Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gut-brain mechanisms controlling glucose homeostasis

Our current understanding of glucose homeostasis is centered on glucose-induced secretion of insulin from pancreatic islets and insulin action on glucose metabolism in peripheral tissues. In addition, however, recent evidence suggests that neurocircuits located within a brain-centered glucoregulatory system work cooperatively with pancreatic islets to promote glucose homeostasis. Among key observations is evidence that, in addition to insulin-dependent mechanisms, the brain has the capacity to potently lower blood glucose levels via mechanisms that are insulin-independent, some of which are activated by signals emanating from the gastrointestinal tract. This review highlights evidence supporting a key role for a “gut-brain-liver axis” in control of glucose homeostasis by the brain-centered glucoregulatory system and the implications of this regulatory system for diabetes pathogenesis and treatment.
Choreography of Cell Motility and Interaction Dynamics Imaged by Two-photon Microscopy in Lymphoid Organs

The immune system is the most diffuse cellular system in the body. Accordingly, long-range migration of cells and short-range communication by local chemical signaling and by cell-cell contacts are vital to the control of an immune response. Cellular homing and migration within lymphoid organs, antigen recognition, and cell signaling and activation are clearly vital during an immune response, but these events had not been directly observed in vivo until recently. Introduced to the field of immunology in 2002, two-photon microscopy is the method of choice for visualizing living cells deep within native tissue environments, and it is now revealing an elegant cellular choreography that underlies the adaptive immune response to anti-gen challenge. We review cellular dynamics and molecular factors that contribute to basal motility of lymphocytes in the lymph node and cellular interactions leading to antigen capture and recognition, T cell activation, B cell activation, cytolytic effector function, and antibody production.
Statistical Methods for Network Dynamics

Riassunto: Nel contributo è presentata una rassegna dei piú recenti modelli statistici e metodi di stima per l’analisi longitudinale di reti sociali. Per rappresentare i processi sottostanti le dinamiche di rete, è utile pensare ai dati di panel come ad osservazioni provenienti da un processo a tempo continuo definito sullo spazio dei grafi orientati. Vengono discussi e illustrati modelli stocastici tie-oriented e actor-oriented in grado di riflettere sia dinamiche endogene che effetti di variabili esogene. Tali modelli non consentono il calcolo esplicito ma possono essere sviluppati specifici schemi di simulazione. Sono inoltre proposti metodi di approssimazione stocastica per la stima dei parametri. Un esempio di applicazione di questi modelli è condotto sui dati reticolari provenienti da uno studio sul precursore della comunicazione via e-mail.
Complications in Postoperative Evolution After Resection for Rectal Cancer and The Time of Postoperative Chemotherapy

Background: Same studies found that postoperative complications after rectal cancer resection influence the timing of chemotherapy. The relevance of severity of postoperative complications after rectal cancer resection with curative intent on survival / recurrence rates is a matter of controversy. The aim: To investigate the import of postoperative complications on survival after curative resection for rectal cancer. The second obiectiv was to shown the risk factors for delays in chemotherapy and the consecvence of delayed therapy on long â€“term survival. Material and methods:We investigate 177 patients with curative resection for rectal cancer between 2005-2015 , operated in I-st surgical clinic.This study was a retrospective review with univariate analysis to identify risk factors for delayed chemotherapy. In the present study were included the patients category who underwent resection with primary curative intent were excluded all other cases with proctectomy for rectal cancer. Results:Delays in chemotherapy > 8 weeks after resection were associated with postoperative complications worse local and distant reccurences rates and worse overall survival were observed in patients with chemotherapy > 8 weeks. In present study there was no significant difference between patients without complications, minor complications and major complications in terms of overall disease â€“free survival. Our study is retrospective and was performed at a single institution, and this is a possible limitation of this study. Conclusions: After rectal resection with curative intent , the severity of postoperative complications accordind to Clavien classification system does not have significant effect o overall and disease â€“ free survival.Our results shown that the presence of postoperative complications are risk factors for delayed chemotherapy.
Mobility Load Balancing in Cellular System with Multicriteria Handoff Algorithm

