Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Big Data, decision tree induction, and image analysis for the discovery of decision rules for colon examination

— The aim of our research was to develop a method that allows us automatically to discover the decision rules for diagnosing medical images in normal tissue images and images showing a polyp. We used a data set of images that came from an endoscope video system used for colon examination. The data set contains 283 normal tissue images and 61 polyp images. The 283 normal images consist of dark regions and reflection. One must decide if the image shows a polyp or not. This is a two-class problem. The unequal number of the data in the two classes makes our problem to an unbalanced data set problem. The polyps in the images were identified and selected by a “well-trained” medical expert. Based on these medical images, we study the behavior of two different statistical texture descriptors, the co-occurrence matrix-texture descriptor and our novel Random set texture descriptor. We review the theory of both texture descriptors and then we apply them to our medical data set. We used a decision-tree induction method to learn the classification rules based on our tool “Decision Master”. In both cases, for the full unequally distributed data set and for the balanced data set, we achieved the best error rate based the Random-set texture descriptor. The performance of the co-occurrence matrix-texture descriptor was worse. For statistical based texture descriptors large enough texture are necessary that cannot always guaranteed for medical objects. Since the co-occurrence matrix is based on higher order statistic that might be the reason for the worse performance. The results show that decision tree induction and image analysis based on our novel texture descriptor is an excellent method to mine medical images for the decision rules even when the data set is unbalanced, but not only that makes our Random-set based texture descriptor favorable. It also gives a flexible way to describe the appearance of the medical objects in symbolic terms, the computation time is less, and it can be set up as software module that can be flexible used in different systems
Low complexity list detection algorithm for Spatial Modulation with multiple active transmit antennas

Multiple Active Spatial Modulation (MA-SM) is a promising transmission technology for Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) system. In this paper, a linear list detection algorithm for MA-SM is proposed to trade off the performance and the complexity. The detection of the sub-set of the transmit antennas is firstly performed, resulting in a list of the best candidates. Then the constellation symbol detection is performed for each selected sub-set in the list. The simulation results together with the complexity analysis show that the proposed list detection algorithm can improve the Bit Error Rate (BER) performance compared with the existing detection algorithm without list but incurs not too much complexity increase.
MAPK3 at the Autism-Linked Human 16p11.2 Locus Influences Precise Synaptic Target Selection at Drosophila Larval Neuromuscular Junctions

Proper synaptic function in neural circuits requires precise pairings between correct pre- and post-synaptic partners. Errors in this process may underlie development of neuropsychiatric disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Development of ASD can be influenced by genetic factors, including copy number variations (CNVs). In this study, we focused on a CNV occurring at the 16p11.2 locus in the human genome and investigated potential defects in synaptic connectivity caused by reduced activities of genes located in this region at Drosophila larval neuromuscular junctions, a well-established model synapse with stereotypic synaptic structures. A mutation of rolled, a Drosophila homolog of human mitogen-activated protein kinase 3 (MAPK3) at the 16p11.2 locus, caused ectopic innervation of axonal branches and their abnormal defasciculation. The specificity of these phenotypes was confirmed by expression of wild-type rolled in the mutant background. Albeit to a lesser extent, we also observed ectopic innervation patterns in mutants defective in Cdk2, Gαq, and Gp93, all of which were expected to interact with Rolled MAPK3. A further genetic analysis in double heterozygous combinations revealed a synergistic interaction between rolled and Gp93. In addition, results from RT-qPCR analyses indicated consistently reduced rolled mRNA levels in Cdk2, Gαq, and Gp93 mutants. Taken together, these data suggest a central role of MAPK3 in regulating the precise targeting of presynaptic axons to proper postsynaptic targets, a critical step that may be altered significantly in ASD.
Nitroxides Increase the Detectable Amount of Nitric Oxide Released from Endothelial Cells*

