Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Performance Analysis of Offset Pulse-Position Modulation Over an Optical Channel

This paper presents an original performance analysis of an offset pulse-position modulation (PPM) scheme using graded index plastic optical fiber with a Gaussian impulse response. The main aim of this analysis is to predict how sensitivity, error, number of required photons, threshold voltage, and the effect of intersymbol interference will change with the change in the number of data bits encoded at a rate of 1 Gbit/s. An information theory analysis is presented in detail and the bandwidth-utilization efficiency is determined. Results are compared to equivalent digital PPM and multiple PPM schemes and it is also shown that offset PPM gives a 7.5 dB advantage over nonreturn-to-zero on-off keying.
Shaping HTTP adaptive streams for a better user experience

With increasing audio/video service consumption through unmanaged IP networks, HTTP adaptive streaming techniques have emerged to handle bandwidth limitations and variations. But while it is becoming common to serve multiple clients in one home network, these solutions do not adequately address fine tuned quality arbitration between the multiple streams. While clients compete for bandwidth, the video suffers unstable conditions and/or inappropriate bit-rate levels. We hereby experiment a mechanism based on traffic chapping that allow bandwidth arbitration to be implemented in the home gateway, first determining desirable target bit-rates to be reached by each stream and then constraining the clients to stay within their limits. This enables the delivery of optimal quality of experience to the maximum number of users. This approach is validated through experimentation, and results are shown through a set of objective measurement criteria.
Earnings and Price Momentum

This paper examines whether earnings momentum and price momentum are related. Both in time-series as well as in cross-sectional asset pricing tests, we find that price momentum is captured by the systematic component of earnings momentum. The predictive power of past returns is subsumed by a zero-investment portfolio that is long on stocks with high earnings surprises and short on stocks with low earnings surprises. Further, returns to the earnings-based zero-investment portfolio that is long on stocks with high earnings surprises. Further, returns to the earnings-based zero-investment portfolio are significantly related to future macroeconomic activities, including growth in GDP, industrial production, consumption, labor income, inflation, and T-bill returns. Our results have implications for the Carhart four-factor model and suggest that the price-momentum factor in the Carhart model is merely a noisy proxy for the earnings-momentum based hedge portfolio, PMN.
Sphingosine‐1‐phosphate is a mediator of TNF‐α action on the Na+/K+ ATPase in HepG2 cells

We showed previously that TNF‐α down‐regulates the Na+/K+ ATPase in HepG2 cells. This work was undertaken to study the role of ceramide and its metabolites in TNF‐α action. Treating HepG2 cells with the cytokine in presence of an inhibitor of sphingomyelinase, abrogated the effect of TNF‐α on the ATPase. To confirm the involvement of ceramide or its metabolites, cells were incubated with exogenous ceramide. Ceramide reduced time‐dependently the activity of the ATPase and its effect disappeared in presence of CAY 10466 or SHKI, respective inhibitors of ceramidase and spingosine kinase, suggesting that ceramide acts via sphingosine or sphingosine‐1‐phosphate (S1P). However, HepG2 cells treated with exogenous sphingosine showed a higher Na+/K+ ATPase activity inferring that S1P is the one responsible for the down‐regulatory effect of TNF‐α and ceramide. This hypothesis was confirmed by the observed inhibitory effect of exogenous S1P on the pump, which was maintained when JNK and NF‐κB were inhibited separately or simultaneously. The concurrent, but not individual inhibition of the kinase and transcription factor in the absence of S1P imitated the effect of S1P. It was concluded that S1P down‐regulates the ATPase by inhibiting both JNK and NF‐κB. This conclusion was supported by the observed decrease in the phosphorylation of c‐jun and the enhanced protein expression of IκB and lower NK‐KB activity. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 2077–2085, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Community proteogenomics reveals insights into the physiology of phyllosphere bacteria

Aerial plant surfaces represent the largest biological interface on Earth and provide essential services as sites of carbon dioxide fixation, molecular oxygen release, and primary biomass production. Rather than existing as axenic organisms, plants are colonized by microorganisms that affect both their health and growth. To gain insight into the physiology of phyllosphere bacteria under in situ conditions, we performed a culture-independent analysis of the microbiota associated with leaves of soybean, clover, and Arabidopsis thaliana plants using a metaproteogenomic approach. We found a high consistency of the communities on the 3 different plant species, both with respect to the predominant community members (including the alphaproteobacterial genera Sphingomonas and Methylo bacterium) and with respect to their proteomes. Observed known proteins of Methylobacterium were to a large extent related to the ability of these bacteria to use methanol as a source of carbon and energy. A remarkably high expression of various TonB-dependent receptors was observed for Sphingomonas. Because these outer membrane proteins are involved in transport processes of various carbohydrates, a particularly large substrate utilization pattern for Sphingomonads can be assumed to occur in the phyllosphere. These adaptations at the genus level can be expected to contribute to the success and coexistence of these 2 taxa on plant leaves. We anticipate that our results will form the basis for the identification of unique traits of phyllosphere bacteria, and for uncovering previously unrecorded mechanisms of bacteria-plant and bacteria-bacteria relationships.
Population-based case–control study of soyfood intake and breast cancer risk in Shanghai

