Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adaptive harmonic elimination in a five level z-source inverter using artificial neural networks

In this paper an adaptive harmonic elimination method is proposed for 5-level Z-source inverter (ZSI). The main objective of harmonic elimination method is to eliminate low order harmonics and satisfies fundamental component by solving nonlinear equations. For any DC voltages variation, this nonlinear equation must be solved to obtain switching angles and shoot through duty cycle of inverter. Genetic algorithm is used in this method to obtain switching angles and shoot through duty cycle of ZSI offline for any input DC voltages. Then an artificial neural network is trained according dataset obtained offline in GA to determine switching angles and shoot through duty cycle adaptively according variation of input voltages. In this method fundamental component of AC voltage is kept constant in variation of input voltage while low order harmonics is eliminated. The proposed method is verified using simulation in MATLAB/Simulink.
Unpredictably Stable. An Investigation into the Stayer-Mover Tendencies among Self-Employed

Does entrepreneurship lower the losses associated with labor market mismatching by lowering employment turnover? This paper examines whether a transition to self-employment induces a shift into an individual’s stayer-mover tendency. Using a propensity score-matching technique, the hypothesis is tested on matched employer-employee data from the entire Danish population. The analysis reveals that self-employed stay longer in their employment status compared to individuals in paid-employment. This effect is not explained by reduced attractiveness to the wage sector (lock-in effect). We interpret this finding by crafting a theory in which entrepreneurship may resolve mismatches of individuals in the labor market and may inherently increase the value of non-monetary benefits, namely independence. This counterintuitive finding – self-employment yields greater stability, all else equal – has fundamental implications for the understanding of the returns to entrepreneurship.
Use of an Aggressive MCF-7 Cell Line Variant, TMX2-28, to Study Cell Invasion in Breast Cancer

An estrogen receptor–negative variant of the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line, TMX2-28, was used as a model in which to study breast cancer cell invasion. Using a reconstituted basement membrane (Matrigel) assay to evaluate cell invasion, we determined that TMX2-28 cells are more invasive than MCF-7 cells and that the invasiveness of TMX2-28 is similar to that of the aggressive MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line. TMX2-28 cells displayed a rounded, epithelial cell–like morphology, suggesting an amoeboid mode of cell invasion, in contrast to the mesenchymal mode of invasion characteristic of spindle-shaped, fibroblast-like MDA-MB-231 cells. Using real-time reverse transcription-PCR, we found that mitogen-inducible gene 2 (MIG2) is expressed at a 17-fold higher level in TMX2-28 cells than in nonaggressive MCF-7 cells and that MIG2 mRNA levels are low in the nontumorigenic human mammary epithelial cell line, 184. We determined that MIG2 plays a role in cell invasion by using small interfering RNA (siRNA) to suppress the expression of MIG2 mRNA levels in TMX2-28 cells. TMX2-28 cell invasion was reduced by 48% when the cells were transfected with siRNAs targeting MIG2, relative to cells transfected with siRNAs against glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. Finally, MIG2 expression was evaluated in reductive mammoplasty and breast tumor tissue. Although all 21 normal tissues from reduction mammoplasty showed immunoreactivity for MIG2, ranging from weak (62%) to strong (24%), only half of the 34 formalin-fixed breast tumors showed immunoreactivity for MIG2. Of these 17 positive cases, 10 were considered to overexpress MIG2 (moderate to strong staining). Examination of 30 frozen breast tumors supported the finding that MIG2 is overexpressed in a subset of breast cancers. We suggest that MIG2's normal regulation and function are disrupted in breast cancer. (Mol Cancer Res 2006;4(12):905–13)
Differential susceptibility to effects of maternal sensitivity? A study of candidate plasticity genes

