Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Loss of RhoB Expression in Human Lung Cancer Progression

Purpose: RhoB is a low molecular weight GTPase belonging to the Ras protein superfamily. Whereas most Rho proteins have been shown to have a positive role in proliferation and malignant transformation, the specific role of RhoB appears more divergent. We reported previously that RhoB inhibits cell proliferation in various human cancer cells. Here, we studied the specific role played by RhoB in human lung cancer. Experimental Design: We analyzed the expression of RhoB protein by immunostaining in human lung tissues ranging from normal to invasive carcinoma from different histological types in two large independent studies of, respectively, 94 and 45 samples. We then studied the cellular effect of RhoB overexpression in a model of lung cancer (A549, adenocarcinoma) and tumorigenicity in nude mice. Results: We showed in both studies that RhoB protein was expressed in normal lung and decreased dramatically through lung cancer progression (P < 0.01). Interestingly, RhoB expression was lost in 96% of invasive tumors and reduced by 86% in poorly differentiated tumors compared with the nonneoplastic epithelium. Moreover, the loss of expression of RhoB correlated significantly with tumor stage and proliferative index, whereas no correlation was found between RhoB and p53 or Bcl-2 expression. We then showed that ectopic expression of RhoB in lung cancer cell line A549 suppressed cell proliferation, anchorage-independent growth, and xenograft tumor growth in nude mice. Conclusions: RhoB loss of expression occurs very frequently in lung carcinogenesis, reinforcing its putative tumor suppressive activity, and raising the value of its potential use in cancer therapy.
Invasive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections in the United States.

CONTEXT As the epidemiology of infections with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) changes, accurate information on the scope and magnitude of MRSA infections in the US population is needed. OBJECTIVES To describe the incidence and distribution of invasive MRSA disease in 9 US communities and to estimate the burden of invasive MRSA infections in the United States in 2005. DESIGN AND SETTING Active, population-based surveillance for invasive MRSA in 9 sites participating in the Active Bacterial Core surveillance (ABCs)/Emerging Infections Program Network from July 2004 through December 2005. Reports of MRSA were investigated and classified as either health care-associated (either hospital-onset or community-onset) or community-associated (patients without established health care risk factors for MRSA). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Incidence rates and estimated number of invasive MRSA infections and in-hospital deaths among patients with MRSA in the United States in 2005; interval estimates of incidence excluding 1 site that appeared to be an outlier with the highest incidence; molecular characterization of infecting strains. RESULTS There were 8987 observed cases of invasive MRSA reported during the surveillance period. Most MRSA infections were health care-associated: 5250 (58.4%) were community-onset infections, 2389 (26.6%) were hospital-onset infections; 1234 (13.7%) were community-associated infections, and 114 (1.3%) could not be classified. In 2005, the standardized incidence rate of invasive MRSA was 31.8 per 100,000 (interval estimate, 24.4-35.2). Incidence rates were highest among persons 65 years and older (127.7 per 100,000; interval estimate, 92.6-156.9), blacks (66.5 per 100,000; interval estimate, 43.5-63.1), and males (37.5 per 100,000; interval estimate, 26.8-39.5). There were 1598 in-hospital deaths among patients with MRSA infection during the surveillance period. In 2005, the standardized mortality rate was 6.3 per 100,000 (interval estimate, 3.3-7.5). Molecular testing identified strains historically associated with community-associated disease outbreaks recovered from cultures in both hospital-onset and community-onset health care-associated infections in all surveillance areas. CONCLUSIONS Invasive MRSA infection affects certain populations disproportionately. It is a major public health problem primarily related to health care but no longer confined to intensive care units, acute care hospitals, or any health care institution.
Central fusion disruption following irradiation of neoplasms in the pineal region.

