Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A rare and unusual presentation of urological infection on a patient on steroids

We report the rare case of adult lobar nephronia in a 49-year-old female, on long-term steroids with no prior urological or transplant history. More frequently reported in paediatric literature, adult lobar nephronia (focal pyelonephritis) is an unusual radiological finding sometimes preceding the development of renal abscess. We advocate that treatment should be a prolonged course of antibiotics and close follow-up.
Welcome to the Microgenderome

Commensal gut bacteria reinforce the gender bias observed in an autoimmune form of diabetes. [Also see Report by Markle et al.] The gender bias observed in numerous diseases has long been understood as an entirely host-intrinsic factor. It is one of the many puzzling features of some autoimmune conditions (inappropriate immune responses that attack self antigens and destroy host tissue) including type 1 diabetes mellitus, in which sex hormones affect disease susceptibility and severity (1, 2). On page 1084 of this issue, Markle et al. (3) introduce an astonishing twist to this view, suggesting that gender bias may be exercised and/or reinforced by the commensal microbiota of the host. This extrinsic, albeit commensal, factor appears to regulate sex hormone levels and arguably the gender bias observed in type 1 diabetes mellitus. The finding contributes to an expanding field of translational research aiming to convert our growing knowledge of the host-microbiota relationship into therapeutic approaches.
Regional accents recognition based on i-vectors approach: The case of the Algerian linguistic environment

Regional accents recognition is one of the most important research topics in speech processing. However, the development of such systems is time-consuming and an expensive process since it requires collecting and processing a large amount of training and evaluation data for each target accent. This work presents some preliminary results about the Algerian regional accents recognition using the i-vectors approach. The experiments have been carried out using a dataset collected from the east and the center of Algeria. The obtained results show the benefits of using the i-vectors approach to recognize both regional accents and to assess the impact of evaluation data quality on the accuracy of the proposed recognition method. However, it has been noted that the confusion rates obtained between both accents may be related to the evaluation data quality, the linguistic similarity existing between both accents and some languages contact phenomenon such as the code switching.
Virtual light fields for global illumination in computer graphics

This thesis presents novel techniques for the generation and real-time rendering of globally illuminated environments with surfaces described by arbitrary materials. Real-time rendering of globally illuminated virtual environments has for a long time been an elusive goal. Many techniques have been developed which can compute still images with full global illumination and this is still an area of active flourishing research. Other techniques have only dealt with certain aspects of global illumination in order to speed up computation and thus rendering. These include radiosity, ray-tracing and hybrid methods. Radiosity due to its view independent nature can easily be rendered in real-time after pre-computing and storing the energy equilibrium. Ray-tracing however is view-dependent and requires substantial computational resources in order to run in real-time. Attempts at providing full global illumination at interactive rates include caching methods, fast rendering from photon maps, light fields, brute force ray-tracing and GPU accelerated methods. Currently, these methods either only apply to special cases, are incomplete exhibiting poor image quality and/or scale badly such that only modest scenes can be rendered in real-time with current hardware. The techniques developed in this thesis extend upon earlier research and provide a novel, comprehensive framework for storing global illumination in a data structure - the Virtual Light Field - that is suitable for real-time rendering. The techniques trade off rapid rendering for memory usage and precompute time. The main weaknesses of the VLF method are targeted in this thesis. It is the expensive pre-compute stage with best-case O(N^2) performance, where N is the number of faces, which make the light propagation unpractical for all but simple scenes. This is analysed and greatly superior alternatives are presented and evaluated in terms of efficiency and error. Several orders of magnitude improvement in computational efficiency is achieved over the original VLF method. A novel propagation algorithm running entirely on the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is presented. It is incremental in that it can resolve visibility along a set of parallel rays in O(N) time and can produce a virtual light field for a moderately complex scene (tens of thousands of faces), with complex illumination stored in millions of elements, in minutes and for simple scenes in seconds. It is approximate but gracefully converges to a correct solution; a linear increase in resolution results in a linear increase in computation time. Finally a GPU rendering technique is presented which can render from Virtual Light Fields at real-time frame rates in high resolution VR presentation devices such as the CAVETM.
A new therapeutic application of brain-machine interface (BMI) training followed by hybrid assistive neuromuscular dynamic stimulation (HANDS) therapy for patients with severe hemiparetic stroke: A proof of concept study.

