Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Parallel Computing for Brain Simulation.

BACKGROUND The human brain is the most complex system in the known universe, it is therefore one of the greatest mysteries. It provides human beings with extraordinary abilities. However, until now it has not been understood yet how and why most of these abilities are produced. AIMS For decades, researchers have been trying to make computers reproduce these abilities, focusing on both understanding the nervous system and, on processing data in a more efficient way than before. Their aim is to make computers process information similarly to the brain. Important technological developments and vast multidisciplinary projects have allowed creating the first simulation with a number of neurons similar to that of a human brain. CONCLUSION This paper presents an up-to-date review about the main research projects that are trying to simulate and/or emulate the human brain. They employ different types of computational models using parallel computing: digital models, analog models and hybrid models. This review includes the current applications of these works, as well as future trends. It is focused on various works that look for advanced progress in Neuroscience and still others which seek new discoveries in Computer Science (neuromorphic hardware, machine learning techniques). Their most outstanding characteristics are summarized and the latest advances and future plans are presented. In addition, this review points out the importance of considering not only neurons: Computational models of the brain should also include glial cells, given the proven importance of astrocytes in information processing.
Social networks usage implications at the level of medical services consumption in Romania

The social networks usage degree increase is evident in recent years, this having implications for the consumption of the most types of products and services. A very special field of research is presented by the consumption of healthcare services, who, both in terms of consumption motivations, decisional buying process or consumer behavior is having peculiarities and specific traits. In this context, the present article aims to investigate the role that social networks use can have regarding changes within the consumer behavior in case of healthcare services consumption. In order to achieve the scientific endeavor, authors have conducted a quantitative marketing research as a field survey, using a questionnaire administered online to patients from different medical institutions, both from the public and private sector. The research results reveal key issues from the perspective of emotional involvement within consumption for the patients and the influence of key variables such as level of education, personality and lifestyle within social networks usage context.
Deep-Sequencing Analysis of the Association between the Quasispecies Nature of the Hepatitis C Virus Core Region and Disease Progression

ABSTRACT Variation of core amino acid (aa) 70 of hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been shown recently to be closely correlated with liver disease progression, suggesting that the core region might be present as a quasispecies during persistent infection and that this quasispecies nature might have an influence on the progression of disease. In our investigation, the subjects were 79 patients infected with HCV genotype 1b (25 with chronic hepatitis [CH], 29 with liver cirrhosis [LC], and 25 with hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC]). Deep sequencing of the HCV core region was carried out on their sera by using a Roche 454 GS Junior pyrosequencer. Based on a plasmid containing a cloned HCV sequence (pCV-J4L6S), the background error rate associated with pyrosequencing, including the PCR procedure, was calculated as 0.092 ± 0.005/base. Deep sequencing of the core region in the clinical samples showed a mixture of “mutant-type” Q/H and “wild-type” R at the core aa 70 position in most cases (71/79 [89.9%]), and the ratio of mutant residues to R in the mixture increased as liver disease advanced to LC and HCC. Meanwhile, phylogenetic analysis of the almost-complete core region revealed that the HCV isolates differed genetically depending on the mutation status at core aa 70. We conclude that the core aa 70 mixture ratio, determined by deep sequencing, reflected the status of liver disease, demonstrating a significant association between core aa 70 and disease progression in CH patients infected with HCV genotype 1b.
The User Characteristics Effects to Smart Board Usage on Technology Acceptance Model Variables: The Sample of Bartin Highschool Teachers

