Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Design of Pneumatic Origami Muscle Actuators (POMAs) for A Soft Robotic Hand Orthosis for Grasping Assistance

Soft robotics technologies have recently been used in various wearable applications for their high conformability to complex geometries of different parts of a human body. One of most widely explored application areas is rehabilitation by motion and force augmentation. Particularly, assistance of hand motions for stroke patients, using glove-type wearable devices, is actively investigated these days. The glove-type devices can provide additional force for flexion and extension of finger motions, helping grasping tasks of the wearers who do not have enough strength or control of their hand and finger muscles. Many of the glove-type devices are actuated by soft pneumatic muscles composed of elastomer air chambers. In spite of the advantages of flexibility and conformability to three-dimensional body shapes, they require relatively high air pressure enough to overcome the stiffness of the host material as well as complex multi-step molding and casting processes for fabrication. In this paper, we propose pneumatic origami muscle actuators (POMAs) that not only can be fabricated by a simple laser machining process but also consume relatively small pneumatic energy for actuation. Furthermore, the lightweight origami structure of the proposed POMAs provides a high force-to-weight ratio. This paper describes the design and the fabrication of a POMA followed by the characterization results. It also presents a wearable robotic device as an application, which can be used for assisting hand motions for stroke patients, made of multiple POMAs.
Generating Diverse Translations via Weighted Fine-tuning and Hypotheses Filtering for the Duolingo STAPLE Task

This paper describes the University of Maryland’s submission to the Duolingo Shared Task on Simultaneous Translation And Paraphrase for Language Education (STAPLE). Unlike the standard machine translation task, STAPLE requires generating a set of outputs for a given input sequence, aiming to cover the space of translations produced by language learners. We adapt neural machine translation models to this requirement by (a) generating n-best translation hypotheses from a model fine-tuned on learner translations, oversampled to reflect the distribution of learner responses, and (b) filtering hypotheses using a feature-rich binary classifier that directly optimizes a close approximation of the official evaluation metric. Combination of systems that use these two strategies achieves F1 scores of 53.9% and 52.5% on Vietnamese and Portuguese, respectively ranking 2nd and 4th on the leaderboard.
Genetic diversity among Sorghum bicolor genotypes using simple sequence repeats (SSRs) markers

�� The technique Simple Sequence Repeats (SSRs) was applied to quant ify the genetic diversity among nine Sorghum bicolor genotypes of different ocultivated in Egypt using nine Sorghum bicolor -derived simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. The total number of alleles detected by SSR was 70 with an average of 7.3 alleles per primer. T he results indicate that 58% of the SSR markers were polymorphic. Cultivar-specific SSR markers cha racterizing different genotypes were used to generate unique fingerprinting for each genotype. N ine unique positive and negative cultivar specific markers were detected. The unique specific markers characterized 4 out of 9 cultivars. The cluster analysis of SSR data showed a wide genetic background in the examined cultivars. Based on the data reported here, SSR markers appear to be pa rticularly useful for the estimation of genetic similarity among the relatively poorly characterize d genotypes of sorghum of different origins .
Integrated Tactics for Managing the Mexican Rice Borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in Sugarcane

Abstract A 2-yr field study conducted in Texas to evaluate the effect of several management strategies on the Mexican rice borer, Eoreuma loftini (Dyar), in sugarcane, Saccharum spp. hybrids, showed that irrigation reduced injury in both susceptible (LCP 85–384) and resistant (HoCP 85–845) cultivars by 2.5-fold. Cultivar LCP 85–384 was more susceptible than HoCP 85–845 based both on injury and moth production. Irrigation, host plant resistance, and insecticide applications of tebufenozide decreased injury from 70% bored internodes to <10% during both years. The use of multiple control tactics was substantially better at suppressing E. loftini in sugarcane than solely relying on insecticide applications. In addition to accumulations of proline, several free amino acids (histidine and isoleucine) essential for insect growth and development were increased in sugarcane leaves by drought stressed conditions, which exacerbated E. loftini infestations. Modifying the suitability of the crop by reducing water deficit stress makes rational irrigation input a key component in the integrated pest management of E. loftini, in addition to other tactics such as cultivar resistance and insecticide application.
Value of the methylation status of SDC2 and SFRP2 for colorectal cancer screening

