Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Dental Matching Approach Using Partial Surface Features for Human Identification

A novel 3D dental identification framework is presented. The objective is to develop a methodology to enable computer-automated matching of complex dental surfaces with possible missing regions for human identification. Thus far, there is no reported attempt at 3D dental identification given partially available dental casts or impressions. This approach overcomes a number of key hurdles in traditional 2D methods. Given the 3D digital form of a dental cast surface, the developed method will facilitate the search for the closest match in the database of digitized dental casts. A salient curvature matching algorithm (SCM) is proposed for pose estimation which includes algorithms for feature extraction, feature description and correspondence. The feature point extraction algorithm could extract more salient features and the correspondence algorithm is more robust for pose estimation compared to known works. Experimental results show 85.7% hit rate at rank-1 accuracy based on matching of 7 partial sets to a database of 100 full sets in significantly reduced retrieval time. The hit rate increases to 100% with parameter adjustment. This work aims to enable computer-aided 3D dental identification and the proposed method could be adjunctively used with the traditional 2D dental identification method, as the available dental source for identification is still primarily 2D radiographs. Limitations of the methodology and future directions in matching highly fragmented and partial dental surfaces are discussed.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Operatives’ experiences of cultural diversity on Australian construction sites

Construction sites are among Australia’s most culturally diverse workplaces. A survey of 1155 construction operatives on Australian construction sites investigated, for the first time, the extent of this diversity and how it is experienced by workers. Results show that while cultural diversity presents organizational challenges by segregating the workforce, operatives’ cultural groups also perform positive functions such as maintaining positive bonds among group members and providing group support and safe havens. While there broadly appears to be equality of opportunity for all cultural groups, there is significant evidence of differential treatment for some groups, particularly in relation to accessing higher paying jobs, offensive graffiti and racist joke telling. Language barriers are one of the major challenges affecting work and social relations between different cultural groups and there is evidence that this has a detrimental impact upon safety.
Gene Therapy for Huntington’s Disease: The Final Strategy for a Cure?

Huntington’s disease (HD) has become a target of the first clinical trials for gene therapy among movement disorders with a genetic origin. More than 100 clinical trials regarding HD have been tried, but all failed, although there were some improvements limited to symptomatic support. Compared to other neurogenetic disorders, HD is known to have a single genetic target. Thus, this is an advantage and its cure is more feasible than any other movement disorder with heterogeneous genetic causes. In this review paper, the authors attempt to cover the characteristics of HD itself while providing an overview of the gene transfer methods currently being researched, and will introduce an experimental trial with a preclinical model of HD followed by an update on the ongoing clinical trials for patients with HD.
10.3: Invited Paper: High Mobility Oxide TFTs for Future LCD Applications

In this study, we reported the capability of a new composition oxide TFTs, fabricated using sputtering process and successfully developed including sputtering target with single‐phase. In order to compare single‐phase target with multiphase target, as‐deposited films by same sputtering condition for sputtering process were prepared and the chemical characterization of target, as‐deposited film, and annealed films, respectively by using EPMA and ICP analyses were evaluated. Single‐phase target had a uniform and homogeneous metal composition distribution without segregation. In addition, after annealing process, the films were maintained the chemical composition. We, therefore, selected single target and evaluated the electrical performances. The saturation mobility (μsat) was measured to be 22.4 cm2V−1s−1. In addition, threshold voltage (Vth) was 0.75 V and subthreshold swing (SS) was 0.44 V/decade, respectively. This study could encourage in developing a novel composition oxide TFTs with high mobility.
Image detail-preserving filter for impulsive noise attenuation

A new nonlinear filter is proposed for attenuating impulsive noise while preserving image details. The filter truncates the grey value of a pixel to the maximal or minimal value of its enclosed surrounding band. Impulsive noise inside the band is thus attenuated while image details are preserved as long as they stretch to the band. The recursive form of the proposed filter leads to a simple architecture for fast implementation. Theoretical analysis and experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of this new filter for both noise attenuation and detail preservation. For moderately contaminated images, as shown in the experiments, the proposed filter outperforms the standard median filter, the centre-weighted median filter and the unidirectional multistage median filter in terms of mean absolute error and filtering speed.
Evaluation of Vascular Health of E-Beta Thalassemia Patients: Effect of Iron Overload.

