Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Space-Time Coding for Multiuser Ultra-Wideband Communications

In this paper, we present the construction of full rate, fully diverse, and totally real space-time (ST) codes for ultra-wideband (UWB) transmissions. In particular, we construct two families of codes adapted to real carrierless UWB communications that employ pulse position modulation, pulse amplitude modulation, or a combination of the two. The first family encodes adjacent symbols and is constructed from totally real cyclic division algebras. The second family encodes the pulses used to convey one information symbol, and permits achieving high performance levels with reduced complexity. The first family of codes achieves only a fraction of the coding gain of the second one. Moreover, these coding gains are independent from the size of the transmitted constellation. For time-hopping multiple-access channels, the amplitude spreading code associated with the second family of codes is taken to be user-specific. In this case, a simple design criterion is proposed, and spreading matrices constructed according to this criterion permit reducing the level of multiple-access interference (MAI). Simulations performed over realistic indoor UWB channels verify the theoretical claims and show high performance levels and better immunity against MAI
Process stability of deuterium-annealed MOSFET's

Recent studies have shown improved NMOSFET transistor hot-carrier lifetime with the inclusion of a low-temperature post-metal anneal in a deuterium ambient. There have been few published results, however, on the optimization of the deuterium anneal or on the effect of further processing on deuterium-annealed samples. This paper reports the first results incorporating deuterium anneals at earlier steps in the process and the stability of the deuterium effect with further wafer processing. We also examine the effects of varying deuterium concentration in the anneal from 10 to 100% and annealing at different temperatures. Finally, the effect of combining a deuterium anneal with nitrided gate oxide is discussed.
Gender bias in cardiovascular testing persists after adjustment for presenting characteristics and cardiac risk.

OBJECTIVES Previous studies have found that female patients receive fewer invasive tests for cardiovascular disease than male patients. The authors assessed whether different clinical characteristics at emergency department presentation account for this gender bias. METHODS Patients with potential acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who presented to a university hospital were prospectively identified. A structured data instrument that included demographic information, chest pain description, history, physical examination, chest radiography, and electrocardiogram (ECG) data was completed. Hospital course was tracked daily. Patients received 30-day telephone follow-up. The main outcome was whether the patients received objective evaluation for coronary artery disease after adjustment for cardiac risk, including race, age, total number of risk factors, Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) score, ECG, and whether the patient sustained an acute myocardial infarction on index hospitalization. RESULTS There were 3,514 women (58%) and 2,547 men (42%) studied. They had similar presenting characteristics: chest pain quality (pressure/tightness: female 60% vs. male 59%, p = 0.6), location (substernal: female 82% vs. male 80%; p = 0.2), radiation (female 27% vs. male 26%; p = 0.3), and most associated symptoms. Men had more cardiac risk factors (mean 1.5 vs 1.4; p < 0.001), more abnormal ECGs (59% vs. 48%; p < 0.001), and a higher TIMI risk score (p < 0.001). With respect to the main outcome, men received more cardiac catheterizations (12.6% vs. 6.0%; odds ratio [OR], 2.25; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.88 to 2.70) and more stress tests (14.7% vs. 12.3%; OR, 1.22; 95% CI = 1.05 to 1.42). After adjustment for age, race, cardiac risk factors, ECG, and TIMI risk score, men still received more cardiac catheterizations (adjusted OR, 1.72; 95% CI = 1.40 to 2.11) and stress tests (adjusted OR, 1.16; 95% CI = 1.01 to 1.33). Models adjusting for acute myocardial infarction or death, high-risk initial clinical impression, or emergency department disposition found similar results for increased likelihood of cardiac catheterization in men but no difference in stress testing between men and women. CONCLUSIONS Female patients with potential ACS receive fewer cardiac catheterizations than male patients, even when presenting complaint, history, ECG, and diagnosis are taken into account. The gender bias cannot be explained by differences in presentation or clinical course.
Measuring the Topic-Level Impact of Experts in Scholarly Network

Identifying the most influential scientific experts is of vital importance for exploring scientific collaborations to increase productivity by sharing and transferring knowledge within and across different research areas. However, most state-of-the-art expert finding approaches have usually studied candidates’ personal information and network information separately. In this dissertation research, we propose a Topical and Weighted Factor Graph (TWFG) model that simultaneously combines all the possible information in a unified way. In addition, we also design the Loopy Max-Product algorithm and related message-passing schedules to perform approximate inference on our cycle-containing factor graph model. Information Retrieval will be chosen as the test field to identify representative scholars for different topics within this area. Finally, we will compare our approach with three baseline methods in terms of topic sensitivity, coverage rate of SIGIR PC members (e.g. Program Committees or Program Chairs) and NDCG (Normalized Discounted Cumulated Gain) scores for different rankings on each topic.
Application of systematic review methods to qualitative research: practical issues.

