Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An introduction to complex-valued recurrent correlation neural networks

In this paper, we generalize the bipolar recurrent correlation neural networks (RCNNs) of Chiueh and Goodman for complex-valued vectors. A complex-valued RCNN (CV-RCNN) is characterized by a possible non-linear function which is applied on the real part of the scalar product of the current state and the fundamental vectors. Computational experiments reveal that some CV-RCNNs can implement associative memories with high-storage capacity. Furthermore, these CV-RCNNs exhibit an excellent noise tolerance.
Targeting of voltage-gated potassium channel isoforms to distinct cell surface microdomains

Voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels regulate action potential duration in nerve and muscle; therefore changes in the number and location of surface channels can profoundly influence electrical excitability. To investigate trafficking of Kv2.1, 1.4 and 1.3 within the plasma membrane, we combined the expression of fluorescent protein-tagged Kv channels with live cell confocal imaging. Kv2.1 exhibited a clustered distribution in HEK cells similar to that seen in hippocampal neurons, whereas Kv1.4 and Kv1.3 were evenly distributed over the plasma membrane. Using FRAP, surface Kv2.1 displayed limited mobility; approximately 40% of the fluorescence recovered within 20 minutes of photobleach (Mf=0.41±0.04). Recovery occurred not by diffusion from adjacent membrane but probably by transport of nascent channel from within the cell. By contrast, the Kv1 family members Kv1.4 and Kv1.3 were highly mobile, both showing approximately 80% recovery (Kv 1.4 Mf=0.78±0.07; Kv1.3 Mf=0.78±0.04; without correction for photobleach); unlike Kv2.1, recovery was consistent with diffusion of channel from membrane adjacent to the bleach region. Studies using PA-GFP-tagged channels were consistent with the FRAP results. Following photoactivation of a small region of plasma membrane PA-GFP-Kv2.1 remained restricted to the photoactivation ROI, while PA-GFP-Kv1.4 rapidly diffused throughout the cell surface. Additionally, PA-GFP-Kv2.1 moved into regions of the cell membrane not adjacent to the original photoactivation ROI. Sucrose density gradient analysis indicated that half of Kv2.1 is part of a large, macromolecular complex while Kv1.4 sediments as predicted for the tetrameric channel complex. Disruption of membrane cholesterol by cyclodextrin minimally altered Kv2.1 mobility (Mf=0.32±0.03), but significantly increased surface cluster size by at least fourfold. By comparison, the mobility of Kv1.4 decreased following cholesterol depletion with no change in surface distribution. The mobility of Kv1.3 was slightly increased following cyclodextrin treatment. These results indicate that (1) Kv2.1, Kv1.4 and Kv1.3 exist in distinct compartments that exhibit different trafficking properties, (2) membrane cholesterol levels differentially modulate the trafficking and localization of Kv channels and (3) Kv2.1 expressed in HEK cells exhibits a surface distribution similar to that seen in native cells.
REGULATION (EU) No 1291/2013 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 11 December 2013 establishing Horizon 2020 - the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020) and repealing Decision No 1982/2006/EC

(1) It is the Union's objective to strengthen its scientific and technological bases by achieving a European Research Area ("ERA") in which researchers, scientific knowledge and technology circulate freely, and by encouraging the Union to advance towards a knowledge society and to become a more competitive and sustainable economy in respect of its industry. To pursue that objective the Union should carry out activities to implement research, technological development, demonstration and innovation, promote international cooperation, disseminate and optimise results and stimulate training and mobility.
Degradation of the cancer genomic DNA deaminase APOBEC3B by SIV Vif

