Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Energy Efficient Environment Monitoring System Based on the IEEE 802.15.4 Standard for Low Cost Requirements

Power consumption, portability, and system cost are important parameters in designing pervasive measurement systems. With these parameters in mind, wireless environment monitoring system with a capability to monitor greenhouse gases, such as CO, CO2, SOx, NOx, O2 with environmental parameter is developed. In order to achieve the target design goals, the communication module, the wireless smart transducer interface module, and wireless network capable application processor module were developed based on the IEEE 802.15. 4, IEEE 1451.2, and IEEE 1451.1 standards, respectively. The low cost and energy efficient gas sensing modules were successfully developed with improved tolerance to EMF/RFI noise. We defined recalibration of the system at time intervals to ensure that the desired accuracy is maintained. This paper presents the undertaken design detailing solutions to issues raised in previous research.
Development of a Neuroergonomic Application to Evaluate Arousal

We developed and tested a neuroergonomic smartphone application called Mind Metrics that can be used to evaluate vigilance and working memory under naturalistic conditions. The application met a requirement to the field of neuroergonomics because the cognitive tasks were made for a smartphone platform, allowing the ability to make predictions about the neural processes that impact human performance during naturalistic work related activities (i.e. ubiquitous computing). However, if naturalistic tasks are to be developed that are sensitive to cognitive processes, these tasks must be tested and evaluated for validity by comparing performance to data obtained in controlled laboratory environments. In this study, we developed tasks that measure working memory and vigilance, two processes that are well known to affect human performance at work. We then tested participants on these tasks using both a smartphone and a desktop computer platform. The tasks we used to measure vigilance included a vigilance task called the Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) and a vigilance task called the Spatial Discrimination Vigilance Task (SDVT). To measure working memory, we used a Color N-back Task (CNB) and a Spatial N-back Task (SNB). Using a mixed group design, participants were assigned to a desktop or smartphone condition and completed all four tasks. As predicted, there was a vigilance decrement for both the PVT and the SDVT, which was demonstrated by an overall slowing of responses as the tasks progressed. This decrement occurred for both the smartphone and the
Physical Theory as a Basis for Successful Rotation of Fetal Malpositions and Conversion of Fetal Malpresentations

Maternal posturing, in which a pregnant or laboring woman assumes specific postures with the intention of altering the position and/or presentation of the fetus within the uterus, is a safe alternative to operative procedures recommended in cases of fetal malpositions and malpresentations. Clinicians and researchers are more likely to help pregnant women understand and perform posturing correctly if they comprehend the theoretical underpinnings of the technique. In maternal posturing, the forces of gravity and buoyancy combine to form a couple that overcomes frictional forces and/or obstructions to allow the fetus to rotate within the uterus to an optimal position or presentation. Integrating an understanding of these physical processes into clinical practice and research according to the recommendations provided here should lead to greater success in correcting malpositions and converting malpresentations.
Activity against multidrug‐resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Mexican plants used to treat respiratory diseases

The increase of multidrug‐resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MDR‐TB) demands the search for alternative antimycobacterial drugs. The aim of this study was to evaluate plants used in Mexican traditional medicine to treat respiratory diseases for activity against MDR‐TB. A group of 22 plants was screened for activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv and Mycobacterium avium at concentrations from 50 to 200 µg/mL. The antimycobacterial effect was determined by a microcolorimetric assay with Alamar blue dye. None of the aqueous extracts had antimycobacterial activity. Hexane extracts from Artemisia ludoviciana, Chamaedora tepejilote, Lantana hispida, Juniperus communis and Malva parviﬂora, and methanol extracts from Artemisia ludoviciana and Juniperus communis inhibited the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Mycobacterium avium was inhibited by Juniperus communis hexane extract and by Malva parviﬂora methanol extract. The active extracts were tested against monoresistant variants of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv (isoniazid, rifampin, streptomycin and ethambutol resistant) and the hexane extract of Lantana hispida showed the best activity. Lantana hispida hexane extract was also active against a group of MDR‐TB clinical isolates. In contrast, it did not inhibit the growth of non‐tuberculous mycobacteria. The hexane extract of Lantana hispida was fractionated by column chromatography and one of its fractions (FVI) inhibited the growth of all the MDR‐TB clinical isolates at concentrations up to 25 µg/mL. This study supports the fact that selecting plants by ethnobotanical criteria enhances the probability of ﬁnding species with activity against mycobacteria, and our results point to Lantana hispida as an important source of potential compounds against MDR‐TB. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A novel approach towards hardware and software co-design perspective for low power communication centric RF transceiver in wireless sensor node

