bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Learning character-agnostic motion for motion retargeting in 2D
Authors: Aberman Kfir , Wu Rundi , Lischinski Dani , Chen Baoquan , Cohen-Or Daniel
Published: July 2019

Analyzing human motion is a challenging task with a wide variety of applications in computer vision and in graphics. One such application, of particular importance in computer animation, is the retargeting of motion from one performer to another. While humans move in three dimensions, the vast majority of human motions are captured using video, requiring 2D-to-3D pose and camera recovery, before existing retargeting approaches may be applied. In this paper, we present a new method for retargeting video-captured motion between different human performers, without the need to explicitly reconstruct 3D poses and/or camera parameters.

In order to achieve our goal, we learn to extract, directly from a video, a high-level latent motion representation, which is invariant to the skeleton geometry and the camera view. Our key idea is to train a deep neural network to decompose temporal sequences of 2D poses into three components: motion, skeleton, and camera view-angle. Having extracted such a representation, we are able to re-combine motion with novel skeletons and camera views, and decode a retargeted temporal sequence, which we compare to a ground truth from a synthetic dataset.

We demonstrate that our framework can be used to robustly extract human motion from videos, bypassing 3D reconstruction, and outperforming existing retargeting methods, when applied to videos in-the-wild. It also enables additional applications, such as performance cloning, video-driven cartoons, and motion retrieval.
PuppetMaster
Authors: Zimmermann Simon , Poranne Roi , Bern James M. , Coros Stelian
Published: July 2019

We present a computational framework for robotic animation of real-world string puppets. Also known as marionettes, these articulated figures are typically brought to life by human puppeteers. The puppeteer manipulates rigid handles that are attached to the puppet from above via strings. The motions of the marionette are therefore governed largely by gravity, the pull forces exerted by the strings, and the internal forces arising from mechanical articulation constraints. This seemingly simple setup conceals a very challenging and nuanced control problem, as marionettes are, in fact, complex coupled pendulum systems. Despite this, in the hands of a master puppeteer, marionette animation can be nothing short of mesmerizing. Our goal is to enable autonomous robots to animate marionettes with a level of skill that approaches that of human puppeteers. To this end, we devise a predictive control model that accounts for the dynamics of the marionette and kinematics of the robot puppeteer. The input to our system consists of a string puppet design and a target motion, and our trajectory planning algorithm computes robot control actions that lead to the marionette moving as desired. We validate our methodology through a series of experiments conducted on an array of marionette designs and target motions. These experiments are performed both in simulation and using a physical robot, the human-sized, dual arm ABB YuMi
®
IRB 14000.
Anisotropic elasticity for inversion-safety and element rehabilitation
Authors: Kim Theodore , De Goes Fernando , Iben Hayley
Published: July 2019

We present an analysis of anisotropic hyperelasticity, specifically transverse isotropy, that obtains closed-form expressions for the eigendecompositions of many common energies. We then use these to build fast and concise Newton implementations. We leverage our analysis in two separate applications. First, we show that existing anisotropic energies are not inversion-safe, and contain spurious stable states under large deformation. We then propose a new anisotropic strain invariant that enables the formulation of a novel, robust, and inversion-safe energy. The new energy fits completely within our analysis, so closed-form expressions are obtained for its eigensystem as well. Secondly, we use our analysis to
rehabilitate
badly-conditioned finite elements. Using this method, we can robustly simulate large deformations even when a mesh contains degenerate, zero-volume elements. We accomplish this by swapping the badly-behaved isotropic direction with a well-behaved anisotropic term. We validate our approach on a variety of examples.
VR facial animation via multiview image translation
Authors: Wei Shih-En , Saragih Jason , Simon Tomas , Harley Adam W. , Lombardi Stephen , Perdoch Michal , Hypes Alexander , Wang Dawei , Badino Hernan , Sheikh Yaser
Published: July 2019

A key promise of Virtual Reality (VR) is the possibility of remote social interaction that is more immersive than any prior telecommunication media. However, existing social VR experiences are mediated by inauthentic digital representations of the user (i.e., stylized avatars). These stylized representations have limited the adoption of social VR applications in precisely those cases where immersion is most necessary (e.g., professional interactions and intimate conversations). In this work, we present a bidirectional system that can animate avatar heads of both users' full likeness using consumer-friendly headset mounted cameras (HMC). There are two main challenges in doing this: unaccommodating camera views and the image-to-avatar domain gap. We address both challenges by leveraging constraints imposed by multiview geometry to establish precise image-to-avatar correspondence, which are then used to learn an end-to-end model for real-time tracking. We present designs for a
training
HMC, aimed at data-collection and model building, and a tracking HMC for use during interactions in VR. Correspondence between the avatar and the HMC-acquired images are automatically found through self-supervised multiview image translation, which does not require manual annotation or one-to-one correspondence between domains. We evaluate the system on a variety of users and demonstrate significant improvements over prior work.
Interactive and automatic navigation for 360° video playback
Authors: Kang Kyoungkook , Cho Sunghyun
Published: July 2019

