Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CARCINOEMBRYONIC ANTIGEN

A proficiency testing survey for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was conducted by the Center for Disease Control. The results from 125 laboratories throughout the United States indicate that many laboratories perform satisfactorily, but some laboratories need substantial improvement. Failure to follow manufacturer's recommendations and failure to heed the indications of "out of control" control results were two of the reasons for poor performance. Results reported for samples with CEA levels of -20 ng/ml showed that the direct method produced significantly higher values than the indirect method on either whole or diluted plasma. Almost one-fourth ofthe results reported in this survey were placed in the wrong nominal group. It was determined that the results were log normally distributed and, consequently, that statistical methods that are appropriate for this distribution should be used for the analysis of CEA results. Most of the variation observed was the result of poor comparability between laboratories rather than lack of precision within the laboratory. This indicates that better performance could be achieved by better standardization and closer adherence to established procedures.
Association Between the XRCC 1 Arg 399 Gln Polymorphism and Head and Neck Cancer Susceptibility : A Meta-Analysis Based on Case – Control Studies

Published data regarding the association between the XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism and head and neck cancer (HNC) susceptibility showed inconsistent results. This meta-analysis of eligible literatures was performed to draw a more precise estimation of the relationship. We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science with a time limit of Oct 28, 2013. Summary odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs were used to assess the strength of association between XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism and HNC susceptibility using random-effect model. A total of 27 case–control studies including 5942 cases and 9041 controls were included for analysis. Meta-analysis of total studies showed that the XRCC1 Arg399Gln variant carriers were not susceptible to HNC (AA vs. GG: OR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.77–1.11; AG vs. GG: OR = 1.05, 95% CI = 0.76–1.44; the dominant model AA + AG vs. GG: OR = 1.00, 95% CI = 0.78–1.29; the recessive model AA vs. AG + GG: OR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.71–1.16). Further, subgroup analyses by ethnicity and source of controls did not identify any significant associations of XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism with head and neck susceptibility in any populations. Our meta-analysis suggested that the XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism was not a risk factor for HNC susceptibility.
Non-equilibrium GaNAs Alloys with Band Gap Ranging from 0.8-3.4 eV

Abstract : A new alloy system, the GaN(sub 1-x)As(sub x) alloys in the whole composition range was successfully synthesized using the non-equilibrium low temperature molecular beam epitaxy method. The alloys are amorphous in the composition range of 0.17 x 0.75 and crystalline outside this region. The amorphous films have smooth morphology, homogeneous composition and sharp, well defined optical absorption edges. The bandgap energy varies in a broad energy range from 3.4 eV in GaN to0.8 eV at x0.85. The reduction of the band gap can be attributed primarily to the downward movement of the conduction band for alloys with x 0.2, and to the upward movement of the valence band for alloys with x 0.2.
H ∞ Filter / Controller Design for Discrete-time Takagi-Sugeno Fuzzy Systems with Time Delays

Unlike existing procedure, a simple transformation converting delay systems into non-delay systems to examine the stability of discrete-time fuzzy systems is proposed in this paper. And the advantage of the proposed method is that it can be specialized to the existing scheme. This method can be extended to deal with both control and filtering problems, therefore two sufficient conditions assuring the stability of filtering error system and closed-loop control system respectively are addressed in terms of LMIs. Also, H∞ performance is considered in both design problems. Lastly, a filter design example illustrates the proposed design methodology.
Defining redundancy in Histogram of any signal for reversible data embedding

Conventionally, sparse-histogram consists of redundant vacant bins that are is utilized for data embedding in histogram mapping based methods. However, when all bins are occupied, i.e., the histogram is not sparse, these methods are not applicable reversibly. In this paper, we propose a method that utilizes the universal parser to model any signal such that redundancy (i.e., sparse-histogram) can certainly be defined regardless its underlying statistical features of the signal. First, the universal parser recursively partitions the bitstream of signal into tuples until a sparse-histogram is obtained. Next, the redundancy in sparse-histogram is utilized to achieve data embedding by a proposed method, which associates tuples that occur in histogram with tuples of count zero. After that, to embed “1” from payload, a tuple is mapped to its associated counterpart tuple. However, no mapping is carried out to embed “0”. Empirically, it is verified that the proposed method is capable to define sparse-histogram (i.e., venues for data embedding) in any signal. The proposed method achieves average carrier capacity of ~ 31732 and ~ 126 bits in images of sparse and non sparse-histogram, respectively. Also, the proposed method is file-size preserving for images of sparse-histogram and causes limited file-size increase by 0.9% in images of non sparse-histogram.
Risks Posed by Reston, the Forgotten Ebolavirus

