Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Amniotic membrane transplantation in the human eye.

BACKGROUND Amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) has a long tradition in ophthalmic surgery and has become very popular recently because of newly developed methods of tissue preservation. METHODS We selectively review the literature on recent developments, mechanisms of action, and established indications of AMT in the treatment of various diseases of the ocular surface. We searched the PubMed database for articles that appeared from 1994 to 2009 with the key words "amniotic membrane," "cornea," and/or "conjunctiva. " RESULTS Amniotic membrane (AM) can function in the eye as a basement membrane substitute or as a temporary graft. It has anti-inflammatory and anti-scarring effects and contains growth factors that promote epithelial wound healing on the surface of the eye. AMT has been found to be a good alternative for corneal and conjunctival reconstruction in many clinical situations, including acute burns, persistent epithelial defects of the cornea, and diseases that cause conjunctival scarring. Nonetheless, there have been no more than a few randomized and controlled trials of AMT to date. Other studies have shown that AM can serve as a culture substrate to expand epithelial progenitor cells for use in ocular surface reconstruction. CONCLUSION AMT is an established technique in the treatment of various diseases of the external eye. In the last few years, AMT has brought about major advances in the reconstructive surgery of the ocular surface.
Diffusive Silicon Nanopore Membranes for Hemodialysis Applications

Hemodialysis using hollow-fiber membranes provides life-sustaining treatment for nearly 2 million patients worldwide with end stage renal disease (ESRD). However, patients on hemodialysis have worse long-term outcomes compared to kidney transplant or other chronic illnesses. Additionally, the underlying membrane technology of polymer hollow-fiber membranes has not fundamentally changed in over four decades. Therefore, we have proposed a fundamentally different approach using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) fabrication techniques to create thin-flat sheets of silicon-based membranes for implantable or portable hemodialysis applications. The silicon nanopore membranes (SNM) have biomimetic slit-pore geometry and uniform pores size distribution that allow for exceptional permeability and selectivity. A quantitative diffusion model identified structural limits to diffusive solute transport and motivated a new microfabrication technique to create SNM with enhanced diffusive transport. We performed in vitro testing and extracorporeal testing in pigs on prototype membranes with an effective surface area of 2.52 cm2 and 2.02 cm2, respectively. The diffusive clearance was a two-fold improvement in with the new microfabrication technique and was consistent with our mathematical model. These results establish the feasibility of using SNM for hemodialysis applications with additional scale-up.
Nestin- and Doublecortin-Positive Cells Reside in Adult Spinal Cord Meninges and Participate in Injury-Induced Parenchymal Reaction

Adult spinal cord has little regenerative potential, thus limiting patient recovery following injury. In this study, we describe a new population of cells resident in the adult rat spinal cord meninges that express the neural stem/precursor markers nestin and doublecortin. Furthermore, from dissociated meningeal tissue a neural stem cell population was cultured in vitro and subsequently shown to differentiate into functional neurons or mature oligodendrocytes. Proliferation rate and number of nestin‐ and doublecortin‐positive cells increased in vivo in meninges following spinal cord injury. By using a lentivirus‐labeling approach, we show that meningeal cells, including nestin‐ and doublecortin‐positive cells, migrate in the spinal cord parenchyma and contribute to the glial scar formation. Our data emphasize the multiple roles of meninges in the reaction of the parenchyma to trauma and indicate for the first time that spinal cord meninges are potential niches harboring stem/precursor cells that can be activated by injury. Meninges may be considered as a new source of adult stem/precursor cells to be further tested for use in regenerative medicine applied to neurological disorders, including repair from spinal cord injury. STEM CELLS 2011;29:2062–2076.
Expression of a Novel D4 Dopamine Receptor in the Lamprey Brain. Evolutionary Considerations about Dopamine Receptors

Numerous data reported in lampreys, which belong to the phylogenetically oldest branch of vertebrates, show that the dopaminergic system was already well developed at the dawn of vertebrate evolution. The expression of dopamine in the lamprey brain is well conserved when compared to other vertebrates, and this is also true for the D2 receptor. Additionally, the key role of dopamine in the striatum, modulating the excitability in the direct and indirect pathways through the D1 and D2 receptors, has also been recently reported in these animals. The moment of divergence regarding the two whole genome duplications occurred in vertebrates suggests that additional receptors, apart from the D1 and D2 previously reported, could be present in lampreys. We used in situ hybridization to characterize the expression of a novel dopamine receptor, which we have identified as a D4 receptor according to the phylogenetic analysis. The D4 receptor shows in the sea lamprey a more restricted expression pattern than the D2 subtype, as reported in mammals. Its main expression areas are the striatum, lateral and ventral pallial sectors, several hypothalamic regions, habenula, and mesencephalic and rhombencephalic motoneurons. Some expression areas are well conserved through vertebrate evolution, as is the case of the striatum or the habenula, but the controversies regarding the D4 receptor expression in other vertebrates hampers for a complete comparison, especially in rhombencephalic regions. Our results further support that the dopaminergic system in vertebrates is well conserved and suggest that at least some functions of the D4 receptor were already present before the divergence of lampreys.
Analyses of orthogonal and non-orthogonal steering vectors at millimeter wave systems

