Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MR Imaging Features of Gadofluorine-Labeled Matrix-Associated Stem Cell Implants in Cartilage Defects

Objectives The purpose of our study was to assess the chondrogenic potential and the MR signal effects of GadofluorineM-Cy labeled matrix associated stem cell implants (MASI) in pig knee specimen. Materials and Methods Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were labeled with the micelle-based contrast agent GadofluorineM-Cy. Ferucarbotran-labeled hMSCs, non-labeled hMSCs and scaffold only served as controls. Chondrogenic differentiation was induced and gene expression and histologic evaluation were performed. The proportions of spindle-shaped vs. round cells of chondrogenic pellets were compared between experimental groups using the Fisher's exact test. Labeled and unlabeled hMSCs and chondrocytes in scaffolds were implanted into cartilage defects of porcine femoral condyles and underwent MR imaging with T1- and T2-weighted SE and GE sequences. Contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) between implants and adjacent cartilage were determined and analyzed for significant differences between different experimental groups using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Significance was assigned for p<0.017, considering a Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. Results Collagen type II gene expression levels were not significantly different between different groups (p>0.017). However, hMSC differentiation into chondrocytes was superior for unlabeled and GadofluorineM-Cy-labeled cells compared with Ferucarbotran-labeled cells, as evidenced by a significantly higher proportion of spindle cells in chondrogenic pellets (p<0.05). GadofluorineM-Cy-labeled hMSCs and chondrocytes showed a positive signal effect on T1-weighted images and a negative signal effect on T2-weighted images while Ferucarbotran-labeled cells provided a negative signal effect on all sequences. CNR data for both GadofluorineM-Cy-labeled and Ferucarbotran-labeled hMSCs were significantly different compared to unlabeled control cells on T1-weighted SE and T2*-weighted MR images (p<0.017). Conclusion hMSCs can be labeled by simple incubation with GadofluorineM-Cy. The labeled cells provide significant MR signal effects and less impaired chondrogenesis compared to Ferucarbotran-labeled hMSCs. Thus, GadoflurineM-Cy might represent an alternative MR cell marker to Ferucarbotran, which is not distributed any more in Europe or North America.
Molecular Kinetics of Nerve Growth Factor Receptor Trafficking and Activation*

A growing body of evidence indicates a close relationship between tyrosine kinase receptor trafficking and signaling. Biochemical and molecular analyses of the expression, fate, and kinetics of membrane trafficking of the nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor TrkA were performed in PC12 cells. Pulse-chase experiments indicate that TrkA is synthesized as a 110-kDaN-glycosylated precursor that leads to the mature 140-kDa form of the receptor with a half-life of conversion of ∼24 ± 0.5 min. Neuraminidase digestion shows that modification of the carbohydrate moiety of the receptor by sialylation occurs during maturation. The 140-kDa form is rapidly translocated to the cell surface as assessed by cell surface biotinylation performed on intact PC12 cells. Mature receptor half-life is ∼138 ± 4 min and is shortened to 86 ± 8 min by NGF treatment. Flow cytometric analysis indicates that NGF induces clearing of this receptor from the cell surface within minutes of treatment. The addition of NGF decreases the half-life of cell surface gp140 TrkA from 100 to 35 min and leads to enhanced lysosomal degradation of the receptor. The process of NGF-induced TrkA internalization is clearly affected by interfering with ligand binding to p75NTR. An analysis of receptor activation kinetics also shows that receptor signaling primarily takes place from an intracellular location. Together, these data show that the primary effect of NGF treatment is a p75NTR-modulated decrease in TrkA transit time at the cell surface.
WordNet—Wikipedia—Wiktionary: Construction of a Three-way Alignment

