Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of Neuropathy in IDDM Patients in Piemonte, Italy

OBJECTIVE In view of the scarce data available in Italy, to assess the prevalence of neuropathy in various subgroups of IDDM patients living in the Piemonte region of Italy and to develop, based on existing guidelines, and test the practicality of a standardized assessment of diabetic neuropathy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS All IDDM patients (766) attending 23 outpatient clinics, evenly distributed in the region, were stratified into 3 age-groups (15–29, 30–44, and 45–59 yr) and into 3 groups of diabetes duration (1–7, 8–14, and ≥ 15 yr). A random sample of 467 patients was selected; 81% of whom participated in the studies (196 men and 183 women). The following data were collected: personal and clinical data, structured questionnaire (SQ), neurological examination (NE), vibration sensation (tuning fork) (VS), and two cardiovascular tests (CTs). Patients were classified as follows: stage 0, (no neuropathy) <2 abnormalities among SQ, NE, VS, and CT; stage 1, (asymptomatic neuropathy) > 1 abnormality among NE, VS, and CT; stage 2, (symptomatic neuropathy) abnormalities in SQ and in NE, and/or VS, and/or CT. RESULTS The prevalence rates were as follows: stage 0 = 71.5%, stage 1 = 7.2%, and stage 2 = 21.3% and all had a 95% CI. No difference was found between men and women. The prevalence of neuropathy (stages 1 and 2) was higher (P < 0.01) in groups of longer diabetes duration or older age. CONCLUSIONS Polyneuropathy is a frequent complication in a north Italian IDDM population. Our results suggest that IDDM patients > 30 yr of age, with diabetes of > 15 yr duration, and who complain of symptoms suggestive of neuropathy, should be promptly assessed for the presence of diabetic polyneuropathy.
Strategies for Improving the Data Quality in National Hospital Discharge Data System: a Delphi Study

Introduction: National hospital discharge data system can play a critical role in community health assessment, disease surveillance, strategic planning, policymaking, service quality control, and research. Moreover, the quality of hospital discharge data affects the usefulness of the data and is one of the prerequisites for effective utilization of the data. Thus, the present study aimed to identify the necessary actions for improving the data quality in the national hospital discharge data system and present a model for Iran based on the experiences of England, Canada, and New Zealand. Methods: In doing so, the measures performed in these countries were investigated. The related data were organized in six categories of standards and procedures, training and coordination with the users, assurance from the capability of the system’s software, data modification, data quality control, and documentation and reporting the data quality. According to the gathered data, the primary model was designed. Then, the model was assessed using a two-round Delphi technique by 33 and 31 experts, respectively. Conclusion: According to the findings, a model was presented in order to improve the data quality of Iran’s national hospital discharge data system.
Inhibition of G Protein-Activated Inwardly Rectifying K+ Channels by Extracts of Polygonum persicaria and Isolation of New Flavonoids from the Chloroform Extract of the Herb

Abstract The G protein-activated inwardly rectifying K+ channel-modulatory activities of Polygonum persicaria extracts were investigated by using an automated patch-clamp method, with the aim of identifying natural sources of promising ion channel-blocking compounds. The chloroform extract of the whole plant at 0.1 mg/mL exhibited high G protein-activated inwardly rectifying K+ channel-inhibitory activity. Fractionation of this extract by vacuum liquid chromatography on RP-silica gel resulted in 6 fractions, which were evaluated for G protein-activated inwardly rectifying K+ channel-modulatory activity. RP-HPLC of the most active fractions afforded the main compounds 1–4 in pure form and a mixture containing the minor constituents. The structures were identified by means of UV, HRMS, and advanced NMR methods as 3-O-senecioyl-isorhamnetin (1), 3-O-angeloyl-isorhamnetin (2), 5,3′,4′,5′-tetramethoxy-6,7-methylenedioxyflavone (3), and 3,5,3′,4′,5′-pentamethoxy-6,7-methylenedioxyflavone (4). Compounds 1–4 are new natural products, though 4 was reported earlier as a synthetic compound. Neither the individual, nor the combined application of compounds 1–4 modified the G protein-activated inwardly rectifying K+ channel activity. However, a marked G protein-activated inwardly rectifying K+ current-inhibitory effect was detected on use of the HPLC eluates containing the minor compounds. These results indicate the presence of electrophysiologically active agents among the minor compounds.
Face Detection System On AdaBoost Algorithm Using Haar Classifiers

