Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gradient model based P2P VoD content distribution policy

P2P based VoD (Video on Demand) system has low cost, high scalability and high video quality features, which make it become one of the most popular research hotspots and evolution trends. Content distribution policy is the key point of P2P VoD technology. Against the problems of data scheduling policy priority and node performance difference in content distribution, this paper researched the influence of scheduling policies for network performance information, the degree of content scarcity and broadcast emergency, and on the basis, the gradient model based data distribution policy is proposed. Through the utilization of distributed gradient model strategy, sender start strategy and receiver start strategy, each node interacts only with the part of nodes to reduce the conflict caused by the load balance. Experiment proved that our policy improves content delivery speeds and reduces the network load.
Increased human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) DNA load in peripheral blood leukocytes after lung transplantation correlates with HCMV pneumonitis.

BACKGROUND Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) reactivation and disease remain relatively common in lung transplant recipients (LTR) despite the use of ganciclovir prophylaxis protocols for all HCMV at-risk patients. The specific aims of this study were to (1) describe the HCMV DNA viral load in the peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) of a cohort of LTR during the first 6 months after lung transplantation; (2) prospectively determine whether HCMV DNA viral load predicts episodes of HCMV pneumonitis in LTR; and (3) study the effect of ganciclovir on HCMV viral load. METHODS Competitive polymerase chain reaction using an internal standard and fluorometric detection were used to quantitate HCMV DNA in the PBL of a cohort of 26 LTR monthly for the first 6 months after transplantation (145 samples). All patients were treated with standard triple immunosuppression, and ganciclovir prophylaxis was given to all at-risk LTR (donor or recipient HCMV seropositive) for at least 8 weeks after transplantation. RESULTS Thirteen episodes of histopathologically proven HCMV pneumonitis in nine subjects occurred during follow-up with a wide intra- and intersubject variation in the HCMV DNA PBL levels. HCMV detection had a sensitivity of 92% and specificity of 76% for HCMV pneumonitis (negative likelihood ratio, 9.5), whereas greater than 10-fold increases in HCMV DNA load had a specificity of 93% and sensitivity of 67% (positive likelihood ratio, 11). HCMV DNA detection had an adjusted odds ratio for HCMV pneumonitis of 107 (95% confidence interval, 14-821; P<0.005). In those with detectable HCMV DNA in PBL (n=44), HCMV DNA levels were 4.4 (95% confidence interval, 1.2-16.8) times higher in those with HCMV pneumonitis than in those without HCMV pneumonitis. Although ganciclovir treatment was very effective in treating HCMV pneumonitis and suppressing HCMV DNA levels, thrice weekly ganciclovir prophylaxis only partially controlled HCMV DNA levels and did not eliminate HCMV pneumonitis risk as three patients developed HCMV pneumonitis while on this regimen. CONCLUSIONS HCMV DNA detection, absolute levels, and relative change from baseline in the PBL of LTR correlate with HCMV pneumonitis episodes and may be a useful intermediate outcome measure of the efficacy of ganciclovir prophylaxis and treatment strategies.
Population structure in an endangered songbird: maintenance of genetic differentiation despite high vagility and significant population recovery

Black‐capped vireos (Vireo atricapilla), an endangered, migratory species dependent upon early successional habitat, have experienced significant recovery since its protection. In light of its vagility and known increase in population size and range, limited genetic differentiation would be expected in the species. Using 15 microsatellite loci and an extensive sampling regime, we detected significant overall genetic differentiation (FST = 0.021) and high interpopulation differentiation compared to other migratory birds. Although proximate sites (separated by < 20 km) tended to be genetically similar, there was no apparent association of either geographical distance or landscape attributes with differentiation between sites. Evidence of a population bottleneck was also detected in a site located near other large concentrations of birds. Although black‐capped vireos are capable of large‐scale movements and the population has experienced a recent expansion, dispersal appears too insufficient to eliminate the genetic differentiation resulting from restricted colonization of ephemeral habitats.
Discrete representations of the nondominated set for multi-objective optimization problems. (Représentations discrètes de l'ensemble des points non dominés pour des problèmes d'optimisation multi-objectifs)

