Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
FPGA Implementation of Encoder for (15, k) Binary BCH Code Using VHDL and Performance Comparison for Multiple Error Correction Control

In this paper we have designed and implemented (15, k) a BCH Encoder on FPGA using VHDL for reliable data transfer in AWGN channel with multiple error correction control. The digital logic implementation of binary encoding of multiple error correcting BCH code (15, k) of length n=15 over GF (24) with irreducible primitive polynomial x4+x+1 is organised into shift register circuits. Using the cyclic codes, the reminder b(x) can be obtained in a linear (15-k) stage shift register with feedback connections corresponding to the coefficients of the generated polynomial. Three encoder are designed using VHDL to encode the single, double and triple error correcting BCH code (15, k) corresponding to the coefficient of generated polynomial. Information bit is transmitted in unchanged form up to k clock cycles and during this period parity bits are calculated in the LFSR then the parity bits are transmitted from k+1 to 15 clock cycles. Total 15-k numbers of parity bits with k information bits are transmitted in 15 codeword. Here we have implemented (15, 5, 3), (15, 7, 2) and (15, 11, 1) BCH code encoder on Xilinx Spartan 3 FPGA using VHDL and the simulation & synthesis are done using Xilinx ISE 10.1. Also a comparative performance based on synthesis & simulation on FPGA is presented.
Labour reallocation, job tenure, labour flows and labour market institutions: Evidence from Spain

The purposes of this paper are to provide an account of the recent trends in labour reallocation, and to estimate the effects of several labour market institutions on the job tenure distribution and labour market flows from a panel of Spanish sectors and regions. The main motivation for the paper is to learn from the Spanish experience, first, to what extent labour reallocation is nowadays higher than in the seventies and eighties, and, secondly, the role of labour market institutions at easing or hindering the process of labour reallocation. We approach the measurement of labour reallocation from two perspectives. First, we follow the traditional macroeconomic approach to identifying reallocation shocks by analysing the dispersion of employment growth across sectors, regions, and occupations. Secondly, we document the evolution of job tenure and workers’ and jobs’ flows. Finally, we estimate, from a panel of regions and sectors that spans from 1987 to 1997, the influence of some labour market institutions on workers’ flows, workers’ turnover, and job tenure. Our main findings are: i) although there seems to be some evidence of higher job reallocation during the mid-eighties from the evolution of the dispersion of employment growth across different segments of the labour market, during the nineties job reallocation seems to have returned to the levels of the early and late eighties, ii) mean job tenure has decreased in the last ten years mainly because a huge increase in the proportion of workers who hold jobs for less than a year, iii) workers’ turnover has noticeably increased, especially when short-term employment and unemployment spells are computed in the workers’ flows, iv) job reallocation (creation and destruction) only explains around one fourth of total worker turnover, being the rest due to rotation of workers through a given set of employment positions, and v) there is indirect evidence that firing costs diminish workers’ turnover and increase job tenure while wage compression increases workers’ turnover.
ROSAT X-ray observations of 3CRR radio sources

Over half the 3CRR sample of radio galaxies and quasars has been observed in X-rays with ROSAT pointed observations, and we present results from these observations, discussing many of the sources in detail. The improved spatial resolution of ROSAT over earlier missions allows a better separation of the nuclear and extended components of the X-ray emission. We investigate the relationship between nuclear X-ray and core radio luminosity and show that our results support a model in which every radio galaxy and quasar has a beamed nuclear soft X-ray component directly related to the radio core. We report evidence for rich cluster environments around several powerful quasars. These X-ray environments are comparable to those of high-redshift radio galaxies.
On the Use of Ultrasonic Waves as a Communications Medium in Biosensor Networks