Today many researchers are working on different issues in the area of wireless sensor network. One of the important areas is the node design. As these nodes are placed at remote location the power management of these nodes becomes more important. Here the combination of hardware and software design is proposed which reduces the power consumed by the sensor node. The life of the sensor node depends on 3 things 1) Battery 2) Transmission of data 3) Power consumed by the system. The system has 2 parts, one is processor and the other is hardware parts used in the system. Here the main focus is on power consumed by hardware parts of the system. The main idea is to remove the hardware device and use corresponding software so that the power consumption can be reduced. The job of the hardware device will be done by corresponding software which can be stored in the memory of the communication controller. The digital packet data received by the sensor node is decoded by software instead of the hardware and the system is controlled by communication controller. The software keeps record of information for transmission or reception. The software is interrupt driven and is written in C.
Effect of corn and peanut cultivation on soil populations of Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus in southwestern Georgia

The effect of corn and peanut cultivation on the proportion of Aspergillus flavus to A. parasiticus in soil was examined. Soil populations were monitored in three fields during three different years in southwestern Georgia. Each field was planted in both peanuts and corn, and soil was sampled within plots for each crop. A. flavus and A. parasiticus were present in similar proportions in plots from all fields at the beginning of the growing season. A. terreus, A. niger, and A. fumigatus were the other dominant aspergilli in soil. Fields A and B did not show drought stress in peanut or corn plants, and soil populations of A. flavus and A. parasiticus remained stable during the course of the year. In field C, drought stress in corn plants with associated A. flavus infection and aflatoxin contamination greatly increased soil populations of A. flavus relative to A. parasiticus upon dispersal of corn debris to the soil surface by a combine harvester. Colonization of organic debris after it has been added to the soil may maintain soil populations of A. parasiticus despite lower crop infection.
Disease-specific Pay-for-Performance Programs: Do the P4P Effects Differ Between Diabetic Patients With and Without Multiple Chronic Conditions?

Background:Several studies have investigated the effects of pay-for-performance (P4P) initiatives. However, little is known about whether patients with multiple chronic conditions (MCC) would benefit from P4P initiatives similarly to patients without MCC. Objectives:The objective of this study was to compare the effects of the diabetes mellitus pay-for-performance (DM-P4P) program on the quality of diabetic care between type 2 diabetic patients with and without MCC. Methods:This study used data from Taiwan’s Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005. Of this cohort, 52,276 diabetic patients were identified. To address potential selection bias between the intervention and comparison groups, the propensity score matching method was used. Generalized estimating equations were applied to analyze the difference-in-difference model to examine the effect of the intervention, the DM-P4P program. Results:The disease-specific DM-P4P program had positive impacts on process and outcome indicators of health care quality regardless of patients’ MCC status. Diabetic patients with MCC experienced a significantly larger decrease in the admission rate of diabetes-related ambulatory care sensitive conditions after the P4P enrollment over time compared with patients without MCC. Conclusions:The positive impacts on use of diabetes-related services were comparable between diabetic patients with and without MCC. Most importantly, for MCC patients, the disease-specific DM-P4P program had a stronger positive impact on health outcomes. Hence, the commonly observed phenomenon of “cherry picking” in implementing P4P strategies may lead to disparities in the quality of diabetic care between diabetic patients with and without MCC.
A genome-wide comprehensively analyses of long noncoding RNA profiling and metastasis associated lncRNAs in renal cell carcinoma

Recently, a growing number of studies have indicated that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as new critical regulators of tumorigenesis and prognostic markers in multiple cancers. However, the expression pattern of lncRNAs and their contributions in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remains poorly understood. In this study, we performed a genome-wide comprehensively analysis of lncRNAs profiling and clinical relevance to provide valuable lncRNA candidates for the further study in RCC. RCC and non-tumor tissues RNA sequencing data, and microarray data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), then, these data were annotated and analyzed to find dysregulated lncRNAs in RCC. We identified that hundreds of lncRNAs were differentially expressed in RCC tissues compared with normal tissues, and genomic variation analyses revealed that copy number amplification or deletion happened in some of these lncRNAs genome loci. Moreover, lots of lncRNAs expression levels are significantly associated RCC patients overall survival time, such as PVT1 and DUXAP8. Finally, we identified some novel metastasis associated lncRNAs in RCC (such as DUXAP8) by analyzing lncRNAs profiling in the RCC tissues from patients with metastasis compared with the primary RCC tissues without metastasis; knockdown of DUXAP8 could impair RCC cells invasive ability in vitro. Overall, our findings illuminate a lot of lncRNAs are aberrantly expressed in RCC that may offer useful resource for identification novel prognostic markers in this disease.
Monolithic integrated coherent receiver on InP substrate

