Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Elucidating the body surface P-wave using a detailed computer model of atrial activation

Features of the ECG P-wave remain largely unexplained. P-wave notching is thought to relate to distinct events of right and left atrial activations. Wandering pacemaker is known to give rise to distinct P wave morphologies. In this study, we develop a 3D computational model of the human atria that is incorporated into a 3D human torso model which can simulate realistic P-waves across the torso. The atrial model considered detailed anatomical structure and electrophysiological heterogeneity. The torso model is used to produce ECG P-waves corresponding to those of the standard 12 lead ECG as well as a more detailed 64 lead electrode vest. The model is validated both in terms of the atrial activation sequence and the P-waves produced. The 12 lead ECG is then used to detect the presence of acetylcholine and isoprenaline on the atria. The 64 lead vest simulation is used to confirm that the presence of distinct P-wave modes in a clinical ECG is likely due to the presence of a leading pacemaker site shift, which may be caused by acetylcholine.
Digital Reconstruction as a means of understanding a building’s history - Case studies of a multilayer prototype

The experiments presented in this paper are situated at the crossroads of two fields: the understanding and communication of history to students and the field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). More specifically, we aim to propose to students, ways of transferring information about lifestyles and techniques linked to the construction methods used in the past and which are present in ancient sites. It is not merely a question of proposing experiments for managing an inventory of knowledge such as that summarized in historical texts, but rather a means for understanding it: How do we communicate the invisible? How do we make visible what we cannot see but that we can imagine lies beneath the ruins of ancient sites? Lastly, how do we propose new approaches in the transferring of these historic skills and lifestyles? Such are the questions that the students’ experiments will attempt to answer while using computers as cognitive tools. In this case, these cognitive tools are designated as “multilayer prototypes” which aim to develop a dynamic virtual history space through augmented reality.
Intramolecular surface contacts contain information about protein-protein interface regions

MOTIVATION Some amino acids clearly show preferences over others in protein-protein interfaces. These preferences, or so-called interface propensities can be used for a priori interface prediction. We investigated whether the prediction accuracy could be improved by considering not single but pairs of residues in an interface. Here we present the first systematic analysis of intramolecular surface contacts in interface prediction. RESULTS We show that preferences do exist for contacts within and around an interface region within one molecule: specific pairs of amino acids are more often occurring than others. Using intramolecular contact propensities in a blind test, higher average scores were assigned to interface residues than to non-interface residues. This effect persisted as small but significant when the contact propensities were corrected to eliminate the influence of single amino acid interface propensity. This indicates that intramolecular contact propensities may replace interface propensities in protein-protein interface prediction. AVAILABILITY The source code is available on request from the authors.
Chin Up, Shoulders Back: An Examination of Body Language in Authority Figures

This study was designed to investigate how body posture of authority figures can affect the perceptions of people in a subordinate position. In this experiment, an actor was recorded giving directions for how to solve a puzzle in three separate postures including confident, neutral, and submissive. The actor was deemed the title of researcher to give him an authoritative position. Participants viewed the video, completed the puzzle, and filled out a survey on the authority figure. The results of the survey conclude that when the neutral and submissive postures are compared, the neutral position is significantly preferred.
Research on the augmented reality system without identification markers for home exhibition

This paper discusses a system based on Augmented Reality for Home Exhibition, which supports real-time tracking without Identification Markers, the system uses FAST corner detection and local window matching algorithm to establish the initial 3D maps. It then uses OpenGL ES Graphics Rendering Tools to make the virtual furniture models which established by MAYA on the mobile phone based on the real-time camera pose.
Optimal clustering of multivariate normal distributions using divergence and its application to HMM adaptation

We present an optimal clustering algorithm for grouping multivariate normal distributions into clusters using the divergence, a symmetric, information-theoretic distortion measure based on the Kullback-Liebler distance. Optimal solutions for normal distributions are shown to be obtained by solving a set of Riccati matrix equations and the optimal centroids are found by alternating the mean and covariance matrix intermediate solutions. The clustering performance of the new algorithm compared favorably against the conventional, non-optimal clustering solutions of sample mean and sample covariance in its overall rate-distortion and even distributions of samples across clusters. The resultant clusters were further tested on unsupervised adaptation of HMM parameters in a framework of structured maximum a posterior linear regression (SMAPLR). The Wall Street Journal database was used for the adaptation experiment. The recognition performance with respect to the word error rate, was significantly improved from a nonoptimal centroid (sample mean and covariance) of 32.6% to 27.6% and 27.5% for the diagonal and full covariance matrix cases, respectively.
Online Mentoring as an Extracurricular Measure to Encourage Talented Girls in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics): An Empirical Study of One-on-One Versus Group Mentoring

