Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sobolev metrics on shape space of surfaces

Let $M$ and $N$ be connected manifolds without boundary with $\dim(M) < \dim(N)$, and let $M$ compact. Then shape space in this work is either the manifold of submanifolds of $N$ that are diffeomorphic to $M$, or the orbifold of unparametrized immersions of $M$ in $N$. We investigate the Sobolev Riemannian metrics on shape space: These are induced by metrics of the following form on the space of immersions: $$ G^P_f(h,k) = \int_{M} \overline{g}( P^fh, k) vol (f^*\overline{g})$$ where $\overline{g}$ is some fixed metric on $N$, $f^*\overline{g}$ is the induced metric on $M$, $h,k \in \Gamma(f^*TN)$ are tangent vectors at $f$ to the space of embeddings or immersions, and $P^f$ is a positive, selfadjoint, bijective scalar pseudo differential operator of order $2p$ depending smoothly on $f$. We consider later specifically the operator $P^f=1 + A\Delta^p$, where $\Delta$ is the Bochner-Laplacian on $M$ induced by the metric $f^*\overline{g}$. For these metrics we compute the geodesic equations both on the space of immersions and on shape space, and also the conserved momenta arising from the obvious symmetries. We also show that the geodesic equation is well-posed on spaces of immersions, and also on diffeomorphism groups. We give examples of numerical solutions.
Towards clock skew based services in wireless sensor networks

Clock skew, an inherent property of clock crystals of physical devices, is defined as the rate of deviation of a device clock from the true time. The frequency of a device's clock actually depends on its environment, such as the temperature, humidity, vibration, electromagnetic interference, as well as the type of crystal. The main contributions of this paper are twofold. First, we experimentally validate that MICAz and TelosB sensor motes have different and unique clock skews. Furthermore, the clock skew of a node can easily be monitored, even via a multi-hop Wireless Sensor Network (WSN). We argue that this feature can be used for identification of the nodes, detection of wormhole and Sybil attacks. Second, we show that the clock skew of a sensor node varies with the variation of temperature. We explain how this property can be used to detect malicious and malfunctioning nodes and to geolocalise them. We also discuss the pros and cons of utilisation of the above two properties for different services in WSNs.
Fast 3D Geometric Proximity Queries between Rigid and Deformable Models Using Graphics Hardware Acceleration

We present an approach for computing generalized proximity information between arbitrary polygonal models using graphics hardware acceleration. Our algorithm combines object-space localization, multi-pass rendering techniques, and accelerated distance field computation to perform complex proximity queries at interactive rates. It is applicable to any closed, possibly non-convex, polygonal object and requires no precomputation, making it suitable for both rigid and dynamically deformable geometry of relatively high complexity. The proximity queries include, not only collision detection, but also the computation of intersections, minimum separation distance, closest points, penetration depth and direction, and contact points and normals. The load is balanced between CPU and graphics subsystems through a hybrid geometry and image-based approach. Geometric object-space techniques coarsely localize potential interactions between two objects, and image-space techniques accelerated with graphics hardware provide the low-level proximity information. We have implemented our system using the OpenGL graphics library and have tested it on various hardware configurations with a wide range of object complexities and contact scenarios. In all cases, interactive frame rates are achieved. In addition, our algorithm’s performance is heavily based on the graphics hardware computational power growth curve which has exceeded the expectations of Moore’s Law for general CPU power growth.
N-Acetyl-l-Cysteine and Cysteamine as New Strategies against Mixed Biofilms of Nonencapsulated Streptococcus pneumoniae and Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae

