Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Surface Shape Reconstruction of a Nonrigid Transport Object Using Refraction and Motion

The appearance of a pattern behind a transparent, moving object is distorted by refraction at the moving object's surface. An algorithm for reconstructing the surface shape of a nonrigid transparent object, such as water, from the apparent motion of the observed pattern is described. This algorithm is based on the optical and statistical analysis of the distortions. It consists of four steps: extraction of optical flow, averaging of each point trajectory obtained from the optical flow sequence, calculation of the surface normal using optical characteristics, and reconstruction of the surface. The algorithm is applied to both synthetic and real images to demonstrate its performance. >
A new approach to enhance the bandwidth of a novel miniaturized fractal microstrip patch antenna

A novel fractal shape is introduced as a miniaturized microstrip patch antenna. Also by applying a new feeding method, wide impedance bandwidth is achieved. Measured and simulated results are in good agreement and show 68% size reduction (compare to a square patch) and up to 27% impedance bandwidth.
Forage legumes rich in condensed tannins may increase n-3 fatty acid levels and sensory quality of lamb meat.

BACKGROUND Tannins intensively interact with rumen microbes, which is expected to have consequences for meat quality. RESULTS Silages prepared from birdsfoot trefoil (BT), sainfoin (SF), alfalfa (AF) or red clover (RC) were fed alone to 48 lambs. The SF contained five times more condensed tannins than BT, the other tanniferous plant. Growth and carcass performance, but not general meat quality, was reduced with BT and SF compared to AF and RC. Lambs fed SF had half the skatole levels in the perirenal fat than AF-fed lambs. The longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle of the SF-fed lambs, compared to RC and BT, had a lower intensity for 'livery' and 'sheepy' flavors but a stronger 'grassy' flavor. The intramuscular fat of BT- and SF-fed lambs contained less saturated and more polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially 20:4n-6, 20:3n-6, 20:5n-3 and 22:5n-3, with SF being more efficient than BT. CONCLUSION The SF was most promising to increase beneficial fatty acids and to reduce skatole content in lamb meat.
The facilitated component of intestinal glucose absorption

Over the last decade, a debate has developed about the mechanism of the passive or ‘diffusive’ component of intestinal glucose absorption and, indeed, whether it even exists. Pappenheimer and colleagues have proposed that paracellular solvent drag contributes a passive component, which, at high concentrations of sugars similar to those in the jejunal lumen immediately after a meal, is severalfold greater than the active component mediated by the Na+‐glucose cotransporter SGLT1. On the other hand, Ferraris & Diamond maintain that the kinetics of glucose absorption can be explained solely in terms of SGLT1 and that a passive or paracellular component plays little, if any, part. Recently, we have provided new evidence that the passive component of glucose absorption exists, but is in fact facilitated since it is mediated by the rapid, glucose‐dependent activation and recruitment of the facilitative glucose transporter GLUT2 to the brush‐border membrane; regulation involves a protein kinase C (PKC)‐dependent pathway activated by glucose transport through SGLT1 and also involves mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAP kinase) signalling pathways. This topical review seeks to highlight the significant points of the debate, to show how our proposals on GLUT2 impact on different aspects of the debate and to look at the regulatory events that are likely to be involved in the short‐term regulation of sugar absorption during the assimilation of a meal.
Antidepressants Noncompetitively Inhibit Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Function