We evaluated the association of soyfood intake and breast cancer risk in a population-based case–control study among Chinese women in Shanghai. Included in the study were 1459 cases and 1556 age-matched controls, with respective response rates of 91.1% and 90.3%. Usual soyfood intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Separate analyses were performed for all subjects and for the subset who reported no recent change in soyfood intake. The intake levels of soyfoods among women in Shanghai are high, with 96.6% women reporting soyfood consumption at least once a week. A statistically non-significant reduced risk (odds ratio (OR) = 0.78 95% CI = 0.52–1.16) of breast cancer was observed among those who reported eating soyfood at least once a week. Compared to those in the lowest decile intake group, women in the highest decile intake group had a 30% reduced risk of breast cancer (OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.46–0.95), but no monotonic dose–response relation was observed (P for trend, 0.28). Stratified analyses showed that the inverse association was restricted primarily among women who had a high body mass index (BMI), with an adjusted OR of 0.30 (95% CI = 0.10–0.94) observed for the highest intake group. The reduction in risk was stronger for breast cancer positive for both oestrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) (OR = 0.44, 95% CI = 0.25–0.78) than those with other ER/PR status. More pronounced inverse associations were observed in analyses among those who reported no recent change in soyfood intake than those conducted in all subjects. A dose–response relation between soyfood intake and breast cancer risk was observed in this subset of women (P for trend, 0.02), with an OR of 0.46 (95%CI = 0.28–0.75) for those in the highest decile intake group. No clear monotonic dose–response relation was found between soyfood intake and breast cancer risk among regular soy eaters, but nevertheless the results suggest that regular soyfood consumption may reduce the risk of breast cancer, particularly for those positive for ER and PR; the effect may be modified by body mass index. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign
Automated discrimination between very early Alzheimer disease and controls using an easy Z-score imaging system for multicenter brain perfusion single-photon emission tomography.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In Alzheimer disease (AD), a peculiar regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) abnormality has been reported in the posterior cingulate gyri and precunei, even at a very early stage. We performed a multicenter brain perfusion single-photon emission tomography (SPECT) study to evaluate the discrimination ability of an easy Z-score imaging system (eZIS) with a common normal data base between patients with very early AD at the stage of mild cognitive impairment and age-matched healthy controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS For a multicenter study, SPECT images of 40 patients with AD and 40 healthy volunteers were acquired from 4 gamma camera systems in 4 different institutions. Systematic differences of SPECT images between gamma cameras were corrected by using conversion maps calculated from the SPECT images of the same brain phantom. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to discriminate patients and controls by using a Z-score in the volume of interest (VOI), which had been defined as a region related to AD in subjects other than those in a multicenter study. RESULTS Bilateral posterior cingulate gyri, precunei, and parietal cortices were defined as a VOI showing rCBF reduction in very early AD. A new indicator of rCBF abnormality in the VOI provided 86% accuracy for distinction of AD and healthy controls in the multicenter study. The area under the ROC curve was 0.934. CONCLUSION Because an eZIS can use a common normal data base by converting site-specific SPECT data to the core data, the eZIS was useful for automated diagnosis of very early AD in routine studies in multiple institutions.
The never-ending story of the fight against tuberculosis: from Koch’s bacillus to global control programs

Summary Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the oldest diseases known to affect humanity, and is still a major public health problem. It is caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MT), isolated in 1882 by Robert Koch. Until the 1950s, X rays were used as a cheap method of diagnostic screening together with the tuberculin skin sensitivity test. In the diagnosis and treatment of TB, an important role was also played by surgery. The late Nineteenth century saw the introduction of the tuberculosis sanatorium, which proved to be one of the first useful measures against TB. Subsequently, Albert Calmette and Camille Guérin used a non-virulent MT strain to produce a live attenuated vaccine. In the 1980s and 1990s, the incidence of tuberculosis surged as a major opportunistic infection in people with HIV infection and AIDS; for this reason, a combined strategy based on improving drug treatment, diagnostic instruments and prevention was needed.
Effectiveness, types, and usage of behavior modification at the elementary level

