Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Unconditional Quantile Treatment Effects Under Endogeneity

This article develops estimators for unconditional quantile treatment effects when the treatment selection is endogenous. We use an instrumental variable (IV) to solve for the endogeneity of the binary treatment variable. Identification is based on a monotonicity assumption in the treatment choice equation and is achieved without any functional form restriction. We propose a weighting estimator that is extremely simple to implement. This estimator is root n consistent, asymptotically normally distributed, and its variance attains the semiparametric efficiency bound. We also show that including covariates in the estimation is not only necessary for consistency when the IV is itself confounded but also for efficiency when the instrument is valid unconditionally. An application of the suggested methods to the effects of fertility on the family income distribution illustrates their usefulness. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.
BIOCHEMICAL EFFECTS OF PROPOLIS AND BEE POLLEN IN EXPERIMENTALLY – INDUCED HYPERAMMONEMIA IN RATS

The main objective of this is study to investigate the biochemical effects of propolis and pollen grains as natural antioxidants on thioacetamide (TAA) at a dose of (150 mg/kg/bw single dose intraperitonelly (i.p. ) induced hyperammonemia in rats. One hundred male albino rats were divided into 5 group (20 each). Group (1) act as a control group (2) injected with TAA at dose 150 mg/kg/bw i.p.) act as control hyperammonemia group (3) injected with TAA at a dose 150 mg/kg/bw i.p.) and treated with propolis at a dose 300 mg/kg/bw, group (4) injected with TAA at a dose 150 mg/kg/bw i.p.) and treated with bee pollen grains at a dose 25 g/kg/bw and group (5) injected with TAA at a dose 150 mg/kg/bw i.p.) and treated with both propolis and pollen grains with the same dose for two months. Serum was separated twice after 30 and 60 days of treatment all serum was collected for estimation of Aspartate aminotransferase (SGOT), Alanine aminotransferase (SGPT), Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), albumin, total protein, urea, creatinine, uric acid, gamm amino butyric acid ( GABA), cholinesterase , N-acetyl glutamate synthase (NAGS), nitric oxide (NO) and plasma ammonia in control and propolis and pollen treated rats against TAAinduced hyperammonemia in rats. liver, brain and kidney were collected for determination superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase ( CAT) and Lmalonialdehyde (L-MDA), results revealed a significant decreased in serum SGOT, SGPT, ALP, GGT, urea, creatinine, uric acid, gamm amino butyric acid ( GABA), cholinesterase , nitric oxide (NO), plasma ammonia, L-MDA in tissues and also marked significantly increased in albumin, total protein, N-acetyl glutamate synthase (NAGS) and CAT, SOD in liver , kidney and brain tissues. The behavioral biochemical results indicated the effect of pollen grains and propolis against TAAinduced hyperammonemia in rats.
BC&amp;GC-Based Dense Stereo By Belief Propagation

Belief propagation (BP) have emerged as powerful tools in the realm of dense stereo computation. However the underlying brightness constancy (BC) assumption of existing methods severely limit the range of their applications. Augmenting BC with gradient constancy (GC) assumption has lead to a more accurate algorithm for optical flow computation. In this paper, these constraints are utilized in the frameworks of BP to broaden the application of stereo vision for 3D reconstruction. Results from experiments with semi-synthetic and real data illustrate that an algorithm incorporating these models generally yields better estimates, where the BC assumption is violated.
Gastric cancer: diagnosis and treatment options

