Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adaptive MMSE multiuser receivers in MIMO OFDM wireless communication

This paper presents a novel adaptive multiuser detection scheme for MIMO OFDM, which we refer to as AMUD MIMO OFDM. It combines the adaptive minimum mean square error multiuser detection scheme with prior information of the channel and interference cancelation in the spatial domain. Simulation results show that joint channel parameters estimation has good performance compared to individual parameter estimation. The developed algorithm sum rate capacity is close to MIMO theoretical upper bound (21.5 bits/s/Hz at an SNR of 20dB) which indicates its applicability to the uplink channel, where power transmission at the mobile station is a constraint. The BER performance shows that an 8 x 8 AMUD MIMO OFDM provides a 2dB SNR gain as compared to non adaptive MIMO OFDM.
Expectations, Worries and Wishes: The Challenges of Returning to Home after Initial Hospital Rehabilitation for Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

Literature highlights the barriers and problems that individuals who sustain traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) meet when they attempt to resume everyday life after hospital rehabilitation. However, what do patients think about before returning home, and what should professionals encourage patients to address while the patient is hospitalized in order to balance the patient’s expectations and to reveal what is of importance to the patient. This qualitative study explores the expectations, wishes and worries patients have before they return home after hospital rehabilitation due to TSCI. Eight Danish residents aged 25-75 years, admitted for initial rehabilitation at the Spinal Cord Injury Center of Western Denmark, participated in an individual interview before returning home. The transcribed interviews were analyzed according to inductive content analysis. Transversal analyses revealed four categories of barriers and problems: “facing uncertainty when leaving the rehabilitation center and peers”, “hoping to get back to work and safe economy”, “needing understanding from the community”, and “relying on resilience of significant others”. These categories were combined into one major theme: “relations”. The findings indicate that there is a need for professionals to address patients´ close relations and to initiate dialog with patients and their families on how SCI may impact close relations in order to promote a good life on new terms.
Evaluating Optical Imaging of Particles on Photonic Crystal Slab Biosensors

Evaluating Optical Imaging of Particles on Photonic Crystal Slab Biosensors Soroosh Ahmadi Master of Applied Science Graduate Department of The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Toronto 2016 Modern biomedical diagnostic assays seek to detect biologically active molecules. A broader range of patients will be able to use these devices to improve the quality of their lives as these diagnostic instruments improve in efficiency, cost, and portability. In this research, we evaluated the capability of these systems to simultaneously monitor multiple analytes and their interaction on the surface of the biosensor. High frame rate (∼ 100 frames/second) resonance imaging and sensing architectures were designed and developed using photonic crystal slab (PCS) sensors of increasing quality factors(500>Q>2000). Infrared cross-polarized reflectance images of the surface of PCS devices using illumination wavelengths that sweep over the PCS fundamental resonance location (1500nm-1600nm) illustrated a substantial increase in image brightness at the PCS resonance frequency. These results also indicated an inverse relationship between resonance image resolution and quality factor, due to larger in-slab resonance field spreading of high Q devices.
Spatial Coherency of Light and Nonlinear Optical Properties of Colloidal Gold Studied by CW Z-Scan Technique

1Ivan Franko National university of Lviv, Kyryla and Methodiya St., 8, 79005 Lviv, Ukraine 2Ukrainian Printing Academy, Pidholosko St., 19, 79020 Lviv, Ukraine 3Hetman Petro Sahaidachny National Army Academy, Heroes of Maidan St., 32, 79012 Lviv, Ukraine 4V.E. Lashkaryov Institute of Semiconductors Physics NAS Ukraine, Nauky Ave., 41, 03028 Kyiv, Ukraine 5Lviv Polytechnic National University, 12, S. Bandery Str. , Lviv 79013, Ukraine
Preclinical evaluation of drugs to block inflammation-driven preterm birth

Intrauterine inflammation, the major cause of early preterm birth, can have microbial and sterile aetiologies. We assessed in a Transwell model the anti-inflammatory efficacies of five drugs on human extraplacental membranes delivered after preterm spontaneous labour (30–34 wk). Drugs [TPCA1 (IKKβ inhibitor), 5 z-7-oxozeaenol (OxZ, TAK1 inhibitor), inhibitor of NF-κB essential modulator binding domain (iNBD), SB239063 (p38 MAPK inhibitor) and N-acetyl cysteine (free radical scavenger free radicals)] were added after 12 h equilibration to the amniotic compartment. Concentrations of IL-6, TNF-α, MCP-1, IL-1β and PGE2 in the media, and IL6, TNFA and PTGS2 mRNA expression levels in membranes, were determined after 12 h. Data were analysed using mixed models analyses. Thirteen of the 28 membranes had histological chorioamnionitis (HCA+); five were positive for bacterial culture and six for fetal inflammatory reaction. Baseline PGE2 and cytokine production was similar between HCA– and HCA+ membranes. Anti-inflammatory effects were also similar between HCA– and HCA+ membranes. TPCA1 and OxZ were the most effective drugs; each inhibited amniotic secretion of 4/5 pro-inflammatory mediators and mRNA levels of 2/3, regardless of stimulus. We conclude that treatment with TPCA1 or OxZ, in combination with antibiotics, may minimise the adverse effects of intrauterine inflammation in pregnancy.
3 D-reconstructions and virtual 4 D-visualization to study metamorphic brain development in the sphinx moth Manduca sexta

