Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A physiological sound sensing system using accelerometer based on flip-chip piezoelectric technology and asymmetrically gapped cantilever

This paper focuses on the sensing of physiological sound on human body using accelerometers. The physiological sound sensing have demanding requirements on the sensitivity/noise performance of accelerometers since the physiological sounds are usually very weak. In this paper, a piezoelectric accelerometer based on the asymmetrically gapped cantilever structure, which exhibits significantly improved sensitivity, is presented. Furthermore, in order to reduce the package size of the accelerometer, a flip-chip piezoelectric technology is proposed. The accelerometer has a resonant frequency of 1580 Hz which is much higher than the heart sound frequency range, and a quality factor of 9.2. Using a coherent scaling method, the scaled noise level of the accelerometer between 10 Hz and 400 Hz is 1 μV/√Hz. Preliminarily test results show that the signal-to-noise ratio of the heart sound signal measured by the designed accelerometer is about four times higher than that by a high-end stethoscope.
Mycobacteriosis caused by Mycobacterium genavense in birds kept in a zoo: 11-year survey

We report on a disease in 27 birds (1 bird belonging to the order Coraciiformes, 3 to Piciformes, 4 to Galliformes, 7 to Psittaciformes, and 12 to Passeriformes) caused by fastidious mycobacteria. All birds were caged at the Antwerp Zoo and died suddenly between 1983 and 1994. Seventeen birds had no previous signs of disease, and 10 birds showed emaciation. Gross necropsy findings were generally nonspecific, but all the birds were smear positive for acid-fast bacilli (AFB). Histopathologic evaluation performed on 14 birds revealed predominantly intracellular AFB. Extracellular AFB were more abundant in advanced lesions, especially in necrotic areas. In the intestine the mucosal area was generally heavily infiltrated, suggesting an intestinal origin of the infection. There was extensive invasion of the lungs in most birds. In 11 birds sparse growth was obtained after at least 6 months of incubation on Löwenstein-Jensen medium or on Ogawa medium supplemented with mycobactin. Subculture was unsuccessful in all instances. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of the cultured organisms or tissues from seven birds revealed the characteristic signature sequence for Mycobacterium genavense. Direct bird-to-bird transmission in the zoo was unlikely, and the pathogenicity of M. genavense in birds seems to be limited. The source of M. genavense in nature and the epidemiology of the disease in birds remain obscure. As suspected for human cases of M. genavense infection, an oral route of infection has been suggested, and contaminated local water distribution systems may have been the source of the infection. Our study confirms that infections caused by M. genavense should be suspected in birds (especially in Passeriformes and Psittaciformes orders) that die suddenly without previous symptoms and that have AFB in tissues that are difficult to grow on conventional media.
Efficient and Accurate Parallel Inversion of the Gamma Distribution

A method for parallel inversion of the gamma distribution is described. This is very desirable for random number generation in Monte Carlo simulations where gamma variates are required. Let $\alpha$ be a fixed but arbitrary positive real number. Explicitly, given a list of uniformly distributed random numbers our algorithm applies the quantile function (inverse CDF) of the gamma distribution with shape parameter $\alpha$ to each element. The result is, therefore, a list of random numbers distributed according to the said distribution. The output of our algorithm has accuracy close to a choice of single- or double-precision machine epsilon. Inversion of the gamma distribution is traditionally accomplished using some form of root finding. This is known to be computationally expensive. Our algorithm departs from this paradigm by using an initialization phase to construct, on the fly, a piecewise Chebyshev polynomial approximation to a transformation function, which can be evaluated very quickly during variat.
Transit Time Affects the Community Stability of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium Species in an In Vitro Model of Human Colonic Microbiotia

