Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Compact Broadband Antenna with an L-Shaped Notch

A small microstrip-fed monopole antenna using an L-shaped notch is presented for ultra wideband applications. The proposed antenna, with compact size of 15.5 x 21 mm 2 including the ground plane, is designed to operate over the frequency band between 3.05 and 10.9 GHz for S 11 < -10 dB. Good return loss and radiation pattern characteristics are obtained in the frequency band of interest.
A recommender system based on car pairwise comparisons on a mobile application using association rules

Numerous product information mobile applications (APPs) have been developed and their download counts are not negligible. The recommendation functions of Apps will help users to efficiently find related products and subsequently the user satisfaction will increase. This study aims to analyze pairwise comparison data using association rules to help the APP developer establish the recommendation system. The data comes from the members' comparison records from a new cars database App developed in Taiwan, i.e. NewCarsDB (www.newcarsdb.com). We collected a sample of 40 car brands and 870 vehicles comparison records during 2015/1/30 to 2015/4/2 with 30,867 car pairwise comparison records. This study develops two metrics, i.e. (1) width (quantity of cars which have associated products) and (2) average depth (each car with quantity of associate) to evaluate the results of different thresholds. Results show that (1) Support adjustment has influence on width; (2) The confidence adjustment under thresholds lower than 10% has little impact on width but their impact on the average depth are not negligible. The results can be used as references for associating products and can also be used in recommending a new product to potentially interested members. Moreover, the members of new cars database App will have better experiences whereas the potential market to improve advertising effectiveness can be developed at the same time.
Adaptive joint maximum-likelihood detection and minimum-mean-square error with successive interference canceler over spatially correlated multiple-input multiple-output channels

We develop an efficient hard detector for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) channels, which adaptively combines maximum-likelihood detection (MLD) and minimum-mean-square error with a successive interference canceler together. Unlike the conventional joint combination scheme, which may suffer from considerable degradation in bit-error-rate (BER) performance over correlated channels and where only one data stream is detected by MLD, our proposed scheme adaptively controls the number of data streams to be detected by MLD based on an analytical characterization of reliability for the detection. Simulation results illustrate that near-optimal BER performance can be obtained at much lower computational complexity by the proposed method as compared with existing techniques, regardless of the spatial correlation of the MIMO channels. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Genetically determined susceptibility to mycobacterial infection

Individuals with impaired cell mediated immunity exhibit increased susceptibility to infections caused by poorly pathogenic mycobacteria (non-tuberculous mycobacteria and BCG), as well as salmonella species. However, these infections may also occur in a disseminated, fatal form, sometimes with a familial distribution, in the absence of any recognised primary or secondary immunodeficiency. Genetic analysis of affected families has defined mutations in seven different genes participating in the interleukin 12 (IL12) dependent, high output interferon γ (IFNγ) pathway. The first category of defect is mutations in the IFNγR1 or R2 genes, resulting in defective expression or function of the IFNγ receptor. The second category of mutations abrogates the cell surface expression IL12Rβ1gene, resulting in the inability to respond to IL12. The third category of defect is the inability to produce IL12, due to deletion within the gene coding for the inducible chain of IL12 (IL12-p40). Patients with X-linked recessive mutations of the gene encoding the NFκB essential modulator may also develop mycobacterial infections, although they usually have a more complex phenotype and are susceptible to a broad spectrum of pathogens. Mutations of the gene encoding the signal transducing molecule STAT1, which impairs the ability to respond to IFNγ, and mutations of the gene encoding TYK2 (which is associated with a failure to respond to IL12), are both rare genetic defects predisposing to mycobacterial infections. This review summarises the clinical spectrum seen in this group of patients and indicates a strategy for the identification of putative genetic defects in the type-1 cytokine pathway.
Silicon Multi-Stage Current-Mode Piezoresistive Pressure Sensor with analog temperature compensation

This work presents a technique for temperature compensation of Silicon Piezoresistive Pressure Sensors (PPSs) based on a Proportional to Absolute Temperature (PTAT) Bias-Current circuit (IPTAT). This technique is applied on the Multi-Stage Current-Mode Piezoresistive Pressure Sensor based on a 3-Terminal Pressure Sensor (3-TPS) that recently has been being studied as an alternative to the conventional Wheatstone Bridge and Transversal PPSs. The experimental maximum differential sensitivity of the sensor output current relative change, for 500µA constant bias current, amounts to 0.64%/psi @20°C. The sensor output current sensitivity temperature dependence, without compensation, amounts to 0. 06µA/°C over a range from 20°C to 80°C. After compensation, the experimental results show a maximum deviation of 1.5% within the full scale output span. This efficient compensation was achieved using a PTAT bias current whose Temperature Coefficient (TC) amounts to 0. 06µA/°C.
FPGA implementation of a median filter

