Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Theory of Optimal Flutter Shutter for Probabilistic Velocity Models

Flutter shutter (coded exposure) is a new paradigm for cameras that allows for an arbitrary increase of the exposure time when the relative camera/scene motion is uniform. The photon flux is interrupted according to a flutter shutter code. For arbitrarily severe uniform motion blur a well chosen code guarantees an invertible blur kernel. Yet, when the relative camera/scene velocity is a known constant, a flutter shutter cannot gain more than a 1.17 factor in terms of root mean-squared error compared to the optimal snapshot. In this paper, we prove that this optimality bound can be relaxed under the realistic assumption that a random model for the velocities is available. We give analytical formulae for the optimal flutter shutter code and the optimal snapshots associated with a random velocity distribution. Conversely we also prove formulae that reveal the velocity distribution underlying a given flutter shutter code.
Octopus Gonadotrophin‐Releasing Hormone: A Multifunctional Peptide in the Endocrine and Nervous Systems of the Cephalopod

The optic gland, which is analogous to the anterior pituitary in the context of gonadal maturation, is found on the upper posterior edge of the optic tract of the octopus Octopus vulgaris. In mature octopus, the optic glands enlarge and secrete a gonadotrophic hormone. A peptide with structural features similar to that of vertebrate gonadotophin‐releasing hormone (GnRH) was isolated from the brain of octopus and was named oct‐GnRH. Oct‐GnRH showed luteinising hormone‐releasing activity in the anterior pituitary cells of the Japanese quail Coturnix coturnix. Oct‐GnRH immunoreactive signals were observed in the glandular cells of the mature optic gland. Oct‐GnRH stimulated the synthesis and release of sex steroids from the ovary and testis, and elicited contractions of the oviduct. Oct‐GnRH receptor was expressed in the gonads and accessory organs, such as the oviduct and oviducal gland. These results suggest that oct‐GnRH induces the gonadal maturation and oviposition by regulating sex steroidogenesis and a series of egg‐laying behaviours via the oct‐GnRH receptor. The distribution and expression of oct‐GnRH in the central and peripheral nervous systems suggest that oct‐GnRH acts as a multifunctional modulatory factor in feeding, memory processing, sensory, movement and autonomic functions.
Hybrid on-chip interconnection with coupled cores in tiles

More and more cores are integrated onto a single chip to improve the performance of processors and reduce the power consumed by computing. The interconnection of the cores is a new issue for high performance. Network-on-Chip (NoC) is proposed as the promising paradigm for this problem. Because there are many cores on chip, different on-chip interconnection structures have been proposed. Hybrid interconnection with bus and on-chip network has been proved as efficient design. However, current works focus on the structure design only without taking the tasks into account. In this paper, we first analyze the communication model of the tasks. And then a novel on-chip interconnection architecture is proposed. In this new structure, cores are divided into different tiles. In the same tile, the cores are connected by bus and different tiles are interconnected by on-chip network. Experimental results show that most communication between the tasks is limited into tiles and the hybrid interconnection architecture can reduce the communication on-chip. It also outperforms the MESH architecture of NoC.
The effects of fetal allogeneic umbilical cord tissue transplant following experimental spinal cord injury on urinary bladder morphology.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In continuation of our previous experimental study on spinal cord injury (SCI) using fetal stem cells, we investigated here the effects of fetal allogeneic umbilical cord tissue transplant on the urinary bladder morphology in a rat SCI model. MATERIAL AND METHODS Five pregnant albino Wistar rats at 12 days of gestation were used to obtain the umbilical cord cell graft. In Group 1 (n = 5), Th8-Th9 laminectomy was performed. Group 2 (n = 5) received spinal cord injury. In Group 3 (n = 5), the cultured fetal umbilical cord cells coated with alginate gel were placed into the lesion cavity. In Group 4 (n = 5), only alginate sponges without umbilical cord cells were placed into the injury cavity. The bladders of animals were analyzed pathologically at 21 days after surgery. RESULTS The thickness of the epithelium and the lamina propria did not differ among studied groups (p > 0.05). The lamina muscularis thickness was significantly higher in Group 2 and Group 4 than the others (p < 0.05). The bladder weight was similar among Groups 1, 2, and 3 (p > 0.05). Fibrosis was significantly increased in Group 2 (p < 0.05); it was greater in Group 2 than in Group 3 (p < 0.05) but did not differ between Groups 1 and 3 (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that allogeneic umbilical cord tissue transplantation after SCI may prevent bladder wall hypertrophy and fibrosis in the rat SCI model.
A rule-based grapheme-phone converter and stress determination for Brazilian Portuguese natural language processing

