Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Epidemiology of Obesity and Hypertension in Uzbekistan

This study examines the prevalence of obesity and hypertension and associated behavioral risk factors in adult men and women in Uzbekistan. The study also estimates the effects of overweight and obesity on the risk of hypertension. The analysis used data from the 2002 Uzbekistan Health Examination Survey (UHES) which included a nationally representative sample of 2333 men age 15-59 and 5463 women age 15-49. The survey included questions on physical activity dietary habits tobacco smoking alcohol consumption and other risk factors as well as measurements of height weight and blood pressure for all survey respondents. The analysis was conducted using binary and multinomial logistic regression methods separately for men and women. Thirty-one percent of men age 15-59 and 28% of women age 15-49 in Uzbekistan are overweight or obese. Overweight men and women were more than twice as likely and obese men and women were more than six times as likely to suffer from hypertension as men and women with a normal body mass index (BMI). With various risk factors and background factors statistically controlled obese men and women remained about three times as likely to suffer from hypertension as men and women with a normal BMI (OR=3.01; 95% CI: 1.67-5.44 for men and OR=2.82; 95% CI: 2.05-3.86 for women). The adjusted effects of overweight on hypertension were also smaller than the unadjusted effects but remained positive and significant (OR=1.35 for men and OR=1.54 for women). For men the risk of hypertension was strongly positively associated with BMI only at BMI levels above 25 but for women a positive relationship was observed at all BMI levels. The study found no significant association between physical activity level and the risk of obesity or hypertension. Eating animal source protein and tobacco smoking in the past were positively associated with obesity but there were no consistent associations with other dietary indicators or alcohol use. The study found a strong positive association between obesity and hypertension in adult men and women in Uzbekistan. The shape of the relationship between BMI and hypertension is different for women than for men. A lack of association with physical activity level and generally weak inconsistent associations with diet current smoking and alcohol use may be partly because some men and women may have altered their behavior after becoming obese or after being diagnosed with hypertension. Prospective cohort studies are needed to better understand the relationships between physical activity diet smoking and risks of obesity and hypertension. (authors)
Infrared Loser Sclerostomies

Four solid-state lasers with three fiberoptic delivery systems were used to perform laser sclerostomies in an acute-injury rabbit model and in fresh human globes. The lasers used were continuous-wave neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG, 1.06 Mm) and pulsed holmium:yttrium scandium galliam garnet (YSGG) (2.10 Mm), erbium:YSGG (2.79 Mm), and erbium:YAG (2.94 Mm). Thermal damage to tissue and total laser energy required to produce sclerostomies decreased with increasing wavelength. In human tissue using a 600-Mm fused silica fiberoptic, maximum thermal damage (> 100 Mm) was noted at 1.06 Mm with a total energy of 21J at a power density of 2.5 kW/cm. In addition, focal damage to the iris and ciliary body was noted at this wavelength. The least amount of thermal damage (15-20 Mm) and lowest total energies needed were found at 2.94 Mm. A 250-MS pulse length and pulse radiant exposures of 3.6 J/cm and 14.3 J/cm were used for the low hydroxyl-fused silica (500 Mm) and zirconium fluoride (250 Mm) fiberoptics, respectively. Although zirconium fluoride fibers have high through-put efficiencies that facilitate study of laser tissue interactions at 2.94 Mm, problems encountered with fragility and solubility of the bare tip in aqueous media limit its usefulness. A high attenuation rate with the low hydroxyl-fused silica fiber limited its usable length to 35 cm at 2.94 Mm. Tissue damage during sclerostomy formation was minimized at 2.94 Mm, reaching a maximum at 1.06 Mm. Minimizing tissue damage theoretically could decrease subconjunctival scarring and filtration failure. By comparing the neodymium:YAG with the erbium:YAG laser, this hypothesis can be tested in an in vivo model using a minimal number of laboratory animals. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 32:24982503,1991
Induced Defense in Japanese White Birch Seedlings against Insect Herbivores

Plants defend themselves against herbivores, pests and abiotic stresses. Although some defense traits in plants are constitutive, some are switched on, or increased, only when the plants have suffered from stresses (i.e. induced defense). Growth (i.e. lignin) and the synthesis of most defensive compounds in broad-leaved trees derive from phenylalanine. If, therefore, plants allocate photosynthates mainly to defense, these resources would not be available for growth (lignin synthesis). In this study, we examined the defense induced against grazing by the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) in seedlings of the white birch (Betula platyphylla var. japonica) grown under two nitrogen levels. We exposed white birch leaves to be grazed by gypsy moths, and we cut the leaves with scissors in early spring. The defenses of white birch seedlings, especially the amount of total phenolics and condensed tannin, were found to be induced by cutting, to extents that were influenced by the soil nitrogen condition. Induced defense of white birch seedlings may depend on the heterophyllous type of shoot development.
FPGA Implementation of Efficient Viterbi Decoder for Multi-Carrier Systems

