Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Photogrammetric monitoring concept for remote landslide endangered areas using multi-temporal aerial imagery

Natural disasters like landslides or floods can be significant dangers to life, nature and infrastructure in the affected areas. Especially in regions with permanent potential risks of such weather-induced phenomena, an effective monitoring system can reduce the risk of major damages. In the case of Punta Arenas (Southern Chile) landslides irregularly block and dam the nearby river Las Minas and thus cause catastrophic floods of the Chilean city. To prevent such landslide triggered hazards, the paper focuses on photogrammetric landslide detection and analysis using multi-temporal aerial images to reliably detect major geomorphological changes. As example, datasets from 2014 and 2015 of the river Las Minas have been compared in order to detect volume changes. For this purpose, multi-temporal 3D point clouds were generated and georeferenced. The registration of the point clouds was conducted applying ICP techniques to compensate potential point cloud deformations.
Analog-based free testosterone test results linked to total testosterone concentrations, not free testosterone concentrations.

BACKGROUND Analog-based free testosterone test results, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) concentrations, and total testosterone concentrations are somehow related. This study used new experiments to clarify these relationships. METHODS An analog-based free testosterone immunoassay and a total testosterone immunoassay were applied to well-defined fractions of serum testosterone. First, they were applied to the 2 fractions (retentate and dialysate) of normal male serum obtained by equilibrium dialysis. Second, they were applied to covaried concentrations of SHBG and total testosterone. Third, they were applied to decreasing concentrations of SHBG and protein-bound testosterone, offset by increasing concentrations of protein-free testosterone, while total testosterone was held constant. RESULTS The analog-based free testosterone assay and the total testosterone assay detected and reported serum testosterone test results from serum retentate, whereas neither assay detected the free testosterone in serum dialysate. Test results reported by the analog-based free testosterone assay followed varied concentrations of SHBG and total testosterone. When total testosterone was held constant, however, analog-based free testosterone test results did not follow varied concentrations of serum proteins or of free testosterone. CONCLUSION An analog-based free testosterone immunoassay reported free testosterone test results that were related to total testosterone concentrations under varied experimental conditions. This alleged free testosterone assay did not detect serum free testosterone (the test results it reported were nonspecific) and should not be used for this purpose.
The advantage of positive text-background polarity is due to high display luminance

Reading text from computer screens is better when text is printed in dark letters on light background (positive polarity) than when it is printed in light letters on dark background (negative polarity). An experiment is presented that tests whether this positive polarity advantage is due to the fact that overall display luminance is typically higher for positive than for negative polarity displays. To this end, text-background polarity and display luminance were manipulated independently. No positive polarity advantage was observed when overall display luminance of positive and negative polarity displays was equivalent. There was only an effect of display luminance, with better performance for the higher-luminance displays. This suggests that the positive polarity advantage is in fact due to the typically higher luminance of positive polarity displays. Readability of text presented on computer screens (e.g. on websites) is better when the overall display luminance level is high, as in positive polarity displays (dark letters on light background). Display polarity per se does not affect readability.
Rating Politics? Partisan Discrimination in Credit Ratings in Developed Economies

How does government partisanship influence sovereign credit ratings of developed countries? Given the convergence of fiscal and monetary outcomes between left and right governments in the past decades, credit rating agencies (CRAs) should in principle not discriminate according to ideology. However, we hypothesize that CRAs might lower ratings for left governments as a strategy to limit negative policy and market surprises as they strive to keep ratings stable over the medium term. A panel analysis of Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch’s rating actions for 23 Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) countries from 1995 to 2014 shows that left executives and the electoral victory of nonincumbent left executives are associated with significantly higher probabilities of negative rating changes. We find no evidence of similar systematic partisan bias in spreads on government bonds, but spreads do adjust to partisan-biased downgrades. This suggests that CRAs may introduce partisan discrimination into sovereign credit markets.
Mutations in the C-terminal hydrophobic domain of pseudorabies virus gIII affect both membrane anchoring and protein export

