Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Eyes in the Dark: Distributed Scene Understanding for Disaster Management

Robotic is a great substitute for human to explore the dangerous areas, and will also be a great help for disaster management. Although the rise of depth sensor technologies gives a huge boost to robotic vision research, traditional approaches cannot be applied to disaster-handling robots directly due to some limitations. In this paper, we focus on the 3D robotic perception, and propose a view-invariant Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) Model for scene understanding in disaster scenarios. The proposed system is highly distributed and parallel, which is of great help to improve the efficiency of network training. In our system, two individual CNNs are used to, respectively, propose objects from input data and classify their categories. We attempt to overcome the difficulties and restrictions caused by disasters using several specially-designed multi-task loss functions. The most significant advantage in our work is that the proposed method can learn a view-invariant feature with no requirement on RGB data, which is essential for harsh, disordered and changeable environments. Additionally, an effective optimization algorithm to accelerate the learning process is also included in our work. Simulations demonstrate that our approach is robust and efficient, and outperforms the state-of-the-art in several related tasks.
Minerals and nutritional composition of radhuni (Carum roxburghianum Benth.) seeds.

Radhuni (Carum roxburghianum Benth.) seeds of three indigenous cultivars grown in Bangladesh have been studied for minerals and various compositional properties as well as assess their role in human nutrition. Variability was observed among investigated cultivars in terms of physical characteristics (e.g. seed volume, seed density, hydration capacity, hydration index, swelling capacity and swelling index), proximate analysis (e.g. total ash, water soluble ash, acid insoluble ash, crude fiber, protein, carbohydrates and food energy) and mineral composition. The mineral compositions were determined by wavelength dispersive X-Ray fluorescence (WDXRF) technique. The significant amount of major mineral concentration were measured between 15879.30-17526.79 mg/kg Ca, 7627.433-8566.09 mg/kg Si, 5690.597-6428.60 mg/ kg K, 2688.295-3162.62 mg/kg Fe, 2240.406-2498.74 mg/kg Mg, 2108.91-2368.93 mg/kg Al, 1035.71-1340.482 mg/kg S, 472.77-541.66 mg/kg Cl and 395.586-431.313 mg/kg Na. Co, Cd, As, Pb and Hg were not detected as toxic elements in the present analysis technique. The data showed that, in terms of both quality and quantity, the Radhuni seeds of Bangladeshi cultivars as significant source of nutritional and minerals supplement to meet the dietary contents as well as to help the formulation of herbal medicinal preparations.
Defining the neuroanatomic basis of motor coordination in children and its relationship with symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Background When children have marked problems with motor coordination, they often have problems with attention and impulse control. Here, we map the neuroanatomic substrate of motor coordination in childhood and ask whether this substrate differs in the presence of concurrent symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Method Participants were 226 children. All completed Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5)-based assessment of ADHD symptoms and standardized tests of motor coordination skills assessing aiming/catching, manual dexterity and balance. Symptoms of developmental coordination disorder (DCD) were determined using parental questionnaires. Using 3 Tesla magnetic resonance data, four latent neuroanatomic variables (for the cerebral cortex, cerebellum, basal ganglia and thalamus) were extracted and mapped onto each motor coordination skill using partial least squares pathway modeling. Results The motor coordination skill of aiming/catching was significantly linked to latent variables for both the cerebral cortex (t = 4.31, p < 0.0001) and the cerebellum (t = 2.31, p = 0.02). This effect was driven by the premotor/motor cortical regions and the superior cerebellar lobules. These links were not moderated by the severity of symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. In categorical analyses, the DCD group showed atypical reduction in the volumes of these regions. However, the group with DCD alone did not differ significantly from those with DCD and co-morbid ADHD. Conclusions The superior cerebellar lobules and the premotor/motor cortex emerged as pivotal neural substrates of motor coordination in children. The dimensions of these motor coordination regions did not differ significantly between those who had DCD, with or without co-morbid ADHD.
Complexity and limits to knowledge: the importance of uncertainty

