Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Procedural Planetary Multi-resolution Terrain Generation for Games

Terrains are the main part of an electronic game. To reduce human effort on game development, procedural techniques are used to generate synthetic terrains. However rendering a terrain is not a trivial task. Their rendering techniques must be optimal for gaming. Specially planetary terrains, which must account for precision and scale conversion. Multi-resolution models are best fit to planetary terrains. An observer can change his point of view without noticing any decrease in visual quality. There are several proposals regarding real-time terrain rendering with multi-resolution models, and there are game engines capable of generating large scale terrains with fixed resolution. However for the best of our knowledge, it was noticed that there are no techniques which combine both aspects. In this paper we present a new technique capable of generating large-scale multi-resolution terrains, whichcan be rendered and viewed at different scales. Rendering large scale models with high definition and low scale areas with finer details added with the aid of procedural content generation.
Registration and color calibration for dermoscopy images in time-course analysis

Since melanomas grow and metastasize rapidly, the mutation in their appearance is much larger than that of nevi. If the variation of skin tumor can be evaluated quantitatively, it is of substantial help not only for clinical diagnosis, but also for development of computer-based diagnostic systems. However, photographic conditions of skin tumor are in most cases not uniform during the follow-up. In this study, we proposed a fully automated image registration and color calibration method between dermoscopy images in the time-course analysis. Our proposed algorithm aligned the time-course images with a precision of 91.6 ± 5.1% and a recall of 95.7 ± 5.9%, respectively whereas the fully manual registrations with Exif data as a performance reference did 95.4 ± 3.2% and 92.4 ± 6.5%, respectively. Our color calibration method largely reduced the color difference between timecourse images ΔE from 10.9 ± 5.6 to 3.9 1.7. These results showed that the proposed method was effective to compensate both geometrical and chronological changes between dermoscopy images in the time-course analysis.
Observing the Observer (I): Meta-Bayesian Models of Learning and Decision-Making

In this paper, we present a generic approach that can be used to infer how subjects make optimal decisions under uncertainty. This approach induces a distinction between a subject's perceptual model, which underlies the representation of a hidden “state of affairs” and a response model, which predicts the ensuing behavioural (or neurophysiological) responses to those inputs. We start with the premise that subjects continuously update a probabilistic representation of the causes of their sensory inputs to optimise their behaviour. In addition, subjects have preferences or goals that guide decisions about actions given the above uncertain representation of these hidden causes or state of affairs. From a Bayesian decision theoretic perspective, uncertain representations are so-called “posterior” beliefs, which are influenced by subjective “prior” beliefs. Preferences and goals are encoded through a “loss” (or “utility”) function, which measures the cost incurred by making any admissible decision for any given (hidden) state of affair. By assuming that subjects make optimal decisions on the basis of updated (posterior) beliefs and utility (loss) functions, one can evaluate the likelihood of observed behaviour. Critically, this enables one to “observe the observer”, i.e. identify (context- or subject-dependent) prior beliefs and utility-functions using psychophysical or neurophysiological measures. In this paper, we describe the main theoretical components of this meta-Bayesian approach (i.e. a Bayesian treatment of Bayesian decision theoretic predictions). In a companion paper (‘Observing the observer (II): deciding when to decide’), we describe a concrete implementation of it and demonstrate its utility by applying it to simulated and real reaction time data from an associative learning task.
THE EFFECT OF HEAT TREATMENTS ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF ALUMINUM ALLOY AA 2024-T6

This paper is aimed to study the effect of solution heat treatment on mechanical properties of Al alloy AA 2024-T6 (Tensile, hardness, wear resistance), many specimens were prepared according to ASTM and then heated to 500oC for one hour and water quenched. Artificial aging carried out at 190oC for (1, 2, 5) hours and cooled slowly by air to show the effect of aging time on mechanical properties, many examinations (Microstructure, hardness Tensile and wear test) were done for specimens. From the obtained results it can be see that heat treatment contributed in mechanical properties improvement.
Molecular Characterization of Carbapenem-Nonsusceptible Enterobacterial Isolates Collected during a Prospective Interregional Survey in France and Susceptibility to the Novel Ceftazidime-Avibactam and Aztreonam-Avibactam Combinations