ABSTRACT Acute otitis media, a polymicrobial disease of the middle ear cavity of children, is a significant public health problem worldwide. It is most frequently caused by encapsulated Streptococcus pneumoniae and nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae, although the widespread use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines is apparently producing an increase in the carriage of nonencapsulated S. pneumoniae. Frequently, pneumococci and H. influenzae live together in the human nasopharynx, forming a self-produced biofilm. Biofilms present a global medical challenge since the inherent antibiotic resistance of their producers demands the use of large doses of antibiotics over prolonged periods. Frequently, these therapeutic measures fail, contributing to bacterial persistence. Here, we describe the development of an in vitro nonencapsulated S. pneumoniae-nontypeable H. influenzae biofilm system with polystyrene or glass-bottom plates. Confocal laser scanning microscopy and specific fluorescent labeling of pneumococcal cells with Helixpomatia agglutinin revealed an even distribution of both species within the biofilm. This simple and robust protocol of mixed biofilms was used to test the antimicrobial properties of two well-known antioxidants that are widely used in the clinical setting, i.e., N-acetyl-l-cysteine and cysteamine. This repurposing approach showed the high potency of N-acetyl-l-cysteine and cysteamine against mixed biofilms of nonencapsulated S. pneumoniae and nontypeable H. influenzae. Decades of clinical use mean that these compounds are safe to use, which may accelerate their evaluation in humans.
On variational downscaling, fusion, and assimilation of hydrometeorological states: A unified framework via regularization

Improved estimation of hydrometeorological states from down‐sampled observations and background model forecasts in a noisy environment has been a subject of growing research in the past decades. Here we introduce a unified variational framework that ties together the problems of downscaling, data fusion, and data assimilation as ill‐posed inverse problems. This framework seeks solutions beyond the classic least squares estimation paradigms by imposing a proper regularization, expressed as a constraint consistent with the degree of smoothness and/or probabilistic structure of the underlying state. We review relevant smoothing norm regularization methods in derivative space and extend classic formulations of the aforementioned problems with particular emphasis on land surface hydrometeorological applications. Our results demonstrate that proper regularization of downscaling, data fusion, and data assimilation problems can lead to more accurate and stable recovery of the underlying non‐Gaussian state of interest with improved performance in capturing isolated and jump singularities. In particular, we show that the Huber regularization in the derivative space offers advantages, compared to the classic solution and the Tikhonov regularization, for spatial downscaling and fusion of non‐Gaussian multisensor precipitation data. Furthermore, we explore the use of Huber regularization in a variational data assimilation experiment while the initial state of interest exhibits jump discontinuities and non‐Gaussian probabilistic structure. To this end, we focus on the heat equation motivated by its fundamental application in the study of land surface heat and mass fluxes.
Not reinventing the wheel: applying the 3Rs concepts to viral vector gene therapy biodistribution studies.

In pharmaceutical drug development, information on where a drug distributes within the body is helpful in understanding the overall chemical and/or biological characteristics of the compound. This is typically assessed preclinically in relevant animal species that are often used for the formal safety studies (toxicology, pharmacokinetics and drug metabolism. One accepted principle of animal studies is the application of the “3 R’s concept” (replacement, refinement and reduction http://www.nc3rs.org.uk/) to reduce animal use as far as makes sense. The focus of this article is to suggest that, for gene therapy biodistribution studies, reductions in animal use could be rationally achieved with no increase in clinical risk.
Magnetometry with nitrogen-vacancy defects in diamond

The isolated electronic spin system of the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centre in diamond offers unique possibilities to be employed as a nanoscale sensor for detection and imaging of weak magnetic fields. Magnetic imaging with nanometric resolution and field detection capabilities in the nanotesla range are enabled by the atomic-size and exceptionally long spin-coherence times of this naturally occurring defect. The exciting perspectives that ensue from these characteristics have triggered vivid experimental activities in the emerging field of ‘NV magnetometry’. It is the purpose of this article to review the recent progress in high-sensitivity nanoscale NV magnetometry, generate an overview of the most pertinent results of the last years and highlight perspectives for future developments. We will present the physical principles that allow for magnetic field detection with NV centres and discuss first applications of NV magnetometers that have been demonstrated in the context of nano magnetism, mesoscopic physics and the life sciences.
Mechanical Property Characterization of Discontinuous Fiber Reinforced Composites by Computer Modeling

