Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Consistent 3D models from unorganized RGB-D images

This paper presents a system for automated 3D reconstruction of unorganized RGB-D images. Our algorithm is based on image feature matching and graph theory. We use a multiple-view registration scheme based on graph connectivity in order to reduce propagation errors found in motion. We estimate motion between two-views with 3D points back-projected from visual features. Furthermore, we apply a noise model in the pose estimation routine to improve the results. The noise model for a three-dimensional measured point is calculated with variance forward propagation. Using simulated data we prove that the pose estimation in the registration of two point clouds is the Maximum Likelihood Estimator. Equally, we select the minimum number of points for the matching strategy from statistical tests with simulated and real data. Finally, we validate the entire system with real data.
Broad Epitope Coverage of Therapeutic Multi-Antibody Combinations Targeting SARS-CoV-2 Boosts In Vivo Protection and Neutralization Potency to Corner an Immune-Evading Virus

Therapeutic antibodies (Abs) which act on a broader range of epitopes may provide more durable protection against the genetic drift of a target, typical of viruses or tumors. When these Abs exist concurrently on the targeted antigen, several mechanisms of action (MoAs) can be engaged, boosting therapeutic potency. This study selected combinations of four and five Abs with non- or partially overlapping epitopes to the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein, on or outside the crucial receptor binding domain (RBD), to offer resilience to emerging variants and trigger multiple MoAs. The combinations were derived from a pool of unique-sequence scFv Ab fragments retrieved from two SARS-CoV-2-naïve human phage display libraries. Following recombinant expression to full-length human IgG1 candidates, a biolayer interferometric analysis mapped epitopes to bins and confirmed that up to four Abs from across the bins can exist simultaneously on the spike glycoprotein trimer. Not all the bins of Abs interfered with the spike protein binding to angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in competitive binding assays, nor neutralized the pseudovirus or authentic virus in vitro, but when combined in vivo, their inclusion resulted in a much stronger viral clearance in the lungs of intranasally challenged hamsters, compared to that of those treated with mono ACE2 blockers. In addition, the Ab mixtures activated in vitro reporter cells expressing Fc-gamma receptors (FcγRs) involved in antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and phagocytosis (ADCP). The best four-Ab combination neutralized seventeen variants of concern from Wuhan-Hu1 to Omicron BA.4/BA.5 in vitro.
Clinical Outcomes and Prognostic Factors of 695 Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients Treated with Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy

Objective. The 5-year clinical outcomes and prognostic factors of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients treated with intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) were evaluated. Methods. Six hundred ninety five NPC patients primarily treated with IMRT in Sichuan Cancer Hospital from January, 2003 to December, 2006 were analyzed retrospectively, including 540 males and 155 females. The prescription dose was delivered as follows: gross target volume (GTVnx) 67–76 Gy in 30–33 fractions, positive neck lymph nodes (GTVln-R/L) 60–70 Gy in 30–33 fractions, high-risk clinical target volume (CTV1) 60–66 Gy, low-risk clinical target volume (CTV2) 54–60 Gy, and clinical target volume of cervical lymph node regions (CTVln) 50–55 Gy. Results. The 5-year local control (LC), regional control, distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), disease free survival, disease specific survival, and overall survival (OS) rates were 89.8%, 95.2%, 74.1%, 69.6%, 83.2%, and 77.1%. The 5-year DMFS of IMRT and IMRT combined with chemotherapy was 62.1% and 70.9%, the OS of them was 72.9% and 79.1%. The incidence of grade 3 acute and late toxicity was 38.3% and 4.2%, respectively. Conclusion. The 5-year LC and OS rate of NPC treated with IMRT was 89.8% and 77.1%. The clinical stage, N stage, volume of GTVnx, and chemotherapy were the main prognostic factor for the OS. Distant metastasis was the main pattern of failure.
Integrating corporate responsibility principles and stakeholder approaches into mainstream strategy: a stakeholder‐oriented and integrative strategic management framework

