Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Functional Roles of the Proprioceptive System in the Control of Goal-Directed Movement

This article explored functional roles of the proprioceptive system during the control of goal-directed movements. Proprioceptive information contributes to the control of movement through both reflex and central connections. Spinal and transcortical reflex loops establish a servomechanism which provides automatic corrections of unexpected changes in muscle length and allows compensation for undesirable irregularities in the mechanical properties of muscles by modulating limb stiffness at the subconscious level. Central connections provide the control system with information about peripheral states which is used in voluntary components of movement control. Before the initiation of movement, proprioceptive information about initial limb orientation becomes a basis for the programming of motor commands. During a movement, proprioceptive input about velocities and angular displacements of a limb is used to regulate movement by triggering planned sequences of muscle activation and modulating motor commands. After movement, feedback produced by responses is compared with previously stored information, verifying the quality of the movement. Considering potential roles of the reflex and central connections, the proprioceptive system seems to constitute an important aspect of motor control mechanisms, providing the control system with efficiency and flexibility in the regulation of goal-directed movements.
Discriminative Training: Learning to Describe Video with Sentences, from Video Described with Sentences

We present a method for learning word meanings from complex and realistic video clips by discriminatively training (DT) positive sentential labels against negative ones, and then use the trained word models to generate sentential descriptions for new video. This new work is inspired by recent work which adopts a maximum likelihood (ML) framework to address the same problem using only positive sentential labels. The new method, like the ML-based one, is able to automatically determine which words in the sentence correspond to which concepts in the video (i.e., ground words to meanings) in a weakly supervised fashion. While both DT and ML yield comparable results with sufficient training data, DT outperforms ML significantly with smaller training sets because it can exploit negative training labels to better constrain the learning problem.
To Bundle or Not To Bundle: On the Profitability of Multi-Item Auctions

This invention relates to the use of low temperature plasma technology for significantly improved corrosion protection of steel. The plasma process involves pretreating of the steel surfaces by oxygen plasma and thin film deposition by polymerization of certain precursors on the steel. The process utilizes DC power, substrates as the cathode, magentron anodes, and system pressures of 0.01-0.5 torr. After the thin film plasma deposition it is also preferably to put a primer coating over the thin film.
PCA Based Geometric Modeling for Automatic Face Detection

In this paper, PCA based modeling of geometric structure of the face for automatic face detection is presented. The method improves the face detection rate and limits the search space. Skin Color Modeling (SCM) is one of the best face detection techniques for image and video. However, feature selection is very important for even better template matching performance in terms of detection rate and time. This paper presents an efficient feature extraction and selection method based on geometric structure of the facial image boundary and interior. To model the geometric structure of face, Principle Component Analysis (PCA) and canny edge detection are used. Fusion of PCA based geometric modeling and SCM method provides higher face detection accuracy and improves time complexity. Both models provide filtering of image in term of pixel values to get the face location that are very fast and efficient for large image databases.
Effect of erythropoietin-expressed neural stem cell transplantation on cerebral ischemic injury

The alleviation of neurological function and recovery after cerebral ischemia is of critical importance. Recent studies have identified certain roles of tissue repair by neural stem cell (NSC) transplantation. Erythropoietin (EPO) may exert tissue protective function. In this study, NSCs were genetically modified to express EPO, and were tested for neurological functions. Meanwhile, bcl-2 protein expression was measured along with the discovery of potential mechanisms, in an attempt to discover novel pathways for treating brain ischemia. A total of 45 SD rats were prepared for middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model, followed by the direct injection of cerebral cortical NSCs that were modified to express EPO genes in vitro. Neurological functions, along with bcl-2 protein expression levels, were quantified by functional scores, RT-PCR and Western blotting. EPO-modified NSCs, after transplantation, significantly elevated neurological function scores of model rat. In those animals, we also found remarkably increased expression of bcl-2 in the sense of both mRNA and proteins (P < 0.05). Our study illustrated the anti-apoptotic role of EPO-modified NSCs in cerebral ischemia rats via up-regulating bcl-2 protein expression, thus decreasing the focal ischemia damage and protecting neural functions.
FGM 1 STIGMA IN TARIME DISTRICT, TANZANIA: A NEMESIS FOR GIRLS' SCHOOLING?

