Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Large-scale automated identification of mouse brain cells in confocal light sheet microscopy images

Motivation: Recently, confocal light sheet microscopy has enabled high-throughput acquisition of whole mouse brain 3D images at the micron scale resolution. This poses the unprecedented challenge of creating accurate digital maps of the whole set of cells in a brain. Results: We introduce a fast and scalable algorithm for fully automated cell identification. We obtained the whole digital map of Purkinje cells in mouse cerebellum consisting of a set of 3D cell center coordinates. The method is accurate and we estimated an F1 measure of 0.96 using 56 representative volumes, totaling 1.09 GVoxel and containing 4138 manually annotated soma centers. Availability and implementation: Source code and its documentation are available at http://bcfind.dinfo. unifi.it/. The whole pipeline of methods is implemented in Python and makes use of Pylearn2 and modified parts of Scikit-learn. Brain images are available on request. Contact: paolo.frasconi@unifi.it Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Patterns of Activity in the Human Frontal and Parietal Cortex Differentiate Large and Small Saccades

A vast literature indicates that small and large saccades, respectively, subserve different perceptual and cognitive strategies and may rely on different programming modes. While it is well-established that in monkeys’ main oculomotor brain regions small and large eye movements are controlled by segregated neuronal populations, the representation of saccade amplitude in the human brain remains unclear. To address this question we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to scan participants while they performed saccades toward targets at either short (4°) or large (30°) eccentricity. A regional multivoxel pattern analysis reveals that patterns of activity in the frontal eye-field and parietal eye fields discriminate between the execution of large or small saccades. This was not the case in the supplementary eye-fields nor in the inferior precentral cortex. These findings provide the first evidence of a representation of saccadic eye movement size in the fronto-parietal occulomotor circuit. They shed light on the respective roles of the different cortical oculomotor regions with respect to space perception and exploration, as well as on the homology of eye movement control between human and non-human primates.
Improving Efficiency and Scalability of Model-Based Music Recommender System Based on Incremental Training

We aimed at improving the efficiency and scalability of a hybrid music recommender system based on a probabilistic generative model that integrates both collaborative data (rating scores provided by users) and content-based data (acoustic features of musical pieces). Although the hybrid system was proved to make accurate recommendations, it lacks efficiency and scalability. In other words, the entire model needs to be re-trained from scratch whenever a new score, user, or piece is added. Furthermore, the system cannot deal with practical numbers of users and pieces on an enterprise scale. To improve efficiency, we propose an incremental method that partially updates the model at low computational cost. To enhance scalability, we propose a method that first constructs a small “core” model over fewer virtual representatives created from real users and pieces, and then adds the real users and pieces to the core model by using the incremental method. The experimental results revealed that the proposed system was not only efficient and scalable but also outperformed the original system in terms of accuracy.
Basale Wahrnehmungsfähigkeiten von erwachsenen funktionalen Analphabeten und Analphabetinnen

Die vorliegende Untersuchung geht der Frage nach, inwieweit grundlegende Wahrnehmungsfunktionen bei erwachsenen funktionalen Analphabeten und Analphabetinnen in ahnlicher Weise beeintrachtigt sind, wie dies fur lese-rechtschreib-schwache Kinder gezeigt werden konnte. 60 erwachsene funktionale Analphabetinnen und Analphabeten, 60 normal lesende Erwachsene, die entweder bezuglich Alter und IQ (n=30) oder nur bezuglich des Alters (n=30) vergleichbar sind, sowie 30 Kinder mit Lese-Rechtschreib-Schwache nahmen an der Studie teil. Acht grundlegende Wahrnehmungsfunktionen wurden mit dem Brain-Boy Universal Professional (BUP-System) erfasst. Die funktionalen Analphabeten und Analphabetinnen und die Kinder mit Lese-Rechtschreib-Schwache schnitten in allen acht grundlegenden Wahrnehmungsfunktionen deutlich schlechter ab als die normalen Leserinnen und Leser. Funktionale Analphabetinnen und Analphabeten und Kinder mit Lese-Rechtschreib-Schwache unterschieden sich nicht voneinander. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass erwachsene funktionale Analphabetinnen und Analphabeten in ihren grundlegenden Wahrnehmungsfahigkeiten beeintrachtigt sind. Dies konnte, wie fur lese-rechtschreib-schwache Personen beschrieben, zu Problemen bei der Ausbildung von Phonemreprasentationen fuhren, die ihrerseits den beim Schriftspracherwerb zentralen Prozess der Graphem-Phonem-Zuordnung massiv erschweren. Weiterhin deuten die Ergebnisse darauf hin, dass es sinnvoll sein konnte, in der Alphabetisierung Trainingsprogramme einzusetzen, die die grundlegenden Wahrnehmungsfahigkeiten verbessern konnen. Einige derartige Programme sind bereits mit Erfolg bei lese-rechtschreib-schwachen Kindern eingesetzt worden. (DIPF/Orig.)
No need to stop: exploring smartphone interaction paradigms while cycling