The fabrication of a monolithic integrated coherent receiver with a wavelength-tunable DFB laser as local oscillator, a 3-dB waveguide directional coupler for mixing, and p-i-n photodiodes for detection is discussed. Optical heterodyne detection with a clear beat signal was experimentally observed using this monolithic integrated coherent receiver. Since an n-type substrate was used in this device, the two p-i-n photodiodes were not implemented in a balanced mixer configuration. Balanced mixing might be possible if the same structure were fabricated on a semi-insulating substrate. The results obtained suggest the possibility of applying this type of monolithic integrated coherent receiver to optical communication systems. <<ETX>>
Null Results in Brief Lack of Association between 251 T > A Polymorphism of IL 8 and Lung Cancer Risk

IARC, Lyon, France; Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Uomo e dell’Ambiente, Universita’ di Pisa, Pisa, Italy; Institute of Hygiene, Public Health, Health Services and Management, Bucharest, Romania; Institute of Carcinogenesis, Cancer Research Center, Moscow, Russia; Department of Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology, Institute of Occupational Medicine, Lodz, Poland; National Institute of Environmental Health, Budapest, Hungary; Cancer Center and Maria Sklodowska Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland; Department of Occupational Health, Specialized State Health Institute, Banska Bystrica, Slovakia; Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute, Brno, Czech Republic; and Department of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
Tree Edit Distance Problems: Algorithms and Applications to Bioinformatics

Tree structured data often appear in bioinformatics. For example, glycans, RNA secondary structures and phylogenetic trees usually have tree structures. Comparison of trees is one of fundamental tasks in analysis of these data. Various distance measures have been proposed and utilized for comparison of trees, among which extensive studies have been done on tree edit distance. In this paper, we review key results and our recent results on the tree edit distance problem and related problems. In particular, we review polynomial time exact algorithms and more efficient approximation algorithms for the edit distance problem for ordered trees, and approximation algorithms for the largest common sub-tree problem for unordered trees. We also review applications of tree edit distance and its variants to bioinformatics with focusing on comparison of glycan structures.
Quadrant Distribution of Tropical Cyclone Inner-Core Kinematics in Relation to Environmental Shear

AbstractAirborne Doppler radar data collected in tropical cyclones by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration WP-3D aircraft over an 8-yr period (2003–10) are used to statistically analyze the vertical structure of tropical cyclone eyewalls with reference to the deep-layer shear. Convective evolution within the inner core conforms to patterns shown by previous studies: convection initiates downshear right, intensifies downshear left, and weakens upshear. Analysis of the vertical distribution of radar reflectivity and vertical air motion indicates the development of upper-level downdrafts in conjunction with strong convection downshear left and a maximum in frequency upshear left. Intense updrafts and downdrafts both conform to the shear asymmetry pattern. While strong updrafts occur in the eyewall, intense downdrafts show far more radial variability, particularly in the upshear-left quadrant, though they concentrate along the eyewall edges. Strong updrafts are collocated with low-level inflow and .
Normativity under change