This qualitative study investigated FGM stigma and its effects on girls' schooling in Tarime, Tanzania. The study used interviews and focus groups as research methods and data collection tools. The sample consisted of 48 participants. The results revealed four forms of FGM stigma that confronted school girls in Tarime. These included name-labeling, discrimination, use of offensive language and signal labeling against the uncircumcised girls. These forms of FGM stigma were likely to affect girls' schooling through various ways, including the creation of bad relationships, psychological disruption, unnecessary peer conflicts and unfriendly learning environment to girls in schools. In view of the findings, it is recommended that various educational stakeholders such as the government, school teachers, parents and the society should be aware of the existence of FGM stigma in schools so that they can develop mechanisms to help girls in coping with a tremendous peer pressure that forces them to submit to FGM.
Evidence for Showing Gene/Protein Name Suggestions in Bioscience Literature Search Interfaces

This paper reports on the results of two questionnaires asking biologists about the incorporation of text-extracted entity information, specifically gene and protein names, into bioscience literature search user interfaces. Among the findings are that study participants want to see gene/protein metadata in combination with organism information; that a significant proportion would like to see gene names grouped by type (synonym, homolog, etc.), and that most participants want to see information that the system is confident about immediately, and see less certain information after taking additional action. These results inform future interface designs.
Fast Sparse Superposition Codes have Exponentially Small Error Probability for R < C

For the additive white Gaussian noise channel with average codeword power constraint, sparse superposition codes are developed. These codes are based on the statistical high-dimensional regression framework. The paper [IEEE Trans. Inform. Theory 55 (2012), 2541 - 2557] investigated decoding using the optimal maximum-likelihood decoding scheme. Here a fast decoding algorithm, called adaptive successive decoder, is developed. For any rate R less than the capacity C communication is shown to be reliable with exponentially small error probability.
New Target Genes for the Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ (PPARγ) Antitumour Activity: Perspectives from the Insulin Receptor

The insulin receptor (IR) plays a crucial role in mediating the metabolic and proliferative functions triggered by the peptide hormone insulin. There is considerable evidence that abnormalities in both IR expression and function may account for malignant transformation and tumour progression in some human neoplasias, including breast cancer. PPARγ is a ligand-activated, nuclear hormone receptor implicated in many pleiotropic biological functions related to cell survival and proliferation. In the last decade, PPARγ agonists—besides their known action and clinical use as insulin sensitizers—have proved to display a wide range of antineoplastic effects in cells and tissues expressing PPARγ, leading to intensive preclinical research in oncology. PPARγ and activators affect tumours by different mechanisms, involving cell proliferation and differentiation, apoptosis, antiinflammatory, and antiangiogenic effects. We recently provided evidence that PPARγ and agonists inhibit IR by non canonical, DNA-independent mechanisms affecting IR gene transcription. We conclude that IR may be considered a new PPARγ “target” gene, supporting a potential use of PPARγ agonists as antiproliferative agents in selected neoplastic tissues that overexpress the IR.
Identification of an RNA Binding Specificity for the Potential Splicing Factor TLS*

