Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multimodal C4: An Open, Billion-scale Corpus of Images Interleaved With Text

In-context vision and language models like Flamingo support arbitrarily interleaved sequences of images and text as input. This format not only enables few-shot learning via interleaving independent supervised (image, text) examples, but also, more complex prompts involving interaction between images, e.g.,"What do image A and image B have in common? "To support this interface, pretraining occurs over web corpora that similarly contain interleaved images+text. To date, however, large-scale data of this form have not been publicly available. We release Multimodal C4, an augmentation of the popular text-only C4 corpus with images interleaved. We use a linear assignment algorithm to place images into longer bodies of text using CLIP features, a process that we show outperforms alternatives. Multimodal C4 spans everyday topics like cooking, travel, technology, etc. A manual inspection of a random sample of documents shows that a vast majority (88%) of images are topically relevant, and that linear assignment frequently selects individual sentences specifically well-aligned with each image (80%). After filtering NSFW images, ads, etc., the resulting corpus consists of 101.2M documents with 571M images interleaved in 43B English tokens.
Covidia: COVID-19 Interdisciplinary Academic Knowledge Graph

The pandemic of COVID-19 has inspired extensive works across different research fields. Existing literature and knowledge platforms on COVID-19 only focus on collecting papers on biology and medicine, neglecting the interdisciplinary efforts, which hurdles knowledge sharing and research collaborations between fields to address the problem. Studying interdisciplinary researches requires effective paper category classification and efficient cross-domain knowledge extraction and integration. In this work, we propose Covidia, COVID-19 interdisciplinary academic knowledge graph to bridge the gap between knowledge of COVID-19 on different domains. We design frameworks based on contrastive learning for disciplinary classification, and propose a new academic knowledge graph scheme for entity extraction, relation classification and ontology management in accordance with interdisciplinary researches. Based on Covidia, we also establish knowledge discovery benchmarks for finding COVID-19 research communities and predicting potential links.
Adapting Meter Tracking Models to Latin American Music

Beat and downbeat tracking models have improved significantly in recent years with the introduction of deep learning methods. However, despite these improvements, several challenges remain. Particularly, the adaptation of available models to underrepresented music traditions in MIR is usually synonymous with collecting and annotating large amounts of data, which is impractical and time-consuming. Transfer learning, data augmentation, and fine-tuning techniques have been used quite successfully in related tasks and are known to alleviate this bottleneck. Furthermore, when studying these music traditions, models are not required to generalize to multiple mainstream music genres but to perform well in more constrained, homogeneous conditions. In this work, we investigate simple yet effective strategies to adapt beat and downbeat tracking models to two different Latin American music traditions and analyze the feasibility of these adaptations in real-world applications concerning the data and computational requirements. Contrary to common belief, our findings show it is possible to achieve good performance by spending just a few minutes annotating a portion of the data and training a model in a standard CPU machine, with the precise amount of resources needed depending on the task and the complexity of the dataset.
CROVIA: Seeing Drone Scenes from Car Perspective via Cross-View Adaptation

Understanding semantic scene segmentation of urban scenes captured from the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) perspective plays a vital role in building a perception model for UAV. With the limitations of large-scale densely labeled data, semantic scene segmentation for UAV views requires a broad understanding of an object from both its top and side views. Adapting from well-annotated autonomous driving data to unlabeled UAV data is challenging due to the cross-view differences between the two data types. Our work proposes a novel Cross-View Adaptation (CROVIA) approach to effectively adapt the knowledge learned from on-road vehicle views to UAV views. First, a novel geometry-based constraint to cross-view adaptation is introduced based on the geometry correlation between views. Second, cross-view correlations from image space are effectively transferred to segmentation space without any requirement of paired on-road and UAV view data via a new Geometry-Constraint Cross-View (GeiCo) loss. Third, the multi-modal bijective networks are introduced to enforce the global structural modeling across views. Experimental results on new cross-view adaptation benchmarks introduced in this work, i.e., SYNTHIA to UAVID and GTA5 to UAVID, show the State-of-the-Art (SOTA) performance of our approach over prior adaptation methods
Testing for homogeneous treatment effects in linear and nonparametric instrumental variable models

The hypothesis of homogeneous treatment effects is central to the instrumental variables literature. This assumption signifies that treatment effects are constant across all subjects. It allows to interpret instrumental variable estimates as average treatment effects over the whole population of the study. When this assumption does not hold, the bias of instrumental variable estimators can be larger than that of naive estimators ignoring endogeneity. This paper develops two tests for the assumption of homogeneous treatment effects when the treatment is endogenous and an instrumental variable is available. The tests leverage a covariable that is (jointly with the error terms) independent of a coordinate of the instrument. This covariate does not need to be exogenous. The first test assumes that the potential outcomes are linear in the regressors and is computationally simple. The second test is nonparametric and relies on Tikhonov regularization. The treatment can be either discrete or continuous. We show that the tests have asymptotically correct level and asymptotic power equal to one against a range of alternatives. Simulations demonstrate that the proposed tests attain excellent finite sample performances. The methodology is also applied to the evaluation of returns to schooling and the effect of price on demand in a fish market.
NATURAL CONVECTION IN UNSTEADY HYDROMAGNETIC COUETTE FLOW THROUGH A VERTICAL CHANNEL IN THE PRESENCE OF THERMAL RADIATION

