Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
How to Tell Ancient Signs Apart? Recognizing and Visualizing Maya Glyphs with CNNs

Thanks to the digital preservation of cultural heritage materials, multimedia tools (e.g., based on automatic visual processing) considerably ease the work of scholars in the humanities and help them to perform quantitative analysis of their data. In this context, this article assesses three different Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) architectures along with three learning approaches to train them for hieroglyph classification, which is a very challenging task due to the limited availability of segmented ancient Maya glyphs. More precisely, the first approach, the baseline, relies on pretrained networks as feature extractor. The second one investigates a transfer learning method by fine-tuning a pretrained network for our glyph classification task. The third approach considers directly training networks from scratch with our glyph data. The merits of three different network architectures are compared: a generic sequential model (i.e., LeNet), a sketch-specific sequential network (i.e., Sketch-a-Net), and the recent Residual Networks. The sketch-specific model trained from scratch outperforms other models and training strategies. Even for a challenging 150-class classification task, this model achieves 70.3% average accuracy and proves itself promising in case of a small amount of cultural heritage shape data. Furthermore, we visualize the discriminative parts of glyphs with the recent Grad-CAM method, and demonstrate that the discriminative parts learned by the model agree, in general, with the expert annotation of the glyph specificity (diagnostic features). Finally, as a step toward systematic evaluation of these visualizations, we conduct a perceptual crowdsourcing study. Specifically, we analyze the interpretability of the representations from Sketch-a-Net and ResNet-50. Overall, our article takes two important steps toward providing tools to scholars in the digital humanities: increased performance for automation and improved interpretability of algorithms.
Adaptive phenotypic plasticity in a clonal invader

Abstract Organisms featuring wide trait variability and occurring in a wide range of habitats, such as the ovoviviparous New Zealand freshwater snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum, are ideal models to study adaptation. Since the mid‐19th century, P. antipodarum, characterized by extremely variable shell morphology, has successfully invaded aquatic areas on four continents. Because these obligately and wholly asexual invasive populations harbor low genetic diversity compared to mixed sexual/asexual populations in the native range, we hypothesized that (1) this phenotypic variation in the invasive range might be adaptive with respect to colonization of novel habitats, and (2) that at least some of the variation might be caused by phenotypic plasticity. We surveyed 425 snails from 21 localities across northwest Europe to attempt to disentangle genetic and environmental effects on shell morphology. We analyzed brood size as proxy for fitness and shell geometric morphometrics, while controlling for genetic background. Our survey revealed 10 SNP genotypes nested into two mtDNA haplotypes and indicated that mainly lineage drove variation in shell shape but not size. Physicochemical parameters affected both shell shape and size and the interaction of these traits with brood size. In particular, stronger stream flow rates were associated with larger shells. Our measurements of brood size suggested that relatively larger slender snails with relatively large apertures were better adapted to strong flow than counterparts with broader shells and relatively small apertures. In conclusion, the apparent potential to modify shell morphology plays likely a key role in the invasive success of P. antipodarum; the two main components of shell morphology, namely shape and size, being differentially controlled, the former mainly genetically and the latter predominantly by phenotypic plasticity.
Immunohistochemical Classification of Ampullary Carcinomas: Critical Reappraisal Fails to Confirm Prognostic Relevance for Recently Proposed Panels, and Highlights MUC5AC as a Strong Prognosticator