The transmembrane and anchor region of pseudorabies virus gIII is postulated to be in the 35 hydrophobic amino acids (residues 436 to 470) found near the carboxy terminus of the 479-amino-acid envelope protein. In this study, we used a genetic approach to localize the functional gIII membrane anchor between amino acids 443 and 466. Mutant gIII proteins lacking the membrane anchor were not associated with virus particles, indicating that membrane retention is a prerequisite for virion localization. Unexpectedly, the specific hydrophobic gIII sequence defined by these deletions was not required for membrane anchor function since the entire region could be replaced with leucine residues without affecting gIII membrane retention, export, or virion localization. The hydrophobic region appears to encode more than the membrane anchor domain since both efficiency of posttranslational processing and localization to virions are affected by mutations in this region. We speculate that the composition of the hydrophobic domain influences the overall conformation of gIII, which in turn effects the efficiency of gIII export and processing. The virion localization phenotype is probably indirect and reflects the efficiency of protein processing. This conclusion provides insight into the mechanism of glycoprotein incorporation into virions.
Frequency Independent LO Injection in Quasi-Optical Heterodyne Systems

In quasi-optical heterodyne systems, such as those used in radio astronomy receivers, it is very typical to consider LO injection once the RF path has already been designed. In many cases, LO and RF optical paths share several optical components, and this imposes restrictions on the LO injection design. In this paper, this common situation has been carefully analyzed, and simple design equations have been derived in order to achieve frequency-independent designs. Due to the low power available at THz frequencies, frequency-independent LO power transmission gains importance in this band due to the need to get efficient LO injection at all frequencies. The presented quasi-optical analysis have been confirmed with physical optics simulations.
The scaffold protein JLP plays a key role in regulating ultraviolet B‐induced apoptosis in mice

The ultraviolet B (UVB) component of sunlight can cause severe damage to skin cells and even induce skin cancer. Growing evidence indicates that the UVB‐induced signaling network is complex and involves diverse cellular processes. In this study, we investigated the role of c‐Jun NH2‐terminal kinase‐associated leucine zipper protein (JLP), a scaffold protein for mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascades, in UVB‐induced apoptosis. We found that UVB‐induced skin epidermal apoptosis was prevented in Jlp knockout (KO) as well as in keratinocyte‐specific Jlp KO mice. Analysis of the repair of UVB‐induced DNA damage over time showed no evidence for the involvement of JLP in this process. In contrast, UVB‐stimulated p38 MAPK activation in the skin was impaired in both Jlp KO and keratinocyte‐specific Jlp KO mice. Moreover, topical treatment of UVB‐irradiated mouse skin with a p38 inhibitor significantly suppressed the epidermal apoptosis in wild‐type mice, but not in Jlp KO mice. Our findings suggest that JLP in skin basal keratinocytes plays an important role in UVB‐induced apoptosis by modulating p38 MAPK signaling pathways. This is the first study to show a critical role for JLP in an in vivo response to environmental stimulation.
Exploring the facilitators and mediators of workforce agility: an empirical study

Purpose Recognizing that very less number of research has been conducted on workforce agility, the current research aimed to examine the impact of organizational practices in the form of organizational learning and training, compensation, involvement, team work and information system (IS) on workforce agility. Influenced by the “Black Box” approach, the study also examined the role of psychological empowerment as a mechanism mediating the relationship between organizational practices and workforce agility. Design/methodology/approach The study has been conducted in selective Indian industries, representing manufacturing and service sector across public and private sectors. Quantitative and qualitative data have been collected from both executives and non-executives through reliable instruments validated in Indian context. Data have been analyzed using descriptive analysis, canonical correlation analysis and multiple regression. Findings Findings that organizational practices significantly related to workforce agility prove that organizational practices are capable of improving the agile attributes and behavior of the workforce. In detail, team work has the greatest influence on workforce agility, followed by Reward system, employee involvement, organizational learning and training and ISs. Further, the study result also proved the mediating role of psychological empowerment between organizational practices and workforce agility. Practical implications Organizations are to design practices related to organizational learning and training, compensation, involvement, team work and IS and implement them efficiently and effectively to enable agility within the workforce, as an agile workforce can only respond proactively to a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous business environment. Further, the result also suggests that managers should design the organizational practices capable of enhancing psychological empowerment, as the combination can deliver better workforce agility. Originality/value The research is useful considering very less number of research on workforce agility.
Correlates of subjective well-being in schizophrenic patients treated with atypical antipsychotics

