Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Potential of Diffusion-Weighted Imaging in the Characterization of Malignant, Benign, and Healthy Breast Tissues and Molecular Subtypes of Breast Cancer

The role of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in the diagnosis of breast cancer and its association with molecular biomarkers was investigated in 259 patients with breast cancer, 67 with benign pathology, and 54 healthy volunteers using diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) at 1.5 T. In 59 breast cancer patients, dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCEMRI) was also acquired. Mean ADC of malignant lesions was significantly lower (1.02 ± 0.17 × 10−3 mm2/s) compared to benign (1.57 ± 0.26 × 10−3 mm2/s) and healthy (1.78 ± 0.13 × 10−3 mm2/s) breast tissues. A cutoff ADC value of 1.23 × 10−3 mm2/s (sensitivity 92.5%; specificity 91.1%; area under the curve 0.96) to differentiate malignant from benign diseases was arrived by receiver operating curve analysis. In 10/59 breast cancer patients, indeterminate DCE curve was seen, while their ADC value was indicative of malignancy, implying the potential of the addition of DWI in increasing the specificity of DCEMRI data. Further, the association of ADC with tumor volume, stage, hormonal receptors [estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor (HER2)], and menopausal status was investigated. A significant difference was seen in tumor volume between breast cancer patients of stages IIA and IIIA, IIB and IIIA, and IIB and III (B + C), respectively (P < 0.05). Patients with early breast cancer (n = 52) had significantly lower ADC and tumor volume than those with locally advanced breast cancer (n = 207). No association was found in ADC and tumor volume with the menopausal status. Breast cancers with ER−, PR−, and triple-negative (TN) status showed a significantly larger tumor volume compared to ER+, PR+, and non-triple-negative (nTN) cancers, respectively. Also, TN tumors showed a significantly higher ADC compared to ER+, PR+, and nTN cancers. Patients with ER− and TN cancers were younger than those with ER+ and nTN cancers. The present study demonstrated that ADC may increase the diagnostic specificity of DCEMRI and be useful for treatment management in clinical setting. Additionally, it provides an insight into characterization of molecular types of breast cancer and may serve as an indicator of metabolic reprograming underlying tumor proliferation.
Simulated Firefighting Task Performance and Physiology Under Very Hot Conditions

Purpose: To assess the impact of very hot (45°C) conditions on the performance of, and physiological responses to, a simulated firefighting manual-handling task compared to the same work in a temperate environment (18°C). Methods: Ten male volunteer firefighters performed a 3-h protocol in both 18°C (CON) and 45°C (VH). Participants intermittently performed 12 × 1-min bouts of raking, 6 × 8-min bouts of low-intensity stepping, and 6 × 20-min rest periods. The area cleared during the raking task determined work performance. Core temperature, skin temperature, and heart rate were measured continuously. Participants also periodically rated their perceived exertion (RPE) and thermal sensation. Firefighters consumed water ad libitum. Urine specific gravity (USG) and changes in body mass determined hydration status. Results: Firefighters raked 19% less debris during the VH condition. Core and skin temperature were 0.99 ± 0.20 and 5.45 ± 0.53°C higher, respectively, during the VH trial, and heart rate was 14–36 beats.min−1 higher in the VH trial. Firefighters consumed 2950 ± 1034 mL of water in the VH condition, compared to 1290 ± 525 in the CON trial. Sweat losses were higher in the VH (1886 ± 474 mL) compared to the CON trial (462 ± 392 mL), though both groups were hydrated upon protocol completion (USG < 1.020). Participants' average RPE was higher in the VH (15.6 ± 0.9) compared to the CON trial (12.6 ± 0.9). Similarly, the firefighers' thermal sensation scores were significantly higher in the VH (6.4 ± 0.5) compared to the CON trial (4.4 ± 0.4). Conclusions: Despite the decreased work output and aggressive fluid replacement observed in the VH trial, firefighters' experienced increases in thermal stress, and exertion. Fire agencies should prioritize the health and safety of fire personnel in very hot temperatures, and consider the impact of reduced productivity on fire suppression efforts.
IL-17 in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

