Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
UMPM benchmark: A multi-person dataset with synchronized video and motion capture data for evaluation of articulated human motion and interaction

Analyzing human motion, including tracking and pose estimation, is a major topic in computer vision. Many methods have been developed in the past and will be developed in the future. To have a systematic and quantitative evaluation of such methods, ground truth data of the 3D human motion is scientifically required. Some publicly available data sets exist, like HumanEva, that provide synchronized video sequences with detailed ground truth 3D data for scenes limited to only a single person. However, for multiple persons, such a data set currently does not exist. In this paper, we present the Utrecht Multi-Person Motion (UMPM) benchmark, which includes synchronized motion capture data and video sequences from multiple viewpoints for multi-person motion including multi-person interaction. The data set is available to the research community to promote research in multi-person articulated human motion analysis. This paper describes the design of the benchmark, the technical problem solutions, and the resulting data sets.
Statistical Optimization of Condition for Synthesis Lead Sulfide Nanoparticles

Lead sulfide (PbS) nanoparticles were synthesized by precipitation process. Taguchi analysis was used in this study to optimize experimental conditions. High-purity PbS nanoparticles in different sizes were synthesized on a relatively large scale by precipitation method using addition of leads ion solution to the sulfide reagent. The effect of reaction conditions such as: lead (Pb) and sulfide (S) concentrations, flow rate of reagent addition, and temperature on the diameter of synthesized PbS particles were investigated. The effect of these factors on the size of PbS particles were quantitavely evaluated by the analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed that PbS nanoparticles can be synthesized by controlling Pb concentration, S concentration, flow rate of reagent addition. Finally, the optimum conditions for synthesis of PbS nanoparticles by direct precipitation method were proposed. The results of ANOVA showed that 0.1 mol/L Pb concentration, 0.1 mol/L sulfide concentration, and 10 ml/min flow rate of Pb addition to the sulfide ion solution are optimum conditions for producing PbS nanoparticles with 83 ± 8 nm particle size.
Learning natural coding conventions

Every programmer has a characteristic style, ranging from preferences about identifier naming to preferences about object relationships and design patterns. Coding conventions define a consistent syntactic style, fostering readability and hence maintainability. When collaborating, programmers strive to obey a project’s coding conventions. However, one third of reviews of changes contain feedback about coding conventions, indicating that programmers do not always follow them and that project members care deeply about adherence. Unfortunately, programmers are often unaware of coding conventions because inferring them requires a global view, one that aggregates the many local decisions programmers make and identifies emergent consensus on style. We present NATURALIZE, a framework that learns the style of a codebase, and suggests revisions to improve stylistic consistency. NATURALIZE builds on recent work in applying statistical natural language processing to source code. We apply NATURALIZE to suggest natural identifier names and formatting conventions. We present four tools focused on ensuring natural code during development and release management, including code review. NATURALIZE achieves 94 % accuracy in its top suggestions for identifier names. We used NATURALIZE to generate 18 patches for 5 open source projects: 14 were accepted.
Adaptive clutter rejection for ultrasound color flow imaging based on recursive eigendecomposition

In the conventional eigenfilter used to reject clutter components of ultrasound color flow imaging, input samples are required to be statistically stationary. However, clutter movements may vary over the depth of the imaged area, which makes the eigenfilter less efficient. In the current study, a novel clutter rejection method is proposed based on the recursive eigendecomposition algorithm. In this method, the current eigenvector matrix of the ultrasound echo correlation matrix, which will be used to construct the clutter subspace, is determined by previous eigenvector matrices and the current input. After the estimated clutter signal is obtained by projecting the original input into the clutter space, each filtered output is eventually obtained by subtracting the estimated clutter signal from the original input. This procedure is iterated for each sample volume along the depth. During the updating process, a forgetting factor is introduced to determine proper weights for different inputs. Simulated data in 3 situations and in vivo data collected from human carotid arteries are used to compare the proposed method with other popular clutter filters. Results show that the proposed method can achieve the most accurate velocity profiles in all simulation situations and introduces the fewest velocity artifacts in the tissue region in the in vivo experiment.
Absorption Microscopy of Enzymatically Treated Cell-Free Chloroplasts

