Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
How to Train Your Dragon: Best Practices in Pedestrian Classifier Training

The present year witnesses another milestone in Pedestrian detection’s journey. It has achieved remarkable progress in the course of the past 15 years, and experts foresee an everyday use of numerous stemming applications within the next 15 years. Standing on the tipping point between yesterday and tomorrow pushes to the field’s retrospect. Features, context, the combination of approaches, and feature data are responsible for most of the breakthroughs in pedestrian detection. If the first three elements cover the bulk of the literature, much fewer efforts have been dedicated to featuring data. In many aspects, the construction of a training set remains similar to what it was at the birth of the domain, and some related problems are not well studied and sometimes still tackled empirically. This paper gets down to the study of pedestrian classifier training conditions. More than a survey of existing training classifiers or features, our goal is to highlight impactful parameters, potential new research directions, and combination dilemmas. Our findings are experimentally verified on two major datasets: the INRIA and Caltech-USA datasets.
Variabilidade genética de procedências e progênies de umbuzeiro via metodologia de modelos lineares mistos (REML/BLUP)

The umbu tree, a native species from the Brazilian semi-arid, is one of the most important genetic resources for fruit production in the region. In the improvement of perennial plant species, the use of the mixed model methodology trough the REML/BLUP (restricted maximum likelihood/best linear unbiased prediction) procedure is an essential feature for selecting individuals based on their predicted genetic additive and genotypic values, at the intra and inter population levels. This procedure is being successfully applied to breeding of several fruit and forest tree species in Brazil. This paper aimed to study the genetic variability, estimating genetic parameters and predicting individual breeding values in the umbu tree, through the REML/BLUP procedure applied in the evaluation of populations and progenies. The trial was set out in a randomized complete block design with 42 progenies arranged as a unbalanced hierarchy within 3 populations. The traits plant height (ALP), biggest canopy diameter (MAC), smallest canopy diameter (MEC), base diameter (DIC) and number of primary branches (NRP) were evaluated. These traits are related to fruit production. The results showed that the greatest part of the genetic variability is concentrated within populations. The heritability coefficients were of the order of 0.08 and 0.14 for the traits MEC and MAC, respectively. Genetic gain estimates with selection of the best ten parents were in the order of 6% and 9% for MEC and MAC, respectively.
Bottom or midwater: alternative foraging behaviours in adult female loggerhead sea turtles

Intrapopulational polymorphism in habitat use is widely reported in many animal species. The phenomenon has recently also been recognized in adult female loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta, with small females tending to inhabit oceanic areas (where water depths are >200 m) while presumably feeding pelagically and large females tending to inhabit neritic areas (where depths are 5 h that was in contrast with bottom dormancy by sea turtles inhabiting other regions. The diving behaviours observed during this study were consistent with their estimated main feeding habits, which demonstrated resource polymorphism in a marine reptile.
Regulation of Drosophila Hematopoiesis in Lymph Gland: From a Developmental Signaling Point of View

The Drosophila hematopoietic system is becoming increasingly attractive for its simple blood cell lineage and its developmental and functional parallels with the vertebrate system. As the dedicated organ for Drosophila larval hematopoiesis, the lymph gland harbors both multipotent stem-like progenitor cells and differentiated blood cells. The balance between progenitor maintenance and differentiation in the lymph gland must be precisely and tightly controlled. Multiple developmental signaling pathways, such as Notch, Hedgehog, and Wnt/Wingless, have been demonstrated to regulate the hematopoietic processes in the lymph gland. Focusing on blood cell maintenance and differentiation, this article summarizes the functions of several classic developmental signaling pathways for lymph gland growth and patterning, highlighting the important roles of developmental signaling during lymph gland development as well as Drosophila larval hematopoiesis.
The effect of ripening and storage on peach pectin and gel strength of related jams

Peaches were harvested in three stages of ripeness (threshold-mature - I, firm-ripe - II and ripe - III). Firm-ripe (II) peaches were stored for 9 days at 4 and 22 C. The amount of water-soluble, oxalate-soluble and alkali-soluble pectin were extracted and quantitatively determined as galacturonic acid, neutral sugars were determined as glucose. Jams were made with all peach samples as well as gels from extracted fractions. Gel strength of jams and gels was measured. Dry matter, sugar composition (amount of sucrose and reducing sugars) and pH value were determined and very little change was found during the ripening period and storage, too. Alkali-soluble fraction was more abounding than water-soluble fraction. The oxalate-soluble pectic fraction was found to be a minor fraction in all peach samples. The amount of total pectin and the amount of alkali-soluble pectin fraction dropped markedly after the 1st stage of ripening, after the 2 nd day of storage at 22 C and slightly after the 6th day of storage .
Depression Among Islamic Seminaries Students: A Cross Sectional Survey

