Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analytic Tangent Irradiance Environment Maps for Anisotropic Surfaces

Environment‐mapped rendering of Lambertian isotropic surfaces is common, and a popular technique is to use a quadratic spherical harmonic expansion. This compact irradiance map representation is widely adopted in interactive applications like video games. However, many materials are anisotropic, and shading is determined by the local tangent direction, rather than the surface normal. Even for visualization and illustration, it is increasingly common to define a tangent vector field, and use anisotropic shading. In this paper, we extend spherical harmonic irradiance maps to anisotropic surfaces, replacing Lambertian reflectance with the diffuse term of the popular Kajiya‐Kay model. We show that there is a direct analogy, with the surface normal replaced by the tangent. Our main contribution is an analytic formula for the diffuse Kajiya‐Kay BRDF in terms of spherical harmonics; this derivation is more complicated than for the standard diffuse lobe. We show that the terms decay even more rapidly than for Lambertian reflectance, going as l–3, where l is the spherical harmonic order, and with only 6 terms (l = 0 and l = 2) capturing 99.8% of the energy. Existing code for irradiance environment maps can be trivially adapted for real‐time rendering with tangent irradiance maps. We also demonstrate an application to offline rendering of the diffuse component of fibers, using our formula as a control variate for Monte Carlo sampling.
Exploratory survey on climate change effects, value chain processes and supportive services: case study from potato based farming system of Awi-Zone, Ethiopia.

Exploratory field survey was conducted with the objective of to understand climate change effects, potato value chain actors, processes, activities and supportive services providers in 2013, Awi-Zone, Ethiopia. Expert and key informant interviews, focused group discussions and review of literature were used as study methodology. A total of 51 value chain actors composing farmers, traders, processors consumers and supportive service providers were involved. The survey result indicates that climate change affects the whole value chain of potato. Drought and erratic, delay and early cessation of rainfall, heat wave, strong winds, and more flood and night frost were the observed effects of climate change in the study area. Heavy flood impeded input supply and transport services to farmers by damaging roads, while delayed and erratic rain fall reduced the yield of potato and enhanced more diseases and insect pest pressure, which in turn resulted in inconsistent supply of produce to the traders. Consumers were also affected by inconsistent potato market supply. Moreover, poor linkage among value chain actors and support service providers contributed for inadequate action on the use of adaptive measures. The sub sector in general faces a number of structural and technological challenges that need immediate attention to improve potato sector development. Hence, vertical and horizontal integration will be required among value chain actors, supportive service providers and private investors to enhance the sector.
Automatic synthesis of multiple place resource models with Petri nets

This paper focuses on the correct representation of shared resources in Petri net models of automated manufacturing systems, in the presence of concurrent independent operations, such as assembly and disassembly ones. In particular, an original multiple-place model is specifically derived and a constructive algorithm is proposed for the automatic synthesis of the resource model. The algorithm computes the number of resource places for each resource, as well as their connections to the recipes' transitions. Proper necessary conditions of "well-definiteness" are introduced for the partial models that are incrementally defined by the user.
Inactivation of Cephalosporins by Bacteroides

We investigated the relationship between β-lactamases of Bacteroides fragilis organisms and their resistance to cephalosporins. Timed killing curves were used to study the in vitro activity of three cephalosporins, cephalothin, cefazolin, and cefamandole, and a semisynthetic cephamycin, cefoxitin. Measurements of residual antibiotic concentrations in culture supernatants were made, and they were compared with the β-lactamase activity of the microorganism. A cephalosporin-susceptible strain was rapidly killed by cephalothin, cefazolin, cefamandole, and cefoxitin. Four cephalosporin-resistant strains were not killed by cephalothin, cefazolin, or cefamandole but were killed by cefoxitin. An inoculum effect was noted with cefazolin and not with cefoxitin. The resistant strains of Bacteroides inactivated the three cephalosporins, but there was no inactivation of cefoxitin. A constitutive β-lactamase was detected in all the isolates of the B. fragilis group that were resistant to the cephalosporins. There was no distinction of the species based on isoelectric focusing of the enzyme. These data suggest that inactivation by β-lactamase may be the mechanism for resistance of B. fragilis to the cephalosporins and would explain the enhanced in vitro activity of cefoxitin.
Validation of a short disease specific quality of life scale for hemifacial spasm: correlation with SF-36

