Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Computing 3D Geometry Directly from Range Images

Several techniques have been developed in research and industry for computing 3D geometry from sets of aligned range images. Recent work has shown that volumetric methods are robust to scanner noise and alignment uncertainty and provide good quality, water-tight models. However, these methods suffer from limited resolution, large memory requirements and long processing times, and they produce excessively large triangle models. In this report, we propose a new volumetric method for computing geometry from range data that: 1) computes distances directly from range images rather than from range surfaces, 2) generates an Adaptively Sampled Distance Field (ADF) rather than a distance volume or a 3-color octree, resulting in a significant savings in memory and distance computations, 3) provides an intuitive interface for manually correcting the generated ADF, and 4) generates optimal triangle models (with fewer triangles in flat regions and more triangles where needed to represent surface detail) from the generated ADF octree using a fast new triangulation method.
Professional, Personal, and Relational: Exploring the Salience of Identity in Academic Careers

ABSTRACT This article explores the role of identity in lived experiences within the professoriate. While scholarship has given some attention to professional identity and personal identity, little in the literature has attempted to present a holistic view of identity and the complex ways that it defines and influences academic careers. The authors present findings from their analysis of interview data from 50 participants across career stages, from doctoral students to full professors. These findings suggest that three distinct but related, and potentially synergistic, components of identity are salient in shaping perceptions of and experiences within academic careers. The authors offer future directions for research centered on a rich conceptualization of identity as critical for understanding faculty development, experiences, and needs.
Altered Expressions of miR-1238-3p, miR-494, miR-6069, and miR-139-3p in the Formation of Chronic Brucellosis

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that is still endemic in developing countries. Despite early diagnosis and treatment of patients, chronic infections are seen in 10–30% of patients. In this study, we aimed to investigate the immunological factors that play roles in the transition of brucellosis from acute infection into chronic infection. Here, more than 2000 miRNAs were screened in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with acute or chronic brucellosis and healthy controls by using miRNA array, and the results of the miRNA array were validated through qRT-PCR. Findings were evaluated using GeneSpring GX (Agilent) 13.0 software and KEGG pathway analysis. Four miRNAs were expressed in the chronic group but were not expressed in acute and control groups. Among these miRNAs, the expression level of miR-1238-3p was increased while miR-494, miR-6069, and miR-139-3p were decreased (p < 0.05, fold change > 2). These miRNAs have the potential to be markers for chronic cases. The differentially expressed miRNAs and their predicted target genes involved in endocytosis, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, MAPK signaling pathway, and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and its chemokine signaling pathway indicate their potential roles in chronic brucellosis and its progression. It is the first study of miRNA expression analysis of human PBMC to clarify the mechanism of inveteracy in brucellosis.
Infection of the brown alga E ctocarpus siliculosus by the oomycete E urychasma dicksonii induces oxidative stress and halogen metabolism

Abstract Pathogens are increasingly being recognized as key evolutionary and ecological drivers in marine ecosystems. Defence mechanisms of seaweeds, however, have mostly been investigated by mimicking infection using elicitors. We have established an experimental pathosystem between the genome brown model seaweed E ctocarpus siliculosus and the oomycete E urychasma dicksonii as a powerful new tool to investigate algal responses to infection. Using proteomics, we identified 21 algal proteins differentially accumulated in response to E u. dicksonii infection. These include classical algal stress response proteins such as a manganese superoxide dismutase, heat shock proteins 70 and a vanadium bromoperoxidase. Transcriptional profiling by qPCR confirmed the induction of the latter during infection. The accumulation of hydrogen peroxide was observed at different infection stages via histochemical staining. Inhibitor studies confirmed that the main source of hydrogen peroxide is superoxide converted by superoxide dismutase. Our data give an unprecedented global overview of brown algal responses to pathogen infection, and highlight the importance of oxidative stress and halogen metabolism in these interactions. This suggests overlapping defence pathways with herbivores and abiotic stresses. We also identify previously unreported actors, in particular a Rad23 and a plastid–lipid‐associated protein, providing novel insights into the infection and defence processes in brown algae.
Protection-Oriented EPD Electronic Teaching Materials Design and Implement

This paper analyzed the current development of electronic teaching materials, and probed into the restricting elements of the development: digital copyright protection, readability and multi-format support. Also, it reviewed the current readers' digital rights protection technology, and introduced the basic principles and properties of e-paper,and synthesized the advantages of the LCD screen and e-paper, designed and implemented the EPD electronic materials, which is an available way for digital copyright protection, described in detail the structure and implementation process of EPD electronic materials, including: protections facing the digital copyright, the migration and implementation of the operating system, multi-access mode and multi-format support, GUI implementation, EPD display control and power management. It has showed that the EPD electronic materials is highly operable and readable , strong in support of a variety of formats, content updated by wireless and portable, environmental-friendly and energy-saving, which has a good prospect.
Discussion of : “ Optimal conventional and unconventional monetary policy in the presence of collateral constraints and the zero bound ”

