Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of efficacy and safety of endoscopic and radiological interventions for gastric varices: A systematic review and network meta-analysis

Aim of the study There is a paradigm shift in the management of gastric varices with the availability of endoscopic ultrasound and radiologic interventions. The optimal choice of intervention remains a dilemma for most treating physicians. Material and methods We searched MEDLINE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ScienceDirect for studies comparing endoscopic glue injection, endoscopic thrombin injection (THB), variceal band ligation, EUS-guided coiling, EUS-guided glue injection, EUS-guided coiling with glue (EUS-C+G), balloon occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO), and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) for gastric varices in adults. The data on four outcomes – obliteration of varices, rebleeding, adverse effects, and mortality – were pooled using a random-effects model. Treatment estimates were calculated as odds ratios (ORs) along with their 95% confidence interval (CI). The relative ranking of interventions for various outcomes was calculated as their surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA). Results We identified 34 studies (10 randomized controlled trials, 24 non-randomized trials) with 2783 patients. Based on SUCRA plots, BRTO (SUCRA 95.1) had the highest rate of variceal obliteration followed by EUS-C+G (SUCRA 80.9). The risk of rebleeding was lowest with BRTO (SUCRA 85.1) followed by EUS-C+G (SUCRA 78.8). Moderate-severe adverse effects were least likely with THB (SUCRA 92.5) and highest with TIPS (SUCRA 3.7). In terms of mortality, EUS-C+G (73.5) had the lowest probability of overall mortality followed by TIPS (69.1). Conclusions In this network meta-analysis, we found BRTO and EUS-guided therapies to be superior to endoscopic glue injection. However, the level of evidence remains low.
Experimental detection of deterministic turbulence

This paper is devoted to an experimental investigation of transitional and turbulent, post-transitional boundary layer initiated by fully controlled 3D broadband perturbations. A self-similar laminar boundary layer with an adverse pressure gradient was used as a primary base flow. The excited controlled disturbances initially represented Tollmien–Schlichting (TS) waves, which had a spectral component that was random at small and moderate time scales but periodical at very large time scales, during which the flow passed the experimental model several times. Detailed measurements were carried out by means of a hot-wire anemometer in a broad spatial region starting with stages of small-amplitude instability waves and ending with stage of a developed post-transitional turbulent flow. It was found that average characteristics of the produced post-transitional flow corresponded to the developed wall turbulence; meanwhile, the instantaneous flow structure there still remained deterministic, i.e. basically reproducible from one long signal realization to another. This instantaneous structure was measured in detail and compared with the one known from previous investigations of turbulent and transitional flows. A conclusion was drawn that the deterministic (reproducible) wall turbulence did exist in nature and could be generated experimentally in boundary layers. Besides important philosophical meaning, this result provided investigators with a very powerful methodological tool for subsequent turbulence research.
Performance Analysis for Dual-Hop UWOC-RF Systems With NOMA

In this study, we investigate a non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA)-assisted dual-hop underwater wireless optical communication-radio frequency (UWOC-RF) network. Specifically, an optical source forwards a NOMA signal to a marine relay, which first deploys either the heterodyne detection or intensity modulation direct detection to process the received signal, and then encodes and re-transmits a superimposed signal to two terrestrial destinations. Assuming the UWOC channel is subject to a unified mixture Exponential-Generalized Gamma (mEGG) distribution and the RF channels experience Nakagami-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> fading, the analytical as well as asymptotic expression for outage probability is obtained in the form of the Meijer’s <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$G$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-function. Moreover, the average achievable rate is also investigated by utilizing the bivariate Fox’s <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$H$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-function. In addition, the accuracy of those expressions is verified with Monte-Carlo simulations.
Toughening Thermoelectric Materials: From Mechanisms to Applications

With the tendency of thermoelectric semiconductor devices towards miniaturization, integration, and flexibility, there is an urgent need to develop high-performance thermoelectric materials. Compared with the continuously enhanced thermoelectric properties of thermoelectric materials, the understanding of toughening mechanisms lags behind. Recent advances in thermoelectric materials with novel crystal structures show intrinsic ductility. In addition, some promising toughening strategies provide new opportunities for further improving the mechanical strength and ductility of thermoelectric materials. The synergistic mechanisms between microstructure-mechanical performances are expected to show a large set of potential applications in flexible thermoelectric devices. This review explores enlightening research into recent intrinsically ductile thermoelectric materials and promising toughening strategies of thermoelectric materials to elucidate their applications in the field of flexible thermoelectric devices.
WAVELET BASED HISTOGRAM METHOD FOR CLASSIFICATION OF TEXTURES

