Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Performance Metrics and Evaluation Issues for Continuous Activity Recognition

In this paper we examine several factors that influence the evaluation of multi-class, continuous activity recognition. Currently, there is no standard metric for evaluating and comparing such systems, although many possible error formulations and performance metrics could be adapted from other domains. In order to make progress toward a standard metric appropriate for evaluating activity recognition, we outline the sources of errors in such systems, present different methods for detecting and labeling these errors, and compare existing metrics with a more nuanced performance visualization. We conclude with a discussion concerning the interpretation of the visualization for comparing recognition systems in different domains.
Follicular B Helper T Cells Express Cxc Chemokine Receptor 5, Localize to B Cell Follicles, and Support Immunoglobulin Production

Chemokines and their receptors have been identified as major regulators controlling the functional organization of secondary lymphoid organs. Here we show that expression of CXC chemokine receptor 5 (CXCR5), a chemokine receptor required for B cell homing to B cell follicles, defines a novel subpopulation of B helper T cells localizing to follicles. In peripheral blood these cells coexpress CD45RO and the T cell homing CC chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7). In secondary lymphoid organs, CD4+CXCR5+ cells lose expression of CCR7, which allows them to localize to B cell follicles and germinal centers where they express high levels of CD40 ligand (CD40L), a costimulatory molecule required for B cell activation and inducible costimulator (ICOS), a recently identified costimulatory molecule of the CD28 family. Thus, when compared with CD4+CD45RO+CXCR5− cells, CD4+CD45RO+CXCR5+ tonsillar T cells efficiently support the production of immunoglobulin (Ig)A and IgG. In contrast, analysis of the memory response revealed that long-lasting memory cells are found within the CD4+CD45RO+CXCR5− population, suggesting that CXCR5+CD4 cells represent recently activated effector cells. Based on the characteristic localization within secondary lymphoid organs, we suggest to term these cells “follicular B helper T cells” (TFH).
Regional electroencephalogram (EEG) alpha power and asymmetry in older adults: a study of short-term test–retest reliability

Although regional alpha power and asymmetry measures have been widely used as indices of individual differences in emotional processing and affective style in younger populations, there have been relatively few studies that have examined these measures in older adults. Here, we examined the short-term test–retest reliability of resting regional alpha power (7.5–12.5 Hz) and asymmetry in a sample of 38 active, community-dwelling older adults (M age = 71.2, SD = 6.5 years). Resting electroencephalogram recordings were made before and after a perceptual computer task. Pearson and intra-class correlations indicated acceptable test–retest reliability for alpha power and asymmetry measures in all regions. Interestingly, alpha asymmetry appeared to be less affected by the task than was alpha power. Findings suggest that alpha asymmetry may reflect more enduring, “trait-like” characteristics, while alpha power may reflect more “state-like” processes in older adults.
The Flynn Effect Revisited

The Flynn Effect postulates that intelligence is increasing over time. However, as an environment becomes optimal, a plateau occurs when general growth becomes largely determined by genetics. There is evidence that such a plateau is occurring for intelligence in countries with optimal social environments. In the United States, examination of adult Wechsler test scores between normings indicates a reduction of the FSIQ increase such that average FSIQ would plateau about 2024. However, the WAIS-III norming process eliminates many types of subjects with possible brain impairment. This probably raises the average FSIQ level. With an increase of only 1 FSIQ point in 16 years, a plateau in the Flynn Effect would have been reached in 2004.
DISco: A distributed information store for network challenges and their outcome

We present the design of DISco, a storage and communication middleware that enables distributed and task-centric autonomic control of networks. DISco allows multi-agent identification of anomalous situations (challenges) and assists coordinated remediation that will maintain service at an acceptable level, although degraded. The history of agents decisions, their context and outcomes is tracked as the situation evolves, and information is automatically gathered and organised to ease further human-assisted diagnosis. We then explore the feasibility of using state of the art peer-to-peer publish/subscribe and storage systems as building blocks for this service. The ability of those systems to support range queries and aggregation will be a key factor for their suitability to the task.
Improving the Kuo-Lu-Yeh Algorithm for Assessing Two-Terminal Reliability

