Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Some estimates of the height of rational Bernstein-Bezier triangular surfaces

Subdivision, intersection and triangulation of a surface are the basic and common operations in computer aided design and computer graphics. A complicated surface can be approximated by some triangular patches. The key technique of this problem is the estimation of approximation error. This work has been done in some papers by estimating second derivatives of the surface, thus very complicated computation must be executed and hence time is overly consumed. Avoiding this estimation and exerting the influence of the control points of the surfaces, this paper gives a formula for computing the exact distance between a degree 2 Bernstein-Bezier triangular surface and its base triangle. Also, this paper gives estimates of maximal distance between a degree 2 or 3 rational Bernstein-Bezier triangular surface and its base triangle with a high precision. These results are easy for programming, simple for computing, and effective for improving the subdivision/triangulation algorithms of common rational Bezier surfaces in a design system.
Compensation of Hysteresis Nonlinearity in Magnetostrictive Actuators With Inverse Multiplicative Structure for Preisach Model

Compensation of hysteresis nonlinearities in smart material based actuators presents a challenging task for their applications. Many approaches have been proposed in the literature, including the inverse multiplicative scheme. The advantage for such a scheme is to avoid direct model inversions. However, the approach is mainly developed for the Bouc-Wen model. Focusing on the Preisach model which is utilized to describe magnetostrictive actuators, in this paper an inverse compensation approach for Preisach model using the inverse multiplicative structure is developed. Since the input signal is implicitly involved in the Preisach model, it imposes a great challenge to construct the inverse function of the model. To obtain an explicit expression of the input signal from its implicit form so that the inverse multiplicative technique can be applied, the Preisach model is decomposed into a non-memory part and memory part. Using this separation, it only requires to solve the inverse of the non-memory part to obtain an explicit expression of the input signal, thus avoiding constructing the inverse for entire complex dual integral formulation of the Preisach model. Experimental results for a magnetostrictive actuator demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Lignin in jute fabric–polypropylene composites

In this work, the feasibility of using lignin as a compatibilizer for composites made from jute fiber fabric and polypropylene (PP) was studied. Since lignin contains polar (hydroxyl) groups and nonpolar hydrocarbon, it was expected to be able to improve the compatibility between the two components of the composite. It was found that lignin acted as β nucleation, fire retardant, and toughening agent for PP matrix. Jute composites exhibit higher stiffness, tensile strength, and impact behavior in respect to those of neat PP. Although scanning electron micrographic observations indicate that PP-jute adhesion was slightly improved by lignin addition, additional benefits were only obtained from impact behavior. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
AMIE: An annotation model for information research

The objective of most users for consulting any information database, information warehouse or the internet is to resolve one problem or the other. Available online or offline annotation tools were not conceived with the objective of assisting users in their bid to resolve a decisional problem. Apart from the objective and usage of annotation tools, how these tools are conceived and classified has implication on their usage. Several criteria have been used to categorize annotation concepts. Typically annotation are conceived based on how it affect the organization of document been considered for annotation or the organization of the resulting annotation. Our approach is annotation that will assist in information research for decision making. Annotation model for information exchange (AMIE) was conceived with the objective of information sharing and reuse.
Send Orders of Reprints at Reprints@benthamscience.net Treatment of Varus Deformities of the Lower Limbs in Patients with Achondroplasia and Hypochondroplasia

Angular deformities of the lower limbs are a common clinical problem encountered in pediatric orthopaedic practices particularly in patients with osteochondrodysplasias. The varus deformity is more common than the valgus deformity in achondroplasia and hypochondroplasia patients because of the unusual growth of the fibulae than that of the tibiae. We retrospectively reviewed six patients (four patients with achondroplasia and two patients with hypochondroplsia) with relevant limb deformities due to the above-mentioned entities. All patients manifested significant varus deformity of the lower limbs. Detailed phenotypic characterization, radiologic and genetic testing was carried out as baseline diagnostic tool. We described the realignment procedures, which have been applied accordingly. Therefore, bilateral multi-level procedures, multi-apical planning and limb lengthening have been successfully applied. While recognition of the underlying syndromic association in patients who are manifesting angular deformities is the baseline for proper orthopaedic management, this paper demonstrates how to evaluate and treat these complex patients.
A hierarchy of temporal properties (invited paper, 1989)

We propose a classification of temporal properties into a hierarchy. The classes of the hierarchy are characterized through four views: a language-theoretic view, a topologica1 view, the temporal logic view, and an automata view. In the topological view, the considered hierarchy coincides with the two lower levels of the Bore1 hierarchy, starting with the closed and open sets. For properties that are expressible by temporal logic and predicate automata, we provide a syntactic characterization of the formulae and automata that specify properties in the different classes. We relate this classification to the well known safety[iweness classification, and show that in some sense the two are orthogonal to one another.
Control of the mechanical properties of the synthetic anterior longitudinal ligament and its effect on the mechanical analogue lumbar spine model

