Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Framework for Simplifying Trip Data into Networks via Coupled Matrix Factorization

Portable devices such as GPS-equipped smart phones and cameras are able to provide detailed spatiotemporal trip event data for each user. Such data can be aggregated over many users to provide large amounts of behavioral data of very fine granularity. Trying to simplify this data into meaningful higher-level insights is challenging for a variety of reasons. In this paper we study the problem of simplifying spatio-temporal trip data and summarizing them into an easily interpretable graph/network. We propose several constrained coupled nonnegative matrix factorization formulations that simultaneously cluster locations and times based on the associated trips, and develop a (block) coordinate descent algorithm to solve them. We empirically evaluate our approach on a real world data set of taxis’ GPS traces and show the advantages of our approach over traditional clustering algorithms.
A sleep laboratory evaluation of an automatic positive airway pressure system for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.

STUDY OBJECTIVES This paper compares the performance of an experimental nasal positive airway pressure device that automatically adjusts the level of applied pressure (APAP) with the performance of a conventional continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in a sleep laboratory study. DESIGN In a randomized sequence, conventional CPAP therapy was applied for 1 night (CPAP night) and APAP therapy the following night (APAP night). SETTING The study was conducted in an accredited sleep disorders center. PATIENTS OR PARTICIPANTS Twenty-six men and 5 women between the ages of 35 to 73 (51 +/- 9.6) years with body mass index 35.82 +/- 8.35 (kg/m2) who were diagnosed (using standard nocturnal polysomnography [NPSG] methods) as having OSA syndrome were studied. The subjects were treated with conventional CPAP for approximately 8 (7.79 +/- 3.16) weeks at home prior to their participation in this study. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS All standard polysomnography data and nasal mask pressures were recorded using a computer-based data acquisition system. Sleep and respiratory data were scored by a registered polysomnographer. The mean apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) for subjects for the NPSG night was 55.2 +/- 33.7. It dropped to 4.2 +/- 3.8 for the CPAP night and to 5.4 +/- 5.4 for the APAP night. There was no significant (p = 0.05) difference between mean AHI indices, sleep stages, sleep stage shifts, and snore arousals for CPAP night and APAP night. However, all the measures showed significant (p = 0.05) improvement over NPSG night. The mean of APAP applied pressure (8.4 +/- 3.3 cm H2O) was significantly (p = 0.05) lower than the prescribed pressure (11.5 +/- 3.1 cm H2O), but there was no significant (p = 0.05) difference between the maximum APAP applied pressure (12.8 +/- 4.3 cm H2O) and the prescribed pressure (11.5 +/- 3.1 cm H2O). All mean comparison tests were carried out using two-tailed statistics. CONCLUSIONS APAP appears to be as effective as CPAP in treating OSA patients. APAP delivers the same level of therapy as CPAP, but it reduces the average airway pressure while providing needed peak pressures.
Self-assembled ErAs islands in GaAs for optical-heterodyne THz generation

We report photomixer devices fabricated on a material consisting of self-assembled ErAs islands in GaAs, which is grown by molecular beam epitaxy. The devices perform comparably and provide an alternative to those made from low-temperature-grown GaAs. The photomixer's frequency response demonstrates that the material is a photoconductor with subpicosecond response time, in agreement with time-resolved differential reflectance measurements. The material also provides the other needed properties such as high photocarrier mobility and high breakdown field, which exceeds 2×10^5 V/cm. The maximum output power before device failure at frequencies of 1 THz was of order 0.1 µW. This material has the potential to allow engineering of key photomixer properties such as the response time and dark resistance.
RqPCRAnalysis: Analysis of Quantitative Real-time PCR Data

