Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Image transformation based on spherical sensor model for distortion-free pedestrian detection

In this paper, we propose an image transformation method for correcting projective distortion which commonly occurs in surveillance camera systems. The method geometrically transforms a planar image into an equirectangular image using a spherical image sensor model. The transformation makes objects standing perpendicular to the ground to appear vertically in the image and also makes objects at the same distance from the camera to appear in the same row in the image. Experimental result on simulated and real scenes confirms effectiveness of the method.
Pediatric Hospital Indications , Hospital Course , and Complexity of Patients Undergoing Tracheostomy at a Tertiary Care

Objective. The purpose of this study was to review inpatients undergoing tracheostomies at a tertiary care pediatric hospital in a 24-month period and to identify the indications, comorbidities, hospital course, patient complexity, and predischarge planning for tracheostomy care. The goal was to analyze these factors to highlight potential areas for improvement. Study Design. Case series with chart review. Setting. Tertiary care pediatric hospital. Subjects. Ninety-five inpatients at Boston Children’s Hospital requiring a primary or revision tracheostomy during the 24month period encompassing 2010 to 2011. Methods. Inpatients undergoing tracheostomy during the study period were identified using 2 different databases: the Boston Children’s Hospital Department of Otolaryngology and Communication Enhancement database and institutionspecific information from the Child Health Corporation of America’s Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS). We extracted the specified metrics from the inpatient charts. Results. Patients undergoing tracheostomy are complex, with an average of 3.4 comorbidities and 13.6 services involved in their care. The tracheostomy was mentioned in 97.9% of physician and 69.5% of nurse discharge notes, and 42.5% of physician discharge notes contained a plan or appointment for follow-up. Of the patients, 33.7% were discharged home (27.3% of the nonanatomic group and 52.4% of the anatomic group). Overall, 8.4% of tracheostomy patients died before discharge. Conclusion. The complexity of pediatric tracheostomy patients presents challenges and opportunities for optimizing quality of care for these children. Future directions include the introduction and assessment of multidisciplinary tracheostomy care teams, tracheostomy nurse specialists, and tracheostomy care plans in the pediatric setting.
Aspects of fine-tuning of the Higgs mass within finite field theories

We reanalyze the perturbative radiative corrections to the Higgs mass within the Standard Model in the light of the Taylor-Lagrange renormalization scheme. This scheme naturally leads to completely finite corrections, depending on an arbitrary scale. The formulation avoids very large individual corrections to the Higgs mass. This illustrates the fact that the so-called fine-tuning problem in the Standard Model is just an artifact of the regularization scheme. It should therefore not lead to any physical interpretation in terms of the energy scale at which new physics should show up, nor in terms of a new symmetry. We analyze the intrinsic physical scales relevant for the description of these radiative corrections.
Object-Relational DBMSs: The Next Great Wave

From the Publisher: Discover why object-relational technology is ideal for supporting a broad spectrum of data types and application areas, from financial services to multimedia data. In this completely revised and updated edition, database experts Michael Stonebraker and Paul Brown explore the object-relational paradigm and examine the most recent developments in the field. Specially written for database application programmers, database analysts, and IT managers, this book includes detailed information on how to classify DBMS applications, where object-relational DBMSs fit in the database world, and what mechanisms are required to support such an engine.
Low Temperature Ignition Properties of n-Butanol: Key Uncertainties and Constraints

A recent kinetic mechanism (Sarathy et al., 2012) describing the low temperature oxidation of n-butanol was investigated using both local and global sensitivity/uncertainty analysis methods with ignition delays as predictive targets over temperature ranges of 678-898 K and equivalence ratios ranging from 0.5-2.0 at 15 bar. The study incorporates the effects of uncertainties in forward rate constants on the predicted outputs, providing information on the robustness of the mechanism over a range of operating conditions. A global sampling technique was employed for the determination of predictive error bars, and a high dimensional model representation (HDMR) method was further utilised for the calculation of global sensitivity indices following the application of a linear screening method. Predicted ignition delay distributions spanning up to an order of magnitude indicate the need for better quantification of the most dominant reaction rate parameters. The calculated first-order sensitivities from the HDMR study show the main fuel hydrogen abstraction pathways via OH as the major contributors to the predicted uncertainties. Sensitivities indicate that no individual rate constant dominates uncertainties under any of the conditions studied, but that strong constraints on the branching ratio for H abstraction by OH at the α and γ sites are provided by the measurements.
One More Step Towards Generalized Graph-Based Weakly Relational Domains

