Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
EANet: Edge-Attention 6D Pose Estimation Network for Texture-Less Objects

The 6-D pose estimation is a crucial task in vision-based measurement for robotic manipulation. It becomes a challenging task because of the variety of lighting conditions, cluttered background, occlusion, and texture-less objects. The various lighting conditions and texture-less objects lead to dramatic changes for imaging. In this article, we propose an edge-attention 6-D pose estimation network (EANet) for texture-less objects that achieve the autonomous perception of the edge, which is invariant when the lighting conditions change and objects are texture-less. To achieve this, EANet adopts a multitask learning strategy that introduces edge cues into the pixelwise dense fusion framework. We design a shared-weight edge extractor serving for edge reconstruction and pose estimation simultaneously. The purpose of edge reconstruction is to guide the network to pay more attention to edges, so as to enhance the performance of pose estimation implicitly. The edge cues can further improve the performance of pose refinement. Furthermore, we apply a skip-connection scheme to the edge extractor, merging feature maps of the deep and shallow layers. Due to the lightweight design, EANet obtains an inference time of 20 frames per second (FPS) on a desktop PC with an RTX 2070 GPU, which satisfies the requirement of most real-time applications. Experiments show that our network has a significant effect on texture-less objects and approaches the state-of-the-art performance on both the LINEMOD and the YCB-Video datasets. Finally, we present a PARTS dataset to test real-world performance and apply EANet to bin-picking vision measurement, which demonstrates that our method can provide a complete and robust solution for vision-based pose measurement.
Investigation of Three-Dimensional Condensation Film Problem over an Inclined Rotating Disk Using a Nonlinear Autoregressive Exogenous Model

This paper analyzed the three-dimensional (3D) condensation film problem over an inclined rotating disk. The mathematical model of the problem is governed by nonlinear partial differential equations (NPDE's), which are reduced to the system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations (NODE's) using a similarity transformation. Furthermore, the system of NODEs is solved by the supervised machine learning strategy of the nonlinear autoregressive exogenous (NARX) neural network model with the Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm. The dimensionless profiles of velocity, acceleration, and temperature are investigated under the effect of variations in the Prandtl number and normalized thickness of the film. The results demonstrate that increasing the Prandtl number causes an increase in the fluid's temperature profile. The solutions obtained by the proposed algorithm are compared with the state-of-the-art techniques that show the accuracy of the approximate solutions by NARX-BLM. The mean percentage errors in the results by the proposed algorithm for Θ(η), Ψ(η), k(η), −s(η), and (θ(η)) are 0.0000180%, 0.000084%, 0.0000135%, 0.000075%, and 0.00026%, respectively. The values of performance indicators, such as mean square error and absolute errors, are approaching zero. Thus, it validates the worth and efficiency of the design scheme.
Reduced hippocampal-cortical connectivity during memory suppression predicts the ability to forget unwanted memories

The ability to suppress unwelcome memories is important for productivity and well-being. Successful memory suppression is associated with hippocampal deactivations and a concomitant disruption of this region’s functionality. Much of the previous neuroimaging literature exploring such suppression-related hippocampal modulations has focused on the region’s negative coupling with the prefrontal cortex. In contrast, task-based changes in functional connectivity between the hippocampus and other brain regions have remained relatively underexplored. Here, we utilize psychophysiological interactions and seed connectome-based predictive modeling (seed-CPM) to investigate the relationship between the hippocampus and the rest of the brain as 134 participants attempted to suppress unwanted memories during the Think/No-Think task. The results show that during retrieval suppression, the right hippocampus exhibited decreased functional connectivity with visual cortical areas (bilateral intracalcarine cortex, right cuneal cortex, left lingual gyrus, right supracalcarine cortex, right occipital pole), left nucleus accumbens and the brain-stem that predicted superior forgetting of unwanted memories on later memory tests. Validation tests verified that prediction performance was not an artifact of head motion or prediction method and that the negative features remained consistent across different brain parcellations. These findings suggest that systemic memory suppression involves more than the modulation of hippocampal activity—it alters functional connectivity patterns between the hippocampus and visual cortex, leading to successful forgetting.
Base Station and Zone Based Performance Evaluation of Optimal Clustering in Wireless Sensor Network

