Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of bluetooth headset and mobile phone electromagnetic fields on the human auditory nerve

The possibility that long‐term mobile phone use increases the incidence of astrocytoma, glioma and acoustic neuroma has been investigated in several studies. Recently, our group showed that direct exposure (in a surgical setting) to cell phone electromagnetic fields (EMFs) induces deterioration of auditory evoked cochlear nerve compound action potential (CNAP) in humans. To verify whether the use of Bluetooth devices reduces these effects, we conducted the present study with the same experimental protocol.
Low-Cost and High-Throughput Hardware Design for the HEVC 16x16 2-D DCT Transform

This article presents the hardware design of the 16x16 2-D DCT used in the new video coding standard, the HEVC – High Efficiency Video Coding. The transforms stage is one of the innovations proposed by HEVC, since a variable size transforms stage is available (from 4x4 to 32x32), allowing the use of transforms with larger dimensions than used in previous standards. The presented design explores the 2-D DCT separability property, using two instances of the one-dimension DCT. The architecture focuses on low hardware cost and high throughput, thus the HEVC 16-points DCT algorithm was simplified targeting a more efficient hardware implementation. Operations and hardware minimization strategies were used in order to achieve such simplifications: operation reordering, factoring, multiplications to shift-adds conversion, and sharing of common sub-expressions. The 1-D DCT architectures were designed in a fully combinational way in order to reduce control overhead. A transposition buffer is used to connect the two 1-D DCT architectures. The synthesis was directed to Stratix III FPGA and TSMC 65nm standard cells technologies. The complete 2-D DCT architecture is able to achieve real-time processing for high and ultra-high definition videos, such as Full HD, QFHD and UHD 8K. When compared with related works, the architectures designed in this work reached the highest throughput and the lowest hardware resources
Positive and negative appraisals of the consequences of activated states uniquely relate to symptoms of hypomania and depression

Individuals may appraise internal states positively or negatively. Positive appraisals involve desiring or pursuing the state or experience, while negative appraisals involve dreading or avoiding the experience. The extent to which individuals make extreme positive or negative appraisals of high, activated, energetic states might determine whether they experience symptoms of high or low mood. This study extends the existing literature by considering the role of opposing appraisals and beliefs about the same internal states and by controlling for the potential correlation between depression and activation symptoms. Extreme, positive and negative appraisals of activated mood states related distinctly to experiences of activation and depression symptoms respectively, in an analogue sample (n=323). Positive appraisals of activated internal states were uniquely associated with elevated activation and hypomania symptoms. Negative appraisals of the same states were uniquely associated with elevated depression symptoms. Opposing appraisals of internal states may underlie mood swing symptoms.
Acute and mid‐term results of phosphorylcholine‐coated stents in primary coronary stenting for acute myocardial infarction

The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the BiodivYsio phosphorylcholine‐coated stent in the primary treatment of acute myocardial infarction. The BiodivYsio stent (Biocompatible) is a balloon‐expandable stent, laser etched from a 316 L stainless steel tube. This device is coated with phosphorylcholine, a synthetic, hemocompatible phospholipid polymer that has been shown in experimental studies to reduce platelet and protein adhesion to the surface of the metal. One hundred consecutive patients within 24 hr of symptoms of onset of acute MI, treated with primary PTCA, were enrolled. After PTCA, stenting was attempted in all eligible lesions (reference diameter ≥ 2.5 mm; no bend lesion > 45°). Poststenting regimens contained ticlopidine (500 mg/day) and aspirin (325 mg/day) and 6–12 hr of heparin infusion. Procedural success (TIMI ≥ II and residual stenosis < 30%) was obtained in 70/74 cases (95%). TIMI grade III was restored in 90% of cases. In the patient group with procedural success (70 cases), 70 BiodivYsio stents were placed. After stenting, diameter stenosis decreased from 96% ± 11% to 22% ± 12% (P < 0.01) and minimal luminal diameter increased from 0.13 ± 0.29 to 2.47 ± 0.43 (P < 0.01). Nominal stent diameter was between 3.0 and 4.0 mm (mean, 3.5 ± 0.4 mm). Stent length was between 11 and 28 mm (mean, 17 ± 4.5 mm). Clinical follow‐up was obtained in all patients; angiographic follow‐up was performed in 65/70 (93%). No acute or subacute thrombosis was reported. Two in‐hospital major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were reported due to a nontreated left main disease that required coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. At follow‐up, MACE were found in 9 of 68 patients (13%), target lesion revascularization (TLR) in 6%, and CABG in the remaining 6%. Primary stenting with phosphorylcholine‐coated stent leads to excellent short‐ and mid‐term clinical outcomes and is associated with a restenosis rate of 12%. Cathet Cardiovasc Intervent 2001;53:182–187. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Analysis of emitter (source)-coupled multivibrators