Background: In modern society, death has become ‘forbidden’ fed by the medical technology to conquer death. The technological paradigm is challenged by a social-liberal political ideology in postmodern Western societies. The question raised in this study was as follows: Which arguments, attitudes, values and paradoxes between modern and postmodern tendencies concerning treatment and care of older persons with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator appear in the literature? Aims: The aim of this study was to describe and interpret how the field of tension concerning older persons with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator – especially end-of-life issues – has been expressed in the literature throughout the last decade. Methods: Paul Ricoeur’s reflexive interpretive approach was used to extract the meaningful content of the literature involving qualitative, quantitative and normative literature. Analysis and interpretation involved naive reading, structural analysis and critical interpretation. Ethical considerations: The investigation complied with the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki. Findings and discussions: The unifying theme was ‘Normativity under change’. The sub-themes were ‘Death has become legitimate’, ‘The technological imperative is challenged’ and ‘Patients and healthcare professionals need to talk about end-of-life issues’. There seems to be a considerable distance between the normative approach of how practice ought to be and findings in empirical studies. Conclusion: Modern as well as postmodern attitudes and perceptions illustrate contradictory tendencies regarding deactivation of the implantable cardioverter defibrillator and replacement of the implantable cardioverter defibrillator in older persons nearing the end of life. The tendencies challenge each other in a struggle to gain position. On the other hand, they can also complement each other because professionalism and health professional expertise cannot stand alone when the patient’s life is at stake but must be unfolded in an alliance with the patient who needs to be understood and accepted in his vulnerability.
Diffusion‐weighted NMR imaging: Application to experimental focal cerebral ischemia

Changes in diffusion NMR imaging are believed to be based on intra/extracellular water homeostasis and will therefore reflect early disturbances of ion and water homeostasis after the onset of an ischemic event. Diffusion‐weighted NMR imaging (DWI) thus has the potential to be a sensitive tool for the observation of stroke evolution. The present state of information extracted from diffusion‐weighted NMR imaging for the understanding of cerebral focal ischemia in experimental research has been compiled in this review. The emphasis was set on three essential aspects of the technique in relation to focal ischemia. Firstly, the sensitivity of diffusion‐weighted imaging for ischemic alterations is described. A comparison with conventional NMR imaging using relaxation time changes is included. Secondly, the comparison of the diffusion‐weighted imaging with invasive techniques is discussed. Here, interpretation of the physiological, metabolic and hemodynamic alterations reflected in the observed diffusion changes is presented. The importance of regionally resolved information for a meaningful assignment of DWI changes to pathophysiological alterations is demonstrated for the differentiation between ischemic core and penumbra from DWI and quantitative diffusion coefficient data. The time dependence of correlations with physiological, biochemical and hemodynamic variables as a further important aspect is stressed. Thirdly, the potential of the technique for the assessment of development and effectiveness of new therapeutical strategies against stroke is demonstrated.
Defense Technical Information Center Compilation Part Notice ADP 013745

We discuss the relationship between the norm of the local discrete least squares polynomial approximation operator, the minimal singular value oanin(P-) of the matrix PE of the evaluations of the basis polynomials, and the norming constant of the set of data points E with respect to the space of polynomials. Since these three quantities are equivalent up to bounded constants, and since umin(P=_) can be efficiently computed, it is feasible to use amin (Ps) as a tool for distinguishing good local point constellations, which is useful for scattered data fitting. In addition, we give a simple new proof of a bound by Reimer for the norm of the interpolation operators on the sphere and extend it to discrete least squares operators.
Simple Method for Repurification of Endotoxins for Biological Use

ABSTRACT A method for obtaining highly purified endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide [LPS]) in a few hours by repurification of commercial or laboratory preparations was devised. It avoids the use of phenol, which is not suitable for phenol-soluble lipopolysaccharides nor for some industrial purposes. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry analysis confirmed the integrity of the purified LPSs. The purified products did not activate Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), nuclear oligomerization domain 1 (NOD1), or NOD2 but did activate TLR4. Applied to different lipopolysaccharides, the method also improved their mass spectra, thus facilitating their structural analysis.
Hyperdynamic circulation of liver disease 40 years later: Pathophysiology and clinical consequences

Kowalski and Abelman (1) described more than 40 years ago a hyperdynamic circulatory syndrome in patients with advanced liver diseases. This syndrome, characterized by vasodilatation with decreased arterial pressure, increased cardiac output and regonal organ blood flow, is also observed in animal models with extensive portal-systemic shunting, liver failure or both (2). Although the presence of chronic vasodilatation in experimental models and patients with liver disease has been extensively documented, its pathophysiology is still debated (3). At minimum, we know that vasodilatation is an expression of anatomical (portal blood escaping through portal-systemic collaterals) or functional (liver cell necrosishntrahepatic shunts) liver failure or both. Therefore it is not surprising to observe that hemodynamic assessments of the extent of vasodilatation are excellent prognostic indicators in cirrhotic patients who do not undergo surgery (4) and in those patients subjected to surgical portal-systemic shunting (5-6).