Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nonparametric independence testing via mutual information

We propose a test of independence of two multivariate random vectors, given a sample from the underlying population. Our approach is based on the estimation of mutual information, whose decomposition into joint and marginal entropies facilitates the use of recently developed efficient entropy estimators derived from nearest neighbour distances. The proposed critical values may be obtained by simulation in the case where an approximation to one marginal is available or by permuting the data otherwise. This facilitates size guarantees, and we provide local power analyses, uniformly over classes of densities whose mutual information satisfies a lower bound. Our ideas may be extended to provide new goodness-of-fit tests for normal linear models based on assessing the independence of our vector of covariates and an appropriately defined notion of an error vector. The theory is supported by numerical studies on both simulated and real data.
Smith ScholarWorks Smith ScholarWorks Skin Cooling Maintains Cerebral Blood fFow Velocity and Skin Cooling Maintains Cerebral Blood fFow Velocity and Orthostatic Tolerance During Tilting in Heated Humans Orthostatic Tolerance During Tilting in Heated Humans

Crandall. Skin cooling maintains cerebral blood ﬂow velocity and orthostatic tolerance during tilting in heated humans. J Appl Physiol 93: 85–91, 2002; 10.1152/japplphysiol.01043. 2001. —Orthostatic tolerance is reduced in the heat-stressed human. The purpose of this project was to identify whether skin-surface cooling improves orthostatic tolerance. Nine subjects were exposed to 10 min of 60° head-up tilting in each of four conditions: normothermia (NT-tilt), heat stress (HT-tilt), normothermia plus skin-sur-face cooling 1 min before and throughout tilting (NT-tilt cool ), and heat stress plus skin-surface cooling 1 min before and throughout tilting (HT-tilt cool ). Heating and cooling were accomplished by perfusing 46 and 15°C water, respectively, though a tube-lined suit worn by each subject. During HT-tilt, four of nine subjects developed presyncopal symptoms resulting in the termination of the tilt test. In contrast, no subject experienced presyncopal symptoms during NT-tilt, NT-tilt cool , or HT-tilt cool . During the HT-tilt procedure, mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and cerebral blood ﬂow velocity (CBFV) decreased. However, during HT-tilt cool , MAP, total peripheral resistance, and CBFV were signiﬁcantly greater relative to HT-tilt (all P (cid:1) 0.01). No differences were observed in calculated cerebral vascular resistance between the four conditions. These data suggest that skin-surface cooling prevents the fall in CBFV during upright tilting and improves orthostatic tolerance, presumably via maintenance of MAP. Hence, skin-surface cooling may be a potent countermeasure to protect against orthostatic intolerance observed in heat-stressed humans.
New Poisson–Boltzmann type equations: one-dimensional solutions

The Poisson–Boltzmann (PB) equation is conventionally used to model the equilibrium of bulk ionic species in different media and solvents. In this paper we study a new Poisson–Boltzmann type (PB_n) equation with a small dielectric parameter ϵ2 and non-local nonlinearity which takes into consideration the preservation of the total amount of each individual ion. This equation can be derived from the original Poisson–Nernst–Planck system. Under Robin-type boundary conditions with various coefficient scales, we demonstrate the asymptotic behaviours of one-dimensional solutions of PB_n equations as the parameter ϵ approaches zero. In particular, we show that in case of electroneutrality, i.e. α = β, solutions of 1D PB_n equations have a similar asymptotic behaviour as those of 1D PB equations. However, as α ≠ β (non-electroneutrality), solutions of 1D PB_n equations may have blow-up behaviour which cannot be found in 1D PB equations. Such a difference between 1D PB and PB_n equations can also be verified by numerical simulations.
Computer-Assisted Algorithms Improve Reliability of King Classification and Cobb Angle Measurement of Scoliosis