Le but de cette these est de proposer des methodes generales afin de contourner l’intractabilite de problemes d’optimisation multi-objectifs.Dans un premier temps, nous essayons d’apprecier la portee de cette intractabilite en determinant une borne superieure, facilement calculable, sur le nombre de points non domines, connaissant le nombre de valeurs prises par chaque critere.Nous nous attachons ensuite a produire des representations discretes et tractables de l’ensemble des points non domines de toute instance de problemes d’optimisation multi-objectifs. Ces representations doivent satisfaire des conditions de couverture, i.e. fournir une bonne approximation, de cardinalite, i.e. ne pas contenir trop de points, et si possible de stabilite, i.e. ne pas contenir de redondances. En s’inspirant de travaux visant a produire des ensembles e-Pareto de petite taille, nous proposons tout d’abord une extension directe de ces travaux, puis nous axons notre recherche sur des ensembles e-Pareto satisfaisant une condition supplementaire de stabilite. Formellement, nous considerons des ensembles e-Pareto particuliers, appeles (e, e′)-noyaux, qui satisfont une propriete de stabilite liee a e′. Nous etablissons des resultats generaux sur les (e, e′)-noyaux puis nous proposons des algorithmes polynomiaux qui produisent des (e, e′)-noyaux de petite taille pour le cas bi-objectif et nous donnons des resultats negatifs pour plus de deux objectifs.
FM Mode-Locking Fiber Laser

In this paper the study of Frequency Modulation Harmonic Mode-locking for Ytterbium Doped Fiber Laser is presented. The model studied, uses ytterbium-doped, single mode fiber pumped by 976 nm laser source is used with 150 mW pumping power to produce 1055 nm output laser and Frequency Modulation Harmonically Mode-Locked by MZI optical modulator. The effect of both normal and anomalous dispersion regimes on output pulses is investigated. Also, modulation frequency effect on pulse parameters is investigated by driving the modulator into different frequencies values. This study shows the stability of working in anomalous dispersion regime and the pulse compression effect is better than counterpart normal regime, due to the combination effect of both negative(Group velocity dispersion), GVD and nonlinearity. Also it shows the great effect of modulation frequency on pulse parameters and stability of the system. Model-locking fiber laser master equation is introduced, and using the assumed pulse shapes for both dispersion regimes after modifying (Ginzburg-Landau equation), GLE and by applying the moment method, a set of five ordinary differential equations are introduced describing pulse parameters evolution during each roundtrip.To solve these equations numerically using fourth- fifth order, Runge-Kutta method is performed through MatLab 7.0 program.
Risk factors for relapse in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: prediction and prevention

With current treatment regimens, survival rates for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have improved dramatically since the 1980s, with current 5-year overall survival rates estimated at greater than 85%. This success was achieved, in part, through the implementation of risk-stratified therapy. Nevertheless, for a subgroup of patients (15–20%) with newly diagnosed ALL who will ultimately relapse, traditional risk assessment remains inadequate. The risk of relapse may be estimated on the basis of diagnostic features or early treatment response findings. Further progress in this field may thus come from refinement of predictive factors for relapse and treatment adaptation and from the identification of biological subsets of ALL patients who could benefit from specific target therapies. This article summarizes the aspects associated with the identification of predictive factors for relapse in childhood ALL and options available for prevention of disease recurrence.
Comprehensive analysis of the ICEN (Interphase Centromere Complex) components enriched in the CENP‐A chromatin of human cells

