Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fast Mode Decision Using Global Disparity Vector for Multiview Video Coding

Since multiview video coding (MVC) based on H.264/AVC uses a prediction scheme exploiting inter-view correlation among multiview video, MVC encoder compresses multiple views more efficiently than simulcast H.264/AVC encoder. However, in case that the number of views to be encoded increases in MVC, the total encoding time will be greatly increased. To reduce computational complexity in MVC, a fast mode decision using both MB (macroblock)-based region segmentation information and global disparity vector among views is proposed to reduce encoding time. The proposed method achieves on average 40% reduction of total encoding time with the PSNR (peak signal to noise ratio) degradation of about 0.05 dB.
Venture Capitalists as Catalysts to New Venture Internationalization: The Impact of Their Knowledge and Reputation Resources

Venture Capitalists (VC) play an important role in influencing the strategic direction of the firms in which they invest. The findings of this study reveal that VCs can serve as a catalyst to new venture internationalization through the provision of knowledge and reputation resources. Furthermore, the international knowledge of a VC is more positively related to new venture internationalization when the VC is also reputable.
Prognostic Value of Affective Symptoms in First-Admission Psychotic Patients

Background: Very little research has been conducted in patients with first-episode psychosis using a dimensional approach. Affective dimensional representations might be useful to predict the clinical course and treatment needs in such patients. Methods: Weincluded 112 patients with first-episode psychosis in a longitudinal-prospective study with a five-year follow-up (N = 82). Logistic analyses were performed to determine the predictive factors associated with depressive, manic, activation, and dysphoric dimensions. Results: High scores on the depressive dimension were associated with the best prognosis. On the other hand, high scores on the activation dimension and the manic dimension were associated with a poorer prognosis in terms of relapses. Only the dysphoric dimension was not associated with syndromic or functional prognosis. Conclusion: Ourresults suggest that the pattern of baseline affective symptoms helps to predict the course of psychotic illness. Therefore, the systematic assessment of affective symptoms would enable us to draw important conclusions regarding patients’ prognosis. Interventions for patients with high scores on manic or activation dimensions could be beneficial in decreasing relapses in first-episode psychosis.
Design, function, and applications of high-retention doffer and worker wire

The transfer of fiber from higher-speed rollers, licker-ins, breasts, or swifts, covered with forward-facing teeth, to relatively lower-speed doffers and workers with backward-facing teeth, is analyzed using the mechanics and geometry of the process. The analysis shows that the front angle of the doffer and worker teeth is too large to prevent fibers from slipping off as a result of the pull from the teeth of the swift. The capacity of the doffer and worker teeth to retain fiber is enhanced by cutting steps parallel to the base into the front edge of the tooth, effectively lowering the front angle of the tooth to zero degrees. Teeth with extremely low front angles support fibers until they are perpendicular to the doffer or worker, maximizing retention and transfer. Carding trials on worsted and non-woven cards in a pilot plant reveal benefits attributable to the new wire design. A survey of commercial non-woven processors using the high-efficiency wire on doffers and workers also identified various benefits.
Adaptive Teaching and Field Dependence-Independence: Instructional Implications

Cognitive styles are among the dimensions of individual differences considered particularly relevant in adaptive teaching. Field dependence-independence is one of the most heuristic cognitive style constructs and has been shown consistently to determine academic results of students, regardless of their educational level or cultural origin and the area of knowledge considered. This fact has prompted attempts to train field independence and a thriving line of investigation focused on the adaptation of instructional methods to cognitive style, which has been offering data which should be considered in educational practice. Studies made to date both on training and instructional adaptation have been gathered and synthesized in the present revision, and some general lines of action when adapting teaching to cognitive style have been extracted.
Lymphocyte 5′-Nucleotidase and Aminopeptidase N Activity in Patients on Maintenance Hemodialysis Treated with Human Recombinant Erythropoietin and 1-Alpha-D3

