Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Implantation of Scharioth macula lens in patients with age-related macular degeneration: results of a prospective European multicentre clinical trial

Objective To report the visual and refractive outcomes following monocular implantation of a supplementary (piggyback) Scharioth macula lens (SML) in previously pseudophakic eyes with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods and analysis Prospective European multicentre clinical trial. 50 eyes of 50 pseudophakic patients with either dry or previously treated and stable neovascular AMD for at least 6 months were included. The inclusion criteria were age over 55, corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) of 0.4–0.1 (decimal), improvement of at least three lines of corrected near visual acuity (CNVA) when tested with a +6.0 dioptre (D) reading addition at 15 cm, compared with a +2.5 D reading addition at 40 cm using a standardised, self-illuminated Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study near vision chart. The SML intraocular lens (IOL) was implanted as an add-on/piggyback IOL in the ciliary sulcus, monocularly in the better seeing eye of each subject meeting the inclusion criteria. Results There were no intraoperative complications. One subject had the SML explanted in the postoperative period due to postoperative glare/halos. The mean CNVA improved from 0.23±0.12 (decimal) preoperatively to 0.57±0.33 at 1 year. The mean CDVA remained unchanged measuring 0.19±0.13 preoperatively and 0.19±0.09 at 1 year postoperatively. Conclusion The SML appears to be safe and effective in improving the CNVA in patients with AMD. Data suggest that the CDVA remains unaffected following implantation. Further data are needed to assess the long-term safety and efficacy.
Nature and mental health: An ecosystem service perspective

We provide consensus on the benefits of nature experience for mental health, and a model for integrating them into urban design. A growing body of empirical evidence is revealing the value of nature experience for mental health. With rapid urbanization and declines in human contact with nature globally, crucial decisions must be made about how to preserve and enhance opportunities for nature experience. Here, we first provide points of consensus across the natural, social, and health sciences on the impacts of nature experience on cognitive functioning, emotional well-being, and other dimensions of mental health. We then show how ecosystem service assessments can be expanded to include mental health, and provide a heuristic, conceptual model for doing so.
Clockophagy is a novel selective autophagy process favoring ferroptosis

Autophagy-dependent cell death may hold the key to understanding the molecular basis of ferroptosis. Ferroptosis is a form of nonapoptotic regulated cell death driven by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. Autophagy involves a lysosomal degradation pathway that can either promote or impede cell death. A high level of autophagy has been associated with ferroptosis, but the mechanisms underpinning this relationship are largely elusive. We characterize the contribution of autophagy to ferroptosis in human cancer cell lines and mouse tumor models. We show that “clockophagy,” the selective degradation of the core circadian clock protein ARNTL by autophagy, is critical for ferroptosis. We identify SQSTM1 as a cargo receptor responsible for autophagic ARNTL degradation. ARNTL inhibits ferroptosis by repressing the transcription of Egln2, thus activating the prosurvival transcription factor HIF1A. Genetic or pharmacological interventions blocking ARNTL degradation or inhibiting EGLN2 activation diminished, whereas destabilizing HIF1A facilitated, ferroptotic tumor cell death. Thus, our findings reveal a new pathway, initiated by the autophagic removal of ARNTL, that facilitates ferroptosis induction.
Moving into a technology land: exploring the challenges for the refugees in Canada in accessing its computerized infrastructures

While a growing body of literature in HCI is focusing on the initial needs of the refugees soon after their migration, most challenges associated with the long-term process of their integration with the host communities using technology have still remained understudied. This work builds on a 3 year-long fieldwork with the refugees in Canada, extended observations, and interviews with 26 participants (19 refugees, 4 refugee sponsors, and 3 refugee workers) to illustrate how refugees encounter various challenges in accessing necessary services in Canada through its computerized infrastructures. This paper documents the intricacies and nuances of this problem extended over their struggles in obtaining information, getting social support, learning new technologies, securing their digital activities, and the gender dynamics associated with these activities. Our analysis generates several design implications to address these issues. Moreover, we discuss the challenges' entanglement with some of the broader concerns in HCI regarding infrastructure, inclusion, and mobility.
Studying the discourse on economic policies in India using mass media, social media, and the parliamentary question hour data

