Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In vivo characterization of ischemic retina in diabetic retinopathy

Objective The aim of this article is to characterize pathomorphologic changes within particular layers of fluorescein angiographically ‘ischemic’ compared to ‘nonischemic’ retina in patients with diabetic retinopathy. Methods Cross-sectional images of ischemic retinal areas were obtained using Heidelberg Spectralis optical coherence tomography (OCT). Presumed retinal ischemia was defined as focal hypofluorescence in early or early and late phase fluorescein angiography. Pathomorphologic changes on OCT were evaluated and the thickness of retinal layers measured and compared with nonischemic retina at corresponding topographic locations in a matched-pairs design based on 22 eyes (mean age 64 ± 14). Results In all eyes, based on spectral domain-OCT cross-section images, the retina layers in ischemic retinal areas could be segmented. Total retinal thickness was significantly increased in ischemic compared to nonischemic areas (381 ± 94 μm versus 323 ± 89 μm, P = 0.005). Middle retinal layers (inner nuclear layer, outer plexiform layer, and outer nuclear layer) were significantly thickened in retinal ischemic areas (215 ± 82 μm versus 168 ± 62 μm, P = 0.002). The inner retinal layers (retinal nerve fiber layer, ganglion cell layer, and inner plexiform layer) showed a nonsignificant change (117 ± 53 μm versus 98 ± 30 μm), while the outer layers were slightly thinned (photoreceptors plus retinal pigment epithelium layer; 51 ± 9 μm versus 57 ± 8 μm, P = 0.02) in ischemic versus nonischemic retina. Conclusions Ischemic diabetic retina seems to be thickened due to thickening of, in particular, middle retinal layers, which can be measured with high-resolution OCT.
Análise do comportamento competitivo de atletas jovens e adultos de handebol

This study aims to analyze the competitive behavior of young and adult handball athletes. Evaluated 143 young athletes (16.1 ± 0.7 years) of both sexes, participants of the Youth School Games, and 69 athletes (24.0 ± 4.3 years), all male participants of the Pan American club championship in the year 2009. To assess the competitive behavior we used the Sport Orientation Questionnaire instrument with subscales: compete (TQ1), win (TQ2) and set goals (TQ3). For data analysis descriptive statistics and the Mann-Whitney test were used, considering 5% of significance. Both young and adult athletes reported greater importance to the TQ3 domain. Comparing the groups, only the TQ3 domain did not show statistically significant difference with higher values for adult athletes. Thus, we can conclude that school and performance athletes showed similar competitive behavior, that is, there is a high tendency in the perception of victory in the competitive process, regardless differences of age and practice time. However, in both groups it was observed a greater emphasis on setting goals, and the performance athletes reported greater importance to the TQ3 compared to the young ones - 8.0 and 9.0, respectively.
Two enzymes of serine metabolism in rat liver and hepatomas.

Two enzymes of serine metabolism, 3-P-glycerate dehydrogenase and l-serine dehydratase, were measured in four Morris hepatoma lines and in the corresponding host livers of rats that had been fed normal or low-protein diets. The activities of these enzymes in normal rat liver are altered by changes in dietary protein content. 3-P-glycerate dehydrogenase activity was greater in the tumor lines than in normal rat liver or host livers of rats fed a 25% casein diet ad libitum . The level of 3-P-glycerate dehydrogenase was higher in the two rapidly growing tumor lines, 9121 and 5123TC, than in the slower-growing 7794B and 7793. No correlation between tumor growth rate and serine dehydratase was demonstrated. The 3-P-glycerate dehydrogenase and serine dehydratase activity of the hepatomas did not respond to changes in protein intake in the same manner as the normal and host livers.
Volatile organic compounds exposure and cardiovascular effects in hair salons.

BACKGROUND The relationship between occupational exposures to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and cardiovascular effects among hairdressing assistants has not been well characterized. AIMS To investigate whether or not exposure to VOCs was associated with autonomic dysfunction, inflammation and oxidative stress in hairdressing assistants. METHODS We recruited 62 young healthy assistants working in different hair salons in Taipei. Blood samples were taken from each assistant and heart rate variability (HRV) indices were recorded. VOCs were measured at each assistant's workplace. Mixed-effects models were used to examine the association between blood markers, HRV and VOCs. RESULTS Exposure to VOCs was associated with increases in serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) as well as decreases in HRV indices. The effect of VOCs exposure on the health parameters measured in this study was greatest during the days on which the subjects were working. CONCLUSIONS Occupational exposure to VOCs in hair salons can lead to increases in serum CRP and 8-OHdG levels and decreases in HRV indices. Time spent away from the workplace could modify the effects these exposures have on the health parameters described above in these assistants.
Effects of levothyroxine treatment on pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women with autoimmune thyroid disease.

