Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Using Genetically Engineered Mice for Radiation Research

The laboratory mouse has been used for many decades as a model system for radiation research. Recent advances in genetic engineering now allow scientists to delete genes in specific cell types at different stages of development. The ability to manipulate genes in the mouse with spatial and temporal control opens new opportunities to investigate the role of genes in regulating the response of normal tissues and tumors to radiation. Currently, we are using the Cre-loxP system to delete genes, such as p53, in a cell-type specific manner in mice to study mechanisms of acute radiation injury and late effects of radiation. Our results demonstrate that p53 is required in the gastrointestinal (GI) epithelium to prevent radiation-induced GI syndrome and in endothelial and/or hematopoietic cells to prevent late effects of radiation. We have also used these genetic tools to generate primary tumors in mice to study tumor response to radiation therapy. These advances in genetic engineering provide a powerful model system to dissect both the mechanisms of normal tissue injury after irradiation and the mechanisms by which radiation cures cancer.
Quantum repeaters with entangled coherent states

Entangled coherent states can be prepared remotely by subtracting non-locally a single photon from two quantum superpositions of coherent states, the so-called "Schroedinger's cat" state. Such entanglement can further be distributed over longer distances by successive entanglement swapping operations using linear optics and photon-number resolving detectors. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the performance of this approach to quantum repeaters for long distance quantum communications. Despite many attractive features at first sight, we show that, when using state-of-the-art photon counters and quantum memories, they do not achieve higher entanglement generation rates than repeaters based on single-photon entanglement. We discuss potential developments which may take better advantage of the richness of entanglement based on continuous variables, including in particular efficient parity measurements.
Application of adaptive filters in desired signal extraction

An application of Adaptive Filters (AF) in Desired Signal Extraction (DSE) embedded in Unknown Dynamic System (UDS) is explored in the current research. Least Mean Square Algorithm (LmSA) is utilized in proposed DSE. The UDS is synthesized by adopting Pseudo Random Binary Sequence (PrBS) excitation. To start with the LMSA is educated to converge and adapt its coefficients to the prevailing PRBS signal. These coefficients are subsequently utilized in DSE already embedded in the random noise. Carried out simulation studies by software implementation using ‘C’ language with different filter orders, step sizes and arrived at an optimum solution in respect of different synthesized signals. Computational complexities associated with Weiner filter for simulation applications are also included in this paper. The results obtained during simulation for different filter orders are tabulated and also depicted pictorially. The LMSA implementation methodology is shown in a block diagram as well explained in terms of a flow chart. Finally the LMSA is implemented in realistic environment and the desired signal extracted is also depicted pictorially.
Maximum likelihood algorithms for joint estimation of synchronisation impairments and channel in multiple input multiple output-orthogonal frequency division multiplexing system

Maximum likelihood (ML) algorithms, for the joint estimation of synchronisation impairments and channel in multiple input multiple output–orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (MIMO–OFDM) system, are investigated in this work. A system model that takes into account the effects of carrier frequency offset, sampling frequency offset, symbol timing error and channel impulse response is formulated. Cramer–Rao lower bounds for the estimation of continuous parameters are derived, which show the coupling effect among different impairments and the significance of the joint estimation. The authors propose an ML algorithm for the estimation of synchronisation impairments and channel together, using the grid search method. To reduce the complexity of the joint grid search in the ML algorithm, a modified ML (MML) algorithm with multiple one-dimensional searches is also proposed. Further, a stage-wise ML (SML) algorithm using existing algorithms, which estimate less number of parameters, is also proposed. Performance of the estimation algorithms is studied through numerical simulations and it is found that the proposed ML and MML algorithms exhibit better performance than SML algorithm.
Congestion control for Web-based multimedia playback applications

To guarantee network stability while supporting multimedia applications over the Internet, a new dynamically adjusted TCP-friendly additive increase and multiplicative decrease (AIMD) congestion control algorithm, DTAIMD, is proposed. By studying the competition behavior of TCP and AIMD flows, the TCP-friendly condition for the AIMD (/spl alpha/, /spl beta/) congestion control is analytically derived. Quality of service (QoS) for multimedia playback applications is enhanced by choosing an appropriate parameter pair of (/spl alpha/, /spl beta/). Simulation results show that the proposed DTAIMD congestion control scheme is TCP-friendly and suitable for supporting multimedia playback applications.
Clinical chronobiology: relevance and applications to the practice of occupational medicine.

