Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Vision and SLAM on a highly dynamic mobile two-wheeled robot

This thesis examines a sparse feature based visual monocular simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) approach with the intension of stabilizing a two-wheeled balancing robot. The first part introduces the basics like camera geometry, image processing and filtering. Further on, the thesis treats the details of a monocular SLAM system and shows some specialties to keep the computational effort low. The last part deals with Andrew Davison's "SceneLib" library and how it can be used to obtain the camera state vector. Die vorliegende Arbeit gibt einen Einblick in das Thema der auf wenigen Bildfeatures basierenden simultanen Lokalisierung und Karten Erstellung (SLAM) mittels monokularer Kamera zum Zwecke der Regelung eines zweiradrigen balancierenden Roboters. Im ersten Teil werden grundlegende Themen wie die Kamerageometrie, Bildverarbeitung und Filtertechniken besprochen. Darauf aufbauend werden im zweiten Abschnitt Details und effizienzsteigernde Masnahmen erlautert, die ein monokulares Echtzeit-Kamera-SLAM System moglich machen. Im letzten Teil der Arbeit wird beschrieben wie mittels Andrew Davisons "SceneLib" Bibliothek die aktuelle Kamera Pose bestimmt werden kann.
Physicochemical Properties of Epoxy Resin-Based and Bioceramic-Based Root Canal Sealers

Three bioceramic sealers (EndoSequence BC sealer, EndoSeal MTA, and MTA Fillapex) and three epoxy resin-based sealers (AH-Plus, AD Seal, and Radic-Sealer) were tested to evaluate the physicochemical properties: flow, final setting time, radiopacity, dimensional stability, and pH change. The one-way ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc test were used to analyze the data (P = 0.05). The MTA Fillapex sealer had a highest flow and the BC Sealer presented a flow significantly lower than the others (P < 0.05). The BC Sealer and MTA Fillapex samples were not set in humid incubator condition even after one month. EndoSeal MTA had the longest setting time among the measurable materials and Radic-Sealer and AD Seal showed shorter setting time than the AH-Plus (P < 0.05). AH-Plus and EndoSeal MTA showed statistically higher values and MTA Fillapex showed statistically lower radiopacity (P < 0.05). BC Sealer showed the highest alkaline pH in all evaluation periods. Set samples of 3 epoxy resin-based sealers and EndoSeal MTA presented a significant increase of pH over experimental time for 4 weeks. In conclusion, the bioceramic sealer and epoxy resin-based sealers showed clinical acceptable physicochemical properties, but BC Sealer and MTA Fillapex were not set completely.
Mortality in mental disorders and global disease burden implications: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

IMPORTANCE Despite the potential importance of understanding excess mortality among people with mental disorders, no comprehensive meta-analyses have been conducted quantifying mortality across mental disorders. OBJECTIVE To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of mortality among people with mental disorders and examine differences in mortality risks by type of death, diagnosis, and study characteristics. DATA SOURCES We searched EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsychINFO, and Web of Science from inception through May 7, 2014, including references of eligible articles. Our search strategy included terms for mental disorders (eg, mental disorders, serious mental illness, and severe mental illness), specific diagnoses (eg, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder), and mortality. We also used Google Scholar to identify articles that cited eligible articles. STUDY SELECTION English-language cohort studies that reported a mortality estimate of mental disorders compared with a general population or controls from the same study setting without mental illness were included. Two reviewers independently reviewed the titles, abstracts, and articles. Of 2481 studies identified, 203 articles met the eligibility criteria and represented 29 countries in 6 continents. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS One reviewer conducted a full abstraction of all data, and 2 reviewers verified accuracy. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Mortality estimates (eg, standardized mortality ratios, relative risks, hazard ratios, odds ratios, and years of potential life lost) comparing people with mental disorders and the general population or people without mental disorders. We used random-effects meta-analysis models to pool mortality ratios for all, natural, and unnatural causes of death. We also examined years of potential life lost and estimated the population attributable risk of mortality due to mental disorders. RESULTS For all-cause mortality, the pooled relative risk of mortality among those with mental disorders (from 148 studies) was 2.22 (95% CI, 2.12-2.33). Of these, 135 studies revealed that mortality was significantly higher among people with mental disorders than among the comparison population. A total of 67.3% of deaths among people with mental disorders were due to natural causes, 17.5% to unnatural causes, and the remainder to other or unknown causes. The median years of potential life lost was 10 years (n = 24 studies). We estimate that 14.3% of deaths worldwide, or approximately 8 million deaths each year, are attributable to mental disorders. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE These estimates suggest that mental disorders rank among the most substantial causes of death worldwide. Efforts to quantify and address the global burden of illness need to better consider the role of mental disorders in preventable mortality.
Impact of Heating System on the Range of an Electric Vehicle

