Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biodosimetry using radiation-induced micronuclei in skin fibroblasts

Purpose: We assessed micronuclei in dermal fibroblasts as a local biodosimeter for estimating accidental in vivo radiation exposure. Materials and methods: Male and female C3H/HeJ and C57Bl6 mice of four age groups (∼11, 36, 60 and 99 weeks) received a single whole body dose of gamma radiation (0–10 Gy) and radiation-induced micronuclei per 1,000 binucleated cells were assessed in skin fibroblasts in their first division after isolation from biopsies taken on days 1 and 7 post irradiation. The method of generalized estimating equations was used for statistical analyses. Results: Total micronuclei were increased on day 1 in a dose-dependent manner in the range of 1–10 Gy, with no significant attenuation of response between day 1 and day 7 and no significant effect of gender. Between-strain differences were observed with C3H/HeJ mice showing lower background micronuclei and a slightly steeper dose response. Age affected only the background micronuclei (moderate increase with age). The model demonstrated that the assay yields ‘unbiased’ prediction of the dose between 0 and 7 Gy. Within this dose range, the predicted dose was found to be accurate within ±1.5–2 Gy. When the specificity is set to 95%, the assay can distinguish between unexposed and 2 Gy exposed mice with a sensitivity of around 60%. The sensitivity approached 100% when discriminating between unexposed mice and mice receiving doses equal to or greater than 4 Gy. The percentage of binucleated cells with micronuclei was shown to be useful as a simpler and slightly faster substitute for the total micronuclei count. Conclusion: Micronuclei in dermal fibroblasts isolated up to 1 week after irradiation can be a useful biodosimeter for local dose after accidental radiation exposure.
Letter indicates misreading of our paper on chromium waste

EDITOR—We agree with Moffatt and Bhopal that studies examining the impact on health of environmental hazards pose particular challenges in terms of reaching judgments about cause and effect.1 We believe, however, that the concerns they raise indicate a misreading of our paper.2 Moffatt and Bhopal question our use of the SF-36 validated quality of life questionnaire to measure self reported health. The SF-36 is the most widely used generic measure of health and functional status and has been found …
Network loadability maximization by changing the reactance of transmission lines applying Genetic Algorithm and voltage stability considerations

This paper proposed a new method for maximizing the loadability of power networks regardless to the transmission lines compensation types. The paper determines some of the network lines that by making change in the reactance of them, loadability of whole system could rise considerably. This optimized design of mentioned network is performed through Genetic Algorithm (GA) optimization technique. With GA technique, the paper is looking for drastic transmission lines and their compensational values in order to transmitting more power in considered network, provided that maximum loadability of voltage stability besides the minimization of costs is respected sufficiently. Numerical results are obtained applying IEEE-39 Bus test system as a case study for testing correctness and applicability of this new offered solution.
Sensitivity to scope in contingent valuation – introducing a flexible community analogy to communicate mortality risk reductions

Validity in contingent valuation (CV) is often tested through the sensitivity of estimated willingness to pay (WTP) to the size or quality of a good or service (‘more is better’ and near proportionality). We investigate the performance of two communication aids (a flexible community analogy and an array of dots) in valuing mortality risk reductions for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Our results do not support the prediction of expected utility theory, i.e. that WTP for a mortality risk reduction increases with the amount of risk reduction (weak scope sensitivity), for any of the communication aids. In fact, the array of dots even shows a decreasing WTP when the risk reduction is larger. We find some evidence that level of education influences how communication aids are perceived. Also, a larger municipal population results in lower WTP which may signal problems with strategic bias.
Stereo visual odometry failure recovery using monocular techniques

Stereo visual odometry is one of the most accurate dead-reckoning methods for estimating the motion of a moving vehicle but it strongly depends on a robust matching of the image features in the stereo frame. If a stereo camera is observing the environment from a critically small distance the two field of view can be subjected to poor or absent overlapping. That leads to failure of the computation pipeline because no stereo observations can be made. In this paper, we present a solution to this problem by taking advantage of monocular visual odometry techniques to propagate the pose estimations when the number of feature matches in the stereo frame is too low to produce accurate results. The proposed algorithm is tested on a challenging scenario for a stereo setup and a ground truth is given by mounting the stereo camera on a linear slide. Experimental results show that our algorithm is able to successfully recover failures of the stereo pipeline, obtaining a final position error of 1.2% of the total travelled path length in our dataset.
MyCalendar: Fostering Communication for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder through Photos and Videos

