Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
FSC: Few-point Shape Completion

While previous studies have demonstrated successful 3D object shape completion with a sufficient number of points, they often fail in scenarios when a few points, e.g. tens of points, are observed. Surprisingly, via entropy analysis, we find that even a few points, e.g. 64 points, could retain substantial information to help recover the 3D shape of the object. To address the challenge of shape completion with very sparse point clouds, we then propose Few-point Shape Completion (FSC) model, which contains a novel dual-branch feature extractor for handling extremely sparse inputs, coupled with an extensive branch for maximal point utilization with a saliency branch for dynamic importance assignment. This model is further bolstered by a two-stage revision network that refines both the extracted features and the decoder output, enhancing the detail and authenticity of the completed point cloud. Our experiments demonstrate the feasibility of recovering 3D shapes from a few points. The proposed Few-point Shape Completion (FSC) model outperforms previous methods on both few-point inputs and many-point inputs, and shows good generalizability to different object categories.
Deep Learning-Assisted Parallel Interference Cancellation for Grant-Free NOMA in Machine-Type Communication

In this paper, we present a novel approach for joint activity detection (AD), channel estimation (CE), and data detection (DD) in uplink grant-free non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) systems. Our approach employs an iterative and parallel interference removal strategy inspired by parallel interference cancellation (PIC), enhanced with deep learning to jointly tackle the AD, CE, and DD problems. Based on this approach, we develop three PIC frameworks, each of which is designed for either coherent or non-coherence schemes. The first framework performs joint AD and CE using received pilot signals in the coherent scheme. Building upon this framework, the second framework utilizes both the received pilot and data signals for CE, further enhancing the performances of AD, CE, and DD in the coherent scheme. The third framework is designed to accommodate the non-coherent scheme involving a small number of data bits, which simultaneously performs AD and DD. Through joint loss functions and interference cancellation modules, our approach supports end-to-end training, contributing to enhanced performances of AD, CE, and DD for both coherent and non-coherent schemes. Simulation results demonstrate the superiority of our approach over traditional techniques, exhibiting enhanced performances of AD, CE, and DD while maintaining lower computational complexity.
Towards Graph Foundation Models for Personalization

In the realm of personalization, integrating diverse information sources such as consumption signals and content-based representations is becoming increasingly critical to build state-of-the-art solutions. In this regard, two of the biggest trends in research around this subject are Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) and Foundation Models (FMs). While GNNs emerged as a popular solution in industry for powering personalization at scale, FMs have only recently caught attention for their promising performance in personalization tasks like ranking and retrieval. In this paper, we present a graph-based foundation modeling approach tailored to personalization. Central to this approach is a Heterogeneous GNN (HGNN) designed to capture multi-hop content and consumption relationships across a range of recommendable item types. To ensure the generality required from a Foundation Model, we employ a Large Language Model (LLM) text-based featurization of nodes that accommodates all item types, and construct the graph using co-interaction signals, which inherently transcend content specificity. To facilitate practical generalization, we further couple the HGNN with an adaptation mechanism based on a two-tower (2T) architecture, which also operates agnostically to content type. This multi-stage approach ensures high scalability; while the HGNN produces general purpose embeddings, the 2T component models in a continuous space the sheer size of user-item interaction data. Our comprehensive approach has been rigorously tested and proven effective in delivering recommendations across a diverse array of products within a real-world, industrial audio streaming platform.
Linking Invariants for Valuations and Orderings on Fields

The mod-2 arithmetic Milnor invariants, introduced by Morishita, provide a decomposition law for primes in canonical Galois extensions with unitriangular Galois groups, and contain the Legendre and Redei symbols as special cases. Morishita further proposed a notion of mod-q arithmetic Milnor invariants, where q is a prime power, for number fields containing the q-th roots of unity and satisfying certain class field theory assumptions. We extend this theory from the number field context to general fields, by introducing a notion of a linking invariant for discrete valuations and orderings. We further express it as a Magnus homomorphism coefficient, and relate it to Massey product elements in Galois cohomology.
One for All and All for One: GNN-based Control-Flow Attestation for Embedded Devices

