Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The application of deep learning in computer vision: Facial emotion recognition based on convolutional neural network

Emotion recognition is an essential task in many fields, including affective computing, psychology, and human-computer interaction. The ability to accurately recognize emotions from facial expressions can help in the development of more personalized and responsive systems. The objective of this paper is to investigate the effectiveness of a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model in classifying emotions from facial expressions. We used the images classified into seven different categories from FER2013 dataset. The model is implemented using TensorFlow Keras, which consists of four CNN layers followed by two fully connected (FCN) layers and an output layer. In between each layer we use batch normalization, max pooling, and dropout to reduce calculation cost and prevent overfitting. Our model achieved an accuracy of 66.85% and a precision accuracy of 77.18% on the training set after 20 epochs. The recall and the F-1 score is 56.93% and 0.6545 respectively. This study demonstrates that the proposed CNN model can effectively recognize emotions in facial images. The availability of the FER2013 dataset provides researchers with an opportunity to further explore this area of research. The proposed model can be useful in various applications, such as affective computing, human-computer interaction, and psychology. Future work could involve tuning the hyperparameters of the model or using different datasets to explore the generalizability of the proposed model. Overall, our study provides insights into the effectiveness of CNNs for emotion recognition and highlights the potential for further research in this area.
How Solar Soft X-Ray Irradiance Is Affected by the Size of Field of View

Soft X-ray images of the Sun obtained with multiple broadband filters provide a simple and useful method to calculate averaged coronal temperature and emission measure, from which we can further calculate solar X-ray irradiance in physical units, e.g., watts per square meter. However, X-ray telescopes are often designed for pursuing high spatial resolution, and thus the field of view (FOV) of full-Sun images is often limited over the limb, extending to only ∼1.3 R ⊙. This indicates that the irradiance obtained from the limited FOV may underestimate the true full-Sun irradiance by failing to count the contribution from outside the FOV. This work uses Hinode/X-Ray Telescope (XRT) coronal images observed up to 1.7 R ⊙ to investigate the fraction of irradiance excluded from the FOVs limited in size. The analysis indicates that the irradiance obtained within 1.1 R ⊙, which is used for XRT irradiance study, excludes ∼3.5%/∼7% of irradiance relative to the value within 1.2/1.7 R ⊙, respectively, for the active corona observed in 2022 July. In contrast, the excluded fraction increases to ∼7%/∼13%, respectively, for the minimum corona observed in 2009 August. To further investigate the dependence of exclusion fraction on the Sun’s activity level, we process mission long Yohkoh/Soft X-ray Telescope full-Sun images to compare the irradiance within 1.1 and 0.9 R ⊙ with that obtained from the maximum FOV of 1.2 R ⊙. We confirm that the exclusion fraction is the largest in the period around solar minimum. We also find that the average value of exclusion fraction is slightly but measurably larger in the rising phase than the declining phase of the solar cycle.
Performance analysis of parallel programs via message-passing graph traversal

The ability to understand the factors contributing to parallel program performance are vital for understanding the impact of machine parameters on the performance of specific applications. We propose a methodology for analyzing the performance characteristics of parallel programs based on message-passing traces of their execution on a set of processors. Using this methodology, we explore how perturbations in both single processor performance and the messaging layer impact the performance of the traced run. This analysis provides a quantitative description of the sensitivity of applications to a variety of performance parameters to better understand the range of systems upon which an application can be expected to perform well. These performance parameters include operating system interference and variability in message latencies within the interconnection network layer.
Five dominant dimensions of brain aging are identified via deep learning: associations with clinical, lifestyle, and genetic measures

