Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Capacity analysis for non-orthogonal overloading transmissions under constellation constraints

In this work, constellation constrained (CC) capacities of a series of non-orthogonal overloading transmission schemes are derived in AWGN channels. All these schemes follow a similar transmission structure, in which modulated symbols are spread on to a group of resource elements (REs) in a sparse manner, i.e., only a part of the REs have nonzero components while the others are filled with zeros. The multiple access schemes follow this structure is called sparse code multiple access (SCMA) in general. In particular, a complete SCMA scheme would combine multi-dimensional modulation and the low density spreading (LDS) together such that the symbols from the same data layer on different REs are different but dependent. If the spread symbols are the same, it is a simplified implementation of SCMA and is called LDS. Furthermore, depending on whether the numbers of non-zero components for each data layer are equal or not, there are regular LDS (LDS in short) and irregular LDS (IrLDS), respectively. The paper would show from theoretical derivation and simulation results that the complete SCMA schemes outperform the simplified version LDS/IrLDS. Moreover, we also show that the application of phase rotation in the modulator can significantly boost the link performance of such non-orthogonal multiple access schemes.
Chiral-symmetry constraints on the critical temperature in QCD.

We study the restoration of chiral symmetry at finite temperatures in QCD. We focus on the role light particles play in disordering the system and compute the critical temperature in the linear sigma model, the Nambu--Jona-Lasinio model, and in the nonperturbative one-gluon-exchange approximation in QCD. In all three cases we obtain T/sub c/ = 2f/sub . pi. /approx. =180 MeV, which might be a model-independent result.
Relationship between Membrane Phosphatidylinositol-4,5-Bisphosphate and Receptor-Mediated Inhibition of Native Neuronal M Channels

The relationship between receptor-induced membrane phosphatidylinositol-4′5′-bisphosphate (PIP2) hydrolysis and M-current inhibition was assessed in single-dissociated rat sympathetic neurons by simultaneous or parallel recording of membrane current and membrane-to-cytosol translocation of the fluorescent PIP2/inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3)-binding peptide green fluorescent protein-tagged pleckstrin homology domain of phospholipase C (GFP-PLCδ-PH). The muscarinic receptor agonist oxotremorine-M produced parallel time- and concentration-dependent M-current inhibition and GFP-PLCδ-PH translocation; bradykinin also produced parallel time-dependent inhibition and translocation. Phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate-5-kinase (PI5-K) overexpression reduced both M-current inhibition and GFP-PLCδ-PH translocation by both oxotremorine-M and bradykinin. These effects were partly reversed by wortmannin, which inhibits phosphatidylinositol-4-kinase (PI4-K). PI5-K overexpression also reduced the inhibitory action of oxotremorine-M on PIP2-gated G-protein-gated inward rectifier (Kir3.1/3.2) channels; bradykinin did not inhibit these channels. Overexpression of neuronal calcium sensor-1 protein (NCS-1), which increases PI4-K activity, did not affect responses to oxotremorine-M but reduced both fluorescence translocation and M-current inhibition by bradykinin. Using an intracellular IP3 membrane fluorescence-displacement assay, initial mean concentrations of membrane [PIP2] were estimated at 261 μm (95% confidence limit; 192-381 μm), rising to 693 μm (417-1153 μm) in neurons overexpressing PI5-K. Changes in membrane [PIP2] during application of oxotremorine-M were calculated from fluorescence data. The results, taken in conjunction with previous data for KCNQ2/3 (Kv7.2/Kv7.3) channel gating by PIP2 (Zhang et al., 2003), accorded with the hypothesis that the inhibitory action of oxotremorine-M on M current resulted from depletion of PIP2. The effects of bradykinin require additional components of action, which might involve IP3-induced Ca2+ release and consequent M-channel inhibition (as proposed previously) and stimulation of PIP2 synthesis by Ca2+-dependent activation of NCS-1.
Sleep-Related Changes in Cardiovascular Neural Regulation in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Background—Sleep has significant effects on cardiovascular neural regulation. The aim of this study is to explore the possible change in sympathetic vasomotor activity and baroreflex sensitivity associated with spontaneous hypertension during each stage of the sleep-wake cycle. Methods and Results—Polysomnographic analysis was performed in freely moving spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) during their normal daytime sleep. Continuous spectral analyses of electroencephalogram and electromyogram were performed to define active waking, quiet sleep, and paradoxical sleep. Low-frequency power of the arterial pressure variability (BLF) was quantified to provide an index of sympathetic vasomotor activity. Spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity was assessed (1) by the slopes of the regression lines of the mean arterial pressure and R-R intervals pairs that ascended (BrrA) or descended (BrrD) successively and (2) by the magnitudes of the arterial pressure and R-R intervals transfer functions in the high-frequency (BrrHF) or low-frequency (BrrLF) ranges. SHR had significantly higher mean arterial pressure during each of the sleep-wake states. Although the values of BLF, BrrA, BrrD, BrrHF, and BrrLF in SHR did not differ from those of WKY during active waking, SHR had a significantly higher BLF and lower BrrA, BrrD, BrrHF, and BrrLF compared with WKY during quiet sleep and paradoxical sleep. Conclusions—SHR had enhanced sympathetic vasomotor activity but attenuated baroreflex sensitivity during sleep although each phenomenon was not evident when awake.
A Randomized, Non-Inferiority Study Comparing Efficacy and Safety of a Single Dose of Pegfilgrastim versus Daily Filgrastim in Pediatric Patients after Autologous Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplant

Purpose To assess the non-inferiority of pegfilgrastim versus filgrastim in speeding the recovery of polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) in pediatric patients who underwent autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplant (PBSCT). Methods The sample size of this randomized, multicenter, phase III study, was calculated assuming that a single dose of pegfilgrastim of 100 ug/kg was not inferior to 9 doses of filgrastim of 5 ug/kg/day. Randomization was performed by a computer-generated list and stored by sequentially numbered sealed envelopes. Results Sixty-one patients, with a median age of 11.5 years, were recruited: 29 in the filgrastim arm and 32 in the pegfilgrastim arm. Twenty percent were affected by lymphoma/leukaemia and eighty percent by solid tumors. The mean time to PMN engraftment was 10.48 days (standard deviation [SD] 1.57) and 10.44 days (SD 2.44) in the filgrastim and pegfilgrastim arms, respectively. Having fixed a non-inferiority margin Delta of 3, the primary endpoint of non-inferiority was reached. No differences were observed for other secondary endpoints: platelet engraftment, mean time to platelet recovery (28 days vs. 33 days), fever of unknown origin (79% vs. 78%), proven infection (34% vs. 28%), mucositis (76% vs. 59%). After a median follow-up of 2.3 years (95% C.I.: 1.5, 3.3), 20 deaths were observed due to disease progression. Conclusions We conclude that pegfilgrastim was not inferior to daily filgrastim in pediatric patients who underwent PBSCT. EU Clinical Trial Register Number 2007-001430-14
The interrelationship between the Ebbinghaus and Delboeuf illusions.

Variation of the size of the context circles in the Ebbinghaus illusion results in a systematic variation of the apparent size of the central test figure that is in accord with a comparative judgmental model of this illusion. However, increasing the distance of the context figures results in a decrease in the apparent size of the test figure regardless of the size of the context circles. This result is not predicted by a judgmental model and indicates a similarity between the Ebbinghaus and Delboeuf illusions.
Chicken interleukin-6. cDNA structure and biological properties.

Suppression subtractive hybridization technology was used to identify differentially expressed genes in spleens of chickens that had been treated with the synthetic immune modifier S-28463. One induced chicken gene encoded a protein with about 35% sequence identity to human interleukin-6 (IL-6). It consists of 241 amino acids including a putative N-terminal signal peptide of 47 residues. Bacterially expressed chicken IL-6 (ChIL-6) carrying a histidine tag in place of the signal peptide was biologically active: it induced proliferation of the IL-6-dependent murine hybridoma cell line 7TD1. The concentration of ChIL-6 required for half-maximal proliferative response was approximately 60 pg.mL-1. When injected intravenously into adult chickens, purified recombinant ChIL-6 induced an increase in serum corticosterone levels. Supernatants of chicken LMH and monkey COS-7 cells transiently transfected with a ChIL-6 expression construct induced proliferation of 7TD1 cells, demonstrating that recombinant ChIL-6 from eukaryotic cells is also active.
Phonological vs sensory contributions to age effects in naming: An electrophysiological study

