Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Permittivity of woven fabrics: A comparison of dielectric formulas for air-fiber mixture

The dielectric properties of textile fabrics are becoming more important with respect to applications such as electrostatic discharge, electromagnetic shielding, fabric-reinforced composites for electrical and electronic applications. The relation between the permittivity of the fiber material and that of the air-fiber mixture in a fabric form belongs to a more general problem of dielectric mixtures which has been studied for more than 100 years. This paper reviews many such dielectric mixture formulas available today and applies them for the case of a woven fabric made from monofilament yarns of high density polyethylene. At the low fiber volume fraction which is typical for any woven fabric, the dispersion of values given by different mixing equations lies between 2.028 and 2.400. An extrapolation technique using a quadratic equation also gives a reasonable value which falls in the above range.
A compact dual-band circularly polarized antenna for satellite systems

A compact dual-band circularly polarized (CP) slotted patch antenna is proposed for global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs). The antenna consists of a main patch radiator, a parasitic patch radiator, and a coaxial feeding probe. Four circular-ring slots are cut onto the circular patch radiators respectively for CP radiation and antenna miniaturization. The parasitic patch radiator is connected to ground using four vias to further reduce the size of the antenna. The compact antenna prototype with an overall size of 0. 306λ<inf>0</inf>×0. 306λ<inf>0</inf>×0. 02λ<inf>0</inf> (λ<inf>0</inf> is the free space wavelength at 1.227 GHz) achieves desired measured performance at L1/L2 bands: −10 dB reflection coefficient bandwidth of 2.0% (1.221 GHz–1.246 GHz) and 2.5% (1.533 GHz–1.572 GHz), 3-dB axial ratio (AR) bandwidth of 1.0% (1.22– GHz 1.231 GHz) and 0.84% (1.552 GHz–1.565 GHz); maximum gain of 4.0 dBic at 1.227 GHz and 5.6 dBic at 1.555 GHz. The 3-dB AR beamwidth is more than 145° across the 3-dB AR bandwidth for both bands.
A Best-Evidence Systematic Appraisal of the Diagnostic Accuracy and Utility of Facet (Zygapophysial) Joint Injections in Chronic Spinal Pain.

BACKGROUND Spinal zygapophysial, or facet, joints are a source of axial spinal pain and referred pain in the extremities. Conventional clinical features and other noninvasive diagnostic modalities are unreliable in diagnosing zygapophysial joint pain. STUDY DESIGN A systematic review of the diagnostic accuracy of spinal facet joint nerve blocks. OBJECTIVE To determine the diagnostic accuracy of spinal facet joint nerve blocks in chronic spinal pain. METHODS A methodological quality assessment of included studies was performed using Quality Appraisal of Reliability Studies (QAREL). Only diagnostic accuracy studies meeting at least 50% of the designated inclusion criteria were utilized for analysis. The level of evidence was classified as Level I to V based on the grading of evidence utilizing best evidence synthesis. Data sources included relevant literature identified through searches of PubMed and other electronic searches published from 1966 through March 2015, Cochrane reviews, and manual searches of the bibliographies of known primary and review articles. OUTCOME MEASURES Studies must have been performed utilizing controlled local anesthetic blocks. The criterion standard must have been at least 50% pain relief from baseline scores and the ability to perform previously painful movements. RESULTS The available evidence is Level I for lumbar facet joint nerve blocks with the inclusion of a total of 17 studies with dual diagnostic blocks, with at least 75% pain relief with an average prevalence of 16% to 41% and false-positive rates of 25% to 44%. The evidence for diagnosis of cervical facet joint pain with cervical facet joint nerve blocks is Level II based on a total of 11 controlled diagnostic accuracy studies, with significant variability among the prevalence in a heterogenous population with internal inconsistency. The prevalence rates ranged from 36% to 67% with at least 80% pain relief as the criterion standard and a false-positive rate of 27% to 63%. The level of evidence for the diagnostic accuracy of thoracic facet joint nerve blocks is Level II with 80% or higher pain relief as the criterion standard with a prevalence ranging from 34% to 48% and false-positive rates ranging from 42% to 48%. LIMITATIONS The shortcomings of this systematic review include a paucity of literature related to the thoracic spine, continued debate on an appropriate gold standard, appropriateness of diagnostic blocks, and utility. CONCLUSION The evidence is Level I for the diagnostic accuracy of lumbar facet joint nerve blocks, Level II for cervical facet joint nerve blocks, and Level II for thoracic facet joint nerve blocks in assessment of chronic spinal pain.
A hybrid approach to investigate central kitchen green performance in uncertainty

