Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Toward Noninvasive 3-D Imaging of the Time Course of Cortical Activity: Investigation of the Depth of the Event-Related Optical Signal

The event-related optical signal (EROS) has been recently proposed as a method for studying noninvasively the time course of activity in localized cortical areas (G. Gratton and M. Fabiani, 1998, Psychonomic Bull. Rev. 5: 535-563). Previous data have shown that EROS has very good temporal resolution and can provide detailed surface activity maps. In the present study we investigated whether the depth of the active area can also be estimated. Nine subjects were run in a study in which the eccentricity of the visual stimuli was varied, and EROS was recorded from medial occipital areas using multiple source-detector distances. Seven of the same subjects were also run through a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study using the same protocol. The fMRI data indicated that the depth from the head surface to the cortical area activated increased systematically with the eccentricity of the visual stimuli. The EROS recording indicated a response with a latency of 60-80 ms from stimulation. This response varied systematically with eccentricity, so that the greater the eccentricity of the stimuli, the longer the source-detector distance (and thus the depth) at which the EROS effect was observed. The depth of the brain area generating the EROS effect was estimated using a simple algorithm derived from phantom studies on homogeneous media. The average depth estimates for each eccentricity condition obtained with EROS corresponded with those obtained with fMRI, with discrepancies of less than 1 mm. These data demonstrate that multiple source-detector distances can be used to estimate the depth of the cortical areas responsible for the EROS effects.
Oncologists and hematologists’ perceptions of fertility-related communication – a nationwide survey

Abstract Background: Despite the negative impacts of several cancer treatments on fertility, many patients do not recall having fertility-related discussions with their physicians. This study was conducted to identify those factors related to physicians’ discussing the treatment impacts on fertility with cancer patients of reproductive age. Material and methods: In this nationwide survey of cancer care physicians (n = 329, response rate 55%), oncologists and hematologists (mainly) completed a questionnaire on practice behavior, barriers, attitudes and confidence in knowledge regarding treatment-related fertility risks. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with not routinely discussing fertility issues with patients. Results: Most of the physicians agreed that they were responsible for discussing fertility issues with patients of reproductive age (91%), but approximately 30% did not do so regularly. Those factors decreasing the likelihood of discussion were: patient already had children (female/male OR 3.0/6.9), high workload (OR 3.3/4.8), seeing <5 female/male patients of reproductive age weekly (OR 3.2/3.4) and access to a reproduction clinic (OR 5.2/4.2). Conclusions: Most Swedish oncologists and hematologists regularly discuss impact of treatment on fertility with their patients. Those factors having a negative impact on fertility discussions may guide targeted organizational and educational efforts to further improve fertility-related communication in cancer care.
Management of pediatric tumor lysis syndrome.

INTRODUCTION Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is a serious complication of malignancies and can result in renal failure or death. REVIEW In tumors with a high proliferative rate with a relatively large mass and a high sensitivity to cytotoxic agents, the initiation of therapy often results in the rapid release of intracellular anions, cations and the metabolic products of proteins and nucleic acids into the bloodstream. The increased concentrations of uric acid, phosphates, potassium and urea can overwhelm the body's homeostatic mechanisms to process and excrete these materials and result in the clinical spectrum associated with TLS. Typical clinical sequelae include gastrointestinal disturbances, neuromuscular effects, cardiovascular complications, acute renal failure and death. Tumor lysis syndrome can also compromise the efficacy or administration of curative therapies. Available evidence suggests that the incidence of clinical TLS is approximately 3-7% for acute leukemias and 4-11% for lymphomas. Pediatric cancers are the leading cause of death by disease in children. The most common pediatric cancers include the leukemias, lymphomas, central nervous system tumors and neuroblastoma. Thus, TLS is a major concern to practitioners caring for pediatric oncology patients. Given the complexity of TLS prevention and treatment, a multidisciplinary approach involving the collaboration of medical oncologists/ hematologists and nephrologists has the greatest potential of ensuring optimal patient outcomes. Rehydration is fundamental in the management of TLS in addition to the current standard therapy for hyperuricemia which include rasburicase and allopurinol. CONCLUSION The early recognition and treatment of metabolic abnormalities often prevents the severe and life-threatening complications associated with tumor lysis syndrome.
Direct torque control system for induction motors with fuzzy speed PI regulator

Traditional direct torque control system of induction motor introduces conventional PI regulator in speed loop, it is proved that the low precision of the speed regulator debases the performance of the whole system. This paper establishes a fuzzy speed PI regulator, which applies the principles and method of fuzzy logic to adjust the proportional coefficient k/sub p/ and integral coefficient k/sub 1/ of the PI regulator on-line, and finally get the system to adapt to different speed variations. The proposed method is implemented with a single board microcomputer that uses TMS320LF2407A DSP. The experimental results show that the fuzzy speed regulator can ensure swift speed response, small overshooting, and high steady speed precision both in high and low speed. Additionally, the proposed regulator improves the observation precision of the stator flux and enhances the robustness of the whole system.
Correlates of serum C-reactive protein (CRP)--no association with sleep duration or sleep disordered breathing.

