Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Managing Uncertainty of AI-based Perception for Autonomous Systems

With the advent of autonomous systems, machine perception is a decisive safety-critical part to make such systems become reality. However, presently used AI-based perception does not meet the required reliability for usage in real-world systems beyond prototypes, as for autonomous cars. In this work, we describe the challenge of reliable perception for autonomous systems. Furthermore, we identify methods and approaches to quantify the uncertainty of AI-based perception. Along with dynamic management of the safety, we show a path to how uncertainty information can be utilized for the perception, so that it will meet the high dependability demands of life-critical autonomous systems.
Taprint: Secure Text Input for Commodity Smart Wristbands

Smart wristband has become a dominant device in the wearable ecosystem, providing versatile functions such as fitness tracking, mobile payment, and transport ticketing. However, the small form-factor, low-profile hardware interfaces and computational resources limit their capabilities in security checking. Many wristband devices have recently witnessed alarming vulnerabilities, e.g., personal data leakage and payment fraud, due to the lack of authentication and access control. To fill this gap, we propose a secure text pin input system, namely Taprint, which extends a virtual number pad on the back of a user's hand. Taprint builds on the key observation that the hand "landmarks'', especially finger knuckles, bear unique vibration characteristics when being tapped by the user herself. It thus uses the tapping vibrometry as biometrics to authenticate the user, while distinguishing the tapping locations. Taprint reuses the inertial measurement unit in the wristband, "overclocks'' its sampling rate to extrapolate fine-grained features, and further refines the features to enhance the uniqueness and reliability. Extensive experiments on 128 users demonstrate that Taprint achieves a high accuracy (96%) of keystrokes recognition. It can authenticate users, even through a single-tap, at extremely low error rate (2.4%), and under various practical usage disturbances.
NLPyPort: Named Entity Recognition with CRF and Rule-Based Relation Extraction

This paper describes the application of the NLPyPort pipeline to Named Entity Recognition (NER) and Relation Extraction in Portuguese, more precisely in the scope of the IberLEF-2019 evaluation task on the topic. NER was tackled with CRF, based on several features, and trained in the HAREM collection, but results were low. This was partly caused by an issue on the submitted model, which had been trained in lowercase text, but, apparently, also due to the training data used, which highlights the diﬀerent natures of HAREM, the source of the majority of the testing corpus, and SIGARRA. Relations were extracted with a set of rules bootstrapped from the examples provided by the organisation. Despite an F1-score of 0.72, we were the only participants in this task. We also express our doubts concerning the utility of the extracted relations.
Cognitive BPM: Business Process Automation and Innovation with Artificial Intelligence

Business Process Management (BPM) offers a structured and organized way of managing business operations. However, it is based on routines and rigid definitions that offer limited flexibility and automation options. Advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology are creating new possibilities by making business processes cognitive. IT Business Value research suggests that the adoption of Cognitive Computing (CC) in BPM will improve performance. In addition, I argue this effect is mediated by automation and innovation of business processes. Research in this field is scarce. I will empirically address this research problem by firstly developing measurement scales for the adoption of CC in the BPM context (CBPM) and Business Process Automation (BPA). Secondly, I will conduct an overarching survey that explores the connection between CBPM and corporate performance (CP). My work will contribute to the academic discourse on IT Business Value research and provide insights into what outcomes managers can expect from CC and AI technology adoption in day-to-day business operations and what management strategies to employ.
A Contextualized Word Representation Approach for Irony Detection

IroSvA (Irony Detection in Spanish variants) is a contest dedicated to identify the presence of irony in a given context in short messages written in Spanish, specifically tweets and news comments. In this case, it is necessary to consider that irony may be expressed in a different way according to the Spanish variant, which makes this task more complex to tackle it. Taking into account that irony detection is a very important task in many applications, we proposed a system based on a distributed representation of the texts, using the ELMo approach. We did not use any handcrafted features, lexicons or external datasets as prior information.
Simod: A Tool for Automated Discovery of Business Process Simulation Models

Business process simulation is a widespread approach for quantitative analysis of business processes. However, the creation of accurate business process simulation models is a laborious and error-prone task, due to the numerous parameters that need to be carefully tuned. Additionally, the accuracy of a simulation model is inherently limited by the accuracy of the process model that is used as a starting point. This paper presents Simod: A tool to automatically generate simulation models from event logs. Simod uses an automated process discovery technique to extract a process model from an event log and then enhances this model with simulation parameters extracted via a combination of trace alignment, replay, and curve-fitting techniques. The tool incorporates a Bayesian hyperparameter optimization technique to fine-tune the accuracy of the resulting simulation model.
The Virtual Director Concept: Data-Driven Adaptation and Personalization for Live Video Streams