We take a sticky price business cycle model with collateral constrained entrepreneurs and investigate how optimal monetary policy is a¤ected by the presence of the zero bound to central bank interest rates; we also consider the advantages of using a second unconventional monetary policy instrument that loosely approximates credit easingundertaken by some central banks recently. We compare commitment with discretion, and explore how the cost of not being able to commit interacts with the zero bound and the potential to use the second instrument. Solving under discretion, and with the 3 state variables our model entails, requires us to make a small innovation to previous algorithms which we suggest may be of more general use to others. 1 Introduction1 This paper studies questions of monetary policy design arising from several features of the recent nancial crisis. The rst such feature is that the severe downturn in activity may be considered to have had its origin in nancial markets, via a sudden reduction in the quantity of lending advanced to rms and a tightening of the terms on which such lending was made. Second, whatever its origin, di¢ culties in the nancial sector have served to amplify and propagate the shock over time. Third, central bank interest rates were driven to the zero lower bound (ZLB) as the monetary authorities in many countries sought to counter the e¤ects that the shock would otherwise have had on ination and the real economy. Fourth, and as a result of nding interest rates driven to their natural oor, central banks were forced to consider unconventional means of stimulating spending. One such means was the possibility, advocated in work by Eggertson and Woodford (2003) and others, that central email: charles.brendon@economics.ox. ac.uk yemail:matthias.paustian@bankofengland.co.uk zemail: tony.yates@bankofengland.co.uk 1We thank Richard Harrisson for talking us through his algorithm for solving the model under commitment at the zero bound. We thank seminar participants in the Monetary Assessment and Strategy Division for comments. Remaining errors are ours alone. Views expressed here are not those of the Bank of England nor the Monetary Policy Committee.
A re-examination of the Meyers and Volbrecht motor equation for the identification of suspect effort

Neuropsychologists are frequently called upon to evaluate cognitive functioning and to participate in determining disability status, particularly in the wake of traumatic brain injuries, strokes, and other health events that compromise central nervous system functioning. A critical component of each evaluation is effort assessment. Ideally, the methods for assessing the credibility of effort are neither obvious to test-takers nor vulnerable to coaching. One of the promising ways to evaluate effort is to use a combination of test scores that assess a common domain, such as motor functioning. The purpose of the present study was to cross validate a linear regression formula developed by Meyers and Volbrecht (2003) to evaluate the credibility of effort on selected tests of motor functioning. The formula utilized scores from the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test, the WAIS-III Digit Symbol and Block Design subtests, and the Finger Tapping Test. The advantages of such a formula for evaluating effort include that it relies upon embedded measures, resulting in heightened efficiency and greater subtlety of assessment. The current archival study re-examined the Meyers and Volbrecht (2003) formula using 281 ethnically diverse patients who were referred for neuropsychological evaluation. The sample included 101 patients who met criteria for noncredible effort and 180 patients who met criteria for credible effort. Cut-off scores for the formula were selected to maintain specificity in the credible patients of at least 90%. The associated sensitivity rate when the original cut-offs were applied to the noncredible group was 30.7%. Closer examination of the individual tests that comprised the formula revealed that the Finger Tapping Test had unacceptably low sensitivity (29.7%). Therefore, the
Design of distributed amplifiers and oscillators in 130 nm SOI MOS technology

In this paper, the design and the results of two CMOS silicon-on-insulator (SOI) distributed amplifiers (DA) are presented. Partially-depleted SOI process using microstrip lines, and floating-body (FB) transistors are considered. The measured gain is around 4.5 dB with a 0.4-30 GHz bandwidth for the common source DA (CSDA) and around 7 dB with a 0.4-26 GHz bandwidth for the cascode DA (CDA). The optimized performances were found for 1.4 V supply voltage, which corresponds to a DC power consumption of 66 and 55 mW for the CSDA and the CDA, respectively. The CSDA circuit has been extended to design a distributed oscillator (DO) at 12 GHz, and CDA to a cascaded CDA with a cut-off frequency of 48 GHz and 8 dB gain.
Emerging methods to study bacteriophage infection at the single-cell level

