Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimal design and implementation of LCC resonant converter for automotive application

In this paper, voltage gain and size for the chosen LCC resonant converter are optimized. The optimal design curves for selecting the value of resonant inductor are drawn. From the optimal design curves, the resonant tank elements are designed for optimum size and hardware model is developed. Experimental results confirm the theoretical design and prove that the converter's performance is satisfactory.
Intraarticular sodium hyaluronate (Hyalgan) in the treatment of patients with osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized clinical trial. Hyalgan Study Group.

OBJECTIVE To determine efficacy and safety of intraarticular (IA) hyaluronic acid (HA; Hyalgan) versus placebo and a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug for osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. METHOD A series of 5 weekly IA injections of HA (20 mg each) was compared to placebo or oral naproxen in a 26 week, double blind, masked observer, multicenter trial of 495 patients with idiopathic OA. Acetaminophen was permitted for escape analgesia. The primary measurement was pain experienced on a 50 foot walk test for those completing the study (completers) as measured on a 10 cm visual analog scale (VAS). Also measured were the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) Osteoarthritis Index (pain, stiffness, function) and categorical assessments of pain. RESULTS Patients receiving HA improved more with respect to pain on the 50 foot walk compared to placebo at Week 26 (HA vs placebo difference 8.8 mm; p < 0.005); 56% of HA treated patients compared to 41 % of placebo treated patients had > or = 20 mm reduction in the VAS from Week 5 continuously through Week 26 (p=0.031). At 26 weeks, more HA treated patients (47.6%) had slight pain or were pain-free in contrast to placebo treated (33.1%; p=0.039) or naproxen treated (36.9%; p=0.22) [corrected] patients. Improvement in secondary outcome variables was generally superior in the HA group compared to those receiving placebo and was significantly better at Week 26 with respect to the WOMAC pain (p=0.041) and WOMAC physical function (p=0.047) subscales. The HA group also tended to have better results relative to the naproxen group in both primary and secondary assessments. For all randomized patients, there was a > or = 20 mm improvement in pain experienced on the 50 foot walk in 28% [corrected] of placebo treated patients vs 36% [corrected] of the HA treated patients (p=0.127; 67% of patients completed the trial). Injection site pain, more commonly reported in the HA group (38/164=23%) than in the placebo group (22/168=13%; p < 0.001), resulted in withdrawal in 6 patients (4%). One withdrawal was associated with the HA injection (< 1%). Gastrointestinal adverse events were significantly more common in the naproxen group than the HA or the placebo groups and 14 naproxen treated patients (8.3%) discontinued prematurely due to these events. CONCLUSION This large, controlled randomized clinical trial confirms that 5 weekly IA injections of HA (Hyalgan) in patients with OA of the knee are generally well tolerated, provide sustained relief of pain and improved patient function, and were at least as effective with fewer adverse reactions as continuous treatment with naproxen for 26 weeks.
Effectiveness of radical systematic mediastinal lymphadenectomy in patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer: results of a prospective randomized trial.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness of lymphadenectomy in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA The extent of lymphadenectomy in the treatment of NSCLC is still a matter of controversy. Although some centers perform mediastinal lymph node sampling (LS) with resection of only suspicious lymph nodes, others recommend a radical, systematic mediastinal lymphadenectomy (LA) to improve survival and to achieve a better staging. METHODS In a controlled, prospective, randomized clinical trial, the effects of LA on recurrence rates and survival were analyzed, comparing LS and LA in 169 patients with operable NSCLC. RESULTS After a median follow-up of 47 months, LA did not improve survival in the overall group of patients (hazard ratio: 0.78; 95% confidence interval: 0.47-1.24). Although recurrences rates tended to be reduced among patients who underwent LA, these decreases were not statistically significant (hazard ratio: 0.82; 95% confidence interval: 0.54-1.27). However, analysis of subgroups of patients according to histopathologic lymph node staging revealed that LA appears to prolong relapse-free survival (p = 0.037) with a borderline effect on overall survival (p = 0.058) in patients with limited lymph node involvement (pN1 disease or pN2 disease with involvement of only one lymph node level); in patients with pN0 disease, no survival benefit was observed. CONCLUSIONS Radical systematic mediastinal lymphadenectomy does not influence disease-free or overall survival in patients with NSCLC and without overt lymph node involvement. However, a small subgroup of patients with limited mediastinal lymph node metastases might benefit from a systematic lymphadenectomy.
Health Perceptions of Primary Care Patients and the Influence on Health Care Utilization

