Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Preoperative serum C-reactive protein level in non-small cell lung cancer.

UNLABELLED We evaluated the significance of the preoperative serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level as a prognostic indicator in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). PATIENTS AND METHODS Two hundred and three patients who had undergone a curative resection of NSCLC were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS The proportion of the tumor size over 3 cm per patient in the CRP-positive group (> or =0.5 mg/dL: n=38) was significantly higher than that in the CRP-negative group (<0.5 mg/dL: n = 165). The proportion of the adenocarcinoma in CRP-positive group was significantly lower than that in CRP-negative group. The overall and disease specific survival rates in the CRP-positive group were significantly lower than the rates in the CRP-negative group. Based on a multivariate analysis, the preoperative serum CRP level was selected as one of the unfavorable indicators regarding survival. CONCLUSION The preoperative serum CRP level is an independent and significant indicator predictive of a poor prognosis in patients with NSCLC.
Image-Based Multi-Target Tracking through Multi-Bernoulli Filtering with Interactive Likelihoods

We develop an interactive likelihood (ILH) for sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) methods for image-based multiple target tracking applications. The purpose of the ILH is to improve tracking accuracy by reducing the need for data association. In addition, we integrate a recently developed deep neural network for pedestrian detection along with the ILH with a multi-Bernoulli filter. We evaluate the performance of the multi-Bernoulli filter with the ILH and the pedestrian detector in a number of publicly available datasets (2003 PETS INMOVE, Australian Rules Football League (AFL) and TUD-Stadtmitte) using standard, well-known multi-target tracking metrics (optimal sub-pattern assignment (OSPA) and classification of events, activities and relationships for multi-object trackers (CLEAR MOT)). In all datasets, the ILH term increases the tracking accuracy of the multi-Bernoulli filter.
Extract of Ginkgo biloba added to haloperidol was effective for positive symptoms in refractory schizophrenia

(2001) J Clin Psychiatry 62, 878; Zhang XY, Zhou DF, Zhang PY, et al. . A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of extract of Ginkgo biloba added to haloperidol in treatment-resistant patients with schizophrenia. Nov; . : . –83 . [OpenUrl][1][PubMed][2][Web of Science][3] QUESTION: In patients with chronic, refractory schizophrenia, is extract of Ginkgo biloba (EGb) added to haloperidol more effective than placebo added to haloperidol? Randomised (unclear allocation concealment*), blinded (patients, healthcare providers, and outcome assessors)*, controlled trial with 12 weeks of follow up. A psychiatric hospital in Beijing, China. 112 Han Chinese patients who were 18–60 years of age, had schizophrenia according to DSM-III-R criteria for ≥5 years, were resistant to treatment, and had a Clinical Global Impressions scale score of ≥4. Exclusion criteria were medical illness, alcohol or drug abuse, receipt of vitamin C or E within 1 week of the start of the study, pregnancy, breastfeeding, or depressive symptoms. 109 patients (mean age 44 y, 58% men) completed a 1 week placebo run in period; 103 (94%) completed the study; all patients were … [1]: {openurl}? query=rft.jtitle%253DThe%2BJournal%2Bof%2Bclinical%2Bpsychiatry%26rft.stitle%253DJ%2BClin%2BPsychiatry%26rft.aulast%253DZhang%26rft.auinit1%253DX. %2BY. %26rft.volume%253D62%26rft.issue%253D11%26rft.spage%253D878%26rft.epage%253D883%26rft.atitle%253DA%2Bdouble-blind%252C%2Bplacebo-controlled%2Btrial%2Bof%2Bextract%2Bof%2BGinkgo%2Bbiloba%2Badded%2Bto%2Bhaloperidol%2Bin%2Btreatment-resistant%2Bpatients%2Bwith%2Bschizophrenia. %26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F11775047%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref? access_num=11775047&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febmental%2F5%2F3%2F90.atom [3]: /lookup/external-ref? access_num=000172680500007&link_type=ISI
Compact magnetic wheeled robot for inspecting complex shaped structures in generator housings and similar environments

