Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Combined approach for experimental Oto-neurosurgical procedures

Background: Experimental procedures will continue to be a key element while going through the learning curve in the use of the endoscope and minimally invasive procedures. We describe the technical procedure of an experimental approach to middle ear in New Zealand rabbits through external auditory canal and its relevance as an ideal model to study graft materials and serve as a training tool for potential applications in otoneurology. Methods: A group of 28 adult New Zealand rabbits were subjected to an experimental myringoplasty, combining the transmeatal and retroauricular approach with endoscopic assistance and microsurgical technique. The different anatomical steps and systematization of the complete experimental procedure are described. Results: An experimental approach to middle ear live model and basic anatomic description was successfully used, standardizing the ideal technique. The eardrum could regenerate with no complications and with functional preservation in all the myringoplasty cases. This strategy involves a safe combined approach to the tympanic membrane and others neurosurgical as transcochlear and translaberyntic approaches and is useful as a test of other experimental procedures to evaluate biomaterials to repair the eardrum currently studied. This experimental myringoplasty model also facilitates functional tests such as impedanciometry and the endoscopic follow-up of the whole process. Conclusions: The method described to perform an experimental myringoplasty (type I tympanoplasty) in a New Zealand rabbit is an option to be used as a basic model to study the behavior of the graft in the tympanic membrane. Also, basic concepts for the use of combined instrumentation are established in the treatment of eardrum lesions, as a refinement of the technical training application in microsurgery and assisted endoscopy in the transcochlear and translaberintic approaches and otoneurology areas.
Enhancement of Mitochondrial Oxidative Phosphorylation Capability by Hypoperfusion in Isolated Perfused Rat Heart

To define alterations in myocardial mitochondrial function due to hypoperfusion, oxidative phosphorylation was simultaneously studied in 17 control (stable perfusion pressure) rat hearts and 17 hypoperfused isolated rat hearts. Hypoperfusion for 30 minutes was achieved by a reduction in coronary perfusion pressure from 77.8 ± 1.2 mm Hg (mean ± SEM) to 20.2 ± 1.8 mm Hg in the experimental group (control perfusion pressure after 30 minutes 75.6 ± 1.2). Hypoperfusion caused a reduction in left ventricular developed pressure to 20.5 ± 1.5 mm Hg (versus control 74.8 ± 3.3, p<0.0001), a reduction of coronary flow rate to 4.9 ± 0.3 ml/min (versus control 19.4 ± 1.2, p<0.0001), and a drop in myocardial oxygen consumption to 0.06 ± 0.005 ml O2/min (versus control 0.17 ± 0.01, p<0.0001). Myocardial lactate production was increased by hypoperfusion (3.0 ± 0.6 μmol/min) compared with controls (0.7 ± 0.5, p<0.02), but myocardial creatine kinase release was similar in the hypoperfused and control groups. Hypoperfusion was associated with an augmentation of state 3 mitochondrial respiration with glutamate and malate as respiratory substrates (448.8 ± 14.0 ng atoms O/min/mg mitochondrial protein versus controls 290.7 ± 13.4, p<0.001). When rates were normalized for mitochondria) malate dehydrogenase (MDHm), state 3 respiration was still increased in hypoperfused hearts (24.1 ± 2.1 ng atoms O/min/IU MDHm) compared with controls (15.5 ± 1.6, p<0.02). The rates of dinitrophenol-uncoupled electron transport were similar to the rates of state 3 respiration in both the hypoperfused and control groups. No alterations in mitochondrial function were found with succinate as substrate. Therefore, moderate levels of hypoperfusion enhanced mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation when glutamate and malate were the respiratory substrates, consistent with an augmentation of the activity of electron transfer complex I and/or the rates of mitochondrial glutamate/malate uptake. This enhancement may be an adaptive mechanism to maximize ATP synthesis during or following myocardial oxygen supply/demand imbalance.
GazeGrip: improving mobile device accessibility with gaze & grip interaction

Though modern tablet devices offer users high processing power in a compact form factor, interaction while holding them still presents problems, forcing the user to alternate the dominant hand between holding and touching the screen. In this paper, we explore how eye tracking can minimize this problem through GazeGrip---a prototype interactive system for a tablet that integrates eye tracking and back-of-device touch sensing. We propose a design space for potential interaction techniques that leverage the power of this combination, as well as prototype applications that instantiate it. Our preliminary results highlight as opportunities enabled by the system reduced fatigue while holding the device, minimal occlusion of the screen, and improved accuracy and precision in the interaction.
Information Specificity and Environmental Scanning: An Economic Perspective

