Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The prognostic significance of LIAISON(R) CA15-3 assay in primary breast cancer.

AIM To investigate the prognostic significance of cancer antigen 15-3 (CA15-3) in primary breast cancer (BC). PATIENTS AND METHODS This prospective study included 368 women: 62 patients with benign breast disease (BBD), 159 patients with invasive BC and 88 healthy blood donors (control). The median follow-up was 76 months (range, 43-99 months). Serum CA15-3 was measured with LIAISON® CA15-3® chemilluminescence immunoassay. RESULTS Significantly high levels of CA15-3 were found in patients with BC compared to controls (p=0.029), but not to the BBD group (p=0.16). Preoperative CA15-3 in patients with BC was significantly associated with tumor size (p=0.003), TNM stage (p=0.005), vascular invasion (p=0.018) and tumor necrosis (p<0.05). Increased CA15-3 (>30 U/ml) concentrations were more often found in patients with larger tumors (p<0.05), advanced stage (p=0.004) and node-positive disease (p=0.007). Patients with normal levels of CA15-3 had better recurrence-free survival (RFS) than those with elevated levels (p<0.001). After adjustment for T-stage, grade, tumor necrosis, estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) status, CA15-3 remained an important preoperative characteristic with independent impact on RFS (hazard ratio=4.4, 95% confidence interval=1.5-13.1, p=0.007). The independent prognostic contribution of CA15-3, considered on a continuous scale was significant among subgroups of the BC patients with ER/PR-positive (p=0.002), node-positive (p=0.028), node-negative (p=0.003), T1-stage node-negative (p=0.017), luminal-A (p=0.003), luminal-B (p=0.028) and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2)/non-luminal disease (p=0.045). CONCLUSION Preoperative measurement of CA15-3 allowed identifying high-risk of recurrence for patients with primary BC and might be combined with existing prognostic factors in planning adjuvant treatment.
Dependence of silica particle sizes on network chain lengths, silica contents, and catalyst concentrations in in situ-reinforced polysiloxane elastomers

Poly(dimethylsiloxane) networks were prepared by tetrafunctionally end-linking hydroxyl-terminated chains with tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). Molecular composites were then prepared by in situ sol–gel reactions on additional TEOS swelled into the networks, resulting in the formation of reinforcing silica fillers within the host elastomers. The amount of filler generated generally increased linearly with an increase in the TEOS swelling ratio, as expected. The silica particles formed were examined by small-angle X-ray scattering. Of particular interest were the relationships between particle size and molecular weight Mc of the network chains (mesh sizes), amount of filler introduced, and catalyst concentration. Particle sizes were smallest for the smallest values of Mc, possibly demonstrating constraining effects from the very short network chains. At fixed Mc and filler concentrations, higher catalyst concentrations gave larger particles. Increase in filler concentration generally had little effect on particle size at low and high loadings, but markedly increased sizes at intermediate levels (10–20 wt %), presumably caused by coalescence of the scattering entities into considerably larger aggregates. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 1421–1427, 1999
Secure and Scalable Data Collection With Time Minimization in the Smart Grid

Deployment of data generation devices such as sensors and smart meters have been accelerating toward the vision of smart grid. The volume of data to be collected increases tremendously. Secure, efficient, and scalable data collection becomes a challenging task. In this paper, we present a secure and scalable data communications protocol for smart grid data collection. Under a hierarchical architecture, relay nodes [also known as data collectors (DCs)] collect and convey the data securely from measurement devices to the power operator. While the DCs can verify the integrity, they are not given access to the content, which may pave the way for third party providers to deliver value-added services or even the data collection itself. We further present optimization solutions for minimizing the total data collection time.
Ventricular arrhythmia in dialysis patients: A link with higher hemoglobin levels?