The coverage and quality of conceptual information contained in lexical semantic resources is crucial for many tasks in natural language processing. Automatic alignment of complementary resources is one way of improving this coverage and quality; however, past attempts have always been between pairs of specific resources. In this paper we establish some set-theoretic conventions for describing concepts and their alignments, and use them to describe a method for automatically constructing n-way alignments from arbitrary pairwise alignments. We apply this technique to the production of a three-way alignment from previously published WordNet-Wikipedia and WordNet-Wiktionary alignments. We then present a quantitative and informal qualitative analysis of the aligned resource. The three-way alignment was found to have greater coverage, an enriched sense representation, and coarser sense granularity than both the original resources and their pairwise alignments, though this came at the cost of accuracy. An evaluation of the induced word sense clusters in a word sense disambiguation task showed that they were no better than random clusters of equivalent granularity. However, use of the alignments to enrich a sense inventory with additional sense glosses did significantly improve the performance of a baseline knowledge-based WSD algorithm.
Diurnal variation of axial length, intraocular pressure, and anterior eye biometrics.

PURPOSE To investigate the diurnal variation in axial length and anterior eye biometrics, while simultaneously measuring intraocular pressure (IOP) with dynamic contour tonometry in human subjects. METHODS Fifteen young adult near-emmetropic subjects had axial length, anterior eye biometrics (central corneal thickness and anterior chamber dimensions), and IOP measured at six different times across a 24-hour measurement period. Repeated-measures ANOVA and sine curve fitting were used to analyze the diurnal rhythms in each measured parameter. RESULTS Axial length was found to undergo significant diurnal variation (P = 0.0006). The mean amplitude of axial length change was 0.046 +/- 0.022 mm. The mean peak in axial length was found to occur at 1113. Intraocular pressure and ocular pulse amplitude were also found to undergo significant diurnal change (P < 0.0001 and 0.0006, respectively). The variation in axial length exhibited a significant association with the change in IOP (r = 0.37, P = 0.001). No significant difference was found between the mean peak times of axial length and IOP. Anterior eye biometric measures of central corneal thickness and anterior chamber depth were also found to undergo significant diurnal changes (P < 0.0001 and 0.0368, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Axial length undergoes significant variation over a 24-hour period. Associations exist between the change in axial length and the change in IOP, as measured by dynamic contour tonometry. These results may have significant implications for the role of ocular diurnal rhythms in emmetropization.
Silk fibroin aerogels: potential scaffolds for tissue engineering applications

Silk fibroin (SF) is a natural protein, which is derived from the Bombyx mori silkworm. SF based porous materials are extensively investigated for biomedical applications, due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability. In this work, CO2 assisted acidification is used to synthesize SF hydrogels that are subsequently converted to SF aerogels. The aqueous silk fibroin concentration is used to tune the morphology and textural properties of the SF aerogels. As the aqueous fibroin concentration increases from 2 to 6 wt%, the surface area of the resultant SF aerogels increases from 260 to 308 m2 g−1 and the compressive modulus of the SF aerogels increases from 19.5 to 174 kPa. To elucidate the effect of the freezing rate on the morphological and textural properties, SF cryogels are synthesized in this study. The surface area of the SF aerogels obtained from supercritical CO2 drying is approximately five times larger than the surface area of SF cryogels. SF aerogels exhibit distinct pore morphology compared to the SF cryogels. In vitro cell culture studies with human foreskin fibroblast cells demonstrate the cytocompatibility of the silk fibroin aerogel scaffolds and presence of cells within the aerogel scaffolds. The SF aerogels scaffolds created in this study with tailorable properties have potential for applications in tissue engineering.
NetKit-SRL: A Toolkit for Network Learning and Inference

This paper describes NetKit-SRL, or NetKit for short, a toolkit for learning from and classifying networked data. The toolkit is open-source and publicly available. It is modular and built for ease of plug-and-play—such that it is easy to add new modules and have them interact with other existing modules. Currently available NetKit modules are focused on “batch” within-network learning and classification: given a partially labeled network, where all nodes and edges are already known to exist, estimate the class membership probability of the unlabeled nodes in the network. NetKit has been used in various network domains such as websites, citation graphs, movies and social networks. Contact: Sofus A. Macskassy Stern School of Business Department of Information, Operations & Management Sciences New York University New York, NY 10012-1126, USA Tel: 1-212-998-0584 Fax: 1-212-995-4228 Email: smacskas@stern.nyu. edu
Robust and Dense Depth Estimation for Light Field Images

