Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Virtual shadows for real humans in a CAVE: influence on virtual embodiment and 3D interaction

In immersive projection systems (IPS), the presence of the user's real body limits the possibility to elicit a virtual body ownership illusion. But, is it still possible to embody someone else in an IPS even though the users are aware of their real body? In order to study this question, we propose to consider using a virtual shadow in the IPS, which can be similar or different from the real user's morphology. We have conducted an experiment (N=27) to study the users' sense of embodiment whenever a virtual shadow was or was not present. Participants had to perform a 3D positioning task in which accuracy was the main requirement. The results showed that users widely accepted their virtual shadow (agency and ownership) and felt more comfortable when interacting with it (compare to no virtual shadow). Yet, due to the awareness of their real body, the users have less acceptance of the virtual shadow whenever the shadow gender differs from their own. Furthermore, the results showed that virtual shadows increase the users' spatial perception of the virtual environment by decreasing the inter-penetrations between the user and the virtual objects. Taken together, our results promote the use of dynamic and realistic virtual shadows in IPS and pave the way for further studies on "virtual shadow ownership" illusion.
Lithium metal stripping beneath the solid electrolyte interphase

Significance This study explores the stripping of lithium anodes under various current densities and in different liquid electrolyte systems. We discovered nanovoid formation between the lithium and the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). Lithium polarization behavior has been systematically investigated with a three-electrode system and ultramicroelectrode. The diffusion and migration of lithium cations across the SEI have been determined to be the main contributors to the stripping overpotential. Two modes of stripping are proposed based on the passivation condition of lithium: stripping on passivated lithium and pitting on lithium after SEI layer breakdown. The present work provides a mechanistic explanation of Coulombic efficiency decay under high charging current density. We also demonstrate that metallurgical factors greatly accelerate the local dissolution of lithium. Lithium stripping is a crucial process coupled with lithium deposition during the cycling of Li metal batteries. Lithium deposition has been widely studied, whereas stripping as a subsurface process has rarely been investigated. Here we reveal the fundamental mechanism of stripping on lithium by visualizing the interface between stripped lithium and the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). We observed nanovoids formed between lithium and the SEI layer after stripping, which are attributed to the accumulation of lithium metal vacancies. High-rate dissolution of lithium causes vigorous growth and subsequent aggregation of voids, followed by the collapse of the SEI layer, i.e., pitting. We systematically measured the lithium polarization behavior during stripping and find that the lithium cation diffusion through the SEI layer is the rate-determining step. Nonuniform sites on typical lithium surfaces, such as grain boundaries and slip lines, greatly accelerated the local dissolution of lithium. The deeper understanding of this buried interface stripping process provides beneficial clues for future lithium anode and electrolyte design.
PIN: Potential Wise Crowd From Million Grassroots

Crowdsourcing proves a viable approach to solve certain large-scale problems by posting tasks distributively to humans and harnessing their knowledge to get results effectively and efficiently. Unfortunately, crowdsourcing suffers from lack of available participants with domain knowledge or skills. In this paper, we propose potential wise crowd (i.e., a crowd with similarity and diversity in domain knowledge) find from million grassroots in social networks. We design and implement a distant-supervision framework to find potential crowdsourcers from existing social networks. A knowledge graph is used to assess the domain knowledge in terms of similarity and diversity. The wise crowd formation is a NP-hard problem and we propose greedy algorithms to approach it. Experimental results show the performance of our framework and algorithms in aspects of effectiveness and efficiency.
Encopresis developing following exposure to bullying at school in a 14‐year‐old adolescent

Exposure to bullying has become a serious public health problem in recent years, affecting one in three students. Bullying is defined as repeated negative actions taken against another child for the purpose of inflicting harm. There is generally a significant power difference between the victim and bully (Mundy et al., 2017). Bullying can take the form of physical, psychological, or verbal violence. Physical bullying may assume the form of hitting or pushing, psychological bullying involves exclusion or humiliation, while verbal bullying involves nicknaming, mockery, or threats. Verbal aggression is the most widespread form of bullying. The forms of bullying that girls are most widely exposed to were reported as nicknaming, mockery, gossip, exclusion, and the removal of personal possessions (Nansel et al., 2001). There is limited information in the literature concerning the link between bullying and elimination disorders. Children with urinary system symptoms have been found to experience more bullying than a control group, and a relationship has been observed between exposure to physical bullying and severity of voiding dysfunction (Zhao, Velez, Faiena, Creenan, & Barone, 2015). Bedwetting has been determined in children reporting exposure to bullying, and this worsens with the frequency of the aggressions (Williams, Chambers, Logan, & Robinson, 1996). When school‐aged children are subjected to long‐term bullying, their mental and physical well‐being is adversely affected (Brendgen & Poulin, 2018). This report discusses peer bullying through a case involving emotional and cyber bullying. Although depressive symptoms had already developed, encopresis was the most prominent symptom in this adolescent girl who was exposed to bullying.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

