Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Potato: A Model Crop Plant for Tissue Culture

It is a commonly held misconception that plant tissue culture is a new technology. In reality, the concept that the individual cells of an organism are totipotent is implicit in the statement of the cell theory [1]. T. Schwarm in 1839 expressed the view that each living cell of a multicellular organism should be capable of independent development if provided with the appropriate external conditions. During the latter part of the 19th century several plant scientists performed experiments on fragments of tissues isolated from higher plants. Wound callus formation on isolated stem and root slice fragments were described, callus being the disorganized proliferation of actively dividing cells. G. Haberlandt in 1902 [2] began the concept of cell culture, and was the first person to attempt to cultivate isolated plant cells in vitro on an artificial medium. A tribute to Haberlandt's genius, with a translation of his paper 'Experiments on the culture of isolated plants cells' was published in 1969 (3). He suggested the utilization of embryo sac fluids as a type of culture medium and the possibility of culturing artficial embryos from vegetative cells. Early in the 20th century interest shifted to the culture of meristematic tissues in the form of isolated roof tips: these were the first sterile organ cultures to be performed; W. J. Robbins [4] and W. Kotte [5] both published results on culture of isolated roots. It was P. R. White [6], however, experimenting with tomato roots in 1934, who succeeded for the first time in demonstrating the potentially indefinite culture of isolated roots. During the 1960s it was shown that cultured anthers (containing haploid pollen grains or microspores) have the potential to produce haploid embryos and plantlets [7, 8, 9, 10]. Later, with the aid of chemical treatments, it became possible to culture microspores, double the chromosone number, and collect seed from
Worldviews and discursive construction of GMO-related risk perceptions in Turkey

This paper analyses the discursive construction of the genetically modified organisms (GMOs) issue in the Turkish political arena following the public debate on the pending legislation on biosecurity. The study proposes an operational approach to semiotic/actor network theory (Latour) applied to public representations of a new technology within the theoretical frameworks of social representation theory and cultural theory of risks. It aims to highlight how different worldviews produce different risk discourses of GMOs in Turkey. Using cluster analysis to inductively extract evaluative categories, we use these to identify themes by human coding. Lastly, we apply formal concept analysis to link themes to actors and their worldviews, establishing their semantic networks. Formal concept analysis revealed four discourse networks reflecting nationalist, Islamist, progressive (left) and neo-liberal worldviews. Finally, these structures will be grounded back in the articles for a richer interpretive analysis.
An Efficient Pilot Design Method for OFDM-Based Cognitive Radio Systems

In orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM)-based cognitive radio (CR) systems, the subcarriers already occupied by the primary users cannot be used by the secondary users. This leads to possibly non-contiguous positions of the available subcarriers for the secondary users. The conventional pilot design methods are no longer effective for such systems. In this paper, we propose a new practical pilot design method for OFDM-based CR systems. We first formulate the pilot design as a new optimization problem. Instead of minimizing the mean-square error (MSE) of the least-squares (LS) channel estimator, we minimize an upper bound which is related to this MSE. We then propose an efficient scheme to solve the optimization problem. Specifically, the pilot indices are obtained sequentially by solving a series of one-dimensional optimization problems of significantly lower complexity. The computational complexity of the proposed scheme is low since it only involves real additions. Simulation results show that the pilot index sequences obtained by the proposed method exhibit significantly better performance than those obtained by existing pilot design methods.
ANALYSIS AND VIABILITY OF WDM TECHNOLOGY IN POF ACCESS NETWORKS

In this paper we will analyze the viability of the WDM technology in access networks, especially in a house network, choosing as a transmission medium optical fibers with a plastic core. In order to address it we will introduce the transmission medium as well as components currently available there regarding our implementation requirements. The deployment will be specified in terms of performance, maximum rates and any degradation that might appear in the system. Moreover we will compare the deployment with other available technologies and with the monochannel transmission emphasizing the advantages in a house environment, planning a link point to point with its technical schemes, devices and the budged with its specifications exemplifying the previous development. We‟ll end up with some conclusions and future investigation guidelines that help to the implementation of this configuration in the market.
Investigation on Beam-Blocker-Based Scatter Correction Method for Improving CT Number Accuracy

Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) is gaining widespread use in various medical and industrial applications but suffers from substantially larger amount of scatter than that in the conventional diagnostic CT resulting in relatively poor image quality. Various methods that can reduce and/or correct for the scatter in the CBCT have therefore been developed. Scatter correction method that uses a beam-blocker has been considered a direct measurement-based approach providing accurate scatter estimation from the data in the shadows of the beam-blocker. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no record reporting the significance of the scatter from the beam-blocker itself in such correction methods. In this paper, we identified the scatter from the beam-blocker that is detected in the object-free projection data investigated its influence on the image accuracy of CBCT reconstructed images, and developed a scatter correction scheme that takes care of this scatter as well as the scatter from the scanned object.
Estimation of Soil Moisture and Faraday Rotation From Bare Surfaces Using Compact Polarimetry

