Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pickup of Essential Kinematics Underpins Expert Perception of Movement Patterns

In a series of 3 experiments, the authors examined the ability of badminton players of different skill levels (12 experts and 12 nonexperts) to anticipate the direction of badminton strokes. Participants viewed either film or point-light displays under a range of temporal or spatial occlusion conditions. World-class players were able to consistently pick up useful predictive information from the advance (precontact) kinematics of both the lower body and the racquet when the motion of those features was presented in isolation, whereas recreational players' use of the same information depended on the concurrent presence of linked segments. Participants' information pickup closely matched key biomechanical changes in the movement pattern being viewed, although, contrary to a common-coding view of perception and action (e.g., W. Prinz, 1997), some important differences were evident between the characteristics of the experts' movement prediction and those of expert movement production.
Bank Interest Margins and Business Start-Up Collateral: Testing for Convexity

The paper investigates the relationship between bank interest rate margins and collateral for loans issued to new ventures. The analysis finds a convex U-shaped relationship. The results indicate that while provision of collateral initially reduces bank exposure to risk (through security, more optimal levels of capital and lower moral hazard among entrepreneurs) that beyond a point, the positive risk-wealth association gives rise to greater risk taking propensity among entrepreneurs and ultimately higher interest rates. This indicates that a lender's pricing policy may even somewhat help to level the competitive playing field between ventures launched by higher and moderately wealthy entrepreneurs.
Validation and Comparison of Three Enzyme‐linked Immunosorbent Assays for the Detection of Antibodies to Cowdria ruminantium Infection a

ABSTRACT: Serological tests for Cowdria ruminantium infection have been hampered by low specificity. Here, an indirect ELISA based on purified antigen, a competitive ELISA using a recombinant major antigenic protein (MAP‐1) and an indirect ELISA based on the MAP‐1B region of the recombinant MAP‐1 were compared. The tests were validated using 3000 sera of ruminants from 14 islands of the Lesser Antilles as well as sequential serum samples from 10 cattle, 17 goats and 10 sheep vaccinated with inactivated C. ruminantium in ISA 50 adjuvant and from 14 goats infected with a virulent culture supernatant. All tests detected significantly higher percentages of positives on Antigua, Guadeloupe and Marie‐Galante, where C. ruminantium had been isolated before. Overall specificity calculated with sera from the other 11 heartwater‐free islands was 98.1%, 98.5%, and 99.4% for the ELISA based on crude antigen, recombinant MAP‐1 and MAP‐1B, respectively. Sensitivities observed with sequential serum samples were similar for all tests. Tests based on recombinant antigens, especially the MAP‐1B, showed improved specificity, suggesting their use for epidemiological studies in regions where the distribution of cowdriosis is unknown. In addition, the competitive ELISA is useful for studies in wildlife for which species‐specific conjugates do not exist.
Wolbachia-mediated reproductive alterations in invertebrate hosts and biocontrol implications of the bacteria: an update

Wolbachia are obligatory intracellular bacteria that have evolved to manipulate reproduction and/or metabolism of their arthropod and nematode hosts in a number of ways, all designed to the benefit of their own survival and transmission through hosts’ populations. An updated account of the occurrence, identification, phylogeny and genetics, phenotypic effects, distribution, mechanisms of action, horizontal transmission, infection dynamics, evolutionary consequences and biocontrol implications of the bacteria are presented. Associations between these maternally heritable bacteria and their hosts not only cover the entire range of interactions from parasitism to mutualism but also a complex interplay of both. Wolbachia are transmitted vertically from mothers to offspring, and also horizontally within or between arthropod taxa. They are known to induce cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) via unviable brood, parthenogenesis induction (PI) through asexual reproduction, feminization (F) by converting males into functional females, and male killing (MK) by causing death to sons of the infected mothers. How these bacteria influence host fitness and population dynamics, and could play an important role in speciation have been reviewed. Possible uses of the bacteria and their predominant phenotypes in control programmes for agricultural pests and human disease vectors have been discussed. Key words: Wolbachia , reproductive manipulation, cytoplasmic incompatibility, parthenogenesis induction, feminization, male killing, biocontrol implications Univ. j. zool. Rajshahi Univ. Vol. 26, 2007. pp. 1-19
Corneal Neuralgia after LASIK