Objective To explore the value of methylation of SDC2 and SFRP2 genes promoter in fecal DNA for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. Methods All stool samples were enrolled from Changhai Hospital of Naval Medical University, the Tenth People′s Hospital of Tongji University and the Seventh Medical Center of Chinese People′s Liberation Army General Hospital. A total of 500 stool samples collected from March 2018 to December 2018 were allocated to CRC group (132 CRCs) , adenoma group (38 advanced adenomas) , healthy group (152 healthy individuals) , interferential group (178 cases of benign colorectal disease or other non-colorectal tumors) and negative group (330 cases composed of healthy group and interferential group) . The promoter methylation of fecal SDC2 and SFRP2 genes was detected by methylation-specific PCR (MSP) and compared with single gene methylation and the fecal immunochemical tests (FIT) to evaluate its sensitivity and specificity. Results The stool sample analysis showed that the sensitivity of combined detection of SDC2 and SFRP2 in CRC group was 97.73% (129/132) , which was significantly higher than those of the single gene SDC2 test [70.45% (93/132) , P=0.000], single SFRP2 test [81.82% (108/132) , P=0.000] and FIT [69.70% (92/132) , P=0.000]. In adenoma group, the sensitivity of combined detection of SDC2 and SFRP2 was 57.89% (22/38) , which was significantly higher than those of the single gene SDC2 test [15.79% (6/38) , P=0.000] and FIT [21.05% (8/38) , P=0.021], with no significant difference compared with that of SFRP2 test [47.37% (18/38) , P=0.358]. In healthy group, the specificity of combined detection of SDC2 and SFRP2 was 98.68% (150/152) , with no significant difference compared with those of single gene SDC2 test [100.00% (152/152) , P=0.156], single SFRP2 test [98.68% (150/152) , P=1.000] or FIT [95.39% (145/152) , P=0.091]. Specificities of combined detection of two genes in interferential and negative groups were 90.45% (161/178) and 94.24% (311/330) , which were significantly higher than 73.03% (130/178, P=0.000) and 83.33% (275/330, P=0.000) of FIT, respectively. Conclusion The combined detection test of methylation of SDC2 and SFRP2 is superior to single gene test, whose sensitivity of CRC and aggressive adenoma and specificity of distinguishing benign and malignant lesions are higher than FIT, which has potential application value. Key words: Gene components; DNA; Feces; Methylation; Colorectal neoplasms; SDC2/SFRP2
Fading-Averaged Symbol Error Probability Analysis of Millimeter Wave Downlink over Nakagami Fading

Millimeter-wave (mm-Wave) communication links have been modeled and investigated in the literature, given its importance and advantages in the fifth-generation (5G) networks. Analytical modeling of a mm-Wave link is challenging due to the gigahertz (GHz) frequency band complications that arise during the transmission as well as the reception. We consider and model a mm-Wave downlink to investigate its symbol error probability (SEP), a significant link reliability measure. We derive the analytical expressions for fading-averaged SEP for three analytically rich scenarios: i). SEP as a function of signal power to noise power ratio, ii). SEP as a function of signal power to interference power ratio, and iii). SEP as a function of the signal power to interference power plus noise power ratio. In addition to insightful analysis, we numerically evaluate the SEP performance in the scenarios mentioned above. SEP performance analysis and numerical results that we present are useful to investigate more complex and generalized mm-Wave communication systems further.
PART I: THE CONTEXT OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AND ADVISORY SERVICES: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES TO INTEGRATING NUTRITION

There is growing interest in better leveraging agricultural extension and advisory services (AEAS) for nutrition-sensitive agriculture (Fanzo et al. 2015; GFRAS 2016a). Pluralistic AEAS (defined in Box 1) includes public, non-governmental organization (NGO), and private sector entities that regularly interact with millions of farmers. For readers who are more familiar with health programming, AEAS play a role similar to community health workers (CHWs). It should be noted, however, that AEAS typically engage farming households with the potential to produce a marketable surplus (USAID 2016), whereas CHWs focus on populations most vulnerable to poor health. Enlisting AEAS as vital partners in the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition is essential to realizing the Sustainable Development Goals and 2025 World Health Assembly targets. They are the foot soldiers positioned to play a key role in realizing healthier food systems. Their specific contributions, however, must build on their core competencies and will only be realized when there is alignment between programmatic, market and policy incentives.
Performance of Battery-Assisted Energy Harvesting DF Relay over Nakagami-m Channels

In this paper, we analyze the performance of the time-switching relaying (TSR) protocol in a two-hop communication link between a multiple antenna source and a multiple antenna destination through a battery assisted energy harvesting (EH) single antenna decode-and-forward relay. We assume a framework in which the EH relay augments the wireless energy harvested with energy drawn from the battery. Assuming Nakagami-m fading channels, the throughput and outage performance are analyzed. We show that how the battery energy and TSR parameter can be optimized. It is shown that when $m$ is large, battery energy consumption is lower. The system diversity is unaffected by energy harvesting at the relay. These results are important for system designers. The derived analytical results are validated by computer simulations.
Optimal Power Operation of Energy Detector for Random Signals in Gaussian Noise

