Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gridwarping for image sharpening using one-dimensional approach

A new method for image sharpening via image warping is proposed. The idea of the method is to warp the uniform grid of the image in a way that the pixels around the blurred edge move closer to the edge according to its blurriness. The advantage of the proposed method is that instead of an accurate estimation of the blur kernel only approximate value of the edge blur level is required. Also, since image warping does not change pixel values and only moves pixels, the developed method does not increase the noise level. The proposed technique preserves the overall luminosity and textures of the image, while making the edges sharper and less noisy.
A Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial to Compare a Gel Containing a Combination of Isotretinoin (0.05%) and Erythromycin (2%) with Gels Containing Isotretinoin (0.05%) or Erythromycin (2%) alone in the Topical Treatment of Acne vulgaris

Purpose: To compare the clinical benefit of isotretinoin (0.05%) and erythromycin (2%) gels alone and in combination (Isotrexin™) in acne patients. Procedure: The study was a randomised placebo-controlled trial in acne patients who should benefit from topical therapy. Results: All treatment groups except placebo produced a time-related reduction in lesion counts, with the combined therapy producing the largest mean decrease. Between-group comparisons showed several significant differences. Conclusion: Isotrexin was significantly better than placebo at all time points for inflamed and total lesions, and was better than isotretinoin at week 4. Side-effects were minimal.
Quantitative phase study of the dynamic cellular response in femtosecond laser photoporation

We use Digital Holographic Microscopy to study dynamic responses of live cells to femtosecond laser cellular membrane photoporation. Temporal and spatial characteristics of morphological changes as well as dry mass variation are analyzed and compared with conventional fluorescent assays for viability and photoporation efficiency. With the latter, the results provide a new insight into the efficiency and toxicity of this novel optical method of drug delivery. In addition, quantitative phase maps reveal photoporation related sub-cellular dynamics of cytoplasmic vesicles.
An Educative Brain-Computer Interface

In this paper we will describe all necessary parts of Brain-Computer Interface (BCI), such as source of signals, hardware, software, analysis, architectures of complete system. We also will go along various applications of BCI, view some subject fields and their specifics. After preface we will consider the main point of this work-concepts of using BCI in education. Represented direction of BCI development has not been reported prior. In this work a computer system, currently being elaborated in author's laboratory, will be specified. A purpose of it is to determine a degree of clearness of studied information for certain user according to their indications of brain electrical signals. On the basis of this information the system is able to find an optimal approach to interact with each single user. Feedback individualization leads to learning effectiveness increasing. Stated investigations will be supplemented by author's analytical reasoning on the nature of thinking process.
Adaptive personal territories for co-located tabletop interaction in a museum setting

In this paper, we address the problem of designing for participation and parallel interaction with a walk-up-and-use tabletop system in a public exhibition environment. Motivated by the work practice of territoriality, we implement a novel, tabletop-integrated multi-user tracking system that provides data on a user's location and movement. Based on this robust hardware and software implementation, we present an interaction design that assigns a visually separated display space to each user, the space serving them as a personal territory. These territories can serve as affordances for initiating interactions; most notably they can support the multi-user coordination process during parallel co-located information exploration, which has been observed in our preliminary evaluation.
Purification and Characterization of a Novel ~18 kDa Antioxidant Protein from Ginkgo biloba Seeds

Ginkgo biloba seeds are widely used as a food and traditional medicine in China. In the present study, a novel antioxidant protein named GBSP was purified from Ginkgo biloba seeds. The protein (GBSP) was purified by homogenization of Ginkgo biloba seed powder in saline solution, 70% ammonium sulphate precipitation, filtration on a DEAE-Cellulose52 anion exchange column, gel filtration on a Sephadex G-50 column, and preparative chromatography on a C18 column using RP-HPLC. GBSP showed an apparent molecular weight of 18 kDa by SDS-PAGE and MALDI-TOF/MS analyses. The amino acid sequence obtained by MALDI-TOF/TOF MS analysis showed GBSP was a novel protein, as no matching protein in was found the database. The protein exhibited significant antioxidant activities against free radicals such as DPPH, ABTS and superoxide anion and showed higher activity than α-tocopherol in a linoleic acid emulsion assay system. Furthermore, GBSP exhibited notable reducing power and a strong chelating effect on Cu2+ and Fe2+. Therefore, the present study demonstrates, for the first time, that this novel protein from Ginkgo biloba seeds is an excellent antioxidant.
Dynamics of the endoplasmic reticulum and other membranous organelles in growth cones of cultured neurons

