Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Proposal for Neurography Referral in Patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Based on Clinical Symptoms and Demographic Variables of 797 Patients

The clinical manifestation of median nerve entrapment at the carpal tunnel level is known as carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Electroneurography (ENG) is considered the gold standard in CTS evaluation. We conducted a retrospective study and analyzed some clinical and demographic variables, relating them to the degree of neuropathy using ENG, to better understand the role of ENG in this very common disease. We studied 816 patients referred to our service for neurographic evaluation. Their symptoms were classified as compatible with CTS (cCTS) (n = 646) and atypical for CTS (aCTS) (n = 170). A blind ENG was performed on 797 patients. Patient characteristics were coded as variables and analyzed to study whether they could predict neuropathy severity (sensory and motor involvement or grade ≥ 3 in our classification). We found a correlation between typical symptomatology, age over 50 years, male gender, positivity of Phalen’s maneuver and Tinel’s sign, and a neuropathy grade ≥ 3. We also found a correlation with CTS in the contralateral hand if the other hand showed neuropathy, despite the lack of symptoms in this hand. We propose a practical algorithm for ENG referral based on clinical symptoms, demographic factors, and neurophysiological variables.
A Photoelectrochemical Sensor for the Detection of Hypochlorous Acid with a Phenothiazine-Based Photosensitizer

This paper presents the development of a photoelectrochemical sensor for hypochlorous acid (HOCl) detection, employing a phenothiazine-based organic photosensitizer (Dye-PZ). The designed probe, Dye-PZ, follows a D-π-A structure with phenothiazine as the electron-donating group and a cyano-substituted pyridine unit as the electron-accepting group. A specific reaction of the phenothiazine sulfur atom with HOCl enables selective recognition. The covalent immobilization of Dye-PZ onto a titanium dioxide nanorod-coated fluorine-doped tin oxide electrode (FTO/TiO2) using bromo-silane coupling agent (BrPTMS) resulted in the fabrication of the photoanode FTO/TiO2/BrPTMS/Dye-PZ. The photoanode exhibited a significant photoresponse under visible-light irradiation, with a subsequent reduction in photocurrent upon reaction with HOCl. The oxidation of the phenothiazine sulfur atom to a sulfoxide diminished the internal charge transfer (ICT) effect. Leveraging this principle, the successful photoelectrochemical sensing of HOCl was achieved. The sensor showed high stability, excellent reproducibility, and selective sensitivity for HOCl detection. Our study provides a novel approach for the development of efficient photoelectrochemical sensors based on organic photosensitizers, with promising applications in water quality monitoring and biosensing.
The Research of Optical Turbulence Model in Underwater Imaging System

In order to research the effect of turbulence on underwater imaging system and image restoration, the underwater turbulence model is simulated by computer fluid dynamics. This model is obtained in different underwater turbulence intensity, which contains the pressure data that influences refractive index distribution. When the pressure value is conversed to refractive index, the refractive index distribution can be received with the refraction formula. In the condition of same turbulent intensity, the distribution of refractive index presents gradient in the whole region, with disorder and mutations in the local region. With the turbulence intensity increase, the holistic variation of the refractive index in the image is larger, and the refractive index change more tempestuously in the local region. All the above are illustrated by the simulation results with he ray tracing method and turbulent refractive index model. According to different turbulence intensity analysis, it is proved that turbulence causes image distortion and increases noise. Copyright © 2014 IFSA Publishing, S. L.
Inhibition of Apoptosis in a Model of Ischemic Stroke Leads to Enhanced Cell Survival, Endogenous Neural Precursor Cell Activation and Improved Functional Outcomes

