Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Design considerations for iteratively-decoded source-channel coding schemes

We address outer variable-length encoding of afirst-order Markov source in a serially concatenated codingscheme with an inner recursive convolutional code. Decodingis carried out iteratively between the constituent decoders forvariable-length and convolutional code. While variable-lengthcodes are commonly known to be sensitive to transmissionerrors, we show that they can lead to significant performanceimprovements compared to fixed-length source encoding withoptimized mappings. Specifically, we propose a simple variablelengthcode construction with a free distance of two and goodcompression properties at the same time. Numerical resultsshow that the performance gain of the proposed approach alsoholds for precoded ISI channels where iterative joint sourcechannel equalization and decoding is employed at the receiver.
Social Exclusion of the Elderly in Contemporary China: One Empirical Study Based on the Surveys in Six Provinces

Based on the six surveys conducted in China from 2008 to 2010, this study gives a comprehensive analysis regarding social exclusion of the elderly (aged 60 and older) in contemporary China. After discussing the relationship between social cohesion and social exclusion, the analysis concerning China's older people's social exclusion is carried out in the following six dimensions: economic situation, social rights, social participation, social integration, perception of loneliness and social support. Through the analysis, this study gives answers to the following four questions: 1) In which aspects and to what degree are the elderly placed at the risk of social exclusion? 2) To what degree do the elderly in rural areas differ in social exclusion from the elderly in urban areas? 3) Which factors determine whether the elderly are socially excluded? 4) Which factors determine the differences in social exclusion of the elderly between rural areas and urban areas?
Anatomic shoulder replacement for primary osteoarthritis in patients over 80 years

Background and purpose — Anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) gives good outcome in the treatment of primary osteoarthritis, but it is not known whether this also applies to patients over 80 years old. Patients and methods — We retrospectively assessed outcome in patients over the age of 80 after anatomic TSA, performed for primary osteoarthritis with a preoperative intact rotator cuff (group O, n = 32). We compared it with outcome in a group of patients under the age of 70 (group Y, n = 32). Subjective outcome, Constant score, and radiological findings were analyzed. Results — At a mean follow-up time of 7 years, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups. In group O, 24 patients were very satisfied and in group Y, 23 patients were very satisfied; the subjective shoulder value was 81% in both groups. Mean Constant score was 65 in group O and 67 in group Y. Moderate or severe radiological upper migration of the humeral head was detected in 1 patient in group O and in 3 patients in group Y. One patient in group Y was revised for glenoid loosening. Interpretation — Good to excellent results can be expected after anatomic TSA in patients over the age of 80. Our findings suggest that they have similar results to those in patients around 70 years of age.
Iterated Function Systems and Permutation Representations of the Cuntz Algebra

Introduction Permutative representations of $\mathcal O_N$ Monomial representations and integers modulo $N$ Cycles of irreducible $\mathcal O_N$ representations and their atoms of UHF$_N$ representations Relations of finite type and sub-Cuntz states The shift representation The universal permutative multiplicity-free representation Some specific examples of the cycle and atom structure: The mod $N$ case Some specific examples of the cycle and atom structure: The mod $\mathbf N$ case The general mod $\mathbf N$ situation Concluding remarks Bibliography List of symbols.
Significance of the progesterone receptor and epidermal growth factor receptor, but not the estrogen receptor, in chemically induced lung carcinogenesis in female A/J mice

