Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Second-order phase transition in PbO and SnO at high pressure: Implications for the litharge-massicot phase transformation.

We have studied the structural behavior of PbO at high pressure by powder neturon diffraction in a McWhan cell, and by energy-dispersive powder x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy in a diamond anvil cell. A phase (γ-PbO) occurs at room temperature between ∼0.7 and ∼2.5 GPa pressure, between the stability fields of litharge (<0.7 GPa) and massicot (2.5-10.1 GPa). There is presumably a triple point in the system at a few kbar and 0-200 °C. The phase is related to litharge by a reversible second-order transition. We infer that this is associated with the collapse of the eu acoustic mode. Unit-cell data at 1.6 GPa are Pm21n, a=4.027(3) , b=3.950(3) , c=4.767(4) , and Z=2. The pressure evolution of the spontaneous strain follows a simple Landau model. There are four distinct solid-state transformation paths between litharge and massicot that maintain the known topotactic relationship between the phases, maintain the translational symmetry common to both, and make use of continuous transitions between group-subgroup related structural intermediates. Both the γ phase and the modulated low-temperature phase of PbO are closely related to one step on one of these paths. Although there is evidence to suggest that the intermediate states do have a transient existence, several paths appear to be utilized. A transition to a γ-like phase also occurs in SnO, at 2.5 GPa, although there is no evidence of a massicotlike polymorph of this compound. The orthorhombic phase is stable to at least 7.5 GPa.
Comparative early results of transurethral electroresection and transurethral electrovaporization in benign prostatic hyperplasia.

OBJECTIVE To compare the results of conventional transurethral electroresection of the prostate (TURP) and transurethral electrovaporization (TUEP) in patients with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia. PATIENTS AND METHODS The study comprised 46 patients with moderate or severe symptoms of prostatism and a maximal flow rate of < 15 mL/s. Pre-operatively, all patients underwent a digital rectal examination and the determination of prostatic volume by ultrasonography, and a symptom score, the maximal flow rate, post-void residual urine, routine biochemical variables and serum prostate specific antigen were measured. The haematocrit and blood Na+ levels were also determined pre-operatively and again 24 h after the operation. Patients were divided randomly into two groups: the first underwent a conventional TURP and the second TUEP using 240-300 W of cutting current. Three months after operation, all the variables were remeasured and the values compared with those before treatment and between the groups. RESULTS The improvements in symptom score, maximum flow rate and residual urine were slightly better after TURP than after TUEP but the differences between treatments were not statistically significantly different. However, TUEP used slightly less irrigant solution, allowed earlier removal of the urethral catheter, required no blood transfusions and was easier to perform. CONCLUSION Although the improvements in the objective variables 3 months after TUEP were almost the same as after TURP, there were advantages in using less resources: further studies with more patients and a longer follow-up are required to determine the efficacy and safety of this procedure.
Three‐dimensional structure of neuraminidase of subtype N9 from an avian influenza virus

Neuraminidases from different subtypes of influenza virus are characterized by the absence of serlogical cross‐reactivity and an amino acid sequence homology of approximately 50%. The three‐dimensional structure of the neuraminidase antigen of subtype N9 from an avian influenza virus (A/tern/Australia/G70c/75) has been determined by X‐ray crystallography and shown to be folded similarly to neuraminidase of subtype N2 isolated from a human influenza virus. This result demontrates that absence of immunological cross‐reactivity is no measure of dissimilarity of polypeptide chain folding. Small differences in the way in which the subunits are organized around the molecular fourfold axis are observed. Insertions and deletions with respect to subtype N2 neuraminidase occur in four regions, only one of which is located within the major antigenic determinants around the enzyme active site.
Position-Based Modeling for Wireless Channel on High-Speed Railway under a Viaduct at 2.35 GHz

This paper presents a novel and practical study on the position-based radio propagation channel for High-Speed Railway by performing extensive measurements at 2.35 GHz in China. The specification on the path loss model is developed. In particular, small scale fading properties such as K-factor, Doppler frequency feature and time delay spread are parameterized, which show dynamic variances depending on the train location and the transceiver separation. Finally, the statistical position-based channel models are firstly established to characterize the High-Speed Railway channel, which significantly promotes the evaluation and verification of wireless communications in relative scenarios.
The Impact of Instrumented Gait Analysis on Surgical Planning: Treatment of Spastic Equinovarus Deformity of the Foot and Ankle

