Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Convergence Order of a Numerical Scheme for Sweeping Process

In [J. Venel, Numer. Math., 118 (2011), pp. 367--400], an implementable algorithm was introduced to compute discrete solutions of sweeping processes (i.e., specific first order differential inclusions). The convergence of this numerical scheme was proved thanks to compactness arguments. Here we establish that this algorithm is of order $\frac{1}{2}$. The considered sweeping process involves a set-valued map given by a finite number of inequality constraints. The proof rests on a metric qualification condition between the sets associated to each constraint.
Coronary high-intensity plaque on T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and its association with myocardial injury after percutaneous coronary intervention.

AIMS Non-contrast T1-weighted imaging (T1WI) has emerged as a novel non-invasive imaging for vulnerable coronary plaque showing a high-intensity plaque (HIP). However, the association between HIP and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has not been evaluated. We investigated the association between the presence of HIP and the incidence of myocardial injury after PCI. METHODS AND RESULTS A total of 77 patients with stable angina were imaged with non-contrast T1WI by using a 1.5 T magnetic resonance system (HIP and non-HIP group, N = 31 and 46 patients, respectively). We defined HIP as a coronary plaque to myocardium signal intensity ratio (PMR) of ≥1.4. High-sensitive cardiac troponin-T (hs-cTnT) was measured at baseline and 24 h after PCI. Percutaneous coronary intervention-related myocardial injury (PMI) was defined as an elevation of hs-cTnT >5× 99th percentile upper reference limit. High-intensity plaque was associated with the characteristics of ultrasound attenuation and positive remodelling on intravascular ultrasound. Although baseline hs-cTnT was similar between the groups, increase in hs-cTnT was significantly greater in the HIP vs. non-HIP group (0.065 [0.023-0.304] vs. 0.017 [0.005-0.026], P < 0.001). Percutaneous coronary intervention-related myocardial injury occurred more frequently in the HIP than non-HIP group (58.1 vs. 10.9%, P < 0.001), and the cut-off value of PMR found to be 1.44 for predicting PMI (sensitivity 78.3% and specificity 81.5%). In multivariate analysis, a PMR of ≥1.4 was a significant predictor of PMI (odds ratio 5.63, 95% confidence interval 1.28-24.7, P = 0.022). CONCLUSION High-intensity plaque on non-contrast T1WI was characterized as vulnerable coronary plaque on IVUS and was associated with higher incidence of PMI.
Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome Patients Have Worse Sleep Quality Compared to Mild Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Purpose To compare sleep quality and sustained attention of patients with Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS), mild Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and normal individuals. Methods UARS criteria were presence of excessive daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale—ESS—≥ 10) and/or fatigue (Modified Fatigue Impact Scale—MFIS—≥ 38) associated to Apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) ≤ 5 and Respiratory Disturbance Index (RDI) > 5 events/hour of sleep or more than 30% of total sleep time with flow limitation. Mild OSA was considered if the presence of excessive daytime sleepiness (ESS ≥ 10) and/or fatigue (MFIS ≥ 38) associated to AHI ≥ 5 and ≤ 15 events/hour. “Control group” criteria were AHI < 5 events/hour and RDI ≤ 5 events/hour and ESS ≤ 9, without any sleep, clinical, neurological or psychiatric disorder. 115 individuals (34 UARS and 47 mild OSA patients and 34 individuals in “control group”), adjusted for age, gender, body mass index (BMI) and schooling years, performed sleep questionnaires and sustained attention evaluation. Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) was performed five times (each two hours) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Results UARS patients had worse sleep quality (Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire—FOSQ—and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index—PSQI: p < 0.05) and more fatigue than mild OSA patients (p = 0.003) and scored significantly higher in both Beck inventories than “control group” (p < 0.02). UARS patients had more lapses early in the morning (in time 1) compared to the results in the afternoon (time 5) than mild OSA (p = 0.02). Mild OSA patients had more lapses in times 2 than in time 5 compared to “control group” (p = 0.04). Conclusions UARS patients have a worse sleep quality, more fatigue and a worse early morning sustained attention compared to mild OSA. These last had a worse sustained attention than controls.
The Open University ’ s repository of research publications and other research outputs Contributing to an open resources repository : sharing and constructing knowledge and expertise across borders Conference Item

