Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
DPF-Net: A Dual-Path Progressive Fusion Network for Retinal Vessel Segmentation

Precise segmentation of retinal vessels from fundus images is essential for intervention in numerous diseases and is helpful in preventing and treating blindness. Deep convolutional neural network (DCNN)-based approaches have achieved excellent success in the automatic segmentation of retinal vessels. However, a single convolutional neural network (CNN) structure can only capture limited local features and lack the ability to extract global contexts. Meanwhile, the strategies used for the feature fusion of low-level detail information with high-level semantic information fail to handle the phenomenon of the semantic gap issue between the encoder and the decoder validly. Therefore, high-precision segmentation of retinal vessels still remains a challenging task. In this article, a dual-path progressive fusion network, named DPF-Net, is proposed for accurate and end-to-end segmentation of retinal vessels from fundus images. To detect rich feature formation, a dual-path encoder is proposed for effective feature representation, which contains a CNN path for detecting local features and a recurrent convolutional path for extracting contextual information. It could acquire sufficient detailed information and rich contextual information at the same time. In addition, a progressive fusion strategy is proposed for effective feature aggregation at the same scale, adjacent scales, and all scales, which is composed of an interactive fusion (IF) block, a cross-layer fusion (CLF) block, and a scale feature fusion (SFF) block. Combined with the feature maps from different paths at the same scale, an IF block is proposed to fuse detailed features with contextual features to obtain fusion features. Meanwhile, a CLF block is proposed to fuse features between adjacent scales to guide low-level feature representation through high-level features. Finally, an SFF block is proposed to recalculate the weights of all scales to realize effective feature aggregation from all scales. Extensive experiments have been conducted on three publicly available retinal datasets [DRIVE, CHASEDB1, and structured analysis of the retina (STARE)]. Experimental results show that the proposed DPF-Net could achieve better segmentation results compared to other state-of-the-art methods, especially the proposed progressive fusion strategy that indeed promotes feature fusion and significantly boosts the segmentation performance.
Finite-time Adaptive Synchronization of Two Different Fractional-order Gyroscope Systems with Dead-zone Nonlinear Inputs

This paper proposes a novel fractional-order Sliding Mode Control (SMC) technique to synchronize two difierent fractional-order gyroscope systems. We assumed that all parameters of both master and slave system are fully unknown in advance. Moreover, the efiects of dead-zone nonlinear inputs are taken into account. In order to deal with these unknown parameters, some adaption laws are given. On the basis of SMC technique and flnite-time theory, a robust controller is designed to synchronize two fractional-order gyroscope systems in flnite time. Finally, simulation results are presented to verify the efiectiveness and applicability of the proposed flnite-time SMC scheme.
Identification of Compact Equivalent Circuit Model for Metamaterial Structures

In this work, a simple and efficient circuit modeling of metamaterial structures, providing a compact circuit able to describe accurately the device over a large bandwidth of operation, is proposed. The equivalent circuit model is obtained by the identification process of the load in terms of shunt branches constituted by reactive elements that can be both positive and negative. The circuit model is validated by analyzing the split-ring resonator (SRR) structure. The presence of negative elements in the non-Foster load is transformed into positive reactive elements by converting the load from shunt into series. Unlike the T or $\Pi $ circuit models, using this approach a circuit model can be constructed directly from the scattering parameters and valid for any circuit topologies.
A new computational approach to the synthesis of fixed order controllers

