Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Vision Tape—A Flexible Compound Vision Sensor for Motion Detection and Proximity Estimation

In this paper, we introduce Vision Tape (VT), a novel class of flexible compound-eye-like linear vision sensor dedicated to motion extraction and proximity estimation. This novel sensor possesses intrinsic mechanical flexibility that provides wide-range adaptive shape, allowing adjustable field of view as well as integration with numerous substrates and curvatures. VT extracts Optic Flow (OF) of the visual scene to calculate the motion vector, which allows proximity estimation based on the motion parallax principle. In order to validate the functionality of VT, we have designed and fabricated an exemplary prototype consisting of an array of eight photodiodes attached to a flexible PCB that acts as mechanical and electrical support. This prototype performs image acquisition and processing with an integrated microcontroller at a frequency of 1000 fps, even during bending of the sensor. With this, the effect of VT shape on motion perception and proximity estimation is studied and, in particular, the effect of pixel-to-pixel angle is discussed. The results of these experiments allow estimating an optimal configuration of the sensor for OF extraction. Subsequently, a method that enhances the quality of extracted OF for non-optimal configurations is proposed. The experimental results show that, by applying the proposed method to VT in a suboptimal curvature, the quality of the OF can be increased by up to 176% and proximity estimation by 178%.
Rapid Virus Production and Removal as Measured with Fluorescently Labeled Viruses as Tracers

ABSTRACT Pelagic marine viruses have been shown to cause significant mortality of heterotrophic bacteria, cyanobacteria, and phytoplankton. It was previously demonstrated, in nearshore California waters, that viruses contributed to up to 50% of bacterial mortality, comparable to protists. However, in less productive waters, rates of virus production and removal and estimates of virus-mediated bacterial mortality have been difficult to determine. We have measured rates of virus production and removal, in nearshore and offshore California waters, by using fluorescently labeled viruses (FLV) as tracers. Our approach is mathematically similar to the isotope dilution technique, employed in the past to simultaneously measure the release and uptake of ammonia and amino acids. The results indicated overall virus removal rates in the dark ranging from 1.8 to 6.2% h−1 and production rates in the dark ranging from 1.9 to 6.1% h−1, corresponding to turnover times of virus populations of 1 to 2 days, even in oligotrophic offshore waters. Virus removal rates determined by the FLV tracer method were compared to rates of virus degradation, determined at the same locations by radiolabeling methods, and were similar even though the current FLV method is suitable for only dark incubations. Our results support previous findings that virus impacts on bacterial populations may be more important in some environments and less so in others. This new method can be used to determine rates of virus degradation, production, and turnover in eutrophic, mesotrophic, and oligotrophic waters and will provide important inputs for future investigations of microbial food webs.
A wink and a handshake: Why the collapse of the U.S. pension system has provoked little protest

Since 2000, more than ten million workers and retirees have had their company pension or retiree health benefits cut, and millions more could lose them in the future. When companies cut retiree benefits, workers typically lose tens of thousands of dollars, and many lose much, much more. As a result, for millions of previously secure Americans, retirement is in jeopardy. In general, as companies have shed their legacy costs, workers and retirees have not taken political action. Only in certain cases have these monetary losses and broken promises provoked significant protests. And perhaps more puzzling, even at companies such as Verizon and IBM, where workers have had significant success protesting certain kinds of pension changes, these same workers have done little to protest subsequent retirement cuts.
Sexually dimorphic hemodynamic effects of intragastric ethanol in conscious rats.

