Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A novel two-dimensional frequency spectrum for bistatic SAR processing

The frequency spectrum expression plays a key role in bistatic SAR image formation. However, due to the existence of double-square-roots in the bistatic range equation, it is difficult to obtain an analytical two-dimensional spectrum. This paper derives a novel spectrum expression for bistatic SAR processing. Based on the appropriate approximation, the original range equation with double-square-roots form can be approximated as the sum of a linear function and a single square-root. Thus the analytical stationary point and spectrum expression can be calculated according the principle of stationary phase. Finally, numerical simulations are performed to validate the proposed frequency spectrum.
Fog Computing Pushing Intelligence to the Edge

Cloud computing is a delivery platform which promises a new way of accessing and storing personal as well as business information. It provides resources to its users through the Internet. But it also has a risk that is the involvement of a third party which makes it difficult to trust that user data is secure enough and will not be misused. To provide security, new technology called Fog computing is used. Fog computing, also termed edge computing, can address those problems by providing elastic resources and services to end users at the edge of network, while cloud computing are more about providing resources distributed in the core network. Fog computing extends cloud computing by providing virtualized resources and engaged location-based services to the edge of the mobile networks so as to better serve mobile traffics. Therefore, Fog computing is a lubricant of the combination of cloud computing and mobile applications.
Stroke in the People's Republic of China. II. Meta-analysis of hypertension and risk of stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In the People's Republic of China (PRC), stroke accounts for over 1 million deaths per year, more than three times the number of deaths from ischemic heart disease. To quantify the effect of hypertension on stroke in the PRC, we conducted a meta-analysis and estimated the population attributable risk of stroke due to hypertension. METHODS We searched the Chinese Medical Literature Index and MEDLINE databases to identify studies on the relationship between hypertension and stroke conducted in the PRC. The overall relative risk of stroke in hypertensive persons and the population attributable risk of stroke due to hypertension were calculated by pooling the risk estimates from individual studies. RESULTS A total of 12 epidemiological studies with 2379 stroke cases was identified. The overall relative risk of stroke associated with hypertension was 5.43 (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.62 to 6.39). The relative risk was similar for hemorrhagic (5.44; 95% CI, 3.99 to 7.40) and ischemic (5.25; 95% CI, 3.95 to 6.98) stroke. On the basis of data from the 1990 PRC population census, vital statistics, and the 1991 PRC National Hypertension Survey, the excess annual mortality from stroke due to hypertension was estimated to be at least 545,000 deaths, with a population attributable risk of 49.5%. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that hypertension is an important risk factor for stroke in the PRC and that hypertension may account for about half of all deaths from stroke in that country. Treatment and prevention of hypertension should be an important societal goal in the PRC.
Chemical Composition of Bio-oils Produced by Fast Pyrolysis of Two Energy Crops †

Bio-oils from the fast pyrolysis of switchgrass forage and two sets of alfalfa stems (from two stages of development—bud and full flower stages) have been analyzed by wet-chemical methods, GC-MS, and HPLC. The chemical composition of bio-oil is important because it may give insights into its quality, stability, or suitability for downstream upgrading. Pyrolysis experiments were conducted at 500 °C under a nitrogen atmosphere in 2.5 kg/h fluidized bed reactor. A total of 62 chemical species were positively identified in the liquids. Of the identified compounds, 27 have been quantified. The chemical compositions of the bio-oils are compared with what is known about the compositions of these feedstocks. While the compositions of the bio-oil from the two alfalfa stems were similar, there were numerous differences in the compositions of the alfalfa and switchgrass bio-oils. Noted are the higher levels of nitrogen, water, and aromatic hydrocarbons in bio-oils produced from alfalfa stems than from switchgrass an.
Directed Transform Function approach for functional network analysis in resting state fMRI data of Parkinson disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder characterized by tremor, rigidity, and slowness of movements. Specific changes associated with various pathological attacks in Parkinson disease can be indicated by directional interaction of the brain Network from resting state fMRI data. For constructing the directional brain network from spontaneous activity at rest, we used Directed Transform Function (DTF) approach combining with graph theory. The proposed method applied on each pair of reference time series of the selected regions in the frequency domain. Furthermore, topological parameters like degree of a given node were calculated for graphs in three frequency bandwidths. The result of group comparison between PD and healthy showed that there are few distinctive connections in the upper frequency bandwidth. This result depicted that there are more common influence information in upper band between two groups. Moreover, intergroup comparison analysis of resting state shows that effective interactions in PD are stronger than healthy. Furthermore, some brain regions such as left thalamus has the most information flow in PD which characterized by pivotal regions which were influenced by the other brain regions. We found that DTF analysis in frequency domain combined with graph structure could potentially provide information on directional interactions within regions.
Young Adults' Knowledge of the Strength of Different Alcoholic Beverages

