Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Error-resilient transmission of 3D models

In this article, we propose an error-resilient transmission method for progressively compressed 3D models. The proposed method is scalable with respect to both channel bandwidth and channel packet-loss rate. We jointly design source and channel coders using a statistical measure that (i) calculates the number of both source and channel coding bits, and (ii) distributes the channel coding bits among the transmitted refinement levels in order to maximize the expected decoded model quality. In order to keep the total number of bits before and after applying error protection the same, we transmit fewer triangles in the latter case to accommodate the channel coding bits. When the proposed method is used to transmit a typical model over a channel with a 10% packet-loss rate, the distortion (measured using the Hausdorff distance between the original and the decoded models) is reduced by 50% compared to the case when no error protection is applied.
Erosion-corrosion mitigation using chemicals

The presence of entrained sand in oil and gas production is becoming increasingly prevalent as wells age and this is leading to erosion-corrosion in C02-saturated conditions becoming a major mechanism of material attack. Its understanding, prediction and control are key challenges to sound facilities design. The use of carbon steel in conjunction with corrosion inhibitors in preventing erosioncorrosion has been observed as an economically viable solution for oil and gas piping systems. In order to produce highly effective corrosion inhibitors, it is important to understand how inhibitors act on each of the components of erosion-corrosion. Although research into corrosion inhibition has been extensively conducted, there is less documentation of inhibitors in retarding erosion-corrosion. This thesis has attempted to construct a quantitative structure relationship between erosion, corrosion and their synergistic effects to investigate erosion-corrosion and inhibition mechanisms with four fully formulated CO2 inhibitors (CGO, CRO, CRW8 and CRW9) along with some mechanistic studies involving single components from inhibitor formulations. Two experimental set-ups were used: a rotating cylinder electrode (RCE) and a submerged impinging jet (SIJ). In both experimental methodologies, gravimetric measurement, cathodic polarisation, Linear Polarisation and AC impedance techniques were used to ascertain the extent of corrosion as a function of conditions and inhibitor dosing/type. Both RCE and SIJ test samples were studied using surface analysis techniques such as scanning electron microscope (SEM), Light microscope, Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In this thesis, through integration of electrochemical analysis and gravimetric measurements the damage has been identified as being associated with mechanical erosion, electrochemical corrosion or interactive electrochemical/mechanical processes. The role that inhibitors can play in reducing damage in addition to that caused by corrosion, namely by erosion and their synergistic action has been shown. Under both configurations. erosion-corrosion interactions play a major role in damage with corrosion being a controlling parameter. The thesis has made substantial advances in the understanding of the extent to which corrosion inhibitors could be used to control erosion-corrosion damage and in understanding the mechanisms of how this can be achieved.
Identification of three mental states using a motor imagery based brain machine interface

The realization of robotic systems that understands human intentions and produces accordingly complex behaviors is needed particularly for disabled persons, and would consequently benefit the aged. For this purpose, a control technique that recognizes human intentions from neural responses called brain machine interface (BMI) have been suggested. The unique ability to communicate with machines by brain signals opens a wide area of applications for BMI. Recently, combination of BMI capabilities with assistive technology has provided solutions that can benefit patients with disabilities and many others. This paper proposes a BMI system that uses a consumer grade electroencephalograph (EEG) acquisition device. The aim is to develop a low cost BMI system suitable for households and daily applications. As a preliminary study, an experimental system has been prototyped to classify user intentions of moving an object up or down, which are basic instructions needed for controlling most electronic devices by using only EEG signals. In this study, an EEG headset equipped with 14 electrodes is used to acquire EEG signals but only 8 electrodes are used to identify user intentions. The features of EEG signals are extracted based on power spectrum and artificial neural network are used as classifiers. To evaluate the system performance, online identification experiments for three subjects are conducted. Experiment results show that the proposed system has worked well and could achieve an overall correct identification rate of up to 72 % with 15 minutes of training time by a user with no prior experience in BMI.
Risk Factors for Redisplacement of Pediatric Distal Forearm and Distal Radius Fractures