Purpose To illustrate that corneal neuralgia may be the basis for refractory dry eye syndrome after laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). Methods The methodology used is that of a retrospective medical record review of a small case series. Results Three male patients, aged 30 to 48 years, referred in 2012 for dry eye syndrome refractory to treatment within 1 year of LASIK or LASIK enhancement are reported. Each patient gave history of eye pain, light sensitivity, and difficulty with visual activities beginning within 2 months of LASIK or LASIK enhancement. Best-corrected visual acuity was 20/15 or 20/20 in each of the six eyes. Tear-centered models and metrics did not explain persistent symptoms, which was consistent with inadequate response to standard dry eye treatments used before referral and reported here. In vivo confocal microscopy was abnormal at presentation in each case and was followed over time. Treatments undertaken subsequent to referral included autologous serum tears (three cases), PROSE (Prosthetic Replacement of the Ocular Surface Ecosystem) treatment (two cases), and systemic agents for pain, anxiety, or depression (three cases). By the end of 2013, at a mean of 23 months after LASIK or LASIK enhancement, symptoms improved in all three patients. Conclusions Patients with persistent dry eye symptoms out of proportion to clinical signs after LASIK have a syndrome that may best be classified as corneal neuralgia. In vivo confocal microscopy can be informative as to the neuropathic basis of this condition. In keeping with current understanding of complex regional pain syndrome, early multimodal treatment directed toward reducing peripheral nociceptive signaling is warranted to avoid subsequent centralization and persistence of pain. Distinguishing this syndrome from typical post-LASIK dry eye remains a challenge.
Binding credentials: securing (SSO) authentication

This thesis analyzes authentication of users in web environments, especially in Single Sign-On scenarios. With the example of Software-as-a-Service Cloud Providers, a theoretical model of the authentication module of Cloud Services is described. Based on this model, three attack classes are identified, each requiring different attacker capabilities. Possible attacks pertaining to these classes are identified and described and possible countermeasures are provided. A subsequent study of testing all identified attacks against the SAML authentication modules of 22 real world Cloud Service Providers shows that there are substantial problems in practice: 20 out of 22 tested Cloud Providers were each vulnerable to at least one of the identified attacks. To enhance security in such scenarios, different cryptographic bindings are discussed. Especially the TLS-Unique Channel Binding is analyzed, for which authentication information are bound to a specific TLS channel. It is shown how this binding can be applied to secure both classic (e.g., username/password based) and Single Sign-On protocols against Man-in-the-Middle attacks and theft of authentication information. This binding is also enhanced and applied to the area of mobile telephony: The SIM card available in most current mobile devices can be used as a hardware security token for authentication purposes. This thesis shows how to combine SIM card authentication with the TLS-Unique Channel Binding to realize a secure user authentication towards web service providers. A different hardware based security token can be found with current electronic identity cards. This thesis analyzes how to integrate eID tokens, especially the German “neuer Personalausweis” (nPA) and SAML Single Sign-On technologies. In addition to authentication of participants, modern communication protocols also aim at providing a secure, i.e., confidential, communication between these participants. For this purpose, often cryptographic keys or key material must be exchanged between participants in a secure way. This thesis shows how to successfully integrate a secure transport of cryptographic keys or key material into the SAML authentication framework in a standard compliant way.
The importance of a correct evaluation of progression in studies on chronic kidney disease.