Background: A short, practical, and validated quality of life (QoL) scale for hemifacial spasm (HFS) is not currently available. Objectives: To examine the reliability and validity of a short self-rating scale (HFS-7) by comparing HFS patients with healthy controls. We also evaluated the correlation of HFS-7 with the physical and mental domains of SF-36, a generic QoL scale. Methods: Seven self-rating items (HFS-7) were administered to HFS patients and healthy controls. In addition, HFS patients answered the SF-36 questionnaire. The validity and reliability of HFS-7 were analysed and correlation between HFS-7 and SF-36 examined. Results: A total of 178 subjects were enrolled in the study, including 85 HFS patients with mean age of 54.8 (SD 11.0) years, of whom 52 (61.2%) were women, and 93 controls with mean age of 51.4 (SD 10.0) years, of whom 59 (63.4%) were women. The test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient for the seven items was between 0.75 and 0.90 and Cronbach’s coefficient of reliability for the HFS-7 scale was 0.88. Every item in HFS-7 discriminated between disease and controls (p<0.0001). The HFS-7 summary index correlated with the SF-36 summary score (Spearman’s correlation r = −0.28, p = 0.009), in particular the mental health summary score (r = −0.416, p<0.0001) and the emotional domain (r = −0.466, p<0.00001). Conclusion: HFS-7 could prove useful as a simple clinical tool to assess and monitor QoL measures in HFS patients.
How Neptune Pushed the Boundaries of Our Solar System

Model studies are providing increasing evidence that the orbit of the planet Neptune was originally much smaller than it is today. In his Perspective, Morbidelli explains the latest insights into how Neptune9s migration may have pushed small objects at the primordial edge of the Solar System outward, creating the various components of the Kuiper belt (a population of small bodies at the outer edge of today9s Solar System). The models also provide an explanation for Neptune9s current orbit. It remains unclear, however, exactly when the migration took place.
Enhancing the Enhanced Recovery Program in Colorectal Surgery - Use of Extended-Release Epidural Morphine (DepoDur®)

Purpose DepoDur® is a single-dose extended-release morphine injection into the epidural space. It is not commonly used, but has many advantages over traditional analgesic regimens. We analyzed a number of these advantages in our case series in the context of the colorectal enhanced recovery program (ERP) and aimed to show that the ERP could be further enhanced by using DepoDur®. Methods We conducted a prospective audit of all patients undergoing open and laparoscopic colorectal procedures where DepoDur® was used between July 2010 and April 2012. Validated pain scores were used, and primary outcome measures were resting and dynamic pain, mobilization, and need for additional analgesia. Results Two hundred eighty patients were included in the case series. Good pain control was seen at 24 and 48 hours. Eighty-one percent of the patients required simple analgesia alone at 24 hours, and 62% required simple analgesia (paracetamol +/- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) alone at 48 hours. Only a minority required additional oramorph and patient-controlled analgesia at 24 and 48 hours (19% at 24 hours and 38% at 48 hours). Seventy-nine percent of the patients were mobilized at 24 hours, and 88% of the patients were mobilized at 48 hours. Conclusion DepoDur® is an effective alternative to conventional pain management techniques and may have a role in further enhancing the ERP.
Chlamydia Infection Across Host Species Boundaries Promotes Distinct Sets of Transcribed Anti-Apoptotic Factors

