Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimizing stage of single large hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract This study aims to refine the designation for single hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) >5 cm by comparing the postresection prognosis of these patients with those who have a single-tumor ⩽5 cm and those with stage B. Patients with a single-tumor were classified into subgroups based on diameter. Of the 1132 patients analyzed, 426 had a single-tumor >2 and ⩽5 cm; 229, a single-tumor >5 and ⩽8 cm; 52, a single-tumor >8 and < 10 cm; 150, a single-tumor ≥10 cm; and 275, stage B. Hospital mortality and complications increased with tumor size among the single-tumor subgroups and median survival decreased with increasing of tumor size. Overall survival (OS) among patients with a single-tumor >5 cm was significantly lower than among patients with a single-tumor >2 and ⩽5 cm (P ⩽ .001), but significantly higher than among patients with clearly stage B (P ⩽ .001). Patients with a single-tumor >5 and ⩽8 cm showed lower OS than patients with a single-tumor >2 and ⩽5 cm (P < .001). Patients with a single-tumor >8 and <10 cm or a single-tumor ≥10 cm showed lower OS than patients with a single-tumor >5 and ⩽8 cm (P = .033 and .006), and similar OS to patients with stage B (P = .323). Patients with a single-tumor >5 and ⩽8 cm may be assigned to a new stage between early and intermediate. Patients with a single-tumor >8 cm may be assigned to intermediate stage.
Design of PI controllers for a grid-connected VSC based on optimal disturbance rejection

Voltage source converter (VSC) plays a major role in the AC/DC interconnection. Its control stands as a significant issue as it determines the stability and performance of the system. Therefore, utilization of a control algorithm that can robustly reject disturbances is highly appreciated. This paper proposes a new approach for PI-parameters selection, used in the decoupled dq-vector control scheme, based on first-order-plus-time-delay (FOPTD) models, for which analytical formulas for optimal controller design/tuning can be obtained. Furthermore, a non-linear optimization algorithm is developed in order to achieve the optimum disturbance rejection in terms of minimizing the integral time absolute of the error (ITAE) performance index. The cost function employs a weighted-sum criterion for two sources of disturbances, namely AC input voltage fluctuation and load disturbances, which may affect the regulated voltage. Simulation results demonstrate a very similar system performance using the FOPTD tuning parameters compared to the optimum ones where both yield a robust system against disturbances. The obtained results are also verified experimentally.
Prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 16 mosaicism manifested as pulmonary artery stenosis

Trisomy 16 mosaicism detected at midtrimester amniocentesis is rare and indicative of true fetal mosaicism. We report a case of mosaic trisomy 16 diagnosed by amniocentesis in which the sonographic findings included fetal pulmonary artery stenosis, a single umbilical artery, and early onset fetal growth restriction. The pregnancy was legally terminated. A review of previous reports suggests that abnormalities of outlet tracts are rarely encountered in fetuses with trisomy 16 mosaicism revealed via amniocentesis. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound, 2009
Home parenteral nutrition is beneficial in systemic sclerosis patients with gastrointestinal dysfunction

Objectives: To assess 12-month changes in nutritional status and quality of life (QoL) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients requiring home parenteral nutrition (HPN). Method: We conducted a retrospective, single-centre database analysis of SSc patients regarding a 12-month period of HPN at an interdisciplinary University Unit/team for nutrition and rheumatic diseases. Nutritional status was analysed by nutritional risk screening (NRS) and body mass index (BMI). QoL was evaluated using Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaires. Results: Between 2008 and 2013, daily nocturnal HPN was initiated in five consecutive SSc patients (four females and one male, mean age 62.2 years) suffering severe malnutrition due to gastrointestinal tract (GIT) involvement. After 12 months of HPN, the mean NRS score decreased from 4.4 (range 4–5) to 1.4 (range 1–2), the mean BMI increased from 19.1 (range 17.4–20.3) to 21.0 kg/m2 (range 18.3–23.4). QoL improved in all patients, reflected by the summary of physical components with 33.92 points before vs. 67.72 points after 12 months of HPN, and the summary of mental components with 49.66 points before vs. 89.27 points after 12 months of HPN. Two patients suffered one catheter-related infection each with subsequent surgical removal and reinsertion. Conclusions: HPN is a feasible method for improving anthropometric parameters and QoL in SSc patients severely affected by GIT dysfunction. We recommend HPN in malnourished, catabolic SSc patients unable to otherwise maintain or improve their nutritional status.
Isolation, purification and de novo sequencing of TBD‐1, the first beta‐defensin from leukocytes of reptiles

