Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dense real-time stereo matching using memory efficient semi-global-matching variant based on FPGAs

This paper presents a stereo image matching system that takes advantage of a global image matching method. The system is designed to provide depth information for mobile robotic applications. Typical tasks of the proposed system are to assist in obstacle avoidance, SLAM and path planning. Mobile robots pose strong requirements about size, energy consumption, reliability and output quality of the image matching subsystem. Current available systems either rely on active sensors or on local stereo image matching algorithms. The first are only suitable in controlled environments while the second suffer from low quality depth-maps. Top ranking quality results are only achieved by an iterative approach using global image matching and color segmentation techniques which are computationally demanding and therefore difficult to be executed in realtime. Attempts were made to still reach realtime performance with global methods by simplifying the routines. The depth maps are at the end almost comparable to local methods. An equally named semi-global algorithm was proposed earlier that shows both very good image matching results and relatively simple operations. A memory efficient variant of the Semi-Global-Matching algorithm is reviewed and adopted for an implementation based on reconfigurable hardware. The implementation is suitable for realtime execution in the field of robotics. It will be shown that the modified version of the efficient Semi-Global-Matching method is delivering equivalent result compared to the original algorithm based on the Middlebury dataset. The system has proven to be capable of processing VGA sized images with a disparity resolution of 64 pixel at 33 frames per second based on low cost to mid-range hardware. In case the focus is shifted to a higher image resolution, 1024×1024-sized stereo frames may be processed with the same hardware at 10 fps. The disparity resolution settings stay unchanged. A mobile system that covers preprocessing, matching and interfacing operations is also presented.
Process Monitoring of Tubular Microreactors using Particle Filter

Abstract Microreactors consist of tens to hundreds of micrometer-scale channels. The residence time of a fluid can be set exactly and backmixing can be minimized. Particularly, very short residence time can be achieved. In addition, it is possible to precisely control the reaction temperature due to large surface to volume ratio of channels. These features of microreactors make it possible to realize the production of specialty chemicals, which cannot be handled in conventional reactors. The most recognized problem in microreactors is channel blockage. The catalyst deterioration is also an inevitable problem for catalyst reactions in microreactors. To realize stable long-term operation of microreactors, it is necessary to detect such problems as early as possible. Since miniaturized sensors are expensive and their direct installation inside channels may disturb the flow, it is indispensable to develop a process monitoring system using a few indirect measurements. In this research, a state and parameter estimation system for tubular microreactors (TMRs) is developed to detect process faults. In the developed system, a process model is derived from the first-principle model of TMRs. Particle Filter (PF) or Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) or Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) is designed to obtain the unknown parameters such as catalyst efficiency from a single wall temperature sensor. To achieve high estimation performance, the optimal sensor location is determined on the basis of the observability. The numerical examples illustrate that the blockage and the catalyst deterioration of TMRs can be detected more rapidly and accurately by using PF, as compared with EnKF and EKF.
On the Complexity of Optimal Parallel Cooperative Path-Finding

A parallel version of the problem of cooperative path-finding pCPF is introduced in this paper. The task in CPF is to determine a spatio-temporal plan for each member of a group of agents. Each agent is given its initial location in the environment and its task is to reach the given goal location. Agents must avoid obstacles and must not collide with one another. The environment where agents are moving is modeled as an undirected graph. Agents are placed in vertices and they move along edges. At most one agent is placed in each vertex and at least one vertex remains unoccupied. An agent can only move into a currently unoccupied vertex in the standard version of CPF. In the parallel version, an agent can also move into a vertex being currently vacated by another agent supposing the character of this movement is not cyclic. The optimal pCPF where the task is to find the smallest possible solution of the makespan is particularly studied. The main contribution of this paper is the proof of NP-completeness of the decision version of the optimal pCPF. A reduction of propositional satisfiability SAT to the problem is used in the proof.
Identification of human neutralizing antibodies that bind to complex epitopes on dengue virions

