Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hypermethylation of the CD44 gene is associated with progression and metastasis of human prostate cancer

CD44 is a metastasis suppressor gene for prostate cancer and the down‐regulation of CD44 and its variants is associated with the progression of prostate cancer. Also, hypermethylation of the CpG islands of the CD44 gene is closely associated with transcriptional inactivation, resulting in the decreased expression of CD44. To clarify the exact role of methylation status of CpG islands of CD44 gene in the progression and metastasis of prostate cancer, we investigated the methylation status of this gene in primary and metastatic human prostate tumors obtained from surgery or autopsy.
Medical Image Retrieval Based On Ensemble Clustering

W ith the pervasive availability and application of medical imaging equipment, every day, thousands of digital medical images must be stored in databases of hospitals and other medical facilities. Considering the sheer number of medical images taken every day, organization, classification, and retrieval of these images has become very challenging. One of the typical methods of image retrieval is the use of bag of visual words. In this approach, one of the most common techniques of constructing visual words is the use of K-means clustering. However, performance of K-means clustering largely depends on its initial cluster centers, and given the randomness of cluster center initialization in K-means, those BoW-based methods that utilize basic K-means often show a substandard performance. This paper presents a method to improve the accuracy of content-based medical image retrieval by optimizing the initial cluster centers of K-means by an ensemble clustering approach.In this method, after extracting the local features by SIFT descriptor, K-means clustering with random initialization will be run several times to yield several base clustering, and then a consensus algorithm selects, from among these initial results, the best clustering and more specifically the best visual words in terms of clustering criteria. This technique was tested on a group of standard x-ray images and the results showed that the use of ensemble clustering with MCLA serving as consensus algorithm leads to visual words that are more efficient and accurate than those created with randomly initialized centers.
Prevention of Postoperative Pain After Thyroid Surgery: A Double-Blind Randomized Study of Bilateral Superficial Cervical Plexus Blocks

Local anesthetic infiltration may reduce postthyroidectomy pain. We performed a double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial to assess the analgesic efficacy of bilateral superficial cervical plexus blocks performed at the end of surgery. Ninety patients undergoing elective thyroid surgery by the same surgeon under general anesthesia were randomized to receive 20 mL isotonic sodium chloride or 20 mL bupivacaine 0.25% with 1:200,000 epinephrine. Postoperative pain was assessed every 4 h using an 11-point numeric rating scale (NRS-11). All patients received acetaminophen every 6 h. In addition, morphine was administered following a standardized protocol if the NRS-11 score was ≥4. The main outcome variables were pain scores (NRS-11), the proportion of patients given morphine at any time during the 24-h period, and the amount of morphine administered. The Bupivacaine group had a smaller proportion of patients given morphine (66.0% vs 90.0%;P = 0.016), and lower initial median pain scores (P = 0.002). We conclude that bilateral superficial cervical plexus blocks significantly reduce pain intensity in the postoperative period after thyroid surgery but do not provide optimal pain relief alone.
Continued Use of Information Technology: A Synthesis and Future Directions

Numerous studies have been conducted in the technology adoption domain. However, this is merely an initial step toward eventual success of an information technology (IT) system. Recent endeavour has increasingly shifted to continued IT use, or continuance, which is deemed essential to the survival of an IT system. In this article, a comprehensive review of studies on IT continuance has been conducted. Four major models have been identified: continuance as an extension of adoption, expectancy-disconfirmation theory, temporal updating mechanisms, and habit. It is now generally agreed that the first model is not readily applicable to IT continuance because most determinants of IT adoption are not robust predictors of continued use except for perceived usefulness. Other models present much higher explanatory power. Nonetheless, they have not tapped the emotional aspect over the course of IT use. Further investigation in this area is needed.
Bone Regeneration in Cranial Defects Previously Treated with Radiation

