Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neuroprosthesis for Retraining Reaching and Grasping Functions in Severe Hemiplegic Patients

During the course of rehabilitation hemiplegic patients who have Chedoke McMaster Stages of Motor Recovery scores 4 and 5 measured three weeks after onset of stroke often improve their arm and hand function to the point that they can later use it in the activities of daily living (ADL) ( 1 ). These patients can be considered to have mild arm and hand paralysis since they can grasp objects and manipulate them with minor restrictions in the range of movement and force. On the other hand, hemiplegic patients who have Chedoke McMaster Stages of Motor Recovery scores 1 and 2 measured three weeks after onset of stroke, during the course of rehabilitation seldom improve their arm and hand function, and when they do, the improvements are not sufficient to allow these patients to use the arm and hand in ADL ( 1 ). These patients can be also described as patients who have severe arm and hand paralysis. Patients with severe arm and hand paralysis cannot move their arm and hand voluntarily at all or have very limited voluntary movements that cannot be used to carry out ADL. In recent years a variety of treatments such as constraint induced therapy, functional electrical therapy, biofeedback therapy, and robotics assisted therapies, were proposed which main objective is to improve reaching and grasping functions in subjects with unilateral arm paralysis. These therapies have shown encouraging results in patients with mild arm and hand paralysis. However, the efficacy of these therapies was limited when they were applied to patients with severe arm and hand paralysis. This article describes a new rehabilitation technique that can improve both reaching and grasping functions in hemiplegic patients with severe unilateral arm paralysis. A neuroprosthesis that applies surface electrical stimulation technology was used to retrain hemiplegic patients who had severe arm and hand paralysis to reach and grasp. The neuroprosthesis was applied both to acute and long‐term hemiplegic patients. Patients who were treated with the neuroprosthesis were compared to those patients who were administered only standard physiotherapy and occupational therapy appropriate for hemiplegic patients with unilateral upper extremity paralysis (controls). The treated and control patients had approximately the same time allocated for arm and hand therapy. After the treatment program was completed, the patients treated with the neuroprosthesis significantly improved their reaching and grasping functions and were able to use them in ADL. However, the majority of the control patients did not improve their arm and hand functions significantly and were not able to use them in ADL.
The active patient role and asthma outcomes in an underserved rural community.

PURPOSE Patient activation, an individual's knowledge, skills, and confidence for managing their own health and health care, can play an important role in the management of chronic conditions. However, few studies have examined patient activation in underserved rural communities. The purpose of this study was to describe patient activation and examine how patient activation is associated with adherence to asthma maintenance medication and disease control in a low-income rural population with asthma. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional telephone survey with 98 adults. Patient activation was assessed with the Patient Activation Measure. Adherence to long-term controller (LTC) medications and asthma control were examined using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS) and Asthma Control Test (ACT). Multivariate regression analyses were used to assess the associations between patient activation and: (1) adherence to LTC medications and (2) asthma control. FINDINGS The majority of participants (50%) were classified in the highest level of patient activation. The least activated participants had lower mean MMAS and ACT scores in comparison to participants who were classified in higher patient activation levels. Multivariate analyses found significant positive associations between patient activation and adherence and asthma control. CONCLUSIONS Patient activation may be instrumental in low-income rural patients' use of asthma medication and disease control. Study results inform interventions to help patients use asthma medications appropriately and achieve better asthma control. In addition to increasing access to health care services in rural communities, health care professionals also may develop and implement strategies to positively impact rural patients' involvement in care.
Scaling the Scattering Transform: Deep Hybrid Networks

