Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modeling biodegradable stents and their effect on the arterial wall

Today, sent deployment is the most common treatment for symptomatic atherosclerosis. Bioresorbable stents (BRS) are based on the premise that a stent is needed only until arterial wound healing occurs after which it would be desirable for the stent to degrade so that the arterial wall recovers its natural compliance. Deployment of a stent profoundly alters the mechanical environment in the arterial wall, and these alterations play an important role in regulating the incidence of complications such as restenosis and neointimal hyperplasia. In the case of a BRS, the mechanical stresses in both the stent and the arterial wall evolve as the stent degrades. Furthermore, the hydrolysis-driven degradation of the stent can be accelerated by mechanical stresses in the stent, an additional coupling that needs to be taken into account. We are interested in determining the evolution of stresses in both the stent and the arterial wall during the stent deployment and degradation process and in elucidating the effect of these stresses on the stent degradation and on the remodeling process in the wall, which would also be influenced by the loss of endothelial cells and the amount of inflammation induced by the stent deployment and degradation. To this end, we have developed a 3D finite element model of the deployment and degradation of a polylactic acid (PLA) BRS that integrates the coupling between the stent and the artery.This allows one to predict the zones of dismantling of the stent and the evolution of the arterial thickness in response to a BRS stenting procedure. Since the model relies strongly on parameters that need to be determined experimentally, we became interested in developing methods to follow stent degradation. With this aim, we used optical coherence tomography (OCT) to image several BRS that were deployed into tubes and allowed to degrade in a saline solution at 37°C over a period of two years. We subsequently developed a versatile method for automatically detecting stent struts on the OCT images and quantifying the strut gray scale intensity. The results suggest that this automated method of OCT image analysis represents a promising tool to quantitatively assessing BRS degradation states. Lastly, we were interested in establishing the ability of a stented artery to adapt to a modification in its wall shear stress. Studying the in vivo evolution of the lumen of stented mini-swine arteries followed by OCT imaging allowed us to demonstrate that whereas a bare metal stent cages the artery, a BRS, presumably due to its degradation-induced dismantling, frees the vessel and enables it to adapt its lumen diameter in order to decrease its absolute level of shear stress and the compliance mismatch with the unstented portion of the artery. This lumen adaptation allowed by the stent dismantling could be taken into account in future computational models.
Measuring deviatoric stress in the diamond anvil cell using two x‐ray diffraction geometries

Two methods using synchrotron radiation are employed to measure deviatoric stress in a diamond anvil cell. Polycrystalline gold is used as both a pressure and a stress indicator. In the first method a white beam parallel to the load axis is diffracted at a low 2θ angle and anlyzed by the energy dispersive method. We measure the elastic strain of two crystal planes oriented normal to the diffraction vector. Stresses nearly parallel and perpendicular to the load axis can be calculated by stress‐strain tensor relationship. In the other method the diamond anvil cell is oriented so that an incident monochromatic beam from a wiggler is perpendicular to the load axis. The diffraction pattern recorded on an image plate area detector is used to measure elastic strains responding to stresses perpendicular and parallel to the load axis. Stresses of the same orientations are calculated from the strain data. Away from the center of the sample chamber, these measurements provide a lower bound of the actual differential.
Evaluation of the Liaison Automated Testing System for Diagnosis of Congenital Toxoplasmosis