Nitroxides are known to exert superoxide dismutase-mimetic properties and to decrease O·̄2- and H2O2-mediated cytotoxicity. However, the effect of nitroxides on ⋅NO homeostasis has not been studied yet. The present study investigates the effect of nitroxides on the detectable amount of ⋅NO released by 3-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1) and cultured endothelial cells. Cultured bovine aortic and atrial endothelial cells stimulated with 10 μm A23187 released a stable flux of ⋅NO, as detected by ⋅NO chemiluminescence. Addition of 100 units/ml SOD or 10 μmof the nitroxides 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxyl (TEMPOL), 3-carboxy-proxyl, and 3-ethoxycarbonyl-proxyl, increased the chemiluminescence signal. The effect of these nitroxides on the amount of ⋅NO released from cell monolayers was dose-dependent, with the highest efficacy between 30 and 100 μm. EPR spin trapping in SIN-1 solutions revealed the formation of ⋅OH adducts from spontaneous dismutation of O·̄2 and concomitant reaction with H2O2. Both SOD and TEMPOL increased the signal intensity of the ⋅OH adduct by accelerating the dismutation of O·̄2. The results of this study demonstrate that the SOD-mimetic activity of nitroxides increases the amount of bioavailable ⋅NO in vitro.
Pineal region tumors: an optimal approach for simultaneous endoscopic third ventriculostomy and biopsy.

OBJECT Simultaneous endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) and tumor biopsy is a widely accepted therapeutic and diagnostic procedure for patients with noncommunicating hydrocephalus secondary to a pineal region tumor. Multiple approaches have been advocated, including the use of a steerable fiberoptic or rigid lens endoscope via 1 or 2 trajectories. However, the optimal approach has not been established based on the individual anatomical characteristics of the patient. METHODS A retrospective review of patients undergoing simultaneous ETV and tumor biopsy was undertaken. Preoperative MR images were examined to measure the width of the anterior third ventricle and maximal diameters of the tumor, Monro foramen (right), and massa intermedia. The distances between the tumor and massa intermedia, tumor and anterior commissure, midbrain and massa intermedia, and the dorsum sella and anterior commissure were also recorded. Single and dual trajectory approaches were compared using paired t-tests for each parameter. RESULTS Over an 8-year interval, 15 patients underwent simultaneous ETV and tumor management. These patients ranged from 6 to 71 years of age (mean 36.7 years); 5 were younger than 18 years of age. Seven were treated using a dual trajectory approach, and 8 were treated using a single trajectory approach. All cases were completed without complications or the need for an additional CSF diversionary procedure within 6 months. The diagnostic yield at biopsy was 86.7%. There were no statistically significant differences between the single and dual trajectory groups for the measured parameters. However, the dual trajectory group demonstrated a larger anterior third ventricular diameter (1.43 vs 1.21 cm, p = 0.29). The single trajectory group trended toward a smaller tumor-anterior commissure interval (2.23 vs 2.51 cm, p = 0.24) and a larger dorsum sella-anterior commissure distance (1.67 vs 1.49 cm, p = 0.28). CONCLUSIONS These data confirm the safety and diagnostic efficacy of simultaneous ETV and biopsy for tumors of the pineal region. Although no statistically significant differences were seen in the authors' recorded measurements, several trends suggest a role for a tailored approach to selecting a single or dual trajectory approach when using a rigid endoscope.
High-Speed Laser Image Analysis of Plume Angles for Pressurised Metered Dose Inhalers: The Effect of Nozzle Geometry

The aim of this study is to investigate aerosol plume geometries of pressurised metered dose inhalers (pMDIs) using a high-speed laser image system with different actuator nozzle materials and designs. Actuators made from aluminium, PET and PTFE were manufactured with four different nozzle designs: cone, flat, curved cone and curved flat. Plume angles and spans generated using the designed actuator nozzles with four solution-based pMDI formulations were imaged using Oxford Lasers EnVision system and analysed using EnVision Patternate software. Reduced plume angles for all actuator materials and nozzle designs were observed with pMDI formulations containing drug with high co-solvent concentration (ethanol) due to the reduced vapour pressure. Significantly higher plume angles were observed with the PTFE flat nozzle across all formulations, which could be a result of the nozzle geometry and material’s hydrophobicity. The plume geometry of pMDI aerosols can be influenced by the vapour pressure of the formulation, nozzle geometries and actuator material physiochemical properties.
Analysis of Resonance and Filtering Effect Based on the Dynamics Modeling of TAPF

