Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fiber-based polarization-sensitive OCT of the human retina with correction of system polarization distortions

In polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) the use of single-mode fibers causes unpredictable polarization distortions which can result in increased noise levels and erroneous changes in calculated polarization parameters. In the current paper this problem is addressed by a new Jones matrix analysis method that measures and corrects system polarization distortions as a function of wavenumber by spectral analysis of the sample surface polarization state and deeper located birefringent tissue structures. This method was implemented on a passive-component depth-multiplexed swept-source PS-OCT system at 1040 nm which was theoretically modeled using Jones matrix calculus. High-resolution B-scan images are presented of the double-pass phase retardation, diattenuation, and relative optic axis orientation to show the benefits of the new analysis method for in vivo imaging of the human retina. The correction of system polarization distortions yielded reduced phase retardation noise, and better estimates of the diattenuation and the relative optic axis orientation in weakly birefringent tissues. The clinical potential of the system is shown by en face visualization of the phase retardation and optic axis orientation of the retinal nerve fiber layer in a healthy volunteer and a glaucoma patient with nerve fiber loss.
Do Bicycles Equal Development in Mozambique

I IS THERE DEVELOPMENT IN MOZAMBIQUE? - Introduction: More bicycles, but. War, peace, rapid change & slow recovery Can peasants pull Nampula out of poverty? The Manica miracle is over Cashew: from disaster to export model Has poverty decreased? II ACTORS & CONTENT Frelimo & the democratic one-party state Corruption, rent-seeking, reform & a divided elite Aid dependence & subservience carrots & sticks On the edge of the world III ALTERNATIVES & THE DEVELOPMENTAL STATE Questioning the cargo cult Step off the MDG bandwagon: supply, demand, money Radical solutions to kick start increased demand Creating entrepreneurs & protecting workers & peasants Finance & the development bank Agriculture is the key to increasing production & demand Will donors & elites let Mozambique be a developmental state?
Multiuser MIMO relaying under quality of service constraints

We consider a wireless communication scenario with K source-destination pairs communicating through several half-duplex amplify-and-forward relays. We design the relay beamforming matrices by minimizing the total power transmitted from all the relays subject to quality of service constraints on the received signal to interference-plus-noise ratio at each destination node. We propose a novel method for solving the resulting nonconvex optimization problem in which the problem is decomposed into a group of second-order cone programs (SOCPs) parameterized by K real parameters. Grid search or nested bisection can be used to search for the optimal values of these parameters. We provide numerical simulations showing the superior performance of the proposed algorithms compared to earlier suboptimal approximations and their ability to approach the globally optimal solution of the non-convex problem.
Modeling and evaluation of human motor skills in a virtual tennis task

The present paper develops a virtual tennis system using robotic devices for the rehabilitation of upper arm movements, and discusses an evaluation method of human motor skills for natural stroke in the dynamic task. In the training, a trainee manipulates the handle of an impedance-controlled robot to hit a ball by a racket toward the center of a circular target on the wall with considerations of motion smoothness and timing. A reference hand motion for the target task is clarified through a set of training experiments with 6 health volunteers and computationally expressed in the framework of a minimum jerk model. The designed index based on the reference model will be effective to quantitatively evaluate the recovery of motor skills for natural stroke in the virtual tennis task.
Combined treatment with FK506 and nerve growth factor for spinal cord injury in rats