This paper presents a grapheme-phone converter and stress determination algorithm based on rules. The proposed set of rules was implemented and tested on a randomly chosen extract of the CETEN-Folha text database. Computer experiments show it is achieve an accuracy of 97.44% and 98.58%, respectively, for the grapheme-phone converter and the stress determination algorithm.
Becker muscular dystrophy with onset after 60 years

We report an unusual example of Becker muscular dystrophy in which the patient was asymptomatic until his mid-60s, and diagnosis was not made until he was 67 years old. The patient had the unusual deletion of exons 3 to 9 within an actin-binding region of the dystrophin gene, removal or disruption of which is almost invariably associated with a more severe clinical phenotype. Our case illustrates the danger of drawing conclusions about possibly symptomatic deletions without lifelong follow-up.
Fluorinated Aromatic Amino Acids and its Therapeutic Applications

Fluorinated amino acids play a significant role in peptides and protein studies. These are known to enhance the stability of proteins folds and serve as valuable analogues for investigation of enzyme kinetics, protein-protein and ligand-receptor interactions. Due to the unique properties of fluorine, fluorinated amino acids are used as a powerful tool to study biological process and to develop anti-cancer reagents and vaccines. Previous reviews cover synthesis and applications of fluorinated amino acids in broad range; this short review provides the importance of fluorinated aromatic amino acids and the impact of fluorine substitution in its aromatic rings that facilitate the study of structure, function and stability of therapeutic proteins and peptides which have great potential for future therapeutic applications.
Simulation of biological neuronal structures. Design and functional study of the cerebellum

In this work, an extensive simulation study of the cerebellum is presented. Our study required the further development of the EDLUT spiking neural network simulator. Thus we have addressed the development of a detailed cerebellar model from different levels of abstraction. Firstly, in a detailed model, the granular-layer network generated rebounds and oscillations in the beta/gamma-frequency band and filtered unsynchronized trains with millisecond precision. We found that weights at multiple synapses could play a crucial role to enhance coincidence detection (which allows the reduction of non-synchronous signals) and sensitivity rebound (which determines specific time windows for signal transmission). These results predict that the granular layer operates as a complex adaptable filter which can be controlled by weight changes at multiple synaptic sites. In a higher level of abstraction, a model of the whole cerebellum which can infer corrective models in the framework of a control task is presented. This work studies how a basic temporal-correlation kernel, including long-term depression (LTD) and long-term potentiation (LTP) at parallel fibers-Purkinje cell synapses, can effectively infer corrective models. Finally, we study how cerebellar input representations (context labels and sensorimotor signals) can efficiently support model abstraction towards delivering accurate corrective torque values for increasing precision during different-object manipulation.
A PSO Based Approach for Producing Optimized Latent Factor in Special Reference to Big Data

