Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A four-class BCI based on motor imagination of the right and the left hand wrist

This paper presents a new concept for a four-class Brain Computer Interface (BCI) classifier based on motor imagination of the left and the right hand wrist. The noninvasive BCI combines classification of movements of the same limb (wrist flexion and extension) with classification of movements of different limbs, i.e. left and right hand wrist. Results were obtained on four right-handed neurologically intact volunteers. Mean classification accuracy for four different classes was 69% (between 62% and 76%) For the given task, a two-steps two-classes classifier showed significantly better classification results that a single four class classifier.
Food allergy and gastrointestinal disease Early life innate immune signatures of persistent food allergy

Background: Food allergy naturally resolves in a proportion of food-allergic children without intervention; however the underlying mechanisms governing the persistence or resolution of food allergy in childhood are not understood. Objectives: This study aimed to define the innate immune profiles associated with egg allergy at age 1 year, determine the phenotypic changes that occur with the development of natural tolerance in childhood, and explore the relationship between early life innate immune function and serum vitamin D. Methods: This study used longitudinally collected PBMC samples from a population-based cohort of challenge-confirmed egg-allergic infants with either persistent or transient egg allergy outcomes in childhood to phenotype and quantify the functional innate immune response associated with clinical phenotypes of egg allergy.
Cholangiocarcinoma: lessons from Thailand

Purpose of review To present the background of liver fluke-associated cholangiocarcinoma in Thailand focusing on recent epidemiological data and pathogenesis of this bile duct cancer. Recent findings More systematic tumor registration in Thailand nowadays uncovers new high-incidence areas that are confined to not only the northeastern part but also some provinces in northern Thailand. The link between the liver fluke, Opisthorchis viverrini, and cholangiocarcinoma, particularly in terms of cellular and molecular pathogenesis, is further elucidated. Summary Thailand is still the country with the highest incidence of cholangiocarcinoma in the world. Liver fluke induces chronic inflammation leading to oxidative DNA damage of the infected biliary epithelium and malignant transformation. Eradication of the fluke and identification of high-risk populations are urgently needed.
The benefits of meditation vis-à-vis emotional intelligence, perceived stress and negative mental health

This paper evaluates the benefits of meditation in regard to emotional intelligence (EI), perceived stress and negative mental health with cross-sectional and experimental studies. It first studied 351 full-time working adults with different amounts of experience in meditation for these factors in order to test the hypothesis that their differences in them were based on differences in meditation experience, and found that those participants with greater meditation experience exhibited higher EI, and less perceived stress and negative mental health than those who had less or none. It then randomly divided 20 graduate students with no previous experience of meditation into a mindfulness meditation group (n = 10) and a control group (n = 10), and measured them for the same variable pre-treatment and post-treatment to test the hypothesis that meditation training improves people's state, and found that those who completed the mindfulness meditation training demonstrated significant improvements compared to the control group. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Video-based Face Recognition on Real-World Data

In this paper, we present the classification sub-system of a real-time video-based face identification system which recognizes people entering through the door of a laboratory. Since the subjects are not asked to cooperate with the system but are allowed to behave naturally, this application scenario poses many challenges. Continuous, uncontrolled variations of facial appearance due to illumination, pose, expression, and occlusion need to be handled to allow for successful recognition. Faces are classified by a local appearance-based face recognition algorithm. The obtained confidence scores from each classification are progressively combined to provide the identity estimate of the entire sequence. We introduce three different measures to weight the contribution of each individual frame to the overall classification decision. They are distance- to-model (DTM), distance-to-second-closest (DT2ND), and their combination. Both a k-nearest neighbor approach and a set of Gaussian mixtures are evaluated to produce individual frame scores. We have conducted closed set and open set identification experiments on a database of 41 subjects. The experimental results show that the proposed system is able to reach high correct recognition rates in a difficult scenario.
Exploring Co-Performer Communication

This paper examines the development and implementation of general social and specific non-verbal communication between two expert pianists who prepared and gave a recital of piano duo and duet music. All ensemble rehearsals and the final performance were video-taped. Following the performance, the musicians were interviewed in order to document their thoughts on the learning and performance processes. From the video-taped rehearsals and performance, data concerning musical coordination, social interaction, non-verbal gestures and looking behaviour were coded and counted. The results show that these excellent sight-readers used rehearsals to consolidate the timing, phrasing and sense of musical style. Moreover, an emergent set of coordinated, non-verbal gestures and eye-contact developed, with these actions increasing significantly over the rehearsal process at locations in the music identified by the pianists as “important for coordinating performance and communicating musical ideas”. Thus, the two performers acquired a deepening expressive and communicative assurance along with a familiarisation with the musical material. The findings are discussed in relation to their implications for musical performance by highlighting the elements of co-performer interaction that were negotiated and coordinated throughout the rehearsal process.
Identifying multi-layer gene regulatory modules from multi-dimensional genomic data

