descriptions of specific airframe and engine inspection practices are also presented.
A prototyped implementation of B-ISDN signalling at the network node interface (2002)

A simplified broadband-ISDN user part (B-ISUP) protocol for B-ISDN signalling at the network-node interface is introduced. This 'light-weight' B-ISUP protocol is suitable for small to medium-sized public broadband pilot networks and fulfills the short-term needs of the capabilities available for the network user. A possible network configuration is sketched as it is deployed in existing ATM pilot networks for permanent connections today. The concept is described and illustrated by typical message flows during call establishment and call tear-down. The impact of enhancing an existing prototyped ATM node capable of call processing and user network interface signalling in island configurations is examined. Finally, the simplified B-ISUP is compared with the private network node interface approach taken by the ATM Forum.
Simple Hybrid ARQ Schemes Based on Systematic Polar Codes for IoT Applications (2017)

Hybrid ARQ (H-ARQ) schemes enable wireless reliability with high transmission efficiency, which is demanded for battery-operated low-complexity applications, such as Internet of Things. We propose two schemes to enable type-II H-ARQ based on systematic polar codes. We introduce code inversion for polar codes to recover the message from the redundant bits only. The first scheme we propose is an H-ARQ based on half-rate polar codes and code inversion. The second scheme develops a more general H-ARQ technique assuming an arbitrary code rate. We provide a theoretical framework for calculation of the frame error rate in polar codes with incomplete codeword elements. Simulations show that the proposed schemes can achieve a significant performance gain up to 4 dB in terms of throughput efficiency compared with the state-of-the-art H-ARQ scheme used in the high-quality-of-service mode of the IEEE 802.15.6-2012 standard for wireless body area networks.
The Thyristor Electronic Transformer: a Power Converter Using a High-Frequency Link (1971)

The electronic transformer is a device which behaves in the same manner as a conventional power transformer in that it steps voltage levels up or down while providing isolation and can accommodate load current of any power factor. It contains thyristor power switches which convert the low-frequency (dc to 400-Hz) voltage wave to a high-frequency (in the order of 10 000 Hz) wave. A comparatively small magnetic transformer then provides the voltage level transformation and isolation functions. Similar thyristor power switches then reconstruct the original low-frequency wave at the desired output voltage level. This device can incorporate additional features not found in a conventional transformer, such as current limiting and current interruption. The theory of operation is presented and confirmed by experimental data.
Through Silicon Via Fabrication with Low-κ Dielectric Liner and Its Implications on Parasitic Capacitance and Leakage Current (2012)

Through silicon via (TSV) has emerged as an essential enabler for three-dimensional integrated circuit (3D IC). The basic TSV structure consisting of a via hole in the Si substrate filled with metal such as copper and lined with a dielectric liner, forms a metal–oxide–silicon (MOS) capacitor structure. To benefit the performance of 3D IC, the TSV used to interconnect vertically stacked dies must introduce small electrical parasitic, such as capacitance. The isolation property of the dielectric liner must also be preserved to control the leakage current. In this work, TSV with acceptable sidewall roughness is achieved and lined with low-κ material with an effective dielectric constant of ∼2.8. Low-κ liner with conformal step coverage is successfully achieved in our fabrication process. Based on electrical measurement, it is found that the integration of the low-κ liner reduces the TSV capacitance by ∼27.6% as compared with the conventional plasma-enhanced tetraethylorthosilicate (PETEOS) oxide liner. In addition, current–voltage (I–V) measurement is carried out to monitor and study the leakage of the low-κ liner. No abrupt breakdown is observed until at least at an electric field of 3 MV/cm which corresponds to 60 V. Annealing of the TSV structure in forming gas (N2/H2) at 350 °C for 30 min successfully reduces the leakage current density by ∼1.6×, to a mid-distribution value of ∼6.8×10-6 A/cm2.
Use of Base Modifications in Primers and Amplicons to Improve Nucleic Acids Detection in the Real-Time Snake Polymerase Chain Reaction (2010)

