Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Face Metamorphosis and Face Caricature: A User’s Guide

The problems of face metamorphosis and face caricature are discussed. First, the general problem of image metamorphosis, composed of the image warping and color interpolation steps is formulated. A field warping algorithm based on corresponding feature primitives for image warping and its use for face morphing is presented. Extensions to multiple input image morphing are also provided. A method for generation of continuous tone face caricatures through the use of the same field warping algorithm is given. There is also some discussion on the generation, selection, and use of prototype faces for caricature generation. A possible application of the face morphing and caricature techniques, the development of a face beautifier is discussed, however no implementation is given. Finally, face morphing and face caricature are framed in a mathematical context as possible operations for the mathematical formulation of face space as a vector space. Step-by-step examples of face morphing and face caricature are also given.
Translingual Information Access Introduction: beyond Traditional Information Retrieval

We present an attempt at a coherent vision of an end-to-end translingual information retrieval system. We begin by presenting a sample of the broad range of possibilities, and the results of some initial work comparing the diierent approaches. We then present an overall workstation architecture, followed by two possible approaches to the actual translingual IR stage presented in detail. Ranking retrieved documents, query-relevant summarization, assimilation of retrieved information, and system evaluation are all discussed in turn.
Symptomatic Remission and Counterfactual Reasoning in Schizophrenia

Counterfactual thinking (CFT) is a type of conditional reasoning involving mental representations of alternatives to past factual events that previous preliminary research has suggested to be impaired in schizophrenia. However, despite the potential impact of these deficits on the functional outcome of these patients, studies examining the role of CFT in this disorder are still few in number. The present study aimed to extent previous results by evaluating CFT in the largest sample to date of schizophrenia patients in symptomatic remission and healthy controls. The relationship with symptomatology, illness duration, and sociodemographic characteristics was also explored. Methods: Seventy-eight schizophrenia patients and 84 healthy controls completed a series of tests that examined the generation of counterfactual thoughts, the influence of the “causal order effect,” and the ability to counterfactually derive inferences by using de Counterfactual Inference Test. Results: Compared with controls, patients generated fewer counterfactual thoughts when faced with a simulated scenario. This deficit was negatively related to scores on all dimensions of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale-PANNS, as well as to longer illness duration. The results also showed that schizophrenia patients deviated significantly from the normative pattern when generating inferences from CFT. Conclusions: These findings reveal CFT impairment to be present in schizophrenia even when patients are in symptomatic remission. However, symptomatology and illness duration may have a negative influence on these patients' ability to generate counterfactual thoughts. The results might support the relevance of targeting CFT in future treatment approaches, although further research is needed to better describe the relationship between CFT and both symptomatology and functional outcome.
TLR3 Plays Significant Roles against HBV-Associated HCC

Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) is a pattern-recognizing receptor that is involved in immune signaling and plays a crucial role in survival by being able to recognize various viral components including double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). The role of TLR3 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections is not well understood. To investigate the ability of TLR3 in regulating HBV replication in HCC, 80 cases of human HCC were collected and their tissue microarray was made. In HCC cells, the expression and location of TLR3, hepatitis-associated virus, and interstitial immunoreactive cells were assayed with immunohistochemical staining. The apoptosis of tumor cells was also detected by TUNEL stain. Correlations between TLR3 expression and HBV infection, interstitial immunoreactive cells, and cells apoptosis in HCC were investigated. In addition, we explored whether TLR3 agonist dsRNA can inhibit HepG2.2. 15 cells secreting HBV. We found that the cytoplasmic expression of TLR3 in HCC is positively related to HBsAg infection and HCC with cirrhosis and promotes interstitial immunoreactive cells infiltration and cancer cells apoptosis. In HepG2.2. 15 cells, dsRNA inhibited the secretion of HBV and induced apoptosis. These results indicate that TLR3 signaling activity may be involved in immune responses against HBV in HCC.
O and Ne K Absorption Edge Structures and Interstellar Abundance toward Cygnus X-2

We have studied the O and Ne absorption features in the X-ray spectrum of Cyg X-2, observed with the Chandra LETG. The O absorption edge is represented by the sum of three absorption edge components within the limit of the energy resolution and the photon counting statistics. Two of them are due to the atomic O; their energies correspond to two distinct spin states of photoionized O atoms. The remaining edge component is considered to represent compound forms of oxide dust grains. Since Cyg X-2 is about 1.4 kpc above the Galactic disk, the H column densities can be determined by radio (21 cm and CO emission line) and Hα observations, with relatively small uncertainties. Thus, the O abundance relative to H can be determined from the absorption edges. We found that the dust scattering can affect the apparent depth of the edge of the compound forms. We determined the amplitude of the effect, which we consider to be the largest possible correction factor. The ratio of column densities of O in atomic to compound forms and the total abundance of O were determined to be in the ranges 1.7 to 2.8 (ratio) and 0.63 ± 0.12 to 0.74 ± 0.14 solar (abundance), taking into account the uncertainties in the dust-scattering correction and in the ionized H column density. We also determined the Ne abundance from the absorption edge to be 0.75 ± 0.20 solar. These abundance values are smaller than the widely used solar values, but consistent with the latest estimates of solar abundance.
An Eigendecomposition Approach to Weighted Graph Matching Problems