To achieve high accuracy in classification the present paper proposes a new method on texton pattern detection based on wavelets. Each texture analysis method depends upon how the selected texture features characterizes image. Whenever a new texture feature is derived it is tested whether it precisely classifies the textures. Here not only the texture features are important but also the way in which they are applied is also important and significant for a crucial, precise and accurate texture classification and analysis. That is the reason the present paper applied the derived a new method called Wavelet based Histogram on Texton Patterns (WHTP). So far no exhaustive work was carried out in the wavelet domain for classification of textures, based on histogram of texton pattern extraction. This is the principal motivation for the work done in this paper. The proposed WHTP method is tested on stone textures for precise classification.The proposed texton pattern detection evaluates the relationship between the values of neighboring pixels in the wavelet domain. The experimental results on various stone textures indicate the efficacy of the proposed method when compared to other methods.
Tracking Parabolic Trajectories with a Mobile Phone

Using a mobile device (mobile phone or tablet) as a recording system together with a free image analysis app, upper secondary and undergraduate students can experimentally obtain the equation of motion of a real system. In this study, the parabolic trajectories of spheres with diameters of a few centimeters were recorded and analyzed. The results of determining the trajectory were found to be quite close to the theoretical equations.
Exploring CO2 emission in developing countries by PCA and time series analysis

Carbon dioxide emission are major driver of global warming and climate change, hence one should urgently reduce carbon dioxide emission to avoid the impacts from climate change. With such a worldwide problem, the regulation and generalization have become a problem. When comparing each countries carbon dioxide emission data, mankind has missed lots of omitted variables including countries’ economics status, countries’ location etc. As the world enters the era of big data analysis, this study will mainly discuss why some developing countries cannot reduce carbon dioxide emission at the same rate as those developed countries. From the dataset, the research used 12 major carbon dioxide countries all over the world including both developing and developed countries. The research first performed explanatory data analysis to check if there is any association between carbon dioxide emission, GDP per capital, and life expectancy in all 12 countries. Then, the PCA classification is adopted to classify all the selected 12 countries, and one may see all the developing countries are classified in similar area. In the end, the study performed a SARIMA time series analysis on China’s future carbon dioxide emission, and the result showed a decline trend of China’s carbon dioxide emission in the future. This research will correct the misleading idea on simply compare with countries precisely carbon dioxide emission and help to understand the tradeoffs that many developing countries face during reduction of carbon dioxide.
Joint Location and Beamforming Optimization for STAR-RIS Aided NOMA-UAV Networks

This work investigates the potential of combining unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and simultaneously transmitting and reflecting reconfigurable intelligent surface (STAR-RIS) in wireless networks. In particular, the signals from UAV can be reflected and transmitted through STAR-RIS to the users on both sides of the surface to provide full-space coverage. We formulate a sum-rate maximization problem in STAR-RIS aided non-orthogonal multiple access UAV networks, where the location and power allocation of UAV, and the passive reflection/transmission beamforming of STAR-RIS are jointly optimized, subject to the quality-of-service requirement. Furthermore, we transform the non-convex problem into a convex one and propose an efficient algorithm to obtain the suboptimal solution to the original problem. Simulation results verify the superiority of the proposed scheme compared to other benchmarks.
Research and Development Review of Power Converter Topologies and Control Technology for Electric Vehicle Fast-Charging Systems

With the rapid development of the electric vehicle (EV) industry, charging facilities for electric vehicles are gradually improving, thus meeting the demand for fast and safe charging. This paper comprehensively describes the current development status and future development trend of EVs and their charging infrastructure and analyzes in detail the EV fast-charging system architecture according to the AC/DC coupling configuration. The topologies and control techniques of the front AC/DC converter and rear DC/DC converter for the charging system are discussed, providing a reference for the future design of hundred-kilowatt level and above fast-charging systems for EVs. In addition, this paper summarizes the EV charging interface and the charging specifications applicable to the hundred-kilowatt power fast-charging system, as well as the impact of fast charging on power batteries, and emphasizes that high-power fast-charging technology is an inevitable trend for the future development of electric vehicles.
LM-type tests for slope homogeneity in non-dynamic panel data models

We propose a Lagrange Multiplier (LM) test for homogeneous slopes in non-dynamic panel data models. We consider two variations of the standard LM test. The first is an asymptotically equivalent regression-based test and the second incorporates the one-sided nature of the alternative hypothesis. We examine the small-sample properties of the LM-type tests relative to Pesaran and Yamagata’s (2008) dispersion statistic by simulation and find that the LM tests perform well in small samples, in particular when the cross-section dimension is large relative to the time dimension. This finding suggests that the LM-type tests are particularly useful in micro panels.
Assessment of ensemble learning for object-based land cover mapping using multi-temporal Sentinel-1/2 images

