Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A marching voxels method for surface rendering of volume data

The marching cubes method is a well-known surface extraction method by using the surface configurations of cubes for surface rendering of volume data. The marching cubes method has three main disadvantages: it is time consuming, ambiguous, and holes are generated. All these disadvantages come from the use of the surface configurations of cubes. We propose an efficient surface extraction method, the marching voxels method, for surface rendering of volume data. Instead of using the surface configurations of cubes, the marching voxels method first generates triangles for inner voxels. Then it combines the triangles of inner voxels to produce the surface of an object. Finally, the surface of an object is projected to a plane to form the final image. Since the marching voxels method considers the combination of triangles of voxels not cubes and the combination of triangles is performed in a deterministic way, there is neither ambiguous case of a combination nor holes for the generated surface. The experimental results show that the marching voxels method saves about 30% of the surface rendering time compared to the marching cubes method for test samples.
All Are Not Saints, Who Go to Church: Corporate Social Responsibility, Perceived Corporate Hypocrisy and the Impact on Customer Satisfaction

We adopt a customer point of view and investigate the impact of perceived corporate hypocrisy on customer satisfaction in the context of corporate social responsibility (CSR). We argue that when customers perceive discrepancies between commitment and implementation of CSR initiatives, they make negative judgements about the focal firm and accordingly, they report lower levels of customer satisfaction. Using data for U.S. companies for the period 2008–2016, we confirm that when customers perceive corporate hypocrisy related to environmental product (or service) innovation they report lower customer satisfaction, as measured by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Moreover, we find that brand value mitigates the negative effect of perceived corporate hypocrisy on customer satisfaction, suggesting that positive perceptions of a company’s brand may act as a buffer against customers’ negative judgements of corporate hypocrisy. In contrast, our results reveal that when customers perceive corporate hypocrisy in the presence of customer satisfaction monitoring systems, they are likely to report even lower levels of customer satisfaction. We conclude by discussing limitations and implications for future research.
Market for Plant-Based Meat Alternatives

Shifting consumer preferences towards meat alternatives can be attributed to the factors such as health and ecological benefits, as well as meat adulteration. Increasing consumer demand for better grade of meat alternatives is also expected to boost the market growth in the near future. Protein sources from maize, peas, rice, and chickpeas are anticipated to witness significant growth and new developments. Alternatives such as bean curd or wheat gluten are expected to be the beneficial source of protein and phosphorous. This can be attributed to the fact that 50 g of vital wheat gluten in combination with water produces 2 ounces of gluten in a solid form, which further comprises of nearly 38 g of protein in each serving. However, factors such as the higher cost of meat substitutes inhibit the market growth, particularly in developing economies, wherein the dietary awareness is expected to be lower. Further factors, related to gluten intolerance and soy allergy, are also anticipated to restrain the market growth. This chapter includes a market study of meat alternatives across the world based on analyzing, estimating, and forecasting for the 2015-2025 period. Market determinants of the meat alternatives market are also explored to analyze market drivers, restraints, challenges, opportunities, trends, and developments. The competitive landscape section includes information related to key market players with an overview of product portfolio and strategic initiatives.
General hospital health professionals’ attitudes and perceived dangerousness towards patients with comorbid mental and physical health conditions: Systematic review and meta‐analysis

The stigmatization of mental health is present in general hospital settings impacting quality of care. We hypothesized that health professionals in these areas would elicit negative attitudes and a perceived level of dangerousness across a range of mental health disorders. We aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine these attitudes and perceptions. We searched the bibliographic databases of CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE Complete, PsycINFO, and Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection in May 2017 (no date parameters were set). Quantitative studies investigating generalist health professionals' attitudes towards mental health conditions were selected. Initially, prevalence meta-analyses were conducted to assess the extent of perceived danger, followed by a series of comparative meta-analyses in which the perceived dangerousness of mental health conditions was compared. Of the 653 citations retrieved, eight studies met the inclusion criteria. The overall sample included 2548 health professionals. A majority of health professionals perceived patients with substance use disorder as dangerous 0.60 (95% CI: 0.32-0.88) when compared with patients who had an alcohol-related disorder, schizophrenia, and depression. The results also indicated that a large proportion of staff perceived patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia as dangerous 0.42 (95% CI: 0.33-0.52). Negative attitudes towards people experiencing mental illness in general hospital settings may be attributed to poor mental health literacy, skills and limited exposure, and social and cultural beliefs about mental illness. Ongoing professional development targeting mental health knowledge is recommended for health professionals working in general hospital settings.
Malignancy and the Skeleton

