A Scalable Real Time Agent-Based Information Retrieval Engine

In distributed information retrieval systems, information in web should be ranked based on a combination of multiple features. Linear combination of ranks has been the dominant approach due to its simplicity and efficiency. Such a combination scheme in distributed infrastructure requires that ranks in resources or agents are comparable to each other. The main challenge is how to transform the raw rank values of different criteria appropriately to make them comparable before any combination. In this manuscript, we will demonstrate how to rank Web documents based on its resource-provided information stream and how to combine and incorporate several raking schemas in one time. The system was tested on the queries provided by a Text Retrieval Conference (TREC), and our experimental results showed that it is robust and efficient compared with similar platforms that used offline data resources.

Therapeutic apheresis in the complex pathogenetic therapy of anti-NMDA encephalitis associated with ovarian teratoma at a late stage of the disease

Anti‑NMDA encephalitis is a rare autoimmune disease of the central nervous system caused by the synthesis of autoantibodies to the NR1/NR2 subunits of the NMDA receptor, characterized by the development of acute mental, cognitive, motor, autonomic disorders, epileptic syndrome and central hypoventilation.The article presents a three‑year observation of patient 34 years old with anti‑NMDA ncephalitis associated with late‑ stage ovarian teratoma, accompanied by an increase titer of antibodies to NMDA receptors in serum to 1:640.Based on a detailed analysis of clinical, neurological, neuropsychological (MMSE, MoСA, FAB, 10 words test A.R. Luria) and laboratory‑instrumental characteristics of the disease (titer anti‑NMDA, level of IgG, IgM, IgA, lymphocyte subpopulations, EEG, MRI of the brain, pelvis) suggested a combination scheme of first and second line therapy. The sequential use of two cycles of medium‑volume membrane plasmapheresis (25–30 % of the circulating plasma volume, No. 5 + 5) was carried out in combination with pulse therapy with methylprednisolone 1.0 (No. 4 + 3) and cyclophasphamide 1.0 (No. 2 + 1) on background of persistent ovarian teratoma. Symptom regression was achieved by the end of the first cycle, and full recovery to the initial level of cognitive functions occurred after the second cycle, while maintaining the anti‑NMDA antibody titer to 1:160. After removal of ovarian teratoma, the level of anti‑NMDA decreased in a month to 1:40, and after 7 months it reached normal values (<1:10) against the background of basic pill therapy with methotrexate 12.5 mg/week.Thus, a rational combination and sequence of first and second line therapy and therapeutic apheresis, taking into account the pathogenetic features of each phase of the disease, can quickly achieve complete stable remission in patient with anti‑NMDA encephalitis.

Modeling of Personalized Treatments in Colon Cancer Based on Preclinical Genomic and Drug Sensitivity Data

The current standard therapies for advanced, recurrent or metastatic colon cancer are the 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin or irinotecan schedules (FOxFI) +/− targeted drugs cetuximab or bevacizumab. Treatment with the FOxFI cytotoxic chemotherapy regimens causes significant toxicity and might induce secondary cancers. The overall low efficacy of the targeted drugs seen in colon cancer patients still is hindering the substitution of the chemotherapy. The ONCOTRACK project developed a strategy to identify predictive biomarkers based on a systems biology approach, using omics technologies to identify signatures for personalized treatment based on single drug response data. Here, we describe a follow-up project focusing on target-specific drug combinations. Background for this experimental preclinical study was that, by analyzing the tumor growth inhibition in the PDX models by cetuximab treatment, a broad heterogenic response from complete regression to tumor growth stimulation was observed. To provide confirmation of the hypothesis that drug combinations blocking alternatively activated oncogenic pathways may improve therapy outcomes, 25 models out of the well-characterized ONCOTRACK PDX panel were subjected to treatment with a drug combination scheme using four approved, targeted cancer drugs.

A Scheduling Approach for the Combination Scheme and Train Timetable of a Heavy-Haul Railway

Heavy-haul railway transport is a critical mode of regional bulk cargo transport. It dramatically improves the freight transport capacity of railway lines by combining several unit trains into one combined train. In order to improve the efficiency of the heavy-haul transport system and reduce the transportation cost, a critical problem involves arranging the combination scheme in the combination station (CBS) and scheduling the train timetable along the trains’ journey. With this consideration, this paper establishes two integer programming models in stages involving the train service plan problem (TSPP) model and train timetabling problem (TTP) model. The TSPP model aims to obtain a train service plan according to the freight demands by minimizing the operation cost. Based on the train service plan, the TTP model is to simultaneously schedule the combination scheme and train timetable, considering the utilization optimal for the CBS. Then, an effective hybrid genetic algorithm (HGA) is designed to solve the model and obtain the combination scheme and train timetable. Finally, some experiments are implemented to illustrate the feasibility of the proposed approaches and demonstrate the effectiveness of the HGA.

Combining serial and parallel decoding for turbo codes

Reducing the decoding latency of the turbo codes is important to real-time applications. Conventionally, the decoding of the turbo codes (TC) runs in serial fashion, which means only one of the constituent soft decoders runs at a time. Parallel decoding (PD) refers to running the soft decoders in parallel. Although it delivers the output faster (compared to the serial decoding (SD)), it affects the bit- and frame-error rates. This paper proposes a decoding procedure that combines both PD and SD. It bridges the two decoding modes to determine the best combination scheme to achieve the required level of performance at an acceptable decoding latency. Presented results show how this procedure can mitigate the performance degradation at a slight increase in the decoding latency.

