Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Partial calcanectomy and Ilizarov external fixation may reduce amputation need in severe diabetic calcaneal ulcers

ABSTRACT Objective: The treatment of diabetic hindfoot ulcers is a challenging problem. In addition to serial surgical debridements, hyperbaric oxygen therapy and local wound care play important roles in the surgeon’s armamentarium, for both superficial infection and gangrene of the soft tissue, often complicated by osteomyelitis of the calcaneus. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of an aggressive approach from diagnosis to treatment of calcaneal osteomyelitis in foot-threatening diabetic calcaneal ulcers. Methods: The study included 23 patients with diabetic hindfoot ulcers who were treated with radical excision of the necrotic tissue and application of circular external fixation. The treatment protocol was a combination of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided debridement of the necrotic tissues and application of an Ilizarov external fixator in plantarflexion to decrease the soft-tissue defect. Primary outcome measures were total cure of infection and obvious healing of the osteomyelitis at 12 weeks determined by MRI, and clinical cure through objective assessment of the appearance of the wound. Results: The wounds healed in 18 of the 23 patients (78%), partial recovery occurred and subsequent flap operation was performed in three patients (13%), and below-the-knee amputation was performed in two patients (9%). Conclusions: This surgical protocol is effective in ameliorating diabetic hindfoot ulcers with concomitant calcaneal osteomyelitis, and satisfactorily reduces the need for amputation.
Recursive copy generation for multicast ATM switching

This paper describes the structure of a multicast asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switching node employing a recursive copy generation algorithm, based on a self-routing network with a limited copying capability and a few added elements. With the network generates only a few copies a time of an input multicast cell, the remaining are obtained by recycling the output copies to the corresponding inputs as many times as necessary. The proposed recursive copy generation is also suitable to dynamically include new destinations and to delete old ones. The performance of the proposed structure, that has been implemented in a test-bed prototype, is also evaluated in terms of throughput and delay, via computer simulation, showing a possible performance improvement for multicast traffic with respect to an equivalent unicast input traffic. The cell loss probability in such structure is also evaluated.
Maintenance of Dimer Conformation by the Dengue Virus Core Protein α4-α4′ Helix Pair Is Critical for Nucleocapsid Formation and Virus Production

ABSTRACT The virion of dengue virus (DENV) is composed of a viral envelope covering a nucleocapsid formed by a complex of viral genomic RNA and core protein (CP). DENV CP forms a dimer via the internal α2 and α4 helices of each monomer. Pairing of α2-α2′ creates a continuous hydrophobic surface, while the α4-α4′ helix pair joins the homodimer via side-chain interactions of the inner-edge residues. However, the importance of dimer conformation and the α4 helix of DENV CP in relation to its function are poorly understood. Loss of association between CP and lipid droplets (LDs) due to mutation suggests that the CP hydrophobic surface was not exposed, offering a possible explanation for the absence of dimers. Further assays suggest the connection between CP folding and protein stability. Attenuation of full-length RNA-derived virus production is associated with CP mutation, since no significant defects were detected in virus translation and replication. The in vitro characterization assays further highlighted that the α4-α4′ helix pair conformation is critical in preserving the overall α-helical content, thermostability, and dimer formation ability of CP, features correlated with the efficiency of nucleocapsid formation. Addition of Tween 20 improves in vitro nucleocapsid-like particle formation, suggesting the role of the LD in nucleocapsid formation in vivo. This study provides the first direct link between the α4-α4′ helix pair interaction and the CP dimer conformation that is the basis of CP function, particularly in nucleocapsid formation during virion production. IMPORTANCE Structure-based mutagenesis study of the dengue virus core protein (CP) reveals that the α4-α4′ helix pair is the key to maintaining its dimer conformation, which is the basis of CP function in nucleocapsid formation and virus production. Attenuation of full-length RNA-derived virus production is associated with CP mutation, since no significant defects in virus translation and replication were detected. In vitro inefficiency and size of nucleocapsid-like particle (NLP) formation offer a possible explanation for in vivo virus production inefficiency upon CP mutation. Further, the transition of NLP morphology from an incomplete state to an intact particle shown by α4-α4′ helix pair mutants in the presence of a nonionic detergent suggests the regulatory role of the intracellular lipid droplet (LD) in CP-LD interaction and in promoting nucleocapsid formation. This study provides the first direct link between the α4-α4′ helix pair interaction and CP dimer conformation that is the fundamental requirement of CP function, particularly in nucleocapsid formation during virion production.
Load distribution of an OpenFlow controller for role-based network access control

