Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nonlinear dose–response relationship between radon exposure and the risk of lung cancer: evidence from a meta-analysis of published observational studies

Although radon exposure (RE) has been confirmed to increase the risk of lung cancer (LC), questions remain about the shape of the dose–response relationship between RE and the risk of LC. We carried out a dose–response meta-analysis to investigate and quantify the potential dose–response association between residential and occupational exposure to radon and the risk of LC. All cohort and case–control studies published in English and Chinese on Embase, PubMed, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) digital databases through November 2013 were identified systematically. We extracted effect measures (relative risk, odds ratio, standardized mortality ratio, standardized incidence ratio, or standardized rate ratio) from individual studies to generate pooled results using meta-analysis approaches. We derived meta-analytic estimates using random-effects models taking into account the correlation between estimates. Restricted cubic splines and generalized least-squares regression methods were used to model a potential curvilinear relationship and to carry out a dose–response meta-analysis. Stratified analysis, sensitivity analysis, and assessment of bias were performed in our meta-analysis. Sixty publications fulfilling the inclusion criteria for this meta-analysis were finally included. Occupational RE was associated with LC [risk ratio 1.86, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.67–2.09; I2=92.2%; 27 prospective studies], for pooled risk estimate of the: standardized mortality ratio [2.00 (95% CI=1.82–2.32)]; standardized incidence ratio [1.45 (95% CI=1.20–1.74)]; relative risk [2.10 (95% CI=1.64–2.69)]. In a subgroup analysis of uranium miners and residents exposed to occupational uranium, the summary risk was 2.23 (95% CI=1.86–2.68) and 1.23 (95% CI=1.05–1.44). The overall meta-analysis showed evidence of a nonlinear association between RE and the risk of LC (Pnonlinearity<0.014); in addition, the point value of residential radon also improved the results quantitatively, where odds ratios were 1.11 (95% CI=1.07–1.15) and 1.21 (95% CI=1.14–1.29) when the radon concentration was at the point of 100 and 200 Bq/m3 compared with the lowest. For 17 prospective studies with at least three categories of occupational cumulative radon dose, the dose–risk model estimated a risk ratio of 1.26 (95% CI=1.21–1.30) for 100 working level months and 1.51 (95% CI=1.38–1.65) for 200 working level months, respectively. The assessment of risk of bias within individual studies and across studies indicated risk that was unlikely to alter these results markedly. This meta-analysis shows a nonlinear dose–response association between environmental RE and the risk of LC. This increased risk is particularly apparent when the cumulative exposure to radon is well beyond that resulting from exposure to the recommended limit concentration for a prolonged period of time.
Efficient absolute difference circuits in Virtex-5 FPGAs

This paper presents a novel architecture optimized for realizing efficient absolute difference circuits in Virtex-5 FPGA devices. The proposed structure efficiently uses the 6-input look-up-tables available within the chosen devices family to maximize speed performance and to minimize the amount of occupied resources. In comparison with the DSP- and the LUT-based absolute difference circuits automatically synthesized and mapped by the ISE development tool the proposed structure is up to 40% cheaper and up to 61.5% faster.
Characterization of ISR region and development of a PCR assay for rapid detection of the fish pathogen Tenacibaculum soleae.

The aims of this work were to characterize the 16S-23S internal spacer region of the fish pathogen Tenacibaculum soleae and to develop a PCR assay for its identification and detection. All T. soleae strains tested displayed a single internal spacer region class, containing tRNA(I) (le) and tRNA(A) (la) genes; nevertheless, a considerable intraspecific heterogeneity was observed. However, this region proved to be useful for differentiation of T. soleae from related and non-related species. Species-specific primers were designed targeting the 16S rRNA gene and the internal spacer region region, yielding a 1555-bp fragment. Detection limit was of 1 pg DNA per reaction (< 30 bacterial cells) when using pure cultures. The detection level in the presence of DNA from fish or other bacteria was lower; however, 10 pg were detected at a target/background ratio of 1 : 10(5) . The PCR assay proved to be more sensitive than agar cultivation for the detection of T. soleae from naturally diseased fish, offering a useful tool for diagnosis and for understanding the epidemiology of this pathogen.
Dominant-negative effect of SCN5A N-terminal mutations through the interaction of Na(v)1.5 α-subunits.