In this chapter, the topic of medical chronobiology has been presented. Emphasis has been placed on issues related to clinical and occupational medicine. Results of initial studies conducted primarily by clinical pathologists indicate that the results of several commonly ordered diagnostic tests are influenced in a significant way according to the circadian time when samplings or tests are conducted. In addition, the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of medications can vary significantly according to their administration time. Indeed, the safety as well as efficacy of certain medications or dosage forms are circadian time dependent. A new thrust in the clinic is the application of chronotherapeutics to maximize the effectiveness and safety of medications. For the occupational health practitioner, the topic of medical chronobiology offers new perspectives to better address common problems experienced in clinical occupational medicine. First, the utilization of time-qualified (for circadian rhythmicity) reference values serves to differentiate with greater precision normal from unusual test findings; for example, among those arising during the pre-employment and scheduled follow-up physical examinations. Second, it provides better insight into the basis for the biological intolerance to rotating shiftwork. Too often, employee complaints of shiftwork intolerance are met with skepticism by members of the management and/or medical staff. The phenomenon of biological intolerance to rotating shiftwork is real. It has only been during the past decade that shiftwork intolerance has been demonstrated to have a chronobiologic basis. It seems that persons who possess a weak circadian time structure, that is, rather low-amplitude bioperiodicities, are more prone to develop biological intolerance to shiftwork later in life. Those endowed with a strong (high-amplitude) time structure are least prone. Thus, although persons with a weak circadian time structure might be at an advantage in tolerating rotating shiftwork schedules while young, they appear to be at a high risk of developing intolerance to it later in life. It is hypothesized that a weak circadian time structure predisposes one to desynchronization when subjected to work schedules entailing regular disruption of the activity-rest synchronizer schedule. The mechanisms underlying this biological intolerance to shiftwork require much additional investigation. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Relation of Creativity and Educational Achievement in Adolescence

Abstract Each period of human development brings with it new competency requirements, challenges, and opportunities for personal growth. When an individual is in the phase of adolescence, his creativity and personality is being moulded by various surrounding factors. It is well recorded that the development of an individual doesn’t occur in vacuum but is governed by his immediate surroundings. Creativity cannot be forced but should be nurtured and encouraged for its full and real emergence. For nurturing and encouraging the internal potentials, the fostering of external environment is very necessary and important. By setting up the conditions of psychological safety and freedom, family can create the most enduring environment for the emergence of constructive creativity. Environmental factors have a great impact on creative potential. Similarly, level of educational achievement too appears to be related to the creativity level of adolescents, with the objective of finding the influence of academic achievement on creativity, a study was conducted on adolescents in a sample of 240 subjects, (120 male students and 120 female students) of ages 15 to 17 years from Senior Secondary schools of Jodhpur city. Passi’s Tests of Creativity (PTC) was used to measure the creativity level; Educational Achievement was measured on the basis of percentages of aggregate marks obtained by the subjects in their previous examination. The results indicate that (i) the high achiever group of adolescents were more alike and shared similar traits overriding the impact of gender, when gender differences between high achiever group on creativity was observed. (ii) There were gender differences among low achiever group on creativity. (iii) Gender is less impacting than the level of achievement.
No-Reference PSNR Estimation for HEVC Encoded Video

Video quality estimation is considered a means of monitoring quality of service in broadcasting or IPTV services. In this paper, a no-reference peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) estimation method is first presented for a quadtree-based motion estimation or compensation and transform coding scheme such as HEVC test model (HM), which is expected to be popularly used due to its highly enhanced coding efficiency, in 2-D and 3-D high resolution videos. The proposed no-reference PSNR estimation method is based on a Laplacian mixture distribution, which takes into account the distribution characteristics of residual transform coefficients in different quadtree depths and coding types of coding units (CUs). In order to predict the model parameters of the Laplacian mixture distribution for all zero quantized coefficients case, an exponential regression scheme is employed over quadtree depth levels of CUs. The proposed no-reference PSNR estimation method yields fairly accurate results from 0.970 to 0.983 in correlation and from 0.530 to 0.890 in RMSE between the actual and the estimated PSNR values for HM encoded bitstreams, outperforming single PDF based models.
A Viscosity-Based Model for Bubble-Propelled Catalytic Micromotors

Micromotors have shown significant potential for diverse future applications. However, a poor understanding of the propelling mechanism hampers its further applications. In this study, an accurate mechanical model of the micromotor has been proposed by considering the geometric asymmetry and fluid viscosity based on hydrodynamic principles. The results obtained from the proposed model are in a good agreement with the experimental results. The effects of the semi-cone angle on the micromotor are re-analyzed. Furthermore, other geometric parameters, like the length-radius aspect ratio, exert great impact on the velocity. It is also observed that micromotors travel much slower in highly viscous solutions and, hence, viscosity plays an important role.
Research paradigms in supportive and palliative care: a beginners’ guide