Following spinal cord injury in rats, FK506 is able to protect local nerve tissue, promote neural regeneration, reduce neuronal apoptosis and accelerate the recovery of spinal cord functions. Nerve growth factor (NGF) is important in the regulation of central and peripheral nerve cell regeneration, growth differentiation and functions. Previous studies have shown that FK506 and NGF exhibit a synergistic effect in the treatment of peripheral nerve injury; however, it remains unclear whether the synergistic effect is present in the treatment of spinal cord injury. In this study, we combined FK506 and NGF for the treatment of spinal cord injury in rats. The NF200 protein expression in rats with spinal cord injury was determined using immunohistochemical staining and NF200 mRNA expression levels were observed using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction method. The restoration of spinal cord functions was evaluated using the Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan score. The results demonstrated that the combined treatment significantly enhanced the expression of NF200 and improved spinal cord functions compared with the results of the single treatment. Our experimental observations indicated that FK506 and NGF exhibit a synergistic effect in the treatment of spinal cord injury in rats and that the combined treatment may effectively promote neural regeneration and functional recovery in rats following spinal cord injury.
WAS LATIN AMERICA CORRECT IN RELYING IN FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT TO IMPROVE EMPLOYMENT RATES

This paper examines the effect of foreign direct investment (FDI) on employment generation for a group of Latin American countries in the period 1980-2006. Using a dynamic panel model, which is estimated with the Arellano-Bover/Blundell-Bond system estimator, I find that FDI has a positive and significant effect on the employment generation in host countries, which is driven by its effect on male labor force. This positive effect is particularly important for less developed economies, periods with low inflation, and for the later period of the sample, but suggests that only countries with high level of informality and those attracting low average inflows of FDI accrue this benefit.
Meta-Analysis Reveals a Lack of Association between UGT2B17 Deletion Polymorphism and Tumor Susceptibility

Purpose UGT2B17 is a vital member of the UGT2 family and functions as a detoxification enzyme which catalyzes the glucuronidation of lipophilic compounds. Accumulating evidences implicates that it may contribute to the susceptibility of tumor risk. Identification of a UGT2B17 deletion polymorphism has attracted studies to evaluate the association between the UGT2B17 deletion polymorphism and tumor risk in diverse populations. However, the available results are conflicting. Methods A meta-analysis based on 14 studies from 10 publications including 5,732 cases and 5,112 controls was performed. Published literature from PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science was pooled and the crude odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to estimate the strength of the associations. Results Conclusively, our results indicate that individuals with a UGT2B17 deletion polymorphism were associated with tumor risks (OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.03–1.63, P<0.001) in a recessive model. However, after excluding two studies for their heterogeneity, the result then demonstrated that the UGT2B17 deletion polymorphism was not associated with tumor risks (OR = 1.118, 95%CI = 0.938–1.332, P>0.1). A subgroup analysis based on tumor type, sex or race did not show significant results. Conclusion These results suggest that the UGT2B17 deletion polymorphism is not associated with tumor risks.
Radio Frequency Modulated Signaling Interconnect for Memory-to-Processor and Processor-to-Processor Interfaces: An Overview

With the evolution of heterogeneous computing system, such as network-on-chip, high-performance distributed computing, accelerator-rich architectures and cluster computing, high-speed, energy-efficient and low-latency interfaces among memory-to-processor and processor-to-processor become the key technology to enable those technologies. Simultaneously, the scaling of CMOS makes the switching speed of the transistor up to sub-THz. Radio-frequency or even millimeter-wave modulated signaling interconnect has unique features in ultra-low power operation, dynamic allocation of bandwidth and low latency, compared with convention baseband signaling interconnect. In this work, we overview the different generations of radio-frequency interconnect (RF-I) technology, compare them with conventional baseband signaling interconnect technologies. The limitations and potentials are also discussed in the end.
Bayesian estimation of the entropy of the multivariate Gaussian

Estimating the entropy of a Gaussian distribution from samples drawn from the distribution is a difficult problem when the number of samples is smaller than the number of dimensions. A new Bayesian entropy estimator is proposed using an inverted Wishart distribution and a data-dependent prior that handles the small-sample case. Experiments for six different cases show that the proposed estimator provides good performance for the small-sample case compared to the standard nearest-neighbor entropy estimator. Additionally, it is shown that the Bayesian estimate formed by taking the expected entropy minimizes expected Bregman divergence.
An a posteriori error estimator for the Lamé equation based on equilibrated fluxes

We derive a new a posteriori error estimator for the Lame system based on H(div) -conforming elements and equilibrated fluxes. It is shown that the estimator gives rise to an upper bound where the constant is one up to higher-order terms. The lower bound is also established using Argyris elements. The reliability and efficiency of the proposed estimator are confirmed by some numerical tests.
Chaperone-percolator model: a possible molecular mechanism of Anfinsen-cage-type chaperones.