APOBEC3B is a newly identified source of mutation in many cancers, including breast, head/neck, lung, bladder, cervical, and ovarian. APOBEC3B is a member of the APOBEC3 family of enzymes that deaminate DNA cytosine to produce the pro-mutagenic lesion, uracil. Several APOBEC3 family members function to restrict virus replication. For instance, APOBEC3D, APOBEC3F, APOBEC3G, and APOBEC3H combine to restrict HIV-1 in human lymphocytes. HIV-1 counteracts these APOBEC3s with the viral protein Vif, which targets the relevant APOBEC3s for proteasomal degradation. While APOBEC3B does not restrict HIV-1 and is not targeted by HIV-1 Vif in CD4-positive T cells, we asked whether related lentiviral Vif proteins could degrade APOBEC3B. Interestingly, several SIV Vif proteins are capable of promoting APOBEC3B degradation, with SIVmac239 Vif proving the most potent. This likely occurs through the canonical polyubiquitination mechanism as APOBEC3B protein levels are restored by MG132 treatment and by altering a conserved E3 ligase-binding motif. We further show that SIVmac239 Vif can prevent APOBEC3B mediated geno/cytotoxicity and degrade endogenous APOBEC3B in several cancer cell lines. Our data indicate that the APOBEC3B degradation potential of SIV Vif is an effective tool for neutralizing the cancer genomic DNA deaminase APOBEC3B. Further optimization of this natural APOBEC3 antagonist may benefit cancer therapy.
Type 1 Diabetes Candidate Genes Linked to Pancreatic Islet Cell Inflammation and Beta-Cell Apoptosis

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic immune-mediated disease resulting from the selective destruction of the insulin-producing pancreatic islet β-cells. Susceptibility to the disease is the result of complex interactions between environmental and genetic risk factors. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified more than 50 genetic regions that affect the risk of developing T1D. Most of these susceptibility loci, however, harbor several genes, and the causal variant(s) and gene(s) for most of the loci remain to be established. A significant part of the genes located in the T1D susceptibility loci are expressed in human islets and β cells and mounting evidence suggests that some of these genes modulate the β-cell response to the immune system and viral infection and regulate apoptotic β-cell death. Here, we discuss the current status of T1D susceptibility loci and candidate genes with focus on pancreatic islet cell inflammation and β-cell apoptosis.
High‐Performance Broadband Perovskite Photodetectors Based on CH3NH3PbI3/C8BTBT Heterojunction

Perovskite photodetectors are fabricated via structuring a perovskite/organic heterojunction with CH3NH3PbI3 and a high‐mobility and stable organic semiconductor dioctylbenzothieno [2,3‐b] benzothiophene (C8BTBT), which possess broad range photoresponse from ultraviolet to near‐infrared, fast response, and excellent stability. The CH3NH3PbI3/C8BTBT heterojunction photodetectors exhibit an excellent ratio of photocurrent to dark current, Ilight/Idark, as high as 2.4 × 104, a high responsivity up to 24.8 AW−1, and a fast response of about 4.0 ms. Meanwhile, the photodetectors can maintain 90% performance even exposed in ambient condition without encapsulation for 20 d. In addition, the detailed mechanism is disclosed based on ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy, steady‐state photoluminescence (PL) spectra, and PL lifetime experiments. The C8BTBT layer acts as an efficient hole‐extraction layer to let the holes quickly transport to the electrodes due to its perfect filling in the gaps between perovskite grains, as well as its intrinsic high mobility and the energy‐level match with the CH3NH3PbI3. The stable C8BTBT layer can well play as a waterproof layer as well to prevent the perovskite CH3NH3PbI3 from the degradation. The research provides an excellent method for fabricating high‐performance and stable perovskite photodetectors using perovskite/organic heterojunction.
Duration of exposure as a surrogate for dose in the examination of dose response relations.

