Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Method for Creating 3 D Face from a 2 D Face Image

A method for creating a 3D face model by using a single 2D face image is presented in this paper. A 3D face image can be modeled using a set of 3D face model images of other persons in a face database. The 3D face image is actually parameterized in terms of depth and texture. This phenomenon can be used to facilitate the creation of a 3D face image from a 2D one. For this purpose, a 3D face database is first developed. When a 2D face image is presented to the system, a 3D face image, which starts with an average 3D face image derived from the 3D face database, is projected onto the 2D image plane, after rotation, translation, scaling and interpolation. The projected image is compared with the input image, and an optimization algorithm is applied to minimize an error index by selecting the 3D depth and texture parameters based on which the projected image is derived. Once the algorithm converges, the resulting 3D depth and texture parameters can be employed to construct a 3D face model of the subject photographed in the 2D image. A merit of this method is that only the depth and texture parameters are required to be stored in the database, which can be used either for the recreation of a 3D image of the subject or for biometric authentication based on 3D face recognition. Results from an experimental study presented in the paper illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The proposed method has applications in biometric authentication and 3D computer graphics.
Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Syndrome and Ulcerative Colitis

The Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) syndrome is an uncommon disorder characterized by uveitis and neurologic and cutaneous abnormalities, including tinnitus, vertigo, headache, meningoencephalitis, vitiligo, alopecia, and poliosis. The VKH syndrome has been reported to occur in association with other autoimmune disorders. We report a case of a patient with severe ulcerative colitis who developed VKH syndrome. We postulate that the patient’s history of a traumatic brain injury might have been responsible for an abnormal “immunologic milieu” and the occurrence of ulcerative colitis, VKH syndrome, and severe reactive arthritis.
Transition from marrage into parenthood: Discourses and practice - dyadic perspective

This paper stems from grounded theory applied on evidence gathered together by interviews and observations of 30 couples (60 men and women) from Belgrade. The field research has been a part of a wider one named Policy of Parenthood, carried out in 2013/14, by the Institute for sociological research of the Faculty of Philosophy. We deployed methodological individualism, aimed at conceptualizing various behavioral patterns of couples undergoing major transition from marriage into parenthood. We first undertook in depth analysis of all couples, who represented a variety of coping strategies throughout three main phases: before childbirth (preparatory phase), childbearing (central phase) and aftermath (reconstitution of a group). We have then selected three couples, which identify specific modes of ‘crisis management’ following family transformation. Couples were given specific labels conveying clear meanings as of their prevalent behavioral styles: the first one - ‘intelligentsia’, the second one - very proactive, ‘strategists’ and finally - ‘defeatists’. In this paper, unlike vast majority of domestic qualitative researches and case studies, the three couples were analyzed as a whole, thus gradually and integrally disclosing their life phases and social biographical context. The prior insight into the overall evidence enabled us to construct semantic units (nodes) and subordinated codes, latter ones covering concrete meanings conveyed by couples (dimensions). Interpretation of each and every couple is followed by a comparative discussion of (dis)similarities of their sentiments, behaviors and action potentials. Our main idea was to demonstrate as to what extent individuals and couples critically reflect upon themselves, their partnership, and life course; what is their reference toward current and future state of affairs. We also investigated whether they clearly pose any specific prospective goal in terms of personal and social advancement and if so, which strategy do they intend to enact. Our research was also undertaken with the goal to assess ability of a couple to establish a control over itself and social settings along with the social stress. We deemed it as a way partners and individuals dispose their personal capacity for change, i.e. active social integration in ever changing environment, which is, supposedly, belated but necessary individual strategy for globally running second modernization. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 179035: Izazovi nove drustvene integracije u Srbiji - koncepti i akteri]
UrbanDiary - A Tracking Project Capturing the beat and rhythm of the city: Using GPS devices to visualise individual and collective routines within Central London.

This paper investigates aspects of time in an urban environment, specifically the cycles and routines that constitute everyday life in the inner city. As part of the UrbanDiary project (urbantick.blogspot.com), a preliminary study was undertaken that utilised GPS wristwatch devices to record the individual journeys and spatial habits of twenty volunteers, in order to capture and trace their lived experiences of the city. The data collected included time and location, which enabled each trip by an individual to be plotted on a base map of the city and visualised as a ‘personal track’. The tracks were then compared with a series of statements by individuals that described how they ‘used’ and experienced the city. The tracks made by individuals were superimposed upon one another to build up a composite picture of their daily, weekly and monthly movement routines. Individuals’ composite pictures could even be aggregated, to distinguish ‘collective’ from ‘personal arteries’ within the inner city. In this paper, the main intent has been to explore the context of the UrbanDiary project, as well as to examine the methodological and technical aspects of tracking, focusing on a comparison of the different visualisation techniques used. The paper concludes by presenting examples of the most promising approaches to data visualisation and suggesting that, by taking account of the aspect of time, the city can by understood in a new way as a collective, constantly renewed space.
Design and Performance Evaluation of a Remote Catheter Navigation System

