Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lymph Circulation in the Liver

The liver produces a large amount of lymph, which is estimated to be 25 to 50 % of lymph flowing through the thoracic duct. The hepatic lymphatic system falls into three categories depending on their locations: portal, sublobular, and superficial lymphatic vessels. It is suggested that 80 % or more of hepatic lymph drains into portal lymphatic vessels, while the remainder drains through sublobular and capsular lymphatic vessels. The hepatic lymph primarily comes from the hepatic sinusoids. Our tracer studies, together with electron microscopy, show many channels with collagen fibers traversing through the limiting plate and connecting the space of Disse with the interstitial space either in the portal tracts, or around the sublobular veins. Fluid filtered out of the sinusoids into the space of Disse flows through the channels traversing the limiting plate either independently of blood vessels or along blood vessels and enters the interstitial space of either portal tract or sublobular veins. Fluid in the space of Disse also flows through similar channels traversing the hepatocytes intervening between the space of Disse and the hepatic capsule and drains into the interstitial space of the capsule. Fluid and migrating cells in the interstitial space pass through prelymphatic vessels to finally enter the lymphatic vessels. The area of the portal lymphatic vessels increases in liver fibrosis and cirrhosis and in idiopathic portal hypertension. Lymphatic vessels are abundant in the immediate vicinity of the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver metastasis. HCCs expressing vascular endothelial growth factor‐C are more liable to metastasize, indicating that lymphangiogenesis is associated with their enhanced metastasis. Anat Rec, 291:643–652, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Optimal fault diagnosis for systems with time-delay based on Lyapunov functional

Facing to the time-delay systems with actuator faults and sensor faults whose dynamic characteristics are known but the initial states and the initial times are unknown, the approach of fault diagnosis is studied. A kind of design scheme of fault diagnoser is proposed based on duality principle and Lyapunov functional. Firstly, the design problem of the observer for fault diagnosis is translated into the state feedback problem of optimal control by duality principle. Then the optimal fault diagnoser is designed to diagnose the fault and to cater the quadratic performance index, and the stability of the optimal fault diagnoser is proven by Lyapunov functional. Finally, a numerical example is given. Simulation results show the feasibility and validity of the proposed scheme.
Lavender, tea tree and lemon oils as antimicrobials in washing liquids and soft body balms

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of commercial essential oils: lavender, tea tree and lemon, antimicrobials in washing liquid and O/W soft body balm. The inhibition efficacy of essential oils in washing liquid (1% alone or in mixtures), in soft body balm (0.5% alone), as well as combined with the synthetic preservative DMDM hydantoin and 3‐iodo‐2‐propynyl butyl carbamate mixture (0.1 and 0.3%), was tested against S. aureus ATCC 6538, P. aeruginosa ATCC 9027, Candida sp. ŁOCK 0008 and A. niger ATCC 16404 in compliance with the European Pharmacopoeia standards. The components of the system preserving soft body balm were supplemented with a solubilizer. Washing liquids containing only essential oils met Criterion A E.P. only for S. aureus, Candida sp. and A. niger. In soft body balm formulations, oils at a concentration of 0.5% did not reveal any preserving activity. The introduction of a solubilizer to a system containing 0.5% tea tree oil led to a substantial increase in the bacteriostatic activity of the formulation, but did not significantly affect its fungistatic properties. A combination of 0.5% tea tree oil, 5% solubilizer and 0.3% synthetic preservative ensured the microbiological stability of soft body balm in accordance with Criterion A E.P.
An Accurate Structural Approach to Pattern Recognition

