Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Formal Model for Module Interconnection Languages

A model is proposed that formalizes the design of hierarchical module structures. The model is specified by a collection of Z schema type definitions that is invariant across all applications. A particular application is described by specifying the values of generic parameters and adding application-specific declarations and constraints to the schema definitions. As applications, the definitions in the model are used to describe the Conic configuration language and the STILE graphical design and development environment. >
Screening for oral cancer.

The incidence of oral cancer appears to be increasing, especially in younger patients. Risk factors include use of tobacco and alcohol, and exposure to human papillomavirus. ViziLite Plus (Zila Pharmaceuticals) is a combination device that uses fluorescent light and toluidine blue tissue staining to help dentists identify abnormal changes in the mucous membranes of the oral cavity. Originally developed for detecting abnormal growths on the uterine cervix, in 2001 it received FDA clearance for "identification, evaluation, and monitoring of oral mucosal abnormalities in a patient population at increased risk for oral cancer. " The toluidine blue marking system was cleared for inclusion in 2005.
Presence of a novel Ehrlichia sp. in Ixodes granulatus found in Okinawa, Japan

Ehrlichia‐specific DNA fragments of Ehrlichia omp‐1 and groEL genes were found in two I. granulatus ticks which had been collected from wild small mammals in a subtropical zone in Japan. The DNA sequences of groEL and 16SrDNA of the suspected Ehrlichia were clustered into a group of E. chaffeensis, E. muris, and Ehrlichia sp. HF565 found in I. ovatus, but were distinctly different. Therefore the Ehrlichia strain was designated as a novel Ehrlichia sp. 360. The Ehrlichia sp. 360 was detected in I. granulatus but not in any other ticks. This suggests that I. granulatus is a probable vector of Ehrlichia sp. 360 in Japan.
Theory of light propagation in strongly modulated photonic crystals: Refractionlike behavior in the vicinity of the photonic band gap

Although light propagation in weakly modulated photonic crystals is basically similar to propagation in a diffraction grating in which conventional refractive index loses its meaning, we demonstrate that light propagation in strongly modulated two-dimensional (2D)/3D photonic crystals becomes refractionlike in the vicinity of the photonic bandgap. Such a crystal behaves as a material having an effective refractive index controllable by the band structure. This situation is analogous to the effective-mass approximation in electron-band theory. By utilizing this phenomenon, negatively refractive material can be realized, which has interesting optical properties such as mirror-image refraction.
Structural Analysis on Social Network Constructed from Characters in Literature Texts

Recently we witnessed that the social network analysis focusing on social entities is applied in the social science and web-science, behavioral sciences, as well as in economics, marketing. In this paper we present one method to construct and structure analysis the social network from literary fictions by a simple lexical analysis. And we will show that those literary social graphs, shows the power law distribution of some features, which is the typical characteristics of complex systems. We newly proposed the concept of the kernel of literary social network by which we can classify the abstract level of protagonists appeared in fictions. And we also studied the connectivity of social network based on statement distance distribution of characters. Our study shows that the metric distance among characters written in linear text is very similar to the intrinsic and semantic relationship described by fiction writers, which implies the proposed social network from fictions could be another representation of literary fiction. So we can apply other scientific and quantitative approach by analyzing the concrete social graph model extracted from textual data.
18F-FDG in cardiology and oncology: the bitter with the sweet.

In oncology and cardiology, 18F-FDG has proven of great practical use. Its use is so widespread that we often forget that the physiologic interpretation of the uptake and metabolism of 18F-FDG is by no means straightforward and has been the subject of argument for decades ([1][1]). The article by
Simple Estimation and Test Procedures in Capture–Mark–Recapture Mixed Models

