Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
GigaVoxels: ray-guided streaming for efficient and detailed voxel rendering

We propose a new approach to efficiently render large volumetric data sets. The system achieves interactive to real-time rendering performance for several billion voxels. Our solution is based on an adaptive data representation depending on the current view and occlusion information, coupled to an efficient ray-casting rendering algorithm. One key element of our method is to guide data production and streaming directly based on information extracted during rendering. Our data structure exploits the fact that in CG scenes, details are often concentrated on the interface between free space and clusters of density and shows that volumetric models might become a valuable alternative as a rendering primitive for real-time applications. In this spirit, we allow a quality/performance trade-off and exploit temporal coherence. We also introduce a mipmapping-like process that allows for an increased display rate and better quality through high quality filtering. To further enrich the data set, we create additional details through a variety of procedural methods. We demonstrate our approach in several scenarios, like the exploration of a 3D scan (81923 resolution), of hypertextured meshes (163843 virtual resolution), or of a fractal (theoretically infinite resolution). All examples are rendered on current generation hardware at 20--90 fps and respect the limited GPU memory budget.
Meteorological observation station's environment identification base on remote sensing image

Interpretation of remote sensing image is the frontier technology in iconology, which is of interdisciplinary meaning and good effect by using it to do the research on evaluate the environment of meteorological observation station. Using image enhance and segmentation and morphological image processing, this article realizes the identification and classification of artificial construction and natural surface in remote sensing image, which results can be used to evaluate the environment representativeness of meteorological observation station. The remote sensing images of 143 base meteorological observation station was processed by this method, which result is consistent with the manual processing, which verifies the validity of the method.
NFV Orchestration Framework Addressing SFC Challenges

In the context of NFV and agile service production, virtualization of resources and SFC play a key role in automating network services deployment. Designing NFV management and orchestration to provide dynamic SFC as a service is addressed by the proposed NFV orchestration framework.1 The framework is designed to facilitate the development of NFV architecture components with a focus on SFC orchestration, placement algorithms, required monitoring, and network services stitching. The proposed framework can be used to compare placement algorithms as well as develop and evaluate other service function chaining solutions using a variety of SDN controllers to interact with heterogeneous underlying networking technologies. This article presents the SFC orchestration framework, an implementation, and a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of its components in an experimental environment.
Effect of vagus nerve stimulation in post-traumatic epilepsy and failed epilepsy surgery : preliminary report.

OBJECTIVE Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has been used in epilepsy patients refractory to standard medical treatments and unsuitable candidates for resective or disconnective surgery. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of VNS to patients who had refractory result to epilepsy surgery and patients with post-traumatic epilepsy. METHODS We analyzed the effect of VNS in 11 patients who had undergone previous epilepsy surgery and patients with intractable post-traumatic epilepsy associated with brain injury. All patients underwent VNS implantation between October 2005 and December 2006. RESULTS We evaluated seizure frequency before and after implantation of VNS and maximum follow up period was 24 months. In the first 6 months, 11 patients showed an average of 74.3% seizure reduction. After 12 months, 10 patients showed 85.2% seizure reduction. Eighteen months after implantation, 9 patients showed 92.4% seizure reduction and 7 patients showed 97.2% seizure reduction after 24 months. Six patients were seizure-free at this time. CONCLUSION We conclude that the VNS is a helpful treatment modality in patients with surgically refractory epilepsy and in patients with post-traumatic epilepsy due to severe brain injury.
Towards User Adequate Human-Computer-Interaction

Human-Machine-Communication refers in general to an interdisciplinary matter. The following remarks restrict on engineering aspects as an overview which doesn’t enter into too many details. Furthermore, recently started research efforts of the Munich University Institute for Human-Machine-Communication are outlined briefly. Computers and technical communication systems are the most complex machines in this connection. Humans, on the other hand, are the most important part of any information system. Not only engineers and computer experts, but also users with different backgrounds and work tasks are increasingly concerned with computer operated systems. The community of potential users is growing rapidly. In order to meet the demand for future systems, we have to keep their complexity within justifiable limits. Hence, user-friendly, cooperative interfaces become another first priority development goal. This requires progress in adapting principles of information representation to human modes of communication, and to human cognitive limitations and objectives.
Automated seed sowing agribot using arduino