The placement of base stations in wireless sensor networks affect the energy consumption for communication between sensor node and base station. In this paper we analyzed the performance of the zone based clustering protocol [2] under varying position of base stations, different zone sizes and the effect on network life time with multiple base stations. While evaluating the communication overhead of various cluster sizes, we observed that the optimal cluster size for a given network is complex, depending on a range of parameters. Simulation results show that communication overhead decreases as we increase the number of zone in the network. We show that placing multiple base stations in place of single base station in zone based routing protocol enhance the network life time.
Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells and Their Paracrine Activity—Immunomodulation Mechanisms and How to Influence the Therapeutic Potential

With high clinical interest to be applied in regenerative medicine, Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells have been widely studied due to their multipotency, wide distribution, and relative ease of isolation and expansion in vitro. Their remarkable biological characteristics and high immunomodulatory influence have opened doors to the application of MSCs in many clinical settings. The therapeutic influence of these cells and the interaction with the immune system seems to occur both directly and through a paracrine route, with the production and secretion of soluble factors and extracellular vesicles. The complex mechanisms through which this influence takes place is not fully understood, but several functional manipulation techniques, such as cell engineering, priming, and preconditioning, have been developed. In this review, the knowledge about the immunoregulatory and immunomodulatory capacity of MSCs and their secretion products is revisited, with a special focus on the phenomena of migration and homing, direct cell action and paracrine activity. The techniques for homing improvement, cell modulation and conditioning prior to the application of paracrine factors were also explored. Finally, multiple assays where different approaches were applied with varying success were used as examples to justify their exploration.
Anosmia of Covid 19 - A Transient Symptom?

Aims and objectives: Covid 19 pandemic brought a host of symptoms in the last 2 years. Amongst these anosmia or loss of smell and taste were some of the striking though less common symptoms. Significant rise in Anosmia with or without onset of upper respiratory tract infection prompted a study in which patients with loss of smell were screened over a period of one year to study the nature of this symptom. Materials and Methiods: A questionnaire had to be filled by patients visiting in our clinics or through online consultations. 53 patients were selected. Observations: Our observations showed that in 86.8% of patients, anosmia was the only symptom and 73.6% required no specific treatment. In 89.3% anosmia resolved within 3 months. Conclusion: Hence it is concluded that anosmia can be used as a marker for COVID 19 testing. It appears to be a transient symptom which resolves spontaneously. This article is based on retrospective study by an online questionnaire survey as well as patients screened by us in our clinic during ENT examination during the course of one year. A customized Proforma was prepared for collection of our data which included the age/ sex of the patients affected with COVID 19 in the past one year, confirmed by either RT-PCR, Antigen test or in some cases HRCT chest as an adjunct. Patients’ consent to participate in the study was obtained verbally. Patients were questioned about the onset of anosmia, whether it was associated with loss of taste, the duration of their loss of smell and the medications used for management of their SARS-CoV-2 infection. The severity of anosmia could not be checked as all of them were isolated as soon as the diagnosis was established; also evaluation of severity of smell loss using an online questionnaire would have been subjective and hence that was excluded from our study. Our results were based on the data obtained from an online questionnaire. Inclusion criteria All patients were diagnosed COVID 19 swab examination or HRCT chest; patients who in the OPD in the past year with sudden anosmia with no apparent known cause for the same; patients who hospitalized in the past one year for COVID 19 infection.
Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion at the L5-S1 Vertebral Level: A Unique Anatomical Case Report

