Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
International Journal of Advanced Robotic Systems 3 D Dynamic Motion Planning for Robot-assisted Cannula Flexible Needle Insertion into Soft Tissue Regular Paper

In robot-assisted needle-based medical procedures, insertion motion planning is a crucial aspect. 3D dynamic motion planning for a cannula flexible needle is challenging with regard to the nonholonomic motion of the needle tip, the presence of anatomic obstacles or sensitive organs in the needle path, as well as uncertainties due to the dynamic environment caused by the movements and deformations of the organs. The kinematics of the cannula flexible needle is calculated in this paper. Based on a rapid and robust static motion planning algorithm, referred to as greedy heuristic and reachability-guided rapidly-exploring random trees, a 3D dynamic motion planner is developed by using replanning. Aiming at the large detour problem, the convergence problem and the accuracy problem that replanning encounters, three novel strategies are proposed and integrated into the conventional replanning algorithm. Comparisons are made between algorithms with and without the strategies to verify their validity. Simulations showed that the proposed algorithm can overcome the above-noted problems to realize real-time replanning in a 3D dynamic environment, which is appropriate for intraoperative planning.
Tanshinol ameliorates CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in rats through the regulation of Nrf2/HO-1 and NF-κB/IκBα signaling pathway

Tanshinol, a water-soluble component isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, has a variety of biological activities involving anti-fibrotic effect. However, the exact role and the underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear. This study mainly focused on the anti-hepatic fibrotic activities and mechanisms of tanshinol on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver fibrosis in rats via anti-oxidative and anti-inflammation pathways. The rats were divided into 4 groups as follows: control, model, tanshinol 20 mg/kg, and tanshinol 40 mg/kg. Except for the control group, CCl4 was used to induce liver fibrosis processing for 8 weeks, meanwhile rats in tanshinol groups were intraperitoneally injected with additional tanshinol. Control group simultaneously received the same volumes of olive oil and saline. The potentially protective effect and mechanisms of tanshinol on liver fibrosis in rats were evaluated. The serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and total bilirubin were obviously lower in the tanshinol treatment groups related to model group. Compared with the model group, the levels of hyaluronic acid, type IV collagen, Laminin (LN), and procollagen III peptide (PIIIP) in serum were significantly decreased after tanshinol treatment. Furthermore, tanshinol could regulate Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway and increase the level of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and also decrease the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) to against damage induced by oxidative stress. Simultaneously tanshinol could regulate nuclear factor kappa B signaling pathway to inhibit expression of inflammation factors, including transforming growth factor-β, tumor necrosis factor-α, Cox-2, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6. In summary, our research demonstrated that tanshinol has protective effect on CCl4-induced liver fibrosis via inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammation, which may be associated with the regulation of nuclear factor erythroid2-related factor 2/hemeoxygenase-a and nuclear factor kappa B/inhibitor of kappa B alpha signaling pathways.
Implications of Antioxidant Systems in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

The global incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a group of chronic gastrointestinal disorders, has been rising. The preponderance of evidence demonstrates that oxidative stress (OS) performs a critical function in the onset of IBD and the manner of its development. The purpose of this review is to outline the generation of reactive oxygen species and antioxidant defense mechanisms in the gastrointestinal tract and the role played by OS in marking the onset and development of IBD. Furthermore, the review demonstrates the various ways through which OS is related to genetic susceptibility and the mucosal immune response. The experimental results suggest that certain therapeutic regimens for IBD could have a favorable impact by scavenging free radicals, reducing cytokine and prooxidative enzyme concentrations, and improving the antioxidative capabilities of cells. However, antioxidative activity characterized by a high level of specificity may be fundamental for the development of clinical therapies and for relapsing IBD patients. Therefore, additional research is required to clarify the ways through which OS is related to the pathogenesis and progression of IBD.
Simulation and performance evaluation of a fog system

