Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Weakly-supervised Representation Learning for Video Alignment and Analysis

Many tasks in video analysis and understanding boil down to the need for frame-based feature learning, aiming to encapsulate the relevant visual content so as to enable simpler and easier subsequent processing. While supervised strategies for this learning task can be envisioned, self and weakly-supervised alternatives are preferred due to the difficulties in getting labeled data. This paper introduces LRProp -- a novel weakly-supervised representation learning approach, with an emphasis on the application of temporal alignment between pairs of videos of the same action category. The proposed approach uses a transformer encoder for extracting frame-level features, and employs the DTW algorithm within the training iterations in order to identify the alignment path between video pairs. Through a process referred to as ``pair-wise position propagation'', the probability distributions of these correspondences per location are matched with the similarity of the frame-level features via KL-divergence minimization. The proposed algorithm uses also a regularized SoftDTW loss for better tuning the learned features. Our novel representation learning paradigm consistently outperforms the state of the art on temporal alignment tasks, establishing a new performance bar over several downstream video analysis applications.
Interfacial-Water-Modulated Photoluminescence of Single-Layer WS2 on Mica

Because of their bandgap tunability and strong light–matter interactions, two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors are considered promising candidates for next-generation optoelectronic devices. However, their photophysical properties are greatly affected by their surrounding environment because of their 2D nature. In this work, we report that the photoluminescence (PL) of single-layer WS2 is substantially affected by interfacial water that is inevitably present between it and the supporting mica substrates. Using PL spectroscopy and wide-field imaging, we show that the emission signals from A excitons and their negative trions decreased at distinctively different rates with increasing excitation power, which could be attributed to the more efficient annihilation between excitons than between trions. By gas-controlled PL imaging, we also prove that the interfacial water converted the trions into excitons by depleting native negative charges through an oxygen reduction reaction, which rendered the excited WS2 more susceptible to nonradiative decay via exciton–exciton annihilation. Understanding the role of nanoscopic water in complex low-dimensional materials will eventually contribute to devising their novel functions and related devices.
Technology of InP-based 1.55-/spl mu/m ultrafast OEMMICs: 40-Gbit/s broad-band and 38/60-GHz narrow-band photoreceivers

For future long-haul communication systems operating at bitrates of 40 Gbit/s and for broad-band mobile access systems using 38- or 60-GHz carrier frequencies, ultrafast photoreceivers have to be provided. Therefore, an integration concept for InP-based optoelectronic microwave monolithic integrated circuits for the 1.55-/spl mu/m wavelength regime is demonstrated, which allows independent optimization of the constituting devices. Two different types of photodetectors (PDs), a waveguide-integrated PIN photodiode (PD) and a top-illuminated metal-semiconductor-metal PD, both having bandwidths of up to 70 GHz, have been developed. These are fabricated together with different amplifier designs employing high electron mobility transistors which exhibit transit frequencies of up to 90 GHz. The application to a 40-Gbit/s broadband photoreceiver for high-bit-rate time-division multiplexing systems is reported, as well as the application to 38- and 60-GHz narrow-band photoreceivers for use as optic/millimeterwave converters in mobile communication systems.
Data-driven Protection of Transformers, Phase Angle Regulators, and Transmission Lines in Interconnected Power Systems

This dissertation highlights the growing interest in and adoption of machine learning (ML) approaches for fault detection in modern power grids. Once a fault has occurred, it must be identified quickly and preventative steps must be taken to remove or insulate it. As a result, detecting, locating, and classifying faults early and accurately can improve safety and dependability while reducing downtime and hardware damage. ML-based solutions and tools to carry out effective data processing and analysis to aid power system operations and decision-making are becoming preeminent with better system condition awareness and data availability. Power transformers, Phase Shift Transformers or Phase Angle Regulators, and transmission lines are critical components in power systems, and ensuring their safety is a primary issue. Differential relays are commonly employed to protect transformers, whereas distance relays are utilized to protect transmission lines. Magnetizing inrush, overexcitation, and current transformer saturation make transformer protection a challenge. Furthermore, non-standard phase shift, series core saturation, low turn-to-turn, and turn-to-ground fault currents are non-traditional problems associated with Phase Angle Regulators. Faults during symmetrical power swings and unstable power swings may cause mal-operation of distance relays and unintentional and uncontrolled islanding. The distance relays also mal-operate for transmission lines connected to type-3 wind farms. The conventional protection techniques would no longer be adequate to address the above challenges due to limitations in handling and analyzing massive amounts of data, limited generalizability, incapability to model non-linear systems, etc. These limitations of differential and distance protection methods bring forward the motivation of using ML in addressing various protection challenges.
The qualitative accuracy of the Becker-DeGroot-Marshak method