Abstract Accurate land cover mapping is challenging in Southeast Asia where cloud coverage is prevalent and landscape is heterogenous. Object-based mapping, multi-temporal images and combined use of optical and microwave data, provide abundant features in spectral, spatial, temporal, geometric and polarimetric dimensions. And random forest is usually employed due to robustness and efficiency in handling high-dimensional and noisy data. This study assesses whether feature selection and ensemble analysis, which are rarely adopted, yield improved result. Recursive feature elimination decreases original 568 features into a subset of 53 features, achieving the optimal combination of features. Ensemble analysis of random forest, support vector machine, and K-nearest neighbors leads to an overall accuracy of 0.816. Comparison experiments demonstrated the merits of the multi-temporal, multi-source approach, feature elimination and ensemble analysis.
Proteomic Profiling of Fallopian Tube-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Using a Microfluidic Tissue-on-Chip System

The human fallopian tube epithelium (hFTE) is the site of fertilization, early embryo development, and the origin of most high-grade serous ovarian cancers (HGSOCs). Little is known about the content and functions of hFTE-derived small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) due to the limitations of biomaterials and proper culture methods. We have established a microfluidic platform to culture hFTE for EV collection with adequate yield for mass spectrometry-based proteomic profiling, and reported 295 common hFTE sEV proteins for the first time. These proteins are associated with exocytosis, neutrophil degranulation, and wound healing, and some are crucial for fertilization processes. In addition, by correlating sEV protein profiles with hFTE tissue transcripts characterized using GeoMx® Cancer Transcriptome Atlas, spatial transcriptomics analysis revealed cell-type-specific transcripts of hFTE that encode sEVs proteins, among which, FLNA, TUBB, JUP, and FLNC were differentially expressed in secretory cells, the precursor cells for HGSOC. Our study provides insights into the establishment of the baseline proteomic profile of sEVs derived from hFTE tissue, and its correlation with hFTE lineage-specific transcripts, which can be used to evaluate whether the fallopian tube shifts its sEV cargo during ovarian cancer carcinogenesis and the role of sEV proteins in fallopian tube reproductive functions.
Phylogenetic and Haplotype Analyses Offer Insights Towards Conservation of Pteroptyx tener Olivier, 1907 (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) Populations from Malaysia

The synchronous-flashing firefly, Pteroptyx tener Olivier, 1907 is a congregating firefly with high economic value for the ecotourism industry. However, the populations of P. tener are increasingly being threatened due to habitat destruction. The assessment of genetic variation within and among populations of the species from Malaysia might play a major role in conservation and management programs. Objectives of this study were to investigate the relationships among P. tener from five populations in Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo (Sabah) using cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI), and to obtain its haplotype information. A total of 50 sequences of P. tener were used in the Neighbour-Joining (NJ), Maximum Parsimony (MP), and Bayesian Inference (BI) phylogenetic analyses and successfully formed several distinct clades of West and East Malaysia (East Coast and West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia) with moderately to highly supported bootstrap values and posterior probabilities. Several haplotype analysis parameters are presented; low nucleotide diversity (PiT, 0.01893), haplotype number (Hn, 19), and high haplotype diversity (Hd, 0.89469). Our findings assumed that the geographical isolation due to the inability for flying long distances without help by the wind and flooding in tidal rivers. The data presented here are important genetic information on the P. tener populations and are important for the conservation programme in Malaysia by conducting the breeding program among populations that have similar genetic information.
Programmable Thermal Dissociation of Reactive Gaseous Mercury, a Potential Approach to Chemical Speciation: Results from a Field Study

Programmable Thermal Dissociation (PTD) has been used to investigate the chemical speciation of Reactive Gaseous Mercury (RGM, Hg2+). RGM was collected on denuders and analyzed using PTD. The technique was tested in a field campaign at a coal-fired power plant in Pensacola, Florida. Stack gas samples were collected from ducts located after the electrostatic precipitator and prior to entering the stack. An airship was used to sample from the stack plume, downwind of the stack exit. The PTD profiles from these samples were compared with PTD profiles of HgCl2. Comparison of stack and in-plume samples suggest that the chemical speciation are the same and that it is possible to track a specific chemical form of RGM from the stack and follow its evolution in the stack plume. Comparison of the measured plume RGM with the amount calculated from in-stack measurements and the measured plume dilution suggest that the stack and plume RGM concentrations are consistent with dilution. The PTD profiles of the stack and plume samples are consistent with HgCl2 being the chemical form of the sampled RGM. Comparison with literature PTD profiles of reference mercury compounds suggests no other likely candidates for the speciation of RGM.
WHIRLY1 Acts Upstream of ABA-Related Reprogramming of Drought-Induced Gene Expression in Barley and Affects Stress-Related Histone Modifications

