Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Importance Caching for Complex Illumination

Realistic rendering requires computing the global illumination in the scene, and Monte Carlo integration is the best‐known method for doing that. The key to good performance is to carefully select the costly integration samples, which is usually achieved via importance sampling. Unfortunately, visibility is difficult to factor into the importance distribution, which can greatly increase variance in highly occluded scenes with complex illumination. In this paper, we present importance caching – a novel approach that selects those samples with a distribution that includes visibility, while maintaining efficiency by exploiting illumination smoothness. At a sparse set of locations in the scene, we construct and cache several types of probability distributions with respect to a set of virtual point lights (VPLs), which notably include visibility. Each distribution type is optimized for a specific lighting condition. For every shading point, we then borrow the distributions from nearby cached locations and use them for VPL sampling, avoiding additional bias. A novel multiple importance sampling framework finally combines the many estimators. In highly occluded scenes, where visibility is a major source of variance in the incident radiance, our approach can reduce variance by more than an order of magnitude. Even in such complex scenes we can obtain accurate and low noise previews with full global illumination in a couple of seconds on a single mid‐range CPU.
Big Data Open Source Platforms

In a global market the capacity to mine and analyze user data is one way for companies to be as close in time and accuracy to the needs of their users. Big Data Platforms are one solution for companies to solve the necessary challenges to accomplish these capacities. Unfortunately the number of challenges that need to be addressed, allied with the high number of different solutions proposed, has led to the creation of a high number of different platforms making it hard to name one definitive and adequate platform for companies. In this paper we compare six of the most important Big Data Open Source Platforms to help companies or organizations choose the most adequate one to their needs. We analyze the following open source platforms - Apache Mahout, MOA, R Project, Vow pal Wabbit, PEGASUS and Graph Lab Create TM.
Statistical modeling of large microarray data sets to identify stimulus-response profiles

A statistical modeling approach is proposed for use in searching large microarray data sets for genes that have a transcriptional response to a stimulus. The approach is unrestricted with respect to the timing, magnitude or duration of the response, or the overall abundance of the transcript. The statistical model makes an accommodation for systematic heterogeneity in expression levels. Corresponding data analyses provide gene-specific information, and the approach provides a means for evaluating the statistical significance of such information. To illustrate this strategy we have derived a model to depict the profile expected for a periodically transcribed gene and used it to look for budding yeast transcripts that adhere to this profile. Using objective criteria, this method identifies 81% of the known periodic transcripts and 1,088 genes, which show significant periodicity in at least one of the three data sets analyzed. However, only one-quarter of these genes show significant oscillations in at least two data sets and can be classified as periodic with high confidence. The method provides estimates of the mean activation and deactivation times, induced and basal expression levels, and statistical measures of the precision of these estimates for each periodic transcript.
Blind Separation of complex-valued mixtures: Sparse representation in polar and cartesian scatter-plots

This study is concerned with reconstruction of complex-valued components comprising a linear mixing model of unknown real-valued sources, given a set of their complex-valued mixtures. We adopt previous results in the area of Blind Source Separation (BSS) of linear mixtures, based on sparse representation by means of a multiscale framework such as wavelet packets, and exploit the properties of sparse representation obtained by projection onto a proper space. We propose two techniques, developed for dealing with complex-valued mixtures of real sources and incorporate sparsity-dependent clustering via projection onto a proper space; one onto polar coordinates, and the other onto cartesian coordinates. We describe various aspects of the proposed techniques, and present an experiment of noisy mixtures of images.
Fuzzy Linguistic Quality Assessment for Public Transport Domain

