Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of mapping algorithms for implicit calibration using probable fixation targets

With growing access to cheap low end eye trackers using simple web cameras, there is also a growing demand on easy and fast usage of this devices by untrained and unsupervised end users. For such users the necessity to calibrate the eye tracker prior to its first usage is often perceived as obtrusive and inconvenient. In the same time perfect accuracy is not necessary for many commercial applications. Therefore, the idea of implicit calibration attracts more and more attention. Algorithms for implicit calibration are able to calibrate the device without any active collaboration with users. Especially, a real time implicit calibration, that is able to calibrate a device on-the-fly, while a person uses an eye tracker, seems to be a reasonable solution to the aforementioned problems. The paper presents examples of implicit calibration algorithms (including their real time versions) based on the idea of probable fixation targets (PFT). The algorithms were tested during a free viewing experiment and compared to the state of the art PFT based algorithm and explicit calibration results.
Genome-based population structure analysis of the strawberry plant pathogen Xanthomonas fragariae reveals two distinct groups that evolved independently before its species description

Xanthomonas fragariae is a quarantine organism in Europe, causing angular leaf spots on strawberry plants. It is spreading worldwide in strawberry-producing regions due to import of plant material through trade and human activities. In order to resolve the population structure at the strain level, we have employed high-resolution molecular typing tools on a comprehensive strain collection representing global and temporal distribution of the pathogen. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat regions (CRISPRs) and variable number of tandem repeats (VNTRs) were identified within the reference genome of X. fragariae LMG 25863 as a potential source of variation. Strains from our collection were whole-genome sequenced and used in order to identify variable spacers and repeats for discriminative purpose. CRISPR spacer analysis and multiple-locus VNTR analysis (MLVA) displayed a congruent population structure, in which two major groups and a total of four subgroups were revealed. The two main groups were genetically separated before the first X. fragariae isolate was described and are potentially responsible for the worldwide expansion of the bacterial disease. Three primer sets were designed for discriminating CRISPR-associated markers in order to streamline group determination of novel isolates. Overall, this study describes typing methods to discriminate strains and monitor the pathogen population structure, more especially in the view of a new outbreak of the pathogen.
Multivariate network meta‐analysis to mitigate the effects of outcome reporting bias

Outcome reporting bias (ORB) is recognized as a threat to the validity of both pairwise and network meta‐analysis (NMA). In recent years, multivariate meta‐analytic methods have been proposed to reduce the impact of ORB in the pairwise setting. These methods have shown that multivariate meta‐analysis can reduce bias and increase efficiency of pooled effect sizes. However, it is unknown whether multivariate NMA (MNMA) can similarly reduce the impact of ORB. Additionally, it is quite challenging to implement MNMA due to the fact that correlation between treatments and outcomes must be modeled; thus, the dimension of the covariance matrix and number of components to estimate grows quickly with the number of treatments and number of outcomes. To determine whether MNMA can reduce the effects of ORB on pooled treatment effect sizes, we present an extensive simulation study of Bayesian MNMA. Via simulation studies, we show that MNMA reduces the bias of pooled effect sizes under a variety of outcome missingness scenarios, including missing at random and missing not at random. Further, MNMA improves the precision of estimates, producing narrower credible intervals. We demonstrate the applicability of the approach via application of MNMA to a multi‐treatment systematic review of randomized controlled trials of anti‐depressants for the treatment of depression in older adults.
Closing the Productivity Gap: Improving Worker Productivity Through Public Relative Performance Feedback and Validation of Best Practices

Public relative performance feedback (RPF) on an individual worker’s productivity metrics is used in various organizations with the hopes of improving worker productivity, but its effects are not well understood. We examine whether public RPF could be leveraged to facilitate adoption of best practices in an organization by enabling the validation of best practices shared by identifiable top performers. We use data from two emergency departments, both of which shared best practices for improving productivity and one of which changed from privately to publicly disclosing RPF to physicians. The public disclosure of RPF allowed workers to identify their top-performing coworkers, which in turn enabled the identification and validation of best practices within the work group. We find that the intervention is associated with a 10.9% improvement in physician productivity. We also find evidence for a significant reduction in variation in productivity across providers, which stems from bottom-ranked workers exhibit.
Simultaneous Coding of Microscopic and Macroscopic Features of Touch in Mouse Somatosensory Cortex