In this paper, we present the mechanical design of a compact magnetic wheeled robot - with the goal to do inspection and vibration measurements in the housings of large generators and similar environments in power plants. After a detailed analysis of the specifications in this application, we present a new vehicle structure that allows for passing sharp concave corners - even with low friction coefficient between wheels and surface - and without using an additional active DOF. The advantages of this structure and the core parameters for its optimization are described in a quasi-static 2D calculation model. A prototype was implemented and successfully tested both in laboratory and real environments. The paper concludes pointing out the future improvements for a final industrial version.
Nonspecific phenotype of Noonan syndrome diagnosed by whole exome sequencing

Noonan syndrome is a genetically heterogeneous condition primarily due to missense mutations in PTPN11. Prenatal diagnosis is typically made in a fetus with increased nuchal translucency and normal karyotype. We demonstrate the ability of whole exome sequencing to make prenatal diagnoses that would not have been made from phenotype alone.
Critical Care Nurses’ Suggestions to Improve End-of-Life Care Obstacles: Minimal Change Over 17 Years

Background: Critical-care nurses (CCNs) provide end-of-life (EOL) care on a daily basis as 1 in 5 patients dies while in intensive care units. Critical-care nurses overcome many obstacles to perform quality EOL care for dying patients. Objectives: The purposes of this study were to collect CCNs’ current suggestions for improving EOL care and determine if EOL care obstacles have changed by comparing results to data gathered in 1998. Methods: A 72-item questionnaire regarding EOL care perceptions was mailed to a national, geographically dispersed, random sample of 2000 members of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. One of 3 qualitative questions asked CCNs for suggestions to improve EOL care. Comparative obstacle size (quantitative) data were previously published. Results: Of the 509 returned questionnaires, 322 (63.3%) had 385 written suggestions for improving EOL care. Major themes identified were ensuring characteristics of a good death, improving physician communication with patients and families, adjusting nurse-to-patient ratios to 1:1, recognizing and avoiding futile care, increasing EOL education, physicians who are present and “on the same page,” not allowing families to override patients’ wishes, and the need for more support staff. When compared with data gathered 17 years previously, major themes remained the same but in a few cases changed in order and possible causation. Conclusion: Critical-care nurses’ suggestions were similar to those recommendations from 17 years ago. Although the order of importance changed minimally, the number of similar themes indicated that obstacles to providing EOL care to dying intensive care unit patients continue to exist over time.
Sensing Bacterial Flagellin by Membrane and Soluble Orthologs of Toll-like Receptor 5 in Rainbow Trout (Onchorhynchus mikiss)*

Rainbow trout (Onchorhynchus mikiss) possess two genes encoding putative leucine-rich repeat (LRR)-containing proteins similar to human TLR5. Molecular cloning of these two LRR proteins suggested the presence of a TLR5-like membrane form (rtTLR5M) and a soluble form (rtTLR5S). Here we elucidated the primary structures and the unique combinational functions of these fish versions of TLR5. The LRR regions of rtTLR5S and rtTLR5M exhibited 81% homology and relatively high (35.6 and 33.7%) homology to the extracellular domains of human TLR5 (huTLR5). Thus, two distinct genes encode the TLR5 orthologs in fish, one of which has a consensus intracellular domain (TIR). In order to test their functions, we constructed fusion proteins with the LRR region of rtTLR5S (S-chimera) or that of rtTLR5M and the TIR of huTLR5 (M-chimera). The S- and M-chimeras expressed in HeLa or CHO cells signaled the presence of Vibrio anguillarum flagellin, resulting in NF-κB activation. rtTLR5M was ubiquitously expressed, whereas rtTLR5S was predominantly expressed in the liver. In the hepatoma cell lines of the rainbow trout RTH-149, stimulation of rtTLR5M with V. anguillarum or its flagellin allowed the up-regulation of rtTLR5S. Flagellin-mediated NF-κB activation was more significant in the presence of or simultaneous expression of rtTLR5S. Therefore, a two-step flagellin response occurred for host defense against bacterial infection in fish: (a) flagellin first induced basal activation of NF-κB via membrane TLR5, facilitating the production of soluble TLR5 and minimal acute phase proteins, and (b) the inducible soluble TLR5 amplifies membrane TLR5-mediated cellular responses in a positive feedback fashion.
Stand Dynamics and Disturbance History of Champlain Valley Clayplain Forests