BACKGROUND Despite some studies indicating that thyroid antibody positivity during pregnancy has been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, evidence regarding the effects of levothyroxine (LT4) treatment of euthyroid/subclinical hypothyroid pregnant women with autoimmune thyroid disease on pregnancy outcome is limited. We aimed to assess whether pregnant women with autoimmune thyroid disease, but without overt thyroid dysfunction are affected by higher rates of adverse pregnancy outcomes. In addition, we aimed to explore whether LT4 treatment improves the pregnancy outcome of affected women. METHODS A prospective study was carried out on pregnant women from the first trimester to delivery. The study was conducted among pregnant women receiving prenatal care in centers under coverage of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. Of a total of 1746 pregnant women, screened for thyroid dysfunction, 1028 euthyroid TPOAb-negative (TPOAb-) and 131 thyroid peroxidase antibody-positive (TPOAb+) women without overt thyroid dysfunction entered the second phase of the study. TPOAb+ women were randomly divided into two groups: group A (n = 65), treated with LT4 and group B (n = 66), received no treatment. The 1028 TPOAb- women (group C) served as a normal population control group. Primary outcomes were preterm delivery and miscarriage and secondary outcomes included placenta abruption, still birth, neonatal admission and neonatal TSH levels. RESULTS Groups A and C displayed a lower rate of preterm deliveries compared with group B (RR = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.1-0.85, P = 0.0229) and (RR = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.14-0.40, P < 0.001) respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the rates of preterm labor between groups A and C (RR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.30-2.09, P = 0.64). The number needed to treat (NNT) for preterm birth was 5.9 (95% CI: 3.33–25.16). CONCLUSIONS Treatment with LT4 decreases the risk of preterm delivery in women who are positive for TPOAb.
Role-based Access Control for Body Area Networks Using Attribute-based Encryption in Cloud Storage

In order to save storage space, the data collected from body area networks can be stored in a third party. However, this may bring security problems. The common method is encrypting data before outsourcing. In this paper, we design a role-based access control scheme (RACS) used in the cloud. Firstly, we classify the data which are collected from body area networks into diﬀerent types, and use the ciphertext-policy attribute-based encryption to encrypt them. Secondly, we divide the ciphertext into two parts, one part is stored in cloud, and the other is in the owner. Diﬀerent users own diﬀerent attributes, therefore, they only can access the data when their attributes satisfy the corresponding access structure. The security of medical data is assured in this way. Thirdly, we also add the user revocation to prevent the vicious user from obtaining and modifying the data. Lastly, when the emergency happens, users can obtain the temporary key to access medical data, so as to cure the patients in the ﬁrst time. We analyze the correctness, security, storage and computation overhead of the scheme. The results show that RACS can resist the ciphertext attack and superior to others in the storage space and computation overhead
AFP in yolk Sac tumor and solid teratoma of the ovary: Significance of postoperative serum AFP

Serial serum alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP) was examined postoperatively in five patients with yolk sac tumor and in three with solid teratoma of the ovary. Serial estimation of AFP was also done in sera from postpartum patients to compare the decreasing ratio between the two groups. Serum AFP in these postpartum women decreased according to the exponential function curve as AFP = be−mx(
Role of the target in synapse elimination: studies in cerebellum of developing lurcher mutants and adult chimeric mice

As the mature nervous system is sculpted out of its embryonic anlage, regressive events are a surprisingly common feature. As one example, the establishment of adult innervation in the CNS and PNS often involves a massive withdrawal of previously formed functional synapses. In the cerebellum, the one-to-one relationship of inferior olivary climbing fibers to Purkinje cells is preceded by a transient stage in which each Purkinje cell is multiply innervated. The regulation of this regressive event is still not fully understood; previous studies suggested that some stimulus from the maturing granule cells is necessary. We have used the lurcher (Lc) mutation as a model system in which to study this phenomenon. In lurcher mice, Purkinje cells degenerate during the first few postnatal weeks, after receiving synaptic contacts from both inferior olivary neurons and granule cells. We have recorded the climbing fiber responses both in lurcher mutants at postnatal days 14–20 (P14-P20) and in adult lurcher chimeras. In the latter, experimental genetics are used to create a situation in which untreated wild-type Purkinje cells are present in an environment that ranges from 100% wild-type to nearly mutant. We found that in P14-P16 lurcher mutants, most of the cells recorded (75%) remained polyinnervated, whereas in wild-type control mice, only 10% of the Purkinje cells retained their multiple innervation. By P18-20, it was difficult to find Purkinje cells in the lurcher mutants that would withstand an intracellular electrode. Nonetheless, in those cells that were successfully impaled, most remained multiply innervated. By this age in wild-type mice, 100% of the Purkinje cells are monoinnervated. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Complex data analytics via sparse, low-rank matrix approximation