For an accurate evaluation of the driving range of an electric vehicle (EV), many conditions must be considered (road profile, traffic influence, etc.). However, a cabin heating system is not often considered despite its significant impact. In this paper, the impact of the cabin heating system is studied on the driving range of an EV. A real EV is used as a reference. A multidomain model is developed and validated by experimental results on the vehicle. From this validated model, the impact of the heating system on the range is evaluated up to 30% in cold climatic conditions. In a classical approach, an ecodriving mode enables an increase in the range by reducing the vehicle acceleration and velocity. When considering the heating system, the energy balance is more complex: the eco-driving mode can lead to an over-consumption of energy. A better compromise is required as a function of the climatic condition.
METHOTREXATE STIMULATES LUNG EPITHELIAL CELLS TO RELEASE INFLAMMATORY CELL CHEMOTACTIC ACTIVITIES

Methotrexate-induced pneumonitis has been reported as an infrequent but potentially serious complication of therapy in a variety of malignant and benignconditions. Because inflammatorycell infiltration is concerned with the development of methotrexate-induced pneumoinitis, and because airway epithelial cells participate in the orchestration of lung inflammation, the authors determined whether methotrexate might stimulate airway epithelial cells (A549 cells) to release neutrophil, monocyte, and eosinophil chemotactic activities (NCA, MCA, and ECA). A549 cells released NCA, MCA, and ECA in a dose- and time-dependent manner in response to methotrexate. Partial characterization revealed the heterogeneity of NCA, MCA, and ECA. The release of chemotactic activity was blocked by lipoxygenase inhibitors and cycloheximide. NCA was inhibited by leukotriene (LT) B 4 receptor antagonist, and anti-interleukin (IL)-8 and granulocyte colony-stimulatingfactor (G-CSF) antibodies. MCA was attenuated by LTB 4 receptor antagonist, and anti-monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 and granulocyte-macrophage CSF (GM-CSF) antibodies. ECA was attenuated by LTB 4 receptor antagonist, and anti-IL-8 and GM-CSF antibodies. The release of IL-8, G-CSF, MCP-1, GM-CSF, and LTB 4 from A549 cells significantly increased in response to methotrexate. The mRNA expression of IL-8 and MCP-1 was augmented by methotrexate stimulation. These data suggest that type II epithelial cells may modulate inflammatory cell recruitment into the lung by releasing NCA, MCA, and ECA in response to methotrexate.
What is Usability? A Characterization based on ISO 9241-11 and ISO/IEC 25010

Abstract. According to Brooke [3] “Usability does not exist in anyabsolute sense; it can only be deﬁned with reference to particular con-texts. ” That is, one cannot speak of usability without specifying what that particular usability is characterized by. Driven by the feedback ofa reviewer at an international conference, I explore in which way onecan precisely specify the kind of usability they are investigating in agiven setting. Finally, I come up with a formalism that deﬁnes usabil-ity as a quintuple comprising the elements level of usability metrics,product, users, goals and context of use. Providing concrete values forthese elements then constitutes the investigated type of usability. Theuse of this formalism is demonstrated in two case studies. 1 Introduction In 2014, I submitted a research paper about a concept called Usability-based SplitTesting 1 to a web engineering conference [10]. My evaluation involved a ques-tionnaire that asked for ratings of diﬀerent factors of usability based on a novelusability instrument speciﬁcally developed for web interfaces [11]. This instru-ment comprises the items
Queue locks on cache coherent multiprocessors