STUDY OBJECTIVES Increasing evidence suggests that alterations in sleep duration are associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. Additionally, sleep disordered breathing (SDB), which is associated with disturbed nighttime sleep and hypoxemia, may be an independent risk factor for CVD. The inflammatory marker, C-reactive protein (CRP), is an important predictor of CVD. We investigated potential associations between circulating CRP, sleep duration, and SDB. DESIGN Cross-sectional Study. POPULATION Participants were 907 adults from the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study (WSCS). MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS CRP was measured after overnight polysomnography. The relationships between CRP and sleep parameters were evaluated using multiple linear regression with and without controlling for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) and other potential confounders. CRP was found to be higher for women and had a strong positive correlation with age and BMI. CRP showed a significant positive association with current smoking, waist-hip ratio (WHR), LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, leptin, and insulin, independent of age, sex, and BMI. Significant independent negative associations for CRP were observed with HDL-cholesterol (HDL), insulin sensitivity (quantitative insulin sensitivity check index [QUICKI]), and hours of exercise. There was a significant positive association between CRP levels and the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI, the measure of SDB), but these relationships were not significant after adjustment for age, sex, and BMI. No significant association between CRP levels and measures of sleep duration (polysomnographic and self-reported) were found. CONCLUSION There was no significant association between CRP levels and sleep duration. The lack of an independent association between CRP levels and SDB suggests that the reported relationship between these 2 variables may be primarily driven by their association with obesity.
Doing Collaboration: How Organizations Use Facebook to Foster Collaboration

ABSTRACT While organizational self-interest dominates discourse about nonprofit social media use, the technology also has the capacity to strengthen interorganizational collaboration. This research used grounded theory to explore how organizations used Facebook to collaborate. The study included the population of one network of antipoverty organizations in a state plagued by persistent poverty if they had a Facebook page (N = 47). The sampling frame included all Facebook posts on each organization’s Facebook page during March 2013. Findings revealed that organizations posted content indicating the presence of a collaboration continuum including information about programs, events, and cause awareness among collaborators, other organizations, or volunteers.
Exact SINR analysis of wireless OFDM in the presence of carrier frequency offset

This paper presents a new mathematical analysis for the evaluation of the average signal-to-interference plus noise ratio (SINR) of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) in the presence of carrier frequency offset (CFO). CFO destroys the orthogonality between different subcarriers giving rise to inter-carrier interference (ICI). The SINR of wireless OFDM in the presence of CFO and frequency-selective fading becomes a ratio of correlated random variables, and the exact evaluation of its average by using direct methods requires a huge computational effort. In this paper, we present an indirect method that leads to a new exact simpler expression for the average SINR over Rayleigh multipath fading channels.
Prevalence and Causes of Blindness and Low Vision Revisited after 5 years of Eye Care in Timor-Leste

Purpose: To estimate the 2010 prevalence and causes of blindness and low vision among Timor-Leste adults aged ≥40 years, and compare these to the results of a survey conducted 5 years previously. Method: A population-based cross-sectional survey used multistage cluster random sampling proportionate to size to identify 50 clusters of 45 people each. Cause of vision loss was determined for each eye with presenting visual acuity worse than 6/18. Results: A participation rate of 89.5% (n = 2014) was achieved. The gender-age-domicile adjusted prevalence was 7.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 6.5, 8.8) for 6/60, and 3.6% (95% CI 2.7, 4.4) for 3/60 blindness (better eye presenting vision worse than 6/60 and 3/60, respectively) among Timorese aged ≥40 years. Cataract caused most blindness (69.3% at 6/60). The population prevalence of low vision (better eye presenting vision of 6/60 or better, but worse than 6/18) was 13.6% (95%CI 12.1, 15.1), most caused by uncorrected refractive error (57.4%) or cataract (39.5%). The prevalence and causes of blindness were unchanged compared with 5 years earlier, but low vision was less common. Conclusion: Unusually for a developing country, Timor-Leste has initiated a cycle of evidence-based eye care in which, although with limitations, population data are periodically available for monitoring and planning.
Gesture-based Human-robot Interaction for Field Programmable Autonomous Underwater Robots

