Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A New Algorithm for Normal Adjustment of Point Cloud

In the area of reverse engineering, the normal of point cloud is the basis of data processing such as smoothing, simplifying and fusing. The consistent adjustment of normal orientation (or called normal adjustment in short) is an essential step for normal estimation. In this paper, a new algorithm for normal adjustment is proposed. It mainly researches on how to get the right adjustment effect and how to make it faster. To adjust the normal rightly, the angle between the original normals of two points is used as the basis of spread order. A suitable exploration mode, in which only the border of adjusted points and unadjusted is explored, is chosen to make the adjustment process efficient. To get more efficiency, the spread based on threshold value is used to adjust several points for one time. The spread based on minimum value is also used. The latter mode is not as efficient as the former one, but it ensures that the spread will not suspend. Experiments result indicates that the normal adjustment algorithm is efficient.
Biased selection of leading process branches mediates chemotaxis during tangential neuronal migration

Current models of chemotaxis during neuronal migration and axon guidance propose that directional sensing relies on growth cone dynamics. According to this view, migrating neurons and growing axons are guided to their correct targets by steering the growth cone in response to attractive and repulsive cues. Here, we have performed a detailed analysis of the dynamic behavior of individual neurons migrating tangentially in telencephalic slices using high-resolution time-lapse videomicroscopy. We found that cortical interneurons consistently display branched leading processes as part of their migratory cycle, a feature that seems to be common to many other populations of GABAergic neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Analysis of the migratory behavior of individual cells suggests that interneurons respond to chemoattractant signals by generating new leading process branches that are better aligned with the source of the gradient, and not by reorienting previously existing branches. Moreover, experimental evidence revealed that guidance cues influence the angle at which new branches emerge. This model is further supported by pharmacological experiments in which inhibition of branching blocked chemotaxis, suggesting that this process is an essential component of the mechanism controlling directional guidance. These results reveal a novel guidance mechanism during neuronal migration that might be extensively used in brain development.
A Study of Wood Inspection by Infrared Thermography, Part II: Thermography for Wood Defects Detection

Abstract. Wood poles are among the main components of electrical distribution systems. They have to be replaced every 20—30 years due to wood decay. To reduce costs, utilities need an efficient nondestructive tool to determine the appropriate replacement time. Different techniques exist for this purpose, such as X- or gamma-ray tomography, indentation, and methods based on measurement of electrical conductivity, ultrasonic propagation, or simply bacterial culturing. Since none of these methods satisfy these utilities, it was decided to study in detail infrared thermography (NDT) in this particular context. The hypothesis is that in this particular context, wood decay corresponds to a different moisture content with respect to sound wood. In Part I of the paper the problem of wood pole NDT is analyzed using a dedicated thermal model and three different types of heating: internal through-hole, external, and by microwave. Experiments confirm modeling results: due to large defect depths, low wood thermal diffusivity, and the wood properties dependencies upon temperature, moisture, species, and fiber orientation, infrared thermography (IRT) is not appropriate for this inspection problem unless defects are close to the surface. Discussion of wood thermal properties is also included in Part I. In Part II of the paper, the wood decay inspection problem is revisited in a simpler manner: flat instead of circular geometry and shallower defects. Thermal modeling along with experimental results are presented, and the comparison is encouraging.
An approach to noncommunicative multiagent coordination in continuous domains

Principled game-theoretic techniques exist for solving the problem of action coordination in a group of agents, however they typically sufier fromanexponentialblowupoftheactionspace when many agents are involved. Coordination graphs (Guestrin et. al., 2002) ofier tractable approximationsviaacontext-speciflcdecomposition into smaller coordination problems, and they are based on an iterative communicationbased action selection procedure. We propose two extensions that apply when the agents are embeddedinacontinuousdomainand/orcommunication is unavailable.
Persistent Activation of Coagulation Mechanism in Unstable Angina and Myocardial Infarction

