Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Moderate-vigorous recreational physical activity and breast cancer risk, stratified by menopause status: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: Physical inactivity increases postmenopausal and possibly premenopausal breast cancer risk, although different biologic mechanisms are proposed. Our primary objective was to estimate breast cancer risk associated with high versus low levels of moderate-vigorous recreational activity, separately for premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of literature published to July 2015. Included reports were cohort or case-control studies relating moderate-vigorous recreational physical activity (metabolic equivalent ≥3.0) to breast cancer incidence, exclusively (≥90%) in premenopausal or postmenopausal women. We appraised study quality and performed meta-analyses using random effects modeling. Subgroup meta-analyses were based on tumor subtype, race, body mass index, parity, hormone therapy use, family history of cancer, and statistical adjustment for body fatness. Dose-response relations were examined. Results: Pooled relative risks (RRs, 95% CI) for women with higher versus lower levels of moderate-vigorous recreational activity were RR = 0.80 (0.74-0.87) and RR = 0.79 (0.74-0.84) for premenopausal (43 studies) and postmenopausal (58 studies) breast cancer, respectively, with high heterogeneity. Inverse associations were weaker among postmenopausal cohort studies (RR = 0.90 [0.85-0.95]) and studies that statistically adjusted for nonrecreational (eg, occupational, household) activity (RR = 0.91 [0.77-1.06] premenopausal, RR = 0.96 [0.86-1.08] postmenopausal). Risk estimates with versus without body fatness adjustment did not vary by menopause status, although other subgroup effects were menopause-dependent. Among studies of overweight/obese women, there was an inverse association with postmenopausal but not premenopausal breast cancer (RR = 0.88 [0.82-0.95] and RR = 0.99 [0.98-1.00], respectively). Dose-response curves were generally nonlinear. Conclusions: Although risk estimates may be similar for premenopausal and postmenopausal breast cancer, subgroup effects may be menopause-dependent.
Draft Genome Sequence of the Siderophore-Degrading Soil Bacterium Mesorhizobium loti Strain LU

ABSTRACT Here, we present the draft genome of Mesorhizobium loti strain LU, a soil bacterium capable of degrading the trihydroxamate siderophore deferrioxamine B to its constituent monohydroxamic acids. Genome size was 6,399,828 bp, with a GC content of 61.5%. This draft genome consists of 35 scaffolds, with an N50 of 389,921 bp.
Interval training elicits higher enjoyment versus moderate exercise in persons with spinal cord injury

Background: High intensity interval training (HIIT) is a robust and time-efficient approach to improve multiple health indices including maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). Despite the intense nature of HIIT, data in untrained adults report greater enjoyment of HIIT versus continuous exercise (CEX). However, this has yet to be investigated in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). Objective: To examine differences in enjoyment in response to CEX and HIIT in persons with SCI. Design: Repeated measures, within-subjects design. Setting: University laboratory in San Diego, CA. Participants: Nine habitually active men and women (age = 33.3 ± 10.5 years) with chronic SCI. Intervention: Participants performed progressive arm ergometry to volitional exhaustion to determine VO2peak. During subsequent sessions, they completed CEX, sprint interval training (SIT), or HIIT in randomized order. Outcome Measures: Physical activity enjoyment (PACES), affect, rating of perceived exertion (RPE), VO2, and blood lactate concentration (BLa) were measured. Results: Despite a higher VO2, RPE, and BLa consequent with HIIT and SIT (P < 0.05), PACES was significantly higher (P = 0.03) in response to HIIT (107.4 ± 13.4) and SIT (103.7 ± 12.5) compared to CEX (81.6 ± 25.4). Fifty-five percent of participants preferred HIIT and 45% preferred SIT, with none identifying CEX as their preferred exercise mode. Conclusion: Compared to CEX, brief sessions of submaximal or supramaximal interval training elicit higher enjoyment despite higher metabolic strain. The long-term efficacy and feasibility of HIIT in this population should be explored considering that it is not viewed as more aversive than CEX.
Integration of carrier aggregation and dual connectivity for the ns-3 mmWave module

Thanks to the wide availability of bandwidth, the millimeter wave (mmWave) frequencies will potentially provide very high data rates to mobile users in next generation 5G cellular networks. However, mmWave links suffer from high isotropic pathloss and blockage from common materials, and are subject to an intermittent channel quality. Therefore, protocols and solutions at different layers in the cellular network and for the TCP/IP protocol stack have been proposed and studied. A valuable tool for the end-to-end performance analysis of mmWave cellular networks is the ns-3 mmWave module, which already models in detail the channel, Physical and Medium Access Control layers, and extends the Long Term Evolution stack for the higher layers. In this paper we present an implementation for the ns-3 mmWave module of multi connectivity techniques for 3GPP New Radio at mmWave frequencies, namely Carrier Aggregation and Dual Connectivity, and discuss how they can be integrated to increase the functionalities offered by the ns-3 mmWave module.
Engineering single-molecule, nanoscale, and microscale bio-functional materials via click chemistry

