Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Advanced Real Time Embedded Book Braille System

—Reading is an activity that leads to acquiring information and developing a person’s knowledge. Therefore, everyone should have equal access to the same sources of information. Unfortunately, blindness is a disease that restricts the affected people from reading books that are not converted into Braille. This paper describes a novel solution for the real-time conversion of any text into Braille. The system will rely on image processing and a camera to gather the raw text data from any book in physical format. Furthermore, e-books and documents in any digital format, Braille Ready Format (BRF), Portable Embosser Files (PEF), TXT, PDF, or PNG, can be provided for Braille conversion. Image enhancement algorithms, neural networks, and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) algorithms are used to extract accurate content. The process is controlled by a Raspberry Pi 4. A refreshable Braille mechanism, based on an Arduino Due microcontroller, is used to display the dots for each character. The algorithms are implemented to work with the mechanical structure design that was created to reduce the cost and give the user a complete reading experience of any book.
Infrared Small Target Detection via $L_{0}$ Sparse Gradient Regularized Tensor Spectral Support Low-Rank Decomposition

Infrared small target detection has been extensively investigated by incorporating the low-rank and sparse prior into tensor decomposition frameworks. Despite its success, the said paradigm remains several limitations in complex scenes, such as: 1) the inadequate spatial-temporal information exploitation among sequential patches; 2) the incomplete suppression of the complex background interference. To mitigate the defects, this article provides a tensor decomposition method integrating spatial-temporal $l_{0}$ sparse gradient regularization and spectral support constraint. First, we present a skillfully connected multiframe patch group (CMPG) model to explore local spatial information and adjacent interframe correlation among multiframes patches. Then, for CMPG model, a scalable tensor spectral support constraint is employed to distinctively regularize its redundant and rare components. Considering the nonlocal uniqueness of small targets and the local continuity of rare distractors, an extended spatial-temporal $l_{0}$ gradient constraint is embedded into target-background separation for better suppression of structural clutter, and a reweighted scheme is also used to eliminate isolated nontarget points. The final model is efficiently solved by the alternating direction method of multipliers. Experiments are conducted on extensive simulating datasets and real scenes, suggesting that the proposed method achieves a considerable boost against other competitors in terms of visual effect and subjective evaluation.
Remarks on some dynamical problems of controlling redundant manipulators

The author establishes the mutual effects of dynamical constraints on redundant manipulators, the type of behavior they produce, and the various kinds of controlling algorithms. The various methods for controlling the robot are analyzed and compared for their dynamical behavior. This is done via a geometric viewpoint where each method induces a geometrical structure on the joint space. This sheds some light on the global dynamical advantages and disadvantages of each method, some of which were previously overlooked. >
Continuum Regression and Ridge Regression

We demonstrate the close relationship between first-factor continuum regression and standard ridge regression. The difference is that continuum regression inserts a scalar compensation factor for that part of the shrinkage in ridge regression that has no connection with tendencies towards collinearity. We interpret this to mean that first-factor continuum regression is preferable in principle to ridge regression if we want protection against near colliearity but do not admit shrinkage as a general principle. Furthermore, our experience indicates that with first-factor continuum regression we can obtain predictors that are at least as mean-squared error efficient as with ridge regression but with less sensitivity to the choice of ridge constant
Insulin resistance in thyroid disorders: association between anti-TPO and HOMA-IR

The association of thyroid disease and diabetes has been classically described. However, the comorbidity of thyroid disparities and insulin resistance is not frequently assessed, especially the sequence of the occurrence of these markers. We performed a retrospective analysis to evaluate the association between thyroid disease and diabetes markers. We further investigated the sequence of occurrence of thyroid and diabetes markers to identify any predictive capabilities of these markers. We evaluated 32787 subjects who were classified based on their serum thyroid hormones and autoantibody levels. Our general prevalence results showed that HOMA-IR was elevated in overt hypothyroid subjects (43.7%) and overt hyperthyroid subjects (42.2%). HbA1C was elevated in subclinical hypothyroid subjects (19.2%), overt hypothyroid subjects (22.3%) and overt hyperthyroid subjects (21.2%). Glucose was significantly elevated in subclinical hypothyroid subjects (24.2%) and overt hyperthyroid subjects (31.0%). Insulin was only significantly elevated in overt hypothyroid subjects (15.1%). Interestingly, we found that 70.3% of subjects who had their HOMA-IR score escalated from negative (HOMA-IR<2.7) to positive (HOMA-IR>2.7) during their multiple visits had anti-TPO 369 (242) days prior to the onset of this change. Our comprehensive study provided evidence that the presence of anti-TPO may suggest a predictive role in developing insulin resistance later in life.
Research on the Correction of Ionospheric Distortion for Ship Detection in OTHR

