Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ultrasonic Power Transfer for Ultra-High-Frequency Biphasic Electrical Neural Stimulation

Neurostimulators have been developed over the past few decades to treat various diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, chronic pain, epilepsy, migraine and bladder dysfunction. One of the major design challenges is the selection of a powering method that could supply mW power levels to miniaturized implanted devices. Among several methods, wireless power transfer is often used to directly supply the electronics or to recharge an implanted battery. In particular, the interest in ultrasonic waves as source of power and data for implantable medical devices has recently grown, particularly due to the advantages over RF and inductive coupling power transfer. In fact, ultrasounds can deliver higher power to mm-sized and deeply (g 10 cm) implanted receivers than the other techniques. Moreover, acoustic waves do not interfere with electromagnetic fields.Conventionally, biphasic constant current or constant voltage pulses are selected for stimulating nerve tissue. The first (usually cathodic) phase has the purpose of activating the excitable nerve fibres, while the second (usually anodic) phase reverses the direction of the stimulation current to avoid long-term accumulation of charge. Alternatively, Ultra-High-Frequency stimulation can be employed. This consists of current or voltage pulses at a high frequency (≥ 1 MHz), which are obtained from a DC source and the operation of high-frequency switches. In both techniques, when a wireless supply is chosen, the received AC signal is rectified, stored and regulated to operate the usually low-voltage blocks of the rest of the system. Nonetheless, up-conversion of the signal is often required to provide enough voltage compliance to operate an output stage connected to the stimulating electrodes.Taking a more radical approach, it is possible to avoid the lossy conversion from AC to regulated DC and from that to high-frequency stimulation by eliminating the need of power storage, regulation and up-conversion. To this end, the aim of this work was to design a circuit topology that generates ultra-high-frequency pulses by rectifying the sinusoid obtained from an ultrasound transducer and using the obtained waveform to directly stimulate the tissue in a biphasic fashion. This could result in a highly efficient and miniature circuit, which has the potential to be used for stimulating small peripheral nerves. Simulations in LTSpice were conducted to analyse the performance of the proposed system. The operation was then verified by measurements with a fabricated prototype, which was capable of providing biphasic pulses by receiving a signal from ultrasound piezoelectric transducers and driving a pair of electrodes.
Shear behavior of reinforced concrete basement walls with consecutive convexo-concave-shaped bars as shear reinforcement

ABSTRACT This study examined the significance and shortcomings of the consecutive convexo-concave shaped shear reinforcement (CCSR) developed as an alternative for transverse crossties in basement walls. Three wall specimens prepared under a full scale were tested under constant axial load and out-of-plane lateral load. In the tests, the CCSR was classified into two types including S-type for the S-curve bending and B-type for approximately 90° bending. To investigate the shear transfer capacity of the CCSR, a mechanism model was driven on the basis of the upper-bound theorem of concrete plasticity. Test results revealed that the CCSR is more favorable to restrict the opening of the inclined cracks and enhancing the shear capacity of the basement wall when compared with the conventional crossties. Wall S (with S-type of CCSR) and Wall B (with B-type of CCSR) possessed 1.21 times and 1.12 times higher shear capacity, respectively, than wall C (with the conventional crossties). The wall S exhibited least rapid descending branch after the peak load, maintaining 80% of the peak load until the wall drift ratio reached 5.4%. The American Concrete Institute (ACI) 318-14 equations extremely underestimate the shear capacity of the basement wall, whereas the predictions obtained from the proposed mechanical model are in better agreement with the test results.
Phonotactics and morphophonology in early child language: Evidence from Dutch

ABSTRACT This research investigates children's knowledge of how surface pronunciations of lexical items vary according to their phonological and morphological context. Dutch-learning children aged 2.5 and 3.5 years were tested on voicing neutralization and morphophonological alternations. For instance, voicing does not alternate between the pair [pɛt]~[pɛtən] (cap~caps) but does in [bɛt]~[bɛdən] (bed~beds). Data from the first experiment showed that children at a younger age were less accurate at imitating words with /d/ than /t/, regardless of morphological context. In a second study, children between 2 and 4 years were asked to produce singulars from novel plurals (e.g., [kɛtən]~[kɛt] and [kɛdən]~[kɛt]). Results indicated that children's performance was better in contexts that did not require surface variation. Dutch-learning children are not able to robustly generalize their knowledge of phonotactics and morphophonological alternations. Rather, it appears that their knowledge is more concrete, in line with recent usage-based theories of acquisition.
Implementation of a Comprehensive Mechanistic Prediction Model of Mild Steel Corrosion in Multiphase Oil and Gas Pipelines

