Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Inoculum Preparation for Etest and EUCAST Broth Dilution to Detect Anidulafungin Polyresistance in Candida glabrata

The influence of inoculum preparation in EUCAST broth dilution and Etest to detect the coexistence of resistant and susceptible Candida subpopulations (defined as polyresistance [PR]) was evaluated. Cocultures of two echinocandin-resistant and susceptible clinical C. glabrata strains were used to simulate the occurrence of mixed populations in clinical samples, and antifungal susceptibility testing was performed with standard and modified approaches of inoculum preparation. ABSTRACT The influence of inoculum preparation in EUCAST broth dilution and Etest to detect the coexistence of resistant and susceptible Candida subpopulations (defined as polyresistance [PR]) was evaluated. Cocultures of two echinocandin-resistant and susceptible clinical C. glabrata strains were used to simulate the occurrence of mixed populations in clinical samples, and antifungal susceptibility testing was performed with standard and modified approaches of inoculum preparation. Polyresistant results manifested as microcolonies or double ellipses in Etest and in single reduced optical density (OD) values (dip in OD) in microdilution. The strict inclusion of five distinct colonies of 1:5 and 1:10 resistant and susceptible cocultures led to higher rates of PR and R results compared to including one to two colonies in inoculum preparation (30% and 26% for Etest and broth dilution, respectively). Modifying the inoculum preparation by increasing the turbidity from a 2 to a 4 McFarland standard before redilution to a 0.5 McFarland standard reliably enabled the detection of resistance, with better identification of PR by Etest than by broth dilution (82% versus 32%, respectively) and of resistant minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values in 18% of Etests and 67% of microdilutions. The highest identification of PR succeeded with Etest and a modified 3 McFarland standard approach of inoculum preparation. Our data demonstrate that inoculum preparation as recommended and practiced does not reliably identify resistant subpopulations in polyresistant Candida cultures. By increasing the inoculum size for Etest assays from a 2 to a 4 McFarland standard with subsequent redilution, we propose a simple adaptation to increase reliability.
Tissue Distribution of [14C]-Lefamulin into the Urogenital Tract in Rats

Lefamulin, a semisynthetic pleuromutilin antibiotic approved in the United States, Canada, and Europe for intravenous and oral treatment of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia, is highly active in vitro against bacterial pathogens that cause sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including multidrug-resistant strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Mycoplasma genitalium. This nonclinical study used quantitative whole-body autoradiography (QWBA) and qualitative tape-transfer microautoradiography (MARG) to investigate lefamulin distribution into urogenital tract tissues down to a cellular level in male and female rats. ABSTRACT Lefamulin, a semisynthetic pleuromutilin antibiotic approved in the United States, Canada, and Europe for intravenous and oral treatment of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia, is highly active in vitro against bacterial pathogens that cause sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including multidrug-resistant strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Mycoplasma genitalium. This nonclinical study used quantitative whole-body autoradiography (QWBA) and qualitative tape-transfer microautoradiography (MARG) to investigate lefamulin distribution into urogenital tract tissues down to a cellular level in male and female rats. A single intravenous dose (30 mg/kg) of [14C]-lefamulin was administered to 3 male and 3 female Sprague-Dawley rats. At 0.5, 6, and 24 h post dose, rats were euthanized and [14C]-lefamulin distribution was investigated using QWBA and MARG of sagittal planes. [14C]-lefamulin was well distributed throughout the carcasses of male and female rats, with the highest concentrations observed in male bulbourethral gland, urethra, prostate in female clitoral gland, uterus (particularly endometrium), and ovary. In these areas, concentrations were similar to or higher than those observed in the lungs. Concentrations peaked at 0.5 h post dose, remaining detectable in the urogenital tract up to 24 h post dose. [14C]-lefamulin in rats showed rapid, homogeneous distribution into urogenital tissues down to a cellular level, with high tissue:blood ratios in tissues relevant to STI treatment. These results, and the potent in vitro activity of lefamulin against multidrug-resistant bacteria known to cause STIs, will help inform further assessment of lefamulin, including potential clinical evaluation for treatment of STIs.
Development of Melioidosis Subunit Vaccines Using an Enzymatically Inactive Burkholderia pseudomallei AhpC

