Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cortical responses to self and others

The extrastriate body area (EBA) is one among the multiple, functionally specialized regions of the human visual cortex exhibiting modulation by body‐related stimuli. Here we investigate whether activation patterns differ for the perception of one's own body and the bodies of others. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to identify body‐related brain areas and to see how these areas differentiate between images of one's own body and those of others in the absence of facial or motion cues. Whole brain explorative group‐level analysis identified body‐related blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal enhancement in five regions of the right and in one region of the left hemisphere (right: in the extrastriate visual and parietal cortex and in the precentral gyrus, left: in the extrastriate visual cortex). General linear model group‐level random effects analysis of the self–other contrast revealed self‐related responses in the extrastriate and parietal regions in the right hemisphere but also in the right middle frontal gyrus. These results suggest the existence of a cortical network for the extraction of body‐related information and another cortical network for the extraction of self‐related body information. The two networks partially overlap in the right superior and inferior parietal cortices, but are clearly segregated in the extrastriate visual cortex and in the middle frontal gyrus. In addition, we report that the classical EBA is only involved in the analysis of body‐related information but not in the assignment of body identity. The latter appears to be accomplished by a network in right hemisphere comprising the fusiform body area, regions of the superior parietal lobe, the inferior parietal cortex, and the middle frontal gyrus. Hum Brain Mapp, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Electric-field tuning of magnetic anisotropy in the artificial multiferroic Fe3O4/PMN–PT heterostructure

ABSTRACT Modulation of the magnetic anisotropy by the electric field in epitaxial Fe3O4/PMN–PT multiferroic heterostructure is studied, which shows that the coercive field of Fe3O4 thin films can be decreased from 368 to 113 Oe by applying an electric field in PMN–PT [011] direction. Meanwhile, most shift of ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) field Hr () can reach up to −483 Oe by applying an external electric field. The giant shift of Hr from 251 to 9681 Oe is obtained as the sample rotated from θ = 90° (H // to θ = 0° (H // [100]) when the electric field was applied in Fe3O4/PMN–PT heterostructure. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT IMPACT STATEMENT A giant shift of ferromagnetic resonance field was obtained by simultaneously applying an external electric field and a rotating sample along axes both parallel and perpendicular to the magnetic field.
Development of Immunotoxicity Testing Strategies for Immunomodulatory Drugs

The ICH S8 immunotoxicity testing guideline for human pharmaceuticals was published in 2006 and was intended to provide guidance for assessing the immunotoxicity potential of low-molecular-weight drugs that are not intended to alter the immune system. For drugs intended to modulate the immune system, immunotoxicity testing strategies are generally developed on a case-by-case approach since the targets, intended patient population, and mechanisms of action of the test compound will determine the type of testing needed. Some of the general principles of ICH S8, however, may be applied to immunotoxicity testing strategies for immunomodulatory drugs. A weight-of-evidence approach using factors discussed in ICH S8 in concert with an assessment of the potential value of additional immunotoxicity testing should be considered. For most situations, immunotoxicity studies with immunomodulatory compounds evaluate off-target effects on the immune system and exaggerated pharmacology. The potential use of data from these studies and considerations such as translatability to humans are discussed.
The B-Lynch technique for the management of intraoperative uterine atony

This paper reports the experience of 150 B-Lynch suture applications for the management of uterine atony during caesarean section that did not respond to conventional therapeutical measures. Technique was considered effective if the need for hysterectomy was avoided. High-risk antenatal obstetrical conditions included: pre-eclampsia (12%), oligohydramnios (8%), polyhydramnios (4.7%). A total of 36% were primigravid, 66% had been in active labour, 4.7% received misoprostol and 26.7% used oxytocin for labour augmentation. Suture was successful in 95.3%, with only five cases requiring hysterectomy combined with uterine artery ligation and two uterine artery ligations alone to control bleeding and uterine atony (‘floppiness’). Although 26.7% of cases required transfusions, no maternal deaths were reported, and overall women were discharged after a median 4-day hospital stay without further complications upon follow-up. The B-Lynch technique was an effective intraoperative measure to control uterine atony. Despite the encouraging results, long term assessment on a larger sample is needed in our clinical scenario.
Use of Cyproheptadine in Young Children With Feeding Difficulties and Poor Growth in a Pediatric Feeding Program

