Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
When Image Denoising Meets High-Level Vision Tasks: A Deep Learning Approach

Conventionally, image denoising and high-level vision tasks are handled separately in computer vision. In this paper, we cope with the two jointly and explore the mutual influence between them. First we propose a convolutional neural network for image denoising which achieves the state-of-the-art performance. Second we propose a deep neural network solution that cascades two modules for image denoising and various high-level tasks, respectively, and use the joint loss for updating only the denoising network via back-propagation. We demonstrate that on one hand, the proposed denoiser has the generality to overcome the performance degradation of different high-level vision tasks. On the other hand, with the guidance of high-level vision information, the denoising network can generate more visually appealing results. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work investigating the benefit of exploiting image semantics simultaneously for image denoising and high-level vision tasks via deep learning.
Construction of GaN/Ga2O3 p–n junction for an extremely high responsivity self-powered UV photodetector

A self-powered ultraviolet photodetector was constructed with GaN/Ga2O3 p–n junction by depositing n-type Ga2O3 thin film on Al2O3 single crystals substrate covered by p-type GaN thin film. The fabricated device exhibits a typical rectification behavior in dark and excellent photovoltaic characteristics under 365 nm and 254 nm light illumination. The device shows an extremely high responsivity of 54.43 mA W−1, a fast decay time of 0.08 s, a high Ilight/Idark ratio of 152 and a high detectivity of 1.23 × 1011 cm Hz1/2 W−1 under 365 nm light with a light intensity of 1.7 mW cm−2 under zero bias. Such excellent performances under zero bias are attributed to the rapid separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs driven by built-in electric field in the interface depletion region of GaN/Ga2O3 p–n junction. The results strongly suggest that the GaN/Ga2O3 p–n junction based photodetectors are suitable for applications in secure ultraviolet communication and space detection which require high responsivity and self-sufficient functionality.
Impact of thrombus length on recanalization and clinical outcome following mechanical thrombectomy in acute ischemic stroke

Purpose The impact of thrombus length on recanalization in IV thrombolysis for acute intracranial artery occlusion has been well studied. Here we analyzed the influence of thrombus length on the number of thrombectomy maneuvers needed for recanalization, intraprocedural complications, recanalization success, and clinical outcome after mechanical thrombectomy. Methods We retrospectively analyzed angiographic and clinical data from 72 consecutive patients with acute occlusion of the M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery who were treated with mechanical thrombectomy using stent retrievers. Successful recanalization was defined as a Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction score of 2b or 3. Good neurological outcome was defined as a modified Rankin Scale score of ≤2 at 90 days after stroke onset. Results Mean thrombus length was 13.4±5.2 mm. Univariate binary logistic regression did not show an association of thrombus length with the probability of a good clinical outcome (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.84 to 1.03, p=0.176) or successful recanalization (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.81 to 1.05, p=0.225). There was no significant correlation between thrombus length and the number of thrombectomy maneuvers needed for recanalization (p=0.112). Furthermore, thrombus length was not correlated with the probability of intraprocedural complications (p=0.813), including embolization in a new territory (n=3). Conclusions In this study, thrombus length had no relevant impact on recanalization, neurological outcome, or intraprocedural complications following mechanical thrombectomy of middle cerebral artery occlusions. Therefore, mechanical thrombectomy with stent retrievers can be attempted with large clots.
High school incompletion and childhood maltreatment among street‐involved young people in Vancouver, Canada