Background: Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESKD) present an immunodeficiency state paradoxically exacerbated by hemodialysis (HD) and associated with signs of T-cell activation. B cells are also activated in uremia, and this activation could be altered by erythropoietin therapy in HD patients. In this study, the effects of human recombinant erythropoietin (rHu-EPO) and 1-alpha-D3 treatments on lymphocyte immunomodulatory enzymes, aminopeptidase N (APN), and 5′-nucleotidase activity in patients on HD were investigated in hemodialysis patients before and after two-month treatment with s.c. rHu-EPO (15 patients, 2000–3000 U three times weekly) or oral 1-alpha-D3 (14 patients, 2 µg three times weekly). Results: A two-month EPO treatment of 15 HD patients produced a rise in hemoglobin from 6.51 ± 0.18 to 9.69 ± 0.14 g/dL. Basal lymphocyte APN activity in HD patients was not significantly different from the level in healthy controls. Treatment of patients with rHu-EPO increased unstimulated lymphocyte APN activity to values significantly higher than those before treatment (p < 0.05). A two-month pulse oral 1-alpha-D3 treatment of 14 HD patients increased hematocrit by 21% and raised hemoglobin from 7.11 ± 0.32 to 8.80 ± 0.39 g/dL. Unstimulated and Con A-stimulated lymphocyte APN activity after pulse oral 1-alpha-D3 was significantly increased (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively) from the pretreatment levels. In HD patients lymphocyte basal, Con A-, and PMA-stimulated 5′-nucleotidase activity was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than it was in healthy controls. The two-month treatment with rHu-EPO or pulse oral 1-alpha D3 did not change the level of lymphocyte 5′-nucleotidase in these patients. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that a two-month treatment of HD patients with rHu-EPO or pulse oral 1-alpha D3 significantly increases activity of lymphocyte APN, important for cleavage of peptides and small proteins, which accumulate in the blood of ESKD patients. In HD patients lymphocyte ecto-5′-nucleotidase activity was significantly higher than that in healthy controls and was not changed after a two-month treatment with rHu-EPO or pulse oral 1-alpha D3. We speculate that oxidative stress activates 5′-nucleotidase and production of adenosine by lymphocytes of HD patients.
Laser Dynamics of a 10 GHz 0.55 ps Asynchronously Harmonic Modelocked Er-Doped Fiber Soliton Laser

Laser dynamics of a 10 GHz 0.55 ps asynchronously harmonic modelocked Er-doped fiber soliton laser are investigated both theoretically and experimentally. Theoretical analyses based on the master equation model solved by the variational method have indicated that all the pulse parameters of the laser output will exhibit complicated slow periodic variations in the asynchronous soliton modelocking (ASM) mode. New experimental methods based on analyzing directly the RF spectra of the ASM laser output have been developed to accurately determine the sinusoidal variation of the pulse timing and the pulse center wavelength for the first time. It is found that the pulse center wavelength variation can be as large as 1 nm half-peak-to-peak and the pulse timing variation can be as large as 3 ps. The consistency among all the experimental data and theoretical prediction is carefully examined and the results indicate that the ASM pulse dynamics observed experimentally are in good agreement with those obtained from the theoretical analyses.
Geometric theory of defects

A description of dislocation and disclination defects in terms of the Riemann–Cartan geometry is given, with the curvature and torsion tensors interpreted as the surface densities of the Frank and Burgers vectors, respectively. A new free-energy expression describing the static distribution of defects is presented and equations of nonlinear elasticity theory are used to specify the coordinate system. Application of the Lorentz gauge leads to equations for the principal chiral SO(3) field. In the defect-free case, the geometric model reduces to elasticity theory for the displacement vector field and to a principal chiral SO(3)-field model for the spin structure. As illustrated by the example of a wedge dislocation, elasticity theory reproduces only the linear approximation of the geometric theory of defects. It is shown that the equations of asymmetric elasticity theory for Cosserat media can also be naturally incorporated into the geometric theory as gauge conditions. As an application of the theory, phonon scattering on a wedge dislocation is considered. The energy spectrum of impurities in the field of a wedge dislocation is also discussed.
On the Capacity of Interference Channels with Degraded Message sets

