Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Percutaneous Endoscopic Discectomy via Transforaminal Route for Discal Cyst

Background. Discal cyst has been identified as a rare cause of low back pain and radiating leg pain. The pathogenesis and management of this condition are still debated. The largest number of reported cases had undergone microsurgery while very few cases have been treated with percutaneous endoscopic discectomy (PED). Methods. An 18-year-old boy complained of low back pain radiating to right leg after a minor road traffic accident. Diagnosis of a discal cyst at L4-L5 level was made based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Despite conservative management for 6 months, the low back pain and radiating leg pain persisted so surgical treatment by PED was performed under local anesthesia. As the patient was a very active baseball player, his physician recommended a minimally invasive procedure to avoid damage to the back muscles. Results. The patient's low back pain and leg pain disappeared immediately after surgery and he made a rapid recovery. He resumed mild exercise and sports practice 4 weeks after surgery. Complete regression of the cystic lesion was demonstrated on the 2-month postoperative MRI. Conclusion. A minimal invasive procedure like PED can be an effective surgical treatment for discal cyst, especially in active individuals who play sports.
Turning the Table: Plants Consume Microbes as a Source of Nutrients

Interactions between plants and microbes in soil, the final frontier of ecology, determine the availability of nutrients to plants and thereby primary production of terrestrial ecosystems. Nutrient cycling in soils is considered a battle between autotrophs and heterotrophs in which the latter usually outcompete the former, although recent studies have questioned the unconditional reign of microbes on nutrient cycles and the plants' dependence on microbes for breakdown of organic matter. Here we present evidence indicative of a more active role of plants in nutrient cycling than currently considered. Using fluorescent-labeled non-pathogenic and non-symbiotic strains of a bacterium and a fungus (Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, respectively), we demonstrate that microbes enter root cells and are subsequently digested to release nitrogen that is used in shoots. Extensive modifications of root cell walls, as substantiated by cell wall outgrowth and induction of genes encoding cell wall synthesizing, loosening and degrading enzymes, may facilitate the uptake of microbes into root cells. Our study provides further evidence that the autotrophy of plants has a heterotrophic constituent which could explain the presence of root-inhabiting microbes of unknown ecological function. Our discovery has implications for soil ecology and applications including future sustainable agriculture with efficient nutrient cycles.
An upload bandwidth threshold for peer-to-peer Video-on-Demand scalability

We consider the fully distributed Video-on-Demand problem, where n nodes called boxes store a large set of videos and collaborate to serve simultaneously n videos or less between them. It is said to be scalable when Ω(n) videos can be distributively stored under the condition that any sequence of demands for these videos can always be satisfied. Our main result consists in establishing a threshold on the average upload bandwidth of a box, above which the system becomes scalable. We are thus interested in the normalized upload capacity u = upload bandwidth/video bitrate of a box. The number m of distinct videos stored in the system is called its catalog size. We show an upload capacity threshold of 1 for scalability in a homogeneous system, where all boxes have the same upload capacity. More precisely, a system with u ≪ 1 has constant catalog size m = O(1) (every box must store some data of every video). On the other hand, for u ≫ 1, an homogeneous system where all boxes have same upload capacity at least u admits a static allocation of m = Ω(n) videos into the boxes such that any adversarial sequence of video demands can be satisfied. Moreover, such an allocation can be obtained randomly with high probability. This result is generalized to a system of boxes that have heterogeneous upload capacities under some balancing conditions.
Probabilistic Semantics for Natural Language

Probabilistic and stochastic methods have been fruitfully applied to a wide variety of problems in grammar induction, natural language processing, and cognitive modeling. In this paper we explore the possibility of developing a class of combinatorial semantic representations for natural languages that compute the semantic value of a (declarative) sentence as a probability value which expresses the likelihood of competent speakers of the language accepting the sentence as true in a given model, relative to a specification of the world. Such an approach to semantic representation treats the pervasive gradience of semantic properties as intrinsic to speakers’ linguistic knowledge, rather than the result of the interference of performance factors in processing and interpretation. In order for this research program to succeed, it must solve three central problems. First, it needs to formulate a type system that computes the probability value of a sentence from the semantic values of its syntactic constituents. Second, it must incorporate a viable probabilistic logic into the representation of semantic knowledge in order to model meaning entailment. Finally, it must show how the specified class of semantic representations can be efficiently learned. We construct a probabilistic semantic fragment and consider how the approach that the fragment instantiates addresses each of these three issues. 2 Probabilistic Semantics for Natural Language
MGF Approach to the Analysis of Generalized Two-Ray Fading Models

