Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Time domain synchronous OFDM based on simultaneous multi-channel reconstruction

Time domain synchronous OFDM (TDS-OFDM) can achieve a higher spectrum efficiency than standard cyclic prefix OFDM (CP-OFDM). Currently, it can support constellations up to 64QAM, but cannot support higher-order constellations like 256QAM due to the residual mutual interferences between the pseudorandom noise (PN) guard interval and the OFDM data block. To solve this problem, we break the traditional approach of iterative interference cancellation and propose the idea of using multiple inter-block-interference (IBI)-free regions of very small size to realize simultaneous multi-channel reconstruction under the framework of structured compressive sensing, whereby the sparsity nature of wireless channels as well as the characteristic that path delays vary much slower than path gains are jointly exploited. In this way, the mutually conditional time-domain channel estimation and frequency-domain data demodulation in TDS-OFDM can be decoupled without the use of IBI removal. We then propose the adaptive simultaneous orthogonal matching pursuit (A-SOMP) algorithm with low complexity to realize accurate multi-channel reconstruction, whose performance is close to the Cramér-Rao lower bound (CRLB). Simulation results confirm that the proposed scheme can support 256QAM without changing the current signal structure, so the spectrum efficiency can be increased by about 30%.
Pediatric Nephrolithiasis: Trend, Evaluation and Management: A Systematic Review

Context: Pediatric nephrolithiasis is a noticeable cause of morbidity among children. Although, nephrolithiasis is a common disease in adults, its incidence has had a rising trend in children. Objectives: Here in, we reviewed the current state regarding evaluation and management of children with nephrolithiasis in the last decade. Data Sources: The current literature regarding incidence and trend, along with diagnostic evaluation and management of children aged less than 18 years old with nephrolithiasis was searched on MEDLINE and Google scholar from January 2005 to March 2016. Study Selection and Data Extraction: The search terms included, “kidney stone OR nephrolithiasis OR urolithiasis and Pediatric OR children”. English language and human studies were included. Expert opinions, editorials and case reports were excluded. Consequently, the authors independently reviewed the abstracts and the papers, which matched the inclusion criteria. Results: From a total of 1050 studies identified through the database search, 71 articles were selected for the review. According to the results of this review, pediatric nephrolithiasis has an increasing rate worldwide. Recent studies in this regard indicated that the number of girls with nephrolithiasis has increased. The change of life style, diet, obesity and metabolic syndrome and popular imaging study along with referral of the patients to pediatric centers could be contributed to this trend. Conclusions: Evaluation of patients, particularly young children, includes metabolic assessment. Stone analysis and 24-urine collection analysis are very helpful for determining underlying diseases. Medical as well as surgical approaches are used to prevent kidney injuries.
Direct Comparisons of Polarimetric C-Band and S-Band Radar in Snow

The Canadian Weather Radar Network is currently undergoing an upgrade to polarimetric, S-Band radar systems. Forecasting experiences in Canada with the legacy C-Band radars lends to the idea that the narrow beamwidth of C-Band systems is preferential for nowcasting the typical shallow lake-effect snow event. This idea is tested by comparing moments from King City radar, just north of Toronto, to the neighboring Buffalo, NY WSR-88D. By transforming the radar data from spherical coordinates to the Cartesian coordinate system, the two radars can be compared directly. Objective analysis indicates that the spatial patterns of reflectivity are very similiar, with King maintaining the obvious advantage in resolving fine scale features of lake-effect snow bands through a narrow physical beamwidth. Also, it is shown that comparatively, the mean reflectivity values obtained through this method are similiar, but King City maintains a slight advantage over Buffalo in detecting shallow snow-squalls. In regards to differential reflectivity, a case by case comparison is performed to determine any event biases from the King City radar. With biases removed, both radars indicate similiar mean values of differential reflectivity, which agrees with theoretical expectations. Results also indicate that the bulk hydrometeor type in synoptic snowfalls tend towards pristine crystals, while lake-effect events tend towards aggregated snow.
Characterization of Amorphous and Co-Amorphous Simvastatin Formulations Prepared by Spray Drying