Palliative care clinicians employ various clinical methods that require a variety of theoretical and empirical sources of knowledge. We need the sort of insights that public health researchers glean as much as those of pharmacologists, sociologists and geneticists. It follows that studies in palliative care are particularly varied and include qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods. Different kinds of research questions prompt study designs that employ either inductive or deductive reasoning, and these produce knowledge with different utility. Qualitative methodologies are mostly inductive in their reasoning and generate theoretical explanations for observed data. Survey designs that collect and analyse quantitative data also induce theories from which hypotheses may be generated for testing in prospective surveys or interventional studies that confer generalisability. A trial starts with a hypothesis about a treatment effect and finishes with an analysis that defines the difference between deciding to treat or not to treat in a context that that closely mimics the real clinical dilemma. Getting published in palliative care journals depends on the quality of the question, of the study and of the writing, but it mainly depends on doing what the study …
Dementia in subjects with atrial fibrillation: hemostatic function and the role of anticoagulation

Summary. Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with cognitive impairment and dementia, perhaps through encouraging a prothrombotic state and cardioembolism. Objectives: We wished to test the hypotheses that hemostatic function is altered in subjects with AF who develop dementia, and that long‐term warfarin anticoagulation is protective against this complication. Patients and methods: Recruitment was from an observational cohort study of AF. Baseline assessment included measurement of plasma fibrinogen, fibrin D‐dimer, prothrombin fragment 1+2 (F1+2), thrombin–antithrombin complexes (TAT), von Willebrand factor and tissue plasminogen activator. We assessed cognitive function after 3 years' follow‐up using the 13‐item modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICSm) and the short form of the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE). Results: Of the 218 subjects assessed, 145 (66%) were prescribed warfarin. Forty‐nine (22%) met TICSm/IQCODE criteria for dementia. D‐dimer, F1+2 and TAT levels were higher in AF subjects with dementia compared with those without (medians 81 vs. 60 ng mL−1, P = 0.008; 0.76 vs. 0.49 nmol L−1, P = 0.006; and 1.78 vs. 1.44 µg L−1, P = 0.003, respectively). These associations became of borderline statistical significance following adjustment for age. Logistic regression showed a trend towards warfarin use being independently associated with reduced prevalence of dementia (odds ratio 0.52, P = 0.08). Conclusions: We found evidence of increased thrombin generation and fibrin turnover in subjects with AF and dementia compared with those without dementia. Long‐term warfarin use may be protective against the development of dementia in subjects with AF.
West Nile virus infection

Objective: To determine the clinical, laboratory, electrodiagnostic, radiologic, and pathologic characteristics that define the spectrum of CNS disease caused by West Nile virus (WNV) infection. Methods: The records of all patients hospitalized at the Cleveland Clinic from August 2002 to September 2002 with WNV infection were reviewed. Results: Of 23 cases, the median age was 74 years old, and 74% were men. Symptoms included fever (100%), altered mental status (74%), gastrointestinal complaints (43%), back pain (35%), and rash (26%). In half, meningitis or encephalitis overlapped with flaccid weakness that progressed over 3 to 8 days, with a tendency to be proximal and asymmetric. Laboratory abnormalities included hyponatremia (30%) and initial CSF neutrophilic pleocytosis. Electrodiagnostic studies in two patients showed reduced motor amplitudes with normal conduction velocities and active denervation. In two other patients, reduced sensory amplitudes were also seen. MRI changes included cauda equina enhancement and parenchymal spinal cord signal abnormalities and parenchymal or leptomeningeal signal changes in the brain. Autopsy in three cases showed chronic perivascular inflammation in the brain and inflammatory changes with anterior horn cell loss in the spinal cord. Conclusion: An overlapping spectrum of meningitis, encephalitis, and myeloradiculitis occurs in CNS WNV infection. Fever, rash, abdominal and back pain, preceding a proximal, asymmetric flaccid weakness, with CSF pleocytosis help distinguish the motor syndrome from Guillain–Barré syndrome. Pathologic changes in the CNS resembled poliomyelitis.
Incremental acoustic subspace learning for voice activity detection using harmonicity-based features

This paper presents novel voice activity detection (VAD) approach based on incremental subspace learning using harmonicity-based features. Harmonic structure is well known as noise robust speech feature. We develop novel harmonicity-based feature based on temporal-spectral co-occurrence patterns. At statistical decision stage, many conventional statistical VAD methods rely on Gaussian model; however, owing to the non-Gaussian nature in speech, Gaussian model becomes faulty and produces incorrect VAD results. We reformulate the VAD by incremental subspace learning. The candid covariance-free incremental PCA (CCIPCA) subspace method is employed to adaptively model the input sound by a subspace. Subsequently, a speech activity measure can be established based on the distance from input sound to the adaptive subspace. Notably, the CCIPCA subspace update interval is set to 0.5 second in this work and the deviation distance is computed afterwards. In such short time scale, environmental sound present more Gaussian-like/stationary pattern and therefore can be well accommodated by adaptive subspace, conversely, speech always exhibit non-stationary characteristic which lead to distinct deviation to the adaptive acoustic subspace, and thus, can be effectively distinguished. We experimentally compared our scheme with various VAD methods over real-world data. The results validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Island Biogeography Reveals the Deep History of SIV

