Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Speed-up single image dehazing using double dark channels

Recent research has made significant progress in single image dehazing by using dark channel prior. We can directly estimate the thickness of the haze and recover a high quality haze-free image by using it. However, such method is inefficient when processing high resolution or high-bit-wide images because of its high computational complexity. Besides, the results are inaccurate when there are large white objects in the scene. A novel image prior is proposed in this paper to solve the above drawbacks. We develop a powerful and speed-up single image dehazing method by replacing the single dark channel with double dark channels with different scales to estimate the global atmospheric light and the transmission. Thus we can separate the method into two parts and ignore the soft matting that occupies 95% computation cost of the previous method. The experimental results show that our method is much faster than the original method and reduces the distortion caused by large white objects in the scene at the same time. Compared with previous method, our new single image dehazing method achieves the same, even better image quality with only around 1/23 computation time and saves lots of memory space.
Ensemble Methods for Classification of Physical Activities from Wrist Accelerometry

Purpose To investigate whether the use of ensemble learning algorithms improve physical activity recognition accuracy compared to the single classifier algorithms, and to compare the classification accuracy achieved by three conventional ensemble machine learning methods (bagging, boosting, random forest) and a custom ensemble model comprising four algorithms commonly used for activity recognition (binary decision tree, k nearest neighbor, support vector machine, and neural network). Methods The study used three independent data sets that included wrist-worn accelerometer data. For each data set, a four-step classification framework consisting of data preprocessing, feature extraction, normalization and feature selection, and classifier training and testing was implemented. For the custom ensemble, decisions from the single classifiers were aggregated using three decision fusion methods: weighted majority vote, naïve Bayes combination, and behavior knowledge space combination. Classifiers were cross-validated using leave-one subject out cross-validation and compared on the basis of average F1 scores. Results In all three data sets, ensemble learning methods consistently outperformed the individual classifiers. Among the conventional ensemble methods, random forest models provided consistently high activity recognition; however, the custom ensemble model using weighted majority voting demonstrated the highest classification accuracy in two of the three data sets. Conclusions Combining multiple individual classifiers using conventional or custom ensemble learning methods can improve activity recognition accuracy from wrist-worn accelerometer data.
Childhood epilepsies and brain development

Educating beginning practitioners , Joy Higgs, Helen Edwards, eds. pp 303. Butterworth Heineman, 1999. £27.50, paperback. 0 7506 3773 0 \***| Lecturers in training are told always to repeat key ideas several times so they stick in the minds of students. This book subscribes wholeheartedly to this maxim. Written by a group of largely Australian educationalists, every chapter repeats a mantra about preparing practitioners for lifelong learning in the ever-changing health environments of the future. …
Ursodeoxycholic acid treatment in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. A Swedish multicentre, double-blind, randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) has been shown to improve serum levels of liver enzymes and bilirubin in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). However, it is still uncertain whether UDCA treatment also improves symptoms, liver histology, and survival without liver transplantation. METHODS We randomized 116 patients with PBC to receive 0.5 g UDCA (n = 60) or placebo (n = 56) daily for 2 years. During the next 2 years, 80% of the UDCA-treated patients and 65% of the placebo-treated patients continued to take UDCA. RESULTS UDCA improved serum enzyme values but not survival, symptoms, serum bilirubin levels, or liver histology. There was no significant difference in response between initially symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. CONCLUSIONS UDCA in a dosage of 7.7 mg/kg body weight is of little benefit in PBC. This does not exclude the possibility that larger doses have beneficial effects.
Anti-inflammatory effects of excessive weight loss: potent suppression of adipose interleukin 6 and tumour necrosis factor α expression

Objective Severe obesity is a chronic inflammatory disease where various cytokines/adipocytokines play a key role. Pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNFα) are produced by human adipose tissue dependent on the degree of obesity. Mouse studies suggest a key role of adipose tissue-derived IL-6 in hepatic insulin resistance via modification of liver suppressor of cytokine signalling 3 (SOCS-3) expression. Design and methods We examined the effect of excessive weight loss on systemic levels, subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue and liver expression of IL-6 and TNFα in 20 severely obese patients undergoing laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB). Furthermore, we studied liver expression of SOCS3, an important regulator of insulin resistance, and fat tissue expression of the anti-inflammatory adipocytokine adiponectin and its receptors. Serum and tissue samples were collected before and 6 months after LAGB surgery. Results IL-6/TNFα mRNA expression before weight loss were similar in subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue and much higher compared to hepatic expression. Subcutaneous adipose tissue mRNA expression of both pro-inflammatory cytokines, but especially of IL-6 decreased dramatically after extensive weight loss whereas expression of adiponectin and its receptors increased. Weight loss also led to a significant reduction in liver IL-6 expression, whereas liver TNFα mRNA expression did not change. IL-6 and C-reactive protein serum levels decreased after weight loss whereas TNFα serum levels were below the detection limit before and after surgery. These effects were paralleled by reduced hepatic SOCS3 expression and improved insulin resistance 6 months after LAGB surgery. Conclusion Expression of IL-6 and TNFα mRNA is more pronounced in adipose compared to liver tissue in patients with severe obesity. Our results highlight excessive weight loss as a successful anti-inflammatory strategy.
Regulation of Collagen Type I in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells by Competition between Nkx2.5 and δEF1/ZEB1

