Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessing changes in age and size at maturation in collapsing populations of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua)

By estimating probabilistic reaction norms for age and size at maturation, we show that maturation schedules of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) off Labrador and Newfoundland shifted toward earlier ages and smaller sizes during the late 1980s and early 1990s, when these populations underwent a severe collapse in biomass and subsequently were closed for directed commercial fishing. We also demonstrate that this trend towards maturation at younger ages and smaller sizes is halted and even shows signs of reversal during the closure of the fisheries. In addition, our analysis reveals that males tend to mature earlier and at a smaller size than females, and that maturation age and size decreases with increasing latitude. Importantly, the maturation reaction norms presented here are robust to variation in survival and growth (through phenotypic pasticity), and are thus strongly indicative of rapid evolutionary changes in cod maturation, as well as of spatial and sex- specific genetic variation. We therefore suggest that maturation reaction norms can provide helpful reference points for managing harvested populations with evolving life-histories.
Hindsight Experience Replay

Dealing with sparse rewards is one of the biggest challenges in Reinforcement Learning (RL). We present a novel technique called Hindsight Experience Replay which allows sample-efficient learning from rewards which are sparse and binary and therefore avoid the need for complicated reward engineering. It can be combined with an arbitrary off-policy RL algorithm and may be seen as a form of implicit curriculum. We demonstrate our approach on the task of manipulating objects with a robotic arm. In particular, we run experiments on three different tasks: pushing, sliding, and pick-and-place, in each case using only binary rewards indicating whether or not the task is completed. Our ablation studies show that Hindsight Experience Replay is a crucial ingredient which makes training possible in these challenging environments. We show that our policies trained on a physics simulation can be deployed on a physical robot and successfully complete the task.
Robot-Assisted Retroperitoneal Lymphadenectomy in Testicular Cancer Treatment: A Systematic Review.

INTRODUCTION Retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) in testicular cancer is a documented treatment along with active surveillance and chemotherapy. This study aims to summarize the current evidence on the use of Robot-assisted RPLND (RARPLND) in comparison with the laparoscopic and open approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS A search was conducted in the existing literature focusing on reports with outcomes of RARPLND for stage I-IIB testicular tumor. RESULTS Eleven studies complied with the inclusion criteria, including 116 patients. The average follow-up of 21.2 months showed no retroperitoneal recurrence. The median lymph node yield was 22.3 and the overall positive rate was 26%. Complications were encountered in 8% of the patients. The robotic approach showed similar results to the laparoscopic approach and outperformed the open procedure in perioperative parameters. CONCLUSIONS Relapse-free survival, nodal yield, and complication rates during RARPLND for clinical stage I-IIB are acceptable. Further studies are required to establish these findings and determine benefit from the use of robotic approach.
Predicting myofiber size with electrical impedance myography: A study in immature mice

Introduction: Electrical impedance can be used to estimate cellular characteristics. We sought to determine whether it could be used to approximate myofiber size using standard prediction modeling approaches. Methods: Forty‐four C57BL/6J wild‐type immature mice of varying ages underwent electrical impedance myography (EIM) with a needle electrode array placed in the gastrocnemius. Animals were then humanely killed and muscle fixed, stained, and myofiber size quantified. Two different statistical prediction models were then applied. Results: Impedance parameters showed major variation with increasing myofiber size. The prediction models based on EIM data alone were able to predict fiber size, with errors in the range of ±69.05–78.44 µm2 (16.19%–18.40% with respect to the average myofiber size). Discussion: By using well‐established statistical models, EIM data alone can provide a satisfactory estimate of myofiber size. Additional study of this approach for approximating myofiber size without the requirement of removing tissue for histological analysis is warranted. Muscle Nerve 58: 106–113, 2018
The measurement of psychological constructs in people with osteoarthritis of the knee: a psychometric evaluation

