Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Improved Construction of LDPC Codes Based on Data Punctured Hybrid ARQ

A data puncturing type-II hybrid automatic retransmission request protocol, using LDPC codes which have the constructions with low encoding complexity and moderate matrix dimensions, is a good tradeoff between the system throughput and the hardware overhead. Based on the characteristics of this protocol that only the parity bits are sent in each retransmission and the puncturing is operated on the information bits, we introduce an improved matrix construction which increases the reliability of parity bits and the decoding performance without any further additional encoding/decoding complexity. There are two iterative decoding steps in the receiver for each retransmission, so we optimize the noise thresholds of both iterative decoding steps and find a more desirable irregular distribution by the density evolution. Simulation results of the data throughput show that the codes with the improved construction and distribution obviously outperform the original codes
The application of multiport theory for MIMO RFID backscatter channel measurements

This contribution deals with channel measurements in multiple-input multiple-output radio-frequency identification systems (MIMO RFID). Herein, multiple antennas are applied at the reader and at the RFID tag as well. A method for the determination of the channel coefficients between all antennas is presented. The channel information is needed to apply MIMO techniques to enhance the data rate or the reliability or range of the backscatter link. Since no measurement can be conducted at the tag antenna ports the method is based on the theory of determining the scattering parameters of a multiport (n-port) with a reduced number of measurement ports. Herein, the load impedances within the RFID tag being normally used to transmit information via backscatter modulation are used as known reflection standards. An internal thru standard between the tag antenna ports is introduced to reduce phase ambiguities. The method could be applied in future generations of multi-antenna RFID tags or could be used to characterize the channel for MIMO RFID prototype systems to evaluate their performance limits e.g. by calculating the MIMO capacity. Measurement results for the proposed method for a system with two reader transmit and receive and two tag antennas (2×2×2) are presented (5 to 6 GHz).
The influence of dietary zinc source and coccidial vaccine exposure on intracellular zinc homeostasis and immune status in broiler chickens

Coccidia are protozoal parasites which compromise mucosal integrity of the intestine, potentiating poultry morbidity. The host's Zn status influences the course of infection. Therefore, two experiments were designed to determine how supplemental Zn regimens impacted jejunal and caecal immune status and Zn transporter expression. Coccivac®-B was administered weekly at ten times the recommended dose as a mild coccidial challenge (10CV). Zn was provided through a basal diet, supplemental zinc sulfate (ZnSO4), or a supplemental 1:1 blend of ZnSO4 and Availa®-Zn (Blend). Mucosal jejunum (Expt 1) and caecal tonsils (Expt 2) were evaluated for intracellular Zn concentrations and phagocytic capacity. Messenger expression of Zn transporters ZnT5, ZnT7, Zip9 and Zip13 were investigated to determine Zn trafficking. With 10CV, phagocytic capacity was decreased in jejunal cells by 2 %. In the caecal tonsils, however, phagocytic capacity increased with challenge, with the magnitude of increase being more pronounced with higher dietary Zn (10CV × Zn interaction; P= 0·04). Intracellular Zn within caecal tonsils was found significantly reduced with 10CV (27 %, P= 0·0001). 10CV also resulted in an overall increase in the ratio of Zip:ZnT transporters. With the exception of Zip13 transporter expression, dietary Zn source had little impact on any of the measured cellular parameters. Thus, intestinal mucosal tissues had reductions in intracellular free Zn during coccidial challenge, which was coupled with an upregulation of measured Zip transporters. This suggests that under coccidial challenge, intestinal cells attempt to compensate for the drop in intracellular Zn.
Multiphase voltage-mode hysteretic controlled DC-DC converter with novel current sharing