In this paper, the problem of wireless communications in human tissue is addressed for biosensor network applications. Today's offered solutions involve the usage of RF communication systems, which have shown to provide adequate performance to ensure proper network functionality. Yet they do not ensure that human tissue is not harmfully affected. In order to overcome this issue, we propose the use of ultrasonic waves for wireless communications in biosensor networks, motivated by the fact that, in contrast to electromagnetic waves, ultrasound has been used for almost a century now for medical purposes without any reported side effects. A simple propagation model is used to evaluate ultrasonic waves as a communication medium, study the feasibility of our proposal, the effective bit rates that may be achieved, the power efficiency of the scheme, as well as other system issues.
Investigation of code division multiplexing technique for VLC-based indoor positioning

The visible light communication (VLC) with LED lamps is a very promising technique which can be a possible alternative to certain simplex radio connections aiming to relieve the quickly saturating radio frequency domain. The advantages of visible light communication can be exploited by indoor applications most efficiently. Because - similarly to radio communications - it may be necessary to run more connections simultaneously, the signals of each transmitter must be discriminable. A certain method that ensures the discriminability of signals is code division multiplexing (CDM). In this multiplexing method the channels share a common frequency band but the signals of different transmitters use digital modulation with different quasi-orthogonal codes. In my study I show step-by-step how to realize a VLC CDM system. I approximate the parameters of a system of this type by simulation models, design the software to real-time communication and verify the functionality of VLC CDM scheme with visible light demonstration circuits.
Customers' Trust in Online Vendors and Their Dropout Decisions: A Cross-Country Study

Customer dropout represents a critical challenge to online vendors and has significantly hindered the proliferation of B-to-C e-commerce. In this study, we investigate the relationship between customers’ trust in an online vendor and their decisions to exit of the vendor’s website along the general consumer decision process. We analyze important salient trust antecedents for each stage of the decision process and empirically test them and their correlation with the dropout decision by conducting an online study that involves undergraduate business students from two major universities in the U.S. and Hong Kong, respectively. Our comparative analysis results are fairly consistent and suggest that customers’ trust in an online vendor has significant effects on their decisions to exit of the vendor’s website, and that important salient trust antecedents appear to vary in different stages of the consumer decision process. Interestingly, our findings show that customers tend to rely on general, subjective antecedents that pertain to personal traits or perceptions about the website’s ease of use for assessing the trustworthiness of an online vendor in the early stages but focus on specific, objective, transaction-oriented antecedents specific to their purchase decision making in the later stages. Our results show little differences between the investigated countries and have important implications for e-commerce research and practice, which are discussed in the paper.
Refactoring product lines

Adoption strategies for Software Product Lines (SPL) frequently involve bootstrapping existing products into a SPL and extending an existing SPL to encompass another product. One way to do that is to use program refactorings. However, the traditional notion of refactoring does not handle appropriately feature models (FM), nor transformations involving multiple instances of the same SPL. For instance, it is not desirable to apply a refactoring into a SPL and reduce its configurability. In this paper, we extend the traditional notion of refactoring to an SPL context. Besides refactoring programs, FMs must also be refactored. We present a set of sound refactorings for FMs. We evaluate this extended refactoring definition for SPL in a real case study in the mobile games domain.
Advisory warnings based on cooperative perception

The Ko-PER (cooperative perception) research project aims at improvements of active traffic safety through cooperative perception systems. Within the project a prototype of a cooperative warning system was realized. This system provides early advisory warnings which are especially useful in critical situations with occluded conflict partners. The development process was accompanied by a series of driving simulator studies to determine both the potential to reduce traffic conflicts and important design characteristics of early advisory warning signals. The most important details of the prototype system's components inter-vehicle information-fusion and situation analysis are described and the achieved warning timings are compared to the results of the driving simulator studies.
The Association between KIF6 Single Nucleotide Polymorphism rs20455 and Serum Lipids in Filipino-American Women