Ashley Hanscom EFFECTIVENESS, TYPES, AND USAGE OF BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL 2009/10 Roberta Dihoff, Ph.D. and John Klanderman, Ph.D. Master of Arts in School Psychology This study examined if 60% or more of the participants use Behavior Modification, if four or more different types are being used, and if Behavior Modification in effective in less than 2 months. A survey was distributed to an elementary school in Southern New Jersey (n = 25). Two out of the three hypotheses were proven; 100% of participants use Behavior Modification and more than four types are being used. Limitations, future research, and conclusions are discussed.
ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric nerve blocks in the treatment of chronic postherniorrhaphy groin pain: a retrospective study

License. The full terms of the License are available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. Permissions beyond the scope of the License are administered by Dove Medical Press Limited. Information on how to request permission may be found at: http://www.dovepress. com/permissions.php Journal of Pain Research 2015:8 767–770 Journal of Pain Research Dovepress
Using Genetic Algorithm for Distributed Generation Allocation to Reduce Losses and Improve Voltage Profile

This paper presents a method for the optimal allocation of Distributed generation in distribution systems. In this paper, our aim would be optimal distributed generation allocation for voltage profile improvement and loss reduction in distribution network. Genetic Algorithm (GA) was used as the solving tool, which referring two determined aim; the problem is defined and objective function is introduced. Considering to fitness values sensitivity in genetic algorithm process, there is needed to apply load flow for decision-making. Load flow algorithm is combined appropriately with GA, till access to acceptable results of this operation. We used MATPOWER package for load flow algorithm and composed it with our Genetic Algorithm. The suggested method is programmed under MATLAB software and applied ETAP software for evaluating of results correctness. It was implemented on part of Tehran electricity distributing grid. The resulting operation of this method on some testing system is illuminated improvement of voltage profile and loss reduction indexes. Keywords—Distributed Generation, Allocation, Voltage Profile, losses, Genetic Algorithm.
The interplay between spontaneous and evoked brain activity during visual perception

The vast majority of studies in cognitive neuroscience have focused on the brain’s response to a task or stimulus. However, the brain is very active even in the absence of explicit input or output, as its enormous energy consumption at rest suggests. This ongoing brain activity is present at all timescales; as spontaneous neuronal firing measured by electrophysiology, and as slow fluctuations in the BOLD signal measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Its significance for behaviour is still unclear. This thesis explores the nature of the brain’s spontaneous activity, with an emphasis on its interaction with brain activity devoted to visual perception. Using a theoretical approach, I first show that the amount of energy expended on evoked brain activity related to a perceptual decision is minute compared to the energy expenditure associated with spontaneous activity. I then focus on spontaneous brain activity measured in the fMRI signal, the so-called resting-state fluctuations. Using simultaneous fMRI-electrophysiology in awake monkeys, I demonstrate that these fMRI resting-state fluctuations are strongly correlated to underlying fluctuations in neural activity, and are therefore likely to be neural in origin. A further fMRI study in humans shows that resting-state fluctuations in visual cortex can account for a significant degree to the variability in cortical, and to a lesser degree to the variability in behavioural responses to a visual stimulus at perceptual threshold. Lastly, I use a visual illusion called motion-induced blindness as a model system for studying the effect of spontaneous fluctuations in internal brain state on bistable perception. Using fMRI in humans, I show that while the retinal input remains constant, activity in early visual cortex reflects awareness of the stimulus. In the final, behavioural experiments, I manipulate the brain’s internal state by examining the influence of endogenous attention on the temporal dynamics of motion-induced blindness. Taken together, these studies show that spontaneous brain activity plays an important role in visual perception, and argue that understanding the brain’s internal dynamics is essential to understanding the brain as a whole.
2-Aminoethylphosphonic acid concentrations in some rumen ciliate protozoa

The concentration of 2-aminoethylphosphonic acid has been measured in seven genera of rumen ciliate protozoa. Expressed as milligrams per gram of total nitrogen, 2-aminoethylphosphonic acid concentrations ranged from 17.2 in Ophryoscolex spp. to 72.4 in Eremoplastron spp.
Reductions in Negative Automatic Thoughts in Students Attending Mindfulness Tutorials Predicts Increased Life Satisfaction

University education confronts students with stressful developmental challenges that can lead to mental health problems. Innovative programs must address an increasing prevalence of these problems but are impeded by the high costs involved. In this study, thirty-nine undergraduate students attended weekly one hour mindfulness meditation tutorials during a single (14 week) semester. Tutorials involved 40 minutes of guided meditation, followed by open-ended discussions on mindfulness and related scientific research. Multiple regression analysis tested associations between self-reported changes in mindfulness, in negative automatic thoughts and in satisfaction with life.Reductions in automatic thoughts accounted for a significant proportion of variance in life satisfaction and decreases in automatic thoughts were associated with an increased life satisfaction. This finding suggests guided meditation tutorials merit consideration in promoting student mental health on university campuses.
EMG-triggered stimulation post spinal cord injury: A case report

