Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Second Malignant Neoplasms and Cardiovascular Disease Following Radiotherapy

AbstractSecond malignant neoplasms (SMNs) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are among the most serious and life-threatening late adverse effects experienced by the growing number of cancer survivors worldwide and are due in part to radiotherapy. The National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) convened an expert scientific committee to critically and comprehensively review associations between radiotherapy and SMNs and CVD, taking into account radiobiology; genomics; treatment (i.e., radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy and other therapies); type of radiation; and quantitative considerations (i.e., dose-response relationships). Major conclusions of the NCRP include: (1) the relevance of older technologies for current risk assessment when organ-specific absorbed dose and the appropriate relative biological effectiveness are taken into account and (2) the identification of critical research needs with regard to newer radiation modalities, dose-response relationships, and genetic susceptibility. Recommendation for research priorities and infrastructural requirements include (1) long-term large-scale follow-up of extant cancer survivors and prospectively treated patients to characterize risks of SMNs and CVD in terms of radiation dose and type; (2) biological sample collection to integrate epidemiological studies with molecular and genetic evaluations; (3) investigation of interactions between radiotherapy and other potential confounding factors, such as age, sex, race, tobacco and alcohol use, dietary intake, energy balance, and other cofactors, as well as genetic susceptibility; (4) focusing on adolescent and young adult cancer survivors, given the sparse research in this population; and (5) construction of comprehensive risk prediction models for SMNs and CVD to permit the development of follow-up guidelines and prevention and intervention strategies.
Molecular modelling of dendrimers for nanoscale applications

Dendrimers are well defined, highly branched macromolecules that radiate from a central core and are synthesized through a stepwise, repetitive reaction sequence that guarantees complete shells for each generation, leading to polymers that are monodisperse. The synthetic procedures developed for dendrimer preparation permit nearly complete control over the critical molecular design parameters, such as size, shape, surface/interior chemistry, flexibility, and topology. Recent results suggest that dendritic polymers may provide the key to developing a reliable and economical fabrication and manufacturing route to functional nanoscale materials that would have unique properties (electronic, optical, opto-electronic, magnetic, chemical, or biological). In turn, these could be used in designing new nanoscale devices. In this paper, we determine the 3D molecular structure of various dendrimers with continuous configurational Boltzmann biased direct Monte Carlo method and study their energetic and structural properties using molecular dynamics after annealing these molecular representations.
A Simulation-based Optimization Model for Planning Forest Operations

An essential problem in planning forest operations involves the allocation of scarce and expensive resources to specific tasks. The allocation of transport, for example, among several competing locations and functions is critical in managing an efficient forest operations company. Transportation costs represent a significant portion of the total operating cost of a forest products company. Trucks are needed for delivering timber to mills and for carrying machinery between worksites, which can be located anywhere within a large geographic area. A transportation management system that allocates scarce truck resources optimally among competing interests could increase the total operational efficiency of a procurement entity, lowering delivered costs of wood. The main difficulty in developing such a system is finding an optimal transport schedule while handling complicated constraints, such as precedence and temporal relations among forest operations, project due dates, truck routing, weather conditions, and other operational conditions. It is well known that finding an optimal solution to these types of problems involves high computational complexity. They are usually NP-hard. For this reason, we propose to use a meta-heuristic optimization approach that interacts with a network simulation model of the system in which the precedence and temporal relations among forest operations and logistics are explicitly accounted for. The approach has been tested using data provided by a silvicultural services company located in Alabama.
How did Europe's Global Jihadis Obtain Training for their Militant Causes?

This article examines, compares, and contrasts the ways in which “global jihadis” have trained for terrorism in Western Europe. Before the invasion of Afghanistan, the terrorists received training in Al Qaeda paramilitary camps. After invasion, they had to find alternative training methods and arenas. It is widely assumed that the Internet has taken over the role of the Afghan camps. The current survey suggests that the Internet's role as a “virtual training camp” might be overstated. Although the Net has become an important tool for terrorists on many levels, they maintain an urge to obtain real-life, military-style training in jihadi combat zones. Despite difficulties and risks, many of today's terrorists attend terrorist training facilities in Pakistan or other places. The main characteristic of training practices after the invasion of Afghanistan seems to be that, from an organizational perspective, the push for training and preparation comes from “below” rather than from “above. ”
Cultura organizacional em ambiente burocrático

Dealing to discover the manifestations of organizational culture in a public organization, the paper has the intention, having the focus on citizen a main role in the analysis. It is emphasized particularly the existing relations between culture of organization and bureaucratic rules. By a qualitative approach, thirty interviews in depth were realized with employees of a public university to identify the main aspects of this work. The results show that the bureaucratic logic is responsible for a complex dynamics between the employees and the organization, with perceivable consequences on its organizational culture, that presents strong influence of the internal norms.
Electing a University President Using Open-Audit Voting: Analysis of Real-World Use of Helios