Background: A common complaint among the healthy ageing population is the increased frequency of word‐finding problems. The Transmission Deficit Hypothesis (TDH; Burke, MacKay, Worthley, & Wade, 1991) proposes that word retrieval difficulties in healthy ageing are due to a selective failure in the transmission of available semantic/syntactic information to the phonological system, as opposed to generalised slowing. This study examined the relative timing of sensory processing and substages in phonological retrieval, in healthy young and old adults, using event‐related potential (ERP) measures. Aims: To examine the effects of age on retrieval of segmental and syllabic information within phonological processing, and to consider whether age‐related changes in phonological processing are a result of relatively early (sensory: visual) delays or to true stage‐specific phonological processing delays. Methods & Procedures: A total of 16 healthy young and 16 healthy old adults performed an implicit picture‐naming task while making a segmental or syllabic decision in a Go/No‐go paradigm. The ERP component N2d (No‐go minus Go waves), reflecting response inhibition to the phonological decision, and the visual evoked potential (VEP) components, reflecting visual processing of the stimuli, served as dependent measures. Outcomes & Results: Both reaction time (RT) and N2d data demonstrated later latencies in the old than young group on both the segment and syllable tasks. More specifically, the N2d effect was found between 301 and 450 ms on the segment task and between 351 and 450 ms on the syllable task for the young adults. The old group demonstrated the N2d effect later, between 351 and 500 ms on the segment task, and 451 and 500 ms on the syllable task. By contrast, no substantial differences in the latencies of the VEPs were observed between groups for either task. Conclusions: The behavioural and N2d findings provide support for the TDH that there are age delays at the phonological level of encoding. The VEP findings confirm that stage‐specific phonological processing deficits were not a consequence of a more general ageing effect. The cause of this delay in accessing phonological information is unknown, but it will be important to explore whether healthy old adults might benefit from phonological practice to improve retrieval. It will also be important to determine the extent to which these age‐related findings enter into clinical naming disorders, such as anomia, and the extent to which individuals with anomia may be affected at different substages of retrieval.
Working Smarter, Not Working Harder: Revisiting Teacher Feedback in the L2 Writing Classroom

Although second language (L2) teachers spend a significant amount of time marking students' writing, many of them feel that their efforts do not pay off. While students want teachers to give them feedback on their writing and value teacher feedback, they might experience feelings of frustration and confusion once they receive it. What is amiss in L2 writing teachers' feedback practices? The present article is predicated on the belief that if teachers are to improve the effectiveness of conventional feedback practices, they have to challenge taken-for-granted assumptions and problematize their current practices. Using teacher feedback data from 26 English teachers from Hong Kong and interview data from six of them, the present article analyzes the problems that underlie teachers' feedback practices, discusses alternative approaches, and concludes with recommendations to help teachers maximize the formative potential of feedback.Bien que les enseignants de langue seconde (L2) passent un nombre d'heures considérable à corriger les travaux écrits de leurs élèves, ils sont nombreux à trouver que leurs efforts portent peu de fruits. Les élèves souhaitent que les enseignants commentent leurs travaux écrits et apprécient la rétroaction, et pourtant, ils éprouvent souvent de la frustration et de la confusion à la lecture des commentaires. Qu'est-ce qui ne va pas dans les habitudes des enseignants à l'égard de la correction des travaux écrits en L2? Cet article se fonde sur l'idée selon laquelle, si les enseignants veulent améliorer l'efficacité de la rétroaction, ils doivent remettre en question certains préjugés et réviser leurs pratiques. À partir de données obtenues à Hong Kong auprès de 26 enseignants d'anglais et d'entrevues avec six d'entre eux, cet article analyse les problèmes sous-jacents aux habitudes de rétroaction des enseignants, propose des méthodes de rechange et se conclut sur des recommandations qui peuvent aider les enseignants à exploiter au mieux le potentiel formateur de la rétroaction.
Psychosocial Aspects of Suicide in Young Chinese Rural Women

