gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Evolutionary Quasi-Random Search for Hand Articulations Tracking (2014)

We present a new method for tracking the 3D position, global orientation and full articulation of human hands. Following recent advances in model-based, hypothesize-and-test methods, the high-dimensional parameter space of hand configurations is explored with a novel evolutionary optimization technique specifically tailored to the problem. The proposed method capitalizes on the fact that samples from quasi-random sequences such as the Sobol have low discrepancy and exhibit a more uniform coverage of the sampled space compared to random samples obtained from the uniform distribution. The method has been tested for the problems of tracking the articulation of a single hand (27D parameter space) and two hands (54D space). Extensive experiments have been carried out with synthetic and real data, in comparison with state of the art methods. The quantitative evaluation shows that for cases of limited computational resources, the new approach achieves a speed-up of four (single hand tracking) and eight (two hands tracking) without compromising tracking accuracy. Interestingly, the proposed method is preferable compared to the state of the art either in the case of limited computational resources or in the case of more complex (i.e., higher dimensional) problems, thus improving the applicability of the method in a number of application domains.
Relationship between neuromelanin and dopamine terminals within the Parkinson’s nigrostriatal system (2019)

Parkinson's disease is characterized by the progressive loss of pigmented dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and associated striatal deafferentation. Neuromelanin content is thought to reflect the loss of pigmented neurons, but available data characterizing its relationship with striatal dopaminergic integrity are not comprehensive or consistent, and predominantly involve heterogeneous samples. In this cross-sectional study, we used neuromelanin-sensitive MRI and the highly specific dopamine transporter PET radioligand, 11C-PE2I, to assess the association between neuromelanin-containing cell levels in the substantia nigra pars compacta and nigrostriatal terminal density in vivo, in 30 patients with bilateral Parkinson's disease. Fifteen healthy control subjects also underwent neuromelanin-sensitive imaging. We used a novel approach taking into account the anatomical and functional subdivision of substantia nigra into dorsal and ventral tiers and striatal nuclei into pre- and post-commissural subregions, in accordance with previous animal and post-mortem studies, and consider the clinically asymmetric disease presentation. In vivo, Parkinson's disease subjects displayed reduced neuromelanin levels in the ventral (-30 ± 28%) and dorsal tiers (-21 ± 24%) as compared to the control group [F(1,43) = 11.95, P = 0.001]. Within the Parkinson's disease group, nigral pigmentation was lower in the ventral tier as compared to the dorsal tier [F(1,29) = 36.19, P < 0.001] and lower in the clinically-defined most affected side [F(1,29) = 4.85, P = 0.036]. Similarly, lower dopamine transporter density was observed in the ventral tier [F(1,29) = 76.39, P < 0.001] and clinically-defined most affected side [F(1,29) = 4.21, P = 0.049]. Despite similar patterns, regression analysis showed no significant association between nigral pigmentation and nigral dopamine transporter density. However, for the clinically-defined most affected side, significant relationships were observed between pigmentation of the ventral nigral tier with striatal dopamine transporter binding in pre-commissural and post-commissural striatal subregions known to receive nigrostriatal projections from this tier, while the dorsal tier correlated with striatal projection sites in the pre-commissural striatum (P < 0.05, Benjamini-Hochberg corrected). In contrast, there were no statistically significant relationships between these two measures in the clinically-defined least affected side. These findings provide important insights into the topography of nigrostriatal neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease, indicating that the characteristics of disease progression may fundamentally differ across hemispheres and support post-mortem data showing asynchrony in the loss of neuromelanin-containing versus tyrosine hydroxylase positive nigral cells.
Accelerating Architectural Simulation Via Statistical Techniques: A Survey (2015)

In computer architecture research and development, simulation is a powerful way of acquiring and predicting processor behaviors. While architectural simulation has been extensively utilized for computer performance evaluation, design space exploration, and computer architecture assessment, it still suffers from the high computational costs in practice. Specifically, the total simulation time is determined by the simulator's raw speed and the total number of simulated instructions. The simulator's speed can be improved by enhanced simulation infrastructures (e.g., simulators with high-level abstraction, parallel simulators, and hardware-assisted simulators). Orthogonal to these work, recent studies also managed to significantly reduce the total number of simulated instructions with a slight loss of accuracy. Interestingly, we observe that most of these work are built upon statistical techniques. This survey presents a comprehensive review to such studies and proposes a taxonomy based on the sources of reduction. In addition to identifying the similarities and differences of state-of-the-art approaches, we further discuss insights gained from these studies as well as implications for future research.
Structure Discovery in Nonparametric Regression through Compositional Kernel Search (2013)