Stroke results in neuronal cell death, which causes long-term disabilities in adults. Treatment options are limited and rely on a narrow window of opportunity. Apoptosis inhibitors demonstrate efficacy in improving neuronal cell survival in animal models of stroke. However, many inhibitors non-specifically target apoptosis pathways and high doses are needed for treatment. We explored the use of a novel caspase-3/7 inhibitor, New World Laboratories (NWL) 283, with a lower IC50 than current caspase-3/7 inhibitors. We performed in vitro and in vivo assays to determine the efficacy of NWL283 in modulating cell death in a preclinical model of stroke. In vitro and in vivo assays show that NWL283 enhances cell survival of neural precursor cells. Delivery of NWL283 following stroke enhances endogenous NPC migration and leads to increased neurogenesis in the stroke-injured cortex. Furthermore, acute NWL283 administration is neuroprotective at the stroke injury site, decreasing neuronal cell death and reducing microglia activation. Coincident with NWL283 delivery for 8 days, stroke-injured mice exhibited improved functional outcomes that persisted following cessation of the drug. Therefore, we propose that NWL283 is a promising therapeutic warranting further investigation to enhance stroke recovery.
Interaction in coastal waters: A roadmap to sustainable integration of aquaculture and fisheries

Coastal areas are subject to an increase in competing activities and protection (Natura 2000, Marine Strategy Directive) and are a source of potential con ict for space allocation. COEXIST is a broad, multidisciplinary approach to evaluate these interactions with the ultimate goal to provide a roadmap to better integration, sustainability and synergies among different activities in the coastal zone. 1. The project will study the interactions between capture sheries and aquaculture and evaluate mutual bene ts and possible bottlenecks for concomitant development of these activities in the coastal zone within the context of the ecosystem approach to management. 2. It will propose, develop and evaluate the e ciency of spatial management tools (zoning, closed areas, etc) to promote different forms of coastal aquaculture and sheries at different scales (e.g. local, regional) and it will exploit mutual opportunities (e.g. arti cial reefs, protected areas, wind farms, tourism etc) within a context of competition for space by multiple users. 3. The project will address differences in acceptance of activities ( sheries, aquaculture, and other use of the coastal zone) by the society. 4. A detailed strategy for communication and involvement of stakeholders and for dissemination of results to general and targeted audiences is integrated in the project. By these actions, the project will support the new European Maritime Policy and spatial planning of coastal areas. Case studies, supported by national projects will be used to provide data for further analysis Grant agreement ID: 245178  Project website
Effects of Habituation on Spatiotemporal Gait Measures in Younger Adults

Abstract Virtual reality (VR) has potential benefits for training and rehabilitation (Lei et al., 2019; Rutkowski et al., 2020). In some instances, understanding how performance in VR relates to performance in the real world is a necessary step in building effective environments. This study was designed to determine whether gait in VR changes over time (adaptation), and whether it approaches natural environment performance over time (habituation). Nineteen young adults walked over a gait mat in a real hallway for five minutes and a virtual hallway for three 10-minute blocks. Results indicated that gait was significantly different in the natural environment compared to the first five minutes of immersion (p < 0.05). Group averages also demonstrated that after 10–15 minutes of immersion, there was no statistical difference between the virtual and natural environments across any of the gait measures (p > 0.05). However, individual differences in gait behavior were also evident. While some participants matched performance between virtual and natural environments by the end of the 30-minute session, others did not. These findings provide evidence that individuals adapt differently to motor tasks in VR and suggest that when gait is required in VR, the environment may need to be tailored to the individual to achieve desired outcomes.
Empirical Bayesian Imaging With Large-Scale Push-Forward Generative Priors

We propose a new methodology for leveraging deep generative priors for Bayesian inference in imaging inverse problems. Modern Bayesian imaging often relies on score-based diffusion generative priors, which deliver remarkable point estimates but significantly underestimate uncertainty. Push-forward models such as variational auto-encoders and generative adversarial networks provide a robust alternative, leading to Bayesian models that are provably well-posed and which produce accurate uncertainty quantification results for small problems. However, push-forward models scale poorly to large problems because of issues related to bias, mode collapse and multimodality. We propose to address this difficulty by embedding a conditional deep generative prior within an empirical Bayesian framework. We consider generative priors with a super-resolution architecture, and perform inference by using a Bayesian computation strategy that simultaneously computes the maximum marginal likelihood estimate (MMLE) of the low-resolution image of interest, and draws Monte Carlo samples from the posterior distribution of the high-resolution image, conditionally to the observed data and the MMLE. The methodology is demonstrated with an image deblurring experiment and comparisons with the state-of-the-art.
Probabilistic topic decomposition of an eighteenth-century American newspaper

