Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Communications Performance Improvements of Mobile Networked MIMO in Army Operational Environments

In recent years the military has been developing mobile Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) technology. MIMO communications are attractive due to enhanced performance in urban, high multi-path environments which can cause substantial performance degradation in Single Input Single Output (SISO) communications. In this paper, results of a MIMO mobile network of 2 antenna MIMO radio systems employing spatial diversity, with four nodes in a hub-spoke configuration are given. The purpose was to validate MIMO mobile network performance over that of a SISO network. The experiments were conducted in several different environments such as reduced line of sight, heavily obstructive with buildings and dense foliage and high multipath environments and for On-The-Move (OTM) and At-The-Halt (ATH) test scenarios. Tests were conducted in SISO, MIMO and receiver diversity (RXD) modes for comparison and to show backwards compatibility to SISO radios. The paper highlights the advantages of the MIMO mobile network technology, showing improved throughput, reliable communications and coverage extension in mobile and reduced line of sight scenarios. The results consistently showed on average a 10% to 15% throughput improvement in MIMO over SISO given the same transmit power and operating range.
Impact of noncompliance with alendronate and risedronate on the incidence of nonvertebral osteoporotic fractures in elderly women.

AIMS To evaluate the association between noncompliance with alendronate and risedronate and the risk of nonvertebral osteoporotic fracture in community-dwelling elderly women. METHODS A nested case-control study was conducted using the Quebec administrative health databases. To be included in the cohort, women needed to be aged > or = 68 years and to have initiated treatment with alendronate or risedronate between 1 January 2002 and 31 March 2005. Cases consisted of all women with an incident nonvertebral osteoporotic fracture occurring > or = 1 year after initiation of therapy. Each case was matched with up to 20 controls using incidence density sampling, according to age (+/- 1 year) and follow-up duration. A woman was noncompliant if she had a medication possession ratio (MPR) <80% for total follow-up duration. Rate ratios (RR) for fracture were estimated through conditional logistic regression analysis, adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS Among the 30 259 women included in the cohort, 1036 nonvertebral fracture cases were identified and were matched to 20 069 controls. Compared with women with a MPR > or = 80%, those with a MPR < 80% had a greater risk of nonvertebral fracture [adjusted RR 1.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12, 1.44]. Considering hip fracture only, the multivariate model yielded similar results, (adjusted RR 1.28, 95% CI 1.02, 1.61). CONCLUSIONS Among community-dwelling elderly women, noncompliance with alendronate or risedronate is associated with an increased risk of nonvertebral fracture.
The Use of Dietary Supplements and Medications by Canadian Athletes at the Atlanta and Sydney Olympic Games

Objective:To learn more about the prevalence of dietary supplement and medication use by Canadian athletes in the Olympic Games in Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000. Setting and Participants:Data were collected from personal interviews with Canadian athletes who participated at the 1996 Atlanta and 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. The athletes were interviewed by Canadian physicians regarding the use of vitamins, minerals, nutritional supplements, and prescribed and over-the-counter medications. Of the 271 Canadian athletes who participated at the Atlanta Olympics, 257 athletes were interviewed; at the Sydney Olympics, 300 of 304 Canadian athletes were interviewed. Main Outcome Measurement:A quantitative and qualitative description of the use of dietary supplements by Canadian athletes at the Atlanta and Sydney Olympics. Results:At the Atlanta Games, 69% of the athletes used some form of dietary supplements, whereas 74% of the athletes used dietary supplements at the Sydney Games. Vitamins were taken by 59% of men and 66% of women in Atlanta, and 65% of men and 58% women in Sydney. Mineral supplements were used by 16% of men and 45% of women in Atlanta, and 30% of men and 21% of women in Sydney. Nutritional supplements were used by 35% of men and 43% of women in Atlanta, and 43% of men and 51% of women in Sydney. The most popular vitamins were multivitamins in both Olympics. The most popular mineral supplements were iron supplements. The most commonly used nutritional supplement in Atlanta was creatine (14%), but amino acids (15%) were the most commonly used nutritional supplement in Sydney. In Atlanta, 61% of the athletes were using some form of medication, 54% of the athletes were using medications in Sydney. Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) were the most commonly used medications at both Olympic Games. Among all sports, the highest prevalence of vitamin use occurred in boxing (91%) in Atlanta and swimming (76%) in Sydney. Rowers (56%) and cyclists (73%) demonstrated the highest use of mineral supplements. Nutritional supplement use occurred most often in swimming (56%) and cycling (100%). The use of NSAIDs was highest in softball (60%) in Atlanta and gymnastics (100%) in Sydney. Conclusion:This review demonstrates that dietary supplement use was common among Canadian athletes at both the Atlanta and Sydney Olympic Games. There was a slight increase in total dietary supplement use at the Sydney Games. Widespread use of supplements, combined with an absence of evidence of their efficacy and a concern for the possibility of “inadvertent” doping, underscore the need for appropriately focused educational initiatives in this area.
Decision support portal to higher education degree selection: the creation of a personal ranking

