Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Label Field Fusion Bayesian Model and Its Penalized Maximum Rand Estimator for Image Segmentation

This paper presents a novel segmentation approach based on a Markov random field (MRF) fusion model which aims at combining several segmentation results associated with simpler clustering models in order to achieve a more reliable and accurate segmentation result. The proposed fusion model is derived from the recently introduced probabilistic Rand measure for comparing one segmentation result to one or more manual segmentations of the same image. This non-parametric measure allows us to easily derive an appealing fusion model of label fields, easily expressed as a Gibbs distribution, or as a nonstationary MRF model defined on a complete graph. Concretely, this Gibbs energy model encodes the set of binary constraints, in terms of pairs of pixel labels, provided by each segmentation results to be fused. Combined with a prior distribution, this energy-based Gibbs model also allows for definition of an interesting penalized maximum probabilistic rand estimator with which the fusion of simple, quickly estimated, segmentation results appears as an interesting alternative to complex segmentation models existing in the literature. This fusion framework has been successfully applied on the Berkeley image database. The experiments reported in this paper demonstrate that the proposed method is efficient in terms of visual evaluation and quantitative performance measures and performs well compared to the best existing state-of-the-art segmentation methods recently proposed in the literature.
Guided Cost Learning: Deep Inverse Optimal Control via Policy Optimization

Reinforcement learning can acquire complex behaviors from high-level specifications. However, defining a cost function that can be optimized effectively and encodes the correct task is challenging in practice. We explore how inverse optimal control (IOC) can be used to learn behaviors from demonstrations, with applications to torque control of high-dimensional robotic systems. Our method addresses two key challenges in inverse optimal control: first, the need for informative features and effective regularization to impose structure on the cost, and second, the difficulty of learning the cost function under unknown dynamics for high-dimensional continuous systems. To address the former challenge, we present an algorithm capable of learning arbitrary nonlinear cost functions, such as neural networks, without meticulous feature engineering. To address the latter challenge, we formulate an efficient sample-based approximation for MaxEnt IOC. We evaluate our method on a series of simulated tasks and real-world robotic manipulation problems, demonstrating substantial improvement over prior methods both in terms of task complexity and sample efficiency.
Volunteerism, perceived health status, and well being in the well elderly

The purpose of this study was to compare differences in subjective well-being and perceived health status between well-elderly who regularly engage in volunteer! sm and well elderly who do not regularly engage in volunteer! sm„ Two groups of well-elderly, one group who regularly participated in volunteer work(n=15) and one group who did not regularly engage in volunteer work(n=15) participated. Data on the subjective well-being, perceived health status, and volunteer activity were collected. Scores on the questionnaires indicated no significant differences in the well-being and perceived health status between the volunteers and non-volunteers on the two measures, However, correlations between perceived level of pain and social functioning and subjective well-being were positive and somewhat supportive of the use of volunteerism as a method to maintain social activity in the well-elderly,
Autonomic dysfunction presenting as postural tachycardia syndrome following traumatic brain injury.

BACKGROUND Autonomic dysregulation (also called diencephalic epilepsy) has been reported following traumatic brain injuries (TBI). However, until now, postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) has not been reported as a long-term complication in patients who have suffered a TBI. We report on a series of patients who developed POTS after suffering TBI. METHODS Eight patients who were referred to our center had suffered TBI and developed features of orthostatic intolerance following head trauma. The patients' neurological, neurosurgical and autonomic data (charts and/or physician letters) were then carefully reviewed for demographic characteristics, comorbid conditions, symptoms of orthostatic intolerance, medications and response to medication. These patients were diagnosed as having POTS, primarily based on their clinical features and findings from the head-up tilt test (HUTT). The data presented is observational and descriptive (percentages or means). RESULTS Eight patients (seven of them women) aged 21-41 years had suffered from TBI and had developed features of POTS. All had been normal with no symptoms prior to their TBI. All patients experienced orthostatic dizziness, fatigue, palpitations and near syncope. Six patients suffered from frank syncope. Six patients developed significant cognitive dysfunction, and three developed a chronic pain syndrome following trauma. All of the patients reported severe limitations to their daily activities and had been unable to keep their jobs, and two were housebound. Six patients demonstrated a good response to therapy with various combinations of medication. The symptoms of orthostatic intolerance and syncope improved with the initiation of medical therapy, as well as their reported quality of life. Two patients failed to show any improvement with various combinations of medications and tilt training, and continued to experience orthostatic difficulties. CONCLUSIONS Postural tachycardia syndrome may, in some cases, be a late complication of traumatic brain injury.
THE INDIVIDUAL ANTIGENIC SPECIFICITY OF ANTIBODIES TO STREPTOCOCCAL CARBOHYDRATES

