Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PPP1R12A Copy Number Is Associated with Clinical Outcomes of Stage III CRC Receiving Oxaliplatin-Based Chemotherapy

Aim. To investigate the correlation between PPP1R12A gene copy number and clinical outcomes of oxaliplatin-based regimen in stage III colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods. A total of 139 paraffin-embedded tissue samples of stage III CRC patients who received oxaliplatin-based treatment after radical surgery were recruited. Genomic DNA was extracted and purified from paraffin-embedded sections. Quantitative PCR methods were used to detect the relative copy number (RCN) of PPP1R12A. Results. Statistical analysis demonstrated that low PPP1R12A RCN was associated with poor RFS (HR = 2.186, 95% CI: 1.293–3.696; P = 0.003) and OS (HR = 2.782, 95% CI: 1.531–5.052; P < 0.001). Additionally, when patients were stratified according to subgroups of stage III and tumor location, poor RFS and OS were also observed in the low PPP1R12A RCN group with significance (RFS: IIIB HR = 2.870, P < 0.001; colon HR = 1.910, P = 0.037; OS: IIIB HR = 3.527, P < 0.001; IIIC HR = 2.662, P = 0.049; rectum HR = 4.229, P = 0.002). Conclusion. Our findings suggest the copy number of PPP1R12A can independently predict recurrence and overall survival of stage III colorectal cancer patients receiving oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy.
La auto-eficacia, el comportamiento que admite los riesgos y la salud mental, como predictores de la iniciativa para el crecimiento personal entre alumnos universitarios

Abstract Introduction. This study sought to determine the combined and relative efficacy of self-efficacy, risk-taking behaviour and mental health on personal growth initiative of university undergraduates. Method. The expo-facto research design was used to conduct the study. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select 425 participants from 6 faculties of the Olabisi Ona-banjo University, Ago Iwoye, in Ogun State, Nigeria. The age range of the participants was between 19 years and 29 years. The mean age and standard deviation of participants were 22.40 and 4.56 respectively, male = 175 and females = 250. Four validated instruments were used in collecting data. Multiple regression analysis (stepwise) and t-test statistical measures were utilized to analyze data. Results. The results indicated that risk-taking behaviour and self-efficacy together predicted 8.7% of the variation in personal growth initiative of university undergraduates. Mental health was not a good predictor of personal growth initiative. However, risk-taking behav-iour, self-efficacy and mental health positively correlated with one another, and also with personal growth initiative.
Performance Comparison of VSC-Based Shunt and Series Compensators Used for Load Voltage Control in Distribution Systems

In this paper, the performance of voltage-source converter-based shunt and series compensators used for load voltage control in electrical power distribution systems has been analyzed and compared, when a nonlinear load is connected across the load bus. The comparison has been made based on the closed-loop frequency response characteristics of the compensated distribution system. A distribution static compensator (DSTATCOM) as a shunt device and a dynamic voltage restorer (DVR) as a series device are considered in the voltage-control mode for the comparison. The power-quality problems which these compensator address include voltage sags/swells, load voltage harmonic distortions, and unbalancing. The effect of various system parameters on the control performance of the compensator can be studied using the proposed analysis. In particular, the performance of the two compensators are compared with the strong ac supply (stiff source) and weak ac-supply (non-stiff source) distribution system. The experimental verification of the analytical results derived has been obtained using a laboratory model of the single-phase DSTATCOM and DVR. A generalized converter topology using a cascaded multilevel inverter has been proposed for the medium-voltage distribution system. Simulation studies have been performed in the PSCAD/EMTDC software to verify the results in the three-phase system.
Investigations into Features for Robust Classification into Broad Acoustic Categories

In this paper we present our experimental results about classifying audio data into broad acoustic categories. The reverberated sound samples from indoor recordings are grouped into four classes, namely speech, music, acoustic events and noise. We investigated a total of 188 acoustic features and achieved for the best configuration a classification accuracy better than 98\%. This was achieved by a 42-dimensional feature vector consisting of Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients, an autocorrelation feature and so-called track features that measure the length of ''traces'' of high energy in the spectrogram. We also found a 4-feature configuration with a classification rate of about 90\% allowing for broad acoustic category classification with low computational effort.
Process Evolution in the Marvel Environment

