Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Temperature modulated excitation and phase sensitive detection to selectively image DNA sequences

Temperature oscillations allow one to modulate the concentration of reagents and products with given amplitude and phase shift, both parameters depending on the dynamics of the chemical system under study. We here rely on thermal excitation in a microdevice, associated with fluorescence video microscopy as well as image filtering protocols, to selectively enhance the signal issued from a labeled probe that hybridizes with a targeted oligonucleotide. Furthermore, by simply tuning the stimulation parameters, focus can be put either on the perfect match sequence or on some other one that bears a point mutation.
Discernibility matrix based dimensionality reduction for EEG signal

Classification of EEG signals is an important task in Brain Computer Interface (BCI) research. However, the large number of attributes of EEG data is regarded as a curse for classifiers. This paper aims at dimensionality reduction of EEG signals. We use rough set theory to reduce the dimensions of EEG data. In particular, we use discernibility matrix (DM) to compute an indispensable set of attributes of the data so that the attribute set is reduced before classification. We then use Naive Bayes (NB) classifier, Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) for classification of the EEG data containing only these attributes. We compare our method with the more popular Principal Component Analysis (PCA). We have used EEG dataset from BCI competition-II to perform the experiments. Accuracy, recall and precision are used as metrics to measure the performance of the classifiers with original dataset, PCA-reduced dataset and DM-reduced dataset. The classification results we obtained for the DM-reduced dataset are found to be as good as for the whole dataset without reduction and generally better than PCA-reduced dataset.
Hydroxyapatite Growth Inhibition Effect of Pellicle Statherin Peptides

In our recent studies, we have shown that in vivo–acquired enamel pellicle is a sophisticated biological structure containing a significant portion of naturally occurring salivary peptides. From a functional aspect, the identification of peptides in the acquired enamel pellicle is of interest because many salivary proteins exhibit functional domains that maintain the activities of the native protein. Among the in vivo–acquired enamel pellicle peptides that have been newly identified, 5 peptides are derived from statherin. Here, we assessed the ability of these statherin pellicle peptides to inhibit hydroxyapatite crystal growth. In addition, atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to better understand the underlying physical mechanisms of hydroxyapatite growth inhibition. A microplate colorimetric assay was used to quantify hydroxyapatite growth. Statherin protein, 5 statherin-derived peptides, and a peptide lacking phosphate at residues 2 and 3 were analyzed. Statherin peptide phosphorylated on residues 2 and 3 indicated a significant inhibitory effect when compared with the 5 other peptides (P < 0.05). MD simulations showed a strong affinity and fast adsorption to hydroxyapatite for phosphopeptides, whereas unphosphorylated peptides interacted weakly with the hydroxyapatite. Our data suggest that the presence of a covalently linked phosphate group (at residues 2 and 3) in statherin peptides modulates the effect of hydroxyapatite growth inhibition. This study provides a mechanism to account for the composition and function of acquired enamel pellicle statherin peptides that will contribute as a base for the development of biologically stable and functional synthetic peptides for therapeutic use against dental caries and/or periodontal disease.
The research and development of noncontact 3-D laser dental model measuring and analyzing system.

OBJECTIVE To research and develop a new laser scanning 3-dimensional digitization system for collecting, showing, and measuring the data of dental casts. MATERIAL AND METHODS According to the 3-dimensional measuring method, by using 2 pulsate motors to make the synthetic movement of the dental cast, a special semiconductor laser, and 2 special line array CCD, the 3-D data could be found anywhere on the surface of the dental cast. The program, developed with Visual C++ language under the Windows (Windows tm) system, can control the scanner, rebuild the 3-D graphics and measure the data of the dental cast. RESULTS The system offers 70 x 70 x 70 mm measurement scope, 0.01 mm resoling power, < 0.1 mm mean deviation, and 25 mins for single cast scanning. CONCLUSION The advantages of this system are its precision, simplicity, high efficiency, and wide range of measurements with complete direct view. This system also supplied new information that cannot be found with traditional measurement methods.
A GENERAL METHOD FOR THE CALCULATION OF SEROLOGICAL SPECIFICITY.

A mathematically defined extension of Landsteiner's concept of serological specificity is given. It is a general method that compares the relative specificity of two antisera. The resultant comparison is independent of the relative potencies of the antisera. It is valid for antisera prepared either against pure antigens or against mixtures of antigens. The method has been applied to data taken from the literature, involving haemagglutination, precipitin and enzyme reactions, and to new experimental data. Rabbit antisera were prepared against mouse erythrocytes and lymphocytes, and against three mouse ascites tumours. The potencies of these unabsorbed antisera were determined by immune cytolysis against each of these cell types. All antisera possessed moderate to strong cytolytic potencies against all mouse cells tested, but showed only low to moderate specificities.
Risk factors for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

