Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Finite temperature error-correcting codes.

The correspondence between error-correcting convolution codes and gauge invariant spin-glass models is used to show that the optimal way to recover the original message is by decoding at a finite temperature ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{N}}$(p)g0, where p is the strength of the channel noise and ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{N}}$(p) the Nishimori temperature. This improves upon the retrieval performance of the T=0 maximal likelihood Viterbi decoding algorithm without increasing its computational complexity. Numerical simulations support the theory.
Relationship Between Total and Lipid-bound Serum Sialic Acid and Some Tumor Markers

Background: Increased levels of total and lipid-associated sialic acid (TSA and LASA) have been reported in the sera of patients with benign or malignant tumors and also could be regarded as newly important clinical criteria for the diagnosis of cancer. This study has investigated the differences of TSA and LASA contents between cancer patients and healthy individuals and evaluated their correlations between TSA and LASA with some tumor markers in different types of cancer. Methods: 35 patients with histopathologically confirmed cancers and 32 healthy individuals participated in the study. Tumor markers in serum including CEA, CA15-3, CA19-9 and CA-125 were measured using ELISA. TSA and LASA were quantified using spectrophotometric methods of Erlich and Katopodis respectively and non-parametric tests were used for statistical analysis. Results: The median (range) obtained for TSA in healthy and cancer patients were 83.6 (59.0-106.2) and 119.5 (84.7-205.8) mg/dl respectively and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). The corresponding values for LASA content of serum in healthy and cancer patients were 16.9 (13.3-20.7), and 31.0 (15.0-50.3) mg/dl. Statistical analysis showed significant differences in LASA content between these two groups (P<0.001). A positive correlation coefficient was obtained between TSA, LASA and different tumor markers. Conclusion: The significant correlation between TSA, LASA and different tumor markers in cancer patients indicated that they could be used as diagnostic criteria. However, due to their lack of specificity, they may support the presence of tumor markers in different malignancies and be helpful in relation to therapy and monitoring of patients.
Traffic Jams II: An Update of Diseases of Intracellular Transport

As more details emerge on the mechanisms that mediate and control intracellular transport, the molecular basis for variety of human diseases has been revealed. In turn, disease pathology and physiology shed light on the intricate controls that regulate intracellular transport to assure proper cellular and tissue function and homeostasis. We previously listed a number of diseases that are the result of defects in intracellular transport, or cause defects in intracellular transport. (Aridor M, Hannan LA. Traffic Jam: A compendium of human diseases that affect intracellular transport processes. Traffic 2000; 1: 836–851). This Toolbox updates the previous list to include additional disorders that were recently identified to be related to intracellular trafficking. In the time since we have published our first list there have been significant advances in understanding of the molecular basis of these defects. Such advances will pave the way to future effective therapeutics.
A new species of lysosome in rabbit polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

A species of lysosome containing an acid hydrolase activity, i.e., acid trimetaphosphatase (TMPase) was demonstrated in rabbit polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs). The lysosome was less reactive near neutral pH and non-reactive at alkaline pH. The structure appeared typically ovoid, unlike the "tubular lysosomes" reported by Oliver (J Histochem Cytochem 28:78, 1980) in several exocrine acinar cells and also observed in monocytes in this study. Neither was there Golgi activity, although there are probably few, if any, Golgi elements present in the mature neutrophil. It is interesting that the TMPase-containing lysosome occurs in an inclusion the size of a specific granule at a greater frequency than the nonspecific acid phosphatase-containing lysosome.
FORMULATION AND ESTIMATION OF STOCHASTIC FRONTIER PRODUCTION FUNCTION MODELS

Previous studies of the so-called frontier production function have not utilized an adequate characterization of the disturbance term for such a model. In this paper we provide an appropriate specification, by defining the disturbance term as the sum of symmetric normal and (negative) half-normal random variables. Various aspects of maximum-likelihood estimation for the coefficients of a production function with an additive disturbance term of this sort are then considered.
Thymidine transport in herpesvirus hominis type 1 and 2 infected BHK 21 cells.