A TAPF device consisting of Active Power Filter and Thyristor Switched Filter is presented in this paper to balance filtering effect, device capacity and economic benefit. Firstly, the dynamic model of the TAPF system is established under the condition of harmonic current according to the Norton's theorem, and the resonance between the TAPF and the power grid is analyzed. Then the expressions of the harmonic currents flowing into the power grid and TAPF are given by impedance distribution theorem. The analysis results show that there is no resonance between the TAPF and the power grid and the TAPF device can suppress the harmonic current effectively in the system.
Effective Fluconazole Therapy for Liver Transplant Recipients During Continuous Hemodiafiltration

Fungal infections are still one of the main causes of death and complications after solid organ and bone marrow transplants. The authors evaluated the effect of continuous hemodiafiltration (CHDF) on the pharmacokinetics of fluconazole in liver transplant recipients. Six liver transplant patients (primary biliary cirrhosis, n = 2; fulminant hepatitis, n = 2; viral hepatitis, n = 2) were enrolled in this study. In one patient not receiving CHDF, the fluconazole levels increased with increasing dosages. In contrast, in patients undergoing CHDF, the dosage of fluconazole was increased from 100 mg/d to 200 mg/d, but fluconazole did not reach the targeted levels. It appears that the targeted trough level cannot be achieved by administration of fluconazole at a dosage of 100 to 200 mg/d during CHDF. A higher dosage (600–1000 mg/d) of fluconazole may be required to achieve the therapeutic drug level in patients undergoing CHDF. In patients undergoing CHDF, fluconazole was given at a dosage of 800 mg/d and reached the targeted levels. In addition, after CHDF, the dosage of fluconazole was decreased to 100 mg/d, and fluconazole reached the near-targeted trough level. These results demonstrate that CHDF removes fluconazole from the blood at an efficiently high rate, resulting in its ineffective blood level. To guarantee safe and effective fluconazole therapy, the trough levels should be monitored routinely during CHDF.
Alfred Kazin: A Biography

Born in 1915 to barely literate Jewish immigrants in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, Alfred Kazin rose from near poverty to become a dominant figure in twentieth-century literary criticism and one of America's last great men of letters. Biographer Richard M. Cook provides a portrait of Kazin in his public roles and in his frequently unhappy private life. Drawing on the personal journals Kazin kept for over 60 years, private correspondence, and numerous conversations with Kazin, he uncovers the full story of the lonely, stuttering boy from Jewish Brownsville who became a pioneering critic and influential cultural commentator. Upon the appearance of On Native Grounds in 1942, Kazin was dubbed "the boy wonder of American criticism. " Numerous publications followed, including A Walker in the City and two other memoirs, books of criticism, as well as a stream of essays and reviews that ceased only with his death in 1998. Cook tells of Kazin's childhood, his troubled marriages, and his relations with such figures as Lionel Trilling, Saul Bellow, Malcolm Cowley, Arthur Schlesinger, Hannah Arendt, and Daniel Bell. He illuminates Kazin's thinking on political-cultural issues and the recurring way in which his subject's personal life shaped his career as a public intellectual. Particular attention is paid to Kazin's sense of himself as a Jewish-American "loner" whose inner estrangements gave him insight into the divisions at the heart of modern culture.
Ventricular Tachycardia Originating from the Epicardium Identified by Intracoronary Mapping Using a PTCA Guidewire