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to establish a strategic management framework that supports the integration of corporate social responsibility principles and stakeholder approaches into mainstream business strategy.Design/methodology/approach – A top‐down and bottom‐up approach was used to develop the proposed framework. The top‐down approach focused on analyzing the main strategic management theories including social responsibility movements to identify complementary concepts and create a relevant topology. The bottom‐up approach was based on empirical research on the views of business companies on corporate social responsibility, a review of best practices and case studies mainly in Greece.Findings – The paper describes a stakeholder‐oriented integrative strategic management framework linking the main strategic management theories across value, responsiveness and responsibility dimensions. A mathematical model is presented describing the synergistic development of advantage‐creating knowledge a.
Robust TCP congestion recovery

Presents a new robust TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) congestion recovery scheme to (1) handle bursty packet losses while preserving the self-clocking capability; (2) detect a TCP connection's new equilibrium during congestion recovery, thus improving both link utilization and effective throughput; and (3) make the TCP behavior during congestion recovery very close to that during congestion avoidance, thus "extending" the performance model for congestion avoidance to that for TCP loss recovery. Furthermore, the new recovery scheme requires only a slight modification to the sender side of TCP implementation, thus making it widely deployable. The performance of the proposed scheme is evaluated for scenarios with many TCP flows under the drop-tail and RED (random early detection) gateways in the presence of bursty packet losses. The evaluation results show that the new scheme achieves at least as great a performance improvement as TCP SACK (Selective ACKnowledgments) and consistently outperforms TCP New-Reno. Moreover, its steady-state TCP behavior is close to the ideal TCP congestion behavior. Since the proposed scheme does not require selective acknowledgments nor receiver modifications, its implementation is much simpler than TCP SACK.
Silencing Of Circular RNA-ZNF609 Ameliorates Vascular Endothelial Dysfunction

Vascular dysfunction is a hallmark of ischemic, cancer, and inflammatory diseases, contributing to disease progression. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are endogenous non-coding RNAs, which have been reported to be abnormally expressed in many human diseases. In this study, we used retinal vasculature to determine the role of circular RNA in vascular dysfunction. We revealed that cZNF609 was significantly up-regulated upon high glucose and hypoxia stress in vivo and in vitro. cZNF609 silencing decreased retinal vessel loss and suppressed pathological angiogenesis in vivo. cZNF609 silencing increased endothelial cell migration and tube formation, and protected endothelial cell against oxidative stress and hypoxia stress in vitro. By contrast, transgenic overexpression of cZNF609 showed an opposite effects. cZNF609 acted as an endogenous miR-615-5p sponge to sequester and inhibit miR-615-5p activity, which led to increased MEF2A expression. MEF2A overexpression could rescue cZNF609 silencing-mediated effects on endothelial cell migration, tube formation, and apoptosis. Moreover, dysregulated cZNF609 expression was detected in the clinical samples of the patients with diabetes, hypertension, and coronary artery disease. Intervention of cZNF609 expression is promising therapy for vascular dysfunction.
A Feedback Information-Theoretic Approach to the Design of Brain–Computer Interfaces

This article presents a new approach to designing brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) that explicitly accounts for both the uncertainty of neural signals and the important role of sensory feedback. This approach views a BCI as the means by which users communicate intent to an external device and models intent as a string in an ordered symbolic language. This abstraction allows the problem of designing a BCI to be reformulated as the problem of designing a reliable communication protocol using tools from feedback information theory. Here, this protocol is given by a posterior matching scheme. This scheme is not only provably optimal but also easily understood and implemented by a human user. Experimental validation is provided by an interface for text entry and an interface for tracing smooth planar curves, where input is taken in each case from an electroencephalograph during left- and right-hand motor imagery.
Membrane Type 1–Matrix Metalloproteinase/Akt Signaling Axis Modulates TNF-α-Induced Procoagulant Activity and Apoptosis in Endothelial Cells