A new technology’s acceptance also gets shaped according to users’ features, expectations and perceptions. Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) that developed by Davis (1989), defends that there are perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use variables to determinants of a new technology’s usage by user. These perceptions predict the user’s behavior and explain it. The smart board that has common usage in modern classrooms provides effectiveness at education and learning activities. Teachers who use smart boards can present more effectively. This situation increases the teacher’s productivity and student’s learning success and improvement the class’s education quality. Existence of the smart board in the classroom motivates all by self. Thanks to this technological device, it is easy to access internet based study materials. This study’s purpose is testing the user features explanation power effects to usage of smart board, which is a new education tool, based on TAM variables. For performing of the research, surveys have actualized with 24 teachers at Bartin High School with smart boards. Survey data have been interpreted based on correlation, factor and regression analyses in WarpPLS 5.0. Results have been concluded from analyse strongly supports research model.
All‐oral therapy with nucleotide inhibitors sofosbuvir and GS‐0938 for 14 days in treatment‐naive genotype 1 hepatitis C (NUCLEAR)

Sofosbuvir and GS‐0938 are distinct nucleotide analogues with activity against hepatitis C virus (HCV) in vitro. We evaluated the antiviral activity and safety of sofosbuvir and GS‐0938 alone and in combination in HCV genotype 1 patients. In this double‐blind study, 40 treatment‐naïve patients were randomly assigned to 4 treatment cohorts: (i) GS‐0938 for 14 days, (ii) GS‐0938 for 7 days followed by GS‐0938 plus sofosbuvir for 7 days, (iii) sofosbuvir for 7 days followed by GS‐0938 plus sofosbuvir for 7 days and (iv) GS‐0938 plus sofosbuvir for 14 days. In each arm, 8 patients received active drug and 2 placebo. After 7 days of dosing, patients in all 4 dose groups experienced substantial reductions in HCV RNA, with median declines (Q1, Q3) of −4.50 (−4.66, −4.24) in Cohort 1, −4.55 (−4.97, −4.13) in Cohort 2, −4.65 (−4.78, −4.17) in Cohort 3 and −4.43 (−4.81, −4.13) in Cohort 4; patients receiving placebo had essentially no change in HCV RNA (+0.07 log10 IU/mL). Seven days after the end of treatment, the proportions of patients with HCV RNA <15 IU/mL were 4 (50%), 8 (100%), 7 (88%) and 5 (63%) for Cohorts 1–4, respectively, vs 0 for placebo. No viral breakthrough or resistance mutations were observed. No serious adverse events or Grade 3 or 4 adverse events were reported. Sofosbuvir and GS‐0938—alone and in combination—were well tolerated and led to substantial reductions in viral load. Sofosbuvir is undergoing further investigation as a possible backbone of an all‐oral regimen for chronic HCV.
THE SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION PATHWAYS INVOLVED IN HEPATIC CYTOCHROME P450 REGULATION IN THE RAT DURING A LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE-INDUCED MODEL OF CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM INFLAMMATION

It is well known that inflammatory and infectious conditions of the central nervous system (CNS) differentially regulate hepatic drug metabolism through changes in cytochrome P450 (P450); however, the pathways leading to this regulation remain unknown. We provide evidence delineating a signal transduction pathway for hepatic P450 gene expression down-regulation in an established rat model of CNS inflammation using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injected (i.c.v.) directly into the lateral cerebral ventricle. Brain cytokine levels were elevated, and the expression of tumor necrosis factor α and inhibitor of κB alpha (IκBα) were increased in the liver following the i.c. v. administration of LPS, indicating the presence of an inflammatory response in the brain and liver. The expression of CYP2D1/5, CYP2B1/2, and CYP1A1 was down-regulated following CNS inflammation. The binding of several transcription factors [nuclear factor of the κ enhancer in B cells (NF-κB), activator protein-1, cAMP response element binding protein, CCAAT-enhancer binding protein (C/EBP)] to responsive elements on P450 promoter regions was examined using electromobility shift assays. Binding of both NF-κB and C/EBP to the promoter regions of CYP2D5 and CYP2B1, respectively, was increased, indicating that they play an important role in the regulation of these two isoforms during inflammatory responses. Evidence is also provided suggesting that the rapid transfer of LPS from the CNS into the periphery likely accounts for the down-regulation of P450s in the liver.
Impaired lung function and mortality risk in men and women: findings from the Renfrew and Paisley prospective population study

