Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phenolic Compounds in Extra Virgin Olive Oil Stimulate Human Osteoblastic Cell Proliferation

In this study, we aimed to clarify the effects of phenolic compounds and extracts from different extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) varieties obtained from fruits of different ripening stages on osteoblast cells (MG-63) proliferation. Cell proliferation was increased by hydroxytyrosol, luteolin, apigenin, p-coumaric, caffeic, and ferulic acids by approximately 11–16%, as compared with controls that were treated with one vehicle alone, while (+)-pinoresinol, oleuropein, sinapic, vanillic acid and derivative (vanillin) did not affect cell proliferation. All phenolic extracts stimulated MG-63 cell growth, and they induced higher cell proliferation rates than individual compounds. The most effective EVOO phenolic extracts were those obtained from the Picual variety, as they significantly increased cell proliferation by 18–22%. Conversely, Arbequina phenolic extracts increased cell proliferation by 9–13%. A decline in osteoblast proliferation was observed in oils obtained from olive fruits collected at the end of the harvest period, as their total phenolic content decreases at this late stage. Further research on the signaling pathways of olive oil phenolic compounds involved in the processes and their metabolism should be carried out to develop new interventions and adjuvant therapies using EVOO for bone health (i.e.osteoporosis) in adulthood and the elderly.
Allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation for chronic lymphocytic leukemia with 17p deletion: a retrospective European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation analysis.

PURPOSE Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and 17p deletion (17p-) have a poor prognosis. Although allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HCT) has the potential to cure patients with advanced CLL, it is not known whether this holds true for patients with 17p-CLL. PATIENTS AND METHODS Baseline data from patients, for whom information on the presence of 17p-CLL was available, were downloaded from the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation database. Additional information on the course of CLL and follow-up was collected with a questionnaire. RESULTS A total of 44 patients with 17p-CLL received allogeneic HCT between March 1995 and July 2006 from a matched sibling (n = 24) or an alternative donor (n = 20). 17p-CLL had been diagnosed by fluorescent in situ hybridization in 82% of patients and by conventional banding in 18% of patients. The median age was 54 years. Before HCT, a median of three lines of chemotherapy had been administered. At HCT, 53% of patients were in remission. Reduced-intensity conditioning was applied in 89% of patients. Acute, grade 2 to 4 graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) occurred in 43% of patients, and extensive chronic GVHD occurred in 53% of patients. At last follow-up, 19 patients were alive, with a median observation time of 39 months (range, 18 to 101 months). Three-year overall survival and progression-free survival rates were 44% and 37%, respectively. The cumulative incidence of progressive disease at 4 years was 34%. No late relapse occurred in nine patients with a follow-up longer than 4 years. CONCLUSION Allogeneic HCT has the potential to induce long-term disease-free survival in patients with 17p-CLL.
Motion Planning for Camera Movements in Virtual Environments

When users navigate through a virtual environment they often directly control the camera. Such direct control is dicult for inexperienced users and results in rather ugly camera motions that easily lead to motion sickness. In this paper we describe a new technique for automatic generation of camera motion using motion planning techniques from robotics. In this approach the user simply species a required goal position (and orientation) using e.g. a map, and the system automatically computes a smooth camera motion from the current position and orientation to the required position (and orientation). As preprocessing the approach uses the probabilistic roadmap method to compute a roadmap through the environment. When a camera motion is required a path is obtained from the roadmap which is then improved by various smoothing techniques to satisfy camera constraints. The method has successfully been integrated in a system for walkthroughs in architectural designs and urban planning.
Buck-boost interleaved inverter for grid connected Photovoltaic system

In this paper, a single stage buck-boost inverter is proposed for grid connected PV system with a very high voltage gain. The proposed inverter not only boosts DC output voltage of the PV module but also converts it into AC voltage which is required for grid connection. Discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) is employed to achieve unity power factor with the grid voltage and a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control. The proposed topology has several desirable features such as high gain, low cost, compact size and simple control. Only two switches operate at high switching frequency and so switching losses are minimized. Simulation and experimental results are given to prove the proposed system.
The expected impacts of Transforming Rehabilitation on working relationships with offenders