In the present study, the expression levels of female hormone receptors, estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) and the epidermal growth factor receptor, (EGFR), as well as proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were examined in lung tumors that were induced by 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) in female A/J mice. Each seven-week-old mouse was administered with 2 mg NNK via intraperitoneal injection and the mice were subsequently euthanized at week 52. Lung tumors, including adenomas, carcinomas in adenomas and adenocarcinomas, were obtained and analyzed by immunohistochemistry for the expression levels of the receptors, ER, PR and EGFR, and PCNA. The results were as follows: i) In mouse lung adenomas, a significant correlation was identified between the size of the tumor and PCNA expression, although not with the expression of the receptors (ER, PR and EGFR); ii) in the carcinoma components of the carcinomas in adenomas, the size of the tumor and PCNA expression were correlated, while EGFR expression demonstrated a significant correlation with PR expression; iii) in adenocarcinomas, the tumor size significantly correlated with PCNA, EGFR and PR expression; and iv) EGFR and PR expression was identified to be significantly correlated in adenocarcinomas, and to a certain extent in the carcinoma components of the carcinomas in adenomas, although not in the adenomas. Notably, ER expression was not associated with tumor growth or the other factors, particularly EGFR expression, and no significant differences were identified between the three types of lesion. These results indicate that PR, like EGFR, may be significant in lung carcinogenesis.
Collaboratively Learning Preferences from Ordinal Data

In applications such as recommendation systems and revenue management, it is important to predict preferences on items that have not been seen by a user or predict outcomes of comparisons among those that have never been compared. A popular discrete choice model of multinomial logit model captures the structure of the hidden preferences with a low-rank matrix. In order to predict the preferences, we want to learn the underlying model from noisy observations of the low-rank matrix, collected as revealed preferences in various forms of ordinal data. A natural approach to learn such a model is to solve a convex relaxation of nuclear norm minimization. We present the convex relaxation approach in two contexts of interest: collaborative ranking and bundled choice modeling. In both cases, we show that the convex relaxation is minimax optimal. We prove an upper bound on the resulting error with finite samples, and provide a matching information-theoretic lower bound.
Part of Speech Tagging and Shallow Parsing of Indian Languages

This paper describes and evaluates shallow parsing of several Indian languages utilizing Conditional Random Field models. We show how performance can be substantially improved by several feature enhancements and improved modeling techniques, including expanding the chunk tag inventory, and separating punc-tuation from linguistic phrases. We also report results from part of speech tagging of Hindi, Bengali and Telugu using generative methods.
Face Value: Linking Nonverbal Cues to Character Traits in Impression Formation of Politicians

This study identifies how audiences use nonverbal cues to judge specific character traits in political figures. Participants assessed pictures that showed the example politician making eye contact with another person with highest scores. His hand positions received the lowest character-trait scores. Findings show that participants associated direct eye contact and smiling with characteristics such as intelligence, good leadership, and caring, but not morality or honesty. In fact, no nonverbal cue affected evaluations of morality. However, those who judged the candidate as moral from nonverbal cues had a greater likelihood of voting for him.
The rate of turbulent evolution over the Sun's poles

Ulysses magnetic field observations in the polar he- liospherehaverevealedthepresenceofapopulationofturbulent fluctuationsonsmallscaleswithapowerspectralindexnear5/3 and its extension to progressively larger scales with solar dis- tance. Using the spectral index - calculated from the second order structure function - as a tracer of the turbulent nature of the fluctuations, the rate of extension of the turbulent regime with distance is measured for both the Northern and Southern polar heliosphere. The evolution is similar in both hemispheres: the exponent of the rate of extension of the turbulent regime with solar distance is +1.1±0.1. By comparing of the extent of theturbulentregimeinthepolarheliospherewithpreviousmea- surementsoffluctuationsneartheecliptic,polarfluctuationsare shown to evolve more slowly than those in high speed streams at lower heliolatitudes beyond 0.3 Astronomical Units. Within thisdistance,however,fluctuationsinhighspeedstreamsathigh and low latitudes probably evolve at the same rate.
Microstrip antenna miniaturization using partial dielectric material filling

In this paper we study microstrip antenna miniaturization using partial filling of the antenna volume with dielectric materials. An analytical expression is derived for the quality factor of an antenna loaded with a combination of two different materials. This expression can be used to optimize the filling pattern for the design that most efficiently retains the impedance bandwidth after size reduction. Qualitative design rules are given, and a miniaturization example is provided where the antenna performance is compared for different filling patterns. Results given by the analytical model are verified with numerical simulations and experiments. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 49: 155–159, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.22066
Assessment of Vaginal Lactobacillary Flora in Wet Mount and Fresh or Delayed Gram's Stain

