Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Parameter estimation in random differential equation models

We consider two distinct techniques for estimating random parameters in random differential equation (RDE) models. In one approach, the solution to a RDE is represented by a collection of solution trajectories in the form of sample deterministic equations. In a second approach we employ pointwise equivalent stochastic differential equation (SDE) representations for certain RDEs. Each of the approaches is tested using deterministic model comparison techniques for a logistic growth model which is viewed as a special case of a more general Bernoulli growth model. We demonstrate efficacy of the preferred method with experimental data using algae growth model comparisons.
Eye feature point detection based on single convolutional neural network

Feature point detection based on convolutional neural network (CNN) has been studied widely. The effective approaches for improving detection accuracy are building a deeper network or using a multi-network cascade structure. However, some potential capacity of CNN has not been excavated. In this study, the authors mainly analyse several factors influencing CNN performance from two aspects: (i) the position relationships between feature points and (ii) the normalisation methods of coordinates. Whether the network can learn the position relationships is also studied. For extracting the deep features of images, a network containing three convolution layers is constructed. The specific geometric relationship constraints are applied during calibration to maximise the capability of the CNN for learning the position relationship between feature points. Considering that different feature points only appear in various local regions of an image, local normalisation is proposed, which increases the mapping scope of the feature points and decreases the mapping error. The experimental results prove that the specific position relationship and local normalisation obviously improve the feature point detection based on CNN. At the detection error of 5%, the average detection accuracy of eyelid feature points is improved by 7.1% and single-point detection receives a high accuracy of 97.96%.
Histological Findings of Bone Marrow Lesions on Magnetic Resonance Images in Patients with Varus Knee Osteoarthritis

Bone marrow lesions (BMLs) on magnetic resonance (MR) images in knee osteoarthritis patients are considered to predict the severity and progression of the disease. We evaluated the histological findings of BMLs on MR images of the subchondral area of the medial femoral condyle in varus osteoarthritic knees. In 24 patients with varus knee osteoarthritis who underwent total knee arthroplasty (TKA), sagittal T1- and T2-weighted MR images of the affected knee were acquired before TKA. During TKA, resected bone pieces from the distal medial femoral condyle were obtained. Sagittal specimens obtained from the center of the bone pieces were histologically examined. Twenty patients had BMLs. Histological findings of BMLs in the subchondral area showed various features, such as fibrovascular tissue, cyst formation, active bone remodeling with bone formation and bone resorption, and hyaline cartilage. BMLs were not found in four patients; histological findings of these patients showed normal bone marrow tissue with normal-thickness trabeculae. Subchondral bony end plate in knees with BMLs was usually thin or destroyed, while that without BMLs was thick or normal. The condition of the subchondral bony end plate would explain the differences in the severity and progression between patients with or without BMLs.
University of Southern Denmark Prevalence of cervical, oral, and anal human papillomavirus infection in women living with HIV in Denmark – The SHADE cohort study

Background: Women living with HIV (WLWH) have elevated risk of human papillomavirus (HPV) related cancers. Objectives: To assess prevalence, distribution and concordance of cervical, oral, and anal HPV infection, and predictors of oral and anal HPV in WLWH in Denmark. Study design: WLWH followed in the Study on HIV, cervical Abnormalities and infections in women in Denmark (SHADE) were enrolled and examined for cervical, oral, and anal HPV infection. Logistic regression models were used to identify predictors of anal and oral HPV. Results: A total of 214 of 334 WLWH had sufficient DNA for analysis at all three anatomical sites and were included in analyses. Cervical, oral, and anal high-risk (hr) HPV prevalence were 28.0%, 3.7% and AC CE PT ED M AN US CR IP T
Stroke Assessment Scales: The Dilemma Validity or Reliability

The author discusses the conceptual bases related to general and clinimetric properties of stroke scales, relating them to its application in research and clinical practice. This paper briefly presents the definitions of reliability and validity and its usage in clinical studies, and didactically demonstrates statistical approaches for obtaining agreement and correlation coefficients. Finally, it proposed to criticize the most common bias in the literature on the use of these concepts and forwards suggestions for its appropriate guidance to studies formulation.
High strength and ductile low density austenitic FeMnAlC steels: Simplex and alloys strengthened by nanoscale ordered carbides