The idea of building open-access repositories of learning resources is consistent with current initiatives in the areas of widening participation and knowledge sharing in a ‘globalised’ world. Despite some obvious advantages such as the potential for co-creation of resources, contributing to an Open Resources Repository (ORR) is not an entirely unproblematic proposition. Learning resources, as a rule, reflect assumptions held in the particular context in which they are created, and, so, present potential barriers for re-use and adaptation to different contexts. Language differences provide only the most apparent borders. This paper examines the notion of an ORR and what it may mean to use and contribute to such a repository, proposing a provisional framework to describe the types of issues that may arise. This framework is by no means exhaustive, but it suggests some of the many borders that must be crossed when a resource, developed in a context, is re-used in another. In short, this paper suggests that, in addition to pedagogical, technical and languagebased considerations, themselves contextually-located albeit in different ways, there are further issues at stake that may lead to puzzling epistemological, organisational and ethical questions.
Structure of the SCAN Domain of Human Paternally Expressed Gene 3 Protein

Human paternally expressed gene 3 protein (PEG3) is a large multi-domain entity with diverse biological functions, including acting as a transcription factor. PEG3 contains twelve Cys2-His2 type zinc finger domains, extended regions of predicted disorder and at the N-terminus a SCAN domain. PEG3 has been identified as partner of the E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase Siah1, an association we sought to investigate. An efficient bacterial recombinant expression system of the human PEG3-SCAN domain was prepared and crystals appeared spontaneously when the protein was being concentrated after purification. The structure was determined at 1.95 Å resolution and reveals a polypeptide fold of five helices in an extended configuration. An extensive dimerization interface, using almost a quarter of the solvent accessible surface, and key salt bridge interactions explain the stability of the dimer. Comparison with other SCAN domains reveals a high degree of conservation involving residues that contribute to the dimer interface. The PEG3-SCAN domain appears to constitute an assembly block, enabling PEG3 homo- or heterodimerization to control gene expression in a combinatorial fashion.
DAAODV: A Secure Ad Hoc Routing Protocol Based on Direct Anonymous Attestation

Many approaches have been proposed to secure various ad hoc routing protocols. However, many attacks such as wormhole attacks, vertex cut attacks, and traffic-analysis based attacks are still not well addressed. In this paper, we propose a novel secure routing protocol DAAODV which is based on Ad-hoc On-demand Distance Vector routing (AODV). DAAODV takes full advantage of trusted computing technology, particularly the Direct Anonymous Attestation (DAA) and Property-based Attestation (PBA) protocols. DAAODV is an anonymous protocol without requirement of Trusted Third Party (TTP). Moreover, we propose an efficient signing and verification scheme to overcome the potential DoS attacks triggered by the low efficiency of DAA and PBA. In the simulation, the results show that DAAODV is still efficient in discovering secure routes compared with AODV protocol.
Left Ventricular Hypertrophy: An Independent Risk Factor

Summary:Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), an increase in the muscle mass of the left ventricle, has been identified as a powerful risk factor for future cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The risk of acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, sudden death, and other cardiovascular events increases six- to eightfold with the presence of LVH. The increase in myocardial mass lowers coronary reserve and enhances cardiac oxygen requirements, gives rise to ventricular ectopy, and impairs left ventricular filling and contractility. Hypertension. obesity, advanced age, valvular heart disease, and other disorders that cause an increase in the hemodynamic burden can lead to LVH. Left ventricular hypertrophy and its sequelae can be reduced by specific antihypertensive therapy but, despite these promising findings, future epidemiological studies are necessary to document the clinical benefits of a reduction of LVH.
Signal Detection Analysis of Effect of White Noise Intensity on Sensitivity to Visual Flicker

Rating scale estimates of sensitivity to visual flicker were obtained from three subjects under 10 different intensities of auditory stimulation. Results indicated reliable “sawtooch”-like changes in sensitivity as a function of increasing intensity of white noise. No systematic and reliable changes were found in estimates of response bias. Theory and future research are discussed with reference to the possible contribution of cortical arousal.
Dermal apoptosis is not influenced by the severity of clinical conditions in burned patients.

