Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
One- and two-year visual outcomes from the Moorfields age-related macular degeneration database: a retrospective cohort study and an open science resource

Objectives To analyse treatment outcomes and share clinical data from a large, single-centre, well-curated database (8174 eyes/6664 patients with 120 756 single entries) of patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). By making our depersonalised raw data openly available, we aim to stimulate further research in AMD, as well as set a precedent for future work in this area. Setting Retrospective, comparative, non-randomised electronic medical record (EMR) database cohort study of the UK Moorfields AMD database with data extracted between 2008 and 2018. Participants Including one eye per patient, 3357 eyes/patients (61% female). Extraction criteria were ≥1 ranibizumab or aflibercept injection, entry of ‘AMD’ in the diagnosis field of the EMR and a minimum of 1 year of follow-up. Exclusion criteria were unknown date of first injection and treatment outside of routine clinical care at Moorfields before the first recorded injection in the database. Main outcome measures Primary outcome measure was change in VA at 1 and 2 years from baseline as measured in Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study letters. Secondary outcomes were the number of injections and predictive factors for VA gain. Results Mean VA gain at 1 year and 2 years were +5.5 (95% CI 5.0 to 6.0) and +4.9 (95% CI 4.2 to 5.6) letters, respectively. Fifty-four per cent of eyes gained ≥5 letters at 2 years, 63% had stable VA (±≤14 letters), 44% of eyes maintained good VA (≥70 letters). Patients received a mean of 7.7 (95% CI 7.6 to 7.8) injections during year 1 and 13.0 (95% CI 12.8 to 13.2) injections over 2 years. Younger age, lower baseline VA and more injections were associated with higher VA gain at 2 years. Conclusion This study benchmarks high quality EMR study results of real life AMD treatment and promotes open science in clinical AMD research by making the underlying data publicly available.
Indocyanine green binds to DOTAP liposomes for enhanced optical properties and tumor photoablation.

Indocyanine green (ICG) is a clinically-approved near infrared (NIR) dye used for optical imaging. The dye is only slightly soluble in water and is prone to aggregation in saline solutions, so that alternative formulations can improve photophysical performance. Numerous nanoscale formulations of ICG have been described in the literature, but we sought to develop an approach that does not require additional purification steps. Pre-formed liposomes incorporating 45 mol% of the cationic lipid 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane (DOTAP) rapidly bind ICG, resulting in enhanced NIR optical properties. ICG binding is dependent on the amount of DOTAP incorporated in the liposomes. A dye-to-lipid mass ratio of [0.5 : 25] is sufficient for full complexation, without additional purification steps following mixing. NIR absorption, fluorescence intensity, and photoacoustic signals are increased for the liposome-bound dye. Not only is the optical character enhanced by simple mixing of ICG with liposomes, but retention in 4T1 mammary tumors is observed following intratumor injection, as assessed by fluorescence and photoacoustic imaging. Subsequent photothermal therapy with 808 nm laser irradiation is effective and results in tumor ablation without regrowth for at least 30 days. Thus, ICG optical properties and photothermal ablation outcomes can be improved by mixing the dye with pre-formed DOTAP liposomes in conditions that result in full dye-binding to the liposomes.
Performance evaluation and waveform design for MIMO radar

Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar has been receiving increasing attention in recent years due to the dramatic advantages offered by MIMO systems in communications. The amount of energy reflected from a common radar target varies considerably with the observation angle, and these scintillations may cause signal fading which severely degrades the performance of conventional radars. MIMO radar with widely spaced antennas is able to view several aspects of a target simultaneously, which realizes a spatial diversity gain to overcome the target scintillation problem, leading to significantly enhanced system performance. Building on the initial studies presented in the literature, MIMO radar is investigated in detail in this thesis. First of all, a finite scatterers model is proposed, based on which the target detection performance of a MIMO radar system with arbitrary array-target configurations is evaluated and analyzed. A MIMO radar involving a realistic target is also set up, whose simulation results corroborate the conclusions drawn based on theoretical target models, validating in a practical setting the improvements in detection performance brought in by the MIMO radar configuration. Next, a hybrid bistatic radar is introduced, which combines the phased-array and MIMO radar configurations to take advantage of both coherent processing gain and spatial diversity gain simultaneously. The target detection performance is first assessed, followed by the evaluation of the direction finding performance, i.e., performance of estimating angle of arrival as well as angel of departure. The presented theoretical expressions can be used to select the best architecture for a radar system, particularly when the total number of antennas is fixed. Finally, a novel two phase radar scheme involving signal retransmission is studied. It is based on the time-reversal (TR) detection and is investigated to improve the detection performance of a wideband MIMO radar or sonar system. Three detectors demanding various amounts of a priori information are developed, whose performance is evaluated and compared. Three schemes are proposed to design the retransmitted waveform with constraints on the transmitted signal power, further enhancing the detection performance with respect to the TR approach. Declaration of originality I hereby declare that the research recorded in this thesis and the thesis itself was composed and originated entirely by myself in the School of Engineering at The University of Edinburgh.
Reflexiones psicolingüísticas y didácticas sobre el estudio de metáforas y modismos