A common way to view a 360° video on a 2D display is to crop and render a part of the video as a normal field-of-view (NFoV) video. While users can enjoy natural-looking NFoV videos using this approach, they need to constantly make manual adjustment of the viewing direction not to miss interesting events in the video. In this paper, we propose an interactive and automatic navigation system for comfortable 360° video playback. Our system finds a virtual camera path that shows the most salient areas through the video, generates a NFoV video based on the path, and plays it in an online manner. A user can interactively change the viewing direction while watching a video, and the system instantly updates the path reflecting the intention of the user. To enable online processing, we design our system consisting of an offline pre-processing step, and an online 360° video navigation step. The pre-processing step computes optical flow and saliency scores for an input video. Based on these, the online video navigation step computes an optimal camera path reflecting user interaction, and plays a NFoV video in an online manner. For improved user experience, we also introduce optical flow-based camera path planning, saliency-aware path update, and adaptive control of the temporal window size. Our experimental results including user studies show that our system provides more pleasant experience of watching 360° videos than existing approaches.
Health Impacts of Food Assistance: Evidence from the United States
Authors: Bitler Marianne P. , Seifoddini Arian
Published: July 2019

This review focuses on the health and nutrition impacts of food assistance programs. We focus particular attention on the United States, both because of the plethora of types of programs and associated variation and because spending on these programs is a large share of the nonmedical safety net there. We begin by reviewing the theoretical predictions concerning health and nutrition effects of these programs, also paying attention to potential mediators such as education and income. We then discuss program eligibility and size, both as caseload and in terms of spending. We next touch on identifying causal variation and opportunities for further research. The review concludes by discussing the existing literature in five broad areas: take-up and use of the programs; effects on nutrition and food consumption; other immediate effects on short-run health; impacts on other contemporaneous outcomes such as income and labor supply; and longer-run health and nutrition effects.
Production Diseases Reduce the Efficiency of Dairy Production: A Review of the Results, Methods, and Approaches Regarding the Economics of Mastitis
Authors: Hogeveen Henk , Steeneveld Wilma , Wolf Christopher A.
Published: July 2019

Mastitis is the most important production disease in dairy farming, leading to considerable inefficiency in production. In 1992, an important paper describing a simple but very useful economic framework for production diseases in animal farming was published. In a systemic literature search, 77 articles were found on the economics of mastitis. Throughout the years, little progress has been made to improve the economic framework regarding production diseases in animal farming, but methodological progress was made in the biological aspect of bioeconomic models. Research focused on the failure costs of mastitis and cost-benefit analyses of cow-level decisions (treatments). The average failure costs of mastitis were $US131 per cow per year. Future economic research should focus more on the utilization of currentlyavailable large databases. The economic framework should be extended toward mastitis as an externality of dairy production (welfare), the externalities of optimal use of chemical and pharmaceutical compounds (antimicrobials), and explaining farmers’ decisions regarding mastitis.
Role of the Vermal Cerebellum in Visually Guided Eye Movements and Visual Motion Perception
Authors: Thier Peter , Markanday Akshay
Published: July 2019

The cerebellar cortex is a crystal-like structure consisting of an almost endless repetition of a canonical microcircuit that applies the same computational principle to different inputs. The output of this transformation is broadcasted to extracerebellar structures by way of the deep cerebellar nuclei. Visually guided eye movements are accommodated by different parts of the cerebellum. This review primarily discusses the role of the oculomotor part of the vermal cerebellum [the oculomotor vermis (OMV)] in the control of visually guided saccades and smooth-pursuit eye movements. Both types of eye movements require the mapping of retinal information onto motor vectors, a transformation that is optimized by the OMV, considering information on past performance. Unlike the role of the OMV in the guidance of eye movements, the contribution of the adjoining vermal cortex to visual motion perception is nonmotor and involves a cerebellar influence on information processing in the cerebral cortex.
Neutron Dark-Field Analysis of Commercial Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Hussey Daniel , Brooks Adam J , LaManna Jacob , Jacobson David , Butler Leslie
Published: July 2019

A novel imaging mode, neutron dark field imaging, extends the capability of neutron imaging to enable one to measure the microstructure, that is length scales from the nm to µm. The dark field is a measure of the pair correlation function, which is linked to conventional small angle. Neutron dark field images of lithium-ion batteries provide spatially resolved measurements (with resolution ~100 µm) of the particle distribution along the path of the neutron beam. We applied neutron dark-field imaging to commercial lithium-ion batteries with different capacities, states of charge, and wear. The images probed length scales from 100 nm to 3 µm. We observed a uniform dark field signal across the fresh battery in both charge states which is contrasted with the worn batteries, which show clear inhomogeneities in the dark field signal, which indicates that the underlying electrode structures have changed in a non-uniform fashion.
Leukotriene Synthesis Is Critical for Medulloblastoma Progression
Authors: Du Fang , Yuelling Larra , Lee Eric H. , Wang Yuan , Liao Shengyou , Cheng Yan , Zhang Li , Zheng Chaonan , Peri Suraj , Cai Kathy Q. , Ng Jessica M.Y. , Curran Tom , Li Peng , Yang Zeng-jie
Published: July 2019

Purpose:

Here, we examined the role of leukotrienes, well-known inflammatory mediators, in the tumorigenesis of hedgehog pathway-associated medulloblastoma, and tested the efficacies of antagonists of leukotriene biosynthesis in medulloblastoma treatment.

Experimental Design: We examined the leukotriene levels in medulloblastoma cells by ELISA. We next tested whether leukotriene synthesis in medulloblastoma cells relied on activation of hedgehog pathway, or the presence of hedgehog ligand secreted by astrocytes. We then investigated whether leukotriene mediated hedgehog-induced Nestin expression in tumor cells. The functions of leukotriene in tumor cell proliferation and tumor growth in medulloblastoma were determined through knocking down 5-lipoxygenase (a critical enzyme for leukotriene synthesis) by shRNAs, or using 5-lipoxygenase–deficient mice. Finally, the efficacies of antagonists of leukotriene synthesis in medulloblastoma treatment were tested in vivo and in vitro.