The uncertainty and variability of underwater environment propose the request to control underwater robots in real time and dynamically, especially in the scenarios where human and robots need to work collaboratively in the field. However, the underwater environment imposes harsh restrictions on the application of typical control and communication methods. Considering that gestures are a natural and efficient interactive way for human, we, utilizing convolution neural network, implement a real-time gesture-based recognition system, who can recognize 50 kinds of gestures from images captured by one normal monocular camera, and apply this recognition system in human and underwater robot interaction. We design A Flexible and Extendable Interaction Scheme (AFEIS) through which underwater robots can be programmed in situ underwater by human operators using customized gesture-based sign language. This paper elaborates the design of gesture recognition system and AFEIS, and presents our field trial results when applying this system and scheme on underwater robots.
Long open tubular molecule imprinted polymer capillary columns with excellent separation efficiencies in chiral and non‐chiral separation by capillary electrochromatography

Long open tubular S‐ketoprofen molecule imprinted polymer capillary columns (1, 2, and 3 m) with the number of theoretical plates (N) over a million for both chrial and non‐chiral CEC separation have been prepared. Chiral separation of racemic ketoprofen and non‐chiral separation of other profen drugs have been achieved with excellent efficiency and good selectivity after optimization of the chromatographic conditions. The N value per column was not proportional to the effective column length although it was increased with the column length. This study has shown the outstanding prospect of the strategy to form a porous and rugged open tubular layer in a moderately long (1 m) capillary column in molecule imprinted polymer‐CEC studies.
Pleiohomeotic Can Link Polycomb to DNA and Mediate Transcriptional Repression

ABSTRACT Polycomb group (PcG) proteins function through cis-acting DNA elements called PcG response elements (PREs) to stably silence developmental regulators, including the homeotic genes. However, the mechanism by which they are targeted to PREs remains largely unclear. Pleiohomeotic (PHO) is a sequence-specific DNA-binding PcG protein and therefore may function to tether other PcG proteins to the DNA. Here, we show that PHO can directly bind to a Polycomb (PC)-containing complex as well as the Brahma (BRM) chromatin-remodeling complex. PHO contacts the BRM complex through its zinc finger DNA-binding domain and a short N-terminal region. A distinct domain of PHO containing a conserved motif contacts the PcG proteins PC and Polyhomeotic (PH). With mobility shift assays and DNA pulldown experiments, we demonstrated that PHO is able to link PC, which lacks sequence-specific DNA-binding activity, to the DNA. Importantly, we found that the PC-binding domain of PHO can mediate transcriptional repression in transfected Drosophila Schneider cells. Concomitant overexpression of PC resulted in stronger PHO-directed repression that was dependent on its PC-binding domain. Together, these results suggest that PHO can contribute to PRE-mediated silencing by direct recruitment of a PC complex to repress transcription.
Deletion of the Mycoplasma genitalium MG_217 gene modifies cell gliding behaviour by altering terminal organelle curvature

Motility is often a virulence factor of pathogenic bacteria. Although recent works have identified genes involved in gliding motility of mycoplasmas, little is known about the mechanisms governing the cell gliding behaviour. Here, we report that Mycoplasma genitalium MG217 is a novel protein involved in the gliding apparatus of this organism and it is, at least, one of the genes that are directing cells to move in narrow circles when they glide. In the absence of MG_217 gene, cells are still able to glide but they mainly move drawing erratic or wide circular paths. This change in the gliding behaviour correlates with a rearrangement in the terminal organelle disposition, suggesting that the terminal organelle operates as a guide to steer the mycoplasma cell in a specific direction. Immunogold labelling reveals that MG217 protein is located intracellular at the distal end of the terminal organelle, between the cell membrane and the terminal button. Such location is consistent with the idea that MG217 could act as a modulator of the terminal organelle curvature, allowing cells to move in specific directions.
Edges, Curvature, and Primal Sketches

Marr described two versions of the primal sketch: the basic image-processing level in human vision. In line with his broader view of how one should construct explanatory theories in vision, he provided some details of the computational theory for this stage, the algorithms used, and how they might be implemented in neural systems. In this paper I consider how Marr ideas have continued over the past 30 years. In this regard, I pay particular attention to three stages: locating edges; describing edge curvature; linking local edge segments into elongated contours.
Intermittently Administered Human Parathyroid Hormone(1–34) Treatment Increases Intracortical Bone Turnover and Porosity Without Reducing Bone Strength in the Humerus of Ovariectomized Cynomolgus Monkeys