The parliament, media, and citizens, are key stakeholders in any democracy. We study their priorities pertaining to four economic policies in India - Demonetization, Aadhaar, GST, and Farmers' Protests - by examining the content of questions asked by politicians in the parliament, news articles published in the mass media, and data from social media. We find that the mass media covers stories about different constituencies (the poor, middle-class, corporates, etc.) but shows biases in terms of which constituencies it chooses to focus on for each policy. The parliament tends to focus on procedural aspects of the policies. We also find that the social media simply echoes the trends of whatever is emphasized more in the mass media, without much deviation in the attention placed by social media users on different issues. We further find out that instead of selecting issues of importance based on feedback from citizens, the parliamentarians mostly indulge in partisanship, and shape their questions based on party goals that change depending on whether their party is in power or not. Overall, we are able to use this analysis to comment on how representative and responsive the Indian democracy is to its citizens.
Growth Hormone (GH) Improvement of Ovarian Responses and Pregnancy Outcome in Poor Ovarian Responders: A Randomized Study

Recent evidence has emphasized growth hormone benefits in increasing the ovarian response and improving the pregnancy rate in poor responders (POR), caused by aging, ovarian surgery, chemotherapy and other reasons, undergoing IVF/ICSI. The most important factor in the treatment of POR patients is the quality and quantity of oocytes following ovarian stimulation; thus, efforts should be made to provide opportunities for young patients to improve their fertility and ovarian responses. The use of GH in these patients may offer a promising aid to successful fertility.In the present single-blinded clinical trial, POR patients were randomly assigned to receive one of three regimens: (A) Gonadotropin, a GnRH antagonist and GH from the eighth day of the cycle for about 5 days (n = 34); (B) Gonadotropin, a GnRH antagonist and GH from the third day of the previous cycle for about 20 days (n = 32); and (C) Gonadotropin, a GnRH antagonist, and a placebo from the eight day of the cycle for about 5 days (n = 26). Oocyte quality and pregnancy rates were compared across the three groups. A significantly lower number of collected oocytes, MII oocytes, fertilized oocytes, transferred embryos, and clinical pregnancy rate in the placebo group was noted as compared to the two experimental groups receiving GH. Live clinical pregnancies in B group were significantly greater than in the other groups. Our results together indicate that GH may play an important role in recruitment of dominant follicles and enhance follicular survival and the cell proliferation leading to high- quality embryos. Accordingly, administration of GH can considerably elevate the ovarian response in patients with POR planned to undergo IVF.
Tissue P16 is Associated with Smoking Status among Indonesian Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Subjects

Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a malignancy with high incidence in Southern China and South-East Asia. NPC incidence among males in Indonesia is estimated around 8.3/100,000 populations. Tobacco smoking is a common risk factor for cancer, including NPC. P16 is one of the key proteins related to the activation of apoptotic pathways, that commonly change during carcinogenesis. Carcinogenesis is often related to environmental exposure, including tobacco smoke. Objective: To analyze the association between P16 protein and smoking status among NPC subjects in Indonesia. Methods: Forty formalin fixed-paraffin embedded NPC tissue samples of known smoking status (20 smokers, 20 non-smokers) were collected from the Department of Anatomical Pathology, Dr. Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta. P16 was detected by immunohistochemistry staining. German semi-quantitative scoring system was applied to the P16 staining. Expression index with the score of 0 to 3 was classified as negative staining, meanwhile 4 to 12 was classified as positive staining. The association between P16 (score) and smoking status among NPC patients was analyzed using Fischer exact test. One-sided p ≤ 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: All samples were Javanese males, with age range 25-76 years old. P16 positive staining among smokers was 5% (1/20), while among non-smokers was 40% (8/20). P16 among smokers was significantly lower than non-smokers patients (p=0.010). No difference was found between quantity of smoke and P16 score. Conclusion : A significant association between P16 and smoking status in Indonesian NPC patients has been revealed. The result of this study may be used to improve prevention and management of NPC cases related to smoking habit in Indonesia.
Effects of Diutina rugosa SD-17 on growth performance, intestine morphology, and immune status of chickens