We propose the statistical RqPCRAnalysis tool for quantitative real-time PCR data analysis which includes the use of several normalization genes, biological as well as technical replicates and provides statistically validated results. This RqPCRAnalysis tool improved methods developed by Genorm and qBASE programs. The algorithm was developed in R language and is freely available. The main contributions of RqPCRAnalysis tool are: (1) determining the most stable reference genes (REF)--housekeeping genes-across biological replicates and technical replicates; (2) computing the normalization factor based on REF; (3) computing the normalized expression of the genes of interest (GOI), as well as rescaling the normalized expression across biological replicates; (4) comparing the level expression between samples across biological replicates via the test of statistical significance. In this paper we describe and demonstrate the available statistical functions for practical analysis of quantitative real-time PCR data. Our statistical RqPCRAnalysis tool is user-friendly and should help biologist with no prior formation in R programming to analyze their quantitative PCR data.
High-quality rendering of smooth isosurfaces

Author(s): LaMar, Eric C. ; Hamann, Bernd; Joy, Ken | Editor(s): Wiley, John | Abstract: Animation and visualization of rectilinear data require interpolation schemes for smooth image generation. Piecewise trilinear interpolation, the de facto standard for interpolating rectilinear data, usually leads to significant visual artifacts in the resulting imagery. These artifacts reduce the confidence in the resulting visualization, and may even lead to false interpretations of the data. This paper is concerned with the generation of smooth isosurface image sequences, obtained by casting rays through the image plane and computing their intersections with an isosurface. We describe a novel solution to this problem: We replace trilinear interpolation by tricubic interpolation, smoothing out the artifacts in the images; and we simplify the ray-isosurface intersection calculations by rotating and resampling the original rectilinear data in a second rectilinear grid -- a grid with one family of grid planes parallel to the image plane. Our solution significantly reduces artifacts in individual images and leads to smooth animations.
Measurement of refractive index of hemoglobin in the visible/NIR spectral range

Abstract. This study is focused on the measurements of the refractive index of hemoglobin solutions in the visible/near-infrared (NIR) spectral range at room temperature for characteristic laser wavelengths: 480, 486, 546, 589, 644, 656, 680, 930, 1100, 1300, and 1550 nm. Measurements were performed using the multiwavelength Abbe refractometer. Aqua hemoglobin solutions of different concentrations obtained from human whole blood were investigated. The specific increment of refractive index on hemoglobin concentration and the Sellmeier coefficients were calculated.
Optimization Model and Algorithm for Energy Efficient Virtual Node Embedding

In the existing virtual network embedding algorithms, the minimization of energy consumption for mapping virtual nodes is ignored. By means of the optimization theory and the resource consolidation, we construct an optimization model for energy efficient virtual node embedding. The minimization of energy consumption is solved as the minimal product of energy cost per CPU and allocated CPU from virtual nodes to substrate nodes. Based on the minimal element, an algorithm of energy-efficient virtual network embedding is proposed. Simulation results show the energy gains of the proposed algorithm over the existing heuristic algorithms.
ANTIBIOTIC SYNERGISM AGAINST GROUP D STREPTOCOCCI IN THE TREATMENT OF ENDOCARDITIS

One hundred group O streptococci were tested in vitro with combinations of penicillin and aminoglycosides in order to assess the most advantageous initial treatment of enterococcal endocarditis. In this study, as in others, it was shown that lack of a synergistic effect when this occurs is due to high‐level resistance to aminoglycoside component. Such resistance could not be demonstrated for gentamicin, and the combination of this drug and penicillin, producing a synergistic effect against all isolates, would appear to be the initial treatment of choice.
QSAR Study on Novel CCR5 Receptor Antagonists: An Insight into the Structural Requirement for the HIV Co Receptor Antagonist Activity

