Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Design and analysis of robust detectors for TH IR-UWB systems with multiuser interference

In this letter, we design and analyze the performance of single-user-type non-linear detectors that are able to cope with the impulsive nature of multiuser interference (MUI) in timehopping impulse-radio ultra-wideband (TH IR-UWB) systems. We collectively refer to these detectors as "robust" detectors. We first propose two novel detectors and then derive semi-analytical expressions for the bit-error rate (BER) of TH IR-UWB with general robust detection. The evaluation of these expressions greatly facilitates the optimization of detector parameters and provides insight into the effects of MUI. A performance comparison shows that (1) robust detection significantly improves performance over conventional detection in the presence of MUI, (2) the parameters for various parametric robust detectors can be chosen to be constant over many transmission scenarios with only little performance degradation compared to using the optimal parameter value, and (3) the proposed two-term detector, which requires a modest amount of parameter estimation, achieves consistently the best performance.
Channel Identification of Concatenated Fiber-Wireless Uplink Using Ternary Signals

In the uplink of a fiber-based wireless system, the multipath dispersion that is introduced by the wireless link and the nonlinear distortion that is caused by the radio-over-fiber (RoF) link significantly degrade system performance. Channel equalization is challenging, because these impairments are generally unknown to the receiver. One novel technique of estimating both of these impairments using ternary pseudorandom signals is proposed. The key idea is to exploit proper harmonic suppression through signal design such that errors that are inflicted by the nonlinear distortion can be eliminated or reduced. Capitalizing on this case, a simple yet effective correlation approach is applied to accurately estimate the channel impulse response. Subsequently, least squares polynomial fitting is invoked to identify the nonlinearity of the RoF link, making use of the linear estimates obtained earlier. Design guidelines that lead to good performance are proposed. Results reveal that an improvement in the estimation accuracy of at least a factor of two is achieved by the proposed technique over an existing technique utilizing binary signals in the various scenarios investigated, even if the identification period of the proposed technique is almost 1000 times shorter than the existing technique. Because the proposed technique enables a simpler transmitter structure and requires shorter identification periods and lower power transmission, it is found to be appealing for use in broadband fiber-based wireless systems.
Role of Nicotinamide in DNA Damage, Mutagenesis, and DNA Repair

Nicotinamide is a water-soluble amide form of niacin (nicotinic acid or vitamin B3). Both niacin and nicotinamide are widely available in plant and animal foods, and niacin can also be endogenously synthesized in the liver from dietary tryptophan. Nicotinamide is also commercially available in vitamin supplements and in a range of cosmetic, hair, and skin preparations. Nicotinamide is the primary precursor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), an essential coenzyme in ATP production and the sole substrate of the nuclear enzyme poly-ADP-ribose polymerase-1 (PARP-1). Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have clearly shown that PARP-1 and NAD+ status influence cellular responses to genotoxicity which can lead to mutagenesis and cancer formation. This paper will examine the role of nicotinamide in the protection from carcinogenesis, DNA repair, and maintenance of genomic stability.
Two candidate tumor suppressor genes, MEOX2 and SOSTDC1, identified in a 7p21 homozygous deletion region in a Wilms tumor

A SNP‐based array analysis of 100 Wilms tumors (WT) from 97 patients identified 7p alterations (hemizygous and homozygous deletions and uniparental disomy) in nine tumors. The homozygous deletion (HD) region of 7p21 found in one tumor partially overlapped with another HD region reported previously, and was narrowed down to a 2.1‐Mb region. Based on an expression analysis of 10 genes located in the HD region in 3 WT lines and previous studies on tumorigenic roles of MEOX2 and SOSTDC1, we further analyzed these two genes. Sequencing showed no mutation in MEOX2, but two missense mutations (L50F and Q129L) in SOSTDC1 in four tumors; L50F in two tumors was of germline origin. Expression levels (0, 1+ and 2+) of MEOX2 were lower in four tumors with 7p alterations than in 18 tumors with no 7p alterations (P = 0.017), and those of SOSTDC1 tended to be lower in five tumors with 7p alterations or SOSTDC1 mutation than in 17 tumors with no 7p alterations or SOSTDC1 mutation (P = 0.056). There were no significant differences in clinical characteristics between nine patients with 7p alterations and 88 patients with no 7p alterations; however, there was a difference in the status of IGF2 (uniparental disomy, loss of imprinting, or retention of imprinting) between the two patient groups (P = 0.028). Losses of MEOX2 and SOSTDC1 may accelerate angiogenesis and augment signals in the Wnt pathway, respectively. Both genes may be prime candidates for 7p tumor suppressor genes, which may have a role in the progression of Wilms tumorigenesis. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Review of antipsychotics in children and adolescents

