Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hepatitis B virus core variants modify natural course of viral infection and hepatocellular carcinoma progression.

BACKGROUND & AIMS We assessed the influence of genetic variants in the hepatitis B virus (HBV) core, which is a principal immunologic target, on the progression to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a cohort of 4841 male HBV carriers followed up for 16 years. METHODS First, baseline sera from 116 HCC cases and 154 controls nested within the cohort were used for sequencing of the HBV core gene to screen for variants with effects on HCC progression. By applying a high-throughput assay for detecting viral single nucleotide substitutions, we then used a longitudinal study (n = 1143) to examine whether 2 identified variants that lie in the region within or flanking epitopes affected the natural course of hepatitis B through investigating their relationships with time trends for viral load and clinical features. RESULTS In the nested case-control study, there were 6 core variants associated with decreased risk of HCC after accounting for viral genotype; 5 lie in the region within or flanking epitopes (P < .04). Each variant correlated with a 0.7- to 1-log decrease in viral load and hepatitis B virus e antigen negativity at baseline. The longitudinal study further showed that the appearance of 2 such variants (T1938C and T2045A) was preceded by long-term diminished viral load and decreased rate of liver abnormalities and was significantly less frequent in individuals with a prolonged immune clearance phase that associated with spectrum of liver disease than those in inactive carrier or reactivation phase. CONCLUSIONS HBV core variants affecting the kinetics of host-virus interplay may influence longitudinal viral load and HCC progression.
Reliable multicore processors for NASA space missions

The current trend in commercial processors of moving to many cores (30 to100 and beyond) on a single die poses both an opportunity and a challenge for space based processing. 1 2 The opportunity is to leverage this trend for space application and thus provide an order of magnitude increase in onboard processing capability. The challenge is to provide the requisite reliability in an extremely challenging environment. In this paper, we will discuss the requirements for reliable space based multicore computing and approaches being explored to deliver this capability within NASA's extremely tight power, mass, and cost constraints.
Research on External Influence Factors of Brand Extension into New Markets Based on Ecological Niche Theory

In the economic era of brand, product homogeneity continues to increase market competition and expanding into new markets has become one of the inevitable choice for branding enterprises to obtain sustainable competitive advantage and excess brand profits. This paper is based on ecological niche theory and tries to analyze the external factors of brand expansion into new markets from three aspects: the climatic factor, the soil factor and the topographic factor of the brand. It also analyzes various refined factors one by one and provides the basis for enterprises’ decision making on to new market expansion.
Spontaneous Preterm Birth in Multiples

The number of multiple gestations has increased over the last several decades and preterm birth is one of the leading causes of perinatal morbidity and mortality for these pregnancies. While screening and treatment strategies have achieved moderate success in singleton gestations, screening strategies are less effective in multiple gestations. In addition, to date no intervention aimed at preventing preterm birth has been conclusively shown to either prolong gestation or improve neonatal outcomes for multiple gestations. As in singleton gestations, cervical length is one of the strongest predictors of preterm birth. While not conclusive, emerging data suggest that vaginal progesterone or cervical pessary may be able to prevent preterm birth in twin gestations with a short cervix.
Changes of functional connectivity and amplitude of fluctuations in Resting State fMRI data of Parkinson Disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder characterized by tremor, rigidity, and slowness of movements. Determining changes of spontaneous activity and connectivity of the brain is a critical step towards treatment of PD patients. Resting State functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (RS-fMRI) is a non-invasive method that we use in this work to investigate intra- and inter-regional features of the brain. To this end, we apply three methods, Spontaneous Low Frequency Fluctuation (SLFF), Regional Homogeneity (ReHo) and Seed Correlation Analysis (SCA). The results of advanced statistical image analysis on SLFF maps show hypoactivation in the basal ganglia and hyperactivation in the motor cortex and the cerebellum. We found that the seed correlation value between Left cerebellum and left putamen is the most discriminating parameter between Parkinson patients and healthy group. Moreover, SCA features are more significant compared to the intra-regional features (SLFF or ReHo). The result of clustering by 16 selected features is 85%.
Throughput Maximization for User Cooperative Wireless Systems with Adaptive Modulation

Adaptive modulation has been widely adopted in broadband wireless communication systems to improve spectrum efficiency. On the other hand, user cooperative diversity has been investigated to improve system coverage and efficiency. How to take the advantage of adaptive modulation for user cooperative transmissions to maximize network throughput under the constraint of the bit error rate (BER) requirement is an open issue. In this paper, a simple user-cooperation strategy with adaptive M-ary Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (M-QAM) is proposed to fill the gap. We use an approximate BER expression of M-QAM modulation to formulate an easy-to-solve optimization problem, so the modulation types for the source node and the relay node can be optimized in real time to maximize the throughput under the BER constraint. To maximize the throughput for the whole network, we further use a worst-link-first (WLF) matching algorithm for selecting appropriate cooperators. Numerical results show that the proposed adaptive cooperative protocol can effectively improve system spectral efficiency.
Supervised Pterygium Fibrovascular Redness Grading Using Generalized Regression Neural Network

