Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
“i” — A novel algorithm for optical character recognition (OCR)

Computer vision, artificial intelligence and pattern recognition have been important areas of research for a while in the history of electronics and image processing. Optical character recognition (OCR) is one of the main aspects of computer vision and has evolved greatly since its inception. OCR is a method in which readable characters are recognized from optical data obtained digitally. Many methodologies and algorithms have been developed for this purpose using different approaches. Here we present one such approach for OCR named “ i ”. Amongst all other OCR systems available, “ i ” aims at a high speed, simple, font independent and size independent OCR system based on a unique segment extraction technique. This algorithm can be used as a kernel for single alphabet detection within a complete OCR solution system without the need for any complex mathematical operations. The highlight of this methodology is that, it does not use any libraries or databases of image matrices to recognize alphabets, but it has a unique algorithm to recognize alphabets instead. This algorithm has been implemented in MATLAB 7.14. 0.739 build R2012a on a test set of 500 images of text and an accuracy of 100% for three font families namely Arial, Times New Roman and cchas been obtained.
Neuromuscular responses to hydration in moderate to warm ambient conditions during self-paced high-intensity exercise

Objective To examine the neuromuscular responses to 60 minutes of self-paced high-intensity exercise punctuated with 6 × 1-minute “all-out” sprints at 10-minute intervals in moderate (19.8°C, SEM 0.3) and warm (33.2, SEM 0.1), humid (∼64% relative humidity) conditions with either complete hydration (CH) or without hydration (NF). Design Seven subjects (mean age 20.6 years (SE 1.1), mass 73.8 kg (SE 4.5), peak power 288 W (SE 11.3)) performed the time trial on four separate occasions, which were differentiated by ambient temperature and fluid ingestion. For each sprint interval, distance, power output and electromyographic (EMG) data from the rectus femoris and vastus lateralis muscles were recorded. Results The NF trials resulted in a reduction in body mass for the moderate and warm conditions of 1.7% and 2.1%, respectively. Final rectal temperatures were not different among conditions (∼38.7°C). Total body sweating was higher in the warm condition (19.1–21.3 ml/kg per hour) compared with the moderate condition (16.1–16.5 ml/kg per hour; p<0.05). Neither fluid ingestion nor ambient temperature altered total distance cycled for any of the trials (range 30.1–32.6 km). The normalised integrated EMG (as percentage of maximal voluntary contraction) when compared with the first sprint increased from sprint three for the rectus femoris muscle in both no and complete hydration but decreased for the vastus lateralis muscle. The mean percentile frequency shift increased for both the vastus lateralis and rectus femoris muscles in both no and complete hydration. Conclusions These results suggest that the integrity of the neuromuscular system is adjusted according to hydration status and ambient temperatures during intense self-paced cycling.
The role of TIGR and OPTN in Finnish glaucoma families: a clinical and molecular genetic study.

PURPOSE The aim of the present study was to analyze the role of the two primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) genes, trabecular meshwork-induced glucocorticoid response (TIGR/MYOC) and optineurin (OPTN), in Finnish glaucoma families originating from southern coast of Finland. METHODS In total, 136 patients were examined to determine their ophthalmological status. Genealogical studies were performed using church records. Direct PCR-sequencing of the coding regions of the TIGR and OPTN genes was performed in 11 subjects. RESULTS Inheritance resembling autosomal dominant mode was detected in eight families with open-angle glaucoma. Glaucoma was diagnosed in 53 subjects, of them 44 had POAG, 7 had exfoliative glaucoma (EG), and 2 had other types of glaucoma. Of the first degree relatives, 22 out of 79 (28%) were glaucoma suspects. No mutations in these families were identified. Instead, two polymorphisms in the TIGR gene and three polymorphisms in the OPTN gene, in which one was novel, were found in three phenotypes: POAG, exfoliative glaucoma, and exfoliation syndrome. CONCLUSIONS Our results give evidence that novel, unidentified genes will underlie POAG and exfoliation syndrome in the Finnish population.
Optimizing location detection services in wireless sensor networks