The fluorescent lipophilic dye 3,3′-dihexyloxacarbocyanine iodide [DiOC6(3)] was used to examine the distribution of membrane-bound organelles in growth cones of cultured rat sympathetic neurons. Within chemically fixed growth cones, intense DiOC6(3) fluorescence was localized predominately to the base or central region of growth cones. However, in most growth cones several thin DiOC6(3)-fluorescent processes radiated from the base into the periphery, and double fluorescence imaging of single growth cones indicated that these processes were highly colocalized (approximately 79%) with microtubules. The distribution of DiOC6(3) fluorescence in living growth cones was examined using low light-level fluorescence video microscopy. We observed thin fluorescent processes within the periphery of growth cones to undergo length excursions (extension/retraction) and to change orientation (move laterally). During growth cone advance, processes became progressively thicker and were gradually engulfed by the advancing fluorescent mass. When growth cones were viewed with video-enhanced differential interference contrast microscopy, the position of the fluorescent processes correlated with thickened extensions of central-type cytoplasm through which vesiclelike organelle transport often occurred. These observations indicate several features concerning the organization and movement of membranous organelles (MOs) in growth cones: (1) MOs are highly compartmentalized, the majority being localized to the growth cone base; (2) MOs advance into the periphery along distinct pathways probably associated with microtubules; (3) one or more thin continuous MOs, which most likely represent a thin tubular component of the endoplasmic reticulum, generally precedes advance of vesiclelike MOs along individual transport pathways; and (4) transport pathways with their associated MOs are spatially and temporally dynamic.
The Complexity of Answering Conjunctive and Navigational Queries over OWL 2 EL Knowledge Bases

OWL 2 EL is a popular ontology language that supports role inclusions--axioms of the form S1.Sn ⊆ S that capture compositional properties of roles. Role inclusions closely correspond to context-free grammars, which was used to show that answering conjunctive queries (CQs) over OWL 2 EL knowledge bases with unrestricted role inclusions is undecidable. However, OWL 2 EL inherits from OWL 2 DL the syntactic regularity restriction on role inclusions, which ensures that role chains implying a particular role can be described using a finite automaton (FA). This is sufficient to ensure decidability of CQ answering; however, the FAs can be worst-case exponential in size so the known approaches do not provide a tight upper complexity bound. In this paper, we solve this open problem and show that answering CQs over OWL 2 EL knowledge bases is PSpace-complete in combined complexity (i.e., the complexity measured in the total size of the input). To this end, we use a novel encoding of regular role inclusions using bounded-stack pushdown automata--that is, FAs extended with a stack of bounded size. Apart from theoretical interest, our encoding can be used in practical tableau algorithms to avoid the exponential blowup due to role inclusions. In addition, we sharpen the lower complexity bound and show that the problem is PSPACE-hard even if we consider only role inclusions as part of the input (i.e., the query and all other parts of the knowledge base are fxed). Finally, we turn our attention to navigational queries over OWL 2 EL knowledge bases, and we show that answering positive, converse-free conjunctive graph XPath queries is PSPACE-complete as well; this is interesting since allowing the converse operator in queries is known to make the problem ExpTime-hard. Thus, in this paper we present several important contributions to the landscape of the complexity of answering expressive queries over description logic knowledge bases.
European Integration and National Social Citizenship

The deepening of European integration has weakened the traditional coercive monopoly of the state on actors and resources that are crucial for the stability of redistributive institutions. The article explores these issues adopting a “state-building” perspective and drawing on Stein Rokkan's pioneering insights on boundary building and internal structuring. The first part of the article briefly presents the theoretical perspective. The second part sketches the development of national welfare institutions up to the early 1970s, underlining the importance of bounding processes. The third part describes the challenges recently emerged to the “social sovereignty” of the nation-state largely linked to European integration. The final part offers some more speculative remarks on the changing architecture of social protection, with some hints at cross-national variations and possible developments at the European Union level.
Effects of Pravastatin on Human Placenta, Endothelium, and Women With Severe Preeclampsia

&NA;Preeclampsia is a major pregnancy complication where excess placental release of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) and soluble endoglin causes maternal endothelial and multisystem organ injury. Clinical trials have commenced examining whether pravastatin can be used to treat preeclampsia. However, the preclinical evidence supporting pravastatin as a treatment is limited to animal models, with almost no studies in human tissues. Therefore, we examined whether pravastatin reduced sFlt-1 and soluble endoglin secretion and decreased endothelial dysfunction in primary human tissues. Pravastatin reduced sFlt-1 secretion from primary endothelial cells, purified cytotrophoblast cells, and placental explants obtained from women with preterm preeclampsia. It increased soluble endoglin secretion from endothelial cells but did not change secretion from placental explants. The regulation of sFlt-1 by pravastatin seemed to be mediated via the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase cholesterol synthesis pathway. Pravastatin also reduced markers of endothelial dysfunction, including vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 expression and leukocyte adhesion on endothelial cells and increased endothelial cell migration and invasion. We also treated 4 patients with preterm preeclampsia presenting at <30 weeks of gestation with daily pravastatin. Pravastatin seemed to stabilize blood pressure, proteinuria, and serum uric acid levels. Furthermore, serum sFlt-1 levels decreased. We collected the placentas at delivery and found that pravastatin reduced sFlt-1 secretion. These results indicate that pravastatin reduced sFlt-1 and soluble endoglin production and decreased endothelial dysfunction in primary human tissues. We also present pilot data, suggesting that pravastatin can stabilize clinical and biochemical features of preterm preeclampsia. Our data obtained in human tissues support the concept that pravastatin is a candidate therapeutic for preeclampsia. Clinical Trial Registration—URL: http://www.anzctr. org.au. Unique identifier: ACTRN12613000268741.
Towards a unified theory of health-disease: II. Holopathogenesis

