Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Integrated Platform for Live 3D Human Reconstruction and Motion Capturing

The latest developments in 3D capturing, processing, and rendering provide means to unlock novel 3D application pathways. The main elements of an integrated platform, which target tele-immersion and future 3D applications, are described in this paper, addressing the tasks of real-time capturing, robust 3D human shape/appearance reconstruction, and skeleton-based motion tracking. More specifically, initially, the details of a multiple RGB-depth (RGB-D) capturing system are given, along with a novel sensors’ calibration method. A robust, fast reconstruction method from multiple RGB-D streams is then proposed, based on an enhanced variation of the volumetric Fourier transform-based method, parallelized on the Graphics Processing Unit, and accompanied with an appropriate texture-mapping algorithm. On top of that, given the lack of relevant objective evaluation methods, a novel framework is proposed for the quantitative evaluation of real-time 3D reconstruction systems. Finally, a generic, multiple depth stream-based method for accurate real-time human skeleton tracking is proposed. Detailed experimental results with multi-Kinect2 data sets verify the validity of our arguments and the effectiveness of the proposed system and methodologies.
A broadband planar antenna

A broadband planar antenna with stable radiation patterns is presented. It consists of a suspended radiator fed by a vertical feed through an n-shaped microstrip. The measured impedance bandwidth is 3.1-5.1 GHz for a return loss of |S11| < -10 dB, and an average gain of 7.7 dBi is achieved. There is no beam squinting across the operating frequency band. Also, this cost effective design has a high manufacturability and good mechanical tolerance.
Quorum sensing and social networking in the microbial world

For many years, bacterial cells were considered primarily as selfish individuals, but, in recent years, it has become evident that, far from operating in isolation, they coordinate collective behaviour in response to environmental challenges using sophisticated intercellular communication networks. Cell-to-cell communication between bacteria is mediated by small diffusible signal molecules that trigger changes in gene expression in response to fluctuations in population density. This process, generally referred to as quorum sensing (QS), controls diverse phenotypes in numerous Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Recent advances have revealed that bacteria are not limited to communication within their own species but are capable of ‘listening in’ and ‘broadcasting to’ unrelated species to intercept messages and coerce cohabitants into behavioural modifications, either for the good of the population or for the benefit of one species over another. It is also evident that QS is not limited to the bacterial kingdom. The study of two-way intercellular signalling networks between bacteria and both uni- and multicellular eukaryotes as well as between eukaryotes is just beginning to unveil a rich diversity of communication pathways.
Automatic Categorization with Deep Neural Network for Open-Source Java Projects

In this work, we introduce a Deep Neural Network model for automated software categorization. The model is ableto form high-level concepts from low-level code tokens andto distinguish important features such as API calls and identifiersin order to support software categorization. Our empirical evaluationshows that DNN outperformed other machine learning approacheswith 15.9–36.4% higher accuracy in software categorization. We plan to expand further our studies to explore more features and variations ofDNN, with different configurations and data sets.
Use of the Taguchi Method for Optimization of Poly (Butylene Terephthalate) and Poly (Trimethylene Terephthalate) Blends through Injection Molding

Abstract A statistical experimental design method known as the Taguchi method was utilized to optimize the injection molding processes of poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) and poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) blends. Impact strength was taken as the optimized property. The significant parameters included mold temperature, injection pressure, holding pressure, injection time and holding temperature. Results of the Taguchi analysis gave mold temperatures as major influencing factor on the impact strength. The optimal processing conditions were determined through the Taguchi method giving an increase of 13.7% in impact strength for the blend. Further analysis was done to distinguish the blends dependency on temperature. Differential scanning calorimetry curves indicated the presence of recrystallization peaks that were dependent on the temperature profile the sample had received prior to testing. Polarized optical microscopy was used to show the different sphereulitic growth patterns under varying isothermal conditions. It was seen that at 90°C sphereulitic growth contained pockets of different sized spereulites. AFM imaging was also used to indicate differences in blended polymer morphology.
Mobile Mental Wellness Training for Stress Management: Feasibility and Design Implications Based on a One-Month Field Study