The development and validation of an anatomically correct mechanical analogue spine model would serve as a valuable tool in helping researchers and implant designers understand and alleviate low back pain. Advanced composite ligaments were designed to mimic the tensile mechanical properties of human spinal ligaments. By changing the composite properties, the stiffness and deformation at toe were controlled in a repeatable manner. Five analogue spine models, with three different Anterior Longitudinal Ligament (ALL) stiffness configurations, were tested in bending and compression using displacement control in a MTS load frame. The bending stiffness and kinematic ranges of motion of the spines were compared for each ALL stiffness configuration. The ALL stiffness had a significant effect on the stiffness and peak moment in extension of the overall spine model. The study demonstrated that a change in the synthetic ligament properties successfully controls the biomechanics of the analogue spine model and the model effectively mimics the human cadaveric biomechanical response.
Weakly Supervised Learning of Affordances

Localizing functional regions of objects or affordances is an important aspect of scene understanding. In this work, we cast the problem of affordance segmentation as that of semantic image segmentation. In order to explore various levels of supervision, we introduce a pixel-annotated affordance dataset of 3090 images containing 9916 object instances with rich contextual information in terms of human-object interactions. We use a deep convolutional neural network within an expectation maximization framework to take advantage of weakly labeled data like image level annotations or keypoint annotations. We show that a further reduction in supervision is possible with a minimal loss in performance when human pose is used as context.
Thermoelectric properties of electrically conductive polypyrrole film

We present thermoelectric properties of films of the electrically conductive organic polymer polypyrrole. Highly electrically conductive polypyrrole films were electrochemically prepared using sodium p-toluenesulfonate as a supporting electrolyte. Thermoelectric properties of the polypyrrole films were systematically investigated over a wide range of temperatures above room temperature. The high electrical conductivity of the polypyrrole films gives a significant advantage of high thermoelectric power factor. In addition polypyrrole films showed extremely low thermal diffusivity, similar to electrically conductive polyaniline films. The maximum ZT of the polypyrrole film, which was calculated using estimated thermal conductivity from the polyaniline films, is 10/sup -2/ at ca. 423 K. The value is comparable with that of the inorganic thermoelectric material FeSi/sub 2/.
Cryptanalysis of S-DES using Genetic Algorithm

—Cryptanalysis with genetic algorithm has attracted much interest in recent years. This paper presents an approach for the cryptanalysis of Simple Data Encryption Standard (S-DES) using genetic algorithm. In this paper, cipher text only attack is adopted and variety of optimum keys is produced based on fitness function. S-DES keys can be found faster using the proposed approach. The experimental results indicate that, this is a promising method and can be adopted to handle other complex block ciphers like DES.
Whole‐carcass residues of the rodenticide difenacoum in anticoagulant‐resistant and ‐susceptible rat strains (Rattus norvegicus)

The present study investigated the whole‐carcass residue carried by resistant and susceptible laboratory rat strains following 5, 10, or 20 d of feeding on a diet of 25 mg difenacoum/kg bait. The mean whole‐carcass residue of difenacoum was determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography to be between 0.52 and 0.74 mg/kg body weight in all three rat strains tested. These values were considerably lower than some comparable data previously reported for other species and second‐generation rodenticides as well as from mathematical models. The whole‐carcass residue of extractable (i.e., nonrefractory) parent compound carried by highly resistant rats fed for 20 d (0.74 mg/kg body wt) is unlikely to present a significantly increased risk to predators compared to the amount carried by susceptible rats after 5 d of feeding (0.52 mg/kg body wt). However, resistant rats are more likely to be available for predation and to be carrying a whole‐carcass residue of anticoagulant throughout the duration of a control program.
Staphylococcus aureus Formyl-Methionyl Transferase Mutants Demonstrate Reduced Virulence Factor Production and Pathogenicity

ABSTRACT Inhibitors of peptide deformylase (PDF) represent a new class of antibacterial agents with a novel mechanism of action. Mutations that inactivate formyl methionyl transferase (FMT), the enzyme that formylates initiator methionyl-tRNA, lead to an alternative initiation of protein synthesis that does not require deformylation and are the predominant cause of resistance to PDF inhibitors in Staphylococcus aureus. Here, we report that loss-of-function mutations in FMT impart pleiotropic effects that include a reduced growth rate, a nonhemolytic phenotype, and a drastic reduction in production of multiple extracellular proteins, including key virulence factors, such as α-hemolysin and Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL), that have been associated with S. aureus pathogenicity. Consequently, S. aureus FMT mutants are greatly attenuated in neutropenic and nonneutropenic murine pyelonephritis infection models and show very high survival rates compared with wild-type S. aureus. These newly discovered effects on extracellular virulence factor production demonstrate that FMT-null mutants have a more severe fitness cost than previously anticipated, leading to a substantial loss of pathogenicity and a restricted ability to produce an invasive infection.
Complex vector model of the squirrel cage induction machine including instantaneous rotor bar currents