We analyze a class of generalized two-ray (GTR) fading channels that consist of two line-of-sight (LOS) components with random phase plus a diffuse component. We derive a closed-form expression for the moment-generating function of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for this model, which greatly simplifies its analysis. This expression arises from the observation that the GTR fading model can be expressed in terms of a conditional underlying Rician distribution. We illustrate the approach to derive simple expressions for statistics and performance metrics of interest, such as the amount of fading, the level crossing rate, the symbol error rate, and the ergodic capacity in GTR fading channels. We also show that the effect of considering a more general distribution for the phase difference between the LOS components has an impact on the average SNR.
Instantaneous Frequency Estimation Using the  ${\rm S}$ -Transform

Instantaneous frequency (IF) is a fundamental concept that can be found in many disciplines such as communications, speech, and music processing. In this letter, analysis of an IF estimator, based on a time-frequency technique known as S-transform, is performed. The performance analysis is carried out in a white Gaussian noise environment, and expressions for the bias and the variance of the estimator are determined. The results show that the bias and the variance are signal dependent. This has been statistically confirmed through numerical simulations of several signal classes.
Determinants of the Firm Innovation: The Turkish Case

Achieving a successful innovation appears to be a significant strategy for remaining competitive in business for all firms. However, introducing determinants which bring success in innovation and producing strategies according to these determinants is a complex process for firms. In order to clarify this process, attempts towards producing determinants are made in the light of surveys using a number of variables carried out nation-wide by many researchers. In this study, our main aim is identifying the innovation determinants of the firms in Turkey, thus addressing an important mission in the field. Variables used in this study have been identified and analyzed by blending the variables stated in the determinant studies in the literature and in the limitations of data from Community Innovation Survey carried out by Turkstat in 2008. In the analysis, data from 5863 firms have been used. As a result of six logistic regression models built upon the dependent variable of the presence or absence of product/service innovation, the determinants of Turkish firms regarding product and service innovations have been identified and the relevant data presented. Consequently, in addition to making firm-based suggestions, recommendations for changes in Turkish innovation policy are also made.
Low socio‐economic status associated with unhealthy weight in six‐year‐old Swedish children despite higher levels of physical activity

Socio‐economic status is an important determinant of physical activity, sedentary behaviour and body mass index, but these associations are contradictory in younger children. We investigated the associations between parental socio‐economic status, physical activity, sedentary behaviour and body mass index in six‐year‐old children, to identify possible differences in physical activity between socio‐economic groups.
Pseudo generators for under-resolved molecular dynamics What does the Smoluchowski equation tell us about the spatial dynamics of molecular systems ?

Many features of a molecule which are of physical interest (e.g. molecular conformations, reaction rates) are described in terms of its dynamics in configuration space. This article deals with the projection of molecular dynamics in phase space onto configuration space. Specifically, we study the situation that the phase space dynamics is governed by a stochastic Langevin equation and study its relation with the configurational Smoluchowski equation in the three different scaling regimes: Firstly, the Smoluchowski equations in non-Cartesian geometries are derived from the overdamped limit of the Langevin equation. Secondly, transfer operator methods are used to describe the metastable behaviour of the system at hand, and an explicit small-time asymptotics is derived on which the Smoluchowski equation turns out to govern the dynamics of the position coordinate (without any assumptions on the damping). By using an adequate reduction technique, these considerations are then extended to one-dimensional reaction coordinates. Thirdly, we sketch three different approaches to approximate the metastable dynamics based on time-local information only.
Grain Boundary in Oxide Scale During High-Temperature Metal Processing

Grain boundary in oxide scale has profound influences on the deformation behaviour and tribological properties of metal alloys at high temperature. This chapter introduces some recent progress to quantify microstructure and interface quality, providing examples of possible property variations. Some fundamental issues of oxidation mechanism have been given, consisting of crystal structures of iron oxides and oxidation of steel alloys. Two main things are addressed: One is what the characters of grain boundaries are developed in the oxide scale, which is associated with grain shape and size, microtexture, and special grain boundaries such as coincident site lattice (CSL) boundaries. Another is the role of grain boundaries played during metal processing, including initial oxidation via grain boundary diffusion, stress and deformation processing, and tribological properties of oxide scale at metal processing. Finally, a more extensive effort was also made to summarise the experimental techniques used to investigate oxide scale.
Self‐trimerization of ExsD limits inhibition of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa transcriptional activator ExsA in vitro

