Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Addition of urea as formaldehyde scavenger for low molecular weight phenol formaldehyde-treated compreg wood.

Addition of urea as formaldehyde scavenger for low molecular weight phenol formaldehyde- treated compreg wood. Phenol formaldehyde (PF) resin impregnation followed by compression at considerable high hot pressing pressure can improve strength properties, dimensional stability and durability of wood against decay. Formaldehyde emission from treated materials is, however, very high especially when low molecular weight resin is used. Reduction in formaldehyde emission was attempted by introducing urea in the treating solution. The experiment included impregnation of jelutong (Dyera costulata) and sesenduk (Endospermum diadenum) strips with 20, 30 and 40% low molecular weight phenol formaldehyde (LMwPF) mixed separately with urea (30% based on solid PF), pre-cured at 65 °C for 7, 8 and 9 hours and subsequently compressed to compression ratio of 80% at 150 °C for 20 min. The formaldehyde emission and properties of the compreg wood were analysed. The optimum treatment combination was then applied to produce laminated compreg wood. Three-layered laminated compreg jelutong and sesenduk were fabricated by assembling the impregnated strips either perpendicular (cross) or parallel to each other, followed by compressing under hot press. The presence of urea in the LMwPF solution was able to reduce formaldehyde emission of laminated compreg wood besides generating higher modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity and dimensional stability. The optimum treatment combination was 30% PF concentration mixed with 30% urea (based on solid PF), 8 hours pre-curing at 65 °C followed by compressing to 80% compression ratio at 150 °C for 20 min. Compared with untreated solid wood of the same size, both parallel and cross-laminated compreg wood had superior properties. Shear strength at the bonding line was higher for parallel than for cross-laminated compreg wood. The parallel laminated compreg wood had bonding shear strength comparable with that of solid wood. The treatment also rendered high resistance against white rot fungus.
Immunoreactivity of Cryptococcal Antigen Is Not Stable under Prolonged Incubations in Human Serum

ABSTRACT The stability of cryptococcal antigen from Cryptococcus neoformans serotype A and D strains at different temperatures in serum and other solvents was studied. Samples stored at −20 or 4°C had equivalent stabilities as measured by the Premier Cryptococcal Antigen kit and the Cryptococcal Antigen Latex Agglutination System (CALAS) kit. However, using the Premier Cryptococcal Antigen kit, there was a 91% loss of reactivity in samples incubated in human serum for 4 weeks at 37°C. A loss of reactivity of more than 99% was observed after incubation at 45°C for 4 weeks. The capsular antigen was not detected by the Premier Cryptococcal Antigen kit after 16 weeks at elevated temperatures. Antigen titers were also reduced in a latex agglutination assay (CALAS) after 4 weeks at 37 and 45°C. The loss of antigen reactivity was a function of pH and temperature.
A Model Predictive Control Strategy for Path-Tracking of Autonomous Mobile Robot Using Electromagnetism-Like Mechanism

Aiming at the problems in path-tracking control problem of wheeled mobile robots, in the presence of both actuator saturations and external disturbances, a model predictive control strategy is proposed in this paper optimization method of electromagnetism-like mechanism are used to perform real-time nonlinear minimization of the cost function which penalizes the robot's position error, orientation angle error, saturation limits of the actuators and external disturbance. Experiment results of the trajectory following and the performances of the methods of optimization are discussed.
Why Should Clinicians Be Concerned about Blood Conservation ?

A shrinking donor pool and an increased awareness of risks associated with allogeneic blood transfusion have contributed to the evolving and widening application of techniques for blood conservation. “Bloodless medicine and surgery” has moved beyond the concerns of just Jehovah’s Witness patients. Risks associated with blood transfusions have been well documented, which, coupled with more stringent donor screening, has had significant impact on the availability and costs of blood supply. The challenge for clinicians is to prevent complications and unnecessary blood use. Although there is no single blood Drs. Wagner and Wallace have no conflicts of interest to disclose. BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS
Matthew and the Pauline Corpus: A Preliminary Intertextual Study*

