Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SURFACE RECONSTRUCTION METHOD FOR REVERSE ENGINEERING BASED ON AESTHETIC KNOWLEDGE

The current limited use of Reverse Engineering (RE) techniques, despite the large number of potential applicative fields, highlights the need to study new methodologies and computer-based tools in order to simplify the process and to improve the quality of final result. In the context of free-form shape styling products development, the requirement is particularly emphasized. During the first stage the designer represents ideas by sketching and sculpturing wood or clay models. After such a creative phase, the process is characterized by several iterative design reviews realized directly on the physical mock up, which, finally, has to be converted into a 3D virtual model for performing the product engineering activities. This conversion, from real to virtual, can be time-consuming and strongly critical in terms of product aesthetic and functional contents preservation. The long-term aims of our research are: the definition of a set of analysis methods for functional features and styling information identification and extraction from the points cloud data, the development of rules for the rapid surface CAD model reconstruction based on the extracted features, and, finally, the implementation of the related 3D modeling software. In this paper we describe the preliminary results related to the definition of a shape-based protocol for the analysis of the aesthetic information, that is based on the application of principles used by the designer during the creative process and on techniques for the representation of creative ideas. A test case is reported to show the approach.
Toward energy harvesting using active materials and conversion improvement by nonlinear processing

This paper presents a new technique of electrical energy generation using mechanically excited piezoelectric materials and a nonlinear process. This technique, called synchronized switch harvesting (SSH), is derived from the synchronized switch damping (SSD), which is a nonlinear technique previously developed to address the problem of vibration damping on mechanical structures. This technique results in a significant increase of the electromechanical conversion capability of piezoelectric materials. Comparatively with standard technique, the electrical harvested power may be increased above 900%. The performance of the nonlinear processing is demonstrated on structures excited at their resonance frequency as well as out of resonance.
The nutrient evaluation of fermented rice bran as poultry feed.

This research was conducted to find out the effect of fermentation of rice bran by Aspergillus niger in term of nutrient content. Rice bran was incubated with different length of time period of incubation; 0, 24, 48 and 72h. Parameter observed included the content of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, soluble protein, NPN (non protein nitrogen), reducing sugar and nitrogen retention. Data obtained were subjected into analysis of variance of the completely randomized design. The result showed that incubation period gave the different significant effect (p 0.05) on the crude protein. By 72h incubation time, the fermented rice bran containing the highest nutritive value.
Real-time probabilistic segmentation for segment-based speech recognition

In this work, we investigate modifications to a probabilistic segmentation algorithm to achieve a real-time, and pipelined capability for our segment-based speech recognizer [4]. The existing algorithm used a Viterbi and backwards A search to hypothesize phonetic segments [2]. We were able to reduce the computational requirements of this algorithm by reducing the effective search space to acoustic landmarks, and were able to achieve pipelined capability by executing theA search in blocks defined by reliably detected phonetic boundaries. The new algorithm produces 30% fewer segments, and improves TIMIT phonetic recognition performance by 2.4% over an acoustic segmentation baseline. We were also able to produce 30% fewer segments on a word recognition task in a weather information domain [11].
Productive Infection of Neonatal CD 8 1 T Lymphocytes by HIV-1 By

From the * University of Montreal, Centre de Recherche Louis-Charles Simard, Hôpital Notre-Dame, Montreal, Quebec H2L 4M1, Canada; the ‡ Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland 20889; the § Division of Retrovirology, Walter Reed Army Institute for Research, Rockville, Maryland 20850; the i Experimental Immunology Branch, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892; the ¶ National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892; the ** Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology and Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois 60611; and the ‡‡ Hematology-Oncology Division, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
Upregulation of caveolin‐1 and CD147 expression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma enhanced tumor cell migration and correlated with poor prognosis of the patients

Expression of caveolin‐1 (Cav‐1) and extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN/CD147) and their prognostic significance were analyzed in archive NPC samples. Cav‐1 and CD147 were overexpressed in 49.48% (96/194) and 59.39% (117/197) of NPC, respectively. Both Cav‐1 and CD147 expression levels correlated significantly with metastasis (p = 0.025 and 0.017, respectively) and a lower 5‐year survival rate (p = 0.02 and 0.0009, respectively). In addition, Cav‐1 expression levels correlated significantly with local recurrence (p = 0.038). Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that combination of high Cav‐1 and CD147 expression was a significant, independent prognosis predictor in patients with NPC (HR = 2.135; p = 0.006). Functional studies revealed that overexpression of Cav‐1 promoted secretion of MMP‐3 and MMP‐11 (active) proteins, as well as an increase in the migratory ability of CNE1 and CNE2 cells, while siRNA‐mediated silencing of Cav‐1 or CD147 led to reduced levels of MMP‐3 and MMP‐11(active) secretion, and reduced migration capacity of CNE1 and CNE2 cells. We observed a positive correlation between Cav‐1 and CD147 expression in NPC (ρ = 0.330, p = 0.000), CD147 protein levels were upregulated in Cav‐1 overexpressing CNE1 and CNE2 cells, whereas siRNA‐mediated silencing of Cav‐1 led to the downregulation of CD147 expression. Our results indicate that Cav‐1 and CD147 overexpression predict poor NPC prognosis and enhanced tumor cell migration, which is associated with MMP‐3 and MMP‐11 (active) secretion. © 2009 UICC
Bayesian sampling in visual perception

