Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
COVID-19 reopening strategies at the county level in the face of uncertainty: Multiple Models for Outbreak Decision Support

Policymakers make decisions about COVID-19 management in the face of considerable uncertainty. We convened multiple modeling teams to evaluate reopening strategies for a mid-sized county in the United States, in a novel process designed to fully express scientific uncertainty while reducing linguistic uncertainty and cognitive biases. For the scenarios considered, the consensus from 17 distinct models was that a second outbreak will occur within 6 months of reopening, unless schools and non-essential workplaces remain closed. Up to half the population could be infected with full workplace reopening; non-essential business closures reduced median cumulative infections by 82%. Intermediate reopening interventions identified no win-win situations; there was a trade-off between public health outcomes and duration of workplace closures. Aggregate results captured twice the uncertainty of individual models, providing a more complete expression of risk for decision-making purposes.
Multicentre evaluation of two multiplex PCR platforms for the rapid microbiological investigation of nosocomial pneumonia in UK ICUs: the INHALE WP1 study

Background Culture-based microbiological investigation of hospital-acquired or ventilator-associated pneumonia (HAP or VAP) is insensitive, with aetiological agents often unidentified. This can lead to excess antimicrobial treatment of patients with susceptible pathogens, while those with resistant bacteria are treated inadequately for prolonged periods. Using PCR to seek pathogens and their resistance genes directly from clinical samples may improve therapy and stewardship. Methods Surplus routine lower respiratory tract samples were collected from intensive care unit patients about to receive new or changed antibiotics for hospital-onset lower respiratory tract infections at 15 UK hospitals. Testing was performed using the BioFire FilmArray Pneumonia Panel (bioMérieux) and Unyvero Pneumonia Panel (Curetis). Concordance analysis compared machine and routine microbiology results, while Bayesian latent class (BLC) analysis estimated the sensitivity and specificity of each test, incorporating information from both PCR panels and routine microbiology. Findings In 652 eligible samples; PCR identified pathogens in considerably more samples compared with routine microbiology: 60.4% and 74.2% for Unyvero and FilmArray respectively vs 44.2% by routine microbiology. PCR tests also detected more pathogens per sample than routine microbiology. For common HAP/VAP pathogens, FilmArray had sensitivity of 91.7%–100.0% and specificity of 87.5%–99.5%; Unyvero had sensitivity of 50.0%–100.0%%, and specificity of 89.4%–99.0%. BLC analysis indicated that, compared with PCR, routine microbiology had low sensitivity, ranging from 27.0% to 69.4%. Interpretation Conventional and BLC analysis demonstrated that both platforms performed similarly and were considerably more sensitive than routine microbiology, detecting potential pathogens in patient samples reported as culture negative. The increased sensitivity of detection realised by PCR offers potential for improved antimicrobial prescribing.
Mapping and isolation of quantitative trait loci controlling plant height and heading date in rice

Quantitative trait loci (QTL) were identified for heading date and plant height in rice (Oryza sativa L.) using a recombinant inbred line population consisting of 241 lines. Totally 4 QTLs for heading date and 4 QTLs for plant height were detected in three years. The QTL with large effects located in the interval C1023-R1440 on chromosome 7 was simultaneously detected in three years for both traits. In order to distinguished the interval whether contained one QTL with pleiotropy effect or two close linked QTLs, a recombinant line RIL50, whose genetic background was high similar to Zhenshan 97 except the regions covered the major QTL from Minghui 63, was selected to cross with Zhenshan 97. A BC 1F 2 population from the cross, which could be regarded as near isogenic lines (NIL) with the targeted QTL (QTL_NIL), was used to collect heading date and plant height data. The frequency distribution of the two traits in the BC 1F 2 population was bimodal, and their segregation ratios were in accordance with the expected Mendelian inheritance ratios. Normally, the short plants flowered early in the population, the high plants with late heading date, but the relationships between the plant height and the heading date of 6 plants conflicted with the case. The above results clearly demonstrated that QTL could be treated as single Mendelian factor. Moreover, there are two close linked genes controlling the heading date and the plant height on chromosome 7, respectively.
Differential behaviour of endophilic Anopheles mosquitoes in rooms occupied by tobacco smokers and non-smokers in two Nigerian villages

