Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Variation of Biophysical Parameters of the Skin with Age, Gender, and Body Region

Background. Understanding the physiological, chemical, and biophysical characteristics of the skin helps us to arrange a proper approach to the management of skin diseases. Objective. The aim of this study was to measure 6 biophysical characteristics of normal skin (sebum content, hydration, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), erythema index, melanin index, and elasticity) in a normal population and assess the effect of sex, age, and body location on them. Methods. Fifty healthy volunteers in 5 age groups (5 males and females in each) were enrolled in this study. A multifunctional skin physiology monitor (Courage & Khazaka electronic GmbH, Germany) was used to measure skin sebum content, hydration, TEWL, erythema index, melanin index, and elasticity in 8 different locations of the body. Results. There were significant differences between the hydration, melanin index, and elasticity of different age groups. Regarding the locations, forehead had the highest melanin index, where as palm had the lowest value. The mean values of erythema index and melanin index and TEWL were significantly higher in males and anatomic location was a significant independent factor for all of 6 measured parameters. Conclusion. Several biophysical properties of the skin vary among different gender, age groups, and body locations.
VoNet: vehicle orientation classification using convolutional neural network

This paper presents a novel convolution neural network for classifying the orientation (or viewpoint) of a vehicle in a given image. Current equipping sensors in self-driving car is able to produce bounding box of vehicles in the proximity, but it does not recognize the viewpoint of them. Analyzing surrounding cars' direction in very complex environment has a significant role for autonomous driving. Utilizing nothing but a captured image, the purpose of this research is to classify viewpoint of vehicle: (1) front; (2) rear; (3) side; (4) front-side; and (5) rear-side. Deep convolutional neural network is used as the tool in performing classification task. The approach involves examining different CNN architectures using a large scale car dataset. In addition to that, the goal of the model is to be small and fast enough for limited hardware resource. We are able to achieve 95% accuracy, 57ms inference time on Nvidia GRID K520 GPU, and 1.6 MB Caffe model size.
Computationally Efficient Nyström Approximation using Fast Transforms

Our goal is to improve the training and prediction time of Nystrom method, which is a widely-used technique for generating low-rank kernel matrix approximations. When applying the Nystrom approximation for large-scale applications, both training and prediction time is dominated by computing kernel values between a data point and all landmark points. With m landmark points, this computation requires Θ(md) time (flops), where d is the input dimension. In this paper, we propose the use of a family of fast transforms to generate structured landmark points for Nystrom approximation. By exploiting fast transforms, e.g., Haar transform and Hadamard transform, our modified Nystrom method requires only Θ(m) or Θ(mlog d) time to compute the kernel values between a given data point and m landmark points. This improvement in time complexity can significantly speed up kernel approximation and benefit prediction speed in kernel machines. For instance, on the webspam data (more than 300,000 data points), our proposed algorithm enables kernel SVM prediction to deliver 98% accuracy and the resulting prediction time is 1000 times faster than LIB-SVM and only 10 times slower than linear SVM prediction (which yields only 91% accuracy).
Location of B- and Z-DNA in the chromosomes of a primitive eukaryote dinoflagellate

The usual conformation of DNA is a right-handed double helix (B-DNA). DNA with stretches of alternating purine-pyrimidine (G-C or A-T) can form a left-handed helix (Z-DNA). The transition B----Z, facilitated by the presence of divalent cations, cytosine methylation, or constraints on DNA such as superhelicity may play a role in the regulation of gene expression and/or in DNA compaction (Zarling, D. A., D. J. Arndt-Jovin, M. Robert-Nicoud, L. P. McIntosh, R. Tomae, and T. M. Jovin. 1984. J. Mol. Biol. 176:369-415). Divalent cations are also important in the structure of the quasi-permanently condensed chromosomes of dinoflagellate protists (Herzog, M., and M.-O. Soyer. 1983. Eur. J. Cell Biol. 30:33-41) which also have superhelicity in their DNA. The absence of histones in dinoflagellate chromosomes suggest that the search for Z-DNA sequences might be fruitful and could provide one indication of the physiological role of this particular DNA conformation. We report a complete immunofluorescent and immunogold analysis of the nuclei of the dinoflagellate Prorocentrum micans E. using monoclonal and polyclonal anti-B and anti-Z-DNA antibodies. Positive labeling was obtained with immunofluorescence using squash preparations and cryosections, both of which showed the intranuclear presence of the two DNA conformations. In ultrathin sections of aldehyde-prefixed, osmium-fixed, and epoxy-embedded cells, we have localized B-DNA and Z-DNA either with single or double immunolabeling using IgG labeled with 5- and 7-nm gold particles, respectively. Chromosomal nucleofilaments of dividing or nondividing chromosomes, as seen in ultrathin sections in their arch-shaped configuration, are abundantly labeled with anti-B-DNA antibody. Extrachromosomal anti-B- DNA labeling is also detected on the nucleoplasm that corresponds to DNA loops; we confirm the presence of these loops previously described external to the chromosomes (Soyer, M.-O., and O. K. Haapala. 1974. Chromosoma (Berl.). 47:179-192). B labeling is also visible in the nucleolus organizer region (NOR) and in the fibrillo-granular area (containing transcribing rDNA) of the nucleolus. Z-DNA was localized in limited areas inside the chromosomes, often at the periphery and near the segregation fork of dividing chromosomes. In the nucleolus, Z-DNA is observed only in the NOR area and never in the fibrillo-granular area. For both types of antibody experiments, controls using gold- labeled IgG without primary antibody were negative. A quantitative evaluation of the distribution of the gold-labeled IgG and a parametric test support the validity of these experiments. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Persistent of respiratory syncytial virus in human dendritic cells and influence of nitric oxide