This paper addresses two questions. First, how does an organization allocate its environmental scanning resources among all the potential sources of information in the environment? Second, how does an organization allocate responsibility for acquiring environmental information? Specifically, when does an organization choose to monitor an environmental source within its hierarchy, and when does it outsource the task? In the former case, when does the responsibility for acquiring information rest with the ultimate user, and when is it delegated, either to a subordinate or to a central environmental scanning unit? The paper proposes a set of economic arguments to answer these questions. Borrowing from transaction cost theory, the paper develops the concept of information specificity to parallel the idea of asset specificity. Information specificity has two dimensions -- knowledge specificity and time specificity. The paper uses transaction cost theory and agency theory to propose that the information acquisition choices made by managers and organizations are based on the specificity of the desired information. In making its arguments, the paper introduces the notion of cognitive transaction and agency costs to complement the behavioral costs that are the focus of traditional transaction cost and agency theory logic.
Evaluation Methods and Research Trends for Ecological Carrying Capacity

Abstract: With the intensive research into global coupling relationships, ecological carrying capacity (ECC), seen as the crucial link between natural ecosystems and human systems, has gradually become an important tool for interdisciplinary research in ecology, resources science and environmental science, as well as for research on regional sustainable development. However, ECC research remains immature and lacks a complete theoretical system, as a result of many limiting factors and different space-time conditions. At present, Chinese and foreign studies focus on methods to evaluate ECC while neglecting to identify the internal driving mechanisms of ECC. In this article, based on the development and conceptualization of ECC, we introduce three evaluation methods for ECC: ecological footprint (EF), human appropriation of net primary production (HANPP) and ecosystem services consumption (ESC). Furthermore, we illuminate research focuses and developmental directions for ECC with respect to driving mechanisms, threshold, comprehensive evaluation systems and coupling dynamic model of multi ecological factors, in order to provide a reference for future ECC research.
A variable stiffness catheter controlled with an external magnetic field

Remote magnetic navigation of catheters is a technique used to perform radiofrequency ablation of heart tissue in order to treat cardiac arrhythmias. The flexible magnetic catheters used in this context are in some cases not sufficiently dexterous to navigate the complex and patient-specific anatomy of the heart. To overcome such limitations, this paper proposes a new approach that relies on the integration of variable stiffness segments into a magnetic catheter. The magnetic variable stiffness (VS) catheter presented here is based on silicone and a low melting point alloy (LMPA) that transforms from a solid to liquid phase upon joule heating. This dramatically changes the bending stiffness of the segment in which it is integrated, improving dexterity. Compared to standard catheters, a VS catheter can partially (just one segment) or completely lock its shape (shape fixity) in order to explore a larger 3D volume inside a magnetic navigation system, thus extending regions of the heart that can be reached for performing ablation procedures.
Running head Neuronal responses to cochlear distortion products Contact information

Sensitive response to low frequency cochlear distortion products in the auditory midbrain. Abstract During auditory stimulation with several frequency components, distortion products (DP) are generated as byproduct of nonlinear cochlear amplification. After generated DP energy is 20 reemitted into the ear channel where it can be measured as distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) and it also induces an excitatory response at cochlear places related to the DP frequencies. We measured responses of 91 inferior colliculus (IC) neurons in the gerbil during two-tone stimulation with frequencies well above the unit's receptive field but adequate to generate a distinct distortion product (f2-1 or 2f1-f2) at the unit's characteristic frequency (CF). 25 Neuronal responses to DPs could be accounted for by the simultaneously measured DPOAEs for DP frequencies above 1.3 kHz. For DP frequencies below 1.3 kHz (n = 25) there was a discrepancy between intracochlear DP magnitude and DPOAE level and most neurons responded as if the intracochlear DP level was significantly higher than the DPOAE level in the ear channel. In 12 % of those low frequency neurons, responses to the DPs could be elicited even if the 30 stimulus tone levels were below the threshold level of the neuron at CF. High intracochlear f1-f2 and 2f1-f2 DP-levels were verified by cancellation of the neuronal DP-response with a third phase-adjusted tone stimulus at the DP frequency. A frequency-specific reduction of middle ear gain at low frequencies is possibly involved in the reduction of DPOAE level. The results indicate that pitch-related properties of complex stimuli may be produced partially by high intracochlear 35 f2-f1 distortion levels.
Charge-Enhanced Contamination and Environmental Degradation of MISSE-6 SUSpECS Materials

The effects of prolonged exposure to the low Earth orbit space environment and charge-enhanced contamination on optical, thermal, and electron emission and transport properties of common spacecraft materials have been investigated by comparing pre- and postflight characterization measurements. The State of Utah Space Environment and Contamination Study (SUSpECS), deployed in March 2008 on board the Materials International Space Station Experiment (MISSE-6) payload, was exposed for ~18 months on the exterior of the International Space Station (ISS) and was retrieved in September 2009. A total of 165 samples was mounted on three separate SUSpECS panels on the ram and wake sides on the ISS. Some samples, particularly those exposed to atomic oxygen in the ram direction, showed pronounced effects due to exposure. Biased samples for the charge-enhanced contamination study showed subtle variations in visible and infrared reflectivity.
Active Multiple Feed On-Chip Antennas With Efficient In-Antenna Power Combining Operating at 200–320 GHz