Abstract : Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are diverse members of the neurotransmitter‐gated ion channel superfamily and play critical roles in chemical signaling throughout the nervous system. The present study establishes for the first time the acute functional effects of sertraline (Zoloft), paroxetine (Paxil), nefazodone (Serzone), and venlafaxine (Effexor) on two human and one chick nAChR subtype. This study also confirms previous findings of nAChR functional block by fluoxetine (Prozac). Function of human muscle‐type nAChR (α1βγδ) in TE671/RD cells, human autonomic nAChR (α3β4α5 ±β2) in SH‐SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, or chick V274T mutant α7‐nAChR heterologously expressed in native nAChR‐null SH‐EP1 epithelial cells was measured using 86Rb+ efflux assays. Functional blockade of human muscle‐type and autonomic nAChRs is produced by each of the drugs in the low to intermediate micromolar range, and functional blockade of chick V274T‐α7‐nAChR is produced in the intermediate to high micromolar range. Functional blockade is insurmountable by increasing agonist concentrations at each nAChR subtype tested for each of these drugs, suggesting noncompetitive inhibition of nAChR function. These studies open the possibilities that nAChR subtypes in the brain could be targets for therapeutic antidepressants and could play roles in clinical depression.
Expression of the Nitroarene Dioxygenase Genes in Comamonas sp. Strain JS765 and Acidovorax sp. Strain JS42 Is Induced by Multiple Aromatic Compounds

ABSTRACT This work reports a genetic analysis of the expression of nitrobenzene dioxygenase (NBDO) in Comamonas sp. strain JS765 and 2-nitrotoluene dioxygenase (2NTDO) in Acidovorax sp. strain JS42. Strains JS765 and JS42 possess identical LysR-type regulatory proteins, NbzR and NtdR, respectively. NbzR/NtdR is homologous to NahR, the positive salicylate-responsive transcriptional activator of the naphthalene degradation genes in Pseudomonas putida G7. The genes encoding NBDO and 2NTDO in each strain are cotranscribed, and transcription starts at the same site within identical promoter regions for each operon. Results from a lacZ reporter gene fusion demonstrated that expression of NBDO and 2NTDO is induced by multiple aromatic compounds, including an array of nitroaromatic compounds (nitrobenzene, 2-, 3-, and 4-nitrotoluene, 2,4- and 2,6-dinitrotoluene, and aminodinitrotoluenes), as well as salicylate and anthranilate. The nitroaromatic compounds appear to be the actual effector molecules. Analysis of β-galactosidase and 2NTDO activities with strain JS42 demonstrated that NtdR was required for induction by all of the inducing compounds, high basal-level expression of 2NTDO, and complementation of a JS42 ntdR null mutant. Complementation with the closely related regulators NagR (from Ralstonia sp. strain U2) and NahR restored only induction by the archetype inducers, salicylate or salicylate and anthranilate, respectively, and did not restore the high basal level of expression of 2NTDO. The mechanism of 2NTDO gene regulation in JS42, and presumably that of NBDO gene regulation in JS765, appear similar to that of NahR-regulated genes in Pseudomonas putida G7. However, NbzR and NtdR appear to have evolved a broader specificity in JS42 and JS765, allowing for recognition of nitroaromatic compounds while retaining the ability to respond to salicylate and anthranilate. NtdR is also the first example of a nitroarene-responsive LysR-type transcriptional activator.
Microheterogeneity of Singlet Oxygen Distributions in Irradiated Humic Acid Solutions

Singlet oxygen (1O2) is a highly reactive species formed through solar irradiation of organic matter in environmental waters. Implicated in a range of reactions, it has proven difficult to quantify its spatial distribution in natural waters. We assessed the microheterogeneous distribution of 1O2 in irradiated solutions containing chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) by using molecular probes of varying hydrophobicity. The apparent 1O2 concentrations ([1O2]app), measured by recently developed hydrophobic trap-and-trigger chemiluminescent probe molecules, were orders of magnitude higher than those measured by the conventional hydrophilic probe molecule furfuryl alcohol. The differential [1O2]app values measured by these probes reflect a steep concentration gradient between the CDOM macromolecules and the aqueous phase. A detailed kinetic model based on the data predicts probabilistic 1O2 distributions under different solvent conditions.
Identifying health system value dimensions: more than health gain?