Motivation: Eukaryotic gene expression (GE) is subjected to precisely coordinated multi-layer controls, across the levels of epigenetic, transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulations. Recently, the emerging multi-dimensional genomic dataset has provided unprecedented opportunities to study the cross-layer regulatory interplay. In these datasets, the same set of samples is profiled on several layers of genomic activities, e.g. copy number variation (CNV), DNA methylation (DM), GE and microRNA expression (ME). However, suitable analysis methods for such data are currently sparse. Results: In this article, we introduced a sparse Multi-Block Partial Least Squares (sMBPLS) regression method to identify multi-dimensional regulatory modules from this new type of data. A multi-dimensional regulatory module contains sets of regulatory factors from different layers that are likely to jointly contribute to a local ‘gene expression factory’. We demonstrated the performance of our method on the simulated data as well as on The Cancer Genomic Atlas Ovarian Cancer datasets including the CNV, DM, ME and GE data measured on 230 samples. We showed that majority of identified modules have significant functional and transcriptional enrichment, higher than that observed in modules identified using only a single type of genomic data. Our network analysis of the modules revealed that the CNV, DM and microRNA can have coupled impact on expression of important oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Availability and implementation: The source code implemented by MATLAB is freely available at: http://zhoulab.usc.edu/sMBPLS/. Contact: xjzhou@usc.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary material are available at Bioinformatics online.
Impairment in people with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in adjusting ground reaction force in running

ABSTRACT In healthy individuals, maximum vertical ground reaction force (MVGRF) remains close to constant during constant velocity running, despite variation in stiffness of the surface underfoot. Because the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) possesses mechanoreceptors that influence recruitment of knee muscles, it may play a role in regulation of lower limb force output. This study was designed to examine the effect of recent ACL reconstruction on MVGRF in running. Seven patients who were 5–13 weeks post-ACL reconstruction and 7 healthy participants ran for 60 seconds in shoes modified with hard and with soft 1-cm outsoles. The MVGRF during running was measured for the ACL reconstructed and nonsurgical limbs of patients and limbs of healthy participants. The difference in MVGRF between running in hard and soft shoes was significantly greater in ACL reconstructed limbs than nonsurgical limbs (p = 0.003) and compared to limbs of healthy participants (p = 0.001). In contrast, a difference in MVGRF between shoes was not found between patients' nonsurgical limbs and those of healthy participants. A lack of mechanoreceptive feedback from the ACL graft may be among the factors explaining the difference between the ACL reconstructed limbs and the other two limb conditions.
Testing for Parameter Constancy in Linear Regressions: An Empirical Distribution Function Approach

This paper proposes some tests for parameter constancy in linear regressions. The tests use weighted empirical distribution functions of estimated residuals and are asymptotically distribution free. The proposed tests have nontrivial local power against a wide range of alternatives. In particular, the tests are capable of detecting error heterogeneity that is not necessarily manifested in the form of changing variances. The model allows for both dynamic and trending regressors. As an intermediate result, some weak convergence for (stochastically) weighted sequential empirical processes is established. Copyright 1996 by The Econometric Society.
The social ecology of police attitudes

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to use Klinger's theory of negotiated order to examine whether district crime and deviance levels exert influence on levels of police cynicism towards district residents. A secondary purpose is to discuss the policy implications for the proposed relationship between district crime and police cynicism.Design/methodology/approach – Interviews from the Project on Policing Neighborhood (POPN) and patrol district crime data were used to study whether crime and deviance levels exert influence on police cynicism of district residents (n=574). It was hypothesized that officers would be more cynical of citizens in districts with higher rates of violent crime compared with their colleagues assigned to districts with lower rates of violent crime.Findings – The results of OLS regression analyses indicate that district violent crime rate was related to police cynicism and in the direction hypothesized, controlling for both individual and occupational covariates. Officers with mor.
INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP GALAXIES IN CNOC1 CLUSTERS

