Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficacy and Safety of Pemetrexed in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma

Background: Pemetrexed has been prescribed newly as a second line chemotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). The aim of study was to determine the efficacy and toxicity of pemetrexed in advanced NSCLC. Methods: Patients with histologically or cytologically confirmed NSCLC were evaluated from June 2006 to December 2008. The patients had relapsed or progressed after prior chemotherapy treatment. They were treated with intravenous pemetrexed for 10 min on Day 1 of each 21-day cycle. Results: A total of 89 patients were eligible for analysis. The response rate and disease control rate were 11% and 66%. Non-squamous cell carcinoma histology was significantly associated with a superior response rate (p=0.035) and disease control rate (p=0.009) than squamous cell carcinoma histology. The median survival time was 13 months and the median progression free survival time was 2.3 months. The median survival time of patients with ECOG PS 0~1 was 13.2 months, whereas median survival time was 11.6 months for patients with PS 2 (p=0.002). The median progression free survival time of patients with PS 0~1 were 3.8 months, but 2.1 months for patients with PS 2 (p=0.016). The median progression free survival time of smokers with non-squamous cell carcinoma was 3.4 months, which was significant (p=0.014). Grade 3~4 neutropenia were seen in 7.9% patients. Conclusion: Pemetrexed has efficacy in patients who had prior chemotherapy with advanced NSCLC and less hematologic toxicity.
VM-Net: Mesh Modeling to Assist Segmentation in Volumetric Data

CNN-based volumetric methods that label individual voxels now dominate the field of biomedical segmentation. In this paper, we show that simultaneously performing the segmentation and recovering a 3D mesh that models the surface can boost performance. To this end, we propose an end-to-end trainable two-stream encoder/decoder architecture. It comprises a single encoder and two decoders, one that labels voxels and the other outputs the mesh. The key to success is that the two decoders communicate with each other and help each other learn. This goes beyond the well-known fact that training a deep network to perform two different tasks improves its performance. We will demonstrate substantial performance increases on two very different and challenging datasets.
Room Temperature Lasing of Terahertz Quantum Cascade Lasers Based on a Quantum Dot Superlattice

We investigate room temperature lasing of terahertz quantum cascade lasers using quantum dot chains as active material. Bandstructure calculations for such extended systems of coupled quantum dots are made possible by a novel "linear combination of atomic orbitals"-like approximation, based on single quantum dot wavefunctions. Our results demonstrate that terahertz quantum cascade lasers greatly benefit from intrinsic properties of quantum dots, such as reduced phonon coupling and in-plane scattering, enabling room temperature lasing with significantly reduced threshold current densities.
Analytical solution of linearized equations of the Morris-Lecar neuron model at large constant stimulation

The classical biophysical Morris-Lecar model of neuronal excitability predicts that upon stimulation of the neuron with a sufficiently large constant depolarizing current there exists a finite interval of the current values where periodic spike generation occurs. Above the upper boundary of this interval, there is four-stage damping of the spike amplitude: 1) minor primary damping, which reflects a typical transient to stationary dynamic state, 2) plateau of nearly undamped periodic oscillations, 3) strong damping, and 4) reaching a constant asymptotic value of the neuron potential. We have shown that in the vicinity of the asymptote the Morris-Lecar equations can be reduced to the standard equation for exponentially damped harmonic oscillations. Importantly, all coefficients of this equation can be explicitly expressed through parameters of the original Morris-Lecar model, enabling direct comparison of the numerical and analytical solutions for the neuron potential dynamics at later stages of the spike amplitude damping.
ChainerRL: A Deep Reinforcement Learning Library

In this paper, we introduce ChainerRL, an open-source Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) library built using Python and the Chainer deep learning framework. ChainerRL implements a comprehensive set of DRL algorithms and techniques drawn from the state-of-the-art research in the field. To foster reproducible research, and for instructional purposes, ChainerRL provides scripts that closely replicate the original papers' experimental settings and reproduce published benchmark results for several algorithms. Lastly, ChainerRL offers a visualization tool that enables the qualitative inspection of trained agents. The ChainerRL source code can be found on GitHub: this https URL .
Numerical semigroups, polyhedra, and posets I: the group cone

