Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Staged radiosurgery for extra-large cerebral arteriovenous malformations: method, implementation, and results.

OBJECT The effectiveness and safety of radiosurgery for small- to medium-sized cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) have been well established. However, the management for large cerebral AVMs remains a great challenge to neurosurgeons. In the past 5 years the authors performed preplanned staged radiosurgery to treat extra-large cerebral AVMs. METHODS An extra-large cerebral AVM is defined as one with nidus volume > 40 ml. The nidus volume of cerebral AVM is measured from the dose plan-that is, as being the volume contained within the best-fit prescription isodose. From January 2003 to December 2007, the authors treated 6 patients with extra-large AVMs by preplanned staged GKS. Staged radiosurgery is implemented by rigid transformation with translation and rotation of coordinates between 2 stages. The average radiation-targeted volume was 60 ml (range 47-72 ml). The presenting symptoms were seizure in 4 patients and a bleeding episode in 2. One patient had undergone a previous craniotomy and evacuation of hematoma. The mean interval between the 2 radiosurgical sessions was 6.9 months (range 4.5-9.1 months). The prescribed marginal dose given to the nidus volume in each stage ranged from 16 to 18.6 Gy. The expected marginal dose of total nidus was 17-19 Gy. Regular follow-up MR imaging was performed every 6 months. The mean follow-up period was 28 months (range 12-54 months). RESULTS Most of the patients exhibited clinical improvement: relief of headache and reduced frequency of seizure attack. All patients had significant regression of nidus observed on MR imaging follow-up. Two patients had angiogram-confirmed complete obliteration of the nidus 45 and 60 months after the second-stage radiosurgical session. One patient experienced minor bleeding 8 months after the second-stage radiosurgery with mild headache. She had satisfactory recovery without clinical neurological deficit after conservative treatment. CONCLUSIONS These preliminary results indicate that staged radiosurgery is a practical strategy to treat patients with extra-large cerebral AVMs. It takes longer to obliterate the AVMs. The observed high signal T2 changes after the radiosurgery appeared clinically insignificant in 6 patients followed up for an average of 28 months. Longer follow-up is necessary to confirm its long-term safety.
Stimulus-evoked high frequency oscillations are present in neuronal networks on microelectrode arrays

Pathological high frequency oscillations (250–600 Hz) are present in the brains of epileptic animals and humans. The etiology of these oscillations and how they contribute to the diseased state remains unclear. This work identifies the presence of microstimulation-evoked high frequency oscillations (250–400 Hz) in dissociated neuronal networks cultured on microelectrode arrays (MEAs). Oscillations are more apparent with higher stimulus voltages. As with in vivo studies, activity is isolated to a single electrode, however, the MEA provides improved spatial resolution with no spread of the oscillation to adjacent electrodes 200 μm away. Oscillations develop across four weeks in vitro. Oscillations still occur in the presence of tetrodotoxin and synaptic blockers, and they cause no apparent disruption in the ability of oscillation-presenting electrodes to elicit directly evoked action potentials (dAPs) or promote the spread of synaptic activity throughout the culture. Chelating calcium with ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (EGTA) causes a temporal prolongation of the oscillation. Finally, carbenoxolone significantly reduces or eliminates the high frequency oscillations. Gap junctions may play a significant role in maintaining the oscillation given the inhibitory effect of carbenoxolone, the propagating effect of reduced calcium conditions and the isolated nature of the activity as demonstrated in previous studies. This is the first demonstration of stimulus-evoked high frequency oscillations in dissociated cultures. Unlike current models that rely on complex in vivo recording conditions, this work presents a simple controllable model in neuronal cultures on MEAs to further investigate how the oscillations occur at the molecular level and how they may contribute to the pathophysiology of disease.
Androgen receptor immunolocalization in brains of courting and brooding male and female ring doves (Streptopelia risoria).

Nuclear androgen receptors (ARs) were localized immunocytochemically in the brains of courting and brooding male and female ring doves (Streptopelia risoria). AR immunoreactivity (AR-ir) in courting birds was localized in cell nuclei in the telencephalon, diencephalon, and mesencephalon. In the anterior hypothalamus, high density of AR-ir was concentrated in several nuclei including the nucleus lateralis hypothalami, nucleus periventricularis magnocellularis, nucleus preopticus anterior, nucleus preopticus medialis, and nucleus preopticus paraventricularis magnocellularis. In the posterior hypothalamus, areas showing high density of AR-ir included the nucleus lateralis hypothalami posterioris, nucleus medialis hypothalami posterior, nucleus ectomamillaris, nucleus mamillaris lateralis, and nucleus tuberis. No sex differences in the density or localization of AR-ir were observed. Compared to brains from courting birds, AR-ir density was either extremely low or absent in most brain regions of brooding birds. It is concluded that in the dove, central ARs are closely associated with the sexual stages of the reproductive cycle.
Evaluation of transport methods for isolating Shigella spp