AIMS Brugada syndrome (BrS) is an autosomal-inherited cardiac arrhythmia characterized by an ST-segment elevation in the right precordial leads of the electrocardiogram and an increased risk of syncope and sudden death. SCN5A, encoding the cardiac sodium channel Na(v)1.5, is the main gene involved in BrS. Despite the fact that several mutations have been reported in the N-terminus of Na(v)1.5, the functional role of this region remains unknown. We aimed to characterize two BrS N-terminal mutations, R104W and R121W, a construct where this region was deleted, ΔNter, and a construct where only this region was present, Nter. METHODS AND RESULTS Patch-clamp recordings in HEK293 cells demonstrated that R104W, R121W, and ΔNter abolished the sodium current I(Na). Moreover, R104W and R121W mutations exerted a strong dominant-negative effect on wild-type (WT) channels. Immunocytochemistry of rat neonatal cardiomyocytes revealed that both mutants were mostly retained in the endoplasmic reticulum and that their co-expression with WT channels led to WT channel retention. Furthermore, co-immunoprecipitation experiments showed that Na(v)1.5-subunits were interacting with each other, even when mutated, deciphering the mutation dominant-negative effect. Both mutants were mostly degraded by the ubiquitin-proteasome system, while ΔNter was addressed to the membrane, and Nter expression induced a two-fold increase in I(Na). In addition, the co-expression of N-terminal mutants with the gating-defective but trafficking-competent R878C-Na(v)1.5 mutant gave rise to a small I(Na). CONCLUSION This study reports for the first time the critical role of the Na(v)1.5 N-terminal region in channel function and the dominant-negative effect of trafficking-defective channels occurring through α-subunit interaction.
Proficient decision making on virtual machine creation in IaaS cloud environment

Cloud computing is a most fascinated technology that is being utilized by IT companies to reduce their infrastructure setup cost by outsourcing data and computation on demand. Cloud computing offer services in three basic models such as SaaS, PaaS and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). Where IaaS is one of the fundamental cloud service model in which cloud provider offers Virtual Machines (VMs) as resources to cloud customers through virtualization. The VMs act as dedicated computer system to consumers which are created on physical hosts of cloud provider. Making decision of physical host selection for VMs creation is a challenging task for cloud provider. Any deficiency of this selection causes VMs migration in middle of computation or restart computation from the scratch; these would sternly affect profit and trust of cloud provider. In this paper, we proposed a novel methodology to handle VMs creation and allocation for IaaS service. The proposed methodology employs a genetically weight optimized neural network component in each host to predict their near future availability during VMs creation. We analyses the host load prediction performance of various neural networks through real time host load values. Also we proposed a proficient decision making algorithm named Future Load Based Virtual machine Creation (FLBVC) to choose appropriate launching hosts for VMs. The performance of our methodology is validated using CloudAnalyst tool. The results demonstrated that our proposed approach reduces response time of cloud customers and rental cost of VMs.
Analysis of abdominal fat tissue images acquired with continuously moving table MRI

The amount of visceral abdominal fat is correlated with the risk for hypertension and diabetes. In this work, an obesity study is monitored with continuously moving table whole body MRI equipped with surface coils and using the Dixon fat/water contrast and reconstruction. A method is presented for the repeatable and reliable differentiation of the imaged abdominal fat into subcutaneous and visceral. The images are first restored jointly for intensity uniformity and processed to segment the body abdominal region. Then, the exterior boundary of the visceral region separating it from the subcutaneous fat region is identified. The segmentations are performed with a combination of distance maps and graph cuts algorithms. The performance of the method has been demonstrated on data from 32 subjects.
Performance improvement of evolution strategies using reinforcement learning

