Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The BIM deletion polymorphism is a prognostic biomarker of EGFR-TKIs response in NSCLC: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The prognostic value of Bcl-2-like protein 11 (BIM) deletion polymorphism for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) treatment in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were reported. However, the results remained controversial. Thus, we did this systematic review and meta-analysis to address this issue. Databases including PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials were searched to find relevant studies. The primary outcome was progression-free survival (PFS). Five retrospective cohort studies were included. All of the studies were conducted in Asian population (n = 951). The methodological quality of all included studies was high. Compared with BIM wild type, BIM deletion polymorphism was predictive of shorter PFS in NSCLC patients who were treated with EGFR-TKIs (adjusted HR = 2.38, 95% CI 1.66–2.41, P < 0.001). In conclusion, the BIM deletion polymorphism was associated with poor response in NSCLC patients who received EGFR-TKIs treatment.
Coexistence of Chronic Lymphocytic Thyroiditis with Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: Clinical Manifestation and Prognostic Outcome

The study aimed to identify the clinical characteristics of coexisting chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis (CLT) in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and to evaluate the influence on prognosis. A total of 1,357 patients who underwent thyroid surgery for PTC were included. The clinicopathological characteristics were identified. Patients who underwent total thyroidectomy (n = 597) were studied to evaluate the influence of coexistent CLT on prognosis. Among the total 1,357 patients, 359 (26.5%) had coexistent CLT. In the CLT group, the prevalence of females was higher than in the control group without CLT (P < 0.001). Mean tumor size and mean age in the patients with CLT were smaller than without CLT (P = 0.040, P = 0.047, respectively). Extrathyroidal extension in the patients with CLT was significantly lower than without CLT (P = 0.016). Among the subset of 597 patients, disease-free survival rate in the patients with CLT was significantly higher than without CLT (P = 0.042). However, the multivariate analysis did not reveal a negative association between CLT coexistence and recurrence. Patients with CLT display a greater female preponderance, smaller size, younger and lower extrathyroidal extension. CLT is not a significant independent negative predictive factor for recurrence, although presence of CLT indicates a reduced risk of recurrence.
EX POST MORAL HAZARD IN CROP INSURANCE: COSTLY STATE VERIFICATION OR FALSIFICATION?

This article examines the extent to which actual crop insurance indemnification behaviour conforms to the theoretical predictions of two ex post moral hazard models ? costly state verification and costly state falsification ? and then explores whether the closely conforming model can indeed help deter ex post moral hazard in the United States (US) crop insurance program. The results suggest that indemnification behaviour in crop insurance is more in line with the costly state verification model. Following the theoretical predictions of the costly state verification model, however, may not be the optimal policy to deter ex post moral hazard since it is possible for insured producers to deceive loss adjusters and for loss magnitudes to not be truthfully verified.
Orthographic and phonological effects in the picture–word interference paradigm: Evidence from a logographic language

ABSTRACT One important finding with the picture–word interference paradigm is that picture-naming performance is facilitated by the presentation of a distractor (e.g., CAP) formally related to the picture name (e.g., “cat”). In two picture-naming experiments we investigated the nature of such form facilitation effect with Mandarin Chinese, separating the effects of phonology and orthography. Significant facilitation effects were observed both when distractors were only orthographically or only phonologically related to the targets. The orthographic effect was overall stronger than the phonological effect. These findings suggest that the classic form facilitation effect in picture–word interference is a mixed effect with multiple loci: it cannot be attributed merely to the nonlexical activation of the target phonological segments from the visual input of the distractor. It seems instead that orthographically only related distractors facilitate the lexical selection process of picture naming, and phonologically only related distractors facilitate the retrieval of target phonological segments.
Prospects for Implementing the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement

The KORUS FTA was signed on June 30, 2007, but has not yet been sent to Congress for ratification. US concerns about auto and beef trade are the main stumbling blocks. At the Toronto G-20 Summit in June 2010, Presidents Obama and Lee Myung Bak tasked their officials to find solutions by the November Seoul G-20 Summit. If a deal is struck, implementing legislation could be submitted to Congress in early 2011. This paper assesses the problems and potential solutions to these problems and options for legislative action. The author concludes that, once submitted, the KORUS FTA will be approved for three reasons--all related to actions taken by other countries that could adversely affect US commercial and security interests in the Asia-Pacific region. The first reason is to demonstrate support for a strong ally facing North Korean aggression. Neither country wants to let a few provisions in a major trade agreement create friction in a strategically important bilateral alliance. The second reason is to secure a level playing field for US exporters in the Korean market. The imminent signing of the Korea-EU FTA, an agreement modeled on and largely comparable to the KORUS FTA, increases the urgency of Congressional action on the KORUS FTA since US and EU exports compete for sales in the Korean market. The third reason relates to the ability of US officials to advance US economic interests through an effective trade policy. Implementing KORUS is important to help maintain the credibility of US trade initiatives that seek to boost US exports, constrain Chinese economic influence in the Asia-Pacific region, and advance overall US foreign policy and security interests.
Ejection Chains Filter and Fan Traveling Salesman Vehicle Routing Crew Scheduling Quadratic Assignment Capacitated Minimum Spanning Tree Facility Location Protein Folding Job Shop Scheduling