Abstract: Retention time, which is analogous to transit time, is an index for bacterial stability in the intestine. Its consideration is of particular importance to optimize the delivery of probiotic bacteria in order to improve treatment efficacy. This study aims to investigate the effect of retention time on Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria stability using an established in vitro human colon model. Three retention times were used: 72, 96, and 144 h. The effect of retention time on cell viability of different bacterial populations was analyzed with bacterial plate counts and PCR. The proportions of intestinal Bifidobacteria, Lactobacilli, Enterococci, Staphylococci and Clostridia populations, analyzed by plate counts, were found to be the same as that in human colonic microbiota. Retention time in the human colon affected the stability of Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria communities, with maximum stability observed at 144 h. Therefore, retention time is an important parameter that influences bacterial stability in the colonic microbiota. Future clinical studies on probiotic bacteria formulations should take into consideration gastrointestinal transit parameters to improve treatment efficacy.
Electrokinetic injection for stacking neutral analytes in capillary and microchip electrophoresis.

An on-column mechanism for electrokinetically injecting long sample plugs with simultaneous stacking of neutral analytes in capillary electrokinetic chromatography is presented. On-column stacking methods allow for the direct injection of long sample plugs into the capillary, with narrowing of the analyte peak width to allow for an increase in the detected signal. Low-pressure injections (approximately 50 mbar) are commonly used to introduce sample plugs containing neutral analytes. We demonstrate that injection can be accomplished by applying an electric field from the sample vial directly into the capillary, with neutral analytes injected by electroosmotic flow at up to 1 order of magnitude faster than the corresponding pressure injections. Since stacking occurs simultaneously with electrokinetic injection, stacking is initiated at the capillary inlet, resulting in an increased length of capillary remaining for separation. Reproducibility obtained for peak height and peak area with electroosmotic flow injection is comparable to that obtained with the pressure injection mode, while reproducibility of analysis time is markedly improved. Electrokinetic stacking of neutral analytes utilizing electroosmotic flow is demonstrated with discontinuous (high conductivity, high mobility) as well as continuous (equal conductivity, equal mobility) sample electrolytes. Injecting neutral analytes by electroosmotic flow affords a 10-fold or greater decrease in analysis times when capillaries of 50-microm i.d. or smaller are used. This stacking method should be exportable to dynamic pH junction stacking and electrokinetic chromatography with capillary arrays. Equations describing this electrokinetic injection mode are introduced and stacking of a neutral analyte on a microchip by electrokinetic injection using a simple cross-T channel configuration is demonstrated.
INFLUENCE OF SPATIAL STRUCTURE OF SOIL HYDRAULIC PROPERTIES ON SURFACE RUNOFF PROCESSES

The effect of spatial variations of soil hydraulic properties on runoff response at plot scales was investigated in this study using a combination of results from field observation and numerical simulation experiments. Field observations were from two sets of scaled runoff plots during twenty-four (24) runoff events. Simulation experiments on four scenarios of hydraulic conductivity (K) distribution in a 2 m x 6 m runoff plot was implemented with a two dimensional hydrodynamic model developed and validated for tropical watersheds. In scenario A "expanding", K values were increased linearly from 30 mm h -1 to 172 mm h -1 at regular grids downslope. In scenario B-"shrinking", K values were decreased downslope (inverse of scenario A). For scenario C - "measured" field measured K values were used on all the grid points; and in scenario D - "homogeneous" an average K value of the K distribution in scenarios A and B, 81.5 mm h -1 , was used on all the grids. Two typical rainfall events; high and low intensity, were selected from field data of 2002 for model simulations. The results clearly demonstrate the role of spatial variability of K in runoff processes during storm events. Scenario A produced lowest runoff volume, due to increasing infiltration opportunity, whereas the homogeneous distribution (scenario D) yielded the highest runoff volume for both low and high intensity events. Scenarios B and C showed similar results possibly due to their decreasing infiltration capacity downslope. For proper interpretations of runoff processes such as scale dependency, runoff coefficient, etc., this study showed that there is the need to consider temporal dynamics associated with surface runoff travel from point of initiation to discharge, spatial distribution and orientation, as well as the temporal pattern and intensity of rainfall events. Further discussions on the field observed runoff response to variability in hydraulic conductivity and plot sizes are included.
A study of matrix metalloproteinase expression and activity in atopic dermatitis using a novel skin wash sampling assay for functional biomarker analysis