The use of antipsychotics in children and adolescents in the clinical setting is increasing. This article reviews 77 clinical trials published in the last 10 years, investigating their efficacy, effectiveness, safety and pharmacokinetic data in paediatric populations. The diagnostic categories in which the antipsychotics are commonly used (schizophrenia, pervasive developmental disorders, Tourette’s disorder, mental retardation/subaverage intelligence, mood disorders and disruptive behaviour disorders) were used in order to review the evidence and effectiveness. All randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials from the past decade are also summarised. This review refers to recent relevant practice parameters, guidelines and reviews throughout the text. Consistent with previous reviews, it is concluded that the recent trend of increased use of antipsychotics in children and adolescents is not adequately supported by evidence. Specific suggestions have been provided on how to incorporate the existing evidence base into clinical decision making. The review ends with the authors’ opinion on the clinical and research implications for the field and future directions.
Dichotic listening during auditory hallucinations in patients with schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE Auditory hallucinations are a serious problem for a large subgroup of psychotic patients who do not respond optimally to neuroleptic medication. It has been hypothesized that hearing imaginary voices involves the same physiological processes as those involved in hearing real voices, but this hypothesis has not been conclusively confirmed. METHOD In this study a consonant-vowel version of the Dichotic Listening Test was used to assess the functional integration of the left hemisphere in hallucinating and nonhallucinating psychotic patients. The test was administered under three conditions: a nonforced attention condition, a condition in which attention was forced to the left ear, and one in which attention was forced to the right ear. RESULTS The nonhallucinating patients showed the normal right ear advantage, which indicates a left hemisphere superiority in the processing of linguistic stimuli. In contrast, the hallucinating patients showed no ear advantage. Neither group was able to modify its performance when instructed to attend to either the left or the right ear. A subgroup of patients was tested in both hallucinating and nonhallucinating states, but the ear asymmetry was not noticeably different between these states. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that auditory hallucinations are associated with abnormalities in left hemisphere functioning and that these abnormalities might not be limited to the time of the auditory hallucinations. It is hypothesized that a relatively enduring left hemisphere abnormality may leave some patients at risk for auditory hallucinations.
The effects of simultaneous exercise and psychotherapy on depressive symptoms in inpatient, psychiatric older adults.

CONTEXT Depression is the leading cause of early death, affecting 15% of Americans older than 65 y and costing $43 billion each year. The current mental health service system for seniors, particularly for the population hospitalized in acute inpatient psychiatric units, is fragmented because of poor funding and a shift to a transitory health care paradigm, leading to inadequate treatment modalities, questionable quality of care, and lack of research demonstrating the superiority of a particular treatment. These issues are likely to lead to a public health crisis in the coming years. OBJECTIVE To investigate the effectiveness of combining exercise and psychotherapy in improving acute depressive symptoms among older adults who were receiving treatment in an inpatient psychiatric unit. DESIGN Based on rolling admissions, inpatients were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups. The study was blinded and controlled. SETTING This study took place in inpatient psychiatric units at the Loma Linda University's Behavioral Medicine Center (LLUBMC) in Redlands, California. PARTICIPANTS Participants were 78 inpatients, aged 50-89 y. INTERVENTION Participants in the simultaneous exercise and psychotherapy (STEP) group (n = 26) took part in exercise and received psychotherapy for 30 min per session, whereas those in the TALK group (n = 26) received individual psychotherapy for 30 min per session. Participants in the control group (n = 26) served as a comparison group, receiving standard therapy. OUTCOME MEASURES The effects of the interventions were determined by assessing differences from baseline to postintervention in the symptomatology of all 3 groups. The research team also administered the Behavioral and Symptom Identification Scale (BASIS-32) and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) pre- and postintervention. RESULTS At posttest, the STEP group (M = 4.24, SE = 0.62) had a better response than the TALK group (M = 11.34, SE = 0.62, P < .001), which in turn showed greater improvement than the control group (M = 14.84, SE = 0.62, P < .001). Overall, these results indicate that patients' posttreatment depression scores were significantly lower in those receiving the STEP treatment compared with those receiving individual psychotherapy only or standard care. CONCLUSION A short-term exercise program consisting of 30 min of walking in conjunction with individual psychotherapy was an effective intervention for depression among older adults in inpatient psychiatric units.
Optical Wireless Communication Systems in the Mb/s to Gb/s Range, Suitable for Industrial Applications