Abstract Here we tested whether there was genetic moderation of effects of early maternal sensitivity on social–emotional and cognitive–linguistic development from early childhood onward and whether any detected Gene × Environment interaction effects proved consistent with differential-susceptibility or diathesis–stress models of Person × Environment interaction (N = 695). Two new approaches for evaluating models were employed with 12 candidate genes. Whereas maternal sensitivity proved to be a consistent predictor of child functioning across the primary-school years, candidate genes did not show many main effects, nor did they tend to interact with maternal sensitivity/insensitivity. These findings suggest that the developmental benefits of early sensitive mothering and the costs of insensitive mothering look more similar than different across genetically different children in the current sample. Although acknowledgement of this result is important, it is equally important that the generally null Gene × Environment results reported here not be overgeneralized to other samples, other predictors, other outcomes, and other candidate genes.
Evaluation of three different bottles in BACTEC 9240 automated blood culture system and direct identification of Candida species to shorten the turnaround time of blood culture

Purpose. Candida spp. are the most common causes of fungemia. Rapid and accurate diagnostic methods are very important for appropriate management of candidemia. At present, blood culture is the essential diagnostic test despite having a long detection time and low sensitivity rate. We aimed to investigate the ways to shorten the turnaround time from blood culture collection to final identification in candidemia. Methodology. Sixty clinical bloodstream isolates of Candida were included, and Plus Aerobic/F, Peds Plus/F and Mycosis IC/Fbottles were used with a BACTEC 9240 blood culture instrument. Germ tube production, carbohydrate assimilation (API 20C AUX) and peptide nucleic acid fluorescent in situ hybridization yeast traffic light tests were performed directly from positive‐signalled bottles. Results. Time to positivity of blood cultures was affected by species of Candida, fungal load and bottle type. Candida tropicalis had the shortest and Candida glabrata had the longest time to positivity. Mycosis IC/F culture bottle had a significant superiority in the isolation of yeasts, especially for C. glabrata and if there was a low fungal load in the bottle. Direct germ tube test had 90% sensitivity and 97.6% specificity for Candida albicans in two hours after signalling. The compliance between direct and classical assimilation tests was 98.3%. Sensitivity and specificity of peptide nucleic acid fluorescent in situ hybridization were 100%. Conclusion. We think that it is possible to shorten the turnaround time for the identification of Candida in blood culture even with currently available methods.
Botulinum toxin type A for drooling in Parkinson's disease: A double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled study

To investigate the safety and efficacy of botulinum toxin type A (BoNTX) treatment to reduce sialorrhea in Parkinson's disease (PD), a double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled study enrolled 32 PD patients complaining of excessive drooling. Patients received either 50 U Botox in each parotid gland or placebo without using ultrasound guidance. Subjects treated with BoNTX experienced a reduction in both drooling frequency and familial and social disability (Time × Group effect: P < 0.01), as well as in saliva production (Time × Group effect: P < 0.0001). No adverse events were recorded. BoNTX injections are safe and effective treatment for the management of PD‐related drooling. © 2006 Movement Disorder Society
Liver Allocation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A European Center Policy in the Pre-MELD Era

Background. Policies to decrease dropout during waiting time for liver transplantation (LT) are under debate. Methods. We evaluated the allocation system from 1996 to 2003, when recipients had priority related to Child-Pugh score and donors >60 years were mainly offered to recipients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The outcomes of 656 patients with chronic liver disease (142 HCC and 514 non-HCC) listed for LT were prospectively evaluated, considering recipient and donor features. Results. Transplantation and dropout rates were similar between HCC and non-HCC patients: 64.1% vs. 70.6% and 26% vs. 22.6%. Multivariate analysis showed the probability of being transplanted within 3 months was related to Child-Pugh score >10 and to HCC, whereas the probability of being removed from the list within 3 months was only related to Child-Pugh score >10. HCC patients had a lower median waiting time (97 vs. 197 days, P<0.001), a higher rate of donors > 60 years (50.5% vs. 33.5%, P<0.005) and with steatosis (31.6% vs. 14.3%, P<0.01), but a lower Child-Pugh score (9.1±2.1 vs. 9.6±1.7, P<0.05) than non-HCC patients. The 5-year patient survival was comparable since registration on the list and since LT: 56.9% and 77% in the HCC group vs. 61.4% and 79% in the non-HCC patients. Donors > 60 years affected outcome after LT in the non-HCC group, but not in the HCC patients. Conclusion. By allocating donors >60 years mainly to HCC patients, we controlled dropout without affecting their survival and the outcome of non-HCC patients.
Essays in Bayesian financial econometrics