Although we have a rather elaborate "working-cycle" for the 60 kDa molecular chaperones, which possess a cavity, and are called Anfinsen-cage-type chaperones to emphasize that they provide a closed, protected environment to help the folding of their substrates, our understanding of the molecular mechanism of how these chaperones help protein folding is still incomplete. The present study adds two novel elements to the mechanism of how Anfinsen-cage-type chaperones (members of the 60 kDa chaperone family) aid protein folding. It is proposed that (1) these chaperones do not generally unfold their targets, but by a multidirectional expansion preferentially loosen the tight, inner structure of the collapsed target protein; and (2) during the expansion water molecules enter the hydrophobic core of the target, this percolation being a key step in chaperone action. This study compares this chaperone-percolator model with existing explanations and suggests further experiments to test it. BioEssays 1999;21:959-965.
Government Party and People in Nazi Germany

Introduction Government, Party and People in Nazi Germany JEREMY NOAKES 1. The Nazi Party and the Third Reich: the Myth and Reality of the One-Party State JEREMY NOAKES 2. Recreating the Civil Service: Issues and Ideas in the Nazi Regime JANE CAPLAN 3. Popular Opinion in the Third Reich IAN KERSHAW 4. Class Harmony or Class Conflict? The Industrial Working Class and the National Socialist Regime STEPHEN SALTER Bibliographical Notes Biographical Notes
Housing and Health Inequalities: Review and Prospects for Research

To date, relatively little research has systematically investigated relationships and pathways between housing, socio-economic status, and health status. At the same time, there is a growing awareness that one of the most important research needs in health inequalities scholarship is to better elucidate those pathways by which differences in socio-economic status manifest in everyday life, and produce, at the aggregate level, the systematic social gradient in health observed in all industrialised countries of the world. Existing 'population health' research on health inequalities provides evidence of the influence of four key factors upon health: social support, workplace organisation, income inequalities, and life course factors. This material is reviewed in the first section of the paper. The second section reviews the existing literature on housing and health, and finds little work that explicitly investigates housing as a factor in the social production of health inequalities. By extension and analogy, the final section shows, each of the four emphases in health inequalities can be translated into a fruitful, substantive research issue for housing and health research.
Characterization of Stimulus-Secretion Coupling in the Human Pancreatic EndoC-βH1 Beta Cell Line

Aims/Hypothesis Studies on beta cell metabolism are often conducted in rodent beta cell lines due to the lack of stable human beta cell lines. Recently, a human cell line, EndoC-βH1, was generated. Here we investigate stimulus-secretion coupling in this cell line, and compare it with that in the rat beta cell line, INS-1 832/13, and human islets. Methods Cells were exposed to glucose and pyruvate. Insulin secretion and content (radioimmunoassay), gene expression (Gene Chip array), metabolite levels (GC/MS), respiration (Seahorse XF24 Extracellular Flux Analyzer), glucose utilization (radiometric), lactate release (enzymatic colorimetric), ATP levels (enzymatic bioluminescence) and plasma membrane potential and cytoplasmic Ca2+ responses (microfluorometry) were measured. Metabolite levels, respiration and insulin secretion were examined in human islets. Results Glucose increased insulin release, glucose utilization, raised ATP production and respiratory rates in both lines, and pyruvate increased insulin secretion and respiration. EndoC-βH1 cells exhibited higher insulin secretion, while plasma membrane depolarization was attenuated, and neither glucose nor pyruvate induced oscillations in intracellular calcium concentration or plasma membrane potential. Metabolite profiling revealed that glycolytic and TCA-cycle intermediate levels increased in response to glucose in both cell lines, but responses were weaker in EndoC-βH1 cells, similar to those observed in human islets. Respiration in EndoC-βH1 cells was more similar to that in human islets than in INS-1 832/13 cells. Conclusions/Interpretation Functions associated with early stimulus-secretion coupling, with the exception of plasma membrane potential and Ca2+ oscillations, were similar in the two cell lines; insulin secretion, respiration and metabolite responses were similar in EndoC-βH1 cells and human islets. While both cell lines are suitable in vitro models, with the caveat of replicating key findings in isolated islets, EndoC-βH1 cells have the advantage of carrying the human genome, allowing studies of human genetic variants, epigenetics and regulatory RNA molecules.
Developing and Exploring Dimensions for Studying Information Work A Case Study

