Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Localization of Humans, Objects, and Robots Interacting on Load-Sensing Floors

Localization, tracking, and recognition of objects and humans are basic tasks that are of high value in the applications of ambient intelligence. Sensing floors were introduced to address these tasks in a non-intrusive way. To recognize the humans moving on the floor, they are usually first localized, and then a set of gait features are extracted (stride length, cadence, and pressure profile over a footstep). However, recognition generally fails when several people stand or walk together, preventing successful tracking. This paper presents a detection, tracking, and recognition technique which uses objects' weight. It continues working even when tracking individual persons becomes impossible. Inspired by computer vision, this technique processes the floor pressure-image by segmenting the blobs containing objects, tracking them, and recognizing their contents through a mix of inference and combinatorial search. The result lists the probabilities of assignments of known objects to observed blobs. The concept was successfully evaluated in daily life activity scenarii, involving multi-object tracking and recognition on low-resolution sensors, crossing of user trajectories, and weight ambiguity. This technique can be used to provide a probabilistic input for multi-modal object tracking and recognition systems.
Fast Sorting Method for Balancing Capacitor Voltages in Modular Multilevel Converters

The modular multilevel converter (MMC) is attracting more and more interest in high-power and high-voltage applications. Highly redundant, each arm of the converter is made of a large number of identical submodules with inner storage capability allowing to reach very high voltage without dc-link capacitor. The control of such a converter represents a challenge when it comes to the implementation of an MMC with a large number of submodules, namely in distributing the control tasks and handling the communicated values in-between controllers and submodules. This paper presents the details of an innovative submodule selection method for the submodule capacitor's voltage balancing within one arm of an MMC. “The Tortoise and the Hare” sorting method shows very fast response, high reliability, and its implementation suits a large number of implemented submodules as for high-voltage dc applications. The proposed submodule capacitor's balancing method is validated on a three-phase 10-kVA prototype with five submodules per arm.
Rhizobium Nod Factor Perception and Signalling Article, publication date, and citation information can be found at www.plantcell.org/cgi/doi/10.1105/tpc.002451.

Biological nitrogen fixation is a process that can only be performed by certain prokaryotes. In some cases, such bacteria are able to fix nitrogen in a symbiotic relationship with plants. Bacteria of the genera Azorhizobium , Bradyrhizobium , Mesorhizobium , Rhizobium , and Sinorhizobium (
The DLR C-runner: Concept, design and experiments

Legged locomotion requires highly dynamic and efficient actuation as well as robust environment interaction. In the past years soft robots with elastic actuation have been investigated and their fitness for cyclic tasks and safe and robust environment interaction has been shown. To evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of series elastic actuation, variable impedance actuation as well as multi-articular elastic coupling in legged locomotion, we developed a two legged human size test-bed. These modular robotic legs give the possibility to evaluate and directly compare different elastic actuation concepts on a single system. Hopping and bipedal modal motion experiments where performed to proof the concept.
Delayed Medullar Syndrome after Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage

We described a case of chronic spinal cystic arachnoiditis after subarachnoid haemorrhage in a 54-year-old woman with a ruptured vertebral artery aneurysm treated by coils. At three months she complained of lumbar pain. At twelve months she presented lower limbs paresthesia then a rapidly bilateral motor deficit. MR showed a spinal arachnoiditis with two compressive cysts. Surgical decompression was inefficient and after three months spinal compression symptoms worsened and MR signs were unchanged.
InP Drain Engineering in Asymmetric InGaAs/InP MOSFETs

The design of the InP drain layer in asymmetric InGaAs/InP MOSFETs has been studied experimentally. The influence of doping and thickness of the InP drain has been carefully measured and compared with the performance with an InGaAs drain, regarding the output conductance, the voltage gain, and the leakage current. It is shown that the introduction of an undoped InP spacer has a profound effect on the transistor characteristics. Finally, the effect of a gate-connected field plate at the InP drain side has also been studied both in dc and RF data.
Bone Density and Fracture Risk in Men