The TLS/FUS gene is involved in a recurrent chromosomal translocation in human myxoid liposarcomas. We previously reported that TLS is a potential splicing regulator able to modulate the 5′-splice site selection in an E1A pre-mRNA. Using an in vitroselection procedure, we investigated whether TLS exhibits a specificity with regard to RNA recognition. The RNAs selected by TLS share a common GGUG motif. Mutation of a G or U residue within this motif abolishes the interaction of TLS with the selected RNAs. We showed that TLS can bind GGUG-containing RNAs with a 250 nm affinity. By UV cross-linking/competition and immunoprecipitation experiments, we demonstrated that TLS recognizes a GGUG-containing RNA in nuclear extracts. Each one of the RNA binding domains (the three RGG boxes and the RNA recognition motif) contributes to the specificity of the TLS·RNA interaction, whereas only RRM and RGG2–3 participate to the E1A alternative splicing in vivo. The specificity of the TLS·RNA interaction was also observed using as natural pre-mRNA, the G-rich IVSB7 intron of the β-tropomyosin pre-mRNA. Moreover, we determined that RNA binding specificities of TLS and high nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 were different. Hence, our results help define the role of the specific interaction of TLS with RNA during the splicing process of a pre-mRNA.
Gastric acid secretion

Purpose of review The present review summarizes the past year's literature, both clinical and basic science, regarding neuroendocrine and intracellular regulation of gastric acid secretion and proper use of antisecretory medications. Recent findings Gastric acid kills microorganisms, modulates the gut microbiome, assists in digestion of protein, and facilitates absorption of iron, calcium, and vitamin B12. The main stimulants of acid secretion are gastrin, released from antral G cells; histamine, released from oxyntic enterochromaffin-like cells; and acetylcholine, released from antral and oxyntic intramural neurons. Other stimulants include ghrelin, motilin, and hydrogen sulfide. The main inhibitor of acid secretion is somatostatin, released from oxyntic and antral D cells. Glucagon-like peptide-1 also inhibits acid secretion. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) reduce acid secretion and, as a result, decrease somatostatin and thus stimulate gastrin secretion. Although considered well tolerated drugs, concerns have been raised this past year regarding associations between PPI use and kidney disease, dementia, and myocardial infarction; the quality of evidence, however, is very low. Summary Our understanding of the physiology of gastric secretion and proper use of PPIs continues to advance. Such knowledge is crucial for improved management of acid-peptic disorders.
Impaired cell-mediated immunity in mice bearing healthy orthotopic corneal allografts.

A very high proportion of orthotopically grafted, histoincompatible corneas are accepted in healthy condition for prolonged intervals (> 8 weeks) by naive untreated BALB/c mice. Because these grafts form the anterior surface of the anterior chamber of the eye and because alloantigens placed in the anterior chamber elicit a deviant, stereotypic, systemic immune response known as anterior chamber-associated immune deviation, we have examined the state of alloantigen-specific cell-mediated immunity in BALB/c mice with accepted corneal allografts, as well as mice that had rejected their corneal grafts. Attempts to induce alloantigen-specific delayed hypersensitivity (DH) by s.c. injections of lymphoid cells, genetically identical to the grafts, resulted in positive responses only in "rejector" mice; "acceptor" mice failed to develop or display DH. Spleens cells from acceptors and rejectors were then assayed for the ability to suppress local adoptive transfer of alloantigen-specific DH. It was found that transfer reactions failed to develop if spleen cells from acceptor mice were added to the inoculum, whereas spleen cells from rejected mice had no similar inhibitory effects. The suppression mediated by acceptor spleen cells in local adoptive transfer assays was determined to be specific for the alloantigens expressed on the long-standing corneal allografts. We conclude that, when orthotopic corneal allografts are accepted indefinitely by adult mice, graft success correlates with the induction of alloantigenically specific anterior chamber-associated immune deviation. It is proposed that suppression of alloantigen-specific DH, which is characteristic of mice with accepted grafts, plays a critical role in the success of grafted corneas.
Single Molecule Detection Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS)