The popular emitter-coupled multivibrator and its MOS variant are analyzed using the classical discontinuity theory. Accurate formulas for predicting their relaxation oscillation are obtained solving the nonlinear circuit equation, which is derived finding the voltage-current characteristic of the nonlinearity connected to the timing capacitor. Then, using a small-signal equivalent circuit accounting for the intrinsic capacitances of the devices, we investigate the high-frequency behavior of these circuits finding the oscillation start-up condition. We show that they can exhibit a completely different behavior, similar to a series LC-tuned oscillator, without using an inductor. Numerical simulations are performed showing that the presented formulas are more accurate than the existing ones and that both behaviors are possible
Dentin Dysplasia in Notum Knockout Mice

Secreted WNT proteins control cell differentiation and proliferation in many tissues, and NOTUM is a secreted enzyme that modulates WNT morphogens by removing a palmitoleoylate moiety that is essential for their activity. To better understand the role this enzyme in development, the authors produced NOTUM-deficient mice by targeted insertional disruption of the Notum gene. The authors discovered a critical role for NOTUM in dentin morphogenesis suggesting that increased WNT activity can disrupt odontoblast differentiation and orientation in both incisor and molar teeth. Although molars in Notum-/- mice had normal-shaped crowns and normal mantle dentin, the defective crown dentin resulted in enamel prone to fracture during mastication and made teeth more susceptible to endodontal inflammation and necrosis. The dentin dysplasia and short roots contributed to tooth hypermobility and to the spread of periodontal inflammation, which often progressed to periapical abscess formation. The additional incidental finding of renal agenesis in some Notum -/- mice indicated that NOTUM also has a role in kidney development, with undiagnosed bilateral renal agenesis most likely responsible for the observed decreased perinatal viability of Notum-/- mice. The findings support a significant role for NOTUM in modulating WNT signaling pathways that have pleiotropic effects on tooth and kidney development.
Differentiation of quantitative CT imaging phenotypes in asthma versus COPD

Introduction Quantitative CT (QCT) imaging-based metrics have quantified disease alterations in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), respectively. We seek to characterise the similarity and disparity between these groups using QCT-derived airway and parenchymal metrics. Methods Asthma and COPD subjects (former-smoker status) were selected with a criterion of post-bronchodilator FEV1 <80%. Healthy non-smokers were included as a control group. Inspiratory and expiratory QCT images of 75 asthmatic, 215 COPD and 94 healthy subjects were evaluated. We compared three segmental variables: airway circularity, normalised wall thickness and normalised hydraulic diameter, indicating heterogeneous airway shape, wall thickening and luminal narrowing, respectively. Using an image registration, we also computed six lobar variables including per cent functional small-airway disease, per cent emphysema, tissue fraction at inspiration, fractional-air-volume change, Jacobian and functional metric characterising anisotropic deformation. Results Compared with healthy subjects, both asthma and COPD subjects demonstrated a decreased airway circularity especially in large and upper lobar airways, and a decreased normalised hydraulic diameter in segmental airways. Besides, COPD subjects had more severe emphysema and small-airway disease, as well as smaller regional tissue fraction and lung deformation, compared with asthmatic subjects. The difference of emphysema, small-airway disease and tissue fraction between asthma and COPD was more prominent in upper and middle lobes. Conclusions Patients with asthma and COPD, with a persistent FEV1 <80%, demonstrated similar alterations in airway geometry compared with controls, but different degrees of alterations in parenchymal regions. Density-based metrics measured at upper and middle lobes were found to be discriminant variables between patients with asthma and COPD.
Performance analysis of a JTIDS/Link-16-type waveform transmitted over Nakagami fading channels with pulsed-noise interference

The Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS) is the communication terminal of Link-16. JTIDS is a hybrid direct sequence/frequency-hopping spread spectrum system and features Reed-Solomon codes for channel coding, cyclic code-shift keying for 32-ary symbol modulation, minimum-shift keying for chip modulation, symbol interleaving, chip sequence scrambling and random jittering for transmission security, and a double-pulse structure for diversity. Assuming that coherent chip demodulation is practical, we investigate the probability of symbol error of a JTIDS/Link-16-type waveform for both the single- and the double-pulse structure transmitted over a slow, flat Nakagami fading channel in the presence of pulsed-noise interference (PNI) in this paper. In general, the results show that the double-pulse structure always outperforms the single-pulse structure, whether the PNI is present or not and whether the channel is fading or not. Furthermore, barrage noise interference has the most effect in degrading performance when signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) is small. When SIR is large, PNI with a smaller fraction of time that interference is on causes the greatest degradation.
3D Shape Attributes

In this paper we investigate 3D attributes as a means to understand the shape of an object in a single image. To this end, we make a number of contributions: (i) we introduce and define a set of 3D Shape attributes, including planarity, symmetry and occupied space, (ii) we show that such properties can be successfully inferred from a single image using a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), (iii) we introduce a 143K image dataset of sculptures with 2197 works over 242 artists for training and evaluating the CNN, (iv) we show that the 3D attributes trained on this dataset generalize to images of other (non-sculpture) object classes, and furthermore (v) we show that the CNN also provides a shape embedding that can be used to match previously unseen sculptures largely independent of viewpoint.
Approval summary: imatinib mesylate in the treatment of metastatic and/or unresectable malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

PURPOSE Imatinib mesylate (Gleevec; Novartis, East Hanover, NJ)is a receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor approved previously in 2001 by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia in blast crisis, accelerated phase, or in chronic phase after failure of IFN-alpha therapy. We review herein the clinical profile of this drug and the regulatory review leading to the approval of a supplemental New Drug Application for the treatment of metastatic and/or unresectable malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We discuss the efficacy and side effects of imatinib mesylate in a Phase II trial of 147 patients with metastatic and/or unresectable malignant GISTs, the basis for marketing approval, and postmarketing commitments by the drug's manufacturer. RESULTS Imatinib was assessed in a single, open-label trial involving one European center and three centers in the United States. Seventy-three patients were randomly allocated to receive 400 mg of imatinib daily, and 74 patients received 600 mg daily. At the study report cutoff date, an objective response was confirmed in 56 patients; the overall response rate for the combined study arms was 38% (95% confidence interval, 30-46%). These responses were all partial responses. There was no statistically significant difference in response rates between the two dose groups. Adverse events included edema, fluid retention, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, myalgias, skin rash, bone marrow suppression, bleeding, and elevations in aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, or bilirubin. Bleeding into the gastrointestinal tract or intratumoral sites occurred in 7 patients (5%) and was not correlated with thrombocytopenia or tumor bulk. The pharmacokinetics of imatinib in GIST patients were similar to those of chronic myelogenous leukemia patients. CONCLUSIONS On February 1, 2001, imatinib mesylate was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of malignant metastatic and/or unresectable GISTs. The recommended dose is 400 or 600 mg daily.
Effects of proximal and distal robot-assisted upper limb rehabilitation on chronic stroke recovery.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of add-on distal upper limb robot-assisted treatment on the outcome of proximal regions. DESIGN 64 chronic stroke patients divided into two groups participated in the study. Group A was assigned to the proximal robot-assisted rehabilitation, Group B to the proximal and distal. Shoulder/elbow subsection of Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale was collected for Group A, whereas for Group B wrist subsection was also collected. Motricity Index was used and a set of kinematic parameters was computed for both groups. RESULTS A decrease in impairment after the treatment in both groups of patients (Group A: Shoulder/elbow FM p < 0.001 and MI p < 0.001; Group B: Shoulder/elbow FM p < 0.001 and MI p < 0.001) was found. In the Group B wrist subsection of FM showed an improvement as well (p < 0.001). No difference between groups was found in changes of clinical scales. Movement velocity and accuracy increased after the robot-assisted treatment in both groups; group B showed a greater improvement in velocity. CONCLUSIONS Robotic treatment is effective to reduce motor impairment in chronic stroke patients even if distal training added to proximal segments in the Group B does not provide any incremental benefit to the proximal segments. It remains unclear if the effectiveness of robot-assisted treatment is directly related to the upper limb segment specifically treated and which order may lead to better outcome. Our study suggests that kinematic parameters should be computed in order to better clarify the role of distal training (wrist) on proximal segments (shoulder/elbow) as well.
Sputum levels of transforming growth factor-beta1 in asthma: relation to clinical and computed tomography findings.

