Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Classifying CT Image Data Into Material Fractions by a Scale and Rotation Invariant Edge Model

A fully automated method is presented to classify 3-D CT data into material fractions. An analytical scale-invariant description relating the data value to derivatives around Gaussian blurred step edges - arch model - is applied to uniquely combine robustness to noise, global signal fluctuations, anisotropic scale, noncubic voxels, and ease of use via a straightforward segmentation of 3-D CT images through material fractions. Projection of noisy data value and derivatives onto the arch yields a robust alternative to the standard computed Gaussian derivatives. This results in a superior precision of the method. The arch-model parameters are derived from a small, but over-determined, set of measurements (data values and derivatives) along a path following the gradient uphill and downhill starting at an edge voxel. The model is first used to identify the expected values of the two pure materials (named and ) and thereby classify the boundary. Second, the model is used to approximate the underlying noise-free material fractions for each noisy measurement. An iso-surface of constant material fraction accurately delineates the material boundary in the presence of noise and global signal fluctuations. This approach enables straightforward segmentation of 3-D CT images into objects of interest for computer-aided diagnosis and offers an easy tool for the design of otherwise complicated transfer functions in high-quality visualizations. The method is applied to segment a tooth volume for visualization and digital cleansing for virtual colonoscopy.
Testing Spallation Processes with Beryllium and Boron

The nucleosynthesis of Be and B by spallation processes provides unique insight into the origin of cosmic rays. Namely, different spallation schemes predict sharply different trends for the growth of LiBeB abundances with respect to oxygen. "Primary" mechanisms predict BeB ∝ O and are well motivated by the data if O/Fe is constant at low metallicity. In contrast, "secondary" mechanisms predict BeB ∝ O2 and are consistent with the data if O/Fe increases toward low metallicity as some recent data suggest. Clearly, any primary mechanism, if operative, will dominate early in the history of the Galaxy. In this paper, we fit the BeB data to a two-component scheme which includes both primary and secondary trends. In this way, the data can be used to probe the period in which primary mechanisms are effective. We analyze the data using consistent stellar atmospheric parameters based on Balmer line data and the continuum infrared flux. Results depend sensitively on Population II O abundances (and O/Fe trends), which have recently seen renewed interest. We explore the implications of these results phenomenologically, using a systematic and consistent compilation and fitting of BeBOFe data. Two-component Be-O fits indicate that primary and secondary components contribute equally at [O/H]eq = -1.8 for Balmer line data; and [O/H]eq = -1.4 to -1.8 for IRFM. We apply these constraints to recent models for LiBeB origin. The Balmer line data do not show any evidence for primary production. On the other hand, the IRFM data do indicate a preference for a two-component model, such as a combination of standard GCR and metal-enriched particles accelerated in superbubbles. These conclusions rely on a detailed understanding of the abundance data including systematic effects which may alter the derived O-Fe and BeB-Fe relations.
Constraint checking in UML modeling

Modeling aims to represent a system in a given formalism. As representations based on high level modeling languages can be interpreted in many ways, constraints are introduced to restrict the field of the possible. On the other hand, language semantics is defined using constraints as well. Within the context of the UML, a classification is proposed to clarify the nature of the constraints that must be fulfilled to ensure model correctness. Constraint violations are only warnings while others are serious. Depending on the kind and the context of the violation, help and advice can be supplied, and improvements may be conditionally done. In the UML, constraints are assertions described in a side-effect free language (OCL), while actions are not supplied. To extend capabilities, the constraints are translated intowell-using modeling rules that form the knowledge base of an expert system in modeling. This modeling companion is briefly outlined.
Macrolides in the treatment of asthma

