Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparative study of five LMS-based adaptive time delay estimators

A number of adaptive algorithms have been proposed to model the delay between signals received at two spatially separated sensors using an FIR filter. Among them, there are the LMSTDE, CTDE, ETDE, SETDE and ETDGE, which are computationally efficient because of the LMS implementation. These five methods are compared in terms of estimation accuracy and computational complexity. It is proved that the LMSTDE and ETDGE attain performance for sufficiently long filter lengths, although the ETDE and SETDE perform similarly to the ETDGE at high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and low SNR, respectively. The CTDE involves minimum computational load but it is the worst estimator in the presence of noise. In addition, optimum realisations of the LMSTDE as well as the ETDE and its variants are derived and their delay variances are compared with the Cramer-Rao lower bound. Simulation results show that ETDGE outperforms the other four methods for a wide range of filter lengths at different SNRs.
A Small-Molecule Modulator of Poly-α2,8-Sialic Acid Expression on Cultured Neurons and Tumor Cells

Poly-α2,8-sialic acid (PSA) has been implicated in numerous normal and pathological processes, including development, neuronal plasticity, and tumor metastasis. We report that cell surface PSA expression can be reversibly inhibited by a small molecule,N-butanoylmannosamine (ManBut). Inhibition occurs through a metabolic mechanism in which ManBut is converted to unnatural sialic acid derivatives that effectively act as chain terminators during cellular PSA biosynthesis. N-Propanoylmannosamine (ManProp), which differs from ManBut by a single methylene group, did not inhibit PSA biosynthesis. Modulation of PSA expression by chemical means has a role complementary to genetic and biochemical approaches in the study of complex PSA-mediated events.
The Impact of De-epithelialization of the Amniotic Membrane Matrix on Morphology of Cultured Human Limbal Epithelial Cells Subject to Eye Bank Storage

Purpose: To investigate whether human limbal epithelial cells (HLEC) that have been cultured on intact or de-epithelialized amniotic membranes (AMs) demonstrate differences in morphology after 1 week of eye bank storage. Methods: HLEC were cultured from limbal explants for 3 weeks on intact AM and AM deprived of the amniotic epithelial cells by incubation with 0.02% ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid followed by mechanical scraping. The HLEC cultures were stored for 1 week in a closed container in a serum-based medium at 23°C. The surface morphology was assessed using scanning electron microscopy, and a quantitative comparison of desmosome and hemidesmosome numbers was performed using transmission electron microscopy. Results: Although most superficial epithelial cells were closely attached to each other, with tightly opposed cell junctions and distinct cell borders, there was evidence of some cell separation in HLEC that had been cultured on intact and denuded AM after 1 week of storage. In both experimental groups, the epithelia were well stratified, consisting of basal column-shaped cells, suprabasal cuboid wing cells, and flat squamous superficial cells, but dilated intercellular spaces were observed. The total number of desmosomes per micron was 1.39 ± 0.77 in HLEC cultured on intact AM versus 0.98 ± 0.45 in HLEC expanded on denuded AM (P = 0.76). The total number of hemidesmosomes per micron in HLEC cultured on intact AM and denuded AM was 0.87 ± 0.34 and 0.78 ± 0.31, respectively (P = 0.70). Conclusions: Denuding of AM does not improve the structural integrity of cultured HLEC after eye bank storage.
Collective Sentiment Classification Based on User Leniency and Product Popularity

We propose a method of collective sentiment classification that assumes dependencies among labels of an input set of reviews. The key observation behind our method is that the distribution of polarity labels over reviews written by each user or written on each product is often skewed in the real world; intolerant users tend to report complaints while popular products are likely to receive praise. We encode these characteristics of users and products (referred to as user leniency and product popularity) by introducing global features in supervised learning. To resolve dependencies among labels of a given set of reviews, we explore two approximated decoding algorithms, “easiest-first decoding” and “twostage decoding”. Experimental results on two real-world datasets with product and user/product information confirmed that our method contributed greatly to the classification accuracy.
Translational offset detection based on far-field intensity for grating tiling

The far-field intensity is detected from far-field image to estimate the piston distance between two gratings. The image processing algorithm includes projections along the horizontal and vertical directions, search for each focal spot's centre, feature extraction and intensity computation. Each focal spot's centre can be found with the projections. A self-growing method is used for feature extraction, where the threshold value depends on the gray value of each focal spot's centre. For each focal spot, the sum of gray values within the relevant domain is taken to be its energy intensity. Furthermore, the energy ratio of left and main focal spots (or main and right focal spots) is computed. A formula that expresses the piston distance between two gratings as the function of the energy ratio is fitted with several measured points. Based on this formula, the piston distance is obtained for a new energy-ratio. Finally, the proposed method is verified with a series of experiments.
Structural Significance of Lipid Diversity as Studied by Small Angle Neutron and X-ray Scattering