The primary objective of the marketing set-up is the customers' satisfaction. It is a measure of how products and services supplied by a company meet customer expectations. The companies that know customer expectation can deliver services/products of superior quality compared with those services provided by conceivable competitors, this is the key for the company success in the modern era. This paper presents QuAM (Qu-ality A-ssessment M-odel), a quality assessment model. QuaM is a customer-centric model: the quality of the asset/item/service is evaluated by the customer perceptions. The customers are invited to express their opinions by filling in an informative questionnaire, this way, all the answers are collected and then processed to get a global evaluation. For this purpose the model exploits the fuzzy linguistic approach to represent the users' judgments and Computing with Words (CWW) paradigm, based on two linguistic aggregation operators LOWA and LWA to compute the overall quality assessments. This model has been applied to public transport domain, where a stringent requirement is to reach a balanced trade-off between the company goals and the customer expectations. The public transport company indeed would like to increase the quality perceived by customers, optimizing bus routes in the area and reducing costs, at the same time, users demand reliability, safety and quality for the bus lines. A case study in this domain shows that our model provides a straightforward quality evaluation to support the company in the marketing strategies and in achieving the customers' satisfaction.
An epidemiological study of myopathies in Warmblood horses.

REASON FOR PERFORMING STUDY There are few detailed reports describing muscular disorders in Warmblood horses. OBJECTIVES To determine the types of muscular disorders that occur in Warmblood horses, along with presenting clinical signs, associated risk factors and response to diet and exercise recommendations, and to compare these characteristics between horses diagnosed with polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM), those diagnosed with a neuromuscular disorder other than PSSM (non-PSSM) and control horses. METHODS Subject details, muscle biopsy diagnosis and clinical history were compiled for Warmblood horses identified from records of biopsy submissions to the University of Minnesota Neuromuscular Diagnostic Laboratory. A standardised questionnaire was answered by owners at least 6 months after receiving the muscle biopsy report for an affected and a control horse. RESULTS Polysaccharide storage myopathy (72/132 horses) was the most common myopathy identified followed by recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis (RER) (7/132), neurogenic or myogenic atrophy (7/132), and nonspecific myopathic changes (14/132). Thirty-two biopsies were normal. Gait abnormality, 'tying-up', Shivers, muscle fasciculations and atrophy were common presenting clinical signs. Forty-five owners completed questionnaires. There were no differences in sex, age, breed, history or management between control, PSSM and non-PSSM horses. Owners that provided the recommended low starch fat supplemented diet and regular daily exercise reported improvement in clinical signs in 68% (19/28) of horses with a biopsy submission and 71% of horses diagnosed with PSSM (15/21). CONCLUSIONS Muscle biopsy evaluation was a valuable tool to identify a variety of myopathies in Warmblood breeds including PSSM and RER. These myopathies often presented as gait abnormalities or overt exertional rhabdomyolysis and both a low starch fat supplemented diet and regular exercise appeared to be important in their successful management. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE Warmbloods are affected by a variety of muscle disorders, which, following muscle biopsy diagnosis can be improved through changes in diet and exercise regimes.
Fabrication and Characterization of Rotary Forcespun Styrofoam Fibers

Styrofoam fibers have been fabricated using a rotary forcespinning route. The fibers were produced by utilizing the centrifugal force derived from the high-speed motor. Styrofoam was dissolved in d-limonene at the concentration of 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 wt%, then the solution was subjected to the rotary forcespinning at a rotational speed of 12,000 rpm. The effect of concentration on fibers’ morphology was studied. SEM images showed that the fibers produced had a straight and smooth surface with no beads. The diameter of the fibers ranged from 600 nm to 3 μm. The solution concentration parameter is important in fiber formation. An increase in the concentration of the solution increased the diameter of the fibers. The analysis of FTIR spectra suggested that FTIR peaks of styrofoam fibers had the same peaks like those in the styrofoam bulk and there was no peak of d-limonene detected in the samples, which indicates the solvent has evaporated. XRD analysis showed that the styrofoam fibers had an amorphous structure. The use of rotary forcespinning to produce the fibers has shown a good quality fiber, a high production rate, and relatively inexpensive for mass-scale production.
The Prediction of Major Outcomes of Type 1 Diabetes: a 12-Year Prospective Evaluation of Three Separate Definitions of the Metabolic Syndrome and Their Components and Estimated Glucose Disposal Rate

