Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The amblyopic eye in subjects with anisometropia show increased saccadic latency in the delayed saccade task

The term amblyopia is used to describe reduced visual function in one eye (or both eyes, though not so often) which cannot be fully improved by refractive correction and explained by the organic cause observed during regular eye examination. Amblyopia is associated with abnormal visual experience (e.g., anisometropia) during infancy or early childhood. Several studies have shown prolongation of saccadic latency time in amblyopic eye. In our opinion, study of saccadic latency in the context of central vision deficits assessment, should be based on central retina stimulation. For this reason, we proposed saccade delayed task. It requires inhibitory processing for maintaining fixation on the central target until it disappears—what constitutes the GO signal for saccade. The experiment consisted of 100 trials for each eye and was performed under two viewing conditions: monocular amblyopic/non-dominant eye and monocular dominant eye. We examined saccadic latency in 16 subjects (mean age 30 ± 11 years) with anisometropic amblyopia (two subjects had also microtropia) and in 17 control subjects (mean age 28 ± 8 years). Participants were instructed to look at central (fixation) target and when it disappears, to make the saccade toward the periphery (10°) as fast as possible, either left or the right target. The study results have proved the significant difference in saccadic latency between the amblyopic (mean 262 ± 48 ms) and dominant (mean 237 ± 45 ms) eye, in anisometropic group. In the control group, the saccadic latency for dominant (mean 226 ± 32 ms) and non-dominant (mean 230 ± 29 ms) eye was not significantly different. By the use of LATER (Linear Approach to the Threshold with Ergodic Rate) decision model we interpret our findings as a decrease in accumulation of visual information acquired by means of central retina in subjects with anisometropic amblyopia.
Cloning and characterization of a naturally occurring soluble form of TGF-β type I receptor.

Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) has been implicated to play an important role both in the process of normal development and in the pathogenesis of a wide variety of disease processes, including those of the kidney. TGF-β1 regulates diverse cellular functions via a heteromeric signaling complex of two transmembrane serine/threonine kinase receptors (types I and II). Several distinct type I receptors have been described and are thought to determine specificity of the TGF-β response and confer multifunctionality. This report reveals the cloning of a novel, naturally occurring soluble form of TGF-β type I receptor, designated sTβR-I, from a rat kidney cDNA library. In vivo expression of a mRNA transcript encoding the sTβR-I, which lacks the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains, is confirmed by RT-PCR followed by Southern blot analysis and by RNase protection assay. The sTβR-I mRNA abundance is greater in the neonatal rat kidney compared with the adult rat kidney. Furthermore, sTβR-I is a functional protein capable of binding TGF-β1 ligands in the presence of a TGF-β type II receptor on the cell surface, as determined by affinity cross-linking with 125I-labeled TGF-β1. Studies using p3TP-Lux reporter construct reveal that this novel protein may function as a potentiator of TGF-β signaling. The discovery of a sTβR-I provides an additional level of complexity to the TGF-β receptor system.
Voltage island management in near threshold manycore architectures to mitigate dark silicon

The power-wall problem driven by the stagnation of supply voltages in deep-submicron technology nodes, is now the major scaling barrier for moving towards the manycore era. Although the technology scaling enables extreme volumes of computational power, power budget violations will permit only a limited portion to be actually exploited, leading to the so called dark silicon. Near-Threshold voltage Computing (NTC) has emerged as a promising approach to overcome the manycore power-wall, at the expenses of reduced performance values and higher sensitivity to process variations. Given that several application domains operate over specific performance constraints, the performance sustainability is considered a major issue for the wide adoption of NTC. Thus, in this paper, we investigate how performance guarantees can be ensured when moving towards NTC manycores through variability-aware voltage and frequency allocation schemes. We propose three aggressive NTC voltage tuning and allocation strategies, showing that STC performance can be efficiently sustained or even optimized at the NTC regime. Finally, we show that NTC highly depends on the underlying workload characteristics, delivering average power gains of 65% for thread-parallel workloads and up to 90% for process-parallel workloads, while offering an extensive analysis on the effects of different voltage tuning/allocation strategies and voltage regulator configurations.
Exploring the Use of BitTorrent as the Basis for a Large Trace Repository