We evaluated different definitions of osteoporosis in a population‐based sample of 348 men (age 22–90 years) compared with 351 women (age 21–93 years). Thirty‐six men (10%) and 46 women (13%) had a history of osteoporotic fracture (hip, spine, or distal forearm due to moderate trauma at ≥ age 35). In logistic regression analysis, osteoporotic fracture risk was associated with bone mineral density (BMD) at all sites (neck, trochanter, total hip, lumbar spine, and total wrist) in both genders (p < 0.001) except spinal BMD in men. After adjusting for age, total hip BMD was the strongest predictor of fracture risk in women (odds ratio [OR] per 1 SD decline, 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6–3.7), while wrist BMD was best in men (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1–2.0). Among men but not women, bone mineral apparent density (BMAD) was a better predictor of fracture than BMD (wrist BMAD OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.3–2.3). Hip BMD/BMAD decreased linearly from age 20 years onward in both genders, while spinal BMD/BMAD declined after age 40 in women but not in men. In both genders, total wrist BMD/BMAD decreased after age 50. By World Health Organization criteria, the age‐adjusted prevalence of osteoporosis at the hip, spine, or wrist was 35% among women ≥50 years of age. A similar approach (BMD > 2.5 SD below the young male mean) produced an osteoporosis prevalence rate in men ≥50 years of age of 19%. Thus, bone density predicts fracture risk in men as it does in women, and the prevalence of osteoporosis in men, using sex‐specific normal values, is substantial. These observations indicate a need for better prevention and treatment strategies for men.
Differential diagnosis of adnexal masses: risk of malignancy index, ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging, and radioimmunoscintigraphy

A risk of malignancy index (RMI), based on menopausal status, ultrasound (US) findings, and serum CA125, has previously been described and validated in the primary evaluation of women with adnexal masses and is widely used in selective referral of women from local cancer units to specialized cancer centers. Additional imaging modalities could be useful for further characterization of adnexal masses in this group of women. A prospective cohort study was conducted of 196 women with an adnexal mass referred to a teaching hospital for diagnosis and management. Follow-up data was obtained for 180 women; 119 women had benign and 61 women malignant adnexal masses. The sensitivity and specificity of specialist US, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), radioimmunoscintigraphy (RS), and the RMI were determined. We identified a subgroup of women with RMI values of 25–1000 where the value of further specialist imaging was evaluated. Sensitivity and specificity for specialist US were 100% and 57%, for MRI 92% and 86%, and for RS 76% and 87%, respectively. Analysis of 123 patients managed sequentially, using RMI cutoff values of ≥25 and <1000 and then US and MRI provided a sensitivity of 94% and a specificity of 90%. Using this RMI cutoff followed by specialist US and MRI, as opposed to the traditional RMI cutoff value of 250, can increase the proportion of patients with cancer appropriately referred in to a cancer center, with no change in the proportion of patients with benign disease being managed in a local unit
Biobjective power dispatch using goal-attainment method and adaptive polynomial networks

This paper presents an integrated approach that combines goal-attainment (GA) and adaptive polynomial networks (APN) to real-time biobjective power dispatch. The goals considered are fuel cost and the environmental impact of multiple emissions. The complicated relationships between the input (power demand and operator's economic and emission preferences) and the output (power generated by each generator) can be efficiently modeled by the APN. Moreover, the APN can rapidly provide an accurate estimate of the real-time dispatch results for the power demand and the operator's preferences. The effectiveness of the proposed approach has been demonstrated by the IEEE 30-bus six-generator and the practical Taipower 388-bus 27-generator systems. Test results reveal that the proposed approach achieves significant savings in computation time and reduces the complexity of the real-time power dispatch. Furthermore, the proposed APN outperforms the artificial neural networks (ANNs) method, in both developing the model and estimating the power generated by each generator.
Generation of striatal projection neurons extends into the neonatal period in the rat brain

• Studies on postnatal neurogenesis as a constitutive physiological process have largely focused on the adult brain. • This study identifies and characterises a continued period of striatal neurogenesis under normal physiological conditions in the neonatal brain. • Birth‐dating studies show a peak production of striatal projection neuron generation at postnatal day 0 that declines sharply within the first postnatal week. • New striatal projection neurons integrate appropriately into existing circuitry through target‐directed innervation of appropriate sub‐striatal structures. • The results are highly relevant for the development of regenerative strategies for neonatal brain repair.
Intramedullary nails for long bone metastases: why do they fail?

