Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Automated Spatial Change Analysis of Building Systems Using 3D Imagery Data

Changes of both designs and construction process usually cause spatial changes in facility design and challenges related to spatial change management between various building systems (e.g., Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing) and building components. In practice, design changes can be triggered by the needs of the owner, engineers and experts, resulting in spatial changes of as-designed objects and possibly spatial clashes between them. Spatial deviations also occur between the as-built conditions of building systems components and their asdesigned conditions. These deviations are due to changing environments, incomplete design information, and uncertainties in the construction workflows. Spatial clashes caused by changes and deviations need to be addressed through coordination among stakeholders from multiple trades. Such coordination can be tedious, especially when interwoven geometries of building systems components exist. Automated spatial clash detection algorithms are of limited help when the large number of objects interwoven in small spaces, as ambiguities about which points belong to which objects often occur within a space packed with a large number of building systems components. This paper examines the technical feasibility and scientific challenges of using 3D imaging technology (e.g., laser scanning) to support spatial change analysis of building systems. A review of existing studies indicates that the uses of 3D imaging systems enable civil engineers to acquire detailed as-built geometries frequently in the form of dense 3D point clouds, while posing challenges of handling 3D curvilinear geometries locating close to or even interwoven with each other. Using a case study, this paper shows that currently-adopted neighborhoodsearching-based analysis fails in detecting changes of 3D curvilinear objects packed in small spaces, and proposes to model the geometric and topological relationships among 3D curves as the theoretic basis of a robust spatial change analysis approach of building systems.
Building a Lifestyle Recommender System

Recommender systems are new types of internet-based software tools, designed to help users find their way through today’s complex on-line shops and entertainment websites. Here we provide an overview of current recommender systems, and then outline a new Lifestyle Recommender System, which employs techniques such as evolutionary search and a 3D avatar to provide tailored and friendly suggestions for users.
Linking facial animation, head motion and speech acoustics

Abstract Facial motion during speech is a direct consequence of vocal-tract motion which also shapes the acoustics of speech. This fact suggests that speech acoustics can be used to estimate face motion, and vice versa. Another kinematic–acoustic relation that occurs during production of speech is between head motion and fundamental frequency (F 0). This paper focuses on the development of a system that takes speech acoustics as input, and gives as output the coefficients necessary to animate natural face and head motion. The results obtained are based on simultaneous measurements of face deformation, head motion and speech acoustics collected for two subjects during production of naturalistic sentences and spontaneous speech. The procedure for estimating face motion from speech acoustics first trains nonlinear estimators whose inputs are line spectrum frequency pair coefficients and whose outputs are marker positions on the face. These estimators are then applied to test data. The estimated marker trajectories are objectively compared with their measured counterparts, yielding correlation coefficients between 0.8 and 0.9. Linear estimators are used to relate F 0 and head motion. As F 0 to head motion is a one-to-many problem, constraints must be added for the estimation of head motion. This is done by computation of the co-dependence among head motion components. Finally, measured and estimated face and head motion data are used to animate a naturalistic talking head.
Another Place Is Possible? Labor Geography, Spatial Dispossession, and Gendered Resistance in Central Appalachia

The demise of Fordism and inauguration of neoliberal policy regimes may be conceptualized as historical processes of spatial dispossession that diminish and sometimes destroy the collective spaces of working-class life. In central Appalachia, where miners’ militant, unionized brotherhood once influenced the geography of the bituminous coal industry and enabled the growth of active, working-class communities, spatial dispossession is especially stark. Here, neoliberalization of space involves not only the familiar dismantling of public institutions but also corporate enclosures of lands once treated as commons, withdrawal of residents from polluted local ecologies, intentional destruction of union solidarity, and erosion of miners’ heroic masculinity. Historical analysis reveals this dismantling of labor's gendered geography and degradation of working-class environments as mutually interrelated processes. Spatial dispossession is also evoking opposition, however, from reactionary, industry-orchestrated mobilizations to valorize coal in the name of masculinist nationalism, to fragmentary efforts, often led by women, seeking alternative economic and political possibilities. These conflict-ridden dynamics of spatial influence, dispossession, and (re)creation lay bare interrelated coproductions of gender and class, political economy and cultural practice, “nature” and society and thereby point toward a labor geography capable of engaging the contradictory forces that animate working-class life.
Effect of lingual gauze swab placement on pulse oximeter readings in anaesthetised dogs and cats

