Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Question Answering Mediated by Visual Clues and Knowledge Graphs

This challenge focuses on the use of semantic representation methods to support Visual Question Answering: given a large image collection, find a set of images matching natural language queries. The task supports advancing the state-of-the-art in Visual Question Answering by focusing on methods which explore the interplay between contemporary machine learning techniques, semantic representation and reasoning mechanisms.
A framework for the analysis of phantom data in multicenter diffusion tensor imaging studies

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is commonly used for studies of the human brain due to its inherent sensitivity to the microstructural architecture of white matter. To increase sampling diversity, it is often desirable to perform multicenter studies. However, it is likely that the variability of acquired data will be greater in multicenter studies than in single‐center studies due to the added confound of differences between sites. Therefore, careful characterization of the contributions to variance in a multicenter study is extremely important for meaningful pooling of data from multiple sites. We propose a two‐step analysis framework for first identifying outlier datasets, followed by a parametric variance analysis for identification of intersite and intrasite contributions to total variance. This framework is then applied to phantom data from the NIH MRI study of normal brain development (PedsMRI). Our results suggest that initial outlier identification is extremely important for accurate assessment of intersite and intrasite variability, as well as for early identification of problems with data acquisition. We recommend the use of the presented framework at frequent intervals during the data acquisition phase of multicenter DTI studies, which will allow investigators to identify and solve problems as they occur. Hum Brain Mapp 34:2439–2454, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Noticing the other gender on Google+

Google+ provides a feature that has been overlooked in social media studies: the possibility of users setting their gender information not only as female or male, but as other instead. In this paper, we discuss this particularity and, more broadly, the issue of non-binary gender roles in the Web. By analyzing a large dataset, we characterize some aspects of self presentation, word use, network information and country of residence among users who choose different alternatives in the field Gender. On the whole, our main contributions are to present preliminary results and to shed light into the topic considered here - namely, the implications of having a third gender option to present oneself in an online social networking service.
Effect of Exercise and Quercetin on Obesity Induced Metabolic and Renal Impairments in Albino Rats

Obesity has been described as a state of chronic oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction. This study was carried out to clarify the effect of exercise and antioxidant quercetin on oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction induced by obesity in renal tissue . Rats were randomly divided into five groups 8 animals each: Group I, received balanced diet; Group II, received high fat diet; Group III, received high fat diet and were subjected to exercise training for the last 8 weeks; Group IV, received high fat diet and treated with quercetin at a dose of 15gm/kg intraperitoneal (IP) daily in the last 8 weeks; Group V, received high fat diet and were subjected to exercise training combined with quercetin treatment in the last 8 weeks. The study was carried out over 28 weeks. Obesity induced by high fat diet (HFD) was confirmed by measuring body weight and body mass index (BMI). Obese rats developed insulin resistance confirmed biochemically by significant increase in fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index. Moreover, there was significant increase in serum urea, serum creatinine, albuminurea, renal malondialdehyde (MDA) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) levels with significant decrease in superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH) and adiponectin. Both exercise training and quercetin treatment were sufficient to cause improvement in insulin resistance, kidney functions and renal oxidative stress, with significant decrease in TNF-α and increase in adiponectin. The most improvement was among combined exercise & antioxidant group. We concluded that ani-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effect of exercise &quercetin may be through modulation of adiponectin. Moreover, histopahtological examination showed mild improvement of HFD induced lesion of renal tissue in exercise and quercetin groups with more superior effects of their combination.
A CONSTRUCTIVE DISTANCE-BASED BOUNDARY DETECTION APPROACH WITH NUMERIC VARIABLES