A sample of 90 rural Chinese women were interviewed and tested to assess a theoretical model that assumes suicide ideation is a function of four broad theoretical variables: 1) psychological aspects such as self-esteem and personal adjustment; 2) coping aspects; 3) environmental aspects, specifically the degree of support found in the family and in the community; and 4) attitudes toward suicide. The data were analyzed first for reliability, which was found to be adequate, and then from a covariance structure modeling approach—i.e., LISREL. The results are complex, but do suggest a relative fit between theoretical model and observed data, though the fit is limited by a number of necessary assumptions in covariance structural modeling that may not reflect psychological and psychometric reality.
A fuzzy constraint-based routing algorithm for traffic engineering

We propose a low-complexity constraint-based routing algorithm for traffic engineering in packet networks that route end-to-end packet flows. The proposed fuzzy routing algorithm (FRA) modifies the well-known Dijkstra's single-source shortest paths algorithm by using fuzzy-logic membership functions in the path-cost update process. The main objective of FRA is to reduce path-request blocking and increase overall network utilization. To achieve this objective, the algorithm computes new routes based on network-wide load balancing constraints. Simulation results show that FRA outperforms several earlier algorithms in terms of load balancing and path-request blocking.
Distributions of genetic markers in United States populations: III. Serum group systems and hemoglobin variants.

All published and unpublished population frequency data that could be located for U.S. populations are tabulated and presented for the serum group systems haptoglobin (alpha-chain), group specific component, and transferrin and for the common beta-chain variants of hemoglobin. Results obtained by combining data for comparable racial/ethnic groups are also presented. Some evidence is presented to indicate that the results obtained from the combined data may give better information on frequencies for the U.S. population at large than is obtainable from studies conducted in restricted geographic areas.
Cell-mediated immunity to retinal antigens in patients with pigmentary retinal degenerations.

Twenty patients with pigmentary retinal degenerations of various types, nine patients with other ocular and systemic illnesses, and five normal volunteer subjects were tested for cellmediated immunity by the I-iododeoxyuridine (IUDR) cytotoxicity assay, against a longterm tissue culture line derived from retinoblastoma, which by electron microscopy showed evidence of being derived from photoreceptor elements; and against control tissue culture lines derived from ocular melanoma and breast carcinoma. Seventeen of 20 patients with retinal pigment degenerations showed significantly more cytotoxicity than the other subjects only against the retinoblastoma cell line. It seemed likely that the observed reactions were against normal retinal antigens in the tumor cell line. This finding of cell-mediated immunity in patients with benign retinal disease is consistent with animal experiments showing that parts of the retina are antigenic, and suggests that cellular immune processes may play a role in the pathogenesis or pathophysiology of pigmentary retinal degenerations.
A Mathematical Model of the Spread of Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) Through a Highly Heterogeneous Spatial Domain

We are concerned with a system of partial differential equations modeling the spread of feline leukemia virus (FeLV) through highly heterogeneous habitats or spatial domains. Our differential equations may feature discontinuities in the coefficients of divergence from differential operators and discontinuities in the coupling terms. Global well posedness, long term behavior, approximation, and homogenization results are provided.
Concurrent malaria and typhoid fever in the tropics: the diagnostic challenges and public health implications.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Malaria and typhoid fever still remain diseases of major public health importance in the tropics. Individuals in areas endemic for both the diseases are at substantial risk of contracting both these diseases, either concurrently or an acute infection superimposed on a chronic one. The objective of this report was to systematically review scientific data from studies conducted in the tropics on concurrent malaria and typhoid fever within the last two decades (1987-2007), to highlight the diagnostic challenges and the public health implications. METHODS Using the MedLine Entrez-PubMed search, relevant publications were identified for the review via the key words Malaria and Typhoid fever, which yielded 287 entries as of January 2008. RESULTS Most of the studies reviewed expressed concern that poor diagnosis continues to hinder effective control of concurrent malaria and typhoid fever in the tropics due to: non-specific clinical presentation of the diseases; high prevalence of asymptomatic infections; lack of resources and insufficient access to trained health care providers and facilities; and widespread practice of self-treatment for clinically suspected malaria or typhoid fever. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION There were considerably higher rates of concurrent malaria and typhoid fever by Widal test compared to the bacteriological culture technique. Although culture technique remains the gold standard in typhoid fever diagnosis, Widal test is still of significant diagnostic value provided judicious interpretation of the test is made against a background of pertinent information. Malaria could be controlled through interventions to minimize human-vector contact, while improved personal hygiene, targeted vaccination campaigns and intensive community health education could help to control typhoid fever in the tropics.
The Robustness of the "Binormal" Assumptions Used in Fitting ROC Curves

