Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Angular resolution limit for vector-sensor arrays: Detection and information theory approaches

The Angular Resolution Limit (ARL) on resolving two closely spaced polarized sources using vector-sensor arrays is considered in this paper. The proposed method is based on the information theory. In particular, the Stein's lemma provides, asymptotically, a link between the probability of false alarm and the relative entropy between two hypothesis of a given statistical binary test. We show that the relative entropy can be approximated by a quadratic function in the ARL. This property allows us to derive and analyze a closed-form expression of the ARL. To illustrate the interest of our approach, the ARL, in the sense of the detection theory, is also derived. Finally, we show that the ARL is only sensitive to the norm of the polarization state vector and not to the particular values of the polarization parameters.
Refinements in stress echocardiographic techniques improve inter-institutional agreement in interpretation of dobutamine stress echocardiograms.

AIMS To determine the degree of inter-institutional agreement in the assessment of dobutamine stress echocardiograms using modern stress echocardiographic technology in combination with standardized data acquisition and assessment criteria. METHOD AND RESULTS Among six experienced institutions, 150 dobutamine stress echocardiograms (dobutamine up to 40 microg x kg(-1) min(-1) and atropine up to 1 mg) were performed on patients with suspected coronary artery disease using fundamental and harmonic imaging following a consistent digital acquisition protocol. Each dobutamine stress echocardiogram was assessed at every institution regarding endocardial visibility and left ventricular wall motion without knowledge of any other data using standardized reading criteria. No patients were excluded due to poor image quality or inadequate stress level. Coronary angiography was performed within 4 weeks. Coronary angiography demonstrated significant coronary artery disease (> or = 50% diameter stenosis) in 87 patients. Using harmonic imaging an average of 5.2+/-0.9 institutions agreed on dobutamine stress echocardiogram results as being normal or abnormal (mean kappa 0.55; 95% CI 0.50-0.60). Agreement was higher in patients with no (equal assessment of dobutamine stress echocardiogram results by 5.5+/-0.8 institutions) or three-vessel coronary artery disease (5.4+/- 0.8 institutions) and lower in one- or two- vessel disease (5.0+/-0.9 and 5.2+/-1.0 institutions, respectively; P=0.041). Disagreement on test results was greater in only minor wall motion abnormalities. Agreement on dobutamine stress echocardiogram results was lower using fundamental imaging (mean kappa 0.49; 95% CI 0.44-0.54; P<0.01 vs harmonic imaging). CONCLUSION Modern echocardiographic technology in combination with standardized digital image processing and uniform reading criteria results in a higher inter-institutional agreement in the interpretation of dobutamine stress echocardiogram compared to historic reports.
Transparent and Thermally Conductive Polycarbonate (PC)/Alumina (Al2O3) Nanocomposites: Preparation and Characterizations

We report the preparation and characterization of thermally conductive and transparent polycarbonate (PC)/alumina (Al2O3) composites. First, nano Al2O3 powder was synthesized by flash pyrolysis process and calculated amount of Al2O3 was dispersed into the methylmethacrylate (MMA) followed by bulk polymerization. PC/poly-(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA)-Al2O3 nanocomposites with various amounts of Al2O3 was prepared by mixing bulk polymerized PMMA-Al2O3 composites with PC through melt-mixing. Incorporation of Al2O3 in the bulk polymerized PMMA resulted in good dispersion of the Al2O3 particles in the PC matrix. The effect of particle size of Al2O3 on thermal conductivity, mechanical and optical properties of the composites was investigated.
Towards Constructing Sports News from Live Text Commentary

In this paper, we investigate the possibility to automatically generate sports news from live text commentary scripts. As a preliminary study, we treat this task as a special kind of document summarization based on sentence extraction. We formulate the task in a supervised learning to rank framework, utilizing both traditional sentence features for generic document summarization and novelly designed task-speciﬁc features. To tackle the problem of local redundancy, we also propose a probabilistic sentence selection algorithm. Experiments on our collected data from football live commentary scripts and corresponding sports news demonstrate the feasibility of this task. Evaluation results show that our methods are indeed appropriate for this task, outperforming several baseline methods in different aspects.
Enhanced delivery of diclofenac diethylamine loaded Eudragit RL 100® transdermal system against inflammation

