Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficient subspace-based algorithm for adaptive bearing estimation and tracking

In some practical applications of array processing, the directions of the incident signals should be estimated adaptively, and/or the time-varying directions should be tracked promptly. In this paper, an adaptive bearing estimation and tracking (ABEST) algorithm is investigated for estimating and tracking the uncorrelated and correlated narrow-band signals impinging on a uniform linear array (ULA) based on the subspace-based method without eigendecomposition (SUMWE), where a linear operator is obtained from the array data to form a basis for the null space by exploiting the array geometry and its shift invariance property. Specifically, the null space is estimated using the least-mean-square (LMS) or normalized LMS (NLMS) algorithm, and the directions are updated using the approximate Newton method. The transient analyses of the LMS and NLMS algorithms are studied, where the "weight" (i.e., the linear operator) is in the form of a matrix and there is a correlation between the "additive noise" and "input data" that involve the instantaneous correlations of the received array data in the updating equation, and the step-size stability conditions are derived explicitly. In addition, the analytical expressions for the mean-square error (MSE) and mean-square deviation (MSD) learning curves of the LMS algorithm are clarified. The effectiveness of the ABEST algorithm is verified, and the theoretical analyses are corroborated through numerical examples. Simulation results show that the ABEST algorithm is computationally simple and has good adaptation and tracking abilities.
Protective Effect of Acacia nilotica (L.) against Acetaminophen-Induced Hepatocellular Damage in Wistar Rats

The potential biological functions of A. nilotica have long been described in traditional system of medicine. However, the protective effect of A. nilotica on acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity is still unknown. The present study attempted to investigate the protective effect of A. nilotica against acetaminophen-induced hepatic damage in Wistar rats. The biochemical liver functional tests Alanine transaminase (ALT), Aspartate transaminase (AST), Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin, total protein, oxidative stress test (Lipid peroxidation), antioxidant parameter glutathione (GSH), and histopathological changes were examined. Our results show that the pretreatment with A. nilotica (250 mg/kg·bw) orally revealed attenuation of serum activities of ALT, AST, ALP, liver weight, and total bilirubin levels that were enhanced by administration of acetaminophen. Further, pretreatment with extract elevated the total protein and GSH level and decreased the level of LPO. Histopathological analysis confirmed the alleviation of liver damage and reduced lesions caused by acetaminophen. The present study undoubtedly provides a proof that hepatoprotective action of A. nilotica extract may rely on its effect on reducing the oxidative stress in acetaminophen-induced hepatic damage in rat model.
Juvenile Prostitution: An Exploration in Gendered Theory

The purpose of this study is to investigate the ways in which juvenile females enter into prostitution. This theoretical analysis will assess support for existing explanations of delinquency and prostitution of female juveniles using secondary data sources. This secondary data source is pulled from a survey of 114 adjudicated delinquent girls in South Carolina, which was collected in 2014. A comprehensive review of the literature regarding juvenile prostitution will include perspectives on polyvictimization and cumulative trauma as well as the history of prostitution. These concepts will be supported further by discussing current research and survey data. The specific focus of this study is to examine juvenile prostitution from a theoretical standpoint, in hopes of understanding juvenile entry into sex work. Theories investigated are General Strain Theory (GST), the Cycle of Violence Hypothesis and Gendered Pathways theory.
Polymorphisms in VEGF and IL-8 predict tumor recurrence in stage III colon cancer.