Current apps for cyclists follow the "stop-to-interact" paradigm, neglecting that people interact with their smartphones in motion. We conducted two studies to explore paradigms for interaction that can be applied while cycling. In an enactment study, participants freely explored movements suitable for interaction while using a bicycle trainer and discussed respective requirements and constraints. The analysis of the interaction movements and the group discussion showed that users preferred to keep their hands on the handlebars while performing subtle gestures with their fingers. Based on this we performed an outdoor study focused on interacting with a smartphone game while riding a bicycle, using three interaction options: buttons on the handlebars, the phone's touchscreen, and a wristband activated by flipping the wrist. Using buttons resulted in a significantly lower physical demand and significantly lower frustration compared to the other alternatives, as well as better task performance compared to interacting using the wristband.
Prevalence and Correlates of Lifetime Suicide Attempts Among Transgender Persons in Argentina

ABSTRACT This study examined the lifetime prevalence and correlates of attempted suicide among transgender persons in Argentina. Data were derived from a nation-wide, cross-sectional survey conducted in 2013. We assessed individual, social, and structural correlates of reporting a history of attempting suicide using logistic regression. Among 482 participants, the median age was 30, 91% identified as transwomen, and 32% resided in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area. A lifetime suicide attempt was reported by 159 (33%), among whom the median age at first attempt was 17. In a multivariate model, internalized stigma was positively associated with a history of suicidal behavior, while participants with stable housing had reduced odds of prior suicide attempt(s). These findings suggest that reducing stigma and mitigating structural vulnerabilities (through, for example, the enactment and enforcement of laws that prohibit discrimination based on gender identity to ensure equitable access to housing) could be effective targets for intervention to reduce suicide attempts among transgender individuals in Argentina.
Classification of deceptive opinions using a low dimensionality representation

Opinions in social media play such an important role for customers and companies that there is a growing tendency to post fake reviews in order to change purchase decisions and opinions. In this paper we propose the use of different features for a low dimension representation of opinions. We evaluate our proposal incorporating the features to a Support Vector Machines classifier and we use an available corpus with reviews of hotels in Chicago. We perform comparisons with previous works and we conclude that using our proposed features it is possible to obtain competitive results with a small amount of features for representing the data. Finally, we also investigate if the use of emotions can help to discriminate between truthful and deceptive opinions as previous works show to happen for deception detection in text in general.
Processamento de sinais eletroencefalográficos durante protocolo experimental de teste de interferência de stroop

The Stroop Test has become very popular and is widely used in the study of attention. Together with the Electroencephalography technique, the Stroop Test allows to explore one’s electrophysiological reaction to a moment of conflict or interference. The work presented in this thesis is, in itself, a continuation of a previous study developed in the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, and intends to determine whether the detection of interference through a simplified version of the Stroop Test is influenced by one’s rightor left-handedness. In this study, 39 volunteers were subjected to a proposed simplified version of the Stroop Test with manual response. The results are based on the analysis of the gathered EEG signals, through the study of the Event-Related Evoked Potentials (ERPs) P300 and N400, and also on the analysis of their behavioural performance. The results show that a significant interference effect is registered, and, although it is not significant, there is, in fact, a relation between the detected interference and the subjects’ rightor lefthandedness. In addition, and as expected, the ”learning effect”has a distinct influence throughout the whole experience. The analysed ERPs were found to have greater amplitudes when in presence of the Non-Coincident stimulus, mainly in the central-parietal regions of the brain. No differences were found in the ERPs’ latencies average values when classified according to the different types of stimuli, which is in accordance with the literature. The difference wave (Non-Coincident ERP Coincident ERP) was found to be positive within the time-interval around 400 ms, and negative around 500 ms. The difference wave was also found to be negative within the timeinterval around 600 ms, which suggests that further studies with other ERPs (such as P500 and N600) are relevant. In conclusion, taking in consideration that it was not necessary to perform several training sessions, the results show that the proposed simplified version of the Stroop Test may become a standard in clinical practice, since all the volunteers were able to reach the necessary speed and precision while carrying out the required tasks.
Phase I/II Randomized Double-Blind Study of the Safety and Immunogenicity of a Nonadjuvanted Vero Cell Culture-Derived Whole-Virus H9N2 Influenza Vaccine in Healthy Adults

