Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Two‐step navigatorless correction algorithm for radial k‐space MRI acquisitions

A new way to correct magnetic resonance image artifacts resulting from view‐dependent phase variations and view‐dependent variations in rigid body object translation is presented by exploiting basic properties of the trajectory of radial k‐space acquisitions. Simulations, phantom studies, and in vivo experiments are used to demonstrate the feasibility and the utility of this method. While somewhat analogous to navigator echo correction, in which special gradients are interleaved into the imaging sequence so echoes at the center of k‐space can be acquired prior to or after collection of the image data, the current method does not require additional new gradient structures within the pulse sequence or increases in scan time. The new method uses the phase information from all collected radial k‐space data points rather than only the navigator echo, which permits correction of multiple sources of view‐dependent phase variation in the image data. The resultant effect is improved image quality in radial MRI acquisitions. Magn Reson Med 45:277–288, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Implant micromotion is related to peak insertion torque and bone density.

OBJECTIVES Measuring peak insertion torque in relation to different bone densities, the present study seeks to determine whether micromotion at the interface is related to primary stability achieved by increasing insertion torque. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 120 Ti-Bone implants were placed in fresh bovine bone samples representing three density categories: hard, normal and soft (HNS). Five groups of peak insertion torque (20, 35, 45, 70 and 100 N/cm) were evaluated in the three bone density categories noted. Customized electronic equipment connected to a PC was used to register the peak and other insertion torque data. A loading device, consisting of a digital force gauge and a digital micrometer, was used to measure the micromovements of the implant during the application of 20, 25 and 30 N lateral forces. The data were analyzed for statistical significance by ANOVA and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient tests. RESULTS A statistically significant difference between implant micromobility placed with different levels of torque and in different bone densities was demonstrated by ANOVA. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient showed a high dependency between the peak insertion torque and the observed micromovement. Particularly, in soft bone, it was not possible to achieve more than 35 N/cm of peak insertion torque. CONCLUSIONS Results showed that increasing the peak insertion torque reduces the level of implant micromotion. In addition, micromotion in soft bone was found to be consistently high, which could lead to the failure of osseointegration. Thus, immediate functional loading of implants in soft bone should be considered with caution.
Differential expression of active zone proteins in neuromuscular junctions suggests functional diversification

Nerve terminals of the central nervous system (CNS) contain specialized release sites for synaptic vesicles, referred to as active zones. They are characterized by electron‐dense structures that are tightly associated with the presynaptic plasma membrane and organize vesicle docking and priming sites. Recently, major protein constituents of active zones have been identified, including the proteins Piccolo, Bassoon, RIM, Munc13, ERCs/ELKs/CASTs and liprins. While it is becoming apparent that each of these proteins is essential for synaptic function in the CNS, it is not known to what extent these proteins are involved in synaptic function of the peripheral nervous system. Somatic neuromuscular junctions contain morphologically and functionally defined active zones with similarities to CNS synapses. In contrast, sympathetic neuromuscular varicosities lack active zone‐like morphological specializations. Using immunocytochemistry at the light and electron microscopic level we have now performed a systematic investigation of all five major classes of active zone proteins in peripheral neuromuscular junctions. Our results show that somatic neuromuscular endplates contain a full complement of all active zone proteins. In contrast, varicosities of the vas deferens contain a subset of active zone proteins including Bassoon and ELKS2, with the other four components being absent. We conclude that Bassoon and ELKS2 perform independent and specialized functions in synaptic transmission of autonomic synapses.
Effects of Oral and Transdermal Hormone Replacement Therapy on Lipoprotein(A) and Lipids: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective:Our purpose was to compare the effect of oral and transdermal hormone replacement therapy on lipoprotein(a) and other plasma lipids in healthy postmenopausal women. Design:A total of 120 postmenopausal women were enrolled in a prospective randomized controlled study, and allocated either to transdermal 17β-estradiol (50 μg/day) or to oral conjugated estrogen (0.625 mg/day). Forty-one age-matched women were used as the reference group. Plasma lipids and lipoproteins were determined every 3 months and differences were sought by statistical analysis. Results:Plasma lipoprotein(a) dropped after 3 months of treatment either with transdermal estradiol (p < 0.01) or oral estrogen (p < 0.01). Lipoprotein(a) was reduced by 12% and 22%, respectively. No further decreases were seen later on. Plasma total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentrations were decreased significantly with both treatments after 3 months of therapy. No difference was seen in the lowering effect on lipoprotein(a), LDL and total cholesterol concentrations between regimens. Plasma high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations increased throughout the study only in patients treated with oral estrogen. Conclusions:These data demonstrate that hormone replacement therapy reduces the concentration of lipoprotein(a) when given both orally and transdermally. The lowering effect is achieved quickly because the maximal effect is observed after 3 months of therapy.
A randomized comparison of caspofungin versus antifungal prophylaxis according to investigator policy in acute leukaemia patients undergoing induction chemotherapy (PROFIL-C study).

