Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Blind Schemes for Asynchronous CDMA Systems on Dispersive MIMO Channels

The problem of blind detection in a dispersive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) code division multiple access (CDMA) channel is considered in this paper. Unlike previous studies, each user is assigned one spreading code to be employed on all of the transmit antennas, which poses a problem of data re-association at the receiver-end in the absence of prior information as to the channel state. Focusing on the differential Alamouti scheme, we propose a two-stage receive structure. The first stage performs a linear interference-blocking transformation, which allows user separation and inter-symbol interference (ISI) suppression. The second stage is, instead, a novel differential space-time block (STB) decoder suitable for frequency-selective channels. Interestingly, the proposed detector allows decoupling of the decisions on the transmitted symbols, while its blind implementation only requires a cubic (in the processing gain) complexity. A thorough performance assessment is undertaken to investigate, on one hand, the capability of acquiring the missing information, such as the system and the encoder timings, on the other hand, the interplay between the diversity gain provided by the MIMO structure of the communication system, and the additional co-channel interference that multiple transmit antennas produce in multi-path, multiple-access channels.
Facilitation of Affiliation and Pair-Bond Formation by Vasopressin Receptor Gene Transfer into the Ventral Forebrain of a Monogamous Vole

Behaviors associated with monogamy, including pair-bond formation, are facilitated by the neuropeptide vasopressin and are prevented by a vasopressin receptor [V1a receptor (V1aR)] antagonist in the male prairie vole. The neuroanatomical distribution of V1aR dramatically differs between monogamous and nonmonogamous species. V1aR binding is denser in the ventral pallidal region of several unrelated monogamous species compared with nonmonogamous species. Because the ventral pallidum is involved in reinforcement and addiction, we hypothesize that V1aR activation in this region promotes pair-bond formation via a mechanism similar to conditioning. Using an adeno-associated viral vector to deliver the V1aR gene, we increased the density of V1aR binding in the ventral pallial region of male prairie voles. These males exhibited increased levels of both anxiety and affiliative behavior compared with control males. In addition, males overexpressing the V1aR in the ventral pallidal region, but not control males, formed strong partner preferences after an overnight cohabitation, without mating, with a female. These data demonstrate a role for ventral pallidal V1aR in affiliation and social attachment and provide a potential molecular mechanism for species differences in social organization.
The effects of treadmill exercise on penicillin-induced epileptiform activity

Introduction The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of short-, moderate- and long-duration treadmill exercise (15, 30 and 60 min) on the mean frequency and amplitude of penicillin-induced epileptiform activity in rats. Material and methods In this study, 32 rats were assigned to 15, 30, and 60 min running exercise groups and the control group, each consisting of 8 rats. According to the specified protocol, the rats were submitted to running exercises at the same hour of each day for 90 days. After the exercise program, the rats were administered (500 IU/2.5 µl) of penicillin into the left cortex by the microinjection method. An electrocorticogram (ECoG) recording was performed for 3 h using a data acquisition system. The frequency and the amplitude of the recordings were analyzed. Results Short-duration treadmill exercise (15 min) caused a decrease in the frequency of penicillin-induced epileptiform activity at 70 min after penicillin injection (p < 0.001). The mean frequency of epileptiform activity decreased at 90 min after penicillin injection in the 30 and 60 min treadmill exercise groups (p < 0.01). The mean amplitude of epileptiform activity was not changed in any of the exercise groups compared to the control (p > 0.05). Conclusions The results of the present study demonstrate for the first time that short-, moderate- and long-duration treadmill exercises decreased the frequency of penicillin-induced epileptiform activity. These findings may contribute to improving the quality of life in epileptic patients.
Field Experience: Experiential Learning as Complementary to the Conceptual Learning for International Students in a Graduate Teacher Education Program.

This study examined the value of field experience as a component of study for international students in a Graduate Teacher Education program at a Midwestern liberal arts university. The purpose of the field experience was to provide a contextual basis for student learning. The espoused research method included a quantitative component via survey and qualitative data, through a focus group interview and participants’ field notes. As a result, there is evidence to suggest that the field experience program, as a component of the graduate education program for international students was valuable. Participants described it as being relevant and real. As evident from the field notes, participants reflected on the opportunity for cross-cultural application of their learning, while emphasizing that the learning was palpable and reinforced their conceptual learning. Through the field experience program, participants reported that they gained in-depth insight on leadership and classroom instruction; therefore, they were able to improve their craft as educational leaders. Moreover, evidence from this study also suggests that participants were prepared to approach meaningful educational reform upon returning to their homeland, in Saudi Arabia.
Emergence of Dynamic Memory Traces in Cortical Microcircuit Models through STDP

