Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Similar healthy osteoclast and osteoblast activity on nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite and nanoparticles of tri-calcium phosphate compared to natural bone

While there have been numerous studies to determine osteoblast (bone forming cell) functions on nanocrystalline compared to micron crystalline ceramics, there have been few studies which have examined osteoclast activity (including tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, formation of resorption pits, size of resorption pits, and receptor activator of nuclear factor κB [RANK]). This is despite the fact that osteoclasts are an important part of maintaining healthy bone since they resorb bone during the bone remodeling process. Moreover, while it is now well documented that bone formation is enhanced on nanoceramics compared to micron ceramics, some have pondered whether osteoblast functions (such as osteoprotegerin and RANK ligand [RANKL]) are normal (ie, non-diseased) on such materials compared to natural bone. For these reasons, the objective of the present in vitro study was to determine various functions of osteoclasts and osteoblasts on nanocrystalline and micron crystalline hydroxyapatite as well as tri-calcium phosphate materials and compare such results to cortical and cancellous bone. Results showed for the first time similar osteoclast activity (including tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, formation of resorption pits, size of resorption pits, and RANK) and osteoblast activity (osteoprotegerin and RANKL) on nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite compared to natural bone, whereas osteoclast and osteoblast functions on micron crystalline versions of these ceramics were much different than natural bone. In this manner, this study provides additional evidence that nanocrystalline calcium phosphates can serve as suitable synthetic analogs to natural bone to improve numerous orthopedic applications. It also provides the first data of healthy osteoclast and osteoblast functions on nanocrystalline calcium phosphates compared to natural bone.
Occurrence of phthalates and musk fragrances in indoor air and dust from apartments and kindergartens in Berlin (Germany).

UNLABELLED In this study, the occurrence of persistent environmental contaminants room air samples from 59 apartments and 74 kindergartens in Berlin were tested in 2000 and 2001 for the presence of phthalates and musk fragrances (polycyclic musks in particular). These substances were also measured in household dust from 30 apartments. The aim of the study was to measure exposure levels in typical central borough apartments, kindergartens and estimate their effects on health. Of phthalates, dibutyl phthalate had the highest concentrations in room air, with median values of 1083 ng/m(3) in apartments and 1188 ng/m(3) in kindergartens. With around 80% of all values, the main phthalate in house dust was diethylhexyl phthalate, with median values of 703 mg/kg (range: 231-1763 mg/kg). No statistically significant correlation could be found between air and dust concentration. Musk compounds were detected in the indoor air of kindergartens with median values of 101 ng/m(3) [1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8- hexamethylcyclopenta-(g) 2-benzopyrane (HHCB)] and 44 ng/m(3) [7-acetyl-1,1,3,4,4,6-hexamethyl-tetraline (AHTN)] and maximum concentrations of up to 299 and 107 ng/m(3) respectively. In household dust HHCB and AHTN were detected in 63 and 83% of the samples with median values of 0.7 and 0.9 mg/kg (Maximum: 11.4 and 3.1 mg/kg) each. On comparing the above phthalate concentrations with presently acceptable tolerable daily intake values (TDI), we are talking about only a small average intake [di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and diethyl phthalate less than 1 and 8% of the TDI] by indoor air for children. The dominant intake path was the ingestion of foodstuffs. For certain subsets of the population, notably premature infants (through migration from soft polyvinyl chloride products), children and other patients undergoing medical treatment like dialysis, exchange transfusion, an important additional intake of phthalates must taken into account. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS The phthalate and musk compounds load in a sample of apartments and kindergartens were low with a typical distribution pattern in air and household dust, but without a significant correlation between air and dust concentration. The largest source of general population exposure to phthalates is dietary. For certain subsets of the general population non-dietary ingestion (medical and occupational) is important.
Spin‐echo fMRI in humans using high spatial resolutions and high magnetic fields

The Hahn spin‐echo (HSE)‐based BOLD effect at high magnetic fields is expected to provide functional images that originate exclusively from the microvasculature. The blood contribution that dominates HSE BOLD contrast at low magnetic fields (e.g., 1.5 T), and degrades specificity, is highly attenuated at high fields because the apparent T2 of venous blood in an HSE experiment decreases quadratically with increasing magnetic field. In contrast, the HSE BOLD contrast is believed to arise from the microvasculature and increase supralinearly with the magnetic field strength. In this work we report the results of detailed and quantitative evaluations of HSE BOLD signal changes for functional imaging in the human visual cortex at 4 and 7 T. This study used high spatial resolution, afforded by the increased signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) of higher field strengths and surface coils, to avoid partial volume effects (PVEs), and demonstrated increased contrast‐to‐noise ratio (CNR) and spatial specificity at the higher field strengths. The HSE BOLD signal changes induced by visual stimulation were predominantly linearly dependent on the echo time (TE). They increased in magnitude almost quadratically in going from 4 to 7 T when the blood contribution was suppressed using Stejskal‐Tanner gradients that suppress signals from the blood due to its inhomogeneous flow and higher diffusion constant relative to tissue. The HSE signal changes at 7 T were modeled accurately using a vascular volume of 1.5%, in agreement with the capillary volume of gray matter. Furthermore, high‐resolution acquisitions indicate that CNR increased with voxel sizes < 1 mm3 due to diminishing white matter or cerebrospinal fluid‐space vs. gray matter PVEs. It was concluded that the high‐field HSE functional MRI (fMRI) signals originated largely from the capillaries, and that the magnitude of the signal changes associated with brain function reached sufficiently high levels at 7 T to make it a useful approach for mapping on the millimeter to submillimeter spatial scale. Magn Reson Med 49:655–664, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Transcutaneous Lower Eyelid Blepharoplasty with Orbitomalar Suspension: Retrospective Review of 212 Consecutive Cases

