Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
RFID Tag as a Sensor - A Review on the Innovative Designs and Applications

Abstract The Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology has gained interests in both academia and industry since its invention. In addition to the applications in access control and supply chain, RFID is also a cost-efficient solution for Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) and pervasive monitoring. The battery free RFID tags are used as independent electromagnetic sensors or energy harvesting and data transmission interface of sensor modules for different measurement purposes. This review paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the innovative designs and applications of RFID sensor technology with new insights, identify the technical challenges, and outline the future perspectives. With a brief introduction to the fundamentals of RFID measurement, the enabling technologies and recent technical progress are illustrated, followed by an extensive discussion of the novel designs and applications. Then, based on an in-depth analysis, the potential constraints are identified and the envisaged future directions are suggested, including printable/wearable RFID, System-on-Chip (SoC), ultra-low power, etc. The comprehensive discussion of RFID sensor technology will be inspirational and useful for academic and industrial communities in investigating, developing, and applying RFID for various measurement applications.
SPynq: Acceleration of machine learning applications over Spark on Pynq

Spark is one of the most widely used frameworks for data analytics that offers fast development of applications like machine learning and graph computations in distributed systems. In this paper, we present SPynq: A framework for the efficient utilization of hardware accelerators over the Spark framework on heterogeneous MPSoC FPGAs, such as Zynq. Spark has been mapped to the Pynq platform and the proposed framework allows the seamlessly utilization of the programmable logic for the hardware acceleration of computational intensive Spark kernels. We have also developed the required libraries in Spark that hides the accelerator's details to minimize the design effort to utilize the accelerators. A cluster of 4 nodes (workers) based on the all-programmable MPSoCs has been implemented and the proposed platform is evaluated in a typical machine learning application based on logistic regression. The logistic regression kernel has been developed as an accelerator and incorporated to the Spark. The developed system is compared to a high-performance Xeon cluster that is typically used in cloud computing. The performance evaluation shows that the heterogeneous accelerator-based MpSoC can achieve up to 2.3x system speedup compared with a Xeon system (with 90% accuracy) and 20x better energy-efficiency. For embedded application, the proposed system can achieve up to 40x speedup compared to the software only implementation on low-power embedded processors and 30x lower energy consumption.
Effect of Amifostine in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Treated with Radiotherapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Based on Randomized Controlled Trials

Background Amifostine is the most clinical used chemical radioprotector, but its effect in patients treated with radiation is not consistent. Methods By searching Medline, CENTRAL, EMBASE, ASCO, ESMO, and CNKI databases, the published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about the efficacy of amifostine in HNSCC patients treated with radiotherapy were collected. The pooled efficacy and side effects of this drug were calculated by RevMan software. Results Seventeen trials including a total of 1167 patients (604 and 563 each arm) were analyzed in the meta-analysis. The pooled data showed that the use of amifostine significantly reduce the risk of developing Grade3–4 mucositis (relative risk [RR],0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI],0.54–0.95; p<0.00001), Grade 2–4 acute xerostomia (RR,0.70; 95%CI,0.52–0.96; p = 0.02), or late xerostomia (RR,0.60; 95%CI,0.49–0.74; p<0.00001) and Grade 3–4 dysphagia (RR,0.39; 95%CI,0.17–0.92; p = 0.03). However, subgroup analysis demonstrated that no statistically significant reduction of Grade3–4 mucositis (RR,0.97; 95% CI,0.74–1.26; p = 0.80), Grade 2–4 acute xerostomia (RR,0.35; 95%CI,0.02–5.44; p = 0.45), or late xerostomia (RR,0.40; 95%CI,0.13–1.24; p = 0.11) and Grade 3–4 dysphagia (RR,0.23; 95%CI,0.01–4.78; p = 0.35) was observed in patients treated with concomitant chemoradiotherapy. Compared with placebo or observation, amifostine does not show tumor protective effect in complete response (RR,1.02; 95%CI,0.89–1.17; p = 0.76) and partial response (RR,0.90; 95%CI, 0.56–1.44; p = 0.66). For the hematologic side effect, no statistical difference of Grade 3–4 leucopenia (RR,0.60; 95%CI,0.35–1.05; p = 0.07), anemia (RR,0.80; 95%CI, 0.42–1.53; p = 0.50) and thrombocytopenia (RR,0.43; 95%CI,0.16–1.15; p = 0.09) were found between amifostine and control groups. The most common amifostine related side effects were nausea, emesis, hypotension and allergic with an average incidence rate (Grade 3–4) of 5%, 6%, 4% and 4% respectively. Conclusion This systematic review showed that amifostine significantly reduce the serious mucositis, acute/late xerastomia and dysphagia without protection of the tumor in HNSCC patients treated with radiotherapy. And the toxicities of amifostine were generally acceptable.
ForceBoard: Subtle Text Entry Leveraging Pressure