In this study, spray drying from aqueous solutions, using the surface-active agent sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) as a solubilizer, was explored as a production method for co-amorphous simvastatin–lysine (SVS-LYS) at 1:1 molar mixtures, which previously have been observed to form a co-amorphous mixture upon ball milling. In addition, a spray-dried formulation of SVS without LYS was prepared. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) revealed that SLS coated the SVS and SVS-LYS particles upon spray drying. X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed that in the spray-dried formulations the remaining crystallinity originated from SLS only. The best dissolution properties and a “spring and parachute” effect were found for SVS spray-dried from a 5% SLS solution without LYS. Despite the presence of at least partially crystalline SLS in the mixtures, all the studied formulations were able to significantly extend the stability of amorphous SVS compared to previous co-amorphous formulations of SVS. The best stability (at least 12 months in dry conditions) was observed when SLS was spray-dried with SVS (and LYS). In conclusion, spray drying of SVS and LYS from aqueous surfactant solutions was able to produce formulations with improved physical stability for amorphous SVS.
Symbolic prosody driven unit selection for highly natural synthetic speech

In the effort to obtain synthetic speech with the quality near to natural, and potentially, to be able to build expressive synthesis, the unit selection approach has become very important. To increase the naturalness of our native TTS system ARTIC we employed the speciﬁc version of the approach. It is driven by the high–level symbolic prosody description, deﬁned according to the phenomena of prosodic synonymy and homonymy. The concrete prosody of a synthesized phrase is not explicitly set here, but emerges on the basis of the target and concatenation costs. Although this is our ﬁrst treatment requiring some simpliﬁca-tion, and for the synonymy/homonymy phenomena only the basics are deﬁned, the ﬁrst results have already shown that there is a signiﬁcant shift towards high quality. Listening tests comparing speech from single–instance version to selection–based version of ARTIC showed clear preference of the selection–based version. In addition, the level of naturalness was on average assessed as “close to natural”.
Biochemical evidence that secretor gene, Se, is a structural gene encoding a specific fucosyltransferase.

Nonsecretors have no ABH blood group substances in their saliva and milk, but their erythrocytes contain the blood group substances. It has been generally believed that the secretor gene, Se, is a regulatory gene, not a structural gene, controlling the expression of (alpha 1----2)fucosyltransferase, which synthesizes the blood group H substance from its precursor, in secretions. To account for the existence of the blood type of "para Bombay" phenotype--i.e., H-negative in erythrocytes but H-positive in secretory fluids, another regulatory gene, Z, which would regulate the expression of the enzyme in the hematopoietic tissues, has been proposed. Contrary to this, a more simple model, in which the H gene and Se gene are both structural genes, encoding two separate fucosyltransferases in different tissues, was recently proposed. To settle the controversy, (alpha 1----2)fucosyltransferases were partially purified from human plasma and milk. The two enzymes differed from each other in the following respects: (i) the milk enzyme adsorbed to SP-Sephadex at pH 6.0, while the plasma enzyme did not; (ii) pH-activity profiles, with phenyl beta-D-galactoside as an acceptor, differed between the two enzymes; (iii) the milk enzyme exhibited lower thermal stability than the plasma enzyme; and (iv) Km values for several oligosaccharides with Gal(beta 1----3)GlcNAc and Gal(beta 1----4)GlcNAc as acceptors differed between the two enzymes. These results support the model that the Se gene is a structural gene encoding a distinctive (alpha 1----2)fucosyltransferase, refuting the classical regulatory gene model for the Se locus. The anomeric configuration of the fucosylated galactose residue produced by the action of enzyme was identified, thus establishing the specificity of the enzyme.
The crystal structures of psoralen cross-linked DNAs: drug-dependent formation of Holliday junctions.