We investigated the frequencies and associated risk factors of cardiac arrhythmias and heart rate variability (HRV) in hemodialysis (HD) patients. One hundred fifty prevalent HD patients underwent 48‐hour Holter monitoring. Holter monitoring was analyzed in 4 phases: early post‐HD phase (12 hours), late post‐HD phase (20 hours), pre‐HD phase (12 hours), and HD phase (4 hours). Echocardiography was applied to measure the left ventricular mass index in a subgroup of patients (n: 52). Patients with ventricular premature contraction (VPC) were significantly older, had a longer HD duration, and higher hemoglobin (Hb) levels. Left ventricular mass index was significantly correlated with the frequency of VPC, during the HD and pre HD phases (r: 0.435, 0.312, respectively). In logistic regression analysis, patients with Hb level >11.9 g/dL (high tertile) had a 4.5‐fold increased risk of VPC compared with those with Hb levels <10.8 g/dL (P: 0.04). In HRV analysis, age (P<0.001), and diabetes (P: 0.03) were found to be independent predictors of low standard deviation of all mean normal‐to‐normal RR intervals. Increased left ventricular mass index is associated with a high frequency of VPC in the pre‐HD and HD periods. The occurrence of VPC is predicted by older age, longer dialysis duration, and higher Hb levels, while older age and diabetes are the determinants of HRV. The relation between higher Hb levels and the frequency of VPC might provide a clue for the explanation of the detrimental effect of higher Hb levels on HD patients.
Journal of Graph Algorithms and Applications Small Maximal Independent Sets and Faster Exact Graph Coloring

We show that, for any n-vertex graph G and integer parameter k, there are at most 3 4k−n 4 n−3k maximal independent sets I ⊂ G with |I| ≤ k, and that all such sets can be listed in time O(3 4k−n 4 n−3k). These bounds are tight when n/4 ≤ k ≤ n/3. As a consequence, we show how to compute the exact chromatic number of a graph in time O((4/3 + 3 4/3 /4) n) ≈ 2.4150 n , improving a previous O((1 + 3 1/3) n) ≈ 2.4422 n algorithm of Lawler (1976).
Actin-associated Proteins in the Pathogenesis of Podocyte Injury

Podocytes have a complex cellular architecture with interdigitating processes maintained by a precise organization of actin filaments. The actin-based foot processes of podocytes and the interposed slit diaphragm form the final barrier to proteinuria. The function of podocytes is largely based on the maintenance of the normal foot process structure with actin cytoskeleton. Cytoskeletal dynamics play important roles during normal podocyte development, in maintenance of the healthy glomerular filtration barrier, and in the pathogenesis of glomerular diseases. In this review, we focused on recent findings on the mechanisms of organization and reorganization of these actin-related molecules in the pathogenesis of podocyte injury and potential therapeutics targeting the regulation of actin cytoskeleton in podocytopathies.
Marathon running transiently increases c‐Jun NH2‐terminal kinase and p38γ activities in human skeletal muscle

1 We examined the pattern of activation and deactivation of the stress‐activated protein kinase signalling molecules c‐Jun NH2‐terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 kinase in skeletal muscle in response to prolonged strenuous running exercise in human subjects. 2 Male subjects (n= 14; age 32 ± 2 years; VO2,max 60 ± 2 ml kg−1 min−1) completed a 42.2 km marathon (mean race time 3 h 35 min). Muscle biopsies were obtained 10 days prior to the marathon, immediately following the race, and 1, 3 and 5 days after the race. The activation of JNK and p38, including both p38α and p38γ, was measured with immune complex assays. The phosphorylation state of p38 (α and γ) and the upstream regulators of JNK and p38, mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase 4 (MKK4) and mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase 6 (MKK6), were assessed using phosphospecific antibodies. 3 JNK activity increased 7‐fold over basal level immediately post‐exercise, but decreased back to basal levels 1, 3 and 5 days after the exercise. p38γ phosphorylation (4‐fold) and activity (1.5‐fold) increased immediately post‐exercise and returned to basal levels at 1, 3 and 5 days following exercise. In contrast, p38α phosphorylation and activity did not change over the time course studied. MKK4 and MKK6 phosphorylation increased and decreased in a trend similar to that observed with JNK activity and p38γ phosphorylation. Prolonged running exercise did not affect JNK, p38α, or p38γ protein expression in the days following the race. 4 This study demonstrates that both JNK and p38 intracellular signalling cascades are robustly, yet transiently increased following prolonged running exercise. The differential activation of the p38 isoforms with exercise in human skeletal muscle indicates that these proteins may have distinct functions in vivo.
Efficient handoff for mass transit connectivity using IEEE 802.11

