Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Real-time algorithm for nonlinear systems with incomplete state information using finite-horizon optimal control technique

This paper discusses a novel efficient real-time technique used for finite-horizon nonlinear regulator problems with incomplete state information. This technique based on integrating the Kalman filter algorithm and the finite-horizon differential State Dependent Riccati Equation (SDRE) technique. In this technique, the optimal control problem of the nonlinear system is solved by using finite-horizon differential SDRE algorithm, which makes this technique effective for a wide range of operating points. A nonlinear mechanical crane is given to show the effectiveness of the proposed technique.
The ARX story (epilepsy, mental retardation, autism, and cerebral malformations): one gene leads to many phenotypes.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Infantile spasms, mental retardation, autism, and dystonia represent disabling diseases for which little etiologic information is available. Mutations in the Aristaless related homeobox gene (ARX) have been found in patients with these conditions. This discovery provides important genetic information and may ultimately offer treatment options for these patients. RECENT FINDINGS Recent work has demonstrated that mutations in ARX cause X-linked West syndrome, X-linked myoclonic epilepsy with spasticity and intellectual disability, Partington syndrome (mental retardation, ataxia, and dystonia), as well as nonsyndromic forms of mental retardation. Patients with these aforementioned diseases and ARX mutations were not reported to have brain imaging abnormalities. In contrast, mutations in ARX mutations have also been found in X-linked lissencephaly with abnormal genitalia, which typically includes severe brain malformations (lissencephaly, agenesis of the corpus callosum, and midbrain malformations), intractable seizures, and a severely shortened lifespan. ARX knockout mice manifest defects in overall neuroblast proliferation as well as selective abnormalities in gamma-aminobutyric acid-ergic interneuron migration. Consistent with these findings in mice, phenotype/genotype studies in humans suggest that truncating mutations cause X-linked lissencephaly with abnormal genitalia, and insertion/missense mutations result in epilepsy and mental retardation without cortical dysplasia. SUMMARY Mutations in the homeobox gene, ARX, cause a diverse spectrum of disease that includes cognitive impairment, epilepsy, and in another group of patients severe cortical malformations. Although the precise prevalence of ARX mutations is unclear, ARX may rival Fragile X as a cause of mental retardation and epilepsy in males.
Low-Resource and Fast Elliptic Curve Implementations over Binary Edwards Curves

Elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) is an ideal choice for low-resource applications because it provides the same level of security with smaller key sizes than other existing public key encryption schemes. For low-resource applications, designing efficient functional units for elliptic curve computations over binary fields results in an effective platform for an embedded co-processor. This thesis investigates co-processor designs for area-constrained devices. Particularly, we discuss an implementation utilizing state of the art binary Edwards curve equations over mixed point addition and doubling. The binary Edwards curve offers the security advantage that it is complete and is, therefore, immune to the exceptional points attack. In conjunction with Montgomery ladder, such a curve is naturally immune to most types of simple power and timing attacks. The recently presented formulas for mixed point addition in K. Kim, C. Lee, and C. Negre [14] were found to be invalid, but were corrected such that the speed and register usage were maintained. We utilize corrected mixed point addition and doubling formulas to achieve a secure, but still fast implementation of a point multiplication on binary Edwards curves. Our synthesis results over NIST recommended fields for ECC indicate that the proposed co-processor requires about 50% fewer clock cycles for point multiplication and occupies a similar silicon area when compared to the most recent in literature.
Opsonophagocytic effect of antibody against recombinant conserved 40-kDa outer membrane protein of Porphyromonas gingivalis.

