Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Predicting the Perceptual Quality of Point Cloud: A 3D-to-2D Projection-Based Exploration

Point cloud is emerged as a promising media format to represent realistic 3D objects or scenes in applications, such as virtual reality, teleportation, etc. How to accurately quantify the subjective point cloud quality for application-driven optimization, however, is still a challenging and open problem. In this paper, we attempt to tackle this problem in a systematic means. First, we produce a fairly large point cloud dataset where ten popular point clouds are augmented with seven types of impairments (e.g., compression, photometry/color noise, geometry noise, scaling) at six different distortion levels, and organize a formal subjective assessment with tens of subjects to collect mean opinion scores (MOS) for all 420 processed point cloud samples (PPCS). We then try to develop an objective metric that can accurately estimate the subjective quality. Towards this goal, we choose to project the 3D point cloud onto six perpendicular image planes of a cube for the color texture image and corresponding depth image, and aggregate image-based global (e.g., Jensen-Shannon (JS) divergence) and local features (e.g., edge, depth, pixel-wise similarity, complexity) among all projected planes for a final objective index. Model parameters are fixed constants after performing the regression using a small and independent dataset previously published. The proposed metric has demonstrated the state-of-the-art performance for predicting the subjective point cloud quality compared with multiple full-reference and no-reference models, e.g., the weighted peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), structural similarity (SSIM), feature similarity (FSIM) and natural image quality evaluator (NIQE). The dataset is made publicly accessible at http://smt.sjtu. edu.cn or http://vision.nju. edu.cn for all interested audiences.
Asymptotic analysis of solutions of ordinary differential equations with distribution coefficients

Ordinary differential equations of the form on the finite interval are under consideration. Here the functions and are absolutely continuous and positive and the coefficients of the differential expression are subject to the conditions where denotes the th antiderivative of the function in the sense of distributions. Our purpose is to derive analogues of the classical asymptotic Birkhoff-type representations for the fundamental system of solutions of the above equation with respect to the spectral parameter as in certain sectors of the complex plane . We reduce this equation to a system of first-order equations of the form where is a positive function, is a matrix with constant elements, the elements of the matrices and are integrable functions, and as . For systems of this kind, we obtain new results concerning the asymptotic representation of the fundamental solution matrix, which we use to make an asymptotic analysis of the above scalar equations of high order. Bibliography: 44 titles.
DOES HIGHER INCOME AND HIGHER EDUCATIONAL LEVEL AFFECTED HAPINESS? WORLDWIDE EVIDENCE FROM QUANTILE REGRESSION

In order to sustain the current and future standard of living, maintaining long-term economic growth has been the ultimate goal of any nations. Many nations relentlessly pursue the path of economic growth to become developed and high income nations, but little do they realize that in their pursuit of material well-being, they seem to have completely missed the human emotions aspect. Recent literature on happiness has shown evidence that in several developed nations that have enjoyed rapid growth and accumulated high levels of material well-being, their citizens have not reported enjoying higher levels of happiness. Does higher income and education related to happiness? Previous studies have found mixed results. In this study we investigate the effects of income and educational attainment on the levels of happiness in a cross-section of 149 countries. Using OLS and quantile regression estimations, our results suggest that there is a nonlinear relation between income and the levels of happiness, in fact, exhibiting an inverted U-shaped Kuznets curve. On the other hand, primary education reduces the levels of happiness; while secondary and tertiary education increases the levels of happiness.
Hookworm infection and the risk factors among plantation workers in Jember, Indonesia

: Hookworm infection is one of the neglected tropical disease (WHO) and 428 200 000 people are infected with hookworm in wordwilde. Hookworm’s larvae requires soil media in plantation area. Contamination of plantation soil with hookworm’s larvae can occur through unhygienic defecation habit. Hence, workers in plantation areas have a high risk of being infected with hookworms. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence hookworm infection in plantation workers in five plantation areas of Jember, Indonesia District and the risk factors for hookworm infection. This study was observational analytic study with cross–sectional design. The prevalence of hookworm infection in plantation workers was determined based on qualitative methods (Sedimentation and Floatation Method). The defecation habits of the workers were known through questionnaires by interview method. The characteristics of workers and the risk factors were analyzed by the Chi–square test or Fisher’s exact test. The results of the study showed that the prevalence of hookworm infection in five plantation areas was 21.30 %. Based on the results of the questionnaire, most plantation workers (80.5 %) did not defecate in the toilet but at the river or the plantation area. This risk factor had significant association with the prevalence of hookworm infection (p<0.05). The results of this study indicated that unhygienic defecation patterns cause hookworm contamination in the soil of the plantation area. Therefore, the plantation workers could be always expose by the infective larvae as long as they don’t change their defecation habit.
The public-private investment nexus in India: Evidence from a policy simulation approach

