Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Relationships among specific viral pathogens, virus‐induced interleukin‐8, and respiratory symptoms in infancy

Both virus‐mediated damage to airway tissues and induction of pro‐inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin‐8 (IL‐8) could contribute to symptom severity during viral respiratory infections in children. To test the hypothesis that IL‐8 contributes to the pathogenesis of respiratory symptoms during naturally acquired respiratory viral infections in children, nasal wash samples collected from infants with acute viral infections (n = 198) or from healthy uninfected infants (n = 31) were analysed for IL‐8. Nasal wash IL‐8 was positively related to age in uninfected children (rs = 0.36, p < 0.05). Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection caused more severe respiratory symptoms compared to infections with influenza A, parainfluenza viruses, or rhinoviruses. In addition, RSV, parainfluenza and rhinovirus infections increased levels of IL‐8 in nasal lavage fluid, and there were some differences in the ability of the viruses to induce IL‐8 production (RSV>influenza, p < 0.05). Finally, there were significant correlations between nasal wash IL‐8 levels and symptom scores during infections with rhinovirus (rs = 0.56, p < 0.001) or influenza A (rs = 0.45, p < 0.05), but not with parainfluenza virus or RSV. These findings provide evidence of a close relationship between the generation of IL‐8 and symptoms during acute community‐acquired infections with rhinovirus or influenza A. In contrast, for RSV and parainfluenza infections, factors in addition to IL‐8 production appear to contribute to the generation of clinical symptoms.
Drug efficiency indices for improvement of molecular docking scoring functions

A dataset of protein‐drug complexes with experimental binding energy and crystal structure were analyzed and the performance of different docking engines and scoring functions (as well as components of these) for predicting the free energy of binding and several ligand efficiency indices were compared. The aim was not to evaluate the best docking method, but to determine the effect of different efficiency indices on the experimental and predicted free energy. Some ligand efficiency indices, such as ΔG/W (Wiener index), ΔG/NoC (number of carbons), and ΔG/P (partition coefficient), improve the correlation between experimental and calculated values. This effect was shown to be valid across the different scoring functions and docking programs. It also removes the common bias of scoring functions in favor of larger ligands. For all scoring functions, the efficiency indices effectively normalize the free energy derived indices, to give values closer to experiment. Compound collection filtering can be done prior or after docking, using pharmacokinetic as well as pharmacodynamic profiles. Achieving these better correlations with experiment can improve the ability of docking scoring functions to predict active molecules in virtual screening. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 2010
Create a puppet play and interative digital models with leap Motion

Puppet play is often seen in many countries as a type of traditional show, which is a form of theater or performance that involves the control of puppets. The actors rely on the story outline and add their own creative improvisation to complete a perfect performance. Recently, this traditional show is becoming less popular due to their high cost such as professional stage, expensive puppets and the preparation time for a show. In this paper, we propose a method that user can play a puppet show on computer. The Leap Motion will catch user's hand gesture and show result of controlling puppet in computer screen. User can choose different puppets, scenes and music in our system. Anyone can play a puppet show easily by themselves.
Counterfactual worlds: Characterizing the identifying power of incomplete models with conditional and marginal independence restrictions.

We study a generalization of the treatment eect model in which an observed discrete clas- si…er indicates in which one of a set of counterfactual processes a decision maker is observed. The other observed outcomes are delivered by the particular counterfactual process in which the decision maker is found. Models of the counterfactual processes can be incomplete in the sense that even with knowledge of the values of observed exogenous and unobserved variables they may not deliver a unique value of the endogenous outcomes. We study the identifying power of models of this sort that incorporate (i) conditional independence restrictions under which un- observed variables and the classi…er variable are stochastically independent conditional on some of the observed exogenous variables and (ii) marginal independence restrictions under which unobservable variables and a subset of the exogenous variables are independently distributed. We use random set theory methods to characterize the identifying power of these models for fundamental structural relationships and probability distributions and for interesting function- als of these objects, some of which may be point identi…ed. In one example of an application, we observe the entry decisions of …rms that can choose which of a number of markets to enter and we observe various endogenous outcomes delivered in the markets they choose to enter.
Was the Deflation during the Great Depression Anticipated? Evidence from the Commodity Futures Market

Futures prices were well above spot prices for most commodities during most of the Great Depression; evidently the spectacular declines in agricultural prices caught many people by surprise. Based on the historical correlations between commodity prices and consumer prices, commodity markets anticipated stable consumer prices during the first year of the Great Depression. The dramatic drop in nominal Treasury bill yields, thus, should be read as a drop in ex ante real rates. Later in the Great Depression, markets anticipated deflation, but not as severe as actually occurred. Copyright 1992 by American Economic Association.
An agricultural extension support system on mobile communication networks