Metastatic disease to long bones is common and often requires stabilization to treat or prevent fracture. Intramedullary fixation is used in many metaphyseal and diaphyseal lesions. The goal of this study was to investigate the causes of and risk factors for reconstructive failure in intramedullary fixation of metastatic disease. We performed a retrospective review of 112 consecutive reconstructions for metastatic disease treated with an isolated intramedullary nail. There were 81 reconstructions in the femur, 25 in the humerus, and 6 in the tibia. All included patients were followed until death or reconstructive failure. All surviving patients had a minimum 2-year follow-up.Ten failures required construct revision. Median time to revision was 17.9 months (range, 3-93 months). The causes of failure included surgeon error, tumor progression, nonunion, and hardware failure. Patients with short survival times (P<.001) or a diagnosis of lung cancer (P=.029) were unlikely to fail. Revision was required in 6 solitary lesions (P=.012), 3 cases of lymphoma (P=.002), 3 cases of progressive renal cell carcinoma (P=.040), and 2 radiation-associated fractures (P=.007). Intramedullary stabilization is a successful operation for appropriate lesions. Failures may be minimized with proper implant selection and surgical technique, resection or curettage of renal cell carcinoma, avoidance of radiation-associated fractures, and overestimating patient survival.
Multislice Computed Tomography for Evaluating Acetabular Defects in Revision THA

Acetabular bone defects influence acetabular revision surgery, but plain radiographs provide limited information about the osteolytic lesions. Multislice computed tomography may show the volume and location of osteolytic cavities in patients with failed cups more accurately than plain radiographs. We asked whether multislice computed tomography with metal artifact minimization could calculate the volume and location of pelvic osteolysis associated with a failed cup. We evaluated 60 hips with computed tomography just before cup revision. Resolution and bone contrast were maximized using the 135 kV and 250 mA scan settings. The computed tomography slice thickness was 3 mm and the reconstruction index was 1.5 mm. Bone defects were classified according to the radiographic criteria of Paprosky et al. Radiographs showed acetabular lysis on 33 hips, whereas computed tomography scans showed it on 52 hips. The most frequent locations of osteolysis were the posterior wall and ischium. Radiographs underestimated the extent of the lysis. In most hips, the amount of osteolysis seen on the computed tomography views was greater compared with the radiographs: the average volumetric bone was 37.9 cm3. Multislice computed tomography with metal artifact minimization is more sensitive than plain radiographs for identifying and quantifying osteolysis around the cup.Level of Evidence: Level II, diagnostic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Effect of Different Strains of Agrobacterium rhizogenes and Nature of Explants on Plumbago indica Hairy Root Culture with Special Emphasis on Root Biomass and Plumbagin Production

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of three strains of Agrobacterium rhizogenes (ATCC 15834, A4 and LBA 9402) and the nature of explants (leaf and stem) on hairy root induction, growth and plumbagin production in Plumbago indica. The first appearance of hairy roots, the transformation frequency, dry root biomass and plumbagin accumulation were found to be maximum in hairy roots induced in leaf explants infected with A. rhizogenes ATCC 15834 as compared with the other two bacterial strains. The hairy roots generated from stem explants infected with all three strains were not found to be productive in terms of the selected parameters. Finally, the insertion of the rolB gene of A. rhizogenes ATCC 15834 in hairy roots of P. indica derived from leaf explants was confirmed by PCR analysis.
Photothermal Modeling and Analysis of Intrabody Terahertz Nanoscale Communication