Summary The need to consider in capture‐recapture models random effects besides fixed effects such as those of environmental covariates has been widely recognized over the last years. However, formal approaches require involved likelihood integrations, and conceptual and technical difficulties have slowed down the spread of capture–recapture mixed models among biologists. In this article, we evaluate simple procedures to test for the effect of an environmental covariate on parameters such as time‐varying survival probabilities in presence of a random effect corresponding to unexplained environmental variation. We show that the usual likelihood ratio test between fixed models is strongly biased, and tends to detect too often a covariate effect. Permutation and analysis of deviance tests are shown to behave properly and are recommended. Permutation tests are implemented in the latest version of program E‐SURGE. Our approach also applies to generalized linear mixed models.
SUCCESSFUL REVERSAL OF SPONTANEOUS DIABETES IN DOGS BY INTRAPERITONEAL MICROENCAPSULATED ISLETS

Long-term euglycemia by intraperitoneal transplantation of microencapsulated islets has not been described in the diabetic large animal model. In this study, we report the successful long-term reversal of diabetes by this method in spontaneous diabetic dogs. We have identified fundamental mechanism (s) associated with alginate-based microcapsule fibrosis, and have devised methods to ameliorate this problem. These include the use of purified alginate of low mannuronic acid content and cytokine suppression. Ten insulin-dependent, spontaneous diabetic dogs (insulin requirement 1–4 units/kg/day; absence of circulating C-peptide and diabetic K-values of 0.6±0.4) were entered into the study. Islets from mongrel donor pancreata were isolated and transplanted intraperitoneally either as free islet controls (n=3) or as microencapsulated islet allografts (n=7). In all seven encapsulated islet recipients, euglycemia was achieved within 24 hr (serum glucose falling from 304±117 to 116±72 mg/dl). IVGTT performed 14 days after islet transplant demonstrated normalization of K-values changing from a pretransplant level of 0.6±0.4 to 2.6±0.6. All animals receiving encapsulated islets remained euglycemic, free of the need for exogenous insulin, for a period of 63–172 days, with a median insulin-independence for 105 days. In contrast, recipients receiving free islets rejected their graft within seven days of implantation. In conclusion, this is the first report of long-term successful reversal of spontaneous diabetes in the large animal model by an intraperitoneal injection of encapsulated islets. The potential exists for this form of therapy to be explored in the treatment of type I diabetes in man.
Approximate Tradeoffs on Matroids

We consider problems where a solution is evaluated with a couple. Each coordinate of this couple represents an agent's utility. Due to the possible conflicts, it is unlikely that one feasible solution is optimal for both agents. Then, a natural aim is to find tradeoffs. We investigate tradeoff solutions with guarantees for the agents. The focus is on discrete problems having a matroid structure. We provide polynomial-time deterministic algorithms which achieve several guarantees and we prove that some guarantees are not possible to reach.
Specific amino acids inhibit food intake via the area postrema or vagal afferents

• Proteins are more satiating than fats or lipids. Proteins are built by the 20 proteogenic amino acids. • Here, we identified l‐arginine, l‐lysine and l‐glutamic acid as the most potent anorectic amino acids in rats. • l‐Arginine and l‐glutamic acid require intact neurons in the area postrema to inhibit food intake, whereas l‐lysine requires intact afferent fibres of the vagus nerve. All three mediate their effect by the blood stream. • All three amino acids induce gastric distension by delaying gastric emptying and inducing secretion. However, the gastric phenotype does not mediate the anorectic response. • These results unravel amino acid‐specific mechanisms regulating digestion and eating behaviour and thereby contribute to the understanding of nutrient sensing in vivo.
Human Body Communications Performance Simulations