In 1935, Bielschowsky described a syndrome in which the ability to fuse 2 images was lost because of a longstanding sensory deprivation. The main symptom was intractable diplopia following the removal of the cause of sensory deprivation. Bielschowsky called this syndrome horror fusionis. This syndrome, now known as acquired central fusion disruption, has been reported following cataract extraction, aphakia, severe head trauma, and brain surgery. We report 2 cases of central fusion disruption that developed after irradiation to the pineal area.
Optimizing F-measure with non-convex loss and sparse linear classifiers

F-measure is a popular performance metric used in classification when the dataset is unbalanced. Optimizing this measure directly is often challenging since no closed form solution exists. Current algorithms use approximations to the F-measure and design classifiers using maximum margin or logistic regression framework. These algorithms are not scalable and the classifiers designed are not robust to outliers. In this work, we propose a general framework for approximate F-measure maximization. We also propose a non-convex loss function which is robust to outliers. Use of elastic net regularizer in the problem formulation enables us to do simultaneous classifier design and feature selection. We present an efficient algorithm to solve the proposed problem formulation. The proposed algorithm is simple and is easy to implement. Numerical experiments on real-world benchmark datasets demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is fast and gives better generalization performance compared to some existing approaches. Thus, it is a powerful alternative for optimizing F-measure and designing a sparse classifier.
Carotid endarterectomy

This paper describes a consecutive series of 215 carotid bifurcation endarterectomies performed by one surgeon for transient ischaemic attacks. One patient died jfom a pulmonary embolism (0.47 per cent). One patient developed a permanent stroke related to the contralateral hemisphere 3 days after operation (0.47 per cent). Five patients developed a weakness of one arm or hand which had clinically recovered 2 months ajier operation (2.35 per cent): four patients had a transient weakness of one arm or hand which had recovered in less than 24 h of the operation. There were no serious ocular complications. The incidence of serious permanent complications was therefore 0.94 per cent. The Javid shunt could not be used in only 4 of the 193 operations in which its insertion was attempted. It caused arterial damage in only one patient. The results suggest that the routine use of the shunt was of value and that carotid endarterectomy can be a sak, relatively complication-fiee, procedure.
On the additive complements of the primes and sets of similar growth

1. We prove that there is a set of nonnegative integers A, with counting function A(x) = #(A \ 1; x]) satisfying A(x) C log x loglogx; C a positive constant; such that N = (A + P) E, with N and Pdenoting the positive integers and the primes respectively and with the set E having upper density 0. That is, A is \almost" an additive complement of the primes and at the same time it has few elements (only O(log log x) more than the a priori minimum). This improves and simpliies a recent result of Wolke. 2. We prove the existence of sets that are \hard" to complement. For example, we show that there is a set A, with A(x) x= logx, which cannot be complemented with any set B, that satisses lim inf x! 1 B(x)= log 2 x < 1. In other words N = A + B implies B(x) & log 2 x.
Anti-DFS70/LEDGF Antibodies Are More Prevalent in Healthy Individuals Compared to Patients with Systemic Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases

Objective. Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are a serological hallmark of systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARD) such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). While a number of ANA patterns detected by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) have diagnostic significance, autoantibodies producing the dense fine speckled (DFS) pattern have been reported to be more prevalent in healthy individuals than in SARD. Methods. Sequential samples submitted for ANA testing were screened for anti-DFS antibodies by IIF (n = 3263). Samples with the DFS pattern were tested for anti-DFS70/lens epithelium–derived growth factor (LEDGF) antibodies by ELISA and by a novel chemiluminescence assay (CIA, Quanta Flash DFS70). Sera from patients with various diseases and healthy individuals were tested for anti-DFS70/LEDGF antibodies by CIA. A cohort of 251 patients with SLE was used to analyze serological and clinical associations of anti-DFS70 antibodies. Results. The frequency of anti-DFS antibodies by IIF was 1.62%. The prevalence of anti-DFS70/LEDGF antibodies as detected by CIA in the different cohorts was 8.9% in healthy individuals, 2.8% in SLE, 2.6% in rheumatoid arthritis, 4.0% in asthma, 5.0% in interstitial cystitis, 1.7% in Graves’ disease, and 6.0% in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Of note, the prevalence of anti-DFS70/LEDGF antibodies was significantly higher in healthy individuals compared to patients with SARD (p = 0.00085). In SLE results, anti-DFS70/LEDGF antibodies were not significantly associated with clinical features or other autoantibodies typically found in SLE. Only 1/7 SLE sera showed anti-DFS70/LEDGF, but no other autoantibody reactivity. Conclusion. “Monospecific” anti-DFS70/LEDGF antibodies may represent a biomarker for differentiating SARD from non-SARD individuals, but there is a need for a reliable assay to ensure reactivity to DFS70.
An overview of the economic importance and control of termites in plantation forestry and wood preservation in Peninsular Malaysia