Results:

Leukotriene was significantly upregulated in medulloblastoma cells. Increased leukotriene synthesis relied on hedgehog ligand secreted by astrocytes, a major component of medulloblastoma microenvironment. Leukotriene stimulated tumor cells to express Nestin, a cytoskeletal protein essential for medulloblastoma growth. Genetic blockage of leukotriene synthesis dramatically suppressed medulloblastoma cell proliferation and tumor growth in vivo. Pharmaceutical inhibition of leukotriene synthesis markedly repressed medulloblastoma cell proliferation, but had no effect on proliferation of normal neuronal progenitors. Moreover, antagonists of leukotriene synthesis exhibited promising tumor inhibitory efficacies on drug-resistant medulloblastoma.

Conclusions:

Our findings reveal a novel signaling pathway that is critical for medulloblastoma cell proliferation and tumor progression, and that leukotriene biosynthesis represents a promising therapeutic target for medulloblastoma treatment.
Unbiased Metabolic Profiling Predicts Sensitivity of High MYC-Expressing Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumors to Glutamine Inhibition with 6-Diazo-5-Oxo-L-Norleucine
Authors: Wang Sabrina Z. , Poore Brad , Alt Jesse , Price Antoinette , Allen Sariah J. , Hanaford Allison R. , Kaur Harpreet , Orr Brent A. , Slusher Barbara S. , Eberhart Charles G. , Raabe Eric H. , Rubens Jeffrey A.
Published: July 2019

Purpose:

Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors (AT/RT) are aggressive infantile brain tumors with poor survival. Recent advancements have highlighted significant molecular heterogeneity in AT/RT with an aggressive subgroup featuring overexpression of the MYC proto-oncogene. We perform the first comprehensive metabolic profiling of patient-derived AT/RT cell lines to identify therapeutic susceptibilities in high MYC-expressing AT/RT.

Experimental Design:

Metabolites were extracted from AT/RT cell lines and separated in ultra-high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. Glutamine metabolic inhibition with 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine (DON) was tested with growth and cell death assays and survival studies in orthotopic mouse models of AT/RT. Metabolic flux analysis was completed to identify combination therapies to act synergistically to improve survival in high MYC AT/RT.

Results:

Unbiased metabolic profiling of AT/RT cell models identified a unique dependence of high MYC AT/RT on glutamine for survival. The glutamine analogue, DON, selectively targeted high MYC cell lines, slowing cell growth, inducing apoptosis, and extending survival in orthotopic mouse models of AT/RT. Metabolic flux experiments with isotopically labeled glutamine revealed DON inhibition of glutathione (GSH) synthesis. DON combined with carboplatin further slowed cell growth, induced apoptosis, and extended survival in orthotopic mouse models of high MYC AT/RT.

Conclusions:

Unbiased metabolic profiling of AT/RT identified susceptibility of high MYC AT/RT to glutamine metabolic inhibition with DON therapy. DON inhibited glutamine-dependent synthesis of GSH and synergized with carboplatin to extend survival in high MYC AT/RT. These findings can rapidly translate into new clinical trials to improve survival in high MYC AT/RT.
HPV Infection Downregulates the Expression of Autophagy-Related Genes in Condylomata Acuminata
Authors: Jiang Meng , Ju Mei , Bu Wenbo , Chen Kun , Li Li , Li Min , Chen Xu , Gu Heng
Published: July 2019

Background: Condylomata acuminata are benign anogenital warts caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection with a high recurrence rate. Autophagy plays an important role in maintaining internal environmental stability. However, the role of autophagy regulation in the anogenital warts caused by HPV infection remains unknown. Objective: A multigroup case-control study was designed to identify the autophagy gene fingerprint involved in anogenital warts arising from infections with different HPV genotypes. Methods: Human autophagy PCR arrays were performed on the initial 18 participants grouped by their different HPV genotypes for gene expression-profiling analysis. The negative control was skin samples collected during plastic surgery on the chest from a group of individuals who showed none of the clinical symptoms or evidence of HPV infection. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was performed to validate the microarray results in another 24 individuals. Results: Out of 84 genes involved in autophagy, different autophagic responses were found among the 29 genes that encode autophagy machinery components, and expression levels of 13 of these genes were downregulated. Finally, we verified that the expression levels of 2 key genes that participate in the formation of autophagosomes, ATG3 and ­BECLIN1, were downregulated in the HPV infection groups independently of genotype compared with the control group. Conclusions: These findings showed that HPV infection downregulated the expression of ATGs in CA. Additionally, there were no differences in the expression of ATGs between the different HPV genotype infection groups. This study provided new insights into the autophagic response to HPV infection.
Extract of Helicobacter pylori Ameliorates Parameters of Airway Inflammation and Goblet Cell Hyperplasia following Repeated Allergen Exposure
Authors: van Wijck Yolanda , John-Schuster Gerrit , van Schadewijk Annemarie , van den Oever Ruben L. , Obieglo Katja , Hiemstra Pieter S. , Müller Anne , Smits Hermelijn H. , Taube Christian
Published: July 2019