Abstract Objective: To assess the relation between forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and subsequent mortality. Design: Prospective general population study. Setting: Renfrew and Paisley, Scotland. Subjects: 7058 men and 8353 women aged 45-64 years at baseline screening in 1972-6. Main outcome measure: Mortality from all causes, ischaemic heart disease, cancer, lung and other cancers, stroke, respiratory disease, and other causes of death after 15 years of follow up. Results: 2545 men and 1894 women died during the follow up period. Significant trends of increasing risk with diminishing FEV1 are apparent for both sexes for all the causes of death examined after adjustment for age, cigarette smoking, diastolic blood pressure, cholesterol concentration, body mass index, and social class. The relative hazard ratios for all cause mortality for subjects in the lowest fifth of the FEV1 distribution were 1.92 (95% confidence interval 1.68 to 2.20) for men and 1.89 (1.63 to 2.20) for women. Corresponding relative hazard ratios were 1.56 (1.26 to 1.92) and 1.88 (1.44 to 2.47) for ischaemic heart disease, 2.53 (1.69 to 3.79) and 4.37 (1.84 to 10.42) for lung cancer, and 1.66 (1.07 to 2.59) and 1.65 (1.09 to 2.49) for stroke. Reduced FEV1 was also associated with an increased risk for each cause of death examined except cancer for lifelong nonsmokers. Conclusions: Impaired lung function is a major clinical indicator of mortality risk in men and women for a wide range of diseases. The use of FEV1 as part of any health assessment of middle aged patients should be considered. Smokers with reduced FEV1 should form a priority group for targeted advice to stop smoking. Key messages These increased risks, with the exception of the cancers, are apparent for lifelong non-smokers FEV1 is second in importance to cigarette smoking as a predictor of subsequent all cause mortality and is as important as cholesterol in predicting mortality from ischaemic heart disease FEV1 should be included in health assessment of middle aged men and women Smokers with a reduced FEV1 should be targeted with advice to stop smoking
Theoretical investigation of a circular patch antenna in the presence of a left-handed medium

The influence of a left-handed medium (LHM) on the performances of a circular patch antenna is quantified numerically. For this, a homogenization procedure of the LHM is carried out in order to design the patch antenna at a suitable frequency where the losses of the LHM are low. From the first results obtained, it is noted that in the presence of the LHM, the antenna is more directive and has a higher gain.
Evaluation of a new regularization prior for 3D PET reconstruction including PSF modelling

A general limitation in PET is represented by the poor spatial resolution of the system. To compensate for this limitation by using iterative reconstruction algorithms it is possible to account for the response of the PET system (Point Spread Function, PSF) in the reconstruction scheme to improve PET image quality and quantitative accuracy. Unfortunately, a common behaviour of iterative reconstruction techniques is the increase of noise as the iterations proceed due to the ill-posed nature of the reconstruction process. On the other hand a high number of iterations is usually needed to recover a significant percentage of the signal and to reach the convergence, especially when including resolution modelling. To solve this dilemma, regularization strategies could be employed to control the noise amplification as the iterations proceed. In this work a new prior for variational Maximum a Posteriori regularization is proposed to be used in a 3D ML-OSEM reconstruction algorithm which also accounts for the PSF of the PET system. The new regularization prior is characterised by a strong smoothing component for regions in the image with a magnitude of the gradient below a given threshold (set to discriminate between background and signal), while preserving edges above the threshold. The new algorithm has been validated on phantom and clinical data. The results showed that the use of the proposed regularization prior allows a better control of the noise, while maintaining high enough signal recovery thanks to the PSF modelling. To obtain the best results using the proposed prior, i.e. the best compromise between noise control and loss of recovered signal, an optimization of the regularization parameters is therefore required.
Bandwidth optimization of optical add/drop multiplexers using cascaded couplers and Mach-Zehnder sections

