Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
X-Linked miRNAs Associated with Gender Differences in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that predominantly affects women. MicroRNAs have emerged as crucial regulators of the immune system, whose expression is deregulated in RA. We aimed at quantifying the expression level of 14 miRNAs located on the X chromosome and at identifying whether differences are associated with disease and/or sex. A case–control study of 21 RA patients and 22 age- and sex-matched healthy controls was performed on peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The expression level of five miRNAs (miR-221, miR-222, miR-532, miR-106a, and miR-98) was significantly different between RA and controls when stratifying by sex, and the expression level of four miRNAs (miR-222, miR-532, miR-98, and miR-92a) was significantly different between RA females and males. The expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis revealed a significant gender effect of the FoxP3 promoter polymorphism rs3761548A/C on miR-221, miR-222 and miR-532 expression levels, and of the FoxP3 polymorphism rs2232365A/G on miR-221 expression levels in PBMC of RA patients. These data further support the involvement of the X chromosome in RA susceptibility. X-linked miRNAs, in the context of sex differences, might provide novel insight into new molecular mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets in RA for disease treatment and prevention.
Trade Unions in the Age of Litigation

This paper identifies the threat of accusation as a new source of demand for union representation and how this has increased union density in specific labour markets. Society has become increasingly litigious and this may have many repercussions on labour markets, especially those where employees have unsupervised interactions with vulnerable groups. A rational response to such changes would be an increase in demand for insurance against these risks. I model union membership as a form of private legal insurance, where the decision to join is partly determined by the perceived threat of having an allegation made against the agent. This is examined by estimating the demand for union membership amongst UK teachers, which has been increasing over the last twenty years. I use media coverage of allegations relating to local teachers as an exogenous shock to the perceived threat. I find that unionisation rates increase with media coverage of relevant litigation at the regional and national levels. Ten relevant news stories in a region increases the probability of union membership by 5 percentage points. Additionally, the size of the effect is dependent on the relevance of the story to the teacher. This paper provides a reason why the demand for union membership in this and related sectors has increased, despite the possibility of freeriding as pay and working conditions are set centrally.
Aggregation of tiling-based reinforcement learning algorithms

Reinforcement learning (RL) is a learning technique that learns an optimal policy in case of knowing almost nothing about the dynamics of the environment under consideration. When RL is combined with function approximation schemes, the learning performance is greatly influenced by RL algorithms and learning parameters. This paper proposes a new on-line multiple learning and aggregating architecture, "aggregated multiple reinforcement learning system (AMRLS)". Instead of searching for the optimal learning parameters or featurization schemes, AMRLS attempts to aggregate the outcomes of different learners to produce a better policy. This architecture is tested on the mountain car problem with the aggregation of several related tiling and learning parameters. Experimental results show that AMRLS can improve the learning performance over the use of a single RL algorithm.
Z-score comparability of bone mineral density reference databases for children.

PURPOSE The diversity of pediatric dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) bone mineral density (BMD) reference databases raises questions as to whether they are interchangeable in their application. This study examined the comparability of BMD Z-scores generated from the largest available Hologic DXA databases, applied on BMD results of a large series of unselected pediatric patients. METHODS A total of 2027 BMD scans were extracted from Hologic QDR-4500A machines. Age- and sex-specific BMD Z-scores of children aged 8-17 yr, calculated from six Hologic databases, were compared for lumbar spine (LS) and total body (TB). The final dataset included 708 scans (307 of girls). RESULTS BMD Z-scores calculated from the six databases were highly correlated but differed significantly (P < 0.001) in both scan regions. Interdatabase Z-score differences (boys/girls, respectively) were up to 0.54/0.55 for LS and 1.0/0.83 for TB. These differences also varied significantly among age groups. In girls, the percentage of LS BMD Z-scores of -2 or below ("low BMD for age") varied between 15.4 and 27.9% (P < 0.012). The percentage of TB BMD Z-scores of -2 or below varied similarly in boys (P < 0.009). CONCLUSIONS Clinically relevant differences in BMD Z-scores exist between the Hologic databases, revealing a significant potential for misdiagnosis. Ideally, Z-scores should be calculated using model-, brand-, and software-specific reference curves for age, sex, and ethnic group. However, our results can be used to estimate converted values. There are other differences in children's bone mass, shape, strength, and body size that are not detected by DXA.
For personal use. Only reproduce with permission from The Lancet Publishing Group. Late cardiopulmonary complication of ventriculo-atrial shunt

Background Despite the use of aspirin, there is still a risk of ischaemic events after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We aimed to find out whether, in addition to aspirin, pretreatment with clopidogrel followed by long-term therapy after PCI is superior to a strategy of no pretreatment and short-term therapy for only 4 weeks after PCI.
Visualization of Massive Mixed Type Semiconductor Manufacturing Data Using Self Organizing Maps