Chlamydiae, obligate intracellular bacteria, cause significant human and veterinary associated diseases. Having emerged an estimated 700-million years ago, these bacteria have twice adapted to humans as a host species, causing sexually transmitted infection (C. trachomatis) and respiratory associated disease (C. pneumoniae). The principle mechanism of host cell defense against these intracellular bacteria is the induction of cell death via apoptosis. However, in the “arms race” of co-evolution, Chlamydiae have developed mechanisms to promote cell viability and inhibit cell death. Herein we examine the impact of Chlamydiae infection across multiple host species on transcription of anti-apoptotic genes. We found mostly distinct patterns of gene expression (Mcl1 and cIAPs) elicited by each pathogen-host pair indicating Chlamydiae infection across host species boundaries does not induce a universally shared host response. Understanding species specific host-pathogen interactions is paramount to deciphering how potential pathogens become emerging diseases.
Design of a wideband low noise amplifier

Low noise amplifier (LNA) can effectively amplify the small radio frequency signals, reduce the noise of the whole system, and increase the sensitivity of the receiver. In this paper, the main performance indexes and design methods of the LNA are introduced. The circuit is made up of two stages with ATF-35143, each stage includes two transistors, and the wideband amplifier is designed and simulated by the software Agilent's ADS. In this design, short microstrip lines are added to the source tone to improve the stability of the circuit by the feedback effect. The capacitance between the two transistors plays the role of blocking DC and improving stability. At last, the designed circuit is fabricated and measured. It shows that, from 3 GHz to 5 GHz, the gain is between 29 dB to 31 dB, the flatness is less than ±1 dB, the noise figure is less than 1.7 dB, the input and output VSWR are less than 2.
The Role of DNA Methylation in Common Skeletal Disorders

Bone is a complex connective tissue characterized by a calcified extracellular matrix. This mineralized matrix is constantly being formed and resorbed throughout life, allowing the bone to adapt to daily mechanical loads and maintain skeletal properties and composition. The imbalance between bone formation and bone resorption leads to changes in bone mass. This is the case of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, two common skeletal disorders. While osteoporosis is characterized by a decreased bone mass and, consequently, higher susceptibly to fractures, bone mass tends to be higher in patients with osteoarthritis, especially in the subchondral bone region. It is known that these diseases are influenced by heritable factors. However, the DNA polymorphisms identified so far in GWAS explain less than 10% of the genetic risk, suggesting that other factors, and specifically epigenetic mechanisms, are involved in the pathogenesis of these disorders. This review summarizes current knowledge about the influence of epigenetic marks on bone homeostasis, paying special attention to the role of DNA methylation in the onset and progression of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.
The Effects of Weather and Environmental Factors on West Nile Virus Mosquito Abundance in Greater Toronto Area

AbstractWe investigated how weather conditions and environmental factors affect the spatiotemporal variability in Culex pipiens population using the data collected from a surveillance program in Ontario, Canada, from 2005 to 2008. This study assessed the relative influences of temperature and precipitation on the temporal patterns of mosquito abundance using harmonic analysis and examined the associations with major landscape predictors, including land-use type, population density, and elevation, on the spatial patterns of mosquito abundance. The intensity of trapping efforts on the mosquito abundance at each trap site was examined by comparing the spatial distribution of mosquito abundance in relation to the spatial intensity of trapping efforts. The authors used a mixed effects modeling approach to account for potential dependent structure in mosquito surveillance data due to repeated observations at single trap sites and/or similar mosquito abundance at nearby trap sites each week. The model fit was im.
Statistical Modeling in Continuous Speech Recognition (CSR)

Automatic continuous speech recognition (CSR) is sufficiently mature that a variety of real world applications are now possible including large vocabulary transcription and interactive spoken dialogues. This paper reviews the evolution of the statistical modelling techniques which underlie current-day systems, specifically hidden Markov models (HMMs) and N-grams. Starting from a description of the speech signal and its parameterisation, the various modelling assumptions and their consequences are discussed. It then describes various techniques by which the effects of these assumptions can be mitigated. Despite the progress that has been made, ther limitations of current modelling techniques are still evident. The paper therefore concludes with a brief review of some of the more fundamental modelling work now in progress.
Postdating of flow in Athabasca Valles by faulting of the Cerberus Fossae, Elysium Planitia, Mars