Beamforming is one of the most challenging problems for millimeter wave communication. With limited codebook size, how to design the steering angles to compensate angles of arrival and departure (AoAs/AoDs) is essential to beamforming performance. Typically, two categories of steering vector sets are commonly used. One is orthogonal steering vector set where the spatial frequency indices of the steering angles are uniformly distributed in spatial frequency domain. The other one is non-orthogonal steering vector set where the steering angles are uniformly distributed in angle domain. In this paper, analyses of these two designs are presented. Due to the fact that beamwidth are constant with respect to different spatial frequency indices in spatial frequency domain, if the spatial frequency indices are uniformly distributed, one has the smallest deviation of the beamforming gain. Since the orthogonal steering vectors satisfy this condition that spatial frequency indices are uniformly distributed, they can achieve higher data rates than the non-orthogonal ones when the AoAs are uniformly distributed over (-π/2, π/2).
Measuring the non-thermal pressure in early-type galaxy atmospheres: a comparison of X-ray and optical potential profiles in M87 and NGC 1399

We compare the gravitational potential profiles of the elliptical galaxies NGC 4486 (M87) and NGC 1399 (the central galaxy in the Fornax cluster) derived from X-ray and optical data. This comparison suggests that the combined contribution of cosmic rays, magnetic fields and microturbulence to the pressure is ∼10 per cent of the gas thermal pressure in the cores of NGC 1399 and M87, although the uncertainties in our model assumptions (e.g. spherical symmetry) are sufficiently large that the contribution could be consistent with zero. In the absence of any other form of non-thermal pressure support, these upper bounds translate into upper limits on the magnetic field of ∼10–20 μG at a distance of 1–2 arcmin from the centers of NGC 1399 and M87. We show that these results are consistent with the current paradigm of cool cluster cores, based on the assumption that active galactic nuclei regulate the thermal state of the gas by injecting energy into the intracluster medium. The limit of ∼10–20 per cent on the energy density in the form of relativistic protons applies not only to the current state of the gas, but also essentially to the entire history of the intracluster medium, provided that cosmic ray protons evolve adiabatically and that their spatial diffusion is suppressed.
Performance Degradation in the Presence of Subnormal Floating-Point Values

Operating system interference in parallel programs can cause tremendous performance degradation. This paper discusses the interference caused by the quiet generation of subnormal floating point values. We analyze the performance impact of subnormal values in a parallel simulation of a stress wave propagating through a three dimensional bar. The floating-point exception handling mechanisms of various parallel architectures and operating systems lead to widely differing performance for the same program. We show that a parallel program will exhibit greatly amplified performance degredation due to this interference. In addition we provide an simple example program that demonstrates underflow on a single processor. Finally we suggest a novel option for fixing these undesired slowdowns.
Plasma cortisol concentrations preceding lactate-induced panic. Psychological, biochemical, and physiological correlates.

BACKGROUND We evaluated the role of plasma cortisol levels in determining sodium lactate-induced panic by reporting psychological, physiological, and biochemical data collected from an extended sample of 214 subjects during the "placebo" infusion (isotonic saline solution) immediately preceding the lactate infusion procedure. METHODS One hundred seventy patients with panic disorder, 101 (59%) of whom were assessed to have panicked (P group), and 69 (41%) who were assessed not to have panicked (NP group) with lactate infusion; and 44 normal healthy volunteer controls (1 of whom panicked with lactate infusion) were studied. RESULTS Before the lactate infusion, the P group exhibited hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation (high plasma cortisol levels) and evidence of hyperventilation (low PCO2 levels) in comparison with NP and control groups. Self-reported fear, dyspnea, and diastolic blood pressure were highest in the P group, intermediate in the NP group, and lowest in the control group. Within the P group, baseline fear scores correlated inversely with PCO2 levels and positively with cortisol levels while PCO2 levels correlated negatively with cortisol levels. Significant predictors of lactate-induced panic were prelactate infusion fear and the interaction of high cortisol levels and low PCO2 levels. CONCLUSION Combined data suggest that synchronized elevations of HPA axis activity, self-reported fear, and hyperventilation during the period before lactate infusion predisposes to lactate-induced panic.
Melanization of Cryptococcus neoformans and Histoplasma capsulatum Reduces Their Susceptibilities to Amphotericin B and Caspofungin