AIM This paper explores practical methodological issues which arise from the application of systematic review and meta-synthesis techniques to qualitative research studies in the context of a pragmatic health services research question. BACKGROUND The emphasis on, and volume of, qualitative research is increasing. As a result, there is a need to integrate and disseminate qualitative research findings. However, relatively little has been written about the methodology of systematically reviewing and meta-synthesizing qualitative research studies, and about the practical issues which arise in the course of these processes. METHODS A systematic review and meta-synthesis was undertaken of qualitative research studies reporting data relevant to the pragmatic health services research question: "What factors facilitate or impede role development and/or effective practice as a clinical nurse specialist, nurse practitioner, advanced nurse practitioner or consultant nurse based in acute hospital settings? " FINDINGS The identification of relevant studies is substantially more time-consuming than the identification of relevant studies for a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. A substantially larger proportion of papers has to be retrieved for full reading. Articles with unclear titles which lack abstracts cannot be dismissed as irrelevant. Study appraisal and data analysis, being iterative processes, are also more time-consuming than the appraisal and meta-analysis of quantitative studies. It may be possible to reduce the frustrations inherent in the distance between the reviewer and the participants in the primary research by using full project reports rather than published articles. CONCLUSIONS Conducting a systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative research studies is a rewarding but demanding activity, and adequate time and resources must be made available. Some recommendations are made which may facilitate those processes.
Topical 5‐Fluorouracil Treatment of Superficial Basal Cell Epithelioma. A Light and Electron Microscopic Study

A 27‐year‐old patient developed superficial basal cell epitheliomas approximately 20 years after taking Fowler's solution. One of the lesions was successfully treated with topical 2% 5‐fluorouracil solution under occlusion. Sequential biopsies of the lesion before, during and after therapy were examined by light and electron microscopy, and the changes at various stages are described. Changes occurred only in tumor cells and adjacent epidermis, and only after occlusion of 5‐FU. After one week of occlusive therapy, focal discontinuities in the basal lamina and intercellular spaces were wider with reduction and condensation of tonofilaments. Mitochondrial degeneration was seen along with irregularities in nucleoli. These changes were most prominent after two weeks of occlusive therapy, and many degenerating keratinocytes were seen detached from other cells. One month after cessation of therapy, the entire area was excised, and no evidence of tumor was seen.
Parametric analysis of transient skin heating induced by terahertz radiation

This paper investigates the effect of relevant physical parameters on transient temperature elevation induced in human tissues by electromagnetic waves in the terahertz (THz) band. The problem is defined by assuming a plane wave, which, during a limited time interval, normally impinges on the surface of a 3‐layer model of the human body, causing a thermal transient. The electromagnetic equations are solved analytically, while the thermal ones are handled according to the finite element method. A parametric analysis is performed with the aim of identifying the contribution of each parameter, showing that the properties of the first skin layer (except blood flow) play a major role in the computation of the maximum temperature rise for the considered exposure situation. Final results, obtained by combining all relevant parameters together, show that the deviation from the reference solution of the maximum temperature elevation in skin is included in the coverage intervals from −30% to +10% at 0.1 THz and from −33% to +18% at 1 THz (with 95% confidence level). These data allow bounding the possible temperature increase against the spread of tissue properties that could be reasonably used for dosimetric simulations. Bioelectromagnetics. 35:314–323, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Line of sight rate estimation of strapdown imaging guidance system based on unscented Kalman filter

Models of the strapdown imaging guidance system are derived and corresponding estimation problem is considered in this paper. In comparison with the conventional imaging guidance systems, there are high nonlinearity in both process and measurement models, and measurement is more seriously corrupted by noise since wider instantaneous field of view for the stapdown imaging seeker. Considering these properties, the unscented Kalman filter (UKF) is applied to estimate line of sight (LOS) rate. The UKF propagates statistics of random variable more accurately than the extended Kalman filter (EKF) does for nonlinear system. Furthermore, the UKF avoids calculating Jacobian matrices which are complicated usually, and sometimes singular and thus in feasible for the EKF. At the last, Monte Carlo simulations are performed, and results show that the UKF is superior to the EKF for the strapdown imaging guidance system.
Which technique to use when eliciting knowledge from an expert