The decision on the pair degree/institution, upon application to higher education will be the most important in the life of a young person. Despite recent developments, applicants to higher education still don't know many of the available indicators that could influence their decision. In this paper we propose a portal with a simple design which presents all the available and relevant indicators. It offers also necessary resources and options thus is the candidate and not the state or any other entity, to prioritize their priorities. The portal will allow each candidate to query data, by degree and institution, and make individual simulations, giving weights to more relevant criteria, in order to find a hierarchy of degrees/institutions which most closely match to his goals, thus creating a personal ranking.
Urease gene-containing Archaea dominate autotrophic ammonia oxidation in two acid soils.

The metabolic traits of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB) interacting with their environment determine the nitrogen cycle at the global scale. Ureolytic metabolism has long been proposed as a mechanism for AOB to cope with substrate paucity in acid soil, but it remains unclear whether urea hydrolysis could afford AOA greater ecological advantages. By combining DNA-based stable isotope probing (SIP) and high-throughput pyrosequencing, here we show that autotrophic ammonia oxidation in two acid soils was predominately driven by AOA that contain ureC genes encoding the alpha subunit of a putative archaeal urease. In urea-amended SIP microcosms of forest soil (pH 5.40) and tea orchard soil (pH 3.75), nitrification activity was stimulated significantly by urea fertilization when compared with water-amended soils in which nitrification resulted solely from the oxidation of ammonia generated through mineralization of soil organic nitrogen. The stimulated activity was paralleled by changes in abundance and composition of archaeal amoA genes. Time-course incubations indicated that archaeal amoA genes were increasingly labelled by (13) CO2 in both microcosms amended with water and urea. Pyrosequencing revealed that archaeal populations were labelled to a much greater extent in soils amended with urea than water. Furthermore, archaeal ureC genes were successfully amplified in the (13) C-DNA, and acetylene inhibition suggests that autotrophic growth of urease-containing AOA depended on energy generation through ammonia oxidation. The sequences of AOB were not detected, and active AOA were affiliated with the marine Group 1.1a-associated lineage. The results suggest that ureolytic N metabolism could afford AOA greater advantages for autotrophic ammonia oxidation in acid soil, but the mechanism of how urea activates AOA cells remains unclear.
Macular pigment and risk for age-related macular degeneration in subjects from a Northern European population.

PURPOSE Age and advanced disease in the fellow eye are the two most important risk factors for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In this study, the authors investigated the relationship between these variables and the optical density of macular pigment (MP) in a group of subjects from a northern European population. METHODS The optical density of MP was measured psychophysically in 46 subjects ranging in age from 21 to 81 years with healthy maculae and in 9 healthy eyes known to be at high-risk of AMD because of advanced disease in the fellow eye. Each eye in the latter group was matched with a control eye on the basis of variables believed to be associated with the optical density of MP (iris color, gender, smoking habits, age, and lens density). RESULTS There was an age-related decline in the optical density of macular pigment among volunteers with no ocular disease (right eye: r(2) = 0.29, P = 0.0006; left eye: r(2) = 0.29, P < 0.0001). Healthy eyes predisposed to AMD had significantly less MP than healthy eyes at no such risk (Wilcoxon's signed rank test: P = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS The two most important risk factors for AMD are associated with a relative absence of MP. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that supplemental lutein and zeaxanthin may delay, avert, or modify the course of this disease.
Nuclearity controlled cyanide-bridged bimetallic CrIII-MnII compounds: synthesis, crystal structures, magnetic properties and theoretical calculations.

