Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of adjunctive ambrisentan treatment for digital ulcers in patients with systemic sclerosis: a case series study

Abstract Purpose: The efficacy of adjunctive ambrisentan treatment in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) suffering from digital ulcers (DUs) was investigated. Material and methods: Patients (4 males, 7 females) diagnosed with SSc at our hospital between 2017 and 2022 were enrolled. Ten of them had diffuse SSc, while one had limited SSc. These patients received daily 5 mg doses of ambrisentan in addition to their regular SSc treatment for 16 weeks. Parameters including the total number and size of existing and new DUs, Visual Analog Score (VAS), frequency of Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP) attacks, and any adverse effects were assessed. Results: At baseline, the median number and size of DUs was 3.0 (interquartile range (IQR): 2.0–4.0 cm) and 0.4 cm (IQR: 0.3–0.5 cm), respectively. Following the intervention, seven patients with a median of 2.0 DUs and a size of 0.35 cm (IQR: 0.15–0.45 cm) at baseline achieved complete healing. Significant improvements were also observed in other patients. VAS scores decreased from a baseline median of 5.0–0.0 (IQR: 0.0–1.0), and both the frequency and duration of RP attacks notably reduced. Conclusion: Adjunctive ambrisentan therapy proved effective in promoting DU healing and preventing new DUs in SSc patients.
Avatar-Mediated Communication and Social Identification

ABSTRACT Avatar-mediated communication (AMC), commonly used in online environments such as games and the emerging metaverse, is different from traditional computer-mediated communication in that it is a human-object-object-human relationship mediated by the individual’s avatar and the avatar of the person with whom they are communicating. We conceptualize AMC by using three key concepts: user-avatar identification (i.e., how a user perceives their avatar as themselves), avatar-avatar identification (i.e., how a user perceives their avatar as part of a community of avatars), and social presence (i.e., how a user perceives the other avatar as a representation of the other person). We tested this model using 778 individuals who responded to three waves of data collection. The results show that the three factors of AMC influence users’ social identification with their community and strengthen its impact on loyalty. From a theoretical perspective, our research adds two novel constructs—user–avatar identification and avatar–avatar identification—that play key roles in AMC in addition to the well-known effects of social presence. From a practical perspective, our research helps developers better design online games and virtual worlds such as the metaverse.
LitNeRF: Intrinsic Radiance Decomposition for High-Quality View Synthesis and Relighting of Faces

High-fidelity, photorealistic 3D capture of a human face is a long-standing problem in computer graphics – the complex material of skin, intricate geometry of hair, and fine scale textural details make it challenging. Traditional techniques rely on very large and expensive capture rigs to reconstruct explicit mesh geometry and appearance maps, and are limited by the accuracy of hand-crafted reflectance models. More recent volumetric methods (e.g., NeRFs) have enabled view-synthesis and sometimes relighting by learning an implicit representation of the density and reflectance basis, but suffer from artifacts and blurriness due to the inherent ambiguities in volumetric modeling. These problems are further exacerbated when capturing with few cameras and light sources. We present a novel technique for high-quality capture of a human face for 3D view synthesis and relighting using a sparse, compact capture rig consisting of 15 cameras and 15 lights. Our method combines a neural volumetric representation with traditional mesh reconstruction from multiview stereo. The proxy geometry allows us to anchor the 3D density field to prevent artifacts and guide the disentanglement of intrinsic radiance components of the face appearance such as diffuse and specular reflectance, and incident radiance (shadowing) fields. Our hybrid representation significantly improves the state-of-the-art quality for arbitrarily dense renders of a face from desired camera viewpoint as well as environmental, directional, and near-field lighting.
MCNeRF: Monte Carlo Rendering and Denoising for Real-Time NeRFs

The volume rendering step used in Neural Radiance Fields (NeRFs) produces highly photorealistic results, but is inherently slow because it evaluates an MLP at a large number of sample points per ray. Previous work has addressed this by either proposing neural scene representations that are faster to evaluate or by pre-computing (and approximating) scene properties to reduce render times. In this work, we propose MCNeRF, a general Monte Carlo-based rendering algorithm that can speed up any NeRF representation. We show that the NeRF volume rendering integral can be efficiently computed via Monte Carlo integration using an importance sampling scheme based on ray density distributions. This allows us to use a small number of MLP evaluations to estimate pixel radiance. These noisy Monte Carlo estimates can be further denoised using an inexpensive image-space denoiser trained per-scene. We demonstrate that MCNeRF can be used to speed up NeRF representations like TensoRF by 7 × while closely matching their visual quality and without making the scene approximations that real-time NeRF rendering methods usually make.
Acquired comitant esotropias – comparison of surgical outcomes of accommodative vs non-accommodative types

