Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hybrid Monte Carlo method for conserved-order-parameter systems.

We introduce a method based on the hybrid Monte Carlo (HMC) algorithm [S. Duane, A. D. Kennedy, B. J. Pendleton, and D. Roweth, Phys. Lett. B 195, 216 (1987)] to sample the canonical distribution in systems with a conserved order parameter. We show that the standard HMC method and the one introduced here are special cases of a general class of HMC methods. As an application we compute the scaling function of the interface excess energy for the [phi][sup 4] model.
Comparison of two volume integral equation formulations for solving electromagnetic scattering by inhomogeneous dielectric objects

This paper presented two formulations of the electric field volume integral equation, and discussed the use of two different types of volume basis functions in the representation of the volume current. In conclusion, for the two types of volume basis functions, the solution accuracies are of the same order as long as the numbers of basis functions are comparable. The numbers of iterations of the C-type basis function are generally smaller than that of the D-type basis functions if the initial is a zero vector. For multiple incident angles, the D-type basis case needs slightly less number of iterations when the initial solution is predicted from the solution of the previous incident angle.
Matching range images of human faces

The problem of matching range images of human faces for the purpose of establishing a correspondence between similar features of two faces is addressed. Distinct facial features correspond to convex regions of the range image of the face, which is obtained by a segmentation of the range image based on the sign of the mean and Gaussian curvature at each point. Each convex region is represented by its extended Gaussian image, a 1-1 mapping between points of the region and points on the unit sphere that have the same normal. Several issues are examined that are associated with the difficult problem of interpolation of the values of the extended Gaussian image and its representation. A similarity measure between two regions is obtained by correlating their extended Gaussian images. To establish the optimal correspondence, a graph matching algorithm is applied. It uses the correlation matrix between convex regions of the two faces and incorporates additional relational constraints that account for the relative spatial locations of the convex regions in the domain of the range image. <<ETX>>
Canonical detection in spherically invariant noise

The paper deals with the detection of signals with unknown parameters in impulsive noise, modeled as a spherically symmetric random process. The proposed model subsumes several interesting families of noise amplitude distributions: generalized Cauchy, generalized Laplace, generalized Gaussian, contaminated normal. It also allows handling of the case of correlated noise by a whitening approach. The generalized maximum likelihood decision strategy is adopted, resulting in a canonical detector, which is independent of the amplitude distribution of the noise. A general method for performance evaluation is outlined, and a comprehensive performance analysis is carried out for the case of M-ary equal-energy orthogonal signals under several distributional assumptions for the noise. The performance is contrasted with that of the maximum likelihood receiver for completely known signals, so as to assess the loss due to the a-priori uncertainty as to the signal parameters. >
Chronic Restraint Stress in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Pathogenic processes have been identified that could associate chronic stress and cancer, but these findings have not been observed in oral cancer. This study examined the role of chronic restraint stress on the incidence and severity of OSCC induced with 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4-NQO) in the tongues of CF-1 mice. One hundred twenty CF-1 male mice were divided into 4 groups: (A) received two treatments — restraint stress and induction of chemical carcinogenesis (n = 50); (B) induction of chemical carcinogenesis, without restraint stress (n = 50); (C) restraint stress (n = 10); and (D) control (n = 10). After 30 weeks, tongues were dissected and analyzed by conventional histopathology. The severity of OSSC was analyzed according to the International Histological Classification of Tumors and Bryne’s Multifactorial Grading System for the Invasive Tumor Front (ITF). Chronic stress induction was confirmed by plasma corticosterone levels. Results showed that chronic stress was induced with movement restriction (p ≤ 0.05, Mann-Whitney U-test). However, chronic stress did not increase the incidence (p > 0.05, Chi-square) or severity (p > 0.05, Mann-Whitney U-test) of the 4-NQO-induced OSSC in the tongues of CF-1 mice. These results suggest that there is no relationship between chronic stress (induced in mice by restraint) and the incidence and severity of OSSC.
Présentation Pour une évaluation critique de la théorie des parties prenantes