The exact solution of natural convection in unsteady hydromagnetic Couette flow of a viscous incompressible electrically conducting fluid between two vertical parallel plates in the presence of thermal radiation is obtained here. The magnetic lines of force are assumed to be fixed relative to the moving plate. The fluid is considered to be a gray, absorbing-emitting but non-scattering medium, and the Rosseland approximation is used to describe the radiative heat flux in the energy equation. The non-dimensional governing equations involved in the present analysis are solved using the Laplace transform technique and the expressions for velocity, temperature, skin-friction and rate of heat transfer has been obtained. Numerical results for velocity, temperature and skin-friction are presented graphically and the numerical values of Nusselt number and skin-friction have been tabulated. The effect of different parameters like magnetic parameter
A high capacity reversible data hiding scheme for radiographic images

Digital watermarking has been growing in popularity in latest years and plays a key role in the protection of intellectual property rights of multimedia content. In particular, reversible fragile watermarking is a feasible technique when security aspects like authentication, data integrity, and recovery of original data are required. This paper proposes a data hiding scheme to guarantee all the mentioned requests for radiographic images which are transmitted through a generic transmission channel. In particular, it is possible to ensure authenticity and to verify the integrity of the transmitted digital image. Moreover, both random errors and malicious attacks, that are likely to occur in an unprotected communication environment such as e-mail and Web, are jointly identified. The proposed scheme covers the combined use of digital signature techniques and fragile and reversible watermarking in the spatial domain to embed the patient data and the digital signature in the host image, ensuring high-capacity and high visual quality.
Clinical characteristics and short-term outcomes of adult stroke patients admitted to Jimma Medical Center, Ethiopia: a prospective cohort study

Introduction sub-Saharan African countries are facing a rapid increase in stroke incidence and mortality. However, there is a paucity of clinical studies on the burden of stroke and its short-term outcomes. Hence, this study is aimed at evaluating risk factors, clinical characteristics, management, and 28-day clinical outcomes among stroke patients. Methods a prospective observational study was conducted at Jimma Medical Center, Ethiopia from July 2020 to January 31st, 2021. All adult patients diagnosed with stroke were enrolled consecutively and followed for 28 days starting from admission. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23 and Multivariable cox regression was used to identify factors associated with 28-day all-cause mortality. Results among 153 patients enrolled in this study, 127 (83%) had brain CT-scan and hemorrhagic stroke accounts for 66 (52%). About half 81 (53%) of the participants were male and the mean age was 57 years. Regarding in-hospital management, antihypertensive, statins, and aspirin was given to 80 (52%), 72 (47%), and 68 (44%) patients respectively. The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 26 (17%) and the all-cause 28-day mortality rate was 39 (25.5%). Rural residence [adjusted Hazard Ratio (aHR): 2.93, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.46-5.81], aspiration pneumonia (aHR= 6.57, 95% CI=3.16-13.66) and increased intracranial pressure (aHR= 3.27, 95% CI=1.56-6.86) were associated with 28-day mortality. Conclusion the patients admitted to the hospital with stroke diagnosis had high short-term mortality. Strategies focused on increasing timely arrival and evidence-based management of stroke and its complications could improve stroke patient outcomes.
Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor does not improve mortality in severe alcoholic hepatitis: a single-center experience from the United States

Aim: To assess the role of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF) in the patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis (SAH) using real world experience in the United States. Background: There are few effective treatments for severe alcoholic hepatitis, which has a significant fatality rate. GCSF has been associated with improved survival in a small number of Indian studies, while there is a dearth of information from other parts of the globe. Methods: We performed a single-center retrospective study of consecutive patients admitted to a tertiary care, liver transplant center with severe alcoholic hepatitis from May 2015 to February 2019. The patients receiving GCSF (5μg/kg subcutaneously every 12 hours for 5 consecutive days) (n=12) were compared to the patients receiving standard of care (n=42). Results: Thirty-day, 90-day and 1-year mortality rates was similar among groups (25% vs. 17%, P=0.58; 41% vs 29%, P=0.30; 41% vs 47%, P=0.44, respectively). There was no difference in liver transplant listing and orthotopic transplantation among groups. Conclusion: In this real-world, United States-based study, GCSF does not improved survival in the patient with several alcoholic hepatitis compared to standard of care.
Acute Severe Heart Failure in Paediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome Temporally Associated With SARS-CoV-2: A Case Report