This paper presents an architecture for face detection based system on AdaBoost algorithm using Haar features. We describe here design techniques including image scaling, integral image generation, pipelined processing as well as classifier, and parallel processing multiple classifiers to accelerate the processing speed of the face detection system. Also we discuss the optimization of the proposed architecture which can be scalable for configurable devices with variable resources. The proposed architecture for face detection has been designed using Verilog HDL and implemented in Modelsim. Its performance has been measured and compared with an equivalent hardware implementation. We show about 35 time's increase of system performance over the equivalent hardware implementation.
l-3-n-Butylphthalide Improves Cognitive Impairment Induced by Chronic Cerebral Hypoperfusion in Rats

3-n-Butylphthalide (NBP) may be beneficial for the treatment of ischemic stroke with multiple actions on different pathophysiological processes. In the present study, we investigated the effect of NBP isomers on learning and memory impairment induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion in rats. Male Wistar rats were orally administered 10 and 30 mg/kg l-, d-, or dl-NBP daily for 23 days after bilateral permanent occlusion of the common carotid arteries. Rats receiving 10 mg/kg l-NBP performed significantly better in tests for spatial learning and memory, and they had attenuated cerebral pathology, including neuronal damage, white matter rarefaction, and glial activation compared with controls. Furthermore, 10 mg/kg l-NBP-treated rats had significantly higher choline acetyltransferase activity, decreased cortical lipid peroxide, and reduced hippocampal superoxide dismutase activity, compared with vehicle controls. However, d- and dl-NBP did not show significant beneficial effects. The present findings demonstrate that the beneficial effects of l-NBP on hypoperfusion-induced cognitive deficits may be due to preventing neuropathological alterations, inhibiting oxidative damage and increasing acetylcholine synthesis. Our results strongly suggest that l-NBP has therapeutic potential for the treatment of dementia caused by decreased cerebral blood flow.
A Hand Gesture Recognition Based Virtual Touch Wall

a concept whereby any normal surface with no internal circuitry and hardware for touch sensitivity, is converted into a touch sensitive surface by using image processing techniques. Using such a technique the paper presents the transformation of a plain white wall into a large touch wall. The virtual touch wall aims at building a gesture sensitive environment for users, to provide them new ways of interaction in their work atmosphere and in their recreational space. The hardware requirements of the system are kept on the minimum , limiting only to a simple USB webcam and a PC . Other alternatives to the PC have also been presented , such as the Beagle Board , which is a mini version of a PC and very inexpensive . The approach is based on simple and fast motion detection trying to eliminate unnecessary regions of interest and a recognition algorithm based on the hand contours , their convexities and a further comparison of hand shapes based on HU moment matching which works on image contours . The paper also presents a way of improving the distorted hand contours by distinguishing between external contours and holes and explicitly filling up holes . The use of a predefined set of contours for each gesture helps in better recognition . A simple state machine is implemented to further improve reliability . A total of 5 gestures have been implemented and tested on the PC and the Beagle Board and the performance compared. The Linux XLIB library and the X display functions have been utilized to control mouse cursor actions and other display properties of the wall. I. INTRODUCTION One of the greatest gifts of almost all living things in this world is the ability to communicate through vocals and actions. Human and machine interaction by far has only been through simple means of communication like a mouse , keyboard or switches . Voice recognition and gesture recognition are two powerful and more natural means of communicating with machines as is with human beings. There are innumerable instances where conventional applications can be replaced with hand gestures[1]-[4]. In many cases special gloves or markers have been used for efficient detection and tracking which constraints the user and other vases demand a very simple and plain background [5]-[7]. In [8] a very real time method of hand gesture recognition based on convexity defects is presented but an analysis based only on convexity defects is dependent …
The Influence of Swabbing Solutions on DNA Recovery from Touch Samples ,

