Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multilevel Otsu ’ s thresholding method with an equivalent 3 D Otsu ’ s method

Otsu’s method is considered as one of the most popular thresholding method due to its simplicity. In order to increase its capabilities, one approach is to additionally use multidimensional information so that noise in images can be handled; while the other approach is to allow multilevel thresholding instead of bilevel thresholding to extract objects in the case of complex images. These two approaches distinctly offer different advantages, where real world images mostly contain both kinds of image difficulties. In this paper, we propose the use of both multidimensional information and multilevel thresholding together, so that we can efficiently cope with real world images. From the experiments, even though our method requires a bit longer execution time, the method is more resist to noise and also give better or comparable results than the others.
An Application Search Interface Including Sense-related Search Facets

An iPhone application called "Wonder Search" for application search has been developed under the hypothesis that a search interface included sense-related search facets gives a better chance of finding new applications for users. The search facets comprise five attributes: icon color, icon tone, application category, user evaluation, and release date. We enhanced a ring-structured graphical search interface for multi-faceted metadata to solve two reported usability problems by preparing dials for each facet and dividing the functions for ring rotation into two operations. Usability testing with 60 participants demonstrated that users can use this application not only for searching for applications effectively but also for analyzing the features of applications. The application can potentially be used for sensing the emotions of users if the hypothesis that the colors browsed or selected by users are related to their feelings is correct.
Radial distribution of sap flux density in trunks of a mature beech stand

In a mature beech stand located in north-eastern Germany, xylem sap flux measurements were continuously performed during the 2002–2004 growing seasons. Ten representative trunks were studied using heated thermal dissipation probes. The measurements aimed at identifying principles governing radial profiles of xylem flux in beech trunks. The measurements were taken up to a trunk depth of 132 mm. The sap flow density in the pericambial xylem was found to vary among trees of different diameters, but was not considerably smaller in suppressed trees. A model for the radial distribution of sap flux density was formulated relating trunk radius and sap flow density. The model takes into account different trunk diameter. About 90% of the sap flux was found to occur in the outer two fifths of the trunk. Using this model, an adequate estimate of transpiration can be achieved at tree and stand level, even when the sap flux measurements are restricted to the outer trunk sectors. RésuméNous avons mesuré les densités de flux de xylème dans le tronc de 10 individus représentatifs d’un peuplement de hêtres du nord-est de l’Allemagne. Ces mesures ont été conduites pendant les périodes de végétation de 2002 à 2004 en utilisant des sondes à dissipation de chaleur. Le but était de décrire les gradients radiaux de flux de sève dans le tronc des hêtres. Les mesures ont été réalisées jusqu’à une profondeur de 132 mm. La densité de flux de sève du xylème de la zone cambiale variait d’arbre en arbre en fonction du diamètre, mais cette densité ne diminuait pas sensiblement dans les arbres dominés. Un modèle de distribution radiale de la densité de flux de sève a été mis au point dans lequel le diamètre du tronc et la densité du flux de sève sont mis en relation. Le modèle prend en considération les arbres ayant des troncs de diamètres differents. Environ 90 % de l’eau circule dans les deux cinquièmes extérieurs du tronc. De cette facon, il est possible de calculer de manière suffisamment exacte la transpiration de l’arbre ou du peuplement tout entier, même si les mesures du flux de sève se limitent à la zone externe du tronc.
Morphology and function of Neandertal and modern human ear ossicles