A novel remote catheter navigation system has been developed to reduce physical stress and irradiation to the interventionalist during fluoroscopic X-ray guided catheter intervention. The unique teleoperated design of this system allows the interventionalist to apply conventional axial and radial motion, as used in current practice, to an input catheter placed in a radiation-safe location to control a second catheter placed inside the procedure room. A catheter sensor (used to measure motion of the input catheter) and a catheter manipulator (used to manipulate the second catheter) are both presented. Performance evaluation of the system was assessed by first conducting bench-top experiments to quantify accuracy and precision of both sensed and replicated motion, and then conducting two experiments to evaluate the latency from sensed to replicated motion. The first study consisted of replicating motions of prescribed motion trajectories, while the second study utilized eight operators to remotely navigate a catheter through a normal carotid model. The results show the system has the ability to sense and replicate motion to within 1 mm and 1deg in the axial and radial directions, respectively. Remote catheter manipulation was found to be operator dependent and occurred under 300 ms. Future applications of this technology are then presented.
Predictors of Organizational Commitment and Job Satisfaction among State Agency Rehabilitation Counselors: Louisiana.

The job satisfaction and organizational commitment of rehabilitaton counselors working in the public rehabilitation agencies in Louisiana are the focus of this study. Participants were 71 rehabilitation counselor survey respondents whose agencies agreed to take part in the study. A total of 145 surveys were mailed. Job satisfaction was measured using the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire. The three components of organizational commitment (affective, normative, and continuance) were examined using the Organizational Commitment Scales. Potential predictor variables examined were: (1) years of service; (2) age; (3) education level; (4) Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) status; (5) conscientiousness; (6) initiative; (7) cooperation; and (8) attendance/punctuality. Results indicate that conscientiousness is an important predictor of overall job satisfaction, emotional, and normative attachment of counselors toward the agencies for which they work. Because both job satisfaction and emotional attachment have been linked to higher levels of productivity, Louisiana's public rehabilitaton agencies are encouraged to develop ways of rewarding those counselor behaviors (i.e., conscientiousness) which are most predictive of job satisfaction, affective commitment, and normative commitment. Contains two appendices: (1) Job Satisfaction Items and (2) Organizational Commitment Items. (JBJ) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** PREDICTORS OF ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT AND JOB SATISFACTION AMONG STATE AGENCY REHABILITATION COUNSELORS: LOUISIANA by Jamie Satcher, Ph.D., CRC, Associate Professor The University of Alabama and Marcheta McGhee, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Auburn University at Montgomery
High Speed VLSI Design CCMP AES Cipher for WLAN (IEEE 802.11i)

The advanced encryption standard (AES) algorithm has become the default choice for various security services in numerous applications. In this paper, we propose a high speed, non-pipelined FPGA implementation of the AES-CCMP (counter-mode/CBC-MAC protocol) cipher for wireless LAN using Xilinx development tools and Virtex-II Pro FPGA circuits. IEEE 802.11i defines the AES-based cipher system, which is operated on CCMP Mode. All the modules in this core are described by using Verilog 2001 language. The developed AES CCMP core is aimed at providing high speed with sufficient security. The encryption/decryption data path operates at 194/148 MHz resulting in a throughput of 2.257 Gbits/sec for the encryption and 1.722 Gbits/sec for decryption. Compared to software implementation, migrating to hardware provides higher level of security and faster encryption speed. A comparison is provided between our design and similar existing implementations
A Generic Model, and its Validation, for the Translational Systematic Errors in Synchronous Drive Robots

Abstract—Synchronous Drive Robots (SDR) are seeing increasing use as service robots in dynamic environments. Due to the changing scenery in dynamic environments, the accuracy of proprioceptive sensors such as odometry is of greater importance. This paper proposes a generic kinematic model for the translational systematic odometry error in an n-wheeled SDR (n¸3). An unexpected behaviour of SDR is the curved path when commanded to translate, which varies with wheel orientation (which changes when commanded to rotate.) This is caused by the traction force of each wheel around the centre of mass of the robot acting as a moment. There is a further odometry error due to wheel misalignment, which does not affect the path curvature, but creates a yaw. Compared to existing works, the proposed model is explicitly validated in the instance of a 3-wheeled SDR.
Degradation of microbial fluorescence biosignatures by solar ultraviolet radiation on Mars