Motivated by the need to deploy a public repository of multi-gigabyte trace files, we studied the BitTorrent protocol’s ability to disseminate very large files among peers. BitTorrent is a popular peer-to-peer protocol that allows parallel downloads of large files. In this paper, we analyzed user activity on BitTorrent over a four-month period with respect to supportable file sizes, file popularity, session lengths, transfer speeds, and the likelihood of service-interrupting flash crowds. Our results show that file sizes tend to be on the order of gigabytes, far larger than other peer-to-peer applications. File popularity has a distribution similar to other peer-to-peer file sharing systems. Unlike other systems, the majority of users require multiple sessions to retrieve a file, and they are willing to remain connected to the system for a very long time. Most users we observed appear to have asymmetric Internet connections, and their generally poor upload performance is mitigated by their willingness to remain connected to the system and upload for an amount of time far longer than they spent downloading. We found that service disruption due to flash crowds is unlikely, as the vast majority of users were able to begin contributing resources back to the system within seconds of connecting. Our results indicate that BitTorrent provides an effective foundation for dissemination of files that are multi-gigabyte or larger, provided more sophisticated features are added like versioning, availability, and content management.
Separating the communication complexities of MOD m and MOD p circuits

The author proves in this paper that it is much harder to evaluate depth-2, size-N circuits with MOD m gates than with MOD p gates by k-party communication protocols: he shows a k-party protocol which communicates O(1) bits to evaluate circuits with MOD p gates, while evaluating circuits with MOD m gates needs Omega (N) bits, where p denotes a prime, and m a composite, non-prime power number. As a corollary, for all m, he shows a function, computable with a depth-2 circuit with MOD m gates, but not with any depth-2 circuit with MOD p gates. He proves in the second part that the GIP function by L. Babai et al. (1989) needs exponential size in n when it is computed by some depth-3 circuits, with threshold, symmetric, and MOD m gates. <<ETX>>
Comparing the quality management practices in UK SMEs

Purpose – The last two decades have witnessed an explosion of research into the area of quality initiatives (QI) such as ISO, total quality management, lean, Kaizen and its application within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). However, very few empirical studies have reported the application of Six Sigma in SMEs; the reasons may be attributed to several myths associated with Six Sigma. The purpose of this paper is to assess the current status of QI in the UK manufacturing SMEs and report the differences in the quality management practices of Six Sigma SMEs against the ISO certified firms. Design/methodology/approach – A survey-based approach was adopted to understand the established quality management practices in the UK SMEs. A short survey instrument was designed by reviewing the literature on quality improvement initiatives in SMEs. A sample of 500 manufacturing SMEs across UK was selected through stratified random sampling technique. Findings – A response rate of 12.7 per cent was achieved and included respondents at senior management and middle management level across the manufacturing industry in the UK. Data analysis on the history of quality initiatives (QI) in SMEs indicated towards the trend that ISO may be the foundation or building block before embarking on lean or Six Sigma. Differences in quality management practices such as customer focused measures and method of knowledge transfer to employees, were observed in Six Sigma and ISO certified SMEs. The main reasons cited for not implementing Six Sigma in SMEs were lack of knowledge or understanding of the system and limited resources. A significant difference in the performance of Six Sigma/lean firms against ISO certified companies were observed with respect to the strategic and operational measures of organizational performance. Research limitations/implications – The limited response rate from the survey in the UK manufacturing SMEs will affect the generalizability of study to entire SME population. To negate the limitations of this study, a multiple multi-level case studies will be conducted in SMEs in the next phase of doctoral research. Future study should focus on performing a global survey on quality management practices in SMEs. Originality/value – The novelty of the paper lies in conducting a comparative study on the quality management practices in Six Sigma and non-Six Sigma UK SMEs and measuring its impact on the performance of the firm. This study will facilitate in demystifying the myth that Six Sigma is only applicable in large organizations.
Delay-dependent stability criteria for linear systems with multiple time delays