Several recent papers have explored families of rational polyhedra whose integer points are in bijection with certain families of numerical semigroups. One such family, first introduced by Kunz, has integer points in bijection with numerical semigroups of fixed multiplicity, and another, introduced by Hellus and Waldi, has integer points corresponding to oversemigroups of numerical semigroups with two generators. In this paper, we provide a combinatorial framework from which to study both families of polyhedra. We introduce a new family of polyhedra called group cones, each constructed from some finite abelian group, from which both of the aforementioned families of polyhedra are directly determined but that are more natural to study from a standpoint of polyhedral geometry. We prove that the faces of group cones are naturally indexed by a family of finite posets, and illustrate how this combinatorial data relates to semigroups living in the corresponding faces of the other two families of polyhedra.
Decentralized multi-agent reinforcement learning with networked agents: recent advances

Multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) has long been a significant research topic in both machine learning and control systems. Recent development of (single-agent) deep reinforcement learning has created a resurgence of interest in developing new MARL algorithms, especially those founded on theoretical analysis. In this paper, we review recent advances on a sub-area of this topic: decentralized MARL with networked agents. In this scenario, multiple agents perform sequential decision-making in a common environment, and without the coordination of any central controller, while being allowed to exchange information with their neighbors over a communication network. Such a setting finds broad applications in the control and operation of robots, unmanned vehicles, mobile sensor networks, and the smart grid. This review covers several of our research endeavors in this direction, as well as progress made by other researchers along the line. We hope that this review promotes additional research efforts in this exciting yet challenging area.
Contraction principle for trajectories of random walks
and Cramér’s theorem for kernel-weighted sums

In 2013 A.A. Borovkov and A.A. Mogulskii proved a weaker-than-standard large deviations principle (LDP) for trajectories of a random walk in R^d whose increments have the Laplace transform finite in a neighbourhood of zero. In this paper we prove a contraction principle for uniformly continuous mappings of the trajectories, which brings the result of Borovkov and Mogulskii into a standard form. As an application, we extend the classical Cramer theorem by proving an LPD for kernel-weighted sums of i.i. d. random vectors in R^d. We also specify certain types of sets on which the bounds in the non-standard LDP of Borovkov and Mogulskii equal the standard ones.
An Empirical Study on Position of the Batch Normalization Layer in Convolutional Neural Networks

In this paper, we have studied how training of the convolutional neural networks (CNNs) can be affected by changing the position of the batch normalization (BN) layer. Three different convolutional neural networks have been chosen for our experiments. These networks are AlexNet, VGG-16, and ResNet- 20. We show that the speed-up provided by the BN algorithm can be further improved by using the BN in positions other than the one suggested by its original paper. Also, we discuss how the BN layer in a certain position can aid the training of one network but not the other. Three different positions for the BN layer have been studied in this research, these positions are: BN layer between the convolution layer and the non-linear activation function, BN layer after the non-linear activation function and finally, the BN layer before each of the convolutional layers.
BlazeIt: Optimizing Declarative Aggregation and Limit Queries for Neural Network-Based Video Analytics

Recent advances in neural networks (NNs) have enabled automatic querying of large volumes of video data with high accuracy. While these deep NNs can produce accurate annotations of an object's position and type in video, they are computationally expensive and require complex, imperative deployment code to answer queries. Prior work uses approximate filtering to reduce the cost of video analytics, but does not handle two important classes of queries, aggregation and limit queries; moreover, these approaches still require complex code to deploy. To address the computational and usability challenges of querying video at scale, we introduce BlazeIt, a system that optimizes queries of spatiotemporal information of objects in video. BlazeIt accepts queries via FrameQL, a declarative extension of SQL for video analytics that enables video-specific query optimization. We introduce two new query optimization techniques in BlazeIt that are not supported by prior work. First, we develop methods of using NNs as control variates to quickly answer approximate aggregation queries with error bounds. Second, we present a novel search algorithm for cardinality-limited video queries. Through these these optimizations, BlazeIt can deliver up to 83x speedups over the recent literature on video processing.
Opinion Dynamics with Random Actions and a Stubborn Agent