the anatomical changes of all these brain neuropils throughout metamorphic development is missing. Thus, the aim of the current study was to visualize the anatomical changes of discernable brain areas in parallel and thus to provide a tool which allows a comparison of these changes along the developmental time line. To obtain the desired datasets, we labeled whole brains of different metamorphic stages with an antiserum against the synaptic vesicle protein synapsin to visualize neuropil areas, analyzed the staining using confocal laser scanning microscopy, 3D reconstructed the selected brain neuropils using the software AMIRA (Visage Imaging, Fürth, Germany), and subsequently transformed the data sets into the 4D visualization software Cinema 4D. The used technique can in principal be adapted to any brain area which can be visualized and 3D reconstructed at different times of development.
Brain Hodotopy: From Esoteric Concept to Practical Surgical Applications

BACKGROUND:The traditional neurosurgical approach to cerebral lesions is based on the classic view of a rigid brain organization in fixed “eloquent” areas. However, this method is brought into discussion by the conceptual and methodological advances in neurosciences that provide a more dynamic representation of the anatomo-functional distribution of the human central nervous system (CNS). OBJECTIVE AND METHODS:We review the relevant literature concerning the main features of the modern CNS representation and their implications in neurosurgical practice. RESULTS:The CNS is an integrated, wide, plastic network made up of cortical functional epicenters, “topic organization,” connected by both short-local and large-scale white matter fibers, ie, “hodological organization. ” According to this model, called hodotopic, brain function results from parallel streams of information dynamically modulated within an interactive, multimodal, and widely distributed circuit. The application of this framework, which can be studied by combining preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative mapping techniques, enables the neurosurgeon exploration of the individual anatomo-functional architecture, including neurocognitive and emotional aspects. Thus, it is possible to adapt the surgical approach specifically to each patient and to each lesion according to the individual organization. Several experiences demonstrate the possibility of removing regions traditionally considered inoperable without inducing permanent deficits and the potential use of these areas as a safe passage to deeper territories. CONCLUSION:We advocate the more systematic integration of a hodotopical view of the CNS to improve the surgical indications and planning for brain lesions, with the goal of optimizing both the extent of resection and functional outcome.
Practitioner Review: On the trustworthiness of clinical practice guidelines - a systematic review of the quality of methods used to develop guidelines in child and youth mental health.

BACKGROUND Numerous practice guidelines (PGs) relevant to child and youth mental health (CYMH) are available, but their quality is uncertain. We used systematic review methodology to identify the methods employed to develop PGs in CYMH and assess whether they align with international quality standards. METHODS We used prespecified inclusion criteria to search for CYMH PGs (2009-2014) in journals of professional associations or websites of organizations who produce or house PGs. Eligible PGs and organization websites were screened to identify PG development methods. Two reviewers assessed the alignment of the PG development methods with PG quality criteria using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) domains and Institute of Medicine (IOM) standards. RESULTS Five sets of eligible development methods were identified in 70 eligible PGs. Three sets adhered to all (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence; Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network) or most (U.S. Preventive Services Task Force) AGREE II domains and IOM standards, and were used to develop 31.4% of PGs. The two remaining sets of development methods had important weaknesses (e.g. lack of mandatory rigorous systematic reviews, multidisciplinary development groups, or transparent conflict of interest methods) and were associated with 21.4% of PGs. No development methods could be identified in 40.0% of PGs; ineligible development methods were referenced in 7.1% of PGs. CONCLUSIONS Up to 69% of available CYMH PGs may have been developed using methods that do not align with AGREE II quality criteria or IOM standards. The quality of available CYMH PGs needs to be assessed, and strategies designed to guide practitioners to high quality PGs and facilitate adherence by PG developers to international quality standards are needed.
State feedback control of saturated switched systems and its application to turntable

State feedback control problem for a class of switched linear systems and its application are studied. Based on switched Lyapunov function and some basic lemmas, the purpose is to design a switched state-feedback controller with a switching scheme guaranteeing the local asymptotic stability of the resulting closed-loop system. And analyze the domain of attraction by using a convex optimization problem subject to linear matrix inequalities(LMI) constraints. Finally, the method is applied to a high precision test turn-table and the simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Dynamics, Analysis and Implementation of a Multiscroll Memristor-Based Chaotic Circuit