Background: Midfacial aging is associated with increased demarcation of the nasolabial, malar, and nasojugal folds; deflation of facial soft tissues and bones; and descent of the midface. The latter is primarily attributable to attenuation of the orbitomalar ligament. Traditional surgery of the lower eyelid and midface often requires removal of excess skin, orbicularis oculi muscle, and orbital fat, which can be complicated by postoperative lower eyelid malposition. The authors describe a novel adjunct to transcutaneous lower eyelid blepharoplasty that rejuvenates the lower eyelid and midface by reconstituting the orbitomalar ligament and minimizes the development of postoperative eyelid malposition. Methods: This study was a retrospective, consecutive, nonrandomized, interventional case series. The authors reviewed the medical records of 212 consecutive patients who underwent transcutaneous lower eyelid blepharoplasty with orbitomalar suspension. The aesthetic outcome, patient satisfaction, and development of eyelid malposition were evaluated. Results: Transcutaneous lower eyelid blepharoplasty with orbitomalar suspension resulted in improved lower eyelid dermatochalasis, contour, midfacial ptosis, and appearance of the nasojugal and malar folds. All patients reported satisfaction with the aesthetic outcome. One patient (0.5 percent) developed lower eyelid retraction requiring subsequent lower eyelid tightening. Three patients (1.4 percent) developed transient lagophthalmos from lower eyelid orbicularis paresis that resolved spontaneously. Conclusions: Transcutaneous lower eyelid blepharoplasty combined with orbitomalar suspension is a powerful technique that can be performed concomitantly with facial rejuvenative procedures. Orbitomalar suspension addresses midfacial ptosis by restoring the natural function of the orbitomalar ligament and minimizes the development of postoperative lower eyelid malposition.
Interactive stable ray tracing

Interactive ray tracing applications running on commodity hardware can suffer from objectionable temporal artifacts due to a low sample count. We introduce stable ray tracing, a technique that improves temporal stability without the over-blurring and ghosting artifacts typical of temporal post-processing filters. Our technique is based on sample reprojection and explicit hole filling, rather than relying on hole-filling heuristics that can compromise image quality. We make reprojection practical in an interactive ray tracing context through the use of a super-resolution bitmask to estimate screen space sample density. We show significantly improved temporal stability as compared with supersampling and an existing reprojection techniques. We also investigate the performance and image quality differences between our technique and temporal antialiasing, which typically incurs a significant amount of blur. Finally, we demonstrate the benefits of stable ray tracing by combining it with progressive path tracing of indirect illumination.
Creating a Web-Based Collaboration Tool to Support Research Work

This paper explores if a collaboration-based shared knowledge base would be a useful tool for supporting the collaboration of researchers working with the same research theme. The research question is explored with a constructive approach, i.e. a prototype of Web-based collaboration system for sharing knowledge of a certain research areas is created. This paper discusses both the design issues related to implementing such a system, and experiences on the adoption and usage of the system. The results indicate that a Web-based knowledge sharing tool can be valuable for increasing collaboration of an established research group. The useful features included a bio g for small and informal announcements, introducing new researchers with the subject and recommending resources to other researchers. However, several problems were also recognized. These include encouraging and supporting interdisciplinary co-operation, limitations on accessing online databases of scientific publishers, and integration with personal research citation databases.
The Investigation in Service Quality Management of 3G Business for Telecom Operators

3rd generation mobile communication networks (3G) have been heralded as a great shift that will make the market competition to be fierce increasingly. In this situation, the telecom operators are improving service quality to develop 3G users. Based on the discussion of the basic principle of Customer Perceived Service Quality Model and SERVQUAL Model, this paper has improved them for the characteristics of the telecom industry. Finally, this paper has described the content of service quality management and put forward the parameters System in 3G era.
The March Toward Evidence Based Criteria for Mass Trauma Intervention