Background: An inverse relation between Helicobacter pylori infection and asthma has been shown in epidemiological studies. Infection with H. pylori, or application of an extract of it before or after sensitization, inhibits allergic airway disease in mice. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of an extract of H. pylori on allergic airway disease induced by repeated allergen exposure in mice that were sensitized and challenged prior to extract application. Method: C57BL/6 mice were intranasally (i.n.) sensitized and challenged with house dust mite (HDM). After a minimum of 4 weeks, mice received the H. pylori extract intraperitoneally and were rechallenged i.n. with HDM. Allergen-specific antibodies were measured by ELISA. Cells present in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and dendritic cell (DC) subsets in the lung tissue were analyzed by flow cytometry. Tissue inflammation and goblet cell hyperplasia were assessed by histology. Cells of the mediastinal lymph node (mLN) were isolated and in vitro restimulated with HDM or H. pylori extract. Results: Treatment with H. pylori extract before rechallenge reduced allergen-specific IgE, the DC numbers in the tissue, and goblet cell hyperplasia. Cells isolated from mLN of mice treated with the extract produced significantly more IL-10 and IL-17 after in vitro restimulation with HDM. mLN cells of H. pylori-treated mice that were re-exposed to the H. pylori extract produced significantly more interferon gamma. Conclusions: An extract of H. pylori is effective in reducing mucus production and various features of inflammation in HDM rechallenged mice.
Myostatin Upregulation in Patients in the Chronic Phase of Severe Burn Injury Leads to Muscle Cell Catabolism
Authors: Wallner Christoph , Huber Julika , Drysch Marius , Schmidt Sonja Verena , Wagner Johannes Maximilian , Dadras Mehran , Lehnhardt Marcus , Behr Björn
Published: July 2019

Background: Burn injury leads to a hypercatabolic response and ultimately muscle wasting with drastic implications for recovery of bodily functions, patient’s quality of life (QoL), and long-term survival. Several treatment options target the body’s initial stress response, but pharmacological approaches to specifically address muscle protein metabolism have only been poorly investigated. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the role of myostatin and follistatin in burn injury and its possible implications in muscle wasting syndrome. Methods: We harvested serum from male patients within 48 h and again 9–12 months after severe burn injury (>20% of total body surface area). By means of myoblast cultures, immunohistochemistry, immunoblotting, and scratch assay, the role of myostatin and its implications in post-burn muscle metabolism and myoblast proliferation and differentiation was analyzed. Results: We were able to show increased proliferative and myogenic capacity, decreased myostatin, decreased SMAD 2/3, and elevated follistatin concentrations in human skeletal myoblast cultures with serum conditioned medium of patients in the acute phase of burn injury and conversely a reversed situation in patients in the chronic phase of burn injury. Thus, there is a biphasic response to burn trauma, initiated by an anabolic state and followed by long-term hypercatabolism. Conclusion: We conclude that the myostatin signaling pathway plays an important regulative role in burn-associated muscle wasting and that blockade of myostatin could prove to be a valuable treatment approach improving the rehabilitation process, QoL, and long-term survival after severe burn injury.
Prevalence of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Middle and High School Band Members: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Ramrattan Heidi , Gurevich Naomi
Published: July 2019

Objective: This study was aimed at determining the risk of developing noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) in middle school band (MSB) and high school band (HSB) members. Method: Between-group comparison of hearing thresholds. Eleven MSB members and 6 MSNB controls, 20 HSB members and 5 HSNB controls. Results: Sixty-four percent of school-age band members presented with 15 dB HL or greater notch at 4,000 or 6,000 Hz in at least one ear. The high school students were slightly more likely to present with a notch. Conclusions: Results indicate that participation in band even as early as middle school increases the risk of developing NIHL, and that the longer the participation the higher the risk. Steps to insure hearing preservation in school-age band members are recommended.
Angiopoietin-Like 7 Contributes to Angiotensin II-Induced Proliferation, Inflammation and Apoptosis in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells
Authors: Zhao Yunfeng , Liu Kun , Yin Delu , Lin Zhaoheng
Published: July 2019

Introduction: Angiotensin II (AngII) induces hypertension and pathophysiological vascular thickening and atherosclerosis. This study aims to validate the effects of Angiopoietin-like 7 (ANGPTL7) in AngII-induced hypertension. Methods: ANGPTL7 in blood samples were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. AngII-induced cell growth were detected by CCK-8. Cell cycle arrest and cell apoptosis by downregulation of ANGPTL7 were detected by flow cytometric assay. AngII-induced inflammation was evaluated by Western blotting and ELISA. Results: ANGPTL7 was highly expressed in patients with hypertension. AngII promoted cell viability and the expression level of ANGPTL7 in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). Downregulation of ANGPTL7 inhibited AngII-induced cell proliferation and cell inflammation. Moreover, ANGPTL7 expression decreases also promoted cell apoptosis. Conclusions: Downregulation of ANGPTL7 reversed AngII-induced cell proliferation and cell inflammation and promoted apoptosis in AngII-induced VSMC cells. Therefore, ANGPTL7 can be a potential target in AngII-induced hypertension.
Complications of Hemodialysis Catheter Bloodstream Infections: Impact of Infecting Organism
Authors: Farrington Crystal A. , Allon Michael
Published: July 2019