We propose a systematic framework for placing a given number of clusterheads in a hierarchical wireless sensor network to facilitate location detection service. The problem of location detection is posed as a hypothesis testing problem over a discretized space. Then, the clusterheads are placed in locations that maximize the worst case Chernoff distance between the conditional densities over all location pairs. Linear integer programming is used to determine the optimal placement. The resultant placement provides an asymptotic guarantee on the probability of error in location detection under quite general conditions. We obtain numerical results on the scalability of our proposed mathematical programming, and quantify the performance of the location detection system with the resultant clusterhead placement by simulation. Numerical and simulation results show that our proposed framework is computationally feasible and the resultant clusterhead placement performs near-optimum even with a small number of observation samples.
Information-Theoretic Detection of SQL Injection Attacks

SQL Injection (SQLI) is a wide spread vulnerability commonly found in web-based programs. Exploitations of SQL injection vulnerabilities lead to harmful consequences such as authentication bypassing and leakage of sensitive personal information. Therefore, SQLI needs to be mitigated to protect end users. In this work, we present a novel approach to detect SQLI attacks based on information theory. We compute the entropy of each query present in a program accessed before program deployment. During program execution time, when an SQL query is invoked, we compute the entropy again to identify any change in the entropy measure for that query. The approach then relies on the assumption that dynamic queries with attack inputs result in increased or decreased level of entropy. In contrast, a dynamic query with benign inputs does not result in any change of entropy value. The proposed framework is validated with three open source PHP applications that have been reported to contain SQLI vulnerabilities. We implement a prototype tool in Java to facilitate the training and detection phase of the proposed approach. The evaluation results indicate that the approach detects all known SQLI vulnerabilities and can be a complementary technique to identify unknown vulnerabilities.
A novel FIP1L1‐PDGFRA mutant destabilizing the inactive conformation of the kinase domain in chronic eosinophilic leukemia/hypereosinophilic syndrome

Background: The Fip1‐like‐1–platelet‐derived growth factor receptor alpha (FIP1L1‐PDGFRA) gene fusion is a common cause of chronic eosinophilic leukemia (CEL)/hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES), and patients suffering from this particular subgroup of CEL/HES respond to low‐dose imatinib therapy. However, some patients may develop imatinib resistance because of an acquired T674I mutation, which is believed to prevent drug binding through steric hindrance.
Optically controlled frequency selective surface with semiconductor substrate

The spectral response of transmission and reflection characteristics of frequency-selective surface (FSS) square loop array on silicon substrate has been numerically analyzed and the effect of optical intensity on its characteristics has been examined. It is shown from the results that the transmitted and reflected fields of a FSS can be attenuated or enhanced by optical illumination. By employing high speed optical pulses one could obtain modulation performance on these filters.
Identification of an HV1 voltage‐gated proton channel in insects

The voltage‐gated proton channel 1 (HV1) is an important component of the cellular proton extrusion machinery and is essential for charge compensation during the respiratory burst of phagocytes. HV1 has been identified in a wide range of eukaryotes throughout the animal kingdom, with the exception of insects. Therefore, it has been proposed that insects do not possess an HV1 channel. In the present study, we report the existence of an HV1‐type proton channel in insects. We searched insect transcriptome shotgun assembly (TSA) sequence databases and found putative HV1 orthologues in various polyneopteran insects. To confirm that these putative HV1 orthologues were functional channels, we studied the HV1 channel of Nicoletia phytophila (NpHV1), an insect of the Zygentoma order, in more detail. NpHV1 comprises 239 amino acids and is 33% identical to the human voltage‐gated proton channel 1. Patch clamp measurements in a heterologous expression system showed proton selectivity, as well as pH‐ and voltage‐dependent gating. Interestingly, NpHV1 shows slightly enhanced pH‐dependent gating compared to the human channel. Mutations in the first transmembrane segment at position 66 (Asp66), the presumed selectivity filter, lead to a loss of proton‐selective conduction, confirming the importance of this aspartate residue in voltage‐gated proton channels.
Efficacy and tolerability of olanzapine, quetiapine, and risperidone in the treatment of early psychosis: a randomized, double-blind 52-week comparison.