Probiotics are considered the preferred alternatives to antibiotics for growth promotion and disease prevention. Previous studies have confirmed that Diutina rugosa SD-17 has the potential as a probiotic. We evaluated the probiotic effect of D. rugosa SD-17 on 360 one-day-old Hy-line brown chickens that were divided into 2 groups, and each group contained 6 replicate pens with 30 birds per pen. The chickens were fed with basal diet supplemented with or without D. rugosa SD-17, and the effects of D. rugosa SD-17 on growth performance, intestine morphology, and immune status were assessed. Body weight was significantly improved from week 3 to 6 (P < 0.05), and the feed conversion ratio was significantly improved in weeks 1 and 2 (P < 0.001). The length of the duodenum was lengthened significantly in week 3 (P < 0.05), and supplementation of D. rugosa SD-17 significantly increased villus height and villus height to crypt depth ratio in the ileum in week 3 (P < 0.05). Expressions of tight-junction-related genes of zonula occludens-2 and occludin in the ileum were significantly increased (P < 0.05). The proliferation capacity of blood lymphocytes stimulated by concanavalin A was significantly enhanced (P < 0.05), and the proportion of helper T (Th) cells increased significantly (P < 0.05). Expressions of Th1 cell markers IL-2 and interferon (IFN)-γ and immune-related genes of IL-1β, transforming growth factor-β, and IFN-γ in ileum were significantly increased (P < 0.05). These results indicated that D. rugosa SD-17 improved the growth and regulated immunity of chickens, and could be optimized for use as a feed additive for livestock and poultry.
Polymorphisms of XRCC3 and XRCC7 and Colorectal Cancer Risk in Khorasan Razavi Province, Iran

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is highly prevalent cancer, which should be genetically studied among different peoples of the world. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of XRCC3T241M, XRCC3 A17893G and, for the first time, XRCC7 I3434T polymorphisms on CRC risk in Khorasan Razavi Province, Iran. Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, 180 patients with CRC and 160 sex- and age-matched healthy controls were studied. Genotypes were determined by RFLP-PCR and ARMS-PCR. Results: The incidence of CRC was observed to be significantly more in a heterozygous XRCC3 C/T genotype than in the CC genotype (OR 2.210, 95% CI 1.073-4.548, p=0.030). In the case of the XRCC7 I3434T polymorphism, CRC risk was significantly (4.3 fold) higher in I/T+T/T variant subjects compared to the I/I genotype (OR 4.394, 95% CI 2.721-7.096, p=0.000). Moreover, the XRCC3 A17893G polymorphism did not correlate with CRC. In addition, there was no significant difference between the distribution of genotypes of the three studied polymorphisms with demographic and clinicopathological features in the CRC patients. Conclusion: Polymorphisms of XRRC3 and XRCC7 genes are involved in CRC and should be considered as a risk factor.
LinearConv: Regenerating Redundancy in Convolution Filters as Linear Combinations for Parameter Reduction

Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) show state-of-the-art performance in computer vision tasks. However, convolutional layers of CNNs are known to learn redundant features, still not being efficient in memory requirement. In this work, we explore the redundancy of learned features in the form of correlation between convolutional filters, and propose a novel layer to reproduce it efficiently. The proposed"LinearConv"layer generates a portion of convolutional filters as a learnable linear combination of the rest of the filters and introduces a correlation-based regularization to achieve flexibility and control over the correlation between filters, and the number of parameters, in turn. This is developed as a plug-in layer to conveniently replace a conventional convolutional layer without any modification required in the network architecture. Our experiments verify that the LinearConv-based models are able to achieve a performance on-par with counterparts with up to 50% of parameter reduction, and having same computational requirement in run time.
Observational constraints on the origin of the elements