This paper proposes to extend graph-based weakly relational domains to a generalized relational context. Using a new definition of coherence, we show that the definition of a normal form for this domain is simplified. A transitive closure algorithm for combined relations is constructed and a proof of its correctness is given. Using the observed similarity between transitive closure of a combined relation and the normal form closure of a graph-based weakly relational domain, we extract a mathematical property that a relational abstract domain must satisfy in order to allow us to use an algorithm with the same form as the transitive closure algorithm to compute the normal form of a graph-based weakly relational domain.
Independent Component Analysis for the Examination of Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging Data: Preliminary Study

Yoo S-S, Gil Choi B, Han J-Y, et al. Independent component analysis for the examination of dynamic contrast-enhanced breast magnetic resonance imaging data: Preliminary study. Invest Radiol 2002;37:647–654. Rationale and Objective. An application of independent component analysis (ICA) is reported for the detection and characterization of breast lesions in dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI. The ICA technique, which uses a novel statistical algorithm to separate mixed signal sources of unknown nature, enables the extraction of spatial and temporal features of dynamic MRI data. Materials and Methods. Six patients with confirmed lesion diagnosis (three with malignancy and three with benign condition) participated in this study. T1-weighted MRI covering both breast volumes was dynamically acquired in every 90 seconds after the bolus injection of contrast media using three-dimensional fast low-angle shot sequence (3-D FLASH). Results. With the application of the ICA, differential signal responses were delineated from benign and malignant lesions, and areas with high temporal correlations with the extracted signal components were selectively visualized. Conclusions. The results suggest that ICA allowed for an identification of lesion morphology and lesion-specific dynamic enhancement patterns.
Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Accelerate Diabetic Wound Healing through the Induction of Autocrine and Paracrine Effects

Cell-based therapy is an attractive approach for the treatment of chronic nonhealing wounds. This study investigated whether adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) can accelerate diabetic wound healing and traffic in the engraftment of ASCs. Dorsal full-thickness skin wound defects (6 × 5 cm) were created in a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes rodent model. Group I served as a nondiabetic normal control, group II served as a diabetic control without ASCs, and group III included rats that were injected subcutaneously in the wound margin twice with nondiabetic ASCs (1 × 107 ASCs/dose). The wound healing was assessed clinically. Histological examination and immunohistochemical analyses of periwound tissue were performed. Green fluorescence protein (GFP)+-ASCs were used to examine the engraftment of these cells after injection. XenoLight DiR-labeled ASCs were implanted to detect migration ability using an IVIS imaging system. Results revealed that complete wound healing time statistically decreased in the ASC-treated group compared to the controls (p < 0.001). Histological examination revealed the ASC-treated group showed a significant reduction in the proinflammatory reaction, with significantly increased levels of EGF, VEGF, rPH, and Ki-67 expression compared to the controls. The populations of GFP+-ASCs in circulating blood significantly increased after ASC injection compared to those of controls. Immunofluorescence staining showed GFP+-ASCs significantly accumulated in the subdermal layer of the wound margin and increased angiogenesis via vWF and VEGF expression after injection. IVIS analysis revealed ASCs could exist and home into the periwound area up to 8 weeks postimplantation. In conclusion, ASCs significantly enhanced diabetic wound healing, engrafted into the local wound tissue, and implanted into circulating blood. ASC treatment stimulated neoangiogenesis and increased tissue regeneration through paracrine and autocrine mechanisms.
Profiling internet scanners: Spatiotemporal structures and measurement ethics

