Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
3-D Pose Estimation of Articulated Instruments in Robotic Minimally Invasive Surgery

Estimating the 3-D pose of instruments is an important part of robotic minimally invasive surgery for automation of basic procedures as well as providing safety features, such as virtual fixtures. Image-based methods of 3-D pose estimation provide a non-invasive low cost solution compared with methods that incorporate external tracking systems. In this paper, we extend our recent work in estimating rigid 3-D pose with silhouette and optical flow-based features to incorporate the articulated degrees-of-freedom (DOFs) of robotic instruments within a gradient-based optimization framework. Validation of the technique is provided with a calibrated ex-vivo study from the da Vinci Research Kit (DVRK) robotic system, where we perform quantitative analysis on the errors each DOF of our tracker. Additionally, we perform several detailed comparisons with recently published techniques that combine visual methods with kinematic data acquired from the joint encoders. Our experiments demonstrate that our method is competitively accurate while relying solely on image data.
Linear Regression Models to Forecast Electricity Consumption in Italy

Abstract The influence of economic and demographic variables on the annual electricity consumption in Italy has been investigated in order to develop a simple and data light electricity consumption forecasting model, to be used as part of more complex planning tools. The time period considered for the historical data is from 1970–2007. Multiple and single regression models are developed using historical electricity consumption, gross domestic product (GDP), GDP per capita, and population. Annual electricity consumption was strongly related to the selected variables, with adjusted regression coefficients, adj. R2, equal to 0.990 for residential consumption, 0.961 for non-residential consumption, and 0.981 for total consumption. Comparisons with national forecasts showed that the developed regressions are congruent with the official projections, with ±5% error considered acceptable in relation to the considered time span.
RAGE and its ligands: a lasting memory in diabetic complications?

The complications of diabetes are myriad and represent a rising cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly in the Western world. The update of the Diabetes Control and Clinical Trials Group/Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications Research Group (DCCT/EDIC) suggested that previous strict control of hyperglycaemia was associated with reduced carotid atherosclerosis compared to conventional treatment, even after levels of glycosylated haemoglobin between the two treatment groups became indistinguishable. These intriguing findings prompt the key question, why does the blood vessel ‘remember’? This review focuses on the hypothesis that the ligand/RAGE axis contributes importantly to glycaemic ‘memory’. Studies in rodent models of diabetes suggest that blockade or genetic modification of RAGE suppress diabetes-associated progression of atherosclerosis, exaggerated neointimal expansion consequent to acute arterial injury, and cardiac dysfunction. We propose that therapeutic RAGE blockade will intercept maladaptive diabetes-associated memory in the vessel wall and provide cardiovascular protection in diabetes.
The application of BREEAM in corporate real estate: A case study in the design of a city centre office development

Buildings are a substantial contributor towards CO2 levels, and design methods to make buildings much more energy efficient are evolving. In the UK, the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) has been in operation for over ten years. The scheme is intended to produce a label that distinguishes sustainable developments in the marketplace. This paper uses an in‐depth case study to examine the role of BREEAM in the design and marketing of a city centre office development. The influence of BREEAM in the design process and among the designers is seen as significant, but its influence in the property market is not explicit. The paper concludes that internal environmental conditions are increasingly important to occupiers, but evidence of sustainable development being led by the market is not observed in this case study.
Herpesvirus-Associated Lymphadenitis Distorts Fibroblastic Reticular Cell Microarchitecture and Attenuates CD8 T Cell Responses to Neurotropic Infection in Mice Lacking the STING-IFNα/β Defense Pathways

Type I IFN (IFN-α/β)–driven immune responses to acute viral infection are critical to counter replication and prevent dissemination. However, the mechanisms underlying host resistance to HSV type 1 (HSV-1) are incompletely understood. In this study, we show that mice with deficiencies in IFN-α/β signaling or stimulator of IFN genes (STING) exhibit exacerbated neurovirulence and atypical lymphotropic dissemination of HSV-1 following ocular infection. Synergy between IFN-α/β signaling and efficacy of early adaptive immune responses to HSV-1 were dissected using bone marrow chimeras and adoptive cell transfer approaches to profile clonal expansion, effector function, and recruitment of HSV-specific CD8+ T cells. Lymphotropic viral dissemination was commensurate with abrogated CD8+ T cell responses and pathological alterations of fibroblastic reticular cell networks in the draining lymph nodes. Our results show that resistance to HSV-1 in the trigeminal ganglia during acute infection is conferred in part by STING and IFN-α/β signaling in both bone marrow–derived and –resident cells, which coalesce to support a robust HSV-1–specific CD8+ T cell response.
Short-term effect of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in dogs with severe myxomatous mitral valve disease

