Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
One-year Allograft and Patient Survival in Renal Transplant Recipients Receiving Antiplatelet Therapy at the Time of Transplantation

Background: Antiplatelet therapy is common in patients on the waiting list for kidney transplantation. Objective: To evaluate the incidence of post-operative bleeding in patients with antiplatelet therapy undergoing kidney transplantation and analyze the impact on the outcome. Methods: We studied all patients with concomitant antiplatelet therapy undergoing kidney transplantation in our center from January 2007 to June 2012. Data were collected by chart review. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard model were used to identify risk factors for the long-term outcome. Results: Of 744 kidney transplant recipients during the study period, 161 received oral antiplatelet therapy and were included in the study. One-third of the patients demonstrated signs of bleeding, half of which requiring surgical treatment. Coronary artery disease, deceased donor kidney transplantation, and dual antiplatelet medication were independent risk factors for post-operative bleeding. One-year allograft survival was significantly better in the non-bleeding group (91.4% vs 75.9%, p=0.023). Multivariable analysis found that post-operative bleeding, recipient age, and biopsy-proven rejection were independent risk factors for graft survival. Recipient age and biopsy-proven rejection were also identified as independent risk factors for patient survival. Conclusion: This analysis indicated a high risk for post-operative bleeding in renal transplant patients under antiplatelet therapy. The associated negative effect on allograft survival underscored the need to reduce any risk factors for post-operative bleeding.
Fate of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers during Wastewater Treatment/Polishing and Sludge Stabilization/Disposal

Large quantities of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been used as flame retardants in clothing and plastic products since the 1970s. A small fraction of the PBDEs in manufactured products subsequently enters municipal wastewater. Nevertheless, the resistance of these compounds to chemical and biochemical transformations provides opportunities for accumulation in sediments that are in contact with wastewater effluent and agricultural soils that are amended with biosolids derived from wastewater treatment. Balances developed for PBDE congeners indicate that conventional wastewater treatment processes and soil infiltration of treated wastewater in recharge operations do not discriminate significantly among the major congeners in commercially available PBDE products. Accumulation of PBDEs at near part‐per‐million levels was measured in the surface sediments at the Sweetwater Recharge Facility in Tucson, Arizona, during 10–15 years of operation. Half‐lives for loss of major PBDE congeners from sediments were decades or longer. Local agricultural soils amended with biosolids over a 20‐year period showed similar accumulation of PBDEs. The widespread use of PBDEs in commercial products, compound persistence, and toxicity indicate that additional effort is warranted to better understand fate‐determining processes for PBDEs in the environment.
Observations from study of pre-islanding behaviour in a solar PV system connected to a distribution network

Unintentional islanding is a more relevant issue today due to rising penetration of solar photo voltaic systems on distribution grids. As the smart grid matures, better techniques for mitigating this problem have to evolve. Commercially available, inverter-resident, islanding detection based methods are aplenty and a lot others are being developed at research level. This work is oriented towards trying to understand the distributed-generation system dynamics that build up to the island forming situation. It is felt that inverter dynamics along with power system transitory events can provide a clue to an impending unintentional islanding event. Approaches resulting from such a study can train the system with predictive intelligence with regards to the possibility of an unwanted islanding condition. The study also results into interesting observations regarding the impact of capacitive reactive power present on the network, in excess of load requirement, on the grid-side current in the load-containing phase of the islandable feeder section. Arcing current inside the island and distortion in this current before islanding are the effects that are recorded.
A MWM relay assignment strategy based on spectrum availability for cognitive radio networks

In cognitive radio networks (CRNs), owing to the restriction of primary users (PUs), the traditional relay assignment based on Shannon channel capacity does not suit to secondary users (SUs). It is necessary to consider spectrum availability when cooperative communication (CC) is carried out in CRNs. In this paper, we propose the concept of Effective Channel Capacity (ECC) according to frequency band occupancy state, and build a Maximum Weighted Matching (MWM) problem where ECC is the weight. Then we find an optimal relay assignment which can maximize global ECC by solving the problem using Kuhn-Munkres (KM) algorithm. The simulation results indicate the necessity of our work for CRNs.
Neuregulin and Dopamine D4 Receptors Contribute Independently to Depotentiation of Schaffer Collateral LTP by Temperoammonic Path Stimulation