The Becker DeGroot Marshak method is widely used to elicit the valuation that an individual assigns to an object. Theoretically, the second-price structure of the method gives individuals the incentive to state their true valuation. Yet, the elicitation methods empirical accuracy is subject to debate. With this paper, I provide a clear verification of the qualitative accuracy of the method. Participants of an incentivized laboratory experiment can sell a virtual object. The value of the object is publicly known and experimentally varied in a between-subjects design. Replicating previous findings on the low quantitative accuracy, I observe a very small share of individuals placing a payoff-optimal stated valuation. However, the analysis shows that the stated valuation increases with the value of the object. This result shows the qualitative accuracy of the BDM method and suggests that the method can be applied in comparative studies.
The Pattern Recognition of Structural Damage Based on Wavelet Kernel Function SVM

This paper presents the pattern recognition method of structural damage based on least square wavelet kernel function-SVM, which uses limited data about change rate of natural frequency. The method remedies the shortages of traditional methods, which are insensitive to the natural frequency. The result of numerical simulation indicates that the method has favorable recognition precision, better anti-noise capability, and well robustness.
Spectral analogy between temperature and velocity fluctuations in a turbulent boundary layer

Experiments were carried out in the turbulent boundary layer on a slightly heated plate in order to establish, mainly for the larger scales of motion, any analogy that may exist between the temperature and velocity fluctuations. With this goal in mind, the spectra and cospectra of the temperature and velocity fluctuations were measured. In particular, the cospectra were obtained by the ‘fluctuation-diagram method’. It soon became evident that the temperature spectrum, except very close to the wall, differs strongly from the spectrum of the longitudinal velocity component. At least for the lower frequency spectral range, which includes about 80% of the total variance, the experimental results support an analogy between the temperature spectrum and a new type of spectrum consisting of the sum of the spectra of the three velocity components weighted by their relative energy. This analogy was established throughout most of the boundary layer.
Inflammation compared to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol: two different causes of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease

Purpose of review Inflammation is gaining attention as a target for prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). The purpose of this review is to compare the evidence for inflammation with the evidence for low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in ASCVD. Recent findings Evidence from human genetic studies and randomized controlled trials implicate the inflammatory pathway from the inflammasome through interleukin (IL)-1 to IL-6 as a cause of ASCVD. Higher levels of IL-6 may lead to proportionally increased risk of ASCVD, and randomized controlled trials of IL-6 inhibitors are underway. The causal evidence for LDL cholesterol in ASCVD is overwhelming and recent important findings instead revolve around development of improved LDL cholesterol lowering therapy through RNA and DNA based therapeutics. Even though some lipid-lowering therapies lower IL-6, the IL-6 inflammatory pathway and LDL cholesterol are two separate causes of ASCVD. Summary IL-6 mediated inflammation most likely causes ASCVD, in parallel with LDL cholesterol. However, fewer individuals in the general population are exposed to high IL-6 than high LDL cholesterol. For inflammation, future research should focus on improving efficacy and safety of anti-inflammatory therapy, and for LDL cholesterol, future research should focus on wider and more effective implementation of LDL cholesterol lowering therapy.
Alfabetización sanitaria y COVID-19 en países de ingreso bajo, medio y medio alto: revisión sistemática

Objetivo: analizar las publicaciones de Alfabetización Sanitaria (AS) en relación con la pandemia de la COVID-19 en países de ingreso bajo, medio y medio-alto. Métodos: se realizó una revisión sistemática de literatura publicada en las bases de datos de PubMed, Scopus, Portal BVS y Europe PMC, entre el 2019 y el 2021, siguiendo las guías de Cochrane y PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses), y se escribió de acuerdo con los elementos de informe preferidos para revisiones sistemáticas. La calidad metodológica se comprobó utilizando Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT), para evaluar críticamente la calidad de los estudios incluidos. Resultados: se revisaron 1397 artículos y tras la aplicación de criterios de elegibilidad se seleccionaron 92 estudios para el análisis. Se identificaron tres temas principales: dificultades y obstáculos, experiencias efectuadas sobre AS durante la pandemia y desafíos. Los determinantes sociales de la salud como educación, género, territorio y nivel socioeconómico obstaculizan la AS, además, otra de las dificultades es la ausencia en diversos países de planes, programas y guías de comunicación en salud. La infodemia fue una dificultad y un desafío en esta pandemia. Uno de los desafíos para la AS es la inequidad y pobreza. De las experiencias se encontraron mediciones de la AS en la población en general, en estudiantes y profesionales de la salud, además acciones de comunicación en salud y difusión de información para la prevención de la diseminación de la COVID-19 y para contrarrestar la infodemia. Conclusiones: las condiciones de vida de la población, así como el contexto sociocultural, económico y político de los países incluidos en esta revisión sistemática, influyen de manera decisiva en la AS de las personas.
Cooperative observers and regulators for discrete‐time multiagent systems