The research described in this dissertation deals with an open problem concerning the synthesis of controllers of fixed order and structure. This problem is encountered in a variety of applications. Simply put, the problem may be put as the determination of the set, S of controller parameter vectors, K = (k 1,k2,.,kl), that render Hurwitz a family (indexed by F ) of complex polynomials of the form {P0( s,α) + i=1 l Pi(s,α) ki, α ∈ F }, where the polynomials Pj(s,α), j = 0,. ,l are given data. They are specified by the plant to be controlled, the structure of the controller desired and the performance that the controllers are expected to achieve. Simple examples indicate that the set S can be non-convex and even be disconnected. While the determination of the non-emptiness of S is decidable and amenable to methods such as the quantifier elimination scheme, such methods have not been computationally tractable and more importantly, do not provide a reasonable approximation for the set of controllers. Practical applications require the construction of a set of controllers that will enable a control engineer to check the satisfaction of performance criteria that may not be mathematically well characterized. The transient performance criteria often fall into this category. From the practical viewpoint of the construction of approximations for S , this dissertation is different from earlier work in the literature on this problem. A novel feature of the proposed algorithm is the exploitation of the interlacing property of Hurwitz polynomials to provide arbitrarily tight outer and inner approximation to S . The approximation is given in terms of the union of polyhedral sets which are constructed systematically using the Hermite-Biehler theorem and the generalizations of the Descartes' rule of signs.
Fertility Assessment of Green Coconut Water in Experimentally Induced Hyperprolactinaemia in Female Sprague-Dawley Rats

Background: The majority of the causes of female infertility have been associated with imbalances in reproductive hormones particularly hyperprolactinaemia. Green coconut water has been shown to demonstrate estrogenic effect. Objective: To determine the effects of green coconut water on fertility rate in hyperprolactin-induced infertility in female Sprague- Dawley rats. Methods: One hundred and twenty-five cyclic female Sprague-Dawley rats were used for this study. The rats were divided into 6 experimental study groups (I-VI). In experimental study Group I, animals were induced with hyperprolactinaemia and withdrawn to check for recovery. Experimental study Group II animals were post-treated with green coconut water and Group III animals were the co-administered group. In experimental Group IV, animals were pre-treated and Group V animals received green coconut water only. Experiment Group VI was the control group where animals received distilled water only. Results: All the animals in the control group were pregnant and carried their individual pregnancy to full term with typical number of foetuses. There was no foetus seen in the uterus of the induced animals after 20 days of assumed gestation after mating was confirmed. The number of foetuses in the hyperprolactin animals increased following treatment with green coconut water. Conclusion: The results from this investigation have demonstrated that green coconut water is an effective pro-fertility agent in the management of hyperprolactin-induced infertility.
Invasive Acantholytic Ocular Surface Squamous Neoplasia: A Rare Case

Ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) is a spectrum of intraepithelial and invasive neoplastic lesions of the conjunctiva and cornea. OSSN is a rare but potentially sight-threatening ocular malignancy that can be challenging to diagnose due to its clinical and histopathological resemblance to benign ocular surface lesions. However, OSSN can lead to significant ocular and systemic morbidity, including vision loss and metastasis. Various risk factors have been identified, including ultraviolet radiation exposure, human papillomavirus infection, and immunosuppression. The histopathological analysis of the lesion is of utmost importance in diagnosing and further managing squamous cell carcinoma. The acantholytic variant of squamous cell carcinoma is uncommon. Here, we present the case of a 69-year-old male who presented with an invasive mass of progressive growth on the left eyeball extending into the visual axis. The patient underwent extended enucleation, and a histopathological analysis demonstrated a rare acantholytic variant of squamous cell carcinoma.
Maximizing Postoperative Recovery: The Role of Functional Biomaterials as Nasal Packs—A Comprehensive Systematic Review without Meta-Analysis (SWiM)

Numerous biomaterials have been developed over the years to enhance the outcomes of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) for patients with chronic rhinosinusitis. These products are specifically designed to prevent postoperative bleeding, optimize wound healing, and reduce inflammation. However, there is no singular material on the market that can be deemed the optimal material for the nasal pack. We systematically reviewed the available evidence to assess the functional biomaterial efficacy after ESS in prospective studies. The search was performed using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, and 31 articles were identified in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2) was used to assess each study’s risk of bias. The studies were critically analyzed and categorized into types of biomaterial and functional properties, according to synthesis without meta-analysis (SWiM) guidelines. Despite the heterogeneity between studies, it was observed that chitosan, gelatin, hyaluronic acid, and starch-derived materials exhibit better endoscopic scores and significant potential for use in nasal packing. The published data support the idea that applying a nasal pack after ESS improves wound healing and patient-reported outcomes.
A Web-based Patient Management System in Teeth Segmentation Using Deep Learning

