Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inertial-based real-time human upper limb tracking using twists and exponential maps in free-living environments

This paper presents a novel method for real-time human upper limb tracking with MARG sensor arrays in free-living environments. An adaptive-gain orientation filter as our previous work, was applied to a low-cost MARG sensor array. Based on an efficient Gauss-Newton optimization algorithm (GNA), particularly for reducing the computing load using only one iteration, this paper firstly proposes a novel method which is analytically derived for robust real-time orientation estimation to not only calculate the error direction of the gyroscope measurements but also handle magnetic distortions. Secondly, a human upper limb motion tracking system applying twists and exponential maps is well-developed based on the preestimated orientation, where a human kinematic model for upper extremity is designed for conveniently estimating joints' position and orientation within global frame. The performance of the proposed approach is verified by simulation and experimental results compared with the Vicon motion capture systems, which validate its effectiveness and accuracy.
Time‐Resolved and Nonlinear Optical Imaging for Medical Applications a

In this article, we have presented an overview of emerging novel techniques for early-light transillumination imaging as well as nonlinear optical tomography of body organs. The use of light for probing and imaging biomedical media offers the promise for development of safe, noninvasive, and inexpensive clinical imaging modalities with diagnostic ability. The strong scattering of light by biological tissues buries the shadowgram formed by forward-propatating image-bearing photons in the background noise of multiple-scattered light. Several methods for extraction of image-bearing light that capitalize on spatial, temporal and polarization characteristics of transmitted light are reviewed. More recently emerging nonlinear-optical histopathology methods for imaging subsurface structures of tissues in terms of its local spatial symmetry and molecular content are introduced. The progress made so far indicates that some of these techniques are apt to make a transition from laboratory to useful clinical modalities.
Chemogenetic activation of the lateral hypothalamus reverses early life stress‐induced deficits in motivational drive

Altered motivated behaviour is a cardinal feature of several neuropsychiatric conditions including mood disorders. One well‐characterized antecedent to the development of mood disorders is exposure to early life stress (ELS). A key brain substrate controlling motivated behaviour is the lateral hypothalamus (LH). Here, we examined the effect of ELS on LH activation and the motivation to self‐administer sucrose. We tested whether chemogenetic activation of LH circuits could modify sucrose responding in ELS rats and examined the impact on LH cell populations. Male rat pups were maternally separated for 0 or 3 h on postnatal days 2–14. During adolescence, rats received bilateral injections of hM3D(Gq), the excitatory designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drugs, into LH. In adulthood, rats were trained to self‐administer sucrose and tested under a progressive ratio schedule to determine their motivation for reward following injection with either vehicle or 5 mg/kg clozapine‐N‐oxide. Brains were processed for Fos‐protein immunohistochemistry. ELS significantly suppressed lever responding for sucrose, indicating a long‐lasting impact of ELS on motivation circuits. hM3D(Gq) activation of LH increased responding, normalizing deficits in ELS rats, and increased Fos‐positive orexin and MCH cell numbers within LH. Our findings indicate that despite being susceptible to environmental stressors, LH circuits retain the capacity to overcome ELS‐induced deficits in motivated behaviour.
Overweight, Obesity and Chronic Kidney Disease

The sharp rise in the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) that parallels an increase in the prevalence of obesity in the recent years is a cause for great concern. CKD increases the rate of cardiovascular disease (CVD), development of end-stage renal disease, and leads to premature death. Although no direct causality link between obesity and CKD can yet be established, this appears highly likely. CKD should be regarded as a major complication of overweight and obesity, regardless of whether the association was independent or through the influence of diabetes, hypertension, CVD, metabolic syndrome and high fructose intake. We review the literature on the complex but positive association between obesity and CKD, the pathological effect of excess adiposity in kidney injury and the potential role of weight reduction therapy in reducing the burden of CKD.
Mini-UAV-Borne LIDAR for Fine-Scale Mapping

Light detection and ranging (LIDAR) systems based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) recently are in rapid advancement, while mini-UAV-borne laser scanning has few reported progress, notwithstanding so extensively required. This study established a pioneered mini-UAV-borne LIDAR system - Sensei, schematically with an Ibeo Lux scanner mounted on a small Align T-Rex 600E helicopter. Furthermore, the associated data processing involved in the coordinate triple, pulse intensity, and multiechoes per pulse was explored to validate its applicability for fine-scale mapping, in terms of, e.g., tree height estimation, pole detection, road extraction, and digital terrain model refinement. The feasibility and advantages of mini-UAV-borne LIDAR have been demonstrated by the promising results based on the real-measured data.
Disruption of Trim9 function abrogates macrophage motility in vivo