The cerebral cortex is thought to generate sensory experience and facilitate broadly integrative processing used in attention, decision making, and learning. A major goal in neuroscience is to understand how neurons in cortex interact to represent sensory change in the world. Rodents use whiskers to actively palpate their surroundings and gather tactile information. While it is known that rodents can discriminate different textures using whisker input, how the whisker system encodes local spatial features, like shape, is not well understood.For many perceptual tasks rodents must pay attention to whisker input in order to extract relevant sensory information. Neural oscillations (gamma) may indicate attentive brain states, and Chapter 2 explores how sensory experience may shape the brain’s ability to generate these rhythms. Superficial layers of primary somatosensory cortex (S1) showed a profound reduction in recurrent inhibition after sensory deprivation, as well as a sharp reduction in spontaneous and evoked gamma oscillations. These findings suggest cortical rhythms change with sensory experience in a recurrent inhibition-dependent manner.How the whisker system encodes spatial features, like shape is unknown. In Chapter 3 we describe an experiment designed to study basic elements of shape encoding, using a set of tactile gratings. We trained mice to discriminate smooth surfaces from rough surfaces composed of raised gratings or sandpaper. High-speed whisker imaging revealed that stick-slip micromotions clustered on discrete grating ridges, evoking spatially and temporally precise spikes in S1. At the same time, slip-responsive neurons also responded to whisker contact and texture, forming an overlapping population of tactile feature responses. Mean firing rate was higher on rough surfaces due to stick-slip-evoked spikes, and by weighting individual units we could accurately predict rough vs. smooth trials from neural activity alone. Surprisingly, 20% of neurons showed selectivity among rough textures, including tuning for specific gratings. Thus, S1 neurons simultaneously coded microscopic and macroscopic features of touch during active palpation of tactile gratings.
Leveraging Spintronic Devices for Efficient Approximate Logic and Stochastic Neural Networks

ITRS has identified nano-magnet based spintronic devices as promising post-CMOS technologies for information processing and data storage due to their ultra-low switching energy, non-volatility, superior endurance, excellent retention time, high integration density and compatibility with CMOS technology. As for data storage, spintronic memory has been widely accepted as a universal high performance next-generation non-volatile memory candidate. As for information processing, spintronic computing remains complementary in its features to CMOS technology. In this paper, we present two innovative spintronic computing primitives, i.e. spintronic approximate logic and spintronic stochastic neural network, which both leverage the intrinsic spintronic device physics to achieve much more compact and efficient designs than CMOS counterparts. In spintronic approximate logic, we employ the intrinsic current-mode thresholding operation to implement an accuracy-configurable adder and further demonstrate its application in approximate DSP applications. In spintronic stochastic neural networks, we leverage the stochastic properties of domain wall devices and magnetic tunnel junction to implement a low-power and robust artificial neural network design.
Scanpath comparison in medical image reading skills of dental students: distinguishing stages of expertise development

A popular topic in eye tracking is the difference between novices and experts and their domain-specific eye movement behaviors. However, very little is researched regarding how expertise develops, and more specifically, the developmental stages of eye movement behaviors. Our work compares the scanpaths of five semesters of dental students viewing orthopantomograms (OPTs) with classifiers to distinguish sixth semester through tenth semester students. We used the analysis algorithm SubsMatch 2.0 and the Needleman-Wunsch algorithm. Overall, both classifiers were able distinguish the stages of expertise in medical image reading above chance level. Specifically, it was able to accurately determine sixth semester students with no prior training as well as sixth semester students after training. Ultimately, using scanpath models to recognize gaze patterns characteristic of learning stages, we can provide more adaptive, gaze-based training for students.
Contour-guided gaze gestures: using object contours as visual guidance for triggering interactions

The eyes are an interesting modality for pervasive interactions, though their applicability for mobile scenarios is restricted by several issues so far. In this paper, we propose the idea of contour-guided gaze gestures, which overcome former constraints, like the need for calibration, by relying on unnatural and relative eye movements, as users trace the contours of objects in order to trigger an interaction. The interaction concept and the system design are described, along with two user studies, that demonstrate the method's applicability. It is shown that users were able to trace object contours to trigger actions from various positions on multiple different objects. It is further determined, that the proposed method is an easy to learn, hands-free interaction technique, that is robust against false positive activations. Results highlight low demand values and show that the method holds potential for further exploration, but also reveal areas for refinement.
Behavioral Medicine Interventions for Adult Primary Care Settings: A Review

