Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Capacitively loaded loop (CLL) structure for pattern reconfigurability applications in printed dipole antenna

The design and realization of a pattern reconfigurable printed dipole antenna loaded with capacitively loaded loop (CLL) structure with high gain compared to a standalone printed dipole is proposed in this paper. The proposed antenna consists of a dipole printed on a dielectric substrate and CLL structures are loaded on either sides of the dipole antenna at an electrically small distance, which acts like a reflector in H-plane. By controlling the CLL structure using switches at CLL gaps in one side, we can control the effective presence/absence of these reflectors, which in turn is used to tune the pattern. Further to increase the resolution of pattern reconfigurability additional CLL structures are loaded radially around the dipole antenna. Proposed antenna isdesigned and simulated in HFSS 15. Obtained Radiation pattern characterization confirms the pattern reconfigurability. The antenna is currently under fabrication. Measured results will be presented in the conference.
Significance of Ubiad1 for Epidermal Keratinocytes Involves More Than CoQ10 Synthesis: Implications for Skin Aging

The significance of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) as an anti-oxidant barrier of the skin, as well as a key component in anti-aging strategies for skin care products, has been firmly established. Biosynthesis of CoQ10 in the mitochondria is well known, but there is only limited information on the non-mitochondrial synthesis of CoQ10 in the skin. Recent findings in zebrafish identified that a tumor suppressor, Ubiad1, is also a key enzyme in the non-mitochondrial synthesis of CoQ10. The purpose of this study was to investigate expression of Ubiad1 in human skin, and its implication in the skin’s cutaneous response to oxidative stress. We observed Ubiad1 localization in the epidermis, particularly a subcellular localization in the Golgi apparatus. Ubiad1 modulation by a pentapeptide was associated with an observed reduction in ROS/RNS stresses (−44%/−19% respectively), lipid peroxidation (−25%) and preservation of membrane fluidity under stress conditions. Electron microscopy of keratinocytes revealed a significant degree of stimulation of the Golgi complex, as well as significantly improved mitochondrial morphology. Given the importance of CoQ10 in mitigating the visible signs of skin aging, our findings identify Ubiad1 as an essential component of the defensive barriers of the epidermis.
A ladder loop microstrip antenna integrated with rectangular DRA for lower X band application

A low profile rectangular ladder loop shaped microstrip antenna integrated with dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) is proposed in this communication for lower X-bands applications. The wide band is achieved when a rectangular DRA is excited in HEM12δ mode by a ladder loop probe fed microstrip antenna. The Antenna covers the wide frequency range of 8.47 to 11.25 GHz. The Antenna has overall good positive gain in its all-operating frequencies.
Nutritional strategies to prevent gastrointestinal toxicity during pelvic radiotherapy

Radiotherapy-induced damage to non-cancerous gastrointestinal mucosa has effects on secretory and absorptive functions and can interfere with normal gastrointestinal physiology. Nutrient absorption and digestion may be compromised. Dietary manipulation is an attractive option with sound rationale for intervention. The aim of this review was to synthesise published evidence for the use of elemental formulae, low or modified fat diets, fibre, lactose restriction and probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics to protect the bowel from gastrointestinal side effects during long-course, radical pelvic radiotherapy. Thirty original studies (recruiting n 3197 patients) were identified comprising twenty-four randomised controlled trials, four cohort studies and two comparator trials. Endpoints varied and included symptom scales (Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire, Common Technology Criteria for Adverse Events, Radiation Therapy Oncology Group) and Bristol Stool Scale. Dietary and supplement interventions were employed with many studies using a combination of interventions. Evidence from RCT was weak for elemental, low or modified fat and low-lactose interventions and modestly positive for the manipulation of fibre during radiotherapy. Evidence for probiotics as prophylactic interventional agents was more promising with a number of trials reporting positive results but strength and strains of interventions vary, as do methodologies and endpoints making it difficult to arrive at firm conclusions with several studies lacking statistical power. This consolidated review concludes that there is insufficient high-grade evidence to recommend nutritional intervention during pelvic radiotherapy. Total replacement of diet with elemental formula could be effective in severe toxicity but this is unproven. Probiotics offer promise but cannot be introduced into clinical practice without rigorous safety analysis, not least in immunocompromised patients.
Antifungal activity of the extract of Curcuma zedoaria against yeasts of the genus Candida isolated from the oral cavity of patients infected with the human immunodefi ciency virus