The blood coagulation system is activated in the acute phase of unstable angina and acute myocardial infarction. However, it remains unclear whether augmented function of the hemostatic mechanism serves only as a marker of the acute thrombotic episode or whether a hypercoagulable state persists for a prolonged period after clinical stabilization. Methods and ResultsWe prospectively measured the plasma concentrations of prothrombin fragment 1+2 (F1+2) and fibrinopeptide A (FPA) in consecutive patients presenting with unstable angina (n=80) or acute myocardial infarction (n=32), respectively. At 6 months, plasma determinations were repeated in patients experiencing an uneventful clinical course (unstable angina, n=57; myocardial infarction, n=23). We quantitated the plasma levels of F1+2 and FPA in control patients with stable angina (n=37) or healthy individuals (n=32) who were matched for age and sex. The median plasma concentrations of F1+2 and EPA are significantly higher in patients presenting with unstable angina (F1+2, 1.08 nmol/L; FPA, 2.4 nmol/L) or acute myocardial infarction (F1+2, 1.27 nmol/L; FPA, 3.55 nmol/L) compared with patients with stable angina (F1+2, 0.74 nmol/L; FPA, 1.3 nmol/L; P < .0001) or healthy individuals (F1+2, 0.71 nmol/L; FPA, 0.80 nmol/L; P < .0001). At 6 months, the median plasma levels of F112 in patients exhibiting an uneventful clinical course did not differ from values obtained at admission (unstable angina, 1.26 versus 1.07 nmol/L, P=NS; myocardial infarction, 1.22 versus 1.29 nmol/L, P=NS), whereas the median plasma levels of FPA in the same two subpopulations were significantly reduced (unstable angina, 1.1 versus 2.9 nmol/L, P = .0003; myocardial infarction, 1.1 versus 3.0 nmol/L; P = .0028). ConclusionsDuring the acute phase of unstable angina and myocardial infarction, patients exhibit increased coagulation system activity. Over the next 6 months, patients with unstable angina or myocardial infarction experiencing an uneventful clinical course manifest a persistent hypercoagulable state with minimal generation of fibrin.
The nanostructure of silica microfibers fabricated by microfluidic self-assembly

The porous properties of self-assembled waveguides made up of nanoparticles are characterised. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) reveals predominantly hcp or fcc packing suggesting a remarkably well ordered and distributed porous structure. N2 adsorption studies estimate a surface area SA ~ 101 m2/g, a total interstitial volume Vi ~ 1.7 mL/g and a pore size distribution of r ~ (2 - 6) nm. This distribution is in excellent agreement with the idealised values for identically sized particles obtained for the octahedral and tetrahedral pores of the hcp and fcc lattices, estimated to lie within and rtet ~ (2.2 – 3.3) nm and roct ~ (4.2 – 6.2) nm for particles varying in size over 20 to 30 nm. Optical transmission based percolation studies reveal rapid penetration of Rhodamine dye (< 5 s) with very little percolation of larger molecules such as ZnTPP observed under similar loading conditions. In the latter case, laser ablation was used to determine the transport of hydrated Zn2+ to be D ~ 3 x 10-4 nm2s-1. By comparison, ZnTPP was not able to percolate into the wire over the time of exposure, t = 10 mins, effectively demonstrating the self-assembled structure acting as a molecular sieve. We discuss the potential of such structures more broadly and conclude that the controllable distribution of such nano-chambers offers the possibility of amplifying, or up-scaling, an otherwise local interaction or nanoreactions to make detection and diagnostics much simpler; it also opens up a new approach to material engineering making new composites with periodic nanoscale variability. These and other unique aspects of these structures are embodied in an overall concept of lab-in-wire, or similar self-assembled structures, extending our previous concept of lab-in-fibre from the micro domain into the nano domain.
Early morning plasma testosterone is an accurate predictor of imminent pubertal development in prepubertal boys.