The addition of relatively short flap sequence at the 5'-end of one of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers considerably improves performance of real-time assays based on 5'-nuclease activity. This new technology, called Snake, was shown to supersede the conventional methods like TaqMan, Molecular Beacons, and Scorpions in the signal productivity and discrimination of target polymorphic variations as small as single nucleotides. The present article describes a number of reaction conditions and methods that allow further improvement of the assay performance. One of the identified approaches is the use of duplex-destabilizing modifications such as deoxyinosine and deoxyuridine in the design of the Snake primers. This approach was shown to solve the most serious problem associated with the antisense amplicon folding and cleavage. As a result, the method permits the use of relatively long-in this study-14-mer flap sequences. Investigation also revealed that only the 5'-segment of the flap requires the deoxyinosine/deoxyuridine destabilization, whereas the 3'-segment is preferably left unmodified or even stabilized using 2-amino deoxyadenosine d(2-amA) and 5-propynyl deoxyuridine d(5-PrU) modifications. The base-modification technique is especially effective when applied in combination with asymmetric three-step PCR. The most valuable discovery of the present study is the effective application of modified deoxynucleoside 5'-triphosphates d(2-amA)TP and d(5-PrU)TP in Snake PCR. This method made possible the use of very short 6-8-mer 5'-flap sequences in Snake primers.
Automated monitoring and quantitative analysis of feeding behaviour in Drosophila (2014)

Food ingestion is one of the defining behaviours of all animals, but its quantification and analysis remain challenging. This is especially the case for feeding behaviour in small, genetically tractable animals such as Drosophila melanogaster. Here, we present a method based on capacitive measurements, which allows the detailed, automated and high-throughput quantification of feeding behaviour. Using this method, we were able to measure the volume ingested in single sips of an individual, and monitor the absorption of food with high temporal resolution. We demonstrate that flies ingest food by rhythmically extending their proboscis with a frequency that is not modulated by the internal state of the animal. Instead, hunger and satiety homeostatically modulate the microstructure of feeding. These results highlight similarities of food intake regulation between insects, rodents, and humans, pointing to a common strategy in how the nervous systems of different animals control food intake.
Combining stereo and motion analysis for direct estimation of scene structure (2002)

The authors describe an algorithm based on hierarchical model-based estimation and refinement that aims to make best use of the information in stereo and motion data sets to estimate scene structure. Information from both data sets is used to compute simultaneously stereo and motion correspondences that are consistent with a single scene structure. One result is that local ambiguities in information provided by one data set are resolved by information provided by the other data set. The algorithm uses an infinitesimal rigid-body motion model to estimate relative camera orientation and local ranges for both the stereo and motion components of the data. If the relative orientation of the cameras in the stereo data set is known, the solution proposed can be re-derived using fixed rather than variable camera parameters for the stereo data set.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">></ETX>
Incidence and Risk Factors for Cholangiocarcinoma in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (2004)

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a dreaded complication of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC); however, marked variability in the incidence of CCA in PSC is reported. Furthermore, limited information exists on risk factors for the development of CCA in PSC. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of CCA in patients with PSC and to evaluate baseline risk factors for the later development of CCA. From a previous study of the natural history of PSC, we identified 161 patients with PSC who did not have CCA at study entry. Patients were followed until a diagnosis of CCA was established, liver transplantation was performed, or death occurred. Patients were followed for a median of 11.5 yr (interquartile range 4.0-16.1 yr). Fifty-nine patients (36.6%) died, 50 patients (31.1%) underwent liver transplantation, and 11 patients (6.8%) developed CCA. The rate of CCA developing was approximately 0.6% per year. Compared to the incidence rates of CCA in the general population, the relative risk of CCA in PSC was significantly increased (RR = 1,560; 95%CI = 780, 2,793; p < 0.0001). On univariate analysis, a history of variceal bleeding (p < 0.001), proctocolectomy (p= 0.01), and lack of symptoms (p= 0.02) were significant risk factors for CCA with the Mayo Risk Score being marginally significant (p= 0.051). Multivariate analysis determined only variceal bleeding to be a significant risk factor for CCA (RR 24.2; 95%CI: 3.3-67.1). No association was found between the duration of PSC and the incidence of CCA. In conclusion, approximately 7% of PSC patients later developed CCA over a mean follow-up of 11.5 yr, which is dramatically higher than the rates in the general population. Variceal bleeding is a major risk factor for the later development of CCA.
Wave control of crane rope-and-mass system (2015)