The Trp719Arg allele of KIF6 rs20455, a putative risk factor for CHD especially in those with elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), was investigated in Filipino-American women (FAW, n = 235) participating in health screenings in four cities. The rs20455 genotype of each subject was determined by a multiplex assay using a Luminex-OLA procedure. The risk allele Trp719Arg was present in 77% of the subjects. The genotype distribution was 23% Trp/Trp, 51% Arg/Trp, and 26% Arg/Arg. Genotype did not predict the presence of CHD risk factors. Moreover, LDL-C, HDL-C, and triglycerides mean values did not vary as a function of genotype. However, those with the Arg/Arg genotype on statin medication exhibited a significantly higher mean triglycerides level (P < 0.01). Approximately 60% of participants regardless of genotype exhibited LDL-C levels ≥100 mg/dL but were not taking medication. Approximately 43% of those with the Trp719Arg risk allele on statins exhibited elevated LDL-C levels. Our study suggests that the Trp719Arg allele of KIF 6 rs20455 is common among Filipino-American women; thus, even with borderline LDL-C levels would benefit from statin treatment. Secondly, many participants did not exhibit guideline recommended LDL-C levels including many who were on statin drugs.
Towards simulation of electromagnetics and beam physics at the petascale

Under the support of the U.S. DOE SciDAC program, SLAC has been developing a suite of 3D parallel finite- element codes aimed at high-accuracy, high-fidelity electromagnetic and beam physics simulations for the design and optimization of next-generation particle accelerators. Running on the latest supercomputers, these codes have made great strides in advancing the state of the art in applied math and computer science at the petascale that enable the integrated modeling of electromagnetics, self-consistent Particle-In-Cell (PIC) particle dynamics as well as thermal, mechanical, and multi-physics effects. This paper will present 3D results of trapped mode calculations in an ILC cryomodule and the modeling of the ILC Sheet Beam klystron, shape determination of superconducting RF (SCRF) cavities and multipacting studies of SCRF HOM couplers, as well as PIC simulation results of the LCLS RF gun.
“My classroom is a bigger place”: Examining the Impact of a Professional Development Course on the Global Perspective of Experienced Teachers

How do experienced teachers develop a global perspective through a professional development course and how can this perspective impact classroom practice? These are the two key questions which this paper examines. We utilize Guskey’s (2002) model of teacher change as a framework for understanding the results of a study involving experienced teachers who took a professional development course which had a focus on global education. The participants engaged in a number of activities four months after the completion of the course to explore how the course had impacted their classroom teaching practice. Common themes were identified through participant reflective papers and questionnaire-responses which gave insight into what the participants felt were key aspects of learning in the enhancement of their global perspective. The paper provides an opportunity to consider Guskey’s (2002) model for teacher change, particularly the sequence with which teacher attitudes and beliefs change. As well, we discuss how teachers’ commitment to global citizenship can be shaped and how this might impact classroom practice. Resume Comment les enseignants experimentes developpent-ils une perspective globale a partir d’un cours de developpement professionnel et comment cette perspective peut-elle avoir un impact sur leur pratique en salle de classe ? Ceux sont les deux questions cles que ce document examine. Nous utilisons le modele de Guskey (2002) sur le changement de l’enseignant comme cadre afin de comprendre les resultats d’une etude impliquant des enseignants experimentes ayant suivi un cours de developpement professionnel dont l’accent etait mis sur l’education mondiale. Les participants ont pris part a une serie d’activites quatre mois apres avoir complete le cours afin d’explorer la maniere dont ce cours a eu un impact sur leur pratique d’enseignement en salle de classe. Des themes communs ont ete identifies a partir des papiers de reflexion des participants et des questionnaires-reponses qui ont donne un apercu de ce que les participants croient etre les principaux aspects de l’apprentissage dans l’amelioration de leur perspective globale. Cet article fournit l’occasion d’etudier le modele de Guskey (2002) sur le changement de l’enseignant, notamment la sequence dans laquelle les attitudes et croyances de l’enseignant changent. En outre, nous discutons comment l’engagement des enseignants a la citoyennete mondiale peut etre faconne et comment ceci pourrait avoir un impact dans la pratique en salle de classe.
The evolution and structural anatomy of the small molecule metabolic pathways in Escherichia coli.