This article introduces a novel four-dimensional autonomous multiscroll chaotic circuit which is derived from the actual simplest memristor-based chaotic circuit. A fourth circuit element — another inductor — is introduced to generate the complex behavior observed. A systematic study of the chaotic behavior is performed with the help of some nonlinear tools such as Lyapunov exponents, phase portraits, and bifurcation diagrams. Multiple scroll attractors are observed in Matlab, Pspice environments and also experimentally. We also observe the phenomenon of antimonotonicity, periodic and chaotic bubbles, multiple periodic-doubling bifurcations, Hopf bifurcations, crises and the phenomenon of intermittency. The chaotic dynamics of this circuit is realized by laboratory experiments, Pspice simulations, numerical and analytical investigations. It is observed that the results from the three environments agree to a great extent. This topology is likely convenient to be used to intentionally generate chaos in memristor-based chaotic circuit applications, given the fact that multiscroll chaotic systems have found important applications as broadband signal generators, pseudorandom number generators for communication engineering and also in biometric authentication.
Performance and Kinetics Study of Self-Repairing Hydroxyl-Terminated Polybutadiene Binders Based on the Diels–Alder Reaction

Based on the Diels–Alder reaction and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) binders of solid propellants, two novel compounds—furfuryl-terminated polybutadiene (FTPB) and trifurfuryl propane (TFP)—were designed and synthesized, and their structures were characterized. A new kind of reversible Diels–Alder reaction system was formed by FTPB as main resin, N,N′-1,3-phenylenedimaleimide (PDMI) as curing agent and TFP as chain extender. The results showed that this system had good mechanical properties with a tensile strength of 1.76 MPa and a tensile strain of 284% after curing, and the repair efficiency of the crack was 88%. Therefore, it could be used as a novel binder of energetic materials such as solid propellant and PBX explosives to provide them with self-repairing characteristics and improve the reliability for application.
Domain-Specific Hybrid FPGA: Architecture and Floating Point Applications

This paper presents a novel architecture for domain-specific FPGA devices. This architecture can be optimised for both speed and density by exploiting domain-specific information to produce efficient reconfigurable logic with multiple granularity. In the reconfigurable logic, general-purpose fine-grained units are used for implementing control logic and bit-oriented operations, while domain-specific coarse-grained units and heterogeneous blocks are used for implementing datapaths; the precise amount of each type of resources can be customised to suit specific application domains. Issues and challenges associated with the design flow and the architecture modelling are addressed. Examples of the proposed architecture for speeding up floating point applications are illustrated. Current results indicate that the proposed architecture can achieve 2.5 times improvement in speed and 18 times reduction in area on average, when compared with traditional FPGA devices on selected floating point benchmark circuits.
Vitamin D Status and Community-Acquired Pneumonia: Results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Objective To investigate the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] level and history of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Patients and Methods We identified 16,975 individuals (≥17 years) from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) with documented 25(OH)D levels. To investigate the association of 25(OH)D with history of CAP in these participants, we developed a multivariable logistic regression model, adjusting for demographic factors (age, sex, race, poverty-to-income ratio, and geographic location), clinical data (body mass index, smoking status, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes mellitus, stroke, chronic kidney disease, neutropenia, and alcohol consumption), and season. Locally weighted scatterplot smoothing (LOWESS) was used to depict the relationship between increasing 25(OH)D levels and the cumulative frequency of CAP in the study cohort. Results The median [interquartile range (IQR)] serum 25(OH)D level was 24 (IQR 18–32) ng/mL. 2.1% [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.9–2.3] of participants reported experiencing a CAP within one year of their participation in the national survey. After adjusting for demographic factors, clinical data, and season, 25(OH)D levels <30 ng/mL were associated with 56% higher odds of CAP [odds ratio 1.56; 95% confidence interval: 1.17–2.07] compared to levels ≥30 ng/mL. LOWESS analysis revealed a near linear relationship between vitamin D status and the cumulative frequency of CAP up to 25(OH)D levels around 30 ng/mL. Conclusion Among 16,975 participants in NHANES III, 25(OH)D levels were inversely associated with history of CAP. Randomized controlled trials are warranted to determine the effect of optimizing vitamin D status on the risk of CAP.
A Multi-Factor Battery Cycle Life Prediction Methodology for Optimal Battery Management

