Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prognostic value of progesterone receptor expression in ovarian cancer: a meta-analysis

Objective While a prognosis value of progesterone receptor (PR) in ovarian cancer has been reported in some publications, controversial data were presented by different reports. In order to address the disagreement of progesterone receptor in ovarian cancer survival, we conducted this meta-analysis. Methods Relevant articles on progesterone receptor and ovarian cancer prognosis were identified via a thorough search of PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Central. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were extracted from studies on overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS)/progress-free survival (PFS)/recurrence-free survival (RFS). Result A total of 28 eligible studies containing 5685 patients were collected for analysis. It was found that progesterone receptor positivity was significantly associated with favorable overall survival (OS) (HR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.78 to 0.95, P = 0.002) and disease-free survival (DFS)/progress-free survival (PFS)/recurrence-free survival (RFS) (HR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.61 to 0.93, P = 0.008) of ovarian cancer patients. Subgroup analysis showed that progesterone receptor expression was associated with a favorable prognosis of unclassified ovarian cancer, European origin, and immunohistochemical detection method. Conclusion Progesterone receptor expression can be used as a favorable prognostic predictor in ovarian cancer managements.
SC-FDMA -AN EFFICIENT TECHNIQUE FOR PAPR REDUCTION IN UPLINK COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS -A SURVEY

In this paper, a survey on different modulation sch emes having lowest peak to average power ratio (PAP R) value for use in uplink communication has been studied. OFDM has become the popular modulation choice for high data rate wirel ess communication systems. It can provide multi-path delay spread tol erance and is robust to channel dispersions. But on e of the major limitations of OFDM is the large variation in signal amplitude whi ch gives it a high PAPR. OFDM signals with high PAP R will suffer from nonlinear distortion due to non-ideal behavior of High Power amplifiers as well as it is detrimental to b attery powered devices like mobile phones which are power limited . SC-FDMA was found to have a better PAPR reduction than OFDMA an d has become modulation choice for uplink communication in Long Term Evolution (LTE).
Clinical, Pathological, and Molecular Variables Predictive of Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor Outcome

Objective:Improved staging systems for malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) prognostication and management are needed. Consequently, we sought to identify clinical, pathologic, and molecular predictors of outcome in patients with/without neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1) associated MPNST. Methods:MPNST patients treated from 1986 to 2006 (n = 140) were identified; 72 had NF-1 syndrome and 68 did not. A comprehensive database was constructed. Paraffin-embedded neurofibroma or MPNST blocks were assembled in a tissue microarray; marker expression was evaluated immunohistochemically. Univariable and multivariable analyses identified independent factors prognostic of local recurrence, distant metastasis, and disease-specific survival (DSS). Results:DSS at 10 years was 31.6% for 87 primary disease patients, 25.9% for 26 recurrent patients, and 7.5% for 27 metastatic patients after median follow up of 91 months. The 5 years DSS for localized tumor patients was 35% for NF-1 patients and 50% for sporadic patients. MPNST ≥10 cm at diagnosis, partial resection, and metastasis development were significant negative predictors of DSS; completely resected tumors that lacked S-100 immunoreactivity had a nearly 5-fold increased risk of developing distant metastasis. Ki67, vascular endothelial growth factor, p53, and pMEK were over-expressed in MPNST compared with benign neurofibromas. Only tumor size and nuclear p53 expression were found to be independent prognosticators for MPNST DSS in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions:MPSNT is a markedly metastatic and aggressive poor prognosis tumor. Multiple clinical, pathologic, and molecular markers identified in this study, coupled with findings from previous series, should be considered for an improved MPNST staging system useful for prognostic assessment and management decisions.
Application of low-cost 3D scanning technologies to the development of educational augmented reality content

