Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Enhancing The Reliability of Out-of-distribution Image Detection in Neural Networks

We consider the problem of detecting out-of-distribution images in neural networks. We propose ODIN, a simple and effective method that does not require any change to a pre-trained neural network. Our method is based on the observation that using temperature scaling and adding small perturbations to the input can separate the softmax score distributions between in- and out-of-distribution images, allowing for more effective detection. We show in a series of experiments that ODIN is compatible with diverse network architectures and datasets. It consistently outperforms the baseline approach by a large margin, establishing a new state-of-the-art performance on this task. For example, ODIN reduces the false positive rate from the baseline 34.7% to 4.3% on the DenseNet (applied to CIFAR-10) when the true positive rate is 95%.
Optical coherence tomography grading correlates with MRI T2 mapping and extracellular matrix content

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and T2 mapping are emerging clinical imaging technologies with potential to detect subsurface changes in cartilage retaining a macroscopically intact articular surface. This study tests the hypothesis that OCT correlates with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2 values, and that OCT signal is sensitive to cartilage matrix degeneration. Forty‐five osteochondral cores were harvested from five human tibial plateau explants after MRI T2 mapping. Cores underwent OCT imaging and were graded as follows: A, obvious birefringence; B, no birefringence; C, subsurface voids and/or irregular surface. Extracellular matrix content was determined and cores underwent histologic and polarized light microscopy (PLM) evaluation. Grade B and C cores had 25% higher superficial T2 values (p = 0.047) and 50% higher deep T2 values (p = 0.012) than grade A cores. Grade B and C cores had 36% higher glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content compared to grade A cores (p = 0.009). Histology and PLM demonstrated increased surface irregularity and structural disorganization with increasing OCT grade. OCT grade and T2 value increased with increasing collagen disorganization, suggesting that MRI T2 mapping and OCT are sensitive to changes in collagen structure. Our results demonstrate the ability of OCT and T2 mapping to detect early cartilage degeneration in clinically normal appearing cartilage. © 2009 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 28:546–552, 2010
Preparation for Motherhood during Pregnancy: a Concept Analysis.

OBJECTIVES This work sought to identify the attributes of the concept of preparation for motherhood during pregnancy. METHODS Concept analysis with the method by Walker and Avant, which conducted a literature review in databases and other sources. Inclusion criteria were defined and a database was created with the articles included for the analysis. The information was integrated, responding to the eight steps proposed in the method. RESULTS The concept of preparation for motherhood during pregnancy is defined as an intermediate process of active and conscious participation defined by the cultural, social, and historical contexts, which favor lifestyle changes to optimize health and whose attributes are classified into physical and psychological preparation. CONCLUSIONS The attributes identified contribute to understanding the preparation for motherhood during gestation as a multidimensional concept. These results could be used to design care actions to evaluate pregnant women and prescribe nursing care beyond purely biomedical issues.
European Conference on Information Systems ( ECIS ) 2009 Measurement of E-service Quality : An Empirical Study in Online Travel Service

Information communication technologies (ICTs) have significantly revolutionized travel industry in the last decade. With an increasing number of travel companies participating in the Internet market, low price has become a minimum qualification to compete in the Internet market. As a result, e-service quality is becoming even more critical for companies to retain and attract customers in the digital age. This study focuses on e-service quality dimensions in the Internet market with an empirical study on online travel service. The purpose of this study is to develop a scale to evaluate e-service quality from the perspectives of both online companies and customers, which provides fresh insight into the dimensions of e-service quality. The results in this study indicate that trust from the perspective of customer and ease of use from the perspective of online company are the most critical and important facets in customers’ perception of online travel service quality, while reliability, system availability and responsiveness have influence on customer’s perception of online travel service quality as well, but the influence is not so strong as that of trust and ease of use. Online travel service companies should pay attention to the facets of reliability, system availability and responsiveness while focusing on the facets of ease of use and trust in order to improve their online travel service quality to customers.
Variation in the Toll-like Receptor 4 (TLR4) gene affects milk traits in dairy cows

