Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Left ventricular noncompaction: imaging findings and diagnostic criteria.

OBJECTIVE The objectives of this article are to review the imaging findings of left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) at echocardiography, cardiac MRI, and MDCT; to discuss diagnostic criteria for and the advantages and limitations of these imaging techniques; and to describe pitfalls that can lead to misinterpretation of findings of LVNC. CONCLUSION LVNC is a cardiac disease of emerging importance, and imaging has a key role in its diagnosis. Accordingly, radiologists should be familiar with LVNC imaging findings to realize an accurate diagnosis.
Service Quality and Consumer Behavior on Metered Taxi Services

The purposes of this research are to make comparisons in respect of the behaviors on the use of the services of metered taxi classified by the demographic factor and to study the influence of the recognition on service quality having the effect on usage behaviors of metered taxi services of consumers in Bangkok Metropolitan Areas. The samples used in this research were 400 metered taxi service users in Bangkok Metropolitan Areas and questionnaire was used as the tool for collecting the data. Analysis statistics are mean and multiple regression analysis. Results of the research revealed that the consumers recognize the overall quality of services in each aspect include tangible aspects of the service, responses to customers, assurance on the confidence, understanding and knowing of customers which is rated at the moderate level except the aspect of the assurance on the confidence and trustworthiness which are rated at a high level. For the result of hypothetical test, it is found that the quality in providing the services on the aspect of the assurance given to the customers has the effect on the usage behaviors of metered taxi services and the aspect of the frequency on the use of the services per month which in this connection. Such variable can forecast at one point nine percent (1.9%). In addition, quality in providing the services and the aspect of the responses to customers have the effect on the behaviors on the use of metered taxi services on the aspect of the expenses on the use of services per month which in this connection, such variable can forecast at two point one percent (2.1%). Keywords—Consumer behavior, metered taxi, satisfaction, service quality.
Conception de modèles de prévision des crues éclair par apprentissage artificiel

Le Sud de la France subit regulierement des inondations devastatrices et meurtrieres resultant d’episodes pluvieux tres intenses et localises. La prevision de ces evenements rapides et complexes est tres difficile. Cree dans ce contexte, le projet FLASH (Flood forecasting with machine Learning, data Assimilation and Semi-pHysical modeling) regroupe plusieurs laboratoires partenaires qui ont pour objectif de fournir au SCHAPI (Service Central d’Hydrometeorologie et d’Appui a la Prevision des Inondations) des modeles de prevision des crues afin d’alimenter la carte de vigilance des crues disponible sur internet. La zone d’etude principale est le Gardon d’Anduze. Des modeles a reseaux de neurones avec deux types d’architecture sont realises pour prevoir la hauteur du cours d’eau a partir des pluies et des hauteurs passees. La selection du nombre de neurones caches, du nombre de variables, de certains parametres de l’algorithme d’apprentissage, ainsi que l’initialisation des parametres des reseaux, determinante pour l’estimation des performances des modeles, est effectuee par validation croisee. Les previsions obtenues en test sont interessantes jusqu’a un horizon de prevision de 2h voire 3h suivant l’evenement en test. La mise en œuvre d’un apprentissage adaptatif est decevante. L’utilisation de hauteurs de pluies issues des mesures radar, plutot que celles provenant des pluviometres, a conduit a des premiers resultats equivalents. Enfin, la methodologie etablie a ete appliquee a la conception de modeles pour la prevision des crues sur le Gardon a Remoulins, bassin versant qui inclut celui precedemment etudie ; ces modeles donnent des resultats satisfaisants.
Improving Retrieval performance of English-Hindi based Cross-Language Information Retrieval