Abstract Prior studies have found that dopamine (DA), acting at D4 receptors, and neuregulin (NRG), likely acting at ErbB4 receptors, are involved in a form of depotentiation of long-term potentiation (LTP) at Schaffer collateral (SC) synapses in the hippocampus. Furthermore, DA and NRG actions are intertwined in that NRG induces DA release. We previously found that low-frequency stimulation (LFS) of temperoammonic (TA) inputs to area CA1 also depotentiates previously established SC LTP through a complex signaling pathway involving endocannabinoids, GABA, adenosine, and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), but not glutamate. In the present studies, we found that TA-induced SC depotentiation in hippocampal slices from Sprague-Dawley albino rats also involves activation of both D4 receptors and NRG-activated ErbB receptors, but that the roles of these two modulator systems are independent with D4 receptor antagonism failing to alter chemical depotentiation by NRG1β. Furthermore, a selective D4 receptor agonist was unable to depotentiate SC LTP when administered alone, suggesting that D4 receptor activation is necessary but not sufficient for TA-induced SC depotentiation. Chemical depotentiation by NRG1β was inhibited by a Pan-ErbB antagonist and by picrotoxin (PTX), an antagonist of GABA-A receptors (GABAARs), indicating that NRG likely promotes SC depotentiation via effects on GABA and interneurons. These findings have implications for understanding the role of DA and NRG in cognitive dysfunction associated with neuropsychiatric illnesses.
Polarimetric SAR speckle noise model

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data are affected by speckle noise, originated by the SAR system's coherent nature. The problem of speckle noise in one-dimensional (1-D) data is already solved, as speckle has a multiplicative characteristic. SAR polarimetry represents an extension to multidimensional data by the use of polarization wave diversity. As a consequence of the existence of a correlation degree between the SAR images, the 1-D speckle noise model cannot be extended to multidimensional SAR data. This paper is devoted to present a completely new speckle noise model for the complex covariance matrix describing polarimetric SAR data in the distributed scatterers case. As is shown, this new model is able to identify which are the noise mechanisms in all the covariance matrix elements. The speckle noise model is validated by using real L-band polarimetric data acquired with the German E-SAR sensor.
A Bayesian beta kernel model for binary classification and online learning problems

Recent advances in data mining have integrated kernel functions with Bayesian probabilistic analysis of Gaussian distributions. These machine‐learning approaches can incorporate prior information with new data to calculate probabilistic rather than deterministic values for unknown parameters. This article extensively analyzes a specific Bayesian kernel model that uses a kernel function to calculate a posterior beta distribution that is conjugate to the prior beta distribution. Numerical testing of the beta kernel model on several benchmark datasets reveals that this model's accuracy is comparable with those of the support vector machine (SVM), relevance vector machine, naive Bayes, and logistic regression, and the model runs more quickly than all the other algorithms except for logistic regression. When one class occurs much more frequently than the other class, the beta kernel model often outperforms other strategies to handle imbalanced datasets, including under‐sampling, over‐sampling, and the Synthetic Minority Over‐Sampling Technique. If data arrive sequentially over time, the beta kernel model easily and quickly updates the probability distribution, and this model is more accurate than an incremental SVM algorithm for online learning.
3D Handwriting Characters Recognition with Symbolic-Based Similarity Measure of Gyroscope Signals Embedded in Smart Phone

