Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Learning Structured Weight Uncertainty in Bayesian Neural Networks

•Our work models DNN weights in each layer with MVG priors as: p(W l) ,MN (W l; M l,U l,V l) •MVG brings the model flexibility but also challenge for posterior inference. •Reparameterization of MVG B` ∼MN B`; P ` M `Q`,Λ (1) ` ,Λ (2) ` ≡ Gaussian , where W ` , P `B`Q` , P ` and Q` come from orthogonal decomposition, U ` = P `Λ ` P ` , V ` = Q`Λ (2) ` Q T ` , Therefore, This trick decomposes W ` of MVG to three matrices, with B` being independent Gaussian elements, P ` and Q` orthogonal matrices.
Designing quadrangulations with discrete harmonic forms

We introduce a framework for quadrangle meshing of discrete manifolds. Based on discrete differential forms, our method hinges on extending the discrete Laplacian operator (used extensively in modeling and animation) to allow for line singularities and singularities with fractional indices. When assembled into a singularity graph, these line singularities are shown to considerably increase the design flexibility of quad meshing. In particular, control over edge alignments and mesh sizing are unique features of our novel approach. Another appeal of our method is its robustness and scalability from a numerical viewpoint: we simply solve a sparse linear system to generate a pair of piecewise-smooth scalar fields whose isocontours form a pure quadrangle tiling, with no T-junctions.
Submuscular Breast Reconstruction— Indications and Techniques

&NA; We review the care and treatment of 93 patients who underwent submuscular breast reconstruction in our service between 1975 and 1980. The indications and clinical situations in which submuscular reconstruction has been useful include: following simple mastectomy; following modified radical mastectomy; following subcutaneous mastectomy (immediate or delayed reconstruction); in standard augmentation mammaplasty in selected patients; and with unusual, unsatisfactory, or dangerous preexisting breast conditions. Unusual indications include unsatisfactory subcutaneous placement with capsule formation after subcutaneous mastectomy; use of unsatisfactory or dangerous implants, such as Ivalon and Etheron; and replacement of the oldfashioned Cronin gel implants with fixation patches. Submuscular placement has also been used to advantage in patients with excessively scarred, tenuous skin. Technical modifications in the submuscular implantation technique are detailed. We have used subserratus‐subpectoral placement in most instances. Technical tips to keep the implant in a low position by division of the serratus attachments and limitations of upward dissection are detailed. Clinical studies on the upward migration of implants and pressures developed under the serratus and pectoralis muscles as measured by manometer are also detailed.
Lrp5 and Lrp6 play compensatory roles in mouse intestinal development

Low‐density lipoprotein receptor‐related proteins 5 and 6 (Lrp5 and Lrp6) are co‐receptors of Wnt ligands and play important roles in Wnt/β‐catenin signal transduction. Mice homozygous for a germline deletion of Lrp6 die at birth with several associated defects, while Lrp5‐deficient mice are viable. Here, we conditionally deleted Lrp5 and/or Lrp6 in the mouse gut (gut−/−) by crossing mice carrying floxed alleles of Lrp5 and Lrp6 to a strain expressing Cre recombinase from the villin promoter (villin‐Cre). The changes in morphology, differentiation, and Wnt signal transduction were validated using immunohistochemistry and other staining. Consistent with observations in mice carrying a homozygous germline deletion in Lrp5, intestinal development in Lrp5gut−/− mice was normal. In addition, mice homozygous for villin‐Cre‐induced deletion of Lrp6 (Lrp6gut−/−) were viable with apparently normal intestinal differentiation and function. However, mice homozygous for villin‐Cre inactivated alleles of both genes (Lrp5gut−/−; Lrp6gut−/−) died within 1 day of birth. Analysis of embryonic Lrp5gut−/−; Lrp6gut−/− intestinal epithelium showed a progressive loss of cells, an absence of proliferation, and a premature differentiation of crypt stem/precursor cells; no notable change in differentiation was observed in the embryos lacking either gene alone. Further immunohistochemical studies showed that expression of the Wnt/β‐catenin target, cyclin D1, was specifically reduced in the intestinal epithelium of Lrp5gut−/−; Lrp6gut−/− embryos. Our data demonstrate that Lrp5 and Lrp6 play redundant roles in intestinal epithelium development, and that Lrp5/6 might regulate intestinal stem/precursor cell maintenance by regulating Wnt/β‐catenin signaling. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 31–38, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Biological Properties of Chitosan/Collagen Composites