We use a probabilistic mixture decomposition method to determine topics in the Pennsylvania Gazette , a major colonial U.S. newspaper from 1728–1800. We assess the value of several topic decomposition techniques for historical research and compare the accuracy and efﬁcacy of various methods. After determining the topics covered by the 80,000 articles and advertisements in the entire 18th century run of the Gazette , we calculate how the prevalence of those topics changed over time, and give historically relevant examples of our ﬁndings. This approach reveals important information about the con- tent of this colonial newspaper, and suggests the value of such approaches to a more complete understanding of early American print culture and society.
In Silico and In Vitro Mapping of Receptor-Type Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Receptor Type D in Health and Disease: Implications for Asprosin Signalling in Endometrial Cancer and Neuroblastoma

Simple Summary Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Receptor Type D (PTPRD) plays a role in cell proliferation, differentiation, oncogenic transformation, and brain development and serves as an orexigenic asprosin receptor. This study investigates the expression of PTPRD in endometrial cancer (EC) and the placenta, as well as in glioblastoma (GBM). PTPRD is significantly upregulated at the mRNA and protein levels in patients with EC and GBM compared to healthy controls. In patients with EC, PTPRD is significantly downregulated by obesity. Using a tissue microarray, abundant PTPRD expression in low- and high-grade EC tumours is noted. Using liquid biopsies from EC patients, we show the expression of PTPRD in peripheral leukocytes. Moreover, asprosin treatment upregulates the expression of PTPRD in syncytialised placental cells in vitro, but not in EC cell lines. Collectively, our data suggest that PTPRD may have potential as a biomarker for malignancies such as EC and GBM, further implicating asprosin as a potential metabolic regulator in these cancers. Abstract Background: Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Receptor Type D (PTPRD) is involved in the regulation of cell growth, differentiation, and oncogenic transformation, as well as in brain development. PTPRD also mediates the effects of asprosin, which is a glucogenic hormone/adipokine derived following the cleavage of the C-terminal of fibrillin 1. Since the asprosin circulating levels are elevated in certain cancers, research is now focused on the potential role of this adipokine and its receptors in cancer. As such, in this study, we investigated the expression of PTPRD in endometrial cancer (EC) and the placenta, as well as in glioblastoma (GBM). Methods: An array of in silico tools, in vitro models, tissue microarrays (TMAs), and liquid biopsies were employed to determine the gene and protein expression of PTPRD in healthy tissues/organs and in patients with EC and GBM. Results: PTPRD exhibits high expression in the occipital lobe, parietal lobe, globus pallidus, ventral thalamus, and white matter, whereas in the human placenta, it is primarily localised around the tertiary villi. PTPRD is significantly upregulated at the mRNA and protein levels in patients with EC and GBM compared to healthy controls. In patients with EC, PTPRD is significantly downregulated with obesity, whilst it is also expressed in the peripheral leukocytes. The EC TMAs revealed abundant PTPRD expression in both low- and high-grade tumours. Asprosin treatment upregulated the expression of PTPRD only in syncytialised placental cells. Conclusions: Our data indicate that PTPRD may have potential as a biomarker for malignancies such as EC and GBM, further implicating asprosin as a potential metabolic regulator in these cancers. Future studies are needed to explore the potential molecular mechanisms/signalling pathways that link PTPRD and asprosin in cancer.
Human C5-specific single-chain variable fragment ameliorates brain injury in a model of NMOSD