BACKGROUND Identifying molecular markers for tumor recurrence is critical in successfully selecting patients with stage III colon cancer who are more likely to benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy. The present study analyzed a subset of 10 polymorphisms within eight genes involved in the tumor angiogenesis pathway and their impact on prognosis in stage III colon cancer patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS Blood samples were obtained from 125 patients with locally advanced colon cancer at University of Southern California medical facilities. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood and the genotypes were analyzed using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism and 5'-end [gamma-(33)P] ATP-labeled PCR protocols. RESULTS Polymorphisms in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) (C+936T; P = 0.003, log-rank test) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) (T-251A; P = 0.04, log-rank test) were independently associated with risk of recurrence in stage III colon cancer patients. In combined analysis, grouping alleles into favorable versus nonfavorable alleles, high expression variants of VEGF C+936T and IL-8 T-251A were associated with a higher likelihood of developing tumor recurrence (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION High expression variants of VEGF C+936T and IL-8 T-251A were associated with shorter time to tumor recurrence, indicating that the analysis of angiogenesis-related gene polymorphisms may help to identify patient subgroups at high risk for tumor recurrence.
An analysis of the differences between young water polo players based on indicators of efficiency

The aim of this study is the identification and explanation of parameters that describe the effectiveness of four age categories of young water polo players as well as their differences in some parameters of effectiveness. The sample for this study was 72 matches of the Croatian water polo Final Championships for the younger cadets (age under 13), cadets (age under 14), younger juniors (age under 16) and juniors (age under 19) in the 2011/12 competition season. Parameter ranges that describe efficiency in all of the four age categories of young water polo players were established. Using the Kruskal-Wallis test and multiple comparisons of mean ranks for all groups at the significance level of α=0, 05, the hypothesis that there are significant differences between groups of respondents in five of the seventeen variables of effectiveness was confirmed. There is a reasonable possibility that the differences are caused by the degree of learned and implemented tactical knowledge, the degree of scoring abilities, rules of the game and inequalities in biological tempo of growth and development of young water polo players. The results of this study can be applied to a systematic and structured selection of teams and players, for the selection of the appropriate match concept and for organizing practices.
Myelinogenesis in optic nerve. A morphological, autoradiographic, and biochemical analysis

Morphological, autoradiographic, and biochemical methods were used to study the time of appearance, distribution, and nature of sulfated constituents in the developing rat optic nerve. Electron microscope studies showed that myelination begins (6 days postnatal) shortly after the appearance of oligodendroglia (5 days postnatal). Over the ensuing 3 wk, myelination increased rapidly. During the 1st postnatal wk, mucopolysaccharides and glycoproteins were labeled with 35S and autoradiographs showed grains over arachnoidal cells, astroglia, and the glia limitans. These results indicated that astroglia synthesize sulfated mucopolysaccharides of the glia limitans. After the onset of myelination, however, the major portion of [35S]sulfate was incorporated into sulfatide. Autoradiographs showed a shift of radioactive grains from astroglia and arachnoidal cells to myelin, indicating that actively myelinating oligodendroglia incorporate [35S]sulfate into myelin sulfatide; there was a concomitant increase in the activity of cerebroside sulfotransferase. In addition, the increasing amounts of proteolipid protein and myelin basic protein corresponded with the morphological appearance of myelin. These results point to a strict correlation between the structural and biochemical changes occurring during myelination. This system provides a useful model for studies designed to evaluate the effects of various perturbations on the process of myelination.
The Effects of Morphemic Vocabulary Instruction on Prefix Vocabulary and Sentence Comprehension for Middle School Students with Learning Disabilities

A limited vocabulary is a substantial obstacle to success in reading comprehension (Graves, 2004). A morphemic approach to vocabulary instruction may be an effective method for increasing student outcomes in both word knowledge and reading comprehension (Kuo & Anderson, 2006; Reed, 2008). The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of a morphemic vocabulary intervention on word knowledge and reading comprehension for students with learning disabilities. In Study 1, participants were taught 60 root words and four prefixes and increased their accurate definitions for untaught prefixed words. Transfer to reading comprehension at the sentence level, however, was minimal. In Study 2, we replicated the procedures from Study 1 and then added an instructional component to teach students how to apply the meaning of the prefixed word to sentences. Three of four participants increased their reading comprehension scores following initial sentence context instruction. The last participant improved performance following repeated sentence context instruction. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.
The Importance of Gender-Stratified Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance of Unselected Uropathogens: A Dutch Nationwide Extramural Surveillance Study

