Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing Using Cell Free DNA in Maternal Plasma: Recent Developments and Future Prospects

Recent advances in molecular genetic technologies have facilitated non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) through the analysis of cell-free fetal DNA in maternal plasma. NIPT can be used to identify monogenic disorders including the identification of autosomal recessive disorders where the maternally inherited mutation needs to be identified in the presence of an excess of maternal DNA that contains the same mutation. In the future, simultaneous screening for multiple monogenic disorders is anticipated. Several NIPT methods have been developed to screen for trisomy. These have been shown to be effective for fetal trisomy 21, 18 and 13. Although the testing has been extended to sex chromosome aneuploidy, robust estimates of the efficacy are not yet available and maternal mosaicism for gain or loss of an X-chromosome needs to be considered. Using methods based on the analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms, diandric triploidy can be identified. NIPT is being developed to identify a number of microdeletion syndromes including α-globin gene deletion. NIPT is a profoundly important development in prenatal care that is substantially advancing the individual patient and public health benefits achieved through conventional prenatal screening and diagnosis.
Advanced control of a converter used for connection of photovoltaic modules

This paper presents a control algorithm for a voltage source converter (VSC) that is used for connection of photovoltaic (PV) modules. The algorithm enables decoupled control of the PV generation system active and reactive power. Moreover, it enables the operation with unbalanced voltages. In case of unbalance, the negative-sequence currents are regulated to zero and the reference active and reactive power are maintained constant. The algorithm therefore extends the functionality of a PV generation system. Besides delivering the PV modules active power to the network, the PV system gains the functionally of VSC based active compensators. Such PV system could be used, for example, for voltage support or for power factor correction. For the evaluation of the proposed algorithm a PV generation system model is developed in PSCAD. The algorithm shows a good dynamic response and stable operation also in the case of relatively deep voltage sags
La diversite comptable internationale et ses consequences: Une revue de la litterature

Les dernieres decennies ont ete marquees par une acceleration considerable des mouvements internationaux de capitaux. Le nombre d'entreprises ayant recours aux marches etrangers pour se procurer un epartie de leurs ressources financieres a en effet augmente dans des proportions importantes. Dans le meme temps, les investisseurs ont de plus en plus tendance a acquerir des titres de societe etrangeres afin de diversifier geographiquement leurs placements.
Observations on the fine structure and histochemistry of the carotid body in the cat and rabbit.

The fine structural appearances of carotid body glomus cells, first illustrated by Lever and Boyd (1957), have since been further reported on by Garner & Duncan (1958) and by Hoffman & Birrell (1958). In this earlier description (Lever & Boyd, 1957) attention was directed to the presence within the glomus cells of (0.05-0-15/t) dense membrane-bound granules the population of which varied from cell to cell; and a parallel was drawn with appearances in the adrenal medulla (Lever 1955), the cells of which contain comparable but larger granules. In fact it was postulated that these granules in the carotid body glomus cell might represent the stored form of some humoral agent subserving a local physiological role, possibly as an activator of the Hering's nerve terminals. In the present paper we present evidence which gives further support to this view. de
Exploring the Design Space of Bezel-Initiated Gestures for Mobile Interaction

Bezel enables useful gestures supplementary to primary surface gestures for mobile interaction. However, the existing works mainly focus on researcher-designed gestures, which utilized only a subset of the design space. In order to explore the design space, the authors present a modified elicitation study, during which the participants designed bezel-initiated gestures for four sets of tasks. Different from traditional elicitation studies, theirs encourages participants to design new gestures. The authors do not focus on individual tasks or gestures, but perform a detailed analysis of the collected gestures as a whole, and provide findings which could benefit designers of bezel-initiated gestures.
Adaptive algorithms for background estimation to detect moving objects in videos. (Algorithmes adaptatifs d'estimation du fond pour la détection des objets mobiles dans les séquences vidéos)

Detecting foreground pixels is the rst step to detect objects of interest in videos. The objective of this thesis is to propose a new background estimation method to detect foreground pixels. The proposed method can adapt the estimated background to various changes of environment (e.g. changes of illumination or of contextual objects). The proposed background estimation method consists of a new background subtraction algorithm to detect foreground pixels, post-processing algorithms to remove shadow and highlight, and a controller to adapt the background subtraction algorithm to the current scene conditions. The new background subtraction algorithm takes into account the scene characteristics such as dynamic background (e.g. tree leave motion), displacement of contextual objects to improve the foreground detection results. It also proposes a new updating method to better adapt its background representation to the current scene conditions. The algorithms to remove shadow and highlight employ new chromaticity and homogeneity (texture) constraints which are robust to illumination changes. These constraints are constructed based on the illumination model and the camera model. The controller has two adaptation methods for the background subtraction algorithm. The rst method is to selectively update the background representation of the background subtraction algorithm. With this updating method, the background subtraction algorithm can solve various problems such as managing stationary objects, keeping track of objects when they stop moving. The second method is to tune the parameter values of the background subtraction algorithm. To fulfill these two tasks, the controller extensively uses the feedback from the classication task and the information about the background subtraction algorithm and the scene. This method has been validated using the public database ETISEO and one hour video from the project GERHOME.
A novel variety-based 3DTV content generation scheme for casually captured sparse photo collections