Efficient traffic load balancing algorithm is very important to serve more mobile users in the cellular networks. This paper is based on mobility load balancing handoff algorithm using fuzzy logic. The rank of the serving and the neighboring Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs) are calculated every half second with the help of measurement report from the two-ray propagation model. This algorithm is able to balance load of the BTS by handing off some ongoing calls on BTS’s edge of highly loaded BTS to move to overlapping underloaded BTS, such that the coverage area of loaded BTS virtually shrunk towards BTS center of a loaded sector. In case of low load scenarios, the coverage area of a BTS is presumed to be virtually widened to cover up to the partial serving area of neighboring BTS. This helps a highly loaded neighboring BTS or failed BTS due to power or transmission. Simulation shows that new call blocking and handoff blocking using the proposed algorithm are enhanced notably.
Enriques diagrams, infinitely near points, and Hilbert schemes

We study sequences of infinitely near T -points of a smooth family F/Y of geometrically irreducible surfaces. We destinguish a special sort of such sequences, the strict sequences. To each one, we associate an ordered unweighted Enriques diagram. We prove that the various sequences with a given diagram form a functor, and we represent it by a smooth Y -scheme. We equip this scheme with a free action of the automorphism group of the diagram. We equip the diagram with weights, take the subgroup of automorphisms preserving the weights, and form the corresponding quotient scheme. Our main theorem asserts the existence of a universally injective map from this quotient scheme to the Hilbert scheme of F/Y ; further, this map is an embedding in characteristic 0. However, in every positive characteristic, we give an example where the map is purely inseparable.
Ultrasound-guided percutaneous ethanol injection of small and medium-sized thyroid cysts with relatively small amounts of ethanol.

BACKGROUND Ultrasound-guided percutaneous ethanol injection (US-guided PEI) is used in patients with recurring symptomatic thyroid cysts in whom simple drainage was not successful. It is an alternative non-surgical approach in patients refusing or at risk during surgery. METHODS AND RESULTS US-guided PEI was performed in 33 patients, with a success rate of 100% and significantly decreased cyst volume after 1, 3 and 6 months after the last PEI compared with the initial volume. The mean number of PEI procedures was 1.5±0.7 with a mean 96% ethanol volume of 2.4±1.2 mL. In the entire group, the initial cyst volume was significantly reduced to the final volume at 6 months after PEI (10.82±5.03 mL vs. 0.78±0.84 mL; P<0.001). Also in all patients, mean volume reduction rates were significantly increased (P<0.001) at check-ups at 1 month (83.1±8.1%), 3 months (89.9±6.3%) and 6 months (92.6±6.4%). In case of medium-sized cysts, more PEI procedures were needed than in small cysts (1.1±0.4 vs. 2.0±0.5). The total amount of 96% ethanol was equal to 22.7±7.9% of the initial cyst volume. CONCLUSION Our experiences confirm that small and medium-sized cysts may be successfully treated with relatively small amounts of ethanol. In case of medium-sized cysts, more PEI procedures were needed. Final reduction of complex cysts was achieved later. Apart from temporary localized pain, no serious complications were observed in most cases.
Longitudinal slip versus skid of planetary rovers' wheels traversing on deformable slopes