Data modelling in semiconductor industry is often challenged with complexity of massive mixed type datasets. Our main motivation is exploratory visualization of such data, usually for yield enhancement purposes, by means of a Self-Organizing Map (SOM). SOM and many other visualization methods require the data to be numeric. We replace catecorigal variables by numerical variables such that they preserve the mutual information between all original variables in the data set. Applying this method to a semiconductor manufacturing data set demonstrates how the relations between variables, and causes behind yield problems now become explicit.
Laminated magnetic graphene with enhanced electromagnetic wave absorption properties

Graphene is highly desirable as an electromagnetic wave absorber because of its high dielectric loss and low density. Nevertheless, pure graphene is found to be non-magnetic and contributes to microwave energy absorption mostly because of its dielectric loss, and the electromagnetic parameters of pure graphene, which are out of balance, result in a bad impedance matching characteristic. In this paper, we report a facile solvothermal route to synthesize laminated magnetic graphene. The results show that there have been significant changes in the electromagnetic properties of magnetic graphene when compared with pure graphene. Especially the dielectric Cole–Cole semicircle suggests that there are Debye relaxation processes in the laminated magnetic graphene, which prove beneficial to enhance the dielectric loss. We also proposed an electromagnetic complementary theory to explain how laminated magnetic graphene, with the combined advantages of graphene and magnetic particles, helps to improve the standard of impedance matching for electromagnetic wave absorbing materials. Besides, microwave absorption properties indicate that the reflection loss of the as-prepared composite is below −10 dB (90% absorption) at 10.4–13.2 GHz with a coating layer thickness of 2.0 mm. This further confirms that the nanoscale surface modification of magnetic particles on graphene makes graphene-based composites have a certain research value in electromagnetic wave absorption.
Effect of Flow-Triggered Adaptive Servo-Ventilation Compared With Continuous Positive Airway Pressure in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure With Coexisting Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Cheyne-Stokes Respiration

Background—In patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), the presence of sleep-disordered breathing, including either obstructive sleep apnea or Cheyne-Stokes respiration-central sleep apnea, is associated with a poor prognosis. A large-scale clinical trial showed that continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) did not improve the prognosis of such patients with CHF, probably because of insufficient sleep-disordered breathing suppression. Recently, it was reported that adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) can effectively treat sleep-disordered breathing. However, there are no specific data about the efficacy of flow-triggered ASV for cardiac function in patients with CHF with sleep-disordered breathing. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of flow-triggered ASV to CPAP in patients with CHF with coexisting obstructive sleep apnea and Cheyne-Stokes respiration-central sleep apnea. Methods and Results—Thirty-one patients with CHF, defined as left ventricular ejection fraction <50% and New York Heart Association class ≥II, with coexisting obstructive sleep apnea and Cheyne-Stokes respiration-central sleep apnea, were randomly assigned to either CPAP or flow-triggered ASV. The suppression of respiratory events, changes in cardiac function, and compliance with the devices during the 3-month study period were compared. Although both devices decreased respiratory events, ASV more effectively suppressed respiratory events (&Dgr;AHI [apnea-hypopnea index], −35.4±19.5 with ASV; −23.2±12.0 with CPAP, P<0.05). Compliance was significantly greater with ASV than with CPAP (5.2±0.9 versus 4.4±1.1 h/night, P<0.05). The improvements in quality-of-life and left ventricular ejection fraction were greater in the ASV group (&Dgr;LVEF [left ventricular ejection fraction], +9.1±4.7% versus +1.9±10.9%). Conclusions—These results suggest that patients with coexisting obstructive sleep apnea and Cheyne-Stokes respiration-central sleep apnea may receive greater benefit from treatment with ASV than with CPAP.
Automatic Frequency Assignment for Cellular Telephones Using Constraint Satisfaction Techniques

We study the problem of automatic frequency assignment for cellular telephone systems. The frequency assignment problem is viewed as the problem to minimize the unsatisfied soft constraints in a constraint satisfaction problem (CSP) over a finite domain of frequencies involving co-channel, adjacent channel, and co-site constraints. The soft constraints are automatically derived from signal strength prediction data. The CSP is solved using a generalized graph coloring algorithm. Graph-theoretical results play a crucial role in making the problem tractable. Performance results from a real-world frequency assignment problem are presented. We develop the generalized graph coloring algorithm by stepwise refinement, starting from DSATUR and augmenting it with local propagation, constraint lifting, intelligent backtracking, redundancy avoidance, and iterative deepening.
The propagation of a pulse in the real string and rods

The elastic string (rod) of a large mass M is considered, the left end of which is fixed to a body of a small mass m. The second body of mass m is fixed to the right end of the string. The force of the delta-function form is applied to the left side of the string. We find the propagation of a pulse in the system. The problem is related to the quark-string model of mesons.
Ground reaction forces and kinematics in distance running in older-aged men.