Study Design. Interobserver and intraobserver reliability study of improved method to evaluate radiographs of patients with scoliosis. Objective. To determine the reliability of a computer-assisted measurement protocol for evaluating Cobb angle and King et al classification. Summary of Background Data. Evaluation of scoliosis radiographs is inherently unreliable because of technical and human judgmental errors. Objective, computer-assisted evaluation tools may improve reliability. Methods. Posteroanterior preoperative radiographic images of 27 patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis were each displayed on a computer screen. They were marked 3 times in random sequence by each of 5 evaluators (observers) who marked 70 standardized points on the vertebrae and sacrum in each radiograph. A computer program (Spine 2002;27:2801–5) that identified curves, calculated Cobb angles, and generated the King et al classification automatically analyzed coordinates of these points. The interobserver and intraobserver variability of the Cobb angle and King et al classification evaluations were quantified and compared with values obtained by unassisted observers. Results. Average Cobb angle intraobserver standard deviation was 2.0° for both the thoracic and lumbar curves (range 0.1 to 8.3° for different curves). Interobserver reliability was 2.5° for thoracic curves and 2.6° for lumbar curves. Among the 5 observers, there was an inverse relationship between repeatability and time spent marking images, and no correlation with image quality or curve magnitude. Kappa values for the variability of the King et al classification averaged 0.85 (intraobserver). Conclusions. Variability of Cobb measurements compares favorably with previously published series. The classification was more reliable than achieved by unassisted observers evaluating the same radiographs. The same principles may be applicable to other radiographic measurement and evaluation procedures.
Creep and Stress–Strain Behavior after Creep for SiC Fiber Reinforced, Melt-Infiltrated SiC Matrix Composites

Silicon carbide fiber (Hi-Nicalon Type S, Nippon Carbon) reinforced silicon carbide matrix composites containing melt-infiltrated silicon were subjected to creep at 1315°C at three different stress conditions. For the specimens that did not rupture after 100 h of tensile creep, fast-fracture experiments were performed immediately following the creep test at the creep temperature (1315°C) or after cooling to room temperature. All specimens demonstrated excellent creep resistance and compared well to the creep behavior published in the literature on similar composite systems. Tensile results on the after-creep specimens showed that the matrix cracking stress actually increased, which is attributed to stress redistribution between composite constituents during tensile creep.
Modeling Sub-Event Dynamics in First-Person Action Recognition

First-person videos have unique characteristics such as heavy egocentric motion, strong preceding events, salient transitional activities and post-event impacts. Action recognition methods designed for third person videos may not optimally represent actions captured by first-person videos. We propose a method to represent the high level dynamics of sub-events in first-person videos by dynamically pooling features of sub-intervals of time series using a temporal feature pooling function. The sub-event dynamics are then temporally aligned to make a new series. To keep track of how the sub-event dynamics evolve over time, we recursively employ the Fast Fourier Transform on a pyramidal temporal structure. The Fourier coefficients of the segment define the overall video representation. We perform experiments on two existing benchmark first-person video datasets which have been captured in a controlled environment. Addressing this gap, we introduce a new dataset collected from YouTube which has a larger number of classes and a greater diversity of capture conditions thereby more closely depicting real-world challenges in first-person video analysis. We compare our method to state-of-the-art first person and generic video recognition algorithms. Our method consistently outperforms the nearest competitors by 10.3%, 3.3% and 11.7% respectively on the three datasets.
ISAR image analysis and recovery with unavailable or heavily corrupted data

Common inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) images and signals can be reconstructed from fewer samples than the sampling theorem requires because they are usually sparse. Unavailable randomly positioned samples can result from heavily corrupted parts of the signal. Because these samples can be omitted and declared as unavailable, the application of the compressive sensing methods in the recovery of heavily corrupted signal and radar images is possible. A simple direct method for the recovery of unavailable signal samples and the calculation of the restored ISAR image is reviewed. An analysis of the noise influence is performed. For fast-maneuvering ISAR targets, the sparsity property is lost because the ISAR image is blurred. A nonparametric quadratic time-frequency representation-based method is used to restore the ISAR image sparsity. However, the linear relation between the signal and the sparsity domain transformation is lost. A recently proposed gradient recovery algorithm is adapted for this kind of analysis. It does not require a linear relation of the signal and its sparsity domain transformation in the process of unavailable data recovery. The presented methods and results are tested on several examples proving the expected accuracy and improvements.
A MYB Transcription Factor Regulates Very-Long-Chain Fatty Acid Biosynthesis for Activation of the Hypersensitive Cell Death Response in Arabidopsis[W][OA]