The median filter is an effective device for the removal of impulse-based noise on video signals. This is due to the partial averaging effect of the median filter and its biasing of the input stream, rather than straight mathematical averaging. In this paper, we describe three realizations of median filter, built into as few as one field programmable logic device, which is capable of processing an incoming video data stream at a maximum (programmable logic device partially dependent) of around 30 MS/s. In total, four designs are considered, with a primary design, two variations on the primary design and an asynchronous version based on the primary design. Simulation of the primary design (both synchronous and asynchronous) has demonstrated its potential for reducing the area requirements of a median filter whilst not sacrificing either speed or accuracy.
Multimodale Interaktion in Virtueller Realität am Beispiel der virtuellen Konstruktion

Systeme der Virtuellen Realitat (VR) stellen neue Herausforderungen an die Art und Weise der Systembe− dienung. Die Ubertragung herkommlicher 2D orientierter WIMP−Schnittstellen (Windows, Icon, Menue, Pointer) erweist sich hier haufig als ungeeignet. In diesem Zusammanhang verfolgt die vorgestellte Arbeit den Ansatz, VR−Interaktionen uber naturliche menschliche Kommunikationsmoglichkeiten mit Gestik und Sprache zu realisieren. Zu diesem Ziel wurden Kernkomponenten entwickelt, welche in den Echtzeit−ge− triebenen Programmfluss von VR Systemen eingebettet sind und Funktionen fur die Gestikerkennung und −analyse sowie die multimodale Integration und Auswertung bereitstellen. Diese Komponenten werden in einer Reihe von aktuellen Projekten etwa im Kontext der Virtuellen Konstruktion, der Deixisforschung oder zur Interaktion mit MAX, einem antropomorphen Gegenuber in virtuellen Umgebungen eingesetzt.
Movement analysis with inertial sensors: identification of noise covariance matrices to improve body segment orientation using Kalman filtering

In this context, inertial measurement units (IMU) are a promising way to perform human motion analysis out of the lab, with no need for external devices. However, IMUs do not measure directly the orientation but only acceleration, rotation rate, and magnetic field. These data have thus to be converted in order to estimate the orientation. Moreover, IMUs designed for human motion analysis are based on MEMS technology which allows sensors to be cheap and small but which also induces noise and bias over the measurement. In the literature, Kalman filtering is recognized as one of the best tool to perform data fusion from noised measurement. The main idea is to combine the sensors measurement with a dynamic model that translates the time-behaviour of the state to be estimated. However, there is no consensus on the structure of the algorithm and its settings. A critical point when implementing a Kalman filter is the definition of the two covariance matrices that characterize mismodelling and input error from noisy sensors. There is no consensus in the literature on a method to define these covariance matrices, even if it is crucial since it can lead to inaccurate estimation as well as divergence and stability problems (Foxlin 1996). The aim of this study is to provide a solution to identify input parameters that optimize orientation estimation. 2. Methods
Prospects for atom interferometry

Atom interferometers were first realized ten years ago, and since then have evolved from beautiful demonstrations of quantum physics into instruments at the leading edge of precision measurement. In this article we trace the development of atom interferometry, looking at how the physical principles have been put into practice to achieve ground-breaking experiments. We also discuss new atom optical techniques that are becoming available and anticipate the ways in which the consequent improvements will provide new opportunities in metrology and the study of fundamental physics.
Stated and actual altruistic willingness to pay for insecticide-treated nets in Nigeria: validity of open-ended and binary with follow-up questions.

OBJECTIVES To determine whether the binary with follow-up (BWFU) or open-ended (OPED) contingent valuation question format would yield better valid estimates of altruistic willingness to pay (WTP) and examine the feasibility of using intra-community altruistic contributions to procure insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) for the poor in Nigeria. METHODS Structured questionnaires were used to elicit stated altruistic WTP from a random sub-sample of respondents that had either the OPED or BWFU used to elicit WTP in Southeast Nigeria. One month after the survey the respondents were asked to redeem their WTP pledges. Construct validity was determined using econometric analyses, while phi correlation coefficient was used to determine criterion validity. FINDINGS More than 57% of the respondents were hypothetically willing to pay for altruism in both BWFU and OPED groups. Altruistic WTP was positively related to respondents' WTP for own nets (p<0.01) and nets for other household members (p<0.05) in both groups. A total of 27.0% and 33.1% of the respondents with positive hypothetical WTP in the BWFU and OPED actually contributed. Phi correlation coefficient was 0.23 (95%CI 0.20-0.29) in BWFU and 0.49 (95%CI 0.44-0.54) in OPED. The money realised was used to buy some ITNs, which were presented to poor people selected by community leaders. CONCLUSION The OPED elicited better valid estimates of altruistic WTP than BWFU. The potential for more capable people to contribute for the poor in ITNs programmes actually exist and malaria control programmes should explore altruistic contributions as a means to increase net coverage.
Modelling a 3 D citymodel and its levels of detail as a true 4 Dmodel

