Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Simple Tri-Polarization Reconfigurable Magneto-Electric Dipole Antenna

A simple magneto-electric (ME) dipole antenna with reconfigurable polarizations has been designed. The proposed ME dipole antenna mainly comprises three pairs of horizontal rectangular patches, a Γ-shaped feed, a metallic cavity, and four PIN diodes. By independently controlling the on/off state of the PIN diodes, the horizontal rectangular patches can be connected/disconnected, thus exhibiting linear polarization, right-hand circular polarization, and left-hand circular polarization. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed ME dipole antenna has a wide effective bandwidth of 33.9% from 1.74 to 2.45 GHz for both S11 ≤ −10 dB and axial ratio ≤3 in all polarization states, and a stable gain of 8.2 ± 0.8 dBi. Good unidirectional radiation characteristic and low backlobe level are achieved over the whole operating frequency band. A prototype was fabricated, and good agreement between measured and simulated results validates polarization diversity of the proposed antenna.
Impaired Contraction and Relaxation in the Aorta of Streptozotocin-Diabetic Rats

It is known that diabetes mellitus alters the vascular responsiveness to several vasoconstrictors and vasodilators. Endothelium-derived nitric oxide is a potent endogenous nitrovasodilator, and endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a potent endothelium-derived vasoconstrictor substance. They play a major role in the modulation of vascular tone. Selective impairment of endothelium-dependent relaxation and impaired vasoconstriction in response to ET-1 could result in vascular disorders. The purpose of our study was to determine whether vascular responses to ET-1 and endothelium-dependent relaxing substances are impaired in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes of 2 weeks duration. Endothelium-dependent relaxations produced by carbachol and ATP in aortic rings precontracted with phenylephrine were significantly attenuated in rings from diabetic rats, but the endothelium-independent relaxations produced by sodium nitroprusside and adenosine in diabetic preparations were not changed when compared to the corresponding controls. The ET-1-induced contractions were significantly attenuated with no change in agonist potency (pD2 value) in aortae with and without endothelium obtained from diabetic rats when compared to those from controls. Mechanical removal of the endothelium did not significantly change ET-1 responses of aortae from either diabetic or control rats compared with responses of aortae with intact endothelium. These results suggest that, in this diabetic model, the contractile responsiveness of thoracic aortic muscles and the endothelial functions are significantly altered during 2 weeks of diabetes.
La dimissione dal Servizio Psichiatrico di Diagnosi e Cura (SPDC) dopo un tentativo di suicidio

Objectives The authors take into account the particular difficulty in deciding when to discharge from hospital a patient who has attempted suicide. The risk of suicide, in fact, during the first month after discharge of these patients, is high (over 200-fold that in the general population). Suicidal behaviour is the result of interaction between a psychiatric disorder and other factors; moreover suicide attempt and suicide are behaviours considered part of the same continuum and expression of the same liability which is indicated by many biological and familial studies. Furthermore, suicidal attempt is considered the most powerful predictor of future attempts and suicide completion. Public health interventions designed to destigmatize help-seeking may be especially useful for introverted patients, who, by definition may be less likely to seek help. The indicators that enable to predict suicide in persons with mental illnesses are still uncertain and the aim to reduce the number of suicides, particularly after the discharge from hospital, of patients who have attempted suicide, is complicated.
Immunohistochemistry of p53 protein in transitional-cell carcinoma of the bladder using an image analyzer.