When studying the effect of therapeutic interventions on the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD), the most relevant end points are death and development of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). However, since the rate of progression is often rather slow, the effect parameter that is usually monitored is one of the markers of glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The gold standard for determination of GFR is the renal clearance of inulin, administered as a constant intravenous infusion. This method, however, is rarely used, mainly due to its time-consuming chemical assay procedure. Alternative methods are radiolabelled markers and creatinine, as well as estimates of GFR [1,2]. In long-term studies on progressive CKD some patients usually develop ESRD during the study, while others disappear from the study due to non-renal causes. It is important to take this into account when selecting the research methods for evaluation of GFR. The authors of a recently published meta-analysis were apparently not aware of this problem [3], and therefore came to conclusions that might be questioned. Given this background, it seems relevant to call attention to the pitfalls that may be made in the handling of GFR data, when studying the progression of CKD. Specific problems connected with the use of creatinine-based markers will not be discussed.
Verticillium longisporum, the invisible threat to oilseed rape and other brassicaceous plant hosts.

INTRODUCTION The causal agents of Verticillium wilts are globally distributed pathogens that cause significant crop losses every year. Most Verticillium wilts are caused by V. dahliae, which is pathogenic on a broad range of plant hosts, whereas other pathogenic Verticillium species have more restricted host ranges. In contrast, V. longisporum appears to prefer brassicaceous plants and poses an increasing problem to oilseed rape production. TAXONOMY Kingdom Fungi; Phylum Ascomycota; Class Sordariomycetes; Subclass Hypocreomycetida; Family Plectosphaerellaceae; genus Verticillium. DISEASE SYMPTOMS Dark unilateral stripes appear on the stems of apparently healthy looking oilseed rape plants at the end of the growing season. Microsclerotia are subsequently formed in the stem cortex beneath the epidermis. GENOME Verticillium longisporum is the only non-haploid species in the Verticillium genus, as it is an amphidiploid hybrid that carries almost twice as much genetic material as the other Verticillium species as a result of interspecific hybridization. DISEASE MANAGEMENT There is no effective fungicide treatment to control Verticillium diseases, and resistance breeding is the preferred strategy for disease management. However, only a few Verticillium wilt resistance genes have been identified, and monogenic resistance against V. longisporum has not yet been found. Quantitative resistance exists mainly in the Brassica C-genome of parental cabbage lines and may be introgressed in oilseed rape breeding lines. COMMON NAME Oilseed rape colonized by V. longisporum does not develop wilting symptoms, and therefore the common name of Verticillium wilt is unsuitable for this crop. Therefore, we propose 'Verticillium stem striping' as the common name for Verticillium infections of oilseed rape.
EMortality from cancer of the lung in Serbia.

PURPOSE To estimate the death rates for lung cancer and their secular trends in the population of Serbia, excluding the autonomous province of Kosovo and Metohia, over the 1991-2009 period. METHODS A descriptive epidemiological method was employed. Trend of the lung cancer mortality rates was estimated using joinpoint linear regression analysis. An average annual percentage of change (AAPC) was computed for trend using linear models assuming a Poisson distribution, and the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS The mortality rate from lung cancer in Serbia ranks as the highest in the world, and it has been increasing continuously from 1991 (AAPC = + 1.9; 95% CI=1.7-2.2). A significant increase in mortality was present in both the male population (AAPC = + 1.4; 95% CI=1.2-1.6), and the female population (AAPC = + 3.9; 95% CI=3.6-4.3). However, a significant decline in lung cancer mortality in men was seen in some age groups. In young men (35-39 and 40-44 years age groups), lung cancer death rates decreased continuously from 1991, by - 5.1% and - 2.6% per year, respectively. Among men in the 45-49 years age group, a marked increase of lung cancer mortality was observed from 1991 to 1998 (by + 6.5% per year), followed by significant decrease (- 1.9% per year). Among women, only in the youngest age group (35-39 years) a declining trend was present (- 0.6% per year), yet without significance. CONCLUSION Lung cancer mortality rates in Serbia indicate the importance of consistent application of measures of primary and secondary prevention that have been proven effective in other countries.
Toward High-Resolution de Novo Structure Prediction for Small Proteins