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of cyproheptadine (CY) use in infants and young children with poor growth treated at our multidisciplinary pediatric feeding program, and to describe changes in their weight and feeding behaviors. Methods: A retrospective chart review of children treated with CY from January 2007 to July 2011 was performed. Demographic data, medical diagnosis, adverse effects of the drug, and changes in mealtime behaviors were extracted from the patients’ medical records. For each patient who received the CY, weight-for-age z scores (WtZ) were calculated before and during treatment. Repeated-measures mixed model was used to analyze the pattern of change in WtZ over time and between groups. Differences in mean WtZ were tested between patients regularly receiving CY and a naturally conceived comparison group. Results: Of the 127 patients in treatment owing to poor weight gain who received the CY, 82 took the medication regularly as prescribed in combination with our interventional program. For these patients, the majority of the parents (96%) reported a positive change in mealtime and feeding behaviors. A significant improvement in mean WtZ was observed after starting CY when compared with the WtZ before treatment for those patients regularly receiving the medication. This effect was independent of patients’ age and/or presence of an underline medical problem. No significant differences in mean WtZ were observed over time within the comparison group. Conclusions: In our experience, the use of CY in combination with a specialized multidisciplinary interventional program is a safe and effective therapy in infants and young children with low appetite and poor growth.
Rifampin and digoxin: possible drug interaction in a dialysis patient.

To the Editor. — We would like to describe a case we observed recently involving a possible drug interaction in a patient receiving long-term dialysis. Report of a Case. — A 36-year-old woman receiving long-term dialysis three times weekly for renal failure caused by bilateral urolithiasis experienced heart failure because of repeated pulmonary embolization. She was treated with intravenously given digoxin, administered at the end of each dialysis session according to the guidelines for the use of this drug in renal failure.1She showed good clinical response and serum digoxin levels (measured radioimmunologically) within the usual therapeutic range.2 During digoxin treatment, the patient had a reactivation of an old pulmonary tuberculous lesion; we started treatment with rifampin, 450 mg (about 10 mg/kg of body weight) daily, and isoniazid, 200 mg on the day of dialysis and 100 mg on the other days. One week after starting treatment with antituberculous drugs,
Joint User Association and Resource Allocation in the Downlink of Heterogeneous Networks

In this paper, we consider the intercell interference coordination (ICIC) problem in heterogeneous cellular networks with randomly deployed small-cell base stations (BSs). Current research on ICIC mainly focuses on optimizing the spectrum and power allocations at BSs, whereas the user-BS association is treated as a separate issue. Nevertheless, the user-BS association problem is an important issue in ICIC and should be jointly optimized with resource allocations to achieve global optimality. In this paper, with the objective of maximizing the system sum rate in a distributed manner, we propose a novel belief propagation (BP) algorithm to jointly optimize user association, subchannel assignment, and power allocation. We first develop a factor graph model to decompose the network-wide objective and constraints into multiple local utilities. Then, we transform the maximization of local utilities into the estimations of marginal distributions and propose a distributed BP algorithm to solve the estimations. Simulations show that our distributed BP algorithm dramatically improves the performance compared with the benchmark scheme.
An Efficient Block-by-Block SVD-Based Image Watermarking Scheme

This paper presents a block based digital image watermarking that is dependent on the mathematical technique of singular value decomposition (SVD). Traditional SVD watermarking already exists for watermark embedding on the image as a whole. In the proposed approach, the original image is divided into blocks, and then the watermark is embedded in the singular values (SVs) of each block separately. This segmentation process and watermarking on a block-by-block basis makes the watermark more robust to the attacks such as noise, compression, cropping and other attacks as the results reveal. Watermark detection is implemented by extracting the watermark from the SVs of the watermarked blocks. Extracting the watermark from one block at least is enough to ensure the existence of the watermark.
Specification and Generation of Custom-Tailored Knowledge-Acquisition Tools

Domain-oriented knowledge-acquisition tools provide efficient support for the design of knowledge-based systems. However, the cost of developing such tools is high, especially when their restricted scope is taken into account. Developers can use metalevel tools to generate domain-oriented knowledge-acquisition tools that are custom tailored for a small group of experts, with considerably less effort than is required for manual tool development. An epistemic obstacle to creating such metatools is the specification model for target knowledge-acquisition tools. The metatool DOTS is based on an abstract-architecture approach to the specification and generation of knowledge-acquisition tools. DOTS is domain and method independent, because it is based on an architectural model of the target knowledge-acquisition tool.
A robust multi‐objective resource allocation scheme incorporating uncertainty and service differentiation