Hb E-β thalassemia is the most common form of hemoglobinopathy in Southeast Asia and eastern India. Iron overload resulting from blood transfusion and increased intestinal iron absorption promotes the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to oxidative stress, organ dysfunction, and tissue damage. Of these, cardiovascular complications are the leading cause of mortality. Impaired endothelial function is a biomarker of vascular health in patients with cardiovascular risks. Therefore, assessment of endothelial function is a useful prognostic tool. In the present study, 60 E- β thalassemia patients and 60 healthy, age, sex matched control subjects were taken. The mean hemoglobin and ferritin of thalassemic patients were 7.43gm/dl and 1032 mcg/dl respectively. The vascular health was compared by measuring flow-mediated vasodialation (FMD), arterial elastic parameters, and carotid intima-medial thickness (CIMT). There was lower FMD (7.49%) and higher CIMT (0.46mm) in thalassemic group than control (10.52 % and 0.36mm respectively) (p value< 0.05). Also arterial stiffness is elevated and arterial distensibility is lower in thalassemic patients than control. Among the thalassemic patients FMD or CIMT did not correlate with serum ferritin value. So, the E- β thalassemia patients had poor vascular health and are at a higher risk of developing atherosclerosis and cardio-vascular complication than normal population. The vascular dysfunction does not correlate with serum ferritin value, so regular monitoring with Doppler study is required for early diagnosis of subclinical atherosclerosis in this group of patients. However the effects of chelation therapy, Hydroxyurea, or other targeted therapies needs to be validated by further study.
FTC Design for Switched Fractional-Order Nonlinear Systems: An Application in a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor System

In this article, an adaptive fault-tolerant control (FTC) method and a fractional-order dynamic surface control (DSC) algorithm are jointly proposed to deal with the stabilization problem for a class of multiple-input–multiple-output (MIMO) switched fractional-order nonlinear systems with actuator faults and arbitrary switching. In each MIMO subsystem and each switched subsystem, the neural networks (NNs) are utilized to identify the complicated unknown nonlinearities. A fractional filter DSC technology is adopted to conquer the issue of “explosion of complexity,” which may occur when some functions are repeatedly derived. The common Lyapunov function method is used to restrain arbitrary switching problems in the system, and the actuator compensation technique is introduced to tackle the failure faults and bias faults in the actuators. By combining the backstepping DSC design technique and fractional-order stability theory, a novel NN adaptive switching FTC algorithm is proposed. Under the operation of the proposed algorithm, the stability and control performance of the fractional-order systems can be guaranteed. Finally, a simulation example of a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) system reveals the feasibility and effectiveness of the developed scheme.
Preclinical characterization of a next generation brain permeable, paradox breaker BRAF inhibitor.

PURPOSE Disease progression in BRAF V600E/K positive melanomas to approved BRAF/MEK inhibitor therapies is associated with the development of resistance mediated by RAF dimer inducing mechanisms. Moreover, progressing disease after BRAFi/MEKi frequently involves brain metastasis. Here we present the development of a novel BRAF inhibitor (Compound Ia) designed to address the limitations of available BRAFi/MEKi. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN The novel, brain penetrant, paradox breaker BRAFi is comprehensively characterized in vitro, ex vivo and in several preclinical in vivo models of melanoma mimicking peripheral disease, brain metastatic disease and acquired resistance to first generation BRAFi. RESULTS Compound Ia manifested elevated potency and selectivity, which triggered cytotoxic activity restricted to BRAF-mutated models and did not induce RAF paradoxical activation. In comparison to approved BRAFi at clinical relevant doses, this novel agent showed a substantially improved activity in a number of diverse BRAF V600E models. In addition, as a single agent, it outperformed a currently approved BRAFi/MEKi combination in a model of acquired resistance to clinically available BRAFi. Compound Ia presents high Central Nervous System (CNS) penetration and triggered evident superiority over approved BRAFi in a macro-metastatic and in a disseminated micro-metastatic brain model. Potent inhibition of MAPK by Compound Ia was also demonstrated in patient-derived tumor samples. CONCLUSIONS The novel BRAFi demonstrates preclinically the potential to outperform available targeted therapies for the treatment of BRAF-mutant tumors, thus supporting its clinical investigation.
Switching Fractional-Order Controllers of Common Rail Pressure in Compressed Natural Gas Engines

This paper concerns fuel injection control of compressed natural gas engines. The main operating conditions are considered and for each one a fractional-order PI controller is designed. Then at each sudden change of rail pressure and injection timing, a change of the determined controller gains is scheduled. Switching between controllers is driven by step changes of the reference pressure. Robust stability of the designed closed-loop system is guaranteed by D-decomposition. Detailed simulation verifies both dynamic performance and robustness given by the controllers and stability of the switching.
Automated Driving: Human-Factors Issues and Design Solutions

The goal of this paper is to outline human-factors issues associated with automated driving, with a focus on car following. First, we review the challenges of having automated driving systems from a human-factors perspective. Next, we identify human-machine interaction needs for automated vehicles and propose some available solutions. Finally, we propose design requirements for Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control.
Quantification of Human Discomfort in a Vehicle Using a Four-Post Rig Excitation