OBJECTIVE This 52-week randomized, double-blind, flexible-dose, multicenter study evaluated the overall effectiveness (as measured by treatment discontinuation rates) of olanzapine, quetiapine, and risperidone in patients early in the course of psychotic illness. METHOD Patients were randomly assigned to treatment with olanzapine (2.5-20 mg/day), quetiapine (100-800 mg/day), or risperidone (0.5-4 mg/day) administered in twice-daily doses. Statistical analyses tested for noninferiority in all-cause treatment discontinuation rates up to 52 weeks (primary outcome measure) based on a prespecified noninferiority margin of 20%. RESULTS A total of 400 patients were randomly assigned to treatment with olanzapine (N=133), quetiapine (N=134), or risperidone (N=133). The mean modal prescribed daily doses were 11.7 mg for olanzapine, 506 mg for quetiapine, and 2.4 mg for risperidone. At week 52, all-cause treatment discontinuation rates were 68.4%, 70.9%, and 71.4% for olanzapine, quetiapine, and risperidone, respectively. Reductions in total score on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) were similar for the three treatment groups, but reductions in PANSS positive subscale scores were greater in the olanzapine group (at 12 weeks and at 52 weeks or withdrawal from study) and the risperidone group (at 12 weeks). The most common elicited adverse events for olanzapine were drowsiness (53%), weight gain (51%), and insomnia (38%); for quetiapine, drowsiness (58%), increased sleep hours (42%), and weight gain (40%); and for risperidone, drowsiness (50%), menstrual irregularities in women (47%), and weight gain (41%). CONCLUSIONS Olanzapine, quetiapine, and risperidone demonstrated comparable effectiveness in early-psychosis patients, as indicated by similar rates of all-cause treatment discontinuation.
Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Kinase-mediated Glycolytic Metabolic Shift in the Dorsal Root Ganglion Drives Painful Diabetic Neuropathy*

The dorsal root ganglion (DRG) is a highly vulnerable site in diabetic neuropathy. Under diabetic conditions, the DRG is subjected to tissue ischemia or lower ambient oxygen tension that leads to aberrant metabolic functions. Metabolic dysfunctions have been documented to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of diverse pain hypersensitivities. However, the contribution of diabetes-induced metabolic dysfunctions in the DRG to the pathogenesis of painful diabetic neuropathy remains ill-explored. In this study, we report that pyruvate dehydrogenase kinases (PDK2 and PDK4), key regulatory enzymes in glucose metabolism, mediate glycolytic metabolic shift in the DRG leading to painful diabetic neuropathy. Streptozotocin-induced diabetes substantially enhanced the expression and activity of the PDKs in the DRG, and the genetic ablation of Pdk2 and Pdk4 attenuated the hyperglycemia-induced pain hypersensitivity. Mechanistically, Pdk2/4 deficiency inhibited the diabetes-induced lactate surge, expression of pain-related ion channels, activation of satellite glial cells, and infiltration of macrophages in the DRG, in addition to reducing central sensitization and neuroinflammation hallmarks in the spinal cord, which probably accounts for the attenuated pain hypersensitivity. Pdk2/4-deficient mice were partly resistant to the diabetes-induced loss of peripheral nerve structure and function. Furthermore, in the experiments using DRG neuron cultures, lactic acid treatment enhanced the expression of the ion channels and compromised cell viability. Finally, the pharmacological inhibition of DRG PDKs or lactic acid production substantially attenuated diabetes-induced pain hypersensitivity. Taken together, PDK2/4 induction and the subsequent lactate surge induce the metabolic shift in the diabetic DRG, thereby contributing to the pathogenesis of painful diabetic neuropathy.
In Anterior Myocardial Infarction, Frequency Domain is Better than Time Domain Analysis of the Signal‐Averaged ECG for Identifying Patients at Risk for Sustained Ventricular Tachycardia