We report a case in which endocardial radiofrequency (RF) ablation guided by unipolar intracoronary mapping using a guidewire was an effective therapy for treating VT originating from an epicardial site of the left ventricle. A 55‐year‐old man with dilated cardiomyopathy was referred for treatment of refractory sustained monomorphic VT. The earliest unipolar electrogram with a near‐perfect pace map was identified at segment #8 of the left anterior descending artery utilizing a guidewire through a microtube catheter during the VT. VT was terminated by an endocardial RF application at an upper midventricular septal site that did not have a good pacemap or the earliest electrogram, and that was the most adjacent anatomical endocardial site to the guidewire tip. No VT was clinically observed during a follow up period of 14 months.
Solar irradiances measured using SPN1 radiometers: uncertainties and clues for development

Abstract. The fast development of solar radiation and energy applications, such as photovoltaic and solar thermodynamic systems, has increased the need for solar radiation measurement and monitoring, for not only the global but also the diffuse and direct components. End users look for the best compromise between getting close to state-of-the-art measurements and keeping low capital, maintenance and operating costs. Among the existing commercial options, SPN1 is a relatively low cost solar radiometer that estimates global and diffuse solar irradiances from seven thermopile sensors under a shading mask and without moving parts. This work presents a comprehensive study of SPN1 accuracy and sources of uncertainty, drawing on laboratory experiments, numerical modelling and comparison studies between measurements from this sensor and state-of-the art instruments for six diverse sites. Several clues are provided for improving the SPN1 accuracy and agreement with state-of-the art measurements.
Effects of Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibition on Brain Infarction in SOD-1-Transgenic Mice following Transient Focal Cerebral Ischemia

To investigate the role of superoxide in the toxicity of nitric oxide (NO), we examined the effect of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibition on brain infarction in transgenic mice overexpressing CuZn-superoxide dismutase (SOD-1). Male SOD-transgenic mice and nontransgenic littermates (30–35 g) were subjected to 60 min of middle cerebral artery occlusion followed by 24 h of reperfusion. Either N G -nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME; 3 mg/kg), a mixed neuronal and endothelial NOS inhibitor, or 7-nitroindazole (7-NI; 25 mg/kg), a selective neuronal NOS inhibitor, was administered intraperitoneally 5 min after the onset of ischemia. At 24 h of reperfusion, the mice were decapitated and the infarct volume was evaluated in each group. In the nontransgenic mice, l-NAME significantly increased the infarct volume as compared with the vehicle, while 7-NI significantly decreased it. In the SOD-transgenic mice, l-NAME-treated animals showed a significantly larger infarct volume than vehicle-treated ones, whereas there were no significant differences between 7-NI- and vehicle-treated mice. Our findings suggest that selective inhibition of neuronal NOS ameliorates ischemic brain injury and that both neuronal and endothelial NOS inhibition may result in the deterioration of ischemic injury due to vasoconstriction of the brain. Since l-NAME increased infarct volume even in SOD-transgenic mice, the protective effect of SOD could result from the vasodilation by increased endothelial NO as well as the reduction of neuronal injury due to less production of peroxynitrite compared to wild-type mice. Moreover, the neurotoxic role of NO might not be dependent on NO itself, but the reaction with superoxide to form peroxynitrite, because of no additive effects of SOD and a neuronal NOS inhibitor.
Racial Differences in the Effects of Neighborhood Disadvantage on Residential Mobility in Later Life.