Bone is one of the three most common sites of tumor metastasis. Bone metastasis is a catastrophic complication of cancer, since it is not only associated with intractable pain, but also with other morbidity such as hypercalcemia which usually hastens an uncomfortable death. Despite the importance of bone metastasis/hypercalcemia, until recently clinicians have used specific therapies only for the treatment of hypercalcemia but not for bone metastasis. During this presentation, I will review our current understanding of some of the steps involved in the pathophysiology of bone metastasis and its association with hypercalcemia, and how I think these complications of cancer should be treated.
Twitter Use During Hurricane Irma: How the Local Government Agencies Amplify and Attenuate Risk Factors for the Vulnerable Populations

Twitter has become a popular channel for local governments to explore crisis communication during a hurricane. Local governments use Twitter to distribute crisis messages to the public, and are able to amplify or attenuate risk perception. Many factors attribute to individuals’ risk perception including control, choice, children, novelty, and risk-benefit tradeoff. The Social Amplification of Risk Framework (SARF) provides a guide to understanding the intensifying or weakening of these risk messages. While these crisis messages are directed to the general public, the local governments may be neglecting information for the vulnerable populations. In order to prepare for a hurricane, vulnerable populations need updates from local governments and emergency agencies before, during, and after the hurricane. Relationships among stages of a hurricane, tweet categories, and risk perception were explored. A sample of 1,043 tweets from six Twitter accounts of local governments in Florida were analyzed to provide insight into what type of messages local governments tweet and what risk perceptions local governments emphasize during the stages of Hurricane Irma. Using a Cross-tabulation analysis, researchers analyzed significant differences for stages of a hurricane, tweet categories, and risk perceptions. Findings for this study indicate that results were significant through each stage of the hurricane.
Building a Trust-Aware dynamic routing solution for Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) have undergone tremendous technological advances over the last few years, and a broad range of ubiquitous computing applications have been enabled in the area of distributed sensing and control areas. To fully achieve the potentials of WSNs, designing a reliable and secure routing mechanism becomes critical. The intent of this work is to incorporate theories of trust from social networks into sensor networks, and develop a Trust-Aware dynamic Routing Framework (TARF) in order to provide a reliable and trustworthy routing solution in the dynamic WSN environment. It is noted that the proposed TARF does not eliminate the utilization of any conventional cryptographic approaches, and it works as a complementary component to provide an advanced security solution to the imperfect WSN of today.
Synthèse de régulateurs numériques robustes multivariables par optimisation convexe

La these concerne essentiellement les methodes de synthese de regulateurs numeriques robustes, monovariables ou multivariables, pour la commande des procedes temps-continu. Pour la synthese, il est suppose que l'on dispose d'un modele lineaire echantillonne (discretise) du procede continue a commander. La robustesse de regulateur est traitee par l'analyse frequentielle des sensibilites (fonctions/matrices de transfert de la boucle fermee). Comme dans le cas de la commande H∞, les valeurs singulieres des reponses frequentielles sont examinees pour ces analyses. Le memoire est divise en cinq parties. La premiere partie concerne les systemes monovariables et le reste est concentre sur les problemes de synthese dans le domaine multivariable. Les cinq parties traitent les problematiques suivantes: • La premiere partie (Chapitre 2) touche la synthese de regulateurs robustes monovariables par le placement de poles, le calibrage de sensibilites et l'optimisation convexe [LK98, LL99]. Elle presente une nouvelle approche de la synthese par placement de poles en utilisant les filtres bande-etroite du 2$^e$ ordre et un logiciel associe developpe dans le cadre de ce travail. Le logiciel reflete les ameliorations apportees qui ont radicalement simplifiees la procedure de synthese. La section qui concerne l'optimisation convexe rappelle les principes est introduit la notation utilisee ulterieurement pour la theorie multivariable. • La deuxieme partie (Chapitre 3 et 4) evoque la theorie fondamentale de la commande multivariable et developpe l'idee de la synthese de regulateurs robustes multivariables par placement de poles et calibrage des sensibilites. Le regulateur a la forme d'observateur avec le retour des etats estimes et il est utilise dans la suite comme le regulateur central pour la synthese de regulateurs par optimisation convexe. • La troisieme partie (Chapitre 5) est la partie essentielle et elle developpe la methode de synthese de regulateurs robustes multivariables par calibrage de sensibilites et optimisation convexe. La methode est basee sur la meme principe que celui utilise dans le domaine monovariable [Lan98, LL99] et elle est realise comme une boite a outils interactive pour Matlab. Le placement de poles multivariable est aussi integre dans cette application. Le logiciel developpe fait partie de la these et il est brievement decrit dans ce chapitre. • La quatrieme partie (Chapitre 6) traite la synthese par optimisation convexe du pre-compensateur multivariable pour la poursuite. Le pre-com\-pen\-sa\-teur nous permet de separer les specifications sur la robustesse (rejet de perturbations et traitement des incertitudes) et les specifications sur la poursuite (temps de montee, depassement maximal). • La cinquieme partie (Chapitre 7) concerne la technique de reduction des regulateurs multivariables par identification en boucle fermee. La methode developpee fait suite a un approche similaire developpe pour les regulateurs monovariables dans [LKC01].
Tracking System for Underwater Inspection Using Computer Vision