ABSTRACT Background: Mechanical injury in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) rarely transects the cord completely, even when the injury is classified as complete. These patients can show sub-clinical evidence of spared motor connections, which might be amenable to targeted rehabilitation. Neurophysiological evaluations can complement the clinical evaluation by providing objective data about conduction across the SCI site. Case Description: A twenty-four year old patient with SCI was admitted to a rehabilitation centre 49 days post traumatic SCI. His injury was categorized as motor and sensory complete (AIS A) with a neurological level of C4. The strength of his triceps bilaterally was recorded 0/5 repeatedly by his therapists during the five-month period post-injury. As a result, no training was provided for these muscles during the rehabilitation program. Neurophysiological Assessment: Motor evoked potentials (MEPs) were recorded from his left triceps with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) which confirmed the existence of spared corticospinal connections to this muscle post-injury. Intervention: He completed a series of active-assisted exercises with an EMG-triggered neuromuscular stimulation (NMS) device for his left triceps comprising 20-minutes elbow extension (15 trials), three times per day for 4 weeks. Outcome: The strength of his left triceps gradually improved to 2/5. Discussion: Neurophysiological evaluation can be useful in identifying residual function below the level of injury, which can, in turn, be enhanced through appropriate rehabilitation strategies.
Signaling between two interacting sensor kinases promotes biofilms and colonization by a bacterial symbiont

Cells acclimate to fluctuating environments by utilizing sensory circuits. One common sensory pathway used by bacteria is two‐component signaling (TCS), composed of an environmental sensor [the sensor kinase (SK)] and a cognate, intracellular effector [the response regulator (RR)]. The squid symbiont Vibrio fischeri uses an elaborate TCS phosphorelay containing a hybrid SK, RscS, and two RRs, SypE and SypG, to control biofilm formation and host colonization. Here, we found that another hybrid SK, SypF, was essential for biofilms by functioning downstream of RscS to directly control SypE and SypG. Surprisingly, although wild‐type SypF functioned as an SK in vitro, this activity was dispensable for colonization. In fact, only a single non‐enzymatic domain within SypF, the HPt domain, was critical in vivo. Remarkably, this domain within SypF interacted with RscS to permit a bypass of RscS‘s own HPt domain and SypF‘s enzymatic function. This represents the first in vivo example of a functional SK that exploits the enzymatic activity of another SK, an adaptation that demonstrates the elegant plasticity in the arrangement of TCS regulators.
ISA, ISSAM and EAU recommendations for the investigation, treatment and monitoring of late-onset hypogonadism in males: Scientific background and rationale

Prescription sales for testosterone products have substantially increased over the last several years reflecting the growing awareness of physicians for the potential benefits of testosterone replacement therapy in men with hypogonadism. Indiscriminate administration of testosterone poses a risk and has to be deprecated. Testosterone supplementation to treat late-onset hypogonadism (LOH), a term for androgen deficiency in elderly men, is still controversially discussed mainly due to a lack of large, controlled clinical trials on efficacy and safety. To provide guidance for physicians primarily dealing with aging men, ISSAM is periodically updating and publishing its recommendations as new data become available [Morales A, Lunenfeld B. International Society for the Study of the Aging Male. Investigation, treatment and monitoring of late-onset hypogonadism in males. Official recommendations of ISSAM. International Society for the Study of the Aging Male. Aging Male 2002;5:74–86 and Morales A, Lunenfeld B. Androgen replacement therapy in aging men with secondary hypogonadism. Draft recommendations for endorsement by ISSAM. Aging Male 2001;4:1]. Following a panel discussion at the 4th ISSAM Congress in Prague in February 2004, the International Society of Andrology (ISA), the International Society for the Study of the Aging Male (ISSAM) and the European Association of Urology (EAU) revised existing recommendations on the definition, diagnosis and management of LOH. The recommendations are based on the currently available scientific data on androgen supplementation therapy and should be regarded as provisional until larger-scale, long-term studies are available. While certainly not intending to be exhaustive, this review will highlight some relevant background information and provide the underlying scientific rationale for the ISA, ISSAM and EAU recommendations on LOH published in this issue.
Effects of Guided Compliance on the Disruptive Behavior of Two Students Diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

The current study attempted to determine the effe·cts of the environmental manipulations of partial task instruction, whole task instruction, and guided compliance on the disruptive behavior of two students diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The participants included two elementary-aged students diagnosed with ADHD who were referred by their parent or legal guardian to a university-based summer assessment program. A functional analysis established that the disruptive behavior of both participants was motivated by contingent peer attention. Students were exposed to treatment conditions consisting of whole versus partial tasks as well as the guided compliance. While a single subject multi-element design was used during the functional analysis phase of the study, a reversal (ABAB) design was utilized during the treatment conditions. Results of the study demonstrated that neither whole nor partial task instruction proved effective with either subject. However, preliminary support for the use of guided compliance was suggested.