Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Continuous Characterization of Permittivity over a Wide Bandwidth Using a Cavity Resonator

We examine a rectangular cavity resonator method to accurately characterize the complex permittivity of dielectric materials over a wide frequency range of 1–5 GHz by exploiting the fundamental mode and higher-order TE , , modes. For this purpose, a rectangular waveguide is coupled with a cavity resonator through a large inductive aperture. The permittivity characterization at both even and odd TE , , modes enables continuous determination of the permittivity over operating frequencies. The characterization of the permittivity for even TE , , modes suffers from potential errors due to the displacement of materials. This paper also proposes a method to compensate for these errors and improve the accuracy in the even modes. The experimental results of the fabricated cavity are presented using different materials (frequency-independent and frequency-dependent). The measured complex permittivity results show a good agreement with the reported results over a wide bandwidth available in the literature.
AGE-RELATED MORPHOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS OF REMODELING OF ARTERIAL BED OF HIND LIMBS IN WHITE RATS WITH EXPERIMENTAL HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA

Background. The human organism is constantly affected by metabolic risk factors. All of them for a long time are asymptomatic and often form in early childhood long before clinical manifestations. However, morphogenesis and morphofunctional features of age-related structural changes in blood vessels of different sites are poorly studied.Objective. To evaluate the morphometric characteristics of arterial bed remodeling of hind limbs in white rats of PRA and RA with experimentally induced hypercholesterolemia.Methods. The tissues biopsies from femoral, knee and shin areas were studied by means of histological and morphometric methods.Results. Experimental hypercholesterolemia caused remodeling of vessels with increasing thickness of medial and endothelial layer of vessels in the investigated parts of the rats’ body. In this case, the external diameter of vessels increased only in femoral area in the reproductive group of rats. In the group of pre-productive animals, the external diameter of the vessels studied was more or less unaffected. Thus, increased thickness of intima and media led to a decrease in arteries capacity. The depth of vascular lesions and the decrease in functional capacity of blood vessels were directly proportional to the duration of the experiment. In the group of reproductive rats, the changes in vascular bed were more evident.Conclusions. Objective study of the processes allows providing a scientific basis for further research and understanding of the pathomorphism of vascular diseases in humans.
The Innovation Consequences of Mandatory Patent Disclosures

Abstract We investigate the effect of patent disclosures on corporate innovation. Using the American Inventor’s Protection Act (AIPA) as a shock that increased patent disclosures, we find an increase in innovation for firms whose rivals reveal more information after the AIPA and a decrease in innovation for firms whose own disclosures are divulged to competitors as a result of the law. These findings suggest patent disclosures generate both spillover benefits and proprietary costs. Our findings provide justification for patent disclosure requirements by demonstrating positive externalities: rivals’ disclosures facilitate a firm’s innovation. However, we also highlight that mandatory patent disclosures can impose proprietary costs on firms. These results broadly contribute to our understanding of the real effects of disclosure, such that forcing firms to share proprietary information can be privately costly but beneficial to other firms.
Qualitative Analysis of Visual Data in Information Behavior Research

Purpose/Thesis: The paper contains a methodological reflection on qualitative analysis of visual empirical data as a research procedure in the contemporary human information behavior research. The possibility of implementing this approach has been tested on a case study of personalized information spaces in everyday life of undergraduate information management students in the academic year 2018/2019.Approach/Methods: The reported research employs the realist epistemological stance, qualitative and descriptive approaches, and four methods/techniques: critical literature review, case study, drawing as a mental mapping tool, and thematic analysis. Results and conclusions: Visual data analysis is cognitively fruitful; it enables grasping the multidimensional “information reality” as perceived by the users (the humanistic coefficient). However, it is time-consuming, it requires meticulousness and self-reflection on the part of the researcher; it must also leave a clear audit trail to assure credibility and intersubjective verifiability of investigations.Originality/Value: The article is concerned with innovative research procedures, rarely discussed in Polish information science literature. Combining visual approach with individual information spaces, it corresponds to the latest methodological and topical trends in the field of information behavior. It also links theoretical reflection with the research practice.
A Spell Checking Web Service API for Smart City Communication Platforms

