Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An approach for joint blind space-time equalization and DOA estimation

A multi-stage structure to jointly combat multi-user interference and fading channels is presented. Neither the DOA nor a training sequence is assumed to be available for the receiver. The only assumption is that the transmitted signal satisfies the constant modulus property which is valid for many modulation schemes, and can be exploited by the multimodulus algorithm. Taking advantage of virtual subarrays, the DOA at each stage is estimated and used to compute the next stage input. Each stage operates in two modes, the starting and the tracking mode. Thanks to the adaptive structure, it can deal with time-varying DOAs and channels. Simulation results illustrate the performance of this method.
Efficacy of intraoperative monitoring for pediatric patients with spinal cord pathology undergoing spinal deformity surgery.

STUDY DESIGN A retrospective study of 38 pediatric patients with spinal cord pathology who underwent corrective spinal deformity surgery from January 1989 through June 1998. OBJECTIVES To report reliability and specificity in obtaining intraoperative data in this population. These data were compared with monitoring results obtained in a group of pediatric patients with idiopathic scoliosis. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Reports in the literature suggest intraoperative monitoring for patients with spinal cord pathology may be of limited value. No optimal monitoring protocol has been suggested for this population. METHODS The study group consisted of 38 pediatric patients with a diagnosis of spinal cord pathology who underwent corrective spinal deformity surgery from January 1989 through June 1998. All patients had lower extremity function. Somatosensory and neurogenic motor evoked potentials were used to monitor neurologic status during surgery. These data were compared with data obtained in 429 pediatric patients with idiopathic scoliosis. Study patients were divided into Group I, those who had had spinal cord surgery (n = 20), and Group II, those who had not (n = 18). RESULTS Somatosensory evoked potentials were obtained in 93.2% and remained consistent with baselines in 87.2% of the study group patients. Neurogenic motor evoked potentials were obtained in 50.8% of the study subjects and remained consistent in 76.6% of those cases. The false-positive rate was 27.1% in the study group, compared with 1.4% in the group with idiopathic scoliosis. The study group had no true-positive or false-negative findings. Group I data differed from Group II data. CONCLUSIONS Intraoperative monitoring should be used in patients with spinal cord pathology who undergo surgery for spinal deformity. Monitoring should not miss a neurologic deficit but demonstrates greater variability, resulting in more frequent use of an intraoperative wake-up test.
Including network knowledge into Cox regression models for biomarker signature discovery

Discovery of prognostic and diagnostic biomarker gene signatures for diseases, such as cancer, is seen as a major step toward a better personalized medicine. During the last decade various methods have been proposed for that purpose. However, one important obstacle for making gene signatures a standard tool in clinical diagnosis is the typical low reproducibility of these signatures combined with the difficulty to achieve a clear biological interpretation. For that purpose in the last years there has been a growing interest in approaches that try to integrate information from molecular interaction networks. Most of these methods focus on classification problems, that is learn a model from data that discriminates patients into distinct clinical groups. Far less has been published on approaches that predict a patient's event risk. In this paper, we investigate eight methods that integrate network information into multivariable Cox proportional hazard models for risk prediction in breast cancer. We compare the prediction performance of our tested algorithms via cross‐validation as well as across different datasets. In addition, we highlight the stability and interpretability of obtained gene signatures. In conclusion, we find GeneRank‐based filtering to be a simple, computationally cheap and highly predictive technique to integrate network information into event time prediction models. Signatures derived via this method are highly reproducible.
Chain Procedures: A Class of Flexible Closed Testing Procedures With Clinical Trial Applications

We define a class of multiple testing procedures for testing a family of hypotheses based on a prespecified or data-driven testing sequence. These procedures, termed chain procedures, are characterized by independent sets of parameters which govern the initial allocation of the overall α level among the null hypotheses of interest and the process for iteratively reallocating available (or unspent) α among the remaining eligible null hypotheses. As a result, chain procedures are more flexible than popular stepwise procedures such as the Holm or fallback procedures. While presenting the broad class of chain procedures, this article focuses on the development of parametric chain procedures for problems with a known joint distribution of the hypothesis test statistics. Chain procedures are closed testing procedures and thus control the familywise error rate in the strong sense. Further, we discuss optimal selection of parameters of chain procedures based on clinically relevant application-specific criteria. Finally, we illustrate application of the chain testing method using a clinical trial example aimed at the development of a tailored therapy.
Induction motor control system using bidirectional quasi-Z source inverter