The single-crystal structures are presented for two DNA sequences with the thymine bases covalently cross-linked across the complementary strands by 4'-hydroxymethyl-4,5',8-trimethylpsoralen (HMT). The HMT-adduct of d(CCGCTAGCGG) forms a psoralen-induced Holliday junction, showing for the first time the effect of this important class of chemotheraputics on the structure of the recombination intermediate. In contrast, HMT-d(CCGGTACCGG) forms a sequence-dependent junction. In both structures, the DNA duplex is highly distorted at the thymine base linked to the six-member pyrone ring of the drug. The psoralen cross-link defines the intramolecular interactions of the drug-induced junction, while the sequence-dependent structure is nearly identical to the native Holliday junction of d(CCGGTACCGG) alone. The two structures contrast the effects of drug- and sequence-dependent interactions on the structure of a Holliday junction, suggesting a role for psoralen in the mechanism to initiate repair of psoralen-lesions in mammalian DNA.
Dietary intake of total marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid and docosapentaenoic acid and the risk of acute coronary syndrome – a cohort study

Dietary intake of marine n-3 PUFA has been negatively associated with the risk of CHD among subjects with known CHD, whereas an effect in healthy subjects is less documented. We assessed the hypothesis that dietary intake of marine n-3 PUFA is negatively associated with the risk of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in healthy subjects. In the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health cohort study, 57 053 participants were enrolled. Dietary intake of total n-3 PUFA, including EPA, docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and DHA, was assessed. During a mean follow-up period of 7·6 years, we identified all cases (n 1150) from this cohort with an incident ACS diagnosis in the Danish National Patient Registry or the Cause of Death Registry. Diagnoses were verified through medical record review. In Cox proportional hazard models, we adjusted for established risk factors for CHD. Men in the four highest quintiles of n-3 PUFA intake (>0·39 g n-3 PUFA per d) had a lower incidence of ACS compared with men in the lowest quintile. The hazard ratio was 0·83 (95 % CI 0·67, 1·03) when we compared men in the second lowest and lowest quintile of n-3 PUFA intake. Higher intake of n-3 PUFA did not strengthen this association. Associations for EPA, DPA and DHA were all negative, but less consistent. No convincing associations were found among women. In conclusion, we found borderline significant negative associations between the intake of marine n-3 PUFA and ACS among healthy men.
Modelling of inline optical reflectors based on microring resonators

We present a numerical design procedure for optimization of spectral response of an inline optical reflector, which consists of two coupled microring resonators both of which are coupled to a bus waveguide. The technique provides the optimal values of the coupling coefficients for obtaining maximally flat reflectivity in the requested bandwidth. The optimized designs are compared with the results of other methods.
The Peptidyl Prolyl cis/trans Isomerase FKBP38 Determines Hypoxia-Inducible Transcription Factor Prolyl-4-Hydroxylase PHD2 Protein Stability

ABSTRACT The heterodimeric hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIFs) are central regulators of the response to low oxygenation. HIF-α subunits are constitutively expressed but rapidly degraded under normoxic conditions. Oxygen-dependent hydroxylation of two conserved prolyl residues by prolyl-4-hydroxylase domain-containing enzymes (PHDs) targets HIF-α for proteasomal destruction. We identified the peptidyl prolyl cis/trans isomerase FK506-binding protein 38 (FKBP38) as a novel interactor of PHD2. Yeast two-hybrid, glutathione S-transferase pull-down, coimmunoprecipitation, colocalization, and mammalian two-hybrid studies confirmed specific FKBP38 interaction with PHD2, but not with PHD1 or PHD3. PHD2 and FKBP38 associated with their N-terminal regions, which contain no known interaction motifs. Neither FKBP38 mRNA nor protein levels were regulated under hypoxic conditions or after PHD inhibition, suggesting that FKBP38 is not a HIF/PHD target. Stable RNA interference-mediated depletion of FKBP38 resulted in increased PHD hydroxylation activity and decreased HIF protein levels and transcriptional activity. Reconstitution of FKBP38 expression abolished these effects, which were independent of the peptidyl prolyl cis/trans isomerase activity. Downregulation of FKBP38 did not affect PHD2 mRNA levels but prolonged PHD2 protein stability, suggesting that FKBP38 is involved in PHD2 protein regulation.
Biotransformation of the Major Fungal Metabolite 3,5-Dichloro- p-Anisyl Alcohol under Anaerobic Conditions and Its Role in Formation of Bis(3,5-Dichloro-4-Hydroxyphenyl)methane