The potential of compact polarimetry (CP) mode at longer wavelengths in a space environment for surface parameter estimation is investigated. CP consists of transmitting a single polarization while receiving two polarizations. At longer wavelengths, one of the main challenges associated with CP from space is Faraday rotation (FR) estimation and correction. In this paper, an estimation procedure for FR is presented, which relies on the scattering properties of bare surfaces. The selection of the bare surfaces is based on a new parameter, the conformity coefficient computed from CP measurements. This parameter is shown to be FR invariant. Once estimated, the FR can be corrected over the whole image. A simple approximation to sigmaHH o and sigmaVV o based on CP measurements over bare soil surfaces is presented, from which soil moisture can be estimated using the 1995 Dubois algorithm. The results obtained using CP are shown to be in good agreement with those obtained from the standard Dubois algorithm using fully polarimetric data. This implies that, for soil moisture, CP can be used instead of HH and VV dual-polarized measurements.
International Expert Committee report on the role of the A1c assay in the diagnosis of diabetes: Diabetes Care 2009; 32(7): 1327-1334.

In 2008, an Expert Committee was convened to redefine the diagnosis of diabetes (in non-pregnant individuals) using glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c). Whilst Committee Members were appointed from the American Diabetes Association (ADA), the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), it should be noted that the recommendations of the Committee have yet to be endorsed by these associations. The recommendations1 were published in the July edition of Diabetes Care with an accompanying editorial2 and were presented at the 2009 ADA 69th Scientific Sessions held in New Orleans in June. A summary of the recommendations is presented below.
Side Effects of Calcium Channel Blockers

Calcium channel blocking drugs are a chemically heterogenous group, so it might be expected that their effects on vascular smooth muscle, cardiac contractility, and conduction tissue may differ. However, the majority of adverse reactions are predictable from their pharmacological actions and may be conveniently grouped in the following categories: 1) vasodilatation, 2) negative inotropic effects, 3) conduction disturbances, 4) gastrointestinal effects, 5) metabolic effects, and 6) drug interactions. Vasodilatory symptoms, namely, dizziness, headaches, flushing sensation, and palpitation, are more likely with nifedipine. Peripheral edema is also common with nifedipine, but the mechanism is uncertain. For a given degree of vasodilation, the greatest negative inotropic effect is seen with verapamil first, diltiazem second, and nifedipine last. Calcium channel blocking drugs are contraindicated in hypertensive patients with second and third degree heart block, sick sinus syndrome, and severe heart failure. Verapamil and diltiazem have a significant effect on cardiac conduction, whereas nifedipine, in therapeutic doses, does not. Local gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea and constipation, are common with verapamil. None of the calcium channel blocking drugs have been reported to adversely affect lipid or protein metabolism. However, nifedipine, verapamil, and diltiazem in high doses may inhibit liberation of insulin. The significance of this finding needs to be explored further in hypertensive diabetics. Serum digoxin levels have been shown to increase after administration of verapamil and nifedipine, but there is no evidence that this change has any clinical relevance. The combination of calcium channel blocking drugs and β-blockers may be beneficial in hypertensive patients with normal heart function but should be avoided in the presence of cardiac function impairments.
Exploration with active loop closing: A trade-off between exploration efficiency and map quality

A robotic system for search and rescue missions needs to efficiently explore and map new areas. In this paper, we present an integrated exploration strategy with active loop closing, which balances between the exploration speed and map quality. Specifically, it finds a trade-off between moving towards unknown space to gather new information and revisiting previous locations to improve localization accuracy and map quality through loop closures. Our integrated exploration is built upon a submap-based 6D SLAM system. Loop closure constraints originate from pairwise submap matches, which allow the optimization of an underlying SLAM graph. During exploration, we employ the expected information gain as well as the robot's localization uncertainty estimates to weigh exploration and revisiting actions online. We introduce the match effect as the expected impact of a loop closure on global optimization and consider this novel criterion together with the match likelihood and cost when evaluating the utility of revisiting previous locations. To demonstrate our approach, we present simulated and real-world experiments, comparing two variants of our novel method to a frontier-based exploration.
Building the leaders we need: The role of presence, learning conditions, and andragogy in developing leaders who can change the face of public Pre-K through 12 education

