Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Catching Data from Displayers by Machine Vision

With the emergence of eHealth, the importance of keeping digital personal health statistics is quickly rising in demand. Many current health assessment devices output values to the user without a method of digitally saving the data. This paper presents a method to directly translate the numeric displays of the devices into digital records using machine vision. A wireless-based machine vision system is designed to image the display and a tracking algorithm based on SIFT (Scale Invariant Feature Transform) is developed to recognize the numerals from the captured images. First, a local camera captures an image of the display and transfers it wirelessly to a remote computer, which generates the gray-scale and binary figures of the images for further processing. Next, the computer applies the watershed segmentation algorithm to divide the image into regions of individual values. Finally, the SIFT features of the segmented images are picked up in sequence and matched with the SIFT features of the ten standard digits from 0 to 9 one by one to recognize the digital numbers of the device’s display. The proposed approach can obtain the data directly from the display quickly and accurately with high environmental tolerance. The numeric recognition converts with over 99.2% accuracy, and processes an image in less than one second. The proposed method has been applied in the E-health Station, a physiological parameters measuring system that integrates a variety of commercial instruments, such as OMRON digital thermometer, oximeter, sphygmomanometer, glucometer, and fat monitor, to give a more complete physiological health measurement.
Egg timers: how is developmental time measured in the early vertebrate embryo?

Eggs and early embryos appear to be programmed to undertake particular developmental decisions at characteristic times, although precisely how these decisions are timed is unknown. We discuss the possible roles and interactions during early vertebrate development of two broad categories of timers: 1) those that involve cyclic or sequential mechanisms, referred to as clocks; and 2) those that require an increase or decrease in some factor to a threshold level for progression of time, referred to as hourglass timers. It is concluded that both clock-like timers linked to various features of the cell cycle and hourglass timers are involved in early developmental timing. The possible involvement of elements of circadian clock timers is also considered. BioEssays 22:57-63, 2000.
Partial Indexation, Trend Inflation, and the Hybrid Phillips Curve

This paper proposes a full description of the Calvo price-setting model based on partial prices indexation and studies the interaction between partial indexation and trend inflation. We show that using a hybrid version of the Phillips curve partly decreases the risks of overestimate due to the omission of trend inflation. We also provide new evidence on the fit of the hybrid Phillips curve for the Euro area and the United States over the period 1970-2002. The GMM-West estimates suggest that (i) a full indexation scheme is not data consistent whereas a partial indexation scheme allows a good fit and (ii) forgetting trend inflation induces overestimating by approximately 3-4 percent of the probability to not change the price, for reasonable values of trend inflation.
Design of a low power 2.45 GHz RF energy harvesting circuit for rectenna

In this paper, design procedure and characteristics of an RF energy harvesting circuit based on single-stage voltage multiplier rectifier have been discussed and analyzed. This circuit is capable to recycle RF energy at 2.45 GHz, and by connecting to a 2.45 GHz antenna, it is possible to form a complete rectenna device. The values of output dc voltage and power according to the received RF power have been measured and the best value of load resistance to harvest maximum output dc power has been selected by simulation.
Acupuncture in IVF: A review of current literature

Abstract Women's choice to delay fertility due to various reasons is making subfertility a growing problem and increased use of IVF as a last resort. Despite advances in the technology, IVF success remains low, especially in older women. Hence, many of these women need to undergo several cycles of IVF and are faced with unprecedented anxiety and frustration. In desperation, they resort to anything that might increase the success of their IVF treatment. Acupuncture has gained popularity among the various complementary medicines available and many go privately to have acupuncture while undergoing IVF. Since 1999, in spite of multiple trials and systematic reviews, the beneficial effect of acupuncture in improving the success of IVF remains unproven and debatable. As clinicians, we face the dilemma of what to suggest to our patients when asked about having acupuncture during IVF, given that different meta-analyses have come to different conclusions. Hence, this review is conducted with the aim to summarise the available literature and provide a better insight into this complex and controversial topic.
Apparent diffusion coefficient for prostate cancer imaging: impact of B values.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this article is to investigate the effect of b values on apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values estimated from 1.5-T diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) of the prostate acquired with an endorectal coil in distinguishing prostate cancer from normal-tissue regions of interest (ROIs) and the correlation of ADC values with the tumor Gleason score. MATERIALS AND METHODS Pretreatment DWI studies were analyzed retrospectively in 51 consecutive patients with prostate cancer with either two (b=0 and 1000 s/mm2; n=26 patients) or five (b=0, 50, 200, 1500, and 2000 s/mm2; n=25 patients) b values. In 45 normal peripheral-zone ROIs and 65 prostate cancer ROIs (14 in the central gland), ADC values were estimated by use of several combinations of two or five b values and a monoexponential model. We used the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve to characterize the effectiveness of ADC values in distinguishing prostate cancer from normal-tissue ROIs, and we calculated Spearman rank-order correlation between ADC values and the Gleason score. RESULTS ADC values were often significantly different (p<0.001) when estimated from different combinations of two or five b values. However, except when both b values were less than or equal to 200 mm2/s or greater than or equal to 1500 mm2/s, the AUC value for distinguishing prostate cancer from normal-tissue ROIs was similar (0.88-0.93). The correlation coefficients between ADC values and the Gleason score were between -0.30 and -0.68. CONCLUSION The choice of b values can significantly affect ADC estimates. ADC values can produce a similar discriminant performance in distinguishing prostate cancer from normal-tissue ROIs and in correlation with the Gleason score, but an appropriate ADC cutoff value needs to be selected specifically for each b-value combination.
Responses of two semiarid conifer tree species to reduced precipitation and warming reveal new perspectives for stomatal regulation.