Plant immune responses to pathogen attack include the hypersensitive response (HR), a form of programmed cell death occurring at invasion sites. We previously reported on Arabidopsis thaliana MYB30, a transcription factor that acts as a positive regulator of a cell death pathway conditioning the HR. Here, we show by microarray analyses of Arabidopsis plants misexpressing MYB30 that the genes encoding the four enzymes forming the acyl-coA elongase complex are putative MYB30 targets. The acyl-coA elongase complex synthesizes very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs), and the accumulation of extracellular VLCFA-derived metabolites (leaf epidermal wax components) was affected in MYB30 knockout mutant and overexpressing lines. In the same lines, a lipid extraction procedure allowing high recovery of sphingolipids revealed changes in VLCFA contents that were amplified in response to inoculation. Finally, the exacerbated HR phenotype of MYB30-overexpressing lines was altered by the loss of function of the acyl-ACP thioesterase FATB, which causes severe defects in the supply of fatty acids for VLCFA biosynthesis. Based on these findings, we propose a model in which MYB30 modulates HR via VLCFAs by themselves, or VLCFA derivatives, as cell death messengers in plants.
Secondary IMC formation induced by Kirkendall voiding in Cu/Sn-3.5Ag solder joints

In this investigation on the formation of multiple-layered Kirkendall voids at Cu/Sn–3.5Ag solder joints, Sn–3.5Ag solder balls were reacted with Cu under bump metallurgy (UBM), which was electroplated using bis-sodium sulfopropyl–disulfide, C_6H_12O_6S_4Na_2 (SPS) additive. The sequence of multilayer Kirkendall voids and Cu–Sn IMC (intermetallic compounds) formations are explained with the aid of cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs and schematic diagrams. During the aging treatment at 150 °C, layers of Cu_6Sn_5/Cu_3Sn formed at the solder joints and Kirkendall voids nucleated at the Cu_3Sn/Cu interface as a result of the segregation of residual S originating from SPS. However, with Kirkendall void growth, the net section area of the Cu/Cu_3Sn interface decreased and the Cu flux into Cu_3Sn was inhibited. As the atomic ratio of Cu against Sn in the Cu_3Sn dropped, transformation of Cu_3Sn into Cu_6Sn_5 ensued. Subsequent diffusion of Sn atoms into the remaining Cu UBM through the remaining ligament of the Cu_6Sn_5/Cu interface precipitated secondary Cu_3Sn beneath the primary Cu_3Sn/Cu interface, and the secondary Kirkendall voids formed at the new Cu_3Sn/Cu interface and so on.
Influence of the Corticosterone Rhythm on Photic Entrainment of Locomotor Activity in Rats

The question of involvement of glucocorticoid hormones as temporal signals for the synchronization of the timekeeping system was addressed in rats with different corticosterone status. The authors showed that adrenalectomy had no effects on the synchronization of wheel-running activity rhythms to a steady-state LD 12:12 cycle, regardless of whether it was compensated for by a corticosterone replacement therapy that either reinstated constant plasma concentrations of the hormone or mimicked its natural rhythm. However, after a 12-h phase shift (daylight reversal), the lack of circulating corticosterone induced a significant shortening of the resynchronization rate (less than 3 days vs. 7 days). Normalization required restoration of a rhythmic corticosterone secretion that was synchronized to the new photoperiod. Under constant darkness, the corticosterone rhythm did not show any synchronizing effect, providing evidence that it participates in entrainment of the locomotor activity rhythm through modulation of light effects. It is proposed that, under stable lighting conditions, circulating glucocorticoids contribute to stabilizing activity rhythms by reinforcing resistance of the circadian timing system to variations of the photoperiod. Experimental evidence that serotonergic neurons are involved in relaying their modulatory effects to the clock is also presented.
Heat-Shock-Induced Proteins fromMyxococcus xanthus