Brain aging is a complex process influenced by various lifestyle, environmental, and genetic factors, as well as by age-related and often co-existing pathologies. MRI and, more recently, AI methods have been instrumental in understanding the neuroanatomical changes that occur during aging in large and diverse populations. However, the multiplicity and mutual overlap of both pathologic processes and affected brain regions make it difficult to precisely characterize the underlying neurodegenerative profile of an individual from an MRI scan. Herein, we leverage a state-of-the art deep representation learning method, Surreal-GAN, and present both methodological advances and extensive experimental results that allow us to elucidate the heterogeneity of brain aging in a large and diverse cohort of 49,482 individuals from 11 studies. Five dominant patterns of neurodegeneration were identified and quantified for each individual by their respective (herein referred to as) R-indices. Significant associations between R-indices and distinct biomedical, lifestyle, and genetic factors provide insights into the etiology of observed variances. Furthermore, baseline R-indices showed predictive value for disease progression and mortality. These five R-indices contribute to MRI-based precision diagnostics, prognostication, and may inform stratification into clinical trials.
The Molecular Mechanisms Involved in the Hypertrophic Scars Post-Burn Injury

Scar formation is a normal response to skin injuries. During the scar-remodeling phase, scar tissue is usually replaced with normal, functional tissue. However, after deep burn injuries, the scar tissue may persist and lead to contractures around joints, a condition known as hypertrophic scar tissue. Unfortunately, current treatment options for hypertrophic scars, such as surgery and pressure garments, often fail to prevent their reappearance. One of the primary challenges in treating hypertrophic scars is a lack of knowledge about the molecular mechanisms underlying their formation. In this review, we critically analyze studies that have attempted to uncover the molecular mechanisms behind hypertrophic scar formation after severe burn injuries, as well as clinical trials conducted to treat post-burn hypertrophic scars. We found that most clinical trials used pressure garments, laser treatments, steroids, and proliferative inhibitors for hypertrophic scars, with outcomes measured using subjective scar scales. However, fundamental research using human burn injury biopsies has shown that pathways such as Transforming Growth factor β (TGFβ), Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), and Toll-like receptors (TLRs) could be potentially regulated to reduce scarring. Therefore, we conclude that more testing is necessary to determine the efficacy of these molecular targets in reducing hypertrophic scarring. Specifically, double-blinded clinical trials are needed, where the outcomes can be measured with more robust quantitative molecular parameters.
Puberty, brain network connectivity and neuropsychiatric outcomes following pediatric traumatic brain injury in females: A research protocol

Background Examining the role of sex on recovery from pediatric TBI (pTBI) is a complex task, specifically when referring to injuries occurring during critical developmental and maturation periods. The effect of sex hormones on neurological and neuropsychiatric outcomes has been studied among adult TBI females, but not in children. During development, puberty is considered a key milestone accompanied by changes in physical growth, neuronal maturation, sex hormones, and psychological symptoms. Following pTBI, such changes might have a significant effect on brain re-organization and on long-term neuropsychiatric outcomes. While hormonal dysfunction is a common consequence following pTBI, only few studies have systematically evaluated hormonal changes following pTBI. Aims To describe a multimodal protocol aimed to examine the effect of puberty on brain connectivity and long-term neuropsychiatric outcomes following TBI in female girls and adolescents. Methods A case-control longitudinal prospective design will be used. 120 female participants aged 9 to 16 years (N = 60 per group) will be recruited. In the acute phase (T0-1 month), participants will undergo an MRI protocol for brain connectivity, as well as a clinical evaluation for puberty stage and hormonal levels. In the chronic phase (T1-18-24 months), participants will complete a neuropsychiatric assessment in addition to the MRI and puberty evaluations. Hormonal levels will be monitored at T0 and T1. A moderation-mediation model will be used to examine the moderating effects of puberty on the association between pTBI and neuropsychiatric symptoms in female girls and adolescents, through the mediating effect of brain network connectivity. Significance This study will highlight sex-specific factors related to outcomes among females following pTBI and enhance our understanding of the unique challenges they face. Such information has a substantial potential to guide future directions for research, policy and practice.
Personal relevance affects the perceived immorality of politically-charged threats