BACKGROUND Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) are considered a major problem among patients undergoing acute leukaemia (AL) induction treatment. PROphylaxis of Fungal invasive Infections in Leukaemia-Caspofungin (PROFIL-C) is a multicentre study aiming to assess the comparative yield of using caspofungin versus standard policy (SP) regimens and the overall impact of IFI in routine clinical care conditions. METHODS All AL patients receiving IFI prophylaxis according to local SP were prospectively included in the study by Northern Italy Leukaemia Group (NILG) centres. To allow the comparison of caspofungin versus SP regimens as prophylaxis strategies, caspofungin treatment was assigned via a centralized randomized procedure. The study was registered at http://www.clinicaltrial. gov (NCT00501098). RESULTS Over a 2 year period, 175 patients were included. The overall incidence of IFI was 32/175 (18.3%) [10/175 (5.7%) probable/proven and 22/175 (12.6%) possible], with no statistically significant differences between caspofungin-based versus SP-based regimens [overall: 15/93 (16.1%) versus 17/82 (20.7%), relative risk (RR) 0.78, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.42-1.46; probable/proven: 7/93 (7.5%) versus 3/82 (3.7%), RR 2.06, 95% CI 0.55-7.7; possible: 8/93 (8.6%) versus 14/82 (17.1%), RR 0.5, 95% CI 0.22-1.14]. Only one IFI-related death was recorded (10%). CONCLUSIONS The incidence and mortality of IFI were lower than expected in this strictly sequential cohort representative of the routine care in the NILG network. The efficacy and safety of caspofungin were similar to other prophylactic regimens.
Does Storytelling help Adolescents to Process the News?

Previous research has shown decreasing interest and low comprehension of traditional news, particularly in young audiences. As an alternative to traditional news formats, storytelling is often said to improve understanding of news. In our experimental study with N = 706 adolescents aged 12–17 years, we test such effects, comparing traditional and narrative news in terms of comprehension as well as involvement. Findings suggest that narrative news does not enhance information processing in general, but only for adolescents who are lacking issue knowledge. We attribute this result to the structure of narrative news which requires less background knowledge for constructing a mental model of the reported news content. Additionally, for one of the two tested articles, narrative news elicited stronger affective and cognitive involvement, which in turn had no effect on information processing. Implications of our findings for further research and practice in journalism are discussed.
Structure and Measurement of Acculturation/Enculturation for Asian Americans Using the ARSMA-II

Abstract The structure and measurement of acculturation/enculturation was investigated on 2 Asian American samples. Factor analyses revealed similar 2-factor structures for both acculturation and enculturation. The factor-analytic-derived measure yielded scores with adequate reliability and marginal construct validity. Acculturation/enculturation differences by generation status. gender, and country region were also detected.
Effect of Cortisone upon Chondroitin Sulfate Synthesis by Animal Tissues.∗

Summary 1. The experiments described indicated that cortisone inhibits the synthesis of chondroitin sulfate by embryonic and wound tissues maintained in vitro. Graded responses were obtained with graded concentrations of cortisone in the medium. Cortisone was shown to inhibit the synthesis of soluble organic sulfate by heart and skeletal muscle; it had no such effect upon the synthesis of soluble ester sulfate by liver tissue. 2. Concentrations of cortisone which suppressed sulfate fixation, had no apparent effect upon the initial migration of fibroblasts. Cortisone had no effect upon the pulsations of heart tissue. 3. It was suggested that the palliative action of cortisone in the connective tissue diseases may be due to its inhibitory effect upon the synthesis of the chondroitin sulfate moiety of the connective tissue ground substance.
The Impact of Early Loss on Depression

Abstract This article reviews psychodynamic theoretical claims linking childhood losses to depression later in life and explores contemporary empirical studies that are congruent with those claims. Biologically mediated responses to grief, empirically supported pathways that link loss to depression, and factors that distinguish normal from pathological grief are identified. Trajectories that may lead to the development of psychotic-like, instead of neurotic-like, symptoms of depression are also explored, and empirically supported internal and external vulnerability factors that may lead to depression are reported. Several clinical vignettes are included to exemplify theoretical claims. Implications for assessment and treatment are discussed in light of these findings.
The Current Context of Corporate Governance in India