We use the scattering network as a generic and fixed initialization of the first layers of a supervised hybrid deep network. We show that early layers do not necessarily need to be learned, providing the best results to-date with pre-defined representations while being competitive with Deep CNNs. Using a shallow cascade of 1 × 1 convolutions, which encodes scattering coefficients that correspond to spatial windows of very small sizes, permits to obtain AlexNet accuracy on the imagenet ILSVRC2012. We demonstrate that this local encoding explicitly learns invariance w.r. t. rotations. Combining scattering networks with a modern ResNet, we achieve a single-crop top 5 error of 11.4% on imagenet ILSVRC2012, comparable to the Resnet-18 architecture, while utilizing only 10 layers. We also find that hybrid architectures can yield excellent performance in the small sample regime, exceeding their end-to-end counterparts, through their ability to incorporate geometrical priors. We demonstrate this on subsets of the CIFAR-10 dataset and on the STL-10 dataset.
Milk fat globule EGF factor 8 attenuates sepsis-induced apoptosis and organ injury in alcohol-intoxicated rats.

BACKGROUND Despite advances in our understanding of excessive alcohol-intake-related tissue injury and modernization of the management of septic patients, high morbidity and mortality caused by infectious diseases in alcohol abusers remain a prominent challenge. Our previous studies have shown that milk fat globule epidermal growth factor-factor VIII (MFG-E8), a protein required to opsonize apoptotic cells for phagocytosis, is protective in inflammation. However, it remains unknown whether MFG-E8 ameliorates sepsis-induced apoptosis and organ injury in alcohol-intoxicated rats. The purpose of this study was to determine whether recombinant murine MFG-E8 (rmMFG-E8) attenuates organ injury after acute alcohol exposure and subsequent sepsis. METHODS Acute alcohol intoxication was induced in male adult rats by a bolus injection of intravenous alcohol at 1.75 g/kg BW, followed by an intravenous infusion of 300 mg/kg BW/h of alcohol for 10 hours. Sepsis was induced at the end of 10-hour alcohol infusion by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). rmMFG-E8 or vehicle (normal saline) was administered intravenously 3 times (i.e., at the beginning of alcohol injection, the beginning of CLP, and 10 hours post-CLP) at a dose of 20 microg/kg BW each. Blood and tissue samples were collected 20 hours after CLP in alcoholic animals for various measurements. RESULTS Acute alcohol exposure per se did not affect the production of MFG-E8; however, it primed the animal and enhanced sepsis-induced MFG-E8 downregulation in the spleen. Administration of rmMFG-E8 reduces alcohol/sepsis-induced apoptosis in the spleen, lungs, and liver. In addition, administration of rmMFG-E8 after alcohol exposure and subsequent sepsis decreases circulating levels of TNF-alpha and interleukin-6 and attenuates organ injury. CONCLUSIONS rmMFG-E8 attenuates sepsis-induced apoptosis and organ injury in alcohol-intoxicated rats.
A lattice Boltzmann fictitious domain method for modeling red blood cell deformation and multiple‐cell hydrodynamic interactions in flow

To model red blood cell (RBC) deformation and multiple‐cell interactions in flow, the recently developed technique derived from the lattice Boltzmann method and the distributed Lagrange multiplier/fictitious domain method is extended to employ the mesoscopic network model for simulations of RBCs in flow. The flow is simulated by the lattice Boltzmann method with an external force, while the network model is used for modeling RBC deformation. The fluid–RBC interactions are enforced by the Lagrange multiplier. To validate parameters of the RBC network model, stretching tests on both coarse and fine meshes are performed and compared with the corresponding experimental data. Furthermore, RBC deformation in pipe and shear flows is simulated, revealing the capacity of the current method for modeling RBC deformation in various flows. Moreover, hydrodynamic interactions between two RBCs are studied in pipe flow. Numerical results illustrate that the leading cell always has a larger flow velocity and deformation, while the following cells move slower and deform less.Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Non-functional requirements that influence gaming experience: a survey on gamers satisfaction factors

