Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effective Maneuver for Passive Robot Walking Helper Based on User Intention

In response to an aging society, a robot walking helper has come up as a research focus. To be practical for use in daily lives for the elderly, it should be able to follow user intention during maneuver and provide motion assistance when demanded. As quite a number of guidance schemes have been proposed, the studies on maneuver are comparatively few. This paper thus proposes a maneuvering system for the passive type of robot walking helper based on user intention. The proposed system first recognizes motion intention from user-applied force and hip rotation, and then utilizes an assistive control strategy to generate proper braking torque for effective maneuver. Experiments in a real environment are conducted for demonstration.
Recombinant NFAT1 (NFATp) is regulated by calcineurin in T cells and mediates transcription of several cytokine genes

Transcription factors of the NFAT family play a key role in the transcription of cytokine genes and other genes during the immune response. We have identified two new isoforms of the transcription factor NFAT1 (previously termed NFATp) that are the predominant isoforms expressed in murine and human T cells. When expressed in Jurkat T cells, recombinant NFAT1 is regulated, as expected, by the calmodulin-dependent phosphatase calcineurin, and its function is inhibited by the immunosuppressive agent cyclosporin A (CsA). Transactivation by recombinant NFAT1 in Jurkat T cells requires dual stimulation with ionomycin and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate; this activity is potentiated by coexpression of constitutively active calcineurin and is inhibited by CsA. Immunocytochemical analysis indicates that recombinant NFAT1 localizes in the cytoplasm of transiently transfected T cells and translocates into the nucleus in a CsA-sensitive manner following ionomycin stimulation. When expressed in COS cells, however, NFAT1 is capable of transactivation, but it is not regulated correctly: its subcellular localization and transcriptional function are not affected by stimulation of the COS cells with ionomycin and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. Recombinant NFAT1 can mediate transcription of the interleukin-2, interleukin-4, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor promoters in T cells, suggesting that NFAT1 contributes to the CsA-sensitive transcription of these genes during the immune response.
Effect of extracellular matrix topology on cell structure, function, and physiological responsiveness: hepatocytes cultured in a sandwich configuration

Extracellular matrix (ECM) geometry is an important modulator of cell polarity and function. For example, 3‐dimensional matrices often more effectively induce differentiated cell function than traditional 2‐dimensional substrates. The effect of ECM topology can be investigated in a controlled fashion using a technique whereby cells cultured on a single surface are overlaid with a second layer of ECM, thereby creating a ”sandwich” configuration. Confluent monolayers of epithelial or endothelial cells overlaid in this fashion often reorganize into structures that are reminiscent of their native tissue. In the case of hepatocytes, the overlay causes a dramatic reorganization of the cytoskeleton, adoption of in vivo‐like morphology and polarity, and expression of a wide array of liver‐specific functions. In this short review, we use the sandwiched hepato‐ cyte culture system to illustrate the effect of ECM geometry on cellular function. Pertinent studies are summarized in the context of defining the parallels, strengths, and limitations of this culture system as an in vitro model to study the physiology and morphogenesis of liver tissue. We also explore some of its potential uses as a model to study liver pharmacology and toxicology, and for the development of liver preservation techniques and liver‐assist devices. —Berthiaume, F. , Moghe, P. V. , Toner, M. , Yarmush, M. L. Effect of extracellular matrix topology on cell structure, function, and physiological responsiveness: hepatocytes cultured in a sandwich configuration. FASEB J. 10, 1471—1484 (1996)
Reduction in retained activity participation is associated with depressive symptoms 3 months after mild stroke: An observational cohort study.