Providing information about the strength of different alcoholic beverages is a common component of alcohol abuse prevention programs. However, little is known about drinkers' knowledge of the strength of different alcoholic beverages. In the present study, 113 young adult drinkers responded to a questionnaire concerning the alcohol content of different types of malt beverages (beers, malt liquors), wines, fortified wines (port, sherry), and distilled spirits. The results indicated rates of correct responses well below 50 percent for each type of alcoholic beverage, with a substantial proportion of subjects either overestimating or underestimating alcohol content. Not a single subject reported correct alcohol content values for all four beverage types. There was a trend towards less accurate estimates of the alcohol content of malt beverages compared to the other beverage types. Womens' estimates of strength were less accurate than those of men. The results are discussed in terms of prevention of alcohol abuse.
Overexpression of CD163 in vitreous and fibrovascular membranes of patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy: possible involvement of periostin

Aim To determine whether CD163, a specific marker for M2 macrophages, is involved in the formation of preretinal fibrovascular membranes (FVMs) present in eyes with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Methods We measured the levels of soluble (s)CD163, periostin and vascular endothelial growth factor by sandwich ELISA in vitreous samples from 74 eyes of 62 patients with PDR, 20 eyes of 18 patients with proliferative vitreoretinopathy, and 56 eyes of 54 patients with non-diabetic ocular diseases (control group). Immunohistochemical analyses were performed to determine the expressions of CD68, CD163 and periostin in the surgically resected FVMs and idiopathic epiretinal membranes (ERMs). Results The concentrations of sCD163 and periostin in the vitreous were significantly higher in patients with PDR than in non-diabetic controls (p<0.0001). There was a strong correlation between the vitreous concentrations of sCD163 and periostin. The mean vitreous level of sCD163 was significantly higher in eyes with FVMs than in those without FVMs (epicentre only). The number and percentage of CD163+ macrophages were significantly higher in the FVMs than in the idiopathic ERMs. Immunohistochemical analysis showed co-localisation of CD163 and periostin in FVM cells. Conclusions These findings indicate that the overexpression of CD163 by macrophages may be involved in the development of FVMs partly through periostin production.
A novel antagonist, No. 7943, of the Na+/Ca2+ exchange current in guinea‐pig cardiac ventricular cells

1 The effects of No. 7943 on the Na+/Ca2+ exchange current and on other membrane currents were investigated in single cardiac ventricular cells of guinea‐pig with the whole‐cell voltage‐clamp technique. 2 No. 7943 at 0.1–10 μm suppressed the outward Na+/Ca2+ exchange current in a concentration‐dependent manner. The suppression was reversible and the IC50 value was approximately 0.32 μm. 3 No. 7943 at 5–50 μm suppressed also the inward Na+/Ca2+ exchange current in a concentration‐dependent manner but with a higher IC50 value of approximately 17 μm. 4 In a concentration‐response curve, No. 7943 raised the KmCa2+ value, but did not affect the Imax value, indicating that No. 7943 is a competitive antagonist with external Ca2+ for the outward Na+/Ca2+ exchange current. 5 The voltage‐gated Na+ current, Ca2+ current and the inward rectifier K+ current were also inhibited by No. 7943 with IC50s of approximately 14, 8 and 7 μm, respectively. 6 In contrast to No. 7943, 3′,4′‐dichlorobenzamil (DCB) at 3–30 μm suppressed the inward Na+/Ca2+ exchange current with IC50 of 17 μm, but did not affect the outward exchange current at these concentrations. 7 We conclude that No. 7943 inhibits the outward Na+/Ca2+ exchange current more potently than any other currents as a competitive inhibitor with external Ca2+. This effect is in contrast to DCB which preferentially inhibits the inward rather than the outward Na+/Ca2+ exchange current.
Medication Compliance, Adherence, and Persistence: Current Status of Behavioral and Educational Interventions to Improve Outcomes