Although a single electrophoretically uniform antibody component with specificity for the group carbohydrate may comprise the bulk of the γ-globulin in rabbits immunized with streptococcal vaccines, this is not always the case. Not infrequently, electrophoresis may reveal multiple antibody components. Nevertheless, it has been feasible by various preparative procedures to isolate from a single antiserum at least two antibody components with similar reactivity for the carbohydrate both of which are electrophoretically monodisperse. Light chains from such antibodies reveal a restricted pattern when examined by disc electrophoresis. Antibodies to streptococcal carbohydrates have been examined for their individual antigenic specificity. Goats were immunized with isolated Group C and Group A-variant antibodies raised in rabbits. Individual antigenic specificity of these antibodies was brought out by absorption of the goat anti-antiserum with Fr II of pooled normal rabbit sera. Additional absorption of the goat anti-antisera with Fr II diminished but did not eliminate the reactivity for the homologous antibody. Immunoelectrophoretic studies with papain fragments of purified streptococcal antibodies localized the specificity to the Fab fragment. Specificity was not confined to the isolated light chains of the antibody.
Do Stock Market Development Variables and Economic Growth Variables have a similar Relationship in Different Countries?

This paper examines the relationship between stock market development and economic growth variables in Malaysia and Thailand. We investigated the relationship by using correlation and regression methods for the data from 1988 to 2012 obtained from World Bank data base. Economic growth variables used were gross domestic product and inflation, while stock market development variables were market capitalisation and total value of shares traded. In regression gross domestic product was the dependent variable while market development indicators were independent variables. The result for Malaysia revealed that growth domestic product and market variables have positive increasing trend and positive correlations between them. Inflation was found to have positive correlations with market capitalisation and negative correlation with the total value of shares traded. The regression results show that market capitalisation has positive while the total value of shares traded has negative relationships with gross domestic product. In Thailand gross domestic product and market variables have positive increasing trend and positive correlation. Market variables revealed negative correlations with inflation. The regression results show a positive relationship between market variables and gross domestic product. We found that not all stock market development and economic growth variables show a similar relationship in different countries.
Comparisons in policing : an international perspective

Part I Models: comparative analysis of policing, Jean-Marc Erbes myth versus modernity - reality and unreality in the English model of policing, Robert Reiner the French model of policing, Dominique Monjardet the German police system in a European context, Albrecht Funk community policing in the United States, Wesley G. Skogan. Part II Issues: international policing in Europe - its present situation and future, Cyrille Fijnaut preventive policing - the path to the present, Clive Emsley modernity, rationality and the baguette, Simon Holdaway community policing in England and Wales, Robert Reiner perspectives on the British model of policing in an open Europe, Ian M. Burns police co-operation with Eastern Europe in an EC framework, Malcolm Anderson policing in Germany, Thomas Feltes the future role of technology in policing, Detlef Nogala. Part III Conclusions: comparing police systems - a final comment, Jean-Claud Monet reflections on policing sytems and police co-operation in Europe, Albert J. Reiss.
Simulation and measurement of PD-induced electromagnetic wave leakage in GIS with metal belt