By exploiting the extremely large effective cross sections ( ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}17}--{10}^{\ensuremath{-}16}{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}/\mathrm{molecule}$) available from surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), we achieved the first observation of single molecule Raman scattering. Measured spectra of a single crystal violet molecule in aqueous colloidal silver solution using one second collection time and about $2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{5}\mathrm{W}/{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ nonresonant near-infrared excitation show a clear ``fingerprint'' of its Raman features between 700 and $1700{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. Spectra observed in a time sequence for an average of 0.6 dye molecule in the probed volume exhibited the expected Poisson distribution for actually measuring 0, 1, 2, or 3 molecules.
Maternal high-fat diet induces follicular atresia but does not affect fertility in adult rabbit offspring

Alterations to the metabolic environment in utero can have an impact on subsequent female reproductive performance. Here, we used a model of rabbits receiving a high-fat diet (H diet; 7.7% fat and 0.2% cholesterol) or a control diet (C diet; 1.8% fat, no cholesterol) from 10 weeks of age up to mating at 27 weeks and throughout gestation and lactation. At weaning at 5 weeks of age, F1 female offspring were placed on either C or H diet, resulting in a total of four groups C/C, C/H, H/C and H/H diet. Female offspring were mated between 18 and 22 weeks of age and euthanized at 28 days of gestation. A few days before mating and/or just before euthanasia, F1 female rabbits were fasted overnight, weighed, and blood sampled for steroids and biochemistry. Organs were weighed at euthanasia and the ovaries were collected. C/H and H/H F1 offspring had higher cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein plasma concentrations, together with a higher fat mass compared with C/C does, reflecting the effect of the postnatal diet; however, no effect of the antenatal diet was observed on most parameters. The number of primordial, primary and secondary follicles were not different between the groups, but a significantly higher number of atretic follicles was observed in the C/H (P<0.001) and in the H/C (P<0.001) compared with control C/C ovaries, demonstrating both an effect of prenatal and postnatal maternal nutrition. These data indicated that both maternal and postnatal high-fat diet may induce follicular apoptosis; however, in this model, the reproduction was not affected.
ON‐LINE MONITORING OF POLLUTION CONCENTRATIONS WITH AUTOREGRESSIVE MOVING AVERAGE TIME SERIES

The concentration of aerosol particles, largely caused by traffic volume and often enhanced during temperature inversion episodes in the cold season, can be a concern for human health in the urban environment. This particulate matter is typically recorded as PM10, the total mass of particles below 10 μm in diameter. It is suspected that, within the PM10 class, ultrafine particles ( < 100 nm) may be responsible for causing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Because of their low mass, ultrafine particles are hard to detect, and researchers try to utilize PM10 in combination with nitrogen oxides NOx and other trace gases to monitor their dynamic evolution. To meet pollution standards set by national government and European Union regulation, the city of Klagenfurt, Austria, began using calcium magnesium acetate as a deicer on 11 January 2012, hoping to literally glue pollutants to the ground and thereby reducing pollution concentrations. With the statistical methodology developed in this article, the dynamic evolution of PM10 and NOx is traced for the time period starting 4 January and ending 25 January 2012, and a change in dynamics is found. The findings are based on on‐line monitoring procedures that sequentially detect structural breaks in the mean and the parameter values of an autoregressive moving average process. These are defined in terms of model residuals and one‐step ahead predictors. Theoretical properties are studied, and a simulation study shows that the proposed procedures work well in finite samples.
Gender Differences in Individuals at High-Risk of Psychosis: A Comprehensive Literature Review

Introduction. To date, few studies have focused on the characterization of clinical phenomenology regarding gender in population at high-risk of psychosis. This paper is an attempt to summarize the findings found in the scientific literature regarding gender differences in high-risk populations, taking into account parameters studied in populations with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, such as incidence, clinical expression, duration of untreated illness (DUI), social functioning, and cognitive impairment prior to full-blown psychosis development. Method. Studies were systematically searched in PubMed. Studies using gender variable as a control variable were excluded. 12 studies met inclusion criteria. Results. Most of the studies found a differential pattern between women and men as regards clinical, social, and cognitive variables in the prodromal phase, with worse performance in men except in cognitive functioning (more severe negative symptoms, worse social functioning, and longer DUI in men). Similar conversion rates over time were found between men and women. Conclusions. Many of the studies analyzed suggest that differences between men and women in the expression of psychosis extend across a continuum, from the subclinical forms of illness to the debut of psychosis. However, the small number of studies and their significant methodological and clinical limitations do not allow for firm conclusions.
Admission Control and Scheduling for EV Charging Station Considering Time-of-Use Pricing