To expand the design envelope and supplement the materials library available to biomaterials scientists, the copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuCAAC) was explored as a route to design, synthesize and characterize bio-functional small-molecules, nanoparticles, and microfibers. In each engineered system, the use of click chemistry provided facile, orthogonal control for materials synthesis; moreover, the results provided a methodology and more complete, fundamental understanding of the use of click chemistry as a tool for the synergy of biotechnology, polymer and materials science. Fluorophores with well-defined photophysical characteristics (ranging from UV to NIR fluorescence) were used as building blocks for small-molecule, fluorescent biosensors. Fluorophores were paired to exhibit fluorescence resonant energy transfer (FRET) and used to probe the metabolic activity of carbazole 1,9a-dioxygenase (CARDO). The FRET pair exhibited a significant variation in PL response with exposure to the lysate of Pseudomonas resinovorans CA10, an organism which can degrade variants of both the donor and acceptor fluorophores. Nanoparticle systems were modified via CuCAAC chemistry to carry affinity tags for CARDO and were subsequently utilized for affinity based bioseparation of CARDO from crude cell lysate. The enzymes were baited with an azide-modified carbazolyl-moiety attached to a poly(propargyl acrylate) nanoparticle. Magnetic nanocluster systems were also modified via CuCAAC chemistry to carry fluorescent imaging tags. The iron-oxide nanoclusters were coated with poly(acrylic acid-co-propargyl acrylate) to provide a clickable surface. Ultimately, alternate Cu-free click chemistries were utilized to produce biohybrid microfibers. The biohybrid microfibers were synthesized under benign photopolymerization conditions inside a microchannel, allowing the encapsulation of viable bacteria. By adjusting pre-polymer solutions and laminar flow rates within the microchannel, the morphology, hydration, and thermal properties of the fibers were easily tuned. The methodology produced hydrogel fibers that sustained viable cells as demonstrated by the encapsulation and subsequent proliferation of Bacillus cereus and Escherichia coli communities.
AdaGAN: Boosting Generative Models

Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN) are an effective method for training generative models of complex data such as natural images. However, they are notoriously hard to train and can suffer from the problem of missing modes where the model is not able to produce examples in certain regions of the space. We propose an iterative procedure, called AdaGAN, where at every step we add a new component into a mixture model by running a GAN algorithm on a re-weighted sample. This is inspired by boosting algorithms, where many potentially weak individual predictors are greedily aggregated to form a strong composite predictor. We prove analytically that such an incremental procedure leads to convergence to the true distribution in a finite number of steps if each step is optimal, and convergence at an exponential rate otherwise. We also illustrate experimentally that this procedure addresses the problem of missing modes.
Optical and structural properties of sputtered waveguiding zinc oxide thin films

The relation of optical properties including propagation loss of rf magnetron sputtered ZnO thin films on corning glass substrates with structural properties of the films has been studied. The film was deposited in sputtering gas oxygen : argon ratio of 80 : 20 without substrate heating, and annealed at 380 degree Celsius in air for different times. The structural properties of the films were studied by X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy and the waveguiding properties were studied by prism-coupling using a He-Ne laser. A significant improvement of crystalline orientation of the film on annealing was observed. The initial decrease in the estimated value of the extraordinary refractive index of the film with annealing was attributed to the observed lattice contraction. On further annealing, the indices were found to increase slightly. The values of packing density of the films for different annealing times were estimated from the refractive indices, taking into consideration the effect of variation of lattice constant. The packing density was found to initially increase with annealing, and thereafter became constant on further annealing. The propagation loss was found to decrease by more than an order, to a value of 3 dB/cm on annealing for one hour, and this was attributed to the observed decrease in stress, increase in packing density and improved crystalline orientation of the film.
Expressing thought: Improving robot readability with animation principles

The animation techniques of anticipation and reaction can help create robot behaviors that are human readable such that people can figure out what the robot is doing, reasonably predict what the robot will do next, and ultimately interact with the robot in an effective way. By showing forethought before action and expressing a reaction to the task outcome (success or failure), we prototyped a set of human-robot interaction behaviors. In a 2 (forethought vs. none: between) × 2 (reaction to outcome vs. none: between) × 2 (success vs. failure task outcome: within) experiment, we tested the influences of forethought and reaction upon people's perceptions of the robot and the robot's readability. In this online video prototype experiment (N=273), we have found support for the hypothesis that perceptions of robots are influenced by robots showing forethought, the task outcome (success or failure), and showing goal-oriented reactions to those task outcomes. Implications for theory and design are discussed.
Phase II randomized trial of carboplatin , paclitaxel , bevacizumab with or without cixutumumab ( IMCA 12 ) in patients with advanced non-squamous , non-small-cell lung cancer : a trial of the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group ( E 3508 )