Pterygium is a growth on the eye that can cause blindness, with countries closer to the equator showing higher rate of incidence. However, there is a lack of research to study the severity and properties of the tissue. We propose the use of Generalized Neural Network (GRNN) to objectively quantify redness of the fibrovascular tissue. Comparative analysis using multiple feature selection algorithms indicates that error can be minimized when use with optimal set of features and suitable GRNN spread parameter. Features nominated by Minimum Redundancy Maximum Relevance gives the best performance with SSE = 3.55 and GRNN spread = 0.47.
Single patch beam steering antenna with U-slot for wearable fabric applications

Reconfigurable beam steering antenna using single patch is proposed for wearable fabric applications. The antenna is designed to steer the three beam directions at the same frequency 6.0GHz. A U-shaped slot and indirect feeding technique are employed in a patch. The current flowing on the indirect feed is controlled by two artificial switches. Thus, the antenna is able to radiate three beams. The antenna is manufactured on fabric substrates. We used the fabric material that provides smooth integration into clothing. The simulated operation bandwidth of the antenna (VSWR &#60; 2) is about 280 MHz (5.82 GHz ∼ 6.1 GHz). Maximum beam directions are steerable in the y - z plane (+30°, 0°, −30°), and the overall HPBW coverage is about 115°. The simulated peak gains are 6.11 ∼ 6.69 dBi.
Ultra-low energy switching scheme for SAR ADC

: In this paper, a novel low-energy capacitor switching scheme for low power successive approximation register (SAR) analog to digital con-verter (ADC) is presented. The proposed scheme in this paper can achieve 99.9% savings in switching energy and 75% less number of capacitors compared to the conventional architecture. The proposed method is the most energy-ef ﬁ cient switching scheme among the reported switching techniques.
Abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in the United Kingdom: an exemplar for the role of anaesthetists in perioperative medicine

Abstract The past two decades have seen an increasing recognition that the delivery of safe surgery with low complication rates and good long‐term outcomes is a team endeavour embracing the whole patient care pathway. The key role of the anaesthetist in managing the patient through the surgical process is widely understood and has driven the emergence of perioperative medicine. In parallel with these developments there has been a sea change in the organisation of the care of patients presenting for elective abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair. Data from the 2008 report of the VASCUNET vascular registry suggested that the UK had the highest mortality for elective open AAA repair in Europe (7.9%). In response, a national quality improvement programme (AAAQIP) spanning the disciplines of surgery, anaesthesia, radiology and nursing was put in place. This led to significant changes in all aspects of AAA repair including the role of the anaesthetist. Preoperative assessment by an anaesthetist with a vascular practice was mandated and the role of the anaesthetist in the vascular multidisciplinary team meeting (MDT) established. Anaesthetic data were included in the national data collection system for vascular surgery, the National Vascular Registry. These changes paralleled and in some cases led the wider evolution of the role of the anaesthetist in perioperative medicine. The mortality from infrarenal AAA repair in the UK decreased to 2.4% by 2012. This improvement reflects changes in perioperative care supported and in some cases led by anaesthetists.
The neuropathology of Alzheimer disease in African American and white individuals.

BACKGROUND Data from neuropathologic studies of the frequency of Alzheimer disease (AD) among African American persons conflict as to whether the neuropathologic phenotype of AD is identical in African American and white persons. OBJECTIVES To examine clinical and neuropathologic phenotypes of AD in African American individuals and to compare AD and vascular burdens between African American and white persons. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS Ten African American decedents who underwent brain autopsy at the Washington University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center were matched for age, sex, and Clinical Dementia Rating with 10 white decedents between January 1, 1990, and January 1, 2000. The presence and degree of neurofibrillary tangles, senile plaques, Lewy bodies, cerebral infarcts, and cerebral amyloid angiopathy were determined. RESULTS All 20 individuals had a neuropathologic diagnosis of AD. There were no group differences in the presence or number of infarcts, plaques, tangles, Lewy bodies, or amyloid angiopathy. CONCLUSION In this small sample, we found no substantive differences in the neuropathology of AD among African American and white individuals.
Effect of omeprazole on the steady-state pharmacokinetics of voriconazole.