Membrane type 1–matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) functions as a signaling molecule in addition to a proteolytic enzyme. Our hypothesis was that MT1-MMP cooperates with protein kinase B (Akt) in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-induced signaling pathways of vascular responses, including tissue factor (TF) procoagulant activity and endothelial apoptosis, in cultured human aortic endothelial cells (ECs). TNF-α (10 ng/mL) induced a decrease in Akt phosphorylation within 60 minutes in ECs. A chemical inhibitor of MMP, TIMP-2 and selective small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated suppression of MT1-MMP reversed TNF-α-triggered transient decrease of Akt phosphorylation within 60 minutes, suggesting that MT1-MMP may be a key regulator of Akt phosphorylation in TNF-α-stimulated ECs. In the downstream events, TNF-α increased TF antigen and activity, and suppressed the expression of thrombomodulin (TM) antigen. Inhibition of Akt markedly enhanced TNF-α-induced expression of TF antigen and activity, and further reduced the expression of TM antigen. Silencing of MT1-MMP by siRNA also reversed the changed expression of TF and TM induced by TNF-α. Moreover, TNF-α induced apoptosis of ECs through Akt- and forkhead box protein O1 (FoxO1)-dependent signaling pathway and nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB) activation. Knockdown of MT1-MMP by siRNA reversed apoptosis of ECs by inhibiting TNF-α-induced Akt-dependent regulation of FoxO1 in TNF-α-stimulated ECs. Immunoprecipitation demonstrated that TNF-α induced the changes in the associations between the cytoplasmic fraction of MT1-MMP and Akt in ECs. In conclusion, we show new evidence that MT1-MMP/Akt signaling axis is a key modifier for TNF-α-induced signaling pathways for modulation of procoagulant activity and apoptosis of ECs.
In vivo studies of substances used in the cosmetic industry

Cosmetic producers are obliged to guarantee the safety and stability of their products. The current legal regulations are based on the European Union Directive (1223/2009) of 30 November 2009. The main aim of the directive is to formulate criteria of safety of a cosmetic product and requirements that it must meet to be placed on the market. A new cosmetic product is subjected to thorough investigation prior to its introduction on the market. It should be studied not only with respect to its safety, but also with respect to its effectiveness declared by the producer. The studies are performed in vivo, by the contact or epidermal patch tests on the human skin.
Nanoresonator based dielectric surfaces for light manipulation

In the last years, increasing interest has grown on the synthesis of light-weight, miniaturized surfaces for light manipulation based on metamaterials. These surfaces can be easily integrated in photonic systems and they can be used as high numerical aperture lenses, light-deflection surfaces and polarization-dependent surfaces. All-dielectric nanoresonator metasurfaces are particularly promising to synthesize light manipulating devices. By simply adjusting the geometric parameters (height and diameter) of the dielectric particles, it is possible to tune the spectral positions of the electric and magnetic resonant modes. The overlap of these resonances allows to design metasurfaces exhibiting a transmission coefficient with unit-amplitude and arbitrary, spatially-variant phase distribution. Moreover, resorting to asymmetric cross-section resonators, it is possible to define metasurfaces with high-efficiency of cross-polarization. In this work, we exploit both properties of dielectric nanoresonators to design a high numerical aperture micro-lens and a thin linear-to-circular polarizer, both working in the visible range. Numerical simulations of the performances of the devices are reported.
Dynamic threshold compensated, low voltage CMOS energy harvesting rectifier for UHF applications

A new differential drive CMOS rectifier topology has been provided for RF wireless energy harvesting of low input power applications as implantable devices. It applies a dynamic threshold compensation technique by gate biasing of selected MOS switches with external bootstrapping circuit. The proposed architecture has been simulated in 0. 18μm CMOS technology. The performance of the circuit is evaluated in terms of the power conversion efficiency (PCE), and the voltage conversion ratio (VCR). The proposed architecture has achieved a maximum power conversion efficiency of 75% and a voltage conversion ratio of 83.9% at 402MHz and −15.4dBm RF input power. The DC output power exceeds 21μW with a parallel combination of 10kOhm and 2pF load. The design layout has 0.085mm2 chip area.
Analysis of Interacting Local Oscillation Mechanisms in Three-Timescale Systems