In the management of constitutional delayed growth and/or puberty, there is a need for simple tests which can assess the overall developmental maturity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis in clinically prepubertal patients. This would enable the physician to predict the likelihood or otherwise of an individual entering puberty spontaneously within subsequent months. Based on our previous physiological data on the sequential pattern of peripubertal pituitary-testicular activation by hypothalamic GnRH, we hypothesized that the nocturnal secretion of testosterone, in response to sleep-entrained LH secretion, may provide a basis for an in vivo bioassay of neuroendocrine sexual maturity. Overnight testosterone secretion by the testis in clinically prepubertal boys was assessed with respect to their subsequent clinical progress, the target being the attainment of testicular volumes of greater than or equal to 4 mL (a clinical landmark when puberty has assuredly begun and virilization will soon follow). Forty-five prepubertal (Tanner stage G1PH1 testicular volume < or = 2 mL) boys aged 10.0-15.3 yr (mean +/- SEM 11.8 +/- 0.2) with short stature had paired plasma T concentration measured at 2000 h and 0800 h the following morning. After the initial assessment, all patients were reviewed clinically at 3-month intervals for a minimum of 21 months (mean 26.0 +/- 1.1, range 21-50 months). During this period, 38 (84.4%) patients received treatment in the form of sc human GH 2-4 IU daily or oxandrolone 2.5 mg daily by mouth to improve short-term growth although this did not have any significant effect on the subsequent timing of pubertal onset. The patients were divided according to whether 1) there was a demonstrable increase in plasma T between 2000 and 0800 h and 2) morning plasma T concentration was less than or greater than or equal to 0.7 nmol/L at their initial assessment. In those with a significant overnight T increment, 58% and 89% achieved testicular volume of greater than or equal to 4 mL after 12 and 21 months, respectively. In contrast, only 12% and 56% of patients who had not shown a T increase went into puberty by these times. In patients who had morning plasma testosterone concentrations greater than or equal to 0.7 nmol/L, 77% entered puberty within 12 months and 100% within 15 months. However, in those with a morning testosterone of less than 0.7 nmol/L, only 12.5% and 25% entered puberty within 12 and 15 months, respectively. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
The presence and regulation of connective tissue growth factor in the human endometrium

BACKGROUND The human endometrium efficiently repairs each month after menstruation. The mechanisms involved in this repair process remain undefined. Aberrations in endometrial repair may lead to the common disorder of heavy menstrual bleeding. We hypothesized that connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is increased at the time of endometrial repair post-menses and that this increase is regulated by prostaglandins (PGs) and hypoxic conditions present during menstruation. METHODS AND RESULTS Examination of 41 endometrial biopsies from 5 stages of the menstrual cycle revealed maximal CTGF mRNA expression (using quantitative RT–PCR) at menstruation and peak protein levels during the proliferative phase. CTGF was immunolocalized to epithelial and stromal cells, with intense staining of occasional stromal cells during the proliferative phase. Dual immunohistochemistry identified these cells as macrophages. Treatment of endometrial epithelial cells with 100 nM PGE2, PGF2α or hypoxia (0.5% O2) revealed a significant increase in CTGF mRNA expression (P < 0.01 for all, versus vehicle control). Cells treated simultaneously with PGE2 and hypoxia revealed a synergistic increase in CTGF expression (P < 0.05 versus PGE2 or hypoxia alone) and maximal secreted CTGF protein levels (P < 0.05 versus control). CONCLUSIONS CTGF is increased in the human endometrium at the time of endometrial repair post-menses. The increase in CTGF may be mediated by PG production and the transient hypoxic episode observed in the endometrium at menstruation.
Polímeros bioreabsorvíveis na engenharia de tecidos