This chapter examines how complexity science faces up to the material fact of uncertainty and the very real limits to knowledge. Indeed it shows how ignorance, the impossibility of having full knowledge and the inevitability of uncertainty, are both the result of, and the driving force behind, evolution and change. The chapter will review how this affects the exploration of complex problems and in particular the approaches to the mathematical modelling of their embedded but often un-defined limitations. This involves examining the assumptions that are necessary in order to represent a ‘situation’ in terms of changes in the values of a particular set of variables and the ways this whole structure moves forwards over time. Our feeling of ‘understanding’ seems to correspond to the degree of predictability such methods imply, since we feel that we do not ‘understand’ a situation when we are unable to predict future behaviour. This definition of ‘understanding’ is questionable, however, since it assumes that the future already exists within the present and that it can therefore be determined. But this does not allow for learning, adaptation, change, exploration or creativity of any kind. In short it corresponds to an assumption of the stability and fixity of:
Arabidopsis Cys2/His2-Type Zinc-Finger Proteins Function as Transcription Repressors under Drought, Cold, and High-Salinity Stress Conditions1

ZPT2-related proteins that have two canonical Cys-2/His-2-type zinc-finger motifs in their molecules are members of a family of plant transcription factors. To characterize the role of this type of protein, we analyzed the function of Arabidopsis L. Heynh. genes encoding four different ZPT2-related proteins (AZF1, AZF2, AZF3, and STZ). Gel-shift analysis showed that the AZFs and STZ bind to A(G/C)T repeats within an EP2 sequence, known as a target sequence of some petunia (Petunia hybrida) ZPT2 proteins. Transient expression analysis using synthetic green fluorescent protein fusion genes indicated that the AZFs and STZ are preferentially localized to the nucleus. These four ZPT2-related proteins were shown to act as transcriptional repressors that down-regulate the transactivation activity of other transcription factors. RNA gel-blot analysis showed that expression of AZF2 and STZ was strongly induced by dehydration, high-salt and cold stresses, and abscisic acid treatment. Histochemical analysis of β-glucuronidase activities driven by the AZF2 or STZ promoters revealed that both genes are induced in leaves rather than roots of rosette plants by the stresses. Transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing STZ showed growth retardation and tolerance to drought stress. These results suggest that AZF2 and STZ function as transcriptional repressors to increase stress tolerance following growth retardation.
Genome-wide identification of long noncoding natural antisense transcripts and their responses to light in Arabidopsis

Recent research on long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) has expanded our understanding of gene transcription regulation and the generation of cellular complexity. Depending on their genomic origins, lncRNAs can be transcribed from intergenic or intragenic regions or from introns of protein-coding genes. We have recently reported more than 6000 intergenic lncRNAs in Arabidopsis. Here, we systematically identified long noncoding natural antisense transcripts (lncNATs), defined as lncRNAs transcribed from the opposite DNA strand of coding or noncoding genes. We found a total of 37,238 sense–antisense transcript pairs and 70% of annotated mRNAs to be associated with antisense transcripts in Arabidopsis. These lncNATs could be reproducibly detected by different technical platforms, including strand-specific tiling arrays, Agilent custom expression arrays, strand-specific RNA-seq, and qRT-PCR experiments. Moreover, we investigated the expression profiles of sense–antisense pairs in response to light and observed spatial and developmental-specific light effects on 626 concordant and 766 discordant NAT pairs. Genes for a large number of the light-responsive NAT pairs are associated with histone modification peaks, and histone acetylation is dynamically correlated with light-responsive expression changes of NATs.
The Atlanta 2012 versus the Determinant-Based Classifications for Acute Pancreatitis: Which One is Better?