This paper deals with the wave absorbing control of a suspended simple pendulum system by the lateral motion of the support. The control acceleration of the support was derived by the connecting condition of real pendulums to the wave-controlled multiple simple pendulums virtually existing above the support. The wave propagating solution of the homogeneous multiple simple pendulum system was theoretically derived and applied to the virtual pendulum system. The velocity and position feedback control of the support was added to the support acceleration for wave control because the wave control could not fix the support position. This control can place the support at other than the original position. The experiments of a three homogeneous rigid pendulum system and a rope-and-mass system were conducted. The rope-and-mass experimental system has the function of winding up and down of load mass. The effect of the virtual pendulum length on the wave control was also investigated. From the simulation and experiment, our presented control strategy was shown to be effective enough and practical for real crane systems.
Computational fluid dynamics for predicting performance of ultraviolet disinfection sensitivity to particle tracking inputs (2007)

A three-dimensional (3-D) computational fluid dynamic model that predicts the performance of a full-scale medium-pressure lamp ultraviolet (UV) reactor for disinfection of drinking water is described. The model integrates velocity field, fluence rate distribution, and particle trajectory calculations with a microorganism inactivation kinetic model to arrive at predictions of reduction equivalent dose and microorganism inactivation for MS2 coliphage. A rational approach to determining an appropriate number of fluid particles that would generate the required computational precision is presented. Predictions of inactivation and equivalent dose were found to be sensitive to computational mesh geometry (hexahedral versus tetrahedral) but were less sensitive to the value of the Lagrangian empirical constant used in the random walk model and to choice of turbulence model (κ – εε versus Reynolds stress). Non-steady-state (dynamic) simulations produced results that were similar to those of steady-state simulations. Utility of the model for evaluating different lamp operating modes and alternative physical arrangements of the baffles and lamps was demonstrated.Key words: ultraviolet, UV reactor, disinfection, water, computational fluid dynamics, modeling.
Mnemosyne (2012)

New storage-class memory (SCM) technologies, such as phase-change memory, STT-RAM, and memristors, promise user-level access to non-volatile storage through regular memory instructions. These memory devices enable fast user-mode access to persistence, allowing regular in-memory data structures to survive system crashes.
Optical phase measurements in red blood cells using low-coherence spectroscopy (2012)

We demonstrate the use of a low-coherence spectral-domain phase microscopy (SDPM) system for accurate quantitative phase measurements in red blood cells (RBCs) for the prognosis and monitoring of disease conditions that affect the visco-elastic properties of RBCs. Using the system, we performed time-recordings of cell membrane fluctuations, and compared the nano-scale fluctuation dynamics of healthy and glutaraldehyde-treated RBCs. Glutaraldehyde-treated RBCs possess a lower amplitude of fluctuations reflecting an increased membrane stiffness. To demonstrate the ability of our system to measure fluctuations of lower amplitudes than those measured by the commonly used holographic phase microscopy techniques, we also constructed a wide-field digital interferometric microscope and compared the performances of the two systems. Due to its common-path geometry, the optical-path-delay stability of SDPM was found to be less than 0.3nm in liquid environment, at least three times better than in holographic phase microscopy under the same conditions. In addition, due to the compactness of SDPM and its inexpensive and robust design, the system possesses a high potential for clinical applications.