In this paper, we concern with designing and implementing a Convolutional encoder and Adaptive Viterbi Decoder (AVD) which are the essential blocks in digital communication system using FPGA technology. Convolutional coding is a coding scheme used in communication systems for error correction employed in applications like deep space communications and wireless communications. It provides an alternative approach to block codes for transmission over a noisy channel. The block codes can be applied only for the blocks of data where as the Convolutional coding has an advantage that it can be applied to both continuous data stream and blocks of data. The Viterbi decoder with PNPH (Permutation Network based Path History) management unit which is a special path management unit for faster decoding speed with less routing area. The proposed architecture can be realized by an Adaptive Viterbi Decoder having constraint length, K of 3 and a code rate (k/n) of 1/2 using Verilog HDL. Simulation is done using Xilinx ISE 12.4i design software and it is targeted into Xilinx Virtex-5, XC5VLX110T FPGA.
Treatment of Liquid Oil Spill by Untreated and Treated Aswanly Clay from Egypt

The aim of this work is to use cheap, available and recyclable sorbents for oil spill clean – up. α -SiO2-Quartz, Na2Si2O5(OH)4, CaCO3, MgCO3, BaCO3, CaO, MgO, and Fe2O3 are used individually or mixed with Aswanly clay to identify the sorption activity of these materials and to show the effect of incorporation of these materials into the Aswanly clay. Results were 63, 75, 100, 93, 95,75, 92, 100, 80, 98, 90, 71, 90 and 97% on using 1.0 g α -SiO2-Quartz, 0.9 g Na2Si2O5 (OH) 4, 0.07 g CaCO3, 0.05 g MgCO3, 0.08 g BaCO3, 0.05g CaO, 0.1 g MgO, and 0.08 g Fe2O3, 0.1 g clay mixture of 50% CaCO3, 0.1 g clay mixture of 10% MgCO3, 0.1 g clay mixture of 50% BaCO3, 0.1 g clay mixture of 50% CaO, 0.1 g clay mixture of 10% MgO, and 0.1 g clay mixture of 50% Fe2O3 respectively, to remove 14.07 mg crude oil, below which mechanical means for removing crude oil from oil contaminated water becomes less more effective, from oil contaminated water of volume 25 ml from oil contaminated water at pH 6 and temperature 30oC. All of these materials were treated by naphtha, a petroleum product of boiling range 30oC - 165oC, to remove sorbed crude oil from its surface for further reuse and contaminated naphtha are processed to be distilled for reuse. Characteristics of crude oil and Aswanly clay were investigated by FTIR, X – Ray Fluorescence, X – Ray Diffraction, pour point and centrifuge instruments. Determination of amount of crude oil in water was done by extraction the crude oil with 10 ml n-hexane and measuring absorbance by UV – VIS. Spectrometer. (Journal of Applied Sciences & Environmental Management: 2003 7(1): 25-36)
TASI lectures on entanglement in field theory and holography

These lecture notes aim to provide an introduction to entanglement entropies in quantum field theories, including holographic ones. We explore basic properties and simple examples of entanglement entropies, mostly in two dimensions, with an emphasis on physical rather than formal aspects of the subject. In the holographic case, the focus is on how that physics is realized geometrically by the Ryu-Takayanagi formula. In order to make the notes somewhat self-contained for readers whose background is in high-energy theory, a brief introduction to the relevant aspects of quantum information theory is included.
Cooperative Moving Path Following Using Event Based Control and Communication

This paper introduces a Cooperative Moving Path Following (CMPF) approach where the robotic vehicles are required to converge to a desired geometric path specified with respect to a moving frame of reference, while maintaining a desired formation. This is in contrast to the existing Cooperative Path Following framework, where the robotic vehicles perform a coordinated maneuver to follow a fixed reference path. The results on the path following controllers are extended to incorporate the effects of moving frame of reference of the path, leading to a Lyapunov-based nonlinear control law for a moving path following motion control problem of an individual robotic vehicle. In order to achieve cooperation, the moving path following controllers are augmented with decentralized, first order consensus approach, resulting in a Cooperative Moving Path Following architecture. Furthermore, event-based control and communication methods are applied at the cooperation level to reduce the frequency of information exchange between the robotic vehicles. The advantage of the CMPF method proposed lies in its flexibility to choose different parameterizable paths and is illustrated in simulations through coordinated source seeking and convoy protection scenarios using under-actuated robotic vehicles.
A Novel Modular DC-DC Converter Based on High-Frequency-Link for MVDC Distribution Application