Background: Catheter-related bloodstream infections ­(CRBSI) are associated with a high burden of morbidity and mortality, but the impact of infecting organism on clinical outcomes has been poorly studied. Methods: This retrospective analysis of a prospective vascular access database from a large academic dialysis center investigated whether the organism type affected the clinical presentation or complications of CRBSI. Results: Among 339 patients with suspected CRBSI, an alternate source of infection was identified in 50 (15%). Of 289 patients with CRBSI, 249 grew a single organism and 40 were polymicrobial. Fever and/or rigors were presenting signs in ≥90% of patients with Staphylococcus aureus or Gram-negative CRBSI, but only 61% of Staphylococcus epidermidis infections (p < 0.001). Hospitalization occurred in 67% of patients with S. aureus CRBSI versus 34% of those with S. epidermidis and 40% of those with a Gram-negative bacteria (p < 0.001). Admission to the intensive care unit was required in 14, 9, and 2% (p = 0.06); metastatic infection occurred in 10, 4, and 4% (p = 0.42); and median length of stay among patients admitted to the hospital was 4, 4, and 5.5 days (p = 0.60), respectively. Death due to CRBSI occurred in only 1% of patients with CRBSI. Conclusion: CRBSI is confirmed in 85% of catheter-dependent hemodialysis patients in whom it is suspected. S. epidermidis CRBSI tends to present with atypical symptoms. S. aureus CRBSI is more likely to require hospitalization or intensive care admission. Metastatic infection is relatively uncommon, and death due to CRBSI is rare.
Positive Treatment Expectancies Reduce Clinical Pain and Perceived Limitations in Movement Ability Despite Increased Experimental Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial on Sham Opioid Infusion in Patients with Chronic Back Pain
Authors: Schmitz Julia , Müller Maike , Stork Jan , Eichler Iris , Zöllner Christian , Flor Herta , Klinger Regine
Published: July 2019

Background: Increasing evidence for the efficacy of analgesic placebo effects in laboratory studies with healthy persons raises the question whether placebos could be used to improve the treatment of pain patients. Expectancies play a central role in shaping analgesic placebo but also nocebo effects. Objectives: We investigated to what extent a sham opioid infusion (saline solution) produces sustained clinically relevant placebo and nocebo effects in chronic back pain patients. Methods: Fifty-nine patients received the sham opioid infusion applied via a large drain dressing and were compared to 14 control patients without intervention (natural history, NH) while experimental pain stimuli were applied. All subjects were told that the infusion would decrease pain although in rare cases pain increase would be possible (induction of expectancy). In addition, conditioning was introduced where the participants either experienced a decrease in experimental pain (n = 17; placebo conditioning), an increase (n = 21; nocebo conditioning), or no change (n = 21, no conditioning). Results: Compared to the NH group, all infusion groups showed positive treatment expectancies and significantly (p < 0.001) reduced clinical back pain (primary outcome) and pain-related disability (secondary outcome, assessed by self-reported functional capacity and perceived impairment of mobility). Even the nocebo conditioned group experiencing increased experimental pain developed positive treatment expectancies followed by reduced pain experience. Positive treatment expectancies and relief in clinical back pain were significantly positively correlated (r = 0.72, p < 0.01). Conclusions: These findings suggest that it may be beneficial to explicitly shape and integrate treatment expectancies into clinical pain management.
Effects of Prepregnancy Body Mass Index, Weight Gain, and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus on Pregnancy Outcomes: A Population-Based Study in Xiamen, China, 2011–2018
Authors: Su Wei-juan , Chen Yin-ling , Huang Pei-ying , Shi Xiu-lin , Yan Fang-fang , Chen Zheng , Yan Bing , Song Hai-qu , Lin Ming-zhu , Li Xue-jun
Published: July 2019

Background: It is unclear that how prepregnancy body mass index (BMI), gestational weight gain (GWG), and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) affect pregnancy outcomes in ­China. Thus, we explored how BMI, GWG, and GDM affect the risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Methods: We performed a retrospective, population-based study included all births in Xiamen, China, 2011–2018. Demographic data and pregnancy outcomes of 73,498 women were acquired from the Medical Birth Registry of Xiamen. Women were categorized into groups on prepregnancy BMI and GWG in order to assess the risk of pregnancy outcomes. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to evaluate risk factors. Results: Overall, 6,982 (9.37%) women were obese, and 8,874 (12.07%) women were overweight. Obese women are more vulnerable to cesarean delivery, preterm birth, large-for-gestational age (LGA), and macrosomia (crude OR [cOR] 2.00, 1.89–2.12; 1.35, 1.20–1.51; 2.12, 1.99–2.26; 2.53, 2.25–2.86, respectively, adjusted ORs 1.73, 1.62–1.84; 1.25, 1.10–1.42; 2.03, 1.90–2.18; 2.77, 2.44–3.16, respectively). Similar results were observed in overweight women (cORs 1.49, 1.42–1.57; 1.02, 0.91–1.15; 1.60, 1.50–1.70; 2.01, 1.78–2.26, respectively). Furthermore, women who gain weight in excessive group were 1.43, 2.06, and 2.16 times to deliver cesarean, LGA, and macrosomia, respectively. Additionally, GDM women were easily subjected to cesarean section, preterm birth, LGA, low birth weight, and macrosamia (cORs 1.52, 1.55, 1.52, 1.37, 1.27, respectively). Conclusions: Obesity prior to pregnancy, excessive GWG, and GDM were all associated with increased odds of cesarean, LGA, and macrosomia. Blood glucose and weight control before and during pregnancy are needed that may reduce the complications of pregnancy.
Os britânicos e os clubes de cricket na São Paulo do século XIX (anos 1870-1890)
Authors: Melo Victor Andrade de , Gomes Eduardo Souza
Published: July 2019