This paper is motivated by a sensor network on a correlated field where nearby sensors share information, and can thus assist rather than interfere with one another. A special class of two-user Gaussian interference channels (IFCs) is considered where one of the two transmitters knows both the messages to be conveyed to the two receivers (called the IFC with degraded message sets). Both achievability and converse arguments are provided for this scenario for a class of discrete memoryless channels with weak interference. For the case of the Gaussian weak interference channel with degraded message sets, optimality of Gaussian inputs is also shown, resulting in the capacity region of this channel.
AN EIGHT‐WEEK GOLF‐SPECIFIC EXERCISE PROGRAM IMPROVES PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS, SWING MECHANICS, AND GOLF PERFORMANCE IN RECREATIONAL GOLFERS

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an 8-week golf-specific exercise program on physical characteristics, swing mechanics, and golf performance. Fifteen trained male golfers (47.2 ± 11.4 years, 178.8 ± 5.8 cm, 86.7 ± 9.0 kg, and 12.1 ± 6.4 U.S. Golf Association handicap) were recruited. Trained golfers was defined operationally as golfers who play a round of golf at least 2–3 times per week and practice at the driving range at least 2–3 times per week during the regular golf season. Subjects performed a golf-specific conditioning program 3–4 times per week for 8 weeks during the off-season in order to enhance physical characteristics. Pre- and posttraining testing of participants included assessments of strength (torso, shoulder, and hip), flexibility, balance, swing mechanics, and golf performance. Following training, torso rotational strength and hip abduction strength were improved significantly (p = 0.05). Torso, shoulder, and hip flexibility improved significantly in all flexibility measurements taken (p = 0.05). Balance was improved significantly in 3 of 12 measurements, with the remainder of the variables demonstrating a nonsignificant trend for improvement. The magnitude of upper-torso axial rotation was decreased at the acceleration (p = 0.015) and impact points (p = 0.043), and the magnitude of pelvis axial rotation was decreased at the top (p = 0.031) and acceleration points (p = 0.036). Upper-torso axial rotational velocity was increased significantly at the acceleration point of the golf swing (p = 0.009). Subjects increased average club velocity (p = 0.001), ball velocity (p = 0.001), carry distance (p = 0.001), and total distance (p = 0.001). These results indicate that a golf-specific exercise program improves strength, flexibility, and balance in golfers. These improvements result in increased upper-torso axial rotational velocity, which results in increased club head velocity, ball velocity, and driving distance.
Linoleic Acid Metabolism and Prostaglandin Production by Cultured Bovine Pulmonary Artery Endothelial Cells

When bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells are cultured in a medium supplemented with linoleic acid, their capacity to produce prostacyclln (PGI2) is reduced by about 60%. This reduction occurs when PGI2 formation Is stimulated by the addition of either the calcium lonophore A23187 or arachidonic acid. In addition, supplementation with linoleic acid reduced the production of prostaglandin E2 and F2n from 1-14 C-arachidonic acid by more than 50%. The capacity of cultured bovine pulmonary vein and aortic endothelial cells to convert extracellular arachidonic acid Into PGI2 also was reduced by about 50% when the growth medium was supplemented with linoleic acid. Although bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells Incorporated large amounts of 1-14 C-linolelc acid into cellular phospholiplds and triglycerldes, a maximum of only 2.3% of the radioactivity was converted to arachidonic acid In 24 hours. The most prevalent radioactive metabolite was elcosadlenoic acid, the elongation product of linoleic acid. As compared with linoleic acid, the bovine endothelial cells Incorporated 30% more 1-14 C-arachldonlc acid Into phospholiplds and 60% more Into triglycerldes. When the growth medium was supplemented with linoleic acid, the percentage of this fatty acid In cellular liplds Increased 3-to 4.5-fold and eicosadlenoic acid accumulated, accounting for up to 9% of the cellular fatty acids. This Increase was accompanied by a 30% to 45% reduction in arachidonic acid. These findings, together with our previous results with human umbilical vein endothellum, suggest that an inability to convert large amounts of linoleic to arachidonic acid and a suppresslve effect of linoleic acid enrichment on prostaglandin production may be general properties of endothelial cells.
Imaging morphology of cardiac tumours.