Burkholderia pseudomallei, the causative agent of melioidosis, is a facultative intracellular, Gram-negative pathogen that is highly infectious via the respiratory route and can cause severe, debilitating, and often fatal diseases in humans and animals. At present, no licensed vaccines for immunization against this CDC Tier 1 select agent exist. ABSTRACT Burkholderia pseudomallei, the causative agent of melioidosis, is a facultative intracellular, Gram-negative pathogen that is highly infectious via the respiratory route and can cause severe, debilitating, and often fatal diseases in humans and animals. At present, no licensed vaccines for immunization against this CDC Tier 1 select agent exist. Studies in our lab have previously demonstrated that subunit vaccine formulations consisting of a B. pseudomallei capsular polysaccharide (CPS)-based glycoconjugate (CPS-CRM197) combined with hemolysin-coregulated protein (Hcp1) provided C57BL/6 mice with high-level protection against an acute inhalational challenge of B. pseudomallei. In this study, we evaluated the immunogenicity and protective capacity of B. pseudomallei alkyl hydroperoxide reductase subunit C (AhpC) in combination with CPS-CRM197. AhpC is a peroxiredoxin involved in oxidative stress reduction and is a potential protective antigen. To facilitate our studies and maximize safety in animals, recombinant B. pseudomallei AhpC harboring an active site mutation (AhpCC57G) was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified using tandem nickel-cobalt affinity chromatography. Immunization of C57BL/6 mice with CPS-CRM197 combined with AhpCC57G stimulated high-titer IgG responses against the CPS component of the glycoconjugate as well as stimulated high-titer IgG and robust interferon gamma (IFN-γ)-, interleukin-5 (IL-5)-, and IL-17-secreting T cell responses against AhpCC57G. When challenged via an inhalational route with a high dose (~27 50% lethal doses [LD50s]) of B. pseudomallei, 70% of the immunized mice survived 35 days postchallenge. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that AhpCC57G is a potent activator of cellular and humoral immune responses and may be a promising candidate to include in future melioidosis subunit vaccines.
Determining Best Hardware, Software and Data Structures for Worker Guidance during a Complex Assembly Task

A widespread challenge in the industrial domain is the modernization and digitization of assembly processes involving human workers to increase production efficiency and thus stay competitive with rival companies. Specifically, in assembly processes involving low lot sizes, human workers are required to deal with variations to individual assembly work processes due to product customization. In case of complex tasks this leads to mistakes and further expensive dis- and reassembly steps. This paper investigates which are the quantifiably best data sources, pre-procession steps, features, and machine learning algorithms to determine the correct execution of a specific work process in the manufacturing environment. To answer this question, a wearable sensor system consisting of multiple heterogeneous sensor devices was developed. The data used for this work was specifically collected from the actual production environment in multiple recording sessions, and particular focus was given to achieve this in a realistic yet controlled way. An assistance provisioning pipeline for industrial workers consisting of (i) an activity recognition system, (ii) a work flow correlation engine, (iii) a wrench activity estimator and a (iv) feedback system was developed. These systems were designed and evaluated using authentic, task-specific expert knowledge and using a grid search study to determine the best selection of data sources, pre-procession steps, features, and machine learning algorithms. This study was able to answer the given research question and reifies the final results in the form of a guidance system to be deployed in an industrial manufacturing line.
nteract

Writing source code for programs with lightweight text editors or fully featured integrated development environments is considered the main method of programming. Notebooks, however, are an extremely practical tool. In contrast to IDEs, projects are set up more easily and they allow for running programs in a read-eval-print loop (REPL) environment. The Jupyter Notebooks Quick Start Guide [1] describes notebook documents as "… both human-readable documents containing the analysis description and the results (figures, tables, etc.) as well as executable documents which can be run to perform data analysis. " Basically, markdown text can be mixed with program source code in a sequence of sections, each dedicated to either programming or description and documentation. Source code sections can be executed and the output is appended to the section, even formatted in the form of graphs, diagrams, or tables. REPL and notebook based environments have proven to be useful in many scenarios including when exploring new libraries and frameworks, to prototype code, or as an educational tool to create interactive lecture material. A prominent example is Jupyter, which is the highly successful project behind Jupyter Notebooks and the recent JupyterLab, i.e. web-based systems to run and share notebooks that contain code, equations, data visualizations, and data exploration and narrative text.
Value-mapping transitions into the Pluriverse: Design notes on Participatory Methods, Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Emergency Community Resilience within the Ring of Fire

