Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Learning Pairwise Neural Network Encoder for Depth Image-based 3D Model Retrieval

With the emergence of RGB-D cameras (e.g., Kinect), the sensing capability of artificial intelligence systems has been dramatically increased, and as a consequence, a wide range of depth image-based human-machine interaction applications are proposed. In design industry, a 3D model always contains abundant information, which are required for manufacture. Since depth images can be conveniently acquired, a retrieval system that can return 3D models based on depth image inputs can assist or improve the traditional product design process. In this work, we address the depth image-based 3D model retrieval problem. By extending the neural network to a neural network pair with identical output layers for objects of the same category, unified domain-invariant representations can be learned based on the low-level mismatched depth image features and 3D model features. A unique advantage of the framework is that the correspondence information between depth images and 3D models are not required, so that it can easily be generalized to large-scale databases. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of our approach, depth images (with Kinect-type noise) in the NYU Depth V2 dataset are used as queries to retrieve 3D models of the same categories in the SHREC 2014 dataset. Experimental results suggest that our approach can outperform the state-of-the-arts methods, and the paradigm that directly uses the original representations of depth images and 3D models for retrieval.
Brain Implants as Closed-Loop Systems: Risks and Opportunities

Giordano, J., A. Kulkarni, and J. Farwell. 2013. Deliver us from evil? The temptation, realities and neuroethico-legal issues of employing assessment neurotechnologies in public safety initiatives. Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics 35(1): 73–89. Gunduz, A. , H. Morita, P. J. Rossi, et al. 2014. Proceedings of the Second Annual Deep Brain Stimulation Think Tank: What’s in the pipeline. International Journal of Neuroscience 19:1–31.
Long term biventricular resynchronisation therapy in advanced heart failure: effect on neurohormones

Objective: To assess prospectively the effect of cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) on New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class, cardiac function, cardiopulmonary exercise performance, and neurohormonal activation during 24 months’ follow up. Design: Controlled study. Patients and Results: 124 patients with severe congestive heart failure (ejection fraction < 35%, NYHA III–IV) and left bundle branch block (QRS duration > 150 ms) were enrolled (control group, n = 59; CRT group, n = 65) and followed up at 1, 3, 12, and 24 months. Compared with the control group, CRT led to significant short and long term improvements in functional NYHA functional class (mean (SEM) 2.1 (0.4) v 2.8 (0.4) at 24 months, p < 0.05), mean ejection fraction (25.7 (4)% v 21.1 (5)% at 24 months, p < 0.05), peak Vo2 (16.8 (3.9) v 12.6 (3.5) ml/kg × min at 24 months, p < 0.01), and Vo2 at anaerobic threshold (14.4 (3.7) v 10.8 (3.2) ml/kg × min at 24 months, p < 0.05). In addition, CRT for one and 12 months significantly decreased the plasma concentrations of noradrenaline (norepinephrine) and N-terminal fragment of pro-brain natriuretic peptide, whereas no changes were observed for other neurohormones such as antidiuretic hormone, aldosterone, and endothelin. Conclusion: Long term CRT (⩽ 24 months) results in significant improvement of NYHA class and cardiopulmonary exercise capacity and a short term decrease in neurohormonal activation.
Prefrontal Activation Evoked by Infrequent Target and Novel Stimuli in a Visual Target Detection Task: An Event-Related Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

An event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging study of prefrontal cortex was conducted during which subjects performed a visual “oddball” target detection task. Exemplars of three stimulus categories were presented at a rate of one per 1.5 sec for 10 runs, each consisting of 132 trials. Standards were color squares of varying sizes that were presented on ∼92% of trials. Targets were color circles of varying sizes presented irregularly on ∼4% of trials. Novels were pictures of everyday objects that were also presented irregularly on ∼4% of trials. Ten subjects participated in two separate sessions in which they were required to count mentally or to push a button whenever a target appeared. Targets evoked activation within prefrontal cortex, primarily within the middle frontal gyri (MFG). This MFG activation did not differ as a function of the required response. Novels did not evoke significant activity within this region despite evidence from a separate behavioral and event-related potential study demonstrating their strong influence on processing. In additional imaging sessions with two subjects, the rules were reversed to require a button press whenever an object, but not a circle, appeared. These former novels now evoked activation in the MFG, but the former target circles did not. These experiments indicate that MFG activation is reliably evoked by exemplars from arbitrary stimulus categories that are mapped by experimental rules onto an arbitrary covert or overt response.
Observation of Gamma Rays Greater than 10 TeV from Markarian 421