Control-Flow Attestation (CFA) is a security service that allows an entity (verifier) to verify the integrity of code execution on a remote computer system (prover). Existing CFA schemes suffer from impractical assumptions, such as requiring access to the prover's internal state (e.g., memory or code), the complete Control-Flow Graph (CFG) of the prover's software, large sets of measurements, or tailor-made hardware. Moreover, current CFA schemes are inadequate for attesting embedded systems due to their high computational overhead and resource usage. In this paper, we overcome the limitations of existing CFA schemes for embedded devices by introducing RAGE, a novel, lightweight CFA approach with minimal requirements. RAGE can detect Code Reuse Attacks (CRA), including control- and non-control-data attacks. It efficiently extracts features from one execution trace and leverages Unsupervised Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) to identify deviations from benign executions. The core intuition behind RAGE is to exploit the correspondence between execution trace, execution graph, and execution embeddings to eliminate the unrealistic requirement of having access to a complete CFG. We evaluate RAGE on embedded benchmarks and demonstrate that (i) it detects 40 real-world attacks on embedded software; (ii) Further, we stress our scheme with synthetic return-oriented programming (ROP) and data-oriented programming (DOP) attacks on the real-world embedded software benchmark Embench, achieving 98.03% (ROP) and 91.01% (DOP) F1-Score while maintaining a low False Positive Rate of 3.19%; (iii) Additionally, we evaluate RAGE on OpenSSL, used by millions of devices and achieve 97.49% and 84.42% F1-Score for ROP and DOP attack detection, with an FPR of 5.47%.
A Novel “Nano-bomb” Consisting of the Real Explosive RDX and Gold Nanorods for Destroying Cell-like Microcapsules

In the ongoing pursuit of innovative therapeutic solutions of cancers, we proposed a novel strategy of “nano-bombs”, which combines the character of real explosive hexogen (RDX) and the superior photothermal conversion eﬃciency of gold nanorods (GNRs), for achieving cellular-level destruction. The electrospray technique was used to fabricate nanoscale RDX/GNRs bombs, yielding quasi-spherical 200-500 nm particles with optical absorbance at 835 nm. A near-infrared femto-second laser with a lower ﬂuence activated nano-bombs and destroyed the cell-simulating microcapsules, without signiﬁcant temperature rise. The underlying mechanism in-volves that GNRs localize the laser energy to form the hotspot necessary for RDX thermal explosion, leading to the microbubble formation of gas products and subsequently collapse that yield mechanical damage. This approach is distinct from conventional photo-thermal and photoacoustic methods
AUS DER FORSCHUNG

In the current age of medical research, with its concentration on empirical facts, the efficiency of therapeutic methods tends to be measured by the intensity of symptoms. Cultural transformations, however, have meant an increase in the attention being paid to the quality of a patient’s life, especially in cases of lingering illness. The question of the meaning of life and values are often felt to be the domain of the patients’ private choices and one in which therapists should not interfere. However, the manner in which a patient experiences the meaning of life and values constitute Corrective Experience of Values and Existential Fulfillment in a course of short-term psychodynamic group psychotherapy
Higher-order Spatial Accuracy in Diﬀeomorphic Image Registration

: We discretize a cost functional for image registration problems by deriving Taylor expansions for the matching term. Minima of the discretized cost functionals can be computed with no spatial discretization error, and the optimal solutions are equivalent to minimal energy curves in the space of k -jets. We show that the solutions convergence to optimal solutions of the original cost functional as the number of particles increases with a convergence rate of O ( h d + k ) where h is a resolution parameter. The eﬀect of this approach over traditional particle methods is illustrated on synthetic examples and real images.
Revealing Choice Bracketing

