Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Artificial Intelligence in Ultrasound Imaging: Current Research and Applications

Artificial intelligence (AI) is an area of computer science that emphasizes the creation of intelligent software or system based on big data information, machine learning and deep learning technologies. The rapid development of science and technology as well as internet communication has enabled AI and big data to gradually apply to many fields of health care. The modern imaging medicine is one of the first areas where AI can play an important role and applications. As cross-sectional imaging, ultrasound (US) is well suitable for AI technology to standardize imaging protocols and improve diagnostic accuracy. This article reviews current AI technology and related clinical applications in the fields of thyroid, breast and liver US.
High-performance wireless power and data transfer interface for implantable medical devices

In recent years, there has been major progress on implantable biomedical systems that support most of the functionalities of wireless implantable devices. Nevertheless, these devices remain mostly restricted to be commercialized, in part due to weakness of a straightforward design to support the required functionalities, limitation on miniaturization, and lack of a reliable low-power high data rate interface between implants and external devices. This research provides novel strategies on the design of implantable biomedical devices that addresses these limitations by presenting analysis and techniques for wireless power transfer and efficient data transfer. The first part of this research includes our proposed novel resonance-based multicoil inductive power link structure with uniform power distribution to wirelessly power up smart animal research systems and implanted medical devices with high power efficiency and free positioning capability. The proposed structure consists of a multicoil resonance inductive link, which primary resonator array is made of several identical resonators enclosed in a scalable array of overlapping square coils that are connected in parallel and arranged in power surface (2D) and power chamber (3D) configurations. The proposed chamber uses two arrays of primary resonators, facing each other, and connected in parallel to achieve uniform power distribution in 3D. Each surface includes 9 overlapped coils connected in parallel and implemented into two layers of FR4 printed circuit board. The chamber features a natural power localization mechanism, which simplifies its implementation and eases its operation by avoiding the need for active detection of the load location and power control mechanisms. A single power surface based on the proposed approach can provide a power transfer efficiency (PTE) of 69% and a power delivered to the load (PDL) of 120 mW, for a separation distance of 4 cm, whereas the complete chamber prototype provides a uniform PTE of 59% and a PDL of 100 mW in 3D, everywhere inside the chamber with a chamber size of 27×27×16 cm3. The second part of this research includes our proposed novel, fully-integrated, low-power fullduplex transceiver (FDT) to support bi-directional neural interfacing applications (stimulating and recording) with asymmetric data rates: higher rates are required for recording (uplink signals) than stimulation (downlink signals). The transmitter (TX) and receiver (RX) share a single antenna to reduce implant size. The TX uses impulse radio ultra-wide band (IR-UWB)
Use of Strontium Ranelate for the Prevention of Osteoporotic Fractures

Strontium ranelate is a dual action bone agent, which reduces bone resorption and increases bone formation. Biochemical markers of bone turnover suggest that the antiresorptive effect of strontium is less than that observed with bisphosphonate treatment, whereas the anabolic action is weaker than that seen with teriparatide (1). Nevertheless, this uncoupling of bone resorption and formation is not seen with other osteoporosis treatments and might be expected to improve bone mineral density (BMD) and architecture, thereby decreasing the risk of fracture. A randomised controlled trial of strontium ranelate (2 g/day) in 1,649 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and at least one vertebral fracture showed increases in BMD of 12.7% in the lumbar spine and 8.6% in the hip after three years treatment (1). About 50% of this apparent increase is spurious, due to the skeletal incorporation of strontium, which has a higher atomic number than calcium. This study also demonstrated a 41% reduction in the incidence of new vertebral fractures (1). Another study of strontium in 5,091 women with osteoporosis showed a 16% reduction in the incidence of non-vertebral fractures overall, but no reduction in hip fractures specifically (2). In a post hoc sub-group analysis in 1,977 women aged over 74 years with low BMD (T Score < -3.0), strontium reduced hip fracture risk by 36% (2). Strontium ranelate is available in powder form in sachets, the contents of which are dissolved in water. It should preferably be taken at bedtime, at least two hours after eating, to ensure optimal absorption from the bowel. Strontium has been well tolerated in clinical trials, with no evidence of an increase in upper gastrointestinal side-effects (1,2). Although diarrhoea was reported in 6.1% patients on strontium compared with 3.2% on placebo, this was short lived (2). Phase III clinical trials showed a 30% increase in venous thromboembolism with strontium ranelate, but the significance and putative mechanism for this is unclear. Strontium ranelate is therefore a welcome addition to the treatment options for postmenopausal osteoporosis. I still consider bisphosphonates as the treatment of choice for postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, because of the greater evidence of safety and efficacy and the convenience of choice of daily or weekly administration. Nevertheless, strontium ranelate provides an alternative option in patients, who are unable to take or tolerate bisphosphonates. It may also be useful in patients who fail to respond to bisphosphonate treatment, but there is no evidence for efficacy in this situation. In view of the data on non-vertebral fractures in women over the age of 75 years, strontium may be particularly useful in elderly women, where there is a dearth of data on the efficacy of other treatments.
M ar 2 01 6 A no-go theorem for monodromy inflation