Recently, immunohistochemistry-based classifications of ampullary carcinomas have been proposed (Ang and colleagues [PMID: 24832159]; Chang and colleagues [PMID: 23439753]). In this study, the prognostic value of Ang/Chang panel markers (CK20, MUC1, MUC2, CDX2) as well as other markers (CK7, MUC5AC, and MUC6) were tested on full-faced sections of 136 ampullary carcinoma resections with substantial (>5 mm) invasion. Immunohistochemistry was correlated with both histologic classification (intestinal [INT], pancreatobiliary [PB], or nontubular based on ≥3/5 observer agreement) and clinical outcome. No prognostic correlation was found with MUC1, CDX2, MUC2 or CK20 despite testing with different quantitative cutoffs. CK7 and CK20 were nonspecific. Ang classification had reasonable correlation with histologic subclassification of tubular cases as INT versus PB with high specificity but low sensitivity and ambiguous category was large (29%) and included also some classical cases. Prognostically, Ang classification approached but did not reach statistical significance, even when their large “ambiguous” group was eliminated and only tubular cases were analyzed (Ang-INT vs. Ang-PB; P=0.08). The Chang panel, in which the definition of the INT subcategory is not clearly defined, only marginally reached prognostic significance when tested as MUC1+/CDX2− versus MUC1−/CDX2+ and only by Wilcoxon test (P=0.0485) but 31% of the cases were “unclassifiable. ” The only individual marker that was found to have direct and strong correlation with the clinical outcome was MUC5AC (not used in the Ang or Chang panels), with statistically significant survival differences found with various cutoffs tested (for 20% cutoff, 5-y survival, 68% vs. 31%; P=0.0002). In addition, MUC5AC significantly stratified the histologically PB and INT cases (P=0.01 and 0.03, respectively), as well as Ang’s ambiguous and Chang’s unclassified cases (P=0.006 and 0.007, respectively). In conclusion, the widely used putative lineage markers, MUC1/MUC2/CK7/CK20/CDX2, do not seem to have direct/significant prognostic correlation either individually or in combination of Ang and Chang panels. Ang panel is helpful as an adjunct in determining the cell lineage with a few caveats. MUC5AC proves to be a significant independent prognosticator and should be incorporated into evaluation of ampullary carcinomas.
Agricultural research and development on small islands and atolls: the Papua New Guinea experience

Pacific Economic Bulletin Volume 22 Number 3 October 2007 © Asia Pacific Press In the Pacific, food security in small islands and in atoll countries is increasingly under threat from a wide array of socio-cultural, environmental, and economic factors affecting their food production and supply systems. Given that their prospects for export-oriented agriculture and industrial development are severely limited, the solution appears to be to undertake research and development strategies that focus on improving subsistence agriculture and, where possible, cash income opportunities. This article discusses the research and development strategy adopted by the National Agricultural Research Institute in Papua New Guinea to strengthen food security in Papua New Guinea’s small islands and atolls. Louis M. Kurika is NARI EU Atoll Project Coordinator, John E. Moxon is Research Programme Leader–NARI Wet Lowland Islands Programme and Meli Lolo is NARI EU Atoll Project Scientist. agricultural research and development on small islands and atolls: the Papua new Guinea experience
ANALISIS DAMPAK TARGET THE FED RATE TERHADAP KEBIJAKAN MONETER BANK INDONESIA (PERIODE 2005: 07-2013:12)

A bstrak Kebijakan suku bunga merupakan instrumen yang telah banyakdigunakan oleh bank-bank sentral di dunia untuk mencerminkan arah kebijakan moneter. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk menganalisis dampak dari Fed target rate kebijakan moneter Bank Indonesia (BI rate) melalui saluran transmisi keuangan selama periode 2005: 07-2013: 12. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah Vector Error Correction Model (VECM). Variabel yang digunakan meliputi BI rate, tingkat sasaran Fed, arus modal (proksi Investment Portfolio Asing), premi risiko (proksi oleh tingkat suku bunga antar bank overnight) dan kurs tengah IRD / USD. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa:1) tidak ada kausalitas antara variabel dalam transmising dampak Fed tarif targetkebijakan moneter Bank Indonesia (BI tarif); 2) The Fed tarif sasaran, arus modal, nilai tukar rupiah / USD dan premi risiko mempengaruhi tingkat BI; 3) pergerakan harga sasaran Fed ditransmisikan melalui sektor keuangan telah direspon secara positif oleh tingkat BI, dan 4) dampak tarif sasaran Fed ditularkan melalui sektor keuangan untuk dinamika suku bunga BI sebagian besar dijelaskan oleh target Fed rate, BI rate, dan nilai tukar rupiah / USD. Abstract Interest rate policy is an instrument that has been widely used by central banks in the world to reflect the direction of monetary policy. The purpose of the study was to analyze the impact of the Fed target rates to Bank Indonesia‘s mone- tary policy (BI rates) through the financial transmission channel over the period 2005:07-2013:12. The method used in this study is the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM). The variables used including BI rate, Fed target rate, capital flows (proxied by the Foreign Portfolio Investment), risk premium (proxied by the interest rate interbank overnight) and middle rate IRD/USD. The results of this study showed that: 1) there is no causality among the variables in the transmising the impact of the Fed target rates to the Bank Indonesia‘s monetary policy (BI rates); 2) the Fed target rates,capital flows, exchange rate IDR/USD and risk pre- miums affect the BI rates; 3) the movements of the Fed target rates transmitted through the financial sector have been responded positively by BI rates;and 4) the impact of the Fed target rates transmitted through the financial sector to dynamics of BI rates are largely explained by Fed target rate, BI rate, and IDR/USD ex- change rate.
EZCursorVR: 2D Selection with Virtual Reality Head-Mounted Displays