ABSTRACT The fungal pathogens Cryptococcus neoformans and Histoplasma capsulatum produce melanin-like pigments in the presence of l-dopa in vitro and during mammalian infection. We investigated whether melanization affected the susceptibilities of the fungi to amphotericin B, caspofungin, fluconazole, itraconazole, or flucytosine (5FC). Using the standard macrodilution MIC protocol (the M27A protocol) of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards for yeast, we found no difference in the susceptibilities of melanized and nonmelanized C. neoformans and H. capsulatum isolates. Killing assays demonstrated that melanization reduced the susceptibilities of both fungi to amphotericin B and caspofungin. Laccase-deficient C. neoformans cells grown with l-dopa were significantly more susceptible than congenic melanin-producing yeast to killing by amphotericin B or caspofungin. Preincubation of amphotericin B or caspofungin with melanins decreased their antifungal activities. Elemental analysis of melanins incubated with amphotericin B or caspofungin revealed an alteration in the C:N ratios of the melanins, which indicated binding of these drugs by the melanins. In contrast, incubation of fluconazole, itraconazole, or 5FC with melanins did not significantly affect the antifungal efficacies of the drugs or the chemical composition of the melanins. The results suggest a potential explanation for the inefficacy of caspofungin against C. neoformans in vivo, despite activity in vitro. Furthermore, the results indicate that fungal melanins protect C. neoformans and H. capsulatum from the activities of amphotericin B and caspofungin and that this protection is not demonstrable by standard broth macrodilution assays.
Combining Lagrangian Decomposition with Very Large Scale Neighborhood Search for Capacitated Connected Facility Location

We consider a generalized version of the rooted Connected Facility Location problem (ConFL) which occurs when extending existing communication networks in order to increase the available bandwidth for customers. In addition to choosing facilities to open and connecting them by a Steiner tree as in the classic ConFL, we have to select a subset of all potential customers and assign them to open facilities respecting given capacity constraints in order to maximize profit. We present two exact mixed integer programming formulations and a Lagrangian decomposition (LD) based approach which uses the volume algorithm. Feasible solutions are derived using a Lagrangian heuristic. Furthermore, we present two hybrid variants combining LD with local search and a very large scale neighborhood search. By applying those improvement methods only to the most promising solutions, we are able to compute much better solutions without increasing the necessary runtime too much. As documented by our computational results, our hybrid approaches compute high quality solutions with tight optimality gaps in relatively short time.
WHAT DRIVES EFFICIENCY ON THE GHANAIAN COCOA FARM ?

This paper investigates the determinants of technical efficiency using a balanced longitudinal (panel) data on Ghanaian cocoa farmers for the period 2001 to 2006. This data was collected in a three rounds of GCFS in 2002, 2004 and 2006 by the CSAE. The panel version of stochastic frontier model was used to estimate Technical efficiency. The average efficiency was found to be 44.2% but was higher in Western and Ashanti regions relative to the Brong Ahafo Region and was also found to be an increasing function of time. The determinants of technical efficiency were estimated using the Random-effects Tobit estimator. The result found demographic factors and non-labour inputs except household size and insecticides to have positive and significant impacts on technical efficiency. Controlling for demographic profile and selected non labour inputs, result suggests that farm level problems including Black pod infestation, mistletoe attack, and termites and other problems, including flooding, weeds and bushfire as affecting technical efficiency among cocoa farmers. Other factors as fertilizer intensity and quality of farm maintenance had positive and significant impacts on technical efficiency. The latter suggest that providing farmers with extension service on best maintenance practices will positively impact technical efficiency. This study recommends that effort aimed at raising productivity and efficiency must concentrate on reducing if not eliminating farm level problems and intensification of fertilizer usage. It is further recommended that farmers be given some education on maintenance practices.
Inequalities in labour market consequences of common mental disorders

The burden of mental disorders continues to grow and is now a leading cause of disability worldwide. The prevalence of mental disorders is unequal between population subgroups, and these disorders are associated with unfavourable consequences in social and economic conditions, health and survival. However, how the negative effects of mental disorders are distributed among population subgroups is less studied. Our aim is to investigate how labour market consequences of Common Mental Disorders (CMD) differ over gender, age, education, and country of birth. We use a population sample from southern Sweden of patients diagnosed with CMD 2009-2012 and a matched general population control group with linked register information on employment, long-term sick leave, and disability pension. Logistic regression with interaction effects between CMD and sociodemographic indicators are used to estimate labour market consequences of CMD in the different population subgroups. CMD have a negative impact on all labour market outcomes studied, reducing employment while increasing the risk of long term sick leave and disability pension. However, the associated effect is found to be stronger for men than women, except for disability pension where consequences are similar. Surprisingly, high educated individuals suffer worse labour market consequences than low educated. Consequences of CMD in labour market outcomes are not consistent across different age-groups and country of birth. Inequalities in the labour market consequences of common mental disorders sometimes contributes to, and sometimes mitigates, societal inequalities in employment, long term sick leave and disability pension. When developing new strategies to tackle mental ill health in the population, it may therefore be motivated to consider not only inequalities in the prevalence of mental disorders, but also inequalities in the consequences of these disorders.
IIII----PRE: Improved Proxy Re PRE: Improved Proxy Re PRE: Improved Proxy Re PRE: Improved Proxy Re----Encryption Scheme for VANET Encryption Scheme for VANET Encryption Scheme for VANET Encryption Scheme for VANET