There has been minimal research into how to best obtain DNA from touch samples. Many forensic laboratories simply moisten a swab with water and use it for collecting cells/DNA from evidentiary samples. However, this and other methods have not been objectively studied in order to maximize DNA yields. In this study, fingerprints were collected using swabs moistened with water or laboratory or commercially available detergents, including sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), Triton X‐100, Tween 20, Formula 409®, and Simple Green®. Prints were swabbed, DNA isolated using an organic extraction, yields quantified, and relative yields compared. In all cases, the detergent‐based swabbing solutions outperformed water, with SDS and Triton X‐100 producing significant increases in yield. Short tandem repeat profiles were consistent with the individuals that placed them. Subsequent analysis of SDS concentrations for collecting touch DNA demonstrated an increase in DNA yield with increasing SDS concentration, with an optimal concentration of approximately 2%.
Drug-Induced Vasculitis

This chapter aims to draw attention to the features that distinguish drug-induced vasculitis from those of idiopathic autoimmune syndromes, first and foremost primary vasculitides. Development of a systemic drug-induced syndrome only develops in a minority of patients treated with a drug over a prolonged period of time, whereas cutaneous vasculitis occurs quite commonly. The most frequent symptoms as onset are arthralgia, myalgia and skin rash. Early withdrawal of the offending drug mostly leads to complete recovery while more advanced disease and late withdrawal of the drug may necessitate use of corticosteroid and/or immunosuppressive therapy. The recent discovery of anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibodies (ANCA) in a large serological subset of drug-induced vasculitis caused by long-term antithyroid drug treatment has opened new avenues for differential diagnostics. Certain medications such as propylthiouracil can induce ANCA associated vasculitis. This chapter focuses on the data on causal drugs, possible pathogenesis, clinical description, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of patients with drug-induced vasculitis. ANCA with specificity to more than one lysosomal antigen combined with presence of antibodies to histones and beta-2 glycoprotein 1 constitute a unique serological profile for drug-induced vasculitis. The pathogenesis of drug-induced ANCA associated vasculitis might be multifactorial. The clinical manifestations are similar to those of primary ANCA associated vasculitis, but ANCA with multi-antigenicity may help to differentiate it from primary ANCA associated vasculitis. Rational use of laboratory marker profiles is likely to aid in distinguishing druginduced from idiopathic syndromes. However, the use of ANCA and other autoantibodies as biomarkers of different phenotypes of drug-induced vasculitis is one of the focuses of this chapter. To date, ANCA are important serological markers for certain small-vessel vasculitides, encompassing Wegener granulomatosis (WG), microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) and Churg– Strauss syndrome (CSS). By indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) technique, ANCAs are classified as a perinuclear pattern (P-ANCA) and a cytoplasmic pattern (C-ANCA). C-ANCA is caused almost exclusively by antibodies against proteinase 3 (PR3). In contrast, P-ANCA can be caused by antibodies reacting with a variety of different neutrophil granule constituents, including myeloperoxidase (MPO), lactoferrin, human leucocyte elastase (HLE) and others. Evidence is mounting that these specific antibodies are pathogenic in small-vessel vasculitis. However, the aetiology of ANCA associated vasculitis is largely unknown. The diagnosis of drug-induced ANCA associated vasculitis is based on the temporal relationship between clinically evident vasculitis and administration of the offending drugs,
Mouse oocyte, a paradigm of cancer cell

Oocytes undergo extremely asymmetric divisions in terms of size. Coordinating spindle assembly and positioning in the absence of canonical centrosomes appears to be a challenge for oocytes, which divide with an elevated rate of errors in chromosome segregation. Here we highlight recent work on the characteristics of oocyte meiotic divisions, giving special emphasis on MTOCs clustering, generation of aneuploidy, and cortex softening, properties shared by cancer cells. While the loss of canonical centrosomes in oocytes might favor the asymmetry in size of meiotic divisions by reducing the distance between spindle poles and the cortex, we propose that this acentrosomal pathway might also render meiotic spindles less robust and, so, be responsible for the high error rate of female meiosis.
10 network papers that changed the world