Purpose of review This review summarizes the importance of macrolide therapy in the treatment of asthma, discusses macrolide mechanisms of action, and outlines new clinical data supporting their use. The effects of macrolides on both the innate and adaptive immune responses are discussed. Recent findings Subacute bacterial infection with both typical and atypical organisms contributes to poor asthma control. Identification of pathogens using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cultures from bronchoscopic samples directs antibiotic therapy and improves asthma control. PCR identification of Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydophila pneumoniae in asthmatics best identifies the macrolide responsive phenotype. Summary Because of their effect on protein synthesis, macrolides have both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Both mechanisms appear to be important in their clinical efficacy in treating a wide variety of pulmonary disorders, including asthma.
Changes in Motoneuron Properties and Synaptic Inputs Related to Step Training after Spinal Cord Transection in Rats

Although recovery from spinal cord injury is generally meager, evidence suggests that step training can improve stepping performance, particularly after neonatal spinal injury. The location and nature of the changes in neural substrates underlying the behavioral improvements are not well understood. We examined the kinematics of stepping performance and cellular and synaptic electrophysiological parameters in ankle extensor motoneurons in nontrained and treadmill-trained rats, all receiving a complete spinal transection as neonates. For comparison, electrophysiological experiments included animals injured as young adults, which are far less responsive to training. Recovery of treadmill stepping was associated with significant changes in the cellular properties of motoneurons and their synaptic input from spinal white matter [ipsilateral ventrolateral funiculus (VLF)] and muscle spindle afferents. A strong correlation was found between the effectiveness of step training and the amplitude of both the action potential afterhyperpolarization and synaptic inputs to motoneurons (from peripheral nerve and VLF). These changes were absent if step training was unsuccessful, but other spinal projections, apparently inhibitory to step training, became evident. Greater plasticity of axonal projections after neonatal than after adult injury was suggested by anatomical demonstration of denser VLF projections to hindlimb motoneurons after neonatal injury. This finding confirmed electrophysiological measurements and provides a possible mechanism underlying the greater training susceptibility of animals injured as neonates. Thus, we have demonstrated an “age-at-injury”-related difference that may influence training effectiveness, that successful treadmill step training can alter electrophysiological parameters in the transected spinal cord, and that activation of different pathways may prevent functional improvement.
Adherence to Antiretrovirals Among US Women During and After Pregnancy

Background:Antiretrovirals (ARVs) are recommended for maternal health and to reduce HIV-1 mother-to-child transmission, but suboptimal adherence can counteract its benefits. Objectives:To describe antepartum and postpartum adherence to ARV regimens and factors associated with adherence. Methods:We assessed adherence rates among subjects enrolled in Pediatric AIDS Clinical Trials Group Protocol 1025 from August 2002 to July 2005 on tablet formulations with at least one self-report adherence assessment. Perfectly adherent subjects reported no missed doses 4 days before their study visit. Generalized estimating equations were used to compare antepartum with postpartum adherence rates and to identify factors associated with perfect adherence. Results:Of 519 eligible subjects, 334/445 (75%) reported perfect adherence during pregnancy. This rate significantly decreased 6, 24, and 48 weeks postpartum [185/284 (65%), 76/118 (64%), and 42/64 (66%), respectively (P < 0.01)]. Pregnant subjects with perfect adherence had lower viral loads. The odds of perfect adherence were significantly higher for women who initiated ARVs during pregnancy (P < 0.01), did not have AIDS (P = 0.02), never missed prenatal vitamins (P < 0.01), never used marijuana (P = 0.05), or felt happy all or most of the time (P < 0.01). Conclusions:Perfect adherence to ARVs was better antepartum, but overall rates were low. Interventions to improve adherence during pregnancy are needed.
Quantitative in Vivo Microdialysis Study on the Influence of Multidrug Transporters on the Blood-Brain Barrier Passage of Oxcarbazepine: Concomitant Use of Hippocampal Monoamines as Pharmacodynamic Markers for the Anticonvulsant Activity