The design and measurement of active multiple-feed on-chip antennas realized in a SiGe seven metal layer backend process are presented for millimeter-wave applications. To prevent the excitation of surface waves, the principle of an integrated lens antenna (ILA) is used. In-antenna power-combining is realized by using a novel concept in which the outputs of two or more parallel differential amplifiers are directly combined in the radiating element itself. The proof-of-concept is shown by characterizing the antennas directly without the amplifiers being connected and by using adequate feeding networks capable of demonstrating high ILA bandwidths. Further, the power-splitting is realized through distributed transformer circuits, which offer high bandwidths at low losses. Different antennas are evaluated in order to attain reflection coefficients better than −10 dB over the entire frequency band of 200–320 GHz. Finally, the power-combining capabilities of such antennas are demonstrated by connecting a four-feed differential antenna to four single stage cascode amplifiers in parallel.
Two methods of random seed generation to avoid over‐segmentation with stochastic watershed: application to nuclear fuel micrographs

A stochastic version of the watershed algorithm is obtained by choosing randomly in the image the seeds from which the watershed regions are grown. The output of the procedure is a probability density function corresponding to the probability that each pixel belongs to a boundary. In the present paper, two stochastic seed‐generation processes are explored to avoid over‐segmentation. The first is a non‐uniform Poisson process, the density of which is optimized on the basis of opening granulometry. The second process positions the seeds randomly within disks centred on the maxima of a distance map. The two methods are applied to characterize the grain structure of nuclear fuel pellets. Estimators are proposed for the total edge length and grain number per unit area, LA and NA, which take advantage of the probabilistic nature of the probability density function and do not require segmentation.
Molecular Investigations of a Locally Acquired Case of Melioidosis in Southern AZ, USA

Melioidosis is caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, a Gram-negative bacillus, primarily found in soils in Southeast Asia and northern Australia. A recent case of melioidosis in non-endemic Arizona was determined to be the result of locally acquired infection, as the patient had no travel history to endemic regions and no previous history of disease. Diagnosis of the case was confirmed through multiple microbiologic and molecular techniques. To enhance the epidemiological analysis, we conducted several molecular genotyping procedures, including multi-locus sequence typing, SNP-profiling, and whole genome sequence typing. Each technique has different molecular epidemiologic advantages, all of which provided evidence that the infecting strain was most similar to those found in Southeast Asia, possibly originating in, or around, Malaysia. Advancements in new typing technologies provide genotyping resolution not previously available to public health investigators, allowing for more accurate source identification.
Histone deacetylase inhibitors induce growth arrest, apoptosis, and differentiation in clear cell sarcoma models

Clear cell sarcoma is an aggressive malignancy occurring most commonly in the distal extremities of young adults, characterized by t(12;22)(q13;q12) creating the chimeric fusion oncoprotein EWS-ATF1. We assessed growth inhibition and differentiation effects of histone deacetylase inhibitors MS-275 and romidepsin (depsipeptide, FK228) on clear cell sarcoma cells and evaluated drug sensitivity among related translocation-associated sarcomas and other cell models. Three clear cell sarcoma cell lines, seven other sarcomas, six nonsarcoma malignant cell lines, and two nonneoplastic mesenchymal cell models were treated with MS-275 or romidepsin. Growth inhibition was assayed by monolayer 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis were assessed by propidium iodide/Annexin V flow cytometry in monolayer and spheroid cultures and by immunoblotting analysis. Expression levels of key genes involved in mesenchymal differentiation and of EWS-ATF1 were measured by quantitative real-time PCR in clear cell sarcoma cells treated with histone deacetylase inhibitors. MS-275 and romidepsin inhibited growth in clear cell sarcoma cells by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Sarcomas showed greater sensitivity than other tumor types, with clear cell sarcomas most sensitive of all, whereas nonmalignant mesenchymal cells were highly resistant. MS-275 at 1 μmol/L and romidepsin at 1 nmol/L induced histone H3 acetylation, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and differentiation in clear cell sarcoma cells within 24 hours. Histone deacetylase inhibitors increased expression of SOX9, MYOD1, and PPARG and decreased EWS-ATF1 expression in clear cell sarcoma cells. Histone deacetylase inhibitors show promising preclinical activity in multiple clear cell sarcoma models. [Mol Cancer Ther 2008;7(6):1751–61]
The role of stratospheric resolution in simulating the Arctic Oscillation response to greenhouse gases

