Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Iontophoresis Transcorneal Delivery Technique for Transepithelial Corneal Collagen Crosslinking With Riboflavin in a Rabbit Model.

PURPOSE We compared an iontophoresis riboflavin delivery technique for transepithelial corneal collagen crosslinking (I-CXL) with a conventional CXL (C-CXL). METHODS We designed three experimental sets using 152 New Zealand rabbits to study riboflavin application by iontophoresis using charged riboflavin solution (Ricrolin+) with a 1-mA current for 5 minutes. The first set was to compare riboflavin concentration measured by HPLC in corneas after iontophoresis or conventional riboflavin application. The second set was to analyze autofluorescence and stromal collagen modification immediately and 14 days after I-CXL or C-CXL, by using nonlinear two-photon microscopy (TP) and second harmonic generation (SHG). In the third set, physical modifications after I-CXL and C-CXL were evaluated by stress-strain measurements and by studying corneal resistance against collagenase digestion. RESULTS Based on HPLC analysis, we found that iontophoresis allowed riboflavin diffusion with 2-fold less riboflavin concentration than conventional application (936.2 ± 312.5 and 1708 ± 908.3 ng/mL, respectively, P < 0.05). Corneal TP and SHG imaging revealed that I-CXL and C-CXL resulted in a comparable increased anterior and median stromal autofluorescence and collagen packing. The stress at 10% strain showed a similar stiffness of corneas treated by I-CXL or C-CXL (631.9 ± 241.5 and 680.3 ± 216.4 kPa, respectively, P = 0.908). Moreover, we observed an increased resistance against corneal collagenase digestion after I-CXL and C-CXL (61.90% ± 5.28% and 72.21% ± 4.32% of remaining surface, respectively, P = 0.154). CONCLUSIONS This experimental study suggests that I-CXL is a promising alternative methodology for riboflavin delivery in crosslinking treatments, preserving the epithelium.
Helping GPs to extrapolate guideline recommendations to patients for whom there are no explicit recommendations, through the visualization of drug properties. The example of AntibioHelp® in bacterial diseases

INTRODUCTION Clinical decision support systems (CDSS) implementing clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) have 2 main limitations: they target only patients for whom CPGs provide explicit recommendations, and their rationale may be difficult to understand. These 2 limitations result in poor CDSS adoption. We designed AntibioHelp® as a CDSS for antibiotic treatment. It displays the recommended and nonrecommended antibiotics, together with their properties, weighted by degree of importance as outlined in the CPGs. The aim of this study was to determine whether AntibioHelp® could increase the confidence of general practitioners (GPs) in CPG recommendations and help them to extrapolate guidelines to patients for whom CPGs provide no explicit recommendations. MATERIALS AND METHODS We carried out a 2-stage crossover study in which GPs responded to clinical cases using CPG recommendations either alone or with explanations displayed through AntibioHelp®. We compared error rates, confidence levels, and response times. RESULTS We included 64 GPs. When no explicit recommendation existed for a particular situation, AntibioHelp® significantly decreased the error rate (-41%, P value = 6x10-13), and significantly increased GP confidence (+8%, P value = .02). This CDSS was considered to be usable by GPs (SUS score = 64), despite a longer interaction time (+9-22 seconds). By contrast, AntibioHelp® had no significant effect if there was an explicit recommendation. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION The visualization of weighted antibiotic properties helps GPs to extrapolate recommendations to patients for whom CPGs provide no explicit recommendations. It also increases GP confidence in their prescriptions for these patients. Further evaluations are required to determine the impact of AntibioHelp® on antibiotic prescriptions in real clinical practice.
POLAR CAP CASCADE SCENARIO : γ-RAY AND X-RAY LUMINOSITIES FROM SPIN-POWERED PULSARS

