Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Enhancing the Interactive Visualization of Procedurally Encoded Multifield Data with Ellipsoidal Basis Functions

Functional approximation of scattered data is a popular technique for compactly representing various types of datasets in computer graphics, including surface, volume, and vector datasets. Typically, sums of Gaussians or similar radial basis functions are used in the functional approximation and PC graphics hardware is used to quickly evaluate and render these datasets. Previously, researchers presented techniques for spatially‐limited spherical Gaussian radial basis function encoding and visualization of volumetric scalar, vector, and multifield datasets. While truncated radially symmetric basis functions are quick to evaluate and simple for encoding optimization, they are not the most appropriate choice for data that is not radially symmetric and are especially problematic for representing linear, planar, and many non‐spherical structures. Therefore, we have developed a volumetric approximation and visualization system using ellipsoidal Gaussian functions which provides greater compression, and visually more accurate encodings of volumetric scattered datasets. In this paper, we extend previous work to use ellipsoidal Gaussians as basis functions, create a rendering system to adapt these basis functions to graphics hardware rendering, and evaluate the encoding effectiveness and performance for both spherical Gaussians and ellipsoidal Gaussians.
Flexible 3D neighborhood cascade deformable part models for object detection

Cascade Deformable Part Models (DPMs) are cascade frameworks to speed up Deformable Part Models (DPMs), which are one of the state-of-the-art solutions for object detection. Its idea is to reject most non-object hypotheses from the early stages of detection process. By investigating the dependency between hypotheses over scales, we introduce a novel pruning method to accelerate Cascade DPM frameworks. Our scale pruning method includes two following strategies: a) rejecting the neighboring scales if the score at a certain scale is too low; b) keeping a few scales with the highest scores, instead of storing all scales per location. Next, we extend this pruning technique to the 3D neighborhood pruning and describe a novel approach to evaluate the root score efficiently without full computation as existing cascade DPM methods. Finally, look-up tables are introduced to work with flexible neighborhood whose volume varies over hypotheses. As a result, our cascade model is equipped with an efficient and aggressive pruning mechanism. Extensive experiments reveal that the proposed method is faster than the state-of-the-art methods for both problems of object detection and face detection.
Influence of the welding process to the dilution rate of weld overlays on unalloyed steel using the weld consumable ERNiCrMo-3 (Alloy 625)

Nickel based alloys are used in different applications of the industries like power generation or the petro chemical industry. Out of the variety of these protection methodologies, weld overlay with ERNiCrMo-3 (Alloy 625) has proven to be the most widely accepted. This paper describes weld overlays of ERNiCrMo-3 (Alloy 625) with the welding methods GMAW Pulse, CMT, Tandem, CMT Twin, TIG cold wire, TIG hot wire and Laser Hybrid. The investigation of these probes includes the Fe dilution of the base material, the distribution of the Fe concentration through the weld overlay, and further on the welding speed and weld deposition rate.
Non-local means filter denoising for DEXA images

Dual high and low energy images of Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) suffer from noises due to the use of weak amount of X-rays. Denoising these DEXA images could be a key process to enhance and improve a Bone Mineral Density (BMD) map which is derived from a pair of high and low energy images. This could further improve the accuracy of diagnosis of bone fractures, osteoporosis, and etc. In this paper, we present a denoising technique for dual high and low energy images of DEXA via non-local means filter (NLMF). The noise of dual DEXA images is modeled based on both source and detector noises of a DEXA system. Then, the parameters of the proposed NLMF are optimized for denoising utilizing the experimental data from uniform phantoms. The optimized NLMF is tested and verified with the DEXA images of the uniform phantoms and real human spine. The quantitative evaluation shows the improvement of Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) for the high and low phantom images on the order of 30.36% and 27.02% and for the high and low real spine images on the order of 22.28% and 33.43%, respectively. Our work suggests that denoising via NLMF could be a key preprocessing process for clinical DEXA imaging.
First-Line Nursing Home Managers in Sweden and their Views on Leadership and Palliative Care