Significance Middle ear ossicles are critical for audition and rarely preserved in fossils. Based on microcomputed tomography images, our comparative 3D shape analysis of Neandertal ossicles shows striking shape differences between Neandertals and anatomically modern humans (AMHs). However, these morphological differences do not affect the functional properties of the ossicles, potentially indicating consistent aspects of vocal communication in Neandertals and AMHs. Instead, a strong relationship between ossicle morphology and tympanic cavity architecture is found. The diminutive middle ear ossicles (malleus, incus, stapes) housed in the tympanic cavity of the temporal bone play an important role in audition. The few known ossicles of Neandertals are distinctly different from those of anatomically modern humans (AMHs), despite the close relationship between both human species. Although not mutually exclusive, these differences may affect hearing capacity or could reflect covariation with the surrounding temporal bone. Until now, detailed comparisons were hampered by the small sample of Neandertal ossicles and the unavailability of methods combining analyses of ossicles with surrounding structures. Here, we present an analysis of the largest sample of Neandertal ossicles to date, including many previously unknown specimens, covering a wide geographic and temporal range. Microcomputed tomography scans and 3D geometric morphometrics were used to quantify shape and functional properties of the ossicles and the tympanic cavity and make comparisons with recent and extinct AMHs as well as African apes. We find striking morphological differences between ossicles of AMHs and Neandertals. Ossicles of both Neandertals and AMHs appear derived compared with the inferred ancestral morphology, albeit in different ways. Brain size increase evolved separately in AMHs and Neandertals, leading to differences in the tympanic cavity and, consequently, the shape and spatial configuration of the ossicles. Despite these different evolutionary trajectories, functional properties of the middle ear of AMHs and Neandertals are largely similar. The relevance of these functionally equivalent solutions is likely to conserve a similar auditory sensitivity level inherited from their last common ancestor.
Diagnostic utility and accuracy of rapid on-site evaluation of bronchoscopic brushings

The aim of the study was to determine the accuracy of rapid on-site examinations, performed on transbronchial brushings of peripheral pulmonary lesions, in determining final bronchoscopic diagnosis. In addition to determining if rapid on-site examination impacts procedural outcomes. A prospective cohort study of consecutive patients with peripheral pulmonary lesions, which had been located by radial endobronchial ultrasound, was undertaken. Bronchoscopy was terminated if rapid on-site examination demonstrated diagnostic malignant material. Non-diagnostic rapid on-site examination resulted in further bronchoscopic sampling, including transbronchial lung biopsy and/or sampling from different locations. 128 peripheral pulmonary lesions were located by endobronchial ultrasound in 118 patients. The final bronchoscopic diagnoses included nonsmall cell lung cancer (n=76), carcinoid (n=3), and metastatic malignancy (n=3). Procedure times were significantly shorter for procedures when rapid on-site examinations demonstrated malignancy compared to those where rapid on-site examination was non-diagnostic (19±8 min versus 31±11 min, respectively; p<0.0001). In four procedures, initial negative rapid on-site examination results prompted redirection of sampling from alternate bronchial segments, resulting in positive diagnostic tissue being obtained. Positive and negative predictive value of rapid on-site examination for a malignant bronchoscopic diagnosis was 63 (97%) out of 65, and 43 (68%) out of 63, respectively. Rapid on-site examination of brushing specimens has a very high, positive, predictive value for bronchoscopic diagnosis of cancer and shortens the bronchoscopy procedure times. It has the potential to reduce complications, improve cost-effectiveness, and may improve diagnostic performance via live feedback. ROSE of bronchial brushings during bronchoscopy for PPL can shorten procedure times and increase diagnostic yield http://ow.ly/FASOW
Effects of high concentration oxygen administration on n-back task performance and physiological signals

This study investigated the effect of 40% oxygen administration on n-back task performance, blood oxygen saturation and heart rate. Five male (25.8 ± 1.3 years) and five female (23.0 ± 1.0 years) college students were selected as the subjects for this study. The experiment consisted of two runs: one was an n-back task with normal air (21% oxygen) administered and the other was with hyperoxic air (40% oxygen) administered. The experimental sequence in each run consisted of Rest1 (1 min), 0-back task (1 min), 2-back task (2 min) and Rest2 (4 min). Blood oxygen saturation and heart rate were measured throughout the four phases. The results of the n-back behavioural analysis reveal that accuracy rates were enhanced with 40% oxygen administration compared to 21% oxygen. When 40% oxygen was supplied, blood oxygen saturation was increased and heart rate was decreased compared to that with 21% oxygen administration. It is suggested that 40% oxygen can stimulate brain activation by increasing actual blood oxygen concentration in the process of cognitive performance, and hyperoxia makes heart rate decrease. This result supports the hypothesis that 40% oxygen administration would lead to increases in n-back task performance.
A histological and histochemical study of the kidney tubule of the common garter snake, thamnophis sirtalis, with special reference to the sexual segment in the male