Human Body Communication (HBC) is a novel communication method between devices which use human body as a transmission medium. This idea is mostly based on the concept of wireless biomedical monitoring system. The on-body sensor nodes can monitor vital signs of a human body and use the body as a transmission medium. This technology is convenient for long durations of clinical monitoring with the option of more mobility and freedom for the user. In this thesis, IEEE 802.15. 6-2012 physical (PHY) layer for the HBC was simulated. Simulation model is following the standard’s requirements and processes. The human body was taken as a transmission medium and simulations, which follow the HBC standard, have been carried out. For the purpose of simulations, MATLAB is used as a platform to test and run the simulations. The constants and variables used in the simulations are taken from the IEEE 802.15 working group for wireless personal area networks (WPANs). The transmitter model and the receiver model have been taken from the standard, with changes done in it for performing the simulations on the PHY layer only. The simulations were done keeping in mind the dielectric properties of the outer layer of a human body, i.e., the dielectric values for human skin are noted and their corresponding values were used in the mathematical calculations. The work done here presents a transmitter and receiver architecture for the human body communication. The minimum data rate being 164 kbps and the transmitter being designed around the 21 MHz center frequency has achieved some outputs which are worth looking. The channel models used in this simulator are HBC channel and AWGN (additive white Gaussian noise) channel. It was observed that when signal was passed through AWGN channel, noise was added uniformly over the signal, while in the HBC channel signal strength is directly proportional to the transceiver ground sizes. In conclusion, the size of the ground terminals plays a critical role for the signal quality in the HBC simulator. The results in this thesis show that pathloss has certain linearity with the distance. The pathloss is calculated for different parts of the body with higher loss for structure with higher amount of bone, and vice versa. It is observed that in the HBC channel there are four factors with high impact on the system. These are the distances between the transceiver in air and on body while the other two are the sizes of the transceiver grounds. The size of the transmitter ground has been deemed very significant for the HBC from the simulations results. The four factors show high impact on the HBC channel. The signal strength is highly effected with the change in these four characteristics. From the simulation results it is evident that the HBC channel show a 15 to 20 dB deviation when compared to AWGN channel. The Eb N0 ⁄ for BER level at 10 for AWGN channel is 10 to 11 dB while for HBC it is around 27 dB showing a significant difference in the results.
Feedback-Linearization-Based Nonlinear Control for PEM Fuel Cells

This paper presents a dynamic nonlinear model for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). A nonlinear controller is designed based on the proposed model to prolong the stack life of the PEM fuel cells. Since it is known that large deviations between hydrogen and oxygen partial pressures can cause severe membrane damage in the fuel cell, feedback linearization is applied to the PEM fuel cell system so that the deviation can be kept as small as possible during disturbances or load variations. A dynamic PEM fuel cell model is proposed as a nonlinear, multiple-input multiple-output system so that feedback linearization can be directly utilized. During the control design, hydrogen and oxygen inlet flow rates are defined as the control variables, and the pressures of hydrogen and oxygen are appropriately defined as the control objectives. The details of the design of the control scheme are provided in the paper. The proposed dynamic model was tested by comparing the simulation results with the experimental data previously published. The simulation results show that PEMFCs equipped with the proposed nonlinear controls have better transient performances than those with linear controls.
CT Evaluation of the progression of hypoattenuating nodular lesions in virus-related chronic liver disease.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to clarify the natural outcomes of hypoattenuating nodular lesions in patients with virus-related chronic liver disease depicted on dynamic CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS Sixty lesions (mean size, 1.3 cm) exhibiting hypoattenuation or isoattenuation in the arterial and delayed phases of dynamic CT were retrospectively evaluated with additional CT (mean, six examinations) for a mean period of 838 days. The primary end point was emergence of hyperattenuating areas within hypoattenuating lesions, a phenomenon called attenuation conversion. Cumulative attenuation conversion rates suggesting rates of malignant transformation were calculated with the Kaplan-Meier method, and factors affecting attenuation conversion rate were analyzed with the Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS Thirty-six (60%) of 60 hypoattenuating lesions developed to hyperattenuating lesions, 21 were unchanged, and three disappeared spontaneously. The 36 lesions that became hyperattenuating were divided into two subgroups according to lesion enhancement pattern: hyper-in-hypoattenuating (n = 25) and entirely hyperattenuating (n = 11). The cumulative attenuation conversion rates for the 60 hypoattenuating lesions were 15.8%, 44.3%, and 58.7% at 1, 2, and 3 years. The hyper-in-hypoattenuating lesions showed more rapid progression to entirely enhanced lesions. Positive results for hepatitis C viral antibody (p = 0.028) and initial lesion size (p = 0.007) showed a positive correlation with attenuation conversion rate. CONCLUSION Hypoattenuating hepatic nodular lesions in chronic liver disease depicted on dynamic CT have high malignant potential and should be followed with special attention to conversion from hypoattenuation to hyperattenuation to determine the optimal timing of treatment.
Thyromental Height: A New Clinical Test for Prediction of Difficult Laryngoscopy

