Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Efficient Mechanism for Computation Offloading in Mobile-Edge Computing

Mobile edge computing (MEC) is a promising technology that provides cloud and IT services within the proximity of the mobile user. With the increasing number of mobile applications, mobile devices (MD) encounter limitations of their resources, such as battery life and computation capacity. The computation offloading in MEC can help mobile users to reduce battery usage and speed up task execution. Although there are many solutions for offloading in MEC, most usually only employ one MEC server for improving mobile device energy consumption and execution time. Instead of conventional centralized optimization methods, the current paper considers a decentralized optimization mechanism between MEC servers and users. In particular, an assignment mechanism called school choice is employed to assist heterogeneous users to select different MEC operators in a distributed environment. With this mechanism, each user can benefit from minimizing the price and energy consumption of executing tasks while also meeting the specified deadline. The present research has designed an efficient mechanism for a computation offloading scheme that achieves minimal price and energy consumption under latency constraints. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can attain efficient and successful computation offloading.
An SFP–FCC method for pricing and hedging early-exercise options under Lévy processes

This paper extends the singular Fourier–Padé (SFP) method proposed by Chan [Singular Fourier–Padé series expansion of European option prices. Quant. Finance, 2018, 18, 1149–1171] for pricing/hedging early-exercise options–Bermudan, American and discrete-monitored barrier options–under a Lévy process. The current SFP method is incorporated with the Filon–Clenshaw–Curtis (FCC) rules invented by Domínguez et al. [Stability and error estimates for Filon–Clenshaw–Curtis rules for highly oscillatory integrals. IMA J. Numer. Anal. , 2011, 31, 1253–1280], and we call the new method SFP–FCC. The main purpose of using the SFP–FCC method is to require a small number of terms to yield fast error convergence and to formulate option pricing and option Greek curves rather than individual prices/Greek values. We also numerically show that the SFP–FCC method can retain a global spectral convergence rate in option pricing and hedging when the risk-free probability density function is piecewise smooth. Moreover, the computational complexity of the method is with N, a (small) number of complex Fourier series terms, , a number of Chebyshev series terms and L, the number of early-exercise/monitoring dates. Finally, we compare the accuracy and computational time of our method with those of existing techniques in numerical experiments.
Assay Methods of Antibiotics a Laboratory Manual

Edited by PETER MARTIN, V.R. D. , M.Chir. , F.R. C.S. , R. BEVERLEY LYNN, M.D., F.R. C.S. , J. HENRY DIBLE, M.B. , LL.D. , F.R. C.P.^ and IAN AIRD, Ch.M. , F.R. C.S. Pp. viii+847, with 568 illustrations, 35 in full colour. Edinburgh: E. & S. Livingstone Ltd. 1956. ,5 Ios. It has been a pleasure to read this book from the Postgraduate Medical School and to find such a complete review of peripheral vascular disorders. The chapters by Professor Henry Barcroft on the Physiology of the Blood Flow in the Limbs, and by Professor J. Henry Dible on the Pathology of Atherosclerosis and Pathology of Thromboangiitis Obliterans are outstanding and it is worth getting the book to read these alone. It was with considerable disappointment that I found so short a discussion on lymphangiography and the work of Kinmonth and Taylor in developing this new diagnostic aid. In future editions, the sections of the book dealing with diseases of the lymphatics could be expanded with advantage. The book is recommended to those postgraduate students who are interested in diseases of the peripheral vascular system. C.G. R.
Color production mechanisms in spiders

Abstract. Spiders were once thought to have limited color production palettes, and even to lack melanin – one of the most ubiquitous biological pigments. Recent discoveries upend that view and show that the color production mechanisms in spiders are as elaborate as some of the more classically colorful groups of animals, such as birds, butterflies, and beetles. Here we summarize how colors are produced by spiders, identify gaps in our knowledge, show how researchers investigating color in different groups of animals can learn from each other, and suggest future opportunities for spider color research. Our understanding of color production mechanisms in other colorful groups of animals can be used as guidelines for discovering existing mechanisms previously unknown in spiders and vice versa. For example, spider species with colors potentially produced by the same kind of photonic structures previously described in white beetles, and in the blue/green scales of fishes and lizards are suggested here. In addition, novel principles first found in spiders that modify the iridescence of structural colors via the interaction of structural features across different length scales (i.e., micro-nano) may also be found in other colorful groups in the future. This review summarizes the state-of-the-art understanding regarding the proximate color production mechanisms in spiders, suggests a few future research directions that are likely to be fruitful, and facilitates the advancements in related fields, including the ecology, evolution, and functions of spider coloration.
Review of current diagnostic methods and advances in Helicobacter pylori diagnostics in the era of next generation sequencing