BACKGROUND Cardiac tumours are very uncommon and are the topic of little investigation. Imaging features offer reliable diagnostic evidence for cardiac tumours, but diagnostic confusion may arise when tumours with similar features are present. METHODS Between January 2003 and July 2008, 34 patients were operated on for cardiac tumours in this institute. The patients' ages ranged from 31 to 81 years with an average of 54.8 +/- 14.2 years. Thirty (88.2%) tumours were primary [19 (55.9%) myxomas, 8 (23.5%) papillary fibroelastomas, and 1 (2.9%) cavernous hemangioma were benign, 1 (2.9%) recurrent fibrous histiocytoma (undifferentiated sarcoma) and 1 (2.9%) leiomyosarcoma were malignant], and 4 (11.8%) were secondary [1 (2.9%) metastatic cardiac leiomyoma, and 3 (8.8%) were renal cell carcinomas]. RESULTS Cardiac myxomas represented more than half of the cardiac tumours of this patient series, necessitating surgical resection. More than half of these cardiac myxomas originated from the intraatrial septum with a stalk. Most of them appeared as a round or ovoid soft mass on echo, as a hypoattenuated lesion on computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, and with a soft gelatinous appearance on gross appearance. Cardiac papillary fibroelastomas were valvular or subvalvular, mostly pedicled by a short stalk, and all of them were pound 1 cm in size. The cavernous hemangioma was isointense on magnetic resonance imaging and tensile and slithy in gross specimen. Recurrent fibrous histiocytoma, leiomyosarcoma, intravenous leiomyoma and renal cell carcinoma resembled a myxoma on echocardiography due to their soft, friable, and mobile features. There were no misdiagnoses based on preoperative imaging features comparable to surgical and histopathologic findings in this surgical series. CONCLUSIONS Imaging morphology plays a key role in the preoperative differential diagnosis of cardiac tumours. Imaging features could reliably predict primary versus secondary, and benign versus malignant among cardiac tumours. The accurate preoperative imaging assessment of cardiac tumours necessitating surgical resection has become increasingly important in the decision-making of a surgical approach, method, and resection extent.
3-[1-(3-Hydroxybenzyl)-1H-benzimidazol-2-yl]phenol dimethyl sulfoxide monosolvate

Crystals of the title compound were obtained as a 1:1 dimethyl sulfoxide solvate, C20H16N2O2·C2H6O. The molecular conformation of the organic molecule is similar to that in the previously reported unsolvated structure [Eltayeb et al. (2009 ▶). Acta Cryst. E65, o1374–o1375]. Thus, the dihedral angles formed by the benzimidazole moiety with the two benzene rings are 57.54 (4) and 76.22 (5)°, and the dihedral angle between the benzene rings is 89.23 (5)°. In the crystal, a three-dimensional network features O—H⋯O, O—H⋯N and O—H⋯S hydrogen bonds, as well as C—H⋯O and C—H⋯π interactions.
Epidemiological investigation of 264 sporadic cases of ruptured cerebral aneurysm at a single institution in southwest China

Background The purpose of this study was to investigate the epidemiology of sporadic ruptured cerebral aneurysm in the Chinese population. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 264 consecutive Chinese patients admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University of Guizhou Province in Southwest China between December 2012 and March 2015 for spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage due to a ruptured cerebral artery aneurysm. Results The study population comprised 171 females and 93 males with a median age of 50 (range 5–76) years. The female to male ratio was 1.84:1. For both males and females, aneurysm rupture was most common in the 40–49-year age group (34.5%). Most of the ruptured aneurysms were in the size range of 2–5 mm (47.2%), followed by 5–10 mm (43.8%). Ruptured aneurysms occurred most often in the posterior communicating artery (36.6%) or the anterior communicating artery (25.7%). There were more cases of anterior communicating artery aneurysm on the left side (53 [Left side]/16 [Right side]=3.31, P>0.001) and slightly more cases of posterior communicating artery aneurysm on the right side (54 [Right side]/44[Left side]=1.23, P<0.05). Conclusion This study provides valuable information on the epidemiology of ruptured cerebral aneurysm in the Chinese population.
Toll-Like Receptor 4 Limits Transmission of Bordetella bronchiseptica