The wheels of planetary rovers will slip when they climbs up deformable slopes. On the contrary, the wheels will skid in the longitudinal direction in order to generate resistance force to balance the gravity component when a rover moves down the slopes. The wheel-terrain interaction principles of slip versus skid are quite different, but there is little research about the longitudinal skid mechanics and the relationship of it with the slip mechanics. This paper analyzes the problem of longitudinal slip and skid that occur to a wheel on the slopes with the knowledge of terramechanics. The slip and skid mechanics are compared based on experimental results measured by a single wheel testbed. The piece wise linear function is proposed to predict the drawbar pull and resistance moment under both slip and skid conditions. A semi-empirical equation of predicting the skid mechanics according to the slip mechanics is also provided. The models are verified using the experimental data.
Identification of outcome predictors in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Immunohistochemical profiling of homogeneously treated de novo tumors with nodal presentation on tissue micro-arrays.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) could benefit from integration of well-established bioclinical prognostic factors with new tools - such as micro-arrays - exploring aberrant gene and/or protein expression. DESIGN AND METHODS Tissue micro-arrays (TMA) were constructed for the paraffin blocks of 68 patients with de novo DLBCL with nodal presentation, who underwent MACOP-B and were provided with complete clinical information. TMA were tested with specific antibodies against CD10, CD20, CD30, CD79a, CD138, Bcl-2, Bcl-6, IRF4, and IRTA1. RESULTS The following phenotypic subclassification was made: a) CD10 +/Bcl-6 + or Bcl-6+/IRF4 +, but Bcl-2-/CD30-/CD138-- suggesting B-cells gathering/leaving the germinal center (group 1; n=36); b) Bcl-2+/CD10-/Bcl-6- and CD30+ or CD138+ corresponding to putative non-germinal center B-cells with features of activation or plasmablastic/plasmacellular differentiation (group 2; n=17); c) CD30-/CD138- with extensive Bcl-2 positivity and variable CD10, Bcl-6 and IRF4 combinations (group 3; n=15). Mean IPI scores were 0.6, 1.9 and 1.1 for groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively (p= 0.001). Complete remission (CR) rates were 89%, 53% and 73% (p= 0.015). The 3-year relapse-free survival (RFS) rates are 86%, 41% and 63% (p=0.001) and 42-month overall survival (OS) rates are 91%, 38% and 66% (p=0.0002). INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS The present TMA-based study suggests an immunophenotypic profiling system for patients with de novo DLBCL that seems to provide additional prognostic information and contributes to the existing debate on the identification of suitable immunohistochemical surrogates of gene expression profiling results.
Efficiency of adaptive genetic algorithm with mutation matrix in the solution of the knapsack problem of increasing complexity

An adaptive genetic algorithm using mutation matrix is introduced for the solution of a series of zero/one knapsack problems of increasing complexity and structure. The evolution of the population in our adaptive genetic algorithm is based on a time dependent mutation matrix that is co-evolving, guided by the locus statistics and the fitness distribution of the population. This co-evolution of the mutation matrix provides a parameter free framework for the adaptive genetic algorithm, but different implementations of the mutation matrix have different performance for the knapsack problem. Here three structures of the knapsack problems are used as the benchmark tests: simple knapsack, parallel knapsack, and hierarchical or layer knapsack. For each type of knapsack structure, an index of difficulty is constructed based on the number of items and constraints. Numerical experiments are performed to test three models of implementation of the mutation matrix corresponding to three different way of controlling the number of mutation operations used. The numerical results for the three different knapsack problems using these three different implementations are discussed, along with a heuristic explanation for their different efficiencies. The conclusion is that an adaptive mutation matrix is best, where adaptation is based on the fitness distribution of the population, so that the mutation probability is implicitly time dependent. Furthermore, a directed mutation greatly improves the performance of all three models of implementation as this involves the imitation of the best chromosome by the less fit ones.
A Model for High Energy Scattering in Quantum Gravity

We present a model for high energy two body scattering in a quantum theory of gravity. The model is applicable for center of mass energies higher than the relevant Planck scale. At impact parameters smaller than the Schwarzchild radius appropriate to the center of mass energy and total charge of the initial state, the cross section is dominated by an inelastic process in which a single large black hole is formed. The black hole then decays by Hawking radiation. The elastic cross section is highly suppressed at these impact parameters because of the small phase space for thermal decay into a high energy two body state. For very large impact parameter the amplitude is dominated by eikonalized single graviton exchange. At intermediate impact parameters the scattering is more complicated, but since the Schwarzchild radius grows with energy, we speculate that a more sophisticated eikonal calculation which uses the nonlinear classical solutions of the field equations may provide a good approximation at all larger impact parameters. We discuss the extent to which black hole production will be observable in theories with low scale quantum gravity and large dimensions.
Motion-Estimation-Based Visual Servoing of Nonholonomic Mobile Robots