La theorie des parties prenantes est l'enjeu de nombreux debats. Elle sert aussi souvent de reference aussi bien a des discours et des actes lies aux politiques de responsabilite sociale des entreprises, qu'a de nombreux travaux tant en « sciences de gestion » (cf. les innombrables articles publies sur la question) qu'en analyse politique (cf. les discours des dirigeants politiques). Au regard de la multiplicite des references qui ont lieu a son sujet, on pourrait meme parler de veritable Tour de Babel conceptuelle. La reference a la notion de partie prenante jouerait alors le jeu de l'« objet frontiere », c'est-a-dire de reference a un objet qui peut circuler a l'interieur de plusieurs communautes en conservant le meme nom sans pour autant recouvrir les memes realites. Il en va ainsi au moins de sa reference en sciences des organisations tout comme en sciences politiques. Elle permettrait ainsi de satisfaire aux besoins informationnels de differentes communautes de pensee en etant utilisee de maniere a la fois robuste et plastique tant a l'interieur qu'a l'exterieur de ces communautes, tenant aussi bien a la fois du concret et de l'abstrait. Le recours a la notion de partie prenante pourrait alors etre considere comme une forme d'opportunisme semantique.
160 Gbps MDRZ-OTDM using Single and Cascaded EAM and MZM Reception

In this paper uses Modified Duobinary Return-toZero (MDRZ) modulation format and produce Optical Time Division Multiplexing (OTDM) technology. System is evaluated on reception by using both EAM and MZM in single and cascaded configurations and conclusion have been drawn by demultiplexing from 160 Gb/s to 40 Gb/s over a 2400 km with acceptable bit error rate (BER) and Quality
On-line detection of logic errors due to crosstalk, delay, and transient faults

This paper analyses the problem of systems' on-line testing with respect to logic errors due to crosstalk, delay and transient faults. In particular we show that logic errors due to crosstalk noise between internal, adjacent lines may not be on-line detectable by conventional concurrent error detection techniques using error detecting codes. Hence, a detector is proposed that allows the on-line detection of such logic errors, and that is self-checking with respect to a wide set of possible internal faults representative of realistic failures, including crosstalk, delay, and transient faults.
Adalimumab: a new modality for Behçet’s disease?

Aberrant T cell function,1 subsequently accompanied by increased tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα) levels, induces inflammatory symptoms in patients with Behcet’s disease (BD). 2 Subsequently, treatment usually involves T cell-directed immunosuppressive or anti-TNFα treatment in patients with severe disease.3–7 Administration of the new human monoclonal TNFα antibody adalimumab has only been described in three patients with BD with uveitis.8 We analysed the effects of adalimumab on severe and often chronic disease in six heavily pretreated patients with BD in whom immunosuppressive therapy had failed (table 1). View this table: Table 1 Clinical effects in patients treated with infliximab or adalimumab for Behcet’s disease These patients were treated in the past with infliximab.9 Indications for anti-TNFα treatment …
Nuclear β-Catenin Expression Distinguishes Deep Fibromatosis From Other Benign and Malignant Fibroblastic and Myofibroblastic Lesions

Deep fibromatoses (desmoid tumors) are clonal myofibroblastic proliferations that are prone to aggressive local recurrences but that do not metastasize. They must be distinguished from a host of fibroblastic and myofibroblastic lesions as well as from smooth muscle neoplasms. Virtually all deep fibromatoses have somatic β-catenin or adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene mutations leading to intranuclear accumulation of β-catenin. Since low-grade sarcomas in general lack β-catenin and since reactive proliferations would not be expected to have it, we predicted that nuclear β-catenin expression would be detected in deep fibromatoses but absent in other entities in the differential diagnosis. We evaluated the role of β-catenin to help differentiate distinguish deep fibromatoses from congeners. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections from 21 lesions from 20 patients with deep fibromatoses were stained with monoclonal β-catenin antibody (Transduction Laboratories) and compared with low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (n = 12), leiomyosarcoma (n = 10), various other fibrosarcoma variants (n = 13, including 3 myofibrosarcomas, 3 sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcomas, 5 low-grade fibrosarcomas, 1 classic fibrosarcoma arising in dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, 1 inflammatory myxohyaline tumor/myxoinflammatory fibroblastic sarcoma), myofibroma/myofibromatosis (n = 12), nodular fasciitis (n = 11), and scars (n = 9). Nuclear and cytoplasmic staining was assessed. All 21 examples of deep fibromatosis displayed nuclear β-catenin (focal nuclear staining in one case to 90% staining). All other lesions tested (n = 67) lacked nuclear labeling for β-catenin, showing only cytoplasmic accumulation. β-Catenin immunohistochemistry separates deep fibromatosis from entities in the differential diagnosis, a finding that can be exploited for diagnosis. Most fibromatoses have diffuse nuclear staining although occasional examples only focally label.
Analysis of multiple SNPs in genetic association studies: comparison of three multi‐locus methods to prioritize and select SNPs