PURPOSE The biomechanics of distance running has not been studied before in older-aged runners but may be different than in younger-aged runners because of musculoskeletal degeneration at older age. This study aimed at determining whether the stance phase kinematics and ground reaction forces in running are different between younger- and older-aged men. METHOD Lower-extremity kinematics using three-dimensional motion analysis and ground reaction forces (GRF) using a force plate were assessed in 16 older-aged (55-65 yr) and 13 younger-aged (20-35 yr) well-trained male distance runners running at a self-selected (SRS) and a controlled (CRS) speed of 3.3 m.s-1. RESULTS The older subjects ran at significantly lower self-selected speeds than the younger subjects (mean 3.34 vs 3.77 m.s-1). In both speed conditions, the older runners exhibited significantly more knee flexion at heel strike and significantly less knee flexion and extension range of motion. No age group differences were present in subtalar joint motion. Impact peak force (1.91 vs 1.70 BW) and maximal initial loading rate (107.5 vs 85.5 BW.s-1) were significantly higher in the older runners at the CRS. Maximal peak vertical and anteroposterior forces and impulses were significantly lower in the older runners at the SRS. CONCLUSION The biomechanics of running is different between older- and younger-aged runners on several relevant parameters. The larger impact peak force and initial loading rate indicate a loss of shock-absorbing capacity in the older runners. This may increase their susceptibility to lower-extremity overuse injuries. Moreover, it emphasizes the focus on optimizing cushioning properties in the design and prescription of running shoes and suggests that older-aged runners should be cautious with running under conditions of high impact.
High-dose chemotherapy for breast cancer: the French PEGASE experience.

BACKGROUND Early studies of high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) for breast cancer were limited by small numbers and the lack of adequate control groups. The French PEGASE Group was founded to perform larger and properly randomized comparative studies of this approach. METHODS The program was created to determine the effects of intensive chemotherapy for breast cancer. The seven PEGASE protocols addressed HDC as adjuvant therapy (01 and 06) and as treatment for inflammatory nonmetastatic disease (02, 05, and 07) and metastatic disease (03 and 04). Two of these protocols are ongoing. RESULTS The PEGASE 01 adjuvant therapy trial showed that 3-year disease-free survival was significantly better in the HDC arm but overall survival was unchanged. The ongoing phase III 06 trial is studying a higher dosage regimen. The HDC trials for metastatic and inflammatory nonmetastatic disease are encouraging. CONCLUSIONS Many clinicians no longer subscribe to the concept of HDC for breast cancer. Overall outcomes from management of poor-risk breast cancer remain poor, however, and it is possible that some selected subgroups of patients may benefit from such an approach.
Simulation of the solidification of pure nickel via the phase-field method

The Phase-Field method was applied to simulate the solidification of pure nickel dendrites and the results compared with those predicted by the solidification theory and with experimental data reported in the literature. The model's behavior was tested with respect to some initial and boundary conditions. For an initial condition without supercooling, the smooth interface of the solid phase nucleated at the edges of the domain grew uniformly into the liquid region, without branching. In an initially supercooled melt, the interface became unstable under 260 K supercooling, generating ramifications into the liquid region. The phase-field results for dendrite tip velocity were close to experimental results reported in the literature for supercooling above 50 K, but they failed to describe correctly the nonlinear behavior predicted by the collision-limited growth theory and confirmed by experimental data for low supercooling levels.
Small sets of random Fourier features by kernelized Matrix LVQ

Kernel based learning is very popular in machine learning but often quite costly with at least quadratic runtime complexity. Random Fourier features and related techniques have been proposed to provide an explicit kernel expansion such that standard techniques with low runtime and memory complexity can be used. This strategy leads to rather high dimensional datasets which is a drawback in many cases. Here, we combine a recently proposed unsupervised selection strategy for random Fourier features [1] with the very efficient supervised relevance learning given by Matrix LVQ. The suggested technique provides reasonable small but very discriminative features sets.1
A retrospective case-control analysis of 2002 running injuries

Objective: To provide an extensive and up to date database for specific running related injuries, across the sexes, as seen at a primary care sports medicine facility, and to assess the relative risk for individual injuries based on investigation of selected risk factors. Methods: Patient data were recorded by doctors at the Allan McGavin Sports Medicine Centre over a two year period. They included assessment of anthropometric, training, and biomechanical information. A model was constructed (with odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals) of possible contributing factors using a dependent variable of runners with a specific injury and comparing them with a control group of runners who experienced a different injury. Variables included in the model were: height, weight, body mass index, age, activity history, weekly activity, history of injury, and calibre of runner. Results: Most of the study group were women (54%). Some injuries occurred with a significantly higher frequency in one sex. Being less than 34 years old was reported as a risk factor across the sexes for patellofemoral pain syndrome, and in men for iliotibial band friction syndrome, patellar tendinopathy, and tibial stress syndrome. Being active for less than 8.5 years was positively associated with injury in both sexes for tibial stress syndrome; and women with a body mass index less than 21 kg/m2 were at a significantly higher risk for tibial stress fractures and spinal injuries. Patellofemoral pain syndrome was the most common injury, followed by iliotibial band friction syndrome, plantar fasciitis, meniscal injuries of the knee, and tibial stress syndrome. Conclusions: Although various risk factors were shown to be positively associated with a risk for, or protection from, specific injuries, future research should include a non-injured control group and a more precise measure of weekly running distance and running experience to validate these results.
A New Path Based Hybrid Measure for Gene Ontology Similarity