This paper gives a comprehensive overview of the Virtual Director concept. A Virtual Director is a software component automating the key decision making tasks of a TV broadcast director. It decides how to mix and present the available content streams on a particular playout device, most essentially deciding which camera view to show and when to switch to another. A Virtual Director allows to take decisions respecting individual user preferences and playout device characteristics. In order to take meaningful decisions, a Virtual Director must be continuously informed by real-time sensors which emit information about what is happening in the scene. From such (low-level) ’cues’, the Virtual Director infers higher-level events, actions, facts and states which in turn trigger the real-time processes deciding on the presentation of the content. The behaviour of a Virtual Director, the ’production grammar’, defines how decisions are taken, generally encompassing two main aspects: selecting DataTV’19 at ACM TVX, June 05, 2019, Manchester, UK Copyright© 2019 for this paper by its authors. Use permitted under Creative Commons License Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). what is most relevant, and deciding how to show it, applying cinematographic principles.
Subchronic dichlorvos-induced Cardiotoxicity in Wistar rats: Mitigative efficacy of Nigella sativa oil

BACKGROUND: Accidental poisoning from indiscriminate use of organophosphates have become endemic in recent decades, most especially in developing nations, coupled with the limitations of the availability of satisfactory antidotes. AIM OF THE STUDY: Thus, we investigated the cardioprotective efficacy of Nigella sativa oil (NSO) following dichlorvos dichlorvos (DDVP)-induced cardiotoxicity in Wistar rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 24 Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 6); the control was administered sunflower oil (1 ml/kg), DDVP (8.8 mg/kg) to the experimental Group I, whereas DDVP + NSO (8.8 mg/kg +1 ml/kg) and NSO (1 ml/kg) was administered orally to the experimental Groups II and III, respectively. The animals were euthanized; blood was transcardially collected from the right atrium, centrifuged, and plasma extracted to analyze levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). While cardiac muscle tissue was collected from the left heart, processed and stained for general architecture (hematoxylin and eosin) and elastic morphology (orcein). RESULTS: DDVP significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased the plasma levels of TC, LDL, atherogenic and atherosclerotic indices (TC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratios), but this was prevented by co-administration with NSO. Histological investigations showed that DDVP resulted in the pathological appearance of cardiac tissues, such as the lack of striations, myocardial hemorrhage, and necrosis-like features. CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that NSO was able to attenuate DDVP-induced cardiotoxicity.
Coarticulatory constraints determined by automatic identification from articulograph data

A statistical technique for identifying critical, dependent and redundant articulators in English phones was applied to 1D and 2D distributions of articulatograph coordinates. Results compared well with phonetic descriptions from the IPA chart with some interesting findings for fricatives and alveolar stops. An extension of the method is discussed.
Low-Profile Dual Small Plate Fixation Is Biomechanically Similar to Larger Superior or Anteroinferior Single Plate Fixation of Midshaft Clavicle Fractures

Background: Limited biomechanical data exist for dual small plate fixation of midshaft clavicle fractures, and no prior study has concurrently compared dual small plating to larger superior or anteroinferior single plate and screw constructs. Purpose: To biomechanically compare dual small orthogonal plating, superior plating, and anteroinferior plating of midshaft clavicle fractures by use of a cadaveric model. Study Design: Descriptive laboratory study. Methods: The study used 18 cadaveric clavicle specimens (9 pairs total), and 3 plating techniques were studied: anteroinferior, superior, and dual. The dual plating technique used smaller diameter plates and screws (1.6-mm thickness) than the other, single plate techniques (3.3-mm thickness). Each of the 9 clavicle pairs was randomly assigned a combination of 2 plating techniques, and randomization was used to determine which techniques were used for the right and left specimens. Clavicles were plated and then osteotomized to create an inferior butterfly fracture model, which was then fixed with a single interfragmentary screw. Clavicle specimens were then potted for mechanical testing. Initial bending, axial, and torsional stiffness of each construct was determined through use of a randomized nondestructive cyclic testing protocol followed by load to failure. Results: No significant differences were found in cyclical axial (P = .667) or torsional (P = .526) stiffness between plating groups. Anteroinferior plating demonstrated significantly higher cyclical bending stiffness than superior plating (P = .005). No significant difference was found in bending stiffness between dual plating and either anteroinferior (P = .129) or superior plating (P = .067). No significant difference was noted in load to failure among plating methods (P = .353). Conclusion: Dual plating with a smaller plate-screw construct is biomechanically similar to superior and anteroinferior single plate fixation that uses larger plate-screw constructs. No significant differences were found between dual plating and either superior or anteroinferior single plating in axial, bending, or torsional stiffness or in bending load to failure. Dual small plating is a viable option for fixing midshaft clavicle fractures and may be a useful low-profile technique that avoids a larger and more prominent plate-screw construct. Clinical Relevance: Plate prominence and hardware irritation are commonly reported complaints and reasons for revision surgery after plate fixation of midshaft clavicle fractures. Dual small plate fixation has been used to improve cosmetic acceptability, minimize hardware irritation, and decrease reoperation rate. Biomechanically, dual small plate fixation performed similarly to larger single plate fixation in this cadaveric model of butterfly fracture.
Functional Expression of Multidrug Resistance Protein 4 MRP4/ABCC4

