Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Implementation considerations for vision-aided inertial navigation

As UAVs and other unmanned vehicles continue to become smaller, so too does their available processing and sensing capability. For current UAVs, the size, weight, power and cost are all driving factors behind the selection of the onboard avionics, and thus vehicle capability. Nearly all vehicles used in practice today rely on GPS for their navigation abilities. While this is not a compromise in performance for many applications, it does not work well in environments that would benefit most from the use of small unmanned vehicles: indoors, under water, and in dense urban settings. Nearly all small vehicles, by virtue of their intended purpose, already include cameras. In addition, most include inexpensive IMUs, especially those with fast dynamics such as flying vehicles. Even the highest quality IMUs are insufficient for navigation without an external measurement to aid in drift reduction. Likewise, a monocular camera is unable to provide an accurate scale of the environment without some a priori knowledge of the scene. A recent focus in available literature has been on the fusing of these two complementary sensing modalities for use in GPS-challenged navigation. Many approaches are based on the well known Simultaneous Localization and Mapping algorithm. These approaches can provide accurate navigation solutions, but at a high computational cost. This thesis focuses on a vision-aided inertial navigation strategy suitable for small embedded processors found in many of today’s unmanned vehicles. A suboptimal covariance analysis and error budget is presented which give a sound theoretical backing to several design decisions related to algorithm efficiency. Analysis for several parameters is presented, including reduced state space, measurement error, and initial uncertainty of the scene. Consideration is given to the numerical dynamic range needed for the Kalman filter implementation, and matrix factorization methods are employed to ensure numerical stability in the presence of low precision integer math found on many low-cost embedded processors. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
Quantitative sensory testing in type 1 diabetic patients with mild to severe diabetic neuropathy

Background: Small nerve fibre damage has been shown to precede large fibre damage and represents the early stage for diabetic neuropathy (DPN). Aims: To assess small nerve fibre deficit in patients with mild to severe DPN using quantitative sensory testing (QST) and to correlate QST findings with other neuropathy assessment measures in patients with DPN. Materials and Methods: Seventy-nine diabetic patients (49 with and 30 without diabetic neuropathy) and 35 healthy volunteers underwent neuropathy assessment. The evaluation comprised neuropathy symptoms profile, modified neuropathy disability score (NDS), quantitative sensory testing (QST) in form of cold and warm thresholds, vibration pressure threshold (VPT), nerve conduction studies (NCS), deep breathing heart rate variability (DB-HRV), and Neuropad staining scores. Patients were also stratified by their NDS scores into mild, moderate and severe DPN. Measures of QST were compared among various grades of DPN severity and correlated with other clinical and neurophysiological tests. Results: Patients with DPN demonstrated higher vibration perception (P<0.001) and warm (P<0.001) thresholds and lower cold threshold (P<0.001) and these QST abnormalities related directly to the grade of DPN severity. Measures of QST also correlated with those of nerve conduction studies (r range 0.54-0.68) and autonomic function assessment(r range 0.33-0.48). Conclusion: Quantitative sensory testing can identify small nerve fibres impairment which could represent the early stage of diabetic neuropathy and hence the optimal period for intervention.
Efficient Production of Adeno‐associated Virus Vectors Using Split‐type Helper Plasmids