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of lingual gauze swab placement on pulse oximeter readings in anaesthetised dogs and cats. Following anaesthetic induction, the following pulse oximeter probe configurations were performed: no gauze swab (control), placement of a gauze swab between the tongue and the probe, placement of different thicknesses of gauze swab, placement of red cotton fabric, placement of a sheet of white paper and placement of the probe and gauze swab on different locations on the tongue. Oxygen saturation (SpO2) and peripheral perfusion index (PI) were recorded. Placement of a gauze swab between the pulse oximeter probe and the tongue in anaesthetised dogs and cats resulted in significantly higher SpO2 values compared with the control group. In dogs, PI values were significantly higher than the control in all groups except the quarter thickness swab group. In cats, PI was significantly higher in the double thickness swab and white paper groups compared with the control. Cats had significantly higher SpO2 and lower PI values than dogs. The authors propose that increased contact pressure is responsible for significantly higher SpO2 and PI readings with the use of a lingual gauze swab resulting from changes in transmural pressure and arterial compliance.
Automatic Group Happiness Intensity Analysis

The recent advancement of social media has given users a platform to socially engage and interact with a larger population. Millions of images and videos are being uploaded everyday by users on the web from different events and social gatherings. There is an increasing interest in designing systems capable of understanding human manifestations of emotional attributes and affective displays. As images and videos from social events generally contain multiple subjects, it is an essential step to study these groups of people. In this paper, we study the problem of happiness intensity analysis of a group of people in an image using facial expression analysis. A user perception study is conducted to understand various attributes, which affect a person's perception of the happiness intensity of a group. We identify the challenges in developing an automatic mood analysis system and propose three models based on the attributes in the study. An `in the wild' image-based database is collected. To validate the methods, both quantitative and qualitative experiments are performed and applied to the problem of shot selection, event summarisation and album creation. The experiments show that the global and local attributes defined in the paper provide useful information for theme expression analysis, with results close to human perception results.
Reducing the Number of Context Switches in Real Time Systems

In real time scheduling, preemption is one of the causes of run time overhead and large memory requirements. This paper focuses on reducing the number of preemptions in Earliest Deadline First (EDF) scheduling using a technique called Dynamic Preemption Threshold Scheduling (DPTS) in uniprocessor platform. This method is an improvement over existing threshold algorithms, but the complexity is slightly higher. The simulation results show that context switches are reduced by about 91% on an average. This technique is also applied for scheduling of sporadic requests along with periodic tasks. Preemptions that occur when tasks share resources and are required to synchronize are also reduced in this work. Our work also focuses on task set generation with limited hyperperiod (L.C.M. of periods of the tasks).
Molecular Interactions among Protein Phosphatase 2A, Tau, and Microtubules

Hyperphosphorylated forms of the neuronal microtubule (MT)-associated protein tau are major components of Alzheimer’s disease paired helical filaments. Previously, we reported that ABαC, the dominant brain isoform of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), is localized on MTs, binds directly to tau, and is a major tau phosphatase in cells. We now describe direct interactions among tau, PP2A, and MTs at the submolecular level. Using tau deletion mutants, we found that ABαC binds a domain on tau that is indistinguishable from its MT-binding domain. ABαC binds directly to MTs through a site that encompasses its catalytic subunit and is distinct from its binding site for tau, and ABαC and tau bind to different domains on MTs. Specific PP2A isoforms bind to MTs with distinct affinities in vitro, and these interactions differentially inhibit the ability of PP2A to dephosphorylate various substrates, including tau and tubulin. Finally, tubulin assembly decreases PP2A activity in vitro, suggesting that PP2A activity can be modulated by MT dynamics in vivo. Taken together, these findings indicate how structural interactions among ABαC, tau, and MTs might control the phosphorylation state of tau. Disruption of these normal interactions could contribute significantly to development of tauopathies such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Accelerating dynamic programming

