Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MIMO Free Space Optical Communication Systems with Low Complexity QR-OSIC Detector

In this paper, we investigate the performance of QR based Ordered Successive Interference Cancellation (OSIC) detectors for free space optical (FSO) communication system over spatial multiplexing (SM) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) scenario. The spatial multiplexing MIMO links are introduced in FSO systems in order to achieve high capacity gain. The performance of FSO system is deteriorated by the pessimistic effects of atmospheric turbulence and pointing errors. To mitigate the fading effects of atmospheric turbulence we achieve spatial diversity by utilizing MIMO technique in FSO systems. The maximum likelihood (ML) detector being the optimum detector suffers from high computational complexity for SM-MIMO FSO systems. On the other hand, the use of other low complexity linear detectors like zero forcing (ZF) and minimum mean square error (MMSE) results in the poor performance. Our aim is to investigate the practical interest of this scheme by taking into account the receiver performance and its computational complexity. The proposed QR-OSIC detector for SM-MIMO FSO systems is a nonlinear detector which is a low complexity detector and achieves performance close to that ML detectors. The results show the BER performance over $N_{t}\times N_{r}$ MIMO systems using QPSK, 16-QAM modulation. It is deduced by the simulation results that, the QR-OSIC detectors achieves higher performance gain over ZF, MMSE detectors for MIMO FSO systems while keeping the computational complexity low compared to ML detector. Further, we also present the complexity analysis of all the detection techniques discussed in this paper.
Hypermethylation of miR-338-3p and Impact of its Suppression on Cell Metastasis Through N-Cadherin Accumulation at the Cell -Cell Junction and Degradation of MMP in Gastric Cancer

Background/Aims: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been well studied in human carcinogenesis and cancer progression. Our previous study showed the down-regulation of miR-338-3p expression in human gastric cancer (GC). However, the reasons of this dysregulation remain largely unclear. Methods: Bisulfite sequence analysis was performed to explore the methylation status of the promoter region of miR-338-3p. Cell wound-healing and transwell assays were performed to examine the capacity of cell migration and cell interaction. A dual-luciferase reporter was used to validate the bioinformatics-predicted target gene of miR-338-3p. Western blotting, RNA interference, and immunofluorescence (IF) were used to evaluate the expression of MMPs and the location of N-cadherin to determine the mechanism underlying miR-338-3p-induced anti-tumor effects. Results: miR-338-3p was epigenetically silenced, and this loss of expression was significantly correlated with the Borrmann Stage in GC. Restoring miR-338-3p expression in BGC-823 cells inhibited cell migration and invasion. Moreover, Ras-related protein (Rab-14) and Hedgehog acyltransferase (Hhat) were identified as direct targets of miR-338-3p. Both enforced expression of miR-338-3p and small interfering RNA induced Rab14-mediated accumulation of N-cadherin in the cell -cell junctions or Hhat-associated matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) degradation, which may underline the metastasis defects caused by loss of miR-338-3p in GC. Conclusion: These data indicate that miR-338-3p functions as a tumor suppressor in GC, and that the hypermethylation status of its CpG island might be a novel potential strategy for treating GC.
PI3K/Akt/HIF-1α signaling pathway mediates HPV-16 oncoprotein-induced expression of EMT-related transcription factors in non-small cell lung cancer cells