AIMS Voriconazole, a novel triazole antifungal agent, is metabolized by the cytochrome P450 isoenzymes CYP2C19, CYP2C9, and to a lesser extent by CYP3A4. Omeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor used widely for the treatment of gastric and duodenal ulcers, is predominantly metabolized by CYP2C19 and CYP3A4. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of omeprazole on the steady-state pharmacokinetics of voriconazole. A secondary objective was to characterize the pharmacokinetic profile of an oral loading dose regimen of 400 mg twice-daily voriconazole on day 1. METHODS This was an open, randomized, placebo-controlled, two-way crossover study of 18 healthy male volunteers. Subjects received oral voriconazole (400 mg twice daily on day 1 followed by 200 mg twice daily on days 2-9 and a single 200-mg dose on day 10) with either omeprazole (40 mg once daily) or matched placebo for 10 days. There was a minimum 7-day washout between treatment periods. RESULTS Mean Cmax and AUCtau of voriconazole were increased by 15%[90% confidence interval (CI) 5, 25] and 41% (90% CI 29, 55), respectively, with no effect on tmax during coadministration of omeprazole. Visual inspection of predose plasma concentrations (Cmin) indicated that steady-state plasma concentrations were achieved following the second loading dose. One subject withdrew from the study during the voriconazole + omeprazole treatment period because of treatment-related abnormal liver function test values. All other treatment-related adverse events resolved without intervention. CONCLUSIONS Omeprazole had no clinically relevant effect on voriconazole exposure, suggesting that no voriconazole dosage adjustment is necessary for patients in whom omeprazole therapy is initiated. Administration of a 400-mg twice-daily oral loading dose regimen on day 1 resulted in steady-state plasma levels of voriconazole being achieved following the second loading dose.
Gene structure of the human receptor tyrosine kinase RON and mutation analysis in lung cancer samples

The human RON gene (MST1R) maps to 3p21.3, a region frequently altered in lung cancer and other malignancies. It encodes a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) closely related to MET, whose mutations are associated with neoplasia. We investigated whether RON might be involved in the development or progression of lung cancer. We first determined the exon‐intron structure of the gene by direct sequencing of RON cosmid DNA and PCR products containing intronic sequences, and then developed primers suitable for mutation analysis by the single‐strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) method. Twenty coding exons were characterized, all but the first one small (average size: 170 bp), a feature shared with other RTK genes. We performed SSCP analysis of RON in small and non‐small cell lung cancer samples, upon detection of its expression in a sample of lung cancer cell lines. A mutation (T915C: L296P) was found in an adenocarcinoma specimen. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms were also found. The panel of intron‐anchored primers developed in this work will be useful for mutation analysis of the RON gene in different types of human tumors. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Statistical analysis of local features in network traffic processes

This work presents an approach to the detection of local features in network traffic, based on the analysis of short-time maximal rate envelopes, also called statistical arrival curves. In the proposed method, the time series representing a traffic trace is divided into non-overlapping segments, which are further divided into smaller blocks. The maximal rate envelope is estimated for each block and histograms of rate parameters are built over each segment. When significant local features are present in a trace segment, values of the maximal rates may change, resulting in the appearance of peaks or long tails in the corresponding histograms. These effects can be detected with remarkable sensitivity, since they are often evidenced by positive or negative peaks in skewness values of rate parameters histograms. The algorithm can be employed to detect such features on a reasonably fine-grained scale
A novel 14-3-3 gene is osmoregulated in gill epithelium of the euryhaline teleost Fundulus heteroclitus.

We have cloned and analyzed the full-length coding sequence and 3' untranslated region (UTR) of a unique 14-3-3 gene of the euryhaline teleost Fundulus heteroclitus, which we named 14-3-3.a. Phylogenetic analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence revealed that the 14-3-3.a gene product is most similar to vertebrate 14-3-3 zeta and beta, yet it displays considerable divergence to known classes of vertebrate 14-3-3 isoforms. The N and C termini of 14-3-3.a are the most unique regions, whereas the amino acid residues forming the amphipathic ligand-binding groove are highly conserved. F. heteroclitus 14-3-3.a mRNA expression is high in gill epithelium, moderate in intestine and brain, and low in gonads, white muscle and heart. Because 14-3-3 proteins are important molecular scaffolds and cofactors for phosphoproteins and signaling complexes, the high level of 14-3-3.a expression in gill epithelium of the euryhaline teleost F. heteroclitus suggests that it is crucial for signal transduction in gill epithelial cells. We provide evidence that 14-3-3.a is involved in osmosensory signal transduction by showing that its mRNA and protein levels in gill epithelium, but not in any other tissue analyzed, increase two- to fourfold within 24h of salinity transfer of fish from sea water to fresh water. These data are clear evidence for an important role of 14-3-3.a in the remodeling of gill epithelium during transition of euryhaline fish between plasma-hyperosmotic and plasma-hypoosmotic environments.
Traffic-Aware Geo-Distributed Big Data Analytics with Predictable Job Completion Time