Assim como ocorreu em muitos países, no Brasil as primeiras iniciativas esportivas foram protagonizadas por britânicos. Em São Paulo, isso se tornou visível a partir da década de 1870. Se inicialmente os anglófonos mantiveram certa distância de outros grupos da sociedade paulistana, no decorrer do tempo se percebem mudanças nessa postura. Notadamente a partir dos anos 1890, observam-se mais espaços de interface, ocasiões em que alguns de seus costumes puderam ser conhecidos por diferentes estratos da população. Considerando a relevância dessas situações no que tange à conformação de uma cultura citadina, o objetivo deste artigo é discutir as experiências dos clubes de críquete fundados na capital paulistana nas últimas três décadas do século XIX, com especial interesse pelas dinâmicas de sociabilidade. Para alcance do intuito, como fontes utilizamos periódicos publicados na cidade e no Rio de Janeiro. Esperamos entender como essas iniciativas tiveram relação com o desenvolvimento de outros esportes, entre os quais o futebol. Tratou-se de um processo de trânsito cultural que permite-nos lançar um olhar sobre nossa formação societária.
Noninvasive In Vivo Quantification of Adeno-Associated Virus Serotype 9–Mediated Expression of the Sodium/Iodide Symporter Under Hindlimb Ischemia and Neuraminidase Desialylation in Skeletal Muscle Using Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography/Computed Tomography
Authors: Boutagy Nabil E. , Ravera Silvia , Papademetris Xenophon , Onofrey John A. , Zhuang Zhen W. , Wu Jing , Feher Attila , Stacy Mitchel R. , French Brent A. , Annex Brian H. , Carrasco Nancy , Sinusas Albert J.
Published: July 2019

Background:

We propose micro single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography imaging of the hNIS (human sodium/iodide symporter) to noninvasively quantify adeno-associated virus 9 (AAV9)-mediated gene expression in a murine model of peripheral artery disease.

Methods:

AAV9-hNIS (2×10
11
viral genome particles) was injected into nonischemic or ischemic gastrocnemius muscles of C57Bl/6J mice following unilateral hindlimb ischemia ± the α-sialidase NA (neuraminidase). Control nonischemic limbs were injected with phosphate buffered saline or remained noninjected. Twelve mice underwent micro single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography imaging after serial injection of pertechnetate (
99m
TcO
4
−
), a NIS substrate, up to 28 days after AAV9-hNIS injection. Twenty four animals were euthanized at selected times over 1 month for ex vivo validation. Forty-two animals were imaged with
99m
TcO
4
−
± the selective NIS inhibitor perchlorate on day 10, to ascertain specificity of radiotracer uptake. Tissue was harvested for ex vivo validation. A modified version of the U-Net deep learning algorithm was used for image quantification.

Results:

As quantitated by standardized uptake value, there was a gradual temporal increase in
99m
TcO
4
−
uptake in muscles treated with AAV9-hNIS. Hindlimb ischemia, NA, and hindlimb ischemia plus NA increased the magnitude of
99m
TcO
4
−
uptake by 4- to 5-fold compared with nonischemic muscle treated with only AAV9-hNIS. Perchlorate treatment significantly reduced
99m
TcO
4
−
uptake in AAV9-hNIS-treated muscles, demonstrating uptake specificity. The imaging results correlated well with ex vivo well counting (r
2
=0.9375;
P
<0.0001) and immunoblot analysis of NIS protein (r
2
=0.65;
P
<0.0001).

Conclusions:

Micro single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography imaging of hNIS-mediated
99m
TcO
4
−
uptake allows for accurate in vivo quantification of AAV9-driven gene expression, which increases under ischemic conditions or neuraminidase desialylation in skeletal muscle.
The Functional Roles of the Amygdala and Prefrontal Cortex in Processing Uncertainty
Authors: FeldmanHall Oriel , Glimcher Paul , Baker Augustus L. ,   NYU PROSPEC Collaboration, Phelps Elizabeth A.
Published: July 2019

Decisions under uncertainty distinguish between those made under risk (known probabilities) and those made under ambiguity (unknown probabilities). Despite widespread interest in decisions under uncertainty and the successful documentation that these distinct psychological constructs profoundly—and differentially—impact behavior, research has not been able to systematically converge on which brain regions are functionally involved in processing risk and ambiguity. We merge a lesion approach with computational modeling and simultaneous measurement of the arousal response to investigate the impact the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), lateral prefrontal cortex (lPFC), and amygdala have on decisions under uncertainty. Results reveal that the lPFC acts as a unitary system for processing uncertainty: Lesions to this region disrupted the relationship between arousal and choice, broadly increasing both risk and ambiguity seeking. In contrast, the mPFC and amygdala appeared to play no role in processing risk, and the mPFC only had a tenuous relationship with ambiguous uncertainty. Together, these findings reveal that only the lPFC plays a global role in processing the highly aversive nature of uncertainty.
A Generative Model for Punctuation in Dependency Trees
Authors: Li Xiang Lisa , Wang Dingquan , Eisner Jason
Published: July 2019

Treebanks traditionally treat punctuation marks as ordinary words, but linguists have suggested that a tree’s “true” punctuation marks are not observed (Nunberg, 1990). These latent “underlying” marks serve to delimit or separate constituents in the syntax tree. When the tree’s yield is rendered as a written sentence, a string rewriting mechanism transduces the underlying marks into “surface” marks, which are part of the observed (surface) string but should not be regarded as part of the tree. We formalize this idea in a generative model of punctuation that admits efficient dynamic programming. We train it without observing the underlying marks, by locally maximizing the incomplete data likelihood (similarly to the EM algorithm). When we use the trained model to reconstruct the tree’s underlying punctuation, the results appear plausible across 5 languages, and in particular are consistent with Nunberg’s analysis of English. We show that our generative model can be used to beat baselines on punctuation restoration. Also, our reconstruction of a sentence’s underlying punctuation lets us appropriately render the surface punctuation (via our trained underlying-to-surface mechanism) when we syntactically transform the sentence.
Learning End-to-End Goal-Oriented Dialog with Maximal User Task Success and Minimal Human Agent Use
Authors: Rajendran Janarthanan , Ganhotra Jatin , Polymenakos Lazaros C.
Published: July 2019