We propose a depth estimation method for light field images. Light field images can be considered as a collection of 2D images taken from different viewpoints arranged in a regular grid. We exploit this configuration and compute the disparity maps between specific pairs of views. This computation is carried out by a state-of-the-art two-view stereo method providing a nondense disparity estimation. We propose a disparity interpolation method increasing the density and improving the accuracy of this initial estimate. Disparities obtained from several pairs of views are fused to obtain a unique and robust estimation. Finally, different experiments on synthetic and real images show how the proposed method outperforms the state-of-the-art results.
Computing spatio-temporal representations of human faces

An approach for analysis and representation of facial dynamics for recognition of facial expressions from image sequences is proposed. The algorithms we develop utilize optical flow computation to identify the direction of rigid and non-rigid motions that are caused by human, facial expressions. A mid-level symbolic representation that is motivated by linguistic and psychological considerations is developed. Recognition of six facial expressions, as well as eye blinking, on a large set of image sequences is reported. <<ETX>>
Improving sleep hygiene of medical interns: can the sleep, alertness, and fatigue education in residency program help?

BACKGROUND Because of concerns regarding sleep deprivation, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education limits duty hours and endorses education regarding sleep loss for residents. We assessed the effectiveness of a 60- to 90-minute lecture, the Sleep, Alertness, and Fatigue Education in Residency (SAFER) program, on sleep loss and recovery sleep in residents adhering to Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education duty hours. METHODS From July 1, 2003, through June 24, 2005, interns from the inpatient medicine service at the University of Chicago were asked to wear wristwatch activity monitors. In March 2005, interns received the SAFER program intervention. We used fixed-effects linear regression to estimate within-subject mean sleep per call day (on-call, precall, postcall, and second-day postcall sleep). These estimates were compared with recommended minimum levels of preventive (7 hours of precall) and recovery (16 hours during the 2 days after call) sleep in healthy populations using 2-tailed t tests. These analyses were repeated to test the effect of the SAFER program. RESULTS Fifty-eight of 81 interns (72%) participated for 147 intern-months (63%). Interns on call slept an average of 2.84 hours (95% confidence interval, 2.75-2.93 hours). Interns obtained less than recommended amounts of recovery sleep (14.06 hours [95% confidence interval, 13.84-14.28 hours]; P < .001). Intern preventive sleep was also less than recommended (6.47 hours [95% confidence interval, 6.39-6.56 hours]; P < .001). Interns attempted to compensate for their acute sleep loss; for each hour of on-call sleep loss, they received 18 minutes (95% confidence interval, 7-30 minutes) more recovery sleep (P = .003). The SAFER program had no significant beneficial effect on intern sleep. CONCLUSIONS Under the current duty-hour regulations of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, residents continue to be sleep deprived. The SAFER program has no impact on resident precall or postcall sleep.
Towards evidence‐based recruitment processes in the UK

There is a growing demand for admissions tutors in UK universities to use more rigorous and systematic decision‐making methods in recruitment processes. A key barrier to achieving this goal is the lack of a coherent and definitive body of knowledge upon which such methods can be built. The yardstick used for the majority of applicants is A2‐level performance measured through the grades that are attained, often translated into a points score. However, A2‐level performance is widely thought to be a crude and inaccurate way of predicting future academic performance. The aim of the research reported in this paper was to inform the practice of admissions tutors by improving the basis upon which decisions are made. Specifically, the goal was to provide admissions tutors with evidence to support their decision‐making processes by providing concrete data upon which recruitment decisions can be made. The research studied the first year (Level 1) performance of one cohort of students studying mechanical engineering programmes at the University of Leeds. The focus of the research was on the relationship between A2‐level performance and other information that is available to admissions tutors when they are selecting students, and Level 1 university performance. The results of the research indicate that, for applicants with A2‐levels, (1) only 28% of the variance in their university performance could be attributed to their A2‐level performance and (2) admissions processes should focus on the A2‐level grades that are attained rather than the A2‐level points scores that are frequently used.
‘They Don't like Us’: Reflections of Turkish Children in a German Preschool