Several advanced deep-learning methods have recently enabled the automatic segmentation of 3D dental models. However, the considerable computational cost of these methods usually results in time-consuming training and segmentation periods on edge devices, prohibiting effective preoperative planning. Thus, the aim of this paper is to propose a web-based patient management system in teeth segmentation using deep learning. The proposed deep learning method places significant emphasis on the coordinates of cell vertices, normal vectors, relative positions, and curvatures to enable precise and comprehensive teeth segmentation. Furthermore, an online platform can be employed for telemedicine, collaborative treatment and follow-up care in various regions or countries, thereby contributing to intelligent healthcare. The experimental findings of this study confirm that the proposed system significantly outperforms state-of-the-art techniques for 3D teeth segmentation and telemedicine.
Improved bilateral filter based on phase congruency principle

To enhance the filtering performance while preserving more edges and details information,a novel method combined with phase congruency and traditional bilateral filter method is put forward.According to the phase congruency information of image,the bilateral filter's space correlation and gray correlation factors are modified adaptively to obtain the best filtering effect.By processing the noised images with proposed method and evaluating the processing effect subjectively and objectively,the peak signal to noise ratio(PSNR)and structure similarity(SSIM)index are significantly improved.The effectiveness and feasibility of the algorithm are demonstrated in practice.
Inheritance of function properties for functionals

Abstract---A special characteristic of a functional exploited from its definition is that a functional is a type of function that takes functions as its input. Based on this characteristic and the laws of topology we shall investigate the inheritance of the function properties in functional. In particular we are interested in using this inheritance in investigating the relationship between optimization algorithms which work for functions and optimization algorithms that work for functionals.
Spatial and temporal variability in summertime dissolved carbon dioxide and methane in temperate ponds and shallow lakes

Small waterbodies have potentially high greenhouse gas emissions relative to their small footprint on the landscape, although there is high uncertainty in model estimates. Scaling their carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) exchange with the atmosphere remains challenging due to an incomplete understanding and characterization of spatial and temporal variability in CO2 and CH4. Here, we measured partial pressures of CO2 (pCO2) and CH4 (pCH4) across 30 ponds and shallow lakes during summer in temperate regions of Europe and North America. We sampled each waterbody in three locations at three times during the growing season, and tested which physical, chemical, and biological characteristics related to the means and variability of pCO2 and pCH4 in space and time. Summer means of pCO2 and pCH4 were inversely related to waterbody size and positively related to floating vegetative cover; pCO2 was also positively related to dissolved phosphorus. Temporal variability in partial pressure in both gases weas greater than spatial variability. Although sampling on a single date was likely to misestimate mean seasonal pCO2 by up to 26%, mean seasonal pCH4 could be misestimated by up to 64.5%. Shallower systems displayed the most temporal variability in pCH4 and waterbodies with more vegetation cover had lower temporal variability. Inland waters remain one of the most uncertain components of the global carbon budget; understanding spatial and temporal variability will ultimately help us to constrain our estimates and inform research priorities.
The temporal and affective structure of living systems: A thermodynamic perspective

Enactive approaches to cognitive science as well as contemporary accounts from neuroscience have argued that we need to reconceptualize the role of temporality and affectivity in minds. Far from being limited to special faculties, such as emotional mental states and timekeeping, these accounts argue that time and affect both constitute fundamental aspects of minds and cognition. If this is true, how should one conceptualize the relation between these two fundamental aspects? This paper offers a way to conceptualize and clarify the relation between temporality and affectivity when understood in this fundamental sense. In particular, the paper contributes to ongoing discussions of structural temporality and affectivity by combining enactive notions of self-maintenance with a thermodynamically informed view of the organization of living systems. In situating temporality and affectivity by way of their role for the maintenance of thermodynamic non-equilibrium, I will argue that temporality and affectivity should be regarded as two sides of the same coin—that is, two distinct ways of highlighting one and the same process. This process corresponds to the continued differentiation of organism and environment as functional poles of a living system. The temporal and affective structure of living systems may thus be seen as the warp and weft by which living systems maintain themselves in terms of thermodynamic non-equilibrium.
Effects of Blended Simulation on Nursing Students’ Critical Thinking Skills: A Quantitative Study