The problem of the delay-dependent stability of linear systems with multiple time delays is discussed. A new method is first presented for a system with two time delays, in which free weighting matrices are used to express the relationships among the terms of the Leibniz-Newton formula. Next, this method is used to show the equivalence between a system with two identical time delays and a system with a single time delay. Then, a numerical example verifies that the criterion given is effective and is a significant improvement over the existing ones. Finally, the basic idea is extended to a system with multiple time delays.
BENZO[A]PYRENE-INDUCED ORAL CARCINOGENESIS AND CHEMOPREVENTION: STUDIES IN BIOENGINEERED HUMAN TISSUE

Oral cancer, originating from smoking-induced lesions of the basal cells in the complex stratified oral epithelium, is difficult to treat. Early detection of premalignant lesions, e.g., leukoplakia, has suggested the possibility of chemopreventive measures, such as topical application of antimutagenic/antiproliferative dietary or pharmaceutical agents. As an extension of a study in human oral epithelial cell monolayers, we determined the carcinogen, i.e., benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), transport, bioactivation, and DNA binding in a bioengineered human gingival epithelial tissue construct and the chemopreventive effects of dietary polyphenols. Short-term experiments showed that both types of compounds can traverse this tissue as well as be effectively taken up by the tissue. The model cigarette smoke carcinogen BaP very slowly, but to a great extent, accumulated in the tissue with maximal uptake at 24 h. Such exposure clearly resulted in DNA binding of BaP by the tissue. This DNA binding was associated with BaP-induced CYP1B1 as well as CYP1A1 expression, as evidenced by mRNA measurements. Cotreatment of the oral tissue with dietary polyphenols, including resveratrol and quercetin, and BaP, resulted in significant inhibition of the BaP-DNA binding. Using fluorescence microscopy as well as simultaneous autoradiography, we also demonstrated that quercetin indeed penetrates the entire stratified tissue layer, but that quercetin was also oxidized within the cells. Thus, this bioengineered oral tissue construct opens up improved ways of understanding and preventing/treating smoking-induced oral cancer.
Elimination of Basal Lamina and the Collagen “Scar” after Spinal Cord Injury Fails to Augment Corticospinal Tract Regeneration

The production of specific extracellular matrix molecules is upregulated following injury to the adult CNS, and some of these molecules have been postulated to inhibit axonal regeneration. In particular, the deposition of collagen in conjunction with basal lamina formation has been correlated with the failure of CNS axons to extend beyond sites of injury. In the present experiment, the spatial and temporal distribution of fibrillar collagen type III and the main constituents of basal lamina (collagen type IV and laminin) were characterized after defined lesions of the adult spinal cord at cervical and thoracic levels. The deposition of collagen was then blocked in animals undergoing defined mid-thoracic spinal cord lesions by administration of the iron chelator 2,2'-bipyridine, and subsequent effects on corticospinal axonal growth were examined. At time points from 1 to 6 weeks postinjury, collagen and laminin were deposited at spinal cord lesion sites as a dense matrix at the host-lesion interface that extended for short distances into the surrounding spinal cord parenchyma. The failure of corticospinal axons to grow beyond the lesioned region correlated spatially and temporally with collagen III formation and basal lamina production. However, successful blockade of collagen and basal lamina formation with 2,2'-bipyridine injections failed to enhance corticospinal axon regeneration or sprouting. These results suggest either that collagen and basal lamina formation after CNS injury do not contribute to corticospinal axonal growth failure or, more likely, that molecules in addition to collagen and basal lamina contribute to axonal growth failure and must be collectively blocked to promote corticospinal regeneration.
Relationship of perceived competencies, perceived social support, and gender to substance use in young adolescents.