Nonparametric approaches have been developed that are able to analyze large numbers of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in modest sample sizes. These approaches have different selection features and may not provide similar results when applied to the same dataset. Therefore, we compared the results of three approaches (set association, random forests and multifactor dimensionality reduction [MDR]) to select from a total of 93 candidate SNPs a subset of SNPs that are important in determining high‐density lipoprotein (HDL)‐cholesterol levels. The study population consisted of a random sample from a Dutch monitoring project for cardiovascular disease risk factors and was dichotomized into cases (low HDL‐cholesterol, n = 533) and non‐cases (high HDL‐cholesterol, n = 545) based on gender‐specific median values for HDL cholesterol. Clearly, all three approaches prioritized three SNPs as important (CETP Taq1B, CETP−629 C/A and LPL Ser447X). Two SNPs with weaker main effects were additionally prioritized by random forests (APOC3 3175 G/C and CCR2 Val62Ile), whereas MTHFR 677 C/T was selected in combination with CETP Taq1B as best model by MDR. Obtained p‐values for the selected models were significant for the set association approach (p =.0019), random forests (p<.01) and MDR (p<.02). In conclusion, the application of a combination of multi‐locus methods is a useful approach in genetic association studies to select a well‐defined set of important SNPs for further statistical and epidemiological interpretation, providing increased confidence and more information compared with the application of only one method. Genet. Epidemiol. 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Hypnotic action of melatonin during daytime administration and its comparison with triazolam

The present study was conducted to assess hypnotic action, effects on rectal temperature and dose dependency by daytime administration of exogenous melatonin (MLT) at 1 mg, 3 mg or 6 mg to subjects consisting of seven healthy juvenile adults. As a result, exogenous MLT significantly increased total sleep time and sleep efficiency, and MLT 6mg was observed to demonstrate hypnotic effects that were nearly equal to those of triazolam at 0.125 mg. Rectal temperature was significantly decreased at MLT 1mg and 3 mg, there were no significant differences observed in the hypothermic effects at MLT 6mg. These results indicate that exogenous MLT had dose‐dependent hypnotic action on daytime sleep, and it is possible to consider that this hypnotic action was based on a direct‐acting mechanism.
Oil Price Forecasting with Hierarchical Multiple Kernel Machines

The dynamics of oil prices are nonlinear and non-stationary. They are also tightly correlated with global financial markets. Traditional models are not very effective in forecasting oil prices. To address the problem, this study employs a new kernel methods-hierarchical multiple kernel machine (HMKM) to solve the problem. Using information from oil, gold, and currency markets. HMKM exploits multiple information sources with strong capability to identify the relevant ones and their apposite kernel representation. Empirical results demonstrate that our new system robustly outperforms traditional neural networks and regression models. The new system significantly reduces the forecasting errors.
The relationship of serum CEA and CA 19-9 levels to liver metastasis and pancreatic invasion in esophageal cancer

Aim: Previous studies have examined levels of CEA and CA 19-9 in esophageal cancer patients, but have not determined a significant relationship between CEA and CA 19-9 levels and liver metastasis and pancreatic invasion in patients with esophageal cancer. In this study, we compared the serum levels of CEA and CA 19-9 in patients with esophageal cancer with and without liver and pancreatic metastasis. Materials and methods: The serum levels of CEA and CA 19-9 were measured in clinic patients between January 2007 and January 2008, including 10 patients with liver metastasis (4) and pancreas invasion (6), and 40 patients with esophageal cancer without distant organ metastasis. Results: A significant relationship was found between CEA levels in patients with liver metastasis and pancreatic invasion (P = 0.008 and P = 0.001, respectively). CA 19-9 levels were significantly higher in patients with pancreatic invasion compared to patients without pancreatic invasion (P = 0.001). There was also a significant difference in CA 19-9 levels between the group with liver metastasis and the group with pancreatic invasion (P = 0.028). Conclusion: It is important to measure serum CEA and CA 19-9 levels in all subjects with esophageal cancers in order to detect possible liver metastasis and pancreatic invasion.
Do erythropoietin receptors on cancer cells explain unexpected clinical findings?