In India the debate on corporate governance practices is sporadic and shrouded in ambivalence. Public policy on various aspects of the functioning of the corporate sector is evolving in terms of legal and regulatory support in the more recent past. The post-Cadbury debate the world over focuses on the central dimensions of corporate governance such as accountability and transparency. In countries like USA, special legislation has been introduced to promote a greater measure of transparency and accountability. Several countries have also adopted country codes and best practices. India needs to learn a great deal from the experiences of UK, USA, Canada and Europe in evolving an appropriate framework for enforcing higher standards of corporate governance.
The association between attachment strategies and risk for stalking

Stalking research has produced considerable information regarding the behavioural topography of stalking (i.e., who does what to whom), however, the dynamics or motivations (i.e., why) of such interactions appear to be less well understood. While researchers have theorized about the association between insecure attachment strategies and stalking behaviour, few studies have directly investigated this association. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the ability to assess attachment strategies in a sample of convicted stalkers as well as the association between attachment strategies and risk for future stalking. Participants (n = 25) on probation for stalking-related offences completed a self-report measure of attachment (RSQ) and an attachment interview (HAI). A stalking risk assessment measure (SAM) was completed through review of participants’ probation files. The majority of participants were primarily categorized with insecure attachment. However, results indicated that while the assessments of attachment in this sample demonstrated moderate interrater reliability, the validity of the attachment measures was questioned due to the high levels of distortion in participants’ responses and the absence of consideration of offence behaviours in interview ratings. Further, the convergent validity between attachment measures was relatively poor. Pearson product moment correlations revealed little to no association between stalkers’ identified attachment strategies and previous stalking behaviour or risk for continued stalking, risk for physical harm, or need for intervention. However, the identification of stalkers’ attachment strategies should provide valuable information for risk management and intervention strategies.
New markers of dietary added sugar intake

Purpose of reviewAdded sugar consumption is associated with adverse health outcomes, including weight gain and cardio-metabolic disease, yet the reliance on self-reported methods to determine added sugar intake continues to be a significant research limitation. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent advances in the development of two potential predictive biomarkers of added sugar intake: &dgr;13C and urinary sugar excretion. Recent findingsThe results of numerous cross-sectional investigations have indicated modest associations of the &dgr;13C sugar biomarker measured in a variety of sample types (e.g., fingerstick blood, serum, red blood cells, and hair) with self-reported added sugar and sugar-sweetened beverage intake, and &dgr;13C values have been reported to change over time with changes in reported sugar-sweetened beverage intake. Results from large-scale trials have suggested modest associations of urinary sugar excretion with reported sugar intake, and a dose-response relation has been demonstrated between urinary sugar excretion and actual sugar intake. SummaryValid markers of sugar intake are urgently needed to more definitively determine the health consequences of added sugar intake. Adequately powered controlled feeding studies are needed to validate and compare these two biomarkers of sugar intake, and to determine what individual characteristics and conditions impact biomarker results.
What Good Coaches Do.

Emotional intelligence and communication skills help, but another factor is crucial. After conducting close to two decades of research on instructional coaching, my colleagues and I at the Kansas Coaching Project at the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning have come to believe that how we think about coaching significantly enhances or interferes with our success as a coach. We suggest that coaches take a partnership approach to collaboration.
New Upper Bounds on The Approximability of 3D Strip Packing

In this paper, we study the 3D strip packing problem in which we are given a list of 3-dimensional boxes and required to pack all of them into a 3-dimensional strip with length 1 and width 1 and unlimited height to minimize the height used. Our results are below: i) we give an approximation algorithm with asymptotic worst-case ratio 1.69103, which improves the previous best bound of $2+\epsilon$ by Jansen and Solis-Oba of SODA 2006; ii) we also present an asymptotic PTAS for the case in which all items have {\em square} bases.
Circum-Galactic Medium in the Halo of Quasars

The properties of circum-galactic gas in the halo of quasar host galaxies are investigated analyzing Mg II 2800 and C IV 1540 absorption-line systems along the line of sight close to quasars. We used optical spectroscopy of closely aligned pairs of quasars (projected distance $\leq$ 200 kpc, but at very different redshift) obtained at the VLT and Gran Telescopio Canarias to investigate the distribution of the absorbing gas for a sample of quasars at z$\sim$1. Absorption systems of EW $\geq$ 0.3 $\rm{\AA}$ associated with the foreground quasars are revealed up to 200 kpc from the centre of the host galaxy, showing that the structure of the absorbing gas is patchy with a covering fraction quickly decreasing beyond 100 kpc. In this contribution we use optical and near-IR images obtained at VLT to investigate the relations between the properties of the circum-galactic medium of the host galaxies and of the large scale galaxy environments of the foreground quasars.
HUMAN PLASMA ALPHA 2-MACROGLOBULIN

