Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Infinite series representations of the trivariate and quadrivariate Rayleigh distribution and their applications

Few theoretical results are known about the joint distribution of three or more arbitrarily correlated Rayleigh random variables (RVs). Consequently, theoretical performance results are unknown for three- and four-branch equal gain combining (EGC), selection combining (SC), and generalized SC (GSC) in correlated Rayleigh fading. This paper redresses this gap by deriving new infinite series representations for the joint probability density function (pdf) and the joint cumulative distribution function (cdf) of three and four correlated Rayleigh RVs. Bounds on the error resulting from truncating the infinite series are derived. A classical approach, due to Miller, is used to derive our results. Unfortunately, Miller's approach cannot be extended to more than four variates and, in fact, the quadrivariate case considered in this paper appears to be the most general result possible. For brevity, we treat only a limited number of applications in this paper. The new pdf and cdf expressions are used to derive the outage probability of three-branch SC, the moments of the EGC output signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and the moment generating function of the GSC(2,3) output SNR in arbitrarily correlated Rayleigh fading. A novel application of Bonferroni's inequalities allows new outage bounds for multibranch SC in arbitrarily correlated Rayleigh channels.
In vitro development and mitochondrial fate of macaca–rabbit cloned embryos

Interspecies cloning may be used as an effective method to conserve highly endangered species and to support the development of non‐human primate animal models for studying therapeutic cloning and nuclear–cytoplasm interaction. The use of the monkey model for biomedical research can avoid legal, ethical, and experimental limitations encountered in a clinical situation. We describe in this study the in vitro development of macaca–rabbit embryos produced by fusing macaca fibroblasts with enucleated rabbit oocytes and examine the fate of mitochondrial DNA in these embryos. We show that macaca–rabbit cloned embryos can develop to the blastocyst stage when cultured in vitro in HECM10 +10% FBS and that mitochondrial DNA derived from donor somatic cells was detectable in cloned embryos throughout preimplantation development. These results suggest that (1) macaca fibroblast nuclei can dedifferentiate in enucleated metaphase II rabbit oocytes; (2) HECM10 +10% FBS can break through the development block and support the development of macaca–rabbit cloned embryos to blastocysts; and (3) donor‐cell‐derived mitochondrial DNA is not eliminated until blastocyst stage. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 65: 396–401, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
H2 temperatures in the Crab Nebula

We used K-band spectra to measure the H2 excitation temperatures in six molecular knots associated with the filaments in the Crab Nebula. The temperatures are quite high – in the range T ∼ 2000–3000 K, just below the H2 dissociation temperature. This is the temperature range over which the H2 1–0 S(1) line at λ2. 121 μm has its maximum emissivity per unit mass, so there may be many additional H2 cores with lower temperatures that are too faint to detect. We also measured the electron density in adjacent ionized gas, which on the assumption of gas pressure balance indicates densities in the molecular region nmol ∼ 20 000 H baryons cm −3 , although this really is just a lower limit since the H2 gas may be confined by other means. The excited region may be just a thin skin on a much more extensive blob of molecular gas that does not have the correct temperature and density to be as easily detectable. At the opposite extreme, the observed knots could consist of a fine mist of molecular gas in which we are detecting essentially all of the H2. Future CO observations could distinguish between these two cases. The Crab filaments serve as the nearby laboratories for understanding the very much larger filamentary structures that have formed in the intracluster medium of cool-core galaxy clusters.
Cutting and Pasting Up: "Documents" and Provenance in a Complex Work Environment

This paper explores how historical models of documents as stable information artifacts should be replaced with a new model of information objects that exist around and between document boundaries. The new model is information-centered; files and documents are seen as snapshots in time, part of individual and group information flows. The flows are versioned across multiple documents and applications. This model is based on new fine-grained tracking and analysis capabilities derived from machine learning research. Using these capabilities, we outline a view of documents based on results from an experiment that tracked the activities of 17 information workers doing their regular work over 8 weeks. The research supports certain postmodern theories of work, specifically the notion of "pasting up. " The construct of provenance describes information flows and networks and is the core theoretical base of the paper. The research had two goals: to understand what users do moment to moment and to provide insight for information management. There are further implications for information design in managing multi-tasking workloads, for methods of studying computer-based work, and for an updated desktop user interface
A child cohort study from southern Italy enlarges the genetic spectrum of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most frequent genetic cardiovascular disorder worldwide. It is the leading cause of sudden cardiac‐related death in young people and a major cause of cardiac failure and death in elderly people. However, HCM frequently goes undiagnosed until the appearance of overt signs and symptoms, thereby delaying prophylactic and therapeutic measures. We screened patients for sarcomeric genes associated with HCM to obtain information that could be useful for an early diagnosis and so limit the severe consequences of silent HCM. We recruited 39 families with HCM from southern Italy and found mutations in 41% of families (12 with familial HCM and 4 with sporadic HCM). The remaining 23 families (59%) were negative for myofilament gene mutations. Of the 12 mutations identified, 8 were novel. Screening of the other family members available revealed that 27 had mutations; 11 of these individuals had no signs or symptoms suggestive of HCM. This study, besides characterizing the spectrum of mutations in another childhood population, and revealing an even greater genetic heterogeneity than formerly recognized, may increase genotype‐phenotype correlations, and thus may help to identify asymptomatic candidates for early preventive or therapeutic measures.
Spread of blaCTX-M-14 Is Driven Mainly by IncK Plasmids Disseminated among Escherichia coli Phylogroups A, B1, and D in Spain