In the process of establishing that a specific exposure is the cause of a given disease the demonstration of a dose-response relation between the exposure and dis ease is regarded as one of the essential criteria that must be fulfilled in order to abscribe a causal role to the exposure of interest. It is common then, in analytical epidemiological studies where an exposure is suspected to be the cause of disease, to examine if there is a relation between the amount of exposure and the degree of risk. Whereas under experimental conditions an investigator can manipulate precisely the different doses of exposure, and administer them over well defined uniform inter vals of time, the capacity to do so in many epi demiological studies is not readily available. Thus epi demiologists frequently resort to the use of "duration of exposure" by itself as a surrogate for dose which itself frequently was not acquired uniformly over time. What is apparently often overlooked is the singular fact that the use of duration of exposure is a meaning ful surrogate of true dose only if all exposed subjects concerned in the dose-response analysis were subjec ted to uniform exposure for different periods. To give a crude example, if 1000 units of an exposure is the minimum dose required to cause cancer in a given study, a group of people may be exposed to the agent for 30 years at a dose of 30 units a year, while another group may have been exposed to the agent for 15 years at an average dose of 100 units a year, while still another group may have been exposed for only five years but at a dose of 600 units a year. It is obvious from this example that simple use of duration of exposure as a surrogate for dose will give rise to a paradox in which the results obtained wili indicate that the risk of the disease in question decreases as duration of exposure ("dose") increases. Extreme though this example may seem, it is not far removed from what obtains in practice. In a recent survey of all the articles published in a given year in two leading journals of occupational epidemiology
Evaluation of a Migration to Open Source Software

The chapter discusses the adoption and assimilation process of open source software as a new form of information technology. Specifi cally, the case reports a general positive attitude towards the widely used technology, the OpenOffi ce.org suite for offi ce automation. Nevertheless, it shows the diffi culties of the fi rst early adopters to lead the innovation process and push other users. Different usage patterns, interoperability issues, and, in general, the reduction in personal productivity typical of the early phases of adoption are also remarked. The aim of this chapter is to give the reader an overview of the adoption process by means of the analysis of quantitative and qualitative data gathered during real world experimentation, and to shed some light on how empirical data can corroborate or challenge the existing literature about open source software and technology adoption.
Discrete bee dance algorithm for pattern formation on a grid

This paper presents a solution to the problem of pattern formation on a grid, for a group of identical autonomous robotic agents, that have very limited communication capabilities. The chief method of communication between the agents is by moving and observing their positions on the grid. The proposed algorithm is a sequence of several coordinated "bee dances" on the grid, through which the agents broadcast information and cooperate in order to reach agreements and resolve problems due to their indistinguishability.
Improving discriminative sequential learning with rare--but--important associations

Discriminative sequential learning models like Conditional Random Fields (CRFs) have achieved significant success in several areas such as natural language processing or information extraction. Their key advantage is the ability to capture various non--independent and overlapping features of inputs. However, several unexpected pitfalls have a negative influence on the model's performance; these mainly come from an imbalance among classes/labels, irregular phenomena, and potential ambiguity in the training data. This paper presents a data--driven approach that can deal with such hard--to--predict data instances by discovering and emphasizing rare--but--important associations of statistics hidden in the training data. Mined associations are then incorporated into these models to deal with difficult examples. Experimental results of English phrase chunking and named entity recognition using CRFs show a significant improvement in accuracy. In addition to the technical perspective, our approach also highlights a potential connection between association mining and statistical learning by offering an alternative strategy to enhance learning performance with interesting and useful patterns discovered from large dataset.
In vivo genetic variability of the human immunodeficiency virus type 2 V3 region

The principal neutralizing epitope of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) lies between two invariant cysteines in the third variable region (V3) of the viral envelope (gp120), and its amino acid sequence varies among different HIV-1 isolates. HIV-2 carries an analogous amino acid sequence between two cysteines of the V3 regions, but its functional similarity with the HIV-1 principal neutralizing epitope is uncertain. We studied the degree of genetic variation of the HIV-2 V3 region in fresh blood samples from 12 HIV-2-seropositive individuals from Guinea-Bissau. Polymerase chain reaction was used to amplify viral fragments of 465 bp containing the V3 region from cellular DNA. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the entire envelope fragment from each patient revealed that the degree of variation among field isolates of HIV-2 is comparable to that observed in the analogous region of HIV-1. Most of the HIV-2 isolates studied were highly related, suggesting the existence of a limited number of different viral strains in the cohort studied. Thus, the HIV-2 and HIV-1 V3 regions vary to a similar degree and may also have analogous functions.
A new method for mapping fields in coupled cylindrical dielectric resonators