The preparation, X-ray crystallography and magnetic investigation of the compounds PPh4[Cr(bipy)(CN)4]. 2 CH3CN.H2O (1) (mononuclear), [[Cr(bipy)(CN)4]2Mn-(H2O)4]. 4H2O (2) (trinuclear), [[Cr(bipy)(CN)4]2Mn(H2O)2] (3) (chain) and [[Cr(bipy)(CN)4]2Mn(H2O)]. H2O.CH3CN (4) (double chain) [bipy=2,2'-bipyridine; PPh4 (+)=tetraphenylphosphonium] are described herein. The [Cr(bipy)(CN)4]- unit act either as a monodentate (2) or bis-monodentate (3) ligand toward the manganese atom through one (2) or two (3) of its four cyanide groups. The manganese atom is six-coordinate with two (2) or four (3) cyanide nitrogens and four (2) or two (3) water molecules building a distorted octahedral environment. In 4, two chains of 3 are pillared through interchain Mn-N-C-Cr links which replace one of the two trans-coordinated water molecules at the manganese atom to afford a double chain structure where bis- and tris-monodenate coordination modes of [Cr(bipy)(CN)4]- coexist. The magnetic properties of 1-4 were investigated in the temperature range 1.9-300 K. A Curie law behaviour for a magnetically isolated spin quartet is observed for 1. A significant antiferromagnetic interaction between CrIII and MnII through the single cyanide bridge [J=-6.2 cm(-1), the Hamiltonian being defined as H=-J(SCr1.SMn+SCr2.SMn] occurs in 2 leading to a low-lying spin doublet which is fully populated at T <5 K. A metamagnetic behaviour is observed for 3 and 4 [the values of the critical field Hc being ca. 3000 (3) and 1500 Oe (4)] which is associated to the occurrence of weak interchain antiferromagnetic interactions between ferrimagnetic Cr2III MnII chains. The analysis of the exchange pathways in 2-4 through DFT type calculations together with the magnetic bevaviour simulation using the quantum Monte Carlo methodology provided a good understanding of their magnetic properties.
The ability of a colloidal silver gel wound dressing to kill bacteria in vitro and in vivo.

OBJECTIVE Inhibiting bacterial biofilms is of major significance for proper wound healing. The choice of the dressing material plays a key role, as bacteria can live in dressings and keep reinfecting the wound. This study examines the effectiveness of a colloidal silver gel (Ag-gel) wound dressing in inhibiting the growth of bacteria in a mouse wound model. METHOD Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii and two different meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains were examined. Bacteria were measured in vitro on the dressing, and in vivo studies were carried out to analyses both the dressing and the infected tissue. RESULTS Using colony-forming unit (CFU) assays, over 7 logs of inhibition (100%) were found for Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii for the Ag-gel dressing when compared with the control dressing. In vivo, complete inhibition was observered for the three most common bacteria on the Ag-gel dressing and the tissue under that dressing. These results were confirmed by an in vivo live imaging system. However, with MRSA strains, only 2-3 logs of inhibition were recorded. CONCLUSION The Ag-gel was effective in preventing biofilm infections caused by both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.
Transplantation of embryonic spinal cord neurons to the injured distal nerve promotes axonal regeneration after delayed nerve repair

Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) usually results in poor functional recovery. Nerve repair is the common clinical treatment for PNI but is always obstructed by the chronic degeneration of the distal stump and muscle. Cell transplantation can alleviate the muscle atrophy after PNI, but the subsequent recovery of the locomotive function is seldom described. In this study, we combined cell transplantation and nerve repair to investigate whether the transplantation of embryonic spinal cord cells could benefit the delayed nerve repair. The experiment consisted of 3 stages: transection of the tibial nerve to induce ‘pre‐degeneration’, a second surgery performed 2 weeks later for transplantation of E14 embryonic spinal cord cells or vehicle (culture medium) at the distal end of the injured nerve, and, 3 months later, the removal of the grafted cells and the cross‐suturing of the residual distal end to the proximal end of a freshly cut ipsilateral common peroneal (CP) nerve. Cell survival and fate after the transplantation were investigated, and the functional recovery after the cross‐suturing was compared between the groups. The grafted cells could survive and generate motor neurons, extending axons that were subsequently myelinated and forming synapses with the muscle. After the cross‐suturing, the axonal regeneration from the proximal stump of the injured CP nerve and the functional recovery of the denervated gastrocnemius muscle were significantly promoted in the group receiving the cells. Our study presents a new perspective indicating that the transplantation of embryonic spinal cord neurons may be a valuable therapeutic strategy for PNI.
Learning the sit-to-stand human behavior: An inverse optimal control approach

The issue of understanding the underlying optimality criteria of a certain human movement behavior has received a considerable attention. Recently, an increased interest exists in understanding the Sit-to-Stand (STS) human movement behavior to facilitate the optimal design of assistive systems. Existing research of STS modeling merely depends on some of hard-coded optimality criteria, where the minimum torque change, minimum jerk or/and minimum effort are mainly adopted. In this paper, in the light of the Inverse Optimal Control (IOC) framework, the cost function underlying the STS kinematics is learned from the given human demonstrations. An Inverse Linear Quadratic Regulator (ILQR) algorithm is proposed to find out the unknown cost function that could perfectly reproduce the demonstrated STS data measured with respect to the human greater trochanter (hip) position. The retrieved STS cost function is reasonable and showing an acceptable fit between the simulated trajectories that are generated by the proposed ILQR approach and the given experimental data in terms of the hip position.
Drinking habits as cofactors of risk for alcohol induced liver damage

Background—The Dionysos Study is a cohort study of the prevalence of chronic liver disease in the general population of two northern Italian communities. It included 6917 subjects, aged 12–65 (69% of the total population). Aims—The aim of this part of the study was to examine the relationship of daily alcohol intake, type of alcoholic beverage consumed, and drinking patterns to the presence of alcohol induced liver damage in an open population. Patients and methods—6534 subjects, free of virus related chronic liver disease and participating in the first cross-sectional part of the study, were fully examined. Each subject underwent: (a) medical history and physical examination, (b) evaluation of alcohol intake using an illustrated dietary questionnaire, and (c) routine blood tests. More invasive diagnostic procedures were performed when indicated. Results—Multivariate analysis showed that the risk threshold for developing either cirrhosis or non-cirrhotic liver damage (NCLD) was ingestion of more than 30 g alcohol per day in both sexes. Using this definition, 1349 individuals (21% of the population studied) were at risk. Of these, only 74 (5.5% of the individuals at risk) showed signs of liver damage. The prevalence of “pure” alcoholic cirrhosis was 0.43% (30 of 6917), representing 2.2% of the individuals at risk, with a ratio of men to women of 9:1, while 44 (3.3% of the individuals at risk) showed persistent signs of NCLD. After 50 years of age, the cumulative risk of developing both NCLD and cirrhosis was significantly higher (p<0.0001) for those individuals who regularly drank alcohol both with and without food than for those who drank only at mealtimes. Conclusions—Our data show that in an open population the risk threshold for developing cirrhosis and NCLD is 30 g ethanol/day, and this risk increases with increasing daily intake. Drinking alcohol outside mealtimes and drinking multiple different alcoholic beverages both increase the risk of developing alcohol induced liver damage.
A 100-mW fully integrated DC-DC converter with double galvanic isolation