Frequently, the denotations and connotations of metaphors and idiomatic expressions provoke debate as well as consensus among students and teacher. It is for this reason that past research into the definitions of such expressions is examined, in order to then explore investigations seeking to improve their comprehension and production. This article concludes with a brief and practical reflection on how to approach metaphors and idioms in both native language and foreign language classes.
Systems development and cost estimating: challenges and guidelines

Systems development cost estimating is a critical challenge for most IS managers. Inaccurate low estimates result in overruns and can reduce senior management's confidence in IS. Inaccurate high estimates can dissuade corporate management from funding worthwhile IS projects. If cost estimates are entered into a corporate budget, management may be even more concerned about them. The cost-estimating practices in effect at 115 organizations were studied to determine why cost estimating remains such a challenge for IS managers and to devise some guidelines to help IS management arrive at more accurate estimates.
Psoas muscle volume is correlated with sexual activity and erectile dysfunction among patients with localised prostate cancer

Several endocrinological and physical activities orchestrate men's sexual activities. To determine whether body composition calculated by computed tomography measurements is useful for estimating sexual function, we evaluated sexual function of localised prostate cancer patients using the Sexual Health Inventory for Men score, an original questionnaire, and computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. The imaging was performed to determine body composition, particularly the psoas muscle. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify factors affecting sexual activity. The multivariate analysis showed that the volume of the psoas muscle was significantly correlated with sexual activity (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]) (2.507 [1.029–6.109], p = 0.043) and erectile dysfunction (0.261 [0.098–0.692], p = 0.006). We concluded that the psoas muscle is an important predictor of sexual activity and erectile function.
Accuracy of classifying the movement strategy in the functional reach test using a markerless motion capture system

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the accuracy of classifying the movement strategy in the functional reach test (FRT) using a markerless motion capture system (MLS) on the basis of values acquired with a marker-based motion capture system (MBS). Sixty young, injury-free individuals participated in this study. The task action involved reaching forward in the standing position. Using the Microsoft Kinect v2 as an MLS and Vicon as a MBS, the coordinates of the hip joints, knee joints and ankle joints were measured. The hip and ankle joint angles during the task were calculated from the coordinate data. These angles between MLS and MBS were compared using a paired t-test. The accuracy of movement strategy defined using MLS was examined based on the MBS. A t-test showed a significant difference in both the hip and ankle joint angles between systems (p < .01). However, in case of using data of left ankle joint, indices of the classification accuracy of MLS were 0.825 for sensitivity, 1.000 for specificity, infinity for positive likelihood ratio and 0.175 for negative likelihood ratio. The results for the right joint angle were similar to those of the left joint angle. Although the absolute measures in the hip and joint angles obtained using MLS differ from MBS, the MLS may be useful for accurately classifying the movement strategy adopted in the FRT.
A hardware implementation of Compressive Sensing Theory

In this paper, the new theory of compressive sensing (CS) that unifies signal sensing and compression into a single task is implemented on a Digital Signal Processing (DSP) board. An iterative algorithm for signal reconstruction known as Matching Pursuit is implemented on the DSP and used to the reconstruction of real signals from a reduced set of random projections. Two kinds of validation procedures are used to test the reconstruction algorithm implemented. More precisely, sparse signals synthesized on the DSP and sparse signals generated by a special-purpose generator are used to experimentally test the compressive sensing theory verifying in this way its potential. It is shown that the CS theory is able to recover the most significant values of the underlying signal, while yielding negligible differences between the original signals and the reconstructed ones.
Improving the efficiency of parasitic extraction and simulation of 3D interconnect models

As VLSI circuit speeds and density continue to increase, the need for accurately modeling the effects of three-dimensional interconnects has become essential to accurate chip and system design. Since such models are commonly used inside standard circuit simulators for time or frequency domain computations, efficiency requirements imply that those models must be kept very compact without compromising accuracy. In this paper we describe a technique based on the combination of two model order reduction algorithms applied to an integral equation approach to efficiently generate accurate, yet low order models of the impedance of 3D interconnect structures. The models thus generated are amenable to direction inclusion in standard circuit simulators.
Ultrasensitive Detection of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes by Small-Molecule Chemiluminescence Probes.

