Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Field evaluation on high or low mobile terminal velocity decision algorithm using Doppler spread detection

In layered cellular networks, to avoid the frequent handovers (HOs) that occur between small cells when a high velocity mobile terminal (MT) travels through these small cells in a short period of time, an inter-layer HO control policy that connects an MT traveling at a high velocity to the macro-cell layer and an MT traveling at a low velocity to the small-cell layer, is effective. To realize such inter-layer HO control policy the authors investigate an MT velocity decision algorithm using Doppler spread detection as a candidate technique for MTs where GPS function has been manually disabled by the user. This paper evaluates the high or low MT velocity decision algorithm in practical radio propagation environment.
Formation with the Evolution of Network

We analyze users’ behavior in Tianya online forum, and find great fluctuations exist in the amount of agents that participate in interactions. Therefore we present a model that includes the coevolving dynamics of network and opinions. New nodes are added to network gradually, promoting the total size of the system. On the other side, old nodes which feel tired of the topic may withdraw interactions. The rule of continuous opinion exchanges is applied in the dynamics, and only active agents can update their opinions and build connections with new nodes. Simulation results show topological and individual dissipative features of our model are analogous to the Tianya network. Our network is a scale-free and small-world network. Unlike other opinion models, if the tolerance parameter is small, more disordering will be caused in our model with the time elapsed. For a large tolerance parameter, the number of clusters declines, and only one macroscopic-size cluster exists at last. We also realize a first-order phase transition where the second-largest cluster is incorporated into the largest one.
Clinical evaluation of the COBAS Ampliprep™/COBAS TaqMan™ for HCV RNA quantitation in comparison with the branched‐DNA assay

Diagnosis and monitoring of HCV infection relies on sensitive and accurate HCV RNA detection and quantitation. The performance of the COBAS AmpliPrep™/COBAS TaqMan™ 48 (CAP/CTM) (Roche, Branchburg, NJ), a fully automated, real‐time PCR HCV RNA quantitative test was assessed and compared with the branched‐DNA (bDNA) assay. Clinical evaluation on 576 specimens obtained from patients with chronic hepatitis C showed a good correlation (r = 0.893) between the two test, but the CAP/CTM scored higher HCV RNA titers than the bDNA across all viral genotypes. The mean bDNA versus CAP/CTM log10 IU/ml differences were −0.49, −0.4, −0.54, −0.26 for genotype 1a, 1b, 2a/2c, 3a, and 4, respectively. These differences reached statistical significance for genotypes 1b, 2a/c, and 3a. The ability of the CAP/CTM to monitor patients undergoing antiviral therapy and correctly identify the weeks 4 and 12 rapid and early virological responses was confirmed. The broader dynamic range of the CAP/CTM compared with the bDNA allowed for a better definition of viral kinetics. In conclusion, the CAP/CTM appears as a reliable and user‐friendly assay to monitor HCV viremia during treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis. Its high sensitivity and wide dynamic range may help a better definition of viral load changes during antiviral therapy. J. Med. Virol. 80:254–260, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
SPARC and Hevin expression correlate with tumour angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma

Both Secreted Protein Acidic and Rich in Cysteine (SPARC) and Hevin are multifunctional matricellular glycoproteins. Recent experimental studies suggested that Hevin and SPARC together diminish angiogenesis, but their significance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. This study aimed to correlate SPARC and Hevin expression with angiogenesis and clinicopathological features in HCC. SPARC and Hevin protein and mRNA expression in HCC specimens were assessed by immunostaining, immunoblotting, and quantitative reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction. Tumour microvessel density (MVD) was assessed by CD34 immunostaining. The role of SPARC and Hevin in HCC was further assessed in an in vivo nude mice xenograft model. Both SPARC and Hevin mRNA levels were significantly higher in tumours than in non‐tumourous livers. A significant correlation between tumour SPARC and Hevin mRNA levels was found. Moreover, SPARC protein localized in the tumour sinusoidal area correlated significantly with Hevin protein localized in HCC cells. Truncated forms of SPARC and Hevin proteins were detected in clinical samples. Truncated SPARC protein localized in the tumour sinusoidal area correlated significantly with tumour MVD. On the other hand, overexpression of full‐length SPARC in tumour xenografts in athymic nude mice significantly delayed tumour growth, and this delay was related to a decrease in tumour angiogenesis. Expression of Hevin protein within HCC cells was related to the presence of tumour encapsulation and the absence of hepatitis B surface antigen in clinical samples. Overexpression of Hevin in tumour xenografts also significantly delayed tumour growth. In conclusion, this study has shown that SPARC and Hevin are upregulated in HCC compared with non‐tumourous liver, and that they are inter‐related at both mRNA and protein levels. Moreover, both SPARC and Hevin were related to HCC angiogenesis and tumour progression. Copyright © 2006 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Neonatal Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension Treated with Milrinone: Four Case Reports