Personal similarities to a transgressor makes one view the transgression as less immoral. We investigated whether personal relevance might also affect the perceived immorality of politically-charged threats. We hypothesized that increasing the personal relevance of a threat would lead participants to report the threat as more immoral, even for threats the participant might otherwise view indifferently. U.S. participants recruited online (N = 488) were randomly assigned to write about the personal relevance of either a liberal threat (pollution), conservative threat (disrespecting an elder), neutral threat (romantic infidelity), or given a control filler task. Participants then rated how immoral and personally relevant each political threat was, as well as reported their political ideology. Partial support for our hypothesis emerged: when primed with conservative writing prompts, liberal-leaning participants rated the conservative threat as more immoral, compared with the same threat after a liberal writing prompt. We did not find these results for conservative-leaning participants, perhaps because all participants cared relatively equally about the liberal threat.
Anakinra or tocilizumab in patients admitted to hospital with severe covid-19 at high risk of deterioration (IMMCoVA): A randomized, controlled, open-label trial

Background Anakinra and tocilizumab are used for severe Covid-19, but only one previous randomized controlled trial (RCT) has studied both. We performed a multi-center RCT comparing anakinra or tocilizumab versus usual care (UC) for adults at high risk of deterioration. Methods The study was conducted June 2020 to March 2021. Eligibility required ≥ 5 liters/minute of Oxygen to maintain peripheral oxygen saturation at ≥ 93%, CRP > 70 mg/L, ferritin > 500 μg/L and at least two points where one point was awarded for lymphocytes < 1x 109/L; D-dimer ≥ 0.5 mg/L and; lactate dehydrogenase ≥ 8 microkatal/L. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1:1 to receive either a single dose of tocilizumab (8 mg/kg) or anakinra 100 mg IV QID for seven days or UC alone. The primary outcome was time to recovery. Results Recruitment was ended prematurely when tocilizumab became part of usual care. Out of a planned 195 patients, 77 had been randomized, 27 to UC, 28 to anakinra and 22 to tocilizumab. Median time to recovery was 15, 15 and 11 days. Rate ratio for recovery for UC vs anakinra was 0.91, 0.47 to 1.78, 95% [CI], p = 0.8 and for UC vs tocilizumab 1.13, 0.55 to 2.30; p = 0.7. There were non-significant trends favoring tocilizumab (and to limited degree anakinra) vs UC for some secondary outcomes. Safety profiles did not differ significantly. Conclusion Premature closure of trial precludes firm conclusions. Anakinra or tocilizumab did not significantly shorten time to clinical recovery compared to usual care. (IMMCoVA, NCT04412291, EudraCT: 2020–00174824).
Letter to the Editor regarding ‘Heart rate variability in patients with dementia or neurocognitive disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis’

We agree with Mendelsohn and Hall (2022) that e-cigarettes are less harmful than combustible cigarettes and are likely to be more effective than other methods in assisting current smokers to quit. Our views strongly diverge, however, on the evidence of effectiveness of e-cigarettes for people with serious mental illness and on the unintended harms to young people. The evidence for e-cigarettes in assisting cessation of combustible cigarette smoking in people with serious mental illness is very weak (McKeon and Scott, 2022). We identified six studies of 240 participants with severe mental illness, of which three had combustible cigarette cessation rates of <10%, very similar to those achieved by conventional therapies. While the RANZCP position statement is driven by the disproportionate prevalence of tobacco smoking by people with mental illness, the current evidence-base does not support e-cigarettes as an effective intervention for this population. By contrast, the evidence of unintended harm to young people from e-cigarettes in our opinion is now indisputable. Child and adolescent psychiatrists are now treating children under the age of 15 for nicotine dependence (JS personal clinical experience) arising directly from use of e-cigarettes. It may take many years to robustly establish a causal relationship between vaping and later combustible cigarette use. However, we identified five systematic reviews demonstrating a robust and consistent temporal relationship with vaping in never smokers preceding an increased risk of cigarette smoking (McKeon and Scott, 2022). It is imperitive that the RANZCP considers the impact of their recommendations on wider population harm in their position statements, as well as the risks and benefits to those living with mental illness. Public health campaigns to reduce tobacco smoking have been remarkably successful in Australia. Public messaging, banning advertising, quit campaigns with access to interventions, reducing affordability through taxation, and preventing illegal tobacco trade have improved health and averted harm for so many individuals. The RANZCP should be calling for similar public health interventions to prevent young people using e-cigarettes rather than adopting a position statement that inadvertently increases access to nicotine-containing e-cigarette products. The RANZCP should immediately retract their e-cigarette position statement and focus on evidence-based interventions to support those with mental illness to quit cigarette smoking.
Five-year serological and clinical evolution of chronic Chagas disease patients in Cochabamba, Bolivia