We propose a new type of evolution strategies combined with reinforcement learning. We use the change of fitness occurred by mutation to form the reinforcement signals which estimate and control the step length of mutation. With this proposed method, the convergence rate is improved. Also, we use Cauchy distributed mutation to increase the global convergence faculty. Cauchy distributed mutation is more likely to escape from a local minimum or move away from a plateau than Gaussian distributed mutation. After an outline of the history of evolution strategies, we explain the evolution strategies combined with the reinforcement learning, that is reinforcement evolution strategies. Performance of the proposed method is estimated by comparison with conventional evolution strategies on several test problems.
Multiple-dataset traffic sign classification with OneCNN

We take a look at current state of traffic sign classification discussing what makes it a specific problem of visual object classification. With impressive state-of-the-art results it is easy to forget that the domain extends beyond annotated datasets and overlook the problems that must be faced before we can start training classifiers. We discuss such problems, give an overview of previous work done, go over publicly available datasets and present a new one. Following that, classification experiments are conducted using a single CNN model, deeper than used previously and trained with dropout. We apply it over multiple datasets from Germany, Belgium and Croatia, their intersections and union, outperforming humans and other single CNN architectures for traffic sign classification.
HAEMODYNAMICS AND THE PARTICIPATION OF PRESSOR SYSTEMS IN YOUNG AND ADULT RATS WITH AGE-DEPENDENT DOCA-SALT HYPERTENSION

Increased systemic resistance is the main haemodynamic abnormality in DOCAsalt hypertension which is more pronounced in young than in adult rats. A mild increase of cardiac output also contributes to higher blood pressure in young animals. Arterial compliance is decreased only in young hypertensive rats. The acute blockade of different pressor systems indicates that the role of back-up pressor systems Ivesopreesln and angiotensin II) is increased in adult DOCA~salt hypertensive animals while the increased activity of adrenergic system and digoxin-like factors contributes to the enhanced hypertensive response of young rats.
A 36 W CW AlGaN/GaN-power HEMT using surface-charge-controlled structure

We describe high power 36 W CW operation at 30 V using AlGaN/GaN HEMTs on SiC. Surface-charge-controlled structure, consisting of n-type doped thin GaN cap layer on AlGaN/GaN HEMT structure, is used to obtain high gate-drain breakdown voltage and to reduce current collapse. By optimizing threshold voltage of this structure, we obtained a maximum drain current of 1 A/mm and a gate-drain breakdown voltage over 200 V. A 24-mm-wide-gate chip showed output power of 45.6 dBm (36 W) at 2.2 GHz with a liner gain of 9.7 dB.
Semantic text-based image retrieval with multi-modality ontology and DBpedia

Purpose The purpose of this study is to reduce the semantic distance by proposing a model for integrating indexes of textual and visual features via a multi-modality ontology and the use of DBpedia to improve the comprehensiveness of the ontology to enhance semantic retrieval. Design/methodology/approach A multi-modality ontology-based approach was developed to integrate high-level concepts and low-level features, as well as integrate the ontology base with DBpedia to enrich the knowledge resource. A complete ontology model was also developed to represent the domain of sport news, with image caption keywords and image features. Precision and recall were used as metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of the multi-modality approach, and the outputs were compared with those obtained using a single-modality approach (i.e. textual ontology and visual ontology). Findings The results based on ten queries show a superior performance of the multi-modality ontology-based IMR system integrated with DBpedia in retrieving correct images in accordance with user queries. The system achieved 100 per cent precision for six of the queries and greater than 80 per cent precision for the other four queries. The text-based system only achieved 100 per cent precision for one query; all other queries yielded precision rates less than 0.500. Research limitations/implications This study only focused on BBC Sport News collection in the year 2009. Practical implications The paper includes implications for the development of ontology-based retrieval on image collection. Originality value This study demonstrates the strength of using a multi-modality ontology integrated with DBpedia for image retrieval to overcome the deficiencies of text-based and ontology-based systems. The result validates semantic text-based with multi-modality ontology and DBpedia as a useful model to reduce the semantic distance.
Fragile Majorities And Education Belgium Catalonia Northern Ireland And Quebec

