Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cascaded Structure Tensor Framework for Robust Identification of Heavily Occluded Baggage Items from Multi-Vendor X-ray Scans

In the last two decades, luggage scanning has globally become one of the prime aviation security concerns. Manual screening of the baggage items is a cumbersome, subjective and inefficient process. Hence, many researchers have developed Xray imagery-based autonomous systems to address these shortcomings. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no framework, up to now, that can recognize heavily occluded and cluttered baggage items from multi-vendor X-ray scans. This paper presents a cascaded structure tensor framework which can automatically extract and recognize suspicious items irrespective of their position and orientation in the multi-vendor X-ray scans. The proposed framework is unique, as it intelligently extracts each object by iteratively picking contour based transitional information from different orientations and uses only a single feedforward convolutional neural network for the recognition. The proposed framework has been rigorously tested on publicly available GDXray and SIXray datasets containing a total of 1,067,381 X-ray scans where it significantly outperformed the state-of-the-art solutions by achieving the mean average precision score of 0.9343 and 0.9595 for extracting and recognizing suspicious items from GDXray and SIXray scans, respectively. Furthermore, the proposed framework has achieved 15.78% better time
On the Lagrangian Trajectories for the One-Dimensional Euler Alignment Model without Vacuum Velocity

A well-known result of Carrillo, Choi, Tadmor, and Tan states that the 1D Euler Alignment model with smooth interaction kernels possesses a 'critical threshold' criterion for the global existence or finite-time blowup of solutions, depending on the global nonnegativity (or lack thereof) of the quantity $e_0 = \partial_x u_0 + \phi*\rho_0$. In this note, we rewrite the 1D Euler Alignment model as a first-order system for the particle trajectories in terms of a certain primitive $\psi_0$ of $e_0$; using the resulting structure, we give a complete characterization of global-in-time existence versus finite-time blowup of regular solutions that does not require a velocity to be defined in the vacuum. We also prove certain upper and lower bounds on the separation of particle trajectories, valid for smooth and weakly singular kernels, and we use them to weaken the hypotheses of Tan sufficient for the global-in-time existence of a solution in the weakly singular case, when the order of the singularity lies in the range $s\in (0,\frac12)$.
Resource fluctuations inhibit the reproduction and virulence of the human parasite Schistosoma mansoni in its snail intermediate host

Resource availability can powerfully influence host–parasite interactions. However, we currently lack a mechanistic framework to predict how resource fluctuations alter individual infection dynamics. We address this gap with experiments manipulating resource supply and starvation for a human parasite, Schistosoma mansoni, and its snail intermediate host to test a hypothesis derived from mechanistic energy budget theory: resource fluctuations should reduce schistosome reproduction and virulence by inhibiting parasite ingestion of host biomass. Low resource supply caused hosts to remain small, reproduce less and produce fewer human-infectious cercariae. Periodic starvation also inhibited cercarial production and prevented infection-induced castration. The periodic starvation experiment also revealed substantial differences in fit between two bioenergetic model variants, which differ in their representation of host starvation. Simulations using the best-fit parameters of the winning model suggest that schistosome performance substantially declines with resource fluctuations with periods greater than 7 days. These experiments strengthen mechanistic theory, which can be readily scaled up to the population level to understand key feedbacks between resources, host population dynamics, parasitism and control interventions. Integrating resources with other environmental drivers of disease in an explicit bioenergetic framework could ultimately yield mechanistic predictions for many disease systems.
Farming plant cooperation in crops

Selection of the fittest can promote individual competitiveness but often results in the erosion of group performance. Recently, several authors revisited this idea in crop production and proposed new practices based on selection for cooperative phenotypes, i.e. phenotypes that increase crop yield through decreased competitiveness. These recommendations, however, remain difficult to evaluate without a formal description of crop evolutionary dynamics under different selection strategies. Here, we develop a theoretical framework to investigate the evolution of cooperation-related traits in crops, using plant height as a case study. Our model is tailored to realistic agricultural practices and shows that combining high plant density, high relatedness and selection among groups favours the evolution of shorter plants that maximize grain yield. Our model allows us to revisit past and current breeding practices in light of kin selection theory, and yields practical recommendations to increase cooperation among crops and promote sustainable agriculture.
Dual function of epaxial musculature for swimming and suction feeding in largemouth bass