A synthesis of channel add/drop filters consisting of cascaded directional couplers and equal Mach-Zehnder sections is presented within this paper yielding a Chebyshev transmission characteristic and therefore, the optimum distribution of the coupling coefficients with respect to sidelobe suppression and filter bandwidth. It is shown that the number of selectable channels N/sub c/ grows approximately linear with the number of filter stages N, resulting in an equal number of channels and filter stages for a 20-dB sidelobe suppression. <<ETX>>
FDG PET/CT findings in acute adult mononucleosis mimicking malignant lymphoma

We report a case of acute Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection in which the clinical syndrome and pattern of F‐18‐2‐fluoro‐2‐deoxy‐d‐glucose (FDG) uptake mimicked malignant lymphoma. A 53‐yr‐old man presented with 2 wk of high fevers, night sweats, sinus congestion and severe fatigue. The patient was treated for 1 wk with broad‐spectrum antibiotics for acute sinusitis without any improvement. Persistence of fevers and presence of abnormal lymphadenopathy seen on the abdominal computed tomography (CT) were concerning lymphoma with B symptoms. FDG positron emission tomography (PET) showed avid FDG uptake in numerous abdominal/pelvic nodes, liver, spleen and bone marrow. These findings were highly suspicious for lymphoma. Patient underwent a pelvic lymph node biopsy which showed large granular lymphocytes that were predominantly T cells. Bone marrow biopsy showed diffuse infiltration with plasmocytoid cells that were not kappa lambda restricted. Additional diagnostic workup became available showing positive EBV IgM titers and negative IgG levels indicating acute infectious mononucleosis. Lymph node biopsy stained positively with EBV‐encoded RNA. We concluded that patient’s abnormal FDG PET was most likely secondary to acute EBV infection. After 2 months, follow‐up FDG PET/CT showed marked improvement in lymphadenopathy and decreased hypermetabolic activity in the liver and spleen. Other than EBV, there are many other FDG‐avid non‐malignant conditions that may lead to false‐positive PET scans. FDG accumulates in inflamed and infected lesions with increased glucose metabolism. This case underscores the importance of maintaining a broad differential and restricting use of PET scans for staging.
Increasing Trauma Deaths in the United States

Objective:To determine the impact of the increasing aging population on trauma mortality relative to mortality from cancer and heart disease in the United States. Background:The population in the United States continues to increase as medical advancements allow people to live longer. The resulting changes in the leading causes of death have not yet been recognized. Methods:Data were obtained (2000–2010) from the Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System database of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We defined trauma deaths as unintentional injuries, suicides, and homicides. Results:From 2000 to 2010, the US population increased by 9.7% and the number of trauma deaths increased by 22.8%. Trauma deaths and death rates deceased in individuals younger than 25 years but increased for those 25 years and older. During this period, death rates for cancer and heart disease decreased. The largest increases in trauma deaths were in individuals in their fifth and sixth decades of life. Since 2000, the largest proportional increase (118%) in crude trauma deaths occurred in 54-year-olds. Overall, in 2010, trauma was the leading cause of death in individuals 46 years and younger. Trauma remains the leading cause of years of life lost. Results:Trauma is now the leading cause of death for individuals 46 years and younger. The largest increase in the number of trauma deaths and the highest crude number of trauma deaths occurred in baby boomers. Policy makers allocating resources should be made aware of the larger impact of trauma on our aging and burgeoning US population.
Mass spectrometry-based assay for the molecular diagnosis of glioma: concomitant detection of chromosome 1p/19q codeletion, and IDH1, IDH2, and TERT mutation status