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is highly prevalent in the human population and may lead to severe gastrointestinal pathology including gastric and duodenal ulcers, mucosa associated tissue lymphoma and gastric adenocarcinoma. In recent years, an alarming increase in antimicrobial resistance and subsequently failing empiric H. pylori eradication therapies have been noted worldwide, also in many European countries. Therefore, rapid and accurate determination of H. pylori’s antibiotic susceptibility prior to the administration of eradication regimens becomes ever more important. Traditionally, detection of H.pylori and its antimicrobial resistance is done by culture and phenotypic drug susceptibility testing that are cumbersome with a long turn-around-time. Recent advances in diagnostics provide new tools, like real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and line probe assays, to diagnose H. pylori infection and antimicrobial resistance to certain antibiotics, directly from clinical specimens. Moreover, high-throughput whole genome sequencing technologies allow the rapid analysis of the pathogen’s genome, thereby allowing identification of resistance mutations and associated antibiotic resistance. In the first part of this review, we will give an overview on currently available diagnostic methods for detection of H. pylori and its drug resistance and their implementation in H. pylori management. The second part of the review focusses on the use of next generation sequencing technology in H. pylori research. To this end, we conducted a literature search for original research articles in English using the terms “Helicobacter”, “transcriptomic”, “transcriptome”, “next generation sequencing” and “whole genome sequencing”. This review is aimed to bridge the gap between current diagnostic practice (histology, rapid urease test, H. pylori culture, PCR and line probe assays) and new sequencing technologies and their potential implementation in diagnostic laboratory settings in order to complement the currently recommended H. pylori management guidelines and subsequently improve public health.
Still missing diagnoses

Since days of yore, the main purpose of medicine is the patient care, by recognizing the disease and establishing the therapy, aiming to provide relief or cure when possible. Making diagnosis constitutes the key step to achieve this paradigm. In this setting, the medical diagnosis, a complex task, involves specific knowledge and skills, experience, logical reasoning, information processing and pattern recognition. As time passes, intuition, insights and suspicion are added to this process happening at an unconscious level.
The multiple functions of the numerous Chlamydia trachomatis secreted proteins: the tip of the iceberg

Chlamydia trachomatis serovars are obligate intracellular bacterial pathogens mainly causing ocular and urogenital infections that affect millions of people worldwide and which can lead to blindness or sterility. They reside and multiply intracellularly within a membrane-bound vacuolar compartment, known as inclusion, and are characterized by a developmental cycle involving two morphologically and physiologically distinct chlamydial forms. Completion of the developmental cycle involves the secretion of > 70 C. trachomatis proteins that function in the host cell cytoplasm and nucleus, in the inclusion membrane and lumen, and in the extracellular milieu. These proteins can, for example, interfere with the host cell cytoskeleton, vesicular and non-vesicular transport, metabolism, and immune signalling. Generally, this promotes C. trachomatis invasion into, and escape from, host cells, the acquisition of nutrients by the chlamydiae, and evasion of cell-autonomous, humoral and cellular innate immunity. Here, we present an in-depth review on the current knowledge and outstanding questions about these C. trachomatis secreted proteins.
Evaluation of Targeted Agents for Advanced and Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Network Meta-Analysis

Objective: To evaluate different targeted anticancer agents for patients with advanced or unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) based on network meta-analysis. Methods: Literature retrieval was conducted in globally recognized databases, namely, MEDLINE, PMC, EMBASE and Cochrane Central to find relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Relative parametric data, including overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and adverse event (AE), were quantitatively pooled and estimated based on the Bayesian theorem. The values of the surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA) probabilities regarding each parameter were calculated and ranked. Node-splitting analysis was performed to test the inconsistency of the main results, and publication bias was assessed by examining funnel-plot symmetry. Results: After a detailed review, 31 RCTs containing 20 different agents or combinations were finally included for network meta-analysis. For patients without previously systematic treatments, lenvatinib had the best clinical effects on OS (SUCRA, 0.22), and apatinib was superior regarding PFS (SUCRA, 0.41) and AE (SUCRA, 0.15). For patients who received previously targeted agents therapies, regorafenib exhibited the superior clinical effects on OS (SUCRA, 0.42) and PFS (SUCRA, 0.30), while codrituzumab showed the greatest safety benefit on AE (SUCRA, 0.75). Moreover, node-splitting analysis and funnel-plot symmetries illustrated no inconsistency or obvious publication bias in the current study. Conclusions: According to current evidence, lenvatinib and apatinib had superior clinical effects for patients without previously systematic treatments, and regorafenib seemed to be more suitable for patients with previously targeted agent therapies. However, our conclusions still need more statistical validations, and more high-quality trials are expected.
Development and Validation of the Quantum Mechanical Bespoke Protein Force Field