In this paper, a novel modular dc-dc converter (MDCC) based on high-frequency-link (HFL) is proposed for MVDC distribution application. The proposed MDCC employs series-connected submodules (SMs) in the MVDC side, and single active bridges (SABs) in parallel in the low voltage dc (LVDC) side. Besides, the MDCC can be operated as a dc breaker when dc short circuit faults occur in the MV side. In addition, the operation principle of SMs and the power transmission characterization of HFL are analyzed, based on which a control method for the MDCC is presented. Finally, simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed MDCC and the control method.
The Labor Market Effects of Immigration Enforcement

We examine the labor market effects of Secure Communities (SC), a police-based immigration enforcement policy implemented in 2008–13. Using variation in implementation across local areas and over time, we find that SC decreased the employment of likely undocumented immigrants. These effects are driven not only by deportations but also by adjustments among immigrants who remain in the United States. Importantly, SC also decreased the employment and hourly wages of US-born individuals. We provide support for two mechanisms that could explain this decline in labor demand: an increase in labor costs that decreases job creation and a reduction in local consumption.
The Paparazzi Solution

When attending Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) competitions, one notices a majority of teams concentrating on the vehicle itself, be it from an aerodynamics, structures, propulsion or control point of view. A total system approach is not often seen, though MAVs pose a very unique challenge to the system designer who must propose a platform and architecture to support the autopilot, the communications, user interface, simulation, analysis and tuning tools, flight plan management and many other details. Since its inception, the Paparazzi team considered the MAV as a system and used a bottom to top approach focusing on safety, robustness and usability of the system as a whole. This paper describes the Paparazzi project approach: The complete and integrated design of hardware, software, and airframe into a robust and reliable system, proven by formal analytical methods and thousands of flight hours.
From Human Physical Interaction To Online Motion Adaptation Using Parameterized Dynamical Systems

In this work, we present an adaptive motion planning approach for impedance-controlled robots to modify their tasks based on human physical interactions. We use a class of parameterized time-independent dynamical systems for motion generation where the modulation of such parameters allows for motion flexibility. To adapt to human interactions, we update the parameters of our dynamical system in order to reduce the tracking error (i.e., between the desired trajectory generated by the dynamical system and the real trajectory influenced by the human interaction). We provide analytical analysis and several simulations of our method. Finally, we investigate our approach through real world experiments with a 7-DOF KUKA LWR 4+ robot performing tasks such as polishing and pick-and-place.
An ionospheric convection signature of antiparallel reconnection

This paper sets out a critical test of the antiparallel merging hypothesis. For the conflicting theories of antiparallel and subsolar reconnection, we model the location of reconnection regions on the dayside magnetopause, their ionospheric footprints, and the resulting ionospheric convection patterns. We show that antiparallel reconnection, under particular seasonal and solar wind conditions, gives rise to a distinctive ionospheric convection signature. Specifically, around midwinter with a quasi-steady solar wind and IMF Bz < 0 and |By | ∼ |Bz |, we predict equatorward flow in the noon sector with poleward flow either side of noon if the antiparallel merging hypothesis is correct. In contrast, we predict poleward flow in the noon sector in midwinter under these solar wind conditions if the subsolar reconnection hypothesis is correct and in other seasons under both hypotheses. We go on to present radar and spacecraft data for an interval which satisfies the above seasonal and solar wind criteria, demonstrating that the convection signature of antiparallel merging is present. This is not consistent with the subsolar merging hypothesis.
The Impact of New College Graduates on Intrastate Labor Markets

A crucial issue in the debate on state support for higher education is the extent that a state's production of college graduates affects the state's education attainment. The view that many new graduates take their state-supported degrees to labor markets in other states undermines states' incentives to promote wider access to college. This study offers reasons to be skeptical of this view, and develops a simple framework to quantify the intrastate labor-market effects from the production of new college graduates. Data for years 1992–2005 from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and the Current Population Survey (CPS) are used to quantify the effects of new graduates on states' net migration, employment, unemployment, labor force nonparticipation, and wages of college graduates. The results indicate that a state's production of college graduates has a nearly proportionate impact on the state's college attainment.
Functional rarefaction: estimating functional diversity from field data

