Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Patients' experiences with care for lung cancer and colorectal cancer: findings from the Cancer Care Outcomes Research and Surveillance Consortium.

PURPOSE To assess patients' experiences with cancer care, ratings of their quality of care, and correlates of these assessments. PATIENTS AND METHODS For 4,093 patients with lung cancer and 3,685 patients with colorectal cancer in multiple US regions and health care delivery systems, we conducted telephone surveys of patients or their surrogates in English, Spanish, or Chinese at 4 to 7 months after diagnosis. The surveys assessed ratings of the overall quality of cancer care and experiences with three domains of interpersonal care (physician communication, nursing care, and coordination and responsiveness of care). RESULTS English-speaking Asian/Pacific Islander patients and Chinese-speaking patients and those in worse health reported significantly worse adjusted experiences with all three domains of interpersonal care, whereas white, black, and Hispanic patients reported generally similar experiences with interpersonal care. The overall quality of cancer care was rated as excellent by 44.4% of patients with lung cancer and 53.0% of patients with colorectal cancer, and these ratings were most strongly correlated with positive experiences with coordination and responsiveness of care (Spearman rank coefficients of 0.49 and 0.42 for lung and colorectal cancer, respectively). After multivariate adjustment, excellent ratings were less common for each cancer among black patients, English-speaking Asian/Pacific Islander patients, Chinese-speaking patients, and patients reporting worse health status (all P ≤ .05). CONCLUSION Patients' reports and ratings of care differed significantly by race, language, and health status. Efforts to improve patients' experiences with cancer care should focus on problems affecting Asian and Pacific Islander patients and those in worse health.
Diverging equilibration times in long-range quantum spin models.

The approach to equilibrium is studied for long-range quantum Ising models where the interaction strength decays like r(-α) at large distances r with an exponent α not exceeding the lattice dimension. For a large class of observables and initial states, the time evolution of expectation values can be calculated. We prove analytically that, at a given instant of time t and for sufficiently large system size N, the expectation value of some observable (t) will practically be unchanged from its initial value (0). This finding implies that, for large enough N, equilibration effectively occurs on a time scale beyond the experimentally accessible one and will not be observed in practice.
Usable Human Authentication: A Quantitative Treatment

Abstract : A typical computer user today manages passwords for many different online accounts. Users struggle with this task--often forgetting their passwords or adopting insecure practices, such as using the same passwords for multiple accounts and selecting weak passwords. While there are many books, articles, papers and even comics about selecting strong individual passwords, there is very little work on password management schemes--systematic strategies to help users create and remember multiple passwords. Before we can design good password management schemes it is necessary to address a fundamental question: How can we quantify the usability or security of a password management scheme. One way to quantify the usability of a password management scheme would be to conduct user studies evaluating each user's success at remembering multiple passwords over an extended period of time. However, these user studies would necessarily be slow and expensive and would need to be repeated for each new password management scheme. Our thesis is that user models and security models can guide the development of password management schemes with analyzable usability and security properties. We present several results in support of this thesis. First, we introduce Naturally Rehearsing Password schemes. Notably, our user model, which is based on research on human memory about spaced rehearsal, allows us to analyze the usability of this family of schemes while experimentally validating only the common user model underlying all of them. Second, we introduce Human Computable Password schemes, which leverage human capabilities for simple arithmetic operations. We provide constructions that make modest demands on users and we prove that these constructions provide strong security: an adversary who has seen about 100 10-digit passwords of a user cannot compute any other passwords except with very low probability.
Fiber-wireless and fiber-IVLLC convergences

Fiber-wireless and fiber-invisible laser light communication (IVLLC) convergences that adopt Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM)-optoelectronic oscillator (OEO)-based broadband light source (BLS) for microwave (MW)/millimeter-wave (MMW)/baseband (BB) signal transmission is proposed and experimentally demonstrated.
System identify of servomechanisms with nonlinear friction

Servomechanisms are always assumed and identified as linear systems. Actually, friction is a significant nonlinear factor in such systems. In this paper, friction compensation technique which is usually used as a part of control scheme is introduced in system identification process and it saves the nonlinear control effort in control scheme. Moreover, 3D friction model including position information is set up and the Kalman filter based radial basis function (RBF) network is designed to fit and compensate the nonlinear friction in servomechanisms. A motor drive servo system is set up as a test plant and is identified to show that the proposed method is simple and practical. Compared with the math model based friction fitting method, the proposed one realizes a much better fitting error result. Correspondingly, the identified linear system model is very close to the measured frequency response data as well.
Polymorphisms in Apoptosis and Cell Cycle Control Genes and Risk of Brain Tumors in Adults