Current standard therapy forpersistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) consists of optimal lung inflation, hemodynamic support and selective vasodilation with inhaled nitric oxide (iNO). However, not all infants will respond. Milrinone, a phosphodiesterase (PDE) III inhibitor, is routinely used in pediatric cardiac intensive care units to improve inotropy and reduce afterload. Although its use in post-operative cardiac failure has been proven in a randomized trial, it has not been reported to be beneficial in PPHN. We report four cases with severe PPHN treated with a combination of iNO and Milrinone. All four cases were unresponsive to therapy including iNO, with a mean oxygenation index (OI) of 40 (standard deviation (SD) 12)) before Milrinone. Substantial improvement in OI (mean of 28; SD 16) was followed by extubation and survival. However, of 4 patients, 2 developed serious intraventricular hemorrhages (IVHs), and 1 had a small IVH. To clarify the risk benefit ratio, of death versus survival with impairment, a randomized controlled trial is needed.
Discovering implicit communities in Web forums through ontologies

Being a Community manager is an emerging employment in social Web companies. His or her role is to monitor communities on a devoted social website, in order to understand new trends or behaviours. He or she also has to discover and attract new potential users of the website in external resources like web forums, that are not necessarily on the same topics nor explicitly defined. In this paper we propose a scalable protocol to monitor on-line communications, like web forums, walls or twits. We provide an analysis method to extract implicit communities and user interests based on the semantics of data exchange and the structure of communications. The method is parameterized by a target vocabulary expressed as an ontology, in order to focus on relevant communities.
Direct evidence for a β1-adrenergic receptor–directed autoimmune attack as a cause of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

Today, dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) represents the main cause of severe heart failure and disability in younger adults and thus is a challenge for public health. About 30% of DCM cases are genetic in origin; however, the large majority of cases are sporadic, and a viral or immune pathogenesis is suspected. Following the established postulates for pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, here we provide direct evidence that an autoimmune attack directed against the cardiac β1-adrenergic receptor may play a causal role in DCM. First, we immunized inbred rats against the second extracellular β1-receptor loop (β1-ECII; 100% sequence identity between human and rat) every month. All these rats developed first, receptor-stimulating anti–β1-ECII Ab’s and then, after 9 months, progressive severe left ventricular dilatation and dysfunction. Second, we transferred sera from anti–β1-ECII–positive and Ab-negative animals every month to healthy rats of the same strain. Strikingly, all anti–β1-ECII–transferred rats also developed a similar cardiomyopathic phenotype within a similar time frame, underlining the pathogenic potential of these receptor Ab’s. As a consequence, β1-adrenergic receptor–targeted autoimmune DCM should now be categorized with other known receptor Ab-mediated autoimmune diseases, such as Graves disease or myasthenia gravis. Although carried out in an experimental animal model, our findings should further encourage the development of therapeutic strategies that combat harmful anti–β1-ECII in receptor Ab–positive DCM patients.
Linee Guida per la terapia conservativa dell'insufficienza renale cronica

1. Riconoscimento dell’insufficienza renale cronica. Valutazione del filtrato glomerulare e invio del paziente al nefrologo2. Diete ipoproteiche nell’insufficienza renale cronica3. Trattamento dietetico dell’insufficienza renale cronica con sindrome nefrosica4. Trattamento anti-ipertensivo nella fase conservativa dell’insufficienza renale cronicaBibliografiaAppendice 1 Metodi per la valutazione dello stato di nutrizione nell’insufficienza renaleAppendice 2 La misura dell’introito proteico
Real-time PCR: detection of oestrogen receptor-alpha and -beta isoforms and variants in breast cancer.