We report a new method to excite and image the fundamental mode in coupled cylindrical dielectric resonators (DRs). A microstrip line resonator was used to excite the fundamental mode in the first DR of the coupled DR chain and a `dielectric' pick-up probe was used to map the electric field patterns. The probe consisted of an open-ended tapered stripline sandwiched between two grounded dielectric slabs. Probe's field was polarized and its output was maximum for parallel fields. The experimental field patterns matched the analytical and simulated field patterns at 7.53 GHz.
Could Radiotherapy Effectiveness Be Enhanced by Electromagnetic Field Treatment?

One of the main goals in radiobiology research is to enhance radiotherapy effectiveness without provoking any increase in toxicity. In this context, it has been proposed that electromagnetic fields (EMFs), known to be modulators of proliferation rate, enhancers of apoptosis and inductors of genotoxicity, might control tumor recruitment and, thus, provide therapeutic benefits. Scientific evidence shows that the effects of ionizing radiation on cellular compartments and functions are strengthened by EMF. Although little is known about the potential role of EMFs in radiotherapy (RT), the radiosensitizing effect of EMFs described in the literature could support their use to improve radiation effectiveness. Thus, we hypothesized that EMF exposure might enhance the ionizing radiation effect on tumor cells, improving the effects of RT. The aim of this paper is to review reports of the effects of EMFs in biological systems and their potential therapeutic benefits in radiotherapy.
Reorganization of liquid menisci between solid grains during evaporation/condensation of water in a wet porous medium

When a small amount of liquid water is present inside a granular medium, it is well known that it is located between the grains, and these menisci form like bridges. We consider in this paper a simple situation where all grains are perfect spheres and water is pure. A slight disorder is allowed for both their size and position, leading to variable gaps between the spheres, some of them being in contact. An initial given mass of water is introduced in the cell, and is distributed on all the gaps. The mass of water is taken as the main control parameter, and we study the reorganization of the liquid menisci, especially their surface area variation, because it is an important parameter for a global model of the evaporation phenomenon in wet porous media.
A Multicenter Phase II Study of Erlotinib and Sorafenib in Chemotherapy-Naïve Patients with Advanced Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer

Purpose: This multicenter, phase II study evaluates the efficacy and safety of erlotinib, an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor, plus sorafenib, a multityrosine kinase inhibitor against vascular endothelial growth factor receptors, in patients with previously untreated advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Experimental Design: Chemotherapy-naïve patients with stage IIIB/IV NSCLC received erlotinib (150 mg once a day) and sorafenib (400 mg twice a day) until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary end point was the rate of nonprogression at 6 weeks. Secondary end points included objective response rate (ORR), time to progression, overall survival, and adverse events. Exploratory end points included pretreatment EGFR and KRAS mutation status, pharmacokinetics, and cytochrome P450 polymorphisms. Results: Fifty patients initiated therapy. The nonprogression rate at 6 weeks was 74%: 12 (24%) partial response and 25 (50%) stable disease. Ultimately, the ORR was 28%. Median time to progression was 5.0 months [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 3.2-6.8 months]. Median overall survival was 10.9 months (95% CI, 3.8-18.1 months). Grade 3/4 adverse events included fatigue (16%), hand-foot skin reaction (16%), rash (16%), diarrhea (14%), and hypophosphatemia (42%). There was one treatment-related fatal pulmonary hemorrhage. Patients with wild-type EGFR had a higher ORR (19%) than previously reported for single-agent erlotinib/sorafenib. Erlotinib levels were lowered. This was associated with CYP3A4 polymorphism and was possibly due to sorafenib. Conclusion: Despite a possible drug interaction, sorafenib plus erlotinib has promising clinical activity in patients with stage IIIB/IV NSCLC and has an acceptable safety profile. Further evaluation of this combination as potential salvage therapy in EGFR mutation–negative patients and the possible drug interaction is warranted. Clin Cancer Res; 16(11); 3078–87. ©2010 AACR.
A systematic review of barriers to delivery of thrombolysis for acute stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Barriers within the patient pathway can prevent early administration of thrombolytic therapy in patients admitted with acute stroke. This systematic review aimed to identify such barriers that have been reported in the medical literature. METHODS We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE for prospective and retrospective observational studies that assessed the nature of barriers to delivery of thrombolysis for acute stroke. RESULTS We identified 54 eligible studies (including a total of 39030 patients). The reported barriers included: (i). the patient or family did not recognise symptoms of stroke or seek urgent help, (ii). the general practitioner (rather than an ambulance) was called first, (iii). the paramedics and emergency department staff triaged stroke as non-urgent, (iv). delays in neuroimaging, (v). inefficient process of in-hospital emergency stroke care, (vi). difficulties in obtaining consent for thrombolysis, and (vii). physicians' uncertainty about administering thrombolysis. CONCLUSIONS We identified important pre-hospital and in-hospital barriers that should be overcome if thrombolysis is to be administered to stroke patients efficiently and equitably.
Unsupervised classification of events: A semantic rule based on color moments of background and foreground method