We study the embedding of the monodromy inflation mechanism by E. Silverstein and A. Westphal (2008) in a concrete compactification setting. To that end, we look for an appropriate vacuum of type IIA supergravity, corresponding to the minimum of the inflaton potential. We prove a no-go theorem on the existence of such a vacuum, using ten-dimensional equations of motion. Anti-de Sitter and Minkowski vacua are ruled out; de Sitter vacua are not excluded, but have a lower bound on their cosmological constant which is too high for phenomenology.
Novel insights into the early stages of infection by oval conidia of Colletotrichum

Anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum sublineolum Henn. ex Sacc. & Trotter, is one of the most important sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] diseases in Brazil. This fungus exhibits conidial dimorphism, producing either falcate or oval conidia on solid and liquid media, respectively. We compared patterns of the initial infection events by these two types of conidia on sorghum leaves using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The infection events during the first 24 h were similar for both oval and falcate conidia. Globose and melanized apressoria were formed at 24 h after inoculation (hai) regardless of the conidia type. Dense mycelium and oval conidia developed from germinated falcate conidia at 32 hai. Hyphal mass displaying acervuli filled with falcate conidia and surrounded by setae, developed from germinated oval conidia at 48 hai. Oval conidia were as capable as falcate conidia of infecting sorghum leaves. The inherent ability to grow faster and the easeness with which oval conidia can be produced in vitro as compared to falcate, make the former a preferred choice for studies on the C. sublineolum-sorghum interaction. It would be instructive to further investigate the potential role of the oval conidia in epidemics.
Comparison of the Effectiveness of High-Intensity Interval Training in Hypoxia and Normoxia in Healthy Male Volunteers: A Pilot Study

Aims The study investigated the effect of high-intensity interval training in hypoxia and normoxia on serum concentrations of proangiogenic factors, nitric oxide, and inflammatory responses in healthy male volunteers. Methods Twelve physically active male subjects completed a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in normoxia (NorTr) and in normobaric hypoxia (HypTr) (FiO2 = 15.2%). The effects of HIIT in hypoxia and normoxia on maximal oxygen uptake, hypoxia-inducible factor-1-alpha, vascular endothelial growth factor, nitric oxide, and cytokines were analyzed. Results HIIT in hypoxia significantly increases maximal oxygen uptake (p=0.01) levels compared to pretraining levels. Serum hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (p=0.01) and nitric oxide levels (p=0.05), vascular endothelial growth factor (p=0.04), and transforming growth factor-β (p=0.01) levels were increased in response to exercise test after hypoxic training. There was no effect of training conditions for serum baseline angiogenic factors and cytokines (p > 0.05) with higher HIF-1α and NO levels after hypoxic training compared to normoxic training (F = 9.1; p < 0.01 and F = 5.7; p < 0.05, respectively). Conclusions High-intensity interval training in hypoxia seems to induce beneficial adaptations to exercise mediated via a significant increase in the serum concentrations of proangiogenic factors and serum nitric oxide levels compared to the same training regimen in normoxia.
Expression of Hyaluronan Synthases and Hyaluronidases in Gynecological Malignancies