Now a day's application deal with Big Data has tremendously been used in the popular areas. To tackle with such kind of data various approaches have been developed by researchers in the last few decades. A recent investigated techniques to factored the data matrix through a known latent factor in a lower size space is the so called matrix factorization. In addition, one of the problems with the NMF approaches, its randomized valued could not provide absolute optimization in limited iteration, but having local optimization. Due to this, the authors have proposed a new approach that considers the initial values of the decomposition to tackle the issues of computationally expensive. They have devised an algorithm for initializing the values of the decomposed matrix based on the PSO. In this paper, the auhtors have intended a genetic algorithm based technique while incorporating the nonnegative matrix factorization. Through the experimental result, they will show the proposed method converse very fast in comparison to other low rank approximation like simple NMF multiplicative, and ACLS technique.
Information and Communication Technology development in Tanzania: a case study of innovation processes

Sustainable and scalable Information and Communication Technology (ICT) projects are rare in Sub Sahara Africa. Information System (IS) implementation theories are insufficient to explain apparently 'irrationalities' that limit implementation and sustainability. This study analyses a rare success story. A municipality on the East Coast of Africa innovated successfully with ICT in a sustainable way. This case is untangled and analysed over a six years period, based on interviews, documentation and direct observation. Based on an interpretive approach of Constructive Technology Assessment, the main processes were identified that contributed to success. These processes are well recognised in innovation management. The consistent framework of processes it generates to explain ICT based innovation, opens up possibilities to influence and synchronise these processes and to increase the chances of success for ICT projects. The study concludes with drawing implications for IS research and the practise of development cooperation.
Patients with rectal cancer receiving adjuvant chemotherapy have an increased survival: a population-based longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to investigate whether or not the use of adjuvant chemotherapy in stage III rectal cancer varies between regions and over time, and if this has had an effect on survival rates. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients from the Uppsala/Örebro region below 75 years-of-age, operated 1995-2002 and registered in the Swedish Rectal Cancer Register, were monitored between 1995 and September 2008. A multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression model was used for analysis. Overall survival was described using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS Four hundred and thirty-six patients with stage III rectal cancer were included. Adjuvant chemotherapy was given to 42% of the patients (proportions varying from 13% to 77% among counties), and there were substantial increases over time. The 5-year overall survival was 65.8% [95% confidence interval (CI) 50-84] for patients having adjuvant chemotherapy compared with 45.6% (95% CI 39-52) for patients not treated with chemotherapy. The multivariate hazard ratio for death was 0.65 (95% CI 0.5-0.8) for patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS The use of adjuvant chemotherapy for rectal cancer has increased, but varies considerably between hospitals/counties. In this cohort, those having adjuvant chemotherapy had a longer overall survival.
AN ACCURATE BRIDGING FAULT TEST PATTERN GENERATOR

Test pattern generation for bridging faults has been considered impractical. This paper presents an accurate bridging fault test pattern generator Lhat requires only a gate-level implementation of the circuit. No transistorlevel simulations are required during test pattern generation. Results presented for the ISCAS'85 benchmark circuits indicate that this test pattern generator is 8 practical solution to a problem that must be solved in order to detect the failures that occur in modern VLSI circuits.
Further molecular characterization of the cloned Legionella pneumophila zinc metalloprotease

On the basis of DNA sequence similarities to other Zn metalloproteases, further studies of the synthesis, processing, and enzymatic structure of the cloned Legionella protease gene, proA, were initiated. TnphoA fusions indicated that the entire proA open reading frame was transcribed and translated, including the 5' leader sequence. The results also suggested that the entire polypeptide was exported to the periplasm before cleavage to produce the mature protease. A site-directed mutation in the putative active site, changing glutamate 378 to asparagine, abolished proteolytic activity and cytotoxicity.
Depicting adoptive immunotherapy for prostate cancer in an animal model with magnetic resonance imaging