This article draws on doctoral research undertaken in 2013 to consider the likely impact of the Transforming Rehabilitation changes upon relationships between offenders and probation staff, in the specific context of Integrated Offender Management. Conducted during the initial stages of consultation and roll-out, the research gathered speculative but informed predictions of the impact of Transforming Rehabilitation.
Transformation-based temporal aggregation using order-based buffer replacement strategy

We present a new method for computing temporal aggregation based on dimension transformation. The novelty of our method lies in transforming the start time and end time of one-dimensional temporal tuples to two-dimensional data points and storing the points in a two-dimensional index. It then calculates temporal aggregates through a temporal join between the data in the index and the base intervals (defined as the intervals delimited by the start time or end time of the tuples). To enhance the performance, this method calculates the aggregates by incrementally modifying the aggregates from that of the previous base interval without re-reading all tuples for the current base interval. We further improve the efficiency with a new buffer page replacement technique that predicts the page access order within the index. We demonstrate the efficacy of our method through experiments.
The Adaptive Convexification Algorithm: A Feasible Point Method for Semi-Infinite Programming

We present a new numerical solution method for semi-infinite optimization problems. Its main idea is to adaptively construct convex relaxations of the lower level problem, replace the relaxed lower level problems equivalently by their Karush-Kuhn-Tucker conditions, and solve the resulting mathematical programs with complementarity constraints. This approximation produces feasible iterates for the original problem. The convex relaxations are constructed with ideas from the $\alpha$BB method of global optimization. The necessary upper bounds for second derivatives of functions on box domains can be determined using the techniques of interval arithmetic, where our algorithm already works if only one such bound is available for the problem. We show convergence of stationary points of the approximating problems to a stationary point of the original semi-infinite problem within arbitrarily given tolerances. Numerical examples from Chebyshev approximation and design centering illustrate the performance of the method.
Evaluation of renal function in sickle cell disease patients in Brazil

The objective of this study was to investigate renal function in a cohort of 98 patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) followed up at a tertiary hospital in Brazil. Clinical and laboratory characteristics at the time of the most recent medical examination were analyzed. Renal function was evaluated by the estimation of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) by the criteria of the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI). We compared patients with normal GFR to patients with decreased GFR (<60 mL·min−1·(1.73 m2)−1) and hyperfiltration (>120 mL·min−1·(1.73 m2)−1). Comparison between patients according to the use of hydroxyurea and comparison of clinical and laboratory parameters according to GFR were also carried out. Average patient age was 33.8 ± 13.3 years (range 19-67 years), and 57 (58.1%) patients were females. The comparison of patients according to GFR showed that patients with decreased GFR (<60 mL·min−1·(1.73 m2)−1) were older, had lower levels of hematocrit, hemoglobin and platelets and higher levels of urea and creatinine. Independent risk factors for decreased GFR were advanced age (OR = 21.6, P < 0.0001) and anemia (OR = 39.6, P < 0.0001). Patients with glomerular hyperfiltration tended to be younger, had higher levels of hematocrit, hemoglobin and platelets and lower levels of urea and creatinine, with less frequent urinary abnormalities. Hydroxyurea, at the dosage of 500-1000 mg/day, was being administered to 28.5% of the patients, and there was no significant difference regarding renal function between the two groups. Further studies are required to establish the best therapeutic approach to renal abnormalities in SCD.
Optimal geographic caching in cellular networks

In this work we consider the problem of an optimal geographic placement of content in wireless cellular networks modelled by Poisson point processes. Specifically, for the typical user requesting some particular content and whose popularity follows a given law (e.g. Zipf), we calculate the probability of finding the content cached in one of the base stations. Wireless coverage follows the usual signal-to-interference-and noise ratio (SINR) model, or some variants of it. We formulate and solve the problem of an optimal randomized content placement policy, to maximize the user's hit probability. The result dictates that it is not always optimal to follow the standard policy “cache the most popular content, everywhere”. In fact, our numerical results regarding three different coverage scenarios, show that the optimal policy significantly increases the chances of hit under high-coverage regime, i.e., when the probabilities of coverage by more than just one station are high enough.
Hybrid Particle Lattice Boltzmann Shallow Water for Interactive Fluid Simulations