Requirements engineering is an extremely crucial phase in the software development lifecycle, because mishaps in this stage are usually expensive to fix in later development phases. In the domain of computer games, requirements engineering is a heavily studied research field (39.3% of published papers are dealing with requirements [1]), since it is considered substantially different from traditional software requirements engineering (see [1] and [14]). The main point of differentiation is that almost all computer games share a common key-driver as requirement, i.e. user satisfaction. In this paper, we investigate the most important user satisfaction factors from computer games, though a survey on regular gamers. The results of the study suggest that, user satisfaction factors are not uniform across different types of games (game genres), but are heavily dependent on them. Therefore, this study underlines the most important non-functional requirements that developers and researchers should focus on, while dealing with game engineering.
Effectiveness of vocabulary learning via mobile phone

Whereas the penetration of mobile phones in Asian countries keeps climbing, little research has explored the application of the short message service (SMS) in second language learning. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of SMS vocabulary lessons of limited lexical information on the small screens of mobile phones. Thirty high school students were randomly distributed into two groups and given two sets of English words either on paper or through SMS messages during two weeks. Students recognized more vocabulary during the post-test after reading the regular and brief SMS lessons than they did after reading the relatively more detailed print material. Qualitative data from interviews offer information about the learning process as well as the benefits and limitations of m-learning. Results of the questionnaires show that students in general hold positive attitudes towards learning vocabulary via mobile phone. On the other hand, technological limitations, unfamiliar presentations and learning activities may prevent students from reading SMS lessons.
Antimicrobial activity of cefepime and rifampicin in cerebrospinal fluid in vitro.

OBJECTIVES Though used for infections of the central nervous system, the pharmacodynamics of antimicrobial agents is commonly evaluated only in commercially available bacterial growth media. In the present study, the effects of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) on bacterial killing by cefepime and rifampicin were investigated. METHODS CSF was collected from patients who did not receive antibiotics. Time-kill curves were performed over 24 h using drug concentrations of 0.25-, 0.5-, 1-, 2-, 4- and 8-fold the respective MIC for the Staphylococcus aureus test strain. Killing curves were performed in Mueller-Hinton broth (MHB), in CSF incubated in ambient air (CSF(AIR)) and in CSF in air with 5% CO(2) (CSF(CO(2))). CO(2) served to adjust the pH of CSF to physiological values. RESULTS Sustained bacterial killing was achieved by cefepime at lower drug concentrations in CSF(CO(2)) than in MHB. In contrast, rifampicin concentrations above the MIC were required to exert sustained killing in CSF(CO(2)). Both drugs were least effective in CSF(AIR). CONCLUSIONS Standard susceptibility tests may lead to over- or underestimation of the activity of distinct antibiotics in CSF. Evaluation of the antimicrobial activity in pH-adjusted CSF can provide useful information on drugs considered for the treatment of bacterial infections residing in CSF.
Non Overlapping Clock generator for switched capacitor circuits in Bio-Medical applications

Switched capacitor circuits have become a popular method for implementing mixed signal blocks in standard CMOS technologies. Non-Overlapping Clock (NOC) generator is a key building block of switched capacitor circuits. Standard NOC circuits use simple inverters to realize delays. For high to moderate frequencies, the number of inverters required is nominal. But for low frequency applications like Bio-Medical Signal Processing, the number of inverters increase drastically affecting the area and power budget. In this work it is proposed to use an inverter in inverted form along with a simple inverter as an inverting circuit to realize significant delay with lesser number of transistors. Simulation results suggest that the proposed inverter is area and power efficient.
Colorectal cancer screening with fecal occult blood test: A 22-year cohort study

The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening with a three-tier fecal occult blood test (FOBT) in the Chinese population. The study was performed between 1987 and 2008 at the Beijing Military General Hospital, in a cohort of army service males and females aged >50 years. Between 1987 and 2005, a three-tier screening program, comprising guaiac-based FOBTs (gFOBTs), followed by immunochemical FOBTs for positive guaiac test samples and then colonoscopy for positive immunochemical test subjects, was performed annually. The cohort was followed up until 2008. The cohort included 5,104 subjects, of which, 3,863 subjects participated in screening (screening group) and 1,241 did not (non-screening group). The two groups did not differ in age, gender or other major risk factors for colon cancer. Overall, 36 CRCs occurred in the screening group and 21 in the non-screening group. Compared with the non-screening group, the relative risk for the incidence and mortality of CRC was 0.51 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.30–0.87] and 0.36 (95% CI, 0.18–0.71), respectively, in the screening group. The general sensitivity of this three-tier FOBT was 80.6% (95% CI, 65.3–91.1). Thus, annual screening using the three-tier FOBT program may reduce the CRC incidence and mortality rate.
Invasive Assessment of the Coronary Microcirculation: Superior Reproducibility and Less Hemodynamic Dependence of Index of Microcirculatory Resistance Compared With Coronary Flow Reserve

