Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interactive Two-sided Refraction for Dynamic Object on GPU

This paper introduces an approach to interactively compute two-sided refraction on GPU and gains comparable realistic effects with ray tracing, while most current interactive techniques are restricted to single refraction. Our approach is also efficient for total internal reflection (TIR). When processing rigid movable object, we render the object's normal to a cube map first before entering the render loop. And for deformable object, the object's normal is rendered to a cube map at each frame. Then we compute the back interface refraction point by binary search in fragment shader. At last the refracted color is determined by indexing into a distant environment cube map using the second refracted ray as texture coordinate. Because our approach can fully exploit the capabilities of GPU, it achieves realistic refraction results and interactive frame rate even for fairly complex objects on common PCs.
Quantitative association between HER-2/neu and steroid hormone receptors in hormone receptor-positive primary breast cancer.

BACKGROUND HER-2/neu, which encodes a receptor tyrosine kinase, is amplified and overexpressed in 20%-25% of human breast cancers. Such tumors are often resistant to hormone therapy. Despite a general inverse association between HER-2/neu amplification/overexpression and estrogen receptor (ER) and/or progesterone receptor (PR) expression, a fraction of patients are both HER-2/neu- and hormone receptor (HR)-positive. The efficacy of hormone therapy in this group is currently a matter of debate. To better understand the relationship between HER-2/neu positivity and HR expression, we analyzed HER-2/neu, ER, and PR as continuous variables in breast cancer cell lines and two cohorts of primary breast cancer patients. METHODS HER-2/neu and ER/PR expression was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and enzyme immunoassay (EIA), respectively, in 14 human breast cancer cell lines, some of which had been transfected with the HER-2/neu gene. For the clinical study population, HER-2/neu protein levels were assessed by ELISA (cohort A, n = 665), and HER-2/neu gene copy number was determined using fluorescence in situ hybridization (cohort B, n = 894). ER/PR expression was analyzed by EIA (cohort A) or radioligand binding (cohort B). Associations between HER-2/neu and ER/PR expression were analyzed using Spearman's rho correlation and the chi-square test, and absolute levels were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS HR-positive human breast cancer cell lines transfected with the HER-2/neu gene expressed statistically significantly lower levels of ER and PR than parental lines. In the clinical cohorts, levels of HER-2/neu overexpression and gene amplification were inversely correlated with ER/PR levels (Cohort A [n = 112]: for ER, r = -0.34, P<.001; for PR, r = -0.24, P =.010. Cohort B [n = 188]: for ER, r = -0.39, P<.001; for PR, r = -0.26, P<.001). Among patients with HR-positive tumors, HER-2/neu-positive tumors had statistically significantly lower ER/PR levels than HER-2/neu-negative ones (Cohort A: for ER, median = 25 fmol/mg [interquartile range [IQR] = 13-78] versus median = 38.5 fmol/mg [IQR = 17-99] and P =.031; for PR, median = 35 fmol/mg [IQR = 12-119] versus median = 88.5 fmol/mg [IQR = 22-236] and P<.001. Cohort B: for ER, median = 44 fmol/mg [IQR = 13-156] versus median = 92 fmol/mg [IQR = 35-235] and P<.001; for PR, median = 36 fmol/mg [IQR = 13-108] versus median = 84 fmol/mg [IQR = 24-250] and P<.001). Patients with higher levels of HER-2/neu overexpression or amplification had statistically significantly lower levels of ER/PR than patients with lower levels of HER-2/neu overexpression or amplification. CONCLUSION Because absolute HR levels are strongly related to response to hormone therapy in primary and advanced breast cancer, reduced ER/PR expression may be one mechanism to explain the relative resistance of HER-2/neu-positive:HR-positive tumors to hormone therapy.
HDL particle size is a critical determinant of ABCA1-mediated macrophage cellular cholesterol export.