The ride comfort of a vehicle is a vital aspect determining competitiveness of vehicles. The comfort is intricately related to feelings of discomfort due to vibration. The discomfort depends on various dynamic aspects of the suspension-seat and surrounding system. In industry, the discomfort due to vibration is assessed by road testing on various surfaces; these road tests may not be accurately repeatable. Discomfort, in general, can be assessed by measurements based on a shaker table and seat combination. These results when used for “in vehicle situations” may not accurately indicate the level of human discomfort in a vehicle. In view of this, to quantify seated human discomfort in a vehicle, measurements were performed using a four-post rig simulator; the setup allows controlled in-situ experiments to be conducted. A group of six subjects were exposed to sinusoidal vibration at five magnitudes in the vertical direction for heave, roll and pitch motion. The objective is to develop a discomfort metric which could be used to compare vehicles. The preliminary results show varying significance of roll, pitch and heave motion. The results, however, confirm the nonlinear variation of perception as a function of the physical stimulus. The test setup can be used to study the effects of complex road inputs and eventually may contribute towards reduced reliance on road tests.
Finding Research Trends of Countries and Research Collaboration Opportunities in Computer Science Using Text Mining and Clustering Analysis

: The occurrence of academic journals and conferences are getting intensively larger to publish the up-to-date research results on each particular research topics. The number of journals and conferences tends to be increased year by year. Moreover a journal or conference information is mostly accessible on the Internet and it contains not only topics but also geographical areas with which research topics are associated. This information is considered as a valuable source to understand the research trends of countries. In this paper, the state of detailed computer science research in different research fields is presented. The main aim is to develop methods for not only research topics but also the research collaboration associated with those topics related with each document and the relationships among the countries by using text mining and clustering analysis. This trend analysis for a particular research field plays vital role to those newcomers who are seeking for future research directions and possible collaborative research opportunities.
Pigeons retain partial memories of homing paths years after learning them individually, collectively or culturally

Memory of past experience is central to many animal decisions, but how long specific memories can influence behaviour is poorly understood. Few studies have reported memories retrieved after several years in non-human animals, especially for spatial tasks, and whether the social context during learning could affect long-term memory retention. We investigated homing pigeons' spatial memory by GPS-recording their homing paths from a site 9 km from their loft. We compared solo flights of naive pigeons with those of pigeons that had last homed from this site 3–4 years earlier, having learnt a homing route either alone (individual learning), together with a naive partner (collective learning) or within cultural transmission chains (cultural learning). We used as a control a second release site unfamiliar to all pigeons. Pigeons from all learning treatments outperformed naive birds at the familiar (but not the unfamiliar) site, but the idiosyncratic routes they formerly used several years before were now partially forgotten. Our results show that non-human animals can use their memory to solve a spatial task years after they last performed it, irrespective of the social context during learning. They also suggest that without reinforcement, landmarks and culturally acquired ‘route traditions' are gradually forgotten.
Media for 10 Gb/in.2 hard disk storage: Issues and status (invited)

Future 10 Gb/in.2 recording densities represent submicron trackwidths and sub‐100 nm bit lengths. This requires extremely small magnetic switching units and very high coercivities of the media to satisfy the signal‐to‐noise ratio requirements. At the same time the question of magnetic thermal stability and the lack of transducers capable of performing at these densities makes it difficult to evaluate media. An uncoupled, highly uniform magnetic grain size of about 10 nm is a compromise toward maintaining an adequately low media noise and yet maintaining magnetic stability. Here we discuss current media construction, the detrimental role of substrate roughness, the role of new media structures and alloys on microstructure and magnetic properties as well as techniques for evaluating media performance prior to the availability of the required playback heads.
Testosterone amplifies the negative valence of an agonistic gestural display by exploiting receiver perceptual bias

Many animals communicate by performing elaborate displays that are incredibly extravagant and wildly bizarre. So, how do these displays evolve? One idea is that innate sensory biases arbitrarily favour the emergence of certain display traits over others, leading to the design of an unusual display. Here, we study how physiological factors associated with signal production influence this process, a topic that has received almost no attention. We focus on a tropical frog, whose males compete for access to females by performing an elaborate waving display. Our results show that sex hormones like testosterone regulate specific display gestures that exploit a highly conserved perceptual system, evolved originally to detect ‘dangerous' stimuli in the environment. Accordingly, testosterone makes certain gestures likely to appear more perilous to rivals during combat. This suggests that hormone action can interact with effects of sensory bias to create an evolutionary optimum that guides how display exaggeration unfolds.
Comparative radiographic analysis of three-dimensional innate mobility of the foot bones under axial loading of humans and African great apes

