Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A reliable approach for human face detection using genetic algorithm

In this paper, a reliable method for detecting human faces in an image is devised. The approach is based on the genetic algorithm and the eigenface technique. As the genetic algorithm is a computationally intensive process, the searching space for possible face regions is limited to possible eye regions so that the required timing is greatly reduced. In addition, the lighting effect and orientation of the faces are considered and solved in this method.
Latent Dynamic Model with Category Transition Constraint for Opinion Classification

Latent models for opinion classification are studied. Training a probabilistic model with a number of latent variables is found unstable in some cases; thus this paper presents how to construct a stable model for opinion classification by constraining classification transitions. The baseline model is a CRF classification model with plural latent variables, dynamically constructed from the dependency parsed tree. The aim of the baseline model is to have each latent variable convey a partial sentiment of the input sentence which is not explicitly given in the training data, and the complete sentiment of the sentence is computed by summing up such partial sentiment where those latent variables hold. Since such a conventional model has many degeneracies in principle, a model with a category transition constraint is proposed, which is expressed by a novel penalty term in the objective function for training the model. The constraint is such that the sentiment of a partial sentence more likely propagates to the same sentiment of the complete sentence, rather than to another sentiment. The effectiveness and the robustness of the proposed model are confirmed by the experiments on binary as well as multi-class opinion classification task.
Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Atrial Arrhythmogenesis in Patients With Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation

Background— Electrical, structural, and Ca2+-handling remodeling contribute to the perpetuation/progression of atrial fibrillation (AF). Recent evidence has suggested a role for spontaneous sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-release events in long-standing persistent AF, but the occurrence and mechanisms of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-release events in paroxysmal AF (pAF) are unknown. Method and Results— Right-atrial appendages from control sinus rhythm patients or patients with pAF (last episode a median of 10–20 days preoperatively) were analyzed with simultaneous measurements of [Ca2+]i (fluo-3-acetoxymethyl ester) and membrane currents/action potentials (patch-clamp) in isolated atrial cardiomyocytes, and Western blot. Action potential duration, L-type Ca2+ current, and Na+/Ca2+-exchange current were unaltered in pAF, indicating the absence of AF-induced electrical remodeling. In contrast, there were increases in SR Ca2+ leak and incidence of delayed after-depolarizations in pAF. Ca2+-transient amplitude and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ load (caffeine-induced Ca2+-transient amplitude, integrated Na+/Ca2+-exchange current) were larger in pAF. Ca2+-transient decay was faster in pAF, but the decay of caffeine-induced Ca2+ transients was unaltered, suggesting increased SERCA2a function. In agreement, phosphorylation (inactivation) of the SERCA2a-inhibitor protein phospholamban was increased in pAF. Ryanodine receptor fractional phosphorylation was unaltered in pAF, whereas ryanodine receptor expression and single-channel open probability were increased. A novel computational model of the human atrial cardiomyocyte indicated that both ryanodine receptor dysregulation and enhanced SERCA2a activity promote increased sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ leak and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-release events, causing delayed after-depolarizations/triggered activity in pAF. Conclusions— Increased diastolic sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ leak and related delayed after-depolarizations/triggered activity promote cellular arrhythmogenesis in pAF patients. Biochemical, functional, and modeling studies point to a combination of increased sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ load related to phospholamban hyperphosphorylation and ryanodine receptor dysregulation as underlying mechanisms.
Emulation of a FMA and Correctly Rounded Sums: Proved Algorithms Using Rounding to Odd

Rounding to odd is a nonstandard rounding on floating-point numbers. By using it for some intermediate values instead of rounding to nearest, correctly rounded results can be obtained at the end of computations. We present an algorithm for emulating the fused multiply-and-add operator. We also present an iterative algorithm for computing the correctly rounded sum of a set of floating-point numbers under mild assumptions. A variation on both previous algorithms is the correctly rounded sum of any three floating-point numbers. This leads to efficient implementations, even when this rounding is not available. In order to guarantee the correctness of these properties and algorithms, we formally proved them by using the Coq proof checker.
Human Neuroglobin Functions as a Redox-regulated Nitrite Reductase*