ABSTRACT Congenital toxoplasmosis is a worldwide health problem, and different screening strategies exist. Testing of toxoplasma-specific antibodies in infants identifies congenital toxoplasmosis during the first year of life. However, experience with commercial available immunoassays is limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate both the performance and analytical characteristics of the Liaison diagnostic system in infants. In a retrospective study, serum Toxoplasma gondii antibodies were measured in samples from 333 infants, including 212 noninfected infants and 121 infants with congenital toxoplasmosis. A total of 1,157 umbilical cord blood and peripheral serum samples were analyzed. Liaison toxoplasma-specific IgG and IgM antibodies and the IgG avidity index were compared to the infection status of the infant, determined by the Sabin-Feldman dye test and immunosorbent agglutination assay—IgM. All noninfected infants were seronegative by Liaison IgG within the first year of life. The Liaison system showed a sensitivity of 81.8%, a specificity of 100.0%, a positive predictive value of 100.0%, a negative predictive value of 90.6%, and overall agreement of 84.4% by comparison with the dye test. Overall agreement of both IgM test systems was 96.0%. In this study cohort, avidity did not show a potential diagnostic benefit for the detection of congenital infection. In conclusion, the Liaison system is a valuable tool to monitor the serologic course of infants at risk. A final serologic confirmatory test is recommended to improve the rate of detection of congenital toxoplasmosis at 1 year of life. Protocols of routine follow-up testing in infants and accurate diagnostic tools after acute gestational infections are needed to improve medical care.
Composite Vertical Structure of Vertical Velocity in Nonprecipitating Cumulus Clouds

AbstractVertical transects of Doppler vertical velocity data, obtained from an airborne profiling millimeter-wave cloud radar, are composited for a large number of cumulus clouds (Cu) at various stages of their life cycle, to examine typical circulations patterns. The Cu clouds range in depth between ~500 and 6000 m and are generally nonprecipitating. They were sampled on board the University of Wyoming King Air over a mountain in southern Arizona during the summer monsoon, and over the high plains of southeastern Wyoming. The composite analysis shows clear evidence of an updraft/downdraft dipole in the upper cloud half, consistent with a horizontal vortex ring. A single cloud-scale toroidal circulation emerges notwithstanding the complex finescale structure with multiple vortices, commonly evident in individual transects of Cu clouds. The stratification of all Cu samples as a function of their buoyancy and mean vertical velocity shows that the vortex ring pattern tends to be more pronounced in positively.
Complexity of Views: Tree and Cyclic Schemas

In relational databases a view definition is a query against the database, and a view materialization is the result of applying the view definition to the current database. A view materialization over a database may change as relations in the database undergo modifications.Several problems concerning views are considered, many of which are shown to be hard (NP-complete or even $\Sigma _2^p $-complete). Each problem was treated for general databases and for the much simpler tree databases (also called acyclic databases). View related problems over fixed schemas, in which only the data is allowed to vary, were examined. Methods to handle this case were presented; their complexity is polynomial: for tree schemas the degree of the polynomial is independent of the schema structure while for cyclic schemas the degree depends on the schema structure. These methods may present a practical possibility for dynamic view maintenance.
High-resolution TOA estimation for IR-UWB ranging based on low-rate compressed sampling

Traditionally, high-precision TOA estimation for IR-UWB ranging relies on extremely high-rate sampling, which is difficult to implement with low-cost. In this paper, by introducing the newly emerging compressed sensing (CS) theory to the design of IR-UWB ranging system, low-rate sampling based high-precision TOA estimation is realized. The matching-pursuit search-back (MP-SB) algorithm for TOA estimation is proposed, which utilizes iterative search and threshold comparison to detect the 1st path from the compressed sensing measurements of the received ranging signal. The detection threshold in each iteration step is adaptively optimized. The performance of the proposed method is analyzed through simulations under IEEE 802.15. 4a channel models. Results show that the proposed method can obtain high-precision ranging results with measurements far less than Nyquist-rate samples. Therefore, the proposed method serves as an alternative practical high-precision IR-UWB ranging method. 1
CLOCK SYNCHRONIZATION IN WIRELESS SENSOR NETWORKS

Sensor nodes in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are equipped with cheap hardware clocks which frequently drift apart due to their low-end quartz crystals whose frequencies are not stable and vary over time. Environmental factors such as temperature changes result in short-term frequency instability and subtle effects such as oscillator aging result in long-term frequency instability. Hence, the hardware clocks of the nodes may not remain always synchronized although they might have been synchronized when they are started up.
The rate of living in mice: Impacts of activity and temperature on energy metabolism and longevity