Background Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that is characterized by a defective skin barrier. Despite the well‐recognized role of proteases in skin barrier maintenance, relatively little is known of the contribution made by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) to the inflammatory process in AD.
Direct Model Predictive Current Control Strategy of DC–DC Boost Converters

A model predictive control (MPC) algorithm for dc-dc boost converters is proposed in this paper. The proposed control scheme is implemented as a current-mode controller. Two control loops are employed, with the inner loop being designed in the framework of MPC. Two different objective functions are formulated and investigated. The control objective, i.e., the regulation of the current to its reference, is achieved by directly manipulating the switch, thus a modulator is not required. As a prediction model, a hybrid model of the converter is used, which captures precisely the continuous and the discontinuous conduction modes. The proposed control strategy achieves very fast current regulation, while exhibiting only a modest computational complexity. Simulation and experimental results substantiate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Learning body-affordances to simplify action spaces

Controlling embodied agents with many actuated degrees of freedom is a challenging task. We propose a method that can discover and interpolate between context dependent high-level actions or body-affordances. These provide an abstract, low-dimensional interface indexing high-dimensional and time- extended action policies. Our method is related to recent ap- proaches in the machine learning literature but is conceptually simpler and easier to implement. More specifically our method requires the choice of a n-dimensional target sensor space that is endowed with a distance metric. The method then learns an also n-dimensional embedding of possibly reactive body-affordances that spread as far as possible throughout the target sensor space.
Pose-independent garment transfer

Dressing virtual characters is necessary for many applications such as film and game. However, modeling clothing for characters is a significant bottleneck, because it requires manual effort to design clothing, position it correctly on the body, and adjusting the fitting. Therefore, even if we wish to design similar looking clothing for characters that have very different poses and shapes, we would need to repeat the tedious process practically from scratch. We then propose a method for automatic design-preserving transfer of clothing between characters in various poses and shapes. As shown in the results, our system enables us to automatically generate a clothing model for a target character.
An overview of the role of carfilzomib in the treatment of multiple myeloma

ABSTRACT Introduction: Carfilzomib is a second-generation proteasome inhibitor that binds selectively and irreversibly with the chymotrypsin-like site of the proteolytic core. Its initial approval by the Food and Drug Administration, as monotherapy for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RR-MM), followed soon by a global authorization of its combination with dexamethasone or with lenalidomide plus dexamethasone for the treatment of RR-MM after 1–3 prior lines. In order to optimize its administration, carfilzomib is currently examined in different doses and regimens in relapsed/refractory as well as in newly diagnosed myeloma. Areas covered: This review will focus on the introduction of carfilzomib as an effective anti-myeloma treatment, describing the evolution of the drug from its pre-clinical development to its established use by phase III clinical trials. Based on the latest evidence, we will present its mechanism of action, its efficacy and its toxicity profile on treated myeloma patients and we will try to reply to all raised concerns about its current use. Expert opinion: Either alone or in combination with other agents, carfilzomib seems to be an effective and safe therapeutic option for MM management. Results of ongoing trials are expected to update its application, even at an earlier level of the disease course.
Characterization of the methemoglobin forming metabolites of benzocaine and lidocaine

