Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
StreamGlobe: Processing and Sharing Data Streams in Grid-Based P2P Infrastructures

Data stream processing is currently gaining importance due to the developments in novel application areas like e-science, e-health, and e-business (considering RFID, for example). Focusing on e-science, it can be observed that scientific experiments and observations in many fields, e. g. , in physics and astronomy, create huge volumes of data which have to be interchanged and processed. With experimental and observational data coming in particular from sensors, online simulations, etc., the data has an inherently streaming nature. Furthermore, continuing advances will result in even higher data volumes, rendering storing all of the delivered data prior to processing increasingly impractical. Hence, in such e-science scenarios, processing and sharing of data streams will play a decisive role. It will enable new possibilities for researchers, since they will be able to subscribe to interesting data streams of other scientists without having to set up their own devices or experiments. This results in much better utilization of expensive equipment such as telescopes, satellites, etc. Further, processing and sharing data streams on-the-fly in the network helps to reduce network traffic and to avoid network congestion. Thus, even huge streams of data can be handled efficiently by removing unnecessary parts early on, e. g. , by early filtering and aggregation, and by sharing previously generated data streams and processing results.
A Comparative Study of Predictable DRAM Controllers

Recently, the research community has introduced several predictable dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) controller designs that provide improved worst-case timing guarantees for real-time embedded systems. The proposed controllers significantly differ in terms of arbitration, configuration, and simulation environment, making it difficult to assess the contribution of each approach. To bridge this gap, this article provides the first comprehensive evaluation of state-of-the-art predictable DRAM controllers. We propose a categorization of available controllers, and introduce an analytical performance model based on worst-case latency. We then conduct an extensive evaluation for all state-of-the-art controllers based on a common simulation platform, and discuss findings and recommendations.
Racial/ethnic differences moderate associations of coping strategies and posttraumatic stress disorder symptom clusters among women experiencing partner violence: a multigroup path analysis

ABSTRACT Background: Past research underscores the key role of coping strategies in the development, maintenance, and exacerbation of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. The goal of the current study was to extend existing literature by examining whether race/ethnicity moderates the relations among coping strategies (social support, problem-solving, avoidance) and PTSD symptom clusters (intrusion, avoidance, numbing, arousal). Methods: Participants were 369 community women (134 African Americans, 131 Latinas, 104 Whites) who reported bidirectional aggression with a current male partner. Multigroup path analysis was utilized to test the moderating role of race/ethnicity in a model linking coping strategies to PTSD symptom clusters. Results: The strength and direction of relations among coping strategies and PTSD symptom clusters varied as a function of race/ethnicity. Greater social support coping was related to more arousal symptoms for Latinas and Whites. Greater problem-solving coping was related to fewer arousal symptoms for Latinas. Greater avoidance coping was related to more symptoms across many of the PTSD clusters for African Americans, Latinas, and Whites, however, these relations were strongest for African Americans. Conclusion: Results provide support for the moderating role of race/ethnicity in the relations among coping strategies and PTSD symptom clusters, and highlight potential targets for culturally informed PTSD treatments.
Patterns in Bacterial- and Viral-Induced Immunosuppression and Secondary Infections in the ICU

Abstract Immunosuppression renders the host increased susceptible for secondary infections. It is becoming increasingly clear that not only bacterial sepsis, but also respiratory viruses with both severe and mild disease courses such as influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, and the human rhinovirus may induce immunosuppression. In this review, the current knowledge on (mechanisms of) bacterial- and virus-induced immunosuppression and the accompanying susceptibility toward various secondary infections is described. In addition, the frequently encountered secondary pathogens and their preferred localizations are presented. Finally, future perspectives in the context of the development of diagnostic markers and possibilities for personalized therapy to improve the diagnosis and treatment of immunocompromised patients are discussed.
Lab-on-a-Chip turns soft: Computer-aided, software-enabled microfluidics design