Recovery of Shigella spp. from fecal specimens transported in buffered glycerol saline and Cary-Blair media held at frozen, refrigerated, or room temperature was compared with recovery by direct plating of fecal specimens. Buffered glycerol saline was the better transport medium for the recovery of Shigella spp. Refrigerated or frozen transport temperatures were superior to room temperature for recovery from either medium.
Toeplitz-Structured Compressed Sensing Matrices

The problem of recovering a sparse signal x Rn from a relatively small number of its observations of the form y = Ax Rk, where A is a known matrix and k « n, has recently received a lot of attention under the rubric of compressed sensing (CS) and has applications in many areas of signal processing such as data cmpression, image processing, dimensionality reduction, etc. Recent work has established that if A is a random matrix with entries drawn independently from certain probability distributions then exact recovery of x from these observations can be guaranteed with high probability. In this paper, we show that Toeplitz-structured matrices with entries drawn independently from the same distributions are also sufficient to recover x from y with high probability, and we compare the performance of such matrices with that of fully independent and identically distributed ones. The use of Toeplitz matrices in CS applications has several potential advantages: (i) they require the generation of only O(n) independent random variables; (ii) multiplication with Toeplitz matrices can be efficiently implemented using fast Fourier transform, resulting in faster acquisition and reconstruction algorithms; and (iii) Toeplitz-structured matrices arise naturally in certain application areas such as system identification.
Post-treatment change in serum estrone predicts mammographic percent density changes in women who received combination estrogen and progestin in the Postmenopausal Estrogen/Progestin Interventions (PEPI) Trial.

PURPOSE Postmenopausal estrogen and progestin therapy (EPT) increases mammographic percent density and breast cancer risk substantially more than does estrogen therapy alone. We determined whether increases in serum estrone as a function of treatment predict increases in mammographic percent density. METHODS We measured mammographic percent density and serum estrone levels in participants in the Postmenopausal Estrogen/Progestin Interventions Trial who were randomly assigned to receive conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) 0.625 mg/d; CEE and medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) 10 mg on days 1 to 12 per 28-day cycle; CEE and MPA 2.5 mg/d; or CEE and micronized progesterone (MP) 200 mg on days 1 to 12 per 28-day cycle. We used linear regression to determine whether serum estrone changes predicted mammographic percent density changes from baseline to 1 year. RESULTS Mammographic percent density increased with increasing change in estrone level in the EPT groups, but not in the CEE group. Combined, the mammographic percent density in the three EPT groups demonstrated an absolute increase of 2.95% per 100 pg/mL increase in serum estrone level (P =.0003). The absolute increases were 4.09% (P =.0018) in the CEE + MPA continuous group, 2.79% (P =.0292) in the CEE + MPA cyclical group, and 1.40% (P =.36) in the CEE + MP group, but the differences among the EPT groups were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION Greater increase in serum estrone level as a function of treatment is a significant predictor of increase in mammographic percent density in women randomly assigned to the combination of estrogen and progestin.
Comparison of Anatomic and Clinical Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Alternative Initial Noninvasive Testing Strategies for the Diagnosis of Stable Coronary Artery Disease

Background The optimal initial noninvasive diagnostic testing strategy for stable coronary artery disease (CAD) is unknown. Although American guidelines recommend an exercise stress test as the first‐line test, European guidelines suggest that stress imaging (myocardial perfusion imaging or stress echocardiography) or coronary computed tomography angiography may be preferable. Understanding the relationship between the initial strategy and downstream yield of obstructive CAD and major adverse cardiac events may provide insight as to the optimal strategy. Methods and Results We conducted a population‐based retrospective cohort study of adults in Ontario, Canada, using health administrative and clinical data. The relationship between the initial testing strategy and obstructive CAD on invasive angiography was examined. Patients were then followed from their angiogram onward to determine whether they developed a composite end point of major adverse cardiac events. After adjusting for covariates, patients with initial myocardial perfusion imaging (odds ratio: 0.92; 95% confidence interval, 0.85, 1.00), coronary computed tomography angiography (odds ratio: 1.51; 95% confidence interval, 0.91, 2.49), or stress echo (odds ratio: 0.95; 95% confidence interval, 0.84, 1.08) did not a have significantly different yield of obstructive CAD compared with those with an initial exercise stress test. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in downstream major adverse cardiac events after invasive angiography among the 4 initial testing strategies after adjusting for clinically relevant covariates. Conclusions Our study found no evidence to suggest significant differences in either yield of obstructive CAD or downstream major adverse cardiac events in patients undergoing an initial noninvasive testing strategy with stress or anatomical imaging compared with those undergoing an initial exercise stress test.
On the optimality of the binary reflected Gray code