Many researchers, educational practitioners, business leaders, and schools of education have weighed in on the essential attributes or characteristics of “good” leaders. Two characteristics that are often assumed to exist in good leaders are that: (1) they are reflective practitioners and (2) they have the skills to create change in others. Educational leadership programs of all types, including teaching master's and doctoral programs, often embed reflective activities into their coursework and offer courses that are intended to teach future leaders the concepts related to “change management. ” Yet at the same time we claim to be building reflective practitioners who can enact change, we fail to create programs that are likely to produce these reflective practitioners who have the skills and content knowledge to create that change we seek in the public K-12 educational arena. This chapter argues for creating leadership development programs that are more intentional about creating practitioners who have the skills necessary to cause other adults to change their practices and improve instruction. It also outline the elements that are essential for any leadership program to create leaders who will be able to profoundly change public K-12 education from the classroom to the principalship to the district level administration.
On B1 inhomogeneity correction of in vivo human brain glutamate chemical exchange saturation transfer contrast at 7T

The effects of radio frequency field (B1) inhomogeneity on measured in vivo human brain glutamate chemical exchange saturation transfer contrast maps are normally confounded with contributions from chemical exchange saturation transfer, direct saturation and magnetization transfer effects. Consequently, the chemical exchange saturation transfer effect variation with B1 follows a complicated function and depends on the tissue types as well. In this work, we developed and tested a novel approach for B1 inhomogeneity correction based on acquiring calibration data at a coarsely sampled B1 values in conjunction with the measured B1 maps. With this approach, different calibration curves are derived for gray matter and white matter instead of a simple linear scaling based on local B1 values. Potential extensions of this approach to study chemical exchange saturation transfer contrast from other metabolites and tissue types are discussed. Magn Reson Med, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A 2.45μW patient-specific non-invasive transcranial electrical stimulator with an adaptive skin-electrode impedance monitor

This paper presents a power-efficient non-invasive transcranial electrical stimulator (tES) with patient-specific impedance adaptation. The proposed tES exploits the varying skin-electrode impedance which results in different RC relaxation time, where the tES adapts the number of pulses to deliver a constant charge. This eliminates the need of an additional current source for impedance monitoring widely used in conventional stimulation techniques, thereby reducing power consumption. To ensure safety for patients, a charge balanced bi-phasic stimulation is implemented with maximum current of <;1mA. The proposed tES is implemented in 0. 18μm CMOS with an area and power consumption of 0.035mm2 and 2. 45μW, respectively.
Powered knee orthosis for human gait rehabilitation: First advances

This paper presents a new system for a powered knee orthosis, that was designed to assist and improve the gait function of patients with gait pathologies. The system contains the orthotic device (embedded with sensors for angle and user-orthosis interaction torque measurements, and an electric actuator) and wearable sensors (inertial measurement unit, force sensitive resistors, and electromyography sensors), which allows the generation of smart rehabilitation tools and several motion assistive techniques. The main goal is to present a conceptual overview and functional description of the system and use scenarios of each component. The attachment mechanism of the orthosis to the limb is also highlighted, being composed of a straps system fixed in the mechanical links of the joint. It was noticed that users with distinct lower-limb morphologies can presents difficulties wearing the orthosis, since the device needs constant adjust to align the mechanical and human joints. The system was validated in ground-level walking on healthy subjects, with emphasis on the impact of the device in the user. The subjects reported that the orthosis is comfortable to use, easy to wear, and no issues were raised regarding the aesthetics of the device. Only the weight was assimilated as a possible hindrance (compensated in the future). Future challenges involve the inclusion of an ankle joint in the system and the use of the proposed tool in rehabilitation.
Changes in Regional Cerebral Blood Flow After Electroconvulsive Therapy for Depression

Fifteen patients with major depression and normal results of magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomographic studies were treated by electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) of these patients was imaged using Tc-99m hexamethylpropylene amineoxime single-photon emission computed tomography before and after treatment, and their images were compared with a population of 11 healthy volunteers. Before ECT treatment, the patients had hypoperfusion of the frontal region compared with the controls, and they had multiple areas of altered perfusion throughout the brain. Five of the patients had an excellent clinical response to ECT; these patients also showed changes toward normal in rCBF. The remaining patients had minimal to moderate clinical response and showed no significant change in rCBF. These results indicate that improvement in clinical status as a result of ECT is correlated with a change toward normal in rCBF.
A true triceps-splitting approach for treatment of distal humerus fractures: a preliminary report.