The axial musculature of many fishes generates the power for both swimming and suction feeding. In the case of the epaxial musculature, unilateral activation bends the body laterally for swimming, and bilateral activation bends the body dorsally to elevate the neurocranium for suction feeding. But how does a single muscle group effectively power these two distinct behaviours? Prior electromyographic (EMG) studies have identified fishes' ability to activate dorsal and ventral epaxial regions independently, but no studies have directly compared the intensity and spatial activation patterns between swimming and feeding. We measured EMG activity throughout the epaxial musculature during swimming (turning, sprinting, and fast-starts) and suction feeding (goldfish and pellet strikes) in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). We found that swimming involved obligate activation of ventral epaxial regions whereas suction feeding involved obligate activation of dorsal epaxial regions, suggesting regional specialization of the epaxial musculature. However, during fast-starts and suction feeding on live prey, bass routinely activated the whole epaxial musculature, demonstrating the dual function of this musculature in the highest performance behaviours. Activation intensities in suction feeding were substantially lower than fast-starts which, in conjunction with suboptimal shortening velocities, suggests that bass maximize axial muscle performance during locomotion and underuse it for suction feeding.
Predator type influences the frequency of functional responses to prey in marine habitats

The functional response of a consumer to a gradient of resource density is a widespread and consistent framework used to quantify the importance of consumption to population dynamics and stability. Within benthic marine ecosystems, both crustaceans and fishes can provide strong top-down pressure on prey populations. Taxon-specific differences in biomechanics or habitat use, among other factors, may lead to variable functional response forms or parameter values (attack rate, handling time). Based on a review of 189 individual functional response fits, we find that these predator guilds differ in their frequency distribution of functional response types, with crustaceans exhibiting nearly double the proportion of sigmoidal, density-dependent functional responses (Holling type III) as predatory fishes. The implications of this finding for prey population stability are significant because type III responses allow prey persistence while type II responses are de-stabilizing and can lead to extinction. Comparing per capita predation rates across diverse taxa can provide integrative insights into predatory effects and the ability of predation to drive community structure.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression

Depressive disorders are one of the most common psychiatric disorders that occur in people of all ages across all world regions. Although it may present at any age however adolescence to early adults is the most common age of onset, and females are affected two times more in comparison to the males. Depressive disorders can occur as heterogeneous conditions in clinical scenario ranging from transient minor symptoms to severe and debilitating clinical conditions, causing severe social and occupational impairments. Usually, it presents with constellations of cognitive, emotional, behavioral, physiological, interpersonal, social, and occupational symptoms. The illness can be of various severities, and a significant proportion of the patients can have recurrent illness. Depression is also highly comorbid with several psychiatric and medical illnesses such as anxiety disorders, substance use, obsessive–compulsive disorder, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular illnesses. Major depressive disorders accounted for around 8.2% global years lived with disability (YLD) in 2010, and it was the second leading cause of the YLDs. In addition, they also contribute to the burden of several other disorders indirectly such as suicide and ischemic heart disease. [1]
Clinicopathological features, treatment, and outcome of pregnancy-associated breast cancer in Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Northwestern Nigeria