BACKGROUND Hybrid assistive neuromuscular dynamic stimulation (HANDS) therapy improved paretic upper extremity motor function in patients with severe to moderate hemiparesis. We hypothesized that brain machine interface (BMI) training would be able to increase paretic finger muscle activity enough to apply HANDS therapy in patients with severe hemiparesis, whose finger extensor was absent. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of BMI training followed by HANDS therapy in patients with severe hemiparesis. METHODS Twenty-nine patients with chronic stroke who could not extend their paretic fingers were participated this study. We applied BMI training for 10 days at 40 min per day. The BMI detected the patients' motor imagery of paretic finger extension with event-related desynchronization (ERD) over the affected primary sensorimotor cortex, recorded with electroencephalography. Patients wore a motor-driven orthosis, which extended their paretic fingers and was triggered with ERD. When muscle activity in their paretic fingers was detected with surface electrodes after 10 days of BMI training, we applied HANDS therapy for the following 3 weeks. In HANDS therapy, participants received closed-loop, electromyogram-controlled, neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) combined with a wrist-hand splint for 3 weeks at 8 hours a day. Before BMI training, after BMI training, after HANDS therapy and 3month after HANDS therapy, we assessed Fugl-Meyer Assessment upper extremity motor score (FMA) and the Motor Activity Log14-Amount of Use (MAL-AOU) score. RESULTS After 10 days of BMI training, finger extensor activity had appeared in 21 patients. Eighteen of 21 patients then participated in 3 weeks of HANDS therapy. We found a statistically significant improvement in the FMA and the MAL-AOU scores after the BMI training, and further improvement was seen after the HANDS therapy. CONCLUSION Combining BMI training with HANDS therapy could be an effective therapeutic strategy for severe UE paralysis after stroke.
UC Merced Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society Title Endogenous orienting attention without consciousness

This study investigated the role of awareness in endogenous orienting of visual attention. Twenty-five subjects performed a Covert Attention Task, in which target stimuli were preceded by masked and unmasked symbolic central cues (i.e., digits). Results showed a facilitation effect in both the aware and unaware condition, suggesting that a symbolic cue was able to induce an endogenous orienting in the absence of subjective awareness
Cervical spine fracture patterns predictive of blunt vertebral artery injury.

BACKGROUND Aggressive screening for blunt cerebrovascular injury (BCVI) has uncovered an astonishing incidence of vertebral artery injuries (VAIs) and associated stroke rate. Stroke incidence is reduced with early recognition and prompt anticoagulation. Because of the proximity of the cervical spine and vertebral arteries, we queried whether all patients with cervical spine fractures required arteriography to rule out VAI. METHODS Four-vessel cerebrovascular angiography remains the standard screening test for patients at risk for BCVI. Patients undergoing angiographic screening for blunt cerebrovascular injuries have been prospectively followed at our regional trauma center since January 1990; however, in January 1996, we began aggressive screening based on injury patterns. RESULTS Ninety-two patients with vertebral artery injuries were identified during the study period from January 1996 to June 2002. Two patients with vertebral injuries had minor cervical fractures, a C6 body fracture and a C7 spinous process/laminar fracture; both underwent diagnostic angiography for injury mechanism. Of the 21 patients without cervical spine fracture, angiographic screening for BCVI was performed for neurologic symptoms (11 patients), basilar skull fracture (6 patients), or severe facial fractures (4 patients). Cervical spine fracture was the sole indication for VAI in 69 patients. The fracture patterns were subluxations in 38 patients (55%) or extension of the fracture through the foramen transversarium in 18 patients (26%). The remaining injuries (18%) were located in the upper cervical spine: isolated C1 arch in eight patients and C2/3 body fractures in five patients. CONCLUSION Blunt vertebral artery injury is associated with complex cervical spine fractures involving subluxation, extension into the foramen transversarium, or upper C1 to C3 fractures. Routine screening should incorporate these findings to maximize yield while limiting the use of invasive procedures.
Comparison of integrated genotoxicity endpoints in rats after acute and subchronic oral doses of 4‐nitroquinoline‐1‐oxide