The properties of new materials based on the blends of collagen and chitosan were studied along with their biological compatibility. Mechanical properties, thermal analysis, FTIR spectra and SEM images were obtained for different blends of chitosan/collagen in weight ratios 75/25, 50/50, 25/75. The materials in the form of 2D sheets were then subjected to cultures of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) directed toward osteogenesis with ascorbate-2-phosphate and dexamethasone. The results showed that specified amounts of components influence the mechanical properties of obtained materials. Proliferation of hMSC decreased with increasing amounts of chitosan in collagen/chitosan films. However, the cellular activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), a marker of preosteoblasts and active osteoblasts, for plain collagen films ALP was the highest, whereas different ratios of collagen in chitosan/collagen composites had no effect on overall good ALP activity of hMSC. Based on the presented data, we believe the obtained materials are suitable for bone tissue engineering strategies.
Ecotoxicological Behavior of some Cationic and Amphoteric Surfactants (Biodegradation, Toxicity and Risk Assessment)

Detergents industry is a competitive industry, with a large opening to innovation and economical development. Although very good for sanitation, the big domestic and industrial detergents consumption has a significant contribution to surfactants concentrations increase in towns’ sewage and implicit to surface water and groundwater contamination [1] (Figure 1). The negative effects manifested by the presence of surfactants in surface water are mostly due to superficial – active proprieties – detergents surfactants characteristic, indifferently of class type. In accordance with molecule charge, the surfactants are grouped in four categories: anionic, cationic, nonionic and amphoteric [2].
Oleic Acid, deglycosylated vitamin D-binding protein, nitric oxide: a molecular triad made lethal to cancer.

BACKGROUND Oleic Acid (OA) has been shown to have anticancer properties mediated by interaction with proteins such as α-lactalbumin and lactoferrins. Therefore, we synthesized complexes of OA and Gc protein-derived macrophage activating factor (GcMAF) that inhibits per se cancer cell proliferation and metastatic potential. We hypothesised that OA-GcMAF complexes could exploit the anticancer properties of both OA and GcMAF in a synergistic manner. We postulated that the stimulating effects of GcMAF on macrophages might lead to release of nitric oxide (NO). PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with advanced cancer were treated at the Immuno Biotech Treatment Centre with OA-GcMAF-based integrative immunotherapy in combination with a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet, fermented milk products containing naturally-produced GcMAF, Vitamin D3, omega-3 fatty acids and low-dose acetylsalicylic acid. RESULTS Measuring the tumour by ultrasonographic techniques, we observed a decrease of tumour volume of about 25%. CONCLUSION These observations demonstrate that OA, GcMAF and NO can be properly combined and specifically delivered to advanced cancer patients with significant effects on immune system stimulation and tumour volume reduction avoiding harmful side-effects.
Transient loading of CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells with polystyrene nanoparticles

CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) offer great opportunities to develop new treatments for numerous malignant and non-malignant diseases. Nanoparticle (NP)-based strategies can further enhance this potential, and therefore a thorough understanding of the loading behavior of HPCs towards NPs is essential for a successful application. The present study focusses on the interaction kinetics of 40 nm sized carboxylated polystyrene (PS) NPs with HPCs. Interestingly, a transient association of the NPs with HPCs is observed, reaching a maximum within 1 hour and declining afterwards. This behavior is not seen in dendritic cells (CD34-DCs) differentiated from HPCs, which display a monotonic increase in NP load. We demonstrate that this transient interaction requires an energy-dependent cellular process, suggesting active loading and release of NPs by HPCs. This novel observation offers a unique approach to transiently equip HPCs. A simple theoretical approach modeling the kinetics of NP loading and release is presented, contributing to a framework of describing this phenomenon.
E‐cadherin expression in head and neck squamous‐cell carcinoma is associated with clinical outcome