Currently, the most efficient approach for solving the NP-hard terminal-pair reliability problem is the Kuo-Lu-Yeh algorithm which applies the technique of Edge Expansion Diagram (EED) coupled with Ordered Binary Decision Diagram (OBDD). In this work we will show that this algorithm can be enhanced significantly by removing redundant biconnected components, which can be done in linear time and without needing additional memory. We empirically evaluated our approach against the original one by means of 24 benchmark networks. In addition, we examined our approach statistically using randomly generated graphs. Our new approach performs significantly better regarding runtime and memory consumption for most of the benchmark networks. For a regular 3x20 grid network we have even achieved a speedup of 464 and the memory consumption goes down to 0.3 percent. Thus, in practice, runtime and memory consumptions are drastically reduced for many "difficult" networks. When applied to networks without redundant biconnected components, there is no memory overhead and the additional runtime is negligible.
Determination of neural state classification metrics from the power spectrum of human ECoG

Brain electrical activity exhibits scale-free dynamics that follow power law scaling. Previous works have shown that broadband spectral power exhibits state-dependent scaling with a log frequency exponent that systematically varies with neural state. However, the frequency ranges which best characterize biological state are not consistent across brain location or subject. An adaptive piecewise linear fitting solution was developed to extract features for classification of brain state. Performance was evaluated by comparison to an a posteriori based feature search method. This analysis, using the 1/f characteristics of the human ECoG signal, demonstrates utility in advancing the ability to perform automated brain state discrimination.
Optimal bounds for self-similar solutions to coagulation equations with multiplicative kernel

We consider mass-conserving self-similar solutions of Smoluchowski's coagulation equation with multiplicative kernel of homogeneity $2l\lambda \in (0,1)$. We establish rigorously that such solutions exhibit a singular behavior of the form $x^{-(1+2\lambda)}$ as $x \to 0$. This property had been conjectured, but only weaker results had been available up to now.
Imaging Characteristics of Driver Mutations in EGFR, KRAS, and ALK among Treatment-Naïve Patients with Advanced Lung Adenocarcinoma

This study aimed to identify the computed tomography characteristics of treatment-naïve patients with lung adenocarcinoma and known driver mutations in EGFR, KRAS, or ALK. Patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma (stage IIIB–IV) and known mutations in EGFR, KRAS, or ALK were assessed. The radiological findings for the main tumor and intra-thoracic status were retrospectively analyzed in each group, and the groups’ characteristics were compared. We identified 265 treatment-naïve patients with non-small-cell carcinoma, who had EGFR mutations (n = 159), KRAS mutations (n = 55), or ALK rearrangements (n = 51). Among the three groups, we evaluated only patients with stage IIIB–IV lung adenocarcinoma who had EGFR mutations (n = 126), KRAS mutations (n = 35), or ALK rearrangements (n = 47). We found that ground-glass opacity at the main tumor was significantly more common among EGFR-positive patients, compared to ALK-positive patients (p = 0.009). Lymphadenopathy was significantly more common among ALK-positive patients, compared to EGFR-positive patients (p = 0.003). Extranodal invasion was significantly more common among ALK-positive patients, compared to EGFR-positive patients and KRAS-positive patients (p = 0.001 and p = 0.049, respectively). Lymphangitis was significantly more common among ALK-positive patients, compared to EGFR-positive patients (p = 0.049). Pleural effusion was significantly less common among KRAS-positive patients, compared to EGFR-positive patients and ALK-positive patients (p = 0.046 and p = 0.026, respectively). Lung metastases were significantly more common among EGFR-positive patients, compared to KRAS-positive patients and ALK-positive patients (p = 0.007 and p = 0.04, respectively). In conclusion, EGFR mutations were associated with ground-glass opacity, KRAS-positive tumors were generally solid and less likely to metastasize to the lung and pleura, and ALK-positive tumors tended to present with lymphadenopathy, extranodal invasion, and lymphangitis. These mutation-specific imaging characteristics may be related to the biological differences between these cancers.
Arterial wall hypertrophy and stiffness in essential hypertensive patients.