Objective: The assessment of the vaginal lactobacillary flora helps to direct further diagnostic microbiologic investigations in genital infectious disease and seems to represent a powerful tool in predicting infectious morbidity and preterm labor during pregnancy. In the absence of a “gold standard,” we studied the variations in assessing lactobacillary morphotypes according to the method used. Methods: The lactobacillary flora from 183 pregnant women was classified according to 3 groups: normal, intermediate, and abnormal. This grading of lactobacilli was appled to vaginal and cervical specimens by means of 1) immediate wet-smear microscopy, 2) Gram's stain on a fresh, air-dried specimen, and 3)delayed Gram's stain after specimen transportation in Stuart's growth medium for 3–6 h. Results: The assignment of intermediate or abnormal flora (grade II or grade III) showed high concordance rates among the different preparatory techniques, but the assignment of grade I (normal flora) did not. Fewer lactobacilli were found 2.6 times more often after Gram's stains of fresh specimens [Relative Risk (RR) 2.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.7–4.1] and 6 times more often when the Gram%s stain was performed in a delayed examination after transport than in a fresh wet-mount specimen (RR 6.2, 95% CI 2.5–15.6). Disturbed lactobacillary grades were also found more frequently in specimens from the cervix than those from the vagina (RR 4.0, 95% CI, 1.5–10.4). Conclusions: There are discrepancies in the diagnosis of lactobacillary grades between gram-stained and fresh vaginal specimens. The evidence is ambiguous as to which of the 2 methods is responsible. If an evaluation is to be done on a gram-stained specimen, then the storage of the sample in Stuart transport medium before staining should be avoided.
K-theory of minuscule varieties

Based on Thomas and Yong's K-theoretic jeu de taquin algorithm, we prove a uniform Littlewood-Richardson rule for the K-theoretic Schubert structure constants of all minuscule homogeneous spaces. Our formula is new in all types. For the main examples of Grassmannians of type A and maximal orthogonal Grassmannians it has the advantage that the tableaux to be counted can be recognized without reference to the jeu de taquin algorithm.
Combining carbohydrate-deficient transferrin and gamma-glutamyltransferase to increase diagnostic accuracy for problem drinking.

AIM To examine methods for combining quantitative results for serum carbohydrate deficient transferrin (CDT), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and/or aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and refining these by inclusion of patient characteristics. METHODS Data from 1684 subjects, recruited from the general population, abstainer groups and alcohol treatment centres (participants in the five nations WHO/ISBRA study of biological markers of alcohol use), were used to develop clinical rules for combining results of GGT, AST and CDT. The algorithm derived by Sillanaukee and Olsson was tested, and compared with new algorithms derived by logistic regression and discriminant analysis. Diagnostic accuracy was assessed by area underneath the receiver operator characteristic curve. Effects of adding gender and clinical information to the algorithm were estimated. RESULTS The predictive ability of combination rules derived from the two studies and by two different statistical techniques was remarkably consistent. For men, combining lnCDT and lnGGT provided the best accuracy for detecting daily consumption of 60 g ethanol or more in the past 30 days. For women, GGT alone provided the best accuracy for that consumption level. Clinical variables added significantly to the diagnostic accuracy of the models for both men and women, and conversely the test results modified the probability of problem drinking as assessed from clinical data alone. A graphic method was produced to help clinicians estimate probabilities for consumption of 60 g or more per day. CONCLUSIONS Combining biochemical markers enhances detection of problem drinking in men but not in women. Information on clinical variables increases the ability to correctly detect problem drinking.
Oligodendrocyte Generation Is Differentially Influenced by Toll-Like Receptor (TLR) 2 and TLR4-Mediated Intraspinal Macrophage Activation