Oropharyngeal candidiasis is the most common fungal infection among patients infected with the human immunodefi ciency virus (HIV), and is treated empirically with topical or systemic antifungals. The objective of the present study was to investigate the possible antifungal action of the hydroalcoholic extract of Curcuma zedoaria (Christm.) Roscoe, Zingiberaceae, on yeasts in this population. Samples were collected from HIV-positive patients who attended the Laboratory for Teaching and Research in Clinical Analysis at the Universidade Estadual de Maringá for routine exams. The isolated yeasts were identifi ed at the genus and species levels through classical methodology. Next, tests of microdilution in broth were carried out to determine the profi le of susceptibility of these yeasts towards the hydroalcoholic extract of C. zedoaria, following methodology standardised by the CLSI (2002). A total of 53 yeasts were identifi ed, 49 of them C. albicans, two C. tropicalis and two C. glabrata. These yeasts were inhibited by low concentrations of the extract of C. zedoaria (between 1.95 and 15.63 μg/mL). In addition, 7.82 μg/mL inhibited 90% of the yeasts. Our results indicate a potent antifungal action for C. zedoaria and suggest more detailed studies with a view towards the practical application of this phytomedicine in topical pharmaceutical forms for the treatment of oral candidosis or candidiasis.
Nonpungent capsaicin analogs (capsinoids) increase energy expenditure through the activation of brown adipose tissue in humans.

BACKGROUND Capsinoids-nonpungent capsaicin analogs-are known to activate brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis and whole-body energy expenditure (EE) in small rodents. BAT activity can be assessed by [¹⁸F]fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in humans. OBJECTIVES The aims of the current study were to examine the acute effects of capsinoid ingestion on EE and to analyze its relation to BAT activity in humans. DESIGN Eighteen healthy men aged 20-32 y underwent FDG-PET after 2 h of cold exposure (19°C) while wearing light clothing. Whole-body EE and skin temperature, after oral ingestion of capsinoids (9 mg), were measured for 2 h under warm conditions (27°C) in a single-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover design. RESULTS When exposed to cold, 10 subjects showed marked FDG uptake into adipose tissue of the supraclavicular and paraspinal regions (BAT-positive group), whereas the remaining 8 subjects (BAT-negative group) showed no detectable uptake. Under warm conditions (27°C), the mean (±SEM) resting EE was 6114 ± 226 kJ/d in the BAT-positive group and 6307 ± 156 kJ/d in the BAT-negative group (NS). EE increased by 15.2 ± 2.6 kJ/h in 1 h in the BAT-positive group and by 1.7 ± 3.8 kJ/h in the BAT-negative group after oral ingestion of capsinoids (P < 0.01). Placebo ingestion produced no significant change in either group. Neither capsinoids nor placebo changed the skin temperature in various regions, including regions close to BAT deposits. CONCLUSION Capsinoid ingestion increases EE through the activation of BAT in humans. This trial was registered at http://www.umin. ac.jp/ctr/ as UMIN 000006073.
Linking Motif Sequences with Tale Types by Machine Learning

Abstract units of narrative content called motifs constitute sequences, also known as tale types. However whereas the dependency of tale types on the constituent motifs is clear, the strength of their bond has not been measured this far. Based on the observation that differences between such motif sequences are reminiscent of nucleotide and chromosome mutations in genetics, i.e., constitute "narrative DNA", we used sequence mining methods from bioinformatics to learn more about the nature of tale types as a corpus. 94% of the Aarne-Thompson-Uther catalogue (2249 tale types in 7050 variants) was listed as individual motif strings based on the Thompson Motif Index, and scanned for similar subsequences. Next, using machine learning algorithms, we built and evaluated a classifier which predicts the tale type of a new motif sequence. Our findings indicate that, due to the size of the available samples, the classification model was best able to predict magic tales, novelles and jokes.
Subjective Confidence Predicts Information Seeking in Decision Making

There is currently little direct evidence regarding the function of subjective confidence in decision making: The tight correlation between objective accuracy and subjective confidence makes it difficult to distinguish each variable’s unique contribution. Here, we created conditions in a perceptual decision task that were matched in accuracy but differed in subjective evaluation of accuracy by orthogonally varying the strength versus variability of evidence. Confidence was reduced with variable (vs. weak) evidence, even across conditions matched for difficulty. Building on this dissociation, we constructed a paradigm in which participants (N = 20) could choose to seek further information before making their decision. The data provided clear support for the hypothesis that subjective confidence predicts information seeking in decision making: Participants were more likely to sample additional information before giving a response in the condition with low confidence, despite matched accuracy. In a preregistered replication (N = 50), these findings were replicated with increased task difficulty levels.
Effect of egualen sodium hydrate on small-intestinal mucosal damage induced by low-dose aspirin: a prospective randomized clinical trial