In this study we investigated the association of patient’s clinical severity with the dermal apoptotic rate in order to investigate the possible influence of systemic factors on the local response to the heat. To achieve this purpose we gathered cutaneous biopsies of deep partial thickness burns within 7 days from injury from 24 patients and correlated their apoptotic rate with some prognostic mortality indexes commonly used in burn centres (Baux score, Unit Burn Standard index and Abbreviated Burn Severity Index) 1-4 . We excluded from the study patients with comorbidities that could impair the tissue oxygenation such as diabetes, cardiovascular/respiratory diseases and venous or arterial insufficiency. Specimens were processed with TUNEL and antibodies for Fas receptors as previously described 1 . The apoptotic rate was expressed as the ratio of the number of apoptotic cells out of the total number of nucleated cells in each field 1 . Patients demographic and clinical characteristics at admission are summarized in Table I. The hystologic analysis showed that apoptotic cells were present and this further confirmed our previous findings (Figure 1) 1 . Pearson’s Correlation index was ‐0.11 for the Baux score, ‐0.26 for the Unit Burn Standard index and ‐0.08 for the Abbreviated Burn Severity Index. However, the simple linear regression analysis demonstrated that all indexes were not associated significantly with the apoptotic rate (p > 0.05). These data confirm the presence of apoptosis in deep partial thickness burns and, with particular regard to the specific purpose of this study, the apoptotic rate seems not to be influenced by the severity of general clinical conditions. The lack of association with the common prognostic mortality indexes used in burned patients suggests that the skin damage and its apoptotic response are probably local processes not significantly influenced by the patient’s general status but mainly by his dermal oxygenation.
Design and Implementation of Embedded Data Acquisition System for Mobile Vehicle

The article presents a FPGA based novel embedded automobile data acquisition system, which records vehicle’s, environment’s and driver’s operation information intuitively. The data acquisition system is useful in the fields of traffic accident analyze and accident responsibility confirmation. The core of system is Altera’s Nios II processor in FPGA. According to the trigger conditions set by users, the processor controls peripherals to acquire and storage variety information such as sounds, videos, velocity, position, angular rate,acceleration, impact and so on. Wireless communication methods like Wi-Fi and 3G are used so that the information saved can be easily accessed locally or remotely. Novel intelligent data acquisition system has more advantages than traditional data acquisition system on user privacy, sorts of information recorded, data export speed and information visibility. Experiments in different traffic accident occasions have taken, and the results verified that the system archived the design demands.
The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in gastric cancer.

The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in gastric cancer patients is difficult to estimate because the infection may be lost from individuals with cancer or its precursor conditions. The bacterium does not colonize cancerous tissue and therefore studies using histopathology as a means of assessing infection require gastric biopsy material sampled separately from the tumour itself. Results from five such studies, with more than 50 patients, have demonstrated an H. pylori prevalence of 43%-78%. Studies using serological assessment of antibody presence have the advantage of enabling adequate case-control comparisons. Ten reported studies that were retrospective in design showed a range in prevalence from 52% to 89% among the cases and from 38% to 78% among the controls. Five studies showed a significant increase in infection prevalence among the cases, with odds ratios ranging from 1.6 to 4.2. The odds ratio increased in subjects who were younger. Retrospective studies may be biased in that the prevalence of H. pylori among cases may be systematically under-estimated. Three prospective serological studies showed a prevalence of 69%-95% among cases and 47%-76% among controls. All three studies had a significantly elevated odds ratio and a pooled estimate of this was 3.8 (95% CI: 2.3-6.2). In the pooled analysis there was a significant trend towards an increased odds ratio with increased time between the assessment of infection and cancer diagnosis. After 14 years of follow-up the overall infection prevalence among cases was 90% and the odds ratio was 8.7 (95% CI: 2.7-45.0). This might represent the best estimate of infection prevalence and associated risk. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
PL and EL investigation of cerium, europium and ytterbium-doped silicon for active silicon photonic devices