ABSTRACT Optimal conditions for two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of total cellular proteins from Myxococcus xanthus were established. Using these conditions, we analyzed protein patterns of heat-shockedM. xanthus cells. Eighteen major spots and 15 minor spots were found to be induced by heat shock. From N-terminal sequences of 15 major spots, DnaK, GroEL, GroES, alkyl hydroperoxide reductase, aldehyde dehydrogenase, succinyl coenzyme A (CoA) synthetase, 30S ribosomal protein S6, and ATP synthase α subunit were identified. Three of the 18 major spots had an identical N-terminal sequence, indicating that they may be different forms of the same protein. Although a DnaK homologue, SglK, has been identified in M. xanthus (R. M. Weimer, C. Creghton, A. Stassinopoulos, P. Youderian, and P. L. Hartzell, J. Bacteriol. 180:5357–5368, 1998; Z. Yang, Y. Geng, and W. Shi, J. Bacteriol. 180:218–224, 1998), SglK was not induced by heat shock. In addition, there were seven substitutions within the N-terminal 30-residue sequence of the newly identified DnaK. This is the first report to demonstrate that succinyl CoA synthetase, 30S ribosomal protein S6, and ATP synthase α subunit are heat shock inducible.
Elementary: Large-Scale Knowledge-Base Construction via Machine Learning and Statistical Inference

Researchers have approached knowledge-base construction (KBC) with a wide range of data resources and techniques. The authors present Elementary, a prototype KBC system that is able to combine diverse resources and different KBC techniques via machine learning and statistical inference to construct knowledge bases. Using Elementary, they have implemented a solution to the TAC-KBP challenge with quality comparable to the state of the art, as well as an end-to-end online demonstration that automatically and continuously enriches Wikipedia with structured data by reading millions of webpages on a daily basis. The authors describe several challenges and their solutions in designing, implementing, and deploying Elementary. In particular, the authors first describe the conceptual framework and architecture of Elementary to integrate different data resources and KBC techniques in a principled manner. They then discuss how they address scalability challenges to enable Web-scale deployment. The authors empirically show that this decomposition-based inference approach achieves higher performance than prior inference approaches. To validate the effectiveness of Elementary’s approach to KBC, they experimentally show that its ability to incorporate diverse signals has positive impacts on KBC quality.
Repair of senescent myocardium by mesenchymal stem cells is dependent on the age of donor mice

Myocardial infarction is one of the leading causes of mortality in aged people. Whether age of donors of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) affects its ability to repair the senescent heart tissue is unknown. In the present study, MSCs from young (2 months) and aged (18 months) green fluorescent protein expressing C57BL/6 mice were characterized with p16INK4a and β‐gal associated senescence. Myocardial infarction was produced in 18‐month‐old wild‐type C57BL/6 mice transplanted with MSCs from young and aged animals in the border of the infarct region. Expression of p16INK4a in MSCs from aged animals was significantly higher (21.5%± 1.2, P < 0.05) as compared to those from young animals (9.2%± 2.8). A decline in the tube‐forming ability on Matrigel was also observed in aged MSCs as well as down‐regulation of insulin‐like growth factor‐1, fibroblast growth factor (FGF‐2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) compared to young cells. Mice transplanted with young MSCs exhibited significant improvement in their left ventricle (LV) systolic and diastolic function as demonstrated by dp/dtmax, dp/dtmin, Pmax. Reduction in the LV fibrotic area was concomitant with neovascularization as demonstrated by CD31 and smooth muscle actin (SMA) expression. Real‐time RT‐PCR analysis for VEGF, stromal cell derived factor (SDF‐1α) and GATA binding factor 4 (GATA‐4) genes further confirmed the effect of age on MSC differentiation towards cardiac lineages and enhanced angiogenesis. These studies lead to the conclusion that repair potential of MSCs is dependent on the age of donors and the repair of senescent infarcted myocardium requires young healthy MSCs.
A comparision between steganography software tools