An approximate solution to the weighted-graph-matching problem is discussed for both undirected and directed graphs. The weighted-graph-matching problem is that of finding the optimum matching between two weighted graphs, which are graphs with weights at each arc. The proposed method uses an analytic instead of a combinatorial or iterative approach to the optimum matching problem. Using the eigendecompositions of the adjacency matrices (in the case of the undirected-graph-matching problem) or Hermitian matrices derived from the adjacency matrices (in the case of the directed-graph-matching problem), a matching close to the optimum can be found efficiently when the graphs are sufficiently close to each other. Simulation results are given to evaluate the performance of the proposed method. >
Using a lightweight ontology of heart electrophysiology in an interactive web application

Biomedical knowledge and data have been increasingly more explored by computer programs in providing support for human visualization of biomedical phenomena. Use scenarios of such graphical simulations range from physician's decision support to aid-learning in medical sciences. The knowledge and data representation often plays a prominent role in such biomedical applications. In this sense, this paper introduces the use of a lightweight ontology of heart electrophysiology in an interactive web application. We reflect on this ontology-based application to highlight some benefits achieved with a representation based on a combination of the semantic web languages OWL DL and SWRL. The application can be used to offer support for interactive learning in heart electrophysiology.
A comparison of 2 rehabilitation programs in the treatment of acute hamstring strains.

STUDY DESIGN Prospective randomized comparison of 2 rehabilitation programs. OBJECTIVES The objectives of this study were to compare the effectiveness of 2 rehabilitation programs for acute hamstring strain by evaluating time needed to return to sports and reinjury rate during the first 2 weeks and the first year after return to sport. A third objective was to investigate the relationship between functional testing performance and time to return to sports and reinjury rates after return to sport. BACKGROUND Hamstring muscle strains are common in sports and often result in chronic pain, recurrent hamstring strains, and reduced sports performance. Current rehabilitation programs are primarily developed anecdotally and lack support from prospective, randomized research. METHODS AND MEASURES Twenty-four athletes with an acute hamstring strain were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 rehabilitation groups. Eleven athletes were assigned to a protocol consisting of static stretching, isolated progressive hamstring resistance exercise, and icing (STST group). Thirteen athletes were assigned to a program consisting of progressive agility and trunk stabilization exercises and icing (PATS group). The number of days for full return to sports, injury recurrence within the first 2 weeks, injury recurrence within the first year of returning to sports, and lower-extremity functional evaluations were collected for all subjects and compared between groups. RESULTS The average (+/- SD) time required to return to sports for athletes in the STST group was 37.4 +/- 27.6 days, while the average time for athletes in the PATS group was 22.2 +/- 8.3 days. This difference was not statistically significant (P = .2455). In the first 2 weeks after return to sports, reinjury rate was significantly greater (P = .00343, Fisher's exact test) in the STST group, where 6 of 11 athletes (54.5%) suffered a recurrent hamstring strain after completing the stretching and strengthening program, as compared to none of the 13 athletes (0%) in the PATS group. After 1 year of return to sports, reinjury rate was significantly greater (P = .0059, Fisher's exact test) in the STST group. Seven of 10 athletes (70%) who completed the hamstring stretching and strengthening program, as compared to only 1 of the 13 athletes (7.7%) who completed the progressive agility and trunk stabilization program, suffered a recurrent hamstring strain during that 1-year period. CONCLUSIONS A rehabilitation program consisting of progressive agility and trunk stabilization exercises is more effective than a program emphasizing isolated hamstring stretching and strengthening in promoting return to sports and preventing injury recurrence in athletes suffering an acute hamstring strain. Future randomized clinical trials should investigate the potential for progressive agility and trunk stabilization programs in the prevention of hamstring strain injury during sports.
Bacteria‐type‐specific biparental immune priming in the pipefish Syngnathus typhle