Despite its importance, choosing the structural form of the kernel in nonparametric regression remains a black art. We define a space of kernel structures which are built compositionally by adding and multiplying a small number of base kernels. We present a method for searching over this space of structures which mirrors the scientific discovery process. The learned structures can often decompose functions into interpretable components and enable long-range extrapolation on time-series datasets. Our structure search method outperforms many widely used kernels and kernel combination methods on a variety of prediction tasks.
Collecting and evaluating convalescent plasma for COVID‐19 treatment: why and how? (2020)

Plasma provided by COVID-19 convalescent patients may provide therapeutic relief as the number of COVID-19 cases escalates steeply worldwide. Prior findings in various viral respiratory diseases including SARS-CoV-related pneumonia suggest that convalescent plasma can reduce mortality, although formal proof of efficacy is still lacking. By reducing viral spread early on, such an approach may possibly downplay subsequent immunopathology. Identifying, collecting, qualifying and preparing plasma from convalescent patients with adequate SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing Ab titres in an acute crisis setting may be challenging, although well within the remit of most blood establishments. Careful clinical evaluation should allow to quickly establish whether such passive immunotherapy, administered at early phases of the disease in patients at high risk of deleterious evolution, may reduce the frequency of patient deterioration, and thereby COVID-19 mortality.
The black silicon method. VI. High aspect ratio trench etching for MEMS applications (2002)

Etching high aspect ratio trenches (HARTs) in silicon is becoming increasingly important for MEMS applications. Currently, the most important technique is dry reactive ion etching (RIE). This paper presents solutions for the most notorious problems during etching HARTs: tilting and the aspect ratio dependent etching effects such as bowing, RIE lag, bottling, and micrograss or black silicon. To handle these problems submicron HARTs are etched and the black silicon method is used to direct the pressure, power, ion energy, or flows of a fluorine-based RIE into the preferred settings. The influence of ion energy and trajectory is found to be most critical. The behaviour of the HART process is explained with the help of a set of variables and used to optimise the final profile. After this optimisation the RIE setting found is used for etching supermicron HART's which are characteristic for MEMS applications.
Highly Efficient Synthesis of Chalcones from Poly Carbonyl Aromatic Compounds Using BF<sub>3</sub>–Et<sub>2</sub>O <i>via</i> a Regioselective Condensation Reaction (2016)

A new, simple, highly efficient method for the synthesis of different types of carbonyl chalcones through a regioselective condensation reaction of appropriate 5-acetyl-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde with various substituted acetophenones and 4-hydroxyisothalaldehyde with various substituted aldehydes using BF3-Et2O as a reagent is described.
Eco‐friendly base fluids for lubricant oil formulations (2002)

Abstract There is an increasing move towards the use of environmentally safe lubricants. However, the development of a common biodegradable base stock that could replace conventional ones is a big challenge. Synthetic lubricants, whether synthetic hydrocarbons, organic esters, or others, all have problems associated with their use. However, in general terms synthetic lubricants protect better, last longer, and outperform their conventional mineral‐based counterparts in certain applications. Future lubricant specifications in view of the demand for improved performance to meet stringent environmental regulations are the main drivers for new technological developments. As part of a study to produce polyol ester lubricant base stocks from C 5 polyols and C 6 ‐C 14 carboxylic acids in the presence of eco‐friendly catalysts, a series of products has been synthesised. A biodegradable lubricant formulation for automotive transmission fluids has been developed based on a synthesised product as a base fluid. This paper reports on the physico‐chemical characteristics and performance evaluation results of this formulation, which is a promising base stock for automotive transmission fluids.
Waste Stabilization Ponds as Teaching and Research Tools (1987)

In any campus where there is an excess of land or where a decorative pond is available, it is often possible to establish a system of waste stabilization ponds (WSP) to be used as an open air research laboratory, as source of water for watering the campus grounds and as a demonstration unit for the community at large. One such system, comprising one photosynthetic and one macrophyte pond in parallel, followed by one fish and one irrigation pond in series, was built at the Faro Polythecnic in Portugal. The ponds are proceeded by an underground unit formed by three septic tanks in series followed by two upflow anaerobic filters in parallel. This system is expected to receive 120m3/day of a mixed effluent coming from the sanitary facilities, the refectory and the fish processing laboratory, with concentrations of about 600mg/l in both BOD and SS.
Environment‐friendly synthesis of long chain semiaromatic polyamides with high heat resistance (2009)

Abstract Long chain semiaromatic polyamides have been synthesized by the reactions of terephthalic acid with long chain aliphatic diamines, and characterized by infrared spectrum, nuclear magnetic resonance and elemental analysis. The thermal behaviors were studied by differential scanning calorimetry analysis and thermogravimetric analysis. The resultant polyamides have intrinsic viscosity ranging from 1.75 to 1.93 dLg −1 . The solubility, dynamic mechanical and mechanical properties of the polyamides have also been investigated. The mechanical properties and heat resistance of long chain semiaromatic polyamides were compared with those of PA9T. PA10T has the advantages of low cost and preparation from environmental friendly solvents and possesses the similar mechanical properties and heat resistance compared to PA9T. The long chain semiaromatic polyamides are a class of promising, heat‐resisting and processability engineering plastics. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
Segment-based hidden Markov models for information extraction (2006)