Various antiepileptic drugs were shown to be substrates for multidrug transporters at the level of the blood-brain barrier. These ATP-dependent efflux pumps actively limit brain accumulation of xenobiotics and drugs. Intrahippocampal oxcarbazepine perfusion in rat was previously shown to exert anticonvulsant effects associated with increases in extracellular dopamine and serotonin levels. In contrast, preliminary studies in our laboratory revealed that no anticonvulsant or monoaminergic effects could be obtained after systemic oxcarbazepine administration. The present in vivo microdialysis study was conducted to investigate the impact of the transport kinetics of oxcarbazepine across the blood-brain barrier on the observed treatment refractoriness. More precisely, the influence of intrahippocampal perfusion of verapamil, a P-glycoprotein inhibitor, and probenecid, a multidrug resistance protein inhibitor, on the blood-brain barrier passage and anticonvulsant properties of oxcarbazepine were investigated in the focal pilocarpine model for limbic seizures. Simultaneously, the effects on hippocampal monoamines were studied as pharmacodynamic markers for the anticonvulsant activity. Although systemic oxcarbazepine administration alone failed in preventing the animals from developing seizures, coadministration with verapamil or probenecid offered complete protection. Concomitantly, significant increases in extracellular hippocampal dopamine and serotonin levels were observed within our previously defined anticonvulsant monoamine range. The present data indicate that oxcarbazepine is a substrate for multidrug transporters at the blood-brain barrier. Coadministration with multidrug transporter inhibitors significantly potentiates the anticonvulsant activity of oxcarbazepine and offers opportunities for treatment of pharmacoresistant epilepsy.
Twisted signs for p-adic linear groups

Let G be a reductive p-adic group and let θ be an automorphism of G of order at most two. Let π be an irreducible smooth representation of G that is taken to its dual by θ. The space V of π then carries a non-zero bilinear form ( , ) ( unique up to scaling) with the invariance property (π(g)v, π(g)w) = (v, w), for g ∈ G and v, w ∈ V . The form is easily seen to be symmetric or skew-symmetric and we set εθ(π) = ±1 accordingly. We apply Cassleman’s pairing (in certain commonly observed circumstances) to obtain a descent result that expresses the sign εθ(π) in terms of the Jacquet modules of π. For F a p-adic field and D a quaternion division algebra over F , the groups GLn(F ) and GLn(D) admit involutions that take each irreducible smooth representation to its dual (and are the only general linear groups over p-adic division algebras with this property). We use our descent result along with special features of the representation theory of GLn(F ) and GLn(D) to study the associated signs.
The Wnt Co-Receptor Lrp6 Is Required for Normal Mouse Mammary Gland Development

Canonical Wnt signals are transduced through a Frizzled receptor and either the LRP5 or LRP6 co-receptor; such signals play central roles during development and in disease. We have previously shown that Lrp5 is required for ductal stem cell activity and that loss of Lrp5 delays normal mammary development and Wnt1-induced tumorigenesis. Here we show that canonical Wnt signals through the Lrp6 co-receptor are also required for normal mouse mammary gland development. Loss of Lrp6 compromises Wnt/β-catenin signaling and interferes with mammary placode, fat pad, and branching development during embryogenesis. Heterozygosity for an inactivating mutation in Lrp6 is associated with a reduced number of terminal end buds and branches during postnatal development. While Lrp6 is expressed in both the basal and luminal mammary epithelium during embryogenesis, Lrp6 expression later becomes restricted to cells residing in the basal epithelial layer. Interestingly, these cells also express mammary stem cell markers. In humans, increased Lrp6 expression is associated with basal-like breast cancer. Taken together, our results suggest both overlapping and specific functions for Lrp5 and Lrp6 in the mammary gland.
A Social Timing Model of Autism, Informed by Typical Development