The design of effective neighborhood structures is fundamental to the performance of local search and metaheuristic algorithms for combinatorial optimization. Significant efforts have been made in the creation of larger and more powerful neighborhoods that are able to explore the solution space more extensively and effectively while keeping computation complexity within acceptable levels. The most important advances in this domain derive from dynamic and adaptive neighborhood constructions originating in ejection chain methods and a special form of a candidate list design that constitutes the core of the filter-and-fan method. The objective of this paper is to lay out the general framework of the ejection chain and filter-and-fan methods and present applications to a number of important combinatorial optimization problems. The features of the methods that make them effective in these applications is expected to provide insights into solving challenging problems in other settings.
The management of hemophilia in elderly patients

After the increasing rate of deaths observed during the 1980s due to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, the health-related quality of life and life expectancy of persons with hemophilia have improved, mainly due to the progresses of replacement therapy and antiviral drugs and to the improvement of the global comprehensive care provided by specialized centers. As a consequence, an increasing number of hemophiliacs have reached an older age and nowadays physicians in hemophilia centers find that they must handle age-related clinical problems never previously observed in this population. The management of elderly persons with congenital hemophilia is discussed in the first part of this review. The second part describes the general aspects of acquired hemophilia due to anti-factor VIII autoantibodies, focusing on the clinical management of elderly patients, one of the groups most frequently affected by this acquired bleeding disorder.
Hybrid CMOS-memristor 4T-NVSRAM cell for low power applications

Introduction to Memristor and Memristive devices in VLSI design and electronics add new features to both analog and digital circuit design. Memristor finds applications in different fields like memories with a non-volatile behaviour (NVRAM-Non-Volatile Random Access Memory), neural networks, robotics to mimic biological entities, Low-power and remote sensing applications, Analog computation and circuit Applications, Crossbar Latches, and Programmable Logic and Signal Processing. The basic property of Memristors is data storage, i.e. it serves as a memory element. This paper presents a hybrid combination of CMOS (Complimentary Metal-oxide Semiconductors) and the memristor to design a non-volatile load 4-Transistor (4T) Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) cell for Low Power applications. By combining the flexibility of MOS devices and the non-volatility of Memristors, storage circuitry shows potential to realize highly power-efficient and non-volatile storage systems. Memristor is a non-volatile element that memorizes the amount of charge passed through it while storing the information in the form of resistance. Simulations demonstrate the utility and functionality of the circuitry, where the memristor is precisely modeled using CAD tools. Simulation results are performed on Cadence virtuoso tool at 45nm technology. The results show that the proposed SRAM cell has the optimized results at a resistance of 10MΩ. The proposed circuit has Static Power (4.89×10-9 Watts), Dynamic Power (5.09×10-8 Watts) and Average Power (2.79×10-8 Watts).
IMAGE AND ANNOTATION RETRIEVAL VIA IMAGE CONTENTS AND TAGS

At present, tags are extensively used to describe the images, so that utilizing these tags for image retrieval system is today’s need. So, our system incorporates image similarity graph with image-tag bipartite graph using visual features of image like color, shape & texture . For color feature extraction HSV model, for shape feature extraction Sobel with mean and median filter, for texture feature extraction Framelet methods are used. Initially we extract features by these three methods and all features are combined for matching between images in the database and query image. Combination of the features of the three methods along with CBIR and TBIR are used to balance the influence between image content tags. The system is able to retrieve the images related to the query as well as annotating the query image.
Effective Key Parameter Determination for an Automatic Approach to Land Cover Classification Based on Multispectral Remote Sensing Imagery

The classification of land cover based on satellite data is important for many areas of scientific research. Unfortunately, some traditional land cover classification methods (e.g. known as supervised classification) are very labor-intensive and subjective because of the required human involvement. Jiang et al. proposed a simple but robust method for land cover classification using a prior classification map and a current multispectral remote sensing image. This new method has proven to be a suitable classification method; however, its drawback is that it is a semi-automatic method because the key parameters cannot be selected automatically. In this study, we propose an approach in which the two key parameters are chosen automatically. The proposed method consists primarily of the following three interdependent parts: the selection procedure for the pure-pixel training-sample dataset, the method to determine the key parameters, and the optimal combination model. In this study, the proposed approach employs both overall accuracy and their Kappa Coefficients (KC), and Time-Consumings (TC, unit: second) in order to select the two key parameters automatically instead of using a test-decision, which avoids subjective bias. A case study of Weichang District of Hebei Province, China, using Landsat-5/TM data of 2010 with 30 m spatial resolution and prior classification map of 2005 recognised as relatively precise data, was conducted to test the performance of this method. The experimental results show that the methodology determining the key parameters uses the portfolio optimisation model and increases the degree of automation of Jiang et al.'s classification method, which may have a wide scope of scientific application.
Wind power distribution over the ocean