A novel peptide with antimicrobial activity was isolated from leukocytes of the European pond turtle Emys orbicularis and purified to homogeneity by preparative gel electrophoresis followed by reversed phase chromatography. It was highly active in vitro against Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans. The isolated peptide was sequenced de novo by tandem mass spectrometry using both collision‐induced and electron‐transfer dissociation in combination with different chemical derivatization techniques. The 40‐residue peptide, called TBD‐1 (turtle β‐defensin 1), represents the first defensin isolated from reptilian leukocytes. It contains three disulfide bonds and shows high structural similarities to β‐defensins isolated from birds and mammals.
Age‐related changes in functional postsynaptic nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits in neurons of the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus, a nucleus important in drug addiction

The earlier an individual initiates cigarette smoking, the higher the likelihood of development of dependency to nicotine, the addictive ingredient in cigarettes. One possible mechanism underlying this higher addiction liability is an ontogenetically differential cellular response induced by nicotine in neurons mediating the reinforcing or euphoric effects of this drug, which could arise from age‐related differences in the composition of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunits. In the current study, we examined whether the subunit composition of nAChRs differed between neurons within the laterodorsal tegmentum (LDT), a nucleus importantly involved in drug addiction associated behaviours, across two periods of ontogeny in which nicotine‐mediated excitatory responses were shown to depend on age. To this end, whole‐cell patch‐clamp recordings in mouse brain slices from identified LDT neurons, in combination with nAChR subunit‐specific receptor antagonists, were conducted. Comparison of the contribution of different nAChR subunits to acetylcholine (ACh)‐induced inward currents indicated that the contributions of the β2 and/or β4 and α7 nAChR subunits alter across age. Taken together, we conclude that across a limited ontogenetic period, there is plasticity in the subunit composition of nAChRs in LDT neurons. In addition, our data indicate, for the first time, functional presence of α6 nAChR subunits in LDT neurons within the age ranges studied. Changes in subunit composition of nAChRs across ontogeny could contribute to the age‐related differential excitability induced by nicotine. Differences in the subunit composition of nAChRs within the LDT would be expected to contribute to ontogenetic‐dependent outflow from the LDT to target regions, which include reward‐related circuitry.
CpG motifs of bacterial DNA essentially contribute to the perpetuation of chronic intestinal inflammation.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Recently, we demonstrated a proinflammatory effect of cytosin-guanosin dinucleotide (CpG)-oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) treatment in established dextran sulphate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. Here, we investigated whether DNA derived from luminal bacteria plays a role in the perpetuation of chronic intestinal inflammation. METHODS Toll-like receptor (TLR9)-deficient and wild-type (wt) control mice were used for the induction of chronic DSS colitis. Moreover, mice with established chronic colitis using different experimental models were treated with adenoviral ODN (AV-ODN) known to block CpG effects. Colonic inflammation was scored and cytokine production was quantified both in colonic tissue and draining mesenteral lymph node cells (MLC). RESULTS Eight weeks after induction of chronic DSS colitis in TLR9-deficient mice, intestinal inflammation was significantly lower (-68%), and proinflammatory cytokine production was drastically reduced. Treatment of wt mice with chronic DSS-induced colitis with AV-ODN resulted in a significant amelioration of disease with a reduced histologic score (-43%) and reduced cytokine production of MLC (interleukin [IL]-6: -68%; interferon [IFN]-gamma: -48%) and RNA expression of the T helper (Th)1-specific transcription factor T-bet (-62%) in colonic tissue. Qualitatively, the same results were obtained in the severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID) transfer model of colitis and in spontaneous colitis in IL-10-deficient mice. CONCLUSIONS Bacterial DNA derived from luminal bacteria contributes significantly to the perpetuation of chronic intestinal inflammation. Inhibition of the immune-stimulating properties of bacterial DNA using AV-ODN may offer a novel and specific tool for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.
Small-Size 6-Port Antenna for Three-Dimensional Multipath Wireless Channels

