Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Role of Optical Coherence Tomography in Coronary Intervention

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an optical analog of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) that can be used to examine the coronary arteries and has 10-fold higher resolution than IVUS. Based on polarization properties, OCT can differentiate tissue characteristics (fibrous, calcified, or lipid-rich plaque) and identify thin-cap fibroatheroma. Because of the strong attenuation of light by blood, OCT systems required the removal of blood during OCT examinations. A recently developed frequency-domain OCT system has a faster frame rate and pullback speed, making the OCT procedure more user-friendly and not requiring proximal balloon occlusion. During percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), OCT can provide detailed information (dissection, tissue prolapse, thrombi, and incomplete stent apposition [ISA]). At follow-up examinations after stent implantation, stent strut coverage and ISA can be assessed. Several OCT studies have demonstrated delayed neointimal coverage following drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation vs. bare metal stent (BMS) placement. While newer DESs promote more favorable vascular healing, the clinical implications remain unknown. Recent OCT studies have provided insights into restenotic tissue characteristics; DES restenotic morphologies differ from those with BMSs. OCT is a novel, promising imaging modality; with more in-depth assessments of its use, it may impact clinical outcomes in patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease.
MERCURY-INDUCED AUTOIMMUNITY: GENETICS AND IMMUNOREGULATION

In susceptible mice, mercuric chloride induces a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by increased serum levels of immunoglobulin (Ig) G1 and IgE, production of anti-nucleolar autoantibodies (ANolA) and formation of renal IgG deposits. We have previously hypothesized that mercury confers more adverse immunological effects on those mouse strains, which are genetically prone to develop spontaneous autoimmune diseases than on normal strains. In this study, we tested our hypothesis in tight skin 1 (Tsk1/+) mice, a murine model for human scleroderma. As a support for our hypothesis, we observed that in Tsk1/+ mice, B cells were spontaneously hyperactive and that treatment with mercury induced a strong immune/autoimmune response in these mice, but not in their non-Tsk (+/+) littermates. This response was characterized by the formation of high numbers of splenic IgG1, IgG2b and IgG3 antibody-secreting cells, increased serum levels of IgE, production of IgG1 antibodies against single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), trinitrophenol (TNP) as well as thyroglobulin and the development of renal IgG1 deposits. Neither Tsk1/+ mice nor F1 hybrid crosses between this strain, and mercury susceptible B10.S (H-2s) were able to produce IgG1-ANolA in response to mercury. Moreover, mercury-induced immune activation in Tsk1/+ was not able to potentiate the progression of skin fibrosis in this strain. Thus, exposure to mercury accelerates the immune dysregulation, but not the development of skin fibrosis in Tsk1/+ mice.
Kinematic and reduced-dynamic precise orbit determination of low earth orbiters

Abstract. Various methods for kinematic and reduced-dynamic precise orbit determination (POD) of Low Earth Orbiters (LEO) were developed based on zero- and double-differencing of GPS carrier-phase measurements with and without ambiguity resolution. In this paper we present the following approaches in LEO precise orbit determination: – zero-difference kinematic POD, – zero-difference dynamic POD, – double-difference kinematic POD with and without ambiguity resolution, – double-difference dynamic POD with and without ambiguity resolution, – combined GPS/SLR reduced-dynamic POD. All developed POD approaches except the combination of GPS/SLR were tested using real CHAMP data (May 20-30, 2001) and independently validated with Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) data over the same 11 days. With SLR measurements, additional combinations are possible and in that case one can speak of combined kinematic or combined reduced-dynamic POD. First results of such a combined GPS/SLR POD will be presented, too. This paper shows what LEO orbit accuracy may be achieved with GPS using different strategies including zerodifference and double-difference approaches. Kinematic versus dynamic orbit determination is presently an interesting issue that will also be discussed in this article. Key words. POD, kinematic orbit, dynamic orbit, LEO, CHAMP, ambiguity resolution, GPS, SLR
BMP promotes motility and represses growth of smooth muscle cells by activation of tandem Wnt pathways

Vascular smooth muscle cell motility relies on interdependent activation of canonical and noncanonical Wnt signal transduction pathways; fibronectin, produced in response to BMP-2–mediated activation of β-catenin, promotes motility by activating an integrin-linked kinase via α4-integrin.
Coreference and modality