Background Prevention and management of work-related stress and related mental problems is a great challenge. Mobile applications are a promising way to integrate prevention strategies into the everyday lives of citizens. Objective The objectives of this study was to study the usage, acceptance, and usefulness of a mobile mental wellness training application among working-age individuals, and to derive preliminary design implications for mobile apps for stress management. Methods Oiva, a mobile app based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), was designed to support active learning of skills related to mental wellness through brief ACT-based exercises in the daily life. A one-month field study with 15 working-age participants was organized to study the usage, acceptance, and usefulness of Oiva. The usage of Oiva was studied based on the usage log files of the application. Changes in wellness were measured by three validated questionnaires on stress, satisfaction with life (SWLS), and psychological flexibility (AAQ-II) at the beginning and at end of the study and by user experience questionnaires after one week’s and one month’s use. In-depth user experience interviews were conducted after one month’s use to study the acceptance and user experiences of Oiva. Results Oiva was used actively throughout the study. The average number of usage sessions was 16.8 (SD 2.4) and the total usage time per participant was 3 hours 12 minutes (SD 99 minutes). Significant pre-post improvements were obtained in stress ratings (mean 3.1 SD 0.2 vs mean 2.5 SD 0.1, P=.003) and satisfaction with life scores (mean 23.1 SD 1.3 vs mean 25.9 SD 0.8, P=.02), but not in psychological flexibility. Oiva was perceived easy to use, acceptable, and useful by the participants. A randomized controlled trial is ongoing to evaluate the effectiveness of Oiva on working-age individuals with stress problems. Conclusions A feasibility study of Oiva mobile mental wellness training app showed good acceptability, usefulness, and engagement among the working-age participants, and provided increased understanding on the essential features of mobile apps for stress management. Five design implications were derived based on the qualitative findings: (1) provide exercises for everyday life, (2) find proper place and time for challenging content, (3) focus on self-improvement and learning instead of external rewards, (4) guide gently but do not restrict choice, and (5) provide an easy and flexible tool for self-reflection.
Bowhead: Bayesian modelling of cell velocity during concerted cell migration

Cell migration is a central biological process that requires fine coordination of molecular events in time and space. A deregulation of the migratory phenotype is also associated with pathological conditions including cancer where cell motility has a causal role in tumor spreading and metastasis formation. Thus cell migration is of critical and strategic importance across the complex disease spectrum as well as for the basic understanding of cell phenotype. Experimental studies of the migration of cells in monolayers are often conducted with ‘wound healing’ assays. Analysis of these assays has traditionally relied on how the wound area changes over time. However this method does not take into account the shape of the wound. Given the many options for creating a wound healing assay and the fact that wound shape invariably changes as cells migrate this is a significant flaw. Here we present a novel software package for analyzing concerted cell velocity in wound healing assays. Our method encompasses a wound detection algorithm based on cell confluency thresholding and employs a Bayesian approach in order to estimate concerted cell velocity with an associated likelihood. We have applied this method to study the effect of siRNA knockdown on the migration of a breast cancer cell line and demonstrate that cell velocity can track wound healing independently of wound shape and provides a more robust quantification with significantly higher signal to noise ratios than conventional analyses of wound area. The software presented here will enable other researchers in any field of cell biology to quantitatively analyze and track live cell migratory processes and is therefore expected to have a significant impact on the study of cell migration, including cancer relevant processes. Installation instructions, documentation and source code can be found at http://bowhead.lindinglab. science licensed under GPLv3.
Small-ventricle neuroendoscopy for pediatric brain tumor management.

OBJECT The use of intraventricular endoscopy to achieve diagnosis or to resect accessible intraventricular or paraventricular tumors has been described in the literature in both adults and children. Traditionally, these techniques have not been used in patients with small ventricles due to the perceived risk of greater morbidity. The authors review their experience with the effectiveness and safety of endoscopic brain tumor management in children with small ventricles. METHODS Between July 2002 and December 2009, 24 children with endoscopically managed brain tumors were identified. Radiological images were reviewed by a radiologist blinded to study goals and clinical setting. Patients were categorized into small-ventricle and ventriculomegaly groups based on frontal and occipital horn ratio. Surgical success was defined a priori and analyzed between groups. Trends were identified in selected subgroups, including complications related to pathological diagnosis and surgeon experience. RESULTS Six children had small ventricles and 18 had ventriculomegaly. The ability to accomplish surgical goals was statistically equivalent in children with small ventricles and those with ventriculomegaly (83% vs 89%, respectively, p = 1.00). There were no complications in the small-ventricle cohort, but in the ventriculomegaly cohort there were 2 cases of postoperative hemorrhages and 1 case of infection. All hemorrhagic complications occurred in patients with high-grade tumor histopathological type and were early in the surgeon's endoscopic career. CONCLUSIONS Based on our experience, endoscopy should not be withheld in children with intraventricular tumors and small ventricles. Complications appear to be more dependent on tumor histopathological type and surgeon experience than ventricular size.
Partial Order Reduction for Branching Security Protocols

Two extensions of the partial order reduction algorithm of Clarke, Jha and Marrero are presented. The proposed algorithms are suitable for branching security protocols, e.g. optimistic fair contract signing schemes. The first extension is proved to generate a reduced state space which is branching bisimilar to the full state space, while the second extension generates a state space that is trace equivalent to the full state space. Experimental results using an implementation of the algorithms in the toolset of the µCRL process algebra are reported.
Dephosphorization Ability Estimation of FetO-Rich Demanganization Slag during Hot Metal Pre-Treatment