Many organizations are experimenting with the introduction of new work concepts. In this paper we develop a multi-dimensional framework for studying these new work concepts. We applied the framework two times: before and after the introduction of the new work concepts at a Dutch bank organization. Moreover we measured the impact of the introduction on perceived employee productivity, flexibility, satisfaction, and innovativeness. The results are discussed. We concluded this paper by reflecting on the results and implications for future research.
Fuzzy-based approach for context-aware service retrieval

The idea presented in paper is inspired from the wide prospect given by the integration of fuzzy sets and linguistic quantifiers in the modeling of context and quantification of similarities measurement. In pervasive services retrieval, dealing with context in a flexible and efficient way is extremely important. In this paper we propose a practical classification of context into functional and non functional context. We use the first type in the service discovery with an ontology based model supporting fuzzy context predicates and fuzzy reasoning, while the second type is used for the best-fitting service selection based on the linguistic quantifier “almost all”. Finally, the listed scenario example illustrates the realization and the effectiveness of our approach.
A Generalized Linear Programming Approach to Efficiency Improvement

A previous study proposes a model for improving efficiency under the data envelopment analysis structure when inputs and outputs are not allowed to adjust at wish. One problem associated with that model is that numerical difficulty may arise in variable substitution when some variables are zero or very small. To solve this problem, this paper builds a model from a dual point of view. The model is a generalized linear program. Consequently, a robust decomposition technique is applied to solve the model, and the numerical difficulty is thus eliminated. Key-Words: Linear programming, Data envelopment analysis, Efficiency, Nonlinear programming, Fractional programming, Generalized linear program
B1 destructive interferences and spatial phase patterns at 7 T with a head transceiver array coil

RF behavior in the human head becomes complex at ultrahigh magnetic fields. A bright center and a weak periphery are observed in images obtained with volume coils, while surface coils provide strong signal in the periphery. Intensity patterns reported with volume coils are often loosely referred to as “dielectric resonances,” while modeling studies ascribe them to superposition of traveling waves greatly dampened in lossy brain tissues, raising questions regarding the usage of this term. Here we address this question experimentally, taking full advantage of a transceiver coil array that was used in volume transmit mode, multiple receiver mode, or single transmit surface coil mode. We demonstrate with an appropriately conductive sphere phantom that destructive interferences are responsible for a weak B1 in the periphery, without a significant standing wave pattern. The relative spatial phase of receive and transmit B1 proved remarkably similar for the different coil elements, although with opposite rotational direction. Additional simulation data closely matched our phantom results. In the human brain the phase patterns were more complex but still exhibited similarities between coil elements. Our results suggest that measuring spatial B1 phase could help, within an MR session, to perform RF shimming in order to obtain more homogeneous B1 in user‐defined areas of the brain. Magn Reson Med, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Organized growth of thalamocortical axons from the deep tier of terminations into layer IV of developing mouse barrel cortex