While the link between educational attainment and future health and wellness is well understood, little investigation has considered the potential impacts of distinct forms of childhood maltreatment on high school completion. In the present study, the relationship between five categories of childhood maltreatment (physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, and physical and emotional neglect) and completion of high school education were examined using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). From September 2005 to May 2013, data were collected for the At-Risk Youth Study (ARYS), a cohort of street-involved young people who use illicit drugs in Vancouver, Canada. We used logistic regression to examine the relationship between childhood maltreatment and high school completion, while controlling for a range of potential confounding variables. Specifically, five separate models for each category of maltreatment and two combined models were employed to examine the relative associations between, and cumulative impact of, different forms of childhood maltreatment and educational attainment. Among 974 young people, 737 (76%) reported not completing high school. In separate multivariable analyses physical abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, and emotional neglect remained positively and independently associated with an incomplete high school education. In a combined multivariable model with all forms of childhood maltreatment considered together, emotional abuse (adjusted odds ratio = 2.08; 95% confidence interval: 1.51-2.86) was the only form of maltreatment that remained significantly associated with an incomplete high school education. The cumulative impact assessment indicated a moderate dose-dependent trend where the greater the number of different forms of childhood maltreatment the greater the risk of not completing a high school education. These findings point to the need for trauma-informed interventions to improve educational attainment among vulnerable young people, as well as evidence-based prevention programmes, such as the Nurse-Family Partnership, aimed at supporting at-risk families before maltreatment occurs.
MCR-1.6, a New MCR Variant Carried by an IncP Plasmid in a Colistin-Resistant Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Isolate from a Healthy Individual

ABSTRACT In this study, we report a novel mcr-1 gene variant, named mcr-1.6, carried by an IncP plasmid in a colistin-resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium isolate from a healthy person. Compared with mcr-1, the mcr-1.6 gene contains two single-nucleotide polymorphisms, one of which results in an arginine to histidine variation (Arg536→His). The plasmid carrying the mcr-1.6 gene was designated pMCR1.6_P053 and is similar to a recently discovered mcr-1-bearing plasmid found in Klebsiella pneumoniae.
IRF9 and unphosphorylated STAT2 cooperate with NF-κB to drive IL6 expression

Significance We describe unexpected cooperation between two cytokines that are important in regulating the growth of cancers, namely, type I interferons (IFNs) and interleukin 6 (IL6). It is well established that IL6 is vital for the ability of many tumor types to prosper, and the work in the current paper reveals that the signaling pathway driven by IFN, which is also evident in many cancers, increases the expression of IL6 through a direct effect on the IL6 gene. The findings may help to identify new antitumor targets for therapy. In response to IFNβ, the IL6 gene is activated, modestly at early times by ISGF3 (IRF9 plus tyrosine-phosphorylated STATs 1 and 2), and strongly at late times by U-ISGF3 (IRF9 plus U-STATs 1 and 2, lacking tyrosine phosphorylation). A classical IFN-stimulated response element (ISRE) at −1,513 to −1,526 in the human IL6 promoter is required. Pretreating cells with IFNβ or increasing the expression of U-STAT2 and IRF9 exogenously greatly enhances IL6 expression in response to the classical NF-κB activators IL1, TNF, and LPS. U-STAT2 binds tightly to IRF9, the DNA binding subunit of ISGF3, and also to the p65 subunit of NF-κB. Therefore, as shown by ChIP analyses, U-STAT2 can bridge the ISRE and κB elements in the IL6 promoter. In some cancer cells, the protumorigenic activation of STAT3 will be enhanced by the increased synthesis of IL6 that is facilitated by high expression of U-STAT2 and IRF9.
Effect of ECM2 expression on bovine skeletal muscle‐derived satellite cell differentiation

Extracellular matrix components have important regulatory functions during cell proliferation and differentiation. In recent study, extracellular matrix were shown to have a strong effect on skeletal muscle differentiation. Here, we aimed to elucidate the effects of extracellular matrix protein 2 (ECM2), an extracellular matrix component, on the differentiation of bovine skeletal muscle‐derived satellite cells (MDSCs). Western blot and immunofluorescence analyses were used to elucidate the ECM2 expression pattern in bovine MDSCs during differentiation in vitro. CRISPR/Cas9 technology was used to activate or inhibit ECM2 expression to study its effects on the in vitro differentiation of bovine MDSCs. ECM2 expression was shown to increase gradually during bovine MDSC differentiation, and the levels of this protein were higher in more highly differentiated myotubes. ECM2 activation promoted MDSC differentiation, whereas its suppression inhibited the differentiation of these cells. Here, for the first time, we demonstrated the importance of ECM2 expression during bovine MDSC differentiation; these results could lead to treatments that help to increase beef cattle muscularity.
The role of implementation and communication of MANTRA Water, sanitation and hygiene program in improving public health in Odisha state (India).