Abstract A transdermal therapeutic system (TTS) of diclofenac diethylamine (DDE) was developed to obtain a prolonged controlled drug delivery by the solvent evaporation technique. The matrix diffusion controlled systems used various combinations of hydrophilic (polyvinylpyrrolidone K30) and lipophilic (Eudragit RL 100® and Eudragit RS 100®) polymers containing dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) (0, 5 and 10% w/w) as a penetration enhancer. In vitro drug release was improved with an increased fraction of hydrophilic polymer. Formulation F8 containing Eudragit RL 100® and polyvinylpyrrolidone K30 in the ratio 40:60 presented the highest drug release (92.45%) and permeation rate (0.0988±0.010 mg/cm2/h) with sustained release action for 48 h. In vivo pharmacodynamic study of DDE-loaded Eudragit RL 100® transdermal system (formulation F8) showed significant higher percent inhibition of rat paw edema compared with the marketed formulation of the drug. Our results suggest that a developed formulation is an efficient system for transdermal diclofenac delivery against inflammation. The optimized formulation was found to be stable and did not show physicochemical interaction. The system is envisaged to be stable for a sufficiently long period (2.52 years) at room temperature.
Control and Monitoring of Codling Moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in Walnut Orchards Treated With Novel High-Load, Low-Density “Meso” Dispensers of Sex Pheromone and Pear Ester

Abstract Low-density per ha “meso” dispensers loaded with pear ester, ethyl (E,Z)-2,4-decadienoate, kairomone and codlemone, (E,E)-8,10-dodecadien-1-ol, pheromone of codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L). , were evaluated versus meso dispensers loaded with pheromone alone for mating disruption control in walnut orchards receiving no insecticide sprays. Meso dispensers loaded with codlemone alone (Ph meso) were applied at 50 ha–1 and compared with mesos combining codlemone and pear ester (Ph + PE meso) at 25 and 50 ha–1. Various lures containing pear ester (PE), Ph–PE combo, and an experimental codlemone plus (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene lure were tested alone and with acetic acid (AA) lures for moth capture efficacy. Male moth capture in pheromone traps was significantly reduced by 88% in Ph meso plots and 96% in Ph + PE meso plots versus control plots. Moth capture in Ph–PE combo traps was significantly reduced for both sexes in all meso plots. Harvest damage by both the codling moth and the secondary pest, navel orangeworm, Amyelois transitella (Walker), was significantly lower in all meso treatment plots compared with damage in control plots. Nut injury level with the Ph + PE meso treatment (50 ha–1) was significantly lower than in Ph meso plots for both codling moth and combined pest injury. Regression analysis suggested that nut infestation levels by navel orangeworm were influenced by codling moth levels. In all meso plots, the most effective lures attracting both codling moth sexes were PE & AA or Ph–PE combo & AA. Demonstrated disruption and control efficacy of these pheromone plus PE-meso dispensers applied at low densities supports development of the meso dispenser tactic for practical pest management use in walnut orchards with inherent low planting densities.
A Dominant-Negative Mutation of Mouse Lmx1b Causes Glaucoma and Is Semi-lethal via LBD1-Mediated Dimerisation

Mutations in the LIM-homeodomain transcription factor LMX1B cause nail-patella syndrome, an autosomal dominant pleiotrophic human disorder in which nail, patella and elbow dysplasia is associated with other skeletal abnormalities and variably nephropathy and glaucoma. It is thought to be a haploinsufficient disorder. Studies in the mouse have shown that during development Lmx1b controls limb dorsal-ventral patterning and is also required for kidney and eye development, midbrain-hindbrain boundary establishment and the specification of specific neuronal subtypes. Mice completely deficient for Lmx1b die at birth. In contrast to the situation in humans, heterozygous null mice do not have a mutant phenotype. Here we report a novel mouse mutant Icst, an N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea-induced missense substitution, V265D, in the homeodomain of LMX1B that abolishes DNA binding and thereby the ability to transactivate other genes. Although the homozygous phenotypic consequences of Icst and the null allele of Lmx1b are the same, heterozygous Icst elicits a phenotype whilst the null allele does not. Heterozygous Icst causes glaucomatous eye defects and is semi-lethal, probably due to kidney failure. We show that the null phenotype is rescued more effectively by an Lmx1b transgene than is Icst. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments show that both wild-type and Icst LMX1B are found in complexes with LIM domain binding protein 1 (LDB1), resulting in lower levels of functional LMX1B in Icst heterozygotes than null heterozygotes. We conclude that Icst is a dominant-negative allele of Lmx1b. These findings indicate a reassessment of whether nail-patella syndrome is always haploinsufficient. Furthermore, Icst is a rare example of a model of human glaucoma caused by mutation of the same gene in humans and mice.
Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Epitopes in Subdominant CTL Specific for Dominant and Recombinant Canarypox Vaccine-Elicited