Increase of dThd-uptake 4 to 12 h after infection of BHK or primary rabbit kidney cells with Herpesvirus hominis of type 1 or 2 can be considered as an early function of the virus genome, because the presence of Cyd-Ara does not prevent the increase of uptake. However, increase of uptake can be prevented by addition of actinomycin D and cycloheximide early in the synthetic cycle. Two modes of uptake have been differentiated by kinetic analysis: at low substrate concentration dThd is taken up by 'facilitated transport', whereas at high substrate concentration (above 2-5 micronM) simple diffusion takes place. The Km of transport of normal BHK or primary rabbit kidney cells (1-4 or 0-5 micronM respectively) is not changed after infection. Only the Vmax increases from 8 to 26-6 pmol in BHK cells or from 2-9 to 9-0 pmol in primary rabbit kidney cells. This indicates that 'carrier sites' with identical affinity for dThd-transport are responsible for the increase of transport after infection. This increase of transport is correlated with the induction of a virus coded thymidine kinase (TK) and not with different types of c.p.e. or cellular damage. Transport of BdUrd increases in a similar manner to that of dThd after infection; transport of dCyd or dUrd increases only slightly, whereas the mechanism of dAdo or Urd uptake by infected cells is quite different.
A continuous sequence of more than 70 amino acids is essential for antibody binding to the dominant antigenic site of glycoprotein gp58 of human cytomegalovirus

Antigenic domain 1 (AD-1) on glycoprotein gp58 of human cytomegalovirus was characterized in detail, using mouse and human monoclonal antibodies as well as human convalescent sera. Series of procaryotically expressed fusion proteins and synthetic peptides of various lengths were used as sources of antigen. Binding of antibodies was found to depend on a continuous sequence of more than 70 amino acids between residues 552 and 635 of gp58. The fine specificities for sequences involved in antibody binding were (i) amino acids 557 to 635 for neutralizing as well as nonneutralizing mouse monoclonal antibodies, (ii) amino acids 552 to 630 for a neutralizing human monoclonal antibody, and (iii) amino acids 557 to 630 for antibodies present in human sera. Experiments involving fragments of AD-1, presented either as procaryotically expressed fusion protein or as synthetic peptides, indicated that the intact structure was required for recognition of AD-1 by antibodies.
A Review of Chemotherapy for Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancers

Context: Chemoradiation provides a survival advantage as well as increased rate of organ preservation compared with radiation alone in locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LAHNSCC). Evidence Acquisition: Combined modality protocols can be used in 3 forms: a) induction chemotherapy or neoadjuvant therapy before definitive surgery or radiotherapy, b) Concurrent chemo- radiotherapy, and c) sequential therapy consisting of induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemo radiation. Results: Despite an improvement in organ preservation, induction treatment has no impact on survival. Ongoing phase III trials comparing sequential therapy with concurrent chemoradiation may establish which of these two approaches is superior. Conclusions: Until those trials have been completed, Taxane- based sequentional therapy can be a reasonable alternative to concurrent chemo radiotherapy in the patients with locally advanced disease.
Geographic Information System (Gis) Studies of Cancer Around Npl Sites

Several attempts have been made in the past to analyze cancer risk at the county level. Two prominent attempts are represented by the National Cancer Institute’s cancer atlas (Mason et al., 1975) and the Environmental Protection Agency’s re-analysis of these data (Riggan, 1987). With these data, inquiries were begun based on the observed cancer mortality pattern and apprehensions about industries (Mason et al., 1975), about National Priorities List (NPL) sites (Griffith et al., 1989), or Toxic Release Inventory data (Stockwell et al., 1975). With all of these endeavors, two prominent limitations were cited: 1) the absence of cancer incidence data, and 2) the lack of spatial detail for better proximity to the suspected exposure sources.
Testability driven synthesis of interacting finite state machines