BACKGROUND Provision of safe drinking water is the main strategy to reduce the number of water-borne diseases. The Government of India has declared its commitment towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals and universal sanitation coverage in the country by the year 2022. Indian NGO Gram Vikas offers a solution to this task through its flagship WASH program MANTRA. It focuses on water and sanitation as an entry point for integrated village development. METHODS The case study from Haradango village (Odisha state, India) investigates the effectiveness of MANTRA program by identifying key principles of this Gram Vikas' flagship programme and by analysing an impact of its implemenation and communication on public health of Haradango villagers. Based on field research key principles were identified (100 % inclusion, Gender equity, Social equity, Cost-sharing, Sustainability). RESULTS Thanks to the application of the principles, reduction of nearly 80 % of water borne diseases was recorded and diarrhea incidence has been less than 2 %. CONCLUSIONS Gram Vikas' community-driven development approach towards improvement of public health and sustainable rural development can be labeled as successful model for local, as well as national projects. Information, education and communication activities need to persist in order to overcome the cultural practice of open defecation within communities.
Respiratory and spontaneous arousals in patients with Sleep Apnea Hypopnea Syndrome

Sleep in patients with Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome (SAHS) is frequently interrupted with arousals. Increased amounts of arousals result in shortening total sleep time and repeated sleep-arousal change can result in sleep fragmentation. According to the American Sleep Disorders Association (ASDA) an arousal is a marker of sleep disruption representing a detrimental and harmful feature for sleep. The nature of arousals and its role on the regulation of the sleep process raises controversy and has sparked the debate in the last years. In this work, we analyzed and compared the EEG spectral content of respiratory and spontaneous arousals on a database of 45 SAHS subjects. A total of 3980 arousals (1996 respiratory and 1984 spontaneous) were analyzed. The results showed no differences between the spectral content of the two kinds of arousals. Our findings raise doubt as to whether these two kinds of arousals are truly triggered by different organic mechanisms. Furthermore, they may also challenge the current beliefs regarding the underestimation of the importance of spontaneous arousals and their contribution to sleep fragmentation in patients suffering from SAHS.
CT-P13: design, development, and place in therapy

The introduction of biological agents has revolutionized the management of many life-threatening and debilitating immune-mediated diseases. Because of the high cost of biological drugs and their patent expiration, the market has opened to biosimilar agents, copy versions of the originators, which can lead to reduced health care expenditure and increase treatment access worldwide. CT-P13 is the first biosimilar of infliximab (IFX) and has been approved for the same indications as its originator drug. It obtained regulatory approval by the European Medicines Agency in September 2013 and by the US Food and Drug Administration in April 2016. The Phase I and Phase III clinical trials conducted in ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis have demonstrated pharmacokinetic and efficacy equivalence with comparable safety and immunogenicity to IFX. For these reasons, the use of CT-P13 has been extrapolated also to inflammatory bowel disease. There have been some initial concerns regarding the use of CT-P13 in inflammatory bowel disease patients, because of the lack of randomized controlled trials. However, emerging real-world data have further confirmed the comparability between CT-P13 and its reference product in terms of efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity, in patients naïve to the anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha agents and after switching from IFX, and will be summarized in this review.
Synthesis, Structure and Antioxidant Activity of (Tetra-O-acetyl-β-D-galactopyranosyl)thiosemicarbazones of Substituted Benzaldehydes

Some new substituted benzaldehyde (2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-β-D-galactopyranosyl) thiosemicarbazones were synthesised by reaction of 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-β-D-galactopyranosyl thiosemicarbazide and different substituted benzaldehydes. The reaction was performed using conventional and microwave-assisted heating methods. The structures of thiosemicarbazones were confirmed by spectroscopic (IR, 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR and MS) method. The antioxidant activity of these thiosemicarbazones was evaluated, in vitro and in vivo, and it's shown that some of these compounds had significant antioxidant activity.
Robust Monocular Visual Teach and Repeat Aided by Local Ground Planarity and Color‐constant Imagery