The annual epidemics of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection are probably explained by poor herd immunity and the existence of a dormant reservoir of virus that is activated by an unknown trigger. The virus causes particular problems in infants, the elderly and patients with chronic obstructive airways disease (COPD). During two consecutive winters, human monocyte‐derived dendritic cells (DCs) were exposed on a single occasion to one of two forms of RSV labelled with a fluorescent expresser genes (rgRSV or rrRSV) during the epidemic season. The cultures were maintained for many months, with fresh DCs being added at monthly intervals. The cultures were variously exposed to 600 parts per billion (ppb) nitric oxide for 15 min, nitric oxide (NO) donors and NO inhibitors outside the RSV epidemic season. The pattern of productive infection of DCs in vitro appeared to parallel the natural epidemics, in that DCs exhibited evidence of viral replication and productive infection only as manifested by intracellular fluorescence and infection of HeLa cells during the RSV epidemic season. When the long‐term cultures were exposed to the above agents outside the RSV epidemic season there was again evidence of vigorous replication and productive infection, as shown by the reappearance of fluorescence and productive infection of HeLa cells. The results indicate that RSV may remain dormant in dendritic cells for prolonged periods and that replication appears to be activated by suppression of endogenous NO production. These observations may be key to our understanding of the mechanisms contributing to the annual epidemics of RSV infection.
Anomalous Rectification in the Squid Giant Axon Injected with Tetraethylammonium Chloride

The injection of tetraethylammonium chloride into the giant axon of the squid prolongs the action potential and eliminates most of the late current under voltage-clamp. Experiments on fibers in an external medium of high potassium ion concentration demonstrate that injected tetraethylammonium chloride causes rectification of the instantaneous current-voltage curve for potassium by excluding outward current. This interference with the flow of outward potassium ion current underlies the prolongation of the action potential seen in tetraethylammonium-injected fibers.
Online cognition: factors facilitating reliable online neuropsychological test results

Abstract Objective: Online neuropsychological test batteries could allow for large-scale cognitive data collection in clinical studies. However, the few online neuropsychological test batteries that are currently available often still require supervision or lack proper psychometric evaluation. In this paper, we have outlined prerequisites for proper development and use of online neuropsychological tests, with the focus on reliable measurement of cognitive function in an unmonitored setting.Method: First, we identified several technical, contextual, and psychological factors that should be taken into account in order to facilitate reliable test results of online tests in the unmonitored setting. Second, we outlined a methodology of quality assurance needed in order to obtain reliable cognitive data in the long run.Results: Based on factors that distinguish the online unmonitored test setting from the traditional face-to-face setting, we provide a set of basic requirements and suggestions for optimal development and use of unmonitored online neuropsychological tests, including suggestions on acquiring reliability, validity, and norm scores.Conclusions: When properly addressing factors that could hamper reliable test results during development and use, online neuropsychological tests could aid large-scale data collection for clinical studies in the future. Investment in both proper development of online neuropsychological test platforms and the performance of accompanying psychometric studies is currently required.
Seeing Differently in Near and Far

Healthy human observers were asked to detect a spot briefly presented at the peripheral visual field in near and far viewing conditions, with matched luminance and visual angle for the visual display in the two conditions. The visual accuracy was higher in near viewing than far viewing when detecting an achromatic white spot in either high or low contrast. However, participants showed much lower detection accuracy in near viewing compared to far viewing when the visual target was an isoluminant green spot. Receiving equivalent retinal information, the remarkably different visual ability in detecting isolumiant target presented at near versus far space suggests that a neurologically intact brain can actively modulate the neural efficiency for visual detection processing in the parvo-ventral pathway according to viewing distance. PhD Thesis T. Li McMaster University Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour
Compensation of loss-induced beam broadening in HMMs by a μ-negative HMM