OBJECTIVE To quantify the association of depressive symptoms with retained activity participation 3 months post-stroke, after adjusting for neurological stroke severity and age. DESIGN A cross-sectional observational study of retained activity participation and depressive symptoms in stroke survivors with ischaemic stroke. PARTICIPANTS One hundred stroke survivors with mild neurological stroke severity. METHODS One hundred stroke survivors were recruited from 5 metropolitan hospitals and reviewed at 3 months post-stroke using measures of activity participation, Activity Card Sort-Australia, and depressive symptoms, Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale Structured Interview Guide (MADRS-SIGMA). RESULTS The median percentage of retained overall activity participation was 97%, (interquartile range 79-100%). Using multiple median regression, 1 point increase in the MADRS-SIGMA was associated with a median decrease of 0.7% (95% CI -1.4 to -0.1, p=0.02) of retained overall activity participation, assuming similar neurological stroke severity and age. CONCLUSION The findings of this study establish the association of depressive symptoms with retained activity participation 3 months post-stroke in stroke survivors with mild neurological stroke severity. Clinical rehabilitation recommendations to enhance activity participation need to account for those with even mild depressive symptoms post-stroke.
Alternative butanol/gasoline and butanol/diesel fuel blends: An analysis of the interdependence between physical-chemical properties by a multivariate principal component analysis model

The use of butanol as an oxygenated component in blends with fossil fuels has recently been recognized by the industry as a promising and green alternative for automotive use, being subject of several recent studies. In this work, the interdependence between important physical-chemical properties of butanol/gasoline and butanol/diesel fuel blends was investigated using a multivariate principal component analysis model. The model dataset was based on laboratorial results of density, kinematic viscosity, distillation, vapor pressure, octane rating, anti-knock index, flash point and cetane number in a total of 48 blends, the variables of which were transformed to principal component analysis matrix representations, pre-processed and then analyzed. A good coherence was observed between the experimental results in laboratory and those derived from the principal component analysis models, evidencing important physical-chemical changes in blends’ properties due to the butanol addition. Principal component analysis scores and loadings plots could provide an intuitive and comprehensive data visualization. Butanol/gasoline fuel blends showed an overall increase in density, octane rating and higher distillation temperatures from the initial boiling point to T60 (temperature of the 60% distilled volume) and reduction of the distillation temperatures from T70 to the final boiling point. An absolute reduction in values of all properties was observed for butanol/diesel fuel blends, especially for initial distillation temperatures from initial boiling point to T35, T98, final boiling point and flash point, whereas the reductions for density, kinematic viscosity and cetane number were less intense. Total variances of up to 92.50% and 94.14% were explained by the proposed principal component analysis model, depending on the blends matrix and butanol isomer composition.
Cancelable Biometrics Realization With Multispace Random Projections

Biometric characteristics cannot be changed; therefore, the loss of privacy is permanent if they are ever compromised. This paper presents a two-factor cancelable formulation, where the biometric data are distorted in a revocable but nonreversible manner by first transforming the raw biometric data into a fixed-length feature vector and then projecting the feature vector onto a sequence of random subspaces that were derived from a user-specific pseudorandom number (PRN). This process is revocable and makes replacing biometrics as easy as replacing PRNs. The formulation has been verified under a number of scenarios (normal, stolen PRN, and compromised biometrics scenarios) using 2400 Facial Recognition Technology face images. The diversity property is also examined.
Novelty and Uniqueness Patterns of Rare Members of the Soil Biosphere

ABSTRACT Soil bacterial communities typically exhibit a distribution pattern in which most bacterial species are present in low abundance. Due to the relatively small size of most culture-independent sequencing surveys, a detailed phylogenetic analysis of rare members of the community is lacking. To gain access to the rarely sampled soil biosphere, we analyzed a data set of 13,001 near-full-length 16S rRNA gene clones derived from an undisturbed tall grass prairie soil in central Oklahoma. Rare members of the soil bacterial community (empirically defined at two different abundance cutoffs) represented 18.1 to 37.1% of the total number of clones in the data set and were, on average, less similar to their closest relatives in public databases when compared to more abundant members of the community. Detailed phylogenetic analyses indicated that members of the soil rare biosphere either belonged to novel bacterial lineages (members of five novel bacterial phyla identified in the data set, as well as members of multiple novel lineages within previously described phyla or candidate phyla), to lineages that are prevalent in other environments but rarely encountered in soil, or were close relatives to more abundant taxa in the data set. While a fraction of the rare community was closely related to more abundant taxonomic groups in the data set, a significant portion of the rare biosphere represented evolutionarily distinct lineages at various taxonomic cutoffs. We reason that these novelty and uniqueness patterns provide clues regarding the origins and potential ecological roles of members of the soil's rare biosphere.
Growth, Nitrogen Fixation, and Spectral Attenuation in Cultivated Trichodesmium Species