Objective Using phage display, we sought to screen single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) against complement C5 to treat neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). Methods After 5 rounds of phage display, we isolated individual clones and identified phage clones specifically binding to C5 using ELISA. Using aquaporin-4 (AQP4)-transfected cells in vitro, we confirmed whether these scFvs prevented complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) caused by the serum of patients with NMOSD and human complement (hC). We selected an NMOSD mouse model, in which intracerebral NMOSD immunoglobulin G (IgG) and hC injections induce NMOSD-like lesions in vivo. Results We obtained scFvs to test specificity and blocking efficiency. The scFv C5B3 neutralized C5 in the complement activation pathway, which prevented AQP4-IgG–mediated CDC in AQP4-transfected cells. In an NMOSD mouse model, C5B3 prevented AQP4 and astrocyte loss, decreased demyelination, and reduced inflammatory infiltration and membrane attack complex formation in lesions. Conclusions We used phage display to screen C5B3 against C5, which was effective in inhibiting cytotoxicity in vitro and preventing CNS pathology in vivo.
The Association of Apolipoprotein A1 Polymorphisms with Diabetes and Hypertension in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease in Fars Province

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a multifactorial disorder, which remains asymptomatic for many years. Genetic and environmental factors are involved to this disease. In the past years , the role of apolipoproteins and their polymorphisms has been identified in the diseases.The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between gene polymorphisms of apolipoprotein A1 with diabetes, hypertension and cigarette smoking in CAD sufferers in Fars province. Materials and Methods: This study evaluates the promoterregion polymorphisms up to intron 2 of APOA1 genes in 75 CAD cases and 75 controls. The method used to determine these polymorphisms was PCR sequencing. This case-control study was performed by odds ratio (OR, with a confidence interval of 0.95) to reveal the association of these polymorphisms with hypertension, diabetes and smoking in CAD patients. Results: Four polymorphisms were identified in this area. The genotypes of AA in 12718466, GA in rs 670, TC in rs5070 and CC in rs 5069 had the highest frequency in all patient groups and controls. There was a significant association in Rs12718466 between control group with diabetic group (p=0.033). Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that diabetes, hypertension and cigarette smoking had no effects in initiation and aggravation of CAD.
Placenta-Specific Transcripts Containing Androgen Response Elements Are Altered In Silico by Male Growth Outcomes

A birthweight centile (BWC) below the 25th is associated with an elevated risk of adverse perinatal outcomes, particularly among males. This male vulnerability may stem from alterations in placenta-specific androgen signalling, a signalling axis that involves the androgen receptor (AR)-mediated regulation of target genes containing androgen response elements (AREs). In this study, we examined global and ARE-specific transcriptomic signatures in term male placentae (≥37 weeks of gestation) across BWC subcategories (<10th, 10th–30th, >30th) using RNA-seq and gene set enrichment analysis. ARE-containing transcripts in placentae with BWCs below the 10th percentile were upregulated compared to those in the 10th–30th and >30th percentiles, which coincided with the enrichment of gene sets related to hypoxia and the suppression of gene sets associated with mitochondrial function. In the absence of ARE-containing transcripts in silico, <10th and 10th–30th BWC subcategory placentae upregulated gene sets involved in vasculature development, immune function, and cell adhesion when compared to those in the >30th BWC subcategory. Collectively, our in silico findings suggest that changes in the expression of ARE-containing transcripts in male placentae may contribute to impaired placental vasculature and therefore result in reduced fetal growth outcomes.
Are High Carbon Stocks in Agroforests and Forest Associated with High Plant Species Diversity