The various levels of detail (LODs) of a 3D city model are often stored independently—without links between the representations of the same object—, causing inconsistencies as well as update and maintenance problems. One solution to this problem is tomodel the LODas an extra geometric dimensionperpendicular to the three spatial ones, resulting in a true 4Dmodel in which a single 4D object (a polychoron) represents a 3D polyhedral object (e.g. a building) at all its LODs and a multiple-LOD 3D city model is modelled as a 4D cell complex. While such an approach has been discussed before at a conceptual level, our objective in this paper is to describe how it can be realised by appropriately linking existing 3D models of the same object at different LODs. We first present our general methodology to construct such a 4Dmodel, which consists of three steps: (1) finding corresponding 0D–3D cells; (2) creating 1D–4D cells connecting them; and (3) constructing the 4Dmodel. Because of the complex relationships between the objects in different LODs, the creation of the connecting cells can become difficult. We therefore describe four different alternatives to do this, and we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each in terms of their feasibility in practice and the properties that the resulting 4D model has. We show how the different linking schemes result in objects with different characteristics in several use cases. We also show how our linking method works in practice by implementing the linking of matching cells to construct a 4D model.
Initial Validation of an Instrument Measuring Psychology-Specific Epistemological Beliefs

Psychology-specific epistemological beliefs (EBs) are believed to influence students’ approach to and performance in psychology courses. However, empirical research on this topic is limited due in part to a lack of well-validated instruments measuring this construct. The primary objective of this research was to develop and validate the Psychology-Specific Epistemological Belief Scale (Psych-SEBS), a short self-report instrument measuring psychology-specific EBs. Study 1 addresses the structural validity, internal consistency, test–retest reliability, and convergent validity of the Psych-SEBS. Study 2 addresses the criterion-related and incremental validity of the Psych-SEBS. Findings indicated acceptable psychometric properties of this 13-item instrument and its three subscales, namely, significance of psychology research, subjective nature of psychology knowledge, and predictability of human behavior. Scores on Psych-SEBS scales were significantly associated with construct-relevant outcomes, including student interest and performance in psychology courses, and explained unique variance in these outcomes beyond that explained by existing instruments.
Neuropsychological Functioning and Health-Related Quality of Life: Pediatric Acute Liver Failure Study Group Results

Objectives: Pediatric acute liver failure (PALF) is a rare but serious event, with poorly understood functional outcomes. The goal was to determine the prevalence of reduced neuropsychological functioning and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) following PALF. Methods: This multicenter study examined neuropsychological functioning and HRQOL 1 to 6 (median 3.8) years after PALF. Participants ages 6 to 16 (median 9.9) years were recruited from the PALF registry and administered measures of intelligence, visual spatial/visual motor coordination, attention, executive function, depression, and adaptive skills. HRQOL and fatigue were assessed using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 Generic Core Scales (PedsQL 4.0) and PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale. Results: A total of 36 patients participated; 50% were boys and 67% were white. Median age at PALF was 5.6 years. A history of grade 3 or 4 hepatic encephalopathy was reported in 5/36 (14%) participants and 23/36 (64%) received a liver transplant. Visual spatial ability was significantly better than norms (P = 0.009), but motor coordination was worse (P = 0.04). Teachers (P = 0.04 to P < 0.0001) and parents (P = 0.005) reported more executive deficits versus norms, and participants had worse attention (P = 0.02). Participants did not differ significantly from norms on IQ, depression, or adaptive functioning. All of the child self-report PedsQL Generic Core and fatigue scales were significantly lower than a matched healthy sample (P = 0.001 to P < 0.0001) and parent proxy report was lower on the fatigue scales (P = 0.001 to P < 0.0001). Conclusions: Long-term PALF survivors demonstrate average IQ and visual spatial ability, but greater than expected impairments in motor skills, attention, executive function, HRQOL, and fatigue.
Progress of positron emission tomography / computed tomography in the management of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an aggressive malignancy in the head and neck. South China is one of the areas with the highest occurrence of this disease. Radiotherapy is the primary therapeutic modality for NPC. Early accurate diagnosis and staging provide important value to NPC treatment. Nuclear medical imaging technologies, particularly positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET-CT), have shown significant application value in the clinical diagnosis, staging, treatment, and prognosis of NPC in recent years. This review summarizes the recent advances in the development of PET-CT in the diagnosis, staging, treatment, and prognosis of NPC.
Blood pressure analysis