Abstract Publicly funded health system reforms increasingly require the evaluation of competing programmes. However, programmes are made of multi-dimensional attributes of value (where value refers to latent expectations of health system improvement). This paper identifies the design, implementation and validation of a methodology to elicit health system values to guide health care priority setting. The exercise suggests that the proposed methodology is suitable for eliciting and validating health system values, and its findings show that pursuing health gain alone does not fully capture the dimensions of health system value. More specifically, we identify a list of health system values (elicited by both potential and actual users) and classify them in terms of process-related values (e.g., shorter waiting lists, greater choice, etc.) and improvements in health system equity in addition to value derived from health gain.
A new method for data filtering in RFID middleware

With rapidly increasing development of RFID (radio frequency identification) applications, the RFID middleware has become a very hot topic. RFID middleware is a new breed of application software which facilitates data communication between automatic identification equipments (such as RFID readers) and enterprise applications. RFID data, however, contain false readings and duplicates. Such data cannot be used directly by applications unless they are filtered and cleaned. To compensate for the inherent unreliability of RFID data streams, most RFID middleware systems employ a ‘smoothing filter’. In this paper, a new smoothing filter approach is proposed which is based on the concept of processing the status of tag’s readings. The proposed method uses some rules for solving false positives and false negatives to provide accurate RFID data for applications. The simulation results on prototype data show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
ANALYSIS OF CAUSALITY OF THE FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT WITH ECONOMIC GROWTH: APPLICATION OF TURKEY

There are a lot of factors, which ones affect to the growth of economy. According to some economists mention that one of those factors is the foreign direct investment. In this study we examined the impact of the foreign direct investments to Turkey’s economic growth which ones come to Turkey during 2003-2013 periods. Data’s were obtained from the websites of official institutions of related organizations that includes 2003-2013 periods. The relationship between foreign direct investment and economic growth was tested by using Granger causality analyzes. In conclusion, in 2003-2013 periods, there has been no significant causal relationship between economic growth and foreign direct investment in Turkey. Keywords: Foreign Direct Investments, Economic Growth, Granger Causality Analysis, Turkey
Ecotourism Planning : Who is really Responsible?

The potential of tourism aas a generator of hospitality industry, employment and income is leading many states in Malaysia to pay increasing attention to this sector. While mass tourism continues to make the headlines, 'new tourism' like ecotourism and agrotourism is fast becoming the buzzword of this new millennium. Joining the ranks of states promoting ecotourism is Kelantan, the focus of this paper. The notion that tourism is the panacea of economic problems is debatable. As illustrated by various example in this paaper, tourism, if not properly planned and managed can create chaos and leave negative impact on nature. This paper focuses on the issue of laws and policies that govern the use of eco-resources found in Southern Kelantan, which are believed to contribute to the degradation of the resources.
Fetal loss rate after second trimester amniocentesis at different gestational age

BACKGROUND Recent studies have debated the safety of early amniocentesis, one of which reported a significant increase in spontaneous fetal losses following amniocentesis performed at 10-13 weeks of gestation. The aim of this study was to determine the fetal loss rate following amniocentesis performed at different stages in the second trimester. METHODS One thousand six hundred and fifty-one consecutive amniocenteses undertaken in a low risk population between 13 weeks+0 days and 20 weeks+6 days were evaluated. In 87% of the women the reason for testing was maternal age (mean 37.1 years). Data concerning patients, procedure details and pregnancy outcome were recorded. RESULTS Spontaneous abortion before 28 weeks of gestation occurred in 1.1%, one third of which were within two weeks and the remaining within seven weeks after the procedure. The fetal loss rate was higher when the amniocentesis was performed earlier in pregnancy, at 13 weeks+0 days exceeding 3%. Abnormal color of the amniotic fluid and leakage of amniotic fluid were strong predictors of fetal loss. Transplacental needle insertion did not increase the risk of pregnancy loss. CONCLUSION Amniocentesis performed very early in the second trimester is followed by an increased fetal loss rate that cannot be explained solely by a higher risk of spontaneous abortion at this time of gestation.
A review of the evidence on multi-sectoral interventions to reduce violence against adolescent girls.