We review recent developments in the rapidly growing field of membrane biophysics, with a focus on the structural properties of single lipid bilayers determined by different scattering techniques, namely neutron and X-ray scattering. The need for accurate lipid structural properties is emphasized by the sometimes conflicting results found in the literature, even in the case of the most studied lipid bilayers. Increasingly, accurate and detailed structural models require more experimental data, such as those from contrast varied neutron scattering and X-ray scattering experiments that are jointly refined with molecular dynamics simulations. This experimental and computational approach produces robust bilayer structural parameters that enable insights, for example, into the interplay between collective membrane properties and its components (e.g., hydrocarbon chain length and unsaturation, and lipid headgroup composition). From model studies such as these, one is better able to appreciate how a real biological membrane can be tuned by balancing the contributions from the lipid’s different moieties (e.g., acyl chains, headgroups, backbones, etc.).
Has the frequency of bleeding changed over time for patients presenting with an acute coronary syndrome? The Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events

Aims To determine whether changes in practice, over time, are associated with altered rates of major bleeding in acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Methods and results Patients from the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events were enrolled between 2000 and 2007. The main outcome measures were frequency of major bleeding, including haemorrhagic stroke, over time, after adjustment for patient characteristics, and impact of major bleeding on death and myocardial infarction. Of the 50 947 patients, 2.3% sustained a major bleed; almost half of these presented with ST-elevation ACS (44%, 513). Despite changes in antithrombotic therapy (increasing use of low molecular weight heparin, P < 0.0001), thienopyridines (P < 0.0001), and percutaneous coronary interventions (P < 0.0001), frequency of major bleeding for all ACS patients decreased (2.6 to 1.8%; P < 0.0001). Most decline was seen in ST-elevation ACS (2.9 to 2.1%, P = 0.02). The overall decline remained after adjustment for patient characteristics and treatments (P = 0.002, hazard ratio 0.94 per year, 95% confidence interval 0.91–0.98). Hospital characteristics were an independent predictor of bleeding (P < 0.0001). Patients who experienced major bleeding were at increased risk of death within 30 days from admission, even after adjustment for baseline variables. Conclusion Despite increasing use of more intensive therapies, there was a decline in the rate of major bleeding associated with changes in clinical practice. However, individual hospital characteristics remain an important determinant of the frequency of major bleeding.
Hepatoprotective Role of the Pomegranate ( Punica Granatum ) Juice on Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Oxidative Stress in Rats

In the present study, the possible protective role of pomegranate (Punica granatum) on the free radical damage of liver caused by carbon tetrachloride in rats was investigated. Treatment of rats with carbon tetrachloride (2 ml/kg, intraperitoneally) produced severe liver injury, as demonstrated by dramatic elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT) and Total bilirubin (TB) levels and typical histopathological changes including hepatocyte necrosis and apoptosis. In addition, carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) administration caused oxidative stress in rats, as evidenced by increased malondialdehyde (MDA) and Nitrite/nitrate (NO) concentrations in the serum and liver of rats, along with a remarkable reduction in hepatic catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx ) activities and GSH content. However, simultaneous oral treatment with P. granatum significantly attenuated carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity. It ameliorated most biochemical markers tested as well as histopathological, apoptosis and necrosis features. It is therefore suggested that P. granatum can provide a definite protective effect against chronic hepatic injury caused by CCl4 in rats, which may mainly be associated with its antioxidative effect. [Hany M. Yehia, Ebtesam M. AlOlayan, Manal F. Elkhadragy. Hepatoprotective Role of the Pomegranate (Punica Granatum) Juice on Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Oxidative Stress in Rats. Life Sci J 2013; 10(4): 1534-1544]. (ISSN: 1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite. com. 202
Perceptions of Faith and Outcomes in Faith-Based Programs for Homeless Youth

Abstract This study sought to determine which “faith” elements exist in faith-based programs for homeless youth and how these concepts are defined according to staff and youth clients. Descriptions of client outcomes across programs are also explored. Quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews were conducted with 22 staff and 11 clients from 11 faith-based programs for homeless youth in Los Angeles. Common themes that emerged include using faith to instill hope in clients, non-church-related religious practices and spiritual growth in clients. Grounded theory is used to interpret findings and develop hypotheses to inform future research on faith and outcomes. Implications for social work are offered to guide practitioners and researchers in designing, implementing and evaluating effective faith-based practices for homeless youth. doi:10.1300/J079v33n04_03
Community Coalitions to Prevent Adolescent Substance Abuse