The objective of this Research Communication was to use polymerase chain reaction-single stranded conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analysis to investigate a region of the bovine TLR4 gene (TLR4) in pasture-fed New Zealand (NZ) Holstein-Friesian × Jersey (HF × J) cross dairy cows and to determine whether gene variation was associated with milk production traits. Genetic variation was observed, with two variants (A and B) containing a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (c.2021C/T) that was non-synonymous and putatively results in a p.Thr674Ile substitution in the transmembrane/cytoplasmic domain of TLR4. Variant A was associated with higher milk yields, but lower milk fat percentages, whereas B was associated with lower milk yields, but higher fat and protein percentages. Cows of genotype AA produced more milk than AB or BB cows, but the milk produced by AA cows contained less fat than AB or BB cows.
Mitotic arrest-induced phosphorylation of Mcl-1 revisited using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and phosphoproteomics: nine phosphorylation sites identified

Microtubule targeting agents (MTAs) characteristically promote phosphorylation and degradation of Mcl-1, and this represents a critical pro-apoptotic signal in mitotic death. While several phosphorylation sites and kinases have been implicated in mitotic arrest-induced Mcl-1 phosphorylation, a comprehensive biochemical analysis has been lacking. Contrary to previous reports suggesting that T92 phosphorylation by Cdk1 regulates Mcl-1 degradation, a T92A Mcl-1 mutant expressed in HeLa cells was phosphorylated and degraded with the same kinetics as wild-type Mcl-1 following vinblastine treatment. Similarly, when Mcl-1 with alanine replacements of all five putative Cdk sites (S64, T92, S121, S159, T163) was expressed, it was also phosphorylated and degraded in response to vinblastine. To analyze Mcl-1 phosphorylation in more detail, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) was performed. While untreated cells expressed mainly unphosphorylated Mcl-1 with two minor phosphorylated species, Mcl-1 from vinblastine treated cells migrated during 2D-PAGE as a train of acidic spots representing nine or more phosphorylated species. Immunopurification and mass spectrometry of phosphorylated Mcl-1 derived from mitotically arrested HeLa cells revealed nine distinct sites, including several previously unreported. Mcl-1 bearing substitutions of all nine sites had a longer half-life than wild-type Mcl-1 under basal conditions, but still underwent phosphorylation and degradation in response to vinblastine treatment, and, like wild-type Mcl-1, was unable to protect cells from MTA treatment. These results reveal an unexpected complexity in Mcl-1 phosphorylation in response to MTAs and indicate that previous work has severely underestimated the number of sites, and thus encourage major revisions to the current model.
Real-time human detection and tracking in complex environments using single RGBD camera

This paper presents a new approach to real-time human detection and tracking in cluttered and dynamic environments by integration of RGB and depth data. We introduce the notion of Point Ensemble Image, which fully encodes both RGB and depth information from a virtual plan-view perspective, and we reveal that human detection and tracking in 3D space can be performed very effectively based on this new representation. Our human detector is able to take advantage of depth data by effectively locate physically plausible candidates as a first step, and then both depth and color information is made full use of in a supervised learning manner at the second stage. 3D trajectories of humans are finally generated by data association in which joint statistics of color and height are computed and compared. Experimental results show that the system is able to work satisfactorily in complex real-world situations.
Capital Tax Reform and the Real Economy: The Effects of the 2003 Dividend Tax Cut

This paper tests whether the 2003 dividend tax cut—one of the largest reforms ever to a US capital tax rate—stimulated corporate investment and increased labor earnings, using a quasi-experimental design and US corporate tax returns from years 1996-2008. I estimate that the tax cut caused zero change in corporate investment and employee compensation. Economically, the statistical precision challenges leading estimates of the cost-of-capital elasticity of investment, or undermines models in which dividend tax reforms affect the cost of capital. Either way, it may be difficult to implement an alternative dividend tax cut that has substantially larger near-term effects. (JEL C72, C78, C91)
Underground corrosion of water pipes in Calgary, Canada

Analyse des resultats des etudes menees sur la corrosion et la fissuration des canalisations d'eau enterrees a Calgary (Canada). Comparaison avec d'autres systemes de tubulures metalliques. Mecanismes de fissuration et remedes a apporter pour eviter des problemes similaires dans les nouveaux systemes
Definition and Risk Factors of Rapidly Declining Residual Renal Function in Peritoneal Dialysis: An Observational Study