The temporal structures of conversation are familiar examples of how timing is a critical element of human communication. Altering the temporal structures of conversation can have semantic implications and influence our sense of interrelatedness with the speaker. The anticipatory pause, for example, used on stage for comedic effect, uses timing to tease the audience, perhaps drawing out a double meaning that may have otherwise be missed. Similarly, in parent– infant play (in a game such as peek-a-boo) it is the temporal element that is the critical fun-factor in the game that delivers salience and amusement for the child. Our media-filled social world also relies on timing in communication at both the macroand micro-scale and deviation from the typical may result in failure of effective communication. Occasional audiovisual de-synchrony in broadcast and recorded media affords neurotypical individuals the experience of communication with unusual temporal constraints. Such de-synchronization increases cognitive workload and negatively impacts on feelings of interrelatedness. Clinical experience of altered timing in the interactions of people with autism has led to hypotheses that focus on the role of timing in autism. To date, this field has been under-researched although there is general clinical consensus that forms of temporal impairment are common in autism. Whether, and to what degree, these timing deficits may be an intrinsic or causative element of the disorder remains to be determined. The present chapter will explore the notion of autism as a social timing disorder, first by considering timing phenomena in the context of typical child development and, subsequently, by reviewing what is known about altered timing in autism.
Anticancer Effect of Fucoidan on DU-145 Prostate Cancer Cells through Inhibition of PI3K/Akt and MAPK Pathway Expression

In this study, we showed that PI3K/Akt signaling mediates fucoidan’s anticancer effects on prostate cancer cells, including suppression of proliferation. Fucoidan significantly decreased viability of DU-145 cancer cells in a concentration-dependent manner as shown by MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay. The drug also significantly increased chromatin condensation, which indicates apoptosis, in a concentration-dependent manner as shown by DAPI (4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole) staining. Fucoidan increased expression of Bax, cleaved poly-ADP ribose polymerase and cleaved caspase-9, and decreased of the Bcl-2, p-Akt, p-PI3K, p-P38, and p-ERK in a concentration-dependent manner. In vivo, fucoidan (at 5 and 10 mg/kg) significantly decreased tumor volume, and increased apoptosis as assessed by the TUNEL (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling) assay, confirming the tumor inhibitory effect. The drug also increased expression of p-Akt and p-ERK as shown by immunohistochemistry staining. Therefore, fucoidan may be a promising cancer preventive medicine due to its growth inhibitory effects and induction of apoptosis in human prostate cancer cells.
A wavelet- and neural network-based voice interface system for wheelchair control

Voice control has long been considered as a natural mechanism to assist powered wheelchair users. However, one implementation difficulty is that a voice input system may fail to recognise a user's voice. Indeed, speech activated interface between human and autonomous/semi-autonomous systems requires accurate detection and recognition. In this area pitch and end-point detection are of vital importance. This paper presents a new method for pitch detection based on the continuous wavelet transform phase. The proposed technique can serve as an accurate pitch detector, and also can offer an efficient solution to the end-point detection problem. The extracted features from a user's speech are then used to train a neural network for speech recognition. Experimental results are provided for the detection of pitch periods and end points and the recognition of a number of commands of male and female users. Laboratory tests are reported for the proposed voice control wheelchair system.
VLSI architectures for implementation of neural networks

A large scale collective system implementing a specific model for associative memory was described by Hopfield [1]. A circuit model for this operation is illustrated in Figure 1, and consists of three major components. A collection of active gain elements (called amplifiers or "neurons") with gain function V = g(v) are connected by a passive interconnect matrix which provides unidirectional excitatory or inhibitory connections ("synapses") between the output of one neuron and the input to another. The strength of this interconnection is given by the conductance G_(ij) = G_0T_(ij). The requirements placed on the gain function g(v) are not very severe [2], and easily met by VLSI-realizable amplifiers. The third circuit element is the capacitances that determine the time evolution of the system, and are modelled as lumped capacitances. This formulation leads to the equations of motion shown in Figure 2, and to a Liapunov energy function which determines the dynamics of the system, and predicts the location of stable states (memories) in the case of a symmetric matrix T.
Preservation of the genetic diversity of a local common carp in the agricultural heritage rice–fish system