Hyaluronan is an abundant high-molecular weight polysaccharide in the extracellular matrix of various human tissues. Its accumulation is observed in many pathological conditions, including several types of malignancies of epithelial origin. Changes in hyaluronan content are a result of its metabolic dysregulation due to altered function and balance of hyaluronan synthesis and degradation enzymes. In human ovarian carcinoma, increased stromal hyaluronan is associated with poor outcome. Similarly, stromal hyaluronan accumulation has been observed in endometrial adenocarcinoma. In this study, the mechanism of hyaluronan accumulation in these gynecological malignancies was investigated by analyzing the expression of hyaluronan synthases (HAS1-3) and hyaluronidases (HYAL1-2), and their roles in tumorigenesis and invasion were clarified. Increased expression of HAS1-3 proteins was observed in ovarian and endometrial carcinomas without corresponding changes in mRNA levels, suggesting reduced protein turnover or altered post-transcriptional regulation. HYAL1 mRNA was significantly downregulated, which correlated with its enzymatic activity in ovarian serous carcinoma. Transcription of HYAL1 and HYAL2 mRNA was downregulated and correlated with decreased protein levels. The decreased HYAL1 mRNA levels were associated with increased tumoral hyaluronan content in both of these carcinoma types. The expression of HYAL1 and HYAL2 protein in a larger set of histopathological samples of normal endometria, precancerous lesions, and endometrial adenocarcinomas were further examined. Increased HYAL2 expression was associated with the proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle. Decreased HYAL1 expression was associated with high carcinoma grade, deep myometrial invasion, large tumor size, lymphovascular invasion, and lymph node metastasis. HYAL1 was also an independent marker of early disease recurrence. In addition, the decreased expression of HYAL1 correlated with decreased tumoral E-cadherin levels, suggesting a potential role of HYAL1 in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). These results indicate that tumoral hyaluronan accumulation can be a consequence of decreased hyaluronidase function. The present results also indicate the importance of HYAL1 in endometrial cancer tumorigenesis, as its downregulation is associated with aggressive disease. National Library of Medicine Classification: QU 83, WP 540, WP 322, WP 460, QZ 202 Medical Subject Headings: Hyaluronic Acid; Hyaluronan Synthase; Hyaluronoglucosaminidase; Menstrual Cycle; Ovarian Neoplasms; Endometrial Neoplasms; Cadherins; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; Neoplasm Invasiveness
A spectral model for sudden dissipation effect in turbulent plasma under compression

Turbulent plasmas under compression and entering the kinetic regime can experience a sudden increase of kinetic energy dissipation due to an abrupt growth of the viscosity from temperature increase [1]. A statistical spectral model based on isotropic Eddy Damped Quasi Normal Markovian (EDQNM) closures [2] is proposed to analyse this phenomenon. The model is validated and compared against Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS) results providing one point turbulent statistics and two-point correlation spectra. Thanks to the model, in the high Reynolds number regime unreachable by DNS, we explore the balance between turbulence production due to compression and enhanced dissipation due to the viscosity growth. We also examine the influence of initial conditions on turbulent kinetic energy evolution. Mots clefs : Compressed turbulence, plasma effect, EDQNM, Direct Numerical Simulation. 23ème Congrès Français de Mécanique Lille, 28 au 1er Septembre 2017
Ability and Behavior of Foraging Sunfish ( Lepomis spp . ) Communities in Northwestern Wisconsin Lakes of Differing Turbidity