Background— A simple, reproducible invasive method for assessing the coronary microcirculation is lacking. A novel index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR) has been shown in animals to correlate with true microvascular resistance and, unlike coronary flow reserve (CFR), to be independent of the epicardial artery. We sought to compare the reproducibility and hemodynamic dependence of IMR with CFR in humans. Methods and Results— Using a pressure-temperature sensor-tipped coronary wire, thermodilution-derived CFR and IMR were measured, along with fractional flow reserve (FFR), in 15 coronary arteries (15 patients) under the following hemodynamic conditions: (1) twice at baseline; (2) during right ventricular pacing at 110 bpm; (3) during intravenous infusion of nitroprusside; and (4) during intravenous dobutamine infusion. Mean CFR did not change during baseline measurements or during nitroprusside infusion but decreased during pacing (from 3.1±1.1 at baseline to 2.3±1.2 during pacing, P<0.05) and during dobutamine infusion (from 3.0±1.0 to 1.7±0.6 with dobutamine, P<0.0001). By comparison, mean values for IMR and FFR remained similar throughout all hemodynamic conditions. The mean coefficient of variation between 2 baseline measurements was significantly lower for IMR (6.9±6.5%) and FFR (1.6±1.6%) than for CFR (18.6±9.6%; P<0.01). Mean correlation between baseline measurements and each hemodynamic intervention was superior for IMR (r=0.90±0.05) and FFR (r=0.86±0.12) compared with CFR (r=0.70±0.05; P<0.05). Conclusions— Compared with CFR, IMR provides a more reproducible assessment of the microcirculation, which is independent of hemodynamic perturbations. Simultaneous measurement of FFR and IMR may provide a comprehensive and specific assessment of coronary physiology at both epicardial and microvascular levels, respectively.
Effects of Aging, Gender, and Physical Training on Peripheral Vascular Function

BackgroundBlood pressure and total peripheral resistance increase with age. However, the effect of age on vasodilatory capacity has not been characterized. Methods and ResultsTo delineate the effects of aging, gender, and physical training on peripheral vascular function, we measured blood pressure during submaximal and maximal treadmill exercise and measured blood pressure, calf blood flow, and calf conductance (blood flow/mean blood pressure) at rest and during maximal hyperemia in 58 healthy sedentary subjects (men aged 25 ± 5 and 65 ± 3 years and women aged 27 ± 5 and 65 ± 4 years) and in 52 endurance exercise-trained subjects (men aged 30 ± 3 and 65 ± 4 years and women aged 27 ± 3 and 65 ± 3 years). Systolic and mean blood pressures were higher at rest, during maximal calf hyperemia, and during submaximal exercise of the same intensity in the older than in the younger subjects of the same gender and exercise training status (p < 0.01). The magnitude of the age-related effect on blood pressure during exercise was greater in women than in men (p < 0.01). Diastolic blood pressure during submaximal exercise was also higher in the older than in the younger subjects (p < 0.05) but not in women treated with estrogen replacement. In contrast, systolic and mean blood pressures during submaximal work were lower in physically conditioned subjects than in sedentary age- and gender-matched subjects (p < 0.05) but not in older women. Increased age was associated with reduced maximal calf conductance in women (p < 0.01) but not in men. However, calf vasodilatory capacity was higher in trained than in untrained subjects (p < 0.01), regardless of age and gender. There was a significant inverse relation between maximal calf conductance and systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressures during submaximal exercise (r = −0.31 to −0.53, p < 0.01) and a direct relation between maximal calf conductance and maximal oxygen uptake (r =0.66, p < 0.0001). ConclusionsThus, for healthy subjects between the ages of 25 and 65 years, there is an interactive effect between age and gender and an independent effect of physical -training on peripheral vascular function.
Onychomycosis in Children: An Experience of 59 Cases