Relatively anisohydric species are predicted to be more predisposed to hydraulic failure than relatively isohydric species, as they operate with narrower hydraulic safety margins. We subjected co-occurring anisohydric Juniperus monosperma and isohydric Pinus edulis trees to warming, reduced precipitation, or both, and measured their gas exchange and hydraulic responses. We found that reductions in stomatal conductance and assimilation by heat and drought were more frequent during relatively moist periods, but these effects were not exacerbated in the combined heat and drought treatment. Counter to expectations, both species exhibited similar gs temporal dynamics in response to drought. Further, whereas P. edulis exhibited chronic embolism, J. monosperma showed very little embolism due to its conservative stomatal regulation and maintenance of xylem water potential above the embolism entry point. This tight stomatal control and low levels of embolism experienced by juniper refuted the notion that very low water potentials during drought are associated with loose stomatal control and with the hypothesis that anisohydric species are more prone to hydraulic failure than isohydric species. Because direct association of stomatal behaviour with embolism resistance can be misleading, we advocate consideration of stomatal behaviour relative to embolism resistance for classifying species drought response strategies.
Functional SNPs in HSPA 1 A Gene Predict Risk of Coronary Heart Disease

Background: HSP70 plays crucial roles in endothelial cell apoptosis, which is involved in the early phase and progress of coronary heart disease (CHD). However, the association between polymorphisms of HSP70 genes and the risk of CHD still remains unclear. Our aim was to determine whether genetic variants in the HSPA1A gene are associated with the risk of CHD. Methodology/Principal Findings: By resequencing and genotyping, the associations of 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) +190G/C (rs1043618) and 2110A/C (rs1008438) in the HSPA1A gene with risk of CHD were determined in a 1,003 pairs case-control study. The SNP function was further analyzed using a luciferase reporter assay in two cell lines. The results indicated that +190CC genotype was associated with significantly higher risk of CHD when compared with +190GG genotype (OR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.10–2.20, P = 0.012), while association between 2110A/C polymorphism and CHD was not statistically significant (P.0.05). However, the 2110C/+190C haplotype had a significantly higher risk of CHD when compared with the 2110A/+190G haplotype (OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.01–1.34, P = 0.031). Luciferase reporter assays showed that the +190C allele resulted in 14%,45% reduction in luciferase expression in endothelial and non-endothelial cells when compared with the +190G allele. Conclusions/Significance: The identified genetic variants in the HSPA1A gene combinatorially contribute towards the susceptibility to CHD likely by affecting the level of synthesis of HSP70. This study may provide useful markers for identification of subjects at risk for CHD. Citation: He M, Guo H, Yang X, Zhang X, Zhou L, et al. (2009) Functional SNPs in HSPA1A Gene Predict Risk of Coronary Heart Disease. PLoS ONE 4(3): e4851. doi:10.1371/journal.pone. 0004851 Editor: Yihai Cao, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden Received December 17, 2008; Accepted February 13, 2009; Published March 31, 2009 Copyright: 2009 He et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Funding: This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC 30525031 and 30430590), NSFC-CIHR Collaborative Research Grant and NSFC (30711120579). Dr. Frank B. Hu’s work was supported in part by the American Heart Association Established Investigator Award. TW and RMT also acknowledge support from a NNSFC-CIHR (Canadian Institutes of Health Research) collaborative research grant (CIHR CCI-85673). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. * E-mail: wut@mails.tjmu. edu.cn . These authors contributed equally to this work.
[Kyphoplasty - a new minimally invasive treatment for repositioning and stabilising vertebral bodies].