RATIONALE High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is a heterogeneous population of particles. Differences in the capacities of HDL subfractions to remove cellular cholesterol may explain variable correlations between HDL-cholesterol and cardiovascular risk and inform future targets for HDL-related therapies. The ATP binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) facilitates cholesterol efflux to lipid-free apolipoprotein A-I, but the majority of apolipoprotein A-I in the circulation is transported in a lipidated state and ABCA1-dependent efflux to individual HDL subfractions has not been systematically studied. OBJECTIVE Our aims were to determine which HDL particle subfractions are most efficient in mediating cellular cholesterol efflux from foam cell macrophages and to identify the cellular cholesterol transporters involved in this process. METHODS AND RESULTS We used reconstituted HDL particles of defined size and composition, isolated subfractions of human plasma HDL, cell lines stably expressing ABCA1 or ABCG1, and both mouse and human macrophages in which ABCA1 or ABCG1 expression was deleted. We show that ABCA1 is the major mediator of macrophage cholesterol efflux to HDL, demonstrating most marked efficiency with small, dense HDL subfractions (HDL3b and HDL3c). ABCG1 has a lesser role in cholesterol efflux and a negligible role in efflux to HDL3b and HDL3c subfractions. CONCLUSIONS Small, dense HDL subfractions are the most efficient mediators of cholesterol efflux, and ABCA1 mediates cholesterol efflux to small dense HDL and to lipid-free apolipoprotein A-I. HDL-directed therapies should target increasing the concentrations or the cholesterol efflux capacity of small, dense HDL species in vivo.
Long Term Cyclic Pamidronate Reduces Bone Growth by Inhibiting Osteoclast Mediated Cartilage-to-Bone Turnover in the Mouse

Bisphosphonates, used to treat diseases exhibiting increased osteoclast activity, reduce longitudinal bone growth through an as yet undefined mechanism. Pamidronate, an aminobisphosphonate, was given weekly to mice at 0, 1.25, or 2.50 mg/kg/wk beginning at 4 weeks of age. At 12 weeks of age, humeral length, growth plate area, regional chondrocyte cell numbers, chondrocyte apoptosis, TRAP stained osteoclast number, and osteoclast function assessed by cathepsin K immunohistochemistry were quantified. Humeral length was decreased in pamidronate treated mice compared to vehicle control mice, and correlated with greater growth plate areas reflecting greater proliferative and hypertrophic chondrocyte cell numbers with fewer hypertrophic cells undergoing apoptosis. Pamidronate treatment increased TRAP stained osteoclast numbers yet decreased cathepsin K indicating that pamidronate repressed osteoclast maturation and function. The data suggest that long term cyclic pamidronate treatment impairs bone growth by inhibition of osteoclast maturation thereby reducing cartilage-to-bone turnover within the growth plate.
Membrane-bound Klotho is not expressed endogenously in healthy or uraemic human vascular tissue.

AIMS Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), a disease state that is strongly associated with loss of renal and systemic (alpha-)Klotho. Reversely, murine Klotho deficiency causes marked medial calcification. It is therefore thought that Klotho conveys a vasculoprotective effect. Klotho expression in the vessel wall, however, is disputed. METHODS AND RESULTS We assessed Klotho expression in healthy human renal donor arteries (n = 9), CKD (renal graft recipient) arteries (n = 10), carotid endarterectomy specimens (n = 8), other elastic arteries (three groups of n = 3), and cultured human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) (three primary cell lines), using immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunofluorescence, quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, and western blotting (WB). We have extensively validated anti-Klotho antibody KM2076 by comparing staining patterns with other anti-Klotho antibodies (SC-22220, SC-22218, and AF1819), competition assays with recombinant Klotho, IHC on Klotho-deficient kl/kl mouse kidney, and WB with recombinant Klotho. Using KM2076, we could not detect full-length Klotho in vascular tissues or HASMCs. On the mRNA level, using primers against all four exon junctions, klotho expression could not be detected either. Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) injections in mice induced FGF23 signalling in kidneys but not in the aorta, indicating the absence of Klotho-dependent FGF23 signalling in the aorta. CONCLUSION Using several independent and validated methods, we conclude that full-length, membrane-bound Klotho is not expressed in healthy or uraemic human vascular tissue.
Universitet Causal Learning for Partially Observed Stochastic Dynamical Systems