Both the plantation forestry and wood preservation industries in the tropical and subtropical belts of the world, exemplified by the humid equatorial Peninsular Malaysia, regard termites as major destructive pests of standing trees, various timber products and building timber structures. This paper is a compilation of information on these economically important structural pests encountered in both plantation forestry and the wood preservation industry in Malaysia, particularly the peninsula, and describes ongoing termite research activities to establish practical control strategies for tree and wood protection.
Streamflow Generation from Subalpine Forests

Much of the hydrologic modelling done in the subalpine forest of the central Rockies is based on the Subalpine Water Balance Model. This paper reports on plot studies on the Fraser Experimental Forest aimed at better defining the pathway of water movement and the processes by which melt or rain water migrate toward the streamchannel, and providing a data base from which the existing model can be improved. Dunne summarized hillslope studies worldwide and numerous investigators have attempted to define the pathway of water movement down forested slopes. Troendle attempted to equate hillslope and watershed response in the development of a Variable Source Area Hydrologic simulator. Once the hydrologic processes on a hillside have been defined, a watershed segment can be constructed, then a subdrainage, and, ultimately, the watershed.
Fast C-obstacle query computation for motion planning

The configuration space of a robot is partitioned into free space and C-obstacle space. Most of the prior work in collision detection and motion planning algorithms is targeted towards checking whether a configuration or a 1D path lies in the free space. In this paper, we address the problem of checking whether a C-space primitive or a spatial cell lies completely inside C-obstacle space, without explicitly computing the boundary of C-obstacle. We refer to the problem as the C-obstacle query. We present a fast and conservative algorithm to perform this C-obstacle query. Our algorithm uses the notion of generalized penetration depth that takes into account both translational and rotational motion. We compute the generalized penetration depth for polyhedral objects and compare it with the extent of the motion that the polyhedral robot can undergo. Our approach is general and useful for designing practical algorithms for complete motion planning of rigid robots. We have integrated our query computation algorithm with star-shaped roadmaps (G. Varadhan and D. Manocha, 2005) - a deterministic sampling approach for complete motion planning. We have applied our modified planning algorithm to planar robots undergoing translational and rotational motion in complex 2D environments. Our algorithm is able to perform the C-obstacle query in milliseconds and improves the performance of the complete motion planning algorithm
Drawing Pictures with Natural Language and Direct Manipulation

A multimodal user interface allows users to communicate with computers using multiple modalities, such as a mouse, a keyboard or voice, in various combined ways. This paper discusses a multimodal drawing tool, whereby the user can use a mouse, a keyboard and voice effectively. Also, it describes an interpretation method, by which the system integrates voice inputs and pointing inputs using context.
Almost Optimal Dispersers

A disperser is a bipartite graph with the property that every subset A of of cardinality at least K, has at least fraction of the vertices of as neighbors. Such graphs have many applications in derandomization. Saks, Srinivasan and Zhou presented an explicit construction of a disperser with an almost optimal degree , for every . We extend their result for every parameter .
FUNDAMENTAL HARMONIC MEASUREMENT IN PRESENCE OF GAUSSIAN FREQUENCY DEVIATION USING 2-BIT FLASH A / D CONVERTER