The abundance ratios of manganese to iron in late-type stars across a wide metallicity range place tight constraints on the astrophysical production sites of Fe-group elements. In this work, we investigate the chemical evolution of Mn in the Milky Way galaxy using high-resolution spectroscopic observations of stars in the Galactic disc and halo stars, as well as a sample of globular clusters. Our analysis shows that local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) leads to a strong imbalance in the ionisation equilibrium of Mn I and Mn II lines. Mn I produces systematically (up to 0.6 dex) lower abundances compared to the Mn II lines. Non-LTE (NLTE) radiative transfer satisfies the ionisation equilibrium across the entire metallicity range, of −3 ≲ [Fe/H] ≲ −1, leading to consistent abundances from both ionisation stages of the element. We compare the NLTE abundances with Galactic Chemical Evolution models computed using different sources of type Ia and type II supernova (SN Ia and SN II) yields. We find that a good fit to our observations can be obtained by assuming that a significant (∼75%) fraction of SNe Ia stem from a sub-Chandrasekhar (sub-Mch) channel. While this fraction is larger than that found in earlier studies (∼50%), we note that we still require ∼25% near-Mch SNe Ia to obtain solar [Mn/Fe] at [Fe/H] = 0. Our new data also suggest higher SN II Mn yields at low metallicity than typically assumed in the literature.
A model for excess Johnson noise in superconducting transition-edge sensors.

Transition-edge sensors (TESs) are two-dimensional superconducting films utilized as highly sensitive detectors of energy or power. These detectors are voltage biased in the superconducting-normal transition where the film resistance is both finite and a strong function of temperature. Unfortunately, the amount of electrical noise observed in TESs exceeds the predictions of existing noise theories. We describe a possible mechanism for the unexplained excess noise, which we term "mixed-down noise. " The source is Johnson noise, which is mixed down to low frequencies by Josephson oscillations in devices with a nonlinear current-voltage relationship. We derive an expression for the power spectral density of this noise and show that its predictions agree with measured data.
The birational geometry of noncommutative surfaces.

We show that any commutative rationally ruled surface with a choice of anticanonical curve admits a 1-parameter family of noncommutative deformations parametrized by the Jacobian of the anticanonical curve, and show that many standard facts from commutative geometry (blowups commute, Quot schemes are projective, etc.) carry over. The key new tool in studying these deformations is a relatively simple description of their derived categories and the relevant t-structures; this also allows us to establish nontrivial derived equivalences for deformations of elliptic surfaces. We also establish that the category of line bundles (suitably defined) on such a surface has a faithful representation in which the morphisms are difference or differential operators, and thus find that difference/differential equations can be viewed as sheaves on such surfaces. In particular, we find that many moduli spaces of sheaves on such surfaces have natural interpretations as moduli spaces of equations with (partially) specified singularities, and in particular find that the "isomonodromy" interpretation of discrete Painleve equations and their generalizations has a natural geometric interpretation (twisting sheaves by line bundles).
Updating the theoretical tidal evolution constants: Apsidal motion and the moment of inertia

Context. The theoretical apsidal motion constants are key tools to investigate the stellar interiors in close eccentric binary systems. In addition, these constants and the moment of inertia are also important to investigate the tidal evolution of close binary stars as well as of exo-planetary systems. Aims. The aim of the paper is to present new evolutionary models, based on the MESA package, that include the internal structure constants (k2, k3, and k4), the radius of gyration, and the gravitational potential energy for configurations computed from the pre-main-sequence up to the first ascent giant branch or beyond. The calculations are available for the three metallicities [Fe/H] = 0.00, −0.50, and −1.00, which take the recent investigations in less metallic environments into account. This new set of models replaces the old ones, published about 15 years ago, using the code GRANADA. Methods. Core overshooting was taken into account using the mass-fov relationship, which was derived semi-empirically for models more massive than 1.2 M⊙. The differential equations governing the apsidal motion constants, moment of inertia, and the gravitational potential energy were integrated simultaneously through a fifth-order Runge-Kutta method with a tolerance level of 10−7. Results. The resulting models (from 0.8 up to 35.0 M⊙) are presented in 54 tables for the three metallicities, containing the usual characteristics of an evolutionary model (age, initial masses, log Teff, log g, and log L), the constants of internal structure (k2, k3, and k4), the radius of gyration β, and the factor α that is related with the gravitational potential energy.
Decoding the circuitry of consciousness: From local microcircuits to brain-scale networks