The behavioural effect of tobacco smoke on endophilic Anopheles mosquitoes was observed in two North Central Nigerian villages. Pyrethrum spray and exit trap collections of mosquitoes were conducted, between April and November 2014, in two different villages where tobacco smoking was common among the residents. Anopheles mosquito samples collected were identified to sibling species level using species-specific polymerase chain reaction. Presence of human blood in the blood-fed mosquitoes was determined by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Numbers of mosquitoes collected from the rooms inhabited by tobacco smokers and non-smokers were compared using Student’s t-test ( p <0.05). At least four times higher exit rates, five times less gravid females and significantly lower numbers of An. gambiae s.l mosquitoes were found in rooms inhabited by tobacco smokers compared to equal sized rooms occupied by non-smokers in each village. Blood feeding rates (77-88%) and human blood indices (0.82-0.87) of mosquitoes were generally high in the habitations of both tobacco smokers and non-smokers. There was predominance of An. gambiae (≥ 86%) species compared to An. coluzzii (≤ 14%) in both villages. Reduced mosquito endophily was observed in the habitations of tobacco smokers compared to the non-smokers. Widespread tobacco smoking habits should be investigated for possible contributions to mosquito behavioural resistance and residual malaria parasite transmission within rural communities. Keywords: Anopheles mosquitoes, Tobacco Smoke, Exophily, Malaria
Exploring User Defined Gestures for Ear-Based Interactions

The human ear is highly sensitive and accessible, making it especially suitable for being used as an interface for interacting with smart earpieces or augmented glasses. However, previous works on ear-based input mainly address gesture sensing technology and researcher-designed gestures. This paper aims to bring more understandings of gesture design. Thus, for a user elicitation study, we recruited 28 participants, each of whom designed gestures for 31 smart device-related tasks. This resulted in a total of 868 gestures generated. Upon the basis of these gestures, we compiled a taxonomy and concluded the considerations underlying the participants' designs that also offer insights into their design rationales and preferences. Thereafter, based on these study results, we propose a set of user-defined gestures and share interesting findings. We hope this work can shed some light on not only sensing technologies of ear-based input, but also the interface design of future wearable interfaces.
Activated Erk Is an Early Retrograde Signal After Spinal Cord Injury in the Lamprey

We previously reported that spinal cord transection (TX) in the lamprey causes mRNA to accumulate in the injured tips of large reticulospinal (RS) axons. We sought to determine whether this mRNA accumulation results from phosphorylation and transport of retrograde signals, similar to what has been reported in mammalian peripheral nerve. Extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (Erk), mediates the neurite outgrowth-promoting effects of many neurotrophic factors. To assess the role of Erk in retrograde signaling of RS axon injury, we used immunoblot and immunohistochemistry to determine the changes in phosphorylated Erk (p-Erk) in the spinal cord after spinal cord TX. Immunostaining for p-Erk increased within axons and local cell bodies, most heavily within the 1-2 mm closest to the TX site, at between 3 and 6 h post-TX. In axons, p-Erk was concentrated in 3-5 μm granules that became less numerous with distance from the TX. The retrograde molecular motor dynein colocalized with p-Erk, but vimentin, which in peripheral nerve was reported to participate with p-Erk as part of a retrograde signal complex, did not colocalize with p-Erk, even though vimentin levels were elevated post-TX. The results suggest that p-Erk, but not vimentin, may function as a retrograde axotomy signal in lamprey central nervous system neurons, and that this signal may induce transcription of mRNA, which is then transported down the axon to its injured tip.
Chronic administration of P2X7 receptor antagonist JNJ-47965567 delays disease onset and progression, and improves motor performance in ALS SOD1G93A female mice

ABSTRACT Neuroinflammation is one of the main physiopathological mechanisms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), produced by the chronic activation of microglia in the CNS. This process is triggered by the persistent activation of the ATP-gated P2X7 receptor (P2RX7, hereafter referred to as P2X7R). The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of the chronic treatment with the P2X7R antagonist JNJ-47965567 in the development and progression of ALS in the SOD1G93A murine model. SOD1G93A mice were intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected with either 30 mg/kg of JNJ-47965567 or vehicle 4 times per week, from pre-onset age (here, postnatal day 60; P60) until study endpoint. Body weight, motor coordination, phenotypic score, disease onset and survival were measured throughout the study, and compared between vehicle- and drug-injected groups. Treatment with the P2X7R antagonist JNJ-47965567 delayed disease onset, reduced body weight loss and improved motor coordination and phenotypic score in female SOD1G93A mice, although it did not increase lifespan. Interestingly, neither beneficial nor detrimental effects were observed in males in any of the analyzed parameters. Treatment did not affect motor neuron survival or ChAT, Iba-1 and P2X7R protein expression in endpoint individuals of mixed sexes. Overall, chronic administration of JNJ-47965567 for 4 times per week to SOD1G93A mice from pre-onset stage altered disease progression in female individuals while it did not have any effect in males. Our results suggest a partial, yet important, effect of P2X7R in the development and progression of ALS. Summary: This study implicates the P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis progression in mice and shows that the effectiveness of treatment with P2X7R antagonists is sex dependent.
Influence of Tool Wear on the Load-Bearing Capacity of Shear-Clinched Joints