BACKGROUND Porphyromonas gingivalis is associated with the initiation and progression of adult periodontitis. The outer membrane proteins of the bacteria are potentially important targets for interaction with host defense systems. A 40-kDa outer membrane protein (40-kDa OMP) is conserved among many strains of P. gingivalis. We have cloned the gene for 40-kDa OMP from P. gingivalis 381 and produced a recombinant protein. For the development of recombinant 40-kDa OMP as a component of a vaccine for passive immunization, the elucidation of the roles of the anti-recombinant 40-kDa OMP antibody in the host defense against P. gingivalis is essential. The objective of this study was to determine the opsonic capacity of the antibody for phagocytosis by neutrophils which play a key role in the immune response to microbial infections. METHODS To test the opsonic activity of a rabbit polyclonal antibody against r40-kDa OMP (r40-kDa OMP Ab) on human neutrophils to phagocytize P. gingivalis, we constructed a reproducible in vitro model of P. gingivalis-neutrophil interaction using the human promyelocytic cell line HL-60. RESULTS We demonstrated that r40-kDa OMP Ab in the presence of human complement successfully opsonized [3H]-thymidine-labeled P. gingivalis as a target for phagocytosis by HL-60 cells differentiated with dimethyl sulfoxide. The phagocytized bacteria were then intracellularly killed and lysed, and the radioactive degradation debris egested into the culture medium. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that antibody against r40-kDa OMP has opsonic activity on human neutrophil function for phagocytosis of P. gingivalis. Subgingival bacteria are coated in vivo with immunoglobulin and complement. When the antibody is specific for crevicular bacteria, immunological interactions can be expected in the crevice. Our observations suggest that the anti-recombinant 40-kDa OMP antibody in concert with the crevicular complement may prevent P. gingivalis colonization r40-kDa OMP may contribute to the development of a local immunotherapy when applied to the crevice of a patient with P. gingivalis-related periodontitis which relates to susceptibility for certain systemic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and preterm labor.
Measured versus Estimated Total Liver Volume to Preoperatively Assess the Adequacy of the Future Liver Remnant: Which Method Should We Use?

Objectives:To determine which method of liver volumetry is more accurate in predicting a safe resection. Background:Before major or extended hepatectomy, assessment of the future liver remnant (FLR) is crucial to reduce the risk of postoperative hepatic insufficiency. The FLR volume is usually expressed as the ratio of FLR to nontumorous total liver volume (TLV), which can be measured directly by computed tomography (mTLV) or estimated (eTLV) on the basis of correlation existing with the body surface area. To date, these 2 methods have never been compared. Methods:All consecutive, noncirrhotic patients who underwent resection of 3 or more liver segments between April 2000 and April 2012 and for whom (i) preoperative computed tomographic scans and (ii) body surface area were available entered the study. The mTLV (calculated as TLV − tumor volume) was compared with the eTLV (calculated as −794.41 + 1267.28 × body surface area) using volumetric data (cm3) and clinical outcome measures (specifically, hepatic insufficiency and 90-day mortality). Definition of hepatic insufficiency was peak postoperative serum total bilirubin level of more than 7 mg/dL or, in jaundiced patients, an increasing bilirubin level on day 5 or thereafter. Results:Two-hundred forty-three patients who had undergone major (n = 135) or extended (n = 108) hepatectomies met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-eight patients (11.5%) developed hepatic insufficiency, whereas 7 patients (2.9%) died postoperatively. Compared with the eTLV, the mTLV underestimated the liver volume in 60.1% of the patients (P < 0.01). Forty-seven and 73 patients had an inadequate FLR based on mTLV and eTLV, respectively. Portal vein occlusion (PVO) was used in 44 patients. In patients (n = 162) in whom both methods did not evidence the need for PVO, postoperative hepatic insufficiency and mortality were 4.9% and 0.6%, respectively. Conversely, in patients (n = 27) in whom the eTLV but not the mTLV evidenced the need for PVO, and thus PVO was not performed, hepatic insufficiency (22.2%; P = 0.001) and mortality (3.7%; P = ns) were higher. Conclusions:The use of eTLV identifies a subset of patients (∼11%) in whom liver volumetry with the mTLV underestimates the risk of hepatic insufficiency.
Shell-focusing singularities in spherically symmetric self-similar spacetimes.