Background: Our previous studies have demonstrated that human papillomaviruse (HPV)-16 oncoproteins promoted epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), leading to non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progression, but the underlying molecular mechanisms still remain unclear. PI3K/Akt/HIF-1α signaling pathway has been reported to mediate hypoxia-induced EMT. In this study, we further explored the role of PI3K/Akt/HIF-1α signaling pathway in HPV-16 oncoprotein-induced EMT in NSCLC cells. Methods: A549 and NCI-H460 NSCLC cells were transiently transfected with pEGFP-HPV-16 E6 or E7 constructs. Western blotting and RT-qPCR were respectively performed to determine the protein and mRNA expression of EMT-related transcription factors. HPV-16 E6 or E7-transfected NSCLC cells were co-transfected with specific HIF-1α-siRNA or pretreated with different concentrations of LY294002, a specific PI3K inhibitor, followed by the analysis of expression of EMT-related transcription factors. The correlation between HIF-1α and EMT-related transcription factors in NSCLC tissues was analyzed by immunohistochemical staining and Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Results: HPV-16 E6 and E7 oncoproteins upregulated the expression of Slug and Twist1, the EMT-related transcription factors, at both protein and mRNA levels in A549 and NCI-H460 cells. The co-transfection with specific HIF-1α-siRNA, but not the non-specific (NS)-siRNA, significantly abrogated HPV-16 oncoprotein-induced upregulation of ZEB1, Snail1, Slug, and Twist1 at both protein and mRNA levels. Additionally, pretreatment with LY294002 obviously blocked HPV-16 E6- and E7-induced Snail1, Slug, and Twist1 protein expression in A549 and NCI-H460 cells. Further analysis of clinical specimens showed that HIF-1α protein was strongly expressed in NSCLC tissues, which was positively correlated with ZEB1, Snail1, Slug, and Twist1 protein expression. Conclusions: PI3K/Akt/HIF-1α may contribute to the progression of HPV-associated NSCLC via mediating the expression of EMT-related transcription factors in NSCLC cells.
Safety of combined PD‐1 pathway inhibition and radiation therapy for non‐small‐cell lung cancer: A multicentric retrospective study from the GFPC

Randomized prospective studies on patients with metastatic non‐small‐cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) showed that anti‐programmed death‐1 (PD‐1) agents notably improved 2‐year overall survival (OS) rates, compared to docetaxel. NSCLC patients now receive nivolumab and irradiation, concurrently or not. However, little is known about the safety of this combination, even though the preclinical model suggested a possible synergic effect. We analyzed NSCLC patients treated with radiotherapy and nivolumab according to former's timing.
Log(graph): a near-optimal high-performance graph representation

Today's graphs used in domains such as machine learning or social network analysis may contain hundreds of billions of edges. Yet, they are not necessarily stored efficiently, and standard graph representations such as adjacency lists waste a significant number of bits while graph compression schemes such as WebGraph often require time-consuming decompression. To address this, we propose Log(Graph): a graph representation that combines high compression ratios with very low-overhead decompression to enable cheaper and faster graph processing. The key idea is to encode a graph so that the parts of the representation approach or match the respective storage lower bounds. We call our approach "graph logarithmization" because these bounds are usually logarithmic. Our high-performance Log(Graph) implementation based on modern bitwise operations and state-of-the-art succinct data structures achieves high compression ratios as well as performance. For example, compared to the tuned Graph Algorithm Processing Benchmark Suite (GAPBS), it reduces graph sizes by 20-35% while matching GAPBS' performance or even delivering speedups due to reducing amounts of transferred data. It approaches the compression ratio of the established WebGraph compression library while enabling speedups of up to more than 2×. Log(Graph) can improve the design of various graph processing engines or libraries on single NUMA nodes as well as distributed-memory systems.
MobiCrowd: Mobile Crowdsourcing on Location-based Social Networks

The great potential of mobile crowdsourcing has started to attract attention of both industries and the research community. However, current commercial mobile crowdsourcing marketplaces are unsatisfactory because of the limited worker base and functionality. In this paper, we first revisit the foundation of performing mobile crowdsourcing on location-based social networks (LBSNs) through specially designed survey studies and comparison experiments involving hundreds of users. Our results reveal that active check-ins are good indicators of picking a right user to perform tasks, and LBSN could be an ideal platform for mobile crowdsourcing given proper services provided. We then propose both the centralized and decentralized design of MobiCrowd, a mobile crowdsourcing service built on LBSNs. Our evaluation, through trace-driven simulation and real-world experiments, demonstrates that the proposed schemes can effectively find workers for mobile crowdsourcing tasks associated with different venues by analyzing their location check-in histories.
The prognostic impact of lymphocyte subsets in newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia

Background Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, which form a part of the host immune system, affect the development and progression of cancer. This study investigated whether subsets of lymphocytes reflecting host-tumor immunologic interactions are related to the prognosis of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Methods Lymphocyte subsets in the peripheral blood of 88 patients who were newly diagnosed with AML were analyzed by quantitative flow cytometry. The relationships of lymphocyte subsets with AML subtypes, genetic risk, and clinical courses were analyzed. Results The percentages of T and NK cells differed between patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) and those with AML with myelodysplasia-related changes. In non-APL, a high proportion of NK cells (>16.6%) was associated with a higher rate of death before remission (P=0.0438), whereas a low proportion of NK cells (≤9.4%) was associated with higher rates of adverse genetic abnormalities (P=0.0244) and relapse (P=0.0567). A multivariate analysis showed that the lymphocyte subsets were not independent predictors of survival. Conclusion Lymphocyte subsets at diagnosis differ between patients with different specific subtypes of AML. A low proportion of NK cells is associated with adverse genetic abnormalities, whereas a high proportion is related to death before remission. However, the proportion of NK cells may not show independent correlations with survival.
Ultralow Saturation Intensity Topological Insulator Saturable Absorber for Gigahertz Mode-Locked Solid-State Lasers

The successful demonstration of Q-switched and mode-locked fiber-laser operations using a topological insulator (TI) as saturable absorber (SA) has opened an application window besides TI's originally expected features. However, to date, all-solid-state mode-locked lasers base on TISAs are still unavailable and became a desired goal not only due to their application as light sources, but also because of providing a way for deeper investigation of the nature of ultrafast dynamics present in TISAs. In this paper, the realization of a continuous-wave mode-locked all-solid-state laser with a repetition rate of around 1 GHz is reported using a high-quality TI SA mirror (TI-SAM) with ultralow saturation intensity, fabricated by a spin coating-co-reduction approach. An output power of 180 mW and pulse duration of 8 ps are observed. In addition, a 61 dB pulse-train quality from the radio frequency spectrum of mode-locked operation prove the feasibility of the proposed laser. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first experimental demonstration of a mode-locked solid-state laser based on TIs. In addition, this paper shows that the use of TISAs is a promising option for the realization of scaling solid-state mode-locked lasers with higher repetition rates, reaching order of GHz.
Factor Invariance of the Trait Meta-Mood Scale–24 in a Sample of Chilean Adolescents

Abstract The purpose of this study is to adapt the Trait Meta-Mood Scale–24 (TMMS–24; Fernández-Berrocal, Extremera, & Ramos, 2004, Spanish short version of the TMMS, Salovey, Mayer, Goldman, Turvey, & Palfai, 1995) to the Chilean adolescent population (13–17 years), analyzing the psychometric properties of the instrument through confirmatory factor analyses, factor invariance analysis, and latent mean differences. For this purpose, a sample of 3,255 secondary and high school students, between 12 and 18 years old (M = 15.28, SD = 1.24), were recruited. The results confirm the measurement invariance and structure of TMMS–24 scores by sex and age. The results of the latent mean analysis show the existence of significant differences associated with sex and age in the TMMS–24 attention to feelings factor. The adequate psychometric properties of the TMMS–24 show that it is valid for the Chilean adolescent population, thus covering the existing gap in this context.
”It’s My Responsibility, But…” A Qualitative Study of Perpetrators’ Understanding of Child Sexual Abuse

