Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
3D facial images reconstruction from single facial image

3D facial images are important in many computer vision and graphic applications, such as facial recognition and animation. However, it is difficult to establish 3D images since it takes much cost and time. Thus, in my research, we try to reconstructed 3D images from only one facial image using machine learning approach. The results show that the proposed method can effectively generate the 3D images using only one input 2D image of 2816 by 2112in size, and the average error is 8 pixel.
Neural-Ensemble Activity of Spinal Cord L1/L2 During Stepping in a Decerebrate Rat Preparation

Interneuronal networks within the L1-L2 region of the spinal cord are intrinsically capable of coordinating the activation of multiple functional muscle groups as required for locomotion. This paper demonstrates the use of microelectrode arrays for mapping extracellular spike activity and local-field potentials in the lumbar spinal cord of rats. Locomotion was studied in acute decerebrate rats by stimulation of the mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR) to induce stepping. Neural-ensemble activity during stepping was correlated with electromyograms (EMG) from ankle flexors and extensors. To visualize the activity, spatiotemporal population maps were generated from the recorded step cycles. These results will shed light on the organization of locomotor pattern generating circuits and identify active regions for stimulation. In future studies, we will test patterned electrical stimulation of the identified hotspots in spinal-cord-transected rats. These efforts will be directed towards the development of a functional stimulator for locomotion in paralyzed patients
Value-Focused System Quality

To assure the expected operational and developmental system quality is actually delivered, a test-driven approach to architecture elaboration is a powerful tool. Evaluations, simulations, and running code provide direct feedback as to whether a system's architecture and implementation support its quality requirements. Test-driven design is also a fantastic vehicle to check if the specified qualities are sufficient for providing the expected value. Unless you physically experience the system, all its requirements, especially quality aspects, are just assumptions. Thus, you might need to adjust the assumed quality requirements when you see the system in action. The quality/ value feedback loop closes.
Evidence for universal structure in galactic halos

The late infall of dark matter onto a galaxy produces structure (such as caustics) in the distribution of dark matter in the halo. We argue that such structure is likely to occur generically on length scales proportional to l{approx}t{sub 0}v{sub rot}, where t{sub 0} is the age of the universe and v{sub rot} is the rotation velocity of the galaxy. A set of 32 extended galactic rotation curves is analyzed. For each curve, the radial coordinate is rescaled according to r{yields}r(tilde sign){identical_to}r(v{sub 0}/v{sub rot}), where we choose v{sub 0}=220 km/s. A linear fit to each rescaled rotation curve is subtracted, and the residuals are binned and averaged. The sample shows significant features near r(tilde sign)=40 kpc and r(tilde sign)=20 kpc. This is consistent with the predictions of the self-similar caustic ring model of galactic halos. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.
General implications for CpG hot spot mutations: Methylation patterns of the human iduronate‐2‐sulfatase gene locus

The methylation pattern at CpG sites of a housekeeping gene correlates with the likelihood of mutation. Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) type II, an X‐linked disorder, results from the deficiency of iduronate‐2‐sulfatase (IDS). In these patients, over 35% of independent point mutations at the IDS gene locus were found at CpG sites as transitional events. To gain insight into the relationship between methylation status and CpG hot spot mutations, we investigated patterns of cytosine methylation in the entire IDS gene, except for introns 4–8. Bisulfite genomic sequencing was performed on the normal leukocyte DNA. Our data show that: 1) cytosine methylation at the CpG sites was extensive, except for those present from the promoter region to a portion of intron 3; 2) a sharp boundary of methylated–nonmethylated regions was observed at the 5′‐flanking region, whereas a gradual change in methylation was observed in the 2.0‐kb segment in the 3′‐flanking region; 3) the boundary of the 5′‐flanking region contained multiple Sp1 sites and the TATA box; 4) the CpG sites in exons 1 and 2 were hypomethylated and were associated only with rare transitional mutations, while the CpG sites in exon 3 were also hypomethylated, yet were associated with a high rate of transitional mutations; 5) there was no striking sex difference in the methylation patterns in active alleles; and, 6) the methylation in both strands was symmetrical, except at the boundary of methylated–unmethylated regions. Hum Mutat 23:590–598, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
COPD AND SLEEP APNEA TABLE 1 Main differentiating and overlapping features of asthma and COPD