Background: Despite the logic behind instrumented gait analysis, its specific contribution to clinical and surgical decision making is not well known. Our purpose in this study was to determine the influence of gait analysis with dynamic electromyography upon surgical planning in patients with upper motor neuron syndrome and gait dysfunction. Methods: Two surgeons prospectively evaluated 36 consecutive adult patients with a spastic equinovarus deformity of the foot and ankle. After an initial history and physical exam, each surgeon independently formulated a surgical plan. Surgical treatment options for each individual muscle/tendon unit crossing the ankle included lengthening, transfer, release or no surgery. After the initial clinical evaluation and surgical planning, all patients then underwent instrumented gait analysis collecting kinetic, kinematic and poly-EMG data using a standard protocol by a single experienced physiatrist. Each surgeon reviewed the gait studies and patients independently and again formulated a surgical plan. The surgical plans were compared for each surgeon before and after gait study. The agreement between the two surgeon's surgical plans was also compared before and after gait study. Each patient was evaluated for the clinical outcome of surgery. Results: Overall a change was made in 64% of the surgical plans after the gait study. The frequency of changing the surgical plan was not significantly different between the more and less experienced surgeons. The agreement between surgeons increased from 0.34 to 0.76 (p = 0.009) after the gait study. The number of surgical procedures planned by each surgeon converged after the gait studies. Correction of the varus deformity was seen in all patients that underwent surgical treatment. Conclusion: Instrumented gait analysis alters surgical planning for patients with equinovarus deformity of the foot and ankle and can produce higher agreement between surgeons in surgical planning. Clinical Relevance: The equinovarus deformity is due to a variety of deforming forces and a single, best operation does not exist to correct all equinovarus deformities. Rather, a muscle specific approach that identifies the deforming forces will produce the best outcomes when treating the spastic equinovarus deformity.
Using Technology to Simplify Individual Tax Filing

Compliance costs of individual tax filing have been estimated at roughly ten percent of the taxes raised. This figure does not include hard-to-monetize costs of anxiety, aggravation and the like. This article analyzes two related technology-based programs that promise to reduce these costs. Both programs rely on the fact that the government already receives the bulk of data required to populate a tax return. The first program would allow the taxpayer or her preparer to retrieve such data from the government. Under the second program, the government would give taxpayers with simple returns the option of receiving not only tax data, but a pro-forma or tentative tax return based on the data. In a California pilot program, 50,000 of these pro-forma "ReadyReturns" were sent to taxpayers in 2004 and 2005. Participants gave high ratings to the ReadyReturn pilot; however, a number of criticisms were levied against the program. The major difficulty with either the data retrieval or pro-forma return program is ensuring the timely availability of data.
Species abundance and the distribution of specialization in host–parasite interaction networks

Summary 1. Recent studies have evaluated the distribution of specialization in species interaction networks. Species abundance patterns have been hypothesized to determine observed topological patterns. We evaluate this hypothesis in the context of host‐parasite interaction networks. 2. We used two independent series of data sets, one consisting of data for seven sites describing interactions between freshwater fish and their metazoan parasites and another consisting of data for 25 localities describing interactions between fleas and their mammalian hosts. We evaluated the influence of species abundance patterns on the distribution of specialization in these host‐parasite interaction networks with the aid of null models. 3. In parallel with recent studies of plant‐animal mutualistic networks, our analyses suggest that host‐parasite interactions in these systems are highly asymmetric: specialist parasites tend to interact with hosts with high parasite richness, whereas hosts with low parasite richness tend to interact mainly with generalist parasites. 4. The observed distribution of specialization was predicted by a null model that assumed that species-specific probabilities of being assigned a link during the randomization process were roughly proportional to their relative abundance. Thus, abundant hosts tend to harbour richer parasite faunas, with a high proportion of rare specialists.
Separation and characterization of proteins from green and etiolated shoots of rice (Oryza sativaL.): Towards a rice proteome

Proteins extracted from green and etiolated shoots of rice were separated by two‐dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and relative molecular weights and isoelectric points were determined. The separated proteins were electroblotted onto a polyvinylidene difluoride membrane and 85 proteins were analyzed by a gas‐phase protein sequencer. The N‐terminal amino acid sequences of 21 out of 85 proteins were determined in this manner. N‐terminal regions of the remaining proteins could not be sequenced. The internal amino acid sequences of proteins were determined by sequence analysis of peptides obtained by the Cleveland peptide mapping method and compared with those of known plant and animal protein sequences to understand the nature of the proteins. Green shoots revealed the presence of photosynthetic proteins as expected; however, as etiolated shoots were not photosynthetic, only precursors of the photosynthetic proteins were identified. Interestingly, the presence of L‐ascorbate peroxidase only in etiolated shoots suggests a cellular protectant function for this antioxidant enzyme in the etiolating shoots. Using this experimental approach, we could identify the major proteins involved in growth regulation in photosynthetic green shoots as well as in etiolating rice seedlings.
Randomized comparison of doxorubicin alone versus ifosfamide plus doxorubicin or mitomycin, doxorubicin, and cisplatin against advanced soft tissue sarcomas.