Adeno‐associated virus (AAV) vectors are potentially useful vehicles for the delivery of therapeutic genes into human cells. To determine the optimal expression pattern of AAV proteins (Rep78, Rep68, Rep52, Rep40, and Cap proteins) for packaging the recombinant AAV genome, helper plasmids were split into two portions. In this study, two sets of split‐type helper plasmids were prepared; i.e., 1) a Rep expression plasmid (pRep) and Cap expression plasmid (pCap), and 2) a large Rep expression plasmid (pR78/68) and small Rep plus Cap expression plasmid (pR52/40Cap). When AAV vectors were produced using these sets of split‐type helper plasmids at various ratios, the optimal ratio of (large) Rep expression plasmid and Cap expression plasmid was 1 to 9 for both sets. More importantly, the titers were comparable to or even higher than that of a conventional helper plasmid (pIM45) (4.9±2.1×1011 vector particles/10 cm dish for pRep and pCap; 2.9±1.6×1011 vector particles/10 cm dish for pR78/68 and pR52/40Cap; and 1.8±0.16×1011 particles/10 cm dish for pIM45). Western analysis of AAV proteins suggests that the expression of a relatively small amount of large Rep and a large amount of Cap is important for optimal vector production. The present study shows that the AAV helper plasmid can be split without losing the ability to package the recombinant AAV genome, and provides us with valuable basic information for the development of efficient AAV packaging cell lines.
Linking Population Declines with Diet Quality in Vaux's Swifts

Abstract Over the past 50 years, a range of environmental stressors has resulted in aerial insectivores throughout North America experiencing sharp population declines. Vaux's swifts (Chaetura vauxi) are small, long-distance migratory birds that are currently experiencing range-wide population declines, especially at the their northern range limit. Many studies attribute the Vaux’s swift’s population decline to a loss in nesting habitat; however, other potentially exacerbating factors, such as changes in insect composition and diet, remain unstudied. Here, we examine a ∼26 year dietary archive of Vaux's swift guano to ask whether diet composition has changed over time. Vaux's swifts roost communally at the same roost sites each year when migrating, often within decommissioned brick chimneys. As a result, guano accumulates at the base of these roost sites, providing a chronostratified snapshot of the bird's historic diet. We obtained a vertical core sample from a Vaux's swift guano deposit in a chimney on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. We symmetrically stratified the guano and assessed diet composition by visually analyzing egested arthropod exoskeletons, identifying them to order, and measuring &dgr;15N signatures at each layer. Our 26-year data set revealed an increase in the ratio of Hemiptera to Coleoptera corresponding with an increase in &dgr;15N, suggesting a possible decline in diet quality through time because Hemipterans tend towards higher trophic status than Coleopterans, but are of less caloric value per capita. In addition, &dgr;l5N was significantly negatively correlated with an annual population index (Breeding Bird Survey). We suggest a reduction in diet quality may be contributing to the decline of Vaux’s swift populations, and could be contributing to more declines in other aerial insectivore species.
MotifSuite: workflow for probabilistic motif detection and assessment

MOTIVATION Probabilistic motif detection requires a multi-step approach going from the actual de novo regulatory motif finding up to a tedious assessment of the predicted motifs. MotifSuite, a user-friendly web interface streamlines this analysis flow. Its core consists of two post-processing procedures that allow prioritizing the motif detection output. The tools offered by MotifSuite are built around the well-established motif detection tool MotifSampler and can also be used in combination with any other probabilistic motif detection tool. Elaborate guidelines on each of its applications have been provided. AVAILABILITY http://homes.esat. kuleuven.be/bioi_marchal/MotifSuite/Index.htm
A 32 Gb/s ADC-based PAM-4 receiver with 2-bit/stage SAR ADC and partially-unrolled DFE

A PAM-4 ADC-based receiver employs a 32-way time-interleaved 6-bit 2-bit/stage loop-unrolled SAR ADC with a single capacitive reference DAC. Digital equalization complexity is reduced with a new PAM-4 DFE architecture that has a gate count comparable to an NRZ DFE, while simultaneously halving the critical path delay. A 3-tap FFE is embedded in the ADC using an additional non-binary DAC to improve the coverage of the 6-bit FFE coefficient space. This 3-tap embedded FFE and CTLE front-end partial equalization allows placement of the CDR's Mueller-Muller phase detector directly at the ADC output to avoid excessive loop delay. Fabricated in GP 65nm CMOS, the 32Gb/s receiver operates at a BER < 10−11 with a 27 dB loss channel and < 10−9 with a 30 dB loss channel without utilizing any transmit equalization. The complete ADC-based receiver achieves a power efficiency of 8.25pJ/bit, including all the front-end, ADC, and DSP power.
Structure, Dynamics, and Thermodynamics of an Anomalous Fluid Between Attractive and Repulsive Walls: Templating, Molding, Superdiffusion, and Liquid-Liquid Phase Transition