Shear-clinching allows the joining by forming of dissimilar materials with high differences between their mechanical properties without additional fasteners. Since the lower joining partner is indirectly shear cut during the process, even ultra-high strength materials can be joined. However, the cutting of the high-strength materials as well as the extrusion of the upper joining partner leads to high process forces and therefore to high tool loads. This applies in particular for the die, which is highly stressed during the cutting phase and therefore plastically deformed. Within the scope of this work, the influence of the occurring wear on the formation of the joint and its load-bearing capacity is analyzed for a scope of 500 strokes. For this purpose, press hardened 22MnB5 is used as lower joining partner. Its high strength leads to the plastic deformation of the cutting edge, which increases within the first 200 strokes. Afterwards only minor changes occur. Yet, no effect of the occurring wear on the joint formation and the joint strength, which was tested under shear and tensile load, could be determined. Functioning joints could still be produced for more than 500 strokes as the load-bearing capacity remained on a comparable level.
Immunotherapy Targeting Tumor-Associated Macrophages

Macrophages are phagocytic cells that play a broad role in maintaining body homeostasis and defense against foreign pathogens; whereas tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) support tumor growth and metastasis by promoting cancer cell proliferation and invasion, immunosuppression, and angiogenesis, which is closely related to the poor prognosis in almost all solid tumors. Hence, deep-insight knowledge into TAMs can provide an opportunity to discover more effective strategies for cancer therapeutics. So far, a large number of therapeutic agents targeting TAMs are in clinical trials. In this review, we introduce an extensive overview about macrophages and macrophage-targeting agents.
Requisite Role for Interleukin-4 in the Acceleration of Fatty Streaks Induced by Heat Shock Protein 65 or Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Abstract—Atherosclerotic lesions can be induced in rabbits and mice immunized with heat shock protein 65 (HSP65). In the current study, we investigated the role of interleukin (IL)-4 in the HSP65- and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MT)–induced models that exhibit an inflammatory phenotype. Fatty streak formation in IL-4–knockout (IL-4 KO) mice immunized with HSP65 or MT was significantly reduced when compared with lesions in wild-type C57BL/6 mice. However, when injected with control (HSP-free) adjuvant, no differences were evident in the lesion size between wild-type and the IL-4 KO mice. Next, we studied comparatively the extent of humoral and cellular immune responses to HSP65 in the IL-4 KO and wild-type mice, as those are thought to be influential in murine atherosclerosis. Anti-HSP65 antibody levels were reduced in the HSP65-immunized IL-4 KO mice as compared with their wild-type littermates, whereas no differences were evident between the groups with respect to the primary cellular immune response to .
Antibody binding to native cytomegalovirus glycoprotein B predicts efficacy of the gB/MF59 vaccine in humans

Protection against CMV correlates with gB/MF59 vaccine-elicited IgG that binds cell-associated gB. Vaccine protection profile Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a leading cause of posttransplant complications and congenital infections, but there are no CMV vaccines currently licensed. Jenks et al. characterized serum IgG responses in adolescent and postpartum women enrolled in phase 2 clinical trials with an experimental CMV subunit vaccine composed of glycoprotein B (gB) and MF59. Adolescent vaccinees developed CMV-specific IgG responses with binding and functional characteristics that were distinct from those of postpartum vaccinees. An immune correlate analysis further revealed that protection against primary CMV infection in both groups was associated with the magnitude of IgG binding to cell-associated gB and not soluble vaccine antigen. We also identified gB-specific monoclonal antibodies that specifically recognize cell-associated gB over soluble gB, providing valuable insight into protective immunity against CMV and immune targets for CMV vaccines. Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most common infectious cause of infant brain damage and posttransplant complications worldwide. Despite the high global burden of disease, vaccine development to prevent infection remains hampered by challenges in generating protective immunity. The most efficacious CMV vaccine candidate tested to date is a soluble glycoprotein B (gB) subunit vaccine with MF59 adjuvant (gB/MF59), which achieved 50% protection in multiple historical phase 2 clinical trials. The vaccine-elicited immune responses that conferred this protection have remained unclear. We investigated the humoral immune correlates of protection from CMV acquisition in populations of CMV-seronegative adolescent and postpartum women who received the gB/MF59 vaccine. We found that gB/MF59 immunization elicited distinct CMV-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG)–binding profiles and IgG-mediated functional responses in adolescent and postpartum vaccinees, with heterologous CMV strain neutralization observed primarily in adolescent vaccinees. Using penalized multiple logistic regression analysis, we determined that protection against primary CMV infection in both cohorts was associated with serum IgG binding to gB present on a cell surface but not binding to the soluble vaccine antigen, suggesting that IgG binding to cell-associated gB is an immune correlate of vaccine efficacy. Supporting this, we identified gB-specific monoclonal antibodies that differentially recognized soluble or cell-associated gB, revealing that there are structural differences in cell-associated and soluble gB are relevant to the generation of protective immunity. Our results highlight the importance of the native, cell-associated gB conformation in future CMV vaccine design.
Phylogenetic relationships among Bombycidae s.l. (Lepidoptera) based on analyses of complete mitochondrial genomes