In March 2009, the Universite catholique de Louvain elected its President using a custom deployment of the Helios web-based open-audit voting system. Out of 25,000 potential voters, 5000 registered, and almost 4000 voted in each round of the election. The precision of the voting system turned out to be crucial: in the first round, the leader came short of winning the election by only 2 votes. In this work, we document the new version of Helios used in this election, the specifics of the UCL deployment, and the lessons learned in this deployment. We offer suggestions on running future open-audit elections. We note at least one interesting conclusion: while it is often assumed that open-audit voting will lead to more complaints and potentially a denial-of-service attack on the auditing process, we found that, instead, complaints are likely to be more easily handled in open-audit elections because evidence and counter-evidence can be presented.
Are People More Risk-Taking in the Presence of the Opposite Sex?

This paper investigates whether exposure to the opposite sex induces greater risk-taking in both males and females. Experimental subjects evaluated a series of hypothetical monetary gambles before and after viewing pictures of opposite sex faces; control subjects viewed pictures of cars. Both males and females viewing opposite sex photos displayed a significant increase in risk tolerance, whereas the control subjects exhibited no significant change. Surprisingly, the attractiveness of the photo had no effect; subjects viewing photographs of attractive opposite sex persons displayed similar results as those viewing photographs of unattractive people.
Generalized connected domination in graphs

As a generalization of connected domination in a graph G we consider domination by sets having at most k components. The order γ _c^k (G) of such a smallest set we relate to γ _c(G), the order of a smallest connected dominating set. For a tree T we give bounds on γ _c^k (T) in terms of minimum valency and diameter. For trees the inequality γ _c^k (T)≤ n-k-1 is known to hold, we determine the class of trees, for which equality holds.
Selective inhibition of NF‐κB in dendritic cells by the NEMO‐binding domain peptide blocks maturation and prevents T cell proliferation and polarization

Dendritic cells (DC) are the only antigen‐presenting cells for naive T cells and, therefore, they are crucial players in the initiation of immune responses. Because DC maturation and cytokine production are NF‐κB dependent, we hypothesized that blocking NF‐κB activity in DC by selectively targeting the inhibitor of κB (IκB) kinase (IKK) complex using the novel NF‐κB inhibitor NEMO‐binding domain (NBD) peptide could inhibit DC maturation and other functional characteristics, resulting in modulation of the immune response. We used human monocyte‐derived DC to test the biological effects of the NBD peptide in vitro. NF‐κB inhibition by the NBD peptide resulted in blockade of IKK‐mediated IκBα phosphorylation and subsequent nuclear translocation and DNA binding of NF‐κB p65 in DC. In addition, IL‐6, IL‐12, and TNF‐α production was dose‐dependently blocked and NBD peptide treatment also led to a strong reduction of LPS‐induced maturation. Functional analysis of these DC showed marked inhibition of T cell proliferation in the allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction, accompanied by less Th1 and Th2 polarization. The current study reveals for the first time the unique properties of this novel, highly specific NF‐κB inhibitor in DC. Also, these data indicate that the NBD peptide could be used as an elegant tool in DC based immunotherapy for unwanted cellular immune responses.
Neoliberal Education Reform in The Netherlands

Until recently the Dutch education system was determined by the historic compromise of 1917, after which private schools were supported by the state on an equal financial footing to state schools. The consequence of this compromise was a mainly privatised and centralised system with a corporatist policy structure. In the mid-1980s The Netherlands, like other countries, came under the spell of the 'neoliberal revolution'. This article explores the extent to which the management reform carried out under a neoliberal flag has brought about radical changes to the Dutch education system. It especially looks at four key issues set out in that reform: increased autonomy, freedom of choice, privatization and quality control.
Diffusion Capillary Phantom vs. Human Data: Outcomes for Reconstruction Methods Depend on Evaluation Medium

Purpose: Diffusion MRI provides a non-invasive way of estimating structural connectivity in the brain. Many studies have used diffusion phantoms as benchmarks to assess the performance of different tractography reconstruction algorithms and assumed that the results can be applied to in vivo studies. Here we examined whether quality metrics derived from a common, publically available, diffusion phantom can reliably predict tractography performance in human white matter tissue. Materials and Methods: We compared estimates of fiber length and fiber crossing among a simple tensor model (diffusion tensor imaging), a more complicated model (ball-and-sticks) and model-free (diffusion spectrum imaging, generalized q-sampling imaging) reconstruction methods using a capillary phantom and in vivo human data (N = 14). Results: Our analysis showed that evaluation outcomes differ depending on whether they were obtained from phantom or human data. Specifically, the diffusion phantom favored a more complicated model over a simple tensor model or model-free methods for resolving crossing fibers. On the other hand, the human studies showed the opposite pattern of results, with the model-free methods being more advantageous than model-based methods or simple tensor models. This performance difference was consistent across several metrics, including estimating fiber length and resolving fiber crossings in established white matter pathways. Conclusions: These findings indicate that the construction of current capillary diffusion phantoms tends to favor complicated reconstruction models over a simple tensor model or model-free methods, whereas the in vivo data tends to produce opposite results. This brings into question the previous phantom-based evaluation approaches and suggests that a more realistic phantom or simulation is necessary to accurately predict the relative performance of different tractography reconstruction methods.
Title : Total RNA Sequencing reveals microbial communities in human blood and disease specific effects