In this paper a new detailed mathematical derivation of the squirrel cage induction machine d-q model is introduced. The model is based on coupled magnetic circuit theory and complex space vector notation and takes into account the actual nonsinusoidal rotor bar distribution. It is shown for the first time that, given the structural symmetry of the induction machine, both stator and rotor circuits can be modeled by the simple set of only four coupled differential equations. More important, the number of equations does not depend on the number of rotor bars and the model is valid even if the number of bars per pole is not an integer number. This enormous simplification is achieved without loss of generality nor loss of any information contained in the full set of equations and it is valid for any operating condition. The actual n rotor bars and end-ring currents are fully included in the model and they are obtained directly by using a simple vector transformation. In addition, the three-phase rotor equivalent parameters are obtained. Second order effects, such as skin effect in the rotor bars, can be taken into account by simply modifying the bar and end ring resistance values. An equivalent circuit based on the model is also derived. Since the number of equations needed is only four (the same as in the equivalent dq model) the computation effort required to solve the full system is drastically reduced.
Tacit Collusion in a One‐Shot Game of Price Competition with Soft Capacity Constraints

This paper analyzes price competition in the case of two firms operating under constant returns to scale with more than one production factor. Factors are chosen sequentially in a two-stage game generating a soft capacity constraint and implying a convex short-term cost function in the second stage of the game. We show that tacit collusion is the only predictable result of the whole game, that is, the unique payoff-dominant pure strategy Nash equilibrium. Technically, this paper bridges the capacity constraint literature on price competition and that of the convex cost function.
Growth and Characterization of AlxGa1-xN on GaN/Al2O3

AlGaN is a promising material to develop UVLEDs and HEMT devices due to the direct wide-band gap material. In the present investigation, AlxGa1-xN alloys were grown on c-plane sapphire substrate by MOCVD. Al content x was varied in the composition range 0≤×≤0.6. The thickness and Al composition of the AlGaN was determined by HRXRD. The growth rate decreases on increasing the composition of Al. The critical thickness of pseudomorphic AlGaN layer decreases on increasing the composition. Thick layers resulted in cracks and it is important to grow thick layers with high aluminum content free from crack for deep UV LEDs.
Increased peripheral lipid clearance in an animal model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosiss⃞ Published, JLR Papers in Press, April 16, 2007.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common adult motor neuron disease, causing motor neuron degeneration, muscle atrophy, paralysis, and death. Despite this degenerative process, a stable hypermetabolic state has been observed in a large subset of patients. Mice expressing a mutant form of Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (mSOD1 mice) constitute an animal model of ALS that, like patients, exhibits unexpectedly increased energy expenditure. Counterbalancing for this increase with a high-fat diet extends lifespan and prevents motor neuron loss. Here, we investigated whether lipid metabolism is defective in this animal model. Hepatic lipid metabolism was roughly normal, whereas gastrointestinal absorption of lipids as well as peripheral clearance of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins were markedly increased, leading to decreased postprandial lipidemia. This defect was corrected by the high-fat regimen that typically induces neuroprotection in these animals. Together, our findings show that energy metabolism in mSOD1 mice shifts toward an increase in the peripheral use of lipids. This metabolic shift probably accounts for the protective effect of dietary lipids in this model.
Risk Factors for Pressure Ulceration in an Older Community-Dwelling Population

BACKGROUND:Older adults frequently experience pressure ulcers (PrUs) and suffer the risks of the ulceration. Risk factors for PrUs remain unclear in a community population. OBJECTIVE:The objective of this study was to determine the risk factors for future pressure ulceration in a community sample. DESIGN:This was a retrospective cohort study. PATIENTS:All patients older than 60 years in a primary care panel in Olmsted County, Minnesota, on January 1, 2005, were enrolled (n = 12,650). METHODS AND OUTCOMES:The primary outcome was a new diagnosis of pressure ulceration within 40 months of index date. The predictor risk variables included demographic and comorbid health risk factors. The data were analyzed using univariable and multivariable logistic regression. The authors created a final model based on multivariable risk factors. MAIN RESULTS:Of 12,650 patients, 366 patients developed an incident PrU (2.9%). In the final model, age, male sex, and long-term-care facility admission were significant factors. Prior pressure ulceration with an odds ratio of 5.60 (95% confidence interval, 3.86-8.14) was the largest risk factor. Diabetes, falls, cataracts, renal insufficiency, and peripheral vascular disease were also associated with PrU development. CONCLUSION:PrU development involves important risk factors of prior PrU development and long-term-care facility placement as the 2 largest risk factors. Both factors are easily determined by history. Increasing age and comorbid medical conditions also impact PrU development as important risk factors for PrU development.
Reverse Offshore Outsourcing Experiences in Global Software Engineering Projects