Sequential testability aspects in the decomposition of finite state machines (FSMs) are addressed. It is shown that the sequential testability of an FSM can be enhanced more easily when the machine is recognized to be, or is synthesized as, an interconnection of smaller machines. An exhaustive classification of redundant faults that can occur in a single FSM embedded in an interacting sequential circuit is presented. Associating each class of these redundant faults with a don't care set, a synthesis procedure is described that exploits the don't cares optimally to obtain an irredundant interacting sequential circuit with no area overhead. The synthesis procedure operates on a distributed-style representation of interacting state transition graphs (STGs), carrying out a series of local analyses. Insights into sequential logic synthesis improving on current optimization techniques for interacting sequential circuits are presented. <<ETX>>
Consensus Clustering on big data

Big data clustering is a hot topic with the rising of user generated contents. Although a lot of clustering algorithms have been proposed and cloud computing resources are widely available, obtaining a good-quality partition with high efficiency is still up in the air. In this paper, we make full use of consensus clustering to handle Big Data clustering. Generally speaking, we use divide-and-conquer strategy to dissemble the whole Big Data into small subsets, then basic partitions are generated from small subsets and consensus clustering is followed to obtain the final result. For the consensus part, we apply K-means-based Consensus Clustering (KCC) to equivalently transfer the consensus clustering problem into a K-means-like optimization problem for high efficiency. Further, two-sided sampling is extended by random sampling on instances and features simultaneously. Extensive experiments on eight real-world data sets demonstrate the advantages of KCC over some widely used methods. More importantly, the ability to handle incomplete basic partitions and the natural suitability to distributed computing make KCC a promising candidate for Big Data clustering.
PREDICTION OF PRESSURE DROP OF REFRIGERANTS FOR TWO- PHASE FLOW INSIDE A HORIZONTAL TUBE USING CFD ANALYSIS

Two phase flow in a horizontal tube has widespread applications, particularly in the condensers of refrigeration and air conditioning systems. Pressure drop prediction is especially important for condensers because the local condensing temperature is a function of local pressure, affecting the mean temperature difference in the heat exchanger. In the present analysis, two phase flow is treated as a single phase pseudo fluid with average properties of liquid and vapor using homogeneous model. CFD analysis of two phase flow of refrigerants inside a smooth horizontal tube is carried out under adiabatic conditions using commercial CFD software, FLUENT for different mass fluxes ranging from 100 to 1000kg/m 2 s and at different saturation temperatures of 40 0 C, 50 0 C and 60 0 C. The values of pressure drop obtained from the simulations for refrigerants, R22, R134a and R407C are compared with correlations and experimental data available in literature.
Treatment of hydrocephalus in adults by placement of an open ventricular shunt.

OBJECT Ventricular shunt placement is the neurosurgical procedure most frequently associated with complications. Over the years, it has been a growing concern that the performance of most shunting devices does not conform to physiological parameters. An open ventriculoperitoneal (VP) bypass with a peritoneal catheter for which the cross-sectional internal diameter was 0.51 mm as a distinctive element for flow resistance was evaluated for use in the treatment of adult patients with hydrocephalus. METHODS During a 2-year period, open shunts were surgically implanted in 54 adults with hydrocephalus; conventional shunts were implanted in 80 matched controls. Periodic evaluations were performed using neuroimaging studies and measures of clinical status. All patients were followed from 12 to 36 months. 18.5 +/- 4 months for patients with the open shunt and 19.1 +/- 8.1 months for controls (mean +/- standard deviation). The device continued to function in 50 patients with the open shunt (93%) and in 49 controls (61%: p < 0.001). The Evans index in patients with the open shunt was 0.33 +/- 0.09 throughout the follow up. No cases of infection, overdrainage, or slit ventricles were observed: the index in controls was 0.28 +/- 0.08; 60% of them developed slit ventricles. During the follow-up period occlusion occurred in four patients with the open shunt (7%) and in 31 controls (39%: p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The daily cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage through the open VP shunt is close to 500 ml of uninterrupted flow propelled by the hydrokinetic force generated by the combination of ventricular pressure and siphoning effect. It complies with hydrokinetic parameters imposed by a bypass connection between the ventricular and peritoneal cavities as well as with the physiological archetype of continuous flow and drainage according to CSF production. The open shunt is simple, inexpensive, and an effective treatment for hydrocephalus in adults.
Multi-loop-bridge antenna for improved positioning using HF-RFID