CLEVELAND CLINIC JOURNAL OF MEDICINE VOLUME 83 • NUMBER 2 FEBRUARY 2016 127 M patients who have obstructive lung disease, ie, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma, also have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and vice versa. The combination of COPD and OSA was fi rst described almost 30 years ago by Flenley, who called it “overlap syndrome. ”1 At that time, he recommended that a sleep study be considered in all obese patients with COPD who snore and in those who have frequent headaches after starting oxygen therapy. In the latter group, he doubted that nocturnal oxygen was the correct treatment. He also believed that the outcomes in patients with overlap syndrome were worse than those in patients with COPD or OSA alone. These opinions remain largely valid today. We now also recognize the combination of asthma and OSA (alternative overlap syndrome) and collectively call both combinations obstructive lung disease-obstructive sleep apnea (OLDOSA) syndrome.2 Interestingly, these relationships are likely bidirectional, with one condition aggravating or predisposing to the other. Knowing that a patient has one of these overlap syndromes, one can initiate continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, which can improve clinical outcomes.3–6 Therefore, when evaluating a patient with asthma or COPD, one should consider OSA using a validated questionnaire and, if the fi ndings suggest the diagnosis, polysomnography. Conversely, it is prudent to look for comorbid obstructive lung disease in patients with OSA, as interactions between upper and lower airway dysfunction may lead to distinctly different treatment and outcomes. Here, we briefl y review asthma and COPD, explore shared risk factors for sleep-disordered REVIEW
Differential Protein Expression Profiling by iTRAQ-Two-dimensional LC-MS/MS of Human Bladder Cancer EJ138 Cells Transfected with the Metastasis Suppressor KiSS-1 Gene*

KiSS-1 is a metastasis suppressor gene reported to be involved in the progression of several solid neoplasias. The loss of KiSS-1 gene expression has been shown to be inversely correlated with increasing tumor stage, distant metastases, and poor overall survival in bladder tumors. To identify the molecular pathways associated with the metastasis suppressor role of KiSS-1 in bladder cancer, we carried out a proteomics analysis of bladder cancer cells (EJ138) transiently transfected with a vector encompassing the full-length KiSS-1 gene using an iTRAQ (isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation) approach. Protein extracts collected after 24- and 48-h transfection were fractionated and cleaved with trypsin, and the resulting peptides were labeled with iTRAQ reagents. The labeled peptides were separated by strong cation exchange and reversed phase LC and analyzed by MALDI-TOF/TOF MS. Three software packages were utilized for data analysis: ProteinPilot for identification and quantification of differentially expressed proteins, Protein Center for gene ontology analysis, and Ingenuity Pathways Analysis to provide insight into biological networks. Comparative analysis among transfected, mock, and empty vector-exposed cells identified 1529 proteins with high confidence (>99%) showing high correlation rates among replicates (70%). The involvement of the identified proteins in biological networks served to characterize molecular pathways associated with KiSS-1 expression and to select critical candidates for verification analyses by Western blot using independent transfected replicates. As part of complementary clinical validation strategies, immunohistochemical analyses of proteins regulated by KiSS-1, such as Filamin A, were performed on bladder tumors spotted onto tissue microarrays (n = 280). In summary, our study not only served to uncover molecular mechanisms associated with the metastasis suppressor role of KiSS-1 in bladder cancer but also to reveal the biomarker role of Filamin A in bladder cancer progression and clinical outcome.
Nursing homes in 10 nations: a comparison between countries and settings.

AIM to illustrate demographic differences and recent trends in the provision and structure of long-term care systems in the 10 countries participating in the Resident Assessment Instrument studies (Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and the USA). METHOD data were assembled from government documents, statistical yearbooks and articles from journals; supplemental data on long-term care and nursing homes were solicited from colleagues. RESULTS All 10 countries are developed nations with high life-expectancies. Sweden has the oldest and Iceland the youngest population in this study, with Japan showing the highest ageing rates over the next three decades. Between 2 and 5% of elderly people reside in nursing homes. Interestingly, Iceland, as the 'youngest country' in this study, has the highest rate of institutionalization (living in residential or nursing homes), while the 'oldest country' (Sweden) has a low rate of institutionalization. In all countries the support ratio (number of elderly people per 100 younger adults) is high and increasing rapidly. CONCLUSIONS no relation appears to exist between the ageing status of a country and the number of nursing home beds. Institutionalization rates among the nations studied differ even more, due at least in part to differences in the organization and financing of long-term care services, in the amount of responsibility assumed in the care for disabled elderly people by each sector and the availability of long-term care beds. Facing a rapid ageing of their population, many countries are in the process of health and social care reforms.
Identification of Impact of Atmospheric Attributes upon Buying Intention of Customers in Bhat Bhateni Supermarket in Nepal