Grid computing emerges as an infrastructure for large‐scale data processing, resource sharing, and scientific computing. In this paper we propose a Grid scheduling algorithm using multi‐attribute utility theory and multi‐objective optimization (MOO). The algorithm makes the optimal decisions based on the available set of objectives. By comparing with a deadline‐and‐budget algorithm with three objectives, we show that the proposed MOO scheduling algorithm is capable of obtaining a broader set of non‐dominated solutions. The obtained solutions are also of higher quality, which are in close proximity to the Pareto optimal front. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Trajectories and events

A solution to the correspondence problem using constraint satisfaction is described. It uses a real-time line-fitting algorithm to detect changes in a point's motion parameters as they happen. A trajectory is hypothesized for a single point's motion. Since the event detected may be wrong, multiple trajectories are hypothesized for each point. A correspondence is drawn from the set of hypothesized trajectories. The algorithm is robust, working on noisy and non-rigid motion data, and does not use false precision. <<ETX>>
Users' attachment in trust networks: reputation vs. effort

Trust and reputation systems gained great attention in the last decades. Such systems aim at giving users a quantitative evaluation about the trustworthiness of other users. Several metrics achieve it by combining the past direct experience of all the users of the trust network. Among the methods developed to assess trust, EigenTrust is one of the most popular, based on an adaption of the PageRank metric to trust systems. In this paper, we investigate EigenTrust dynamics, trying to explain some hidden behavioural patterns. Our aim is to show that EigenTrust metric exhibits some counterintuitive behaviours when compared to the common sense notion of trust.
Nail Damage (Severe Onychodystrophy) Induced by Acrylate Glue: Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Investigations

Background: Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) techniques have been used in various fields of medical research, including different pathologies of the nails; however, no studies have focused on obtaining high-resolution microscopic images and elemental analysis of disorders caused by synthetic nails and acrylic adhesives. Methods: Damaged/injured fingernails caused by the use of acrylate glue and synthetic nails were investigated using SEM and EDX methods. Results: SEM and EDX proved that synthetic nails, acrylic glue, and nails damaged by contact with acrylate glue have a different morphology and different composition compared to healthy human nails. Conclusions: SEM and EDX analysis can give useful information about the aspects of topography (surface sample), morphology (shape and size), hardness or reflectivity, and the elemental composition of nails.
The ANIMAL algorithm animation tool

In this paper, we present Animal, a new tool for developing animations to be used in lectures. Animal offers a small but powerful set of graphical operators. Animations are generated using a visual editor, by scripting or via API calls. All animations can be edited visually. Animal supports source and pseudo code inclusion and highlighting as well as precise user-defined delays between actions. The paper evaluates the functionality of Animal in comparison to other animation tools.
Injury-independent induction of reactive gliosis in retina by loss of function of the LIM homeodomain transcription factor Lhx2

Müller glia are the primary glial subtype in the retina and perform a wide range of physiological tasks in support of retinal function, but little is known about the transcriptional network that maintains these cells in their differentiated state. We report that selective deletion of the LIM homeodomain transcription factor Lhx2 from mature Müller glia leads to the induction of reactive retinal gliosis in the absence of injury. Furthermore, Lhx2 expression is also down-regulated in Prph2Rd2/Rd2 animals immediately before the onset of reactive gliosis. Analysis of conditional Lhx2 knockouts showed that gliosis was hypertrophic but not proliferative. Aging of experimental animals demonstrated that constitutive reactive gliosis induced by deletion of Lhx2 reduced rates of ongoing apoptosis and compromised both rod and cone photoreceptor function. Additionally, these animals showed a dramatically reduced ability to induce expression of secreted neuroprotective factors and displayed enhanced rates of apoptosis in light-damage assays. We provide in vivo evidence that Lhx2 actively maintains mature Müller glia in a nonreactive state, with loss of function initiating a specific program of nonproliferative hypertrophic gliosis.
Mapping Out Instruments, Affordances, and Mobiles

This paper reviews and extends questions of the scope of an interactive musical instrument and mapping strategies for expressive performance. We apply notions of embodiment and affordance to characterize gestural instruments. We note that the democratization of sensor technology in consumer devices has extended the cultural contexts for interaction. We revisit questions of mapping drawing upon the theory of affordances to consider mapping and instrument together. This is applied to recent work by the author and his collaborators in the development of instruments based on mobile devices designed for specific performance situations.
Exploiting the UMLS metathesaurus in the ontology alignment evaluation initiative

