Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Correlation between local stress and strain and lamina cribrosa connective tissue volume fraction in normal monkey eyes.

PURPOSE To investigate the biomechanical response to IOP elevation of normal monkey eyes using eye-specific, three-dimensional (3-D) finite element (FE) models of the ONH that incorporate lamina cribrosa (LC) microarchitectural information. METHODS A serial sectioning and episcopic imaging technique was used to reconstruct the ONH and peripapillary sclera of four pairs of eyes fixed at 10 mm Hg. FE models were generated with local LC material properties representing the connective tissue volume fraction (CTVF) and predominant LC beam orientation and used to simulate an increase in IOP from 10 to 45 mm Hg. An LC material stiffness constant was varied to assess its influence on biomechanical response. RESULTS Strains and stresses within contralateral eyes were remarkably similar in both magnitude and distribution. Strain correlated inversely, and nonlinearly, with CTVF (median, r (2) = 0.73), with tensile strains largest in the temporal region. Stress correlated linearly with CTVF (median r(2) = 0.63), with the central and superior regions bearing the highest stresses. Net average LC displacement was either posterior or anterior, depending on whether the laminar material properties were compliant or stiff. CONCLUSIONS The results show that contralateral eyes exhibit similar mechanical behavior and suggest that local mechanical stress and strain within the LC are correlate highly with local laminar CTVF. These simulations emphasize the importance of developing both high-resolution imaging of the LC microarchitecture and next-generation, deep-scanning OCT techniques to clarify the relationships between IOP-related LC displacement and CTVF-related stress and strain in the LC. Such imaging may predict sites of IOP-related damage in glaucoma.
See also ADM 001784 . 36 th Annual Precise Time and Time Interval ( PTTI ) Systems and Applications

The analysis of GPS carrier-phase time transfer (GPSCPTT) data often requires that the zenith troposphere delay (ZTD) be estimated at each site as a function of time. This is because the index of refraction of the troposphere varies rapidly. Both the ZTD values and the timetransfer values are estimated simultaneously from the GPSCPTT data. This complicates the estimation of the desired time-transfer values, because, at a given site, the time difference of the receiver clock is correlated to the ZTD. Thus, it is desirable to avoid estimating the ZTD from the GPSCPTT data if possible. This concept can be explored by using ZTD values derived from water vapor radiometer (WVR) measurements. In this experiment, GPSCPTT data were obtained for three stations, each of which was also equipped with a WVR. A control experiment was performed in which the GPSCPTT data were processed in the conventional manner, i.e., the time-transfer values were estimated from the GPS data, as were the ZTD values for each site. Estimates of ZTD derived from WVR measurements were then incorporated into the processing and the time-transfer estimates recomputed. Introducing WVR-based estimates of a site’s ZTD into GPSCPTT data processing changes the ZTD values associated by the GPSCPTT estimation filter with that site. We found that this changed the values that the filter estimated for the ZTDs of the other sites. These ZTD changes then changed the time-transfer estimates according to the equation ∆[CLK(A) – CLK(B)] = -K·[∆ZTD(A) – ∆ZTD(B)]/c. In this experiment, K was found to be approximately equal to 1.5.
Dual-Diversity Combining for Constrained Resource Allocation and Throughput Maximization in OFDMA Networks

Throughput maximization is generally the major objective when allocating resources in orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA)networks. Traditionally, dynamic allocation methods were developed to exploit multi-user diversity in these networks. These techniques achieved significant gain in throughput by adopting relaxed convex models to define system upper bound capacity. Frequency diversity, on the other hand, is only considered to a certain extent in order to meet user service constraints. The vast majority of existing research relies on these techniques. Separately, research considering combining frequency diversity and multi-user diversity in full has been scarce. The results of our research in this paper show that using this dual diversity combining can substantially maximize system capacity and resource efficiency, and minimize outage probability whilst users' quality of service (QoS) demands are maintained.
Adenoviral-mediated overexpression of DDAH improves vascular tone regulation

Dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) degrades asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenously produced nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor. In mammals, two isoforms of DDAH, DDAH1 and DDAH2, are expressed in the cardiovascular system, suggesting that ADMA concentrations are actively regulated in blood vessels, raising the possibility that cardiovascular metabolism of ADMA constitutes a novel mechanism for the regulation of NO production. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of DDAH-catalyzed asymmetric methylarginine metabolism in the regulation of vascular function. We developed adenoviral vectors for the expression of human DDAH1 and 2. Overexpression of DDAH1 or 2 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) increases DDAH activity, reduces ADMA concentrations and increases NO production. Similarly, overexpression of DDAH1 or 2 in DDAH1+/ — mice carotid vessels increases NO production and attenuates the response to phenylephrine (PE), enhances acetylcholine (ACh) relaxation and attenuates the effect of exogenously applied ADMA. Finally, overexpression of either DDAH1 or 2 completely reversed the vascular dysfunction seen in DDAH1+/— mice. These data indicate that basal concentrations of ADMA in blood vessels are sufficient to regulate NO production, that increases in the level of either DDAH1 or 2, improves vascular function and that overexpression of either DDAH1 or 2 is sufficient to compensate for life-long exposure to elevated ADMA. Thus, therapeutic manipulation of DDAH expression or activity may represent a novel approach to improve vascular dysfunction in various cardiovascular diseases.
The model for emotional virtual persons in Mobile friend-mate social networks

This paper presents a novel model for emotional virtual social persons in Mobile friend-mate social networks. Unlike traditional friend-mate social networks in centralized data centers, this approach uses semantic P2P network technologies. The mobile phones as P2P nodes host the agents for virtual emotional social persons which simulate human's actions and responses by computer algorithms, not only based on intelligence, but also on emotion like human being. The agents for emotional virtual social persons collect their own information such as sex, birthday, astrology, Enneagram, blood type, hobby, health and attributes of his six senses, etc., and arouse emotional actions based on this information. The model keeps the privacy information only in the person's own mobile phone, which can avoid leaking the privacy information. The emotional agents for emotional virtual social persons join the virtual hierarchical tree networks (VIRGO) according to their roles or their interesting domains. And the agents can simulate general emotional reactions by emotional commands via the messages communications. We also discuss the model to mate the most successful friends based on the above information.
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase in experimental liver fibrosis: GKT137831 as a novel potential therapeutic agent

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase (NOX) generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) during liver fibrosis. In response to fibrogenic agonists, such as angiotensin II (Ang II), the NOX1 components form an active complex, including Ras‐related botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1). Superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) interacts with the NOX‐Rac1 complex to stimulate NOX activity. NOX4 is also induced in activated HSCs/myofibroblast by increased gene expression. Here, we investigate the role of an enhanced activity SOD1 G37R mutation (SODmu) and the effects of GKT137831, a dual NOX1/4 inhibitor, on HSCs and liver fibrosis. To induce liver fibrosis, wild‐type (WT) and SOD1mu mice were treated with CCl4 or bile duct ligation (BDL). Then, to address the role of NOX‐SOD1‐mediated ROS production in HSC activation and liver fibrosis, mice were treated with a NOX1/4 inhibitor. Fibrosis and ROS generation was assessed by histology and measurement of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and NOX‐related genes. Primary cultured HSCs isolated from WT, SODmu, and NOX1 knockout (KO) mice were assessed for ROS production, Rac1 activity, and NOX gene expression. Liver fibrosis was increased in SOD1mu mice, and ROS production and Rac1 activity were increased in SOD1mu HSCs. The NOX1/4 inhibitor, GKT137831, attenuated liver fibrosis and ROS production in both SOD1mu and WT mice as well as messenger RNA expression of fibrotic and NOX genes. Treatment with GKT137831 suppressed ROS production and NOX and fibrotic gene expression, but not Rac1 activity, in SOD1mut and WT HSCs. Both Ang II and tumor growth factor beta up‐regulated NOX4, but Ang II required NOX1. Conclusions: SOD1mu induces excessive NOX1 activation through Rac1 in HSCs, causing enhanced NOX4 up‐regulation, ROS generation, and liver fibrosis. Treatment targeting NOX1/4 may be a new therapy for liver fibrosis. (HEPATOLOGY 2012)
Insurance development and international trade in developing countries

ABSTRACT This article analyzes the impact of insurance development on international trade for a sample of 52 developing countries over the period of 1990 to 2014. The results from the pooled mean group estimator indicate that the countries with a better developed insurance sector have a comparative advantage in international trade in the long term. The sample is then divided into low- and lower-middle-income countries and upper-middle-income countries. For the upper-middle-income countries, the development of non-life insurance plays a much more important role than it does for low- and lower-middle-income countries.
Design of Linear Phase FIR Filters With High Probability of Achieving Minimum Number of Adders

In this paper, an algorithm is proposed for the design of low complexity linear phase finite impulse response (FIR) filters with optimum discrete coefficients. The proposed algorithm, based on mixed integer linear programming (MILP), efficiently traverses the discrete coefficient solutions and searches for the optimum one that results in an implementation using minimum number of adders. During the searching process, discrete coefficients are dynamically synthesized based on a continuously updated subexpression space and, most essentially, a monitoring mechanism is introduced to enable the algorithm's awareness of optimality. Benchmark examples have shown that the proposed algorithm can, in most cases, produce the optimum designs using minimum number of adders for the given specifications. The proposed algorithm can be simply extended for the optimum design with the maximum adder depth constraint.
The role of Arabidopsis SCAR genes in ARP2-ARP3-dependent cell morphogenesis