Canonical polar cap cascade models involve curvature radiation (CR) or inverse Compton scattering (ICS) of the primary particles and synchrotron radiation (SR) of the higher generation pairs. Here we modify such a cascade picture to include the ICS of the higher generation pairs. In such a “full-cascade” scenario, not only the perpendicular portion of the energy of the pairs goes to high energy radiation via SR, but the parallel portion of the energy of the pairs can also contribute to high energy emission via ICS with the soft thermal photons from either the full neutron star surface or the hot polar cap. The efficiency of converting particles’ kinetic energy to radiation by ICS is very high if the scatterings occur in the “resonant” regime. As a result, almost 100% of the energy input from the pulsar inner accelerators could be converted to high energy emission. An important output of such a scenario is that the soft tail of the ICS spectrum can naturally result in a non-thermal X-ray component which can contribute to the luminosities observed by ROSAT and ASCA. Here we present an analytic description of such a full polar cap cascade scenario using the recursion relationships between adjacent generations following the approach first proposed by Lu et al. (1994), but develop it to be able to delineate the complex full-cascade process. The acceleration model we adopted is the space-charge-limited flow model proposed by Harding & Muslimov (1998). We present the theoretical predictions of the γ-ray luminosities, the thermal and non-thermal X-ray luminosities for the known spin-powered X-ray pulsars (8 of them are also γ-ray pulsars), and compare them with the observations from CGRO, ROSAT and ASCA. We estimate the non-thermal X-ray luminosity by including all the possible ICS branches contributing to a certain energy band, and estimate both the full surface and hot polar cap thermal X-ray luminosities by adopting a standard neutron star cooling scenario, and by treating self-consistent polar cap heating in the Harding & Muslimov (1998) model, respectively. Our results show that the observed different dependences of the high energy luminosities on the pulsar spin-down luminosities, i.e., Lγ ∝ (Lsd) 1/2 and Lx ∼ 10 Lsd, are well reproduced. We found that, for normal pulsars, both the hard (ASCA band) and the soft (ROSAT band) X-ray luminosities are dominated by the non-thermal X-rays of ICS origin, although for some pulsars, thermal components due to either neutron star cooling or polar cap heating can have comparable luminosities so that they are detectable. For the millisecond pulsars, our predicted upper limits of the thermal luminosities due to polar cap heating are usually higher than the ICS-origin non-thermal components if there are no strong multipolar magnetic field components near the neutron star surface, thus the pulsed soft X-rays in the ROSAT band from most of the millisecond pulsars might be of thermal origin. Subject headings: pulsar: general radiation mechanism: non-thermal X-rays: stars
Autism spectrum disorder: Trends in research exploring etiopathogenesis

Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition in which affected individuals have difficulties while interacting and communicating socially, and repetitive behaviors. It has a multifactorial etiology. Various risk factors, including genetic and environmental influences, have been explored while trying to understand its causation. As older evidence was suggestive of a high heritability, a majority of research focused on finding the underlying genetic causes of autism. Due to these efforts, there have been advances in the knowledge of some of the genetic factors associated with autism. But a recent trend also shows an increasing interest in exploration of various potential environmental triggers. These efforts have brought us closer to understanding the elusive disorder more so than ever before. The current review discusses the recent trends in research exploring the etiopathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder.
Genericity of zero Lyapunov exponents

We show that, for any compact surface, there is a residual (dense G_{\delta}) set of C^{1} area-preserving diffeomorphisms which either are Anosov or have zero Lyapunov exponents a.e. This result was announced by R. Mañé, but no proof was available. We also show that for any fixed ergodic dynamical system over a compact space, there is a residual set of continuous SL(2,\mathbb{R})-cocycles which either are uniformly hyperbolic or have zero exponents a.e.
Improvements in Performance Analysis of Photovoltaic Systems: Array Power Monitoring in Pulse Width Modulation Charge Controllers