At the time that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was being debated in Congress, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops took great care in its response to the act. This article describes some of the internal legal issues raised at the USCCB that informed the bishops’ ultimate moral opposition to the act. In short, the issues were the threats to conscience contained in the bill, how the bill addresses coverage for illegal immigrants, and whether the bill would fund abortion. While the debate about abortion funding captured almost all of the media attention, all three of these considerations informed the position of the bishops that the bill should be opposed. The reasoning behind each concern is discussed as well as the respective roles of the lawyers, analysts, and bishops in reaching the conclusion.
Animal models of tuberculosis: Lesson learnt

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a leading cause of death globally among infectious diseases that has killed more numbers of people than any other infectious diseases. Animal models have become the lynchpin for mimicking human infectious diseases. Research on TB could be facilitated by animal challenge models such as the guinea pig, mice, rabbit and non-human primates. No single model presents all aspects of disease pathogenesis due to considerable differences in disease resistance/susceptibility between these models. Availability of a wide range of animal strains, Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains, route of infection and doses affect the disease progression and intervention outcome. Different animal models have contributed significantly to the drug and vaccine development, identification of biomarkers, understanding of TB immunopathogenesis and host genetic influence on infection. In this review, the commonly used animal models in TB research are discussed along with their advantages and limitations.
Sexual dimorphism of mitochondrial function in the hypoxic guinea pig placenta†

Abstract Placental hypoxia can stimulate oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction reducing placental efficiency and inducing fetal growth restriction (FGR). We hypothesized that chronic hypoxia inhibits mitochondrial function in the placenta as an underlying cause of cellular mechanisms contributing to FGR. Pregnant guinea pigs were exposed to either normoxia (NMX) or hypoxia (HPX; 10.5% O2) at 25 day gestation until term (65 day). Guinea pigs were anesthetized, and fetuses and placentas were excised at either mid (40 day) or late gestation (64 day), weighed, and placental tissue stored at –80°C until assayed. Mitochondrial DNA content, protein expression of respiratory Complexes I-V, and nitration and activity rates of Complexes I and IV were measured in NMX and HPX male (N = 6 in each treatment) and female (N = 6 in each treatment) placentas. Mitochondrial density was not altered by HPX in either mid- or late-term placentas. In mid gestation, HPX slightly increased expression of Complexes I-III and V in male placentas only, but had no effect on either Complex I or IV activity rates or nitrotyrosine expression. In late gestation, HPX significantly decreased CI/CIV activity rates and increased CI/CIV nitration in male but not female placentas exhibiting a sexual dimorphism. Complex I-V expression was reduced from mid to late gestation in both male and female placentas regardless of treatment. We conclude that chronic HPX decreases mitochondrial function by inhibiting Complex I/IV activity via increased peroxynitrite in a sex-related manner. Further, there may be a progressive decrease in energy metabolism of placental cell types with gestation that increases the vulnerability of placental function to intrauterine stress. Summary Sentence Chronic maternal hypoxia impairs mitochondrial function as an underlying cause of placental dysfunction, which may contribute to altered placental and fetal growth.
Supporting Emerging Applications With Low-Latency Failover in P4

Emerging applications expect fast turn-around from in-network failover mechanisms. This paper starts exploring the design space for supporting high availability and low latency using fast reroute in programmable data planes. In particular, we present a primitive for supporting well-known fast reroute mechanisms that is both efficient in terms of packet processing latency, memory requirements, and switch throughput.
Ultra-Dense 5G Small Cell Deployment for Fiber and Wireless Backhaul-Aware Infrastructures

In this paper, we study the cell planning problem for a two-tier cellular network containing two types of base stations (BSs), i.e., with fiber backhaul, referred to as wired BSs (W-BSs), and BSs with wireless backhaul, referred to as unwired-BSs (U-BSs). In-band full-duplex wireless communications is used to connect U-BSs and W-BSs. We propose an algorithm to determine the minimum number of W-BSs and U-BSs to satisfy given cell and capacity coverage constraints. Furthermore, we apply our proposed non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II) to solve both cell planning and joint cell and backhaul planning problem to minimize the cost of planning, while maximizing the coverage simultaneously. Additionally, the considered cell planning program is developed into an optimization by including the problem of minimizing the cost of fiber backhaul deployment. In order to analyze the performance of the proposed algorithm, we study three different deployment scenarios based on different spatial distributions of users and coverage areas. The results show the superiority of our proposed NSGA-II algorithm for both cell planning and joint cell and backhaul planning to other well-known optimization algorithms. The results also reveal that there is a tradeoff between cell deployment costs and SINR/rate coverage, and W-BSs are placed in congested areas to consume less resources for wireless backhauls. Similarly, a tradeoff between cell and fiber deployment costs and SINR/rate coverage is observed in planning. We show that for realistic scenarios desirable solutions can be selected from the Pareto front of the introduced multi-objective problem based on given cellular operator policies.
Pharmacokinetic Drug-Drug Interaction and Responsible Mechanism between Memantine and Cimetidine