Obesity is becoming an increasingly prevalent health problem among individuals in affluent societies, and can lead to life-threatening conditions like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Increased dietary fat intake in combination with a sedentary existence are precipitating factors for the development of obesity and the associated metabolic syndrome. Whereas most animal studies have investigated effects of exercise using “forced” activity protocols, in the present study we investigated the role of “unforced” physical activity in the interaction between dietary fat on regulation of energy balance and fuel homeostasis. This was done using selectively-bred mice which display a high level of voluntary wheel-running activity relative to control lines. Control and selected males and females were fed with a standard lab chow or an iso-caloric 60% fat diet. All fat-fed mice rapidly increased in body mass and decreased food intake, with the exception of the selected females. Selected females did not develop diet-induced obesity and even increased their food intake on the fat diet. In addition, they had improved glucose tolerance on the standard diet compared to the other groups, but this difference was lost upon feeding the fat diet. Adiponectin was increased in selected mice (specifically in males) compared to control mice on the fat diet. Leptin and insulin levels increased on the fat diet in control females and both groups of males, but not in selected females. In conclusion, selected females fed a high-fat diet did not develop diet-induced obesity as the other groups did, but they did become slighty glucose intolerant relative to selected mice on standard chow. This effect could not be explained by differences in adiponectin levels and may be related to a failure to upregulate leptin. (Female) mice selected for high spontaneous wheelrunning activity are an attractive model to further investigate mechanisms involved in the metabolic syndrome and associated type 2 diabetes mellitus. Chapter5
Cerebral infarcts and the lesions of intracranial and extracranial atherosclerosis.

A STUDY in which the complete arterial circulation to the human brain and a standard brain dissection by the same observer were available in every one of 204 cases seemed an appropriate one for obtaining more data regarding the role of the intracranial and extracranial circulation in the pathogenesis of cerebral infarcts. Specifically, the complicated lesions of atherosclerosis (thrombi, ulcerations, and hemorrhages in fibrous plaques), stenosis, and calcification were assessed in the intracranial and extracranial arteries, and individual cases were analyzed when cerebral infarction was present. Materials and Method The first 204 cases from the New Orleans material of the Cerebrovascular Disease Study of the International Atherosclerosis Project were available for study. These patients were 10 to 69 years of age and chosen by lot without regard to cause of death from the autopsy material of the Louisiana State University unit of Charity Hospital of Louisiana at New
Active chainmail fabrics for soft robotic applications

This paper introduces a novel type of smart textile with electronically responsive flexibility. The chainmail inspired fabric is modelled parametrically and simulated via a rigid body physics framework with an embedded model of temperature controlled actuation. Our model assumes that individual fabric linkages are rigid and deform only through their own actuation, thereby decoupling flexibility from stiffness. A physical prototype of the active fabric is constructed and it is shown that flexibility can be significantly controlled through actuator strains of ≤10%. Applications of these materials to soft-robotics such as dynamically reconfigurable orthoses and splints are discussed.
Intrinsic Functional Connectivity Resembles Cortical Architecture at Various Levels of Isoflurane Anesthesia

Cortical activity patterns change in different depths of general anesthesia. Here we investigate the associated network level changes of functional connectivity. We recorded ongoing electrocorticographic (ECoG) activity from the ferret temporo-parieto-occipital cortex under various levels of isoflurane and determined the functional connectivity by computing amplitude envelope correlations. Through hierarchical clustering, we derived typical connectivity patterns corresponding to light, intermediate and deep anesthesia. Generally, amplitude correlation strength increased strongly with depth of anesthesia across all cortical areas and frequency bands. This was accompanied by the emergence of burstsuppression activity in the ECoG signal and a change of the spectrum of the amplitude envelope. Normalizing the functional connectivity patterns showed that the topographical structure remained similar across depths of anesthesia, resembling the functional association of the underlying cortical areas. Thus, while strength and temporal properties of amplitude co-modulation vary depending on the activity of local neural circuits, their network-level interaction pattern is presumably most strongly determined by the underlying structural connectivity.
Reinforcement Learning for CPG-Driven Biped Robot