BACKGROUND: Poor adherence and persistence are serious issues in the management of chronic conditions. A mounting body of evidence indicates that decreased medication adherence is associated with increased hospitalizations and total costs of care. OBJECTIVE: To review the predictors of adherence to and persistence with medications and to discuss the intervention strategies that have been used to address adherence in chronic conditions. SUMMARY: Several intervention strategies have been used to address adherence in chronic conditions. These strategies can be grouped into 3 categories: informational, behavioral, and combined strategies. It has been shown that the quality of this research is poor, with wide variability in study design, outcomes, and duration. CONCLUSIONS: Adherence is a multifaceted issue, affected by both behavioral and system barriers. At present, few intervention studies have attempted to identify patient barriers and match patients to interventions designed to affect the identified barriers. No one model is better than all others, but simplification of medication regimens and multifaceted behavioral interventions have shown promise in some research. Additional research, utilizing better study methods to minimize confounding and larger sample sizes, is needed to determine which interventions are effective. Future programs designed to impact adherence should focus on (a) identifying patient-specific adherence barriers, (b) identifying other adherence issues, (c) tailoring interventions to eliminate or reduce barriers, and (d) providing ongoing social support for patients. Once we become better able to tailor effective interventions to meet patient needs rather than offering the same intervention to all patients, we will begin to achieve better outcomes with greater efficiency.
[Plasma matrix metalloproteinases MMP-2 and MMP-9 and tissue inhibitors TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 in children treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia].

THE AIM OF THE STUDY An analysis of changes in plasma levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 as well as the tissue inhibitors TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 in children diagnosed for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). MATERIAL AND METHODS In 21 children aged from 1 to 15 with ALL (17 with pre-B ALL and 4 with T-ALL) we made the analysis: at diagnosis (point I), after induction remission (point II) and after the end of intensive treatment (point III). Control group was composed of 47 healthy persons. RESULTS At diagnosis, the mean plasma values of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-2 were lower than in control group, whereas TIMP-1 levels were similar. During and after the treatment we found the increase of MMP-2 comparing to the values at diagnosis (relatively p = 0.003 and p = 0.008). Plasma MMP-9 was higher at point III of analysis than at point II. The levels of TIMP-2 increased in following points of the study We did not found the influence of immunophenotype, initial LDH levels and leukocytosis on MMPs and TIMPs values. At diagnosis, the ratio MMP-2/TIMP-1 was at the same level as in the control but it was higher during and after the intensive treatment. At diagnosis as well as during the treatment the ratios MMP-9/TIMP-2 and MMP-9/TIMP-1 were lower than in control. At diagnosis we found a positive correlation between MMP-2 and TIMP-2 (r = 0.679, p = 0.001) and between TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 (r = 0.482, p = 0.027), whereas during the treatment--only a positive correlation between MMP-2 and TIMP-2 was observed (r = 0.766, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The differences in plasma matrix metalloproteinases and their tissue inhibitors between leukemic patients and control group, as well as in patients during the treatment, suggest their probable role in the development of leukemic process. The analysis conducted in the bigger group of patients, establishing simultaneously levels of these markers in plasma and in leukemic cells, would be advisable.
Changeable two-sided matching for changing environment