During interlaboratory validation trials for the Pig‐a gene mutation assay we assessed the genotoxicity of 4‐nitroquinoline‐1‐oxide (4NQO) across endpoints in multiple tissues: induction of Pig‐a mutant red blood cells (RBCs) and reticulocytes (RETs); micronucleated RETs (MN RETs); and DNA damage in blood and liver via the alkaline Comet assay (%tail intensity [TI]). In a previous subchronic toxicity study with 28 daily doses, biologically meaningful increases were observed only for Pig‐a mutant RBCs/RETs while marginal increases in the frequency of MN RET were observed, and other clastogenic endpoints were negative. Follow up acute studies were performed using the same cumulative doses (0, 35, 70, 105, and 140 mg/kg) administered in a bolus, or split over three equal daily doses, with samples collected up to 1 month after the last dose. Both of the acute dosing regimens produced similar results, in that endpoints were either positive or negative, regardless of 1 or 3 daily doses, but the three consecutive daily dose regimen yielded more potent responses in TI (in liver and blood) and Pig‐a mutant frequencies. In these acute studies the same cumulative doses of 4NQO induced positive responses in clastogenic endpoints that were negative or inconclusive using a subchronic study design. Additionally, a positive control group using combination doses of cyclophosphamide and ethyl methanesulfonate was employed to assess assay validity and potentially identify a future positive control treatment for integrated genetic toxicity studies. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 57:17–27, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Questionable Performance of a Questionnaire

In our publication (Pitiphat et al., 2008), we used a surrogate exposure with a combined sensitivity and specificity of 117 and combined predictive values of 157. Janket et al. objected, stating that a measure with low sensitivity is unacceptable (regardless of specificity and predictive values). They state that using predictive values to validate accuracy is misleading, since predictive values do not measure accuracy. Although there are some similarities in assessing accuracy of measures for different applications, it should be noted that the article they cited in support (Zweig and Campbell, 1993) discusses accuracy for clinical diagnostic tests and not epidemiologic studies. Moreover, that article (Zweig and Campbell, 1993) did not exclude predictive values from accuracy measures. Predictive values can be calculated from a combination of sensitivity, specificity, and prevalence. Our epidemiologic study (Pitiphat et al., 2008) quantified the misclassification in our measure, and calculated the hypothetically stronger relative risk with a standard measure. The relation between the observed and hypothetical relative risk (for the standard) can be computed using a combination of sensitivity and specificity or of positive and negative predictive values (Flegal et al., 1986). The formulas (Flegal et al., 1986) show that it is the combination of sensitivity and specificity or of the predictive values that is important for assessing accuracy or degree of bias in estimates of association in etiologic studies. We acknowledged that the threshold of 120 (Blicher et al., 2005) for the combination proposed in our article was somewhat arbitrary, and one could propose alternative approaches or thresholds. However, the logic of combining sensitivity and specificity or the predictive values to assess accuracy is well-substantiated (Flegal et al., 1986; Zweig and Campbell, 1993). The ROC curve that is widely accepted also combines measures of sensitivity and specificity (Zweig and Campbell, 1993).
Studies on potential involvement of protein kinase C in glomerular insensitivity to atrial natriuretic factor on low sodium intake.