This prospective study was conducted to determine the influence of primary care patients' health perceptions on their utilization of health care services. Patients' health perceptions were measured using The RAND Corporation's General Health Perceptions Questionnaire. Physicians provided scores of how they thought the patients perceived their health and of actual physical and emotional health. Utilization data (number of office visits, number of telephone calls to the physician, and ambulatory charges) were evaluated for a 12-month period after completion of the questionnaire. Of 208 patients, 62 (30%) patients with health perceptions scores less than 50 had greater degrees of anxiety (P < .001), depression (P < .001), health-related worry (P <.001), and felt less able to resist illness (P < .001) than patients with higher health perception scores. Analysis of covariance was used to control for differences in physical health among groups of patients with varying health perceptions. These analyses revealed that patients with low health perceptions made more office visits (P = .002), more telephone calls to the physician (P = .01), and had more office charges (P= .05) than patients with higher scores. Physicians accurately predicted the patients' health perceptions in 49% of the cases. In 37%, they thought patients would score their health perceptions higher than they did; in 14% they thought patients would score their health perceptions lower. Health perceptions are an important factor contributing to the use of health care by primary care patients, regardless of the patient's actual physical health. Persons with low health perceptions account for approximately 5% of office visits, a clinically important fraction, especially when compared to the 9% of office visits for hypertension, the most common disease treated in the medical office.
Big Data Analytic Approaches Classification

Analytical data management applications, affected by the explosion of the amount of generated data in the context of Big Data, are shifting away their analytical databases towards a vast landscape of architectural solutions combining storage techniques, programming models, languages, and tools. To support users in the hard task of deciding which Big Data solution is the most appropriate according to their specific requirements, we propose a generic architecture to classify analytical approaches. We also establish a classification of the existing query languages, based on the facilities provided to access the big data architectures. Moreover, to evaluate different solutions, we propose a set of criteria of comparison, such as OLAP support, scalability, and fault tolerance support. We classify different existing Big Data analytics solutions according to our proposed generic architecture and qualitatively evaluate them in terms of the criteria of comparison. We illustrate how ou r proposed generic architecture can be used to decide which Big Data analytic approach is suitable in the context of several use cases.
Code division multiple-access techniques in optical fiber networks. I. Fundamental principles

An examination is made of fiber-optic code-division multiple-access (FO-CDMA), a technique in which low information data rates are mapped into very-high-rate address codes (signature sequences) for the purpose of achieving random, asynchronous communications free of network control, among many users. The need for a special class of signature sequences to achieve the multiple-access capability using fiber-optic signal processing techniques is discussed. A class of signature sequences called optical orthogonal codes (OOCs) that provide the auto- and cross-correlation properties required for FO-CDMA is introduced and used in an experiment to show the principles of FO-CDMA. The experiment demonstrates the auto- and cross-correlation properties of the codes. The concept of optical disk patterns, an equivalent way of representing the OOCs, is introduced. The patterns are used to derive the probability density functions associated with any two interfering OOCs. A detailed study of different interference patterns is presented, and the strongest and the weakest interference patterns are determined. >
Step-by-step route for the synthesis of metal-organic frameworks.