In the present paper a simple, yet ingenious and accurate structural approach towards pattern recognition has been proposed, which can satisfactorily consider transformations on the image like translation, rotation, scaling and local & global deformations. The algorithms developed in the present work are inspired by an understanding and analysis of the way in which information about patterns are stored and accessed in a biological brain. The algorithm, though purely based on simple geometric and statistical tools, gives very satisfactory results. On the basic framework of the present algorithm application of Neural Network models and Genetic Algorithms can produce a much more fast and robust method for pattern recognition.
Middle cerebral artery occlusion in the rat by intraluminal suture. Neurological and pathological evaluation of an improved model.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The purpose of the present study was to evaluate a modified method of intraluminal suture occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) on the volume of brain infarction and on neurobehavioral function in rats subjected to a temporary focal ischemic insult. METHODS Male Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized with halothane and subjected to 60 minutes or 2 hours of temporary MCA occlusion (MCAo) by an intraluminal thread. In one group of rats, the suture was coated with poly-L-lysine, while in a second group, a conventional uncoated suture was used. Behavioral function was evaluated at 50 to 60 minutes after occlusion and during a 3-day period after MCAo. Three days after MCAo brains were perfusion-fixed and infarct volumes were measured. RESULTS In rats with 60-minute MCAo, only 3 of 7 animals with uncoated sutures had infarcts, whereas in the group with poly-L-lysine-coated sutures, all rats (n = 7) exhibited infarction (P = .009, Fisher's exact test). With 2 hours of MCAo, total infarct volume (corrected for brain edema) was significantly larger in rats with poly-L-lysine-coated sutures than in the group with uncoated sutures (mean +/- SEM, 122.1 +/- 4.8 versus 67.0 +/- 18.2 mm3, respectively; P = .03; n = 4 in each group). In the 2-hour MCAo study, infarct volumes in the uncoated-suture group tended to be variable and inconsistent (coefficient of variation, 54%) compared with the group in which sutures were coated with poly-L-lysine, in which a highly consistent infarct was produced (coefficient of variation of infarct volume, 8%). CONCLUSIONS Reversible MCAo in which a poly-L-lysine-coated intraluminal suture was used proved to be a reliable and effective modification of this technique, yielding consistently larger infarcts and greatly reduced interanimal variability.
Evidence for a Relationship Between Equine Abortion (Herpes) Virus Deoxyribonucleic Acid Synthesis and the S Phase of the KB Cell Mitotic Cycle

Autoradiographic analyses of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis in randomly growing KB cell cultures infected with equine abortion virus (EAV) suggested that viral DNA synthesis was initiated only at times that coincided with the entry of noninfected control cells into the S phase of the cell cycle. Synchronized cultures of KB cells were infected at different stages of the cell cycle, and rates of synthesis of cellular and viral DNA were measured. When cells were infected at different times within the S phase, viral DNA synthesis was initiated 2 to 3 hr after infection. However, when cells in G1 and G2 were infected, the initiation of viral DNA synthesis was delayed and occurred only at times corresponding to the S phase. The times when viral DNA synthesis began were independent of the time of infection and differed by as much as 5 hr, depending on the stage of the cell cycle at which cells were infected. Viral one-step growth curves were also related to the S phase in a manner which indicated a relationship between the initiation of viral DNA synthesis and the S phase. These data support the concept that initiation of EAV DNA synthesis is dependent upon some cellular function(s) which is related to the S phase of the cell cycle.
Lower Brain-Derived Neurotropic Factor Levels in Untreated Adolescents With First-Episode Psychosis

Objective Brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) is known to play a role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. However, the relationship between early onset schizophrenia and BDNF has not been extensively studied. The aim of the study was to compare the levels of BDNF between adolescent patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) and the healthy control subjects. Method The study was conducted in the Department of Child Psychiatry at Dicle University. A total of 26 adolescent patients aged between 11 and 17 years who had not received previous therapy and whose conditions were diagnosed with psychosis according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, and 26 age- and sex-matched healthy adolescent control subjects were included. Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia, Present and Lifetime version, and the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale were conducted with all participants. The clinical global impression was used to evaluate disease severity. The BDNF levels were measured in the serum by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Results The mean (SD) age was 14.6 (1.6) years in both FEP group (male/female, 11/15) and the control group (P > 0.05). The FEP group had significantly lower serum BDNF levels (2.0 ± 1.9 ng/mL) compared with the control group (3.4 ± 3.0 ng/mL, P = 0.03). There was no significant relationship between BDNF concentration and the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (positive and negative scores) scores (r = −0.14, P = 0.74 and r = 0.49, P = 0.22, respectively). There was no significant relationship between the duration of untreated psychosis and serum BDNF levels (r = −0.22, P = 0.32). Conclusions High incidence of schizophrenia in patients with FEP suggests a relationship between BDNF levels and the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. We suggest that BDNF may be a useful neurobiological marker of early onset schizophrenia.
Opportunistic Scheduling, Cooperative Relaying and Multicast in Wireless Networks