OBJECTIVE This survey study explores the relationship between area-specific perceived self-competence, perceived social support, gender, and substance use in young adolescents. METHOD Questionnaires were administered to 140 male and 131 female adolescents attending middle school to assess self-perception of competencies, social support, and substance use. Correlations were performed between the predictor variables and the substance use measures. Hierarchical multiple regressions were also used to identify potential interactions between gender, perceived competencies, and perceived social support in the prediction of specific substances. RESULTS Higher perceived scholastic competence was associated with less substance use in both genders. In boys, more perceived support from teachers, and to a lesser degree parents, was associated with less substance use, particularly in those with low scholastic competence. In girls, social support was unrelated to substance use except for support from classmates, which was associated with more cigarette and marijuana use. However, in girls with low scholastic competence, more support from peers was consistently associated with more substance use. CONCLUSIONS The gender differences in risk factors for early substance use identified in this study deserve further investigation, in view of their potential relevance for adolescent substance abuse prevention and early intervention.
Self-Reported Facial Pain in UK Biobank Study: Prevalence and Associated Factors

ABSTRACT Objectives To determine the prevalence of facial pain and to examine the hypothesis that symptoms are associated with socio-demographic, dental, adverse psychological factors and pain elsewhere in the body. Material and Methods Cross-sectional population data were obtained from UK Biobank (www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/) study which was conducted in 2006 - 2010 and recruited over 500,000 people. Results The overall prevalence of facial pain (FP) was 1.9% (women 2.4%, men 1.2%) of which 48% was chronic. The highest prevalence was found in the 51 - 55 age group (2.2%) and the lowest in the 66 - 73 age group (1.4%). There was a difference in prevalence by ethnicity (0.8% and 2.7% in persons reporting themselves as Chinese and Mixed respectively). Prevalence of FP significantly associated with all measures of social class with the most deprived and on lowest income showing the highest prevalence (2.5% and 2.4% respectively). FP was more common in individuals who rated themselves as extremely unhappy, had history of depression and reported sleep problems. Smoking associated with increase in reporting FP while alcohol consumption had inverse association. FP associated with history of painful gums, toothache and all types of regional pain. Conclusions This is the largest ever study to provide estimates of facial pain prevalence. It demonstrates unique features (lower prevalence than previously reported) and common features (more common in women) and confirms multifactorial aetiology of facial pain. Significant association with psychological distress and a strong relationship to pain elsewhere in the body suggests that aetiology is not specific to this regional pain.
Knowledge of and technique for using inhalation devices among asthma patients and COPD patients.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate knowledge of and techniques for using prescribed inhalation devices among patients with asthma or COPD treated at a tertiary teaching hospital. METHODS Patients were assessed after medical visits, and their physicians were blinded to this fact. Patients were asked to demonstrate their inhaler technique and were then interviewed regarding their knowledge of inhalation devices, control of the disease and instructions received during medical visits. RESULTS We included 120 volunteers: 60 with asthma and 60 with COPD. All of the asthma patients and 98.3% of the COPD patients claimed to know how to use inhaled medications. In the sample as a whole, 113 patients (94.2%) committed at least one error when using the inhalation device. Patients committed more errors when using metered-dose inhalers than when using the dry-powder inhalers Aerolizer (p < 0.001) or Pulvinal (p < 0.001), as well as committing more errors when using the Aerolizer inhaler than when using the Pulvinal inhaler (p < 0.05). Using the metered-dose, Pulvinal and Aerolizer inhalers, the COPD group patients committed more errors than did the asthma group patients (p = 0.0023, p = 0.0065 and p = 0.012, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Although the majority of the patients claimed to know how to use inhalation devices, the fact that 94.2% committed at least one error shows that their technique was inappropriate and reveals a discrepancy between understanding and practice. Therefore, it is not sufficient to ask patients whether they know how to use inhalation devices. Practical measures should be taken in order to minimize errors and optimize treatment.
A Robust Delaunay Triangulation Matching for Multispectral/Multidate Remote Sensing Image Registration