Using a novel layer-by-layer approach we have deposited metal−organic open frameworks (MOFs) based on benzenetricarboxylic acid ligands and Cu(II)-ions on a COOH-terminated organic surface. The deposited layers were characterized using a number of surface analysis techniques. XRD measurements show that the MOFs deposited using this method have the same bulk structure of HKUST-1.
Changes in rhodopsin-porphyropsin ratio of chum and pink salmon

In order to investigate the changes in rhodopsin-porphyropsin ratio of chum salmon and pink salmon in relation to the change in their habitat, the ratios were analyzed in individual fish prior to stocking, during the sea run, homing, and upstream migration. The ratio in both the species gradually increased during the sea run. However, the ratio decreased after upstream river migration. Moreover, in the sea, the rhodopsin-porphyropsin ratio of chum salmon was always slightly higher than that of pink salmon. The largest difference in the individual variation was observed in the individuals caught with a set net placed near the mouth of a home river.
The Identification and Characterization of a Ligand for Bovine CD51

CD5, a type I glycoprotein expressed by T cells and a subset of B cells, is thought to play a significant role in modulating Ag receptor signaling. Previously, our laboratory has shown that bovine B cells are induced to express this key regulatory molecule upon Ag receptor cross-linking. To date, a ligand has not been described for bovine CD5. Given the importance ligand binding presumably plays in the functioning of CD5 on this B cell subset and on T cells, we sought to characterize the ligand for this protein using a bovine CD5-human IgG1 (CD5Ig) fusion protein produced by both mammalian and yeast cells. As determined by CD5Ig binding, expression of this ligand is negative to low on freshly isolated lymphocytes, with low-density expression being limited to activated B cells. Activation with LPS, PMA, and calcium ionophore, or ligation of CD40 alone or in combination with anti-IgM, resulted in B cell-specific expression of this ligand. Interestingly, activation through B cell Ag receptor cross-linking alone, although able to induce CD5 expression, did not result in expression of CD5 ligand (CD5L). In addition, we demonstrate a functional role for CD5L as a costimulatory molecule that augments CD40L-stimulated B cell proliferation. Finally, immunoprecipitation with CD5Ig suggests that the ligand characterized in this study has a molecular mass of ∼200 kDa. The data reported herein, as well as future studies aimed at further characterizing this newly identified bovine CD5L, will undoubtedly aid in understanding the role that the CD5-CD5L interaction plays in immune responses.
Conjugal transfer of nisin plasmid genes from Streptococcus lactis 7962 to Leuconostoc dextranicum 181

Acriflavine-generated mutants of Streptococcus lactis 7962 with various combinations of plasmid molecular masses were screened for nisin production. Nisin was produced by both the wild type and mutants that contained a 17.5-megadalton plasmid, which was obscured by chromosomal fragments. No nisin was produced by plasmid-free mutants. Sucrose fermentation and nisin production were simultaneously expressed. A transconjugant obtained from nisin-producing donor S. lactis 7962 and recipient Leuconostoc dextranicum 181 was a "supernisin" producer. The L. dextranicum Nis+ transconjugant was resistant to S. lactis 7962 phage and vancomycin (greater than 1,000 micrograms/ml), and it contained an extra 17.5-megadalton plasmid.
Stable and Frequency-Hopping-Free Microwave Generation Based on a Mutually Injection-Locked Optoelectronic Oscillator and a Dual-Wavelength Single-Longitudinal-Mode Fiber Laser

We report a novel method to generate a stable and frequency-hopping-free microwave signal based on a mutually injection-locked dual-wavelength single-longitudinal-mode fiber laser and an optoelectronic oscillator (OEO), with the mutual injection locking realized by sharing an optical path consisting of a polarization modulator and a polarization-maintaining phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating. The two wavelengths from the fiber laser are injected into the OEO to lock the generated microwave signal, while the microwave signal from the OEO is fed back into the fiber laser to injection lock the two wavelengths. Thanks to the mutual injection locking, the operation stability of the fiber laser and the OEO are substantially improved. A microwave signal at 11.8 GHz with a phase noise of -105 dBc/Hz at a 10-kHz offset frequency is generated. A stable operation of the system without frequency shifting and hopping is demonstrated.
An Infant with Cytomegalovirus-induced Subacute Thyroiditis