Since virus-speciﬁc CTL play a central role in containing HIV replication, a candidate AIDS vaccine should generate virus-speciﬁc CTL responses. In this study, the ability of a recombinant canarypox virus expressing SIV Gag-Pol-Env (ALVAC/SIV gag-pol-env ) was assessed for its ability to elicit both dominant and subdominant epitope-speciﬁc CTL responses in rhesus monkeys. Following a series of ﬁve immunizations, memory CTL responses speciﬁc for a dominant Gag epitope could be demonstrated in the peripheral blood of vaccinated monkeys. Memory CTL responses to a subdominant Pol epitope were undetectable in these animals. Following challenge with SIVmac251, the experimentally vaccinated animals developed high frequency CTL responses speciﬁc for the dominant Gag epitope that emerged in temporal association with the early containment of viral replication. Interestingly, the experimentally vaccinated, but not the control vaccinated animals, developed CTL responses to the subdominant Pol epitope that were detectable only after containment of early viremia. Thus, recombinant canarypox vaccination elicited low frequency, but durable memory CTL populations. The temporal association of the emergence of the dominant epitope-speciﬁc response with early viral containment following challenge suggests that this immune response played a role in the accelerated clearing of early viremia in these animals. The later emerging CTL response speciﬁc for the subdominant epitope may contribute to the control of viral replication in the setting of chronic infection. The Journal of Immunology, 2002, 168: 1847–1853.
Tests of Reinforced Concrete Beams with Corrosion-Damaged Stirrups

In this research, an experimental investigation of corrosion on the shear capacity of conventionally-reinforced concrete beams was conducted. Large-size specimens were constructed and the embedded stirrups were subjected to accelerated corrosion. Three different corrosion damage levels were produced. Specimens were inspected and rated per national guidelines prior to testing. The condition ratings, however, did not indicate significant distinction between specimens or indicate differentiation in capacity. Tests indicated that corrosion damaged specimens exhibited reduced shear capacity and overall deformation at failure. Sequentially-damaged stirrups had significant impact on structural performance of the test specimens.
The Minimally Important Difference for Patient Reported Outcomes in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Including the HAQ-DI, Pain, Fatigue, and SF-36

Objective. We studied patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in 1 clinical practice, and patients enrolled in the 1000 Canadian Faces of Lupus database, to determine the minimally important difference (MID) for pain, fatigue, sleep, Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI), and Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36) Physical Component Score (PCS) and SF-36 Mental Component Score (MCS) using a patient-reported overall health status anchor. Methods. Patients with SLE who had 2 consecutive clinic visits and completed a HAQ-DI and a pain, fatigue, and sleep visual analog scale (VAS) (0–100), and an overall health status question: “How would you describe your overall status since your last visit? ”: much better, better, the same, worse, or much worse were included. Those who self-rated as better or worse were considered the “minimally changed” subgroups. Patients with 2 consecutive annual visits in the 1000 Canadian Faces of Lupus database who completed the SF-36 and health transition question were eligible. Results. There were 202 patients in London, Ontario (94% women, mean age 50 yrs, mean disease duration 10 yrs). MID for better and worse on a VAS (0–100) were: pain (−15.8, 8.5), fatigue (−13.9, 9.1), and sleep problems (−8.6, 7.6). The MID for HAQ-DI (scale 0 to 3) was −0.08 (better) and 0.14 (worse). The MID for SF-36 was 2.1 (better) and −2.2 (worse) for the PCS and 2.4 (better) and −1.2 (worse) in the MCS. Conclusion. The MID in patients with SLE may be different bidirectionally depending on the measured outcome. The mean change observed for those reporting better than worse outcome in pain and fatigue was greater for better versus worst, in contrast to the HAQ, where the mean change was greater for worsening.
Symptoms, Adverse Effects, and Complications Associated With Dobutamine Stress. Echocardiography Experience in 1118 Patients