In this article, the authors present multiple interpretations of a transcript of a discussion with a group of Turkish-German girls in a kindergarten in Berlin, Germany. These five-year-old girls make statements suggesting they experience alienation from their non-Turkish classmates and teachers, and the wider German society. The authors argue that the meanings of these statements should not be taken at face value. Instead, they employ interpretive strategies borrowed mostly from Mikhail Bakhtin and interpretive frameworks taken from Judith Butler, and post-colonial theory and Critical Race Theory to suggest that the girls' utterances can be usefully seen as having a performative dimension and as expressing tensions around immigration that can be found in the larger society.
Single-phase grid-synchronization algorithms for converter interfaced distributed generation systems

This paper briefly reviews the synchronization techniques for single-phase converter-interfaced distributed generation (DG) systems. These techniques are compared in terms of their capability in tracking frequency variations, and the phase angle of the grid signal in the presence of low order harmonic. The techniques introduced in this paper are applicable for a wide range of equipment like converter-interfaced distributed generation (DG) units, e.g. wind, photovoltaic, and fuel cells, and are also applicable for active power filters and uninterrupted power supplies.
Expanded CUG Repeats Dysregulate RNA Splicing by Altering the Stoichiometry of the Muscleblind 1 Complex*

To understand the role of the splice regulator muscleblind 1 (MBNL1) in the development of RNA splice defects in myotonic dystrophy I (DM1), we purified RNA-independent MBNL1 complexes from normal human myoblasts and examined the behavior of these complexes in DM1 myoblasts. Antibodies recognizing MBNL1 variants (MBNL1CUG), which can sequester in the toxic CUG RNA foci that develop in DM1 nuclei, were used to purify MBNL1CUG complexes from normal myoblasts. In normal myoblasts, MBNL1CUG bind 10 proteins involved in remodeling ribonucleoprotein complexes including hnRNP H, H2, H3, F, A2/B1, K, L, DDX5, DDX17, and DHX9. Of these proteins, only MBNL1CUG colocalizes extensively with DM1 CUG foci (>80% of foci) with its partners being present in <10% of foci. Importantly, the stoichiometry of MBNL1CUG complexes is altered in DM1 myoblasts, demonstrating an increase in the steady state levels of nine of its partner proteins. These changes are recapitulated by the expression of expanded CUG repeat RNA in Cos7 cells. Altered stoichiometry of MBNL1CUG complexes results from aberrant protein synthesis or stability and is unlinked to PKCα function. Modeling these changes in normal myoblasts demonstrates that increased levels of hnRNP H, H2, H3, F, and DDX5 independently dysregulate splicing in overlapping RNA subsets. Thus expression of expanded CUG repeats alters the stoichiometry of MBNL1CUG complexes to allow both the reinforcement and expansion of RNA processing defects.
Social skills of children with cerebral palsy.