The experience of sexual or physical violence during adolescence can dramatically change the direction of a girls life. It raises the possibility of poor mental health suicide unwanted pregnancy substance abuse gynecological complications HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. The objective of this paper is to provide an overview of programming aimed at girls in developing countries and to assess their effectiveness. It covers partner violence -- physical and sexual abuse by male partners -- as well as other forms of gender violence that are particularly relevant for adolescent girls such as school-based violence and harassment.
Enhanced Effective Area Photonic Crystal Fiber With Novel Air Hole Design

There is interest in photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) that possess a large effective area. We demonstrate that it is possible to design a PCF structure configuration with an effective mode area as high as 3000 μm2. The proposed PCF structures consist of five air-hole rings, where the air hole diameters are different from one ring to another. In the second ring six air holes are alternatively removed. The effective mode area of the proposed structure was calculated and compared with effective mode areas reported in literature. It is shown that the effective mode area is enhanced compared to other structures. Additionally, critical propagation properties such as chromatic dispersion, confinement losses, bend losses and nonlinear coefficient of proposed PCF structures are reported thoroughly.
Integrating High-Resolution and Solid-State Magic Angle Spinning NMR Spectroscopy and a Transcriptomic Analysis of Soybean Tissues in Response to Water Deficiency.

INTRODUCTION Solid-state NMR (SSNMR) spectroscopy methods provide chemical environment and ultrastructural details that are not easily accessible by other non-destructive, high-resolution spectral techniques. High-resolution magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) has been widely used to obtain the metabolic profile of a heterogeneous sample, combining the resolution enhancement provided by MAS in SSNMR with the shimming and locking procedures in liquid-state NMR. OBJECTIVE In this work, we explored the feasibility of using the HR-MAS and SSNMR techniques to identify metabolic changes in soybean leaves subjected to water-deficient conditions. METHODOLOGY Control and water-deficient soybean leaves were analysed using one-dimensional (1D) HR-MAS and SSNMR. Total RNA was extracted from the leaves for the transcriptomic analysis. RESULTS The 1 H HR-MAS and CP-MAS 13 C{1 H} spectra of soybean leaves grown with and without water deficiency stress revealed striking differences in metabolites. A total of 30 metabolites were identified, and the impact of water deficiency on the metabolite profile of soybean leaves was to induce amino acid synthesis. High expression levels of genes required for amino acid biosynthesis were highly correlated with the compounds identified by 1 H HR-MAS. CONCLUSIONS The integration of the 1 H HR-MAS and SSNMR spectra with the transcriptomic data provided a complete picture of the major changes in the metabolic profile of soybeans in response to water deficiency. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A survey on tools for end user authoring of mobile applications for cultural heritage

Effective and efficient approaches are required in order to develop and maintain cultural heritage applications and services that meet user requirements and expectations. This is particularly relevant to cultural heritage mobile applications which support diverse usage scenarios among a variety of stakeholders and diverse contexts of use. In this context, a promising approach is to engage non-technical cultural heritage experts in using end user authoring tools for creating mobile applications for cultural heritage. To this end, a plethora of such end user authoring tools has been proposed. In this paper, we provide a survey of such tools by emphasizing on approaches which allow end users to assign geo-location tags to multimedia information of cultural heritage. The purpose of this review paper is to categorize some of these approaches and to conclude with promising directions for future research in this area.
Use of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors in older patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are antidiabetic agents that act on the proximal renal tubules to lower blood glucose levels by inhibiting glucose reabsorption and promoting urinary glucose excretion. The present study assessed the long‐term use of SGLT2 inhibitors in older patients with diabetes.
Elaphostrongylus cervi Cameron 1931 (Nematoda: Metastrongyloidea) in caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) of Newfoundland.