This paper presents a novel parameterized variety-based 3D exploration model to comprehend the sparse unstructured collection of photographs, and automatically plan virtual 3D tours of the world's landmarks through interesting viewpoints without explicit 3D reconstruction. The proposed system analyzes the collection of unstructured but related image data containing the same location or environment to create a parameterized scene graph: a data structure that conveys spatial relations and enable smooth virtual navigation between photos. A novel statistical-heuristic criteria is evolved exploiting the scene spatial layout and appearance to automatically identify best available portals between photographs. Once well connected, the graph is parameterized and consistently rendered choosing visually compelling 3D transition paths, maintaining a pleasing essence of parallax. The system's ability is demonstrated on several casually captured personal photo collections of heritage sites and imagery gathered from “Flickr” data.
The Relationship between Affective Commitment (Ac) andOrganizational Citizenship Behavior (Ocb): A Study onPublic and Private Enterprises in Dinar District

Meyer and Allen (1991) suggested a model of organizational commitment with three dimensions: Affective commitment, continuance commitment and normative commitment. The first one is related to willing to stay in organizations. The employee wants to stay in his or her organization because he or she loves his or her organization. Even if other organizations give better job offers, they keep working in their organizations. So, this type of organizational commitment is very important for organizations. Especially to retain well-educated and hard-working human resources in organizations, organizations must have employees that committed to their organizations by affective. Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) can be defined as “the individual behaviors not defined directly or clearly in formal reward system but contribute to the organizational effectiveness”. Organ (1990) suggested a model of organizational citizenship behavior with five dimensions: Conscientiousness, altruism, civic virtue, sportsmanship, and courtesy. The objective of this paper is to determine the relationship between affective commitment (AC) and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). The importance of the study is great for especially enterprises operating in crisis. Employees committed to their organizations by affective and acting OCB will probably keep working in the same organization even if there is economic crisis. The area of the study is public and private enterprises in Dinar district of Afyonkarahisar. The samples will be selected from the population by the method of decisional sampling. To determine the relationship between affective commitment and organizational citizenship behavior, the analysis of regression and correlation will be performed. The data will be entered into the Statistics Program of Social Sciences and processed. Finally, the findings, conclusions and recommendations will be presented.
The Incidence and Predictors of Lupus-like Reaction in Patients with IBD Treated with Anti-TNF Therapies

Background:The incidence of lupus-like reactions (LLRs) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor (ATNF) has not been well defined. We aimed to characterize the features and predictors associated with LLR. Methods:We studied a cohort of adult patients with IBD treated with ATNF by a single specialist during 2009. Patients with LLR were characterized and compared with those without LLR for possible predictors. Results:Twenty of 289 patients (6.9%) had LLR (19.9 cases per 1000 patient-years). Female gender and IBD-unclassified were more prevalent in the LLR group (85% versus 54%, P = 0.009; and 15% versus 2.2%, P = 0.018, respectively), with a hazard ratio of 3.89 (95% confidence interval = 1.12–13.55; P = 0.033) and 7.38 (95% confidence interval = 1.93–28.23; P = 0.003), respectively. ATNF duration was shorter in the LLR group (median, 1 year [interquartile range, 0–3] versus 3 years [interquartile range, 1–6.5], P = 0.005). Arthropathy was universal, followed by fatigue and dermatitis (30% each). Antinuclear antibodies were universally positive, and 16 of 20 had anti–double-stranded DNA. ATNF was discontinued in all; 8 patients required corticosteroids and 1 required hydroxychloroquine followed by complete clinical resolution (mean 7.9 ± 5.9 months). Antinuclear antibodies reverted or normalized in 7 of 16 patients (44%). Fourteen patients (70%) were switched to a second ATNF, 2 with concomitant immunomodulators, and 12 as monotherapy. One patient on ATNF monotherapy developed a second LLR and was successfully switched to a third ATNF. Conclusion:LLRs secondary to ATNFs are more frequent than previously reported, more common in women and IBD-unclassified. It is reversible with cessation of the culprit agent and steroids. Switching to an alternative ATNF rarely results in recurrence.
Interleukin-6 and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Levels in Tears of Patients With Dry Eye Syndrome