Oscillations in slow/fast systems can be generated locally in phase space from either slow passage of trajectories through fast subsystem Hopf bifurcations, or from solutions tunnelling through twisted slow manifolds due to folded node singularities. In the two-timescale context, the fast subsystem Hopf and folded singularity remain as separate entities. In the three-timescale context, however, these singularities can interact, which allows for an interesting mixing of timescales and complex oscillatory dynamics. To further compound the problem, the folded singularity in these three-timescale problems is always close to the folded saddle-node regime, where canard theory breaks down. In this work, we examine a natural scenario in three-timescale systems where the fast subsystem Hopf and a folded node coexist and interact, as seen for instance in models for the electrical bursting activity in pituitary lactotrophs and for the secretion of gonadotropin releasing hormone by hypothalamic neurons. We analyze a .
Differing associations of lipid and lipoprotein disturbances with the macrovascular and microvascular complications of type 1 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increased in patients with type 1 diabetes, but lipid and lipoprotein patterns remain favorable. In contrast, nephropathy is associated with an adverse distribution. We compared the associations and predictive power of lipid and lipoprotein disturbances with these complications. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A nested case-control study from the EURODIAB cohort of 140 case subjects with evidence of at least one complication and 84 control subjects with no complications were analyzed. Conventional and unconventional lipid and lipoprotein fractions, including apolipoprotein (apo)-A1, lipoprotein (Lp)-A1, LpA1/A2, apoB, and LDL particle size were measured centrally. RESULTS CVD was only associated with increased LDL cholesterol (3.6 vs. 3.0 mmol/l, P = 0.02). In contrast, albuminuria was associated with elevated cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL, and apoB and with diminished LDL particle size. No disturbances in HDL and related lipoproteins were noted. In normoalbuminuric patients, CVD was not associated with any significant changes in lipids. CVD in macroalbuminuric patients was associated with increased triglyceride level (2.37 vs. 1.07 mmol/l, P = 0.001; P = 0.02 for CVD/albuminuria interaction) and LDL cholesterol (5.4 vs. 3.3 mmol/l, P = 0.005; P = 0.004 for interaction). Independent associations were observed for total cholesterol and for LDL particle size and albuminuria. CONCLUSIONS Abnormalities in lipid and lipoprotein disturbances are more closely related to albuminuria than to CVD in patients with type 1 diabetes. Measurement of conventional parameters provide sufficient risk information. ApoB and LDL particle size offer limited extra information. HDL metabolism remains undisturbed in the presence of complications. These changes reflect associations with glycemic control, which is the key to understanding lipid and lipoprotein disturbances.
Short‐term exposure to nonylphenol induces pancreatic oxidative stress and alters liver glucose metabolism in adult female rats

Nonylphenol is known to have estrogenic properties and has been reported to cause health hazards to animals and humans. The effects of nonylphenol on pancreas are not clearly elucidated. In this study, we sought to evaluate the effects of nonylphenol on the oxidative status of pancreas and consequential effects of nonylphenol on some of the end points of carbohydrate metabolism in the female rats. Rats were administered nonylphenol orally at the doses of 1.5, 15, and 150 mg/kg of body weight per day for 7 days. After 24 h of last dosing, the animals were sacrificed by cervical dislocation. The activities of pancreatic superoxide dismutase and catalase were significantly decreased with a concomitant increase in the levels of H2O2 and lipid peroxidation. Nonylphenol increased plasma insulin levels with a concomitant decrease in the levels of plasma glucose as compared to the control groups of rats. A dose‐dependent increase in the activities of liver hexokinase and phosphofructokinase was recorded along with decreased activity of glycogen phosphorylase in liver. Western blot analysis revealed a significant decrease in the levels of GLUT‐2. These results show that nonylphenol causes oxidative stress in pancreas and impairs liver glucose homeostasis. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 25:77–83, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/jbt.20361
Oxidized LDL Increases the Sensitivity of the Contractile Apparatus in Isolated Resistance Arteries for Ca2 via a Rho- and Rho Kinase–Dependent Mechanism