Separation of the island of Bioko from West Africa about 10,000 years ago dates the origins of simian immunodeficiency virus. Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) lineages have been identified that are endemic to Bioko Island. The time the island formed offers a geological time scale calibration point for dating the most recent common ancestor of SIV. The Bioko viruses cover the whole range of SIV genetic diversity, and each Bioko SIV clade is most closely related to viruses circulating in hosts of the same genus on the African mainland rather than to SIVs of other Bioko species. Our phylogeographic approach establishes that SIV is ancient and at least 32,000 years old. Our conservative calibration point and analyses of gene sequence saturation and dating bias suggest it may be much older.
The Italian Multiple Sclerosis Database Network (MSDN): the risk of worsening according to IFNβ exposure in multiple sclerosis

We evaluated the risk of worsening according to the length of exposure to interferon beta (IFNβ)ina large cohort of 2090 multiple sclerosis patients collected by the Italian MS Database Network. Overall 44-140 patient-visits with a follow-up of 22-143 patient-years were evaluated. Forty-one per cent of patients were exposed to IFNβ for up to 2 years, 39% for 2- 4 years and 20% for more than 4 years. A Cox regression model was used to analyse two clinical outcomes: disability progression and worsening of relapse rate. The technique of propensity score was applied to reduce bias in the comparison of non-randomized groups. The risks of disability progression (HR=0.23; 95% CI: 0.17 - 0.30) and worsening of relapse rate (HR=0.19; 95% CI: 0.14 - 0.27) were reduced by about 4- 5- fold in patients exposed to IFNβ for more than four years, compared with patients exposed for up to two years. The propensity score technique confirmed the findings. The proportion of days covered by IFNβ treatment was lower (P<0.0001) in patients exposed to IFNβ for up to two years than in other groups. A clinical stabilization over two years of IFNβ exposure may predict a subsequent good clinical response to treatment.
Connubial contact dermatitis from perfumes

A 25-year-old automobile mechanic presented in October 1977 with large edematous erythematous vesicular plaques involving his right cheek, right nose and left lower eyelid. His hands and arms were not involved. One month after a 9-day decreasing dosage of prednisone had cleared his eczematous eruption, patch testing to the NACDG standard and vehicle trays revealed a 3 + reaction to tincture of benzoin, and a 2+ reaction to both balsam of Peru and cinnamic alcohol. These reactions were the same at both the 2-day and 7-day readings. Questioning led to patch testing of his aftershave products, which proved positive. History revealed that a previous cutaneous eruption occurred after having tape applied following the excision of a pilonidal cyst. Since that time he noted intermittent perirectal pruritus. His reaction to the tape seemed to be an example of tincture of benzoin acting as a sensitizer with a subsequent cross reaction to fragrances, first in scented toilet paper explaining his perirectal pruritus and then in aftershave products. Cross reactions with benzoin as the sensitizer are known to occur, but are considered rare (Fisher 1973). One year later the patient again presented with a striking unilateral right facial eczematous eruption in an apparent photodistribution. The eruption spared the eyelids and involved the V of the anterior neck. Photopatch tests were negative for musk ambrette, bithional, salicylanilides, carbanilides and to the NACDG research vehicle/preservative fragrance component tray. He reacted as expected to the components of this latter tray which contained cinnamic alcohol or aldehyde but photo exposure failed to increase those reactions. Questioning the patient concerning this most recent eruption revealed that while he had carefully avoided fragrances, 2 nights before his eruption began his wife had applied a fragrance to herself in preparation for a party. His pseudophotoeruption seems to have been caused by being near his wife when she applied her perfume. No other source of fragrance exposure could be located and no evidence of true photo dermatitis was found following extensive photopatch testing.
A collaborative approach on host and network level android malware detection

We suggest a collaborative approach for revealing malicious behaviors on Android smartphones by which monitoring four observable parts: (i) network usages (ii) network connections, (iii) APIs and (iv) permissions. Therefore, we have designed a detection system which consists of four engines: network behavior analysis engine, host domain reputation analysis engine, critical API call pattern analysis engine, and Android permissions use analysis engine. Each of them monitors its specific part from Android apps and independently detects malicious behavior and, given the information from four engines, the correlator determines a final decision. Finally, to show efficiency, we have evaluated our system with real world 1,621 apps. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.