We examine spherically symmetric self-similar spacetimes in comoving coordinates, subject to a monotonically increasing comoving time to the future, and find the necessary conditions for the formation of naked strong curvature shell-focusing singularities. The strength is shown to be persistent (not instantaneous). On the basis of eikonal perturbations along the associated Cauchy horizons we find no reason to suspect that the singularities are unstable.
Ray Shooting Amidst Convex Polygons in 2D

We consider the problem of ray shooting in a two-dimensional scene consisting ofmconvex polygons with a total ofnedges. We present a data structure that requiresO(mnlogm) space and preprocessing time and that answers a ray shooting query inO(log2mlog2n) time. If the polygons are pairwise disjoint, the space and preprocessing time can be improved toO((m2+n)logm) andO((m2+nlogn)logm), respectively. Our algorithm also works for a collection of disjoint simple polygons. We also show that if we allow onlyO(n) space, a ray shooting query among a collection of disjoint simple polygons can be answered in timeO(? m/formula]? 1+? log2n) time, for any ? >0.
On Percolation and N P -Hardness ∗

The edge-percolation and vertex-percolation random graph models start with an arbitrary graph G , and randomly delete edges or vertices of G with some ﬁxed probability. We study the computational hardness of problems whose inputs are obtained by applying percolation to worst-case instances. Speciﬁcally, we show that a number of classical NP -hard graph problems remain essentially as hard on percolated instances as they are in the worst-case (assuming NP (cid:42) BPP ). We also prove hardness results for other NP -hard problems such as Constraint Satisfaction Problems, where random deletions are applied to clauses or variables. We focus on proving the hardness of the Maximum Independent Set problem and the Graph Coloring problem on percolated instances. To show this we establish the robustness of the corresponding parameters α ( · ) and χ ( · ) to percolation, which may be of independent interest. Given a graph G , let G 0 be the graph obtained by randomly deleting edges of G . We show that if α ( G ) is small, then α ( G 0 ) remains small with probability at least 0 . 99. Similarly, we show that if χ ( G ) is large, then χ ( G 0 ) remains large with probability at least 0 . 99. 1998 ACM Subject Classiﬁcation F
The Dual Process Model of Coping with Bereavement: A Decade on

The Dual Process Model of Coping with Bereavement (DPM; Stroebe & Schut, 1999) is described in this article. The rationale is given as to why this model was deemed necessary and how it was designed to overcome limitations of earlier models of adaptive coping with loss. Although building on earlier theoretical formulations, it contrasts with other models along a number of dimensions which are outlined. In addition to describing the basic parameters of the DPM, theoretical and empirical developments that have taken place since the original publication of the model are summarized. Guidelines for future research are given focusing on principles that should be followed to put the model to stringent empirical test.
Bcl‐2 expression is associated with improved prognosis in patients with distal colorectal adenocarcinomas

Several recent studies have suggested that the anatomic location of the tumor and ethnicity of the patient should be considered in the evaluation of prognostic markers of colorectal neoplasia. The phenotypic expression of Bcl‐2 has been reported to be a useful prognostic marker in colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRC). However, its prognostic importance in CRCs based on their anatomic location and on the ethnicity of the patients has not been reported. Therefore, we evaluated Bcl‐2 expression by immunohistochemistry in CRCs collected from 107 African‐American and 149 Caucasian patients from a southern U.S. population. In univariate Kaplan‐Meier survival analyses, Bcl‐2 expression was associated with better overall survival of both African‐American (log‐rank, p = 0.040) and Caucasian (log‐rank, p = 0.032) patients with distal but not with proximal CRCs. In multivariate Cox regression analyses, when the pathologic features of tumors were not included, the expression of Bcl‐2 was associated with better survival in either ethnic patient populations with distal CRCs after adjusting for other confounding variables and p53nac status; however, it was not significant in either race when tumor stage was included in multivariate analyses. Thus, these studies suggest that the expression of Bcl‐2 in CRCs is a valuable indicator of good prognosis in either race when CRCs are located in the distal colorectum. Also, these studies suggest that the expression of Bcl‐2 is useful in determining prognosis before pathologic‐clinical staging and it can aid in selection of treatment after evaluation of diagnostic biopsy specimens of patients with distal colorectal adenocarcinomas. Int. J. Cancer 89:423–430, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Altered Effective Connectivity of the Default Mode Network in Resting-State Amnestic Type Mild Cognitive Impairment