This dissertation builds a clear understanding of the role of information in wireless networks, and devises adaptive strategies to optimize the overall performance. The meaning of information ranges from channel/network states to the structure of the signal itself. Under the common thread of characterizing the role of information, this dissertation investigates opportunistic scheduling, relaying and multicast in wireless networks. To assess the role of channel state information, the problem of opportunistic distributed opportunistic scheduling (DOS) with incomplete information is considered for ad-hoc networks in which many links contend for the same channel using random access. The objective is to maximize the system throughput. In practice, link state information is noisy, and may result in throughput degradation. Therefore, re ning the state information by additional probing can improve the throughput, but at the cost of further probing. Capitalizing on optimal stopping theory, the optimal scheduling policy is shown to be threshold-based and is characterized by either one or two thresholds, depending on network settings. To understand the bene ts of side information in cooperative relaying scenarios, a basic model is explored for two-hop transmissions of two information ows which interfere with each other. While the rst hop is a classical interference channel, the second hop can be treated as an interference channel with transmitter side information. Various cooperative relaying strategies are developed to enhance the achievable rate. In another context, a simple sensor network is considered, where a sensor node acts as a relay, and aids fusion center in detecting an event. Two relaying schemes are considered: analog relaying and digital relaying. Su cient conditions are provided for the optimality of analog relaying over digital relaying in this network. To illustrate the role of information about the signal structure in joint sourcechannel coding, multicast of compressible signals over lossy channels is studied. The focus is on the network outage from the perspective of signal distortion across all receivers. Based on extreme value theory, the network outage is characterized in terms of key parameters. A new method using subblock network coding is devised, which prioritizes resource allocation based on the signal information structure. i To Anna (my late father) and Pachanna (my late brother) who instilled an unquenchable thirst for knowledge in me.
Effect of enzyme inducers and inhibitors on the pharmacokinetics of oltipraz in rats

A series of in‐vitro and in‐vivo experiments, using various inducers and inhibitors of hepatic microsomal cytochrome P450 (CYP) isozymes, was conducted to study oltipraz pharmacokinetics in rats. In in‐vivo studies, oltipraz at a dose of 10 mg kg−1 was administered intravenously to rats. In rats pretreated with SKF 525‐A (a nonspecific CYP isozyme inhibitor in rats; n = 9), the time‐averaged total body clearance (CL) of oltipraz was significantly slower (56.6% decrease) than that in untreated rats (n = 9). This indicated that oltipraz is metabolized via CYP isozymes in rats. Hence, various enzyme inducers or inhibitors were used in in‐vitro and in‐vivo studies in rats. In rats pretreated with 3‐methylcholanthrene (n = 9 and 8 for untreated and treated groups, respectively), phenobarbital (n = 7 and 10 for untreated and treated groups, respectively) or dexamethasone (n = 7 and 12 for untreated and treated groups, respectively) (main inducers of CYP1A1/2, 2B1/2 and 3A1/2 in rats, respectively), the CL values were significantly faster (38.4, 94.4 and 33.6% increase, respectively). In rats pretreated with sulfaphenazole (n = 8 and 9 for untreated and treated groups, respectively), quinine (n = 7 and 9 for untreated and treated groups, respectively) or troleandomycin (n = 8 and 9 for untreated and treated groups, respectively) (main inhibitors of CYP2C11, 2D1 and 3A1/2 in rats, respectively), the CL values were significantly slower (31.0, 27.6 and 36.3% decrease, respectively). The in‐vivo results with various enzyme inhibitors correlated well with the in‐vitro intrinsic clearance for disappearance of oltipraz (CLint) (n = 5, each). The above data suggested that oltipraz could be metabolized in male rats mainly via CYP1A1/2, 2B1/2, 2C11, 3A1/2 and 2D1.
Manufacturing Confucianism: Chinese Traditions and Universal Civilization