An increasing body of evidence suggests an important role of the human microbiome in health and disease. We propose a ‘lost and found’ pipeline, which examines high quality unmapped sequence reads for microbial taxonomic classification. Using this pipeline, we are able to detect bacterial and archaeal phyla in blood using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) data. Careful analyses, including the use of positive and negative control datasets, suggest that these detected phyla represent true microbial communities in whole blood and are not due to contaminants. We applied our pipeline to study the composition of microbial communities present in blood across 192 individuals from four subject groups: schizophrenia (n=48), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (n=47), bipolar disorder (n=48) and healthy controls (n=49). We observe a significantly increased microbial diversity in schizophrenia compared to the three other groups and replicate this finding in an independent schizophrenia case-control study. Our results demonstrate the potential use of total RNA to study microbes that inhabit the human body. CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license peer-reviewed) is the author/funder. It is made available under a The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not . http://dx.doi. org/10.1101/057570 doi: bioRxiv preprint first posted online Jun. 7, 2016;
Assembly Problem of Overconstrained and Clearance-free Parallel Manipulators

To avoid deteriorating the mechanism's performance, joint clearance can be eliminated by preloading the pairing elements of the joint. However, this paper proves rigorously that in the real world, the unavoidable assembly and manufacturing errors will cause overconstrained parallel manipulators to lose degree of freedoms, or even unable to be assembled if they are composed of purely clearance-free pairs (e.g., preloaded pairs). Introducing joint clearance is an essential and efficient way for the correct functioning and easy assembly of overconstrained parallel manipulators.
The Effects of State Regulations on Childcare Prices and Choices

We examine the effects of state-level childcare regulations on the price of childcare, the type of care chosen, and mothers' decisions to work using regulations collected from state archives and data from the National Childcare Survey, which was collected in the U.S. in 1990. We find that regulations have an economically significant effect on the price of childcare, which in turn affects both the demand of regulated care and the labor force participation choices of the mothers. We find no direct quality assurance effect of regulation on childcare demand. This suggests that regulations may not achieve their intended objectives, and alternatives such as subsidies might be more effective at achieving policy goals.
Bluetooth RSSI based collision avoidance in multirobot environment

Multi-robot system is gaining its importance in robotic research. One critical issue in multi-robot system is collision among the mobile robots while sharing same workspace. This paper deals with the collision-free path planning for multiple mobile robots using Bluetooth RSSI value. In the proposed collision avoidance algorithm a decentralized approach with fixed priority level for robots is considered. A variable speed technique based on the RSSI value of robots is used and the obstacle avoidance is implemented based on State based Obstacle Avoidance Algorithm. Proposed algorithm is implemented and tested using Webots 3D simulator.
An ultraviolet study of nearby luminous infrared galaxies: star formation histories and the role of AGN

We employ UV and optical photometry, from the GALEX and SDSS surveys respectively, to study the star formation histories (SFHs) of 561 luminous infrared galaxies (LIR > 10 11 L⊙) in the nearby (z � 2.6 mags, assuming a Calzetti dust law), virtually all low-redshift LIRGs inhabit in the UV ‘blue cloud’. The (SSP-weighted) average age of the underlying stellar populations in these objects is typically 5-9 Gyrs, with a mean value of � 6.8 Gyrs. � 60% of the LIRG population began their recent star formation (RSF) episode within the last Gyr, while the remaining objects began their RSF episodes 1 to 3 Gyrs in the past. Up to 35% of the stellar mass in the remnant forms in these episodes - the mean value is
Roles of focal adhesions and fibronectin‐mediated cohesion in proliferation of confluent fibroblasts