Bacteria and their viruses (phages) are abundant across diverse ecosystems and their interactions influence global biogeochemical cycles and incidence of disease. Problematically, both classical and metagenomic methods insufficiently assess the host specificity of phages and phage–host infection dynamics in nature. Here we review emerging methods to study phage–host interaction and infection dynamics with a focus on those that offer resolution at the single-cell level. These methods leverage ever-increasing sequence data to identify virus signals from single-cell amplified genome datasets or to produce primers/probes to target particular phage–bacteria pairs (digital PCR and phageFISH), even in complex communities. All three methods enable study of phage infection of uncultured bacteria from environmental samples, while the latter also discriminates between phage–host interaction outcomes (e.g., lytic, chronic, lysogenic) in model systems. Together these techniques enable quantitative, spatiotemporal studies of phage–bacteria interactions from environmental samples of any ecosystem, which will help elucidate and predict the ecological and evolutionary impacts of specific phage–host pairings in nature.
Detection of duplicated image regions using cellular automata

A common image forgery method is copy-move forgery (CMF), where part of an image is copied and moved to a new location. Identification of CMF can be conducted by detection of duplicated regions in the image. This paper presents a new approach for CMF detection where cellular automata (CA) are used. The main idea is to divide an image into overlapping blocks and use CA to learn a set of rules. Those rules appropriately describe the intensity changes in every block and are used as features for detection of duplicated areas in the image. Use of CA for image processing implies use of pixels' intensities as cell states, leading to a combinatorial explosion in the number of possible rules and subsets of those rules. Therefore, we propose a reduced description based on a proper binary representation using local binary patterns (LBPs). For detection of plain CMF, where no transformation of the copied area is applied, sufficient detection is accomplished by 1D CA. The main issue of the proposed method is its sensitivity to post-processing methods, such as the addition of noise or blurring. Coping with that is possible by pre-processing of the image using an averaging filter.
Responsiveness–to–Intervention: Definitions, Evidence, and Implications for the Learning Disabilities Construct

Longstanding concern about how learning disabilities (LD) are defined and identified, coupled with recent efforts in Washington, DC to eliminate IQ–achievement discrepancy as an LD marker, have led to serious public discussion about alternative identification methods. The most popular of the alternatives is responsiveness–to–intervention (RTI), of which there are two basic versions: the “problem–solving” model and the “standard–protocol” approach. The authors describe both types, review empirical evidence bearing on their effectiveness and feasibility, and conclude that more needs to be understood before RTI may be viewed as a valid means of identifying students with LD.
Mouse SYCP2 is required for synaptonemal complex assembly and chromosomal synapsis during male meiosis

During meiosis, the arrangement of homologous chromosomes is tightly regulated by the synaptonemal complex (SC). Each SC consists of two axial/lateral elements (AEs/LEs), and numerous transverse filaments. SC protein 2 (SYCP2) and SYCP3 are integral components of AEs/LEs in mammals. We find that SYCP2 forms heterodimers with SYCP3 both in vitro and in vivo. An evolutionarily conserved coiled coil domain in SYCP2 is required for binding to SYCP3. We generated a mutant Sycp2 allele in mice that lacks the coiled coil domain. The fertility of homozygous Sycp2 mutant mice is sexually dimorphic; males are sterile because of a block in meiosis, whereas females are subfertile with sharply reduced litter size. Sycp2 mutant spermatocytes exhibit failure in the formation of AEs and chromosomal synapsis. Strikingly, the mutant SYCP2 protein localizes to axial chromosomal cores in both spermatocytes and fetal oocytes, but SYCP3 does not, demonstrating that SYCP2 is a primary determinant of AEs/LEs and, thus, is required for the incorporation of SYCP3 into SCs.
Intrinsic Image Decomposition Using Color Invariant Edge

The intrinsic image composed of reflectance and shading images plays important roles in various computer vision applications. This paper focuses on solving the problem of intrinsic image decomposition. Based on the assumption that the image derivatives can be classified into either reflectance-related or shading-related, the reflectance and shading image can be restored from the classified derivatives. We improve the classification result using only color information by introducing the color invariant edge. Considering some color invariant properties in the image, the color invariant edge can provide more useful information in guiding the classification and producing more robust decomposition result as it is shown in the experiment.
Comparative Analysis of Two Different Heuristics for Model of VRP

Vehicle routing problem (VRP) is realistic optimization problem used to find the best feasible route of a vehicle. VRP is mostly used for sorting the different routes of vehicles to provide efficient services to the customers. In this paper, we implement two different heuristics, nearest neighbor insertion and ant colony optimization for solving vehicle routing problem and their respective results are shown by using graphical implementation. While performing the experiment we analyzed both the heuristics and depict which heuristic solve the problem efficiently with respect to cost and time.
Look-up table (LUT) method for inverse halftoning