Abstract We introduce the alloy design concepts of high performance austenitic FeMnAlC steels, namely, Simplex and alloys strengthened by nanoscale ordered κ-carbides. Simplex steels are characterised by an outstanding strain hardening capacity at room temperature. This is attributed to the multiple stage strain hardening behaviour associated to dislocation substructure refinement and subsequent activation of deformation twinning, which leads to a steadily increase of the strain hardening. Al additions higher that 5 wt-% promote the precipitation of nanoscale L′12 ordered precipitates (so called κ-carbides) resulting in high strength (yield stress ∼1·0 GPa) and ductile (elongation to fracture ∼30%) steels. Novel insights into dislocation–particle interactions in a Fe–30·5Mn–8·0Al–1·2C (wt-%) steel strengthened by nanoscale κ-carbides are discussed.
Generating Domain-Specific Property Languages with ProMoBox: application to interactive systems

Domain-Specific Modeling allows domain experts with limited technical background to precisely model applications by using domain concepts. These domain-specific models can be simulated, optimized, transformed into other formalisms, and from these models executable code and documentation can be generated. Because of their syntactic simplicity they are suitable for analysis, which is nonetheless often neglected in current approaches. Especially in Human-Computer Interaction, verifying whether the model satisfies its requirements (specified as so-called properties) is essential. The ProMoBox approach presents a highly automated solution for the specification and verification of such properties. It provides a framework for model checking of temporal properties, where all visible artifacts (system designs, properties, simulation traces, etc.) are specified in the domain-specific way.
Conscious Sedation in Plastic Surgery: Patient Safety and Cost Reduction Midazolam/Meperidine Conscious Sedation

Conscious sedation or “Procedural Sedation and Analgesia (PSAA)” is the modality in which sedative agents are administered (with or without analgesics) to induce a minimally depressed level of consciousness sufficient to perform certain procedures. The strict definition requires that the patient be responsive to verbal command at all times and maintain airway patency and protective reflexes. It has been used across numerous specialties to perform invasive surgical, endoscopic, and intravascular procedures of limited durations; these include orthopedic, oral, plastic, neuroendovascular, cardiac, gastric, and radiological procedures [1-8]. The technique has been widely employed in plastic surgery thanks to the advantages it has over other anesthetic modalities, namely lower costs, faster recovery, better patient and surgeon satisfaction, and lower morbidity [9]. The surgical use of conscious sedation requires the concomitant administration of local anesthetic agents in order to achieve appropriate analgesia in the intraoperativeas well as the postoperative setting. Conscious sedation technique aims at attaining three main objectives when employed in plastic surgery: to reduce or eliminate the pain associated with injection of local anesthetic, to reduce or eliminate patient apprehension, and to reduce or eliminate recall of the operation [10]. This study aims to describe and evaluate the safety and efficacy of an IV Midazolam-IM Meperidine (Pethidine) conscious sedation protocol that has been in use for three decades over thousands of patients at our institution in patients under going elective cosmetic surgeries.
Isolation and screening of antibiotic producing actinomycetes from rhizosphere and agricultural soils

Antibiotics are secondary metabolites produced by microorganisms. Actinomycetes are the top producers of antibiotics. The study was designed to isolate and screen antibiotic producing actinomycetes obtained from rhizosphere of plants and agricultural soils. A total of 30 actinomycetes were isolated. Out of the 30 actinomycetes, 18 (60%) showed antimicrobial activities against one of the tested microorganisms of which 9 isolates were selected for their wide spectrum of antibiotic activities. In this study, isolates AAUBA5 and AAUBA30 were found to inhibit all of the test organisms, except Escherichia coli ATCC 25922. The latter was found to be the most resistant and was only inhibited by 3/18 (17%) of the isolates. The isolates were identified and characterized by cultural, morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics and found to be classified under the genus Streptomycetes. In order to extract the active compounds from isolates, fermentation was carried out on 9 isolates and the former was extracted by using ethyl acetate. Finally, isolate AAUBA13 was selected for further study based on spectrum activity from disc diffusion assay. Antimicrobial compound obtained from AAUBA13 isolate was separated and purified with thin layer chromatography (TLC), column chromatography, and preparative chromatography. The finding of this study, in general, showed that, antimicrobial compounds obtained from AAUBA13 demonstrate broad spectrum antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923, E. coli ATCC 25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC25853, S. aureus (clinical isolate), Shigella boydii (clinical isolate), Streptococcus pneumonia ATCC49619, and Candida albicans ATCC62376. Key words: Actinomycetes, antibiotics, antimicrobial compound, disc diffusion assay, soil.
Effect of Epichloë endophyte strains in Lolium spp. cultivars on Argentine stem weevil parasitism by Microctonus hyperodae