ABSTRACT Studies on candidate pandemic vaccines against avian influenza viruses have focused on H5N1, but viruses of other subtypes, such as A/H9N2, are also considered to have pandemic potential. We investigated the safety and immunogenicity of two immunizations with one of five different antigen doses (ranging from 3.75 to 45 μg of hemagglutinin antigen) of a nonadjuvanted whole-virus G9 lineage H9N2 influenza virus vaccine in healthy adults aged 18 to 49 years. The antibody responses were measured by hemagglutination inhibition (HI), microneutralization (MN), and single radial hemolysis (SRH) assays. To investigate a hypothesis that previous exposure to H2N2 viruses in subjects born in or before 1968 might prime for more robust antibody responses to H9N2 vaccination than that in subjects born after 1968, a post hoc age-stratified analysis of antibody responses was done. Both vaccinations in all dose groups were safe and well tolerated. No vaccine-related serious adverse events were reported, and the majority of the adverse reactions were rated as mild. The rates of injection site reactions were lower in the 3.75-μg- and 7.5-μg-dose groups than those in the higher-dose groups; the rates of systemic reactions were similar across all dose groups. The seroprotection rates among the different dose groups 21 days after the second immunization ranged from 52.8% to 88.9% as measured by HI assay, from 88.7% to 98.1% or 82.7% to 96.2% as measured by MN assay (MN titer cutoffs, 1:40 and 1:80, respectively), and from 94.2% to 100% as measured by SRH assay. Higher antibody responses were not induced in subjects born in or before 1968. These data indicate that a nonadjuvanted whole-virus H9N2 vaccine is well tolerated and immunogenic in healthy adults. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT01320696.)
A reward function generation method using genetic algorithms: a robot soccer case study

Immediate rewards play a key role in a reinforcement learning (RL) scenario as they help the system deal with the credit assignment problem. Therefore, reward function definition has a drastic effect on both how fast the system learns and to what policy it converges. It becomes even more important in case of multi-agent learning, where the state space usually gets even bigger. We propose a Genetic Algorithms (GA) based reward function shaping method for multi-robot learning problems and evaluate its performance in a robot soccer case study. A set of metrics calculated from the positions of the players and the ball on the field are used as the primitive building blocks of an immediate reward function, which is defined as a weighted combination of these metrics obtained using GA, yielding a significantly better soccer playing performance.
Estrogens and aging skin

Estrogen deficiency following menopause results in atrophic skin changes and acceleration of skin aging. Estrogens significantly modulate skin physiology, targeting keratinocytes, fibroblasts, melanocytes, hair follicles and sebaceous glands, and improve angiogenesis, wound healing and immune responses. Estrogen insufficiency decreases defense against oxidative stress; skin becomes thinner with less collagen, decreased elasticity, increased wrinkling, increased dryness and reduced vascularity. Its protective function becomes compromised and aging is associated with impaired wound healing, hair loss, pigmentary changes and skin cancer. Skin aging can be significantly delayed by the administration of estrogen. This paper reviews estrogen effects on human skin and the mechanisms by which estrogens can alleviate the changes due to aging. The relevance of estrogen replacement, selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) and phytoestrogens as therapies for diminishing skin aging is highlighted. Understanding estrogen signaling in skin will provide a basis for interventions in aging pathologies.
The dark side of narratives: challenging the epistemological nature of narrative knowledge

This article presents an attempt to reproblematise certain aspects of narratives in organisations which are too often taken for granted. The epistemological nature of narrative knowledge is explored by referring to a distinction between discursive and narrative knowledge drawn by the French philosopher Lyotard. Narrative knowledge is characterised as a kind of verbal life-world knowledge that is non-reflexive in character by contrast to discursive knowledge which is based on reasons and therefore argumentative and reflexive in nature. Recent literature on narrative knowledge sharing has concentrated almost exclusively on the bright side of narrative knowledge as valuable category, in this article it is argued that there is a dark side as well that deserves attention. The narrative/discursive distinction allows a discussion of the dark sides of narratives and narrative knowledge and might serve as a fruitful epistemological framework for our understanding of narrative knowledge.
Prognostic value of right ventricular dysfunction in patients with haemodynamically stable pulmonary embolism: a systematic review.

AIMS To determine the prognostic value of right ventricular (RV) dysfunction assessed by echocardiography or spiral computed tomography (CT), or by increased levels of cardiac biomarkers [troponin, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and pro-BNP] in patients with haemodynamically stable pulmonary embolism (PE). METHODS AND RESULTS We included all studies published between January 1985 and October 2007 estimating the relationship between echocardiography, CT or cardiac biomarkers and the risk of death in patients with haemodynamically stable PE. Twelve of 722 potentially relevant studies met inclusion criteria. The unadjusted risk ratio of RV dysfunction as assessed by echocardiography (five studies) or by CT (two studies) for predicting death was 2.4 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3-4.4]. The unadjusted risk ratio for predicting death was 9.5 (95% CI 3.2-28.6) for BNP (five studies), 5.7 (95% CI 2.2-15.1) for pro-BNP (two studies) and 8.3 (95% CI 3.6-19.3) for cardiac troponin (three studies). Threshold values differed substantially between studies for all markers. CONCLUSION RV dysfunction assessed by CT, echocardiography, or by cardiac biomarkers are all associated with an increased risk of mortality in patients with haemodynamically stable PE. These findings should be interpreted with caution because of the clinical and methodological diversity of studies.
Antibodies that activate β2 integrins can generate different ligand binding states