The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa ranks among the leading causes of nosocomial infection. The type III secretion system (T3SS) aids acute Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection by injecting potent cytotoxins into host cells to suppress the host's innate immune response. Expression of all T3SS‐related genes is strictly dependent on the transcription factor ExsA. Consequently, ExsA and the biological processes that regulate ExsA function are of great biomedical interest. The present study focused on the ExsA–ExsC–ExsD–ExsE signaling cascade, which ties host cell contact to the upregulation of T3SS gene expression. Prior to T3SS induction, the antiactivator protein ExsD binds to ExsA and blocks ExsA‐dependent transcription by interfering with ExsA dimerization and promoter interactions. Upon host cell contact, ExsD is sequestered by the T3SS chaperone ExsC, resulting in the release of ExsA and upregulation of the T3SS. Previous studies have shown that the ExsD–ExsA interactions are not freely reversible. Because independently folded ExsD and ExsA were not found to interact, it has been hypothesized that folding intermediates of the two proteins form the complex. Here, we demonstrate, for the first time, that ExsD alone is sufficient to inhibit ExsA‐dependent transcription in vitro and that no other cellular factors are required. More significantly, we show that independently folded ExsD and ExsA are capable of interacting, but only at 37 °C and not at 30 °C. Guided by the crystal structure of ExsD, we designed a monomeric variant of the protein, and demonstrated that ExsD trimerization prevents ExsD from inhibiting ExsA‐dependent transcription at 30 °C. We propose that this unique mechanism plays an important role in T3SS regulation.
Adalimumab markedly improves enthesitis in patients with psoriatic arthritis: Evaluation with a magnetic resonance imaging scoring system

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA), a seronegative arthropathy, may often result in progressive joint damage without treatment, leading to disability and impaired quality of life. Early therapeutic intervention of PsA is therefore crucial before the development of irreversible joint damage. Because psoriatic skin lesions generally precede the onset of PsA, dermatologists occupy an important position in treating patients with early PsA. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of adalimumab in treating joint disease in patients with PsA, using the PsA magnetic resonance imaging scoring system (PsAMRIS). Five adult Japanese male patients with active PsA were treated with adalimumab. Magnetic resonance imaging was obtained at baseline and 8–32 weeks with 2–3 time points following adalimumab treatment and assessed using PsAMRIS. Adalimumab treatment markedly improved clinical symptoms and disease activities of joint disease, which was confirmed by the reduction of PsAMRIS scores in all patients. Bone marrow edema and periarticular inflammation, reflecting the presence of enthesitis, were dramatically improved at week 8, while improvement of synovitis and flexor tenosynovitis was observed later, at week 24 or 32. However, bone erosion was not improved by adalimumab treatment during the follow‐up period. These results indicate that adalimumab treatment is associated with dramatic improvement of enthesitis in patients with PsA, whereas bone erosion may be resistant to such treatment. PsAMRIS appears to be useful for the evaluation of treatment efficacy in PsA.
Semantic and Discourse Processing with a Feature Structure-based Production System

This paper presents a production (rulebased) system designed to implement a general purpose discourse processing engine for spoken dialogue systems, and tries to show that the engine can carry out discourse and semantic analyses of various phenomena in spoken language in an integrated manner. The function of the engine is to give semantic/discourse analysis to parsed utterances and to determine proper action for the dialogue system where it is embedded. The production system is equipped with mechanisms for 1) hypothesis handling, 2) simple deduction by class definitions, and 3) lexicon look-up. The core of the semantic/discourse analysis is its discourse object management by which reference resolution is done. The paper will show that the discourse object management mechanism used in the engine can deal with a wide range of spoken language phenomena such as anaphora, cataphora or inversion, ellipsis, and fragmentary input.
A Local Support-Operators Diffusion Discretization Scheme for Hexahedral Meshes

Abstract We derive a cell-centered 3-D diffusion differencing scheme for unstructured hexahedral meshes using the local support-operators method. Our method is said to be local because it yields a sparse matrix representation for the diffusion equation, whereas the traditional support-operators method yields a dense matrix representation. The diffusion discretization scheme that we have developed offers several advantages relative to existing schemes. Most importantly, it offers second-order accuracy on reasonably well-behaved nonsmooth meshes, rigorously treats material discontinuities, and has a symmetric positive-definite coefficient matrix. The order of accuracy is demonstrated computationally rather than theoretically. Rigorous treatment of material discontinuities implies that the normal component of the flux is continuous across such discontinuities while the parallel components may be either continuous or discontinuous in accordance with the exact solution to the problem being considered. The only disadvantage of the method is that it has both cell-centered and face-centered scalar unknowns as opposed to just cell-center scalar unknowns. Computational examples are given which demonstrate the accuracy and cost of the new scheme.
Analysis of on-off patterns in VoIP and their effect on voice traffic aggregation