The aim of this study was to investigate first-line nursing home managers’ views on their leadership and related to that, palliative care. Previous research reveals insufficient palliation, and a number of barriers towards implementation of palliative care in nursing homes. Among those barriers are issues related to leadership quality. First-line managers play a pivotal role, as they influence working conditions and quality of care. Nine first-line managers, from different nursing homes in Sweden participated in the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed using qualitative descriptive content analysis. In the results, two categories were identified: embracing the role of leader and being a victim of circumstances, illuminating how the first-line managers handle expectations and challenges linked to the leadership role and responsibility for palliative care. The results reveal views corresponding to committed leaders, acting upon demands and expectations, but also to leaders appearing to have resigned from the leadership role, and who express powerlessness with little possibility to influence care. The first line managers reported their own limited knowledge about palliative care to limit their possibilities of taking full leadership responsibility for implementing palliative care principles in their nursing homes. The study stresses that for the provision of high quality palliative care in nursing homes, first-line managers need to be knowledgeable about palliative care, and they need supportive organizations with clear expectations and goals about palliative care. Future action and learning oriented research projects for the implementation of palliative care principles, in which first line managers actively participate, are suggested.
Yawning Detection Sensitivity and Yawning Contagion

Contagious yawning—the urge to yawn when thinking about, listening to, or viewing yawning—is a well-documented phenomenon in humans and animals. The reduced yawn contagion observed in the autistic population suggested that it might be empathy related; however, it is unknown whether such a connection applies to nonclinical populations. We examined influences from both empathy (i.e., autistic traits) and nonempathy factors (i.e., individuals’ perceptual detection sensitivity to yawning, happy, and angry faces) on 41 nonclinical adults. We induced contagious yawning with a 5-minute video and 20 yawning photo stimuli. In addition, we measured participants’ autistic traits (with the autism-spectrum quotient questionnaire), eye gaze patterns, and their perceptual thresholds to detect yawning and emotion in human face photos. We found two factors associated with yawning contagion: (a) those more sensitive to detect yawning, but not other emotional expressions, displayed more contagious yawning than those less sensitive to yawning expressions, and (b) female participants exhibited significantly more contagious yawning than male participants. We did not find an association between autistic trait and contagious yawning. Our study offers a working hypothesis for future studies, in that perceptual encoding of yawning interacts with susceptibility to contagious yawning.
Compression Response Of Notched Composite Stiffened Panels: Analyses And Experiments

ABSTRACT An experimental and analytical evaluation of the compres- sive response of two notched composite stiffened panels representative of primary composite wing structure is pre- sented. A three-dimensional full-field image correlation tech- nique is used to measure the three displacement compo- nents over global and local areas of the test panels. Full-field displacement results obtained using the image correlation technique are presented and compared to experimental re- sults and analytical results obtained using nonlinear finite element analysis. Both global and global-local image correla- tion results are presented and discussed. 1 INTRODUCTION One of the requirements for airframe structures development is the demonstration of structural damage tolerance for a panel with a two-stringer-bay-wide notch. The response of notched panels made of composite materials and loaded in compression or tension is not well understood. Experimen- tally validated analysis methods that predict the damage initiation and growth at the notch location are needed. Such methods can eventually be used to predict the residual strength of composite primary structures. Evaluating the response of structures with discontinuities such as cutouts and damage in the form of notches requires full-field informa- tion that represents the experimental in-plane and out-of- plane displacement components of the structure. A promising method for full-field displacement measurement is the three-dimensional image correlation technique de- scribed in Ref.
MELK expression correlates with tumor mitotic activity but is not required for cancer growth