Few studies have been performed on urinary tract infections (UTIs) in men. In the present study, general practitioners (n = 42) from the Dutch Sentinel General Practice Network collected urinary samples from 560 male patients (≥18 years) suspected of UTI and recorded prescribed antibiotic treatment. In this way, the antibiotic susceptibility of Gram-negative uropathogens, including extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL-) producing Escherichia coli could be determined. In addition, E. coli susceptibility and antibiotic prescriptions were compared with data from a similar UTI study among women and with data collected 7 years earlier. Of 367 uropathogens (66%) identified (≥103 cfu/mL), most were Gram-negative (83%) and E. coli being isolated most frequently (51%). Antibiotic susceptibility to ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin and nitrofurantoin was 94%, 92% and 88%, respectively, whereas co-amoxiclav (76%) and co-trimoxazole (80%) showed lower susceptibilities. One ESBL (0.5%) was found. A significantly higher proportion of female UTIs was caused by E. coli compared with men (72% versus 51%, P<0.05). E. coli susceptibility tended to be lower in men compared with women, although not reaching statistical significance. No changes in E. coli susceptibility were observed over time (all P>0.05). Co-amoxiclav and nitrofurantoin prescriptions increased over time (11% versus 28% and 16% versus 23% respectively, both P<0.05), whereas co-trimoxazole prescriptions decreased (24% versus 14%, P<0.05). In conclusion, given the observed gender differences in uropathogen distribution and (tendency in) E. coli antibiotic susceptibility, empirical male UTI treatment options should be based on surveillance studies including men only. When awaiting the culture result is clinically not possible, fluoroquinolones are advised as first-choice antibiotics for male UTIs in Dutch general practices based on current antibiotic susceptibility data. The prevalence of ESBL-producers was low and no differences were observed in antibiotic susceptibility over a 7-year period. In addition, antibiotic prescriptions changed in accordance with national guidelines during this time period.
Readmissions and Death after ICU Discharge: Development and Validation of Two Predictive Models

Introduction Early discharge from the ICU is desirable because it shortens time in the ICU and reduces care costs, but can also increase the likelihood of ICU readmission and post-discharge unanticipated death if patients are discharged before they are stable. We postulated that, using eICU® Research Institute (eRI) data from >400 ICUs, we could develop robust models predictive of post-discharge death and readmission that may be incorporated into future clinical information systems (CIS) to assist ICU discharge planning. Methods Retrospective, multi-center, exploratory cohort study of ICU survivors within the eRI database between 1/1/2007 and 3/31/2011. Exclusion criteria: DNR or care limitations at ICU discharge and discharge to location external to hospital. Patients were randomized (2∶1) to development and validation cohorts. Multivariable logistic regression was performed on a broad range of variables including: patient demographics, ICU admission diagnosis, admission severity of illness, laboratory values and physiologic variables present during the last 24 hours of the ICU stay. Multiple imputation was used to address missing data. The primary outcomes were the area under the receiver operator characteristic curves (auROC) in the validation cohorts for the models predicting readmission and death within 48 hours of ICU discharge. Results 469,976 and 234,987 patients representing 219 hospitals were in the development and validation cohorts. Early ICU readmission and death was experienced by 2.54% and 0.92% of all patients, respectively. The relationship between predictors and outcomes (death vs readmission) differed, justifying the need for separate models. The models for early readmission and death produced auROCs of 0.71 and 0.92, respectively. Both models calibrated well across risk groups. Conclusions Our models for death and readmission after ICU discharge showed good to excellent discrimination and good calibration. Although prospective validation is warranted, we speculate that these models may have value in assisting clinicians with ICU discharge planning.
Interaction of a Synthetic Jet with a Flat Plate Boundary Layer