Numerous experimental data suggest that simultaneously or sequentially activated assemblies of neurons play a key role in the storage and computational use of long-term memory in the brain. However, a model that elucidates how these memory traces could emerge through spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) has been missing. We show here that stimulus-specific assemblies of neurons emerge automatically through STDP in a simple cortical microcircuit model. The model that we consider is a randomly connected network of well known microcircuit motifs: pyramidal cells with lateral inhibition. We show that the emergent assembly codes for repeatedly occurring spatiotemporal input patterns tend to fire in some loose, sequential manner that is reminiscent of experimentally observed stereotypical trajectories of network states. We also show that the emergent assembly codes add an important computational capability to standard models for online computations in cortical microcircuits: the capability to integrate information from long-term memory with information from novel spike inputs.
Holistic business process reengineering: an international empirical survey

Despite the widespread adoption of BPR, it has in many cases repeatedly failed to deliver its promised results. The lack of a holistic implementation approach to exploiting BPR is seen as one of the important reasons amongst others, behind BPR failures. Yet, a relative void in the literature remains the scarcity of suitable models and frameworks that address the implementation issues surrounding BPR. This motivates the presented study to attempt to provide a 'frame of reference' with which current practices can be re-positioned and in doing so, supporting management. A survey was therefore designed to collect data from a sample of organizations in the US and Europe. The survey assesses the level of importance placed on the essential elements of holistic BPR implementation. In doing so, the study was also able to identify the level of maturity of holistic BPR concepts within organizations. Empirical findings are then discussed in the context of other studies.
Predictors of Early Morbidity and Mortality After Thrombolytic Therapy of Acute Myocardial Infarction: Analyses of Patient Subgroups in the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) Trial, Phase II

Background Thrombolysis has altered treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Therefore, reevaluation of predictors of outcome and treatment strategies is appropriate. Methods and Results Clinical variables collected prospectively for the 3,339 patients of the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction II study were analyzed retrospectively to identify predictors of clinical events at 42 days and earlier and to identify subgroups in which an invasive or conservative strategy might be superior. Pulmonary edema/cardiogenic shock presented as the strongest independent correlate with death (relative risk, 6.0). In two subgroups, mortality differed between the invasive and conservative strategies: 1) Patients with versus without prior AMI had a higher mortality in the conservative strategy (11.5% versus 3.5%, p < 0.001); in the invasive strategy, the mortality rates were similar (6.0% and 5.1%). 2) Patients with diabetes mellitus and no prior AMI had a higher mortality in the invasive than in the conservative strategy (14.8% versus 4.2%, p < 0.001). Reinfarction was not independently correlated with baseline characteristics except with history of angina (relative risk, 1.9). Mortality was lower in current smokers and ex-smokers versus never-smokers (3.6% and 4.8% versus 8.0%, p < 0.001). Current smokers had a lower risk profile (p < 0.001), including age, pulmonary edema/cardiogenic shock, history of hypertension, and diabetes. The rate of reinfarction was lower in current smokers versus ex-smokers and never-smokers (4.6% versus 8.3% and 8.8%, p < 0.001). “Not current smoker” was an independent correlate with reinfarction (relative risk, 1.9). The coronary anatomy did not differ among the current smokers, ex-smokers, and never-smokers. Conclusions The strong independent correlation of pulmonary edema/cardiogenic shock with death suggests that thrombolysis is not sufficient to improve survival in these patients. The higher mortality in patients with versus without prior AMI in the conservative strategy suggests that early catheterization and revascularization of these patients might be beneficial. Conversely, the higher mortality in diabetics without prior AMI in the invasive than in the conservative strategy suggests that early aggressive management might not be suitable in this subgroup except for clinical indications. Reinfarction was not predictable by clinical variables except by history of angina. The finding that “not current smoker” was an independent correlate with reinfarction was unexpected.
Investigation of strategic perspectives of development of river ports in Ukraine

Исследован речной порт с позиции одного из узловых объектов логистической системы страны национального и регионального уровня. Обоснована целесообразность расширения комплекса логистических услуг, которые должны предоставляться речными портами и выполнять стандартные функции обычного логистического центра. Обусловлена такими решениями инвестиционная привлекательность речных портов и спрос на их услуги. Установлены динамика и тренды развития потенциала речных портов и его использования.
Knowledge Management Enablers, Process and Organizational Performance: Evidence from Malaysian Enterprises

This research study demonstrates the important of the knowledge creation process. It helps to demonstrate that knowledge management enablers, including learning and T-Shaped skills can promote organizational creativity and thus organizational performance. Therefore it can be argued that the best path for Malaysian SMEs to achieve organizational performance is through organizational creativity achieved through a knowledge creation process that involves knowledge enablers. Further, the imperatives of globalization mean that it is generally accepted that it is imperative for business organizations, particularly SMEs, to improve their performance, through knowledge management, in what has become a global knowledge economy. In fact, this feature provides both the background to and the rationale for this study.
Positive and negative early life experiences differentially modulate long term survival and amyloid protein levels in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