Conserving plant diversity and retaining terrestrial carbon stocks are targets for environmental policy and appear to be generally compatible. However, detailed information on the way both respond to agroforestry management is lacking. Rubber and fruit tree agroforestry systems combine planted trees and trees that are tolerated or actively managed that derived from natural vegetation. The research aimed to evaluate plant species diversity, vegetation structure, and C stock in rubber agroforestry system (AF) and secondary forest grown in silty clay and sandy soils in Pulang Pisau Regency, Central Kalimantan province. A number of multistrata agroforestry systems was compared to the secondary (natural) forests (SNF) of the area; these included Fruit-Based Rubber Agroforestry (AFB) of about 100 years of age, Old Rubber Agroforestry (ARO) and Young Rubber Agroforestry (ARY). The highest C stock was found in AFB (415 Mg ha -1 ), while the average C stocks of other AF and SNF were 217 Mg ha -1 . A plant diversity index (H’) was only weakly correlated to aboveground C stocks. Including the farmer-managed agroforests in schemes to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation is relevant, as their carbon stocks match or exceed those of remaining forests in the area.
A Universal Dynamic Threshold Cloud Detection Algorithm (UDTCDA) supported by a prior surface reflectance database

Conventional cloud detection methods are easily affected by mixed pixels, complex surface structures, and atmospheric factors, resulting in poor cloud detection results. To minimize these problems, a new Universal Dynamic Threshold Cloud Detection Algorithm (UDTCDA) supported by a priori surface reflectance database is proposed in this paper. A monthly surface reflectance database is constructed using long‐time‐sequenced MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer surface reflectance product (MOD09A1) to provide the surface reflectance of the underlying surfaces. The relationships between the apparent reflectance changes and the surface reflectance are simulated under different observation and atmospheric conditions with the 6S (Second Simulation of the Satellite Signal in the Solar Spectrum) model, and the dynamic threshold cloud detection models are developed. Two typical remote sensing data with important application significance and different sensor parameters, MODIS and Landsat 8, are selected for cloud detection experiments. The results were validated against the visual interpretation of clouds and Cloud‐Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation cloud measurements. The results showed that the UDTCDA can obtain a high precision in cloud detection, correctly identifying cloudy pixels and clear‐sky pixels at rates greater than 80% with error rate and missing rate of less than 20%. The UDTCDA cloud product overall shows less estimation uncertainty than the current MODIS cloud mask products. Moreover, the UDTCDA can effectively reduce the effects of atmospheric factors and mixed pixels and can be applied to different satellite sensors to realize long‐term, large‐scale cloud detection operations.
Estimation of maximum densities ofyoung of the year brown trout, Salmotrutta, with the use of environmentalfactors

Brown trout, Salmo trutta, is an important species for the sportfishing tourism in Sweden and goals are set high for the possible gains to come from fishing tourism. Therefore accurate and efficient methods to estimate a streams potential production of brown trout are needed in order to apply relevant management regimes that take fish ecology into account and prevents overfishing. One measure of brown trout production is the density of young of the year fish. The usual method for estimation of young of the year brown trout density are electrofishing with three removals. In this study a method using environmental factors to estimate maximum production of young of the year brown trout, as a measure of carrying capacity, was used. Based on previous studies environmental factors important for brown trout habitat requirement were selected. Data of stream slope, water flow, annual air temperature, longest period above 0 °C, altitude, stream width and water depth were linked to data on young of the year densities in a cluster analysis. The percentage relative precision values for the estimated mean maximum densities showed a lower level of uncertainty for density estimates based on environmental factors and cluster analysis than for estimates based on electrofishing with three removals. An additional benefit of the use of environmental data for estimations of maximum young of the year brown trout density is that estimates can easier be scaled up to cover a whole stream without the use of long time series of data. As opposed to estimation of brown trout production capacity for a whole stream using electrofishing data which for reliable estimates require over time data (e.g. 10- 15 years).
Structured learning of time-varying networks with application to PM2.5 data

Abstract In this paper, we study the problem of estimating structured time-varying networks from time-dependent observational data. In the penalized log-likelihood framework, we exploit a fused lasso-based penalty to encourage the networks of neighboring time stamps having similar structure patterns. Further, edges between two distinct communities are penalized more than those within one common community to capture the community structure of networks. We use the alternating direction method of multipliers to solve the problem followed by a series of simulations. Finally, we apply the method to learn the network structure among 31 Chinese cities and obtain interpretable results.