The Maternal Embryonic Leucine Zipper Kinase (MELK) has been identified as a promising therapeutic target in multiple cancer types. MELK over-expression is associated with aggressive disease, and MELK has been implicated in numerous cancer-related processes, including chemotherapy resistance, stem cell renewal, and tumor growth. Previously, we established that triple-negative breast cancer cell lines harboring CRISPR/Cas9-induced null mutations in MELK proliferate at wild-type levels in vitro (Lin et al., 2017). Here, we generate several additional knockout clones of MELK and demonstrate that across cancer types, cells lacking MELK exhibit wild-type growth in vitro, under environmental stress, in the presence of cytotoxic chemotherapies, and in vivo. By combining our MELK-knockout clones with a recently described, highly specific MELK inhibitor, we further demonstrate that the acute inhibition of MELK results in no specific anti-proliferative phenotype. Analysis of gene expression data from cohorts of cancer patients identifies MELK expression as a correlate of tumor mitotic activity, explaining its association with poor clinical prognosis. In total, our results demonstrate the power of CRISPR/Cas9-based genetic approaches to investigate cancer drug targets, and call into question the rationale for treating patients with anti-MELK monotherapies.
Guided-Wave Properties of Mode-Selective Transmission Line

The so-called mode-selective transmission line or simply “MSTL” is studied theoretically and experimentally. This low-loss and low-dispersion transmission line operates with a frequency-dependent mode-switching behavior. This self-adaptive mode-selective guided-wave structure begins with the propagation of electromagnetic waves over the lower frequency range in the form of a quasi-TEM fundamental mode similar to the microstrip line case, then followed by a fundamental quasi-TE10 mode with reference to rectangular waveguide over the higher frequency region. To gain insight into the physical mechanism and fundamental features of this mode-selective transmission line, a detailed semi-analytical hybrid-mode analysis is developed through the application of a method of lines. This method allows accurate and effective modeling of MSTL guided-wave properties. Propagation characteristics of this proposed mode-agile structure in terms of dispersion, modal, and loss properties are examined, which leads to the establishment of some basic MSTL design guidelines. Numerical results confirm the expected mode conversion and low-loss behavior through the observation of field evolutions along the structure. For experimental verification, a set of MSTL prototypes are fabricated on two different substrates through dissimilar fabrication processes. Measurements are carried out from dc-to-500 GHz using a vector network analyzer. Excellent agreement between theoretical and experimental results is observed. It is confirmed that the low-dispersion and low-loss behavior of MSTL makes it an outstanding integrated waveguide in support of high-performance super-broadband signal transmission and/or ultra-fast pulse propagation in a fully-integrated platform.
Percutaneous measurement of tissue compliance

Abstract—Percutaneous needle insertion is a minimally invasive technique, in which intervention effectiveness depends on needle placement accuracy. Targeting specific areas is difficult as needle trajectory is influenced by the highly variable and unpredictable nature of soft tissue. Furthermore the physician receives very limited information, as force feedback is low and often masked by other disturbances. During insertion, the needle traverses several tissue layers of varying stiffness. In addition it is known that target regions of interest, as for instance fibrosis or carcinomas, differ in stiffness compared to healthy tissue. Therefore, it is suggested that by measuring tissue compliance percutaneously, information about needle placement can be acquired. Monitoring the puncture of tissue layers by tip force measurements, has already been investigated by others. However, it was found that measurements from puncture events are not always reliable due to the large variance in peak forces. The novelty presented here is expanding the possibilities of tissue characterization by applying dynamic indentations whilst inserting the needle. By measuring resulting amplitude and average force responses, it is hypothesized that differences in tissue compliance can be discriminated percutaneously at the needle tip. Experiments were performed by inserting a blunt modified 18 gauge trocar needle with constant velocity and a small oscillation into stacked gelatin assemblies of varying stiffness. By measuring amplitude responses, significant correspondence was found in discriminating test samples of varying concentration gelatin. Besides merely discriminating, results were so consistent that even classification schemes could be acquired. Materials can therefore be characterized by comparing force responses to data from classification schemes. It was also found that average force responses gave better discriminatory results than peak to bottom amplitudes. However, it is expected that in clinical settings where needle preloading and patient movement are inevitable, force responses may drift. In these cases measuring merely relative differences from amplitude responses provide an advantage, as systematic errors can be excluded from measurement.
Synergistic antidyskinetic effects of topiramate and amantadine in animal models of Parkinson's disease