We introduce a hybrid approach for the simulation of fluids based in the Lattice Boltzmann Method for Shallow Waters and particle systems. Our modified LBM Shallow Waters can handle arbitrary underlying terrain and arbitrary fluid depth. It also introduces a novel and simplified method of tracking dry-wet regions. Dynamic rigid bodies are also included in our simulations using a two-way coupling. Certain features of the simulation that the LBM can not handle, as breaking waves, are detected and automatically turned into splash particles. Albeit we use a simple ballistic particle system, our hybrid method can handle more complex systems as SPH. Both the LBM and particle systems are implemented in CUDA, yet dynamic rigid bodies are simulated in CPU. We show the effectiveness of our method with various examples which achieve real-time on commodity hardware.
Development of real-time vision-based fabric inspection system

Quality inspection of textile fabric products is an important problem for fabric manufacturers. This paper presents an automatic vision-based system for the quality control of web textile fabrics. Typical web material is 1-3 m wide and is driven with speeds ranging from 20 to 200 m/min. At present, the quality inspection process is manually performed by experts. However, they cannot detect more than 60% of the overall defects for the fabric if it is moving faster than 30 m/min. To increase the quality and homogeneity of fabrics, an automated visual inspection system is needed for better productivity. Currently, the existing inspection systems are too expensive for small companies. In this paper, a PC-based real-time inspection system is proposed with benefits of low cost and high detection rate. The proposed algorithm showed good results for several types of fabric defects.
Differential involvement of reactive oxygen species in apoptosis induced by two classes of selenium compounds in human prostate cancer cells

Selenium is a promising chemopreventive agent for prostate cancer, possibly via an induction of apoptosis. Earlier studies have shown that selenite induces DNA single strand breaks (SSBs), reactive oxygen species (ROS), p53 Ser‐15 phosphorylation and caspase‐dependent and ‐independent apoptosis, whereas a methylselenol precursor methylseleninic acid (MSeA) induces caspase‐mediated apoptosis regardless of p53 status. Here we address three main questions: What types of ROS are induced by selenite vs. MSeA in LNCaP (p53 wild type, androgen‐responsive) and DU145 (mutant p53, androgen‐independent) prostate cancer cells? Does ROS generation depend on androgen signaling? What are the relationships among ROS, DNA SSBs, p53 and caspases? We show that selenite (5 μM) induced superoxide and hydrogen peroxide in LNCaP cells much more than in DU145 cells and the ROS generation was not affected by physiological androgen stimulation. MSeA (10 μM) induced apoptosis without either type of ROS in both cell lines. In LNCaP cells, we established superoxide as a primary mediator for selenite‐induced DNA SSBs, p53 activation and caspase‐mediated apoptosis. Furthermore a p53‐dominant negative mutant attenuated selenite‐induced ROS, leading to a proportionate protection against apoptosis. The results support the p53‐mitochondria axis in a feedback loop for sustaining superoxide production to lead to efficient caspase‐mediated apoptosis by selenite. In contrast, caspase‐mediated apoptosis induced by MSeA does not involve ROS induction. Since p53 is frequently mutated or deleted in prostate cancer and many other cancers, our results suggest that genotoxic vs. nongenotoxic classes of selenium may exert differential apoptosis efficacy depending on the p53 status of the cancer cells. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Keeping eyes on the prize: officially sanctioned rule breaking in mass collaboration systems

Mass collaboration systems are often characterized as unstructured organizations lacking rule and order. However, examination of Wikipedia reveals that it contains a complex policy and rule structure that supports the organization. Bureaucratic organizations adopt workarounds to adjust rules more accurately to the context of use. Rather than resorting to these potentially dangerous exceptions, Wikipedia has created officially sanctioned rule breaking. The use and impact of the official rule breaking policy within Wikipedia is examined to test its impact on the outcomes of requests to delete articles in from the encyclopedia. The results demonstrate that officially sanctioned rule breaking and the Ignore all rules (IAR) policy are meaningful influences on deliberation outcomes, and rather than wreaking havoc, the IAR policy in Wikipedia has been adopted as a positive, functional governance mechanism.
Muscarinic depression of synaptic transmission at the hippocampal mossy fiber synapse.