A simplified expression for the probability of detection and based on that a numerically solved expression for optimal power operation of improved energy detector for random signals in Gaussian noise is proposed. The expression for the optimal power operation of energy detector which maximizes the probability of detection is a function of the system settings viz. probability of false alarm, average signal to noise ratio and sample size. The expression is obtained by numerical curve fitting tool in regression analysis of MATLAB and it has 97.895% of accuracy rate on an average when it is compared with the numerical results. The expression reduces the effort to find the optimum value of power operation based on the system settings to improve the detection performance of current wireless systems, which uses the energy detector. One of such wireless system is cognitive radio, where detecting the presence of primary user signal is crucial for reliable operation.
Growth of Chlorella vulgaris and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii for biodiesel production and carbon dioxide capture

Growth of Chlorella vulgaris and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii for biodiesel production and carbon dioxide capture by Mariana T. Farcas The growth of two strains of green microalgae, Chlorella vulgaris (UTEX 2714) and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (UTEX 90) was tested in three types of media; Tris Acetate Phosphate (TAP), Bushnell Haas Broth (BHB), and Wright's Cryptophytes (WC buffered with either glycylglycine or Tris-base). Also, initial medium pH is ranging from 4 to 10, light intensity ranging from 100 to 600 μmol photons/m 2 s, and CO2 concentrations ranging from 0.038% (ambient) to 12%, were tested. WC medium at pH 8 buffered with glycylglycine sustained the highest yield and best buffering capacity for growth of both C. vulgaris and C. reinhardtii. A light intensity of 200 μmol photons m -2 s -1 provided for both good growth and electron transport rate (ETR). Both C. vulgaris and C. reinhardtii produced highest final yields when grown with 6% CO2. Also, lipid content increased with increasing CO2 concentration. Myristoleic acid (C14:1), palmitic acid (C16:0), stearic acid (C18:0), oleic acid (C18:1n9), linoleic acid (C18:2), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were found in higher content when C. vulgaris was grown on 12% CO2, while the content of palmitoleic acid (C16:1), elaidic acid (C18:1t9), vaccenic acid (C18:1n7) were similar among all CO2 concentration tested. CO2 capture was explored using two approaches: consumption of known quantities of CO2 in sealed serum bottles, and consumption of CO2 flowing through immobilized algal beads. In both cases, fixation rate decreased with increasing CO2 concentration. CO2 consumption generally decreased over the five day experiment. The rate observed using immobilized algae was 20% of the maximum obtained in liquid culture, indicating the need to future optimize this novel method for CO2 capture.
[Apuntes sobre el coste-efectividad de la terapia nutricional con suplementación oral en la recuperación integral del paciente con DRE].

La gestión eficiente de los servicios sanitarios obliga a obtener el máximo nivel de salud posible con los recursos disponibles. La economía de la salud se ha desarrollado en los últimos años ante la presión de una población más demandante, de más edad y con más comorbilidades en un entorno de recursos limitados y mayores dificultades de financiación. La economía de la nutrición nace como una nueva disciplina que atiende aspectos relacionados con el papel de la economía y la nutrición en la salud de las poblaciones sanas y enfermas. Los análisis económicos forman parte de las herramientas de evaluación de las intervenciones sanitarias. Los estudios de coste-efectividad "los más frecuentemente utilizados" han demostrado que la utilización de los suplementos nutricional orales ofrece ventajas clínicas para los pacientes desnutridos (reducción de morbimortalidad) y económicas para el sistema (reducción de estancia hospitalaria, menores tasas de reingresos y ahorros de costes). La suplementación nutricional oral en la recuperación integral del paciente con desnutrición relacionada con la enfermedad es coste-efectiva.
Spatial and temporal variability of the phenological seasons in Germany from 1951 to 1996