ABSTRACT A major component of the vessel wall of large arteries and veins is the extracellular matrix (ECM), which consists of collagens, elastin, and proteoglycans. Collagen type I is one of the most abundant of the ECM proteins. We have previously shown that the pro-collagen type I alpha 2 gene contains an enhancer which confers tissue-specific expression in the majority of collagen-producing cells, including blood vessels. In this paper, we delineate a specific vascular smooth muscle cell (vSMC) element: a 100-bp sequence around −16.6 kb upstream of the transcription start site that regulates collagen expression exclusively in vSMCs. Furthermore, we show that the expression is activated through the binding of the homeodomain protein Nkx2.5, which is further potentiated in the presence of GATA6. In contrast, this element was repressed by the binding of the zinc-finger protein δEF1/ZEB1. We propose a model of regulation where the activating transcription factor Nkx2.5 and the repressor δEF1/ZEB1 compete for an overlapping DNA binding site. This element is important in understanding the molecular mechanisms of vessel remodeling and is a potential target for intervention in vascular diseases where there is excessive deposition of collagen in the vessel wall.
A novel transgenic marker for migrating limb muscle precursors and for vascular smooth muscle cells

A unique pattern of LacZ expression was found in a transgenic mouse line, likely due to regulatory elements at the site of integration. Two new genes flanking the transgene were identified. At early stages of development, the transgene is transiently expressed in ventro‐lateral demomyotomal cells migrating from the somites into the limb buds. At late developmental stages and in the adult, lacZ staining marks vascular smooth muscle cells throughout the vascular bed, with the exception of the major elastic arteries, and in pericytes. No expression was detected in skeletal and smooth muscles. Different patterns of expression in vascular smooth muscles was observed at distinct levels of the vascular tree, in arteries as well as in veins. Vessel injury, resulting in stimulation of smooth muscle cells proliferation and migration, is associated with transgene down‐regulation. After the formation of neointima thickening, it is reactivated. This transgenic insertion may therefore be used as a useful marker to identify novel physiological cues or genetic elements involved in the regulation of the vascular smooth muscle phenotype(s). It may also provide an experimental tool for studying vasculature and the involvement of pericytes in regulating microvascular homeostasis. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Une nouvelle approche au General Game Playing dirigée par les contraintes. (Une nouvelle approche au General Game Playing dirigée par les contraintes)

Developper un programme capable de jouer a n’importe quel jeu de strategie, souvent designe par le General Game Playing (GGP) constitue un des Graal de l’intelligence artificielle. Les competitions GGP, ou chaque jeu est represente par un ensemble de regles logiques au travers du Game Description Language (GDL), ont conduit la recherche a confronter de nombreuses approches incluant les methodes de type Monte Carlo, la construction automatique de fonctions d’evaluation, ou la programmation logique et ASP. De par cette these, nous proposons une nouvelle approche dirigee par les contraintes stochastiques.Dans un premier temps, nous nous concentrons sur l’elaboration d’une traduction de GDL en reseauxde contraintes stochastiques (SCSP) dans le but de fournir une representation dense des jeux de strategies et permettre la modelisation de strategies.Par la suite, nous exploitons un fragment de SCSP au travers d’un algorithme denomme MAC-UCBcombinant l’algorithme MAC (Maintaining Arc Consistency) utilise pour resoudre chaque niveau duSCSP tour apres tour, et a l’aide de UCB (Upper Confidence Bound) afin d’estimer l’utilite de chaquestrategie obtenue par le dernier niveau de chaque sequence. L’efficacite de cette nouvelle technique sur les autres approches GGP est confirmee par WoodStock, implementant MAC-UCB, le leader actuel du tournoi continu de GGP.Finalement, dans une derniere partie, nous proposons une approche alternative a la detection de symetries dans les jeux stochastiques, inspiree de la programmation par contraintes. Nous montrons experimentalement que cette approche couplee a MAC-UCB, surpasse les meilleures approches du domaine et a permis a WoodStock de devenir champion GGP 2016.
Protective effect of zoledronic acid on articular cartilage and subchondral bone of rabbits with experimental knee osteoarthritis

