Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Does Network Width Really Help Adversarial Robustness?

Adversarial training is currently the most powerful defense against adversarial examples. Previous empirical results suggest that adversarial training requires wider networks for better performances. Yet, it remains elusive how does neural network width affects model robustness. In this paper, we carefully examine the relation between network width and model robustness. We present an intriguing phenomenon that the increased network width may not help robustness. Specifically, we show that the model robustness is closely related to both natural accuracy and perturbation stability, a new metric proposed in our paper to characterize the model's stability under adversarial perturbations. While better natural accuracy can be achieved on wider neural networks, the perturbation stability actually becomes worse, leading to a potentially worse overall model robustness. To understand the origin of this phenomenon, we further relate the perturbation stability with the network's local Lipschitznesss. By leveraging recent results on neural tangent kernels, we show that larger network width naturally leads to worse perturbation stability. This suggests that to fully unleash the power of wide model architecture, practitioners should adopt a larger regularization parameter for training wider networks. Experiments on benchmark datasets confirm that this strategy could indeed alleviate the perturbation stability issue and improve the state-of-the-art robust models.
Use of Nutrient Self-Selection as a Diet Refining Tool in Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

Abstract A new method to refine existing dietary supplements for improving production of the yellow mealworm, Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), was tested. Self-selected ratios of 6 dietary ingredients by T. molitor larvae were used to produce a dietary supplement. This supplement was compared with existing supplement formulations mixed with wheat bran at 1:4 ratio and a control consisting of wheat bran alone for food utilization efficiency, larval growth, development time, immature survival, and fecundity. Ingredients of dietary supplements included dry potato as a source of carbohydrate; dry egg white and soy protein as a source of protein and; peanut, canola, and salmon oil as a source of lipid. A supplement consisting of dry potato alone significantly improved food utilization, growth, development time, survival, and fecundity compared with the wheat bran-only control group. The addition of protein to the supplement significantly shortened development time and improved food conversion efficiency and fecundity compared with the supplement with potato alone. The addition of lipid did not provide any significant improvements. The supplement derived from self-selected ratios of the basic ingredients provided a significant increase in fecundity compared with previously developed supplements and the control. Self-selected ratios of the basic ingredients by T. molitor larvae had an effect on the adult stage that resulted in significantly higher progeny production.
Quickly Finding a Benign Region via Heavy Ball Momentum in Non-Convex Optimization

The Heavy Ball Method, proposed by Polyak over five decades ago, is a first-order method for optimizing continuous functions. While its stochastic counterpart has proven extremely popular in training deep networks, there are almost no known functions where deterministic Heavy Ball is provably faster than the simple and classical gradient descent algorithm in non-convex optimization. The success of Heavy Ball has thus far eluded theoretical understanding. Our goal is to address this gap, and in the present work we identify two non-convex problems where we provably show that the Heavy Ball momentum helps the iterate to enter a benign region that contains a global optimal point faster. We show that Heavy Ball exhibits simple dynamics that clearly reveal the benefit of using a larger value of momentum parameter for the problems. The first of these optimization problems is the phase retrieval problem, which has useful applications in physical science. The second of these optimization problems is the cubic-regularized minimization, a critical subroutine required by Nesterov-Polyak cubic-regularized method to find second-order stationary points in general smooth non-convex problems.
WeMix: How to Better Utilize Data Augmentation

Data augmentation is a widely used training trick in deep learning to improve the network generalization ability. Despite many encouraging results, several recent studies did point out limitations of the conventional data augmentation scheme in certain scenarios, calling for a better theoretical understanding of data augmentation. In this work, we develop a comprehensive analysis that reveals pros and cons of data augmentation. The main limitation of data augmentation arises from the data bias, i.e. the augmented data distribution can be quite different from the original one. This data bias leads to a suboptimal performance of existing data augmentation methods. To this end, we develop two novel algorithms, termed "AugDrop" and "MixLoss", to correct the data bias in the data augmentation. Our theoretical analysis shows that both algorithms are guaranteed to improve the effect of data augmentation through the bias correction, which is further validated by our empirical studies. Finally, we propose a generic algorithm "WeMix" by combining AugDrop and MixLoss, whose effectiveness is observed from extensive empirical evaluations.
Age‐related remodelling of the blood immunological portrait and the local tumor immune response in patients with luminal breast cancer

Aging is associated with altered immune function and chronic low‐grade inflammation, referred to as immunosenescence. As breast cancer is an age‐related disease, the impact of aging on tumor immune responses may have important consequences. However, effects of immunosenescence on breast tumor immune infiltration remain largely unknown.
Production potential of forage maize (Zea mays) with legumes under intercropping system