We study opinion dynamics in a social network with stubborn agents who influence their neighbors but who themselves always stick to their initial opinion. We consider first the well-known DeGroot model. While it is known in the literature that this model can lead to consensus even in the presence of a stubborn agent, we show that the same result holds under weaker assumptions than has been previously reported. We then consider a recent extension of the DeGroot model in which the opinion of each agent is a random Bernoulli distributed variable, and by leveraging on the first result we establish that this model also leads to consensus, in the sense of convergence in probability, in the presence of a stubborn agent. Moreover, all agents’ opinions converge to that of the stubborn agent.
Evaluating Feasibility Within Power Flow

Recent development of techniques that improve the convergence properties of power flow simulation have been demonstrated to facilitate scaling to large system sizes (80k+ buses). However, the problem remains to reliably identify cases that are infeasible – system configurations that have no solution. In this paper, we use the circuit theoretic approach based on adjoint networks to evaluate the feasibility of a power flow test case and further locate and quantify the source of infeasibility in the cases operating beyond the tip of the nose curve. By creating infeasibility current source models that are added to each node of the system model and further coupling each source to its corresponding node of the adjoint network, any locations of insufficient real or reactive power are captured by a non-zero response of the adjoint network. Furthermore, it is shown that the proposed joint simulation of power flow and its adjoint network models provide the optimally minimized currents that can be later utilized to inform corrective actions to restore the feasibility of power flow problems.
Minimal Sufficient Conditions for Structural Observability/Controllability of Composite Networks via Kronecker Product

In this article, we consider composite networks formed from the Kronecker product of smaller networks. We find the observability and controllability properties of the product network from those of its constituent smaller networks. The overall network is modeled as a Linear-Structure-Invariant (LSI) dynamical system where the underlying matrices have a fixed zero/non-zero structure but the non-zero elements are potentially time-varying. This approach allows to model the system parameters as free variables whose values may only be known within a certain tolerance. We particularly look for minimal sufficient conditions11We emphasize that a minimal sufficient condition is not necessarily a necessary and sufficient condition. In fact, it implies that among all sufficient conditions that may result in an event, this condition is the least conservative but usually is not necessary; see [1] for details. on the observability and controllability of the composite network, which have a direct application in distributed estimation and in the design of networked control systems. The methodology in this article is based on the structured systems analysis and graph theory, and therefore, the results are generic, i.e., they apply to almost all non-zero choices of free parameters. We show the controllability/observability results for composite product networks resulting from full structural-rank systems and self-damped networks. We provide an illustrative example of estimation based on Kalman filtering over a composite network to verify our results.
Modulation of hypermetabolism in burn patient by administration of propranolol in the first two weeks and assessing its effect by using clinical and biochemical parameters

Background: India being a developing country has a high incidence of thermal injuries. Severe burn injury is followed by a state of hypermetabolism, which causes increased cardiac workload and increased resting energy expenditure causing muscle wasting, leading to increased morbidity. The aim of this study is to test the effect of propranolol in modulating the state of hypermetabolism in the acute postburn phase using various clinical and laboratory parameters. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective case-control study which includes 50 cases of thermal injuries with total burn surface area 20-60% conducted at burn unit of a Tertiary Care Center over a period of 1-year. The patients were divided into test (propanolol) and control groups. Similar burn treatment was continued in both groups and change in the laboratory, and clinical parameters were noted. Results were compared within the groups using paired t-test and in between the groups using unpaired t-test. Result: This study shows a significant reduction of 20% in the heart rate and 28% in the sleeping pulse rate with 2 weeks of propranolol therapy (P < 0.0001). There was a 2.5% increase in the weight along with 6% increase in mid-arm circumference. There was a 5% increase in total serum albumin concentration and resolution of pedal edema by the end of 2 weeks of therapy. C-reactive protein was found to be reduced by 10% (P < 0.0001). Conclusion: The results prove propranolol as an effective modulator of hypermetabolism by counteracting the effect of catecholamine, reducing infection and inflammation hence improving the overall outcome of severe burn patients.
1,2,3,3′,4′,6′-Hexaacetyl-4,6-O-benzylidenesucrose