Dengue is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that is spreading at an unprecedented rate and has developed into a major health and economic burden in over 50 countries. Even though infected individuals develop potent and long-lasting serotype-specific neutralizing antibodies (Abs), the epitopes engaged by human neutralizing Abs have not been identified. Here, we demonstrate that the dengue virus (DENV)-specific serum Ab response in humans consists of a large fraction of cross-reactive, poorly neutralizing Abs and a small fraction of serotype-specific, potently inhibitory Abs. Although many mouse-generated, strongly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) recognize epitopes that are present on recombinant DENV envelope (E) proteins, unexpectedly, the majority of neutralizing Abs in human immune sera bound to intact virions but not to the ectodomain of purified soluble E proteins. These conclusions with polyclonal Abs were confirmed with newly generated human mAbs derived from DENV-immune individuals. Two of three strongly neutralizing human mAbs bound to E protein epitopes that were preserved on the virion but not on recombinant E (rE) protein. We propose that humans produce Abs that neutralize DENV infection by binding a complex, quaternary structure epitope that is expressed only when E proteins are assembled on a virus particle. Mapping studies indicate that this epitope has a footprint that spans adjacent E protein dimers and includes residues at the hinge between domains I and II of E protein. These results have significant implications for the DENV Ab and vaccine field.
Groundwater Modeling of Multi-Aquifer Systems Using GMS

The Nubian Sandstone complex in the western desert is a part of the major regional Nubian aquifer system comprising West Africa. The different rock strata deposited in localities forming the units of the aquifer system. Farafra Oasis lies in the northern part of the Dakhla basin. In its southern region, the Nubian Sandstone (deep aquifer) is overlained by Dakhla shale but in the central and northern regions by fissured chalky limestone (shallow aquifer). The two overlaying aquifers in Farafra Oasis represent a typical hydrogeological model of a huge multi-layered artesian basin extending over the territory of Egypt. The Post Nubian aquifer played an essential role in the development of Farafra Oasis for a long time through the many springs issued from this aquifer. The rapid drilling process of deep wells started in 1960s led to stop flowing of many springs and wells plus the depletion in discharges and pressure of many others. Therefore, there is a real danger of either dewatering or increasing the water depths to uneconomic lifting depths for both the shallow and deep aquifers. A two-dimension flow model GMS (Groundwater Modeling System) was used to investigate this problem. Application of the present conditions indicated that drawdowns in the Post Nubian aquifer range from 5 m to about 9 m. The second scenario tries to sustain the groundwater utilities in the Post Nubian aquifer through a group of procedures. Accordingly, drawdowns are expected to range from 5 m to 8.6 m in the Post Nubian aquifer. According to this scenario, 3 m decline in the Nubian Sandstone aquifer followed by declining in the Post Nubian by about 1 m.
Anchoring and biosynthesis of stalked brush border membrane proteins: glycosidases and peptidases of enterocytes and renal tubuli.

INTRODUCTION . 256 GROSS POSITIONING OF BRUSH BORDER HYDROLASES AND THEIR SOLUBILIZATION 25 9 SUBUNIT STRUCTURE AND MACROMOLECULAR PROPERTIES 263 ANCHORING OF GLYCOSIDASES IN THE MEMBRANE 264 The Sucrase-Isomaltase Complex 264 The Glucoamylase Complex 270 Trehalase 271 The P-Glycosidase Complex 272 BIOSYNTHESIS OF GLYCOSIDASES 273 Pro-Sucrase-Isomaltase 273 Pro Forms of Other Glycosidase Complexes 281 SOME PHYLOGENETIC CONSIDERATIONS •••• •••••••••••••••••••••• •••••. •. •••••• 282
The characterization of a full-thickness excision open foot wound model in n5-streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 2 diabetic rats that mimics diabetic foot ulcer in terms of reduced blood circulation, higher C-reactive protein, elevated inflammation, and reduced cell proliferation