Despite the potential importance of the cell cycle and apoptosis pathways in brain tumor etiology, little has been published regarding brain tumor risk associated with common gene variants in these pathways. Using data from a hospital-based case-control study conducted by the National Cancer Institute between 1994 and 1998, we evaluated risk of glioma (n = 388), meningioma (n = 162), and acoustic neuroma (n = 73) with respect to 12 single nucleotide polymorphisms from 10 genes involved in apoptosis and cell cycle control: CASP8, CCND1, CCNH, CDKN1A, CDKN2A, CHEK1, CHEK2, MDM2, PTEN, and TP53. We observed significantly decreased risk of meningioma with the CASP8 Ex14-271A>T variant [odds ratio (OR)AT, 0.8; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.5-1.2; ORAA, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.3-0.9; Ptrend = 0.03] and increased risk of meningioma with the CASP8 Ex13+51G>C variant (ORGC, 1.4; 95% CI, 0.9-2.1; ORCC, 3.6; 95% CI, 1.0-13.1; Ptrend = 0.04). The CT haplotype of the two CASP8 polymorphisms was associated with significantly increased risk of meningioma (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.1-2.6), but was not associated with risk of glioma or acoustic neuroma. The CCND1 Ex4-1G>A variant was associated with increased risk for glioma, and the Ex8+49T>C variant of CCNH was associated with increased risk of glioma and acoustic neuroma. The MDM2 Ex12+162A>G variant was associated with significantly reduced risk of glioma. Our results suggest that common variants in the CASP8, CCND1, CCNH, and MDM2 genes may influence brain tumor risk. Future research in this area should include more detailed coverage of genes in the apoptosis/cell cycle control pathways. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2007;16(8):1655–61)
RFID authentication protocol design methodology

Many RFID authentication protocols have been designed by intuition and experience. Since they lack systematic theory support, these protocols often have a number of vulnerabilities. This paper proposes a series of rules called RFID authentication protocol security enhanced rules (RAPSER), used to provide systematic theory support for RFID authentication protocol design and verification. After a comprehensive and systematic analysis of the essence of RFID security issues and requirements, we propose RAPSER, and then axiomatise its foundation, and formalise its original proposition and negative proposition. By Chien's and Khan's protocol, we demonstrate how RAPSER can be implemented to design and verify RFID authentication protocols. We justified why the popular protocol does not offer sufficient security and privacy protection, and thereafter, proposed a stronger protocol to fix these security holes with RAPSER. The result of this study suggests that RAPSER can be significant for RFID authentication protocol design and verification.
Synthetic aperture approach to microwave holographic image improvement

Due to basic physical constraints and technical possibilities, the quality of microwave subsurface holographic imaging is poor, compared with optical holography. Spectral analysis quantitatively describes the speckle structure distorting experimental holographic images of a test object and opens a way to radically improve the image quality by means of coherent multi-view measurements.
The atomic layer deposition array defined by etch-back technique: a new method to fabricate TiO2 nanopillars, nanotubes and nanochannel arrays

A novel fabrication method for nanostructures made of TiO2, a hard-to-etch material with very attractive optical, physical and chemical properties, is developed. This technique ‘atomic layer deposition array defined by etch-back’ (AARDE) enables the formation of a large area of perfectly ordered, high aspect ratio nanostructures, such as nanopillars, nanotubes and nanochannels. High quality functional surfaces and versatile structures with tunable dimensions on various substrates can be realized. With all the process steps being controllable and compatible with integrated circuits, high throughput and repeatability are achieved. To demonstrate the potential of this new technique, results for AARDE TiO2 nanopillar arrays as photonic crystals are also reported.
Cross-clade human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte responses in HIV-infected Zambians

We have examined cross-clade HIV-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) activity in peripheral blood of eight Zambian individuals infected with non-B-clade human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Heteroduplex mobility assay and partial sequence analysis of env and gag genes strongly suggests that all the HIV-infected subjects were infected with clade C HIV-1. Six of eight C-clade HIV-infected individuals elicited CTL activity specific for recombinant vaccinia virus-infected autologous targets expressing HIV gag-pol-env derived from B-clade HIV-1 (IIIB). Recognition of individual recombinant HIV-1 B-clade vaccinia virus-infected targets expressing gag, pol, or env was variable among the patients tested, indicating that cross-clade CTL activity is not limited to a single HIV protein. These data demonstrate that HIV clade C-infected individuals can mount vigorous HIV clade B-reactive CTL responses.
Progress in the independent certification of mizar mathematical library in isabelle