Nowadays there are numerous applications — especially mobile ones — which use the user's location to show relative content, for example nearby restaurants, or tourist attractions etc. In this article, the simulation of a High Performance System based on Cloud, Clusters, low cost devices and Smartphones is presented. We aim to present the possibilities of combining every available computational resource in order to reduce costs and to also bring computational resources closer to users. The Fog Computing is the most promising solution achieving this goal. Fog Computing extends Cloud Computing by providing virtualized resources and location-based services to the users by utilizing any available resource. We show that the combination of every resource available can result in a significant decrease in the execution time and expenses.
Impact of a school-based nutrition curriculum on intake of dietary calcium among adolescents

Calcium intake by adolescents in the United States is consistently lower than recommended. Peak rates of calcium accumulation, retention, and growth occur during adolescence, making adolescence a critical time to consume adequate amounts of calcium. Previous research indicates that tailored nutrition education lessons are an effective way to educate adolescents about the importance of dietary calcium. To test the impact of a school-based nutrition curriculum, 11 Oregon schools were randomized into intervention and control groups. Students enrolled in thirty-eight middle school and high school Health and Family Consumer Science classes in Oregon completed Child and Adolescent Block Food Frequency Questionnaires for 8 to 17 year olds at baseline and approximately six-weeks later. The intervention classes received a thirty-minute nutrition curriculum on calcium that included 1) food sources and serving sizes 2) daily requirement and, 3) information on osteoporosis. Control classes did not receive the nutrition curriculum. Results showed that calorie adjusted calcium intake and dairy servings per day were not significantly affected by the nutrition curriculum. Less than 20% of students in the current study consumed the Adequate Intake level for calcium (1300 mg/day). A multi-unit, gender-tailored, and parent-involved nutrition intervention may be a more effective way to increase dietary calcium intake among adolescents.
CRÈME 96 and Related Error Rate Prediction Methods

Predicting the rate of occurrence of single event effects (SEEs) in space requires knowledge of the radiation environment and the response of electronic devices to that environment. Several analytical models have been developed over the past 36 years to predict SEE rates. The first error rate calculations were performed by Binder, Smith and Holman [1]. Bradford [2], [3] and Pickel and Blandford, in their CRIER (Cosmic-Ray-Induced-Error-Rate) analysis code [4], [5], introduced the basic Rectangular ParallelePiped (RPP) method for error rate calculations. For the radiation environment at the part, both [3], [2] and [5] made use of the Cosmic Ray LET (Linear Energy Transfer) spectra calculated by Heinrich for various absorber depths [6]. A more detailed model for the space radiation environment within spacecraft was developed by Adams and co-workers [7]-[14]. This model, together with a reformulation of the RPP method published by Pickel and Blandford [5], was used to create the CRÈME (Cosmic Ray Effects on Micro-Electronics) code [15], [16]. About the same time Shapiro wrote the CRUP (Cosmic Ray Upset Program) [17] based on the RPP method published by Bradford [2]. It was the first code to specifically take into account charge collection from outside the depletion region due to deformation of the electric field caused by the incident cosmic ray. Other early rate prediction methods and codes include the Single Event Figure of Merit [18], NOVICE [19], the Space Radiation code [20] and the effective flux method of Binder [21] which is the basis of the SEFA (Scott Effective Flux Approximation) model [22].
Flexible and mechanically stable antireflective coatings from nanoporous organically modified silica colloids

We report the preparation of flexible and mechanically stable antireflective organically modified silica (ormosil) coatings at ambient conditions. Thin films are obtained from colloidal suspensions of ormosil gels which are prepared using methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) monomers. The ormosil suspensions are directly applicable and suitable for the large-area deposition of nanoporous ormosil thin films. The nanoporosity of the films can be tuned by changing the monomer ratio of the starting solution. Thin films on flexible substrates retain their antireflective properties even after 100 cycles of excessive bending without a significant change in transmission. Furthermore, the films remained intact after water dripping and adhesive tape tests. In addition, thin films on glass substrates are found to exhibit antifogging properties after annealing at 600 � C for 30 min. The ease of fabrication and multifunctionality of these films make them ideal coatings for flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices, sensors, and solar cells.
POSTER: DeepCRACk: Using Deep Learning to Automatically CRack Audio CAPTCHAs

A Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart (CAPTCHA) is a defensive mechanism designed to differentiate humans and computers to prevent unauthorized use of online services by automated attacks. They often consist of a visual or audio test that humans can perform easily but that bots cannot solve. However, with current machine learning techniques and open-source neural network architectures, it is now possible to create a self-contained system that is able to solve specific CAPTCHA types and outperform some human users. In this paper, we present a neural network that leverages Mozilla's open source implementation of Baidu's Deep Speech architecture; our model is currently able to solve the audio version of an open-source CATPCHA system (named SimpleCaptcha) with 98.8% accuracy. Our network was trained on 100,000 audio samples generated from SimpleCaptcha and can solve new SimpleCaptcha audio tests in 1.25 seconds on average (with a standard deviation of 0.065 seconds). Our implementation seems additionally promising because it does not require a powerful server to function and is robust to adversarial examples that target Deep Speech's pre-trained models.
Geoplex Benchmark Demonstration

In this section, we describe the development of a complex multi-domain electromechanical system as an interconnection of simpler subsystems. We first give a global overview of the total system to be modelled, then describe the subsystems of the model, and conclude with final remarks on how network modelling was used in this problem, and to what benefit. Our electromechanical system exchanges energy between the power grid, a local mechanical source and a local general load, which may contain subsystems from any domain.
Co-evolution analysis of production and test code by learning association rules of changes

Many modern software systems come with automated tests. While these tests help to maintain code quality by providing early feedback after modifications, they also need to be maintained. In this paper, we replicate a recent pattern mining experiment to find patterns on how production and test code co-evolve over time. Understanding co-evolution patterns may directly affect the quality of tests and thus the quality of the whole system. The analysis takes into account fine grained changes in both types of code. Since the full list of fine grained changes cannot be perceived, association rules are learned from the history to extract co-change patterns. We analyzed the occurrence of 6 patterns throughout almost 2500 versions of a Java system and found that patterns are present, but supported by weaker links than in previously reported. Hence we experimented with weighting methods and investigated the composition of commits.
Is Smoking Inferior?: Evidence from Variation in the Earned Income Tax Credit

In this paper we estimate the causal income elasticity of smoking participation, cessation, and cigarette demand conditional upon participation. Using an instrumental variables (IV) estimation strategy, we find that smoking appears to be a normal good among low-income adults: Higher-instrumented income is associated with an increase in the number of cigarettes consumed and a decrease in smoking cessation. The magnitude and direction of the changes in the income coefficients from our OLS to IV estimates are consistent with the hypothesis that correlational estimates between income and smoking-related outcomes are biased by unobservable characteristics that differentiate higher-income smokers from lower-income smokers.
A Novel Distribution-Level Phasor Estimation Algorithm Using Empirical Wavelet Transform

Distribution-level signals are often contaminated with harmonics and noise, along with dynamic conditions like frequency deviations. This paper proposes an empirical wavelet transform (EWT) based M-class distribution-level phasor estimation technique under such polluted and dynamic conditions. The capability of the EWT of extracting different frequency components present in the signal makes it suitable for distribution-level phasor estimation. However, the empirical wavelet filters are designed on the basis of the Fourier spectrum of the signal, which, inturn suffers from a spectral leakage problem at off-nominal frequencies. To avoid the errors arising due to spectral leakage, a sample value adjustment based prefiltering technique is employed. The effectiveness of the proposed estimator is demonstrated on various simulated signals, field-data, and real-time signals obtained from the hardware implementation setup. The proposed algorithm is found to be least affected by the presence of dc components, harmonics, and noise. The use of a fixed window size and fixed sampling frequency makes it suitable for synchronization with GPS clocks. The proposed scheme is also able to provide an accurate harmonic phasor estimation.
Burosumab Therapy in Children with X‐Linked Hypophosphatemia