Abstract The rise of supermarket business through changing consumer’s behavior in the cities of Nepal, atmospheric attributes, as an integrated part of supermarket business, has become a strategic tool in creating persuasive channel in a supermarket. The purpose of this paper is to describe atmospheric attributes of Bhat Bhateni Supermarket in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal and to which the impact made by these attributes towards buying intention of customers of the store. There were 400 questionnaires distributed to the customers who have at least visited Bhat Bhateni Supermarket once. The analysis of Multiple Linear Regression and Simple Linear Regression Analysis was applied to visualize the relation between dependent and independent variables. The findings of the research described the Nepalese consumers’ views on the atmosphere of Supermarket in Kathmandu Valley and to identify the extent to which atmospheric attributes of Kathmandu Valley’s Supermarket has impact upon Nepalese consumers’ buying intention. The researcher suggests room for improvement to the Nepalese marketers who use store surrounding and atmosphere as a marketing tool in Nepal’s supermarket industry. There exist an impact of general interior of the store, store layout or the interior display and human variables of the store. Therefore, the atmospheric attributes play a key role in the success of supermarket. Keywords: atmospheric attributes, buying intention, store atmosphere, supermarket, retail store
Plant Respiratory Burst Oxidase Homologs Impinge on Wound Responsiveness and Development in Lycopersicon esculentum Online version contains Web-only data.

Plant respiratory burst oxidase homologs (Rboh) are homologs of the human neutrophil pathogen-related gp91phox. Antisense technology was employed to ascertain the biological function of Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato) Rboh. Lines with diminished Rboh activity showed a reduced level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the leaf, implying a role for Rboh in establishing the cellular redox milieu. Surprisingly, the antisense plants acquired a highly branched phenotype, switched from indeterminate to determinate growth habit, and had fasciated reproductive organs. Wound-induced systemic expression of proteinase inhibitor II was compromised in the antisense lines, indicating that ROS intermediates supplied by Rboh are required for this wound response. Extending these observations by transcriptome analysis revealed ectopic leaf expression of homeotic MADS box genes that are normally expressed only in reproductive organs. In addition, both Rboh-dependent and -independent wound-induced gene induction was detected as well as transcript changes related to redox maintenance. The results provide novel insights into how the steady state cellular level of ROS is controlled and portrays the role of Rboh as a signal transducer of stress and developmental responses.
Slow tonic muscle fibers in the thyroarytenoid muscles of human vocal folds; a possible specialization for speech

Most of the sounds of human speech are produced by vibration of the vocal folds, yet the biomechanics and control of these vibrations are poorly understood. In this study the muscle within the vocal fold, the thyroarytenoid muscle (TA), was examined for the presence and distribution of slow tonic muscle fibers (STF), a rare muscle fiber type with unique contraction properties. Nine human TAs were frozen and serially sectioned in the frontal plane. The presence and distribution pattern of STF in each TA were examined by immunofluorescence microscopy using the monoclonal antibodies (mAb) ALD‐19 and ALD‐58 which react with the slow tonic myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoform. In addition, TA muscle samples from adjacent frozen sections were also examined for slow tonic MyHC isoform by electrophoretic immunoblotting. STF were detected in all nine TAs and the presence of slow tonic MyHC isoform was confirmed in the immunoblots. The STF were distributed predominantly in the medial aspect of the TA, a distinct muscle compartment called the vocalis which is the vibrating part of the vocal fold. STF do not contract with a twitch like most muscle fibers, instead, their contractions are prolonged, stable, precisely controlled, and fatigue resistant. The human voice is characterized by a stable sound with a wide frequency spectrum that can be precisely modulated and the STF may contribute to this ability. At present, the evidence suggests that STF are not presented in the vocal folds of other mammals (including other primates), therefore STF may be a unique human specialization for speech. Anat Rec 256:146–157, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Ceramides Are Bound to Structural Proteins of the Human Foreskin Epidermal Cornified Cell Envelope*

An important component of barrier function in human epidermis is contributed by ceramides that are bound by ester linkages to undefined proteins of the cornified cell envelope (CE). In this paper, we have examined the protein targets for the ceramide attachment. By partial saponification of isolated foreskin epidermal CEs followed by limited proteolysis, we have recovered several lipopeptides. Biochemical and mass spectroscopic characterization revealed that all contained near stoichiometric amounts of ceramides of masses ranging from about 690 to 890 atomic mass units, of which six quantitatively major species were common. The array of ceramides was similar to that obtained from pig skin, the composition of which is known, thereby providing strong indirect data for their fatty acid and sphingosine compositions. The recovered peptides accounted for about 20% of the total foreskin CE ceramides. By amino acid sequencing, about 35% of the peptides were derived from ancestral glutamine-glutamate-rich regions of involucrin, an important CE structural protein. Another 18% derived from rod domain sequences of periplakin and envoplakin, which are also known or suspected CE proteins. Other peptides were too short for unequivocal identification. Together, these data indicate that involucrin, envoplakin, periplakin, and possibly other structural proteins serve as substrates for the attachment of ceramides by ester linkages to the CE for barrier function in human epidermis.
Bedreiging via internet