Hidden Markov models (HMMs) are powerful statistical models that have found successful applications in Information Extraction (IE). In current approaches to applying HMMs to IE, an HMM is used to model text at the document level. This modelling might cause undesired redundancy in extraction in the sense that more than one filler is identified and extracted. We propose to use HMMs to model text at the segment level, in which the extraction process consists of two steps: a segment retrieval step followed by an extraction step. In order to retrieve extraction-relevant segments from documents, we introduce a method to use HMMs to model and retrieve segments. Our experimental results show that the resulting segment HMM IE system not only achieves near zero extraction redundancy, but also has better overall extraction performance than traditional document HMM IE systems.
Microstructure of epitaxial YbBa2Cu3O7 superconducting films grown by a new liquid-gas-solidification technique (1988)

We have studied the microstructures of epitaxial YbBa2Cu3O7 superconducting films grown on SrTiO3[100] and [110] substrates by a new liquid-gas-solidification processing technique. Films grown on SrTiO3[100] and [110] substrates are epitaxially oriented with [001] and [110] axes normal to the film surface. Twinned domains of ∼200 Å in size are observed in the [001] oriented films. Most defects observed can be attributed to the presence of stacking faults along the c axis. The presence of Cu-O bilayer defects is also observed. Rapid oxygen diffusion in the liquid phase is found to play an important role in the microstructure of the thin films.
TouchPlanVS-A tangible multitouch planning system for virtual TV studio productions (2011)

This article presents a new approach of integrating tangible user feedback in todays virtual TV studio productions. We describe a tangible multitouch planning system, enabling multiple users to prepare and customize scene flow and settings. Users can collaboratively view and interact with virtual objects by using a tangible user interface on a shared multitouch surface. The in a 2D setting created TV scenes are simultaneously rendered on an external monitor, using a production/target renderer in 3D. Thereby the user experiences a closer reproduction of a final production. Subsequently, users are able to join together the scenes into one complex plot. Within the developing process, a video prototype of the system shows the user interaction and enables early reviews and evaluations. The requirement analysis is based on expert interviews.
Ultra-Low Power Gaze Tracking for Virtual Reality (2017)

Tracking user's eye fixation direction is crucial to virtual reality (VR): it eases user's interaction with the virtual scene and enables intelligent rendering to improve user's visual experiences and save system energy. Existing techniques commonly rely on cameras and active infrared emitters, making them too expensive and power-hungry for VR headsets (especially mobile VR headsets).
Heart failure: mechanisms of cardiac and vascular dysfunction and the rationale for pharmacologic intervention (1990)

Congestive heart failure is a complex clinical syndrome that has its basis in an abnormality of myocardial cell function resulting in impaired ventricular performance, exercise intolerance, and ventricular arrhythmias. The functional defect in myocardial performance may be related to alterations in receptor function, in regulatory proteins, or in biochemical mechanisms. Remodeling of the left ventricle has been observed to play an important role in the natural course of heart failure. The complex interplay between cellular elongation, reactive hypertrophy, and the influence of the change from ellipsoid to spheroidal shape of the left ventricle after acute myocardial infarction are just beginning to be understood. Prevention of this remodeling effect by pharmacologic intervention is being widely explored, although the mechanisms are poorly defined. Impedance to left ventricular ejection is also an important determinant of cardiac performance in heart failure. Constriction of arteriolar resistance vessels and reduction in compliance of arterial conductance vessels is a common manifestation of heart failure and may be under the influence of neural, hormonal, endothelial, and local regulatory factors. Increased tone of venous capacitance vessels contributes to a shift of blood centrally and to an increase in ventricular preload. Vasodilator drugs by relaxing the arterial, arteriolar, and venous vasculature result in a reduction in impedance and left ventricular afterload and a decrease in cardiac filling pressure and preload. Structural changes of hypertrophy and remodeling apparently contribute to the changes in resistance, compliance, and capacitance in the vasculature. Treatment of heart failure is aimed at relieving symptoms and prolonging life. Interventions to improve left ventricular function are critical to symptom relief. Vasodilators have been most effective for this purpose, and new positive inotropic drugs are being tested for efficacy. Long-term benefit may require interference with the myocardial and peripheral vascular remodeling processes that lead to progressive depression of ventricular performance. New insights into the cellular and subcellular mechanisms of this progression are critical to the development of innovative therapeutic strategies.
Nearest Neighbor Classifier for Vision Based Unstructured Road Detection (2019)