In this paper, we present a 3D handwriting character recognition algorithm based on a symbolic representation of angular velocity signal generated from Gyroscope sensor included in a smart phone. Characters are writing in a 3D air space by a user via a wearable smart phone device. The main insight behind the use of a symbolic representation is to tackle storage and time processing challenge required in such application with mobile device. That is, we introduce a similarity distance measure that combines the Symbolic Aggregate approXimation (SAX) distance with angular trend distance. The proposed similarity distance measure requires additional information about the trend of the Time Series Data (TSD) and will be used in classification with the nearest neighbor rule. In addition, we extend the distance measure to handle multidimensional data and the classification is achieved using a greedy time warping algorithm. This algorithm internally uses a dynamic programming that overcomes the quadratic time complexity of the classical dynamic time warping search. Experiments on a real database of the 26 lowercase letters in the English alphabet show that our method improves the original and two variation of the SAX similarity search algorithm.
Environmental dew point and skin and lip weathering

Xerosis represents a physiological response of the stratum corneum (SC) to environmental threats. The influence of the environmental dew point (DP) is not fully understood. This parameter is the air temperature at which the relative humidity is maximum. This study aimed to assess the relationship between the environmental DP and the water‐holding capacity of the skin and lower lip vermilion. For comparison, SC property was evaluated after occlusive application of cooled and uncooled hydrogel pads. Electrometric measurements using a dermal phase meter (DPM) device were performed on the back of the hands, the cheeks and the lower lip of 40 healthy menopausal women. Assessments were performed in the outdoor conditions during winter and spring. The same measurements were recorded after hydrogel pads, at room temperature or cooled to 4 °C, were placed for 15 min on the test sites. The environmental DP was recorded at each evaluation time. The SC water‐holding capacity was discretely influenced by the DP. In the open‐air environmental conditions, a positive linear relationship was found on the cheeks between the DP and DPM values. The relationship was weaker on the lips. Conversely, a consistent increase in DPM values was recorded immediately after removal of the cooled and uncooled hydrogel pads. The observations made in the open‐air testing conditions are consistent with the predicted events following the Arrhenius law. By contrast, the combination of cooling and occlusion by the hydrogel pads is responsible for the reverse effect on the SC.
Cellular wave computer architectures in a new era of computing—15 years later

This Special Issue is appearing at a time when a new era is starting in computer architectures of the emerging Billion-transistor chips, leading to a new way of thinking about computers and computing [ 1 ] . The many(thousand)-core processor chips and the 25 k processor visual microprocessor on the market are but a few practical manifestations (e.g. [ 2–5 ] ). On the other hand, the search for nano-architectures is becoming a central theme in nano-electronics [ 6 ] . These developments can also be followed in the consecutive editions of the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) [ 7 ] . In all these developments there seems an architectural convergence, forcing the use of thousands or millions of processing elements in a topographic array. The CNN Universal Machine architecture [ 8 ] published 15 years ago in 1993, had been the ﬁrst, seminal paper heralding this new era. Proper generalizations and various physical implementations (e.g. [ 9 ] ) led to the cellular wave computer [ 1 ] . The essence of this architecture is that a topographic array of local processors (in 1D, 2D, or 3D arrangement) are interconnected directly with high speed to their topographic neighbors (with speciﬁed interaction pattern, called also a cloning template) and the global, slower, sparse connections provide additional features, including global stored programmability. A protagonist global spatial–temporal instruction is a wave-like action on the whole array of processors. This architecture is not only fully parallel, however, the physical constraints of the dual speed (local and global) and power dissipation (local and global), as well as the key roles of the processor’s spatial address and the algorithmic combination of the local–global and temporal–spatial features are critical. Moreover,
A mash-up authoring tool for e-learning based on pedagogical templates

The purpose of this paper is twofold. On the one hand it aims at presenting the "pedagogical template" methodology for the definition of didactic activities, through the aggregation of atomic learning entities on the basis of pre-defined schemas. On the other hand it proposes a Web-based authoring tool to build learning resources applying a defined methodology. The authoring tool is inspired by mashing-up principles and allows the combination of local learning entities with learning entities coming from external sources belonging to Web 2.0 like Wikipedia, Flickr, YouTube and SlideShare. Eventually, the results of a small-scale experimentation, inside a University course, purposed both to define a pedagogical template for "virtual scientific experiments" and to build and deploy learning resources applying such template are presented.
INFLUENCE OF COARSE AGGREGATE SHAPE FACTORS ON BITUMINOUS MIXTURES