A 17-year-old boy presented during the COVID-19 pandemic in late 2021 with intractable fevers and hemodynamic instability with early gastrointestinal disturbances, resembling features of the pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporally associated with SARS-CoV-2. Our patient required intensive unit care for persistently worsening signs of cardiac failure; initial admission echocardiography demonstrated severe left ventricular dysfunction with an estimated ejection fraction of 27%. Treatment with intravenous IgG and corticosteroids showed a rapid improvement in symptoms, but further specialist cardiological input was required for heart failure in the coronary care unit. Substantial improvement in cardiac function was shown on echocardiography before discharge, initially to left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) 51% two days after the commencement of treatment and then to >55% four days later, and on cardiac MRI. An echocardiogram one month post-discharge was normal, and the patient reported complete resolution of heart failure symptoms by four months in addition to full restoration of functional status.
The Efficacy of Currently Licensed Biologics for Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis: A Literature Review

Biologics have been emerging as promising therapies in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients who are refractory to conventional medical treatment. This literature review aims to appraise the existing evidence on the efficacy and safety of NICE approved biological therapies, of which there are currently five licensed drugs, available for the treatment of UC in adults. An initial search was performed using National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines. A further literature search of EMBASE, MEDLINE, Science Direct and Cochrane Library databases was done, resulting in a total of 62 studies being included in this review. Recent and seminal papers were included. Inclusion criteria for this review were adult participants and English papers only. In most studies, anti-tumour necrosis factor ɑ (TNFɑ) naïve patients were found to have improved clinical outcomes. Infliximab was found to be highly effective in inducing short-term clinical response, clinical remission as well as mucosal healing. However, loss of response was common and dose escalation was often required for achievement of long-term efficacy. Adalimumab was found to have both short-term and long-term efficacy which was also supported by real-world data. Golimumab was shown to have comparable efficacy and safety profiles to other biologics, although lack of therapeutic dose monitoring and loss of response is a barrier to optimising golimumab treatment efficacy. Vedolizumab was shown to have higher clinical remission rates when compared to adalimumab in a head-to-head trial, and the most cost-effective biologic when calculating quality-adjusted life years. Ustekinumab was found to significantly improve clinical remission rates in UC patients who were previously unresponsive to other biological treatments. However, as this is a newly licensed drug, there is limited literature currently available. Further, head-to-head studies are required to help determine the optimal treatment for patients with UC. With patents expiring, the development of biosimilars will help to reduce costs and increase the availability of these drugs to patients.
The SW480 cell line, overexpressing PIWIL2 gene, maintains the expression of stemness and proliferation genes in the mice xenografts

Aim: This study aims to confirm previous fundamental in vitro findings about the PIWIL2 gene by investigating the effects of its overexpression on cell cycle, proliferation, apoptosis, and stem cell expression markers in colorectal cancer cells (CRC cells) at in vivo level. Background: PIWIL2 has a critical role in maintaining cellular stemness and proliferation. PIWIL2 is an oncogene whose expression in CRC is associated with the occurrence, metastasis, and poor prognosis. Methods: SW480 cells harboring expression vectors with/without PIWIL2 were cultured and inoculated in BALB/c nude mice. Tumor formation and growth were monitored every 3 days. On the 28th day after inoculation, the tumors were harvested for their total RNA extraction, and the expression profiling of the candidate genes was performed by Real-time PCR. Results: Our results for the expression profiling of the xenografted tumors showed a significant increase in the expression of cancer stem cell markers, including CD24, CD133, and pluripotency marker SOX2 in the PIWIL2 over-expressing xenografts, compared to the control cell line. Moreover, PIWIL2 dramatically promoted the anti-apoptotic pathway by inducing STAT3 and BCL2-L1 genes in the PIWIL2 over-expressing xenografts, along with the up-regulation of Cyclin D1 and Ki-67 genes. Conclusion: This research supports our prior in vitro findings, highlighting the critical role that PIWIL2 plays in the development of CRC and its substantial promise as a leading candidate for CRC-targeted therapy.
Comparison of the potency of nortriptyline and mirtazapine on gastrointestinal symptoms, the level of anxiety and depression in patients with functional dyspepsia