The cell‐cell adhesion molecule E‐cadherin has been shown to suppress invasive growth of epithelial cells in vitro, and loss of its expression is thought to be important in invasion and metastatic potential of epithelial tumors in vivo. We retrospectively studied the level of E‐cadherin expression in 50 primary head and neck squamous‐cell carcinomas (HNSCC) by immunohistochemical methods, on frozen sections, using anti‐E‐cadherin monoclonal antibody (MAb) 6F9. It concerned patients with different stages of carcinoma of larynx or oral cavity who had been treated with curative intention 30 months or more before. Percentages of membranous stained tumor cells were scored in 1 of 5 categories. Scores were generally low, as in 11/50 lesions ≤5% cells were stained, and in 19/50 lesions only 6‐25% cells showed membranous staining. In 9 lymph‐node metastases evaluated, E‐cadherin expression was in the same range as in the primary tumors. There was a significant correlation between the level of membranous E‐cadherin expression in the primary tumor and the degree of differentiation. No relation was found with tumor size (pT) or regional lymph‐node classification (pN). Nevertheless, 29 patients surviving ≥30 months without evidence of disease had significantly higher levels of membranous E‐cadherin expression in their primary tumors than 10 patients with unfavorable clinical course clearly related to recurrent and/or metastatic HNSCC. Moreover, this could only partially be explained by distinctions in differentiation grade between both groups. Our results suggest that membranous E‐cadherin expression has prognostic importance in patients with HNSCC.
Influence of alkali-treated fibers on the mechanical properties and machinability of roselle and sisal fiber hybrid polyester composite

In this work, the alkali-treated roselle and sisal fibers were used as reinforcement fillers for thermosetting matrix with aim of obtaining better mechanical properties and machinability of natural fiber hybrid polyester composite. However, their mechanical properties and machinability were compared with untreated fiber composites. The roselle and the sisal fibers were subjected to a 10% sodium hydroxide solution treatment at different duration of 2, 4, 6, and 8 h. Besides, the fractured surfaces of composite specimen were investigated using scanning electron microscopy. Drill hole profiles were analyzed using profile projector and machine vision inspection system. An improvement in strength and stiffness combined with high toughness was achieved by treating the fibers using 10% NaOH solution. POLYM. COMPOS. , 31:723–731, 2010. a 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers
'Real' Police Work?: Norms and Consequences of UK Police Email Use

This paper discusses how the interaction between organisational conditions, media capabilities and socially defined norms of email use can lead to negative consequences of use. A mixed-methods online questionnaire addressed the perceptions of police officers regarding the influence of email on police work and working relationships. Findings reveal that norms of email use, facilitated by the capabilities of this medium, exacerbate existing issues within the organisation such as conflict between management and operational level officers, and the view that bureaucracy related to increasing levels of accountability leads to feelings of overload and stress, and prevents officers from carrying out 'real police work'. The paper reflects on the maintenance of social norms, even in conditions where the behaviour may not be considered appropriate by all members of the group, with implications for further research in this area. The paper argues that norms of email use are perceived as inappropriate by the officers, but that these officers are constrained by and maintain these norms despite this. Results show the importance of considering the interaction between media capabilities, organisational conditions and social norms of use in understanding the consequences of email use within organisational contexts.
New results on next fit and first fit on-line algorithms for square and rectangle packing

Rectangle packing is a well studied NP-complete problem in which smaller rectangles are packed in an enclosing larger rectangle to minimize wastage of space. Rectangle packing is used in many applications such as scheduling of jobs, allocating memory, VLSI floor planning, pixel art and mobile components packing. In this paper, we study and analyze two online rectangle packing algorithms such as Next Fit and Fit Fit. We obtain interesting constant competitive ratios for square and rectangle packing. Our analytical results shows that FF performs better than NF for both square and rectangle packing for special classes of inputs.
Rat And Syrian Hamster: Two Models for The Regulation of AANAT Gene Expression