Physiological studies of Trichodesmium species have been hindered by difficulties in maintaining actively growing, nitrogen-fixing cultures. Previous cultivation successes have not been widely duplicated. We present here a simple modified seawater medium and handling techniques which have been used to maintain actively growing Trichodesmium thiebautii in laboratory culture for over 1 year. The cultured population, isolated from coastal Atlantic waters, has a growth rate of 0.23 division day-1 and exhibits light-dependent nitrogen fixation during exponential growth. Various morphologies, including solitary trichomes, and aggregates (spherical puffs and fusiform tufts) are present during growth. Spectral and scalar irradiance were measured within naturally occurring (coastal Atlantic) aggregates with small (diameter, 50 to 70 μm) spherical fiber-optic sensors. In contrast to naturally occurring puffs, cultivated Trichodesmium aggregates exhibited spectral properties consistent with low-light adaptation. Cultivated puff-type aggregates were also examined by using oxygen microelectrodes. The simple medium and approach used for cultivation should be easily reproducible and amenable to further manipulations and modifications useful for physiological studies of Trichodesmium spp. in culture.
Fundamental aspects of learning minimally invasive surgical skills

With the introduction of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) the necessity to develop training methods to learn skills outside the operating room (OR) became clear. Several training simulators have become commercially available. However, fundamental research into the requirements for effective and efficient training in MIS is still lacking. Yet in the literature several learning models have been described that may be used when designing the structure of a training program. While learning skills, three stages can be observed: cognitive, associative and autonomous. The learning cycle also includes different learning styles and, moreover, every trainee has his/her preferred learning style. Furthermore, training should be adapted to the level of behaviour: skill‐based, rule‐based or knowledge‐based. Training of complex skills should include multiple performance objectives, such as just‐in‐time supportive information and part‐task practice. Finally, motivation for training can be created by assessment. In conclusion, several theories on learning can be found in the literature. These theories may help in the development of effective training programs for training MIS skills outside the OR.
Generating 5 D Light Fields in Scattering Media for Representing 3 D Images

In this paper, we propose a novel method for displaying 3D images based on a 5D light field representation. In our method, the light fields emitted by a light field projector are projected into 3D scattering media such as fog. The intensity of light lays projected into the scattering media decreases because of the scattering effect of the media. As a result, 5D light fields are generated in the scattering media. The proposed method models the relationship between the 5D light fields and observed images, and uses the relationship for projecting light fields so that the observed image changes according to the viewpoint of observers. In order to achieve accurate and efficient 3D image representation, we describe the relationship not by using a parametric model, but by using an observation based model obtained from a point spread function (PSF) of scattering media. The experimental results show the efficiency of the proposed method.
Extensive chloroplast haplotype variation indicates Pleistocene hybridization and radiation of North American Arabis drummondii, A. × divaricarpa, and A. holboellii (Brassicaceae)