Dynamic Programming (DP) is a fundamental problem-solving technique that has been widely used for solving a broad range of search and optimization problems. While DP can be invoked when more specialized methods fail, this generality often incurs a cost in efficiency. We explore a unifying toolkit for speeding up DP, and algorithms that use DP as subroutines. Our methods and results can be summarized as follows. (1) Acceleration via compression. Compression is traditionally used to efficiently store data. We use compression in order to identify repeats in the table that imply a redundant computation. Utilizing these repeats requires a new DP, and often different DPs for different compression schemes. We present the first provable speedup of the celebrated Viterbi algorithm (1967) that is used for the decoding and training of Hidden Markov Models (HMMs). Our speedup relies on the compression of the HMM's observable sequence. (2) Totally monotone matrices. It is well known that a wide variety of DPs can be reduced to the problem of finding row minima in totally monotone matrices. We introduce this scheme in the context of planar graph problems. In particular, we show that planar graph problems such as shortest paths, feasible flow, bipartite perfect matching, and replacement paths can be accelerated by DPs that exploit a total-monotonicity property of the shortest paths. (3) Combining compression and total monotonicity. We introduce a method for accelerating string edit distance computation by combining compression and totally monotone matrices. In the heart of this method are algorithms for computing the edit distance between two straight-line programs. These enable us to exploits the compressibility of strings, even if each string is compressed using a different compression scheme. (4) Partial tables. In typical DP settings, a table is filled in its entirety, where each cell corresponds to some subproblem. In some cases, by changing the DP, it is possible to compute asymptotically less cells of the table. We show that Θ(n3) subproblems are both necessary and sufficient for computing the similarity between two trees. This improves all known solutions and brings the idea of partial tables to its full extent. (5) Fractional subproblems. In some DPs, the solution to a subproblem is a data structure rather than a single value. The entire data structure of a subproblem is then processed and used to construct the data structure of larger subproblems. We suggest a method for reusing parts of a subproblem's data structure. In some cases, such fractional parts remain unchanged when constructing the data structure of larger subproblems. In these cases, it is possible to copy this part of the data structure to the larger subproblem using only a constant number of pointer changes. We show how this idea can be used for finding the optimal tree searching strategy in linear time. This is a generalization of the well known binary search technique from arrays to trees. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)
La Grippe and World War I: Conflict participation and pandemic confrontation

Abstract This paper assesses whether a nation-state's participation in conflict influences its ability to confront global pandemic or disease. Two alternative hypotheses are proposed. First, increased levels of conflict participation lead to increased abilities of states to confront pandemics. A second and alternative hypothesis is that increased conflict participation decreases the ability of states to confront pandemics. The hypotheses are tested through the ultimate case of war and pandemic: the 1918 Influenza pandemic (Spanish Flu or ‘La Grippe’) that killed 20–100 million people worldwide. Using simple correlation and case illustrations, we test these hypotheses with special focus upon the ability of the participant countries to confront the pandemic. The findings suggest, in a limited and varied fashion, that while neutral countries enjoyed the lowest levels of pandemic deaths, of the participant countries greater levels of conflict participation correlate with lower levels of pandemic deaths. The paper concludes with some propositions regarding the relationship between the current ‘war on terror’ and prospective pandemics such as avian flu.
Constructing Battery-Aware Virtual Backbones in Wireless Sensor Networks

A critical issue in battery-powered sensor networks is to construct energy efficient virtual backbones for network routing. Recent study in battery technology reveals that batteries tend to discharge more power than needed and reimburse the over-discharged power if they are recovered. In this paper we first provide a mathematical battery model suitable for implementation in sensor networks. We then introduce the concept of battery-aware connected dominating set (BACDS) and show that in general the minimum BACDS (MBACDS) can achieve longer lifetime than the previous backbone structures. Then we show that finding a MBACDS is NP-hard and give a distributed approximation algorithm to construct the BACDS. The resulting BACDS constructed by our algorithm is at mostopt size, where is the maximum node degree and opt is the size of an optimal BACDS. Simulation results show that the BACDS can save a significant amount of energy and achieve up to longer network lifetime than previous schemes.
Drosophila DNA polymerase theta utilizes both helicase-like and polymerase domains during microhomology-mediated end joining and interstrand crosslink repair

Double strand breaks (DSBs) and interstrand crosslinks (ICLs) are toxic DNA lesions that can be repaired through multiple pathways, some of which involve shared proteins. One of these proteins, DNA Polymerase θ (Pol θ), coordinates a mutagenic DSB repair pathway named microhomology-mediated end joining (MMEJ) and is also a critical component for bypass or repair of ICLs in several organisms. Pol θ contains both polymerase and helicase-like domains that are tethered by an unstructured central region. While the role of the polymerase domain in promoting MMEJ has been studied extensively both in vitro and in vivo, a function for the helicase-like domain, which possesses DNA-dependent ATPase activity, remains unclear. Here, we utilize genetic and biochemical analyses to examine the roles of the helicase-like and polymerase domains of Drosophila Pol θ. We demonstrate an absolute requirement for both polymerase and ATPase activities during ICL repair in vivo. However, similar to mammalian systems, polymerase activity, but not ATPase activity, is required for ionizing radiation-induced DSB repair. Using a site-specific break repair assay, we show that overall end-joining efficiency is not affected in ATPase-dead mutants, but there is a significant decrease in templated insertion events. In vitro, Pol θ can efficiently bypass a model unhooked nitrogen mustard crosslink and promote DNA synthesis following microhomology annealing, although ATPase activity is not required for these functions. Together, our data illustrate the functional importance of the helicase-like domain of Pol θ and suggest that its tethering to the polymerase domain is important for its multiple functions in DNA repair and damage tolerance.
Sparse representation algorithms based on mean-field approximations