Medical Oncology, Hygeia Hospital, Athens, Greece; Medical Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia; Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, ECOG-ACRIN Biostatistics Center, Boston; Medical Oncology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland; Medical Oncology, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh; Medical Oncology, Minnesota Oncology, Minneapolis, Lake Elmo; Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco; Medical Oncology, University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland; Pottstown Memor Reg Cancer Ctr, Pottstown; Medical Oncology, Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital, Oconomowoc; Medical Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; The Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta; Medical Oncology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, USA
Single-Stage Grid-Connected Flyback Microinverter Operating in DCM for Photovoltaic AC Modules

this paper, a single-stage grid-connected flyback microinverter is proposed. The proposed flyback microinverter has some advantages such as high voltage gain, high efficiency, low cost, small size, simple control and high power factor. The proposed system is used to connect the PV panel to the grid with achieving maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) control. The converter operates in DCM to inject a sinusoidal current into the grid with unity power factor. A complete system has been simulated using PSIM program. The simulation results are obtained to validate the system. Keywords-Stage, grid-connected, Microinverter, Flyback, DCM, MPPT.
SoftRAN: software defined radio access network

An important piece of the cellular network infrastructure is the radio access network (RAN) that provides wide-area wireless connectivity to mobile devices. The fundamental problem the RAN solves is figuring out how best to use and manage limited spectrum to achieve this connectivity. In a dense wireless deployment with mobile nodes and limited spectrum, it becomes a difficult task to allocate radio resources, implement handovers, manage interference, balance load between cells, etc. We argue that LTE's current distributed control plane is suboptimal in achieving the above objective. We propose SoftRAN, a fundamental rethink of the radio access layer. SoftRAN is a software defined centralized control plane for radio access networks that abstracts all base stations in a local geographical area as a virtual big-base station comprised of a central controller and radio elements (individual physical base stations). In defining such an architecture, we create a framework through which a local geographical network can effectively perform load balancing and interference management, as well as maximize throughput, global utility, or any other objective.
Integrating a hip belt with body armour reduces the magnitude and changes the location of shoulder pressure and perceived discomfort in soldiers*

Abstract Soldiers carry heavy loads that may cause general discomfort, shoulder pain and injury. This study assessed if new body armour designs that incorporated a hip belt reduced shoulder pressures and improved comfort. Twenty-one Australian soldiers completed treadmill walking trials wearing six different body armours with two different loads (15 and 30 kg). Contact pressures applied to the shoulders were measured using pressure pads, and qualitative assessment of comfort and usability were acquired from questionnaires administered after walking trials. Walking with hip belt compared to no hip belt armour resulted in decreased mean and maximum shoulder pressures (p < 0.005), and 30% fewer participants experiencing shoulder discomfort (p < 0.005) in best designs, although hip discomfort did increase. Laterally concentrated shoulder pressures were associated with 1.34-times greater likelihood of discomfort (p = 0.026). Results indicate body armour and backpack designs should integrate a hip belt and distribute load closer to shoulder midline to reduce load carriage discomfort and, potentially, injury risk. Practitioner Summary: Soldiers carry heavy loads that increase their risk of discomfort and injury. New body armour designs are thought to ease this burden by transferring the load to the hips. This study demonstrated that designs incorporating a hip belt reduced shoulder pressure and shoulder discomfort compared to the current armour design.
MengeROS: a Crowd Simulation Tool for Autonomous Robot Navigation

While effective navigation in large, crowded environments is essential for an autonomous robot, preliminary testing of algorithms to support it requires simulation across a broad range of crowd scenarios. Most available simulation tools provide either realistic crowds without robots or realistic robots without realistic crowds. This paper introduces MengeROS, a 2-D simulator that realistically integrates multiple robots and crowds. MengeROS provides a broad range of settings in which to test the capabilities and performance of navigation algorithms designed for large crowded environments.
Laser polishing of silica slotted rods

Abstract Lasers have been widely used in surface modification. In the present research, a CO2 continuous wave laser has been used to polish slot surfaces of silica rods. Strong absorption of 10.6 μm CO2 radiation by the silica surface promotes softening of a very thin layer of material that flows under the action of surface tension forces. A smooth surface forms, which decreases the surface roughness without substantial change in surface geometry. The effect of laser-surface inclination angle on the requisite power requirement has been assessed experimentally and theoretically. Using a computer controlled laser beam scanning system, reliability and reproducibility have been greatly improved compared with an alternative surface finishing method, manual fire polishing.
Morphometry of dermal nerve fibers in human skin