Losses play a crucial role when realistic hyperbolic metamaterials are considered. Importantly, losses lead to a broadening of beams propagating through a hyperbolic medium. Here we show that a part of the loss-induced broadening can be attributed to phase accumulation of plane-wave components. This phase accumulation can be canceled out by utilizing hyperbolic media with a negative permeability.
Optimal Kinematic Calibration of Parallel Manipulators With Pseudoerror Theory and Cooperative Coevolutionary Network

Accuracy is one of the most crucial factors which affects the profound laboratory research and extensive industrial application of parallel robotic manipulators. Kinematic calibration is a necessary approach to make the nominal value approximately equivalent to the actual value for the pose of end-effector under different input of actuation variables. Since the error source of parallel manipulator is strong coupling, highly nonlinear, and uncontrollable, the pseudoerror theory is proposed by considering multiple errors, including manufacturing and assembly error, thermal error, and nonlinear stiffness error, as a single hypothetical error source, which only causes the deflection of joint variables. A novel cooperative coevolutionary neural network (CCNN) is designed to establish the complex nonlinear relationship between joint variables and the related deviation with respect to the measured pose of the end-effector. With CCNN, the pseudoerror in arbitrary joint configuration can be obtained, and thus, the control parameters can be adjusted accordingly. The results are validated through the case studies about a parallelogram-based 3-DOF parallel manipulator and a parallel robotic machine tool. This approach is generic and feasible for all types of robotic system.
Pathophysiology and current management of burn injury.

PURPOSE To provide the physician and registered professional nurse with an overview of the pathophysiology and current management of burn injuries. TARGET AUDIENCE This continuing education activity is intended for physicians and nurses with an interest in learning about evidence-based prevention and management of burn wounds. OBJECTIVES After reading the article and taking the test, the participant should be able to: (1) Explain the pathophysiology of skin function. (2) Describe the different types of burn injuries. (3) Identify the treatment strategies for burn injuries.
Adaptive beamforming with compressed sensing for sparse receiving array

An adaptive digital beamforming technique with compressed sensing (CS) for sparse receiving arrays is proposed. Because of the angle sparseness of arriving signals, CS theory can be adopted to sample receiving signals. Then, receiving signals from absent elements on the antenna aperture can be reconstructed by using CS method. Adaptive digital beamforming algorithms are adopted to form antenna beam, whose main lobe is steered to the desired direction and nulls steered to the directions of interference.
Pathogen reduction co-benefits of nutrient best management practices

Background Many of the practices currently underway to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment loads entering the Chesapeake Bay have also been observed to support reduction of disease-causing pathogen loadings. We quantify how implementation of these practices, proposed to meet the nutrient and sediment caps prescribed by the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), could reduce pathogen loadings and provide public health co-benefits within the Chesapeake Bay system. Methods We used published data on the pathogen reduction potential of management practices and baseline fecal coliform loadings estimated as part of prior modeling to estimate the reduction in pathogen loadings to the mainstem Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay attributable to practices implemented as part of the TMDL. We then compare the estimates with the baseline loadings of fecal coliform loadings to estimate the total pathogen reduction potential of the TMDL. Results We estimate that the TMDL practices have the potential to decrease disease-causing pathogen loads from all point and non-point sources to the mainstem Potomac River and the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed by 19% and 27%, respectively. These numbers are likely to be underestimates due to data limitations that forced us to omit some practices from analysis. Discussion Based on known impairments and disease incidence rates, we conclude that efforts to reduce nutrients may create substantial health co-benefits by improving the safety of water-contact recreation and seafood consumption.
Cyclic Dipeptide Shuttles as a Novel Skin Penetration Enhancement Approach: Preliminary Evaluation with Diclofenac

This study demonstrates the effectiveness of a peptide shuttle in delivering diclofenac into and through human epidermis. Diclofenac was conjugated to a novel phenylalanyl-N-methyl-naphthalenylalanine-derived diketopiperazine (DKP) shuttle and to TAT (a classical cell penetrating peptide), and topically applied to human epidermis in vitro. DKP and TAT effectively permeated into and through human epidermis. When conjugated to diclofenac, both DKP and TAT enhanced delivery into and through human epidermis, though DKP was significantly more effective. Penetration of diclofenac through human epidermis (to receptor) was increased by conjugation to the peptide shuttle and cell penetrating peptide with enhancement of 6x by DKP-diclofenac and 3x by TAT-diclofenac. In addition, the amount of diclofenac retained within the epidermis was significantly increased by peptide conjugation. COX-2 inhibition activity of diclofenac was retained when conjugated to DKP. Our study suggests that the peptide shuttle approach may offer a new strategy for targeted delivery of small therapeutic and diagnostic molecules to the skin.
Divergent Selection and Then What Not: The Conundrum of Missing Reproductive Isolation in Misty Lake and Stream Stickleback