The purpose of this article is to review some clinical and fundamental evidence that hypertension-induced arterial wall hypertrophy at the site of large and medium-sized arteries is not necessarily associated with a decreased arterial distensibility and increased elastic modulus, and to demonstrate the opposing effects of aging and hypertension-induced hypertrophy on the arterial mechanics in vivo. in the studies reported here, the elastic properties of large and medium-sized arteries were noninvasively assessed from the simultaneous measurement of internal diameter and blood pressure inside the systolic-diastolic range. The distensibility of a medium-sized artery, the radial artery, in untreated essential hypertensive patients was not significantly different from that of normotensive control subjects when the two groups were compared at their respective mean arterial pressures. Despite increased wall thickness, the stiffness of the radial artery wall material, assessed by the incremental modulus of elasticity (Young's modulus), was not increased in hypertensive patients. At the site of a larger, more elastic artery, such as the common carotid artery, distensibility of hypertensive patients was significantly lower than that of normotensive subjects when the two groups were compared at their respective mean arterial pressures, but distensibility at 100 mm Hg was not significantly different between the two groups. Aging may alter distensibility independently of blood pressure, because carotid distensibility at 100 mm Hg was negatively correlated with age. In spontaneously hypertensive rats the elastic modulus of the common carotid artery wall material was not significantly different from that of Wistar-Kyoto rats at a given circumferential stress. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Support Systems in Multicultural Context : Potential Influence of Culture in Work Groups

Work in groups whose members do not share the same physical location is becoming increasingly important in today’s economy. Some of the factors behind this trend are the globalization of markets, the problems in air transportation, the costs of specialized human resources, the growing speed of decision-making processes, and the new developments in information technology (IT) that lowered the costs of communication. IT-mediated interactions among individuals that do not share the same national culture are becoming ever more common. This paper examines the use of Group Decision Supports Systems (GDSS) in cross-cultural environments. It is suggested that the process of decision making will increasingly require multiple and culturally diverse expertise, and that this expertise may be globally dispersed. By theoretically discussing the cross-cultural use of GDSS, considerations will be made about the possible influence of group members’ cultural values in the decision process and its outcomes. A critique will be made of the little consideration, by the Information Systems literature, of this potentially significant variable, and examples will be given of situations amenable to cultural impacts. By proposing some testable hypotheses, this article triggers the discussion of this little-researched topic and to offer directions for future research.
Enamel Formation Genes Influence Enamel Microhardness Before and After Cariogenic Challenge

There is evidence for a genetic component in caries susceptibility, and studies in humans have suggested that variation in enamel formation genes may contribute to caries. For the present study, we used DNA samples collected from 1,831 individuals from various population data sets. Single nucleotide polymorphism markers were genotyped in selected genes (ameloblastin, amelogenin, enamelin, tuftelin, and tuftelin interacting protein 11) that influence enamel formation. Allele and genotype frequencies were compared between groups with distinct caries experience. Associations with caries experience can be detected but they are not necessarily replicated in all population groups and the most expressive results was for a marker in AMELX (p = 0.0007). To help interpret these results, we evaluated if enamel microhardness changes under simulated cariogenic challenges are associated with genetic variations in these same genes. After creating an artificial caries lesion, associations could be seen between genetic variation in TUFT1 (p = 0.006) and TUIP11 (p = 0.0006) with enamel microhardness. Our results suggest that the influence of genetic variation of enamel formation genes may influence the dynamic interactions between the enamel surface and the oral cavity.
Gefitinib-Induced Killing of NSCLC Cell Lines Expressing Mutant EGFR Requires BIM and Can Be Enhanced by BH3 Mimetics