IL-17 is a cytokine with powerful proinflammatory activity. Production of IL-17 is abnormally increased in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a multiorgan chronic autoimmune disease. In patients with SLE, CD3+CD4−CD8− (double negative) T cells are an important source of IL-17. IL-17 produced by double negative and CD4 T cells participates in the pathogenesis of the disease. IL-17-producing T cells are present in the kidneys of patients with lupus nephritis. IL-17 increased production in patients with SLE can amplify the immune response by increasing target organ inflammation and damage and by augmenting the production of antibodies by B cells.
A single dose epidural technique for Caesarean section

An epidural technique based on a fractionated injection through a Tuohy needle of 20 ml over 10 minutes, was investigated in 40 mothers who underwent elective Caesarean section. Mothers were randomised to receive either 0.5% bupivacaine plain or 0.5% bupivacaine with adrenaline 1:200 000. After a 2‐ml test dose, the remaining 18 ml was injected over 5 minutes. The use of adrenaline did not significantly alter the onset or duration, but improved the efficacy of the epidural block. Mean time to onset of adequate surgical anaesthesia was 20 minutes. Only 10 patients required more than the initial 100 mg of bupivacaine. Epidural anaesthesia was supplemented in eight patients with nitrous oxide and/or intravenous opioids.
Strength and Conditioning for Grappling Sports

THE GRAPPLING SPORTS OF JUDO, JIU-JITSU, AND WRESTLING REQUIRE THE ATHLETE TO BE IN PEAK PHYSICAL SHAPE. SPECIFIC TRAINING TARGETING ALL HEALTH- AND SKILL-RELATED FITNESS CONDITIONING COMPONENTS IS NEEDED TO MAXIMIZE SUCCESS IN GRAPPLING SPORTS. STRENGTH AND CONDITION PROGRAMS FOR GRAPPLERS CONSIST OF WEIGHT, PLYOMETRIC, AGILITY, FLEXIBILITY, SPEED, AND AEROBIC TRAINING ALL PROPERLY PERIODIZED AND INTEGRATED WITH SPORT PRACTICE TO MAXIMIZE PERFORMANCE AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
Age‐related fatigue resistance in the knee extensor muscles is specific to contraction mode

The question of whether skeletal muscle fatigue is preserved or enhanced in older adults is a point of controversy. Disparate findings may be attributed to differences in subject population and study protocols, including contraction mode. The purpose of this study was to test the hypotheses that healthy older (65–80 years of age, 8 males and 8 females) adults who were matched to young adults (21–35 years of age; 8 males and 8 females) with similar physical activity levels would: (1) fatigue less during isometric knee extensor (KE) contractions, but (2) would show similar fatigue during dynamic KE contractions performed at 120° s−1. Fatigue was induced with 4 minutes of intermittent, isometric, or dynamic maximal voluntary contractions, performed on separate days. Electrically stimulated contractions were used to evaluate central activation during both fatigue protocols. Older subjects maintained a higher percentage of baseline maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) torque than young subjects during isometric contractions (mean ± SE: 71 ± 3% and 57 ± 3%, respectively, P < 0.01). In contrast, there was no difference between age groups in torque maintenance during dynamic contractions (43 ± 3% and 44 ± 3%, respectively, P = 0.86). For both groups, changes in electrically stimulated and voluntary contractions followed similar trends, suggesting that central activation did not play a role in the age‐related differences in fatigue. Fatigue during the isometric protocol was associated with fatigue during the dynamic protocol in the young group only (r = 0.62, P = 0.01), suggesting that distinct mechanisms influence fatigue during isometric and dynamic contractions in older adults. Muscle Nerve 39: 692–702, 2009
Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion for the Treatment of Degenerative Lumbar Diseases