The Discovery of Agriculture is the first big step towards civilized life, advancement of agricultural tools is the basic trend of agricultural improvement. Now the qualitative approach of this project is to develop a system which minimizes the working cost and also reduces the time for digging operation and seed sowing operation by utilizing solar energy to run the agribot. In this machine, solar panel is used to capture solar energy and then it is converted into electrical energy which is used to charge battery, which then gives the necessary power to a shunt wound DC motor. Ultrasonic Sensor and Digital Compass Sensor are used with the help of Wi-Fi interface operated on Android Application to manoeuvre robot in the field. This brings down labour dependency. Seed sowing and digging robot will move on various ground contours and performs digging, sowing the seed and covers the ground by closing it. The paper spells out the complete installation of the agribot including hardware and software facet.
Achievable rates for the fading three-hop half-duplex relay network using buffer-aided relaying

The fading three-hop half-duplex relay network consists of a source, two half-duplex relays, and a destination connected in series where links are present only between adjacent nodes. We assume that the links are impaired by time-continuous fading and additive white Gaussian noise. For this network, we design new protocols based on buffer-aided relaying and derive their achievable average rates. We first develop a buffer-aided protocol which maximizes the average rate, but, as a side effect, introduces unbounded delay. Therefore, we also design a buffer-aided protocol which constrains the average delay, but at the expense of decrease of rate. Our numerical results show that the maximum average rate achieved with the developed buffer-aided protocol is larger than that of existing protocols for the considered network. Moreover, given a sufficiently large permissible average delay, the average rate achieved with the buffer-aided protocol with a delay constraint approaches the maximum average rate achieved without a delay constraint.
A unified framework for obtaining improved approximation algorithms for maximum graph bisection problems

We obtain improved semidefinite programming based approximation algorithms for all the natural maximum bisection problems of graphs. Among the problems considered are: MAX$n\over 2$‐BISECTION—partition the vertices of the graph into two sets of equal size such that the total weight of edges connecting vertices from different sides is maximized; MAX$n\over 2$‐VERTEX‐COVER—find a set containing half of the vertices such that the total weight of edges touching this set is maximized; MAX$n\over 2$‐DENSE‐SUBGRAPH—find a set containing half of the vertices such that the total weight of edges connecting two vertices from this set is maximized; and MAX$n\over 2$UNCUT—partition the vertices into two sets of equal size such that the total weight of edges that do not cross the cut is maximized. We also consider the directed versions of these problems, such as MAX$n\over 2$‐DIRECTED‐BISECTION and MAX$n\over 2$‐DIRECTED‐UNCUT. These results can be used to obtain improved approximation algorithms for the unbalanced versions of the partition problems mentioned above, where we want to partition the graph into two sets of size $k$ and $n - k$, where $k$ is not necessarily $n\over 2$. Our results improve, extend and unify results of Frieze and Jerrum, Feige and Langberg, Ye, and others. All these results may be viewed as extensions of the MAX CUT algorithm of Goemans and Williamson, and the MAX 2‐SAT and MAX DI‐CUT algorithms of Feige and Goemans. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg. , 20:382–402, 2002
Polyphonic transcription by non-negative sparse coding of power spectra

We present a system for adaptive spectral basis decomposition that learns to identify independent spectral featur es given a sequence of short-term Fourier spectra. When applied to recordings of polyphonic piano music, the individual notes are identified as salient features, and hence each short-term spectrum is decomposed into a sum of note spectra; the resulting encoding can be used as a basis for polyphonic transcription. The system is based on a probabilistic model equivalent to a form of noisy independent component analysis (ICA) or sparse coding with non-negativity constraints. We introduce a novel modification to this model that recognises that a short-term Fourier spectrum can be thought of as a noisy realisation of the power spectral density of an underlying Gaussian process, where the noise is essentially multiplicative and non-Gaussian. Results are presented for an analysis of a live recording of polyphonic piano music.
Conditioned Fear Stimuli Avoided by Association : Acquisition , Extinction , and Renewal of Avoidance Tendencies Toward

Traditional theoretical models hold that avoidance reflects the interplay of Pavlovian and instrumental learning. Here we suggest that avoidance tendencies to intrinsically neutral cues may be established by mere Pavlovian association. Following fear conditioning, in which pictures of one object were paired with shock (CS) whereas pictures of another object were not (CS), CS pictures facilitated avoidance reactions and interfered with approach responses, relative to CS pictures, in a symbolic approach/avoidance reaction time task. This was achieved without any instrumental relation between responses and CS continuation or unconditioned stimulus presentation. Moreover, those avoidance tendencies were sensitive to Pavlovian extinction (they were reduced after repeated presentations of the CS without shock) and renewal (recovery of conditioned responding upon returning to the initial conditioning context after extinction in a different context). The present results may help us understand the self-perpetuating nature of pathological fear and anxiety.
Minimally invasive aortic valve replacement: Comparison of long-term outcomes