BackgroundThe use of dobutamine stress echocardiography for the evaluation of coronary artery disease is rapidly expanding. New applications of the technique are being investigated in a wide variety of patients including those with advanced coronary artery disease. Despite its widespread use, the safety of dobutamine stress echocardiography has not been sufficiently documented. Methods and ResultsA consecutive series of 1118 patients undergoing dobutamine stress echocardiography for evaluation of known or suspected coronary artery disease form the basis of this report. Dobutamine stress testing was performed for evaluation of chest pain, risk assessment before noncardiac surgery, after recent myocardial infarction, or as a part of ongoing research protocols. Over the study period, the maximal dose of dobutamine used was increased from 30 to 50 jug/kg per minute, and atropine was used in 420 (37%) patients. There were no occurrences of death, myocardial infarction, or episodes of sustained ventricular tachycardia as a result of dobutamine stress testing. The major reasons for test termination were achievement of target heart rate in 583 patients (52.1%), maximum dose in 255 (22.8%), and angina pectoris in 142 (13%). The test was terminated in 36 (3%) patients because of noncardiac side effects including nausea, anxiety, headache, tremor, and urgency. Angina pectoris occurred in 216 (19.3%) patients. Sublingual nitroglycerin, a short-acting 0-blocker, or both types of medication were administered in 80 of these patients for relief of angina pectoris. None required intravenous nitroglycerin. A total of 736 (65%) patients had stable sinus rhythm throughout the test. The most common arrhythmias were frequent premature ventricular complexes (six or more per minute) in 172 patients (15%), and frequent premature atrial complexes in 86 (8%). There were 40 patients with nonsustained ventricular tachycardia. None had symptoms associated with the tachycardia, and only one received specific pharmacological treatment to prevent recurrence of the arrhythmia after the test was terminated. The patients who were evaluated after recent myocardial infarction and those who received atropine did not have a higher frequency of ventricular tachycardia compared with those without recent infarction and those not receiving atropine. ConclusionsDobutamine stress echocardiography was safely performed using supplemental atropine and an aggressive dosing protocol. Noncardiac side effects were usually minor. Arrhythmias were well tolerated and rarely required treatment. In this study, serious complications from myocardial ischemia did not occur. Symptomatic ischemia was effectively treated with test termination, sublingual nitroglycerin, or short-acting f-blockers.
Scholler Antigen Receptor T Cells Decade-Long Safety and Function of Retroviral-Modified Chimeric

up engineered T cells as a delivery platform for therapeutics. specific, opening − involved in growth control or transformation. Thus, the safety of retroviral vectors may be cell type evidence of integration-induced immortalization, with no observable enrichment of integration sites near genes of engraftment, and did not require host immunosuppression before transplant. Moreover, the authors found no infusion at levels higher than those induced by standard vaccines. These cells were still functional, had stable levels carrying a chimeric antigen receptor. They found that these cells were present in recipients over a decade after The authors followed patients from three clinical trials who received T cells transduced with gammaretroviruses and that these cells may persist over a decade in patients. mediated gene transfer in T cells may not have the same safety concerns, − report that retroviral vector et al. Scholler genome. However, some patients in early trials developed leukemia because of insertional mutagenesis. Now, Retroviral vectors were once the mainstay of gene transfer because they could stably integrate into the host Standing the Test of Time
Predictors for in-hospital mortality and need for clinical intervention in upper GI bleeding: a 5-year observational study.