This study investigates the possibility that the author of Matthew's Gospel had access to the letters of Paul. Using the methods of intertextuality, it establishes criteria for determining whether this was indeed the case and concludes that it is more probable than not that the evangelist did know the Pauline epistles. An intertextual relationship between the Gospel and the Pauline corpus becomes clear once we understand that Matthew, as a Law-observant Christian Jew, was opposed to the more liberal theology of Paul. A single test case reveals that the evangelist was reacting to certain claims of the apostle expressed in his letters, and raises the prospect of further intertextual connections between these early Christian documents.
Multiobjective optimal design of transformers for isolated switch mode power supplies

This paper deals with the multiobjective optimal design of medium frequency (MF) transformers for isolated switch mode power supplies (SMPS). The design problem requires minimizing the weight and the loss of the transformer while ensuring the satisfaction of a number of constraints. These constraints include appropriate limits on efficiency, temperature rise and winding dimensions. The optimization variables are, as for them, the operating frequency, the maximum flux density, the current density in windings as well as the core dimensions. If the first three variables are commonly used as design variables, it is rarer to treat the core dimensions as design variables. Note that the MF transformer model used in the design procedure takes full account of the current and voltage waveforms. In this contribution, a design procedure of MF transformers based on multiobjective Genetic Algorithms (GAs) is proposed and illustrated with the design of a transformer for a full-bridge converter.
Primary Follicular Lymphoma of the Gastrointestinal Tract: A Clinical and Pathologic Study of 26 Cases

Although the gastrointestinal tract represents the most common site of extranodal lymphoma, primary follicular lymphoma of the gastrointestinal tract is an uncommon and poorly defined disease. We report the clinical and pathologic features of 26 patients with primary gastrointestinal follicular lymphoma. Ten of 26 patients (38.5%) were stage IIE, and 16 patients (61.5%) were stage IE. Of the 26 patients, 13 were female and 13 were male. The age range was 26–81 years (median 54.5 years). Abdominal pain was the most common presenting symptom, seen in 12 of 24 patients (50%). Nodularity of the mucosal surface was the most common endoscopic finding, seen in 10 of 14 patients (71.4%). The majority of cases (22 of 26, 84.6%) involved small bowel, four involved colorectum alone, and two involved the ileocecal valve. Within the small bowel the duodenum was the most commonly involved site (10 cases). Transmural involvement by follicular lymphoma was identified in 11 of the 16 patients who underwent surgical resection; five showed involvement of mucosa and submucosa only. The most common histologic grade was grade 1. Thirteen of 26 cases were grade 1, ten grade 2, and three grade 3. Twenty-one of 26 cases showed a predominantly follicular growth pattern, four mixed follicular and diffuse, and one predominantly diffuse. All cases were positive for CD20 and BCL2 and negative for CD3, CD5, CD23, CD43, and cyclin D1. Twenty-four of 26 were positive for CD10. Four of four cases showed cytogenetic or molecular genetic evidence of t(14;18). Initial treatment modalities included surgery plus chemotherapy (nine cases), surgery alone (seven cases), chemotherapy alone (four cases), observation alone (four cases), and chemotherapy and abdominal radiation (one case). One case presented with rectal polyps and was treated with polypectomy. A complete response was observed in 15 of 22 cases that received treatment, and of the 15 cases, five recurred 27–60 months after the initial diagnosis. Recurrence and progression were associated with histologic transformation to diffuse large cell lymphoma in one case. No significant correlation was identified between treatment response and various clinical and pathologic features. Overall, none of the 26 patients died of lymphoma. One patient died of a concomitant pancreatic carcinoma. Of the remaining 25 patients, 14 were disease free and 11 were alive with disease at a mean follow-up of 43 months. The estimated 5-year disease-free survival was 62%, and median disease-free survival was 69 months. The estimated 5-year relapse-free survival was 54%, and the median relapse-free survival was 63 months.
How community archaeology can make use of open data to achieve further its objectives