Today, digital data is accumulated at a faster than ever speed in science, engineering, biomedicine, and real-world sensing. Data mining provides us an effective way for the exploration and analysis of hidden patterns from these data for a broad spectrum of applications. Usually, these datasets share one prominent characteristic: tremendous in size with tens of thousands of objects and features. In addition, data is not only collected over a period of time, but the relationship between data points can change over that period too. Besides, knowledge is very sparsely encoded because the patterns are usually active only in a local area. The ubiquitous phenomenon of massive, dynamic, and sparse data imposes considerable challenges in data mining research. Recently, techniques that can expand the human ability to comprehend large-scale data have attracted significant attention in the research community. In this dissertation, we present approaches to solve the problems of complex data analysis in various applications. Specifically, we have achieved the following: 1) we develop Exemplar-based low-rank sparse Matrix Decomposition (EMD), a novel method for fast clustering large-scale data by incorporating low-rank approximations into matrix decomposition-based clustering; 2) we propose ECKF, a general model for large-scale Evolutionary Clustering based on low-rank Kernel matrix Factorization; by monitoring the low-rank approximation errors at every time step, ECKF can analyze if the underlying structure of the data or the nature of the relationship between the data points has changed over different time steps; based on this, a decision to either succeed the previous clustering or perform a new clustering is made; 3) we propose a Multi-level Low-rank Approximation (MLA) framework for fast spectral clustering, which is empirically shown to cluster large-scale data very efficiently; 4) we extend the MLA framework with a non-linear kernel and apply it to HD image segmentation; with sufficient data samples selected by fast sampling strategy, our method shows superior performance compared with other leading approximate spectral clusterings; 5) we develop a fast algorithm to detect abnormal crowd behavior in surveillance videos by employing low-rank matrix approximations to model crowd behavior patterns; through experiments performed on simulation crowd videos, we demonstrate the effectiveness of our method.
Localization of an autonomous mobile robot from 3D depth images

This paper deals with the perception subsystem of an autonomous mobile robot which must navigate in structured or semistructured environments. For intervention in high risk zones, mismatches between an a priori known model of the environment and the perceived scenes must be considered, as well as the possibility that the ground is not necessarily horizontal. The incremental building of a model used for localization tasks only is addressed. It contains the representations of particular 3-D features extracted from depth images acquired by a laser range finder. Perceiving the same features again allows reestimation of the positions of the robot and the localization features in the environment. The problem of using simultaneously both previous kind of localization models is particularly considered.
Long Head of the Biceps Tendinopathy: Diagnosis and Management

&NA; Tendinopathy of the long head of the biceps brachii encompasses a spectrum of pathology ranging from inflammatory tendinitis to degenerative tendinosis. Disorders of the long head of the biceps often occur in conjunction with other shoulder pathology. A thorough patient history, physical examination, and radiographic evaluation are necessary for diagnosis. Nonsurgical management, including rest, nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs, physical therapy, and injections, is attempted first in patients with mild disease. Surgical management is indicated for refractory or severe disease. In addition to simple biceps tenotomy, a variety of tenodesis techniques has been described. Open biceps tenodesis has been used historically. However, promising results have recently been reported with arthroscopic tenodesis.
Performance of DPPM 60 GHz Impulse Radio Systems with Multiple Receive Antennas

The performance of differential pulse position modulation (DPPM) 60 GHz impulse radio (IR) systems with multiple receive antennas is studied in this paper. We derive the capacity and error probability of DPPM 60 GHz IR systems over AWGN channels. These results are then extended to Nakagami-m fading channels. Performance results show that DPPM is superior to pulse position modulation (PPM) in terms of capacity and performance in 60 GHz IR systems. In addition, the capacity and performance can be improved by using multiple receive antennas.
Visualization of Retrieved Information : A survey

Nowadays, efficient information retrieval has become an important issue. Using information retrieval system backs more retrieval results, some of them more relevant than other, and some is not relevant. While using search engine to retrieve information has grown very substantially, there remain problems with the information retrieval systems. The interface of the systems does not help them to perceive the precision of these results. It is therefore not surprising that graphical visualizations have been employed in search engines to assist users. The main objective of Internet users is to find the required information with high efficiency and effectiveness. In this paper we present brief sides of information visualization's role in enhancing web information retrieval system as in some of its techniques such as tree view, title view, map view, bubble view and cloud view and its tools such as highlighting and Colored Query Result.
SIX CENTURIES OF FIRE HISTORY AT DEVILS TOWER NATIONAL MONUMENT WITH COMMENTS ON REGIONWIDE TEMPERATURE INFLUENCE