Even though the relation between asset return and its risk is a fundamental of finance, the empirical evidence using the generalized autoregressive conditional Heteroskedasticity in mean (GARCH-M) model has been conflicted. This dissertation focuses on the riskreturn tradeoff in the U.S. equity market. The first study investigates the factors causing empirical results of the risk-return tradeoff in stock market and finds that the risk-return tradeoff is hidden by market aggregation. The second study concentrates on the relation between risk and return in agribusiness stock portfolios and finds supporting evidence of a positive risk-return tradeoff and suggests multivariate GARCH-M specifications to produce better results. The third study employs multivariate GARCH-M models and examines Merton (1973) intertemporal capital asset pricing model (ICAPM). In this study, robust estimates of a positive risk-return tradeoff for individual portfolios and the market portfolio
Spatial and temporal relationship between monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 expression and spinal glial activation following peripheral nerve injury

Peripheral nerve injury can induce spinal microglial/astrocyte activation. Substances released by activated glial cells excite spinal nociceptive neurons. Pharmacological disruption of glial activation or antagonism of substances released by activated glia prevent or reverse pain hypersensitivity. It is not known, however, what causes spinal cord glia to shift from a resting to an activated state. In an attempt to understand the potential role of monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1) in triggering spinal glial activation and its contribution to the development of neuropathic pain, we investigated the effect of peripheral nerve injury on MCP‐1 expression in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and the spinal cord, and established its temporal relationship with activation of spinal microglia and astrocytes. We observed that MCP‐1 was induced by chronic constriction of the sciatic nerve in DRG sensory neurons, spinal cord motor neurons and in the superficial dorsal horn, ipsilateral to the injury. Neuronal MCP‐1 induction was followed by surrounding microglial activation. After peaking at day 7 after injury, MCP‐1 levels began to decline rapidly and had returned to baseline by day 150. In contrast, microglial activation peaked by day 14 and declined afterwards to reach a lower, yet significantly raised level beyond day 22 and remained increased until the end of the test period. Astrocyte activation became detectable later, progressed more slowly and also remained increased until the end of the test period, in parallel with a decreased nociceptive threshold. Our results suggest that neuronal MCP‐1 may serve as a trigger for spinal microglial activation, which participates in the initiation of neuropathic pain. Delayed, sustained astrocyte activation may participate with microglia in the persistent phase of pain hypersensitivity.
Adjuvant Use of Platelet Gel for Wound Breakdown Prevention in Advanced Vulvar Cancer Surgery: A Retrospective Study

Objective The aggressive surgical strategy adopted for vulvar cancer is related to a high complication rate, usually consisting in infections and wound breakdown. Considering that platelet gel concentrate improves reparation of cutaneous lesions, the aim of the current retrospective study was to evaluate the efficacy of platelet gel application in women who had undergone radical surgery for vulvar cancer. Materials and Methods We retrospectively analyzed record charts of 25 women referred to our academic departments with a diagnosis of vulvar cancer and who had undergone radical vulvectomy plus inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy between January 2007 and December 2011. During the reconstructive phase, a platelet gel was placed on the vaginal breach in 10 women (group A). In the remaining 15 patients, only surgical strategies were performed (group B). Primary outcomes were wound infection, necrosis, and/or breakdown of wounds rates; secondary outcomes were postoperative fever, hospital stay, and lastly, wound healing. Results Compared to surgery alone, the platelet gel application was related to a significant decrease in wound infection (P = 0.032), necrosis of vaginal wounds (P = 0.096), and breakdown wound (P = 0.048) rates. In addition, in group A, reduction in postoperative fever rate (P < 0.001) and hospital stay (P < 0.001) were also detected. Compared to surgery alone, a faster wound healing in patients who had undergone surgery plus platelet (P < 0.001) were lastly observed. Conclusion In conclusion, platelet gel application before vulvar reconstruction represents an effective strategy to prevent wound breakdown after local advanced vulvar cancer surgery. However, further prospective data are needed to confirm these preliminary results.
Structural insights into the degradation of Mcl-1 induced by BH3 domains