AIM OF THE STUDY Osteoporotic vertebral fractures are an ailment of the aging population of increasing incidence and high socioeconomic impact. Intractable pain causing significant morbidity leads to long-term hospitalisation. Kyphoplasty offers a new minimal invasive operative stabilisation procedure for these vertebral compression fractures. This study is conducted to investigate whether this procedure significantly reduces both pain and the duration of hospital stay in comparison to conservative treatment modalities. METHOD From January until July 2002 a total of 22 patients had undergone kyphoplasty in 37 vertebral bodies. Osteoporotic vertebral fractures were treated in 18 cases, while in another 4 cases prophylactic stabilisation for osteolytic lesions was performed. Both the duration of hospital stay and the reduction of pain symptoms were determined and compared to a conservatively treated control group of 20 patients suffering from 35 fractured vertebral bodies. Pre- and postoperative endplate angles were measured to assess the restoration of the sagittal alignment. The effects on pain symptoms were measured on a self-reported Visual Analogue Score Scale. RESULTS The mean pain relief for the patients undergoing kyphoplasty was 82 %, which was significantly higher (p < 0.0001) compared to the group of the conservatively treated patients (42 %). Reduction of the kyphotic deformity was achieved in 4 cases (average 8.5 degrees ). The average in-patient treatment duration for the surgical treated patients was 10 days as opposed to a significantly longer mean hospitalisation of 20 days (p = 0.003). Cement extravasation was observed in 5 out of 37 treated vertebral bodies without clinical sequelae. CONCLUSION Kyphoplasty is a safe minimal invasive procedure for the stabilisation of osteoporotic vertebral fractures leading to a statistically significant reduction both of pain status and duration of hospitalisation.
Flotillin and Epidermal Surface Antigen Define a New Family of Caveolae-associated Integral Membrane Proteins*

Caveolae are plasmalemmal microdomains that are involved in vesicular trafficking and signal transduction. We have sought to identify novel integral membrane proteins of caveolae. Here we describe the identification and molecular cloning of flotillin. By several independent methods, flotillin behaves as a resident integral membrane protein component of caveolae. Furthermore, we have identified epidermal surface antigen both as a flotillin homologue and as a resident caveolar protein. Significantly, flotillin is a marker for the Triton-insoluble, buoyant membrane fraction in brain, where to date mRNA species for known caveolin gene family members have not been detected.
Identification of Extracellular Domain Residues Required for Epithelial Na+ Channel Activation by Acidic pH

Background: The epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) functions as a pathway for Na+ absorption across epithelia. Results: Seven acidic residues in the extracellular domain of γENaC and one in βENaC are required for regulation by acidic pH. Conclusion: The ENaC extracellular domains function as sensors to detect changes in extracellular pH. Significance: These findings provide new insights into mechanisms that regulate Na+ homeostasis and blood pressure. A growing body of evidence suggests that the extracellular domain of the epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) functions as a sensor that fine tunes channel activity in response to changes in the extracellular environment. We previously found that acidic pH increases the activity of human ENaC, which results from a decrease in Na+ self-inhibition. In the current work, we identified extracellular domain residues responsible for this regulation. We found that rat ENaC is less sensitive to pH than human ENaC, an effect mediated in part by the γ subunit. We identified a group of seven residues in the extracellular domain of γENaC (Asp-164, Gln-165, Asp-166, Glu-292, Asp-335, His-439, and Glu-455) that, when individually mutated to Ala, decreased proton activation of ENaC. γE455 is conserved in βENaC (Glu-446); mutation of this residue to neutral amino acids (Ala, Cys) reduced ENaC stimulation by acidic pH, whereas reintroduction of a negative charge (by MTSES modification of Cys) restored pH regulation. Combination of the seven γENaC mutations with βE446A generated a channel that was not activated by acidic pH, but inhibition by alkaline pH was intact. Moreover, these mutations reduced the effect of pH on Na+ self-inhibition. Together, the data identify eight extracellular domain residues in human β- and γENaC that are required for regulation by acidic pH.
Steroidal Nondepolarizing Muscle Relaxants Do Not Simulate the Effects of Glucocorticoids on Glucocorticoid Receptor–mediated Transcription in Cultured Skeletal Muscle Cells

MUSCLE wasting and persistent muscle weakness occur in critically ill patients who are treated in the intensive care unit. 1,2 The incidence of this complication varies between 47 and 96%. 3 The etiology of this muscle weakness is multifactorial 4,5 and includes the disease itself, the associated immobilization, 6,7 and the concomitant use of muscle relaxants alone or in combination with corticosteroids. 8,9 An enquiry by the US Food and Drug Administration concluded that factors that increase sus-ceptibility to myopathy and muscle weakness are the administration of high doses over several days primarily of steroidal relaxants (pancuronium and vecuronium) to patients who may also be receiving corticosteroids, ami-noglycoside antibiotics, or both. 10 Other recent reports have concurred with this notion. 11,12 these
Patient-focused nursing documentation expressed by nurses.