A 57-year-old female presented with L4-L5 and L5-S1 mobile spondylolisthesis and associated stenosis with radiculopathy who failed conservative treatment. This patient underwent lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) of L4-L5 and L5-S1, and posterior spinal fusion (PSF) with instrumentation. LLIF is a minimally invasive procedure to treat degenerative diseases of the lumbar spine. LLIF at the L5-S1 vertebral level is a relative contraindication secondary to increased risk of injury to the lumbar plexus and access issues at this level during the approach. With the help of imaging, careful preoperative planning can make this a feasible procedure in select patients.
Seahorse Predation by Octopuses in the Caribbean and the West Pacific

There is much documentation about seahorses (Hippocampus spp.) being threatened by habitat degradation and overfishing, but relatively few published studies mention their natural predators. The present study documents three cases in which seahorses are being caught by octopuses. In one case, the seahorse was partly consumed. These observations made at Bonaire (Caribbean Netherlands) and New South Wales (Australia) suggest that predation on seahorses by octopuses may be more widespread and common than previously thought.
The Impact of Direct-Acting Antiviral Therapy on the Risk of Recurrence after Curative Resection in Patients with Hepatitis-C-Virus-Related Early Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background and Objectives: The impact of direct-acting antiviral (DAA)-based regimens on the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after successful curative hepatectomy is controversial. Aims: This study aimed to assess the association between DAAs treatment and recurrence risk in HCC after resection. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively assessed 152 cases of early stage (BCLC stage 0/A) hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related HCC (HCV-HCC) that underwent resection with curative intent between 2001 and 2019 at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital; 48 cases achieved a sustained virological response (SVR) by DAA, and 104 cases were not treated with any antiviral therapy (non-treatment group). Recurrence-free survival (RFS) following curative resection was analyzed by using the log-rank test and Kaplan–Meier method. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze the factors that impacted RFS and OS. Results: Five patients (10.4%) experienced HCC recurrence after DAA therapy. The cumulative HCC recurrence rate was significantly lower in the DAA group than the non-treatment group (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed a significant difference in RFS between the non-treatment group and DAA group (p = 0.001; hazard ratio (HR), 4.978; 95% CI, 1.976–12.542); liver cirrhosis (p = 0.005; HR, 2.062; 95% CI, 1.247–3.410), microvascular invasion (p = 0.001; HR, 2.331; 95% CI, 1.408–3.860) and AFP > 15 ng/mL (p = 0.022; HR, 1.799; 95% CI, 1.089–2.970) were also independent factors for HCC recurrence. ALBI stage II/III (p = 0.005; HR, 3.249; 95% CI, 1.418–7.443) and microvascular invasion (p < 0.001; HR, 4.037 95% CI, 2.071–7.869) were independent factors for OS; no significant difference in OS was observed between the DAA and no DAA treatment groups. Conclusions: DAA treatment could reduce the risk of recurrence after curative treatment for early stage HCC.
Comparison of Linear and Nonlinear Regressions and Elements Analysis for Wind Speed Prediction

Linear regressions and evolutionary nonlinear regression based compensation techniques for the short-range prediction of wind speed are investigated. Development of an efficient MOS(Model Output Statistics) is necessary to correct systematic errors of the model, but a linear regression based MOS is hard to manage an irregular nature of weather prediction. In order to solve the problem, a nonlinear and symbolic regression method using GP(Genetic Programming) is suggested for a development of MOS for wind speed prediction. The proposed method is compared to various linear regression methods for prediction of wind speed. Also, statistical analysis of distribution for UM elements for each method is executed. experiments are performed for KLAPS(Korea Local Analysis and Prediction System) re-analysis data from 2007 to 2013 year for Jeju Island and Busan area in South Korea.
Metamodel of agile project management and the process of building with LEGO® bricks