Using wide-field BVRcI imaging for a sample of 16 intermediate redshift (0.17 < z < 0.55) galaxy clusters from the Canadian Network for Observational Cosmology Survey, we investigate the dependence of cluster galaxy populations and their evolution on environment. Galaxy photometric redshifts are estimated using an empirical photometric redshift technique and galaxy groups are identified using a modified friends-of-friends algorithm in photometric redshift space. We utilize the red galaxy fraction (fred) to infer the evolutionary status of galaxies in clusters, using both individual galaxies and galaxies in groups. We apply the local galaxy density, Σ5, derived using the fifth nearest neighbor distance, as a measure of local environment, and the cluster-centric radius, rCL, as a proxy for global cluster environment. Our cluster sample exhibits a Butcher–Oemler effect in both luminosity-selected and stellar-mass-selected samples. We find that fred depends strongly on Σ5 and rCL, and the Butcher–Oemler effect is observed in all Σ5 and rCL bins. However, when the cluster galaxies are separated into rCL bins, or into group and nongroup subsamples, the dependence on local galaxy density becomes much weaker. This suggests that the properties of the dark matter halo in which the galaxy resides have a dominant effect on its galaxy population and evolutionary history. We find that our data are consistent with the scenario that cluster galaxies situated in successively richer groups (i.e., more massive dark matter halos) reach a high fred value at earlier redshifts. Associated with this, we observe a clear signature of “preprocessing,” in which cluster galaxies belonging to moderately massive infalling galaxy groups show a much stronger evolution in fred than those classified as nongroup galaxies, especially at the outskirts of the cluster. This result suggests that galaxies in groups infalling into clusters are significant contributors to the Butcher–Oemler effect.
Acts of meaning

Jerome Bruner argues that the cognitive revolution, with its current fixation on mind as "information processor;" has led psychology away from the deeper objective of understanding mind as a creator of meanings. Only by breaking out of the limitations imposed by a computational model of mind can we grasp the special interaction through which mind both constitutes and is constituted by culture. (http://books.google.fr/books? id=YHt_M41uIuUC&pg=PA157&dq=Bruner,+J.+%281990%29.+Acts+of+meaning&hl=fr&ei=EwOXTrqpCsPWsgaGgO2YBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false)
Long-Term Metabolic Control of Autoimmune Diabetes in Spontaneously Diabetic Nonobese Diabetic Mice by Nonvascularized Microencapsulated Adult Porcine Islets

Background. The long-term metabolic function of microencapsulated xenogeneic adult porcine islets (API) was assessed in a murine model of type 1 diabetes mellitus. Methods. API were encapsulated in barium-gelled alginate and transplanted intraperitoneally in diabetic nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice given no immunosuppression or given costimulatory blockade (CoB; CTLA4-Ig+anti-CD154 mAb). Control mice received nonencapsulated API under the kidney capsule. Graft function was monitored by measurement of random blood glucose levels, serum glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), serum porcine C peptide, in vivo glucose tolerance tests, and histologic analyses of host pancreas and graft biopsies. Host immune responses to the islet xenografts were characterized by phenotyping peritoneal cellular infiltrates and by measuring serum antiporcine antibody levels. Results. Without immunosuppression, nonencapsulated API functioned for less than 1 week, and microencapsulated API functioned for 35±14 days before rejection, associated with both a cellular and a humoral immune response. With continuous CoB, nonencapsulated API functioned for 27±4 days, whereas microencapsulated API functioned for >450 days with measurable levels of serum porcine C peptide, near normal in vivo glucose tolerance tests and HbA1c levels, and intact microcapsules containing viable, insulin-positive porcine islets. Conclusions. Microencapsulated API restored normoglycemia for more than 1 year in spontaneously diabetic NODs given dual CoB. To our knowledge, this is the first study to document long-term normalized HbA1c, porcine C peptide, and near normal glucose tolerance in immunosuppressed diabetic NOD mice transplanted intraperitoneally with microencapsulated API. Our study suggests that transplantation of microencapsulated porcine islet xenografts may be a future treatment for patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus.
The Home Environment in the Assessment of Learning Disabilities

The purpose of the present article is to advocate that in view of the difficulty involved in predicting learning disability by looking at the early behavior of the child, serious consideration must be given to early assessment of home environmental processes as a supplement to child-focused preschool screening and research. The article contains a review of home environmental issues, findings, and instruments as they have arisen in the field of general cognitive development and as they are applicable to preschool prediction of learning disabilities. The authors conclude that in the area of learning disabilities, ‘environmental disadvantage’ should not be conceptualized in gross, structural terms. Within some middle- and upper-class homes, children with actual or potential learning disabilities may be ‘environmentally disadvantaged’ as regards interactions with their parents. During the early childhood period, there is a special need to look within the traditional LD exclusion category of low socioeconomic status for potential subgroups of inefficient learners who are at risk for subsequent learning and social disabilities. When not appropriately identified and intervened with in early childhood, these subgroups may later be misdiagnosed as cultural familial retardates.
Estrogen Prevents Oxidative Damage to the Mitochondria in Friedreich's Ataxia Skin Fibroblasts