We present ForceBoard, a pressure-based input technique that enables text entry by subtle finger motion. To enter text, users apply pressure to control a multi-letter-wide sliding cursor on a one-dimensional keyboard with alphabetical ordering, and confirm the selection with a quick release. We examined the error model of pressure control for successive and error-tolerant input, which was incorporated into a Bayesian algorithm to infer user input. A user study showed that, after a 10-minute training, the average text entry rate reached 4.2 wpm (Words Per Minute) for character-level input, and 11.0 wpm for word-level input. Users reported that ForceBoard was easy to learn and interesting to use. These results demonstrated the feasibility of applying pressure as the main channel for text entry. We conclude by discussing the limitation, as well as the potential of ForceBoard to support interaction with constraints from form factor, social concern and physical environments.
Does Journaling Encourage Healthier Choices?: Analyzing Healthy Eating Behaviors of Food Journalers

Past research has shown the benefits of food journaling in promoting mindful eating and healthier food choices. However, the links between journaling and healthy eating have not been thoroughly examined. Beyond caloric restriction, do journalers consistently and sufficiently consume healthful diets? How different are their eating habits compared to those of average consumers who tend to be less conscious about health? In this study, we analyze the healthy eating behaviors of active food journalers using data from MyFitnessPal. Surprisingly, our findings show that food journalers do not eat as healthily as they should despite their proclivity to health eating and their food choices resemble those of the general populace. Furthermore, we find that the journaling duration is only a marginal determinant of healthy eating outcomes and sociodemographic factors, such as gender and regions of residence, are much more predictive of healthy food choices.
Investigating the Impact of Annotation Interfaces on Player Performance in Distributed Multiplayer Games

In distributed multiplayer games, it can be difficult to communicate strategic information for planning game moves and player interactions. Often, players spend extra time communicating, reducing their engagement in the game. Visual annotations in game maps and in the gameworld can address this problem and result in more efficient player communication. We studied the impact of real-time feedback on planning annotations, specifically two different annotation types, in a custom-built, third-person, multiplayer game and analyzed their effects on player performance, experience, workload, and annotation use. We found that annotations helped engage players in collaborative planning, which reduced frustration, and shortened goal completion times. Based on these findings, we discuss how annotating in virtual game spaces enables collaborative planning and improves team performance.
Measuring the “Why” of Interaction: Development and Validation of the User Motivation Inventory (UMI)

Motivation is a fundamental concept in understanding people's experiences and behavior. Yet, motivation to engage with an interactive system has received only limited attention in HCI. We report the development and validation of the User Motivation Inventory (UMI). The UMI is an 18-item multidimensional measure of motivation, rooted in self-determination theory (SDT). It is designed to measure intrinsic motivation, integrated, identified, introjected, and external regulation, as well as amotivation. Results of two studies (total N = 941) confirm the six-factor structure of the UMI with high reliability, as well as convergent and discriminant validity of each subscale. Relationships with core concepts such as need satisfaction, vitality, and usability were studied. Additionally, the UMI was found to detect differences in motivation for people who consider abandoning a technology compared to those who do not question their use. The central role of motivation in users' behavior and experience is discussed.
Tensor decomposition of Toeplitz Jacket matrices for big data processing

In this paper, we consider the tensor decomposition (TD) of Toeplitz Jacket (TJ) matrices for big data processing by using the conventional higher order singular value decomposition (HOSVD) algorithm and Tensor train (TT) decomposition. In order to use HOSVD algorithm and TT decomposition, we reshape the given matrix and make it as a tensor. Due to the property of Toeplitz matrices, we use a truncated TJ matrix in stead of given matrix to reduce the complexity of TD. The results verified that the TD of the truncated TJ matrices gains a lower complexity due to smaller size of factor matrices and core tensors.
Event Extraction with Generative Adversarial Imitation Learning

We propose a new method for event extraction (EE) task based on an imitation learning framework, specifically, inverse reinforcement learning (IRL) via generative adversarial network (GAN). The GAN estimates proper rewards according to the difference between the actions committed by the expert (or ground truth) and the agent among complicated states in the environment. EE task benefits from these dynamic rewards because instances and labels yield to various extents of difficulty and the gains are expected to be diverse -- e.g., an ambiguous but correctly detected trigger or argument should receive high gains -- while the traditional RL models usually neglect such differences and pay equal attention on all instances. Moreover, our experiments also demonstrate that the proposed framework outperforms state-of-the-art methods, without explicit feature engineering.
Characterizing Finger Pitch and Roll Orientation During Atomic Touch Actions