Original scientific paper The paper proposes a novel approach to the measurement of the power grid voltage and/or current fundamental harmonic, using stochastic digital measurement method (SDMM) and 2-bit flash A/D converters. The power grid frequency variation in the European interconnection has been found as Gaussian. The influence of the frequency disturbance on the results of fundamental harmonic measurements is examined in detail. As theoretical analyses are extremely complex due to a high nonlinearity and stochastic nature of the problem, simulation analysis is employed as the primary method for fast testing and confirmation of the paper hypothesis. The results of realistic simulations give the measurement uncertainties below 0,01 % and 0,013 %, for the measured grid voltage and current, respectively. Experimental validation has been carried out by comparison of the commercial instrument measurements and the measurements of SDMM based prototype instrument. It has been found that results are in accordance.
A 14b extended counting ADC implemented in a 24Mpixel APS-C CMOS image sensor

The demand for high-quality and high-speed imaging has increased. Column-parallel ≥14b A/D conversion is one of the major approaches to meet these requirements in CMOS image sensors (CIS). Oversampling ADCs such as incremental delta-sigma (I-ΔΣ) ADCs are the solution for a high-resolution ADC having tolerance of analog component errors. Oversampling reduces input temporal noise as well as the quantization error of the ADC itself [1]. However, an I-ΔΣ ADC is also classified as a slow ADC because it requires exponential conversion time to get higher bit resolution. To reduce conversion time, there are two alternative methods: 1) higher-order modulation, and 2) two-step conversion such as an extended-counting technique [2]. In this paper, the extended-counting (EC) method is used since a high-order structure requires more complex hardware and greater power consumption [1,2]. For a general two-step ADC, coarse conversion restricts the total ADC resolution since it determines accuracy of the residue. However, an EC ADC overcomes the accuracy limitation, since the I-ΔΣ can improve its precision through oversampling. Moreover, oversampling also suppresses the noise of the pixel's source follower. Our 14b EC ADC is a blend of a 1st-order I-ΔΣ ADC and a cyclic ADC to simultaneously get high resolution and high speed.
Deadlock-free XY-YX router for on-chip interconnection network

Specifically, based on the observation that a response is always preceded by a request in multi-processor SoCs, this letter proposes a novel deadlock-free XY-YX router for on-chip network performance improvement. In order to avoid deadlock, we add additional physical channels in the horizontal direction and optimize the priority of output channel allocation. Simulation results show the enhancement in the throughput of an NoC.
Electronic commerce: a strategic application?

The rapid growth of wide area networks in recent years has opened up a new avenue for companies to market products and services and disseminate information about them to potential customers. Two hundred and twelve companies that conduct business in such a way responded to an e-mail survey about the anticipated benefits that prompted them to do so. The survey also asked about three potential strategies for achieving business objectives cost leadership, focus, and differentiation that they may have been following. Six benefits factors competitiveness, control, cost savings, information, new applications, and productivity emerged from this study. Competitiveness was the most important benefit and predicted a dit%erentiation strategy. Productivity and new applications also predicted a dit%rentiation strategy. Cost savings predicted a cost leadership strategy. No benefits factor predicted a focus Ss_ategy. This assessmentthus sheds light on why organizations conduct electronic commerce.
New Guinea highland origin of a widespread arthropod supertramp

The biologically and geologically extremely diverse archipelagos of Wallacea, Australasia and Oceania have long stimulated ecologists and evolutionary biologists. Yet, few molecular phylogenetic analyses of the terrestrial fauna have been carried out to understand the evolutionary patterns. We use dense taxon and character sampling of more than 7000 bp DNA sequence data for a group of diving beetles ranging from the Holarctic throughout Asia to as far east as French Polynesia. We here show that an ecologically diverse, common and widespread (Portugal to New Zealand) arthropod supertramp species originated in the highlands of New Guinea, ca 6.0–2.7 Myr ago. The approximately 25 closely related species are narrow endemics in Australasia/Oceania. The ancestor of this clade colonized that region from Eurasia ca 9–7 Myr ago. Our finding contradicts the widely held view of local endemism as an evolutionary dead end, as we find multiple peripatric speciation events within the Pleistocene and complex colonization patterns between the Oriental and Australian zoogeographic regions, including the recolonization of Eurasia, jumping across Wallace's line and colonization of continental Australia out of New Guinea. Our study strongly highlights the importance of dispersal over water gaps in shaping biogeographic patterns.
Effects of the background radiation on radio pulsar and supernova remnant searches and the birth rates of these objects