L‐Dopa‐induced dyskinesia in patients with Parkinson's disease can be alleviated by amantadine, an antagonist at N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate glutamate receptors. The antiepileptic drug topiramate, which blocks α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazolepropionic acid receptors, has also been shown to reduce dyskinesia. The purpose of this study was to examine the behavioral pharmacology of topiramate alone and in combination with amantadine in animal models of PD and L‐dopa‐induced dyskinesia. The effects of topiramate (5–20 mg/kg) and amantadine (5–20 mg/kg) on abnormal involuntary movements (the rat homologue of dyskinesia) and Rotarod performance were assessed alone and in combination in the 6‐hydroxydopamine‐lesioned rat following chronic L‐dopa treatment. Dyskinesia, parkinsonian disability, and “on‐time” were assessed in the MPTP‐lesioned nonhuman primate following administration of topiramate (5–20 mg/kg) and amantadine (0.1–1.0 mg/kg) alone and in combination. Topiramate and amantadine dose‐dependently reduced dyskinesia in the 6‐hydroxydopamine‐lesioned rat, whereas topiramate reduced Rotarod performance; there was no effect on parkinsonian disability in the MPTP‐lesioned nonhuman primate, in which both drugs reduced dyskinesia. Topiramate and amantadine exhibited differential antidyskinetic effects on dyskinesia elicited by the dopamine D1 receptor agonist SKF 38393 (2 mg/kg). Subthreshold doses of both drugs in combination had a synergistic effect on dyskinesia in the 6‐hydroxydopamine‐lesioned rat, with no worsening of motor performance; this effect was confirmed in the MPTP‐lesioned nonhuman primate, with a selective reduction in “bad on‐time. ” These data confirm the antidyskinetic potential of topiramate and suggest that combination with low‐dose amantadine may allow better reduction of dyskinesia with no adverse motor effects. © 2011 Movement Disorder Society
Randomized phase II trial of TEGAFIRI (tegafur/uracil, oral leucovorin, irinotecan) compared with FOLFIRI (folinic acid, 5‐fluorouracil, irinotecan) in patients with unresectable/recurrent colorectal cancer

Irinotecan‐based chemotherapy with bevacizumab is one of the first‐line standard therapies for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). TEGAFIRI (UFT/LV + irinotecan) is an irinotecan‐based chemotherapy regimen. Currently, few clinical data regarding TEGAFIRI are available. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of TEGAFIRI in Japanese patients with mCRC. This is a multicenter, randomized, phase II study. The major inclusion criteria were previously untreated patients with mCRC (age: 20–75 years, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status: 0–1). Eligible patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either FOLFIRI ± bevacizumab or TEGAFIRI ± bevacizumab. The primary endpoint was progression‐free survival (PFS). The secondary endpoints were response rate, overall survival, dose intensity and toxicity. From November 2007 to October 2011, 36 and 35 patients assigned to the FOLFIRI and TEGAFIRI groups were included in the primary analysis. No significant difference in PFS was observed between the groups {median PFS: TEGAFIRI 9.9 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 6.5–14.7], FOLFIRI 10.6 months [95% CI, 7.7–16.5]; Hazard ratio, 0.98, 95% CI, 0.57–1.66, p = 0.930}. The response rates in the FOLFIRI and TEGAFIRI groups were 56% and 66%, respectively. Relative dose intensity was similar between the groups. The most common Grade 3/4 adverse event was diarrhea (26%) in TEGAFIRI group and neutropenia (39%) in the FOLFIRI group. The results of the present study indicate that TEGAFIRI ± bevacizumab is an effective and tolerable first‐line treatment regimen for mCRC.
Tissue shrinkage in microwave ablation of liver: an ex vivo predictive model