Neuroglobin is a highly conserved hemoprotein of uncertain physiological function that evolved from a common ancestor to hemoglobin and myoglobin. It possesses a six-coordinate heme geometry with proximal and distal histidines directly bound to the heme iron, although coordination of the sixth ligand is reversible. We show that deoxygenated human neuroglobin reacts with nitrite to form nitric oxide (NO). This reaction is regulated by redox-sensitive surface thiols, cysteine 55 and 46, which regulate the fraction of the five-coordinated heme, nitrite binding, and NO formation. Replacement of the distal histidine by leucine or glutamine leads to a stable five-coordinated geometry; these neuroglobin mutants reduce nitrite to NO ∼2000 times faster than the wild type, whereas mutation of either Cys-55 or Cys-46 to alanine stabilizes the six-coordinate structure and slows the reaction. Using lentivirus expression systems, we show that the nitrite reductase activity of neuroglobin inhibits cellular respiration via NO binding to cytochrome c oxidase and confirm that the six-to-five-coordinate status of neuroglobin regulates intracellular hypoxic NO-signaling pathways. These studies suggest that neuroglobin may function as a physiological oxidative stress sensor and a post-translationally redox-regulated nitrite reductase that generates NO under six-to-five-coordinate heme pocket control. We hypothesize that the six-coordinate heme globin superfamily may subserve a function as primordial hypoxic and redox-regulated NO-signaling proteins.
Induction of experimental proteinuria in vivo following infusion of human plasma hemopexin.

BACKGROUND The human plasma constituent hemopexin (Hx), following incubation with renal tissue, is able to induce glomerular alterations in vitro that are similar to those seen in minimal change disease (MCD). Whether this acute phase reactant is also able to induce proteinuria and minimal change-like alterations in vivo is questioned. METHODS In the first set of experiments, Hx (4.0 mg in 5.0 mL saline) or equal amounts of control fraction, that is, heat-inactivated Hx (HI-Hx), were infused into conscious rats (N = 6) that had been surgically equipped with a cannula inserted into the suprarenal artery (SRA), enabling direct contact of the infusate and the renal microvasculature. Each animal received HI-Hx at day 1 for 15 minutes (flow rate 20.0 mL/h), subsequently followed by saline for seven hours (Flow rate 5.0 mL/h), after which the cannula was disconnected. At day 2, identical infusions in the same rat were carried out, using native Hx. Urine samples collected every 30 minutes during the experiments were monitored for protein content using standard methods. In the second set of experiments, unilateral perfusion was done ex vivo in anesthetized rats with Hx (N = 5) or HI-Hx (N = 3; 1.5 mg/mL; 4.0 mL during 6 min). After reconnection of the circulation, urine samples of both kidneys were collected every 30 minutes during five hours via ureter cannulation. Urinary protein (expressed as the difference in excretion between perfused and nonperfused kidney) was calculated in mg/24 h. In additional experiments, rats were sacrificed two hours after perfusion of Hx or heat-inactivated (control) Hx (first set of experiments) or after five hours (second set of experiments), and kidneys were processed for immunohistochemical and ultrastructural examination. RESULTS The results of experiment 1 show a significant increase of proteinuria after Hx infusion versus HI-Hx (means +/- SD, 41.91 +/- 16.01 mg/24 h vs. control, 21.22 +/- 5.69 mg/24 h; P </= 0.03). Histochemical and electron microscopical examination of kidney tissue fragments taken at the time of proteinuria showed diminished expression of glomerular ecto-ATPase and enhanced effacement of epithelial foot processes at the ultrastructural level. In the second set of experiments, the results show significant urinary protein excretion peaking one hour after perfusion (6.63 +/- 7.06 mg/24 h), exclusively in Hx-perfused animals (analysis of variance, P < or = 0.001). CONCLUSION It is concluded that Hx is able to induce proteinuria associated with MCD-like alterations in rat kidney in vivo.
CEO Compensation and Corporate Risk: Evidence from a Natural Experiment

This paper examines the two-way relationship between managerial compensation and corporate risk by exploiting an unanticipated change in firms' business risks. The natural experiment provides an opportunity to examine two classic questions related to incentives and risk—how boards adjust incentives in response to firms' risk and how these incentives affect managers' risk-taking. We find that, after left-tail risk increases, boards reduce managers' exposure to stock price movements and that less convexity from options-based pay leads to greater risk-reducing activities. Specifically, managers with less convex payoffs tend to cut leverage and R&D, stockpile cash, and engage in more diversifying acquisitions.
UAV-Based Autonomous Image Acquisition with Multi-view Stereo Quality Assurance by Confidence Prediction

In this paper we present an autonomous system for acquiring close-range high-resolution images that maximize the quality of a later-on 3D reconstruction with respect to coverage, ground resolution and 3D uncertainty. In contrast to previous work, our system uses the already acquired images to predict the confidence in the output of a dense multi-view stereo approach without executing it. This confidence encodes the likelihood of a successful reconstruction with respect to the observed scene and potential camera constellations. Our prediction module runs in real-time and can be trained without any externally recorded ground truth. We use the confidence prediction for on-site quality assurance and for planning further views that are tailored for a specific multi-view stereo approach with respect to the given scene. We demonstrate the capabilities of our approach with an autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) in a challenging outdoor scenario.
Shape features based conic arcs for leaf recognition