This paper describes a novel HF RFID multi loop bridge reader antenna for improved positioning and localization. Bridge configuration is employed to split reader recognition area and to obtain error signals for positioning. The proposed approach reduces uncertainties for HF-RFID reader based positioning even under sparse floor tag infrastructure. Simulation results highlight the usefulness of the proposed technique.
The reproductive biology of Saccharum spontaneum L.: implications for management of this invasive weed in Panama

Saccharum spontaneum L. is an invasive grass that has spread extensively in disturbed areas throughout the Panama Canal watershed (PCW), where it has created a fire hazard and inhibited reforestation efforts. Currently physical removal of aboveground biomass is the primary means of controlling this weed, which is largely ineffective and does little to inhibit spread of the species. Little is known about reproduction of this species, although it is both rhizomatous and produces abundant seed. Here we report a series of studies looking at some of the basic reproductive mechanisms and strategies utilised by S. spontaneum to provide information to support development of better targeted management strategies. We found that seed produced between September and November was germinable both in the lab and in situ. Genetic diversity of mature stands was assessed using microsatellite markers and found to be high, even at small scales. Studies of vegetative reproduction showed that buds on stems that had been dried for up to six weeks were still capable of sprouting. Separate experiments showed that stem fragments could sprout when left on the surface or buried shallowly and that larger pieces sprouted more readily than smaller pieces. Collectively these results demonstrate that S. spontaneum in the PCW has the capability to produce many propagules that can successfully recruit and it is likely that seed dispersal drives the spread of the species. Timing of management actions to reduce flowering would significantly reduce the seed load into the environment and help to prevent spread to new sites. Similarly, where biomass is cut, cutting stems into smaller pieces will allow the stems to dry out and reduce the ability of buds to sprout. Additionally, attention should be paid to prevent accidental transport to new sites on machinery.
Religiosity as A Predictor of Adolescents’ Substance Use Disorder Treatment Outcomes

Background A growing body of research on adults with substance use disorders (SUDs) suggests that higher levels of religiosity and/or spirituality are associated with better treatment outcomes. However, investigation into the role of religiosity and spirituality in adolescent SUD treatment response remains scarce. The present study examines religiosity as a predictor of treatment outcomes in an adolescent sample, with alcohol/other drug problem recognition as a hypothesized moderator of this relationship. Problem recognition was selected as a moderator in an attempt to identify a subset of adolescents who would be more likely to use religious resources when attempting to change their substance use. Methods One hundred twenty-seven outpatient adolescents aged 14 to 19 (Mage = 16.7, SD = 1.2, 24% female) were followed for 1 year after treatment intake. Growth curve analyses were used to assess the impact of baseline religiosity and problem recognition on subsequent abstinence rates, drug-related consequences, and psychological distress. Results On average, abstinence did not change significantly during the follow-up period, whereas drug-related consequences and psychological distress decreased significantly. Religiosity did not predict changes in abstinence or psychological distress over time. Religiosity did predict reductions in drug-related consequences over time (b = −0.20, t = −2.18, P = .03). However, when problem recognition was added to the model, the impact of religiosity on consequences became nonsignificant, and there was no interaction between religiosity and problem recognition on consequences. Conclusions The main hypothesis was largely unsupported. Possible explanations include that the sample was low in religiosity and few participants were actively seeking sobriety at treatment intake. Findings suggest adolescent outpatients with SUD may differ from their adult counterparts in the role that religiosity plays in recovery.
Influence of surface reconstructions on the shape of InAs quantum dots grown on InP(001)