Background: Overall incidence of primary gastric cancer has steadily declined in the western countries, however it is still prevalent in northern and south Asian countries. The exact prevalence in Nepal is still to be known, however according to the hospital based statistics, it seems to be the commonest cancer in Tribhuvan university teaching hospital followed by lung carcinomas. Over all, the incidence of distal stomach tumors has greatly declined, but reported cases of proximal gastric carcinomas, including tumors at the gastroesophageal junction, have increased. Early diagnosis of gastric cancer has been very difficult because most patients are asymptomatic in the early stage. Weight loss and abdominal pain often are late signs of tumor progression. Chronic atrophic gastritis, Helicobacter pylori infection, smoking, heavy alcohol use, and several dietary factors have been incriminated to increase the risks for gastric carcinomas. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy is the preferred diagnostic modality for evaluation of patients in whom stomach cancer is suspected. Accurate staging of gastric wall invasion and lymph node involvement is important for determining prognosis and appropriate treatment. Endoscopic ultrasonography, in combination with computed tomography and operative lymph node dissection, may be involved in staging the tumor. Treatment with surgery alone offers a high rate of failure. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy have not improved survival rates when used as single modalities, but combined therapy has shown some promise. Primary prevention, by control of modifiable risk factors and increased surveillance of persons at increased risk, is important in decreasing morbidity and mortality. The full text of this paper is available at Journal of Institute of Medicine website
Reconstruction of baseline JPEG coded images in error prone environments

In this paper, a two-stage method for the reconstruction of missing data in the transmission of baseline JPEG coded images in error prone environments is proposed. In the first stage, we estimate the values of the missing DC coefficients. As effects of errors in estimating the missing DC values will appear as a number of stripes across the image, a technique for removing such stripes is also developed. In the second stage, the data of missing blocks is reconstructed by exploiting the correlation between adjacent blocks. Simulation results intricate that our reconstruction method performs very well. The two key contributions of our method are that it does not assume nondifferential encoding of the DC coefficients, and that it performs well in the reconstruction of diagonal edges.
EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS ON SUBSURFACE DAMAGE IN ROTARY ULTRASONIC MACHINING OF GLASS BK7

The present study aimed to establish an exact comprehension of the subsurface damage patterns generated during rotary ultrasonic machining (RUM) of glass BK7 process. First, the subsurface damage of the specimens produced with and without ultrasonic using three different diamond tools was compared and characterized by means of the bonded interface sectioning technique. Then, the RUM scratching tests were conducted on the polished specimen surfaces with two diamond tools to investigate the subsurface damage formation mechanisms involved in formal RUM process. The damage characteristics of the RUM scratches were investigated with respect to the kinematics principles of the abrasives and the dynamic fracture theory of the brittle material. As a result, three types of RUM-induced subsurface damage were identified: pulverization, chipping and cracking. The pulverization layer characterized by finer debris was just populated near the top surface of the RUM specimen without extending into the interior material. The finer debris should emerge simultaneously, resulting from the increased strain rate and the decreased dynamic fracture toughness of the material, both of which were aroused by the inertia loading of the abrasive when reaching the vertex of its sinusoidal trajectory.
Postextraction socket preservation using epithelial connective tissue graft vs porcine collagen matrix. 1-year results of a randomised controlled trial.

PURPOSE To compare epithelial connective tissue graft vs porcine collagen matrix for sealing postextraction sockets grafted with deproteinised bovine bone. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 30 patients, who needed a maxillary tooth to be extracted between their premolars and required a delayed, fixed, single implant-supported restoration, had their teeth atraumatically extracted and their sockets grafted with deproteinised bovine bone. Patients were randomised according to a parallel group design into two arms: socket sealing with epithelial connective tissue graft (group A) vs porcine collagen matrix (group B). Outcome measures were: implant success and survival rate, complications, horizontal and vertical alveolar bone dimensional changes measured on Cone Beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans at three levels localised 1, 3, and 5 mm below the most coronal aspect of the bone crest (levels A, B, and C); and between the palatal and buccal wall peaks (level D); and peri-implant marginal bone level changes measured on periapical radiographs. RESULTS 15 patients were randomised to group A and 15 to group B. No patients dropped out. No failed implants or complications were reported 1 year after implant placement. Five months after tooth extraction there were no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups for both horizontal and vertical alveolar bone dimensional changes. At level A the difference was 0.13 ± 0.18; 95% CI 0.04 to 0.26 mm (P = 0.34), at level B it was 0.08 ± 0.23; 95% CI -0.14 to 0.14 (P = 0.61), at level C it was 0.05 ± 0.25; 95% CI -0.01 to 0.31 mm (P = 0.55) and at level D it was 0.13 ± 0.27; 95% CI -0.02 to 0.32 mm (P = 0.67). One year after implant placement there were no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups for peri-implant marginal bone level changes (difference: 0.07 ± 0.11 mm; 95% CI -0.02 to 0.16; P = 0.41). CONCLUSIONS When teeth extractions were performed atraumatically and sockets were filled with deproteinised bovine bone, sealing the socket with a porcine collagen matrix or a epithelial connective tissue graft showed similar outcomes. The use of porcine collagen matrix allowed simplification of treatment because no palatal donor site was involved.
Cardiovascular changes in children with mucopolysaccharide disorders

