Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multidisciplinary treatment of primary Ewing's sarcoma of bone. A 6‐year experience of a European cooperative trial

The German Society of Pediatric Oncology in 1981 initiated the Cooperative Ewing's Sarcoma Study (CESS 81) using a four‐drug combination of chemotherapy prior to definitive local control with surgery and/or radiation. From January 1, 1981 until February 28, 1985, 93 patients were registered at the trial office from 54 participating institutions in West Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. On February 1, 1987, 54 of 93 patients were disease‐free. Using the Kaplan‐Meier life table analysis, the estimated disease‐free survival (DPS) rate was 60% at 36 months and 55% at 69 months. The median period of observation was 29 months, ranging from 22 months to 69 months. Twenty‐one of 93 patients (23%) had local failure, 18 of 93 patients (19%) developed systemic metastases. The local failure rate was particularly high in patients treated with radiation and was reduced when radiation planning was centralized within the study based upon the extent of disease at diagnosis. Cox regression analysis of prognostic factors showed that tumor volume was a significant factor influencing prognosis. The estimated 3‐year DFS rate was 80% for patients with small tumors (volume less than 100 ml) compared to 31% for patients with large tumors (volume greater than or equal to 100 ml). In patients who had surgery for local control, the histologic response to chemotherapy was analyzed on the surgical specimen and had a strong influence on survival: 79% DFS at 3 years for patients with less than 10% viable tumor (good responders) compared to 31% DFS for patients with more than 10% viable tumor (poor responders). Tumor load and responsiveness to chemotherapy are the two major factors influencing prognosis in patients with primary Ewing's sarcoma of bone.
Wind Speed during Migration Influences the Survival, Timing of Breeding, and Productivity of a Neotropical Migrant, Setophaga petechia

Over the course of the annual cycle, migratory bird populations can be impacted by environmental conditions in regions separated by thousands of kilometers. We examine how climatic conditions during discrete periods of the annual cycle influence the demography of a nearctic-neotropical migrant population of yellow warblers (Setophaga petechia), that breed in western Canada and overwinter in Mexico. We demonstrate that wind conditions during spring migration are the best predictor of apparent annual adult survival, male arrival date, female clutch initiation date and, via these timing effects, annual productivity. We find little evidence that conditions during the wintering period influence breeding phenology and apparent annual survival. Our study emphasizes the importance of climatic conditions experienced by migrants during the migratory period and indicates that geography may play a role in which period most strongly impacts migrant populations.
Predicting User Retweet Behaviors Based on Energy Optimization

Predicting microblog user retweet behaviors is the basis of building the information diffusion model in microblog social networks. In order to improve the accuracy of predicting user retweet behaviors, under the MRF (Markov Random Field) framework, the paper comprehensively analyzes the effects on user retweet behaviors caused by various features (e.g., user attributes and microblog contents) and the retweet behavior constraints between users, also constructs the corresponding energy function based on the logistic regression model to globally predict user retweet behaviors. Experimental results show the proposed method can accurately model user retweet behaviors and thus has high performance.
Imperceptible relaxation of collision avoidance constraints in virtual crowds

The performance of an interactive virtual crowd system for entertainment purposes can be greatly improved by setting a level-of-details (LOD) strategy: in distant areas, collision avoidance can even be stealthy disabled to drastically speed-up simulation and to handle huge crowds. The greatest difficulty is then to select LODs to progressively simplify simulation in an imperceptible but efficient manner. The main objective of this work is to experimentally evaluate spectators' ability to detect the presence of collisions in simulations. Factors related to the conditions of observation and simulation are studied, such as the camera angles, distance to camera, level of interpenetration or crowd density. Our main contribution is to provide a LOD selection function resulting from two perceptual studies allowing crowd system designers to scale a simulation by relaxing the collision avoidance constraint in a least perceptible manner. The relaxation of this constraint is an important source for computational resources savings. Our results reveal several misconceptions in previously used LOD selection functions and suggest yet unexplored variables to be considered. We demonstrate our function efficiency over several evaluation scenarios.
Emotional processes in strategic management : the role of positive and negative affect in biasing perceptions of the organisational environment : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology

Effective strategic-level planning and decision-making are vital processes for an organisation's long-term success. Strategic decision-making is difficult to perform effectively due to both the density of data contained in the strategic environment and the often ambiguous and incomplete nature of this data. Daniels (1998) found evidence fo r a link between perceptions of aspects of the organisational environment germane to strategic decision-making and managers' trait negative affect. The present study sought to replicate this finding and extend this line of research with positive affect. The present study employed a cross-sectional, correlational design. A total of 150 managers employed in a range of businesses in New Zealand returned questionnaire forms mailed out to them. The hypothesis that positive affectivity could influence perceptions of the organisational environment was supported. A systematic relationship in the hypothesised direction was found between Positive affectivity and managers' perceptions of their organisational environments. Contrary to the findings of Daniels (1998), no support was found for a relationship between negative affectivity and managerial perceptions of their organisational environments. Some evidence was also found for an interaction effect between negative and positive affectivity and managerial perceptions of the environment. The implications of the results obtained are that positive affectivity may work to bias the cognitive processes of the strategic decision-maker when he or she is scanning the strategic environment for relevant data. It is concluded that emotion must be considered a substantive factor for future strategic planning research.
Robustness of Inference of Haplotype Block Structure

In this report, we examine the validity of the haplotype block concept by comparing block decompositions derived from public data sets by variants of several leading methods of block detection. We first develop a statistical method for assessing the concordance of two block decompositions. We then assess the robustness of inferred haplotype blocks to the specific detection method chosen, to arbitrary choices made in the block-detection algorithms, and to the sample analyzed. Although the block decompositions show levels of concordance that are very unlikely by chance, the absolute magnitude of the concordance may be low enough to limit the utility of the inference. For purposes of SNP selection, it seems likely that methods that do not arbitrarily impose block boundaries among correlated SNPs might perform better than block-based methods.
Sniper: Exploring the level of abstraction for scalable and accurate parallel multi-core simulation

Two major trends in high-performance computing, namely, larger numbers of cores and the growing size of on-chip cache memory, are creating significant challenges for evaluating the design space of future processor architectures. Fast and scalable simulations are therefore needed to allow for sufficient exploration of large multi-core systems within a limited simulation time budget. By bringing together accurate high-abstraction analytical models with fast parallel simulation, architects can trade off accuracy with simulation speed to allow for longer application runs, covering a larger portion of the hardware design space. Interval simulation provides this balance between detailed cycle-accurate simulation and one-IPC simulation, allowing long-running simulations to be modeled much faster than with detailed cycle-accurate simulation, while still providing the detail necessary to observe core-uncore interactions across the entire system. Validations against real hardware show average absolute errors within 25% for a variety of multi-threaded workloads; more than twice as accurate on average as one-IPC simulation. Further, we demonstrate scalable simulation speed of up to 2.0 MIPS when simulating a 16-core system on an 8-core SMP machine.
Device Description Repository System Based on DDR Simple API

Recently, improved capabilities of the mobile device is represented in a demand for same level services with the desktop device services but the service that is developed for desktop device is not compatible with mobile devices. To fulfill these demands, it is needed to provide services with considering features of mobile devices. This means that CP(Contents Provider) must do contents transformation in order to make suitable contents on mobile device. For managing some information that is required to do contents transformation, we need the DDR(Device Description Repository) which can store and search a variety of device information to grasp the constraints on the mobile device as compared with desktop devices. Also, defining standard API is required to offer a service regardless of platforms. Hereupon W3C(World Wide Web Consortium) introduced DDR Simple API. However that specifies the limited functions of DDR, which is inevitable to be added for more precise search services. In this paper, we expanded DDR Simple API and implemented DDR that supports DDL(Device Description Language) conversion and storing and searching device information.
Cortex synthesis during Bacillus subtilis sporulation depends on the transpeptidase activity of SpoVD

The nonessential process of peptidoglycan synthesis during Bacillus subtilis sporulation is one model to study bacterial cell wall biogenesis. SpoVD is a class B high-molecular-weight penicillin-binding protein that is specific for sporulation. Strains lacking this protein produce spores without the peptidoglycan cortex layer and are heat sensitive. The detailed functions of the four different protein domains of SpoVD are unknown, and the observed phenotype of strains lacking the entire protein could be an indirect defect. We therefore inactivated the transpeptidase domain by substitution of the active-site serine residue. Our results demonstrate that endospore cortex synthesis depends on the transpeptidase activity of SpoVD specifically.
Fractional Interference Alignment: An Interference Alignment Scheme for Finite Alphabet Signals