In this paper we describe how the UMLS Metathesaurus—the most comprehensive effort for integrating medical thesauri and ontologies—is being used within the context of the Ontology Alignment Evaluation Initiative (OAEI). We also present the obtained results in the Large BioMed track of the OAEI 2011.5 campaign where the reference alignments are based on UMLS. Finally, we propose a new reference alignment based on the harmonisation of the outputs of the systems participating in the OAEI Large BioMed track.
Alleviating the Sparsity in Collaborative Filtering using Crowdsourcing ∗

As a novel method for alleviating the sparsity problem in collaborative filtering (CF), we explore crowdsourcing-based CF, namely CrowdCF, which solicits new ratings from the crowd. We study three key questions that need to be addressed to effectively utilize CrowdCF: (1) how to select items to show for crowd workers to elicit extra ratings, (2) how to decide the minimum quantity asked to the crowd, and (3) how to handle the erroneous ratings. We validate the effectiveness of CrowdCF by conducting offline experiments using real-life datasets and online experiments on Amazon Mechanical Turk. The best configuration of CrowdCF improves system-wide MAE by 0.07 and 0.03, and F1-score by 4% and 2% in offline and online experiments, compared to the state-of-the-art CF algorithm.
Proton Grid Therapy: A Proof-of-Concept Study

In this work, we studied the possibility of merging proton therapy with grid therapy. We hypothesized that patients with larger targets containing solid tumor growth could benefit from being treated with this method, proton grid therapy. We performed treatment planning for 2 patients with abdominal cancer with the suggested proton grid therapy technique. The proton beam arrays were cross-fired over the target volume. Circular or rectangular beam element shapes (building up the beam grids) were evaluated in the planning. An optimization was performed to calculate the fluence from each beam grid element. The optimization objectives were set to create a homogeneous dose inside the target volume with the constraint of maintaining the grid structure of the dose distribution in the surrounding tissue. The proton beam elements constituting the grid remained narrow and parallel down to large depths in the tissue. The calculation results showed that it is possible to produce target doses ranging between 100% and 130% of the prescribed dose by cross-firing beam grids, incident from 4 directions. A sensitivity test showed that a small rotation or translation of one of the used grids, due to setup errors, had only a limited influence on the dose distribution produced in the target, if 4 beam arrays were used for the irradiation. Proton grid therapy is technically feasible at proton therapy centers equipped with spot scanning systems using existing tools. By cross-firing the proton beam grids, a low tissue dose in between the paths of the elemental beams can be maintained down to the vicinity of a deep-seated target. With proton grid therapy, it is possible to produce a dose distribution inside the target volume of similar uniformity as can be created with current clinical methods.
Recognition Profile of Emotions in Natural and Virtual Faces

Background Computer-generated virtual faces become increasingly realistic including the simulation of emotional expressions. These faces can be used as well-controlled, realistic and dynamic stimuli in emotion research. However, the validity of virtual facial expressions in comparison to natural emotion displays still needs to be shown for the different emotions and different age groups. Methodology/Principal Findings Thirty-two healthy volunteers between the age of 20 and 60 rated pictures of natural human faces and faces of virtual characters (avatars) with respect to the expressed emotions: happiness, sadness, anger, fear, disgust, and neutral. Results indicate that virtual emotions were recognized comparable to natural ones. Recognition differences in virtual and natural faces depended on specific emotions: whereas disgust was difficult to convey with the current avatar technology, virtual sadness and fear achieved better recognition results than natural faces. Furthermore, emotion recognition rates decreased for virtual but not natural faces in participants over the age of 40. This specific age effect suggests that media exposure has an influence on emotion recognition. Conclusions/Significance Virtual and natural facial displays of emotion may be equally effective. Improved technology (e.g. better modelling of the naso-labial area) may lead to even better results as compared to trained actors. Due to the ease with which virtual human faces can be animated and manipulated, validated artificial emotional expressions will be of major relevance in future research and therapeutic applications.
Representing Inner Worlds: Theory of Mind in Autistic, Deaf, and Normal Hearing Children

The purpose of the study reported here was to examine the degree to which delays or deficits in developing a theory of mind are specific to children with autism or extend to other groups of atypical children with varying conversational experience and awareness. The performance of deaf children from a variety of conversational backgrounds was compared with that of autistic and normal hearing children on a range of tasks requiring representation of others' mental states. Native signers, oral deaf children, and normal hearing children scored similarly, and their performance exceeded that shown by signing deaf children from hearing families and children with autism. The latter two groups did not differ significantly from each other. These results point to an interplay among biology, conversation, and culture in the development of a theory of mind.