In Sky-wave Over-the Horizon(OTH)Radar, the distortion and contamination of ionosphere degrade the performance of the backscattered signals greatly. The weak ship target is almost masked by the spreading and splitting for Bragg peak. This paper describes the mechanism of ionosphere distortion and several correction algorithms. It is important for the improvement of ship target detection in practice.
Bubbling and jetting regimes in planar coflowing air–water sheets

The dynamics of a plane air sheet surrounded by a coflowing water film, discharging into stagnant air, is investigated by means of experiments and linear stability theory. For fixed values of the water-to-air thickness ratio, h = hw,0*/ha,0* ≃ 5.27, and of the air-to-water density ratio, S = ρa/ρw ≃ 0.0012, two different flow regimes are experimentally observed depending on the values of two control parameters, namely the Weber number, defined as We = ρw uw,0*2 ha,0*/σ, and the velocity ratio, Λ = uw,0*/ua,0*, where uw,0* and ua,0* are the water velocity and the mean air velocity at the exit slit, respectively, and ha,0* and hw,0* are the half-thicknesses of the air and water sheets at the exit. The study focuses on the characterization of the transition between the two regimes found experimentally: a bubbling regime, leading to the periodic breakup of the air sheet, and a jetting regime, where both sheets evolve slowly downstream without breaking. With the aim of exploring whether the transition from the jetting to the bubbling regime is related to a convective/absolute instability transition, we perform a linear spatiotemporal stability analysis. The base flow is described by a simple model that incorporates the downstream evolution of the sheets, which shows excellent agreement with our experiments if the existence of a sufficiently long region of absolute instability, of the order of one absolute wavelength evaluated at the nozzle exit, is imposed as an additional requirement. Finally, we show that the transition is also properly captured by two-dimensional numerical simulations using the volume of fluid technique.
Anterograde Collisional Analysis of Solar Wind Ions

Owing to its low density and high temperature, the solar wind frequently exhibits strong departures from local thermodynamic equilibrium, which include distinct temperatures for its constituent ions. Prior studies have found that the ratio of the temperatures of the two most abundant ions—protons (ionized hydrogen) and α-particles (ionized helium)—is strongly correlated with the Coulomb collisional age. These previous studies, though, have been largely limited to using observations from single missions. In contrast, this present study utilizes contemporaneous, in situ observations from two different spacecraft at two different distances from the Sun: the Parker Solar Probe (PSP; r = 0.1–0.3 au) and Wind (r = 1.0 au). Collisional analysis, which incorporates the equations of collisional relaxation and large-scale expansion, was applied to each PSP datum to predict the state of the plasma farther from the Sun at r = 1.0 au. The distribution of these predicted α–proton relative temperatures agrees well with that of values observed by Wind. These results strongly suggest that, outside of the corona, relative ion temperatures are principally affected by Coulomb collisions and that the preferential heating of α-particles is largely limited to the corona.
Lipoprotein Particle Profiles Associated with Telomere Length and Telomerase Complex Components

Telomere length (TL) is a well-known marker of age-related diseases. Oxidative stress and inflammation increase the rate of telomere shortening, triggering cellular senescence. Although lipoproteins could have anti-inflammatory and proinflammatory functional properties, the relationship between lipoprotein particles with TL and telomerase activity-related genes has not been investigated much. In this study, we assessed the associations of lipoprotein subfractions with telomere length, TERT, and WRAP53 expression in a total of 54 pre-diabetic subjects from the EPIRDEM study. We regressed TL, TERT, and WRAP53 on 12 lipoprotein subclasses, employing a Gaussian linear regression method with Lasso penalty to determine a lipoprotein profile associated with telomere-related parameters. The covariates included age, sex, body mass index (BMI), dyslipidemia, statin consumption, and physical activity leisure time. We identified a lipoprotein profile composed of four lipoprotein subfractions associated with TL (Pearson r = 0.347, p-value = 0.010), two lipoprotein subfractions associated with TERT expression (Pearson r = 0.316, p-value = 0.020), and five lipoprotein subfractions associated with WRAP53 expression (Pearson r = 0.379, p-value =0.005). After adjusting for known confounding factors, most lipoprotein profiles maintained the association with TL, TERT, and WRAP53. Overall, medium and small-sized HDL particles were associated with shorter telomeres and lower expression of TERT and WRAP53. Large HDL particles were associated with longer telomere and lower expression of WRAP53, but not with TERT. Our results suggest that the lipoprotein profiles are associated with telomere length, TERT, and WRAP53 expression and should be considered when assessing the risk of chronic diseases.
Cassava Witches’ Broom Disease in Southeast Asia: A Review of Its Distribution and Associated Symptoms