Molecular mechanics force field parameters for macromolecules, such as proteins, are traditionally fit to reproduce experimental properties of small molecules, and thus, they neglect system-specific polarization. In this paper, we introduce a complete protein force field that is designed to be compatible with the quantum mechanical bespoke (QUBE) force field by deriving nonbonded parameters directly from the electron density of the specific protein under study. The main backbone and sidechain protein torsional parameters are rederived in this work by fitting to quantum mechanical dihedral scans for compatibility with QUBE nonbonded parameters. Software is provided for the preparation of QUBE input files. The accuracy of the new force field, and the derived torsional parameters, is tested by comparing the conformational preferences of a range of peptides and proteins with experimental measurements. Accurate backbone and sidechain conformations are obtained in molecular dynamics simulations of dipeptides, with NMR J coupling errors comparable to the widely used OPLS force field. In simulations of five folded proteins, the secondary structure is generally retained, and the NMR J coupling errors are similar to standard transferable force fields, although some loss of the experimental structure is observed in certain regions of the proteins. With several avenues for further development, the use of system-specific nonbonded force field parameters is a promising approach for next-generation simulations of biological molecules.
Population structure of Aphyocypris normalis: phylogeography and systematics

Abstract Aphyocypris normalis (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) is an endemic species in South China, but little is known about its genetic structure. This study examined the population structure of A. normalis using sequences of the mitochondrial DNA control region and cytochrome b gene (2,086 bp). In total, 107 specimens were collected from nine populations. All 105 mtDNA haplotypes were identified as belonging to two allopatric phylogroups. The results of a statistical dispersal-vicariance analysis (S-DIVA) suggested that the ancestral populations of A. normalis were distributed widely on Hainan Island and east of the Leizhou Peninsula. A comparison of the fixation indices NST (0.532) and GST (0.004) revealed that the phylogeny and geography had a significant relationship. Our study found that (1) the Wuzhishan and Yinggeling Mountain Range was an important barrier limiting gene exchange between populations on both sides; (2) cyclic climate changes may have shaped migrations and population differentiations; and (3) different colonization times caused different population diversities between codistributed species. In addition, the inter- and intraspecific diversities of the genus Aphyocypris were estimated.
Left Ventricular Assist Device Infections and the Potential Role for Dalbavancin: A Case Report

Abstract Left ventricular assist device infections (LVADIs) are common but challenging to treat, often requiring prolonged courses of intravenous antibiotics. Dalbavancin could have a role in treating patients with chronic LVADIs given its less frequent dosing requirements. Here, we illustrate a case in which dalbavancin was used as suppressive therapy for an LVADI for greater than 7 months.
Microporous Metal–Organic Frameworks with Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Pores for Efficient Separation of CH4/N2 Mixture

Highly selective removal of N2 from unconventional natural gas is considered as a viable way to increase the heat value of CH4 and reduce the greenhouse effect caused by the direct emission of CH4/N2 mixture. In this work, a three-dimensional Cu–MOF with two different types of micropores was synthesized, exhibiting a high selectivity for CH4/N2 (10.00–12.67) and the highest sorbent selection parameter value (65.73) among the reported materials. The CH4 molecule interacts with the framework to form multiple van der Waals interactions both in hydrophilic and hydrophobic pores, indicated by density functional theory calculations to gain a deep insight into the adsorption binding sites. In contrast, the weak polarity feature of the hydrophobic pore and the occupied open-metal sites in the hydrophilic pore result in a very low adsorption uptake of N2. The excellent separation performance combining the good stability and regenerability guarantees this Cu–MOF to be a promising adsorbent for an efficient separation of the CH4/N2 mixture.
Change of diagnosis of tuberculosis after starting antituberculosis medication: An observation and expected rate of missed diagnosis in a Thailand–Myanmar border district

Background: Tuberculosis is still a big problem in several areas including Indochina. The international border area between countries in this area has a high incidence of tuberculosis. There is a need for good surveillance and management for this specific location in Indochina. Methods: The authors reappraise on the available record on tuberculosis case in a Thai border district to Myanmar. The expected missed diagnosis rate of tuberculosis based on the change of diagnosis after starting antituberculosis medication is calculated. Results: The expected range of change of diagnosis of tuberculosis after starting antituberculosis medication is between 4.0% and 64.1%. Conclusion: The missed diagnosis of tuberculosis in this border area can be expected, and this might be a factor leading to incorrect epidemiological data of tuberculosis in this endemic area.
Evaluation of the therapeutic, diagnostic, and prognostic means currently applied to counter the surge of tuberculosis