Stress has been implicated as a risk factor for the severity and progression of sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD). Early life experiences determine stress responsivity in later life, and modulate age-dependent cognitive decline. Therefore, we examined whether early life experiences influence AD outcome in a bigenic mouse model which progressively develops combined tau and amyloid pathology (biAT mice). Mice were subjected to either early life stress (ELS) or to ‘positive’ early handling (EH) postnatally (from day 2 to 9). In biAT mice, ELS significantly compromised long term survival, in contrast to EH which increased life expectancy. In 4 month old mice, ELS-reared biAT mice displayed increased hippocampal Aβ levels, while these levels were reduced in EH-reared biAT mice. No effects of ELS or EH were observed on the brain levels of APP, protein tau, or PSD-95. Dendritic morphology was moderately affected after ELS and EH in the amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex, while object recognition memory and open field performance were not affected. We conclude that despite the strong transgenic background, early life experiences significantly modulate the life expectancy of biAT mice. Parallel changes in hippocampal Aβ levels were evident, without affecting cognition of young adult biAT mice.
A configurable IP Core for arbitrary inverse quantized transforms with dynamic video resolutions

In this paper, a low-complexity IP Core based on the CORDIC algorithm is proposed for image/video decoding process in compatibility with the standard MPEG-4 Visual and the standard H.264/AVC. This, Inverse Discrete Cosine and Integer Transform (IDCIT), can be used to support multiplierless 1-D 8-point IDCT and 1-D 4-point/8-point inverse integer transforms. Meanwhile, the number for CORDIC iterations and compensation steps are adjustable in order to compensate the video compression quality. The implementations are embedded in public available software XVID Codes 1.2. 2 for the standard MPEG-4 Visual and the H.264/AVC reference software JM 16.1, where the experimental results show that a trade-off between video compression quality in PSNR and computational complexity is obtained.
Entrepreneurship, Subjectivism, and the Resource-Based View: Towards a New Synthesis

This paper maintains that the consistent application of subjectivism helps to reconcile contemporary entrepreneurship theory with strategic management research in general, and the resource-based view in particular. The paper synthesizes theoretical insights from Austrian economics and Penrose's (1959) resources approach, arguing that entrepreneurship is inherently subjective and firm specific. This new synthesis describes how entrepreneurship is manifested in teams, and is driven by both heterogeneity of managerial mental models and shared team experiences.
Predicting experiential qualities of architecture by its spatial properties

While experiential qualities of rectangular architectural spaces can be effectively predicted from their proportions and area (Franz, von der Heyde, & Bulthoff, 2003), these factors obviously cannot be directly transferred on open-plan indoor spaces. We introduce an approach that relates experiential qualities of arbitrarily shaped architectural spaces to their spatial form using isovists (Benedikt, 1979) that allow to generically describe spatial properties. In an exploratory psychological experiment, 33 characteristic values derived from the isovists were tested on their predictive power on experiential qualities by correlating them with averaged affective appraisals. Thirty-four virtual reality simulated indoor scenes were rated by 2x8 participants using the semantic differential. Particularly measurands capturing the qualities spaciousness, openness, complexity, and order turned out to be effective predictor variables. The findings are discussed in terms of evolutionary and information rate related theories of environmental preferences.
NLmaps: A Natural Language Interface to Query OpenStreetMap

We present a Natural Language Interface (nlmaps.cl.uni-heidelberg.de) to query OpenStreetMap. Natural language questions about geographical facts are parsed into database queries that can be executed against the OpenStreetMap (OSM) database. After parsing the question, the system provides a text based answer as well as an interactive map with all points of interest and their relevant information marked. Additionally, we provide several options for users to give feedback after a question has been parsed.
Model-Based Software Engineering to Tame the IoT Jungle

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a challenging combination of distribution and heterogeneity. A number of software engineering solutions address those challenges in isolation, but few solutions tackle them in combination, which poses a set of concrete challenges. The ThingML (Internet of Things Modeling Language) approach attempts to address those challenges. This model-driven, generative approach, which was inspired by UML, integrates concepts targeted at the IoT. Over the past six years, it has been continuously evolved and applied to cases in different domains, including a commercial e-health solution.
e-purchase intention of Taiwanese consumers : sustainable mediation of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use

