Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical Presentation, Risk Factors, and Treatment Modalities of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Single Tertiary Care Center Experience

Objective. To investigate the risk factors, clinical characteristics, treatment modalities, and outcomes in Saudi patients with HCC and propose points for early detection of the disease. Methods. Patients were stratified according to underlying risk factors for the development of HCC. Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) was used for cancer staging. Treatment was classified into surgical resection/liver transplantation; locoregional ablation therapy; transarterial embolization; systemic chemotherapy; and best supportive care. Results. A total of 235 patients were included. Males had higher tumor size and incidence of portal vein thrombosis. Viral hepatitis was a risk factor in 75.7%. The most common BCLC stages were B (34.5%) and A (33.6%), and the most common radiological presentation was a single nodule of less than 5 cm. Metastases were present in 13.2%. Overall, 77 patients (32.8%) underwent a potentially curative treatment as the initial therapy. The most commonly utilized treatment modality was chemoembolization with 113 sessions in 71 patients. The overall median survival was 15.97 ± 27.18 months. Conclusion. HCC in Saudi Arabia is associated with high prevalence of HCV. Potentially curative therapies were underutilized in our patients. Cancer stage BCLC-B was the most frequent (34.5%) followed by BCLC-A (33.6%). The overall median survival was shorter than other studies.
A Trade-Off for Worst-Case Efficient Dictionaries

We consider dynamic dictionaries over the universe U = {0, 1}w on a unit-cost RAM with word size w and a standard instruction set, and present a linear space deterministic dictionary accommodating membership queries in time (log log n)O(1) and updates in time (log n)O(1), where n is the size of the set stored. Previous solutions either had query time (log n)Ω(1) or update time 2ω(√log n) in the worst case.
Curve Evolution, Wave Propagation, and Mathematical Morphology

Set theoretic, algebraic, mathematical morphology operations can be viewed as geometric deformations described by curve evolutions governed by a partial diierential equation. While typical curve evolution implementations rely on embedding the curve as the zero level set of an evolving surface, this approach cannot handle open curves and junctions, and is ineecient due to the additional dimension. This paper presents a novel approach relying on an analytic wave propagation framework, but one which is implemented on a discrete grid and using discrete directions, by relying on subpixel geometric models. The resulting implementation is exact for the class of piecewise circular curves and its usefulness is demonstrated for extracting skeletons and for smoothing open curves and shapes.
Biodegradation of Methyl tert-Butyl Ether by Co-Metabolism with a Pseudomonas sp. Strain

Co-metabolic bioremediation is supposed to be an impressive and promising approach in the elimination technology of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), which was found to be a common pollutant worldwide in the ground or underground water in recent years. In this paper, bacterial strain DZ13 (which can co-metabolically degrade MTBE) was isolated and named as Pseudomonas sp. DZ13 based on the result of 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. Strain DZ13 could grow on n-alkanes (C5-C8), accompanied with the co-metabolic degradation of MTBE. Diverse n-alkanes with different carbon number showed a significant influence on the degradation rate of MTBE and accumulation of tert-butyl alcohol (TBA). When Pseudomonas sp. DZ13 co-metabolically degraded MTBE with n-pentane as the growth substrate, a higher MTBE-degrading rate (Vmax = 38.1 nmol/min/mgprotein, Ks = 6.8 mmol/L) and lower TBA-accumulation was observed. In the continuous degradation experiment, the removal efficiency of MTBE by Pseudomonas sp. Strain DZ13 did not show an obvious decrease after five times of continuous addition.
Concept of competence management system for Polish National Qualification Framework in the Computer Science area

This article regards analysing the literature of processing competence in education, as well as competence management systems (CMS) and their role in developing competencies for students of higher education cycle. The Bologna Process and its results are described later in the text, explaining the need for National Qualification Frameworks and the benefits that they can produce when implemented correctly. We focuses on creating the basis for competence management system for Polish National Qualification Framework in Computer Science area, how it should work and how it should be implemented.
Towards Low Energy Atrial Defibrillation