The aims of this study were to evaluate cardiac involvement, assess risk factors and mortality, and define the outcome of cardiac abnormalities with age in the different types of mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS). The echocardiograms of 99 patients with MPS, aged 1–24 y (median age 10.3 y) were reviewed between 1978 and 2000. Mitral regurgitation (MR) was detected in 29 patients (29%). MR was more frequent in types IH [n= 11 (38%)], II [n= 10 (24%)] and III [n= 4 (20%)]. Sixteen patients (16%) developed aortic regurgitation (AR), seen mostly in types II [n = 9 (56%)] and IV [n= 4 (24%)]. AR and/or MR was detected in 37 patients and 8 had both abnormalities of borderline significance (odds ratio 2.95,95% confidence interval 1.0–8.85, p= 0.05). Of 99 patients, 47 had a normal study on their first echocardiogram, whereas only 7 had a normal study on subsequent echocardiograms. Fifty‐four (54%) had a single echocardiogram. Of these, 27 (50%) were abnormal and 27 normal. Forty‐five patients had more than one echocardiogram, of which 25 (56%) were abnormal and 20 normal. In 13/20 (65%) a cardiac abnormality developed on a subsequent echocardiogram which was statistically significant (p= 0.002). Overall mitral and aortic valve abnormalities showed a positive association with age. Univariate analysis of risk factors showed that increasing age, MPS I and ejection fraction were significant risk factors for death. However, left ventricular hypertrophy, mitral valve abnormalities and type II MPS were not significant risk factors for death, with borderline significance for aortic valve abnormalities.
Acute Myocardial Infarction Early Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist Elevation in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction

OBJECTIVES We sought to evaluate interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) levels in patients with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (AMI) upon emergency department (ED) admission in order to assess the sensitivity of such a determination by comparison with common markers of myocardial necrosis. BACKGROUND Inflammatory markers are elevated in patients with unstable coronary syndromes, but IL-1Ra levels during the early phases of AMI have not been previously investigated. METHODS Levels of IL-1Ra were measured in 44 consecutive patients with AMI and compared with creatine kinase (CK), CK-MB, troponin I, myoglobin, and C-reactive protein (CRP). RESULTS Upon admission, 82% of patients had elevated ( 230 pg/ml) IL-1Ra levels, compared with 41% of patients with raised CK (p 0.001), CK-MB (45%, p 0.002), troponin I (57%, p 0.027), myoglobin (48%, p 0.004), and CRP (57%, p 0.019) levels. The IL-1Ra values were significantly higher in patients with heralded AMI than in those without pre-infarction angina (671 vs. 320 pg/ml, p 0.013). The sensitivity of IL-1Ra determination increased to 86% when chest pain duration was 3 h and to 91% if heralded infarction occurred. CONCLUSIONS Our study indicates that, unlike markers of necrosis, an increase of IL-1Ra levels occurs early in patients with AMI, is more significant in those with heralded infarction and symptom onset 3 h, and precedes the release of markers of necrosis. Thus, IL-1Ra determination may be an important early adjuvant toward the diagnosis of AMI in the ED. (J Am Coll Cardiol 2004;43:35–8) © 2004 by the American College of Cardiology Foundation
β-Carotene Supplementation and Incidence of Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease: the Women's Health Study.