BACKGROUND Splice variants exist for both alpha and beta oestrogen receptors (ERs). Oestrogen function results from a balance between the wild-type ERs (wt) and their variants. PATIENTS AND METHODS Forty formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded breast cancer samples were analysed by real-time PCR using ERα primer sets detecting wt and exon-deleted 3, 5, 6 and 7 variants. The ERβ primer sets detected wt ERβ1 and ERβ2 and ERβ5 variants. At the end of the PCR cycles, a dissociation curve was generated showing the peaks for each sample at specific melting temperatures (Tm); finding more than one peak indicated the presence of variants. RESULTS Many samples expressed both wt ER isoforms and their variants. The Tm value served as a cut-off point for determination of wt versus variant ER expression. CONCLUSION This method of detection of wt and variant ER could help in patient selection for anti-oestrogen therapy and in monitoring response to therapy.
Preparation and crystal structure of a trihydrate of paracetamol.

This work reports the preparation and crystal structure of a trihydrate of paracetamol. Crystals were grown by slow cooling of an aqueous solution of paracetamol to 0 degrees C. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction shows that the trihydrate crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system, space group Pbca, Z = 8, a = 7.3324(16), b = 12.590(3), c = 22.636(6) A, V = 2089.7(9) A(3). The crystals of the trihydrate dehydrate rapidly at 20 degrees C to give anhydrous paracetamol as its monoclinic form.
A Data-Driven Approach for on-line Gas Turbine Combustion Monitoring using Classification Models

Given the critical nature of Gas Turbines in most industrial plants, it is a high priority to find ways of reducing maintenance costs and increasing the availability. Quickly detecting and identifying combustion anomalies enables the choice of an appropriate recovery strategy, potentially mitigating the consequences of unscheduled down time and increased maintenance costs. Monitoring the Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT) profiles is a good means of detecting combustion problems: plugged nozzles and/or combustor and transition piece failures will always result in distorted exhaust gas temperature patterns. However the conventional monitoring systems do not allow robust discrimination between instrumental failures and real gas turbine issues; furthermore weak diagnostic methods can be source of numerous false alarms. In this paper, we investigate the problem of monitoring the combustion chambers of a gas turbine and we attempt to address this issue by introducing a strategy for automatic and efficient patterns recognition by using Machine Learning Classification algorithms. Some historical events have been firstly retrieved and analyzed to discover which features are useful for classification. Based on the observations, two multiclass classification algorithms, one based on logistic regression, the other on Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), have been developed. Finally, real-world datasets have been used to benchmark the performance of the proposed algorithms against a traditional physics-based approach.
Comparative Accuracy of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Ultrasonography in Confirming Clinically Diagnosed Patellar Tendinopathy

Background Diagnosis of patellar tendinopathy is based primarily on clinical examination; however, it is commonplace to image the patellar tendon for diagnosis confirmation, with the imaging modalities of choice being magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasonography (US). The comparative accuracy of these modalities has not been established. Hypothesis Magnetic resonance imaging and US have good (>80%) accuracy and show substantial agreement in confirming clinically diagnosed patellar tendinopathy. Study Design Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2. Methods Magnetic resonance imaging and US (gray scale [GS-US] and color Doppler [CD-US]) features of 30 participants with clinically diagnosed patellar tendinopathy and 33 activity-matched, asymptomatic participants were prospectively compared. Accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and the likelihood of positive and negative test results were determined for each technique. Results The accuracy of MRI, GS-US, and CD-US was 70%, 83%, and 83%, respectively (P = .04; MRI vs GS-US). The likelihood of positive MRI, GS-US, and CD-US was 3.1, 4.8, and 11.6, respectively. The MRI and GS-US had equivalent specificity (82% vs 82%; P = 1.00); however, the sensitivity of GS-US was greater than MRI (87% vs 57%; P = .01). Sensitivity (70% vs 87%; P = .06) and specificity (94% vs 82%; P = .10) did not differ between CD-US and GS-US. Conclusions Ultrasonography was more accurate than MRI in confirming clinically diagnosed patellar tendinopathy. GS-US and CD-US may represent the best combination for confirming clinically diagnosed patellar tendinopathy because GS-US had the greatest sensitivity, while a positive CD-US test result indicated a strong likelihood an individual was symptomatic.
Cross-language Perception of Hebrew and German Authentic Emotional Speech