To study the function and structure of membrane proteins, high quantities of pure and stable protein are needed. One of the first hurdles in accomplishing this is expression of the membrane protein at high levels and in a functional state. Membrane proteins are naturally expressed at low levels, so finding a suitable host for overexpression is imperative. Multidrug resistance protein 4 (MRP4) or ATP-binding cassette subfamily C member 4 (ABCC4) is a multi-transmembrane protein that is able to transport a range of organic anionic compounds (both endogenous and xenobiotic) out of the cell. This versatile transporter has been linked with extracellular signaling pathways and cellular protection, along with conferring drug resistance in cancers. Here we report the use of MRP4 as a case study to be expressed in three different expression systems: mammalian, insect, and yeast cells, to gain the highest yield possible. Interestingly, using the baculovirus expression system with Sf9 insect cells produced the highest protein yields. Vesicular transport assays were used to confirm that MRP4 expressed in Sf9 was functional using a fluorescent cAMP analogue (fluo-cAMP) instead of the traditional radiolabeled substrates. MRP4 transported fluo-cAMP in an ATP-dependent manner. The specificity of functional expression of MRP4 was validated by the use of nonhydrolyzable ATP analogues and MRP4 inhibitor MK571. Functionally expressed MRP4 in Sf9 cells can now be used in downstream processes such as solubilization and purification in order to better understand its function and structure.
Interleukin-21 (IL-21) Downregulates Dendritic Cell Cytokine Responses to Helicobacter pylori and Modulates T Lymphocyte IL-17A Expression in Peyer’s Patches during Infection

Interleukin-21 (IL-21), a cytokine produced by many subsets of activated immune cells, is critical for driving inflammation in several models. Using Helicobacter pylori infection as a model for chronic mucosal infection, we previously published that IL-21 is required for the development of gastritis in response to infection. Concomitant with protection from chronic inflammation, H. pylori-infected IL-21−/− mice exhibited limited Th1 and Th17 responses in their gastric mucosa. ABSTRACT Interleukin-21 (IL-21), a cytokine produced by many subsets of activated immune cells, is critical for driving inflammation in several models. Using Helicobacter pylori infection as a model for chronic mucosal infection, we previously published that IL-21 is required for the development of gastritis in response to infection. Concomitant with protection from chronic inflammation, H. pylori-infected IL-21−/− mice exhibited limited Th1 and Th17 responses in their gastric mucosa. Here we report that H. pylori-infected IL-21−/− mice express significantly higher levels of IL-17A than H. pylori-infected wild-type (WT) mice in the Peyer’s patches and mesenteric lymph nodes. This led us to hypothesize that IL-21 may indirectly regulate H. pylori-specific T cell responses by controlling dendritic cell (DC) functions in mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue. It was found that IL-21 treatment reduced the ability of dendritic cells to produce proinflammatory cytokines in response to H. pylori. While H. pylori increased the expression of costimulatory proteins on DCs, IL-21 reduced the expression of CD40 in the presence of H. pylori. Also, Th17 recall responses were intact when DCs were used as antigen-presenting cells in the presence of IL-21, but IL-21 did impact the ability of DCs to induce antigen-specific proliferation. These data suggest that IL-21, while proinflammatory in most settings, downregulates the proinflammatory cytokine microenvironment through modulating the cytokine expression of DCs, indirectly modifying IL-17A expression. Understanding how these proinflammatory cytokines are regulated will advance our understanding of how and why H. pylori infection may be tolerated in some individuals while it causes gastritis, ulcers, or cancer in others.
Cardiovascular events among reproductive and menopausal age women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence (P)/hazard ratio (HR) of cardiovascular (CV) events among reproductive age and menopausal age women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in comparison with healthy controls. PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Web of science, and Google scholar were searched for retrieving observational studies published up to April 2018 investigating CV events in patients with PCOS. The primary outcomes were a composite outcome of CV events [including coronary arterial disease (CAD), cardiovascular disease (CVD), myocardial infarction (MI), angina, heart failure, and ischemic heart disease] and mortality due to CV events; secondary outcomes were specific CVD events, including cerebrovascular disease, CAD, CVD, MI, angina, heart failure, ischemic heart disease, and stroke. In this meta-analysis, both fixed and random effect models were used. Potential sources of heterogeneity were explored by meta-regression and subgroup analyses. Sixteen studies including 12 population-based were analyzed for the meta-analysis. Results showed that the pooled HRs of CV events in PCOS patients of reproductive age and in menopausal/aging women were higher than healthy controls (pooled HR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.12–1.71) and (pooled HR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.15, 2.04), respectively. Compared to healthy controls, analysis of population-based studies revealed that the HR of CV events increased only in reproductive age PCOS patients (1.43-fold, 95% CI: 1.27, 1.61), whereas the difference was not statistically significant when comparing menopausal/aging PCOS patients to healthy controls (1.03-fold, 95% CI: 0.41, 2.59). Sufficient data were not available for comparing the HRs of mortality due to CV events between the two PCOS age groups. Mainly based on population-based study, we found a greater risk of CV events in reproductive aged but not in menopausal/aging PCOS women, suggesting that having a history of PCOS during reproductive ages may not be an important risk factor for developing events in later life. This is a preliminary assumption and needs to be reevaluated by further comprehensive cohort studies of longer duration, initiated in the reproductive period, considering all known CVD risk factors.
Biomarkers of Acute Lung Injury The Individualized Approach: for Phenotyping, Risk Stratification and Treatment Surveillance