Low amplitude signals at the end of the QRS in patients with prior myocardial infarction (MI) are related to fragmentation of the electrical impulse in ventricular myocardium and are known to correlate with an increased risk of sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT). We hypothesized that in patients with anterior MI (AMI), earlier activation of the damaged anterior wall would cause an earlier fragmentation of the signal‐averaged EGG (SAECG) signal, making conventional time domain analysis of late potentials difficult. We performed SAECG in 213 patients (62 with AMI and 58 with inferior MI [IMI]). Fifty‐seven had prior sustained VT; 23 with AMI and 24 with IMI. We examined the standard time domain SAECG parameters including the duration of the filtered QRS (40–250 Hz), the duration of the late QRS < 40 μV, and the root mean square amplitude of the last 40 msec of the QRS. We also examined the power law scaling (PLS) in the frequency domain. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of a discriminant function demonstrated significant differences for PLS as compared to time domain indices. An important finding was the significance of MI locus in the time domain indices. PLS did not exhibit this dependence. These data suggest that the usual indices are insufficient for identifying AMI patients at risk of VT. PLS, on the other hand, is valuable regardless of MI location.
Efficacy and safety of gemtuzumab ozogamicin in patients with CD33-positive acute myeloid leukemia in first relapse.

PURPOSE Three open-label, multicenter trials were conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of single-agent Mylotarg (gemtuzumab ozogamicin; CMA-676; Wyeth Laboratories, Philadelphia, PA), an antibody-targeted chemotherapy agent, in patients with CD33-positive acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in untreated first relapse. PATIENTS AND METHODS The study population comprised 142 patients with AML in first relapse with no history of an antecedent hematologic disorder and a median age of 61 years. All patients received Mylotarg as a 2-hour intravenous infusion, at a dose of 9 mg/m(2), at 2-week intervals for two doses. Patients were evaluated for remission, survival, and treatment-emergent adverse events. RESULTS Thirty percent of patients treated with Mylotarg obtained remission as characterized by 5% or less blasts in the marrow, recovery of neutrophils to at least 1,500/microL, and RBC and platelet transfusion independence. Although patients treated with Mylotarg had relatively high incidences of myelosuppression, grade 3 or 4 hyperbilirubinemia (23%), and elevated hepatic transaminase levels (17%), the incidences of grade 3 or 4 mucositis (4%) and infections (28%) were relatively low. There was a low incidence of severe nausea and vomiting (11%) and no treatment-related cardiotoxicity, cerebellar toxicity, or alopecia. Many patients received Mylotarg on an outpatient basis (38% and 41% of patients for the first and second doses, respectively). Among the 142 patients, the median total duration of hospitalization was 24 days; 16% of patients required 7 days of hospitalization or less. CONCLUSION Administration of the antibody-targeted chemotherapy agent Mylotarg to patients with CD33-positive AML in first relapse induces complete remissions with what appears to be a favorable safety profile.
Reconnaissance de la parole continue : adaptation au locuteur et controle temporel dans les modeles de markov caches

Les systemes les plus performants en reconnaissance de la parole continue exploitent une approche statistique par modeles de markov caches, mais leur qualite reste encore decevante. Nous avons cherche a ameliorer un systeme standard de reconnaissance en etudiant plus particulierement l'adaptation au locuteur et la modelisation de la duree acoustique. Afin d'evaluer la pertinence des traitements proposes, un systeme de reference a ete developpe a partir la plate-forme logicielle htk et teste sur la base de donnees timit par des experiences de decodage acoustico-phonetique. Ce systeme est constitue de modeles phonetiques dependants du contexte, et integre une procedure originale pour un meilleur apprentissage des densites de probabilite. La premiere etude concerne l'adaptation rapide du systeme a un nouveau locuteur par une approche qui generalise l'adaptation classique par multi-modeles. Les locuteurs d'apprentissage sont classes au moyen d'une distance inter-locuteurs utilisee en reconnaissance du locuteur. Pour un locuteur de test donne, les modeles appris sur les classes de locuteurs les plus proches au sens de la distance sont ensuite combines dans un modele unique. La deuxieme etude concerne le controle temporel de l'enchainement des modeles. Une analyse par rupture de modeles detecte des evenements infraphonemiques dans le signal de parole, qui sont exploites au cours du decodage de la parole continue pour modifier les probabilites de transition entre unites phonetiques. Le controle propose apporte une amelioration significative de la reconnaissance lexicale. Ces travaux sont une contribution au developpement d'un systeme de dictee vocale independant du locuteur, ce qui necessite en particulier l'integration d'un veritable modele de langage et l'evaluation sur d'autres bases de donnees
The breakdown of meaning and adolescent problem behavior