The prediction of protein structure from amino acid sequence is a grand challenge of computational molecular biology. By using a combination of improved low- and high-resolution conformational sampling methods, improved atomically detailed potential functions that capture the jigsaw puzzle–like packing of protein cores, and high-performance computing, high-resolution structure prediction (<1.5 angstroms) can be achieved for small protein domains (<85 residues). The primary bottleneck to consistent high-resolution prediction appears to be conformational sampling.
Utility and limitations of 3,3-diphosphono-1,2-propanodicarboxylic acid scintigraphy in systemic amyloidosis.

AIMS Technetium-99m-labelled 3,3-diphosphono-1,2-propanodicarboxylic acid ((99m)Tc-DPD) is a sensitive method for imaging cardiac transthyretin (ATTR) amyloid. We report utility and limitations of (99m)Tc-DPD scintigraphy in 321 patients with suspected cardiac amyloidosis. METHODS AND RESULTS The cohort included wild-type ATTR (ATTRwt) amyloidosis in 94 (29%), ATTR-Val122Ile amyloidosis in 38 (12%), hereditary ATTR (ATTRmt) amyloidosis in 46 (14%), primary light-chain (AL) amyloidosis in 44 (14%), secondary (AA) amyloidosis in three (1%), other hereditary amyloidosis types in nine (3%), undetermined types in two (0.5%), and 85 (26.5%) patients in whom systemic amyloidosis was ultimately excluded. All 158 patients with ATTR amyloidosis with clinical cardiac involvement had cardiac (99m)Tc-DPD uptake, with median Grade 2 intensity. Thirteen further ATTR amyloidosis patients without clinical evidence of cardiac involvement also demonstrated (99m)Tc-DPD cardiac uptake. Eighteen of 35 (51%) AL patients with cardiac involvement had (99m)Tc-DPD cardiac uptake (median Grade 1 intensity). SPECT imaging indicates that the apparent reciprocal reduction in bone uptake is due to masking of bone uptake by extensive soft-tissue uptake in ATTR amyloidosis, especially ATTRwt, and ATTR-Val122Ile types. CONCLUSION (99m)Tc-DPD scintigraphy is a highly sensitive technique for imaging cardiac ATTR amyloidosis and is an important investigation in the diagnostic pathway of patients with cardiac amyloidosis. It is not specific for ATTR in isolation but must be interpreted in a broad clinical context to avoid dangerous diagnostic errors. Diffuse skeletal muscle uptake identifies muscle as a hitherto unrecognized site that merits investigation as a target organ in ATTR amyloidosis.
Emerging Novel Enzyme Pathways in Drug Metabolism Evaluating the Disposition of a Mixed Aldehyde Oxidase / Cytochrome P 450 Substrate in Rats with Attenuated P 450 Activity s

Marketed drugs cleared by aldehyde oxidase (AO) are few, with no known clinically relevant pharmacokinetic drug interactions associated with AO inhibition, whereas cytochrome P450 (P450) inhibition or induction mediates a number of clinical drug interactions. Little attention has been given to the consequences of coadministering a P450 inhibitor with a compound metabolized by both AO and P450. Upon discovering that VU0409106 (1) was metabolized by AO (to M1) and P450 enzymes (to M4–M6), we sought to evaluate the in vivo disposition of 1 and its metabolites in rats with attenuated P450 activity. Male rats were orally pretreated with the pan-P450 inactivator, 1-aminobenzotriazole (ABT), before an i.p. dose of 1. Interestingly, the plasma area under the curve (AUC) ofM1was increased 15-fold in ABT-treated rats, indicating a metabolic shunt toward AO resulted from the drug interaction condition. The AUC of 1 also increased 7.8fold. Accordingly, plasma clearance of 1 decreased from 53.5 to 15.3 ml/min per kilogram in ABT-pretreated rats receiving an i.v. dose of 1. Consistent with these data, M1 formation in hepatic S9 increasedwith NADPH-exclusion to eliminate P450 activity (50% over reactions containing NADPH). These studies reflect possible consequences of a drug interactionbetweenP450 inhibitors and compoundsclearedby both AO and P450 enzymes. Notably, increased exposure to an AO metabolite may hold clinical relevance for activemetabolites or those mediating toxicity at elevated concentrations. The recent rise in clinical drug candidates metabolized by AO underscores the importance of these findings and the need for clinical studies to fully understand these risks.
Differential expression of TrkB isoforms switches climbing fiber‐Purkinje cell synaptogenesis to selective synapse elimination