BACKGROUND Atrial natriuretic factor (ANF)-induced increase in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is inhibited on low sodium intake. It has been shown that activation of renin-angiotensin system on low sodium intake antagonizes the biological effect of ANF by interfering in the intracellular metabolism of cGMP. We have previously indicated that the renin-angiotensin system increases activity of Ca2+/calmodulin dependent-cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase (cGMP-PDE) in glomeruli and thereby inhibits the ANF-induced increase in GFR in low sodium-treated rats. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether low sodium intake might change glomerular cGMP metabolism by the alternative branch of the signal transduction pathway, namely protein kinase-C (PKC) activation. MATERIAL AND METHODS cGMP formation and PKC activity were examined in isolated glomeruli from the rats maintained for five days on a normal or a low sodium diet. Renal hemodynamic parameters in clearance experiments during infusion of ANF (0.5 Kg/min/kg body weight) in both groups of rats were also evaluated. RESULTS Low sodium intake inhibited ANF-dependent increase in GFR and nephrogenous cGMP excretion, whereas urinary sodium excretion did not differ appreciably in rats on either diet. The basal and ANF-stimulated cGMP formation in isolated glomeruli was significantly inhibited in low sodium-treated rats as compared to normal sodium-treated rats. The inhibitory effect of low sodium intake on basal and ANF-stimulated glomerular cGMP formation was completely prevented by a selective cGMP-PDE inhibitor, zaprinast, but not affected by PKC activator, PMA, or PKC inhibitor, H-7. The activity of PKC in glomeruli neither in membrane fraction nor in cytosol fraction did not differ significantly between normal and low sodium-treated rats. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate that the blunted glomerular response to ANF in rats on low sodium intake is due to decrease ability of cGMP formation in glomeruli by increasing activity of cGMP-PDE without altering activity of PKC.
Automatic Eye Winks Interpretation System for Human-Machine Interface

This paper proposes an automatic eye-wink interpretation system for human-machine interface to benefit the severely handicapped people. Our system consists of (1) applying the support vector machine (SVM) to detect the eyes, (2) using the template matching algorithm to track the eyes, (3) using SVM classifier to verify the open or closed eyes and convert the eye winks into a sequence of codes (0 or 1), and (4) applying the dynamic programming to translate the code sequence to a certain valid command. Different from the previous eye-gaze tracking methods, our system identifies the open or closed eye, and then interprets the eye winking as certain commands for human-machine interface. In the experiments, our system demonstrates better performance as well as higher accuracy.
Modified analytical model for subthreshold current in short channel MOSFET's

In this paper an analytical drain current model in subthreshold region is proposed and can be used for MOS or PD-SOI transistors. The model can describe output current dependency on the drain voltage accurately as well as including short channel effects. The proposed model needs only two fitting parameters to predict the current of a transistor with very good accuracy and simply can be used in simulators. To validate the model, it is compared with two short channel MOS transistors with different technologies by HSPICE simulations.
Effects of moisture content and drying temperature on the physicochemical properties of ostrich jerky.

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of temperature (50, 60, and 70 degrees C) and moisture content (18, 21, and 24%) on the quality ofjerky products from ostrich meat. The jerky products were evaluated by physicochemical and sensory methods. The tensile strength of the samples prepared to 24% w.b. moisture content at 50 degrees C was lowest (p < 0.05; 124 N) while those prepared under other conditions were in the range of 208-268 N (p > 0.05). The water activity of the jerky products was 0.51-0.72, and significant influence of drying temperature on protein solubility was also observed, but the samples dried at the same temperature had similar levels of soluble protein (p > 0.05) regardless of moisture content of samples. The pH of the samples dried at 50 degrees C and 60 degrees C showed little change in different moisture content, but samples dried at 70 degrees C tended to affect the pH by moisture content. Hunter a-values showed a predominantly increasing trend in all moisture levels as the heating temperature increased. The jerky product prepared to 24% w.b. moisture content at 60 degrees C showed the best sensory overall acceptability.
Bacterial synthesis of copper/copper oxide nanoparticles.