We present an evaluation of a new selection technique for virtual reality (VR) systems presented on head-mounted displays. The technique, dubbed EZCursorVR, presents a 2D cursor that moves in a head-fixed plane, simulating 2D desktop-like cursor control for VR. The cursor can be controlled by any 2DOF input device, but also works with 3/6DOF devices using appropriate mappings. We conducted an experiment based on ISO 9241-9, comparing the effectiveness of EZCursorVR using a mouse, a joystick in both velocity-control and position-control mappings, a 2D-constrained ray-based technique, a standard 3D ray, and finally selection via head motion. Results indicate that the mouse offered the highest performance in terms of throughput, movement time, and error rate, while the position-control joystick was worst. The 2D-constrained ray-casting technique proved an effective alternative to the mouse when performing selections using EZCursorVR, offering better performance than standard ray-based selection.
Comparison of Nominal and Real Rigidities: Fiscal Policy Perspective

Abstract This paper examines the impact of nominal and real rigidities in the economy on the effects of fiscal policy. The study confirmed the hypothesis that both nominal and real rigidities enhance the impact of fiscal policy on the Polish economy. In the case of nominal price rigidity it was found that the impact of government spending on GDP depends on the conduct of monetary policy. On the other hand, under conditions of wage rigidity, the strength of fiscal multipliers depends on the slope of the labour supply curve. The study also examined two types of real rigidities - lack of access to the credit market, and consumer habits. Analyses show that the above rigidities result primarily in a strong positive relationship between government spending and the level of consumption Streszczenie W pracy zbadano wpływ występowania sztywności nominalnych i realnych w gospodarce na charakter oddziaływania polityki fiskalnej. Potwierdzono hipotezę, że zarówno sztywności nominalne, jak i realne zwiększają siłę wpływu polityki fiskalnej na gospodarkę polską. W przypadku sztywności nominalnej cen uzyskano, że siła oddziaływania wydatków rządowych na PKB uzależniona jest od prowadzonej polityki pieniężnej. Natomiast w warunkach sztywności płac wysokość mnożników fiskalnych zależy od nachylenia krzywej podaży pracy. W pracy zbadano również dwa rodzaje sztywności realnych - brak dostępu do rynku kredytowego i występowanie przyzwyczajeń konsumpcyjnych. Z przeprowadzonych analiz wynika, że ww. sztywności skutkują przede wszystkim silną dodatnią zależnością pomiędzy wydatkami rządowymi a poziomem konsumpcji.
Incremental Value of Repeated Risk Factor Measurements for Cardiovascular Disease Prediction in Middle-Aged Korean Adults: Results From the NHIS-HEALS (National Health Insurance System-National Health Screening Cohort)