The World Health Organization recently revised the diagnosis of glioma, to integrate molecular parameters, including IDH mutations and codeletion (loss of heterozygosity; LOH) of chromosome arms 1p/19q, into the definitions of adult glioma histological subtypes. Mutations in the TERT promoter may also be useful for glioma diagnosis and prognosis. The integration of molecular markers into routine diagnosis requires their rapid and reliable assessment. We propose a MassARRAY (MS)-based test that can identify 1p/19q codeletion using quantitative SNP genotyping and, simultaneously, characterize hotspot mutations in the IDH1, IDH2, and TERT genes in tumor DNA. We determined the reliability of the MS approach testing 50 gliomas and comparing the MS results with those obtained by standard methods, such as short tandem repeat genotyping, array comparative genomic hybridization (array-CGH) and Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) for 1p/19q codeletion and Sanger sequencing for hotspots mutations. The results indicate that MS is suitable for the accurate, rapid, and cost-effective evaluation of chromosome deletions combined with hotspot mutation detection. This MS approach could be similarly exploited in evaluation of LOH in other situations of clinical and/or research importance.
Effect of foot orthoses and short-foot exercise on the cross-sectional area of the abductor hallucis muscle in subjects with pes planus: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE To prevent overuse injuries related to excessively pronated feet, the strengthening of the foot intrinsic muscles has been recommended. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of foot orthoses and a short-foot exercise intervention on the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the abductor hallucis (AbdH) muscle and strength of the flexor hallucis (FH) in subjects with pes planus. METHODS Twenty-eight subjects with pes planus were randomly assigned to the foot orthosis (FO) group or the combined foot orthosis and short-foot exercise (FOSF) group for an 8-week intervention. The CSA of the AbdH muscle and the strength of FH were assessed before and after intervention. Data were analyzed using a mixed-model ANOVA. RESULTS Significant group by intervention interaction effects were observed in CSA of the AbdH (p=0.009) and strength of the FH (p=0.015). The results of the post hoc paired t-test showed that that the CSA of the AbdH muscle and the strength of the FH significantly increased after the intervention in both groups (p=0.000). The mean CSA of the AbdH muscle and the strength of FH were significantly greater in subjects in the FOSF group compared with subjects in the FO group (mean difference of FO vs. FOSF=13.61 mm(2) in CSA of AbdH muscle; 0.90 kgf in strength of FH; p=0.008). CONCLUSIONS Results from this study demonstrate that foot orthoses combined with short-foot exercise is more effective in increasing the CSA of the AbdH muscle and the strength of FH compared with foot orthoses alone. Therefore, foot orthoses combined with short-foot exercise are recommended for improving strength of AbdH muscle in subjects with pes planus.
CNN Fixations: An Unraveling Approach to Visualize the Discriminative Image Regions

Deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have revolutionized the computer vision research and have seen unprecedented adoption for multiple tasks, such as classification, detection, and caption generation. However, they offer little transparency into their inner workings and are often treated as black boxes that deliver excellent performance. In this paper, we aim at alleviating this opaqueness of CNNs by providing visual explanations for the network’s predictions. Our approach can analyze a variety of CNN-based models trained for computer vision applications, such as object recognition and caption generation. Unlike the existing methods, we achieve this via unraveling the forward pass operation. The proposed method exploits feature dependencies across the layer hierarchy and uncovers the discriminative image locations that guide the network’s predictions. We name these locations CNN fixations, loosely analogous to human eye fixations. Our approach is a generic method that requires no architectural changes, additional training, or gradient computation, and computes the important image locations (CNN fixations). We demonstrate through a variety of applications that our approach is able to localize the discriminative image locations across different network architectures, diverse vision tasks, and data modalities.
Essays on Monetary Policy

The paper studies the transmission of monetary policy shocks between the US and Germany. The analysis is based on estimating a structural VAR model (SVAR) of eleven variables: the short and long term interest rates, industrial productions, inflation rates and the growth rates of M3 monetary aggregate of both countries, as well as the nominal DEM/USD exchange rate. The identifying restrictions of the model are connected to the traditional open economy ISLM type models. The most important results are as follows: After a negative US monetary policy shock, the outputs of both countries decline, which contradicts the beggar-thy-neighbour result. The nominal USD appreciates against the DEM, and the long-term interest rates decline. The effects of the German monetary policy shock closely resemble the US results above. The outputs of both countries still seem to decline in both countries but surprisingly, the output effect of a monetary policy shock is greater from Germany to the US than the other way round. The DEM appreciates and the long term interest rates react with an initial rise, after which they fall .