For future short- and mid-range industrial applications, optical wireless (OW) communication systems are expected to play a major role. When moderate transmission rates (100 Mb/s range) are required, OW communications present a viable and promising technology, supplemental to conventional radio wireless systems. Advanced approaches based on diversity techniques and adaptive signal processing show potential to achieve both high spatial coverage and high bit rates of more than 100 Mb/s. Visible-light communication systems using white phosphorescent LEDs equally present an interesting application potential, combining illumination with data transfer. When high data volumes (100 Gb/s range) need to be transmitted, tailored optical data links provide a solution of choice. Exemplarily, a scalable (24-140 Gb/s) optical data link is presented, developed for future implementation in maskless lithography systems. The link comprises a high-speed data buffer with synchronizable architecture and scalable throughput (N × 24 Gb/s), an optical free-space transmission solution, and finally, a 45-channel low-noise optical receiver chip based on BiCMOS 0.6 μm technology.
Improved Bug Reporting and Reproduction through Non-intrusive GUI Usage Monitoring and Automated Replaying

Most software systems are operated using a Graphical User Interface (GUI). Therefore, bugs are often triggered by user interaction with the software's GUI. Hence, accurate and reliable GUI usage information is an important tool for bug fixing, as the reproduction of a bug is the first important step towards fixing it. To support bug reproduction, a generic, easy to integrate, non-intrusive GUI usage monitoring mechanism is introduced in this paper. As supplement for the monitoring, a method for automatically replaying the monitored usage logs is provided. The feasibility of both is demonstrated through proof-of-concept implementations. A case-study shows that the monitoring mechanism can be integrated into large-scale software products without significant effort and that the logs are replayable. Additionally, a usage-based end-to-end GUI testing approach is outlined, in which the monitoring and replaying play major roles.
Adult Learning Strategies in an Onsite Training Program in Tunisia

The new market place has dictated on adults the use of English as it is the first international language used in business. However, learning a foreign language becomes more and more complicated as the learner gets older, is in a mature command of L1 and L2, and does not have enough time to learn due to professional responsibilities. Contrary to children who acquire a language thanks to an immature prefrontal cortex, adults who are experienced, and lead complex lives rely on their L1 or L2, and their educational experience to learn a foreign language by using some strategies. This study explored the learning strategies employed by two groups of executives belonging to two different business areas in Tunisia. The instrument used to gather the data of 60 adult EFL learners was Oxford's version 7 (1989) of the 50-item Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL). The data were analyzed by means of descriptive statistics, t-test, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to find out whether any significant effect existed between age, gender, job field, and job position among the respondents in the use of language learning strategies. The results showed that mainly gender and job field impacted the selection of the language learning strategies. Recommendations to design English curriculum for adult learners are provided.
Enforcement of Temporal Fidelity in Pyramidal Cells by Somatic Feed-Forward Inhibition