The actin-nucleating ARP2-ARP3 complex controls cell shape in plants in many different cell types. Its activity is controlled by a multimeric complex containing BRK1 (also known as HSPC300), NAP1, SRA1, ABI and SCAR/WAVE. In this study, we focus on the function of the five putative SCAR homologues in Arabidopsis and we provide biochemical evidence that AtSCAR2 can activate the ARP2-ARP3 complex in vitro. Among the single mutants, mutations in only AtSCAR2 result in a subtle or weak phenotype similar to ARP2, ARP3 and other `distorted' mutants. Double-mutant analysis revealed a redundancy with AtSCAR4. Systematic application of the yeast two-hybrid system and Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation (BiFC) revealed a complex protein-interaction network between the ARP2-ARP3 complex and its genetically defined regulators. In addition to protein interactions known in other systems, we identified several new interactions, suggesting that SPIKE1 may be an integral component of the SCAR/WAVE complex and that SCAR proteins in plants might act as direct effectors of ROP GTPases.
Hierarchical adaptive PSO for multi-objective OPF considering emissions based shunt FACTS

This paper presents a hierarchical adaptive particle swarm optimization (APSO) for multi objective optimal power flow considering emissions coordinated with dynamic control of shunt FACTS devices. This study introduces a new variant of PSO using new mechanism search based dynamic adjustment of PSO parameters coordinated with a hierarchical decomposed strategy to improve the performances of the original PSO in terms of solution quality and convergence characteristics. The proposed strategy have been successfully adapted and applied for solving the multi objective optimal power flow considering emissions, and practical generators constraints (valve point effect). The APSO algorithm optimizes simultaneously a combined control variables, active power generations, voltage generators, tap transformer and the reactive power of multi SVC Controllers installed at a specified buses to minimize fuel cost, emissions, total power loss and voltage profile while satisfying the generators constraints and power system security. The proposed approach have been examined and applied to the 6 generating units considering emissions, to the IEEE 57-Bus considering all security constraints, and to the 40 generating units with valve point effects. Simulation results compared to the standard PSO and other recent methods confirm the effectiveness of this new PSO variant.
An induced charge-selective nanochannel of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTS) array for biomolecular preconcentration in microchip

In this paper, biomolecular electropreconcentration has been demonstrated in a hybrid micro/nano-fluidic device incorporated with multi-wall-carbon-nanotubes (MWCNTs) array. Parylene (poly(p-xylylene) was deposited on MWCNTs walls as a dielectric material, the surface charge characters and density could adjusted when an induced polarizes filed was applied. The competition between electroosmotic dragging force and nonlinear electrophoretic forces induced by polarization effect is suggested responsible for the setup of two preconcentration regimes at both cathodic and anodic sides of the nanochannel. The surface charge of MCNTs is inversely proportional to the channel wall thickness and proportional to the dielectric constant of the MCNTs as well as the applied external electric-field. Electrokinetic trapping and collection can be maintained for several minutes in this device. 1μM FITC (fluorescein) and Rhodamine B dye mixtures were easily separated by the non-neutral and neutral property of the dyes in a MCNTs filter nanochannel. A 105 folds high concentration capability of FITC-labelied IgG has been achieved in 15 min in this device which is not easily carried out by standard MEMS process. The fabrication of this charge-selsctive nanogate with direct growth of MWCNTs inside microchannel is first reported to apply to electropreconcentration.
Privacy-Preserving Top-k Nearest Keyword Search on Outsourced Graphs

With massive networks emerging with labels or textual contents on the nodes, keyword search on graphs has been used in a wide range of real-life applications in recent years. For achieving great cost savings, data owners are motivated to outsource their services on graphs to the cloud. However, directly outsourcing them may arise serious privacy concerns. In this paper, we study the problem of privacy-preserving top-k nearest keyword search on outsourced graphs. Only a few existing studies primarily focus on the privacy-preserving graph operations under encryption settings, which cannot be directly applied to solve the problem of privacy-preserving keyword search on graphs. To address this problem, we propose a new privacy-preserving scheme for top-k nearest keyword search on graphs, in which a two-level secure index is devised to facilitate privacy-preserving top-k nearest keyword search. To handle the keyword filtering in search processing, we also propose a trapdoor generation method based on privacy-preserving set operations. Leveraging the two-level secure index and trapdoors, we further present the privacy-preserving top-k nearest keyword search algorithm. Thorough analysis shows the validity and security of our scheme. Extensive experimental results on real datasets further demonstrate our scheme can achieve high efficiency.
Three‐dimensional load‐displacement curves due to froces on the cervical spine