Cortical porosity in patients with hyperparathyroidism has raised the concern that intermittent parathyroid hormone (PTH) given to treat osteoporotic patients may weaken cortical bone by increasing its porosity. We hypothesized that treatment of ovariectomized (OVX) cynomolgus monkeys for up to 18 months with recombinant human PTH(1–34) [hPTH(1–34)] LY333334 would significantly increase porosity in the midshaft of the humerus but would not have a significant effect on the strength or stiffness of the humerus. We also hypothesized that withdrawal of PTH for 6 months after a 12‐month treatment period would return porosity to control OVX values. OVX female cynomolgus monkeys were given once daily subcutaneous (sc) injections of recombinant hPTH(1–34) LY333334 at 1.0 μg/kg (PTH1), 5.0 μg/kg (PTH5), or 0.1 ml/kg per day of phosphate‐buffered saline (OVX). Sham OVX animals (sham) were also given vehicle. After 12 months, PTH treatment was withdrawn from half of the monkeys in each treatment group (PTH1‐W and PTH5‐W), and they were treated for the remaining 6 months with vehicle. Double calcein labels were given before death at 18 months. After death, static and dynamic histomorphometric measurements were made intracortically and on periosteal and endocortical surfaces of sections from the middiaphysis of the left humerus. Bone mechanical properties were measured in the right humeral middiaphysis. PTH dose dependently increased intracortical porosity. However, the increased porosity did not have a significant detrimental effect on the mechanical properties of the bone. Most porosity was concentrated near the endocortical surface where its mechanical effect is small. In PTH5 monkeys, cortical area (Ct.Ar) and cortical thickness (Ct.Th) increased because of a significantly increased endocortical mineralizing surface. After withdrawal of treatment, porosity in PTH1‐W animals declined to sham values, but porosity in PTH5‐W animals remained significantly elevated compared with OVX and sham. We conclude that intermittently administered PTH(1–34) increases intracortical porosity in a dose‐dependent manner but does not reduce the strength or stiffness of cortical bone.
Polycolonization of Helicobacter pylori among Chinese subjects.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the situation among Chinese patients with regard to infection with multiple strains of Helicobacter pylori. METHODS Biopsy specimens for culture of H. pylori were obtained from gastric antrum, body and fundus of 20 patients during endoscopic investigation of upper gastrointestinal symptoms. H. pylori was identified by culture from one site in 16 and two or more sites in 10 of the 16 patients. Five isolated colonies of six strains of H. pylori from gastric antrum were subcultured and used for further analysis. Antibiotic susceptibility to metronidazole and clarithromycin was determined by disk diffusion test. Protein profiles of isolates were compared by sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). DNA diversity of the isolates was determined by arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR) fingerprinting. RESULTS Of the 10 patients with multiple isolates, 70% (7/10) exhibited variation in susceptibility to metronidazole and 20% (2/10) to clarithromycin between different sites. In 83% of (5/6) single colonies, no variability was seen in metronidazole and clarithromycin susceptibility; they were either susceptible or resistant. Protein profiles of all isolates by SDS-PAGE were similar. Isolates from different patients produced clearly different AP-PCR fingerprints. In 50% of H. pylori strains isolated from different sites of the stomach, genetic diversity was demonstrated by different AP-PCR fingerprints. In 67% (4/6) strains, five single-colony fingerprints were similar. CONCLUSIONS Genetic variability has been found in H. pylori strains. Individual patients are infected with a single predominant genotype at a single site but can be colonized by multiple strains, and they may show different antibiotic susceptibilities. Individual colonies of the H. pylori population from a single site may not always yield identical DNA fingerprints and antibiotic sensitivities.
Local Government and Community Development

At the international level, local governments are playing a significant role in community development by means of better cooperation with the people at local level. Policy makers are encouraging a high level of community participation in local development to provide a good reason for the continued existence of local government and to retain strong state power (Jessop 2004; Newman et al. 2004). Of late, there is pressure that challenges the functional role of local government in encouraging community development and social welfare redistribution. Stoker (2011) finds that local government systems in most of the countries sustain close relationship with its citizens in giving better services. This relationship would remain in the future development by engaging good cooperation between local government and the citizens. The theoretical framework of this paper argues that the factors involved in supporting the process of community development and the roles of local government influence the outcomes in community development. Community development is the domain that would influence delivery of services. Community development is difficult to measure as the ability of local government in providing and delivering services influences the demand of community development. Thus this study identifies the barriers between perceived demand and delivery of community development services. Besides that, this study also examines the problems between stakeholder expectations and delivery.
Visualizing the structure of Web communities based on data acquired from a search engine

Discovery of Web communities, groups of Web pages sharing common interests, is important for assisting users' information retrieval from the Web. This paper describes a method for visualizing Web communities and their internal structures. visualization of Web communities in the form of graphs enables users to access related pages easily, and it often reflects the characteristics of the Web communities. Since related Web pages are often co-referred from the same Web page, the number of co-occurrences of references in a search engine is used for measuring the relation among pages. Two URLs are given to a search engine as keywords, and the value of the number of pages searched from both URLs divided by the number of pages searched from either URL, which is called the Jaccard coefficient, is calculated as the criteria for evaluating the relation between the two URLs. The value is used for determining the length of an edge in a graph so that vertices of related pages will be located close to each other. Our visualization system based on the method succeeds in clarifying various genres of Web communities, although the system does not interpret the contents of the pages. The method of calculating the Jaccard coefficient is easily processed by computer systems, and it is suitable for visualization using the data acquired from a search engine.