Delayed foot wound healing is a major complication attributed to hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients, and these wounds may develop into foot ulcers. There are at least two types of DM wound models used in rodents to study delayed wound healing. However, clinically relevant animal models are not common. Most models use type 1 DM rodents or wounds created on the back rather than on the foot. An open full-thickness excision wound on the footpad of type 2 DM rats is more clinically relevant, but such a model has not yet been characterized systematically. The objective of this study was to investigate and characterize how DM affected a full-thickness excision open foot wound in n5-streptozotocin (n5-STZ)-induced type 2 DM rats. We hypothesized that elevated inflammation, reduced blood circulation, and cell proliferation due to hyperglycemia could delay the wound healing of DM rats. The wounds of DM rats were compared with those of non-DM rats (Ctrl) at Days 1 and 8 post wounding. The wound healing process of the DM rats was significantly delayed compared with that of the Ctrl rats. The DM rats also had higher C-reactive protein (CRP) and lower blood circulation and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in DM wounds. This confirmed that elevated inflammation and reduced blood flow and cell proliferation delayed foot wound healing in the n5-STZ rats. Hence, this open foot wound animal model provides a good approach to study the process of delayed wound healing.
Suppression of spurious modes in mirror-type thin film BAW resonators using an appropriate shape of the active area

F ilm bulk acoustic resonators (FBARs) have emerged as an important new technology for realization of GHz filter components. Two different technologies are commonly used: bridge-type and mirror-type resonator layer stacks. Both resonator configurations are susceptible to unwanted lateral modes beside the main resonance. Filters composed of FBARs, e.g. bandpass ladder-type filters, suffer from those spurious modes: they show a higher insertion loss, a lower bandwidth and several ripples in their passbands. Therefore, a practical method is needed to suppress spurious modes in FBARs. In the past, using membrane-type resonators with non-parallel edges of the active area (apodization) has been successfully applied to suppress lateral spurious modes. In contrast, for mirror-type FBARs the focus has been on mode suppression by means of a lateral edge design (frame-like resonators). In this paper we investigate in detail, if apodization works for acoustically more complicated mirror-type FBARs. We have processed a lot of eight 200-mm-wafers using a special test reticle set comprising resonators and filters with both distinct shapes of the active area, lateral edge design as well as combinations thereof. Our measurement results clearly single out optimum electrode shapes for apodization, but also manifest the superior performance of the lateral edge design. I. INTRODUCTION
Valuation for Financial Reporting: Intangible Assets, Goodwill, and Impairment Analysis, SFAS 141 and 142

Preface. Acknowledgments. About the Authors. 1. History of Mergers and Acquisitions and Financial Reporting. 2. SFAS No. 141, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets in a Business Combination. 3. Determining Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets in a Business Combination: A Case Study. 4. SFAS No. 142, Impairment of Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets. 5. Impairment Analysis: A Case Study. 6. Issues in and Implementation of SFAS Nos. 141 and 142. 7. Implementation Aids. Endnotes. Index.
A welfare analysis of tobacco use

Introduction. Like most consumer goods, cigarettes have both costs and benefits. The chief benefits are the satisfaction and enjoyment that smokers receive from smoking. There are also profits to producers. The chief costs are death and disability among smokers themselves. Other costs, which are much smaller, include health damage to non-smokers from passive smoking. In conventional economics, consumers are assumed to weigh the personal costs and benefits of any purchase. It is assumed that, in buying something, a consumer has judged the personal benefits to outweigh the personal costs. Therefore, conventional cost–benefit analyses exclude consumers’ own costs and analyze only the costs that their consumption choices impose on others. In the case of smoking, the costs to smokers themselves— including the premature loss of life and health—should thus theoretically be excluded, because they are assumed to have been taken into account. However, it is argued here that smokers cannot be assumed to have taken all their personal costs into account, given the nature of tobacco as a consumer good. Most smokers start young, become addicted, and then face significant adjustment costs when trying to stop their addiction. In high-income countries, most adult smokers say they regret starting. The aim of this paper is to analyze the costs and benefits of smoking in a way that goes beyond the traditional approach and accounts for these factors.
Managing the software process