One of the greatest challenges in silicon photonics has been to induce light emission in silicon, with the ultimate vision is to have fully silicon-based photonics emitters or lasers which can operate by both optical and electrical pumping. Comprehensive photoluminescence (PL) and electroluminescence (EL) studies are conducted on dislocation engineering light emitting diode structures based on silicon implanted (Si:B) with Ce, Eu, and Yb rare-earth (RE) ions. The PL and EL results show very bright luminescence intensity and dramatic red shifting in luminescence peaks which shows a possible novel phenomenon of RE energy transition modification. The modification is attributed to the direct transition from Si conduction band edge to RE manifolds〖 (_^2)F〗_(7/2)^ , 〖(_^2)F〗_(5/2)^ for 〖Ce〗^(3+), 〖(_^7)F〗_j^ (j=0 to 4) for 〖Eu〗^(3+), 〖(_^2)F〗_(5/2)^ and 〖(_^2)F〗_(7/2)^ for 〖Yb〗^(3+). The emissions are shifted from the conventional lowest internal energy transition in 〖Ce〗^(3+) from around blue spectrum at ~350 nm (due to (_^2)D_(3/2)^ excited state to the 〖(_^2)F〗_(7/2)^ , 〖(_^2)F〗_(5/2)^ transitions) to ~1.35 µm in Si:B&Ce. For 〖Eu〗^(3+) the emission is shifted from around the red spectrum at ~600 nm (due to (_^5)D_0^ excited state to the 〖(_^7)F〗_j^ transitions, j=0 to 4) to ~ 1.40 µm in Si:B&Eu and for 〖Yb〗^(3+) is shifted from slightly beyond the visible region at ~980 nm (due to 〖(_^2)F〗_(5/2)^ excited state to the 〖(_^2)F〗_(7/2)^ transition) to ~ 1.43 µm in Si:B&Yb samples. The new shifting of luminescence peak into NIR region is very important for optical communication in making LEDs and lasers.
Credit Frictions and Optimal Monetary Policy

We extend the basic (representative-household) New Keynesian [NK] model of the monetary transmission mechanism to allow for a spread between the interest rate available to savers and borrowers, that can vary for either exogenous or endogenous reasons. We find that the mere existence of a positive average spread makes little quantitative difference for the predicted effects of particular policies. Variation in spreads over time is of greater significance, with consequences both for the equilibrium relation between the policy rate and aggregate expenditure and for the relation between real activity and inflation. Nonetheless, we find that the target criterion - a linear relation that should be maintained between the inflation rate and changes in the output gap - that characterizes optimal policy in the basic NK model continues to provide a good approximation to optimal policy, even in the presence of variations in credit spreads. We also consider a "spread-adjusted Taylor rule," in which the intercept of the Taylor rule is adjusted in proportion to changes in credit spreads. We show that while such an adjustment can improve upon an unadjusted Taylor rule, the optimal degree of adjustment is less than 100 percent; and even with the correct size of adjustment, such a rule of thumb remains inferior to the targeting rule.
Intensive coordinative training improves motor performance in degenerative cerebellar disease