Cassava witches’ broom disease (CWBD) is one of the main diseases of cassava in Southeast Asia (SEA). Affected cassava plants show reduced internodal length and proliferation of leaves (phyllody) in the middle and top part of the plant, which results in reduced root yields of 50% or more. It is thought to be caused by phytoplasma; however, despite its widespread distribution in SEA still little is known about CWBD pathology. The overarching goal of this study was to review and corroborate published information on CWBD biology and epidemiology considering recent field observations. We report the following: (1) CWBD symptoms are conserved and persistent in SEA and are distinct from what has been reported as witches’ broom in Argentina and Brazil. (2) In comparison with cassava mosaic disease, another major disease of cassava in SEA, symptoms of CWBD develop later. (3) Phytoplasma detected in CWBD-affected plants belong to different ribosomal groups and there is no association study available indicating phytoplasma as the causing agent of CWBD. These findings are essential clues for designing surveillance and management strategies and for future studies to better understand the biology, tissue localization and spatial spread of CWBD in SEA and other potential risk areas.
Psoriatic Arthritis: Development, Detection and Prevention: A Scoping Review

Psoriatic arthritis is a heterogenous chronic inflammatory disease that develops over time in some patients with psoriasis. The course of the disease is variable, with a broad clinical spectrum. The management of PsA has changed tremendously over the last decade, thanks to earlier diagnosis, a multidisciplinary approach and progress in pharmacological therapies. Therefore, screening for risk factors and the early signs of arthritis is highly important and recommended. Currently, research is focused on finding soluble biomarkers and developing imaging techniques that can improve the prediction of psoriatic arthritis. Among imaging modalities, ultrasonography seems to be the most accurate in detecting subclinical inflammation. Early intervention is based on the assumption that it is possible to prevent or delay psoriatic arthritis if systemic treatment for psoriasis can be administered early enough. This review article provides an overview of the current perspectives and evidence regarding the diagnosis, management and prevention of psoriatic arthritis.
Dynamic Patterns of Mammalian Mitochondrial DNA Replication Uncovered Using SSiNGLe-5′ES

The proper replication of mitochondrial DNA is key to the maintenance of this crucial organelle. Multiple studies aimed at understanding the mechanisms of replication of the mitochondrial genome have been conducted in the past several decades; however, while highly informative, they were conducted using relatively low-sensitivity techniques. Here, we established a high-throughput approach based on next-generation sequencing to identify replication start sites with nucleotide-level resolution and applied it to the genome of mitochondria from different human and mouse cell types. We found complex and highly reproducible patterns of mitochondrial initiation sites, both previously annotated and newly discovered in this work, that showed differences among different cell types and species. These results suggest that the patterns of the replication initiation sites are dynamic and might reflect, in some yet unknown ways, the complexities of mitochondrial and cellular physiology. Overall, this work suggests that much remains unknown about the details of mitochondrial DNA replication in different biological states, and the method established here opens up a new avenue in the study of the replication of mitochondrial and potentially other genomes.
Post-Operative and Mid-Term Renal Function Impairment Following Elective Fenestrated Endovascular Aortic Repair for Complex Aortic Aneurysms: Incidence and Risk Factors Analysis