Existing Data Mining techniques, concentrates mainly on finding patterns in large datasets and it also focuses on concepts such as classification, association rules and clustering. Very few work aims on finding Boundary values in classification. Boundary values are the small subset of the data set which contains critical information useful for predicting accurate class labels for the new instances. This paper describes technique for detecting boundary records using different distance based approach during classification task and computes the computational time for extracting the instances using different distance metrics. The records isolated as boundary region of the specified class, can contain domain-specific information which is useful for finding critical records to improve the classification accuracy. This information is useful for further decision making in classification. Experiments are carried out for numeric data set and results shows that only subset of the data set are found to be boundary set and compares the computational time for extracting the boundary region using the distance metrics. Keyword: Classification, Outliers, Boundary Region, Euclidean, Manhattan, Minkowski, Chebychev
Cultivating Computational Thinking Practices and Mathematical Habits of Mind in Lattice Land

ABSTRACT There is a great deal of overlap between the set of practices collected under the term “computational thinking” and the mathematical habits of mind that are the focus of much mathematics instruction. Despite this overlap, the links between these two desirable educational outcomes are rarely made explicit, either in classrooms or in the literature. This paper presents Lattice Land, a computational learning environment and accompanying curriculum designed to support the development of mathematical habits of mind and promote computational thinking practices in high-school mathematics classrooms. Lattice Land is a mathematical microworld where learners explore geometrical concepts by manipulating polygons drawn with discrete points on a plane. Using data from an implementation in a low-income, urban public high school, we show how the design of Lattice Land provides an opportunity for learners to use computational thinking practices and develop mathematical habits of mind, including tinkering, experimentation, pattern recognition, and formalizing hypothesis in conventional mathematical notation. We present Lattice Land as a restructuration of geometry, showing how this new and novel representational approach facilitates learners in developing computational thinking and mathematical habits of mind. The paper concludes with a discussion of the interplay between computational thinking and mathematical habits of mind, and how the thoughtful design of computational learning environments can support meaningful learning at the intersection of these disciplines.
ANCA serotype and histopathological classification for the prediction of renal outcome in ANCA-associated glomerulonephritis.

BACKGROUND The phenotype of renal involvement in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) vasculitis has a major influence on survival, and histological subgrouping of diagnostic renal biopsies has been proposed to aid in the prediction of renal outcome. We aimed to validate this histological subgrouping and to investigate the additional value of ANCA serotype in the prediction of renal outcome. METHODS Data were retrospectively collected from the time of diagnosis by systematic review of medical records from 136 patients with renal biopsies recruited to cohorts from the UK and Spain, over 15 years. The end point, renal survival, was the composite of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or death from any cause. The occurrence of ESRD, Stage 4 Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative-Chronic Kidney Disease, was assessed separately, in order to establish a severity index risk of chronic kidney disease. RESULTS Renal survival at 5 years was 96% in the focal, 86% in the crescentic, 81% in the mixed and 61% in the sclerotic subgroups (P = 0.03). Myeloperoxidase (MPO)-ANCA was associated with more severe disease when compared with PR3-ANCA, as demonstrated by a lower frequency of focal and higher frequency of sclerotic subgroups, by more advanced interstitial fibrotic change and by lower glomerular filtration rate at diagnosis and worse renal function at 1 and 2 years. CONCLUSIONS We have confirmed the predictive value for renal survival of the ANCA vasculitis histology classification in a multi-centre study. We found a worse renal outcome in patients with tubulointerstitial fibrosis and atrophy. MPO-ANCA positive patients had a worse renal prognosis due to more severe glomerular injury. These results contribute to patient stratification in renal vasculitis for therapeutic, epidemiological and basic research.
Placental lesions associated with acute atherosis