Scanning is ubiquitous on the Internet. It assists administrators to troubleshoot their own network, researchers to survey the Internet, and malicious actors to assess the attack surface of targeted networks. As users requirements vary, scans in the wild exhibit very diverse characteristics. For example, the coverage, stealthiness and probing speed are drastically varying from one scanning IP to another. In this paper, we study 15 years of backbone traffic to understand the evolution of mass-scanning tool usage, scanning pattern and the concentration of scanning IPs (also called scanners) in small networks. We also propose a new method to classify scanning IPs' spatial and temporal structure into three profiles that reveal vastly different intent. In particular, we find that 33% of scanners repeatedly target the same set of hosts. If unsolicited, identifying this behavior provides good insights on the malicious intent of scanners. In the case of innocuous scanners, publicly documenting scanning activities and giving right to opt out are common ethical practices. Our study shows that documented scanning IPs behave differently from the vast majority of scanners. Furthermore, only 39% of these entities follow online documentation best practices.
Human antibody responses to Schistosoma mansoni: the influence of epitopes shared between different life‐cycle stages on the response to the schistosomulum

Sera from 120 Kenyan schoolchildren who were infected with S. mansoni were individually examined, using an enzyme‐linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA), for the presence of IgG and IgM antibodies reactive with antigens derived from adult worms, the outer membrane of the schistosomulum or from the parasite egg. In addition, antibodies against more purified egg antigens, an egg stage‐specific glycoprotein preparation and a polysaccharide egg antigen known to share epitopes with the schistosomular surface were measured in ELISA, as were antibodies reactive with trichloroacetic acid‐soluble and periodate‐insensitive antigens derived from the outer membrane of schistosomulum and antigens shed when schistosomula were cultured in vitro. IgG subclass responses to the unfractionated egg antigen were also measured. The results from each of these assays were compared with the results of each other assay and with the number of parasite eggs excreted by each child, using Spearmans rank correlations.
Pass-Through, Expectations, and Risks. What Affects Chilean Banks’ Interest Rates?

The analysis in this paper is focused on how the pass-through of changes in the monetary policy rate (MPR), expectations of MPR changes, and different measures of risks affect banks’ interest rates. Nominal and real lending and deposit rates are examined as are different maturities for the cases of nominal lending rates. Several measures of risk are constructed and incorporated into the analysis to take into account credit, market, liquidity, and interest rate risk. Evidence suggests that the pass-through of MPR changes is symmetric and instantaneous complete for the majority of the lending horizons of commercial and consumer loans with nominal rates. Pass- through is symmetric for commercial loans and deposits with real rates, but not for mortgage loans. Generally, liquidity, market, and credit risks are important for the banks when setting interest rates, while interest rate risks affect mainly consumer loans and deposits with nominal rates. Inflation changes affect the real rates of commercial loans and deposits as well as nominal consumer loans with a long maturity. Inflation expectations are mainly taken into account when setting real rates of commercial and mortgage loans. Expectations of MPR changes affect principally the rates of mortgage loans.
Helicobacter pylori evolution during progression from chronic atrophic gastritis to gastric cancer and its impact on gastric stem cells