The bacilloscopy and culture, the skin test, the BCG vaccine and the discovery of five powerful anti-TB chemicals were assumed sufficient to win the war on TB after World War II but the enigmas and paradoxes uncovered during treatment were given no heed and the humoral immune capacities of the patient were totally ignored. TB resurged at the turn of the century, with a vengeance. The patient suffering from a TB infection mounts a humoral immune response that is as important as a cellular immune reactivity and is useful as a prognostic of treatment outcome and as a diagnostic of latent infections. The anti-TB chemicals are expensive, highly toxic and some destroy the immunocytes of the patient. Their use may provoke a drastic plunge of antibodies' production, which leaves the patient deprived of immunological resources and exposes the successfully treated patient to relapse. The monitoring of the IgG class of anti-TB antibodies synthetized by a subject suffering from a latent infection prone to convert allows the detection of these cases. At the onset of diagnosed cases, the level of these antibodies is sometimes very low, indicating an immunodepression generated by the pathogen. The monitoring of the rise of their production during treatment permits a control of the efficacy of the treatment. A food supplement consisting of RNA oligonucleotides is available, whose property is to stimulate the multiplication of leucocytes and platelets.
Microstrip Hexagonal Fractal Antenna for Military Applications

Abstract Novel and miniaturized hexagonal Microstrip patch antenna design is presented in this paper. Patch is fractured using Sierpinski and Koch structures to make the antenna applicable for multiband applications. Additionally ground is defected to enhance the bandwidth and further size is reduced. Material FR-4 (εr = 4.4)has been chosen to design proposed antenna and substrate thickness as 1.59 mm. Microstrip feed technique is used as it provides better results. Gain obtained in this case is 5.57 dB, 7.49 dB and 4.02 dB with bandwidth as 606.8 MHz, 507 MHz and 2 GHz at 8.3 GHz, 12.6 GHz and 17.6 GHz resonant frequencies. The antenna is better to other designs in terms of parameters like bandwidth, directivity, polarization, gain, return loss and dimension. The antenna provides application for military appliances. A good concord is obtained in Simulated and measured results.
Decision Making in Pediatric Ophthalmology

The neonate - ocular adnexa (periorbital) conjunctive discharge cornea iris and pupil cataracts and lens dislocation posterior pole abnormalities the infant and toddler - baby acts blind poor tracking head tilt, face turn photophobia systemic disease the pre-school and school-age child acquired periorbital anomalies acquired media opacities of anomalies.
Systemic mastocytosis associated with myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms with ring sideroblasts and thrombocytosis: Report of three cases

The association of systemic mastocytosis with another hematologic neoplasia of myeloid or lymphoid origin is recognized as an advanced subvariant of mastocytosis. Here, we report the association of indolent or smoldering systemic mastocytosis with three cases of myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms with ring sideroblasts and thrombocytosis, a recently recognized disease characterized by SF3B1 mutations. The hierarchical pattern of KIT, SF3B1, JAK2, and additional mutations was studied in whole and fractionated subpopulations of peripheral blood cells and whole bone marrow. In two cases, we could demonstrate a multilineage D816V KIT mutation, involving all myeloid lineages in one patient and also the lymphoid series in the other. Two patients displaying both SF3B1 and V617F JAK2 mutations had a very poor prognosis. Another patient bearing SF3B1, but not V617F JAK2 mutation, had a favorable response to erythropoietin treatment and long survival.
The sialoglycan-Siglec glyco-immune checkpoint – a target for improving innate and adaptive anti-cancer immunity

ABSTRACT Introduction: During cancer progression, tumor cells develop several mechanisms to prevent killing and to shape the immune system into a tumor-promoting environment. One of such regulatory mechanism is the overexpression of sialic acid (Sia) on carbohydrates of proteins and lipids on tumor cells. Sia-containing glycans or sialoglycans were shown to inhibit immune effector functions of NK cells and T cells by engaging inhibitory Siglec receptors on the surface of these cells. They can also modulate the differentiation of myeloid cells into tumor-promoting M2 macrophages. Areas covered: We review the role of sialoglycans in cancer and introduce the Siglecs, their expression on different immune cells and their interaction with cancer-associated sialoglycans. The targeting of this sialoglycan-Siglec glyco-immune checkpoint is discussed along with potential therapeutic approaches. Pubmed was searched for publications on Siglecs, sialic acid, and cancer. Expert opinion: The targeting of sialoglycan-Siglec interactions has become a major focus in cancer research. New approaches have been developed that directly target sialic acids in tumor lesions. Targeted sialidases that cleave sialic acid specifically in the tumor, have already shown efficacy; efforts targeting the sialoglycan-Siglec pathway for improvement of CAR T cell therapy are ongoing. The sialoglycan-Siglec immune checkpoint is a promising new target for cancer immunotherapy.