PURPOSE Recent reports suggest that cancer control may worsen if erythropoietin is administered. We investigated whether erythropoietin receptor expression on cancer cells may correlate with this unexpected finding. PATIENTS AND METHODS Cancer tissue from patients with advanced carcinoma of the head and neck (T3, T4, or nodal involvement) and scheduled for radiotherapy was assayed retrospectively for erythropoietin receptor expression by immunohistochemistry. Patients were anemic and randomized to receive epoetin beta (300 U/kg) or placebo under double-blind conditions, given three times weekly starting 10 to 14 days before and continuing throughout radiotherapy. We administered 60 Gy following complete resection or 64 Gy subsequent to microscopically incomplete resection; 70 Gy were given following macroscopically incomplete resection or for definitive radiotherapy alone. We determined if the effect of epoetin beta on locoregional progression-free survival was correlated with the expression of erythropoietin receptors on cancer cells using a Cox proportional hazards regression model. RESULTS We studied 154 of 157 randomly assigned patients; 104 samples were positive, and 50 were negative for receptor expression. Locoregional progression-free survival was substantially poorer if epoetin beta was administered to patients positive for receptor expression compared with placebo (adjusted relative risk, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.27 to 3.36; P < .01). In contrast, epoetin beta did not impair outcome in receptor-negative patients (adjusted relative risk, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.47 to 1.90; P = .86). The difference in treatment associated relative risks (2.07 v 0.94) was borderline statistically significant (P = .08). CONCLUSION Erythropoietin might adversely affect prognosis of head and neck cancer patients if cancer cells express erythropoietin receptors.
Current severe psoriasis and the Rule of Tens

This review addresses the problems of defining severity of psoriasis. Concepts of severity depend on the timescale perspective from which judgement is made. Measurement needs to include assessment of signs, impact on the patient's life and the history of the disease. The concept of severity in relationship to quality of life measurement scores has been defined, so it is now possible to postulate a standard, easily remembered concept to help define ‘severe psoriasis’ in the clinic. The proposed Rule of Tens for current severe psoriasis from the clinician's viewpoint is: ‘Current Severe Psoriasis = Body Surface Area involved > 10% or Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score > 10 or Dermatology Life Quality Index score > 10’.
Vaccine Safety Datalink project: a new tool for improving vaccine safety monitoring in the United States. The Vaccine Safety Datalink Team.

OBJECTIVE To fill the large "gaps and limitations" in current scientific knowledge of rare vaccine adverse events identified in recent reviews of the Institute of Medicine. METHODS Computerized information on immunization, medical outcomes, and potential confounders on more than 500 000 children 0 to 6 years of age is linked annually at several health maintenance organizations to create a large cohort for multiple epidemiologic studies of vaccine safety. RESULTS Analysis of 3 years of follow-up data shows that 549 488 doses of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) and 310 618 doses of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccines have been administered to children in the study cohort. Analyses for associations between vaccines and 34 medical outcomes are underway. Screening of automated data shows that seizures are associated with receipt of DTP on the same day (relative risk [RR], 2.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1 to 4.0) and 8 to 14 days after receipt of MMR (RR, 3.0; 95% CI, 2.1 to 4.2). The diversity of vaccination exposures in this large cohort permits us to show that an apparent association of seizures 8 to 14 days after Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine (RR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.2 to 2.1) was attributable to confounding by simultaneous MMR vaccination; the association disappears with appropriate adjustment (RR, 1.0; 95% CI, 0.7 to 1.4). CONCLUSION Preliminary design, data collection, and analytic capability of the Vaccine Safety Datalink project has been validated by replication of previous known associations between seizures and DTP and MMR vaccines. The diversity in vaccine administration schedules permits potential disentangling of effects of simultaneous and combined vaccinations. The project provides a model of public health-managed care collaborations in addition to an excellent infrastructure for safety and other studies of vaccines.
Successful treatment of a patient with subcutaneous panniculitis‐like T‐cell lymphoma with high‐dose chemotherapy and total body irradiation