Could it be that the familiar and beloved figure of Confucius was invented by Jesuit priests? In "Manufacturing Confucianism", Lionel M. Jensen reveals this very fact, demonstrating how sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Western missionaries used translations of the ancient ru tradition to invent the presumably historical figure who has since been globally celebrated as philosopher, prophet, statesman, wise man, and saint.Tracing the history of the Jesuits' invention of Confucius and of themselves as native defenders of Confucius' teaching, Jensen reconstructs the cultural consequences of the encounter between the West and China. For the West, a principal outcome of this encounter was the reconciliation of empirical investigation and theology on the eve of the scientific revolution. Jensen also explains how Chinese intellectuals in the early twentieth century fashioned a new cosmopolitan Chinese culture through reliance on the Jesuits' Confucius and Confucianism.Challenging both previous scholarship and widespread belief, Jensen uses European letters and memoirs, Christian histories and catechisms written in Chinese, translations and commentaries on the Sishu, and a Latin summary of Chinese culture known as the Confucius Sinarum Philosophus to argue that the national self-consciousness of Europe and China was bred from a cultural ecumenism wherein both were equal contributors. "Manufacturing Confucianism" will have a major impact on studies of China, comparative literature, post colonialism, and Asian religions. For its insights into the history of modern Chinese nationalism, this path breaking study will also engage readers interested in contemporary Chinese affairs.
Performance of an automated electronic acute lung injury screening system in intensive care unit patients*

Objective:Lung protective ventilation reduces mortality in patients with acute lung injury, but underrecognition of acute lung injury has limited its use. We recently validated an automated electronic acute lung injury surveillance system in patients with major trauma in a single intensive care unit. In this study, we assessed the system's performance as a prospective acute lung injury screening tool in a diverse population of intensive care unit patients. Design:Patients were screened prospectively for acute lung injury over 21 wks by the automated system and by an experienced research coordinator who manually screened subjects for enrollment in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Clinical Trials Network (ARDSNet) trials. Performance of the automated system was assessed by comparing its results with the manual screening process. Discordant results were adjudicated blindly by two physician reviewers. In addition, a sensitivity analysis using a range of assumptions was conducted to better estimate the system's performance. Setting:The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, an academic medical center and ARDSNet center (1994–2006). Patients:Intubated patients in medical and surgical intensive care units. Interventions:None. Measurements and Main Results:Of 1270 patients screened, 84 were identified with acute lung injury (incidence of 6.6%). The automated screening system had a sensitivity of 97.6% (95% confidence interval, 96.8–98.4%) and a specificity of 97.6% (95% confidence interval, 96.8–98.4%). The manual screening algorithm had a sensitivity of 57.1% (95% confidence interval, 54.5–59.8%) and a specificity of 99.7% (95% confidence interval, 99.4–100%). Sensitivity analysis demonstrated a range for sensitivity of 75.0–97.6% of the automated system under varying assumptions. Under all assumptions, the automated system demonstrated higher sensitivity than and comparable specificity to the manual screening method. Conclusions:An automated electronic system identified patients with acute lung injury with high sensitivity and specificity in diverse intensive care units of a large academic medical center. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effect of automated prompts that such a system can initiate on the use of lung protective ventilation in patients with acute lung injury.
Modeling of everyday objects for semantic grasp