Background Although tinea unguium in children has been studied in the past, no specific etiological agents of onychomycosis in children has been reported in Korea. Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate onychomycosis in Korean children. Methods We reviewed fifty nine patients with onychomycosis in children (0~18 years of age) who presented during the ten-year period between 1999 and 2009. Etiological agents were identified by cultures on Sabouraud's dextrose agar with and without cycloheximide. An isolated colony of yeasts was considered as pathogens if the same fungal element was identified at initial direct microscopy and in specimen-yielding cultures at a follow-up visit. Results Onychomycosis in children represented 2.3% of all onychomycosis. Of the 59 pediatric patients with onychomycosis, 66.1% had toenail onychomycosis with the rest (33.9%) having fingernail onychomycosis. The male-to-female ratio was 1.95:1. Fourteen (23.7%) children had concomitant tinea pedis infection, and tinea pedis or onychomycosis was also found in eight of the parents (13.6%). Distal and lateral subungual onychomycosis was the most common (62.7%) clinical type. In toenails, Trichophyton rubrum was the most common etiological agent (51.3%), followed by Candida albicans (10.2%), C. parapsilosis (5.1%), C. tropicalis (2.6%), and C. guilliermondii (2.6%). In fingernails, C. albicans was the most common isolated pathogen (50.0%), followed by T. rubrum (10.0%), C. parapsilosis (10.0%), and C. glabrata (5.0%). Conclusion Because of the increase in pediatric onychomycosis, we suggest the need for a careful mycological examination of children who are diagnosed with onychomycosis.
Structural plasticity in the olfactory system of adult spiny lobsters: postembryonic development permits life-long growth, turnover, and regeneration

Caribbean spiny lobsters (Panulirus argus) rely on their sense of olfaction for many behaviours. Growth of their olfactory systems, and maintenance of olfactory function, is ensured by structural change that occurs continuously throughout life. In this paper, we review recent studies on postembryonic development in the olfactory system of P. argus and several other decapod species. Major structural change occurs in both the peripheral and central olfactory systems; it includes addition and loss of olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs), aesthetasc and other sensilla, and interneurons associated with the olfactory lobes of the brain. From these studies it is clear that continuous growth and turnover of olfactory tissue is a normal process in decapod crustaceans. In addition, we describe for the first time mechanisms that enable the peripheral olfactory system of spiny lobsters to regenerate after injury. We monitored the regeneration of olfactory tissue usingin vivo incorporation of the cell proliferation marker 5- bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU). Our results show that regeneration after partial antennular amputation, which reduces the length of the antennule and thereby the number of ORNs, occurs as a result of upregulation of the normal mode of ORN addition and down-regulation of loss. In contrast, localized injury to aesthetasc sensilla, which causes the associated ORNs to degenerate but does not reduce antennular length, is followed by local regeneration of olfactory tissue.
Noise Pollution-Sources, Effects and Control

Abstract The study examines the problem of noise pollution in the wake of its ill effect on the life of the people. A crosssection survey of the population in Delhi State points out that main sources of noise pollution are loudspeakers and automobiles. However, female population is affected by religious noise a little more than male population. Major effects of noise pollution include interference with communication, sleeplessness, and reduced efficiency. The extreme effects e.g. deafness and mental breakdown neither is ruled out. Generally, a request to reduce or stop the noise is made out by the aggrieved party. However, complaints to the administration and police have also been accepted as a way of solving this menace. Public education appears to be the best method as suggested by the respondents. However, government and NGOs can play a significant role in this process.