Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Vasoactive mediators and retinopathy during type 1 diabetic pregnancy.

PURPOSE To evaluate the role of various vasoactive hormones in the evolution of diabetic retinopathy during pregnancy and postpartum. METHODS Retinopathy was graded from fundus photographs of 45 pregnant women with type 1 diabetes and seven pregnant women without diabetes in a prospective study. Markers of renin-angiotensin-system (RAS), plasma renin activity (PRA), angiotensin II (AngII), aldosterone, natriuretic peptides (ANP, BNP, CNP) and adreonomedullin (AM) were measured during the first and third trimesters and at 3 months postpartum. The women with diabetes were grouped by progression of retinopathy during pregnancy and postpartum. RESULTS Levels of PRA (p = 0.001) and ANP (p = 0.03) were significantly lower in diabetes than in non-diabetes subjects throughout pregnancy and postpartum. No significant differences appeared in levels of AngII, aldosterone, AM, BNP or CNP between the two groups. In multivariate logistic regression analyses with retinopathy progression by the third trimester as the dependent variable, only duration of diabetes qualified in the model (p = 0.027, R = 0.227, Exp(B) = 1.28). CONCLUSIONS Diabetic pregnancy is associated with lower levels of PRA and ANP compared to non-diabetic pregnancy. Lowered RAS activity may contribute to the hyperdynamic blood flow and progression of DR during diabetic pregnancy. Within the power of this study no clear associations between the vasoactive hormones and progression of retinopathy could be detected.
Tumours arising in the setting of paediatric chronic epilepsy

Background: Along with malformations of cortical development or cortical dysplasia, hippocampal sclerosis, and remote ischaemic damage, tumours are among the more commonly identifiable causes of medically intractable seizures in paediatric age patients. This study reviews one institution's 20 year experience with tumours arising in this clinical setting. Methods: Retrospective review of 129 paediatric patients [less than 19 years of age, 65 females (50.4%)] with tumours and medically intractable seizures encountered during a 20 year period of time (1989–2009). Using the most recent World Health Organization (WHO) classification of brain tumours, tumour type and grade were assessed. Results: The most common sites of origin included temporal lobe (n = 77, 59.7%), parietal lobe (n = 20, 15.5%), and frontal lobe (n = 15, 11.6%). WHO grade included 73 (56.6%) grade I tumours, 32 (24.8%) grade II tumours, and 18 (14%) grade I/II tumours. In six cases (4.7%), a WHO grade was not associated with mass. Tumour types included: ganglioglioma (n = 48, 37.2%), dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumour (n = 17, 13.2%), low grade astrocytoma (n = 15, 11.6%), low grade mixed glioma (n = 8, 6.2%), low grade oligodendroglioma (n = 5, 3.9%), meningioangiomatosis (n = 4, 3.1%) angiocentric glioma (n = 3, 2.3%), and dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumour/ganglioglioma composite tumour (n = 3, 2.3%). Less frequently observed lesions (n = 1 or 2) included pilocytic astrocytoma, protoplasmic astrocytoma, pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma, and glioneuronal hamartoma. In 18 cases, distinction between low grade glioma and low grade glioneuronal tumour could not be definitively made. Coexisting malformation of cortical development/cortical dysplasia was noted in 29.8% of evaluable cases. In four tumours, coexistent hippocampal sclerosis was identified. Ki‐67 labelling indices were less than 5% in all (n = 51) cases assessed. Of 25 tumours evaluated for chromosome 1p status, only one low grade mixed glioma demonstrated evidence of deletion; only one of 22 evaluated tumours (a low grade mixed glioma) showed evidence of chromosome 19q deletion. Conclusion: Collectively, WHO grade I glioneuronal tumours account for slightly more than half of all neoplasms which cause intractable epilepsy in paediatric patients. A significant minority of tumours (n = 18, 14%) were difficult to definitively classify as glioma versus glioneuronal tumour, due to extent of sampling. Coexistent pathologies including malformation of cortical development/cortical dysplasia may be observed in a significant minority of tumours, suggesting a possible developmental origin for some tumours arising in this setting.
The Effects of a Yoga Intervention on Balance, Speed and Endurance of Walking, Fatigue and Quality of Life in People with Multiple Sclerosis