Monochromatic light microscopy at 435 mµ shows in Euglena gracilis, the distribution of chlorophyll and the general orientation and geometry of chloroplasts in vivo. In addition it discloses, in swelling chloroplasts, a lamellar pigmented structure. Changes in this structure are observed in extruded swollen chloroplasts treated with lipolytic or proteolytic enzymes. Lipolytic enzymes produce an increase in the number of visible lamellae while proteolytic enzymes disrupt the lamellar array. Correlation of chloroplast swelling behavior and the effects of enzymatic degradation with current electron microscope observations support the following: (1) the pigment lamellae observed in vivo consist of component laminae; (2) the lamellae are separated by sites of swelling; and (3) the integrity of the lamellar structure is primarily dependent upon the intact state of the protein.
Transcriptome analysis of Listeria monocytogenes identifies three groups of genes differently regulated by PrfA

PrfA is the major regulator of Listeria virulence gene expression. This protein is a member of the Crp/Fnr family of transcription regulators. To gain a deeper understanding of the PrfA regulon, we constructed a whole‐genome array based on the complete genome sequence of Listeria monocytogenes strain EGDe and evaluated the expression profiles of the wild‐type EGDe and a prfA‐deleted mutant (EGDe ΔprfA). Both strains were grown at 37°C in brain–heart infusion broth (BHI) and BHI supplemented with either activated charcoal, a compound known to enhance virulence gene expression, or cellobiose, a sugar reported to downregulate virulence gene expression in spite of full expression of PrfA. We identified three groups of genes that are regulated differently. Group I comprises, in addition to the 10 already known genes, two new genes, lmo2219 and lmo0788, both positively regulated and preceded by a putative PrfA box. Group II comprises eight negatively regulated genes: lmo0278 is preceded by a putative PrfA box, and the remaining seven genes (lmo0178–lmo0184) are organized in an operon. Group III comprises 53 genes, of which only two (lmo0596 and lmo2067) are preceded by a putative PrfA box. Charcoal addition induced upregulation of group I genes but abolished regulation by PrfA of most group III genes. In the presence of cellobiose, all the group I genes were downregulated, whereas group III genes remained fully activated. Group II genes were repressed in all conditions tested. A comparison of the expression profiles between a second L. monocytogenes strain (P14), its spontaneous mutant expressing a constitutively active PrfA variant (P14prfA*) and its corresponding prfA‐deleted mutant (P14ΔprfA) and the EGDe strain revealed interesting strain‐specific differences. Sequences strongly similar to a sigma B‐dependent promoter were identified upstream of 22 group III genes. These results suggest that PrfA positively regulates a core set of 12 genes preceded by a PrfA box and probably expressed from a sigma A‐dependent promoter. In contrast, a second set of PrfA‐regulated genes lack a PrfA box and are expressed from a sigma B‐dependent promoter. This study reveals that PrfA can act as an activator or a repressor and suggests that PrfA may directly or indirectly activate different sets of genes in association with different sigma factors.
Sentiment Classification of Arabic Tweets: A Supervised Approach

Social media platforms have proven to be a powerful source of opinion sharing. Thus, mining and analyzing these opinions has an important role in decision-making and product benchmarking. However, the manual processing of the huge amount of content that these web-based applications host is an arduous task. This has led to the emergence of a new field of research known as Sentiment Analysis. In this respect, our objective in this work is to investigate sentiment classification in Arabic tweets using machine learning. Three classifiers namely Naïve Bayes, Support Vector Machine and K-Nearest Neighbor were evaluated on an in-house developed dataset using different features. A comparison of these classifiers has revealed that Support Vector Machine outperforms others classifiers and achieves a 78% accuracy rate.
Numerical Modeling of Second-Phase Particle Effects on Localized Deformation