Objective A growing body of research indicates that a low subjective well-being (SW) may be predictive of non-adherence and less favourable outcome. This study examined baseline variables and variables in the course of treatment hypothesised to be associated with later SW. Methods Sixty-three inpatients with schizophreniform disorder or schizophrenia were randomly assigned to treatment with various atypical antipsychotics after a wash-out phase of 2 days. Subjects were evaluated with a protocol that examined psychopathology (Positive and Negative Symptom Scale, PANSS), side effects (Scandinavian Society of Pharmacology, UKU), and subjective well-being (Subjective Well-being under Neuroleptic treatment, SWN) at baseline and endpoint (mean duration of treatment 39.9 days). Two-thirds of subjects were multiple episode schizophrenic inpatients pre-treated with antipsychotics. Results Multiple regression analyses revealed that the PANSS negative score, neurological side effects, and SWN at baseline, as well as change of the PANSS positive score between baseline and endpoint, were associated independently with SW at endpoint (R2=0.55 after exclusion of two subjects). Conclusions Patients with low SW, severe negative symptoms, and neurological side effects, all at baseline, as well as those without improvement or deterioration of positive symptoms are at risk of low SW later in treatment and, most likely, of non-adherence.
The influence of gender on carotid artery compliance and distensibility in children and adults

Given the role of arterial wall elasticity in the development of cardiovascular disease, carotid artery compliance and distensibility have been used commonly over the last decade as predictors of cardiovascular risk, although their gender differences remain unknown. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the impact of gender on carotid arterial elasticity in a large sample of children and adults.
Hyperpolarized 3He diffusion MRI and histology in pulmonary emphysema

Diffusion MRI of hyperpolarized 3He shows that the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of 3He gas is highly restricted in the normal lung and becomes nearly unrestricted in severe emphysema. The nature of this restricted diffusion provides information about lung structure; however, no direct comparison with histology in human lungs has been reported. The purpose of this study is to provide information about 3He gas diffusivity in explanted human lungs, and describe the relationship between 3He diffusivity and the surface area to lung volume ratio (SA/V) and mean linear intercept (Lm) measurements—the gold standard for diagnosis of emphysema. Explanted lungs from patients who were undergoing lung transplantation for advanced COPD, and donor lungs that were not used for transplantation were imaged via 3He diffusion MRI. Histological measurements were made on the same specimens after they were frozen in the position of study. There is an inverse correlation between diffusivity and SA/V (and a positive correlation between diffusivity and Lm). An important result is that restricted 3He diffusivity separated normal from emphysematous lung tissue more clearly than the morphometric analyses. This effect may be due to the smaller histologic sampling size compared to the MRI voxel sizes. Magn Reson Med, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Biclustering of Gene Expression Data with a New Hybrid Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm of NSGA-II and EDA

Gene expression data produced by DNA microarray experiments advance the study of functions of genes. Clustering is able to find gene groups with identical biological function based on the principle that co-expression means so-regulation. Different from traditional clustering, biclustering is simultaneous clustering of both genes and conditions and searches maximal submatrices with maximal subgroups of genes and conditions where the genes exhibit highly correlated activities over a range of conditions. Maximizing the submatrices as much as possible and obtaining enough highly coherency among genes are usually conflicted. Therefore, multi-objective evolutionary algorithm is suitable for biclustering. We combine NSGA-II and EDA to generate a new multi-objective evolutionary algorithm for biclustering with advantages of the both methods. Finally the improved algorithm is applied to the dataset and gets better result.
Impact of Obesity and Knee Osteoarthritis on Morbidity and Mortality in Older Americans