The Effects of a Yoga Intervention on Balance, Speed and Endurance of Walking, Fatigue and Quality of Life in People with Multiple Sclerosis Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system that results in many symptoms including mobility limitation, fatigue and redacted quality of life. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a yoga intervention on balance, speed and endurance of walking, fatigue and quality of life in MS patients. 21women with MS (34.38±5,68) with Expanded Disability Status Scale scores 1.0 to 4.0, have been randomly assigned to a yoga group or control group. Yoga group subjects participated in a thrice weekly 60-70 minute sessions of Hatha yoga intervention for 8-weeks. Balance, speed and endurance of walking, fatigue and quality of life were measured by Berg Balance scores; 10-m time and 2-minute distance walking, Fatigue Severity Scale (FFS) and Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54 questionnaire (MSQOL-54) respectively. Comparison of results of pre and post intervention revealed significant improvement on balance score, walking endurance, FFS and some of MSQOL-54 scale scores in the yoga group (p≤0.05 respectively). There were no clear changes in10-m times (p= 0.132), related to yoga group. No changes were observed for control group. These results suggest that yoga intervention can be beneficial for patients with MS
Cervical cord magnetization transfer ratio and clinical changes over 18 months in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a preliminary study

Background Magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) permits the quantitative estimation of cervical cord tissue damage in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Objective To determine whether a single time-point MTR scan of the cervical cord is associated with short-term disease evolution in patients with relapsing-remitting (RR) MS. Methods Using a 1.5-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system with a tailored cervical cord phased array coil, fast short-tau inversion recovery (fast-STIR) and MTR scans were obtained from 14 untreated patients with RRMS at baseline. Cervical cord MTR histograms were derived. Over the 18- month follow-up period, relapse rate was measured and disability assessed by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score. Results Average cervical cord MTR was correlated with relapse rate (r= -0.56, P = 0.037). A moderate correlation (r values ranging from -0.33 to -0.36) between baseline cervical cord MTR metrics and EDSS changes over 18 months was also noted, albeit statistical significance was not reached (P = 0.26 and 0.21, respectively) perhaps because of the relatively small sample size. Conclusions This study suggests that a ‘snapshot’ MT MRI assessment of the cervical cord may detect cervical cord tissue changes associated with short-term disease evolution in RRMS.
Tetrasomy 13q mosaicism associated with phylloid hypomelanosis and precocious puberty

Various forms of pigmentary dysplasias have been known to be associated with chromosomal mosaicism. One of these disorders, known as phylloid hypomelanosis, has been found to be predominantly associated with abnormalities in chromosome 13. Most of the reported literature involves mosaic trisomy 13 with clinical evidence of abnormal pigmentation in the form of leaf‐like or oblong achromic macules following Blaschko's lines. Here, we report on an 8‐year‐old girl with phylloid hypomelanosis and precocious puberty who was found to have mosaicism for tetrasomy 13q in the form of inverted dup(13)(q21) on her skin fibroblasts as well as peripheral blood karyotype. A higher resolution (244K) chromosomal microarray was done on DNA from skin fibroblasts confirming the breakpoint and gain of distal 13q, which made her tetrasomic for 13q21‐qter. This is the first‐ever reported association of tetrasomy 13q with phylloid hypomelanosis and precocious puberty. Our report further emphasizes the need to exclude any type of abnormalities of chromosome 13 in patients with phylloid hypopigmentation. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Using directed acyclic graphs to consider adjustment for socioeconomic status in occupational cancer studies

