Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Deep Image Retrieval Applied on Kotenseki Ancient Japanese Literature

Kotenseki is a collection of classical and ancient Japanese literature. It is comprised of image books that express Japanese stories by using comic drawings of different characters, such as humans, nature, and animals. To effectively store them for posterity, a search system is important. We propose an efficient CBIR system to assist the users in easily accessing the information and have an enjoyable experience browsing Kotenseki images. There are two main functions comprising keyword-based and image-based queries. We also provide automatic detection of objects within the original images to create a database of feature vectors. Our study utilizes the benefits of deep-feature and object-detection techniques. We also present our fine-tuned model, which adds L2 normalization, dropout, and data augmentation to obtain better accuracy, which can reach 84% of mAP in our Kotenseki dataset.
A Substance Secreted from Tetrahymena and Mammalian Sera Act as Mitogens on Paramecium tetraurelia

Abstract We previously isolated and purified Paramecium growth factor (ParGF) from a cell-free fluid of an early stationary mass culture of Paramecium tetraurelia (Tanabe et al., 1990). The mitogenic activity of the purified ParGF and of the crude sample (ca. a 100-fold concentrate obtained by ultrafiltration of cell-free fluid) has been assessed based on restoration of the fission rate of the jumyo mutant of P. tetraurelia in daily reisolation cultures. With this assay system, we found that crude samples of Tetrahymena pyriformis and T. thermophila showed mitogenic activity. This suggests that Tetrahymena cells secrete a mitogenic factor(s) like ParGF. To some extent, fetal bovine serum (FBS) and calf serum (CS) also acted as mitogens on the jumyo mutant. Of nine mammalian growth factors assayed for their mitogenic effects on the jumyo mutant, epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor &agr; (TGF&agr;) were slightly and occasionally effective. These results support the idea of actual use of similar kind of growth factors to control cell divisions from protozoa to mammals.
[Lesion mechanism dependent, differential changes in neurofilaments and microtubules: a pathological and experimental study].

INTRODUCTION The consequences of axonal or demyelinating injuries on the axonal cytoskeleton have rarely been described. METHODS We have compared the density of fibers labeled by anti-neurofilaments (NF) and -beta tubulin (TUB) to the density of total fibers in nine patients with axonal neuropathies of undetermined etiology (AUE), six with necrotizing angeitis with neuropathy (NAN), seven with chronic inflammatory demyelinating neuropathy (CIDP) and in five controls, as well as in six patients with chronic multiple sclerosis (MS). We also studied demyelinated rat corpus callosum after lysophosphatidyl (LPC) microinjection. RESULTS In AUE and NAN NF positive fibers decreased together with total fiber density, whereas TUB increased. In demyelinating lesions TUB was not altered (CIDP) or strongly decreased (MS, LPC); NF were strongly reduced in MS (where axon loss was prominent) and in LPC lesions (despite the lack of fiber degeneration) and for fiber densities<3900/mm2 in CIDP. CONCLUSION The initial mechanism of a disease, either axonal degeneration or demyelination, could result into a specific pattern of axonal cytoskeleton alterations.
Effectiveness and safety of tocilizumab therapy for patients with rheumatoid arthritis and renal insufficiency: a real-life registry study in Japan (the ACTRA-RI study)

Renal involvement is frequently present in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Approximately 15–25% of patients with RA have renal insufficiency, defined as a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) <60 mL/min.1 Although concomitant use of methotrexate (MTX) has been proven to be more effective than administration of biological agents alone,2 MTX elimination is delayed in patients with renal insufficiency, which can increase the risk of adverse events.3 ,4 Therefore we often use MTX at reduced dosage for these patients in daily practice, which may result in inadequate responses. The ACTRA-RI (Actemra for RA patients with renal insufficiency) study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tocilizumab (TCZ) therapy in the real-life registry of patients with RA and renal insufficiency. For this study, we registered all patients with RA who had begun TCZ therapy in participating hospitals as of January 2014 (total 405 patients with RA: 102 with renal insufficiency and 303 without). An estimated GFR (eGFR) was first calculated using an equation that had been …
Relationship between activation of the sympathetic nervous system and renal blood flow autoregulation in cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS It has been proposed that activation of the sympathetic nervous system causes a rightward shift in the renal autoregulatory curve such that renal blood flow is critically dependent on renal perfusion pressure and that this contributes to the development of the hepatorenal syndrome. The aims of the study were to determine the relationship of renal blood flow and renal perfusion pressure in patients with liver cirrhosis and the effect on renal hemodynamics following insertion of a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS). METHODS Fifty-six patients were recruited into groups (1) with no ascites, (2) with diuretic-responsive ascites, (3) with intractable ascites, (4) with type II hepatorenal syndrome, and (5) requiring a TIPSs for refractory ascites. We measured cardiac hemodynamics, renal blood flow, renal perfusion pressure, and portal pressure and norepinephrine levels and mathematically modeled the renal autoregulatory curve. RESULTS Renal blood flow correlated with renal perfusion pressure (r(2) = 0.78; P < . 001) and inversely with the hepatic venous pressure gradient (r(2) = 0.61; P < . 0001) and plasma norepinephrine levels (r(2) = 0.78; P < . 0001). Norepinephrine levels increased with increasing disease severity, and this was associated with a rightward and downward shift of the renal blood flow/renal perfusion pressure autoregulatory curve. TIPS insertion reduced portal pressure and plasma norepinephrine levels (P < .001), and the renal blood flow/renal perfusion pressure curve was shifted upward. CONCLUSIONS The relationship between renal blood flow and renal perfusion pressure involves a critical interplay between the sympathetic nervous system and the kidney. TIPS insertion decreases sympathetic activation and improves renal function through positive effects on renal blood flow autoregulation.
Toxoplasma gondii Triggers Release of Human and Mouse Neutrophil Extracellular Traps