The prevailing view on meaning in logical semantics from its inception at the end of the nineteenth century until the beginning of the eighties has been one which is aptly summarized in the slogan ‘meaning equals truth conditions’. This view on meaning is one which can rightly be labeled static: it describes the meaning relation between linguistic expressions and the world as a static relation, one which may itself change through time, but which does not bring about any change itself. For non-sentential expressions (nouns, verbs, modifiers, etc.) the same goes through: in accordance with the principle of compositionality of meaning, their meaning resides in their contribution to the truth-conditions of the sentences in which they occur. In most cases this contribution consists in what they denote (refer to), hence the slogan can be extended to ‘meaning equals denotation conditions’. Of course, although this view on meaning was the prevailing one for almost a century, many of the people who initiated the enterprise of logical semantics, including people like Frege and Wittgenstein, had an open eye for all that it did not catch. However, the logical means which Frege, Wittgenstein, Russell, and the generation that succeeded them, had at their disposal were those of classical mathematical logic and set-theory, and these indeed are not very suited for an analysis of other aspects of meaning than those which the slogan covers. A real change in view then had to await the emergence of other concepts, which in due course became available mainly under the influence of developments in computer science and cognate disciplines such as artificial intelligence. And this is one of the reasons why it took almost a century before any serious and successful challenge of the view that meaning equals truthconditions from within logical semantics could emerge. The static view on meaning was, of course, already challenged from the outside, but in most cases such attacks started from premises which are quite alien to the logical semantics enterprise as such, and hence failed to bring about any radical changes. An important development has been that of speech act theory, originating from the work of Austin, and worked out systematically by Searle and
The Marginalization of Sustainable Charcoal Production in the Policies of a Modernizing African Nation

Charcoal is the main cooking fuel for urban populations in many African countries. Urbanisation and population growth are driving an increase in demand for charcoal, whilst deforestation reduces biomass stocks. Given increasing demand for charcoal, and decreasing availability of biomass, policies are urgently needed that ensure secure energy supplies for urban households and reduce deforestation. There is potential for charcoal to be produced sustainably in natural woodlands, but this requires supportive policies. Previous research has identified policy issues that have contributed to the charcoal sector remaining informal and environmentally destructive. In this paper, we describe how national policies in Tanzania on energy, forests, agriculture, land, and water, consider charcoal, and the degree to which they do, and do not, support sustainable charcoal production. The paper identifies policy gaps and a cross-sector tendency to marginalise natural forest management. By adopting a nexus approach, the paper highlights the inter-connections between sustainable charcoal production, ecosystem services, and trade-offs in the allocation of land, labour, and net primary production. In conclusion, sustainable charcoal production has been marginalised in multiple national policies. As a result, potential benefits of sustainable charcoal production are lost to multiple sectors.
Treatment Outcomes of the Summer Treatment Program for Children with Adhd and Comorbid Mental Health Diagnoses

Although there is substantial support for the efficacy of the Summer Treatment Program (Pelham, Gnagy et al., 2010) for children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), limited research has evaluated whether children diagnosed with additional mental health disorders (comorbidity) show positive outcomes and improvements when exposed to an intensive behavior program such as the Summer Treatment Program (STP). Furthermore, there is no research available that shows whether children from differing ages or gender who are diagnosed with additional mental health disorders (comorbidity) show improvements over the course of treatment. With such limited research, this study investigated a few of the questions raised about the treatment outcomes of the STP and whether children diagnosed ADHD, with and without comorbid conditions, have positive treatment outcomes and efficacy differences as a function of comorbidity, gender and age. This particular research study examined archival data from 345 children, aged 6 to 12 years old, who enrolled in a 7-week Summer Treatment Program from the summers of 1999 – 2012. The dependent variable included the STP point system total weekly points earned from the program utilized as the indicator of the rate of change. A series of mixed-effects regression models were computed with the independent measures for age group, gender comparisons, and ADHD comorbidity to address four research questions. The results of this investigation indicated no significant difference for children diagnosed
Intergenerational Service Learning Program Improves Aging Knowledge and Expectations and Reduces Ageism in Younger Adults

This article discusses a study which evaluated the effects of an intergenerational service-learning exergaming program for older adults on younger adults’ aging knowledge, expectations, and perceptions. Eighteen college students (ages 19-26 years) served as trainers for an 8-week exergaming physical activity program for older adults (12 contact hours). Questionnaires assessing aging knowledge, ageist attitudes and aging expectations were completed at Weeks 1, 8, and 25 (follow-up); program evaluations were completed at Weeks 8 and 25. Significant improvement from Week 1 to Week 25 was found for: Aging knowledge scores (p<0.03), positive aging expectations regarding mental health (p<.02), positive aging expectations regarding cognitive health (p=.043), overall aging expectations (p<.05), ageism (stereotypes) (p<.02) and ageism (separation) (p=.000). All trainers ranked their experience as “good to excellent. ” This intergenerational service learning program is effective in improving aging knowledge, expectations and perceptions.
An empirical study on organizational acceptance of new information systems in a commercial bank environment

This study empirically examines the acceptance of new information systems in a commercial bank environment. The modified technology acceptance model is used to examine organizational acceptance, staff satisfaction, superior satisfaction, customer satisfaction, system reliability, user friendliness, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use. The results show perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use have a significant effect. However, perceived usefulness was found to be a more important determinant on information technology acceptance than perceived ease of use. The results also confirm staff satisfaction and system reliability as significant variables representing perceived usefulness and ease of use.
Teaching students with moderate disabilities to make safe responses to product warning labels

Key words from product warning labels and a safe motor response to products containing those words on their labels were taught to 4 elementary students with moderate mental disabilities using actual products with warning labels and a constant time delay procedure. To enhance generalization, students were presented with multiple exemplars of products with warning labels during instruction. Generalization was assessed across settings and products. The results indicated that the procedure was effective in teaching a safe response to potentially dangerous products across students, as well as increasing a generalized response to novel settings and materials. Language: en
Adult stem cell therapies for neurological disorders: Benefits beyond neuronal replacement?

The modest capacity of endogenous repair processes in the central nervous system (CNS) justifies the broad interest in the development of effective stem cell based therapies for neurodegenerative disorders and other acute or chronic lesions. Motivated by the ambitious expectation to achieve functional neuronal replacement, several studies have already evidenced a potential benefit of stem cell grafts in animal models of human disorders. Nevertheless, growing evidence suggests that the effects orchestrated by stem cells, in most experimental cases, are not necessarily associated with the generation of new neurons. This hypothesis correlates with the versatile properties of adult and embryonic stem cells. When introduced into the lesioned CNS, nondifferentiated stem cells can have a positive influence through intrinsic neuroprotective capacities related to the production of neurotrophic factors, stimulation of endogenous neurogenesis, and modulation of neuroinflammation. Stem cells are also endowed with a multipotent differentiation profile, suggesting that a positive outcome could result from the replacement of nonneuronal cell types, in particular astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. Focusing on adult stem cells, this Review aims at summarizing experimental observations supporting the concept that, in cell‐based therapies, stem cells operate not through a unidirectional mechanism (e.g., generating neurons) but rather as cellular mediators of a multitude of biological activities that could provide a favorable outcome for diverse nervous disorders. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Analysis of neural crest–derived clones reveals novel aspects of facial development

Facial shaping results from oriented divisions and crowd movements of ectomesenchymal cells during morphogenetic events. Cranial neural crest cells populate the future facial region and produce ectomesenchyme-derived tissues, such as cartilage, bone, dermis, smooth muscle, adipocytes, and many others. However, the contribution of individual neural crest cells to certain facial locations and the general spatial clonal organization of the ectomesenchyme have not been determined. We investigated how neural crest cells give rise to clonally organized ectomesenchyme and how this early ectomesenchyme behaves during the developmental processes that shape the face. Using a combination of mouse and zebrafish models, we analyzed individual migration, cell crowd movement, oriented cell division, clonal spatial overlapping, and multilineage differentiation. The early face appears to be built from multiple spatially defined overlapping ectomesenchymal clones. During early face development, these clones remain oligopotent and generate various tissues in a given location. By combining clonal analysis, computer simulations, mouse mutants, and live imaging, we show that facial shaping results from an array of local cellular activities in the ectomesenchyme. These activities mostly involve oriented divisions and crowd movements of cells during morphogenetic events. Cellular behavior that can be recognized as individual cell migration is very limited and short-ranged and likely results from cellular mixing due to the proliferation activity of the tissue. These cellular mechanisms resemble the strategy behind limb bud morphogenesis, suggesting the possibility of common principles and deep homology between facial and limb outgrowth.
Supernova Remnant W-44: Observations at 8350 Megacycles per Second

The region of W-44 was mapped at 8350 megacycles per second. The degree of linear polarization of the most intense portion of W-44 integrated over the 10.8-minute-of-arc beam was 11�2 percent at position angle 45��5�. This high degree of polarization is further evidence that W-44 is a supernova remnant. The integrated flux density of (95�25) x 10-26 watt per square meter per cycle per second for this source is consistent with measurements at lower frequencies extrapolated with the use of a spectral index of-0.44, obtained by other observers. In addition, the compact source 3 minutes of right ascension west of W-44 was unpolarized, within the error of measurement. The flux density of (23�6)x 10-26 watt per square meter per cycle per second determined for it along with the results of other observers indicate that this source has a thermal spectrum.
Hemicraniectomy: A New Model for Human Electrophysiology with High Spatio-temporal Resolution

Human electrophysiological research is generally restricted to scalp EEG, magneto-encephalography, and intracranial electrophysiology. Here we examine a unique patient cohort that has undergone decompressive hemicraniectomy, a surgical procedure wherein a portion of the calvaria is removed for several months during which time the scalp overlies the brain without intervening bone. We quantify the differences in signals between electrodes over areas with no underlying skull and scalp EEG electrodes over the intact skull in the same subjects. Signals over the hemicraniectomy have enhanced amplitude and greater task-related power at higher frequencies (60–115 Hz) compared with signals over skull. We also provide evidence of a metric for trial-by-trial EMG/EEG coupling that is effective over the hemicraniectomy but not intact skull at frequencies >60 Hz. Taken together, these results provide evidence that the hemicraniectomy model provides a means for studying neural dynamics in humans with enhanced spatial and temporal resolution.
On QoS mechanism profiling in MPLS-TP transport networks