The vertebrate immune response comprises multiple molecular and cellular components that interface to provide defense against pathogens. Because of the dynamic complexity of the immune system and its interdependent innate and adaptive functionality, an understanding of the whole‐organism response to pathogen exposure remains unresolved. Zebrafish larvae provide a unique model for overcoming this obstacle, because larvae are protected against pathogens while lacking a functional adaptive immune system during the first few weeks of life. Zebrafish larvae were exposed to immune agonists for various lengths of time, and a microarray transcriptome analysis was executed. This strategy identified known immune response genes, as well as genes with unknown immune function, including the E3 ubiquitin ligase tripartite motif‐9 (Trim9). Although trim9 expression was originally described as “brain specific,” its expression has been reported in stimulated human Mϕs. In this study, we found elevated levels of trim9 transcripts in vivo in zebrafish Mϕs after immune stimulation. Trim9 has been implicated in axonal migration, and we therefore investigated the impact of Trim9 disruption on Mϕ motility and found that Mϕ chemotaxis and cellular architecture are subsequently impaired in vivo. These results demonstrate that Trim9 mediates cellular movement and migration in Mϕs as well as neurons.
Improved parametric PSpice model of a PEM fuel cell

Today fuel cells are finding use in everything from cell phones to automobiles. Regardless of their application the fuel cell must be accurately modeled in the system it will be used. Such model has to be simple, easy to use and fast to simulate. Chemistry, material science and physics should be transformed in electrical components and systems that can be easily implemented in programs like SPICE, Saber, Labview, Proteus or similar. In this paper some improvements of a generalized circuit model for a PEM fuel cell that can be used for design and analysis of fuel cell power systems is presented. The PSpice-based model uses bipolar junction transistors and resistors available in the PSpice library. The model includes the phenomena like activation polarization, ohmic polarization and concentration polarization (mass transport effect) present in a PEM fuel cell. The temperature dependence has been included in the model characteristics according to the Nernst equation. Using the parametric modeling the model of a basic fuel cell can be extended to a fuel cell stack. The static characteristics obtained through simulation are compared with some experimental results, given in the literature, obtained on a commercial PEM fuel cell modules.
Constraint-induced aphasia therapy versus intensive semantic treatment in fluent aphasia.

OBJECTIVE The authors compared the effectiveness of 2 intensive therapy methods: Constraint-Induced Aphasia Therapy (CIAT; Pulvermüller et al., 2001) and semantic therapy (BOX; Visch-Brink & Bajema, 2001). METHOD Nine patients with chronic fluent aphasia participated in a therapy program to establish behavioral treatment outcomes. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups (CIAT or BOX). RESULTS Intensive therapy significantly improved verbal communication. However, BOX treatment showed a more pronounced improvement on two communication-namely, a standardized assessment for verbal communication, the Amsterdam Nijmegen Everyday Language Test (Blomert, Koster, & Kean, 1995), and a subjective rating scale, the Communicative Effectiveness Index (Lomas et al., 1989). All participants significantly improved on one (or more) subtests of the Aachen Aphasia Test (Graetz, de Bleser, & Willmes, 1992), an impairment-focused assessment. There was a treatment-specific effect. BOX treatment had a significant effect on language comprehension and semantics, whereas CIAT treatment affected language production and phonology. CONCLUSION The findings indicate that in patients with fluent aphasia, (a) intensive treatment has a significant effect on language and verbal communication, (b) intensive therapy results in selective treatment effects, and (c) an intensive semantic treatment shows a more striking mean improvement on verbal communication in comparison with communication-based CIAT treatment.
Isobaric labeling and tandem mass spectrometry: A novel approach for profiling and quantifying proteins differentially expressed in amniotic fluid in preterm labor with and without intra-amniotic infection/inflammation