This paper builds on the authors' previous work with Augmented Reality (AR) technology as a tool to enhance traditional visualizations and facilitate the understanding of complex information. In this paper, we expand our previous work with AR technology by focusing on the process of creating custom content. Based on users' feedback, we describe and compare various strategies to create 3D models from real objects that can be subsequently integrated into augmented reality scenes. Specifically, we evaluate current 3D scanning technologies that are affordable and suitable for educational applications. We present a comparative analysis of low-cost 3D scanning technologies, its use, integration with AR, and implementation as educational tools. Factors considered in our study include portability, model size, resolution, and postproduction requirements.
Genetic Classification of “Rickettsia heilongjiangii” and “Rickettsia hulinii,” Two Chinese Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae

ABSTRACT To determine the phylogenetic position of two new rickettsial strains isolated from ticks in China, 16S ribosomal DNA,gltA, and ompA (apart from the tandem repeat units) genes were amplified by PCR and sequenced. The phylogenetic relationships between these strains and other rickettsiae were inferred from the comparison of sequences of the three genes by the parsimony, neighbor-joining, and maximum-likelihood methods. The results demonstrated that the 054 strain, a rickettsia pathogenic in humans, and the HL-93 strain were related and clustered together withRickettsia japonica. Significant statistical bootstrap values (100 and 92%) supported the nodes in this cluster. Based on previous genotypic and antigenic data and the phylogenetic analysis presented here, the 054 and HL-93 strains should be considered as new species, and we formally propose that they be named “Rickettsia heilongjiangii” and “Rickettsia hulinii,” respectively.
An Exploratory Study on Functionally Graded Materials with Applications to Multilayered Pavement Design

The response of flexible pavement is largely influenced by the resilient modulus of the pavement profile. Different methods/approaches have been adopted in order to estimate or measure the resilient modulus of each later assuming an average modulus within the layer. In order to account for the variation in the modulus of elasticity with depth within a layer in elastic pavement analysis, which is due to temperature or moisture variation with depth, the layer should be divided into several sublayers and the modulus should be gradually varied between the layers. A powerful and innovative computer program has been developed for elastic pavement analysis that overcomes the limitations of the existing pavement analysis program. The new program can accurately predict the response of the pavement that consists of any number of layers/sublayers and any number of loads. The complexity of the tire-pavement loading configuration can be modeled easily as well. Practical pavement engineering problems have been analyzed and discussed in the report that take into consideration the modulus variation with depth as well as the complex tire-pavement loading configuration utilizing the newly developed MultiSmart3D program. The analyzed problems illustrated that powerful analytical tools, such as MultiSmart3D, are needed to study and predict the pavement response in practical and fast matters. For example, the predicted life time of the pavement can be increased or decreased by a factor more than two if the modulus of elasticity variation with depth is taken into consideration.
On sample preparation and dielectric breakdown in nanostructured epoxy resins

There are many methods available to achieve a good dispersion of fillers within a polymeric matrix. This investigation considered several methods of dispersing three chosen fillers within an epoxy resin; the same processes were also performed on unfilled materials to investigate any effects they may have on the host material. For this investigation, the epoxy system (EP) was combined with sodium montmorillonite (MMT), micrometric silicon dioxide (SD) or nanometric silicon dioxide (NSD) as fillers. The effect of the different sample preparation routes on breakdown behaviour was then evaluated. While more thorough mixing protocols were found to lead to improved breakdown behaviour in the case of the various filled systems, surprisingly, an entirely equivalent form of behaviour was also seen in the unfilled epoxy. The influence of changes in sample geometry on the breakdown strength was established.
Evolutionary path planning for unmanned aerial vehicles cooperation

We suggest an evolutionary based off-line/on-line path planner for cooperating Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) that takes into account the environment characteristics and the flight envelope and mission constraints of the cooperating UAVs. The scenario under consideration is the following: a number of UAVs are launched from the same or different known initial locations. The main issue is to produce 3-D trajectories that ensure a collision free operation with respect to mission constraints. The path planner produces curved routes that are represented by 3-D B-Spline curves. Two types of planner are discussed: The off-line planner generates collision free paths in environments with known characteristics and flight restrictions. The on-line planner, which is based on the off-line one, generates collision free paths in unknown static environments, by using acquired information from the UAV’s on-board sensors. This information is exchanged between the cooperating UAVs in order to maximize the knowledge of the environment. Both off-line and on-line path planning problems are formulated as optimization problems, with a Differential Evolution algorithm to serve as the optimizer.
CFA: A Practical Prediction System for Video QoE Optimization