Background: Pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC) is breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy or within 1 year of delivery. It is the most frequent malignancy diagnosed during pregnancy or lactation. There is a paucity of information on PABC in our hospital. Aim: The aim of the study is to highlight the clinicopathological features, treatment, and outcome of PABC in the center. Materials and Methods: It was a 6-year prospective study of PABC from January 2007 to December 2012 at our hospital. Information documented included patient's biodata, clinical features, pathological types, receptor status, staging, treatment, and outcome of PABC patients. Results: A total of 1344 patients had breast cancer during the study period. 31 patients (2.3%) had PABC. Age ranged 20–43 years, median 31 years. Common clinical features were: breast lump/mass – 27 (87.1%) patients, skin thickness – 10 (32.3%), nipple retraction – 9 (29.0%), and inflammation – 6 (19.4%). 19 (61.3%) patients were diagnosed in pregnancy: first trimester – 4 (12.9%), second trimester – 7 (22.6%), third trimester – 8 (25.8%), while 12 (38.7%) were within 1 year of delivery. Twenty-two patients (71.0%) had advanced disease. Twenty-four (77.4%) patients had invasive ductal carcinoma. Thirteen (59.1%) patients were ER/PR positive, 6 (27.3%) were triple negative, and 3 (13.6%) were HER2 positive. Twenty-four patients (77.4%) had vaginal delivery. Three patients (9.7%) had spontaneous abortion and 1 patient (3.2%) had still birth. 25 babies (80.6%) were alive and well. 17 patients (54.8%) had modified radical mastectomy (2 patients in second trimester and 15 patients after delivery), 25 (80.6%) had chemotherapy, 14 (45.2%) had radiotherapy, and 1 (3.2%) received trastuzumab. Mortality was 8 (25.8%). Conclusion: PABC constituted 2.3% of all breast cancer patients in our hospital. Majority (71%) presented with advanced disease. 3 out of every 4 were invasive ductal carcinoma, while 1 in 4 were triple negative. The mortality was 25.8%.
Clinical Practice Guidelines for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychotic Disorders

10.4103/psychiatry. IndianJPsychiatry_774_19 been developed for patients with psychotic disorders since 1952. [11] Over the last 20 years, significant research interest has grown in CBTp interventions and the existing literature suggests it to be quite effective in patients with psychotic disorders in reducing positive and negative symptoms and depressive symptoms, increasing adherence to treatment, and improving insight. [12-17] Almost all the recent treatment guidelines of schizophrenia suggest specific recommendations to include CBT for the treatment of persistent psychotic symptoms. [18-21] The clinical practice guidelines for schizophrenia of the Indian Psychiatry Society have also suggested CBT for psychosis in some situations. [20]
Factors affecting uptake of natural family planning methods among clients at the reproductive health clinic of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria

Background: The use of natural family planning (NFP) methods is low worldwide with few existing data. Aim: The aim of the study is to determine the factors affecting the use and discontinuation of NFP methods in our setting. Methodology: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 302 clients who presented at the Reproductive Health Clinic of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, were interviewed, with the aid of pretested questionnaires. Sociodemographic variables, reasons affecting the use, and discontinuation of NFP methods were recorded and analyzed using SPSS software version 15. Results: Among the 302 clients interviewed, 88.1% (266) had used a form of family planning method: 38.4% (116) used NFP, 49.7% (150) used artificial methods, whereas 37.1% (43) discontinued the NFP methods. Major factors hindering the use of an NFP method include lack of awareness (24%), been single (17%), unknown reason (17%), irregular menstrual cycle (10%), and fear of method failure (8%). Major factors for discontinuing the NFP methods include high failure rates (21%), irregular menstrual cycle (18%), introduction to other methods (14%), want of conception (12%), and fear of pregnancy (12%). Conclusion: The most common factor affecting the uptake of NFP was lack of awareness. Failure rates and irregular menstrual cycles were the common denominators, affecting both the use and discontinuation of NFP methods.
Assessment of Seed Germinability after Prolonged Seed Storage for Synthyris bullii (Plantaginaceae), a Rare Endemic of the Midwestern U.S.A.