AIM The aim of the study was to investigate what expressions nurses use when documenting patient-focused nursing care in electronic patient records. BACKGROUND Much effort has been made in the development of nursing documentation. Many studies have found inadequate reporting, focused more on tasks and treatment than on the patient's voice. Electronic patient record-systems have been introduced, bringing new challenges because of unfamiliarity with computers. Electronic patient records have caused dissatisfaction and frustration, however, some studies show improvement in documentation given enough time and effort. Electronic patient record documentation is an integral part of patient-focused care and thus needs to be investigated. DESIGN The study is based on the grounded theory approach, as developed by Strauss and Corbin. METHODS Forty electronic patient records were analysed, considering whether nurses' written expressions reflected a patient-focused approach. An inductive qualitative method was used, involving constant comparative analysis, up to axial coding. RESULTS Three categories emerged from the data: Patient's voice: the patient has expressed his/her thoughts, which are written by the nurse, Nurse's view: the nurse recounts the patient's own thoughts, state or situation and mutual view in patient-nurse relationship: the documentation describes the patient-nurse relationship. CONCLUSIONS This study found that the nursing documentation was patient-focused, to some extent. This is significant because nursing documentation represents much more than simply a record of the continuity of care. Many topics for further studies were presented, e.g., the timing of documentation and the differences between the mode of nursing and the documentation. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE The presented findings may be helpful in the development of nursing documentation in electronic patient records and in nursing practice generally. Highlighting the patient's voice could become an effective tool in nursing and its documentation, saving time and getting clear information for improving the patient's care.
Neuropsychological tests and driving in dementia: a review of the recent literature.

INTRODUCTION Neuropsychological tests measure several aspects of cognition and are useful to evaluate elderly drivers with cognitive impairment. However, there is no consensus on a standard battery of tests that could accurately predict safe driving. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to review specific neuropsychological measures that may be useful to predict driving competence of demented individuals. METHOD To address neuropsychological tests used for dementia and the ability to drive, the authors searched for the keywords dementia, Alzheimer's, drive, driver, drivers, driving, tests, neuropsychological, and assessment, in Medline, PubMed, ISI and SciELO databases seeking articles from 2000 to 2008. RESULTS From 131 articles, 27 met the inclusion criteria. Porteus Maze, Clock drawing, Trail B, UFOV and NAB Tests were found to be the most relevant neuropsychological measures for the evaluation of fitness to drive. CONCLUSION Porteus Maze, Clock Drawing, Trail B, UFOV and NAB tests highlight visuospatial attention demands and/ or executive function. Those and other visuospatial and executive measures may be useful to predict driving competence of demented individuals.
Heat shock and stress response of Taenia solium and T. crassiceps (Cestoda)

Heat shock and stress responses are documented for the first time in larval stages of the cestodes Taenia solium and Taenia crassiceps. Radioactive metabolic labelling after in vitro incubation of cysts at 43 °C, revealed the induction of heat shock proteins. In T. crassiceps, the major heat shock proteins were 80, 70 and 60 kDa. After prolonged incubation, a set of low molecular weight heat shock proteins (27, 31, 33 and 38 kDa), were also induced. In vitro incubation of cysts at 4 °C, induced the synthesis of stress proteins ranging from 31 to 80 kDa, indicating the parasite is also able to respond to cold shock. T. solium cysts exposure to temperature stress also resulted in an increased synthesis of 2 major heat shock proteins of 80 and 70 kDa. Western blots using the excretory–secretory products of T. solium showed that 2 heat shock proteins were recognized by antibodies in the sera of cysticercotic patients: one of 66 kDa and another migrating close to the run front. The T. solium 66 kDa protein was also recognized by specific antibodies directed to a 60 kDa bacterial heat shock protein, suggesting that it belongs to this family of proteins.
Nonholonomic path planning among obstacles subject to curvature restrictions

This paper addresses the problem of finding a nonholonomic path subject to a curvature restriction, to be tracked by a wheeled autonomous navigation vehicle. This robot is able to navigate in a structured environment, with obstacles modeled as polygons, thus constituting a model based system. The path planning methodology begins with the conditioning of the polygonal environment by offsetting each polygon in order to avoid the possibility of collision with the mobile. Next, the modified polygonal environment is used to compute a preliminary shortest path (PA) between the two extreme positions of the trajectory in the plane (x, y). This preliminary path (PA) does not yet consider the restrictions on the curvature and is formed only by straight line segments. A smoothing process follows in order to obtain a path (PS) that satisfies curvature restrictions which consist basically of joining the straight line segments by circular arcs of minimum radius R (filleting). Finally, the initial and final orientation of the vehicle are accounted for. This is done using a technique we have called the Star Algorithm, because of the geometric shape of the resulting maneuvers. A final complete path (PC) is thus obtained.