[1] Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) topographic data, High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE), Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS), and Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) images have been used to study the timing of the formation of Athabasca Valles relative to faulting of the southern Cerberus Fossae (SCF). The topography of Athabasca Valles, derived from MOLA elevation data, appears as two troughs on the north and south footwalls of SCF. The same troughs can be identified on the floor of the fossae, indicating that Athabasca Valles predates the accumulation of ∼500 m of vertical fault offset. The topographic expression of Athabasca Valles is preserved on the graben floor because infill by sediment and lava, since formation of the valles and fossae, amounts to less than a few tens of meters. We use this information to discuss the mode of formation of Athabasca Valles and Cerberus Fossae.
Disposition of the antipsychotic agent CI-1007 in rats, monkeys, dogs, and human cytochrome P450 2D6 extensive metabolizers. Species comparison and allometric scaling.

The disposition of CI-1007 (I), an antipsychotic dopamine agonist, was studied after iv or po administration to rats, monkeys, and dogs and po administration to human cytochrome P450 2D6 extensive metabolizers (EMs). I was extensively metabolized after po administration, with high hepatic clearance (CL) values and negligible urinary excretion. Values for systemic plasma CL (28-40 ml/min/kg) suggested hepatic plasma flow-limited CL. The oral CL of I was similar among the species. Strong correlation was achieved in interspecies scaling for CL. After oral administration of [14C]I, the major route of 14C elimination in rats was in the bile (64%), followed by feces (29%) and urine (3.2%). Fecal excretion (64%) was the major route of 14C elimination in monkeys, followed by urine (14%). Three hydroxy metabolites, i.e. PD 147693 (II), PD 149394 (III), and PD 155144 (IV), and two sulfates, i.e. PD 163637 (VI) and PD 163639 (VIII), were identified in monkey plasma, urine, or feces. VIII was the major metabolite excreted in monkey urine, and VI was the major component in feces. Trace amounts of II, VI, and VIII were detected in the plasma and urine of human EMs but not in rats or dogs. II is an active metabolite that was present in all species. After oral administration, observed maximal plasma concentration and AUC values for II were higher than the corresponding values for I in dog plasma, approximately 20-40% of the values for I in monkeys and human EMs, and <5% of the values for I in rat plasma. Although the metabolic profiles differ among species, strong correlation was achieved in allometric scaling because the elimination of I from the body is mainly limited by hepatic blood flow.
Shapes Matching and Indexing Using Textual Descriptors

We propose in this paper a new matching and indexing method of shapes. Models of objects silhouettes are stored in the database using their textual descriptors. As we will see, XLWDOS descriptors are sensitive to noise. We propose a “reduction technique” to process noisy shapes and match corresponding XLWDOS descriptors using only “textual transformations”. The matching algorithm we propose is an efficient way to index shapes descriptors. Experiments over real images are conducted and explained.
Analysis and Mitigation of Doppler Rate Effect in a Multipath Channel

Establishing robust communications in the presence of Doppler rate is a requirement for several waveforms such as SATCOM and HF. In this paper, we motivate the need to model Doppler rate by analyzing the kinematics of motion in the 2-D plane. We formulate the time-varying, multipath channel output as a composite chirp signal with a convolutive mix. We propose a data-aided method to transform the channel output into a composite signal whose chirp parameters can be estimated by existing techniques. We present a method to decouple chirps from the channel output and estimate channel coefficients. The performance of the channel estimator is characterized in terms of mean-squared-error. The sensitivity of the algorithm to errors in chirp estimates is studied as a function of symbol rate.
Is it necessary to perform connective tissue disorders laboratory tests when a patient experiences the first demyelinating attack?