Studies of stand dynamics can explain how species interactions and disturbances drive forest structure and recruitment patterns of tree species. It is difficult to generate an understanding of stand dynamics and successional trends of forests in areas that have a long history of intense land use such as the Champlain Valley of Vermont, where over 230 years of agricultural activity has acutely and permanently influenced the landscape. The valley clayplain forest, a rare natural community containing endangered herbaceous plants and overstory tree species assemblages that are rare in Vermont, has been fragmented by agricultural use of the Champlain Valley. This study used dendroecological methods and assessments of forest structural conditions to describe the tree recruitment history and structural dynamics of two oldgrowth valley clayplain forest patches. Our results indicate that the valley clayplain forest has a species composition and recruitment history that has been heavily influenced by human land use throughout at least the past 230 years. We found that Quercus spp. , typically considered characteristic of the valley clayplain forest, are being replaced by late-successional species such as Tsuga canadensis. Additionally, other human influences such as invasive species threaten to further alter the composition and dynamics of valley clayplain forests in the near future.
The Quadratic Eigenvalue Problem

We survey the quadratic eigenvalue problem, treating its many applications, its mathematical properties, and a variety of numerical solution techniques. Emphasis is given to exploiting both the structure of the matrices in the problem (dense, sparse, real, complex, Hermitian, skew-Hermitian) and the spectral properties of the problem. We classify numerical methods and catalogue available software.
Antibiotics Threaten Wildlife: Circulating Quinolone Residues and Disease in Avian Scavengers

Antibiotic residues that may be present in carcasses of medicated livestock could pass to and greatly reduce scavenger wildlife populations. We surveyed residues of the quinolones enrofloxacin and its metabolite ciprofloxacin and other antibiotics (amoxicillin and oxytetracycline) in nestling griffon Gyps fulvus, cinereous Aegypius monachus and Egyptian Neophron percnopterus vultures in central Spain. We found high concentrations of antibiotics in the plasma of many nestling cinereous (57%) and Egyptian (40%) vultures. Enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin were also found in liver samples of all dead cinereous vultures. This is the first report of antibiotic residues in wildlife. We also provide evidence of a direct association between antibiotic residues, primarily quinolones, and severe disease due to bacterial and fungal pathogens. Our results indicate that, by damaging the liver and kidney and through the acquisition and proliferation of pathogens associated with the depletion of lymphoid organs, continuous exposure to antibiotics could increase mortality rates, at least in cinereous vultures. If antibiotics ingested with livestock carrion are clearly implicated in the decline of the vultures in central Spain then it should be considered a primary concern for conservation of their populations.
Biodiversity versus Transgenic Sugar Beet: The One Euro Question

The decision of whether to release transgenic crops in the EU is one subject to flexibility, uncertainty, and irreversibility. We analyse the case of herbicide tolerant sugar beet and reassess whether the 1998 de facto moratorium of the EU on transgenic crops for sugar beet was correct from a cost-benefit perspective using a real option approach. We show that the decision was correct, if households value possible annual irreversible costs of herbicide tolerant sugar beet with about 1 Euro or more on average. On the other hand, the total net private reversible benefits forgone if the de facto moratorium is not lifted are in the order of 169 Mio Euro per year.
Purdue E-pubs Nonequilibrium Green' S Function Treatment of Phonon Scattering in Carbon Nanotube Transistors Nonequilibrium Green's Function Treatment of Phonon Scattering in Carbon-nanotube Transistors