BACKGROUND Transforming growth factor (TGF) beta1 is considered to play central roles in the pathogenesis of airway remodeling in asthma. This notion is based primarily on the results of experimental studies; clinical evidence is limited. OBJECTIVES To ascertain the involvement of TGF-beta1 in asthma. METHODS We studied 27 patients with moderate-to-severe, but stable, asthma treated with inhaled corticosteroids and 8 healthy controls. Helical computed tomography scans were acquired at full inspiration. Airway wall thickness (WT) was assessed on the basis of wall area corrected for body surface area (WA/BSA) and absolute WT corrected for BSA (WT/square root of BSA) according to a validated method. Induced sputum concentrations of TGF-beta1 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Pulmonary function was evaluated. RESULTS Indices of expiratory airflow were significantly lower in the asthmatic patients than in the controls. WA/BSA, WT/square root of square root of BSA, and sputum concentrations of TGF-beta1 were significantly higher in the asthmatic patients. Sputum TGF-beta1 concentrations correlated positively with WA/BSA and WT/square root of BSA and negatively with forced expiratory volume in 1 second in both asthmatic and control subjects. CONCLUSIONS Levels of TGF-beta1 in induced sputum are elevated in asthmatic patients despite treatment with inhaled corticosteroids and are associated with airflow obstruction and airway wall thickening. TGF-beta1 is involved in the pathogenesis of airway remodeling and resultant functional impairment and it may be a target for specific medical treatment.
Neural activation patterns during retrieval of schema-related memories: differences and commonalities between children and adults.

Schemas represent stable properties of individuals' experiences, and allow them to classify new events as being congruent or incongruent with existing knowledge. Research with adults indicates that the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is involved in memory retrieval of schema-related information. However, developmental differences between children and adults in the neural correlates of schema-related memories are not well understood. One reason for this is the inherent confound between schema-relevant experience and maturation, as both are related to time. To overcome this limitation, we used a novel paradigm that experimentally induces, and then probes for, task-relevant knowledge during encoding of new information. Thirty-one children aged 8-12 years and 26 young adults participated in the experiment. While successfully retrieving schema-congruent events, children showed less medial PFC activity than adults. In addition, medial PFC activity during successful retrieval correlated positively with children's age. While successfully retrieving schema-incongruent events, children showed stronger hippocampus (HC) activation as well as weaker connectivity between the striatum and the dorsolateral PFC than adults. These findings were corroborated by an exploratory full-factorial analysis investigating age differences in the retrieval of schema-congruent versus schema-incongruent events, comparing the two conditions directly. Consistent with the findings of the separate analyses, two clusters, one in the medial PFC, one in the HC, were identified that exhibited a memory × congruency × age group interaction. In line with the two-component model of episodic memory development, the present findings point to an age-related shift from a more HC-bound processing to an increasing recruitment of prefrontal brain regions in the retrieval of schema-related events.
Ram-based tone mapping for high dynamic range images