Objective: Assess the magnitude of depression among students of Islamic seminaries (Madaris). Method: This cross-sectional descriptive study is conducted from October to December 2017. 321 students of Madaris in Karachi selected for study. A validated Beck’s Depression Inventory questionnaire translated in Urdu was used. Data was analyzed by SPSS version 22 and Kruskal-Wallis test was employed for association between variables with p<0.05 as level of significance. Results: The frequency of magnitude of depression among 321 students (mean age in years: 20.87±3.26, SE: ±0.18, %RSD: 15.62%) were found as; minimal depression 176 (54.80%); mild depression 64 (19.90%); moderate depression 49 (15.30%); and severe depression 32 (10%). Geographical background wise no significant difference of depression was noted among students. Conclusion: Considerable percentage of students of religious schools is suffering from mild to moderate depression. Interventional strategies along with promotion of prevention of depression should be developed on priority basis for these seminaries.
3D facial performance capture from monocular RGB video

3D facial performance capture is an essential technique for animation production in featured films, video gaming, human computer interaction, VR/AR asset creation and digital heritage, which all have huge impact on our daily life. Traditionally, dedicated hardware such as depth sensors, laser scanners and camera arrays have been developed to acquire depth information for such purpose. However, such sophisticated instruments can only be operated by trained professionals. In recent years, the wide spread availability of mobile devices, and the increased interest of casual untrained users in applications such as image, video editing, virtual and facial model creation, have sparked interest in 3D facial reconstruction from 2D RGB input. Due to the depth ambiguity and facial appearance variation, 3D facial performance capture and modelling from 2D images are inherently ill-posed problems. However, with strong prior knowledge of the human face, it is possible to accurately infer the true 3D facial shape and performance from multiple observations captured with different viewing angles. Various 3D from 2D methods have been proposed and proven to work well in controlled environments. Nevertheless there are still many unexplored issues in uncontrolled in-the-wild environments. In order to achieve the same level of performance in controlled environments, interfering factors in uncontrolled environments such as varying illumination, partial occlusion and facial variation not captured by prior knowledge would require the development of new techniques. This thesis addresses existing challenges and proposes novel methods involving 2D landmark detection, 3D facial reconstruction and 3D performance tracking, which are validated through theoretical research and experimental studies. 3D facial performance tracking is a multidisciplinary problem involving many areas such as computer vision, computer graphics and machine learning. To deal with the large variations within a single image, we present new machine learning techniques for facial landmark detection based on our observation of the facial features in challenging scenarios to increase the robustness. To take advantage of the evidence aggregated from multiple observations, we present new robust and efficient optimisation techniques that impose consistency constrains that help filter out outliers. To exploit the person-specific model generation, temporal and spatial coherence in continuous video input, we present new methods to improve the performance via optimisation. In order to track the 3D facial performance, the fundamental prerequisite for good results is the accurate underlying 3D model of the actor. In this thesis, we present new methods that are targeted at 3D facial geometry reconstruction, which are more efficient than existing generic 3D geometry reconstruction methods. Evaluation and validation were obtained and analysed from substantial experiment, which shows the proposed methods in this thesis outperform the state-of-the-art methods and enable us to generate high quality results with less constraints.
Bayesian Network-Based Risk Analysis of Chemical Plant Explosion Accidents

The chemical industry has made great contributions to the national economy, but frequent chemical plant explosion accidents (CPEAs) have also caused heavy property losses and casualties, as the CPEA is the result of interaction of many related risk factors, leading to uncertainty in the evolution of the accident. To systematically excavate and analyze the underlying causes of accidents, this paper first integrates emergency elements in the frame of orbit intersection theory and proposes 14 nodes to represent the evolution path of the accident. Then, combined with historical data and expert experience, a Bayesian network (BN) model of CPEAs was established. Through scenario analysis and sensitivity analysis, the interaction between factors and the impact of the factors on accident consequences was evaluated. It is found that the direct factors have the most obvious influence on the accident consequences, and the unsafe conditions contribute more than the unsafe behaviors. Furthermore, considering the factor chain, the management factors, especially safety education and training, are the key link of the accident that affects unsafe behaviors and unsafe conditions. Moreover, effective government emergency response has played a more prominent role in controlling environmental pollution. In addition, the complex network relationship between elements is presented in a sensitivity index matrix, and we extracted three important risk transmission paths from it. The research provides support for enterprises to formulate comprehensive safety production management strategies and control key factors in the risk transmission path to reduce CPEA risks.
A Function Dependency based Approach for Fault Localization with D

