Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Assessment of Human Myocarditis: A Comparison to Histology and Molecular Pathology

Background—Myocarditis can occasionally lead to sudden death and may progress to dilated cardiomyopathy in up to 10% of patients. Because the initial onset is difficult to recognize clinically and the diagnostic tools available are unsatisfactory, new strategies to diagnose myocarditis are needed. Methods and Results—Cardiovascular MR imaging (CMR) was performed in 32 patients who were diagnosed with myocarditis by clinical criteria. To determine whether CMR visualizes areas of active myocarditis, endomyocardial biopsy was taken from the region of contrast enhancement and submitted to histopathologic analysis. Follow-up was performed 3 month later. Contrast enhancement was present in 28 patients (88%) and was usually seen with one or several foci in the myocardium. Foci were most frequently located in the lateral free wall. In the 21 patients in whom biopsy was obtained from the region of contrast enhancement, histopathologic analysis revealed active myocarditis in 19 patients (parvovirus B19, n=12; human herpes virus type 6 [HHV 6], n=5). Conversely, in the remaining 11 patients, in whom biopsy could not be taken from the region of contrast enhancement, active myocarditis was found in one case only (HHV6). At follow-up, the area of contrast enhancement decreased from 9±11% to 3±4% of left ventricular mass as the left ventricular ejection fraction improved from 47±19% to 60±10%. Conclusions—Contrast enhancement is a frequent finding in the clinical setting of suspected myocarditis and is associated with active inflammation defined by histopathology. Myocarditis occurs predominantly in the lateral free wall. Contrast CMR is a valuable tool for the evaluation and monitoring of inflammatory heart disease.
B-Splines for Physically-Based Rendering

Although B-spline curves and surfaces have enjoyed a long established place in the graphics community as constructive modeling tools, the use of B-spline approximation techniques has received relatively little attention in rendering. In this work we explore the use of 4D and 5D tensor product B-spline functions to represent surface radiance, and establish that, when appropriately applied, they can be used effectively for static scenes with diffuse to moderately specular elements. Once computed, the surface radiance representation is view independent, can be evaluated quickly, and is equally suited for incorporation into ray tracing or scan-line rendering algorithms. Furthermore, we use B-spline approximation techniques to solve the problem of global illumination for general parametric surfaces with a wide range of reflectance and transmission properties. We conclude that addressing functional approximation aspects offers a fertile research ground relative to the already impressive gains that splines have made in other fields.
&bgr;-Adrenergic Signaling Inhibits Gq-Dependent Protein Kinase D Activation by Preventing Protein Kinase D Translocation

Rationale: Both &bgr;-adrenergic receptor (&bgr;-AR) and Gq-coupled receptor (GqR) agonist–driven signaling play key roles in the events, leading up to and during cardiac dysfunction. How these stimuli interact at the level of protein kinase D (PKD), a nodal point in cardiac hypertrophic signaling, remains unclear. Objective: To assess the spatiotemporal dynamics of PKD activation in response to &bgr;-AR signaling alone and on coactivation with GqR-agonists. This will test our hypothesis that compartmentalized PKD signaling reconciles disparate findings of PKA facilitation and inhibition of PKD activation. Methods and Results: We report on the spatial and temporal profiles of PKD activation using green fluorescent protein-tagged PKD (wildtype or mutant S427E) and targeted fluorescence resonance energy transfer–based biosensors (D-kinase activity reporters) in adult cardiomyocytes. We find that &bgr;-AR/PKA signaling drives local nuclear activation of PKD, without preceding sarcolemmal translocation. We also discover pronounced interference of &bgr;-AR/cAMP/PKA signaling on GqR-induced translocation and activation of PKD throughout the cardiomyocyte. We attribute these effects to direct, PKA-dependent phosphorylation of PKD-S427. We also show that phosphomimetic substitution of S427 likewise impedes GqR-induced PKD translocation and activation. In neonatal myocytes, S427E inhibits GqR-evoked cell growth and expression of hypertrophic markers. Finally, we show altered S427 phosphorylation in transverse aortic constriction–induced hypertrophy. Conclusions: &bgr;-AR signaling triggers local nuclear signaling and inhibits GqR-mediated PKD activation by preventing its intracellular translocation. PKA-dependent phosphorylation of PKD-S427 fine-tunes the PKD responsiveness to GqR-agonists, serving as a key integration point for &bgr;-adrenergic and Gq-coupled stimuli.
Impairment in Processing Meaningless Verbal Material in Several Modalities: The Relationship between Short-term Memory and Phonological Skills