Network attacks have been coming from not only outside of an organization but also internal networks in recent years due to malware infected clients and malicious insiders. Therefore, a firewall on the network boundary is insufficient for preventing such attacks. To prevent the attacks, we have developed a network access control system using OpenFlow. The system monitors whole internal networks and performs access control on the basis of Role Based Access Control (RBAC) on OpenFlow architecture. In the system, however, one problem is that the controller may become a performance bottleneck of the system for large scale network, because the controller monitors and controls all traffics in the network. In this paper, we propose an architecture which evaluates RBAC rules at OpenFlow switch side for load distribution. Furthermore, we evaluate its feasibility and performance, and show that the architecture can reduce the size of dynamically distributed rules by 93% in an ideal case.
Coincident disruptive coloration

Even if an animal matches its surroundings perfectly in colour and texture, any mismatch between the spatial phase of its pattern and that of the background, or shadow created by its three-dimensional relief, is potentially revealing. Nevertheless, for camouflage to be fully broken, the shape must be recognizable. Disruptive coloration acts against object recognition by the use of high-contrast internal colour boundaries to break up shape and form. As well as the general outline, characteristic features such as eyes and limbs must also be concealed; this can be achieved by having the colour patterns on different, but adjacent, body parts aligned to match each other (i.e. in phase). Such ‘coincident disruptive coloration’ ensures that there is no phase disjunction where body parts meet, and causes different sections of the body to blend perceptually. We tested this theory using field experiments with predation by wild birds on artificial moth-like targets, whose wings and (edible pastry) bodies had colour patterns that were variously coincident or not. We also carried out an experiment with humans searching for analogous targets on a computer screen. Both experiments show that coincident disruptive coloration is an effective mechanism for concealing an otherwise revealing body form.
Comparative Cost-Effectiveness of Drugs in Early versus Late Stages of Cancer; Review of the Literature and a Case Study in Breast Cancer

Background Many oncological drugs that are being used in the adjuvant setting were first submitted for reimbursement in the metastatic stage, with differences in incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) in both settings having potential implications for reimbursement and pricing. The aim of this study is to identify a possible trend in the cost-effectiveness for the early/adjuvant and late/metastatic stages of oncological drugs through review and case study. Methods We reviewed pairs of cost-effectiveness analyses of the same oncological drug in different stages for Scotland and the Netherlands. The case study in this report was directed at trastuzumab in the Dutch situation. Using a simplified Markov model, the cost-effectiveness in early and late stage of breast cancer was calculated and compared to the findings from the review. Results Comparable studies were found for cetuximab, bortezomib and bosutinib. Treatments in the late stage were found to be more expensive per QALY by a factor ranging from 1.5 to 12. The case study provided a similar result; late stage treatment was more expensive by a factor 10. Using, for example, a threshold of €80,000/QALY, the early stage of cetuximab, bosutinib and trastuzumab are deemed cost-effective, while their compared late stage is lifted over the threshold and potentially considered not cost-effective. Conclusion ICERs of oncological drugs used in different stages are more unfavourable in the late stage than in the early stage. Applying a reasonable threshold may result in early stage treatment being deemed cost-effective while late stage potentially not. Authorities should be aware of this when assessing oncological drugs and interpreting the corresponding ICERs, in the situation where oncological drugs are generally most submitted for reimbursement in the late stage initially.
A Multilevel Approach to Explain Child Mortality and Undernutrition in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa

While undernutrition among children is very pervasive both in Sub- Saharan Africa and South Asia, child mortality is rather low in South Asia. In contrast to that Sub-Saharan African countries suffer by far the worst from high rates of child mortality. This different pattern of child mortality and undernutrition in both regions is well known, but approaches using aggregated macro data have not been able to explain it appropriately. In this paper we analyze the determinants of child mortality as well as child undernutrition based on DHS data sets for a sample of six developing countries in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. We investigate the effects of individual, household and cluster socioeconomic characteristics using a multilevel model approach and examine their respective influences on both phenomena. We find that the determinants of child mortality and undernutrition differ significantly from each other. Access to health infrastructure is more important for child mortality, whereas the individual characteristics like wealth and educational and nutritional characteristics of mothers play a larger role for anthropometric shortfalls. Although very similar patterns in the determinants of each phenomenon are discernable, there are large differences in the magnitude of the coefficients. Besides regressions using a combined data set of all six countries show, that there are still significant differences between the two regions although taking account of a large set of covariates.
Kinetic Parameters Identification of Double Pendulum Robot

The model structure of Double Pendulum Robot (DPR) has been built up with Lagrange equations. To reduce the difference between simulation control and real-time control, the kinetic parameters of Double pendulum robot (DPR) is accurately identified with proposed improved genetic algorithm (IGA) which integrated hybrid coding, hamming distance, orthogonal experiment, feedback mutation, and a specially designed fitness function. This improved genetic algorithm (IGA) overcome the shortcoming of traditional genetic algorithm, strengthen global and local searching capability, and get results more close to global optimal solution. Finally, the optimal results (kinetic parameter values) are applied to model, and make a contrast experiment of zero input response between searched optimal kinetic parameters and real kinetic parameters of DPR. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.11591/telkomnika.v11i3. 2174
PERSONAL ROBOTIC MOBILITY FOR THE ELDERLY