Introduction: Health care organizations are embracing integrated primary care (IPC), in which mental health and behavioral health are addressed as part of routine care within primary care settings. Behavioral medicine concerns, which include health behavior change and coping with medical conditions, are common in primary care populations. Although there are evidence-based behavioral interventions that target a variety of behavioral medicine concerns, integrated behavioral health providers need interventions that are sufficiently brief (i.e., ⩽6 appointments) to be compatible with IPC. Method: We conducted a literature review of published studies examining behavioral interventions that target prevalent behavioral medicine concerns and can feasibly be employed by IPC providers in adult primary care settings. Results: A total of 67 published articles representing 63 original studies met eligibility criteria. We extracted data on the behavioral interventions employed, results comparing the active intervention to a comparison group, general fit with IPC, and methodological quality. The vast majority of studies examined brief interventions targeting sleep difficulties and physical activity. The most commonly employed interventions were derived from cognitive-behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing. Outcomes were generally statistically significantly in favor of the active intervention relative to comparison, with highly variable methodological quality ratings (range = 0–5; M = 2.0). Discussion: Results are discussed in relation to the need for further evidence for brief behavioral interventions targeting other behavioral medicine concerns beyond sleep and physical activity, as well as for more specificity regarding the compatibility of such interventions with IPC practice.
Somatic Gene Transfer Using a Recombinant Adenoviral Vector (rAAV9) Encoding Pseudophosphorylated Human Thr175 Tau in Adult Rat Hippocampus Induces Tau Pathology

Aberrant phosphorylation of the microtubule associated protein tau (tau) is associated with multiple neurodegenerative diseases where it is a contributes to neurotoxicity. We have observed that phosphorylation at Thr175 tau (pThr175 tau) exerts toxicity when expressed as a pseudophosphorylated tau construct (Thr175Asp) in vitro. To determine whether pThr175 tau can induce tau pathology in vivo with an accompanying clinical phenotype, we used a recombinant adenoviral expression vector (rAAV9) to express a GFP-tagged Thr175Asp tau protein construct in adult female Sprague-Dawley rat hippocampus. Ten rats per group were injected with rAAV9 vectors encoding either GFP, wild type GFP-tagged tau protein, Thr175Ala tau or Thr175Asp tau. 12 months postinjection, all rats were investigated by immunohistochemistry for GFP (extent of vector expression), pThr231 tau protein, activated GSK3β, and caspase-3 cleavage. Vector expression was primarily localized to hippocampal CA2 subregion. Tau protein pathology restricted to the CA2 region in the form of axonal beading, fibrils, and neurofibrillary tangles was observed in Thr175Asp tau inoculated brains and included colocalization with pThr231 tau and caspase-3 cleavage in this group only. Although no behavioral or imaging phenotype was observed, our results demonstrate that pThr175 tau protein is capable of exerting neuronal toxicity in vivo.
Modelling the effect of bednet coverage on malaria transmission in South Sudan

A campaign for malaria control, using Long Lasting Insecticide Nets (LLINs) was launched in South Sudan in 2009. The success of such a campaign often depends upon adequate available resources and reliable surveillance data which help officials understand existing infections. An optimal allocation of resources for malaria control at a sub-national scale is therefore paramount to the success of efforts to reduce malaria prevalence. In this paper, we extend an existing SIR mathematical model to capture the effect of LLINs on malaria transmission. Available data on malaria is utilized to determine realistic parameter values of this model using a Bayesian approach via Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods. Then, we explore the parasite prevalence on a continued rollout of LLINs in three different settings in order to create a sub-national projection of malaria. Further, we calculate the model’s basic reproductive number and study its sensitivity to LLINs’ coverage and its efficacy. From the numerical simulation results, we notice a basic reproduction number, R0, confirming a substantial increase of incidence cases if no form of intervention takes place in the community. This work indicates that an effective use of LLINs may reduce R0 and hence malaria transmission. We hope that this study will provide a basis for recommending a scaling-up of the entry point of LLINs’ distribution that targets households in areas at risk of malaria.
Using Search Engine Data as a Tool to Predict Syphilis

Background: Researchers have suggested that social media and online search data might be used to monitor and predict syphilis and other sexually transmitted diseases. Because people at risk for syphilis might seek sexual health and risk-related information on the internet, we investigated associations between internet state-level search query data (e.g., Google Trends) and reported weekly syphilis cases. Methods: We obtained weekly counts of reported primary and secondary syphilis for 50 states from 2012 to 2014 from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We collected weekly internet search query data regarding 25 risk-related keywords from 2012 to 2014 for 50 states using Google Trends. We joined 155 weeks of Google Trends data with 1-week lag to weekly syphilis data for a total of 7750 data points. Using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, we trained three linear mixed models on the first 10 weeks of each year. We validated models for 2012 and 2014 for the following 52 weeks and the 2014 model for the following 42 weeks. Results: The models, consisting of different sets of keyword predictors for each year, accurately predicted 144 weeks of primary and secondary syphilis counts for each state, with an overall average R2 of 0.9 and overall average root mean squared error of 4.9. Conclusions: We used Google Trends search data from the prior week to predict cases of syphilis in the following weeks for each state. Further research could explore how search data could be integrated into public health monitoring systems.
Microsaccade detection using pupil and corneal reflection signals