Interference Alignment (IA) is a transmission scheme which achieves 1/2 Degrees-of-Freedom (DoF) per transmit-antenna per user. The constraints imposed on the scheme are based on the linear receiver since conventional IA assumes Gaussian signaling. However, when the transmitters employ Finite Alphabet (FA) signaling, neither the conventional IA precoders nor the linear receiver are optimal structures. Therefore, a novel Fractional Interference Alignment (FIA) scheme is introduced when FA signals are used, where the alignment constraints are now based on the non-linear, minimum distance (MD) detector. Since DoF is defined only as signal-to-noise ratio tends to infinity, we introduce a new metric called SpAC (number of Symbols transmitted-per-transmit Antenna-per-Channel use) for analyzing the FIA scheme. The maximum SpAC is one, and the FIA achieves any value of SpAC in the range [0,1]. The key motivation for this work is that numerical simulations with FA signals and MD detector for fixed SpAC (=1/2, as in IA) over a set of optimization problems, like minimizing bit error rate or maximizing the mutual information, achieves a significantly better error rate performance when compared to the existing algorithms that minimize mean square error or maximize signal-to-interference plus noise ratio.
The theoretical capacity of the Parity Source Coder

The Parity Source Coder is a protocol for data compression which is based on a set of parity checks organized in a sparse random network. We consider here the case of memoryless unbiased binary sources. We show that the theoretical capacity saturates the Shannon limit at large K. We also find that the first corrections to the leading behaviour are exponentially small, with the result that the behaviour at finite K is very close to the optimal one.
Effects of rpoA and cysB mutations on acid induction of biodegradative arginine decarboxylase in Escherichia coli

For Escherichia coli, there have been more and more examples illustrating that the alpha subunit of RNA polymerase is directly involved in the activation of gene transcription by interaction with activator proteins. Because of the vital function of the alpha subunit in cell growth, only a limited number of mutations in its structural gene, rpoA, have been isolated. We obtained a number of these mutants and examined the effects of these mutations on the acid induction of adi and cad gene expression. Several mutations caused a small reduction in adi promoter activity at inducing pH. One mutation, rpoA341, essentially eliminated adi promoter activity, while it had little effect on the cad promoter. During the course of a separate study, we isolated a plasmid that enhanced adi expression. Further characterization of this plasmid showed that it contained cysB, the structural gene for the positive regulator for most cys operon genes. Introduction of a cysB mutation into an adi::lac fusion strain and beta-galactosidase assay studies of the resultant adi::lac cysB mutant established that a wild-type cysB gene was required for efficient acid induction of adi expression. These results suggest that a possible interaction between CysB and the alpha subunit of RNA polymerase is involved in activation of adi transcription.
Indirect control and design of insect-like flapping-wing micro aerial vehicle

Considering the Insect-like flapping-wing micro aerial vehicle, this paper has analyzed the composite of quasi-steady aerodynamics. That process has associated with the affection due to addition quality produced by wake capture. With introducing rotate circulation. This paper has calculated the lift, drag force, and pitch torque which take part on the wings' surfaces. Ignoring the wings' quality, the aircraft could be viewed as a rigid body. According to the Newton-Euler principle, establishing the dynamics model of aircraft is realized. And then, this paper has accomplished the indirect Adaptive controller and the update rate law. The algorithm could give dynamic compensation on uncertainty of the system. At last, this paper has taken the simulation of the algorithm. The result of that has verified the effectiveness of the controller design.
Designing Casual Serious Games in Science. The case of "Couch Potatoes Defense"

Casual-serious games in science are games dealing with science topics that require short playing time and relatively low budget to develop, while based on educational purposes. The research goal was to investigate the relation between the game design parameters and the learning experience based on the flow model, assuming that by changing game parameters the relation between challenge and skill will be influenced, as expressed by the flow experience, influencing in turn the learning experience. The framework comprised a series of pilots in a primary school class, in which flow was evaluated using online questionnaires. We found significant changes in flow components between the three phases of the pilot. Students’ responses indicate assimilation of social practices, and understanding of the relation between parameters. We conclude that careful design of game parameters influences the flow experience as well as the learning experience, understanding of content goals and social values.
Clinical outbreak of linezolid-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in an intensive care unit.

CONTEXT Linezolid resistance is extremely uncommon in Staphylococcus aureus. OBJECTIVE To report an outbreak with linezolid and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (LRSA) in an intensive care department and the effective control measures taken. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS Outbreak study of consecutive critically ill patients colonized and/or infected with LRSA at an intensive care department of a 1000-bed tertiary care university teaching hospital in Madrid, Spain. Patients were placed under strict contact isolation. Daily updates of outbreak data and recommendations for the use of linezolid were issued. Extensive environmental sampling and screening of the hands of health care workers were performed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Linezolid use and clinical and epidemiological characteristics and outcomes using minimal inhibitory concentrations, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and polymerase chain reaction of LRSA isolates. RESULTS Between April 13 and June 26, 2008, 12 patients with LRSA were identified. In 6 patients, LRSA caused ventilator-associated pneumonia and in 3 patients it caused bacteremia. Isolates were susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, glycopeptides, tigecycline, and daptomycin. Genotyping identified 1 predominant clone and 3 other types. Cfr-mediated linezolid resistance was demonstrated in all isolates. Potential hospital staff carriers and environmental samples were negative except for one. Six patients died, 5 of them in the intensive care unit, with 1 death attributed to LRSA infection. Linezolid use decreased from 202 defined daily doses in April 2008 to 25 defined daily doses in July 2008. Between July 2008 and April 2010, no new cases have been identified in the weekly surveillance cultures or diagnostic samples. CONCLUSIONS The first clinical outbreak, to our knowledge, with LRSA mediated by the cfr gene developed at our center, was associated with nosocomial transmission and extensive usage of linezolid. Reduction of linezolid use and infection-control measures were associated with the termination of the outbreak.
Shiga-toxin-induced firm adhesion of human leukocytes to endothelium is in part mediated by heparan sulfate.