Objective: New research on Acute Pancreatitis (AP) led to new classifications of this unpredictable disease and presently two of them are disputing the supremacy. Our aim is to compare the Atlanta 2012 Classification with the Determinant Based Classification in terms of clinical applicability and accuracy. Method: We performed retrospective analysis of all consecutive cases of AP managed in our tertiary, universityaffiliated emergency center during a period of 12 months. The patients were divided into severity groups according to the Atlanta 2012 and the Determinant-Based Classification. The main outcomes that we used for evaluation were hospital length of stay (H_LOS), intensive care unit (ICU) admission, ICU length of stay (ICU_LOS) and mortality. Results: 226 patients met the inclusion criteria. Most of the patients are male (61.9%), on the sixth decade of life (mean age: 53.8), biliary stones being the most common etiology of AP (39.4%). Using the aria under the curve (AUC) to compare the predictive accuracy of ICU Admission we found that AUC for the Determinant Based Classification is higher compared to AUC for the Atlanta 2012 (0.973 versus 0.961). AUC is similar for both the Atlanta 2012 Classification and DBC in predicting mortality (0.986 and 0.984 respectively). Both classifications provided similar results considering H_LOS and ICU_LOS. Conclusions: The Atlanta 2012 and the DBC both predict with increased accuracy the clinical prognosis of patients with AP. The Determinant Based Classification has a slight advantage over the Atlanta 2012 Classification because it succeeded in offering a better prediction for the ICU Admission and ICU_LOS. Although their clinical applicability is similar, there are few aspects that can be improved and worldwide consensus is necessary for uniformity of scientific research.
Ring resonator-based electrooptic polymer traveling-wave modulator

The authors report the bandpass-modulation characteristics of a ring resonator-based traveling-wave modulator using an electrooptic polymer AJL8/APC. The use of the traveling-wave electrode makes it possible to achieve an efficient modulation around 28 GHz, which is the free spectral range of the resonator, with a 3-dB bandwidth of 7 GHz. The modulation sensitivity is evaluated by defining an equivalent half-wave voltage of ring modulators. It is shown that the modulator has a potential in the microwave and millimeter-wave photonics applications
Optimal Solar Field Design of Stationary Collectors

The optimal design of stationary photovoltaic and thermal collectors in a solar field, taking into account shading and masking effects, may be based on several criteria: maximum incident energy on collector plane from a given field, minimum field area for given incident energy, minimum cost per unit energy, minimum plant cost, maximum energy per unit collector area or other objectives. These design problems may be formulated as optimization problems with objective functions and sets of constraints (equality and inequality) for which mathematical optimization techniques may be applied. This article deals with obtaining the field design parameters (optimal number of rows, distance between collector rows, collector height and collector inclination angle) that produce maximum annual energy from a given field. A second problem is determination of the minimum field area (length and width) and field design parameters that produce a given required annual energy. The third problem is determination of the optimal field design parameters for obtaining maximum energy per unit collector area from a given field. The results of these optimal designs are compared to a recommended approach of the Israeli Institute of Standards (ITS) in which the solar field design result in negligible shading. An increase in energy of about 20% for a fixed field area and a decrease infield area of about 15% for a given annual incident energy, respectively, may be obtained using the approach formulated in the present article compared to the IIS approach.
A diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging study of brain tissue from patients with migraine

Objective: To measure in vivo, using diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI) the extent of pathological damage of normal appearing brain tissue (NABT) from patients with migraine. Methods: Dual echo and DT-MRI scans of the brain were acquired from 34 patients with migraine and 17 sex and age matched healthy volunteers. Mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) histograms of the NABT were obtained from all subjects and the histograms’ peak heights and average NABT MD and FA measured. When present, average MD and FA values of T2 visible lesions were also measured. Results: In comparison with healthy volunteers, patients with migraine had lower MD histogram peak height (p=0.02) of the NABT. No differences were found in FA histogram derived metrics between migraine patients and healthy subjects. No difference was found for any MD and FA histogram derived metrics between migraine patients with and without brain MRI lesions, and between patients with and without aura. Conclusions: This study shows that, although brain damage may extend beyond T2 weighted abnormalities in patients with migraine, the severity of these “occult” changes is mild compared with that found in other diseases associated with white matter abnormality.
The E1015K Variant in the Synprint Region of the CaV2.1 Channel Alters Channel Function and Is Associated with Different Migraine Phenotypes*