MECHANICAL PROPERTY CHARACTERIZATION OF DISCONTINUOUS FIBER REINFORCED COMPOSITES BY COMPUTER MODELING AMRIT BHUSAL 2017 The desire to make high strength, lightweight, less corrosive, high fatigue resistance materials in auto industries, aero industries, biomedical industries have given a chance for in-depth study of composite materials. To get the profound knowledge of composites, different experiments are conducted which often take huge resources, cost and time. Computer modeling and analysis have gained popularity in Finite Element Analysis (FEA) because it can be used to predict the mechanical property of different materials. In this thesis, FEA technique has been used to predict mechanical property of discontinuous fiber reinforced composites (FRC). If we are able to foretell the mechanical property of discontinuous fiber reinforced composites (FRC), it can be usedbeing easy and less expensive to manufacture than continuous discontinuous fiber reinforced composites (FRC). The objective of this thesis is to find out the behavior of discontinuous fiber reinforced composites under tensile, compressive and shear test. Different volume percentage of random fibers, matrix was generated, which was subjected to FEA simulation. ANSYS 2015, commercially available Finite Element Analysis software, was used to generate model and as a solver.
Integrated molecular mechanism directing nucleosome reorganization by human FACT

Facilitates chromatin transcription (FACT) plays essential roles in chromatin remodeling during DNA transcription, replication, and repair. Tsunaka et al. studied human FACT–histone interactions that present precise views of nucleosome reorganization, conducted by the FACT-SPT16 Mid domain and its adjacent acidic AID segment.
Statistical distributions of Hermitian quadratic forms in complex Gaussian variables

Decision variables in numerous practical systems can frequently be characterized using a Hermitian quadratic form in complex Gaussian variates. Performance analysis involving these variates requires a complete description of the statistical distribution of the quadratic form. Such a complete description is presented. The method used is based on inverting the characteristic function of the quadratic form by solving a number of convolution integrals. The results presented include two forms for the probability density function (PDF), an expression for the cumulative distribution function (CDF), and expressions for the distribution moments and cumulants. These results are shown to reduce to previously known results for some special cases. Relations of the quadratic form and its CDF to the noncentral chi /sup 2/ (chi-square) and the complex noncentral Wishart distributions are exposed. Evaluation of the CDF at the origin is shown to reduce to the doubly noncentral F-distribution due to R. Price (1962, 1964). A generalization of the Marcum Q-function is also identified and suggested. >
Hepatoprotective effects of kombucha tea: identification of functional strains and quantification of functional components.

BACKGROUND Kombucha tea (KT), a traditional health beverage containing potential hepatoprotective agents, is fermented from sugared tea by a symbiotic culture of yeast and bacteria for 8 days. However, the functional strains that produce components for the hepatoprotective property of KT remain unclear. Multiple strains are involved in traditional KT production. Therefore, KT has not been standardized or produced commercially. This study aimed to identify the functional strains and quantify the functional components with hepatoprotective effects in kombucha tea. RESULTS Gluconacetobacter sp. A4 was one of the microorganisms in KT in which the D-saccharic acid-1,4-lactone (DSL) produced by G. sp. A4 was significantly higher than that produced by original tea fungus at 8 days of fermentation. Traditional KT (TKT, tea broth fermented by mixed tea fungus), modified KT (MKT, fermented by single G. sp. A4), and DSL significantly inhibited the acetaminophen-induced increase of alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, triglyceride and malondialdehyde, as well as facilitating the reduction of total antioxidant capacity in mice. Furthermore, MKT and TKT are both similar to DSL in terms of protection against acetaminophen-induced liver injury in mice. These results suggested a positive relationship between DSL content and the hepatoprotective effect of TKT, MKT and DSL groups. CONCLUSION G. sp. A4 was concluded to be a potential functional strain and DSL might be the key functional component for the hepatoprotective property in KT. The stronger capability of G. sp. A4 in producing DSL makes it a better choice for the commercial production of KT.
Retinal Cell Degeneration in Animal Models