Oligodendrocytes are vulnerable to CNS injury and disease. Because oligodendrocytes myelinate CNS axons, their death leads to demyelination and impaired axon conductance, which in turn contribute to neurologic deficits. Replacing oligodendrocytes requires proliferation and differentiation of endogenous NG2+ progenitor cells, a process that can be potently influenced by activated macrophages, which are present in most CNS pathologies. To examine the relationship between oligodendrocyte generation and macrophage activation in vivo, we compared the extent of oligodendrocyte loss and NG2 cell proliferation and differentiation after intraspinal microinjection of lipopolysaccharide (a Toll-like receptor-4 agonist) or zymosan (Toll-like receptor-2 agonist) in rats. Controls included injecting vehicle (sterile PBS; negative control) or lysolecithin (positive control for NG2 cell proliferation and oligodendrocyte differentiation). By 14 days postinjection, lipopolysaccharide injection sites displayed a sigficant rise in NG2 cell proliferation and oligodendrocyte differentiation, which exceeded that in vehicle and lysolecithin injections. Additionally, upregulated ciliary neurotrophic factor expression was present in lipopolysaccharide lesions. In contrast, zymosan-activated macrophages produced complete oligodendrocyte loss without stimulating NG2 cell proliferation, oligodendrocyte replacement, or ciliary neurotrophic factor expression. Zymosan also evoked a delayed lesion expansion and primary demyelination of intact myelinated axons around the lesions. These results clearly delineate the dichotomous potential of macrophage activation for influencing NG2 cell proliferation and oligodendrocyte differentiation. Because endogenous Toll-like receptor ligands are often present in injured CNS tissue, these results shed light on possible mechanisms that restrict oligodendrocyte replacement to specific domains of CNS trauma or disease sites.
Intracellular Bacterial Infection and Invariant NKT Cells

The invariant (i) natural killer (NK)T cells represent a unique subset of T lymphocytes which express the Vα14 chain of the T cell receptor (TCR), that recognizes glycolipid antigens presented by the nonpolymorphic major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-like antigen presentation molecule CD1d, and they participate in protection against some microbial pathogens. Although iNKT cells have originally been regarded as T cells co-expressing NKR-P1B/C (NK1.1: CD 161), they do not seem to consistently express this marker, since NK1.1 surface expression on iNKT cells undergoes dramatic changes following facultative intracellular bacterial infection, which is correlated with functional changes of this cell population. Accumulating evidence suggests that NK1.1 allows recognition of "missing-self", thus controling activation/inhibition of NK1.1-expressing cells. Therefore, it is tempting to suggest that iNKT cells participate in the regulation of host immune responses during facultative intracellular bacterial infection by controlling NK1.1 surface expression. These findings shed light not only on the unique role of iNKT cells in microbial infection, but also provide evidence for new aspects of the NK1.1 as a regulatory molecule on these cells.
Antioxidant and Wound Healing Activity of Polyherbal Fractions of Clinacanthus nutans and Elephantopus scaber