Experiments suggest that people fail to take into account interdependencies between their choices -- they do not broadly bracket. Researchers often instead assume that people narrowly bracket, but existing designs do not test it. We design a novel experiment and revealed preference tests for how someone brackets their choices. In portfolio allocation under risk, social allocation, and induced-value shopping experiments, 40-43% of subjects are consistent with narrow bracketing and 0-16% with broad bracketing. Adjusting for each model's predictive precision, 74% of subjects are best described by narrow bracketing, 13% by broad bracketing, and 6% by intermediate cases.
ρ and K ∗ resonances on the lattice at nearly physical quark masses and N f = 2

Working with a pion mass m π ≈ 150 MeV, we study ππ and Kπ scattering using two ﬂavours of non-perturbatively improved Wilson fermions at a lattice spacing a ≈ 0 . 071 fm. Employing two lattice volumes with linear spatial extents of N s = 48 and N s = 64 points and moving frames, we extract the phase shifts for p -wave ππ and Kπ scattering near the ρ and K ∗ resonances. Comparing our results to those of previous lattice studies, that used pion masses ranging from about 200 MeV up to 470 MeV, we ﬁnd that the coupling g ρππ appears to be remarkably constant as a function of m π .
A-Site Doped in Perovskite La (1-x

Microwave radiation can have harmful effects on our bodies. With increased exposure due to online activities, it is essential to use absorber materials like perovskite manganate to reduce radiation. In this study, perovskite manganate La (1-x) Ba x/2 Sr x/2 Mn 0.4 Ti 0.6 O 3 (x = 0, 0.1, and 0.3) was synthesized using the sol-gel method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that the two samples were multi-phased, LaMnO 3 and La 2 Ti 2 O 7 , and were formed, exhibiting a rhombohedral crystal structure (R -3 c). Morphological characterization of the sample surface using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) showed that as doping increases, the grain size decreases from 282.02 to 245.63 nm at x=0 and x=0.3, respectively. This result implies that doping leads to more uniform grain distribution and enhanced grain refinement. Characterization via Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) revealed that the maximum saturation value, 0.79 emu/g, was attained when x = 0. This sample exhibits soft magnetic properties, as evidenced by its coercivity (Hc) value of < 1kOe. Results from the Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) indicate that the absorption capacity of La (1-x) Ba x/2 Sr x/2 Mn 0.4 Ti 0.6 O 3 increases, with a maximum reflection loss value of -25.5 dB with 1.5 mm thickness. Consequently, La (1-x) Ba x/2 Sr x/2 Mn 0.4 Ti 0.6 O 3 demonstrates potential as a microwave absorber material.
Baltic State Migration System The Case of Latvian Immigrants in Sweden

The article focuses on the migration from the Baltic States to Sweden, with a particular focus on Latvia. Two historical turns in the Baltic States’ recent history have contributed to an out-migration from the region— the restoration of independence in the early 1990s and accession to the European Union (EU) in 2004. Although these events were considered positive as they meant “open” borders for Baltic State citizens, lately the out-migration from Latvia has increased. Likewise, the global economic crisis that started in 2008 and the consequential unemployment draw attention to emerging patterns and the composition of emigrants to several destinations, but in this case particularly to Sweden. After the EU expansion Sweden did not receive as many Eastern European migrants as was expected at the time, but recent trends reveal that there has been a steady increase in the migration flow since then. The Nordic countries as a potential destination initially lacked pioneer migrants to establish social support networks that would attract newcomers, but this is now changing; statistics for 2010 show that the number of Baltic State immigrants in Sweden has grown significantly since 2008. With the economic recession and unemployment in Latvia in 2009, 2010 had even higher emigration activity than in 2004 just after the country’s accession to the EU. Nordic countries emerge as welcoming destinations to recent migrants, who state that the proximity to their home country and the labour market opportunities are the main attraction but also that a positive view of Sweden and the Swedes plays a part. Contemporary trends of migration from the Baltic States and especially Latvia under conditions of economic downturn lead to emerging pattern of migration systems between Latvia and Sweden, combining a mixture of motives and diversity of the people involved in migration chains.
Do physical exercise and reading reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease? a cross-sectional study on factors associated with Parkinson’s disease in elderly chinese veterans