Philosophy of agile approach in project management eliminates rigid structures and procedures, so learning and practicing the agile development are not simple tasks. In this paper we present a workflow for teaching and practicing the agile project management methods by using LEGO® bricks. Workflow is a result of the metamodel of the methods - agile project management and bricks building. Final goal is educational workshop creation. As a result of this experiment we give a new perspective on LEGO® as a toy and suggest new more creative ways of play that are in fact learned from agile software development.
Associative Enhancement of Time Correlated Response to Heterogeneous Stimuli in a Neuromorphic Nanowire Device

In spite of the strong interest in brain‐like or neuromorphic computation, relatively few devices have emerged whose neuromorphic behavior is embedded in the hardware itself and not reliant on external programming of synaptic weights. Here, a neuromorphic device is described based on a TiO2 nanowire that exhibits an associative memory response to the time correlation between voltage and optical stimuli. Memristive characteristics are also observed with current–voltage sweeps showing hysteresis loops and continuum resistance levels. The nanowire device responds to heterogeneous voltage and optical pulse stimuli with spike‐like neuromorphic outputs. Moreover, uncorrelated pulses produce a weak response, consistent with the interaction of coincident pulses with adsorbed and bulk oxygen in the surface depletion region, leading to a nonlinear enhancement in conductance. The strength of this learned enhancement depends on both the time correlation and the number of pulse stimuli, consistent with spike timing dependent plasticity. The nanowire devices presented have neural synapse‐like properties that could serve as a building block for neuromorphic computation.
Is Goodwill Attritional? Survival Analysis of the M&A Goodwill of A-Share Listed Company from 2007 to 2017

ABSTRACT The subsequent measurement of goodwill in mergers and acquisitions has been controversial for a long time in academia and practice. This article attempts to propose a new conceptual view of the “attrition” of goodwill to improve the subsequent measurement model of goodwill. In this paper, the survival analysis method is introduced into the study of goodwill impairment decision-making and the influencing factors of economic life for the first time. Through the non-parametric analysis of Kaplan-Meier survival function, Nelson-Aalen cumulative risk function and risk rate function estimation, it is found that goodwill has the characteristics of wasting: the goodwill impairment risk of M&A projects is in an inverted U-shape and the goodwill starts to be impaired in the 3rd year on average within the 95% confidence interval, and the impairment risk rate reaches the highest (up to 8%) in the fifth year, and the probability of no impairment for 10 consecutive years is about 50%. Further regression analysis based on the survival risk model shows that human factors such as the pre-acquisition valuation level of the acquirer, management motivation and external supervision distort the impairment decision.
ABT199/venetoclax potentiates the cytotoxicity of alkylating agents and fludarabine in acute myeloid leukemia cells