The Internet of Things becomes Internet of Everything when in the process of communication machine-to-machine also intelligent forms of communication between human and machine are involved. Cities can be viewed as a microcosm of this interconnected system where ICT and emerging technologies can be enabling factors to transform cities in Smart Cities. Cities can take great advantage by using information intelligence to achieve important public-policy goals and, in particular, by enabling network communication channels between citizens and public administrators in order to provide information and online services in real time through platform systems rather than by means of humans, using Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing techniques. This work was the first step of a wider project aimed at providing a Spell Checking Web Service API for Smart City communication platforms able to automatically select, among the large availability of open source spell checking tools, the most suitable tool based on the semantic structure of the specific textual data. The system should manage an enhanced Italian Vocabulary Database, specifically implemented to support all the tools of the system. The goal of the present work was to test, through an experimental research, the feasibility of the entire project by implementing a Spell Checking Prototype System designed to manage two selected spell checking tools. Results showed that the Spell Checking Prototype System significantly improves performances by allowing the user to select the most suitable tool for the specific semantic structure of the text. The system also enables to manage the list of exceptions, which continuously enhance the Italian Vocabulary Database. The experimentation proved scientific evidence of the validity of the project aimed at implementing a Spell Checking Web Service API in order to improve the quality of natural language data to be stored or processed in Smart City NCeSDP systems, through the use of existing spell checking tools.
Assessing and accounting for correlation in RNA-seq data analysis

RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) technology is a high-throughput next-generation sequencing procedure. It allows researchers to measure gene transcript abundance at a lower cost and with a higher resolution. Advances in RNA-seq technology promoted new methodological development in several branches of quantitative analysis for RNA-seq data. In this dissertation, we focus on several topics related to RNA-seq data analysis. This dissertation is comprised of three papers on the analysis of RNA-seq data. We first introduce a method for detecting differentially expressed genes across different experimental conditions with correlated RNA-seq data. We fit a general linear model to the transformed read counts of each gene and assume the error vector has a block-diagonal correlation matrix with unstructured blocks that account for within-gene correlations. In order to stabilize parameter estimation with limited replicates, we shrink the residual maximum likelihood estimator of correlation parameters toward a mean-correlation locally-weighted scatterplot smoothing curve. The shrinkage weights are determined by using a hierarchical model and then estimated via parametric bootstrap. Due to the information sharing across genes in parameter estimation, the null distribution of test statistic is unknown and mathematically intractable. Thus, we approximate the null test distribution through a parametric bootstrap strategy. Next, we focus on correlation estimation between genes. Gene co-expression correlation estimation is a fundamental step in gene co-expression network construction. The correlation estimates could also be used as inputs of topological statistics which help analyze gene functions. We propose a new strategy for co-expression correlation definition and estimation. We introduce a motivating dataset with two factors and a split-plot experimental design. We define two types of co-expression correlations that originate from two different sources. We apply a linear mixed model to each gene
Concepts and Methods from Artificial Intelligence in Modern Information Systems – Contributions to Data-driven Decision-making and Business Processes

Today, organizations are facing a variety of challenging, technology-driven developments, three of the most notable ones being the surge in uncertain data, the emergence of unstructured data and a complex, dynamically changing environment. These developments require organizations to transform in order to stay competitive. Artificial Intelligence with its fields decision-making under uncertainty, natural language processing and planning offers valuable concepts and methods to address the developments. The dissertation at hand utilizes and furthers these contributions in three focal points to address research gaps in existing literature and to provide concrete concepts and methods for the support of organizations in the transformation and improvement of data-driven decision-making, business processes and business process management. In particular, the focal points are the assessment of data quality, the analysis of textual data and the automated planning of process models. In regard to data quality assessment, probability-based approaches for measuring consistency and identifying duplicates as well as requirements for data quality metrics are suggested. With respect to analysis of textual data, the dissertation proposes a topic modeling procedure to gain knowledge from CVs as well as a model based on sentiment analysis to explain ratings from customer reviews. Regarding automated planning of process models, concepts and algorithms for an automated construction of parallelizations in process models, an automated adaptation of process models and an automated construction of multi-actor process models are provided.
The Effects of Fault Geometry and Kinematic Parameters on 3D Fold Morphology: Insights From 3D Geometric Models and Comparison With the Dushanzi Anticline, China