We discuss the issues of designing small-size antennas for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication systems. Introduction of the notion "potential antenna" facilitates antenna performance estimations to a great extent. Potential antenna is an idealized perfect antenna capable of absorbing the absolute entirety of information from the electromagnetic field present in a given region of space. The potential antenna concept proves instrumental in demonstrating that the optimal number of spatial subchannels for a small-size receive region in a three-dimensional (3-D) omnidirectional channel is 6. We present a compact 6-port receive antenna for 3-D wireless channels. Evidence is given to show that the suggested antenna assures a channel capacity that approximates to the theoretical limit thus making the antenna fit for use in high data rate mobile MIMO systems
Minimizing write activities to non-volatile memory via scheduling and recomputation

Non-volatile memories, such as flash memory, Phase Change Memory (PCM), and Magnetic Random Access Memory (MRAM), have many desirable characteristics for embedded DSP systems to employ them as main memory. These characteristics include low-cost, shock-resistivity, non-volatility, power-economy and high density. However, there are two common challenges we need to answer before we can apply non-volatile memory as main memory practically. First, non-volatile memory has limited write/erase cycles compared to DRAM. Second, a write operation is slower than a read operation on non-volatile memory. These two challenges can be answered by reducing the number of write activities on non-volatile main memory. In this paper, we propose two optimization techniques, write-aware scheduling and recomputation, to minimize write activities on non-volatile memory. With the proposed techniques, we can both speed up the completion time of programs and extend non-volatile memory's lifetime. The experimental results show that the proposed techniques can reduce the number of write activities on non-volatile memory by 55.71% on average. Thus, the lifetime of non-volatile memory is extend to 2.5 times as long as before on average. The completion time of programs can be reduced by 55.32% on systems with NOR flash memory and by 40.69% on systems with NAND flash memory on average.
A Constrained Bureaucratic Model of Behavioral Responses to School Finance Reform

Tennessee Small School Systems v. McWherter case led to a significant reform of the state’s school finance system during 1992–1993 with the phased-in implementation of the Basic Education Program. This paper examines the impact of Tennessee’s school finance reform on education spending using a complete panel of school districts from 1989–2006. Five models of multiple-regression, panel data analysis are conducted to investigate the impact of the reforms. Results indicate that increased state education funding reduced locally provided discretionary funding. Institutional features of the reform, such as the five-year phase-in of state funds and the nominal maintenance-of-effort spending requirement, decreased locally provided funding relative to what would otherwise have been observed absent the reform.
Outcomes of phase I clinical trials for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer: update of the MD Anderson Cancer Center experience

Background In 2011, we reported the outcomes of pancreatic cancer (PC) patients enrolled in phase I trials at our institution from 2004 through 2009. At the time, gemcitabine and erlotinib were the only Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs for PC and median overall survival (OS) from consultation in the phase I clinic was 5 months. We sought to determine the impact of novel therapeutics on PC patients in phase I trials. Methods We reviewed records of PC patients treated in phase I trials at our institution from January 2009 through December 2014. Survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results Ninety-five patients were identified. The median age was 61 years (range, 40-84), 59% were men, and 41% had stage IV disease. The median OS from consultation in the phase I clinic was 5.8 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.5-6.8), and the 1-year OS rate was 9% (95% CI, 4%-17%). Three patients had partial responses and 18 had stable disease ≥ 4 months. Conclusion We observed no improvement in OS between PC patients enrolled in phase I trials in 2004-2009 and 2009-2015. To substantially improve OS in this challenging disease, improved patient selection and science-driven, innovative trial designs will be key.
Statistical inference for the Gompertz distribution based on Type-II progressively hybrid censored data