The Arctic Oscillation index has increased significantly over the past forty years, and such an increase has been simulated in response to greenhouse gas increases in several climate models. However, it has been suggested that an atmospheric model with an upper boundary in the upper stratosphere or mesosphere is required to simulate a realistic response, and that predictions made with standard climate models are hence unreliable. Here we show that a climate model with a 30‐km upper boundary shows no increase in its surface Arctic Oscillation response to doubled carbon dioxide when its upper boundary is raised to 80 km. Neither model version shows a significant Arctic Oscillation response to stratospheric ozone depletion.
Transcription Factors Mat2 and Znf2 Operate Cellular Circuits Orchestrating Opposite- and Same-Sex Mating in Cryptococcus neoformans

Cryptococcus neoformans is a human fungal pathogen that undergoes a dimorphic transition from a unicellular yeast to multicellular hyphae during opposite sex (mating) and unisexual reproduction (same-sex mating). Opposite- and same-sex mating are induced by similar environmental conditions and involve many shared components, including the conserved pheromone sensing Cpk1 MAPK signal transduction cascade that governs the dimorphic switch in C. neoformans. However, the homeodomain cell identity proteins Sxi1α/Sxi2a encoded by the mating type locus that are essential for completion of sexual reproduction following cell–cell fusion during opposite-sex mating are dispensable for same-sex mating. Therefore, identification of downstream targets of the Cpk1 MAPK pathway holds the key to understanding molecular mechanisms governing the two distinct developmental fates. Thus far, homology-based approaches failed to identify downstream transcription factors which may therefore be species-specific. Here, we applied insertional mutagenesis via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and transcription analysis using whole genome microarrays to identify factors involved in C. neoformans differentiation. Two transcription factors, Mat2 and Znf2, were identified as key regulators of hyphal growth during same- and opposite-sex mating. Mat2 is an HMG domain factor, and Znf2 is a zinc finger protein; neither is encoded by the mating type locus. Genetic, phenotypic, and transcriptional analyses of Mat2 and Znf2 provide evidence that Mat2 is a downstream transcription factor of the Cpk1 MAPK pathway whereas Znf2 functions as a more terminal hyphal morphogenesis determinant. Although the components of the MAPK pathway including Mat2 are not required for virulence in animal models, Znf2, as a hyphal morphology determinant, is a negative regulator of virulence. Further characterization of these elements and their target circuits will reveal genes controlling biological processes central to fungal development and virulence.
Video retrieval based on a new distance of histograms

Summarizing and understanding video shot based on their contents is an important research topic in multimedia data mining. People tend to search their interested shots from a plenty of videos and many algorithms are used in this field. The algorithm based on histograms is one basic technology of existing methods, however, traditional histograms have the limit on similarity measurement and usually ignore the statistical information of feature. This paper presents an efficient algorithm based on histograms. A novel similarity measurement between histograms is also introduced. The experimental results show that our algorithm performs well and can play an important role in content-based video shot retrieval.
“Helping Others Makes Me Happy”: Social Interaction and Integration of People with Disabilities

This paper presents a qualitative study of people with disabilities, focusing on issues of their social interaction and integration. Through interviews and participatory observations with a group of people with motor disabilities in China, we found that their perceived limited capabilities to reciprocate, or feelings of indebtedness, were among the main reasons that kept them from interacting with others. The study shows that ICT and communities of people with disabilities are valuable in relieving these issues, in that they provide means and opportunities for them to give help and in turn develop self-esteem, crucial for their social interaction and integration. Our study suggests providing ways for them to give and not simply receive help as an important means to support their social interaction and integration-in particular, by focusing on their abilities and communities, instead of disabilities and independence.
Analysis of orographic influence on hail parameters in NW Croatia

Deep moist convection often yields hail, which is a subject of this work, as a significant precipitation form in many parts of the extra‐tropics. Located in the midlatitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, Croatia is exposed to frequent occurrence of thunderstorms and hail, especially in its continental part. In the second half of 20th century, to reduce the risk of damage in agricultural production, a hail suppression system was established in the area. With the goal to obtain objective hailstone measurements for research studies there, hailpads were installed in 2001 on all hail suppression and main meteorological stations. In addition, in 2002, a dense network of hailpads (polygon) was built in the northwest of the continental part of Croatia. In this study, hail suppression station data (observers records: occurrence and duration of hailfall), hailpad polygon data and lightning data are used to test the hypothesis about the qualitative influence of orography on the spatio‐temporal distribution of hail. We use an objective approach for testing the hypothesis, namely, the Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis of the polygon data. No influence of cloud seeding on the EOF analysis is expected. The results of this analysis have confirmed the influence of orography on the distribution of hail. That may help in hailstorms nowcasting and an optimized agricultural planning.