Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Progression Rate of Retinal Pigment Epithelium Loss in Patients with Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration Treated with Ranibizumab and Aflibercept

Purpose. Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) loss in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) seem to have a linear progression but might be influenced by the treatment. The purpose of the study is the comparison of RPE loss over three years in patients treated with intravitreal ranibizumab to patients who were switched to aflibercept. Methods. A retrospective analysis with 96 eyes switched to aflibercept was conducted. The progression rate of RPE loss was evaluated in patients who showed atrophy one year prior to switch (n = 17) or on switch date (n = 19). The RPE loss was evaluated by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Further, 22 eyes from patients treated with ranibizumab were compared. Results. The median yearly progression of RPE loss after square root transformation showed no significant difference in the year prior to switch compared to the year after switch (p = 0.854). In patients who received only ranibizumab, the median yearly progression of RPE loss was 0.15 mm/y, for aflibercept patients, 0.13 mm/y. This difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.172). Conclusions. There seems to be a linear progression rate of RPE loss in patients treated with ranibizumab as well as in patients with aflibercept. No significant increase of progression rate was found after switch to aflibercept.
TGFβ signals regulate axonal development through distinct Smad-independent mechanisms

Proper nerve connections form when growing axons terminate at the correct postsynaptic target. Here I show that Transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) signals regulate axon growth. In most contexts, TGFβ signals are tightly linked to Smad transcriptional activity. Although known to exist, how Smad-independent pathways mediate TGFβ responses in vivo is unclear. In Drosophila mushroom body (MB) neurons, loss of the TGFβ receptor Baboon (Babo) results in axon overextension. Conversely, misexpression of constitutively active Babo results in premature axon termination. Smad activity is not required for these phenotypes. This study shows that Babo signals require the Rho GTPases Rho1 and Rac, and LIM kinase1 (LIMK1), which regulate the actin cytoskeleton. Contrary to the well-established receptor activation model, in which type 1 receptors act downstream of type 2 receptors, this study shows that the type 2 receptors Wishful thinking (Wit) and Punt act downstream of the Babo type 1 receptor. Wit and Punt regulate axon growth independently, and interchangeably, through LIMK1-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Thus, novel TGFβ receptor interactions control non-Smad signals and regulate multiple aspects of axonal development in vivo.
Broadcast precoding for massive MIMO subject to an instantaneous total power constraint

We design a new precoding scheme for massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems subject to an instantaneous total power constraint. Unlike the classical way of designing precoders, we use a more realistic model for power amplifiers by considering their maximum power. The considered power constraint is applicable in the single-RF MIMO transmitter which has been proposed recently for massive MIMO systems. For sake of analysis, i.i. d. Gaussian signals are considered. It is shown that the designed precoding scheme results in a good performance in terms of signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) at the receivers and power efficiency at the transmitter. It is shown that the power efficiency utilizing this precoding scheme is almost equal to the case of constant envelope signals. Since the proposed precoding limits the total transmit power, there is no need for peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) reduction algorithms.
Salient region detection: an integration approach based on image pyramid and region property

Salient region detection is important for many computer vision tasks. The saliency detection results may serve as the basis for further high-level vision tasks like object segmentation and tracking. In this study, the authors propose an integration approach to detect salient region based on three principles from psychological evidence and observations of images, including colour contrast in a global context, spatially compact colour distribution, multi-scale image abstraction. Based on the above-mentioned principles, the authors’ saliency analysis approach can be formulated in a unified framework. Moreover, they introduce the weighted salient image centre into their saliency estimation model which can boost the performance of saliency detection. They have evaluated the results of their method on the two publicly available databases, including MSRA-1000 and MSRA-5000. The experimental results on the datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of the approaches against the other approaches to analyse image saliency.
Low Cost, Open-Source Platform to Enable Full-Sized Automated Vehicle Research

An open-source vehicle automation methodology, and platform for road vehicles (cars, and trucks) is presented. The platform hardware, and software, based on the Robot Operating System (ROS), are detailed. Two strategies are discussed for enabling the remote control of a vehicle (in this case, an electric 2013 Ford Focus). The first approach used digital filtering of Controller Area Network (CAN) messages. In the case of the test vehicle, this approach allowed for the control of acceleration from a tap-point on the CAN bus, and the OBD-II port. The second approach, based on the emulation of the analog output(s) of a vehicle's accelerator pedal, brake pedal, and steering torque sensors, is more generally applicable and, in the test vehicle, allowed for the full control vehicle acceleration, braking, and steering. To demonstrate the utility of the methodology, and platform for vehicle automation research, a very basic low-level velocity, and steering controllers are developed. Additionally a high level path following algorithm was developed. Finally, the system is validated experimentally.
ALOS-PALSAR quad-polarization images over Singapore