Abstract Identifying the physiological processes underlying the emergence and maintenance of consciousness is one of the most fundamental problems of neuroscience, with implications ranging from fundamental neuroscience to the treatment of patients with disorders of consciousness (DOCs). One major challenge is to understand how cortical circuits at drastically different spatial scales, from local networks to brain-scale networks, operate in concert to enable consciousness, and how those processes are impaired in DOC patients. In this review, we attempt to relate available neurophysiological and clinical data with existing theoretical models of consciousness, while linking the micro- and macrocircuit levels. First, we address the relationships between awareness and wakefulness on the one hand, and cortico-cortical and thalamo-cortical connectivity on the other hand. Second, we discuss the role of three main types of GABAergic interneurons in specific circuits responsible for the dynamical reorganization of functional networks. Third, we explore advances in the functional role of nested oscillations for neural synchronization and communication, emphasizing the importance of the balance between local (high-frequency) and distant (low-frequency) activity for efficient information processing. The clinical implications of these theoretical considerations are presented. We propose that such cellular-scale mechanisms could extend current theories of consciousness.
WVTICs - SPH initial conditions for everyone

We present a novel and fast application to generate glass-like initial conditions for Lagrangian hydrodynamic schemes (e.g. Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH)) following arbitrary density models based on weighted Voronoi tessellations and combine it with improved initial configurations and an additional particle reshuffling scheme. We show our application's ability to sample different kinds of density features and to converge properly towards the given model density as well as a glass-like particle configuration. We analyse convergence with iterations as well as with varying particle number. Additionally, we demonstrate the versatility of the implemented algorithms by providing an extensive test suite for standard (magneto-) hydrodynamic test cases as well as a few common astrophysical applications. We indicate the potential to bridge further between observational astronomy and simulations as well as applicability to other fields of science by advanced features such as describing a density model using gridded data for exampling from an image file instead of an analytic model.
Spatial ergodicity for SPDEs via Poincaré-type inequalities

Consider a parabolic stochastic PDE of the form ∂tu = 1 2 ∆u+ σ(u)η, where u = u(t , x) for t ≥ 0 and x ∈ R, σ : R → R is Lipschitz continuous and non random, and η is a centered Gaussian noise that is white in time and colored in space, with a possibly-signed homogeneous spatial correlation f . If, in addition, u(0) ≡ 1, then we prove that, under a mild decay condition on f , the process x 7→ u(t , x) is stationary and ergodic at all times t > 0. It has been argued that, when coupled with moment estimates, spatial ergodicity of u teaches us about the intermittent nature of the solution to such SPDEs [1, 37]. Our results provide rigorous justification of such discussions. Our methods hinge on novel facts from harmonic analysis and functions of positive type, as well as from Malliavin calculus and Poincaré inequalities. We further showcase the utility of these Poincaré inequalities by: (a) describing conditions that ensure that the random field u(t) is mixing for every t > 0; and by (b) giving a quick proof of a conjecture of Conus et al [15] about the “size” of the intermittency islands of u. The ergodicity and the mixing results of this paper are sharp, as they include the classical theory of Maruyama [42] (see also Dym and McKean [23]) in the simple setting where the nonlinear term σ is a constant function. MSC 2010 subject classification: 60H15, 37A25, 60H07, 60G10.