A field experiment was conducted during the rainy season (kharif) of 1998 and 1999 to evaluate the production potential and economic feasibility of maize (Zea mays L.) + legumes intercropping systems. The highest green-forage and dry-matter yields as well as net returns were obtained when maize + cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. ] was sown in planting pattern of 5:2 and this planting pattern was statistically at par with 4:2 raw ratio during both the years. However, maize + clusterbean [Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub. ) in 3:3 row proportion recorded the maximum land-equivalent ratio over all other treatments.
Distribution, habitat suitability, conservation state and natural history of endangered salamander Bolitoglossa pandi

Background Pandi’s mushroom-tongue salamander (Bolitoglossa pandi) is one of the threatened amphibians in South America, as well as a flagship species for the Colombian conservation agenda. This species is endemic to the Andean cloud forests of the western slope of the Cordillera Oriental of Colombia, occurring only in the department of Cundinamarca within a narrow elevational range. At night, B. pandi can be seen perching on the upper side of leaves at heights ranging from ground level to 2.5 m. During the day, it can be found under leaf litter or cover objects. Few studies have provided relevant information that can help the Colombian government to formulate lines of action for the conservation of this species; consequently, its threat assessments so far have been based on very limited information. Methods We conducted surveys for salamanders in four municipalities of Cundinamarca, Colombia, using two approaches: visual encounter surveys (Guaduas and Villeta) and the basic sampling protocol for single-species occupancy modeling (Supatá and Venecia). Multivariate analyses were employed to explore the correlation between habitat structure and natural history traits, abundance, and detection/non-detection of B. pandi. We evaluated the B. pandi activity pattern through kernel density curves for each sampling occasion and explored the variability of salamander abundance during their activity period by performing a nested ANOVA. Results We report the discovery of two new populations of B. pandi, which represent the most northwestern records known. A significant correlation between body length, body mass, and habitat structure was observed. Multivariate analyses indicated that leaf litter depth, mean temperature, percent vegetation cover, and altitude were the habitat variables that together explained 60.3% of the B. pandi abundance variability, as well as the main determinants of its optimal habitat. Bolitoglossa pandi exhibits an activity pattern characterized by two main activity peaks, in which niche time-partitioning was observed. Across the surveyed area, we found a healthy, stable, highly dense population of B. pandi (>1,300 individuals), with seasonal variability between development stages. Discussion Given the high habitat specificity of B. pandi, the species is highly vulnerable to local changes. Thus, we recommend that B. pandi be retained as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List, based on the IUCN Criterion B, given its restricted extent of occurrence (ca. 2,500 km2) and the ongoing threats from agriculture, cattle ranching, logging, and urban development, which continue to reduce its suitable habitat.
Firmness, pectin components and cell wall hydrolases of mango fruit following low-temperature stress

SummaryMango (Mangifera indica L. cv. Nam Dokmai) fruits chilled for 21 d at 48C were firmer than non-chilled fruits during subsequent ripening at 258C. The cell wall contents of chilled fruit contained less water-soluble pectin, more ammonium oxalate-soluble pectin and less alkali-soluble pectin than non-chilled fruits. The increase in ammonium oxalate-soluble pectin was at the expense of the alkali-soluble pectin and correlated with high pectinesterase activity in the fruit from low-temperature storage. Polygalacturonase and b-galactosidase activities were inhibited in chilled fruits. The relationships between delay in loss of firmness, and differences between activity of cell wall enzymes and pectin content of chilled and non-chilled fruits are discussed.
Normative Data for the Symbol Digit Modalities Test in Older White Australians and Americans, African-Americans, and Hispanic/Latinos

Background: Processing speed, which can be assessed using the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), is central to many brain functions. Processing speed declines with advanced age but substantial impairments are indicative of brain injury or disease. Objective: The purpose of this study was to provide SDMT normative data for older community-dwelling individuals in the U.S. and Australia. Methods: The ASPREE trial recruited 19,114 relatively healthy older men and women in Australia and the U.S. from the general community. All participants were without a diagnosis of dementia and with a Modified Mini-Mental State examination score of 78 or more at enrolment. The SDMT was administered at baseline as part of a neuropsychological test battery. Results: The median age of participants was 74 years (range 65–99), and 56% were women. The median years of education was 12. Ethno-racial differences in SDMT performance were observed and normative data were thus presented separately for 16,289 white Australians, 1,082 white Americans, 891 African-Americans, and 316 Hispanic/Latinos. There were consistent positive associations found between SDMT and education level, and negative associations between SDMT and age. Mean scores for women were consistently higher than men with the exception of Hispanic/Latinos aged ≥70 years. Conclusion: This study provides comprehensive SDMT normative data for whites (Australian and U.S.), Hispanic/Latinos, and African-Americans, according to gender, age, and education level. These norms can be used clinically as reference standards to screen for cognitive impairments in older individuals.
Prevalence and Subtype Distribution of High-Risk Human Papillomavirus Among Women Presenting for Cervical Cancer Screening at Karanda Mission Hospital