Abstract 1. Topical anesthesia with benzocaine or lidocaine occasionally causes methemoglobinemia, an uncommon but potentially fatal disorder where the blood has a reduced ability to transport oxygen. Previous in vitro studies using human whole blood have shown that benzocaine causes more methemoglobin (MetHb) formation than lidocaine, and that both compounds require metabolic transformation to form the MetHb producing species. In the current investigation, the active species of benzocaine forming the MetHb was investigated. 2. HPLC analysis of benzocaine samples incubated with human hepatic S9 showed the formation of a peak with the same UV spectrum and retention time as benzocaine hydroxylamine (BenzNOH). To confirm the activity of BenzNOH, MetHb production following exposure to the compound was determined in whole human blood using an Avoximeter 4000 CO-oximeter. 3. BenzNOH produced MetHb in a concentration dependent manner without the need for metabolic activation. Benzocaine in the presence of metabolic activation required a concentration of 500 μM to produce a similar degree of MetHb formation as 20 μM BenzNOH without activation. Previous work suggested that two metabolites of lidocaine may also form MetHb; N-hydroxyxylidine and 4-hydroxyxylidine. Of these two metabolites 4-hydroxyxylidine produced the most MetHb in whole blood in vitro in the absence of metabolic activation, however BenzNOH produced up to 14.2 times more MetHb than 4-hydroxyxylidine at a similar concentration. 4. These results suggest that the ability of benzocaine to form MetHb is likely to be mediated through its hydroxylamine metabolite and that this metabolite is inherently more active than the potentially MetHb-forming metabolites of lidocaine.
Analytical Method for Calculation of the Photon Lifetime and External Coupling Coefficient in Index-Coupled Phase-Shifted DFB Lasers

An analytical expression for the photon lifetime in index-coupled distributed feedback laser is derived and studied at, and below, the threshold condition. It is shown that the photon lifetime considerably varies with the frequency detuning in the vicinity of the dominant laser mode. The increase in the structural parameters, such as grating coupling constant and length of the DFB structure, leads to the increase in both the photon lifetime and the magnitude of its variation due to frequency detuning, while the increase in material gain has the opposite effect. The spectral dependence of the photon lifetime has important implications on calculation of the external coupling coefficient of DFB lasers.
Usefulness of DARPA dataset for intrusion detection system evaluation

The MIT Lincoln Laboratory IDS evaluation methodology is a practical solution in terms of evaluating the performance of Intrusion Detection Systems, which has contributed tremendously to the research progress in that field. The DARPA IDS evaluation dataset has been criticized and considered by many as a very outdated dataset, unable to accommodate the latest trend in attacks. Then naturally the question arises as to whether the detection systems have improved beyond detecting these old level of attacks. If not, is it worth thinking of this dataset as obsolete? The paper presented here tries to provide supporting facts for the use of the DARPA IDS evaluation dataset. The two commonly used signature-based IDSs, Snort and Cisco IDS, and two anomaly detectors, the PHAD and the ALAD, are made use of for this evaluation purpose and the results support the usefulness of DARPA dataset for IDS evaluation.
WebA: A Tool for the Assistance in Design and Evaluation of Websites

The development, analysis and follow-up of the processes designed to assure the usability and accessibility of websites is a tedious work for the moderator or evaluator. This is why there is a necessity for tools that can automate the processes. There are some tools that cover some of the technical aspects, but no tools have been identified that can tackle the process as a whole. For these reasons the Aragonese Usability Laboratory decided to develop WebA (Web Analysis), with the objective to have a complete application. This application is designed through modules with the objective of covering all of the evaluation and analysis phases, and it concludes with a process management module. For the analysis phase a Card Sorting module (open & closed) has been developed that uses the hierarchical and multidimensional cluster analysis, which allows a better information architecture. For the evaluation phases, modules have been developed that allow the semiautomatic evaluation of usability through user satisfaction tests based on Nielsen heuristics and ISO standards, the evaluation of accessibility through the verification of WCAG 1.0 guidelines. The application concludes with a process design and evaluation management module, and modules that automatically generate the reports of the analysis carried out.
[Family functioning, personality disorders, and depressive and anxiety symptoms in the mothers of children with food refusal].