Arabis drummondii, A. holboellii and their hybrid A. × divaricarpa are widespread perennials of open habitats in North America. A phylogenetic analysis based on noncoding chloroplast DNA sequences (trnL intron and trnL/F intergenic spacer) resolved A. drummondii as a monophyletic taxon, but found A. holboellii to bear chloroplast haplotypes from highly diverged evolutionary lineages. This raised the question of a possible polyphyletic origin of A. holboellii. Arabis × divaricarpa was found to be of recent and polytopic origin, a result consistent with its presumed hybrid origin. One hundred and three chloroplast haplotypes were detected within 719 Arabis accessions investigated. The majority of chloroplast‐types were estimated to have arisen prior to the Wisconsin glaciation. Phylogeographical analysis using nested clade analysis, suggested for A. holboellii (i) past fragmentation events, partitioning genetic variation in several instances between the Sierra Nevada, the Southern Rocky Mountains and the Colorado Plateau on the one hand and the Central to Northern Rockies of the United States and adjacent Cascades on the other; and for both parental species (ii) recolonization of major areas formerly covered by the Wisconsin glaciation by three haplotypes; and (iii) restricted gene flow indicating isolation by distance in areas south of the last glacial maximum. Arabis × divaricarpa is closely codistributed with its parental species and resampled their haplotypes. The highest genetic diversity was found in the Rocky Mountains from Idaho and Montana south to Utah and Colorado. This area was further hypothesized to have played a major role in the origin of both parental species and probably represented an important glacial refugium. However, evidence for glacial refugia was also found in arctic and boreal regions of Alaska and near the Great Lakes. In comparison to nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer data, chloroplast DNA divergence was very high and evidently predated the origin of A. drummondii and possibly A. holboellii. Divergence of major chloroplast lineages dates back to the middle of the Pleistocene at least. Extensive hybridization is the most likely evolutionary factor working on A. holboellii to explain the revealed discrepancy in nuclear DNA and chloroplast DNA diversification.
Bone Mineral Assessment by Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry in Children With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Evaluation by Age or Bone Area

Background Abnormal linear growth and deficient bone mineral acquisition may coexist in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Traditionally, bone mineral assessment by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) involves comparison to age- and gender-matched reference ranges, and these studies in children with IBD show a high prevalence of osteopenia. Aims To compare the prevalence of osteopenia using two methods of interpretation; one adjusted for age and gender and the other adjusted for bone size and gender. Patients Forty-seven patients with Crohn disease (CD) and 26 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) with a median age of 13.5 years (range, 5.5–18.2 years) were evaluated. Methods Lumbar spine (LS) and total body (TB) bone mineral content (BMC) were measured by DXA and converted to bone mineral density (BMD, g/cm2) corresponding to BMC divided by the bone area. Age and gender-matched BMD standard deviation scores (SDS) were based on reference data providing age- and gender-matched BMC and bone area. These data also allowed calculation of percentage of predicted bone area for age and gender (ppBone Area) and percentage of predicted BMC for Bone Area (ppBMC). Results Patients with CD were shorter than those with UC (median height, SDS, −0.9 v 0, P < 0.05). Median ppBone Area for LS and TB for the whole group was 85% (10th centile, 68; 90th centile 99) and 81% (10th centile 66; 90th centile, 97), respectively. The ppBone Area at both sites was directly related to height SDS and BMI SDS (r > 0.5; P < 0.005). Median BMD SDS for LS and TB was −1.6 (10th centile −3.6; 90th centile, −0.2) and −0.9 (10th centile, −2.4; 90th centile, 0.4), respectively. Median ppBMC for LS and TB was 98% (10th centile, 84%; 90th centile, 113%) and 101% (10th centile 94%; 90th centile, 107%), respectively. The ppBMC showed no relationship to ppBone Area (r = 0.1, NS). Failure to account for bone area led to a label of moderate or severe osteopenia in 65% of cases. After adjustment for bone area, the proportion of children with osteopenia fell to 22%. Conclusions The data suggest that children with IBD often have small bones for age because they have growth retardation. When DXA data are interpreted with adjustment for bone size, most children were found to have adequate bone mass. Correct interpretation of DXA is important for identifying children who may be at a real risk of osteoporosis.
Kinetics of immunoglobulin G, M, A and IgG subclass responses in experimental intravaginal trichomoniasis: prominence of IgG1 response