Study Design. Prospective cohort study. Objective. To determine whether minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) using the tubular retractor system reduces the approach-related morbidity inherent in conventional open surgery. Summary of Background Data. Posterior lumbar fusion using the tubular retractor system has been reported and described well. Supporters have claimed that minimally invasive techniques reduce soft-tissue trauma, blood loss, postoperative pain, transfusion needs, and the length of hospital stay, as compared with reports describing the traditional open procedure. However, there are few studies of minimally invasive TLIF, especially studies that directly compared minimally invasive and open approaches in a single center. Methods. Between May 2005 and December 2006, a total of 62 patients underwent 1-level TLIF by 1 surgeon in 1 hospital. Of 62 patients, 32 underwent minimally invasive TLIF using the tubular retractor system, and the other 30 underwent the traditional open procedure. The operative duration, blood loss, complications, and recovery time were recorded. The clinical outcomes were evaluated by the Oswestry Disability Index and the Visual Analog Scale. The soft-tissue injury was assessed by measuring serum creatine kinase. Radiographic images were obtained before surgery and during follow-up. Results. The minimally invasive group was found to have reduced blood loss, fewer transfusions, less postoperative back pain, lower serum creatine kinase on the third postoperative day, a shorter time to ambulation, and a briefer hospital stay. The Oswestry Disability Index and Visual Analog Scale scores were significantly lower in the minimally invasive group during follow-up. However, the open group had a shorter operative duration. The complications in the 2 groups were similar, but 2 cases of screw malposition occurred in the minimally invasive group. Conclusion. Minimally invasive TLIF as a management of 1-level degenerative lumbar diseases is superior to the traditional open procedure in terms of postoperative back pain, total blood loss, need for transfusion, time to ambulation, length of hospital stay, soft-tissue injury, and functional recovery. However, this procedure takes longer operative duration and requires close attention to the risk of technical complications. Longer-term studies involving a larger sample are needed to validate the long-term efficacy of minimally TLIF.
PointNet++: Deep Hierarchical Feature Learning on Point Sets in a Metric Space

Few prior works study deep learning on point sets. PointNet by Qi et al. is a pioneer in this direction. However, by design PointNet does not capture local structures induced by the metric space points live in, limiting its ability to recognize fine-grained patterns and generalizability to complex scenes. In this work, we introduce a hierarchical neural network that applies PointNet recursively on a nested partitioning of the input point set. By exploiting metric space distances, our network is able to learn local features with increasing contextual scales. With further observation that point sets are usually sampled with varying densities, which results in greatly decreased performance for networks trained on uniform densities, we propose novel set learning layers to adaptively combine features from multiple scales. Experiments show that our network called PointNet++ is able to learn deep point set features efficiently and robustly. In particular, results significantly better than state-of-the-art have been obtained on challenging benchmarks of 3D point clouds.
On the Achievable DoF and User Scaling Law of Opportunistic Interference Alignment in 3-Transmitter MIMO Interference Channels

In this paper, we propose opportunistic interference alignment (OIA) for three-transmitter multiple-input multiple-output interference channels. In the proposed OIA, each transmitter has its own user group and selects a single user who has the most aligned interference signals. The user dimensions provided by multiple users are exploited to align interfering signals. Contrary to conventional IA, perfect channel state information of all channel links is not required at the transmitter, and each user just feeds back one scalar value to indicate how well the interfering channels are aligned. We prove that each transmitter can achieve the same degrees of freedom (DoF) as the interference free case via user selection in our system model that the number of receive antennas is twice of the number of transmit antennas. Using the geometric interpretation, we find the required user scaling to obtain an arbitrary non-zero DoF. Two OIA schemes are proposed and compared with various user selection schemes in terms of achievable rate/DoF and complexity.
Degradation of soluble and insoluble proteins by Bacteroides amylophilus protease and by rumen microorganisms.