This article presents research notes used to devise the participatory design method we propose as ‘Pluriversal Transition Value Mapping’ (PTVM). This is a reflection on 3 exercises carried out in 3 countries of the ‘Pacific Ring of Fire’, a label that describes the Southeast Asian regional disposition to intensifying disasters of epic proportions. This is a diffraction through a transgressive onto-epistemological questioning; what it means to know, to research, to design and to manage in the context of a global crises of crises management. Understanding knowledge co-creation as a technology of power, this paper brings together dispersed case studies emerging in the intersection of Traditional Ecological Knowledges (TEK) and Disaster and Risk Management, to make an argument to the rele-vance of TEK in crisis management. We detail PTVM facilitation to inspire transdisciplinary teams. We discuss ethical implications of participating in worlds that were not ours. And finally, we shared design insights to end with provocations around the linkage of participatory design and transitions into the pluriverse.
Underneath Your Clothes: A Social and Technological Perspective on Nudity in The Context of AAL Technology

One promising way to tackle healthcare challenges due to demographic change lies in the development of user-tailored AAL technologies. Video-based AAL technologies have the potential to provide rich information - in particular about accidents such as falls. However, as visual AAL is designed to record some parts of daily life at home, privacy concerns may comprise recordings in unwanted appearances and especially while being nude. Here, collaborative research is necessary to enable the development of user-tailored (visual) AAL technologies taking into account future users’ needs and concerns. This article presents an interdisciplinary collaboration investigating perceptions of nudity from a social perspective, and developing solutions on nudity detection from a technical perspective. Focusing on first empirical insights and a proposed methodology for level-based nudity detection, this article concludes with interdisciplinary learnings, derived guidelines, and implications for future collaborative research.
Biomechanical Design of a Passive Knee Exoskeleton for Adaptive Walking Assistance

This paper designed a wearable exoskeleton to assist knee joint. We analyzed the anatomical structure and locomotion mechanism of knee joint by OpenSim, and found that knee flexion angle was less than 60° during level walking, and the higher the stair was, much greater the force of knee extensor was. An adaptive passive exoskeleton was developed, which allowed the knee joint move freely during level walking. While climbing stairs, as the flexion angle was more than 60°, it stored energy when the knee bends, after then to assist knee extending. Comparison experiments based on the measurement of sEMG signals demonstrated that the exoskeleton reduced the muscle activities of knee extensor in all situations. The greater the bending angle of the knee joint, the more obvious the assisting effect was. The proposed passive exoskeleton has an adaptive walking assistance effect, it can reduce the muscle fatigue of knee joint.
Skill Level Detection in Arc Welding towards an Assistance System for Workers

Common post evaluation techniques (image based) in the welding industry imply several disadvantages interfering with further production pipeline optimization. The manufacturing processes are extended which increases time, costs and effort. The usage of an online assistance system supporting the welder through helpful information about the current welding quality could resolve these issues. Despite the simpler access to online generated data recorded with embedded (inside the arc welder) or attached inertial measurement units, common challenges like feature extraction and feature selection had to be mastered without losing sight of the decisive arc welding characteristics. Decoding and accentuating physical welding skills mathematically to an understandable data representation supporting the random forest classifier was the key task of this study. Smart arc welders recording 3D accelerometer, 3D gyroscope, voltage and current data streams in combination with supervised data recording sessions enabled a clean data acquisition. Additional features were determined building a 960-dimensional feature set. Concatenating a correlation matrix computation and a forward feature selection improved the balance of the model complexity and its generalization and led to an optimized feature set including 15 features. The final optimization provided an extensive grid search. The resulting model reflected the test welders’ expertise even more accurately than the expert and novice labels in the data validated from a welding expert. A quantitative evaluation reached a 72% F1 score and a 76% accuracy.
ReviewAdvances in Understanding Hydrogel Lubrication Tooba Shoaib1 and Rosa M. Espinosa-Marzal1

Since their inception, hydrogels have gained popularity among multiple fields, most significantly in biomedical research and industry. Due to their resemblance to biological tribosystems, a significant amount of research has been conducted on hydrogels to elucidate biolubrication mechanisms and their possible applications as replacement materials. This review is focused on lubrication mechanisms and covers friction models that have attempted to quantify the complex frictional characteristics of hydrogels. From models developed on the basis of polymer physics to the concept of hydration lubrication, assumptions and conditions for their applicability are discussed. Based on previous models and our own experimental findings, we propose the viscous-adhesive model for hydrogel friction. This model accounts for the effects of confinement of the polymer network provided by a solid surface and poroelastic relaxation as well as the (non) Newtonian shear of a complex fluid on the frictional force and quantifies the frictional response of hydrogels-solid interfaces. Finally, the review delineates potential areas of future research based on the current knowledge.
Automated System to Measure Static Balancing in Children to Assess Executive Function