This article presents a systematic framework for modeling several classes of illness-sickness-disease named as Holopathogenesis. Holopathogenesis is defined as processes of over-determination of diseases and related conditions taken as a whole, comprising selected facets of the complex object Health. First, a conceptual background of Holopathogenesis is presented as a series of significant interfaces (biomolecular-immunological, physiopathological-clinical, epidemiological-ecosocial). Second, propositions derived from Holopathogenesis are introduced in order to allow drawing the disease-illness-sickness complex as a hierarchical network of networks. Third, a formalization of intra- and inter-level correspondences, over-determination processes, effects and links of Holopathogenesis models is proposed. Finally, the Holopathogenesis frame is evaluated as a comprehensive theoretical pathology taken as a preliminary step towards a unified theory of health-disease.
Endometriosis, assisted reproduction technology, and risk of adverse pregnancy outcome.

BACKGROUND Endometriosis, a common gynaecological disease, is characterized by local and systemic inflammation, which may cause infertility and consequently, increased utilization of assisted reproduction technology (ART). We aimed to estimate the risk for preterm birth, small-for-gestational-age (SGA) birth, stillbirth, Caesarean section, pre-eclampsia and antepartal haemorrhage among women with a previous diagnosis of endometriosis compared with women with no previous diagnosis of endometriosis. METHODS In a nationwide Swedish study including 1,442,675 singleton births we assessed the association between adverse pregnancy outcome, ART and a previous diagnosis of endometriosis. Information was obtained by linkage of data between 1992 and 2006 in the Medical Birth Register with the Patient Register between 1964 and 2006. RESULTS There were 13,090 singleton births among 8922 women diagnosed with endometriosis. Compared with women without endometriosis, women with endometriosis had higher risks of preterm birth [adjusted odds ratio 1.33, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.23-1.44]. Among women with endometriosis 11.9% conceived after ART compared with 1.4% of women without endometriosis. The risk of preterm birth associated with endometriosis among women with ART was 1.24 (95% CI, 0.99-1.57), and among women without ART 1.37 (95% CI, 1.25-1.50). Women with endometriosis had higher risks of antepartal bleeding/placental complications, pre-eclampsia and Caesarean section. There was no association between endometriosis and risk of SGA-birth or stillbirth. CONCLUSIONS Endometriosis appears to be a risk factor for preterm birth, irrespective of ART. Women with endometriosis may be more likely to be delivered by Caesarean section and to suffer from antepartal haemorrhage/placental complications and pre-eclampsia.
Brain damages in ketamine addicts as revealed by magnetic resonance imaging

Ketamine, a known antagonist of N-methyl-D-aspartic (NMDA) glutamate receptors, had been used as an anesthetic particularly for pediatric or for cardiac patients. Unfortunately, ketamine has become an abusive drug in many parts of the world while chronic and prolonged usage led to damages of many organs including the brain. However, no studies on possible damages in the brains induced by chronic ketamine abuse have been documented in the human via neuroimaging. This paper described for the first time via employing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) the changes in ketamine addicts of 0.5–12 years and illustrated the possible brain regions susceptible to ketamine abuse. Twenty-one ketamine addicts were recruited and the results showed that the lesions in the brains of ketamine addicts were located in many regions which appeared 2–4 years after ketamine addiction. Cortical atrophy was usually evident in the frontal, parietal or occipital cortices of addicts. Such study confirmed that many brain regions in the human were susceptible to chronic ketamine injury and presented a diffuse effect of ketamine on the brain which might differ from other central nervous system (CNS) drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine.
Efferent microneurography recordings: A tool for motor control study and hand-prosthesis decoding