This paper describes a detailed operation analysis, proposed dc side control strategy, and implementation of the BQ-ZSI (bidirectional quasi-Z-source inverter) for electric vehicle applications. The power flow can be bidirectional by connecting an active switch antiparallel with the diode in BQ-ZSI. The performance of the inverter under load variation can be improved by inserting an inner current control loop of the inductor in the QZSN side controller. Thus, a dedicated voltage controller with inductor current controller is designed to reject the disturbance and stabilize the dc-link voltage during a non-shoot through state. A 5-kW prototype has been built. Both simulation and experimental results are presented to verify the validity of the circuit and the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.
Automatic Generation of Standard Deviation Attribute Profiles for Spectral–Spatial Classification of Remote Sensing Data

Extended attribute profiles, which are based on attribute filters, have recently been presented as efficient tools for spectral-spatial classification of remote sensing images. However, construction of these profiles usually requires manual selection of parameters for the corresponding attribute filters. In this letter, we present a technique to automatically build the extended attribute profiles with the standard deviation attribute based on the statistics of the samples belonging to the classes of interest. The methodology is tested on two widely used hyperspectral images and the results are found to be highly accurate.
On the use of complex SAR image spectral analysis for target detection: assessment of polarimetry

The objective of this paper is to assess the joint use of the magnitude and the phase of a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) polarimetric image for point target detection and analysis. We first consider a single-look complex (SLC), single polarized radar image including point targets embedded in clutter. A series of sublooks are generated from this SLC image, both in azimuth and in range in order to analyze the inherent speckle effects. The two-looks internal Hermitian product (2L-IHP) is defined and is further shown to qualitatively increase the target/environment contrast. The processing of azimuth and range spectra preliminary to the 2L-IHP derivation (spectral whitening, generation and overlapping of sublooks) is described. A simulation tool is developed to model a point target behavior. Then, the polarimetric extension of the 2L-IHP is proposed, and the optimized polarimetric 2L-IHP is defined. The gain is twofold: in comparison with single polarization, polarimetry is shown to enhance detection capabilities, but also to provide additional information for target analysis.
Comparison of retroperitoneoscopic nephrectomy versus open approaches to nonfunctioning tuberculous kidneys: a report of 44 cases.

PURPOSE We retrospectively investigated the advantages of retroperitoneoscopic nephrectomy for nonfunctioning tuberculous kidneys by comparing its clinical results, operative methods and skills with those of open nephrectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS Clinical data on 22 patients with nonfunctioning tuberculous kidneys who underwent retroperitoneoscopic nephrectomy, including simple and subcapsular nephrectomy, were compared with those on 22 who underwent open nephrectomy for a similar indication during the same period. Results in the 2 groups were analyzed. RESULTS There was no statistical difference between the retroperitoneoscopy and open surgery groups with regard to patient age, sex or mean operative time +/- SD (93.0 +/- 12.6 vs 92.6 +/- 35.5 minutes). Mean blood loss was significantly less in the retroperitoneoscopy group than in the open surgery group (78.3 +/- 60.6 vs 160 +/- 120.0 ml). Mean hospital stay after operation was notably shorter in the retroperitoneoscopy group compared with the open surgery group (3.3 +/- 0.9 vs 9.1 +/- 0.8 days). The mean analgesic requirement for opioids and diclofenac sodium was also lower in the retroperitoneoscopy group than in the open surgery group (0 vs 2.1 +/- 0.9 and 5.2 +/- 1.1 vs 5.8 +/- 1.3 doses, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Retroperitoneoscopic nephrectomy for renal tuberculosis has several advantages over open nephrectomy, namely a smaller wound, less blood loss and more rapid recovery. It may provide a safe and reliable method for treating refractory renal tuberculosis clinically.
Progress on the new high power 200 MHz RF system for the LANSCE DTL

The Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) linac accelerates up to 1 mA average of proton current for various applications, including the short pulse spallation neutron source, proton radiography, isotope production and neutron research. Long beam pulses at high current put extreme demands on the drift tube linac (DTL) RF power amplifiers, which were originally installed in 1972. A new RF power system is being developed for increased peak power with higher duty factor. The final power amplifiers use a THALES TH628 Diacrodeo(R) and will not require the large anode modulators used in the present system. The RF amplitude control will be introduced at a low level in the power chain. When completed, the new system will reduce the number of electron power tubes from twenty-four to seven in the RF plant for the 100 MeV DTL. Details of the EM field models, the mechanical layout, prototype construction techniques, RF tests, and system considerations will be discussed.
Gender differences in epidemiology and medical service utilisation among self-harm patients seeking treatment at an urban hospital in South Africa