In recent years, environmental consciousness is on the rise. Many scholars have addressed environmental issues and green performances posed have begun to be studied. There is growing importance for green performance requested from customers, government, non-governmental organizations, and stakeholders in hospitality industry. The managers should not ignore the environmental problems that may have impact. Therefore, the green supply chain management has become an important issue. There are no clear quantitative indicators to decide the level of greenness of business yet, however, even scarcity of literature on how the analytic framework in uncertainty with dependence and interactive relationships should be properly implemented. This study proposes a hybrid approach -using the analytic network process (ANP) analyze the dependence aspects, the importance performance analysis (IPA) to draw implications for managing green performance criteria and applies fuzzy set theory to evaluate the uncertainty. Four dependence aspects and thirty-four interactive criteria are evaluated a well-know central kitchen in Chinese Taipei. The results and concluding remarks are discussed.
Spatial differentiation as an auditory "second filter": assessment on a nonlinear model of the basilar membrane.

The mechanical tuning of the basilar membrane does not appear to be sharp enough to account for frequency selectivity of primary auditory nerve fibers. Various “second filters” have been proposed to provide the required sharpening. We have studied the properties of one such mechanism, spatial differentiation of membrane displacement, on a nonlinear computational model of the basilar membrane. Because the wavelength in response to a tone decreases as the wave travels from base to characteristic place, differentiation produces sharpening resembling the difference between mechanical and neural tuning. Phase (as a function of frequency) of the spatial derivative is similar to phase of the displacement, but frequency selectivity (amplitude as a function of frequency) for frequencies below the characteristic frequency is sharpened. In addition, spatial differentiation provides the distinction between mechanical nonlinearity (related in the model to membrane velocity), and neural excitatory signal required to ac.
Computation of Modifier Scope in NP by a Language-neutral Method

The relative logical scope of multiple modifiers within NP is often semantically significant. This paper proposes a structurally based method for computing the relative scope of such modifiers, based on their order, type, and syntactic complexity. The algorithm is language-neutral, in that it works with minimal errors for a wide range of languages without language-specific stipulations.
Excess nutrient supply in early life and its later metabolic consequences

Suboptimal nutrition in early life, both in utero and during infancy, is linked to increased risk of adult obesity and its associated adverse metabolic health problems. Excess nutrient supply during early life can lead to metabolic programming in the offspring. Such overnutrition can occur in the offspring of obese mothers, the offspring of mothers who gain excess weight during gestation, infants of diabetic mothers and infants who undergo rapid growth, particularly weight gain, during early infancy. Postnatal overnutrition is particularly detrimental for infants who are born small for gestational age, who are overfed to attain ‘catch‐up growth’. Potential mechanisms underlying metabolic programming that results from excess nutrition during early life include resetting of hypothalamic energy sensing and appetite regulation, altered adipose tissue insulin sensitivity and impaired brown adipose tissue function. More detailed understanding of the mechanisms involved in metabolic programming could enable the development of therapeutic strategies for ameliorating its ill effects. Research in this field could potentially identify optimal and appropriate preventative interventions for a burgeoning population at risk of increased mortality and morbidity from obesity and its concomitant metabolic conditions.
Metastatic bone disease: clinical features, pathophysiology and treatment strategies.