Background: It is critical to preserve residual renal function (RRF) in peritoneal dialysis (PD), as RRF is associated with lower morbidity and mortality. There is no uniform definition of RRF, and rapidly declining RRF has rarely been studied and predominately limited to single factor analysis and not corrected for lead-time bias. Methods: An observational study in 71 incident PD patients. RRF was defined as urine output (UO) ≥500 ml/day and renal glomerular filtration rate (rGFR) ≥2 ml/min/1.73 m2, rapid declining RRF as UO <500 ml/day and rGFR <2 ml/min/1.73 m2 occurring within 6 months which were separately evaluated. Independent risk factors associated with rapid RRF decline were identified while correcting for lead-time bias. Results: RRF declined rapidly by both definitions in 65% patients 2.5 years after PD start. Both definitions of RRF decline were consistent in 96%. Nephrotoxic drugs, renal transplant failure and absent angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) were independent risk factors associated with rapidly declining RRF defined both by definitions, intravascular radiocontrast additionally for UO decline. Conclusions: Most PD patients demonstrated rapid RRF decline, independent of its definition. Both definitions are highly consistent and interchangeable. Nephrotoxic drugs and radiocontrast were identified as risk factors of acute, absent ACEI or ARB, and renal transplant failure of chronic renal injury.
The MEK1/2-ERK Pathway Inhibits Type I IFN Production in Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells

Recent studies have reported that the crosslinking of regulatory receptors (RRs), such as blood dendritic cell antigen 2 (BDCA-2) (CD303) or ILT7 (CD85g), of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) efficiently suppresses the production of type I interferons (IFN-I, α/β/ω) and other cytokines in response to toll-like receptor 7 and 9 (TLR7/9) ligands. The exact mechanism of how this B cell receptor (BCR)-like signaling blocks TLR7/9-mediated IFN-I production is unknown. Here, we stimulated BCR-like signaling by ligation of RRs with BDCA-2 and ILT7 mAbs, hepatitis C virus particles, or BST2 expressing cells. We compared BCR-like signaling in proliferating pDC cell line GEN2.2 and in primary pDCs from healthy donors, and addressed the question of whether pharmacological targeting of BCR-like signaling can antagonize RR-induced pDC inhibition. To this end, we tested the TLR9-mediated production of IFN-I and proinflammatory cytokines in pDCs exposed to a panel of inhibitors of signaling molecules involved in BCR-like, MAPK, NF-ĸB, and calcium signaling pathways. We found that MEK1/2 inhibitors, PD0325901 and U0126 potentiated TLR9-mediated production of IFN-I in GEN2.2 cells. More importantly, MEK1/2 inhibitors significantly increased the TLR9-mediated IFN-I production blocked in both GEN2.2 cells and primary pDCs upon stimulation of BCR-like or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-induced protein kinase C (PKC) signaling. Triggering of BCR-like and PKC signaling in pDCs resulted in an upregulation of the expression and phoshorylation of c-FOS, a downstream gene product of the MEK1/2-ERK pathway. We found that the total level of c-FOS was higher in proliferating GEN2.2 cells than in the resting primary pDCs. The PD0325901-facilitated restoration of the TLR9-mediated IFN-I production correlated with the abrogation of MEK1/2-ERK-c-FOS signaling. These results indicate that the MEK1/2-ERK pathway inhibits TLR9-mediated type I IFN production in pDCs and that pharmacological targeting of MEK1/2-ERK signaling could be a strategy to overcome immunotolerance of pDCs and re-establish their immunogenic activity.
THE STRENGTH PROPERTIES CHANGING ACCORDING TO TYPE CORNER JOINTS AND ADHESIVE OF THE WOOD-BASED FURNITURES UNDER THE EFFECT OF DYNAMIC FORCES

