Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Body cathexis and fit preferences of young South African women of different body shapes and ethnicity

ABSTRACT Young African (109) and Caucasian (125) women of different body shapes self-reported their perceptions of an ideal figure, body cathexis and fit preferences through a questionnaire. The hourglass shape was perceived by all shapes as the ideal and was further confirmed by a chi-square test (p > 0.05), which showed no association between participants’ body shapes and perceived ideal figure. All the shapes reported dissatisfaction with their mid and lower body parts. Close fit was preferred by most shapes, except Caucasian rectangle that preferred semi-fitted apparel at the abdomen. The results clearly pointed to the influence of body shape and ethnicity on the satisfaction with selected body parts. However, body shape did not seem to influence apparel fit preference. Apparel manufacturers need to better understand the interrelationship between body shapes, body cathexis and fit preferences to adapt manufacturing and marketing strategies to improve fit needs of their target markets.
Invariant Information Clustering for Unsupervised Image Classification and Segmentation

We present a novel clustering objective that learns a neural network classifier from scratch, given only unlabelled data samples. The model discovers clusters that accurately match semantic classes, achieving state-of-the-art results in eight unsupervised clustering benchmarks spanning image classification and segmentation. These include STL10, an unsupervised variant of ImageNet, and CIFAR10, where we significantly beat the accuracy of our closest competitors by 6.6 and 9.5 absolute percentage points respectively. The method is not specialised to computer vision and operates on any paired dataset samples; in our experiments we use random transforms to obtain a pair from each image. The trained network directly outputs semantic labels, rather than high dimensional representations that need external processing to be usable for semantic clustering. The objective is simply to maximise mutual information between the class assignments of each pair. It is easy to implement and rigorously grounded in information theory, meaning we effortlessly avoid degenerate solutions that other clustering methods are susceptible to. In addition to the fully unsupervised mode, we also test two semi-supervised settings. The first achieves 88.8% accuracy on STL10 classification, setting a new global state-of-the-art over all existing methods (whether supervised, semi-supervised or unsupervised). The second shows robustness to 90% reductions in label coverage, of relevance to applications that wish to make use of small amounts of labels. github.com/xu-ji/IIC
The EBLM project

Some M-dwarfs around F-/G-type stars have been measured to be hotter and larger than predicted by stellar evolution models. Inconsistencies between observations and models need to be addressed with more mass, radius, and luminosity measurements of low-mass stars to test and refine evolutionary models. Our aim is to measure the masses, radii and ages of the stars in five low-mass eclipsing binary systems discovered by the WASP survey. We used WASP photometry to establish eclipse-time ephemerides and to obtain initial estimates for the transit depth and width. Radial velocity measurements were simultaneously fitted with follow-up photometry to find the best-fitting orbital solution. This solution was combined with measurements of atmospheric parameters to interpolate evolutionary models and estimate the mass of the primary star, and the mass and radius of the M-dwarf companion. We assess how the best fitting orbital solution changes if an alternative limb-darkening law is used and quantify the systematic effects of unresolved companions. We also gauge how the best-fitting evolutionary model changes if different values are used for the mixing length parameter and helium enhancement. We report the mass and radius of five M-dwarfs and find little evidence of inflation with respect to evolutionary models. The primary stars in two systems are near the “blue hook” stage of their post sequence evolution, resulting in two possible solutions for mass and age. We find that choices in helium enhancement and mixing-length parameter can introduce an additional 3−5% uncertainty in measured M-dwarf mass. Unresolved companions can introduce an additional 3−8% uncertainty in the radius of an M-dwarf, while the choice of limb-darkening law can introduce up to an additional 2% uncertainty. The choices in orbital fitting and evolutionary models can introduce significant uncertainties in measurements of physical properties of such systems.
Carving the body at its joints: Does the way we speak about the body shape the way we think about it?

ABSTRACT Looking at the way different linguistic communities speak about a universally shared domain of experience raises questions that are central to the language sciences. How can we compare meaning across languages? What is the interaction between language, thought, and perception? Does linguistic diversity entail linguistic relativism? The literature on the naming systems of the body across languages have addressed these questions with little consensus. In the present study, we contribute to this debate with a comparison of body part terms in French, Indonesian, and Japanese. Using an updated version of the body coloring task, we observed both diversity and cross-linguistically shared patterns. Importantly, we also observed that speakers of languages which violate the wrist/ankle joint boundary rule do not collapse the distinction in thought. This key finding goes against the conflation of language and thought and leads us to conclude that linguistic diversity does not entail linguistic relativism. Methodologically, we advocate for the use of a culturally neutral etic space as a necessary tool in semantic typology. Theoretically, we propose that language is a multilevel phenomenon, which results from the interaction of non-linguistic and cross-culturally shared embodied motivations, context-specific situated language use, and culturally specific sedimented linguistic conventions.
Attention Based Glaucoma Detection: A Large-Scale Database and CNN Model