In the present study, the implementation of a comprehensive mechanistic predictive model for corrosion of mild steel in the oil and gas transmission pipelines is described. The present model simultaneously accounts for all major corrosion scenarios, including CO2 corrosion, H2S corrosion, and corrosion in the presence of organic acid and also incorporates the effect of corrosion product layer formation, including iron carbonate and iron sulfide. With this approach, the present model mechanistically reflects the mainstream understanding of corrosion in such environments and can be readily used to predict the corrosion rates in industrial applications. The model was implemented by using a generalized mathematical and programming approach that has built-in flexibility to add new chemical species and additional reactions in the future. The model was designed to make it easy to extend and cover an even broader range of conditions than it currently does, such as higher temperatures and pressures, nonideal solut.
Is this a Child, a Girl or a Car? Exploring the Contribution of Distributional Similarity to Learning Referential Word Meanings

There has recently been a lot of work trying to use images of referents of words for improving vector space meaning representations derived from text. We investigate the opposite direction, as it were, trying to improve visual word predictors that identify objects in images, by exploiting distributional similarity information during training. We show that for certain words (such as entry-level nouns or hypernyms), we can indeed learn better referential word meanings by taking into account their semantic similarity to other words. For other words, there is no or even a detrimental effect, compared to a learning setup that presents even semantically related objects as negative instances.
Multidisciplinary Group Clinic Appointments: The Self-Management and Care of Heart Failure (SMAC-HF) Trial

Background—This trial tested the effects of multidisciplinary group clinic appointments on the primary outcome of time to first heart failure (HF) rehospitalization or death. Methods and Results—HF patients (n=198) were randomly assigned to standard care or standard care plus multidisciplinary group clinics. The group intervention consisted of 4 weekly clinic appointments and 1 booster clinic at month 6, where multidisciplinary professionals engaged patients in HF self-management skills. Data were collected prospectively for 12 months beginning after completion of the first 4 group clinic appointments (2 months post randomization). The intervention was associated with greater adherence to recommended vasodilators (P=0.04). The primary outcome (first HF-related hospitalization or death) was experienced by 22 (24%) in the intervention group and 30 (28%) in standard care. The total HF-related hospitalizations, including repeat hospitalizations after the first time, were 28 in the intervention group and 45 among those receiving standard care. The effects of treatment on rehospitalization varied significantly over time. From 2 to 7 months post randomization, there was a significantly longer hospitalization-free time in the intervention group (Cox proportional hazard ratio=0.45 (95% confidence interval, 0.21–0.98; P=0.04). No significant difference between groups was found from month 8 to 12 (hazard ratio=1.7; 95% confidence interval, 0.7–4.1). Conclusions—Multidisciplinary group clinic appointments were associated with greater adherence to selected HF medications and longer hospitalization-free survival during the time that the intervention was underway. Larger studies will be needed to confirm the benefits seen in this trial and identify methods to sustain these benefits. Clinical Trial Registration—URL: http://www.clinicaltrials. gov. Unique identifier: NCT00439842.
Semiparametric Frailty Models for Clustered Failure Time Data

Summary We consider frailty models with additive semiparametric covariate effects for clustered failure time data. We propose a doubly penalized partial likelihood (DPPL) procedure to estimate the nonparametric functions using smoothing splines. We show that the DPPL estimators could be obtained from fitting an augmented working frailty model with parametric covariate effects, whereas the nonparametric functions being estimated as linear combinations of fixed and random effects, and the smoothing parameters being estimated as extra variance components. This approach allows us to conveniently estimate all model components within a unified frailty model framework. We evaluate the finite sample performance of the proposed method via a simulation study, and apply the method to analyze data from a study of sexually transmitted infections (STI).
Increased expression of angiogenic growth factors in age-related maculopathy

AIMS/BACKGROUND The late stages of age-related maculopathy (ARM), especially neovascular macular degeneration (ARMD), can severely affect central vision and are the main cause of blindness in the elderly in the Western world. It has been shown that angiogenic growth factors are present in neovascular membranes in ARMD. However, it is not known if angiogenic growth factors play a role in the onset of neovascularisation. METHODS In order to elucidate the involvement of angiogenic growth factors in the initiation of neovascularisation in early stages of ARM, the expression patterns of VEGF, TGF-β, b-FGF, and PDGF-AA on 18 human maculae with ARM, and on 11 control specimens were investigated immunohistochemically. RESULTS A significantly increased expression of VEGF (p=0.00001) and TGF-β (p=0.019) was found in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) of maculae with ARM compared with control maculae. Furthermore, an increased expression of VEGF and PDGF was found in the outer nuclear layer of maculae with ARM. CONCLUSION These results demonstrate an increased expression of VEGF in the RPE, and in the outer nuclear layer in maculae with ARM, that could be involved in the pathogenesis of neovascular macular degeneration. Furthermore, enhanced TGF-β expression in the RPE cells of maculae with early stages of ARM was shown.
OTC use of a topical nasal spray solution containing xylometazoline plus ipratropium in patients with common cold.