Many models of dynamical systems have causal interpretations that support reasoning about the consequences of interventions, suitably defined. Furthermore, local independence has been suggested as a useful independence concept for stochastic dynamical systems. There is, however, no well-developed theoretical framework for causal learning based on this notion of independence. We study independence models induced by directed graphs (DGs) and provide abstract graphoid properties that guarantee that an independence model has the global Markov property w.r. t. a DG. We apply these results to Itô diffusions and event processes. For a partially observed system, directed mixed graphs (DMGs) represent the marginalized local independence model, and we develop, under a faithfulness assumption, a sound and complete learning algorithm of the directed mixed equivalence graph (DMEG) as a summary of all Markov equivalent DMGs.
A 1.25-to-6.25 GHz -237.2-dB FOM wideband self-biased PLL for multi-rate serial link data transmitter

This paper proposes wideband low-power low-jitter self-biased phase-locked loop (SBPLL) for multi-rate serial link transmitter application. It adopts a proposed low-power source-degeneration voltage-to-current converter not only to save power but also to reduce the phase noise contributed by the voltage-to-current converter. The proposed SBPLL is implemented in a 65-nm CMOS process, and the active core area is 0.01mm2. Measurement result shows that the SBPLL can generate clock with frequency from 1.25 to 6.25GHz and the loop bandwidth can be kept around 20MHz regardless of the output frequency. The rms jitter integrated from 10 kHz to 300MHz is 780 fs at carrier frequency of 6.25GHz and maximum power efficiency is 0.496mW/GHz with 1.2-V supply. The figure-of-merit (FOM) is −237.2 dB. The measurement results also show good robustness of the SBPLL over temperature and supply voltage variation.
Adapting word2vec to Named Entity Recognition

In this paper we explore how word vectors built using word2vec can be used to improve the performance of a classiﬁer during Named Entity Recognition. Thereby, we discuss the best integration of word embeddings into the classiﬁcation problem and consider the effect of the size of the unlabelled dataset on performance, reaching the unexpected result that for this particular task increasing the amount of unlabelled data does not necessarily increase the performance of the classiﬁer.
Augmentation Generative Adversarial Networks ( BAGANs ) : Effective Data Generation Based on GAN-Augmented 3 D Synthesizing †

Augmented Reality (AR) is crucial for immersive Human–Computer Interaction (HCI) and the vision of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Labeled data drives object recognition in AR. However, manually annotating data is expensive, labor-intensive, and data distribution asymmetry. Scantily labeled data limits the application of AR. Aiming at solving the problem of insufficient and asymmetry training data in AR object recognition, an automated vision data synthesis method, i.e., background augmentation generative adversarial networks (BAGANs), is proposed in this paper based on 3D modeling and the Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) algorithm. Our approach has been validated to have better performance than other methods through image recognition tasks with respect to the natural image database ObjectNet3D. This study can shorten the algorithm development time of AR and expand its application scope, which is of great significance for immersive interactive systems.
Reliability of center of pressure measures of gait initiation time in healthy older adults: Effect of obstacle negotiation and cognitive load on reaction and anticipatory postural adjustment phases

Gait initiation (GI) is a voluntary destabilizing behavior that is a sensitive indicator of dynamic postural stability [1,2]. GI provides insight into postural control and biomechanical changes related to aging and identifies fall risk in older adults [2-5]. The central nervous system interacts with the environmental instability and prepares the individual for body movement with both compensatory and anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs). APAs are affected by aging; for example, posterior shifts of the center of pressure decreases with aging, leading to the forward and lateral acceleration of the center of mass (COM) toward the stance limb in order to enable the swing leg to raise [6-9]. Previous research has shown that the reduced posterior shift of COP is related to the risk of falling [2].
A novel fully zero-voltage-switching phase-shift bidirectional DC-DC converter