Recently, the attention mechanism has been successfully applied in convolutional neural networks (CNNs), significantly boosting the performance of many computer vision tasks. Unfortunately, few medical image recognition approaches incorporate the attention mechanism in the CNNs. In particular, there exists high redundancy in fundus images for glaucoma detection, such that the attention mechanism has potential in improving the performance of CNN-based glaucoma detection. This paper proposes an attention-based CNN for glaucoma detection (AG-CNN). Specifically, we first establish a large-scale attention based glaucoma (LAG) database, which includes 5,824 fundus images labeled with either positive glaucoma (2,392) or negative glaucoma (3,432). The attention maps of the ophthalmologists are also collected in LAG database through a simulated eye-tracking experiment. Then, a new structure of AG-CNN is designed, including an attention prediction subnet, a pathological area localization subnet and a glaucoma classification subnet. Different from other attention-based CNN methods, the features are also visualized as the localized pathological area, which can advance the performance of glaucoma detection. Finally, the experiment results show that the proposed AG-CNN approach significantly advances state-of-the-art glaucoma detection.
The Elusive Understanding of Lyme Disease in Non-Endemic Geographic Areas: An Exploratory Survey of Patients With Chronic Symptoms in Texas

This study was designed to determine the quality of life, diagnostic, and illness-related experiences of patients who self-report a diagnosis with Lyme disease (LD) and/or who are experiencing chronic illness in Texas, a state considered non-endemic for tick-borne illness. This exploratory study found that self-reported LD respondents have multisystem health problems that result in very poor quality of life. Lyme disease respondents experience multiple and severe symptoms, particularly flu-like illness, extreme fatigue, back and neck pain, and anxiety and depression. These symptoms were present at similar levels among all LD respondents, whether their diagnosis was clinical or serological. For all LD respondents, this study points to quality of life experiences that are powerfully negative. Practitioners and disease surveillance experts may consider LD when multisystem symptoms are severe, other etiologies are ruled out, and quality of life is threatened.
The effects of cucurbitacin E on GADD45β‐trigger G2/M arrest and JNK‐independent pathway in brain cancer cells

Cucurbitacin E (CuE), an active compound of the cucurbitacin family, possesses a variety of pharmacological functions and chemotherapy potential. Cucurbitacin E exhibits inhibitory effects in several types of cancer; however, its anticancer effects on brain cancer remain obscure and require further interpretation. In this study, efforts were initiated to inspect whether CuE can contribute to anti‐proliferation in human brain malignant glioma GBM 8401 cells and glioblastoma‐astrocytoma U‐87‐MG cells. An MTT assay measured CuE's inhibitory effect on the growth of glioblastomas (GBMs). A flow cytometry approach was used for the assessment of DNA content and cell cycle analysis. DNA damage 45β (GADD45β) gene expression and CDC2/cyclin‐B1 disassociation were investigated by quantitative real‐time PCR and Western blot analysis. Based on our results, CuE showed growth‐inhibiting effects on GBM 8401 and U‐87‐MG cells. Moreover, GADD45β caused the accumulation of CuE‐treated G2/M‐phase cells. The disassociation of the CDC2/cyclin‐B1 complex demonstrated the known effects of CuE against GBM 8401 and U‐87‐MG cancer cells. Additionally, CuE may also exert antitumour activities in established brain cancer cells. In conclusion, CuE inhibited cell proliferation and induced mitosis delay in cancer cells, suggesting its potential applicability as an antitumour agent.
Extracting Success from IBM’s 20-Qubit Machines Using Error-Aware Compilation

NISQ (Noisy, Intermediate-Scale Quantum) computing requires error mitigation to achieve meaningful computation. Our compilation tool development focuses on the fact that the error rates of individual qubits are not equal, with a goal of maximizing the success probability of real-world subroutines such as an adder circuit. We begin by establishing a metric for choosing among possible paths and circuit alternatives for executing gates between variables placed far apart within the processor, and test our approach on two IBM 20-qubit systems named Tokyo and Poughkeepsie. We find that a single-number metric describing the fidelity of individual gates is a useful but imperfect guide. Our compiler uses this subsystem and maps complete circuits onto the machine using a beam search-based heuristic that will scale as processor and program sizes grow. To evaluate the whole compilation process, we compiled and executed adder circuits, then calculated the Kullback–Leibler divergence (KL-divergence, a measure of the distance between two probability distributions). For a circuit within the capabilities of the hardware, our compilation increases estimated success probability and reduces KL-divergence relative to an error-oblivious placement.
High-energy Emission from Interacting Supernovae: New Constraints on Cosmic-Ray Acceleration in Dense Circumstellar Environments