Background: Fractures of the distal forearm and distal radius represent the most common types of fracture in the pediatric population, with the majority treated by closed reduction and cast. Redisplacement has been known to occur in up to 39% of cases. There have been numerous risk factors and radiologic indices put forward as methods of predicting redisplacement, but this topic remains a matter of debate. This retrospective study aims to further assess the significance of the many factors in redisplacement after treatment with closed reduction. Methods: This retrospective study included 155 children with distal radius and forearm fractures. Age, sex, location of fracture, angulation, displacement, an associated ulna fracture, obliquity of fracture, and accuracy of reduction were measured for assessment as potential risk factors. In addition, the cast index, padding index, Canterbury index, second metacarpal-radius index, gap index, and 3-point index were measured on postreduction radiographs. Results: Redisplacement occurred in 33 of the 155 cases (21.3%). Initial displacement and accuracy of the reduction were identified as significant risk factors for redisplacement. Initial displacement of >50% (of the radius width) was significantly associated with redisplacement (odds ratio of 5.4). Failure to achieve anatomic reduction was significantly higher in the redisplacement group (odds ratio 3.9). The only radiologic index that differed significantly between groups was the cast index, with more patients without redisplacement meeting the cut-off value (60% vs. 32%, P=0.010). Discussion: Initial displacement of >50% and inability to achieve anatomic reduction are major risk factors for redisplacement. Given its effectiveness and ease of clinical application, the cast index remains the most useful measure of cast molding. Level of Evidence: Level II—Retrospective prognostic study.
Long-term follow-up of homograft function after pulmonary valve replacement in patients with tetralogy of Fallot.

AIMS To analyse the long-term outcomes after pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) in patients with a previous correction for tetralogy of Fallot. METHODS AND RESULTS In a retrospective study, 158 adult patients with a diagnosis of tetralogy of Fallot, who had undergone a PVR after initial total correction in childhood, were identified from the CONCOR (CONgenital CORvitia) registry. All patients underwent 175 PVRs between June 1986 and June 2005. To analyse the predictors for homograft dysfunction and adverse events (death, reoperations, balloon angioplasty), Cox-regression analysis was performed. Overall freedom from significant homograft dysfunction was 66% after 5 years and 47% after 10 years. We could not identify predictors for combined homograft dysfunction. Event-free survival was 78% at 10 years and 68% at 15 years after PVR. Both early significant pulmonary regurgitation (PR) (HR 6.8, P = 0.017) and pulmonary stenosis (PS) (HR 4.0, P = 0.037) after surgery were associated with adverse events. When analysing direct post-operative PR or PS, we observed that in patients with severe, pre-operative PR, right ventricular aneurysm/patch resection resulted in a lower post-operative PR (mean difference grade 0.38 +/- 0.14, P = 0.01). Less significant post-operative PS was associated with a higher diameter of the homograft (HR 0.37, P = 0.006). CONCLUSION While 47% of the patients in our study were free from homograft dysfunction at 10 years after PVR, event-free survival after PVR remained fairly good (78%). Significant residual lesions directly after surgery influenced event-free survival. A smaller diameter of the pulmonary homograft and severe pre-surgical PR were related to early homograft dysfunction after surgery.
Shape Descriptors for Classification of Functional Data

Curve discrimination is an important task in engineering and other sciences. We propose several shape descriptors for classifying functional data, inspired by form analysis from the image analysis field: statistical moments, coefficients of the components of independent component analysis, and two mathematical morphology descriptors (morphological covariance and spatial size distributions). These are applied to three problems: an artificial problem, a speech recognition problem, and a biomechanical application. Shape descriptors are compared with other methods in the literature, with better or similar performance obtaining.
Balanced self-paced learning with feature corruption