ABSTRACT Purpose: To compare the motor and sensory outcomes of strabismus surgery and the factors affecting surgical success in acquired acute non-accomodative esotropia (ANAET) and partially accommodative refractive esotropia (pARET). Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients with ANAET and pARET who underwent unilateral or bilateral horizontal rectus muscle surgery between January 2020 and December 2021 was conducted. Patients with postoperative follow-up of at least six weeks were included. Patients with pattern deviation, lateral incomitance, and near-distance disparity were excluded. Motor success was defined as a postoperative deviation within eight prism diopters of orthophoria. Sensory success was defined as presence of binocular single vision (BSV) for both distance and near (Worth four dot test). The effect of factors like age at onset, age at surgery, amblyopia before surgery, duration of squint before treatment, presence or absence and magnitude of vertical deviation, preoperative angle of deviation, and spherical equivalent on the motor and sensory success in each group were analyzed and compared. Results: 38 patients with ANAET and 33 patients with pARET were included. The mean age of onset of esotropia was 8.55 ± 4.65 years and 4.39 ± 2.27 years (p < .001) and the mean age at surgery was 10.62 ± 4.99 years and 7.89 ± 2.84 years (p = .006) in the ANAET and the pARET group respectively. The mean duration of the final follow-up was 38.51 weeks in the ANAET and 48.68 weeks in the pARET group (p = .089). Patients were successfully aligned for both distance and near in 81.5% of patients in the ANAET and 78.9% of patients in the pARET group at the final follow-up (p. 0.775). A BSV for both distance and near at the final follow-up was seen in 81.2% vs 66.6% of patients in the ANAET and the pARET group respectively (p = .25). A good near stereoacuity (<120 arcsecs) was seen in 60.6% and 41.9% of the ANAET and the pARET groups respectively (p = .175). The percentage of patients in the ANAET group who had orthophoria, any esodeviation, and any exodeviation for distance at the final follow-up was 63.1%, 34.2% and, 2.6%. The percentage of patients in the pARET group in similar categories was 36.3%, 42.4% and, 21.2%. None of the demographic and preoperative factors were found to affect the surgical outcomes in the two groups. Conclusions: The motor and sensory outcomes were similar in the two groups. A higher proportion of ANAET patients remained orthophoric during the follow-up. The patients in the pARET group showed a tendency toward exodrift.
Comparable Estimates of Returns to Schooling Around the World

Rates of return to investments in schooling have been estimated since the late 1950s. In the 60-plus year history of such estimates, there have been several attempts to synthesize the empirical results to ascertain patterns. This paper presents comparable estimates, as well as a database, that use the same specification, estimation procedure, and similar data for 139 economies and 819 harmonized household surveys. This effort to compile comparable estimates holds constant the definition of the dependent variable, the set of control variables, the sample definition, and the estimation method for all surveys in the sample. The results of this study show that (1) the returns to schooling are more concentrated around their respective means than previously thought; (2) the basic Mincerian model used is more stable than may have been expected; (3) the returns to schooling are higher for women than for men; (4) returns to schooling and labor market experience are strongly and positively associated; (5) there is a decreasing pattern over time; and (6) the returns to tertiary education are highest.
Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) practices on Growth, Yield and Oil Yield of Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.)

Safflower (Carthamustinctorius L.) is one of the oldest crop cultivated for its edible seed oil and is known for salt as well as drought tolerance crop due to partially xerophytic nature, in addition to deep and extensive root system making efficient use of reserved soil moisture. The average productivity of safflower is low in India (627 kg ha -1 ) while it is relatively better in Karnataka (822 kg ha -1 ). As the crop is mainly cultivated under rainfed condition during post-rainy season on receding soil moisture, results in inadequate supply of both water and nutrients to the crop. Application of limited quantity of nutrients (NPK) only through chemical fertilizer creates multiple-nutrients deficiencies in the soil which is considered as one of reason for limiting the crop production (Tiwari et al., 2002). Hence, there is need to be improved the soil fertility for better yield. Thus, soil fertility as well as crop production can be improved by application of nutrients through organic sources and/or integration of different organic sources of nutrients (Reddy 2005; Akbari et al., 2011; Basak et al., 2012). Therefore, combined application of organic manure and chemical fertilizers may enhance the productivity and economic profitability of safflower. In this regard, a study was conducted to test the effect of combined International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 6 Number 4 (2017) pp. 511-516 Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas. com
Treatment Patterns and Health Care Costs of Lupus Nephritis in a United States Payer Population