Genetically modified natural killer (NK) cells that recognize tumor‐associated surface antigens have recently shown promise as a novel approach for cancer immunotherapy. To determine NK cell therapy response early, a real‐time, noninvasive method to quantify NK cell homing to the tumor is desirable. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if MR imaging could provide a noninvasive, in vivo diagnosis of NK cell accumulation in epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM)‐positive prostate cancers in a rat xenograft model. Genetically engineered NK‐92‐scFv(MOC31)‐ζ cells, which express a chimeric antigen receptor specific to the tumor‐associated EpCAM antigen, and nontargeted NK‐92 cells were labeled with superparamagnetic particles of iron‐oxides (SPIO) ferumoxides. Twelve athymic rats with implanted EpCAM positive DU145 prostate cancers received intravenous injections of 1.5 × 107 SPIO labeled NK‐92 and NK‐92‐scFv(MOC31)‐ζ cells. EpCAM‐positive prostate cancers demonstrated a progressive and a significant decline in contrast‐to‐noise‐ratio data at 1 and 24 h after injection of SPIO‐labeled NK‐92‐scFv(MOC31)‐ζ cells. Conversely, tumor contrast‐to‐noise‐ratio data did not change significantly after injection of SPIO‐labeled parental NK‐92 cells. Histopathology confirmed an accumulation of the genetically engineered NK‐92‐scFv(MOC31)‐ζ cells in prostate cancers. Thus, the presence or absence of a tumor accumulation of therapeutic NK cells can be monitored with cellular MR imaging. EpCAM‐directed, SPIO labeled NK‐92‐scFv(MOC31)‐ζ cells accumulate in EpCAM‐positive prostate cancers. Magn Reson Med, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A Novel Streptomycin and Spectinomycin Resistance Gene Cassette Occurence in E. cloacae isolated from Zhenjiang

The aadA genes, encoding resistance to streptomycin and spectinomycin, have been found as gene cassettes in different gram-negative and gram-positive bacterial species. The present report has revealed that the sequence of a new gene, aadA5, combining with the trimethoprim resistance gene dfr17 occured in a class 1integron. The integron was identified in a nosocomial pathogen Enterobacter cloacae isolates, which indicated that integrons are specialized genetic elements that were capable of capturing, integrating and mobilizing gene-cassette by site-specific recombination and integron was a dangerous factor to lead to bacterial resistance.
How Doctors Gain Social and Economic Returns in Online Health-Care Communities: A Professional Capital Perspective

Abstract An online health-care community (OHC) is a novel channel through which doctors share medical or health-care knowledge with patients. While the sustainable development of an OHC relies on doctors’ participation, we have limited information on how doctors can gain benefits from OHCs. In attempting to close this knowledge gap, we examine the determinants of social and economic returns of doctors at OHCs by extending the social exchange theory into the professional domain. The notion of professional capital, as a set of renewable resources for social professionals developed by good education within a territory of social practice, is introduced to understand the unique resources available to doctors for social exchange. Specifically, we examine the effects of status capital and decisional capital (two dimensions of professional capital) on doctors’ social and economic returns. Moreover, we explore how such effects differ across different doctor groups. The results show that, in addition to the widespread pursuit of celebrity doctors (who can be recognized by their high status capital) offline, the doctor’s decisional capital is also an important professional component in maintaining exchange returns at OHCs. This study provides empirical evidence of the relationship between professional capital and the exchange returns, and extends prior research on OHCs through a professional capital perspective with implications for theory and practice.
Statistical Applications in Genetics and Molecular Biology Detecting Local High-Scoring Segments : a First-Stage Approach for Genome-Wide Association Studies

Genetic epidemiology aims at identifying biological mechanisms responsible for human diseases. Genome-wide association studies, made possible by recent improvements in genotyping technologies, are now promisingly investigated. In these studies, common first-stage strategies focus on marginal effects but lead to multiple-testing and are unable to capture the possibly complex interplay between genetic factors. We have adapted the use of the local score statistic, already successfully applied to analyse long molecular sequences. Via sum statistics, this method captures local and possible distant dependences between markers. Dedicated to genome-wide association studies, it is fast to compute, able to handle large datasets, circumvents the multiple-testing problem and outlines a set of genomic regions (segments) for further analyses. Applied to simulated and real data, our approach outperforms classical Bonferroni and FDR corrections for multiple-testing. It is implemented in a software termed LHiSA for Local High-scoring Segments for Association and available at: http://stat.genopole. cnrs.fr/software/lhisa.
Multi-Level Halftoning by IGS Quantization