BACKGROUND Upper GI bleeding (UGIB) is a potentially life threatening gastrointestinal emergency whose effective management depends on early risk stratification. METHODS We retrospectively studied 151 patients admitted to our unit with UGIB between 1st January 2007 and 31st December 2011 and in whom we calculated the clinical and complete Rockall, the Glasgow-Blatchford and modified Glasgow-Blatchford risk scores. We performed an analysis of the predictive value of these scores for in-hospital mortality and need for clinical intervention. RESULTS Of the 151 patients enrolled, 68.87% were male, and the mean age was 59.48 years. One in three patients had a history of chronic liver disease and one in eight had a previous episode of UGIB. Clinically, 58.3% of the patients presented with melena, 18.5% with hematemesis and 23.1% with both hematemesis and melena. 22% of cases were variceal hemorrhages and the other non-variceal. 16 patients died during hospitalization. The prognostic accuracy of all four scores for in-hospital death and need for clinical intervention was good, the complete Rockall score having the best performance (AUROC 0.849 and 0.653 respectively). CONCLUSIONS The Rockall and Blatchford scores were good predictors of mortality and need for clinical intervention in our study. The good predictive performance of these scores highlight the need for their use in day-to-day practice to select patients with likelihood of poor clinical outcome.
Maturation of Cognitive Control: Delineating Response Inhibition and Interference Suppression

Cognitive control is integral to the ability to attend to a relevant task whilst suppressing distracting information or inhibiting prepotent responses. The current study examined the development of these two subprocesses by examining electrophysiological indices elicited during each process. Thirteen 18 year-old adults and thirteen children aged 8–11 years (mean = 9.77 years) completed a hybrid Go/Nogo flanker task while continuous EEG data were recorded. The N2 topography for both response inhibition and interference suppression changed with increasing age. The neural activation associated with response inhibition became increasingly frontally distributed with age, and showed decreases of both amplitude and peak latency from childhood to adulthood, possibly due to reduced cognitive demands and myelination respectively occurring during this period. Interestingly, a significant N2 effect was apparent in adults, but not observed in children during trials requiring interference suppression. This could be due to more diffuse activation in children, which would require smaller levels of activation over a larger region of the brain than is reported in adults. Overall, these results provide evidence of distinct maturational processes occurring throughout late childhood and adolescence, highlighting the separability of response inhibition and interference suppression.
Diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis: experience from 11 cases and review of the literature.

AIM To analyze the experience within our hospital and to review the literature so as to establish the best means of diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis. METHODS The records of 11 patients (4 males, 7 females, mean age 39 years, range 18-65 years) diagnosed with abdominal tuberculosis in Harran University Hospital between January 1996 and October 2003 were analyzed retrospectively and the literature was reviewed. RESULTS Ascites was present in all cases. Other common findings were weight loss (81%), weakness (81%), abdominal mass (72%), abdominal pain (72%), abdominal distension (63%), anorexia (45%) and night sweat (36%). The average hemoglobin was 8.2 g/dL and the average ESR was 50 mm/h (range 30-125). Elevated levels of cancer antigen CA-125 were determined in four patients. Abdominal ultrasound showed abnormalities in all cases: ascites in all, tuboovarian mass in five, omental thickening in 3, and enlarged lymph nodes (mesenteric, para-aortic) in 2. CT scans showed ascites in all, pelvic mass in 5, retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy in 4, mesenteric stranding in 4, omental stranding in 3, bowel wall thickening in 2 and mesenteric lymphadenopathy in 2. Only one patient had a chest radiograph suggestive of a new TB lesion. Two had a positive family history of pulmonary TB. None had acid-fast bacilli (AFB) in the sputum and the tuberculin test was positive in only two. Laparotomy was performed in 6 cases, laparoscopy in 4 and ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration in 2. In those patients subjected to operation, the findings were multiple diffuse involvement of the visceral and parietal peritoneum, white 'miliary nodules' or plaques, enlarged lymph nodes, ascites, 'violin string' fibrinous strands, and omental thickening. Biopsy specimens showed granulomas, while ascitic fluid showed numerous lymphocytes. Both were negative for acid-fast bacilli by staining. PCR of ascitic fluid was positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) in all cases. CONCLUSION Abdominal TB should be considered in all cases with ascites. Our experience suggests that PCR of ascitic fluid obtained by ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration is a reliable method for its diagnosis and should at least be attempted before surgical intervention.