The hurdle problem in Cross Language Information Retrieval (CLIR) is the poor performance when compared to monolingual performance in terms of average precision. The main reasons behind the poor performance of CLIR are query term mismatching, multiple representations of query terms and un-translated query terms. In this paper, we are putting our effort to solve the given problem which is discussed in detail. The limitations are needed to be addressed in order to increase the performance of the CLIR system. By analyzing those methods the architecture for English-Hindi CLIR system is proposed. Pre and post query expansion is used to improve the performance of English-Hindi CLIR system using English and Hindi WordNet, Local Expansion using initial query, definition based pre query expansion and keyword ranking. The pre and post query expansion helps to improving the performance of English-Hindi CLIR system and based upon past experiences the proposed approach retrieves more relevant information. All experiments are performed on FIRE 2010 (Forum of Information Retrieval Evaluation) datasets. The experimental results show that the proposed approach gives equal/better performance of English-Hindi CLIR system compared to monolingual performance and also helps in overcoming existing problems and outperforms the existing English-Hindi CLIR system in terms of average precision.
Safety and efficacy comparison of blue versus red light sources for photodynamic therapy using methyl aminolevulinate in photodamaged skin.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE methyl aminolevulinate (MAL) is a recently FDA-approved molecule for photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the treatment of nonhyperkeratotic actinic keratoses (AK). In the U.S., aminolevulinic acid (ALA) has been used in an off-label manner with photodynamic therapy for the treatment of chronic photodamage. The published use of MAL-PDT for photorejuvenation is more limited. MAL-PDT is usually conducted with a red light source, ALA-PDT with a blue light source. The purpose of this study is to compare the use of red versus blue light sources in the treatment of photodamage using MAL-PDT, measuring safety and efficacy outcomes following treatment. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIAL AND METHODS eighteen adult patients with moderate-to-severe photodamage of the head or upper trunk were enrolled in a prospective, single center trial of MAL-PDT for photorejuvenation. Intrapatient randomization determined split-area treatment with a blue or red light source. The majority of patients were also treated with pulsed dye laser (PDL) and/or intense pulsed light (IPL) for photoactivation. Digitial photography documented the treatment area at each visit (days 0, 2, 7 and 30). Patient and physician scoring of photodamage occurred at baseline and final visits. Side effects following MAL-PDT were evaluated. RESULTS no statistically significant differences in signs of photodamage following MAL-PDT were observed between blue versus red light treated sides. The greatest improvement in photodamage measures following 1 MAL-PDT were pigmentation, AK and erythema. Side effects were mild in nature and did not differ between treatment sides, and all but mild erythema resolved by day 7. CONCLUSION blue and red light have similar efficacy as the light source for MAL-PDT when combined with other light sources. Side effects following MAL-PDT with red versus blue light were similar and mild in severity. MAL-PDT is an effective treatment modality for chronic photodamage, in particular AK and pigmentation.
Cultural predictors of self-esteem: a study of Chinese American female and male young adults.

This study examined how specific domains of cultural orientation (language, social affiliation, and cultural pride) related to self-esteem for a sample of 174 Chinese American male and 179 Chinese American female college students. Participants completed measures of cultural orientation (General Ethnicity Questionnaire; J.L. Tsai, Y.W. Ying, & P.A. Lee, 2000) and self-esteem (M. Rosenberg, 1965). Cultural orientation significantly predicted self-esteem, above and beyond the contribution of age, gender, grade point average, and socioeconomic status. Specifically, proficiency in English and Chinese languages and pride in Chinese culture were positively correlated with self-esteem, whereas affiliation with Chinese people was negatively correlated with selfesteem. The cultural predictors of self-esteem differed for Chinese American men and women. Whereas self-esteem was mainly related to pride in Chinese culture for Chinese American women, self-esteem was mainly related to English and Chinese language proficiency for Chinese American men. Implications of these findings for understanding Asian Americans are discussed.
Identification of Siderophore Biosynthesis Genes Essential for Growth of Aeromonas salmonicida under Iron Limitation Conditions