SUMMARY Arterial blood pressure is influenced by sleep‐related breathing disorders. As cardiovascular consequences can be diagnosed by an accurate recording and analysis of blood pressure, new recording methodologies and an approach to analysis are presented here. Invasive continuous blood pressure recording is the common reference for all methodologies. As blood pressure varies rapidly in parallel with sleep‐related breathing disorders it is indispensible to record blood pressure continuously. To introduce non‐invasive methodology the Finapres system was used during sleep studies; a validation study showed severe limitations. This study was followed by the validation of an improved system called Portapres, which is portable, has two finger cuffs and a hydrostatic height compensation.
A comparison of the effects of ketamine and remifentanil on renal functions in coronary artery bypass graft surgery

Abstract We have investigated the effects of ketamine-based and remifentanil-based anesthetic protocol on perioperative serum cystatin-C levels, and creatinine and/or cystatin-C-based eGFR equations in terms of acute kidney injury in coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Using a simple randomization method (coin tossing), patients were divided into the two groups and not-blinded to the anesthetist. Remifentanil–midazolam–propofol or ketamine–midazolam–propofol-based anesthetic regimen was chosen. Different eGFR formulas using creatinine (MDRD, CKD-EPI, Cockrauft Gault); cystatin-C (eGFR1, eGFR2) or a combination of creatinine and cystatin-C (eGFR 3) were used to calculate estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFRs). High-sensitive troponin T was used to determine if ketamine use in coronary surgery contributed to myocardial cell damage. Thirty-seven patients were included in the study (remifentanil group = 19, ketamine Group = 18). Urea, creatinine, cystatin-C levels were comparable between the groups in all the measurement times and also postoperative day 2 samples showed statistically higher results compared to baseline (p < 0.001). Effects of ketamine and remifentanil on renal functions were found similar. Creatinine and cystatin-C-based eGFR equations resulted similar in our study. Reversible stage 1 acute kidney injury (AKI) was observed on postoperative day 2 in seven patients from the remifentanil group and six patients from the ketamine group. Hs-troponin T was found to be higher in postoperative day 1 samples; there were no significant difference between the groups. Our results indicated that patients who have normal renal functions undergoing on-pump coronary bypass surgery, effects of ketamine and remifentanil on renal functions in terms of AKI were found to be similar.
CRITICAL THINKING AS INFLUENCED BY LEARNING STYLE

The development of critical thinking skills in students at all age levels has long been a national concern. As such, teaching faculty in all disciplines and at all levels of education shared a common goal: to develop in students in the complex mental operations that will allow them to be successful in the classroom as well as their future careers. A review of education literature reveals several factors that have been found to influence cognitive development. Learning style was one such factor. This study sought to investigate the influence learning style had on critical thinking abilities of students enrolled in a college of agriculture. A random sample of senior students was selected for the study. The Developing Cognitive Abilities Test and the Group Embedded Figures Test were used to gather data on students critical thinking abilities and learning style. Using multiple linear regression, 9 percent of the variance in students' critical thinking was uniquely accounted for by learning style after controlling personal characteristics. Recommendations are offered based on the results and for future research. The education literature overwhelmingly conveys the value for the development of critical thinking abilities in students. Most rationales convey arguments for the importance of thinking abilities: they lead to getting a better job, to the nation being able to compete better economically, to people being able to fit better within a changing and complex environment, to improve the quality of life (Thomas, 1992). Addressing the postsecondary faculty, Weiss (1993) indicated that teaching faculty in all disciplines and at all levels of education shared a common goal: to develop in students in the complex mental operations that will allow them to be successful in the classroom as well as their future careers. How do we develop complex mental operations in student?
Effects of Cholestyramine on Vitamin E Levels in Patients Treated with Statins

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of cholestyramine in combination with statins on vitamin E levels and their concentration related to LDL‐cholesterol (LDL‐C) in patients with hyperlipidemia. In an open‐label, randomized study of 25 patients with elevated LDL‐C, 12 received cholestyramine (12 g/d) in addition to chronic statin therapy, which had been started at least 8 weeks prior to the study in all patients. At the start and end of the 12‐week study period, vitamin E concentrations were measured by high‐performance liquid chromatography and cholesterol and triglycerides enzymatically in all patients. Vitamin E levels remained virtually unchanged within normal range before (11.90 ± 0.71 mg/l) and after 12 weeks (11.69 ± 0.82 mg/l) of concomitant therapy with cholestyramine. However, the ratio of vitamin E/LDL‐C increased from 7.48 ± 0.56 to 8.58 ± 0.75 (× 10−2) (p < 0.09) in the cholestyramine group but not in the control group. LDL‐C concentrations decreased from 162.00 ± 5.98 to 144.33 ± 12.48 mg/dl. The authors conclude that cholestyramine 12 g/d given for 12 weeks in addition to chronic statin therapy did not lower vitamin E levels in hyperlipemic patients. However, antioxidant status (vitamin E/LDL‐C ratio) seems to be improved by a cholestyramine‐associated LDL‐C decrease.