A new finite element analysis based on rate dependent crystal plasticity theory has been developed to investigate the effects of second-phase particles on the initiation and propagation of localized deformation in the form of shear bands. The new model can incorporate electron backscatter diffraction data into finite element analyses. The numerical analysis not only accounts for crystallographic texture (and its evolution) but also accounts for grain morphologies. A unit-cell approach has been adopted where an element or a number of elements of the finite element mesh are considered to represent a single crystal within the polycrystal aggregate. Second-phase particles in the form of finite elements with stiff elastic properties are randomly distributed within the unit cell. Numerical simulations of unixial tension, in-plane plane strain tension, and balanced biaxial tension have been performed by models with and without second-phase particles for a direct chill-cast AA5754 aluminum alloy sheet. The effects of various parameters, such as second-phase particle distribution, texture evolution, and strain paths on particle induced localized deformation patterns, are also investigated.
Multi-direction search algorithm for block motion estimation in H.264 encoder

In this paper, we propose a novel and fast search algorithm, called multi-direction search (MDS) algorithm, which uses a multi-direction search first to find all possible locally optimal points and then uses the extended hexagon search to refine these points for the final optimal motion vector. The experimental results indicate that a significant improvement in computation reduction (approximately 30% and 50% reduction for MDS and fast MDS respectively) can be achieved while maintaining better coding performance, compared to the hybrid UMHexagonS algorithm adopted in H.264/AVC reference software.
Supplementary Results Results from Using Different Breast Cancer Data Set as the Training Data Set in the Mcl+superpc Approach

In order to check the robustness of our MCL+superpc approach, we used each of four validation data sets as the training data set, and the remaining four data sets as validation data sets. The following tables show these results. Table S1. Superpc continuous prediction results from breast cancer data analysis. The results were generated by using the GSE4922 data set as the training data set and four independent data sets as validation data with a threshold value of 1.10 and 9 selected MCL modules. The training data set is highlighted in red. P-values less than 0.05 are highlighted in yellow.
Evaluating and correcting phoneme segmentation for unit selection synthesis

As part of improved support for building unit selection voices, the Festival speech synthesis system now includes two algorithms for automatic labeling of wavefile data. The two methods are based on dynamic time warping and HMM-based acoustic modeling. Our experiments show that DTW is more accurate 70% of the time, but is also more prone to gross labeling errors. HMM modeling exhibits a systematic bias of 15 ms. Combining both methods directs human labelers towards data most likely to be problematic.
Immunological detection of the Kanagawa phenomenon of vibrio parahaemolyticus on modified selective media

Selective media for Vibrio parahaemolyticus, BTB-Teepol agar and modified arabinose-ammonium sulfate-cholate agar, were modified for use in immunological detection of the thermostable direct hemolysin produced by this organism. The modified BTB-Teepol agar and modified arabinose-ammonium sulfate-cholate agar were both found to be useful for the modified Elek test and immunohalo test with antiserum (or immunoglobulin G) against the thermostable direct hemolysin. With these modified media it is possible to isolate V. parahaemolyticus and identify the Kanagawa phenomenon on a single plate and thus save time in obtaining results.
A new fiber length measuement method with high precision and large absolute length based on FDL

We propose and demonstrate a new fiber length measurement method, which supports large absolute length and high accuracy measurement of fiber. This method is based on multi-stage optical fiber delay lines structure and self-calibration method with Precision Reflectometer. The precision maintains 20 µm and the enlarged measurement range reaches to 6395.43mm.
ON A POISSON HYPERBOLIC STAIRCASE

We consider a process that starts at height y, stays there for a time X0 ∼ exp(y) when it drops to a level Z1 ∼ U(0, y). Thereafter it stays at level Zn for time Xn ∼ exp(Zn), then drops to a level Zn+1 ∼ U(0,Zn). We investigate properties of this process, as well as the Poisson hyperbolic process which is obtained by randomizing the starting point y of the above process. This process is associated with a rate 1 Poisson process in the positive quadrant: Its path is the minimal RCLL decreasing step function through Poisson points in the positive quadrant. The finite dimensional distributions are then multivariate exponential in sense of Marshall-Olkin.
Traffic Driven Epidemic Spreading in Homogeneous Networks with Community Structure

