Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Scattering of electromagnetic waves by many nanowires

Electromagnetic wave scattering by many parallel to $z-$axis, thin, impedance, circular infinite cylinders is studied asymptotically as $a\to 0$. Let $D_m$ be the crossection of the $m-$th cylinder, $a$ be its radius, and $\hat{x}_m=(x_{m1},x_{m2})$ be its center, $1\le m \le M$, $M=M(a)$. It is assumed that the points $\hat{x}_m$ are distributed so that $$\mathcal{N}(\Delta)=\frac 1{2\pi a}\int_{\Delta}N(\hat{x})d\hat{x}[1+o(1)], $$ where $\mathcal{N}(\Delta)$ is the number of points $\hat{x}_m$ in an arbitrary open subset $\Delta$ of the plane $xoy$. The function $N(\hat{x})\geq 0$ is a given continuous function. An equation for the self-consistent (efficient) field is derived as $a\to 0$. A formula is derived for the effective refraction coefficient in the medium in which many thin impedance cylinders are distributed. These cylinders may model nanowires embedded in the medium. Our result shows how these cylinders influence the refraction coefficient of the medium.
Confirmation of the pleiotropic control of leaflet shape and number of seeds per pod by the Ln gene in induced soybean mutants

Most soybean cultivars possess broad leaflets; however, a recessive allele on the Ln locus is known to cause the alteration of broad to narrow leaflets. The recessive allele ln has also been considered to increase the number of seeds per pod (NSP) and has the potential to improve yield. Recently, Gm-JAG1 (Glyma20g25000), a gene controlling Ln, has been shown to complement leaf shape and silique length in Arabidopsis mutants. However, whether Gm-JAG1 is responsible for those traits in soybean is not yet known. In this study, we investigated the pleiotropic effect of soybean Ln gene on leaflet shape and NSP by using two independent soybean Gm-jag1 mutants and four ln near isogenic lines (NILs). The leaflet shape was evaluated using a leaf image analysis software, SmartLeaf, which was customized from SmartGrain. The leaflets of both the Gm-jag1 mutants were longer and narrower than those of the wild-type plants. Interestingly, the image analysis results clarified that the perimeter of the mutant leaflets did not change, although their leaflet area decreased. Furthermore, one mutant line with narrow leaflets showed significantly higher NSP than that in the wild (or Ln) genotype, indicating that soybean Ln gene pleiotropically controls leaflet shape and NSP.
Simple cross-site attack prevention

Many web applications are security critical, since they involve real-world monetary transactions, e.g. online auctions or online banking. Attackers have found new attacks to exploit vulnerabilities in these web applications. Among these attacks reflected cross-site scripting and request forgery attacks have received much attention in the recent scientific literature. There are client-side and server-side solutions which can complement each other in protecting against these cross-site attacks. Server-side solutions are currently limited to either cross-site request forgery attacks or cross-site scripting attacks which attack the integrity of the session (session theft). This paper presents a lightweight and efficient solution that prevents reflected cross-site scripting and request forgery attacks using a gateway at the server. It is so strikingly simple (yet solves this practically pressing problem), that it should be part of best practices for every web site operator. It ensures that input to a web site originated in the user’s browser and has not been forged by an attacker by following a link.We show the correctness of our approach using a software model checker. Our gateway protects a web site and all of its pages against cross-site attacks and is still able to function normally while not being attacked. We evaluate our approach by applying it to a number of important web sites and see the necessary architectural changes that would need to be made.
Sulfasalazine and mesalazine for the maintenance therapy of Crohn's disease: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine whether therapy with sulfasalazine or mesalazine is effective in the maintenance of clinical remission in patients with Crohn's disease. METHODS Computerized searches of bibliographic databases were carried out to identify studies published up to October 1993 that were randomized controlled trials of sulfasalazine or mesalazine as single drug therapy in the prevention of symptomatic disease relapse in quiescent Crohn's disease. We extracted and statistically aggregated data from the trials, using a fixed effects model. RESULTS A total of 10 eligible trials involving a total of 1022 patients were identified. Therapy with sulfasalazine or mesalazine reduces the risk of clinical relapse of Crohn's disease after 12 months [relative risk (RR) = 0.77, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.64-0.92]. The benefit is less apparent at 3-6 months [RR = 0.86, 95% CI 0.67-1.09]. Subgroup analysis indicated that therapeutic benefit exists for mesalazine but not for sulfasalazine [RR for mesalazine = 0.63, 95% CI 0.50-0.79; RR for sulfasalazine = 1.08, 95% CI 0.81-1.44]. CONCLUSIONS Maintenance therapy with mesalazine or sulfasalazine reduces the risk of clinical disease relapse in Crohn's disease after 1 yr. This benefit is seen primarily in the more recent studies that have used mesalazine as the therapeutic agent.
Sleep disturbance in mental health problems and neurodegenerative disease