To evaluate risk factors for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), data were collected in a case‐control study based on 366 patients (58 with CIN class 1, 70 with CIN class 2, and 238 with CIN class 3) and 323 control subjects with normal cervical smears interviewed on selected days at the same screening clinics where cases had been identified. No relationship emerged between indicators of socioeconomic status (education and social class) and risk of mild/moderate (considered together) and severe dysplasia. A total of 55 (43%) patients with CIN class 1 or 2,107 (45%) patients with CIN class 3, and 94 (29%) controls were current smokers. The corresponding relative risk (RR) estimates for current versus never smokers were 1.9 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2 to 3.0) for patients with CIN class 1 or 2 and 2.5 (95% CI 1.7 to 3.6) for patients with CIN class 3, and the risk increased with the number of cigarettes smoked per day. No relationship was observed between oral contraceptive use, parity, spontaneous or induced abortions and the risk of CIN, but patients tended to report earlier age at first birth than control subjects. Compared with women reporting their first birth before the age of 20 years, the risk estimates were 0.5 and 0.4, respectively, for patients with CIN 1 or 2 and patients with CIN 3 in women reporting first birth at 20 to 24 years of age. The risk estimates were 0.5 and 0.6 for those reporting their first birth at age 25 or later, but the trends in risk were not statistically significant. The number of sexual partners was directly associated with the risk for both histopathologic subgroups. Compared with women reporting no intercourse or their first intercourse after 22 years of age, women with first intercourse before the age 18 had a RR estimate of CIN class 1 or 2 of 2.3 and of CIN class 3 of 2.4, with the trends in risk being statistically significant. This study confirms considerable similarities in the epidemiology of mild/moderate and severe cervical dysplasia. In addition, it suggests consistency between the epidemiology of intraepithelial and invasive cervical neoplasia for risk factors that are likely to act on one of the first stages of the process of carcinogenesis (i.e., indications of sexual habits) but differences for hormone‐mediated factors (i.e., reproductive variables or oral contraceptives).
Kinetics of tumor cell proliferation.

Clinical and experimental studies during the past seven decades have furnished basic and practical information on the pathogenesis and control of mammary tumors (MT), and have disclosed marked differences in behavior of the three well-studied species: man, rat, and mouse. Morphologic changes in exocrine pancreas, particularly acinar cell atrophy and loss of zymogen granules, are a common accom-paniment of various forms of human mal-nutrition. Similar changes have also been reported in various animal species maintained on low-protein diets. The findings indicate that protein deficiency per se or deficiency of a specific amino acid is patho-genic for these alterations. Recent cytologic investigations have suggested that acid phos-phatase-active cellular components may play a role in secretory granule production. structural and changes in acid-phosphatase pancreas inadequate but that over the experimental period. A combined cytochemical, electron-micro-scopic, and electron-histochemical study has been made of small intestine biopsies from two patients with Whipple's disease treated with 1 g. of tetracycline daily for 5 days and 8 months respectively. In addition two osmic acid fixed Epon embedded blocks of tissue from a patient treated with steroids were studied with the electron microscope, and various bacterial genera thought pos-sibly related to the bacterialike rods first visualized by Whipple with a Levaditi stain' were studied cytochemically. The specimens of intestine were fixed in cold 10 per cent formol-calcium and 6.25 per cent cacodylate buffered glutaraldehyde for cytochemical studies; the unfixed bacteria were stained after drying in air for 10 minutes. This material was stained with enzyme visualiza-tion techniques for acid phosphatase, adeno-sine triphosphatase, inosine diphosphatase, thiamine pyrophosphatase, and DPNH-Nitro-BT reductase activities. Thick frozen sections of glutaraldehyde-fixed material stained with the phosphatase techniques, appropriate control sections, and unincubated blocks of tissue were postfixed in osmic acid buffered with veronal acetate, embedded in Epon, sectioned with glass knives on a Porter-Blum microtome, and photographed in an Hitachi HS-7 electron microscope. The intestinal villi were noted to be clubbed, however, no alterations in cytochemical staining pattern or ultrastructural morphology were observed in the intestinal epithelial cells with the techniques utilized.
Analysis of two-arm conical log-spiral antennas using FE-BI method

Radiation properties of two-arm conical log-spiral antennas (CLSA) are analyzed by using the finite element and boundary integral equation hybrid method (FE-BI) in the paper. Firstly the radiation performances of the CLSA with same structure parameters and different frequencies are simulated. Then the impacts of wrap angle and cone angle on radiation properties are calculated in detail. Simulated results show that the geometry parameters of a CLSA greatly affect its radiation properties, but for the same geometry parameters, CLSA possess wider frequency band. Therefore structure parameters should be carefully optimized in practical applications.
Signature Verification Using MATLAB and GSM