1. The action of muscarine was studied in the CA3 region of the rat hippocampal slice with single-electrode voltage-clamp techniques. 2. Bath application of 1 or 10 microM muscarine produced an increase in the input resistance of these cells and reduced the slow afterhyperpolarization (sAHP) response. Changes in input resistance were more pronounced around the resting potential of the cell (-50 to -60 mV), but in many cells an effect was also seen at -80 mV. These effects were absent when cesium chloride-containing microelectrodes were used. 3. At 1 microM, muscarine had little effect on synaptic transmission, causing a 0 +/- 7% (mean +/- SE, n = 19) change in excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) and decreasing the excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC) by 11 +/- 6% (n = 14); neither change was statistically significant. 4. In contrast, 10 microM muscarine produced a reliable depression of both the EPSP and EPSC. This effect was independent of the electrolyte used: with KCl the EPSP was depressed 23 +/- 4% (n = 5) and the EPSC 35 +/- 5% (n = 4); for CsCl the EPSP was depressed 23 +/- 10% (n = 7) and the EPSC 34 +/- 5% (n = 7). 5. Muscarine did not alter the reversal potential of the synaptic current but merely produced a decrease in slope conductance (37 +/- 5%, n = 6). 6. Muscarine did not significantly alter the shape of the EPSC waveform. This was assessed by comparing the 10-90% rise time and the half decay time of the current before and after muscarine. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Bayesian Inference and Forensic Science: Problems and Perspectives

The debate about whether or not Bayesian inference provides a model for the process of assessing evidence in a court of law has generated a good amount of literature and some strongly voiced opinions. Let me start by making my own position clear: I am a forensic scientist and I am interested in the modelling of the legal process only to the extent that it enables the role of the scientist's evidence to be defined. The broader arguments centre on concepts such as the odds on guilt, but my professional colleagues jealously guard their detachment from the deliberations of guilt or otherwise and, personally, I am reluctant to handle equations which contain guilt probabilities. I shall concentrate on the problem of evaluating forensic science evidence against two narrower alternatives: C, the event that the suspect was at the crime scene and C, the event that the suspect was not at the crime scene. The great advantage of Bayesian inference is that it enables us to identify and, in principle, to answer the most appropriate range of questions which the scientist should address to be of greatest assistance to the investigator or to the court. Bayes Theorem shows us that, while the investigator or court is concerned with questions of the type: "what is the probability that the suspect was at the crime scene? ", the scientist, through the likelihood ratio, should address questions of the type "what is the probability of the evidence given that the suspect was at the crime scene? " and "what is the probability of the evidence given that the suspect was not at the crime scene? ". While this might appear almost self-evident to a practising Bayesian, it is only recently that forensic scientists have begun to be converted. Nevertheless there is now a growing realisation that Bayesian methods have something to offer and I am optimistic that over the coming years we can do a lot to fan that small flame. I propose next to describe the essentials of the forensic science transfer problem; then to describe briefly some of the work that has been done so far on developing solutions; then to look at ways in which developments could take place from here, emphasising the major challenges that are to be faced.
Changes in the Colonic Enteric Nervous System in Rats with Chemically Induced Colon Dysplasia and Carcinoma