Subchondral bone reabsorption and remodeling are responsible for the initiation and progression of osteoarthritis (OA). Zoledronic acid (ZOL), a third-generation bisphosphonate (BIS), is an inhibitor of bone reabsorption. However, the intervention effect of ZOL on OA has not been fully characterized and remains to be directly demonstrated in animal experiments. The present study examined the microscopic and macroscopic changes in the anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) model of OA in rabbits and evaluated the effects of ZOL on cartilage degeneration and subchondral bone loss. A total of 32 New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into four groups: High-, medium- and low-dose ZOL groups, which received an intravenous injection of 250, 50 and 10 µg/kg ZOL, respectively, after modeling, as well as an untreated group. The bone mineral density (BMD) of the knee joint was evaluated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scanning immediately after modeling and at 4 and 8 weeks. At week 8, quantitative measurement of cartilage was performed by a specialized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique, including three-dimensional fat-suppressed spoil gradient-recalled sequence and T2 mapping. The rabbits were sacrificed by air embolism after anesthesia and both knee joints were harvested and evaluated by general and histological observation. Toluidine blue and hematoxylin and eosin staining were used to assess histological changes in the articular cartilage. Quantitative analysis of cartilage histopathology was performed according to the Mankin scoring system. The BMD of ACLT joints dropped after modeling, which was effectively suppressed by ZOL at the high and medium dose but not the low dose. MRI scans demonstrated that in the untreated group, articular cartilages on ACLT knees were thinner than those on normal knees. The high dose of ZOL preserved the cartilage tissue thickness more efficiently than the medium and low doses. Observation of specimens and pathological slices revealed that the articular cartilage degeneration in the high-dose ZOL group was lightest, while that in the medium- and low-dose ZOL group was moderate, and the untreated group exhibited the most severe defect. The untreated group had the highest Mankin score, whereas the high-dose ZOL group had the lowest score. In conclusion, ZOL increased the subchondral bone density, improved the microstructure and reduced the degeneration of articular cartilage in OA according to morphological as well as quantitative observation. ZOL exerted significant chondroprotective effects in a dose-dependent manner. A favorable chondroprotective effect was induced at the dose of 250 µg/kg. ZOL may represent a novel promising drug to complement the treatment of OA.
Kinematics and pushrim kinetics in adolescents propelling high-strength lightweight and ultra-lightweight manual wheelchairs

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe and compare pushrim forces, propulsive work cost, and upper body kinematics in adolescents propelling (1) a standard high strength lightweight wheelchair, and (2) an ultra-lightweight wheelchair with adjustable main axle positioning, on a level tiled floor (“Tile”), ascending a ramp (“Ramp”), and across a foam mat (“Mat”). Methods: A within-subjects repeated measures study design was used. Eight adolescent manual wheelchair users propelled the standard and ultra-lightweight wheelchairs across the three conditions. Average pushrim tangential force, propulsive power and work per unit distance travelled, as well as upper body kinematic angles, were analyzed. Results: Average pushrim tangential force (1.80 ± 0.7 N, p = .042) and propulsive work per unit distance travelled (8.3 ± 1.7 J·m− 1, p = .002) were higher for the standard lightweight wheelchair, whereas average speed was lower (0.12 ± 0.03 m/s, p = .006). Maximum shoulder (9.2 ± 2.0°, p = .003) and elbow flexion (8.0 ± 2.2°, p = .009) were higher for the ultra-lightweight wheelchair. Compared with Tile, propulsion on Mat and Ramp was associated with higher average tangential force, work per unit distance, power, and maximum flexion of the neck and trunk, whereas shoulder extension and average speed were lower for Mat and Ramp. Conclusions: Compared with the standard lightweight wheelchair, ultra-lightweight wheelchair propulsion was associated with lower pushrim forces, lower energy costs, higher self-selected speeds, and increased shoulder and elbow flexion. These variables have been linked to injury risk and mobility efficiency, and the results provided evidence that differences in weight and configuration options are both contributors. Findings can inform decision-making in the prescription of manual wheelchairs for pre-adult populations. Implications for Rehabilitation A significant proportion of manual wheelchair users are children and adolescents, and due to the early onset of use they may be especially predisposed to the development of chronic overuse injuries. The study reports differences in energy costs, pushrim forces, and upper body kinematics measured when adolescents propelled standard and ultra-lightweight wheelchairs across three trial conditions. In the ultra-lightweight wheelchair, reduced energy cost is linked to more efficient mobility, and lower forces may be linked to lower risk of chronic injury. Significant differences in elbow and shoulder kinematics are also reported, and the findings support the importance of both weight and setup options in the selection of manual wheelchairs.
Reprogramming of the transcriptional machinery in Xenopus oocytes by injection of mouse poly(A)+ RNA