Gender differences in patterns of self-harm in developed countries are well documented. Little is however known about gender differences in the epidemiology of self-harm in South Africa (SA) and about gender differences in medical service utilisation among self-harm patients. We set out to investigate gender differences in demographic, socio-cultural, clinical characteristics and medical service utilization of self-harm patients presenting at an urban hospital in SA. Demographic, socio-cultural, and clinical data were collected for 200 consecutive emergency room presentations of self-harm. Bivariate statistical and logistic regression analysis was employed to identify significant gender differences. Males constituted 40.5% of the sample. Male self-harm patients were more likely than women to have dependants, to injure themselves by hanging or laceration, to cite psychiatric illness as the reason for self-harm and to be admitted to an emergency psychiatric ward. Women self-harm patients were more likely than men to use prescription medications, cite family conflict as the precipitant of their self-harm, and to be treated in the emergency room and discharged. The proportion of males in the sample was higher than expected given what is known about gender differences in the prevalence of self-harm in SA. These findings draw attention to how contextual factors such as barriers to accessing health care may influence epidemiological self-harm data collected in hospital settings in low and middle income countries. Data also suggest that hospital based suicide prevention interventions may fail to reach women self-harm patients in SA who do not appear to access hospital care.
Survey on Keyword Search in Encrypted Data With Privacy Preservation

: Cloud computing is an on-demand computing. It is an Internet-based computing. In this area shared resources, data and information are provided on demand to computers and other devices. It also provides the services over the internet. In cloud computing, service providers have ability to provide storage at server according to users need. They allow users to store and retrieve the data in cloud server on demand from anywhere and on any type of device. This manipulation of data at cloud server gives rise to so many security issues because data is accessed over internet. For security purpose data is store in encrypted format. In this, client has no direct control on data once it is uploaded on cloud server. In this paper, we investigate the idea behind single keyword search over encrypted data and also multi keyword ranking. Cloud data owners want their documents in an encrypted form for the purpose of privacy preserving. Therefore it is necessary to develop efficient and reliable ciphertext search techniques. One challenge is that the relationship between documents will be normally concealed in the process of encryption, which will lead to significant search accuracy performance degradation.
NO and de novo mammalian angiogenesis: Further evidence that NO inhibits bFGF‐induced angiogenesis while not influencing VEGF165‐induced angiogenesis

Using the non‐surgical rat mesenteric window angiogenesis assay, we studied the systemic effect of (i) the nitric oxide (NO)‐releasing vasodilator isosorbide‐5‐mononitrate (ISMN) and (ii) the NO‐synthase inhibitor L‐NAME on angiogenesis induced by the intraperitoneal injection of bFGF and VEGF165. The response was assessed objectively and quantitatively by microscopic morphometry and image analysis in terms of the vascularized area (VA; a measurement of microvessel spatial extension), the microvascular length (MVL; a composite measurement of microvessel density), the total microvascular length (TMVL=VAxMVL), the number of microvessel segments per unit tissue volume (No. MS), the length of the microvessel segments (Le. MS) and the degree of microvessel tortuosity (MVT). Additional architectural features of the network were assessed in terms of variables introduced here: the number of microvessel branching points per unit tissue volume (No. BP), the index of interconnecting microvessel loop formation (In. LF), the index of microvessel intersection (In. IS), the number of microvessel sprouts per unit tissue volume (No. SP) and their length (Le. SP). In bFGF‐mediated angiogenesis, L‐NAME significantly, augmented angiogenesis, whereas ISMN significantly inhibited angiogenesis. By contrast, neither L‐NAME nor ISMN affected the angiogenic response to VEGF165.
Large Signal Stabilization of Hybrid AC/DC Micro-Grids Using Nonlinear Robust Controller

This paper presents a robust nonlinear integrated controller to improve stability of hybrid AC/DC micro-grids under islanding mode. The proposed controller includes two independent controllers where each one is responsible to control one part of the system. First controller will improve the stability of input DC/DC converter. Using this controller, the voltage of DC bus is fully stabilized such that when a large disturbance occurs, its voltage will become constant without any significant dynamic. The necessity of DC bus regulation which has not been considered in previous studies, is imminent as it not only improves voltage stability of the micro-grid but also protects consumers which are directly connected to the DC bus, against voltage variations. Frequency stability of the micro-grid is provided by the second proposed controller which is applied to output DC/AC converter of the micro-grid. Adaptive method is used to make the controllers proposed in this paper, robust. Duty cycle of converters switches are adjusted such that voltage and frequency of the micro-grid are set on the desired value in minimum possible time under transient disturbances and uncertainty of the loads as well as micro-sources characteristics.
Antibacterial Films Made of Ionic Complexes of Poly(γ-glutamic acid) and Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate

The biocide agent LAE (ethyl αN-lauroyl l-arginate chloride) was coupled with poly(γ-glutamic acid) (PGGA) to form stable ionic complexes with LAE:PGGA ratios of 1 and 0.5. The nanostructure adopted by these complexes and its response to thermal changes were examined in detail by Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) using synchrotron radiation in real time. A layered biphasic structure with LAE filling the space between the polypeptidic sheets was adopted in these complexes. The complexes were stable up to above 250 °C, non-water soluble, and were able to form consistent transparent films. The release of LAE from the complexes upon incubation in aqueous buffer was examined and found to depend on both pH and complex composition. The antibacterial activity of films made of these complexes against Gram-positive (L. monocytogenes and S. aureus) and Gram-negative (E. coli and S. enterica) bacteria was preliminary evaluated and was found to be very high against the formers and only moderate against the later. The bactericide activity displayed by the LAE·PGGA complexes was directly related with the amount of LAE that was released from the film to the environment.
Functional Interaction between Paramyxovirus Fusion and Attachment Proteins*

Paramyxovirinae envelope glycoproteins constitute a premier model to dissect how specific and dynamic interactions in multisubunit membrane protein complexes can control deep-seated conformational rearrangements. However, individual residues that determine reciprocal specificity of the viral attachment and fusion (F) proteins have not been identified. We have developed an assay based on a pair of canine distemper virus (CDV) F proteins (strains Onderstepoort (ODP) and Lederle) that share ∼95% identity but differ in their ability to form functional complexes with the measles virus (MV) attachment protein (H). Characterization of CDV F chimeras and mutagenesis reveals four residues in CDV F-ODP (positions 164, 219, 233, and 317) required for productive interaction with MV H. Mutating these residues to the Lederle type disrupts triggering of F-ODP by MV H without affecting functionality when co-expressed with CDV H. Co-immunoprecipitation shows a stronger physical interaction of F-ODP than F-Lederle with MV H. Mutagenesis of MV F highlights the MV residues homologous to CDV F residues 233 and 317 as determinants for physical glycoprotein interaction and fusion activity under homotypic conditions. In assay reversal, the introduction of sections of the CDV H stalk into MV H shows a five-residue fragment (residues 110–114) to mediate specificity for CDV F-Lederle. All of the MV H stalk chimeras are surface-expressed, show hemadsorption activity, and trigger MV F. Combining the five-residue H chimera with the CDV F-ODP quadruple mutant partially restores activity, indicating that the residues identified in either glycoprotein contribute interdependently to the formation of functional complexes. Their localization in structural models of F and H suggests that placement in particular of F residue 233 in close proximity to the 110–114 region of H is structurally conceivable.
Muscular mechanical hyperalgesia revealed by behavioural pain test and c‐Fos expression in the spinal dorsal horn after eccentric contraction in rats

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is quite common, but the mechanism for this phenomenon is still not understood; even the existence of muscle tenderness (mechanical hyperalgesia) has not been demonstrated in experimental models. We developed an animal model of DOMS by inducing eccentric contraction (lengthening contraction, ECC) to the extensor digitorum longus muscle (EDL), and investigated the existence of mechanical hyperalgesia in the EDL by means of behavioural pain tests (Randall‐Selitto test and von Frey hair test, applied to/through the skin on the EDL muscle) and c‐Fos expression in the spinal dorsal horn. We found that the mechanical withdrawal threshold measured with the Randall‐Selitto apparatus decreased significantly between 1 and 3 days after ECC, while that measured by von Frey hairs did not. The group that underwent stretching of the muscle only (SHAM group) showed no change in mechanical pain threshold in either test. These results demonstrated that the pain threshold of deep tissues (possibly of the muscle) decreased after ECC. c‐Fos immunoreactivity in the dorsal horn (examined 2 days after ECC/SHAM exercise) was not changed by either ECC or compression (1568 mN) to the EDL muscle by itself, but it was significantly increased by applying compression to the EDL muscle 2 days after ECC. This increase was observed in the superficial dorsal horn of the L4 segment of the ipsilateral side, and was clearly suppressed by morphine treatment (10 mg kg−1, i.p.). These results demonstrated the existence of mechanical hyperalgesia in the muscle subjected to ECC. This model could be used for future study of the neural mechanism of muscle soreness.
A SURVEY ON FINGERPRINT PROTECTION TECHNIQUES

Fingerprint recognition systems are commonly used for authentication purposes. The traditional authentication techniques like passwords, tokens, smart cards are vulnerable to attacks. The fingerprints are biological features of a man which is unique. So protection of fingerprints for authentication purposes is important. The privacy of fingerprints can be protected by traditional methods like password, encryption and transformation techniques . Automated finger print matching techniques are used for verification purposes. Most of the matching techniques use minutiae features. The performance of the minutiae extraction depends on the quality of the image. Enhancement algorithms are used to improve the goodness index and verification accuracy of minutiae. Reconstruction of minutiae representation is used for finger print matching systems. The features of two fingerprints can be mixed to generate a new identity. The minutiae points or orientation features of two fingers can be combined together. Some techniques use gradient calculation method to find the reference point from the minutiae.