The centromere is a chromatin structure essential for correct segregation of sister chromatids, and defects in this region often lead to aneuploidy and cancer. We have previously reported purification of the interphase centromere complex (ICEN) from HeLa cells, and have demonstrated the presence of 40 proteins (ICEN1–40), along with CENP‐A, ‐B, ‐C, ‐H and hMis6, by proteomic analysis. Here we report analysis of seven ICEN components with unknown function. Centromere localization of EGFP‐tagged ICEN22, 24, 32, 33, 36, 37 and 39 was observed in transformant cells. Depletion of each of these proteins by short RNA interference produced abnormal metaphase cells carrying misaligned chromosomes and also produced cells containing aneuploid chromosomes, implying that these ICEN proteins take part in kinetochore functions. Interestingly, in the ICEN22, 32, 33, 37 or 39 siRNA‐transfected cells, CENP‐H and hMis6 signals disappeared from all the centromeres in abnormal mitotic cells containing misaligned chromosomes. These results suggest that the seven components of the ICEN complex are predominantly localized at the centromeres and are required for kinetochore function perhaps through or not through loading of CENP‐H and hMis6 onto the centromere.
Edinburgh Research Explorer Association between long-term exposure to air pollution and specific causes of mortality in Scotland

: Objective: This study investigated the association between long-term exposure to black smoke (BS) air pollution and mortality in two related Scottish cohorts with 25 years of follow-up. Methods: Risk factors for 15,311 participants in Renfrew/Paisley and 6680 participants in Collaborative cohorts were collected during 1970-1976. Exposure to BS during 1970-79 was estimated by inverse-distance weighted averages of observed concentrations at monitoring sites, and two spatial modelling approaches which included local air quality predictors (LAQP). Results: Consistent BS-mortality associations (per 10 µ g m -3 increment in 10-year average BS) were observed in the Renfrew/Paisley cohort using LAQP-based exposure models [all-cause mortality hazard ratio (HR) = 1.10 (95% confidence interval = 1.04-1.17); cardiovascular HR = 1.11 (1.01-1.22); ischaemic heart disease HR = 1.13 (1.02-1.25); respiratory HR = 1.26 (1.02-1.28)]. The associations were largely unaffected by additional adjustment for area-level deprivation category. A less consistent and generally implausible pattern of cause-specific BS-mortality associations was found for inverse-distance averaging of BS concentrations at nearby monitoring sites. BS-mortality associations in the Collaborative cohort were weaker and not statistically significant. Conclusions: The association between mortality and long-term exposure to BS observed in the Renfrew/Paisley cohort is consistent with hypotheses of how air pollution may affect human health.
In vitro activity of 2-cyclohexylidenhydrazo-4-phenyl-thiazole compared with those of amphotericin B and fluconazole against clinical isolates of Candida spp. and fluconazole-resistant Candida albicans.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro antifungal activity of an isothiosemicarbazone cyclic analogue against isolates of Candida spp. including fluconazole-resistant Candida albicans. METHODS We investigated the activity of 2-cyclohexylidenhydrazo-4-phenyl-thiazole (EM-01D2) against 114 clinical isolates of Candida spp. , representing five different species, by microdilution, according to the NCCLS method 27-A. The activity against C. albicans biofilms was also investigated. Toxicity in vitro was evaluated by MTT reduction assay. RESULTS EM-01D2 demonstrated low toxicity, broad spectrum, fungicidal activity and was active against C. albicans and Candida krusei at concentrations lower than those shown by amphotericin B and fluconazole (P < 0.05). It maintained potent in vitro activity against fluconazole-resistant C. albicans isolates. Fungicidal activity occurred at concentrations 1-2 doubling dilutions greater than the corresponding MICs, and time-kill analysis indicated that a 99.9% loss of C. albicans viability occurred after 6 h of incubation in the presence of EM-01D2 at concentrations equal to four times the MIC. EM-01D2 was also active in inhibiting the growth of C. albicans ATCC 10231 biofilms, even though such inhibition occurred at concentrations higher than the MICs determined under planktonic growth conditions. However, when C. albicans biofilms were pre-exposed to subinhibitory concentrations of EM-01D2, a reduction of MIC50 of amphotericin B was observed. CONCLUSIONS Based on these results, EM-01D2 could represent a template for the development of novel fungicidal agents.
Immunohistochemical analysis of E‐cadherin and zeste homolog 2 expression in endoscopic ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspiration of pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Recent studies have demonstrated that partial or complete loss of E‐cadherin (EC) and nuclear accumulation of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) are hallmarks of poorly differentiated pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAC). Depletion of EZH2 sensitizes cancer cells to chemotherapy in vitro. The objective of this study was to determine EC and EZH2 expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in samples obtained by endoscopic ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspiration (EUS‐FNA) as potential biomarkers for treatment and disease prognosis.
The Effect of Layout Topology on Single-Event Transient Pulse Quenching in a 65 nm Bulk CMOS Process