The process of hiding data in a medium that is insignificant, ordinary and not a secret is referred to as Steganography. This medium may be an image, text, video, audio, pdf, etc. The main advantage of Steganography is the fact that data is hidden in such a way that attackers find it hard to figure out exactly what the medium that carries the hidden message is. This is because the data is hidden in a medium that is not suspicious. Steganography tools take input images that can embed data like text or images inside of them. These tools then hide the text or image in the input image to create an output image. This image although looks similar to the input image, contains secret text or image information. In this paper, we will compare various tools that offer different algorithms for Steganography. We will input the same images and hide an image in them and see the different output images that are produced by the tools and compare them.
Attaching and effacing enteropathogenic Escherichia coli O18ab invades epithelial cells and causes persistent diarrhea

A case of persistent diarrhea following Escherichia coli O18ab gastroenteritis is reported. Electron microscopy of a biopsy of the small intestine showed effacement of the brush border, attachment of bacteria to the epithelial cells with pedestal formation, and bacteria within the enterocytes. The bacterial isolate was an enteropathogenic E. coli isolate which did not contain the adherence factor (EAF) but possessed the attaching-effacing eae gene, was able to invade HeLa cells in a gentamicin invasion assay, and also invaded rabbit intestinal cells. Results suggest that E. coli organisms of the O18ab serotype may cause diarrhea by an as yet unknown pathogenic mechanism, involving attaching to and effacing of enterocytes followed by invasion of the epithelial cells.
Intelligence in Children With Moyamoya Disease: Evaluation After Surgical Treatments With Special Reference to Changes in Cerebral Blood Flow

The effect of surgical treatment upon the intelligence of 20 children with moyamoya disease was evaluated and related to changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF). The patients were treated by various surgical revascularization procedures, mainly by encephalo-myo-synangiosis. Intelligence was tested using the Wechsler intelligence scale for children (WISC) in 19 children and the Wechsler adult intelligence scale (WAIS) in one child. Measurements of regional CBF were performed by al33Xe inhalation method. In the preoperative state, the degree of reduction in the intelligence quotient (IQ) correlated well with the age of the patients; the older patients revealed a more marked reduction of IQ, and the patients with lower Intelligence scores in general showed a tendency for more marked depression of mean CBF. Postoperatively, most of the patients showed increase in IQ, especially in performance IQ which im- proved significantly in 10 patiens, remained unchangd in 3 and deteriorated in 2. Mean CBF increased by an average of 11.4%, and postoperative changes in mean CBF correlated well with the changes in IQ in most patients. This may show that the postoperative increase in CBF is quite possibly responsible for the changes in IQ. Stroke Vol 15, No 5, 1984
Adenosine and adenosine receptors in the immunopathogenesis and treatment of cancer

Tumor cells overcome anti‐tumor responses in part through immunosuppressive mechanisms. There are several immune modulatory mechanisms. Among them, adenosine is an important factor which is generated by both cancer and immune cells in tumor microenvironment to suppress anti‐tumor responses. Two cell surface expressed molecules including CD73 and CD39 catalyze the generation of adenosine from adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The generation of adenosine can be enhanced under metabolic stress like tumor hypoxic conditions. Adenosine exerts its immune regulatory functions through four different adenosine receptors (ARs) including A1, A2A, A2B, and A3 which are expressed on various immune cells. Several studies have indicated the overexpression of adenosine generating enzymes and ARs in various cancers which was correlated with tumor progression. Since the signaling of ARs enhances tumor progression, their manipulation can be promising therapeutic approach in cancer therapy. Accordingly, several agonists and antagonists against ARs have been designed for cancer therapy. In this review, we will try to clarify the role of different ARs in the immunopathogenesis, as well as their role in the treatment of cancer.