Elephantopus scaber and Clinacanthus nutans are traditionally used as wound healing herb. The objective of the present study is to develop a new polyherbal formulation, by comparison, the herbal combination of Elephantopus scaber and Clinacanthus nutans as an in vitro antioxidant activity with their individual herbal activity followed by fractionation of polyherbal formulation for in vivo wound healing activities and identification of bioactive compounds from their active fractions. Antioxidant activity was performed in vitro by DPPH scavenging antioxidant activity followed by in vivo wound healing activities using excision wound model, incision wound model, and burn wound model. Toxicity of the fractions of the polyherbal formulation was performed by a dermal toxicity test. The result showed that Elephantopus scaber crude extract on the basis of EC50 performs a much faster action (15.67 μg/mL) but with less % inhibition (87.66%) as compared to the combination of the new polyherbal formulation of crude extract (30 μg/mL). The polyherbal formulation has the highest % inhibition (89.49%) at the same dose as compared to Elephantopus scaber (87.66%). In comparison among all crude and fractions of new polyherbal formulation, it was found that the ethyl acetate fraction of polyherbal formulation has the fastest activity (EC50 14.83 μg/mL) with % inhibition (89.28%). Furthermore, during evaluation of wound contraction on excision and incision wound model, ethyl acetate fraction possesses the highest activity with (P < 0.001) and (P < 0.0001), respectively. During burn wound model, aqueous fraction (P < 0.001) possesses the highest activity followed by an ethyl acetate fraction (P < 0.0001). LC-MS analysis discovered the presence of several flavonoid-based compounds that work synergistically with sesquiterpene lactone and other bioactive compounds. In conclusion, flavonoid increases the antioxidant activity that surges the rate of wound contraction and works synergistically with other bioactive compounds.
A grounded theory study exploring healthcare professionals' experiences of decision making when managing the care of patients diagnosed with end stage heart failure

Background End of life care has been a topic which has been debated, discussed and strategized over the last ten years as part of the government initiative to improve care for those patients with long term conditions requiring palliative and end of life care. (DH 2008, DH 2010). Studies show that despite these government and local recommendations’ heart failure patients are still not being given the opportunity to access individualised end of life care and the services they require to support themselves and their families at the end of life. Aim The aim of this study was to explore the decision-making process between healthcare professionals and patients in an acute medical setting when it came to making end of life decisions. Method A constructivist grounded theory was conducted over a 12-month period in a District General Hospital in the North West of England. A purposeful sample of 15 nurses, 11 doctors and 16 patients were recruited from the acute medical setting. Data was collected using semi structured interviews and focus groups. The interviews were recorded and transcribed and data was analysed using the constant comparison and QSR NVivo. Findings Four theoretical categories emerged from the data to explain how healthcare professionals and patients negotiated the process of decision making when considering end of life care. These four categories; signposting symptoms, organising care, being informed and recognising dying were found to revolve around a core category ‘vicious cycle of care’ which was fast paced, turbulent and time limited. This cycle was found to disable the process of decision making between the healthcare professional and patient resulting in missed opportunity for the patient to transition to palliative care. Conclusion The emerging theory ‘vicious cycle of care’ offers an explanation as to why decisions were not made by healthcare professionals to transition patients with end stage heart failure to palliative care. Further work needs to be undertaken with healthcare professionals and patients to map out a ‘cycle of care’ which identifies key stages in the terminal stage of heart failure and correctly signposts the patient to the right healthcare care professional for intervention. Further research is required with General Practitioners to further explore the barriers to providing end of life care for heart failure patients.
Screening of pea germplasm against root knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) under field condition

Vegetables play an important role in human nutrition and health by providing minerals, micronutrients, vitamins, antioxidants and dietary fiber. Pea is one of the most important cool season vegetable crops grown throughout the world. Therefore, this study was planned to screen out of pea germplasm against root knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita under field conditions. Seventeen varieties/lines of pea (Linapak, Sarsabz, PF-400, 9374, 2100-40, PF-09, 267, 9800-5, PTL1, PTL3, PTL6, PTL7, Climax, Samrina Zard, FS-2187, 1500-8 and Meteor) were sown in sick field at Plant Pathology Research Area. Experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design in two blocks with ten replications. After 10-week pea plants were harvested and data were recorded on the basis of plant growth parameters and nematodes reproduction. Out of seventeen none of the variety/line was found immune against root knot nematode. Two (Linapak and Sarsabz) varieties were found resistant while three V/L (PF-400, 9374 and 2100-40) were found moderate resistant, nine V/L (PF-09, 267, 9800-5, PTL1, PTL3, PTL6, PTL7, Climax and Samrina Zard) were found moderate susceptible and two V/L (FS-2187 and 1500-8) were found susceptible. Meteor was found highly susceptible reaction to nematode.