ABSTRACT Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida, the etiological agent of furunculosis in fish, produces a catechol-type siderophore under iron-limiting conditions. In this study, the Fur titration assay (FURTA) was used to identify a cluster of six genes, asbG, asbF, asbD, asbC, asbB, and asbI, encoding proteins similar to components of the siderophore biosynthetic machinery in other bacteria. Reverse transcriptase PCR analyses showed that this cluster consists of four iron-regulated transcriptional units. Mutants with deletions in either asbD (encoding a multidomain nonribosomal peptide synthetase), asbG (encoding a histidine decarboxylase), or asbC (encoding a predicted histamine monooxygenase) did not grow under iron-limiting conditions and did not produce siderophores. Growth of the ΔasbG strain under iron starvation conditions was restored by addition of histamine, suggesting that the siderophore in this species could contain a histamine-derived moiety. None of the mutants could grow in the presence of transferrin, indicating that A. salmonicida uses the catechol-type siderophore for removal of iron from transferrin rather than relying on a receptor for this iron-binding protein. All 18 A. salmonicida strains analyzed by DNA probe hybridization were positive in tests for the presence of the asbD gene, and all of them promoted the growth of asbD, asbG, and asbC mutants, suggesting that this siderophore-mediated iron uptake system is conserved among A. salmonicida isolates. This study provides the first description of siderophore biosynthesis genes in this fish pathogen, and the results demonstrate that the asbD, asbG, and asbC genes are necessary for the production of a catecholate siderophore that is essential for the growth of A. salmonicida under iron limitation conditions.
Human herpesvirus type 6 indirectly enhances oligodendrocyte cell death

Accumulating evidence suggests that human herpesvirus type 6 (HHV-6) plays a pathogenic role in diseases of the central nervous system including multiple sclerosis (MS). Recent studies have indicated that HHV-6 DNA is detected with high frequency in MS lesions compared to normal-appearing white matter, implicating a role for HHV-6 in MS pathogenesis. It appears that T cells, which infiltrate into the brain in MS patients, and resident oligodendrocytes harbor HHV-6 virus in MS lesions. Because T cells infected with HHV-6 have elevated proinflammatory gene expression, we hypothesized that HHV-6 could be indirectly cytotoxic to glial cells, including oligodendrocytes. Supernatants from SupT1 cells infected with HHV-6 variant A (GS or U1102) or variant B (Z29) significantly reduced MO3.1 cell proliferation by 75% ± 10%, 78% ± 8% or 51% ±9%, respectively. HHV-6 viral supernatants (GS or U1102 or Z29) significantly increased MO3.1 or primary human oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) cell death, whereas primary human fetal astrocytes were not affected. Removal of HHV-6 virions or proteins by trypsin treatment from culture supernatants did not reverse the loss in oligodendrocyte proliferation or viability. Supernatants from HHV-6 GS or U1102 cultures were significantly more cytotoxic to MO3.1 cells or OPCs compared to supernatants from T cells infected with Z29. Dying oligodendrocytes did not have an apoptotic-like phenotype and toxicity was not inhibited by general inhibitor of apoptosis, ZVAD. Further, oligodendrocytes had minimal caspase-3 activation even in the presence of staurosporine, suggesting that cell death followed caspase-independent pathways. These results indicate that HHV-6 is indirectly cytotoxic to oligodendrocytes and that cell death is driven primarily by caspase-independent pathways.
IP multimedia subsystems in 3GPP and 3GPP2: overview and scalability issues

The Internet has experienced tremendous expansion in the past several years. Demands for IP multimedia services are emerging. The third-generation (3G) wireless networks aim to support mobile users with numerous Internet services. 3G standards organizations are developing IP multimedia subsystems (IMS) to achieve seamless integration between Internet and 3G networks. Moreover, the collaboration between IETF, 3GPP, and 3GPP2 is essential to the development of IMS for next-generation networks. This article first provides an overview of 3GPP and 3GPP2 IMS and illustrates the IMS requirements, architectures, and functional models. We then discuss potential scalability issues in IMS. This article provides guidance for constructing a robust and scalable IMS.
CWR22: androgen-dependent xenograft model derived from a primary human prostatic carcinoma.