Elaphostrongylus cervi Cameron 1931 is identified for the first time in North America from woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) in Newfoundland where up to 88% of animals were infected. First-stage nematode larvae identical to those of E. cervi occur in faeces of barren ground caribou (R. t. groenlandicus) of the Kaminuriak herd and of woodland caribou in northern Labrador, Ontario, and Manitoba, suggesting that the parasite is widespread in Rangifer in Canada.In clinically normal caribou, adult E. cervi were found beneath the skin and in fascia of the thoracic musculature. Verminous pneumonia caused by nematode eggs and larvae in the lungs and diffuse lymphocytic leptomeningitis over the brain and spinal cord were consistent aspects of infection. A 10-month-old caribou calf exhibiting neurologic signs had numerous E. cervi among thoracic and cervical muscles but none in the central nervous system. Accumulations of lymphocytes, eosinophils, and histiocytes in the subarachnoid and perineurium of la.
Divergent Memory B Cell Responses in a Mixed Infant Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Schedule

Background: Vaccine-induced immunity against pneumococcal infection relies on the generation of high concentrations of antibody and B cell memory. Both the 10- and the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV-10 and PCV-13) effectively reduce disease caused by vaccine serotypes. It is unknown whether the generation of B cell memory requires several doses of the same vaccine or whether different PCVs are interchangeable. Methods: Children in the United Kingdom (n=178) who had previously received PCV-13 at 2 and 4 months were randomized 1:1 to receive a PCV-13 or PCV-10 booster at age 12 months. Peripheral blood memory B cells (BMEM) were quantified before and at 1 and 12 months after vaccination using a cultured enzyme-linked immunospot assay for pneumococcal serotypes 1, 3, 4, 9V, 14, 19A, and diphtheria and tetanus toxoid. Correlations between BMEM frequencies and simultaneously measured antibody (IgG and opsonophagocytic assay) was also assessed. Results: A significant rise in postbooster BMEM frequency was seen for 5 out of 6 serotypes in the PCV-13 group and none in the PCV-10 group. In the PCV-13 group, there was a particularly large increase in serotype 3–specific BMEM associated with only a small increase in antibody. Postbooster BMEM responses correlated positively with antibody, but correlations between prebooster BMEM and subsequent BMEM and antibody responses were inconsistent. Conclusions: After priming with PCV-13 in early infancy, a booster dose of PCV-10 does not induce detectable peripheral blood BMEM responses but a PCV-13 booster does induce robust responses. Booster responses to PCVs may be dependent on homologous carrier protein priming.
Treadmill training with body weight support: its effect on Parkinson's disease.

OBJECTIVE To test whether body weight-supported treadmill training (BWSTT) is effective in improving functional outcome of patients with Parkinson's disease. DESIGN Prospective crossover trial. Patients were randomized to receive either a 4-week program of BWSTT with up to 20% of their body weight supported followed by 4 weeks of conventional physical therapy (PT), or the same treatments in the opposite order. Medications for parkinsonism were not modified throughout the study. SETTING Inpatient rehabilitation unit for neurologic diseases. SUBJECTS Ten patients (5 men, 5 women) with Hoehn and Yahr stage 2.5 or 3 parkinsonism; mean age 67.6 years, mean duration of Parkinson's disease 4.2 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), ambulation endurance and speed (sec/10 m), and number of steps for 10-meter walk. RESULTS The mean total UPDRS before/after BWSTT was 31.6/25.6, and before/after PT was 29.1/28.0. Analysis of covariance for improvement of UPDRS demonstrated a significant effect of type of therapy (F(1, 16) = 42.779, p < . 0001) but not order of therapy (F(1, 16) = 0.157, p = . 697 1). Patients also had significantly greater improvement with BWSTT than with PT in ambulation speed (BWSTT, before/after = 10.0/8.3; PT, 9.5/8.9), and number of steps (BWSTT, 22.3/19.6; PT, 21.5/20.8). CONCLUSIONS In persons with Parkinson's disease, treadmill training with body weight support produces greater improvement in activities of daily living, motor performance, and ambulation than does physical therapy.