The p53 protein is known to be the product of the tumor suppressor gene p53. To elucidate the biological characteristics of p53 protein in transitional-cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder, the positive rate (PR) and positive intensity (PI) of p53 immunostaining in 72 TCCs of the bladder were quantified and compared with clinicopathological findings, prognosis and expression of proliferating-cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). The immunoreactivity for p53 and PCNA was evaluated using the CAS 200 Image Analyzer (Cell Analysis System, Elmhurst, Ill., USA). Intense immunoreactivity for p53 protein was observed not only near the basal cell layer but also at the invasive border. Both PR and PI of p53 were significantly correlated with histological grade (p < 0.05 and P < 0.02, respectively), histological stage (p < 0.02 and p < 0.02, respectively). Both PR and PI of p53 were significantly higher in patients who died of bladder cancer and in patients who developed metastatic progression. Using a univariate analysis, the survival was significantly short in subjects with high PR (> 40%) or high PI (> 70%) of p53 (p < 0.01 in both cases). However, using a multivariate analysis, the prognostic value of p53 immunoreactivity was not superior to histological stage. These findings suggested that, although p53 immunoreactivity appears to be related to proliferative activity in TCCs of the bladder, the prognostic relevance of p53 immunoreactivity was rather limited when evaluating the biological attitude of individual TCC of the bladder.
Daily variations of plasma sex hormone-binding globulin binding capacity, testosterone and luteinizing hormone concentrations in healthy rested adult males.

In this study the daily variations of plasma sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) binding capacity were measured together with plasma testosterone and luteinizing hormone (LH) concentrations in 7 healthy rested adult males. Plasma SHBG-binding capacity demonstrated a significant circadian rhythm (acrophase = 2.06 p.m.; mesor = 0.35 +/- 0.6 ng testosterone bound/100 ml; amplitude = 17% of the mesor). Plasma testosterone also showed a circadian rhythm (acrophase = 7.02 a.m.; mesor = 4.38 +/- 0.67 ng/ml; amplitude = 18% of the mesor). The free testosterone index (or the ratio between plasma testosterone and SHBG-binding capacity) was not correlated with plasma LH levels. In our hands this last parameter did not vary according to a circadian pattern. These data are discussed in terms of a feedback mechanism controlling the pituitary-testis axis regulation.
A comparison of anubis baboons, hamadryas baboons and their hybrids at a species border in Ethiopia.

During a 6-month field study at the Awash River, Ethiopia, more than 180 hybrid baboons in three groups were found in a zone of about 20 km between anubis groups and hamadry as groups. The genetical structure of the hybrid zone was preliminarily described using a simple morphological hybrid index. An ecological borderline, not coinciding with either boundary of the hybrid zone, was found at the Awash Falls. Only one anubis group had advanced downstream beyond the falls, sharing this habitat with the hybrid and hamadryas groups. An ecological comparison was made between this anubis group, an anubis group from above the falls, one hybrid group, and one hamadryas group.
Multiscale lung ventilation modeling in health and disease. (Modélisation multi-échelle du poumon dans des cas sains et pathologiques)

The lungs contain a tree through which the air flows. It supplies a porous region, the parenchyma, where gas exchanges with blood take place. Some pathologies affect the tree structure or the parenchyma integrity. They can induce ventilation defects or increased respiratory efforts. In vivo-studies are complex and mathematical modeling can provide some insights on the lung behavior, the pathologies’ impacts or the efficiency of treatments.In the first part of this thesis, we propose a ventilation model of the lung based on a mechanical description. A 0D tree is strongly coupled to a 3D parenchyma model. We show the influence of chosen boundary conditions as well as tree or parenchyma alterations on the ventilation distribution. Results are compared with those provided by a simpler model, often used in the literature.In a second part, we use the tree-parenchyma coupled model to investigate how breathing gas mixtures less dense than air would potentially reduce efforts and ensure a better ventilation. To that end, we build an asthmatic tree model.In the next part, we develop an approach to get insights on severe constrictions distribution based on the analysis of dynamic lung ventilation images. To do so, the coupled ventilation model is used along with a machine learning technique.Finally, two prospective works are presented. First, we propose extensions to the ventilation models introduced in the first part as a step towards spriometry modeling. The last study is part of a global perspective that aims at getting insights on the lung geometry based on simple measurements on the patient’s body.
Review of constraints on vision-based gesture recognition for human-computer interaction

The ability of computers to recognise hand gestures visually is essential for progress in human-computer interaction. Gesture recognition has applications ranging from sign language to medical assistance to virtual reality. However, gesture recognition is extremely challenging not only because of its diverse contexts, multiple interpretations, and spatio-temporal variations but also because of the complex non-rigid properties of the hand. This study surveys major constraints on vision-based gesture recognition occurring in detection and pre-processing, representation and feature extraction, and recognition. Current challenges are explored in detail.
Disease Activity and Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Death among Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis

Objective. Recent studies indicate increased cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), but results are inconsistent. This prompted our investigation of the mortality rate, cause of death, and incidence of acute CV events in patients from northern Sweden with PsA. Methods. Patients with established PsA (464) were included. To calculate standardized mortality ratio (SMR) and standardized incidence ratio (SIR) for CV events, data were extracted from the National Causes of Death Register and the National Inpatient Care Register in Sweden, and compared with the general population. The study period was 1995–2011. To study the effect of inflammatory activity, a composite disease activity index (DAI) was used. Results. The SMR (95% CI) for overall mortality and diseases of the circulatory system (International Classification of Diseases, 10th edition; I00-I99) was 1.22 (0.89–1.63) and 1.64 (1.02–2.52), respectively. In regression analysis, DAI was significantly associated with death (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.41–2.80) when adjusted for age and sex (p < 0.001), and remained significant after stratifying patients into the 2 major causes of death: diseases of the circulatory system and malignant neoplasms. Peripheral and axial disease was associated with death (OR 4.02, 95% CI 1.84–8.84, p < 0.001) compared with peripheral disease only. The SIR (95% CI) for a CV event (myocardial infarction or stroke) was 0.597 (0.40–0.86); this association was only significant in men. Conclusion. Patients with PsA had a small but significant increase in SMR for death due to diseases of the circulatory system compared with the general population. Among patients, death was associated with DAI, as well as axial involvement in combination with peripheral disease, indicating more aggressive disease phenotypes.
60 GHz Dual-Circularly Polarized Planar Aperture Antenna and Array

This communication presents new designs of dual-circularly polarized (CP) planar aperture antenna and array for 60 GHz applications. First, a four-port planar aperture antenna with its feeding network is developed that exhibits wide impedance bandwidth, dual-CP radiation as well as high gain. Then, based on the proposed antenna, a new scheme of building a dual-CP array is proposed. With this new scheme that combines the power splitting network and series feeding method, four sequentially fed antenna elements are successfully combined to form a CP radiation array. The experimental results show that the −10 dB impedance bandwidths of the antenna and the array are more than 18.2% (55–66 GHz). While the 3 dB axial ratio bandwidths are from 54.2 to 64.3 GHz (17.2%) for the antenna and from 54.8 to 65 GHz (17%) for the array. The maximum gains achieved are 13.7 and 17.85 dBic for the antenna and array, respectively.
Predicting the pathogenicity of RPE65 mutations

To assist in distinguishing disease‐causing mutations from nonpathogenic polymorphisms, we developed an objective algorithm to calculate an “estimate of pathogenic probability” (EPP) based on the prevalence of a specific variation, its segregation within families, and its predicted effects on protein structure. Eleven missense variations in the RPE65 gene were evaluated in patients with Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) using the EPP algorithm. The accuracy of the EPP algorithm was evaluated using a cell‐culture assay of RPE65‐isomerase activity The variations were engineered into plasmids containing a human RPE65 cDNA and the retinoid isomerase activity of each variant was determined in cultured cells. The EPP algorithm predicted eight substitution mutations to be disease‐causing variants. The isomerase catalytic activities of these RPE65 variants were all less than 6% of wild‐type. In contrast, the EPP algorithm predicted the other three substitutions to be non‐disease‐causing, with isomerase activities of 68%, 127%, and 110% of wild‐type, respectively. We observed complete concordance between the predicted pathogenicities of missense variations in the RPE65 gene and retinoid isomerase activities measured in a functional assay. These results suggest that the EPP algorithm may be useful to evaluate the pathogenicity of missense variations in other disease genes where functional assays are not available. Hum Mutat 30:1–7, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A New Method to Analyze the Security of Protocol Implementations Based on Ideal Trace