Metastatic bone disease develops as a result of the many interactions between tumour cells and bone cells. This leads to disruption of normal bone metabolism, with the increased osteoclast activity seen in most, if not all, tumour types providing a rational target for treatment. The clinical course of metastatic bone disease in multiple myeloma, breast and prostate cancers is relatively long, with patients experiencing sequential skeletal complications over a period of several years. These include bone pain, fractures, hypercalcaemia and spinal cord compression, all of which may profoundly impair a patient's quality of life. External beam radiotherapy and systemic endocrine and cytotoxic treatments are the mainstay of treatment in advanced cancers. However, it is now clear that the bisphosphonates provide an additional treatment strategy, which reduces both the symptoms and complications of bone involvement. Ongoing research is aimed at trying to define the optimum route, dose, schedule and type of bisphosphonate in metastatic bone disease and in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in cancer patients. In vitro suggestions of direct anticancer activity and some promising clinical data in early breast cancer have resulted in considerable interest in the possible adjuvant use of bisphosphonates to inhibit the development of bone metastases.
Analytical Optimization of a Multistage Amplifiers

The article describes analytical method for optimizing scaled multistage amplifiers and comparators. The key step in the method is a generation of the global goal function that includes all final bock parameters with variable weights. The method demonstrates how the designer can find optimal values of design variables for achieving balanced key parameters: low noise, minimal delay and current consumption, high gain, and small block area. As an example of practical implementation of the proposed method, optimization of the comparator for high-resolution ADC was done. Comparison of analytical and Spectre simulation results are provided.
March tests for word-oriented two-port memories

This paper presents an approach for testing word-oriented multi-port memories. Fault models for such memories are given based on fault models for bit-oriented multi-port memories. A distinction between intra-word faults and inter-word faults as made. A systematic way of converting bit-oriented multi-port memory tests into word-oriented multi-port memory tests is presented.
First record of Trypanosoma infection in Mediterranean mouse (Mus macedonicus Petrov & Ružić, 1983) in Bulgaria

The study presents a Trypanosoma infection in Mediterranean mouse (Mus macedonicus Petrov & Ružic, 1983) from Plovdiv region (Bulgaria). The average established prevalence of the parasite in Mus macedonicus was 23.5 %, whereas the infection rate was lower in female (11.1%) compared to male (37.5%) individuals. All observed parasite forms are trypomastigotes, possessing the morphological characteristics of the sub-genus Herpetosoma (Stercoraria section), to which T. lewisi-like parasites belong. These features are: free flagellum, ''C shape'' of the parasite with size about 25 ± 5 μm, clear visible undulating membrane, subterminal kinetoplast with oval shape, anterior located nucleus. These morphological characteristics and the absence of infection in the other investigated rodents, hosting other Trypanosoma species, allow us to provide evidence-based assumption that the registered parasite is Trypanosoma musculi. Further studies with molecular methods are required to confirm the registered species.
Myeloid dendritic cell precursors generated from bone marrow suppress T cell responses via cell contact and nitric oxide production in vitro

Tolerogenic activity of myeloid dendritic cells (DC) has so far been attributed mostly to immature or semi‐mature differentiation stages but never to their precursor cells. Although myeloid suppressor cells (MSC) have been isolated ex vivo, their developmental relationship to DC and their precise phenotype remained elusive. Here, we describe the generation of MSC as myeloid DC precursors with potent suppressive activity on allogeneic and OVA‐specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses in vitro. These MSC appear transiently in DC cultures of bone marrow (BM) cells after 8–10 days under low GM‐CSF conditions or after 3–4 days under high GM‐CSF conditions. They represent CD11c– myeloid precursor cells with ring‐shaped nuclei and are Gr‐1low (i.e. Ly‐6C+, Ly‐6Glow), CD11b+, CD31+, ER‐MP58+, asialoGM1+ and F4/80+. Sorted MSC develop into CD11c+ DC within 6 days. Their suppressor activity partially depends on IFN‐γ stimulation. Suppression is mediated through mechanisms requiring cell contact and nitric oxide but is independent of TNF, CD1d and TGF‐β. Together, our data describe the generation of MSC with distinct suppressor mechanisms in vitro preceding their development into immature DC.
Micro-process based software metrics in the training