In order to find out the optimum thermodynamic conditions for hot metal dephosphorization and predict phosphorus content after demanganization pretreatment, thermodynamic equilibrium experiments between CaO-FetO-SiO2-MnO-P2O5 slag and silver/solid iron were carried out in an iron crucible at different temperature under pure argon atmosphere in an electric resistant furnace. The results indicate that phosphorus distribution ratios increase with an increase of basicity in the slag at the experiment temperature, and then they decrease with an increase of basicity at 1573K and 1623K. The phosphorus distribution ratios decrease with an increase of FetO content in the slag at 1573K, while they increase with an increase of FetO content in the slag and then decrease with an increase of FetO content in the slag at 1623K. The results indicate that the maximum phosphorus distribution ratio between slag and hot metal is 92.4 when basicity of the slag is 1.7 and FetO content in slag is 49.75 mass% at 1623K, and the correspondent phosphorus content in the carbon saturated iron is 0.019mass%. Dephosphorization is easier under low temperature. The equilibrium quotient of phosphorus obtained in the present work is formulated as a function of slag compositions and temperature using the multiple regression method which is used to predict phosphorus content equilibrium with the demanganization slag and optimum conditions needed for ideal phosphorus contents in demanganization pretreatment.
Energy Consumption Estimation for Wireless Sensor Network Layout Optimization

Low energy consumption is a common design objective in energy-constrained Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). It is therefore crucial to accurately estimate the node energy consumption throughout the WSN design phases, particularly in the network layout optimization. In this paper, the node energy consumption is estimated with a discrete-event network simulation that provides realistic estimation values by capturing the dynamics of wireless communication protocols. A non-trivial WSN simulation requires a significant amount of time which can adversely affect the overall result of the layout optimization. Therefore, the network is simulated with a balanced simulation granularity to achieve high estimation accuracy and low computational complexity. A case study of Structural Health Monitoring is conducted to evaluate the discrete-event simulation approach. We compare the optimization results with those obtained in a previous work where the network energy consumption is obtained via simple communication models.
A prefilled insulin pen with a novel injection mechanism and a lower injection force than other prefilled insulin pens.

BACKGROUND FlexTouch(®) (Novo Nordisk A/S, Bagsvaerd, Denmark) is a new prefilled insulin pen for people with diabetes, with a novel injection mechanism and no push-button extension at any dose setting. This study compared the injection force of FlexTouch with that of SoloStar(®) (sanofi-aventis, Paris, France) and KwikPen(®) (Eli Lilly & Co., Indianapolis, IN). METHODS Injection force was measured with the manufacturers' recommended needle attached to each pen (NovoFine(®) [Novo Nordisk] 32-gauge tip extra thin wall 6 mm needle for FlexTouch and BD [Franklin Lakes, NJ] MicroFine™ 31-gauge 5 mm needle for SoloStar and KwikPen) during injection of the maximum dose (60 IU for KwikPen and 80 IU for FlexTouch and SoloStar). Injection was performed at three different constant push-button speeds. RESULTS FlexTouch had a significantly (P<0.0001) lower injection force than SoloStar and KwikPen at all injection speeds. The mean±SD injection force of FlexTouch was 5.1±0.5 N. At 4, 6, and 8 mm/s push-button speeds, the injection force of SoloStar was 13.5±2.1, 19.1±1.9, and 26.9±2.4 N, respectively, and the injection force of KwikPen was 14.5±1.9, 20.9±1.4, and 28.2±1.4 N, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The injection mechanism of FlexTouch means that insulin injection is driven by a torque spring and not the thumb pressure of the user. This results in a 62-82% lower injection force with FlexTouch than other prefilled insulin pens.
Influence of Hydrogen Plasma on the Defect Passivation of Polycrystalline Si Thin Film Solar Cells

Hydrogen passivation (HP) of polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) thin film solar cells was performed in a parallel plate radio-frequency (rf) plasma setup. The influence of hydrogen pressure p and electrode gap d on breakdown voltage Vbrk is presented showing that the minimum in Vbrk shifts with higher pressures towards higher p · d values. Cell test structures provided by CSG Solar AG were used to examine the influence of p and d on the open circuit voltage VOC. The highest VOC's were achieved for p · d values that correspond to a minimum in Vbrk. HP strongly improved the VOC. After the hydrogen plasma treatment the VOC improved significantly by a factor of 2 and amounted to 450 mV. Optimized parameters were then applied to different poly-Si solar cells prepared by electron beam evaporation.
Differential Expression of Lumican and Fibromodulin Regulate Collagen Fibrillogenesis in Developing Mouse Tendons