The interaction of a modeled synthetic jet with a flat plate boundary layer is investigated numerically using an incompressible Navier–Stokes solver. The diaphragm is modeled in a realistic manner as a moving boundary in an effort to accurately compute the flow inside the jet cavity. The primary focus of the current study is on describing the dynamics of the synthetic jet in the presence of external crossflow. A systematic parametric study has been carried out where the diaphragm amplitude, external flow Reynolds number and slot dimensions are varied. The simulations allow us to extract some interesting flow physics associated with the vortex dynamics of the jet and also provide insight into the scaling of the performance characteristics of the jet with these parameters.
Acupuncture Regulates Leukocyte Subpopulations in Human Peripheral Blood

Acupuncture has recently been attracting more and more people throughout the world as an alternative treatment, however little is known about its physiological activities (i.e. immune system). We examined acupuncture both quantitatively and qualitatively by measuring CD-positive cell counts and cytokine expression levels in the blood, to determine the activity of T cells, B cells, macrophages and natural killer (NK) cells. Fifteen milliliters of peripheral blood obtained from 17 healthy volunteers aged 21–51 years, were analyzed using flow cytometry before and after acupuncture treatment. There was a statistically significant increase in the number of CD2+, CD4+, CD8+, CD11b+, CD16+, CD19+, CD56+ cells as well as IL-4, IL-1β and IFN-γ levels in the cells after acupuncture stimulation of meridian points. These observations indicate that acupuncture may regulate the immune system and promote the activities of humoral and cellular immunity as well as NK cell activity. In this article, we discussed how acupuncture regulated leukocyte numbers and functions since they are considered to be potential indicators for evaluating complementary and alternative medicine.
Mild Hypoxic-Ischemic Injury in the Neonatal Rat Brain: Longitudinal Evaluation of White Matter Using Diffusion Tensor MR Imaging

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Selective white matter (WM) damage is a known sequela of mild hypoxic-ischemic (HI) injury in the neonatal rat model. The aim of this study was to evaluate longitudinally mild HI-induced WM damage (represented by the external capsule [EC]) by diffusion tensor MR imaging (DTI) and to correlate the findings with histology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 19) underwent unilateral ligation of the left common carotid artery followed by hypoxia for 50 minutes to create mild HI injury. DTI was performed longitudinally at 5 time points from day 1 to day 90 postinjury (n = 19, 16, 13, 11, 9, respectively), and fractional anisotropy (FA), trace, radial diffusivity (λ⊥), and axial diffusivity (λ//) of the injury and control contralateral ECs were quantified. Rats were randomly sacrificed (n = 15, in total), and the corresponding ECs were stained with hematoxylin-eosin, Luxol fast blue (LFB), and neurofilament (NF) to evaluate morphologic changes, amount of myelin, and axonal count at every time point. A paired t test was applied to evaluate statistical differences between both ECs, and the Pearson correlation test was used to evaluate the relationships between DTI indices and histologic evaluations. In addition, longitudinal changes in DTI indices and histologic evaluations were analyzed by a linear mixed model and an analysis of variance test, respectively. RESULTS: We demonstrated significantly decreased FA, increased λ⊥, and similar λ// in the injury compared with the control EC, which was persistent through all time points. Histologic evaluation by LFB and NF staining showed reduced myelin stain intensity in the injury EC and similar axonal counts in both ECs. Longitudinally, there was an increase in FA, a decrease in λ⊥ and trace, and stability in λ// in both ECs. Also, there was progressive reduction in the differences in FA, trace, and λ⊥ between the injury and control EC, especially between day 1 and day 7 postinjury and in tandem with changes in myelin stain. FA was significantly correlated with myelin stain (r = 0.681, P < .01) and axonal count (r = 0.673, P < .01), whereas λ⊥ was significantly correlated with myelin stain only (r = −0.528, P < .01), and λ//, with axonal count only (r = 0.372, P = .043). CONCLUSIONS: Diffusion indices can reflect dysmyelination in mild HI injury, continual myelination of both injury and control ECs with growth, and the partial recovery of myelin postinjury. We propose that diffusion indices may be used as biomarkers to monitor noninvasively the longitudinal changes of mild HI-induced WM damage.
Brain plasticity related to the consolidation of motor sequence learning and motor adaptation