Resumo: A Engenharia de Tecidos consiste em um conjunto de conhecimentos e tecnicas para a reconstrucao de novos orgaos e tecidos. Baseada em conhecimentos das areas de ciencia e engenharia de materiais, biologica e medica, a tecnica envolve a expansao in vitro de celulas viaveis do paciente doador sobre suportes de polimeros bioreabsorviveis. O suporte degrada enquanto um novo orgao ou tecido e formado. Os poli(α-hidroxi acidos) representam a principal classe de polimeros sinteticos bioreabsorviveis e biodegradaveis utilizados na engenharia de tecidos. No desenvolvi- mento e na selecao desses materiais, o tempo de degradacao e fundamental para o sucesso do implante. Os estudos e os desafios atuais sao normalmente direcionados ao entendimento das relacoes entre composicao quimica, cristalinidade, morfologia do suporte, e o processamento desses materiais. Este artigo faz uma revisao dos trabalhos recentes sobre a utilizacao dos polimeros sinteticos bioreabsorviveis como suportes na engenharia de tecidos. Palavras-chave: Engenharia de tecidos, polimeros bioreabsorviveis, poli(α-hidroxi acidos). Bioresorbable Polymers in Tissue Engineering Abstract: Tissue Engineering is based on a group of techniques for the reconstruction of new organs and tissues. Based on knowledge of materials science and engineering, biology and medicine, the technique involves the in vitro expansion of viable cells obtained from the patient on the polymeric scaffolds. The scaffold degrades while a new organ or tissue is formed. The poly(α-hydroxy acids) are the principal biodegradable and bioresorbable polymers used in tissue engineering. In developing and selecting bioresorbable scaffolds, the degradation time is fundamental for successful biocompatibility and biofuncionality. Hence, degradation studies often address variables such as the chemical composition, crystallinity, morphology of the scaffold and the processing of these materials. This paper reviews recent work in bioresorbable polymers used as scaffolds in the tissue engineering.
Treatment of Resistant Glomerular Diseases with Adrenocorticotropic Hormone Gel: A Prospective Trial

Background: Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) has shown promising results in glomerular diseases resistant to conventional therapies, but the reported data have solely been from retrospective, observational studies. Methods: In this prospective, open-label study (NCT01129284), 15 subjects with resistant glomerular diseases were treated with ACTH gel (80 units subcutaneously twice weekly) for 6 months. Resistant membranous nephropathy (MN), minimal change disease (MCD), and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) were defined as failure to achieve sustained remission of proteinuria off immunosuppressive therapy with at least 2 treatment regimens; resistant IgA nephropathy was defined as >1 g/g urine protein:creatinine ratio despite maximally tolerated RAAS blockade. Remission was defined as stable or improved renal function with ≥50% reduction in proteinuria to <0.5 g/g (complete remission) or 0.5–3.5 g/g (partial remission). Results: The study included 5 subjects with resistant idiopathic MN, 5 subjects with resistant MCD (n = 2)/FSGS (n = 3), and 5 subjects with resistant IgA nephropathy. Two resistant MN subjects achieved partial remission on ACTH therapy, although 3 achieved immunologic remission of disease (PLA2R antibody disappeared by 4 months of therapy). One subject with resistant FSGS achieved complete remission on ACTH; one subject with resistant MCD achieved partial remission but relapsed within 4 weeks of stopping ACTH. Two subjects with resistant IgA nephropathy demonstrated >50% reductions in proteinuria while on ACTH, with proteinuria consistently <1 g/g by 6 months. Three of 15 subjects reported significant steroid-like adverse effects with ACTH, including weight gain and hyperglycemia, prompting early termination of therapy without any clinical response. Conclusions: ACTH gel is a promising treatment for resistant glomerular diseases and should be studied further in controlled trials against currently available therapies for resistant disease.
Semi-supervised learning of acoustic driven prosodic phrase breaks for text-to-speech systems

In this paper, we propose a semi-supervised learning of acoustic driven phrase breaks and its usefulness for text-to-speech systems. In this work, we derive a set of initial hypothesis of phrase breaks in a speech signal using pause as an acoustic cue. As these initial estimates are obtained based on knowledge of speech production and speech signal processing, one could treat the hypothesized phrase break regions as labeled data. Features such as duration, F0 and energy are extracted from these labeled regions and a machine learning model is trained to perform the classiﬁcation of these acoustic features as belonging to the class of a phrase break or not a phrase break. We then attempt to boot-strap the machine learning model using unlabeled data (i.e., the rest of the data).
Semantics-sensitive Retrieval for Digital Picture Libraries

We present SIMPLIcity (Semantics-sensitive Integrated Matching for Picture LIbraries), an image database retrieval system, which uses high-level semantics classification and integrated region matching based upon image segmentation. The SIMPLIcity system represents an image by a set of regions, roughly corresponding to objects, which are characterized by color, texture, shape, and location. Based on segmented regions, the system classifies images into categories which are intended to distinguish semantically meaningful differences. These high-level categories, such as textured-nontextured, indoor-outdoor, objectionable-benign, graph-photograph, enhance retrieval by narrowing down the searching range in a database and permitting semantically adaptive searching methods.
Management of intracerebral hemorrhage in a large metropolitan population.