I n accordance with the prevailing concept of renal physiology, one can readily distinguish in all vertebrates at least two functions of the nephron. Thc first of these is the excretion of metabolic waste products and foreign substaiices, and the second is the maintenance of internal constancy and stability by regulation of the plasma and tissue fluid composition. Mowever, in all vertebrates, there exist in some classes occasional instances of sexual dimorphism wherein a variation occurs in the renal tubule of the male, leading us to the supposition that there is some reproductive function implied by this abberance. It was in 1866 that Gampert first noticed these vari a t' ions within the renal tubules of thc class Reptilia. While working with a snake (Nntrie ~ z a t ~ i z ) , he noticed the presence of a greatly enlarged portion of the uriniferous tubule immediately preceding its entry into the collccting duct. Howcver, he was apparently unaware of the sexual dimorphism, and it was not until much later that this fact was discovered. Heidenhain
Oral Treatment of Murine Cytomegalovirus Infections with Ether Lipid Esters of Cidofovir

ABSTRACT To improve the oral bioavailability of cidofovir (CDV), a series of ether lipid ester prodrugs were synthesized and evaluated for activity against murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection. Four of these analogs, hexadecyloxypropyl (HDP)-CDV, octadecyloxyethyl (ODE)-CDV, oleyloxyethyl (OLE)-CDV, and oleyloxypropyl (OLP)-CDV, were found to have greater activity than CDV against human CMV and MCMV in vitro. The efficacy of oral treatment with these compounds against MCMV infections in BALB/c mice was then determined. Treatment with HDP-CDV, ODE-CDV, OLE-CDV, or OLP-CDV at 2.0 to 6.7 mg/kg of body weight provided significant protection when daily treatments were initiated 24 to 48 h after viral inoculation. Additionally, HDP-CDV or ODE-CDV administered twice weekly or as a single dose of 1.25 to 10 mg/kg was effective in reducing mortality when treatment was initiated at 24 h, 48 h, or, in some cases, 72 h after viral inoculation. In animals treated daily with HDP-CDV or ODE-CDV, virus titers in lung, liver, spleen, kidney, pancreas, salivary gland, and blood were reduced 3 to 5 log10-fold, which was comparable to CDV given intraperitoneally. These results indicated that HDP-CDV or ODE-CDV given orally was as effective as parenteral CDV for the treatment of experimental MCMV infection and suggest that further evaluation for use in CMV infections in humans is warranted.
8.6 Enabling wide autonomous DVFS in a 22nm graphics execution core using a digitally controlled hybrid LDO/switched-capacitor VR with fast droop mitigation

A graphics execution core in 22nm improves energy efficiency across a wide DVFS range, from the near-threshold voltage (NTV) region, where circuit assist lowers intrinsic VM! N, to the turbo region, where adaptive clocking reduces the voltage-droop guard-band [1]. When powered with a shared rail, however, energy is wasted in the core if other blocks demand higher voltage and performance. Alternately, a per-core fully-integrated voltage regulator (VR) provides a cost-effective means to realize autonomous DVFS [2-4]. In this paper, we present a graphics core that is supplied by a fully integrated and digitally controlled hybrid low-drop-out (LDO)/switched-capacitor voltage regulator (SCVR) with fast droop response (Fig. 8.6.1). While the LDO VR enables high power density and is area efficient, as it can use existing power headers originally employed for bypass/sleep modes, it suffers from efficiency loss at low VOUT. An SCVR, on the other hand, has improved conversion efficiency across a wide VOUT range. In an area-constrained design, however, the limited size of the SCVR's fly capacitors and associated configurable power stages sets an upper bound on the SCVR's maximum power density, restricting its use to lower VOUT. This LDO/SCVR combination delivers the power required by the core at a high VOUT of 0.92V with 84% LDO efficiency, while extending to a low VOUT of 0.38V with 52% SCVR efficiency from a 1.05V VIN. Compared to a shared-rail scheme, the hybrid VR enables 26% to 82% reduction in core energy versus 26% to 67% if solely the LDO is used.
Causes and Outcome of Infertility in Previously Unexamined Couples