A novel zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) phase-shift isolated bidirectional DC-DC converter is proposed. It is composed of two symmetrical active-clamped circuits, one on each side of an isolation transformer. The converter can achieve full ZVS in both forward and backward modes even under no-load condition. The converter also has a fast response. The operation principle and low-frequency model of the converter are explained. Experimental results are presented.
Neural Correlates of Naming Actions and of Naming Spatial Relations

Ina [(15)O] water PET experiment, 10 normal subjects retrieved words denoting actions (performed with or without an implement), and another 10 normal subjects retrieved words denoting the spatial relations between objects. Our objective was to test the following hypothesis: that the salient neural activity associated with naming actions and spatial relations occurs in left frontal operculum and left parietal association cortices, but not in the left inferotemporal cortices (IT) or in the right parietal association cortices. There were two control tasks, one requiring a decision on the orientation of unknown faces (a standard control task in our laboratory) and another requiring the retrieval of words denoting the concrete entities used in the action and spatial relations tasks. In accordance with the hypothesis, both naming actions and spatial relations (using the face orientation task as control activated the left frontal operculum; naming actions also activated the left parietal lobe. However, sectors of the left posterior IT were also engaged in both naming actions and spatial relations. When the naming of concrete entities was subtracted from the naming of actions performed with such entities, area MT in the posterior temporo-occipital region was activated bilaterally. On the other hand, when naming of the concrete entities was subtracted from the naming of spatial relations, left parietal activation was found, and when two tasks of naming spatial relations were contrasted to each other bilateral parietal activation was seen, right when abstract stimuli were used and left when concrete objects were used. The activity in posterior IT is thought to be related to object processing and possibly name retrieval at a subconscious level.
Exponential scaling of neural algorithms - a future beyond Moore's Law?

Although the brain has long been considered a potential inspiration for future computing, Moore's Law - the scaling property that has seen revolutions in technologies ranging from supercomputers to smart phones - has largely been driven by advances in materials science. As the ability to miniaturize transistors is coming to an end, there is increasing attention on new approaches to computation, including renewed enthusiasm around the potential of neural computation. This paper describes how recent advances in neurotechnologies, many of which have been aided by computing's rapid progression over recent decades, are now reigniting this opportunity to bring neural computation insights into broader computing applications. As we understand more about the brain, our ability to motivate new computing paradigms with continue to progress. These new approaches to computing, which we are already seeing in techniques such as deep learning and neuromorphic hardware, will themselves improve our ability to learn about the brain and accordingly can be projected to give rise to even further insights. This paper will describe how this positive feedback has the potential to change the complexion of how computing sciences and neurosciences interact, and suggests that the next form of exponential scaling in computing may emerge from our progressive understanding of the brain.
Postnatal Cardiovascular and Metabolic Responses to a Single Intramuscular Dose of Betamethasone in Fetal Sheep Born Prematurely by Cesarean Section

ABSTRACT: Although the benefits of antenatal hormone treatment are well accepted, most studies have reported only pulmonary effects. There is evidence of beneficial cardiovascular and metabolic effects in studies using chronically catheterized animals; however because of the route of administration, the results are not directly applicable to clinical strategies. We previously demonstrated significant pulmonary effects in animals treated antenatally with a single, direct fetal, intramuscular injection of glucocorticoids. This study was performed to determine the effects of a single fetal injection of betamethasone (BETA) alone or in combination with thyroxine (T4) on cardiovascular and metabolic responses after preterm birth. Hemodynamic and metabolic responses at birth were determined in fetuses (126-d gestation; term = 150 d) treated with ultrasound-guided intramuscular injections of 0.5 mg/kg BETA (n = 7), BETA plus 60 g/kg T4 (n = 7), or saline (SAL, n = 9). After 48 h, lambs were delivered by cesarean section and studied for 3 h. BETA treatment increased mean arterial blood pressure [56 ± 6 (SEM) versus 42 ± 3 mm Hg], heart rate (152 ± 5 versus 123 ± 4 beats/min), and cardiac output (467 ± 17 versus 349 ± 36 mL/min/kg) versus SAL. Responses of BETA + T4-treated animals were not different from animals treated with BETA alone. Glucose and FFA were similar among all groups. The increase in catecholamine levels normally seen at birth was significantly attenuated in both the BETA and BETA + T4-treated animals. A single, intramuscular injection of glucocorticoids 48 h before delivery improves cardiovascular responses to preterm birth. This effect is not augmented by concomitant administration of T4.
Calling for Better Measurement: Estimating an Individual’s Wealth and Well-Being from Mobile Phone Transaction Records