Phonological processing abilities were studied in a patient who, following focal brain damage, showed selective impairment in non-word reading, writing, and repetition and also a severe short-term memory (STM) deficit specific for auditorily presented verbal material. The patient could execute tasks involving phonemic manipulation and awareness perfectly. Our data, in contrast with earlier observations in a case of developmental phonological dyslexia, show that acquired impairment in non-word reading, writing, repetition, and immediate memory may occur despite good phonological processing abilities. The role of STM in processing meaningless verbal material is discussed.
PROTECTING POLYETHYLENE IRRIGATION PIPES AGAINST DAMAGE CAUSED BY WOODPECKERS

Author(s): Moran, Shmuel; Keidar, Chaim; Wolf, Yehuda | Abstract: Several methods were evaluated for protecting polrethylene irrigation pipes against pecking damage caused by the Syrian woodpecker (Dendrocopos syriacus). Only by burying the pipes in the ground damage was effectively prevented. Other methods studied, the use of the game repellent Arbinol, covering the pipes with polyethylene sheets, and growing a weed cover, though reducing the rate of the damage, proved not to be sufficiently effective as an economic solution of the problem.
Offshore Wind Power Generation Technologies

This paper provides an overview of the current state of the technology of offshore wind-based power generation and the technological challenges with emphasis on the electrical parts. First, a brief review of the core control functions, their correlation with operational behavior, and the grid-supporting capability of the machine during normal operation as well as during contingency situations are provided. This is followed by the discussion of basic considerations in wind farm collector design, including topology, grounding options, and outlay of the offshore substation. Then, issues related to offshore turbine foundation and typical dimensions of the offshore substation platform are discussed. The platform is designed to accommodate the main and grounding transformers, the switch gear, and other assorted accessories. Next, options for the transmission link from the offshore plant to the grid onshore are reviewed. Finally, a discussion of issues related to grid integration together with currently applicable special grid code requirements concludes the paper.
Physiological, chemical and ultrastructural characteristics of Corynebacterium rubrum.

SUMMARY: A study of the ultrastructural characteristics, the physiological properties and an analysis of hydrolysates of phenol-treated cell walls of Corynebacterium rubrum were made. While the arabinogalactan-peptidoglycan complex found in the cell-wall hydrolysates was that common to the genera Corynebacterium, Mycobacterium and Nocardia, the ultrastructural patterns found, the physiological reactions observed, the sensitivity to nocardiophages but not to corynebacteriophages or mycobacterial phages, and the (previously reported) presence of nocardomycolic acids, combined with the absence of corynemycolic acids and mycolic acids, indicate that this species belongs in the genus Nocardia rather than in the genus Corynebacterium. It is proposed, therefore, that Corynebacterium rubrum be renamed Nocardia corynebacteriodes nomen novum.
The clinical patterns and molecular genetics of lissencephaly and subcortical band heterotopia

Lissencephaly (LIS) or ‘‘smooth brain’’ and the related malformation known as subcortical band heterotopia (SBH)—also called ‘‘double cortex’’—are the classic malformations associated with deficient neuronal migration and abnormal formation of cerebral convolutions or gyri. Although known from pathologic studies for more than a century (Matell, 1893; Culp, 1914; Erhardt, 1914), these malformations were brought to modern medical attention in the 1960s for LIS and 1989 for SBH (Miller, 1963; Daube & Chou, 1966; Dieker et al., 1969; Barkovich et al., 1989). The underlying genetic basis for these malformations came to light in May of 1982 when the author and several colleagues identified the first two children with LIS and other congenital anomalies associated with deletion of chromosome 17p13.3, a syndrome known as Miller-Dieker syndrome based on earlier clinical reports (Dobyns et al., 1983). Molecular genetic studies over the last 25 years have led to discovery of six LIS and SBH causative genes: ARX, DCX, LIS1, RELN, TUBA1A and VLDLR, and one known modifier gene YWHAE. The severity and gradient of LIS, as well as association with callosal and cerebellar defects in some patients, differ significantly between patients with mutations of different genes. In this short review, I summarize the most essential information needed for clinical management of LIS and SBH that are difficult to find in any single source. These include key features of the phenotype and the current status of molecular genetic testing.
Dynamic Adaption of Vascular Morphology

The structure of vascular networks adapts continuously to meet changes in demand of the surrounding tissue. Most of the known vascular adaptation mechanisms are based on local reactions to local stimuli such as pressure and flow, which in turn reflects influence from the surrounding tissue. Here we present a simple two-dimensional model in which, as an alternative approach, the tissue is modeled as a porous medium with intervening sharply defined flow channels. Based on simple, physiologically realistic assumptions, flow-channel structure adapts so as to reach a configuration in which all parts of the tissue are supplied. A set of model parameters uniquely determine the model dynamics, and we have identified the region of the best-performing model parameters (a global optimum). This region is surrounded in parameter space by less optimal model parameter values, and this separation is characterized by steep gradients in the related fitness landscape. Hence it appears that the optimal set of parameters tends to localize close to critical transition zones. Consequently, while the optimal solution is stable for modest parameter perturbations, larger perturbations may cause a profound and permanent shift in systems characteristics. We suggest that the system is driven toward a critical state as a consequence of the ongoing parameter optimization, mimicking an evolutionary pressure on the system.
Dynamical reconfiguration strategy of a multi sensor data fusion algorithm based on Information Theory