To understand the effect of the community structure on the epidemic propagation in homogeneous networks, a model of pseudo-random network is presented with adjustable community structure and constant average degree. In the scenario that the propagation is driven by reaction processes from nodes to all neighbors, pronounced community structure can reduce the epidemic propagation velocity. While in the situation that epidemic pathway is defined by traffic flows, the epidemic spreading in networks with pronounced community structure is obviously accelerated instead. When it is extended to the SIS model with traffic flows, the epidemic threshold is found to be proportional to the inverse of the average betweenness. Simulation results have confirmed the theoretical predictions.
A tripeptide sequence within the nascent DaaP protein is required for mRNA processing of a fimbrial operon in Escherichia coli

The biogenesis of F1845 fimbriae, a member of the Dr family of Escherichia coli adhesins, is regulated by endonucleolytic cleavage of the daaABCDPE primary transcript and differential stability of the resulting cleavage products. Processing of daa mRNA is dependent upon translation of a small open reading frame, designated daaP, which flanks the daa processing site. Here, we demonstrate that daa mRNA processing is directly coupled to daaP translation. Cleavage of the daaA–E mRNA was shown to require the tripeptide Gly–Pro–Pro (GPP), encoded by daaP codons 49–51 downstream of the processing site. Processing also required active translation through RNA located upstream of the processing site; however, processing did not depend on the amino acid sequence encoded by the region of daaP upstream of the processing site. Finally, determination of the processing site was shown to involve its location relative to the codons encoding the GPP tripeptide. These data show that translation of daaP is required in cis to promote RNA processing. These data suggest a model involving interaction of the nascent GPP tripeptide portion of the DaaP polypeptide with the ribosome, triggering cleavage of the associated mRNA at a fixed distance upstream. A model of active involvement of the ribosome in this process is proposed.
Steering control of a water-running robot using an active tail

Many highly dynamic novel mobile robots have been developed being inspired by animals. In this study, we are inspired by a basilisk lizard's ability to run and steer on water surface for a hexapedal robot. The robot has an active tail with a circular plate, which the robot rotates to steer on water. We dynamically modeled the platform and conducted simulations and experiments on steering locomotion with a bang-bang controller. The robot can steer on water by rotating the tail, and the controlled steering locomotion is stable. The dynamic modelling approximates the robot's steering locomotion and the trends of the simulations and experiments are similar, although there are errors between the desired and actual angles. The robot's maneuverability on water can be improved through further research.
Ile-1781-Leu and Asp-2078-Gly Mutations in ACCase Gene, Endow Cross-resistance to APP, CHD, and PPZ in Phalaris minor from Mexico

Herbicides that inhibit acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase (ACCase) are commonly used in Mexico to control weedy grasses such as little seed canarygrass (Phalaris minor). These herbicides are classified into three major families (ariloxyphenoxypropionates (APP), cyclohexanodiones (CHD), and, recently, phenylpyrazolines (PPZ)). In this work, the resistance to ACCase (APP, CHD, and PPZ) inhibiting herbicides was studied in a biotype of Phalaris minor (P. minor) from Mexico, by carrying out bioassays at the whole-plant level and investigating the mechanism behind this resistance. Dose-response and ACCase in vitro activity assays showed cross-resistance to all ACCase herbicides used. There was no difference in the absorption, translocation, and metabolism of the 14C-diclofop-methyl between the R and S biotypes. The PCR generated CT domain fragments of ACCase from the R biotype and an S reference were sequenced and compared. The Ile-1781-Leu and Asp-2078-Gly point mutations were identified. These mutations could explain the loss of affinity for ACCase by the ACCase-inhibing herbicides. This is the first report showing that this substitution confers resistance to APP, CHD, and PPZ herbicides in P. minor from Mexico. The mutations have been described previously only in a few cases; however, this is the first study reporting on a pattern of cross-resistance with these mutations in P. minor. The findings could be useful for better management of resistant biotypes carrying similar mutations.
The next step in modern brain lesion analysis: multivariate pattern analysis.