This study investigated the gender-related differences in hemodynamic effects of small to moderate doses of intragastrically (i.g.) administered ethanol in conscious rats. Changes evoked by ethanol (0.25, 0.5 or 1 g/kg) in mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate, cardiac index (CI), stroke volume (SV), and total peripheral resistance (TPR) were followed for 90 min in age-matched male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. Baseline values of MAP (121+/-2 vs. 124+/-2 mm Hg) were similar whereas CI (55+/-2 vs. 43+/-2 ml/min/100 g) and TPR (2.2+/-0.1 vs. 3.0+/-0.1 mm Hg/ml/min/100 g) were significantly (P<0.05) higher and lower, respectively, in female compared with male rats. In male rats, the middle dose (0.5 g/kg) of ethanol caused a slight increase in MAP due to significant (P<0.05) increases in CO whereas the other two doses (0.25 and 1 g/kg) had no effect on MAP. In female rats, MAP was not affected by ethanol (0.25 and 0.5 g/kg) and showed a significant reduction by the higher dose (1 g/kg) that was associated with decreases in CO and SV while TPR did not change. The hypotensive effect of ethanol (1 g/kg) in female rats started after 50 min, was maximal (13+/-1.7 mm Hg) at 70 min and remained so for the remaining 20 min of the study. Blood ethanol concentrations were similar in male and female rats. These findings suggest that the hemodynamic responses to i.g. ethanol are gender-related and that ethanol-evoked hypotension in female rats appears to involve a reduction in cardiac output.
The distribution of Quercus suber chloroplast haplotypes matches the palaeogeographical history of the western Mediterranean

Combining molecular analyses with geological and palaeontological data may reveal timing and modes for the divergence of lineages within species. The Mediterranean Basin is particularly appropriate for this kind of multidisciplinary studies, because of its complex geological history and biological diversity. Here, we investigated chloroplast DNA of Quercus suber populations in order to detect possible relationships between their geographical distribution and the palaeogeographical history of the western Mediterranean domain. We analysed 110 cork oak populations, covering the whole distribution range of the species, by 14 chloroplast microsatellite markers, among which eight displayed variation among populations. We identified five haplotypes whose distribution is clearly geographically structured. Results demonstrated that cork oak populations have undergone a genetic drift geographically consistent with the Oligocene and Miocene break‐up events of the European–Iberian continental margin and suggested that they have persisted in a number of separate microplates, currently found in Tunisia, Sardinia, Corsica, and Provence, without detectable chloroplast DNA modifications for a time span of over 15 million years. A similar distribution pattern of mitochondrial DNA of Pinus pinaster supports the hypothesis of such long‐term persistence, in spite of Quaternary climate oscillations and of isolation due to insularity, and suggests that part of the modern geographical structure of Mediterranean populations may be traced back to the Tertiary history of taxa.
Initial in Vivo Tear Protein Deposition on Individual Hydrogel Contact Lenses

We investigated and compared the initial composition, morphology, and time course of deposits on individual soft contact lenses of different water contents and surface charges in order to evaluate the potential for antigenic reactions and to predict the optimal frequency of lens replacement. Newly manufactured lenses were worn for graduated periods of time from 1 min to 8 h by subjects who were first adapted to daily wear soft lenses. The morphology and composition of the deposits were analyzed by histological staining, light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDSPAGE) with silver nitrate staining, and immunofluorescence microscopy. The protein bands of the acrylamide gels were divided according to their molecular weights into six groups which have been defined in the literature from tear analyses by electrophoretic techniques and include lysozyme, proteins migrating faster than albumin (PMFA), protein G, albumin, lactoferrin, and other proteins heavier than albumin such as Ig-G and secretory Ig-A. Specific proteins (lysozyme, PMFA, and protein G) were detected on individual lenses after as little as 1 min of wear. There was an increasing amount of protein deposited as the wearing time increased. Differences in the rates and amounts of deposition were more dependent on lens water content and ionic characteristics than on intersubject differences. Such early significant protein deposition may occur in wearers of disposable lenses as well as in those subject to complications due to accumulation of protein.
Ensembles of large margin nearest neighbour with grouped lateral patch arrangement for face classification