BACKGROUND: The incidence of difficult laryngoscopy is reported in the range of 1.5% to 20%. We hypothesized that there is a close association between the occurrence of difficult laryngoscopy and the height between the anterior borders of the mentum and thyroid cartilage, while the patient lies supine with her/his mouth closed. We have termed this the “thyromental height test” (TMHT). Our aim in this study was to determine its utility in predicting difficult laryngoscopy. METHODS: Three hundred fourteen consecutive male and female patients aged ≥16 years scheduled to undergo general anesthesia were invited to participate. Airway assessments were performed with the modified Mallampati test, thyromental distance and sternomental distance, and TMHT in the preoperative clinic. Afterward, Cormack and Lehane grade of laryngoscopy views was assessed during intubation. The laryngoscopist was unaware of airway assessments. As a primary end point, the validity and prediction indexes for the TMHT were calculated. Calculation of validity indexes for the 3 other methods of airway assessment was a secondary objective of this study. RESULTS: The optimal sensitivity and specificity values were in the range of 47.46 to 51.02 mm. To facilitate clinical application, a cutoff value equal to 50 mm was chosen. TMHT was more accurate than the other tests (all P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The TMHT appears to be a more accurate predictor of difficult laryngoscopy than the existing anatomical measurements.
Why Nonoxynol-9 May Have Failed to Prevent Acquisition of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Clinical Trials

Objectives: To understand why clinical trials failed to demonstrate efficacy of nonoxynol-9 in preventing gonorrhea. Goal: To test the hypothesis that nonoyxnol-9 failed to prevent acquisition of Neisseria gonorrhoeae because most isolates are resistant to killing by nonoyxnol-9 at the level attainable with intravaginal use. Study: The lowest concentrations of nonoxynol-9 required to kill or inhibit growth of clinical isolates of N gonorrhoeae and Lactobacillus were determined. Results: Most strains (17 of 25) of N gonorrhoeae (68%) were resistant to the highest concentration of nonoxynol-9 tested (20%). L crispatus (100%), L jensenii (90%), and L iners (79%) were also resistant to nonoxynol-9. Conclusions: N gonorrhoeae and H2O2-producing strains of vaginal lactobacilli were not killed by nonoxynol-9 at concentrations greater than those achievable in vivo. Earlier studies that formed the basis for subsequent trials most likely did not detect resistance because too few isolates were evaluated. Large numbers of clinical isolates should be examined before the initiation of clinical trial using microbicidal products.
Ready-set-transfer! Technology transfer in the requirements engineering domain