This scientific commentary refers to ‘Human brain lesion-deficit inference remapped’, by Y. -H. Mah et al. (doi: 10.1093/brain/awu164). A cardinal goal in neuroscience relates to mapping brain circuits to specific functions. Although progress towards this goal has been made using a range of measurement techniques applicable in healthy human subjects, the brain circuits that are necessary for a given function can only be ascertained by observing the behavioural consequences of brain injury (Rorden and Karnath, 2004). In the evolution of this domain, voxel-wise lesion symptom mapping (VLSM; Bates et al. , 2003) represents a tremendous step forward. This statistical approach, as well as other inferential methods (e.g. Rorden et al. , 2007), controls for regions that are not critical for the behavioural deficit under consideration; i.e. VLSM rules out regions of the brain that are simply vulnerable to damage and thus commonly damaged in stroke patients. However, a limitation of this mass univariate approach is that it typically does not consider how multiple regions interact to produce a behavioural deficit. Indeed, in cases where function is tied to a distributed network of regions, two patients with the same symptom and with damage to the same functional network may have damage to distinct parts of the network, thus appearing as statistical counter examples to each other [ cf . the ‘partial injury problem’ (Rorden and Karnath, 2004)]. To overcome this problem, Smith et al. (2013) used multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) for lesion analysis, which uses machine learning algorithms (e.g. support vector machines) to train and then test predictive models based on the pattern of damage to multiple regions (Fig. 1). This seminal application of MVPA to lesion data addressed the multivariate patterns of damage predictive of spatial neglect. In a large sample of 140 patients with acute right brain damage, MVPA …
Effects of Exercise Training on Circulating and Skeletal Muscle Renin-Angiotensin System in Chronic Heart Failure Rats

Background Accumulated evidence shows that the ACE-AngII-AT1 axis of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is markedly activated in chronic heart failure (CHF). Recent studies provide information that Angiotensin (Ang)-(1–7), a metabolite of AngII, counteracts the effects of AngII. However, this balance between AngII and Ang-(1–7) is still little understood in CHF. We investigated the effects of exercise training on circulating and skeletal muscle RAS in the ischemic model of CHF. Methods/Main Results Male Wistar rats underwent left coronary artery ligation or a Sham operation. They were divided into four groups: 1) Sedentary Sham (Sham-S), 2) exercise-trained Sham (Sham-Ex), sedentary CHF (CHF-S), and exercise-trained CHF (CHF-Ex). Angiotensin concentrations and ACE and ACE2 activity in the circulation and skeletal muscle (soleus and plantaris) were quantified. Skeletal muscle ACE and ACE2 protein expression, and AT1, AT2, and Mas receptor gene expression were also evaluated. CHF reduced ACE2 serum activity. Exercise training restored ACE2 and reduced ACE activity in CHF. Exercise training reduced plasma AngII concentration in both Sham and CHF rats and increased the Ang-(1–7)/AngII ratio in CHF rats. CHF and exercise training did not change skeletal muscle ACE and ACE2 activity and protein expression. CHF increased AngII levels in both soleus and plantaris muscle, and exercise training normalized them. Exercise training increased Ang-(1–7) in the plantaris muscle of CHF rats. The AT1 receptor was only increased in the soleus muscle of CHF rats, and exercise training normalized it. Exercise training increased the expression of the Mas receptor in the soleus muscle of both exercise-trained groups, and normalized it in plantaris muscle. Conclusions Exercise training causes a shift in RAS towards the Ang-(1–7)-Mas axis in skeletal muscle, which can be influenced by skeletal muscle metabolic characteristics. The changes in RAS circulation do not necessarily reflect the changes occurring in the RAS of skeletal muscle.