The 106 small molecule metabolic (SMM) pathways in Escherichia coli are formed by the protein products of 581 genes. We can define 722 domains, nearly all of which are homologous to proteins of known structure, that form all or part of 510 of these proteins. This information allows us to answer general questions on the structural anatomy of the SMM pathway proteins and to trace family relationships and recruitment events within and across pathways. Half the gene products contain a single domain and half are formed by combinations of between two and six domains. The 722 domains belong to one of 213 families that have between one and 51 members. Family members usually conserve their catalytic or cofactor binding properties; substrate recognition is rarely conserved. Of the 213 families, members of only a quarter occur in isolation, i.e. they form single-domain proteins. Most members of the other families combine with domains from just one or two other families and a few more versatile families can combine with several different partners. Excluding isoenzymes, more than twice as many homologues are distributed across pathways as within pathways. However, serial recruitment, with two consecutive enzymes both being recruited to another pathway, is rare and recruitment of three consecutive enzymes is not observed. Only eight of the 106 pathways have a high number of homologues. Homology between consecutive pairs of enzymes with conservation of the main substrate-binding site but change in catalytic mechanism (which would support a simple model of retrograde pathway evolution) occurs only six times in the whole set of enzymes. Most of the domains that form SMM pathways have homologues in non-SMM pathways. Taken together, these results imply a pervasive "mosaic" model for the formation of protein repertoires and pathways.
Designing and Psychometric Evaluation of Adjustment to Illness Measurement Inventory for Iranian Women With Breast Cancer

Background Cancer diagnosis for everybody may be perceived as crisis and breast cancer, as the most common malignancy in women, can influence their well-being and multiple aspects of their health. So understanding that how women in various contexts and communities adjust to the illness is necessary to facilitate this adjustment and improve their quality of life. Objectives The aim of this study was to: 1) identify the core components of coping strategies to adjust to the illness in Iranian women with breast cancer perspective, 2) to develop and determine psychometric properties of a native self-report instrument to assess coping behaviors and measure the degree of adjustment with the breast cancer. Methods The present exploratory mixed method study was conducted in two consecutive stages: 1) the hermeneutic phenomenological study was done to explore the life experiences of coping styles to adjust with the breast cancer using in-depth interviews with patients that lead to item generation; 2) psychometric properties (validity and reliability) of the instrument were evaluated recruiting 340 eligible women. The item pool was reduced systematically and resulted in a 49-item instrument. Results From the qualitative stage, item pool containing 78 items related to coping strategies to adjust with the breast cancer. After eliminating unwanted statements from the results, qualitative and quantitative face and content validity, the 10 factors extracted employing construct validity were: feeling of guilt, abstention-diversion, role preservation and seeking support, efforts for threat control, confronting, fear and anxiety, role wasting, maturation and growth, isolation, and fatalism. These factors accounted for the 59.1% of variance observed. The Cronbach reliability test was carried out and alpha value of 10 factors was calculated from 0.78 to 0.87 confirming all factors were internally consistent. The scale’s stability was tested using the test-retest method. Conclusions The 49-item AIMI-IBC revealed acceptable psychometric properties. This instrument provides healthcare professionals to systematically assess the coping strategies of Iranian women with breast cancer and measure the degree of adjustment with illness.
On the girth of tanner (3, 5) quasi-cyclic LDPC codes

In this correspondence, the cycles of Tanner (3,5) quasi-cyclic (QC) low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes are analyzed and their girth values are derived. The conditions for the existence of cycles of lengths 4,6,8, and 10 in Tanner (3,5) QC LDPC codes of length 5p are expressed in terms of polynomial equations in a 15th root of unity of the prime field F/sub p/. By checking the existence of solutions for these equations over F/sub p/, the girths of Tanner (3,5) QC LDPC codes are derived.
Using Carrier Sensing to Improve the Energy Consumption of Sensor Network Wake-Up Protocols Technical Report August 2004

