Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Muranga Teleophthalmology Study: Comparison of Virtual (Teleglaucoma) with in-Person Clinical Assessment to Diagnose Glaucoma

Purpose: While the effectiveness of teleophthalmology is generally accepted, its ability to diagnose glaucomatous eye disease remains relatively unknown. This study aimed to compare a web-based teleophthalmology assessment with clinical slit lamp examination to screen for glaucoma among diabetics in a rural African district. Materials and Methods: Three hundred and nine diabetic patients underwent both the clinical slit lamp examination by a comprehensive ophthalmologist and teleglaucoma (TG) assessment by a glaucoma subspecialist. Both assessments were compared for any focal glaucoma damage; for TG, the quality of photographs was assessed, and vertical cup-to-disk ratio (VCDR) was calculated in a semi-automated manner. In patients with VCDR > 0.7, the diagnostic precision of the Frequency Doubling Technology (FDT) C-20 screening program was assessed. Results: Of 309 TG assessment photos, 74 (24%) were deemed unreadable due to media opacities, patient cooperation, and unsatisfactory photographic technique. While the identification of individual optic nerve factors showed either fair or moderate agreement, the ability to diagnose glaucoma based on the overall assessment showed moderate agreement (Kappa [κ] statistic 0.55% and 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.48-0.62). The use of FDT to detect glaucoma in the presence of disc damage (VCDR > 0.7) showed substantial agreement (κ statistic of 0.84 and 95% CI 0.79-0.90). A positive TG diagnosis of glaucoma carried a 77.5% positive predictive value, and a negative TG diagnosis carried an 82.2% negative predicative value relative to the clinical slit lamp examination. Conclusion: There was moderate agreement between the ability to diagnose glaucoma using TG relative to clinical slit lamp examination. Poor quality photographs can severely limit the ability of TG assessment to diagnose optic nerve damage and glaucoma. Although further work and validation is needed, the TG approach provides a novel, and promising method to diagnose glaucoma, a major cause of ocular morbidity throughout the world.
Simultaneous chromatic and luminance human electroretinogram responses

• It has recently been shown that, with careful control over stimulation, the electroretinogram (ERG) can reflect the properties of the post‐receptoral parvocellular (P) and magnocellular (M) pathways, which are thought of as the respective substrates for red–green colour and luminance vision. • Using a novel compound stimulus, which contains red–green colour information at the fundamental frequency and luminance information at the second harmonic, we were able to simultaneously record colour and luminance ERGs. • In trichromats, the temporal tuning curves of these components reflected the known properties of the P and M systems, whereas the dichromats showed negligible chromatic response but a normal achromatic response. • Parallel retinal processing that is relevant for vision can be reflected in the ERG.
A novel cryptochrome in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum influences the regulation of light‐harvesting protein levels

Diatoms possess several genes for proteins of the cryptochrome/photolyase family. A typical sequence for a plant cryptochrome was not found in our analysis of the Phaeodactylum tricornutum genome, but one protein grouped with higher plant and green algal cryptochromes. This protein, CryP, binds FAD and 5,10‐methenyltetrahydrofolate, according to our spectroscopic studies on heterologously expressed protein. 5,10‐Methenyltetrahydrofolate binding is a feature common to both cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer photolyases and DASH cryptochromes. In recombinant CryP, however, the FAD chromophore was present in its neutral radical state and had a red‐shifted absorption maximum at 637 nm, which is more characteristic for a DASH cryptochrome than a cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer photolyase. Upon illumination with blue light, the fully reduced state of FAD was formed in the presence of reductant. Expression of CryP was silenced by antisense approaches, and the resulting cell lines showed increased levels of proteins of light‐harvesting complexes, the Lhcf proteins, in vivo. In contrast, the levels of proteins active in light protection, the Lhcx proteins, were reduced. Thus, CryP cannot be directly grouped with known members of the cryptochrome/photolyase family. Of all P. tricornutum proteins, it is the most similar in sequence to a plant cryptochrome, and is involved in the regulation of light‐harvesting protein expression, but shows spectroscopic features and a chromophore composition that are most typical of a DASH cryptochrome.
Mortality from Parkinson disease.