Out of the five members of the Ebolavirus family, four cause life-threatening disease, whereas the fifth, Reston virus (RESTV), is nonpathogenic in humans. ABSTRACT Out of the five members of the Ebolavirus family, four cause life-threatening disease, whereas the fifth, Reston virus (RESTV), is nonpathogenic in humans. The reasons for this discrepancy remain unclear. In this review, we analyze the currently available information to provide a state-of-the-art summary of the factors that determine the human pathogenicity of Ebolaviruses. RESTV causes sporadic infections in cynomolgus monkeys and is found in domestic pigs throughout the Philippines and China. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that RESTV is most closely related to the Sudan virus, which causes a high mortality rate in humans. Amino acid sequence differences between RESTV and the other Ebolaviruses are found in all nine Ebolavirus proteins, though no one residue appears sufficient to confer pathogenicity. Changes in the glycoprotein contribute to differences in Ebolavirus pathogenicity but are not sufficient to confer pathogenicity on their own. Similarly, differences in VP24 and VP35 affect viral immune evasion and are associated with changes in human pathogenicity. A recent in silico analysis systematically determined the functional consequences of sequence variations between RESTV and human-pathogenic Ebolaviruses. Multiple positions in VP24 were differently conserved between RESTV and the other Ebolaviruses and may alter human pathogenicity. In conclusion, the factors that determine the pathogenicity of Ebolaviruses in humans remain insufficiently understood. An improved understanding of these pathogenicity-determining factors is of crucial importance for disease prevention and for the early detection of emergent and potentially human-pathogenic RESTVs.
Observations on the responses of muscle to mechanical and electrical stimuli

Responses to mechanical and electrical stimuli have been studied in vastus medialis in four young adults. Percussion causes an immediate, brief contraction in those muscle fibres passing beneath the site of the blow. This is accompanied by EMG activity which is propagated along the muscle fibres at a normal velocity of around 4 m/sec. The EMG activity lasts much longer than that produced by a single electrical stimulus to muscle fibres because repetitive firing occurs in some of the muscle fibres activated mechanically. This response to percussion is unaffected by nerve blockade with 2% xylocaine. Percussion close to the motor point may cause delayed fasciculation due to activation of intramuscular motor nerve fibres. This, too, is unaffected by nerve blockade. Some observations on EMG insertional activity provoked by needle movement are reported. It is concluded that muscle has a basic tendency to discharge repetitively when stimulated by mechanical means and that EMG insertional activity and the EMG response to percussion reported in this paper are both manifestations of this same tendency, which is increased in the myotonias.
Development of a Polishing Jig for Machining Centres

A polishing jig was designed and manufactured to enable polishing of metal surfaces on CNC machining centres, on which these surfaces are normally finish-machined first. The jig accommodates ring-type tools rotated by a high speed spindle, rendering the machining centre’s own spindle redundant. Passive control of the polishing force is materialized through the machining centre’s Z axis displacement acting on the jig’s springs. Jig design is explained laying special emphasis on calculations pertaining to the springs employed. Functionality of the jig was tested with trochoidal polishing paths and typical results are presented in terms of peak-to-valley surface roughness attained, verifying that a uniform ‘mirror range’ finish is achievable.
Human fibrocytes coexpress thyroglobulin and thyrotropin receptor

Thyroglobulin (Tg) is the macromolecular precursor of thyroid hormones and is thought to be uniquely expressed by thyroid epithelial cells. Tg and the thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) are targets for autoantibody generation in the autoimmune disorder Graves disease (GD). Fully expressed GD is characterized by thyroid overactivity and orbital tissue inflammation and remodeling. This process is known as thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO). Early reports suggested that in TAO, both Tg and TSHR become overexpressed in orbital tissues. Previously, we found that CD34+ progenitor cells, known as fibrocytes, express functional TSHR, infiltrate the orbit, and comprise a large subset of orbital fibroblasts in TAO. We now report that fibrocytes also express Tg, which resolves as a 305-kDa protein on Western blots. It can be immunoprecipitated with anti-Tg Abs. Further, 125iodine and [35S]methionine are incorporated into Tg expressed by fibrocytes. De novo Tg synthesis is attenuated with a specific small interfering RNA targeting the protein. A fragment of the Tg gene promoter fused to a luciferase reporter exhibits substantial activity when transfected into fibrocytes. Unlike fibrocytes, GD orbital fibroblasts, which comprise a mixture of CD34+ and CD34− cells, express much lower levels of Tg and TSHR. When sorted into pure CD34+ and CD34− subsets, Tg and TSHR mRNA levels become substantially higher in CD34+ cells. These findings indicate that human fibrocytes express multiple “thyroid-specific” proteins, the levels of which are reduced after they infiltrate tissue. Our observations establish the basis for Tg accumulation in orbital GD.
In situ analysis of strain relaxation during catalyst-free nucleation and growth of GaN nanowires