This study aimed to investigate, through functional MRI (fMRI), the neuronal substrates associated with the consolidation process of two motor skills: motor sequence learning (MSL) and motor adaptation (MA). Four groups of young healthy individuals were assigned to either (i) a night/sleep condition, in which they were scanned while practicing a finger sequence learning task or an eight-target adaptation pointing task in the evening (test) and were scanned again 12 h later in the morning (retest) or (ii) a day/awake condition, in which they were scanned on the MSL or the MA tasks in the morning and were rescanned 12 h later in the evening. As expected and consistent with the behavioral results, the functional data revealed increased test–retest changes of activity in the striatum for the night/sleep group compared with the day/awake group in the MSL task. By contrast, the results of the MA task did not show any difference in test–retest activity between the night/sleep and day/awake groups. When the two MA task groups were combined, however, increased test–retest activity was found in lobule VI of the cerebellar cortex. Together, these findings highlight the presence of both functional and structural dissociations reflecting the off-line consolidation processes of MSL and MA. They suggest that MSL consolidation is sleep dependent and reflected by a differential increase of neural activity within the corticostriatal system, whereas MA consolidation necessitates either a period of daytime or sleep and is associated with increased neuronal activity within the corticocerebellar system.
Independent Component Analysis Via Copula Techniques

Independent component analysis (ICA) is a modern factor analysis tool de- veloped in the last two decades. Given p-dimensional data, we search for that linear combination of data which creates (almost) independent components. Here copulae are used to model the p-dimensional data and then independent components are found by optimizing the copula parameters. Based on this idea, we propose the COPICA method for searching independent components. We illustrate this method using several blind source separation examples, which are mathematically equivalent to ICA problems. Finally performances of our method and FastICA are compared to explore the advantages of this method.
Hydrodynamic limit for the Vlasov-Navier-Stokes equations. Part I: Light particles regime

The paper is devoted to the analysis of a hydrodynamic limit for the Vlasov-Navier-Stokes equations. This system is intended to model the evolution of particles interacting with a fluid. The coupling arises from the force terms. The limit problem is the Navier-Stokes system with non constant density. The density which is involved in this system is the sum of the (constant) density of the fluid and of the macroscopic density of the particles. The proof relies on a relative entropy method.
GALACTIC MASERS AND THE MILKY WAY CIRCULAR VELOCITY

Masers found in massive star-forming regions can be located precisely in six-dimensional phase space and therefore serve as a tool for studying Milky Way dynamics. The non-random orbital phases at which the masers are found and the sparseness of current samples require modeling. Here, we model the phase-space distribution function of 18 precisely measured Galactic masers, permitting a mean velocity offset and a general velocity dispersion tensor relative to their local standards of rest, and accounting for different pieces of prior information. With priors only on the Sun's distance from the Galactic Center and on its motion with respect to the local standard of rest, the maser data provide a weak constraint on the circular velocity at the Sun of Vc = 246 ± 30 km s−1. Including prior information on the proper motion of Sgr A* leads to Vc = 244 ± 13 km s−1. We do not confirm the value of Vc ≈ 254 km s−1 found in more restrictive models. This analysis shows that there is no conflict between recent determinations of Vc from Galactic Center analyses, orbital fitting of the GD-1 stellar stream, and the kinematics of Galactic masers; a combined estimate is Vc = 236 ± 11 km s−1. Apart from the dynamical parameters, we find that masers tend to occur at post-apocenter, circular-velocity-lagging phases of their orbits.