Background The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays a critical role in the control of cellular proliferation, differentiation, and survival. Abnormalities in EGF-EGFR signaling, such as mutations that render the EGFR hyperactive or cause overexpression of the wild-type receptor, have been found in a broad range of cancers, including carcinomas of the lung, breast, and colon. EGFR inhibitors such as gefitinib have proven successful in the treatment of certain cancers, particularly non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) harboring activating mutations within the EGFR gene, but the molecular mechanisms leading to tumor regression remain unknown. Therefore, we wished to delineate these mechanisms. Methods and Findings We performed biochemical and genetic studies to investigate the mechanisms by which inhibitors of EGFR tyrosine kinase activity, such as gefitinib, inhibit the growth of human NSCLCs. We found that gefitinib triggered intrinsic (also called “mitochondrial”) apoptosis signaling, involving the activation of BAX and mitochondrial release of cytochrome c, ultimately unleashing the caspase cascade. Gefitinib caused a rapid increase in the level of the proapoptotic BH3-only protein BIM (also called BCL2-like 11) through both transcriptional and post-translational mechanisms. Experiments with pharmacological inhibitors indicated that blockade of MEK–ERK1/2 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase–extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2) signaling, but not blockade of PI3K (phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase), JNK (c-Jun N-terminal kinase or mitogen-activated protein kinase 8), or AKT (protein kinase B), was critical for BIM activation. Using RNA interference, we demonstrated that BIM is essential for gefitinib-induced killing of NSCLC cells. Moreover, we found that gefitinib-induced apoptosis is enhanced by addition of the BH3 mimetic ABT-737. Conclusions Inhibitors of the EGFR tyrosine kinase have proven useful in the therapy of certain cancers, in particular NSCLCs possessing activating mutations in the EGFR kinase domain, but the mechanisms of tumor cell killing are still unclear. In this paper, we demonstrate that activation of the proapoptotic BH3-only protein BIM is essential for tumor cell killing and that shutdown of the EGFR–MEK–ERK signaling cascade is critical for BIM activation. Moreover, we demonstrate that addition of a BH3 mimetic significantly enhances killing of NSCLC cells by the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor gefitinib. It appears likely that this approach represents a paradigm shared by many, and perhaps all, oncogenic tyrosine kinases and suggests a powerful new strategy for cancer therapy.
Immediate occlusal loading of Osseotite implants in the lower edentulous jaw. A multicenter prospective study.

OBJECTIVE This paper reports the results of a prospective multicenter clinical study on immediately fully occlusally loaded full-arch screw-retained prostheses with distal extensions (hybrid prostheses) supported by Osseotite implants inserted in edentulous lower jaws. METHOD AND MATERIAL Sixty-two patients were enrolled in four clinical centers. Three hundred and twenty-five Osseotite implants were inserted and occlusally loaded according to an immediate loading protocol. The temporary prosthesis was delivered 4 h from surgery. The final prosthesis was delivered after 6 months. Marginal bone loss was monitored from periapical radiographs using a computerized technique. RESULTS Two implants failed to integrate within 2 months of occlusal loading. A cumulative implant success rate of 99.4% was achieved for a period of 12-60 months postplacement (mean 28.6+/-14.1 (SD) months). Crestal bone loss around the immediately loaded implants was similar to that reported for standard delayed loading protocols. CONCLUSION The results of this study suggest that the rehabilitation of the edentulous mandible by an immediate occlusally loaded hybrid prosthesis supported by five to six Osseotite implants represents a viable alternative treatment to classic delayed loading protocols.
Quo Vadis, Slovenia? Between Framework Conditions and Internal Capabilities

We consider the new EU member states as semi-peripheral countries standing at the development crossroads. We emphasize the sociocultural factors of development, present a model for bringing together several cultural and social influences, and test its validity by applying a fuzzy-set methodology, a rather novel approach in social sciences. We augment our analysis of internal socio-cultural factors by considering the likely changes in the external framework conditions. Focusing on demography, technology, and global economic and political structures, we outline possible scenarios for European development that will certainly affect the chances of individual countries. As our contribution, we discuss the interplay between such framework conditions and internal development capabilities and draw some implication for the case of Slovenia.
Peripheral neural mechanisms of cutaneous hyperalgesia following mild injury by heat