Analysis of the transmission and leakage characteristics of partial discharge (PD) signal in Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) is of great importance for PD detection. Traditional connector of two GIS tanks is a disc insulator, so the leakage of PD signal is easily detected. Recently, to improve the performance of GIS, the disc insulator is often sealed by a metal belt and an aperture is made in the metal belt for PD detection. The leakage of PD is weak and the PD detection is delicate. This paper is devoted to the theoretical and experimental study of the transmission and leakage characteristics of the PD signals in such GIS. The electric field in the GIS and the characteristics of the leaked signals are simulated with software Ansoft HFSS. The PD source is assimilated by two simple models: “line feed” and “waveguide feed”. The simulation results show that the frequency band and amplitude of the leaked signals depend on the size of the aperture and the distance of the detector from the GIS. A novel ultra wideband planar antenna is developed and a full experiment setup is built to validate the simulation and to test the characteristics of the leaked PD signal. The transmission coefficient S21 has been measured with a vector network analyzer. The experimental results correspond better to the simulation data with “line feed” than “waveguide feed”. But the prediction of the frequency characteristics by the dipole model is very different from the experiment results in the high frequency domain. Furthermore, we show by the experiments that the amplitude and frequency profile of the transmission coefficient S21 is sensible to the position of the PD source in the GIS.
The Impact of Aerobic Exercise on Fronto-Parietal Network Connectivity and Its Relation to Mobility: An Exploratory Analysis of a 6-Month Randomized Controlled Trial

Impaired mobility is a major concern for older adults and has significant consequences. While the widely accepted belief is that improved physical function underlies the effectiveness of targeted exercise training in improving mobility and reducing falls, recent evidence suggests cognitive and neural benefits gained through exercise may also play an important role in promoting mobility. However, the underlying neural mechanisms of this relationship are currently unclear. Thus, we hypothesize that 6 months of progressive aerobic exercise training would alter frontoparietal network (FPN) connectivity during a motor task among older adults with mild subcortical ischemic vascular cognitive impairment (SIVCI)—and exercise-induced changes in FPN connectivity would correlate with changes in mobility. We focused on the FPN as it is involved in top-down attentional control as well as motor planning and motor execution. Participants were randomized either to usual-care (CON), which included monthly educational materials about VCI and healthy diet; or thrice-weekly aerobic training (AT), which was walking outdoors with progressive intensity. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was acquired at baseline and trial completion, where the participants were instructed to perform bilateral finger tapping task. At trial completion, compared with AT, CON showed significantly increased FPN connectivity strength during right finger tapping (p < 0.05). Across the participants, reduced FPN connectivity was associated with greater cardiovascular capacity (p = 0.05). In the AT group, reduced FPN connectivity was significantly associated with improved mobility performance, as measured by the Timed-Up-and-Go test (r = 0.67, p = 0.02). These results suggest progressive AT may improve mobility in older adults with SIVCI via maintaining intra-network connectivity of the FPN.
Poisson mixtures

Abstract Shannon (1948) showed that a wide range of practical problems can be reduced to the problem of estimating probability distributions of words and ngrams in text. It has become standard practice in text compression, speech recognition, information retrieval and many other applications of Shannon's theory to introduce a “bag-of-words” assumption. But obviously, word rates vary from genre to genre, author to author, topic to topic, document to document, section to section, and paragraph to paragraph. The proposed Poisson mixture captures much of this heterogeneous structure by allowing the Poisson parameter θ to vary over documents subject to a density function φ. φ is intended to capture dependencies on hidden variables such genre, author, topic, etc. (The Negative Binomial is a well-known special case where φ is a Г distribution.) Poisson mixtures fit the data better than standard Poissons, producing more accurate estimates of the variance over documents (σ2), entropy (H), inverse document frequency (IDF), and adaptation (Pr(x ≥ 2/x ≥ 1)).
Aneurysmal Bone Cyst of the Mobile Spine: Report on 41 Cases