The etiology of infertility was evaluated in 98 previously unexamined couples at Helsinki University Central Hospital. Female endocrine disturbances (33%) and male causes (26%) were the most common factors of infertility. Two or more causes were found in 28 couples (29%). Both female and male factors were involved in 8% of cases. Eighteen of 98 women became pregnant during the infertility evaluation before any treatment was given. At four years the cumulative pregnancy rates were 65% for all couples and 60% and 51% for couples with single‐factor and multifactorial infertility, respectively. The mean age was significantly higher (p < 0.05) among those who failed to conceive than among those who conceived. Ovulatory disturbances and multiple causes are common factors in reproductive failure, but even in the presence of multi‐factorial infertility the primary referrals have good chances of achieving pregnancy.
Crop Establishment Practices Are a Driver of the Plant Microbiota in Winter Oilseed Rape (Brassica napus)

Gaining a greater understanding of the plant microbiota and its interactions with its host plant heralds a new era of scientific discovery in agriculture. Different agricultural management practices influence soil microbial populations by changing a soil’s physical, chemical and biological properties. However, the impact of these practices on the microbiota associated with economically important crops such as oilseed rape, are still understudied. In this work we investigated the impact of two contrasting crop establishment practices, conventional (plow based) and conservation (strip–tillage) systems, on the microbiota inhabiting different plant microhabitats, namely rhizosphere, root and shoot, of winter oilseed rape under Irish agronomic conditions. Illumina 16S rRNA gene sequence profiling showed that the plant associated microhabitats (root and shoot), are dominated by members of the bacterial phyla Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes. The root and shoot associated bacterial communities displayed markedly distinct profiles as a result of tillage practices. We observed a very limited ‘rhizosphere effect’ in the root zone of WOSR, i.e., there was little or no increase in bacterial community richness and abundance in the WOSR rhizosphere compared to the bulk soil. The two tillage systems investigated did not appear to lead to any major long term differences on the bulk soil or rhizosphere bacterial communities. Our data suggests that the WOSR root and shoot microbiota can be impacted by management practices and is an important mechanism that could allow us to understand how plants respond to different management practices and environments.
Successful rapid discontinuation of immunosuppressive therapy at molecular relapse after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in a pediatric patient with myelodysplastic syndrome

The success of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (allo‐BMT) in children with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is mainly affected by relapse. The role of additional immunotherapy for pediatric patients with MDS relapsing after allo‐BMT remains to be established. Because immunotherapy is generally more effective for patients who bear a low tumor burden, monitoring of minimal residual diseases (MRD) is essential for early diagnosis at molecular relapse. We report here that a patient with relapsed MDS after allo‐BMT was successfully treated by the rapid discontinuation of immunosuppressive therapy at molecular relapse while monitoring Wilms tumor (WT1) gene expression levels. Quantitative analysis of WT1 gene expression appeared to be a useful tool to monitor MRD in the present case. Am. J. Hematol. 81:139–141, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Regulation of bone formation by osteoclasts involves Wnt/BMP signaling and the chemokine sphingosine-1-phosphate

