Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
System Discovery through Neocortical Architectures and Experimental Play

The understanding and learning of how an unknown system behaves is crucial to the self-improving system integration challenge of continually integrating and optimising a collection of self-aware and adaptive systems. We aim to design an algorithm that can discover, learn the behaviour of, and interact with these systems of interest. We seek to exploit the latest models of neocortical architectures in the brain that show promising results in general purpose learning. We drive our exploration with computational models of curiosity and play.
Arthroscopic repair of anterosuperior (supraspinatus/subscapularis) rotator cuff tears: a prospective cohort with 2- to 4-year follow-up. Classification of biceps subluxation/instability.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome of patients who underwent arthroscopic repair of anterosuperior rotator cuff tears. The null hypothesis, that there was no difference between preoperative scores and postoperative scores, was tested statistically. TYPE OF STUDY A cohort study. METHODS The preoperative and postoperative status of patients with anterosuperior rotator cuff tears was analyzed using the Constant score, American Shoulder and Elbow Society Index (ASES Index), a visual analog pain scale (VAS), a single question of percent function compared with the opposite unaffected extremity, and a single question reflecting satisfaction, "would you undergo the surgery and the postoperative rehabilitation to achieve the result you have today. " There were also 2 groups compared: 1 that had a "tac" used for repair of the subscapularis tendon, and the other that used a "tie" technique for subscapularis repair. All supraspinatus tendon tears were complete and were repaired using a soft-tissue fixation device. RESULTS There was a statistically significant difference for all outcome measures except for the objective Constant score of the tie group, P =. 58. Follow-up was 2 to 4 years. There were no differences based on sex or type of fixation device used for repair of the subscapularis tendon. There were no reruptures, clinically. CONCLUSIONS The arthroscopic repair of anterosuperior rotator cuff tears provides reliable expectation for improvement in function, decreases in pain, decreases in clinical findings of biceps subluxation and inflammation, improvement in shoulder scores, and the improvement of clinical findings of subscapularis insufficiency.
Relationship between ambient air pollution and DNA damage in Polish mothers and newborns.

Industrialized regions in Poland are characterized by high ambient pollution, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from coal burning for industry and home heating. In experimental bioassays, certain PAHs are transplacental carcinogens and developmental toxicants. Biologic markers can facilitate evaluation of effects of environmental PAHs on the developing infant. We measured the amount of PAHs bound to DNA (PAH-DNA adducts) in maternal and umbilical white blood cells. The cohort consisted of 70 mothers and newborns from Krakow, Poland, an industrialized city with elevated air pollution. Modulation of adduct levels by genotypes previously linked to risk of lung cancer, specifically glutathione S-transferase MI (GSTM1) and cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1) Msp restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), was also investigated. There was a dose-related increase in maternal and newborn adduct levels with ambient pollution at the women's place of residence among subjects who were not employed away from home (p < or = 0.05). Maternal smoking (active and passive) significantly increased maternal (p < or = 0.01) but not newborn adduct levels. Neither CYP1A1 Msp nor GSTM1 polymorphisms was associated with maternal adducts. However, adducts were significantly higher in newborns heterozygous or homozygous for the CYP1A1 Msp RFLP compared to newborns without the RFLP (p = 0.04). Results indicate that PAH-induced DNA damage in mothers and newborns is increased by ambient air pollution. In the fetus, this damage appears to be enhanced by the CYP1A1 Mspl polymorphism. ImagesFigure 1
Preparation of folic acid-conjugated, doxorubicin-loaded, magnetic bovine serum albumin nanospheres and their antitumor effects in vitro and in vivo

Background This study aimed to generate targeted folic acid-conjugated, doxorubicin-loaded, magnetic iron oxide bovine serum albumin nanospheres (FA-DOX-BSA MNPs) that lower the side effects and improve the therapeutic effect of antitumor drugs when combined with hyperthermia and targeting therapy. A new nanodrug using magnetic nanospheres for heating and addition of the folate receptor with cancer cell specificity was prepared. The characteristics of these nanospheres and their antitumor effects in nasopharyngeal carcinoma were explored. Methods FA-DOX-BSA MNPs comprising encapsulated magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles were prepared using a desolvation cross-linking method. Activated folic acid (N-hydroxysuccinimide ester of folic acid) was conjugated to the surface of albumin nanospheres via amino groups. Results Folic acid was successfully expressed on the surface of the nanospheres. Electron microscopy revealed that the FA-DOX-BSA MNPs were nearly spherical and uniform in size, with an average diameter of 180 nm. The nanomaterial could deliver doxorubicin at clinically relevant doses with an entrapment efficiency of 80%. An increasing temperature test revealed that incorporation of magnetic iron oxide into nanospheres could achieve a satisfactory heat treatment temperature at a significantly lower dose when placed in a high-frequency alternating magnetic field. FA-DOX-BSA MNPs showed greater inhibition of tumors than in the absence of folic acid in vitro and in vivo. Compared with chemotherapy alone, hyperthermia combined with chemotherapy was more effective against tumor cells. Conclusion Folic acid-conjugated bovine serum albumin nanospheres composed of mixed doxorubicin and magnetic iron oxide cores can enable controlled and targeted delivery of anticancer drugs and may offer a promising alternative to targeted doxorubicin therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
Constrain the Docile CTUs: An In-Frame complexity allocator for HEVC Intra encoders