Abstract. Synthyris bullii (Plantaginaceae; Besseya bullii; kittentails) is a rare endemic of the Midwestern U.S.A. Although seed germination studies have been conducted for this species, limited information is available regarding seed viability after prolonged seed storage. The main goal of this study was to re-assess seed germinability of Synthyris bullii seeds collected from 2008 to 2011 across its range. Overall, we found regardless of seed age, locality (i.e., site and state), and maternal environment (i.e., open, semi-shaded, and shaded) seeds are still viable. Although values were low for seed germination and seedling survivorship, the results of this study are encouraging and point to seed harvesting and storage as one way to preserve this species.
FIRE HISTORY ACROSS FOREST TYPES IN THE SOUTHERN BEARTOOTH MOUNTAINS, WYOMING

ABSTRACT Fire is a critical ecosystem process that has played a key role in shaping forests throughout the Beartooth Mountains in northwestern Wyoming. The highly variable topography of the area provides ideal conditions to compare fire regimes across contiguous forest types, yet pyro-dendrochronological research in this area is limited. We reconstructed fire frequency, tree age structure, and post-fire tree growth response in the Clarks Fork Ranger District of the Shoshone National Forest to infer variations in historical fire behavior and stand effects. We collected fire-scarred trees and plot-based tree ages on plots ranging 0.5-5 km2 in size across two forest types separated by 2 km: a lower-elevation forest of mixed Douglas-fir and lodgepole pine and a higher elevation treeline forest dominated by whitebark pine. Fires occurred in the lower-elevation forest in 1664, 1706, 1785, 1804, 1846, and 1900 with a mean fire return interval of 47 years. The fires in 1804 and 1900 were also recorded in the higher elevation forest, with significant tree mortality at high elevation in the 1900 fire. Both forests were multi-aged with little evidence of tree cohorts in response to severe, stand-replacing events. On average, tree growth increased after fires, with mean ring widths after fire 39% wider in Douglas-fir and 40% wider in lodgepole pine than pre-fire averages, suggesting that some tree mortality likely occurred in association with lower-elevation forest fires. Burns were more frequent in the lower-elevation forest and were occasionally able to spread into the upper-elevation whitebark stand. Although we suspect the transition of fires from low-to high-elevation occurred during drier years, we did not find any relationship between fire years and available climatic reconstructions via superposed epoch analysis. Regeneration during the 20th Century in the whitebark forest documents recovery of this forest after the 1900 moderate-severity fire event. Finally, especially in the lower-elevation Douglas-fir forest, the period since the last recorded fire (1900) appears to be longer than any fire-free period in the historical record, suggesting that fire exclusion may be creating changes in landscape and patch-scale stand structures, which will likely impact future fire behavior, especially the extent of crown-replacing fire, in these forests.
A Brief History of Pacemaking

Cardiac pacemaking is a most fundamental cardiac function, thoroughly investigated for decades with a multiscale approach at organ, tissue, cell and molecular levels, to clarify the basic mechanisms underlying generation and control of cardiac rhythm. Understanding the processes involved in pacemaker activity is of paramount importance for a basic physiological knowledge, but also as a way to reveal details of pathological dysfunctions useful in the perspective of a therapeutic approach. Among the mechanisms involved in pacemaking, the “funny” (If) current has properties most specifically fitting the requirements for generation and control of repetitive activity, and has consequently received the most attention in studies of the pacemaker function. Present knowledge of the basic mechanisms of pacemaking and the properties of funny channels has led to important developments of clinical relevance. These include: (1) the successful development of heart rate-reducing agents, such as ivabradine, able to control cardiac rhythm and useful in the treatment of diseases such as coronary artery disease, heart failure and tachyarrhythmias; (2) the understanding of the genetic basis of disorders of cardiac rhythm caused by HCN channelopathies; (3) the design of strategies to implement biological pacemakers based on transfer of HCN channels or of stem cell-derived pacemaker cells expressing If, with the ultimate goal to replace electronic devices. In this review, I will give a brief historical account of the discovery of the funny current and the development of the concept of If-based pacemaking, in the context of a wider, more complex model of cardiac rhythmic function.
Generation and Characterization of a Dual-Reporter Transgenic Leishmania braziliensis Line Expressing eGFP and Luciferase