This paper reports on an extensive field investigation conducted at Lincoln during the 2014-2015 summer/early autumn. This aimed to assess the effects of a range of novel Epichloë endophytes when present in different cultivars of Lolium spp. on parasitism rates by the biological control agent, Microctonus hyperodae, in Listronotus bonariensis (i.e. the Argentine stem weevil). Results for the entire summer, and including all treatment combinations, did not find any significant differences in parasitism in L. bonariensis populations. However, in the early autumn, independent of the endophytes present, significantly higher levels of parasitism were found in a tetraploid Lolium multiflorum cultivar and a tetraploid L. perenne selection compared to the L. perenne cultivars. Whether this finding has any bearing on a possible mechanism of weevil resistance is discussed.
Intramuscular variation in mitochondrial functionality of beef semimembranosus

Intramuscular color stability variations in beef semimembranosus have been reported previously. Mitochondria remain biochemically active in postmortem muscle and can influence fresh beef color stability. However, the role of mitochondrial functionality in intramuscular color variations in beef semimembranosus is yet to be examined. We examined the functionality of mitochondria isolated from outside (OSM) and inside (ISM) regions of beef semimembranosus . Semimembranosus muscles (n = 5) were collected from inside rounds of beef carcasses 48 h post-mortem and were separated to OSM and ISM steaks. Color attributes were evaluated instrumentally and biochemically on days 0 and 4 of retail display, whereas mitochondrial oxygen consumption rate (OCR) was measured on day 0 using succinate as substrate using steaks frozen during fabrication. Mitochondrial OCR was significantly greater in OSM than in ISM on day 0. The ISM steaks exhibited significantly greater redness (a* value) than OSM steaks on day 0, but OSM steaks had significantly greater redness than the ISM counterparts on day 4. During retail display, ISM steaks exhibited greater lightness (L* value) than OSM steaks. However, OSM demonstrated significantly greater color stability and metmyoglobin reducing activity than ISM throughout the display. The observed differences in mitochondrial OCR between ISM and OSM steaks indicated that mitochondrial biochemistry possibly contributes to the intramuscular color variations in beef semimembranosus. Keywords : Beef color, color stability, mitochondria, semimembranosus
Congruence of Energies for Cerebral Photon Emissions, Quantitative EEG Activities and ~5 nT Changes in the Proximal Geomagnetic Field Support Spin-based Hypothesis of Consciousness

The hypothesis by Hu & Wu that networks of nuclear spins in neural membranes could be modulated by action potentials was explored by measurements of the quantitative changes in photon emissions, electroencephalographic activity, and alterations in the proximal geomagnetic field during successive periods when a subject sitting in the dark imagined white light or did not. During brief periods of imagining white light the power density of photon emissions from the right hemisphere was about 10 -11 W∙m -2 that was congruent with magnetic energy within the volume associated with a diminishment of ~7 nT as predicted by the dipole-dipole coupling relation across the neuronal cell membrane. Spectral analyses showed maxima in power from electroencephalographic activity within the parahippocampal region and photon emissions from the right hemisphere with shared phase modulations equivalent to about 20 ms. Beat frequencies (6 Hz) between peak power in photon (17 Hz) and brain (11 Hz) amplitude fluctuations during imagining light were equivalent to energy differences within the visible wavelength that were identical to the intrinsic 8 Hz rhythmic variations of neurons within the parahippocampal gyrus. Several quantitative solutions strongly suggested that spin energies can accommodate the interactions between protons, electrons, and photons and the action potentials associated with intention, consciousness, and entanglement.
Comparative evaluation of newer obturating systems using cone beam computed tomography and direct digital radiography

Introduction: Many techniques were developed to achieve proper obturation of root canal system by completely obliterating the canal space with a stable, nontoxic material to prevent the movement of bacteria or its by-products and tissue fluids through the filled canal. Methods: 40 mandibular premolars were collected. Access cavity preparation was done and working length determined. Biomechanical preparation was done using ProTaper NEXT rotary files. Samples were divided into 4 groups and the quality of obturation was analysed using cone beam computed tomography and direct digital radiography. Results: According to cone beam computed tomography analysis no voids could be detected in the obturated teeth due to presence of artefacts whereas on using direct digital radiography, voids were detected, no statistical significant difference between the 4 groups of obturation with mesial shift of tooth by 900 and paralleling technique was seen. Statistical significant difference of 0.006 at the coronal third with mesial shift of tooth by 900 was seen between the 4 groups and statistical significant difference of 0.04 between the coronal, middle and apical third was seen in GuttaFlow. Conclusion: The study concluded that cone beam computed tomography could not be used to evaluate voids present in any of the obturation techniques. Direct digital radiography was used to evaluate the quality of obturating techniques and assessment of voids. Calamus followed by Elements showed superior obturation at apical, middle and the coronal third. Correspondence to: Waleed Khalid Mukadam, III MDS Postgraduate student, ABSMIDS, Nitte (Deemed to be University), Derelakatte, Mangaluru, Karnataka, 575018, India, E-mail: waleed9112@gmail.com
Divergent thinking: a complex function of interacting dimensions of extraversion-introversion and neuroticism-stability.