OBJECTIVE—The metabolic syndrome has been shown to confer an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in both the general and type 2 diabetic populations, but few studies have assessed the metabolic syndrome in type 1 diabetic patients. In a type 1 diabetic cohort, we assessed the prevalence and value of the metabolic syndrome in improving the prediction of major complication outcomes compared with its components and a surrogate measure of insulin resistance, estimated glucose disposal rate (eGDR). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—A total of 514 (78%) subjects participating in the Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications Study with complete 12-year follow-up clinical data were classified by baseline metabolic syndrome status according to three definitions: those of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (modified by the American Heart Association), the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), and the World Health Organization (WHO). The complication outcomes included coronary artery disease, renal failure, diabetes-related death, and the aggregate of these three major outcomes of diabetes (MOD). RESULTS—Metabolic syndrome prevalence ranged from 8% (IDF) to 21% (WHO). All definitions showed reasonable specificity (≥83%) for each outcome, while the WHO definition had the highest sensitivity for all outcomes except renal failure, for which eGDR was most sensitive. However, the components of each definition predicted better than the overall syndrome. Microalbuminuria was clearly the strongest predictor of all individual measures, yielding hazard ratios of 9 and 6 for mortality and MOD, respectively. CONCLUSIONS—Though the three metabolic syndrome classifications predict major complication outcomes in type 1 diabetes, their individual components predict better. Of the variables studied, including HbA1, microalbuminuria appears to be the best single predictor of MOD.
Annexin A2 Is a Natural Extrahepatic Inhibitor of the PCSK9-Induced LDL Receptor Degradation

Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin-9 (PCSK9) enhances the degradation of hepatic low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR). Deletion of PCSK9, and loss-of-function mutants in humans result in lower levels of circulating LDL-cholesterol and a strong protection against coronary heart disease. Accordingly, the quest for PCSK9 inhibitors has major clinical implications. We have previously identified annexin A2 (AnxA2) as an endogenous binding partner and functional inhibitor of PCSK9. Herein, we studied the relevance of AnxA2 in PCSK9 inhibition and lipid metabolism in vivo. Plasma analyses of AnxA2−/− mice revealed: i) a ∼1.4-fold increase in LDL-cholesterol without significant changes in VLDLs or HDLs, and ii) a ∼2-fold increase in circulating PCSK9 levels. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry of AnxA2−/− tissues revealed that the LDLR was decreased by ∼50% in extrahepatic tissues, such as adrenals and colon. We also show that AnxA2-derived synthetic peptides block the PCSK9≡LDLR interaction in vitro, and adenoviral overexpression of AnxA2 in mouse liver increases LDLR protein levels in vivo. These results suggest that AnxA2 acts as an endogenous regulator of LDLR degradation, mostly in extrahepatic tissues. Finally, we identified an AnxA2 coding polymorphism, V98L, that correlates with lower circulating levels of PCSK9 thereby extending our results on the physiological role of AnxA2 in humans.
Regional Variations in Lethal and Nonlethal Assaults

Data from the National Incident-Based Reporting System are used to evaluate aspects of recent “culture of violence” theories. The results call into question the existence of a pervasive White code of honor in Southern cities. The situation is less clear for some Southern counties. Black homicide offender rates for cities with populations of more than 50,000, North and South, are much higher when compared with White homicide offender rates for the same cities. Although these high Black offender rates do not, in themselves, provide support for the existence of a widespread “Black code of the streets,” they do suggest that the factors and situations that produce these rates are not uniquely Southern. At a minimum, this examination of race-specific violent offender rates for cities and the areas outside those cities indicates the limitations of a focus on regional differences in overall state-level rates of victimization.
Japanese Society of Dialysis Therapy Treatment Guidelines for Secondary Hyperparathyroidism