Abstract Objective: Acute atherosis is a lesion of the spiral arteries characterized by fibrinoid necrosis of the vessel wall, an accumulation of fat-containing macrophages, and a mononuclear perivascular infiltrate, which can be found in patients with preeclampsia, fetal death, small-for-gestational age, spontaneous preterm labor/premature prelabor rupture of membrane, and spontaneous mid-trimester abortion. This lesion is thought to decrease blood flow to the intervillous space which may lead to other vascular lesions of the placenta. The objective of this study was to test whether there is an association between acute atherosis and placental lesions that are consistent with maternal vascular underperfusion (MVU), amniotic fluid infection (AFI), fetal vascular thrombo-occlusive disease (FVTOD) or chronic inflammation. Material and methods: A retrospective cohort study of pregnant women who delivered between July 1998 and July 2014 at Hutzel Women’s Hospital/Detroit Medical Center was conducted examine 16 457 placentas. The frequency of placenta lesions (diagnosed using the criteria of the Perinatal Section of the Society for Pediatric Pathology) was compared between pregnancies with and without acute atherosis. Results: Among 16 457 women who were enrolled, 10.2% (1671/16 457) were excluded, leaving 14 786 women who contributed data for analysis. Among them, the prevalence of acute atherosis was 2.2% (326/14 786). Women with acute atherosis were more than six times as likely as those without to have placental lesions consistent with maternal underperfusion (adjusted odds ratio – aOR: 6.7; 95% CI 5.2–8.6). To a lesser degree, acute atherosis was also associated with greater risks of having either lesions consistent with FVTOD (aOR 1.7; 95% CI 1.2–2.3) or chronic chorioamnionitis (aOR 1.9; 95% CI 1.3–3), but not with other chronic inflammatory lesions, after adjusting for gestational age at delivery. In contrast, women with acute atherosis were 60% less likely to have lesions consistent with AFI, adjusting for gestational age at delivery (aOR 0.4; 95% CI 0.3–0.5). Conclusions: Acute atherosis is associated with increased risks of having placental lesions consistent with MVU, and to a lesser extent, chronic chorioamnionitis and those consistent with FVTOD.
Percutaneous left ventricular assist in ischemic cardiac arrest

Background: Ischemic cardiac arrest represents a challenge for optimal emergency revascularization therapy. A percutaneous left ventricular assist device (LVAD) may be beneficial. Objective: To determine the effect of a percutaneous LVAD during cardiac arrest without chest compressions and to assess the effect of fluid loading. Design: Totally, 16 pigs randomized to either conventional or intensive fluid with LVAD support during ventricular fibrillation (VF). Setting: Acute experimental trial with pigs under general anesthesia. Subjects: Farm pigs of both sexes. Interventions: After randomization for fluid infusion, VF was induced by balloon occlusion of the proximal left anterior descending artery. LVAD and fluid were started after VF had been induced. Measurements: Brain, kidney, myocardial tissue perfusion, and cardiac index were measured with the microsphere injection technique at baseline, 3, and 15 minutes. Additional hemodynamic monitoring continued until 30 minutes. Main results: At 15 minutes, vital organ perfusion was maintained without significant differences between the two groups. Mean cardiac index at 3 minutes of VF was 1.2 L·min−1·m2 (29% of baseline, p < 0.05). Mean perfusion at 3 minutes was 65% in the brain and 74% in the myocardium compared with baseline (p < 0.05), then remained unchanged during the initial 15 minutes. At 30 minutes, LVAD function was sustained in 11 of 16 animals (8 of 8 intensified fluid vs. 3 of 8 conventional fluid) and was associated with intensified fluid loading (p < 0.001). Conclusions: During VF, a percutaneous LVAD may sustain vital organ perfusion. A potential clinical role of the device during cardiac arrest has yet to be established.
Spinal Arteriovenous Fistulas

Several classifications have been proposed for spinal AVMs. [2],[4]-[6] They can be divided into intramedullary AVMs and arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs). Based on anatomical characteristics, spinal AVFs are classified as extradural AVFs and intradural lesions, including spinal dural AVFs (SDAVFs) and perimedullary spinal AVFs (PMAVFs). [7],[8] Rangel-Castilla et al. classified extradural AVFs as type A or type B based on the availability of intradural venous drainage. In Type A spinal extradural AVFs, there is intradural venous drainage and arterio‐ venous shunting develops in the epidural space. Type B can be further classified as B1 and B2, both of which are limited to the epidural space without any intradural draining veins. The only difference between these two types is the presence or absence of compression on the spinal cord and nerve roots. [9] There is a paucity of literature about spinal AVFs and due to the very small incidence of these lesion, almost all available studies are small cases series. However, spinal AVFs can manifest with severe neurologic symptoms, leading to permanent neurologic deficit. Therefore, in this chapter we aim to review the available literature about spinal AVFs.
What is the most promising treatment for Parkinson's disease: genes, cells, growth factors or none of the above?