PURPOSE High-risk human papillomaviruses (hrHPV) are the primary cause of cervical cancer. Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is expected to prevent cervical cancers caused by the HPV types included in vaccines and possibly by cross-protection from other types. This study sought to determine the hrHPV type distribution in women at a rural Zimbabwe hospital. METHODS We implemented a cross-sectional study at the Karanda Mission Hospital. Using the Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid Cervicography technique, clinicians collected cervical swabs from 400 women presenting for screening for cervical cancer. Samples were initially analyzed by Cepheid GeneXpert; candidate hrHPV genotypes were further characterized using the Anyplex II HPV28 Detection Kit. RESULTS Twenty-one percent of the 400 women were positive for a high-risk genotype when using the GeneXpert analyzer; 17% were positive when using the multiplex analysis. Almost two thirds of the hrHPV women had a single DNA type identified, whereas one third had multiple genotypes, ranging from 2 to 5. hrHPV was observed more frequently in HIV-positive than in HIV-negative women (27% v 15%). Of the 113 isolates obtained, 77% were hrHPV genotypes not included in the bivalent or quadrivalent vaccines, and 47% represented DNA types not covered in the nonavalent vaccine. Forty-seven percent of the women with hrHPV harbored a single genotype that was not covered by the nonavalent vaccine. CONCLUSION A large fraction of hrHPV isolates from women participating in a cervical cancer screening program in northern Zimbabwe are DNA types not covered by the bivalent, quadrivalent, or nonavalent vaccines. These findings suggest the importance of characterizing the hrHPV DNA types isolated from cervical neoplasia in this population and determining whether cross-immunization against these genotypes develops after administration of the vaccines in current use.
Road transport conditions of slaughter cattle: effects on the prevalence of dark, firm and dry beef.

This is a benchmark study to investigate slaughter cattle transportation conditions in Canada. Data collected included: season; temperature variation; truck ventilation; transport conditions; length of time in transit; trucker training and experience hauling cattle; number of lots and whether lots were separated; sex and whether sexes were separated on mixed loads; cattle unloading gait score; cattle handling score; cattle weight and number of dark cutters. Information was collected on approximately 50 000 animals transported by 1363 trucks. The prevalence of dark cutters (mean = 2% per truckload) was highest in mixed loads, followed by heifers and steers. Mixed loads that were not separated (steers and heifers in the same compartment) had a greater prevalence of dark cutters than mixed loads that were separated. The GLIMMIX procedure in SAS 9.1 was used for the analysis of the risk factors associated with dark cutters. Province of origin, cattle unloading speed, driver training, truck ventilation, trucking experience, sex, origin (sale barn or feedlot) and whether or not cattle were held in lairage overnight were all significant predictors for dark cutting beef.
Four-Week, Home-Based, Robot Cognitive Intervention for Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment: a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Background and Purpose Previous studies suggest that cognitive intervention can mitigate the development of dementia in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, the previous cognitive intervention was mostly provided as a group session, in which MCI patients sometimes had difficulty in regularly attending sessions or were reluctant to participate in group-based classes. Additionally, experienced instructors for traditional cognitive intervention may be unavailable in some chronic-care facilities or community centers. Considering these reasons, we have developed 5 programs for home-based cognitive intervention using a personal robot for MCI patients. In this preliminary study, we aimed to demonstrate the effects of our newly developed home-based cognitive intervention with robots on cognitive function in MCI patients. Methods We conducted a single-blind randomized controlled trial enrolling 46 MCI patients. Participants were randomized into 2 groups: the robot cognitive intervention (robot) (n=24) group and without cognitive intervention (control) (n=22) group. The interventions comprised 60-min sessions per day for 4 weeks. The primary outcome was the change in cognitive function measured using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery. Results There were no significant baseline demographic or clinical differences between the robot and control groups. After the 4-week cognitive intervention, the robot group showed greater improvement in working memory than did the control group. Conclusions Our home-based cognitive intervention with a personal robot improved the working memory in MCI patients. Further studies with larger samples and longer study periods are required to demonstrate the effects of these programs in other cognitive domains in MCI patients.
Testing of Commercial Masks and Respirators and Cotton Mask Insert Materials using SARS-CoV-2 Virion-Sized Particulates: Comparison of Ideal Aerosol Filtration Efficiency versus Fitted Filtration Efficiency