This paper attempts to account for the upsurge of adolescents' problem behavior in high-income countries in terms of Lifton's paradigm of symbolic immortality. Whilst most of the works dealing with this subject focus on the level of the individual adolescent and his or her surrounding, Lifton shows that societal processes can affect the individual. Drawing upon his approach, it was argued that desymbolization,--the collapse of society's symbols system--produces "divided selves," individuals who harbor an 'aggressor-victim double' in their psyche, wherein an internal conflict between the aggressor and the victim engenders self-destructive impulses. In this study it is hypothesized that problem behaviors are external manifestations of underlying self-destructiveness. Thirty-four Jewish-Israeli adolescents involved in sexual promiscuity, drug abuse, anorexia nervosa, and violence were interviewed. It was found that despite individual and social dissimilarities, and the different problem behaviors, the participants were marked by inner-directed destructiveness as well as a sense of meaninglessness of life and lack of symbolic relationship to what transcends their here-and-now selves. Significantly, violent adolescents whose aggression is other-directed were found to be marked by underlying self-directed aggression as well. If the findings of this study are representative of Israeli society at large or of other affluent societies, then the epidemic proportions of youth problem behavior may indicate that these societies are undergoing desymbolization, a psychocultural breakdown.
Spermatological characters of Acanthobothrium crassicolle Wedl, 1855 (Tetraphyllidea, Onchobothriidae), a parasite of the common stingray Dasyatis pastinaca

We describe the spermiogenesis process and the ultrastructural characters of the spermatozoon of Acanthobothrium crassicolle by means of transmission electron microscopy, including cytochemical analysis for glycogen. Spermiogenesis in A. crassicolle begins with the formation of the differentiation zone that contains two centrioles associated with striated rootlets and an intercentriolar body. The latter is formed by one electron-dense layer. The centrioles develop into two free flagella that first grow orthogonally to a median cytoplasmic process and then undergo flagellar rotation becoming parallel to that median cytoplasmic process. After flagellar rotation only one of the flagella completes its growth and both short and long flagella undergo proximodistal fusion with the median cytoplasmic process. In the final stages of spermiogenesis, the nucleus becomes filiform and migrates into the spermatid body. Later, the ring of arched membranes constricts and the spermatozoon is liberated from the residual cytoplasm. The ultrastructural organization of the spermatozoon of A. crassicolle follows the general pattern of spermatozoa of the other Tetraphyllidea-Onchobothriidae species, but exhibits some differences. It is filiform, tapered at both extremities and lacks mitochondrion. It contains two axonemes of unequal length showing the 9 + “1“ pattern of Trepaxonemata, a nucleus, parallel cortical microtubules and electron-dense granules of glycogen. The anterior extremity of the male gamete contains a single crested body surrounding a thin and long apical cone. This type of apical cone has never been described in a tetraphyllidean spermatozoon. Another particularity is the presence of a single electron-dense microtubule at the vertex of the crested body.
Association between maternal HBsAg carrier status and neonatal adverse outcomes: meta-analysis

Abstract Objective: We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate whether maternal hepatitis B virus (HBV) carrier status increases the risk of neonatal complications. Methods: Publications addressing the association between maternal HBV carrier status and neonatal outcomes were selected from the PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. Publication bias and heterogeneity across studies were evaluated and summary odds ratios, weighted mean difference or standardized mean difference and 95% confidence intervals were calculated and compared between groups. Results: Eighteen studies and 7600 pregnant HBV carriers were selected for analyses. A statistically association with maternal HBV carrier status was demonstrated for premature birth and asphyxia, with no difference found among perinatal mortality, gestational age, small for gestational age, large for gestational age, birth weight, low birth weight, macrosomia, Apgar sore at 1 min, jaundice and congenital anomaly. Heterogeneity across studies was found, and no publication bias was detected. Conclusion: Our analysis suggests that maternal hepatitis B carrier status is significantly associated with premature birth and asphyxia. Large-scale prospective studies are still warranted.