Confinement can modify the structure, dynamics, and thermodynamics of anomalous liquids, such as water, globular proteins, colloids, or liquid metals [1-3]. We study via molecular-dynamics simulations an anomalous fluid confined in a slit pore with one wall structured and attractive and another unstructured and repulsive [4]. We find that at low temperatures, the structured wall induces heterogeneous crystal nucleation, determining a long-range influence thanks to a sequence of templating, molding, templating effects in the first, second, and further layers, respectively. We show that the walls also have an influence on the dynamics of the liquid, with a stronger effect near the attractive wall. In particular, we observe that the dynamics is largely heterogeneous (i) among the layers, as a consequence of the sequence of structures caused by the walls’ presence, and (ii) within the same layer, due to superdiffusive liquid veins within a frozen matrix of particles near the walls at low temperature and high density. Hence, the partial freezing of the first layer does not correspond necessarily to an effective reduction of the channel’s section in terms of transport properties, as concluded by other authors [5]. Furthermore, we find that the phase diagram of the homogeneous part of the confined fluid is shifted to higher temperatures, densities, and pressures with respect to the bulk, but it can be rescaled on the bulk case [6]. We calculate a moderate increase of mobility of the homogeneous confined fluid that we interpret as a consequence of the layering due to confinement and the collective modes due to long-range correlations. We show that, as in bulk, the confined fluid has structural, diffusion, and density anomalies that order in the water-like hierarchy, and a liquid-liquid critical point (LLCP) that displaces to higher temperature compared to bulk. Motivated by experiments [7], we calculate also the phase diagram not just for the homogeneous part of the confined fluid but for the entire fluid in the pore, and we show that it is shifted toward higher pressures but preserves the thermodynamics, including the LLCP. Because our model has water-like properties, we argue that in experiments with supercooled water confined in slit pores with a width of >3 nm if hydrophilic and of >1.5 nm if hydrophobic, the existence of the LLCP could be easier to test than in bulk, where it is not directly accessible [6,8].
Posttranslational modification of a histone-like protein regulates phenotypic resistance to isoniazid in mycobacteria

A bacterial histone-like protein regulates the formation of privileged, drug-tolerant subpopulations of mycobacteria. There is increasing evidence that phenotypically drug-resistant bacteria may be important determinants of antibiotic treatment failure. Using high-throughput imaging, we defined distinct subpopulations of mycobacterial cells that exhibit heritable but semi-stable drug resistance. These subpopulations have distinct transcriptional signatures and growth characteristics at both bulk and single-cell levels, which are also heritable and semi-stable. We find that the mycobacterial histone-like protein HupB is required for the formation of these subpopulations. Using proteomic approaches, we further demonstrate that HupB is posttranslationally modified by lysine acetylation and lysine methylation. Mutation of a single posttranslational modification site specifically abolishes the formation of one of the drug-resistant subpopulations of cells, providing the first evidence in prokaryotes that posttranslational modification of a bacterial nucleoid-associated protein may epigenetically regulate cell state.
Indolent lymphoma with composite histology and simultaneous transformation at initial diagnosis exhibit clinical features similar to de novo diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