High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) is one of the latest released video standards and offers up to 40% bitrate savings when compared to the widespread H.264/AVC standard, at the cost of a substantial complexity growth. Constraining the complexity of HEVC encoding is a challenging task for embedded applications based on a software encoder. The most frequent approach to solve this problem is to optimise the coding tree structure to balance compression efficiency and computational complexity. In this context, we propose and assess a method to adequately allocate the computational complexity among coding units in a frame encoded in Intra mode. By studying an open-source real-time HEVC encoder, correlations are observed between Rate-Distortion (RD)-cost and encoding complexity that motivate a new complexity allocation technique. This technique, called “Constrain the Docile CTUs” (CDC), consists of allocating less computational complexity to units with low RD-costs and using RD-costs from preceding images as predictors for the current RD-costs. Experimental results demonstrate substantial gains, up to 36% of Bjøntegaard Delta Bit Rate (BD-BR), when using CDC method instead of other allocation methods.
The chemical constitution and biocompatibility of accelerated Portland cement for endodontic use.

AIM To evaluate the biocompatibility of mineral trioxide aggregate and accelerated Portland cement and their eluants by assessing cell metabolic function and proliferation. METHODOLOGY The chemical constitution of grey and white Portland cement, grey and white mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and accelerated Portland cement produced by excluding gypsum from the manufacturing process (Aalborg White) was determined using both energy dispersive analysis with X-ray and X-ray diffraction analysis. Biocompatibility of the materials was assessed using a direct test method where cell proliferation was measured quantitatively using Alamar Blue dye and an indirect test method where cells were grown on material elutions and cell proliferation was assessed using methyltetrazolium assay as recommended by the International standard guidelines, ISO 10993-Part 5 for in vitro testing. RESULTS The chemical constitution of all the materials tested was similar. Indirect studies of the eluants showed an increase in cell activity after 24 h compared with the control in culture medium (P<0.05). Direct cell contact with the cements resulted in a fall in cell viability for all time points studied (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Biocompatibility testing of the cement eluants showed the presence of no toxic leachables from the grey or white MTA, and that the addition of bismuth oxide to the accelerated Portland cement did not interfere with biocompatibility. The new accelerated Portland cement showed similar results. Cell growth was poor when seeded in direct contact with the test cements. However, the elution made up of calcium hydroxide produced during the hydration reaction was shown to induce cell proliferation.
Development and Validation of a Clinical Risk Score Predicting the No-Reflow Phenomenon in Patients Treated with Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Objective: The ‘no-reflow' phenomenon after a primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a strong predictor of both short- and long-term mortality. We therefore developed and prospectively validated a risk score system in order to identify STEMI patients at high risk in terms of no-reflow after primary PCI. Methods: The first part of our study used data from 1,615 STEMI patients who underwent primary PCI within 12 h from symptom onset. Using logistic regression, we derived a risk score to predict angiographic no-reflow using baseline clinical variables. From this score, we developed a simplified fast-track screen that can be used before reperfusion. In the second part of our study, we prospectively validated the score system using receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves with data from 692 STEMI patients. Results: The model included six clinical items: age, neutrophil count, admission plasma glucose, β-blocker treatment, time-to-hospital admission and Killip classes. The risk score system demonstrated a good risk prediction with a c-statistic of 0.757 (95% CI 0.732-0.781) based on ROC analysis. Conclusion: A simple risk score system based on clinical variables is useful to predict the risk of developing no-reflow after pPCI in patients with STEMI.
Brownian motion as exploration strategy for autonomous swarm robots

The use of swarms robots to search in collapsed environments, today becomes in a real alternative solution to support rescue efforts in landslide and other disasters. However, these environments have special features (unknown and dynamic) under which rapid responses are required (little processing time) with a major limitation of sensors (problems for the use of cameras and GPS's for example) and communication. In this paper, we analyze an alternative of navigation for a swarm robots with very limited capabilities (very limited processing power, communication and sensing). Our minimalist approach seeks to solve the problem without requiring system identification, geometric map building, localization, or state estimation. Instead, we propose a strategy based on Brownian motion, in which each robot is modeled as a particle whose motion is influenced by landmarks installed in the environment. The degree of influence on the robot corresponds to the design of the navigation route. Under this scheme, the robots perform minimal processing, and the parallel navigation increases confidence in the search process. The proposed navigation scheme is analyzed and then evaluated by simulation.
The equivalence of the computational Diffie – Hellman and discrete logarithm problems in certain groups