Objective: We aimed to assess the innervation density of dermal nerves in human skin biopsies by bright-field immunohistochemistry. Methods: The size of dermal area where nerve length was quantified was validated in 30 skin biopsy sections (5 controls and 5 patients with small-fiber neuropathy [SFN]). It was obtained dividing an area of 200-μm depth from the dermal-epidermal junction into 4 equal portions. The length of dermal nerves (DNFL) was measured into 150 sections (25 controls and 25 patients with SFN) and values per millimeter of epidermis (DNFL/mm) and dermal area (DNFL/mm2) were obtained. Age- and gender-matched normative values of intraepidermal nerve fiber (IENF) density were used as gold standard to calculate the performance of dermal nerve morphometry. Results: Patients showed significantly lower DNFL (1.96 mm ± 0.96 SD), DNFL/mm (0.65 ± 0.29 SD), and DNFL/mm2 (3.75 ± 1.7 SD) than controls (DNFL 3.52 mm ± 1.31 SD, 5th percentile 2.05; DNFL/mm 1.25 ± 0.39, 5th percentile 0.71; DNFL/mm2 7.07 ± 2.41 SD, 5th percentile 3.95). Sensitivity, specificity, and percentage of individuals correctly classified were 75.8%, 73.9%, and 74.8% for DNFL, 75%, 80%, and 77.7% for DNFL/mm, and 75.8%, 80.2%, and 78.1% for DNFL/mm2. Receiver operator characteristic area analysis confirmed the excellent discrimination (0.8–0.9) between patients and controls. Dermal nerve morphometry significantly correlated with IENF density. Spearman rank correlation demonstrated good agreement for interobserver analysis (0.87–0.89), and between DNFL and IENF densities (0.71–0.73; p < 0.0001). Conclusions: We provided a reliable method to quantify the innervation density of dermal nerves that might improve the diagnostic yield of skin biopsy.
High-angle light scattering to determine the optical fiber core

The aim of the paper is to discuss the possibility of non-invasive sizing of a step-index optical fiber with the use of a beam of light of low temporal coherence. For this purpose we examine the angular profile of light scattered from the fiber at a high angle. The scattered pattern comprises chiefly two coupled, twin rainbows and depends on the fiber physical characteristics, i.e. its dimensions, shape, and refractive index profile. In order to find a causal link between the scattering pattern and the fiber morphology, a spectral analysis (Fast Fourier Transform, FFT) is performed over the scattering intensity. From the spectral data, the core diameter of a step-index optical fiber is extracted inversely.
Position and Orientation Tracking in a Ubiquitous Monitoring System for Parkinson Disease Patients With Freezing of Gait Symptom

Background Freezing of gait (FoG) is one of the most disturbing and least understood symptoms in Parkinson disease (PD). Although the majority of existing assistive systems assume accurate detections of FoG episodes, the detection itself is still an open problem. The specificity of FoG is its dependency on the context of a patient, such as the current location or activity. Knowing the patient's context might improve FoG detection. One of the main technical challenges that needs to be solved in order to start using contextual information for FoG detection is accurate estimation of the patient's position and orientation toward key elements of his or her indoor environment. Objective The objectives of this paper are to (1) present the concept of the monitoring system, based on wearable and ambient sensors, which is designed to detect FoG using the spatial context of the user, (2) establish a set of requirements for the application of position and orientation tracking in FoG detection, (3) evaluate the accuracy of the position estimation for the tracking system, and (4) evaluate two different methods for human orientation estimation. Methods We developed a prototype system to localize humans and track their orientation, as an important prerequisite for a context-based FoG monitoring system. To setup the system for experiments with real PD patients, the accuracy of the position and orientation tracking was assessed under laboratory conditions in 12 participants. To collect the data, the participants were asked to wear a smartphone, with and without known orientation around the waist, while walking over a predefined path in the marked area captured by two Kinect cameras with non-overlapping fields of view. Results We used the root mean square error (RMSE) as the main performance measure. The vision based position tracking algorithm achieved RMSE = 0.16 m in position estimation for upright standing people. The experimental results for the proposed human orientation estimation methods demonstrated the adaptivity and robustness to changes in the smartphone attachment position, when the fusion of both vision and inertial information was used. Conclusions The system achieves satisfactory accuracy on indoor position tracking for the use in the FoG detection application with spatial context. The combination of inertial and vision information has the potential for correct patient heading estimation even when the inertial wearable sensor device is put into an a priori unknown position.