Supernovae (SNe) with strong interactions with circumstellar material (CSM) are promising candidate sources of high-energy neutrinos and gamma-rays and have been suggested as an important contributor to Galactic cosmic rays (CRs) beyond 1015 eV. Taking into account the shock dissipation by a fast velocity component of SN ejecta, we present comprehensive calculations of the nonthermal emission from SNe powered by shock interactions with a dense wind or CSM. Remarkably, we consider electromagnetic cascades in the radiation zone and subsequent attenuation in the pre-shock CSM. A new time-dependent phenomenological prescription provided by this work enables us to calculate gamma-ray, hard X-ray, radio, and neutrino signals, which originate from CRs accelerated by the diffusive shock acceleration (DSA) mechanism. We apply our results to Type IIn SN 2010jl and Type Ib/IIn SN 2014C, for which the model parameters can be determined from the multiwavelength data. For SN 2010jl, the more promising case, by using the the latest Fermi Large Area Telescope Pass 8 data release, we derive new constraints on the CR energy fraction, ϵp ≲ 0.05–0.1. We also find that the late-time radio data of these interacting SNe are consistent with our model. Further multimessenger and multiwavelength observations of nearby interacting SNe should give us new insights into the DSA in dense environments, as well as pre-SN mass-loss mechanisms.
Going Out on a Limb: How Investigation of the Anoline Adhesive System can Enhance our Understanding of Fibrillar Adhesion.

The remarkable ability of geckos to adhere to a wide-variety of surfaces has served as inspiration for hundreds of studies spanning the disciplines of biomechanics, functional morphology, ecology, evolution, materials science, chemistry, and physics. The multifunctional properties (e.g., self-cleaning, controlled releasability, reversibility) and adhesive performance of the gekkotan adhesive system have motivated researchers to design and fabricate gecko-inspired synthetic adhesives of various materials and properties. However, many challenges remain in our attempts to replicate the properties and performance of this complex, hierarchical fibrillar adhesive system, stemming from fundamental, but unanswered, questions about how fibrillar adhesion operates. Such questions involve the role of fibril morphology in adhesive performance and how the gekkotan adhesive apparatus is utilized in nature. Similar fibrillar adhesive systems have, however, evolved independently in two other lineages of lizards (anoles and skinks) and potentially provide alternate avenues for addressing these fundamental questions. Anoles are the most promising group because they have been the subject of intensive ecological and evolutionary study for several decades, are highly speciose, and indeed are advocated as squamate model organisms. Surprisingly, however, comparatively little is known about the morphology, performance, and properties of their convergently-evolved adhesive arrays. Although many researchers consider the performance of the adhesive system of Anolis lizards to be less accomplished than its gekkotan counterpart, we argue here that Anolis lizards are prime candidates for exploring the fundamentals of fibrillar adhesion. Studying the less complex morphology of the anoline adhesive system has the potential to enhance our understanding of fibril morphology and its relationship to the multifunctional performance of fibrillar adhesive systems. Furthermore, the abundance of existing data on the ecology and evolution of anoles provides an excellent framework for testing hypotheses about the influence of habitat microstructure on the performance, behavior, and evolution of lizards with subdigital adhesive pads.
Improving the Youth HIV Prevention and Care Continuums: The Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions

Background Epidemiologic and clinical information in the United States indicate that HIV transmission and acquisition among adolescents and young adults (youth) remain unchanged, without improvement. Interventions to prevent HIV transmission among youth are critically needed, as are interventions to improve adherence to all components of the continuum of care for youth living with HIV. Objective The primary mission of the Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions (ATN) is to conduct both independent and collaborative research that explores promising behavioral, microbicidal, prophylactic, therapeutic, and vaccine modalities in HIV-infected and at-risk youth aged between 12 and 24. Methods Through the ATN, the National Institutes of Health is supporting HIV interventional research for youth in the United States. Results The ATN comprises 3 cooperative multiproject research programs and a coordinating center. Each program is led by a network hub and has well-defined research themes to assist, guide, and coordinate HIV research project activities. Conclusions ATN activities encompass the full spectrum of research needs for youth, from HIV primary prevention for at-risk youth in the community to secondary and tertiary prevention with clinical management of HIV infection among youth living with HIV experiencing adherence challenges.
Prescribing transient and asymptotic behaviour to deterministic systems with stochastic initial conditions