Various indications for shifts in plant and animal phenology resulting from climate change have been observed in Europe. This analysis of phenological seasons in Germany of more than four decades (1951–96) has several major advantages: (i) a wide and dense geographical coverage of data from the phenological network of the German Weather Service, (ii) the 16 phenophases analysed cover the whole annual cycle and, moreover, give a direct estimate of the length of the growing season for four deciduous tree species. After intensive data quality checks, two different methods – linear trend analyses and comparison of averages of subintervals – were applied in order to determine shifts in phenological seasons in the last 46 years. Results from both methods were similar and reveal a strong seasonal variation. There are clear advances in the key indicators of earliest and early spring (−0.18 to −0.23 d y−1) and notable advances in the succeeding spring phenophases such as leaf unfolding of deciduous trees (−0.16 to −0.08 d y−1). However, phenological changes are less strong during autumn (delayed by + 0.03 to + 0.10 d y−1 on average). In general, the growing season has been lengthened by up to −0.2 d y−1 (mean linear trends) and the mean 1974–96 growing season was up to 5 days longer than in the 1951–73 period. The spatial variability of trends was analysed by statistical means and shown in maps, but these did not reveal any substantial regional differences. Although there is a high spatial variability, trends of phenological phases at single locations are mirrored by subsequent phases, but they are not necessarily identical. Results for changes in the biosphere with such a high resolution with respect to time and space can rarely be obtained by other methods such as analyses of satellite data.
A Scale Balanced Loss for Bounding Box Regression

Object detectors typically use bounding box regressors to improve the accuracy of object localization. Currently, the two types of bounding box regression loss are <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\ell _{n}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-norm-based and intersection over union (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$IoU$ </tex-math></inline-formula>)-based. However, we found that these two types of losses have their drawbacks. First, for <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\ell _{n}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-norm-based loss, large-scale objects are more likely to obtain a larger penalty than the smaller ones when calculating localization errors, which will cause regression loss imbalance. Second, <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\ell _{n}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-norm-based loss has symmetry so that when the predicted bounding boxes are in some unique symmetrical relationships (i.e., Symmetric Trap), the regression loss remains unchanged. Third, for <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$IoU$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-based loss, the overlap area and the union area do not change as the shape or relative position of two bounding boxes changes in some cases(i.e., Area Maze). To address these problems, we propose the scale balanced loss(<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathcal {L}_{SB}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>), which is asymmetric, position-sensitive, and scale-invariant. First, in order to obtain the property of scale invariance, it is designed as a fraction to eliminate the scale information contained in the numerator and denominator. Second, by incorporating the Euclidean distance between different corner points instead of the area, <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathcal {L}_{SB}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> is sensitive to the changes of coordinates of any corner point, so as to solve the area maze problem. Finally, by incorporating the diagonals of the overlap and the smallest enclosing rectangle, this fraction is no longer symmetric, thus solving the symmetry trap problem. To validate the proposed algorithm, we have replaced the <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\ell _{n}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-norm-based loss of YOLOv3 and SSD with <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathcal {L}_{GIoU}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathcal {L}_{SB}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> and evaluate their performance on Pascal Visual Object Classes and Microsoft Common Objects in Context benchmarks. The final results show that <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathcal {L}_{SB}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> has improved their average precisions at different <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$IoU$ </tex-math></inline-formula> thresholds and scales. We envision that this regression loss can also improve the performance of other visual tasks.
ALGAL TRANSGENICS IN THE GENOMIC ERA 1

The last few years have witnessed significant advances in the field of algal genomics. Complete genome sequences from the red alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae and the diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana have been published, the genomes for two more algae (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Ostreococcus tauri) are nearing completion, and several others are in progress or at the planning stage. In addition, large‐scale cDNA sequencing projects are being carried out for numerous algal species. This wealth of genome data is serving as a powerful catalyst for the development and application of recombinant techniques for these species. The data provide a rich resource of DNA elements such as promoters that can be used for transgene expression as well as an inventory of genes that are possible targets for genetic engineering programs aimed at manipulating algal metabolism. It is not surprising therefore that significant progress in the genetic engineering of eukaryotic algae is being made. Nuclear transformation of various microalgal species is now routine, and progress is being made on the transformation of macroalgae. Chloroplast transformation has been achieved for green, red, and euglenoid algae, and further success in organelle transformation is likely as the number of sequenced plastid, mitochondrial, and nucleomorph genomes continues to grow. Importantly, the commercial application of algal transgenics is beginning to be realized, and algal biotechnology companies are being established. Recent work has shown that recombinant proteins of therapeutic value can be produced in microalgal species, and it is now realistic to envisage the genetic engineering of commercially important species to improve production of valuable algal products. In this article we review the recent progress in algal transgenics and consider possible future developments now that phycology has entered the genomic era.
Robust experimental methods to study in-vivo pre-steady state kinetics of primary metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In this thesis, robust experimental methods and experimental designs for quantitative analysis of the metabolome (concentrations of relevant metabolites in the cell) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Bakers yeast) have been presented. In this research, it is essential to obtain a snapshot of intracellular as well as extracellular metabolite concentrations under defined conditions and as a function of time. Therefore, it is necessary to obtain within a fraction of a second, a representative sample from the population of cells and instantly arrest cellular metabolism.