Visual Teach and Repeat (VT&R) allows an autonomous vehicle to accurately repeat a previously traversed route using only vision sensors. Most VT&R systems rely on natively three‐dimensional (3D) sensors such as stereo cameras for mapping and localization, but many existing mobile robots are equipped with only 2D monocular vision, typically for teleoperation. In this paper, we extend VT&R to the most basic sensor configuration—a single monocular camera. We show that kilometer‐scale route repetition can be achieved with centimeter‐level accuracy by approximating the local ground surface near the vehicle as a plane with some uncertainty. This allows our system to recover absolute scale from the known position and orientation of the camera relative to the vehicle, which simplifies threshold‐based outlier rejection and the estimation and control of lateral path‐tracking error—essential components of high‐accuracy route repetition. We enhance the robustness of our monocular VT&R system to common failure cases through the use of color‐constant imagery, which provides it with a degree of resistance to lighting changes and moving shadows where keypoint matching on standard gray images tends to struggle. Through extensive testing on a combined 30 km of autonomous navigation data collected on multiple vehicles in a variety of highly nonplanar terrestrial and planetary‐analogue environments, we demonstrate that our system is capable of achieving route‐repetition accuracy on par with its stereo counterpart, with only a modest tradeoff in robustness.
Design and implementation of an RNS division algorithm

In 1995 the authors introduced the main outlines of a new algorithm for division in residue number system, which can be applied to any moduli set. Simulation results proved that the algorithm was many times faster than most competitive published work. Determining the position of the most significant nonzero bit of any residue number in that algorithm is the major speed limiting factor. They customize the same algorithm to serve two specific moduli sets: (2/sup k/, 2/sup k/-1, 2/sup k-1/-1) and (2/sup k/+1, 2/sup k/, 2/sup k/-1), and thus, eliminate that speed limiting factor. Based on this work, hardware needed to determine most significant bit position has been reduced to a single adder. Therefore, computation time and hardware requirements are substantially improved. This would enable RNS to be a stronger force in building general purpose computers.
Experimental, molecular docking investigations and bioavailability study on the inclusion complexes of finasteride and cyclodextrins

Finasteride (FIN) is a Class II candidate of the Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS). The lipophilic cavity of cyclodextrins (CyDs) enables it to construct a non-covalent inclusion complex with different insoluble drugs. Only β-cyclodextrin (β-CyD) and hydroxypropyl-β-CyD (HP-β-CyD) have been previously examined with FIN. This study aimed to investigate the consistence of FIN with different kinds of β-CyDs, including dimethyl-β-cyclodextrin (DM-β-CyD), carboxymethyl-β-cyclodextrin (CM-β-CyD), HP-β-CyD, sulfobutyl ether-β-cyclodextrin (SBE-β-CyD), and β-CyD, by the coprecipitation method. The resultant inclusion systems were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, and dissolution studies. Moreover, molecular docking for the selected inclusion systems was carried out to explore the suitable arrangements of FIN in the cavity of β-CyD or its derivatives. The results suggested that the DM-β-CyD inclusion system gave the higher complexation efficiency for improvement in solubility of FIN and hence enhancement of its bioavailability. Pharmacokinetic parameters displayed a higher absorption rate and higher area under the curve of the FIN/DM-β-CyD inclusion complex when compared with the drug alone, which indicates an improvement in the absorption and bioavailability of FIN in the DM-β-CyD inclusion system.
Asymmetry and Structure of the Fronto‐Parietal Networks Underlie Visuomotor Processing in Humans