Aggregates are the principal material in pavement construction. Conventional road aggregates in India are natural aggregates obtained by crushing rocks. The physical properties of coarse aggregate are more significant in new generation bituminous mixtures. Aggregate characteristics such as particle size, shape, and texture influence the performance and serviceability of hot mix asphalt pavement. The shape of aggregate particle has significant influence on performance of the Bitumen pavement. Particle shape can be described as cubical, blade, disk and rod . The strength serviceability requirements of Bitumen mixes such as stability, flow, voids in mineral aggregate (VMA), voids filled with bitumen (VFB) and air voids are highly depend on the physical properties of aggregate. Dense bituminous macadam (DBM) mixes were analyzed with different proportions (10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%) of different shape of aggregates were studied. Mixes with cubical and rod shape aggregates has been showed good results on stability. The parameters such as air voids and voids in mineral aggregate increases with increase in proportion of blade type of aggregates in DBM mixes. The particle index value of coarse aggregate significantly affected the engineering properties of Hot mix asphalt (HMA) mix. The particle shape determined how aggregate packed into a dense configuration and also determined the internal resistance of a mix. Mixes prepared by replacing 20% aggregates shown higher stability values. Cubical particles exhibit interlock and internal friction, and hence results in greater mechanical stability than the blade, rod, and disk shape aggregates. Particle shape parameter values obtained were higher for cubical shape aggregates and lower for blade shape aggregates.
Removal of organic pollutants from pharmaceutical industry wastewater by chemical coagulation and bentonite clay pretreatment

The presence of substantial amounts of organic pollutants and toxic compounds are some of the factors that contribute to poor biodegradability of pharmaceutical wastewater. In this study, the removal of organic pollutants from pharmaceutical wastewater by chemical coagulation and bentonite clay was investigated. In one procedure, varying amounts of ferric sulphate and polyaluminium chloride were used for coagulation of the sample water. This was followed by flocculation and settling after which the treated effluent was collected and analyzed. In the second procedure, bentonite clay was added to the sample water and rapidly mixed at 400 rpm for 60 minutes before the coagulation/ flocculation processes were carried out as in the first procedure. The organic pollutant was measured in terms of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and analyzed using a Shimadzu TOC-5000 carbon analyzer. The maximum TOC removal by polyaluminium chloride was 39.72% while that by ferric sulphate was 30.97%. With the use of bentonite clay, maximum TOC removal by polyaluminium chloride was 63.20% and that by ferric sulphate was 56.62%. There was a 97.40% removal of suspended solids with the use of bentonite clay compared to 82% obtained using chemical coagulants only. The improved results with the use of bentonite pre-treatment could be attributed to bentonite particles acting as nuclei for adsorption of organic compounds from wastewater as well as increasing the opportunity for particle collusion during coagulation/flocculation. Therefore, bentonite can offer a relatively lower cost option for the removal of organic carbon from pharmaceutical effluent.
Symbol-Level Precoding is Symbol-Perturbed zf When Energy Efficiency is Sought

This paper considers symbol-level precoding (SLP) for multiuser multiple-input single-output (MISO) downlink. SLP is a nonlinear precoding scheme that utilizes symbol constellation structures. It has been shown that SLP can outperform the popular linear beamforming scheme. In this work we reveal a hidden connection between SLP and linear beamforming. We show that under an energy minimization design, SLP is equivalent to a zero-forcing (ZF) beamforming scheme with perturbations on symbols. This identity gives new insights and they are discussed in the paper. As a side contribution, this work also develops a symbol error probability (SEP)-constrained SLP design formulation under quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) constellations.
Cost-Benefit Analyses of Investments to Control Illicit Substance Abuse and Addiction

This paper gives an overview of what is known concerning illicit drug control interventions’ “return on investment” performance from a social planner’s perspective. It is organized by broad type of intervention (supply control, prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and integration across intervention types). The discussion is primarily UScentric, with somewhat greater reliance on international literature vis a vis harm reduction.
Use of soybean cake replacing soybean meal in diets of lambs.