Autonomous vehicle board an increasing quantity of sensors such as GNSS receivers, road maps, LIDARs, to ensure a reliable localization function. This expanding number leads to abandon a classical centralised data fusion method and to adopt more complex architectures such as Distributed Data Fusion. In this paper, we propose an approach to detect faults of the different sensors in such configuration and to dynamically reconfigure the fusion method by using simple concepts of Information Theory. In order to detect faults, consistency is examined through a log likelihood ratio between the information innovation of each sensor. The current study illustrates the performance of the proposed fault detection algorithm and the pertinence of the dynamical reconfiguration of the multi-sensors data fusion. Experimental results, using data from antilock braking system sensors, a differential global positioning system receiver, and an accurate digital roadmap illustrate the performance of the proposed approach.
Combination of boosting and discriminative training for natural language call steering systems

In this paper, we describe the combination of two different techniques to improve natural language call routing: boosting and discriminative training. The goal of boosting is to re-weight the data in order to train a set of classifiers whose errors may be uncorrelated so that when combined, the classification error rate (CER) can be reduced. We propose using discriminative training to improve the individual classifier accuracy at each iteration of the boosting algorithm. Compared to the baseline classifiers, an improvement in the CER of 41–50% was observed on call routing for a banking task. More importantly, synergistic effects of discriminative training on the boosting algorithm were demonstrated: more iterations were possible because discriminative training reduced the CER of individual classifiers trained on re-weighted data by an average of 72%.
The accuracy of the UV continuum as an indicator of the star formation rate in galaxies

The rest-frame intrinsic UV luminosity is often used as an indicator of the instantaneous star formation rate (SFR) in a galaxy. While it is in general a robust indicator of the ongoing star formation activity, the precise value of the calibration relating the UV luminosity to the SFR (Bν) is sensitive to various physical properties, such as the recent star formation and metal enrichment histories, along with the choice of stellar initial mass function (IMF). The distribution of these properties for the star-forming galaxy population then suggests that the adoption of a single calibration is not appropriate unless properly qualified with the uncertainties on the calibration. We investigate, with the aid of the galform semi-analytic model of galaxy formation, the distribution of UV-SFR calibrations obtained using realistic star formation and metal enrichment histories. At z = 0, we find that when the IMF is fixed (to the Kennicutt IMF), the median calibration is Bfuv = 0.9 where SFR/[M⊙ yr−1] = Bν × 10−28 × Lν/[erg s−1 Hz−1]. However, the width of the distribution Bfuv suggests that for a single object there is around a 20 per cent intrinsic uncertainty (at z = 0, rising to ≃30 per cent at z = 6) on the SFR inferred from the FUV luminosity without additional constraints on the star formation history or metallicity. We also find that the median value of the calibration Bfuv is correlated with the SFR and redshift (at z > 3) raising implications for the correct determination of the SFR from the UV.
Filamin A, the Arp2/3 complex, and the morphology and function of cortical actin filaments in human melanoma cells

The Arp2/3 complex and filamin A (FLNa) branch actin filaments. To define the role of these actin-binding proteins in cellular actin architecture, we compared the morphology of FLNa-deficient human melanoma (M2) cells and three stable derivatives of these cells expressing normal FLNa concentrations. All the cell lines contain similar amounts of the Arp2/3 complex. Serum addition causes serum-starved M2 cells to extend flat protrusions transiently; thereafter, the protrusions turn into spherical blebs and the cells do not crawl. The short-lived lamellae of M2 cells contain a dense mat of long actin filaments in contrast to a more three-dimensional orthogonal network of shorter actin filaments in lamellae of identically treated FLNa-expressing cells capable of translational locomotion. FLNa-specific antibodies localize throughout the leading lamellae of these cells at junctions between orthogonally intersecting actin filaments. Arp2/3 complex–specific antibodies stain diffusely and label a few, although not the same, actin filament overlap sites as FLNa antibody. We conclude that FLNa is essential in cells that express it for stabilizing orthogonal actin networks suitable for locomotion. Contrary to some proposals, Arp2/3 complex–mediated branching of actin alone is insufficient for establishing an orthogonal actin organization or maintaining mechanical stability at the leading edge.
Evaluation of Multi-scale Product Method and DYPSA Algorithm for Glottal Closure Instant Detection