The binormal form is the most common model used to formally fit ROC curves to the data from signal detection studies that employ the "rating" method. The author lists a number of justifications that have been offered for this choice, ranging from theoretical considerations of probability laws and signal detection theory, to mathematical tractability and convenience, to empirical results showing that "it fits! " To these justifications is added another, namely that even if an alternative formulation based on another underlying form (e.g., power law) or model (e.g., binomial, Poisson, or gamma type distributions) were in fact correct, the binormal fit differs so little from the true form as to be of no practical consequence. Moreover, the small lack of fit is unlikely to be demonstrated in practice: it is obscured by the much larger variation that can be attributed to sampling of cases. In addition, even if a very large sample of cases could be studied, the small number of rating categories used does not permit seemingly very different models to be distinguished from one another. Key words: binormal assumptions; ROC curves; signal detection theory; rating method. (Med Decis Making 8:197-203, 1988)
Waiting for Black Superman

Black male teachers make up less than 2% of the U.S. public school labor force. A prevalent discourse among educational stakeholders has suggested that Black male teachers are the key to helping students in urban schools develop skills to succeed in school by acting as role models. This assertion presents Black male teachers as a panacea to improving urban schools while ignoring the historical and contemporary contexts that complicate their roles in schools. This study uses life history methods to access the narratives of a group of Black male teachers to shed light on their experiences working in urban classrooms. The purpose of this study is to broaden our understandings about teacher education, teaching, and teacher retention of Black male teachers.
Optimized Expression and Purification for High-Activity Preparations of Algal [FeFe]-Hydrogenase

Background Recombinant expression and purification of metallo-enzymes, including hydrogenases, at high-yields is challenging due to complex, and enzyme specific, post-translational maturation processes. Low fidelities of maturation result in preparations containing a significant fraction of inactive, apo-protein that are not suitable for biophysical or crystallographic studies. Principal Findings We describe the construction, overexpression and high-yield purification of a fusion protein consisting of the algal [2Fe2S]-ferredoxin PetF (Fd) and [FeFe]-hydrogenase HydA1. The maturation of Fd-HydA1 was optimized through improvements in culture conditions and media components used for expression. We also demonstrated that fusion of Fd to the N-terminus of HydA1, in comparison to the C-terminus, led to increased expression levels that were 4-fold higher. Together, these improvements led to enhanced HydA1 activity and improved yield after purification. The strong binding-affinity of Fd for DEAE allowed for two-step purification by ion exchange and StrepTactin affinity chromatography. In addition, the incorporation of a TEV protease site in the Fd-HydA1 linker allowed for the proteolytic removal of Fd after DEAE step, and purification of HydA1 alone by StrepTactin. In combination, this process resulted in HydA1 purification yields of 5 mg L−1 of culture from E. coli with specific activities of 1000 U (U = 1 µmol hydrogen evolved mg−1 min−1). Significance The [FeFe]-hydrogenases are highly efficient enzymes and their catalytic sites provide model structures for synthetic efforts to develop robust hydrogen activation catalysts. In order to characterize their structure-function properties in greater detail, and to use hydrogenases for biotechnological applications, reliable methods for rapid, high-yield expression and purification are required.