The aim of this review is to provide an overview of various retinal cell degeneration models in animal induced by chemicals (N-methyl-d-aspartate- and CoCl2-induced), autoimmune (experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis), mechanical stress (optic nerve crush-induced, light-induced) and ischemia (transient retinal ischemia-induced). The target regions, pathology and proposed mechanism of each model are described in a comparative fashion. Animal models of retinal cell degeneration provide insight into the underlying mechanisms of the disease, and will facilitate the development of novel effective therapeutic drugs to treat retinal cell damage.
Processing of Al2O3/SrTiO3/PDMS Composites With Low Dielectric Loss

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is widely used in the electrical and electronic industries due to its excellent electrical insulation and biocompatible characteristics. However, the dielectric constant of pure PDMS is very low which restricts its applications. Herein, we report a series of PDMS/Al2O3/strontium titanate (ST) composites with high dielectric constant and low loss prepared by a simple experimental method. The composites exhibit high dielectric constant (relative dielectric constant is 4) after the composites are coated with insulated Al2O3 particles, and the dielectric constant gets further improved for composites with ST particles (dielectric constant reaches 15.5); a lower dielectric loss (tanδ= 0.05) is also found at the same time which makes co-filler composites suitable for electrical insulation products, and makes the experimental method more interesting in modern teaching.
Polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography utilizing a buffered swept source laser

Abstract We present an approach for polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) that solely requires a modification of the light source, a buffered swept source laser. For this purpose a single-mode fiber-based Fourier domain mode locked laser is extended by fourfold buffering with manual fiber polarization controllers to emit alternating sweep polarizations, while the polarization contrast calibration is realized by a high-speed polarimeter. As the introduced setup utilizes standard scanning and detection units, the proposed method is a promising way to enhance various swept source OCT systems by polarization sensitive imaging. Preliminary measurements of a human finger nail with different polarization contrasts demonstrate the feasibility of the concept.
Object-Oriented Modeling for GIS

The data model upon which most of today’s commercial database management systems are based has shown to be insufficient for geographic information systems (GISs). The recently promoted object-oriented model provides some useful tools for data abstraction and data structuring, which augment the conventional tools and overcomes some deficiencies inherent to the traditional relational model. In particular, the concepts of complex objects with pertinent operations are more powerful modeling methods than the currently popular structure of relational tables and relational algebra. This survey article presents the concepts of object-oriented modeling applied to geographic data and demonstrates their impact on future GISs.
Prehypertension and Incidence of ESRD: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND Studies of the association of prehypertension with the incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) after adjusting for other cardiovascular risk factors have shown controversial results. STUDY DESIGN Systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. SETTING & POPULATION Adults with prehypertension. SELECTION CRITERIA FOR STUDIES Studies evaluating the association of prehypertension with the incidence of ESRD identified by searches in PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases and conference proceedings, without language restriction. PREDICTOR Prehypertension. OUTCOMES The relative risks (RRs) of ESRD were calculated and reported with 95% CIs. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to blood pressure (BP), age, sex, ethnicity, and study characteristics. RESULTS Data from 1,003,793 participants were derived from 6 prospective cohort studies. Compared with optimal BP, prehypertension significantly increased the risk of ESRD (RR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.39-1.91). In subgroup analyses, prehypertension significantly predicted higher ESRD risk across age, sex, ethnicity, and study characteristics. Even low-range (BP, 120-129/80-84 mm Hg) prehypertension increased the risk of ESRD compared with optimal BP (RR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.19-1.74), and the risk increased further with high-range (BP, 130-139/85-89 mm Hg) prehypertension (RR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.70-2.40). The RR was significantly higher in the high-range compared with the low-range prehypertensive population (P = 0.01). LIMITATIONS No access to individual patient-level data. CONCLUSIONS Prehypertension is associated with incident ESRD. The increased risk is driven largely by high-range prehypertension.
Expression of Junctional Adhesion Molecule-C on the Surface of Platelets Supports Adhesion, but not Differentiation, of Human CD34+ Cells in Vitro