Large-scale shared-memory multiprocessors typically have long latencies for remote data accesses. A key issue for execution performance of many common applications is the synchronization cost. The communication scalability of synchronization has been improved by the introduction of queue-based spin-locks instead of Test&(Test&Set). For architectures with long access latencies for global data, attention should also be paid to the number of global accesses that are involved in synchronization. We present a method to characterize the performance of proposed queue lock algorithms, and apply it to previously published algorithms. We also present two new queue locks, the LH lock and the M lock. We compare the locks in terms of performance, memory requirements, code size and required hardware support. The LH lock is the simplest of all the locks, yet requires only an atomic swap operation. The M lock is superior in terms of global accesses needed to perform synchronization and still competitive in all other criteria. We conclude that the M lock is the best overall queue lock for the class of architectures studied. <<ETX>>
C + + ? ? A Critique of C + + and Programming and Language Trends of the 1990 s 3 rd Edition

ion is a fundamental concept in computing. Aho and Ullman say “An important part of the field [computer science] deals with how to make programming easier and software more reliable. But fundamentally, computer science is a science of abstraction -creating the right model for a problem and devising the appropriate mechanizable techniques to solve it. ” [Aho 92]. They also say “Abstraction in the sense we use it often implies simplification, the replacement of a complex and detailed real-world situation by an understandable model within which we can solve the problem. ” A well known example that exhibits both abstraction and precision is the London Underground map designed by Harold Beck. This is a diagrammatic map that has abstracted irrelevant details from the real London geography to result in a conveniently sized and more readable map. Yet the map precisely shows the underground stations and where passengers can change trains. Many other city transport systems have adopted the principles of Beck’s map. Using this model passengers can easily solve such problems as “How do I get from Knightsbridge to Baker Street? ”
Primary synovial sarcoma arising from a crossed ectopic kidney with fusion

Abstract: Crossed renal ectopia with fusion is a rare anomaly of the kidney. The present case report describes a 67‐year‐old man with renal tumor who had been diagnosed as having a crossed ectopic kidney with fusion for 25 years. The pathological diagnosis of the primary tumor specimen was Wilms' tumor with favorable histology. Upon tumor recurrence, molecular detection of SYT‐SSX2 fusion transcripts lead to the diagnosis of synovial sarcoma of the kidney. To our knowledge, this is the first case of primary synovial sarcoma arising from a crossed ectopic kidney with fusion.
Isolation of Recombinant Antibodies against EspA and Intimin of Escherichia coli O157:H7

ABSTRACT Intimin, Tir, and EspA proteins are expressed by attaching-effacing Escherichia coli, which include enteropathogenic and enterohemorrhagic E. coli pathotypes. EspA proteins are part of the type three secretion system needle complex that delivers Tir to the host epithelial cell, while surface arrayed intimin docks the bacterium to the translocated Tir. This intimate attachment leads to attaching and effacing lesions. Recombinant forms of these effector proteins from enterohemorrhagic E. coli O157:H7 were produced by using E. coli expression vectors. Binding of intimin and Tir fragments in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISAs) demonstrated the interaction of intimin fragments containing the C-terminal 282 or 188 amino acids to a Tir fragment containing amino acid residues 258 to 361. Recombinant intimin and EspA proteins were used to elicit immune responses in rabbits and immune phage-display antibody libraries were produced. Screening of these immune libraries by conventional phage-antibody panning and colony filter screening produced a panel of antibodies with specificity for EspA or intimin. Antibodies recognizing different C-terminal epitopes on intimin bound specifically to the gamma intimin of O157:H7 and not to other classes of intimin. Antibodies recognizing EspA from E. coli O157 also recognized the protein from the eae-deficient O157 mutant DM3 and from E. coli O111. Anti-intimin antibodies were also produced as fusion proteins coupled to the reporter molecule alkaline phosphatase, allowing the one-step detection of γ intimin. The isolated recombinant monoclonal antibodies were functional in a range of assay formats, including ELISA, Western blotting, and dot blots, thus demonstrating their diagnostic potential.
Prediction-based load control and balancing for feature extraction in visual sensor networks