Significance This paper contributes to understanding how traditional agriculture can maintain large genetic diversity. We quantify the effects of traditional farmer activities on the genetic diversity of an indigenous common carp in the 1,200-y-old agriculture heritage rice−fish system. We show that small farmer households interdependently incubating fish fry for their rice−fish farming shape the genetic pattern and help to maintain high genetic diversity of this local common carp. We also show how the traditional practice of mixed culturing of diverse color types potentially promotes genetic diversity. We suggest that the locally adapted ways of traditional farmers obtaining and using local genetic resources for their farming play an important role in the biodiversity of farmed crops and animals. It can become a “hotspot” for genetic diversity conservation in agriculture. We examined how traditional farmers preserve the genetic diversity of a local common carp (Cyprinus carpio), which is locally referred to as “paddy field carp” (PF-carp), in a “globally important agricultural heritage system” (GIAHS), i.e., the 1,200-y-old rice–fish coculture system in Zhejiang Province, China. Our molecular and morphological analysis showed that the PF-carp has changed into a distinct local population with higher genetic diversity and diverse color types. Within this GIAHS region, PF-carps exist as a continuous metapopulation, although three genetic groups could be identified by microsatellite markers. Thousands of small farmer households interdependently obtained fry and parental carps for their own rice–fish production, resulting in a high gene flow and large numbers of parent carps distributing in a mosaic pattern in the region. Landscape genetic analysis indicated that farmers’ connectivity was one of the major factors that shaped this genetic pattern. Population viability analysis further revealed that the numbers of these interconnected small farmer households and their connection intensity affect the carps’ inherent genetic diversity. The practice of mixed culturing of carps with diverse color types helped to preserve a wide range of genetic resources in the paddy field. This widespread traditional practice increases fish yield and resource use, which, in return, encourages famers to continue their practice of selecting and conserving diverse color types of PF-carp. Our results suggested that traditional farmers secure the genetic diversity of PF-carp and its viability over generations in this region through interdependently incubating and mixed-culturing practices within the rice−fish system.
Tornado Intensity Estimation: Past, Present, and Future

During the early to middle 2000s, in response to demand for more detail in wind damage surveying and recordkeeping, a team of atmospheric scientists and wind engineers developed the enhanced Fujita (EF) scale. The EF scale, codified officially into National Weather Service (NWS) use in February 2007, offers wind speed estimates for a range of degrees of damage (DoDs) across each of 28 damage indicators (DIs). In practice, this has increased precision of damage surveys for tornado and thunderstorm-wind events. Still, concerns remain about both the representativeness of DoDs and the sufficiency of DIs, including the following: How dependable are the wind speed ranges for certain DoDs? What other DIs can be included? How can recent advances in mapping and documentation tools be integrated into the surveying process and the storm records? What changes should be made to the existing scale: why, how, and by whom? What alternative methods may be included or adapted for estimating tornado intensity? To begin coor.
Impact factor: a valid measure of journal quality?

OBJECTIVES Impact factor, an index based on the frequency with which a journal's articles are cited in scientific publications, is a putative marker of journal quality. However, empiric studies on impact factor's validity as an indicator of quality are lacking. The authors assessed the validity of impact factor as a measure of quality for general medical journals by testing its association with journal quality as rated by clinical practitioners and researchers. METHODS We surveyed physicians specializing in internal medicine in the United States, randomly sampled from the American Medical Association's Physician Masterfile (practitioner group, n = 113) and from a list of graduates from a national postdoctoral training program in clinical and health services research (research group, n = 151). Respondents rated the quality of nine general medical journals, and we assessed the correlation between these ratings and the journals' impact factors. RESULTS The correlation between impact factor and physicians' ratings of journal quality was strong (r2 = 0.82, P = 0.001). The correlation was higher for the research group (r2 = 0.83, P = 0.001) than for the practitioner group (r2 = 0.62, P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Impact factor may be a reasonable indicator of quality for general medical journals.