Whether the discrete logarithm problem can be reduced to the Diffie–Hellman problem is a celebrated open question. The security of Diffie–Hellman key exchange and other cryptographic protocols rests on the assumed difficulty of the computational Diffie–Hellman problem; such a reduction would show that this is equivalent to assuming that computing discrete logarithms is hard. What is known is that a near-reduction exists for general groups, assuming that a conjecture about the existence of smooth numbers in an interval is true. Given access to a Diffie–Hellman oracle, and a small amount of additional information (this being the parameters of certain elliptic curves with smooth order), it is possible to compute discrete logarithms using a polylogarithmic number of calls to the oracle.
BER Analysis of STBC ALAMOUTI ’ s Code for MIMO System

In this paper we are studying about the different transmit diversity techniques and different algorithms used for MRC technique in MIMO system to enhance diversity gain. Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) systems, which uses many antennas at the transmitter and receiver ends of a wireless communication system. MIMO systems are adopted increasingly in communication systems for the potential gains in capacity they realize when using many antennas. To transmit diversity we use space time block coding scheme that will yields the similar diversity advantage as maximal ratio combining. In space time block coding we use Alamouti’s code. The Alamouti’s scheme is historically the first SpaceTime Block Code (STBC) to give full transmit diversity for systems with two transmit antennas. It is worthwhile to advert that delay diversity schemes can also meet a full diversity, but they introduce interference between symbols and complex detectors are required at the receiver. Keywords— Alamouti’s Code, Diversity Techniques, MIMO Systems, Space Time Block Coding.
Are Low Intakes and Deficiencies in Iron, Vitamin A, Zinc, and Iodine of Public Health Concern in Ethiopian, Kenyan, Nigerian, and South African Children and Adolescents?

Objective: To perform a systematic review to evaluate iron, vitamin A, zinc, and iodine status and intakes in children and adolescents (0-19 years) in Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. Method: Both national and subnational data published from the year 2005 to 2015 were searched via MEDLINE, Scopus, and national public health websites. For each micronutrient and country, status data from relevant studies and surveys were combined into an average prevalence and weighted by sample size (WAVG). Inadequate intakes were estimated from mean (SD) intakes. Results: This review included 55 surveys and studies, 17 from Ethiopia, 11 from Kenya, 12 from Nigeria, and 16 from South Africa. The WAVG prevalence of anemia ranged from 25% to 53%, iron deficiency from 12% to 29%, vitamin A deficiency (VAD) from 14% to 42%, zinc deficiency from 32% to 63%, and iodine deficiency from 15% to 86% in children aged 0 to 19 years from 4 countries. Generally, children <5 years had higher prevalence of anemia (32%-63%), VAD (15%-35%), and zinc deficiency (35%-63%) compared to children aged 5 to 19 years. Studies with intake data indicated that inadequate intakes ranged from 51% to 99% for zinc, 13% to 100% for iron, and 1% to 100% for vitamin A. Households failing to consume adequately iodized (>15 ppm) salt ranged from 2% in Kenya to 96% in Ethiopia. Conclusion: With large variation within the 4 African countries, our data indicate that anemia and vitamin A, zinc, and iodine deficiencies are problems of public health significance. Effective public health strategies such as dietary diversification and food fortification are needed to improve micronutrient intake in both younger and older children.
Low B12 levels related to high activity of platelet MAO in patients with dementia disorders

In 35 patients with Alzheimer's presenile disease (AD), 56 patients with senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT), 54 patients with vascular dementia (VD) and 10 patients with confusional states, age, vitamin B12 in serum, P‐folate, B‐folate and B‐Hb were investigated. Platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of homovanillic acid (HVA), 5‐hydroxyin‐doleacetic acid and 3‐methoxy‐4‐hydroxyphenylglycol were measured. Group differences showed that vitamin B12 levels were reduced in the group of patients with confusional states and SDAT. Five out of ten and 13 out of 56 (respectively) had vitamin B12 concentrations below the lower limit of the reference value (130 pmol/1). A negative correlation was found between B12 levels and platelet MAO activity. The findings indicate that there is a subgroup of patients with late‐onset dementia that has low vitamin B12 blood concentrations. HVA levels in CSF, usually found to be reduced in AD patients, were normal in this subgroup.
A Multi-Hop Energy Neutral Clustering Algorithm for Maximizing Network Information Gathering in Energy Harvesting Wireless Sensor Networks