There is an ongoing debate on whether analyses of occupational studies should be adjusted for socioeconomic status (SES). In this paper directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) were used to evaluate common scenarios in occupational cancer studies with the aim of clarifying this issue. It was assumed that the occupational exposure of interest is associated with SES and different scenarios were evaluated in which (a) SES is not a cause of the cancer under study, (b) SES is not a cause of the cancer under study, but is associated with other occupational factors that are causes of the cancer, (c) SES causes the cancer under study and is associated with other causal occupational factors. These examples illustrate that a unique answer to the issue of adjustment for SES in occupational cancer studies is not possible, as in some circumstances the adjustment introduces bias, in some it is appropriate and in others both the adjusted and the crude estimates are biased. These examples also illustrate the benefits of using DAGs in discussions of whether or not to adjust for SES and other potential confounders.
Complete Chloroplast Genome Sequence of Dendrobium nobile from Northeastern India

ABSTRACT The orchid species Dendrobium nobile belonging to the family Orchidaceae and genus Dendrobium (a vast genus that encompasses nearly 1,200 species) has an herbal medicinal history of about 2000 years in east and south Asian countries. Here, we report the complete chloroplast genome sequence of D. nobile from northeastern India for the first time.
Changes in Exercises Are More Effective Than in Loading Schemes to Improve Muscle Strength

Abstract Fonseca, RM, Roschel, H, Tricoli, V, de Souza, EO, Wilson, JM, Laurentino, GC, Aihara, AY, de Souza Leão, AR, and Ugrinowitsch, C. Changes in exercises are more effective than in loading schemes to improve muscle strength. J Strength Cond Res 28(11): 3085–3092, 2014—This study investigated the effects of varying strength exercises and loading scheme on muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and maximum strength after 4 strength training loading schemes: constant intensity and constant exercise (CICE), constant intensity and varied exercise (CIVE), varied intensity and constant exercise (VICE), varied intensity and varied exercise (VIVE). Forty-nine individuals were allocated into 5 groups: CICE, CIVE, VICE, VIVE, and control group (C). Experimental groups underwent twice a week training for 12 weeks. Squat 1 repetition maximum was assessed at baseline and after the training period. Whole quadriceps muscle and its heads CSA were also obtained pretraining and posttraining. The whole quadriceps CSA increased significantly (p ⩽ 0.05) in all of the experimental groups from pretest to posttest in both the right and left legs: CICE: 11.6 and 12.0%; CIVE: 11.6 and 12.2%; VICE: 9.5 e 9.3%; and VIVE: 9.9 and 11.6%, respectively. The CIVE and VIVE groups presented hypertrophy in all of the quadriceps muscle heads (p ⩽ 0.05), whereas the CICE and VICE groups did not present hypertrophy in the vastus medialis and rectus femoris (RF), and in the RF muscles, respectively (p > 0.05). The CIVE group had greater strength increments than the other training groups (effect size confidence limit of the difference [ESCLdiff] CICE: 1.41−1.56; VICE: 2.13–2.28; VIVE: 0.59–0.75). Our findings suggest: (a) CIVE is more efficient to produce strength gains for physically active individuals; (b) as long as the training intensity reaches an alleged threshold, muscle hypertrophy is similar regardless of the training intensity and exercise variation.
Security Analysis of a Hash-Based Secret Sharing Scheme

Secret sharing schemes perform an important role in protecting secret by sharing it among multiple participants. In 1979, (t, n) threshold secret sharing schemes were proposed by Shamir and Blakley independently. In a (t, n) threshold secret sharing scheme a secret can be shared among n participants such that t or more participants can reconstruct the secret, but it can not be reconstructed by t− 1 or fewer participants. The proposed schemes by Shamir and Blakley have some drawbacks. Multi-secret and verifiable schemes were invented to improve old schemes. We analysis the security of hash based secret sharing schemes, and show that the schemes have some drawbacks. In particular it is shown that the the schemes are not resistant against deceptive behavior by dealer and participants.
Orbit maneuver for GEO on-orbit service satellite using Hohmann transfer