Abstract This review paper begins with a discussion of the extent to which the expansion of the web has caused fundamental changes in the ways that communities are engaging with participatory events and of how technological developments are providing new platforms for communication. Accompanying these developments there have also been rapid changes in the make-up of communities, which in turn requires that we think differently about the nature of the community itself. This paper argues that the established methodological approaches of community archaeology must be reconsidered from the perspective of the web, so that we can better integrate online communication with current forms of community engagement. It focuses on the impact of open data on community archaeology's current methods for working with communities and concludes that the project-based approach to community archaeology and the traditional hierarchical structures of archaeological practice are no longer appropriate in the face of the open approaches to knowledge fostered by the web. The paper also discusses important issues that arise when integrating open data into community archaeology, including Open Data Commons licensing, the reuse of data and the re-contextualisation of legacy data.
Ultrasonic rock drilling devices using longitudinal-torsional compound vibration

Nasa funded studies have proven that ultrasonics is a viable technology for extraterrestrial drilling. Previous research by the authors has indicated that ultrasonic longitudinal-torsional coupled vibrations may improve rock excavation. In this study, two approaches to the development of torsional output from a Langevin transducer are pursued: coupling the longitudinal mode with a torsional mode and degenerating the longitudinal mode to output torsional motion at the tip using helical flutes cut into the sides of the horn. The amplitude of the output motion and the electrical properties of the horn whilst these modes are being driven are investigated and the findings are validated experimentally.
Reducing the Economic and Clinical Burden Of CKD in the Managed Care Setting.

comes, it also can result in cost savings for Medicare and managed care organizations (MCOs), which bear a significant portion of the expenses of treating end-stage renal disease (ESRD). According to the United States Renal Data System, 2001 Medicare spending for ESRD was $15.4 billion; non-Medicare costs for ESRD were reported as $7.4 billion (USRDS 2003). By 2010, an estimated 520,000 Americans will be receiving maintenance dialysis, and medical expenses related to ESRD will be greater than $28 billion (Provenzano 2003). Not only are the financial stakes high, the costs in terms of human life are significant. In 2002, ESRD was responsible for an estimated 99,000 deaths in the United States (Provenzano 2003).
Delay variation analysis in the presence of power supply noise in nano-scale digital VLSI circuits

In this paper, a novel analytical model is proposed to predict the delay variation due to the power supply noise in nanotechnologies. First, an analytical model is derived for the special case of an inverter gate; next, it is shown that the derived model can also be applied to the other gates. The proposed analytical model helps us to better understand the main contributors to the delay variation and provides an accurate prediction of the delay variation due to the power supply noise in nano-scale VLSI circuits. The accuracy of the proposed model is verified with SPICE simulation in 90nm and 45nm predictive technology models. The maximum error of the proposed model is 7.5% and 8.3% in 90nm and 45nm technologies respectively.
Costimulation blockade and its possible future use in clinical transplantation

The nonimmune effects of currently used immunosuppressive drugs result in a high incidence of late graft loss due to nephrotoxicity and death of patients. As an immune‐specific alternative to conventional immunosuppressants, new biotechnology tools can be used to block the costimulation signals of T‐cell activation. Many experimental studies – particularly preclinical studies in nonhuman primates – have focused on blocking the ‘classical’ B7/CD28 and CD40/CD40L pathways, which are critical in primary T‐cell activation. Here, we review the limitations, the recent advances and the first large‐scale clinical application of the CTLA4‐Ig fusion protein to block the B7/CD28 costimulation pathway. We also focus on new B7/CD28 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)/TNF‐R family costimulatory molecules that can deliver positive or negative costimulation signals regulating the alloimmune response. Strategies that use single agents to block costimulation have often proved to be insufficient. Given the diversity of the different costimulation molecules, future strategies for human transplantation may involve the simultaneous blockade of several selected pathways or the simultaneous use of conventional immunosuppressants.
SLAMfusion: Fusing SLAM Methods for Improved Robustness

There are multiple approaches for SLAM, but we found the the ones implemented in ROS had problems when a robot drove over small obstacles. This paper presents a proposal to make a more robust SLAM by running three SLAM methods in parallel and using their information to produce a better estimate of the robot's surroundings. The proposed method defines its output by making the three methods vote for the value of each pixel in the map. To deal with the increased computational complexity, the method is implemented in the GPU. The performed experiments show that our method shows smaller error than any of the three fused methods alone both when there are ground obstacles that induce map errors and also when no obstacles are present, thus presenting in fact an increase in robustness.
Effect of Dangling Bonds on De-Poling Time for Polymeric Electric Field Optical Sensors