A wireless powered implantable atrial defibrillator consisting of a battery driven hand-held radio frequency (RF) power transmitter (ex vivo) and a passive (battery free) implantable power receiver (in vivo) that enables measurement of the intracardiacimpedance (ICI) during internal atrial defibrillation is reported. The architecture is designed to operate in two modes: Cardiac sense mode (power-up, measure the impedance of the cardiac substrate and communicate data to the ex vivo power transmitter) and cardiac shock mode (delivery of a synchronised very low tilt rectilinear electrical shock waveform). An initial prototype was implemented and tested. In low-power (sense) mode, >5 W was delivered across a 2.5 cm air-skin gap to facilitate measurement of the impedance of the cardiac substrate. In high-power (shock) mode, >180 W (delivered as a 12 ms monophasic very-low-tilt-rectilinear (M-VLTR) or as a 12 ms biphasic very-low-tilt-rectilinear (B-VLTR) chronosymmetric (6ms/6ms) amplitude asymmetric (negative phase at 50% magnitude) shock was reliably and repeatedly delivered across the same interface; with >47% DC-to-DC (direct current to direct current) power transfer efficiency at a switching frequency of 185 kHz achieved. In an initial trial of the RF architecture developed, 30 patients with AF were randomised to therapy with an RF generated M-VLTR or B-VLTR shock using a step-up voltage protocol (50–300 V). Mean energy for successful cardioversion was 8.51 J ± 3.16 J. Subsequent analysis revealed that all patients who cardioverted exhibited a significant decrease in ICI between the first and third shocks (5.00 Ω (SD(σ) = 1.62 Ω), p < 0.01) while spectral analysis across frequency also revealed a significant variation in the impedance-amplitude-spectrum-area (IAMSA) within the same patient group (|∆(IAMSAS1-IAMSAS3)[1 Hz − 20 kHz] = 20.82 Ω-Hz (SD(σ) = 10.77 Ω-Hz), p < 0.01); both trends being absent in all patients that failed to cardiovert. Efficient transcutaneous power transfer and sensing of ICI during cardioversion are evidenced as key to the advancement of low-energy atrial defibrillation.
Assessing the ecological status of plankton in Anjos Bay: a flow cytometry approach

Abstract. This aim of this paper is to assess the use of the heterotrophic/autotrophic ratio as an early indicator of trophic status as a part of development of a real time monitoring program at Anjos Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. An in-situ flow cytometer was used to quantify the abundances of phytoplankton and cyanobacteria, which were identified by chlorophyll and phycoerythrin autofluorescence, respectively. Heterotrophic prokaryotes and viruses were quantified by DNA-binding fluorochromes; merozooplankton larvae were collected by plankton net and quantified by stereomicroscopy. The temporal and spatial distributions of these variables were evaluated on the basis of weekly observations from August 2006 to September 2007. The heterotrophic/autotrophic ratio and the viral abundance were correlated with upwelling events and assume an apparently seasonal pattern. A possible control mechanism and influential factors are discussed, and it is concluded that this ecosystem is bottom-up controlled under eutrophic conditions and top-down controlled under oligotrophic conditions.
One case of endometrial cancer occurrence: Over 10 years after colon cancer in Lynch family

We have recently experienced an endometrial cancer 12 years after the diagnosis of colon cancer with Lynch syndrome. A 49-year-old Korean woman had a family history of colon cancer. Her mother had colon cancer at 56-year-old, and her brother had colon cancer at 48 years old. The patient received surgery for endometrial cancer at the same hospital 12 years after being treated for colon cancer. Immunohistochemistry showed that her endometrial tissue stained negative for MSH2. A microsatellite instability test was performed and showed the presence of instability high microsatellite instability. An hMLH2 gene mutation was detected at codon 629 codon of exon 12, in which a glutamine was replaced with an arginine (1886A>G [p.Gln629Arg]). To our knowledge, this is the first case of metachronous cancer in a Lynch syndrome family in Korea with a gap of more than ten years between cancer diagnoses.
TAp73alpha protects small cell lung carcinoma cells from caspase-2 induced mitochondrial mediated apoptotic cell death