BACKGROUND Obesity and knee osteoarthritis are among the most frequent chronic conditions affecting Americans aged 50 to 84 years. OBJECTIVE To estimate quality-adjusted life-years lost due to obesity and knee osteoarthritis and health benefits of reducing obesity prevalence to levels observed a decade ago. DESIGN The U.S. Census and obesity data from national data sources were combined with estimated prevalence of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis to assign persons aged 50 to 84 years to 4 subpopulations: nonobese without knee osteoarthritis (reference group), nonobese with knee osteoarthritis, obese without knee osteoarthritis, and obese with knee osteoarthritis. The Osteoarthritis Policy Model, a computer simulation model of knee osteoarthritis and obesity, was used to estimate quality-adjusted life-year losses due to knee osteoarthritis and obesity in comparison with the reference group. SETTING United States. PARTICIPANTS U.S. population aged 50 to 84 years. MEASUREMENTS Quality-adjusted life-years lost owing to knee osteoarthritis and obesity. RESULTS Estimated total losses of per-person quality-adjusted life-years ranged from 1.857 in nonobese persons with knee osteoarthritis to 3.501 for persons affected by both conditions, resulting in a total of 86.0 million quality-adjusted life-years lost due to obesity, knee osteoarthritis, or both. Quality-adjusted life-years lost due to knee osteoarthritis and/or obesity represent 10% to 25% of the remaining quality-adjusted survival of persons aged 50 to 84 years. Hispanic and black women had disproportionately high losses. Model findings suggested that reversing obesity prevalence to levels seen 10 years ago would avert 178,071 cases of coronary heart disease, 889,872 cases of diabetes, and 111,206 total knee replacements. Such a reduction in obesity would increase the quantity of life by 6,318,030 years and improve life expectancy by 7,812,120 quality-adjusted years in U.S. adults aged 50 to 84 years. LIMITATIONS Comorbidity incidences were derived from prevalence estimates on the basis of life expectancy of the general population, potentially resulting in conservative underestimates. Calibration analyses were conducted to ensure comparability of model-based projections and data from external sources. CONCLUSION The number of quality-adjusted life-years lost owing to knee osteoarthritis and obesity seems to be substantial, with black and Hispanic women experiencing disproportionate losses. Reducing mean body mass index to the levels observed a decade ago in this population would yield substantial health benefits. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE The National Institutes of Health and the Arthritis Foundation.
Simulation of forces acting on tiny chips during fluidic self-assembly

Fluidic self-assembly processes have been recently demonstrated to be a feasible method of assemblying tiny chips in a cost-effective manner. In order to successfully implement the fluidic self-assembly process, it is important to quantify the magnitudes of the restoring capillary force and torque between the chip and the binding site and to determine the fluid dynamic forces acting on the chip as fluid flows over the chip. This paper presents results of numerical simulations of these restoring capillary forces and torques, and discusses the effect of various parameters on them, such as lubricant volume, component orientation and contact angle. The results show that the restoring forces in both lift and shift directions decrease significantly with the volume of lubricant. Analysis of the sensitivity of the restoring torque to the contact angle between the lubricant and the self-assembled monolayer (SAM) in water is also carried out. It is observed that, at smaller contact angles, the maximum torque is insensitive to the contact angle between 0 to 40deg. It thus suggests that a lubricant with a contact angle less than 40 degrees can be used without loss of effectiveness. The equilibrium of the chip under the action of flow-induced and capillary forces has also been analysed
Lateralized Odontoid in Plain Film Radiography: Sign of Fractures? – A Comparison Study with MDCT