Thank you for reading fragile majorities and education belgium catalonia northern ireland and quebec. As you may know, people have look numerous times for their chosen novels like this fragile majorities and education belgium catalonia northern ireland and quebec, but end up in infectious downloads. Rather than reading a good book with a cup of tea in the afternoon, instead they cope with some infectious virus inside their computer.
Particle swarm optimization algorithm for reconstruction of parallel phase shifting digital holography

Parallel phase-shifting digital holography records a single shot hologram with different phase values. To obtain complex amplitude multiple holograms are needed from a single shot hologram. To extract these holograms weighted interpolation technique is used and the weights are calculated by using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). The algorithm is based on a new objective function that has been proposed for achieving desired efficiency. So the quality of the reconstructed hologram can be enhanced by reducing the phase error and calculation error.
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH KNOWLEDGE AND USE OF SERVICES AMONG YOUNG ADULTS IN DAKAR, SENEGAL

A study was conducted in Dakar, Senegal, to measure reproductive health knowledge and contraceptive use among young adults, and access to family planning services. A household survey was conducted with 1973 single and married women aged 15–24 and 936 single men aged 15–19. Two focus groups and a simulated client study were also conducted. The survey and focus groups noted gaps in knowledge of family planning methods and reproductive health. There were misconceptions about methods and only one-third of men and women aged 15–19 correctly identified the time of the menstrual cycle when a women is most likely to get pregnant. Contraceptive use at time of first premarital sexual experience was less than 30%. The simulated client study noted many barriers to services. ‘Clients’ felt uncomfortable in the clinics and felt that providers were reluctant to take care of them. None of the ‘clients’ who requested contraception received it.
Stabilization Technique for Multi-Inputs Voltage Sense Amplifiers in Node Sharing Converters

This paper discusses the undesirable charge transfer through the parasitic capacitances of the input transistors in a multi-inputs voltage sense amplifier. Its intrinsic rail-to-rail voltage transitions at the output nodes inevitably disturb the input sides through the capacitive coupling between the outputs and inputs. Then, it can possible degrade the stabilities of the reference voltage levels. Moreover, it becomes more serious in multi-channel systems by altering them for other channels, and so degrades the linearity of the overall systems. In order to alleviate the internal node voltage transition, the internal node stabilization techniques are proposed. It achieves 45% and 40% improvements for node stabilization and input referred disturbance, respectively. Keywords—Voltage sense amplifier, multi-inputs, voltage transition, node stabilization, and biasing circuits.
Challenges in quantifying wind generation's contribution to securing peak demand

Wind generation's contribution to supporting peak electricity demand is one of the key questions in wind integration studies. Differently from conventional units, the available outputs of different wind farms cannot be approximated as being statistically independent, and hence near-zero wind output is possible across an entire power system. This paper will review the risk model structures currently used to assess wind's capacity value, along with discussion of the resulting data requirements. A central theme is the benefits from performing statistical estimation of the joint distribution for demand and available wind capacity, focusing attention on uncertainties due to limited histories of wind and demand data; examination of Great Britain data from the last 25 years shows that the data requirements are greater than generally thought. A discussion is therefore presented into how analysis of the types of weather system which have historically driven extreme electricity demands can help to deliver robust insights into wind's contribution to supporting demand, even in the face of such data limitations. The role of the form of the probability distribution for available conventional capacity in driving wind capacity credit results is also discussed.
Mast Cell Coupling to the Kallikrein–Kinin System Fuels Intracardiac Parasitism and Worsens Heart Pathology in Experimental Chagas Disease