Studies in biodiversity-ecosystem function and conservation biology have led to the development of diversity indices that take species' functional differences into account. We identify two broad classes of indices: those that monotonically increase with species richness (MSR indices) and those that weight the contribution of each species by abundance or occurrence (weighted indices). We argue that weighted indices are easier to estimate without bias but tend to ignore information provided by rare species. Conversely, MSR indices fully incorporate information provided by rare species but are nearly always underestimated when communities are not exhaustively surveyed. This is because of the well-studied fact that additional sampling of a community may reveal previously undiscovered species. We use the rarefaction technique from species richness studies to address sample-size-induced bias when estimating functional diversity indices. Rarefaction transforms any given MSR index into a family of unbiased weighted indices, each with a different level of sensitivity to rare species. Thus rarefaction simultaneously solves the problem of bias and the problem of sensitivity to rare species. We present formulae and algorithms for conducting a functional rarefaction analysis of the two most widely cited MSR indices: functional attribute diversity (FAD) and Petchey and Gaston's functional diversity (FD). These formulae also demonstrate a relationship between three seemingly unrelated functional diversity indices: FAD, FD and Rao's quadratic entropy. Statistical theory is also provided in order to prove that all desirable statistical properties of species richness rarefaction are preserved for functional rarefaction.
LD-CNN: A Lightweight Dilated Convolutional Neural Network for Environmental Sound Classification

Environmental Sound Classification (ESC) plays a vital role in machine auditory scene perception. Deep learning based ESC methods. , such as the Dilated Convolutional Neural Network (D-CNN). , have achieved the state-of-art results on public datasets. However. , the D-CNN ESC model size is often larger than 100MB and is only suitable for the systems with powerful GPUs. , which prevents their applications in handheld devices. In this study. , we take the D-CNN ESC framework and focus on reducing the model size while maintaining the ESC performance. As a result. , a lightweight D-CNN (termed as LD-CNN) ESC system is developed. Our work lies on twofold. First. , we propose into reduce the number of parameters in the convolution layers by factorizing a two-dimensional convolution filters $(L \times W)$ to two separable one-dimensional convolution filters ($L \times 1$ and $1\times W$). Second. , we propose to replace the first fully connection layer (FCL) by a Feature Sum layer (FSL) to further reduce the number of parameters. This is motivated by our finding that the features of the environmental sounds have weak absolute locality property and a global sum operation can be applied to compress the feature map. Experiments on three public datasets (ESC50., UrbanSound8K., and CICESE) show that the proposed system offers comparable classification performance but with a much smaller model size. For example. , the model size of our proposed system is about 2.05MB. , which is 50 times smaller than the original D-CNN model. , but at a loss of only 1%-2 % classification accuracy.
Novel Techniques on Feature Clustering Algorithms for text classification

Classifying text is a challenging technique. The dimensionality of feature vectors is very huge and number of researchers has found many techniques to reduce the number of dimensions of feature vectors in text classification. In this paper, some of the important techniques for text classification have been reviewed and novel parameters using fuzzy set approach have been discussed in detail. Here, the words are grouped into clusters based on degree of similarity. Mean and standard deviation are considered as membership function for each cluster. At last features are extracted from each cluster. The extracted feature equals to the weighted combination of words in each cluster. Moreover, there is no need to specify the number of cluster in advance by trial and error method.
Linking temperature sensitivity of soil CO2 release to substrate, environmental, and microbial properties across alpine ecosystems

Our knowledge of fundamental drivers of the temperature sensitivity (Q10) of soil carbon dioxide (CO2) release is crucial for improving the predictability of soil carbon dynamics in Earth System Models. However, patterns and determinants of Q10 over a broad geographic scale are not fully understood, especially in alpine ecosystems. Here we addressed this issue by incubating surface soils (0–10 cm) obtained from 156 sites across Tibetan alpine grasslands. Q10 was estimated from the dynamics of the soil CO2 release rate under varying temperatures of 5–25°C. Structure equation modeling was performed to evaluate the relative importance of substrate, environmental, and microbial properties in regulating the soil CO2 release rate and Q10. Our results indicated that steppe soils had significantly lower CO2 release rates but higher Q10 than meadow soils. The combination of substrate properties and environmental variables could predict 52% of the variation in soil CO2 release rate across all grassland sites and explained 37% and 58% of the variation in Q10 across the steppe and meadow sites, respectively. Of these, precipitation was the best predictor of soil CO2 release rate. Basal microbial respiration rate (B) was the most important predictor of Q10 in steppe soils, whereas soil pH outweighed B as the major regulator in meadow soils. These results demonstrate that carbon quality and environmental variables coregulate Q10 across alpine ecosystems, implying that modelers can rely on the “carbon‐quality temperature” hypothesis for estimating apparent temperature sensitivities, but relevant environmental factors, especially soil pH, should be considered in higher‐productivity alpine regions.
Unidirectional Loop Metamaterials (ULM) as Magnetless Artificial Ferrimagnetic Materials: Principles and Applications

This letter presents an overview of unidirectional loop metamaterial (ULM) structures and applications. Mimicking electron spin precession in ferrites using loops with unidirectional loads (typically transistors), the ULM exhibits all the fundamental properties of ferrite materials and represents the only existing magnetless ferrimagnetic medium. We present here an extended explanation of ULM physics and unified description of its component and system applications.