Probability distribution and power density of wind speed over global oceans are computed from eight years of QuikSCAT measurements. They describe the variation and higher moments of wind speed that are critical in relating the non‐linear effects of wind on electric power generation capability, shipping hazard, and air‐sea exchanges in heat, water, and greenhouse gases. The power density distribution confirms our general knowledge of atmospheric circulation related to mid‐latitude storm tracks, trade winds, and monsoons. It also reveals regions of high wind power associated with flow distortion by land, wind channeled by land topography, and buoyancy effect on turbulent stress driven by ocean fronts.
Learning from NMDA Receptor Trafficking: Clues to the Development and Maturation of Glutamatergic Synapses

Activity-dependent changes in excitatory transmission allow the brain to develop, mature, learn and retain memories, and underlie many pathological states of the central nervous system. A principal mechanism by which neurons regulate excitatory transmission is by altering the number and composition of glutamate receptors at the postsynaptic plasma membrane. The dynamic trafficking of glutamate receptors to and from synaptic sites involves a complex series of events including receptor assembly, trafficking through secretory compartments, membrane insertion and endocytic cycling. While these events have become widely appreciated as critical processes regulating AMPA-type glutamate receptors during synaptic plasticity, the mechanisms that control the trafficking of NMDA-type glutamate receptors (NMDARs) are only now beginning to be understood. Until recently, NMDARs were considered immobile receptors, tightly anchored to the postsynaptic membrane. Here, we review recent evidence that challenges this view, focusing on the role that activity plays in altering NMDAR trafficking and how such dynamic regulation of NMDARs may impact on the plasticity of neural circuits.
Mutation Rate, Spectrum, Topology, and Context-Dependency in the DNA Mismatch Repair-Deficient Pseudomonas fluorescens ATCC948

High levels of genetic diversity exist among natural isolates of the bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens, and are especially elevated around the replication terminus of the genome, where strain-specific genes are found. In an effort to understand the role of genetic variation in the evolution of Pseudomonas, we analyzed 31,106 base substitutions from 45 mutation accumulation lines of P. fluorescens ATCC948, naturally deficient for mismatch repair, yielding a base-substitution mutation rate of 2.34 × 10−8 per site per generation (SE: 0.01 × 10−8) and a small-insertion-deletion mutation rate of 1.65 × 10−9 per site per generation (SE: 0.03 × 10−9). We find that the spectrum of mutations in prophage regions, which often contain virulence factors and antibiotic resistance, is highly similar to that in the intergenic regions of the host genome. Our results show that the mutation rate varies around the chromosome, with the lowest mutation rate found near the origin of replication. Consistent with observations from other studies, we find that site-specific mutation rates are heavily influenced by the immediately flanking nucleotides, indicating that mutations are context dependent.
Preclinical Type 1 Diabetes: Natural Course and Predictive Characteristics in Siblings of Affected Children

To my family 1 ABSTRACT Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is one of the most common chronic disorders among children and adolescents. It is perceived as an immune-mediated disease with a subclinical prodromal period characterized by the selective loss of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreatic islets in genetically susceptible subjects. The most important genes contributing to disease susceptibility are located in the HLA class II locus on the short arm of chromosome 6. This work aimed at (i) assessing whether it is clinically relevant to classify individuals with signs of beta-cell autoimmunity into various stages of preclinical T1D, (ii) evaluating the natural history of preclinical diabetes in subjects at risk, (iii) assessing whether HLA-conferred disease susceptibility modifies the risk associated with different stages of preclinical T1D, and (iv) establishing predictive models for T1D that integrate sociodemographic, genetic, immunological and metabolic markers and testing their utility for the prediction of T1D in siblings of children affected by T1D. The population, derived from the "Childhood Diabetes in Finland" Study, comprised more than 700 initially unaffected siblings of the index cases with newly diagnosed T1D. The mean age of these siblings at the initial sampling was 9.9 years (range 0.8-19.7 years). The first three objectives were addressed based on observation of the siblings for progression to overt T1D for an average of 9 years, during which time 35 of them (4.6%) presented with clinical disease. The last objective was approached through observation up to the end of 2002, i.e. for an average of 15 years. Twelve additional siblings developed clinical T1D during that time, resulting in a total number of 47 progressors (6.7%). All four diabetes-associated autoantibodies [islet cell antibodies (ICA), insulin autoantibodies (IAA) and antibodies to the 65 kD isoform of glutamic acid decarboxylasze (GADA) and to islet antigen 2 (IA-2A)] were analyzed in the initial sample taken from each sibling close to the time of diagnosis in the index case. Eighty-three autoantibody-positive siblings underwent an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) to assess the first-phase insulin response (FPIR). In addition, a homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was made based on fasting insulin and blood glucose concentrations. HLA DR and DQ typing was performed in the majority of the subjects. The siblings were divided into four categories of preclinical T1D as follows: no prediabetes (no autoantibodies), early prediabetes (one autoantibody reactivity), advanced prediabetes (two autoantibodies) and late prediabetes (at least three …
USAGE AND PERCEPTIONS OF WEB SEARCH FEATURES