Abstract Purpose To examine the measurement properties of measures of psychological constructs in people with knee osteoarthritis. Method Participants with osteoarthritis of the knee completed the beck depression inventory (BDI-II), state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI), arthritis helplessness index (AHI), fatigue severity scale (FSS), coping strategies questionnaire (CSQ), beliefs about pain control questionnaire (BPCQ), illness perceptions questionnaire-revised (IPQ-R), pain self-efficacy questionnaire (PSEQ) at home as part of a set of measures covering different aspects of osteoarthritis pain. The questionnaires were returned by pre-paid envelope. Rasch analysis was used to check the psychometric properties of the scales in people with osteoarthritis. Results The STAI-SF was an acceptable measure of anxiety and the revised FSS an acceptable measure of fatigue, with removal of items 1 and 2. The BDI subscales were acceptable for measuring negative thoughts and behaviours related to depressive symptomatology with some modifications to the scale. The helplessness scale of the AHI was acceptable as a measure of helplessness. The PSEQ was an acceptable measure of self-efficacy and the CSQ as a measure of cognitive coping strategies. The BPCQ and IPQ-R did not fit the Rasch model. Conclusions These findings indicate that questionnaires need to be checked for their ability to measure psychological constructs in the clinical groups to which they will be applied. Implications for Rehabilitation For people with osteoarthritis, the STAI-SF is an acceptable measure of anxiety and the revised FSS an acceptable measure of fatigue with removal of items 1 and 2. The BDI subscales, but not the total score, are acceptable for measuring depressive symptomatology with some modifications to the scoring of the scale. And helplessness can be measured using the Helplessness subscale of the AHI. The PSEQ was an acceptable measure of self-efficacy and cognitive coping strategies can be measured with the CSQ. Rasch analysis highlighted lack of unidimensionality, disordered response thresholds and poor targeting in some measures commonly used for people with osteoarthritis
Wide Compression: Tensor Ring Nets

Deep neural networks have demonstrated state-of-the-art performance in a variety of real-world applications. In order to obtain performance gains, these networks have grown larger and deeper, containing millions or even billions of parameters and over a thousand layers. The tradeoff is that these large architectures require an enormous amount of memory, storage, and computation, thus limiting their usability. Inspired by the recent tensor ring factorization, we introduce Tensor Ring Networks (TR-Nets), which significantly compress both the fully connected layers and the convolutional layers of deep neural networks. Our results show that our TR-Nets approach is able to compress LeNet-5 by 11Ã— without losing accuracy, and can compress the state-of-the-art Wide ResNet by 243Ã— with only 2.3% degradation in Cifar10 image classification. Overall, this compression scheme shows promise in scientific computing and deep learning, especially for emerging resource-constrained devices such as smartphones, wearables, and IoT devices.
Effects of annealing temperature on the mechanical properties and sensitization of 5083-H116 aluminum alloy

This study elucidates how annealing temperature affects the mechanical properties and sensitization of 5083-H116 aluminum alloys. Nitric Acid Mass Loss Test was conducted to investigate the sensitization behavior of the annealed specimens. The results indicated that the mechanical properties were more sensitive to the annealing temperature than to the annealing time. The mechanical properties of the alloys became rapidly worse upon annealing between 250 and 350 ℃. 5083-H116 aluminum alloy became sensitized and susceptible to intergranular corrosion at an annealing temperature of 175 ℃ for 48 h. The distribution and shapes of β-phase particles markedly affected the sensitization. Exposing at the temperatures of 230–250 ℃ for 10–30 min could effectively improve the sensitization of the 5083-H116 alloys.
Particle transport in microfluidic environments : particle adsorption at the polydimethylsiloxane-water interface and the effects of flow field and image processing on the measurement depth in micro particle image velocimetry

This thesis investigates several research questions associated with the transport of microscopic particles in microfluidic environments. This includes an investigation of the motion and deposition of micron sized polystyrene particles at the planar polydimethylsiloxane–water interface. Particle tracking shows that particles near the substrate can be immobilized to different degrees. Careful analysis of the more weakly immobilized particles reveals that there is a buildup of a particle accumulation layer near the substrate in which particle motion parallel to the substrate is hindered by non-hydrodynamic effects. The presence of lateral surface interaction forces resulting from charge heterogeneity of the PDMS substrate is found to be the most plausible explanation for the hindered particle transport across the substrate. The two other problems are concerned with micro particle image velocimetry (μPIV), which is a particle transport-based optical method for the characterization of flow fields in microfluidic devices. One limitation μPIV is the finite measurement depth associated with the optical setup, which can lead to bias errors in the measured flow-velocity. Analytical and numerical models are developed that describe the effect of common image pre-processing filters on the measurement depth in μPIV. Further, previous models are revisited that describe the effect of flow velocity gradients on the measurement depth in μPIV.
Solar Power Forecasting: A Review

The increasing demand for energy is one of the biggest reasons behind the integration of solar energy into the electric grids or networks. To ensure the efficient use of energy PV systems it becomes important to forecast information reliably. The accurate prediction of solar irradiance variation can enhance the quality of service. This integration of solar energy and accurate prediction can help in better planning and distribution of energy. Here in this paper, a deep review of methods which are used for solar irradiance forecasting is presented. These methods help in selecting the appropriate forecast technique according to the needs or requirements. This paper also presents the metrics that are used for evaluating the performance of a forecast model.
Replicative Activity of Hepatitis B Virus Is Negatively Associated with Methylation of Covalently Closed Circular DNA in Advanced Hepatitis B Virus Infection