Load‐displacement curves were measured for six types of pure force loading of the cervical spine specimens obtained from fresh human cadavers. A new measuring and mounting technique was developed that yielded data for all of the functional spinal units for each specimen tested. All five of the coupled, as well as the main, load‐displacement curves were studied. For anterior and posterior shear loadings, the main resulting motions were translation in that direction (1.6 ± 0.3 and 1.9 ± 0.3 mm), and the major coupled motions were flexion and extension (3.6° ± 1.2° and 6.3° ± 1.2°). The main motions with right and left lateral shear loadings were translations laterally (1.4 ± 0.3 and 1.6 ± 0.3 mm), and the major coupled motions were axial rotations (1.5° ± 0.6° and 2.3° ± 0.6°) and not lateral bending. For compression and distraction loadings, the main motions were translations in that direction (0.7 ± 0.3 and 1.1 ± 0.3 mm), and the major coupled motions were flexion and extension (2.0° ± 1.0° and 2.8° ± 1.0°) and lateral bending (1.4° ± 0.3° and 1.9° ± 0.3°). The neutral zones for anterior and posterior shear forces were 1.6 ± 0.2 mm of translation and 5.8° ± 1.3° of rotation, for lateral shear force 1.4 ± 0.3 mm and 2.0° ± 0.5°, and for compression/distraction 0.6 ± 0.1 mm and 2.8° ± 0.9°.
Adaptive kNN using expected accuracy for classification of geo-spatial data

The k-Nearest Neighbor (kNN) classification approach is conceptually simple - yet widely applied since it often performs well in practical applications. However, using a global constant k does not always provide an optimal solution, e. g. , for datasets with an irregular density distribution of data points. This paper proposes an adaptive kNN classifier where k is chosen dynamically for each instance (point) to be classified, such that the expected accuracy of classification is maximized. We define the expected accuracy as the accuracy of a set of structurally similar observations. An arbitrary similarity function can be used to find these observations. We introduce and evaluate different similarity functions. For the evaluation, we use five different classification tasks based on geo-spatial data. Each classification task consists of (tens of) thousands of items. We demonstrate, that the presented expected accuracy measures can be a good estimator for kNN performance, and the proposed adaptive kNN classifier outperforms common kNN and previously introduced adaptive kNN algorithms. Also, we show that the range of considered k can be significantly reduced to speed up the algorithm without negative influence on classification accuracy.
The Interplay Between Leadership and Adverse Context: The Paradox Explained

Since the beginning of the economic crisis in Europe, Portugal has been one of the EU economies most affected. As a result, Portugal represents an important case study to examine how corporate leaders have handled the economic crisis. Using a qualitative approach, we interviewed 20 corporate managers to capture their perceptions of leadership traits and behaviours exhibited by their CEOs during the recession of the Portuguese economy. Our results contribute to improve our understanding of specific traits and behaviours displayed by effective leaders during the economic recession, and to the extension of leadership theory in adverse contexts. Specifically, we found that in economic recession, the most effective leaders are not affected by the negative constraints and tend to work to create a barrier against the high-pressure conditions to enable a supportive and positive working environment. Paradoxically, we found that to be effective, leaders must act as blocking-agents against the negative social impacts of the economic crisis, examples being the fragility of trust in organisational life (i.e., a barrier against distrust), uncertainty of the future (i.e., a barrier against uncertainty), and toxic emotions (i.e., a barrier against toxic emotions). However, the restriction of the sample to a single geographical area limits the generalisability of the study to larger groups. Therefore, we encourage the academic community to expand the research to other countries affected by the economic recession.
Importance of Teaching Leadership Skills in the Foundation Phase

Abstract Imparting leadership skills is the best gift that teachers can give learners as this will make them independent. Teachers look down on this stage because they think that learners in this phase are too young to acquire these skills. The purpose of the study was to investigate the importance of teaching leadership skills in the Foundation Phase. The study had a qualitative research design in which four teachers were sampled from four primary schools. Interviews were used as a method of generating data from the teachers. Data were analysed through content analysis of the responses from the participants. The study findings suggest that leadership skills create a direct link between the learning and performance of each learner and resulted in an effective learning of practice. The study concluded that teaching leadership skills to learners in the Foundation Phase helped them to gain confidence, enthusiasm, courage, and learn other skills.