Various challenges should be considered when measuring photovoltaic array power and energy in pulse width modulation (PWM) charge controllers. These controllers are frequently used not only in stand-alone photovoltaic (SAPV) systems, but may also be found in photovoltaic (PV) self-consumption systems with battery storage connected to the electricity grid. An acceptable solution may be reached using expensive data acquisition systems (DASs), although this could be generally disproportionate to the relatively low cost of SAPV systems. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to develop new and effective monitoring techniques which will provide the PV array direct current (DC), output power (PA,dc), and PV array DC output energy (EA), thus avoiding the use of sophisticated DASs and providing high accuracy for the calculated parameters. Only transducers and electronic circuits that provide the average and true rms values of the PWM signals are needed. The estimation of these parameters through the aforementioned techniques showed high accuracy for both series and shunt PWM battery charge controllers. Normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) was lower than 2.4%, normalized mean bias error (NMBE) was between −1.5% and 1.1%, and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) was within 1.6%.
Minimum Description Length Principle in Supervised Learning With Application to Lasso

The minimum description length (MDL) principle is extended to supervised learning. The MDL principle is a philosophy that the shortest description of given data leads to the best hypothesis about the data source. One of the key theories for the MDL principle is Barron and Cover’s theory (BC theory), which mathematically justifies the MDL principle based on two-stage codes in density estimation (unsupervised learning). Though the codelength of two-stage codes looks similar to the target function of penalized likelihood methods, parameter optimization of penalized likelihood methods is done without quantization of parameter space. Recently, Chatterjee and Barron have provided theoretical tools to extend BC theory to penalized likelihood methods by overcoming this difference. Indeed, applying their tools, they showed that the famous penalized likelihood method ‘lasso’ can be interpreted as an MDL estimator and enjoys performance guarantee by BC theory. An important fact is that their results assume a fixed design setting, which is essentially the same as unsupervised learning. The fixed design is natural if we use lasso for compressed sensing. If we use lasso for supervised learning, however, the fixed design is considerably unsatisfactory. Only random design is acceptable. However, it is inherently difficult to extend BC theory to the random design regardless of whether the parameter space is quantized or not. In this paper, a novel theoretical tool for extending BC theory to supervised learning (the random design setting and no quantization of parameter space) is provided. Applying this tool, when the covariates are subject to a Gaussian distribution, it is proved that lasso in the random design setting can also be interpreted as an MDL estimator, and that lasso enjoys the risk bound of BC theory. The risk/regret bounds obtained have several advantages inherited from BC theory. First, the bounds require remarkably few assumptions. Second, the bounds hold for any finite sample size $n$ and any finite feature number $p$ even if $n\ll p$ . Behavior of the regret bound is investigated by numerical simulations. We believe that this is the first extensions of BC theory to supervised learning (random design).
Boron Deficiency Increases Cytosolic Ca2+ Levels Mainly via Ca2+ Influx from the Apoplast in Arabidopsis thaliana Roots

Boron (B) is a micronutrient for plant development, and its deficiency alters many physiological processes. However, the current knowledge on how plants are able to sense the B-starvation signal is still very limited. Recently, it has been reported that B deprivation induces an increase in cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca2+]cyt) in Arabidopsis thaliana roots. The aim of this work was to research in Arabidopsis whether [Ca2+]cyt is restored to initial levels when B is resupplied and elucidate whether apoplastic Ca2+ is the major source for B-deficiency-induced rise in [Ca2+]cyt. The use of chemical compounds affecting Ca2+ homeostasis showed that the rise in root [Ca2+]cyt induced by B deficiency was predominantly owed to Ca2+ influx from the apoplast through plasma membrane Ca2+ channels in an IP3-independent manner. Furthermore, B resupply restored the root [Ca2+]cyt. Interestingly, expression levels of genes encoding Ca2+ transporters (ACA10, plasma membrane PIIB-type Ca2+-ATPase; and CAX3, vacuolar cation/proton exchanger) were upregulated by ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (EGTA) and abscisic acid (ABA). The results pointed out that ACA10, and especially CAX3, would play a major role in the restoration of Ca2+ homeostasis after 24 h of B deficiency.
Predictors of Seniors’ Interest in Assistive Applications on Smartphones: Evidence from a Population-Based Survey in Slovenia