Caspase-2 is ubiquitously expressed and the most evolutionarily conserved mammalian caspase. It can be activated by a range of death stimuli prior to Bax activation and the occurrence of apoptotic mitochondrial dysfunctions. Caspase-2 has also been reported to exert tumour suppressor function in vivo. The full length TAp73alpha isoform is found up-regulated in various tumour types, and is reported in a cell-type specific manner to repress drug-induced apoptosis. Here, we report that TAp73alpha represses caspase-2 enzymatic activity and by this means reduce caspase-2 induced Bax activation, loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential and resulting apoptosis. The inhibitory effect on caspase-2 requires the presence of the DNA binding domain and SAM domain region of TAp73alpha. In conclusion, the ability of TAp73alpha to act as an inhibitor of caspase-2-induced cell death together with its up-regulation in certain tumour types strengthen the potential oncogenic activities for this protein.
Differentiation between Glioblastomas, Solitary Brain Metastases, and Primary Cerebral Lymphomas Using Diffusion Tensor and Dynamic Susceptibility Contrast-Enhanced MR Imaging

More on the eternal question: what can we use to differentiate preoperatively glioblastomas, metastases, and lymphomas? Here, the authors investigated whether diffusion tensor imaging and gadolinium perfusion studies could be used for this purpose. They evaluated 26 GBMs, 25 brain metastases, and 16 primary cerebral lymphomas with these techniques. Basically, GBMs showed lower fractional anisotropy and higher perfusion patterns. The best predictive data obtained were the apparent diffusion coefficients from enhancing tumor regions and the perfusion (cerebral blood volume) from the peritumoral regions. Although this is probably something that we all use on a daily basis, it is nice to see it reported in such an organized and careful fashion. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Glioblastomas, brain metastases, and PCLs may have similar enhancement patterns on MR imaging, making the differential diagnosis difficult or even impossible. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a combination of DTI and DSC can assist in the differentiation of glioblastomas, solitary brain metastases, and PCLs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-six glioblastomas, 25 brain metastases, and 16 PCLs were retrospectively identified. DTI metrics, including FA, ADC, CL, CP, CS, and rCBV were measured from the enhancing, immediate peritumoral and distant peritumoral regions. A 2-level decision tree was designed, and a multivariate logistic regression analysis was used at each level to determine the best model for classification. RESULTS: From the enhancing region, significantly elevated FA, CL, and CP and decreased CS values were observed in glioblastomas compared with brain metastases and PCLs (P < .001), whereas ADC, rCBV, and rCBVmax values of glioblastomas were significantly higher than those of PCLs (P < .01). The best model to distinguish glioblastomas from nonglioblastomas consisted of ADC, CS (or FA) from the enhancing region, and rCBV from the immediate peritumoral region, resulting in AUC = 0.938. The best predictor to differentiate PCLs from brain metastases comprised ADC from the enhancing region and CP from the immediate peritumoral region with AUC = 0.909. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of DTI metrics and rCBV measurement can help in the differentiation of glioblastomas from brain metastases and PCLs.
Video Vehicle Detection Algorithm based on Virtual-Line Group

The paper presents the video vehicle detection algorithm based on virtual-line group. The algorithm uses virtual-line group to optimize the states of detection lines in both spatial domain and temporal domain by setting the domain-knowledge based rules. By synthesizing the optimization information in the larger spatio-temporal scale, the algorithm can improve the precision of vehicle detection. The experiment results and the detailed analysis demonstrate that the algorithm is realtime, accurate and robust
Testing Whether and When Abstract Symmetric Patterns Produce Affective Responses