Study Design. Forty-one cases of aneurysmal bone cyst of the mobile spine were retrospectively reviewed. Objectives. To evaluate the role of surgical and nonsurgical treatment of aneurysmal bone cyst of the spine. Summary of Background Data. Ten to 30% of aneurysmal bone cysts arise from the mobile spine, frequently occurring in pediatric patients. The course of the disease depends on the aggressiveness of the tumor, as well as the treatment. Intralesional surgery seems to be an effective treatment, as well as radiotherapy and embolization. Methods. All charts, radiographs, and images were reviewed. The composite information provided by this review allowed for oncologic and surgical staging of these cases. Thirty-two patients underwent curettage (14 of them followed by radiotherapy), four were submitted to selective arterial embolization, three received radiotherapy alone, and two underwent en bloc excision. Results. All patients were found alive and disease free at final follow-up evaluation. Two recurrences followed one incomplete curettage and one embolization. The combination of curettage and radiotherapy, although effective, showed the greatest incidence of late axial deformity. Selective arterial embolization was curative in three of four cases and did not affect the possibility of surgery in case of local recurrence. Conclusions. If confirmed on larger series, selective arterial embolization seems to be the first treatment option for spine aneurysmal bone cyst, because of the low cost-to-benefit ratio. Diagnosis must be certain, based on pathognomonic radiographic pattern or on histologic study. — In case of neurologic involvement, pathologic fracture, technical impossibility of performing embolization, or local recurrence after at least two embolization procedures, complete intralesional excision would be the therapy of choice.
Concentration of Norovirus during Wastewater Treatment and Its Impact on Oyster Contamination

ABSTRACT The concentrations of Escherichia coli, F-specific RNA bacteriophage (FRNA bacteriophage), and norovirus genogroup I (NoV GI) and norovirus genogroup II (NoV GII) in wastewater were monitored weekly over a 1-year period at a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) providing secondary wastewater treatment. A total of 49 samples of influent wastewater and wastewater that had been treated by primary and secondary wastewater treatment processes (primary and secondary treated wastewater) were analyzed. Using a real-time reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), the mean NoV GI and NoV GII concentrations detected in effluent wastewater were 2.53 and 2.63 log10 virus genome copies 100 ml−1, respectively. The mean NoV concentrations in wastewater during the winter period (January to March) (n = 12) were 0.82 (NoV GI) and 1.41 (NoV GII) log units greater than the mean concentrations for the rest of the year (n = 37). The mean reductions of NoV GI and GII during treatment were 0.80 and 0.92 log units, respectively, with no significant difference detected in the extent of NoV reductions due to season. No seasonal trend was detected in the concentrations of E. coli or FRNA bacteriophage in wastewater influent and showed mean reductions of 1.49 and 2.13 log units, respectively. Mean concentrations of 3.56 and 3.72 log10 virus genome copies 100 ml−1 for NoV GI and GII, respectively, were detected in oysters sampled adjacent to the WWTP discharge. A strong seasonal trend was observed, and the concentrations of NoV GI and GII detected in oysters were correlated with concentrations detected in the wastewater effluent. No seasonal difference was detected in concentrations of E. coli or FRNA bacteriophage detected in oysters.
Sevoflurane Provides Faster Recovery and Postoperative Neurological Assessment Than Isoflurane in Long-Duration Neurosurgical Cases