We present a scheme for hierarchically localizing software faults. First the functions are prioritized based on their suspiciousness of containing a fault. Further, the bug is localized within the suspected functions at the specific statement level. In our approach, a new function dependency graph is proposed, and based on that function prioritization is performed. In order to differentiate between the functions with equal suspiciousness value, function complexity metrics are considered. We proposed two different dependency edge weighting techniques, viz., Distribution Specified Normalization (DSN) method, and Highest Weight Normalization (HWN) method. These techniques help to measure the relevance of an edge in propagating a fault. We use spectrum-based fault localization (SBFL) technique DStar(D∗) to localize the bugs at the statement level. We also extended our approach to localize multiple fault programs. Based on our experimental results, it is observed that using DSN and HWN scoring schemes, there is a reduction of 43.65% and 38.88% of statements examined compared to the well-accepted SBFL technique DStar(D∗) respectively.
A new cycloartane triterpene and other phytoconstituents from the aerial parts of Euphorbia dendroides

Abstract New cycloartane-type triterpene 23 R/S-3β-hydroxycycloart-24-ene-23-methyl ether 1a,b (as an C-23 epimeric mixture), along with ten known compounds, including 1 steroid, 3 fatty acids and 6 triterpenoids were isolated from the aerial parts of Euphorbia dendroides L. (Euphorbiaceae). The known compounds (2–11) were identified using 1 D & 2 D-NMR spectra and by comparison with data reported in the literature as well as using GC-MS for the isolated fatty acids. The new compound 1 (a,b) was elucidated by comprehensive 1 D & 2 D NMR experiments as well as LR & HR-FAB-MS. In addition, the isolated cycloartane-type triterpenoids have been tested for in vitro cytotoxicity against different cell lines. The new compound 1 (a,b) exhibited good to weak selective cytotoxic activities against HepG2, Huh-7, KLM-1, 1321N1 and HeLa cell lines with IC50 values of 20.67 ± 0.72, 16.24 ± 0.53, 22.59 ± 0.94, 25.99 ± 0.31 and 40.50 ± 3.14 μM, respectively. Graphical Abstract
Balloon catheter cannulation for route identification and axis stabilization during direct freehand cholangioscopy

Freehand techniques for direct cholangioscopy access have received little attention, given disappointing initial results and high perceived and/or real technical challenges. However, while pure freehand intubation appears feasible in a significant proportion of individuals, technical advance-ments and tricks of the trade are being developed. Along these lines, herein I present another rescue technique assisting in freehand access for direct cholangioscopy, the “balloon-catheter-cannulation technique”, which may be instrumental in overcoming two major hurdles of the procedure, i.e., stable intubation of the papillary orifice with adequate orientation and scope advancement in the common bile duct vis-à-vis gastric loop formation. To further disseminate direct cholangioscopy in the endoscopy community, technical beyond technological advancements, as for instance dedicated next-generation cholangioscopes, appear essential. Herein, I present a technical case report focussing on the limitations of the pure freehand and relative advantages of the “balloon catheter cannulation-assisted” approach for direct cholangioscopy access. Copyright
Morphological identification and systematic classification of mammalian retinal ganglion cells. I. Rabbit retinal ganglion cells

Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) convey visual signals to 50 regions of the brain. For reasons of interest and convenience, they constitute an excellent system for the study of brain structure and function. There is general agreement that, absent a complete “parts list,” understanding how the nervous system processes information will remain an elusive goal. Recent studies indicate that there are 30–50 types of ganglion cell in mouse retina, whereas only a few years ago it was still written that mice and the more visually oriented lagomorphs had less than 20 types of RGC. More than 30 years ago, I estimated that rabbits have about 40 types of RGC. The present study indicates that this number is much too low. I have employed the old but powerful method of Golgi‐impregnation to rabbit retina, studying the range of component neurons in this already well‐studied retinal system. Close quantitative and qualitative analyses of 1,142 RGCs in 26 retinas take into account cell body and dendritic field size, level(s) of dendritic stratification in the retina's inner plexiform layer, and details of dendritic branching. Ninety‐one morphologies are recognized. Of these, at least 32 can be correlated with physiologically studied RGCs, dye‐injected for morphological analysis. It is unlikely that rabbits have 91 types of RGC, but is argued here that this number lies between 60 and 70. The present study provides a “yardstick” for measuring the output of future molecular studies that may be more definitive in fixing the number of RGC types in rabbit retina.
The Medical Relevance of Fusarium spp.