BACKGROUND X‐linked hypophosphatemia is characterized by increased secretion of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF‐23), which leads to hypophosphatemia and consequently rickets, osteomalacia, and skeletal deformities. We investigated burosumab, a monoclonal antibody that targets FGF‐23, in patients with X‐linked hypophosphatemia. METHODS In an open‐label, phase 2 trial, we randomly assigned 52 children with X‐linked hypophosphatemia, in a 1:1 ratio, to receive subcutaneous burosumab either every 2 weeks or every 4 weeks; the dose was adjusted to achieve a serum phosphorus level at the low end of the normal range. The primary end point was the change from baseline to weeks 40 and 64 in the Thacher rickets severity total score (ranging from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating greater disease severity). In addition, the Radiographic Global Impression of Change was used to evaluate rachitic changes from baseline to week 40 and to week 64. Additional end points were changes in pharmacodynamic markers, linear growth, physical ability, and patient‐reported outcomes and the incidence of adverse events. RESULTS The mean Thacher rickets severity total score decreased from 1.9 at baseline to 0.8 at week 40 with every‐2‐week dosing and from 1.7 at baseline to 1.1 at week 40 with every‐4‐week dosing (P<0.001 for both comparisons); these improvements persisted at week 64. The mean serum phosphorus level increased after the first dose in both groups, and more than half the patients in both groups had levels within the normal range (3.2 to 6.1 mg per deciliter [1.0 to 2.0 mmol per liter]) by week 6. Stable serum phosphorus levels were maintained through week 64 with every‐2‐week dosing. Renal tubular phosphate reabsorption increased from baseline in both groups, with an overall mean increase of 0.98 mg per deciliter (0.32 mmol per liter). The mean dose of burosumab at week 40 was 0.98 mg per kilogram of body weight with every‐2‐week dosing and 1.50 mg per kilogram with every‐4‐week dosing. Across both groups, the mean serum alkaline phosphatase level decreased from 459 U per liter at baseline to 369 U per liter at week 64. The mean standing‐height z score increased in both groups, with greater improvement seen at all time points with every‐2‐week dosing (an increase from baseline of 0.19 at week 64) than with every‐4‐week dosing (an increase from baseline of 0.12 at week 64). Physical ability improved and pain decreased. Nearly all the adverse events were mild or moderate in severity. CONCLUSIONS In children with X‐linked hypophosphatemia, treatment with burosumab improved renal tubular phosphate reabsorption, serum phosphorus levels, linear growth, and physical function and reduced pain and the severity of rickets. (Funded by Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical and Kyowa Hakko Kirin; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02163577; EudraCT number, 2014‐000406‐35).
Validity and Reliability of Body Composition Analysis Using the Tanita BC 418-MA

Kelly JS, Metcalfe J. Validity and Reliability of Body Composition Analysis Using the Tanita BC 418 MA. JEPonline 2012;15(6):74-83. This investigation compared measurements of percentage body fat (%BF) by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) using the TANITA BC418-MA (TAN) with hydrostatic weighing (HW), and skinfold thickness (ST) (Study 1). In addition, the same-day test-retest reliability of the TAN system was assessed (Study 2). For Study 1, a sample of 28 male and 29 female subjects were recruited. TAN, HW, and ST were used to assess %BF with the same experimenter completing all assessments in a counterbalanced order. In Study 2, 24 males and 28 females had %BF measured on two occasions using the TAN to establish the same-day test-retest reliability of the system. Results for Study 1 indicated that TAN and ST recorded significantly different mean %BF compared to HW, with %BF being overestimated by 1.68% using TAN and 1.49% using ST. Despite strong correlations between TAN and HW (r = 0.81; P<0.05) there was relatively poor agreement between the %BF measurements from TAN and HW (±9%), although the level of agreement between ST and HW was little better (±8%). The same-day test-retest reliability of TAN was good with no mean bias from test to test and excellent limits of agreement (<1%). In conclusion, the TANITA BC418-MA is a reliable system, which has poor agreement with laboratory-based methods of assessment (HW). However it is on a par with assessment by skinfold thickness and provides a non-invasive alternative, which requires less operator training.
A novel series of pyrazole-platinum(II) complexes as potential anti-cancer agents that induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in breast cancer cells