Growth mechanisms controlling the shape of InAs quantum dots grown by solid source MBE on InP(001) are studied. InAs surface reconstructions play an important role to get more isotropic quantum dots rather than elongated quantum dashes. Dash to dot shape transition is also demonstrated with postgrowth treatments that change InAs surface reconstructions. Properties of such single InAs/InP quantum dots on low density samples are finally evaluated with microphotoluminescence and cathodoluminescence studies.
Blurring of local and remote practice models threatens IOM's future

In this issue of Neurology®, Nuwer et al.1 present the results of a recent survey of American Academy of Neurology members concerning practice patterns for intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring (IOM). The study confirms the continued growth of IOM but also sheds light on striking differences between 2 practice models—“local” monitoring and the “remote” telemetry. For historical reasons, a single Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code has applied to both models, generating considerable ambiguity and resulting in lack of transparency, particularly to third-party payers, which now presents a serious challenge to the field and to neurologists providing IOM services. On November 1, 2012, with the issuance of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services's (CMS's) Final Rule for Medicaid physician payments,2 this challenge became a crisis that threatens to limit IOM services available to Medicare patients.
Optimal location and control of FACTS devices for relieving congestion and ensuring voltage stability

This paper proposes an approach for determining optimal locations and capacities of multiple FACTS devices for congestion relief considering voltage stability in deregulated electricity market. The objectives of FACTS allocation are both to minimize annual device investment cost and maximize annual benefit defined as difference between expected security cost (ESQ with and without FACTS installation. The expected cost consists of operating cost under normal state and considered contingencies along with their related probabilities to occur. Maximizing social welfare is the objective for normal state while maximizing social welfare as well as minimizing compensations for generation re-scheduling and load shedding are objectives in case of contingency. The proposed approach is different from previous FACTS devices allocation methods in considering control coordination of multiple FACTS devices as cost free effort for minimizing operating cost and securing the system. Then, generations re-scheduling and load shedding will be subsequently executed as non-cost free effort. The IEEE 14 bus test systems are used to demonstrate the proposed approach.
Analysis of ECs and related compounds in plasma: artifactual isomerization and ex vivo enzymatic generation of 2-MGs[S]

The analysis of peripheral endocannabinoids (ECs) is a good biomarker of the EC system. Their concentrations, from clinical studies, strongly depend on sample collection and time processing conditions taking place in clinical and laboratory settings. The analysis of 2-monoacylglycerols (MGs) (i.e., 2-arachidonoylglycerol or 2-oleoylglycerol) is a particularly challenging issue because of their ex vivo formation and chemical isomerization that occur after blood sample collection. We provide evidence that their ex vivo formation can be minimized by adding Orlistat, an enzymatic lipase inhibitor, to plasma. Taking into consideration the low cost of Orlistat, we recommend its addition to plasma collecting tubes while maintaining sample cold chain until storage. We have validated a method for the determination of the EC profile of a range of MGs and N-acylethanolamides in plasma that preserves the original isomer ratio of MGs. Nevertheless, the chemical isomerization of 2-MGs can only be avoided by an immediate processing and analysis of samples due to their instability during conservation. We believe that this new methodology can aid in the harmonization of the measurement of ECs and related compounds in clinical samples.
Point‐of‐Care Sonography in the Emergency Department Diagnosis of Acute H1N1 Influenza Myocarditis

Myocarditis is an uncommon diagnosis that must be considered in young patients with acute myocardial dysfunction. Several infectious agents have been noted as causes of acute myocarditis; however, most cases are idiopathic in nature. This diagnosis may go unrecognized initially in patients presenting with atypical symptoms. We report a rare case of H1N1-related acute myocarditis diagnosed with point-of-care sonography in the emergency department (ED).