The current practice of designing microfluidic Lab-on-a-Chip (LoCs) limits reusing designs and makes sharing tasks among researchers difficult. One way to achieve that objective is to borrow best practices from engineering. Also it takes a lot of skills to design LoCs. Design-by-assembly in which a LoC can be designed by configuring, laying out subsystems can help new researchers to develop custom chips. Flexible, reusable, and rapid-prototyping-feasible LoC designs can be achieved by fabricated modular microfluidic blocks. However, challenging problems still persist, which limit the usefulness of prefabricated blocks. We propose software microfluidic modules (SoftMABs) based design technique to solve issues fabricated modules face. By configuring SoftMABs, integrating them, the new assembly of SoftMABs can form a 3D LoC design ready to be prototyped. The proposed method can make designing a complex LoC less challenging, and collaborating among laboratories easier. We created SoftMABs and designed a custom microfluidic chip by assembling SoftMABs like LEGOs, dragging-and-dropping them. Later we reconfigured them - by replacing a SoftMAB with another module - to make a new LoC. We believe this computer-aided method is an interesting and useful LoC design technique.
Comparing treatment options for chronic inflammatory neuropathies and choosing the right treatment plan

ABSTRACT Introduction: Chronic inflammatory neuropathies are disorders caused by an immune response to peripheral nerve. They include chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP), multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) and neuropathy associated with anti-MAG IgM monoclonal gammopathy and other less frequent neuropathies. Several immune therapies have been proven to be effective in these neuropathies even if the best therapeutic option is still unsettled. Areas covered: The authors reviewed the literature to compare the efficacy and safety of currently used immune therapies in these neuropathies. The authors also analyzed the effect of other immune suppressive agents and of biological agents including rituximab, eculizumab, natalizumab, alemtuzumab and fingolimod that were found effective in other autoimmune diseases. Expert commentary: Despite the reported efficacy of a number of new immune therapies in some patients with immune mediated neuropathies, their efficacy has not been so far confirmed in randomized controlled studies. High-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) (and subcutaneous immunoglobulin [SCIg] for maintenance treatment), steroids and plasma exchange remain the only therapy of proven efficacy in CIDP, IVIg in MMN and, with certain limits, rituximab and, occasionally plasma exchange in neuropathy associated with anti-MAG antibodies. New biological agents are also on the horizon but their efficacy needs to be proved in controlled studies.
Photoactivatable RNAi for cancer gene therapy triggered by near-infrared-irradiated single-walled carbon nanotubes

The efficacy of RNA interference (RNAi)-based cancer gene therapy is limited by its unexpected side effects, thus necessitating a strategy to precisely trigger conditional gene knockdown. In this study, we engineered a novel photoactivatable RNAi system, named as polyetherimide-modified single-wall carbon nanotube (PEI-SWNT)/pHSP-shT, that enables optogenetic control of targeted gene suppression in tumor cells. PEI-SWNT/pHSP-shT comprises a stimulus-responsive nanocarrier (PEI-SWNT), and an Hsp70B′-promoter-driven RNAi vector (pHSP-shT). In response to near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation, heating of PEI-SWNT in breast MCF-7 cells triggered gene knockdown targeting human telomerase reverse transcriptase through RNAi, with the gene-knockdown activity capable of being switched off by extinguishing the NIR. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the photoactivatable RNAi system exhibited higher antitumor activity by combining gene therapy and photothermal therapy, both in vitro and in vivo. Optogenetic control of RNAi based on an NIR-activated nanocarrier will potentially facilitate improved understanding of molecular-targeted gene therapy in human malignant tumors.
Factoring the Cycle Aging Cost of Batteries Participating in Electricity Markets