Vehicular Ad hoc Network (VANET) is a network of self organized vehicles and road-side infrastructure communicating with each other over wireless, with a view to improve tra ﬃ c safety and efficiency. Data interchanged over VANETs often play a vital role in traffic safety. Such information must be accurate and truthful, as lives could depend on this application. Thus, Authentication is one of the important services for traffic safety in VANET. In this paper, we discuss various approaches of authentication in VANET such as Digital Certificates (DCA), Pairing and Proxy Re-encryption (PRE). PRE is a better solution among all existing authentication approaches but still it is vulnerable to many attacks i.e. Denial of Service. We proposed an improvement in the PRE (I-PRE) that overcome the exiting attacks on PRE. The effectiveness of the proposed scheme is analysed using OMNet++ simulator.
Scaling Up Inductive Algorithms: An Overview

This paper establishes common ground for researchers addressing the challenge of scaling up inductive data mining algorithms to very large databases, and for practitioners who want to understand the state of the art. We begin with a discussion of important, but often tacit, issues related to scaling up. We then overview existing methods, categorizing them into three main approaches. Finally, we use the overview to recommend how to proceed when dealing with a large problem and where future research efforts should be focused.
Transverse knots, branched double covers and Heegaard Floer contact invariants

Given a transverse link in the standard contact 3-sphere, we study the contact manifold that arises as a branched double cover of the sphere. We give a contact surgery description of such manifolds, which allows to determine the Heegaard Floer contact invariants for some of them. By example of the knots of Birman--Menasco, we show that these contact manifolds may fail to distinguish between non-isotopic transverse knots. We also investigate the relation between the Heegaard Floer contact invariants of the branched double covers and the Khovanov homology, in particular, the transverse link invariant we introduce in a related paper.
Data Dashboard-Integrating Data Mining with Data Deduplication

Many applications deal with huge amount of data and that scattered data needs to be transformed into something relevant and meaningful. To make sense of such data is the need of many applications and areas of technology. The data that is already present is very huge, noisy and has a complex structure. We are working on the idea of integrating data mining with data deduplication. Data Dashboard is a tool which can take complex data involving various dimensions and simultaneously uses data deduplication algorithms that help in removing redundancy in the data up to 95%. Thus it provides high reliability, low disk space and high throughput. The tool then uses this data mined information and deploys it on dynamic platform such as web which provides ease to user to access huge database.
Recommendations for the Use of Operational Electronic Health Record Data in Comparative Effectiveness Research

There is an increasing amount of clinical data in operational electronic health record (EHR) systems. Such data provide substantial opportunities for their re-use for many purposes, including comparative effectiveness research (CER). In a previous paper, we identified a number of caveats related to the use of such data, noting that they may be inaccurate, incomplete, transformed in ways that undermine their meaning, unrecoverable for research, of unknown provenance, of insufficient granularity, or incompatible with research protocols. In this paper, we provide recommendations for overcoming these caveats with the goal of leveraging such data to benefit CER and other health care activities. These recommendations include adaptation of “best evidence” approaches to use of data; processes to evaluate availability, completeness, quality, and transformability of data; creation of tools to manage data and their attributes; determination of metrics for assessing whether data are “research grade”; development of methods for comparative validation of data; construction of a methodology database for methods involving use of clinical data; standardized reporting methods for data and their attributes; appropriate use of informatics expertise; and a research agenda to determine biases inherent in operational data and to assess informatics approaches to their improvement.
Layout development of area efficient Lo-skewed even parity generator

In digital transmission parity bit is added after every block of data. The use of parity allows the error free transmission of data. There are two types of parities, even parity and odd parity. In this paper an even parity generator's layout has been developed and presented using 50nm CMOS technology. The layout of three bit Even Parity Generator is designed using unskewed and lo-skewed CMOS technologies and the results are compared in terms of power dissipation and area consumption. The proposed layout has shown an area efficiency of 58%. The Lo-skewed circuit also provide better Low-Transient as compared to unskewed circuit.