The temporal resolution of neuronal integration depends on the time window within which excitatory inputs summate to reach the threshold for spike generation. Here, we show that in rat hippocampal pyramidal cells this window is very narrow (less than 2 milliseconds). This narrowness results from the short delay with which disynaptic feed-forward inhibition follows monosynaptic excitation. Simultaneous somatic and dendritic recordings indicate that feed-forward inhibition is much stronger in the soma than in the dendrites, resulting in a broader integration window in the latter compartment. Thus, the subcellular partitioning of feed-forward inhibition enforces precise coincidence detection in the soma, while allowing dendrites to sum incoming activity over broader time windows.
Theoretical calculations and performance results of a PZT thin film actuator

High piezoelectric coupling coefficients of PZT-based material systems can be employed for actuator functions in micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) offering displacements and forces which outperform standard solutions. This paper presents simulation, fabrication, and development results of a stress-compensated, PZT-coated cantilever concept in which a silicon bulk micromachining process is used in combination with a chemical solution deposition (CSD) technique. Due to an analytical approach and a finite element method (FEM) simulation for a tip displacement of 10 /spl mu/m, the actuator was designed with a cantilever length of 300 /spl mu/m to 1000 /spl mu/m. Special attention was given to the Zr/Ti ratio of the PZT thin films to obtain a high piezoelectric coefficient. For first characterizations X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), hysteresis-, current-voltage I(V)and capacitance-voltage C(V)-measurements were carried out.
Differential infiltration of macrophages and prostaglandin production by different uterine leiomyomas.

BACKGROUND The association between uterine myoma and infertility is still controversial. The anatomical defect of endometrium by uterine fibroids could be a factor for reducing pregnancy rates and increasing miscarriage rates. However, pregnancy and implantation rates were found to be significantly lower in women with intramural myomas (IMMs), when there was no deformity of uterine cavity. This could be due to other biological factors such as increased accumulation of inflammatory cells within fibroid tissue and corresponding endometrium that might impair fertility. Therefore, we tried to investigate the pattern of macrophage (Mvarphi) accumulation in different uterine fibroids and the production of chemokine and prostaglandin (PG) by these tissues. METHODS The selection criteria of uterine fibroids were based on the classification of European Society of Hysteroscopy. Biopsy specimens were collected from respective nodules and autologous endometrium of 20 women with submucosal myoma (SMM), 29 women with IMM and 18 women with subserosal myoma (SSM). CD68 immunoreactive Mvarphis were identified in these tissues by immunohistochemistry. A fraction of corresponding tissues were homogenized, and levels of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) and PGF(2alpha) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS Mvarphi infiltration in the myoma nodule and corresponding endometrium of women with SMM and IMM was significantly higher than that of women with SSM or control women (P<0.01 and P<0.05, respectively). This tissue accumulation of inflammatory cells was independent of the sizes of the myoma nodules and phases of menstrual cycle. The tissue concentration of MCP-1 corresponded to increased Mvarphi infiltration and was significantly higher in women with SMM and IMM than that in women with SSM (P<0.05 for each). A positive correlation was observed between MCP-1 concentration and accumulated Mvarphi numbers in the endometrium of women with SMM and IMM but not in women with SSM. The tissue levels of PGF2alpha were also significantly higher in the nodule and corresponding endometrium of women with SMM and IMM than that in SSM or control women (P<0.05 for each). CONCLUSIONS Higher production of MCP-1 could be responsible for the increased accumulation of Mvarphi in women with SMM and IMM. The augmented inflammatory reaction in endometrium and increased PGF2alpha levels might be detrimental to reproductive outcome in women with SMM or IMM.
Cochlear Implantation in Older Adults