The antineoplastic activity of pre-transplant regimens in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a critical factor for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. There is an urgent need to identify novel approaches without jeopardizing patient safety. We hypothesized that combination of drugs with different mechanisms of action would provide better cytotoxicity. We, therefore, determined the synergistic cytotoxicity of various combinations of the alkylating agents busulfan (Bu) and 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide (4HC), the nucleoside analog fludarabine (Flu) and the BCL2 inhibitor ABT199/venetoclax in AML cells. [Bu+4HC] and [Bu+Flu] inhibited cell proliferation and activated apoptosis; addition of ABT199 to either combinations significantly increased these effects with combination indexes < 1. Apoptosis is suggested by cleavages of PARP1 and CASPASE 3, DNA fragmentation, increased reactive oxygen species, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, and increased pro-apoptotic proteins in the cytoplasm. A similar enhancement of apoptosis was observed in patient-derived cell samples. ABT199/venetocalx upregulated anti-apoptotic MCL1 as a compensatory mechanism but addition of [Bu+4HC] or [Bu+Flu] negated this effect by CASPASE 3-mediated cleavage of MEK1/2 and its substrate MCL1. CASPASE 3 caused cleavage of pro-survival β-CATENIN, which likely contributed to the activation of stress signaling pathways involving SAPK/JNK and AMPK. The observed synergistic cytotoxicity was associated with an inhibition of pro-survival pathways involving STAT1, STAT5 and PI3K. These findings will be useful in designing clinical trials using these drug combinations as pre-transplant conditioning regimens for AML patients.
Diagnostic Markers and Molecular Dysregulation Mechanisms in the Retinal Pigmented Epithelium and Retina of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a chronic and progressive macular degeneration disease, which can also lead to serious visual loss. In our research, we aim to efficiently identify biomarkers relevant for AMD diagnosis. We collected the gene expression data of retinal segmented epithelium (RPE) and retina tissues of GSE29801 and GSE135092 and performed differential expression analysis. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to the RPE and retina in the two sets of data were identified and enriched by intersection analysis. A PPI network was constructed for intersection genes, and the top 20 genes with the largest connectivity in the network were selected as candidate genes. The LASSO model was used to identify key genes from candidate genes, and the nomogram and ROC curve were used to evaluate the diagnostic ability of key genes. We identified 464 intersection genes associated with RPE and 509 intersection genes associated with retina. The TGF-beta signaling pathway was enriched by RPE-related DEGs, while oxidative phosphorylation was enriched by retina-related DEGs. Among the candidate genes of RPE, the LASSO model identified 7 key genes. MAPK1 and LUM can predict the clinical diagnosis of AMD. Among the candidate genes of retina, the LASSO model identified four key genes. PTPN11 has the highest predictive diagnostic value. The results suggest that the imbalance mechanism of RPE in AMD may be related to the TGF-beta signaling pathway, and the imbalance mechanism of the retina may be related to oxidative phosphorylation. MAPK1 and LUM are potential diagnostic markers of RPE, and PTPN11 is a potential diagnostic marker of the retina. Also, our results provide a theoretical basis for better understanding the molecular mechanisms of AMD onset and treatment in the future.
Intestinal Epithelial AMPK Deficiency Causes Delayed Colonic Epithelial Repair in DSS-Induced Colitis

Dysfunctions in the intestinal barrier, associated with an altered paracellular pathway, are commonly observed in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), principally known as a cellular energy sensor, has also been shown to play a key role in the stabilization and assembly of tight junctions. Here, we aimed to investigate the contribution of intestinal epithelial AMPK to the initiation, progression and resolution of acute colitis. We also tested the hypothesis that protection mediated by metformin administration on intestinal epithelium damage required AMPK activation. A dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis model was used to assess disease progression in WT and intestinal epithelial cell (IEC)-specific AMPK KO mice. Barrier integrity was analyzed by measuring paracellular permeability following dextran-4kDa gavage and pro-inflammatory cytokines and tight junction protein expression. The deletion of intestinal epithelial AMPK delayed intestinal injury repair after DSS exposure and was associated with a slower re-epithelization of the intestinal mucosa coupled with severe ulceration and inflammation, and altered barrier function. Following intestinal injury, IEC AMPK KO mice displayed a lower goblet cell counts with concomitant decreased Muc2 gene expression, unveiling an impaired restitution of goblet cells and contribution to wound healing process. Metformin administration during the recovery phase attenuated the severity of DSS-induced colitis through improvement in intestinal repair capacity in both WT and IEC AMPK KO mice. Taken together, these findings demonstrate a critical role for IEC-expressed AMPK in regulating mucosal repair and epithelial regenerative capacity following acute colonic injury. Our studies further underscore the therapeutic potential of metformin to support repair of the injured intestinal epithelium, but this effect is conferred independently of intestinal epithelial AMPK.
Indoor Location Tracking for First Responders using Data Network

In case Wi-Fi network based First responder`s position tracking system is used, range measurement must be generated from RSSI finger print database. However, it is impossible to build up finger print database and to perform rescue operation at same time in the scene of rescue. In this paper, improvised Wi-Fi network without finger print database and pedestrian dead reckoning based first responders tracking system is proposed.