This paper investigates the design of distributed observers for agents with identical linear discrete‐time state‐space dynamics networked on a directed graph interaction topology. The digraph is assumed to have fixed topology and contain a spanning tree. Cooperative observer design guaranteeing convergence of the estimates of all agents to their actual states is proposed. The notion of convergence region for distributed observers on graphs is introduced. It is shown that the proposed cooperative observer design has a robustness property. Application of cooperative observers is made to the synchronization problem. A command trajectory generator and pinning control are employed for synchronizing all the agents to a desired trajectory. Complete knowledge about the agent's state is not assumed. A duality principle is shown for observers and state feedback for distributed discrete‐time systems on graph topologies. Three different observer/controller architectures are proposed for dynamic output feedback regulator design, and they are shown to guarantee convergence of the estimate to the true state and synchronization of all the agents' states to the command state trajectory. This provides design methods for cooperative regulators based on a separation principle. It is shown that the observer convergence region and feedback control synchronizing region for discrete‐time systems are inherently bounded, so that the conditions for observer convergence and state synchronization are stricter than the results for the continuous‐time counterparts. This is in part remedied by using weighting of different feedback coupling gains for every agent. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Proteomic and bioinformatic analysis of human endometrium from polycystic ovarian syndrome with and without insulin resistance

Abstract Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the endometrial proteomic profiles of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with and without insulin resistance (IR). Method of Study: We collected 40 endometrial samples, including PCOS-IR (n = 21), PCOS-non-IR (n = 12), and control (n = 7). Data-independent acquisition (DIA)-based proteomics method is used to identify the expressed proteins among the three groups. The correlation between pregnancy outcomes and identified proteins was analyzed by Lasso regression. Results: A total of 5331 proteins were identified, while 275 proteins were differentially expressed in the PCOS vs. control group and 215 proteins were differentially expressed in the PCOS-IR vs. PCOS-non-IR group. Platelet degranulation, neutrophil degranulation, and very long-chain fatty acid catabolic processes have been found to play important roles in the endometrium of patients with PCOS-IR. Lasso regression analysis found that ACTR1A, TSC22D2, CKB, ABRAXAS2, and TAGLN2 were associated with miscarriage in patients with PCOS. ACTR1A and CKB were higher in the PCOS-IR group and were positively correlated with HOMA-IR (p < .05). Conclusion: In this study, a panel of proteins was found to be differently expressed in the endometrium. ACTR1A and CKB may be considered as PCOS-IR candidate biomarkers.
Capillary responses to functional and pathological activations rely on the capillary states at rest

Brain capillaries play a crucial role in maintaining cellular viability and thus preventing neurodegeneration. The aim of this study was to characterize the brain capillary morphology at rest and during neural activation based on a big data analysis from three-dimensional microangiography. Neurovascular responses were measured using a genetic calcium sensor expressed in neurons and microangiography with two-photon microscopy, while neural acivity was modulated by stimulation of contralateral whiskers or by a seizure evoked by kainic acid. For whisker stimulation, 84% of the capillary sites showed no detectable diameter change. The remaining 10% and 6% were dilated and constricted, respectively. Significant differences were observed for capillaries in the diameter at rest between the locations of dilation and constriction. Even the seizures resulted in 44% of the capillaries having no detectable change in diameter, while 56% of the capillaries dilated. The extent of dilation was dependent on the diameter at rest. In conclusion, big data analysis on brain capillary morphology has identified at least two types of capillary states: capillaries with diameters that are relatively large at rest and stable over time regardless of neural activity and capillaries whose diameters are relatively small at rest and vary according to neural activity.
Mitragynine, a primary constituent of kratom reinstates morphine-seeking behaviour in rats