We present multiple methods based on computer vision and deep learning to automate the task of ”Balancing on one foot”. This is one of the Activate Test of Embodied Cognition (ATEC) tasks used to measure cognitive skills in children through physical activity. A dataset of 27 children performing the ATEC task is used to train and validate the deep learning models used to automate the task. As opposed to most balance identification systems that use sensors, our proposed approach relies only on computer vision which can be easily deployed at home or classroom environment, is portable, and cheap. Our proposed system automatically identifies the task and assigns an ATEC and an ergonomics score for the ”Balancing on one foot” task. Our proposed system achieves an accuracy of 97% when calculating the raw score for the ATEC task and 86.5% for assigning the ergonomic score.
Design process and design evaluation of web-based visualization dashboard to monitor and support the decision-making of travel-related physical activity

Patients suffering from coronary heart disease (CHD) require to attend cardiac rehabilitation to manage modifiable risk factors including physical activity (PA) to avoid the progression of the disease. However, attendance in these programs is low. Travel-related PA (TPA) monitoring via a smartphone app can provide an opportunity to assess the part of routine PA level. A digital framework consisting of a smartphone app to monitor travel behaviour and a semi-automated feedback report to show the performance of TPA was used in a pilot trial. An important component of this digital framework is a web-based visualization dashboard designed for healthcare providers to get insights into the routine TPA performance of their patients. This study aims to describe the design process and design evaluation of healthcare providers for the visualization dashboard. After designing the user interface screens of the dashboard, the prospective healthcare providers were contacted from the four hospitals in Belgium. Seven interested representative participants attended a focus group session. The session's proceedings were recorded and transcribed. A directed content analysis was used which utilizes a predetermined coding scheme. The usability of the web-based visualization dashboard's content (monitoring and enhancing TPA) was evaluated as of significant importance within and after the rehabilitation programs in the secondary prevention of CHD. TPA monitoring can be effective in motivating targeted patients who have sedentary lifestyles and do not attend rehabilitation programs. Experts particularly recommended adopting engagement strategies for the TPA monitoring and enhancing frameworks. The strategies to enhance patient engagement should be given high importance in future intervention design.
Prototyping and Prototype use in Participatory Design with older adults: A systematic literature review

This systematic literature review examines the role of prototyping and prototype use in Participatory Design (PD) with older adults. Through text analysis of 68 studies, ten descriptive categories of forms of prototyping and prototype use were constructed to characterize the application in PD with older adults: Refine, Evaluate, Motivate, Generate, Explore, Teach, Decide, Communicate, Understand, and Contribute. Further analysis examines the prevalence of each category, as well as who participates in these activities. With principal component analysis, we further examine the interrelationships of these forms of prototyping and prototype use to explore traditions within PD studies with older adults. We conclude by urging PD practitioners to explicitly describe who they include in prototyping and prototype activities, how they are involved, and why. Finally, we invite further discourse on the role of the use of prototypes and prototyping in PD, particularly in PD with older adults, as well as further examination of the concrete context of involvement.
Beyond Privacy of Depth Sensors in Active and Assisted Living Devices

Active and Assisted Leaving (AAL) devices that use cameras and images raise concerns about the privacy of the monitored individuals. These devices capture images that include personal and behavioral data during the day. Most authors decide to switch from RGB to depth sensors to maintain privacy. Nevertheless, not all available works agree that depth image is private, which creates an open legal problem for AAL applications. In this paper, privacy is discussed in vision-based systems using depth sensors. Various factors of depth and RGB images that might affect privacy are presented to define the privacy level of depth devices. One of the main issues that make an image non-private is that the subjects’ faces are visible and can be identified. In the experimental part, a state-of-the-art Face Recognition (FR) model in depth images is developed. It is used to establish boundary conditions allowing correct recognition of a person’s face. A comparison between FR in RGB and depth images is performed, including the ability to learn the model by training the two modalities from scratch on identical data. This study answers under which conditions depth cameras protect the privacy and how much privacy is disclosed by them.
Investigating the Role of the Flavin Mononucleotide (FMN) Complex in Oxidative Radical Production by Targeting the Molecules Arginine (Arg) 1400, Calmodulin (CaM), and Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NADH)

One possible experiment could be to do a global studylowering the NADH/NAD+ ratio, targeting CaM, mutating Arginine1400, and/ or mutating or removing the FMN complex itself (or something inside the complex)-and then examining levels of nNOS or Ubiquinone (at the end of the pathway), or the levels of oxidative radical production (or whether they are produced). The question would be: How is oxidative radical production within neurons affected when molecules of the MTC (Arg, CaM, NADH, and FMN) pathway are affected, or altered, and how do these changes affect the FMN complex, in order to elucidate its role in oxidative radical production?