Objectives: The cerebellum is known to play a strong functional role in both motor control and motor learning. Hence, the benefit of physiotherapeutic training remains controversial for patients with cerebellar degeneration. In this study, we examined the effectiveness of a 4-week intensive coordinative training for 16 patients with progressive ataxia due to cerebellar degeneration (n = 10) or degeneration of afferent pathways (n = 6). Methods: Effects were assessed by clinical ataxia rating scales, individual goal attainment scores, and quantitative movement analysis. Four assessments were performed: 8 weeks before, immediately before, directly after, and 8 weeks after training. To control for variability in disease progression, we used an intraindividual control design, where performance changes with and without training were compared. Results: Significant improvements in motor performance and reduction of ataxia symptoms were observed in clinical scores after training and were sustained at follow-up assessment. Patients with predominant cerebellar ataxia revealed more distinct improvement than patients with afferent ataxia in several aspects of gait like velocity, lateral sway, and intralimb coordination. Consistently, in patients with cerebellar but without afferent ataxia, the regulation of balance in static and dynamic balance tasks improved significantly. Conclusion: In patients with cerebellar ataxia, coordinative training improves motor performance and reduces ataxia symptoms, enabling them to achieve personally meaningful goals in everyday life. Training effects were more distinct for patients whose afferent pathways were not affected. For both groups, continuous training seems crucial for stabilizing improvements and should become standard of care. Level of evidence: This study provides Class III evidence that coordinative training improves motor performance and reduces ataxia symptoms in patients with progressive cerebellar ataxia.
Genetic Algorithms for the Development of Real-Time Multi-Heuristic Search Strategies

Abstract : Search of an unknown space by a physical agent (such as an autonomous vehicle) is unique in search as the customarily most important goal (to reduce the computation time required to obtain the shortest distance) is not as important as minimal movement. There is a real-time aspect since the agent is actually moving; using energy each step of the way. Having limited energy resources and knowledge of the terrain (only adjacent nodes), the key factor for the physical agent's search algorithm is reduction of steps. Hence, any heuristic that can help keep step count to a minimum must be considered. Korf and Shing addressed this issue in separate works. Both made use of known information about the frontier node's distance from the current node in addition to a heuristic estimating the distance from goal. In this thesis, we present a simple genetics-based method to produce adaptive, efficient multi-heuristic search strategies for the real-time problem. Extensive empirical study shows that this approach produced search strategies with much better performance over existing search algorithms for most terrain types. The methodologies used to develope these improved strategies for our specific case, are also applicable to a multitude of real-time search/optimization problems in the general case.
Classifying Immunophenotypes With Templates From Flow Cytometry

We describe an algorithm to dynamically classify flow cytometry data samples into several classes based on their immunophenotypes. Flow cytometry data consists of fluorescence measurements of several proteins that characterize different cell types in blood or cultured cell lines. Each sample is initially clustered to identify the cell populations present in it. Using a combinatorial dissimilarity measure between cell populations in samples, we compute meta-clusters that correspond to the same cell population across samples. The collection of meta-clusters in a class of samples then describes a template for that class. We organize the samples into a template tree, and use it to classify new samples into existing classes or create a new class if needed. We dynamically update the templates and their statistical parameters as new samples are classified, so that the new information is reflected in the classes. We use our dynamic classification algorithm to classify T cells that on stimulation with an antibody show increased abundance of the proteins SLP-76 and ZAP-70. These proteins are involved in a platform that assembles signaling proteins in the immune response. We also use the algorithm to show that variation in an immune subsystem between individuals is a larger effect than variation in multiple samples from one individual.
Diverse physiological functions for dual-specificity MAP kinase phosphatases

A structurally distinct subfamily of ten dual-specificity (Thr/Tyr) protein phosphatases is responsible for the regulated dephosphorylation and inactivation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family members in mammals. These MAPK phosphatases (MKPs) interact specifically with their substrates through a modular kinase-interaction motif (KIM) located within the N-terminal non-catalytic domain of the protein. In addition, MAPK binding is often accompanied by enzymatic activation of the C-terminal catalytic domain, thus ensuring specificity of action. Despite our knowledge of the biochemical and structural basis for the catalytic mechanism of the MKPs, we know much less about their regulation and physiological functions in mammalian cells and tissues. However, recent studies employing a range of model systems have begun to reveal essential non-redundant roles for the MKPs in determining the outcome of MAPK signalling in a variety of physiological contexts. These include development, immune system function, metabolic homeostasis and the regulation of cellular stress responses. Interestingly, these functions may reflect both restricted subcellular MKP activity and changes in the levels of signalling through multiple MAPK pathways.