Abstract Recent and proposed robotic missions to Mars are equipped with implements to expose or excavate fresh material from beneath the immediate surface. Once brought into the open, any organic molecules or potential biosignatures of present or past life will be exposed to the unfiltered solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation and face photolytic degradation over short time courses. The key question, then, is what is the window of opportunity for detection of recently exposed samples during robotic operations? Detection of autofluorescence has been proposed as a simple method for surveying or triaging samples for organic molecules. Using a Mars simulation chamber we conduct UV exposures on thin frozen layers of two model microorganisms, the radiation-resistant polyextremophile Deinococcus radiodurans and the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Excitation–emission matrices (EEMs) are generated of the full fluorescence response to quantify the change in signal of different cellular fluorophores over Martian equivalent time. Fluorescence of Deinococcus cells, protected by a high concentration of carotenoid pigments, was found to be relatively stable over 32 h of Martian UV irradiation, with around 90% of the initial signal remaining. By comparison, fluorescence from protein-bound tryptophan in Synechocystis is much more sensitive to UV photodegradation, declining to 50% after 64 h exposure. The signal most readily degraded by UV irradiation is fluorescence of the photosynthetic pigments – diminished to only 35% after 64 h. This sensitivity may be expected as the biological function of chlorophyll and phycocyanin is to optimize the harvesting of light energy and so they are readily photobleached. A significant increase in a ∼450 nm emission feature is interpreted as accumulation of fluorescent cellular degradation products from photolysis. Accounting for diurnal variation in Martian sunlight, this study calculates that frozen cellular biosignatures would remain detectable by fluorescence for at least several sols; offering a sufficient window for robotic exploration operations.
Japanese Nationalism and the global Spread of English: An Analysis of Japanese Governmental and Public Discourses on English

Globalisation has accelerated the spread of English internationally, challenged nationalisms and put nation states in a dilemma in which they have to promote English, a foreign language, in addition to their national languages. Focusing on the proposal in January 2000 to establish English as an official language of Japan, this study attempts to understand and critique how English is represented in relation to Japanese nationalism in government and popular discourses and thereby explores implications for teaching English as a foreign language and intercultural communication.
Secure physical-layer key generation protocol and key encoding in wireless communications

Wireless communication between two nodes in a multi-path, multi-hop network does not require that the forward transmission path and the reverse one are the same. However, if a physical-layer security scheme based on mutual channelstate-information (CSI) [3],[4] is used, they at least have to make sure that they use the same channels for secret-key generation. A protocol is proposed in this paper to achieve that purpose in a secure manner. An information-theoretic analysis of physical-layer key generation given in [2] states that there are vulnerable key symbols that might be estimated by eavesdroppers. In this paper, we show how to protect those key symbols by means of physical-layer key encoding. We provide necessary and sufficient conditions on the code in order to achieve perfect secrecy, even when the eavesdropper knows the code, and derive the asymptotic code rate accordingly. We also discuss how to design the code when the number of vulnerable key symbols are not known.
Performance as a moderator of the job satisfaction–turnover relationship.

Abstract : This study examines the effects of job satisfaction and rated job performance on voluntary turnover among a sample of 295 hospital employees. Measures of job satisfaction were obtained from the sample, independent performance ratings by their superiors were obtained from company records, and voluntary turnover data were collected one year after questionnaire administration. Using subgroup analysis and moderated regression, it was found that employee performance ratings significantly moderated the job satisfaction - turnover relationship. Results suggest that satisfaction level represents a greater influence on staying for low performers than for high performers. Implications for theory and research on employee turnover and implications for management are discussed. (Author)
Timing affects the clinical outcome of adjunctive systemic antibiotic therapy for generalized aggressive periodontitis.