Various soluble and insoluble proteins (6.25 mg) were incubated at 37 C with partially purified protease from Bacteroides amylophilus (156 micrograms) in 2.0 ml of . 1 M potassium phosphate buffer, pH 7.6, for 2, 4, 6 and 18 hr, and the liberated amino acids were determined by the ninhydrin method. Results showed that (1) although soluble, serum albumin and ribonuclease A were resistant to hydrolysis; (2) soluble and insoluble proteins of soybean meal were hydrolyzed at almost identical rates; (3) soluble proteins from soybean meal, rapeseed meal and casein were hydrolyzed at different rates, and (4) treatment of resistant proteins (serum albumin, ribonuclease A and insoluble fish meal and rapeseed meal proteins) with mercaptoethanol in 8 M urea or oxidation with performic acid rendered these proteins susceptible to hydrolysis. It is concluded that (1) solubility or insolubility of a protein is not by itself an indication of the protein's resistance or susceptibility to hydrolysis by rumen bacterial protease; (2) structural characteristics of the properties which renders feed protein resistant to degradation is the presence of crosslinking disulfide bonds.
Declarative & Procedural Goals in Intelligent Agent Systems

An important concept for intelligent agent systems is goals. Goals have two aspects: declarative (a description of the state sought), and procedural (a set of plans for achieving the goal). A declarative view of goals is necessary in order to reason about important properties of goals, while a procedural view of goals is necessary to ensure that goals can be achieved efficiently in dynamic environments. In this paper we propose a framework for goals which integrates both views. We discuss the requisite properties of goals and the link between the declarative and procedural aspects, then derive a formal semantics which has these properties. We present a high-level plan notation with goals and give its formal semantics. We then show how the use of declarative information permits reasoning (such as the detection and resolution of conflicts) to be performed on goals.
Limb Immobilization Induces a Coordinate Down-Regulation of Mitochondrial and Other Metabolic Pathways in Men and Women

Advancements in animal models and cell culture techniques have been invaluable in the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms that regulate muscle atrophy. However, few studies have examined muscle atrophy in humans using modern experimental techniques. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in global gene transcription during immobilization-induced muscle atrophy in humans and then explore the effects of the most prominent transcriptional alterations on protein expression and function. Healthy men and women (N = 24) were subjected to two weeks of unilateral limb immobilization, with muscle biopsies obtained before, after 48 hours (48 H) and 14 days (14 D) of immobilization. Muscle cross sectional area (∼5%) and strength (10–20%) were significantly reduced in men and women (∼5% and 10–20%, respectively) after 14 D of immobilization. Micro-array analyses of total RNA extracted from biopsy samples at 48 H and 14 D uncovered 575 and 3,128 probes, respectively, which were significantly altered during immobilization. As a group, genes involved in mitochondrial bioenergetics and carbohydrate metabolism were predominant features at both 48 H and 14 D, with genes involved in protein synthesis and degradation significantly down-regulated and up-regulated, respectively, at 14 D of muscle atrophy. There was also a significant decrease in the protein content of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase, and the enzyme activity of cytochrome c oxidase and citrate synthase after 14 D of immobilization. Furthermore, protein ubiquitination was significantly increased at 48 H but not 14 D of immobilization. These results suggest that transcriptional and post-transcriptional suppression of mitochondrial processes is sustained throughout 14 D of immobilization, while protein ubiquitination plays an early but transient role in muscle atrophy following short-term immobilization in humans.
Growth of Murine Splenic Tissue Is Suppressed by Lymphotoxin β-Receptor Signaling (LTβR) Originating from Splenic and Non-Splenic Tissues