Background. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of two post-operative acute kidney injury (AKI) stages according to the Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss of function, End-stage (RIFLE) criteria in patients undergoing fenestrated endovascular aortic repair (FEVAR) for complex aortic aneurysms. Furthermore, we analyzed predictors of post-operative AKI and mid-term renal function deterioration and mortality. Methods. We included all patients who underwent elective FEVAR for abdominal and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms between January 2014 and September 2021, independently from their preoperative renal function. We registered cases of post-operative acute kidney injury (AKI) both at risk (R-AKI) and injury stage (I-AKI) according to the RIFLE criteria. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was noted preoperatively, at the 48th post-operative hour, at the maximum post-operative peak, at discharge, and then during follow-up approximately every six months. Predictors of AKI were analyzed with univariate and multivariate logistic regression models. Predictors of mid-term chronic kidney disease (CKD) (stage ≥ 3) onset and mortality were analyzed using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models. Results. Forty-five patients were included in the present study. Mean age was 73.9 ± 6.1 years and 91% of patients were males. Thirteen patients (29%) presented with a preoperative CKD (stage ≥ 3). Post-operative I-AKI was detected in five patients (11.1%). The aneurysm diameter, thoracoabdominal aneurysms and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were identified as predictors of AKI in univariate analysis (OR 1.05, 95% CI [1.005–1.20], p = 0.030; OR 6.25, 95% CI [1.03–43.97], p = 0.046; OR 7.43, 95% CI [1.20–53.36], p = 0.031; respectively), yet none of these factors were significative on multivariate analysis. Predictors of CKD onset (stage ≥3) during follow-up on multivariate analysis were age (HR 1.16, 95% CI [1.02–1.34], p = 0.023), post-operative I-AKI (HR 26.82, 95% CI [4.18–218.10], p < 0.001) and renal artery occlusion (HR 29.87, 95% CI [2.33–309.05], p = 0.013), while aortic-related reinterventions where not significantly associated with this outcome in univariate analysis (HR 0.66, 95% CI [0.07–2.77], p = 0.615). Mortality was influenced by preoperative CKD (stage ≥3) (HR 5.68, 95% CI [1.63–21.80], p = 0.006) and post-operative AKI (HR 11.60, 95% CI [1.70–97.51], p = 0.012). R-AKI did not represent a risk factor for CKD (stage ≥ 3) onset (HR 1.35, 95% CI [0.45–3.84], p = 0.569) or for mortality (HR 1.60, 95% CI [0.59–4.19], p = 0.339) during follow-up. Conclusions. In-hospital post-operative I-AKI represented the main major adverse event in our cohort, influencing CKD (≥ stage 3) onset and mortality during follow-up, which were not influenced by post-operative R-AKI and aortic-related reinterventions.
Improving the Antitumor Effect of Chemotherapy with Ocoxin as a Novel Adjuvant Agent to Treat Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men. Although many patients respond favorably to first-line treatments, castration—and chemotherapy—resistance arises after a few years, leading to metastasis. Thus, new approaches are being investigated using natural supplements to reinforce current therapies. Ocoxin is a plant-based mixture with antitumor properties that have been proved in several cancers. Here, we evaluated the cytotoxic capacity of this compound itself and combined with Docetaxel, Enzalutamide and Olaparib as an adjuvant agent. We observed that Ocoxin reduced tumor cell viability; slowed down cell cycles; altered the expression of genes involved in DNA replication, cell cycles and the p53 signaling pathway; and reduced migratory capacity after stimulation with cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and osteoblasts in vitro and reduced tumor volume in vivo. The combination of the nutritional supplement with chemotherapy showed a higher cytotoxic effect than chemotherapy alone and reverted chemoresistance conferred by CAFs and osteoblasts. Moreover, the adjuvant therapy also improved the outcome in vivo compared to the treatment with solo chemotherapy, where mice developed smaller tumors and less angiogenesis. Therefore, Ocoxin arises as a good candidate for further studies in combination with current treatments for prostate-cancer patients.
CAD/CAM Abutments in the Esthetic Zone: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Soft Tissue Stability

Computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing customized abutments are increasingly used in everyday clinical practice. Nevertheless, solid scientific evidence is currently lacking regarding their potential advantages in terms of soft tissue stability. The main aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare the soft tissue outcomes of prefabricated versus customized (CAD/CAM) abutments. The present review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020161875) and the protocol was developed according to the PRISMA statement. An electronic search was performed on three databases (PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Central) up to May 2023. Data extraction was followed by qualitative and quantitative analysis of the included studies. Three randomized controlled clinical trials and three controlled clinical trials (number of patients = 230; number of dental implants = 230) with a follow-up of between 12 and 36 months were included. No significant differences were observed between prefabricated versus customized (CAD/CAM) abutments regarding midfacial mucosal recession, interproximal papillae and pink aesthetic score (PES) after 12 months. Conclusion: The potential benefits of CAD/CAM abutments on soft tissues should be better clarified in future investigations. The usage of customized CAD/CAM abutments in everyday clinical practice should be based on a careful case-by-case evaluation (CRD42020161875).
Public perception of the appropriateness of COVID-19 management strategies and level of disturbances in daily activities: A focus on educational level

Background This study investigated the association between public perception of the appropriateness of management strategies implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic and the level of disturbances in daily activities reported by the general population. Methods This cross-sectional study used Korea Community Health Survey conducted from August to November 2020. Public perception of COVID-19 management strategies included those implemented by the government (central, city or provincial, and administrative districts), the mass media, regional medical institutions, and neighbors. The subjective level of disturbances in daily activities was measured using a 0–100 numeric rating scale developed by Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Multivariable linear regression analysis was used. A subgroup analysis was conducted based on education level. Results The present study analyzed 211,353 participants. Compared to individuals who perceived that the management strategies implemented during the pandemic was ‘highly appropriate,’ those who reported ‘mediocre appropriateness’ (β: -1.96, p-value: <0.001) or ‘low appropriateness’ (β: -3.60, p-value: 0.010) reported higher levels of subjective disturbances. The appropriateness of measures implemented by the mass media was associated with levels of subjective disturbances felt by individuals of lower education with statistical significance, whereas that applied by the mass media and the government were important in those with higher education. Conclusions The findings suggest the importance of public perception of management strategies when implementing containment policies and minimizing its disturbances on daily lives is essential.