This paper investigates the possible chemical changes in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) caused by two different techniques of fabrication for ultra-sensitive electric field optical sensors. The sensing element is a micro-sphere made from 60:1 PDMS (60 parts base silicon elastomer to one part polymer curing agent by volume). The measurement principle is based on the morphology dependent resonances (MDR) shifts of the micro-sphere. We present the effects of curing and poling of polymer micro-spheres used as optical sensors. The degree of curing leads to changes in the de-poling time which results from dangling bonds in the polymeric chains. Consequently, the longevity of the sensitivity of the sensor can extended by two orders of magnitude. An analysis is carried out along with preliminary experiments to investigate that behavior.
Stochastic approximation with averaging innovation applied to Finance

Abstract. The aim of the paper is to establish a convergence theorem for multi-dimensional stochastic approximation when the “innovations” satisfy some “light” averaging properties in the presence of a pathwise Lyapunov function. These averaging assumptions allow us to unify apparently remote frameworks where the innovations are simulated (possibly deterministic like in quasi-Monte Carlo simulation) or exogenous (like market data) with ergodic properties. We propose several fields of applications and illustrate our results on five examples mainly motivated by finance.
IN VITRO PRODUCTION OF THE SPHERULE PHASE OF COCCIDIOIDES IMMITIS

The in vitro growth of the spherule (sporangium) phase of Coccidioides immitis has posed a problem of prime interest in the study of the disease coccidioidomycosis. The fungus is dimorphic in that it has a cultural, or saprophytic, phase in which growth consists of mycelium and arthrospores, and a tissue or parasitic phase consisting of thick-walled nonbudding spherules (sporangia) varying in size from 20 to 80 , in diameter. Endospores measuring 2 to 5 ,u in diameter are developed in the mature spherules by cleavage planes, released into the tissues by rupture of the spherule wall, and serve as a means of reproduction and dispersal. The freed endospores enlarge and develop into the characteristic endospore-containing spherules. The physiological requirements for the production of the tissue phase are not known, although studies have been made concerning the developmental stages of spherules in the tissues of mice, along with their relation to host reaction (Tarbet, Wright, and Newcomer, 1952). In vitro production of the spherule phase has been achieved with some degree of success by several investigators by means of special media (Baker and Mirak, 1941; Burke, 1951; Burke, Salvin, and Gerhoff, 1952; Brueck and Buddingh, 1951; Conant and Vogel, 1954; Lack, 1938; MacNeal and Taylor, 1914; Moore, 1941; Newcomer, Wright, and Tamblyn, 1952; Vogel and Conant, 1952 a, b). These special media provided no freedom from the presence of the mycelial phase and resulted in the production of the vegetative phase accompanied by relatively few spherules.
A family of RIM-binding proteins regulated by alternative splicing: Implications for the genesis of synaptic active zones

RIMs are presynaptic active zone proteins that regulate neurotransmitter release. We describe two related genes that encode proteins with identical C-terminal sequences that bind to the conserved PDZ domain of RIMs via an unusual PDZ-binding motif. These proteins were previously reported separately as ELKS, Rab6-interacting protein 2, and CAST, leading us to refer to them by the acronym ERC. Alternative splicing of the C terminus of ERC1 generates a longer ERC1a variant that does not bind to RIMs and a shorter ERC1b variant that binds to RIMs, whereas the C terminus of ERC2 is synthesized only in a single RIM-binding variant. ERC1a is expressed ubiquitously as a cytosolic protein outside of brain; ERC1b is detectable only in brain, where it is both a cytosolic protein and an insoluble active zone component; and ERC2 is brain-specific but exclusively localized to active zones. Only brain-specific ERCs bind to RIMs, but both ubiquitous and brain-specific ERCs bind to Rab6, a GTP-binding protein involved in membrane traffic at the Golgi complex. ERC1a and ERC1b/2 likely perform similar functions at distinct localizations, indicating unexpected connections between nonneuronal membrane traffic at the Golgi complex executed via Rab6 and neuronal membrane traffic at the active zone executed via RIMs.
4D GPR tracking of water infiltration in fractured high-porosity limestone