ABSTRACT The present study looked at child sexual abuse (CSA) from the perpetrator’s perspective, focusing on precursors to, sustaining mechanisms, and inhibitors of CSA. Individuals serving sentences for sexual abuse of children under the age of 16 were interviewed (N = 8). A qualitative design using interpretative phenomenological analysis was employed. Negative childhood events such as poly-victimization, poor social skills, loneliness, and insecure sexual identity were reported as predisposing elements. Abuse was sustained due to a strong conviction of not being responsible for doing anything wrong. Respondents conveyed few salient inhibitors for the abuse, though not wanting to physically harm the child was often cited as important. Implications for the prevention of CSA in risk groups suggest the need to increase the understanding of children from a child's perspective, changing conceptions leading to disavowal of adult responsibility toward children, strengthening social competency, integration into a social context, and increasing knowledge about the harmful consequences of CSA.
Inhibition of kynurenine aminotransferase II attenuates hippocampus‐dependent memory deficit in adult rats treated prenatally with kynurenine

A combination of genetic and environmental factors contributes to schizophrenia (SZ), a catastrophic psychiatric disorder with a hypothesized neurodevelopmental origin. Increases in the brain levels of the tryptophan metabolite kynurenic acid (KYNA), an endogenous antagonist of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine and NMDA receptors, have been implicated specifically in the cognitive deficits seen in persons with SZ. Here we evaluated this role of KYNA by adding the KYNA precursor kynurenine (100 mg/day) to chow fed to pregnant rat dams from embryonic day (ED) 15 to ED 22 (control: ECon; kynurenine treated: EKyn). Upon termination of the treatment, all rats received normal rodent chow until the animals were evaluated in adulthood (postnatal days 56–85). EKyn treatment resulted in increased extracellular KYNA and reduced extracellular glutamate in the hippocampus, measured by in vivo microdialysis, and caused impairments in hippocampus‐dependent learning in adult rats. Acute administration of BFF816, a systemically active inhibitor of kynurenine aminotransferase II (KAT II), the major KYNA‐synthesizing enzyme in the brain, normalized neurochemistry and prevented contextual memory deficits in adult EKyn animals. Collectively, these results demonstrate that acute inhibition of KYNA neosynthesis can overcome cognitive impairments that arise as a consequence of elevated brain KYNA in early brain development.
OPEN Unified Power Quality Conditioner Model With and Without Storage Units to Improve Power Quality and Losses of Radial Distribution Networks

This paper presents an OPEN unified power quality conditioner (UPQC) model to improve the power loss and power quality for radial distribution systems. OPEN UPQC models with and without storage units are devised. An OPEN UPQC consists of two voltage source inverters, i.e., series and shunt inverters. Without storage units, the series inverter is used to protect all the downstream loads of a network from voltage sag and the shunt inverter is used to provide harmonics and reactive power compensations. In addition, both the inverters with storage units are used to provide active power compensation. The impact of the OPEN UPQC placement on distribution networks is studied by placing one of its inverters in each bus, one at a time and by fixing the location of the other inverter at a particular bus. The OPEN UPQC model is suitably incorporated to the forward-backward sweep load flow algorithm. The simulation results show that significant amount of power loss reduction can be obtained if the shunt inverter is placed at some specific locations. The series inverter can be used to protect higher amount of loads if it is placed near to the substation.
Sequence-to-Sequence Models for Data-to-Text Natural Language Generation: Word- vs. Character-based Processing and Output Diversity

We present a comparison of word-based and character-based sequence-to-sequence models for data-to-text natural language generation, which generate natural language descriptions for structured inputs. On the datasets of two recent generation challenges, our models achieve comparable or better automatic evaluation results than the best challenge submissions. Subsequent detailed statistical and human analyses shed light on the differences between the two input representations and the diversity of the generated texts. In a controlled experiment with synthetic training data generated from templates, we demonstrate the ability of neural models to learn novel combinations of the templates and thereby generalize beyond the linguistic structures they were trained on.
Distributed Attitude Coordinated Control of Multiple Spacecraft With Attitude Constraints