In this paper, we examine a case in reverse offshore outsourcing, in which a software company in Western Europe provided services to a bank subsidiary in Asia as part of a global software reengineering project. The bank selected the software company, among other reasons, because it could provide the service more cheaply than competing software companies in other geographic regions. We will examine the specific parameters of this project and the justification of the reverse offshore outsourcing setup, examine the difficulties encountered during the project and explore how despite the challenges of getting many legal, technical, and cultural frameworks to fit, ultimately the project was completed successfully.
Chitosan Derivatives as Important Biorefinery Intermediates. Quaternary Tetraalkylammonium Chitosan Derivatives Utilized in Anion Exchange Chromatography for Perchlorate Removal

There has recently been great interest in the valorization of biomass waste in the context of the biorefinery. The biopolymer chitosan, derived from chitin, is present in large quantities of crustacean waste. This biomass can be converted into value-added products with applications in energy, fuel, chemicals and materials manufacturing. The many reported applications of this polymer can be attributed to its unique properties, such as biocompatibility, chemical versatility, biodegradability and low toxicity. Cost effective water filters which decontaminate water by removal of specific impurities and microbes are in great demand. To address this need, the development of ion exchange resins using environmentally friendly, renewable materials such as biopolymers as solid supports was evaluated. The identification and remediation of perchlorate contaminated water using an easy, inexpensive method has come under the spotlight recently. Similarly, the use of a low cost perchlorate selective solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridge that can be rapidly employed in the field is desirable. Chitosan based SPE coupled with colorimetric analytical methods showed promise as a renewable anion exchange support for perchlorate analysis or removal. The polymers displayed perchlorate retention comparable to the commercial standard whereby the quaternized iron loaded polymer TMC-Fe(III) displayed the best activity.
The impact of cardiac resynchronization therapy on obstructive sleep apnea in heart failure patients: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has been shown to improve cardiac function and reduce Cheyne-Stokes respiration but has not been evaluated in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In this pilot study, we investigated the impact of both CRT and CRT plus increased rate pacing in heart failure (ie, congestive heart failure [CHF]) patients with OSA. We hypothesized that through increased cardiac output CRT/pacing would reduce obstructive events and daytime symptoms of sleepiness. METHODS Full polysomnograms were performed on CHF patients who were scheduled for CRT, and those patients with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of > 5 events per hour were approached about study enrollment. Patients had a pre-CRT implant baseline echocardiogram and an echocardiogram a mean (+/- SEM) duration of 6.6 +/- 1.4 months post-CRT implant; polysomnography; and responded to the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure questionnaire, the Epworth sleepiness scale, and the Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire. An additional third polysomnography was performed combining CRT with a pacing rate of 15 beats/min above the baseline sleeping heart rate within 1 week of the second polysomnography. Assessments for the change in cardiac output during the polysomnography were performed using circulation time to pulse oximeter as a surrogate. RESULTS Twenty-four patients were screened, and 13 patients (mean age, 68.6 years; body mass index, 28.7 kg/m(2)) had evidence of OSA. The mean AHI decreased from 40.9 +/- 6.4 to 29.5 +/- 5.9 events per hour with CRT (p = 0.04). The mean baseline ejection fraction was 22 +/- 1.7% and increased post-CRT to 33.6 +/- 2.0% (p < 0.05). The reduction in AHI with CRT closely correlated with a decrease in circulation time (r = 0.89; p < 0.001) with CRT. Increased rate pacing made no additional impact on the AHI or circulation time. CRT had a limited impact on sleep architecture or daytime symptom scores. CONCLUSIONS CRT improved cardiac function and reduced the AHI. Reduced circulatory delay likely stabilized ventilatory control systems and may represent a new therapeutic target in OSA.
A Comparative Study for Query Translation using Linear Combination and Confidence Measure

In Cross Language Information Retrieval (CLIR), query terms can be translated to the document language using Bilingual Dictionaries (BDs) or Statistical Translation Models (STMs). Combining different translation resources can also be used to improve the performance. Unfortunately, the most studies on combining multiple resources use simple methods such as linear combination. In this paper, we drew up a comparative study between linear combination and confidence measures to combine multiple translation resources for the purpose of CLIR. We show that the linear combination method is unable to combine correctly different types of resources such as BDs and STMs. While the confidence measure method is able to re-weight the translation candidate more radically than in linear combination. It reconsiders each translation candidate proposed by different resources with respect to additional features. We tested the two methods on different test CLIR collections and the results show that the confidence measure outperforms the linear combination method.