Pain thresholds in humans were determined for heat stimulations of the skin before and after a mild injury induced by a single conditioning stimulus (CS) of 50 degrees C and 100 sec duration. The same stimuli were delivered to the receptive fields of C fiber and A fiber mechanoheat-sensitive nociceptors (CMH and AMH nociceptors, respectively) and of low threshold warm and cold receptors in the anesthetized monkey and to the receptive fields of CMH nociceptors recorded percutaneously from the peroneal nerve of awake humans. Pain thresholds in normal skin were matched only by the response thresholds of CMH and not AMH nociceptors. Immediately following heat injury, some pain thresholds and CMH response thresholds were elevated, but by 5 to 10 min after the CS, pain and CMH thresholds were lowered to 2 to 6 degrees C below normal (hyperalgesia and nociceptor sensitization). No other type of cutaneous receptor studied exhibited changes in threshold similar to those observed for pain and for CMH nociceptors. The magnitude of hyperalgesia in humans and the magnitude of sensitization of CMH nociceptors in monkeys following heat injury were greater for hairy than for glabrous skin. The time course of the development of hyperalgesia was not altered by ischemia or conduction block in A fibers. The results support the conclusion that altered activity in CMH nociceptors is a major peripheral determinant of cutaneous hyperalgesia following a mild heat injury to the skin.
Optimization of Roll Bonding by Hot Rolling in Experimental and Industrial Use

In this study the major topic were the bonding properties of the layer-clad aluminum sheets. The bonding was performed between AlMn1Si0.8 and AlSi10 alloys using hot rolling (a VON ROLL experimental duo mill). The experimental temperatures were 460, 480 and 500°C. The goodness of bonding was tested by tensile test and T-peel test. T-peel test provided a good description about the quality of bonding. Structure analysis was also performed by light microscopy to detect typical bonding faults. The aim of this investigation is modelling the bonding conformation in experimental conditions. Further aim of this investigation is to produce some typical bonding faults and find the cause of formation. The influence of the rolling temperature and surface roughness on the bonding was also analyzed. Rolling schedule and the role of first pass on the development of perfect bonding were experimentally determined.
Neurobiology of Disease Extracellular Spermine Exacerbates Ischemic Neuronal Injury through Sensitization of Asic1a Channels to Extracellular Acidosis

Ischemic brain injury is a major problem associated with stroke. It has been increasingly recognized that acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) contribute significantly to ischemic neuronal damage, but the underlying mechanism has remained elusive. Here, we show that extracellular spermine, one of the endogenous polyamines, exacerbates ischemic neuronal injury through sensitization of ASIC1a channels to extracellular acidosis. Pharmacological blockade of ASIC1a or deletion of the ASIC1 gene greatly reduces the enhancing effect of spermine in ischemic neuronal damage both in cultures of dissociated neurons and in a mouse model of focal ischemia. Mechanistically, spermine profoundly reduces desensitization of ASIC1a by slowing down desensitization in the open state, shifting steady-state desen-sitization to more acidic pH, and accelerating recovery between repeated periods of acid stimulation. Spermine-mediated potentiation of ASIC1a activity is occluded by PcTX1 (psalmotoxin 1), a specific ASIC1a inhibitor binding to its extracellular domain. Functionally, the enhanced channel activity is accompanied by increased acid-induced neuronal membrane depolarization and cytoplasmic Ca 2ϩ overload , which may partially explain the exacerbated neuronal damage caused by spermine. More importantly, blocking endogenous spermine synthesis significantly attenuates ischemic brain injury mediated by ASIC1a but not that by NMDA receptors. Thus, extracel-lular spermine contributes significantly to ischemic neuronal injury through enhancing ASIC1a activity. Our data suggest new neuro-protective strategies for stroke patients via inhibition of polyamine synthesis and subsequent spermine–ASIC interaction.