Abstract Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is the transitional, heterogeneous continuum from normal elderly to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Previous studies have shown that brain functional activity in the default mode network (DMN) is impaired in aMCI patients with saliently cognitive and memory decline. However, the effective connectivity among the spatially isolated, but functionally related areas within the DMN in aMCI patients remains largely unknown. The present study examined dysfunctional connectivity of the DMN by combining an independent component analysis (ICA) approach with multivariate Granger causality analysis (mGCA) in 18 aMCI patients and 18 age-matched cognitively normal elderly. Results from mGCA showed decreased effective connectivity occurred among the middle temporal gyrus (MTG), hippocampus (HC) and fusiform gyrus (FG), as well as between the precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex (PreCN/PCC) and HC in patients with aMCI. Such an impaired connectivity was also correlated with patients’ cognitive performance of the auditory verbal learning. Moreover, enhanced effective connectivity within frontal cortex emerged, which may maintain memory functions after attenuated connections within DMN activity. These findings may elucidate the dysfunctional processes in brain networks of aMCI patients, highlighting the importance of connectivity changes in the pathophysiology of aMCI. (JINS, 2013, 19, 1–10)
APRAXIC AGRAPHIA FOLLOWING A RIGHT CEREBELLAR HEMORRHAGE

Apraxic agraphia follows disruption of skilled movement plans of writing and is characterized by distorted, hesitant, incomplete, and imprecise letter formation. The causative lesion is located in the superior parietal lobe (storage of graphomotor plans) or the dorsolateral and medial part of prefrontal cortex (conversion of graphomotor plans to motor commands). 1 Recently, the condition was also reported after left dorsomedial thalamic infarction with reduced oxygen metabolism in left premotor areas.2 ### Case report. A 72-year-old right-handed engineer acutely developed postural instability and gait disturbances. Neurologic examination showed a pure cerebellar deficit with distinct midline cerebellar dysfunction and less pronounced right appendicular ataxia. Apart from implantation of a pacemaker for sick sinus syndrome, his medical history was unremarkable. CT scan of the brain disclosed a hemorrhagic lesion in the right cerebellar hemisphere involving cortex and the medullary core (figure 1A). No supratentorial lesions were detected by repeat CT at 3 and 6 months after onset. Figure 1 CT scan and quantified Tc-99m-ethyl cysteinate dimer SPECT studies CT scan of the brain disclosing a hemorrhage in the right cerebellar hemisphere involving cortex and the medullary core (A). Quantified Tc-99m-ethyl cysteinate dimer SPECT studies conducted …
Forecasting the northern African dust outbreak towards Europe in April 2011: a model intercomparison

Abstract. In the framework of the World Meteorological Organisation's Sand and Dust Storm Warning Advisory and Assessment System, we evaluated the predictions of five state-of-the-art dust forecast models during an intense Saharan dust outbreak affecting western and northern Europe in April 2011. We assessed the capacity of the models to predict the evolution of the dust cloud with lead times of up to 72 h using observations of aerosol optical depth (AOD) from the AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and dust surface concentrations from a ground-based measurement network. In addition, the predicted vertical dust distribution was evaluated with vertical extinction profiles from the Cloud and Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP). To assess the diversity in forecast capability among the models, the analysis was extended to wind field (both surface and profile), synoptic conditions, emissions and deposition fluxes. Models predict the onset and evolution of the AOD for all analysed lead times. On average, differences among the models are larger than differences among lead times for each individual model. In spite of large differences in emission and deposition, the models present comparable skill for AOD. In general, models are better in predicting AOD than near-surface dust concentration over the Iberian Peninsula. Models tend to underestimate the long-range transport towards northern Europe. Our analysis suggests that this is partly due to difficulties in simulating the vertical distribution dust and horizontal wind. Differences in the size distribution and wet scavenging efficiency may also account for model diversity in long-range transport.
1 &#181;m MOSFET VLSI technology: Part IV&#8212;Hot-electron design constraints