Background— Increasing evidence suggests that repeatedly measured cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors may have an additive predictive value compared with single measured levels. Thus, we evaluated the incremental predictive value of incorporating periodic health screening data for CVD prediction in a large nationwide cohort with periodic health screening tests. Methods and Results— A total of 467 708 persons aged 40 to 79 years and free from CVD were randomly divided into development (70%) and validation subcohorts (30%). We developed 3 different CVD prediction models: a single measure model using single time point screening data; a longitudinal average model using average risk factor values from periodic screening data; and a longitudinal summary model using average values and the variability of risk factors. The development subcohort included 327 396 persons who had 3.2 health screenings on average and 25 765 cases of CVD over 12 years. The C statistics (95% confidence interval [CI]) for the single measure, longitudinal average, and longitudinal summary models were 0.690 (95% CI, 0.682–0.698), 0.695 (95% CI, 0.687–0.703), and 0.752 (95% CI, 0.744–0.760) in men and 0.732 (95% CI, 0.722–0.742), 0.735 (95% CI, 0.725–0.745), and 0.790 (95% CI, 0.780–0.800) in women, respectively. The net reclassification index from the single measure model to the longitudinal average model was 1.78% in men and 1.33% in women, and the index from the longitudinal average model to the longitudinal summary model was 32.71% in men and 34.98% in women. Conclusions— Using averages of repeatedly measured risk factor values modestly improves CVD predictability compared with single measurement values. Incorporating the average and variability information of repeated measurements can lead to great improvements in disease prediction. Clinical Trial Registration— URL: https://www.clinicaltrials. gov. Unique identifier: NCT02931500.
Identification of Two Independent Risk Factors for Lupus within the MHC in United Kingdom Families

The association of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) with SLE is well established yet the causal variants arising from this region remain to be identified, largely due to inadequate study design and the strong linkage disequilibrium demonstrated by genes across this locus. The majority of studies thus far have identified strong association with classical class II alleles, in particular HLA-DRB1*0301 and HLA-DRB1*1501. Additional associations have been reported with class III alleles; specifically, complement C4 null alleles and a tumor necrosis factor promoter SNP (TNF-308G/A). However, the relative effects of these class II and class III variants have not been determined. We have thus used a family-based approach to map association signals across the MHC class II and class III regions in a cohort of 314 complete United Kingdom Caucasian SLE trios by typing tagging SNPs together with classical typing of the HLA-DRB1 locus. Using TDT and conditional regression analyses, we have demonstrated the presence of two distinct and independent association signals in SLE: HLA-DRB1*0301 (nominal p = 4.9 × 10−8, permuted p < 0.0001, OR = 2.3) and the T allele of SNP rs419788 (nominal p = 4.3 × 10−8, permuted p < 0.0001, OR = 2.0) in intron 6 of the class III region gene SKIV2L. Assessment of genotypic risk demonstrates a likely dominant model of inheritance for HLA-DRB1*0301, while rs419788-T confers susceptibility in an additive manner. Furthermore, by comparing transmitted and untransmitted parental chromosomes, we have delimited our class II signal to a 180 kb region encompassing the alleles HLA-DRB1*0301-HLA-DQA1*0501-HLA-DQB1*0201 alone. Our class III signal importantly excludes independent association at the TNF promoter polymorphism, TNF-308G/A, in our SLE cohort and provides a potentially novel locus for future genetic and functional studies.
Clinical analysis of risk factors in refractory mycoplasma pneumonia in children

Purpose: Refractory Mycoplasma pneumonia (RMP) has been increasing not only in Korea but worldwide. We investigated the inci dence of M. pneumonia resistant to macrolides and risk factors for RMP. Methods: From October 2015 to May 2016, 62 pediatric patients who were admitted due to pneumonia diagnosed on the basis of chest x-ray with respiratory symptoms and positive for M. pneumoniae in polymerase chain reaction with no evidence of other bac terial or viral infections were included. Sequence analysis of the 23S rRNA gene in M. pneumoniae was performed to identify macro lide resistance. Patients with congenital anomalies, history of pulmonary disease, and unclear information on antibiotic use were ex cluded. Results: Mutations in the 23S rRNA gene were detected in 50 of 62 patients (80.6%). Risk factors were analyzed in only 45 patients. The RMP group consisted of 26 patients (57.8%) who had fever lasting more than 5 days and deteriorating chest x-ray findings. The lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were significantly higher in the RMP group than in the non-RMP group (LDH: 300±79 U/L vs. 469±206 U/L, CRP: 4.9±4.3 mg/dL vs. 2.5±1.7 mg/dL; P=0.04 vs. P=0.026). In univariate analysis, the RMP group was significantly associated with 23S rRNA gene mutation, lobar pneumonia, and pleural effusion (odds ration [OR]: 10.8, 4.1, 5.3; P=0.004, P=0.036, P=0.046). The presence of macrolide resistance was found to be only a significant risk factor in lo gistic regression (OR; 8.827; 95% confidence interval, 1.376-56.622; P=0.022). Conclusion: Macrolide resistance was a significant risk factor in patients with RMP and identification of macrolide resistance might be helpful in predicting RMP and establishing target therapy for RMP. (Allergy Asthma Respir Dis 2018;6:62-67)
Traumatic Experiences, Stressful Events, and Alexithymia in Chronic Migraine With Medication Overuse