Background Chagas disease, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is a neglected infectious disease that exerts the highest public health burden in the Americas. There are two anti-parasitic drugs approved for its treatment–benznidazole and nifurtimox—but the absence of biomarkers to early assess treatment efficacy hinders patients´ follow-up. Methodology/Principal findings We conducted a longitudinal, observational study among a cohort of 106 chronically T. cruzi-infected patients in Cochabamba (Bolivia) who completed the recommended treatment of benznidazole. Participants were followed-up for five years, in which we collected clinical and serological data, including yearly electrocardiograms and optical density readouts from two ELISAs (total and recombinant antigens). Descriptive and statistical analyses were performed to understand trends in data, as well as the relationship between clinical symptoms and serological evolution after treatment. Our results showed that both ELISAs documented average declines up to year three and slight inclines for the following two years. The recorded clinical parameters indicated that most patients did not have any significant changes to their cardiac or digestive symptoms after treatment, at least in the timeframe under investigation, while a small percentage demonstrated either a regression or progression in symptoms. Only one participant met the “cure criterion” of a negative serological readout for both ELISAs by the final year. Conclusions/Significance The study confirms that follow-up of benznidazole-treated T. cruzi-infected patients should be longer than five years to determine, with current tools, if they are cured. In terms of serological evolution, the single use of a total antigen ELISA might be a more reliable measure and suffice to address infection status, at least in the region of Bolivia where the study was done. Additional work is needed to develop a test-of-cure for an early assessment of drugs´ efficacy with the aim of improving case management protocols.
Crop Diversity and Resilience to Droughts: Evidence from Indian Agriculture

In India, agricultural intensification and technological specialisation have led to the prevalence of monoculture. Diversity within crop species has been gradually declining since the advent of the Green Revolution in the 1960s. Increasingly frequent weather shocks induce agrarian stress, thus creating a need for robust adaptation responses. Using district-level agricultural data for the period between 1966 and 2015, this article aims to assess whether crop diversification can cushion yield losses due to droughts. The results of this study indicate that diversification enhanced resilience against droughts during the Green Revolution period. However, post-Green Revolution, specialisation seems to have helped mitigate the adverse effects of rainfall deficit. In the absence of weather extremes, monoculture is found to be more lucrative due to both supply- and demand-side factors such as improved inputs, irrigation and infrastructure facilities, government’s support prices and consumption demand patterns. Crop diversification is identified as a potential adaptation strategy against certain types of weather extremes. However, in some cases, crop diversification alone is inadequate in enhancing the drought resilience of the cropping system in India. To ensure drought resilience, combining crop diversification with other measures such as enhancing irrigation and agricultural diversification needs to be considered.
Electronic health record intervention to increase use of NSAIDs as analgesia for hospitalised patients: a cluster randomised controlled study