Two-sided matching is a major matching problem for players in two groups. If a player joins or leaves a group, the matching must be calculated from scratch. In this paper, we propose a changeable two-sided matching problem for two-sided problems in changing environments where a player can join or leave groups. We also propose an algorithm, called the continuation algorithm, for this problem, which calculates matching using not only the preferences of the players of the two groups, but also the matching result of the original two-sided matching problem before changes occur. We demonstrate that, if the matching result of the original two-sided matching is stable, the result obtained by the continuation algorithm is also stable.
Does Health Accelerate Economic Growth in Pakistan

This paper has been designed to investigate whether health accelerate economic growth in Pakistan. The study is using Growth Accounting Method, Ordinary Least Squares and Johansen Cointegration Test as analytical techniques. The Results show that Total Factor Productivity, Capital and health contributed 46.61%, 43.15% and 2.61% to growth rate of GDP per capita during 1971-2008. The Ordinary Least Squares results showed health, labour and Research and Development as the significant determinants of economic growth in Pakistan. The results further indicate that real GDP per capita, R&D, education and health institutions affect heath in Pakistan. The Cointegration test results confirmed the existence of long run relationship between health and economic growth. Therefore, the study concludes that health accelerates economic growth in Pakistan and this relationship also exists in long run. The study suggests increase in public expenditure on health and R&D. It is also suggests further research on the determinants of Total Factor Productivity.
Morpholino‐induced knockdown of Fgf8 efficiently phenocopies the acerebellar (ACE) phenotype

Homozygous acerebellar ( ace ) embryos lack their cerebellum and the midbrain–hindbrain boundary (MHB) organizer, and in addition have defects in forebrain and heart development (Brand et al. , 1996; Picker et al. , 1999; Reifers et al. , 1998, Shanmugalingam et al. (2000); Raible and Brand, 2001; Araki and Brand, unpublished data), suggesting that this may be because of functional redundancy between Fgfs. Because morpholinos might help to resolve such issues, we sought to phenocopy the known caused by absence of Ace/Fgf8 through injection of a morpholino against fgf8 (MO- fgf8 In the complexity of the ace phenotype, we ﬁnd that MO- fgf8 efﬁciently and uniformly phenocopies ace mutant in MHB, forebrain, and heart development.
Real‐world effectiveness of ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir±dasabuvir±ribavirin in patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 1 or 4 infection: A meta‐analysis

The direct‐acting antiviral regimen of ombitasvir (OBV)/paritaprevir (PTV)/ritonavir (r)±dasabuvir (DSV)±ribavirin (RBV) demonstrated high rates of sustained viral response at post‐treatment week 12 (SVR12) in clinical trials for treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes (GT) 1 and 4. To confirm the effectiveness of this regimen in the real world, we conducted meta‐analyses of published literature on 30 April 2016. Freeman‐Tukey transformation determined the SVR rate within GTs 1a, 1b and 4, as well as specific SVR rates by cirrhosis or prior treatment experience status. Rates of virologic relapse, hepatic decompensation, drug discontinuation and serious adverse events were also analysed. In total, 20 cohorts across 12 countries were identified, totalling 5158 patients. The overall SVR12 rates were 96.8% (95% CI 95.8‐97.7) for GT1 and 98.9% (95% CI 94.2‐100) for GT4. For GT1a patients, the SVR rates were 94% and 97% for those with or without cirrhosis, and 94% overall. For GT1b patients, the SVR rates were 98% and 99% for those with or without cirrhosis, and 98% overall. The virologic relapse rate of GT1 patients was 1.3%, across 3524 patients in nine studies that reported this parameter. The rate of hepatic decompensation was less than 1% across five studies, including 3440 patients, 70% of which had cirrhosis. Conclusions: Real‐world SVR12 rates for OBV/PTV/r±DSV±RBV were consistently high across HCV GT1 and four irrespective of cirrhosis status or prior HCV treatment experience, confirming effectiveness within a diverse patient population across multiple cohorts and countries.
Characterizing and Diminishing Autofluorescence in Formalin-fixed Paraffin-embedded Human Respiratory Tissue