Correct neural function depends on precisely organized connectivity, which is refined from broader projections through synaptic/collateral elimination. In the rat, olivocerebellar topography is refined by regression of multiple climbing fiber (CF) innervation of Purkinje cells (PC) during the first two postnatal weeks. The molecules that initiate this regression are not fully understood. We assessed the role of cerebellar neurotrophins by examining tropomycin receptor kinase (Trk) receptor expression in the inferior olive and cerebellum between postnatal days (P)3‐7, when CF‐PC innervation changes from synapse formation to selective synapse elimination, and in a denervation‐reinnervation model when synaptogenesis is delayed. Trks A, B, and C are expressed in olivary neurons; although TrkA was not transported to the cerebellum and TrkC was unchanged during innervation and reinnervation, suggesting that neither receptor is involved in CF‐PC synaptogenesis. In contrast, both total and truncated TrkB (TrkB.T) increased in the olive and cerebellum from P4, whereas full‐length and activated phosphorylated TrkB (phospho‐TrkB) decreased from P4‐5. This reveals less TrkB signaling at the onset of CF regression. This expression pattern was reproduced during CF‐PC reinnervation: in the denervated hemicerebellum phospho‐TrkB decreased as CF terminals degenerated, then increased in parallel with the delayed neosynaptogenesis as new CFs reinnervated the denervated hemicerebellum. In the absence of this signaling, CF reinnervation did not develop. Our data reveal that olivocerebellar TrkB activity parallels CF‐PC synaptic formation and stabilization and is required for neosynaptogenesis. Furthermore, TrkB.T expression rises to reduce TrkB signaling and permit synapse elimination. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 2009
Appreciating the shades of gray: a case for Computer-Aided Nodule Assessment and Risk Yield (CANARY)-based risk stratification of lung adenocarcinomas.

We read with great interest the invited commentary by Drs. Wilson and Pu on our computed tomography (CT)-based quantitative imaging tool for the non-invasive risk stratification of lung adenocarcinomas: Computer-Aided Nodule Assessment and Risk Yield (CANARY) (1). While we are pleased to see the discussion on the scope and relevance of our research, we would like to use this opportunity to respond to the points made by our colleagues and attempt to clarify any misunderstanding about CANARY.
Direct Solution of Orientation-from-Color Problem Using a Modification of Pentland's Light Source Direction Estimator

If a uniformly colored Lambertian surface is illuminated by a collection of point or extended light sources or interreflections, with unknown directions and strengths, such that illumination varies spectrally with orientation from the surface, then surface normals can be recovered up to an orthogonal transformation using a robust regression on points in color space. Recently, it was shown that the unknown orthogonal transformation can be recovered by applying an integrability condition on the recovered normals. However, the integrability method results in an unavoidable convex/concave ambiguity additional to the usual one. Here a much simpler method is set out that avoids this ambiguity. Using Pentland's or a similar tilt estimator for each of the RGB channels in turn, in effect treating the combination of lights as three single sources, the robust color space regression leads to three constraints on the slants of the three sources. The result is accurate recovery of light source directions and hence of surface normals. A self-check mechanism for evaluating the algorithm's performance on real images is introduced.