It is well-established that some aspects of perception and action can be understood as probabilistic inferences over underlying probability distributions. In some situations, it would be advantageous for the nervous system to sample interpretations from a probability distribution rather than commit to a particular interpretation. In this study, we asked whether visual percepts correspond to samples from the probability distribution over image interpretations, a form of sampling that we refer to as Bayesian sampling. To test this idea, we manipulated pairs of sensory cues in a bistable display consisting of two superimposed moving drifting gratings, and we asked subjects to report their perceived changes in depth ordering. We report that the fractions of dominance of each percept follow the multiplicative rule predicted by Bayesian sampling. Furthermore, we show that attractor neural networks can sample probability distributions if input currents add linearly and encode probability distributions with probabilistic population codes.
Food Choice, Symbolism, and Identity: Bread and Butter Issues for Folkloristics and Nutrition Studies (American Folklore Society Presidential Address, October 2005)

Research on food abounds, from the history of differing types of fare to the relationship between provisioning and culture, gender roles, and eating disorders. In disciplines concerned with health and nutrition, few studies focus on the metaphorical aspects of alimentation; while many ethnographic works do deal with the symbolic nature of gastronomy, they tend to emphasize eating as commensality and food as an expression of identity in ethnic, regional, and religious groups. Symbolic discourse involving cuisine is pervasive and complex, however, manifesting itself in a wide variety of contexts and exhibiting multiple meanings that may be ambiguous, conflicting, or pernicious. Understanding how messages are conveyed through culinary behavior requires an examination not only of victuals but also of the preparation, service, and consumption of food—for all are grist for the mill of symbolization. Here, I bring together a number of ideas about the iconic nature of cooking and eating: what is fodder for symbol creation, how and why meanings are generated, and what some of the effects of food-related representations are. I also problematize identity as it relates to food. My goal is to suggest directions for future research on foodways as well as applications in fields concerned with nutrition education, counseling, and dietary change.
Facilitating dance making from a teacher’s perspective within a community integrated dance class

Integrated dance has featured in several publications from the mid‐1990's onwards, particularly from the standpoints of equity of access, and contesting perceptions of dominant conventional notions of what dance is and who can dance including issues of embodiment and representation. Other publications and manuals focus primarily on how to teach integrated dance. Drawing on my own teacher's reflective journal maintained over a series of integrated dance classes, I describe the class structure, content and participant responses in a community integrated dance class for a dance company's education programme in a large, provincial urban centre in New Zealand. In effect, I am seeking an explanation of what works within dance making practices with these integrated classes, to foster a performance of possibilities giving voice to all participants. Journal entries are analysed and the findings discussed and reflected on in relation to current pedagogical thinking within community contexts and my own journey as a teacher of dance in community settings.
Constrained low-rank matrix estimation: phase transitions, approximate message passing and applications

This article is an extended version of previous work of Lesieur et al (2015 IEEE Int. Symp. on Information Theory Proc. pp 1635–9 and 2015 53rd Annual Allerton Conf. on Communication, Control and Computing (IEEE) pp 680–7) on low-rank matrix estimation in the presence of constraints on the factors into which the matrix is factorized. Low-rank matrix factorization is one of the basic methods used in data analysis for unsupervised learning of relevant features and other types of dimensionality reduction. We present a framework to study the constrained low-rank matrix estimation for a general prior on the factors, and a general output channel through which the matrix is observed. We draw a parallel with the study of vector-spin glass models—presenting a unifying way to study a number of problems considered previously in separate statistical physics works. We present a number of applications for the problem in data analysis. We derive in detail a general form of the low-rank approximate message passing (Low-RAMP) algorithm, that is known in statistical physics as the TAP equations. We thus unify the derivation of the TAP equations for models as different as the Sherrington–Kirkpatrick model, the restricted Boltzmann machine, the Hopfield model or vector (xy, Heisenberg and other) spin glasses. The state evolution of the Low-RAMP algorithm is also derived, and is equivalent to the replica symmetric solution for the large class of vector-spin glass models. In the section devoted to result we study in detail phase diagrams and phase transitions for the Bayes-optimal inference in low-rank matrix estimation. We present a typology of phase transitions and their relation to performance of algorithms such as the Low-RAMP or commonly used spectral methods.
On Combining Chase‐2 and Sum‐Product Algorithms for LDPC Codes