Objective: To describe the characteristics, treatment patterns, health care resource utilization (HCRU), and cost of care for members of a large United States (US) health insurance plan with lupus nephritis (LN). Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted using a health insurance plan database to identify adult members with a diagnosis of LN. Medical and pharmacy claims were used to describe demographics, comorbidities, HCRU, and cost patterns over a 12-month follow-up period for each patient, between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2016. All study variables were examined descriptively. Results: A total of 1039 patients were available for analysis (median age, 47 years; 83% female). The median Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was 3.3. Less than half (41%) of patients received immunosuppressive therapies commonly used to treat LN. Evidence indi-cated that 58% of the study population were prescribed corticosteroid therapy, in most cases (73%) for more than 60 days. Adverse events known to be associated with corticosteroid therapy were recorded in 58% of patients. Guideline-recommended preventive therapy with hydroxychloroquine was prescribed for 54% of members with LN. Nearly half (47%) of members with LN did not see a nephrologist and more than one-third (36%) did not see a rheumatologist over 1 year of follow-up. Rates of all-cause hospitalization and emergency department (ED) use were 25% and 35%, respectively. The mean all-cause per-member-per-month (PMPM) medical cost for the study population was $2801, with LN-speci ﬁ c costs accounting for $1147 PMPM. Conclusion: Patients with LN who are insured through a large US health plan appeared to underutilize outpatient specialist services and guideline-recommended hydroxychloroquine therapy. Corticosteroid use and adverse events known to be associated with corticosteroids were common in this cohort. diseases; Investigation, treatment and management of rheumatological diseases; Clinical trials and novel pharmacologi- cal approaches for the treatment of rheumatological disorders. The
Digitalization of Loyalty: Impacts of Mobile Technology on Reward Redemption and Engagement Level

ABSTRACT Although digitalization is a prevalent strategy in reward programs, a minimal amount is known regarding the relationship between reward app usage and reward redemption behaviors. The enhanced availability and accessibility of information via mobile app can alter customers’ reward-redemption patterns and engagement level, highlighting the need for firms to adjust their reward-based service strategies. Using unique datasets that reflect individual consumers’ transactional and reward redemption behaviors, we conducted a series of analyses to capture the dynamics in the latent engagement state transitions of customers according to the type of reward program used. Results show that although reward app usage, on average, induces a more active engagement state, it polarizes the volatility of engagement state transitions. Furthermore, we find that greater volatility of engagement state transitions is significantly associated with a higher likelihood of churn. Finally, a follow-up survey and panel vector autoregression analyses are conducted to uncover the mechanisms that underlie the relationship. The results provide insights into how retailers can strategically design their reward programs in the emerging mobile-based omnichannel environment.
The Impact of Vitamin D Levels on Inflammatory Status: A Systematic Review of Immune Cell Studies

Chronic low-grade inflammation accompanies obesity and its related chronic conditions. Both peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and cell lines have been used to study whether vitamin D has immune modulating effects; however, to date a detailed systematic review describing the published evidence has not been completed. We therefore conducted a systematic review on the effect of vitamin D on the protein expression and secretion of inflammatory markers by human-derived immune cells. The review was registered at the International Prospective Register for Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO, Registration number CRD42015023222). A literature search was conducted using Pubmed, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science and Medline. The search strategy used the following search terms: Vitamin D or cholecalciferol or 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin or 25-hydroxy-Vitamin D and Inflam* or cytokine* and supplement* or cell*. These terms were searched in the abstract, title and keywords. Inclusion criteria for study selection consisted of human-derived immune cell lines or cellular studies where PBMCs were obtained from humans, reported in the English language, and within the time period of 2000 to 2015. The selection protocol was mapped according to PRISMA guidelines. Twenty three studies (7 cell line and 16 PBMCs studies) met our criteria. All studies selected except one used the active metabolite 1,25(OH)2, with one study using cholecalciferol and two studies also using 25(OH)D. Four out of seven cell line studies showed an anti-inflammatory effect where suppression of key markers such as macrophage chemotactic protein 1, interleukin 6 and interleukin 8 were observed. Fourteen of sixteen PBMC studies also showed a similar anti-inflammatory effect based on common inflammatory endpoints. Mechanisms for such effects included decreased protein expression of toll-like receptor-2 and toll-like receptor-4; lower levels of phosphorylated p38 and p42/42; reduced expression of phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 and decreased reactive oxygen species. This review demonstrates that an anti-inflammatory effect of vitamin D is a consistent observation in studies of cell lines and human derived PBMCs.
A Bayesian Meta-Analysis of Multiple Treatment Comparisons of Systemic Regimens for Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