Sevoflurane (SEVO) provides faster emergence than isoflurane (ISO). This advantage is thought to magnify with increased duration of exposure. In addition, SEVO has several of the characteristics of an ideal neuroanesthetic. We designed a prospective, randomized, double-blinded study to compare the recovery profile of SEVO versus ISO in neurosurgery. Sixty patients undergoing intracranial surgery were enrolled. They were randomized to receive SEVO or ISO in 40% oxygen as part of a balanced anesthetic regimen. The anesthetic concentration (0.5 to 1.0 minimum alveolar anesthetic concentration [MAC]) was adjusted to maintain mean arterial blood pressure within 20% of the preinduction baseline. At the end of the surgery, neuromuscular blockade was reversed, anesthetics were discontinued without prior tapering, and fresh gas flow was increased to 10 L/min. Recovery end-points were measured as the time from closure of the anesthetic vaporizer. Mean MAC-hours were identical in both groups (4.7). Patients in the SEVO group demonstrated a shorter time to emergence (P = 0.02) and for response to command (squeeze hand, P = 0.03; move feet, P = 0.01). Patients in the SEVO group obtained a Glasgow coma scale score of ≥10 5 min before patients in the ISO group (P = 0.04). Obtaining an early neurological examination can be critical in neurosurgical patients. The observed difference in emergence between SEVO and ISO could therefore be of clinical importance.
A matrix metalloprotease-PAR1 system regulates vascular integrity, systemic inflammation and death in sepsis

Sepsis is a deadly disease characterized by the inability to regulate the inflammatory–coagulation response in which the endothelium plays a key role. The cause of this perturbation remains poorly understood and has hampered the development of effective therapeutics. Matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) are involved in the host response to pathogens, but can also cause uncontrolled tissue damage and contribute to mortality. We found that human sepsis patients had markedly elevated plasma proMMP‐1 and active MMP‐1 levels, which correlated with death at 7 and 28 days after diagnosis. Likewise, septic mice had increased plasma levels of the MMP‐1 ortholog, MMP‐1a. We identified mouse MMP‐1a as an agonist of protease‐activated receptor‐1 (PAR1) on endothelial cells. MMP‐1a was released from endothelial cells in septic mice. Blockade of MMP‐1 activity suppressed endothelial barrier disruption, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), lung vascular permeability as well as the cytokine storm and improved survival, which was lost in PAR1‐deficient mice. Infusion of human MMP‐1 increased lung vascular permeability in normal wild‐type mice but not in PAR1‐deficient mice. These findings implicate MMP‐1 as an important activator of PAR1 in sepsis and suggest that therapeutics that target MMP1‐PAR1 may prove beneficial in the treatment of sepsis.
Protection against heterologous human papillomavirus challenge by a synthetic lipopeptide vaccine containing a broadly cross-neutralizing epitope of L2

Persistent infection with the high-risk subset of genitotropic human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes is a necessary cause of cervical cancer. Given the global burden of cervical cancer, a low-cost, broadly protective vaccine is needed. RG-1 is a cross-neutralizing and protective monoclonal antibody that recognizes residues 17–36 of HPV16 minor capsid protein L2. Because this epitope is highly conserved in divergent HPV types, we determined whether vaccination with HPV16 L2 17–36 peptide is broadly protective. The peptide was administered to BALB/c mice three times at monthly intervals, either alone or in the context of a synthetic lipopeptide vaccine candidate (P25-P2C-HPV) produced by linkage of the HPV peptide with a broadly recognized T helper epitope (P25) and the Toll-like receptor-2 (TLR2) ligand dipalmitoyl-S-glyceryl cysteine (P2C). In contrast to vaccination with the L2 17–36 peptide or P25-P2C alone, a potent L2-specific antibody response was generated to the P25-P2C-HPV lipopeptide when delivered either s.c. or intranasally. Sera from mice vaccinated with the P25-P2C-HPV lipopeptide neutralized not only HPV16 pseudovirions but also other evolutionarily divergent oncogenic genital (HPV18, HPV45) and cutaneous (HPV5, BPV1) types. The L2-specific antibody response depended on MHC class II, CD40, and MyD88 signaling. Additionally, vaccination with the P25-P2C-HPV lipopeptide protected mice from homologous challenge with HPV16 pseudovirions at cutaneous and genital sites and heterologous challenge with HPV45 pseudovirions. If provided in the appropriate context, therefore, HPV16 L2 17–36 might be used in a totally synthetic cross-protective HPV vaccine.