In the title compound, C31H38O17, the 1,3-dioxane and pyranoside rings both show 4 C 1 chair conformations while for the d-fructofuranoside moiety an envelop 3E conformation is observed. The phenyl ring is oriented almost perpendicular to the 1,3-dioxane ring [dihedral angle = 79.3 (2)°], and the acetate groups are equatorial for the pyranoside ring and axial for the furanoside ring. The analysis of potential hydrogen bonds shows both intra- and intermolecular C—H⋯O contacts to be present.
4-(4-Chlorophenyl)-6-methoxy-2,2′-bipyridine-5-carbonitrile

There are two independent molecules in the asymmetric unit of the title compound, C18H12ClN3O. The two pyridine rings are almost coplanar [dihedral angles between the rings: 2.87 (15) and 5.36 (16)°] while the chlorophenyl rings are twisted out of the plane of the adjacent bipyridine ring by 44.1 (1) and 43.8 (1)° in the two molecules. The crystal packing is stabilized by C—H⋯N and C—H⋯Cl interactions.
(E)-1-(2,5-Dimethyl-3-thienyl)-3-(2-hydroxyphenyl)prop-2-en-1-one

In the title compound, C15H14O2S, the dihedral angle between the aromatic rings is 8.46 –(8)°. The central enone group is planar (r.m.s. deviation = 0.0267 Å) and is oriented at a dihedral angle of 1.20 (9)° with respect to the benzene ring and at 8.27 (9)° with respect to the thiophene group. In the crystal, the molecules are linked into polymeric chains extending along the b axis due to intermolecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bonding. An S(6) ring motif is formed due to a short intramolecular C—H⋯O contact. C—H⋯π interactions involving a methyl group of the 2,5-dimethylthienyl group and the benzene ring are present. π–π interactions between the centroids of the benzene and heterocyclic rings [3.7691 (9) Å] also occur.
A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Acupuncture in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Masao Suzuki, LAc, PhD; Shigeo Muro, MD, PhD; Yuki Ando, MSc; Takashi Omori, PhD; Tetsuhiro Shiota, MD, PhD; Kazuo Endo, MD; Susumu Sato, MD, PhD; Kensaku Aihara, MD; Masataka Matsumoto, MD; Shinko Suzuki, MD; Ryo Itotani, MD; Manabu Ishitoko, MD; Yoshikazu Hara, MD; Masaya Takemura, MD, PhD; Tetsuya Ueda, MD, PhD; Hitoshi Kagioka, MD, PhD; Masataka Hirabayashi, MD; Motonari Fukui, MD, PhD; Michiaki Mishima, MD, PhD
2-Isopropyl-2-(6-methoxy-1,3-benzothiazol-2-yl)-5,5-dimethyl-1,3-thiazolidin-4-one

The title compound, C16H20N2O2S2, crystallizes with two enantiomers (A and B) in the asymmetric unit. The most noticeable difference between these two molecules is the relative orientation of the benzothiazole rings, with S—C—C—S torsion angles of −19.4 (2) (molecule A) and 100.6 (1)° (molecule B). The amide structure of the thiazolidinone rings leads to intermolecular hydrogen-bonded dimers of the R and S enantiomers.
2,3,6-Triphenylpiperidin-4-one

In the title molecule, C23H21NO, the piperidine ring adopts a chair conformation, with the N and carbonyl C atoms as flaps, which deviate on either side of the chair by −0.706 (3) and 0.494 (3) Å, respectively. All three phenyl rings are in equatorial positions on the piperidine ring, making angles with the puckering plane of 73.5 (1), 73.1 (1) and 67.2 (1)°. Though there is no classical hydrogen bonding, the crystal is stabilized by intermolecular C—H⋯π contacts and π–π stacking interactions involving phenyl rings [centroid–centroid distance = 4.424 (2) Å].
(2E)-1-(2,6-Dichloro-3-fluorophenyl)-3-(4-fluorophenyl)prop-2-en-1-one

In the title compound, C15H8Cl2F2O, the C=C double bond is in the E configuration. In the cyrstal, C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds connect the molecules into chains along the c axis. A π–π interaction of 3.628 (1) Å is also observed between two polyhalogenated benzene rings. The dichlorosubstituted ring exhibits partial disorder over two sets of sites, with site-occupancy factors of 0.573 (3) and 0.427 (3).
Hyperviscosity syndrome in patients with multiple myeloma