In the software life-cycle, the personal behavior of the software engineer has a significant influence on software metrics and productivity. This relation is also true of the life-cycle of education and training in software engineering. The trainee's practice, which depends on his/her understanding, causes micro-processes of trial-and-error behavior. By obtaining data about micro-processes, the trainer can issue the appropriate instructions for each trainee effectively. The trainer should have an interest in the micro-processes of the trainee's learning.
The left human speech-processing cortex is thinner but longer than the right

We present histological data from 21 post-mortem, adult human cases that indicate the neocortex on the left planum temporale (secondary auditory cortex) is thinner but longer than that on the right side. The volumes of the left and right regions are approximately equal. Thus, the left planum temporale cortex is long and thin and the right short and thick. The present data fit excellently with previous studies of the volume, surface area, cytoarchitectonics, and neuronal structures of these areas. From these studies we suggest that the hemispheric differences arise from a so-called "balloon model" of cortical development. In this the cortex is extended and stretched by white matter growth. The stretching is greater on the left side, leaving greater distances between neuronal columns and more tangentially (to the pial surface) oriented dendrites on that side. This difference in fine structure can result in more independent activity of individual columns on the left, and could be an anatomical factor in the usual dominance of the left hemisphere for speech perception (Seldon, 1982, 1985).
Lessons I have learnt about the cornea

indicating that this organization is widely present in mouse EOM. The EOM and their supporting structures represent a complex that helps orchestrate eye movement. Striated EOM are organized as global and orbital layers, each with different structural, vascular, neural, mechanical and metabolic features. Fascial sheaths and pulleys influence muscle actions on the globe under possible smooth muscle modulation. As with autonomically innervated palpebral smooth muscle that works with striated muscle to regulate eyelid position, we postulate that smooth muscle associated with striated EOM plays a role in determining eye position in mice, and possibly in humans.
Chronology and Determinants of Tissue Repair in Diabetic Lower-Extremity Ulcers

The natural history of tissue repair and the critical determinants of faulty healing of diabetic ulcers remain obscure despite recent advances in our knowledge of the cellular physiology of normal cutaneous healing. To characterize the chronology and identify important factors affecting healing, we applied an objective method to quantify the rate of wound healing of full-thickness lower-extremity ulcers in 46 diabetic outpatients who received local wound care under a standardized clinical protocol. The initial ulcer healing rate, eventual status of tissue repair, and definitive clinical outcome were not significantly associated with age; diabetes type, duration, or treatment; level or change in glycosylated hemoglobin; current smoking; presence of sensory neuropathy; ulcer location or class; initial infection; or frequency of recurrent infections. However, direct measures of local cutaneous perfusion, estimated by periwound measurements of transcutaneous O2 tension (TcPo2) and transcutaneous CO2 tension (TcPco2), were significantly associated with the initial rate of tissue repair (P = 0.003 and 0.005, respectively). The strong prediction of early healing by these parameters of local skin perfusion was independent from the effects of segmental Doppler arterial blood pressure at the dorsalis pedis, although eventual ulcer reepithelialization was significantly related to foot blood pressure and periwound TcPo2 and TcPco2. We conclude that periwound cutaneous perfusion is the critical physiological determinant of diabetic ulcer healing, indicating a 39-fold increased risk of early healing failure when the average periwound TcPo2 is <20 mmHg.
Long‐term follow‐up of a phase II trial of oral altretamine for consolidation of clinical complete remission in women with stage III epithelial ovarian cancer in the Southwest Oncology Group