Chemokines receptors have emerged as important drug targets for development of agents against the HIV/AIDS pandemic. With the purpose of designing new chemical entities with enhanced antagonistic potencies against the CCR5 chemokine receptor, the QSAR study carried out on 70 novel phenoxybenzyl derivatives as antagonists of CCR5 HIV co receptor is presented. The developed model was validated by standard QSAR parameters and through a detailed structural analysis on how it reproduces the quantitative differences observed in the experimentally known activity data. The model showed a good correlative and predictive ability having a cross validated correlation co-efficient (r2cv) of 0.708 and a conventional correlation coefficient (r2) was found to be 0.805. The study revealed that the CCR5 antagonistic activity exhibited by the series is largely explained by steric factors of substituents emphasizing the role of size and shape of the inhibitors in making effective antagonist-CCR5 binding chemistry. A detailed investigation was made on the structural basis for the antiretroviral activity and the insights gleaned from the study could be usefully employed to design antagonists with a much more enhanced potency and selectivity.
Advances in Brief Irradiation of a Primary Tumor , Unlike Surgical Removal , Enhances Angiogenesis Suppression at a Distal Site : Potential Role of Host-Tumor Interaction 1

Changes in distal angiogenesis in response to irradiation of primary tumors are not known. To this end, PC-3, a human prostate carcinoma, and FSA-II, a murine fibrosarcoma, were grown in the gastrocnemius muscles of male nude mice. Distal angiogenesis was measured in gel containing human recombinant basic fibroblast growth factor placed in the cranial windows of these mice. PC-3-bearing mice showed inhibition of distal angiogenesis, as compared with non-tumor-bearing controls. Surgical removal of tumors tended to accelerate distal angiogenesis; in comparison, after irradiation of the PC-3 primary tumor, rates of angiogenesis in the cranial window were retarded. Irradiation of the non-tumor-bearing leg or of non-tumor-bearing animals showed no measurable effect on rate of growth of vessels in the cranial window. Similar results were found with the FSA-II tumors, with slowed distal angiogenesis in tumor-bearing animals and further suppression in animals with irradiated tumors. These results demonstrate that the effect of irradiation of a primary tumor on angiogenesis at a distal site may differ from the effect of surgical removal of the primary tumor. Unlike surgery, irradiation of a tumor may enhance angiogenic suppression at a distal site, and this difference may involve host-tumor interaction.
Differential Raw Material Use in the Middle Pleistocene of Spain: Evidence from Sierra de Atapuerca, Torralba, Ambrona and Aridos

This article reviews the evidence for planning behaviour in Middle Pleistocene hominids. It documents the way in which raw material procurement and tool production were structured during the Middle Pleistocene occupations of the Spanish sites of Sierra de Atapuerca, Torralba, Ambrona and Aridos. Differences in the use of raw materials for different kinds of tool or end-product allow inferences to be drawn about pre-Neanderthal intentionality and cognitive ability. The overall pattern of technological behaviour demonstrated by this study is far removed from the purely ‘opportunistic’ and can reasonably be described as involving both forethought and planning. The work is presented from a techno-economic perspective based on the differential use of raw material types present in the lithic assemblages of these sites, and the proximity of sources of these raw materials in the surrounding landscape.
5‐Azacytidine treatment for relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia after intensive chemotherapy

Despite progress in the understanding of leukemia pathophysiology, the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains challenging. In patients with refractory or relapsed (R/R) AML, the prognosis is still poor and this group is targeted for new drug development. We reviewed the outcome of 47 patients, with R/R AML after at least one course of intensive chemotherapy, treated with 5‐azacytidine in three different French institutions. The overall response rate was 38% including complete remission in 21%, partial remission in 11%, and hematological improvement in 6% of cases. Median time to relapse was 6 (range, 1–39) months. Median overall survival was 9 months (not reached by responders vs. 4.5 months for nonresponders patients, P = 0.0001). Univariate analysis identified the absence of peripheral blood blasts and <20% bone marrow blasts as prognostic factors for both overall response and survival, but not age, ECOG/PS, type of AML, cytogenetic, status of the disease, number of previous lines of therapy, previous hematological stem cell transplantation, or white blood cells count. Bone marrow blasts percentage <20% was the only independent prognostic factor identified by multivariate analysis for overall response (P = 0.0013) and survival (P = 0.0324). Six patients in remission could proceed to an allogenic hematological stem cell transplantation. The drug‐related grade 3/4 adverse events were hematopoietic toxicities (38%) and infection (32%). In conclusion, this study suggests that a salvage therapy with 5‐azacytidine is an interesting option for patients with R/R AML after intensive chemotherapy. Prospective randomized studies are needed to demonstrate a superiority of this approach over others strategies. Am. J. Hematol. 88:601–605, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Mitochondrial oxidative stress as a novel therapeutic target to overcome intrinsic drug resistance in melanoma cell subpopulations