Purpose: To determine the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in tears of patients with dry eye syndrome. Methods: IL-6 and TNF-α levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in tear samples obtained from 18 patients with dry eye (8 patients with Sjögren syndrome and 10 patients with non-Sjögren syndrome) and 14 control subjects. The correlation between IL-6 and TNF-α levels and tear film and ocular surface parameters was analyzed. The relative expression of these cytokines was evaluated in conjunctival impression cytology and conjunctival biopsy specimens by using immunohistochemical staining. Results: The mean levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were, respectively, 18.57 ± 8.92 and 3.68 ± 3.45 pg/mL in patients with dry eye and 3.59 ± 3.38 (P < 0.01) and < 0.5 (P < 0.01) pg/mL in control subjects. IL-6 level was significantly increased in tears of patients with Sjögren syndrome compared with those with non-Sjögren syndrome (P < 0.01). IL-6 level correlated significantly with tear film breakup time (P = 0.04), Schirmer test (P < 0.01), tear clearance (P = 0.02), keratoepithelioplasty score (P < 0.01), and goblet cell density (P = 0.03), but not with corneal sensitivity (P = 0.08). There was no significant difference in TNF-α level between patients with non-Sjögren and Sjögren syndrome. TNF-α levels did not correlate with tear film and ocular surface parameters. Immunohistochemical staining showed positive staining for IL-6 in specimens from patients with dry eye, especially in specimens from patients with Sjögren syndrome. Conclusion: IL-6 and TNF-α levels are elevated in tears of patients with dry eye syndrome. IL-6 level, but not TNF-α level, is associated with the severity of the disease and correlates with various tear film and ocular surface parameters.
National Science Foundation. Meeting for peer review at a resort that's virtually free.

National Science FoundationCan the hard work of grant review be done without face-to-face meetings? With budgets tightening, scientific organizations like the National Science Foundation are exploring ways to reduce the number of their physical meetings by holding virtual-reality meetings in the online world of Second Life. Proponents see it as a win-win scenario, saving not only time and money but also carbon emissions. Whether the technology is up to the task is another matter.
Physician Payment Reform: Who Shall Be Paid?

Funding for this paper was provided by a grant to Project HOPE under Grant No. 18C9856713-01 from the Health Care Financing Administration. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Health Care Financing Administration. *Professor of Health Care Systems, Public Management, and Economics, and Executive Director, Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa. †Senior Economist, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., Washington, D.C. Proposals to change the unit of payment for physicians
Alzheimer's disease in its epidemiological context

The social and public health importance of dementia has been greatly increased by the unprecedented expansion in the world's elderly. By the year 2000, the number of persons in the world aged 65 and over is expected to be about 423 million, nearly 50% of whom will be in developing countries (W.H.O., (1)). Furthermore, it is among the very elderly that the greatest increase is taking place. There will therefore be a marked expansion in the number of persons afflicted by dementia. Because of the profound human and economic consequences of this, there has been a striking increase in research activity in four areas: neurobiological studies, including the molecular biology of Alzheimer's disease (AD); epidemiological research on the dementias and on risk factors for developing it; a search for pharmacological interventions; and research on services for dementia sufferers and their families.
Etude de la fonction et des mécanismes du wind-up des neurones nociceptifs trigéminaux chez le rat: rôle des récepteurs NMDA et des récepteurs NK1

Le wind-up est une augmentation progressive, frequence dependante, de la reponse d'un neurone lors de l'application repetitive de stimuli electriques nociceptifs identiques sur un meme territoire. Ce phenomene est essentiellement exprime par les neurones WDR de la moelle comme du trijumeau. Il depend en partie de l'activation des recepteurs NMDA et NK1. Il est apparente chez l'homme a la sommation temporelle et a des consequences sur la perception de la douleur. Sa signification fonctionnelle n'est pas encore clairement etablie. Chez le rat anesthesie et au sein du complexe sensitif du trijumeau, l'objectif de ce travail est : 1) d'analyser les caracteristiques et la fonction du wind-up des neurones WDR trigeminaux, 2) d'identifier les reseaux neuronaux sous tendant le wind-up et 3) d'etablir le role des rNMDA et des rNK1 dans le wind-up. Nous avons adopte une approche electrophysiologique lors d'enregistrements extracellulaires au sein du Sp5O associes a des micro injections dans le Sp5C. De plus, une approche neuroanatomique a permis d'identifier des reseaux d'interneurones vehiculant le message depuis le Sp5C vers le Sp5O. 1) le wind-up des neurones WDR du Sp5O depend de l'intensite de la stimulation nociceptive et permet d'ameliorer les capacites de codage de stimuli nociceptifs de courte duree. Par ailleurs, nous montrons que le wind-up entraine une modification transitoire (environ 2min) de l'excitabilite des neurones WDR. Cette modification d'excitabilite generee par la wind-up est responsable uniquement de la facilitation des reponses evoquees par la mise en jeu des fibres C. Nous suggerons que l'augmentation de l'excitabilite centrale generee par le wind-up et la sensibilisation centrale sont des phenomenes differents. 2) le wind-up depend de l'activation des rNMDA locaux alors qu'il est soumis a une inhibition via les rNMDA situes dans les couches superficielles du Sp5C. Le modele trigeminal permet donc de montrer que, des l'etage segmentaire, il existe un ajustement permanent de l'amplification du message douloureux. 3) enfin, le developpement du wind-up depend egalement de l'activation des rNK1 situes sur des interneurones localises dans la couche III du Sp5C. En conclusion, il apparait que le wind-up est un phenomene segmentaire permettant le codage de stimulations nociceptives de courte duree et sous tendu a la mise en jeu de voies polysynaptiques rNK1 et rNMDA dependantes.
Plasma glucose at hospital admission and previous metabolic control determine myocardial infarct size and survival in patients with and without type 2 diabetes: the Langendreer Myocardial Infarction and Blood Glucose in Diabetic Patients Assessment (LAMBDA).