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate risk factors for and factors protecting against Parkinson’s disease (PD) in elderly Chinese veterans. Methods: Using a database containing detailed information on the health status of the nervous system in elderly Chinese veterans, univariate and multivariate analyses of factors that may be associated with PD were performed. Univariate analysis of qualitative data was done using the Pearson Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests, and the Mann–Whitney U nonparametric test was used for univariate analysis of quantitative data. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors for and factors protecting against PD in elderly Chinese veterans. Results: A total of 9,676 elderly Chinese veterans were enrolled, including 228 cases with PD and 183 cases with Parkinson’s syndrome, with 9,265 non-PD subjects serving as controls. Age (odds ratio [OR] 1.343, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.028–1.755) and medical history of essential tremor (OR 1.228, 95% CI 1.081–1.396) were identified as independent risk factors for PD, with age being the most important risk factor. Physical exercise (OR 0.478, 95% CI 0.355–0.643) and reading (OR 0.513, 95% CI 0.357–0.735) were identified as independent factors protecting against PD, and physical exercise showed better protection against PD relative to reading. Smoking, alcohol use, anemia, cerebral trauma, education level, and electromagnetic field exposure showed no association with PD. Conclusion: Physical exercise and reading may be independent factors that protect against PD among elderly Chinese veterans, while advancing age and medical history of essential tremor may be independent risk factors for PD. This study was cross-sectional, so further research is needed to confirm its results.
Seasonal Dynamics of Carabid Beetles (Coleoptera : Carabidae) in Areas with Anthropogenic Disturbance. The Case of Uzungwa Scarp Nature Forest

Seasonal variation in diversity and community composition of ground beetles was investigated in the Uzungwa Scarp Nature Forest Reserve (USNFR), Tanzania. Carabid beetles were collected using three methods, namely pitfall traps, active day search and active night searching. Sampling of ground beetles was carried out in three seasons: dry season, wet season, and end of dry season in 2016, 2018 and 2019. Results showed that the diversity of ground beetles was highest during the wet season (Shannon-Wiener H' = 2.19) and lowest at the end of the dry season (H' = 1.83). The difference was statistically signi�cant when comparing the end of dry season against the wet season, and between wet and dry season (t = 5.85 and 4.88, respectively, p < 0.05). Species richness was highest during the wet season and the difference was statistically signi�cant among the three seasons ( χ 2 = 13.46, p < 0.05). Abundance was highest during the wet season, with mean number of carabid beetles 1.256 ± 0.08 per sample, and lowest at the end of dry season (0.48 ± 0.05 individuals per sample). Kruskal-Wallis test revealed that the difference in abundance among the three seasons was statistically signi�cant (H = 128.3, p < 0.05). Bray-Curtis similarity index showed low similarity in community composition among all three seasons. We conclude that ground beetles communities in anthropogenically disturbed areas vary with season, therefore to have a comprehensive sampling of ground beetles, sampling should cover at least one-year involving different seasons of the year.
New insights about astilbin, a sweet polyphenol: effect of grape variety and stems addition during winemaking