BACKGROUND The treatment of distal humerus fractures has traditionally been performed via a posterior approach and an olecranon osteotomy. The article reports the authors' clinical experience using a triceps-splitting approach for a consecutive series of patients with distal humerus fractures. METHODS A consecutive series of 37 patients with 39 distal humerus fractures were treated with a triceps-splitting approach. All the fractures were managed with two-column fixation. RESULTS A total of 33 patients (34 fractures) were available for follow-up evaluation over an average of 26 months (range, 13-48 months). There were five type A and 29 type C fractures. Five of the fractures were grade 1 open. There were three elbows with clinically asymptomatic valgus instability (<5 degrees at 30 degrees flexion) and one elbow with symptomatic varus instability. There was one case of heterotopic ossification, limiting motion; one transient ulnar nerve palsy; one severe infection requiring resection arthroplasty; and five nonunions. Four of the five nonunions involved patients older than 65 years. CONCLUSIONS The use of a triceps-splitting approach to gain access to the distal humerus provided adequate exposure and had an acceptable complication rate. In addition to allowing for distal humerus reconstruction, it avoided the reported complications of olecranon osteotomy and is easily extensile if required.
Preliminary study of 60 GHz air-filled SIW H-plane horn antenna

In this paper, an H-plane substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) 60 GHz horn antenna is designed and studied using flip-chip technology. The SIW horn input reflection coefficient and output radiation at 60 GHz have been simulated for an air-filled, bump-supported substrate of 100 μm thick. Radiation gain has been observed. Coplanar waveguide to microstrip and microstrip line to SIW transitions are also designed for possibly realization of the antenna.
A novel image zero-watermarking scheme based on DWT-SVD

In this paper, a novel copyright protection zero-watermarking scheme that combines the discrete wavelet transform (DWT) and the singular value decomposition (SVD) is proposed. Instead of modifying the original image data, which inevitably causes some permanent quality degradation, to embed a watermarking, the proposed scheme constructs a watermarking from the image features which extracts from the original image by applying the DWT and the SVD. Firstly, the original image is decomposed into the appropriate levels by the DWT, and the obtained approximation image is divided into non-overlapping blocks. The SVD is then applied to the each block to obtain the singular values. Finally, the embedding of zero-watermarking is realized through the exclusive or (XOR) operation between the first singular value of the each block and the pixel value of the actual binary character watermarking sequentially. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed zero-watermarking scheme not only ensures the watermarked image quality without any distortion, but also has very good robustness to resist the common image processing attacks such as noise addition, filtering, compression and geometric cutting.
Oral Antibiotics in the Management of Serious Neonatal Bacterial Infections in Developing Country Communities

Background: Parenteral antibiotic therapy is the standard of care for treatment of serious neonatal infections. This may not be possible, however, in some developing country settings with limited health systems capacity. Methods: We reviewed the evidence for treatment of neonatal infections in developing countries with oral antibiotics, evaluated properties of oral agents that could be considered, and identified priority research questions. Results: Case management of pneumonia in developing country community settings suggests that this strategy has resulted in substantial reductions in neonatal mortality. However, limited available data indicate that injectable antibiotic therapy is superior to oral regimens. Conclusions: Parenteral therapy should be used for treatment of serious neonatal infections whenever possible. In settings in which this is not possible, however, oral antibiotic therapy is superior to no antibiotic therapy. Further research is needed to define subgroups of patients and settings in which therapy with oral agents is ethical and effective.
Chromosomal Rearrangements and Novel Genes in Disorders of Eye Development, Cataract and Glaucoma

Abstract Disorders of eye development such as microphthalmia and anophthalmia (small and absent eyes respectively), anterior segment dysgenesis where there may be pupillary and iris anomalies, and associated cataract and glaucoma, often lead to visual impairment or blindness. Currently treatment options are limited, as much is unknown about the molecular pathways that control normal eye development and induce the aberrant processes that lead to ocular defects. Mutation detection rates in most of the known genes are generally low, emphasizing the genetic heterogeneity of developmental ocular defects. Identification of the disease genes in these conditions improves the clinical information available for affected individuals and families, and provides new insights into the underlying biological processes for facilitation of better treatment options. Investigation of chromosomal rearrangements associated with an ocular phenotype has been especially powerful for disease gene identification. Molecular characterization of such rearrangements, which pinpoints the region by physically disrupting the causative gene or its regulatory sequences, allows for rapid elucidation of underlying genetic factors that contribute to the phenotype. Genes including PAX6, PITX2, FOXC1, MAF, TMEM114, SOX2, OTX2 and BMP4 have been identified in this way to be associated with developmental eye disorders. More recently, new methods in chromosomal analysis such as comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) microarray, have also enhanced our ability in disease gene identification.