Identification/labeling of the events is still an open problem for researchers due to the problem of semantic gap between the low level features and human perception though it is essential in solving the fundamental problem of automatic albuming, managing digital photography and performance of their retrieval system. Hence, in this paper, we present novel unsupervised semantic rule (USR) based method to label the events such as indoor (wedding) and outdoor (picnic) by establishing semantic relationship between successive background and foreground information of digital photographs. In order to derive a semantic rule, we have used color moments as features and Euclidean distance measure as the nearest neighbor. The rule is defined as the mean values of background information of images, which is lesser than mean value of foreground information in case of indoor event. Similarly, the mean value of background information is higher than the mean values of foreground information in case of outdoor images, This is true because of the fact that background information of Indoor photographs is constant over a long time in a whole event, whereas foreground information varies during the same time. Similarly, the background information varies in case of outdoor photographs but foreground information is almost constant. Experimental results of the proposed method are compared with results of the existing methods to bring the superiority of the proposed method in terms of robustness, simplicity, and accuracy in labeling the events without a priori knowledge.
No Survival Benefit From Postoperative Adjuvant Chemotherapy After D2 Radical Resection for the Patients With Stage II Gastric Cancer

Objective: To evaluate the effect of 2 regimens of postoperative combination chemotherapies on the prognosis of early stage gastric cancer patients. Methods: A total of 268 patients with stage II gastric cancer underwent D2 resection in our Cancer Center between January 1990 and December 2006 were recruited. Among them, 34 patients received the FAM regimen (5-fluorouracil [5-FU] 600 mg/m2 intravenous [IV] drip on days 1, 8, 29, and 36; doxorubicin 30 mg/m2 IV bolus injection on days 1 and 29; and mitomycin-C 10 mg/m2 IV bolus injection on day 1; repeated every 8 weeks) and 81 patients received the FOLFOX regimen (oxaliplatin 100 mg/m2 IV drip on days 1 and 15; leucovorin 400 mg/m2 IV drip on days 1 and 15; 5-FU 400 mg/m2 IV bolus injection; 5-FU 2.4/3.0 mg/m2 continuous IV infusion for 48 hours on day 1, 2, 15, and 16; repeated every 4 weeks for at least 4 cycles). Patients were followed-up until December 2008. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to compare survival rates between treatment groups. Results: The 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates for the patients who received postoperative chemotherapy versus the patients who underwent surgery only were 98%, 84%, 58%, 18% versus 96%, 78%, 59%, 22%, respectively (P > 0.05). Furthermore, the survival rates for patients who received the FAM and FOLFOX regimens were not significantly different (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy did not produce survival benefits for the patients with stage II gastric cancer. Randomized controlled clinical trials are demanded to confirm the finding from this study.