This paper presents a fully integrated dc-dc converter with on-chip double galvanic isolation. The converter exploits only two dice both fabricated in a 0.35-μm BCD technology with a thick-oxide back-end for 5-kV galvanic isolation. It uses a novel architecture to transmit power across two isolation barriers, which are performed by integrated capacitors and transformers. LC coupling inherently enables the resonant mode operation for the isolation network, thus increasing the conversion efficiency compared with merely series-connected isolation components. Measurements of the double isolated dc-dc converter, including a Schottky diode full-bridge rectifier, achieve 110-mW dc output power and a power efficiency of 17% setting 3.3 V for both power supply and output voltage.
Hybrid-excited flux-switching machine for DC alternator applications. New design for fault short-circuit current limitation

This paper presents a study of a synchronous three-phase hybrid-excited flux-switching machine that has been designed to work as a DC alternator using a diode bridge rectifier with a nominal power of 3 kW. This machine uses a field winding associated with permanent magnets to control the flux-linkage. After presenting its structure, the electromagnetic performances of the machine are simulated using a 2D transient finite element model. The results have shown that this machine can have a very limited short-circuit current in case of fault and that the generated power can be easily controlled with the field winding. These characteristics, together with a simple and robust rotor, make this machine very interesting for high speed embedded applications.
Dentin evaluation after Nd:YAG laser irradiation using short and long pulses.

OBJECTIVE Several reports have demonstrated the advantages of using the Nd:YAG laser to reduce dentin permeability by melting the dentin surface. A comparative study using different pulse durations can be useful to obtain further information about the laser-hard tissue interaction. MATERIALS AND METHODS The present study pursues the evaluation of the morphological and chemical changes in human dentin surface resulting from Nd:YAG laser (lambda = 1064 nm) irradiation, with a total energy of 0.9 J distributed in 1, 2, 3, and 6 pulses with different pulse durations to promote surface melting and dentinal tubule occlusion. After irradiation, the samples were submitted to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis for morphological study and energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS) analysis for evaluation of the concentration of calcium and phosphorous in the melted layer. RESULTS SEM analysis of the irradiated dentin surface showed surface structural changes due to laser irradiation, where the morphological changes are dependent on the laser pulse duration. EDS analysis showed an increase of calcium and phosphorous concentrations after Nd:YAG laser exposure, but no correlation with the number of pulses or pulse duration was found. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that longer interaction times resulted in more evident effects with more melted substrate than shorter pulses, and in both cases the resultant melted layer contains a greater concentration of inorganic substances than non-irradiated dentin.
Biofortification: A New Tool to Reduce Micronutrient Malnutrition

Background The density of minerals and vitamins in food staples eaten widely by the poor may be increased either through conventional plant breeding or through the use of transgenic techniques, a process known as biofortification. Objective HarvestPlus seeks to develop and distribute varieties of food staples (rice, wheat, maize, cassava, pearl millet, beans, and sweet potato) that are high in iron, zinc, and provitamin A through an interdisciplinary, global alliance of scientific institutions and implementing agencies in developing and developed countries. Methods In broad terms, three things must happen for biofortification to be successful. First, the breeding must be successful—high nutrient density must be combined with high yields and high profitability. Second, efficacy must be demonstrated—the micronutrient status of human subjects must be shown to improve when they are consuming the biofortified varieties as normally eaten. Thus, sufficient nutrients must be retained in processing and cooking and these nutrients must be sufficiently bioavailable. Third, the biofortified crops must be adopted by farmers and consumed by those suffering from micronutrient malnutrition in significant numbers. Results Biofortified crops offer a rural-based intervention that, by design, initially reaches these more remote populations, which comprise a majority of the under-nourished in many countries, and then penetrates to urban populations as production surpluses are marketed. In this way, biofortification complements fortification and supplementation programs, which work best in centralized urban areas and then reach into rural areas with good infrastructure. Conclusions Initial investments in agricultural research at a central location can generate high recurrent benefits at low cost as adapted, biofortified varieties become available in country after country across time at low recurrent costs.