Background Prescribing non-opioid pain medications, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs) medications, has been shown to reduce pain and decrease opioid use, but it is unclear how to effectively encourage multimodal pain medication prescribing for hospitalised patients. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of prechecking non-opioid pain medication orders on clinician prescribing of NSAIDs among hospitalised adults. Methods This was a cluster randomised controlled trial of adult (≥18 years) hospitalised patients admitted to three hospital sites under one quaternary hospital system in the USA from 2 March 2022 to 3 March 2023. A multimodal pain order panel was embedded in the admission order set, with NSAIDs prechecked in the intervention group. The intervention group could uncheck the NSAID order. The control group had access to the same NSAID order. The primary outcome was an increase in NSAID ordering. Secondary outcomes include NSAID administration, inpatient pain scores and opioid use and prescribing and relevant clinical harms including acute kidney injury, new gastrointestinal bleed and in-hospital death. Results Overall, 1049 clinicians were randomised. The study included 6239 patients for a total of 9595 encounters. Both NSAID ordering (36 vs 43%, p<0.001) and administering (30 vs 34%, p=0.001) by the end of the first full hospital day were higher in the intervention (prechecked) group. There was no statistically significant difference in opioid outcomes during the hospitalisation and at discharge. There was a statistically but perhaps not clinically significant difference in pain scores during both the first and last full hospital day. Conclusions This cluster randomised controlled trial showed that prechecking an order for NSAIDs to promote multimodal pain management in the admission order set increased NSAID ordering and administration, although there were no changes to pain scores or opioid use. While prechecking orders is an important way to increase adoption, safety checks should be in place.
Interplay between Two Paralogous Human Silencing Hub (HuSH) Complexes in Regulating LINE-1 Element Silencing

The Human Silencing Hub (HuSH) complex is composed of TASOR, MPP8, and PPHLN1 subunits and serves as a conserved protein complex responsible for silencing transposable elements in vertebrate animals. Despite its importance, the regulatory mechanisms and recruitment dynamics governing this complex remain poorly understood. In this study, we have identified a second HuSH complex, termed HuSH2, centered around TASOR2, a paralog of the core TASOR protein in HuSH. Our findings indicate that every subunit in both HuSH and HuSH2 has an important role in achieving precise genomic localization to distinct, non-overlapping genomic loci. We utilized in silico protein structure prediction to simulate the interactions between MPP8 and both TASOR paralogs. Drawing on the insights gained from these predictions, we implemented amino acid substitutions that interfered with the binding of MPP8 to each HuSH complex. Leveraging these MPP8 transgenes and other constructs, we identified an important role played by the relative quantities of HuSH complexes in controlling the activity of LINE-1 elements. Furthermore, our results suggest that dynamic changes in TASOR and TASOR2 expression enable cells to finely tune the extent of HuSH-mediated silencing. Our study provides insights into the intricate interplay between HuSH complexes, illuminating their important role in the regulation of retrotransposon silencing. Key Points The identification of a previously unknown HuSH2 complex, with TASOR2 as its central component. HuSH and HuSH2 complexes exhibit unique genomic localization patterns within the human genome. Disruption of the delicate balance between the two HuSH complexes results in the desilencing of LINE-1. TASOR and TASOR2 engage in a competitive interaction for the HuSH subunit MPP8. The localization of MPP8 to either HuSH or HuSH2 sites is intricately regulated by its interaction with TASOR and TASOR2.
Applying Visual Mnemonics Enhances Chinese Characters Learning for Chinese as Second Language Learners: A Mixed-Method Study

This study examines the effectiveness of two distinct methods for learning Chinese characters: one that incorporates a hierarchical approach with writing and visual mnemonics, and another that utilizes a hierarchical approach combined with writing. Utilizing a crossover trial design, the research investigates the impact of these strategies on memory retention and learner satisfaction among 30 participants with little or no prior experience in Chinese studies. The evaluation parameters included the accuracy of written strokes, the completion of entirely correct characters, and participants' perceptions of each learning method. The outcomes revealed a significant improvement in memory retention and learning ease when the learning method incorporated visual mnemonics. This finding suggests a novel pedagogical strategy in Chinese character learning, offering a promising alternative for educators in the Chinese language.