Objectives/Hypothesis: Bone reconstruction in the head and neck region is frequently performed in the context of previous radiation treatment. Thus, the effectiveness of tissue engineering approaches for regenerating bone in radiated defects needs to be determined before considering application to patients. Incomplete healing is described when using osteoinductive protein therapy alone for bone defects previously treated with radiation. We hypothesized that a different approach using ex vivo gene therapy can heal these severely compromised defects.
Incorporating popularity in a personalized news recommender system

Online news reading has become a widely popular way to read news articles from news sources around the globe. With the enormous amount of news articles available, users are easily overwhelmed by information of little interest to them. News recommender systems help users manage this flood by recommending articles based on user interests rather than presenting articles in order of their occurrence. We present our research on developing personalized news recommendation system with the help of a popular micro-blogging service, “Twitter. ” News articles are ranked based on the popularity of the article identified from Twitter’s public timeline. In addition, users construct profiles based on their interests and news articles are also ranked based on their match to the user profile. By integrating these two approaches, we present a hybrid news recommendation model that recommends interesting news articles to the user based on their popularity as well as their relevance to the user profile.
Prognostic value of 18F‐FDG PET/CT in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil: Comparisons of volume‐based metabolic parameters

The prognostic significance of volume‐based metabolic parameters measured by 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT (18F‐FDG PET/CT) is not established. We evaluated the prognostic value of metabolic parameters in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the tonsil.
Design Optimization and Comparative Study of Novel Dual-PM Excited Machines

This paper systematically studies a new kind of PM machines with both stator and rotor PM excitations, namely, dual-PM excited machines. The key is to rely on the PM-iron structure in the machine to provide both PM excitation and flux modulation. Besides the fundamental field component in the air-gap, some other predominant harmonics introduced by the flux modulating effect can also contribute to the electromagnetic torque production. Therefore, this kind of machines can be designed with high torque density. Four dual-PM excited machine concepts with the same rotor configuration but different stator structures are comparatively studied, which include double-stator PM machine, stator multitooth-PM machine, stator slot-PM machine, and stator tooth-PM machine (STPM). Based on the flux modulating effect, the general design principle of the dual-PM machines is proposed in this paper. Through analytically investigating the air-gap field harmonics, the physical insight of the dual-PM machines is brought forward. All the four machines are optimized using an improved Tabu search coupled with finite element method, and their electromagnetic performances are comprehensively studied and compared. A prototype of STPM is manufactured. Experimental tests are conducted and the results well verify the electromagnetic design.
Is heparin contraindicated in pelvic lymphadenectomy and radical prostatectomy?

PURPOSE We initiated a prospective study to verify or refute the complications of lymphocele formation and excessive blood loss associated with heparin prophylaxis in pelvic lymphadenectomy and radical prostatectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS A prospective study was completed on 579 men undergoing pelvic lymphadenectomy usually in association with radical prostatectomy. Patients were assigned to group 1 (given preoperative and postoperative subcutaneous heparin) and group 2 (no heparin). All patients were evaluated 2 to 3 weeks after surgery with ultrasound for pelvic lymphocele. RESULTS There was no statistically significant difference in the number or size of pelvic lymphoceles or blood loss in group 1 versus group 2. CONCLUSIONS The use of heparin prophylaxis to prevent thromboembolic complications in conjunction with pelvic lymphadenectomy and radical prostatectomy is not associated with increased blood loss or increased rate of lymphocele formation.
Analysis of Novel Approach to Design of Ultra‐wide Stopband Microstrip Low‐Pass Filter Using Modified U‐Shaped Resonator

A novel microstrip low‐pass filter is presented to achieve an ultra‐wide stopband with 11 harmonic suppression and very sharp skirt characteristics. The filter is composed of a modified U‐shaped resonator (which creates two fully adjustable transmission zeroes), a T‐shaped resonator (which determines a cut‐off frequency), and four radial stubs (which provide a wider stopband). The operating mechanism of the filter is investigated based on a proposed equivalent‐circuit model, and the role of each section of the proposed filter in creating null points is theoretically discussed in detail. The presented filter with 3 dB cut‐off frequency (fc=2.35 GHz) has been fabricated and measured. Results show that a relative stopband bandwidth of 164% (referred to as a 22 dB suppression) is obtained while achieving a high figure‐of‐merit of 15,221.
Multiparty Quantum Communication Using Hyperentangled States