The primary goal of requirements engineering research is to propose, develop, and validate effective solutions for important practical problems. However practice has shown that successful projects often take from 20–25 years to reach the stage of full industry adoption, while many other projects fizzle out and never advance beyond the initial research phase. In this interactive panel, teams of researchers representing several different requirements engineering research areas, bring ideas for technology transfer to a panel of industrial and government practitioners. The teams proceed through a series of interactive presentations and receive feedback from panelists. Underlying the game-show genre of the panel is the more serious goal to foster conversation between practitioners and researchers in order to improve the effectiveness of technology transfer in the requirements engineering community.
Predictors of Radiographic Knee Osteoarthritis After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Background: Evidence suggests that single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction does not reliably prevent the development of knee osteoarthritis (OA). Purpose: This study was conducted to determine the overall prevalence of and risk factors for the development of radiographic knee OA after single-bundle ACL reconstruction. Study Design: Case control study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: There were 249 individuals who had undergone primary single-bundle ACL reconstruction included in this retrospective cohort study. Follow-up radiographs were scored by a single orthopaedic surgery sports medicine fellow using the Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) scale to determine the degree of OA in the medial, lateral, and patellofemoral compartments. Radiographic OA of the involved knee was considered to be present if, compared with the noninvolved knee, there was at least a 2-grade difference in the KL score in at least 1 compartment or a 1-grade difference in at least 2 compartments. Predictors of OA that were explored included patient age, sex, body mass index (BMI), smoking status activity level, meniscectomy before or concurrent with ACL reconstruction, chondral injury present at the time of ACL reconstruction, graft type and source, tibial and femoral tunnel positions, need for revision, and length of follow-up. Univariable and stepwise multivariable logistic regressions were used to identify factors that were associated with radiographic knee OA. Results: Thirty-nine percent of the patients had radiographic OA an average of 7.8 years after surgery. Female sex, BMI, time from injury to surgery, medial and patellofemoral compartment chondrosis, prior medial or lateral meniscectomy, concurrent medial meniscectomy, and length of follow-up were associated with radiographic knee OA after ACL surgery. Stepwise multivariable logistic regression indicated that prior medial meniscectomy (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.39-6.85), grade 2 or greater medial chondrosis (95% CI, 1.27-6.73), length of follow-up (95% CI, 1.07-1.24), and BMI (overweight 95% CI, 1.08-3.84; obese 95% CI, 1.34-7.80) were the best set of predictors of knee OA. Conclusion: Despite reduced laxity and instability and improved activity and participation, individuals who have undergone ACL reconstruction are still at high risk for developing knee OA compared with the general population. The strongest predictors of knee OA after ACL reconstruction were obesity and grade 2 or greater chondrosis in the medial compartment. These results may aid in identifying patients at risk for OA after ACL reconstruction.
Histamine‐receptor blockade reduces blood flow but not muscle glucose uptake during postexercise recovery in humans

Skeletal muscle vasodilatation persists following a single bout of exercise and can potentially influence glucose uptake by recovering muscle. To investigate whether blood flow is a rate‐limiting component in postexercise muscle glucose uptake, we tested the hypothesis that oral ingestion of H1‐ and H2‐receptor antagonists, known to attenuate the sustained postexercise vasodilatation, would reduce leg glucose uptake after a bout of cycling. Healthy, recreationally active subjects (n= 8) exercised for 1 h at 60% of peak oxygen consumption on each of two days, with (blockade) and without (control) histamine‐receptor antagonism. For 2 h of recovery following exercise, arteriovenous glucose differences were assessed from the radial artery and femoral vein, and leg blood flow was measured using Doppler ultrasonography on the common femoral artery. Femoral blood flow following exercise was 65.4 ± 16.4 ml min−1 lower on the blockade day compared with the control day (P < 0.05). Likewise, glucose delivery was 0.177 ± 0.045 mmol min−1 lower with blockade (P < 0.05). However, histamine‐receptor antagonism produced no consistent effect on leg glucose uptake following exercise, due to high interindividual variability. In conclusion, while oral ingestion of H1‐ and H2‐receptor antagonists alters postexercise recovery by attenuating vasodilatation, leg glucose uptake is not universally affected in recreationally active individuals.
Domain-independent Model for Chemical Compound and Drug Name Recognition

This paper briefly describes the works that we have carried out as part of our participation in the BioCreative-IV Track-2 shared task on chemical compound and drug name recognition. We submit five runs, all of which are based on the machine learning approaches. As the machine learning techniques we use Conditional Random Field (CRF), Support Vector Machine (SVM) and a simple ensemble technique. Our system is domain-independent in the sense that it does not make use of any domain-specific external resources and/or tools. Here we report the evaluation results for only of those runs where development set is not included as part of the training procedure. We obtain the best performance with a CRF based model that shows the micro average recall, precision and F-score values of 72.80%, 75.82% and 74.28%, respectively. The same model yields the macro average recall, precision and F-core values of 73.96%, 74.22% and 72.47%, respectively.