We consider controlling and balancing the processing load in a visual sensor network (VSN) used for detecting local features, such as BRISK. We formulate a prediction problem with random missing data, and propose two regression-based algorithms for data reconstruction. Numerical results illustrate the performance of the proposed algorithms, and show that backward regression combined with the last value predictor can be used for controlling and balancing the processing load in VSNs with good performance.
Increased plasma DNA integrity in cancer patients.

Tumor-released DNA in blood represents a promising biomarker for cancer detection. It has been postulated that tumor necrosis causes release of DNA of varying sizes, which contrasts apoptosis in normal tissue that releases smaller and more uniform DNA fragments. To test the hypothesis that increased DNA integrity, i.e., a longer DNA strand, is a tumor-associated marker in plasma, we determined the genomic DNA integrity index in plasma DNA using real-time PCR assays. A DNA integrity index and DNA concentration in plasma were determined in 61 patients with gynecological and breast cancers and 65 female patients without neoplastic diseases. We found that the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve for DNA integrity index was 0.911 for cancer versus nonneoplastic patients. Given 100% specificity, the highest sensitivity achieved in detecting the cancer group was 62% (95% confidence interval = 0.50-0.74) at the index cutoff of 0.59. Fifty percent of stage I cancers had a DNA integrity index above this cutoff. All 11 patients with benign adnexal masses that clinically can be confused with malignant gynecological neoplasms demonstrated DNA integrity index < 0.59. Our findings suggest that increased DNA integrity in plasma DNA is associated with cancer, and measurement of DNA integrity may provide a simple and inexpensive measure for cancer detection.
Mechanisms governing the reactivation-dependent destabilization of memories and their role in extinction

The extinction of learned associations has traditionally been considered to involve new learning, which competes with the original memory for control over behavior. However, a recent resurgence of interest in reactivation-dependent amnesia has revealed that the retrieval of fear-related memory (with what is essentially a brief extinction session) can result in its destabilization. This review discusses some of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that are involved in the destabilization of a memory following its reactivation and/or extinction, and investigates the evidence that extinction may involve both new learning as well as a partial destabilization-induced erasure of the original memory trace.
Altered oscillatory cerebral blood flow velocity and autoregulation in postural tachycardia syndrome