Affordability of battery energy storage critically depends on low capital cost and high lifespan. Estimating battery life-span, and optimising battery management to increase it, is difficult given the associated complex, multi-factor ageing process. In this paper we present a battery life prediction methodology tailored towards operational optimisation of battery management. The methodology is able to consider a multitude of dynamically changing cycling parameters. For lithium-ion (Li-ion) cells, the methodology has been tailored to consider five operational factors: charging and discharging currents, minimum and maximum cycling limits, and operating temperature. These are captured within four independent models, which are tuned using experimental battery data. Incorporation of dynamically changing factors is done using rainflow counting and discretisation. The resulting methodology is designed for solving optimal battery operation problems. Implementation of the methodology is presented for two case studies: a smartphone battery, and a household with battery storage alongside solar generation. For a smartphone that charges daily, our analysis finds that the battery life can be more than doubled if the maximum charging limit is chosen strategically. And for the battery supporting domestic solar, it is found that the impact of large daily cycling outweighs that of small more frequent cycles. This suggests that stationary Li-ion batteries may be well suited to provide ancillary services as a secondary function. The developed methodology and demonstrated use cases represent a key step towards maximising the cost-benefit of Li-ion batteries for any given application.
Close-packed cell arrays for dish concentrators

The two main components of the system under development are: (1) PV modules with close-packed cells for "stacking" into fully active receivers of any scale; and (2) parabolic dish concentrator system with supports and interface. The advantages of such a system are outlined for GaAs and Si receivers. The system requirements and performance are discussed.
Safe trajectory optimization for whole-body motion of humanoids

Multi-task prioritized controllers generate complex behaviors for humanoids that concurrently satisfy several tasks and constraints. In our previous work we automatically learned the task priorities that maximized the robot performance in whole-body reaching tasks, ensuring that the optimized priorities were leading to safe behaviors. Here, we take the opposite approach: we optimize the task trajectories for whole-body balancing tasks with switching contacts, ensuring that the optimized movements are safe and never violate any of the robot and problem constraints. We use (1+1)-CMA-ES with Constrained Covariance Adaptation as a constrained black box stochastic optimization algorithm, with an instance of (1+1)-CMA-ES for bootstrapping the search. We apply our learning framework to the prioritized whole-body torque controller of iCub, to optimize the robot's movement for standing up from a chair.
Brain Network Activation Analysis Utilizing Spatiotemporal Features for Event Related Potentials Classification

The purpose of this study was to introduce an improved tool for automated classification of event-related potentials (ERPs) using spatiotemporally parcellated events incorporated into a functional brain network activation (BNA) analysis. The auditory oddball ERP paradigm was selected to demonstrate and evaluate the improved tool. Methods: The ERPs of each subject were decomposed into major dynamic spatiotemporal events. Then, a set of spatiotemporal events representing the group was generated by aligning and clustering the spatiotemporal events of all individual subjects. The temporal relationship between the common group events generated a network, which is the spatiotemporal reference BNA model. Scores were derived by comparing each subject's spatiotemporal events to the reference BNA model and were then entered into a support vector machine classifier to classify subjects into relevant subgroups. The reliability of the BNA scores (test-retest repeatability using intraclass correlation) and their utility as a classification tool were examined in the context of Target-Novel classification. Results: BNA intraclass correlation values of repeatability ranged between 0.51 and 0.82 for the known ERP components N100, P200, and P300. Classification accuracy was high when the trained data were validated on the same subjects for different visits (AUCs 0.93 and 0.95). The classification accuracy remained high for a test group recorded at a different clinical center with a different recording system (AUCs 0.81, 0.85 for 2 visits). Conclusion: The improved spatiotemporal BNA analysis demonstrates high classification accuracy. The BNA analysis method holds promise as a tool for diagnosis, follow-up and drug development associated with different neurological conditions.
Cyanosis with hepatic cirrhosis

A case is reported of cirrhosis of the liver associated with cyanosis and finger clubbing in a man of 31 years. The chest radiograph showed diffuse nodular shadows in both lower zones. Pulmonary function tests gave an arterial oxygen saturation of 91% at rest, falling to 68% on exercise; the single breath diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide was reduced to 55% of the predicted value and there was an estimated right-to-left shunt of 23%. Post-mortem injection of the lungs with Micropaque-gelatin suspension showed numerous pleural spider naevi, denser over the lower lobes, arteriovenous communications in the infrahilar regions, including leashes of dilated vessels in pleural adhesions on the diaphragm and diffuse arterial vasodilatation in the lungs; although the injection mass could be traced into the pulmonary veins in only a few regions of the lung, the dilated arterioles and spiders were possible additional channels through which blood might be shunted from the alveolar surfaces. The very low arterial oxygen saturation on exercise was probably caused by a shunt greater than the 23% estimated at rest, but the low diffusing capacity may have been partly responsible. The cause of the low diffusing capacity remains uncertain.