Activation of plasma kallikrein arginine esterase activity by kaolin resulted in peak activity at 1 min of incubation and a 50% reduction in activity at 5 min in normal plasma, and 30% reduction in the plasma of patients with hereditary angioneurotic edema who lacked the C1 inactivator. The peak esterolytic activity was inhibited by soybean trypsin inhibitor whereas the 5 min activity was resistant to this inhibitor. Acid treatment of normal and hereditary angioneurotic edema plasma destroyed the factor responsible for the fall in esterase activity at 5 min and the factor which rendered the esterase resistant to soybean trypsin inhibitor. Purified α2-macroglobulin inhibited approximately 50% of the TAMe esterase activity of purified plasma kallikrein without changing its activity toward basic amino acid esters. The interaction between the α2-macroglobulin and kallikrein resulted in alterations in the gel filtration chromatographic pattern of the TAMe esterase and biologic activity of kallikrein, indicating that kallikrein was bound to the α2-macroglobulin. The TAMe esterase activity of this complex, isolated by column chromatography, was resistant to C1 inactivator and SBTI. Studies of incubation mixtures of kallikrein, α2-macroglobulin and C1 inactivator suggested that these inhibitors compete for the enzyme, and that the α2-macroglobulin partially protects the esterase activity of kallikrein from C1 inactivator. The α2-macroglobulin isolated from kaolin-activated plasma possessed 240 times the esterolytic activity of the α2-macroglobulin purified from plasma treated with inhibitors of kallikrein and of its activation. The α2-macroglobulin blocked the uterine-containing activity and vascular permeability-inducing effects of plasma kallikrein. These studies suggest that the α2-macroglobulin is a major plasma inhibitor of kallikrein and provide a new example of an interrelationship between the coagulation, fibrinolytic, and kallikrein enzyme systems.
Strategies for improving the diagnostic specificity of the frequency doubling perimeter.

PURPOSE To evaluate various strategies designed to improve the specificity of the interpretation of results obtained with the frequency doubling technology perimeter (FDT) used in the full-threshold mode. METHODS Three different strategies were compared using data from 452 glaucoma patients and 237 healthy subjects: combining several FDT parameters from a single test, combining the FDT test with a GDx test, and confirming an abnormal FDT test result with a repeat test. RESULTS Confirming an abnormal FDT test result with a repeat test yielded a specificity increase of 0.10, from 0.80 to 0.90, at the expense of some loss of sensitivity for early but not for moderate or severe glaucoma. Combining several FDT parameters from a single test and combining FDT with GDx did not yield any noticeable increase in diagnostic performance. CONCLUSIONS A modest increase in FDT diagnostic performance can be obtained by the confirmation of an abnormal test result with a repeat test.
More than one dynamic crossover in protein hydration water

Studies of liquid water in its supercooled region have helped us better understand the structure and behavior of water. Bulk water freezes at its homogeneous nucleation temperature (approximately 235 K), but protein hydration water avoids this crystallization because each water molecule binds to a protein. Here, we study the dynamics of the hydrogen bond (HB) network of a percolating layer of water molecules and compare the measurements of a hydrated globular protein with the results of a coarse-grained model that successfully reproduces the properties of hydration water. Using dielectric spectroscopy, we measure the temperature dependence of the relaxation time of proton charge fluctuations. These fluctuations are associated with the dynamics of the HB network of water molecules adsorbed on the protein surface. Using Monte Carlo simulations and mean-field calculations, we study the dynamics and thermodynamics of the model. Both experimental and model analyses are consistent with the interesting possibility of two dynamic crossovers, (i) at approximately 252 K and (ii) at approximately 181 K. Because the experiments agree with the model, we can relate the two crossovers to the presence at ambient pressure of two specific heat maxima. The first is caused by fluctuations in the HB formation, and the second, at a lower temperature, is due to the cooperative reordering of the HB network.
Crowdsourcing High-Quality Parallel Data Extraction from Twitter

High-quality parallel data is crucial for a range of multilingual applications, from tuning and evaluating machine translation systems to cross-lingual annotation projection. Unfortunately, automatically obtained parallel data (which is available in relative abundance) tends to be quite noisy. To obtain high-quality parallel data, we introduce a crowdsourcing paradigm in which workers with only basic bilingual proficiency identify translations from an automatically extracted corpus of parallel microblog messages. For less than $350, we obtained over 5000 parallel segments in five language pairs. Evaluated against expert annotations, the quality of the crowdsourced corpus is significantly better than existing automatic methods: it obtains an performance comparable to expert annotations when used in MERT tuning of a microblog MT system; and training a parallel sentence classifier with it leads also to improved results. The crowdsourced corpora will be made available in http://www.cs. cmu.edu/ ~lingwang/microtopia/.