The use of local facial features is frequently adopted in many Nearest Neighbours (NN) approaches in face classification. These collections features are then individually classified against labelled features resembling an ensembles of simpler learners to improve prediction. In this paper, a new variant of ensembles of NN is proposed for classification of local features, namely ensembles of Large Margin Nearest Neighbour (soft-LMNN) classifier. Likewise, we proposea way to arrange local feature called Grouped Lateral Patch (GLP) to overcome the limitations of Single Lateral Patch (SLP). Since the performance of any NN method varies depending on the type of distance metrics used, we investigate the performance of ensembles of NN classifiers when Euclidean, Cosine, Manhattan, Chebychev and Minkowski distance metrics are used. From various experiments conducted, we found that soft-LMNN variant delivers best classification performance when compared against other NN variants, while Cosine and Manhattan distance metric performs best when used with locally normalized Gabor feature vectors and pixel intensity respectively. Our results also demonstrate that in general, ensembles of NN performs face classification nearly 14% more accurate than Support Vector Machine.
Determining the site of airway collapse in obstructive sleep apnea with airway pressure monitoring

Twenty patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) underwent complete polysomnography and simultaneous upper airway pressure monitoring with a custom‐made, soft silicone‐covered catheter measuring 2.3 mm in diameter. The catheter had four solid‐state microtip pressure sensors positioned in the posterior nasopharynx, immediately caudal to the tip of the uvula, at the level of the hyoid bone, and in the midesophagus. The level(s) of airway collapse was determined by changes in the pressure patterns between transducers. In 14 of the 20 patients, airway collapse was confined or initiated at the oropharyngeal region. The obstruction extended to the base of tongue in 7 and to the entire collapsible upper airway in 2 patients. Four patients had collapse at the base of the tongue and 2 had collapse at the hypopharynx. The site of airway collapse remained fairly constant through various sleep stages and positions. Uvulo‐palatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) and postoperative polysomnography were performed in 4 patients (2 with hypopharyngeal, 1 with base of tongue, and 1 with oropharyngeal airway collapse). Two patients had a favorable response to UPPP.
Fas‐mediated death and sensory adaptation limit the pathogenic potential of autoreactive T cells after strong antigenic stimulation

The ability of autoreactive T cells to induce autoimmune pathology is dependent on their ability to respond to the level of autoantigen presented in the target organ. Emerging evidence suggests that at the population level, T cell sensitivity for self can be reduced by deletion of those cells bearing high‐affinity T cell receptors (TCRs) or by sensory adaptation of individual cells. Here, we have investigated the mechanisms that prevent the induction of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) when myelin basic protein (MBP)‐reactive T cells are exposed to a strong, antigenic stimulus. Stimulation of MBP‐reactive TCR transgenic T cells with a superagonist peptide led to extensive activation‐induced cell death (AICD) through Fas signaling. Using T cells lacking Fas, we found that disruption of this deletional mechanism only partially increased EAE in response to superagonist, failing to restore susceptibility to the level found in response to the wild‐type MBP peptide. A significant fraction of the MBP‐reactive T cells was able to avoid AICD in response to superagonist, but these cells had a reduced sensitivity for an antigen that correlated with elevated levels of CD5. Therefore, when TCR affinity is fixed, autoreactive T cell sensitivity can be shifted to below a threshold for harm by a combination of AICD and sensory adaptation.
Testosterone treatment is immunosuppressive in superb fairy–wrens, yet free–living males with high testosterone are more immunocompetent