This letter investigates the combination of the Chase‐2 and sum‐product (SP) algorithms for low‐density parity‐check (LDPC) codes. A simple modification of the tanh rule for check node update is given, which incorporates test error patterns (TEPs) used in the Chase algorithm into SP decoding of LDPC codes. Moreover, a simple yet effective approach is proposed to construct TEPs for dealing with decoding failures with low‐weight syndromes. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm is effective in improving both the waterfall and error floor performance of LDPC codes.
The Importance of Writing Across the Hospitality and Tourism Curriculum

Abstract Future managers and leaders in the hospitality and tourism industry must be able to communicate in written form. Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) programs exist in many institutions of higher education, secondary schools, and elementary schools, but are not often emphasized in the hospitality and tourism curriculum. This paper discusses the need for Writing Across the Curriculum programs in hospitality and tourism education and suggests a planning outline and creative assignments for the implementation of writing in a hospitality and tourism curriculum.
NAB2 Represses Transcription by Interacting with the CHD4 Subunit of the Nucleosome Remodeling and Deacetylase (NuRD) Complex*

Early growth response (EGR) transactivators act as critical regulators of several physiological processes, including peripheral nerve myelination and progression of prostate cancer. The NAB1 and NAB2 (NGFI-A/EGR1-binding protein) transcriptional corepressors directly interact with three EGR family members (Egr1/NGFI-A/zif268, Egr2/Krox20, and Egr3) and repress activation of their target promoters. To understand the molecular mechanisms underlying NAB repression, we found that EGR activity is modulated by at least two repression domains within NAB2, one of which uniquely requires interaction with the CHD4 (chromodomain helicase DNA-binding protein 4) subunit of the NuRD (nucleosome remodeling and deacetylase) chromatin remodeling complex. Both NAB proteins can bind either CHD3 or CHD4, indicating that the interaction is conserved among these two protein families. Furthermore, we show that repression of the endogenous Rad gene by NAB2 involves interaction with CHD4 and demonstrate colocalization of NAB2 and CHD4 on the Rad promoter in myelinating Schwann cells. Finally, we show that interaction with CHD4 is regulated by alternative splicing of the NAB2 mRNA.
STATISTICAL EVALUATION OF METHODS FOR THE ANALYSIS OF DYNAMIC PROTEIN EXPRESSION DATA FROM A TUMOR STUDY

• In this article, we analyze time dependent protein expression data obtained from a proteome study of a neuroblastoma cell line. Neuroblastoma are common solid tumors which occur in early childhood. The expression data was obtained by difference gel electrophoresis (DIGE). It is known that the clinical outcome of neuroblastoma depends on the activation of different neurotrophin receptors by their ligands. Here, we are looking for proteome changes resulting from the activation of Tyrosine Kinase (TrkA) receptors by their ligand NGF (nerve growth factor). Before analyzing the data by longitudinal data analysis we do data preprocessing and apply a method for the imputation of missing values. Key-Words: • protein expression data; proteome; data preprocessing; missing values imputation; longitudinal data analysis; neuroblastoma.
Murphy’s law, the fitness of evolving species, and the limits of software reliability

We tackle two problems of interest to the software assurance community. Firstly, existing models of software development (such as the waterfall and spiral models) are oriented towards one-off software development projects, while the growth of mass market computing has led to a world in which most software consists of packages which follow an evolutionary development model. This leads us to ask whether anything interesting and useful may be said about evolutionary development. We answer in the affirmative. Secondly, existing reliability growth models emphasise the Poisson distribution of individual software bugs, while the empirically observed reliability growth for large systems is asymptotically slower than this. We provide a rigorous explanation of this phenomenon. Our reliability growth model is inspired by statistical thermodynamics, but also applies to biological evolution. It is in close agreement with experimental measurements of the fitness of an evolving species and the reliability of commercial software products. However, it shows that there are significant differences between the evolution of software and the evolution of species. In particular, we establish maximisation properties corresponding to Murphy’s law which work to the advantage of a biological species, but to the detriment of software reliability.
Synthesis of Cu or Cu2O-polyimide nanocomposites using Cu powders and their optical properties