Background: It may be difficult to differentiate between the first demyelinating attack and the neurological manifestations of connective tissue diseases. Materials and Methods: A total of 79 patients with optic neuritis were compared with 79 healthy controls. Their blood samples were tested for erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), antiβ2-Glycoprotein I antibody (IgG, IgM), anticardiolipin antibody (IgM, IgG), lupus anticoagulant, anti-double strand DNA (anri-ds DNA), antinuclear antibody (ANA), anti-myeloperoxidae (p-ANCA), and anti-Proteinase 3 (C-ANCA). Results: In clinically isolated syndrome group β2-Glycoprotein (IgM) and lupus anti-coagulant were positive in 1.3% of patients whereas ANA was positive in 1.3% and anti-β2-Glycoprotein I (IgM) was positive in 2.5% of control group. No rheumatologic disease was found in objects with positive tests. Conclusion: This study shows no specific difference between two groups.
Microalbuminuria and risk for cardiovascular disease: Analysis of potential mechanisms.

Microalbuminuria is a strong and independent indicator of increased cardiovascular risk among individuals with and without diabetes. Therefore, microalbuminuria can be used for stratification of risk for cardiovascular disease. Once microalbuminuria is present, cardiovascular risk factor reduction should be more "aggressive. " The nature of the link between microalbuminuria and cardiovascular risk, however, remains poorly understood. There is no strong evidence that microalbuminuria causes atherothrombosis or that atherothrombosis causes microalbuminuria. Many studies have tested the hypothesis that a common risk factor underlies the association between microalbuminuria and cardiovascular disease but, again, have found no strong evidence in favor of this contention. At present, the most likely possibility is that a common pathophysiologic process, such as endothelial dysfunction, chronic low-grade inflammation, or increased transvascular leakage of macromolecules, underlies the association between microalbuminuria and cardiovascular disease, but more and prospective studies of these hypotheses are needed.
Tracking based on local motion estimation of spatio-temporally weighted salient points

The extraction of a video object contour, called "rotoscoping" in cinematographic post-production, is usually performed manually and frame by frame. Semi-automatic algorithms have been proposed to reduce the load of this task. However, they classically use region information and are usually based on a notion of homogeneity of the object. This homogeneity description might be difficult to establish and, consequently, the tracking may be not precise enough. The proposed method relies on the analysis of some temporal trajectories of salient points, or keypoints, called tracks. The main contribution of this paper is the local estimation, both spatially and temporally, of the contour motion from these tracks. The proposed method seems accurate, robust to outliers, and allows local deformation. Moreover, it can deal with partial occlusions.
Measurement of monoterpene hydrocarbons at Niwot Ridge, Colorado

Measurements of atmospheric monoterpene hydrocarbons were made at a site in the Colorado mountains. The research was undertaken to examine the influence of the compounds on the photochemistry of the troposphere. A sampling technique was developed using Tenax GC porous polymer traps with analysis by capillary gas chromatography and detection by flame ionization and mass spectrometry. Positive identification of six monoterpene hydrocarbons, α-pinene, camphene, β-pinene, myrcene, Δ-3-carene, and d-limonene, was obtained, as well as tentative identification of α-thujene and β-phellandrene. A definite seasonal trend was evident in the average monoterpene mixing ratios. The summertime average was 0.30 ppbv for the sum of the five major identified monoterpenes, β-pinene, α-pinene, Δ-3-carene, camphene, and d-limonene, with a high degree of constancy in relative ratios of each throughout the summer months. Wintertime measurements gave mixing ratios below the detection limits (0.001 ppbv of an individual compound). Simultaneous measurements of ozone, NO, NO2, and monoterpene hydrocarbons allowed examination of the contribution of monoterpene photooxidation to ozone production. Based on reported modeling studies, monoterpenes were estimated to be a small source of ozone, insufficient to account for the relatively high ozone mixing ratios (>80 ppbv) sometimes observed at this sampling site.