We present a schema and process evolution tool, called the Evolver, for the M ARVEL process-centered environment. The Evolver analyzes the differences between the new and installed process models of an existing environment, detecting each case where the notion of consistency defined by the process model has been strengthened or weakened. The Evolver then automatically updates the environment's objectbase to guarantee that the objects are consistent according to the new specifications. The Evolver can be applied while the installed process is in progress, temporarily halting normal operation while it updates the objectbase, after which development continues using the new process. We have had several months of experience using the Evolver to make repeated changes in the process that supports our own further development of MARVEL, and include in this paper one small but practical example of a recent change made to a real MARVEL process.
Plume-Tracking Robots: A New Application of Chemical Sensors

Many animals have the ability to search for odor sources by tracking their plumes. Some of the key features of this search behavior have been successfully transferred to robot platforms, although the capabilities of animals are still beyond the current level of sensor technologies. The examples described in this paper are (1) incorporating into a wheeled robot the upwind surges and casting used by moths in tracking pheromone plumes, (2) extracting useful information from the response patterns of a chemical sensor array patterned after the spatially distributed chemoreceptors of some animals, and (3) mimicking the fanning behavior of silkworm moths to enhance the reception of chemical signals by drawing molecules from one direction. The achievements so far and current efforts are reviewed to illustrate the steps to be taken toward future development of this technology.
Shared logging services for fault-tolerant distributed computing

Recovery logs are an important facility for fault-tolerant distributed computing that should be provided as an operating system service, l towever, a trivial adaptation of the log management component of traditional database systems is not adequate for a logging service shared by multiple resource managers. This position paper motivates operating system provided log services, and discusses some of the problems with such a service. We are implementing a new log service for the QuickSilver distributed operating system that addresses these problems.
An information security ontology incorporating human-behavioural implications

Security managers often regard human behaviour as a security liability, but they should accommodate it within their organisation's information security management procedures. To further the comprehension of human-behavioural factors we develop an information security ontology. This ontology is intended for organisations that aim to maintain compliance with external standards (in this case ISO27002) while considering the security behaviours of individuals within the organisation. We demonstrate use of our ontology with an applied example concerning management of an organisation's password policy, and how it may be perceived by individuals in the organisation. We formally represent information security controls and findings regarding human behaviour, and relate these to each other and the accomplishment of standards compliance. In doing so we provide a model that information security managers can use to consider the impact of their security management decisions.
The flow deviation method: An approach to store-and-forward communication network design

mo problems reZevant to the design of a store-and-forward communication network (the message routing problem and the channeZ capacity assignment problem) are formulated and are recognized to be essentiaZ Zy non- Zinear, uncoMnA;tcained muZticomodity (m. c. 1 fZm problems. A "FZm Deviation" (FD) method for the soZution of these non-linear, unconstrained m.c. fZm probZems is described which is quite simiZar to the gradient method for functions of continuous variables; here the concept of gradient is repZaced by the concept of "shortest route" flow. As in the gradient method, the application of successive flow deviations leads to ZocaZ minima. of the FD method to the design of the ARPA Computer Network are discussed. FinaZ ly, two interesting applications
Consensus-based cross-correlation

Cross-correlation is a classical similarity measure with broad applications in multimedia signal processing. While it is robust against uncorrelated noise in the input signals, it is severely affected by systematic disturbances which lead to biased results. To overcome this limitation, we propose in this paper consensus-based cross-correlation (ConCor) to deal with heavily corrupted signal parts that derail regular cross-correlation. ConCor builds upon the widely adopted RANSAC algorithm to reliably identify and eliminate corrupt signal parts at limited additional complexity. Our approach is universal in that it can be combined with existing cross-correlation variants. We apply ConCor in two example applications, namely video synchronization and template matching. Our experimental results demonstrate the improved robustness and accuracy when compared to classical cross-correlation.
Anticancer Agents Targeted to Sirtuins