Online mentoring provides an effective means of extracurricular gifted education for talented girls in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Comparative studies on the effectiveness of one-on-one versus group mentoring are lacking, however. The authors investigated this question in the context of a Germany-wide online mentoring program that employed both approaches. Study participants were girls enrolled in high-achiever-track secondary education in Germany (N = 347) who were mentored online by female academics in STEM for 6 months, in either one-on-one (N = 156) or group mentoring (N = 191). It was assumed that the specific many-to-many group-mentoring condition examined in our study would be more effective than the one-on-one mentoring condition with respect to (a) the proportion of STEM communication and (b) the extent of STEM-related networking, both of which are important predictors of successful mentoring. Furthermore, the authors (c) expected more growth in elective intentions for the group-mentoring participants and (d) assumed that participants’ centrality in their respective STEM networks would predict this increase. The study presents empirical support for all four assumptions and thus suggests that the special form of group mentoring examined here may be a more successful measure of extracurricular gifted education for girls in STEM than one-on-one mentoring.
Effects of Selected Polysorbate and Sucrose Ester Emulsifiers on the Physicochemical Properties of Astaxanthin Nanodispersions

The effects of selected nonionic emulsifiers on the physicochemical characteristics of astaxanthin nanodispersions produced by an emulsification/evaporation technique were studied. The emulsifiers used were polysorbates (Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 40, Polysorbate 60 and Polysorbate 80) and sucrose esters of fatty acids (sucrose laurate, palmitate, stearate and oleate). The mean particle diameters of the nanodispersions ranged from 70 nm to 150 nm, depending on the emulsifier used. In the prepared nanodispersions, the astaxanthin particle diameter decreased with increasing emulsifier hydrophilicity and decreasing carbon number of the fatty acid in the emulsifier structure. Astaxanthin nanodispersions with the smallest particle diameters were produced with Polysorbate 20 and sucrose laurate among the polysorbates and the sucrose esters, respectively. We also found that the Polysorbate 80- and sucrose oleate-stabilized nanodispersions had the highest astaxanthin losses (i.e., the lowest astaxanthin contents in the final products) among the nanodispersions. This work demonstrated the importance of emulsifier type in determining the physicochemical characteristics of astaxanthin nano-dispersions.
Evolving modular networks with genetic algorithms: application to nonlinear time series

Abstract: A key problem of modular neural networks is finding the optimal aggregation of the different subtasks (or modules) of the problem at hand. Functional networks provide a partial solution to this problem, since the inter‐module topology is obtained from domain knowledge (functional relationships and symmetries). However, the learning process may be too restrictive in some situations, since the resulting modules (functional units) are assumed to be linear combinations of selected families of functions. In this paper, we present a non‐parametric learning approach for functional networks using feedforward neural networks for approximating the functional modules of the resulting architecture; we also introduce a genetic algorithm for finding the optimal intra‐module topology (the appropriate balance of neurons for the different modules according to the complexity of their respective tasks). Some benchmark examples from nonlinear time‐series prediction are used to illustrate the performance of the algorithm for finding optimal modular network architectures for specific problems.
Association between cytoplasmic CRABP2, altered retinoic acid signaling, and poor prognosis in glioblastoma

Retinoic acid (RA), a metabolite of vitamin A, is required for the regulation of growth and development. Aberrant expression of molecules involved in RA signaling has been reported in various cancer types including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Cellular retinoic acid‐binding protein 2 (CRABP2) has previously been shown to play a key role in the transport of RA to retinoic acid receptors (RARs) to activate their transcription regulatory activity. Here, we demonstrate that CRABP2 is predominantly located in the cytoplasm of GBM tumors. Cytoplasmic, but not nuclear, CRABP2 levels in GBM tumors are associated with poor patient survival. Treatment of malignant glioma cell lines with RA results in a dose‐dependent increase in accumulation of CRABP2 in the cytoplasm. CRABP2 knockdown reduces proliferation rates of malignant glioma cells, and enhances RA‐induced RAR activation. Levels of CRYAB, a small heat shock protein with anti‐apoptotic activity, and GFAP, an astrocyte‐specific intermediate filament protein, are greatly reduced in CRABP2‐depleted cells. Restoration of CRYAB expression partially but significantly reversed the effect of CRABP2 depletion on RAR activation. Our combined in vivo and in vitro data indicate that: (i) CRABP2 is an important determinant of clinical outcome in GBM patients, and (ii) the mechanism of action of CRABP2 in GBM involves sequestration of RA in the cytoplasm and activation of an anti‐apoptotic pathway, thereby enhancing proliferation and preventing RA‐mediated cell death and differentiation. We propose that reducing CRABP2 levels may enhance the therapeutic index of RA in GBM patients. GLIA 2016;64:963–976
Observations on the substructure of flagellar fibres.