In the recent years, WiFi standard has been used to develop different kind of wireless networks due to its flexibility and the availability of cheap off the shelf hardware. Even if the standard itself lacks mobility support, it has been used in networks with mobile nodes. When mobility is involved, a fast handoff is of paramount importance, especially with multimedia applications. The current IEEE 802.11 standard does not provide any specification about how the handoff should take place. In this paper we propose a handoff scheme optimized for networks providing wireless connection to mass transit vehicles. The structure of the procedure is redesigned to minimize delay as well as assure reliability. A reliable handoff triggering mechanism is also designed exploiting the results obtained from a set of preliminary outdoor experiments. The proposed scheme was implemented and deployed in an experimental testbed, and several indoor tests were run in order to demonstrate its reliability and efficiency.
CX3CR1+c-kit+ Bone Marrow Cells Give Rise to CD103+ and CD103− Dendritic Cells with Distinct Functional Properties1

Dendritic cells (DC) represent a rather heterogeneous cell population with regard to morphology, phenotype, and function and, like most cells of the immune system, are subjected to a continuous renewal process. CD103+ (integrin αE) DC have been identified as a major mucosal DC subset involved in the induction of tissue-specific homing molecules on T cells, but little is known about progenitors able to replenish this DC subset. Herein we report that lineage (lin)−CX3CR1+c-kit+ (GFP+c-kit+) bone marrow cells can differentiate to either CD11c+CD103− or CD11c+CD103+ DC in vitro and in vivo. Gene expression as well as functional assays reveal distinct phenotypical and functional properties of both subsets generated in vitro. CD103− DC exhibit enhanced phagocytosis and respond to LPS stimulation by secreting proinflammatory cytokines, whereas CD103+ DC express high levels of costimulatory molecules and efficiently induce allogeneic T cell proliferation. Following adoptive transfer of GFP+c-kit+ bone marrow cells to irradiated recipients undergoing allergic lung inflammation, we identified donor-derived CD103+ DC in lung and the lung-draining bronchial lymph node. Collectively, these data indicate that GFP+c-kit+ cells contribute to the replenishment of CD103+ DC in lymphoid and nonlymphoid organs.
THE FINE STRUCTURE OF THE CILIA FROM CTENOPHORE SWIMMING-PLATES

The ctenophore swimming-plate has been examined with the electron microscope. It has been recognized as an association of long cilia in tight hexagonal packing. One of the directions of the hexagonal packing is parallel to the long edge of the swimming-plate and is perpendicular to the direction of the ciliary beat. All the cilia in the swimming-plate are identically oriented. The effective beat in the movement of the swimming-plate is directed towards the aboral pole of the animal, and this is also the side of the unpaired peripheral filament in all the cilia. The direction of the ciliary beat is fixed in relation to the position of the filaments of the cilia. The swimming-plate cilium differs from other types of cilia and flagella in having a filament arrangement that can be described as 9 + 3 as opposed to the conventional 9 + 2 pattern. The central filaments appear in a group of two "tubular" filaments and an associated compact filament. The compact filament might have a supporting function. It has been called "midfilament. " Two of the peripheral nine filaments (Fig. 1, Nos. 3 and 8) are joined to the ciliary membrane by means of slender lamellae, which divide the cilium into two unequal compartments. These lamellae have been called "compartmenting lamellae. " Some observations of the arrangement of the compartmenting lamelae indicate that they function by cementing the cilia together in lateral rows. The cilia of the rows meet at a short distance from each other, leaving a gap of 30 A only. The meeting points are close to the termini of the compartmenting ridges. An electron-dense substance is sometimes seen bridging the gap. Some irregularities are noted with regard to the arrangement of the compartmenting lamellae particularly at the peripheral rows of cilia. In many cilia in these rows there are small vesicles beneath the ciliary membrane.
Restructuring the Backhoe Loader Product Line at Caterpillar: A New Lane Strategy