Sirtuins are nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide+-dependent deacetylases of which there are seven isoforms (SIRT1–7). Sirtuin activity is linked to gene expression, lifespan extension, neurodegeneration, and age-related disorders. Numerous studies have suggested that sirtuins could be of great significance with regard to both antiaging and tumorigenesis, depending on its targets in specific signaling pathways or in specific cancers. Recent studies have identified small chemical compounds that modulate sirtuins, and these modulators have enabled a greater understanding of the biological function and molecular mechanisms of sirtuins. This review highlights the possibility of sirtuins, especially SIRT1 and SIRT2, for cancer therapy targets, and focuses on the therapeutic potential of sirtuin modulators both in cancer prevention and treatment.
Plasma Levels of Interleukin-6 and Interleukin-10 Are Affected by Ketorolac as an Adjunct to Patient-Controlled Morphine After Abdominal Hysterectomy

Objective: Because morphine affects various immune functions, patient-controlled analgesia with morphine may further deteriorate the immune mechanisms after surgery. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine differences between morphine patient-controlled analgesia and a combination of morphine and ketorolac in interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 responses, and in analgesia and morphine-related side effects. Design: Prospective study. Patients: Twenty-two patients who underwent abdominal hysterectomy were classified randomly into two groups: (1) patient-controlled analgesia with morphine; and (2) patient-controlled analgesia with a combination of morphine and ketorolac. Blood samples to measure cytokines were collected at preoperatively, immediately postoperatively, and 2 hours, 4 hours, and 24 hours postoperatively. Outcome Measures: Plasma was separated and frozen until the analysis of cytokines using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Postoperative pain was assessed using a visual analog score. Sedation was checked based on a protocol developed at the Samsung Medical Center. Results: In the two groups, interleukin-6 increased immediately postoperatively, and it remained consistent for 24 hours. Interleukin-10 concentrations peaked at 2 hours postoperatively and progressively decreased. Cytokine concentrations between the two groups were significantly different for interleukin-6 24 hours postoperatively (p = 0.026) and for interleukin-10 4 hours postoperatively (p = 0.045). Total analgesic use was not different, but morphine consumption was significantly different (p = 0.037 at 4 hours postoperatively, p = 0.015 at 24 hours postoperatively). Pain scores, sedation, and side effects were unaffected by the patient-controlled analgesia regimen. Conclusions: The authors conclude that supplementation using ketorolac plus administration of morphine modifies cytokine responses and may contribute to immune augmentations during postoperative periods.
Anti-Müllerian hormone as an indicator of hemi-castrated unilateral cryptorchid horses

ABSTRACT Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), a glycoprotein secreted from the fetal testis, is responsible for regression of the Müllerian duct in the male fetus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of serum AMH as a biomarker for diagnosis of cryptorchidism in horses. Serum AMH concentrations were measured in intact stallions, hemi-castrated unilateral cryptorchid stallions, and geldings. In addition, expression of AMH was characterized in cryptorchid testes by immunohistochemistry. Serum AMH was detected in intact stallions (n=11, 13.3 ± 1.8 ng/ml) and in hemi-castrated cryptorchid stallions (n=8, 17.6 ± 3.0 ng/ml), but not in geldings (n=6, all data were below the limit of detection). Immunolabeling for AMH was detected in Sertoli cells of undescended testes from cryptorchid horses as well as those of normal testes. Our findings indicate that the cryptorchid testis after hemi-castration secretes AMH and that serum AMH concentrations may be a useful biomarker for diagnosis of equine cryptorchidism.
Enhanced human CD4+ T cell engraftment in beta2-microglobulin-deficient NOD-scid mice.