Abstract Purpose: The aim of this study was to develop a predictive model of the shrinkage of liver tissues in microwave ablation. Methods: Thirty-seven cuboid specimens of ex vivo bovine liver of size ranging from 2 cm to 8 cm were heated exploiting different techniques: 1) using a microwave oven (2.45 GHz) operated at 420 W, 500 W and 700 W for 8 to 20 min, achieving complete carbonisation of the specimens, 2) using a radiofrequency ablation apparatus (450 kHz) operated at 70 W for a time ranging from 6 to 7.5 min obtaining white coagulation of the specimens, and 3) using a microwave (2.45 GHz) ablation apparatus operated at 60 W for 10 min. Measurements of specimen dimensions, carbonised and coagulated regions were performed using a ruler with an accuracy of 1 mm. Based on the results of the first two experiments a predictive model for the contraction of liver tissue from microwave ablation was constructed and compared to the result of the third experiment. Results: For carbonised tissue, a linear contraction of 31 ± 6% was obtained independently of the heating source, power and operation time. Radiofrequency experiments determined that the average percentage linear contraction of white coagulated tissue was 12 ± 5%. The average accuracy of our model was determined to be 3 mm (5%). Conclusions: The proposed model allows the prediction of the shrinkage of liver tissues upon microwave ablation given the extension of the carbonised and coagulated zones. This may be useful in helping to predict whether sufficient tissue volume is ablated in clinical practice.
FPGA implementation of min-sum algorithm for LDPC decoder

Low-density parity-check codes (LDPC) are among the most powerful error correcting tools today available. In this paper, it has aimed a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) implementation of LDPC decoder with less complexity. The proposed decoding structure reduces complexity of the check node unit (CNU) and the variable node unit (VNU) based on min-sum (MS) algorithm, thereby achieving less slice resources. A multiplexed storage structure is used for the storage of node messages which results in less slice resources. Hardware resources act as a crucial factor in many applications like deep space communications and its efficient utilization is an area which is highly explored. Both high performance and low complexity are expected from LDPC decoders used in space data systems. This low-complexity implementation is an efficient method to achieve the requirements put forward by many wired and wireless communication systems.
Domain independent keyword identification for question answering

In this paper, we look at domain independent keyword identification for natural language queries using statistical methods. We took queries supplemented by only their dependency tags (Stanford Parser) and part-of-speech tags (Stanford POS tagger) and labeled the keywords. We then delexicalised the training data, and used the Conditional Random Fields algorithm to learn these labels. We used the queries created by [1] in the course management domain for training, and tested our model on the queries of three domains: course management, library and the GeoQueries250 dataset and report fairly high accuracies of 90.65%, 83.19% and 97.13% respectively, making our model a truly domain independent and highly accurate keyword identifier.
A Study of the Differential Effects of Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) on Gene Expression Profiles of Stimulated Thp-1 Macrophages

Background: An appropriate intake of omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids (FAs) such as eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid (EPA/DHA) from marine sources is known to have anti-inflammatory effects. However, molecular mechanisms underlying their beneficial effects on health are not fully understood. The aim of the present study was to characterize gene expression profiles of THP-1 macrophages, incubated in either EPA or DHA and stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a pro-inflammatory agent. Methods: THP-1 macrophages were incubated into 10, 50 and 75 µM of EPA or DHA for 24 h, and 100 nM of LPS was added to the culture media for 18 h. Total mRNA was extracted and gene expression examined by microarray analysis using Illumina Human HT-12 expression beadchips (Illumina). Results: Pathway analysis revealed that EPA and DHA regulate genes involved in cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, immune response and inflammation, oxidative stress and cancer pathways in a differential and dose-dependent manner. Conclusions: EPA and DHA appear to exert differential effects on gene expression in THP-1 macrophages. Specific effects of n-3 FAs on gene expression levels are also dose-dependent.