ABSTRACT Neutrophils have recently been shown to release DNA-based extracellular traps that contribute to microbicidal killing and have also been implicated in autoimmunity. The role of neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation in the host response to nonbacterial pathogens has received much less attention. Here, we show that the protozoan pathogen Toxoplasma gondii elicits the production of NETs from human and mouse neutrophils. Tachyzoites of each of the three major parasite strain types were efficiently entrapped within NETs, resulting in decreased parasite viability. We also show that Toxoplasma activates a MEK-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway in neutrophils and that the inhibition of this pathway leads to decreased NET formation. To determine if Toxoplasma induced NET formation in vivo, we employed a mouse intranasal infection model. We found that the administration of tachyzoites by this route induced a rapid tissue recruitment of neutrophils with evidence of extracellular DNA release. Taken together, these data indicate a role for NETs in the host innate response to protozoan infection. We propose that NET formation limits infection by direct microbicidal effects on Toxoplasma as well as by interfering with the ability of the parasite to invade target host cells.
Introducing Teamwork Challenges in Simulation Using Game Cards

Summary Statement Poor teamwork and communication during resuscitations are linked to patient safety problems and poorer outcomes. We present a novel simulation-based educational intervention using game cards to introduce challenges in teamwork. This intervention uses sets of game cards that designate roles, limitations, or communication challenges designed to introduce common communication or teamwork problems. Game cards are designed to be applicable for any simulation-based scenario and are independent from patient physiology. In our example, participants were pediatric emergency medicine fellows undergoing simulation training for orientation. We describe the use of card sets in different scenarios with increasing teamwork challenge and difficulty. Both postscenario and summative debriefings were facilitated to allow participants to reflect on their performance and discover ways to apply their strategies to real resuscitations. In this article, we present our experience with the novel use of game cards to modify simulation scenarios to improve communication and teamwork skills.
Principal component analysis in application for filter tuning algorithm

This elaboration presents the improvement of an algorithm based on artificial neural network (ANN) for microwave filter tuning. In the applied algorithm, which is based on direct mapping of the detuned filter characteristics to the tuning element error, the sets of ANN learning vectors containing scattering filter characteristics and corresponding tuning element deviations are used. In the concept presented here filter characteristics are converted to “principal component” representation before ANN training. Such representation allows us to truncate less effective data components and thus significantly reduce the number of neurons in the ANN input layer. Experimental results of ANN training have shown that, when the presented approach is used, the ANN input vector dimension can be reduced even 32 times without losing ANN generalization ability.
An Adaptive Two‐stage Design with Treatment Selection Using the Conditional Error Function Approach

As an approach to combining the phase II dose finding trial and phase III pivotal trials, we propose a two‐stage adaptive design that selects the best among several treatments in the first stage and tests significance of the selected treatment in the second stage. The approach controls the type I error defined as the probability of selecting a treatment and claiming its significance when the selected treatment is indifferent from placebo, as considered in Bischoff and Miller (2005). Our approach uses the conditional error function and allows determining the conditional type I error function for the second stage based on information observed at the first stage in a similar way to that for an ordinary adaptive design without treatment selection. We examine properties such as expected sample size and stage‐2 power of this design with a given type I error and a maximum stage‐2 sample size under different hypothesis configurations. We also propose a method to find the optimal conditional error function of a simple parametric form to improve the performance of the design and have derived optimal designs under some hypothesis configurations. Application of this approach is illustrated by a hypothetical example. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Empirical Research on Mutual Trust Between Firms in the Cooperative Innovation Alliance