During the course of Chagas disease, infectious forms of Trypanosoma cruzi are occasionally liberated from parasitized heart cells. Studies performed with tissue culture trypomastigotes (TCTs, Dm28c strain) demonstrated that these parasites evoke neutrophil/CXCR2-dependent microvascular leakage by activating innate sentinel cells via toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2). Upon plasma extravasation, proteolytically derived kinins and C5a stimulate immunoprotective Th1 responses via cross-talk between bradykinin B2 receptors (B2Rs) and C5aR. Awareness that TCTs invade cardiovascular cells in vitro via interdependent activation of B2R and endothelin receptors [endothelin A receptor (ETAR)/endothelin B receptor (ETBR)] led us to hypothesize that T. cruzi might reciprocally benefit from the formation of infection-associated edema via activation of kallikrein–kinin system (KKS). Using intravital microscopy, here we first examined the functional interplay between mast cells (MCs) and the KKS by topically exposing the hamster cheek pouch (HCP) tissues to dextran sulfate (DXS), a potent “contact” activator of the KKS. Surprisingly, although DXS was inert for at least 30 min, a subtle MC-driven leakage resulted in factor XII (FXII)-dependent activation of the KKS, which then amplified inflammation via generation of bradykinin (BK). Guided by this mechanistic insight, we next exposed TCTs to “leaky” HCP—forged by low dose histamine application—and found that the proinflammatory phenotype of TCTs was boosted by BK generated via the MC/KKS pathway. Measurements of footpad edema in MC-deficient mice linked TCT-evoked inflammation to MC degranulation (upstream) and FXII-mediated generation of BK (downstream). We then inoculated TCTs intracardiacally in mice and found a striking decrease of parasite DNA (quantitative polymerase chain reaction; 3 d.p.i.) in the heart of MC-deficient mutant mice. Moreover, the intracardiac parasite load was significantly reduced in WT mice pretreated with (i) cromoglycate (MC stabilizer) (ii) infestin-4, a specific inhibitor of FXIIa (iii) HOE-140 (specific antagonist of B2R), and (iv) bosentan, a non-selective antagonist of ETAR/ETBR. Notably, histopathology of heart tissues from mice pretreated with these G protein-coupled receptors blockers revealed that myocarditis and heart fibrosis (30 d.p.i.) was markedly and redundantly attenuated. Collectively, our study suggests that inflammatory edema propagated via activation of the MC/KKS pathway fuels intracardiac parasitism by generating infection-stimulatory peptides (BK and endothelins) in the edematous heart tissues.
Manufacturable Photonic Crystal Single-Mode and Fluidic Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers

We describe a robust manufacturing process for single-mode photonic crystal (PhC) vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). Various PhC designs are investigated to determine endlessly single-mode designs, whereby the same PhC design yields single-mode operation for three different wavelengths (780, 850, and 980 nm). The fabrication of the PhC pattern is based on a self-aligned optical lithography process. The fabrication process results in VCSELs with a maximum output power greater than 1 mW under continuous-wave (CW) operation with side-mode suppression ratio greater than 35 dB. We also show microfluidic laser structures that are enabled by our fabrication process, which integrate fluid channels into VCSELs. Optical and electrical properties of these microfluidic VCSELs are investigated with and without fluids present under CW and pulsed operation. A shift of the lasing wavelength is found with fluid insertion.
Risk factors and consequences of atrial fibrillation: genetics, blood pressure, working hours, and cognitive decline.

Although atrial fibrillation typically occurs in elderly subjects and particularly in those with longstanding hypertension or heart failure, younger individuals may be affected as well. 1 In the latter population, a genetic basis has long been suspected. 2 Hui-Nam Pak and colleagues from the Yonsei University Health System in Seoul, South Korea remind us that genetic susceptibility loci for atrial fibrillation identified by genome-wide association studies in a European database showed ethnic differences in the Asian population. They therefore explored novel atrial fibrillation susceptibility variants in Korean patients with early-onset atrial fibrillation, i.e. at age 60 or younger, who underwent catheter ablation. They report the results of their genome-wide association study performed in 672 cases and 3700 controls in their article ‘ Korean atrial fibrillation network genome-wide association study for early-onset atrial fibrillation identifies novel susceptibility loci ’. 3 Five known genetic loci, i.e. 1q24/PRRX1, 4q25/PITX2, 10q24/NEURL 12q24/TBX5, and 16q22/ZFHX3, were validated and two novel loci were found on chromosomes 1q32.1/PPFIA4 and 4q34.1/HAND2 (and replicated in an additional independent sample. The identified loci implicate candi-date