Sleep has been described as being of the brain, by the brain, and for the brain. This fundamental neurobiological behavior is controlled by homeostatic and circadian (24-hour) processes and is vital for normal brain function. This review will outline the normal sleep–wake cycle, the changes that occur during aging, and the specific patterns of sleep disturbance that occur in association with both mental health disorders and neurodegenerative disorders. The role of primary sleep disorders such as insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, and REM sleep behavior disorder as potential causes or risk factors for particular mental health or neurodegenerative problems will also be discussed.
Computation and Verification of Lyapunov Functions

Lyapunov functions are an important tool to determine the basin of attraction of equilibria in Dynamical Systems through their sublevel sets. Recently, several numerical construction methods for Lyapunov functions have been proposed, among them the RBF (Radial Basis Function) and CPA (Continuous Piecewise Affine) methods. While the first method lacks a verification that the constructed function is a valid Lyapunov function, the second method is rigorous, but computationally much more demanding. In this paper, we propose a combination of these two methods, using their respective strengths: we use the RBF method to compute a potential Lyapunov function. Then we interpolate this function by a CPA function. Checking a finite number of inequalities, we are able to verify that this interpolation is a Lyapunov function. Moreover, sublevel sets are arbitrarily close to the basin of attraction. We show that this combined method always succeeds in computing and verifying a Lyapunov function, as well as in determini.
Low midlife blood pressure, survival, comorbidity, and health-related quality of life in old age: the Helsinki Businessmen Study

Objective: The aim of the present study was to examine the long-term impact of midlife blood pressure (BP) on mortality, comorbidity, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in old age. Methods: These are longitudinal analyses of the Helsinki Businessmen Study, a cohort of business executives, born in 1919–1934, whose BP was measured between 1964 and 1973 (n = 3267). Comorbidity and HRQoL with RAND-36 [Short Form (SF)-36] were assessed from questionnaires in 2000; mortality up to 31 July 2012 was ascertained from national registers. Baseline BP was categorized as normal, less than 120 mmHg systolic and less than 80 mmHg diastolic (n = 121); prehypertension, 120–139 mmHg systolic or 80–89 mmHg diastolic (n = 2131); stage 1 hypertension, 140–159 mmHg systolic or 90–99 mmHg diastolic (n = 757); and stage 2 hypertension, more than 160 mmHg systolic or more than 100 mmHg diastolic (n = 258). Main outcome measures were long-term mortality, comorbidity, and HRQoL in old age. Results: During the 48-year follow-up, 2013 men (61.6%) died. There was a graded relationship between BP and total mortality (P < 0.001). The men with normal BP had the lowest mortality; the age-adjusted difference in mean survival was 7.5 years between the normal and stage 2 baseline BP groups, and 11.2 months between normal and prehypertension groups. Lower BP in midlife was associated with better scores in the physical functioning (P-linear trend <0.001) and general health (P = 0.01) scales of RAND-36 in old age. RAND-36 scales associated with mental health were not affected by midlife BP. Conclusion: Lower BP in midlife is associated with longer life and better physical HRQoL in old age.
CENTRALIZED VS. MARKET-BASED AND DECENTRALIZED DECISION MAKING: A REVIEW