A knowledge elicitation technique selection for a knowledge elicitation from an expert still represents a problem in a KBS development. In this paper is presented an original computer program for technique selection and a changed program that was aimed at improving the selection. Both programs use certain factor values as a starting point, but the first program is based on a technique grading and the second on decision trees. Comparison and testing results for both programs are presented.
Merkel cell tumour of the skin

Two cases of a rare neuroendocrine skin tumour (Merkel cell carcinoma) are reported. The tumour affects mainly old women and men. It has a great tendency to metastasize to lymph nodes and distant sites. The primary treatment is surgical but radiotherapy has an important role to play. Merkel cell tumours are capable of producing NSE and have also been documented to secrete calcitonin and ACTH. Difficulties in histological diagnosis are frequent. The definitive diagnosis can only be made by electron microscopic examination.
Autosomal linkage scan for loci predisposing to comorbid dependence on multiple substances

Multiple substance dependence (MSD) trait comorbidity is common, and MSD patients are often severely affected clinically. While shared genetic risks have been documented, so far there has been no published report using the linkage scan approach to survey risk loci for MSD as a phenotype. A total of 1,758 individuals in 739 families [384 African American (AA) and 355 European American (EA) families] ascertained via affected sib‐pairs with cocaine or opioid or alcohol dependence were genotyped using an array‐based linkage panel of single‐nucleotide polymorphism markers. Fuzzy clustering analysis was conducted on individuals with alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, opioid, and nicotine dependence for AAs and EAs separately, and linkage scans were conducted for the output membership coefficients using Merlin‐regression. In EAs, we observed an autosome‐wide significant linkage signal on chromosome 4 (peak lod = 3.31 at 68.3 cM; empirical autosome‐wide P = 0.038), and a suggestive linkage signal on chromosome 21 (peak lod = 2.37 at 19.4 cM). In AAs, four suggestive linkage peaks were observed: two peaks on chromosome 10 (lod = 2.66 at 96.7 cM and lod = 3.02 at 147.6 cM] and the other two on chromosomes 3 (lod = 2.81 at 145.5 cM) and 9 (lod = 1.93 at 146.8 cM). Three particularly promising candidate genes, GABRA4, GABRB1, and CLOCK, are located within or very close to the autosome‐wide significant linkage region for EAs on chromosome 4. This is the first linkage evidence supporting existence of genetic loci influencing risk for several comorbid disorders simultaneously in two major US populations. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Lyophilization of Dispersed Systems: Influence of Freezing Process, Freezing time, Freezing Temperature and RBCs Concentration on RBCs Hemolysis

ABSTRACT In this work, we studied the influence of different parameters controlling cooling stage on biological dispersed system injury. The human red blood cell (RBCs) was chosen as work model. The study examined the influence of two freezing processes on RBCs hemolysis, one process producing big crystals, the other producing small crystals. Using both processes, we examined the effect of freezing temperature, freezing time, and RBCs concentration on injuries to RBCs. Freezing damage was assessed by the hematocrite measure before freezing and after thawing. The process producing a small number of big ice crystals (Pa) seems—in relation to the one producing a large number of small ice crystals (Pb)—to be less traumatic for the RBC, although the two are not statistically different. Freezing temperature and freezing time influence the preservation of RBCs. At 0 and −20°C there were high preservation and total hemolysis, respectively. At −5°C and −10°C, the RBC hemolysis depends on freezing temperature and freezing time. The RBCs hemolysis rates increases when freezing time increases and when freezing temperature decreases. The rates of RBCs preserved decreases with RBCs concentration some with either the freezing process used (Pa or Pb). More, an accentuation of the difference between the two used freezing processes on RBCs hemolysis was retrieved. The analysis of the conductivity evolution within the RBCs suspension frozen showed that the destruction of the RBCs is had essentially to the solution effects. When the crystallization eutectic takes place, the RBCs are already completely destroyed.
Wireless Sensor Network for Environmental Monitoring: Application in a Coffee Factory

Wireless sensor networks have been a big promise during the last few years, but a lack of real applications makes difficult the establishment of this technology. In this paper a real monitoring application in an instant coffee factory is presented. This application belongs to the group of environmental solutions based on wireless sensor networks, and it is focused on the impact of the instant coffee production processes in one of the largest instant coffee factories in Europe. The paper includes the entire application scenario, from the hardware of the WSN nodes to the software that will evaluate the impact and will close the loop.
System for prosodic modification of corpus synthetized Slovak speech