Sunfish (Lepomis spp.) are predators which depend on visual cues to forage. These visual cues can be inhibited by the turbidity of the water in which the population is residing, affecting the optimal diet of that population. Turbidity also inhibits the prey populations’ antipredatory behaviors by reducing the distance of interaction. This creates a balance of turbidity’s effects which differs by predator and prey species and greater ecological context. To determine the impact turbidity has on sunfish’s macroinvertebrate foraging abilities in Northern Wisconsin lakes, a diet study was conducted within two lakes of differing turbidity: Morris and Crampton Lakes. The health of populations caught in fyke nets was estimated using relative weight (Wr) as a measure of fish plumpness. Gastric lavage was used to collect stomach contents for analysis on the mass and contents of sunfish diets. T-tests were used to determine if any of the health, foraging ability, or foraging behavior differed between lakes. Statistical differences were found for relative weight and foraging ability between the two lakes, suggesting sunfish are capable of greater consumption in turbid waters. From this study, we were able to find that, for sunfish, turbidity can have an enhancing effect on foraging ability. Introduction As a necessity for life, feeding is a common research topic which can help protect wildlife species. Foraging is the active, multistage process of searching for, handling, and assimilating food resources to maximum efficiency. Due to the interdependent nature of each of these stages of foraging, a balance must be struck between the costs and benefits of foraging. According to foraging theory, the optimization of an individual’s foraging can be broken into four distinct components: optimal diet, space, period, and group size (Schoener 1971). Despite
Brown midrib 2 ( Bmr 2 ) encodes the major 4-coumarate : coenzyme A ligase involved in lignin biosynthesis in sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor ( L . ) Moench )

Ana Saballos, Scott E. Sattler, Emiliano Sanchez, Timothy P. Foster, Zhanguo Xin, ChulHee Kang, Jeffrey F. Pedersen and Wilfred Vermerris Agronomy Department and Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA, US Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Research Service, Grain Forage and Bioenergy Research Unit, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA, School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA, and US Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Research Service, Lubbock, TX 79415, USA
Phylogenetic analysis and genetic structure of new isolates of Tomato mosaic virus in Iran

The present report describes the new occurrence of Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) in cabbage, bean and Malva neglecta plants in Iran. In this study, sequence analyses of a partial RNA dependent RNA polymerases (RdRp) and complete movement protein (MP) and the coat protein (CP) nucleotide sequences of three new ToMV isolates collected from major crop fields in Iran revealed low genetic variation of RdRp gene compared to the CP and MP genes. The different topologies of the phylogenetic trees constructed, using available open reading frame (ORF1), ORF2 and ORF3 sequences from ToMV isolates, indicated different evolutionary constraints in these genomic regions. Statistical analysis also revealed that with the exception of CP other tested ToMV genes were under negative selection and the RdRp gene was under the strongest constraints. According to the phylogenetic tree it can be inferred from the nucleotide sequences of the complete CP and MP genes, that isolates from Iran and Egypt formed separate groups, irrespective of host origin. However, isolates clustered into groups with correlation to geographic origin but not the host. Analysis of the K s * , Z * and S nn values also indicated genetic differentiation between ToMV populations. The Tajima’s D, Fu and Li’s statistical values were significantly negative for the RdRp gene of the Asian population which suggests the sudden expansion of ToMV in Asia. Taken together, the results indicate that negative selection and genetic drift were important evolutionary factors driving the genetic diversification of ToMV.
Graphene-based materials for supercapacitor electrodes e A review

The graphene-based materials are promising for applications in supercapacitors and other energy storage devices due to the intriguing properties, i.e., highly tunable surface area, outstanding electrical conductivity, good chemical stability and excellent mechanical behavior. This review summarizes recent development on graphene-based materials for supercapacitor electrodes, based on their macrostructural complexity, i.e., zero-dimensional (0D) (e.g. free-standing graphene dots and particles), one-dimensional (1D) (e.g. fiber-type and yarn-type structures), twodimensional (2D) (e.g. graphenes and graphene-based nanocomposite films), and three-dimensional (3D) (e.g. graphene foam and hydrogelbased nanocomposites). There are extensive and on-going researches on the rationalization of their structures at varying scales and dimensions, development of effective and low cost synthesis techniques, design and architecturing of graphene-based materials, as well as clarification of their electrochemical performance. It is indicated that future studies should focus on the overall device performance in energy storage devices and large-scale process in low costs for the promising applications in portable and wearable electronic, transport, electrical and hybrid vehicles. © 2016 The Chinese Ceramic Society. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Physiological variations during a gradual six-hour simulated heat stress in early-age acclimated broilers fed linseed suPPlemented diet