A sensitive and simple chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed to evaluate memantine in rat plasma. Memantine and propranolol (internal standard) in rat plasma was extracted using a methanol precipitation method. The standard curve value was 0.2–1000 ng/mL and selectivity, linearity, inter-day and intra-day accuracy and precision were within acceptance criteria. Using this validated method, drug-drug interactions between memantine and cimetidine was measured following co-administration of memantine and cimetidine intravenously and orally. Plasma exposure of memantine was increased by 1.6- and 3.0-fold by co-medication with cimetidine intravenously and orally, respectively. It suggested that the drug interaction occurred during the gut absorption process, which was consistent with the results showing that the intestinal permeability of memantine in the presence of cimetidine was 3.2-fold greater than that of memantine alone. Inhibition of cimetidine on hepatic elimination of memantine rather than renal excretion was also attributed to the drug-drug interaction between memantine and cimetidine, which explained the decreased clearance of memantine by co-medication with cimetidine. In conclusion, the newly developed simple and sensitive LC-MS/MS analytical method was applied to investigate the pharmacokinetic drug-drug interactions of memantine. Plasma exposure of memantine by co-administration with cimetidine was increased because of its enhanced intestinal permeability and the decreased metabolic activity of memantine.
Local Repressor AcrR Regulates AcrAB Efflux Pump Required for Biofilm Formation and Virulence in Acinetobacter nosocomialis

Multidrug efflux systems contribute to antimicrobial resistance and pathogenicity in bacteria. Here, we report the identification and characterization of a transcriptional regulator AcrR controlling the yet uncharacterized multidrug efflux pump, AcrAB in Acinetobacter nosocomialis. In silico analysis revealed that the homologs of AcrR and AcrAB are reported in the genomes of many other bacterial species. We confirmed that the genes encoding the AcrAB efflux pump, acrA and acrB forms a polycistronic operon which is under the control of acrR gene upstream of acrA. Bioinformatic analysis indicated the presence of AcrR binding motif in the promoter region of acrAB operon and the specific binding of AcrR was confirmed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). The EMSA data showed that AcrR binds to −89 bp upstream of the start codon of acrA. The mRNA expression analysis depicted that the expression of acrA and acrB genes are elevated in the deletion mutant compared to that in the wild type confirming that AcrR acts as a repressor of acrAB operon in A. nosocomialis. The deletion of acrR resulted in increased motility, biofilm/pellicle formation and invasion in A. nosocomialis. We further analyzed the role of AcrR in A. nosocomialis pathogenesis in vivo using murine model and it was shown that acrR mutant is highly virulent inducing severe infection in mouse leading to host death. In addition, the intracellular survival rate of acrR mutant was higher compared to that of wild type. Our data demonstrates that AcrR functions as an important regulator of AcrAB efflux pump and is associated with several phenotypes such as motility, biofilm/pellicle formation and pathogenesis in A. nosocomialis.
A Face-Aging Smoking Prevention/Cessation Intervention for Nursery School Students in Germany: An Appearance-Focused Interventional Study

The Education Against Tobacco (EAT) network delivers smoking prevention advice in secondary schools, typically using the mirroring approach (i.e., a “selfie” altered with a face-aging app and shared with a class). In November 2017, however, the German assembly of EAT opted to expand its remit to include nursing students. To assess the transferability of the existing approach, we implemented it with the self-developed face-aging app “Smokerface” (=mixed − methods approach) in six nursing schools. Anonymous questionnaires were used to assess the perceptions of 197 students (age 18–40 years; 83.8% female; 26.4% smokers; 23.3% daily smokers) collecting qualitative and quantitative data for our cross-sectional study. Most students perceived the intervention to be fun (73.3%), but a minority disagreed that their own animated selfie (25.9%) or the reaction of their peers (29.5%) had motivated them to stop smoking. The impact on motivation not to smoke was considerably lower than experienced with seventh graders (63.2% vs. 42.0%; notably, more smokers also disagreed (45.1%) than agreed (23.5%) with this statement. Agreement rates on the motivation not to smoke item were higher in females than in males and in year 2–3 than in year 1 students. Potential improvements included greater focus on pathology (29%) and discussing external factors (26%). Overall, the intervention seemed to be appealing for nursing students.
Revision of Gyrodactylus salaris phylogeny inspired by new evidence for Eemian crossing between lineages living on grayling in Baltic and White sea basins