“Five Essential Elements of Immediate and Mid-Term Mass Trauma Intervention” is a landmark paper which will turn the page on how psychosocial intervention after mass trauma is viewed henceforth. This comprehensive synthesis of the modern literature done by 20 outstanding experts from 5 different countries will set the bar for the delivery of evidence-based psychosocial care as well as for a new generation of outcome research in this emerging field. It is not that our profession has been absent from the table when it came to participating in the mental health care of people involved in individual or mass trauma; to the contrary, psychiatrists and our colleagues have applied state of the art thinking to mass trauma for at least 60 years, as illustrated by Lindemann’s insight into the management of grief from the Boston Grove fire ( Lindemann 1944 ) with roots that go back to Freud and beyond (Freud, 1920). The military provided experience in this area to a generation of psychiatrists entering practice as well as setting up our academic departments after World War II. A philosophy of sending soldiers back to duty quickly evolved as did sophisticated techniques at the time of hypnosis and sodium amytal interviews as a form of treatment (Ripley & Wolf, 1947). Many therapists had training in psychoanalytic/ psychodynamic therapy and their ability to understand psychological defenses greatly influenced the treatment approaches to patients presenting after trauma (Menninger & Nemiah, 2000)). The contribution of civilian psychiatrists coming from many areas of psychiatry, including consultation/liaison psychiatry programs, utilized a combination of many of these techniques as well as the latest pharmacology to treat PTSD. For many years, a technique devised by a firefighter paramedic who became a psychologist greatly influenced the delivery of care to groups who experienced trauma. That was the Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) devised by Jeffrey Mitchell which was initially used widely by fire departments throughout the world (Mitchell, 1983). This approach relied on reliving and discussing traumatic experiences in a group setting with the assistance of a trained leader. It has to be appreciated that the overwhelming majority of therapists who became Psychiatry 70(4) Winter 2007 354
Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia Is Caused by Mutation-Linked Defective Conformational Regulation of the Ryanodine Receptor

Rationale: Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is caused by a single point mutation in a well-defined region of the cardiac type 2 ryanodine receptor (RyR)2. However, the underlying mechanism by which a single mutation in such a large molecule produces drastic effects on channel function remains unresolved. Objective: Using a knock-in (KI) mouse model with a human CPVT-associated RyR2 mutation (R2474S), we investigated the molecular mechanism by which CPVT is induced by a single point mutation within the RyR2. Methods and Results: The R2474S/+ KI mice showed no apparent structural or histological abnormalities in the heart, but they showed clear indications of other abnormalities. Bidirectional or polymorphic ventricular tachycardia was induced after exercise on a treadmill. The interaction between the N-terminal (amino acids 1 to 600) and central (amino acids 2000 to 2500) domains of the RyR2 (an intrinsic mechanism to close Ca2+ channels) was weakened (domain unzipping). On protein kinase A–mediated phosphorylation of the RyR2, this domain unzipping further increased, resulting in a significant increase in the frequency of spontaneous Ca2+ transients. cAMP-induced aberrant Ca2+ release events (Ca2+ sparks/waves) occurred at much lower sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ content as compared to the wild type. Addition of a domain-unzipping peptide, DPc10 (amino acids 2460 to 2495), to the wild type reproduced the aforementioned abnormalities that are characteristic of the R2474S/+ KI mice. Addition of DPc10 to the (cAMP-treated) KI cardiomyocytes produced no further effect. Conclusions: A single point mutation within the RyR2 sensitizes the channel to agonists and reduces the threshold of luminal [Ca2+] for activation, primarily mediated by defective interdomain interaction within the RyR2.
Associated malformations in infants with cleft lip and palate: a prospective, population-based study.

OBJECTIVE Infants with cleft lip and palate may often have other associated congenital defects although the reported incidence and the types of associated malformations vary between different studies. The purpose of this investigation was to assess the prevalence of associated malformations in a geographically defined population. METHODS The prevalence of associated malformations in infants with clefts were collected prospectively between 1975 to 1992 on all infants born in greater Stockholm, Sweden. The patient records were also compared with data from the National Malformation Registry and other hospital records if any. RESULTS Of the 616 cleft infants (367 boys, 249 girls) born during this period, 21% had associated malformations that either required follow-up or treatment. Associated malformations were more frequent in infants who had both cleft lip and palate (28%) than in infants with isolated cleft palate (22%) or infants with isolated cleft lip (8%). Malformations of the upper or lower limbs or the vertebral column were the most common other anomalies and accounted for 33% of all associated defects. Twenty-four percent of associated malformations were in the cardiovascular system and congenital heart disease was the most common isolated associated malformation. Fifteen percent of all associated malformations were multiple and they were frequently associated with mental retardation or chromosomal anomalies. Twenty-two percent of infants with associated malformations were born preterm, compared with an expected 5% incidence of preterm delivery in Sweden. CONCLUSION A more extensive cleft seems to be associated with a higher risk for associated malformations. Although many associated congenital defects can be detected at a physical examination, the high prevalence of congenital heart disease (16 times that of general population) may justify a routine echocardiographic screening.
Ensemble Distillation for Neural Machine Translation