Today's on-board high-density, low-output-voltage, high-output-current, fast transient point-of-load (POL) dc-dc converters design requirements for the new generation of integrated circuits, digital signal processors, and microprocessors are increasingly becoming stricter than ever. This is due to the demand for high dynamic performance dc-dc conversion with tight dynamic tolerances for supply voltages coupled with very high power density. In this paper, a multiphase voltage-mode hysteretic controlled POL dc-dc converter with new current sharing is presented. Theoretical analysis is provided for multiphase and interleaved dc-dc converters with new current sharing method. The simulation and experimental results are compared based on a specific design example.
The complete mitochondrial genome of the color changeable toad-headed agama, Phrynocephalus versicolor (Reptilia, Squamata, Agamidae)

Abstract The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of color changeable toad-headed agama, Phrynocephalus versicolor, was determined using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), long-and-accurate PCR and directly sequencing by primer walking. The entire mitochondrial genome of P. versicolor was 16,429 bp in length, the accession was KJ749841 and the content of A, T, C, and G were 36.1%, 26.5%, 24.9% and 12.5%, respectively, which was similar to most vertebrate. The complete mitochondrial genome of P. versicolor contain 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA genes, 23 tRNA genes, plus one control region and was similar to those of other Phrynocephalus sand lizards in gene arrangement and composition, except that tRNA-Phe and tRNA-Pro were exchanged and tRNA-Phe had two copies. The control region comprised three parts, one between tRNA-Thr and tRNA-Phe, a second between tRNA-Pro and tRNA-Phe, and a third between tRNA-Phe and 12S RNA. The complete mitochondrial genome of P. versicolor provided fundamental data for resolving phylogenetic relationship problems related to Agaimidae and genus Phrynocephalus.
Physical activity assessment with accelerometers in children.

Accelerometers for movement registration have the potential to reflect the volume, pattern, intensity, type, and energy expenditure of physical activity(1,2). Developments are still ongoing with regard to reduction of the size of the instruments, lengthening of battery life and translation of the output to meaningful information for the user. Instruments with the capacity for most or all functions mentioned are tri-axial and mounted on a waist belt.
Design and experiment of an axial-axial flux compound-structure PMSM Used for HEVs

An axial-axial flux compound-structure permanent-magnet synchronous machine (CS-PMSM), which is a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) power train concept, is a structural integration of two axial flux permanent-magnet synchronous machines. It is a novel electromagnetic device with dual mechanical ports and dual electric ports. In this paper, several candidate electromagnetic schemes for the CS-PMSM are analyzed and compared with 3D finite-element method (FEM), and an optimum tradeoff choice for the prototype machine is established. The axial magnetic force, which is unilateral and very important for the assembly, operation and choice of bearings, is evaluated using 3D FEM. A downsized prototype machine of the CS-PMSM was manufactured. The experiments were performed. The magnetic and mechanical designs are evaluated by experimental results.
Long-Run Accuracy of Variational Integrators in the Stochastic Context

This paper presents a Lie-Trotter splitting for inertial Langevin equations (geometric Langevin algorithm) and analyzes its long-time statistical properties. The splitting is defined as a composition of a variational integrator with an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck flow. Assuming that the exact solution and the splitting are geometrically ergodic, the paper proves the discrete invariant measure of the splitting approximates the invariant measure of inertial Langevin equations to within the accuracy of the variational integrator in representing the Hamiltonian. In particular, if the variational integrator admits no energy error, then the method samples the invariant measure of inertial Langevin equations without error. Numerical validation is provided using explicit variational integrators with first-, second-, and fourth-order accuracy.
Gene therapy in rheumatic diseases.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by joint inflammation as well as progressive cartilage and bone destruction. Advances in the understanding of the pathophysiology of RA have led to the development of new therapeutic strategies, including gene therapy. Gene therapy offers a new approach to deliver therapeutic proteins to the joints of arthritis patients. Local as well as systemic gene therapy can be envisaged for the treatment of arthritis. Several viral and non-viral vectors have been used in animal models for rheumatoid arthritis for ex vivo and in vivo delivery of therapeutic genes. Promising pre-clinical data have resulted from the application of these strategies. Using ex vivo gene delivery, successful and safe gene transfer has been demonstrated in the joints of RA patients. Although new insights into the role of cytokines and other mediators of chronic inflammation have provided novel targets for therapeutic intervention, the development of vectors that induce long-term and regulated gene expression remains a challenge.
Characterization and regulation of interleukin‐4 receptor in adult T‐cell leukemia cells