We have observed Markarian 421 in 2001 January and March with the CANGAROO-II imaging Cerenkov telescope during an extraordinarily high state at TeV energies. From 14 hr of observations at very large zenith angles, ~70°, a signal of 298 ± 52 gamma-ray-like events (5.7 σ) was detected at E > 10 TeV, where a higher sensitivity is achieved than those of usual observations near the zenith, owing to a greatly increased collecting area. Under the assumption of an intrinsic power-law spectrum, we derived a differential energy spectrum dN/dE = (3.3 ± 0.9stat ± 0.3syst) × 10-13(E/10 TeV) photons cm-2 s-1 TeV-1, which is steeper than those previously measured around 1 TeV and supports the evidence for a cutoff in the spectrum of Mrk 421. However, the 4 σ excess at energies greater than 20 TeV in our data favors a cutoff energy of ~8 TeV, at the upper end of the range previously reported from measurements at TeV energies.
Quality issues in enameling of ceramic industry products

This paper details a set of quality issues associated with the enamelling of ceramic industry products. Enamelling is a common manufacturing process in the sanitary ware industry, where enamel is applied on the ceramic substrate to provide a coating of protection against corrosion and bacterial infection. This mass manufacturing process combines manual and robotic manipulation and presents unique quality issues. The issues identified in this paper are representative of a greater family of coating processes that deal with complex surfaces and pose special challenges for production and quality engineering departments.
Cytomegalovirus Infection and Atherosclerosis in Candidate of Coronary Artery Bypass Graft

Background: Although there is enough evidence that infectious agents such as Chlamydia pneumonia and Helicobacter pylori may play a pathogenic role in atherosclerosis, this role for cytomegalovirus (CMV) is yet controversial. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to detect CMV-DNA in atherosclerotic plaques in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). Patients and Methods: In this case-control study, candidates for CABG (cases) and patients with valvular or congenital malformation but without atherosclerotic plaques (controls) were studied from 2012 to 2013 at Golestan hospital, Ahvaz, IR Iran. Demographic and laboratory data were collected. Atherosclerotic and histological samples were obtained from visible plaques and from aorta by the surgeon. All the samples were examined for the presence of CMV-DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method using a commercial kit (SinaClon, Tehran, IR Iran). Results: The mean ages in case and control groups were 60.8 ± 6.8 and 57.5 ± 11.5 years, respectively, with no significant difference (P = 0.09). Thirty patients (54.5%) in case and 32 (58.2%) in control groups were male with no significant difference (P = 0.7). CMV-DNA was present in 8 (14.5%) of the cases and 2 (4%) of the controls. CMV-DNA was associated with higher risk of atherosclerosis (OR: 7.7, 95% CI = 1.1-51.4, P = 0.03). Of the total normal aortic samples (55 in cases and 55 in controls), there was no individual with simultaneous positive CMV-DNA among aortic atherosclerotic and normal tissue samples. Conclusions: The presence of CMV-DNA in aortic plaques is associated with increased risk of atherosclerosis. CMV infection may be considered as an independent risk factor for this event.
Is a submissive posture adaptive when being evaluated negatively? Effects on cortisol reactivity.

OBJECTIVES Subordinate status and submissiveness are stressful and are often associated with ill-health. However, when there is a physical or social threat posed by more powerful others, showing submissiveness may be a good strategy to avoid or terminate conflict. One way to show submissiveness is to assume a subordinate body posture, which may also help regulate one's own stress responses by making one feel safer, and by diverting attention away from one's negative emotions and positive expectations. METHODS 85 male participants were randomly assigned to assume either a dominant posture (expansive, taking up more space with open limbs) or a subordinate posture (constrictive, taking up less space with closed limbs) while delivering a speech and performing difficult arithmetic tasks in front of two critical evaluators. Cortisol levels were assessed from saliva samples obtained before and after these stressful tasks. RESULTS Dominant posture resulted in a larger cortisol response compared to the subordinate posture. Participants in the subordinate posture did not show the normative increase in cortisol observed in other studies using this standardized social-evaluative stress protocol. CONCLUSION The finding that a subordinate posture decreases acute stress responses during negative social evaluation suggests that submissive strategies may be appropriate and adaptive in uncontrollable situations involving negative social evaluation. Submissiveness may diminish endocrine stress responses, which are hypothesized to have adverse effects on health in the long term. These findings have implications for developing strategies to help individuals deal with stressful social-evaluative situations while protecting their physical and mental health.
Fluorescent Proteins as Genetically Encoded FRET Biosensors in Life Sciences