Collagen fibrillogenesis is finely regulated during development of tissue-specific extracellular matrices. The role(s) of a leucine-rich repeat protein subfamily in the regulation of fibrillogenesis during tendon development were defined. Lumican-, fibromodulin-, and double-deficient mice demonstrated disruptions in fibrillogenesis. With development, the amount of lumican decreases to barely detectable levels while fibromodulin increases significantly, and these changing patterns may regulate this process. Electron microscopic analysis demonstrated structural abnormalities in the fibrils and alterations in the progression through different assembly steps. In lumican-deficient tendons, alterations were observed early and the mature tendon was nearly normal. Fibromodulin-deficient tendons were comparable with the lumican-null in early developmental periods and acquired a severe phenotype by maturation. The double-deficient mice had a phenotype that was additive early and comparable with the fibromodulin-deficient mice at maturation. Therefore, lumican and fibromodulin both influence initial assembly of intermediates and the entry into fibril growth, while fibromodulin facilitates the progression through growth steps leading to mature fibrils. The observed increased ratio of fibromodulin to lumican and a competition for the same binding site could mediate these transitions. These studies indicate that lumican and fibromodulin have different developmental stage and leucine-rich repeat protein specific functions in the regulation of fibrillogenesis.
Asymptotic homogenization model for generally orthotropic reinforcing networks in smart composite plates

A general three-dimensional micromechanical model pertaining to smart composite layers with wavy boundaries is applied to the case of thin smart plates reinforced with a network of generally orthotropic bars that may also exhibit piezoelectric behavior. The method used for the development of the structural model is that of asymptotic homogenization, which reduces the original boundary value problem into a set of three decoupled problems, each problem being characterized by two differential equations. These three sets of differential equations, referred to as ‘unit cell problems’, deal, independently, with the elastic, piezoelectric, and thermal expansion behavior of the network-reinforced smart composite plates. The solution of the unit cell problems yields expressions for effective elastic, piezoelectric and thermal expansion coefficients which, as a consequence of their universal nature, can be used to study a wide variety of boundary value problems associated with a smart structure of a given geometry. The model can be used to customize the effective properties of a smart structure by changing some material or geometric parameters such as the size or nature of the reinforcements. The developed general methodology is applied to smart network-reinforced composite structures with generally orthotropic reinforcements and actuators. As particular examples, spatial rectangular, triangular, and rhombic smart network plates are analyzed. The general orthotropy of materials is very important from the practical viewpoint and this orthotropy makes micromechanical modeling significantly more complex. In the limiting case of isotropic reinforcements and absence of actuators, the above general orthotropic micromechanical model converges to results that are consistent with those of previous models obtained by either asymptotic homogenization, or stress–strain relationships in the isotropic reinforcements.
On-line scheduling to maximize task completions

The problem of uniprocessor scheduling under conditions of overload is investigated. The system objective is to maximize the number of tasks that complete by their deadlines. For this performance metric it is shown that, in general, any on-line algorithm may perform arbitrarily poorly as compared to a clairvoyant scheduler. Restricted instances of the general problem for which on-line schedulers ran provide a guaranteed level of performance are identified, and on-line algorithms presented for these special cases. <<ETX>>
Poly(lactic acid)‐based nanocomposites

Classic plastics accumulate in nature causing environmental pollution, yet as a counterbalance they benefit society in many ways. They are versatile, cost-effective, and can be tailored to have desired properties. The global environment has led to the fabrication of commodity plastics from environmentally degradable polymers. Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is the most promising among the environmentally friendly polymers available. PLA-based plastics have mechanical, thermal, and transparency similar to traditional plastics, and they can be molded and fabricated using the same equipment and procedures. Their material properties are enhanced through nanocomposites, compatibilizers, plasticizers, and other fillers (flame retardant, ultraviolet filter, etc.). This review summarizes mass production techniques and property reinforcements (focusing on nanocomposites and plasticizers) for PLA-based plastics for commodity use. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Proposition of 3D measurement method using shadow for planetary surface exploration - shadow range finder: SRF

In this paper, we propose the Shadow Range Finder (SRF), which can make good use of shadows for the measurement of surface information under direct sunlight. The shadow is stable, and can be recognized in the case of halation. The SRF uses a single camera, which should be installed on a manipulator for sampling, and a manipulator link, which produces its shadow on a measured surface. The principle of the SRF is the same as that of a Laser Range Finder, except that a shadow is used for the scanning slit instead of a laser. In this paper, we present measurements of a real object, such as a stone, and evaluate the validity of the SRF.