Atomic interactions in touch interfaces, like tap, drag, and flick, are well understood in terms of interaction design, but less is known about their physical performance characteristics. We carried out a study to gather baseline data about finger pitch and roll orientation during atomic touch input actions. Our results show differences in orientation and range for different fingers, hands, and actions, and we analyse the effect of tablet angle. Our data provides designers and researchers with a new resource to better understand what interactions are possible in different settings ( e.g. when using the left or right hand), to design novel interaction techniques that use orientation as input (e.g. using finger tilt as an implicit mode), and to determine whether new sensing techniques are feasible (e.g. using fingerprints for identifying specific finger touches).
Functionalized cellulose nanocrystals as reinforcement in biodegradable polymer nanocomposites

This review describes the use of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) as fillers in biodegradable polymer matrices over the past few years. The preparation and characterization of CNC-based nanocomposites are highlighted here with a focus on thermophysical and mechanical properties. The characterization and isolation of nanocellulose from different raw material sources are discussed in detail, as well as different surface modifications. The addition of CNC in biodegradable polymer, combined with nanocellulose surface engineering and driven by sustainability trends, has the potential to impact various industrial sectors. POLYM. COMPOS. , 2017. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
HIV epidemics among transgender women

Purpose of reviewRecent data on the high burden of HIV among transgender women have stimulated interest in addressing HIV in this vulnerable population. This review situates the epidemiologic data on HIV among transgender women in the context of the social determinants of health and describes opportunities for effective interventions. Recent findingsTransgender women experience unique vulnerability to HIV that can be attributed to multilevel, intersecting factors that also influence the HIV treatment and care continuum. Stigma and discrimination, lack of social and legal recognition of their affirmed gender, and exclusion from employment and educational opportunities represent fundamental drivers of HIV risk in transgender women worldwide. SummaryInterventions to improve engagement in HIV prevention, testing, care, and treatment among transgender women should build on community strengths and address structural factors as well as psychosocial and biologic factors that increase HIV vulnerability and prevent access to HIV services.
Multiphysics Modeling and Parametric Analysis of an Inductor for Heating Thin Sheet Materials

Over the past two decades, induction heating technology has begun to replace conventional heating methods in manufacturing due to its ability to rapidly and uniformly heat conductive materials. This advancement has made induction heating very attractive to a wide range of industries, including applications in which thin sheet geometries are used (sheet thickness < 10 mm). According to preliminary testing, conventional coil geometries cannot efficiently heat thin sheet samples. Thus, the primary goal of this study is to investigate a suitable coil design for thin sheet materials and to evaluate the effects of varying coil design parameters. To this end, this project has developed a 3D Multiphysics model that includes a longitudinal induction coil and a thin sheet workpiece. Using the model, a series of parametric studies have been performed to identify the best induction coil geometry for heating of thin sheets along with suitable excitation parameters for the coil and workpiece. It was found that uniform heating is produced when the space between coils is tight. Additionally, insignificant variance in temperature uniformity was found when vertically displacing the workpiece within the coil. Parametric studies resulted in finding a cross-section geometry that reduced temperature deviation to within 1.1% across the workpiece width. The model can be used as a design tool for developing a (full-scale) prototype induction heating system.
Probing subtle conformational changes induced by phosphorylation and point mutations in the TIR domains of TLR2 and TLR3

Extensive research performed on Toll‐like receptor (TLR) signaling has identified residues in the Toll/interleukin‐1 receptor (TIR) domains that are essential for its proper functioning. Among these residues, those in BB loop are particularly significant as single amino acid mutations in this region can cause drastic changes in downstream signaling. However, while the effect of these mutations on the function is well studied (like the P681H mutation in TLR2, the A795P mutation in TLR3, and the P714H mutation in TLR4), their influence on the dynamics and inter‐residue networks is not well understood. The effects of local perturbations induced by these mutations could propagate throughout the TIR domain, influencing interactions with other TIR domain‐containing proteins. The identification of these subtle changes in inter‐residue interactions can provide new insights and structural rationale for how single‐point mutations cause drastic changes in TIR–TIR interactions. We employed molecular dynamics simulations and protein structure network (PSN) analyses to investigate the structural transitions with special emphasis on TLR2 and TLR3. Our results reveal that phosphorylation of the Tyr 759 residue in the TIR domain of TLR3 introduces rigidity to its BB loop. Subtle differences in the intra BB loop hydrogen bonding network between TLR3 and TLR2 are also observed. The PSN analyses indicate that the TIR domain is highly connected and pinpoints key differences in the inter‐residue interactions between the wild‐type and mutant TIR domains, suggesting that TIR domain structure is prone to allosteric effects, consistent with the current view of the influence of allostery on TLR signaling.
Protein metabolism in pregnancy 1–4