Background In observational studies, individuals with high intakes of fruits and vegetables containing beta-carotene experience lower risks of developing cancer. However, the few randomized trials of beta-carotene supplementation show no overall benefits; some even suggest harm. This trial was designed to test the effects of beta-carotene supplementation in women. Methods The Women's Health Study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial originally testing aspirin, vitamin E, and beta-carotene in the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease among 39 876 women aged 45 years or older. The beta-carotene component was terminated early after a median treatment duration of 2.1 years (range = 0.00-2. 72 years). Statistical tests were two-sided. Results Among women randomly assigned to receive beta-carotene (50 mg on alternate days; n = 19 939) or placebo (n =19 937), there were no statistically significant differences in incidence of cancer, cardiovascular disease, or total mortality after a median of 4.1 years (2.1 years' treatment plus another 2.0 years' follow-up). There were 378 cancers in the beta-carotene group and 369 cancers in the placebo group (relative risk [RR] = 1.03; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.89-1. 18). There were no statistically significant differences for any site-specific cancer or during years 1 and 2 combined and years 3 and up combined. For cardiovascular disease, there were no statistically significant differences for myocardial infarction (42 in the beta-carotene group versus 50 in the placebo group), stroke (61 versus 43), deaths from cardiovascular causes (14 versus 12), or the combined end point of these three events (116 versus 102; among women with more than one event, only the first was counted). Deaths from any cause were similar in the two groups (59 versus 55). Among smokers at baseline (13% of all women), there were no statistically significant differences in overall incidence of cancer (RR = 1.11; 95% CI = 0.78-1.58) or cardiovascular disease (RR = 1.01; 95% CI = 0. 62-1.63). Conclusion Among apparently healthy women, there was no benefit or harm from beta-carotene supplementation for a limited period on the incidence of cancer and of cardiovascular disease.
American Thoracic Society Documents an Official American Thoracic Society Clinical Practice Guideline: Classification, Evaluation, and Management of Childhood Interstitial Lung Disease in Infancy Contents Executive Summary Diagnosis Special Considerations Management Research Priorities Introduction 

Background: There is growing recognition and understanding of the entities that cause interstitial lung disease (ILD) in infants. These entities are distinct from those that cause ILD in older children and adults. Methods: A multidisciplinary panel was convened to develop evidence-based guidelines on the classification, diagnosis, and management of ILD in children, focusing on neonates and infants under 2 years of age. Recommendations were formulated using a systematic approach. Outcomes considered important included the accuracy of the diagnostic evaluation, complications of delayed or incorrect diagnosis, psy-chosocial complications affecting the patient's or family's quality of life, and death. Results: No controlled clinical trials were identified. Therefore, observational evidence and clinical experience informed judgments. These guidelines: (1) describe the clinical characteristics of neonates and infants (,2 yr of age) with diffuse lung disease (DLD); (2) list the common causes of DLD that should be eliminated during the evaluation of neonates and infants with DLD; (3) recommend methods for further clinical investigation of the remaining infants, who are regarded as having " childhood ILD syndrome " ; (4) describe a new pathologic classification scheme of DLD in infants; (5) outline supportive and continuing care; and (6) suggest areas for future research. Conclusions: After common causes of DLD are excluded, neonates and infants with childhood ILD syndrome should be evaluated by a knowledgeable subspecialist. The evaluation may include echocar-diography, controlled ventilation high-resolution computed to-mography, infant pulmonary function testing, bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage, genetic testing, and/or lung biopsy. Preventive care, family education, and support are essential. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Interstitial lung disease (ILD) in infants is caused by entities that are distinct from those that cause ILD in older children and adults. Growing recognition and understanding of the various entities that cause ILD in children has led to the need for improved classification and evaluation. A committee was convened by the American Thoracic Society (ATS) to develop guidelines to inform clinicians, patients, and organizations regarding the classification , evaluation, and management of childhood ILD (chILD). Diagnosis d All neonates and infants (,2 yr of age) with diffuse lung disease (DLD) should have common diseases that can cause DLD excluded as the primary diagnosis. These include cystic fibrosis, congenital or acquired immunode-ficiency, congenital heart disease, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, pulmonary infection, primary ciliary dyskinesia presenting with newborn respiratory distress, and recurrent aspiration. d Once the common diseases that can cause DLD have been eliminated, a neonate or infant with …
Soluble CD80 Restores T Cell Activation and Overcomes Tumor Cell Programmed Death Ligand 1–Mediated Immune Suppression

Many tumor cells escape anti-tumor immunity through their expression of programmed death ligand-1 (PDL1 or B7-H1), which interacts with T cell–expressed PD1 and results in T cell apoptosis. We previously reported that transfection of human tumor cells with a membrane-bound form of the human costimulatory molecule CD80 prevented PD1 binding and restored T cell activation. We now report that a membrane-bound form of murine CD80 similarly reduces PDL1–PD1-mediated suppression by mouse tumor cells and that a soluble protein consisting of the extracellular domains of human or mouse CD80 fused to the Fc domain of IgG1 (CD80-Fc) overcomes PDL1-mediated suppression by human and mouse tumor cells, respectively. T cell activation experiments with human and mouse tumor cells indicate that CD80-Fc facilitates T cell activation by binding to PDL1 to inhibit PDL1–PD1 interactions and by costimulating through CD28. CD80-Fc is more effective in preventing PD1–PDL1-mediated suppression and restoring T cell activation compared with treatment with mAb to either PD1 or PDL1. These studies identify CD80-Fc as an alternative and potentially more efficacious therapeutic agent for overcoming PDL1-induced immune suppression and facilitating tumor-specific immunity.
TorqueBAR: an ungrounded haptic feedback device

Kinesthetic feedback is a key mechanism by which people perceive object properties during their daily tasks - particularly inertial properties. For example, transporting a glass of water without spilling, or dynamically positioning a handheld tool such as a hammer, both require inertial kinesthetic feedback. We describe a prototype for a novel ungrounded haptic feedback device, the TorqueBAR, that exploits a kinesthetic awareness of dynamic inertia to simulate complex coupled motion as both a display and input device. As a user tilts the TorqueBAR to sense and control computer programmed stimuli, the TorqueBAR's centre-of-mass changes in real-time according to the user's actions. We evaluate the TorqueBAR using both quantitative and qualitative techniques, and we describe possible applications for the device such as video games and real-time robot navigation.
Experience Report: Automated System Level Regression Test Prioritization Using Multiple Factors

We propose a new method of determining an effective ordering of regression test cases, and describe its implementation as an automated tool called SuiteBuilder developed by Westermo Research and Development AB. The tool generates an efficient order to run the cases in an existing test suite by using expected or observed test duration and combining priorities of multiple factors associated with test cases, including previous fault detection success, interval since last executed, and modifications to the code tested. The method and tool were developed to address problems in the traditional process of regression testing, such as lack of time to run a complete regression suite, failure to detect bugs in time, and tests that are repeatedly omitted. The tool has been integrated into the existing nightly test framework for Westermo software that runs on large-scale data communication systems. In experimental evaluation of the tool, we found significant improvement in regression testing results. The re-ordered test suites finish within the available time, the majority of fault-detecting test cases are located in the first third of the suite, no important test case is omitted, and the necessity for manual work on the suites is greatly reduced.
Analysis of electrical dipole linear array maximum directivity

In this paper, the maximum obtainable directivity of electrical dipole linear arrays has been theoretically investigated. Considering uniformly spaced three- and fourelement arrays, the maximum directivity has been calculated as a function of the inter-element distance. The amplitude and phase weights applied to each array element have been computed using an ad-hoc procedure based on spherical wave expansion (SWE). The obtained results, in accord with the Uzkov's analysis, show that the directivity increases when the inter-element distance approaches to zero. A maximum simulated directivity of 10.4 and 12.7 dBi has been achieved in the case of the three- and fourelement array, respectively.