Hyperglycemia at the time of hospital admission has been associated with shorter survival after acute myocardial infarction in patients both with and without diabetes (1–5). It is not fully understood whether this is due to the acute development of stress hyperglycemia or to the quality of long-term metabolic control before the event (6). Moreover, the mechanisms by which hyperglycemia in the postinfarction period affects survival are largely unknown. In the present study, the LAMBDA (Langendreer Myocardial Infarction and Blood Glucose in Diabetic Patients Assessment) database was used to investigate the influence of acute (plasma glucose determined on admission) and long-term (HbA1c [A1C]) glycemic control on the size of myocardial necroses and prospective long-term survival after >3.5 years. Clinical data of all patients admitted to the Department of Medicine of Ruhr-University, Knappschafts-Krankenhaus, Bochum (Langendreer), between 1 January 1991 and 30 June 1997 who were diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction were collected as described (4,7). All patients, their nearest spouses, and the responsible general practitioners were contacted after >3.5 years to obtain information on the vital status. In the present analysis, data from 227 type 2 diabetic and 287 nondiabetic patients were examined. Both groups were divided in tertiles according to the plasma glucose concentrations determined at hospital admission. All creatine kinase (CK) activities (including CKMB [muscle/brain]) were determined twice daily at 12-h intervals in each patient. All patients received standard clinical care including monitoring …
New transformerless, scalable Modular Multilevel Converters for HVDC-transmission

In this paper a novel concept of high voltage direct current converter (HVDC) is presented employing the modular multilevel converter (M2C). Converters using IGBT-power devices, are getting increased importance in order to meet the global needs for reliable and environment friendly power supply and distribution. The new topology is compared to HVDC-transmission based on two level (2level) converters with direct series connected IGBT- devices or known multilevel converters. Main design aspects, concerning the rating of the power devices, the power losses and achievable efficiencies are investigated. For this purpose, a new computation method is presented and applied. This enables clear insight into the influence of various design parameters in a generalized form. Additionally, the characteristics and the differences of the topologies, with respect to passive filters, the necessary pulse frequencies and the arm currents are examined. As an example of the results, a comparison of the semiconductor losses and the efficiencies of the different topologies are given.
DANGER is involved in high glucose-induced radioresistance through inhibiting DAPK-mediated anoikis in non-small cell lung cancer

18F-labeled fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake during FDG positron emission tomography seems to reflect increased radioresistance. However, the exact molecular mechanism underlying high glucose (HG)-induced radioresistance is unclear. In the current study, we showed that ionizing radiation-induced activation of the MEK-ERK-DAPK-p53 signaling axis is required for anoikis (anchorage-dependent apoptosis) of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells in normal glucose media. Phosphorylation of DAPK at Ser734 by ERK was essential for p53 transcriptional activity and radiosensitization. In HG media, overexpressed DANGER directly bound to the death domain of DAPK, thus inhibiting the catalytic activity of DAPK. In addition, inhibition of the DAPK-p53 signaling axis by DANGER promoted anoikis-resistance and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), resulting in radioresistance of HG-treated NSCLC cells. Notably, knockdown of DANGER enhanced anoikis, EMT inhibition, and radiosensitization in a mouse xenograft model of lung cancer. Taken together, our findings offered evidence that overexpression of DANGER and the subsequent inhibitory effect on DAPK kinase activity are critical responses that account for HG-induced radioresistance of NSCLC.