Within both economics and computer science, many authors have claimed that decentralized or market-based approaches to decision making are superior in general to centralized approaches. The contrary claim has also been made. Unfortunately, these claims are often supported only by informal or anecdotal evidence. In order to assess these competing claims, we present a review of the literature in economics and computer science with a bearing on these issues. Our main findings from this literature survey are as follows: (1) for efficiency assessments, there is wider variance in performance of organizations using market-based control (MBC) than in organizations using centralized control (CC); (2) that MBC and CC have the same efficiency on average, which may explain the observation that (3) human and computer organizations tend to cycle between CC and decentralized control (DC) structures.
Equivalent Circuit Evaluation Method of Lithium Polymer Battery Using Bode Plot and Numerical Analysis

This paper proposes an evaluation method for equivalent circuit model of lithium polymer battery (LiPB), which is widely used in the hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), applying the Bode plot and the numerical method. The accurate circuit parameters are determined by numerical analysis and transfer function that is evaluated from the frequency response of LiPB. Generally, the inductive component of battery has an unexpected influence. However, this method takes account of the effect of increased inductive reactance by the high switching frequency. Moreover, the numerical analysis makes the inductive and capacitive components independent of each other, which results in the more accurate circuit parameters of LiPB. The propriety of the evaluation method proposed in this paper is verified by comparison between the voltage-current profiles of battery equipped in the real HEV and that of simulation result using the circuit parameters with respect to the state of charge (SOC) and frequency.
A model for delayed emission in a very-high energy gamma-ray flare in Markarian 501

Context. Recently, the MAGIC collaboration reported evidence for a delay in the arrival times of photons of different energies during a γ-ray flare from the blazar Markarian 501 on 2005 July 9. Aims. We aim at describing the observed delayed high-energy emission. Methods. We apply a homogeneous synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) model under the assumption that the blob containing relativistic electrons was observed in its acceleration phase. Results. This modified SSC model predicts the appearance of a γ-ray flare first at lower energies and subsequently at higher energies. Conclusions. Based on the reported time delay of ∼240 s between the flare observed at ∼190 GeV and 2.7 TeV, we predict a delay on the order of 1 h if observed between 10 GeV and 100 GeV. Such delay timescales can be tested in the future by simultaneous flare observations with the Gamma Ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) and Cherenkov telescopes.
Capon and APES spectrum estimation for real-valued signals

This paper considers the problem of estimating the spectrum of real-valued signals. We propose real-valued versions of the Capon and the APES spectral estimators. The estimators are derived as members of the Matched-Filterbank (MAFI) estimator class as introduced in [1]. Furthermore, we show that the real-valued estimators will be unbiased, whereas the complex-valued estimators will have a (slight) bias for real-valued data. Finally, we conclude the paper with a numerical example illustrating the performance of the proposed estimators.
Extracts of Renealmia alpinia (Rottb.) MAAS Protect against Lethality and Systemic Hemorrhage Induced by Bothrops asper Venom: Insights from a Model with Extract Administration before Venom Injection

Renealmia alpinia (Rottb.) MAAS, obtained by micropropagation (in vitro) and wild forms have previously been shown to inhibit some toxic activities of Bothrops asper snake venom if preincubated before injection. In this study, assays were performed in a murine model in which extracts were administered for three days before venom injection. R. alpinia extracts inhibited lethal activity of B. asper venom injected by intraperitoneal route. Median Effective Dose (ED50) values were 36.6 ± 3.2 mg/kg and 31.7 ± 5.4 mg/kg (p > 0.05) for R. alpinia wild and in vitro extracts, respectively. At a dose of 75 mg/kg, both extracts totally inhibited the lethal activity of the venom. Moreover, this dose prolonged survival time of mice receiving a lethal dose of venom by the intravenous route. At 75 mg/kg, both extracts of R. alpinia reduced the extent of venom-induced pulmonary hemorrhage by 48.0% (in vitro extract) and 34.7% (wild extract), in agreement with histological observations of lung tissue. R. alpinia extracts also inhibited hemorrhage in heart and kidneys, as evidenced by a decrease in mg of hemoglobin/g of organ. These results suggest the possibility of using R. alpinia as a prophylactic agent in snakebite, a hypothesis that needs to be further explored.
GABA-enhanced collective behavior in neuronal axons underlies persistent gamma-frequency oscillations