Background: Use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) to treat damaged myocardium is a relatively new concept. Clinical beneficial and safety outcomes are still controversial. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate recruitment of hematopoietic stem cells and therapeutic efficacy of G-CSF in the treatment of myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) of dogs. Animals and methods: Thirty client-owned MMVD dogs with clinical signs of heart failure were enrolled in a prospective double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study to compare the short-term effect of G-CSF (n = 17) with control group (n = 13) for identical periods. Clinical, hematological, and cardiovascular assessments were performed on days 0, 1, 3, and 7. Follow-up examination was conducted four weeks after the study. Results: Dogs treated with G-CSF had a significantly elevated white blood cell (WBC) (×103/μL) count at day 3 compared with baseline (from 10.23 ± 4.42 to 42.84 ± 11.84; P = .000). The WBC population was also changed (elevated neutrophils and decreased lymphocytes) and the numbers of CD34+ cells in the peripheral blood were also increased at day 3. However, the results of clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic assessments did not differ significantly between the G-CSF treatment and control groups after four weeks. Conclusions: G-CSF administration elevated the peripheral WBC count, especially neutrophils, and recruited hematopoietic stem cells. However, positive effects of G-CSF on cardiac function were not detected during short-term monitoring.
Financial literacy among the educated: An exploratory study of selected university students in South Africa

The challenges associated with financial illiteracy are increasingly becoming a topical issue. Consequently, there is a growing body of literature explaining the antecedents and consequents of financial illiteracy. While most of these studies report on the experience from the developed world, very little is known on the subject matter in emerging economies. This study attempts to address this paucity in the body of knowledge by investigating the nature and extent of financial literacy in South Africa. Given that the literature acknowledges that financial illiteracy is a problem faced across the entire spectrum of society, including the uneducated and the educated, this study investigates financial illiteracy among university students, a section of the South African population that could be classified as being educated. A self-administered financial literacy scale was administered to a sample of 214 students from a large South African metropolitan university. Overall, results indicate moderate levels of financial illiteracy; suggesting that even among the educated, there is a need to reinforce basic financial concepts. Some implications for financial service providers in interacting with literate consumers who may be financially illiterate are provided. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Risk and uncertainty

• A submitted manuscript is the version of the article upon submission and before peer-review. There can be important differences between the submitted version and the official published version of record. People interested in the research are advised to contact the author for the final version of the publication, or visit the DOI to the publisher's website. • The final author version and the galley proof are versions of the publication after peer review. • The final published version features the final layout of the paper including the volume, issue and page numbers. Link to publication
Radial photic stimulation for maximal EEG response for BCI applications

This study proposes the use of radial visual stimuli design to obtain increased steady state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) responses that can be utilised in brain-computer interfaces (BCI). Visual stimuli designs based on chip on board (COB) LEDs were used in this study to compare the influences of the radial with horizontal and concentric patterns in SSVEP. Circular rings with diameters 70 mm, 90 mm, 110 mm, and 130 mm with green COB LEDs were used for radial and concentric patterns while green strip COB LED of 18 mm width and length 16 cm was used for horizontal pattern. The visual flicker and the concentric patterns were generated and controlled precisely by a 32-bit microcontroller platform. The SSVEP frequencies used were 7, 8, 9 and 10 Hz for a period of 30 seconds for each horizontal, radial and concentric circle visual stimulus. The study analysed the EEG recording from five participants comprising of five trials from each frequency and three different stimuli designs to identify the most responsive visual stimulus for evoking SSVEP. Furthermore, we also compared the influence of ring diameters in radial visual stimulus to identify the maximal response and minimal visual fatigue. The results indicated that radial stimulus gave significantly better response than concentric circles or horizontal stimuli for all the participants. Also 130 mm radial stimulus gave the highest response and viewing comfort.
CAUSAL LINKAGES AMONG SHANGHAI, SHENZHEN, AND HONG KONG STOCK MARKETS

In this paper, we test for causal relationship between China's stock markets by using returns and a measure of volatility for the Shanghai Composite index, the Shenzhen Composite Subindex, and the Hong Kong Hang Seng Index. We also show that the stock index series are nonstationary and that cointegrating vectors and error correction models do not exist for the series.Based on these tests, for the return series, we conclude that Shenzhen Granger caused Shanghai before 1994. For the volatility data, we find that there exists a positive feedback relationship between Shanghai and Shenzhen stock markets, and that Hong Kong volatility Granger causes Shanghai volatility, but not vice versa.
Towards global partnerships in research in Sub-Saharan Africa : an informetric study of the national, regional and international country collaboration in HIV / AIDS literature in eastern and southern Africa