Apoptosis is held in check by prosurvival proteins of the Bcl-2 family. The distantly related BH3-only proteins bind to and antagonize them, thereby promoting apoptosis. Whereas binding of the BH3-only protein Noxa to prosurvival Mcl-1 induces Mcl-1 degradation by the proteasome, binding of another BH3-only ligand, Bim, elevates Mcl-1 protein levels. We compared the three-dimensional structures of the complexes formed between BH3 peptides of both Bim and Noxa, and we show that a discrete C-terminal sequence of the Noxa BH3 is necessary to instigate Mcl-1 degradation.
Vision-based activities recognition by trajectory analysis for parking lot surveillance

This paper presents a novel event recognition framework in video surveillance system, particularly for parking lot environment. The proposed video surveillance system employs the adaptive Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) and connected component analysis for background modeling and objects tracking. Spatial-temporal information of motion trajectories are extracted from video samples of known events to form representative feature vectors for event recognition purposes. An event is represented by feature vector that contains dynamic information of the motion trajectory and the contextual information of the tracked object. The event classification is accomplished by measuring the similarity of the extracted feature vector to the labeled definition of known events and analyzing the contextual information of the detected event. Experiments have been carried out on the live video stream captured by the outdoor camera, and the results have demonstrated great accuracy of the proposed event recognition algorithm.
The Response of Subthalamic Nucleus Neurons to Dopamine Receptor Stimulation in a Rodent Model of Parkinson’s Disease

Overactivity in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is believed to contribute to the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease. It is hypothesized that dopamine receptor agonists reduce neuronal output from the STN. The present study tests this hypothesis by usingin vivo extracellular single unit recording techniques to measure neuronal activity in the STN of rats with 6-hydroxydopamine-induced lesions of the nigrostriatal pathway (a model of Parkinson’s disease). As predicted, firing rates of STN neurons in lesioned rats were tonically elevated under basal conditions and were decreased by the nonselective dopamine receptor agonists apomorphine and l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (l-DOPA). STN firing rates were also decreased by the D2 receptor agonist quinpirole when administered after the D1 receptor agonist (±)- 1-phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-(1H)-3-benzazepine-7,8-diol (SKF 38393). Results of the present study challenge the prediction that dopaminergic agonists reduce STN activity predominantly through actions at striatal dopamine D2 receptors. Firing rates of STN neurons were not altered by selective stimulation of D2 receptors and were increased by selective stimulation of D1 receptors. Moreover, there was a striking difference between the responses of the STN to D1/D2 receptor stimulation in the lesioned and intact rat; apomorphine inhibited STN firing in the lesioned rat and increased STN firing in the intact rat. These findings support the premise that therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease is associated with a decrease in the activity of the STN, but challenge assumptions about the roles of D1 and D2 receptors in the regulation of neuronal activity of the STN in both the intact and dopamine-depleted states.
Downregulation of MAGI1 Associates with Poor Prognosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

ABSTRACT Objective: MAGI1 (membrane-associated guanylate kinase, WW and PDZ domain containing 1) plays an important role in stabilization of adherens junctions and suppression of invasiveness and metastasis. However, its expression and clinical revelance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are still unknown. So, this study was performed to detect the expression and clinical significance of MAGI1 in human HCC. Methods: The mRNA and protein expression levels were examined by using reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and Western blotting in 31 paired HCC and paracarcinomatous liver tissues (PCLT). Furthermore, samples of 104 HCC patients were determined immunohistochemically for MAGI1 expression and the correlation of MAGI1 levels with prognosis was analyzed. Results: The expression levels of MAGI1 were significantly downregulated in HCCs than those in PCLTs (p < .01). Importantly, the decreased expression of MAGI1 correlated with multiple tumor nodules (p < .05), absence of capsular formation (p < .05), worse Edmondson–Steiner grade (p < .05), vein invasion (p < .01), shortened median overall survival time (25 versus 42 months; p = .013), and disease-free survival time (20 versus 40 months; p = .018) of HCC. Multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed that MAGI1 expression level was an independent factor for prognosis (p = .038). Conclusions: MAGI1 expression is decreased in HCC, which correlates with poor prognosis, suggesting MAGI1 as a novel prognostic marker for HCC.
[Establishment of a hydrogel chip for high-throughput detection of Y chromosome microdeletions].