Background For advanced pancreatic cancer, many regimens have been compared with gemcitabine (G) as the standard arm in randomized controlled trials. Few regimens have been directly compared with each other in randomized controlled trials and the relative efficacy and safety among them remains unclear. Methods A systematic review was performed through MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ASCO meeting abstracts up to May 2013 to identify randomized controlled trials that included advanced pancreatic cancer comparing the following regimens: G, G+5-fluorouracil, G+ capecitabine, G+S1, G+ cisplatin, G+ oxaliplatin, G+ erlotinib, G+ nab-paclitaxel, and FOLFIRINOX. Overall survival and progression-free survival with 95% credible regions were extracted using the Parmar method. A Bayesian multiple treatment comparisons was performed to compare all regimens simultaneously. Results Twenty-two studies were identified and 16 were included in the meta-analysis. Median overall survival, progression free survival, and response rates for G arms from all trials were similar, suggesting no significant clinical heterogeneity. For overall survival, the mixed treatment comparisons found that the probability that FOLFIRINOX was the best regimen was 83%, while it was 11% for G+ nab-paclitaxel and 3% for G+ S1 and G+ erlotinib, respectively. The overall survival hazard ratio for FOLFIRINOX versus G+ nab-paclitaxel was 0.79 [0.50–1.24], with no obvious difference in toxicities. The hazard ratios from direct pairwise comparisons were consistent with the mixed treatment comparisons results. Conclusions FOLFIRINOX appeared to be the best regimen for advanced pancreatic cancer probabilistically, with a trend towards improvement in survival when compared with other regimens by indirect comparisons.
Biología reproductiva de tres especies de Polylepis (P. neglecta, P. incarum y P. pacensis), con énfasis en su comportamiento germinativo

Reproductive biology of three Polylepis species ( P. neglecta , P. incarum and P. pacensis ), with emphasis on their germinative behavior. With the purpose of contributing to the knowledge on the sexual reproduction of native species of Bolivia of the genus Polylepis ( P. neglecta , P. incarum and P. pacensis ), as a base for the production of seedlings destined for reforestation, different germination studies were developed. To obtain seeds, potential seed trees were identified both in natural populations ( P. pacensis and P. incarum ) as well as in green areas of the Municipality of La Paz ( P. neglecta ). At the same time a fruit an seed morpho anatomical characterization by species was developed. In relation to the physical quality, depending on the sample, 100 g of seeds per species, a high degree of impurities was found, which made it difficult to obtain pure seed for sowing. The percentage of humidity of seeds was low: 10% in P. incarum , 8% in P. pacensis and 6% in P. neglecta ; as in consequence, they could be considered as orthodox seeds (i.e., can be stored for a long time without losing the germinative power). A germination of 10% ( P. neglecta ), 8% ( P. pacensis ) and 2% ( P. incarum ) was obtained. On the other hand, the germinative response of seeds of these Polylepis species under greenhouse conditions showed the highest percentage of germination (19%) in the substrate sand+peat 1:1. The species with the highest percentage of germination was P. neglecta (10 to 15%), while P. pacensis and P. incarum showed 8 and 2%, respectively. Despite the low germination percentage known for the genus Polylepis , having a good amount of seeds and adequate conditions for their development (i.e., humidity, substrate, temperature) makes possible to spread these species massively under greenhouse conditions, with optimal results in terms of quantity and quality of plants. https://doi.org/10.25260/EA.18. 28.1. 1.703
The Age of Reason: Financial Decisions Over the Lifecycle, Working Paper 2007-05

The sophistication of financial decisions varies with age: middle-aged adults borrow at lower interest rates and pay fewer fees compared to both younger and older adults. We document this pattern in ten financial markets. The measured effects cannot be explained by observed risk characteristics. The sophistication of financial choices peaks around age 53 in our cross-sectional data. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that financial sophistication rises and then falls with age, although the patterns that we observe represent a mix of age effects and cohort effects. (JEL: D1, D8, G2, J14).
Master Degree Project in Marketing and Consumption Who you are: the result of influencers’ instagramming – a qualitative study of how consumers’ offline identity is influenced by influencers on Instagram

This study aims to explore how consumers’ offline identity is influenced by influencers on Instagram i.e. how influencers on Instagram affect consumers’ offline identity creation through consumption. Previous research has focused on influencers on Instagram from a marketing/company perspective, however this research will create an understanding from a consumer perspective. The analysis is based on the result conducted from two focus groups were three different themes were drafted: Regular consumers, the new influencers? , Instagram influence through communication online and offline, and identity creation through influencers on Instagram. Finally, the study indicates that it is the “everyday-influencer” who has the biggest influential power on consumers’ offline identity. Consumers identify themselves with the “everyday-influencer” and consume product/services being displayed by them in order to express who they are in their offline life.
Fracking and Structural Shifts in Oil Supply

The adoption of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and horizontal drilling technology substantively altered the structure of oil supply. Using disaggregate state-level data from the U.S, this paper provides empirical evidence that oil supplies are now asymmetric with respect to price changes as a result of the adoption of new production methods. The changed structure of U.S. oil supply—particularly the low supply elasticities for price declines and large supply elasticities for price increases—is consistent with the ineffectiveness of OPEC policies intended to drown fracking American producers in oil.