The Syrian hamster is a rodent species in which the photoperiodic change in the melatonin peak duration is pivotal for the synchronization of annual functions, like reproduction. In this species, the activity of arylalkylamine N‐acetyltransferase (AANAT), the key enzyme for the rhythmic synthesis of melatonin, is precisely controlled and time‐gated, suggesting regulatory mechanisms different from those in the rat or mouse. At the beginning of the night, norepinephrine (NE) elicits a rapid and sustained phosphorylation of CREB into pCREB and a transient synthesis of the immediate early gene products c‐FOS and c‐JUN that peak 3 h after dark onset. c‐FOS synthesis requires both pCREB and the pERK1/2 pathways. Interestingly, injection of the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide before, but not after, the c‐FOS/c‐JUN peak markedly reduces Aanat mRNA levels. This finding suggests that the c‐FOS/c‐JUN dimer is required for transcriptional activation of the Aanat gene. During daylight, exogenous noradrenergic stimulation cannot stimulate Aanat expression and, therefore, melatonin synthesis. The inhibitory transcription factor ICER is present in the pineal gland but with highest values when AANAT may be activated, suggesting the blockade takes place upstream of Aanat expression. Preliminary experiments indicate that the diurnal inhibition of AANAT occurs at the level of the adrenergic receptor signalling pathway, but it is not known whether this is sufficient to explain the pineal resistance to NE during the daytime. Together, these findings demonstrate that AANAT regulation in the Syrian hamster requires a complex intracellular signalling cascade, different from that described in laboratory rodents like mice and rats.
Reciprocal productive and restrictive virus-cell interactions of immunosuppressive and prototype strains of minute virus of mice

Viral and cellular factors responsible for parvovirus target cell specificity have been examined for two serologically indistinguishable strains of the minute virus of mice which infect mouse cells of dissimilar differentiated phenotype. Both the prototype strain and the immunosuppressive strain grow in and form plaques on monolayers of simian virus 40-transformed human fibroblasts, a finding that has allowed the comparison of several aspects of their virus-host cell interactions. Although closely related by antigenic and genomic criteria, both the prototype strain and the immunosuppressive strain are restricted for lytic growth in each other's murine host cell, that is, in T cells and fibroblasts, respectively. The host range of each virus variant appears to be specified by a genetic determinant that is stably inherited in the absence of selection. In the restrictive virus-host interaction lytic growth is limited to a small or, in some cases, undetectable subset of the host cell population, and the majority of the infected cells remain viable, continuing to grow at the normal rate without expressing viral antigens. The susceptible host cell phenotype is dominant in T lymphocyte x fibroblast fusion hybrids, implying that different cell types express different developmentally regulated virus helper functions that can only be exploited by the virus variant that carries the appropriate strain-specific determinant.
Prediction of hemorrhagic transformation in acute ischaemic stroke by micro‐ and macroalbuminuria after intravenous thrombolysis

Hemorrhagic transformation (HT) is one of the most problematic complications to arise from intravenous thrombolysis (IVT). This study was conducted to assess whether micro‐ and macroalbuminuria could be associated with HT after IVT in patients with acute ischaemic stroke, and to investigate whether the value of urinary albumin‐to‐creatinine ratios would correlate with the degree of HT.
Activation Markers CD63 and CD203c Are Upregulated in Chronic Urticaria

Hans Jurgen Hoffmann, Allergy Center for West Denmark, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Health: Aarhus Uni-versity, Building 2b, Norrebrogade 44, DK 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. Tel: 45-78462107, Fax: 45-78462110, E-mail: hans.jurgen. hoffmann @ki.au. dkThis is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestrictednon-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Temporal trends for pregnancy length in a hospital setting of Southern Spain