The immunocompetence handicap hypothesis proposes that the immunosuppressive effect of testosterone enforces honesty of sexual signalling via a physiological trade–off between signal intensity and immuno–competence. However, evidence that testosterone is immunosuppressive is scant, particularly in birds. I studied the correlation between immunocompetence and testosterone in superb fairy–wrens (Malurus cyaneus), a species with intense intersexual selection. Males are seasonally dichromatic and testosterone increases during the moult from dull brown eclipse plumage into bright nuptial plumage. I determined the primary antibody response to immunization with sheep red blood cells (SRBCs) in (i) control and testosterone–implanted males in captivity, and (ii) a cross–section of free–living males with basal and elevated testosterone (in eclipse plumage, moulting and in nuptial plumage). Experimental treatment with testosterone decreased the likelihood of an antibody response to SRBCs in captive birds. In contrast, free–living males which had acquired the nuptial plumage and had naturally elevated testosterone were more likely to respond to SRBCs than males in eclipse plumage with basal testosterone levels. The association between higher immunocompetence and higher immunosuppressive testosterone could arise if both are positively correlated with male phenotypic quality. In addition, the association could result if males compensate for potential immunosuppression by enhancing their humoral immune responses, particularly since high testosterone is linked to other demanding activities such as moulting and courtship displays.
Effect of bromocriptine-QR on glycemic control in subjects with uncontrolled hyperglycemia on one or two oral anti-diabetes agents.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of Bromocriptine-QR on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes whose glycemia is poorly controlled on one or two oral anti-diabetes agents. METHODS Five hundred fifteen Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) subjects (ages 18 to 80 and average body mass index [BMI] of 32.7) with baseline HbA1c ≥ 7.5 and on one or two oral anti-diabetes (OAD) medications (metformin, sulfonylurea, and/or thiazolidinediones) were randomized 2:1 to bromocriptine-QR (1.6 to 4.8 mg/day) or placebo for a 24 week treatment period. Study investigators were allowed to adjust, if necessary, subject anti-diabetes medications during the study to attempt to achieve glycemic control in case of glycemic deterioration. The impact of bromocriptine-QR treatment intervention on glycemic control was assessed in subjects on any one or two OADs (ALL treatment category) (N = 515), or on metformin with or without another OAD (Met/OAD treatment category) (N = 356), or on metformin plus a sulfonylurea (Met/SU treatment category) (N = 245) 1) by examining the between group difference in change from baseline a) concomitant OAD medication changes during the study, and b) HbA1c and 2) by determining the odds of reaching HbA1c of ≤ 7.0% on bromocriptine-QR versus placebo. RESULTS Significantly more patients (approximately 1.5 to 2-fold more; P<.05) intensified concomitant anti-diabetes medication therapy during the study in the placebo versus the bromocriptine-QR arm. In subjects that did not change the intensity of the baseline diabetes therapy (72%), and that were on any one or two OADs (ALL), or on metformin with or without another OAD (Met/OAD), or on metformin plus sulfonylurea (Met/SU), the HbA1c change for bromocriptine-QR versus placebo was -0.47 versus +0.22 (between group delta of -0.69, P<.0001), -0.55 versus +0.26 (between group delta of -0.81, P<.0001) and -0.63 versus +0.20 (between group delta of -0.83, P<.0001) respectively, after 24 weeks on therapy. The odds ratio of reaching HbA1c of ≤ 7.0% was 6.50, 12.03 and 11.45 (P<.0002) for these three groups, respectively. CONCLUSION In T2DM subjects whose hyperglycemia is poorly controlled on one or two oral agents, bromocriptine-QR therapy for 24 weeks can provide significant added improvement in glycemic control relative to adding placebo.
Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine Application of genetic algorithm for hemodialysis schedule optimization

Background: The conventional hemodialysis (HD) schedule has been used for decades, even though new modalities have been introduced. Many reasons limit practices of frequent dialysis, such as patients’ en-vironments and unknown optimal schedules for each patient. This research provides a theoretical recom- mendation of HD schedule through genetic algorithm (GA). Methods: An end-stage renal disease (ESRD) with various dialysis conditions was modeled through a classic variable-volume two-compartment kinetic model to simulate an anuric patient, and GA was implemented to search for an optimal HD schedule for each individual considering and ignoring burden consumption of each dialysis session. The adequacy of the optimized HD schedules through GA was as-sessed with time average concentration (TAC) and time average deviation (TAD). Results: While ignoring the burden of dialysis sessions, GA returned schedules with slightly improved values of adequacy criteria (EKRc and std Kt/V), compared to the conventional regular uniform HD schedules. The optimized HD schedules also showed decreased TAC and TAD values compared to the conventional regular uniform HD schedules. It showed that frequent dialysis resulted in more effective treatment and higher ﬁtness values. However, when burden was considered, less frequent dialysis schedules showed better ﬁtness value. Conclusions: Through this research, GA conﬁrmed that at least 12 h of dialysis should be conducted for a week. The optimized schedules from GA indicated that evenly distributing the intervals amongst sessions is eﬃcient, and that scheduling a session at the start and end of a week is optimal to overcome a long weekend interval. The theoretical optimal schedule of HD may help distribution of frequent dialysis and provide more schedule options to patients.
A sodium channel point mutation is associated with resistance to DDT and pyrethroid insecticides in the peach‐potato aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