ABSTRACT An interregional surveillance program was conducted in the northwestern part of France to determine the prevalence of carbapenem-nonsusceptible Enterobacteriaceae (CNSE) isolates and their susceptibility to ceftazidime-avibactam and aztreonam-avibactam combinations. Nonduplicate CNSE clinical isolates were prospectively collected from six hospitals between June 2012 and November 2013. MICs of ceftazidime and aztreonam, alone or combined with a fixed concentration of avibactam (4 μg/ml), and those of carbapenems (comparator agents) were determined. MICs of ertapenem in combination with phenylalanine arginine-naphthylamide dihydrochloride (PAβN) were also determined to assess active efflux. Genes encoding carbapenemases, plasmid-mediated AmpC enzymes, extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs), and major outer membrane proteins (OMPs) were amplified and sequenced. OMPs were also extracted for SDS-PAGE analysis. Among the 139 CNSE isolates, mainly Enterobacter spp. and Klebsiella pneumoniae, 123 (88.4%) were ertapenem nonsusceptible, 12 (8.6%) exhibited reduced susceptibility to all carbapenems, and 4 Proteeae isolates (2.9%) were resistant to imipenem. Carbapenemase production was detected in only two isolates (producing OXA-48 and IMI-3). In contrast, OMP deficiency, in association with AmpCs and/or ESBLs (mainly CTX-M-9, SHV-12, and CTX-M-15), was largely identified among CNSE isolates. The ceftazidime-avibactam and aztreonam-avibactam combinations exhibited potent activity against CNSE isolates (MIC50/MIC90, 1/1 μg/ml and 0.5/0.5 μg/ml, respectively) compared to that of ceftazidime and aztreonam alone (MIC50/MIC90, 512/512 μg/ml and 128/512 μg/ml, respectively). This study reveals the in vitro activity of ceftazidime-avibactam and aztreonam-avibactam combinations against a large collection of porin-deficient enterobacterial isolates that are representative of the CNSE recovered in the northern part of France.
LIFEGUARD : Locating Internet Failure Events and Generating Usable Alternate Routes Dynamically ∗

The Internet is far from achieving the “five 9s” (99.999%) of availability provided by the public telephone network. Based on anecdotal evidence as well as a first-of-its-kind measurement study assessing routing failures affecting Amazon’s EC2 data centers, we find that network outages are surprisingly common and highly problematic. These outages incur large costs, disrupt critical services and applications, and are generally difficult to detect and isolate. In this thesis we argue that it is possible to isolate wide-area network faults at a routerlevel granularity without requiring control over both end-points. We present LIFEGUARD, our prototype system for Locating Internet Failure Events and Generating Usable Alternate Routes Dynamically. LIFEGUARD leverages distributed network measurements, a continually updated historical path atlas, and novel measurement tools such as spoofed forward traceroute to infer the direction of failures, isolate faults, suggest alternate working paths, and provide views into routing behavior from before the onset of outages. We evaluate LIFEGUARD with a four month study monitoring real outages on the Internet, and present specific examples and aggregate characteristics of the failures we observed. Presentation of work given on June 2nd, 2011 Thesis and presentation approved by:
Editor’s Highlight: Farnesoid X Receptor Protects Against Low-Dose Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Liver Injury Through the Taurocholate-JNK Pathway

Hepatotoxicity is of major concern for humans exposed to industrial chemicals and drugs. Disruption of farnesoid X receptor (FXR), a master regulator of bile acid (BA) metabolism, enhanced the sensitivity to liver injury in mice after toxicant exposure, but the precise mechanism remains unclear. In this study, the interconnection between BA metabolism, FXR, and chemically induced hepatotoxicity was investigated using metabolomics, Fxr-null mice (Fxr-/-) and hepatocytes, and recombinant adenoviruses. A single low-dose intraperitoneal injection of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), an inducer of acute hepatitis in mice, resulted in more severe hepatocyte damage and higher induction of pro-inflammatory mediators, such as chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (Ccl2), in Fxr-/-. Serum metabolomics analysis revealed marked increases in circulating taurocholate (TCA) and tauro-β-muricholate (T-β-MCA) in these mice, and forced expression of bile salt export protein (BSEP) by recombinant adenovirus in Fxr-/- ameliorated CCl4-induced liver damage. Treatment of Fxr-null hepatocytes with TCA, but not T-β-MCA, significantly increased c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation and Ccl2 mRNA levels, and up-regulation of Ccl2 mRNA was attenuated by co-treatment with a JNK inhibitor SP600125, indicating that TCA directly amplifies hepatocyte inflammatory signaling mainly mediated by JNK under FXR-deficiency. Additionally, pretreatment with SP600125 or restoration of FXR expression in liver by use of recombinant adenovirus, attenuated CCl4-induced liver injury. Collectively, these results suggest that the TCA-JNK axis is likely associated with increased susceptibility to CCl4-induced acute liver injury in Fxr-/-, and provide clues to the mechanism by which FXR and its downstream gene targets, such as BSEP, protects against chemically induced hepatotoxicity.
Adaptive Flow Assignment and Packet Scheduling for Delay-Constrained Traffic Over Heterogeneous Wireless Networks