BACKGROUND Levodopa therapy for Parkinson disease (PD) has improved quality of life, but mortality rates remain high. Although the presence of dementia and severity of extrapyramidal signs (EPSs) influence morbidity in PD, it is not known whether these manifestations contribute to mortality. METHODS Patients with PD were compared with nondemented and demented elderly subjects. Each underwent annual neurological and neuropsychological examinations. Dementia was diagnosed by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition, Revised criteria, and EPSs were rated with the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale. Survival rates were compared using Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS The risk of mortality, when compared with nondemented elderly subjects, was highest among those with both PD and dementia (rate ratio, 4.9; 95% confidence interval, 3.4-7.1), but also was elevated in patients with PD only (rate ratio, 2.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.7-4.4). Dementia in the absence of PD also was associated with an increased risk of mortality (rate ratio, 1.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-2.3). A high baseline total EPS score was associated with significantly earlier mortality. CONCLUSIONS Compared with nondemented elderly people in the same community, patients with PD have a 2- to 5-fold increased risk of mortality. The risk is strongly related to the presence of severe EPSs, especially bradykinesia. Despite the introduction of levodopa and other advances in the treatment of PD, these factors greatly increase mortality.
Hemagglutinin Protein of Wild-Type Measles Virus Activates Toll-Like Receptor 2 Signaling

ABSTRACT Pattern recognition via Toll-like receptors (TLR) by antigen-presenting cells is an important element of innate immunity. We report that wild-type measles virus but not vaccine strains activate cells via both human and murine TLR2, and this is a property of the hemagglutinin (H) protein. The ability to activate cells via TLR2 by wild-type MV H protein is abolished by mutation of a single amino acid, asparagine at position 481 to tyrosine, as is found in attenuated strains, which is important for interaction with CD46, the receptor for these strains. TLR2 activation by MV wild-type H protein stimulates induction of proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) in human monocytic cells and surface expression of CD150, the receptor for all MV strains. Confirming the specificity of this interaction, wild-type H protein did not induce IL-6 release in macrophages from TLR2−/− mice. Thus, the unique property of MV wild-type strains to activate TLR2-dependent signals might essentially contribute not only to immune activation but also to viral spread and pathogenicity by upregulating the MV receptor on monocytes.
Universality of citation distributions: Toward an objective measure of scientific impact

We study the distributions of citations received by a single publication within several disciplines, spanning broad areas of science. We show that the probability that an article is cited c times has large variations between different disciplines, but all distributions are rescaled on a universal curve when the relative indicator cf = c/c0 is considered, where c0 is the average number of citations per article for the discipline. In addition we show that the same universal behavior occurs when citation distributions of articles published in the same field, but in different years, are compared. These findings provide a strong validation of cf as an unbiased indicator for citation performance across disciplines and years. Based on this indicator, we introduce a generalization of the h index suitable for comparing scientists working in different fields.
Appendicitis after laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy—coincidence or complication

Diagnosis of appendicitis, particularly in young women, may be challenging. In case of abdominal pain in the postoperative period of laparoscopic surgery, one should not only think of complications such as bleeding and injury of the bowel but also such as acute appendicitis. We report a case of a 26-year-old female patient with a post-laparoscopic acute appendicitis with appendicolithiasis 3 days after a laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy during which the appendix appeared inconspicuous. Appendicitis after gynecologic laparoscopy is a rare but potentially dangerous condition. One should consider the possibility of a postoperative appendicitis in case of an acute abdomen after laparoscopic surgery. Further studies might be of value to re-evaluate incidental appendectomy especially in cases of appendicolithiasis.
Relevance and ranking in online dating systems

Match-making systems refer to systems where users want to meet other individuals to satisfy some underlying need. Examples of match-making systems include dating services, resume/job bulletin boards, community based question answering, and consumer-to-consumer marketplaces. One fundamental component of a match-making system is the retrieval and ranking of candidate matches for a given user. We present the first in-depth study of information retrieval approaches applied to match-making systems. Specifically, we focus on retrieval for a dating service. This domain offers several unique problems not found in traditional information retrieval tasks. These include two-sided relevance, very subjective relevance, extremely few relevant matches, and structured queries. We propose a machine learned ranking function that makes use of features extracted from the uniquely rich user profiles that consist of both structured and unstructured attributes. An extensive evaluation carried out using data gathered from a real online dating service shows the benefits of our proposed methodology with respect to traditional match-making baseline systems. Our analysis also provides deep insights into the aspects of match-making that are particularly important for producing highly relevant matches.
Risk factors following first spontaneous epileptic seizure in children below 3 years of age