The most widely used in the field of visual object recognition descriptive features are shape based features. Identify objects in the image, contour and region shape descriptors based on two main topics to be examined. In order to describe objects with lesser number of descriptors, linear or cubic curves are fitted to the contours of the objects. The end points of these finite length curves are usually meaningful spots on the contours, where these fittings are needed for the start and end points. Curves are fitted to the sub-contours between successive such descriptive points on the object contour. After fitting conic arcs according to the type of the cone defining an object in the image feature vector is obtained. Thus the object is depicted with fitted to the contour of the conic arcs and the line pieces.
Probing the micromechanics of the fastest growing plant cell — The pollen tube

The pollen tube is a fast growing cellular protrusion that plays a key role in the reproductive process of flowering plants. It serves as an important model for studying cellular morphogenesis, anisotropic growth mechanisms, and cellular signaling in the plant sciences. The anisotropic growth of pollen tubes is driven by a finely tuned control of the intracellular turgor pressure and the extensibility of the cell wall. To decipher this internal feedback loop and mathematically model the growth process, a quantitative understanding of the mechanical properties of the cell wall is crucial, in addition to biochemical investigations. We report an integrated microfluidic-MEMS force sensor system that allows for high-throughput optical and mechanical investigations of pollen tubes. The system permits large-scale germination, growth, and optical phenotyping of pollen tubes empowering rapid micro-indentation measurements on these cells.
Discovering evolving political vocabulary in social media

As a surrogate data source for many real-world phenomena, social media such as Twitter can yield key insight into people's behavior and their group affiliations and memberships. As an event unfolds on Twitter, the language, hashtags, and vocabulary used to describe it evolves over time, so that it is difficult to a priori capture the composition of a social group of interest using static keywords. Capturing such dynamic compositions is crucial to both understanding the true membership of social groups and in providing high-quality data for downstream applications such as trend forecasting. We propose a novel unsupervised learning algorithm that builds dynamic vocabularies using probabilistic soft logic (PSL), a framework for probabilistic reasoning over relational domains. Using 10 presidential elections from eight countries of Latin America (Mexico, Venezuela, Ecuador, Paraguay, Chile, Panama, Colombia, and Honduras), we demonstrate how our vocabulary-discovery approach helps capture dynamic trends specific to each election. The ability to grow a vocabulary concurrently with social media trends helps capture key milestones in election campaigns.
Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy Measuring Activities in Tobacco Control across the Eu. the Matoc

Background: Objectives of this study are (a) to develop a comprehensive and economic tool to estimate tobacco control (TC) activities in single EU member states, (b) to compare TC activities between member states of the EU. This article provides the questionnaire and gives a benchmark of EU member states according to their perceived TC activities. Methods: An international workshop was specifically initiated to develop the questionnaire "Measuring Activities in Tobacco Control (MATOC)". TC experts from 8 European countries participated and chose 40 items to cover 11 general topics of TC. At the World Conference of Tobacco or Health in Helsinki 2003 participants were asked to fill out the questionnaire. N = 142 participants from EU-member states returned questionnaires.
TargetAd 2016: Int’l Workshop on Ad Targeting at Scale

The 2nd International Workshop on Ad Targeting at Scale will be held in San Francisco, California, USA on February 22nd, 2016, colocated with the 9th ACM International Conference on Web Search and Data Mining (WSDM). The main objective of the workshop is to address the challenges of ad targeting in web-scale settings. The workshop brings together interdisciplinary researchers in computational advertising, recommender systems, personalization, and related areas, to share, exchange, learn, and develop preliminary results, new concepts, ideas, principles, and methodologies on applying data mining technologies to ad targeting. We have constructed an exciting program of eight refereed papers and several invited talks that will help us better understand the future of ad targeting.
A Semantically Motivated Gestural Interface for the Control of Audio Dynamic Range

This paper proposes and tests the efficacy of a 2D gestural interface as a means of controlling audio processing parameters. The process of parameter mapping and subsequent optimisation can be applied within a 3D environment. Highly immersive computer interfaces, such as those found in modern virtual reality systems, offer an alternative platform suitable for 'virtual mixing desk' implementation, using a mixture of familiar controls and novel gestural control. By focusing on a small element of the proposed 'virtual mixing desk', audio dynamic range compression, this paper aims to evaluate the efficacy and practicality of a global gesture set. Following a large scale gesture elicitation exercise utilising a common 2D touch pad and analysis of semantic audio control parameters, a set of reduced multi-modal parameters are proposed which offers both workflow efficiency and a much simplified method of control for dynamic range compression.
User-assisted image compositing for photographic lighting