Research collaboration in Sub-Saharan Africa is increasingly being conducted internationally, perhaps due to the emphasis laid on international partnerships by international organisations such as the United Nations. Using informetric techniques, this paper explores the nature, extent and trends of HIV / AIDS research collaboration and also identifies countries that collaborate with Eastern and Southern African countries in HIV / AIDS research. The study reveals that interest in singly conducted HIV / AIDS research has been overtaken by collaborative research which registered more papers than the former in most countries. Although internal collaboration is largely visible, the trend shows an increased activity at the international level. This pattern can persist only if properly stipulated guidelines and policies on international research collaboration are strengthened or, where they do not exist, put in place to prevent fall-outs which have been recognised as factors influencing shifts in partnerships between countries. Cultivating trust and honesty among researchers is also recommended as one way of ensuring long-term collaborations and hence positioning Africa in the global collaboration map.
Secreted Giardia intestinalis cysteine proteases disrupt intestinal epithelial cell junctional complexes and degrade chemokines

ABSTRACT Giardiasis is a common diarrheal disease caused by the protozoan parasite Giardia intestinalis. Cysteine proteases (CPs) are acknowledged as virulence factors in Giardia but their specific role in the molecular pathogenesis of disease is not known. Herein, we aimed to characterize the three main secreted CPs (CP14019, CP16160 and CP16779), which were identified by mass spectrometry in the medium during interaction with intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) in vitro. First, the CPs were epitope-tagged and localized to the endoplasmic reticulum and cytoplasmic vesicle-like structures. Second, we showed that recombinant CPs, expressed in Pichia pastoris, are more active in acidic environment (pH 5.5-6) and we determined the kinetic parameters using fluorogenic substrates. Third, excretory-secretory proteins (ESPs) from Giardia trophozoites affect the localization of apical junctional complex (AJC) proteins and recombinant CPs cleave or re-localize the AJC proteins (claudin-1 and -4, occludin, JAM-1, β-catenin and E-cadherin) of IECs. Finally, we showed that the ESPs and recombinant CPs can degrade several chemokines, including CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL3, IL-8, CCL2, and CCL20, which are up-regulated in IECs during Giardia-host cell interactions. This is the first study that characterizes the role of specific CPs secreted from Giardia and our results collectively indicate their roles in the disruption of the intestinal epithelial barrier and modulating immune responses during Giardia infections.
Productivity and R&D: an econometric evidence from Spanish firm-level data

This article analyses the relationship between productivity growth and R&D investments of Spanish manufacturing firms during the 1990s. The theoretical model is a version of the Cobb–Douglas production function in its growth rate form. The purpose is to estimate the rate of return to R&D expenditures. The econometric specification is a distributed lag model. The estimation applies the generalized method of moments method. The main empirical finding is that a positive and significant role is played by R&D expenditures on productivity growth. The rate of return to R&D expenditures is 26.598%.
Turmeric: Reemerging of a neglected Asian traditional remedy.

CONTEXT Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a wild plant of the ginger family native to tropical South Asia. EVIDENCE ACQUISITIONS Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), Google Scholar, Pubmed (NLM), LISTA (EBSCO) and Web of Science have been searched. RESULTS Emerging evidence indicate that turmeric/curcumin inhibits cytokines and TGF-β production. From the various factors involved in the genesis of chronic kidney disease and pathogenesis of primary and secondary glomerulonehritis, TGF-β has emerged as a key factor in the cascade of events. Leading to glomerulosclerosis, tubulointerstitial fibrosis and end-stage renal disease. CONCLUSIONS considering the inhibitory effect of turmeric/curcumin on cytokines and TGF-β, it seems wise to assume that supplementary turmeric/curcumin might be a candidate remedy for chronic kidney disease and possibly prevention of subsequent end stage renal disease.
Effects of occupational stress, job characteristics, coping, and attributional style on the mental health and job satisfaction of university employees

Well-being at work has been shown to be influenced by job characteristics and individual differences in coping styles. This study investigated the relationships between job demands, control, social support, efforts, rewards, coping, and attributional style in predicting anxiety, depression, and job satisfaction in a sample of 307 university employees from the UK. Results were compared to those from a sample of 120 members of the general population. Workplace demands, intrinsic and extrinsic effort, and negative coping and attributional behaviors were associated with high levels of depression and anxiety and low job satisfaction in university employees. Rewards, social support, job control, and positive coping and attributional behaviors were associated with lower levels of depression and anxiety and high job satisfaction. The study adds to the growing research on university samples by showing that a transactional approach should be adopted. This has implications for interventions and suggests that rather than just trying to change job characteristics one should identify at-risk individuals in this population and help them adopt appropriate positive coping styles.
Modulation of Gentamicin-induced Testicular and Brain Damage in Rats