Neural end-to-end goal-oriented dialog systems showed promise to reduce the workload of human agents for customer service, as well as reduce wait time for users. However, their inability to handle new user behavior at deployment has limited their usage in real world. In this work, we propose an end-to-end trainable method for neural goal-oriented dialog systems that handles new user behaviors at deployment by transferring the dialog to a human agent intelligently. The proposed method has three goals: 1) maximize user’s task success by transferring to human agents, 2) minimize the load on the human agents by transferring to them only when it is essential, and 3) learn online from the human agent’s responses to reduce human agents’ load further. We evaluate our proposed method on a modified-bAbI dialog task, 1 which simulates the scenario of new user behaviors occurring at test time. Experimental results show that our proposed method is effective in achieving the desired goals.
‘Interpreters of Interpreters’
Authors: Seppänen Minna , Lampinen Antti
Published: July 2019

We discuss analogies between oracular and grammatical interpretation, as reflected in our Greek and Latin sources from the Classical era to the High Empire. The two hermeneutical professions of µάντις and γραµµατικός both aim at elucidating the thought (διάνοια) involved in the interpretandum. This is a notion quite frequently made at one level or another in ancient literature, as evidenced for example in writings by Plato, Crates of Mallus, Aristarchus, Cicero, Nigidius Figulus, and Sextus Empiricus.
Desmodium amplistipulaceum (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae), a new species from northwest region of Chiapas, Mexico
Authors: TORRES-COLÍN LETICIA , ALVARADO-CÁRDENAS LEONARDO O.
Published: July 2019

Desmodium amplistipulaceum, a new species from the evergreen tropical forest of La Sepultura Biosphere Reserve, Chiapas, is described and illustrated. Morphologically it is very similar to Desmodium helleri, but it differs from this by persistent and widely ovate stipules; inflorescences in simple racemes and slightly hirsute sessile loments with 4 or 5 articles. It includes a morphological description, map of distribution and comparative photographs of the calyx, trichomes of calyx and gynoecium and stigma for both species, as well as an identification key to differentiate all the Desmodium species from La Sepultura, Chiapas.
Geothelphusa makatao sp. nov. (Crustacea: Brachyura: Potamidae), a new freshwater crab from an uplifted Pleistocene reef in Taiwan
Authors: SHIH HSI-TE , SHY JHY-YUN
Published: July 2019

A new species of potamid freshwater crab, Geothelphusa makatao, is described from southwestern Taiwan, based on morphological characters and mitochondrial DNA evidence. The new species differs from close congeners, G. pingtung Tan & Liu, 1998, G. shernshan Chen, Cheng & Shy, 2005, and G. ancylophallus Shy, Ng & Yu, 1994 and a superficially similar species, G. albogilva Shy, Ng & Yu, 1994, in the structure of its ambulatory legs, thoracic sternum, male abdomen, and male first pleopods. The unique gene sequences of 16S rRNA and cytochrome oxidase I also support the recognition of this coastal population, which is isolated from other closely related species inhabiting montane areas. Except for G. makatao, the phylogenetic analysis showed that there are three additional hill subclades within the G. pingtung clade, G. shernshan, G. pingtung and the Liangshan subclade, situated in different watersheds of rivers or streams near the Central Range in the southwestern Taiwan.
Neotype designation for Cunaxa setirostris (Hermann, 1804) (Acari: Prostigmata: Cunaxidae)
Authors: HEYER JACOB DEN , SERGEYENKO ALEXEY L.
Published: July 2019

A neotype is designated for Cunaxa setirostris (Hermann, 1804). A full motivation, description and drawings of both sexes are provided.
Denticulobasis and Tuberculobasis, new genera close to Leptobasis, with description of ten new species (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)
Authors: MACHADO ANGELO B. M.
Published: July 2019

Two new genera, Denticulobasis and Tuberculobasis, are described. Denticulobasis contains three species: D. dunklei sp. nov. from Loreto, Peru, and D. garrisoni sp.nov. and D. ariken sp. nov. from Rondônia, Brazil. Tuberculobasis includes 12 spp., all from South America, seven of which are new, viz.: T. arara sp. nov. from Rondônia, Brazil, T. geijskesi sp.nov. from Suriname, T. guarani sp. nov. from São Paulo, Brazil, T. karitiana sp.nov. from Rondônia, Brazil, T. macuxi sp.nov. from Roraima, Brazil, T. tirio sp. nov. from Pará, Brazil, and T. williamsoni sp.nov. from Colombia and Venezuela. Five species are herein transferred from Leptobasis Selys, 1877 to Tuberculobasis: L. cardinalis (Fraser, 1946), L. costalimai Santos, 1957, L. inversa Selys, 1876, L. mammilaris Calvert, 1909, and L. yanomami De Marmels, 1992. The new genera are close to Leptobasis; differences between them are analyzed and their diagnostic characters are described. In addition, diagnostic characters of females of three species of Tuberculobasis, most likely new, are illustrated but they are not named. A key for males and females of Tuberculobasis is provided, and an attempt to understand their life cycle is made.
Two new species of the genus Uralaphorura Martynova, 1978 (Collembola: Onychiuridae) from Siberia
Authors: BABENKO ANATOLY
Published: July 2019