Low-dose aspirin, which is widely used to reduce the risk of cardio- and cerebrovascular thrombosis, often induces gastroenteropathy by increasing the permeability of the mucosa. However, therapeutic strategies for patients with low-dose aspirin-induced small intestinal injury have not been determined. We evaluated the preventative effect of egualen sodium hydrate, a gastro-protective agent that suppresses indomethacin-induced small-intestinal damage in rats, against small-intestinal mucosal damage induced by low-dose aspirin in healthy adult male volunteers. Participants were randomly allocated to receive aspirin 100 mg/kg daily (control group, n = 10) or aspirin 100 mg/kg plus egualen sodium 30 mg daily (egualen sodium group, n = 10). Small intestinal mucosal injury was evaluated by capsule endoscopy two weeks after initiation of drug administration. Fecal analyses (occult blood test, immunochemical test, transferrin measurement and calprotectin measurement) were carried out before and after treatment. Egualen sodium significantly suppressed the total number of small intestinal injuries detected by capsule endoscopy and the positive ratio for the fecal occult blood test. Daily use of 30 mg of egualen sodium showed a preventative effect on low-dose aspirin-induced small intestinal injury. Since acid suppression therapy was reported to exacerbate NSAIDs-induced enteropathy via dysbiosis, egualen sodium may be useful for patients treated with low-dose aspirin.
An adaptable interface circuit for low power MEMS piezoelectric energy harvesters with multi-stage energy extraction

This paper presents a self-powered interface circuit to extract energy from ambient vibrations for powering up microelectronic devices. The system uses a MEMS piezoelectric energy harvester to scavenge power in 5 μW to 400 μW range. Synchronous electric charge extraction (SECE) technique is utilized to transfer harvested energy to output storage with the help of a novel multi-stage energy extraction (MSEE) circuit. The circuit is optimized in 180nm HV CMOS technology to operate with minimum power losses at the lowest allowable input power, and adjusts well to higher input power due to the MSEE circuit. The circuit operation was validated for a wide piezoelectric frequency range from 20 Hz to 4 kHz. Power efficiency between 62% and 81% has been achieved for the input power range of 5 μW to 173 μW at 198 Hz input vibration. MSEE provides up to 15% efficiency improvement compared to traditional SECE to keep power efficiency as high as possible for the full input power range.
In vivo effects of PCB-126 and genistein on vitellogenin expression in zebrafish

Abstract In this study, the vitellogenin (Vtg) modulation by genistein and polychlorinated biphenyl-126 (PCB-126) exposure in zebrafishes has been investigated. Both PCB-126 and genistein have been identified as aquatic pollutants and can further increase estrogenicity of waterways. Vtg is egg yolk precursor protein release by the hepatocytes during vitellogenesis. This process occurs normally in the hepatocytes in response to the activation with the estrogens such as 17-β-estradiol. Our immunohistochemical findings showed a Vtg expression that increases at 12 h and at 72 h in the liver of treated fishes with both PCB-126 and genistein, individually and in combination. Furthermore, for the first time, also hepatic stellate cells (HSC) in the liver parenchyma were strongly positive for vitellogenin.
Amorphous solid dispersions of carvedilol along with pH‐modifiers improved pharmacokinetic properties under hypochlorhydoria

Carvedilol (CAR) belongs to biopharmaceutics classification system class‐II drugs, with poor aqueous solubility and pH‐dependent solubility. The present study aimed to develop a novel amorphous solid dispersion (ASD) of CAR with acidic counter ions for pH modifications in microenvironment to improve the pharmacokinetic properties under hypochlorhydric conditions. CAR‐ASD was prepared by freeze‐drying in combination with counter ions and hydroxypropyl cellulose, and their physicochemical properties including dissolution behavior, storage stability, and photostability were characterized. Pharmacokinetic studies were carried out after oral administration of CAR samples in both normal and omeprazole‐treated (30 mg/kg, p.o.) rats as a hypochlorhydria model. Among the tested six counter ions, citric acid (CA) was found to be a preferable pH‐modifier of CAR with respect to the dissolution profile and photostability (both potency and colorimetric evaluation). In CAR‐ASD formulation with 50% loading of CA (CAR‐ASD/CA50), amorphization of CAR was observed during the preparation process. After the oral administration of crystalline CAR in rats under hypochlorhydric condition, there was a 34.4% reduction in the systemic exposure of CAR compared with that in normal rats. However, orally‐dosed CAR‐ASD/CA50 resulted in limited alterations of pharmacokinetic behavior between normal and omeprazole‐treated rats. From these findings, addition of CA as pH‐modifier in CAR‐ASD might provide consistent pharmacokinetic behavior of CAR even under hypochlorhydric conditions.
Continuous active probing and modulation of neural networks with a wireless implantable system