In this research, grayling-specific Gyrodactylus salaris Malmberg, 1957 isolates from Baltic Sea basin were collected in Sweden for the first time. Samples were obtained in three drainage systems: Kalixälven (River Kaitum), Ljungan (River Sölvbacka strömmar), and Umeälven (River Juktån). Three molecular markers were analysed: nuclear ITS rDNA (Internal Transcribed Spacer) and ADNAM1 (Anonymous DNA Marker 1), and mitochondrial cox1 gene. As a result, four new mitochondrial haplotypes were identified (III-C1tt, III-C1ttht, IX-A1tt and X-A1tt). The ADNAM1 analyses resulted in revealing two new alleles (WS4 and BS9) and two new genotypes (T6 and T7). T7 seems to be an indicator of ancient crossing between Baltic and White Sea lineages of the parasite which happened during a first 3000-year period of Eemian interglacial about 130,000 years ago in the connection between Baltic and White Sea. Molecular clock estimates were adjusted, revealing the mean substitution rate and the divergence rate among branches of 3.6% (95% HPD: 2.2%–5.2%) and 7.2% per million years, respectively. As a result, cox1 phylogeny rooted with the introgressed haplotypes has been revised and altered in accordance to new data, revealing fourteen equidistant lineages five of which have been excluded from the study. Based on the new phylogenetic approach, including the molecular clock, this work suggests an overall revision of G. salaris phylogeny and attempts at precisely drawing the division of lineages within this polytypic species as well as proposes unification in nomenclature for its strains.
Metabolic Positron Emission Tomography Response to Gamma Knife of the Ventral Intermediate Nucleus in Essential Tremor.

BACKGROUND To understand the substrates of response and nonresponse and to identify potential biomarkers for the selection and follow-up of patients with essential tremor (ET) treated with Gamma Knife (Elekta AB, Stockholm, Sweden) of the ventral intermediate nucleus (GKVIM). OBJECTIVE To characterize positron emission tomography (PET) changes in the metabolism of glucose and metabolic connectivity in patients with ET treated by GKVIM through observational study. METHODS Forty-two patients with right ET were referred to 18F-fluorodesoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) imaging before and after left GKVIM. Statistical Parametric Mapping T-score map comparisons were performed between pre- and post-GKVIM groups and between clinical responders and nonresponders. Metabolic connectivity was evaluated by the interregional correlation analysis method. RESULTS After GKVIM, patients with ET exhibited decreased left thalamic metabolism, which was associated with remote metabolic decreases in the right cerebellum, left temporal gyri, and bilateral frontal gyri (P < .05, family-wise error-corrected). Additionally, nonresponders (n = 7) showed metabolic decreases in the right temporo-occipital area (P < .005 corrected for cluster volume) after GKVIM. The metabolism in this area was already reduced in nonresponders before treatment in comparison to that in responders and was predictive of future response (sensitivity: 89%; specificity: 71%). In nonresponder patients, strong connectivity between the left thalamus and right temporo-occipital area was found before GKVIM and was lost after treatment, whereas this connectivity remained weak and stable in responders. CONCLUSION These findings could lead to better knowledge of the variability in the metabolic PET profiles among patients with ET, particularly the integration of 18F-FDG PET imaging in the pretherapeutic evaluation of patients with refractory ET candidates for GKVIM.
A brief history of bioinformatics

It is easy for today's students and researchers to believe that modern bioinformatics emerged recently to assist next-generation sequencing data analysis. However, the very beginnings of bioinformatics occurred more than 50 years ago, when desktop computers were still a hypothesis and DNA could not yet be sequenced. The foundations of bioinformatics were laid in the early 1960s with the application of computational methods to protein sequence analysis (notably, de novo sequence assembly, biological sequence databases and substitution models). Later on, DNA analysis also emerged due to parallel advances in (i) molecular biology methods, which allowed easier manipulation of DNA, as well as its sequencing, and (ii) computer science, which saw the rise of increasingly miniaturized and more powerful computers, as well as novel software better suited to handle bioinformatics tasks. In the 1990s through the 2000s, major improvements in sequencing technology, along with reduced costs, gave rise to an exponential increase of data. The arrival of 'Big Data' has laid out new challenges in terms of data mining and management, calling for more expertise from computer science into the field. Coupled with an ever-increasing amount of bioinformatics tools, biological Big Data had (and continues to have) profound implications on the predictive power and reproducibility of bioinformatics results. To overcome this issue, universities are now fully integrating this discipline into the curriculum of biology students. Recent subdisciplines such as synthetic biology, systems biology and whole-cell modeling have emerged from the ever-increasing complementarity between computer science and biology.