The family Bombycidae (sensu Minet, 1994) is a diverse group of species belonging to the superfamily Bombycoidea. It is an economically important group of moth species, containing well‐known silk‐producing insects, as well as many pests of agriculture and forestry. The morphology‐based hypothesis of Minet (1994) on the composition of Bombycidae is in conflict with subsequent phylogenetic hypotheses for the superfamily based on nuclear genes. In this paper, the complete mitochondrial genomes of nine species of Bombycidae are presented for the first time. Based on these genomes, four dataset partitions and three gblocks parameter settings, phylogenetic relationships among Bombycidae were reconstructed using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods. Bombycidae was confirmed as a polyphyletic group, with the traditional subfamilies Prismostictinae and Oberthueriinae forming a single well‐supported clade that is distant to Bombycinae. The phylogenetic relationships within Bombycoidea were supported as ((((Bombycinae, Sphingidae), Saturniidae), (Prismostictinae, Oberthueriinae)), Eupterotidae).
ISAR imaging enhancement: exploiting deep convolutional neural network for signal reconstruction

ABSTRACT Since the radar imaging can serve as an ill-posed inverse problem, it is an appealing topic to introduce deep learning instead of regularized iterative algorithm to address the presence of uncertainties in the inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) forward model. Usually, the obtained image quality is largely limited by the sparse representation and denoising performance of the target scene. This paper presents a deep learning technology for radar echo signal recovery with enhanced ISAR imaging capability. If the convolutional neural network (CNN) is regarded as an imaging processor, its input and output are echo data and formed image, respectively. The trained CNN contains a variety of feature extractors, which can automatically extract and abstract high-level image feature representation. The main difficulty of CNN applications in the radar imaging field, in fact, is that a large amount of appropriate training data cannot be obtained as easy as in other fields. A novel deep CNN (DCNN)-based method, U-net-based imaging, is proposed for ISAR image reconstruction using less training samples compared to existing CNN imaging networks. Some improvements are presented to make it adapt to imaging tasks. Experimental simulations are carried out to prove the remarkable performance of the proposed method. In the presence of random noise and echo undersampling, the trained U-net achieves fast and accurate reconstruction of high-quality ISAR images, respectively.
Rethinking the Dual Gaussian Distribution Model for Predicting Touch Accuracy in On-screen-start Pointing Tasks

The dual Gaussian distribution hypothesis has been used to predict the success rate of target pointing on touchscreens. Bi and Zhai evaluated their success-rate prediction model in off-screen-start pointing tasks. However, we found that their prediction model could also be used for on-screen-start pointing tasks. We discuss the reasons why and empirically validate our hypothesis in a series of four experiments with various target sizes and distances. The prediction accuracy of Bi and Zhai's model was high in all of the experiments, with a 10-point absolute (or 14.9% relative) prediction error at worst. Also, we show that there is no clear benefit to integrating the target distance when predicting the endpoint variability and success rate.
Assessment of Thermal Comfort and Building-Related Symptoms in Air-Conditioned Offices in Tropical Regions: A Case Study in Singapore and Thailand

Indoor thermal environment is important for maintaining comfort and health. In a tropical region, it becomes more critical when the air-conditioning system consumes excessive energy for a whole year. This study aims to clarify the impact of thermal environment on human comfort and building-related symptoms in air-conditioned offices. A field study was conducted in office spaces in Singapore and Thailand from 2017 to 2019 by installing data loggers to measure thermal variables together with a questionnaire survey. As a result, the psychometric charts of ASHRAE 55 show that most of the measured thermal environments were fitted to the 1.0 clo comfort zone, which was not recommended for people in this region. Overcooling determined the cause of high discomfort when people felt cold and preferred a warmer temperature. Based on Griffith’s method, average comfort temperatures were 24.8°C (Singapore) and 24.0°C (Thailand). The probit analysis illustrated that the comfort temperature range for a dissatisfaction of 20% was 23.6–26.4°C (Singapore) and 22.9–25.6°C (Thailand). These comfort temperature ranges which were higher than the measured values reflected the clothing adaptation and the personal complaints. Symptoms were reported in the coldest temperature group (21–22°C), with the highest odds ratio (OR) of symptom occurrence. The thermal sensation vote (TSV) defined that the higher rate of symptoms belonged to the colder-than-neutral side, whereas the thermal comfort vote (TCV) could not well predict the symptom occurrence. The intention of enhancing comfort and promoting better health conditions in the offices of these regions was discussed, while considering warmer indoor temperatures.