RTSDF: Generating Signed Distance Fields in Real Time for Soft Shadow Rendering

Signed Distance Fields (SDFs) for surface representation are commonly generated offline and subsequently loaded into interactive applications like games. Since they are not updated every frame, they only provide a rigid surface representation. While there are methods to generate them quickly on GPU, the efficiency of these approaches is limited at high resolutions. This paper showcases a novel technique that combines jump flooding and ray tracing to generate approximate SDFs in real-time for soft shadow approximation, achieving prominent shadow penumbras while maintaining interactive frame rates

"Don’t Downvote A\$\$\$\$\$\$s!!": An Exploration of Reddit’s Advice Communities

Advice forums are a crowdsourced way to reinforce cultural norms and moral behavior. Sites like Reddit contain massive amounts of natural language human interaction, with rules and norms unique to each individual subreddit community. To explore this data, we created a dataset with top 1000 posts from each of two such forums, r/AmItheAsshole and r/relationships, and extracted natural language features including sentiment, similarity, word frequency, and demographics using both algorithmic and manual methods. Further, we developed a method to extract demographic information from the subreddits, examined how the post authors’ self-disclosures reflect the unique communities in which their posts are shared, and discussed how the authors’ language use choices might be related to broader social patterns. We observed some differences between the subreddits in terms of word frequency, demographics disclosure, and gendered language. In general, both subreddits had more female posters than male, and posters tended to use more words about their opposite gender than the same. Gender-diverse posters were uncommon. Implications for future research include a more careful, inclusive focus on identity and disclosure and how that interacts with advice-seeking behavior in online communities

“Don\u27t Downvote A$$s!!”: An Exploration of Reddit\u27s Advice Communities

Advice forums are a crowdsourced way to reinforce cultural norms and moral behavior. Sites like Reddit contain massive amounts of natural language human interaction, with rules and norms unique to each individual subreddit community. To explore this data, we created a dataset with top 1000 posts from each of two such forums, r/AmItheAsshole and r/relationships, and extracted natural language features including sentiment, similarity, word frequency, and demographics using both algorithmic and manual methods. Further, we developed a method to extract demographic information from the subreddits, examined how the post authors\u27 self-disclosures reflect the unique communities in which their posts are shared, and discussed how the authors\u27 language use choices might be related to broader social patterns. We observed some differences between the subreddits in terms of word frequency, demographics disclosure, and gendered language. In general, both subreddits had more female posters than male, and posters tended to use more words about their opposite gender than the same. Gender-diverse posters were uncommon. Implications for future research include a more careful, inclusive focus on identity and disclosure and how that interacts with advice-seeking behavior in online communities

Processing of herbal-based natural products and functional foods: a review

The growing worldwide emphasis on health and wellness, leading to increased demand for natural plant-based ingredients in foods. This shift is driven by concerns over synthetic additives in processed foods, giving rise to the popularity of plant-based functional foods. The global functional food market is projected to reach $275.77 billion by 2025, with a surge in demand for plant-based immune-boosting products due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Malaysian herbs, with their rich history of culinary and traditional use, are gaining attention as functional ingredients. However, their incorporation into food products requires more advanced processing methods and research. Malaysia’s biodiversity offers untapped economic potential, and the country’s herbal industry is experiencing growth in exports and research investments. Herbal ingredients, containing active phytochemicals, are sometimes referred to as botanical substances and can be incorporated into formulations for functional foods. The review classifies herbal-based food products as herbal medicine, botanical food, or food-drug interphase (FDI). Herbal processing methods are crucial for ensuring the functionality of herbal-based products. Primary processing steps include sorting, cutting, drying, and grinding. Specific processing functions involve retaining active compound contents, enhancing effectiveness, reducing toxicity or side effects, and changing active compound properties or functions. The review also discusses the application of herb combinations in functional foods, highlighting the need for careful consideration of interactions between herbs and other components. Approaches to functional food development in Malaysia include refining existing products, creating new formulations, and integrating novel processing technologies. Future research directions include enhancing bioavailability and functionality of active compounds, exploring nanosystem technology, and incorporating nutrigenomics for disease prevention through dietary interventions

Biomarkers for tyrosine kinase inhibitors in renal cell cancer

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a common malignancy. In 2012, in the USA, there were 65,000 new cases and 13,500 disease-specific deaths. In the same year it was the 6th most common new cancer diagnosed. During the last 50 years, despite an increase in incidence, the mortality has fallen, a possible result of earlier detection and improvements in therapy

An inventory of supranational antimicrobial resistance surveillance networks involving low- and middle-income countries since 2000.

Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) shoulder the bulk of the global burden of infectious diseases and drug resistance. We searched for supranational networks performing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance in LMICs and assessed their organization, methodology, impacts and challenges. Since 2000, 72 supranational networks for AMR surveillance in bacteria, fungi, HIV, TB and malaria have been created that have involved LMICs, of which 34 are ongoing. The median (range) duration of the networks was 6 years (1-70) and the number of LMICs included was 8 (1-67). Networks were categorized as WHO/governmental (n = 26), academic (n = 24) or pharma initiated (n = 22). Funding sources varied, with 30 networks receiving public or WHO funding, 25 corporate, 13 trust or foundation, and 4 funded from more than one source. The leading global programmes for drug resistance surveillance in TB, malaria and HIV gather data in LMICs through periodic active surveillance efforts or combined active and passive approaches. The biggest challenges faced by these networks has been achieving high coverage across LMICs and complying with the recommended frequency of reporting. Obtaining high quality, representative surveillance data in LMICs is challenging. Antibiotic resistance surveillance requires a level of laboratory infrastructure and training that is not widely available in LMICs. The nascent Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (GLASS) aims to build up passive surveillance in all member states. Past experience suggests complementary active approaches may be needed in many LMICs if representative, clinically relevant, meaningful data are to be obtained. Maintaining an up-to-date registry of networks would promote a more coordinated approach to surveillance

Phytochemical, cytotoxicity and antioxidant activities of the stem bark of Piper arborescens

Crude extract from stem bark of P. arborescens was fractionated by using column chromatography to isolate and purify its metabolite content. Six secondary metabolites were successfully isolated and their identification was performed by using Gas Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectoscopy. The isolated metabolites were identified as caryophyllene oxide (1), α-bisabolol (2), benzamide 2-(methylamino) (3), 2-ethylpiperidine (4), piperine (5) and methyl eugenol (6). Toxicity test on the four crude extracts of P. arborescens shows high cytotoxicity against Artemia salina brine shrimp with LC50 values ranging from 13.12 to 58.70 µg/mL. Greater cytotoxicity of the crude extracts of P. arborescens indicated the presence of potent cytotoxic components in this Piper spp. Antioxidant assay of P. arborescens against 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) indicated moderate antioxidant activities of methanol, dichloromethane, chloroform and hexane crude extracts with EC50 values of 21.68, 23.82, 32.88 and 36.88 µg/mL, respectively. It is suggested that the six secondary metabolites identified in P. arborescens contribute as an active content for the cytotoxicity and antioxidant activities. This study showed that the crude extracts of P. arborescens is definitely having potential to be used as a source of natural product of various applicatio

Chemical constituents, antioxidant, and cytotoxicity of essential oils of Piper arborescens and Piper caninum

Essential oils of the stem bark of Sarawak's wild pepper species namely the Piper arborescens and Piper caninum were extracted by using Clevenger's water distillation method, and analysis using gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) have identified a total of 54 and 57 chemical components in the essential oils, respectively. Three major compounds have been identified in the essential oil of Piper arborescens namely the pentadecanal (18.88%), guaiol (11.19%), and β-guaiene (11.12%). In the essential oil of Piper caninum, four main compounds identified were isocaryophyllene (20.60%), (E)-α-bergamotene (13.74%), (E)-isoeugenol (13.46%), and (E,Z)-3,6-nonadien-1-ol (9.35%). Evaluation of antioxidant properties showed the EC50 values of essential oils of Piper arborescens and Piper caninum were 249.30 and 238.70 µg/mL, respectively, indicating low scavenging activity against DPPH as compared to ascorbic acid as standard with EC50 value of 2.72 µg/mL. Cytotoxicity assay showed that average death of Artemia salina brine shrimp in the essential oil of Piper arborescens was higher, with LC50 57.95 µg/mL, as compared to 249.74 µg/mL of essential oil of Piper caninum. The cytotoxic level does not always indicate its outright toxicity but may also indicate the presence of potential natural cytotoxic components, especially in essential oil of Piper arborescens as suggested by Elumba et al. (2013)

Insights from twenty years of comparative research in Pacific Large Ocean States

Under global environmental change, understanding the interactions between people and nature has become critical for human survival. Comparative research can identify trends within social-ecological systems providing key insights for both environmental and developmental research. Island systems, with clear land boundaries, have been proposed as ideal case studies for comparative research, but it is unclear to what extent their potential has been fulfilled. To summarize existing research and identify potential gaps and new directions, we reviewed comparative environmental and developmental research on Pacific Large Ocean States. A diversity of case study locations and research themes were addressed within the sample of reviewed studies. Within the reviewed literature climate change, energy infrastructure, trade and fisheries were key themes of environmental and developmental research compared between island systems. Research was biased towards wealthier Pacific Large Ocean States and those with a relatively higher degree of socio-economic development. Our review highlights the potential value of a stronger a priori inclusion of spatial scale and conceptual frameworks, such as spatial resilience, to facilitate generalization from case studies