Assistive applications (apps) on smartphones could contribute to a better quality of life for seniors living independently at home. At present, there is a lack of empirical evidence of seniors’ acceptance of such apps. The Cycle of Technology Acquirement by Independent-Living Seniors (C-TAILS) model was recently proposed for studying the interplay between acceptance factors by integrating the personal, social and technological domains of seniors’ daily lives. This study aimed to explore how four groups of factors, clustered in accordance with the C-TAILS model, predict seniors’ interest in assistive apps, on a representative sample of the Slovenian population aged 55 years or older. The 617 respondents, who were contacted though a telephone survey, answered a questionnaire about their interest in three groups of assistive apps and four groups of potentially associated acceptance factors. Three linear regression models were used to analyse the association between the factors and the seniors’ interest in the three types of assistive apps. Smartphone-related dispositional traits were the strongest predictors across all three models. Among mobile phone usage patterns, smartphone use and the breadth of mobile phone features used were significant factors, while the significance of seniors’ personal characteristics and socio-economic conditions varied across the models. Hence, awareness that these factors play different roles in the acceptance of different assistive apps is needed in order to design viable interventions for their acceptance among seniors.
The two cultures and the internet revolution

This document reinterprets C. P. Snow’s famous “Two Cultures” (the so-called “literary elite” and scientists) lecture of 1959, in light of advances in information systems in the past fifty years. While Snow referred to specific groups, his analysis is generalizable: cultural groups differentiate through lack of communication. Here Snow’s analysis and advice are applied to a different pair of “cultures”(IT purveyors and IT users) as an example of his general principles. At a time of great unease about terrorism in the face of apparently relentless technological advance – analogous to Snow’s speech at the height of the Cold War—and also during a time of (then) apparently dramatic technological advance, the lessons Snow derived can now apply usefully to today’s specific “two cultures” case.
Terahertz Spectroscopy and Imaging: A Cutting-Edge Method for Diagnosing Digestive Cancers

The Terahertz’s wavelength is located between the microwave and the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Because it is non-ionizing and non-invasive, Terahertz (THz)-based detection represents a very attractive tool for repeated assessments, patient monitoring, and follow-up. Cancer acts as the second leading cause of death in many regions, and current predictions estimate a continuous increasing trend. Of all types of tumors, digestive cancers represent an important percentage and their incidence is expected to increase more rapidly than other tumor types due to unhealthy lifestyle habits. Because it can precisely differentiate between different types of molecules, depending on water content, the information obtained through THz-based scanning could have several uses in the management of cancer patients and, more importantly, in the early detection of different solid tumors. The purpose of this manuscript is to offer a comprehensive overview of current data available on THz-based detection for digestive cancers. It summarizes the characteristics of THz waves and their interaction with tissues and subsequently presents available THz-based technologies (THz spectroscopy, THz-tomography, and THZ-endoscope) and their potential for future clinical use. The third part of the review is focused on highlighting current in vitro and in vivo research progress in the field, for identifying specific digestive cancers known as oral, esophageal, gastric, colonic, hepatic, and pancreatic tumors.
Assessing Impacts of Climate Change on Phenology and Quality Traits of Vitis vinifera L.: The Contribution of Local Knowledge