Estrogen and estrogen-related compounds have been shown to have very potent cytoprotective properties in a wide range of disease models, including an in vitro model of Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA). This study describes a potential estrogen receptor (ER)-independent mechanism by which estrogens act to protect human FRDA skin fibroblasts from a BSO-induced oxidative insult resulting from inhibition of de novo glutathione (GSH) synthesis. We demonstrate that phenolic estrogens, independent of any known ER, are able to prevent lipid peroxidation and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) collapse, maintain ATP at near control levels, increase oxidative phosphorylation and maintain activity of aconitase. Estrogens did not, however, prevent BSO from depleting GSH or induce an increased expression level of GSH. The cytoprotective effects of estrogen appear to be due to a direct overall reduction in oxidative damage to the mitochondria, enabling the FRDA fibroblast mitochondria to generate sufficient ATP for energy requirements and better survive oxidative stress. These data support the hypothesis that phenol ring containing estrogens are possible candidate drugs for the delay and/or prevention of FRDA symptoms.
Sliding-Mode Control for Tele-robotic Neurosurgical System

This paper presents a sliding-mode control (SMC) design for the tele-robotic neurosurgical system. The proposed tele-robotic neurosurgical system with force, video, and voice feedback is introduced first, which can be tele-operated over the Internet. However, delay on the Internet may cause the proposed system unstable. It is a critical issue to deal with time delay in the proposed system. Based on an uncertain delayed stochastic model of the proposed system, the SMC is employed. In this paper, both constant and varying time delay are considered. The sliding surface was designed to maximize the calculable set of admissible delays. By defining Lyapunov--Krasovskii functions, the conditions for the existence of the sliding regime were studied. In addition, linear matrix inequalities were employed for the optimization procedure. Finally, results of simulation proved feasibility and efficiency of the proposed method.
Exact Recovery in the Stochastic Block Model

The stochastic block model with two communities, or equivalently the planted bisection model, is a popular model of random graph exhibiting a cluster behavior. In the symmetric case, the graph has two equally sized clusters and vertices connect with probability p within clusters and q across clusters. In the past two decades, a large body of literature in statistics and computer science has focused on providing lower bounds on the scaling of | p - q| to ensure exact recovery. In this paper, we identify a sharp threshold phenomenon for exact recovery: if α = pn/log(n) and β = qn/ log(n) are constant (with α > β), recovering the communities with high probability is possible if (α + β/2) - √(αβ) > 1 and is impossible if (α + β/2) - √(αβ) <; 1. In particular, this improves the existing bounds. This also sets a new line of sight for efficient clustering algorithms. While maximum likelihood (ML) achieves the optimal threshold (by definition), it is in the worst case NP-hard. This paper proposes an efficient algorithm based on a semidefinite programming relaxation of ML, which is proved to succeed in recovering the communities close to the threshold, while numerical experiments suggest that it may achieve the threshold. An efficient algorithm that succeeds all the way down to the threshold is also obtained using a partial recovery algorithm combined with a local improvement procedure.
Comparative study on circadian typology and sleep habits of Japanese and Czech infants aged 0–8 years

Average bedtime and sleep duration of Japanese infants aged 0–8 years were later by 1.3 h and shorter by 1 h, respectively, than those of Czech infants. Japanese infants were predominantly more evening-type than Czech infants, while Japanese parents (mostly mothers) were significantly more morning-type than Czech mothers. Correlation value (r-value) between the morningness-eveningness (M-E) scores of infants and mothers was 0.405 in Japanese participants, whereas it was relatively low (0.297) in Czech ones. Czech infants were reported as being depressed more frequently than Japanese ones who were reported as being more frequently angry than the Czech infants.
What's Worthy of Comment? Content and Comment Volume in Political Blogs

In this paper we aim to model the relationship be- tween the text of a political blog post and the comment volume—that is, the total amount of response—that a post will receive. We seek to accurately identify which posts will attract a high-volume response, and also to gain insight about the community of readers and their interests. We design and evaluate variations on a latent- variable topic model that links text to comment volume.