Divergent thinking was measured by word fluency and word originality in a sample of 300 university students. After controlling for verbal intelligence, divergent thinking was found to be a complex function of extraversion–introversion and neuroticism–stability. Stable extraverts were significantly more fluent than stable introverts, but neurotic extraverts and introverts attained fluency scores approximating the mean of the extreme stable counterparts. The effect is explained in terms of Eysenck's arousal theory of personality types.
Antibiotics: A Potential Source of Pollution in the Environment

Since their discovery antibiotics have been central to modern healthcare and have been extensively and effectively used to prevent and treat infections in humans and animals. They have also been used in agriculture, aquaculture, and in livestock as growth promoters. In the last several years, antibiotic usage has received a lot of attention due to their emergence as a potential source of pollution. This paper collects information from other published articles on the sources and occurrences of antibiotics in various natural and artificial systems. Almost all antibiotics have been reported for their occurrences in natural water bodies, soil, sediment, manure, sludge, and effluents from industries and hospitals across the globe. Transformation of antibiotics and their fate in wastewater treatment plants have been discussed in detail. The adverse effects of these pollutants other than development of resistance have also been discussed and necessary suggestions have been highlighted for effective monitoring and mitigating pollution, which may provide scope for future research.
E CONOMIC D ISCUSSION P APERS

: The aim of this paper is to show how artificial neural networks (ANN) is a valid semi-parametric alternative for fitting production functions and measuring technical efficiency. To do this a Monte Carlo experiment is carried out on a simulated smooth production technology for assessing efficiency results of ANN compared with Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and Corrected Ordinary Least Squares (COLS). As ANN provides average production function estimations this paper proposes a so-called thick frontier strategy to transform average estimations into a productive frontier. Main advantages of ANN are in contexts where the production function is smooth, completely unknown, contains non-linear relationships among variables and the quantity of noise and efficiency in data is moderate. Under this scenario, the results display that an ANN algorithm can detect, better than traditional tools, the underlying shape of the production function from observed data.
Dye Removal by Adsorption: A Review

This review discusses the methods for the removal of dyes from the wastewater effluents. Wastewater effluents contain synthetic dyes which cause a potential hazard to the environment hence these dyes need to remove from the water bodies. The various dye removal techniques are classified into Chemical, Physical, and Biological methods. Physical methods includes adsorption, ion exchange, and filtration/coagulation methods etc. while chemical methods includes ozonisation, Fenton reagent, photo catalytic reactions and biological methods include aerobic degradation, anaerobic degradation, biosorption etc. Adsorption found to be very effective and cheap method among the all available dye removal methods. Dyes from the industrial waste water effluents are effectively separated by using adsorbent such as activated carbon however its cost restricts the use in large scale applications. Experimental studies proved that the effective removal of dyes is obtained using several cheaply available non-conventional adsorbents also. Therefore, studies related to searching for efficient and low cost adsorbents derived from existing resources are gaining importance for the removal of dyes.
MIF , TGF-β 1 , IFN-γ and NRAMP 1 gene polymorphisms in relation to the clinicopathological profile of spinal tuberculosis in Chinese Han population

MIF, TGF-β1, IFN-γ and NRAMP1 gene polymorphisms play an important role in pathogenesis of immune diseases. However, the relationship between the MIF, TGF-β1, IFN-γ and NRAMP1 gene polymorphism and their correlation with the clinicopathological profile in spinal tuberculosis are still unknown. We undertook this present study to investigate these gene polymorphisms and their relationships between the clinicopathological profile and spinal tuberculosis in Chinese Han population. The genotypes of MIF (rs755622 G/C), TGF-β1 (rs1800469 T/C, rs4803455 A/C), IFN-γ (rs2069718 C/T) and NRAMP1 (rs17235416 del/TGTG) genes were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in 110 spinal tuberculosis patients and 110 healthy controls. The C allele in rs755622 and rs4803455 were both significantly more common in spinal TB patients than healthy controls. The C allele and CC, CT genotype in rs1800469, as well as the C allele and AC, CC genotype in rs4803455 were both significantly higher in patients with CRP level exceeding 10 mg/L and ESR level exceeding 20 mm/h group. The other parameters were not significantly different. The present study suggests that MIF, TGF-β1 genes may affect susceptibility to spinal TB and increase the risk of developing the disease and shows that TGF-β1 polymorphism at rs1800469 and rs4803455 may be associated with the degree of inflammation in spinal TB.