The human foot is considered to be morphologically adapted for habitual bipedal locomotion. However, how the mobility and mechanical interaction of the human foot with the ground under a weight-bearing condition differ from those of African great apes is not well understood. We compared three-dimensional (3D) bone kinematics of cadaver feet under axial loading of humans and African great apes using a biplanar X-ray fluoroscopy system. The calcaneus was everted and the talus and tibia were internally rotated in the human foot, but such coupling motion was much smaller in the feet of African great apes, possibly due to the difference in morphology of the foot bones and articular surfaces. This study also found that the changes in the length of the longitudinal arch were larger in the human foot than in the feet of chimpanzees and gorillas, indicating that the human foot is more deformable, possibly to allow storage and release of the elastic energy during locomotion. The coupling motion of the calcaneus and the tibia, and the larger capacity to be flattened due to axial loading observed in the human foot are possibly morphological adaptations for habitual bipedal locomotion that has evolved in the human lineage.
Social dominance has limited effects on spatial cognition in a wild food-caching bird

Social dominance has long been used as a model to investigate social stress. However, many studies using such comparisons have been performed in captive environments. These environments may produce unnaturally high antagonistic interactions, exaggerating the stress of social subordination and any associated adverse consequences. One such adverse effect concerns impaired cognitive ability, often thought to be associated with social subordination. Here, we tested whether social dominance rank is associated with differences in spatial learning and memory, and in reversal spatial learning (flexibility) abilities in wild food-caching mountain chickadees at different montane elevations. Higher dominance rank was associated with higher spatial cognitive flexibility in harsh environments at higher elevations, but not at lower, milder elevations. By contrast, there were no consistent differences in spatial learning and memory ability associated with dominance rank. Our results suggest that spatial learning and memory ability in specialized food-caching species is a stable trait resilient to social influences. Spatial cognitive flexibility, on the other hand, appears to be more sensitive to environmental influences, including social dominance. These findings contradict those from laboratory studies and suggest that it is critical to investigate the biological consequences of social dominance under natural conditions.
Body Mass Index Change as a Predictor of Biometric Changes following an Intensive Lifestyle Modification Program

The initial benefits of lifestyle modification programs such as reduction in chronic and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risk factors have been well documented. However, such positive effects may deteriorate over time following relapse into inactivity. Timely detection of weight regain leading to the deterioration of the accrued benefits could trigger early resumption of intensive lifestyle intervention. To date, no known cost-effective, noninvasive approach for monitoring long-term outcomes has yet been established. The purpose of this study was to determine if body mass index (BMI) change predicted changes in other CVD biometric markers during an intensive lifestyle modification program. This study was an observational, retrospective review of records of participants from the Complete Health Improvement Program (CHIP). Biomarker changes of participants in this community-based Intensive Therapeutic Lifestyle Modification Program (ITLMP) offered in Athens, Ohio, a rural Appalachian college town, between April 2011 and June 2017 were reviewed retrospectively. BMI, heart rate (Pulse), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and fasting blood levels of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides (TG), and glucose (FBS) were monitored before and after program completion. Data were analyzed using a multivariate general linear model. The sample analyzed consisted of 620 participants (mean age of 52.3±13.0 years, 74.5% female). Controlling for age and gender, BMI change significantly predicted 5 out of the 8 biomarker changes measured [Wilk's λ = 0.939, F(8,526) = 4.29, p <. 0001]. Specifically, a 1-point BMI decrease was associated with 4.4 units decrease in TC, 3.2 units in LDL, 5.3 units in TG, 2 units in SBP, and 1 unit in DBP (all p values < .05). These results suggest that change in BMI may be a useful predictor of change in other CVD biomarkers' outcomes during and after an ITLMP participation. Tracking BMI, therefore, could serve as a proxy measure for identifying regressing biomarker changes following participation in an ITLMP leading to a timelier reassessment and intervention. Future studies evaluating the value of BMI as a surrogate for highlighting overall cardiovascular health are warranted.
A 1372-element Large Scale Hemispherical Ultrasound Phased Array Transducer for Noninvasive Transcranial Therapy

Noninvasive transcranial therapy using high intensity focused ultrasound transducers has attracted high interest as a promising new modality for the treatments of brain related diseases. We describe the development of a 1372 element large scale hemispherical ultrasound phased array transducer operating at a resonant frequency of 306 kHz. The hemispherical array has a diameter of 31 cm and a 15.5 cm radius of curvature. It is constructed with piezoelectric (PZT‐4) tube elements of a 10 mm in diameter, 6 mm in length and 1.4 mm wall thickness. Each element is quasi‐air backed by attaching a cork‐rubber membrane on the back of the element. The acoustic efficiency of the element is determined to be approximately 50%. The large number of the elements delivers high power ultrasound and offers better beam steering and focusing capability. Comparisons of sound pressure‐squared field measurements with theoretical calculations in water show that the array provides good beam steering and tight focusing capability ov.