Quantum entanglement involves correlations among qubits that allow us to perform tasks impossible in the classical world. We consider quantum communication scenarios consisting of multiple nodes sharing multipartite quantum states. We make use of hyperentanglement that allows sharing of entanglement over different degrees of freedom. Using hyperentanglement, we establish communication between multiple source and destination nodes. We also study a modification of the well known butterfly network and the efficacy of hyperentanglement over prior work that does not employ it.
A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase-10 (ADAM-10) Mediates DN30 Antibody-induced Shedding of the Met Surface Receptor*

Met, the tyrosine kinase receptor for the hepatocyte growth factor is a prominent regulator of cancer cell invasiveness and has emerged as a promising therapeutic target. Binding of the anti-Met monoclonal antibody DN30 to its epitope induces the proteolytic cleavage of Met, thereby impairing the invasive growth of tumors. The molecular mechanism controlling this therapeutic shedding process has so far been unknown. Here, we report that A Disintegrin And Metalloproteinase (ADAM)-10, but not ADAM-17, is required for DN30-induced Met shedding. Knockdown of ADAM-10 in different tumor cell lines or abrogation of its proteolytic activity by natural or synthetic inhibitors abolished Met down-regulation on the cell surface as well as reduction of Met activation. Moreover, hepatocyte growth factor-induced tumor cell migration and invasion were impaired upon ADAM-10 knockdown. Thus, the therapeutic effect of DN30 involves ADAM-10-dependent Met shedding, linking for the first time a specific metalloprotease to target therapy against a receptor tyrosine kinase.
HCV infection and oral lichen planus: a weak association when HCV is endemic

Abstract Oral lichen planus (OLP), an immune‐mediated disorder, has been reported as an extra‐hepatic manifestation of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, especially in HCV hyperendemic areas such as southern Europe and Japan. The aim of this study was to investigate from an epidemiological standpoint whether HCV infection is an important factor affecting the relative risk of OLP in a Mediterranean population or whether this relates to the degree of HCV endemicity. Two cohorts of OLP patients resident in two different regions of southern Italy (Campania and Sicily; n = 859) were evaluated for HCV infection status and categorized into five age classes to respective region‐matched controls. No significant difference was found between OLP patients and the general population in this area, when data were corrected by the age‐stratified prevalence of HCV. Therefore, the age‐specific prevalence of HCV infection in OLP patients shows a close trend of direct association with increasing age, without significant differences with the general population of each geographical area. An aetiological link between OLP and HCV cannot be inferred solely by epidemiological data.
A model of sustained gastrointestinal colonization by Candida albicans in healthy adult mice

Three-month-old male Crl:CD1(ICR)BR and C3H/HeJ mice were fed chow containing Candida albicans for 14 days, while similar control mice were fed regular food. Stool cultures were done for all mice before and after administration of the special diet. Stool cultures were repeated 48 h, 1 week, and 1 and 3 months after stopping the diet for Crl:CD1(ICR)BR mice and again 5 months afterward for C3H/HeJ mice. Some animals were sacrificed at the end of the special diet, and cultures and histopathologic examination of various organs were performed. Colonization with C. albicans occurred in the Candida-fed mice, and the fungus was maintained in the gastrointestinal tract at a concentration of 10(3) to 10(4) CFU/g of stool for up to 5 months. There was no histologic evidence of organ infection with Candida spp. The fungus was not found in stool cultures or organs of mice in the control group. The results suggest that persistent gastrointestinal colonization of adult mice by C. albicans can be achieved without immunosuppression. Thus, with additional manipulations, this model could be useful for studying the role of gastrointestinal colonization by C. albicans in the development of systemic infection.
Transient ground impedance measurement using a very short current lead