Despite recent success in melanoma therapy, most patients with metastatic disease still undergo deadly progression. We have identified a novel mechanism of multidrug resistance allowing a small subpopulation of slow‐cycling melanoma cells to survive based on elevated oxidative bioenergy metabolism. In this study, we asked whether such slow‐cycling cells could be eliminated by co‐treatment with the copper‐chelator elesclomol. Elesclomol–copper complexes can cause oxidative stress by disruption of the mitochondrial respiration chain or by indirect non‐mitochondrial induction of reactive oxygen species. We have found that elesclomol effectively kills the slow‐cycling subpopulation and prevents the selective enrichment for slow‐cycling cells, which usually results after monotreatment. We hypothesize that elesclomol could overcome the multidrug resistance of slow‐cycling melanoma cells and prevent tumor repopulation in melanoma patients in future.
Indomethacin for treatment of prolapsed amniotic sac “hourglass membranes” presented at late mid-trimester

[No abstract available] Saudi Med J 2016; Vol. 37 (1): 100-101 doi: 10.15537/smj.2016. 1.13066 How to cite this article: Al-Jefout MI, Al-Qaralleh AM, Al-Zaghameem EI. Indomethacin for treatment of prolapsed amniotic sac " hourglass membranes " presented at late mid-trimester . Saudi Med J 2016; 37: 100-101.
Radiocarbon dating the beginning of the Neolithic in Iberia: new results, new problems

Radiocarbon dating of samples of charred cereal, biomolecularly confirmed sheep bone, human bone from burials, and diagnostic artifacts places the appearance of the ‘Neolithic package’ in Iberia ca. 5500 Cal BC. The earliest dates are statistically indistinguishable from Catalonia to Portugal and, whenever their archaeological context is secure, the associated pottery includes a significant, if not majority cardial-decorated component. These patterns are consistent with models of maritime pioneer colonization whereby the arrival of domesticates results from the dispersal of farming groups carrying the Cardial cultural tradition.
ACE inhibitor and angiotensin type I receptor antagonist in combination reduce renal damage in obese Zucker rats.

BACKGROUND In this study, we evaluated whether a combination of an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, benazepril (B), with an angiotensin type I receptor antagonist (AT1RA), irbesartan (I), is as effective or more than drugs as monotherapy in controlling renal damage in obese Zucker rats (OZR), a model of metabolic syndrome. METHODS During six months, G1 (OZR receiving no treatment); G2 (OZR with B 10 mg/kg/day); G3 (OZR with I 50mg/kg/day); and G4 (OZR with B 5mg/kg/day + I 25 mg/kg/day). Kidneys were processed for light microscopy (LM) and immunohistochemistry, including antibodies against interstitial alpha-smooth-muscle-actin (alpha-SMA), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), transforming growth factor-beta(1)(TGF-beta 1), and collagen (COL) I, III, and IV. RESULTS All treated groups presented similar reduction in blood pressure compared with untreated OZR. However, animals from G4 (B + I) showed better control on proteinuria together with a higher creatinine clearance. Additionally, G4 showed a significant (P < 0.05) lower kidney weight; smaller glomerular area; lower glomerulosclerosis score; lower percentage of tubular atrophy, interstitial fibrosis, and interstitial alpha-SMA; lower tubular PAI-1 score; lower percentage of COL I, III, and IV in renal interstitium; and lower wall/lumen ratio in renal vessels, when compared with the other groups. OZR treated with B and/or I showed a better outcome (P < 0.01) in the carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in comparison with untreated OZR. CONCLUSION These results suggest that combined therapy using B and I is more effective than therapy with either drug at monotherapy for controlling renal damage in this animal model. In addition, data presented here reaffirm the benefit of interacting against renin-angiotensin-system (RAS) in the metabolic syndrome.
Desempeño y concentración de la propiedad en empresas chilenas emisoras de American Depositary Receipts (ADR)