In this paper we present a novel tone mapping algorithm for high dynamic range (HDR) images using the retinal adaptation model (RAM). The physiological evidence suggests that the RAM is obtained by measuring intensity-response functions to flashes of light presented under varying adaptation conditions, which leads to a theoretic-sound model that can be flexibly adapted for tone reproduction. The multiplicativesubtractive process of the model can provide high quality tone mapping results for rendering the HDR images. The experimental results demonstrate that our RAM-based tone mapping approach is effective to produce pleasing results on HDR images in a wide range of real-world scenarios.
Rapid Construction of Complex Plant RNA Virus Infectious cDNA Clones for Agroinfection Using a Yeast-E. coli-Agrobacterium Shuttle Vector

The availability of infectious full-length clone is indispensable for reverse genetics studies of virus biology, pathology and construction of viral vectors. However, for RNA viruses with large genome sizes or those exhibiting inherent cloning difficulties, procedure to generate biologically active complementary DNA (cDNA) clones can be time-consuming or technically challenging. Here we have constructed a yeast-Escherichia coli-Agrobacterium shuttle vector that enables highly efficient homologous recombination in yeast for assembly of Agrobacterium compatible plant virus clones. Using this vector, we show that infectious cDNA clones of a plant negative-stranded RNA virus, sonchus yellow net rhabdovirus, can be rapidly assembled. In addition, one-step assembly of infectious clones of potato virus Y in yeast, either with or without intron, was readily achieved from as many as eight overlapping DNA fragments. More importantly, the recovered yeast plasmids can be transformed directly into Agrobacterium for inoculation, thereby obviating the E. coli cloning steps and associated toxicity issues. This method is rapid, highly efficient and cost-effective and should be readily applicable to a broad range of plant viruses.
The Variety of Polar Simplices

A collection of n distinct hyperplanes L i = {l i = 0} ⊂ P n−1 , the (n − 1)-dimensional projective space over an algebraically closed field of characteristic not equal to 2, is a polar simplex of a smooth quadric Q n−2 = {q = 0}, if each L i is the polar hyperplane of the point p i = j =i L j , equivalently, if q = l 2 1 +. + l 2 n for suitable choices of the linear forms l i. In this paper we study the closure V P S(Q, n) ⊂ Hilb n (ˇ P n−1) of the variety of sums of powers presenting Q from a global viewpoint: V P S(Q, n) is a smooth Fano variety of index 2 and Picard number 1 when n < 6, and V P S(Q, n) is singular when n ≥ 6.
Intestinal streaming patterns in cholerrhoeic enteropathy and diverticular disease

Streaming of gastrointestinal contents depends on the demonstration of differential rates of recovery of equal doses of two synchronously fed markers. There was no significant difference in the rate of throughput of polyethylene glycol (a liquid phase marker) and chromium sesquioxide (a solid phase marker) in healthy volunteers (n = 7) and hospital inpatients (n = 5) with normal bowel habit, so that streaming does not usually occur. In cholerrhoeic enteropathy (n = 5), however, the rate of throughput of polyethylene glycol was increased. In colonic diverticular disease (n = 7) the rate of throughput of polyethylene glycol was significantly lower. In cholerrhoeic enteropathy the liquid phase marker was excreted 1·5 times faster than the solid phase, but in the diverticular disease group the liquid phase was excreted 0·75 times more slowly than the solid phase marker. This may reflect the effects of colonic hypersegmentation on the relative distribution of the liquid and solid phases.