ABSTRACT Higher fungi have a widespread capacity for biosynthesis of organohalogens. Commonly occurring chloroaromatic fungal metabolites can end up in anaerobic microniches at the boundary of fungal colonies and wetland soils. The aim of this study was to investigate the environmental fate of a major fungal metabolite, 3,5-dichloro-p-anisyl alcohol, under anaerobic conditions. This compound was incubated with methanogenic sludge to study its biotransformation reactions. Initially, 3,5-dichloro-p-anisyl alcohol was readily demethylated in stoichiometric quantities to 3,5-dichloro-4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol. The demethylated product was converted further via two routes: a biotic route leading to the formation of 3,5-dichloro-4-hydroxybenzoate and 2,6-dichlorophenol, as well as an abiotic route leading to the formation of bis(3,5-dichloro-4-hydroxyphenyl)methane. In the first route, the benzyl alcohol moiety on the aromatic ring was oxidized, giving 3,5-dichloro-4-hydroxybenzoate as a transient or accumulating product, depending on the type of methanogenic sludge used. In sludge previously adapted to low-molecular-weight lignin from straw, a part of the 3,5-dichloro-4-hydroxybenzoate was decarboxylated, yielding detectable levels of 2,6-dichlorophenol. In the second route, 3,5-dichloro-4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol dimerized, leading to the formation of a tetrachlorinated bisphenolic compound, which was identified as bis(3,5-dichloro-4-hydroxyphenyl)methane. Since formation of this dimer was also observed in incubations with autoclaved sludge spiked with 3,5-dichloro-4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, it was concluded that its formation was due to an abiotic process. However, demethylation of the fungal metabolite by biological processes was a prerequisite for dimerization. The most probable reaction mechanism leading to the formation of the tetrachlorinated dimer in the absence of oxygen is presented, and the possible environmental implications of its natural occurrence are discussed.
Preserved Learning during the Symbol–Digit Substitution Test in Patients with Schizophrenia, Age-Matched Controls, and Elderly

Objective: Speed of processing, one of the main cognitive deficits in schizophrenia is most frequently measured with a digit–symbol-coding test. Performance on this test is additionally affected by writing speed and the rate at which symbol–digit relationships are learned, two factors that may be impaired in schizophrenia. This study aims to investigate the effects of sensorimotor speed, short-term learning, and long-term learning on task performance in schizophrenia. In addition, the study aims to explore differences in learning effects between patients with schizophrenia and elderly individuals. Methods: Patients with schizophrenia (N = 30) were compared with age-matched healthy controls (N = 30) and healthy elderly volunteers (N = 30) during the Symbol–Digit Substitution Test (SDST). The task was administered on a digitizing tablet, allowing precise measurements of the time taken to write each digit (writing time) and the time to decode symbols into their corresponding digits (matching time). The SDST was administered on three separate days (day 1, day 2, day 7). Symbol–digit repetitions during the task represented short-term learning and repeating the task on different days represented long-term learning. Results: The repetition of the same symbol–digit combinations within one test and the repetition of the test over days resulted in significant decreases in matching time. Interestingly, these short-term and long-term learning effects were about equal among the three groups. Individual participants showed a large variation in the rate of short-term learning. In general, patients with schizophrenia had the longest matching time whereas the elderly had the longest writing time. Writing time remained the same over repeated testing. Conclusion: The rate of learning and sensorimotor speed was found to have a substantial influence on the SDST score. However, a large individual variation in learning rate should be taken into account in the interpretation of task scores for processing speed. Equal learning rates among the three groups suggest that unintentional learning in schizophrenia and in the elderly is preserved. These findings are important for the design of rehabilitation programs for schizophrenia.
A New Flightless Gallinule (Aves: Rallidae: Gallinula) from the Oligo-Miocene of Riversleigh, Northwestern Queensland, Australia

Flightlessness in birds occurs in a taxonomically diverse array of families, but is best exemplified in the rails (Rallidae). Most flightless species of rails live on islands, where the absence of native mammalian predators may make flight superfluous. Fossil rails from Oligo-Miocene sites at Riversleigh, northwestern Queensland, Australia, are considered to represent a single species of gallinule Gallinula, described here as new. Compared with four Quaternary species of Gallinula from Australasia (two volant, two non-volant), it shows similarities with the flightless species in the development of the fore- and hindlimb elements and in other characteristics of limb bone morphology associated with flightlessness. These indicate that the Riversleigh species was non-volant. Its relationships with the Quaternary species, including the flightless Gallinula mortierii, now restricted to Tasmania, but known from Plio-Pleistocene deposits in eastern mainland Australia, are considered.
Current status and future potential of MRI‐guided focused ultrasound surgery