In this study it was examined the strength performance of a fully laden bookcase (TSE-5913 2009) in a single-storey building under the effect of horizontal earthquake forces. To this end, 180 test samples were produced from surfaced particleboard with three different joint and glue types. This study theoretically and empirically examined the changing effect of the theoreticallymeasured maximum moment caused by minor earthquake forces affecting the bookcase joints. The theoretical and experimental analysis showed that polyurethane glue had the highest (140690 Nmm), polyvinylacetate glue the lowest (115467 Nmm) adhesive performance and that a combined joint gave the highest (132081 Nmm), dowel joint the lowest (122305 Nmm) joint performance.
IR-06-060 The demographic and evolutionary consequences of selective mortality : Predictions from an eco-genetic model of smallmouth bass

2 Introduction . 3 Methods . 7 Data sources. 7 Probabilistic maturation reaction norms. 7 Genetic structure. 8 Initial population structure. 9 Maturation and reproduction . 11 Somatic growth. 13 Mortality . 14 Parental care . 14 Results . 16 Discussion. 16 Acknowledgements . 23 Literature cited. 23 Table . 30 Figure captions . 31 Figures . 33 Appendices . 36 Running head: Mortality-induced evolution in the smallmouth bass The demographic and evolutionary consequences of selective mortality: Predictions from an eco-genetic model of the smallmouth bass
Reduced Gray Matter Volume of the Thalamus and Hippocampal Region in Elderly Healthy Adults with no Impact of APOE ɛ4: A Longitudinal Voxel-Based Morphometry Study.

BACKGROUND Many cross-sectional voxel-based morphometry (VBM) investigations have shown significant inverse correlations between chronological age and gray matter (GM) volume in several brain regions in healthy humans. However, few VBM studies have documented GM decrements in the healthy elderly with repeated MRI measurements obtained in the same subjects. Also, the extent to which the APOE ɛ4 allele influences longitudinal findings of GM reduction in the healthy elderly is unclear. OBJECTIVE Verify whether regional GM changes are associated with significant decrements in cognitive performance taking in account the presence of the APOE ɛ4 allele. METHODS Using structural MRI datasets acquired in 55 cognitively intact elderly subjects at two time-points separated by approximately three years, we searched for voxels showing significant GM reductions taking into account differences in APOE genotype. RESULTS We found global GM reductions as well as regional GM decrements in the right thalamus and left parahippocampal gyrus (p < 0.05, family-wise error corrected for multiple comparisons over the whole brain). These findings were not affected by APOE ɛ4. CONCLUSIONS Irrespective of APOE ɛ4, longitudinal VBM analyses show that the hippocampal region and thalamus are critical sites where GM shrinkage is greater than the degree of global volume reduction in healthy elderly subjects.
Fe3O4-functionalized graphene nanosheet embedded phase change material composites: efficient magnetic- and sunlight-driven energy conversion and storage

As an important energy utilization mode, thermal energy is closely related to human life and social production. Phase change materials have been widely adopted to store thermal energy to improve its utilization efficiency. However, the inherent low energy conversion ability of these materials is one of the key problems to be resolved urgently. In this paper, we report novel magnetic- and sunlight-driven energy conversion and storage nanocomposites based on Fe3O4-functionalized graphene nanosheet (Fe3O4–GNS) embedded form-stable polymer phase change materials. Owing to the excellent magnetocaloric performance of Fe3O4 and the universal photoabsorption and photothermal conversion of graphene, the nanocomposites can effectively convert magnetic or light energy into thermal energy under an alternating magnetic field or solar illumination. The energy is stored by phase change materials during the phase transition process. The obtained hybrid nanocomposites exhibit excellent thermal stability with high melting–freezing enthalpy and excellent reversibility. Furthermore, the novel nanocomposites show the characteristics of form-stable phase transformation. The Fe3O4–GNS embedded phase change material composites for energy conversion and storage are expected to open up a rich field of energy materials.
A Metabolic Trade-Off Modulates Policing of Social Cheaters in Populations of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa uses quorum sensing (QS) to regulate the production of public goods such as the secreted protease elastase. P. aeruginosa requires the LasI–LasR QS circuit to induce elastase and enable growth on casein as the sole carbon and energy source. The LasI–LasR system also induces a second QS circuit, the RhlI–RhlR system. During growth on casein, LasR-mutant social cheaters emerge, and this can lead to a population collapse. In a minimal medium containing ammonium sulfate as a nitrogen source, populations do not collapse, and cheaters and cooperators reach a stable equilibrium; however, without ammonium sulfate, cheaters overtake the cooperators and populations collapse. We show that ammonium sulfate enhances the activity of the RhlI–RhlR system in casein medium and this leads to increased production of cyanide, which serves to control levels of cheaters. This enhancement of cyanide production occurs because of a trade-off in the metabolism of glycine: exogenous ammonium ion inhibits the transformation of glycine to 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate through a reduction in the expression of the glycine cleavage genes gcvP1 and gcvP2, thereby increasing the availability of glycine as a substrate for RhlR-regulated hydrogen cyanide synthesis. Thus, environmental ammonia enhances cyanide production and stabilizes QS in populations of P. aeruginosa.
Action-depedent Control Variates for Policy Optimization via Stein's Identity