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the methylation status of intrahepatic hepatitis B virus (HBV) covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) and to elucidate the possible relationship between the cccDNA methylation and viral replicative activity in patients with HBV-related liver cirrhosis (HBV-LC). Methods: The methylation status of HBV cccDNA was investigated by bisulfite sequencing in nonneoplastic tissues from 12 patients with HBV-LC who underwent surgical resection for combined hepatocellular carcinoma. Clinical, biochemical and virologic factors were evaluated with respect to the degrees of cccDNA methylation. We also examined the effect of methylation of cccDNA on viral transcription by an in vitro transcription assay. Results: Variable degrees of CpG methylation were present in the HBV cccDNA from patients with HBV-LC. Old age, low serum HBV DNA levels and low virion productivity were significantly associated with elevated cccDNA methylation. Virion productivity of cccDNA was also lower in HepAD38 cells with a higher degree of cccDNA methylation. In vitro transcription assays showed that the transcriptional activity of HBV cccDNA was suppressed by increased methylation of cccDNA. Conclusions: Increased CpG methylation of cccDNA is associated with old age, low serum HBV DNA levels and suppressed replicative activity in HBV-LC.
Co-inhibition of pol θ and HR genes efficiently synergize with cisplatin to suppress cisplatin-resistant lung cancer cells survival

Cisplatin exert its anticancer effect by creating intrastrand and interstrand DNA cross-links which block DNA replication and is a major drug used to treat lung cancer. However, the main obstacle of the efficacy of treatment is drug resistance. Here, we show that expression of translesion synthesis (TLS) polymerase Q (POLQ) was significantly elevated by exposure of lung cancer cells A549/DR (a cisplatin-resistant A549 cell line) to cisplatin. POLQ expression correlated inversely with homologous recombination (HR) activity. Co-depletion of BRCA2 and POLQ by siRNA markedly increased sensitivity of A549/DR cells to cisplatin, which was accompanied with impairment of double strand breaks (DSBs) repair reflected by prominent cell cycle checkpoint response, increased chromosomal aberrations and persistent colocalization of p-ATM and 53BP1 foci induced by cisplatin. Thus, co-knockdown of POLQ and HR can efficiently synergize with cisplatin to inhibit A549/DR cell survival by inhibiting DNA DSBs repair. Similar results were observed in A549/DR cells co-depleted of BRCA2 and POLQ following BMN673 (a PARP inhibitor) treatment. Importantly, the sensitization effects to cisplatin and BMN673 in A549/DR cells by co-depleting BRCA2 and POLQ was stronger than those by co-depleting BRCA2 and other TLS factors including POLH, REV3, or REV1. Our results indicate that there is a synthetic lethal relationship between pol θ-mediated DNA repair and HR pathways. Pol θ may be considered as a novel target for lung cancer therapy.
Large improvement in trap level and space charge distribution of polypropylene by enhancing the crystalline − amorphous interface effect in blends

The accumulation of space charge in high voltage direct current cable will bring the insulation to failure; the addition of nanoparticles can markedly improve the space charge distribution characteristics inside the cable insulation, but particle agglomeration and cavitation lead to difficulty in controlling the properties of nanocomposites. In this paper, polypropylene (PP)/propylene-ethylene copolymer (PEC) and PP/ethylene-octene copolymer (EOC) blends were prepared by mechanical blending in order to improve both mechanical properties and space charge distribution. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis shows that both blends have excellent mechanical properties for recyclable power cable. Pulsed electro-acoustic and thermally stimulated depolarization current tests illustrate that PP/EOC blends significantly decrease space charge accumulation and remarkably increase the trap density in the bulk compared with PP and PP/PEC blends. The increase of the trap density in PP/EOC blends can be explained as the result of the shallow traps introduced by the crystalline − amorphous interface existing in the boundaries of spherulites. The shallow traps can act as hopping sites to improve the transportation of space charges. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Implementing informative priors for heterogeneity in meta‐analysis using meta‐regression and pseudo data