The thalamocortical projection to rodent somatosensory (“barrell”) cortex is highly ordered in both the radial and the tangential dimensions. During a brief period of postnatal development, thalamocortical axons establish two tiers of terminations, in the deep layers and in layer IV, and form whisker-specific clusters within layer IV; however, little is known about the cues that guide them to their appropriate radial and tangential positions. To gain insight into potential mechanisms underlying this process, we studied the development of thalamocortical termination patterns in mouse barrel cortex at high spatial resolution. Developing thalamocortical axons were labeled in fixed slices with the lipophilic carbocyanine dye Dil and imaged with a laser scanning confocal microscope. On the day of birth (postnatal day 0, P0) axons coursed through layers VI and V, with little or no branching. By P2 the lower tier of terminations, at the border of layers VI and V, was clearly identifiable. Below this tier axons coursed obliquely or tangentially, forming a dense meshwork of intersecting fibers, but with no apparent branching. By P4 the upper tier of terminations, in layer IV, was clearly recognizable, and consisted of periodic, dense clusters of terminal arborizations. In marked contrast to the oblique and apparently disorderly course followed by axons in layer VI and lower layer V, axons in upper layer V heading toward the upper tier were organized in loose bundles running radially, suggesting that axons destined to terminate in a particular layer IV barrel had already reached their appropriate tangential coordinates within the lower tier. Thus, the pattern of thalamocortical terminations in layer IV seems to be projected from the deep tier of terminations, and does not develop from an initially profuse arborization pattern through pruning of inappropriate branches.
Exploring co-creation of value within customer-supplier and buyer-supplier relationships

Purpose – This paper reviews co-creation of value within contemporary literature with a specific focus on customer-supplier and buyer-supplier relationship literature. The paper incorporates the different literatures in order to identify some of the antecedents of value co-creation in buyer-supplier relationships. Methodology/approach – In this systematic literature review 59 articles published between 2000 and 2011 were analyzed using content analysis. Findings – Co-creation of value has not previously been studied in the context of customersupplier and buyer-supplier relationships. The findings show how co-creation of value has been described in contemporary literature and shed light on antecedents of value creation within this context. This is done by reviewing the descriptions of value within the mentioned context. Research implications – In order to facilitate meaningful research in this area, it is important that research in co-creation of value would be conducted in the context of customer-supplier and buyer-supplier relationships. In addition it would worthwhile to explore the antecedents of co-creation of value in order to discover to what extent they have already been addressed within this relationship context. Originality/value – Despite the large number of recent studies on buyer-supplier relationships, studies on co-creation of value in customer-supplier and buyer-supplier relationships have remained scarce, especially with an emphasis on dyadic actor-to-actor relationships.
PATZ1 induces PP4R2 to form a negative feedback loop on IKK/NF-κB signaling in lung cancer

Activation of IKK enhances NF-κB signaling to facilitate cancer cell migration, invasion and metastasis. Here, we uncover the existence of a negative feedback loop of IKK. The transcription factor PATZ1 induces protein phosphatase-4 (PP4) regulatory subunit 2 (PP4R2) in an IKK-dependent manner. PP4R2 enhances the binding of PP4 to phosphorylated IKK to inactivate IKK/NF-κB signaling during sustained stimulation by cellular stimuli such as growth factors and inflammatory mediators. Matched pair studies reveal that primary lung cancers express more PATZ1 and PP4R2 than lymph node metastases in patients. Ectopic PATZ1 decreases invasion/colonization of lung cancers and prolongs the survival of xenograft mice. These effects of PATZ1 are reversed by downregulating PP4R2. Our results suggest that PATZ1 and PP4R2 provide negative feedback on IKK/NF-κB signaling to prevent cancer cells from over-stimulation from cellular stimuli; a decline in PATZ1 and PP4R2 is functionally associated with cancer migration/invasion and agents enhancing PATZ1 and PP4R2 are worth exploring to prevent invasion/metastasis of lung cancers.