This study proposes a new model by partially combining personality traits (PT) and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) attributes to examine the influences of personality characteristics (conscientiousness, openness) and perception of technology (perceived usefulness, perceives ease of use) on e-purchase intention. We use truncate sampling technique and survey questionnaire to target the sample of Taiwanese online consumers and collect data. We find that consciousness (CON) (personality attribute) significantly influences perceived usefulness (PU) (technology perception attributes), perceived ease of use (PEOU) (technology perception attributes) and openness to experience (OPE) (personality attribute). PU, PEOU and OPE have significant impacts on e-purchase intention (INT). PEOU has the strongest positive impact on (INT). In addition, PU, PEOU and OPE combined together mediate the relationship between CON and INT. Further post hoc analysis of the mediation shows that both PU and PEOU are sustainable mediators. However, OPE is not a significant mediator.
Tropic Trust Versus Nordic Trust: Experimental Evidence from Tanzania and Sweden

Undergraduates in Tanzania and Sweden participated in one Trust game, one Dictator game, and answered a standard set of survey questions relating to trust. In both countries we detected a strong and significant relation between Dictator donations and proportions returned in Trust games, indicating that unconditional distribution preferences matter in Trust game behaviour. In Sweden incentive compatible evaluations of unrevealed Dictator donations significantly predicted the amount sent in Trust games. The predictive power of survey trust questions differed between countries: a plausible relation between survey trust and trust behaviour was found in Sweden but not in Tanzania.
Turbulent Velocity Fields in SPH--simulated Galaxy Clusters

We present a study of the turbulent velocity ﬁelds in the Intra Cluster Medium of a sample of 21 galaxy clusters simulated by the SPH–code Gadget2, using a new numerical scheme where the artiﬁcial viscosity is suppressed outside shocks. The turbulent motions in the ICM of our simulated clusters are detected with a novel method devised to better disentangle laminar bulk motions from chaotic ones. We focus on the scaling law between the turbulent energy content of the gas particles and the total mass, and ﬁnd that the energy in the form of turbulence scales approximatively with the thermal energy of clusters. We follow the evolution with time of the scaling laws and discuss the physical origin of the observed trends. The simulated data are in agreement with independent semi–analytical calculations, and the combination between the two methods allows to constrain the scaling law over more than two decades in cluster mass.
Sasakian geometry, hypersurface singularities, and Einstein

This review article has grown out of notes for the three lectures the second author presented during the XXIV-th Winter School of Geometry and Physics in Srni, Czech Republic, in January of 2004. Our purpose is twofold. We want give a brief introduction to some of the techniques we have developed over the last 5 years while, at the same time, we summarize all the known results. We do not give any technical details other than what is necessary for the clarity of the exposition. In conclusion we would like to argue that Sasakian geometry has emerged as one of the most powerful tools of constructing and proving existence of special Riemannian metrics, such as Einstein metrics or metrics of positive Ricci curvature, on a wide range of odd-dimensional manifolds. The key geometric object in the theory is that of a contact structure (hence, only odd dimensions) together with a Riemannian metric naturally adapted to the contact form. Sasakian metrics in contact geometry are analogous to the Kähler metrics in the symplectic case. We begin with basic facts about contact and Sasakian manifolds after which we focus on exploring the fundamental relation between the Sasakian and the transverse Kähler geometry. In this context positive Sasakian, Sasakian-Einstein, and 3-Sasakian manifolds are introduced. In Section 3 we present all known constructions of 3-Sasakian manifolds. These come as V-bundles over compact quaternion Kähler orbifolds and large families can be explicitly obtained using symmetry reduction. We also discuss Sasakian-Einstein manifolds which are not 3-Sasakian. Here there has been only one effective method of producing examples, namely by representing a Sasakian-Einstein manifold as the total space of an S 1 Seifert bundle over a Kähler-Einstein orbifold. In the smooth case with a trivial orbifold structure , this construction goes back to Kobayashi [Kob56]. Any smooth Fano variety Z which admits a Kähler-Einstein metric can be used for the base of a unique simply connected circle bundle P which is Sasakian-Einstein. Any Sasakian-Einstein manifold obtained this way is automatically regular. It is clear that, in order to get non-regular examples of Sasakian-Einstein structures, one should replace the smooth Fano structure with a Fano orbifold. This was done in [BG00] where we generalized the Kobayashi construction to V-bundles over Fano orbifolds. However , at that time, with the exception of twistor spaces of known 3-Sasakian met-rics, compact Fano orbifolds known to admit orbifold Kähler-Einstein metrics were rare. …
Visual importance-biased image synthesis animation

Present ray tracing algorithms are computationally intensive, requiring hours of computing time for complex scenes. Our previous work has dealt with the development of an overall approach to the application of visual attention to progressive and adaptive ray-tracing techniques. The approach facilitates large computational savings by modulating the supersampling rates in an image by the visual importance of the region being rendered.This paper extends the approach by incorporating temporal changes into the models and techniques developed, as it is expected that further efficiency savings can be reaped for animated scenes. Applications for this approach include entertainment, visualisation and simulation.