Panting is the first and the most visible behavioral mechanism of broilers’ heat stress through which they reduce heat load by evaporation. The aim of the study was to assess the welfare of broilers reared in high ambient temperatures. It was conducted to explore the effects of broilers’ thermal conditioning (TC), 5% linseed dietary supplementation (LS) and their interaction on body weight, mortality rate and some physiological variables during a simulated gradual heat wave stress hours. 400 one-day-old chicks (ISA Hubbard 15) were allotted to 4 treatments for 5 replicates of 20 chickens each as follows: The control non-treated (C), non-acclimated and fed linseed supplemented (CL), acclimated and fed standard diet (AC) and acclimated and fed linseed (ACL). To evaluate the long lasting effects of the treatments on B°C, it was recorded over the last 10 days. Birds, at local marketing age, were exposed to a simulated heat stress during which ambient temperatures were gradually (2°C/hour) increased from 30°C and maintained at 38°C for 6 hours. At each hour, respiratory rate, blood pH and rectal body temperature of 15 birds from each group were measured and recorded and, also (for the surviving birds), their correlation with final growth weight and survival rate at finish. Results show that an impaired body weight was noticed in non-treated broilers compared to the treated birds. Linseed supplementation augmented (P<0.01) the body weight 9.11% and TC 6.52% where their combination increased it 11.35%. TC and LS reduced (P<0.01) mortality in treated birds by 33.33%. Physiological improvements during the simulated heat stress hours in LS fed animals were noticed, such as decrease (P<0.001) in rectal body temperature at 38°C as well as the respiratory rate. Consequently, pH was improved (P<0.001) during all heat stress hours in treated animals compared to C. However, the association of both factors (linseed supplementation and early-age thermal conditioning) improves thermotolerance by increasing the safety fluctuation of B°C (42.20°C to 42.80°C) at 38°C compared to Control birds (45.20°C to 45.80°C). In conclusion, LS (with its bioactive-antioxidant compounds which decrease the oxidative stress) and TC improve both body weight, survival rate and animal’s heat stress resistance of broilers by reducing B°C and blood pH during heat wave stress and, therefore, adverse heat stress impacts on broilers can be partially alleviated dietarily.
ENHANCEMENT OF AGROBACTERIUM-MEDIATED TRANSFORMATION METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF HEME-PROTEIN ( FERRITIN PROTEIN ) RICH POTATO

Khokan, E. H. , Haydar, A. , ARA, T. , ALAM, M. K. and SHARMA, M. D. 2009. Enhancement of Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method for the production of Heme-protein (Ferritin protein) rich potato. Int. J. Sustain. Crop Prod.
Explorer Dynamic 3 D Reconstruction Improvement via Intensity Video Guided 4 D Fusion

The availability of high-speed 3D video sensors has greatly facilitated 3D shape acquisition of dynamic and deformable objects, but high frame rate 3D reconstruction is always degraded by spatial noise and temporal fluctuations. This paper presents a simple yet powerful dynamic 3D reconstruction improvement algorithm based on intensity video guided multi-frame 4D fusion. Temporal tracking of intensity image points (of moving and deforming objects) allows registration of the corresponding 3D model points, whose 3D noise and fluctuations are then reduced by spatio-temporal multi-frame 4D fusion. We conducted simulated noise tests and real experiments on four 3D objects using a 1000 fps 3D video sensor. The results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is effective at reducing 3D noise and is robust against intensity noise. It outperforms existing algorithms with good scalability on both stationary and dynamic objects.