Many prior efforts have suggested that Internet video Quality of Experience (QoE) could be dramatically improved by using data-driven prediction of video quality for different choices (e.g., CDN or bitrate) to make optimal decisions. However, building such a prediction system is challenging on two fronts. First, the relationships between video quality and observed session features can be quite complex. Second, video quality changes dynamically. Thus, we need a prediction model that is (a) expressive enough to capture these complex relationships and (b) capable of updating quality predictions in near real-time. Unfortunately, several seemingly natural solutions (e.g., simple machine learning approaches and simple network models) fail on one or more fronts. Thus, the potential benefits promised by these prior efforts remain unrealized. We address these challenges and present the design and implementation of Critical Feature Analytics (CFA). The design of CFA is driven by domain-specific insights that video quality is typically determined by a small subset of critical features whose criticality persists over several tens of minutes. This enables a scalable and accurate workflow where we automatically learn critical features for different sessions on coarse-grained timescales, while updating quality predictions in near real-time. Using a combination of a real-world pilot deployment and trace-driven analysis, we demonstrate that CFA leads to significant improvements in video quality; e.g., 32% less buffering time and 12% higher bitrate than a random decision maker.
Controlling software applications via resource allocation within the heartbeats framework

A formalism was recently introduced to instrument, monitor and control computer applications based on the rate of heartbeats they emit, thereby quantitatively signaling their progress toward goals. To date, the idea was however used essentially in an heuristic manner. This work first shows that a very simple dynamic heartbeat rate model can be devised, an that said model allows to address the corresponding control problems in a methodologically grounded way. A general solution is then devised, that can be realized through different actuation mechanisms, depending on which type of resource—CPU, memory, bandwidth, etc.—is constraining the application performance in the particular situation at hand. Experiments prove the efficacy of the proposed extension to the heartbeats framework, both with applications that fit the proposed model and with more complex test cases, for which said model is just a coarse approximation.
Exploration of genetically encoded voltage indicators based on a chimeric voltage sensing domain

Deciphering how the brain generates cognitive function from patterns of electrical signals is one of the ultimate challenges in neuroscience. To this end, it would be highly desirable to monitor the activities of very large numbers of neurons while an animal engages in complex behaviors. Optical imaging of electrical activity using genetically encoded voltage indicators (GEVIs) has the potential to meet this challenge. Currently prevalent GEVIs are based on the voltage-sensitive fluorescent protein (VSFP) prototypical design or on the voltage-dependent state transitions of microbial opsins. We recently introduced a new VSFP design in which the voltage-sensing domain (VSD) is sandwiched between a fluorescence resonance energy transfer pair of fluorescent proteins (termed VSFP-Butterflies) and also demonstrated a series of chimeric VSD in which portions of the VSD of Ciona intestinalis voltage-sensitive phosphatase are substituted by homologous portions of a voltage-gated potassium channel subunit. These chimeric VSD had faster sensing kinetics than that of the native Ci-VSD. Here, we describe a new set of VSFPs that combine chimeric VSD with the Butterfly structure. We show that these chimeric VSFP-Butterflies can report membrane voltage oscillations of up to 200 Hz in cultured cells and report sensory evoked cortical population responses in living mice. This class of GEVIs may be suitable for imaging of brain rhythms in behaving mammalians.
BMC Cell Biology