BACKGROUND Combination of xylometazoline and ipratropium in a nasal spray provides fast, effective symptomatic relief of nasal congestion and rhinorrhea in adults with common cold. OBJECTIVES To gather data in a non-prescription setting regarding the safety, pattern of use, patients' general assessment of treatment and suitability of making available without medical prescription of this topical combination nasal spray. DESIGN Post-marketing, non-interventional, non-controlled study reflecting normal over-the-counter (OTC) use of the spray in adults with common cold (n = 1,019). Main outcome measures included pattern of use (patient-reported effectiveness, compliance with treatment) and safety (adverse drug reaction (ADR) reports). RESULTS Over 92% of patients used the product for the intended indication, 81.4% used it 2 - 3 times/day and the median duration of treatment was 6 days. In total, 39.7% of patients reported 585 ADRs (mean 1.45 ADR/patient) while 60.3% reported no ADRs. Most common side effects were nasal dryness (12.4%), blood tinged mucus (9.3%), nasal discomfort (6.2%), epistaxis (4.2%), generally harmless and of mild severity. Patients who used the product outside the approved indication did not seem to have a higher risk of ADRs. Mean general impression score was 3.4, with 79% of patients rating treatment as "good" to "excellent". CONCLUSIONS The topical combination nasal spray (xylometazoline plus ipratropium) for the symptomatic relief of nasal congestion and rhinorrhea in adults with common cold has a good safety profile and results in high patient satisfaction in an OTC setting. No reasons could be found to oppose the assertion that the combination spray is suitable for classification as a product not subject to medical prescription.
Initial Cell Type Choice in Dictyostelium

ABSTRACT Much remains to be understood about how a group of cells break symmetry and differentiate into distinct cell types. The simple eukaryote Dictyostelium discoideum is an excellent model system for studying questions such as cell type differentiation. Dictyostelium cells grow as single cells. When the cells starve, they aggregate to develop into a multicellular structure with only two main cell types: spore and stalk. There has been a longstanding controversy as to how a cell makes the initial choice of becoming a spore or stalk cell. In this review, we describe how the controversy arose and how a consensus developed around a model in which initial cell type choice in Dictyostelium is dependent on the cell cycle phase that a cell happens to be in at the time that it starves.
The Suitability of the IOM Foam Sampler for Bioaerosol Sampling in Occupational Environments

Concurrent samples were collected with Andersen and IOM foam samplers to determine whether if the IOM foam sampler can be applied to collect culturable microorganisms. Two different kinds of aerosols were studied: peat dust in a power plant and mist from coolant fluid aerosolized during grinding of blades and rollers in a paper mill. In the power plant, the concentrations of fungi were 2–3 times higher in the IOM samples than in the Andersen samples. However, more fungal genera were identified in the latter case. The methods yielded similar concentrations of bacteria and actinobacteria in the power plant. On the other hand, the performance of the IOM foam sampler was very poor in the paper mill, where stress-sensitive gram-negative bacteria dominated; low concentration of bacteria was detected in only one IOM sample even though the concentration of bacteria often exceeded even the upper detection limit in the Andersen impactor samples. It could be concluded that the IOM foam sampler performs quite well for collecting inhalable fungi and actinobacteria. However, the Andersen sampler provides better information on fungal genera and concentrations of gram-negative bacteria. Personal sampling with the IOM foam sampler provided an important benefit in the power plant, where the concentration ratio of personal to stationary samples was much higher for bacteria than for inhalable or respirable dust.
How Valuable is Credit Card Lending?

Standard methodology for valuing interest-dependent assets is by now well established, with the Heath-Jarrow-Morton (HJM) model being one of the most widely-used approaches. However, despite representing a significant portion of many banks' portfolios, credit card loans as an asset class have not been brought into the standard valuation framework. Like a bond position, valuing a bank's credit card loan portfolio involves projecting the levels of future interest rates. But a portfolio of credit card loans also has several special features not shared by bonds. One is that the total loan face value shows long-run growth, but also short-term fluctuation, reflecting both seasonal effects and interest rate changes. A second is that the profitability, and hence the capitalized value, of the loan portfolio depends on the difference between the rate earned on the loans and the rate the bank must pay to fund those loans, so both rates need to be modeled. In this article, Chatterjea, Jarrow, Neal, and Yildirim offer a general modeling approach for valuing a bank's credit card loan portfolio within an extended HJM paradigm, and then illustrate how it works by fitting it to the credit card portfolios of five different banks.
The Role of Contrast in Laryngeal Cooccurrence Restrictions