Self-paced learning (SPL), a recently proposed learning strategy, which progressively adds instances to train from simplicity to complexity, could typically reduce the risk of achieving local optima. SPL selects instances based on their losses among the entire data set in each iteration. This probably causes that the selected instances are highly imbalanced, e.g., very few (even on) instances of some classes are chosen, and further negatively affects the training process. To address this issue, we propose a balanced self-paced learning (BSPL) scenario, which iteratively selects training samples based on their loss values from each class, instead of from the entire data set. From another perspective, learning with marginalized corrupted features is an approach to control overfitting by artificially corrupting the training data. However, feature corruption techniques typically lead to that the classification problem is non-convex and easily traps in local optima. To alleviate this, we propose balanced self-paced learning with feature corruption (BSPL-FC), which considers the instance sampling and feature corruption simultaneously. BSPL-FC first treats the feature corruption as a regularizer and then applies BSPL to solve the regularized classification problem. BSPL-FC inherently has advantages in controlling overfitting and avoiding local optima. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed model.
Lineage tracing demonstrates no evidence of cholangiocyte epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition in murine models of hepatic fibrosis

Whether or not cholangiocytes or their hepatic progenitors undergo an epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) to become matrix‐producing myofibroblasts during biliary fibrosis is a significant ongoing controversy. To assess whether EMT is active during biliary fibrosis, we used Alfp‐Cre × Rosa26‐YFP mice, in which the epithelial cells of the liver (hepatocytes, cholangiocytes, and their bipotential progenitors) are heritably labeled at high efficiency with yellow fluorescent protein (YFP). Primary cholangiocytes isolated from our reporter strain were able to undergo EMT in vitro when treated with transforming growth factor‐β1 alone or in combination with tumor necrosis factor‐α, as indicated by adoption of fibroblastoid morphology, intracellular relocalization of E‐cadherin, and expression of α‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA). To determine whether EMT occurs in vivo, we induced liver fibrosis in Alfp‐Cre × Rosa26‐YFP mice using the bile duct ligation (BDL) (2, 4, and 8 weeks), carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) (3 weeks), and 3,5‐diethoxycarbonyl‐1,4‐dihydrocollidine (DDC; 2 and 3 weeks) models. In no case did we find evidence of colocalization of YFP with the mesenchymal markers S100A4, vimentin, α‐SMA, or procollagen 1α2, although these proteins were abundant in the peribiliary regions. Conclusion: Hepatocytes and cholangiocytes do not undergo EMT in murine models of hepatic fibrosis. (Hepatology 2011;)
A standard reference frame for the description of nucleic acid base-pair geometry.

A common point of reference is needed to describe the three-dimensional arrangements of bases and base-pairs in nucleic acid structures. The different standards used in computer programs created for this purpose give rise to con¯icting interpretations of the same structure.1 For example, parts of a structure that appear ``normal'' according to one computational scheme may be highly unusual according to another and vice versa. It is thus dif®cult to carry out comprehensive comparisons of nucleic acid structures and to pinpoint unique conformational features in individual structures
Stability of a functional equation of Whitehead on semigroups

Let S be a semigroup and X a Banach space. The functional equation φ(xyz) + φ(x) + φ(y) + φ(z) = φ(xy) + φ(yz) + φ(xz) is said to be stable for the pair (X,S) if and only if f : S → X satisfying ‖f(xyz) + f(x) + f(y) + f(z)− f(xy)− f(yz)− f(xz)‖ ≤ δ for some positive real number δ and all x, y, z ∈ S, there is a solution φ : S → X such that f − φ is bounded. In this paper, among others, we prove the following results: 1) this functional equation, in general, is not stable on an arbitrary semigroup; 2) this equation is stable on periodic semigroups; 3) this equation is stable on abelian semigroups; 4) any semigroup with left (or right) law of reduction can be embedded into a semigroup with left (or right) law of reduction where this equation is stable. The main results of this paper generalize the works of Jung [J. Math. Anal. Appl. 222 (1998), 126–137], Kannappan [Results Math. 27 (1995), 368–372] and Fechner [J. Math. Anal. Appl. 322 (2006), 774–786].
On the plasma temperature in supernova remnants with cosmic-ray modified shocks