Mitragynine (MG) is a pharmacologically active alkaloid derived from the leaves of Mitragyna speciosa Korth (Kratom). This plant has sparked significant interest as a potential alternative treatment for managing opioid dependence and withdrawal due to its opioid-like pharmacological effects. However, whether MG exposure would trigger opioid-seeking behaviour following abstinence has not been investigated. The present study examined the effects of MG priming on morphine-seeking behaviour in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were initially trained to intravenously self-administer morphine (0.5 mg/kg/infusion) under a fixed ratio-3 schedule of reinforcement. Removal of both morphine infusions and drug-associated cues led to the subsequent extinction of the drug-seeking behaviour. Tests of reinstatement were made following exposure to a randomised order of intraperitoneal injections of MG (3, 10 and 30 mg/kg), morphine (5 mg/kg) and vehicle. Significant levels of drug-seeking behaviour were observed following extended access to morphine self-administration, which was extinguished following removal of morphine and cues indicative of morphine-seeking behaviour, supporting the relapse model. The present finding demonstrated that MG priming in a dose of 10 mg/kg resulted in the reinstatement of morphine-seeking behaviour, whereas the higher MG dose (30 mg/kg) tested suppressed the seeking response. This study indicated that exposure to a low MG dose may increase the likelihood of relapsing to opioids, suggesting that the potential of MG as a treatment for opioid management merits further scientific assessment of its ability to trigger relapse to opioid abuse.
The magnitude, but not the duration of elevated central venous pressure is associated with mortality in sepsis patients: An analysis of the MIMIC-IV database

Background It is unclear whether the magnitude and duration of elevated central venous pressure (ECVP) greater than ten mmHg has the same impact on mortality in sepsis patients. Methods Critically ill patients with sepsis were identified from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-IV database. The duration and the magnitude of ECVP were calculated. Normalized ECVP load was defined as the ECVP load (the sum of ECVP value times its duration) divided by the total duration of ECVP. The primary endpoint was 28-day mortality. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to compare survival between patients with high or low normalized ECVP load. Results A total of 1071 sepsis patients were included. Higher normalized ECVP load was associated with higher mortality rate; in contrast, the duration of ECVP was not associated with mortality. A linear relationship between normalized ECVP load and mortality was identified. Patients with higher normalized ECVP load had less urine output and more positive fluid balance. Conclusion The magnitude, but not the duration of ECVP, is associated with mortality in sepsis patients. ECVP should be considered as a valuable and easily accessible safety parameter during fluid resuscitation.
Interaction Dynamics of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins from Single-Molecule Spectroscopy.

Many proteins contain large structurally disordered regions or are entirely disordered under physiological conditions. The functions of these intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) often involve interactions with other biomolecules. An important emerging effort has thus been to identify the molecular mechanisms of IDP interactions and how they differ from the textbook notions of biomolecular binding for folded proteins. In this review, we summarize how the versatile tool kit of single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy can aid the investigation of these conformationally heterogeneous and highly dynamic molecular systems. We discuss the experimental observables that can be employed and how they enable IDP complexes to be probed on timescales from nanoseconds to hours. Key insights include the diverse structural and dynamic properties of bound IDPs and the kinetic mechanisms facilitated by disorder, such as fly-casting; disorder-mediated encounter complexes; and competitive substitution via ternary complexes, which enables rapid dissociation even for high-affinity complexes. We also discuss emerging links to aggregation, liquid-liquid phase separation, and cellular processes, as well as current technical advances to further expand the scope of single-molecule spectroscopy. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Biophysics, Volume 52 is May 2023. Please see http://www.annualreviews. org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
Diet-induced obesity alters intestinal monocyte-derived and tissue-resident macrophages in female mice independent of TNF

Macrophages are essential for homeostatic maintenance of the anti-inflammatory and tolerogenic intestinal environment, yet monocyte-derived macrophages can promote local inflammation. Pro-inflammatory macrophage accumulation within the intestines may contribute to the development of systemic chronic inflammation and immunometabolic dysfunction in obesity. Using a model of high fat diet-induced obesity in C57BL/6J female mice, we assessed intestinal permeability by in vitro and in vivo assays, and quantitated intestinal macrophages in ileum and colon tissues by multicolour flow cytometry after short (6 weeks), intermediate (12 weeks), and prolonged (18 weeks) diet allocation. We characterized monocyte-derived CD4−TIM4− and CD4+TIM4− macrophages, as well as tissue-resident CD4+TIM4+ macrophages. Diet-induced obesity had tissue and time-dependent effects on intestinal permeability, as well as monocyte and macrophage numbers, surface phenotype, and intracellular production of the cytokines IL-10 and TNF. We found that obese mice had increased paracellular permeability, in particular within the ileum, but this did not elicit recruitment of monocytes, nor a local pro-inflammatory response by monocyte-derived or tissue-resident macrophages, in either the ileum or colon. Proliferation of monocyte-derived and tissue-resident macrophages was also unchanged. Wildtype and TNF−/- littermate mice had similar intestinal permeability and macrophage population characteristics in response to diet-induced obesity. These data are unique from reported effects of diet-induced obesity on macrophages in metabolic tissues, as well as outcomes of acute inflammation within the intestines, and collectively indicate that TNF does not mediate effects of diet-induced obesity on intestinal monocyte-derived and tissue-resident intestinal macrophages in young female mice.