Background: Two nuclear localization sequences (NLS) in influenza A virus nucleoprotein (NP) have been demonstrated to be critical for nuclear import of NP and viral ribonucleoprotein complexes. However, a deletion mutant lacking these two signals was still able to localize to the nucleus suggesting the presence of yet another (a third) potential NLS in the NP protein. In order to identify the nature of this potential NLS signal in the NP of a WS/33L influenza virus A strain, we utilized the tools of bioinformatics coupled with functional experimental analyses in the present study. Results: Comparison of the deduced aa sequence of NP of WS/33L strain with the published WS/ 33 NP sequences revealed that a single amino acid (aa) change (Met to Arg) at position 105 results in converting the flanking regions (between aa position 90–121, a 32-residue stretch) into two classical overlapping bipartite NLS (obpNLS). GenBank search revealed that 9 out of 500 published NP sequences contain a similar Arg at position 105 (instead of Met) with a 100% homology to the obpNLS region. Various NP-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion constructs with and without the signal (obpNLS-Arg 105 ) were utilized to understand the functional nature of this signal. We analyzed the transport competency of the expressed chimeric proteins in terms of their cellular localization by confocal immunofluorescence assay. Our analysis revealed that all NP-GFP constructs containing the wild-type (R 105 ) sequence localized predominantly to the nucleus. Constructs lacking the obpNLS or constructs with reverse mutation (R 105 to M 105 ) on the other hand exhibited predominant cytoplasmic localization pattern. Interestingly, when the 32 aa obpNLS was fused with an unrelated viral protein (rotavirus NSP6) that has been known to be cytoplasmic protein, the chimeric protein (obpNLS-NSP6) was efficiently transported into the nucleus, indicating an efficient nuclear transport function of the 32-residue obpNLS in the NP of WS/33L strain of influenza A virus.
Geometry-Based Object Association and Consistent Labeling in Multi-Camera Surveillance

This paper proposes a multi-camera surveillance framework based on multiple view geometry. We address the problem of object association and consistent labeling through exploring geometrical correspondences of objects, not only in sequential frames from a single camera view but also across multiple camera views. The cameras are geometrically related through joint combination of multi-camera calibration, ground plane homography constraint, and field-of-view lines. Object detection is implemented using an adaptive Gaussian mixture model, and thereafter the information obtained from different cameras is fused so that the same object shown in different views can be assigned a unique label. Meanwhile, a virtual top-view of ground plane is synthesized to explicitly display the corresponding location and label of each detected object within a designated area-of-interest.
Selective potentiation of peripheral chemoreflex sensitivity in obstructive sleep apnea.

BACKGROUND The chemoreflexes are an important mechanism for regulation of both breathing and autonomic cardiovascular function. Abnormalities in chemoreflex mechanisms may be implicated in increased cardiovascular stress in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We tested the hypothesis that chemoreflex function is altered in patients with OSA. METHODS AND RESULTS We compared ventilatory, sympathetic, heart rate, and blood pressure responses to hypoxia, hypercapnia, and the cold pressor test in 16 untreated normotensive patients with OSA and 12 normal control subjects matched for age and body mass index. Baseline muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) was higher in the patients with OSA than in the control subjects (43+/-4 versus 21+/-3 bursts per minute; P<0. 001). During hypoxia, patients with OSA had greater increases in minute ventilation (5.8+/-0.8 versus 3.2+/-0.7 L/min; P=0.02), heart rate (10+/-1 versus 7+/-1 bpm; P=0.03), and mean arterial pressure (7+/-2 versus 0+/-2 mm Hg; P=0.001) than control subjects. Despite higher ventilation and blood pressure (both of which inhibit sympathetic activity) in OSA patients, the MSNA increase during hypoxia was similar in OSA patients and control subjects. When the sympathetic-inhibitory influence of breathing was eliminated by apnea during hypoxia, the increase in MSNA in OSA patients (106+/-20%) was greater than in control subjects (52+/-23%; P=0.04). Prolongation of R-R interval with apnea during hypoxia was also greater in OSA patients (24+/-6%) than in control subjects (7+/-5%) (P=0.04). Autonomic, ventilatory, and blood pressure responses to hypercapnia and the cold pressor test in OSA patients were not different from those observed in control subjects. CONCLUSIONS OSA is associated with a selective potentiation of autonomic, hemodynamic, and ventilatory responses to peripheral chemoreceptor activation by hypoxia.
Time efficient cell detection in histopathology images using convolutional regression networks