Strain relaxation mechanisms occurring during self-induced growth of nitride nanowires are investigated by in situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction and ex situ high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Epitaxial GaN nanowires nucleate on an AlN buffer layer under highly nitrogen-rich conditions via the initial formation of coherently strained three-dimensional islands according to the Volmer–Weber growth mechanism. The epitaxial strain relief in these islands occurs by two different processes. Initially, strain is elastically relieved via several shape transitions. Subsequently, plastic relaxation takes place through the formation of a misfit dislocation at the GaN/AlN interface. At the same time, a final shape transition to fully relaxed nanowires occurs.
The elvitegravir Quad pill: the first once-daily dual-target anti-HIV tablet

Anti-HIV combination therapies in a single formulation currently target only HIV-1 reverse transcriptase via two different mechanisms of action by associating a nucleoside and a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor. These combination therapies are therefore referred to as multi-class combination products. The elvitegravir Quad pill (Gilead Sciences), when approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of HIV/AIDS, will become the first once-daily dual-target anti-HIV tablet. This “4 in 1” tablet targets HIV-1 integrase by elvitegravir boosted by the pharmaco-enhancer cobicistat and HIV-1 reverse transcriptase by the two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors emtricitabine + tenofovir disoproxil fumarate. A second pill referred to as the 572-Trii pill (Shionogi-ViiV Healthcare, LLC), also based on the dual inhibition of integrase and reverse transcriptase, is currently in late-phase clinical trials. The availability of these novel once-daily anti-HIV tablets will improve treatment adherence and offer new perspective for patient failing existing antiviral regimens.
ZnO/ZrO2 composites: synthesis characterization and photocatalytic performance in the degradation of oxytetracycline antibiotic

ABSTRACT ZnO/ZrO2 composite catalysts of different morphologies were synthesized by co-precipitation method and then characterized by SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope), XRD (X-ray Diffraction), PL (Photoluminescence), UV-vis DRS (Diffuse Reflectance Spectra). The surface properties were obtained using BET advanced analytical technique. The synthesized catalysts were analyzed to determine the photocatalytic efficiency using oxytetracycline (OTC) antibiotic under UV light. ZnO/ZrO2 with mole ratio 0.5:1 exhibited higher photocatalytic activity under optimal conditions that can be attributed to the effective inhibition of e−/h+ recombination. The optimal experimental conditions were setup at pH 5 with catalyst dosage of 24 g∙L−1 and at initial OTC concentration of 10 mg∙L−1. The carbonate, nitrate and iodate ions (were used to evaluate possible degradation mechanism. The ions were found more active in the photocatalytic degradation mechanism.
Design and Implementation of Self-Oscillating Flyback Converter With Efficiency Enhancement Mechanisms

This paper presents a self-oscillating flyback converter with efficiency enhancement mechanisms using lossless snubber and the energy recovery winding. The conventional self-oscillating flyback converter with resistor-capacitor-diode snubber has the issues of low conversion efficiency and high no-load power loss. Furthermore, in order to fulfill the 95 Vp-p voltage limitation of the IEC62684 Common-Mode (CM) Standard, the parasitic capacitor of a transformer between the primary and secondary windings has to be reduced, which leads to large leakage inductance for the transformer. However, the larger leakage inductance stores more energy to cause the high voltage spike on the main switch during the turnoff transition period. Therefore, the lossless snubber is employed to suppress the voltage spike and increase the conversion efficiency. In order to increase more conversion efficiency, the energy recovery winding is employed to recycle the energy discharged from the gate-source capacitor of the main switch. Furthermore, the burst-mode control mechanism is utilized to reduce the power consumption at the no-load and light-load conditions. Finally, a prototype circuit of the 7.5-W self-oscillating flyback converter with efficiency enhancement mechanisms is built to verify the performance feasibility, such as the CM voltage, the voltage stress on the switch, the conversion efficiency, and the no-load power loss.
On differential depletion length of Schottky diodes with copper-nickel alloy metal of front contact