Author for correspondence: Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair & the Department of Neurology, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK Tel. : +44 1223 331160 Fax: +44 1223 331174 rab46@cam.ac. uk have received levodopa for more than 5 years, in 80% of patients treated for 10 years, and in nearly all patients with young-onset disease. In a bid to control these motor fluctuations, patients’ therapy may need to be escalated to include more intensive pharmacotherapies such as infusions of subcutaneous apomorphine and jejunal Duodopa infusions. In addition, deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery, either of the subthalamic nucleus or the globus pallidus pars interna, can be useful for treating PD patients at this stage when the motor fluctuations and dyskinesias cannot be adequately managed with pharmacological manipulation. The 5-year follow-up of patients who have received bilateral stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus in PD clearly shows that their improvement in motor function is sustained over time. However, disability still progresses from year to year, indicating ongoing degeneration in both dopaminergic and nondopaminergic sites. Furthermore, DBS is also associated with significant cognitive and psychiatric side effects, including severe depression, impulsivity and apathy, all of which may help explain the discrepancy between changes in quality-of-life assessment and motor disability in patients having had this therapy [3]. None of the currently available therapies for PD can slow or halt the disease progression. Therefore, there is a clear need for new therapies in PD that not only are capable of providing dopamine replacement more effectively, but also serve to replace or protect the substantia nigra pars compacta dopamine neurons from further degeneration. In a bid to meet this clinical challenge, novel therapeutic approaches have evolved over the last 20 years, which include a variety of gene therapy approaches, neurotrophic factor delivery and cell replacement therapies. Three main strategies under investigation using gene transfer for targeted protein expression include: “. it has to be realized that cell therapies are not a cure for Parkinson’s disease. ” What is the most promising treatment for Parkinson’s disease: genes, cells, growth factors or none of the above?
Ion and nutrient uptake by malaria parasite‐infected erythrocytes

Erythrocytes infected with malaria parasites have increased permeability to diverse organic and inorganic solutes. While these permeability changes have been known for decades, the molecular basis of transport was unknown and intensively debated. CLAG3, a parasite protein previously thought to function in cytoadherence, has recently been implicated in formation of the plasmodial surface anion channel (PSAC), an unusual small conductance ion channel that mediates uptake of most solutes. Consistent with transport studies, the clag genes are conserved in all plasmodia but are absent from other genera. The encoded protein is integral to the host membrane, as also predicted by electrophysiology. An important question is whether functional channels are formed by CLAG3 alone or through interactions with other proteins. In either case, gene identification should advance our understanding of parasite biology and may lead to new therapeutics.
A Novel Instrumented Human Head Surrogate for the Impact Evaluation of Helmets

A novel Human Head Surrogate was obtained from available MRI scans of a 50th percentile male human head. Addictive manufacturing was used to produce the skull, the brain and the skin. All original MRI geometries were partially smoothed and adjusted to provide the best biofidelity compatible with printing and molding technology. The skull was 3D-printed in ABS and ten pressure sensors were placed into it. The brain surrogate was cast from silicon rubber in the 3D-printed plastic molds. Nine tri-axial accelerometers (placed at the tops of the lobes, at the sides of the lobes, in the cerebellum and in the center of mass) and a three-axis gyroscope (at the center of mass) were inserted into the silicon brain during casting. The cranium, after assembly with brain, was filled with silicon oil mimicking the cerebral fluid. Silicon rubber was cast in additional 3D-printed molds to form the skin surrounding the cranium. The skull base was adapted to be compatible with the Hybrid-III neck and allow the exit of brain sensors cabling. Preliminary experiments were carried out proving the functionality of the surrogate. Results showed how multiple accelerometers and pressure sensors allowed a better comprehension of the head complex motion during impacts.
Double-Stranded RNA Induces Shedding of the 34-kDa Soluble TNFR1 from Human Airway Epithelial Cells via TLR3–TRIF–RIP1-Dependent Signaling: Roles for Dual Oxidase 2- and Caspase-Dependent Pathways