Animal's rhythmic movements such as locomotion are considered to be controlled by neural circuits called central pattern generators (CPGs). This article presents a reinforcement learning (RL) method for a CPG controller, which is inspired by the control mechanism of animals. Because the CPG controller is an instance of recurrent neural networks, a naive application of RL involves difficulties. In addition, since state and action spaces of controlled systems are very large in real problems such as robot control, the learning of the value function is also difficult. In this study, we propose a learning scheme for a CPG controller called a CPG-actor-critic model, whose learning algorithm is based on a policy gradient method. We apply our RL method to autonomous acquisition of biped locomotion by a biped robot simulator. Computer simulations show our method is able to train a CPG controller such that the learning process is stable.
How a New Realistic Mobility Model Can Effect the Relative Performance of a Mobile Networking Scheme Tuna Tugcu

The validity of the mobility model used to evaluate a cellular network determines the validity of the evaluation. In the literature, unrealistic assumptions on mobility are exercised for the sake of simplicity. In this paper, we present a novel mobility model which is realistic in the sense that it captures the moving-in-groups, conscious traveling, and inertial behaviors of the subscribers while respecting the non-pass-through feature of structures like households, and preserving the autonomy of the subscribers. The mobility and call patterns of the subscribers are determined according to the locus of the subscriber over a real map. Thus, our model allows the subscribers to leave home or arrive home, walk or drive in the streets, get on the highways at specific entry points together with numerous hot and blind spots in the terrain, like city centers and lakes. The call pattern of a subscriber is effected by the type of structure he is in. The model can work on real maps to simulate the mobility patterns in real life. We have evaluated the proposed model against the well-known way point mobility model. We also analyzed the effect of the mobility model on systems with and without guard channels.
Genetic screen for small body size mutants in C. elegans reveals many TGFβ pathway components

In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, a TGFβ‐related signaling pathway regulates body size and male tail morphogenesis. We sought to identify genes encoding components or modifiers of this pathway in a large‐scale genetic screen. Remarkably, this screen was able to identify essentially all core components of the TGFβ signaling pathway. Among 34 Small mutants, many mutations disrupt genes encoding recognizable components of the TGFβ pathway: DBL‐1 ligand, DAF‐4 type II receptor, SMA‐6 type I receptor, and SMA‐2, SMA‐3, and SMA‐4 Smads. Moreover, we find that at least 11 additional complementation groups can mutate to the Small phenotype. Four of these 11 genes, sma‐9, sma‐14, sma‐16, and sma‐20 affect male tail morphogenesis as well as body size. Two genes, sma‐11 and sma‐20, also influence regulation of the developmentally arrested dauer larval stage, suggesting a role in a second characterized TGFβ pathway in C. elegans. Other genes may represent tissue‐specific factors or parallel pathways for body size control. Because of the conservation of TGFβ signaling pathways, homologs of these genes may be involved in tissue specificity and/or crosstalk of TGFβ pathways in other animals. genesis 35:239–247, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Structure of a Streptomyces avermitilis α-l-Rhamnosidase Reveals a Novel Carbohydrate-binding Module CBM67 within the Six-domain Arrangement*