Abstract The transfer of acquired and specific immunity against previously encountered bacteria from mothers to offspring boosts the immune response of the next generation and supports the development of a successful pathogen defense. While most studies claim that the transfer of immunity is a maternal trait, in the sex‐role‐reversed pipefish Syngnathus typhle, fathers nurse the embryos over a placenta‐like structure, which opens the door for additional paternal immune priming. We examined the potential and persistence of bacteria‐type‐specific parental immune priming in the pipefish S. typhle over maturation time using a fully reciprocal design with two different bacteria species (Vibrio spp. and Tenacibaculum maritimum). Our results suggest that S. typhle is able to specifically prime the next generation against prevalent local bacteria and to a limited extent even also against newly introduced bacteria species. Long‐term protection was thereby maintained only against prevailing Vibrio bacteria. Maternal and paternal transgenerational immune priming can complement each other, as they affect different pathways of the offspring immune system and come with distinct degree of specificity. The differential regulation of DNA‐methylation genes upon parental bacteria exposure in premature pipefish offspring indicates that epigenetic regulation processes are involved in transferring immune‐related information across generations. The identified trade‐offs between immune priming and reproduction determine TGIP as a costly trait, which might constrain the evolution of long‐lasting TGIP, if parental and offspring generations do not share the same parasite assembly.
Manipulation of density of Pseudotsuga menziesii canopies: preliminary effects on understory vegetation

Managing second-growth forests to conserve biodiversity has been proposed by both foresters and conserva- tion biologists. Management, however, can have unintended consequences, including reduction in native species diver- sity and increased invasion by exotic species. Our goal was to determine if inducing heterogeneity in managed forest canopies could promote a diversity of native species without contributing markedly to invasion by exotic species. We examined 1- and 3-year responses of understory plants to variable-density thinning of 55- to 65-year-old stands of Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco. Our study stands had been managed either with retention of old-growth legacies (large live trees, dead trees, and fallen trees) and no thinning or with removal of legacies and twice-repeated conven - tional thinning. Variable-density thinning initially resulted in decreased understory cover but increased importance of 20 native species, including 2 species of trees. Two native species, however, decreased in importance, and 11 exotic spe - cies increased in importance. Within 3 years, understory cover recovered, species richness increased by >150%, only four exotic species persisted with increased importance, eight native species (including four graminoids) increased in importance, and seven native species decreased in importance. Variable-density thinning shows promise as part of holis- tic silvicultural systems applied across landscapes throughout stand rotations and as a technique to restore vegetative complexity to closed-canopy second-growth forests. Resume : Les forestiers autant que les biologistes qui pronent la conservation proposent d'amenager les forets de se- conde venue avec l'objectif de conserver la biodiversite. L'amenagement peut cependant avoir des consequences non souhaitees, incluant la reduction de la diversite des especes indigenes et une augmentation de l'invasion par les especes
RAAS inhibition and mortality in hypertension

The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) regulates the body's hemodynamic equilibrium, circulating volume, and electrolyte balance, and is a key therapeutic target in hypertension, the world's leading cause of premature mortality. Hypertensive disorders are strongly linked with an overactive RAAS, and RAAS inhibitors, like angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), are routinely used to treat high blood pressure (BP). BP reduction is one of the main goals of current European hypertension guidelines. Oral ACE inhibitors, the oldest category of RAAS inhibitor, were commercially released over 30 years ago in the early 1980s, over a decade before the first ARBs became available. The introduction of ACE inhibitors heralded major changes in the way hypertension and cardiovascular disease were treated. Although the decision of the medical community to replace older ACE inhibitors with more modern ARBs in the 1990s was debatable, it did nevertheless allow scientists to learn more about the angiotensin receptors involved in RAAS stimulation. This and much else of value have been discovered since RAAS inhibitors first became available, but some surprising gaps in our knowledge exist. Until recently, the effect of RAAS inhibition on mortality in hypertension was unknown. This question was recently addressed by a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials in populations who received contemporary antihypertensive medication. The results of this meta-analysis have helped elucidate the long-term consequences of treatment with RAAS inhibitors on mortality in hypertension. This article will consider the differences between RAAS inhibitors in terms of pharmacological and clinical effects and analyze the impact of the main types of RAAS inhibitor, ACE inhibitors and ARBs, on mortality reduction in hypertensive patients with reference to this latest meta-analysis.
PERSONALITY PROCESSES AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES Personality and Obesity Across the Adult Life Span