BackgroundOxidized LDL reduces NO-mediated and endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor–mediated dilations. We studied, in hamster skeletal muscle resistance arteries (213±8 &mgr;m; n=51), whether an altered vascular smooth muscle (VSM) response, particularly sensitization of the VSM contractile apparatus to Ca2+, is involved in this oxLDL effect. Methods and ResultsVSM or endothelial [Ca2+]i and vascular diameter were measured in response to norepinephrine (0.3 &mgr;mol/L), sodium nitroprusside (10 &mgr;mol/L), C-type natriuretic peptide (1 to 100 nmol/L), papaverine (0.1 to 10 &mgr;mol/L), or the endothelial agonist acetylcholine (ACh, 0.01 to 1 &mgr;mol/L). OxLDL significantly increased resting VSM [Ca2+]i (11±3%), decreased diameter (8±2%), and enhanced norepinephrine-induced constrictions. Dilations to sodium nitroprusside and C-type natriuretic peptide were significantly reduced (by 10±2% and 35±6%), whereas dose-response curves for papaverine and ACh were shifted to the right, despite unchanged increases in endothelial Ca2+ after ACh. OxLDL significantly shifted the Ca2+-diameter relation to the left, as assessed by stepwise increasing extracellular Ca2+ (0 to 3 mmol/L) in depolarized skeletal muscle resistance arteries. This sensitization to Ca2+ by oxLDL was abolished after inhibition of Rho (C3 transferase) or Rho kinase (Y27632). ConclusionsOxLDL reduces VSM responsiveness to vasodilators by increasing VSM Ca2+ but preferentially by sensitizing VSM to Ca2+ via a Rho- and Rho kinase–dependent pathway.
Automatic Virtual Camera View Generation for Lecture Videos

ClassX, an interactive online viewing system developed at Stanford University, currently oers automatic tracking of the lecturer to create a virtual camera view for students. However, a tracking-based camera view does not mimic a human operator naturally. To address this issue, we propose a new learning algorithm to automatically generate a professional virtual camera view by learning the behavior of a human camera operator. Our algorithm is based on a human saliency model which predicts the viewer’s center-of-attention and additional features which drive the cinematic decision-making process of the system. Experimental result reveals our system can provide an eective camera view that is almost indistinguishable from a humangenerated camera view.
Substitution of a pentalenolactone-sensitive glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase by a genetically distinct resistant isoform accompanies pentalenolactone production in Streptomyces arenae

Pentalenolactone (PL), an antibiotic produced by Streptomyces arenae, is a potent inhibitor of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). The producer strain contains different isoforms of GAPDH: a PL-sensitive enzyme on nonproduction media and a PL-insensitive enzyme on production media. After induction of PL synthesis, the sensitive GAPDH disappears parallel to the disappearance of its activity, as shown by Western (immunoblot) hybridization. The two isoenzymes exhibit little immunological cross-reactivity and differ in size, amino acid composition, and several amino acid residues of their amino termini. Two different types of plasmids from a S. arenae genomic library, named pBRPLR1 and pBRPLR2, were cloned in Escherichia coli by selection for enhanced PL resistance. Both contain a GAPDH structural gene. Plasmid pBRPLR1 increases E. coli PL tolerance 7-fold, and plasmid pBRPLR2 increases it 30-fold. GAPDH from pBRPLR1 transformants shows biphasic PL inactivation kinetics. These cells contain PL-sensitive GAPDH from both E. coli and S. arenae. GAPDH from pBRPLR2 transformants tolerates higher PL concentrations than either E. coli or S. arenae PL-sensitive GAPDH but is less resistant than S. arenae PL-insensitive GAPDH. Nondenaturing polyacrylamide electrophoresis showed this GAPDH to be a hybrid of E. coli and S. arenae PL-insensitive GAPDH. The hybrid enzyme could be purified to homogeneity. Induction of the lacZ promoter of pUC subclones of both GAPDH genes had only a small effect on raising the level of intracellular GAPDH.