Foreword. Preface. I. SOFTWARE PROCESS MATURITY. A Software Maturity Framework. The Principles of Software Process Change. Software Process Assessment. The Initial Process. II. THE REPEATABLE PROCESS. Managing Software Organizations. The Project Plan. Software Configuration Management-Part 1: Software Quality Assurance. III. THE DEFINED PROCESS. Software Standards. Software Inspections. Software Testing. Software Configuration Management (Continued). Defining the Software Process. The Software Engineering Process Group IV. THE MANAGED PROCESS. Data Gathering and Analysis. Managing Software Quality. V. THE OPTIMIZING PROCESS. Defect Prevention. Automating The Software Process. Contracting for Software. Conclusion. Appendices. Index. 0201180952T04062001
Repair of fractured connectors in a provisional fixed partial denture.

THE JOURNAL OF PROSTHETIC DENTISTRY 449 The functions of a provisional fixed partial denture include pulpal protection, maintenance of periodontal health, stabilization of tooth position, maintenance or improvement of occlusal function, and the establishment or continuation of desired esthetic contour.1,2 A fractured connector may lead to the loss or dislodgement of a retainer, which may result in occlusal disharmony, food impaction, esthetic embarrassment, and the violation of all the stated goals. Many proactive techniques have been advocated to counter the potential for connector fracture. These include increasing the dimensions of the connector,2 reinforcing the connector with metal wires or plates,3 and fabricating the connector with heat-polymerized acrylic resin reinforced with cast metal substructures4-6 or with autopolymerizing acrylic resin with cast metal.7 Despite such preventive measures, connectors still break. A common method for the repair of a fractured or missing margin is the brush paint-on technique,8 which is also called the bead-brush technique.2 The surface of the restoration that requires additional material is moistened with monomer, and a paint brush is dipped into the monomer. The wet brush is gently touched to the surface of an aliquot of polymer, “forming a small bead on the [brush] tip. ”2 This bead is carried to the surface of the restoration, allowed to set in a moist, “air-free” environment (closed mouth) to reduce porosity, and finished and polished. If used to repair a broken connector (cracked, but no substance missing), this technique will result in overcontour and subsequent esthetic and periodontal compromise. However, the sections can be “readily repaired by cutting retentive sections on each side of the broken area and utilizing the brush technique to paint autopolymerizing acrylic resin to weld the 2 together. ”8 This paint-on technique, applied to intracoronal preparations of the adjacent components, assures a repair of the connector that is strong, esthetic, and appropriately contoured. The following is a modification of the slot technique, which incorporates the design features of a Class II preparation. The open proximal boxes and dovetails permit more convenient placement of acrylic resin and may, by virtue of design, provide for a stronger union between the parts. Definitive refinement of the occlusal and axial contours remains uncompromised.
Resistance to anticoccidial drugs of Dutch avian Eimeria spp. field isolates originating from 1996, 1999 and 2001