Developing adaptation strategies in Vitis vinifera, a crop sensitive to climate change, is crucial for resilience of traditional viticultural systems, especially in climate-vulnerable areas like the Mediterranean basin. A progressive warming is demonstrated to alter the geographical distribution of grapevine, reducing land capability for typical grapes and vine productions in most Southern European districts traditionally specialized in tree crops. Grapevine growth and reproduction under climate change require a continuous monitoring to adapt agronomic practices and strategies to global change. The present study illustrates an empirical approach grounded on a set of bio-physical indicators assessing the genotype-related response to climate variation. This approach was tested in Umbria, central Italy, to verify the response of some major international and local grapevine varieties to climate variation during a relatively long time interval (1995–2015). Long-term data for ripening time and berry quality collected in the study area were correlated to representative bioclimatic indices including Winkler, Huglin, and Cool night indicators. Results of this study highlighted the increase of air temperature (reflecting the inherent growth in thermal availability for maturation) and the alteration of precipitation patterns toward more intense precipitation. Climate variability exerted distinctive impacts on grapevine phenology depending on the related genotype. Empirical findings underline the usefulness of a permanent field monitoring of the relationship between selected climate variables and grape ripening with the aim to develop adaptive viticultural practices at farm’s scale.
Age-specific oxidative status and the expression of pre- and postcopulatory sexually selected traits in male red junglefowl, Gallus gallus

Oxidative stress is emerging as a key factor underpinning life history and the expression of sexually selected traits. Resolving the role of oxidative stress in life history and sexual selection requires a pluralistic approach, which investigates how age affects the relationship between oxidative status (i.e., antioxidants and oxidative damage) and the multiple traits contributing to variation in reproductive success. Here, we investigate the relationship between oxidative status and the expression of multiple sexually selected traits in two-age classes of male red junglefowl, Gallus gallus, a species which displays marked male reproductive senescence. We found that, irrespective of male age, both male social status and comb size were strongly associated with plasma oxidative status, and there was a nonsignificant tendency for sperm motility to be associated with seminal oxidative status. Importantly, however, patterns of plasma and seminal antioxidant levels differed markedly in young and old males. While seminal antioxidants increased with plasma antioxidants in young males, the level of seminal antioxidants remained low and was independent of plasma levels in old males. In addition, old males also accumulated more oxidative damage in their sperm DNA. These results suggest that antioxidant allocation across different reproductive traits and somatic maintenance might change drastically as males age, leading to age-specific patterns of antioxidant investment.
The Role of Chemokines in the Pathophysiology of Major Depressive Disorder

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating condition, whose high prevalence and multisymptomatic nature set its standing as a leading contributor to global disability. To better understand this psychiatric disease, various pathophysiological mechanisms have been proposed, including changes in monoaminergic neurotransmission, imbalance of excitatory and inhibitory signaling in the brain, hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and abnormalities in normal neurogenesis. While previous findings led to a deeper understanding of the disease, the pathogenesis of MDD has not yet been elucidated. Accumulating evidence has confirmed the association between chronic inflammation and MDD, which is manifested by increased levels of the C-reactive protein, as well as pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as Interleukin 1 beta, Interleukin 6, and the Tumor necrosis factor alpha. Furthermore, recent findings have implicated a related family of cytokines with chemotactic properties, known collectively as chemokines, in many neuroimmune processes relevant to psychiatric disorders. Chemokines are small (8–12 kDa) chemotactic cytokines, which are known to play roles in direct chemotaxis induction, leukocyte and macrophage migration, and inflammatory response propagation. The inflammatory chemokines possess the ability to induce migration of immune cells to the infection site, whereas their homeostatic chemokine counterparts are responsible for recruiting cells for their repair and maintenance. To further support the role of chemokines as central elements to healthy bodily function, recent studies suggest that these proteins demonstrate novel, brain-specific mechanisms including the modulation of neuroendocrine functions, chemotaxis, cell adhesion, and neuroinflammation. Elevated levels of chemokines in patient-derived serum have been detected in individuals diagnosed with major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Furthermore, despite the considerable heterogeneity of experimental samples and methodologies, existing biomarker studies have clearly demonstrated the important role of chemokines in the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders. The purpose of this review is to summarize the data from contemporary experimental and clinical studies, and to evaluate available evidence for the role of chemokines in the central nervous system (CNS) under physiological and pathophysiological conditions. In light of recent results, chemokines could be considered as possible peripheral markers of psychiatric disorders, and/or targets for treating depressive disorders.