OBJECTIVES Past research on the residential mobility of older adults has focused on individual-level factors and life course events. Less attention has been paid to the role of the residential environment in explaining residential mobility in older adults. We sought to understand whether neighborhood disadvantage had predictive utility in explaining residential relocation patterns, and whether associations differed between Whites and non-Whites. METHOD Data are from the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project, a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling older adults. Neighborhoods were defined at the census tract level. Local movers (different census tract, same county) and distant movers (different county) were compared with stayers. RESULTS After adjusting for individual-level factors, neighborhood disadvantage increased the likelihood of a local move, regardless of race/ethnicity. For non-Whites, higher neighborhood disadvantage decreased the likelihood of a distant move. Among local movers, Blacks and Latinos were less likely to improve neighborhood quality than Whites. DISCUSSION Neighborhood disadvantage may promote local mobility by undermining person-environment fit. Racial differences in access to better neighborhoods persist in later life. Future research should explore how older adults optimize person-environment fit in the face of neighborhood disadvantage when the possibility of relocation to a better neighborhood may be restricted.
Re-Finding Behaviour in Vertical Domains

Re-finding is the process of searching for information that a user has previously encountered and is a common activity carried out with information retrieval systems. In this work, we investigate re-finding in the context of vertical search, differentiating and modeling user re-finding behavior within different media and topic domains, including images, news, reference material, and movies. We distinguish the re-finding behavior in vertical domains from re-finding in a general search context and engineer features that are effective in differentiating re-finding across the domains. The features are then used to build machine-learned models, achieving an accuracy of re-finding detection in verticals of 85.7% on average. Our results demonstrate that detecting re-finding in specific verticals is more difficult than examining re-finding for general search tasks. We then investigate the effectiveness of differentiating re-finding behavior in two restricted contexts: We consider the case where the history of a searcher’s interactions with the search system is not available. In this scenario, our features and models achieve an average accuracy of 77.5% across the domains. We then examine the detection of re-finding during the early part of a search session. Both of these restrictions represent potential real-world search scenarios, where a system is attempting to learn about a user but may have limited information available. Finally, we investigate in which types of domains re-finding is most difficult. Here, it would appear that re-finding images is particularly challenging for users. This research has implications for search engine design, in terms of adapting search results by predicting the type of user tasks and potentially enabling the presentation of vertical-specific results when re-finding is identified. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work to investigate the issue of vertical re-finding.
PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF NATURE EXPERIENCES: AN OUTLINE OF RESEARCH AND THEORY With Special Reference to Transpersonal Psychology

Research settings include a full range of encounters with nature -extended wilderness excursions, hiking in open space, strolling through a city park, gardening, tending a small plot of urban grass or a vacant city lot with its attendant ecosystem, and even watching nature scenes on TV. While different psychological approaches (evolutionary, behavioral, cognitive, psychodynamic, systems, humanistic, and transpersonal) focus on different aspects of the psychological benefits of nature experiences, all have shown that nature experiences are desirable and healthy. This is phenomenal agreement! There is also limited, but suggestive, research that these findings are cross-cultural and universal.
An efficient scheme for automatic web pages categorization using the support vector machine

ABSTRACT In the past few years, with an evolution of the Internet and related technologies, the number of the Internet users grows exponentially. These users demand access to relevant web pages from the Internet within fraction of seconds. To achieve this goal, there is a requirement of an efficient categorization of web page contents. Manual categorization of these billions of web pages to achieve high accuracy is a challenging task. Most of the existing techniques reported in the literature are semi-automatic. Using these techniques, higher level of accuracy cannot be achieved. To achieve these goals, this paper proposes an automatic web pages categorization into the domain category. The proposed scheme is based on the identification of specific and relevant features of the web pages. In the proposed scheme, first extraction and evaluation of features are done followed by filtering the feature set for categorization of domain web pages. A feature extraction tool based on the HTML document object model of the web page is developed in the proposed scheme. Feature extraction and weight assignment are based on the collection of domain-specific keyword list developed by considering various domain pages. Moreover, the keyword list is reduced on the basis of ids of keywords in keyword list. Also, stemming of keywords and tag text is done to achieve a higher accuracy. An extensive feature set is generated to develop a robust classification technique. The proposed scheme was evaluated using a machine learning method in combination with feature extraction and statistical analysis using support vector machine kernel as the classification tool. The results obtained confirm the effectiveness of the proposed scheme in terms of its accuracy in different categories of web pages.