Symmetry has a central role in visual art, it is often linked to beauty, and observers can detect it efficiently in the lab. We studied what kind of fast and automatic responses are generated by visual presentation of symmetrical patterns. Specifically, we tested whether a brief presentation of novel symmetrical patterns engenders positive affect using a priming paradigm. The abstract patterns were used as primes in a pattern-word interference task. To ensure that familiarity was not a factor, no pattern and no word was ever repeated within each experiment. The task was to classify words that were selected to have either positive or negative valence. We tested irregular patterns, patterns containing vertical and horizontal reflectional symmetry, and patterns containing a 90 deg rotation. In a series of 7 experiments we found that the effect of affective congruence was present for both types of regularity but only when observers had to classify the regularity of the pattern after responding to the word. The findings show that processing abstract symmetrical shapes or random pattern can engender positive or negative affect as long as the regularity of the pattern is a feature that observers have to attend to and classify.
A hidden Markov model approach to text segmentation and event tracking

Continuing progress in the automatic transcription of broadcast speech via speech recognition has raised the possibility of applying information retrieval techniques to the resulting (errorful) text. For these techniques to be easily applicable, it is highly desirable that the transcripts be segmented into stories. This paper introduces a general methodology based on HMMs and on classical language modeling techniques for automatically inferring story boundaries and for retrieving stories relating to a specific event. In this preliminary work, we report some highly promising results on accurate text. Future work will apply these techniques to errorful transcripts.
A pulse injection based sensorless position estimation method for a switched reluctance machine over a wide speed range

In this paper, a pulse injection based method for determining the rotor position of a switched reluctance motor (SRM) over its entire speed range is presented. A single high-frequency pulse is injected in an idle phase and the rotor position is estimated through analysis of the resultant current after the voltage pulse injection. Low speed sensorless method developed previously based on pulse injection has also been extended to improve robustness against varying operating conditions. The developed variable pulse injection duty ratio provided uniform sensing thresholds over varying DC bus voltages. The low speed and high speed methods can be integrated together to provide a robust wide speed range rotor position estimator for SRM.
Simplicity, information, Kolmogorov complexity and prediction

In contrast to statistical entropy which measures the quantity of information in an average object of a given probabilistic ensemble, Kolmogorov complexity is the quantity of absolute information in an individual object. It is a novel notion of randomness and resolves problems in probability theory, statistical information theory, and philosophy. It is widely believed, based on`Occam's razor' paradigm about`simplicity', that the better a theory compresses the data concerning some phenomenon under investigation, the better we have learned, generalized, and the better the theory predicts unknown data. This belief is vindicated in practice but apparently has not been rigorously proved in a general setting. Making these ideas rigorous involves the length of the shortest eeective description of an individual object: its Kolmogorov complexity. We treat the relation between data compression and learning and show that compression is almost always the best strategy, both in hypotheses identiication by using the minimum description length (MDL) principle and in prediction methods in the style of R. Solomonoo.
Browsing-based User Language Models for Information Retrieval

Traditional information retrieval systems have ignored the potential improvement in precision provided by personalization. We present a study of the behavior and evaluation of personalized information retrieval systems. We describe the construction of a collection of user web browsing data for application in retrieval evaluation. Several novel techniques for personalizing retrieval are presented and evaluated. Although performance is mixed, results point to the need to develop other algorithms within this evaluation framework.
EMPLOYEE PERCEPTIONS ON DETERMINANTS OF TEA ENTERPRISE COMPETITIVENESS: A CASE OF TSHIVHASE-MUKUMBANI ESTATE IN LIMPOPO PROVINCE OF SOUTH AFRICA

Investments in any enterprise should be based on its competitiveness. Perceptions of employees of the enterprise on determinants of competitiveness are important and were therefore the focus of the study at Tshivhase-Mukumbani Tea Estate. Six attributes constitute Porter’s diamond model of competitiveness that provided the framework of the study: The attributes are: (1) demand conditions, (2) strategy, structure and rivalry, (3) production factor conditions, (4) related and supporting industries, (5) government support, and (6) chance. Only two of the six attributes were overall perceived by respondents to be determinants of competitiveness of the tea enterprise, namely: (1) related and supporting industries and (2) chance. Some 10 factors within five of the six attributes (government support excluded) where perceived to be very important determinants of competitiveness, namely: (a) market availability, (b) cost of market information, (c) market power of suppliers, (d) pricing strategy, (e) cost of production, (f) financial institutions, (g) research institutions, (h) economic stability, (i) drought, and (j) fires. Improved competitiveness of the tea enterprise requires good management of the 10 important determinants reported by the respondents.
Impact of granulation effects on the use of Balmer lines as temperature indicators