Author(s): Blumenstock, Joshua E. | Abstract: We provide evidence that mobile phone records can be used to predict the socioeconomic status and other welfare indicators of individual mobile phone subscribers. Combing several terabytes of anonymized transactional mobile phone records with data collected through 2,200 phone-based interviews, we test the extent to which it is possible to predict an individual's responses to survey questions based on phone records alone. We observe signicant correlations between asset ownership and a rich set of measures derived from the phone data that capture phone use, social network structure,and mobility.Simple classication methods are able to predict, with varying degrees of accuracy, whether the respondent owns assets such as radios and televisions, as well as xed house- hold characteristics such as access to plumbing and elec- tricity. More modest results are obtained when attempting to predict a broader set of development indicators such as an individual's response to the question, "Have you had to pay unexpected medical bills in the past 12 months? " While these methods oer a powerful opportunity for policymakers and researchers working in developing countries, we argue that considerable calibration and renement is needed before such methods can be deployed.
Title Associations Between Cigarette Print Advertising and Smoking Initiation Among African Americans

Objectives The objective of this study was to examine changes in the annual number of cigarette advertisements in magazines with a predominantly African-American audience following the broadcast ban on tobacco, and whether fluctuations in cigarette print advertising targeting African Americans during the late-1970s until the mid-1980s were associated with declines in smoking initiation. Design We tabulated the annual number of cigarette advertisements from magazines with large African-American readerships (Ebony, Essence, and Jet) from 1960 to 1990. Advertisements were coded depending on whether they featured African-American models. We calculated the incidence rate of regular smoking initiation from 1975 to 1990 for African-American 14–25 years old using data from the 1992–1993, 1995–1996, 1998–1999, and 2001–2002 Tobacco Use Supplements of the Current Population Survey. We examined whether trends in smoking initiation coincided with trends in cigarette advertising practices among African Americans. Results The annual aggregated number of printed cigarette advertisements in Ebony, Essence, and Jet magazines increased at least five-fold starting in 1971, following the broadcast ban on cigarette advertising. A decrease in the percentage of ads by Brown & Williamson that showed AfricanAmerican models was positively correlated (r = 0.30) with declines in the incidence rate of smoking initiation among African Americans from the late-1970s to the mid-1980s. Conclusion The tobacco industry adapted quickly following the broadcast ban on cigarettes by increasing print advertising in African-American magazines. However, changes in print advertising practices by were associated with declines in smoking initiation among African Americans from the late1970s to mid-1980s.
An analysis of convolutional neural networks for sentence classification

Over the past few years, neural networks have re-emerged as powerful machine-learning models, yielding state-of-the-art results in fields such as image recognition and speech processing. More recently, neural network models started to be applied also to textual natural language signals, again with very promising results. This paper show a series of experiments with Convolutional Neural Networks for sentence-level classification tasks with different hyperparameter settings and how sensitive model performance is to changes in these configurations.
Phonological Features of in-, un-and non -

This paper aims at the investigation of the linguistic features of English negative prefixes, in-, unand nonfrom the viewpoint of phonology. It can be said that phonological features in the English negative prefixes are of importance in order to analyze other linguistic properties. Generally speaking, phonology is the foundation for other branches of linguistics, for the phoneme which is a minimal unit to distinguish one sound from another connects with each other to produce the morpheme which is the minimal distinctive unit of morphological grammar. Based on the descriptions of other linguists, this paper focuses on two phonological aspects of assimilation and stress shift of the prefixes, and shows some distinctive or similar features of the prefixes.