Do we need biomarkers of lung damage and infection: For what purpose and how should they be used properly? Biomarkers of lung damage can be used for diagnosis, risk stratification/prediction, treatment surveillance and adjustment of targeted therapy. Additionally, novel “omics” methods may offer a completely different and effective way of improving the understanding of pathogenesis of lung damage and a way to develop new candidate lung damage biomarkers. In the current review, we give an overview within the field of acute lung damage of (i) disease mechanism biomarkers, (ii) of “ready to use” evidence-based biomarker-guided lung infection management, (iii) of novel strategies of inflammatory phenotyping and how this can be used to tailor corticosteroid treatment, (iv) a future perspective of where “omics” technologies and mindsets may become increasingly important in developing new strategies for treatment and for understanding the development of acute lung damage.
Logistic Regression for Machine Learning in Process Tomography

The main goal of the research presented in this paper was to develop a refined machine learning algorithm for industrial tomography applications. The article presents algorithms based on logistic regression in relation to image reconstruction using electrical impedance tomography (EIT) and ultrasound transmission tomography (UST). The test object was a tank filled with water in which reconstructed objects were placed. For both EIT and UST, a novel approach was used in which each pixel of the output image was reconstructed by a separately trained prediction system. Therefore, it was necessary to use many predictive systems whose number corresponds to the number of pixels of the output image. Thanks to this approach the under-completed problem was changed to an over-completed one. To reduce the number of predictors in logistic regression by removing irrelevant and mutually correlated entries, the elastic net method was used. The developed algorithm that reconstructs images pixel-by-pixel is insensitive to the shape, number and position of the reconstructed objects. In order to assess the quality of mappings obtained thanks to the new algorithm, appropriate metrics were used: compatibility ratio (CR) and relative error (RE). The obtained results enabled the assessment of the usefulness of logistic regression in the reconstruction of EIT and UST images.
A Bioinformatics Toolkit: In Silico Tools and Online Resources for Investigating Genetic Variation

Abstract With the advent of large-scale next-generation sequencing initiatives, there is an increasing importance to interpret and understand the potential phenotypic influence of identified genetic variation and its significance in the human genome. Bioinformatics analyses can provide useful information to assist with variant interpretation. This review provides an overview of tools/resources currently available, and how they can help predict the impact of genetic variation at the deoxyribonucleic acid, ribonucleic acid, and protein level.
Cross-Linking Strategies for Electrospun Gelatin Scaffolds

Electrospinning is an exceptional technology to fabricate sub-micrometric fiber scaffolds for regenerative medicine applications and to mimic the morphology and the chemistry of the natural extracellular matrix (ECM). Although most synthetic and natural polymers can be electrospun, gelatin frequently represents a material of choice due to the presence of cell-interactive motifs, its wide availability, low cost, easy processability, and biodegradability. However, cross-linking is required to stabilize the structure of the electrospun matrices and avoid gelatin dissolution at body temperature. Different physical and chemical cross-linking protocols have been described to improve electrospun gelatin stability and to preserve the morphological fibrous arrangement of the electrospun gelatin scaffolds. Here, we review the main current strategies. For each method, the cross-linking mechanism and its efficiency, the influence of electrospinning parameters, and the resulting fiber morphology are considered. The main drawbacks as well as the open challenges are also discussed.