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate X-ray standards for the detection of odontoid fractures. Summary of background data: Cervical spine fractures are a common finding in emergency medicine, accounting for 1 – 3 % of injuries. Involvement of the C1 / C2 complex is found in 25 % of cases, affecting the odontoid peg in 55 – 80 %. Regarding the consequences of missed fractures, radiographic techniques built the groundwork for further treatment procedures. As standardized X-ray measurements have not been established, the incidence of unrecognized cervical spine fracture is expected to be up to 20 %. The establishment of X-ray-based guidelines is also limited by the presumed low specificity and sensitivity of distance measurements caused by rotational distortion which leads to a rising popularity of CT. Materials and Methods: 79 (age 60 ± 26 yrs) patients with lateralization of the odontoid process on conventional plain film radiography (anteroposterior, lateral, and open mouth odontoid process view projection) were examined. The distance between the odontoid process and lateral mass of C1, angles of vertical odontoid line and basis of C2 were measured in the ap view. In the lateral view, dorsal alignment and atlantodental distance were assessed. MDCT examinations were used as a reference. Discriminatory power test was applied to assess significance. Results: 8/79 (10.1 %) odontoid process fractures were found. Diagnosis was achieved on conventional radiographs in 6 patients. Neither distance and angle measurements between odontoid and C1 nor the dorsal alignment of the vertebral bodies differed significantly between healthy and affected patients. Conclusion: Decentralization of the odontoid process is not necessarily an indirect sign for its fracture. In patients with suspected injury of the odontoid process, an MDCT scan might be the method of choice to rule out a fracture. Key points: • Due to the wide physiological variety of odontoid process position, even a detailed metric analysis of cervical alignment and odontoid process angulation in X-ray scans is not able to facilitate the diagnosis of odontoid process fractures. • In the case of cervical spine trauma, which necessitate medical imaging, a primary MDCT scan should be the method of choice. Citation Format: • Keller S. , Bieck K. , Karul M. et al. Lateralized Odontoid in Plain Film Radiography: Sign of Fractures? – A Comparison Study with MDCT. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2015; 187: 801 – 807
BLACK-LITTERMAN VE MARKOWITZ ORTALAMA VARYANS MODELİYLE OLUŞTURULAN PORTFÖYLERİN PERFORMANSLARININ ÖLÇÜLMESİ

Bu calismanin amaci, Markowitz Ortalama-Varyans Modeli ve Black-Litterman Modeliyle olusturulan portfoylerin performanslarini Sharpe, Treynor ve Jensen performans olcutleriyle olcmektir. Calismada 2003 – 2009 yillari arasinda IMKB 30? da surekli islem goren toplam 17 sirkete ait pay senetlerinin gunluk duzeltilmis fiyatlari kullanilarak bir veri seti elde edilmistir. Markowitz Ortalama-Varyans Modeli ve Black Litterman Modeli kullanilarak veri setinden 13 portfoy olusturulmus ve bu portfoylerin performanslari Sharpe, Treynor ve Jensen Performans olcutleriyle olculmustur.
Cyclosporin A inhibits rat mast cell activation

To gain further insight into the mechanism of immunosuppression by cyclosporin A (CyA), the effect of CyA on activation of isolated rat mast cells was studied. CyA alone, up to a concentration of 80 μM, had no effect on histamine release from unstimulated mast cells in both calcium‐supplemented and calcium‐free media. However, in the presence of extracellular calcium CyA inhibited, in a dose‐dependent manner (range from 8 nM to 80 μM), histamine release induced by three unrelated secretagogues, the compound 48/80, calcium ionophore A23187 and concanavalin A plus phosphatidylserine. In the absence of extracellular calcium no, or only a marginal, effect of CyA on histamine release induced by the secretagogues was observed. CyA also inhibited the uptake of radiolabeled calcium by the secretagogues‐treated cells. However, CyA did not interfere with the activation‐related early increase in the intracellular free calcium. Thus, CyA‐mediated inhibition of mast cell activation is related to external calcium uptake. These results indicate that rat mast cells belong to the immune cell types whose activity can be modulated by physiologically relevant concentrations of CyA.