The orbit transfer strategy of geosynchronous spacecraft (GEO) is investigated in this paper. This method is suitable for the observation of GEO spacecraft before On-Orbit Servicing (OOS). Considering the computation, terminal constraint conditions (illumination condition, latitude deviation) and fuel consumption, Hohmann transfer and two-body mechanics model are adopted to simplify the mission process. In view of the difference between two-body mechanics model and High-Precision Orbit Propagator (HPOP) model, final time will be predicted precisely. By optimizing the final included angle of two spacecraft position vectors, the results got by two-body model can be used to HPOP model to simulate the real mission scenario. With the proposed method, complex perturbations can be ignored. Finally, the results of several numerical simulations demonstrate the validness of the proposed method on trajectory designing for observation of the spacecraft.
Speaker Verification Using Short Utterances with DNN-Based Estimation of Subglottal Acoustic Features

Speaker verification in real-world applications sometimes deals with limited duration of enrollment and/or test data. MFCC-based i-vector systems have defined the state-of-the-art for speaker verification, but it is well known that they are less effective with short utterances. To address this issue, we propose a method to leverage the speaker specificity and stationarity of subglottal acoustics. First, we present a deep neural network (DNN) based approach to estimate subglottal features from speech signals. The approach involves training a DNN-regression model that maps the log filter-bank coefficients of a given speech signal to those of its corresponding subglottal signal. Cross-validation experiments on the WashU-UCLA corpus (which contains parallel recordings of speech and subglottal acoustics) show the effectiveness of our DNN-based estimation algorithm. The average correlation coefficient between the actual and estimated subglottal filter-bank coefficients is 0.9. A scorelevel fusion of MFCC and subglottal-feature systems in the ivector PLDA framework yields statistically-significant improvements over the MFCC-only baseline. On the NIST SRE 08 truncated 10sec-10sec and 5sec-5sec core evaluation tasks, the relative reduction in equal error rate ranges between 6 and 14% for the conditions tested with both microphone and telephone speech.
Kernel mutual subspace method for robust facial image recognition

A multiple observation-based scheme (MObS) is described for robust facial recognition, and a novel object recognition method called kernel mutual subspace method (KMS) is proposed. The mutual sub-space method (MSM) proposed by (Maeda, et al., 1999) is a powerful method for recognizing facial images. However, its recognition accuracy is degraded when the data distribution has a nonlinear structure. To overcome this shortcoming we apply kernel principal component analysis (kPCP) to MSM. This paper describes theoretical aspects of the proposed method and presents the results of facial image recognition experiments.
Feature-level fusion of deep convolutional neural networks for sketch recognition on smartphones

Understanding hand-free sketches with automated methods is a challenging task due to the diversity and abstract structures of the sketches. In this study, we propose a robust fusion scheme, namely feature-level fusion that use deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for recognizing hand-free sketches and develop a sketch recognition application for smartphones based on client-server application architecture. We employ inter-layer CNN features to capture different levels of abstractions of sketches along with fusion operator. Our results on TU-Berlin hand-free sketch benchmark dataset show that, our proposed feature-level fusion scheme achieves a recognition accuracy of 69.175%. This result is promising when compared with the human recognition accuracy of 73.1% on the same dataset.
A novel approach to lean six sigma project management: a conceptual framework and empirical application

Abstract The recent evolution of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) presents a potent combination of the speed of Lean and the robustness of Six Sigma. Literature shows significant application of DMAIC (Define-Measure-Analyse-Improve-Control) framework in LSS projects. Many studies suggest that LSS makes a positive contribution towards the effectiveness of organisations. However, a few studies also suggest that organisations find DMAIC projects problematic, and in many cases ineffective. We investigate and resolve this paradox by conceptualising a novel LSS framework, and further test it for practical implications. A four-phase methodology is used. In phase-1, relevant data is pooled from multiple sources including the literature, semi-structured interviews and questionnaire-based survey in the scope of the manufacturing sector. The pooled data is classified and analysed in Phase-2. Phase-3 focused on development of the conceptual framework, and Phase-4 aimed to test the conceptual framework in select manufacturing firms in real-world environment. This study reveals focused gaps and shortcomings of the DMAIC framework for LSS project management. Secondly, we propose a novel approach to LSS project management by conceptualising ‘SDMMAICS’ framework. Thirdly, we validated the conceptual framework in real-world. Finally, the practical implications were discussed to add value to both researchers and practitioners.
Discharge Filamentary Patterns Produced by Pulsed Corona Discharge at the Interface Between a Water Surface and Air