We have devised an assay for species-specific transcription factors for the mouse rRNA gene by exploiting the ability of Xenopus oocytes to transcribe injected DNA and translate mRNAs. When mouse rRNA genes are microinjected into Xenopus oocytes, they are not transcribed. We show here that transcription of mouse rRNA genes is supported when mouse mRNAs are injected before the transcription template is injected, indicating that the necessary transcription factors are translated in the oocyte and are available to transcribe an appropriate template. The use of this assay in cloning genes for transcription factors is discussed.
Flow Segmentation for Business Applications

The aim of this paper is to propose a document flow supervised se gmentation approach applied to real world heterogeneous documents. Our algorithm treats the flow of documents as couples of consecutive pages and studies the relationship that exists between them . At first, sets of features are extracted from the pages where we prop ose an approach to model the couple of pages into a single feature vector representation . This representation will be provided to a binary classifier which classifies the relationship as either segmentation or con tinuity. In case of segmentation, we consider that we have a complete document and the analysis of the flow continues by starting a new document. In case of continuity, the couple of pages are assimilated to the same document and the alysis continues on the flow. If there is an uncertainty on whether the relationship between the couple of pages s hould be classified as a continuity or segmentation, a rejection is decided and the pages analyzed until this po int are considered as a "fragment" . The first classification already provides good results approaching 90% on certain documents, which is high at this level of the system.
Sumoylation of poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase 1 inhibits its acetylation and restrains transcriptional coactivator function

Poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) is a chromatin‐associated nuclear protein and functions as a molecular stress sensor. At the cellular level, PARP1 has been implicated in a wide range of processes, such as maintenance of genome stability, cell death, and transcription. PARP1 functions as a transcriptional coactivator of nuclear factor KB(NF‐ΚB) and hypoxia inducible factor 1 (HIF1). In proteomic studies, PARP1 was found to be modified by small ubiquitin‐like modifiers (SUMOs). Here, we characterize PARP1 as a substrate for modification by SUMO1 and SUMO3, both in vitro and in vivo. PARP1 is sumoylated at the single lysine residue K486 within its automodification domain. Interestingly, modification of PARP1 with SUMO does not affect its ADP‐ribosylation activity but completely abrogates p300‐mediated acetylation of PARP1, revealing an intriguing crosstalk of sumoylation and acetylation on PARP1. Genetic complementation of PARP1‐depleted cells with wildtype and sumoylation‐deficient PARP1 revealed that SUMO modification of PARP1 restrains its transcriptional coactivator function and subsequently reduces gene expression of distinct PARP1‐regulated target genes. Messner, S. , Schuermann, D. , Altmeyer, M. , Kassner, I. , Schmidt, D. , Schär, P., Müller, S. , and Hottiger, M. O. Sumoylation of poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase 1 inhibits its acetylation and restrains transcriptional coactivator function. FASEB J. 23, 3978–3989 (2009). www.fasebj. org
Towards high-efficiency ultra-thin solar cells with nanopatterned metallic front contact

We propose a novel design using multi-resonant absorption to achieve efficient light-trapping in ultra-thin (<; 100 nm) solar cells. It is based on a patterned metallic layer which i) strongly confines light in an ultra-thin and flat absorber layer and ii) plays the role of a front contact combining high optical transparency and good electrical conductivity. This versatile approach is applied to different solar cells materials (a-Si:H, GaAs) and geometries of the patterned film (1D or 2D). We demonstrate a theoretical conversion efficiency over 20 % using a 2D silver nanogrid to enhance absorption in a 25 nm-thick GaAs absorber layer. First demonstrators were fabricated and optically characterized. This work should pave the way towards high-efficiency ultra-thin solar cells.
A hydrazone-based covalent organic framework for photocatalytic hydrogen production

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have recently emerged as a new generation of porous polymers combining molecular functionality with the robustness and structural definition of crystalline solids. Drawing on the recent development of tailor-made semiconducting COFs, we report here on a new COF capable of visible-light driven hydrogen generation in the presence of Pt as a proton reduction catalyst (PRC). The COF is based on hydrazone-linked functionalized triazine and phenyl building blocks and adopts a layered structure with a honeycomb-type lattice featuring mesopores of 3.8 nm and the highest surface area among all hydrazone-based COFs reported to date. When illuminated with visible light, the Pt-doped COF continuously produces hydrogen from water without signs of degradation. With their precise molecular organization and modular structure combined with high porosity, photoactive COFs represent well-defined model systems to study and adjust the molecular entities central to the photocatalytic process.