This study investigates the influence of public investment on private investment in India, at both the aggregate and Sectoral levels and under two different modes of deficit financing – monetisation and commercial borrowing – in an eclectic macroeconometric modelling framework. Using Generalised Method of Moments (GMM), the two simulation exercises con-ducted in the study highlight the crowding-in effect of public investment on aggregate private investment, irrespective of the mode of financing. The favourable accelerator effect and the complementary effect are found to outweigh the deleterious interest effect in both simulation exercises. At the Sectoral level, public investment is found to most strongly and positively affect private investment in manufacturing, followed by agriculture, the service sector, and finally infrastructure. The impact of public invest-ment on the other sectors included in the model accords well with theoretical expec-tations.
Postpartum Family Planning Utilization and Associated Factors Among Women Who Gave Birth in the Last 12 Months Prior to the Study in Lode Hetosa District, South East Ethiopia

Background: Postpartum family planning helps women to achieve the recommended birth interval before next pregnancy. In Ethiopia contraception use in postpartum period is only 8% while unmet need is 81% resulted in short birth interval, abortion, unplanned birth and miscarriage. Objectives: To assess magnitude of postpartum family planning utilization and its associated factors among postpartum women who gave birth within one year prior to the study. Methods: Community based cross-sectional study was conducted in Lode Hetosa district from July 20, 2018 to August 20, 2018. A random sample of 1162 postpartum women who gave birth within 12 months prior to study was recruited for the study. Structured and pretested questionnaire were utilized to collect the data. After entered to Epi info version 7, a cleaned data was analysed using SPSS version 21. Multivariate logistic regressions were fit to determine association between postpartum family planning utilization and independent variables. Results: Magnitude of postpartum family planning utilization in the study area was 15%. The most frequently used family planning method within 6 weeks after delivery was implants (35%). The odds of using contraception were 2.9(95%CI: 1.41, 5.97) times higher among women whose partners completed secondary education when compared to those with no formal education. Odds of utilizing contraception were 8.27 (95%CI: 4.14, 16.52)times more likely among mothers who got FP counselling during ANC visit when compared with who didn’t get counselling during this time. Likewise, who didn’t get counselling at PNC services were 0.41(95%CI: 0.2, 0.86) times less likely used PPFP relative to who were counselled. Conclusions: Postpartum family planning utilization was low in the district. Partner’s educational status, knowledge of mother, family planning counselling during ANC and PNC and sexual resumption were factors significantly associated with postpartum family planning utilization.
MicroRNA-15b/16 Attenuates Vascular Neointima Formation by Promoting the Contractile Phenotype of Vascular Smooth Muscle Through Targeting YAP

Objective—To investigate the functional role of the microRNA (miR)-15b/16 in vascular smooth muscle (SM) phenotypic modulation. Approach and Results—We found that miR-15b/16 is one of the most abundant mRs expressed in contractile vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). However, when contractile VSMCs get converted to a synthetic phenotype, miR-15b/16 expression is significantly reduced. Knocking down endogenous miR-15b/16 in VSMCs attenuates SM-specific gene expression but promotes VSMC proliferation and migration. Conversely, overexpression of miR-15b/16 promotes SM contractile gene expression while attenuating VSMC migration and proliferation. Consistent with this, overexpression of miR-15b/16 in a rat carotid balloon injury model markedly attenuates injury-induced SM dedifferentiation and neointima formation. Mechanistically, we identified the potent oncoprotein yes-associated protein (YAP) as a downstream target of miR-15b/16 in VSMCs. Reporter assays validated that miR-15b/16 targets YAP’s 3′ untransl.
Crowdsourcing Through Twitter for Innovation

This research investigates the role and use of Twitter in business markets and benefits of using open social media channels to crowd source information to support innovation and build relationship in the context of business-to-business (B2B) marketing. This study is based on a combination of methodologies, 52 face -to-face interviews across five countries are compared with a sample of their Tweets using Structural Topic Modelling (STM) which enabled triangulation between stated use of Twitter and respondent’s actual Tweets. The research confirmed that individuals used Twitter as a source of information, idea s and innovation within their industry. Twitter enables the building of relevant business relationships through the exchange of new, expert and high quality information within like-minded communities in real time, between companies and their suppliers, cus tomers and also their peers. This research highlights the business relationship building capacity of Twitter as it enables customer and peer conversations that eventually support the development of product and service innovations.
Technology-Based Complex Motor Tasks Assessment: A 6-DOF Inertial-Based System Versus a Gold-Standard Optoelectronic-Based One