In the usual red winemaking process, grapes are destemmed between the harvest and the filling of the vat. However, in regions like Bourgogne, some winemakers let all or a part of the stems in contact with the juice during vatting. This choice will likely affect the sensory properties of wine, such as its gustatory perception. The present study investigated the effect of adding stems during the winemaking process on the concentration of a sweetening compound, astilbin. The sensory contribution of astilbin in wines was first clarified by measuring its taste detection threshold and comparing it with the concentrations found in various commercial wines. Then, experimental wines resulting from the addition of stems in various proportions were analysed. These practical experiments were carried out in various French wine estates, in Bourgogne, Beaujolais and Bordeaux, over three vintages, allowing the comparison of different grape varieties, namely Pinot noir, Gamay and Merlot. For each experiment, the modality with the addition of stems was compared with a vat of destemmed grapes from the same plot. Samples were taken throughout the winemaking process to be analysed by liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Exactive, Orbitrap analyser). The results showed that the addition of stems during vatting significantly increased astilbin concentration. Furthermore, this increase varied according to the grape variety. Whereas the astilbin contents were lower in Merlot wines than in Pinot noir or Gamay wines, the ratio between its concentration of wines from the two modalities was higher in Merlot than in Pinot noir and Gamay. The localisation of astilbin in the different components of the bunch, depending on the grape variety, was also investigated to understand this difference better. Thus, a higher abundance of astilbin in stems than in skins was found in the Merlot variety, whereas, for Gamay and Pinot noir, the total quantity of astilbin in a bunch was located in equal proportions in stems and skins. These new results bring new tools to understand better the practice of whole bunch vinification from a chemical perspective.
Maternal Linguistic Input to Toddlers with Slow Expressive Maternal Linguistic Input to Toddlers with Slow Expressive Language Development Language Development

Maternal speech styles to children between 20 and 34 months of age who were slow to acquire expressive language were compared to those of mothers with normally speaking toddlers. Aspects of the mothers' speech examined included use of various sentence types (declaratives, negative, questions, etc.), the mother's lexical contingency with regard to the child's utterance; mother's use of pragmatic functions such as requests, comments, and conversational devices; and the mother's use of topic management. Results revealed that mothers of toddlers with slow language development are different from mothers of normal speakers only in their frequency of use of lexical contingency devices, specifically, expansion and extension. However, the proportion of expansions and extensions relative to the number of child utterances is not different, indicating that when late talkers give their mothers something to expand, the mothers do so, but that the late talkers do not give their mothers as much speech to work with as do the normal toddlers. Implications of these findings for parent training are discussed
Diabetic Foot Ulcer

It is estimated that approximately 15% of diabetic people world-wide will at some stage develop diabetic foot ulceration. The prevalence of active foot ulceration varies from approx‐ imately 1% in certain European and North American studies to more than 11% in reports from some African countries (table 1). Although there have been many developments in recent years which encourage optimism for future improvement in diabetic foot care, there is still much to be done; the recent data from the Netherlands show that with a concerted team approach, it is possible to increase the numbers of foot clinics with the provision of podiatry services by more than 100%. However, many countries still lack proper podiatry and specialist nursing provision and there remains much to be done in the next millennium to improve the lot of the diabetic patient with foot problems. [2,3] In general, in diabetic patients, the incidence of foot ulcers ranges from 1.0% to 4.1%, and the incidence of lower-extremity amputations ranges from 2.1 to 13.7 per 1000. [4-6]
Manuscript

The author is interested in issues related to deterministic chaos in exchange rate expectations following the earlier work by Resende and Zeidan (Economics Letters, 2008). Specifically, Resende and Zeidan estimate Lyapunov exponents and implement the tests of Fernandez-Rodriguez, Sosvilla-Rivero, and Andrada-Felix (FSA hereafter, 2005, Journal of Applied Econometrics). The test is based on the property that the Lyapunov exponents have been observed to stabilize under chaos, but increase with the sample size for stochastic processes given the properties of noise.
Momentum Crashes

Across numerous asset classes, momentum strategies have produced high returns, high Sharpe ratios, and strong positive alphas relative standard asset pricing models. However, the returns to momentum strategies are skewed: they experience infrequent but strong and persistent strings of negative returns. These momentum “crashes” are forecastable: they occur following market declines, when market volatility is high, and contemporaneous with market “rebounds. ” The data suggest that low ex-ante expected returns in crash periods result from a a conditionally high premium attached to the the option-like payoffs of the past-loser portfolios.