This paper concerns the problem of selecting a binary labeling for the signal constellation in M-PSK, M-PAM, and M-QAM communication systems. Gray labelings are discussed and the original work by Frank Gray is analyzed. As is noted, the number of distinct Gray labelings that result in different bit-error probability grows rapidly with increasing constellation size. By introducing a recursive Gray labeling construction method called expansion, the paper answers the natural question of what labeling, among all possible constellation labelings, will give the lowest possible average probability of bit errors for the considered constellations. Under certain assumptions on the channel, the answer is that the labeling proposed by Gray, the binary reflected Gray code, is the optimal labeling for all three constellations, which has, surprisingly, never been proved before.
Mapping evolutionary process: a multi-taxa approach to conservation prioritization

Human‐induced land use changes are causing extensive habitat fragmentation. As a result, many species are not able to shift their ranges in response to climate change and will likely need to adapt in situ to changing climate conditions. Consequently, a prudent strategy to maintain the ability of populations to adapt is to focus conservation efforts on areas where levels of intraspecific variation are high. By doing so, the potential for an evolutionary response to environmental change is maximized. Here, we use modeling approaches in conjunction with environmental variables to model species distributions and patterns of genetic and morphological variation in seven Ecuadorian amphibian, bird, and mammal species. We then used reserve selection software to prioritize areas for conservation based on intraspecific variation or species‐level diversity. Reserves selected using species richness and complementarity showed little overlap with those based on genetic and morphological variation. Priority areas for intraspecific variation were mainly located along the slopes of the Andes and were largely concordant among species, but were not well represented in existing reserves. Our results imply that in order to maximize representation of intraspecific variation in reserves, genetic and morphological variation should be included in conservation prioritization.
Mutants at the Slender1 Locus of Barley cv Himalaya. Molecular and Physiological Characterization

A dominant dwarf mutant of barley (Hordeum vulgare) that resembles dominant gibberellin (GA) “-insensitive” or “-nonresponsive” mutants in other species is described. α-Amylase production by endosperm half-grains of the mutant required GA3 at concentrations about 100 times that of the WT. The mutant showed only a slight growth response to GA3, even at very high concentrations. However, when additionally dwarfed, growth rate responded to GA3over the normal concentration range, although only back to the original (dwarf) elongation rate. Genetic studies indicated that the dominant dwarf locus was either closely linked or identical to theSln1 (Slender1) locus. A barley sequence related to Arabidopsis GAI/RGA was isolated, and shown to represent the Sln1 locus by the analysis ofsln1 mutants. The dominant dwarf mutant was also altered in this sequence, indicating that it too is an allele atSln1. Thus, mutations at Sln1 generate plants of radically different phenotypes; either dwarfs that are largely dominant and GA “-insensitive/-nonresponsive,” or the recessive slender types in which GA responses appear to be constitutive. Immunoblotting studies showed that in growing leaves, SLN1 protein localized almost exclusively to the leaf elongation zone. In mutants at the Sln1 locus, there were differences in both the abundance and distribution of SLN1 protein, and large changes in the amounts of bioactive GAs, and of their metabolic precursors and catabolites. These results suggest that there are dynamic interactions between SLN1 protein and GA content in determining leaf elongation rate.
Prediction and Entropy of Printed English

A new method of estimating the entropy and redundancy of a language is described. This method exploits the knowledge of the language statistics possessed by those who speak the language, and depends on experimental results in prediction of the next letter when the preceding text is known. Results of experiments in prediction are given, and some properties of an ideal predictor are developed.
Image-based collision detection for deformable cloth models

Modeling the natural interaction of cloth and garments with objects in a 3D environment is currently one of the most computationally demanding tasks. These highly deformable materials are subject to a very large number of contact points in the proximity of other moving objects. Furthermore, cloth objects often fold, roll, and drape within themselves, generating a large number of self-collision areas. The interactive requirements of 3D games and physically driven virtual environments make the cloth collisions and self-collision computations more challenging. By exploiting mathematically well-defined smoothness conditions over smaller patches of deformable surfaces and resorting to image-based collision detection tests, we developed an efficient collision detection method that achieves interactive rates while tracking self-interactions in highly deformable surfaces consisting of a large number of elements. The method makes use of a novel technique for dynamically generating a hierarchy of cloth bounding boxes in order to perform object-level culling and image-based intersection tests using conventional graphics hardware support. An efficient backward voxel-based AABB hierarchy method is proposed to handle deformable surfaces which are highly compressed.
On the conjectures of SU(3) and AB unitary space-time codes