BACKGROUND Systemic antibiotics improve the outcome of scaling and root planing (SRP) in patients exhibiting severe periodontitis. This study evaluated the influence of timing of adjunctive systemic antibiotics in the sequence of periodontal therapy. METHODS Two cohorts of patients with generalized aggressive periodontitis and treated by SRP, adjunctive antibiotics, and supportive periodontal therapy (SPT) were analyzed retrospectively. Cohort A (17 patients; 36 +/- 5 years of age) received systemic amoxicillin/metronidazole immediately after SRP ("immediate"); cohort B (17 patients; 36 +/- 4 years of age) received the same regimen 3 months after SRP, following SPT, including subgingival reinstrumentation ("late"). Clinical parameters, including probing depth (PD), relative attachment level (RAL), bleeding on probing (BOP), and suppuration, were recorded with a pressure-sensitive electronic probe at baseline and 3 and 6 months after SRP. RESULTS Significant time*group interactions were found for all clinical parameters except BOP, i.e., timing of antibiotic therapy affected the course of clinical changes over time. Immediate antibiotic therapy produced significantly higher initial changes (0 to 3 months) in PD and RAL. Late antibiotic therapy at 3 months resulted in additional significant improvements in all clinical parameters between 3 and 6 months. In initially deep sites (baseline PD >6 mm), improvements in PD and RAL over 6 months were significantly higher with immediate antibiotic therapy compared to late antibiotic therapy. CONCLUSION Within the limits of a retrospective analysis, these findings indicate that administration of amoxicillin/metronidazole immediately after initial SRP provides more PD reduction and RAL "gain" in initially deep sites than late administration at SPT with reinstrumentation after 3 months.
Intratumoral cytogenetic heterogeneity in a benign neoplasm

Cytogenetic findings are reported in a 64‐year‐old man who had a history of rapid growth of a mass in the left groin area. The histopathologic diagnosis of the tumor was consistent with that of a lipoma with atypia. Cytogenetic analysis was done on an incisional biopsy specimen. The initial biopsy specimen revealed, in addition to normal cells, three different clones: 46,XY,t(12;21)(q13;q21), 46,XY,t(2;12)(q11.2′1.2), t(19;20)(q13.1′3), and 47,XY,+r. The subsequently excised specimen showed a normal male karyotype (46,XY) and a predominant clone with the karyotype, 47,XY,t(2;12)(q11.2′1.2),t(3;11)(p24′5),+r. One cell with 47,XY,+r was present. In addition, polyploid cells with large markers, rings, and a high frequency of telomeric associations were also observed.
A miniaturised sensor for gaseous mercury detection

A new microfabricated physical sensor for elemental gaseous mercury (Hg) determinations has been developed and experimentally tested by the Authors. The sensor is based on the technique of resistivity variation of thin gold film. The gold film surface and the sensor behaviour on different substrates have been investigated. The sensor design has been performed in observation of the minimum detection limit and power requirements. A study on thin film properties, sensor-substrate interaction and the characterization of the sensor in terms of performances and technical features has been performed. The use of Micro System Technologies (MST) have allowed to obtain a miniaturized system with the sensing element, the electrical routes and a temperature sensor integrated onto a small substrate with a SIM card shape.
Absence of Malonyl Coenzyme A Decarboxylase in Mice Increases Cardiac Glucose Oxidation and Protects the Heart From Ischemic Injury

Background— Acute pharmacological inhibition of cardiac malonyl coenzyme A decarboxylase (MCD) protects the heart from ischemic damage by inhibiting fatty acid oxidation and stimulating glucose oxidation. However, it is unknown whether chronic inhibition of MCD results in altered cardiac function, energy metabolism, or ischemic cardioprotection. Methods and Results— Mcd-deficient mice were produced and assessed for in vivo cardiac function as well as ex vivo cardiac function, energy metabolism, and ischemic tolerance. In vivo and ex vivo cardiac function was similar in wild-type and mcd−/− mice. Ex vivo working hearts from mcd−/− and wild-type mice displayed no significant differences in rates of fatty acid oxidation, glucose oxidation, or glycolysis. However, cardiac deletion of mcd resulted in an increased expression of genes regulating fatty acid utilization that may compensate for the loss of MCD protein and likely contributes to the absence of changes in energy metabolism in the aerobic heart. Despite the lack of changes in fatty acid utilization, hearts from mcd−/− mice displayed a marked preference for glucose utilization after ischemia, which correlated with a significant cardioprotection of ischemic hearts from mcd−/− mice compared with wild-type mice. Conclusions— Deletion of MCD markedly increases glucose oxidation and improves functional recovery of the heart after ischemia. As a result, chronic pharmacological inhibition of MCD may be a viable approach to treat myocardial ischemia.
Interleukin-28B Polymorphisms and Response of Chronic Hepatitis C Patients from Indonesia to Pegylated Interferon/Ribavirin Treatment

ABSTRACT This study demonstrated that Indonesian patients with chronic hepatitis C (mostly ethnic Java people) mostly were infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1; however, they carried mainly the major genotypes of interleukin 28B (IL-28B) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs12979860 CC, rs11881222 TT, rs8103142 AA, and rs8099917 TT), and they mostly achieved sustained virological responses to pegylated interferon/ribavirin treatment.