This cross-language study investigates differences in the assessment of emotional spontaneous speech from two real-life situations. These comprise a Hebrew corpus of utterances recorded during psychotherapy and a German corpus from a setting of online gaming. The emotional content was judged by 83 listeners of the two languages and scored on three scales: Activation, Valence, and Dominance. While cross-language correlation of Activation perception of German stimuli achieved an exceptionally high Pearson r of 0.95, Valence in Hebrew stimuli showed the lowest correlation (r=0.60). It turned out that the judgments on Valence differed considerably due to a remarkable amount of German as well as Hebrew stimuli judged positively by Germans, but negatively by Hebrew listeners. Thus, cross-language perception differences of emotional speech are not symmetrical.
The mGluR6 5′ Upstream Transgene Sequence Directs a Cell-Specific and Developmentally Regulated Expression in Retinal Rod and ON-Type Cone Bipolar Cells

We generated transgenic mice, using 9.5 kilobase pairs of the 5′ upstream sequence from the mouse metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 6 (mGluR6) gene fused to the β-galactosidase (lacZ) reporter gene, and investigated the promoter function of the cell-specific and developmentally regulated expression of mGluR6. Most of the independent transgenic lines commonly showed the lacZ expression in the defined cell layers of the retina, and four transgenic lines were characterized in detail for cell-specific lacZ expression patterns by X-gal staining and lacZ immunostaining. ThelacZ-expressing retinal cells were classified into two cell types. One cell type was identified as rod bipolar cells on the basis of colocalization of protein kinase C (PKC) immunoreactivity and morphological criteria. The other cell type was PKC-immunonegative and resided at the cell layers corresponding precisely to ON-type cone bipolar cells. The latter bipolar cells were found to exist as a large cell population comparable to rod bipolar cells. This observation was confirmed by coimmunostaining of dissociated retinal cells with thelacZ and PKC antibodies. The ontogeny analysis indicated that the lacZ expression completely agrees with a temporal expression pattern of mGluR6 during retinal development. This study demonstrates that the mGluR6 5′ upstream genomic sequence is capable of directing a cell-specific and developmentally regulated expression of mGluR6 in ON-type bipolar cells and supports the view that mGluR6 is responsible for ON responses in both the rod and cone systems.
Expression of l-Selectin (CD62L), CD44, and CD25 on Activated Bovine T Cells

ABSTRACT Mycobacterium bovis infection of cattle represents a natural host-pathogen interaction and, in addition to its economic and zoonotic impact, represents a model for human tuberculosis. Extravasation and trafficking of activated lymphocytes to inflammatory sites is modulated by differential expression of multiple surface adhesion molecules. However, effects of M. bovis infection on adhesion molecule expression have not been characterized. To determine these changes, peripheral blood mononuclear cells from M. bovis-infected cattle were stimulated with M. bovis purified protein derivative (PPD) or pokeweed mitogen (PWM) and evaluated concurrently for proliferation and activation marker expression. Stimulation with PPD or PWM increased CD25 and CD44 mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) and decreased CD62L MFI on CD4+ cells from infected animals. CD62L MFI on PPD- and PWM-stimulated γδ T-cell receptor-positive (TCR+) and CD8+ cells was also reduced compared to that of nonstimulated γδ TCR+ and CD8+ cells. Using a flow cytometry-based proliferation assay, it was determined that proliferating cells, regardless of lymphocyte subset, exhibited increased expression of CD25 and CD44 and decreased expression of CD62L compared to cells that had not proliferated. In contrast to proliferation, activation-induced apoptosis of CD4+ cells resulted in a significant down regulation of CD44 expression. Lymphocytes obtained from lungs of M. bovis-infected cattle also had reduced expression of CD44 compared to lymphocytes from lungs of noninfected cattle. These alterations in surface molecule expression upon activation likely impact trafficking to sites of inflammation and the functional capacity of these cells within tuberculous granulomas.
K+ ATP Channels-Independent Analgesic Action of Crotalus durissus cumanensis venom