Under most conditions, resorbed bone is nearly precisely replaced in location and amount by new bone. Thus, it has long been recognized that bone loss through osteoclast-mediated bone resorption and bone replacement through osteoblast-mediated bone formation are tightly coupled processes. Abundant data conclusively demonstrate that osteoblasts direct osteoclast differentiation. Key questions remain, however, as to how osteoblasts are recruited to the resorption site and how the amount of bone produced is so precisely controlled. We hypothesized that osteoclasts play a crucial role in the promotion of bone formation. We found that osteoclast conditioned medium stimulates human mesenchymal stem (hMS) cell migration and differentiation toward the osteoblast lineage as measured by mineralized nodule formation in vitro. We identified candidate osteoclast-derived coupling factors using the Affymetrix microarray. We observed significant induction of sphingosine kinase 1 (SPHK1), which catalyzes the phosphorylation of sphingosine to form sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), in mature multinucleated osteoclasts as compared with preosteoclasts. S1P induces osteoblast precursor recruitment and promotes mature cell survival. Wnt10b and BMP6 also were significantly increased in mature osteoclasts, whereas sclerostin levels decreased during differentiation. Stimulation of hMS cell nodule formation by osteoclast conditioned media was attenuated by the Wnt antagonist Dkk1, a BMP6-neutralizing antibody, and by a S1P antagonist. BMP6 antibodies and the S1P antagonist, but not Dkk1, reduced osteoclast conditioned media-induced hMS chemokinesis. In summary, our findings indicate that osteoclasts may recruit osteoprogenitors to the site of bone remodeling through SIP and BMP6 and stimulate bone formation through increased activation of Wnt/BMP pathways.
Immunocytochemical studies on the pituitary pars distalis of the tropical vespertilionid bat, Scotophilus heathi, with reference to the ovarian cycle.

Changes in the anterior pituitary in relation to the ovarian cycle and ovulation in female Scotophilus heathi are described. TSH, LH, FSH and PRL cells have been identified in the pars distalis (PD) by immunocytochemistry using the peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique. LH, FSH and PRL cells exhibited significant variation during the reproductive cycle of female S. heathi. The areal fractions of the PD occupied by LH and FSH cells were significantly (p < 0.05) higher during winter dormancy and the breeding phase as compared to the quiescence phase. The mean areal fraction of LH and FSH cells declined in March, following ovulation. The areal fraction of PD occupied by PRL cells varied from a minimum during winter dormancy to a maximum during pregnancy. Several of the PRL cells exhibited a degranulated appearance during winter dormancy suggesting PRL release. The areal fraction of TSH immunoreactive cells did not show a significant (p > 0.05) variation during the reproductive cycle. No evidence of involution was observed in the PD cells during the period of delayed ovulation.
Life expectancy as an indicator of outcome in follow-up of population-based cancer registries: the example of childhood leukemia.

BACKGROUND Survival analysis is a standard methodology to assess progress in oncology disease treatment. However, survival analysis commonly only measures survival during the treatment period (and the period immediately afterwards), and does not provide an estimate of life expectancy, which is often of more interest to patients and to health policy makers. In this paper we propose a method to estimate childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) life expectancy through the integration of traditional survival analysis and life expectancy tables. PATIENTS AND METHODS The study included 305 incident cases registered by the Childhood Cancer Registry of Piedmont in 1979-1991. Vital status on 30 June 2004 was known for 304 cases. Survival analyses were carried out using the Kaplan-Meier method and the Gompertz model, according to the time period of diagnosis and gender. RESULTS Cumulative survival at 5 years increased from 58.6% (95% CI 48.9-68.3) for cases diagnosed in March 1979-July 1982 to 79.1% (95% CI 70.8-87.5) in March 1987-February 1991 (P = 0.002). Average life expectancy increased from 46.1 years for boys and 42.6 years for girls diagnosed in March 1979-July 1982 to 58.3 and 69.1, respectively, in March 1987-February 1991. CONCLUSIONS These analyses show an improvement over the time period of diagnosis of life expectancy for children with ALL.