It analyzes that relation-specific assets,reputation,communication and etc.,among the firms in the cooperative innovation alliance have the effect on trust,and trust has effect on performance,commitment and long-term relationship.It also puts forward the concept model of trust between firms in the alliance of innovation.Then it tests the structural relationship between antecedents and trust,and consequences and trust.After an empirical analysis of the concept model by questionnaire research,it finds some new research conclusions.Finally,it offers some advice for cooperative innovation firms to improve the trust among firms.
Hematological indices, mountain sickness and MRI brain abnormalities in professional and amateur mountain climbers after altitude exposure

Abstract The purpose of this work was to correlate the presence of brain abnormalities on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with changes in hematological variables and the presence of mountain sickness in 21 mountain climbers involved in two different expeditions to high mountains, Everest and Aconcagua, without supplementary oxygen and recommended acclimatization for this kind of activities. The climbers underwent medical examination, hematological studies, electrocardiogram and MRI of the cerebrum. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to evaluate the changes in hematocrit, hemoglobin, red blood cells, iron and ferritin. Mountain sickness was correlated with the age of the climbers and the altitude ascended, final hemoglobin and final mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration. There were no differences related to conditions of professional or amateur climbers and the changes of those hematological variables, as seen with the nominal regression. We found more brain damage on MRI in amateur than professional climbers. Amateur climbers are more susceptible to suffer acute mountain sickness and permanent cerebral damage than professional climbers after high altitude exposure.
Deep convolutional neural networks for automatic coronary calcium scoring in a screening study with low-dose chest CT

The amount of calcifications in the coronary arteries is a powerful and independent predictor of cardiovascular events and is used to identify subjects at high risk who might benefit from preventive treatment. Routine quantification of coronary calcium scores can complement screening programs using low-dose chest CT, such as lung cancer screening. We present a system for automatic coronary calcium scoring based on deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs). The system uses three independently trained CNNs to estimate a bounding box around the heart. In this region of interest, connected components above 130 HU are considered candidates for coronary artery calcifications. To separate them from other high intensity lesions, classification of all extracted voxels is performed by feeding two-dimensional 50 mm × 50 mm patches from three orthogonal planes into three concurrent CNNs. The networks consist of three convolutional layers and one fully-connected layer with 256 neurons. In the experiments, 1028 non-contrast-enhanced and non-ECG-triggered low-dose chest CT scans were used. The network was trained on 797 scans. In the remaining 231 test scans, the method detected on average 194.3 mm3 of 199.8 mm3 coronary calcifications per scan (sensitivity 97.2 %) with an average false-positive volume of 10.3 mm3 . Subjects were assigned to one of five standard cardiovascular risk categories based on the Agatston score. Accuracy of risk category assignment was 84.4 % with a linearly weighted κ of 0.89. The proposed system can perform automatic coronary artery calcium scoring to identify subjects undergoing low-dose chest CT screening who are at risk of cardiovascular events with high accuracy.
Spin waves in magnetic quantum wells with Coulomb interaction and sd exchange coupling

We theoretically describe the spin excitation spectrum of a two dimensional electron gas embedded in a quantum well with localized magnetic impurities. Compared to the previous work, we introduce equations that allow to consider the interplay between the Coulomb interaction of delocalized electrons and the $sd$ exchange coupling between electrons and magnetic impurities. Strong qualitative changes are found : mixed waves propagate below the single particle continuum, an anticrossing gap is open at a specific wavevector and the kinetic damping due to the electron motion strongly influences the coupling strength between electrons and impurities spins.
Evaluation of Macular Changes After Uncomplicated Phacoemulsification Surgery by Optical Coherence Tomography