Este trabajo investiga la relacion entre desempeno y concentracion de la propiedad en doce empresas chilenas emisoras de American Depositary Receipts (ADR) para el periodo 1998-2007. En concordancia con los resultados reportados para el caso de Estados Unidos, el estudio no encuentra una relacion estadisticamente significativa entre estructura de propiedad y desempeno para empresas chilenas emisoras de ADR. Esto sugiere que la concentracion de propiedad es independiente del desempeno de la firma.
Initial Results in Using a Self-Coherence Method for Detecting Sustained Oscillations

This paper develops a self-coherence method for detecting sustained oscillations using phasor measurement unit (PMU) data. Sustained oscillations decrease system performance and introduce potential reliability issues. Timely detection of the oscillations at an early stage provides the opportunity for taking remedial reaction. Using high-speed time-synchronized PMU data, this paper details a self-coherence method for detecting sustained oscillation, even when the oscillation amplitude is lower than ambient noise. Simulation and field measurement data are used to evaluate the proposed method's performance. It is shown that the proposed method can detect sustained oscillations and estimate oscillation frequencies with a low signal-to-noise ratio. Comparison with a power spectral density method also shows that the proposed self-coherence method performs better.
Regenerative Medicine: Implications for Craniofacial Surgery

AbstractCraniofacial reconstruction of cases with complex anatomy challenges surgeons. The recently emerging field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine has resulted in a variety of novel therapeutic concepts particularly in the craniofacial area. However, researchers still face significant problems when translating scientific concepts from the bench to the bedside. Reconstruction procedures depend on sustainability, aesthetic outcome, and functionality. Tissue engineering approaches yield powerful tools for long-term satisfying results enabling customized reconstruction and supporting natural healing processes. In conclusion, further advances of tissue-engineered reconstruction need multidisciplinary research to create complex tissue structures and make satisfactory outcomes clinically achievable for most patients. This review highlights clinical advances in the field and gives an overview about current scientific concepts.
Cytokine-induced killer cells in the treatment of patients with solid carcinomas: a systematic review and pooled analysis.

BACKGROUND AIMS The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cell therapy for solid carcinomas. METHODS We performed a computerized search of phase II/III clinical trial databases of CIK cell-based therapy using a combination of the terms 'cytokine-induced killer cells', 'tumor' and 'cancer'. RESULTS Treatment with CIK cells was associated with a significantly improved half-year survival (P = 0.003), 1-year survival (P = 0.0005), 2-year survival (P < 0.01) and mean survival time (MST) (P < 0.001). Patients in the CIK group showed a prolonged half-year progression-free survival (PFS) (P < 0.01), 1-year PFS (P < 0.01) and median time to progression (MTTP) (P < 0.001). A favored disease control rate (DCR) was observed in patients receiving CIK cell therapy, while the objective response rate (ORR) was not altered (P = 0.05) compared with the non-CIK group (P = 0.007). CIK cell therapy could also reduce the adverse effects of grade III and IV leukopenia caused by chemotherapy (P = 0.002) and diminish hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA content (P < 0.01). However, the incidence of fever in the CIK therapy group was significantly higher than in the non-CIK group (P = 0.02). The percentage of CD3(+), CD4(+), CD4(+)CD8(+), CD3(-) CD56(+) and CD3(+) CD56(+) T-lymphocyte subsets in the peripheral blood of cancer patients was significantly increased, whereas the percentage of CD8(+) T-lymphocyte cells was significantly decreased in the CIK group compared with the non-CIK group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS CIK cell therapy has demonstrated a significant superiority in prolonging the MST, PFS, DCR and quality of life (QoL) of patients.