A human erythroleukemic cell line (K562) that does not normally express β2 integrins has been transfected with the genes encoding these integrins. The resulting cell lines show minimal background adhesion but can be stimulated to bind to appropriate substrates when activated with either of two different antibodies to CD18. The two antibodies appear to generate different ligand binding states in LFA‐1 such that different members of the ICAM family are recognized. Antibody‐activated complement receptor type 3 and p150,95‐transfected cells bind protein‐coated surfaces, although they require slightly different activation conditions for optimal binding.
Strategies for Public Engagement on Environmental Matters: You Can Lead a Horse to Water, but Can You Make It Drink?

With no tangible evidence of widespread public engagement in the UK on matters relating to the environment, this article assesses the benefits of adopting the principles of key theoretical models on learning (e.g., Kolb's Experiential Model) in environmental campaigns. In addition, in order to facilitate the transition from environmental knowledge/awareness, to the adoption of proenvironmental behavior, the article reviews some of the key internal and external drivers to achieving sustained behavioral change.
Proposal of a Complete Life Cycle In-Process Measurement Model Based on Evaluation of an In-Process Measurement Experiment Using a Standardized Requirement Definition Process

This paper focuses on in-process measurements during requirements definition where measurements of processes and products are relatively difficult. However, development processes in Japan based on the enterprise architecture method provide standardized formats for such upstream processes and products, allowing in-process measurements. Based on previous work and on this examination of in-process measurements of requirements definition with the enterprise architecture method and previous results of empirical studies of in-process measurements and empirically validates of later development processes, this paper proposes a new measurement model, the "full in-process process and product (I-PAP) measurement model," which includes the complete software development process from requirements to maintenance. Standardization of the requirements definition phase using the enterprise architecture method in Japan allows in-process measurement across the complete development lifecycle. Combining this with collaborative filtering and a project benchmark database will support project evaluation, estimation, and prediction.
An Empirical Investigation of V-I Trajectory Based Load Signatures for Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring

Choice of load signature or feature space is one of the most fundamental design choices for non-intrusive load monitoring or energy disaggregation problem. Electrical power quantities, harmonic load characteristics, canonical transient and steady-state waveforms are some of the typical choices of load signature or load signature basis for current research addressing appliance classification and prediction. This paper expands and evaluates appliance load signatures based on V-I trajectory-the mutual locus of instantaneous voltage and current waveforms-for precision and robustness of prediction in classification algorithms used to disaggregate residential overall energy use and predict constituent appliance profiles. We also demonstrate the use of variants of differential evolution as a novel strategy for selection of optimal load models in context of energy disaggregation. A publicly available benchmark dataset REDD is employed for evaluation purposes. Our experimental evaluations indicate that these load signatures, in conjunction with a number of popular classification algorithms, offer better or generally comparable overall precision of prediction, robustness and reliability against dynamic, noisy and highly similar load signatures with reference to electrical power quantities and harmonic content. Herein, wave-shape features are found to be an effective new basis of classification and prediction for semi-automated energy disaggregation and monitoring.
Zinc finger protein binding to DNA: an energy perspective using molecular dynamics simulation and free energy calculations on mutants of both zinc finger domains and their specific DNA bases

Energy calculations based on MM-GBSA were employed to study various zinc finger protein (ZF) motifs binding to DNA. Mutants of both the DNA bound to their specific amino acids were studied. Calculated energies gave evidence for a relationship between binding energy and affinity of ZF motifs to their sites on DNA. ΔG values were −15.82(12), −3.66(12), and −12.14(11.6) kcal/mol for finger one, finger two, and finger three, respectively. The mutations in the DNA bases reduced the value of the negative energies of binding (maximum value for ΔΔG = 42Kcal/mol for F1 when GCG mutated to GGG, and ΔΔG = 22 kcal/mol for F2, the loss in total energy of binding originated in the loss in electrostatic energies upon mutation (r = .98). The mutations in key amino acids in the ZF motif in positions-1, 2, 3, and 6 showed reduced binding energies to DNA with correlation coefficients between total free energy and electrostatic was . 99 and with Van der Waal was . 93. Results agree with experimentally found selectivity which showed that Arginine in position-1 is specific to G, while Aspartic acid (D) in position 2 plays a complicated role in binding. There is a correlation between the MD calculated free energies of binding and those obtained experimentally for prepared ZF motifs bound to triplet bases in other reports (), our results may help in the design of ZF motifs based on the established recognition codes based on energies and contributing energies to the total energy.