Abstract: Impairment of renal function causes various abnormalities of bone mineral metabolism including secondary hyperparathyroidism. The Japanese Society of Dialysis Therapy proposed the guidelines for the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism in chronic dialysis patients (JSDT guidelines) in 2006. From the perspective of better survival rate, the control goal value was determined to be 3.5–6 mg/dl for phosphorus, 8.4–10.0 mg/dl for calcium, and 60–180 pg/ml for intact PTH levels. When the 3 items cannot be controlled by treatment with an active vitamin D preparation, treatment is considered to be a failure, and intervention treatment of the parathyroid gland is recommended. The adequacy of the JSDT guideline must be evaluated by its clinical application.
A 1.3V–1.8V configurable phase locked loop with an adaptive charge pump

In this manuscript, we propose a robust phase locked loop (PLL) using an adaptive, low current-mismatch charge pump in 180nm UMC MPW RF process targeted for internet of things (IoT) applications. The PLL operates over a supply voltage range of 1.3V-1.8V, generating locking frequencies in the range 500 MHz to 1.5 GHz. The proposed charge pump limits the variation in charging and discharging currents to 0.03% of its biasing value, which is designed to be 34.7uA, for change in control voltage from 0.4 V to 1.1 V. Power consumption of the PLL is limited to 2.3mW at 1.8V supply voltage and reduces to 0.9mW for a supply voltage of 1.3V. A 10bit successive approximation register analog to digital converter (SAR ADC) is operated using the proposed PLL and the effect of variation in frequency on its output is demonstrated.
SPARSITY RECONSTRUCTION BY THE STANDARD TIKHONOV REGULARIZATION

It is a common belief that Tikhonov scheme with ‖ · ‖L2 -penalty fails to reconstruct a sparse structure with respect to a given system {φi}. However, in this paper we present a procedure for sparsity reconstruction, which is totally based on the standard Tikhonov method. This procedure consists of two steps. At first Tikhonov scheme is used as a sieve to find the coefficients near φi, which are suspected to be non-zero. Within this step the performance of the standard Tikhonov method is controlled in some sparsity promoting space rather than in original Hilbert one. In the second step of proposed procedure the coefficients with indices selected in the previous step are estimated by means of data functional strategy. The choice of the regularization parameter is the crucial issue for both steps. We show that recently developed parameter choice rule called the balancing principle can be effectively used here. We also present the results of computational experiments giving the evidence of the reliability of our approach.
Carotid Artery Distensibility

Carotid distensibility (CD) is a measure of carotid artery elasticity that has been introduced as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Information regarding reproducibility of sonographic CD measures is limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate the inter‐reader reliability of sonographic measurements of common carotid artery (CCA) diameters and derived metrics of CD.
Spermidine Exodus and Oxidation in the Apoplast Induced by Abiotic Stress Is Responsible for H2O2 Signatures That Direct Tolerance Responses in Tobacco[W]

Polyamines (PAs) exert a protective effect against stress challenges, but their molecular role in this remains speculative. In order to detect the signaling role of apoplastic PA-derived hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) under abiotic stress, we developed a series of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv Xanthi) transgenic plants overexpressing or downregulating apoplastic polyamine oxidase (PAO; S-pao and A-pao plants, respectively) or downregulating S-adenosyl-l-methionine decarboxylase (samdc plants). Upon salt stress, plants secreted spermidine (Spd) into the apoplast, where it was oxidized by the apoplastic PAO, generating H2O2. A-pao plants accumulated less H2O2 and exhibited less programmed cell death (PCD) than did wild-type plants, in contrast with S-pao and samdc downregulating plants. Induction of either stress-responsive genes or PCD was dependent on the level of Spd-derived apoplastic H2O2. Thus, in wild-type and A-pao plants, stress-responsive genes were efficiently induced, although in the latter at a lower rate, while S-pao plants, with higher H2O2 levels, failed to accumulate stress-responsive mRNAs, inducing PCD instead. Furthermore, decreasing intracellular PAs, while keeping normal apoplastic Spd oxidation, as in samdc downregulating transgenic plants, caused enhanced salinity-induced PCD. These results reveal that salinity induces the exodus of Spd into the apoplast, where it is catabolized by PAO, producing H2O2. The accumulated H2O2 results in the induction of either tolerance responses or PCD, depending also on the levels of intracellular PAs.
Equivalence of queries combining set and bag-set semantics