Abstract Six novel compounds of platinum(II) with pyrazole derivatives PtPz1–PtPz6 were synthesised and characterised (PtPz1 - [Pt2N-hydroksymethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazole4(berenil)2]Cl4; PtPz2 - [Pt23,5-dimethylpyrazole4(berenil)2]Cl4; PtPz3 - [Pt23,4-dimethylpyrazole4(berenil)2]Cl4; PtPz4 - [Pt2pyrazole4(berenil)2]Cl4; PtPz5- [Pt25-methylpyrazole4(berenil)2]Cl4; PtPz6 - [Pt2N-ethylpyrazole4(berenil)2]Cl4). The cytotoxic activity of these complexes against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines was determined using the MTT assay. Evaluation of apoptosis induction was done with the Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide assay. In addition, using a flow cytometer, we determined the influence of test compounds on the cell cycle and caspase-3, -8, and -9 activity. The obtained results of caspase activity were confirmed by cell imaging. Moreover, using the flow cytometer, the effects of the test compounds on mitochondrial potential change were assessed. The test results showed that novel pyrazole-platinum(II) complexes exhibited stronger anti-proliferative activity against two breast cancer cell lines than reference cisplatin. Compounds PtPz1, PtPz2, and PtPz3 with methyl substituents at the pyrazole ring showed stronger activity than pyrazole or ethylpyrazole containing complexes. Studies have shown that inhibition of cell survival occurs by arresting the G1 cell cycle and inducing apoptosis. Our analysis associated with the response of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells to treatment with PtPz1–PtPz6 showed that it leads the cells through the external and intrinsic (mitochondrial) apoptotic pathway via indirect DNA damage.
Adapting Robot Behavior for Human-Robot Interaction

Human beings subconsciously adapt their behaviors to a communication partner in order to make interactions run smoothly. In human-robot interactions, not only the human but also the robot is expected to adapt to its partner. Thus, to facilitate human-robot interactions, a robot should be able to read subconscious comfort and discomfort signals from humans and adjust its behavior accordingly, just like a human would. We propose an adaptation mechanism based on reinforcement learning that reads subconscious body signals from a human partner, and uses this information to adjust interaction distances, gaze meeting, and motion speed and timing in human-robot interactions. The mechanism uses gazing at the robot's face and human movement . Distance as subconscious body signals that indicate a human's comforted discomfort. A pilot study with a humanoid robot that has ten interaction behaviors has been conducted. The study result of 12 subjects suggests that the proposed mechanism enables autonomous adaptation to individual preferences.
Alterations in retinoic acid signaling affect the development of the mouse coronary vasculature

Background: During the final stages of heart development the myocardium grows and becomes vascularized by means of paracrine factors and cell progenitors derived from the epicardium. There is evidence to suggest that retinoic acid (RA), a metabolite of vitamin A, plays an important role in epicardial‐based developmental programming. However, the consequences of altered RA‐signaling in coronary development have not been systematically investigated. Results: We explored the developmental consequences of altered RA‐signaling in late cardiogenic events that involve the epicardium. For this, we used a model of embryonic RA excess based on mouse embryos deficient in the retinaldehyde reductase DHRS3, and a complementary model of embryonic RA deficiency based on pharmacological inhibition of RA synthesis. We found that alterations in embryonic RA signaling led to a thin myocardium and aberrant coronary vessel formation and remodeling. Both excess, and deficient RA‐signaling are associated with reductions in ventricular coverage and density of coronary vessels, altered vessel morphology, and impaired recruitment of epicardial‐derived mural cells. Using a combined transcriptome and proteome profiling approach, we found that RA treatment of epicardial cells influenced key signaling pathways relevant for cardiac development. Conclusions: Epicardial RA‐signaling plays critical roles in the development of the coronary vasculature needed to support myocardial growth. Developmental Dynamics 247:976‐991, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.