While various studies characterized clinical and prognostic properties of de novo diffuse large B-Cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and transformed indolent lymphomas, the clinicopathological features of indolent lymphoma and simultaneous secondary transformation upon initial diagnosis (ssDLBCL) are insufficiently established. Between 2010 and 2017, 247 consecutive patients admitted to our institution and treated for DLBCL were investigated for composite histology of ssDLBCL-type. Upon systematical histopathological evaluation composite histology was identified in 22/247 cases (8.9%). The predominant histology of the underlying indolent lymphoma was follicular lymphoma of variable grading (I-IIIA; 81.8%) whereas marginal zone lymphoma represented a minor sub group (18.2%). Clinicopathological investigation revealed a high degree of concordance between ssDLBCL and de novo DLBCL upon initial diagnosis and clinical courses were shown to be strikingly similar. The predominant fraction of ssDLBCL were germinal center derived lymphomas (GCB-type) with a trend towards a superior outcome compared with non-GCB-type ssDLBCL. Additionally, we demonstrate a significant adverse prognostic impact of an underlying indolent lymphoma component other than follicular-type lymphoma (e.g. marginal zone lymphoma). Moreover, the frequency of double-hit (DHL) or double-expressor lymphomas (DEL) appears to be low. Our findings provide substantial insight into the behavior of ssDLBCL, highlight the ramifications of the concurrent high-grade fraction within indolent lymphomas and underline therapeutic efficacy of R-CHOP type immunochemotherapy in the majority of ssDLBCL patients.
Using Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses to Support Regulatory Decision Making for Neurotoxicants: Lessons Learned from a Case Study of PCBs

Background Epidemiologic weight-of-evidence reviews to support regulatory decision making regarding the association between environmental chemical exposures and neurodevelopmental outcomes in children are often complicated by lack of consistency across studies. Objective We examined prospective cohort studies evaluating the relation between prenatal and neonatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and neurodevelopment in children to assess the feasibility of conducting a meta-analysis to support decision making. Data extraction/synthesis We described studies in terms of exposure and end point categorization, statistical analysis, and reporting of results. We used this evaluation to assess the feasibility of grouping studies into reasonably uniform categories. Results The current literature includes 11 cohorts of children for whom effects from prenatal or neonatal PCB exposures were assessed. The most consistently used tests included Brazelton’s Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale, the neurologic optimality score in the neonatal period, the Bayley Scales of Infant Development at 5–8 months of age, and the McCarthy Scales of Children’s Abilities in 5-year-olds. Despite administering the same tests at similar ages, the studies were too dissimilar to allow a meaningful quantitative examination of outcomes across cohorts. Conclusions These analyses indicate that our ability to conduct weight-of-evidence assessments of the epidemiologic literature on neurotoxicants may be limited, even in the presence of multiple studies, if the available study methods, data analysis, and reporting lack comparability. Our findings add support to previous calls for establishing consensus standards for the conduct, analysis, and reporting of epidemiologic studies in general, and for those evaluating the effects of potential neurotoxic exposures in particular.
A BELIEF NETWORK MODEL FOR EXPERT SEARCH

Expert search is a task of growing importance in Enterprise s ettings. In a classical search setting, users normally require relevant documents to fulfil an informatio n need. However, in Enterprise settings, users also have a need to identify the co-workers with relevant experti s o a topic area. An expert search engine assists users with their expertise need, by ranking candidate exper ts with respect to their predicted expertise about a topic of interest. This work presents a novel model for the ex pert search, based on a Bayesian belief network. We show how the proposed model can generate several differen t strategies for ranking candidates by their predicted expertise with respect to a query. The Bayesian be lief network model for expert search proposed here is general, as it can be extended in the future to take int o account various other types of evidence in the expert search task, such as the social aspect of expert searc h, where people work within groups and co-author
PDE4 and mAKAP&bgr; are nodal organizers of &bgr;2-ARs nuclear PKA signalling in cardiac myocytes