Gamma (30–80 Hz) oscillations occur in mammalian electroencephalogram in a manner that indicates cognitive relevance. In vitro models of gamma oscillations demonstrate two forms of oscillation: one occurring transiently and driven by discrete afferent input and the second occurring persistently in response to activation of excitatory metabotropic receptors. The mechanism underlying persistent gamma oscillations has been suggested to involve gap-junctional communication between axons of principal neurons, but the precise relationship between this neuronal activity and the gamma oscillation has remained elusive. Here we demonstrate that gamma oscillations coexist with high-frequency oscillations (>90 Hz). High-frequency oscillations can be generated in the axonal plexus even when it is physically isolated from pyramidal cell bodies. They were enhanced in networks by nonsomatic γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor activation, were modulated by perisomatic GABAA receptor-mediated synaptic input to principal cells, and provided the phasic input to interneurons required to generate persistent gamma-frequency oscillations. The data suggest that high-frequency oscillations occurred as a consequence of random activity within the axonal plexus. Interneurons provide a mechanism by which this random activity is both amplified and organized into a coherent network rhythm.
Benefits and risks of bisphosphonate therapy for osteoporosis.

CONTEXT There has been considerable concern recently in the scientific and lay media regarding the benefits vs. the risks of bisphosphonates for the treatment of osteoporosis. Risks include possible associations with osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) and atypical femur fractures. In this perspective, we review the use of bisphosphonates for the treatment of osteoporosis, including an objective assessment of the risks vs. the benefits of these drugs. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION Authors' knowledge of the field and results of focused literature searches are presented. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS Bisphosphonates have proven efficacy in the prevention of bone loss and in the reduction of fractures in postmenopausal women and men with established osteoporosis. Although bisphosphonates, at doses used to treat osteoporosis, may be associated with an increased risk of ONJ and atypical femur fractures, many more fractures are prevented by the use of these drugs compared to the relatively low risk of these complications. Although oral bisphosphonates are associated with upper gastrointestinal side effects and iv bisphosphonates with acute phase reactions, the association of bisphosphonate use with esophageal cancer and atrial fibrillation is not well supported by current data. CONCLUSIONS Bisphosphonates have been proven to prevent fractures in patients with established osteoporosis or those who are at high risk of fracture. In contrast, the incidence of major complications associated with bisphosphonate use, such as ONJ and atypical femur fractures, is very low.
TGF-β1 Reduces miR-29a Expression to Promote Tumorigenicity and Metastasis of Cholangiocarcinoma by Targeting HDAC4

Transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) and miRNAs play important roles in cholangiocarcinoma progression. In this study, miR-29a level was found significantly decreased in both cholangiocarcinoma tissues and tumor cell lines. TGF-β1 reduced miR-29a expression in tumor cell lines. Furthermore, anti-miR-29a reduced the proliferation and metastasis capacity of cholangiocarcinoma cell lines in vitro, overexpression of miR-29a counteracted TGF-β1-mediated cell growth and metastasis. Subsequent investigation identified HDAC4 is a direct target of miR-29a. In addition, restoration of HDAC4 attenuated miR-29a-mediated inhibition of cell proliferation and metastasis. Conclusions: TGF-β1/miR-29a/HDAC4 pathway contributes to the pathogenesis of cholangiocarcinoma and our data provide new therapeutic targets for cholangiocarcinoma.
Mechanisms involved in sodium arsenite‐induced apoptosis of human neutrophils