Knowledge distillation describes a method for training a student network to perform better by learning from a stronger teacher network. Translating a sentence with an Neural Machine Translation (NMT) engine is time expensive and having a smaller model speeds up this process. We demonstrate how to transfer the translation quality of an ensemble and an oracle BLEU teacher network into a single NMT system. Further, we present translation improvements from a teacher network that has the same architecture and dimensions of the student network. As the training of the student model is still expensive, we introduce a data filtering method based on the knowledge of the teacher model that not only speeds up the training, but also leads to better translation quality. Our techniques need no code change and can be easily reproduced with any NMT architecture to speed up the decoding process.
On blind mice and the elephant: understanding the network impact of a large distributed system

A thorough understanding of the network impact of emerging large-scale distributed systems -- where traffic flows and what it costs -- must encompass users' behavior, the traffic they generate and the topology over which that traffic flows. In the case of BitTorrent, however, previous studies have been limited by narrow perspectives that restrict such analysis. This paper presents a comprehensive view of BitTorrent, using data from a representative set of 500,000 users sampled over a two year period, located in 169 countries and 3,150 networks. This unique perspective captures unseen trends and reveals several unexpected features of the largest peer-to-peer system. For instance, over the past year total BitTorrent traffic has increased by 12%, driven by 25% increases in per-peer hourly download volume despite a 10% decrease in the average number of online peers. We also observe stronger diurnal usage patterns and, surprisingly given the bandwidth-intensive nature of the application, a close alignment between these patterns and overall traffic. Considering the aggregated traffic across access links, this has potential implications on BitTorrent-associated costs for Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Using data from a transit ISP, we find a disproportionately large impact on a commonly used burstable (95th-percentile) billing model. Last, when examining BitTorrent traffic's paths, we find that for over half its users, most network traffic never reaches large transit networks, but is instead carried by small transit ISPs. This raises questions on the effectiveness of most in-network monitoring systems to capture trends on peer-to-peer traffic and further motivates our approach.
Decision-Theoretic Distributed Channel Selection for Opportunistic Spectrum Access: Strategies, Challenges and Solutions

Opportunistic spectrum access (OSA) has been regarded as the most promising approach to solve the paradox between spectrum scarcity and waste. Intelligent decision making is key to OSA and differentiates it from previous wireless technologies. In this article, a survey of decision-theoretic solutions for channel selection and access strategies for OSA system is presented. We analyze the challenges facing OSA systems globally, which mainly include interactions among multiple users, dynamic spectrum opportunity, tradeoff between sequential sensing cost and expected reward, and tradeoff between exploitation and exploration in the absence of prior statistical information. We provide comprehensive review and comparison of each kind of existing decision-theoretic solution, i.e., game models, Markovian decision process, optimal stopping problem and multi-armed bandit problem. We analyze their strengths and limitations and outline further research for both technical contents and methodologies. In particular, these solutions are critically analyzed in terms of information, cost and convergence speed, which are key concerns for practical implementation. Moreover, it is noted that each kind of existing decision-theoretic solution mainly addresses one aspect of the challenges, which implies that two or more kinds of decision-theoretic solutions should be incorporated to address more challenges simultaneously.
Fault Tolerant and Minimum Loss Control of Double-Star Synchronous Machines Under Open Phase Conditions

In this paper, a new method for filtering the torque pulsations is proposed for double-star permanent magnet synchronous machines under fault conditions. The machine is supplied by two independent electric sources via two voltage source inverters. The proposed method deals with the case where an open-circuit fault occurs. To reduce the torque pulsations, the usual solution consists in supplying only the healthy star winding. Here, we propose to supply not only the healthy winding, but also the two remaining phases of the other star winding by the healthy legs of the faulty inverter. The stator current waveforms can be easily determined to minimize the copper losses while reducing the torque pulsations. Simulation and experimental results confirm the efficiency of the proposed method.
Metamemory and Depression in Cognitively Impaired Elders

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships of depression and health to the perceptions of memory capacity, change, locus, and strategy in cognitively impaired residents (N = 55) of nursing homes. All subjects had Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) scores between 15 and 23. Subjects generally bad low perceived health and mild depression. Pearson correlations between age and strategy (-31), depression and capacity (-.44), and depression and change (-.41) aspects of metamemory were statistically significant. Division of impaired residents of nursing homes into cognitive level groups (mild and severe impairment) indicated significant group differences in use of over-the-counter medications, total memory strategies, and internal strategies. Overall, the set of variables accountedfor 8% to 18% of the total variance in metamemory subscales.