We present an experimental analysis of on-off patterns in voice over IP (VoIP), where we study the talk-spurt/gap distribution produced by two modern silence detectors: ITU G.729 Annex B Voice Activity Detector (VAD) and NeVoT Silence Detector (SD). The results indicate that spurt/gap distributions are fairly sensitive to both the sound volume and the type of silence detectors, but all showed that the traditional assumption of exponential distribution does not always fit well with the audio sessions we recorded. Both the spurt and gap distributions are more "heavy-tailed" than the exponential curve. In particular, the gap distribution deviates much more strongly from the exponential model, even when "hangover" is applied. To estimate how such deviation affects VoIP applications, we investigate the performance of voice traffic multiplexing. In particular, we look at the probability of having a out-of-profile packet (p/sub o/) when a token bucket filter is placed at the multiplexing end. We ran a series of simulations under three increasingly accurate settings: the exponential model, the real CDF, and the raw silence detector outputs. The token bucket results are robust with regard to the details of the distribution. This is particularly true when the multiplexing factor N is large and the token buffer size B is not too big. When N is small and/or B is big, however, the estimated p/sub o/ under the real CDF is about 30% to 200% larger than under the exponential model. The relative difference between the raw silence detector outputs and the real CDF is generally much smaller than between the real CDF and the exponential model. Therefore, the data traffic in VoIP has a small temporal correlation and a secondary effect on the multiplexer performance.
Advanced Tools for Cyber Ranges

In response to the growing number and variety of cyber threats, the government, military, and industry are widely employing network emulation environments for cyber capability testing and cyber warfare training. These “cyber ranges” have been increasing in size and complexity to model the high-volume network traffic and sophisticated attacks seen on the Internet today. For cyber ranges to operate effectively and efficiently, organizations need tools to automate range operations, increase the fidelity of emulated network traffic, and visualize range activity. Lincoln Laboratory has developed a variety of such tools. » With the recent high-profile cyber attacks on government agencies, such as the U.S. Office of Personnel Management [1], and on companies, including Target, Home Depot, and Sony [2], the dangers of cyber attacks have gained national prominence. Cyber attacks threaten not only the security of personal data but also the national critical infrastructure, for example, power grids and transportation systems [3]. To mitigate the cyber threat, researchers are actively developing cyber defense tools. Before these tools can be deployed in corporate or military networks, they must be tested and validated in realistic environments. Simple tests conducted on developers’ computers are insufficient because these tests do not have the required level of realism. Needed are high-fidelity, surrogate networks (i.e., cyber ranges) in which we can introduce attackers, defenders, and defensive and offensive capabilities, and measure the performance of these capabilities in the hands of skilled network defenders pitted against realistic adversaries. To help create and operate these cyber ranges, tools are needed to (1) automate the configuration and generation of complex network environments; (2) create high-fidelity emulated user traffic on these networks; and (3) effectively operate and visualize the rich traffic environment being executed on the range during an event, i.e., a scenario to test capabilities or train personnel.
A prototype low-cost wakeup radio for the 868 MHz band

In many wireless sensor network scenarios, battery-powered nodes must operate for years, which necessitate the need for advanced power management of the radio. In this paper, we pursue the idea of using a second, ultra low-power radio that can be used to trigger a remote interrupt, so that a receiver can fire up its primary radio to engage in efficient high-speed communication with the sender. Wakeup radio avoids the complex bookkeeping associated with energy-efficient MAC protocols, but at the price of additional hardware. We present the first design of a low-cost wakeup radio made out of standard components. Our working prototype implementation operates in the European license-free 868 MHz band, and includes a specialised low-power microcontroller filtering out interference (e.g. GSM signals), which makes it practical for use in many real-world settings.
From microstructure to mechanical properties of compatibilized polylactide/thermoplastic starch blends

Bio-degradable polymer blends of polylactic acid/thermoplastic starch (PLA/TPS) were prepared via direct melt blending varying order of mixing of ingredients fed into the extruder. The effect of interface interactions between PLA and TPS in the presence of maleic anhydride (MA) compatibilizer on the microstructure and mechanical properties was then investigated. The prepared PLA/TPS blends were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), tensile, and rheological measurements. Morphology of PLA/TPS shows that the introduction of MA into the polymer matrix increases the presence of TPS at the interface region. DSC results revealed the reduction of glass transition temperature of PLA with contributions from both TPS and MA. The crystallization temperature was decreased by the addition of MA leading to reduction of overall crystallization of PLA/TPS blend. The mechanical measurements show that increasing MA content up to 2 wt % enhances the modulus of PLA/TPS more than 45% compared to the corresponding blends free of MA compatibilizer. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 44734.