Green's function treatment of phonon scattering in carbon nanotube transistors" (2008). Abstract—We present a detailed treatment of dissipative quantum transport in carbon-nanotube field-effect transistors (CNT-FETs) using the nonequilibrium Green's function formalism. The effect of phonon scattering on the device characteristics of CNT-FETs is explored using extensive numerical simulation. Both intra-and intervalley scattering mediated by acoustic (AP), optical (OP), and radial-breathing-mode (RBM) phonons are treated. Realistic phonon dispersion calculations are performed using force-constant methods, and electron–phonon coupling is determined through microscopic theory. Specific simulation results are presented for (16,0), (19,0), and (22,0) zigzag CNTFETs, which are in the experimentally useful diameter range. We find that the effect of phonon scattering on device performance has a distinct bias dependence. Up to moderate gate biases, the influence of high-energy OP scattering is suppressed, and the device current is reduced due to elastic backscattering by AP and low-energy RBM phonons. At large gate biases, the current degradation is mainly due to high-energy OP scattering. The influence of both AP and high-energy OP scattering is reduced for larger diameter tubes. The effect of RBM mode, however, is nearly independent of the diameter for the tubes studied here.
Umami taste in mice uses multiple receptors and transduction pathways

Non‐technical summary The distinctive umami taste elicited by l‐glutamate and some other amino acids is thought to be initiated by G‐protein‐coupled receptors, such as heteromers of taste receptor type 1, members 1 and 3, and metabotropic glutamate receptors 1 and 4. We demonstrate the existence of multiple types of glutamate‐sensitive gustatory nerve fibres and the contribution of multiple receptors and transduction pathways to umami taste. Such multiple systems for umami taste may differentially contribute to the behavioural preference for glutamate and discriminability of glutamate taste.
The effect of values affirmation on race-discordant patient-provider communication.

BACKGROUND Communication between African American patients and white health care providers has been shown to be of poorer quality when compared with race-concordant patient-provider communication. Fear on the part of patients that providers stereotype them negatively might be one cause of this poorer communication. This stereotype threat may be lessened by a values-affirmation intervention. METHODS In a blinded experiment, we randomized 99 African American patients with hypertension to perform a values-affirmation exercise or a control exercise before a visit with their primary care provider. We compared patient-provider communication for the 2 groups using audio recordings of the visit analyzed with the Roter Interaction Analysis System. We also evaluated visit satisfaction, trust, stress, and mood after the visit by means of a questionnaire. RESULTS Patients in the intervention group requested and provided more information about their medical condition (mean [SE] number of utterances, 66.3 [6.8] in the values-affirmation group vs 48.1 [5.9] in the control group [P = .03]). Patient-provider communication in the intervention group was characterized as being more interested, friendly, responsive, interactive, and respectful (P = .02) and less depressed and distressed (P = .03). Patient questionnaires did not detect differences in visit satisfaction, trust, stress, or mood. Mean visit duration did not differ significantly between the groups (19.2 minutes in the control group vs 20.5 minutes in the intervention group [P = .29]). CONCLUSIONS A values-affirmation exercise improves aspects of patient-provider communication in race-discordant primary care visits. The clinical impact of the intervention must be defined before widespread implementation can be recommended.
Cultural consonance, a 5HT2A receptor polymorphism, and depressive symptoms: A longitudinal study of gene × culture interaction in urban Brazil

In this study in urban Brazil we examine, as a predictor of depressive symptoms, the interaction between a single nucleotide polymorphism in the 2A receptor in the serotonin system (−1438G/A) and cultural consonance in family life, a measure of the degree to which an individual perceives her family as corresponding to a widely shared cultural model of the prototypical family. A community sample of 144 adults was followed over a 2‐year‐period. Cultural consonance in family life was assessed by linking individuals' perceptions of their own families with a shared cultural model of the family derived from cultural consensus analysis. The −1438G/A polymorphism in the 2A serotonin receptor was genotyped using a standard protocol for DNA extracted from leukocytes. Covariates included age, sex, socioeconomic status, and stressful life events. Cultural consonance in family life was prospectively associated with depressive symptoms. In addition, the interaction between genotype and cultural consonance in family life was significant. For individuals with the A/A variant of the −1438G/A polymorphism of the 2A receptor gene, the effect of cultural consonance in family life on depressive symptoms over a 2‐year‐period was larger (β = −0.533, P < 0.01) than those effects for individuals with either the G/A (β = −0.280, P < 0.10) or G/G (β = −0.272, P < 0.05) variants. These results are consistent with a process in which genotype moderates the effects of culturally meaningful social experience on depressive symptoms. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Design considerations for mesoporous silica nanoparticulate systems in facilitating biomedical applications