Two new species of the genus Uralaphorura from Yakutia, Russia, U. varicellata sp. nov. and U. yanensis sp. nov. are described and illustrated. The former is characterised by an increased and unstable number of pseudocelli, the latter is similar to U. schilovi (Martynova, 1976) but differs in having pointed tibiotarsal setae and the absence of unpaired axial setae on the tergum of Abd.VI. Some remarks on U. schilovi based on a study of the type-material are also given.
Tanaidaceans (Crustacea: Malacostraca: Peracarida) from soft-sediment habitats off Israel, Eastern Mediterranean
Authors: BAMBER ROGER N , BIRD GRAHAM , BŁAŻEWICZ-PASZKOWYCZ MAGDALENA , GALIL BELLA
Published: July 2019

Tanaidacean material collected by the Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research (IOLR) surveys between 2005 and 2007, in the Levant Sea off the coast of Israel, has been studied. A total of 21,731 individuals representing 15 species and 11 genera was identified from 351 samples. Of the eight species of Apseudomorpha, one, a species of Leviapseudes, is new to the Mediterranean, and probably to science, but the damaged immature material precludes description and diagnosis. The continued presence in this region of the Erythrean species Cristapseudes omercooperi was confirmed. Of the seven species of Tanaidomorpha, five are previously undescribed species, one each in the genera Akanthophoreus, Leptochelia, Pseudotanais, Typhlotanais and Tanaissus, the last being the commonest tanaidacean in the samples, yet the first record of the genus for the Mediterranean.
A new genus and five new species of Diptilomiopidae (Acari: Eriophyoidea) from south China
Authors: WEI SUI-GAI , WANG GUO-QUAN , LI DE-WEI
Published: July 2019

A new genus and five new species of Diptilomiopidae are described and illustrated in this paper. Of these, three are in the Rhyncaphytoptinae: Scoliquadracus longipetiolatus n. gen. & n. sp. infesting Fagus longipetiolata Seem. (Fagaceae), Rhyncaphytoptus brassaiopsus n. sp. infesting Brassaiopsis glomerulata (Bl.) Regel (Araliaceae), and Rhyncaphytoptus debregeasus n. sp. infesting Debregeasia elliptica C. J. Chen (Urticaceae); and two are in the Diptilomiopinae: Apodiptacus archiboehmerus n. sp. infesting Archiboehmeria atrata (Gagnep.) C. J. Chen (Urticaceae), and Trimeroptes lambertianus n. sp. infesting Rubus lambertianus Ser. (Rosaceae).
Neotype of Neofelis diardi (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae)
Authors: CHRISTIANSEN PER
Published: July 2019

The recent recognition that the clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) is, in fact, two different species, which differ substantially with respects to craniodental and pelage morphology and genome characters, and the confusion about the initial descriptions of this taxon prompt designation of a neotype of Neofelis diardi. In this paper a neotype specimen consisting of a mounted skin, a skull, and a mandible (RMNH1981) is designated, which are housed at the National Museum of Natural History (Naturalis), in Leiden, the Netherlands. The type locality of Neofelis diardi is fixed as Palembang, Sumatra, under Article 76 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, rather than the original and erroneous locality of Java by Cuvier.
Redescription of Anovia circumclusa (Gorham) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Noviini), with first description of the egg, larva, and pupa, and notes on adult intraspecific elytral pattern variation
Authors: FORRESTER JUANITA A. , VANDENBERG NATALIA J. , MCHUGH JOSEPH V.
Published: July 2019

Anovia circumclusa (Gorham), a neotropical lady beetle, recently was recorded in North America for the first time. Previously, only the adult form of this beneficial predator had been described. This paper provides a redescription of the adult and the first descriptions of the egg, larva, and pupa. Diagnostic characters for the genus and species are given, and intraspecific color variation in Anovia adults is discussed.
First record of a Japanese marine shore dolichopodid fly, Thambemyia (= Conchopus) borealis (Takagi), from the Neotropical Region (Diptera: Dolichopodidae)
Authors: BROOKS SCOTT E. , CUMMING JEFFREY M.
Published: July 2019

Thambemyia Oldroyd is a marine shore dolichopodid genus in the aphrosyline subgroup of the subfamily Hydrophorinae. The genus was erected by Oldroyd (1956) based on the greatly elongated proboscis of the Malaysian species T. pagdeni Oldroyd. Since the early 1980’s the generic limits of Thambemyia have been in flux as a result of differing opinions regarding the proposed synonymy of the related genus Conchopus Takagi, 1965 by Meuffels & Grootaert (1984). Masunaga et al. (2005) argued to retain the generic status of Conchopus in a much restricted sense (i.e., the rectus species group of Takagi), but did not provide evidence to support that classification, however later Masunaga in Zhu et al. (2005) appears to have reversed this decision. Recent catalogs have all treated Conchopus as a junior synonym of Thambemyia (Bickel & Dyte 1989; Pollet et al. 2004; Yang et al. 2006). Presently Thambemyia (sensu Meuffels & Grootaert 1984) includes 24 described species from Japan, China and the Hawaiian Islands (Yang et al. 2006). Masunaga & Saigusa (2006) reported an additional five undescribed species (as Conchopus) from the Hawaiian Islands.