A 2-1/2-D visual servoing strategy, which is based on a novel motion-estimation technique, is presented for the stabilization of a nonholonomic mobile robot (which is also called the “parking problem”). By taking into account the planar motion constraint of mobile robots, the proposed motion-estimation technique can be applied in both planar and nonplanar scenes. In addition, this approach requires no matrix estimation or decomposition, and it avoids ambiguity and degeneracy problems for the homography or fundamental matrix-based algorithms. Moreover, the field-of-view (FOV) constraint of the onboard camera is largely alleviated because the presented algorithm works well with few feature points. In order to incorporate the advantages of position-based visual servoing and image-based visual servoing, a composite error vector is defined that includes both image signals and the estimated rotational angle. Subsequently, a smooth time-varying feedback controller is adopted to cope with the nonholonomic constraints, which yields global exponential convergent rate for the closed-loop system. On the basis of the perturbed linear system theory, we show that practical exponential stability can be achieved, despite the lack of depth information, which is inherent for monocular camera systems. Both simulation and experiment results are collected to investigate the feasibility of the proposed approach.
Defective antigen processing correlates with a low level of intracellular glutathione

Previously, we reported that Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with murine mouse major histocompatibility complex class II genes, exhibit a unique antigen (Ag) processing defect whereby these cells are impaired in processing only Ag with disulfide bonds. Here, we examined various aspects of the intracellular reducing environment in the CHO cells to understand the underlying mechanism causing the defect. A cell hybrid generated by the fusion of CHO cells and L cell fibroblasts was used for comparison due to their competency in processing Ag. The transport pathway of cysteine within the CHO cells appeared normal. However, these cells had a significantly lower level of glutathione, a major physiological reducing thiol, compared to the cell hybrid. Treatment of the CHO cells with N‐acetyl‐L‐cysteine did not augment their glutathione content nor their ability to process Ag. When the cell hybrid was treated with L‐buthionine‐(S,R)‐sulfoximine (BSO), which significantly decreased their glutathione level, the hybrid poorly processed hen egg lysozyme (HEL) and ovalbumin, which have disulfide bonds. In contrast, BSO treatment did not affect the capacity of the hybrid to process pigeon cytochrome c and carboxymethylated HEL, which lack disulfide bonds. Therefore, low intracellular glutathione levels in antigen‐presenting cells correlated with defective processing of Ag with disulfide bonds, indicating that this thiol may be a critical factor in regulating productive Ag processing.
Improving cardiac rehabilitation uptake: Potential health gains by socioeconomic status

Background Globally, cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is recommended as soon as possible after admission from an acute myocardial infarction (MI) or revascularisation. However, uptake is consistently poor internationally, ranging from 10% to 60%. The low level of uptake is compounded by variation across different socioeconomic groups. Policy recommendations continue to focus on increasing uptake and addressing inequalities in participation; however, to date, there is a paucity of economic evidence evaluating higher CR participation rates and their relevance to socioeconomic inequality. Methods This study constructed a de-novo cost-effectiveness model of CR, utilising the results from the latest Cochrane review and national CR audit data. We explore the role of socioeconomic status by incorporating key deprivation parameters and determine the population health gains associated with achieving an uptake target of 65%. Results We find that the low cost of CR and the potential for reductions in subsequent MI and revascularisation rates combine to make it a highly cost-effective intervention. While CR is less cost-effective for more deprived groups, the lower level of uptake in these groups makes the potential health gains, from achieving the target, greater. Using England as a model, we estimate the expenditure that could be justified while maintaining the cost-effectiveness of CR at £68.4 m per year. Conclusions Increasing CR uptake is cost-effective and can also be implemented to reduce known socioeconomic inequalities. Using an estimation of potential population health gains and justifiable expenditure, we have produced tools with which policymakers and commissioners can encourage greater utilisation of CR services.
Calibrated adversarial algorithms for generative modelling