Introduction Critical thinking is regarded as imperative to healthcare quality and patient outcomes; therefore, effective strategies in nursing education are required to promote students’ critical thinking abilities, leading to their success in clinical work. Accordingly, simulation-based education has been suggested as a measure for achieving this goal. Objective The aim of this study was to explore whether a nursing education course with blended simulation activities (hands-on simulations with high-fidelity manikins and a web-based interactive simulation program) could increase nursing students’ critical thinking skills. Method A quasiexperimental, one-group pretest and post-test design was utilized. Data were collected through premeasurement and postmeasurement using a critical thinking questionnaire and were analyzed using paired sample t-tests, independent sample t-tests, and the nonparametric Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The effect size was calculated using Cohen's d formula. Results Sixty-one nursing students (57 women and four men, mean age 30 years) participated in the study. Findings of the paired sample t-test showed a significantly higher mean score for posteducation than pre-education, indicating a significant change in nurses’ critical thinking capabilities (p < .001). The results for Cohen's d formula ( − 0.87) of the mean scores between pre-education and posteducation indicated a large effect size. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test also showed a statistically significant increase in the students’ critical thinking abilities between pre-education and posteducation measures (p < .001). No statistically significant differences were found in the mean score according to age or sex. Conclusion This study concluded that blended simulation-based education can increase nursing students’ critical thinking capabilities. As a result, this study builds on the use of simulation as a measure for developing and promoting critical thinking abilities during nursing education.
SENSE OF PLACE PADA RUANG PERPUSTAKAAN PUSAT UNIVERSITAS INDONESIA

Tren desain perpustakaan di era modern kini telah menggeser perubahan fungsi dan makna perpustakaan dan penerapan teori sense of place pada desain interior. Perpustakaan akademik sebagai sebuah tempat sosial bagi mahasiswa dimaknai sebagai sebuah tempat yang sunyi dan tenang. Tetapi konsep library as a place membawa perpustakaan menjadi sebuah tempat beraktivitas sosial baik akademik maupun non-akademik. Perpustakaan Pusat Universitas Indonesia merupakan salah satu perpustakaan akademik di Indonesia yang mengusung konsep library as a social place. Dengan konsep library as a place, Perpustakaan Pusat Universitas Indonesia diharapkan akan meningkatkan tingkat kenyamanan pengguna perpustakaan. Fenomena library as a place yang tercipta antara keseimbangan aktivitas akademik dan non-akademik menjadi fokus utama dalam penelitian ini. Melalui teori Place milik Hashemnezhad, maka dikaji pengaruh aspek fisik, emosi dan perilaku terhadap makna yang terbentuk pada ruang perpustakaan sebagai ruang publik. Dalam mengkaji penelitian inisecara komprehensif, metode yang digunakan adalah pendekatan campuran dengan strategi eksploratori sekuensial. Sampel dalam penelitian ini adalah pengunjung yang Perpustakaan Pusat Universitas Indonesia, baik warga Universitas Indonesia maupn non-UI, yang dipilih dengan metode purposive sampling. Dari hasil analisis dapat disimpulkan bahwa (1) aspek fisik area perpustakaan yang paling mempengaruhi kepuasan pengunjung perpustakaan adalah suhu ruang; (2) suasana nyaman yang tercipta dari aktivitas sosial yang terjadi menambah kenyamanan pengunjung perpustakaan untuk dapat bersantai dan menghabiskan waktu luang; dan (3) pengunjung perpustakaan memaknai ruang perpustakaan sebagai tempat mencari ide/gagasan/inspirasi. Makna tempat (place) pada perpustakaan akademik terbentuk oleh perannya sebagai ruang sosial. Kehadiran ruang sosial pada Perpustakaan Pusat Universitas Indonesia menjadikan identitas baru bagi perpustakaan akademik, sehingga Perpustakaan Pusat Universitas Indonesia memiliki ciri khas dan ketertarikan untuk dikunjungi.
Quantum Logic and the Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics

One problem with assessing quantum logic is that there are considerable differences between its practitioners. In particular they offer different versions of the set of sentences which the logic governs. On some accounts the sentences involved describe events, on others they are ascriptions of properties. In this paper a framework is offered within which to discuss different quantum logical interpretations of quantum theory, and then the works of Jauch, Putnam, van Fraassen and Kochen are located within it.
Bladder Volume Estimation Using 3-D Electrical Impedance Tomography Based on Fringe Field Sensing

Clinically, dynamic monitoring of bladder volume is of great significance for patients with bladder diseases. This article proposes a method for the continuous monitoring of bladder volume by 3-D electrical impedance tomography (EIT). To facilitate convenient installation and maintenance for patients, a single-layer half-circle EIT sensor is proposed and designed to be attached at the top of the full bladder for 3-D imaging, based on fringe field sensing. By incorporating the simple prior knowledge of the approximate position and maximum extension region of a full bladder in the abdomen, a dedicated sparse representation algorithm was proposed to alleviate the ill-posedness of 3-D reconstruction and improve the image quality. Bladder volume is finally estimated based on the 3-D image with improved accuracy. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by simulation and human trials. Results show that this method is able to reconstruct a 3-D image of the bladder, and the estimation errors of volume are less than 8% in the human trials, which is accurate enough for patients nursing. This provides a promising alternative for the dynamic monitoring of bladder volume.
Why use natural laminar flow airfoils in vertical axis wind turbine applications

Since the early eighties, Natural Laminar Flow (NLF) airfoils have been preferred to NACA airfoils on Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) blades because their use normally lead to a lower Cost Of Energy (COE). This paper wants to illustrate and clarify the relative merits of using NLF airfoils in the design of VAWTs. This is achieved by the application of the doublemultiple-streamtube model of Paraschivoiu to the performance predictions of VAWTs equipped with conventional (symmetrical NACA airfoil series) and NLF (SNLA airfoil series of Sandia Laboratories) blades. The individual contributions of lift and drag to power are presented so that the aerodynamic efficiency of both types of airfoils may be compared. It has been demonstrated that NLF blades are aerodynamically more efficient than conventional blades only in a very low wind speed range so that the point behind the use of NLF airfoils in VAWT applications is not associated to their low drag characteristics present only in the very low wind speed range, but rather to their sharp and early stall characteristics which lead to a relatively flat power curve at high wind speeds.
Uma indicação precisa de attachments em reabilitação oral na atualidade: relato de caso clínico

Do attachments or fittings still have an indication in oral rehabilitation in the age of dental implants? Certainly. This modality of prosthetic retention can enable the functional and aesthetic restoration of the masticatory system with great quality, especially when the patient cannot undergo therapy with osseointegrated implants. The present case report aims to present a clinical situation of maxillary oral rehabilitation of a patient using intravenous bisphosphonate. The impossibility of undergoing surgical procedures led to the indication of semi-precision attachments, 1 Doutor em Clínica Odontológica UNICAMP, Professor Associado Prótese Dental UFC Fortaleza, wagnerufc@yahoo.com. br 2 Especialista em Prótese Dentária UNICHRISTUS Fortaleza, joelpinheiro05@gmail.com 3 Especialista em Prótese Dentária UNICHRISTUS Fortaleza, raianyuchoa@hotmail.com 4 Doutor em Reabilitação Oral FOB/USP Bauru, Professor Universidade Christus Unichristus, danielsartorelli@gmail.com