Precise knowledge of the geometry of faults and folds at depth is important for tectonics, economic geology, and seismic hazards. However, the geometry and kinematics of faults and the aspects controlling the coevolution of folds are difficult to constrain without 3D seismic data. We perform a series of 3D forward geometric simulations using a pseudo‐3D trishear fault‐propagation folding algorithm to investigate the effects of six fault geometry and kinematic parameters on the 3D fold morphology. We conclude that the ramp angle and the shortening/fault length ratio are the primary controlling factors of the whole 3D‐fold morphology, and the displacement gradient angle only affects the along‐strike deformation. We then present a quantitative interpretation of the Dushanzi anticline and propose that the anticline formed by trishear fault‐propagation folding with 5.5 km of total shortening. A consistency between the 3D structural and geometric models demonstrates the validity of the structural interpretations, suggesting that the anticline is controlled by a 40‐km‐long fault and has increased in amplitude over time with a shortening rate of ~2 mm/year since the Quaternary. The consistency highlights the spatial relationship between the fault geometry, the along‐strike shortening distribution, and the 3D‐fold morphology. These novel insights from the Dushanzi anticline can be applied to the identification of a structural trap with a volume of 68.6 km3.
Estimation of Cotinine Level in the Serum and Saliva in Active Smokers and Non-Smokers.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Smoking is the single most cause of disability, and death affecting the World’s population today. Cotinine the major metabolite of nicotine is generally regarded as the best biomarker for monitoring tobacco exposure in both actively and passively exposed individuals. The aim of the study was to estimate and compare cotinine level in smokers and Non- smokers in saliva and serum by High profile liquid chromatography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serum and Saliva samples were collected. Chromatography was performed using an L-7100 pump, an L-7400 UV detector, an L-7200 auto sampler, an L-7500 integrator and an 865-CO column oven. Cotinine was quantified by comparing the HPLC peak heights to those of authentic standard. RESULTS: Study group showed higher serum and saliva cotinine levels than control group. Serum cotinine levels were significantly higher than saliva cotinine levels in study group. Serum and saliva cotinine levels in control group was not significant. CONCLUSION: Our study shows the importance of estimating cotinine levels for distinguishing tobacco users from non-users, for estimating the nicotine intake of tobacco users and for specifying the exposure of nonsmokers to second hand smoke. The use of High profile liquid chromatography with its superior resolving power is also recommended. However more studies are needed using High profile liquid chromatography to establish standardized values.
Recent Progress on dispersion interferometers for nuclear fusion and low-temperature plasmas

A dispersion interferometer (DI) is known to be less sensitive to mechanical vibrations, which is one of the main sources of error for conventional interferometers. A simple optical configuration is also one of the advantages of the DI approach. Since the first application of a homodyne DI on a nuclear fusion plasma device in the 1990s, several interferometer techniques have improved the operation of the DI. Improvements in nonlinear crystals have also improved the performance and availability of the DI. Immunity to neutral gas density changes, which is needed for low-temperature plasma measurements, is also found. A remaining challenge is the suppression of the offset drifts, which can be significant. Recent studies confirmed that they are caused by ambient humidity changes.
Effect of sugars-sweetened commercial beverages on subjectivity appetite and short-term food intake regulation in normal weight and overweight/obese 9 to 14 year old girls

The following study was conducted to examine the hypothesis that 1% chocolate milk suppresses short-term food intake (FI) to a greater extent than other sugars containing beverages, but the effect will be diminished in overweight and obese (OW/OB) girls. The objective was to determine the effect of isovolumetric drinks of (350ml) 1% chocolate milk, fruit drink, and cola 60 min before a pizza meal on subjective appetite, and short-term FI compared to a water control in 9-14 year old normal weight (NW) and OW/OB girls. A decrease in FI after 1% chocolate milk occurred in NW (n=12) but not OW/OB (n=11) girls. None of the other beverages suppressed FI in either group. In the pooled sample (n=23) a decrease in FI occurred after cola and 1% chocolate milk but not fruit drink, which suggests macronutrient composition was the major determinant on FI suppression. Lower prospective food consumption (PFC) and desire to eat (DTE) scores in NW girls after 1% chocolate milk, when corrected for the energy content of the preload, suggests that 1% chocolate milk is a potent regulator of appetite and FI in NW girls. Subjective appetite, body composition, or cognitive restraint, were not strong determinants of FI. In conclusion, most sugars containing beverages suppressed FI, but the response was affected by macronutrient composition, energy content of the beverages, and body weight status.
An assessment of the functioning of the municipal offices of Świętokrzyskie province

Summary: In this study, the issue of the efficiency of functioning of local government institutions was taken up. The efficient operation of a local government administration office has a significant impact on the development of the local community and satisfying the needs of its residents. The aim of this article is to measure and assess the potential institutional efficiency of municipal offices in the Świętokrzyskie province [voivodeship]. The article uses the institutional analysis method. The research results indicate that the municipalities of the Świętokrzyskie province are characterized by low institutional efficiency, especially in such areas as the provision of public services and the management of human resources. The most favorable situation occurred in the areas of strategic and financial management as well as in social participation and the stimulation of social development.
Automatic classifiers for medical data from doppler unit