This paper presents MyCalendar; a visual calendar prototype App that was developed to support children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and language delays to communicate about their own activities and interests across the settings of home and school. MyCalendar was developed following in-depth fieldwork and participatory design sessions with parents, teachers and children from Preparatory year to year 2 of an Australian Primary School Special Education Unit catering largely for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Typically, children with ASD face difficulties in participating at school. MyCalendar was then evaluated over six months with four teachers, ten parents and eleven children. The study resulted in two key findings: (1) MyCalendar supported children who have ASD and limited verbal skills to better communicate their daily personal activities through photos and videos, encouraged by teachers and parents. (2) This deeper understanding of the children's daily lives enabled teachers to successfully model positive behaviours and to scaffold more relevant and meaningful learning opportunities by relating them to the children's lives. While it was initially expected that the activities would better support communication between teachers and parents, the MyCalendar led in fact to novel scaffolding of learning opportunities and modeling of communication in the classroom.
On Teaching Collaboration to a Team of Autonomous Agents via Imitation

This research proposes the use of imitation based learning to build collaborative strategies for a team of agents. Imitation based learning involves learning from an expert by observing her demonstrating a task and then replicating it. This mechanism makes it extremely easy for a knowledge engineer to transfer knowledge to a software agent via human demonstrations. This research aims to apply imitation to learn not only the strategy of an individual agent but also the collaborative strategy of a team of agents to achieve a common goal. The effectiveness of the proposed methodology is being assessed in the domain of RoboCup Soccer Simulation 3D which is a promising platform to address many of the complex real-world problems and offers a truly dynamic, stochastic, and partially-observable environment.
Intraoperative optical assessment of photodynamic therapy response of superficial oral squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract. This study investigated whether diffuse optical spectroscopy (DOS) measurements could assess clinical response to photodynamic therapy (PDT) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In addition, the correlation between parameters measured with DOS and the crosslinking of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), a molecular marker for PDT-induced photoreaction, was investigated. Thirteen patients with early stage HNSCC received the photosensitizer 2-[1-hexyloxyethyl]-2-devinylpyropheophorbide-a (HPPH) and DOS measurements were performed before and after PDT in the operating room (OR). In addition, biopsies were acquired after PDT to assess the STAT3 crosslinking. Parameters measured with DOS, including blood volume fraction, blood oxygen saturation (StO2), HPPH concentration (cHPPH), HPPH fluorescence, and blood flow index (BFI), were compared to the pathologic response and the STAT3 crosslinking. The best individual predictor of pathological response was a change in cHPPH (sensitivity=60%, specificity=100%), while discrimination analysis using a two-parameter classifier (change in cHPPH and change in StO2) classified pathological response with 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity. BFI showed the best correlation with the crosslinking of STAT3. These results indicate that DOS-derived parameters can assess the clinical response in the OR, allowing for earlier reintervention if needed.
An Improved Method of Segmentation Using Fuzzy-Neuro Logic

Image segmentation is an important process to extract information from complex medical images. Segmentation has wide application in medical field. The main objective of image segmentation is to partition an image into mutually exclusive and exhausted regions such that each region of interest is spatially contiguous and the pixels within the region are homogeneous with respect to a predefined criterion. Widely used homogeneity criteria include values of intensity, texture, color, range, surface normal and surface curvatures. During the past, many researchers in the field of medical imaging and soft computing have made significant survey in the field of image segmentation. This paper aims to develop an improved method of segmentation using Fuzzy- Neuro logic to detect various tissues like white matter, gray matter; cerebral spinal fluid and tumor for a given magnetic resonance image data set. Generally magnetic resonance images always contain a significant amount of noise caused by operator performance, equipment, and the environment, which can lead to serious inaccuracies. So segmentation of such medical images is a challenging problem in the field of image analysis. Several diagnostics are based on proper segmentation of the digitized image. Segmentation of medical images is needed for applications involving estimation of the boundary of an object, classification of tissue abnormalities, shape analysis, contour detection. In particular Fuzzy-Neuro logic segmentation algorithm is used to provide satisfactory results compared to K-means, Fuzzy C-Means, Neural Network and Fuzzy logic.
Masculinity and male sexual behaviour in Mozambique

Like many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Mozambique is facing a severe HIV epidemic. Evidence suggests that male sexual behaviour is one of the driving forces behind the epidemic. Yet, there is limited understanding of how notions of masculinity influence such behaviour in the context of HIV. Using data collected through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with sexually active men and women, this paper investigates how notions of masculinity influence the risk of HIV infection among men. The study findings suggest that traditional norms of masculinity, the man as the main provider and figure of authority, continue to exert a strong influence on male attitudes and behaviour. Alternative approaches are urgently needed in HIV programming that take into consideration notions of masculinity in order to reduce risky sexual behaviour.
An ubiquitous ~62 Myr periodic fluctuation superimposed on general trends in fossil biodiversity