This study proposes an approach for building a Semi-Automatic Agricultural Extension Support System based on mobile communication networks and machine learning. This system can be used to link farmers and agricultural experts, thus, it can be considered as an online “farmer-expert bridge”. To build the system, at first, we need to build modules for sending and receiving SMS/MMS messages. These modules are important for farmers to send questions or images, e.g., about their rice status, that need to be consulted by the agricultural experts. Next, a message classification module is built using a combination of machine learning method (e.g., SVM) with image and text processing technologies. Finally, a whole web-based system is conducted to integrate these modules. Initial results show that construction of this system is feasible. This is also the foundation for building an online automatic agricultural extension support system through mobile communication networks.
Walking Cadence to Exercise at Moderate Intensity for Adults: A Systematic Review

Background. Most adults choose walking as a leisure activity. However, many do not reach the international physical activity guidelines for adults, which recommend moderate intensity aerobic activity for at least 150 minutes/week in bouts of 10 minutes. Purpose. This systematic review provides an update on the walking cadence required to reach moderate intensity in adults and older adults, identifies variables associated with reaching moderate intensity, and evaluates how walking cadence intensity should be measured, but the main purpose is to report the interventions that have been attempted to prescribe walking cadence to increase time spent at moderate intensity or other outcomes for adults and older adults. Methods. SportDISCUS, Scopus, and PubMed databases were searched. We identified 3,917 articles and 31 were retained for this systematic review. Only articles written in English were included. Results. In general, 100 steps/minute is prescribed for adults to achieve moderate intensity, but older adults may require a higher cadence. Currently, few studies have explored using walking cadence prescription as an intervention to increase physical activity levels. Conclusion. Prescribing walking cadence as a way to increase physical activity levels has potential as a practical and useful strategy, but more evidence is required to assess its ability to increase physical activity levels at moderate intensity.
REVIEW PAPER ON SEGMENTATION METHODS FOR MULTIOBJECT FEATURE EXTRACTION

Feature extraction and representation plays a vital role in multimedia processing. It is still a challenge in computer vision system to extract ideal features that represents intrinsic characteristics of an image. Multiobject feature extraction system means a system that can extract features and locations of multiple objects in an image. In this paper we have discuss various methods to extract location and features of multiple objects and describe a system that can extract locations and features of multiple objects in an image by implementing an algorithm as hardware logic on a field-programmable gate array-based platform. There are many multiobject extraction methods which can be use for image segmentation based on motion, color intensity and texture. By calculating zeroth and first order moments of objects it is possible to obtain locations and sizes of multiple objects in an image.
Team Formation Instruments to Enhance Learner Interactions in Massive Open Online Courses

Current open learning environments such as Massive Open Online Courses often show a lack of learner collaboration possibilities and high levels of drop-out. Introducing project-based learning can enhance learner collaboration and motivation. Project-based learning requires extensive support from expert teachers and therefore does not easily scale up into Massive Open Online Courses. Team formation instruments are introduced, aimed at supporting teachers and learners in defining and staffing projects. These consist of team formation principles and algorithms to form productive, creative, or learning teams. They use data on the project and on learner knowledge, personality and preferences to propose teams. A study was carried out to validate the team formation principles and the results from the algorithms. The data were provided by Bachelor students Psychology and master students Learning Sciences (n=168) and processed by the algorithms. By means of a survey among human assessors (n=56), the instruments were validated. The principles for learning teams and productive teams were accepted, while the principle for creative teams was not. The algorithms were validated using team classifying tasks and team ranking tasks. Human assessors classify and rank small productive, creative and learning teams in accordance with the algorithms. This indicates that the algorithms differentiate effectively and in line with human assessors between teams with high or low fit to a team formation principle. Results also shows that forming teams quickly becomes complex when team size and the number of topics in a project increase. The article closes with a discussion of the results, conclusions, and directions for future research.
Abrupt shot change detection using an unsupervised clustering of multiple features

We propose an efficient method to detect abrupt shot changes in a video sequence by using an unsupervised clustering. Most conventional shot change detection algorithms use only one kind of frame-by-frame difference feature such as pixel difference or histogram difference, so they can be applied to only specific situations. Another problem is the determination of appropriate threshold values to check the existence of shot changes. To overcome these problems we use several kinds of features simultaneously and propose a modified k-means clustering algorithm which changes the initial cluster center adaptively. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm works well.
Emergency department utilization and monetary charges in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, and a population comparison group

Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or intellectual disability (ID) may utilize the emergency department (ED) more frequently than individuals in the general population. This study compared ED utilization and charges during adolescence among four groups of individuals: ASD‐only, ASD + ID, ID‐only, and a population comparison (PC) group. ED visits occurring during age 12–17 years were examined to identify non, low, and high utilizers. Logistic regression was used to compare groups on the odds of having at least one ED visit during adolescence. Generalized linear models were used to compare groups on number of ED visits and total charges, stratified by low and high ED utilization. Descriptive examination of presenting diagnoses was performed. Individuals with ID, with or without co‐occurring ASD, were significantly more likely to have at least one ED visit during adolescence. Among high ED utilizers, the ID‐only group had the most frequent ED visits but had significantly lower charges than the ASD‐only group. Individuals with ASD‐only and ASD + ID differed from the ID‐only and PC groups in presenting diagnoses. No differences between groups in number of ED visits or charges were observed among low utilizers. ID, with or without ASD, increased the odds of visiting the ED during adolescence. Adolescents with ID‐only had the most frequent ED visits, but individuals with ASD‐only had the highest ED charges and tended to be seen for psychiatric concerns. Further research is warranted to better characterize and meet the healthcare needs of individuals with ASD and/or ID during adolescence. Autism Res 2019, 12: 1129–1138. © 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Can Indirect Herbicide Exposure Modify the Response of the Colorado Potato Beetle to an Organophosphate Insecticide?

Abstract Organisms live in complex multivariate environments. In agroecosystems, this complexity is often human-induced as pest individuals can be exposed to many xenobiotics simultaneously. Predicting the effects of multiple stressors can be problematic, as two or more stressors can have interactive effects. Our objective was to investigate whether indirect glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH) exposure of the host plant has interactive effects in combination with an insecticide (azinphos-methyl) on an invasive pest Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say). We tested the effects of GBH and insecticide on the survival, insecticide target genes expression (acetylcholinesterase genes) and oxidative status biomarkers (glutathione S-transferase [GST], glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase [G6PDH], glutathione reductase homolog [GR], glutathione peroxidase homolog [GPx], total glutathione [totGSH], glutathione reduced-oxidized [GSH: GSSG], catalase [CAT], superoxide dismutase [SOD], lipid hydroperoxides). We found that exposure to indirect GBH has no single or interactive effects in combination with the insecticide on larval survival. However, prior exposure to GBH inhibits Ldace1 gene expression by 0.55-fold, which is the target site for the organophosphate and carbamate insecticides. This difference disappears when individuals are exposed to both GBH and insecticide, suggesting an antagonistic effect. On the other hand, oxidative status biomarker scores (PCAs of GPx, GR, and CAT) were decreased when exposed to both stressors, indicating a synergistic effect. Overall, we found that indirect GBH exposure can have both antagonistic and synergistic effects in combination with an insecticide, which should be considered when aiming for an ecologically relevant risk assessment of multiple human-induced stressors.
Note-Taking Skill Among Bilingual Students in Academia: Literacy, Language and Cognitive Examination

The ability to take notes while listening to a lecture is important and complicated. The main goal of the current study was to examine note-taking skills among students with Hebrew as a first language (L1) and students with Arabic as a first language and Hebrew as a second language (L2). Literacy, language, cognitive, and note-taking skills were assessed among 63 undergraduate students (28 L1). L1 students were found to produce notes of higher quality than L2 students. Moreover, there were significant differences between the groups on measures of vocabulary, word reading fluency, and handwriting speed. The results also revealed that first language was the most important variable in predicting note quality, followed by word reading fluency. Educational implications and directions for further research are discussed in light of the findings.
Nitrification Rates Are Affected by Biogenic Nitrate and Volatile Organic Compounds in Agricultural Soils

The processes regulating nitrification in soils are not entirely understood. Here we provide evidence that nitrification rates in soil may be affected by complexed nitrate molecules and microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs) produced during nitrification. Experiments were carried out to elucidate the overall nature of mVOCs and biogenic nitrates produced by nitrifiers, and their effects on nitrification and redox metabolism. Soils were incubated at three levels of biogenic nitrate. Soils containing biogenic nitrate were compared with soils containing inorganic fertilizer nitrate (KNO3) in terms of redox metabolism potential. Repeated NH4–N addition increased nitrification rates (mM NO31- produced g-1 soil d-1) from 0.49 to 0.65. Soils with higher nitrification rates stimulated (p < 0.01) abundances of 16S rRNA genes by about eight times, amoA genes of nitrifying bacteria by about 25 times, and amoA genes of nitrifying archaea by about 15 times. Soils with biogenic nitrate and KNO3 were incubated under anoxic conditions to undergo anaerobic respiration. The maximum rates of different redox metabolisms (mM electron acceptors reduced g-1 soil d-1) in soil containing biogenic nitrate followed as: NO31- reduction 4.01 ± 0.22, Fe3+ reduction 5.37 ± 0.12, SO42- reduction 9.56 ± 0.16, and CH4 production (μg g-1 soil) 0.46 ± 0.05. Biogenic nitrate inhibited denitrificaton 1.4 times more strongly compared to mineral KNO3. Raman spectra indicated that aliphatic hydrocarbons increased in soil during nitrification, and these compounds probably bind to NO3 to form biogenic nitrate. The mVOCs produced by nitrifiers enhanced (p < 0.05) nitrification rates and abundances of nitrifying bacteria. Experiments suggest that biogenic nitrate and mVOCs affect nitrification and redox metabolism in soil.
Analysis of Brain Lesion Impact on Balance and Gait Following Stroke