Fluorescence- or Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) is a measurable physical energy transfer phenomenon between appropriate chromophores, when they are in sufficient proximity, usually within 10 nm. This feature has made them incredibly useful tools for many biomedical studies on molecular interactions. Furthermore, this principle is increasingly exploited for the design of biosensors, where two chromophores are linked with a sensory domain controlling their distance and thus the degree of FRET. The versatility of these FRET-biosensors made it possible to assess a vast amount of biological variables in a fast and standardized manner, allowing not only high-throughput studies but also sub-cellular measurements of biological processes. In this review, we aim at giving an overview over the recent advances in genetically encoded, fluorescent-protein based FRET-biosensors, as these represent the largest and most vividly growing group of FRET-based sensors. For easy understanding, we are grouping them into four categories, depending on their molecular mechanism. These are based on: (a) cleavage; (b) conformational-change; (c) mechanical force and (d) changes in the micro-environment. We also address the many issues and considerations that come with the development of FRET-based biosensors, as well as the possibilities that are available to measure them.
Maternal repeated oral exposure to microcystin‐LR affects neurobehaviors in developing rats

Microcystins are toxic peptides secreted by certain water blooms of toxic cyanobacteria. The most widely studied microcystin is microcystin‐LR (MC‐LR), which exhibits hepatotoxicity and neurotoxicity. However, limited information is available regarding the effects on offspring following maternal exposure. The present study was conducted to observe the effects of progestational exposure to MC‐LR on postnatal development in rats. Female Sprague‐Dawley rats (28 d old) were randomly divided into a control group and 3 treatment groups (1.0 µg MC‐LR/kg body wt, 5.0 µg MC‐LR/kg body wt, and 20.0 µg MC‐LR/kg body wt), with 7 rats per group. The MC‐LR was administered through gavage once every 48 h for 8 wk. Pure water was used as control. Each female rat was mated with an unexposed adult male rat. Motor development, behavioral development, and learning ability of pups were detected using surface righting reflex, negative geotaxis, and cliff avoidance tests on postnatal day 7. Open‐field and Morris water maze tests were performed on postnatal day 28 and day 60. The levels of lipid peroxidation products and antioxidant indices in the rat hippocampus were also detected. Pups from the MC‐LR‐treated groups had significantly lower scores than controls in the cliff avoidance test (p < 0.05). Cognitive impairment, malondialdehyde level, and total superoxide dismutase activity significantly increased in MC‐LR–exposed pups compared with controls (p < 0.05). Therefore, the present study reveals that maternal exposure to MC‐LR has adverse effects on neurodevelopment in rat offspring. Environ Toxicol Chem 2015;34:64–69. © 2014 SETAC
Phylogeographic inference using Bayesian model comparison across a fragmented chorus frog species complex

Fragmented species complexes provide an interesting system for investigating biogeographic history and the present distribution of genetic variation. Recent advances in sequencing technology and statistical phylogeography enable the collection and rigorous analysis of large multilocus data sets, but designing studies that produce meaningful phylogeographic inferences remains challenging. We implemented a Bayesian model comparison approach to investigate previous biogeographic hypotheses while simultaneously inferring the presence of genetic structure in a chorus frog species complex. The Illinois chorus frog (Pseudacris illinoensis), originally described as a subspecies of the broadly distributed Strecker's chorus frog (Pseudacris streckeri), occurs in small, disjunct regions associated with scarce sand prairie habitats that have been impacted by human development. We used high‐throughput sequencing to develop and collect a multitiered genetic data set comprised of three different marker types (23 anonymous nuclear sequence loci, four mitochondrial genes and 14 microsatellite loci) designed to address questions across different evolutionary timescales. Phylogenetic analyses uncovered a deep divergence between populations in the Edwards Plateau of central Texas and all other P. streckeri/P. illinoensis populations, but suggest the disjunct distribution of P. illinoensis occurred more recently. Our best‐supported migration model is consistent with the hypothesis that central Texas represented a refugium from which populations expanded via multiple routes. This model also indicates that disjunct northern and southern regions of P. illinoensis should be considered genetically distinct management units. Our study provides an evolutionary context for future studies and conservation efforts in P. illinoensis and demonstrates the utility of model‐based approaches for phylogeographic inference.
Efficacy of deferoxamine, N-acetylcysteine and selenium treatments in rats with Adriamycin-induced nephrotic syndrome.