In this study, we generated a transgenic strain of Leishmania braziliensis, an etiological agent associated with a diversity of clinical manifestations of leishmaniasis ranging from localized cutaneous to mucocutaneous to disseminated disease. Transgenic parasites expressing reporter proteins are valuable tools for studies of parasite biology, host-pathogen interactions, and anti-parasitic drug development. To this end, we constructed an L. braziliensis line stably expressing the reporters eGFP and luciferase (eGFP-LUC L. braziliensis). The integration cassette co-expressing the two reporters was targeted to the ribosomal locus (SSU) of the parasite genome. Transgenic parasites were characterized for their infectivity and stability both in vitro and in vivo. Parasite maintenance in axenic long-term culture in the absence of selective drugs did not alter expression of the two reporters or infection of BALB/c mice, indicating stability of the integrated cassette. Infectivity of eGFP-LUC, L. braziliensis, both in vivo and in vitro was similar to that obtained with the parental wild type strain. The possibility of L. braziliensis tracking and quantification using fluorescence and luminescence broadens the scope of research involving this neglected species, despite its importance in terms of public health concerning the leishmaniasis burden.
The Association of Autonomic Nervous System Function With Ischemic Stroke, and Treatment Strategies

Acute ischemic stroke, especially minor stroke, and transient ischemic attack have high risks of recurrence and exacerbation into severe ischemic strokes. It remains challenging to perform risk stratification and screen high-risk groups for initiation of early treatment in these patients. Moreover, with the growing population of patients with chronic small vessel disease, the mechanisms and clinical implications require further investigation. Traditional tools such as the ABCD2 score (age, blood pressure, clinical features, duration of symptoms, diabetes) have only moderate predictive value in patients with transient ischemic attack or minor stroke. By contrast, measurement of changes in heart rate variability (HRV) is an important and novel tool for risk stratification and outcome prediction in patients with cardiovascular diseases, as it reflects the overall level of autonomic nervous system dysfunction. Thus, abnormal HRV may be useful for prognosis and improve stratification of stroke patients with diverse risks. HRV may also partially explain autonomic nervous dysfunction and other manifestations during the process of chronic cerebral small vessel disease. In summary, measurement of HRV may contribute to early initiation of interventions in acute or chronic stroke patients using novel treatments involving rebalancing of autonomic nervous system function.
Lymphatic Vasculature in Energy Homeostasis and Obesity

Obesity is a leading cause of cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Body mass is regulated by the balance between energy uptake and energy expenditure. The etiology of obesity is determined by multiple factors including genetics, nutrient absorption, and inflammation. Lymphatic vasculature is starting to be appreciated as a critical modulator of metabolism and obesity. The primary function of lymphatic vasculature is to maintain interstitial fluid homeostasis. Lymphatic vessels absorb fluids that extravasate from blood vessels and return them to blood circulation. In addition, lymphatic vessels absorb digested lipids from the intestine and regulate inflammation. Hence, lymphatic vessels could be an exciting target for treating obesity. In this article, we will review our current understanding regarding the relationship between lymphatic vasculature and obesity, and highlight some open questions.
Diversity of Axonal and Dendritic Contributions to Neuronal Output

Our general understanding of neuronal function is that dendrites receive information that is transmitted to the axon, where action potentials (APs) are initiated and propagated to eventually trigger neurotransmitter release at synaptic terminals. Even though this canonical division of labor is true for a number of neuronal types in the mammalian brain (including neocortical and hippocampal pyramidal neurons or cerebellar Purkinje neurons), many neuronal types do not comply with this classical polarity scheme. In fact, dendrites can be the site of AP initiation and propagation, and even neurotransmitter release. In several interneuron types, all functions are carried out by dendrites as these neurons are devoid of a canonical axon. In this article, we present a few examples of “misbehaving” neurons (with a non-canonical polarity scheme) to highlight the diversity of solutions that are used by mammalian neurons to transmit information. Moreover, we discuss how the contribution of dendrites and axons to neuronal excitability may impose constraints on the morphology of these compartments in specific functional contexts.