ABSTRACT Aim of the study: To assess the recurrence rate after the first spontaneous epileptic seizure in pediatric patients, and determine the related risk factors. Materials and Methods: Data from 190 infants (aged between one month and three years) admitted after first spontaneous epileptic seizure to Soochow University Affiliated Children's Hospital between April 2009 and April 2011 were retrospectively analyzed; patients were followed up until April 2014. The recurrence rate and risk factors of recurrence were analyzed based on central nervous system imaging data (computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging), electroencephalogram (EEG) and developmental quotient assessment. Results: Of the 190 infants, 11 cases (5.79%) were lost to follow-up. The cumulative recurrence rate of spontaneous epileptic seizure after five years was 52%. A total of 82% recurrence cases occurred within the first year. Age > 24 months (odds ratio (OR) = 0.498༌95% confidence interval (CI): 0.285–0.869) was an independent protective factor, while symptomatic seizure (OR = 1.624, 95% CI: 1.020–2.587), seizure during sleep (OR = 2.779, 95% CI: 1.757–4.397) and epileptic discharge in EEG (OR=3.269, 95% CI: 2.049–5.217) were independent risk factors. Conclusion: Recurrence rate is high in infants after the first spontaneous epileptic seizure, and recurrence is more likely to occur within one year.
Application possibilities of the mesulam continuous performance test as a diagnostic screening device for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has been researched for many years from many diverse perspectives. This multidisciplinary interest in the disorder has resulted in diverse and often contrasting theories regarding its aetiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Unfortunately this has led often to inadequate diagnostic and intervention practices. The aim of this research was to determine whether the Mesulam Continuous Performance Test could be applied as a user-friendly, but reliable, diagnostic screening device in the process of identifying children with ADHD. A sample consisting of a diagnosed group of ADHD learners and a control group of non-diagnosed learners was drawn from the 6-10 year old learner population of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Area. Both groups were subjected to the Mesulam Continuous Performance Test. Statistical analysis of the results yielded the following conclusions: the test discriminated effectively between ADHD and non-ADHD learners and the test can be used as a reliable diagnostic screening device during the process of identifying ADHD learners.
Losartan, an AT1 Antagonist, Prevents Aortic Aneurysm in a Mouse Model of Marfan Syndrome

Aortic aneurysm and dissection are manifestations of Marfan syndrome (MFS), a disorder caused by mutations in the gene that encodes fibrillin-1. Selected manifestations of MFS reflect excessive signaling by the transforming growth factor–β (TGF-β) family of cytokines. We show that aortic aneurysm in a mouse model of MFS is associated with increased TGF-β signaling and can be prevented by TGF-β antagonists such as TGF-β–neutralizing antibody or the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1) blocker, losartan. AT1 antagonism also partially reversed noncardiovascular manifestations of MFS, including impaired alveolar septation. These data suggest that losartan, a drug already in clinical use for hypertension, merits investigation as a therapeutic strategy for patients with MFS and has the potential to prevent the major life-threatening manifestation of this disorder.
Touch typing using thumbs: understanding the effect of mobility and hand posture

Mobile touch devices have become increasingly popular, yet typing on virtual keyboards whilst walking is still an overwhelming task. In this paper we analyze; firstly, the negative effect of walking on text-input performance, particularly the users' main difficulties and error patterns. We focused our research on thumb typing, since this is a commonly used technique to interact with touch interfaces. Secondly, we analyze how these effects can be compensated by two-hand interaction and increasing target size. We asked 22 participants to input text under three mobility conditions (seated, slow walking, and normal walking) and three hand conditions (one-hand/portrait, two-hand/portrait, and two-hand/landscape). Results show that independently of hand condition, mobility significantly decreased input quality, leading to specific error patterns. Moreover, it was shown that target size can compensate the negative effect of walking, while two-hand interaction does not provide additional stability or input accuracy. We finish with implications for future designs.
Visual factors in reading

Visual factors are often ignored in theoretical accounts of reading and overlooked in the classroom. This article reviews recent research on the role of vision in reading, focusing mainly on cognitive processes involved in word recognition and scanning text, the impact of anomalies of the visual system, and the identification and treatment of visual stress in reading. These different lines of research all converge on the key role of practice in text reading, which is essential to discipline eye movements, to attain fluency in decoding and to provide a sound basis for competent reading comprehension. Visual factors that can disrupt such practice will inevitably hinder the development of skilled reading and consequently vigilance by teachers and educational psychologists is necessary to spot visual problems and initiate effective solutions.
Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio predicts prostatic carcinoma in men undergoing needle biopsy

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), a simple marker of systemic inflammatory response, has been demonstrated as an independent prognosticator for some solid malignancies, including prostate cancer. In the present study, we evaluated the role of NLR in men who underwent prostate needle biopsy for their initial diagnosis of prostatic carcinoma. Both complete blood counts and free/total (F/T) prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ratio were examined in a total of 3,011 men in our institution. Of these, 1,207 had a PSA level between 4 and 10 ng/mL, and 357 of 810 who subsequently underwent prostate needle biopsy were found to have prostatic adenocarcinoma. NLR value was significantly higher in men with PSA of ≥ 20 ng/mL than in those with PSA of < 20 ng/mL (p < 0.001). NLR was also significantly higher in men with positive biopsy than in those with negative biopsy (p < 0.001). Using NLR cut-off point of 2.40 determined by the AUROC curve, positive/negative predictive values of NLR alone and NLR combined with F/T PSA ratio (cut-off: 0.15) were 56.6%/60.8% and 80.7%/60.1%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that not only F/T PSA ratio (HR = 3.13) but also NLR (HR = 2.21) was an independent risk factor for prostate cancer. NLR is thus likely elevated in patients with prostate cancer. Accordingly, NLR, with or without combination with F/T PSA ratio, may function as a new biomarker to predict prostate cancer in men undergoing prostate needle biopsy.
Stable tending control of complex power systems - an example of localized design of power system stabilizers