A 62 Myr periodicity is superimposed on other longer-term trends in fossil biodiversity. This cycle can be discerned in marine data based on the Sepkoski compendium, the Paleobiology Database, and the Fossil Record 2. The signal also exists in changes in sea level/sediment, but is much weaker than in biodiversity itself. A significant excess of 19 previously identified Phanerozoic mass extinctions occur on the declining phase of the 62 Myr cycle. appearance of the signal in sampling-standardized biodiversity data, it is likely not to be a sampling artifact, but either a consequence of sea-level changes or an additional effect of some common cause for them both. In either case, it is intriguing why both changes would have a regular pattern.
Change Trajectories for the Youth Outcome Questionnaire Self-Report: Identifying Youth at Risk for Treatment Failure

This study used longitudinal youth outcome data in routine mental health services to test a system for identifying cases at risk for treatment failure. Participants were 2,715 youth (M age = 14) served in outpatient managed care and community mental health settings. Change trajectories were developed using multilevel modeling of archival data. Expected change trajectories served as the basis for a warning system designed to identify cases at risk for treatment failure. Tests of the predictive accuracy of the warning system yielded moderately high sensitivity rates for both youth self-report and parent-report measures. Incorporating data from multiple sources (youth, parents, and others) yielded the highest sensitivity in identifying at-risk cases. Results emphasize the importance of using empirically derived methods for identifying youth at risk for negative outcomes in usual care.
Reversible Phosphorylation of the C-terminal Domain of RNA Polymerase II*

RNA polymerase (RNAP) II is responsible for the synthesis of pre-mRNA in eukaryotic cells. The subunit structure of RNAP II is similar to that of other RNAPs in that it is comprised of two large subunits with a molecular weight in excess of 100,000 and a collection of smaller subunits (1, 2). However, the largest subunit of RNAP II is unique in that it contains an unusual domain at its C terminus comprised of tandem repeats of the consensus sequence Tyr-Ser-Pro-Thr-Ser-Pro-Ser (3). The consensus repeat has been conserved in evolution although the number of repeats present varies in different species. RNA polymerase II of mammalian cells contains 52 copies of the consensus repeat, and yeast contains 26–27 copies, whereas other eukaryotes contain an intermediate number of repeats. Although this C-terminal domain (CTD) plays an essential role in transcription catalyzed by RNAP II, it is absent from RNAPs I and III. The CTD of yeast and mammalian RNAP II was first reported about 10 years ago and is shown in Fig. 1 (4, 5). This domain has provided a focal point for the analysis of RNAP II structure-function relationships. Although our understanding of the CTD has increased considerably in the ensuing 10 years, its precise role in transcription remains to be established.
Capgras Syndrome—The Many Avenues to Delusional Misinterpretation

The case of a 47 year old woman with Capgras’ Syndrome is presented. Despite her misinterpretation of acoustic and visual clues, multiple investigations and extensive neuropsychological testing failed to implicate an organic basis upon which to explain her delusional belief. The authors conclude that single explanatory hypotheses — psychological or neurological — may preclude an appreciation for the heterogeneity of the syndrome.
ON COMPUTER VISION AND MACHINE LEARNING Based on presentations and discussions during the respective workshop on 23 June 2016 in Oberkochen , Germany Outreach of Computer Vision and Machine Learning

Computer Vision (CV) and Machine Learning (ML) have seen a tremendous evolution within the last 15 years. One of the main drivers of this success is the application of machine learning methods to computer vision tasks (image registration, segmentation, 3D reconstruction, tracking, object detection, image classification, .). These days it is widely agreed that difficult computational problems in data analytics (that cannot be solved analytically) are best solved with machine learning algorithms based on training data.
Aging Detection of Electrical Point Machines Based on Support Vector Data Description

Electrical point machines (EPM) must be replaced at an appropriate time to prevent the occurrence of operational safety or stability problems in trains resulting from aging or budget constraints. However, it is difficult to replace EPMs effectively because the aging conditions of EPMs depend on the operating environments, and thus, a guideline is typically not be suitable for replacing EPMs at the most timely moment. In this study, we propose a method of classification for the detection of an aging effect to facilitate the timely replacement of EPMs. We employ support vector data description to segregate data of “aged” and “not-yet-aged” equipment by analyzing the subtle differences in normalized electrical signals resulting from aging. Based on the before and after-replacement data that was obtained from experimental studies that were conducted on EPMs, we confirmed that the proposed method was capable of classifying machines based on exhibited aging effects with adequate accuracy.
Analysis and Implementation of an Interleaved ZVS Converter with High Input Voltage