In this article, a design of an improvement of a TTS system for Slovak speech synthesis is described. The improvement consists of a new type of parametric corpus storing, that allows prosodic modification of the speech in real-time processing. This approach is based on a HNM (harmonic plus noise) model that represents speech signals as a sum of a harmonic and a noise part. The decomposition of speech signal into these two parts enables more natural sounding modifications of the signal. The parametric representation of speech provides a straightforward way of changing prosodic features of the speech. Our algorithm is based on the parametric storing approach, where the speech is stored not as usual by PCM coding, but as sinusoidal parameters of HNM model.
Effects of simulated microgravity on nitric oxide level in cardiac myocytes and its mechanism

The depression of cardiac contractility induced by space microgravity is an important issue of aerospace medicine research, while its precise mechanism is still unknown. In the present study, we explored effects of simulated microgravity on nitric oxide (NO) level, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression and related regulative mechanism using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy, immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization. We found a remarkable increase of NO level and up-regulation of iNOS and iNOS mRNA expression in rat cardiac myocytes under simulated microgravity. Staurosporine (a nonselective protein kinase inhibitor), calphostin C (a selective protein kinase C inhibitor), partially inhibited the effect of simulated microgravity. Thus regulative effect of simulated microgravity on iNOS expression is mediated at least partially via activation of protein kinase C. These results indicate that NO system in cardiac myocytes is sensitive to simulated microgravity and may play an important role in the depression of cardiac contractility induced by simulated microgravity.
Binaural model-based dynamic-range compression

Abstract Objective: Binaural cues such as interaural level differences (ILDs) are used to organise auditory perception and to segregate sound sources in complex acoustical environments. In bilaterally fitted hearing aids, dynamic-range compression operating independently at each ear potentially alters these ILDs, thus distorting binaural perception and sound source segregation. Design: A binaurally-linked model-based fast-acting dynamic compression algorithm designed to approximate the normal-hearing basilar membrane (BM) input–output function in hearing-impaired listeners is suggested. A multi-center evaluation in comparison with an alternative binaural and two bilateral fittings was performed to assess the effect of binaural synchronisation on (a) speech intelligibility and (b) perceived quality in realistic conditions. Study sample: 30 and 12 hearing impaired (HI) listeners were aided individually with the algorithms for both experimental parts, respectively. Results: A small preference towards the proposed model-based algorithm in the direct quality comparison was found. However, no benefit of binaural-synchronisation regarding speech intelligibility was found, suggesting a dominant role of the better ear in all experimental conditions. Conclusion: The suggested binaural synchronisation of compression algorithms showed a limited effect on the tested outcome measures, however, linking could be situationally beneficial to preserve a natural binaural perception of the acoustical environment.
Dimension reduction techniques for accessing Chinese readability

Machine learning-based techniques have been used to assess document readability in recent studies. One of the important issues of machine learning-based text classification techniques is to reduce the dimension of the document vectors. Different feature selection and feature extraction methods such as mutual information, chi-square test, information gain, PCA, and LSA are compared for assessing Chinese readability. We also compare classification techniques SVM and LDA. The experimental results indicate that the combination of chi-square feature selection method and SVM performs well.
A Comparison of Two Simulated Annealing Algorithms Applied to the Directed Steiner Problem on Networks

The well-known Steiner problem on networks is an NP-complete problem for which there are many deterministic algorithms and heuristics. In this paper a new approach to the directed version of this problem is made by applying the ideas of statistical mechanics through the use of the method of simulated annealing. Two different types of cooling algorithms are tailored to the Directed Steiner Problem. Computations are done on a test bed of 480 random graphs in order to study the performance of these algorithms. In addition to the quality of the final answers, the study looks at the distribution of first occurrences during the execution of the cooling schedules of answers that are within 3% of the optimum. The study suggests that these near-optimal answers appear according to an approximately exponential distribution and that they can be obtained in polynomial time. Experiments also indicate that for random graphs annealing usually gives near-optimal answers in less time than does branch and bound. INFORMS Journal on Computing , ISSN 1091-9856, was published as ORSA Journal on Computing from 1989 to 1995 under ISSN 0899-1499.
Hybrid Approach to Conduct Failure Prognostics of Automotive Electronic Control Unit

A model/sensor hybrid approach is implemented to conduct failure prognostics of an automotive electronic control unit (ECU). A 3-D finite element model simulating a complex ECU is built, and its predictability is calibrated and verified by an optical displacement measurement technique called moiré interferometry. The stress states of the ECUs during thermal cyclic loadings are documented by piezoresistive-based stress sensors embedded in the test vehicles. The verified model is then utilized to develop a quantitative relationship between the stress senor data and the stress of the most critical locations in the ECU. The modeling and verification steps that lead to the predictive finite element model are described. The stress history of the critical locations obtained by the hybrid approach is presented.