The long-term propagation of primary human prostate cancer (PCA) in vivo or in vitro has been rare. Most such PCAs are phenotypically different from most PCAs in humans; i.e., they make little prostate specific antigen and respond little, if at all, to androgen deprivation. A serially transplantable, primary human PCA, designated CWR22, exhibits a clonal cytogenetic aberration, causes high elevations of prostate specific antigen in the peripheral blood of nude mice, and is unusually responsive to androgen deprivation as compared with other xenografts. Studies of mRNA from CWR22 have demonstrated the expression of prostate specific antigen and the epidermal growth factor receptor family including erbB1/epidermal growth factor receptor, erbB2/neu, and erbB3, but not erbB4. A ligand for these receptors, the neu differentiation factor, is also expressed.
Efficiency of selenium in attenuating epididymal histopathological changes in hypercholesterolaemic adult rat.

BACKGROUND Studies on sperm maturation, epididymal histology, or epididymal tubule physiology are significant parts in reproductive researches. The present study was aimed to evaluate the effect of induced hypercholesterolaemia on the epididymis of adult albino rats and to clarify the possible protective role of selenium. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty adult albino Wistar rats were divided into four groups; untreated control group (group I), sham control (group II), group with induced hypercholesterolaemia (group III), group with induced hypercholesterolaemia treated with selenium 0.25 mg/kg/day (group IV). RESULTS Histological and ultrastructural examination of the epididymal epithelial cells of hypercholesterolaemic rats (group III) showed loss of cilia with many vacuolations, fatty degenerative changes and increased collagen fibres. Morphometrically significant increase (p < 0.0001) in the per cent area of collagen fibres with no significant change in the optical density of periodic acid Schiff reaction (p > 0.05). Selenium treated group (group IV) produced marked improvement in histological, ultrastructural and morphometric results as compared with group III. CONCLUSIONS It could be concluded that hypercholesterolaemia produced deleterious effects to the epididymis and selenium could attenuate these effects.
Development of a novel web application for automatic photovoltaic system performance analysis and fault identification

This paper details the development of the pvpaR (PV Performance Analysis in R) web application built on open-source technologies for the automated and user-friendly evaluation of photovoltaic (PV) system performance and identification and classification of faults. pvpaR's ecosystem is based on the R statistical computing project, both for the back-end as well as for the front-end which uses the Shiny web application framework. Currently, the core of the application incorporates models for synthesizing time-series of irradiance, module temperature, PV system voltage, current, DC and AC power. These are used to validate the imported field measurements and create the comparison which the fault identification function is dependent upon. The web application can currently import measurements from flat files and databases. It has been released under the GNU Affero GPL license to encourage contributions, with the goal to become a useful tool for the PV community and PV system owners.
A multimode CT ΔΣ-modulator with a reconfigurable digital feedback filter for semi-digital blocker/interferer rejection

This paper presents a multimode-mode filtering ΔΣ-modulator for receivers with reconfigurable digitally enhanced blocker rejection. The required signal to noise ratio of the signal of interest is typically much lower than the required DR due to also received interfering signals. Therefore, it is of interest to build the ADC in the receiver with a high blocker tolerance, to reduce its required signal to noise ratio and even relax the rest of the receiver chain. For this purpose, a semi-digital implementation of a reconfigurable and frequency selective interferer suppression is proposed. The prototype is designed in a 28nm CMOS technology, occupies an area of 0.089mm2 and achieves 59.4/57.9/50.4dB inband SNDR in a bandwidth of 8.9/18.3/38.3MHz, together with a power consumption of 12.5/14.3/15.6mW. Using the proposed technique, the modulator simultaneously achieves a out-of-band blocker tolerance which is even +18dB beyond full scale.
Torque Ripple-Free Operation of PM BLDC Drives With Petal-Wave Current Supply