An interleaved half‐bridge converter is presented for high input voltage application. The features of the proposed converter are zero voltage switching (ZVS) turn‐on for all active switches, ripple current reduction at output side, load current sharing and load voltage regulation. Two half‐bridge converters connected in series and two split capacitors are used to limit the voltage stress of each power switch at one‐half of input DC bus voltage. Thus, active switches with low voltage stress can be used at high input voltage application. On the other hand, the output sides of two half‐bridge converters are connected in parallel to share the load current and reduce the current stresses of the secondary windings and the rectifier diodes. Since two half‐bridge converters are operated with interleaved pulse‐width modulation (PWM), the output ripple current can partially cancel each other such that the resultant ripple current at output side is reduced and the size of output inductors can be reduced. In each half‐bridge converter, asymmetrical PWM scheme is used to regulate the output voltage. Based on the resonant behavior by the output capacitance of MOSFETs and the leakage inductance (or external inductance) of transformers, active switches can be turned on at ZVS during the transition interval. Thus, the switching losses of power MOSFETs are reduced. The proposed converter can be applied for high input voltage applications such as three‐phase 380‐V utility system. Finally, experiments based on a laboratory prototype with 960‐W rated power are provided to demonstrate the performance of proposed converter. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluation of Three Different Forward Primers by Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis for Determination of Fecal Bifidobacterium Spp. in Healthy Subjects

The 27F forward primer is frequently used in 16S rRNA gene libraries and T‐RFLP analysis. However, Bifidobacterium spp. were barely detected with this primer in human fecal samples. In this study, fecal microbiota were analyzed using the T‐RFLP method with three different forward primers (27F, 35F, and 529F) in conjunction with one reverse primer (1492R). T‐RFLP analysis of fecal microbiota using 35F and 529F detected higher proportions of the terminal restriction fragment (T‐RF) corresponding to Bifidobacterium spp. than that using 27F. 27F is in imperfect agreement while 35F and 529F are in good concordance with the 16S rRNA gene sequences of Bifidobacterium spp. , and the latter primers allowed for the detection of T‐RFs of Bifidobacterium spp. in fecal samples from five healthy subjects. The T‐RFs presumed to be Bifidobacterium spp. were cloned and sequenced, and found to match the 16S rRNA gene sequences of Bifidobacterium spp. Among the five fecal samples, two samples with low frequencies of T‐RFs of Bifidobacterium spp. were detected using these forward primers. This probably reflects a low prevalence of Bifidobacterium spp. in these two samples. Our study emphasizes the importance of selecting a suitable forward primer for detection of Bifidobacterium spp.
Identification of Natural Products That Inhibit the Catalytic Function of Human Tyrosyl-DNA Phosphodiesterase (TDP1)

Tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase 1 (TDP1) is an enzyme crucial for cleavage of the covalent topoisomerase 1-DNA complex, an intermediate in DNA repair. TDP1 plays a role in reversing inhibition of topoisomerase I by camptothecins, a series of potent and effective inhibitors used in the treatment of colorectal, ovarian, and small-cell lung cancers. It is hypothesized that inhibition of TDP1 activity may enhance camptothecin sensitivity in tumors. Here, we describe the design, development, and execution of a novel assay to identify inhibitors of TDP1 present in natural product extracts. The assay was designed to address issues with fluorescent “nuisance” molecules and to minimize the detection of false-positives caused by polyphenolic molecules known to nonspecifically inhibit enzyme activity. A total of 227,905 purified molecules, prefractionated extracts, and crude natural product extracts were screened. This yielded 534 initial positives (0.23%). Secondary prioritization reduced this number to 117 (0.05% final hit rate). Several novel inhibitors have been identified showing micromolar affinity for human TDP1, including halenaquinol sulfate, a pentacyclic hydroquinone from the sponge Xestospongia sp.
Masing and single-mode locking in a free-electron maser employing prebunched electron beam.

We report a first demonstration of single-mode selection in a free-electron maser (FEM) using electron-beam prebunching at or near the natural oscillation frequencies of the resonator. The FEM oscillation frequency can be selectively locked to each eigenfrequency of the resonant waveguide cavity within the frequency band of the FEM net gain. When the electron beam is prebunched at a frequency close to an eigenfrequency of the cavity, the oscillation buildup process is sped up and the radiation buildup time is shortened significantly. Measurements are in good agreement with collective (Raman) free-electron laser theory.