The effects of the aminoglycoside antibiotic gentamicin, on blood, reproductive system and brain tissue of rats and the concurrent administration of L-carnitine with the drug were studied. Rats were intramuscularly injected with gentamicin at a dose of 20 or 80 mg/kg b.wt. i.m. , divided into three equal doses daily for 10 days and killed at the 11 or 57 day of experiment. Gentamicin induced significant reduction in th th index weight of testes, epididymis, accessory sex organs, sperm cell concentration, motility, live sperms percentages and testosterone hormone level. While testicular total cholesterol and sperm abnormalities were increased. The drug also caused a significant decrease in the activity of testicular and brain catalase and reduced glutathione (GSH) content. Also the level of lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde (MDA) showed a significant increase. Some histopathological changes in testicular and brain tissues in addition to adverse effects on hematological parameters were also recorded. The intensity of these adverse effects increased significantly with the high dose of the drug. The subcutaneous injection of L-carnitine (200 mg/kg b.wt.) once/day for 56 successive days improved significantly the previously mentioned parameters compared to gentamicin treated groups in both periods of experiment. Moreover, all studied parameters were restored to normal values in L-carnitine with gentamicin (20 mg/kg b.wt.) treated group at the 57 day of experiment. th
From Chilean Patagonia to Galapagos, Ecuador: novel insights on blue whale migratory pathways along the Eastern South Pacific

Background The most traditional scheme for migration among baleen whales comprises yearly migrations between productive waters at high latitude summer feeding grounds and warmer waters at lower latitudes where whales calve and mate, but rarely feed. Evidence indicates, however, that large departures from this scheme exist among populations and individuals. Furthermore, for some populations there is virtually no information on migratory pathways and destinations. Such is the case of Chilean blue whales throughout the Eastern South Pacific; hence, the goal of this study was to assess its migratory behavior. Methods Dedicated marine surveys and satellite tagging efforts were undertaken during the austral summer and early autumn on blue whale feeding grounds off Chilean Northern Patagonia (CNP) during 2013, 2015 and 2016. Positional data derived from satellite tags regarding movement patterns and behavior were analyzed using Bayesian switching first-difference correlated random walk models. Results We instrumented 10 CNP blue whales with satellite transmitters and documented individual variation in departure time, northbound migratory routes and potential wintering grounds. The onset of migration occurred from mid/late austral autumn to well into the austral winter. Blue whales moved in various directions, but ultimately converged toward a general NW movement direction along a wide corridor exceeding 2,000 km. Area-Restricted Search behavior was exhibited within fjords and channels of CNP and also South of Galapagos Archipelago (GA) and northern Peru, but never during migration. Interestingly, dive profiles for one whale that reached GA showed a sharp and consistent increase in depth north of 5°S and extreme deep dives of up to 330 m. Discussion Information derived from satellite tagged blue whales in this study is the first of its kind off the Eastern Southern Pacific. Our results provide valuable information on their migratory timing, routes and behavior on their northbound migration, particularly regarding the varied migratory plasticity for this particular population. Our results also highlight the first record of two complete migratory paths between CNP and GA and strengthen the hypothesis that GA waters correspond to a potential wintering destination for CNP blue whales. We further hypothesize that this area might be selected because of its biological productivity, which could provide feeding opportunities during the breeding season. Our results suggest that special efforts should be put forward to identify blue whale critical areas and understand key behavioral aspects in order to provide the basis for their conservation on a regional context (i.e., reducing potential ship strike and promote Marine Protected Area (MPA) implementation in Chile, Ecuador and Peru). Indeed, we suggest joint blue whale conservation efforts at the regional level in order to identify and determine potential threats and impacts and, most importantly, implement prospective management actions.
Impact of Staff Monitored Program on Firms' Market Performance

ABSTRACT The purpose of the sudy was to ascertain the extent to which Staff Monitored Program (SMP), initiated by the Government of Angola, has affected the performance of firms based in Angola. This study focused on Angola because of several reasons: first, it appears that there is no academic study that examined the proposed relationship in Angola; second, the vast majority of studies have concentrated on Common Independent States (CIS), China, and India, but a few in the African Continent; and finally, Angola is one of the newest countries embracing the concept of economic reform. Certainly, the study provides insight into the role of free-market policies on firms' market performance in the transition economy. Based on the data obtained from 180 firms representing domestic and foreign businesses with most of their headquarters in Portugal, Brazil, Spain, Sao Tome, the USA and the UK, multiple regression analysis indicated that foreign exchange reform policy and international trade reform policy were the major determinants of firms' performance. Further, the study found little support for the hypotheses that investment, and infrastructure development reform policies have led to improved firm performance. Finally, managerial implications of the findings and the limitations of the study are discussed along with future research directions.