Personality traits contribute to health outcomes, in part through their association with major controllable risk factors, such as obesity. Body weight, in turn, reflects our behaviors and lifestyle and contributes to the way we perceive ourselves and others. In this study, the authors use data from a large (N 1,988) longitudinal study that spanned more than 50 years to examine how personality traits are associated with multiple measures of adiposity and with fluctuations in body mass index (BMI). Using 14,531 anthropometric assessments, the authors modeled the trajectory of BMI across adulthood and tested whether personality predicted its rate of change. Measured concurrently, participants higher on Neuroticism or Extraversion or lower on Conscientiousness had higher BMI; these associations replicated across body fat, waist, and hip circumference. The strongest association was found for the impulsivity facet: Participants who scored in the top 10% of impulsivity weighed, on average, 11Kg more than those in the bottom 10%. Longitudinally, high Neuroticism and low Conscientiousness, and the facets of these traits related to difficulty with impulse control, were associated with weight fluctuations, measured as the variability in weight over time. Finally, low Agreeableness and impulsivity-related traits predicted a greater increase in BMI across the adult life span. BMI was mostly unrelated to change in personality traits. Personality traits are defined by cognitive, emotional, and behavioral patterns that likely contribute to unhealthy weight and difficulties with weight management. Such associations may elucidate the role of personality traits in disease progression and may help to design more effective interventions.
North American Droughts in ERA-40 Global and NCEP North American Regional Reanalyses : A Palmer Drought Severity Index Perspective

Abstract The Palmer drought severity index (PDSI) monitors meteorological and surface hydrological parameters to represent the severity of drought conditions. PDSI datasets are developed for the NCEP North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) and the 40-yr European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Re-Analysis (ERA-40) to facilitate North American drought research with these datasets. The drought index calculation, in particular, allows diagnostic assessment of the relative contributions of various surface water balance terms in generation of drought conditions by selectively holding these terms to their climatological value in PDSI computations. The length of the diagnosed PDSI permits analysis of subdecadal time-scale variability, such as ENSO, whose influence on North American drought evolution is investigated. ENSO’s considerable drought impact is potentially predictable, especially in the southern half of the United States.
D-branes and Discrete Torsion

We show that discrete torsion is implemented in a D-brane world-volume theory by using a projective representation of the orbifold point group. We study the example of C 3 / ZZ 2 × ZZ 2 and show that the resolution of singularities agrees with that proposed by Vafa and Witten. A new type of fractional brane appears.
Prevalence of Transmitted Drug Resistance and Impact of Transmitted Resistance on Treatment Success in the German HIV-1 Seroconverter Cohort

Background The aim of this study is to analyse the prevalence of transmitted drug resistance, TDR, and the impact of TDR on treatment success in the German HIV-1 Seroconverter Cohort. Methods Genotypic resistance analysis was performed in treatment-naïve study patients whose sample was available 1,312/1,564 (83.9% October 2008). A genotypic resistance result was obtained for 1,276/1,312 (97.3%). The resistance associated mutations were identified according to the surveillance drug resistance mutations list recommended for drug-naïve patients. Treatment success was determined as viral suppression below 500 copies/ml. Results Prevalence of TDR was stable at a high level between 1996 and 2007 in the German HIV-1 Seroconverter Cohort (N = 158/1,276; 12.4%; CIwilson 10.7–14.3; p for trend = 0.25). NRTI resistance was predominant (7.5%) but decreased significantly over time (CIWilson: 6.2–9.1, p for trend = 0.02). NNRTI resistance tended to increase over time (NNRTI: 3.5%; CIWilson: 2.6–4.6; p for trend = 0.07), whereas PI resistance remained stable (PI: 3.0%; CIWilson: 2.1–4.0; p for trend = 0.24). Resistance to all drug classes was frequently caused by singleton resistance mutations (NRTI 55.6%, PI 68.4%, NNRTI 99.1%). The majority of NRTI-resistant strains (79.8%) carried resistance-associated mutations selected by the thymidine analogues zidovudine and stavudine. Preferably 2NRTI/1PIr combinations were prescribed as first line regimen in patients with resistant HIV as well as in patients with susceptible strains (susceptible 45.3%; 173/382 vs. resistant 65.5%; 40/61). The majority of patients in both groups were treated successfully within the first year after ART-initiation (susceptible: 89.9%; 62/69; resistant: 7/9; 77.8%). Conclusion Overall prevalence of TDR remained stable at a high level but trends of resistance against drug classes differed over time. The significant decrease of NRTI-resistance in patients newly infected with HIV might be related to the introduction of novel antiretroviral drugs and a wider use of genotypic resistance analysis prior to treatment initiation.
An Analysis of Internal R & D Resources and Technological Alliances in Japanese SMEs from the Knowledge-Based View

From the knowledge-based view of the firm, we examined the relationship between internal R&D resources and technological alliances by data from 234 technology-based smalland medium-sized enterprises in Japan. We found: (1) the higher the internal R&D resources, the more non-equity-type alliances firms tended to pursue; (2) subjective factors such as entrepreneurial top management with overseas orientations seemed to affect technological alliances more significantly than objective factors such as firm size or keiretsu relations; and (3) technological alliances may promote corporate growth, but may endanger corporate stability. Interview data supplements these findings.