Background: Many factors are involved in the prognosis and outcome of Chronic Migraine and Medication Overuse Headache (CM+MOH), and their understanding is a topic of interest. It is well known that CM+MOH patients experience increased psychiatric comorbidity, such as anxiety, depression, or personality disorders. Other psychological factors still need to be explored. The present study is aimed to evaluate whether early life traumatic experiences, stressful life events, and alexithymia can be associated with CM+MOH. Methods: Three hundred and thirty-one individuals were recruited for this study. They belonged to one of the two following groups: CM+MOH (N = 179; 79% females, Age: 45.2 ± 9.8) and episodic migraine (EM) (N = 152; 81% females; Age: 40.7 ± 11.0). Diagnosis was operationally defined according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders 3rd edition (ICHD-IIIβ). Data on early life (physical and emotional) traumatic experiences, recent stressful events and alexithymia were collected by means of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, the Stressful life-events Questionnaire, and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), respectively. Results: Data showed a higher prevalence of emotional (χ2 = 6.99; d.f. = 1; p = 0.006) and physical (χ2 = 6.18; d.f. = 1; p = 0.009) childhood trauma and of current stressful events of important impact (χ2 = 4.42; d.f. = 1; p = 0.025) in CM+MOH patients than in EM ones. CM+MOH patients were characterized by higher difficulties in a specific alexithymic trait (Factor 1 subscale of TAS-20) [F(1, 326) = 6.76, p = 0.01, ηp2 = 0.02] when compared to the EM group. The role of these factors was confirmed in a multivariate analysis, which showed an association of CM+MOH with emotional (OR 2.655; 95% CI 1.153–6.115, p = 0.022) or physical trauma (OR 2.763; 95% CI 1.322–5.771, p = 0.007), and a high score at the Factor 1 (OR 1.039; 95% CI 1.002–1.078, p = 0.040). Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated a clear relationship between CM+MOH and life traumas, stressful events, and alexithymia. These observations have a relevant role in multiple fields of related to chronic headache: from the management to the nosographic framing.
Noninvasive mapping of spontaneous fluctuations in tumor oxygenation using 19F MRI.

PURPOSE Acute hypoxia (transient cycles of hypoxia-reoxygenation) is known to occur in solid tumors and may be a poorly appreciated therapeutic problem as it can be associated with resistance to radiation therapy, impaired delivery of chemotherapeutic agents, or metastasis development. The objective of the present study was to use MR 19F relaxometry maps to analyze the spontaneous fluctuations of partial pressure of oxygen (pO2) over time in experimental tumors. METHODS The pO2 maps were generated after direct intratumoral administration of a fluorine compound (hexafluorobenzene) whose relaxation rate (1/T1) is proportional to the % O2. The authors used a SNAP inversion-recovery sequence at 4.7 T to acquire parametric images of the T1 relaxation time with a high spatial and temporal resolution. Homemade routines were developed to perform regions of interest analysis, as well as pixel by pixel analysis of pO2 over time. RESULTS The authors were able to quantify and probe the heterogeneity of spontaneous fluctuations in tumor pO2: (i) Spontaneous fluctuations in pO2 occurred regardless of the basal oxygenation state (i.e., both in oxygenated and in hypoxic regions) and (ii) spontaneous fluctuations occurred at a rate of 1 cycle/12-47 min. For validation, the analysis was performed in dead mice for which acute changes did not occur. The authors thereby demonstrated that 19F MRI technique is sensitive to acute change in pO2 in tumors. CONCLUSIONS This is the first approach that allows quantitative minimally invasive measurement of the spontaneous fluctuations of tumor oxygenation using a look-locker approach (e.g., SNAP IR). This approach could be an important tool to characterize the phenomenon of tumor acute hypoxia, to understand its physiopathology, and to improve therapies.