An approach is described for determining the hot-electron-limited voltages for silicon MOSFET's of small dimensions. The approach was followed in determining the room-temperature and the 77 K hot-electron-limited voltages for a device designed to have a minimum channel length of 1 µm. The substrate hot-electron limits were determined empirically from measurements of the emission probabilities as a function of voltage using devices of reentrant geometry. The channel hot-electron limits were determined empirically from measurements of the injection current as a function of voltage and from long-term stress experiments. For the 1 µm design considered, the channel hot-electron limits are lower than the substrate hot-electron limits. The maximum voltage,V_{DS} = V_{GS}, is 4.75 V at room temperature (25°C) and 3.5 V at 77 K. More details of the voltage limits as well as the approach for determining them are discussed. Examples of circuits designed with these devices to operate within these hot-electron voltage limits are also discussed.
A randomized trial of intravesical doxorubicin and immunotherapy with bacille Calmette-Guérin for transitional-cell carcinoma of the bladder.

BACKGROUND In carcinoma of the bladder, both intravesical chemotherapy and immunotherapy can induce tumor regression and reduce the rate of recurrence, but the relative merits of these two therapies are unclear. We conducted a multi-institutional study to address this question. METHODS Patients with rapidly recurrent (stage Ta and T1) or in situ transitional-cell carcinoma of the bladder were randomly assigned to receive either doxorubicin administered intravesically or bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) administered both intravesically and percutaneously. The 262 eligible patients were followed for a median of 65 months. Complete responses to treatment of carcinoma in situ were confirmed by biopsy and cytologic analysis of the urine. RESULTS For patients with Ta and T1 tumors without carcinoma in situ, the estimated probability of being disease free at five years was 17 percent after doxorubicin, as compared with 37 percent after immunotherapy with BCG (P = 0.015). The median times to treatment failure (termination of treatment, due to persistence, recurrence, or progression of disease) were 10.4 and 22.5 months, respectively. For patients with carcinoma in situ the complete-response probability estimates (i.e., the estimated probability of documented disappearance of disease) were 34 percent for doxorubicin (23 of 67 patients) and 70 percent for BCG (45 of 64 patients) (P less than 0.001); the median times to treatment failure were 5.1 and 39 months, respectively. The probability of being disease-free at five years survival among the patients with carcinoma in situ was 18 percent after treatment with doxorubicin and 45 percent after BCG therapy. Patients treated with BCG had a higher incidence of toxic systemic effects and a larger number of local irritative symptoms than patients treated with doxorubicin, but few of these adverse reactions were severe. CONCLUSIONS As compared with intravesical doxorubicin, immunotherapy with BCG provides improved protection against the recurrence of superficial bladder cancer.
Costimulation blockade--what will the future bring?

The long and torturous road in the clinical development of costimulation blockade came to fruition in 2005, with the approval of CTLA4Ig (abatacept) for rheumatoid arthritis and the publication of the promising results of the phase II trial in kidney transplantation of belatacept (previously referred to as LEA29Y) [1–3]. Harnessing the therapeutic potential of costimulation blockade, an essential signal for T-cell activation, has been the focus of translational research for the past 25 years [1]. However, the promising early results of either prolongation graft survival or induction of tolerance using costimulation blockade in transplantation experiments in rodents could not be reproduced in non-human primates (NHP) [4,5]. While the discrepancies between the outcome of transplantation in rodents and NHP treated with CTLA4Ig are complex and multifactorial (i.e. differences in immune systems, repertoire of memory T cells and environmental exposure), it also became apparent that CTLA4Ig did not achieve as good an affinity to CD86, as compared with CD80, and thus was not as effective in a more stringent animal model such as the NHP [5]. Belatacept, a re-engineered CTLA4Ig with two aminoacid substitutions in the CTLA4 binding domains, bound CD80 2-fold better than CTLA4Ig and CD86, 4-fold better than CTLA4Ig. The in vitro superiority of belatacept in blocking T-cell responses was soon confirmed in better survival of renal allografts in NHP [5]. In these experiments, a CNI-free regimen with belatacept and a combination of an anti-interleukin-2 receptor antibody (IL-2 mAb) and maintenance therapy with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and steroids resulted in marked prolongation of the survival of renal allografts. Clearly however, these regimens did not induce tolerance. Chronic protein therapy—a novel delivery of immunosuppression