BACKGROUND Various experimental models related to Adriamycin (ADR)-induced nephropathy have been reported. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), deferoxamine (DFO) and selenium in protection against renal injury in ADR nephropathy. METHODS The study included 53 Sprague Dawley male rats. Nephrotic syndrome was induced by injection of ADR 5 mg/kg intravenously (n=46). Control rats (n=7) were injected with an equal volume of isotonic saline. After ADR administration, they were divided into a group given only ADR (n=17) and 3 antioxidant treatment groups: (i) NAC (n=10), (ii) DFO (n=10) and (iii) selenium (n=9). In both renal tissue and erythrocytes, oxidative system parameters and trace elements were determined. RESULTS Nephrotic syndrome was proven in ADR-injected rats 4 weeks after injections, with proteinuria, higher blood lipids and hypoalbuminemia. All of the antioxidant agents used in the present study to prevent the development of nephrotic syndrome provided benefits for the nephrotic state. Of them, selenium seemed to offer relatively lower and statistically insignificant efficacy for preventing proteinuria compared with the others. CONCLUSIONS Our results showed that concomitant administration of some antioxidants with ADR injections seems to have beneficial effects on clinical parameters even if antioxidants were given in a single dose. NAC and DFO are more effective than selenium to prevent renal injury.
Problems and Strategies in English Translation of Quranic Divine Names

The present research was an attempt to see how Quranic Divine Names (DNs) were translated into English by three professional translators namely, Shakir (1985), Qarai (2003), and Nikayin (2006) who provided their translations in prose, phrase-by-phrase, and poetry forms respectively. Firstly, the problems which the translators met for attaining lexical adequacy and semantic equivalence were explored. Secondly, the type and extent of strategies adopted by these three translators for overcoming the problems were described. Finally, the translators` works were compared and implications drawn. The findings of the study showed that the lexical compression of the original DNs and their emotive overtones and effects caused the main body of problems for the translators. Furthermore, it was found out that the most frequent strategies adopted by Shakir and Qarai were ‘near-synonymy’ and ‘expansion’ respectively. Nikayin, however, used these two strategies almost to an equal extent as his most frequent strategies.
Safeguarding children from emotional abuse: what works?

Emotional maltreatment (or psychological maltreatment, as it is more commonly called in the US) is an inadequately researched and poorly understood concept, despite increasing awareness about the harm it can cause to children’s lives. This review of the literature summarises the evidence about what works to prevent child emotional maltreatment before if occurs and also to prevent its recurrence (i.e. once it has taken place), and focuses on the parents or primary carers of children aged 0-19 years.
Orthogonal versus linear models of acculturation among immigrant Chinese Canadians: A comparison of mothers, fathers, and children

A multidimensional model of acculturation was examined among 96 immigrant Chinese families living in Canada. All parents were foreign-born, as were 75% of children (average age 12). Each family member completed measures of cultural orientation (behavioural practices), identity, and cultural values. An orthogonal model of acculturation (e.g., host and ethnic culture affiliations are independent rather than linear) was clearly supported for fathers and children. For fathers and foreign-born children, greater involvement in Canadian culture was not associated with a diminishment of ethnic identity or values. For Canadian-born children, this involvement seemed to foster, rather than reduce, the endorsement of ethnic identity and traditional values. For mothers, ethnic and host cultural domains were modestly negatively correlated, providing less support for the orthogonal model. Results are discussed in relation to the conditions that may foster orthogonal versus linear models of acculturation.
Combined Strength and Endurance Training Improves Health-Related Quality of Life in Healthy Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of 21 weeks of strength and/or endurance training on health related quality of life (HRQoL) in 39–77 year-old healthy subjects. 108 men and 96 women were randomized into endurance, strength, or combined training groups and controls. Strength-group performed high-intensity strength training while endurance-group performed cycle training. Combined-group completed both training protocols. Leg extension strength and maximal oxygen uptake were measured. HRQoL was assessed with a Finnish version of SF-36 questionnaire. A significant training-induced difference was observed between groups (p=0.038) in the vitality dimension of HRQoL, which was characterized by a 6.6±1.5 unit increase in the combined group and no change in the other groups. Both endurance and combined training showed small improvements in certain dimensions of HRQoL. Dimensions of general (4.6±1.9) and mental health (3.9±1.4) improved in combined-group while general health (4.4±2.0), bodily pain (5.5±2.5) and role physical (6.0±2.4) improved in endurance-group. Strength-group experienced increased pain ( − 5.4±1.8) during the experimental period. However, increased perception of pain was not observed during combined training. According to the present results both endurance and especially combined training may have potential to promote or maintain certain dimensions of HRQoL even in middle-aged and older adults.
Uniform convergence rates for nonparametric regression and principal component analysis in functional/longitudinal data

We consider nonparametric estimation of the mean and covariance functions for functional/longitudinal data. Strong uniform convergence rates are developed for estimators that are local-linear smoothers. Our results are obtained in a unified framework in which the number of observations within each curve/cluster can be of any rate relative to the sample size. We show that the convergence rates for the procedures depend on both the number of sample curves and the number of observations on each curve. For sparse functional data, these rates are equivalent to the optimal rates in nonparametric regression. For dense functional data, root-n rates of convergence can be achieved with proper choices of bandwidths. We further derive almost sure rates of convergence for principal component analysis using the estimated covariance function. The results are illustrated with simulation studies.