Multiwavelength observations of supernova remnants can be explained within the framework of the diffusive shock acceleration theory, which allows effective conversion of the explosion energy into cosmic rays. Although models of nonlinear shocks describe the nonthermal component of the emission reasonably well, certain issues, including the heating of the thermal plasma and the related X-ray emission, still remain open. We discuss how the evolution and structure of supernova remnants is affected by strong particle acceleration at the forward shock. We use analytical estimates combined with detailed discussion of the physical processes. The overall dynamics is shown to be relatively insensitive to the amount of particle acceleration, but the post-shock gas temperature can be reduced to a small multiple of the ambient temperature (even as low as six times) with a weak dependence on the shock speed. This is in marked contrast to models with no particle acceleration where the post-shock temperature is insensitive to the ambient temperature and is determined by the square of the shock speed. It thus appears to be possible to effectively suppress thermal X-ray emission from remnants by strong particle acceleration. This might provide a clue to understanding the lack of thermal X-rays from the TeV bright supernova remnant RX J1713.7-3946.
SNP-Based Typing: A Useful Tool to Study Bordetella pertussis Populations

To monitor changes in Bordetella pertussis populations, mainly two typing methods are used; Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) and Multiple-Locus Variable-Number Tandem Repeat Analysis (MLVA). In this study, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) typing method, based on 87 SNPs, was developed and compared with PFGE and MLVA. The discriminatory indices of SNP typing, PFGE and MLVA were found to be 0.85, 0.95 and 0.83, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis, using SNP typing as Gold Standard, revealed false homoplasies in the PFGE and MLVA trees. Further, in contrast to the SNP-based tree, the PFGE- and MLVA-based trees did not reveal a positive correlation between root-to-tip distance and the isolation year of strains. Thus PFGE and MLVA do not allow an estimation of the relative age of the selected strains. In conclusion, SNP typing was found to be phylogenetically more informative than PFGE and more discriminative than MLVA. Further, in contrast to PFGE, it is readily standardized allowing interlaboratory comparisons. We applied SNP typing to study strains with a novel allele for the pertussis toxin promoter, ptxP3, which have a worldwide distribution and which have replaced the resident ptxP1 strains in the last 20 years. Previously, we showed that ptxP3 strains showed increased pertussis toxin expression and that their emergence was associated with increased notification in the Netherlands. SNP typing showed that the ptxP3 strains isolated in the Americas, Asia, Australia and Europe formed a monophyletic branch which recently diverged from ptxP1 strains. Two predominant ptxP3 SNP types were identified which spread worldwide. The widespread use of SNP typing will enhance our understanding of the evolution and global epidemiology of B. pertussis.
Children's Health Article Materials and Methods Agricultural and Residential Pesticides in Wipe Samples from Farmworker Family Residences in North Carolina and Virginia