PURPOSE This three-armed phase III study in adults with advanced soft tissue sarcomas was planned as a comparison of objective regression rates, toxicity, and survival of patients receiving doxorubicin alone, ifosfamide plus doxorubicin, and mitomycin plus doxorubicin plus cisplatin. PATIENTS AND METHODS Between December 1987 and July 1990, 279 patients with histologically confirmed sarcomas were enrolled to receive treatment A (doxorubicin 80 mg/m2), treatment B (ifosfamide 7.5 g/m2 plus doxorubicin 60 mg/m2), or treatment C (mitomycin 8 mg/m2 plus doxorubicin 40 mg/m2 plus cisplatin 60 mg/m2). RESULTS Of 262 assessable patients, 74 (29%) achieved objective tumor regression. Objective regression occurred in 20% of the 90 patients who received doxorubicin alone (complete remission [CR] rate, 2%), in 34% of the 88 who received ifosfamide plus doxorubicin (CR rate, 3%), and in 32% of the 84 who received mitomycin plus doxorubicin plus cisplatin (CR rate, 7%). With grade 3 or greater myelosuppression in 53% of group A, 80% of group B, and 55% of group C, regimen B was significantly more myelosuppressive than either regimen A or C (P = .01) with two, three, and one treatment-related deaths, respectively. Synovial sarcomas were responsive to ifosfamide plus doxorubicin, especially among patients younger than 40 years of age. CONCLUSION Ifosfamide plus doxorubicin produced a significantly higher regression rate (P = .03) than did doxorubicin alone; however, this was achieved at a level of myelosuppression significantly more intense than that produced by the single agent or by the three-drug combination. Mitomycin, doxorubicin, and cisplatin also appeared to be more active than the single agent; however, at a myelosuppression level similar to that of doxorubicin alone, this trend (P = .07) did not attain the usual level for significance. No significant survival differences were observed.
High efficiency and broadband excitation of leaky mode in microstrip structures

This paper reports a novel technique for high efficiency and broadband excitation of the first higher order leaky mode in microstrips. A uniplanar microstrip-to-CPS transition is employed to launch the odd leaky mode, and the mode purity is enhanced by suppressing the even fundamental mode using an optimized mode suppressor. An X-band prototype demonstrates excellent mode conversion efficiency as predicted by simulations. A record bandwidth of 20.2% is achieved for a microstrip leaky-wave source based on this newly proposed structure.
Semiclassical field method for the equilibrium Bose gas and application to thermal vortices in two dimensions

We develop a semi-classical field method for the study of the weakly interacting Bose gas at finite temperature, which, contrarily to the usual classical field model, does not suffer from an ultraviolet cut-off dependence. We apply the method to the study of thermal vortices in spatially homogeneous, two-dimensional systems. We present numerical results for the vortex density and the vortex pair distribution function. Insight in the physics of the system is obtained by comparing the numerical results with the predictions of simple analytical models. In particular, we calculate the activation energy required to form a vortex pair at low temperature.
MLA scheme: Multi-level authentication for data in cloud using NTP-server and biometric

Cloud computing models are built over huge number of self-managed systems. Data owner, User and the Cloud service provider are the basic entities of those models and forms a crypto-cloud. Communication that happens between the entities leads to various security issues. Sensitive data which are on transmission and at rest paves ways for hackers. So, these data should always be kept confidential, should maintain its integrity and should be accessed by authenticated entities alone. Only authenticated entities are allowed to access and update the data stored in the cloud. This paper presents a novel approach to achieve authentication in multiple levels. Since single-level authentication leads to illegal access of data, this article presents a combination of password-based authentication, biometric and timestamp-based authentication using the NTP-servers.
The European Directive on health protection of individuals against the dangers of ionising radiation in relation to medical exposures (97/43/EURATOM)

On 30 June 1997 the Council of Ministers approved the Directive on the Health Protection of Individuals in relation to Medical Exposures (MED) (97/43/EURATOM). This MED must be implemented in national law no later than 13 May 2000, repealing at that time Directive 84/466/EURATOM, the so-called `Patient Directive'. It complements the Basic Safety Standards Directive of 1996 (96/29/EURATOM) as regards medical exposures, which comes into force at the same date. The MED considerably extends the scope of application from exposures of patients to all exposures directly or indirectly related to medical uses of ionising radiation. The MED reaffirms the objectives of the 1984 Directive - to aim at optimum diagnostic efficacy at reasonable dose to the patient and to reduce the number of unnecessary and inadequate exposures - but also strengthens most of its requirements as a result of the experience gained with its implementation and, at the same time, adds new provisions considered important taking into account scientific and technical evolution in the radiological field. In particular those exposures where there is no direct health benefit for the person undergoing the exposure and exposures at great risk are given special attention. With the aim of facilitating the implementation of the MED in national legislation the European Commission, with the help of the group of experts established under article 31 of the EURATOM Treaty, will produce technical guidelines with further explanation on some of the requirements of the MED.
Chromatin remodeling in DNA replication