Development and maintenance of secondary lymphoid organs such as lymph nodes and spleen essentially depend on lymphotoxin β-receptor (LTβR) signaling. It is unclear, however, by which molecular mechanism their size is limited. Here, we investigate whether the LTβR pathway is also growth suppressing. By using splenic tissue transplantation it is possible to analyze a potential contribution of LTβR signaling inside and outside of the implanted tissue. We show that LTβR signaling within the endogenous spleen and within non-splenic tissues both significantly suppressed the regeneration of implanted splenic tissue. The suppressive activity positively correlated with the total number of LTβR expressing cells in the animal (regenerate weights of 115 ± 8 mg in LTβR deficient recipients and of 12 ± 9 mg in wild-type recipients), affected also developed splenic tissue, and was induced but not executed via LTβR signaling. Two-dimensional differential gel electrophoresis and subsequent mass spectrometry of stromal splenic tissue was applied to screen for potential factors mediating the LTβR dependent suppressive activity. Thus, LTβR dependent growth suppression is involved in regulating the size of secondary lymphoid organs, and might be therapeutically used to eradicate tertiary lymphoid tissues during autoimmune diseases.
Robust and Undetectable Covert Timing Channels for i.i.d. Traﬃc

Covert timing channels exploit inter-packet delays in network traﬃc to transmit secret messages. The two most important design goals are undetectability (the covert channel has to remain hidden to a potential adversary that is monitoring the inter-packet delay pattern) and robustness (messages can be decoded correctly even in presence of (maliciously) injected noise). In previous proposals undetectability has been only validated against a set of known statistical methods, leaving the resistance against possible future attacks unclear. Moreover, many existing schemes do not provide any robustness at all. In this paper, we introduce a covert timing channel that is both robust and provably undetectable for network traﬃc with independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) inter-packet delays. I.i. d. traﬃc models are very useful because they are simple to analyze, and constitute essential elements of many advanced network traﬃc models such as Markov Renewal Processes (MRP) and Batch Renewal Processes (BRP) with applications in video streaming and Voice over IP (VOIP). As opposed to recent work we do not rely on any strong assumptions, e.g., bounded jitter, but require only the existence of a cryptographically secure pseudorandom generator. We verify the eﬀectiveness of our approach by conducting a series of experiments on Telnet traﬃc and discuss the trade oﬀ between various encoding and modulation parameters.
Buckling of Woven Fabrics

The effect of weight on the buckling behavior of woven fabrics is investigated in this study. Using Timoshenko's elastica theory, the differential equation of the fabric is established, and numerical solutions under three different boundary conditions are obtained. This model explains the buckling behavior of the fabric as efficiently as the model using friction couple theory. In addition, the relationship between the weight factor (the ratio of fabric weight per unit length to bending rigidity times buckling length cubed) of the fabric and the load-deflection characteristics are discussed in detail. As the weight factor increases, the force to initiate buckling increases. For a fabric undergoing a large deflection, the effect of the weight factor w on buckling is strongly dependent on the boundary conditions of the fabric elastica. In many apparel fabrics, the weight factor is significant and cannot be neglected in the model formu lation.
Stress in U.K. Mental Health Training: A Multi-dimensional Comparison Study

Aims: This paper describes a comparison study of trainee clinical psychologists, psychiatric nursing students and PhD students using a multi-dimensional model of stress. Methodology: A total of 168 trainee clinical psychologists, 94 psychiatric nursing students and 253 PhD students completed an online questionnaire. Multiple risk factors were measured, including work characteristics, appraisals, coping, health behaviours, childhood experiences and mental health outcomes. Results: Trainee clinical psychologists reported the highest levels of demands, perceived stress and psychological ill health. Psychiatric nursing students reported the highest levels of emotion-based coping, which needs to be addressed. Alcohol consumption appears to be an important coping strategy employed by psychiatric nursing students. Negative childhood experiences were significantly higher for mental health training groups than PhD students. Conclusion: Where other research focusing on stress at work or in training environments tends to consider only a small number of factors in isolation, this study considers multiple factors on outcomes. This approach is more likely to be representative of real-life situations, in which students are exposed to multiple hazards.