We studied the expression of the receptor of interleukin (IL)‐4, one of the T cell growth factors, on fresh peripheral blood leukemic cells from adult T‐cell leukemia (ATL) patients. Flow cytofluorometric analysis with a monoclonal antibody to the IL‐4 receptor (IL‐4R) were used to investigate whether expression of IL‐4R on ATL cells is different from that on normal lymphocytes and other types of leukemic cells. Leukemic cells from acute type ATL patients synthesize IL‐4R without stimulation, at levels much higher than normal resting lymphocytes and other types of leukemic cells. Furthermore, leukemic cells from acute type ATL showed higher IL‐4R expression than that of chronic type ATL or human T‐cell leukemia virus type I carriers. In addition, there was correlation between expression of IL‐4R on the cell surface and the proliferative response to IL‐4. Both IL‐4 and IL‐2 induced upregulation of IL‐4R on activated normal T cells but not on ATL cells. These results suggest that abnormal expression of IL‐4R may display different biological activities in ATL compared with other types of leukemia. Furthermore, the high expression of IL‐4R in ATL may be involved in the proliferation of leukemic cells and the leukemogenesis in this disease.
The neuropathology of probable Alzheimer disease and mild cognitive impairment

Mixed pathologies are common in older persons with dementia. Little is known about mixed pathologies in probable Alzheimer disease (AD) and about the spectrum of neuropathology in mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The objective of this study was to investigate single and mixed common age‐related neuropathologies in persons with probable AD and MCI.
Segmenting the male pelvic organs from limited angle images with application to ART

CHARLES BRANDON FREDERICK: SEGMENTING THE MALE PELVIC ORGANS FROM LIMITED ANGLE IMAGES WITH APPLICATION TO ART. (Under the direction of David Lalush and Stephen Pizer) Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men, and external beam radiotherapy is a common method for treating prostate cancer. In a clinically state-of-the-art radiotherapy protocol, CT images are taken at treatment time and are used to properly position the patient with respect to the treatment device. In adaptive radiotherapy (ART), this image is used to approximate the actual radiation dose delivered to the patient and track the progress of therapy. Doing so, however, requires that the male pelvic organs of interest be segmented and that correspondence be established between the images (registration), such that cumulative delivered dose can be accumulated in a reference coordinate system. Because a typical prostate radiotherapy treatment is delivered over 30-40 daily fractions, there is a large non-therapeutic radiation dose delivered to the patient from daily imaging. In the interest of reducing this dose, gantry mounted limited angle imaging devices have been developed which reduce dose at the expense of image quality. However, in the male pelvis, such limited angle images are not suitable for the ART process using traditional methods. In this work, a patient specific deformation model is developed that is sufficient for use with limited angle images. This model is learned from daily CT images taken during the first several treatment fractions. Limited angle imaging can then be used for the remaining fractions at decreased dose. When the parameters of this model are set, it provides segmentation of the prostate, bladder, and rectum, correspondence between the images, and a CT-like image that can be used for dose accumulation. However, intra-patient deformation in the male pelvis is complex and quality deformation models
Effect of Grid-Adaptive Interpolation Over Depth Images

A suitable interpolation method is essential to keep the noise level minimum along with the timedelay. In recent years, many different interpolation filters have been developed for instance H.264-6 tap filter, and AVS4 tap filter. This work demonstrates the effects of a four-tap lowpass tap filter (Grid-adaptive filter) on a hole-filled depth image. This paper provides (i) a general form of uniform interpolations for both integer and sub-pixel locations in terms of the sampling interval and filter length, and (ii) compares the effect of different finite impulse response filters on a depth-image. Furthermore, the author proposed and investigated an integrated Grid-adaptive filter, that implement hole-filling and interpolation concurrently, causes reduction in time-delay noticeably along with high PSNR .
A statistical model for morphology inspired by the Amis language