In contemporary research, microsaccade detection is typically performed using the calibrated gaze-velocity signal acquired from a video-based eye tracker. To generate this signal, the pupil and corneal reflection (CR) signals are subtracted from each other and a differentiation filter is applied, both of which may prevent small microsaccades from being detected due to signal distortion and noise amplification. We propose a new algorithm where microsaccades are detected directly from uncalibrated pupil-, and CR signals. It is based on detrending followed by windowed correlation between pupil and CR signals. The proposed algorithm outperforms the most commonly used algorithm in the field (Engbert & Kliegl, 2003), in particular for small amplitude microsaccades that are difficult to see in the velocity signal even with the naked eye. We argue that it is advantageous to consider the most basic output of the eye tracker, i.e. pupil-, and CR signals, when detecting small microsaccades.
Experimental study of superlaminar flow between nonconcentric rotating cylinders

An experimental study was made of superlaminar flow in the annular space between a rotating inner cylinder and a close clearance stationary outer cylinder. The study included: (1) measurements of transition speed for onset of vortices at eccentricity ratios of 0.08, 0.2, 0.35, 0.51, 0.68 and 0.83, (2) measurements of rotational torque in the vortex and turbulent flow regimes over the range of Reynolds numbers from 200 to 4300, and (3) measurements of pressure profiles in the vortex and turbulent flow regimes over the range of Reynolds numbers from 400 to 3200. Critical speed for onset of Taylor vortices was found to increase with eccentricity, this increase being greater at higher clearance ratios than at lower ones. At C/R = 0.099, the critcial speed for onset of vortices at an eccentricity ratio of 0.7 was found to be 2.2 times greater than the critical speed for the case of concentric cylinders. At C/R 0.0104, the critical speed at E = 0.7 was 1.5 times greater than that for concentric cylinders. The measurements made of torque and pressure profiles in the Taylor vortex flow regime were compared with theoretical calculations based on an analysis by DiPrima (Ref. 1). When diPrima's analysis was modified to correct for the discrepancy between theoretical and measured Taylor critical speeds, the theoretical calculations of torque and pressure profiles agreed with measured values to within 10% for speeds up to 1.5 times the critical speed. Visual studies were made of vortex flow and turbulence in the flow between a rotating inner cylinder and an 80" partial arc outer cylinder. The critical speed for onset of Taylor vortices in the flow were found to agree with theoretical prediction by DiPrima (Ref. 4) to within 25%.
Classification of Holoscopic 3D Micro-Gesture Images and Videos

This paper presents an empirical study on applying convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to the Holoscopic Micro-Gesture Recognition Challenge 2018 (HoMGR 2018[1]). Based on some neural networks trained on large scale datasets such as ImageNet, we are able to get fine-tuned models to work well on the HoMGR 2018 data. Result shows that resolution of inputs is critical for model accuracy. On test sets, the accuracy is 0.867 for frames based challenge and 0.82 for videos based challenge.
Mice lacking L‐12/15‐lipoxygenase show increased mortality during kindling despite demonstrating resistance to epileptogenesis

Studies have addressed the potential involvement of L‐12/15‐lipoxygenases (LOs), a polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolizing enzyme, in experimental models of acute stroke and chronic neurodegeneration; however, none to our knowledge has explored its role in epilepsy development. Thus, this study characterizes the cell‐specific expression of L‐12/15 ‐LO in the brain and examines its contribution to epileptogenesis.
Comparative Analyses of Anatomical Structure, Phytohormone Levels, and Gene Expression Profiles Reveal Potential Dwarfing Mechanisms in Shengyin Bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis f. tubaeformis)

Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) is one of the most important bamboo species in China and the third most important plant species for timber production. However, the dwarf variant of moso bamboo, P. edulis f. tubaeformis (shengyin bamboo), which has shortened internodes, is not well studied. We used anatomical, hormonal, and transcriptomic approaches to study internode shortening and shoot growth in dwarf shengyin and wild moso bamboo. Phenotypic and anatomical observations showed that dwarfing in shengyin bamboo is due to reduced internode length, and the culm fibers in shengyin bamboo are significantly shorter and thicker than in wild moso bamboo. We measured the levels of endogenous hormones in the internodes and found that shengyin bamboo had lower levels of four hormones while two others were higher in wild moso bamboo. Comparative transcriptome analyses revealed a potential regulating mechanism for internode length involving genes for cell wall loosening-related enzymes and the cellulose and lignin biosynthesis pathways. Genes involved in hormone biosynthesis and signal transduction, especially those that showed significant differential expression in the internodes between shengyin and wild moso bamboo, may be important in determining the shortened internode phenotype. A hypothesis involving possible cross-talk between phytohormone signaling cues and cell wall expansion leading to dwarfism in shengyin bamboo is proposed. The results presented here provide a comprehensive exploration of the biological mechanisms that determine internode shortening in moso bamboo.