Objective. Examination of the amniotic fluid (AF) proteome has been previously attempted to identify useful biomarkers in predicting the outcome of preterm labor (PTL). Isobaric Tag for Relative and Absolute Quantitation (iTRAQ™) labeling allows direct ratiometric comparison of relative abundance of identified protein species among multiplexed samples. The purpose of this study was to apply, for the first time, the combination of iTRAQ and tandem mass spectrometry to identify proteins differentially regulated in AF samples of women with spontaneous PTL and intact membranes with and without intra-amniotic infection/inflammation (IAI). Methods. A cross-sectional study was designed and included AF samples from patients with spontaneous PTL and intact membranes in the following groups: (1) patients without IAI who delivered at term (n = 26); (2) patients who delivered preterm without IAI (n = 25); and (3) patients with IAI (n = 24). Proteomic profiling of AF samples was performed using a workflow involving tryptic digestion, iTRAQ labeling and multiplexing, strong cation exchange fractionation, and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Twenty-five separate 4-plex samples were prepared and analyzed. Results. Collectively, 123,011 MS2 spectra were analyzed, and over 25,000 peptides were analyzed by database search (X! Tandem and Mascot), resulting in the identification of 309 unique high-confidence proteins. Analysis of differentially present iTRAQ reporter peaks revealed many proteins that have been previously reported to be associated with preterm delivery with IAI. Importantly, many novel proteins were found to be up-regulated in the AF of patients with PTL and IAI including leukocyte elastase precursor, Thymosin-like 3, and 14-3-3 protein isoforms. Moreover, we observed differential expression of proteins in AF of patients who delivered preterm in the absence of IAI in comparison with those with PTL who delivered at term including Mimecan precursor, latent-transforming growth factor β-binding protein isoform 1L precursor, and Resistin. These findings have been confirmed for Resistin in an independent cohort of samples using ELISA. Gene ontology enrichment analysis was employed to reveal families of proteins participating in distinct biological processes. We identified enrichment for host defense, anti-apoptosis, metabolism/catabolism and cell and protein mobility, localization and targeting. Conclusions. (1) Proteomics with iTRAQ labeling is a profiling tool capable of revealing differential expression of proteins in AF; (2) We discovered 82 proteins differentially expressed in three clinical subgroups of premature labor, 67 which were heretofore unknown. Of particular importance is the identification of proteins differentially expressed in AF from women who delivered preterm in the absence of IAI. This is the first report of the positive identification of biomarkers in this subgroup of patients.
Measurement of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase activity and E-type Mg2+-ATPase activity in rat heart homogenates.

The presence of a high and nonlinear Ca2+-independent (or basal) ATPase activity in rat heart preparations makes difficult the reliable measurement of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+-ATPase activity by usual methods. A spectrophotometric assay for the accurate determination of SR Ca2+-ATPase activity in unfractionated homogenates from rat heart is described. The procedure is based on that reported by Simonides and van Hardeveld (1990, Anal. Biochem. 191, 321-331) for skeletal muscle homogenates. To avoid overestimation of the Ca2+-ATPase activity of cardiac homogenates that occurs when sequential measurements of total and basal ATPase activities are performed, two parallel and independent assays are required: one with low (micromolar) and other high (millimolar) calcium concentration. Addition of thapsigargin (0.2 microM) blocked totally the activity considered as Ca2+-ATPase activity. Using this method, the rat heart homogenate Ca2+-ATPase activity was 10.5 +/- 2.0 micromol. min-1 x g-1 tissue wet weight (n = 8). Likewise, a spectrophotometric assay for measuring E-type Mg2+-ATPase activity in cardiac total homogenates has been developed, comparing the following characteristics of the enzymatic activity in homogenate and a membrane-enriched fraction: first-order rate constant for ATP-dependent inactivation, Km for ATP, and effects of concanavalin A, Triton X-100, and specific inhibitors.
Applying artificial intelligence technology to support decision-making in nursing: A case study in Taiwan

This study applied artificial intelligence to help nurses address problems and receive instructions through information technology. Nurses make diagnoses according to professional knowledge, clinical experience, and even instinct. Without comprehensive knowledge and thinking, diagnostic accuracy can be compromised and decisions may be delayed. We used a back-propagation neural network and other tools for data mining and statistical analysis. We further compared the prediction accuracy of the previous methods with an adaptive-network-based fuzzy inference system and the back-propagation neural network, identifying differences in the questions and in nurse satisfaction levels before and after using the nursing information system. This study investigated the use of artificial intelligence to generate nursing diagnoses. The percentage of agreement between diagnoses suggested by the information system and those made by nurses was as much as 87 percent. When patients are hospitalized, we can calculate the probability of various nursing diagnoses based on certain characteristics.
Applying dynamic Bayesian tree in property sales price estimation

Accurate prediction of Residential Property Sale Price is very important and significant in the operation of the real estate market. Property sellers and buyers/Investors wish to know a fair value for their properties in particular at the time of the sales transaction. The main reason to build an Automated Valuation Model is to be accurate enough to replace human. To select a most suitable model for the property sale price prediction, this paper examined seven Tree-based machine learning models including Dynamic Bayesian Tree (online learning method), Random Forest, Stochastic Gradient Boosting, CART, Bagged CART, Tree Bagged Ensembles and Boosted Tree (batch learning methods) by comparing their RMSE and MAE performances. The performance of these models are tested on 1967 records of unit sales from 19 suburbs of Sydney, Australia. The main purpose of this study is to compare the performance of batch models with the online model. The results demonstrated that Dynamic Bayesian Tree as an online model stands in the middle of batch models based on the root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE). It shows using online model for estimating the property sale price is reasonable for real world application.
An assessment of the clinical skills of fourth‐year students at four New England medical schools