Abstract: A 24‐yr‐old man was referred for fever, right cheek swelling, subcutaneous tumor and liver dysfunction. Physical examination showed an elastic hard subcutaneous tumor on the right cheek, left axillary lymph node swelling and multiple small subcutaneous tumors in the trunk. Laboratory examinations showed elevated levels of transaminase, soluble interleukin‐2 receptor and ferritin. Biopsy of the subcutaneous tumor showed proliferation of medium‐sized cells with abundant clear cytoplasm and hyperchromatic nuclei among the subcutaneous fat tissues. These cells showed CD3+, CD4−, CD8+, CD56− and CD20− phenotype and possessed cytotoxic molecules such as granzyme B and T‐cell intracellular antigen‐1. Bone marrow aspiration showed proliferation of small numbers of abnormal lymphocytes with severe hemophagocytosis. He was thus diagnosed as having subcutaneous panniculitis‐like T‐cell lymphoma (SPTCL) and treated with dose‐escalated CHOP regimen. After three courses of the chemotherapy, he was further treated with high‐dose chemotherapy and total body irradiation (TBI) with autologous peripheral blood stem cell rescue. Thereafter, he has been in remission for more than 2 yr. We consider that SPTCL with hemophagocytosis is an extremely aggressive disease, and high‐dose chemotherapy and TBI should be included for the choice of the treatment.
Loss of functional transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β type II receptor results in insensitivity to TGF‐β1‐mediated apoptosis and Epstein–Barr virus reactivation

Transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β1 induces not only cell growth inhibition or apoptosis but also Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) reactivation in some Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) cell lines. The purpose of this study was to define the role of TGF‐β signaling molecules in response to TGF‐β1‐mediated cell growth inhibition, apoptosis, and EBV reactivation in BL cell lines. First, we confirmed the effect of TGF‐β1 on the cell growth and EBV reactivation in six BL cell lines. TGF‐β1 induced cell growth inhibition and EBV reactivation in these cell lines but did not in Akata cells. To elucidate the mechanism of TGF‐β1 unresponsiveness in Akata cells, we studied the expression of TGF‐β receptors and the intracellular signaling molecules Smads. All cell lines expressed TGF‐β type I receptor, Smad2, Smad3, and Smad4. TGF‐β type II receptor (R‐II) was expressed in all cell lines except Akata cells. Introduction of the TGF‐β R‐II into Akata cells results in sensitivity to TGF‐β1‐mediated growth inhibition, apoptosis, and EBV reactivation. In addition, to test a possibility to the transcriptional repression of the TGF‐β R‐II gene in Akata cells, the effect of histone deacetylation (HDAC) inhibitor, trichostatin A (TSA) was examined. The expression of TGF‐β R‐II in Akata cells was induced by TSA treatment. These results suggest that the lack of functional TGF‐β R‐II impedes the progression of signals through TGF‐β1 and becomes a determinant of unresponsiveness to TGF‐β1‐mediated growth inhibition and EBV reactivation. J. Med. Virol. 78:1456–1464, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
PLASMA CELL MYELOMA IN A TERTIARY CENTRE IN NIGER DELTA REGION OF NIGERIA: CLINICOIMMUNOLOGIC ANALYSIS

Objective: To determine the incidence and pattern of presentation of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) in a tertiary health center in Edo state, Niger Delta region of Nigeria noted for its petrochemical industries and gas flare sites. Design: A retrospective study of 30 cases of MM from 1992 to 2004. Setting: University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. Main outcome measures: Clinicoimmunologic information in addition to autopsy findings was obtained from case-files. Diagnosis was established according to the standard definition and staged according to the Durie-Salmon clinical staging system. Results: Advanced stages of the disease (II-III) and performance status scale of 2-4 with pathological fractures were the main form of presentation. Overall median survival was three months (P<0.0001) with 33.3% of the patients surviving at 12 months and 13.3% at 24 months. Conclusion: Bone pains and anaemia with pathological fractures were the commonest characteristic features with a short three months median survival rate.