Aim: In the current clinical trial study, the potency of mirtazapine and nortriptyline was compared in patients with Functional Dyspepsia (FD) who had anxiety or depression. Background: FD usually accompanies other psychosocial disorders. According to previous studies, among these disorders, anxiety and depression have the most correlation. Methods: This randomized clinical trial was organized in Taleghani hospital (Tehran, Iran). In two parallel groups, 42 patients were treated for 12 weeks, with 22 patients receiving 7.5 mg of mirtazapine and 20 patients receiving 25 mg of nortriptyline per day. To gain robust results, the patients with a positive history of antidepressant therapy, organic diseases, alcohol abuse, pregnancy, and major psychiatric disorders were excluded from the study. The subjects were examined by three questionnaires, including Nepean and Hamilton questionnaires. The patients were asked to answer the questions three times during the study: once before the onset of the treatment, second during the treatment, and third at the end of the treatment. Results: Based on Gastrointestinal (GI) manifestations, mirtazapine, in comparison to nortriptyline could significantly suppress the signs and symptoms of FD, including epigastric pains (P=0.02), belching (P=0.004), and bloating (P=0.01). Although the results from the use of mirtazapine compared to the use of nortriptyline (P=0.002) showed a lower mean depression score on the Hamilton questionnaire, no significant differences were found between the effects of these drugs on the anxiety scale of patients (P=0.091). Conclusion: Mirtazapine is more effective for GI symptoms related to gastric emptying. Considering the level of anxiety, mirtazapine, compared to nortriptyline, revealed better outcomes in FD patients suffering from depression.
Numerical Study of Natural Convection Heat Transfer in a Horizontal Wavy Absorber Solar Collector Based on the Second Law Analysis

Literature about entropy generation analysis of a wavy enclosure is scare. In this paper. a FORTRAN cod using an explicit finite-volume method was provided for estimating the entropy production due to the natural convection heat transfer in a cosine wavy absorber solar collector. The volumetric entropy generation terms both the heat transfer term and the friction term were straightly calculated. The solution was conducted assuming the isothermal boundary conditions of the absorber and the cover of solar collector. the results were obtained for Rayleigh number from 100 to 100000. The simulation results were compared with a flat plate absorber. It was found that, with increasing of the cosine wave amplitude, the collector enclosure irreversibility decreases.
A Timoshenko model of a flexible slewing link

An examination is made of a slewing link modelled as a Timoshenko beam in a rotating frame. The equations of motion are developed for the pseudo-clamped and pseudo-pinned cases, which differ in the choice of the non-inertial frame of reference. The boundary conditions, frequency equations, orthogonality relations and the transformations between the two cases are presented.
Association of Val660Leu, progesterone receptor polymorphic variant, with susceptibility to RRMS disease

ABSTRACT Background Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory, autoimmune, and progressive neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system with an unknown etiology. Based on the gender differences in epidemiological, clinical, and pathological features of multiple sclerosis, the role of sex hormones and their receptors in this disease has been considered. A single nucleotide polymorphism located in the exon 4 of progesterone receptor, rs1042838 (G/T -Val660Leu), was associated with reduced progesterone receptor activity. We aimed to investigate the association of this polymorphism with the risk of multiple sclerosis. Method A total of 426 individuals were included in the present study, including 200 patients and 226 age and sex adjusted healthy controls in Iranian population. The target SNP was genotyped using PCR-RFLP, and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 21.0 and by ꭓ2 and logistic regression tests. Results The results showed that the allele T acts as a risk allele, so that the genotypes TG and TT significantly increase RRMS susceptibility compared to the genotype GG. Conclusion Our data suggest that Val660Leu polymorphism might be a risk factor for the development of RRMS.
Mucosal brushings for nasal specific IgE to predict house dust mite driven allergic rhinitis.

BACKGROUND Skin prick testing and serological identification of allergen specific immunoglobulin E (spIgE) are standard tests for allergic rhinitis but can only identify systemic responses. In contrast, nasal allergen challenge (NAC), directly assess localized nasal mucosal reactivity, but is time consuming. Identification of spIgE from nasal brushings (nasal spIgE) is an alternative technique. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to determine the diagnostic performance of nasal spIgE compared to NAC in order predict house dust mite (HDM) driven AR. METHODS A diagnostic cross-sectional study involving adult rhinitis patients was performed. Sensitization to HDM allergens (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (DP), Dermatophagoides farina (DF) were assessed serologically and/or skin prick test, nasal brushing and NAC. Patients with both positive systemic test and NAC were defined to have HDM driven AR, while patients with a positive systemic test and negative NAC were defined to have non-clinically relevant HDM sensitization. The performance of nasal spIgE to predict positive NAC was determined using the receiver operating curve. The chosen cut-off was then used to predict HDM driven AR among those with positive systemic test. RESULTS 118 patients (29.42 ± 9.32 years, 61.9% female) were included. Nasal spIgE was predictive of positive NAC (AUC 0.93, 95%CI: 0.88-0.98, p < 0.01). Among those with positive systemic test, the cut-off value of >0.14 kUA/L was able to predict HDM AR from incidental HDM sensitization with 92% sensitivity and 86% specificity. CONCLUSIONS Nasal spIgE is comparable to NAC. A cut-off value of >0.14 kUA/L identifies HDM-driven AR from incidental sensitization among patients with positive systemic tests for allergy.