Online signature verification using MATLAB and GSM is based on the simulations in MATLAB and mobile devices. We introduce a effective method for online signature verification. An online signature is computed in linear time. The resulting signature template is compact and requires same space. This has been verified over a set of images. The results show that the performance of the proposed technique is similar and often higher level to state-of-the-art algorithms despite its simplicity and efficiency. In order to verify the proposed method on signatures on camera devices, a data set was collected from an uncontrolled environment and over multiple periods. Experimental results on this data set confirm the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. The results demonstrate the problem of within user variation of signatures over multiple sessions.
Input-output characteristics of the power transmission network's swing dynamics

Wide deployment of sensing and actuation capabilities in the electric power grid, along with changing dynamical characteristics, are necessitating analysis of power-system swing dynamics from an input-output perspective. In this article, the input-output properties of the swing dynamics, including the finite and infinite zeros, are characterized from a dynamical-networks perspective. Specifically, an explicit algebraic characterization is given for a matrix whose eigenvalues are the zeros, and in turn structural and graph-theoretic conditions for the absence and presence of nonminimum phase dynamics are developed. Based on these structural results and also an illustrative example, it is demonstrated that the zeros of the swing dynamics are important for analyzing transients and oscillations in the power transmission network, using reduced-order models, and designing controls.
A Kinect and Inertial Sensor-Based System for the Self-Assessment of Fall Risk: A Home-Based Study in Older People

Falls remain an important problem in older people. There is strong evidence that falls can be prevented with appropriately designed intervention programs. To start a targeted fall prevention program, a first step is to identify those at high risk of falls. Sensor-based tests hold great promise for more frequent and accurate assessment of fall risk in clinical and home settings. The aims of this study were to (a) empirically examine the feasibility of the iStoppFalls (Information and communications technology–based System to Predict & Prevent Falls) assessment, a Kinect and inertial sensor-based test for regular and unsupervised fall risk assessments at home, (b) investigate the experience of older adults with this home-based self-assessment, and (c) make recommendations for future assessments. The iStoppFalls assessment system was installed into the homes of 62 community-living older people in Australia, Germany, and Spain for the duration of 4 months. Participants were asked to perform at least 1 assessment each month. The system use and the user experience were evaluated. To our knowledge, these are the first results on the long-term use of an unsupervised directed routine fall risk assessment system at private homes. In total, 241 assessments were independently performed by the participants. Most participants felt positive about their experience and could see themselves continuing with the assessment on a regular basis. Through the analysis the user motivation, the design and selection of appropriate tests, the user feedback, the reliability and usability of the applied technology, the frequency and duration of the assessment and the safety and support aspects were identified as important characteristics of a home-based self-assessment. The findings demonstrate the feasibility of a sensor-based self-assessment for fall risk but also highlight that further work is necessary. Future research should consider the necessary design requirements identified by this study.
A spanner shaped ultra wideband antenna for MIMO application

This letter presents the design of a compact size ultra wideband Microstrip line feed spanner shaped patch antenna and their 2×1 MIMO implementation for ultra wideband applications. The spanner shaped patch antenna with rectangular defective ground structure on ground plane is proposed in this letter offers improved directivity, bandwidth, and return loss characteristics. The antenna system operates frequency range from 2.743–11.6 GHz frequencies for VSWR≤2. A study was performed to implement this antenna in 2×1 MIMO arrangements on the same circuit space with orthogonal polarization. The proposed antenna have Better mutual coupling and better envelope correlation coefficient are achieved.
Towards development of laser scribed graphene transducers for electrochemical biosensors

Development of suitable electrochemical transducers (e.g. electrodes) is a major concern to obtain efficient sensing and biosensing platforms. Graphene has attracted attention as a potential material for electrochemical transduction, but its massive production remains as a challenge. In this work, the development and characterization of graphene electrodes based on thermal reduction by laser action is presented. The method, known as laser scribed graphene, was applied to graphite oxide (GO) obtained by Hummer's method. Then, after several burning cycles, GO was thermally reduced by the action of CD/DVD unit laser. Formation of graphene layers was corroborated by Raman, UV-Vis, XRD and SEM techniques. The electrochemical performance of the material was characterized by EIS and Cyclic voltammetry. Finally, the potential application of developed material as biosensing platform was investigated with glucose oxidase as model enzyme and FTIR. Specter showed distinctive bands, which suggest that enzyme retained its native conformation and activity. The developed material showed enhanced electrochemical properties after laser reduction and is suitable for potential application as biosensing platform.
Zinc α-2-Glycoprotein Is Expressed by Malignant Prostatic Epithelium and May Serve as a Potential Serum Marker for Prostate Cancer