In this paper we address the problem of sparse representation (SR) within a Bayesian framework. We assume that the observations are generated from a Bernoulli-Gaussian process and consider the corresponding Bayesian inference problem. Tractable solutions are then proposed based on the “mean-field” approximation and the variational Bayes EM algorithm. The resulting SR algorithms are shown to have a tractable complexity and very good performance over a wide range of sparsity levels. In particular, they significantly improve the critical sparsity upon state-of-the-art SR algorithms.
A more comprehensive application of the micronucleus technique for biomonitoring of genetic damage rates in human populations—experiences from the Chernobyl catastrophe

The current method for scoring micronuclei as a measure of genetic damage rate in peripheral blood cells is to enumerate this end point in cytokinesis‐blocked binucleated cultured lymphocytes. However, one can expect that, due to chronic exposure to genotoxins or inherent genetic instability, micronuclei may be expressed continually in vivo in dividing cell populations such as the progenitor cell lineages leading to mature lymphocytes or erythrocytes. Consequently, micronuclei may already be expressed in peripheral blood lymphocytes prior to culture. In view of these considerations, we have performed a study in children living in regions of Belarus that are contaminated by radionuclides from the Chernobyl disaster and compared their micronucleus frequency in erythrocytes, nondivided lymphocytes, and cultured cytokinesis‐blocked binucleated lymphocytes to that of controls living in noncontaminated areas. Preliminary data presented in this paper indicate a significant two‐ to fourfold increase in micronucleus expression (P < 0.05) in exposed children relative to controls in erythrocytes or peripheral blood lymphocytes in blood smears as well as in mononuclear and cytokinesis‐blocked binucleated lymphocytes in cultures. The measurement of micronuclei in nondivided mononuclear lymphocytes represents chromosomal damage expressed during in vivo divisions. The micronuclei in binucleated cultured cells represent micronuclei expressed ex‐vivo and may include micronuclei already present in a cell prior to tissue culture. These preliminary data suggest that a different spectrum and level of damage may be observed in nondivided mononuclear lymphocytes, binucleated lymphocytes, and erythrocytes and that a combination of these approaches may provide a more comprehensive assessment of the extent of genetic damage induced by chronic exposure to radionuclides or other genotoxins in haematopoietic tissue. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 30:112–118, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Co-opting learners: addressing their learning support needs through a learning support needs questionnaire. part one: the rationale and basis of the learning support needs questionnaire

Abstract This article is concerned with the context, background and rationale of a Learning Support Needs Questionnaire, arising from the authors' current research into the learning support needs of students, especially distance education students. Learning support needs are defined as those aspects of assistance, guidance and assurance that students need to maintain their involvement and activity in academic studies sufficient for them to complete and (hopefully) suceed in their studies. In the authors' previous research they identified three types of learning support needs, these being practical, emotional and academic support. The learning support needs are explained here, as are the educational principles underlying the Learning Support Needs Questionnaire. In particular, given that students are not passive recipients of learning, but have to produce or construct learning, the questionnaire seeks, through an action planning component, to co-opt the students into the learning process.
MRI measures of corpus callosum iron and myelin in early Huntington's disease

Increased iron in subcortical gray matter (GM) structures of patients with Huntington's disease (HD) has been suggested as a causal factor in neuronal degeneration. But how iron content is related to white matter (WM) changes in HD is still unknown. For example, it is not clear whether WM changes share the same physiopathology (i.e. iron accumulation) with GM or whether there is a different mechanism. The present study used MRI to examine iron content in premanifest gene carriers (PreHD, n = 25) and in early HD patients (n = 25) compared with healthy controls (n = 50). 3T MRI acquisitions included high resolution 3D T1, EPI sequences for diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) as an indirect measure of tissue integrity, and T2*‐weighted gradient echo‐planar imaging for MR‐based relaxometry (R2*), which provides an indirect measure of ferritin/iron deposition in the brain. Myelin breakdown starts in the PreHD stage, but there is no difference in iron content values. Iron content reduction manifests later, in the early HD stage, in which we found a lower R2* parameter value in the isthmus. The WM iron reduction in HD is temporally well‐defined (no iron differences in PreHD subjects and iron differences only in early HD patients). Iron level in callosal WM may be regarded as a marker of disease state, as iron does not differentiate PreHD subjects from controls but distinguishes between PreHD and HD. Hum Brain Mapp 35:3143–3151, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.