Generative adversarial networks are useful for unsupervised learning but may be difficult to train. We study a class of adversarial algorithms based on f‐divergence minimization and provide an extension by allowing two objective functions instead of one to be chosen (hence calibrated) for updating the discriminator and the generator, respectively. The extension is derived and justified from theoretical analysis, which identifies specific objective functions for achieving stable gradients in the corresponding updates. Our experiments on synthetic data and MNIST and CIFAR‐10 datasets demonstrate that the proposed method consistently achieves competitive or superior results when compared with various existing methods.
The health and economic benefits associated with pneumococcal vaccination of elderly persons with chronic lung disease.

BACKGROUND More than 50% of the elderly population has not received pneumococcal vaccination. Uncertainty regarding the benefits of immunization, particularly for noninvasive disease, may contribute to the underuse of pneumococcal vaccine. OBJECTIVE To assess the health and economic benefits associated with pneumococcal vaccination. METHODS We conducted a 2-year retrospective cohort study among all elderly members of a staff-model managed care organization who had a baseline diagnosis of chronic lung disease. The study outcomes were assessed over 2 years, from November 15, 1993, through November 14, 1995, and included hospitalizations for pneumonia and influenza, death, and hospitalization costs. Using administrative data, we compared these outcomes for vaccinated and unvaccinated subjects using multivariate models to control for subjects' baseline demographic and health characteristics. The additive benefits of combined influenza and pneumococcal vaccination were also assessed for the 2 influenza seasons included in the study. RESULTS There were 1898 subjects. Pneumococcal vaccination was associated with significantly lower risks for pneumonia hospitalizations (adjusted risk ratio [RR], 0.57; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.38-0.84; P=.005) and for death (adjusted RR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.56-0.91; P = .008). For the control outcome of all nonpneumonia hospitalizations, rates did not differ significantly between the 2 groups (adjusted RR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.77-1.07; P= .24). During the influenza seasons included in the study, the benefits of pneumococcal and influenza vaccinations were additive, with an adjusted RR of 0.28 (95% CI, 0.14-0.58; P<.001) for the number of hospitalizations for pneumonia and influenza among persons who had received both vaccinations compared with those who had received neither and an adjusted odds ratio of 0.18 (95% CI, 0.11-0.31; P<.001) for death. Over the 2-year outcome period, pneumococcal vaccination was also associated with direct medical care cost savings. CONCLUSIONS Pneumococcal vaccination of elderly persons with chronic lung disease was associated with fewer hospitalizations for pneumonia, fewer deaths, and direct medical care cost savings.
The Risk of Tuberculosis Reinfection Soon after Cure of a First Disease Episode Is Extremely High in a Hyperendemic Community

Elevated rates of reinfection tuberculosis in various hyperendemic regions have been reported and, in particular, it has been shown that in a high-incidence setting near Cape Town, South Africa, the rate of reinfection tuberculosis (TB) disease after cure of a previous TB disease episode is about four times greater than the rate of first-time TB disease. It is not known whether this elevated rate is caused by a high reinfection rate due, for instance, to living circumstances, or a high rate of progress to disease specific to the patients, or both. In order to address that question we analysed an extensive data set from clinics attended by TB patients in the high-incidence setting near Cape Town, South Africa and found that, in fact, the (average) rate of reinfection (as opposed to the rate of reinfection disease) after cure of a previous TB disease episode is initially about 0.85 per annum. This rate diminishes rapidly over time and after about ten years this rate is similar to the rate of infection in the general population. Also, the rate of progress to disease after reinfection is initially high but declines in subsequent years down to the figure typical for the general population. These findings suggest that the first few months after cure of a TB disease episode form a critical period for controlling reinfection disease in a hyperendemic setting and that monitoring such cured patients could pre-empt a reinfection progressing to active disease.