Heavy-ion microbeam and broadbeam data are presented for a 65 nm bulk CMOS process showing the existence of pulse quenching at normal and angular incidence for designs where the pMOS transistors are in common n-wells or isolated in separate n-wells. Experimental data and simulations show that pulse quenching is more prevalent in the common n-well design than the separate n-well design, leading to significantly reduced SET pulsewidths and SET cross-section in the common n-well design.
Measurement of the Systemic Inflammatory Response Predicts Cancer-Specific and Non-Cancer Survival in Patients With Cancer

The assessment of prognosis in patients with advanced cancer remains problematical. The value of C-reactive protein concentration in this context has not been clearly defined. Patients with a diagnosis of colorectal (n = 182), gastric (n = 87), breast (n = 99), or bronchogenic (n = 404) cancer and who had measurements of C-reactive protein and albumin were identified. Median survival, from the time of sampling, ranged from 478 days in the colorectal cancer patients to 60 days in patients with bronchogenic cancer. On univariate analysis, there was, in each tumor type, a significant relationship between the duration of survival and both log10 C-reactive protein and albumin concentrations (P ? 0.0002). On multivariate analysis, in each tumor type, log10 C-reactive protein remained a significant independent predictor of survival (P ? 0.0002). When all four groups of cancer patients were analyzed (n = 772), the hazard ratio for a 10-fold increase in C-reactive protein concentration in cancer-specific survival was 2.21 (95% confidence interval = 1.92-2.56, P ? 0.0001) and the corresponding hazard ratio for non-cancer survival was 5.48 (95% confidence interval = 3.55-8.46, P ? 0.0001). The results of the present study indicate that in advanced cancer patients the presence of a systemic inflammatory response and the magnitude of that response predict the duration of cancer-specific and non-cancer survival.
Collaborative overview of randomised trials of antiplatelet therapy - III: Reduction in venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism by antiplatelet prophylaxis among surgical and medical patients