This paper addresses the distributed attitude coordinated tracking problem for multiple constrained spacecraft by state and output feedback. Since only parts of the followers can acquire the states of the dynamic leader, a distributed finite-time sliding-mode estimator is first proposed to reconstruct the information of the leader's attitude and angular velocity accurately. Then, to guarantee the attitude constraints of spacecraft systems, we use the integral barrier Lyapunov function technique to propose a distributed state feedback attitude tracking control algorithm. Next, in the case without angular velocity sensors, we design a distributed attitude tracking control law via output feedback using high-gain observers. In the two proposed control schemes, the adaptive neural networks are introduced to tackle the model uncertainties. The uniform ultimate boundedness of all the state errors can be guaranteed by the Lyapunov stability theory. Finally, numerical results are given to show the feasibility of the proposed schemes.
Rapid identification of pathogens from positive blood culture bottles with the MinION nanopore sequencer

Purpose. Bloodstream infections are major causes of morbidity and mortality that lead to prolonged hospital stays and higher medical costs. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the MinION nanopore sequencer for the identification of the most dominant pathogens in positive blood culture bottles. Methodology. 16S and ITS1‐5.8S‐ITS2 rRNA genes were amplified by PCR reactions with barcoded primers using nine clinical isolates obtained from positive blood bottles and 11 type strains, including five types of Candida species. Barcoded amplicons were mixed, and multiplex sequencing with the MinION sequencer was performed. In addition, barcoded PCR amplicons were sequenced by Sanger sequencing to validate the performance of the MinION. Results. The bacterial and Candida spp. identified by MinION sequencing, based on the highest homology of reference sequences from the NCBI gene databases, agreed with the matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry results, excepting the closely related species Streptococcus and Escherichia coli. The ‘pass’ reads obtained within about 10 min of sequencing were sufficient to identify the pathogens. The average values of sequence identities with 1D2 chemistry and the R9.5 flow cell were around 99 %; thus, frequent sequence errors did not affect species identification based on amplicon sequencing. Conclusion. We have established a rapid, portable and economical technique for the identification of pathogens in positive blood culture bottles through a novel MinION nanopore sequencer amplicon sequencing scheme, which replaces traditional Sanger sequencing.
Hybrid Intrusion Detection: Combining Decision Tree and Gaussian Mixture Model

Nowadays, cybercrimes have become a major threat for computer networks. Many researchers considered Network Intrusion Detection System (NIDS) as a layer of defense and proposed new methods for detecting malicious network traffics. In this paper, we propose a hybrid method for detecting intrusion in networks. Using hybrid techniques exploits the strength of both misuse and anomaly detection methods. In our technique, we use decision tree for the misuse detection component and Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) for anomaly detection. The advantage of using GMM is that it can recognize the attacks, which are similar to the normal distributions. The proposed technique’s performance is evaluated on NSL-KDD dataset. Our empirical observations indicate that the proposed technique is a method of choice by offering higher accuracy and AUC while preserving lower false positive rates.
Wearable Tactile Sensor Brace for Motion Intent Recognition in Upper-Limb Rehabilitation

Ahstract-Motion intent recognition is an important part of autonomous rehabilitative and assistive devices. The focus of this paper is on upper limb motion intent detection for use in wearable rehabilitative devices. Our aim is to capture the tactile cues that arise during weak muscle contractions. We introduce the tactile arm brace (TAB) and analyse the various patterns recorded. Depending on the arm muscles that contract to perform a particular hand motion, different parts of the TAB will experience variations in the interaction forces. A study involving 12 healthy subjects was conducted using the TAB and a bespoke gripping device, designed and built to measure gripping forces. Tactile signatures on the brace change when the fingers extend or grip; this validates our hypothesis based on the forearm muscle physiology. Gripping models were generated to relate low-strength gripping, between 0kg and 2kg, and TAB force readings. The best recorded sensitivity (ratio between the gripper force and the FSR), found in the proximity of the posterior radial forearm, was 0.052. Using all TAB sensors, the K-fold cross validation method produced an RMSE of 5.48N.