Further to the vector analysis in the stationary plane of the behavior of a permanent-magnet brushless dc (PM BLDC) drive, this paper proposes a method of synthesizing the current supply of the motor that ensures torque ripple-free operation of the drive. The synthesis is carried out analytically by the vector approach, and the resulting current vector is then expressed in motor phase coordinates. It comes out that the current vector has a petal-shape trajectory in the stationary plane. The operation of the drive with such a current supply is extensively examined; in particular, the torque capability for an rms value of the phase currents equal to the rated one, the requirements for the voltages to be applied across the motor terminals, and the base speed in correspondence to the supply voltage saturation are determined. At last, experimental traces obtained from an in-wheel PM BLDC drive used for the traction of light electric vehicles are included to corroborate the theoretical findings.
Transcriptional and Antagonistic Responses of Biocontrol Strain Lysobacter enzymogenes OH11 to the Plant Pathogenic Oomycete Pythium aphanidermatum

Lysobacter enzymogenes is a ubiquitous, beneficial, plant-associated bacterium emerging as a novel biological control agent. It has the potential to become a new source of antimicrobial secondary metabolites such as the Heat-Stable Antifungal Factor (HSAF), which is a broad-spectrum antimycotic with a novel mode of action. However, very little information about how L. enzymogenes detects and responds to fungi or oomycetes has been reported. An in vitro confrontation bioassay between the pathogenic oomycete Pythium aphanidermatum and the biocontrol bacterial strain L. enzymogenes OH11 was used to analyze the transcriptional changes in the bacteria that were induced by the oomycetes. Analysis was performed at three time points of the interaction, starting before inhibition zone formation until inhibition zone formation. A L. enzymogenes OH11 DNA microarray was constructed for the analysis. Microarray analysis indicated that a wide range of genes belonging to 14 diverse functions in L. enzymogenes were affected by P. aphanidermatum as critical antagonistic effects occurred. L. enzymogenes detected and responded to the presence of P. aphanidermatum early, but alteration of gene expression typically occurred after inhibition zone formation. The presence of P. aphanidermatum increased the twitching motility and HSAF production in L. enzymogenes. We also performed a contact interaction between L. enzymogenes and P. aphanidermatum, and found that HSAF played a critical role in the interaction. Our experiments demonstrated that L. enzymogenes displayed transcriptional and antagonistic responses to P. aphanidermatum in order to gain advantages in the competition with this oomycete. This study revealed new insights into the interactions between bacteria and oomycete.
Complexity reduced detection for virtual layered space time receivers

In this paper, we introduce, a new method named “Complexity Reduction Method based on Compensation Distance” in order to reduce the complexity of the detection in virtual layered space-time receivers in multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems. Moreover, this method is practical even when the number of transmitting streams is greater than that of receiving antennas. Computer simulations indicate that the proposed method can be used to reduce the complexity of detection to approximately 20% in [8×4] (the transmitter is equipped with 8 antennas and the receiver is equipped with 4 antennas) systems.
Comparative secretome analysis of human bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells during osteogenesis

Osteogenesis is a tightly regulated process that involves coordinated extracellular signals from autocrine and paracrine loops. Secretory proteins during osteogenesis can inhibit cell proliferation and activate cell differentiation toward mature osteoblasts, which are characterized by mineralization. In this study, we attempted to identify these secretory proteins during osteogenesis using LC–MS/MS analysis. We compared the secretome between undifferentiated human bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) and differentiated osteoblasts. Among 315 proteins that were identified, 177 proteins were present at increased levels in osteoblasts, whereas 88 proteins were present at decreased levels. Among the identified proteins, several were validated by quantitative RT‐PCR and immunoblot analysis. Of particular interest, calcium homeostasis‐related proteins were upregulated, whereas stem cell proliferation‐related proteins and other lineage‐related proteins were downregulated during osteogenesis. These findings provide information about the dynamic changes in the expression and secretion of proteins during osteogenesis and suggest the putative role of secretory proteins in osteogenesis. J. Cell. Physiol. 228: 216–224, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.