In ecological speciation, reproductive isolation evolves as a consequence of adaptation to different selective environments. A frequent contributor to this process is the evolution of positive assortative mate choice between ecotypes. We tested this expectation for lake and inlet stream threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) from the Misty system (Vancouver Island, Canada), which show strong genetically based adaptive divergence and little genetic exchange in nature. This, and work on other stickleback systems, led us to expect positive assortative mating. Yet, our standard “no-choice” laboratory experiment on common-garden fish revealed no evidence for this—despite divergence in traits typically mediating assortative mating in stickleback. These results remind us that divergent natural selection may not inevitably lead to the evolution of positive assortative mate choice. The apparent lack of strong and symmetric reproductive barriers in this system presents a conundrum: why are such barriers not evident despite strong adaptive divergence and low gene flow in nature?
A 0.2 mm$^{2}$ , 27 Mbps 3 mW ADC/FFT-Less FDM BAN Receiver With Energy Exploitation Capability

A 27-Mbps, frequency-division multiplexing (FDM) receiver was developed. The 3-channel FDM signal is demodulated in the receiver with a traveling subband demodulator using intra-symbol intermittent demodulation for each subband, which does not require an analog-to-digital converter/fast Fourier transform. Also, the receiver sustains a sensitivity of -55 dBm comparable to that of, e.g., Bluetooth standards (-70 dBm) with respect to 14-dB sensitivity degradation caused by signal bandwidth enhancement, with receiver power dissipation of 3 mW. Furthermore, we have successfully demonstrated energy-exploitation capability from the power of unused FDM signals and interference.
Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Registry Risk Score Models for Acute Procedural Complications or Death After Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Implantation

Background— Patients undergoing implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation are at risk of postprocedural complications. However, we do not have a risk stratification schema to identify patients at high and low risk of adverse events. Methods and Results— We analyzed data from 268 701 ICD implants submitted to the ICD Registry and developed logistic regression models to identify variables most strongly associated with the risk of acute complications and/or in-hospital death. Overall, 3.2% of the population experienced an adverse event. A simple risk score consisting of 10 readily available variables successfully identified patients at high and low risk of complications. The variables included in the score and assigned points included: age ≥70 years (1 point), female (2 points), New York Heart Association class III (1 point) or IV (3 points), atrial fibrillation (1 point), prior valve surgery (3 points), chronic lung disease (2 points), blood urea nitrogen >30 (2 points), reimplantation for reasons other than battery change (6 points), ICD type dual chamber (2 points) or biventricular (4 points), and nonelective ICD implant (3 points). The risk of any in-hospital complication increased from 0.6% among patients with a score of ⩽5 (8.4% of the population) to 8.4% among patients with ≥19 risk points (3.9% of the population). Conclusions— A simple risk score consisting of readily available clinical variables can identify high- and low-risk subsets of patients undergoing ICD implantation. This information can guide the physician in patient selection and determining the intensity of care required post procedure.
Counter-Regulatory Function of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B in Platelet-Derived Growth Factor– or Fibroblast Growth Factor–Induced Motility and Proliferation of Cultured Smooth Muscle Cells and in Neointima Formation

Objectives—We have previously reported that vascular injury or treatment of cultured vascular smooth muscle cells with platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) or fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2) increases the levels of protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP)1B. The current study was designed to test the hypothesis that PTP1B attenuates PDGF- or FGF-induced motility and proliferation of cultured cells, as well as neointima formation in injured rat carotid arteries. Methods and Results—Treatment of cultured cells with adenovirus expressing PTP1B decreased PDGF-BB– or FGF2-induced cell motility and blocked PDGF-BB– or FGF2-induced proliferation, whereas expression of dominant negative PTP1B (C215S-PTP1B) uncovered the motogenic effect of subthreshold levels of PDGF-BB or FGF2, increased neointimal and medial cell proliferation, and induced neointimal enlargement after balloon injury. The inhibitory effect of PTP1B directed against PDGF in cultured cells was associated with dephosphorylation of the PDGF&bgr; receptor. Conclusions—PTP1B suppresses cell proliferation and motility in cultured smooth muscle cells treated with PDGF-BB or FGF2, and the phosphatase plays a counter-regulatory role in vascular injury-induced cell proliferation and neointima formation. Taken together with previous studies indicating increased PTP1B levels in cells treated with growth factors, the current findings are the first to report the existence of an inhibitory feedback loop involving PDGF or FGF, and PTP1B in blood vessels.