The substructure of the outer and central fibres of the flagella of Trichonympha and other flagellates has been examined by electron microscopy, using negatively-stained material. Periodicities revealed in the micrographs have been analysed by studying the optical diffraction patterns obtained from them. Outer and central fibres appear to be essentially similar in substructure and are made up of a number of longitudinal filaments which form the wall of the hollow fibres. The filaments are 40-50 A apart, centre to centre, and are beaded, the beads (or subunits) giving rise to an axial repeat along the filaments of 40 A and a basic surface lattice of 40 x 50 A. In collapsed or disintegrating fibres no other substructural features are usually visible. In intact fibres, however, additional longitudinal periodicities are apparent. An 80-A spacing is prominent, and there is commonly also a strong 160-A repeat. These appear to be orders of a fundamental 480-A period. The long spacings are thought to arise as departures in the arrangement of the subunits from the simple 40 x 50 A lattice, the perturbations probably occurring both radially and in the plane of the surface of the fibre. In the central fibres additional material is present, spaced at 160 A and probably corresponding to the central sheath previously described from sectioned material. Observations on the arms of the outer fibres are described.
Defect level evaluation in an IC design environment

The purpose of this paper is to present a methodology for the evaluation of the Defect Level in an IC design environment. The methodology is based on the extension of Williams-Brown formula to nonequiprobable faults, which are collected from the IC layout, using the information on a typical IC process line defect statistics. The concept of weighted fault coverage is introduced, and the Defect Level (DL) evaluated for the Poisson and the negative binomial yield models. It is shown that DL depends on the critical areas associated with undetected faults, and their correspondent defect densities. Simulation results are presented, which highlight that the classic single Line Stuck-At (LSA) fault coverage is a unreliable metric of test quality. Moreover, results show that the efficiency of a given set of test patterns strongly depends on the physical design and defect statistics.
ABCC2-24C > T polymorphism is associated with the response to platinum/5-Fu-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy and better clinical outcomes in advanced gastric cancer patients

Several studies have evaluated the efficacy of neoadjuvant treatment using oxaliplatin and fluoropyrimidines in advanced gastric cancer (GC). However, preoperative biomarkers predictive of clinical outcome remain lacking. We examined polymorphisms in the MTHFR, DPYD, UMPS, ABCB1, ABCC2, GSTP1, ERCC1, and XRCC1 genes to evaluate their usefulness as pharmacogenetic markers in a cohort of 103 GC patients treated with preoperative chemotherapy. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood cells, and the genotypes were analyzed using a SNaPShotTM assay, polymerase chain reaction amplification, and sequencing. The ABCC2-24C > T (rs717620) genotype was associated with pathologic response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Patients with the TT and TC genotypes responded to neoadjuvant chemotherapy 3.80 times more often than those with the CC genotype (95% CI: 1.27–11.32). Patients with the CC genotype also had poorer outcomes than those with other genotypes. Thus, ABCC2-24C > T polymorphism may help to predict the response to preoperative chemotherapy in GC patients.
CROSSROADS - Identifying Viable "Need-Solution Pairs": Problem Solving Without Problem Formulation

Problem-solving research and formal problem-solving practice begin with the assumption that a problem has been identified or formulated for solving. The problem-solving process then involves a search for a satisfactory or optimal solution to that problem. In contrast, we propose that, in informal problem solving, a need and a solution are often discovered together and tested for viability as a “need–solution pair. ” For example, one may serendipitously discover a new solution and assess it to be worth adopting although the “problem” it would address had not previously been in mind as an object of search or even awareness. In such a case, problem identification and formulation, if done at all, come only after the discovery of the need–solution pair.We propose the identification of need–solution pairs as an approach to problem solving in which problem formulation is not required. We argue that discovery of viable need–solution pairs without problem formulation may have advantages over problem-initiated problem-solving methods under some conditions. First, it removes the often considerable costs associated with problem formulation. Second, it eliminates the constraints on possible solutions that any problem formulation will inevitably apply.
FORMULAS FOR THE VOLUMES OF THE POLYTOPE OF DOUBLY-STOCHASTIC MATRICES AND ITS FACES

We provide an explicit combinatorial formula for the volume of the polytope of n× n doubly-stochastic matrices, also known as the Birkhoff polytope. We do this through the description of a generating function for all the lattice points of the closely related polytope of n × n real non-negative matrices with all row and column sums equal to an integer t. We can in fact recover similar formulas for all coefficients of the Ehrhart polynomial of the Birkhoff polytope and for all its faces.
Classification of common conserved sequences in mammalian intergenic regions.