This paper presents a knowledge model of everyday objects for semantic grasp. This model is intended for extracting the grasp areas of everyday objects and approach directions for grasping when the 3D point cloud data and the intended purpose are given. Parts that make up everyday objects have functions related to their manipulation. We therefore represent everyday objects in terms of connected parts of functional units. This knowledge model describes the structure of everyday objects and information on their manipulation. The structure of an everyday object describes component parts of the object in terms of simple shape primitives to provide geometrical information and describes connections between parts with kinematic attributes. The information on the structure is used to map the manipulation knowledge onto the 3D point cloud data. The manipulation knowledge of the object includes the grasp areas and approach directions for the intended purpose. Fine grasps suitable for the intended task can be generated by performing a grasp planning with consideration for stable grasp and the kinematics of the robot in the grasp areas and approach directions.
Visual Analysis of Optical Coherence Tomography Data in Ophthalmology

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) enables noninvasive high-resolution 3D imaging of the human retina and thus, plays a fundamental role in detecting a wide range of ocular diseases. Despite OCT’s diagnostic value, managing and analyzing resulting data is challenging. We apply two visual analytics strategies for supporting retinal assessment in practice. First, we provide an interface for unifying and structuring data from different sources into a common basis. Fusing that basis with medical records and augmenting it with analytically derived information facilitates thorough investigations. Second, we present a tailored visual analysis tool for presenting, selecting, and emphasizing different aspects of the attributed data. This enables free exploration, reducing the data to relevant subsets, and focusing on details. By applying both strategies, we effectively enhance the management and the analysis of OCT data for assisting medical diagnoses. Categories and Subject
Real-Time Quantitative Broad-Range PCR Assay for Detection of the 16S rRNA Gene Followed by Sequencing for Species Identification

ABSTRACT Here we determined the analytical sensitivities of broad-range real-time PCR-based assays employing one of three different genomic DNA extraction protocols in combination with one of three different primer pairs targeting the 16S rRNA gene to detect a panel of 22 bacterial species. DNA extraction protocol III, using lysozyme, lysostaphin, and proteinase K, followed by PCR with the primer pair Bak11W/Bak2, giving amplicons of 796 bp in length, showed the best overall sensitivity, detecting DNA of 82% of the strains investigated at concentrations of ≤102 CFU in water per reaction. DNA extraction protocols I and II, using less enzyme treatment, combined with other primer pairs giving shorter amplicons of 466 bp and 342 or 346 bp, respectively, were slightly more sensitive for the detection of gram-negative but less sensitive for the detection of gram-positive bacteria. The obstacle of detecting background DNA in blood samples spiked with bacteria was circumvented by introducing a broad-range hybridization probe, and this preserved the minimal detection limits observed in samples devoid of blood. Finally, sequencing of the amplicons generated using the primer pair Bak11W/Bak2 allowed species identification of the detected bacterial DNA. Thus, broad-spectrum PCR targeting the 16S rRNA gene in the quantitative real-time format can achieve an analytical sensitivity of 1 to 10 CFU per reaction in water, avoid detection of background DNA with the introduction of a broad-range probe, and generate amplicons that allow species identification of the detected bacterial DNA by sequencing. These prerequisites are important for its application to blood-containing patient samples.
A Cohort-UBM Approach to M for Inset / Out-of-set Spea

In this study, the problem of identifying in-set versus out-of-set speakers is addressed. Here the emphasis is on low enrollment and test data durations, in a text-independent mode. In order to compensate for the limited enrollment data (5 sec), a method is proposed that utilizes data from speakers that are acoustically close to a particular in-set speaker. A speaker specific model is obtained by adaptation of a base model that is built using data from such speakers. The performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated using the TIMIT database with an adapted GMM classifier (GMM-UBM) employed as the baseline system. Experimental results show a consistent increase in system performance, with a relative improvement ranging from 10.57-58.33% depending on in-set speaker size and test data duration.