Harassment on the Internet Differences in risk factors between adolescents who harass online and offline An increasing part of the social lives of young people takes place on the Internet and via online communication. This causes antisocial behavior, such as threats, to be displayed more frequently online. However, there is little research into differences in risk factors between online and offline perpetrators of serious, punishable antisocial behavior, while this understanding has important scientific and societal value. This study investigated whether differences exist in risk and protective factors between young people who threaten offline and youth who threaten online. The used data are from the WODC Youth Delinquency Survey (MZJ) from 2005 and 2010. The results show that young people who report only online threats differ little from non-delinquent youth in terms of risk and protective factors. Youngsters who report both online and offline threats, have a much greater risk. Implications for criminological theory and the social significance of these findings are discussed.
Malaysian property and construction companies: diversification potential, stock price behaviour and its response towards macroeconomic shocks

This thesis investigates diversification benefits of investing in the property and construction stocks in Malaysia from 1995 to 2013 by using correlation analysis. Panel ARDL (autoregressive distributed lag) is used to examine the relationship between both sectors’ stock prices and their fundamental variables (NAV (net asset value), EPS (earnings per share) and DPS (dividend per share)), where it involves panel cointegration and error correction mechanism (ECM). Another objective of this thesis is to discover the impact of macroeconomic shocks on both sectors’ stock prices, which is investigated through the impulse response analysis and variance decomposition analysis. Annual data from twenty-eight listed property companies and sixteen listed construction companies are evaluated. Diversification benefits do exist between both sectors’ stocks. EPS is a significant fundamental variable for explaining both sectors’ stock price change while NAV is only significant in influencing property stock price changes. DPS is not relevant for both sectors. The ECM shows that both sectors’ stock prices move back to equilibrium at a fairly similar speed. The impulse response functions results indicate that interest rate changes influence stock prices the most while trade openness shocks have slight effects on the stock prices. Variance decomposition analysis found that the percentage movement in the stock prices is highest when shocked by interest rate changes while trade openness changes do not influence the stock prices significantly. The impact on property stock prices is higher to economic shocks compared to the construction sector. The findings could aid investors in making sound decisions about their investment as it is proven that they could benefit from investing in both sectors. Investors could look into the fundamental variables which are useful in determining the stock prices movements. Policy makers should control the interest rate adjustments, determine the GDP growth rate, monitor the inflation rate and trade openness policies as shocks to these variables are proven to affect stock prices significantly.
Application of Systems Approach to Training as an Exercise in Organization Development

The application of systems approach for the training and development of workers is considered in this study as one of the key instruments to bring about change and development in organization and in individual. It is also considered that the key to maximum manpower utilization lies in the effectiveness of training and organization development. Attempts were made to show that productivity and efficiency in industry are dependent on several inter-related factors. Manpower training and organization development are part of the several important determinants. The study examines and investigates the extent of the application of systems approach to the Training and Development of workers in the industry. The research design adopted is survey and documentary analysis. The survey involves the collection of data from existing records and findings of the opinion on the subjects through the use of structured questionnaire. Stratified sampling technique was used to select the respondents for the study. Information were collected from line managers, Training Managers, Supervisors, Trainers, training specialists and operatives. The internal consistency of the questionnaire was determined using Cronbach Alpha Formulae (α). Different reliability coefficients were computed for the different clusters of the questionnaire in order to assess the degree of consistency within the said clusters. The correlation coefficient of the questionnaire was 0.72 for trainers, 0.79 for training managers and 0.68 for supervisors. The reliability coefficient for the entire respondents was 0. 71. Based on this value, the questionnaire was considered by the researcher as reliable to be used for the study. The study reveals that a large proportion of respondents’ organizations are aware of the principles and importance of systems approach to training as instruments of operational efficiency, organization development, and improvement of performance. Only a few organizations within those surveyed are practicing any form of training based on systems approach. The study deduced from the results that possible reasons for negative attitude to systems approach is that the quality of people employed in most cases for training function is not high enough for systems approach to be worthwhile. Again the absence of planned staff development policy in most organizations surveyed made the introduction of change through systems approach extremely difficult in such industries, reduces employee morale and causes suspicion of management motives. The study concluded with the view that if organizations objectives are to be met in coping with change, training must be systematic, and must be integrated in organizations’ operational policy in order to bring organizational growth and development.