The objective of this paper is to compare two competitive methods of glottal closure instants (GCIs) detection from the speech signal. The two methods are the Multiscale Product (MPM) and Dynamic Programming Phase Slope Algorithm (DYPSA). MPM is based on peaks detection in the product of wavelet transform at three adjacent scales, DYPSA is based on dynamic programming applied on the group delay function. Performance comparison of MPM and DYPSA method is made on Keele University database. We show that GCI estimation by MPM is more precise than DYPSA.
Improved Cardiorespiratory Fitness Is Associated with Increased Cortical Thickness in Mild Cognitive Impairment

Abstract Cortical atrophy is a biomarker of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) that correlates with clinical symptoms. This study examined changes in cortical thickness from before to after an exercise intervention in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and healthy elders. Thirty physically inactive older adults (14 MCI, 16 healthy controls) underwent MRI before and after participating in a 12-week moderate intensity walking intervention. Participants were between the ages of 61 and 88. Change in cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed using residualized scores of the peak rate of oxygen consumption (V̇O2peak) from pre- to post-intervention. Structural magnetic resonance images were processed using FreeSurfer v5.1. 0. V̇O2peak increased an average of 8.49%, which was comparable between MCI and healthy elders. Overall, cortical thickness was stable except for a significant decrease in the right fusiform gyrus in both groups. However, improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness due to the intervention (V̇O2peak) was positively correlated with cortical thickness change in the bilateral insula, precentral gyri, precuneus, posterior cingulate, and inferior and superior frontal cortices. Moreover, MCI participants exhibited stronger positive correlations compared to healthy elders in the left insula and superior temporal gyrus. A 12-week moderate intensity walking intervention led to significantly improved fitness in both MCI and healthy elders. Improved V̇O2peak was associated with widespread increased cortical thickness, which was similar between MCI and healthy elders. Thus, regular exercise may be an especially beneficial intervention to counteract cortical atrophy in all risk groups, and may provide protection against future cognitive decline in both healthy elders and MCI. (JINS, 2015, 21, 757–767)
Big Data Use Case Domains for Telecom Operators

Telecommunications, Telco in short, companies have a unique advantage compared to other industries is that they control the communication infrastructure which is used frequently by their customers to avail different kind of services. This way they have more data than other industry which enables them to track where their customers are, how they interact, and how they transact business. But leveraging that customer information requires Telco to transform a 19th century business model into one that meets today's demand for real-time business and consumer insight. Telcos have been moving multiple terabytes of data around their networks for years. However, data with properties - volume, variety, and velocity which is collectively termed as Big Data, exposes new opportunities in different ways to get insight from that and at the same time posses challenges to be capable of handling and analyzing this data. This work focuses on finding possible use cases, according to the comments of Telco industry and academic experts, how this multi properties data, Big Data, is currently being utilized and also, could be utilized on Telco industries. Twelve Big Data use case domains for Telco operators including examples, typical required data types and challenges for each such domain are presented.
Performance of Multiway Relay DS-CDMA Systems over Nakagami-m Fading Channels

A multiway relay direct-sequence code-division multiple-access (MR-DS-CDMA) system is proposed for exchanging information among a group of distributed mobile terminals (MTs). In order to implement information exchange, a MT having similar distances from the other MTs is chosen to act as a relay, which assists the whole group of MTs to achieve their information exchange within two time-slots. In our proposed MR-DS-CDMA system, the relay is operated in detection-and-forward (DF) relaying strategy. Signals at the relay and the MTs are detected in the principles of minimum mean-square error multiuser detection (MMSE-MUD) or of the receiver multiuser diversity assisted multi-stage MMSE MUD (RMD/MS-MMSE MUD). The error performance of the MR-DS-CDMA is investigated, when communicating over Nakagami-$m$ fading channels. Our studies show that the MR-DS-CDMA employing the RMD/MS-MMSE MUD at both the relay and MTs constitutes a high-efficiency information exchange system. It has low delay, promising error performance and low-complexity. Furthermore, it is robust to system overloading, where the number of MTs supported is higher than the spreading factor of the DS-CDMA system.
A comparative investigation of methods for logistic regression with separated or nearly separated data

In logistic regression analysis of small or sparse data sets, results obtained by classical maximum likelihood methods cannot be generally trusted. In such analyses it may even happen that the likelihood meets the convergence criteria while at least one parameter estimate diverges to ±∞. This situation has been termed ‘separation’, and it typically occurs whenever no events are observed in one of the two groups defined by a dichotomous covariate. More generally, separation is caused by a linear combination of continuous or dichotomous covariates that perfectly separates events from non‐events. Separation implies infinite or zero maximum likelihood estimates of odds ratios, which are usually considered unrealistic. I provide some examples of separation and near‐separation in clinical data sets and discuss some options to analyse such data, including exact logistic regression analysis and a penalized likelihood approach. Both methods supply finite point estimates in case of separation. Profile penalized likelihood confidence intervals for parameters show excellent behaviour in terms of coverage probability and provide higher power than exact confidence intervals. General advantages of the penalized likelihood approach are discussed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.