Shortages in the availability of personal protective face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic required many to fabricate masks and filter inserts from available materials. While the base filtration efficiency of a material is of primary importance when a perfect seal is possible, ideal fit is not likely to be achieved by the average person preparing to enter a public space or even a healthcare worker without fit-testing before each shift. Our findings suggest that parameters including permeability and pliability can play a strong role in the filtration efficiency of a mask fabricated with various filter media, and that the filtration efficiency of loosely fitting masks/respirators against ultrafine particulates can drop by more than 60% when worn compared to the ideal filtration efficiency of the base material. Further, a test method using SARS-CoV-2 virion-sized silica nanoaerosols is demonstrated to assess the filtration efficiency against nanoparticulates that follow air currents associated with mask leakage.
IN VITRO CONTROL ON FUNGUS ASSOCIATED WITH BIO – DETERIORATION OF SWEET POTATO (IPOMOEA BATATAS (L.) LAM) TUBERS

Apparently healthy and rotted sweet potato tubers (Ipomoea batatas (Linn.) Lam) were obtained from selected markets and farms from Anyigba, Egume, Ejule and Dekina, Dekina Local Government Area, Kogi State, Nigeria. Isolation and identification of fungi associated with rotten sweet potato tuber was carried out. Diseased portion of the rotted tubers were scraped and inoculated on Potato dextrose agar (PDA) at 27±20C, sub-cultured to obtain pure culture. Aspergillus niger was isolated from the rotten portion of the tubers and identified based on morphological characters and pathogenicity tests. Leaf aqueous extracts of neem (Azadirachta indica (Linn.) and bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) were evaluated for their inhibitions at concentrations of 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% on the isolated fungus. The study showed that neem leaf extract was effective in suppressing mycelial growth of A. niger at higher concentration (30% and 40%); which could be employed in the biocontrol of infections caused by A. niger. The percentage inhibition at their various concentrations was also determined. Key words: Sweet potato, tubers, Aspergillus niger, Extract, rotten, Vernonia amygdalina, Azadirachta indica
Image Quality and Radiation Dose for Fibrofatty Breast using Target/filter Combinations in Two Digital Mammography Systems

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the optimum combinations of target and filter materials for various X-ray tube voltage settings, as well as their effects on image quality and radiation dose. This was done using different digital mammography (DM) imaging systems with a breast equivalent phantom. Material and Methods: Two DM units with a tungsten (W) target, silver (Ag), and rhodium (Rh) filters and dual molybdenum (Mo) and Rh targets/filters were used. A tissue-equivalent mammography phantom of 6 cm thickness equivalent to a fibrofatty breast was exposed 20 times to different target/filter material combinations (W/Rh, W/Ag, Rh/Rh, Mo/Rh, and Mo/Mo) and various kV settings (28–34 kV). The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were calculated for each exposure. Results: The W/Ag combination resulted in the lowest entrance skin dose and mean glandular dose (MGD). The MGD for the W/Rh combination was 60% less than that of the W/Ag combination at 34 kV (P < 0.05). There was a direct relationship in the SNR with the Mo/Mo, Mo/Rh, and Rh/Rh combinations and an inverse relationship with the CNR in the 34 kV range. There were statistically significant differences between all five target/filter combinations, and the best SNR and CNR were observed for the W/Rh combination with a reduced radiation dose in the range of 28–30 kV (P < 0.05). Conclusion: For a breast thicknesses of 6 cm with a fibrofatty nature, the W/Rh combination delivers high performance in terms of image quality at a lower dose.
Relationship of Sarcopenia with Microcirculation Measured by Skin Perfusion Pressure in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Background Few studies have examined the relationship of sarcopenia with the microcirculation. The current study investigated the relationship of sarcopenia with microcirculatory function, as assessed by skin perfusion pressure (SPP), in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. Methods In total, 102 T2DM patients who underwent SPP measurements and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. SPP was assessed using the laser Doppler technique. Sarcopenia was defined as low height-adjusted appendicular muscle mass (men, <7 kg/m2; women, <5.7 kg/m2) using BIA. We divided the participants into two groups based on SPP (≤50 and >50 mm Hg), and an SPP below 50 mm Hg was considered to reflect impaired microcirculation. Results Fourteen patients (13.7%) were diagnosed with impaired microcirculatory function of the lower limb based on SPP. The prevalence of sarcopenia in all subjects was 11.8%, but the percentage of patients with an SPP ≤50 mm Hg who had sarcopenia was more than triple that of patients with an SPP >50 mm Hg (28.6% vs. 9.1%, P=0.036). A significant positive correlation was found between SPP and appendicular muscle mass adjusted for height (P=0.041 for right-sided SPP). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that patients with sarcopenia had an odds ratio of 4.1 (95% confidence interval, 1.01 to 24.9) for having an SPP ≤50 mm Hg even after adjustment for confounding factors. Conclusion These results suggest that sarcopenia may be significantly associated with impaired microcirculation in patients with T2DM. Nonetheless, the small number of patients and wide CI require cautious interpretation of the results.