We study a containment control problem (CCP) and a shape control problem (SCP) for systems whose initial condition is a random variable with known distribution. The two control problems both require exponential convergence to a desired trajectory, which is complemented by either; (i) a required cumulative distribution over a prescribed containment set at a specific transient time for the CCP, or; (ii) a maximum distance between an attained and a desired probability density function of the state for the SCP. For the CCP, we obtain solutions for both linear and nonlinear systems by designing the closed-loop such that the initial pdf shrinks or contracts to a desired trajectory. For the SCP, we obtain solutions for linear systems and an admissible desired pdf, by designing the closed-loop such that the evolution of the pdf at the transient time is similar to the target pdf.
Pregnancy rates from natural and artificial cycles of women submitted to frozen embryo transfers: a metanalysis

Objective: To compare pregnancy rates from natural and artificial cycles of women submitted to frozen embryo transfers. Methods: A systematic review was performed by PubMed search using the following algorithm: (endometrial [All Fields] AND preparation [All Fields]) AND (("freezing"[MeSH Terms] OR "freezing"[All Fields] OR "frozen"[All Fields]) AND thawed [All Fields]) and (natural cycles) AND (artificial cycle). Inclusion criteria: prospective and retrospective cohort studies. Exclusion criteria: use of hCG in the natural cycle, oocyte donors, and use of disused freezing techniques. Data were analyzed with the SPSS v.23 software and with a significance level of 5%. The meta-analysis was performed with RevMan 5.3 software. I² was calculated. Results: 709 papers were retrieved. Five studies fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria. From these studies, we analyzed 8,968 natural or artificial cycles. A contingency table compared the results of the natural and artificial cycles and the number of clinical pregnancies obtained in each selected paper. The I2 test resulted in high statistical heterogeneity (I2=77%). Studies by Morozov et al. (2007) and Zheng et al. (2015) obtained statistically significant results (p<0.03 and p<0.001): Morozov et al. (2007) found a higher pregnancy rate within natural cycles, and Zheng et al. (2015) found more positive outcomes when analyzing artificial cycles. The remaining selected studies did not show any statistical significance. Conclusion There is insufficient scientific evidence to state that the artificial cycle yields better pregnancy rates than the natural cycle in women submitted to frozen embryo transfer. Limitations of this study include a small number of papers and heterogeneity among the studies.
Evaluation of antibacterial efficacy of sulfur nanoparticles alone and in combination with antibiotics against multidrug-resistant uropathogenic bacteria

Abstract Urinary tract infections (UTIs) have been frequently reported from different parts of the world. The current knowledge on distribution of causative agents of urinary infections and antibiotics susceptibility pattern is essentially required. In the present study, total 351 uropathogenic bacteria were isolated; among them most prevalent were Escherichia coli (75%), followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (8%), Proteus mirabilis (6%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (4%), Staphylococcus aureus (4%) and Enterococcus faecalis (3%). Most isolates of uropathogenic bacteria showed resistance to amoxicillin and trimethoprim, followed by chloramphenicol and kanamycin. Biosynthesis of sulfur nanoparticles (SNPs) was performed by co-precipitation method using sodium thiosulfate in presence of Catharanthus roseus leaf extract. The characterization data showed that SNPs were polydispersed, spherical in shape with size range of 20–86 nm and having negative zeta potential of –9.24 mV. The potential antibacterial activity was observed for SNPs alone and in combination with antibiotics particularly amoxicillin and trimethoprim against majority of the uropathogens. The synergistic effect yielded increase in fold area with high activity index against tested uropathogens. Based on overall results, it can be recommended to use SNPs for the management of UTI alone and also in combination with antibiotics.
The influence of vitamin D supplementation on local and systemic inflammatory markers in periodontitis patients: A pilot study.

OBJECTIVES Vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency is a worldwide public health issue that has been linked to numerous inflammatory disorders, including periodontitis. There is increasing support for a role for adequate vitamin D levels in overall health. Populations with darker skin color have a higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency and periodontitis. The purpose of this small pilot study was to investigate the influence of 12 weeks of 25(OH)D vitamin D supplementation (VDS) on mediators of systemic inflammation in dark-skinned, periodontitis patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 23 patients with moderate to severe periodontitis were randomly assigned to the vitamin D group or placebo group and received intensive single visit scaling and root planning to elicit a systemic inflammatory response. RESULTS Vitamin D supplementation increased serum 25(OH)D levels approximately 2-fold over baseline levels; moreover, VDS group had reduced peripheral blood CD3 and CD3+CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTLs) counts and reduced pro-inflammatory salivary cytokines. In contrast, VDS group had higher levels of the autophagy-related proteins and other proteins crucial for anti-microbial autophagy in whole blood PBMCs. CONCLUSION In conclusion, VDS has multiple benefits for reducing systemic inflammation and promoting induction of autophagy-related proteins related to anti-microbial functions.