Falls are a leading cause of serious injury and restricted participation among persons with stroke (PwS). Reactive balance control is essential for fall prevention, however, only a few studies have explored the effects of lesion characteristics (location and extent) on balance control in PwS. We aimed to assess the impact of lesion characteristics on reactive and anticipatory balance capacity, gait, and hemiparetic lower limb function, in PwS. Forty-six subacute PwS were exposed to forward, backward, right and left unannounced horizontal surface translations in six increasing intensities while standing. Fall threshold (i.e., perturbation intensity that results in a fall into the harness system) was measured. In addition, the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), 6 Minute Walk Test (6MWT) and Lower Extremity Fugl-Meyer (LEFM) were measured. Lesion effects were analyzed separately for left and right hemisphere damaged (LHD, RHD) patients, using voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping (VLSM). Our results show that voxel clusters where damage exerted a significant impact on balance, gait and lower-limb function were found in the corticospinal tract (CST), in its passage in the corona radiata and in the posterior limb of the internal capsule. An additional significant impact was found to lesions affecting the putamen and the external capsule (EC). Balance, gait, and hemiparetic lower limb function showed much overlap of the corresponding “significant” voxel clusters. Test scores of RHD and LHD patients were affected largely by damage to homologous regions, with the LHD group showing a wider distribution of “significant” voxels. The study corroborates and extends previous findings by demonstrating that balance control, gait, and lower limb function are all affected mainly by damage to essentially the same brain structures, namely—the CST and adjacent structures in the capsular-putaminal region.
Hydroxyurea Improves Spatial Memory and Cognitive Plasticity in Mice and Has a Mild Effect on These Parameters in a Down Syndrome Mouse Model

Down syndrome (DS), a genetic disorder caused by partial or complete triplication of chromosome 21, is the most common genetic cause of intellectual disability. DS mouse models and cell lines display defects in cellular adaptive stress responses including autophagy, unfolded protein response, and mitochondrial bioenergetics. We tested the ability of hydroxyurea (HU), an FDA-approved pharmacological agent that activates adaptive cellular stress response pathways, to improve the cognitive function of Ts65Dn mice. The chronic HU treatment started at a stage when early mild cognitive deficits are present in this model (∼3 months of age) and continued until a stage of advanced cognitive deficits in untreated mice (∼5–6 months of age). The HU effects on cognitive performance were analyzed using a battery of water maze tasks designed to detect changes in different types of memory with sensitivity wide enough to detect deficits as well as improvements in spatial memory. The most common characteristic of cognitive deficits observed in trisomic mice at 5–6 months of age was their inability to rapidly acquire new information for long-term storage, a feature akin to episodic-like memory. On the background of severe cognitive impairments in untreated trisomic mice, HU-treatment produced mild but significant benefits in Ts65Dn by improving memory acquisition and short-term retention of spatial information. In control mice, HU treatment facilitated memory retention in constant (reference memory) as well as time-variant conditions (episodic-like memory) implicating a robust nootropic effect. This was the first proof-of-concept study of HU treatment in a DS model, and indicates that further studies are warranted to assess a window to optimize timing and dosage of the treatment in this pre-clinical phase. Findings of this study indicate that HU has potential for improving memory retention and cognitive flexibility that can be harnessed for the amelioration of cognitive deficits in normal aging and in cognitive decline (dementia) related to DS and other neurodegenerative diseases.
PolyJet-Printed Bellows Actuators: Design, Structural Optimization, and Experimental Investigation

Pneumatic bellows actuators are exceptionally suitable for Additive Manufacturing (AM) as the required geometrical complexity can easily be obtained and their functionality is not affected by rough surfaces and small dimensional accuracy. This paper is an extended version of a previously published contribution to the RoboSoft2018 conference in Livorno, Italy. The original paper (Dämmer et al., 2018) contains a simulation-driven design approach as well as experimental investigations of the structural and fatigue behavior of pneumatic multi-material PolyJet™ bellows actuators. This extended version is enhanced with investigations on the relaxation behavior of PolyJet bellows actuators. The presented results are useful for researchers and engineers considering the application of PolyJet bellows actuators for pneumatic robots.