ABSTRACT In this article, the statistical inference for the Gompertz distribution based on Type-II progressively hybrid censored data is discussed. The estimation of the parameters for Gompertz distribution is obtained using maximum likelihood method (MLE) and Bayesian method under three different loss functions. We also proved the existence and uniqueness of the MLE. The one-sample Bayesian prediction intervals are obtained. The work is done for different values of the parameters. We apply the Monto Carlo simulation to compare the proposed methods, also an example is discussed to construct the Prediction intervals.
Performances of statistical methods for the detection of seasonal influenza epidemics using a consensus-based gold standard

SUMMARY Influenza epidemics are monitored using influenza-like illness (ILI) data reported by health-care professionals. Timely detection of the onset of epidemics is often performed by applying a statistical method on weekly ILI incidence estimates with a large range of methods used worldwide. However, performance evaluation and comparison of these algorithms is hindered by: (1) the absence of a gold standard regarding influenza epidemic periods and (2) the absence of consensual evaluation criteria. As of now, performance evaluations metrics are based only on sensitivity, specificity and timeliness of detection, since definitions are not clear for time-repeated measurements such as weekly epidemic detection. We aimed to evaluate several epidemic detection methods by comparing their alerts to a gold standard determined by international expert consensus. We introduced new performance metrics that meet important objective of influenza surveillance in temperate countries: to detect accurately the start of the single epidemic period each year. Evaluations are presented using ILI incidence in France between 1995 and 2011. We found that the two performance metrics defined allowed discrimination between epidemic detection methods. In the context of performance detection evaluation, other metrics used commonly than the standard could better achieve the needs of real-time influenza surveillance.
Some properties of acetylcholine receptors in human cultured myotubes

The distribution and single channel properties of acetylcholine (ACh) receptors in human myotubes grown in tissue culture have been examined. Radioautography of myotubes labelled with [125I]α-bungarotoxin showed that ACh receptors are distributed uniformly over the myotube surface at a density of 3.9 ± 0.5 receptors per square micrometre. Accumulations of ACh receptors (hot spots) were found rarely. The conductance and kinetics of ACh-activated channels were investigated with the patch-clamp technique. Cell-attached membrane patches were used in all experiments. A single channel conductance in the range 40–45 pS was calculated. No sublevels of conductance (substates) of the activated channel were observed. The distribution of channel open-times varied with ACh concentration. With 100 nM ACh, the distribution was best fitted by the sum of two exponentials, whereas with 1 μM ACh a single exponential could be fitted. The mean channel open-time at the myotube resting potential (ca. — 70 mV, 22°C) was 8.2 ms. The distribution of channel closed-times was complex at all concentrations of ACh studied (100 nM to 10 μm). With desensitizing doses of ACh (10 μM), channel openings occurred in obvious bursts; each burst usually appeared as part of a ‘cluster’ of bursts. Both burst duration and mean interval between bursts increased with membrane hyperpolarization. Individual channel open-times and burst durations showed similar voltage dependence (e-fold increase per 80 mV hyperpolarization), whereas both the channel closed-times within a burst and the number of openings per burst were independent of membrane potential.
Molecular Basis for the Unique Deubiquitinating Activity of the NF-κ B Inhibitor A 20

*Corresponding authors. E-mail add bdarnay@mdanderson.org; haowu@ † S. -C.L. and J.Y. C. contributed eq Present address: J. Y. Chung, Divi Proteins, Center for Drug Evaluatio and Drug Administration, Bethesda Abbreviations used: NF-κB, nucle tumor necrosis factor; IκB, inhibitor IL-1, interleukin-1; UCH, ubiquitin UBP, ubiquitin-processing protease; MAD, multiwavelength anomalous Protein Data Bank; Ub-AMC, Ub-7methylcoumarin; GST, glutathione S
Usefulness of real-time three-dimensional transoesophageal echocardiography in the assessment of chronic aortic dissection.