This paper studies the scheduling of multiple Electric Vehicles' (EVs) charging with service quality constraint at a workplace charging station, aiming to maximize the profit of the charging station under time- of-use (TOU) pricing. We develop a multi-charger framework considering both the customers' and charging station's interests. First, an admission control mechanism is proposed to guarantee that all admitted EVs' charging requirements can be satisfied before their departure time. Then, under the premise of declining the customers' requirements as little as possible, a Joint Searching (JS) scheduling algorithm is proposed to maximize the profit of the charging station. Extensive simulations based on realistic EV charging information and TOU pricing have been conducted. Simulation results exhibit that the proposed algorithm outperforms the state-of-the-art solution in terms of up to 30% profit and similar service declining probability.
Scheduling of Accuracy-Constrained Real-Time Systems in Dynamic Environments

Many real-time embedded systems are sensitive to both the accuracy and timeliness of job results. In this letter, two sources of inaccuracy are considered for such systems: 1) input data noise (IDN) due to the environmental transient noises, and 2) age of data (AD) related to the time of capturing data, which may depend on the length of time between capturing and using the input data. Thus, in the presence of one or more jobs in the system, some tradeoffs are needed among capturing data with an appropriate IDN when the environment is less noisy, reducing AD, and respecting the timeliness of jobs. Our emphasis in the current study is to model firm real-time jobs having some thresholds for the inaccuracy and handle the aforementioned tradeoff by the system scheduler. An online accuracy-aware real-time scheduler is also proposed and evaluated.
Multi-domain collaborative spectrum sensing and power control in presence of multiple primary users

Spectrum sensing is one of the most important technique in the cognitive radio. The existing works so far primarily focus on single primary user detection. In this work, we consider cooperative spectrum sensing in cognitive radio networks (CRNs), when there are multiple primary users (PUs) existing. To address the problem of multiple PUs detection, we introduce a novel multi-domain spectrum sensing algorithm in the context for determining the status and number of PUs. After extracting the feature of detecting signal with tensor decomposition method, we propose a multi-domain spectrum sensing (MDS) framework to improve the opportunity detection performance in multiple primary users network. Moreover, based on the spectrum sensing results, we further propose a power control algorithm allowing SUs to transmit without generating harmful interference to primary user. The effectiveness of the proposed scheme is demonstrated through extensive simulation studies.
A Channel Model for Inferring the Optimal Number of Electrodes for Future Cochlear Implants

Cochlear implants, also known as bionic ears, are surgically implanted biomedical devices that can provide hearing to some deaf people by direct electrical stimulation of the auditory nerve. A crucial question for the design of future cochlear implants is that of how many electrodes might achieve optimal hearing performance in patients. It is efficient to avoid using more electrodes if this does not provide a performance improvement. Whether an improvement can be gained by inclusion of more electrodes depends crucially on physical properties such as distance of the electrode array from the auditory nerve and current spread. The response of individual fibers in the auditory nerve to electrical stimulation is stochastic, and it is proposed that the interface between an array of electrodes and the auditory nerve can be thought of as a communication channel in which only uncoded transmission can be used. A discrete memoryless channel model for this interface is defined and used as the basis for obtaining numerical estimates of the optimal number of electrodes in the array as a function of array-to-nerve distance. While the only true indicator of improved hearing through cochlear implants is via empirical audiological measurements, the discrete memoryless channel model allows maximization of mutual information as a proxy measure, under the hypothesis that there exists a monotonic relationship between mutual information and perceptibility.