In different directions of the Galaxy the Galactic background radio radiation and radiation of star formation regions which include a large number of OB associations have different influences on radio pulsar (PSR) and supernova remnant (SNR) searches. In this work we analyse the effects of these background radiations on the observations of PSRs at 1400 MHz and SNRs at 1000 MHz. In the interval l = 0 ± 60° the PSRs with flux F 1400 > 0.2 mJy and the SNRs with surface brightness Σ > 10−21 W m−2 Hz−1 sr−1 are observable for all values of l and b up to distances of 6–7 kpc. All the SNRs with Σ > 3 × 10−22 Wm−2 Hz−1 sr−1 can be observed in the interval 60° < l < 300°. We have examined samples of PSRs and SNRs to estimate the birth rates of these objects in the region up to 3.2 kpc from the Sun and also in the Galaxy. The birth rate of PSRs is about 1 in 125–200 years and the birth rate of SNRs is about 1 in 65 years in our galaxy.
Selective Cytotoxicity of Dermaseptin S3 toward IntraerythrocyticPlasmodium falciparum and the Underlying Molecular Basis*

The antimicrobial activity of various naturally occurring microbicidal peptides was reported to result from their interaction with microbial membrane. In this study, we investigated the cytotoxicity of the hemolytic peptide dermaseptin S4 (DS4) and the nonhemolytic peptide dermaseptin S3 (DS3) toward human erythrocytes infected by the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Both DS4 and DS3 inhibited the parasite’s ability to incorporate [3H]hypoxanthine. However, while DS4 was toxic toward both the parasite and the host erythrocyte, DS3 was toxic only toward the intraerythrocytic parasite. To gain insight into the mechanism of this selective cytotoxicity, we labeled the peptides with fluorescent probes and investigated their organization in solution and in membranes. In Plasmodium-infected cells, rhodamine-labeled peptides interacted directly with the intracellular parasite, in contrast to noninfected cells, where the peptides remained bound to the erythrocyte plasma membrane. Binding experiments to phospholipid membranes revealed that DS3 and DS4 had similar binding characteristics. Membrane permeation studies indicated that the peptides were equally potent in permeating phosphatidylserine/phosphatidylcholine vesicles, whereas DS4 was more permeative with phosphatidylcholine vesicles. In aqueous solutions, DS4 was found to be in a higher aggregation state. Nevertheless, both DS3 and DS4 spontaneously dissociated to monomers upon interaction with vesicles, albeit with different kinetics. In light of these results, we propose a mechanism by which dermaseptins permeate cells and affect intraerythrocytic parasites.
Shear Stress Activation of SREBP1 in Endothelial Cells Is Mediated by Integrins

&NA; We investigated the effect of shear stress on the sterol regulatory element‐binding protein 1 (SREBP1) in vascular endothelial cells (ECs) and the mechanotransduction mechanism involved. Application of a shear stress (12 dyn/cm2) caused the proteolytic cleavage of SREBP1 and the ensuing translocation of its transcription factor domain into the nucleus. As a result, shear stress increased the mRNAs encoding the low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), as well as the binding of 125I‐LDL. Using a step flow channel, we showed that SREBP1 activation in ECs under laminar flow is transient, but disturbed flow causes sustained activation. In studying the shear stress‐elicited molecular signaling that activates SREBP1, we found that blocking the &bgr;1‐integrin with the AIIB2 blocking‐type monoclonal antibody inhibited SREBP1 activation induced by shear stress. EC attachment to fibronectin or the activation of &bgr;1‐integrin in the suspended ECs by the TS2/16 monoclonal antibody was sufficient for SREBP1 activation. Furthermore, transient transfection assays showed that dominant‐negative mutants of focal adhesion kinase and c‐Src attenuated the shear stress‐increased LDLR promoter activity. These results demonstrate that integrin signaling plays a critical role in the modulation of SREBP in ECs in response to shear stress.