We introduce a statistical model for analysing the morphology of natural languages based on their affixes. The model was inspired by the analysis of Amis, an Austronesian language with a rich morphology. As words contain a root and potential affixes, we associate three vectors with each word: one for the root, one for the prefixes, and one for the suffixes. The morphology captures semantic notions and we show how to approximately predict some of them, for example the type of simple sentences using prefixes and suffixes only. We then define a Sentence vector s associated with each sentence, built from the prefixes and suffixes of the sentence and show how to approximately predict a derivation tree in a grammar.
Analysis of corneal inflammation induced by cauterisation in CCR2 and MCP-1 knockout mice

Aim: To elucidate the role of CCR2/MCP-1 in corneal inflammation. Methods: A cauterisation induced corneal inflammation model was used. The corneas were cauterised with silver nitrate in CCR2 knockout (KO) mice, MCP-1 KO mice, and control mice. Clinical signs such as corneal oedema and opacity were examined 96 hours after cauterisation and the phenotypes of the cells infiltrating the cornea were analysed by flow cytometry. Corneal inflammation in neutrophil depleted mice was also analysed. Results: After cauterisation both CCR2 KO and MCP-1 KO mice showed the same levels of corneal oedema and opacity as control mice. Flow cytometry revealed that in control mice most of the infiltrating cells were neutrophils and macrophages, whereas in both CCR2 KO mice and MCP-1 KO mice, the number of macrophages infiltrating the cornea were markedly reduced. However, prominent infiltrates of neutrophils were still observed in the cornea in CCR2 KO mice and MCP-1 KO mice. The depletion of neutrophils significantly reduced the oedema and opacity induced in the cornea by cauterisation. Conclusion: The CCR2 and MCP-1 molecules are not essential for cauterisation induced corneal inflammation. Neutrophils, rather than migrated macrophages, are the final effector cells involved in inducing inflammation in this model.
Development of a new voltage source inverter (VSI) average model including low frequency harmonics

This paper presents an enhanced average model of a voltage source inverter (VSI) that can accurately predict some of the low frequency phenomena only seen by the switching models. These phenomena include the dead time, voltage drop across switching devices (switch & diode), different modulation and minimum pulse width. Simulation and experimental results with a 2 kW prototype is used for validation purposes. The paper shows the simulation results of both complete switching and proposed average model depicting a great match between the two. The enhanced average model showed very good matching with the switching model, about 2% difference in time domain and also harmonic spectrum analysis.
Novel autoregressive basis structure model for short-term forecasting of customer electricity demand

This paper describes the method of a prototype forecast component of the energy resource management control algorithm for STATCOMs with battery energy storage. It is desired to be computationally efficient and of minimal complexity due to the desired purposes of forecasting each load in a LV network. The forecast model is comprised of a basis structure selected from observed electricity demand data and an electricity demand difference forecasting component estimated by the autoregressive method. The produced forecasting model had a R2 of 0.65 and a standard error of 368.55 W. During validation of the model, discrepancies between the forecasted and observed electricity demand profiles were observed. To overcome forecast model limitations, future work will involve more precise clustering of demand profiles according to additional temporal and environmental variables. This is to enable forecasts under a more diverse range of electricity demand profiles. The final developed forecasting model will be a core component of the firmware controlling STATCOMS with energy storage systems.
miRISC and the CCR4–NOT complex silence mRNA targets independently of 43S ribosomal scanning