Wireless communication among implanted nano-biosensors will enable transformative smart health monitoring and diagnosis systems. The state of the art of nano-electronics and nano-photonics points to the terahertz (THz) band (0.1–10 THz) and optical frequency bands (infrared, 30–400 THz, and visible, 400–750 THz) as the frequency range for communication among nano-biosensors. Recently, several propagation models have been developed to study and assess the feasibility of intra-body electromagnetic (EM) nanoscale communication. These works have been mainly focused on understanding the propagation of EM signals through biological media, but do not capture the resulting photothermal effects and their impact both on the communication as well as on the body itself. In this paper, a novel thermal noise model for intra-body communication based on the diffusive heat flow theory is developed. In particular, an analytical framework is presented to illustrate how molecules in the human body absorb energy from EM fields and subsequently release this energy as heat to their immediate surroundings. As a result, a change in temperature is witnessed from which the molecular absorption noise can be computed. Such analysis has a dual benefit from a health as well as a communication perspective. For the medical community, the presented methodology allows the quantization of the temperature increase resulting from THz frequency absorption. For communication purposes, the complete understanding of the intra-body medium opens the door toward developing modulations suited for the capabilities of nano-machines and tailored to the peculiarities of the THz band channel as well as the optical window.
Measurement of the Visual Field

There is increasing evidence that concurrent visual and nonvisual tasks not only reduce the size but also result in systematic deformation of the visual field. Given such complex changes in the visual field, appropriate representation and measurement of its shape is all important. Shape measures utilized by tesearchcrs and reported in the literature should also be sufficiently standardized to allow comparison of results across experiments.
Assessment of the fungal diversity and succession of ligninolytic endophytes in Camellia japonica leaves using clone library analysis

Fungal assemblages in live, newly shed and partly decomposed leaves of Camellia japonica were investigated with a clone library analysis to assess the fungal diversity and succession in a subtropical forest in southern Japan. Partly decomposed leaves were divided into bleached and adjacent nonbleached portions to estimate the fungi functionally associated with lignin decomposition in the bleached portions, with an emphasis on Coccomyces sinensis (Rhytismataceae, Ascomycota). From 144 cloned 28S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequences, 48 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were defined based on a sequence similarity threshold of 98%. Forty-one (85%) of the 48 OTUs belonged to the Ascomycota and seven OTUs (15%) to the Basidiomycota. Twenty-six OTUs (54%) were detected only once (singletons). The number of OTUs and the diversity indices of the fungal assemblages in the different leaves were in this order: live leaves > newly shed leaves > bleached portions > nonbleached portions of partly decomposed leaves. The fungal assemblages were similar in newly shed leaves and the bleached portions of partly decomposed leaves. Ligninolytic fungi of the genera Coccomyces, Lophodermium and Xylaria were frequently detected in the bleached portions. OTU3, identified as Coccomyces sinensis, was detected in live and newly shed leaves and the bleached portions of partly decomposed leaves, suggesting that this fungus latently infects live leaves, persists after leaf fall and takes part in lignin decomposition.
Mice Deficient for Testis-Brain RNA-Binding Protein Exhibit a Coordinate Loss of TRAX, Reduced Fertility, Altered Gene Expression in the Brain, and Behavioral Changes

ABSTRACT Testis-brain RNA-binding protein (TB-RBP), the mouse orthologue of the human protein Translin, is a widely expressed and highly conserved protein with proposed functions in chromosomal translocations, mitotic cell division, and mRNA transport and storage. To better define the biological roles of TB-RBP, we generated mice lacking TB-RBP. Matings between heterozygotes gave rise to viable, apparently normal homozygous mutant mice at a normal Mendelian ratio. The TB-RBP-related and -interacting protein Translin-associated factor X was reduced to 50% normal levels in heterozygotes and was absent in TB-RBP-null animals. The null mice were 10 to 30% smaller than their wild-type or heterozygote littermates at birth and remained so to about 6 to 9 months of age, showed normal B- and T-cell development, and accumulated visceral fat. TB-RBP-null male mice were fertile and sired offspring but had abnormal seminiferous tubules and reduced sperm counts. Null female mice were subfertile and had reduced litter sizes. Microarray analysis of total brain RNA from null and wild-type mice revealed an altered gene expression profile with the up-regulation of 14 genes and the down-regulation of 217 genes out of 12,473 probe sets. Numerous neurotransmitter receptors and ion channels, including γ-aminobutyric acid A receptor α1 and glutamate receptor α3, were strongly down-regulated. Behavioral abnormalities were also seen. Compared to littermates, the TB-RBP-null mice appeared docile and exhibited reduced Rota-Rod performance.
Segmentation of depth images into objects based on local and global convexity