Flow assignment and packet scheduling are two processes of deploying limited wireless resources to support high-data-rate transmissions. Optimizing these processes is critical in improving the traffic performance and network utilization. In this paper, we investigate the flow assignment and packet scheduling for multihomed communication of delay-constrained traffic over heterogeneous wireless networks. With regard to the inherent channel diversity and unreliability, large end-to-end delay and burst packet losses pose crucial challenges to guarantee goodput performance of real-time traffic. To address these critical issues, we present an Adaptive Flow Assignment and Packet Scheduling (AFAPS) framework. First, we introduce a “horizontal water filling” algorithm, which effectively integrates the channel resources in heterogeneous wireless networks to maximize the aggregate goodput. Second, we propose an alternative path interleaving scheme, which spreads out the packets' departures over multiple communication paths within the delay constraint to mitigate burst losses. The performance of the proposed AFAPS framework is evaluated through semi-physical emulations in EXata involving real Internet traffic traces. Experimental results show that AFAPS outperforms existing multipath data distribution models, in terms of goodput and end-to-end delay.
Small trees, big problems: Comparative leaf function under extreme edaphic stress.

PREMISE OF THE STUDY The pygmy forest, a plant community of severely stunted conifers and ericaceous angiosperms, occurs on patches of highly acidic, nutrient-poor soils along the coast of Northern California, USA. This system is an excellent opportunity to study the effect of severe nutrient deficiency on leaf physiology in a naturally-occurring ecosystem. In this study, we seek to understand the physiological mechanisms stunting the plants' growth and their implications for whole plant function. METHODS We measured 14 traits pertaining to leaf photosynthetic function or physical structure on seven species. Samples were taken from the pygmy forest community and from conspecifics growing on higher-nutrient soils, where trees may grow over 30 m tall. KEY RESULTS Pygmy plants of most species maintained similar area-based photosynthetic and stomatal conductance rates to conspecific controls, but had lower specific leaf area (leaf area divided by dry weight), lower percent nitrogen, and less leaf area relative to xylem growth. Sequoia sempervirens, a species rare in the pygmy forest, had a categorically different response from the more common plants and had remarkably low photosynthetic rates. CONCLUSIONS Pygmy plants were not stunted by low photosynthetic rates on a leaf-area basis; instead, several species had restricted whole-plant photosynthesis due to low leaf area production. Pygmy plants of all species showed signs of greater carbon investment in their leaves and higher production of nonphotosynthetic leaf tissue, further contributing to slow growth rates.
No Concordant Phylogeographies of the Rose Gall Wasp Diplolepis rosae (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae) and Two Associated Parasitoids across Europe

According to the Host-tracking Hypothesis, species of higher trophic levels with a close relationship to their hosts, such as parasites or parasitoids, are expected to show spatio-temporal phylogeographic patterns similar to those of their host. Alternatively, with ecological sorting, a subset of the local species pools might shift to a related host species, thereby disengaging common phylogeographic patterns. Here, we compare the phylogeographic structures of the cynipid rose gall wasp Diplolepis rosae across Europe and of two of its most common parasitoids, the wasps Orthopelma mediator and Glyphomerus stigma, by analysing the sequences of two gene fragments (COI and ITS 2). The phylogeographic structures of the three species associated with roses were incongruent. D. rosae had the lowest genetic diversity with one major clade, O. mediator showed the classical phylogeographic structure for Europe with one eastern and one western clade, and G. stigma had the highest diversity but no geographical structuring. This discordance of geographical patterns may be explained by 1) the dispersal propensity of adult parasitoids or 2) the parasitoids having the ability to switch to another host, while the primary host becomes rare or is even not available. Furthermore there was no indication that phylogenetic patterns were affected by Wolbachia infections. Our results document that communities of closely interacting species may be the result of idiosyncratic biogeographic histories.
Incidence of arrhythmias and impact of permanent pacemaker implantation in hospitalizations with transcatheter aortic valve replacement

This study sought to analyze in‐hospital outcomes associated with preexisting and newly implanted permanent pacemaker (PPM) in patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). PPM implantation following the development of conduction abnormalities is a common adverse event following TAVR. Furthermore, PPM implantation rates are higher in TAVR hospitalizations compared with the surgical alternative, thus we have analyzed the predictors of pacing post‐TAVR.
Inferring General Relations between Network Characteristics from Specific Network Ensembles