This paper presents the scattering power decomposition images over Singapore using 3 fully polarimetric SAR data acquired with ALOS-PALSAR. The land cover are precisely imaged with RGB color-coding indicating R: the double bounce scattering, G: the volume scattering, and B: the surface scattering. It is seen the image is useful for identifying various objects including urban area, forest, agricultural area, in addition to numerous ships around Singapore sea area.
Characterization of flip-chip interconnects up to millimeter-wave frequencies based on a nondestructive in situ approach

In this paper, the performance of flip-chip interconnects at frequencies up to 40 GHz is presented based on a nondestructive in situ measurement approach. The method unfolds the raw flip-chip interconnect excluding any launch structures in concomitance of a mounted silicon chip. The results are compared with a commonly used two-port through measurement technique of coplanar wave (CPW)-to-CPW transitions without involvement of a silicon chip. Finally, the attempt has been made to extract the electrical performance from a directly probed flip-chip interconnect for the first time.
Mechanical Strain Stabilizes Reconstituted Collagen Fibrils against Enzymatic Degradation by Mammalian Collagenase Matrix Metalloproteinase 8 (MMP-8)

Background Collagen, a triple-helical, self-organizing protein, is the predominant structural protein in mammals. It is found in bone, ligament, tendon, cartilage, intervertebral disc, skin, blood vessel, and cornea. We have recently postulated that fibrillar collagens (and their complementary enzymes) comprise the basis of a smart structural system which appears to support the retention of molecules in fibrils which are under tensile mechanical strain. The theory suggests that the mechanisms which drive the preferential accumulation of collagen in loaded tissue operate at the molecular level and are not solely cell-driven. The concept reduces control of matrix morphology to an interaction between molecules and the most relevant, physical, and persistent signal: mechanical strain. Methodology/Principal Findings The investigation was carried out in an environmentally-controlled microbioreactor in which reconstituted type I collagen micronetworks were gently strained between micropipettes. The strained micronetworks were exposed to active matrix metalloproteinase 8 (MMP-8) and relative degradation rates for loaded and unloaded fibrils were tracked simultaneously using label-free differential interference contrast (DIC) imaging. It was found that applied tensile mechanical strain significantly increased degradation time of loaded fibrils compared to unloaded, paired controls. In many cases, strained fibrils were detectable long after unstrained fibrils were degraded. Conclusions/Significance In this investigation we demonstrate for the first time that applied mechanical strain preferentially preserves collagen fibrils in the presence of a physiologically-important mammalian enzyme: MMP-8. These results have the potential to contribute to our understanding of many collagen matrix phenomena including development, adaptation, remodeling and disease. Additionally, tissue engineering could benefit from the ability to sculpt desired structures from physiologically compatible and mutable collagen.
Volatility smile and stochastic arbitrage returns

The purpose of this work is to explore the role that random arbitrage opportunities play in pricing financial derivatives. We use a non-equilibrium model to set up a stochastic portfolio, and for the random arbitrage return, we choose a stationary ergodic random process rapidly varying in time. We exploit the fact that option price and random arbitrage returns change on different time scales which allows us to develop an asymptotic pricing theory involving the central limit theorem for random processes. We restrict ourselves to finding pricing bands for options rather than exact prices. The resulting pricing bands are shown to be independent of the detailed statistical characteristics of the arbitrage return. We find that the volatility ``smile'' can also be explained in terms of random arbitrage opportunities.
Effects of Potassium Sulfate [K2SO4] on The Element Contents, Polyphenol Content, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Milk Thistle [Silybum Marianum]