The query equivalence problem has been studied extensively for set-semantics and, more recently, for bag-set semantics. However, SQL queries often combine set and bag-set semantics. For example, an SQL query that returns a multiset of elements may call a subquery or view that returns a set of elements. As another example, in SQL one can compute a multiset-union of queries, each of which returns a set of answers. This paper presents combined semantics, which formally models query evaluation combining set and bag-set semantics. The equivalence problem for queries evaluated under combined semantics is studied. A sufficient condition for equivalence is presented. For several important common classes of queries necessary and sufficient conditions for equivalence are presented.
Elevation of creatine in resting and exercised muscle of normal subjects by creatine supplementation.

1. The present study was undertaken to test whether creatine given as a supplement to normal subjects was absorbed, and if continued resulted in an increase in the total creatine pool in muscle. An additional effect of exercise upon uptake into muscle was also investigated. 2. Low doses (1g of creatine monohydrate or less in water) produced only a modest rise in the plasma creatine concentration, whereas 5g resulted in a mean peak after 1h of 795 (SD 104) mumol/l in three subjects weighing 76-87 kg. Repeated dosing with 5g every 2h sustained the plasma concentration at around 1000 mumol/l. A single 5g dose corresponds to the creatine content of 1.1 kg of fresh, uncooked steak. 3. Supplementation with 5g of creatine monohydrate, four or six times a day for 2 or more days resulted in a significant increase in the total creatine content of the quadriceps femoris muscle measured in 17 subjects. This was greatest in subjects with a low initial total creatine content and the effect was to raise the content in these subjects closer to the upper limit of the normal range. In some the increase was as much as 50%. 4. Uptake into muscle was greatest during the first 2 days of supplementation accounting for 32% of the dose administered in three subjects receiving 6 x 5g of creatine monohydrate/day. In these subjects renal excretion was 40, 61 and 68% of the creatine dose over the first 3 days. Approximately 20% or more of the creatine taken up was measured as phosphocreatine. No changes were apparent in the muscle ATP content. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Three-dimensional digital topological characterization of cancellous bone architecture

Cancellous bone consists of a network of bony struts and plates that provide mechanical strength to much of the skeleton at minimum weight. It has been shown that loss in bone mass is accompanied by architectural changes that relate to both scale and topology of the network. In this paper, the concept of three-dimensional (3D) digital topology is presented for characterizing the local topology of each bone voxel after skeletonization of the binary bone images. This method allows us to identify each voxel as belonging to a surface, curve, or junction structure in the trabecular bone network. The method has been quantitatively validated on synthetic images demonstrating its relative immunity to partial volume blurring and noise. Parameters introduced to characterize network topology include surface-to-curve ratio and erosion index. Finally, the technique is shown to quantify the architecture of human trabecular bone in magnetic resonance micro-images acquired from cadavers and in vivo. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 11, 81–90, 2000
Outcome coping efficacy of firefighters

Firefighter coping strategies of Problem Focused Coping and Seeking Social Support were found to have positive significant relationships to Strategic Efficacy resulting in Outcome Coping Efficacy, after transitioning from one critical incident to a second. The coping strategies of Blamed Self, Wishful Thinking, and Avoidance appeared to have a negative significant relationship to Mobilization Efficacy in overall Outcome Coping Efficacy. Additionally, the Appraisals of Challenge and Positive Reappraisal to meet the Challenge appeared to have a positive significant relationship to Problem Focused Coping and Seeking Social Support. These findings of Outcome Coping Efficacy may be of help to firefighters for rehabilitative efforts after traumatic incidents.