Abstract Objective : To determine the efficacy of antiplatelet therapy as prophylaxis against deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism in surgical and high risk medical patients. Design : Overviews of all randomised trials of antiplatelet therapy that could have been available by March 1990 and in which deep venous thrombosis was assessed systematically. Setting : 53 trials (total 8400 patients) of an average of two weeks of antiplatelet therapy versus control in general or orthopaedic surgery; nine trials (600 patients) of antiplatelet therapy versus control in other types of immobility; 18 trials (1000 patients) of one antiplatelet regimen versus another. Results : Overall, a few weeks of antiplatelet therapy produced a highly significant (2P < 0.00001) reduction in deep venous thrombosis. 25% of patients allocated antiplatelet therapy versus 34% of appropriately adjusted controls had deep venous thrombosis detected by systematic fibrinogen scanning or venography, representing prevention in about 90 patients per 1000 allocated antiplatelet therapy. There was an even greater proportional reduction in pulmonary embolism: such emboli were detected among 47 (1.0%) antiplatelet allocated patients versus an adjusted control total of 129 (2.7%), representing prevention among about 17 patients per 1000 treated (2P < 0.00001). In analyses confined to surgical trials, the proportional reductions were similar and separately significant for nonfatal pulmonary embolism (0.7% antiplatelet therapy upsilion 1.8% control; 2P < 0.00001) and for deaths attributed to pulmonary embolism (0.2% upsilion 0.9%; 2P = 0.0001). There was a slight but non - significant excess of deaths from other causes (1.0% upsilion 0.7%), which made the difference in total mortality non-significant, though still favourable (1.2% upsilion 1.5%). Information on adding antiplatelet therapy to heparin was limited but, at least for pulmonary embolism, suggested more protection from the combination than from heparin alone. Conclusion : It had previously been supposed that antiplatelet therapy did not influence venous thromboembolism, and many surgeons and physicians do not use it routinely for thromboprophylaxis, even for patients who are at substantial risk of deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. These results indicate that antiplatelet therapy - either alone or, for greater effect, in addition to other proved forms of thromboprophylaxis (such as subcutaneous heparin) - should be considered.
Hemodynamic parameters and early intimal thickening in branching blood vessels.

Intimal thickening due to atherosclerotic lesions or intimal hyperplasia in medium to large blood vessels is a major contributor to heart disease, the leading cause of death in the Western World. Balloon angioplasty with stenting, bypass surgery, and endarterectomy (with or without patch reconstruction) are some of the techniques currently applied to occluded blood vessels. On the basis of the preponderance of clinical evidence that disturbed flow patterns play a key role in the onset and progression of atherosclerosis and intimal hyperplasia, it is of interest to analyze suitable hemodynamic wall parameters that indicate susceptible sites of intimal thickening and/or favorable conditions for thrombi formation. These parameters, based on the wall shear stress, wall pressure, or particle deposition, are applied to interpret experimental/clinical observations of intimal thickening. Utilizing the parameters as "indicator" functions, internal branching blood vessel geometries are analyzed and possibly altered for different purposes: early detection of possibly highly stenosed vessel segments, prediction of future disease progression, and vessel redesign to potentially improve long-term patency rates. At the present time, the focus is on the identification of susceptible sites in branching blood vessels and their subsequent redesign, employing hemodynamic wall parameters. Specifically, the time-averaged wall shear stress (WSS), its spatial gradient (WSSG), the oscillatory shear index (OSI), and the wall shear stress angle gradient (WSSAG) are compared with experimental data for an aortoceliac junction. Then, the OSI, wall particle density (WPD), and WSSAG are segmentally averaged for different carotid artery bifurcations and compared with clinical data of intimal thickening. The third branching blood vessel under consideration is the graft-to-vein anastomosis of a vascular access graft. Suggested redesigns reduce several hemodynamic parameters (i.e., the WSSG, WSSAG, and normal pressure gradient [NPG]), thereby reducing the likelihood of restenosis, especially near the critical toe region.
A theoretical and detail approach on grid computing a review on grid computing applications

The drastic increase in the commodity computer and network performance for the last generation has a resultant of faster hardware and more sophisticated software. But, the supercomputers of the current generation are still incapable of solving the current problems in the field of science, engineering, and business. This problems arises as a single machine cannot facilitate the availability of various heterogeneous resources required to resolve the crisis. Numerous experimental studies were conducted by different organizations, such that the topologically distributed resources were connected by the means of internet to act as a single machine. This new approach is coined by different naming as, meta-computing, scalable computing, global computing, Internet computing and recently “Grid Computing”. In this research paper, we have discussed about the origin of Grid Computing, need of Grid Computing, followed by the reason of choosing it and several FAQs. The software development kits and application programming interfaces are categorized upon the study of extensible and open Grid architecture. A comparative study between “cloud computing” and “grid computing”, as well a brief study of grid and web services have taken into account. Finally we conclude with the benefits and the applications of Grid computing in the current scenario and the upcoming generations.