Fifteen Eimeria spp. field isolates sampled on Dutch broiler farms were subjected to an Anticoccidial Sensitivity Test (AST) in a battery cage study. Four isolates dated from 1996, another four from 1999 and the last seven isolates from 2001. The selected anticoccidial drugs were monensin, narasin, salinomycin, lasalocid, nicarbazin, diclazuril, halofuginone, maduramicin and meticlorpindol/methylbenzoquate. Maduramicin and halofuginone were not included in the ASTs of 1999 and 2001, while meticlorpindol/methylbenzoquate was not tested in 1996 and 1999. Eimeria acervulina present in each of the four 1996 field isolates showed resistance for almost all products tested except maduramicin (1/4) and salinomycin (1/4), which appeared to be reduced sensitive. In 1999 the same species presented a similar resistance pattern for most products, although reduced sensitivity occurred for salinomycin (1/4), and sensitivity was found for diclazuril (2/4), monensin (1/4) and narasin (1/4). In the year 2001 increased sensitivity to various products was found. Higher sensitivity was found for meticlorpindol/methylbenzoquate (7/7) and salinomycin and narasin (both 4/7), followed by nicarbazin (3/7) and monensin (2/7). Reduced sensitivity was found for monensin (3/7), lasalocid (2/7), salinomycin and narasin (1/7). E. maxima was only found in one field isolate per year. The E. maxima from 1996 was resistant to all products except narasin (sensitive) and halofuginone (reduced sensitive). In 1999 this species was reduced sensitive to narasin and lasalocid, showing resistance for the other products. The strain originating from the 2001 isolate was reduced sensitive to most products except monensin and narasin (resistant). Full sensitivity was found for meticlorpindol/methylbenzoquate. E. tenella was present in one isolate of 1996, two of 1999 and four isolates of 2001. The AST of 1996 showed reduced sensitivity for nicarbazin, and sensitive to narasin, maduramicin and halofuginone. All other products showed resistance. In 1999 both strains showed resistance to all products tested. For the year 2001 full sensitivity was found to meticlorpindol/methylbenzoquate. Sensitivity was also found for salinomycin (1/4), nicarbazin (2/4), diclazuril (2/4) and lasalocid (2/4), monensin (1/4) and narasin (1/4). Reduced sensitivity was found for nicarbazin (1/4), lasalocid (1/4) and narasin (1/4). The different resistance patterns of Dutch coccidiosis isolates and resistance of coccidia in general is discussed.
Context driven Workflow Adaptation applied to Healthcare Planning

Workflow Management Systems (WfMS) are used to manage the execution of processes, improving efficiency and efficacy of the procedure in use. The driving forces behind the adoption and development of WfMSs are business and scientific applications. Associated research efforts resulted in consolidated mechanisms, consensual protocols and standards. In particular, a scientific WfMS helps scientists to specify and run distributed experiments. It provides several features that support activities within an experimental environment, such as providing flexibility to change workflow design and keeping provenance (and thus reproducibility) of experiments. On the other hand, barring a few research initiatives, WfMSs do not provide appropriate support to dynamic, context-based customization during run-time; on-the-fly adaptations usually require user intervention. This thesis is concerned with mending this gap, providing WfMSs with a context-aware mechanism to dynamically customize workflow execution. As a result, we designed and developed DynFlow – a software architecture that allows such a customization, applied to a specific domain: healthcare planning. This application domain was chosen because it is a very good example of context-sensitive customization. Indeed, healthcare procedures constantly undergo unexpected changes that may occur during a treatment, such as a patient’s reaction to a medicine. To meet dynamic customization demands, healthcare planning research has developed semi-automated techniques to support fast changes of the careflow steps according to a patient’s state and evolution. One such technique is Computer-Interpretable Guidelines (CIG), whose most prominent member is the Task-Network Model (TNM) – a rule based approach able to build on the fly a plan according to the context. Our research led us to conclude that CIGs do not support features required by health professionals, such as distributed execution, provenance and extensibility, which are available from WfMSs. In other words, CIGs and WfMSs have complementary characteristics, and both are directed towards execution of activities. Given the above facts, the main contributions of the thesis are the following: (a) the design and development of DynFlow, whose underlying model blends TNM characteristics with WfMS; (b) the characterization of the main advantages and disadvantages of CIG models and workflow models; and (c) the implementation of a prototype, based on ontologies, applied to nursing care. Ontologies are used as a solution to enable interoperability across distinct SWfMS internal representations, as well as to support distinct healthcare vocabularies and procedures.