The Mizar Mathematical Library is one of the largest collections of machine understandable formal proofs encompassing many areas of today mathematics including results from algebra, analysis, topology, and lattice theory. The Mizar system has so far been the only tool able to completely process, certify, and make use of these developments. In this paper, we present the progress in the development of an independent certification mechanism of Mizar proofs based on the Isabelle logical framework. The approach allows rechecking the Mizar formal proofs based on a more succinct and more precisely specified formal infrastructure. Additionally, it necessitates a full formal specification of the mechanisms that ensure the correctness of the defined objects, in particular, the proofs that such mechanisms are correct. The development already covers an important part of the Mizar library foundations. We improve the mechanism for defining Mizar structures and show that it permits simpler validation of proof developments involving such objects. To demonstrate this, we perform a complete translation of the Mizar net of basic algebraic structures including their attributes and certify all the corresponding proofs in Isabelle.
Experimental Investigation of RF Noise Performance Improvement in Graded-Channel MOSFETs

In this paper, measured RF noise performance of graded-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistors (GCMOS - also named laterally asymmetric channel transistors) shows impressive reduction in minimum noise figure (NF min) as compared to classical MOSFET transistors (with the same gate length Lg = 0.5 mum). The reason is proven to be because of the higher noise correlation coefficient (C). GCMOS also shows lower sensitivity to extrinsic thermal noise as compared to classical MOSFET. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the use of 0.5- mum-gate-length GCMOS gives a competitive RF noise performance as compared to 0.25-mum-gate-length classical nMOS transistors.
Upper bounds on the symbol-error probability of MPSK with phase error using pawula F-function IV

This letter presents an alternative derivation of the Case IV of Pawula F-function and an approximation for the corresponding probability density function (pdf) in the presence of the Tikhonov distributed phase error. The pdf of Case IV is used to obtain new upper bounds for the conditional and average symbol-error probabilities of M-ary phase shift keying with phase error over additive white Gaussian noise channels. Numerical results demonstrate the validity of the upper bounds.
NADPH oxidase‐derived superoxide Anion‐induced apoptosis is mediated via the JNK‐dependent activation of NF‐κB in cardiomyocytes exposed to high glucose

Hyperglycemia‐induced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) can lead to cardiomyocyte apoptosis and cardiac dysfunction. However, the mechanism by which high glucose causes cardiomyocyte apoptosis is not clear. In this study, we investigated the signaling pathways involved in NADPH oxidase‐derived ROS‐induced apoptosis in cardiomyocytes under hyperglycemic conditions. H9c2 cells were treated with 5.5 or 33 mM glucose for 36 h. We found that 33 mM glucose resulted in a time‐dependent increase in ROS generation as well as a time‐dependent increase in protein expression of p22phox, p47phox, gp91phox, phosphorylated IκB, c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) and p38, as well as the nuclear translocation of NF‐kB. Treatment with apocynin or diphenylene iodonium (DPI), NADPH oxidase inhibitors, resulted in reduced expression of p22phox, p47phox, gp91phox, phosphorylated IκB, c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) and p38. In addition, treatment with JNK and NF‐kB siRNAs blocked the activity of caspase‐3. Furthermore, treatment with JNK, but not p38, siRNA inhibited the glucose‐induced activation of NF‐κB. Similar results were obtained in neonatal cardiomyocytes exposed to high glucose concentrations. Therefore, we propose that NADPH oxidase‐derived ROS‐induced apoptosis is mediated via the JNK‐dependent activation of NF‐κB in cardiomyocytes exposed to high glucose. J. Cell. Physiol. 227: 1347–1357, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
An Optogenetic Approach for Investigation of Excitatory and Inhibitory Network GABA Actions in Mice Expressing Channelrhodopsin-2 in GABAergic Neurons