In this list, I focus on papers that have had impact — that have changed the networking world. Of course, many commercial systems have done just that, so I also require that each paper has a memorable idea. Finally, I am drawn to papers that are well written, and in which the writing and the ideas stand the test of time. I break up papers in classic layered fashion, going bottom up. Because the list spans all levels of abstraction from Data Links to Applications, I hope this list of papers also provides a quick and inspirational overview of the world of networking systems for a beginning student.
Local Evolutionary Patterns of Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus Derived from Whole-Genome Sequencing

ABSTRACT Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is associated with severe childhood respiratory infections. A clear description of local RSV molecular epidemiology, evolution, and transmission requires detailed sequence data and can inform new strategies for virus control and vaccine development. We have generated 27 complete or nearly complete genomes of RSV from hospitalized children attending a rural coastal district hospital in Kilifi, Kenya, over a 10-year period using a novel full-genome deep-sequencing process. Phylogenetic analysis of the new genomes demonstrated the existence and cocirculation of multiple genotypes in both RSV A and B groups in Kilifi. Comparison of local versus global strains demonstrated that most RSV A variants observed locally in Kilifi were also seen in other parts of the world, while the Kilifi RSV B genomes encoded a high degree of variation that was not observed in other parts of the world. The nucleotide substitution rates for the individual open reading frames (ORFs) were highest in the regions encoding the attachment (G) glycoprotein and the NS2 protein. The analysis of RSV full genomes, compared to subgenomic regions, provided more precise estimates of the RSV sequence changes and revealed important patterns of RSV genomic variation and global movement. The novel sequencing method and the new RSV genomic sequences reported here expand our knowledge base for large-scale RSV epidemiological and transmission studies. IMPORTANCE The new RSV genomic sequences and the novel sequencing method reported here provide important data for understanding RSV transmission and vaccine development. Given the complex interplay between RSV A and RSV B infections, the existence of local RSV B evolution is an important factor in vaccine deployment.
Root development under control of magnesium availability.

Roots are reported to be plastic in response to nutrient supply, but relatively little is known about their development in response to magnesium (Mg) availability. Here, we showed the influence of both low and high Mg availability on the development of roots including root hairs and highlighted insights into the regulatory role of Mg availability on root hair development and its mechanism in Arabidopsis with combining our published research. Mg concentration in roots decreased quickly after the removal of Mg from the nutrient solution and increased progressively with increasing exogenous Mg supply in the media. However, transcriptome analysis suggested that Mg starvation did not alter the expression of most genes potentially involved in the transport. Primary root elongation and lateral root formation in Arabidopsis were not influenced by low Mg but inhibited by high Mg after one-week period. Moreover, low Mg availability significantly increased but high Mg reduced the initiation, density and length of root hairs, which through the characterized Ca 2+ and ROS signal transduction pathways. More physiological mechanisms underlying Mg-regulated root development remain to be elucidated in future researches.
Pricing in the Real Estate Market as a Stochastic Limit. Log Normal Approximation

We construct a stochastic model of real estate pricing. The method of the pricing construction is based on a sequential comparison of supply prices. We prove that under standard assumptions imposed upon the comparison coefficients there exists a unique non-degenerate limit in distribution and this limit has a Log Normal law of distribution. We verify agreement between empirical distributions of prices and theoretically obtained Log Normal distribution by numerous statistical data of real estate prices from Saint-Petersburg (Russia). To establish this accordance we essentially apply the efficient and sensitive test of fit of Kolmogorov-Smirnov. Basing on the world admitted standard of estimation prices in real estate market, we conclude that the most probable price, i.e. mode of distribution, is correctly and uniquely determined under the Log Normal approximation. Since the mean value of a Log Normal distribution exceeds the mode -- most probable value, it follows that the prices valued by the mathematical expectation are systematically overstated.
Sex Differences in Gamma Band Functional Connectivity Between the Frontal Lobe and Cortical Areas During an Auditory Oddball Task, as Revealed by Imaginary Coherence Assessment