Driver can drive a vehicle on road very smoothly, if he knows about the road and non road region in surrounding environments. Accurate road detection is an important and difficult task for the development of vision based autonomous land vehicle. Therefore this research work proposed an algorithm which can separate road and non road region effectively. Nearest neighbor algorithm has trained with chromatic information to differentiate the road and surrounding environments. Created classifier divide the image of road region into three classes such as road region, near background region and far background region. Classifier training process utilized chromatic information from that color space which has more resemblance with human color perception. System performance is evaluated on the basis of precision, recall and required training time. Achieved results signify that overall performance of the system is worthy.
Initial report of the use of an injectable porcine collagen‐derived matrix to stimulate healing of diabetic foot wounds in humans (2005)

A novel injectable scaffolding matrix (E-Matrix) has been developed to accelerate wound healing in diabetic foot ulcers. This porcine collagen-derived matrix is designed to mimic tertiary embryonic connective tissue and to stimulate fetal wound repair mechanisms including angiogenesis. In vitro and animal studies have indicated a beneficial effect on tissue growth and an acceptable safety profile. In this report, we describe the initial use of this product in a pilot study of six humans with chronic nonhealing diabetic foot ulcers. A dramatic initial response to injection was seen, with an average wound size reduction of 72% 2 weeks after injection. Randomized trials are underway to define the potential benefit of this new treatment modality for diabetic foot ulcers.
Storage management in the NVRAM era (2013)

Emerging nonvolatile memory technologies (NVRAM) offer an alternative to disk that is persistent, provides read latency similar to DRAM, and is byte-addressable. Such NVRAMs could revolutionize online transaction processing (OLTP), which today must employ sophisticated optimizations with substantial software overheads to overcome the long latency and poor random access performance of disk. Nevertheless, many candidate NVRAM technologies exhibit their own limitations, such as greater-than-DRAM latency, particularly for writes. In this paper, we reconsider OLTP durability management to optimize recovery performance and forward-processing throughput for emerging NVRAMs. First, we demonstrate that using NVRAM as a drop-in replacement for disk allows near-instantaneous recovery, but software complexity necessary for disk (i.e., Write Ahead Logging/ARIES) limits transaction throughput. Next, we consider the possibility of removing software-managed DRAM buffering. Finally, we measure the cost of ordering writes to NVRAM, which is vital for correct recovery. We consider three recovery mechanisms: NVRAM Disk-Replacement, In-Place Updates (transactions persist data in-place), and NVRAM Group Commit (transactions commit/persist atomically in batches). Whereas In-Place Updates offers the simplest design, it introduces persist synchronizations at every page update. NVRAM Group Commit minimizes persist synchronization, offering up to a 50% throughput improvement for large synchronous persist latencies.
Strain enhanced electron cooling in a degenerately doped semiconductor (2011)

Enhanced electron cooling is demonstrated in a strained-silicon/superconductor tunnel junction refrigerator of volume 40 μm3. The electron temperature is reduced from 300 mK to 174 mK, with the enhancement over an unstrained silicon control (300 mK–258 mK) being attributed to the smaller electron-phonon coupling in the strained case. Modeling and the resulting predictions of silicon-based cooler performance are presented. Further reductions in the minimum temperature are expected if the junction sub-gap leakage and tunnel resistance can be reduced. However, if only tunnel resistance is reduced, Joule heating is predicted to dominate.
Status of 30 cm mercury ion thruster development (1974)

Two engineering model 30-cm ion thrusters were assembled, calibrated, and qualification tested. This paper discusses the thruster design, performance, and power system. Test results include documentation of thrust losses due to doubly charged mercury ions and beam divergence by both direct thrust measurements and beam probes. Diagnostic vibration tests have led to improved designs of the thruster backplate structure, feed system, and harness. Thruster durability is being demonstrated over a thrust range of 97 to 113 mN at a specific impulse of about 2900 seconds. As of August 15, 1974, the thruster has successfully operated for over 4000 hours.
A closed-form solution of horizontal maneuver to collision avoidance system for UAVs (2010)

A geometric model for the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) is proposed in which horizontal maneuvers are made only by changing speed while keeping the flight direction constant. The calculating formulae for projected horizontal miss distance (HMD) and reserved time (Tau) to the closest point of approach are derived from the model according to the Galilean principle of relativity. The closed-form solution is presented to predict the separation to be achieved with a horizontal collision avoidance maneuver. The influence of speed change time and autopilot's response delay on the horizontal miss distance and reserved time are also calculated and analyzed. The simulation results indicate that the algorithm for conflict detection and resolution in the horizontal plane can predict not only the horizontal separation at the closest point of approach, but also the reserved time to get to the closest point of approach.