Abstract Research in both humans and monkeys has shown that even simple hand movements require cortical control beyond primary sensorimotor areas. An extensive functional neuroimaging literature demonstrates the key role that cortical fronto‐parietal regions play for movements such as reaching and reach‐to‐grasp. However, no study so far has examined the specific white matter connections linking the fronto‐parietal regions, namely the 3 parallel pathways of the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF). The aim of the current study was to explore how selective fronto‐parietal connections are for different kinds of hand movement in 30 right‐handed subjects by correlating diffusion imaging tractography and kinematic data. We showed that a common network, consisting of bilateral SLF II and SLF III, was involved in both reaching and reach‐to‐grasp movements. Larger SLF II and SLF III in the right hemisphere were associated with faster speed of visuomotor processing, while the left SLF II and SLF III played a role in the initial movement trajectory control. Furthermore, the right SLF II was involved in the closing grip phase necessary for efficient grasping of the object. We demonstrated for the first time that individual differences in asymmetry and structure of the fronto‐parietal networks were associated with visuomotor processing in humans.
Quantification of 1-hydroxypyrene, 1- and 2-hydroxynaphthalene, 3-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene and 6-hydroxynitropyrene by HPLC-MS/MS in human urine as exposure biomarkers for environmental and occupational surveys

Abstract Context: Several urinary PAHs metabolites can be detected by HPLC-MS/MS for individual exposure assessment. Objective: Quantitation of urinary metabolites of four PAHs, selected on the basis of their significance, with reduced costs and high sensitivity. Materials and methods: HPLC-MS/MS was used and pure standards and isotope-labeled internal analogs of the analytes. Two hundred samples were tested after enzymatic hydrolysis. Results: Accuracy was higher than 90% and variability lower than 19%; LODs permit to measure 1-hydroxypyrene, 1 and 2-hydroxynaphthalene in all subjects, 6-hydroxynitropyrene in the 65% and 3-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene in the 70%. Discussion and conclusion: The method is suitable both for occupational and for environmental studies. This is the first paper reporting urinary levels of 6-hydroxynitropyrene in European subjects, nonoccupationally exposed to nitro-PAHs.
Biochar Based Inoculants Improve Soybean Growth and Nodulation

Most rhizobial inoculants that stimulate legume yield are applied with carriers that enhance root contact. The physicochemical properties of biochar are suitable for microbial growth, and it could be an alternative to peat, which comes from decreasing reserves but is the commonest solid inoculant carrier. The aim of the current research was to evaluate biochars as carriers of bradyrhizobia in solid inoculant and as coatings for seeds. Biochars and peat were inoculated with Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain 532C and storage time was assessed. A seed coating system was developed using biochar, bacteria liquid culture, water, and guar gum. The viability of bacteria in the coating and in solid biochar was evaluated at 4°C and 21°C. Two biochars were selected for a germination assay. Finally, greenhouse experimentation investigated the effect of biochar inoculant and seed coating on soybean growth and nutrient uptake. The storage time experiment showed that not all biochars equally sustain bacteria survival over time. The germination assay demonstrated that biochar seed coating had no effect on soybean germination. Greenhouse experimentation indicated that the effect of Pyrovac biochar on soybean growth characteristics and nutrient uptake depended on the fertilizer. The main finding was that biochar solid inoculant positively affected plant growth metrics, root characteristics, and the chemical composition of plants supplied with N-free nutrient solution.
The Mechanical Behavior of the Cable-in-Conduit Conductor in the ITER Project

Cable-in-conduit conductor (CICC) has wide applications, and this structure is often served to undergo heat force-electromagnetic coupled field in practical utiliza-tion, especially in the magnetic confinement fusion (e.g., Tokamak). The mechanical behavior in CICC is of relevance to understanding the mechanical response and cannot be ignored for assessing the safety of these superconducting structures. In this chapter, several mechanical models were established to analyze the mechanical behavior of the CICC in Tokamak device, and the key mechanical problems such as the equivalent mechanical parameters of the superconducting cable, the untwisting behavior in the process of insertion, the buckling behavior of the superconducting wire under the action of the thermo-electromagnetic static load, and the Tcs (current sharing temperature) degradation under the thermo-electromagnetic cyclic loads are studied. Finally, we summarize the existing problems and the future research points on the basis of the previous research results, which will help the related researchers to figure out the mechanical behavior of CICC more easily.