The potential health effects of pesticide exposure for children are highlighted in several Pesticides pose a greater health risk for children than for adults because of their small body size and rapid development. Recent research has demonstrated that multiple types of pesticides are present in many dwellings in the United States, particularly in low-income, urban neighborhoods (Berkowitz et al. 2003; Pang et al. 2002; Whyatt et al. 2002). Children in agricultural communities may be exposed to pesticides in the home because of pathways common to all children (diet, drinking water, residential pest control), as well as parental take-home pesticides and factors related to farm proximity (drift, playing in pesticide-treated fields; Camann et al. 1995; Fenske 1997; Fenske et al. 1999). Pesticides can remain stable indoors for extended periods of time, creating a significant exposure for children, especially those young enough to play on floors or to place toys and household objects in the mouth (Lewis et al. 2001). Simcox et al. (1995) have shown that pesticide concentrations of organophosphate (OP) insecticides in house dust and soil samples were greater for agricultural homes than for nonagricultural homes in the same communities. McCauley et al. (2001) found that OP residues in farmworker housing were associated with distance from fields and with number of farmworkers in the home. These exposure routes are particularly relevant to children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers. Adults in their households often apply chemicals and perform hand labor in fields treated with pesticides. In addition, these children often live in close proximity to the fields. Farmworker housing is frequently in poor repair and therefore subject to considerable pesticide application for pest control The research reported here focuses on exposure of farmworker children to a broad range of pesticides. Although previous studies have examined pesticide residues in the homes of such children, they have concentrated on agricultural chemicals and primarily on OPs (e.g., Simcox et al. 1995). The present study is part of a project designed to develop and evaluate a culturally appropriate pesticide education intervention for farmworker families. During formative research, we used dust wipes to collect samples that were analyzed for a variety of pesticides. We present results of these analyses, describing the types and amounts of pesticides found in farmworker dwellings and their distribution on floor, toy, and hand surfaces in the home. We also examine possible predictors of pesticide presence in these homes to identify the …
PERSONALITY PROCESSES AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES Divided We Stand: Three Psychological Regions of the United States and Their Political, Economic, Social, and Health Correlates

There is overwhelming evidence for regional variation across the United States on a range of key political, economic, social, and health indicators. However, a substantial body of research suggests that activities in each of these domains are typically influenced by psychological variables, raising the possibility that psychological forces might be the mediating or causal factors responsible for regional variation in the key indicators. Thus, the present article examined whether configurations of psycholog- ical variables, in this case personality traits, can usefully be used to segment the country. Do regions emerge that can be defined in terms of their characteristic personality profiles? How are those regions distributed geographically? And are they associated with particular patterns of key political, economic, social, and health indicators? Results from cluster analyses of 5 independent samples totaling over 1.5 million individuals identified 3 robust psychological profiles: Friendly & Conventional, Relaxed & Creative, and Temperamental & Uninhibited. The psychological profiles were found to cluster geographically and displayed unique patterns of associations with key geographical indicators. The findings demonstrate the value of a geographical perspective in unpacking the connections between microlevel processes and consequential macrolevel outcomes.
Dopamine system: manager of neural pathways

There are a growing number of roles that midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons assume, such as, reward, aversion, alerting and vigor. Here I propose a theory that may be able to explain why the suggested functions of DA came about. It has been suggested that largely parallel cortico-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortico loops exist to control different aspects of behavior. I propose that (1) the midbrain DA system is organized in a similar manner, with different groups of DA neurons corresponding to these parallel neural pathways (NPs). The DA system can be viewed as the “manager” of these parallel NPs in that it recruits and activates only the task-relevant NPs when they are needed. It is likely that the functions of those NPs that have been consistently activated by the corresponding DA groups are facilitated. I also propose that (2) there are two levels of DA roles: the How and What roles. The How role is encoded in tonic and phasic DA neuron firing patterns and gives a directive to its target NP: how vigorously its function needs to be carried out. The tonic DA firing is to provide the needed level of DA in the target NPs to support their expected behavioral and mental functions; it is only when a sudden unexpected boost or suppression of activity is required by the relevant target NP that DA neurons in the corresponding NP act in a phasic manner. The What role is the implementational aspect of the role of DA in the target NP, such as binding to D1 receptors to boost working memory. This What aspect of DA explains why DA seems to assume different functions depending on the region of the brain in which it is involved. In terms of the role of the lateral habenula (LHb), the LHb is expected to suppress maladaptive behaviors and mental processes by controlling the DA system. The demand-based smart management by the DA system may have given animals an edge in evolution with adaptive behaviors and a better survival rate in resource-scarce situations.