Many efforts have been directed towards the characterization of nature and meaning of neural motor commands in persons with or without hand amputation. Microneurography is a well-established tool for afferent recordings, which could be potentially employed for a deeper understanding of hand motor control during manipulation tasks. Furthermore, it could hopefully enhance the assessment of users' capability to control prosthetic hands by means of residual electroneurographic signals. In the present study, the feasibility of recording of motor-related microneurographyic signals during different grasps is investigated, along with their successive signal processing and classification. Preliminary results show that microneurography could be a robust technique for in-depth understanding of the neural coding underlying motor control, and for improving peripheral nerve signal recording/decoding, in view of establishing precise peripheral nerve interfaces for hand prosthesis control.
Coexisting Disorders and Problems in Preschool Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Objectives. To analyze cooccurring disorders and problems in a representative group of 198 preschool children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) who had had interventions at a specialized habilitation center. Methods. Parents and children were seen by a research team. Data were based on parental interviews, pediatric assessments, and tests of the child. Information on autistic symptoms, general cognitive function, speech and language, motor function, epilepsy, vision, hearing, activity level, behavior, and sleep was collected. Results. Three ASD categories were used: (1) autistic disorder (AD), (2) autistic-like condition (ALC) or Asperger syndrome, and (3) one group with autistic symptoms/traits but not entirely all its criteria met for ASD. Children with autism had a mean of 3.2 coexisting disorders or problems, the ALC/Asperger group had a mean of 1.6, and children with autistic traits had a mean of 1.6. The most common disorder/problems in the total group pertained to language problems (78%), intellectual disability (ID) (49%), below average motor function (37%), and severe hyperactivity/ADHD (33%). Conclusions. The results accord with the concept of early symptomatic syndromes eliciting neurodevelopmental clinical examination (ESSENCE), and highlight the need of considering ASD in a broad perspective taking also other cooccurring developmental disorders into account.
A Study of the Standardization in the Mandibular First Premolar of the Middle Aged Korean

Tooth morphology is the most important scientific aspect of dental medicine in regards to the treatment and study of teeth attrition relating to the absence of teeth due to dental caries or the occlusion of teeth due to external force. Most of the studies have focused on the external morphology in cutting teeth regardless of sex and age. However, the importance of internal morphology in the treatment of damaged teeth has been increased. Therefore, this study established the measurement criteria for the morphology of the mandibular first premolar which had never been presented, in order to investigate the external and internal morphologies of mandibular first premolars, and introduced a non-destructive method such as a microcomputed tomogrphy. Mandibular first premolars in superlative state were taken from molars of middle aged males and females and used as specimens for this study. Criteria relating to the internal and external morphology measurements were established to quantify the length of the teeth in identical state. Two dimensional image data for the selected mandibular first premolar were obtained by taking the image of each O.022mm section, which is perpendicular to the vertical direction using the microcomputed tomography. The Vworks program was applied to measure the length of each morphological part according to the set measurement criteria. These measured data were compared with the data presented by G. V. Black and the internal and external morphologies of the teeth of middle aged Koreans were also compared according to gender. In addition, the methodology for measurement of the mandibular first premolar was presented and according to this, the standardized mandibular first premolars of middle aged Korean males and females were made by using a rapid prototyping system.
Nitric oxide post‐transcriptionally up‐regulates LPS‐induced IL‐8 expression through p38 MAPK activation

Nitric oxide (NO·) contributes to vascular collapse in septic shock and regulates inflammation. Here, we demonstrate in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐stimulated human THP‐1 cells and monocytes that NO· regulates interleukin (IL)‐8 and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF‐α) by distinct mechanisms. Dibutyryl‐cyclic guanosine 5′‐monophosphate (cGMP) failed to simulate NO·‐induced increases in TNF‐α or IL‐8 production. In contrast, dibutyryl‐cyclic adenosine monophosphate blocked NO·‐induced production of TNF‐α (P=0.009) but not IL‐8. NO· increased IL‐8 (5.7‐fold at 4 h; P=0.04) and TNF‐α mRNA levels (2.2‐fold at 4 h; P=0.037). However, nuclear run‐on assays demonstrated that IL‐8 transcription was slightly decreased by NO· (P=0.08), and TNF‐α was increased (P=0.012). Likewise, NO· had no effect on IL‐8 promoter activity (P=0.84) as measured by reporter gene assay. In THP‐1 cells and human primary monocytes treated with actinomycin D, NO· had no effect on TNF‐α mRNA stability (P>0.3 for both cell types) but significantly stabilized IL‐8 mRNA (P=0.001 for both cell types). Because of its role in mRNA stabilization, the p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway was examined and found to be activated by NO· in LPS‐treated THP‐1 cells and human monocytes. Further, SB202190, a p38 MAPK inhibitor, was shown to block NO·‐induced stabilization of IL‐8 mRNA (P<0.02 for both cell types). Thus, NO· regulates IL‐8 but not TNF‐α post‐transcriptionally. IL‐8 mRNA stabilization by NO· is independent of cGMP and at least partially dependent on p38 MAPK activation.