Background:Silybum marianum L. (Milk thistle) is native to the Mediterranean basin and is now widespread throughout the world. It's sprout is used as a herbal medicine for the treatment of liver disease for centuries. The seeds of milk thistle contain silymarin, an isomeric mixture of flavonolignans [silybin, silychristin, and silydianin. Silymarin acts as a strong anti-hepatotoxic. Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the influences of potassium sulfate [K2SO4] fertilizer doses on polyphenol content, some nutrient elements, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of milk thistle at experimental fields of Ordu University in Turkey. Methods: The antimicrobial activities of seed ethanol extracts and seed oil were tested in vitro against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), Escherichia coli, (E. coli) Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Aspergillus niger (A. niger) and Candida albicans (C. albicans) using the disc diffusion method. Free radical scavenging activity of the ethanolic extracts of milk thistle was determined spectrophotometrically by monitoring the disappearance of 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazil (DPPH·) at 517 nm according to the method described by Brand-Williams et al.[17] The phenolic contents in the ethanolic extracts of milk thistle were determined according to the procedure described by Slinkard and Singleton[19] with a slight modification of using a Folin-Ciocalteu phenolic reagent. The amount of total flavonoid in the ethanolic extracts was measured by aluminum chloride [AlCl3] colorimetric assay. The ions in aerosol samples were determined by using Dionex ICS 1100 Series ion chromatography. Results: Seed and seed oils obtained from obvious doses of potassium sulfate [0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 kg ha -1 fertilizer applications showed antimicrobial activities against E. coli, A. niger and P. aeruginosa. The application of 90 kg ha-1 of K2SO4 on seed oil resulted in the highest antimicrobial activities. At 100 µg mL-1and 200 µg mL-1, except the highest potassium application [120 kg ha -1 extract, all extracts showed high and similar DPPH scavenging activity. The highest phenolic compounds were obtained with 30 kg ha-1 of K2SO4, whereas the use of 60 kg ha-1 caused the highest total flavonoid content. This plant is a good source of K+, Ca+2, PO4-3, and Cl-1. Conclusion: In this study, increasing doses of potassium sulfate had significant effect on element, polyphenol content, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the milk thistle. Abbreviations used: AlCl3: aluminum chloride, Ca+2: calcium, Cl-: chloride, Cr: chromium CE: catechol equivalents, DPPH: 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl, ABTS: 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid, DAP: diamonyum fosfat, F-: fluoride, Fe: iron, K2SO4: potassium sulfate, K+ : potassium, Li+: lithium, Mg+2 : magnesium, NH4+ : amonyum, Na+: sodium, NO2-: nitrite, NO3-: nitrate, Ni: nickel, NaNO2: sodium nitrite, NaOH: sodium hidroksit. ND: Not detectable, PO4-3: phosphorus, Zn: zinc
Asynchronous and deterministic objects

This paper aims at providing confluence and determinism properties in concurrent processes, more specifically within the paradigm of object-oriented systems. Such results should allow one to program parallel and distributed applications that behave in a deterministic manner, even if they are distributed over local or wide area networks. For that purpose, an object calculus is proposed. Its key characteristics are asynchronous communications with futures, and sequential execution within each process.While most of previous works exhibit confluence properties only on specific programs -- or patterns of programs, a general condition for confluence is presented here. It is further put in practice to show the deterministic behavior of a typical example.
Serum leptin level in acute myeloid leukemia patients

Abstract Leptin is a regulator of fat metabolism that is synthesized in adipocytes and released into circulation. The serum levels of leptin are, therefore, correlated with body fat mass and show a wide variation in healthy individuals. Leptin may have an additional indirect effect on leukemic hematopoesis. We investigated serum leptin levels with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays in 14 acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) patients before and after chemotherapy and compared the results with that of the levels determined 14 healthy controls. We found no significant difference between leptin levels before and after chemotherapy and control group. Therefore, serum leptin level should not be used as a diagnostic marker in acute leukemia patients. However, the possibility of regional leptin production by leukemia blasts in bone marrow stroma creates a high local concentration of leptin within bone marrow microenvironment and systemic leptin level in combination with local leptin production may affect leukemic hematopoesis.
On the contribution of game theory to the study of sovereign debt and default

This paper reviews the lessons learned from the application of the tools of game theory to the theoretical study of sovereign debt and default. We focus on two main questions. First, we review answers to the most fundamental question in the theory of sovereign debt: given that there is no supranational institution for enforcing the repayment of debts, why do countries ever repay their debts? Second, we review theories of the process by which sovereign debts are restructured with a view to answering the following question: why does the process of sovereign debt restructuring appear so inefficient? The first question raises issues in the design of self-enforcing contracts and on the credibility of threats to punish a country in default. The second question involves applications of the theory of bargaining in environments where the parties to a bargain cannot commit to honour the terms of the bargain or even commit to enter into negotiations in the first place. Copyright 2013, Oxford University Press.
Sine-wave based PSOLA pitch scaling with real-time pitch marking

The sinusoidal system was reconfigured to use pitch synchronous overlap-add (PSOLA) synthesis so that pitch shifting could be achieved by moving the sine-wave parameters to the pitch-shifted synthesis frames. This, in turn, led to a pitch-marking technique based on the sine-wave phases that required no forward-backward searching for epochs, resulting in real-time pitch scaling. Having access to the sine wave amplitudes led to realistic re-shaping of the vocal tract characteristic, hence the system is well suited for real-time pitch scaling and vocal tract modification of speech.
[Germline mutation of adenomatous polyposis coli gene in Chinese patients with familial adenomatous polyposis].