A previously healthy I-V12 year-old girl presented with a 2-day history of high fever and upper respiratory tract infection symptoms followed by the appearance of a mildly painful mass in the neck. On physical examination she was highly febrile and irritable, but not sick looking. Neck examination revealed an enlarged, firm left thyroid lobe without fluctuation. There were no palpable lymph nodes and her systemic examination was normal. The child was admitted and investigated for presumed acute suppurative thyroiditis. Laboratory investigations showed normal hemoglobin concentration with normal indices, elevated white cell count (WBC) 19 χ 10/1 (normal 6-17.5), with 68% polymorphonuclear cells (ANC) 13x10 / l (normal 1.5-8.5), increased C-reactive protein (CRP) 240 mg/1 (normal 0-8), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) 129 mm/h (normal 0-15). Thyroid function studies were normal on day 1: free thyroxine (fT4) 16.1 pmol/1 (normal 5.8-18) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) 2.65 mIU/1
Amelioration of experimental colitis by thalidomide.

BACKGROUND Rectal administration of iodoacetamide induces colitis by blocking sulphhydryl groups and generating inflammatory mediators. Thalidomide, a non-barbiturate hypnotic, also has an anti-inflammatory effect, presumably by suppressing the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha. In patients with Crohn's disease, neutralization or suppression of TNF alpha reduces inflammation. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the effects of thalidomide in a model of experimental colitis. METHODS Colitis was induced in rats by intracolonic administration of 3% iodoacetamide. In the treatment group, thalidomide 50 mg/kg was given daily by gavage and continued for 7 days until the rats were sacrificed. Their colons were then processed for wet weight, lesion area, weight of mucosal scraping, myeloperoxidase activity and histology. Serum levels of TNF were determined. RESULTS Colonic wet weight, lesion area, myeloperoxidase activity and serum levels of TNF alpha were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the treatment group (iodoacetamide + thalidomide) than the control group (iodoacetamide only). Histologically, colonic inflammation in the treated group was markedly decreased. CONCLUSIONS Thalidomide effectively decreases colitis induced by iodoacetamide. The mechanism is probably associated with inhibition of TNF alpha, and should be further studied.
General Model for Representing Variable-Speed Wind Turbines in Power System Dynamics Simulations

A tendency to erect ever more wind turbines can be observed in order to reduce the environmental consequences of electric power generation. As a result of this, in the near future wind turbines may start to influence the behavior of electric power systems by interacting with conventional generation and loads. Therefore, wind turbine models that can be integrated into power system simulation software are needed. A model that can be used to represent all types of variable-speed wind turbines in power system dynamics simulations is presented. The modeling approach is commented upon, and models of the subsystems of which a variable speed wind turbine consists are discussed. Some results obtained after incorporation of the model in PSS/E, a widely used power system dynamics simulation software package, are presented and compared with measurements.
Beam broadening for active aperture antennas

A beam broadening technique for active aperture antennas for communication satellite downlinks is described. The elements of the active aperture are separated into two subarrays which are phased in two different directions so that the subarray beamwidths overlap. Each subarray is composed of every other element of the original active aperture so that the subarrays are interleaved. In this way, the phase centers of the subarray are close together, minimizing grating lobes caused by the phase center displacement of the two subarrays. Because the element spacing of the individual subarrays is twice that of the active aperture, further problems with grating lobes can be anticipated. However, the broader beamwidth requires less beam scanning to reach the edge of coverage, offsetting grating lobe difficulties. Example active aperture patterns are presented. <<ETX>>
A Structural Hypothesis for the Transition between Bent and Extended Conformations of the Leukocyte β2 Integrins*

Integrins mediate cell adhesion in response to activation signals that trigger conformational changes within their ectodomain. It is thought that a compact bent conformation of the molecule represents its physiological low affinity state and extended conformations its active state. We have determined the structure of two integrin fragments of the β2 subunit. The first structure, consisting of the plexin-semaphorin-integrin domain, hybrid, integrin-epidermal growth factor 1 (I-EGF1), and I-EGF2 domains (PHE2), showed an L-shaped conformation with the bend located between the I-EGF1 and I-EGF2 domains. The second structure, which includes, in addition, the I-EGF3 domain, showed an extended conformation. The major reorientation of I-EGF2 with respect to the other domains in the two structures is accompanied by a change of torsion angle of the disulfide bond between Cys461-Cys492 by 180° and the conversion of a short α-helix (residues Ser468-Cys475) into a flexible coil. Based on the PHE2 structure, we introduced a disulfide bond between the plexin-semaphorin-integrin domain and I-EGF2 domains in the β2 subunit. The resultant αLβ2 integrin (leukocyte function-associated antigen-1) variant was locked in a bent state and could not be detected with the monoclonal antibody KIM127 in Mg2+/EGTA. However, it retained the binding activity to ICAM-1. These results provide a structural hypothesis for our understanding of the transition between the resting and active states of leukocyte function-associated antigen-1.
Constitutive Notch2 signaling induces hepatic tumors in mice