Genetic crosses produced NOD/LtSz mice doubly homozygous for the severe combined immunodeficiency (scid) mutation and the beta2m (B2m) null allele. Both NOD/LtSz-scid/scid and NOD/LtSz-scid/scid B2m(null) mice lacked mature lymphocytes and serum Ig. However, homozygosity for the B2m(null) allele also resulted in the absence of MHC class I expression, loss of NK cell activity, accumulation of iron in the liver, and rapid clearance of human IgG1. NOD/LtSz-scid/scid B2m(null) mice supported markedly elevated levels of human T cell engraftment, compared with NOD/LtSz-scid/scid control animals, following injection with human PBMC. The increased engraftment was associated with a major increase in the number of human CD4+ T cells. Following injection with 20 million human PBMC, levels of human CD4+ T cells in the peripheral blood and spleen of NOD/ LtSz-scid/scid B2m(null) mice were 6- to 7-fold higher than those in NOD/LtSz-scid/scid mice and >50-fold higher than those in C.B-17-scid/scid mice. The resulting normalization of CD4+/CD8+ ratios in NOD/LtSz-scid/scid B2m(null) mice is in sharp contrast to that observed in NOD/LtSz-scid/scid mice or in C.B-17-scid/scid mice. Circulating human IgG was cleared 6-fold more rapidly in NOD/LtSz-scid/scid B2m(null) mice than in NOD/LtSz-scid/scid mice. This rapid IgG clearance suggested a failure of the engrafted human lymphoid cells to maintain high circulating levels of human IgG. The higher levels of human CD4+ T cells and the normalization of the CD4:CD8 ratio that are observed in human PBMC-engrafted NOD/LtSz-scid/scid B2m(null) mice suggest that this system may be an excellent model for studies of HIV pathogenesis.
Juvenile offenders with special needs: Critical issues and bleak outcomes

Social, adaptive, and academic skills must be acquired by today's juvenile offenders, especially those who have disabilities and are ethnically or linguistically diverse, to function effectively at a job and in the community. To give juvenile offenders the opportunity to acquire these skills, juvenile justice systems must address the special academic needs of these individuals. Currently, treatment programs in the juvenile justice system do not fully remediate deficient reading skills in youth with reading disabilities, possibly leading to higher incidence of juvenile offenses among this population. This paper identifies major issues and challenges for juvenile offenders with special needs, including dropout, un- and underemployment, and recidivism to demonstrate the need for reading and literacy intervention. Implications for family-school-juvenile detention staff intervention and future research needs within a sociocultural framework for juvenile offenders with special needs are discussed.
Recommending Posts concerning API Issues in Developer Q&amp;A Sites

API design is known to be a challenging craft, as API designers must balance their elegant ideals against "real-world" concerns, such as utility, performance, backwards compatibility, and unforeseen emergent uses. However, to date, there is no principled method to collect or analyze API usability information that incorporates input from typical developers. In practice, developers often turn to Q&A websites such as stackoverflow.com (SO) when seeking expert advice on API use, the popularity of such sites has thus led to a very large volume of unstructured information that can be searched with diligence for answers to specific questions. The collected wisdom within such sites could, in principle, be of great help to API designers to better support developer needs, if only it could be collected, analyzed, and distilled for practical use. In this paper, we present a methodology that combines several techniques, including social network analysis and topic mining, to recommend SO posts that are likely to concern API design-related issues. To establish a comparison baseline, we introduce two more recommendation approaches: a reputation-based recommender and a random recommender. We have found that when applied to Q&A discussion of two popular mobile platforms, Android and iOS, our methodology achieves up to 93% accuracy and is more stable with its recommendations when compared to the two baseline techniques.
Rho-Kinase/ROCK: A Key Regulator of the Cytoskeleton and Cell Polarity

Rho‐associated kinase (Rho‐kinase/ROCK/ROK) is an effector of the small GTPase Rho and belongs to the AGC family of kinases. Rho‐kinase has pleiotropic functions including the regulation of cellular contraction, motility, morphology, polarity, cell division, and gene expression. Pharmacological analyses have revealed that Rho‐kinase is involved in a wide range of diseases such as vasospasm, pulmonary hypertension, nerve injury, and glaucoma, and is therefore considered to be a potential therapeutic target. This review focuses on the structure, function, and modes of activation and action of Rho‐kinase. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Preparation of papers for the ICCE-TW 2016: A look ahead mechanism to speed up packets delivery in an openflow software-defined network