Detection of Salmonella and L. monocytogenes in food samples by current diagnostic methods requires relatively long time to results (2-6 days). Furthermore, the ability to perform environmental monitoring at the factory site for these pathogens is limited due to the need for laboratory facilities. Herein, we report new chemiluminescence probes for the ultrasensitive direct detection of viable pathogenic bacteria. The probes are composed of a bright phenoxy-dioxetane luminophore masked by triggering group, which is activated by a specific bacterial enzyme, and could detect their corresponding bacteria with an LOD value of about 600-fold lower than that of fluorescent probes. Moreover, we were able to detect a minimum of 10 Salmonella cells within 6 h incubation. The assay allows for bacterial enrichment and detection in one test tube without further sample preparation. We anticipate that this design strategy will be used to prepare analogous chemiluminescence probes for other enzymes relevant to specific bacteria detection and point-of-care diagnostics.
MicroRNA-224 Expression and Polymorphism Predict the Prognosis of Hepatitis B Virus-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients After Liver Resection.

BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the common lethal types of tumors all over the world. Overexpression of mircoRNA-224 (miR-224) has been reported to act as a potential biomarker for HCC patients. The goal of our study was to assess the prognostic impact of the expression and polymorphism of miR-224 in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients after liver resection. METHODS A total of 62 cases of HBV-positive HCC patients, 17 HCC patients without HBV, and 13 healthy cases were enrolled in this study. Blood leukocyte miR-224 level were determined by qRT-PCR. Genotyping analysis of miR-224 rs188519172 was performed using an allele-specific PCR assay. All patients were undergoing partial liver resection and the prognostic values of miR-224 rs188519172 polymorphism for tumor development, survival rate, and liver injury after liver resection were examined. RESULTS When we compared the blood leukocyte miR-224 level between HCC patients and healthy cases, we found that it was significantly increased in HCC patients. By subgroup analysis, it demonstrated that miR-224 expression was significantly increased in the HBV positive group compared with the HBV negative group. miR-224 rs188519172 AG + GG phenotype was significantly associated with severe liver injury after liver resection and patients carrying miR-224 rs188519172 AG + GG phenotype have a higher risk of cirrhosis and lower overall and disease-free survival rate. Meanwhile, the combination of miR-224 rs188519172 AG + GG phenotype and AFP value could improve the prognosis assessment of HBV related HCC. CONCLUSIONS miR-224 rs188519172 polymorphism is an indicator of liver injury and a novel prognostic biomarker for tumor development and survival of HBV related HCC patients after liver resection.
Bio-Inspired Temporal-Decoding Network Topologies for the Accurate Recognition of Spike Patterns

In this paper will be presented simple and effective temporal-decoding network topologies, based on a neuron model similar to the classic Leaky Integrate-and-Fire, but including the spike latency effect, a neuron property able to take into account that the firing of a given neuron is not instantaneous, but it occurs after a continuous-time delay depending on the inner state. These structures are able to detect spike sequences composed of pulses belonging to neuron ensembles, exploiting basic biological neuron mechanisms. According to the biological counterpart, with these structures is possible to achieve a high temporal accuracy, but also deal with the natural variability present in spike trains. In addition, the connection of these neural structures at a higher level make possible to afford some pattern recognition problems, operating a distributed and parallel input data processing.
Turf Toe Review

Turf toe is a term used to describe myriad injuries to the metatarsophalangeal complex of the great toe, which have been associated with the introduction of artificial turf surfaces in sport. If not diagnosed early and treated properly, these injuries can result in chronic pain and loss of mobility. Accurate injury grading through physical exam and advanced imaging is essential to guide treatment, thereby minimizing long-term complications and maximizing an athlete’s recovery and return to play. Levels of Evidence: Level V
Identification of oxidosqualene cyclases from the medicinal legume tree Bauhinia forficata: a step toward discovering preponderant α-amyrin-producing activity.