OBJECTIVE To explore the characteristics of adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene germline mutations in Chinese patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). METHODS Eighteen members from nine FAP pedigrees were studied by using multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification(MLPA) to detect large fragment deletion of APC gene. Then, PCR were performed to amplify all exons of APC gene for mutation screening by denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC). When abnormal elution profile of DHPLC was found, DNA sequencing was performed to determine the mutations. RESULTS Mutations were identified in three pedigrees among the nine pedigrees. They were c. 3184_3187 del CAAA in pedigree 2, c.5432C to T in pedigree 4 and c. 3925_3929 del AAAAG in pedigree 9 respectively. Among them, c.5432C to T was novel. CONCLUSION APC gene germline mutations can cause the development of FAP. The FAP patients without APC gene germline mutations could be caused by other mechanisms.
Shape of the intercondylar notch of the human femur: a comparison of osteoarthritic and non-osteoarthritic bones from a skeletal sample

OBJECTIVES To compare objectively the shape of the intercondylar notch in human osteoarthritic and non-osteoarthritic femora. METHODS A sample of 96 human femora from a large skeletal population were selected for study. These femora included subjects with evidence of late stage osteoarthritis (that is, with eburnation present) and subjects with no such evidence. The distal end of the femur, viewed axially, was recorded with a video camera, and digitised computer images were produced. The outline of the intercondylar notch was extracted and represented mathematically as two functions. A functional principal components analysis was used to identify important modes of shape variation. These variations in shape were compared between eburnated and non-eburnated femora. RESULTS A statistically significant difference in the shape of the intercondylar notch was found between the two groups. The difference related mostly to the shape of the edge of the medial condyle: in the non-osteoarthritic group this tended to exhibit a concavity; in the osteoarthritic group it tended to be straight. CONCLUSIONS This observed difference may be a predisposing factor to the development of osteoarthritis. The morphology of the intercondylar notch is related to the functioning of and possible damage to the cruciate ligaments, and damage to the cruciate ligaments is a known risk factor for osteoarthritis. Alternatively, this difference may be due to bony remodelling secondary to the onset of osteoarthritis, perhaps in response to altered biomechanics.
Poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) core–shell microspheres with enhanced controllability of drug encapsulation and release rate

Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres have been widely used as drug carriers for minimally invasive, local, and sustained drug delivery. However, their use is often plagued by limited controllability of encapsulation efficiency, initial burst, and release rate of drug molecules, which cause unsatisfactory outcomes and several side effects including inflammation. This study presents a new strategy of tuning the encapsulation efficiency and the release rate of protein drugs from a PLGA microsphere by filling the hollow core of the microsphere with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels of varying cross-linking density. The PEG gel cores were prepared by inducing in situ cross-linking reactions of PEG monoacrylate solution within the PLGA microspheres. The resulting PEG-PLGA core–shell microspheres exhibited (1) increased encapsulation efficiency, (2) decreased initial burst, and (3) a more sustained release of protein drugs, as the cross-linking density of the PEG gel core was increased. In addition, implantation of PEG-PLGA core–shell microspheres encapsulated with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) onto a chicken chorioallantoic membrane resulted in a significant increase in the number of new blood vessels at an implantation site, while minimizing inflammation. Overall, this strategy of introducing PEG gel into PLGA microspheres will be highly useful in tuning release rates and ultimately in improving the therapeutic efficacy of a wide array of protein drugs.
Effect of Recombinant Murine Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor with or without Fluoroquinolone Therapy on Mixed-Infection Abscesses in Mice

ABSTRACT The aim of the study was to determine if immunomodulation of host defense with recombinant murine granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) improves the efficacy of trovafloxacin or moxifloxacin in abscesses containing Bacillus fragilis ATCC 23745 and different Escherichia coli strains varying in virulence. Treatment of mice inoculated with 107 CFU B. fragilis and 105 CFU low-virulence E. coli with either trovafloxacin (150 mg/kg/day every 24 hours, days 3 to 7) or moxifloxacin (96 mg/kg/day every 12 hours, days 3 to 7), significantly reduced the number of B. fragilis to 6.9 ± 0.35 and 5.8 ± 0.10 and that of E. coli to 4.9 ± 0.09 and 4.2 ± 0.07 log CFU/abscess for trovafloxacin and moxifloxacin, respectively, compared to controls (B. fragilis 8.7 and E. coli 7.4 log CFU/abscess) on day 8. Also, moxifloxacin was more potent than trovafloxacin. Addition of G-CSF prophylaxis (1 μg once on day −1) or therapy (1 μg/day on days 3 to 7) to fluoroquinolone treatment did not improve the efficacy of fluoroquinolone therapy alone. The effect of moxifloxacin with or without G-CSF prophylaxis on abscesses with a virulent hemolytic E. coli strain was also studied. In moxifloxacin-treated mice, 75% survived infection compared to 10% of controls. Combining moxifloxacin with G-CSF prophylaxis significantly decreased survival (30%) compared to moxifloxacin alone. In addition, G-CSF prophylaxis resulted in a threefold (E. coli) to 100-fold (B. fragilis) increased outgrowth in the abscesses of surviving mice. In conclusion, the addition of G-CSF to a fluoroquinolone is not advisable since, depending on the virulence of the E. coli strains, this might detrimentally influence the outcome of therapy.