The optimal epilepsy management device requires: 1) automated seizure detection 2) accurate automated electronic seizure diaries 3) seizure forecasting 4) active brain probing to track brain state and 5) automated brain stimulation therapy adjustment that can respond to changes in seizure probability to prevent seizures. In this paper, we describe an epilepsy management and therapy platform using Medtronic's investigational Activa RC+S Research System. The investigational Activa RC+S provides chronic nervous system stimulation, sensing, and embedded analytics. Continuous iEEG telemetry from the RC+S device can be received by a handheld or tablet computer providing more advanced analytical capability. The combined platform provides a unique opportunity for exploring and managing epileptic neurophysiology.
In-depth Question classification using Convolutional Neural Networks

Convolutional neural networks for computer vision are fairly intuitive. In a typical CNN used in image classification, the first layers learn edges, and the following layers learn some filters that can identify an object. But CNNs for Natural Language Processing are not used often and are not completely intuitive. We have a good idea about what the convolution filters learn for the task of text classification, and to that, we propose a neural network structure that will be able to give good results in less time. We will be using convolutional neural networks to predict the primary or broader topic of a question, and then use separate networks for each of these predicted topics to accurately classify their sub-topics.
User Authentication Based on Representative Users

User authentication based on username and password is the most common means to enforce access control. This form of access restriction is prone to hacking since stolen usernames and passwords can be exploited to impersonate legitimate users in order to commit malicious activity. Biometric authentication incorporates additional user characteristics such as the manner by which the keyboard is used in order to identify users. We introduce a novel approach for user authentication based on the keystroke dynamics of the password entry. A classifier is tailored to each user and the novelty lies in the manner by which the training set is constructed. Specifically, only the keystroke dynamics of a small subset of users, which we refer to as representatives, is used along with the password entry keystroke dynamics of the examined user. The contribution of this approach is twofold: it reduces the possibility of overfitting, while allowing scalability to a high volume of users. We propose two strategies to construct the subset for each user. The first selects the users whose keystroke profiles govern the profiles of all the users, while the second strategy chooses the users whose profiles are the most similar to the profile of the user for whom the classifier is constructed. Results are promising reaching in some cases 90% area under the curve. In many cases, a higher number of representatives deteriorate the accuracy which may imply overfitting. An extensive evaluation was performed using a dataset containing over 780 users.
PETMiner—A Visual Analysis Tool for Petrophysical Properties of Core Sample Data

The aim of the PETMiner software is to reduce the time and monetary cost of analysing petrophysical data that is obtained from reservoir sample cores. Analysis of these data requires tacit knowledge to fill ‘gaps’ so that predictions can be made for incomplete data. Through discussions with 30 industry and academic specialists, we identified three analysis use cases that exemplified the limitations of current petrophysics analysis tools. We used those use cases to develop nine core requirements for PETMiner, which is innovative because of its ability to display detailed images of the samples as data points, directly plot multiple sample properties and derived measures for comparison, and substantially reduce interaction cost. An 11-month evaluation demonstrated benefits across all three use cases by allowing a consultant to: (1) generate more accurate reservoir flow models, (2) discover a previously unknown relationship between one easy-to-measure property and another that is costly, and (3) make a 100-fold reduction in the time required to produce plots for a report.
Combining Contact Forces and Geometry to Recognize Objects During Surface Haptic Exploration

Enhancing haptic sensing allows more efficient control of interaction with unstructured and changing environments. Meanwhile, rich haptic information obtained during the interaction is useful for recognizing the environment. The haptic information contains distinctive physical features like friction, surface texture, local geometry, etc. However, how to combine these features for recognizing the environment is underexplored. Our previous work demonstrated that with accurate estimation of contact locations, and the direction and magnitude of the normal and tangential forces, a finger can follow unknown surfaces even with large changes in curvature while keeping a desired normal force. In this letter, we propose an object recognition method, using a multivariate Gaussian–Bayesian classifier that collectively combines the haptic information, including friction coefficients and surface roughness, with the local geometry to recognize the object after surface haptic exploration. Eighteen objects with different materials and shapes were tested, and results show that the method achieved a recognition accuracy of 92.3% on an average. In addition, we compared the method with six other classifiers, and concluded that it is easier to use while having high accuracy. Most importantly, it can show the levels of similarities between the features of different objects and provide a causal explanation of the recognition accuracy. This paves a way toward active and adaptive exploration where highly efficient recognition can be realized by selectively probing the most distinguishable features.