Big data analytics has attracted close attention from both industry and academic because of its great benefits in cost reduction and better decision making. As the fast growth of various global services, there is an increasing need for big data analytics across multiple data centers (DCs) located in different countries or regions. It asks for the support of a cross-DC data processing platform optimized for the geo-distributed computing environment. Although some recent efforts have been made for geo-distributed big data analytics, they cannot guarantee predictable job completion time, and would incur excessive traffic over the inter-DC network that is a scarce resource shared by many applications. In this paper, we study to minimize the inter-DC traffic generated by MapReduce jobs targeting on geo-distributed big data, while providing predicted job completion time. To achieve this goal, we formulate an optimization problem by jointly considering input data movement and task placement. Furthermore, we guarantee predictable job completion time by applying the chance-constrained optimization technique, such that the MapReduce job can finish within a predefined job completion time with high probability. To evaluate the performance of our proposal, we conduct extensive simulations using real traces generated by a set of queries on Hive. The results show that our proposal can reduce 55 percent inter-DC traffic compared with centralized processing by aggregating all data to a single data center.
FACTS devices allocation for preventive/corrective control against voltage collapse under deregulated power system

In this paper, an approach for optimal allocation of flexible AC transmission system (FACTS) devices under deregulated power systems is presented. The approach considers system operation under normal and contingency states along with their related probabilities to occur. For each state, FACTS devices are optimally utilized to minimize operating cost. If a contingency occurs, preventive/corrective control strategy is applied to prevent voltage collapse as well as to relieve transmission congestion. During corrective control, fast control action is utilized while during preventive control, both fast and slow control actions are employed. The objective of normal state is to maximize social welfare while the objectives of contingency states are to maximize social welfare and to minimize compensations paid for generations re-scheduling and load shedding. The overall problem is formulated as a mixed integer nonlinear programming problem and is solved using hybrid Particle Swarm Optimization. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated on modified IEEE 14 bus test system.
Effects of Elevated Plasma Magnesium Concentration on Cerebrospinal Fluid Levels of Magnesium in Neonatal Swine

Abstract To determine whether magnesium (Mg) can cross the blood brain barrier in developing swine, simultaneous measurements of [Mg] in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were made during experimental elevation of plasma [Mg] in 12 swine of differing postnatal age. All were anesthetized with Saffan and maintained at normal arterial blood gas composition. Aortic pressure and heart rate were monitored. Plasma and CSF samples, drawn at the beginning and end of a 60-min intravenous infusion of MgCl2 in all animals and every 10 min during the infusion in three, were analyzed for [Mg] and osmolality. CSF [Mg] increased in all animals as plasma [Mg] increased. There were no changes in CSF osmolality. The differences between plasma and CSF [Mg] was smallest in the youngest animals. These results indicate that Mg crosses the blood brain barrier in neonatal swine and suggest that the blood brain barrier is still maturing within the first postnatal month.
In vivo imaging of disseminated murine Candida albicans infection reveals unexpected host sites of fungal persistence during antifungal therapy.

OBJECTIVES Candida albicans is an important fungal pathogen that can cause life-threatening disseminated infections. To determine the efficacy of therapy in murine models, a determination of renal fungal burden as cfu is commonly used. However, this approach provides only a snapshot of the current situation in an individual animal and cryptic sites of infection may easily be missed. Thus, we aimed to develop real-time non-invasive imaging to monitor infection in vivo. METHODS Bioluminescent C. albicans reporter strains were developed based on a bioinformatical approach for codon optimization. The reporter strains were analysed in vitro and in vivo in the murine model of systemic candidiasis. RESULTS Reporter strains allowed the in vivo monitoring of infection and a determination of fungal burden, with a high correlation between bioluminescence and cfu count. We confirmed the kidney as the main target organ but additionally observed the translocation of C. albicans to the urinary bladder. The treatment of infected mice with caspofungin and fluconazole significantly improved the clinical outcome and clearance of C. albicans from the kidneys; however, unexpectedly, viable fungal cells persisted in the gall bladder. Fungi were secreted with bile and detected in the faeces, implicating the gall bladder as a reservoir for colonization by C. albicans after antifungal therapy. Bile extracts significantly decreased the susceptibility of C. albicans to various antifungals in vitro, thereby probably contributing to its persistence. CONCLUSIONS Using in vivo imaging, we identified cryptic sites of infection and persistence of C. albicans in the gall bladder during otherwise effective antifungal treatment. Bile appears to directly interfere with antifungal activity.