Accurate cell detection is often an essential prerequisite for subsequent cellular analysis in computer aided diagnosis (CAD) for histopathlogy images. It is challenging due to high cell density, touching cells, low contrast, variant cell shapes and sizes, weak boundaries and the use of different image acquisition techniques. Existing methods are often struggling at tackling with the challenges at the same time. More importantly, the detection time efficiency, which is also crucial for cell detection in histopathology images, is limited by the complicated and redundant computing for many exsiting methods. In this paper, we propose a novel end-to-end cell detection pipeline based on convolutional regression neural networks to achieve competitive cell detection accuracy and better time efficiency at the same time. We evaluate our method on two challenging cell datasets and the comparative experiments demonstrate the superior performance of our method over existing state of the art.
Pattern Avoidance in Permutations: Linear and Cyclic Orders

We generalize the notion of pattern avoidance to arbitrary functions on ordered sets, and consider specifically three scenarios for permutations: linear, cyclic and hybrid, the first one corresponding to classical permutation avoidance. The cyclic modification allows for circular shifts in the entries. Using two bijections, both ascribable to both Deutsch and Krattenthaler independently, we single out two geometrically significant classes of Dyck paths that correspond to two instances of simultaneous avoidance in the purely linear case, and to two distinct patterns in the hybrid case: non-decreasing Dyck paths (first considered by Barcucci et al.), and Dyck paths with at most one long vertical or horizontal edge. We derive a generating function counting Dyck paths by their number of low and high peaks, long horizontal and vertical edges, and what we call sinking steps. This translates into the joint distribution of fixed points, excedances, deficiencies, descents and inverse descents over 321-avoiding permutations. In particular we give an explicit formula for the number of 321-avoiding permutations with precisely k descents, a problem recently brought up by Reifegerste. In both the hybrid and purely cyclic scenarios, we deal with the avoidance enumeration problem for all patterns of length up to 4. Simple Dyck paths also have a connection to the purely cyclic case; here the orbit-counting lemma gives a formula involving the Euler totient function and leads us to consider an interesting subgroup of the symmetric group.
Large deviations for transient random walks in random environment on a Galton–Watson tree

Consider a random walk in random environment on a supercritical Galton--Watson tree, and let $\tau_n$ be the hitting time of generation $n$. The paper presents a large deviation principle for $\tau_n/n$, both in quenched and annealed cases. Then we investigate the subexponential situation, revealing a polynomial regime similar to the one encountered in one dimension. The paper heavily relies on estimates on the tail distribution of the first regeneration time.
Retinal Contrast Transfer Functions in Adults with and without ADHD

In previous studies, we found a strong reduction in contrast perception and retinal contrast gain in patients with major depression, which normalized after remission of depression. We also identified a possible role of the dopaminergic system in this effect, because visual contrast perception depends on dopaminergic neurotransmission. Dopamine is also known to play an important role in the pathogenesis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Therefore, in order to explore the specificity of retinal contrast gain as a marker of depression in comparison with other psychiatric diseases, we recorded the pattern electroretinogram (PERG) in patients with ADHD. Twenty patients diagnosed with ADHD and 20 matched healthy subjects were studied. Visual pattern electroretinograms were recorded from both eyes. The contrast gain of the patients with attention deficit disorder (ADD) did not differ from the control group, nor did the contrast gain of any ADHD subgroup (predominantly inattentive or combined patients). In the healthy subjects, a significant correlation between depression score and contrast gain was found. As the contrast gain in an earlier study clearly separated the patients with depression from the controls, we assume that retinal contrast gain might be a specific marker in depression.