Background Minimally invasive aortic valve replacement tends to be performed in specialist centers. Little data exists with regard to long-term outcomes of the upper hemi-sternotomy technique. We sought to evaluate the short- and long-term outcomes of this procedure in our institution. Methods Data were collected from our cardiac surgical database. We compared the outcomes of all patients who underwent minimally invasive aortic valve replacement with all who underwent conventional aortic valve replacement between July 1999 and December 2013. Propensity-matching analysis was performed to evaluate hospital outcomes. Results There were 125 patients who underwent minimally invasive aortic valve replacement and 1446 who had conventional surgery. After propensity score matching, there were no differences in postoperative mortality or complications between the 2 groups. The only significant differences were longer bypass (62.69 ± 10.12 vs. 68.94 ± 14.79 min, p = 0.002) and crossclamp times (45.48 ± 8.08 vs. 52.30 ± 16.29 min, p < 0.001) in conventional surgery. Long-term survival after minimally invasive aortic valve replacement at 2, 6, and 10 years was 88% ± 3.0%, 79% ± 4.0%, and 66% ± 6.0%, respectively. Predictors of long-term survival were age, peripheral vascular disease, and low ejection fraction (p < 0.005). Conclusion Minimally invasive aortic valve replacement has similar hospital outcomes compared to conventional aortic valve replacement. The operation is quicker and does not confer any significant increase in complications or length of hospital stay. The long-term outcomes are favorable and justify its continued use by specialist surgeons in the United Kingdom.
Viral Discovery and Sequence Recovery Using DNA Microarrays

Because of the constant threat posed by emerging infectious diseases and the limitations of existing approaches used to identify new pathogens, there is a great demand for new technological methods for viral discovery. We describe herein a DNA microarray-based platform for novel virus identification and characterization. Central to this approach was a DNA microarray designed to detect a wide range of known viruses as well as novel members of existing viral families; this microarray contained the most highly conserved 70mer sequences from every fully sequenced reference viral genome in GenBank. During an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in March 2003, hybridization to this microarray revealed the presence of a previously uncharacterized coronavirus in a viral isolate cultivated from a SARS patient. To further characterize this new virus, approximately 1 kb of the unknown virus genome was cloned by physically recovering viral sequences hybridized to individual array elements. Sequencing of these fragments confirmed that the virus was indeed a new member of the coronavirus family. This combination of array hybridization followed by direct viral sequence recovery should prove to be a general strategy for the rapid identification and characterization of novel viruses and emerging infectious disease.
Toward optimizing a self-creating neural network

This paper optimizes the performance of the growing cell structures (GCS) model in learning topology and vector quantization. Each node in GCS is attached with a resource counter. During the competitive learning process, the counter of the best-matching node is increased by a defined resource measure after each input presentation, and then all resource counters are decayed by a factor alpha. We show that the summation of all resource counters conserves. This conservation principle provides useful clues for exploring important characteristics of GCS, which in turn provide an insight into how the GCS can be optimized. In the context of information entropy, we show that performance of GCS in learning topology and vector quantization can be optimized by using alpha=0 incorporated with a threshold-free node-removal scheme, regardless of input data being stationary or nonstationary. The meaning of optimization is twofold: (1) for learning topology, the information entropy is maximized in terms of equiprobable criterion and (2) for leaning vector quantization, the use is minimized in terms of equi-error criterion.
FIBER DIGESTIBILITY AND FORAGE FRAGILITY IN DAIRY CATTLE

Mertens (1997) defined physically effective NDF (peNDF) as the fraction of NDF that stimulated chewing and contributed to a ruminal digesta mat. He also proposed a standard laboratory method for measuring peNDF that involved dry sieving and measuring the fraction of sample NDF retained on the ≥1.18-mm sieve. This large particle pool requires rumination and has a high resistance to escape from the rumen of sheep (Poppi et al., 1980). Mertens (1997) summarized a large data set that showed a positive correlation between peNDF measured by dry sieving, ruminal pH, and milk fat percentage in dairy cattle. Based on Mertens (1997) data set, the minimal requirement for peNDF in lactating dairy cows has been defined as approximately 21 to 23% of ration dry matter (DM) to maintain ruminal pH above 6.0 and milk fat above 3.4% for Holsteins. Since 1997, the peNDF system has become widely used within the CPM-Dairy and Cornell Net Carbohydrate Protein System (CNCPS) ration formulation models to predict the effect of forage particle size on cow chewing response and ruminal pH. A problem has been lack of an on-farm tool that accurately measures peNDF and results in physical effectiveness factors (pef) similar to those obtained by the standard dry sieving method. Recently, we developed the Z-Box to effectively measure peNDF for common forages and total mixed rations (TMR) in on-farm situations (Cotanch and Grant, 2006).
Radiotherapy for cervical cancer – impact on the vaginal epithelium and sexual function