Three thousand liters of water were infiltrated from a 4 m diameter pond to track flow and transport inside fractured carbonates with 20-40 % porosity. Sixteen time-lapse 3D Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) surveys with repetition intervals between 2 hrs and 5 days monitored the spreading of the water bulb in the subsurface. Based on local travel time shifts between repeated GPR survey pairs, localized changes of volumetric water content can be related to the processes of wetting, saturation and drainage. Deformation bands consisting of thin subvertical sheets of crushed grains reduce the magnitude of water content changes but enhance flow in sheet parallel direction. This causes an earlier break through across a stratigraphic boundary compared to porous limestone without deformation bands. This experiment shows how time-lapse 3D GPR or 4D GPR can non-invasively track ongoing flow processes in rock-volumes of over 100 m3.
A Concept of the Real-time Diagnostic System for Prototype Engines - Architecture and Algorithm

The paper summarizes the main ideas and methods used in a software design of the real time diagnostic system for an advanced engines prototype test bed. The software architecture of the diagnostic systems is built on a top of the multiprocessor computer system which allows affectively performs various tasks. The SVM (support vector machine) algorithm is discussed from a point of view its real time implementation. The simulation results are presented and discussed.
Multicenter, randomized, open-label, phase III trial of decitabine versus patient choice, with physician advice, of either supportive care or low-dose cytarabine for the treatment of older patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia.

PURPOSE This multicenter, randomized, open-label, phase III trial compared the efficacy and safety of decitabine with treatment choice (TC) in older patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and poor- or intermediate-risk cytogenetics. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients (N = 485) age ≥ 65 years were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive decitabine 20 mg/m(2) per day as a 1-hour intravenous infusion for five consecutive days every 4 weeks or TC (supportive care or cytarabine 20 mg/m(2) per day as a subcutaneous injection for 10 consecutive days every 4 weeks). The primary end point was overall survival (OS); the secondary end point was the complete remission (CR) rate plus the CR rate without platelet recovery (CRp). Adverse events (AEs) were recorded. RESULTS The primary analysis with 396 deaths (81.6%) showed a nonsignificant increase in median OS with decitabine (7.7 months; 95% CI, 6.2 to 9.2) versus TC (5.0 months; 95% CI, 4.3 to 6.3; P = .108; hazard ratio [HR], 0.85; 95% CI, 0.69 to 1.04). An unplanned analysis with 446 deaths (92%) indicated the same median OS (HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.68 to 0.99; nominal P = .037). The CR rate plus CRp was 17.8% with decitabine versus 7.8% with TC (odds ratio, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.4 to 4.8; P = .001). AEs were similar for decitabine and cytarabine, although patients received a median of four cycles of decitabine versus two cycles of TC. The most common drug-related AEs with decitabine were thrombocytopenia (27%) and neutropenia (24%). CONCLUSION In older patients with AML, decitabine improved response rates compared with standard therapies without major differences in safety. An unplanned survival analysis showed a benefit for decitabine, which was not observed at the time of the primary analysis.
Online Ensemble Learning for Imbalanced Data Streams

While both cost-sensitive learning and online learning have been studied extensively, the effort in simultaneously dealing with these two issues is limited. Aiming at this challenge task, a novel learning framework is proposed in this paper. The key idea is based on the fusion of online ensemble algorithms and the state of the art batch mode cost-sensitive bagging/boosting algorithms. Within this framework, two separately developed research areas are bridged together, and a batch of theoretically sound online cost-sensitive bagging and online cost-sensitive boosting algorithms are first proposed. Unlike other online cost-sensitive learning algorithms lacking theoretical analysis of asymptotic properties, the convergence of the proposed algorithms is guaranteed under certain conditions, and the experimental evidence with benchmark data sets also validates the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed methods.