Nowadays, the ocean plays a fundamental role in the global economy, mainly due to oil extraction industry. It makes this environment be populated with human-made structures that needs to be inspected and maintained. In this context, this paper details a system for on-line detecting an underwater cable-like target using computer vision algorithms. It makes able an underwater vehicle to tracking this target. Together with an automatic control, this system could be used to assist a human operator during inspection tasks. This work is concluded with a series of tests and analyses aiming to the system validation.
A Pathway Analysis of Melanin Patterning in a Hemimetabolous Insect

Diversity in insect pigmentation, encompassing a wide range of colors and spatial patterns, is among the most noticeable features distinguishing species, individuals, and body regions within individuals. In holometabolous species, a significant portion of such diversity can be attributed to the melanin synthesis genes, but this has not been formally assessed in more basal insect lineages. Here we provide a comprehensive analysis of how a set of melanin genes (ebony, black, aaNAT, yellow, and tan) contributes to the pigmentation pattern in a hemipteran, Oncopeltus fasciatus. For all five genes, RNA interference depletion caused alteration of black patterning in a region-specific fashion. Furthermore, the presence of distinct nonblack regions in forewings and hindwings coincides with the expression of ebony and aaNAT in these appendages. These findings suggest that the region-specific phenotypes arise from regional employment of various combinations of the melanin genes. Based on this insight, we suggest that melanin genes are used in two distinct ways: a “painting” mode, using predominantly melanin-promoting factors in areas that generally lack black coloration, and, alternatively, an “erasing” mode, using mainly melanin-suppressing factors in regions where black is the dominant pigment. Different combinations of these strategies may account for the vast diversity of melanin patterns observed in insects.
TOR Controls Transcriptional and Translational Programs via Sap-Sit4 Protein Phosphatase Signaling Effectors

ABSTRACT The Tor kinases are the targets of the immunosuppressive drug rapamycin and couple nutrient availability to cell growth. In the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the PP2A-related phosphatase Sit4 together with its regulatory subunit Tap42 mediates several Tor signaling events. Sit4 interacts with other potential regulatory proteins known as the Saps. Deletion of the SAP or SIT4 genes confers increased sensitivity to rapamycin and defects in expression of subsets of Tor-regulated genes. Sap155, Sap185, or Sap190 can restore these responses. Strains lacking Sap185 and Sap190 are hypersensitive to rapamycin, and this sensitivity is Gcn2 dependent and correlated with a defect in translation, constitutive eukaryotic initiation factor 2α hyperphosphorylation, induction of GCN4 translation, and hypersensitivity to amino acid starvation. We conclude that Tor signals via Sap-Sit4 complexes to control both transcriptional and translational programs that couple cell growth to amino acid availability.
Evidence Supporting a Role of Serotonin in Modulation of Sudden Death Induced by Seizures in DBA/2 Mice

Summary: Purpose: Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is a serious concern for epilepsy patients. DBA/2 mice are proposed as a SUDEP model, because these mice exhibit respiratory arrest (RA) after audiogenic seizures (AGSs), and RA is also implicated in human SUDEP. Respiratory mechanisms are modulated, in part, by serotonin. Therefore we evaluated the effects of serotoninergic agents on RA incidence in DBA/2 mice.
Towards digital materiality: Imbrication of Services and the re-configuration of agencies

This paper rests on recent debates on digital materiality to advance and engineering proposal for building Web 2.0 systems as Imbrications of Services (IoS). The key concept points to designing digital assemblages of non-human actors (i.e. technologies) that function interdependently so as to facilitate collective human intentionality in the context of non-trivial virtual work. Through this lens, we examine a popular coordination artifact, namely the calendar, to showcase how it may be re-invented to exhibit a digital materiality that spans across Web 2.0 services such as Google Drive, YouTube, Flickr and Disqus. The results demonstrate the feasibility of building tightly intertwined systems that exploit the distribution of material agency across digital services and appropriate the benefits of virtualization (e.g., by alleviating the need to for managing local data stores).
Dopaminergic Impact on Cortical Excitability in Humans