Pulsed corona discharge in atmospheric air was generated above a water surface using a reticulated vitreous carbon planar electrode. The effects of the discharge gap spacing and solution conductivity on the characteristics of the discharge were studied. Images of the discharge filamentary patterns propagating over the water surface are presented.
Leg ischemia: assessment with MR angiography and spectroscopy.

PURPOSE To prospectively determine reproducibility of magnetic resonance (MR) angiography and MR spectroscopy of deoxymyoglobin in assessment of collateral vessels and tissue perfusion in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) and to follow changes in patients undergoing intramuscular vascular endothelial growth factor (pVEGF)-C gene therapy, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, supervised exercise training, or no therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS Study and gene therapy protocols were approved, and all patients gave written informed consent. To determine repeatability and reproducibility, seven patients underwent MR angiography and five underwent MR spectroscopy. The techniques were used to judge disease progress in 12 other patients with or without therapy: MR angiography to help determine change in visualization of collateral vessels and MR spectroscopy to help assess change in perfusion at proximal and distal calf levels. MR angiographic results were subjectively analyzed by three blinded readers. Intraobserver variability was expressed as 95% confidence interval (CI) (n=7); interobserver variability, as kappa statistic (n=15). Reexamination variability of MR spectroscopy was given as 95% CI for subsequent recovery times, and correlation with disease extent was calculated with Kendall taub rank correlation. Fisher-Yates test was used to correlate changes with pressure measurements and clinical course. RESULTS Intraobserver and interobserver concordance was sensitive for detection of collateral vessels. Intraobserver agreement was 85.7% (95% CI: 42.1%, 99.6%). Interobserver agreement was high for small collateral vessels (kappa=0.74, P <.001) and fair for large collateral vessels (kappa=0.36, P=.002). MR spectroscopy was reproducible (95% CI: +/-26 seconds for proximal, +/-21 seconds for distal) and showed a correlation with disease extent (proximal calf, taub=0.84, P <.001; distal calf, taub=0.68, P=.04). Small collateral vessels increased over time (P=.04) but did not correlate with pressure measurements and clinical course. Recovery time correlated with clinical course (proximal calf, P=.03; distal calf, P=.005). CONCLUSION MR angiography and MR spectroscopy of deoxymyoglobin can help document changes in visualization of collateral vessels and tissue perfusion in patients with CLI.
An Algorithm for Computing Lipschitz Inner Functions in Kolmogorov's Superposition Theorem

Kolmogorov famously proved that multivariate continuous functions can be represented as a superposition of a small number of univariate continuous functions, $$ f(x_1,\dots,x_n) = \sum_{q=0}^{2n+1} \chi^q \left( \sum_{p=1}^n \psi^{pq}(x_p) \right). $$ Fridman \cite{fridman} posed the best smoothness bound for the functions $\psi^{pq}$, that such functions can be constructed to be Lipschitz continuous with constant 1. Previous algorithms to describe these inner functions have only been H\"older continuous, such as those proposed by K\"oppen and Braun and Griebel. This is problematic, as pointed out by Griebel, in that non-smooth functions have very high storage/evaluation complexity, and this makes Kolmogorov's representation (KR) impractical using the standard definition of the inner functions. To date, no one has presented a method to compute a Lipschitz continuous inner function. In this paper, we revisit Kolmogorov's theorem along with Fridman's result. We examine a simple Lipschitz function which appear to satisfy the necessary criteria for Kolmogorov's representation, but fails in the limit. We then present a full solution to the problem, including an algorithm that computes such a Lipschitz function.