Personal aids for mobility and monitoring (PAMM), for the elderly are presented. The devices are intended to delay the transition from eldercare (assisted living) facilities to nursing homes. The robotic PAMMs provide support, guidance, and health monitoring. Issues of mobility, sensing, and control as well as experimental data from trials in an assisted living facility using both systems are presented.
Efficacy of glycine powder air-polishing combined with scaling and root planing in the treatment of periodontitis and halitosis: A randomised clinical study

Introduction This study was performed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of using the Perio-Flow device (Electro Medical Systems, Nyon, Switzerland) adjunctively with mechanical instrumentation on periodontal parameters and halitosis. Materials and Methods Sixty patients who presented with a 4- to 6-mm probing pocket depth were recruited for the study. Patients were randomly assigned to scaling and root planing (SRP) or SRP + glycine powder air-polishing (GPAP). For both groups, the plaque index, gingival index, pocket depth, bleeding on probing, and clinical attachment level scores were recorded at baseline and 1 month. Volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs) were measured by a Halimeter (Interscan Corp., Chatsworth, CA, USA) at baseline, immediately after treatment, and at 7, 14, and 30 days. Results Both groups showed significantly lower plaque index, gingival index, pocket depth, bleeding on probing, and clinical attachment level gain scores at 1 month than at baseline. No significant differences were found between the groups at any time point. The VSCs were significantly different at 1 month compared with baseline in both groups. However, the intergroup comparisons of VSCs were not statistically significant at any time point. Conclusion Within the limits of this study, SRP is effective for treatment of periodontitis and halitosis. However, using GPAP adjunctively with mechanical instrumentation has no beneficial effects on halitosis or periodontal parameters.
Anticonflict‐like effect of a prefrontal dopaminergic lesion in rats: permissive role of noradrenergic neurons

The effects of a prefrontal dopamine (DA) lesion were compared to those induced by a combined DA and noradrenaline (NA) lesion, to investigate the permissive role of prefrontal NA terminals in the anxiolytic-like effect of a prefrontal DA lesion. Lesions consisted of bilateral microinjections of 6-hydroxydopamine into the medial prefrontal cortex in rats either given desipramine (25 mg/kg) before surgery (DA lesion) or not pretreated with desipramine (combined DA and NA lesions). Three weeks post-surgery, water-restricted rats, given saline or diazepam (2 mg/kg), were subjected to a single session in the punished drinking test. Prefrontal DA lesions significantly increased punished drinking in saline-treated rats. This effect was not observed in rats with the dual prefrontal lesions. The ability of diazepam to increase punished drinking was not modified by either lesion. These data suggest that the integrity of NA afferents to the prefrontal cortex is necessary for the anxiolytic-like effect induced by the prefrontal DA lesion. The results also indicate that the effect of diazepam is not mediated by the prefrontal catecholamine afferents.
The localised corrosion associated with individual second phase particles in AA7075‐T6: A study by SEM, EDX, AES, SKPFM and FIB‐SEM

To investigate the role of intermetallic particles in the localised corrosion of AA7075‐T6, three particles were monitored over 16 h immersion in 3.5 wt% KCl solution. These were examined using Auger electron spectroscopy, energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy and focused ion beam‐scanning electron microscopy. Despite similar Volta potential measurements, the corrosion microchemistry varied significantly with composition. A Al7Cu2Fe intermetallic resulted in trenching while a (Al,Cu)6(Fe,Cu) intermetallic showed crevice corrosion and sub‐surface intergranular corrosion and a Al12Fe3Si intermetallic appeared to be galvanically inactive but showed crevice formation at the matrix interface and sub‐surface intergranular corrosion.
Molecular Composition of IMP1 Ribonucleoprotein Granules*S

Localized mRNAs are transported to sites of local protein synthesis in large ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granules, but their molecular composition is incompletely understood. Insulin-like growth factor II mRNA-binding protein (IMP) zip code-binding proteins participate in mRNA localization, and in motile cells IMP-containing granules are dispersed around the nucleus and in cellular protrusions. We isolated the IMP1-containing RNP granules and found that they represent a unique RNP entity distinct from neuronal hStaufen and/or fragile X mental retardation protein granules, processing bodies, and stress granules. Granules were 100–300 nm in diameter and consisted of IMPs, 40 S ribosomal subunits, shuttling heterologous nuclear RNPs, poly(A)-binding proteins, and mRNAs. Moreover granules contained CBP80 and factors belonging to the exon junction complex and lacked eIF4E, eIF4G, and 60 S ribosomal subunits, indicating that embodied mRNAs are not translated. Granules embodied mRNAs corresponding to about 3% of the human embryonic kidney 293 mRNA transcriptome. Messenger RNAs encoding proteins participating in the secretory pathway and endoplasmic reticulum-associated quality control, as well as ubiquitin-dependent metabolism, were enriched in the granules, reinforcing the concept of RNP granules as post-transcriptional operons.
Specific Chemical Reactivities of Spatially Separated 3-Aminophenol Conformers with Cold Ca+ Ions