This study assesses perceptions of web search result enhancements on two types of search tasks, factual and investigative, as well as the amount of time required for users to complete each type of search. Enhancements are determined to be more effective with factual searches, where the result of the search often answers a question. Investigate searches take more time to complete and enhancements are viewed as less effective.
IUScholarWorks at Indiana University South Bend Supply Chain Management Software Systems Integration and Version Upgrades: Vendor and Customer Based Framework

Integration and upgrade phases of an information systems project are as critical to an organization as the first time the system is implemented. In order to make the ex-post implementation of an IT project completely successful and sustain the adopted information systems, the basic definition of success needs to be extended to include customer satisfaction factors as well as vendor capabilities. This study focuses on identifying the key elements that managers consider when making the decision to upgrade and integrate supply chain management systems that are already in use. We present a framework on both vendor and customer perspectives in the evaluation of supply chain management software systems integration and version upgrades.
A comprehensive investigation on the short circuit performance of MW-level IGBT power modules

This paper investigates the short circuit performance of commercial 1.7 kV / 1 kA IGBT power modules by means of a 6 kA Non-Destructive-Tester. A mismatched current distribution among the parallel chips has been observed, which can reduce the short circuit capability of the IGBT power module under short circuit conditions. Further Spice simulations reveal that the stray parameters inside the module play an important role in contributing to such a phenomenon.
Information gradient based content search architecture for mobile opportunistic network

Mobile opportunistic network provides a platform for information dissemination and content search, especially in a disaster management scenario, when there is no end-to-end reliable connection or the entire infrastructure based network is severed. In this paper we propose an architecture for content search in mobile opportunistic network, based on information gradient and query forward with the aim to minimize search time and transmission overhead. We know that in a highly dynamic network, the cost and time required to fetch information increases as the Euclidean distance from the object increases. The concept of information gradient helps in minimizing this cost, even if we are away from the source of information. Our content search protocol has three phases, viz. query submit, query forward, and query response phase. We propose a game theory based query forward strategy to maximize throughput and minimize transmission overhead. Simulation results show the performance improvement of game-theoretic approach against simple flooding.
Quickest detection of intensity change for Poisson process in generalized Bayesian setting

The paper deals with the quickest detection of intensity change for Poisson process. We show that the generalized Bayesian formulation of the quickest detection problem can be reduced to the conditional-extremal optimal stopping problem for a piecewise-deterministic Markov process. For this problem the optimal procedure is described and its characteristics are found.
Seed Germination of GA-Insensitive sleepy1 Mutants Does Not Require RGL2 Protein Disappearance in Arabidopsis[W]

We explore the roles of gibberellin (GA) signaling genes SLEEPY1 (SLY1) and RGA-LIKE2 (RGL2) in regulation of seed germination in Arabidopsis thaliana, a plant in which the hormone GA is required for seed germination. Seed germination failure in the GA biosynthesis mutant ga1-3 is rescued by GA and by mutations in the DELLA gene RGL2, suggesting that RGL2 represses seed germination. RGL2 protein disappears before wild-type seed germination, consistent with the model that GA stimulates germination by causing the SCFSLY1 E3 ubiquitin ligase complex to trigger ubiquitination and destruction of RGL2. Unlike ga1-3, the GA-insensitive sly1 mutants show variable seed dormancy. Seed lots with high seed dormancy after-ripened slowly, with stronger alleles requiring more time. We expected that if RGL2 negatively controls seed germination, sly1 mutant seeds that germinate well should accumulate lower RGL2 levels than those failing to germinate. Surprisingly, RGL2 accumulated at high levels even in after-ripened sly1 mutant seeds with 100% germination, suggesting that RGL2 disappearance is not a prerequisite for seed germination in the sly1 background. Without GA, several GA-induced genes show increased accumulation in sly1 seeds compared with ga1-3. It is possible that the RGL2 repressor of seed germination is inactivated by after-ripening of sly1 mutant seeds.