In sensor networks, it is important for nodes to sleep a large portion of the time to conserve energy. However, nodes cannot communicate when sleeping and, therefore, need a mechanism to wake neighbors up when there is data to send. To address this problem, wake-up protocols are designed to determine when nodes should wake up. In this paper, we outline three categories to classify wake-up protocols and give examples of each. Based on this discussion, we choose to focus on protocols that use out-of-band mechanisms to wake other nodes up. After describing the trade-offs associated with this type of wake-up protocol, we present new analysis for two protocols from previous work, STEM [1], [2] and STEM-BT [2]. Based on this analysis, we identify areas where both of the protocols could be more energy efficient and present two new protocols, STEM-H and STEMBT2, to address this. Extensive analysis and simulation testing shows that the new protocols outperform the old protocols in virtually every scenario tested.
Cholera toxin B stimulates systemic neutralizing antibodies after intranasal co-immunization with measles virus.

An efficient mucosal vaccination has a number of obvious advantages over invasive routes of immunization. The immune response to measles virus (MV) was investigated after intranasal and intragastric co-immunization of mice with cholera toxin B (CTB) as an adjuvant. High titres of virus-specific IgG antibodies and a transient IgA response were detected in the sera after intranasal but not after intragastric immunization when CTB was used. In the presence of CTB, higher titres were reached with less antigen and fewer intranasal boosts. Neutralizing antibodies were found in all animals only after co-immunization with MV and CTB. In the nasal wash and the saliva, IgG and IgA titres were significant only in the MV plus CTB groups; IgG levels were comparable to those found after intraperitoneal (i.p.) immunization with complete Freund's adjuvant. Specific IgA was detected in the mucosal fluids only after intranasal immunization with MV plus CTB but not after i.p. or intragastric immunization. The antibody response consisted of 99% IgG1 after MV immunization. In the CTB groups 10% IgG2b and 1% IgG2a were detected in addition to the predominant IgG1 antibodies.
The effect of altered neuronal activity on the development of layers in the lateral geniculate nucleus

The main objective of this study was to examine the role of neural activity in the development of cell layers in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN). We studied this relationship in postnatal tree shrews either by completely blocking retinal ganglion cell activity with TTX or by selectively blocking activity to the developing ON-center LGN layers (1 and 2) with 2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (APB), using unilateral and bilateral eye injections. All manipulations were carried out from birth (P0), when no LGN cell layers are evident, to or past the point when layers are recognizable (i.e., 1–2 weeks). Nissl-stained and cytochrome oxidase (CO)-reacted material was examined for all cases. Our results show that in the absence of activity produced by bilateral TTX injections, interlaminar spaces between cell layers do begin to develop. Retinal afferents, which are segregated at birth, remain segregated, and differential CO staining between matched sets of LGN layers is evident. The normal pace of LGN development, however, is slowed significantly: LGN cells are smaller and interlaminar spaces are narrower than are seen in age-matched controls. Unilateral TTX injections produce similar, but more dramatic and asymmetric, effects on LGN cells, perhaps because cells are at a competitive disadvantage relative to their normally innervated counterparts in cortex. Combining unilateral eye enucleation at P0 with subsequent TTX treatment of the other eye clearly demonstrates that axons from the remaining eye are capable of producing their normal complement of LGN layers. The development of the LGN ON-center layers, 1 and 2, and the interlaminar space between them are more affected by TTX treatment than are the other layers. By contrast, APB eye injections do not selectively affect the development of the ON-center layers, but do result in some slowing of overall LGN development. Taken together, these results suggest that activity of retinal afferents is not essential for initiating interlaminar space formation, but is important for the normal pace of maturation of LGN cell layers.