This study documents over six centuries of historic fire events at Devils Tower National Monu­ ment in northeast Wyoming, USA. The 691-year tree-ring chronology is based on 37 ponderosa pine (Pinus pon­ derosa C. Lawson) trees collected at the monument. The period of tree-ring record ranged in calendar years from 1312 to 2002 and fire scar dates (n = 129) ranged from 1330 to 1995. The mean fire interval (MFI) for the entire record was 24.6 years, and intervals for individual trees ranged from 4 to 119 years. A period of increased fire frequency (MFI = 5.7 years) occurred from about 1860 to 1880, corresponding to the period of Euro-American exploration and settlement of the region. Comparisons of fire-climate relationships derived from Devils Tower, the Black Hills, and other Great Plains sites suggest that Devils Tower pre settlement fire events were more simi­ lar to those of grasslands. Despite this, current fire intervals and vegetation assessments suggest that conditions are departed from historical conditions. In the Great Plains, temperature appears to be a strong regional-scale determinant of fire frequency, which may become more evident considering global warming predictions.
Checking Business Process Modeling Guidelines in Apromore

We present the integration of BEBoP - understandaBility vErifier for Business Process models, into the Apromore open-source process analytics platform. Given a BPMN model the tool allows one to verify which understandability modeling guidelines such as layout conventions are violated by the model. Such guidelines are rules that a model designer should follow to guarantee that the designed model is easy to understand by relevant stakeholders. Given the variety of stakeholders that need to interpret these models, and considering the pivotal function that process models play within organizations, understandability becomes a fundamental quality requirement that needs to be taken into account by designers. The tool provides model designers with textual and graphical representations of which understandaiblity guidelines are violated. Designers can then decide to repair models in such a way to guarantee a higher degree of understandability.
Causal role of trust in interpersonal attraction from attitude similarity

The most popular method for investigating the mediation of the similarity-attraction link by trust involved first the manipulation of attitude similarity between the partner and the participant and then assessments of trust before attraction. Such correlational data precluded unambiguous inferences of causal flow of attitude similarity effects from trust to attraction. In the present study, we experimentally manipulated attitude similarity first and trust in the partner next, and measured trust in, and attraction toward, the partner after each manipulation. We found that similarity’s impact on trust remained stable over time but that on attraction declined substantially from the first to second assessment. Mediation analyses and structural equation modeling were consistent with a model in which causality flowed from attitude similarity to trust and then to attraction but not from attraction to trust. Findings also suggested that similarity can be expected to be secondary (or even redundant) when trust is already established.
Running head: REPRESENTATIONAL UNDERSTANDING IN CHILDREN Non-Specificity and Theory of Mind: New Evidence From a Non-Verbal False Sign Task and Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Understanding of false belief has long been considered to be a crucial aspect of theory of mind that can be explained by a domain-specific mechanism. We argue against this claim using new evidence from a non-verbal false representation task (false-sign task) with typically developing children and children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Experiments 1 and 2 showed that typically developing children (mean age = 62.67 months) were equivalent in their performance across non-verbal and verbal forms of both the false-belief and false-sign tasks. Results for these two misrepresentation tasks differed from the results of an outdated representation task (“false” photograph task). Experiment 3 showed that children with ASD had difficulties with the false representation tasks and this could not be explained by executive functioning or language impairments. These findings support the view that children with ASD may not have a specific theory of mind deficit.
Large conductance Ca 2 +-activated K + ( BK ) channel : Activation by Ca 2 + and voltage

Large conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (BK) channels belong to the S4 superfamily of K+ channels that include voltage-dependent K+ (Kv) channels characterized by having six (S1-S6) transmembrane domains and a positively charged S4 domain. As Kv channels, BK channels contain a S4 domain, but they have an extra (S0) transmembrane domain that leads to an external NH2-terminus. The BK channel is activated by internal Ca 2+, and using chimeric channels and mutagenesis, three distinct Ca2+-dependent regulatory mechanisms with different divalent cation selectivity have been identified in its large COOH-terminus. Two of these putative Ca2+-binding domains activate the BK channel when cytoplasmic Ca2+ reaches micromolar concentrations, and a low Ca2+ affinity mechanism may be involved in the physiological regulation by Mg2+. The presence in the BK channel of multiple Ca2+-binding sites explains the huge Ca2+ concentration range (0.1 μM-100 μM) in which the divalent cation influences channel gating. BK channels are also voltage-dependent, and all the experimental evidence points toward the S4 domain as the domain in charge of sensing the voltage. Calcium can open BK channels when all the voltage sensors are in their resting configuration, and voltage is able to activate channels in the complete absence of Ca2+. Therefore, Ca2+ and voltage act independently to enhance channel opening, and this behavior can be explained using a two-tiered allosteric gating mechanism. Key terms: BK channel, Ca2+-binding sites, voltage dependence, allosteric models. Corresponding author: Ramón Latorre, Centro de Estudios Científicos, Arturo Prat 514, Valdivia, Chile, E-mail: rlatorre@cecs.cl Received: July 22, 2005. Accepted: August 22, 2005 PROLOGUE: ON SQUIDS AND THE AMAZING