Proofs to the conjectures made by Jing and Hassibi on having fully diverse (3times3) SU(3) and AB unitary space-time codes are presented in this correspondence. We first prove that the SU(3) codes are fully diverse if and only if the design parameters P,Q,R, and S are all odd integers, and in addition, are relatively prime. For the type I AB codes, it is shown that full diversity can be achieved if and only if the integers P,Q,R, and S are relatively prime. Finally, we show that such condition is also sufficient for having fully diverse type II AB codes
Hardness Results for Signaling in Bayesian Zero-Sum and Network Routing Games

We study the optimization problem faced by a perfectly informed principal in a Bayesian game, who reveals information to the players about the state of nature to obtain a desirable equilibrium. This signaling problem is the natural design question motivated by uncertainty in games and has attracted much recent attention. We present new hardness results for signaling problems in (a) Bayesian two-player zero-sum games, and (b) Bayesian network routing games. For Bayesian zero-sum games, when the principal seeks to maximize the equilibrium utility of a player, we show that it is NP-hard to obtain an additive FPTAS. Our hardness proof exploits duality and the equivalence of separation and optimization in a novel way. Further, we rule out an additive PTAS assuming planted clique hardness, which states that no polynomial time algorithm can recover a planted clique from an Erd\H{o}s-R\'enyi random graph. Complementing these, we obtain a PTAS for a structured class of zero-sum games (where obtaining an FPTAS is still NP-hard) when the payoff matrices obey a Lipschitz condition. Previous results ruled out an FPTAS assuming planted-clique hardness, and a PTAS only for implicit games with quasi-polynomial-size strategy sets. For Bayesian network routing games, wherein the principal seeks to minimize the average latency of the Nash flow, we show that it is NP-hard to obtain a (multiplicative) (4/3 - epsilon)-approximation, even for linear latency functions. This is the optimal inapproximability result for linear latencies, since we show that full revelation achieves a (4/3)-approximation for linear latencies.
Script Language for Embodied Agents as Personal Conversational Media in Online Communities

In this paper, we propose a script language for embodied conversational agents that can function as personal conversational media in asynchronous community systems. Despite the fact that the community interaction is a social event, current online community systems are designed to focus mainly on information exchange through texts, and provide very little support for establishing and maintaining social relationships among participants. In order to enhance and exploit human prowess in social interaction, we have developed an asynchronous community system that employs embodied conversational agents (ECAs) as conversational media. An ECA, an animated character on a screen, can display various social expressions on behalf of the user. Therefore, we can construct and represent social interactive environment by a group of ECAs acting on a screen. This environment created by ECAs, in turn, induces social and psychological relationships between each ECA and the users. In this paper, we call such ECAs Personified Media (PM). We propose a script language for PM, PMScript, which enables users to specify and describe the behaviors, both expressive and interactive, of PM together with the handlings of other media contents. Participants in asynchronous community systems have sufficient time to compose a script description for their PM. In addition to the features of ECAs, the social presence of a PM can enhance users’ community awareness in terms of the human social environment. Therefore, conversations using PM should be smooth, expressive, informative, and social. By accumulating submitted scripts, PMScript can also serve as materials for further analysis and processing of actual participant behavior data in community interactions.
Cationic Bioactive Peptide from the Seeds of Benincasa hispida

A designated bioactive peptide “Hispidalin” purified from the seeds of Benincasa hispida, which is a medicinal plant, belongs to Cucurbitaceae family. Purification was achieved by using a procedure consisting of extraction from potassium phosphate buffer followed by FPLC and HPLC steps. Based on amino acid residue, this peptide is amphipathic and basic with one net positive charge having isoelectric pH 8.1. This peptide is without sulphur containing amino acid suggesting its extended conformation lacking double bond secondary structure. The results obtained from MALDI-TOF suggested that Hispidalin is of molecular mass 5.7 KDa with 49 amino acid residues and confirmed SDS-PAGE resolved ∼6.0 KDa protein band. This novel and unknown peptide “Hispidalin” showed broad and potent inhibitory effects against various human bacterial and fungal pathogens; its growth inhibition was significantly comparable with commercial antibacterial and antifungal drugs. The Hispidalin at 40 μg/mL concentration exhibited 70.8% DPPH free radical-scavenging activity and 69.5% lipid peroxide inhibition. Thus, in the present study, Hispidalin demonstrated remarkable antimicrobial and antioxidant potentials from the seeds of B. hispida.
Choice of weighting for averaged non-parametric transfer function estimates

We consider the statistical properties of nonparametric transfer function estimates formed via the weighted sum of empirical transfer function estimates. In the case that the system input is considered deterministic, we show that the weighting corresponding to the classical averaged periodogram estimate is optimal. A similar asymptotic result is derived for the case where the input is considered stochastic.