In this paper we propose look-up table (LUT) based methods for inverse halftoning of images. The LUT for inverse halftoning is obtained from the histogram gathered from a few sample halftone images and corresponding original images. The method is extremely fast (no filtering is required) and the PSNR and visual image quality achieved is comparable to the best methods known for inverse halftoning. The LUT inverse halftoning method does not depend on the specific properties of the halftoning method, and can be applied to any halftoning method. Then, an algorithm for template selection for LUT inverse halftoning is introduced. We demonstrate the performance of the LUT inverse halftoning algorithm on error diffused images and ordered dithered images. We also extend LUT inverse halftoning to color halftones.
No Evidence for Selection of HIV-1 with Enhanced Gag-Protease or Nef Function among Breakthrough Infections in the CAPRISA 004 Tenofovir Microbicide Trial

Background Use of antiretroviral-based microbicides for HIV-1 prophylaxis could introduce a transmission barrier that inadvertently facilitates the selection of fitter viral variants among incident infections. To investigate this, we assessed the in vitro function of gag-protease and nef sequences from participants who acquired HIV-1 during the CAPRISA 004 1% tenofovir microbicide gel trial. Methods and Results We isolated the earliest available gag-protease and nef gene sequences from 83 individuals and examined their in vitro function using recombinant viral replication capacity assays and surface protein downregulation assays, respectively. No major phylogenetic clustering and no significant differences in gag-protease or nef function were observed in participants who received tenofovir gel versus placebo gel prophylaxis. Conclusion Results indicate that the partial protective effects of 1% tenofovir gel use in the CAPRISA 004 trial were not offset by selection of transmitted/early HIV-1 variants with enhanced Gag-Protease or Nef fitness.
MPGAIA-A Massively Parallel Genetic Algorithm for Image Analysis

This paper describes a fine-grained parallel genetic algorithm, MPGAIA (Massively Parallel Genetic Algorithm for Image Analysis), that was implemented on a SIMD type parallel computer, a DAP 510. We then describe using MPGAIA to evolve filters, which when integrated with a simple classifier program are applied to a subset of a real-world problem which involves finding weaknesses, from images, in aircraft fuselages. Some initial results are presented.
Effects of dance on balance and gait in severe Parkinson disease: A case study

Purpose. Dance may improve functional mobility in individuals with mild-to-moderate Parkinson disease (PD), yet dance effects in severe PD remain unexamined. This study's purpose was to evaluate the feasibility and effects of partnered tango classes on balance, endurance and quality of life in an individual with severe PD. Design. Over 10 weeks, the participant attended 20, 1-h tango classes for individuals with PD. Balance, walking, and quality of life were evaluated before and after the intervention and at a 1-month follow-up in this single case design. Caregiver burden was also assessed at all time points. Results. The participant improved on the Berg Balance Scale, 6-min walk test, and functional reach. He reported increased balance confidence and improved quality of life as measured by the Parkinson Disease Questionnaire-39 summary index. Gains were maintained at the 1-month follow-up. Caregiver burden increased from baseline immediately post-intervention and at follow-up. Conclusion. Twenty partnered tango lessons improved balance, endurance, balance confidence, and quality of life in a participant with severe PD. This is the first report of the use of dance as rehabilitation for an individual with advanced disease who primarily used a wheelchair for transportation.
Do Schools Learn : Response to North Carolina ’ s School Accountability Program

The paper tests the predictions of a Bayesian model of learning by doing in North Carolina’s school accountability program. The program aims to provide incentives for higher performance by offering monetary rewards if schools meet a specified test score target. Schools are assumed to exert effort based on their expectations of reaching the target. At the end of each year, they can observe how they performed relative to the target and draw inference on the optimal level of effort needed to reach the target. To test the model’s predictions, I use test score data from grades 3 and 4 from before the program started and exploit the fact that, while schools were tested prior to the program, they were not informed of their test score performance. The schools’ difference in performance before and after they receive the new information is partially consistent with learning by doing. In particular, I find that the highest gains in performance come from schools who performed poorly the year before. However, I also find that schools which passed the target the year before experience an additional gain in performance, which rejects the predictions of the learning model . This finding suggests that there may be an additional effect on incentives if schools meet the target, consistent with a decrease in the disutility of effort following a successful year. Finally, I test for the differential effect of the program across different parts of the test score distribution, and find that the schools’ response benefited low achieving students the most. ∗I am particularly grateful to my advisors Andrew Foster, John Tyler and Kenneth Chay for their help and support in this project. I am also grateful to Sriniketh Nagavarapu, Anna Aizer, Pedro Dal Bo, and participants at Brown University’s Applied Micro Lunch Seminars for valuable comments. I also thank Gary Williamson and Lou Fabrizio from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction for providing additional information on the implementation of the accountability program. Remote access to the data was generously provided by the North Carolina Education Research Data Center (NCERDC). I gratefully acknowledge the financial support received from Brown University Graduate School.