Currently, the gold-standard method of assessing human motion is by means of optoelectronic analysis systems. However, such systems have some drawbacks (time-consuming procedure, specialized room, expensive,.) and therefore other analysis systems are gaining in importance. Here, we report a novel inertial-sensor based system (Movit System G1, by Captiks) with an innovative calibration, testing its strengths and weaknesses when compared to an optoelectronic gold standard one (Vicon, by Oxford Metrics). In particular, the validation was executed with different subjects performing different motor exercises: walking (Test 1) and joint movements (Test 2). Gathered data from measurements were anlayzed to evidence accuracy and reliability of the inertial-sensor based system, and the statistical agreement between the two measuring approaches. Results demonstrated a very good measurement accuracy of the inertial-based system for hip, knee and ankle’s ROMs in the sagittal plane during walking (RMSE <2.66°, PCC >0.97), and for joint movements in all planes (RMSE <3.46°, PCC >0.94). In addition, the two systems performed with a good agreement (the percentage errors of spatio-temporal parameters were lower than 5%, except for double support which was equal to 8.6%). The reliability was proved for the most gait parameters and joints.
Serological investigation of antibodies against respiratory viruses in calves from Brazilian family farming and their relation to clinical signs of bovine respiratory disease

RESUMO. [Investigação sorológica de anticorpos contra vírus respiratórios em bezerros de propriedades familiares brasileiras e sua relação com os sinais clínicos da doença respiratória dos bovinos. ] A doença respiratória dos bovinos (DRB) é responsável por importantes perdas econômicas para a produção bovina, com maior impacto na agricultura familiar. Os vírus são comumente caracterizados como agentes etiológicos primários devido a mudanças na mucosa respiratória, na produção de citocinas e no funcionamento do sistema imune. Os objetivos deste estudo transversal foram avaliar a presença de anticorpos contra o vírus da diarreia ABSTRACT.Gaeta N.C. , Ribeiro B.L. M. , Alemán M.A.R. , Yoshihara E. , Marques E.C. , Hellmeister A.N. , Pituco E.M. & Gregory L. 2018. Serological investigation of antibodies against respiratory viruses in calves from Brazilian family farming and their relation to clinical signs of bovine respiratory disease. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 38(4):642-648. Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva 87, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP 05508 270, Brazil. E-mail: lgregory@usp.br Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is responsible for economic losses in cattle production. Viruses are categorized as primary etiological agents. The aims of this study were to evaluate the presence of antibodies against bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), bovine herpes virus type 1 (BoHV-1), and bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) in healthy and BRD calves from family farming in relation to clinical signs of BRD. Hundred and forty-five calves were randomly selected and physical examination was performed. Only 123 animals were classified as healthy and BRD calves. Antibodies were evaluated by virus neutralization test. Person’s Chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test were performed as univariate analysis. Binary Logistic Regression was applied as multivariate analysis. Variables with P<0.10 were considered statistically significant. Variables with 0.15<P<0.10 were considered as statistical tendencies. Antibodies against BoHV-1, BVDV, and BRSV were detected in 32%, 23% and 37% animals. Antibodies against both three viruses were detected in 26.8% of calves. The presence of antibodies against BRSV were associated to normal heart rates (P=0.018) and unilateral airflow (P=0.035). Tendency was observed to unilateral airflow (P=0.06) Statistical tendencies were observed to Ab-BoHV-1 and body temperature (P=0.119) and breathing pattern (P=0.123). The profile of antibodies against respiratory viruses in calves from Brazilian family farming was firstly described. The results confirmed the importance of some clinical signs to viral infection.
Atmospheric Chemistry of Hydrazines: Gas Phase Kinetics and Mechanistic Studies.

Abstract : Relatively little work has been done on the atmospheric chemistry of nitrogen-containing compounds such as amines and hydrazines, which are widely used in industrial and military applications. However the discovery of compounds such as N-nitrosamines in the environment and concern regarding their impact on man indicate the need to further elucidate the role of nitrogenous compounds in the atmosphere. The Air Force is presently assessing the environmental impact of the Space Transportation System which uses hydrazines as one of the fuels. In addition, hydrazine is used as a propellant in the F-16 for emergency power. Both uses will result in potential atmospheric releases which should be controlled to a degree dictated by the impact of hydrazines on ambient air quality. Thus, the present study wa designed to experimentally evaluate the atmospheric fate of unsubstituted hydrazine (N2H4), monomethylhydrazine (MMH), and unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH).
Absence of GdX/UBL4A protects against inflammatory bowel diseases by regulating NF-κB signaling in DCs and macrophages

Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation is critical for innate immune responses. Here we report that the UBL4A (Ubiquitin-like protein 4A, also named GdX) enhances dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages (Mφ)-mediated innate immune defenses by positively regulating NF-κB signaling. GdX-deficient mice were resistant to LPS-induced endotoxin shock and DSS-induced colitis. DC- or Mφ-specific GdX-deficient mice displayed alleviated mucosal inflammation, and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by GdX-deficient DCs and Mφ was reduced. Mechanistically, we found that PTPN2 (TC45) and PP2A form a complex with RelA (p65) to mediate its dephosphorylation whereas GdX interrupts the TC45/PP2A/p65 complex formation and restrict p65 dephosphorylation by trapping TC45. Our study provides a mechanism by which NF-κB signaling is positively regulated by an adaptor protein GdX in DC or Mφ to maintain the innate immune response. Targeting GdX could be a strategy to reduce over-activated immune response in inflammatory diseases.
Natural Resource Rent and Financial Development Nexuses in Bangladesh: The Role of Institutional Quality

This paper examines the relationship between the development of the financial sector of the economy and natural rents. The financial sector of the economy is currently an important driver of economic growth. The study was conducted through the prism of addressing two key issues: determining the nature of the impact of natural rents on the financial development of Bangladesh; study of the role of the quality of institutional mechanisms in the relationship between natural rent and financial development of Bangladesh. The study period includes 35 years, from 1984 to 2019. The calculations were performed using an autoregressive model with a distributed lag, based on the order of integration and stationary properties of the variables of this study. The article presents the results of an empirical analysis, which showed a significant negative impact of the lease of natural resources on the financial development of Bangladesh. It is empirically confirmed that the quality of institutional mechanisms for the functioning of economic entities has a positive effect on the relationship between natural rents and the financial development of Bangladesh. The results of the study empirically confirm the hypothesis of insufficient natural resources in Bangladesh. The article emphasizes that the positive moderating role of the quality of the institutional base indicates that due to the strengthening of the institutional base, insufficient resources can become a benefit for the financial sector. The results of the study can be useful for representatives of the Government of Bangladesh from the standpoint of improving the quality of institutional infrastructure in order to ensure financial development, in which there will be positive effects from the implementation of natural resource lease processes. In the future, a study is planned to expand potential sources for the proper use of natural resource leases in Bangladesh. Keywords: natural resource rent, financial development, institutional quality, Pakistan.
Diet and feeding selectivity of the Andean Flamingo Phoenicoparrus andinus and Chilean Flamingo Phoenicopterus chilensis in lowland wintering areas

Flamingos Phoenicopteridae sp. are gregarious birds that travel long distances between breeding and feeding sites. Here we describe the diet and feeding selectivity of two flamingo species, the Andean Flamingo Phoenicoparrus andinus and Chilean Flamingo Phoenicopterus chilensis, which coexist in a lowland area of Argentina. Environmental characteristics and available food resources were assessed at twelve lakes where feeding flocks of both species of flamingos occurred. Food items found in faeces (16S rRNA for bacteria and archaea) and microscopic analyses (for Cyanobacteria, microalgae and microinvertebrates) were analysed, and the birds’ feeding selectivity and niche overlap were estimated. Results showed that the lakes were of eutrophic to hypereutrophic status, and with hypohaline to mesohaline salinity levels. Predominant microorganisms belonged to the Planctomycetes, Verrucomicrobia, Chloroflexi, Euryarchaeota, Cyanobacteria, Bacillariophyta and Copepoda phyla. Euryarchaeota and Firmicutes were the main phyla found in the faeces, with Chloroflexi and Planctomycetes also present in smaller quantities. Proteobacteria were well represented in Andean Flamingo faeces, but Verrucomicrobia were scarce in both species. Cyanobacteria, Bacillariophyta, Copepoda, Cladocera, and Rotifera were abundant in Chilean Flamingo faeces, and larger organisms belonging to Ostracoda, Nematoda, and Diptera were also found. The most consumed taxa were in the intermediate to large size range (104 to 2×105 μm3, and 108 to 2×108 μm3). Andean Flamingo faeces were composed mainly of microalgae, especially diatoms. Cladocera and Copepoda species were found to a lesser extent, showing the flamingos’ preference for intermediate prey sizes (104 to 2×105 μm3). Food selection was probably dependent on the spatial variability in prey availability, as both positive selectivity (for Bacillariophyceae) and avoidance (for Copepoda) were observed in Chilean Flamingos. In contrast, Andean Flamingos showed a high positive selection for diatoms, and strong negative selection for microinvertebrates. Both flamingo species can apparently coexist whilst feeding on a wide spectrum of microorganisms, but trophic niches differed in the amounts of Cyanobacteria, microalgae and microinvertebrates taken. Such a low niche overlap probably contributes to the coexistence of both sympatric species in similar waters.