Abstract For centuries it has been considered that the due date for delivery in our species is 280 days after the onset of the last menstruation. However, in most cases this statement is not accurate. The main objective of this study was to determine the mean duration of pregnancy in our setting and whether it has experienced changes in recent years. A retrospective, population-based descriptive study was made of 102,169 deliveries assisted in Malaga University Hospital (Malaga, Andalusia, Spain) during the period 1998–2015. The mean gestational age at delivery was 269 days (SD 16 days), with a modal gestational age of 273 days. The mean duration of the singleton and multiple pregnancies was 271 days (SD 17 days) and 242 days (SD 20 days), respectively. A significant shortening of the duration of pregnancy was observed in the course of the study period.
4.6 A1.93TOPS/W scalable deep learning/inference processor with tetra-parallel MIMD architecture for big-data applications

Recently, deep learning (DL) has become a popular approach for big-data analysis in image retrieval with high accuracy [1]. As Fig. 4.6. 1 shows, various applications, such as text, 2D image and motion recognition use DL due to its best-in-class recognition accuracy. There are 2 types of DL: supervised DL with labeled data and unsupervised DL with unlabeled data. With unsupervised DL, most of learning time is spent in massively iterative weight updates for a restricted Boltzmann machine [2]. For a -100MB training dataset, >100 TOP computational capability and ~40GB/s IO and SRAM data bandwidth is required. So, a 3.4GHz CPU needs >10 hours learning time with a -100K input-vector dataset and takes ~1 second for recognition, which is far from real-time processing. Thus, DL is typically done using cloud servers or high-performance GPU environments with learning-on-server capability. However, the wide use of smart portable devices, such as smartphones and tablets, results in many applications which need big-data processing with machine learning, such as tagging private photos in personal devices. A high-performance and energy-efficient DL/DI (deep inference) processor is required to realize user-centric pattern recognition in portable devices.
Prefrontal Engagement and Reduced Default Network Suppression Co-occur and Are Dynamically Coupled in Older Adults: The Default–Executive Coupling Hypothesis of Aging

Abstract Reduced executive control is a hallmark of neurocognitive aging. Poor modulation of lateral pFC activity in the context of increasing task challenge in old adults and a “failure to deactivate” the default network during cognitive control tasks have been observed. Whether these two patterns represent discrete mechanisms of neurocognitive aging or interact into older adulthood remains unknown. We examined whether altered pFC and default network dynamics co-occur during goal-directed planning over increasing levels of difficulty during performance on the Tower of London task. We used fMRI to investigate task- and age-related changes in brain activation and functional connectivity across four levels of task challenge. Frontoparietal executive control regions were activated and default network regions were suppressed during planning relative to counting performance in both groups. Older adults, unlike young, failed to modulate brain activity in executive control and default regions as planning demands increased. Critically, functional connectivity analyses revealed bilateral dorsolateral pFC coupling in young adults and dorsolateral pFC to default coupling in older adults with increased planning complexity. We propose a default–executive coupling hypothesis of aging. First, this hypothesis suggests that failure to modulate control and default network activity in response to increasing task challenge are linked in older adulthood. Second, functional brain changes involve greater coupling of lateral pFC and the default network as cognitive control demands increase in older adults. We speculate that these changes reflect an adaptive shift in cognitive approach as older adults come to rely more upon stored representations to support goal-directed task performance.
Teaching iCub to recognize objects using deep Convolutional Neural Networks

Providing robots with accurate and robust visual recognition capabilities in the real-world today is a challenge which prevents the use of autonomous agents for concrete applications. Indeed, the majority of tasks, as manipulation and interaction with other agents, critically depends on the ability to visually recognize the entities involved in a scene. At the same time, computer vision systems based on deep Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) are marking a breakthrough in fields as large-scale image classification and retrieval. In this work we investigate how latest results on deep learning can advance the visual recognition capabilities of a robotic platform (the iCub humanoid robot) in a real-world scenario. We benchmark the performance of the resulting system on a new dataset of images depicting 28 objects, named iCubWorld28, that we plan on releasing. As in the spirit of the iCubWorld dataset series, this has been collected in a framework reflecting the typical iCub's daily visual experience. Moreover, in this release we provide four different acquisition sessions, to test incremental learning capabilities over multiple days. Our study addresses the question: how many objects can the iCub recognize today.