Cochlear implants allow individuals with severe to profound hearing loss access to sound and spoken language. The number of older adults in the United States who are potential candidates for cochlear implantation (CI) is approximately 150,000 and will continue to increase with the aging of the population. Should CI be routinely recommended for these older adults, and do these individuals benefit from CI? We reviewed our 12-year experience with CI in adults aged ≥60 years (n = 445) at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions to investigate the impact of CI on speech understanding and to identify factors associated with speech performance. Complete data on speech outcomes at baseline and 1 year post-CI were available for 83 individuals. Our results demonstrate that CI in adults aged ≥60 years consistently improved speech understanding scores, with a mean increase of 60.0% (SD 24.1) on HINT (Hearing in Noise Test) sentences in quiet. The magnitude of the gain in speech scores was negatively associated with age at implantation, such that for every increasing year of age at CI the gain in speech scores was 1.3 percentage points less (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.6–1.9) after adjusting for age at hearing loss onset. Conversely, individuals with higher pre-CI speech scores (HINT scores between 40% and 60%) had significantly greater post-CI speech scores by a mean of 10.0 percentage points (95% CI, 0.4–19.6) than those with lower pre-CI speech scores (HINT <40%) after adjusting for age at CI and age at hearing loss onset. These results suggest that older adult CI candidates who are younger at implantation and with higher preoperative speech scores obtain the highest speech understanding scores after CI, with possible implications for current United States Medicare policy. Finally, we provide an extended discussion of the epidemiology and impact of hearing loss in older adults. Future research of CI in older adults should expand beyond simple speech outcomes to take into account the broad cognitive, social, and physical functioning outcomes that are likely detrimentally affected by hearing loss and may be mitigated by CI. Abbreviations95% CI = 95% confidence interval, CI = cochlear implantation, CMS = Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, dB = decibel, GWAS = genome-wide association studies, HINT = Hearing in Noise Test, NHANES = National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, PTA = pure tone average
Recombinant Zebrafish γ-Glutamyl Hydrolase Exhibits Properties and Catalytic Activities Comparable with Those of Mammalian Enzyme

A cDNA encoding for zebrafish γ-glutamyl hydrolase (γGH) was cloned and inserted into a pET43.1a vector via SmaI and EcoRI sites and expressed in Rosetta (DE3) cells as a Nus-His-tag fusion enzyme (NH-zγGH). After induction with isopropyl thiogalactoside, the enzyme was purified with a Ni-Sepharose column, and approximately 8 mg of pure enzyme was obtained per liter of culture. The primary sequence of the recombinant zγGH was similar to mammalian γGH. Thrombin digestion of this NH-zγGH fusion protein resulted in zγGH with approximately 2-fold higher catalytic activity compared with the NH-zγGH fusion enzyme. This recombinant zγGH is active and exhibits comparable endopeptidase activity with folate substrate and antifolate drug methotrexate. Use of this recombinant zγGH significantly increased efficiency in folylpolyglutamate hydrolysis for folate analysis compared with current protocols.
TRIANGULUM II: POSSIBLY A VERY DENSE ULTRA-FAINT DWARF GALAXY

Laevens et al. recently discovered Triangulum II (Tri II), a satellite of the Milky Way. Its Galactocentric distance is 36 kpc, and its luminosity is only 450 L ⊙ ? > . Using Keck/DEIMOS, we measured the radial velocities of six member stars within 1. ′2 of the center of Tri II, and we found a velocity dispersion of &sgr; v = 5.1 − 1.4 + 4.0 km s − 1 ? > . We also measured the metallicities of three stars and found a range of 0.8 dex in [Fe/H]. The velocity and metallicity dispersions identify Tri II as a dark matter-dominated galaxy. The galaxy is moving very quickly toward the Galactic center ( v GSR = - 262 km s − 1 ? > ). Although it might be in the process of being tidally disrupted as it approaches pericenter, there is no strong evidence for disruption in our data set. The ellipticity is low, and the mean velocity, ⟨ v helio ⟩ = - 382.1 ± 2.9 km s − 1 ? > , rules out an association with the Triangulum–Andromeda substructure or the Pan-Andromeda Archaeological Survey stellar stream. If Tri II is in dynamical equilibrium, then it would have a mass-to-light ratio of 3600 − 2100 + 3500 M ☉ L ☉ − 1 , ? > the highest of any non-disrupting galaxy (those for which dynamical mass estimates are reliable). The density within the 3D half-light radius would be 4.8 − 3.5 + 8.1 M ☉ pc − 3 , ? > even higher than Segue 1. Hence, Tri II is an excellent candidate for the indirect detection of dark matter annihilation.