Trichomoniasis, the most common nonviral sexually transmitted disease, is caused by infection with the protist Trichomonas vaginalis. The clinical spectrum varies from an asymptomatic state to mild, moderate or severe symptoms. However, the exact factors leading to varied symptomatology have not been well elucidated. The mouse is a useful experimental model for intravaginal trichomoniasis, for understanding the role of local immune responses in the pathogenesis and varied symptomatology of this disease. The present study reports anti‐Trichomonas IgG, IgM, IgA and IgG subclass antibody responses on different post‐infection days (3rd, 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th) in serum and vaginal washes of mice infected intravaginally with T. vaginalis isolates from 15 symptomatic and 15 asymptomatic women. Successful intravaginal infection was established by inoculating T. vaginalis in BALB/c mice pre‐inoculated with Lactobacillus acidophilus and pretreated with oestradiol. A significant increase in parasite load was observed on the 14th post‐infection day (p.i.d.) in mice inoculated with T. vaginalis isolates from symptomatic women as compared to asymptomatic women (P < 0·001), followed by reduction until the 28th p.i. d. (P < 0·05). A significant increase in specific IgG (P < 0·001) and in particular IgG1 (P < 0·001) and IgM (P < 0·01) responses was observed on the 14th p.i. d. in serum and vaginal washes of mice infected with T. vaginalis isolates from symptomatic women as compared to asymptomatic women. Significant increases in specific IgG, IgM and IgG1 responses was observed on the 14th p.i. d. in serum samples as compared with vaginal washes of mice infected with T. vaginalis isolates from symptomatic and asymptomatic women (P < 0·01), whereas no significant difference was observed in IgA, IgG2a, IgG2b and IgG3 antibody responses. The study indicates that specific IgG, particularly IgG1 and IgM, may be playing a role in establishing symptomatic infection.
Monitoring angiogenesis in brain using steady‐state quantification of ΔR2 with MION infusion

An MRI method for quantification of cerebral blood volume (CBV) in time‐course studies of angiogenesis is described. Angiogenesis was stimulated by acclimation to hypoxia. The change in relaxation rate, R2, which is relatively sensitive to the microvasculature, was quantified before and after infusion of a superparamagnetic vascular contrast agent (MION). The ΔR2 was measured in serum and brain parenchyma with a multiecho sequence. In vitro and in vivo calibration curves of MION concentration vs. R2 were approximated by a linear function. CBV was 3.14 ± 0.32% (mean ± SE, n = 13) and 6.42 ± 0.54% (n = 4) before and after acclimation. A second acclimated group was hemodiluted to control for polycythemia. CBV was not significantly different between hemodiluted and nonhemodiluted groups. In animals where NMR measurements were taken before and after acclimation, there was a 120% increase in CBV. The NMR technique was validated using quantitative morphometrics, which showed an increase of 147% in CBV with acclimation. We found a linear correlation between MRI and the morphometric results for CBV, as well as demonstrating a quantitative equivalence for relative changes in CBV. This article describes a simple, repeatable method of imaging brain microvascular volume using a plasma‐based contrast agent that can be applied to longitudinal studies of angiogenesis. Magn Reson Med 51:55–61, 2004. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Task relevance modulates processing of distracting emotional stimuli

Numerous studies have claimed that emotional stimuli are able to capture attention automatically when presented outside the main focus of attention. In the current study this claim was tested by using task-relevant and task-irrelevant emotional stimuli. Specifically, in two experiments the effect of emotional stimuli presented in the periphery of attention was tested by using a flanker task. Results showed that emotional stimuli did not capture attention in an unconditional manner. Emotional distracting stimuli created interference only when they were relevant to the task. The findings suggest that “task relevance” is determined by (a) task requirements, and/or (b) target characteristics. The current results have implications for the concept of cognitive load and automaticity of processing emotional stimuli.