The central proposal in this paper is that laryngeal cooccurrence restrictions are restrictions on contrasts between forms in a language, not restrictions on isolated forms or structures. Combinations of laryngeal features are only marked with respect to what other combinations of laryngeal features they contrast with. The analysis hinges on the hypothesis that the two types of laryngeal contrasts in (1) do not have the same perceptual strength.
Discovery of narrow X-ray absorption features from the dipping low-mass X-ray binary X 1624-490 with XMM-Newton

We report the discovery of narrow X-ray absorption features from the dipping low-mass X-ray binary X 1624 490 during an XMM-Newton observation in 2001 February. The features are identied with the K ab- sorption lines of Fe xxv and Fe xxvi and have energies of 6:72 0:03 keV and 7:00 0:02 keV and equivalent widths (EWs) of 7:5 +1:7 6:3 eV and 16:6 +1:9 5:9 eV, respectively. The EWs show no obvious dependence on orbital phase, except during a dip, and correspond to a column of>10 17:3 Fe atom cm 2 . In addition, faint absorption features tentatively identied with Ni xxvii K and Fe xxvi K may be present. A broad emission feature at 6:58 +0:07 0:04 keV with an EW of 78 +19 6 eV is also evident. This is probably the 6.4 keV feature reported by earlier missions since tting a single Gaussian to the entire Fe-K region gives an energy of 6:39 +0:03 0:04 keV. A deep ab- sorption feature is present during the dip with an energy consistent with Fe xxv K. This is the second dipping LMXRB source from which narrow Fe absorption features have been observed. Until recently the only X-ray bina- ries known to exhibit narrow X-ray absorption lines were two superluminal jet sources and it had been suggested that these features are related to the jet formation mechanism. It now appears likely that ionized absorption features may be common characteristics of accreting systems with accretion disks.
Conventional En Masse Repair Versus Separate Double-Layer Double-Row Repair for the Treatment of Delaminated Rotator Cuff Tears

Background: The rotator cuff tendon is known to exert a shear force between the superficial and deep layers. Owing to this characteristic, separate repair of delaminated rotator cuff tears has been introduced for the restoration of the physiological biomechanics of the rotator cuff. However, whether conventional en masse repair or separate repair is superior is controversial in terms of outcomes. Purpose: To compare clinical outcomes between conventional en masse repair and separate double-layer double-row repair for the treatment of delaminated rotator cuff tears. Study Design: Randomized controlled study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Between August 2007 and March 2014, a total of 82 patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair of a delaminated tear were enrolled and randomized into 2 groups. In group 1 (n = 48), arthroscopic conventional en masse repair was performed. In group 2 (n = 34), separate double-layer double-row repair was performed. The American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, Constant score, Simple Shoulder Test score, and visual analog scale (VAS) score for pain and range of motion (ROM) were assessed before surgery; at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery; and at the last follow-up visit. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed at 12 months postoperatively to examine the retear rate and pattern. Results: There was no significant difference between groups in the preoperative demographic data, including patient age, sex, symptom duration, tear size, and functional scores (P > .05). The mean follow-up period was 25.9 ± 1.2 months. Significant improvements in functional and pain scores were observed in both groups at the last follow-up visit. However, no significant differences in functional scores and ROM were found between the 2 groups at each time point, except that group 2 had significantly lower VAS pain scores (P < .05) at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Eight (17%) of 48 patients in group 1 and 6 (18%) of 34 patients in group 2 showed retears on MRI at 12-month follow-up (P > .05). Conclusion: Both conventional en masse repair and separate double-layer double-row repair were effective in improving clinical outcomes in the treatment of delaminated rotator cuff tears. Lower pain scores were seen in patients who underwent separate double-layer double-row repair.
Efficient Acoustic Echo Cancellation With Reduced-Rank Adaptive Filtering Based on Selective Decimation and Adaptive Interpolation

This paper presents a new approach to efficient acoustic echo cancellation (AEC) based on reduced-rank adaptive filtering equipped with selective-decimation and adaptive interpolation. We propose a novel structure of an AEC scheme that jointly optimizes an interpolation filter, a decimation unit, and a reduced-rank filter. With a practical choice of parameters in AEC, the total computational complexity of the proposed reduced-rank scheme with the normalized least mean square (NLMS) algorithm is approximately half of that of the full-rank NLMS algorithm. We discuss the convergence properties of the proposed scheme and present a convergence condition. First, we examine the performance of the proposed scheme in a single-talk situation with an error-minimization criterion adopted in the decimation selection. Second, we investigate the potential of the proposed scheme in a double-talk situation by employing an ideal decimation selection. In addition to mean squared error (MSE) and power spectrum analysis of the echo estimation error, subjective assessments based on absolute category rating are performed, and the results demonstrate that the proposed structure provides significant improvements compared to the full-rank NLMS algorithm.