Zinc α-2-glycoprotein (ZAG) is a M r 41,000 glycoprotein secreted by a variety of normal epithelia. ZAG was recently shown to stimulate lipolysis in adipocytes, leading to the development of cachexia in animals with ZAG-producing tumors. To understand the possible contribution of ZAG to the development of cachexia in men with prostate cancer, ZAG production by normal and malignant prostate tissue was investigated using immunohistochemical assays. Anti-ZAG monoclonal antibodies reacted strongly with normal prostate epithelium but not with other components of prostate or seminal vesicles. The majority of prostate cancers tested (35 of 48; 73%) also reacted with anti-ZAG antibodies. High-grade tumors expressed significantly less ZAG than moderate-grade tumors (mean ZAG score 1.1 versus 1.9; P P
Information literacy and inquiry-based learning: Evaluation of a five-year programme of curriculum development

Inquiry-based learning describes a range of learner-centred pedagogies increasingly employed in higher education where students learn through engaging in open-ended research and inquiry. It is acknowledged that this type of pedagogical approach requires advanced information literacy capabilities in students, and that there is a need to support the development of information literacy in inquiry-based learning curricula. This paper reports on the evaluation of a selection of curriculum development projects undertaken at a UK university that implemented inquiry-based learning and information literacy development. Data was collected using a ‘Theory of Change’ evaluation methodology and analysed using a qualitative thematic approach. It was found that educators need to make explicit to students the need to develop information literacy to support their inquiries, and that dedicated approaches to facilitation from peers, librarians and academics are helpful when designing inquiry-based learning.
Human pose recovery using wireless inertial measurement units

Many applications in rehabilitation and sports training require the assessment of the patient’s status based on observation of their movement. Small wireless sensors, such as accelerometers and gyroscopes, can be utilized to provide a quantitative measure of the human movement for assessment. In this paper, a kinematics-based approach is developed to estimate human leg posture and velocity from wearable sensors during the performance of typical physiotherapy and training exercises. The proposed approach uses an extended Kalman filter to estimate joint angles from accelerometer and gyroscopic data and is capable of recovering joint angles from arbitrary 3D motion. Additional joint limit constraints are implemented to reduce drift, and an automated approach is developed for estimating and adapting the process noise during online estimation. The approach is validated through a user study consisting of 20 subjects performing knee and hip rehabilitation exercises. When compared to motion capture, the approach achieves an average root-mean-square error of 4.27 cm for unconstrained motion, with an average joint error of 6.5°. The average root-mean-square error is 3.31 cm for sagittal planar motion, with an average joint error of 4.3°.
[Effect of Tripterygium polyglycoside on interleukin-6 in patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome].

OBJECTIVE To study the action of interleukin-6(IL-6) in pathogenesis and effect of patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS). METHODS Forty-three patients of GBS were selected according to Asbury's standard and divided into two groups on layer randomize principle, they were treated with adrenal corticosteroid and Tripterygium polyglycoside (TP) respectively. Serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) content of IL-6 were measured by double antibody sandwich ELISA method. RESULTS (1) The serum and CSF content of IL-6 in GBS group was higher than those in the normal control group significantly; (2) There was positive correlation between CSF IL-6 and clinical severity (P < 0.01) before treatment; (3) After treatment the clinical symptoms were improved in both groups, but the TP treated group showed better effect than the control group in improving symptoms and lowering serum IL-6 level (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION CSF level of IL-6 could be taken as one of the criteria for severity evaluation of patient's condition. TP is superior in suppressing abnormal immune reaction to adrenal corticosteroid in GBS patients.
Prognostic Factors for Survival in Metastatic Spinal Cord Compression: A Retrospective Study in a Rehabilitation Setting

Guo Y, Young B, Palmer JL, Mun Y, Bruera E: Prognostic factors for survival in metastatic spinal cord compression: A retrospective study in a rehabilitation setting. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2003;82:665–668. Objective Metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC) occurs in 5–10% of all patients with cancer, and it is associated with short survival durations. Patients with MSCC may also have functional loss and require rehabilitation before discharge from the hospital. The purposes of this retrospective study were to identify clinical and social variables that had a significant impact on survival of patients with MSCC who underwent inpatient rehabilitation. Design A total of 60 consecutive patients with MSCC who were admitted to the inpatient rehabilitation unit at our tertiary care cancer center between 1996 and 1998 were included. Age, discharge destination, primary tumor site, metastasis, comorbidity, hemoglobin and albumin levels, treatment rendered for MSCC, opioids used, and psychological symptoms were examined as variables, and the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used. Results Our study showed that most of the variables we examined had no significant influence on survival time (median, 4.1 mo), with the exception of gastrointestinal cancer; patients with gastrointestinal cancer had a poorer prognosis (median survival durations, 0.6 mo; P < 0.0001). We also found a 1-mo gap between the time of diagnosis and the time of transfer to the rehabilitation unit. Conclusion This study suggests that rehabilitation programs for patients with MSCC should be of short duration and that early referral (i.e., when the patient is diagnosed of MSCC) to the rehabilitation service should be encouraged.