Abstract Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have advanced to the forefront of multifunctional nanoparticulate systems in nanomedicine, owing to this highly fexible materials platform enabling a multitude of design options, often in a modular fashion. Drug delivery ability, detectability via diferent imaging modalities, and stimuliresponsiveness are often combined into one particle system. Very sophisticated and versatile designs along with impressive demonstrations of applicability have been reported to date, but a common ground when it comes to some critical considerations valid for any nanoparticle intended for biomedical purposes is lacking to some degree. In this study, we attempt to take a glance at some of the most crucial aspects of biomedical nanoparticulate design and relate how they apply specifically toMSNs. These considerations include fuorophore labeling and leaching with respect to immobilization to MSNs, the surrounding conditions, carrier biodegradability, and surface coating. Surface modifcation strategies and surface charge tuning are further considered in conjunction to the relative amount of cellular uptake and serum protein adsorption. Cellular internalization routes and biological techniques used to evaluate especially in vitro biobehavior are discussed. Our attempt is hereby to draw attention to some of the most frequently occurring issues to be considered in the design of MSN systems for biomedical applications
Pattern Adaptation and Normalization Reweighting

Adaptation to an oriented stimulus changes both the gain and preferred orientation of neural responses in V1. Neurons tuned near the adapted orientation are suppressed, and their preferred orientations shift away from the adapter. We propose a model in which weights of divisive normalization are dynamically adjusted to homeostatically maintain response products between pairs of neurons. We demonstrate that this adjustment can be performed by a very simple learning rule. Simulations of this model closely match existing data from visual adaptation experiments. We consider several alternative models, including variants based on homeostatic maintenance of response correlations or covariance, as well as feedforward gain-control models with multiple layers, and we demonstrate that homeostatic maintenance of response products provides the best account of the physiological data. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Adaptation is a phenomenon throughout the nervous system in which neural tuning properties change in response to changes in environmental statistics. We developed a model of adaptation that combines normalization (in which a neuron's gain is reduced by the summed responses of its neighbors) and Hebbian learning (in which synaptic strength, in this case divisive normalization, is increased by correlated firing). The model is shown to account for several properties of adaptation in primary visual cortex in response to changes in the statistics of contour orientation.
Scene warping: Layer-based stereoscopic image resizing

This paper proposes scene warping, a layer-based stereoscopic image resizing method using image warping. The proposed method decomposes the input stereoscopic image pair into layers according to the depth and color information. A quad mesh is placed onto each layer to guide the image warping for resizing. The warped layers are composited by their depth orders to synthesize the resized stereoscopic image. We formulate an energy function to guide the warping for each layer so that the composited image avoids distortions and holes, maintains good stereoscopic properties and contains as many important pixels as possible in the reduced image space. The proposed method offers the advantages of less discontinuous artifacts, less-distorted objects, correct depth ordering and enhanced stereoscopic quality. Experiments show that our method compares favorably with existing methods.
The hallmarks of cancer

With the advent of next generation sequencing methods and progress in transcriptome analysis, it became obvious that the human genome contains much more than just protein-coding genes. In fact, up to 70% of our genome is transcribed into RNA that does not serve as templates for proteins. In this review, we focus on the emerging roles of these long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the field of tumor biology. Long ncRNAs were found to be deregulated in several human cancers and show tissue-specific expression. Functional studies revealed a broad spectrum of mechanisms applied by lncRNAs such as HOTAIR, MALAT1, ANRIL or lincRNA-p21 to fulfill their functions. Here, we link the cellular processes influenced by long ncRNAs to the hallmarks of cancer and therefore provide an ncRNA point-of-view on tumor biology. This should stimulate new research directions and therapeutic options considering long ncRNAs as novel prognostic markers and therapeutic targets.