Background: Genetic variations in voltage-gated calcium (CaV) channels can alter function leading to disease. Results: A variant from migraine patients was identified in the synprint site of the CaV2.1 channel which increased function. Conclusion: This gain-of-function occurs via alterations in inactivation and SNARE protein regulation of the CaV2.1 channel. Significance: Increased channel activity caused by this variant may contribute to migraine pathophysiology. Mutations in the CACNA1A gene, which encodes the pore-forming α1A subunit of the CaV2.1 voltage-gated calcium channel, cause a number of human neurologic diseases including familial hemiplegic migraine. We have analyzed the functional impact of the E1015K amino acid substitution located in the “synprint” domain of the α1A subunit. This variant was identified in two families with hemiplegic migraine and in one patient with migraine with aura. The wild type (WT) and the E1015K forms of the GFP-tagged α1A subunit were expressed in cultured hippocampal neurons and HEK cells to understand the role of the variant in the transport activity and physiology of CaV2.1. The E1015K variant does not alter CaV2.1 protein expression, and its transport to the cell surface and synaptic terminals is similar to that observed for WT channels. Electrophysiological data demonstrated that E1015K channels have increased current density and significantly altered inactivation properties compared with WT. Furthermore, the SNARE proteins syntaxin 1A and SNAP-25 were unable to modulate voltage-dependent inactivation of E1015K channels. Overall, our findings describe a genetic variant in the synprint site of the CaV2.1 channel which is characterized by a gain-of-function and associated with both hemiplegic migraine and migraine with aura in patients.
Effects of Carbamazepine, AF‐CX 921, and AF‐CX 1325 on Epileptic Discharges and Seizures in Hippocampally Kindled Rats

Summary: In nine hippocampally kindled rats (5 normal and 4 microcephalic) a comparative study of the antiepileptic effects of carbamazepine, and AF‐CX 921 [(E)‐2‐[(α‐amino)‐phenylmethylene]‐benzo‐[b]‐thiophene‐3(2H)‐one] and its metabolite AF‐CX 1325 [(E)‐2‐[(α‐amino)‐phenylmethylene]‐benzo‐[b]‐thiophene‐3‐(2H)‐one‐1‐oxide], were compared with placebo. The treatment effects were tested 1,2,3,4, and 5 h after drug administration, and the testings were executed twice for each treatment and animal. The following biological parameters were evaluated and statistically analyzed: (1) duration of first AD (AD1); (2) frequency of occurrence of focal spiking (FS) which followed AD1; (3) frequency of occurrence of second AD (AD2) which followed FS; (4) duration of total EEG epileptic activity (AD1 + FS + AD2); (5) frequency of occurrence of convulsive seizures (CS); (6) frequency of occurrence of partial seizures (epileptic behavior, automatisms); (7) and frequency of occurrence of a quiet state of the animal, indicating no behavioral kindling response. All three drugs had clear antiepileptic effects on EEG epileptic activity and clinical seizures in comparison with placebo. The strongest antiepileptic effect was produced by AF‐CX 1325. It reduced AD1 duration to ˜50% of that in the placebo treatment, and was most effective in reducing occurrence of FS to 20% and AD2 to 33% of that in the placebo. It was the only drug that decreased AD2 duration, and total EEG epileptic activity was reduced to <50% of that in the placebo. These EEG results were parelled by clinical effects. Control of CS (73% in the placebo treatment) was best expressed by AF‐CX 1325 (reduced to 18%), followed by AF‐CX 921 (reduced to 21%) and CBZ (reduced to 38%).
MAIA: a Framework for Developing Agent-Based Social Simulations