Background: α-l-Rhamnosidase hydrolyzes α-linked l-rhamnose from rhamnoglycosides or polysaccharides. Results: The crystal structure of Streptomyces avermitilis α-l-rhamnosidase belonging to glycoside hydrolase family 78 was determined. Conclusion: The l-rhamnose complexed structure revealed the catalytic mechanism of the enzyme and a calcium-dependent carbohydrate-binding module. Significance: Efficient catalysis of an exo-rhamnosidase requires a novel carbohydrate-binding module that binds terminal l-rhamnose sugars. α-l-Rhamnosidases hydrolyze α-linked l-rhamnosides from oligosaccharides or polysaccharides. We determined the crystal structure of the glycoside hydrolase family 78 Streptomyces avermitilis α-l-rhamnosidase (SaRha78A) in its free and l-rhamnose complexed forms, which revealed the presence of six domains N, D, E, F, A, and C. In the ligand complex, l-rhamnose was bound in the proposed active site of the catalytic module, revealing the likely catalytic mechanism of SaRha78A. Glu636 is predicted to donate protons to the glycosidic oxygen, and Glu895 is the likely catalytic general base, activating the nucleophilic water, indicating that the enzyme operates through an inverting mechanism. Replacement of Glu636 and Glu895 resulted in significant loss of α-rhamnosidase activity. Domain D also bound l-rhamnose in a calcium-dependent manner, with a KD of 135 μm. Domain D is thus a non-catalytic carbohydrate binding module (designated SaCBM67). Mutagenesis and structural data identified the amino acids in SaCBM67 that target the features of l-rhamnose that distinguishes it from the other major sugars present in plant cell walls. Inactivation of SaCBM67 caused a substantial reduction in the activity of SaRha78A against the polysaccharide composite gum arabic, but not against aryl rhamnosides, indicating that SaCBM67 contributes to enzyme function against insoluble substrates.
The investigation of sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS)—the current approach to family screening and the future role of genomics and stem cell technology

SADS is defined as sudden death under the age of 40 years old in the absence of structural heart disease. Family screening studies are able to identify a cause in up to 50% of cases-most commonly long QT syndrome (LQTS), Brugada and early repolarization syndrome, and catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) using standard clinical screening investigations including pharmacological challenge testing. These diagnoses may be supported by genetic testing which can aid cascade screening and may help guide management. In the current era it is possible to undertake molecular autopsy provided suitable samples of DNA can be obtained from the proband. With the evolution of rapid sequencing techniques it is possible to sequence the whole exome for candidate genes. This major advance offers the opportunity to identify novel causes of lethal arrhythmia but also poses the challenge of managing the volume of data generated and evaluating variants of unknown significance (VUS). The emergence of induced pluripotent stem cell technology could enable evaluation of the electrophysiological relevance of specific ion channel mutations in the proband or their relatives and will potentially enable screening of idiopathic ventricular fibrillation survivors combining genetic and electrophysiological studies in derived myocytes. This also could facilitate the assessment of personalized preventative pharmacological therapies. This review will evaluate the current screening strategies in SADS families, the role of molecular autopsy and genetic testing and the potential applications of molecular and cellular diagnostic strategies on the horizon.
AutoAdmin Project at Microsoft Research: Lessons Learned

The AutoAdmin project was started at Microsoft Research in 1996. The goal of AutoAdmin is to develop technology that makes database systems more self-tuning and self-managing. Initially, we focused mainly on the physical database design problem. In subsequent years we broadened our focus and studied a number of other problems: database monitoring, execution feedback for query optimization, flexible hinting mechanisms for query optimizers, query progress estimation and index defragmentation. One discipline we consistently followed in this project was that of implementing our techniques in the database server (in our case this was Microsoft SQL Server). This helped us better understand the applicability and limitations of our ideas and made it possible for our work to have impact on the Microsoft SQL Server product. In this article, we summarize some of the key technical lessons we have learned in the AutoAdmin project. Thus our discussions center around work done in AutoAdmin and does not cover the extensive related work done in other related projects in the database community (see [21] for an overview of work on self-tuning database systems). We focus our discussion on three problems: (1) physical database design, (2) exploiting feedback from execution for query optimization, and (3) query progress estimation. More details of AutoAdmin can be found on the project website [1].