The combination of the imaging abilities of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with the ability to delivery energy to targets deep in the body noninvasively with focused ultrasound presents a disruptive technology with the potential to significantly affect healthcare. MRI offers precise targeting, visualization, and quantification of temperature changes and the ability to immediately evaluate the treatment. By exploiting different mechanisms, focused ultrasound offers a range of therapies, ranging from thermal ablation to targeted drug delivery. This article reviews recent preclinical and tests clinical of this technology. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2008;27:391–399. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A comparison of nuclear and mitochondrial cline shapes in a hybrid zone in the Sceloporus grammicus complex (Squamata; Phrynosomatidae)

The F5 and FM2 chromosome races of the Sceloporus grammicus complex form a hybrid zone in the Mexican state of Hidalgo. Previous studies of this zone have assessed genetic structure by averaging estimates of shape and width across three diagnostic chromosome markers. This approach is likely to mask subtle differences in cline shape among loci (e.g. selected vs. neutral), and obscure any displacement of cline centres (if present). Here we use maximum likelihood methods to construct the best fitting individual clines for three chromosomal markers, and also add two new markers; the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) locus, and the nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) repeat. For each locus, hybrid zone models were fitted by cline shape and width, and the position and number of segments describing the centre of the zone. Pairwise comparisons between all clines revealed concordance between chromosomes 2 and 6, but significant discordance in cline structure among all other paired combinations. The concordance of chromosomes 2 and 6 suggests that these clines are maintained by genome‐wide forces. The discordance of the chromosome 1 cline suggests an influence of asymmetric introgression, while the mtDNA cline is probably influenced by selection and drift. The rDNA locus reveals a pattern best explained by either extreme asymmetric introgression or gene conversion. The structure of zone indicates that genome‐wide processes and locus specific selective forces as well as drift, are operating to different degrees on different loci. The locus‐by‐locus approach used here permits a finer discrimination among possible mechanisms responsible for the maintenance of the individual clines.
Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants and major bleeding-related fatality in patients with atrial fibrillation and venous thromboembolism: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are efficacious and safe antithrombotic drugs but the non-availability of an antidote for potential fatal haemorrhagic events is clinically perceived as a strong limitation. We aimed at evaluating the risk of haemorrhage-related fatalities associated with NOACs in patients requiring long-term anticoagulation. Methods MEDLINE, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases were searched in November 2014 for atrial fibrillation (AF) or venous thromboembolism (VTE) phase III randomised controlled trials (RCT) comparing NOACs with vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) or low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) followed by VKAs. Pooled OR and 95% CIs were estimated through meta-analysis. Heterogeneity was assessed with the I2 test. Results Eleven studies were included: 5 on AF and 6 on VTE. A total of 100 324 patients were evaluated in 4 rivaroxaban, 3 dabigatran, 2 apixaban and 2 edoxaban studies. NOAC-treated patients had a 47% odds reduction compared with VKA (OR 0.53; 95% CI 0.42 to 0.68; I2=0%; 3 events avoided per 1000 patients) and 64% odds reduction compared with LMWH–VKA (OR 0.36; 95% CI 0.15 to 0.84; I2=0%; 1 event avoided per 1000 patients) regarding fatal bleeding risk. Case fatality due to major bleeding was lower in NOAC-treated patients both in AF (OR 0.68; 95% CI 0.48 to 0.96; I2=37%; 1 death avoided per 39 major bleedings) and VTE (OR 0.54; 95% CI 0.22 to 1.32; I2=0%) patients. AF survivors of major bleeding events treated with NOACs had lower mortality compared with patients treated with VKAs (OR 0.57; 95% CI 0.45 to 0.73; I2=0%; 78 events avoided per 1000 survivors to major bleeding). Conclusions These data suggest that NOACs decrease the risk of fatality cases related to major bleeding events, particularly in AF patients. These results support the safety profile of NOACs even without having a widely available drug-specific antidote.