Reactive Conformations Most molecules manifest a fair amount of flexibility at room temperature, in particular through interconversion of rotational conformers—structures that differ by the relative orientation of groups on either side of a single covalent bond. Chang et al. (p. 98; see the Perspective by Heaven) devised a method to explore the comparative reactivities of different conformers. A mixture of the conformers was prepared in a molecular beam cold enough to preclude interconversion; then an electric field was used to push the different conformers apart, spatially resolving subsequent collisional interactions with a target of trapped ions. A molecular beam technique measures the different reactivities of a compound’s distinct rotational conformations. [Also see Perspective by Heaven] Many molecules exhibit multiple rotational isomers (conformers) that interconvert thermally and are difficult to isolate. Consequently, a precise characterization of their role in chemical reactions has proven challenging. We have probed the reactivity of specific conformers by using an experimental technique based on their spatial separation in a molecular beam by electrostatic deflection. The separated conformers react with a target of Coulomb-crystallized ions in a trap. In the reaction of Ca+ with 3-aminophenol, we find a twofold larger rate constant for the cis compared with the trans conformer (differentiated by the O–H bond orientation). This result is explained by conformer-specific differences in the long-range ion-molecule interaction potentials. Our approach demonstrates the possibility of controlling reactivity through selection of conformational states.
Varietal hypercube-a new interconnection network topology for large scale multicomputer

The paper proposes a new interconnection network topology, called varietal hypercube for large scale multicomputer systems. An n-dimensional varietal hypercube is constructed by two (n-1)-dimensional varietal hypercubes in a way similar to that for the hypercube except for some minor modifications. The resulting network has the same number of nodes and links as the hypercube, and has most of the desirable properties of the hypercube, including recursive structure, partionability, strong connectivity, and the ability to embed other architectures such as ring and mesh. The diameter of the varietal hypercube is about two thirds of the diameter of the hypercube. The average distance of the varietal hypercube is also smaller than that of the hypercube. Optimal routing and broadcasting algorithms which guarantee the shortest path communication are developed. Comparisons with other variations of the hypercube, such as twisted cube, folded hypercube, and crossed cube, are also included.
Spatial properties of astrocyte gap junction coupling in the rat hippocampus

Gap junction coupling enables astrocytes to form large networks. Its strength determines how easily a signalling molecule diffuses through the network and how far a locally initiated signal can spread. Changes of coupling strength are well-documented during development and in response to various stimuli. Precise quantification of coupling is needed for studying such modifications and their functional consequences. We therefore explored spatial properties of astrocyte coupling in a model simulating dye loading of single astrocytes. Dye spread into the astrocyte network could be characterized by a coupling length constant and coupling anisotropy. In experiments, the fluorescent marker Alexa Fluor 594 was used to measure these parameters in CA1 and dentate gyrus of the rat hippocampus. Coupling did not differ between regions but showed a temperature-dependence, partially owing to changes of intracellular diffusivity, detected by measuring coupling length constants but not the more variable cell counts of dye-coupled astrocytes. We further found that coupling is anisotropic depending on distance to the pyramidal cell layer, which correlated with regional differences of astrocyte morphology. This demonstrates that applying these new analytical approaches provides useful quantitative information on gap junction coupling and its heterogeneity.
Polymer for Android

Building on the Polymer system designed by Bauer, Ligatti and Walker, which allowed enforcing user-defined security policies on single-threaded Java applications, this research extends Polymer to enforce policies on multiple applications, possibly distributed across several hosts. Using Android as a case study, we adapted Polymer to equip each app with a monitor, and we added communication capability and central storage so that monitors can regulate interactions between apps and make decisions based on their shared state. Our central storage design also includes load-linked and store-conditional operations to support synchronization of parallel updates, and each communication module is accompanied by a non-circumvention policy designed to protect the integrity, authenticity and confidentiality properties of the channel. The non-circumvention policy can be composed with user-defined policies that involve two or more apps. To demonstrate the efficacy of the system, we implemented and tested three policies: the first prevents apps from making background calls caused by confused deputy attacks or collusion attacks; the second disallows sending background SMS messages exceeding a specified quota, and the third enforces a specified device location sampling rate among all apps on the device.