BACKGROUND Shiga toxin (Stx) is the main pathogenic factor in the haemolytic-uraemic syndrome (HUS). Stx damages the renal endothelium, which leads to inflammation and coagulation. Endothelial heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG), and heparan sulfate in particular, play an important role in the inflammatory process by acting as a ligand for l-selectin. Furthermore, leukocytes are able to interact with chemokines bound to HSPG (examples are IL-8, RANTES and MCP-1). This leads to an activation of integrins on leukocytes and results in more stable leukocyte-endothelial wall adhesion. In this study, we have evaluated the effect of a subtoxic dose of Stx1 and Stx2 on the HSPG and its role in adhesion of leukocytes. METHODS Primary human umbilical venous endothelial cells (HUVEC) and primary human glomerular microvascular endothelial cells (GMVEC) were incubated for 24 h with a subtoxic dose of Stx1 or Stx2. Then, cells were treated with heparan sulfate-degrading enzyme heparitinase I or left untreated, followed by determination of binding leukocytes to endothelial cells in a parallel plate flow chamber. RESULTS In both cell types, Stx increased the amount of firmly adherent leukocytes. After removal of endothelial heparan sulfate, the number of adhering leukocytes decreased. CONCLUSIONS HSPG have a distinctive role in adhesion of leukocytes to endothelial cells stimulated by a subtoxic dose of Stx.
Source Representation Strategy for Optimal Boundary Control Problems with State Constraints

A state-constrained optimal boundary control problem governed by a linear elliptic equation is considered. In order to obtain the optimality conditions for the solutions to the model problem, a Slater assumption has to be made that restricts the theory to the two-dimensional case. This difficulty is overcome by a source representation of the control and combined with a Lavrentiev type regularization. Optimality conditions for the regularized problem are derived, where the corresponding Lagrange multipliers have L2-regularity. By the spectral theorem for compact and normal operators, the convergence result of [22] is extended to a higher dimensional case. Moreover, the convergence for vanishing regularization parameter of the adjoint state associated with the regularized problem is shown. Finally, the uniform boundedness of the regularized Lagrange multipliers in L1(Ω) is verified by a maximum principle argument.
G proteins in rat liver proliferation during cholestasis

Liver proliferation appears to be dually regulated, in part by cyclic AMP levels. Here we studied the alterations in the stimulatory action of cholera toxin and other agents on the adenylyl cyclase system, as well as the status of Gs and Gi protein subunits during the liver proliferation that follows bile duct ligation in rats. The stimulatory effects of glucagon and vasoactive intestinal peptide (which act through membrane receptors) or guanosine 5′‐[βγ‐imido]triphosphate (which interacts with G proteins) and forskolin (which directly activates the adenylyl cyclase catalytic subunit) on liver adenylyl cyclase activity were blunted in cholestasis. The results indicated an impairment in the stimulatory interaction between the αs subunit of Gs protein and the adenylyl cyclase catalytic subunit. Indeed, we observed an important decrease in the stimulation of adenylyl cyclase activity by cholera toxin in cholestasis that was accompanied by a reduced extent of [32P]ADP ribosylation of αs protein catalyzed by cholera toxin, as revealed by the poor labeling of the 42,000 Da band in liver membranes from cholestatic rats. However, there was no change in the amount of αs or β proteins as measured with immunoblotting techniques. Experiments on [32P]ADP ribosylation of αi subunits of Gi proteins indicated an impairment in liver membranes from cholestatic rats, whereas Western blotting for the detection of αi subunits showed decreased αi3 and increased αi2 levels in this condition. Further efforts are needed to better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the relationship between the observed divergent expression of Gs and Gi proteins and liver cell proliferation in the cholestatic liver. (Hepatology 1994;20:1041–1047).