ObjectiveThis report provides follow-up progression-free survival (PFS) and median survival data for women who achieved clinical complete remission (cCR) from stage III ovarian cancer after first-line therapy and were treated with altretamine consolidation therapy. MethodsPatients who enrolled in the SWOG 9326 study from September 1993 to July 1997 were required to have documented cCR from stage III ovarian cancer following front-line platinum-based therapy. Treatment consisted of 6 months of oral altretamine at 260 mg/m2/day for 14 consecutive days of a 28-day cycle. ResultsNinety-seven of 112 enrolled patients were evaluable for efficacy. This report presents median 6.2-year follow-up, dating from study registration. Median PFS was 28 (95% CI: 19–43) months. Median PFS for patients with optimal disease was 45 (95% CI: 27–48) months and for patients with suboptimal disease was 17 (95% CI: 12–26) months. Twenty-six of 61 (43%) patients with optimally debulked lesions and 5 of 36 (14%) patients with suboptimally debulked lesions remained disease free. Median survival of patients with optimally debulked disease has not been reached; median survival of patients with suboptimally debulked disease was 39 (95% CI: 19–51) months. No treatment-related adverse events were reported during the follow-up period. ConclusionsConsolidation therapy with oral altretamine was generally well tolerated and associated with prolonged progression-free and overall survival in the Phase II setting.
Poorly Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma: The Turin Proposal for the Use of Uniform Diagnostic Criteria and an Algorithmic Diagnostic Approach

Poorly differentiated (PD) thyroid carcinomas lie both morphologically and behaviorally between well-differentiated and undifferentiated (anaplastic) carcinomas. Following the original description of this entity, different diagnostic criteria have been employed, resulting in wide discrepancies and confusion among pathologists and clinicians worldwide. To compare lesions occurring in different geographic areas and the diagnostic criteria applied in those countries, we designed a study with a panel of internationally recognized thyroid pathologists to develop consensus diagnostic criteria for PD carcinomas. Eighty-three cases were collected from Europe, Japan, and the United States, and circulated among 12 thyroid pathologists. Diagnoses were made without any knowledge of the clinical parameters, which were subsequently used for survival analysis. A consensus meeting was then held in Turin, Italy, where an agreement was reached concerning the diagnostic criteria for PD carcinoma. These include (1) presence of a solid/trabecular/insular pattern of growth, (2) absence of the conventional nuclear features of papillary carcinoma, and (3) presence of at least one of the following features: convoluted nuclei; mitotic activity ≥3×10 HPF; and tumor necrosis. An algorithmic approach was devised for practical use in the diagnosis of this tumor.
Blind Estimation of the Number of Speech Sources in Reverberant Multisource Scenarios Based on Binaural Signals

In this paper we present a new approach for estimating the number of active speech sources in the presence of interfering noise sources and reverberation. First, a binaural front-end is used to detect the spatial positions of all active sound sources, resulting in a binary mask for each candidate position. Then, each candidate position is characterized by a set of features. In addition to exploiting the overall spectral shape, a new set of mask-based features is proposed which aims at characterizing the pattern of the estimated binary mask. The decision stage for detecting a speech source is based on a support vector machine (SVM) classiﬁer. A systematic analysis shows that the proposed algorithm is able to blindly determine the number and the corresponding spatial positions of speech sources in multisource scenarios and generalizes well to unknown acoustic conditions.
Adaptive LQG Control with Loop Transfer Recovery

An adaptive discrete-time LQG control with loop transfer re covery is considered using shift and delta operators. The control problem is analyzed using state-space model and the parameter estimation problem is implemented for corresponding ARMAX model. Analysis of asy mptotic performance of delta model approach and continuous-time model case is presented. Comput er simulations of third-order system modeled by a second-order model are given to illustrate the robustness properties of the adaptive LQG/LTR controller.