Abstract Background: Women who have been treated for cervical cancer have persistent changes in their sexual function, which result in considerable distress. The aim of this study was to investigate the morphology of the vaginal epithelium in cervical cancer survivors treated with radiotherapy and its correlation to serum levels of sex steroid hormones and sexual function. Material and methods: We included 34 patients treated for cervical cancer with radiotherapy and 37 healthy age-matched control women scheduled for benign gynecological surgery. After inspection and grading of vaginal atrophy, vaginal biopsies were taken. Epithelial structures were analyzed by measuring epithelial thickness as well as the number, height and width of the dermal papillae and the dermal papillae distance. Sex steroid hormone levels were analyzed and a questionnaire designed to assess sexual function was filled out. Results: In the cervical cancer survivors treated with radiotherapy, the vaginal epithelium volume was reduced compared to control women. Longer distance between the dermal papillae (p < .001) and a shorter distance from basal layer to epithelial surface (p < .05) were measured. Mucosal atrophy was observed in 91% of the survivors. There was no difference in serum estradiol between cancer survivors and control women, implying that the cancer survivors were sufficiently substituted. The epithelial thickness correlated to serum levels of estradiol. The cervical cancer survivors reported more physical sexual symptoms. The highest relative risk (RR) was found for insufficient vaginal lubrication (RR 12.6), vaginal inelasticity (RR 6.5), reduced genital swelling when sexually aroused (RR 5.9), and for reduction of vaginal length during intercourse (RR 3.9). Conclusion: We found that cervical cancer treatment including radiotherapy is associated with vaginal epithelial atrophy and sexual dysfunction. To hamper the atrophic process affecting the sexual function, an early start of local estrogen after therapy might be of importance.
Adapting human motions to humanoid robots through time warping based on a general motion feasibility index

Having human-like motions will make humanoid robots more predictable and safer for the people around them. An effective way to realize this would be to use human motions as reference. Due to different kinematic and dynamic properties between humans and humanoid robots, however, a human motion could be physically infeasible for a robot and cause the robot to fall over. Therefore, it is necessary to modify and adapt an infeasible human motion to the robot. This paper presents a method for adapting human motions to humanoid robots based on a technique called time warping, which modifies the time line of a reference motion to speed up or slow down the motion. By doing this, the velocity and acceleration profiles of the motion are changed and it is possible to turn an infeasible motion into a feasible one. The optimal time warping is obtained through a generalized motion feasibility index that quantifies the feasibility of a motion considering the friction and center-of-pressure constraints. Thanks to the generality of the index, the proposed motion adaptation method can be applied to motions on arbitrary terrains or number of links in contact with the environment. Through dynamics simulation, we demonstrate that the method facilitates the reproduction of human motions on a humanoid robot.
Optimization and modeling for MOS varactors in 65 nm low‐power mixed‐signal/radio‐frequency technology

CMOS technology scaling opens up the possibility of designing variable capacitors based on a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) structure with improved tuning range and quality factor. In this work, the high Q‐factor 24 and 21, wide tuning ratio 45% and 36% can be achieved by 65 nm low power technology n+/n‐well and p+/p‐well MOS varactor up to 10 GHz, respectively. Meanwhile, the equivalent circuit model, to model intrinsic and extrinsic parameters of MOS varactor, also have demonstrated that parasitic resistance is a main issue to dominate Q‐factors, and the measured flicker noise result of MOS varactor is directly dependant on gate leakage current. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 51: 2119–2121, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24567
Short-Term Arterial Travel Time Prediction for Advanced Traveler Information Systems

While vehicular flows on freeways are often treated as uninterrupted flows, flows on arterials are conceivably much more complicated because vehicles traveling on arterials are not only subject to queuing delay but also to signal delay. Prediction of travel time is potentially more challenging for arterials than for freeways. This article proposes a simple model for arterial travel time prediction. The proposed approach decomposes total delay on an arterial into link delay and intersection delay. Intersection delay in the context of arterial travel time prediction is very different from the average delay at an intersection. The proposed approach reduces the delay at each intersection, a non-negative continuous variable, into two distinctive states, a state of zero-delay and a state of nominal delay, coupled with a one-step transition matrix that relates the delay to a through vehicle at an intersection to its delay status at the adjacent upstream intersection. The parameters of the transition matrix are based on three key factors: the flow condition, the proportion of net inflows into the arterial from the cross streets, and the signal coordination level. Comparison of predicted delay with simulated delay indicates that the model can yield predictions with a reasonable degree of accuracy under various traffic conditions and signal coordination levels.