Substance abuse among adolescents continues to drain communities in the United States in'terms of financial resources and human potential. Community coalitions or collaborative partnerships are a prominent strategy for preventing substance use and abuse since they engage multiple sectors of the community such as schools, churches, businesses, and law enforcement. Community coalitions serve as catalysts for change, attempting to change programs, policies, and practices in all relevant sectors. In this manuscript, we describe the multi-site replication of a nationally recognized substance abuse prevention coalition, Project Freedom. First, the original community coalition and the model upon which the replication initiative was designed are described. Second, the context and collaborators, replication sites, and technical assistance and evaluation components are described. Third, data on intermediate outcomeschanges in community programs, policies, and practices facilitated by one illustrative coalition are .
Theoretical and experimental analysis of scatter from inhomogeneous slabs in a 60Co beam: the differential tissue-air ratio method (DTAR).

A theoretical and experimental analysis of scatter from inhomogeneous slabs in a 60Co beam has been developed. This analysis has been used to examine the differential scatter-air ratio method (DSAR). It has been found that a simplification of this method gives more accurate results than the original one. Thus, a method which takes advantage of this simplification has been developed, called the 'differential tissue-air ratio method (DTAR)'. It is compared with experimental results. The accuracy is satisfactory for a wide range of applications (usually approaching the limits of the precision of the measurements, about 2%) and leads to calculation times not significantly longer than any conventional method (e.g. Batho).
The Social Sciences in the Philippines: Reflections on Trends and Developments

The article presents major trends and turning points in the growth of five social science disciplines in the country: anthropology, economics, political science, psychology and sociology. It provides a sweeping historical account of their post-war institutionalization up to the 1960’s, their polemical debates and contending theoretical and methodological positions during the 1970s and the 1980s and the convergence in perspective and plurality of discourses in the 1990s. For the period of intense disciplinal debates (1970s and 1980s), the effects of Marxism and the indigenization movement on the disciplines are examined. The paper concludes with the contributions of the social sciences to public discourses, policy and practice.
Innate Immunity in Multiple Sclerosis: Myeloid Dendritic Cells in Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Are Activated and Drive a Proinflammatory Immune Response1

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is postulated to be a T cell-mediated autoimmune disease characterized clinically by a relapsing-remitting (RR) stage followed by a secondary progressive (SP) phase. The progressive phase is felt to be secondary to neuronal degenerative changes triggered by inflammation. The status of the innate immune system and its relationship to the stages of MS is not well understood. Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional APCs that are central cells of the innate immune system and have the unique capacity to induce primary immune responses. We investigated circulating myeloid DCs isolated directly from the blood to determine whether there were abnormalities in myeloid DCs in MS and whether they were related to disease stage. We found that SP-MS subjects had an increased percentage of DCs expressing CD80, a decreased percentage expressing PD-L1, and an increased percentage producing IL-12 and TNF-α compared with RR-MS or controls. A higher percentage of DCs from both RR and SP-MS patients expressed CD40 compared with controls. We then investigated the polarization effect of DCs from MS patients on naive T cells taken from cord blood using a MLR assay. Whereas DCs from RR-MS induced higher levels of Th1 (IFN-γ, TNF-α) and Th2 (IL-4, IL-13) cytokines compared with controls, DCs from SP-MS only induced a polarized Th1 response. These results demonstrate abnormalities of DCs in MS and may explain the immunologic basis for the different stages and clinical patterns of MS.
Mobile micro-robots ready to use: Alice

This paper presents the latest developments around our mobile microrobot Alice. This small robot is the starting point driving and enabling enhancements in locomotion, energy, communication, perception and control. A set of new features and new HW modules is described. The robot itself is /spl sim/2/spl times/2/spl times/2 cm/sup 3/ and is able to move, sense, receive remote commands and locally communicate with neighbor robots. Extension modules implement a long range sensor, radio communication, a linear camera and an energy pack. The current projects in biomimetic, collective and evolutionary robotics using this set of tools are also shortly explained.
Advances, problems, and complications of polypectomy

The major role of colonoscopy with polypectomy in reducing the incidence of and mortality from colorectal cancer has been firmly established. Yet there is cause to be uneasy. One of the most striking recent findings is that there is an alarmingly high incomplete polyp removal rate. This phenomenon, together with missed polyps during screening colonoscopy, is thought to be responsible for the majority of interval cancers. Knowledge of serrated polyps needs to broaden as well, since they are quite often missed or incompletely removed. Removal of small and diminutive polyps is almost devoid of complications. Cold snare polypectomy seems to be the best approach for these lesions, with biopsy forcep removal reserved only for the tiniest of polyps. Hot snare or hot biopsy forcep removal of these lesions is no longer recommended. Endoscopic mucosal resection and endoscopic submucosal dissection have proven to be effective in the removal of large colorectal lesions, avoiding surgery in the majority of patients, with acceptably low complication rates. Variants of these approaches, as well as new hybrid techniques, are being currently tested. In this paper, we review the current status of the different approaches in removing polypoid and nonpolypoid lesions of the colon, their complications, and future directions in the prevention of colorectal cancer.
Study on Structure of Dimensions of Perceived Justice in Service Recovery