Tissue autofluorescence frequently hampers visualization of immunofluorescent markers in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded respiratory tissues. We assessed nine treatments reported to have efficacy in reducing autofluorescence in other tissue types. The three most efficacious were Eriochrome black T, Sudan black B and sodium borohydride, as measured using white light laser confocal Λ2 (multi-lambda) analysis. We also assessed the impact of steam antigen retrieval and serum application on human tracheal tissue autofluorescence. Functionally fitting this Λ2 data to 2-dimensional Gaussian surfaces revealed that steam antigen retrieval and serum application contribute minimally to autofluorescence and that the three treatments are disparately efficacious. Together, these studies provide a set of guidelines for diminishing autofluorescence in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded human respiratory tissue. Additionally, these characterization techniques are transferable to similar questions in other tissue types, as demonstrated on frozen human liver tissue and paraffin-embedded mouse lung tissue fixed in different fixatives.
Development of a Blade‐type Crawler Mechanism for a Fast Deployment Task to Observe Eruptions on Mt. Mihara

Observing a crater during a volcanic eruption is a dangerous task that is still being performed by volcanologists. Because of the risks involved, it is proposed that this observation be performed by robots rather than humans. Unlike rescue robots that operate inside buildings, those that observe craters during volcanic activities are expected to demonstrate rapid movements because the environmental conditions during an eruption can change in a split second. Furthermore, the cost of the robots to be developed should be kept to a minimum, as there is a high chance that they will be damaged or lost. This study proposes a blade‐type crawler vehicle with improved performance over rough terrain. The vehicle does not compromise speed nor does it have complex controls, which keeps the cost low. The objective of the study was to observe eruptions on Mt. Mihara on Izu Oshima Island, where there have been threats of eruption in recent years. The proposed vehicle was tested, and its effectiveness was demonstrated through laboratory experiments and a field test on Mt. Mihara. This vehicle was capable of traveling on scoria desert and vulnerable, uneven, and rough terrain, including bushes, on Izu Oshima Island. In addition, the vehicle recorded a maximum velocity of about 10 km/h and climbed over steps with a height of about 135 mm, which is about 270% of the diameter of its wheel. Moreover, it is small, lightweight (2.5 kg), and it can be operated by one person. Through practical experiments, it was verified that the vehicle demonstrated superior performance and speed over rough terrain as compared with other crawler mechanisms. Therefore, it was found that the mechanism was effective for an unmanned probe device, especially in a hypothetical volcanic eruption site on Izu Oshima Island.
Primary regulation strategies applicable to wind farms coupled with hydrogen production systems

This paper deals with the use of hydrogen production systems to contribute to the utility grid primary regulation by wind farms. Two different strategies to control the power injected to the grid depending on the grid frequency are presented. A series of quality criteria are proposed to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of both techniques based on real frequency data.
Hepatitis associated with a Coxsackie B5 virus infection during late pregnancy.

THE FOLLOWING account concerns a female in her seventh month of pregnancy who suffered a severe infection with Coxsackie B5 virus involving multiple organ systems. The case was considered worthy of special comment because hepatic damage was present. In addition, the striking similarity of the clinical picture to that usually produced by Weil's disease was thought to be of unusual interest. Report of a Case A 21-year-old white female was admitted to Charity Hospital of Louisiana on Oct. 23, 1959, with a diagnosis of "meningitis. " The patient was 7 months pregnant (gravida 6, para 5). She had been in good health until 7 days prior to admission, when she developed a generalized headache, malaise, and a low-grade fever. Her physician felt that she had "flu" and treated her with tetracycline, 250 mg. every 6 hours. Two days later she developed projectile vomiting without nausea. At this time she was admitted
How to Combine the Benefits of Strict and Soft Typing

We discuss the properties of strictly typed languages on the one hand and soft typing on the other one and identify disadvantages of these approaches to type checking in the context of powerful type languages. To overcome the problems we develop an approach that combines ideas of both strict and soft typing. This approach is based on the concept of complete typing that is guaranteed to accept every well-typed program. The main component of a complete type checker is defined.