The aim of this study was to determine the intake and digestibility, nitrogen balance and ruminal fermentation parameters in sheep fed diets containing levels of substitution of soybean meal for soybean cake. The diets consisted of five levels of protein soybean meal (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 %) by soybean cake. Diets were formulated with 12.5% CP, respecting the forage-to-concentrate ratio of 40:60.Tifton-85 hay was used as forage and the concentrate was formulated with corn, soybean meal, soybean cake and vitamin mineral supplement. Five crossbred lambs castrated, with average weight of 33.7 ± 5.8 kg were used and distributed in a Latin Square 5 × 5. No differences in intake and digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, total carbohydrate, nonfiber carbohydrates and total digestible nutrients. Increased linearly in ether extract intake by replacing protein from soybean meal by soybean cake in the diet but with no changes in the digestibility of this component. The nitrogen balance, nitrogen content fecal and urinary retained were not influenced by levels of substitution of soybean meal by soybeans cake in diets. For the index pH and concentration of ammonia nitrogen in rumen fluid did not differ between diets. It was concluded that the soybean cake can be used as an alternative food to replace soybean meal up to 100% unless there are changes in the rumen parameters, balance of nitrogen, intake and nutrient digestibility.
Standardized Escherichia coli O157:H7 Exposure Studies in Cattle Provide Evidence that Bovine Factors Do Not Drive Increased Summertime Colonization

ABSTRACT The increased summertime prevalence of cattle carriage of enterohemorrhagic Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 (STEC O157) is associated with the increased summertime incidence of human infection. The mechanism driving the seasonality of STEC O157 carriage among cattle is unknown. We conducted experimental challenge trials to distinguish whether factors extrinsic or intrinsic to cattle underlie the seasonality of STEC O157 colonization. Holstein steers (n = 20) exposed to ambient environmental conditions were challenged with a standardized pool of STEC O157 strains four times at 6-month intervals. The densities and durations of rectoanal junction mucosa (RAJ) colonization with STEC O157 were compared by season (winter versus summer), dose (109 CFU versus 107 CFU), and route of challenge (oral versus rectal). Following summer challenges, the RAJ STEC O157 colonization density was significantly lower (P = 0.016) and the duration was shorter (P = 0.052) than for winter challenges, a seasonal pattern opposite to that observed naturally. Colonization was unaffected by the challenge route, indicating that passage through the gastrointestinal microbiome did not significantly affect the infectious dose to the RAJ. A 2-log reduction of the challenge doses in the second-year trials was accompanied by similarly reduced RAJ colonization in both seasons (P < 0.001). These results refute the hypothesis that cattle are predisposed to STEC O157 colonization during the summer months, either due to intrinsic factors or indirectly due to gastrointestinal tract microbiome effects. Instead, the data support the hypothesis that the increased summertime STEC O157 colonization results from increased seasonal oral exposure to this pathogen.
Plastic Deformation and Strengthening Mechanism of Mg Alloy

The plasticity of Mg alloys can be improved by grain refining,modifying texture and alloying.Mg alloys with fine grains can achieve high strain rate super-plasticity and low temperature super-plasticity.The strengthening mechanisms include solid solution,grain refining,dispersion and dislocation strengthening.Solid solution strengthening mechanism is the priority and fundamental among the four strengthening mechanisms.The mechanical processing can refine the grain and increase the density of dislocation,and therefore,which is an important mean to improve the strength and plasticity of Mg alloys at the same time.Controlling transformation is the key for dispersion strength.During the preparation of Mg alloy,the combination of the four strengthening mechanisms should be considered.