miRNAs associate with Argonaute (AGO) proteins to silence the expression of mRNA targets by inhibiting translation and promoting deadenylation, decapping, and mRNA degradation. A current model for silencing suggests that AGOs mediate these effects through the sequential recruitment of GW182 proteins, the CCR4–NOT deadenylase complex and the translational repressor and decapping activator DDX6. An alternative model posits that AGOs repress translation by interfering with eIF4A function during 43S ribosomal scanning and that this mechanism is independent of GW182 and the CCR4–NOT complex in Drosophila melanogaster. Here, we show that miRNAs, AGOs, GW182, the CCR4–NOT complex, and DDX6/Me31B repress and degrade polyadenylated mRNA targets that are translated via scanning‐independent mechanisms in both human and Dm cells. This and additional observations indicate a common mechanism used by these proteins and miRNAs to mediate silencing. This mechanism does not require eIF4A function during ribosomal scanning.
Amniotic membrane as a potent source of stem cells and a matrix for engineering heart tissue

Existing therapies for the treatment of chronic heart failure still have some limitations and there is a pressing need for the development of new therapeutic modalities. The amniotic membrane has been used for the treatment of various diseases, such as conjunctive defects; however, the mechanisms behind its repair functions are still unclear. Regenerative medicine is seeking newer alternatives and among them, biomaterials have emerged in recent years for developing and manipulating molecules, cells, tissues or organs grown in laboratories in order to replace human body parts. Many such materials have been used for this purpose, either synthetically or biologically, in order to provide new medical devices. This review provides a wider view of the regeneration potential of the use of amniotic membrane as a potential biomaterial to facilitate the implementation of new research in surgical procedures. Amniotic membrane appears to be an alternative source of stem cells as well as an excellent biomaterial for cell-based therapeutic applications in engineering heart tissue.
Identification and characterization of the mammalian association and actin‐nucleating domains in the Rickettsia conorii autotransporter protein, Sca2

Establishment of infection by spotted fever group rickettsial species is dependent on the ability of these bacteria to adhere to and invade the host endothelium. Recent studies have attributed these processes to a handful of rickettsial surface proteins from the surface cell antigen (sca) family of autotransporters. A rickettsial autotransporter from Rickettsia conorii, Sca2, has been shown to be sufficient to mediate both adherence and invasion of human endothelial cells and to participate in intracellular actin‐based motility. Here we identify a region of Sca2 capable of interacting with the mammalian cell surface and show that this function of Sca2 is independent and separable from its actin nucleation activity. Furthermore, pre‐incubation of mammalian cells with the Sca2 mammalian association region prior to R. conorii infection can competitively inhibit rickettsial invasion, suggesting that Sca2 plays an important role in the initial interaction with mammalian cells. Together, our results demonstrate that the Sca2 autotransporter protein in R. conorii contains distinct functional domains that likely are involved in mediating cellular interactions at the plasma membrane and the host cytosol.
Ethical dilemmas during cardiac arrest incidents in the patient’s home

Background: The majority (70%) of cardiac arrests in Sweden are experienced in the patient’s home. In these situations, the ambulance nurses may encounter several ethical dilemmas. Aim: The aim was to investigate Swedish specialist ambulance nurses’ experiences of ethical dilemmas associated with cardiac arrest situations in adult patients’ homes. Methods: Nine interviews were conducted with specialist ambulance nurses at four different ambulance stations in the southeast region of Sweden. Data were analysed using content analysis. Ethical considerations: Ethical principles mandated by the Swedish Research Council were carefully followed during the whole process. Findings: Two main themes with six sub-themes were identified: The scene – creating a sheltered space for caring and Ethical decision-making. The results showed that ethical dilemmas might occur when trying to create a sheltered space to preserve the patients’ integrity and dignity. A dilemma could be whether or not to invite significant others to be present during the medical treatment. Ethical decision-making was dependent on good communication and ethical reasoning among all parties. In certain situations, decisions were made not to commence or to terminate care despite guidelines. The decision was guided by combining the medical/nursing perspectives and ethical competence with respect to the human being’s dignity and a will to do good for the patient. The nurses followed the voice of their heart and had the courage to be truly human. Conclusion: The ambulance nurses were guided by their ethos, including the basic motive to care for the patient, to alleviate suffering, to confirm the patient’s dignity and to serve life and health.