To investigate excitatory and inhibitory GABA actions in cortical neuronal networks, we present a novel optogenetic approach using a mouse knock-in line with conditional expression of channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) in GABAergic interneurons. During whole-cell recordings from hippocampal and neocortical slices from postnatal day (P) 2–P15 mice, photostimulation caused depolarization and excitation of interneurons and evoked barrages of postsynaptic GABAergic currents. Excitatory/inhibitory GABA actions on pyramidal cells were assessed by monitoring the alteration in the frequency of EPSCs during photostimulation of interneurons. We found that in slices from P2–P8 mice, photostimulation evoked an increase in EPSC frequency, whereas in P9–P15 mice the response switched to a reduction in EPSC frequency, indicating a developmental excitatory-to-inhibitory switch in GABA actions on glutamatergic neurons. Using a similar approach in urethane-anesthetized animals in vivo, we found that photostimulation of interneurons reduces EPSC frequency at ages P3–P9. Thus, expression of ChR2 in GABAergic interneurons of mice enables selective photostimulation of interneurons during the early postnatal period, and these mice display a developmental excitatory-to-inhibitory switch in GABA action in cortical slices in vitro, but so far show mainly inhibitory GABA actions on spontaneous EPSCs in the immature hippocampus and neocortex in vivo. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We report a novel optogenetic approach for investigating excitatory and inhibitory GABA actions in mice with conditional expression of channelrhodopsin-2 in GABAergic interneurons. This approach shows a developmental excitatory-to-inhibitory switch in the actions of GABA on glutamatergic neurons in neocortical and hippocampal slices from neonatal mouse pups in vitro, but also reveals inhibitory GABA actions in the neonatal mouse neocortex and hippocampus in vivo.
Design of a compact broadband planar spiral antenna

A compact spiral antenna for broadband and circularly polarized operations is proposed. Size miniaturization is based on phase velocity reduction. Size reduction using antenna miniaturization techniques is considered and explored through the application of meandering lines and resistive loading. The designed antenna was implemented and measured, which achieved a 50% size reduction.
Accurate transition probabilities in ions obtained by isoelectronic smoothing of line strengths.

Lifetime measurements, based on the method of beam-foil spectroscopy, together with careful corrections for cascade effects, have in recent years yielded the line strength of the 2s2 1S-2s2p 1P°transition in Be-like ions with uncertainties ranging from 3.4% to 8.1% in Bei-O. By applying a method of isoelectronic smoothing of line strengths, similar to those earlier used for excitation energies and transition wavelengths, we have reduced the experimental uncertainties by about a factor of 2, to 1.9-3.6 % for these transitions. The fitted results are in excellent agreement with the best theoretical data. The applicability of this method to other isoelectronic sequences is briefly discussed.
Enhancing security of power systems including SSSC using moth-flame optimization algorithm

This paper presents a developed optimization technique based on moth-flame algorithm to determine the optimal placement and parameter setting of Static Synchronous Series Compensator (SSSC) for enhancing power system security under single line contingencies. A contingency analysis is performed on power system to determine the most severe line outage contingencies using performance index which based on the number of thermal overloads and voltage levels violation. IEEE 30-bus test system is used to verify the effectiveness of the developed algorithm. The obtained results demonstrate that the efficiency of the developed technique moreover, installing of the SSSC in its optimal location can enhance the security of power system by reducing the overloading of transmission lines and violation of bus voltages.
Association between DNA-repair polymorphisms and survival in pancreatic cancer patients treated with combination chemotherapy.

AIM This multicenter study evaluated the association of 11 candidate polymorphisms in eight genes with outcome of pancreatic cancer patients treated with the equivalent polychemotherapeutic regimens: cisplatin/epirubicin/capecitabine/gemcitabine, cisplatin/docetaxel/capecitabine/gemcitabine and gemcitabine/capecitabine plus epirubicin/cisplatin intra-arterial infusion. PATIENTS & METHODS Towards this end, polymorphisms were assessed in DNA from 122 pancreatic cancer stage-III/IV patients, and their associations with toxicity/response and progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival were evaluated using Pearson-χ(2) and log-rank test. RESULTS Patients harboring XPD Gln751Gln, XPD Asp312Asn + Asn312Asn or XRCC1 Arg399Gln + Gln399Gln genotypes had a worse prognosis. XPD Gln751Gln (hazard ratio: 1.9; p = 0.003), as well as a combination of over two risk genotypes (hazard ratio: 2.7; p < 0.001), emerged as independent predictors for death risk at multivariate analysis. No correlations were observed with toxicity. Conversely, XPD Gln751Gln was associated with shorter PFS, while the lack of association with overall survival/PFS in gemcitabine monotherapy-treated patients suggested its role only for platinum-based regimens. CONCLUSION Polymorphisms of DNA-repair genes appear to be candidate biomarkers of primary resistance to gemcitabine/cisplatin-based polychemotherapeutic regimens. The relatively small sample size, coupled with the retrospective and exploratory design of the present study, imply that these results should be considered as hypothesis generators, and should be further evaluated in larger and adequately designed retrospective/prospective studies.