When participating in electricity markets, owners of battery energy storage systems must bid in such a way that their revenues will at least cover their true cost of operation. Since cycle aging of battery cells represents a substantial part of this operating cost, the cost of battery degradation must be factored in these bids. However, existing models of battery degradation either do not fit market clearing software or do not reflect the actual battery aging mechanism. In this paper we model battery cycle aging using a piecewise linear cost function, an approach that provides a close approximation of the cycle aging mechanism of electrochemical batteries and can be incorporated easily into existing market dispatch programs. By defining the marginal aging cost of each battery cycle, we can assess the actual operating profitability of batteries. A case study demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed model in maximizing the operating profit of a battery energy storage system taking part in the ISO New England energy and reserve markets.
Genetic evidence implicating multiple genes in the MET receptor tyrosine kinase pathway in autism spectrum disorder

A functional promoter variant of the gene encoding the MET receptor tyrosine kinase alters SP1 and SUB1 transcription factor binding, and is associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Recent analyses of postmortem cerebral cortex from ASD patients revealed altered expression of MET protein and three transcripts encoding proteins that regulate MET signaling, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (PLAUR) and plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1 (SERPINE1). To address potential risk conferred by multiple genes in the MET signaling pathway, we screened all exons and 5′ promoter regions for variants in the five genes encoding proteins that regulate MET expression and activity. Identified variants were genotyped in 664 families (2,712 individuals including 1,228 with ASD) and 312 unrelated controls. Replicating our initial findings, family‐based association test (FBAT) analyses demonstrated that the MET promoter variant rs1858830 C allele was associated with ASD in 101 new families (P=0.033). Two other genes in the MET signaling pathway also may confer risk. A haplotype of the SERPINE1 gene exhibited significant association. In addition, the PLAUR promoter variant rs344781 T allele was associated with ASD by both FBAT (P=0.006) and case–control analyses (P=0.007). The PLAUR promoter rs344781 relative risk was 1.93 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12–3.31) for genotype TT and 2.42 (95% CI: 1.38–4.25) for genotype CT compared to genotype CC. Gene–gene interaction analyses suggested a significant interaction between MET and PLAUR. These data further support our hypothesis that genetic susceptibility impacting multiple components of the MET signaling pathway contributes to ASD risk.
Finite-Time Trajectory Tracking Fault-Tolerant Control for Surface Vessel Based on Time-Varying Sliding Mode

This paper addresses the problem of trajectory tracking control of a surface vessel subject to parametric uncertainties, external disturbances, and thruster faults. A novel robust fault-tolerant tracking controller is developed by incorporating the radial basis function neural network and an adaptive control technique into the sliding mode control. It is shown that the designed controller is not only robust against environmental disturbances induced by waves and ocean currents, but also able to ensure that the surface vessel tracks the desired trajectory, without resorting to any knowledge of inertia parameters and despite the presence of thruster faults. In particular, exploiting a novel time-varying sliding mode manifold, the tracking errors are proved to converge to zero within a finite time, whose value can be pre-assigned by the designers according to the mission requirements. Numerical examples are carried out to testify the effectiveness of the proposed control algorithm.
Total Infragastric Omentectomy Including the Vascular Perigastric Arcade in Patients With Advanced Serous Ovarian Tumors

Objective The aim of this study was to document the need of including the perigastric area when performing omentectomy in patients with stage III to IV serous epithelial ovarian tumors. Patients and Methods Patients undergoing omentectomy in the setting of surgery for advanced epithelial serous ovarian cancer between February and September 2015 were included. Patients with macroscopic involvement of the perigastric area, nonepithelial serous tumors, and recurrences of ovarian cancer were excluded. The perigastric area was isolated and comprehensively processed for pathological examination. Results Twenty-four patients were included. Six patients underwent primary debulking surgery, and 18 patients underwent an interval debulking surgery. The mean number of pathologic blocks in the perigastric area was 24 (range, 8–41). Microscopic involvement of the perigastric omentum area was found in 62.5% of the cases. One patient had a low-grade serous carcinoma, with microscopic involvement of the perigastric area. Among the 23 patients with a high-grade serous carcinoma, 10 (83%) of 12 patients with a gross involvement of the rest of the omentum had a microscopic involvement of the perigastric area. The presence of microscopic disease in the perigastric arcade was found in 4 (36.3%) of 11 patients with a macroscopically normal omentum. Conclusions In this study, evidence is given that total omentectomy including the perigastric area is a necessary component of complete cytoreductive surgery in advanced ovarian cancer, whatever the macroscopic appearance of the omentum.
CDKL5 variants