Energy resource limitation is a severe problem in traditional wireless sensor networks (WSNs) because it restricts the lifetime of network. Recently, the emergence of energy harvesting techniques has brought with them the expectation to overcome this problem. In particular, it is possible for a sensor node with energy harvesting abilities to work perpetually in an Energy Neutral state. In this paper, a Multi-hop Energy Neutral Clustering (MENC) algorithm is proposed to construct the optimal multi-hop clustering architecture in energy harvesting WSNs, with the goal of achieving perpetual network operation. All cluster heads (CHs) in the network act as routers to transmit data to base station (BS) cooperatively by a multi-hop communication method. In addition, by analyzing the energy consumption of intra- and inter-cluster data transmission, we give the energy neutrality constraints. Under these constraints, every sensor node can work in an energy neutral state, which in turn provides perpetual network operation. Furthermore, the minimum network data transmission cycle is mathematically derived using convex optimization techniques while the network information gathering is maximal. Simulation results show that our protocol can achieve perpetual network operation, so that the consistent data delivery is guaranteed. In addition, substantial improvements on the performance of network throughput are also achieved as compared to the famous traditional clustering protocol LEACH and recent energy harvesting aware clustering protocols.
Spontaneous Consecutive Exotropia in Childhood

Purpose: Consecutive exotropia is commonly the result of a surgical correction of a primary esotropia but may develop spontaneously. This study examines the clinical characteristics of patients who have developed a spontaneous consecutive exotropia and relates the key features to previously reported findings. Methods: Patients were identified by routine clinical practice from May 2000 to December 2003 by retrospective case note analysis. Patients that presented with an esotropia that became an exotropia (without surgery or botulinum toxin A) were included. Results: This study consisted of 14 patients who presented with an esotropia from early weeks of life to almost 4 years. No patients were undergoing occlusion treatment at the onset of the exotropia and no subject had dense amblyopia. The most common characteristics included (1) age of onset of esotropia of 24 months or less; (2) hypermetropic refractive error of +5 DS mean spherical equivalent; (3) lack of binocular single vision. Conclusion: The results highlight the variability of the condition with no single consistent finding, with the lack of binocular single vision, early onset esotropia, and high hypermetropia being common findings. Amblyopia was not found to be an important characteristic.
Investigation and analysis of the influence of magnetic wedges on high voltage motors performance

To weaken the pulsation of the harmonic magnetic field and improve the wave of the air-gap magnetic field in high voltage motors because of their open slots, magnetic slot wedge should be imbedded into the slot opening. In the paper, through analyzing the air-gap magnetic field distribution of large-scale motors affected by embedding magnetic slot wedges in open slots, the influence of magnetic slot wedge on the motor parameters and performance is discussed in theory. The finite element analysis (FEA) and the experiment results were given, which not only proves the validity of the analysis in the paper, also through the simulation results the proper parameters of magnetic slot wedges for best performance of motors were concluded, which provides a theoretical reference for the manufacturers when choosing or processing magnetic slot wedges.
A Novel Proactive Multi-secret Sharing Scheme

A proactive secret sharing scheme is a method of sharing a secret among a set of participants. And, the corresponding shadows can be periodically renewed under the premise of never changing the shared secret. However, in the most existing proactive secret sharing schemes, only one secret can be shared during one secret sharing process. The proposed scheme describes PMSS, a new way to share multiple secrets with the proactive characteristic. In the proposed scheme, multiple secrets can be shared among many participants and shadows can be periodically re-newed without changing these secrets. Meanwhile, based on the intractability of the discrete logarithm, the shad-ows provided by participants can be veriﬁed.
A Type System for the Derivation of Data Redistributions

Many algorithms can be formulated in a task or module oriented programming model where the data dependencies between subtasks restrict their execution order. We consider a two-level parallel computation model where task parallelism is expressed in a hierarchical module structure which abstracts from the internal behavior consisting of system or data parallel computations. The module language is extended with types that represent data distributions for distributed memory machines. We show how these types can be used for checking the consistency of data distributions and for the automatic derivation of redistributions when cooperating tasks use different distributions for the same data structure.
Integrative performance evaluation for supply chain system based on logarithm triangular fuzzy number-AHP method

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the efficiency and benefits of supply chain (SC) scientifically and validate the usability of methods on performance evaluation index system.Design/methodology/approach – At the performance evaluation index, the enhanced balanced scorecards (BSC) are developed based on the BSC. Regarding society environment and future development, the construction of performance evaluation index system includes five aspects such as finance, customer service, intra‐flow process, learning and development, and society development within SC. The indexes of performance evaluation system are all quantified to achieve their practical application. Another new point is that the logarithm triangular fuzzy number‐analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method expanding from fuzzy environment and developing from traditional AHP method is creatively used to evaluate the integrative performance evaluation index system.Findings – The enhanced BSC and the special AHP method can overcome some dis.