Improved gray-scale (IGS) quantization is a known method for re-quantizing digital gray-scale images for data compression while producing halftones by adding a level of randomness to improve visual quality of the resultant images. In this paper, first, analyzing the IGS quantizing operations reveals the capability of conserving a DC signal level of a source image through the quantization. Then, a complete procedure for producing a multi-level halftone image by IGS quantization that can achieve the DC conservation is presented. Also, the procedure uses the scanning of source pixels in an order such that geometric patterns can be prevented from occurring in the resulting halftone image. Next, the performance of the multi-level IGS halftoning is evaluated by experiments conducted on 8-bit gray-scale test images in comparison with the halftoning by error diffusion. The experimental result demonstrates that a signal level to be quantized in the IGS halftoning varies more randomly than that in the error diffusion halftoning, but not entirely randomly. Also, visual quality of the resulting halftone images was measured by subjective evaluations of viewers. The result indicates that for 3 or more-bit, in other words, 8 or more-level halftones, the IGS halftoning achieves image quality comparable to that by the error diffusion.
Strength and cross‐sectional area of human skeletal muscle.

The maximum voluntary force (strength) which could be produced by the knee‐extensor muscles, with the knee held at a right angle, was measured in a group of healthy young subjects comprising twenty‐five males and twenty‐five females. Both legs were tested: data from the stronger leg only for each subject were used in the present study. Computed tomography was used to obtain a cross‐sectional image of the subjects' legs at mid‐thigh level, measured as the mid‐point between the greater trochanter and upper border of the patella. The cross‐sectional area of the knee‐extensor muscles was determined from the image obtained by computer‐based planimetry. The subjects' height and weight were measured. An estimate of body fat content was obtained from measurements of skinfold thicknesses and used to calculate lean body mass. Male subjects were taller (P less than 0.001), heavier (P less than 0.001), leaner (P less than 0.001) and stronger (P less than 0.001) than the female subjects. No significant correlation was found to exist between strength of the knee‐extensor muscles and body weight in the male or in the female subjects. In the male subjects, but not in the female group, there was a positive correlation (r = 0.50; P less than 0.01) between strength and lean body mass. Muscle cross‐sectional area of the male subjects was greater than that of the female subjects (P less than 0.001). The ratio of strength to cross‐sectional area for the male was 9.49 +/‐ 1.34 (mean +/‐ S.D.). This is greater but not significantly so, than that for females (8.92 +/‐ 1.11). In both male and female groups, there was a significant (P less than 0.01) positive correlation between muscle strength and cross‐sectional area. A wide variation in the ratio of strength to muscle cross‐sectional area was observed. This variability may be a result of anatomical differences between subjects or may result from differences in the proportions of different fibre types in the muscles. The variation between subjects is such that strength is not a useful predictive index of muscle cross‐sectional area.
Guidance for the Discontinuation or Switching of Antidepressant Therapies in Adults

Antidepressants (ADs) are commonly used for the treatment of various psychological and other medical disorders. Patient response and regimen duration with individual agents varies, necessitating discontinuation (DC) and/or switching between ADs. However, withdrawal symptoms may occur upon DC of the AD, and clinical symptom control may be compromised if the change to a new AD agent is not initiated appropriately. The purpose of this evaluation was to review the available literature and resources to compile documented methods for discontinuing or changing AD regimens in the clinical setting into a single guidance document. The results of this evaluation have yielded both detailed and general recommendations for practitioners to use and consider in discontinuing an AD and making changes between AD agents. The information provided herein is intended to provide useful guidance for clinicians and other health care professionals in their management of patients discontinuing or switching between selected AD agents.