We have characterized the adaptations of Helicobacter pylori to a rarely captured event in the evolution of its impact on host biology—the transition from chronic atrophic gastritis (ChAG) to gastric adenocarcinoma—and defined the impact of these adaptations on an intriguing but poorly characterized interaction between this bacterium and gastric epithelial stem cells. Bacterial isolates were obtained from a single human host colonized with a single dominant strain before and after his progression from ChAG to gastric adenocarcinoma during a 4-year interval. Draft genome assemblies were generated from two isolates, one ChAG-associated, the other cancer-associated. The cancer-associated strain was less fit in a gnotobiotic transgenic mouse model of human ChAG and better able to establish itself within a mouse gastric epithelial progenitor-derived cell line (mGEP) that supports bacterial attachment. GeneChip-based comparisons of the transcriptomes of mGEPs and a control mouse gastric epithelial cell line revealed that, upon infection, the cancer-associated strain regulates expression of GEP-associated signaling and metabolic pathways, and tumor suppressor genes associated with development of gastric cancer in humans, in a manner distinct from the ChAG-associated isolate. The effects on GEP metabolic pathways, some of which were confirmed in gnotobiotic mice, together with observed changes in the bacterial transcriptome are predicted to support aspects of an endosymbiosis between this microbe and gastric stem cells. These results provide insights about how H. pylori may adapt to and influence stem cell biology and how its intracellular residency could contribute to gastric tumorigenesis.
Inventory management: a case study in a small enterprise of the electronics sector

The achievement of a better customer service level drives companies to structure their inventory management. High levels of inventory can cause an increase in operational expenses. However, maintaining reduced inventory levels tend to reduce the customer service level, resulting in losses and damaging the company's image in the business. This work aims at developing and implementing a proposal to standardize the decision-making regarding the management of finished goods inventory in a small electronics sector company. The main result of this work is presented as the development of a method from a cause and effect diagram of the company's problems and the nine steps’ application of the proposed method. Through this inventory management method, it is intended to improve the level of service, reducing the lack of finished goods in order fulfillment.
Leveraging Business Driven Innovation within the Application Lifecycle: Introducing an Adaptive Business IT Alignment Model

The disruptive changes that Information Technology (IT) has brought to many industries are now requiring organizations to redefine themselves to include IT as driver of every aspect of their business. The resulting demand for innovating business processes places massive pressure on IT departments who have been focusing on efficient operation in the last decades. This paper develops ways in which business and IT can cooperate in such turbulent times to allow the exploration of new technologies to improve business processes and at the same time not jeopardize existing operations. The resulting adaptive Business IT Alignment (BITA) model divides the lifecycle of an application into four stages and associates three distinct forms of BITA. A first evaluation has shown that similar models of controlled imbalance between business and IT are already being applied in practice, however, lacking guidance from scholarly research.
A study of personality type and thinking skill

This study investigates the personality types as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator [MBTI] and the thinking skills of the students. This study seeks to ascertain if there is any significant difference in the domination of different critical and creative thinking skills among ES [Extravert-Sensing], EN [Extravert-Intuitive], IS [Introvert-Sensing] and IN [Introvert-Intuitive] students. Quantitative approach was utilized to collect the data. Forty-five samples with age ranging from seventeen to eighteen years old were purposefully selected from one of the schools in Sarawak state. MBTI and a test were given to these students to answer. The statistical analyses involved the calculations of mean scores and analysis of variance. The findings showed that there was significant difference among ES, EN, IS and IN students on the domination of certain critical and creative thinking skills. For translating skill, EN scored significantly higher than IS; IN scored significantly higher than IS. For determining parts-whole relationships, ES scored significantly higher than EN and IS; IN scored significantly higher than EN and IS. For identifying relationships skill, EN scored significantly higher than ES, IS and IN; IN scored significantly higher than ES. For interpreting skill, IN scored significantly higher than ES; IN scored significantly higher than IS. For drawing figures skill, IS scored significantly higher than ES; IN scored significantly higher than ES and EN. No significant difference was found among ES, IS, EN and IN students on the other thinking skills. This finding implies the importance of knowing the different personality types and domination of thinking skills of the students as it enables the Ministry of Education, educators and other researchers to design effective teaching environment for the students. This study concludes with some recommendations for future researches.
Interleukin-4-Independent Acceleration of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Susceptible BALB/c Mice following Treatment with Anti-CTLA4 Antibody