The management of all patients with spontaneous, nonaneurysmal intracerebral hemorrhages that occurred in the 1.26 million population of Greater Cincinnati during 1988 was reviewed. Of the 188 patients with intracerebral hemorrhage, 26 had operative removal of their intracerebral hemorrhage, and 8 had removal of their intracerebral hemorrhage and an arteriovenous malformation. In 15 of the 34 patients, the operation was performed within 12 hours of onset. The operative removal of parenchymal hemorrhages was performed in 29% of cerebellar, 24% of lobar, 13% of deep, and 10% of pontine hemorrhages. Admission Glasgow Coma Scale scores were similar for operated and nonoperated patients (11 +/- 3 versus 11 +/- 3), but operated patients were significantly younger (58 +/- 17 versus 72 +/- 15 yr), were more likely to have a lobar hemorrhage (64 versus 43%) or a cerebellar hemorrhage (29 versus 7%), and had larger parenchymal hemorrhages (50 +/- 31 versus 37 +/- 38 ml). Operated patients had a borderline lower 30-day mortality (25%) than nonoperated patients (46%), but the overall morbidity and mortality for the two groups did not differ significantly. Patients undergoing an early operation were more critically ill preoperatively and had a greater 30-day mortality (45%) than did those patients undergoing a late operation (12%). Half of the 43% mortality for all hospitalized cases occurred during the first 2 days after onset, and two-thirds occurred during the first 4 days. Only 12% of all patients had a minor handicap or better at 30 days. Neurosurgeons in our community performed operative removal of parenchymal hemorrhage in nearly one fifth of all patients with intracerebral hemorrhage. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Study of deep levels in InAlAsSb grown via organometallic vapor phase epitaxy

Triple junction solar cells lattice matched to InP have the potential to exceed 50% efficiency under AM1.5 500× illumination with a bandgap stack of 1.74 / 1.1 / 0.7 eV. A top cell having 1.74 eV requires development of high-quality InAlAsSb, which currently has very little development effort reported. Preliminary deep-level transient spectroscopy results in p-type InAlAsSb indicate the presence of deep-levels 0.20 eV and 0.44 eV above the valence band with concentration ~1015 cm-3. Experiments such as spectral response and dark IV analysis reveal poor solar cell metrics, which may be a direct consequence of the detected defects. The InAlAsSb deep-levels are compared to the better-understood levels found in InAlAs, however, no evidence of a correlation is found.
Mannose 6-Phosphate Receptors Regulate the Formation of Clathrin-coated Vesicles in the TGN

The transport of the two mannose 6-phosphate receptors (MPRs) from the secretory pathway to the endocytic pathway is mediated by carrier vesicles coated with the AP-1 Golgi-specific assembly protein and clathrin. Using an in vitro assay that reconstitutes the ARF-1–dependent translocation of cytosolic AP-1 onto membranes of the TGN, we have previously reported that the MPRs are key components for the efficient recruitment of AP-1 (Le Borgne, R., G. Griffiths, and B. Hoflack. 1996. J. Biol. Chem. 271:2162–2170). Using a polyclonal antibody against the mouse γ-adaptin, we have now examined the steady state distribution of AP-1 after subcellular fractionation of mouse fibroblasts lacking both MPRs or reexpressing physiological levels of either MPR. We report that the amount of AP-1 bound to membranes and associated with clathrin-coated vesicles depends on the expression level of the MPRs and on the integrity of their cytoplasmic domains. Thus, these results indicate that the concentration of the MPRs, i.e., the major transmembrane proteins sorted toward the endosomes, determines the number of clathrin-coated vesicles formed in the TGN.