Transmission of pathogens has been notoriously difficult to study under laboratory conditions leaving knowledge gaps regarding how bacterial factors and host immune components affect the spread of infections between hosts. We describe the development of a mouse model of transmission of a natural pathogen, Bordetella bronchiseptica, and its use to assess the impact of host immune functions. Although B. bronchiseptica transmits poorly between wild-type mice and mice lacking other immune components, it transmits efficiently between mice deficient in Toll-Like Receptor 4 (TLR4). TLR4-mutant mice were more susceptible to initial colonization, and poorly controlled pathogen growth and shedding. Heavy neutrophil infiltration distinguished TLR4-deficient responses, and neutrophil depletion did not affect respiratory CFU load, but decreased bacterial shedding. The effect of TLR4 response on transmission may explain the extensive variation in TLR4 agonist potency observed among closely related subspecies of Bordetella. This transmission model will enable mechanistic studies of how pathogens spread from one host to another, the defining feature of infectious disease.
Sexually Selected Male Plumage Color Is Testosterone Dependent in a Tropical Passerine Bird, the Red-Backed Fairy-Wren (Malurus melanocephalus)

Background Sexual signals, such as bright plumage coloration in passerine birds, reflect individual quality, and testosterone (T) may play a critical role in maintaining signal honesty. Manipulations of T during molt have yielded mixed effects on passerine plumage color, in most cases delaying molt or leading to production of drab plumage. However, the majority of these studies have been conducted on species that undergo a post-nuptial molt when T is low; the role of T in species that acquire breeding plumage during a pre-nuptial molt remains largely unexplored. Methodology/Principal Findings We experimentally tested the effects of increased T on plumage color in second-year male red-backed fairy-wrens (Malurus melanocephalus), a species in which after-second-year males undergo a pre-nuptial molt into red/black (carotenoid and melanin-based) plumage and second-year males either assume red/black or brown breeding plumage. T treatment stimulated a rapid and early onset pre-nuptial molt and resulted in red/black plumage acquisition, bill darkening, and growth of the sperm storage organ, but had no effect on body condition or corticosterone concentrations. Control males molted later and assumed brown plumage. T treated males produced feathers with similar but not identical reflectance parameters to those of unmanipulated after-second-year red/black males; while reflectance spectra of red back and black crown feathers were similar, black breast feathers differed in UV chroma, hue and brightness, indicating a potentially age and plumage patch-dependent response to T for melanin- vs. carotenoid-pigmentation. Conclusions/Significance We show that testosterone is the primary mechanism functioning during the pre-nuptial molt to regulate intrasexually variable plumage color and breeding phenotype in male red-backed fairy-wrens. Our results suggest that the effects of T on plumage coloration may vary with timing of molt (pre- vs. post-nuptial), and that the role of T in mediating plumage signal production may differ across age classes, plumage patches, and between pigment-types.
The Predicted Impact of Coding Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Database

Nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNP) have the potential to affect the structure or function of expressed proteins and are, therefore, likely to represent modifiers of inherited susceptibility. We have classified and catalogued the predicted functionality of nsSNPs in genes relevant to the biology of cancer to facilitate sequence-based association studies. Candidate genes were identified using targeted search terms and pathways to interrogate the Gene Ontology Consortium database, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database, Iobion's Interaction Explorer PathwayAssist Program, National Center for Biotechnology Information Entrez Gene database, and CancerGene database. A total of 9,537 validated nsSNPs located within annotated genes were retrieved from National Center for Biotechnology Information dbSNP Build 123. Filtering this list and linking it to 7,080 candidate genes yielded 3,666 validated nsSNPs with minor allele frequencies ≥0.01 in Caucasian populations. The functional effect of nsSNPs in genes with a single mRNA transcript was predicted using three computational tools—Grantham matrix, Polymorphism Phenotyping, and Sorting Intolerant from Tolerant algorithms. The resultant pool of 3,009 fully annotated nsSNPs is accessible from the Predicted Impact of Coding SNPs database at http://www.icr. ac.uk/cancgen/molgen/MolPopGen_PICS_database. htm. Predicted Impact of Coding SNPs is an ongoing project that will continue to curate and release data on the putative functionality of coding SNPs.