WHIRLY1, a small plant-specific ssDNA-binding protein, dually located in chloroplasts and the nucleus, is discussed to act as a retrograde signal transmitting a stress signal from the chloroplast to the nucleus and triggering there a stress-related gene expression. In this work, we investigated the function of WHIRLY1 in the drought stress response of barley, employing two overexpression lines (oeW1-2 and oeW1-15). The overexpression of WHIRLY1 delayed the drought-stress-related onset of senescence in primary leaves. Two abscisic acid (ABA)-dependent marker genes of drought stress, HvNCED1 and HvS40, whose expression in the wild type was induced during drought treatment, were not induced in overexpression lines. In addition, a drought-related increase in ABA concentration in the leaves was suppressed in WHIRLY1 overexpression lines. To analyze the impact of the gain-of-function of WHIRLY1 on the drought-related reprogramming of nuclear gene expression, RNAseq was performed comparing the wild type and an overexpression line. Cluster analyses revealed a set of genes highly up-regulated in response to drought in the wild type but not in the WHIRLY1 overexpression lines. Among these genes were many stress- and abscisic acid (ABA)-related ones. Another cluster comprised genes up-regulated in the oeW1 lines compared to the wild type. These were related to primary metabolism, chloroplast function and growth. Our results indicate that WHIRLY1 acts as a hub, balancing trade-off between stress-related and developmental pathways. To test whether the gain-of-function of WHIRLY1 affects the epigenetic control of stress-related gene expression, we analyzed drought-related histone modifications in different regions of the promoter and at the transcriptional start sites of HvNCED1 and HvS40. Interestingly, the level of euchromatic marks (H3K4me3 and H3K9ac) was clearly decreased in both genes in a WHIRLY1 overexpression line. Our results indicate that WHIRLY1, which is discussed to act as a retrograde signal, affects the ABA-related reprogramming of nuclear gene expression during drought via differential histone modifications.
Statistical analysis of incoherent pulse shaping.

The performance of incoherent pulse shaping based on temporal gating and dispersive propagation of a broadband incoherent optical source is analyzed. The average temporal intensity of the dispersed gated source is essentially proportional to the spectral density of the incoherent source scaled along the temporal axis; therefore temporal waveforms are synthesized by spectral density modulation of the incoherent source. Although the coherence time of the shaped waveform is longer than that of the initial incoherent source, the shaped-intensity probability density function at any given time is identical to the probability density function of a polarized incoherent source. This restricts the signal-to-noise ratio of the shaped waveform to 1. Statistical analysis describes how the signal-to-noise ratio is affected by polarization multiplexing and averaging over multiple realizations of the incoherent process. The signal-to-noise ratio of highspeed electric waveforms generated by photodetection of the shaped optical waveform is described.
Ideal instabilities in a high-β rotating cylindrical plasma in the presence of an azimuthal magnetic field and a gravitational field

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) theory of ideal instabilities in a high-β rotating cylindrical plasma with an azimuthal magnetic field and a radial gravitational field is developed (β is the ratio of the plasma and magnetic field pressures). The basis of this theory is a system of two first-order differential equations for the Frieman–Rotenberg variable (the sum of the perturbed plasma and magnetic field pressures) and the radial plasma displacement, which leads to the second-order differential equation for the displacement. The sausage instability criterion is derived which generalizes the earlier results for a plasma without gravitation. It is shown that this instability can occur for both the decreasing and increasing plasma pressures. The non-axisymmetric modes are also considered. This analysis is related to the MHD instability theory in a nonrotating plasma dealing with snake instabilities. A number of rotational and gravitational effects on both the m = 1 and m > 1 modes are revealed, where m is the azimuthal mode number. The eigenmode equation describing the Suydam modes in the presence of rotational and gravitational effects is derived. These modes can be responsible, in particular, for the Velikhov and rotational-convective instabilities.
Perturbation Expansions on Perturbed Domains

Expansions in powers of a perturbation parameter are considered for partial differential equations to be solved on a domain that is also perturbed. Two kinds of expansions—Lagrange-like and Euler-like—are developed and shown to be equivalent to one another under a certain transformation of dependent variables. This equivalence is used to justify the hierarchy of partial differential equations produced by the Euler-like expansion.In addition to partial differential equations, integrals extended over a perturbed domain are also considered. Such integrals suffer perturbations due to the domain perturbation. A formula for these perturbations is given that involves the domain-mapping function only at the boundary of the unperturbed domain. This contrasts with the usual change-of-domain formula, which involves the Jacobian of the domain-mapping function throughout the unperturbed domain. The formula in question is compatible with Euler-like expansions (and the usual change-of-domain formula is compatible with L.