Adaptation to pregnancy involves major changes in maternal metabolism to provide for the growing demands of the conceptus. Although changes in glucose metabolism, and possibly in fatty acid metabolism, occur in parallel with the increasing energy demands of the mother and the fetus, adaptation of protein metabolism appears to be in anticipation of maternal and fetal needs. During pregnancy, there is an excess of maternal nitrogen in the form of lean body mass over that deposited in the fetus and the products of conception; there is also a pregnancy-induced hypoaminoacidemia and a diminished amino acid response to protein intake, suggesting an increased uptake of amino acids in the splanchnic compartment. With the use of stable-isotope-labeled tracers, it was shown that there is a decreased rate of urea synthesis during pregnancy that is evident early in gestation. Kinetic studies of leucine metabolism showed no significant change in leucine carbon turnover but a significantly lower rate of leucine nitrogen turnover, suggesting a lower rate of leucine transamination. These data suggest an integral regulation of whole-body protein and nitrogen metabolism start-ing early in gestation and aimed at conservation and accretion of nitrogen by the mother and the fetus. Am J Clin Nutr 2000;71(suppl):1249S–55S. a lower rate of leucine transamination. These may be regulated by a decreased flux through a ketoglutarate ( a -KG) and pyruvate. KIC, a -ketoisocaproic
Membrane‐bound CD154, but not CD40‐specific antibody, mediates NF‐κB‐independent IL‐6 production in B cells

CD40, a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNF‐R) superfamily, is expressed on the surface of B cells, where its engagement results in IL‐6 secretion. In this study, we characterize the specific molecular requirements for CD40‐mediated IL‐6 production. Engagement of CD40 on either a B cell line or normal mouse splenic B cells with a membrane‐bound form of CD154 (also known as CD40L or gp39) induced IL‐6 secretion as well as up‐regulation of IL‐6 mRNA, but cross‐linking CD40 with agonistic anti‐CD40 mAb did not, although these mAb induce many other CD40 activation events, including the nuclear translocation of the transcription factor NF‐κB. Using a mouse B cell line stably transfected with various human CD40 (hCD40) cytoplasmic truncation and point mutants, we show that the region from amino acids 202 to 225 in the cytoplasmic domain of CD40 is necessary for IL‐6 secretion. However, the carboxy‐terminal 32 amino acids are not, although these residues are required for CD40‐mediated NF‐κB activation. In addition, CD40 mutants previously shown to lack binding to TRAF2 and ‐3 are fully capable of inducing IL‐6 production. Thus, CD40‐mediated IL‐6 induction is independent of NF‐κB activation and the binding of TRAF2 and ‐3, but CD40 must be engaged by trimeric CD154 on cell membranes to activate production of IL‐6.
Understanding α‐globin gene regulation and implications for the treatment of β‐thalassemia

Over the past three decades, a vast amount of new information has been uncovered describing how the globin genes are regulated. This knowledge has provided significant insights into the general understanding of the regulation of human genes. It is now known that molecular defects within and around the α‐ and β‐globin genes, as well as in the distant regulatory elements, can cause thalassemia. Unbalanced production of globin chains owing to defective synthesis of one, and the continued unopposed synthesis of another, is the central causative factor in the cellular pathology and pathophysiology of thalassemia. A large body of clinical, genetic, and experimental evidence suggests that altering globin chain imbalance by reducing the production of α‐globin synthesis ameliorates the disease severity in patients with β‐thalassemia. With the development of new genetic‐based therapeutic tools that have a potential to decrease the expression of a selected gene in a tissue‐specific manner, the possibility of decreasing expression of the α‐globin gene to improve the clinical severity of β‐thalassemia could become a reality.
Kidney Transplantation: The Challenge of Human Leukocyte Antigen and Its Therapeutic Strategies

Kidney transplantation remains the treatment of choice for end-stage renal failure. When the immune system of the recipient recognizes the transplanted kidney as a foreign object, graft rejection occurs. As part of the host immune defense mechanism, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) is a major challenge for graft rejection in transplantation therapy. The impact of HLA mismatches between the donor and the potential recipient prolongs the time for renal transplantation therapy, tethered to dialysis, latter reduces graft survival, and increases mortality. The formation of pretransplant alloantibodies against HLA class I and II molecules can be sensitized through exposures to blood transfusions, prior transplants, and pregnancy. These preformed HLA antibodies are associated with rejection in kidney transplantation. On the other hand, the development of de novo antibodies may increase the risk for acute and chronic rejections. Allograft rejection results from a complex interplay involving both the innate and the adaptive immune systems. Thus, further insights into the mechanisms of tissue rejection and the risk of HLA sensitization is crucial in developing new therapies that may blunt the immune system against transplanted organs. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to highlight facts about HLA and its sensitization, various mechanisms of allograft rejection, the current immunosuppressive approaches, and the directions for future therapy.