Objective: To provide new insights into the interpretation of genetic variants in a rare neurologic disorder, CDKL5 deficiency, in the contexts of population sequencing data and an updated characterization of the CDKL5 gene. Methods: We analyzed all known potentially pathogenic CDKL5 variants by combining data from large-scale population sequencing studies with CDKL5 variants from new and all available clinical cohorts and combined this with computational methods to predict pathogenicity. Results: The study has identified several variants that can be reclassified as benign or likely benign. With the addition of novel CDKL5 variants, we confirm that pathogenic missense variants cluster in the catalytic domain of CDKL5 and reclassify a purported missense variant as having a splicing consequence. We provide further evidence that missense variants in the final 3 exons are likely to be benign and not important to disease pathology. We also describe benign splicing and nonsense variants within these exons, suggesting that isoform hCDKL5_5 is likely to have little or no neurologic significance. We also use the available data to make a preliminary estimate of minimum incidence of CDKL5 deficiency. Conclusions: These findings have implications for genetic diagnosis, providing evidence for the reclassification of specific variants previously thought to result in CDKL5 deficiency. Together, these analyses support the view that the predominant brain isoform in humans (hCDKL5_1) is crucial for normal neurodevelopment and that the catalytic domain is the primary functional domain.
Spurious radiation suppression in slotted hexagonal antenna using complementary split ring resonators

The paper presents a probe fed slotted hexagonal patch antenna and emphasizes on antenna performance after suppression of a spurious radiation. To suppress the spurious radiation two complementary split ring resonators (CSRRs) are inserted in the reduced ground plane. Based on simulated antenna performance characteristics such as reflection coefficient, impedance and far field radiation pattern of the CSRRs embedded antenna have been analyzed and compared with the antenna without CSRRs. Equivalent circuit model of the antenna with CSRRs has been incorporated to explain the effect of CSRRs on antenna scattering and impedance performance. Due to the suppression of dual resonance in the antenna with CSRRs, narrower bandwidth (∼ 220 MHz) is observed along with reduced backside radiation in the antenna with CSRRs when compared with the antenna without CSRR. The proposed antenna can be utilized in diverse applications within (U-NII-2C) WLAN band.
Augmented reality in dentistry: a current perspective

Abstract Augmentation reality technology offers virtual information in addition to that of the real environment and thus opens new possibilities in various fields. The medical applications of augmentation reality are generally concentrated on surgery types, including neurosurgery, laparoscopic surgery and plastic surgery. Augmentation reality technology is also widely used in medical education and training. In dentistry, oral and maxillofacial surgery is the primary area of use, where dental implant placement and orthognathic surgery are the most frequent applications. Recent technological advancements are enabling new applications of restorative dentistry, orthodontics and endodontics. This review briefly summarizes the history, definitions, features, and components of augmented reality technology and discusses its applications and future perspectives in dentistry.
Conversion of energy and the chemical composition of gain in bacon pigs