Different network models have been suggested for the topology underlying complex interactions in natural systems. These models are aimed at replicating specific statistical features encountered in real-world networks. However, it is rarely considered to which degree the results obtained for one particular network class can be extrapolated to real-world networks. We address this issue by comparing different classical and more recently developed network models with respect to their ability to generate networks with large structural variability. In particular, we consider the statistical constraints which the respective construction scheme imposes on the generated networks. After having identified the most variable networks, we address the issue of which constraints are common to all network classes and are thus suitable candidates for being generic statistical laws of complex networks. In fact, we find that generic, not model-related dependencies between different network characteristics do exist. This makes it possible to infer global features from local ones using regression models trained on networks with high generalization power. Our results confirm and extend previous findings regarding the synchronization properties of neural networks. Our method seems especially relevant for large networks, which are difficult to map completely, like the neural networks in the brain. The structure of such large networks cannot be fully sampled with the present technology. Our approach provides a method to estimate global properties of under-sampled networks in good approximation. Finally, we demonstrate on three different data sets (C. elegans neuronal network, R. prowazekii metabolic network, and a network of synonyms extracted from Roget’s Thesaurus) that real-world networks have statistical relations compatible with those obtained using regression models.
The Effects of Trauma Type and Executive Dysfunction on Symptom Expression of Polyvictimized Youth in Residential Care.

Risk for traumatic sequelae is conveyed directly by risk factors (i.e., exposure to trauma), and via the disruption of developmental competencies. Exposure to caregiver trauma is an especially salient risk factor, as its early and pervasive nature is likely to undermine multiple facets of development, most notably the emergence of cognitive controls (i.e., executive function [EF]). Deficits in EF have been observed among youth exposed to multiple types of trauma and are associated with a range of functional impairments, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), and behavioral disorders; they represent a mechanism by which the negative impact of caregiver trauma is conveyed. This study included 672 youth in residential placement, and examined the associations between both caregiver and noncaregiver trauma, measured by the Trauma History Profile (THP); executive dysfunction, measured by the Behavioral Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF); PTSS, measured by the UCLA Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Reaction Index (PTSD-RI); and externalizing and internalizing problems, measured by the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). A structural equation model demonstrated direct associations between caregiver trauma and PTSS, β = . 15; noncaregiver trauma and externalizing problems, β = . 14; gender and PTSS, β = . 26, externalizing problems, β = . 12, and internalizing problems, β = . 26; and age and externalizing problems, β = -. 11. We observed indirect effects via deficits in EF between caregiver trauma and PTSS, β = . 04 and externalizing problems, β = . 19. Results indicate for screening for executive dysfunction among trauma-impacted youth is needed, as it represents a critical therapeutic target.
Institutional Metaphors for Designing Large-Scale Distributed AI versus AI Techniques for Running Institutions

Artificial Intelligence (AI) started out with an ambition to reproduce the human mind, but, as the sheer scale of that ambition became apparent, quickly retreated into either studying specialized intelligent behaviours, or proposing overarching architectural concepts for interfacing specialized intelligent behaviour components, conceived of as agents in a kind of organization. This agent-based modeling paradigm, in turn, proves to have interesting applications in understanding, simulating, and predicting the behaviour of social and legal structures on an aggregate level. This chapter examines a number of relevant cross-cutting concerns, conceptualizations, modeling problems and design challenges in large-scale distributed Artificial Intelligence, as well as in institutional systems, and identifies potential grounds for novel advances.
Machining of Aspherical Molding Dies Utilizing Parallel Grinding Method.

This paper deals with a parallel grinding method for ultra-precise aspherical parts such as aspherical lenses, molding dies and mirrors. The needs of the improvement in image quality for the latest digital image equipments are steadily increasing, and a high accuracy of aspherical lenses has been strongly required. Therefore, the development of the more precise grinding technology for the aspherical glass lenses and glass molding dies is required. The parallel grinding method is an arc-envelope grinding method in which a grinding wheel with an arc-shaped cross-section is used to generate an aspherical profile. The property of the ground surface by the parallel grinding method and the conventional method (cross grinding method) was compared about tungsten carbide (WC) for glass lens molding dies. It is clear that a better surface quality is obtained by the parallel grinding method.
A content-based movie recommender system based on temporal user preferences

Recommender systems have emerged as the essential part of many e-commerce web sites. These systems provide personalized services to assist users in finding favorite items among the huge number of available media on the World Wide Web. Identifying temporal preferences of individuals is one of the major challenges of recommender systems to provide personalization for users. In this paper, a content-based movie recommender system is proposed that captures the temporal user preferences in user modeling and predicts the preferred movies. The proposed method provides a user-centered framework that incorporates the content attributes of rated movies (for each user) into a Dirichlet Process Mixture Model to infer user preferences and provide a proper recommendation list. We implement the proposed method and use the MovieLens dataset to perform experiments. The evaluation results show that the performance of proposed recommendation method outperforms the existing movie recommender systems.
Normalizing Early English Letters for Neologism Retrieval

Our project studies social aspects of innovative vocabulary use in early English letters. In this abstract we describe the current state of our method for detecting neologisms. The problem we are facing at the moment is the fact that our corpus consists of non-normalized text. Therefore, spelling normalization is the first step we need to solve before we can apply automatic methods to the whole corpus.