OBJECTIVE To establish a high-sensitivity, high-specificity and low-cost hydrogel chip platform for the clinical screening of Y chromosome microdeletions. METHODS Site-specific extended primers with a common sequence at the 5' end were used for hybridizing with the target. The Cy5-dUTP was incorporated into the products by primer extension, and the products were labeled with fluorescence. Then the extended products were added to the chip for hybridizing with acrylamide-modified common probes immobilized on the chip. After removal of the free Cy5-dUTP by electrophoresis, the signals were obtained by fluorescence scanning. And the detecting conditions of this method were optimized. RESULTS SY254 of 9 samples was successfully detected with the hydrogel chip. The results showed that 3 were normal and the other 6 with microdeletions (1 female sample as a negative control), which coincided with the results of conventional multiplex PCR-electrophoresis. CONCLUSION The hydrogel chip platform we established has provided a new technique for the detection of Y chromosome microdeletions, and is beneficial to the diagnosis and treatment of male infertility.
Seal Recognition using the Shape Selection Algorithm

A seal recognition approach has been presented. It is based on the shape selection algorithm. It compares the seal by the filled seal imprint shape. It finds the centroids of the filled shape first and uses the moments of inertia of plane areas to determine the angle of the principal axes, and then transforms the coordinates to compare the seal imprint. This approach is independent of the seal imprint size and direction. It can be used in the situations if the seal imprint rotates or changes size, which is commonly seen in the scanned images
Coxsackievirus B3 Proteins Directionally Complement Each Other To Downregulate Surface Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I

ABSTRACT Picornaviruses carry a small number of proteins with diverse functions that subvert and exploit the host cell. We have previously shown that three coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) proteins (2B, 2BC, and 3A) target the Golgi complex and inhibit protein transit. Here we investigate these effects in more detail and evaluate the distribution of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules, which are critical mediators of the CD8+ T-cell response. We report that concomitant with viral protein synthesis, MHC class I surface expression is rapidly downregulated during infection. However, this phenomenon may not result solely from inhibition of anterograde trafficking; we propose a new mechanism whereby the CVB3 2B and 2BC proteins upregulate the internalization of MHC class I (and possibly other surface proteins), perhaps by focusing of endocytic vesicles at the Golgi complex. Thus, our findings indicate that CVB3 carries at least three nonstructural proteins that directionally complement one another; 3A disrupts the Golgi complex to inhibit anterograde transport, while 2B and/or 2BC upregulates endocytosis, rapidly removing proteins from the cell surface. Taken together, these effects may render CVB3-infected cells invisible to CD8+ T cells and untouchable by many antiviral effector molecules. This has important implications for immune evasion by CVB3.
Pharmacotherapy of coronary atherosclerosis

Despite advances in the pharmacotherapy of atherosclerosis, the most successful agents used to treat this disease – statins – remain ineffective for the primary or secondary prevention of myocardial infarction in about two-thirds of patients. The lack of a more robust treatment effect underscores the limitations of lipid lowering alone and emphasizes the complexity of the disease and the need for targeting other critical processes. Further, despite the rapid progress in newer imaging modalities, the inability adequately to characterize lesions in individual patients beyond simple angiographic terms presents another problem. We need to be able to understand in living patients the histologic characteristics of non-flow limiting lesions and how these relate to risk for future events. Moreover, we also need to be able to modify critical elements within the atherosclerotic plaque, specifically macrophage foam cells, neoangiogenesis, necrotic core size, and fibrous cap thickness. These advancements will require newer pharmacologic agents and clinical refinements in the monitoring of treatment effects.