Comparisons between orthologous intergenic regions of related genomes reveal numerous hits, i.e. pairs of relatively short highly similar sequences that evolved slowly, perhaps due to selective constraint. We analyzed and classified 2638 hits found within 100 pairs of complete, orthologous intergenic regions of human and murine genomes. We identified all common fragments of hits that align well with many other hits and constructed their classification. Our analysis revealed 20 abundant classes each containing 10 or more fragments. Fragments of the same class may perform the same function, e.g. bind a particular protein. Ten of the abundant classes apparently correspond to known functional consensuses, whereas others may represent novel conserved sites. Thus, large-scale comparative analysis of slowly evolving intergenic sequences can provide valuable insights into their function.
Bimodal 2D-3D face recognition using a two-stage fusion strategy

This paper presents a novel approach for bimodal face recognition. In our approach, faces are represented by both texture and depth images. The well known Local Binary Pattern (LBP) is used to describe the texture images. The depth faces representation is based on the Depth Local Binary Pattern, which is an extension of the the LBP descriptor allowing more discriminative power of smooth depth images. In order to perform the bimodal face recognition, a two-stage fusion scheme is proposed. It allows to take advantage of the complementarity of range and texture modalities at both descriptor (early fusion) and decision (late fusion) levels. We have conducted extensive experiments on several datasets in order to evaluate our approach. The obtained results show that our combination of texture and depth descriptors yields higher results than when taken separately or using an early/late fusion scheme.
Electrocardiogram-Assisted Blood Pressure Estimation

Accurate automatic noninvasive assessment of blood pressure (BP) presents a challenge due to conditions like arrhythmias, obesity, and postural changes that tend to obfuscate arterial amplitude pulsations sensed by the cuff. Researchers tried to overcome this challenge by analyzing oscillometric pulses with the aid of a higher fidelity signal-the electrocardiogram (ECG). Moreover, pulse transit time (PTT) was employed to provide an additional method for BP estimation. However, these methods were not fully developed, suitably integrated, or tested. To address these issues, we present a novel method whereby ECG-assisted oscillometric and PTT (measured between ECG R-peaks and maximum slope of arterial pulse peaks) analyses are seamlessly integrated into the oscillometric BP measurement paradigm. The method bolsters oscillometric analysis (amplitude modulation) with more reliable ECG R-peaks provides a complementary measure with PTT analysis (temporal modulation) and fuses this information for robust BP estimation. We have integrated this technology into a prototype that comprises a BP cuff with an embedded conductive fabric ECG electrode, associated hardware, and algorithms. A pilot study has been undertaken on ten healthy subjects (150 recordings) to validate the performance of our prototype against United States Food and Drug Administration approved Omron oscillometric monitor (HEM-790IT). Our prototype achieves mean absolute difference of less than 5 mmHg and grade A as per the British Hypertension Society protocol for estimating BP, with the reference Omron monitor.
Key Technologies and New Developments of Next Generation Video Coding Standard HEVC

HEVC(High Efficient Video Coding) becomes the hot area in the world's leading research institutions, since the ITU-T/VCEG and ISO-IEC/MPEG two international standards organization proposed the next generation video coding standard. The main purpose of HEVC is to reduce 50% bit rate for equal perceptual video quality relative to the existing standard, and service for the HD/ultra HD and 3d video encoding. Comparing the existing standard, this article provides the overview of HEVC, introduces the new technologies and features about HEVC coding data structure, improvement and new technologies to the existing standard, and draws the conclusion about the key technologies and future research directions of HEVC at the end.
Differential space-time modulation schemes for DS-CDMA systems

Differential space-time modulation (DSTM) schemes were recently proposed to fully exploit the receive and transmit antenna diversities without the need for channel state information. DSTM is attractive in fast flat fading channels since accurate channel estimation is difficult to achieve. We propose a new modulation scheme to improve the performance of DS-CDMA systems in fast time-dispersive fading channels, referred to as the differential space-time modulation for DS-CDMA (DST-CDMA). We present two new demodulation schemes, referred to as the differential space-time RAKE receiver (DSTR) and differential space-time deterministic receiver (DSTD), respectively. DSTD exploits the known information of the spreading sequences and their delayed paths deterministically besides the RAKE type combination. Consequently, it outperforms DSTR, which employs the RAKE type combination only. The new modulation and demodulation schemes are especially suited for the fast fading downlink transmission in DS-CDMA systems employing multiple transmit antennas and one receive antenna.
Machine models and lower bounds for query processing

This paper gives an overview of recent work on machine models for processing massive amounts of data. The main focus is on generalizations of the classical data stream model where, apart from an "internal memory" of limited size, also a number of (potentially huge) streams may be used as "external memory devices".