Policy gradient methods have achieved remarkable successes in solving challenging reinforcement learning problems. However, it still often suffers from the large variance issue on policy gradient estimation, which leads to poor sample efficiency during training. In this work, we propose a control variate method to effectively reduce variance for policy gradient methods. Motivated by the Stein's identity, our method extends the previous control variate methods used in REINFORCE and advantage actor-critic by introducing more general action-dependent baseline functions. Empirical studies show that our method significantly improves the sample efficiency of the state-of-the-art policy gradient approaches.
Mitigating adversarial effects through randomization

Convolutional neural networks have demonstrated high accuracy on various tasks in recent years. However, they are extremely vulnerable to adversarial examples. For example, imperceptible perturbations added to clean images can cause convolutional neural networks to fail. In this paper, we propose to utilize randomization at inference time to mitigate adversarial effects. Specifically, we use two randomization operations: random resizing, which resizes the input images to a random size, and random padding, which pads zeros around the input images in a random manner. Extensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed randomization method is very effective at defending against both single-step and iterative attacks. Our method provides the following advantages: 1) no additional training or fine-tuning, 2) very few additional computations, 3) compatible with other adversarial defense methods. By combining the proposed randomization method with an adversarially trained model, it achieves a normalized score of 0.924 (ranked No.2 among 107 defense teams) in the NIPS 2017 adversarial examples defense challenge, which is far better than using adversarial training alone with a normalized score of 0.773 (ranked No.56). The code is public available at this https URL.
HE4 is superior to CA125 in the detection of recurrent disease in high-risk endometrial cancer patients

Objective: To date, biomarkers are not routinely used in endometrial cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and follow-up. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether serum HE4 was related to clinicopathological risk factors and outcome. Second, the role of serum HE4 and CA125 was assessed as indicator for recurrent disease during follow-up. Methods: A total of 174 patients with endometrial cancer between 1999 and 2009 were selected for this retrospective study. Serum HE4 and CA125 were analyzed at primary diagnosis, during follow-up, and at the time of recurrence. Correlations with clinicopathological factors were studied by univariate and multivariate survival analyses. Lead time was calculated in order to determine which serum marker was elevated prior to clinical detection of recurrent disease. Results: Serum levels of HE4 and CA125 were significantly associated with high tumor grade, myometrial invasion, lymph node involvement, and advanced stage (p < 0.01). HE4 was an independent prognostic factor for reduced disease-free survival and overall survival with hazard ratios of 2.96 (95% confidence interval: 1.18–7.99) and 3.27 (95% confidence interval: 1.18–9.02), respectively. At recurrence, 75% of the patients had an elevated HE4 compared to 54% with an elevated CA125. HE4 levels were more frequently elevated in patients with distant metastasis compared to local recurrences, 67% and 37%, respectively. Serum HE4 detected a recurrence with a median of 126 days earlier than clinical confirmation. Conclusion: Elevated serum HE4 is an independent risk factor for reduced disease-free survival and overall survival. HE4 seems to be superior to CA125 in the detection of recurrent disease during follow-up, mainly in high-risk endometrial cancer patients who are more prone to distant metastasis.