Context. Balmer lines serve as important indicators of stellar effective temperatures in late-type stellar spectra. One of their modelling uncertainties is the influence of convective flows on their shape. Aims. We aim to characterize the influence of convection on the wings of Balmer lines. Methods. We perform a differential comparison of synthetic Balmer line profiles obtained from 3D hydrodynamical model atmospheres and 1D hydrostatic standard ones. The model parameters are appropriate for F, G, K dwarf and subgiant stars of metallicity ranging from solar to 10 −3 solar. Results. The shape of the Balmer lines predicted by 3D models can never be exactly reproduced by a 1D model, irrespective of its effective temperature. We introduce the concept of a 3D temperature correction, as the effective temperature difference between a 3D model and a 1D model which provides the closest match to the 3D profile. The temperature correction is different for the different members of the Balmer series and depends on the adopted mixing-length parameter αMLT in the 1D model. Among the investigated models, the 3D correction ranges from −300 K to +300 K. Horizontal temperature fluctuations tend to reduce the 3D correction. Conclusions. Accurate effective temperatures cannot be derived from the wings of Balmer lines, unless the effects of convection are properly accounted for. The 3D models offer a physically well justified way of doing so. The use of 1D models treating convection with the mixing-length theory do not appear to be suitable for this purpose. In particular, there are indications that it is not possible to determine a single value of αMLT which will optimally reproduce the Balmer lines for any choice of atmospheric parameters. The investigation of a more extended grid and direct comparison with observed Balmer profiles will be carried out in the near future.
Universal Top-k Keyword Search over Relational Databases

Keyword search is one of the most effective paradigms for information discovery. One of the key advantages of keyword search querying is its simplicity. There is an increasing need for allowing ordinary users to issue keyword queries without any knowledge of the database schema. The retrieval unit of keyword search queries over relational databases is different than in IR systems. While the retrieval unit in those IR systems is a document, in our case, the result is a synthesized document formed by joining a number of tuples. We measure result quality using two metrics: structural quality and content quality. The content quality of a JTT is an IR-style score that indicates how well the information nodes match the keywords, while the structural quality of JTT is a score that evaluates the meaningfulness/semantics of connecting information nodes, for example, the closeness of the corresponding relationship. We design a hybrid approach and develop a buffer system that dynamically maintains a partial data graph in memory. To reuse intermediate results of SQL queries, we break complex SQL queries into two types of simple queries. This allow us to support very large databases and reduce redundant computation. In addition, we conduct extensive experiments on large-scale real datasets to study the performance of the proposed approaches. Experiments show that our approach is better than previous approaches, especially in terms of result quality.
Sub-Word Similarity based Search for Embeddings: Inducing Rare-Word Embeddings for Word Similarity Tasks and Language Modelling

Training good word embeddings requires large amounts of data. Out-of-vocabulary words will still be encountered at test-time, leaving these words without embeddings. To overcome this lack of embeddings for rare words, existing methods leverage morphological features to generate embeddings. While the existing methods use computationally-intensive rule-based (Soricut and Och, 2015) or tool-based (Botha and Blunsom, 2014) morphological analysis to generate embeddings, our system applies a computationally-simpler sub-word search on words that have existing embeddings. Embeddings of the sub-word search results are then combined using string similarity functions to generate rare word embeddings. We augmented pre-trained word embeddings with these novel embeddings and evaluated on a rare word similarity task, obtaining up to 3 times improvement in correlation over the original set of embeddings. Applying our technique to embeddings trained on larger datasets led to on-par performance with the existing state-of-the-art for this task. Additionally, while analysing augmented embeddings in a log-bilinear language model, we observed up to 50% reduction in rare word perplexity in comparison to other more complex language models.