This work was prepared in two sections; the first section describes how to alloy Schottky diodes and aims to understand how metal alloys affect the essential parameters of Schottky diodes at the metal-semiconductor interface. The second section covers the varying differential depletion length in (Cu% Ni%)/n-Si/Al binary-alloyed Schottky diodes. After collecting data, the characteristics of Schottky diodes are calculated by plotting them with an increasing percentage ratio of the first element. We see that alloyed Schottky diode characteristics significantly depend on the mass percentage ratio of the first element. Significant results are seen: first, V bi (built-in potential) directly affects the characteristics of Schottky diodes with a turning point occurring at the V bi point on the axis, and second, the built-in potential plays a key role in Schottky diode characteristics. Estimation of the depletion length depends on the built-in potential. For the forward and reverse bias cases, the depletion length versus voltage graphs are identical, but with their symmetry mirrored. Analyzing the differential depletion lengths, it is easily seen that they have higher or lower values compared to the zero depletion length for the forward and reverse bias cases, respectively. When the depletion length formula is expanded in a series, new equations are obtained to show significant effects on Schottky diode characteristics.
Rapid efficient macromolecular substructure searching in a cloud

We present, https://drugsite.msi. umn.edu, a centralized database and an associated application suite that supports searching for complex substructures in macromolecules from the Protein Data Bank (PDB) [2] and user uploaded structures, storing and sharing user provided macromolecular data, and presenting search results. Each macromolecular structure is represented by the pairwise distances between all the pairs of amino acids and nucleotides in the structure (including intermolecular distances). Given the distance geometry representation of a query complex substructure, one can search a database of macromolecular structures and identify other structures that contain similar distance patterns, a process called distance geometry matching [3]. Matching substructures are ranked by RMSD with respect to the query substructure and annotated with the sequence of the matches. The atoms of the matching amino acids and nucleotides are superimposed on the corresponding atoms in query substructure, and users may download the superimposed structures. The search process is challenging because of the relatively large amount of data, the combinatorics of combining segment matches, and our goal of searching the data in a few seconds. Our distance geometry matching method is very flexible and allows users to tailor searches to their needs. It is the only method known to the authors that searches for local likeness within and between any combination of protein and RNA/DNA molecules. It is expected that our continued efforts on search efficiency will show that the substructure searching method can be used to rapidly search the entire PDB using relatively modest hardware.
REG1A expression is a prognostic marker in colorectal cancer and associated with peritoneal carcinomatosis

By expression profiling of early staged colon carcinomas, we found regenerating islet‐derived 1 alpha (REG1A) to be upregulated in patients with an unfavorable clinical outcome. For validation, REG1A expression was quantified in another colorectal cancer (CRC) patient cohort by Taqman PCR. Aside from tumor and normal tissue from 63 nonpretreated CRC patients, 31 mucosa biopsies from healthy individuals as well as 22 adenomas were included in the investigation. REG1A was significantly upregulated in tumor specimens (p < 0.001) and adenoma (p < 0.01) as compared to normal colorectal tissue. REG1A expression in normal peritumoral tissue in turn proved to be significantly elevated compared to mucosa from healthy individuals (p < 0.01). Determination of REG1A expression might be useful for early tumor diagnosis with a sensitivity of 90.6%, and a specificity of 77.9%. REG1A expression was significantly increased in tumors with peritoneal carcinomatosis (p < 0.01). Moreover, REG1A turned out to be a significant predictor of disease‐free survival (p < 0.05). In conclusion, we present evidence that REG1A is a molecular marker of prognostic value and is associated with peritoneal carcinomatosis in CRC. REG1A turned out to be already significantly raised in peritumoral normal tissue compared to mucosa from healthy individuals, suggesting a molecular field effect of secreted REG1A. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Private and fair pay-per-view scheme for Web-based video-on-demand systems

With the development of high speed computer networks, various Web-based services have become available. One Web-based service is video-on-demand (VOD). VOD allows subscribers to view any video whenever they want. Pay-per-view is an effective charge scheme for a VOD service. Pay-per-view allows subscribers to pay for what they have viewed. Pay-per-view schemes have been proposed by J. Zhou and K. Lam (see Proc. Second Int. Workshop on Practice and Theory in Public Key Cryptography, Lect. Notes in Comp. Sci., vol.1560, p.315-26, 1999) and by N. Lee (see IEEE Trans. Consumer Electron., vol.46, no.4, p.980-5, 2000). Those schemes can give a basic pay-per-view charging capability but lack practicality because they do not consider client buffering and VCR functions. Videos cannot play smoothly without client buffering. Subscribers consider VCR functions very convenient. We propose a pay-per-view scheme that allows client buffering and supports VCR functions. The proposed scheme also supports protection of the program from non-subscribers and protection of the privacy of subscribers.