Aims β1- and β2-adrenergic receptors (β-ARs) produce different acute contractile effects on the heart partly because they impact on different cytosolic pools of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). They also exert different effects on gene expression but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. The aim of this study was to understand the mechanisms by which β1- and β2-ARs regulate nuclear PKA activity in cardiomyocytes. Methods and results We used cytoplasmic and nuclear targeted biosensors to examine cAMP signals and PKA activity in adult rat ventricular myocytes upon selective β1- or β2-ARs stimulation. Both β1- and β2-AR stimulation increased cAMP and activated PKA in the cytoplasm. Although the two receptors also increased cAMP in the nucleus, only β1-ARs increased nuclear PKA activity and up-regulated the PKA target gene and pro-apoptotic factor, inducible cAMP early repressor (ICER). Inhibition of phosphodiesterase (PDE)4, but not Gi, PDE3, GRK2 nor caveolae disruption disclosed nuclear PKA activation and ICER induction by β2-ARs. Both nuclear and cytoplasmic PKI prevented nuclear PKA activation and ICER induction by β1-ARs, indicating that PKA activation outside the nucleus is required for subsequent nuclear PKA activation and ICER mRNA expression. Cytoplasmic PKI also blocked ICER induction by β2-AR stimulation (with concomitant PDE4 inhibition). However, in this case nuclear PKI decreased ICER up-regulation by only 30%, indicating that other mechanisms are involved. Down-regulation of mAKAPβ partially inhibited nuclear PKA activation upon β1-AR stimulation, and drastically decreased nuclear PKA activation upon β2-AR stimulation in the presence of PDE4 inhibition. Conclusions β1- and β2-ARs differentially regulate nuclear PKA activity and ICER expression in cardiomyocytes. PDE4 insulates a mAKAPβ-targeted PKA pool at the nuclear envelope that prevents nuclear PKA activation upon β2-AR stimulation.
The Discourse of the Consumer Resistance Movement

Little work has been done on understanding the ways in which resistant consumers interpret the causes and responsible agents for structures of domination. Drawing on collective action frames, we examine how a consumer resistance movement defines both its antagonists (adversarial framing) and its advocacy strategies for response (prognostic framing). Discourses of resistant consumers are analyzed through the lens of power, since to explore these frames is also to study the question of who is perceived as the locus of power and how power/resistance is exercised to achieve the movement’s goals. A kaleidoscopic framing emerges that reveals multiple points and forms of resistance. To counteract the underlying attribution of responsibility (the materialistic ideology dominant in Western societies), consumers bring into play a repertoire of actions that enable them to construct both themselves and others as ethical persons. Based on these findings the research contributes to the literature on consumer resistance by broadening the most commonly held vision of power, namely, power as domination and control possessed by distinctly identifiable agents. This study, by contrast, provides evidence of discourses that assume power is exercised in a reticular, shifting, and productive manner, a vision of power that corresponds closely to that articulated in the work of Foucault and Arendt. An emphasis on this perception of power relationships in the realm of consumer resistance extends and enriches understanding of a movement’s dynamics, whilst also enhancing the movement’s capacity to change the materialistic ideology that it refuses to accept.
Hyperlog—A flexible log‐like transform for negative, zero, and positive valued data

The remarkable success of cytometry over the past 30 years is largely due to its uncanny ability to display populations that vastly differ in numbers and fluorescence intensities on one scale. The log transform implemented in hardware as a log amplifier or in software normalizes signals or channels so that these populations appear as clearly discernible peaks. With the advent of multiple fluorescence cytometry, spectral crossover compensation of these signals has been necessary to properly interpret the data. Unfortunately, because compensation is a subtractive process, it can produce negative and zero valued data. The log transform is undefined for these values and, as a result, forces computer algorithms to truncate these values, creating a few problems for cytometrists. Data truncation biases displays making properly compensated data appear undercompensated; thus, enticing many operators to overcompensate their data. Also, events truncated into the first histogram channel are not normally visible with typical two‐dimensional graphic displays, thus hiding a large number of events and obscuring the true proportionality of negative distributions. In addition, the log transform creates unequal binning that can dramatically distort negative population distributions.