The voltage‐gated sodium channel is the primary target site of DDT and pyrethroid insecticides, and point mutations in the domain II region of the channel protein have been implicated in the knockdown resistant (kdr ) phenotype of several insect species. Here, we report that one of these mutations, a leucine‐to‐phenylalanine replacement in transmembrane segment IIS6, is also found in certain insecticide‐resistant clones of the peach‐potato aphid, Myzus persicae. The mutation was present in four clones with amplified E4 esterase genes, but was absent from both susceptible clones and those with amplified FE4 genes. The inferred presence of kdr‐type resistance in the four E4 clones was subsequently confirmed by bioassays that showed this to be the primary mechanism of resistance to deltamethrin and DDT, although the esterase‐based mechanism also contributes to the overall level of deltamethrin resistance. The kdr mutation on its own conferred 35‐fold resistance to deltamethrin and this was enhanced up to 540‐fold when it was present in a high (E4) esterase background. The esterase (FE4) mechanism was far less effective without the kdr mutation, conferring just 3–4‐fold resistance to deltamethrin. These findings, and the linkage disequilibrium of the kdr mutation within clones overproducing the E4 esterase, have important implications for the evolution of resistance in this insect and for the use of pyrethroid sprays in the management of M. persicae populations in the field.
Depletion of topoisomerase IIα leads to shortening of the metaphase interkinetochore distance and abnormal persistence of PICH-coated anaphase threads

Topoisomerase II (topo II) is a major component of mitotic chromosomes, and its unique decatenating activity has been implicated in many aspects of chromosome dynamics, of which chromosome segregation is the most seriously affected by loss of topo II activity in living cells. There is considerable evidence that topo II plays a role at the centromere including: the centromere-specific accumulation of topo II protein; cytogenetic/molecular mapping of the catalytic activity of topo II to active centromeres; the influence of sumoylated topo II on sister centromere cohesion; and its involvement in the activation of a Mad2-dependent spindle checkpoint. By using a human cell line with a conditional-lethal mutation in the gene encoding DNA topoisomerase IIα, we find that depletion of topo IIα, while leading to a disorganised metaphase plate, does not have any overt effect on general assembly of kinetochores. Fluorescence in situ hybridisation suggested that centromeres segregate normally, most segregation errors being chromatin bridges involving longer chromosome arms. Strikingly, a linear human X centromere-based minichromosome also displayed a significantly increased rate of missegregation. This sensitivity to depletion of topo IIα might be linked to structural alterations within the centromere domain, as indicated by a significant shortening of the distance across metaphase sister centromeres and the abnormal persistence of PICH-coated connections between segregating chromatids.
POWER-SHARING: THE CHALLENGE OF DISTRIBUTED LEADERSHIP

There have been many attempts to define leadership in a ‘swamp of literature on leadership’ (Thrupp and Willmott 2003: 143), including the following theories: instructional, technical, critical, educative, transactional, cultural, feminist, human instrumental/expressive, transforming and symbolic, to name just some. In fear of drowning in the swamp, it has been claimed that this multiplicity has aided the managerial colonisation of education and has advocated the ‘quick fix sorts of generic hints for effective business leaders found in airport bookshops’ (ibid: 144); one-minute managing, 7 easy steps, that sort of thing. Hey ho! If only it were so simple.