Triterpenoids are widely distributed among plants of the legume family. However, most studies have focused on triterpenoids and their biosynthetic enzymes in model legumes. We evaluated the triterpenoid aglycones profile of the medicinal legume tree Bauhinia forficata by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. By transcriptome analyses, homology-based cloning, and heterologous expression, we discovered four oxidosqualene cyclases (OSCs), which are responsible for the diversity of triterpenols in B. forficata. We also investigated the effects of the unique motif TLCYCR on α-amyrin synthase activity. B. forficata highly accumulated α-amyrin. We discovered an OSC with a preponderant α-amyrin-producing activity, which comprised at least 95% of total triterpenols. We also discovered three other functional OSCs (BfOSC1, BfOSC2, and BfOSC4) that produce β-amyrin, germanicol, or cycloartenol. Furthermore, by replacing the unique motif TLCYCR from BfOSC3 with the MWCYCR motif, we altered the BfOSC3 function to a non-α-amyrin-producing OSC. Our results provide new insights into OSC cyclization, which is responsible for the diversity of triterpenoid metabolites in B. forficata, a non-model legume plant. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Proceedings of the 2005 conference on Interaction design and children

There was a time--not long ago--when a discussion of educational technology conjured up relatively predictable images of children sitting at desks in front of computer screens. In this tradition, "technology" meant "the computer"--and a rather standard view of the computer at that, consisting of a CPU, keyboard, screen, and perhaps a couple of additional peripheral devices. During the past decade, this traditional portrait was augmented to include a connection to the World Wide Web; but the image of the child at the screen remained the standard.This image is rapidly becoming superseded by a multitude of unexpected, provocative, and creative portraits of the ways in which children employ technology. For one thing, the term "technology" itself has begun to encompass more varied terrain: mobile and ubiquitous computing, embedded computation, novel sensors and actuators, fabrication tools, "smart" materials of various sorts, and newly accessible interaction techniques (for, e.g., speech or gesture recognition), just to name a few. In turn, this more expansive definition of technology suggests a view of children's activities that includes, but is not limited to, the classroom. As a research community, we can now begin to integrate the creative design and assessment of children technology with a variety of settings--city streets, playgrounds, museums, and parks. We can re-examine children's relationship with other sorts of "technology", including clothing and toys. We can create new and enabling artifacts for children with various sorts of physical or cognitive disabilities. We can make hitherto inaccessible ideas, techniques, and devices available to children, thus empowering them and democratizing technology.The traditional view undeniably remains a powerful one: there are tremendous opportunities yet to be explored in the world of desktop machines and "keyboard-andscreen- based" software. Moreover, much has been learned within this tradition, and continues to be relevant as children's activities take new forms and as technology expands. Indeed, there are many opportunities for productive integration of desktop computers and the welter of new technologies mentioned above. The IDC conference represents a gathering of researchers who are respectful of, and knowledgeable about, the field of children's technology as it has existed up until now. At the same time, these researchers, in collaboration with today's children, are exploring directions in design that promise still more creative and satisfying lives for children yet to come.
Molecular mechanisms of human P2X3 receptor channel activation and modulation by divalent cation bound ATP

P2X3 receptor channels expressed in sensory neurons are activated by extracellular ATP and serve important roles in nociception and sensory hypersensitization, making them attractive therapeutic targets. Although several P2X3 structures are known, it is unclear how physiologically abundant Ca2+-ATP and Mg2+-ATP activate the receptor, or how divalent cations regulate channel function. We used structural, computational and functional approaches to show that a crucial acidic chamber near the nucleotide-binding pocket in human P2X3 receptors accommodates divalent ions in two distinct modes in the absence and presence of nucleotide. The unusual engagement between the receptor, divalent ion and the γ-phosphate of ATP enables channel activation by ATP-divalent complex, cooperatively stabilizes the nucleotide on the receptor to slow ATP unbinding and recovery from desensitization, a key mechanism for limiting channel activity. These findings reveal how P2X3 receptors recognize and are activated by divalent-bound ATP, aiding future physiological investigations and drug development.
Systematic evaluation methodology and performance metrics for haptic interfaces

Since haptics technology is being increasingly used in computer games, surgical simulators, rehabilitation therapy, mobile phones etc., there is a need for defining standards for haptic applications. Our study aims at meeting this need by establishing a norm for evaluation of haptic interfaces and by identifying significant benchmark metrics. Towards this end, we have proposed a combined physical and psychophysical experimental methodology. First, the physical performance measures and device characterization techniques were investigated. Testing conditions were described in an illustrative way to obtain a tutorial-like guideline for device characterization. The physical characterization methods were demonstrated on a novel haptic interface for surgical simulation which has been developed in our lab. Second, a wide range of human psychophysical experiments were reviewed. We have unified the psychophysical experiments as a systematic evaluation method which results in novel benchmark metrics for haptic interfaces. Experimental user studies were carried out with three commercial force-feedback devices. The metrics reveal their basic characteristics which are not easily derived from the given specifications. Applicability of the tests to a tactile feedback device was also investigated. The holistic methodology proposed in this work provides objective evaluation criteria allowing users to compare different haptic devices quantitatively, as well as a better understanding of how the limitations of such devices may influence the results of studies involving interaction with humans.