ABSTRACT BALB/c mice are susceptible to progressive infection withLeishmania major due to the preferential development of CD4+ T cells that secrete Th2 cytokines. Although Th2 cell development and susceptibility are disrupted by blockade of CD86 function early in infection, CD28-deficient BALB/c mice remain susceptible to leishmaniasis. We therefore examined whether the alternative CD86 ligand, CTLA4, contributes to the expression of susceptibility. BALB/c mice treated for 2 weeks of infection with anti-CTLA4 monoclonal antibody developed more rapidly progressive disease than sham-treated mice, whereas normally resistant C57BL/6 mice were unaffected. The draining lymph node cells of anti-CTLA4-treated BALB/c mice produced up to sixfold more interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-13 than control mice in the first 2 weeks of infection, but IFN-γ synthesis was reciprocally decreased. Anti-CTLA4 treatment of BALB/c mice pretreated with neutralizing anti-IL-4 antibody or genetically deficient in IL-4 also caused significant worsening of leishmaniasis. Exacerbation in IL-4 KO mice was associated with increased IL-13 and decreased gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA expression in vivo. These data indicate that anti-CTLA4 antibody induced earlier and more-polarized Th2 responses in susceptible BALB/c mice infected with L. major. The mechanism of disease worsening was partially IL-4 independent, indicating that increased IL-13 and/or decreased IFN-γ production may have disrupted nitric oxide-based microbicidal responses. We conclude that CTLA4 significantly modulates Th2 development in murine leishmaniasis and that the Th2-polarizing effects of anti-CTLA4 treatment result in IL-4-independent exacerbation of disease.
Triptans in migraine: a comparative review of pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and efficacy.

Triptans are a new class of compounds developed for the treatment of migraine attacks. The first of the class, sumatriptan, and the newer triptans (zolmitriptan, naratriptan, rizatriptan, eletriptan, almotriptan and frovatriptan) display high agonist activity at mainly the serotonin 5-HT1B and 5-HT1D receptor subtypes. As expected for a class of compounds developed for affinity at a specific receptor, there are minor pharmacodynamic differences between the triptans. Sumatriptan has a low oral bioavailability (14%) and all the newer triptans have an improved oral bioavailability and for one, risatriptan, the rate of absorption is faster. The half-lives of naratriptan, eletriptan and, in particular, frovatriptan (26 to 30h) are longer than that of sumatriptan (2h). These pharmacokinetic improvements of the newer triptans so far seem to have only resulted in minor differences in their efficacy in migraine. Double-blind, randomised clinical trials (RCTs) comparing the different triptans and triptans with other medication should ideally be the basis for judging their place in migraine therapy. In only 15 of the 83 reported RCTs were 2 triptans compared, and in 11 trials triptans were compared with other drugs. Therefore, in all placebo-controlled randomised clinical trials, the relative efficacy of the triptans was also judged by calculating the therapeutic gain (i.e. percentage response for active minus percentage response for placebo). The mean therapeutic gain with subcutaneous sumatriptan 6mg (51%) was more than that for all other dosage forms of triptans (oral sumatriptan 100mg 32%; oral sumatriptan 50mg 29%: intranasal sumatriptan 20mg 30%; rectal sumatriptan 25mg 31%; oral zolmitriptan 2.5mg 32%; oral rizatriptan 10mg 37%; oral eletriptan 40mg 37%; oral almotriptan 12.5mg 26%). Compared with oral sumatriptan 100mg (32%), the mean therapeutic gain was higher with oral eletriptan 80mg (42%) but lower with oral naratriptan 2.5mg (22%) or oral frovatriptan 2.5mg (16%). The few direct comparative randomised clinical trials with oral triptans reveal the same picture. Recurrence of headache within 24 hours after an initial successful response occurs in 30 to 40% of sumatriptan-treated patients. Apart from naratriptan, which has a tendency towards less recurrence, there appears to be no consistent difference in recurrence rates between the newer triptans and sumatriptan. Rizatriptan with its shorter time to maximum concentration (tmax) tended to produce a quicker onset of headache relief than sumatriptan and zolmitriptan. The place of triptans compared with non-triptan drugs in migraine therapy remains to be established and further RCTs are required.