TNF, an important mediator of inflammatory and innate immune responses, can be regulated by binding to soluble TNF receptors. The 55-kDa type 1 TNFR (TNFR1), the key receptor for TNF signaling, is released to the extracellular space by two mechanisms, the inducible cleavage and shedding of 34-kDa soluble TNFR1 (sTNFR1) ectodomains and the constitutive release of full-length 55-kDa TNFR1 within exosome-like vesicles. The aim of this study was to identify and characterize TLR signaling pathways that mediate TNFR1 release to the extracellular space. To our knowledge, we demonstrate for the first time that polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid [poly (I:C)], a synthetic dsRNA analogue that signals via TLR3, induces sTNFR1 shedding from human airway epithelial (NCI-H292) cells, whereas ligands for other microbial pattern recognition receptors, including TLR4, TLR7, and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain containing 2, do not. Furthermore, poly (I:C) selectively induces the cleavage of 34-kDa sTNFR1 ectodomains but does not enhance the release of full-length 55-kDa TNFR1 within exosome-like vesicles. RNA interference experiments demonstrated that poly (I:C)-induced sTNFR1 shedding is mediated via activation of TLR3–TRIF–RIP1 signaling, with subsequent activation of two downstream pathways. One pathway involves the dual oxidase 2-mediated generation of reactive oxygen species, and the other pathway is via the caspase-mediated activation of apoptosis. Thus, the ability of dsRNA to induce the cleavage and shedding of the 34-kDa sTNFR1 from human bronchial epithelial cells represents a novel mechanism by which innate immune responses to viral infections are modulated.
Interpreting MMSE performance in highly proficient bilingual Spanish-English and Asian Indian-English speakers : Demographic adjustments , item analyses , and supplemental measures

Purpose: Performance on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), among the most widely used global screens of adult cognitive status, is affected by demographic variables including age, education, and ethnicity. This study extends prior research by examining the specific effects of bilingualism on MMSE performance. Method: Sixty independent community-dwelling monolingual and bilingual adults were recruited from Eastern and Western regions of the United States in this cross-sectional group study. Independent sample t-tests were used to compare two bilingual groups (Spanish-English and Asian Indian-English) with matched monolingual speakers on the MMSE, demographically adjusted MMSE scores, MMSE item scores, and a nonverbal cognitive measure. Regression analyses were also performed to determine whether language proficiency predicted MMSE performance in both groups of bilingual speakers. Results: Group differences were evident on the MMSE, on demographically adjusted MMSE scores, and on a small subset of individual MMSE items. Scores on a standardized screen of language proficiency predicted a significant proportion of the variance in the MMSE scores of both bilingual groups. Conclusions: Bilingual speakers demonstrated distinct performance profiles on the MMSE. Results suggest that supplementing the MMSE with a language screen, administering a INTERPRETING MMSE SCORES OF BILINGUAL SPEAKERS 3 nonverbal measure, and/or evaluating item-based patterns of performance may assist with test interpretation for this population.
Call Auction Markets with Risk-Averse Specialists

We study a generalization of Kyle’s (1985) model to the case in which the specialist is risk-averse and does not set the transaction price according to semi-strong form efficiency. We see that Kyle’s call auction market is no longer a robust market structure, as linear Bayesian equilibria do not exist, irrespective of fundamentals, such as agents’ information, endowments and preferences. This result holds both when customers can submit only market orders and when limit orders are allowed too.