Nanocomposites consisting of Cu or Cu2O nanoparticles in various polyimide (PI) films were successfully prepared using polyamic acid (PAA) and Cu powders. Cu powders were dissolved into PAA solutions, and the solutions were spin-coated onto the substrates. Cu or Cu2O nanoparticles were formed in PI film by curing in a reducing or inert atmosphere, respectively. The Cu nanoparticles were transformed to Cu2O nanoparticles by post-heat treatment in an oxidizing atmosphere after curing in a reducing atmosphere. Transmission electron microscopy showed that uniform, round Cu2O nanoparticles 6.0 nm in diameter were dispersed in the PI film by post-heat treatment. The addition of Cu2O nanoparticles in the 4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride-4,4′-oxydianiline (6FDA-ODA) PI film enhanced the refractive index of the 6FDA-ODA PI film from 1.60 to 1.72 at 633 nm, and the transparency of the nanocomposite film was about 70–90% in the visible region and remained around 90% beyond 550 nm.
Leadership without Leaders? Starters and Followers in Online Collective Action

The internet has been ascribed a prominent role in collective action, particularly with widespread use of social media. But most mobilisations fail. We investigate the characteristics of those few mobilisations that succeed and hypothesise that the presence of ‘starters’ with low thresholds for joining will determine whether a mobilisation achieves success, as suggested by threshold models. We use experimental data from public good games to identify personality types associated with willingness to start in collective action. We find a significant association between both extraversion and internal locus of control, and willingness to start, while agreeableness is associated with a tendency to follow. Rounds without at least a minimum level of extraversion among the participants are unlikely to be funded, providing some support for the hypothesis.
Clinical significance of barriers to blood glucose control in type 2 diabetes patients with insufficient glycemic control

Background The purpose of this study was to assess actual barriers to blood glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and to investigate barrier-related factors in an exploratory manner. Methods This cross-sectional study assessed patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus treated as outpatients at medical institutions within Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. Barriers to blood glucose control were examined in patients with glycated hemoglobin ≥6.9% using a nine-item questionnaire. Answers were also obtained from physicians in charge of the patients for seven of nine questions. Results Seven hundred and thirteen patients answered the questionnaire. Many physicians and patients described barriers that involved difficulty in complying with diet therapy. For six of the seven barriers, patient awareness was lower than physician awareness. Patient-reported lack of concern for diabetes mellitus was more prevalent among patients with macrovascular complications. Patients who reported difficulty in compliance with exercise therapy and fear of hypoglycemia were more likely to suffer from microvascular complications. Conclusion For many of the barriers to blood glucose control, patients were less aware than physicians, suggesting that we need to take action to raise patient awareness. Of interest are the observations that the relevant barriers differed for macrovascular and microvascular complications and that the relationship between presence of macrovascular complications and lack of concern about diabetes mellitus.
The mRNA encoding the yeast ARE-binding protein Cth2 is generated by a novel 3′ processing pathway

Microarray analyses of mRNAs over-expressed in strains lacking the nuclear exosome component Rrp6 identified the transcript encoding the ARE-binding protein Cth2, which functions in cytoplasmic mRNA stability. Subsequent northern analyses revealed that exosome mutants accumulate a 3′-extended transcript at the expense of the mature CTH2 mRNA. The 3′ ends of the CTH2 mRNA were mapped to a [GU3–5]5 repeat, unlike any previously characterized polyadenylation site. CTH2 mRNA accumulation was not inhibited by mutations in 3′-cleavage and polyadenylation factors, Rna14, Rna15 and Pap1, which block accumulation of other mRNAs. The 3′-extended CTH2 pre-mRNA strongly accumulated in strains with mutations in the TRAMP4 polyadenylation complex or the Nrd1/Nab3/Sen1 complex, and contains multiple Nrd1 and Nab3 binding sites. CTH2 carries a consensus ARE element and levels of the pre-mRNA and mRNA were elevated by mutation of the ARE or inactivation of the nuclear 5′-exonuclease Rat1. We propose that CTH2 mRNA is processed from a 3′-extended primary transcript by the exosome, TRAMP and Nrd1/Nab3/Sen1 complexes. This unusual pathway may allow time for nuclear, ARE-mediated regulation of CTH2 levels involving Rat1.
Local infiltration analgesia for pain after total knee replacement surgery: a winner or just a strong runner-up?

Local infiltration analgesia (LIA) has been introduced recently as a promising step forward in reducing postoperative pain and side effects from analgesics after knee arthroplasty and, so far, with less convincing results after hip artroplasty. As often with new methods, there is a way to go from the first, enthusiastic, nonblinded case series to evidencebased recommendations for clinical, everyday use. This way is paved with some important questions: