Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Refractive changes induced by form deprivation in the mouse eye.

PURPOSE Form-deprivation myopia has been induced in many different animal species. Underlying mechanisms are not well understood to date. In the current study the possibility of inducing refractive errors by form deprivation in the mouse (C57 BL/6) was investigated. METHODS Thirty animals underwent a 13- to 20-day monocular form-deprivation period by suture of the left eyelid before or after natural eye opening. A subsequent survival period was allowed in a group of animals. Retinoscopic refraction was performed at lid reopening and after the subsequent survival period, when applicable. Animals were killed and the eyes enucleated. The axial length of the eyes was measured in histochemically processed horizontal eye sections. A group of 30 age-matched normal control mice was also studied. RESULTS Deprived eyes showed significant development of myopia compared with the contralateral fellow eye after transitory hypermetropia, regardless of whether they were deprived before or after natural eye opening. The refractive difference between form-deprived and corresponding fellow eyes was significantly correlated with the difference in axial length, which indicates that myopia is mainly axial. The differences exceeded those between eyes of age-matched normal control mice. CONCLUSIONS Form-deprivation myopia can be induced in the mouse. This model may be useful to investigate underlying mechanisms of myopia in mammals, because of easier handling and availability of genetically manipulated strains.
MARINE SEISMIC SURVEYS— A STUDY OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

An experimental program was run by the Centre for Marine Science and Technology of Curtin University between March 1996 and October 1999 to study the environmental implications of offshore seismic survey noise. This work was initiated and sponsored by the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association. The program: characterised air gun signal measurements; modelled air gun array sources and horizontal air gun signal propagation; developed an 'exposure model' to predict the scale of potential biological effects for a given seismic survey over its duration; made observations of humpback whales traversing a 3D seismic survey; carried out experiments of approaching humpback whales with a single operating air gun; carried out trials with an air gun approaching a cage containing sea turtles, fishes or squid; and modelled the response of fish hearing systems to airgun signals. The generalised response of migrating humpback whales to a 3D seismic vessel was to take some avoidance manoeuvre at >4 km then to allow the seismic vessel to pass no closer than 3 km. Humpback pods containing cows which were involved in resting behaviour in key habitat types, as opposed to migrating animals, were more sensitive and showed an avoidance response estimated at 7−12 km from a large seismic source. Male humpbacks were attracted to a single operating air gun due to what was believed the similarity of an air gun signal and a whale breaching event (leaping clear of the water and slamming back in). Based on the response of captive animals to an approaching single air gun and scaling these results, indicated sea turtles displayed a general 'alarm' response at an estimated 2 km range from an operating seismic vessel and behaviour indicative of avoidance estimated at 1 km. Similar trials with captive fishes showed a generic fish 'alarm' response of swimming faster, swimming to the bottom, tightening school structure, or all three, at an estimated 2−5 km from a seismic source. Modelling the fish ear predicted that at ranges < 2 km from a seismic source the ear would begin a rapid increase in displacement parameters. Captive fish exposed to short range air gun signals were seen to have some damaged hearing structures, but showed no evidence of increased stress. Captive squid showed a strong startle response to nearby air gun start up and evidence that they would significantly alter their behaviour at an estimated 2−5 km from an approaching large seismic source.
Telomere Dynamics in Myelodysplastic Syndromes and Acute Leukemic Transformation

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are characterized by cytopenias in the blood and dysplastic features in the hematopoietic cells. Although the impact of cytogenetic abnormalities is considerable for prognosis, the exact genetic mechanism of MDS remains undetermined. In this study we assessed cytogenetic changes, microsatellite alterations, and telomere dynamics in order to obtain further insight into the pathogenesis of MDS. Thirty-three percentage of MDS patients and 60% of post-MDS acute leukemia (post-MDS AML) had de novo microsatellite changes. In the MDS phase, however, > 60% of patients showed reduction of telomere lengths without microsatellite changes, indicating that telomere reduction in most MDS patients does not seem to be directly linked to genome instability, or that reduction of telomere length does not induce microsatellite changes in the MDS phase. Some MDS patients had microsatellite changes without telomerase elevation, indicating that genome instability might accumulate during the disease progression in some MDS patients, and this condition (cellular senescence) may be related to ineffective hemopoiesis in MDS patients. In contrast, 40% of post-MDS AML patients had elevated telomerase activity with microsatellite changes, indicating that approximately 40% of patients with post-MDS AML patients had accumulation of genome instability resulting in elevated telomerase activity in an attempt to obtain genetic stability. However, the remaining MDS patients had microsatellite changes without telomerase up-regulation, suggesting that some MDS had genome instability even after leukemic transformation. Most MDS patients with elevated telomerase activity in the AML phase had elevated telomerase activity even in the MDS phase without apparent change in telomere length before and after leukemic transformation. These findings indicate that telomerase activity in the MDS phase may be independent of telomere length, although telomere shortening seems to be related to genomic instability, and this process may be linked to apoptosis of MDS cells.
Anemia at the Initiation of Tuberculosis Therapy Is Associated with Delayed Sputum Conversion among Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania

Background Pulmonary tuberculosis and anemia are both prevalent in Tanzania. There is limited and inconsistent literature on the association between anemia and sputum conversion following tuberculosis treatment. Methods Newly diagnosed sputum smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients aged ≥15 years initiating on standard anti tuberculosis therapy were recruited from 14 of 54 tuberculosis clinics in Dar es Salaam. Patients were receiving medication according to the recommended short course Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) strategy and were followed up prospectively until completion of treatment (six months). Patients were evaluated before initiation of TB treatment by performing the following; clinical history, physical examination, complete blood counts, serum biochemistry and sputum microscopy. Sputum smears were re-examined at two months of anti-tuberculosis therapy for presence of acid fast bacilli. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin <13 g/dl (males) or <12 g/dl (females). Log-binomial regression was used to assess the association between anemia and sputum conversion at two months. Results Of the 1245 patients included in the study, 86% were anemic and 7% were sputum smear positive at two months of anti-tuberculosis therapy. Anemic patients were three times more likely to have sputum positive smear as compared to non-anemic patients at two months (RR = 3.05; 95% CI 1.11–8.40) p = 0.03. The risk for sputum positive smear results increased with severity of anemia (P for trend <0.01). Conclusion Baseline anemia is associated with increased risk for persistent positive sputum smears at two months of tuberculosis treatment. Future studies should evaluate the mechanisms for TB-associated anemia as well as the role of intervention for anemia among TB patients.
MFAP4 Promotes Vascular Smooth Muscle Migration, Proliferation and Accelerates Neointima Formation

Objective— Arterial injury stimulates remodeling responses that, when excessive, lead to stenosis. These responses are influenced by integrin signaling in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Microfibrillar-associated protein 4 (MFAP4) is an integrin ligand localized to extracellular matrix fibers in the vascular wall. The role of MFAP4 in vascular biology is unknown. We aimed to test the hypothesis that MFAP4 would enhance integrin-dependent VSMC activation. Approach and Results— We produced Mfap4-deficient (Mfap4 −/− ) mice and performed carotid artery ligation to explore the role of MFAP4 in vascular biology in vivo. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of MFAP4 in neointimal formation ex vivo and in primary VSMC and monocyte cultures in vitro. When challenged with carotid artery ligation, Mfap4 −/− mice exhibited delayed neointimal formation, accompanied by early reduction in the number of proliferating medial and neointimal cells, as well as infiltrating leukocytes. Delayed neointimal formation was associated with decreased cross-sectional area of ligated Mfap4 −/− carotid arteries resulting in lumen narrowing 28 days after ligation. MFAP4 blockade prohibited the formation of neointimal hyperplasia ex vivo. Moreover, we demonstrated that MFAP4 is a ligand for integrin &agr;V&bgr;3 and mediates VSMC phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase, migration, and proliferation in vitro. MFAP4-dependent VSMC activation was reversible by treatment with MFAP4-blocking antibodies and inhibitors of focal adhesion kinase and downstream kinases. In addition, we showed that MFAP4 promotes monocyte chemotaxis in integrin &agr;V&bgr;3–dependent manner. Conclusions— MFAP4 regulates integrin &agr;V&bgr;3–induced VSMC proliferation and migration, as well as monocyte chemotaxis, and accelerates neointimal hyperplasia after vascular injury.
Perianal Streptococcal Dermatitis

Perianal streptococcal dermatitis (PSD) is a superficial bacterial infection of the parianal area. PSD is usually caused by group A β-hemolytic streptococci and rarely, the group G β-hemolytic strep- tococci or staphylococcus aureus. Symptoms include perianal rash, itching and rectal pain; blood- streaked stools may be also seen in one third of patients. It primarily occurs in children between 7 months and 11 years of age. We report a 6-year-old boy with PSD who developed desquamation of his fingers and perioral skin. The desquamation developed concomitant with resolution of perianal dermatitis. We propose that desquamation in this patient was due to PSD and its release of streptococ- cal exotoxin. Therapy by oral penicillin and topical mupirocin is effective.
Can Programmed or Self-Selected Physical Activity Affect Physical Fitness of Adolescents?

Abstract The aim of this study was to verify the effects of programmed and self-selected physical activities on the physical fitness of adolescents. High school adolescents, aged between 15 and 17 years, were divided into two experimental groups: a) a self-selected physical activity group (PAS) with 55 students (aged 15.7 ± 0.7 years), who performed physical activities with self-selected rhythm at the following sports: basketball, volleyball, handball, futsal and swimming; and b) a physical fitness training group (PFT) with 53 students (aged 16.0 ± 0.7 years), who performed programmed physical fitness exercises. Both types of activity were developed during 60 min classes. To assess physical fitness the PROESP-BR protocol was used. The statistical analysis was performed by repeated measures ANOVA. The measurements of pre and post-tests showed significantly different values after PFT in: 9 minute running test, medicine ball throw, horizontal jump, abdominal endurance, running speed and flexibility. After PAS differences were detected in abdominal endurance, agility, running speed and flexibility. The intervention with programmed physical activity promoted more changes in the physical abilities; however, in the self-selected program, agility was improved probably because of the practice of sports. Therefore, physical education teachers can use PFT to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and power of lower and upper limbs and PAS to improve agility of high school adolescents.
Depletion of dopamine in the caudate nucleus but not in nucleus accumbens impairs reaction-time performance in rats

Impairment of the dopaminergic system in the brain induced by dopamine- receptor antagonists or by specific neurotoxin terminal lesions results in motor disturbances in rats. In order to specify further the role of the different dopamine pathways in the brain on motor function, the performance of rats trained in an operant reaction-time task was examined after systemic administration of a dopamine-receptor antagonist, alpha-flupenthixol, and after specific destruction of dopamine neurons by 6-hydroxydopamine perfusion into the nucleus accumbens or caudate nucleus. Rats were trained to press a lever and release it as quickly as possible after a light-cue conditioned stimulus (CS). Reaction time was measured from the CS to the release of the lever for each trial. alpha-Flupenthixol (0.2 and 0.4 mg/kg) injected intraperitoneally impaired the reaction-time performance of the rats. While disruption of dopamine activity in the nucleus accumbens did not affect the performance of the rats, lesions of the dopamine terminals of the nigrostriatal pathway in the corpus striatum (59% decrease in posterior striatal dopamine) significantly impaired reaction-time performance. These results show that moderate decreases in dopamine function restricted to the corpus striatum can disrupt sensitive motor performance, and support the hypothesis that dopamine in the corpus striatum has a role in the initiation of complex goal- directed responses.
Short- and Long-Lasting Consequences of In Vivo Nicotine Treatment on Hippocampal Excitability

The potential for relapse following cessation of drug use can last for years, implying the induction of stable changes in neural circuitry. In hippocampal slices from rats treated with nicotine for 1 week, withdrawal from nicotine in vivo produces an increase in CA1 pyramidal cell excitability that persists up to 9 months. Immediately upon drug cessation, the enhanced excitability depends on input from regions upstream of CA1, while the long-term excitability change (> 4 weeks) is expressed as an increase in the intrinsic excitability of CA1 neurons. Re-exposure to nicotine in vitro restores hippocampal function to control levels via activation of high-affinity nicotinic acetylcholine receptors after 1 d of withdrawal, but not at times >4 weeks. Thus, nicotine in vivo first induces homeostatic adaptations followed by other more robust neural changes. These mechanisms may contribute to hippocampal localized cue-motivated reinstatement of drug-seeking and/or cognitive deficits observed during withdrawal.
“One Teabag Is Better than Four”: Participants Response to the Discontinuation of 2% PRO2000/5 Microbicide Gel in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Introduction The Microbicides Development Programme evaluated the safety and effectiveness of 0.5% and 2% PRO2000/5 microbicide gels in reducing the risk of vaginally acquired HIV. In February 2008 the Independent Data Monitoring Committee recommended that evaluation of 2% PRO2000/5 gel be discontinued due to futility. The Africa Centre site systematically collected participant responses to this discontinuation. Methods Clinic and field staff completed field reports using ethnographic participant observation techniques. In-depth-interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with participants discontinued from 2% gel. A total of 72 field reports, 12 in-depth-interviews and 3 focus groups with 250 women were completed for this analysis. Retention of discontinued participants was also analysed. Qualitative data was analysed using NVivo 2 and quantitative data using STATA 10.0. Results Participants responded initially with fear that discontinuation was due to harm, followed by acceptance after effective messaging, and finally with disappointment. Participants reported that their initial fear was exacerbated by being contacted and advised to visit the clinic for information about the closure. Operational changes were subsequently made to the contact procedures. By incorporating feedback from participants, messages were continuously revised to ensure that information was comprehensible and misconceptions were addressed quickly thereby enabling participants to accept the discontinuation. Participants were disappointed that 2% PRO2000/5 was being excluded as a HIV prevention option, but also that they would no longer have access to gel that improved their sexual relationships with their partners and assisted condom negotiations. In total 238 women were discontinued from gel and 185 (78%) went on to complete their scheduled follow-up period. Discussion The use of qualitative social science techniques allowed the site team to amend operational procedures and messaging throughout the discontinuation period. This proved instrumental in ensuring that the discontinuation was successfully completed in a manner that was both understandable and acceptable to participants. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials. ISRCTN64716212.
ICDAR2017 Competition on Post-OCR Text Correction

This paper describes the ICDAR2017 competition on post-OCR text correction and presents the different methods submitted by the participants. OCR has been an active research field for over the past 30 years but results are still imperfect, especially for historical documents. The purpose of this competition is to compare and evaluate automatic approaches for correcting (denoising) OCR-ed texts. The challenge consists of two independent tasks: 1) error detection and 2) error correction. An original dataset of 12M OCR-ed symbols along with an aligned ground truth was provided to the participants with 80% of the dataset dedicated to the training and 20% to the evaluation. Different sources were aggregated and namely contain newspapers and monographs covering 2 languages (English and French). 11 teams submitted results, while the difficulty of the task was underlined by the fact that only half of the submitted methods were able to denoise the evaluation dataset on average. In any case, this competition, which counted 35 registrations, illustrates the strong interest of the community in this essential problem, which is key to any digitization process involving textual data.
A Commercial Preparation of Catalase Inhibits Nitric Oxide Production by Activated Murine Macrophages: Role of Arginase