Sensitive Parameters of Dynamic Excitation on Fuze Airflow-Induced Acoustic Generator

This paper aims at the power generation requirements of the fuze airflow-induced acoustic generator, analyzes the influence of structural parameters on the fluid power sound source, which is related to the power generation performance and use performance of the generator. In this paper, the orthogonal experiment method is used to study the sensitive parameters that control fluid dynamic sound sources. The results show that the annulus, the confronting distance, and cavity length can all have an impact on the sound pressure amplitude, and the sound pressure amplitude is most sensitive to the change of the confronting distance. However, the length of the resonant cavity has the most significant effect on the sound pressure frequency. The size of the annulus has a weak effect on the sound pressure frequency, and the confronting distance has almost no effect on the sound pressure frequency. The optimal combination scheme with the highest output power is selected according to the sensitive parameters. In addition, the empirical formula for the vibration frequency of the airflow-induced acoustic generator in the short resonant cavity was revised, and the influence of the annular gap on the vibration frequency was added, and the influence factor α = 0.3 was determined. The corrected frequency empirical formula has the smallest error between the theoretical value and the experimental value, and can be used as an effective method for estimating the vibration frequency. This provides a reference for the engineering design of the fuze airflow-induced acoustic generator, which has high military value and application prospects.

Microwave Absorption Performance of Single-Layer and Multi-Layer Structures Prepared by CNTs/Fe3O4 Nonwoven Materials

Electromagnetic radiation can cause serious harm to the human body, such as the rise in body temperature and the decrease in immune function. In this study, the carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/Fe3O4 nonwovens were used to prepare wearable flexible absorbing materials. First, the single-layer absorbing structures were prepared by hot rolling, dipping, and film fabrication, respectively. Then, the single-layer structures were combined to form the multi-layer absorbing structures. By testing and analyzing the absorbing performance of various structures in the X-band frequency range, the optimum combination scheme was found, together with a good reflection loss value of CNTs/Fe3O4 nonwoven material. The experiment results displayed that the single-layer hot-rolled nonwovens modified by CNTs have the best wave absorbing performance. Its minimum reflection loss of −18.59 dB occurred at 10.55 GHz, and the efficient frequency occurred at 8.86–12.40 GHz. The modified film can significantly improve the absorbing performance of multi-layer structures. In addition, the absorbing performance was closely related to both the place where the absorbing film was introduced and the type of absorbing fillers. When the film-forming CNTs (FC) film was located at the bottom layer of the multi-layer structure, the hot rolled CNTs hot rolled mixed reagent film forming CNTs (HC-HM-FC) structure constructed exhibited the best absorbing effects. Its minimum reflection loss can reach −33 dB, and the effective absorbing frequency range covered half of the X-band.

Optimal Combination of Mixing Units Using the Design of Experiments Method

A passive micromixer was designed by combining two mixing units: the cross-channel split and recombined (CC-SAR) and a mixing cell with baffles (MC-B). The passive micromixer was comprised of eight mixing slots that corresponded to four combination units; two mixing slots were grouped as one combination unit. The combination of the two mixing units was based on four combination schemes: (A) first mixing unit, (B) first combination unit, (C) first combination module, and (D) second combination module. The statistical significance of the four combination schemes was analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) in terms of the degree of mixing (DOM) and mixing energy cost (MEC). The DOM and MEC were simulated numerically for three Reynolds numbers (Re = 0.5, 2, and 50), representing three mixing regimes. The combination scheme (B), using different mixing units in the first two mixing slots, was significant for Re = 2 and 50. The four combination schemes had little effect on the mixing performance of a passive micromixer operating in the mixing regime of molecular dominance. The combination scheme (B) was generalized to arbitrary mixing slots, and its significance was analyzed for Re = 2 and 50. The general combination scheme meant two different mixing units in two consecutive mixing slots. The numerical simulation results showed that the general combination scheme was statistically significant in the first three combination units for Re = 2, and significant in the first two combination units for Re = 50. The combined micromixer based on the general combination scheme throughout the entire micromixer showed the best mixing performance over a wide range of Reynolds numbers, compared to other micromixers that did not adopt completely the general combination scheme. The most significant enhancement due to the general combination scheme was observed in the transition mixing scheme and was negligible in the molecular dominance scheme. The combination order was less significant after three combination units.

A New Approach of Intelligent Data Retrieval Paradigm

What is a real time agent, how does it remedy ongoing daily frustrations for users, and how does it improve the retrieval performance in World Wide Web? These are the main question we focus on this manuscript. In many distributed information retrieval systems, information in agents should be ranked based on a combination of multiple criteria. Linear combination of ranks has been the dominant approach due to its simplicity and effectiveness. Such a combination scheme in distributed infrastructure requires that the ranks in resources or agents are comparable to each other before combined. The main challenge is transforming the raw rank values of different criteria appropriately to make them comparable before any combination. Different ways for ranking agents make this strategy difficult. In this research, we will demonstrate how to rank Web documents based on resource-provided information how to combine several resources raking schemas in one time. The proposed system was implemented specifically in data provided by agents to create a comparable combination for different attributes. The proposed approach was tested on the queries provided by Text Retrieval Conference (TREC). Experimental results showed that our approach is effective and robust compared with offline search platforms.