Fifty-two children with cerebral palsy in a hospital for crippled children were assessed by Takenshiki Social Maturity Scale (TSMS), Motor Age Test, and WISC-R. Factor analysis of 11 behavior domain scores on TSMS identified three independent factors: Factor 1, representing interpersonal skills and accounting for 71 % of total variance; Factors 2 and 3 indicating self care skills (9 %) and locomotor skills (6 %), respectively. Significant correlations were found between Factor 1 score (interpersonal skills) and chronological age, between Factor 2 score (self-care skills) and upper-extremity motor age, and between Factor 3 score (locomotor skills) and lower-extremity motor age. Twoyear follow-up of 20 children staying at the hospital revealed no significant changes in scores of the first two factors on TSMS: 10 younger children with ages of 12 years or below improved their scores, while 10 elder children over 12 years failed to improve. These results suggest that special intervention programs are needed to facilitate the interpersonal aspect of social skills of children with cerebral palsy.
Network Data Mining : Depicting the Interaction between Attributes

Network Data Mining identifies emergent networks between myriads of individual data items and utilises special algor ithms that aid visualisation of ‘emergent’ patterns and trends in the linkage. It c omplements conventional data mining methods, which assume the independence betwe en th attributes and the independence between the values of these attributes . Th e techniques typically flag, alert or alarm instances or events that could represent anomalous behaviour or irregularities because of a match with pre-defined patterns or rules. They serve as ‘exception detection’ methods where the rules or definitions of what might constitute an exception a re ble to be known and specified ahead of time. Many problems are suited t o this approach. Many problems however, especially those of a more comple x nature, are not well suited. The rules or definitions simply cannot be s p cified. For example, in the analysis of transaction data there are no known sus picious transactions. This paper presents a human-centred network data mining methodology that addresses the issues of depicting implicit relation ships between data attributes and/or specific values of these attributes. A case study from the area of security illustrates the application of the methodology and corresponding data mining techniques. The paper argues that for many problems , a ‘discovery’ phase in the investigative process based on visualisation and hu man cognition is a logical precedent to, and complement of, more automated ‘ex ception detection’ phases.
To appear in the SIGGRAPH2000 conference proceedings A Simple, Efficient Method for Realistic Animation of Clouds

This paper proposes a simple and computationally inexpensive method for animation of clouds. The cloud evolution is simulated using cellular automaton that simplifies the dynamics of cloud formation. The dynamics are expressed by several simple transition rules and their complex motion can be simulated with a small amount of computation. Realistic images are then created using one of the standard graphics APIs, OpenGL. This makes it possible to utilize graphics hardware, resulting in fast image generation. The proposed method can realize the realistic motion of clouds, shadows cast on the ground, and shafts of light through clouds.
Boundary Detection by Constrained Optimization

A statistical framework is used for finding boundaries and for partitioning scenes into homogeneous regions. The model is a joint probability distribution for the array of pixel gray levels and an array of labels. In boundary finding, the labels are binary, zero, or one, representing the absence or presence of boundary elements. In partitioning, the label values are generic: two labels are the same when the corresponding scene locations are considered to belong to the same region. The distribution incorporates a measure of disparity between certain spatial features of block pairs of pixel gray levels, using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov nonparametric measures of difference between the distributions of these features. The number of model parameters is minimized by forbidding label configurations, which are assigned probability zero. The maximum a posteriori estimator of boundary placements and partitionings is examined. The forbidden states introduce constraints into the calculation of these configurations. Stochastic relaxation methods are extended to accommodate constrained optimization. >
Modeling and analysis of DTN in metropolitan bus network

DTN is an approach to communicate in easily disrupted or delayed networks. Examples of such networks are often found in heterogeneous networks, mobile or extreme terrestrial networks, or planned networks in space. Recently, many studies have used wireless LAN in a DTN environment because the WLAN offers easy installation, competitive price, and popular Wi-Fi devices. This paper is about modeling and analyzing the metropolitan bus network as a DTN environment. Modern metropolitan bus networks already offer IT services such as BIS; however, their networks may be appropriate for communicating narrow-band data in real time, but not for wide-band data in a DTN environment. In order to apply WLAN as an alternative solution for communicating wide-band data in DTNs, we need to understand the DTN characteristics of metropolitan bus networks. We perform spatial, temporal, and mobility modeling via simulation. Based on our simulation results, we provide qualitative and quantitative analysis reports about the use of WLAN in metropolitan bus networks.