The security analysis of protocols on theory level cannot guarantee the security of protocol implementations. To solve this problem, researchers have done a lot, and many achievements have been reached in this field, such as model extraction and code generation. However, the existing methods do not take the security of protocol implementations into account. In this paper, we have proposed to exploit the traces of function return values to analyze the security of protocol implementations at the source code level. Taking classic protocols into consideration, for example (like the Needham-Schroeder protocol and the Diffie-Hellman protocol, which cannot resist man-in-the-middle attacks), we have analyzed man-in-the-middle attacks during the protocol implementations and have carried out experiments. It has been shown in the experiments that our new method works well. Different from other methods of analyzing the security of protocol implementations in the literatures, our new method can avoid some flaws of program languages (like C language memory access, pointer analysis, etc.) and dynamically analyze the security of protocol implementations.
Biologically active form of vitamin B1 in human peritoneal effluent.

BACKGROUND Supplementation with vitamin B1 protects the peritoneal membrane from inflammatory and oxidative insults and preserves residual kidney function in rat models of peritoneal dialysis (PD). It is assumed that an active form of vitamin B1, thiamin diphosphate (ThDP), is responsible for this protective effect. However, it has never been shown whether ThDP, a compound known not to cross cellular membranes, is actually detectable in human peritoneal effluent. OBJECTIVES This study was designed to investigate the concentration, appearance rate, and daily loss of ThDP in the peritoneal effluent of patients treated with PD. MATERIAL AND METHODS We performed 24-hour effluent collection as well as the peritoneal equilibration test (PET) and analyzed the relation between the transport characteristics of the peritoneal membrane and appearance rate of ThDP in a cohort of 26 PD patients. RESULTS ThDP was detectable in peritoneal effluent in humans. ThDP appearance rate was independent of the transport characteristic of peritoneal membrane, and was not associated with peritoneal transport of other small solutes. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that ThDP can be found in detectable concentrations in the peritoneal effluent in humans and is transported through the peritoneal membrane in a pattern independent of other small solutes. Our finding opens novel opportunities in further research on the protection of peritoneal membrane in humans.
Research trends in development of floating point computer arithmetic

Most of the today's processor's require fast arithmetic operation with greater accuracy and relies on floating point arithmetic for numerical calculation. Addition and multiplication are the keys of floating point arithmetic realization at various levels in literature which is surveyed here. When we consider floating point unit, addition is at the top level in term of operation intricacy. The floating point unit provides with certain amount of delay with significant area. Many researchers have worked to reduce the overall latency. In order to design an efficient floating point adder the major requisite is improvement in performance, area and latency. Multiplication is the most important operation in the field of signal processing. Multiplication includes add and shift operation which requires large computation time. The main intent behind the design of floating point multiplier unit is to increase the speed so as to improve the performance of the signal processing application. A different design paradigm of floating point unit is compared here using Xilinx ISE 13.1 using device Vertex 5.
Inflammatory Markers and Outcomes in Kidney Transplant Recipients