The most important medical relevance of Fusarium spp. is based on their phytopathogenic property, contributing to hunger and undernutrition in the world. A few Fusarium spp. , such as F. oxysporum and F. solani, are opportunistic pathogens and can induce local infections, i.e., of nails, skin, eye, and nasal sinuses, as well as occasionally, severe, systemic infections, especially in immunocompromised patients. These clinical diseases are rather difficult to cure by antimycotics, whereby the azoles, such as voriconazole, and liposomal amphotericin B give relatively the best results. There are at least two sources of infection, namely the environment and the gut mycobiome of a patient. A marked impact on human health has the ability of some Fusarium spp. to produce several mycotoxins, for example, the highly active trichothecenes. These mycotoxins may act either as pathogenicity factors, which means that they damage the host and hamper its defense, or as virulence factors, enhancing the aggressiveness of the fungi. Acute intoxications are rare, but chronic exposition by food items is a definite health risk, although in an individual case, it remains difficult to describe the role of mycotoxins for inducing disease. Mycotoxins taken up either by food or produced in the gut may possibly induce an imbalance of the intestinal microbiome. A particular aspect is the utilization of F. venetatum to produce cholesterol-free, protein-rich food items.
Subcellular Localization Relevance and Cancer-Associated Mechanisms of Diacylglycerol Kinases

An increasing number of reports suggests a significant involvement of the phosphoinositide (PI) cycle in cancer development and progression. Diacylglycerol kinases (DGKs) are very active in the PI cycle. They are a family of ten members that convert diacylglycerol (DAG) into phosphatidic acid (PA), two-second messengers with versatile cellular functions. Notably, some DGK isoforms, such as DGKα, have been reported to possess promising therapeutic potential in cancer therapy. However, further studies are needed in order to better comprehend their involvement in cancer. In this review, we highlight that DGKs are an essential component of the PI cycle that localize within several subcellular compartments, including the nucleus and plasma membrane, together with their PI substrates and that they are involved in mediating major cancer cell mechanisms such as growth and metastasis. DGKs control cancer cell survival, proliferation, and angiogenesis by regulating Akt/mTOR and MAPK/ERK pathways. In addition, some DGKs control cancer cell migration by regulating the activities of the Rho GTPases Rac1 and RhoA.
Toxigenic Vibrio cholerae strains and their associated malaises

Toxigenic strains of Vibrio cholerae belonging to the O1 and O139 serogroups cause cholera, a severe diarrhoeal disease that occurs frequently as epidemics in many developing countries. Although V. cholerae is known to be a human pathogen, the bacteria constitute part of the normal aquatic flora in the ecosystem, which includes both epidemic and non epidemic strains that vary in their virulence gene profile. V. cholerae O1 and O139 strains are commonly known to carry a set of virulence genes necessary for pathogenesis in human. The major virulence factors of V. cholerae include cholera toxin (CT), which is responsible for the profuse watery diarrhoea and a pilus colonization factor known as toxin coregulated pilus (TCP). The presence of virulence-associated genes in the environmental strains provides interesting possibility to understand the pathogenicity of the disease. The emergence of toxigenic V. cholerae strains has provided an opportunity to study the coevolution of different serogroups of epidemic V. cholerae strains, apparently driven by competition for survival and thereby attaining enhanced fitness. This review attempts to bring together some of the important researches in recent times that have contributed towards understanding the genetic, epidemiology and evolution of toxigenic V. cholerae.
Biliary Tract in Trident, an Anatomical Variation Between the Cystic Duct and its Union to the Common Hepatic Duct. A Rare Case Report

Given that the gallbladder and the biliary tract are subject to multiple anatomical variants, detailed knowledge of embryology and its anatomical varia nts is essential for the recognition of the surgical field when the gallbladder is removed laparoscopically or by laparotomy, even when radiology procedures are performed. During a necropsy procedure, when performing the dissection of the bile duct is a rare anatomical variant of the bile duct, in this case the cystic duct joins at the confluence of the right and left hepatic ducts giving an appearance of trident. This rare anatomical variant in the formation of common bile duct is found during the exploration of the bile duct during a necropsy procedure, it is clear that the wrong ligation of a common hepatic duct can cause a great morbi-mortality in the postsurgical of biliary surgery. This rare anatomical variant not previously described is put in consideration to the scientific co mmunity. Anatomical variants of the biliary tract are associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality, causing serious bile duct injuries. Only the surgical skill of the surgeon and his open mind to the possibilities of abnormalities make the performance of cholecystectomy a safe procedure.
Perioperative versus postoperative chemotherapy for gastric cancer: A propensity score matched analysis

In advanced gastric cancer, chemotherapy, given either perioperatively or as an adjuvant treatment, has been shown to improve survival when compared to surgery alone. However, no trial has compared these two approaches head‐to‐head. Hence, we aimed to compare the short‐ and long‐term outcomes of patients with gastric cancer who received either perioperative chemotherapy or adjuvant chemotherapy.