Background: CD34+ progenitor cells play an important role in haematopoiesis and vascular homeostasis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of platelet-derived junctional adhesion molecule-C (JAM-C) in adhesion and differentiation of human CD34+ cells in vitro, as well as its association with platelet-derived P-selectin in patients with coronary artery disease. Methods and Results: Using flow cytometry we observed that JAM-C expression on the surface of washed platelets is increased after activation with thrombin receptor activating peptide-6 in vitro and correlated with platelet-derived P-selectin expression in patients with coronary artery disease (r=0.326, P=0.007). The role of JAM-C and its counter receptor Mac-1 in adhesion of human CD34+ cells over immobilized platelets was investigated by using a neutralizing soluble protein (sJAM-C-Fc) and a monoclonal antibody against JAM-C or integrin Mac-1 (CD11b/CD18). Treatment with soluble JAM-C-Fc or anti-JAM-C or anti-Mac-1, but not with control-Fc or IgG1, resulted in a significantly decreased adhesion of human CD34+ cells to platelets under static conditions (P<0.05). In order to validate our findings under high shear stress we performed flow chamber experiments. In a similar manner, inhibiting JAM-C interaction with Mac-1 resulted in a significantly decreased adhesion of CD34+ cells over immobilized platelets under high shear stress (P<0.05). Colony forming unit assays and coculture assays revealed that inhibition of JAM-C/Mac-1 axis did not influence the platelet-mediated differentiation of CD34+ cells to endothelial cells or to macrophages/foam cells. Conclusions: Taken together a platelet-derived JAM-C supports CD34+ cell adhesion, a mechanism potentially involved in homing as well as domiciliation of human CD34+ cells.
Orientation and location dependency of the mechanical properties of an AlSi10Mg part produced using direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) - a microsample approach

i Resumo . iii Acknowledgments . vii List of Acronyms . xi List of Figures . xiii List of Tables . xix 1 Motivation . 1 1.1 Motivation . 1 1.2 Thesis context and linkage to UMBC . 3 1.3 Thesis overview . 4 2 Literature Review . 7 2.1 Additive Manufacturing . 7 2.2 Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) . 22 2.3 Aluminum alloys AlSi10Mg . 25 2.4 Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) . 29 2.5 Summary . 32 3 Material Production . 35 3.
A review of medication incidents reported to the National Reporting and Learning System in England and Wales over 6 years (2005–2010)

A review of all medication incidents reported to the National Reporting and Learning System (NRLS) in England in Wales between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2010 was undertaken. The 526 186 medication incident reports represented 9.68% of all patient safety incidents. Medication incidents from acute general hospitals (394 951) represented 75% of reports. There were relatively smaller numbers of medication incident reports (44 952) from primary care, representing 8.5% of the total. Of 86 821 (16%) medication incidents reporting actual patient harm, 822 (0.9%) resulted in death or severe harm. The incidents involving medicine administration (263 228; 50%) and prescribing (97 097; 18%) were the process steps with the largest number of reports. Omitted and delayed medicine (82 028; 16%) and wrong dose (80 170; 15%) represented the largest error categories. Thirteen medicines or therapeutic groups accounted for 377 (46%) of the incidents with outcomes of death or severe harm. The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) has issued guidance to help minimize incidents with many of these medicines. Many recent incidents could have been prevented if the NPSA guidance had been better implemented. It is recommended that healthcare organizations in all sectors establish an effective infrastructure to oversee and promote safe medication practice, including an annual medication safety report. In the future, preventable harms from medication incidents can be further minimized by; the continued use of the NRLS to identify and prioritize important actions to improve medication safety, a central organization continuing to issue medication safety guidance to the service and better methods to ensure that the National Health Service has implemented this guidance.