Decreased upright cerebral blood flow (CBF) with hyperpnea and hypocapnia is seen in a minority of patients with postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS). More often, CBF is not decreased despite upright neurocognitive dysfunction. This may result from time-dependent changes in CBF. We hypothesized that increased oscillations in CBF occurs in POTS (N = 12) compared to healthy controls (N = 9), and tested by measuring CBF velocity (CBFv) by transcranial Doppler ultrasound of the middle cerebral artery, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and related parameters, supine and during 70° upright tilt. Autospectra for mean CBFv and MAP, and transfer function analysis were obtained over the frequency range of 0.0078–0.4 Hz. Upright HR was increased in POTS (125 ± 8 vs. 86 ± 2 bpm), as was diastolic BP (74 ± 3 vs. 65 ± 3 mmHg) compared to control, while peripheral resistance, cardiac output, and mean CBFv increased similarly with tilt. Upright BP variability (BPV), low frequency (LF) power (0.04–0.13 Hz), and peak frequency of BPV were increased in POTS (24.3 ± 4.1, and 18.4 ± 4.1 mmHg2/Hz at 0.091 Hz vs. 11.8 ± 3.3, and 8.8 ± 2 mmHg2/Hz c at 0.071 Hz), as was upright overall CBFv variability, low frequency power and peak frequency of CBFv variability (29.3 ± 4.7, and 22.1 ± 2.7 [cm/s]2/Hz at.092 Hz vs. 14.7 ± 2.6, and 6.7 ± 1.2 [cm/s]2/Hz at 0.077Hz). Autospectra were sharply peaked in POTS. LF phase was decreased in POTS (-14 ± 4 vs. -25 ± 10 degrees) while upright. LF gain was increased (1.51 ± 0.09 vs. 0.86 ± 0.12 [cm/s]/ mmHg) while coherence was increased (0.96 ± 0.01 vs. 0.80 ± 0.04). Increased oscillatory BP in upright POTS patients is closely coupled to oscillatory CBFv over a narrow bandwidth corresponding to the Mayer wave frequency. Therefore combined increased oscillatory BP and increased LF gain markedly increases CBFv oscillations in a narrow bandwidth. This close coupling of CBF to MAP indicates impaired cerebral autoregulation that may underlie upright neurocognitive dysfunction in POTS.
Fishery-Independent Data Reveal Negative Effect of Human Population Density on Caribbean Predatory Fish Communities

Background Understanding the current status of predatory fish communities, and the effects fishing has on them, is vitally important information for management. However, data are often insufficient at region-wide scales to assess the effects of extraction in coral reef ecosystems of developing nations. Methodology/Principal Findings Here, I overcome this difficulty by using a publicly accessible, fisheries-independent database to provide a broad scale, comprehensive analysis of human impacts on predatory reef fish communities across the greater Caribbean region. Specifically, this study analyzed presence and diversity of predatory reef fishes over a gradient of human population density. Across the region, as human population density increases, presence of large-bodied fishes declines, and fish communities become dominated by a few smaller-bodied species. Conclusions/Significance Complete disappearance of several large-bodied fishes indicates ecological and local extinctions have occurred in some densely populated areas. These findings fill a fundamentally important gap in our knowledge of the ecosystem effects of artisanal fisheries in developing nations, and provide support for multiple approaches to data collection where they are commonly unavailable.
Mobile Activation Games for Rehabilitation and Recreational Activities Exergames for the Intellectually Disabled and Older Adults

Social isolation and lack of exercise have become serious problems that people face in assisted living conditions. One of the reasons is a lack of resources - funds and professional staff. In this paper, a new recreation and self-rehabilitation tool - a mobile exergame - is developed to provide a partial solution to the problem. Mobile exergames are played with a mobile phone by body movements, thus providing both physical and mental exercise. The games were tested with groups of older adults and people with intellectual disabilities, and tailored for these particular user groups. The gaming situations were followed by the researchers and members of the professional staff. After the gaming events, the test groups and the members of the professional staff concerned were interviewed in order to obtain background information on the participants and their experiences with the games. Both user groups responded well to the games. The results of the test event for persons with learning disabilities imply that the game events provided a new recreation session: a social event with light exercise and cognitive stimuli. Likewise, the older adults' overall experiences of mobile phone controlled gaming appeared to be a successful experiment, offering a potential tool for self- motivated rehabilitation and recreation. However, further development of the exergame concept will require dedicated collaboration with game designers, health care professionals and the user groups.
Evidence for the impact of global warming on the long–term population dynamics of common birds

Taking the opportunity in 2003 of the exceptionally warm spring in France as a natural simulation of possible future climate, we analysed common bird productivity using the French long–term capture–recapture national monitoring scheme. Two–thirds of the 32 species studied had an above–average productivity in 2003. However, this gain in productivity was not consistent among species, with a relatively low productivity for species exhibiting a long–term decline and relatively high productivity for stable or increasing species. Such links between long-term and short–term dynamics suggest that the impact of increasingly warm springs on productivity is a major component of the recent population dynamics of a variety of common bird species.