Multilayered fibroblast sheets have applications as cell transplants for tissue engineering. One way to increase their therapeutic efficacy is to increase cell numbers in a graft, but the factors influencing multilayered growth remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the roles of focal adhesion (FA) assembly and intercellular cohesion through fibronectin (FN) in the proliferation of normal human fibroblasts at confluence. Density‐dependent growth‐arrested fibroblasts resumed DNA synthesis when cultured in multilayer formation medium (MFM) containing transforming growth factor‐β1, ascorbic acid, and serum. This proliferation depended on α5β1‐integrin‐mediated cell‐FN‐cell interactions because blocking them with antibodies inhibited DNA synthesis. However, cell‐FN‐cell cohesion operated well regardless of exposure to MFM, judging from several parameters, including FN matrix deposition, activated β1 integrin expression, and stress fiber development. Density‐arrested cells formed few FAs at the cell center. Exposure of the cells to MFM induced the formation of vinculin‐, paxillin‐, and phosphotyrosine‐containing FAs throughout the ventral cell‐surface, indicating ROCK‐mediated actomyosin contractile force generation. When the assembly of FAs was inhibited with either the ROCK inhibitor Y‐27632 or the myosin II inhibitor blebbistatin, the up‐regulation of DNA synthesis by MFM was suppressed. The drugs did not impair FN matrix deposition, activated β1 integrin expression, and stress fiber development. Thus, these results indicate that the formation of FAs promotes the proliferation of confluent fibroblasts with the support of α5β1‐integrin‐mediated cell‐FN‐cell cohesion. The present findings provide insights into the rational design of high‐density fibroblast transplants. J. Cell. Physiol. 219: 194–201, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Assessment of the correlation between the atherogenic index of plasma and cardiometabolic risk factors in children and adolescents: might it be superior to the TG/HDL-C ratio?

Abstract Background: Most of the studies investigating the correlation between the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) and cardiometabolic risk factors have been conducted with adults, while only a limited number of related studies that involved children and adolescents has been conducted. The purpose of this study is to assess the correlation between the AIP and other cardiometabolic risk factors in adolescents. Methods: This study was conducted with 310 girls and 90 boys who were between the ages of 6 and 18 years. After a 10-h fasting period, the biochemical values of the participants were measured in the morning. The anthropometric measurements of the participants were also taken. The AIP was calculated as Log10 (triglycerides/high density lipoprotein-cholesterol; TG/HDL-C). Results: In adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18, the mean AIP of the group with TG ≥130 mg/dL was significantly higher than that of the groups with TG of 90–129 mg/dL and <90 mg/dL. There was a strong correlation between TG and AIP for both boys and girls among the children and adolescents, while there was a strong correlation between the TG/HDL-C ratio and TG only in the boys who were within the 6–11-year-old age group. Conclusions: An increase in AIP is associated with cardiovascular risk factors in children and adolescents other than those seen in adults. Based on the TG/HDL-C ratio, the AIP may be superior as a complementary index in the assessment of cardiometabolic risks in children and adolescents.
A triclinic polymorph of (E)-2-(2-nitroethenyl)furan

The title compound, C6H5NO3, crystallizes in the triclinic system with six independent molecules in the asymmetric unit. In a previous study, the structure of the title compound was determined in the monoclinic P21/n space group at 100 K [Valerga et al. (2009 ▶). Acta Cryst. E65, o1979]. All six independent molecules display an E configuration about the C=C double bond, with the dihedral angles between the planes of the furan rings and the nitroalkenyl groups ranging from 0.61 (7) to 5.03 (7)°. The crystal structure is stabilized by intermolecular C—H⋯O hydrogen-bonding interactions.
Revision of the paraphyletic genus Koerneria Meyl, 1960 and resurrection of two other genera of Diplogastridae (Nematoda)

Abstract Recent inferences of phylogeny from molecular characters, as well as a reexamination of morphological and biological characters, reject the monophyly of the nematode genus Koerneria Meyl, 1960 (Diplogastridae). Here, Koerneria sensu lato is revised. The genus, which previously consisted of 40 species, is separated into three genera. Almost all of the transferred species are moved to the resurrected genus Allodiplogaster Paramonov & Sobolev in Skrjabin et al. (1954). Koerneria and Allodiplogaster are distinguished from each other by a weakly vs. clearly striated body surface, an undivided vs. divided stomatal cheilostom, and arrangement of the terminal ventral triplet of male genital papillae, namely in that v5 and v6 are paired and separated from v7 vs. v5–v7 being close to each other. Allodiplogaster is further divided into two groups of species, herein called the henrichae and striata groups, based on both morphological and life-history traits. The henrichae group is characterized by papilliform labial sensilla and male genital papillae, a conical tail in both males and females, and an association with terrestrial habitats and insects, whereas the striata group is characterized by setiform labial sensilla and male genital papillae, an elongated conical tail in both sexes, and an association with aquatic habitats. A second genus, Anchidiplogaster Paramonov, 1952, is resurrected to include a single species that is characterized by its miniscule stoma and teeth, unreflexed testis, and a distinct lack of male genital papillae or stomatal apodemes. Lastly, one further species that was previously included in Koerneria sensu lato is transferred to the genus Pristionchus Kreis, 1932. The revision of Koerneria sensu lato is necessitated by the great variability in its subordinate taxa, which occupy a variety of habitats, in addition to the increased attention to Diplogastridae as a model system for comparative mechanistic biology.