The enteric nerve plexus in the colon was investigated in rats with chemically induced colonic adenocarcinoma. Tissue specimens from the colons of four group rats, namely controls, treated animals without development of colonic macro- or microscopic changes, rats with dysplasia and lymphoid hyperplasia, and rats with colonic adenocarcinoma were studied using immunocytochemistry, and quantified by computerized image analysis. No morphometeric changes were found in the treated rats regarding the myenteric and submucosal ganglia, with the exception of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), where the number of nerve cell bodies/ganglia was reduced in the myenteric ganglia in rats with both lymphoid hyperplasia and dysplasia, and carcinoma. The relative volume density of protein gene product (PGP) 9.5-immunoreactive (IR) nerve fibres was higher in the muscularis propria in rats with lymphoid hyperplasia and dysplasia, and carcinoma. However the relative volume density of PGP 9.5-IR nerve fibres was higher in the submucosa in rats with carcinoma only. The relative volume density of substance P- and VIP-IR nerve fibres was significantly higher in the muscularis propria in rats with colonic carcinoma. The relative volume density of NOS-IR nerve fibres was significantly decreased in both muscularis propria and submucosa in rats with lymphoid hyperplasia and dysplasia, and carcinoma. These findings imply that regulatory signals of the enteric innervation may be involved in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer.
RECURRENT MACULAR HOLES IN THE ERA OF SMALL-GAUGE VITRECTOMY: A Review of Incidence, Risk Factors, and Outcomes

Purpose: To evaluate the preoperative features, intraoperative management, and postoperative outcomes of recurrent macular holes that developed after initial successful repair with small-gauge vitrectomy techniques. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 392 eyes with idiopathic macular holes successfully treated with small-gauge vitrectomy. Thirteen of these eyes underwent reoperation after macular hole reopening. We assessed patient demographics, visual acuity, postoperative anatomical success, potential precipitating clinical factors of hole reopening, and details of the surgical repairs of these eyes. Results: Macular hole reopening occurred in 13 (3.3%) of 392 eyes in a mean of 28 months (range, 1–120 months) after initial repair. All 13 recurrent holes closed after a second vitrectomy, but 4 (31%) holes reopened again and had vitrectomy. Of these, 2 reopened a third time. Ultimately, 11 (85%) holes were closed at the most recent follow-up. The mean best-corrected visual acuity was 20/81 before initial repair, 20/148 after the first reopening, 20/115 after repair of the first reopening, and 20/55 after repair of >1 reopening. Ten of 13 (77%) patients had, or later developed, macular holes in the other eye during follow-up. Conclusion: Reoperation successfully achieved hole closure and ultimate visual improvement in most eyes with recurrent macular holes. Most patients with recurrent holes previously had, or later developed, full-thickness macular holes in the other eye.
Fuzzy-Cellular Automata Method for Noise Cancelation of Satellite and Radar Images and Maps

— A technique to lessen the impacts of variety of distortions occurred in aerial images is proposed. The proposed algorithm enhances the quality of the captured image by implementing a combination of fuzzy logic based technique and cellular structure modeling basic. Our solution for noise removal overcomes the difficulties of cellular automaton model in noise estimation and localization by providing an infrastructure of fuzzy rules and increases the accuracy by preventing the fuzzy technique to falsify the noise power in image with proposing a neighborhood. Efficiency in noise reduction and Time saving are the early findings in our simulation of the proposed algorithm.
Utility of Glasgow Coma Scale-Extended in symptom prediction following mild traumatic brain injury

Study objective: To examine the efficacy of the Glasgow Coma Scale-Extended (GCS-E) for the prediction of symptoms commonly associated with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). Method: Three hundred and sixty-one participants with a mild TBI were evaluated using the GCS-E and the Standardized Assessment of Concussion. A sub-group of 185 participants took part in a more extensive evaluation, which also included measures of depression and vestibular symptoms. All participants had a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 15, but experienced varying lengths of post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) as measured by the GCS-E. Results: Use of the GCS-E for assessment of PTA duration revealed that longer lengths of amnesia following mild TBI were associated with greater incidence of dizziness, depression and cognitive impairments during the first weeks after injury. Conclusion: Results suggest that the GCS-E is a useful tool for the prediction of symptoms associated with mild TBI.