Apoptosis is a distinct mechanism by which eukaryotic cells die. Factors governing the induction of polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) apoptosis should be important in understanding resolution of acute inflammation. The mechanisms for induction of PMN apoptosis remain uncertain; however, oxidative stress has been suggested. The aims of this study were to determine whether reactive oxygen intermediates play a role in PMN apoptosis and to investigate inhibition of this process by selective use of antioxidants. PMN were isolated from 10 healthy volunteers. PMN (1 106 PMN/mL) were cultured in 40, 80, and 160 μM of arsenite for 2, 6, 12, 18, and 24 h. Apoptosis was assessed qualitatively by morphology and gel electrophoresis and quantitatively by CD16 receptor expression and propidium iodide DNA staining. There was a significant (P < 0.05) increase in the rate of apoptosis on incubation with arsenite (80 and 160 μM). To investigate the mechanism of this process, intracellular respiratory burst activity was measured following arsenite culture. We found that arsenite‐induced PMN apoptosis correlated with an increase in intracellular respiratory burst. To further investigate the role of oxidative injury in inducing apoptosis, the antioxidants catalase, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), glutathione (GSH), N‐acetylcysteine (NAC), and taurine were investigated and we demonstrated that GSH, NAC, and taurine were significantly protective against arsenite‐induced apoptosis. However, catalase and DMSO failed to induce protection. This study demonstrates that arsenite induces PMN apoptosis through an oxygen‐dependent mechanism that can be prevented through selective antioxidants. J. Leukoc, Biol. 60: 625–632; 1996.
Brain injury rehabilitation: The lived experience of inpatients and their family caregivers

Abstract Inpatient rehabilitation is an integral part of the continuum of care for people with severe acquired brain injury (ABI), and may extend for weeks or months. However, there is a lack of research describing the experience of inpatient brain injury rehabilitation. The purpose of this study was to describe and interpret the inpatient brain injury rehabilitation experience from the perspective of patients and their caregivers. Qualitative content analysis of semi-structured interviews from a purposeful sample of 20 patients and 18 of their family caregivers generated in-depth descriptions of the inpatient experience. Three themes were identified; “rehabilitation context/environment”, “activity/occupation”, and “support and adjustment”. The findings provide a greater understanding of rehabilitation from an insider perspective and can assist rehabilitation teams to better meet the needs of people with ABI. Specifically, the need for a therapeutic environment, meaningful occupations and family-centredness in inpatient settings were highlighted by this study.
Social Integration, Social Support, and All-Cause, Cardiovascular Disease and Cause-Specific Mortality: A Prospective Cohort Study

Social relationships are associated with all-cause mortality. Substantial uncertainties remain, however, for the associations of social relationships with mortality from subtypes of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and major non-vascular diseases. This prospective cohort study estimated mortality risks according to social support and social integration utilizing a nationally representative sample of 29,179 adults ages 18 years and older. Cox proportional hazards regression models were employed. Social integration, but not social support was associated with all-cause mortality risk. For CVD mortality, social integration predicted a 33% lower risk (HR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.53–0.86). The results were similar in magnitude for heart disease mortality. Participants with the highest social integration level had a 53%, 30%, and 47% decreased mortality risk of diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and chronic lower respiratory diseases (CLRD) than those with the lowest level. These social integration associations were linear and consistent across baseline age, sex and socioeconomic status. We did not observe an association of social integration with the risk of cancer mortality. Our findings support the linear association of social integration but not social support with mortality from a range of major chronic diseases in the US adult population, independent of socioeconomic status (SES), behavioral risk factors, and health status.
Co-optimization of CMUT and receive amplifiers to suppress effects of neighbor coupling between CMUT elements

Capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducers (CMUTs) promise high transducer performance for several ultrasound applications. When using the CMUT array for medical applications where a focused ultrasound image with a 90 degree image sector is needed, we need a large number of individual elements. In off-axis beam steering, neighbor elements operate at different phase. This leads to unwanted acoustic effects caused by the interaction with the fluid medium outside the array. We see high-Q resonances close to the center frequency of the array at off-axis angles, which we want to reduce. We propose to use Transimpedance Amplifiers (TIAs) and Charge Sampling Amplifiers (CSAs) where we can easily adjust the input impedance, which opens up the possibility to design amplifiers that are optimized for an ultrasound system with CMUTs. Simulations show that a low impedance path results in suppression of the effects of resonances for both CSAs and TIAs and that co-optimization is important since the frequency of the CMUT array affects the Q-factor of the unwanted resonances. Even though we introduce an impedance mismatch the noise figure is still at an acceptable level. We present simulations in water, blood plasma with estimated data, and olive oil and show that the viscosity of the medium greatly influences the presence of resonances. This indicates that effects that might be present in human tissue may be much reduced in olive oil or other vegetable oils.