In the context of packet management in optical transport networks, quality of service (QoS) is playing an important role to achieve the right levels of bandwidth, latency, and general treatment for the different services carried over the network. The scope of this paper is to describe quality of service functionalities in the context of a packet transport network. This paper refers to the definition and implementation of the quality of service model in a packet transport network node, describing how this information is carried over a packet transport network. The Alcatel-Lucent 1850 Transport Service Switch (TSS) platform serves as our reference point for a packet transport node. We also include a description of classification, policing, marking, and, in particular, hierarchical scheduling and shaping. e 2010 Alcatel-Lucent.
Direct Matrix Factorization and Alignment Refinement: Application to Defect Detection

Defect detection approaches based on template differencing require precise alignment of the input and template image, however, such alignment is easily affected by the presence of defects. Often, non-trivial pre/post-processing steps and/or manual parameter tuning are needed to remove false alarms, complicating the system and hampering automation. In this work, we explicitly address alignment and defect extraction jointly, and provide a general iterative algorithm to improve both their performance to pixel-wise accuracy. We achieve this by utilizing and extending the robust rank minimization and alignment method of [12]. We propose an effective and efficient optimization algorithm to decompose a template-guided image matrix into a low-rank part relating to alignment-refined defect-free images and an explicit error component containing the defects of interest. Our algorithm is fully automatic, training-free, only needs trivial pre/post-processing procedures, and has few parameters. The rank minimization formulation only requires a linearly correlated template image, and a template-guided approach relieves the common assumption of small defects, making our system very general. We demonstrate the performance of our novel approach qualitatively and quantitatively on a real-world data-set with defects of varying appearance.
Collagen VI Is Upregulated in COPD and Serves Both as an Adhesive Target and a Bactericidal Barrier for Moraxella catarrhalis

Moraxella catarrhalis is a Gram-negative human mucosal commensal and pathogen. It is a common cause of exacerbation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). During the process of infection, host colonization correlates with recognition of host molecular patterns. Importantly, in COPD patients with compromised epithelial integrity the underlying extracellular matrix is exposed and provides potential adhesive targets. Collagen VI is a ubiquitous fibrillar component in the airway mucosa and has been attributed both adhesive and killing properties against Gram-positive bacteria. However, less is known regarding Gram-negative microorganisms. Therefore, in the present study, the interaction of M. catarrhalis with collagen VI was characterized. We found that collagen VI is upregulated in the airways of COPD patients and exposed upon epithelial desquamation. Ex vivo, we inoculated airway biopsies and fibroblasts from COPD patients with M. catarrhalis. The bacteria specifically adhered to collagen VI-containing matrix fibrils. In vitro, purified collagen VI microfibrils bound to bacterial surface structures. The primary adhesion target was mapped to the collagen VI α2-chain. Upon exposure to collagen VI, bacteria were killed by membrane destabilization in physiological conditions. These previously unknown properties of collagen VI provide novel insights into the extracellular matrix innate immunity by quickly entrapping and killing pathogen intruders.
Detecting conservation benefits of marine reserves on remote reefs of the northern GBR

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) is the largest network of marine reserves in the world, yet little is known of the efficacy of no-fishing zones in the relatively lightly-exploited remote parts of the system (i.e., northern regions). Here, we find that the detection of reserve effects is challenging and that heterogeneity in benthic habitat composition, specifically branching coral cover, is one of the strongest driving forces of fish assemblages. As expected, the biomass of targeted fish species was generally greater (up to 5-fold) in no-take zones than in fished zones, but we found no differences between the two forms of no-take zone: ‘no-take’ versus ‘no-entry’. Strong effects of zoning were detected in the remote Far-North inshore reefs and more central outer reefs, but surprisingly fishing effects were absent in the less remote southern locations. Moreover, the biomass of highly targeted species was nearly 2-fold greater in fished areas of the Far-North than in any reserve (no-take or no-entry) further south. Despite high spatial variability in fish biomass, our results suggest that fishing pressure is greater in southern areas and that poaching within reserves may be common. Our results also suggest that fishers ‘fish the line’ as stock sizes in exploited areas decreased near larger no-take zones. Interestingly, an analysis of zoning effects on small, non-targeted fishes appeared to suggest a top-down effect from mesopredators, but was instead explained by variability in benthic composition. Thus, we demonstrate the importance of including appropriate covariates when testing for evidence of trophic cascades and reserve successes or failures.