Many meta‐analyses combine results from only a small number of studies, a situation in which the between‐study variance is imprecisely estimated when standard methods are applied. Bayesian meta‐analysis allows incorporation of external evidence on heterogeneity, providing the potential for more robust inference on the effect size of interest. We present a method for performing Bayesian meta‐analysis using data augmentation, in which we represent an informative conjugate prior for between‐study variance by pseudo data and use meta‐regression for estimation. To assist in this, we derive predictive inverse‐gamma distributions for the between‐study variance expected in future meta‐analyses. These may serve as priors for heterogeneity in new meta‐analyses. In a simulation study, we compare approximate Bayesian methods using meta‐regression and pseudo data against fully Bayesian approaches based on importance sampling techniques and Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC). We compare the frequentist properties of these Bayesian methods with those of the commonly used frequentist DerSimonian and Laird procedure. The method is implemented in standard statistical software and provides a less complex alternative to standard MCMC approaches. An importance sampling approach produces almost identical results to standard MCMC approaches, and results obtained through meta‐regression and pseudo data are very similar. On average, data augmentation provides closer results to MCMC, if implemented using restricted maximum likelihood estimation rather than DerSimonian and Laird or maximum likelihood estimation. The methods are applied to real datasets, and an extension to network meta‐analysis is described. The proposed method facilitates Bayesian meta‐analysis in a way that is accessible to applied researchers. © 2016 The Authors. Statistics in Medicine Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Women with inflammatory bowel diseases have a suboptimal cervical cancer screening rate and are not aware of the recommended human papilloma virus vaccine

Abstract The aim of the study was to assess the self-reported cervical cancer screening rate among patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and patient attitude towards human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination. A self-designed survey was conducted in hospitalized IBD patients. The survey comprised demographic data, questions regarding cervical smear test frequency and vaccinations recommended for an IBD patient. Randomly, patients completed the survey with a physician present to determine question comprehension. In order to provide test–retest reliability a group of 10 patients completed it twice. Survey data from 150 IBD patients (mean age: 36 years, SD ± 13; mean IBD duration: 10 years, SD ± 6.5) were analyzed. Fifteen percent of the patients reported irregular cervical testing and 15% do not remember when having had a previous cervical testing performed. Only 69% of the patients undergo testing regularly; 30% annually, 32% every 2–3 years; 7% every 5 years. The mean age of patients tested regularly was 22 years, vs. 32 years tested irregularly (p < .001). Only 10% of women claimed that HPV vaccine is recommended for an IBD patient. There is a low adherence to the recommendations regarding cervical cancer screening and prophylaxis. Better multi-disciplinary cooperation between patients and physicians is required to improve patient education and outcomes.
Delay constrained utility maximization in Cyber Physical System with mobile robotic networks

In this work, we approach the problem of maximization of delay constraint utility function for a group of robots using a Cyber-Physical System (CPS) framework. For any task involving coordination of robots, a reliable communication link is required to be established. The maintenance of this link reliability highly depends on trajectories of individual robots. This needs a hybrid approach to be adopted, in which mobility and routing control are taken care of simultaneously. In this paper, a hybrid approach has been proposed based on bidirectional optimization i.e. network utility maximization and energy minimization in the presence of delay constraint. Network Utility function allocates network resources to the robots based on physical constraints involved. The result of this optimization problem would empower the hybrid controller to control both robot position as well as communication link strength.
Molecular Study of Parvovirus B19 Infection in Children with Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Background: Parvovirus B19 is a common viral infection in children. Nearby evidences are present about its association with acute leukemia, especially acute lymphoblast leukemia. Nevertheless, scanty reports have discussed any role in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Purpose: To evaluate the frequency of virological markers of B19 infection including its DNA along with specific immunoglobulins G (IgG) and M (IgM) among children with newly diagnosed AML. Besides, describing the clinical importance of Parvovirus B19 infection in those patients. Patients and methods: A case-control retrospective study was conducted on 48 children recently diagnosed with AML before and during chemotherapy induction and 60 healthy control. Specific serum IgM and IgG levels were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) and DNA detection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: Parvovirus DNA was detected in 20 patients with AML. IgM was found in sera of four patients and one case had positive DNA and IgG (5%). Patients with recent parvovirus B19 infection had a significantly reduced hemoglobin levels, RBCs counts, platelet counts, neutrophil counts and absolute lymphocytosis (p=0.01, p=0.0001, p=0.01, p=0.02, p=0.0003, respectively). There were no clinical findings with statistically significant association to recent infection. Half of the patients with AML had positive PCR and/or IgM for parvovirus B19. Among children with AML under chemotherapy, there were reduced hemoglobin levels (P=0.03), reduced platelet counts (P=0.0001) and absolute neutropenia (mean±SD, 1.200 ±1.00) in those with parvovirus B19 infection. More than half of patients with parvovirus B19 (72.2%) had positive PCR and/or IgM and 36.4% of them had positive IgG. Conclusion: This study highlights that parvovirus B19 is common in children with AML either at diagnosis or under chemotherapy. There are no clinical manifestations that can be used as markers for its presence, but hematological laboratory findings can provide evidence for infection in the presence of anemia and neutropenia. Detection of parvovirus B19 by combined molecular and serological markers is required in such patients for accurate diagnosis.