The phase compensation method was proposed based on the concept of the damping torque analysis (DTA). It is a method for the design of a PSS (power system stabilizer) to suppress local-mode power oscillations in a single-machine infinite-bus power system. This paper presents the application of the phase compensation method for the design of a PSS in a multi-machine power system. The application is achieved by examining the direct damping contribution of the stabilizer to the power oscillations. By using linearized equal area criterion, a theoretical proof to the application for the PSS design is presented. Hence PSS design in the paper is an example of stable tending control by localized method.
A Hybrid Optimized Algorithm Based on Simplex Method and Genetic Algorithm

Based on the simplex method and real-code genetic algorithm, a hybrid computational algorithm has been presented in this paper. In this hybrid genetic algorithm some improved genetic mechanisms, for example non-linear ranking selection, improved crossover operation combining the differential computation with arithmetic crossover and non-uniform mutation operation, are also adopted to overcome the slow convergence and premature problem in the simple genetic algorithm. The experimental results show that the new algorithm not only improves the global optimization performance, but also quickens the convergence speed and obtains robust results with good quality, which indicates this new algorithm is a promising approach for solving global optimization problems
Preclinical Efficacy for AKT Targeting in Clear Cell Carcinoma of the Ovary

The aim of this study was to determine the role of AKT as a therapeutic target in ovarian clear cell carcinoma (CCC), an aggressive, chemoresistant histologic subtype of ovarian cancer. AKT activation was assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) using human tissue microarrays of primary ovarian cancers, composed of both CCC and serous adenocarcinoma (SAC). The growth-inhibitory effect of AKT-specific targeting by the small-molecule inhibitor, perifosine, was examined using ovarian CCC cell lines in vitro and in vivo. Finally, the activity of perifosine was examined using in CCC-derived tumors that had acquired resistance to anti-VEGF or chemotherapeutics such as bevacizumab or cisplatin, respectively. Interestingly, AKT was frequently activated both in early-stage and advanced-stage CCCs. Treatment of CCC cells with perifosine attenuated the activity of AKT–mTORC1 signaling, inhibited proliferation, and induced apoptosis. The effect of perifosine was more profound under conditions of high AKT activity compared with low AKT activity. Increased AKT activation and enhanced sensitivity to perifosine were observed in the context of cisplatin-resistant CCC. Treatment with perifosine concurrently with cisplatin significantly enhanced the antitumor effect of cisplatin. Moreover, perifosine showed significant antitumor activity in CCC-derived tumors that had acquired resistance to bevacizumab or cisplatin. Collectively, these data reveal that AKT is frequently activated in ovarian CCCs and is a promising therapeutic target in aggressive forms of ovarian cancer. Implications: AKT-targeted therapy has value in a first-line setting as well as a second-line treatment for recurrent disease developing after platinum-based chemotherapy or bevacizumab treatment. Mol Cancer Res; 13(4); 795–806. ©2014 AACR.
Mining episode rules in STULONG dataset

This paper is concerned with the STULONG 1 dataset, one of the data collections available for the PKDD Discovery Challenge 2004. This dataset is the result of a twenty-year longitudinal study of risk factors related to atherosclerosis in a population of 1417 middle-aged men. What are the relations between risk factors and clinical demonstration of atherosclerosis? And what are the time intervals over which these relations are valid? To handle such issues, only one approach has been proposed so far in data mining literature: to perform several extractions of sequential patterns in order to test the various possible time intervals. This solution is clearly time consuming, and does not provide any information about reliability of time windows w.r. t. the extracted patterns. In this paper, we propose to mine the STULONG dataset with a new algorithm, WinMiner, that had been recently proposed in [10]. WinMiner provides a single optimized way to find sequential patterns along with their optimal time intervals. Results we obtained are encouraging and provide precious additional information for physicians.
A Hybrid Emotion Recognition on Android Smart Phones

Awareness of emotion status of people is fairly important for aged ones, the ones with sub-health status, and various patients in order to keep them in good mood. The emotion recognition at run time is intrinsically challenging due to its complexity nature. On the one hand, the awareness of human emotion should be achieved as non-intrusive as possible. On the other hand, the android smart phones on the market are increasingly popular which are equipped with various sensors that can be used to achieve the awareness of emotion status. In this paper, we propose an approach based on the heart beat rate and contents of user's talk, which are obtained from built-in camera and microphone on smart phones. We first classify anger, joy, normal, and sadness based on heart rates, then the emotion recognition is further improved by emotional key words in a talk. We have evaluated this approach in terms of recognition accuracy and power consumption found that the accuracy can achieve 84.7%.