Background Increased levels of TNF-&agr; and IL6 are associated with inflammation and cardiovascular disease among patients with normal kidney function. However, little is known about their association with outcomes in kidney transplant recipients. Methods We collected sociodemographic, clinical and laboratory parameters, medical and transplant history from 977 prevalent kidney transplant recipients enrolled in the Malnutrition-Inflammation in Transplant-Hungary study. Serum cytokine levels were measured at baseline. Associations between serum TNF-&agr; and IL6 values and death with a functioning graft over a 6-year follow-up period were examined in unadjusted and adjusted models. Results The mean ± SD age of the study population was 51 ± 13 years, 57% were men, 21% were diabetics. Median serum TNF-&agr; and IL6 concentrations were significantly higher in patients who died with a functioning graft as compared with those who did not die during the follow-up period (TNF-&agr;: median, 1.92 pg/mL; interquartile range [IQR], 1.43-2.67 pg/mL vs median, 2.25 pg/mL; IQR, 1.63-3.08 pg/mL, P < 0.001; and for IL6: median, 1.91 pg/mL; IQR, 1.21-3.02 pg/mL vs median, 2.81 pg/mL; IQR, 1.65-4.97 pg/mL, P < 0.001). Higher serum TNF-&agr; and IL6 levels were associated with higher mortality risk in both unadjusted and fully adjusted models: TNF-&agr;: hazard ratios (HRs)(1 pg/ml increments), 1.24; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.13-1.36 and HRs(1 pg/ml increments), 1.19; 95% CI, 1.08-1.32; IL6: HRs(1 pg/ml increments), 1.06; 95% CI, 1.03-1.09 and HRs(1 pg/ml increments), 1.03; 95% CI, 0.99-1.06, respectively. Compared with patients whose serum TNF-&agr; or IL6 levels were in the lowest tertile, those in the middle tertile had similar mortality risk (TNF-&agr;: HR, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.74-1.61; IL6: HR, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.68-1.62), but patients in the highest tertile reported higher risk of mortality: TNF-&agr;: HR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.01-2.09; IL6: HR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.04-2.32 in multivariable adjusted models. Conclusions In prevalent kidney transplant recipients, serum TNF-&agr; and IL6 were independently associated with death with a functioning graft.
Correlates of vascular access and nonvascular access-related hospitalizations in hemodialysis patients.

Four hundred and thirty randomly selected hemodialysis patients, aged 20 years and over, were studied to identify risk factors for vascular access and nonvascular access-related hospitalizations in the immediately preceding 1 year. Risk estimates for hospitalization were assessed using a multinominal logistic analysis model. We measured functional status, utilizing a 14-point Karnofsky scale, and in a separate analysis of covariance, in which Karnofsky score was the outcome, we examined the relationships of age, gender, ethnicity, renal diagnosis, and hospitalization. Individual comparisons were adjusted for multiple comparison bias by Tukey's Honest Difference method. There were a total of 508 hospitalizations of which 322 (63%) lasted > or = 1 week. Two hundred and sixty (60%) patients were hospitalized at least once; 105 (24.4%) for access problems only, 115 (27%) for a nonaccess problem only, and 40 for access and nonaccess-related problems. Access-related problems, accounted for 48% of all hospitalizations. The risk of hemodialysis vascular access morbidity was increased in women (p < 0.028) and white (p < 0.048) hemodialysis patients. Neither diabetic nor elderly hemodialysis patients were at greater risk for access hospitalization than their respective counterparts, though a greater proportion of the access hospitalizations in the elderly (> or = 64 years) lasted > or = 1 week (p < 0.0006). More access-related hospitalizations in blacks (64.5%), lasted for > or = 1 week than in whites (40.6%) (p < 0.001). Hispanics (p < 0.043), whites (p < 0.002), and the older patients (p < 0.054) were at greater risk for nonaccess hospitalization than blacks and younger patients, respectively. Even after adjusting for age, race, and diabetes, each decrease of one unit in the modified Karnofsky score was associated with a 3-4% increased risk for all types of hospitalization (p < 0.001)--poor functional status is associated with increased risk for all hospitalizations. We conclude that the risk for hemodialysis vascular access morbidity is increased in women and white hemodialysis patients. Poor functional status is associated with increased risk for all hospitalizations.
Cefixime in the Treatment of Upper Respiratory Tract Infections and Otitis media

An increasing number of clinical failures has been noted after treatment of upper respiratory tract infection and acute otitis media with conventional antibiotics. At present, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis and group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus (GABHS) are the bacterial pathogens most frequently responsible for these infections. Although GABHS has so far not developed penicillin resistance, the frequency of bacteriological failures with either benzathine penicillin or penicillin V has increased. Firstly, a number of hypotheses have been put forward to explain this, including poor patient compliance and inactivation by beta-lactamase-producing oropharyngeal flora. Secondly, this has added to the demand for new agents to treat resistant streptococci. Cefixime, an orally active third-generation cephalosporin, has attracted considerable attention following the results of numerous clinical studies. Comparative studies between cefixime and conventional antibiotics for the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections and otitis media are summarized.