An approach for object detection in depth images based on local and global convexity is presented. The approach consists of three steps: image segmentation into planar patches, greedy planar patch aggregation based on local convexity and segment grouping based on global convexity. The proposed approach improves upon existing similar methods, which use convexity as a cue for object detection, by detecting convex objects represented by multiple spatially separated image regions as well as hollow convex objects. The presented method is experimentally evaluated using a publicly available benchmark dataset and compared to two state-of-the art approaches. The experimental analysis demonstrates improvement achieved by high-level segment grouping based on global convexity.
Comparison of the Supraglottic Airway Devices Classic, Fastrach and Supreme Laryngeal Mask Airway: A Prospective Randomised Clinical Trial of Efficacy, Safety and Complications.

OBJECTIVE This prospective randomised study was designed to compare the Laryngeal Mask Airway (LMA) Classic, LMA Fastrach and LMA Supreme regarding ease of insertion and insertion time as primary outcomes and reposition, success rate of trials, effects on haemodynamic parameters, provision of an adequate and safe airway, amount of leakage and oropharyngeal and systemic complications as secondary outcomes. METHODS In this clinical trial, 90 patients aged 18-70 years of American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) group I-II were randomised into three groups as providing airway via LMA Classic, LMA Fastrach or LMA Supreme instead of tracheal intubation. No muscle relaxant was used. The allocated LMA was inserted by the same anaesthetist; bispectral index (BIS) was between 40% and 60%. RESULTS There was no statistical difference among the groups regarding the ease of insertion and insertion time as primary outcomes; the incidence of repositioning during placement was significantly higher in the LMA Classic group than that in other groups (p<0.05) and the rates of bloodstain on the device as well as oropharyngeal mucosal oedema were higher in the LMA Fastrach group than those in other groups (p<0.05) as secondary outcomes. CONCLUSION We suggest that LMA Classic, LMA Supreme and LMA Fastrach had similar effectiveness regarding efficiency and airway safety. However, LMA Supreme seems to be more advantageous as it is more appropriate for fewer oropharyngeal complications and there was no repositioning.
Influence of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation attack on brain natriuretic peptide secretion.

OBJECTIVES Plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) concentration is higher during atrial fibrillation (Af) than sinus rhythm, based on studies of electrical defibrillation treatment of patients with chronic Af. However, the change in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAf) is not well known. This study investigated such changes and the relationship between BNP and Af. METHODS BNP levels were successfully measured at three time points: before Af attack, during Af attack, and after (spontaneous or pharmacological) termination of 68 consecutive Af attacks in 35 outpatients with PAf (23 men, 12 women, mean age 70.4 +/- 9.6 years). BNP was measured by immunoradiometric assay. RESULTS BNP (median[quartiles]) during PAf was increased by 66[25, 120] pg/ml (2.4-fold) compared to during sinus rhythm (p < 0.0001), and fell to the former level after return to sinus rhythm (before attack = 39[18, 70], during attack = 102[52, 205], after attack = 35[20, 67]). BNP increased in 55 (81%) of 68 attacks, did not change (within +/- 20 pg/ml) in 11 (16%), and decreased in 2 (3%). BNP was already elevated immediately (within 4 hr) after onset of Af, and BNP elevation (delta BNP) showed no significant relationship with the time elapsed after onset. During the Af attack, 41% of PAf patients were asymptomatic although BNP increased significantly. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that elevated amounts of BNP during Af are released from secretory granules in the atrium, and BNP elevation of unknown cause may be attributed to the presence of asymptomatic Af. Cardiac function evaluation using BNP during Af requires special consideration, unlike during sinus rhythm, even in patients with PAf or chronic Af, because BNP during Af is the sum of the BNP values from the ventricle (reflecting left ventricular function) and the atrium (due to Af).