The effect was investigated of the K+ channel blocker, glibenclamide, on the ability of Crotalus durissus cumanensis venom (CDCM) to promote peripheral antinociception. This was measured by formalin-induced nociception in male Swiss mice. CDCM (200 and 300 μg/kg) produced an antinociceptive effect during phase 2 in the formalin test. The effect of CDCM (200 μg/kg) was unaffected by the ATP-sensitive K+ channel blocker glibenclamide (2 mg/kg). These results suggest that CDCM is effective against acute pain. However, the ATP-sensitive K+ channels pathway is not contribuable to the antinociceptive mechanism of CDCM.
Vibrotactile patterns using sensitivity prioritisation

This paper investigates sensitivity based prioritisation in the construction of tactile patterns. Our evidence is obtained by three studies using a wearable haptic display with vibrotactile motors (tactors). Haptic displays intended to transmit symbols often suffer the tradeoff between throughput and accuracy. For a symbol encoded with more than one tactor simultaneous onsets (spatial encoding) yields the highest throughput at the expense of the accuracy. Sequential onset increases accuracy at the expense of throughput. In the desire to overcome these issues, we investigate aspects of prioritisation based on sensitivity applied to the encoding of haptics patterns. First, we investigate an encoding method using mixed intensities, where different body locations are simultaneously stimulated with different vibration intensities. We investigate whether prioritising the intensity based on sensitivity improves identification accuracy when compared to simple spatial encoding. Second, we investigate whether prioritising onset based on sensitivity affects the identification of overlapped spatiotemporal patterns. A user study shows that this method significantly increases the accuracy. Furthermore, in a third study, we identify three locations on the hand that lead to an accurate recall. Thereby, we design the layout of a haptic display equipped with eight tactors, capable of encoding 36 symbols with only one or two locations per symbol.
The evidence for the use of nutritional support in liver disease

Purpose of review Although there is a well established association between malnutrition and poorer clinical outcomes in patients with liver disease, that fact alone does not prove that improving the malnutrition will improve outcome. The best way to determine if nutritional interventions are effective is to compare them to untreated control groups in well designed and executed randomized clinical trials. Recent findings A recent systematic review assessed 37 trials that compared parenteral nutrition, enteral nutrition, or nutritional supplements to no nutritional therapy in patients with a variety of liver diseases. Since the publication of that review, an additional three trials have become available. Whereas all but one of the trials did have methodologic shortcomings that may have allowed the introduction of bias (which usually results in an overestimation of benefit), the trials failed to show much, if any, benefit. In fact, the single trial at low risk of bias found that more deaths occurred in the recipients of the supplements. Summary Although malnutrition may be associated with a poor outcome, the current best evidence indicates that the provision of adjunctive nutritional support (parenteral or enteral nutrition, or nutritional supplements) to patients with a variety of liver diseases (alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, liver surgery, liver transplantation, obstructive jaundice, hepatitis C antiviral treatment) does not improve clinical outcomes.
Layer assignment algorithm for RLC crosstalk minimization

With advances in VLSI technology, crosstalk is becoming a vital factor in high performance designs, making noise mitigation in early design stages necessary. In this paper, we propose a layer assignment algorithm optimizing congestion and crosstalk. A new model for crosstalk noise measuring is developed where wirelength is used as a scale for the potential noise immunity, and both capacitive and inductive coupling between sensitive nets are considered. We also take shield insertion into account for further crosstalk mitigation. Experimental results show that our approach could efficiently reduce maximum noise voltage and the number of shields needed compared to the algorithm proposed by Y. Zhou, et al. (see inbid.,2003).