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of uncomplicated phacoemulsification surgery on macula by optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods: A total of 110 eyes of 102 patients who underwent uncomplicated phacoemulsification and foldable intraocular lens implantation at Beyoglu Eye Research and Training Hospital between February and March 2005 and who were without any systemic disease, fundus or other ocular pathology were included. Postoperatively, topical prednisolone acetate (6× 1) and ofloxacine (5× 1) was started, and by decreasing the dosage progressively, treatment was continued for 6 weeks. Full ophthalmologic and OCT examinations were done preoperatively and at the postoperative 1st day, 1st week, 1st, 3rd, and 6th months. Mean retinal thicknesses, volumetric analyses at central fovea, superior, inferior, temporal, and nasal macular quadrants, and thinnest foveal retinal thicknesses were recorded. Preoperative and postoperative measurements were analyzed statistically by using ANOVA test, paired samples t-test with Bonferroni correction, and Pearson's correlation test. Results: The mean central foveal retinal thickness was preoperatively 202.4 ± 25.9 μ m, postoperatively 200.4 ± 26.1 μ m at 1st day (p = 0.29), 208.4 ± 27.6 μ m at 1st week (p = 0.29), 226.2 ± 54.9 μ m at 1st month, 215.2 ± 24.0 μ m at 3rd month, 213.5 ± 29.4 μ m at 6th month (p < 0.001). Perifoveal macular thicknesses at superior, inferior, temporal, and nasal quadrants were 264.9 ± 28.8 μ m, 266.1 ± 29.5 μ m, 255.0 ± 31.3 μ m, 260.3 ± 34.0 μ m, respectively, preoperatively; 287.9 ± 28.4 μ m, 288.0 ± 26.3 μ m, 286.8 ± 33.1 μ m, 272.0 ± 32.4 μ m, respectively, at postoperative 1st month (p < 0.001). The change in mean central foveal thickness, foveal thinnest retinal thickness, mean perifoveal retinal thickness and volumetric analyses was insignificant at postoperative 1st day (p > 0.05), and significant at 1st week, 1st, 3rd, and 6th months (p < 0.05 for all measurements). Conclusions: Statistically significant increase in macular thickness was detected at postoperative early periods, after the 1st week after uncomplicated cataract operation. The increase in macular thickness starts from parafoveal regions. Longer follow-up of patients is required for the macular consequences, and different treatment protocols should be studied in a randomized controlled fashion.
Tracheoesophageal Voice Prosthesis Outcomes: Success or Insucess?

Introduction: Total laryngectomy/pharingo-laryngectomy is a potentially aggressive surgery for advanced laryngeal/hypopharyngeal carcinomas, which results in important physical and functional changes that compromise some of the most vital functions, including speech communication. For these patients, tracheoesophageal speech is considered to be the gold standard for voice rehabilitation. Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to determinate the success rate of voice prosthesis rehabilitation, voice prosthesis lifetime and the rate of complications, and its related clinicopathologic factors. Material and Methods: Retrospective review of 92 patients who undergone tracheoesophageal puncture (TEP) performed between January 2007 and December 2012 at the Francisco Gentil Portuguese Institute of Oncology of Oporto. Age, primary disease, staging, the extent of surgical resection, radiotherapy treatment, timing of TEP, surgical and prosthesis-related complications were noted. The impact of these clinicpathological factors on functional outcome, complications of TEP and lifetime of prosthetic valves was assessed in univariate analysis. Vocal rehabilitation efficacy with voice prosthesis was assessed with the multidimensional Harrison-Robillard Shultz (HRS) Rating Scale. Lifetime of voice prosthesis and early and late complications were recorded. Results: A total of 83 patients met the study criteria, predominantly males (94%) with a mean age of 63.7 years. 77% of the patients underwent primary and 23% secondary TEP. 68.7% of patients achieved functional tracheoesophageal speech (HRS score ≥ 10), 67.2% had performed primary TEP and 73.7% had performed secondary TEP. The mean device lifetime was 9.8 months for voice prosthesis. Prosthesis-related complications occurred in 81% of the patients and the most common issues were prosthesis leakage (76%) and displacement (22%). The most common surgical-related problem was a large and deep tracheostoma. Conclusions: Our success rate of voice rehabilitation was comparable to that reported in published literature with a satisfactory median device lifetime. Because of its safety and simplicity, tracheoesophageal puncture is considered to be an effective method for voice rehabilitation after total laryngectomy.
Comparisons of high-dose and combination nicotine replacement therapy, varenicline, and bupropion for smoking cessation: A systematic review and multiple treatment meta-analysis

Aim. This review compared the effect of high-dose nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and combinations of NRT for increasing smoking abstinence rates compared to standard-dose NRT patch, varenicline, and bupropion on smoking abstinence. Methods. Ten electronic databases were searched (up to January 2012) for randomized controlled trials (RCT) of standard-dose (≤ 22 mg) or high-dose nicotine patch therapy (> 22 mg), combination NRT (e.g. nicotine patch + nicotine inhaler), bupropion, and varenicline. Analysis consisted of random-effects pairwise meta-analysis and a Bayesian multiple treatment comparison (MTC). Results. We identified 146 RCTs (65 standard-doses of the nicotine patch (≤ 22 mg); 6 high-dose NRT patch (> 22 mg); 5 high versus standard-dose NRT patch; 5 combination NRT versus inert controls; 6 combination versus single NRT patch; 48 bupropion; and 11 varenicline). The MTC found that all therapies offered treatment benefits at most time points over controls. Combination NRT and higher-dose NRT did not demonstrate consistent effects over other interventions. With the exception of varenicline, the benefits of treatments over standard-dose NRT were not retained in the long term. Conclusions. All pharmacologic treatments were significantly more effective than inert controls. Varenicline was the only treatment demonstrating effects over other options. These results should be considered in the development of clinical practice guidelines.