Caterpillar recently embarked on an ambitious program to radically change how it markets and sells key products of its Building Construction Products division (BCP). The goal was to move from a strict build-to-order strategy, in which customers selected one of millions of possible configurations, to a Lane Strategy in which the majority of their customers would choose machines from just over 100 configurations. To successfully make such a radical change Caterpillar needed to quantify how customers would potentially react to the new strategy, and how such a drastic simplification of their product line would affect their manufacturing, sales, and service costs. We embarked on a study with Caterpillar to explicitly model customers' reactions to reduced product lines, to estimate the (positive and negative) effect such variety has on Caterpillar's costs - the cost of complexity - and ultimately help them design and implement this strategy for their flagship BCP product, the Backhoe Loader. Based on our analysis, Caterpillar began implementing the new strategy with their 2010 price list, moving completely to the new strategy in 2011. Since that time Caterpillar has expanded their Lane strategy throughout all of their product lines, fundamentally remaking their business.
A load-conscious cell selection scheme for femto-assisted cellular networks

To improve benefits of macrocell offloading in femto-assisted cellular networks, concept of cell biasing has been proposed. Cell biasing attempts to offload users from macrocell by modifying cell selection criteria. This is done by adding a positive bias to the measured signal from femtocells before performing cell selection. While the macrocell offloaded users may experience lower signal quality from femtocells, they are benefited by receiving higher bandwidth. From users' point of view, it is desirable that user equipments receive highest possible bitrate from the target base station. However, cell biasing only considers received signal strength to make cell selection decisions. The bitrate received at a user equipment is directly proportional to available bandwidth and user load at target base station. In this paper, we propose an enhanced cell selection scheme that considers scheduling opportunities available at femtocell by analyzing the current load and femtocell specific constraints such as maximum user count and minimum signal strength. Obtained results show that our work provides the best performance in terms of both system throughput and energy efficiency among all compared cell selection schemes.
Reinforcement of biodegradable poly(butylene succinate) with low loadings of graphene oxide

The structure and mechanical properties of biodegradable poly(butylene succinate) (PBS)/graphene oxide (GO) composites were investigated. Chemically exfoliated GO nanosheets with an average lateral dimension of 1.50 (±0.15) μm and an average thickness of 1.18 (±0.09) nm were prepared by a modified Hummers method and used for reinforcement of PBS because of its abundant oxygen-containing functional groups. The GO was dispersed as several layers in the PBS matrix through solution-blending and compression-molding methods that were characterized by transmission electron microscopy. The tensile strength, Young's modulus, and fracture energy of PBS were increased by 53, 70, and 100%, respectively, with an incorporation of 2.0 wt % of GO. The stiffness of PBS/GO composites was predicted using the Halpin–Tsai model and considering a two-dimensional random dispersion of GO nanoplatelets in the PBS matrix and the effective volume fraction of the reinforcement. The crystallization temperature and crystallinity of PBS were increased by the addition of GO, indicating that it acts as a nucleating agent to facilitate the crystallization of PBS. The improvement of physical and mechanical properties of biodegradable PBS with the incorporation of low loadings of GO nanoplatelets further expands its industrial uses. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013
Are Clouds Ready to Accelerate Ad Hoc Financial Simulations?