Gene Ontology (GO) consists of a controlled vocabulary of terms, annotating a gene or gene product, structured in a directed acyclic graph. In the graph, semantic relations connect the terms, that represent the knowledge of functional description and cellular component information of gene products. GO similarity gives us a numerical representation of biological relationship between a gene set, which can be used to infer various biological facts such as protein interaction, structural similarity, gene clustering, etc. Here we introduce a new shortest path based hybrid measure of ontological similarity between two terms which combines both structure of the GO graph and information content of the terms. Here the similarity between two terms t1 and t2, referred to as GOSimPBHM(t1,t2), has two components; one obtained from the common ancestors of t1 and t2. The other from their remaining ancestors. The proposed path based hybrid measure does not suffer from the well-known shallow annotation problem. Its superiority with respect to some other popular measures is established for protein protein interaction prediction, correlation with gene expression and functional classification of genes in a biological pathway. Finally, the proposed measure is utilized to compute the average GO similarity score among the genes that are experimentally validated targets of some microRNAs. Results demonstrate that the targets of a given miRNA have a high degree of similarity in the biological process category of GO.
Variable-focus liquid lens for miniature cameras

The meniscus between two immiscible liquids can be used as an optical lens. A change in curvature of this meniscus by electrowetting leads to a change in focal distance. It is demonstrated that two liquids in a tube form a self-centered lens with a high optical quality. The motion of the lens during a focusing action was studied by observation through the transparent tube wall. Finally, a miniature achromatic camera module was designed and constructed based on this adjustable lens, showing that it is excellently suited for use in portable applications.
Fatty Acids and Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Rett Syndrome Conundrum

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are epidemically explosive clinical entities, but their pathogenesis is still unclear and a definitive cure does not yet exist. Rett syndrome (RTT) is a rare genetically determined cause of autism linked to mutations in the X-linked MeCP2 gene or, more rarely, in CDKL5 or FOXG1. A wide phenotypical heterogeneity is a known feature of the disease. Although several studies have focused on the molecular genetics and possible protein changes at different levels, to date very little attention has been paid to fatty acids in this disease, which could be considered as a natural paradigm for the ASDs. To this regard, a quite enigmatic feature of the disease is the evidence in the affected patients of an extensive peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (arachidonic acid, AA, docosaexahenoic acid, DHA, adrenic acid, AdA and, to a lesser extent, eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA), in contrast with amelioration of the redox changes and phenotypical severity following the supplementation of some of those same fatty acids (DHA + EPA). Therefore, fatty acids may represent a kind of Janus Bifrons in the particular context of RTT. Here, we propose a rational explanation for this apparent “fatty acid paradox” in RTT. A better understanding of this paradox could also be of help to get a better insight into the complex mechanism of action for polyunsaturated fatty acids in health and disease.
On some properties of the proportional fair scheduling policy

The proportional fair (PF) scheduling algorithm has been proposed as a technique to improve the throughput of multiple packet-data users sharing a wireless downlink channel while preserving fairness. It exploits the fact that the propagation channels between the base station (BS) and the mobile stations (MS) fade independently giving rise to "multi-user diversity". The gain offered is significant when the allowed packet delay exceeds the de-correlation time of the fading channels and the number of users is high. We analytically investigate the "time allocation" property and the multi-user diversity gain of the PF algorithm under certain conditions in the context of the HSDPA standard. Since in practical systems a certain latency is unavoidable, we have studied the use of a "backoff' factor to reduce the probability that when the transmission takes place, the channel cannot support it.
Aspect-oriented programming with type classes

We consider the problem of adding aspects to a strongly typed language which supports type classes. We show that type classes as supported by the Glasgow Haskell Compiler can model an AOP style of programming via a simple syntax-directed transformation scheme where AOP programming idioms are mapped to type classes. The drawback of this approach is that we cannot easily advise functions in programs which carry type annotations. We sketch a more principled approach which is free of such problems by combining ideas from intentional type analysis with advanced overloading resolution strategies. Our results show that type-directed static weaving is closely related to type class resolution -- the process of typing and translating type class programs.