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CCC) are the most common liver tumors and a leading cause for cancer‐related death in men. Notch2 regulates cellular differentiation in the developing and adult liver. Although aberrant Notch signaling is implicated in various cancers, it is still unclear whether Notch2 regulates proliferation and differentiation in liver carcinogenesis and thereby contributes to HCC and CCC formation. Here, we investigated the oncogenic potential of constitutive Notch2 signaling in the liver. We show that liver‐specific expression of the intracellular domain of Notch2 (N2ICD) in mice is sufficient to induce HCC formation and biliary hyperplasia. Specifically, constitutive N2ICD signaling in the liver leads to up‐regulation of pro‐proliferative genes and proliferation of hepatocytes and biliary epithelial cells (BECs). Using the diethylnitrosamine (DEN) HCC carcinogenesis model, we further show that constitutive Notch2 signaling accelerates DEN‐induced HCC formation. DEN‐induced HCCs with constitutive Notch2 signaling (DENN2ICD HCCs) exhibit a marked increase in size, proliferation, and expression of pro‐proliferative genes when compared with HCCs from DEN‐induced control mice (DENctrl HCCs). Moreover, DENN2ICD HCCs exhibit increased Sox9 messenger RNA (mRNA) levels and reduced Albumin and Alpha‐fetoprotein mRNA levels, indicating that they are less differentiated than DENctrl HCCs. Additionally, DENN2ICD mice develop large hepatic cysts, dysplasia of the biliary epithelium, and eventually CCC. CCC formation in patients and DENN2ICD mice is accompanied by re‐expression of hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α(HNF4α), possibly indicating dedifferentiation of BECs. Conclusion: Our data establish an oncogenic role for constitutive Notch2 signaling in liver cancer development. (HEPATOLOGY 2013)
The Barthel Index and modified Rankin Scale as prognostic tools for long-term outcomes after stroke: a qualitative review of the literature

ABSTRACT Objective: Providing a quantitative prognosis after a stroke is important to clinicians and patients as well as to researchers interested in projecting the results of clinical trials and other studies. Thus, we critically reviewed the evidence supporting the prognostic value of two frequently-used measures, the Barthel Index (BI) and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) for long-term outcomes. Methods: A narrative review of the peer-reviewed medical literature obtained by searching Medline 1966 to January 2004 – using the phrase ‘[stroke] AND [Barthel OR Rankin]’ – was conducted to assess the strength of the evidence for these measures and answer three main questions: How good are the BI and mRS at predicting (1) the level of care required, (2) the time-course of recovery, and (3) mortality. Abstracts were screened for the presence of actual data on the prognostic impact of BI and mRS on these endpoints, and selected articles were fully reviewed and abstracted. Additional articles were identified from bibliographies of the retrieved papers. Results: Of 753 abstracts screened, 89 articles were selected for detailed assessment. Early disability and global outcome (≤ 7 days) were shown in 21 studies to be strong predictors of care needs. This relation appears to be mainly biological, not country-specific. Recovery was shown in 18 studies to be strongly related to early BI. In contrast, the 11 studies examining mortality provided insufficient information to directly support the prognostic value of either measure. Key limitations of this review include heterogeneity of available studies (e.g., time-points, outcome, parameterization) and relative lack of information on the mRS. Conclusions: Despite the lack of uniformity in existing studies, the evidence overall is quite strong, supporting the use of BI and mRS as prognostic tools. External non-treatment modifiable factors which also determine long-term outcome (e.g., social support) have to be taken into account.