ABSTRACT Catalase is widely used as a pharmacological probe to evaluate the role of hydrogen peroxide in antimicrobial activities of phagocytic cells. This report demonstrates that the ability of a commercial preparation of catalase to inhibit concomitantly macrophage antimycobacterial activity and production of reactive nitrogen intermediates can be attributed, at least in part, to the depletion ofl-arginine by contaminating arginase. In experimental systems that employ pharmacological probes, the existence of nonspecific effects should be considered in data interpretation.
Validation of hand‐held bioelectrical impedance analysis with magnetic resonance imaging for the assessment of body composition in overweight women

Methods of assessing body composition suitable for use in clinical trials should be accurate, reliable, and easy to perform. One such technique routinely implemented is hand‐held bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). The validity of this method, however, in body composition assessment of overweight women is not known. The aim of this study was to validate the hand‐held BIA technique with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the assessment of body composition in overweight women. Fat mass, percent fat mass, fat‐free mass, and percent fat‐free mass values estimated by hand‐held BIA were compared to those measured by MRI. Thirty‐one Caucasian women (50.1 ± 8.2 years, body mass index of 26.9 ± 3.1 kg/m2) participated in the study. BIA measurements were highly reproducible (technical error (TE) was 0.06 ± 0.07 kg for fat mass and 0.08 ± 0.11% for percent fat mass), but were significantly different (P < 0.0001) for each body composition parameter when compared to MRI. BIA underestimated fat mass by 2.3 ± 3.3 kg and percent fat mass by 5.6 ± 3.9%. Likewise, BIA overestimated fat free mass by 7.4 ± 2.7 kg and percent fat free mass by 5.6 ± 3.2%. No relationship between the bias and the mean of the two measurements was noted suggesting that bias is not related to measurement size. Although hand‐held BIA gives reproducible findings, the bias noted for all body composition parameters puts into question the validity of this regional impedance device for use in clinical trials in overweight women.Am. J. Hum. Biol. 19:429–433, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Influence of cryogenic treatment on the metallurgy of ferrous alloys: A review

ABSTRACT The research area “Cryogenic Treatment of Materials” has been the subject of a multitude of research studies and therefore needs a proper review article to highlight the present state of understanding and to define the future research direction. Though reviews on cryogenic processing of tool steels are available, there has not been a review that attempts to systematically discourse the effect of cryogenic treatment on the metallurgy of various ferrous alloys. While previous reviews address transformation of retained austenite and the formation of fine precipitated carbides as the major phenomena of cryogenic treatment, developments such as the refinement of pearlite matrix, formation of fine martensite, and enhancement of properties in low carbon steel and cast iron are discussed in detail in this article. In addition, the influence of individual treatment parameters, their sequence, and the effect of room temperature stabilization on the metallurgical changes are extensively addressed. Moreover, many of the contradicting observations/conclusions such as detwinning of martensite and dissolution of secondary carbides during cryogenic treatment are highlighted for further clarification. Finally, applicability of cryogenic treatment for a range of ferrous alloys is presented with an emphasis on scope for future research.
Fault-tolerant Total Order Multicast to asynchronous groups

While Total Order Broadcast (or Atomic Broadcast) primitives have received a lot of attention, the paper concentrates on Total Order Multicast to Multiple Groups in the context of asynchronous distributed systems in which processes may suffer crash failures. "Multicast to Multiple Groups" means that each message is sent to a subset of the process groups composing the system, distinct messages possibly having distinct destination groups. "Total Order" means that all message deliveries must be totally ordered. The paper proposes a protocol for such a multicast primitive. This protocol is based on two underlying building blocks, namely, Uniform Reliable Multicast and Uniform Consensus. Its design characteristics lie in the two following properties. The first one is a minimality property, more precisely, only the sender of a message and processes of its destination groups have to participate in the multicast of the message. The second property is a locality property: no execution of a consensus has to involve processes belonging to distinct groups (i.e., consensus are executed on a "per group" basis). This locality property is particularly useful when one is interested in using the Total Order Multicast primitive in large scale distributed systems. An improvement that reduces the cost of the protocol is also suggested.