A bacterial mediated synthesis of copper/copper oxide nanoparticle composite is reported. A Gram-negative bacterium belonging to the genus Serratia was isolated from the midgut of Stibara sp. , an insect of the Cerambycidae family of beetles found in the Northwestern Ghats of India. This is a unique bacterium that is quite specific for the synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles as several other strains isolated from the same insect and common Indian mosquitoes did not result in nanoparticle formation. By following the reaction systematically, we could delineate that the nanoparticle formation occurs intracellularly. However, the process results in the killing of bacterial cells. Subsequently the nanoparticles leak out as the cell wall disintegrates. The nanoparticles formed are thoroughly characterized by UV-Vis, TEM, XRD, XPS and FTIR studies.
A randomised prospective study comparing the new vacuum extractor policy with forceps delivery

diagnosed hypertensive pregnancies assessed in the conventional way. Before identifying the abnormal, the normal range of ambulatory blood pressure measurement in pregnancy needs to be established. This has recently been determined in primigravida (Halligan et al. 1993). One concern regarding validation of automated equipment is the necessity to have an acceptable standardised protocol. The British Hypertensive Society has addressed this difficulty by the publication of its protocols for the evaluation of these devices (OBrien et al. 1990, 1993). The Takeda device referred to in the paper by Kyle et al. (1993) has, as mentioned in the commentary, been validated for use in pregnancy (Clark et al. 1991). However, this validation is based not on the BHS guidelines, but on the less stringent American Association of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) criteria. This validation was performed on the fourth version of the TM-2420, though this has been upgraded on three occasions since. The latest device, therefore, should undergo further validation before its use can be recommended in pregnancy. The interpretation of diastolic blood pressure in pregnancy, in our experience, is particularly subject to observer error. It is not immediately apparent why the adoption of phase V should make ambulatory monitoring more acceptable, given that the discrepancies noted may be a function of the outdated goldstandard of Korotkoff sounds as opposed to inherent automated device error. Diastolic blood pressure obtained by oscillometric measurement needs to be related to outcome, and may be more accurate. There is considerable potential using this new technology in a research context. Standardised measurement of large sample sizes, convenience to volunteers and investigators, as well as its ambulatory setting, give it considerable advantages over conventional sphygmomanometry as a research tool. The usefulness of ambulatory blood pressure measurements in pregnancy for the evaluation of hypertensive disease needs to be determined, but we hope others will consider the additional advantages that this new technology offers.
Functionally distinct insulin receptors generated by tissue‐specific alternative splicing.

Cloning of the insulin receptor cDNA has earlier revealed the existence of two alternative forms of the receptor differing by the presence or absence of 12 amino acids near the C‐terminus of the receptor alpha‐subunit. This insert has been shown by others to be encoded by a discrete exon, and alternative splicing of this exon leads to tissue‐specific expression of two receptor isoforms. We have studied the functional significance of the receptor isoforms and have confirmed that they are generated by alternative splicing. When cDNAs encoding the two forms of the insulin receptors are expressed in Rat 1 cells, the receptor lacking the insert (HIR‐A) has a significantly higher affinity for insulin than the receptor with the insert (HIR‐B). This difference in affinity is maintained when insulin binding activity is assayed in solution using detergent solubilized, partially purified receptors. These data, combined with the tissue specificity of HIR‐A and HIR‐B expression, suggest that alternative splicing may result in the modulation of insulin metabolism or responsiveness by different tissues.
Influence of perovskite termination on oxide heteroepitaxy

We report a combined high-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy, ion scattering spectroscopy, and photoelectron spectroscopy study of bare lanthanum aluminate [LaAlO3(LAO)] and of the initial stages of anatase TiO2 growth on LAO(001). LAO(001) exhibits mixed La–O and Al–O2 surface terminations at 400°C. Heteroepitaxial TiO2, grown by evaporating Ti metal in O2, nucleates near step edges, growing out to cover both upper and lower terraces uniformly, regardless of termination, indicating that the substrate cations and perovskite surface polarity play little direct role in controlling the morphology of this single-metal oxide heteroepitaxy. TiO2 films of 1.5nm in thickness exhibit a surface reconstruction similar to the bulk anatase (1×4).