Dopamine is a major neuromodulatory agent of the central nervous system. The neurotransmitter has a non-linear dose-dependent effect on cortical excitability and activity, which depends on spontaneous activity, dopamine concentration, and dopaminergic sub-receptors, amongst others. By its impact on cortical and subcortical network activity and excitability, dopamine modulates such cognitive performance as attention, as well as learning and memory formation. Although animal studies have enhanced our knowledge about the physiology of dopamine considerably, the transferability of the results to conscious humans is limited due to altered spontaneous neuronal activity in anesthetized animals or slice experiments. Recently emerged noninvasive brain stimulation techniques enable the exploration of cortical excitability in humans. Here we review the respective experimental results and derive conclusions about how dopamine might affect the cortical excitability of the human brain.
Poster: A User Study of WhatsApp Privacy Settings Among Arab Users

Mobile Instant Messaging (MIM) applications (apps) such as WhatsApp Messenger enable easy communication and open new issues of information control and privacy management. We invesigate WhatsApp to understand how Arab people manage their privacy on MIM apps. We find that WhatsApp’s design decisions around adding contacts result in privacy issues of information leakage and unwanted contact through the app. Keywords—Privacy; WhatsApp; Mobile Instant Messaging; Usability; User Study; Survey; Arab
Roles of histone acetyltransferases and deacetylases in gene regulation

Acetylation of internal lysine residues of core histone N‐terminal domains has been found correlatively associated with transcriptional activation in eukaryotes for more than three decades. Recent discoveries showing that several transcriptional regulators possess intrinsic histone acetyltransferase (HAT) and deacetylase (HDAC) activities strongly suggest that histone acetylation and deacetylation each plays a causative role in regulating transcription. Intriguingly, several HATs have been shown an ability to acetylate nonhistone protein substrates (e.g., transcription factors) in vitro as well, suggesting the possibility that internal lysine acetylation of multiple proteins exists as a rapid and reversible regulatory mechanism much like protein phosphorylation. This article reviews recent developments in histone acetylation and transcriptional regulation. We also discuss several important, yet unanswered, questions. BioEssays 20:615–626, 1998. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons Inc.
Effects of low‐intensity, elastic band resistance exercise combined with blood flow restriction on muscle activation

We examined the effects of blood flow‐restricted, low‐intensity resistance exercise (termed kaatsu) using an elastic band for resistance on muscle activation. Nine men performed triceps extension and biceps flexion exercises (four sets respectively) using an elastic band for resistance with blood flow restriction (BFR) or CON (unrestricted blood flow). During a BFR session, subjects wore pressure cuffs inflated to 170–260 mmHg on the proximal region of both arms. Surface electromyography (EMG) was recorded from the triceps brachii and biceps brachii muscles, and mean integrated EMG (iEMG) was analyzed. Blood lactate concentration was obtained before (Pre) and immediately after two exercises (Post). During triceps extension and biceps flexion exercises, muscle activation increased progressively (P < 0.05) under BFR (46% and 69%, respectively) but not under CON (12% and 23%, respectively). Blood lactate concentration at Post was higher (P < 0.05) under BFR than under CON (3.6 and 2.1 mmol/L, respectively). Blood lactate concentration at Post was significantly correlated with increased iEMG in both triceps extension (r = 0.65, P < 0.01) and biceps flexion exercises (r = 0.52, P < 0.05). We conclude that kaatsu training using elastic bands for resistance enhances muscle activation and may be an effective method to promote muscle hypertrophy in older adults or patients with a low level of activity.
Preoperative chemoradiotherapy for oesophageal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: The benefit of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in oesophageal cancer has been extensively studied but data on survival are still equivocal. Objective: To assess the effectiveness of chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery in the reduction of mortality in patients with resectable oesophageal cancer. Methods: Computerised bibliographic searches of MEDLINE and CANCERLIT (1970–2002) were supplemented with hand searches of reference lists. Study selection: Studies were included if they were randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing preoperative chemoradiotherapy plus surgery with surgery alone, and if they included patients with resectable histologically proven oesophageal cancer without metastatic disease. Six eligible RCTs were identified and included in the meta-analysis. Data extraction: Data on study populations, interventions, and outcomes were extracted from each RCT according to the intention to treat method by three independent observers and combined using the DerSimonian and Laird method. Results: Chemoradiotherapy plus surgery compared with surgery alone significantly reduced the three year mortality rate (odds ratio (OR) 0.53 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.31–0.93); p = 0.03) (number needed to treat = 10). Pathological examination showed that preoperative chemoradiotherapy downstaged the tumour (that is, less advanced stage at pathological examination at the time of surgery) compared with surgery alone (OR 0.43 (95% CI 0.26–0.72); p = 0.001). The risk for postoperative mortality was higher in the chemoradiotherapy plus surgery group (OR 2.10 (95% CI 1.18–3.73); p = 0.01). Conclusions: In patients with resectable oesophageal cancer, chemoradiotherapy plus surgery significantly reduces three year mortality compared with surgery alone. However, postoperative mortality was significantly increased by neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Further large scale multicentre RCTs may prove useful to substantiate the benefit on overall survival.