AIMS To assess the usefulness of three-dimensional transoesophageal echocardiography (3D-TOE) vs. two-dimensional (2D)-TOE in the evaluation of morphological and dynamic findings of aortic dissection, and compare the results with those obtained by multi-slice computed tomography (CT). METHODS AND RESULTS Twenty-six patients (21 men and 5 women, median age: 67 years, range: 28-74 years) diagnosed of chronic aortic dissection with patent false lumen were studied. A comprehensive 2D-TOE and a real-time 3D-TOE study targeted at assessing dissection variables were performed and compared with CT within 3 months. Both 3D-TOE and 2D-TOE visualized the intimal flap extension and presence of flow in aortic dissection lumina in the same aortic segments. Three-dimensional TOE correctly identified true lumen in all cases, being superior to 2D-TOE in three cases with a spiroidal course of the dissection in descending aorta. Maximum entry tear diameter measured by 3D-TOE showed a better correlation with CT than 2D-TOE (0.96 and 0.87, P< 0.001, respectively). Compared with CT, 2D-TOE underestimated maximum entry tear diameter (-1.75 ± 3.28 mm, P< 0.01) but 3D-TOE did not (-0.20 ± 1.92 mm, P: n.s.). However, entry tear area measured by 3D-TOE and CT showed the best correlation (r: 0.97) and agreement (0.05 ± 0.20 cm(2), P: n.s. ). CONCLUSION Three-dimensional TOE provides additional information to 2D-TOE in aortic dissection assessment, particularly in entry tear size quantification. Agreement between entry tear area defined by 3D-TOE and CT was excellent. Three-dimensional TOE permits better morphological and dynamic understanding of aortic dissection when the flap is spiroidal.
Decision process for vertical handover in vehicular adhoc networks

Providing seamless connectivity along the transit is the major research area in Vehicular Adhoc NETwork (VANET). With the help of multiple wireless technologies, the vehicles are able to talk with road side units (RSU) and also with other neighboring vehicles. In this scenario, if a vehicle moves from one coverage area which is supported by one network to other coverage area then the ongoing communication should be carried over, which is possible with the help of vertical handover (VHO) techniques. In this paper, a new method for handover necessity estimation is done using traveling time calculation, and threshold time prediction. The main objective is to increase the connectivity time by reducing the handover failure rate and unnecessary handover rate. The paper support the results with a simulation study and also compared with conventional methods.
Competitive selection in vivo by a cell for one variant over another: implications for RNA virus quasispecies in vivo

Infidelity of genome applications of RNA viruses leads to the generation of viral quasispecies both in vitro and in vivo. However, the biological significance of such generated variants in vivo is largely unknown and controversial. To study this issue, we continued our evaluation of the tropism of a lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) variant termed clone 13 with its parental virus clonal pool ARM 53b (wild-type parent) for neuronal cells in vivo. Earlier in vivo and in vitro studies noted that the wild-type virus contained a Phe at glycoprotein (GP) residue 260 which correlated with neuron tropism compared with LCMV variants containing a Leu at residue 260 which showed selected tropism for cells of the immune system (C.F. Evans, P. Borrow, J. C. de la Torre, and M. B. A. Oldstone J. Virol. 68:7367-7373, 1994; L. Villarete, T. Somasundaram, and R. Ahmed, J. Virol 68:7490-7496, 1994). Here we (i) evaluated the ability of the viral variants with either a Phe or Leu at GP residue 260 to replicate in vivo in the spleen, liver, or brain, (ii) analyzed the ability of these viruses to compete against each other for cell (neuron)-specific selection following a single viral inoculation of different ratios of both viruses, and (iii) utilized genetic reassortants of both viruses to test their ability to replicate in neurons in vivo. We found that viral variants containing either a Phe or Leu at GP residue 260 were equally capable of replicating in neurons, but when inoculated together, neurons selected for the viral population containing Phe at GP residue 260 over viruses containing a Leu at this position. This was in contrast to selection in the liver and spleen that favored viruses with Leu and not Phe at GP residue 260. Analysis of inoculations with viral reassortants indicated that genes encoded on the short RNA (the GP and nucleoprotein, not the L [polymerase] and Z proteins that are encoded by the large RNA) were associated with neurotropism. Since the nucleoprotein sequences of wild-type Armstrong and clone 13 are identical, it is likely that specific cytoplasmic factors of the neurons play a fundamental role in the selection of virus with Phe at GP residue 260.