OBJECTIVE A review of the literature reveals that feeding problems during early childhood can be related to maternal psychiatric disorders. We aimed to evaluate the personality disorders, levels of depression and anxiety symptoms in the mothers of children with food refusal in addition to family functioning. METHOD Thirty children aged between 1 and 6 years admitted to the clinic for food refusal and their mothers were included in the study. The control group consisted of 30 healthy children and their mothers. The Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, McMaster Family Assessment Device and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R Personality Disorders were performed in mothers, and the presence of any personality disorders was evaluated with the SCID-II Interview. RESULTS The depression and anxiety scores of the mothers of patients were higher than those of the controls. Perceived family functioning by mothers of patients was more problematic than that of the controls. Rates of maternal personality disorders were not significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSION Food refusal is not only related to characteristics of the child or his/her mother, but also to problems in family functioning. An integrative approach which evaluates the whole family is helpful to assess and treat children with food refusal.
Macroglia-derived thrombospondin 2 regulates alterations of presynaptic proteins of retinal neurons following elevated hydrostatic pressure

Many studies on retinal injury and repair following elevated intraocular pressure suggest that the survival ratio of retinal neurons has been improved by various measures. However, the visual function recovery is far lower than expected. The homeostasis of retinal synapses in the visual signal pathway is the key structural basis for the delivery of visual signals. Our previous studies found that complicated changes in the synaptic structure between retinal neurons occurred much earlier than obvious degeneration of retinal ganglion cells in rat retinae. The lack of consideration of these earlier retinal synaptic changes in the rescue strategy may be partly responsible for the limited visual function recovery with the types of protective methods for retinal neurons used following elevated intraocular pressure. Thus, research on the modulatory mechanisms of the synaptic changes after elevated intraocular pressure injury may give new light to visual function rescue. In this study, we found that thrombospondin 2, an important regulator of synaptogenesis in central nervous system development, was distributed in retinal macroglia cells, and its receptor α2δ-1 was in retinal neurons. Cell cultures including mixed retinal macroglia cells/neuron cultures and retinal neuron cultures were exposed to elevated hydrostatic pressure for 2 h. The expression levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (the marker of activated macroglia cells), thrombospondin 2, α2δ-1 and presynaptic proteins were increased following elevated hydrostatic pressure in mixed cultures, but the expression levels of postsynaptic proteins were not changed. SiRNA targeting thrombospondin 2 could decrease the upregulation of presynaptic proteins induced by the elevated hydrostatic pressure. However, in retinal neuron cultures, elevated hydrostatic pressure did not affect the expression of presynaptic or postsynaptic proteins. Rather, the retinal neuron cultures with added recombinant thrombospondin 2 protein upregulated the level of presynaptic proteins. Finally, gabapentin decreased the expression of presynaptic proteins in mixed cultures by blocking the interaction of thrombospondin 2 and α2δ-1. Taken together, these results indicate that activated macroglia cells may participate in alterations of presynaptic proteins of retinal neurons following elevated hydrostatic pressure, and macroglia-derived thrombospondin 2 may modulate these changes via binding to its neuronal receptor α2δ-1.
Bias in observational study designs: cross sectional studies

Researchers investigated the association between body mass index (BMI) and both sexual behaviour and adverse sexual health outcomes, as well as their importance in obese people. A telephone survey with a cross sectional study design was used. Participants were French speaking men and women aged 18-69 years who lived in France. The telephone survey was a population based one that involved a random sample of households selected from the national telephone directory. In total, 12 364 people were contacted by telephone between September 2005 and March 2006. Of those initially selected, 10 170 (82.3%) agreed to complete the questionnaire.1 An association between BMI and both sexual behaviour and adverse sexual health outcomes was reported. In particular, obese women were less likely to access contraceptive healthcare services and were more likely to have an unplanned pregnancy. It was concluded that the prevention of unintended pregnancies among obese women is a major reproductive health challenge. Healthcare professionals need to be aware of sensitivities related to weight and gender in the provision of sexual health services. Which of the following statements, if any, are true? Statements a , b, c, and d are all true. The researchers performed a cross …