A novel dual-graph-based matching method is proposed in this letter particularly for the multispectral/multidate images with low overlapping areas, similar patterns, or large transformations. First, scale invariant feature transform based matching is improved by normalizing gradient orientations and maximizing the scale ratio similarity of all corresponding points. Next, Delaunay graphs are generated for outlier removal, and the candidate outliers are selected by comparing the distinction of Delaunay graph structures. In order to bring back the inliers removed in Delaunay triangulation matching iterations and to exclude the remaining outliers, the recovery strategy equipped with the dual graph of Delaunay is explored. Inliers located in the corresponding Voronoi cells are recovered to the residual sets. The experimental results demonstrate the accuracy and robustness of the proposed algorithm for various representative remote sensing images.
Food security and the effects of climatic factors on livestock reproduction

To maximize efficiency and meet the demand for animal-derived products of an increasingly population, livestock production systems need to evolve and be fine-tuned to increase their efficiency both in the use of resources and output of products. The first manuscript investigated the effects of climatic variables on the quality grade and quantity of in vivo derived cattle embryos in the Midwestern United States. The response variables included the number of ovarian structures, viable embryos, quality grade 1 embryos, quality grade 2 embryos, quality grade 3 embryos, freezable embryos (sum of quality grade 1 and quality grade 2 embryos), transferable embryos (sum of quality grade 1–3 embryos), degenerate embryos and unfertilized ova. A negative effect of greater temperatures during the early embryonic development stage tended (P < 0.10) to be associated with a decrease in the quality of embryos recovered. Wind speed during the estrous synchronization period was also associated with a lesser number of embryos recovered (P < 0.05). Increased wind speed at the early antral follicular phase 40–45 days prior to ovulation was associated with an increase in the percentage of quality grade 1 embryos recovered (P < 0.05). This retrospective study confirms that climatic variables have significant effects on the in vivo production of cattle embryos and that wind speed should be considered in future analyses of factors affecting embryo quality. The second manuscript aimed to determine the possible existence of any effects of lunar cycles and other variables on boar ejaculate variables and to examine those effects relative to other possible factors. Moon phase, greatest daily temperature (T), least daily T, average daily relative humidity (RH), temperature-humidity index (THI), season and the interaction of moon phase with season were analyzed at the day of collection and 45
The unruptured intracranial aneurysm treatment score

Objective: We endeavored to develop an unruptured intracranial aneurysm (UIA) treatment score (UIATS) model that includes and quantifies key factors involved in clinical decision-making in the management of UIAs and to assess agreement for this model among specialists in UIA management and research. Methods: An international multidisciplinary (neurosurgery, neuroradiology, neurology, clinical epidemiology) group of 69 specialists was convened to develop and validate the UIATS model using a Delphi consensus. For internal (39 panel members involved in identification of relevant features) and external validation (30 independent external reviewers), 30 selected UIA cases were used to analyze agreement with UIATS management recommendations based on a 5-point Likert scale (5 indicating strong agreement). Interrater agreement (IRA) was assessed with standardized coefficients of dispersion (vr*) (vr* = 0 indicating excellent agreement and vr* = 1 indicating poor agreement). Results: The UIATS accounts for 29 key factors in UIA management. Agreement with UIATS (mean Likert scores) was 4.2 (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.1–4.3) per reviewer for both reviewer cohorts; agreement per case was 4.3 (95% CI 4.1–4.4) for panel members and 4.5 (95% CI 4.3–4.6) for external reviewers (p = 0.017). Mean Likert scores were 4.2 (95% CI 4.1–4.3) for interventional reviewers (n = 56) and 4.1 (95% CI 3.9–4.4) for noninterventional reviewers (n = 12) (p = 0.290). Overall IRA (vr*) for both cohorts was 0.026 (95% CI 0.019–0.033). Conclusions: This novel UIA decision guidance study captures an excellent consensus among highly informed individuals on UIA management, irrespective of their underlying specialty. Clinicians can use the UIATS as a comprehensive mechanism for indicating how a large group of specialists might manage an individual patient with a UIA.