This work describes a system for the measurement of the transient impedance of ground electrodes using a portable impulse generator and a new measuring arrangement. The innovation is the use of a very short current reaction lead, which is possible due to the use of transmission line with very low propagation velocity (3% of the velocity of light). The methodology for obtaining the transient impedance from the measurements is discussed and validated. The experimental results regarding transient impedance measurements for two ground electrodes arrangements are presented. The first arrangement consists of two vertical rods and the second one is an actual 138 kV transmission line tower leg, composed by a vertical electrode in parallel with a horizontal wire. A comparison with calculated values for both cases is also presented.
A low spurious and small step frequency synthesizer based on PLL-DDS-PLL architecture

This paper describes a low spurious and small step frequency synthesizer module based on PLL (Phase-Locked Loop)-DDS (Direct Digital Synthesis)-PLL structure, which is controlled by the parallel port of the computer. The module consists of four parts: the first PLL (PLL1), the DDS, the second PLL (PLL2) and the control part. The spurious of this module is ameliorated to some extent in comparison with traditional synthesizer technologies using single PLL. The experimental measurement of the actual module shows that the spurious is as low as -65 dBc. In addition, its frequency range is 2060 MHz-2160 MHz, the frequency step size 10 kHz, the phase noise -90 dBC/Hz@10 kHz and the harmonics -40 dBc.
Systematic analysis of the cache behavior of irregular codes

El rendimiento de las jerarquias de memoria, en las cuales la cache juega un papel fundamental, es critico en los computadores de proposito general actuales y en los sistemas embebidos, debido al creciente problema del cuello de botella del sistema de memoria. Desafortunadamente, el comportamiento de la cache es muy inestable y dificil de predecir. Esto es especialmente cierto en presencia de patrones de acceso irregulares, los cuales exhiben poca localidad. Tales patrones son muy comunes por ejemplo en aplicaciones en las cuales algunas referencias estan afectadas por sentencias condicionales o en las que el almacenamiento comprimido de matrices dispersas da lugar a la aparicion de indirecciones. SIn embargo, el comportamiento cache en presencia de patrones de acceso irregulares no ha sido estudiado ampliamente. En esta tesis presentamos extensiones de una tecnica de modelado analitico sistematico basadas en PMEs (Ecuaciones probabilisticas de fallos) que permiten el analisis automatico del comportamiento cache para codigos que incluyen sentencias condicionales cuyo valor de verdad puede no ser determinable en tiempo de compilacion y codigos con referencias irregulares debidas a indirecciones, respectivamente. El modelo genera predicciones muy precisar a pesar de la irregularidad y tiene un bajo coste computacional siendo el primer modelo que reune estas dos caracteristicas capaz de analizar automaticamente esta clase de codigos. Estas propiedades convierten al modelo en adecuado para servir de guia en optimizaciones del compilador. La extension del modelo para codigos irregulares con indirecciones ha sido integrada en el compilador XARK, un compilador orientado al reconocimiento automatico de kernels en aplicaciones cientificas. Mostramos como explotar las potentes capacidades de extraccion de informacion de este compilador para permitir el modelado automatico de codigos cientificos basados en bucles
Two Distinct Regimes in the Kinematic and Thermodynamic Structure of the Hurricane Eye and Eyewall

Abstract Using aircraft flight-level data, the present work demonstrates that the kinematic and thermodynamic distributions within the eye and eyewall of strong hurricanes are observed to evolve between two distinct regimes. In the first regime, angular velocity is greatest within the eyewall and relatively depressed within the eye. In the second regime, radial profiles of angular velocity are nearly monotonic, with maxima found at the eye center. Considering sequential profiles within individual hurricanes, the authors find that the evolution of the kinematic distribution is often marked by a transition from the first regime to the second. The transition can occur in less than 1 h. Also noted during the transition are dramatic changes in the thermodynamic structure of the hurricane. Prior to the transition (regime 1), the eye is typically very warm and dry, and the equivalent potential temperature is often elevated within the eyewall and relatively depressed within the eye. After the transition (regime 2.
Scaling issues in nanoscale double gate FinFETs with source/drain underlap