Software-Defined Networking (SDN) is a brand-new networking technology which promises to provide flexible architecture and power features. However, performance is always a major concern in deploying SDN. In this paper, we demonstrate how a naive SDN network may suffer from long delay for the first packet in a session, and we propose a "Look Ahead Mechanism" to shorten the delay time. In addition to simulation, laboratory prototypes were implemented to verify the mechanism. The experimental result shows that the delay time can be reduced about 50%, which significantly improves the response time in an SDN-based network.
Enhancing DPYSL3 gene expression via a promoter-targeted small activating RNA approach suppresses cancer cell motility and metastasis

To explore a novel strategy in suppressing tumor metastasis, we took the advantage of a recent RNA activation (RNAa) theory and used small double-strand RNA molecules, termed as small activating RNAs (saRNA) that are complimentary to target gene promoter, to enhance transcription of metastasis suppressor gene. The target gene in this study is Dihydro-pyrimidinase-like 3 (DPYSL3, protein name CRMP4), which was identified as a metastatic suppressor in prostate cancers. There are two transcriptional variants of DPYSL3 gene in human genome, of which the variant 2 is the dominant transcript (DPYSL3v2, CRMP4a) but is also significantly down-regulated in primary prostate cancers. A total of 8 saRNAs for DPYSL3v1 and 14 saRNAs for DPYSL3v2 were tested in multiple prostate cancer cell lines. While none of the saRNAs significantly altered DPYSL3v1 expression, 4 saRNAs showed a strong enhancing effect on DPYSL3v2 expression, resulting in reduced cell mobility in vitro. To achieve a prostate cancer-specific delivery for in vivo testing, we conjugated the most potent saV2-9 RNA molecule with the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeting aptamer A10-3.2. The conjugates successful increased DPYSL3v2 gene expression in PSMA-positive but not PSMA-negative prostate cancer cells. In nude mice bearing orthotopic xenograft of prostate cancer, a 10-day consecutive treatment with the saV2-9 conjugates significantly suppress distal metastasis compared to the control saRNAs. Analysis of xenograft tissues revealed that DPYSL3v2 expression was largely increased in saV2-9 conjugate-treated group compared to the control group. In conclusion, DPYSL3v2 promoter-targeted saRNA molecules might be used as an adjunctive therapy to suppress prostate cancer metastasis.
Contributing factors to poor functional recovery after delayed nerve repair: prolonged denervation

The effects of prolonged denervation, independent from those of prolonged axotomy, on the recovery of muscle function were examined in a nerve cross-anastomosis paradigm. The tibialis anterior muscle was denervated for various durations by cutting the common peroneal nerve before a freshly cut tibial nerve was cross-sutured to its distal stump. Nerve regeneration and muscle reinnervation were quantified by means of electrophysiological and histochemical methods. Progressively fewer axons reinnervated the muscle with prolonged denervation; for example, beyond 6 months the mean (+/- SE) motor unit number was 15 +/- 4, which was far fewer than that after immediate nerve suture (137 +/- 21). The poor regeneration after prolonged denervation is not due to inability of the long-term denervated muscle to accept reinnervation because each regenerated axon reinnervated three- to fivefold more muscle fibers than normal. Rather, it is due to progressive deterioration of the intramuscular nerve sheaths because the effects of prolonged denervation were simulated by forcing regenerating axons to grow outside the sheaths. Fewer regenerated axons account for reinnervation of less than 50% of the muscle fibers in each muscle and contribute to the progressive decline in muscle force. Reinnervated muscle fibers failed to fully recover from denervation atrophy: muscle fiber cross-sectional area being 1171 +/- 84 microns2 as compared to 2700 +/- 47 microns2 after immediate nerve suture. Thus, the primary cause of the poor recovery after long-term denervation is a profound reduction in the number of axons that successfully regenerate through the deteriorating intramuscular nerve sheaths. Muscle force capacity is further compromised by the incomplete recovery of muscle fibers from denervation atrophy.