Chromatin remodeling complexes have evolved to solve a very basic problem for eukaryotic cells accomodation of the genome to fit the dimensions of the nucleus without loss of access to the DNA molecule. In the nucleus, DNA is wrapped around histones to form nucleosomes and other higher order compact chromatin structures. Chromatin remodeling complexes enable highly regulated access to DNA sequences in the context of chromatin, and it is well known that these complexes are involved in regulation of transcription. However, gene expression is not the only process that occurs in the nucleus. DNA has to be replicated, recombined, and repaired. In this regard, it is notable that the recent discoveries have linked ATP‐dependent remodeling complexes to DNA damage repair. These results have raised challenging questions about the possible versatility of chromatin remodeling complexes in other nuclear activities, particularly in DNA replication, since a number of recent studies have suggested a connection between this essential cellular process and chromatin remodeling. However, the chromatin remodeling events regulating DNA replication have not been extensively investigated. The aim of this prospect is to summarize recent studies that implicate chromatin remodeling in DNA replication and to address potential roles of chromatin remodeling at various stages of eukaryotic DNA replication. J. Cell. Biochem. 97: 684–689, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Efficient parallel implementation of three‐point viterbi decoding algorithm on CPU, GPU, and FPGA

In wireless communication, Viterbi decoding algorithm (VDA) is the one of most popular channel decoding algorithms, which is widely used in WLAN, WiMAX, or 3G communications. However, the throughput of Viterbi decoder is constrained by the convolutional characteristic. Recently, the three‐point VDA (TVDA) was proposed to solve this problem. In TVDA, the whole procedure can be divided into three phases, the forward, trace‐back, and decoding phases. In this paper, we analyze the parallelism of TVDA and propose parallel TVDA on the multi‐core CPU, graphics processing unit (GPU), and field programmable gate array (FPGA). We demonstrate approaches that fully exploit its performance potential on CPU, GPU, and FPGA computing platforms. For CPU platforms, we perform two optimization methods, single instruction multiple data and multithreading to gain over 145 × speedup over the naive CPU version on a quad‐core CPU platform. For GPU platforms, we propose the combination of cached memory optimization, coalesced global memory accesses, codeword packing scheme, and asynchronous data transition, achieving the throughput of 404.65 Mbps and 12 × speedup over initial GPU versions on an NVIDIA GeForce GTX580 card and 7 × speedup over Intel quad‐core CPU i5‐2300, under the same manufacturing year and both with fully optimized schemes. In addition, for FPGA platforms, we customize a radix‐4 pipelined architecture for the TVDA in a 45‐nm FPGA chip from Xilinx (XC6VLX760). Under 209.15‐MHz clock rate, it achieves a throughput of 418.30 Mbps. Finally, we also discuss the performance evaluation and efficiency comparison of different flexible architectures for real‐time Viterbi decoding in terms of the decoding throughput, power consumption, optimization schemes, programming costs, and price costs.Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Computer-based auditory phoneme discrimination training improves speech recognition in noise in experienced adult cochlear implant listeners

Abstract Objective: Specific computer-based auditory training may be a useful completion in the rehabilitation process for cochlear implant (CI) listeners to achieve sufficient speech intelligibility. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a computerized, phoneme-discrimination training programme. Design: The study employed a pretest-post-test design; participants were randomly assigned to the training or control group. Over a period of three weeks, the training group was instructed to train in phoneme discrimination via computer, twice a week. Sentence recognition in different noise conditions (moderate to difficult) was tested pre- and post-training, and six months after the training was completed. The control group was tested and retested within one month. Study sample: Twenty-seven adult CI listeners who had been using cochlear implants for more than two years participated in the programme; 15 adults in the training group, 12 adults in the control group. Results: Besides significant improvements for the trained phoneme-identification task, a generalized training effect was noted via significantly improved sentence recognition in moderate noise. No significant changes were noted in the difficult noise conditions. Improved performance was maintained over an extended period. Conclusions: Phoneme-discrimination training improves experienced CI listeners’ speech perception in noise. Additional research is needed to optimize auditory training for individual benefit.