Relationships between the intake of energy and the rate of gain on the one hand, and the chemical composition of gain on the other were studied in bacon pigs, assuming that: (1) the only important determinants of the energy balance are the expenditures of energy in maintenance, in protein deposition and in fat deposition; (2) the net energy cost of fat or of protein deposition remains constant in pigs of all ages and live-weights, whatever the level of nutrition; (3) the average maintenance requirements of pigs growing over the same live-weight range and kept under similar conditions are constant, irrespective of their daily gains; (4) the ratio of non-fat components to protein in the gains of pigs over a similar live-weight range is virtually constant. Deductions based on these assumptions enabled the expression of the feed conversion ratio as a function of the average daily protein deposition, the average daily maintenance requirements and the average daily intake of energy to be made. The dependence of the feed conversion ratio on each of these three factors was demonstrated. After the substitution of plausible values for the energy costs of protein and of fat deposition, as well as for the average maintenance requirements, equations were derived for the estimation of the content of protein and of fat in the live-weight gain, when the total feed consumption and the number of days on test (20 to 90 kg.) were known. Using these equations, the average gain of fat and of protein in each year were estimated for the Danish Progeny Testing Stations during the period from 1926–7 to 1962–3. It was found that the decrease of the feed conversion ratio and consequent reduction in fat deposition which were achieved during this period, were accounted for mainly by an increase in daily protein deposition.
Pedestrian Detection Method Based on Faster R-CNN

Pedestrian detection based on computer vision is an important branch of object recognition, which is applied to intelligent monitoring, intelligent driving, robot and so on. At present, many pedestrian detection methods are proposed. However, because of the complexity of the background, pedestrian posture diversity and pedestrian occlusions, pedestrian detection is still a challenge which calls for precise algorithms. In this paper, the fast Region-based Convolutional Neural Network (Faster R-CNN) is used. Firstly, image features were extracted by CNN. After that, we built up a Region Proposal Network to extract regions that might contain pedestrians combined with K-means cluster analysis. And the region is identified and classified by detection network. Finally, the method was tested in the INRIA data set. The results show that the method of pedestrian detection based on Faster R-CNN, which achieves the accuracy of 92.7%, performs better, compared with other algorithms.
Relay-assisted handover to overcome blockage in millimeter-wave networks

There is a growing interest in millimeter-wave (mmWave) technologies that can significantly increase the network capacity thanks to the availability of huge bandwidth and high-dimensional antennas. However, short wavelength and the use of narrow directional beams have made mmWave communications susceptible to blockages that could lead to high penetration losses. In this paper, we conduct two studies in mmWave networks: Firstly, we analyze and characterize link disruption due to two blockage scenarios, to efficiently explain mmWave channel dynamics. Next, we propose a Relay-assisted Handover (RHO) scheme to overcome the blockages by combining relay and handover schemes. Through a simulation study on two blockage scenarios, we prove the proposed scheme improves the link quality performance in an environment in which two blockage types, short-term blockage and longterm blockage, coexist.
Role of Estrogen Receptor α and β in Preserving Hippocampal Function during Aging

The expression of the ERα and ERβ estrogen receptors in the hippocampus may be important in the etiology of age-related cognitive decline. To examine the role of ERα and ERβ in regulating transcription and learning, ovariectomized wild-type (WT) and ERα and ERβ knockout (KO) mice were used. Hippocampal gene transcription in young ERαKO mice was similar to WT mice 6 h after a single estradiol treatment. In middle-age ERαKO mice, hormone deprivation was associated with a decrease in the expression of select genes associated with the blood–brain barrier; cyclic estradiol treatment increased transcription of these select genes and improved learning in these mice. In contrast to ERαKO mice, ERβKO mice exhibited a basal hippocampal gene profile similar to WT mice treated with estradiol and, in the absence of estradiol treatment, young and middle-age ERβKO mice exhibited preserved learning on the water maze. The preserved memory performance of middle-age ERβKO mice could be reversed by lentiviral delivery of ERβ to the hippocampus. These results suggest that one function of ERβ is to regulate ERα-mediated transcription in the hippocampus. This model is supported by our observations that knockout of ERβ under conditions of low estradiol allowed ERα-mediated transcription. As estradiol levels increased in the absence of ERα, we observed that other mechanisms, likely including ERβ, regulated transcription and maintained hippocampal-dependent memory. Thus, our results indicate that ERα and ERβ interact with hormone levels to regulate transcription involved in maintaining hippocampal function during aging.