Nowadays, hand-held ultrasonic Doppler units are often used for noninvasive screening of atherosclerosis in arteries of the lower limbs. The mean velocity of blood flow in time and blood pressures are measured on several positions on each lower limb. This project presents software that is able to analyze such data and classify it in real time into selected diagnostic classes. It is also capable of giving a notice of some errors encountered during measuring. At the Department of Functional Diagnostics in the Regional Hospital of Liberec a database of several hundreds signals was collected. In cooperation with the specialist, the signals were manually classified into four classes. Consequently selected signal features were extracted and used for training a distance and a Bayesian classifier. Another set of signals was used for evaluating and optimizing the parameters of the classifiers. This paper compares the results of the software with those provided by a human expert. They agreed in 89 % cases.
VP126 The Effectiveness And Safety Of Barbed Sutures In Bariatric Surgery

INTRODUCTION: Knotless barbed sutures can eliminate knot tying during the bariatric surgery (BS) (1). Since effects reported by patients and surgeons are ambiguous, the aim of this study was to establish the safety and efficacy of barbed sutures for intestinal sutures to close the gastrojejunal anastomosis in obese patients undergoing BS. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Register of Clinical Studies, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies comparing barbed sutures with conventional sutures in BS (until 30 June 2016). Quality assessment was conducted using to Cochrane recommendations. Review Manager was applied to analyze the data, and we sequentially omitted each study to perform sensitivity analyses. RESULTS: A total of five cohort studies (low to moderate risk of bias) (n = 859), and no RCTs provided eligible patients. BS includes laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Comparing to conventional sutures, pooling data showed that suture time (Mean Difference, MD = -5.73, 95 percent Confidence Interval, CI -6.25 to -5.21, P < .01) and operative time (MD = - 7.67, 95 percent CI -10.49 to -4.85, P < .01) decreased significantly in the barbed group. Although the postoperative complications did not suggest significant changes (Odds Ratio, OR = 1.56, 95 percent CI .79 to 3.07, P = .2), the pooling results of hospital stay suggested that a significantly longer duration happened in the barbed groups, despite the fact that there may be only 0.18 day longer. (MD =0.18, 95 percent CI .06 to .29, P = .003). CONCLUSIONS: The barbed suture is an effective and safe surgical technique in BS. More evidence with randomized design, larger sample sizes and longer follow up need to compel validations of this state-of-the-art product in the future (2,3).
Improving in vitro seed sprouting on legume of Indigofera zollingeriana stored seed

Experimental evidence shows that notable Indonesian forage crop zollinger blue or Indigofera zollingeriana has high seed dormancy that hinders its reproduction on large scale. This study reports different pre-treatments to break seed dormancy and improve seed germination of I. zollingeriana seeds under in vitro conditions. Experimental evidence suggest that both mechanical and chemical scarification followed by treatment with constantly agitated liquid 0.11 mg/L GA3 has significant effects on seed germination of the plant. The germinated seeds were cultured on MS medium to aid seedling growth. The results showed improved germination and raising of the seedlings compared to the treatments; when the seedlings were germinated using sand paper or acid scarified seeds singly. However, acid scarification for longer time affect negatively on germination especially roots.
Hepatic glycogen synthase (GYS2) deficiency: seven novel patients and seven novel variants

Glycogen storage disease type 0 (GSD 0) is an autosomal recessive disorder of glycogen metabolism caused by mutations in the GYS2 gene manifesting in infancy or early childhood and characterized by ketotic hypoglycemia after prolonged fasting, and postprandial hyperglycemia and hyperlactatemia. GSD 0 is a rare form of hepatic glycogen storage disease with less than 30 reported patients in the literature so far.
TRENDS: Fridays of Revolution: Focal Days and Mass Protest in Egypt and Tunisia

Focal days of protest are increasingly common to episodes of revolutionary mobilization. This paper explores the significance of focal days in patterning sustained protest in Egypt and Tunisia from 2011 to 2012. In Egypt, resource-poor activists exploited the confluence of worshippers on Fridays to mobilize mass transitory protest. This reliance on ritualized action hindered cross-sectoral coordination and meant mass protest often failed to inflict a direct economic cost. In Tunisia, there was no focal day of protest, in large part due to the coordinating hand of trade unions. In consequence, mass protest was more likely to span multiple sites, sectors, and tactics. These results suggest that oppositions can sustain mass mobilization even absent organizational capacity, but a reliance on a focal day limits the potential of protest over a political transition. Supplementary analyses point to the applicability of our findings to a number of other Arab Spring countries.