Applications employed in the financial services industry to capture and estimate a variety of risk metrics are underpinned by stochastic simulations which are data, memory and computationally intensive. Many of these simulations are routinely performed on production-based computing systems. Ad hoc simulations in addition to routine simulations are required to obtain up-to-date views of risk metrics. Such simulations are currently not performed as they cannot be accommodated on production clusters, which are typically over committed resources. Scalable, on-demand and pay-as-you go Virtual Machines (VMs) offered by the cloud are a potential platform to satisfy the data, memory and computational constraints of the simulation. However, "Are clouds ready to accelerate ad hoc financial simulations? " The research reported in this paper aims to experimentally verify this question by developing and deploying an important financial simulation, referred to as 'Aggregate Risk Analysis' on the cloud. Parallel techniques to improve efficiency and performance of the simulations are explored. Challenges such as accommodating large input data on limited memory VMs and rapidly processing data for real-time use are surmounted. The key result of this investigation is that Aggregate Risk Analysis can be accommodated on cloud VMs. Acceleration of up to 24x using multiple hardware accelerators over the implementation on a single accelerator, 6x over a multiple core implementation and approximately 60x over a baseline implementation was achieved on the cloud. However, computational time is wasted for every dollar spent on the cloud due to poor acceleration over multiple virtual cores. Interestingly, private VMs can offer better performance than public VMs on comparable underlying hardware.
Anatomy of Scholarly Information Behavior Patterns in the Wake of Social Media

As more scholarly content is being born digital or digitized, digital libraries are becoming increasingly vital to researchers leveraging scholarly big data for scientific discovery. Given the abundance of scholarly products-especially in environments created by the advent of social networking services-little is known about international scholarly information needs, information-seeking behavior, or information use. This paper aims to address these gaps by conducting an in-depth analysis of researchers in the United States and Qatar; learn about their research attitudes, practices, tactics, strategies, and expectations; and address the obstacles faced during research endeavors. Based on this analysis, the study identifies and describes new behavior patterns on the part of researchers as they engage in the information-seeking process. The analysis reveals that the use of academic social networks has remarkable effects on various scholarly activities. Further, this study identifies differences between students and faculty members in regard to their use of academic social networks, and it identifies differences between researchers according to discipline. The researchers who participated in the present study represent a range of disciplinary and cultural backgrounds. However, the study reports a number of similarities in terms of the researchers' scholarly activities. Finally, the study illuminates some of the implications for the design of research platforms.
A Study on Transient Stability of Power System Based on Multi-Agent System

With the rapid development of power system, system stability problem has become more and more serious in the world. The unceasing progress of computer application level and artificial intelligence technology contribute greatly to the development of the smart grid. The paper, A hierarchical classification control structure is hired to finish coordinated control tasks based on multi-agent system (MAS), which help multi-machine system to finish coordinated control tasks. It conduct extensively test carried out on the New England bus system, The simulation results show that decentralized coordinated control scheme is better than a simple decentralized robust control, decentralized coordinated control programs, especially in the case of large interference effect, Thus, the proposed scheme(MAS) is effective to improve power systems transient stability and improves the robustness of the transient stability prediction system significantly.
Testing for publication bias in diagnostic meta‐analysis: a simulation study

The present study investigates the performance of several statistical tests to detect publication bias in diagnostic meta‐analysis by means of simulation. While bivariate models should be used to pool data from primary studies in diagnostic meta‐analysis, univariate measures of diagnostic accuracy are preferable for the purpose of detecting publication bias. In contrast to earlier research, which focused solely on the diagnostic odds ratio or its logarithm ( ln ω), the tests are combined with four different univariate measures of diagnostic accuracy. For each combination of test and univariate measure, both type I error rate and statistical power are examined under diverse conditions. The results indicate that tests based on linear regression or rank correlation cannot be recommended in diagnostic meta‐analysis, because type I error rates are either inflated or power is too low, irrespective of the applied univariate measure. In contrast, the combination of trim and fill and ln ω has non‐inflated or only slightly inflated type I error rates and medium to high power, even under extreme circumstances (at least when the number of studies per meta‐analysis is large enough). Therefore, we recommend the application of trim and fill combined with ln ω to detect funnel plot asymmetry in diagnostic meta‐analysis. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.