Good lighting is crucial in photography and can make the difference between a great picture and a discarded image. Traditionally, professional photographers work in a studio with many light sources carefully set up, with the goal of getting a near-final image at exposure time, with post-processing mostly focusing on aspects orthogonal to lighting. Recently, a new workflow has emerged for architectural and commercial photography, where photographers capture several photos from a fixed viewpoint with a moving light source. The objective is not to produce the final result immediately, but rather to capture useful data that are later processed, often significantly, in photo editing software to create the final well-lit image. This new workflow is flexible, requires less manual setup, and works well for time-constrained shots. But dealing with several tens of unorganized layers is painstaking, requiring hours to days of manual effort, as well as advanced photo editing skills. Our objective in this paper is to make the compositing step easier. We describe a set of optimizations to assemble the input images to create a few basis lights that correspond to common goals pursued by photographers, e.g., accentuating edges and curved regions. We also introduce modifiers that capture standard photographic tasks, e.g., to alter the lights to soften highlights and shadows, akin to umbrellas and soft boxes. Our experiments with novice and professional users show that our approach allows them to quickly create satisfying results, whereas working with unorganized images requires considerably more time. Casual users particularly benefit from our approach since coping with a large number of layers is daunting for them and requires significant experience.
Automotive antenna evaluation

Antenna pattern based measurements have been performed in different types of anechoic chambers and open air measurement ranges for decades. In more recent years, the number and variety of antennas used on mass produced vehicles has been steadily increasing, with a corresponding growth in the importance of the performance of these antennas and systems. This paper discusses a number of available solutions to the problems faced by EMC and antenna engineers in the measurement of antennas mounted on a vehicle platform. The performance evaluation is based on both a measurement of the fundamental properties of the antennas, the interoperability of multiple embedded systems as well as the underlying EMC compliance.
BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF THE CLEAVAGE PRODUCT OF HUMAN IMMUNOGLOBULIN G WITH CYANOGEN BROMIDE

Treatment of human IgG with cyanogen bromide in 0.05 M HCl under specified conditions resulted in the cleavage of about half of its methionyl peptide bonds. A major fragment of about 5S was isolated from the reaction mixture by gel filtration in quantitative yield. The CNBr fragment reacted fully with goat antiserum against human light chain, but its reaction with anti-heavy chain was markedly decreased. The treatment with CNBr caused a drastic decrease in the following biological activities of IgG: complement fixing, skin binding, reaction with antiglobulin factors, and reaction with specific anti-Gm(12) serum. On the other hand, the reaction with serum of anti-Gm(1) or anti-Gm(4) specificity was not impaired and antibody activity, namely antistreptolysin and isohemagglutinin, was retained after the treatment with CNBr. It is concluded that the CNBr cleaves preferentially the methionyl bonds in the Fc portion of IgG, and that the major fragment obtained, denoted F(ab'')2, has still the combining properties of a divalent antibody. The possible therapeutic uses of F(ab'')2 are discussed.
Texas Cancer Plan 2005: A statewide blueprint for cancer prevention and control in Texas, 4th Edition

Year by year, evidence grows stronger that a majority of cancers in thousands of Texans could have been prevented by modification of the choices each person makes every day: what to put on the dinner table, whether to take a brisk walk, when to stop smoking cigarettes, how often to visit the doctor to be screened. Of the nearly 33,000 lives lost to cancer in Texas each year between 1997 and 2001, the American Cancer Society estimated that 10,500 of those residents died because of tobacco use, 30 percent of the total deaths. Scientific evidence also suggests that it may be possible to reduce cancer deaths by up to another 30-35 percent by improving nutrition and physical activity behaviors, and by keeping a normal body weight.
[Textual research of medicinal and edible plants in Shanhaijing].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the purification process of total flavones and total tannins from Apocynum venetum leaves with macroreticular resin. METHOD The static capacity absorption, dynamic absorption ratio and dynamic elution ratio of different types of macroreticular resins were studied and compared in order to find the best one among the eight macroreticular resins, and the technical process of the type of HPD-400 type macroreticular resin was studied in detail. RESULT The type of HPD-400 type macroreticular resin showed the best comprehensive absorption property with the following technological conditions: the current velocity was 1 BV x h(-1), the volume of distilled water was 2 BV, the eluting reagent was 60% ethanol, and the volume of 60% ethanol was 3 BV. CONCLUSION The purity of total flavones and total tannins in the product is up to 80% after purified with HPD-400 macroreticular resin. Therefore, this purification process is feasible.
TG-based technique for NBTI degradation and leakage optimization

NBTI (Negative Bias Temperature Instability), which can degrade the switching speed of PMOS transistors, has become a major reliability challenge. Meanwhile, reducing leakage consumption has become major design goals. In this paper, we propose a novel transmission gate-based (TG) technique to minimize NBTI-induced degradation and leakage. This technique provides higher flexibility compared to the gate replacement technique. Simulation results show our proposed technique has up to 20X and 2.44X on average improvement on NBTI-induced degradation with comparable leakage power reduction. With a 19% area penalty, combining our technique and the gate replacement can reduce 19.39% of the total leakage power and 36.56% of the NBTI-induced circuit degradation.