In this paper we introduce and motivate a conceptualization framework for agent-based social simulation, MAIA: Modelling Agent systems based on Institutional Analysis. The MAIA framework is based on Ostrom's Institutional Analysis and Development framework, and provides an extensive set of modelling concepts that is rich enough to capture a large range of complex social phenomena. Developing advanced agent-based models requires substantial experience and knowledge of software development knowledge and skills. MAIA has been developed to help modellers who are unfamiliar with software development to conceptualize and implement agent-based models. It provides the foundation for a conceptualization procedure that guides modellers to adequately capture, analyse, and understand the domain of application, and helps them report explicitly on the motivations behind modelling choices. A web-based application supports conceptualization with MAIA, and outputs an XML file which is used to generate Java code for an executable simulation.
A cross-national analysis of the household and community HIV / AIDS determinants of child malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa : Evidence from the DHS

The HIV/AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa is believed to have retarded progress in the reduction of under-five mortality in the region through its impoverishing effects which impinge on the health and nutrition of children, and through illness of the parent and/or the child. The WHO consultation on nutrition and HIV/AIDS in Africa recognized that „ far-reaching steps need to be taken to reverse current trends in malnutrition, HIV infection and food insecurity in most countries in the region, in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals‟. An improved understanding of HIV/AIDS determinants of malnutrition in the worst affected regions will help inform such efforts. In this paper, we examine the extent to which children whose mothers are infected with HIV, or in households or communities adversely affected by HIV/AIDS are disadvantaged, in comparison with other children in less affected households or communities. The study is based on secondary analysis of the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data collected during 2003-2008 from 18 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, where the DHS has included HIV test data for adults of reproductive age. We apply multilevel logistic regression models that take into account the effect of contextual household/community/country level HIV/AIDS factors on child malnutrition. The results suggest that across countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the nutritional status of children who are paternal orphans or in households with HIV positive adult(s) is not significantly different from other children. However, children whose mothers are infected with HIV are significantly more likely to be stunted, wasted or underweight compared to their counterparts of similar demographic and socio-economic background. The disadvantage of children whose mothers‟ are infected with HIV becomes particularly apparent when urban/rural residence and household wealth index are controlled for. Other adult household members being HIV positive is associated with higher malnutrition among younger children below the age of one. Further analysis reveals that the effect of mothers‟ HIV status on child nutritional status (underweight) varies significantly across communities within countries, the effect being lower in communities with generally higher levels of malnutrition. An examination of the risk factors of undernutrition among children whose mothers are infected suggests that the overall higher risk among those from the poorest households is amplified for this particularly vulnerable group of children. Overall, the findings have important implications for policy and programme efforts towards improved integration of HIV/AIDS and child nutrition services in affected communities and other sub-groups of the population made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS.
Homodyne Detection of Free Carrier Induced Electro-Optic Modulation in Strained Silicon Resonators

In the last few years, strained silicon has been proposed as a potential electro-optic material, paving the way to the realization of ultrafast modulators which are compatible with the CMOS fabrication technology. The linear Pockels effect has been used for measuring the magnitude of the induced (2) components, with values reaching hundreds of pm/V. Recently, it has been shown that these values could have been overestimated due to the contribution of free carriers to the electro-optic modulation. In this work, this hypothesis is validated by a series of experimental observations, which are performed on strained silicon racetrack resonators. These are fabricated with different waveguide widths and orientations. We use a low frequency (KHz) homodyne detection technique to monitor the electro-optic response of the devices. The results indicate that the modulation strength is not dependent on the waveguide geometry or direction. A lot of anomalies are encountered in the device response, which are not compatible with a modulation mechanism of (2) origin. To this purporse, a theory based on the nonlinear injection of free carriers inside the waveguide is presented. This is able to account for all the observed anomalies.