We studied sex-related differences in gamma oscillation during an auditory oddball task, using magnetoencephalography and electroencephalography assessment of imaginary coherence (IC). We obtained a statistical source map of event-related desynchronization (ERD) / event-related synchronization (ERS), and compared females and males regarding ERD / ERS. Based on the results, we chose respectively seed regions for IC determinations in low (30-50 Hz), mid (50-100 Hz) and high gamma (100-150 Hz) bands. In males, ERD was increased in the left posterior cingulate cortex (CGp) at 500 ms in the low gamma band, and in the right caudal anterior cingulate cortex (cACC) at 125 ms in the mid-gamma band. ERS was increased in the left rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) at 375 ms in the high gamma band. We chose the CGp, cACC and rACC as seeds, and examined IC between the seed and certain target regions using the IC map. IC changes depended on the height of the gamma frequency and the time window in the gamma band. Although IC in the mid and high gamma bands did not show sex-specific differences, IC at 30-50 Hz in males was increased between the left rACC and the frontal, orbitofrontal, inferior temporal and fusiform target regions. Increased IC in males suggested that males may acomplish the task constructively, analysingly, emotionally, and by perfoming analysis, and that information processing was more complicated in the cortico-cortical circuit. On the other hand, females showed few differences in IC. Females planned the task with general attention and economical well-balanced processing, which was explained by the higher overall functional cortical connectivity. CGp, cACC and rACC were involved in sex differences in information processing and were likely related to differences in neuroanatomy, hormones and neurotransmitter systems.
The kinase LYK5 is a major chitin receptor in Arabidopsis and forms a chitin-induced complex with related kinase CERK1

Chitin is a fungal microbe-associated molecular pattern recognized in Arabidopsis by a lysin motif receptor kinase (LYK), AtCERK1. Previous research suggested that AtCERK1 is the major chitin receptor and mediates chitin-induced signaling through homodimerization and phosphorylation. However, the reported chitin binding affinity of AtCERK1 is quite low, suggesting another receptor with high chitin binding affinity might be present. Here, we propose that AtLYK5 is the primary chitin receptor in Arabidopsis. Mutations in AtLYK5 resulted in a significant reduction in chitin response. However, AtLYK5 shares overlapping function with AtLYK4 and, therefore, Atlyk4/Atlyk5-2 double mutants show a complete loss of chitin response. AtLYK5 interacts with AtCERK1 in a chitin-dependent manner. Chitin binding to AtLYK5 is indispensable for chitin-induced AtCERK1 phosphorylation. AtLYK5 binds chitin at a much higher affinity than AtCERK1. The data suggest that AtLYK5 is the primary receptor for chitin, forming a chitin inducible complex with AtCERK1 to induce plant immunity. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.03766. 001
CREPUSCOLO: A collusion resistant privacy preserving location verification system

In location-sensitive applications (e.g. location-based access control, and location-based social networks), users often benefit from being at a certain location. These benefits are incentives for users to cheat about their current location, in order to get unauthorized access to resources and services provided by location-sensitive applications. To deal with this issue, we propose CREPUSCOLO, a collusion resistant and privacy preserving location verification system. In CREPUSCOLO, we use “location-proofs” collected from co-located mobile devices, which can be endorsed by a “token” acquired from a trusted Token Provider. In fact, location-proofs endorsed by tokens provide the resiliency against collusion attacks, because this combination can prove that a certain mobile device was at a certain location at a specific time. CREPUSCOLO also protects the source location privacy by enforcing the usage of periodically changing pseudonyms. Extensive simulations show that CREPUSCOLO is effective in detecting collusion attacks even under very conservative hypothesis. For instance, with just 11 Token Providers spread over a 121 km2 area characterized by a very low density of cooperating devices, 90% of collusion attacks are detected.