In this paper the various scaling issues related to underlap FinFET devices with channel lengths of 30 nm and fin widths of 10 nm have been investigated in detail through device simulations using the Sentaurus TCAD simulation package. The effects of scaling the gate length, the fin thickness, the gate insulator thickness, metal gate thickness and source/drain extension lengths have been examined. The impact of image force effect on the gate leakage is also studied. Quantum mechanical effects which become prominent in the nanometer regime have been included in the simulations for obtaining a realistic picture.
The equilibrium between antagonistic signaling pathways determines the number of synapses in Drosophila

The number of synapses is a major determinant of behavior and many neural diseases exhibit deviations in that number. However, how signaling pathways control this number is still poorly understood. Using the Drosophila larval neuromuscular junction, we show here a PI3K-dependent pathway for synaptogenesis which is functionally connected with other previously known elements including the Wit receptor, its ligand Gbb, and the MAPkinases cascade. Based on epistasis assays, we determined the functional hierarchy within the pathway. Wit seems to trigger signaling through PI3K, and Ras85D also contributes to the initiation of synaptogenesis. However, contrary to other signaling pathways, PI3K does not require Ras85D binding in the context of synaptogenesis. In addition to the MAPK cascade, Bsk/JNK undergoes regulation by Puc and Ras85D which results in a narrow range of activity of this kinase to determine normalcy of synapse number. The transcriptional readout of the synaptogenesis pathway involves the Fos/Jun complex and the repressor Cic. In addition, we identified an antagonistic pathway that uses the transcription factors Mad and Medea and the microRNA bantam to down-regulate key elements of the pro-synaptogenesis pathway. Like its counterpart, the anti-synaptogenesis signaling uses small GTPases and MAPKs including Ras64B, Ras-like-a, p38a and Licorne. Bantam downregulates the pro-synaptogenesis factors PI3K, Hiw, Ras85D and Bsk, but not AKT. AKT, however, can suppress Mad which, in conjunction with the reported suppression of Mad by Hiw, closes the mutual regulation between both pathways. Thus, the number of synapses seems to result from the balanced output from these two pathways.
Novel Transformer Core Design Using Consolidated Stacks of Electrical Steel

This paper introduces a novel way of building transformer cores using consolidated stacks of electrical steel to reduce construction times without causing an increase in the core losses. The novel core design introduced in this paper can exhibit lower power loss than the conventional cores by taking advantage of the high anisotropy of grain-oriented electrical steels and reducing the flux along the transverse direction of the steel. Open circuit tests and thermal imaging techniques were used to assess the performance of the cores
Two new species of Flabellum (Scleractinia: Flabellidae) from the Southwest Indian Ocean

Abstract Two new species of Flabellum are described from the southwest Indian Ocean, representing extremes of morphological variation within the genus. One of them, F. kerguelensis, is the first scleractinian coral reported from the Kerguelen Plateau. Flabellum now consists of 44 extant species, making it the fifth most species-rich genus in the order.
Bank Credit Risk Analysis with K-Nearest-Neighbor Classifier: Case of Tunisian Banks

Credit risk is defined as the risk that borrowers will fail to pay its loan obligations. In recent years, a large number of banks have developed sophisticated systems and models to help bankers in quantifying, aggregating and managing risk. The outputs of these models also play increasingly important roles in banks’ risk management and performance measurement processes. In this study we try to tackle the question of default prediction of short term loans for a Tunisian commercial bank. We use a database of 924 credit records of Tunisian firms granted by a Tunisian commercial bank from 2003 to 2006. The K-Nearest Neighbor classifier algorithm was conducted and the results indicate that the best information set is relating to accrual and cash-flow and the good classification rate is in order of 88.63 % (for k=3). A curve ROC is plotted to assess the performance of the model. The result shows that the AUC (Area Under Curve) criterion is in order of 87.4% (for the first model), 95% (third model) and 95.6% for the best model with cash flow information.