Theoretically, both of the two-dimension structure and three-dimension structure of perceived justice have their roots in literatures. Many researchers put forward the possibility of the former and applied it to their empirical researches. Our study examined the structure of dimensions of perceived justice in restaurant service recovery with exploratory and confirmation factor analysis and our results indicated that the two-dimension structure of perceived justice also could be of great significance in service recovery research, especially in restaurant industry.
Credit risk assessment: Evidence from banking industry

Measuring different risk factors such as credit risk in banking industry has been an interesting area of studies. The artificial neural network is a nonparametric method developed to succeed for measuring credit risk and this method is applied to measure the credit risk. This research’s neural network follows back propagation paradigm, which enables it to use historical data for predicting future values with very good out of sample fitting. Macroeconomic variables including GDP, exchange rate, inflation rate, stock price index, and M2 are used to forecast credit risk for two Iranian banks; namely Saderat and Sarmayeh over the period 2007-2011. Research data are being tested for ADF and Causality Granger tests before entering the ANN to achieve the best lag structure for the research model. MSE and R values for the developed ANN in this research respectively are 86 × 10 ସ and 0.9885, respectively. The results showed that ANN was able to predict banks’ credit risk with low error. Sensibility analyses which has accomplished on this research’s ANN corroborates that M2 has the highest effect on the ANN’s credit risk and should be considered as an additional leading indicator by Iran’s banking authorities. These matters confirm validation of macroeconomic notions in Iran’s credit systematic risk.
A General Version of Crow's Shadow Volumes

In 1977 Frank Crow introduced a new class of algorithm for the generation of shadows. His technique, based on the concept of shadow volumes, assumes a polygonal database and a constrained environment. For example, polyhedrons must be closed, and polygons must be planar. This article presents a new version of Crow's algorithm, developed at the Universite de Montreal, which attempts a less constrained environment. The method has allowed the handling of both open and closed models and nonplanar polygons with the viewpoint anywhere, including any shadow volume. It does not, however, sacrifice the essential features of Crow's original version: penetration between polygons is allowed and any number of light sources can be defined anywhere in 3D space, including the view volume and any shadow volume. The method has been used successfully in the film Tony de Peltrie and is easily incorporated into an existing scan-line, hidden-surface algorithm.
A Toolkit for Single-Session Groups in Acute Care Settings

Single-session groups are an effective method for providing mutual aid to patients and families experiencing crisis in acute care/emergency settings. This toolkit provides health care professionals with practical guidance in establishing, recruiting for, and facilitating single-session groups in hospital settings. A two-step literature search was conducted to identify all relevant articles. The literature was retrieved and reviewed for inclusion. The results of this review form the basis of the toolkit. A framework for establishing this type of group is explored. Challenges and strategies concerning recruitment are discussed. The practice skills relevant to facilitating time-limited groups are outlined.
Measuring piecemeal microautophagy of the nucleus in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Piecemeal microautophagy of the nucleus (PMN) selectively removes and degrades small fragments of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae nucleus. Inter-organelle contact sites called nucleus-vacuole (NV) junctions determine the selectivity of PMN by establishing a platform for the biogenesis of PMN blebs and vesicles. PMN structures can be observed by fluorescence microscopy using GFP-tagged reporters; however, this approach is best supported with quantitative immunoblot assays of PMN-specific cargo degradation. Together, these assays should facilitate the further study of this fascinating but poorly understood autophagic process in different genetic backgrounds, physiological states, and environmental conditions.
The Need for Effective Network Interconnectivity Among Multiple Partners in a Disaster-Embattled Region: A Content Analysis of an Exploratory Focus Group Study

This study explores the application of Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT) to the adoption of disaster-related preventative measures from a community perspective. A literature review showed that relative advantage, value and need compatibility, and network connectivity are important factors in the adoption decision. In order to prioritize among these factors, the researchers gathered information from response and recovery personnel. A content analysis of the transcripts revealed effective network interconnectivity as the most important factor. This research contributes by applying IDT and content analysis methods to disaster-related preventative measures for a community. Based on the research results, we recommend that communities collect geospatial infrastructure data and populate it in information systems so that the community might recover from disasters quickly.