Objectives: multiple myeloma is a disease of worldwide distribution. We determined frequency, characteristics and treatment of hyperviscosity syndrome as a complication of this condition. Method: we conducted a retrospective study involving 31 patients with a diagnosis of multiple myeloma treated at the Adult Hematology Service of the Institute of Hematology and Immunology from January 2007 to June 2011. Results: mean age was 61 years with a male predominance and slight predominance in caucasians. The patients presented with anemia, high erythrosedimentation rate, hyperproteinemia, hypoalbuminemia, hypergammaglobulinemia, a median infiltration of bone marrow by plasma cells of 63.2% and an average serum viscosity of 2.93. Hyperviscosity syndrome was observed in 4 (12.9 %) patients. The main clinical manifestations of hyperviscosity syndrome were general symptoms and neurological symptoms and presented with serum viscosity at or above 4.5. The monoclonal protein identified as the responsible of the hyperviscosity syndrome was IgA and viscosity was proportional to the concentrations of the paraprotein (p <0.01). Conclusion: the hyperviscosity syndrome is presented in the studied patients with similar characteristics to those reported by other authors. Plasmapheresis and chemotherapy were the mainstays of treatment with satisfactory results.
catena-Poly[[(2-methyl­imidazole)copper(II)]-μ-pyridine-2,6-dicarboxyl­ato]

The reaction of pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid (H2DPC) and 2-methyl­imidazole (mim) with CuCl2·6H2O yields the one-dimensional title polymer, [Cu(C7H3O4)(C4H6N2)]n. Hydrogen bonds connect the one-dimensional polymer chains into a three-dimensional supra­molecular architecture.
1-Benzoyl-3-methyl-2,6-diphenyl-4-piperidone

In the title moleclue, C25H23NO2, the 4-piperidone ring adopts a boat conformation. The molecular conformation is stabilized by an intramolecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bond. In the crystal, molecules are connected through weak intermolecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds.
Celiac Disease as a Cause of Abnormal Transaminases in Chronic Hepatitis B Infection A CASE TO REMEMBER

Extrahepatic causes of transaminase elevation are often overlooked when evaluating patients with chronic liver disease. A 54-year-old woman was referred for the management of chronic hepatitis B (HBV). Serologic testing showed a pattern of chronic hepatitis B infection with mild transaminase elevation. Further diagnostic testing suggested a pattern of quiescent HBV disease. Additional testing revealed no other explanation of the abnormal transaminase level and liver biopsy showed no significant pathologic change. She subsequently returned with malabsorption complaints and tested positive for celiac disease antibodies. Duodenal biopsies confirmed the presence of villous atrophy. The celiac disease was therefore the cause of the elevated transaminases concealed by the finding of a positive HBsAg. Elevated liver enzymes may be the only presenting sign of celiac disease; clinicians should include screening tests for celiac disease in the standard evaluation of patients with chronic liver disease as well as asymptomatic elevated liver enzymes.
1-{2-Benzyloxy-2-[4-(morpholin-4-yl)phenyl]ethyl}-1H-benzimidazole

In the title compound, C26H27N3O2, the morpholine ring adopts a chair conformation. The benzene and phenyl rings are inclined to the benzimidazole mean plane by 7.28 (6) and 61.45 (4)°, respectively. In the crystal, pairs of weak C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the molecules into inversion dimers. These dimers are further connected via weak C—H⋯N hydrogen bonds. A weak C—H⋯π interaction is also observed.
(E)-5-[(2-Hydroxy-5-methoxybenzylidene)amino]-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2(3H)-thione

In the title thione–Schiff base compound, C10H9N3O2S2, the dihedral angle between the benzene ring and the five-membered ring is 6.69 (8)°. An intramolecular O—H⋯N hydrogen bond forms an S 2 2(6) ring. In the crystal, inversion dimers linked by pairs of N—H⋯S interactions occur, generating R 2 2(8) ring motifs. The crystal structure features a S⋯S contact [3.3776 (7) Å], which is significantly shorter than the sum of the van der Waals radii (3.7 Å). The crystal structure also features C—H⋯O and π–π interactions [centroid–centroid distances = 3.4636 (9)–3.808 (1) Å].