This paper describes a collaborative effort among five New England medical schools to assess important clinical skills of fourth-year medical students graduating in the class of 1988; results are presented from the four schools that provided sufficient data. Faculty from each school developed 36 patient cases representing a variety of common ambulatory-care problems. Over the course of a day, each student, on average, interacted with 16 different standardized patients, who were nonphysicians trained to accurately and consistently portray a patient in a simulated clinical setting. The students obtained focused histories, performed relevant physical examinations, and provided the patients with education and counseling. At each school, the performance of a small number of the students fell below standards set by the faculty. These deficiencies were not detected with the evaluation strategies currently being used. Although the use of standardized patients should not substitute for the process of faculty observing students as they interact with real patients, it appears that standardized patients can provide faculty with important information, not readily available from other sources, about students' performances of essential clinical activities and the levels of their clinical skills.
Investigation of conditions generating velvet hand illusion toward tactile displays

We have investigated several characteristics of one kind of tactile illusion, called the Velvet Hand Illusion (VHI), to utilize the experimental results to generate virtual feeling of a material. In VHI, a human subject gently rubs his/her hands on both sides of a wire grid strung through a frame. The sensation produced on his/her hands is very smooth and slippery, like velvet. We focused on the VHI mechanism for new tactile displays in the virtual reality field because such tactile illusions play a useful role in deceiving the brain so that operators believe a virtual sensation is real. VHI characteristics are obtained from accomplishing a series of psychophysical experiments using Thurstone's method of paired comparison. In the experiment, the stroke movement distance of wires, r, is varied under constant wire spacing, D; the velocity of wire movement is varied, with both wire spacing and stroke movement distance of the wires held constant. It is found that the strongest VHI was obtained at r/D and that the strongest VHI occurred at a specific velocity generating tangential vibration of around 50 Hz. Since VHI requires both compressive stress and tangential stimulus, it is caused by not just one of the four varieties of mechanoreceptive units, but two or more of them. This finding confirms that VHI does not occur in the mechanoreceptive units themselves but in the brain.
Endoscopic vein harvest of the lesser saphenous vein in the supine position: a unique approach to an old problem.

OBJECTIVES To obtain a suitable conduit from the lesser (short) saphenous system for use in coronary artery bypass surgery. We wanted to perform this while the patient was in the supine position as to not disrupt the standard operation, and at the same time, utilizing the endoscopic vein harvest technique with its obvious abilities to decrease vein harvest morbidity. We also theorized that through endoscopic techniques instead of the open technique we could harvest greater lengths of conduit, thus providing quality vein segments for additional grafts if needed. METHODS We were able to perform endoscopic vein harvest while in the supine position with one unique centrally located incision that has not been previously described. RESULTS The lesser saphenous vein harvested in the described technique provided excellent conduit for our patients that were conduit poor. The endoscopic technique allowed increased length of harvested segments, by giving us the ability to travel under the gastrocnemius muscle with minimal morbidity as opposed to the open technique, where the traditional endpoint is the aforementioned muscle. Conduits were harvested successfully from 14 of 16 candidates. No wound infections or healing problems were experienced. Neurovascular integrity was maintained in all patients. CONCLUSIONS Endoscopic vein harvest of the lesser saphenous vein with the patient in the supine position is safe, effective and affords conduits for a unique subset of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.
Comparison of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy to Surgery Followed by Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Japanese Patients with Peritoneal Lavage Cytology Positive for Gastric Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND Therapeutic strategies for positive peritoneal lavage cytology [CY(+)] findings have not yet been established. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy and surgery followed by S-1 adjuvant chemotherapy for treating gastric carcinoma in patients with CY(+) status without peritoneal metastasis. PATIENTS AND METHODS Twenty-three patients with CY(+) status without peritoneal metastasis who underwent curative surgery for gastric carcinoma between October 1999 and December 2014 were included in the study. Ten patients received neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy followed by surgery, whereas 13 patients underwent surgery, in nine cases followed by S-1 adjuvant chemotherapy. RESULTS The 5-year survival in both groups was 15%, and no significant difference was observed. However, the prognosis for patients with CY(-) status after neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy was significantly better than that of patients who were still CY(+) after neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy (p<0.01). Among all patients, the prognosis of those with less than clinical N2 disease was significantly better than that of patients with clinical N3 (p<0.01). In multivariate analysis, clinical lymph node metastasis was the only independent prognostic factor for CY(+) patients without peritoneal metastasis (p<0.05). CONCLUSION The prognosis of gastric carcinoma with CY(+) without peritoneal metastasis is still stage IV disease and is dependent on the degree of clinical lymph node metastasis, in spite of therapeutic treatment.