ABSTRACT Since its first description in 2000, CTX-M-14 has become one of the most widespread extended-spectrum β-lactamases in Spain. In the present Escherichia coli multilevel population genetic study involving the characterization of phylogroups, clones, plasmids, and genetic platforms, 61 isolates from 16 hospitalized patients and 40 outpatients and healthy volunteers recovered from 2000 to 2005 were analyzed. Clonal relatedness (XbaI pulsed-field gel electrophoresis [PFGE] type, phylogenetic group, multilocus sequence type [MLST]) was established by standard methods. Analysis of transferred plasmids (I-CeuI; S1 nuclease; restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis; and analysis of RNA interference, replicase, and relaxase) was performed by PCR, sequencing, and hybridization. The genetic environment of blaCTX-M-14 was characterized by PCR on the basis of known associated structures (ISEcp1, IS903, ISCR1). The isolates were mainly recovered from patients in the community (73.8%; 45/61) with urinary tract infections (62.2%; 28/45). They were clonally unrelated by PFGE and corresponded to phylogenetic groups A (36.1%), D (34.4%), and B1 (29.5%). MLST revealed a high degree of sequence type (ST) diversity among phylogroup D isolates and the overrepresentation of the ST10 complex among phylogroup A isolates and ST359/ST155 among phylogroup B1 isolates. Two variants of blaCTX-M-14 previously designated blaCTX-M-14a (n = 59/61) and blaCTX-M-14b (n = 2/61) were detected. blaCTX-M-14a was associated with either ISEcp1 within IncK plasmids (n = 27), ISCR1 linked to an IncHI2 plasmid (n = 1), or ISCR1 linked to IncI-like plasmids (n = 3). The blaCTX-M-14b identified was associated with an ISCR1 element located in an IncHI2 plasmid (n = 1) or with ISEcp1 located in IncK (n = 1). The CTX-M-14-producing E. coli isolates in our geographic area are frequent causes of community-acquired urinary tract infections. The increase in the incidence of such isolates is mostly due to the dissemination of IncK plasmids among E. coli isolates of phylogroups A, B1, and D.
Timing of Estradiol Treatment After Menopause May Determine Benefit or Harm to Insulin Action.

CONTEXT Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is reduced in postmenopausal women randomized to estrogen-based hormone therapy (HT) compared with placebo. Insulin sensitivity is a key determinant of T2D risk and overall cardiometabolic health, and studies indicate that estradiol (E2) directly impacts insulin action. OBJECTIVE We hypothesized that the timing of E2 administration after menopause is an important determinant of its effect on insulin action. DESIGN We performed a randomized, crossover, placebo-controlled study. PARTICIPANTS Study participants were early postmenopausal (EPM; ≤ 6 years of final menses; n = 22) and late postmenopausal (LPM; ≥ 10 years since last menses; n = 24) women naive to HT. INTERVENTION Study interventions included short-term (1 week) transdermal E2 and placebo. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The study's main outcome was insulin-mediated glucose disposal (glucose disposal rate [GDR]) via hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp. RESULTS Compared to EPM women, LPM women were older (mean ± SD; 63 ± 3 vs 56 ± 4 years, P < .05) and more years past menopause (12 ± 2 vs 3 ± 2 years, P < .05). Body mass index (24 ± 3 vs 25 ± 7 kg/m(2)) and fat mass (25 ± 7 vs 23 ± 6 kg) did not differ between groups, but fat-free mass (FFM) was lower in LPM women compared to EPM women (40 ± 4 vs 43 ± 5 kg, P < .05). Baseline GDR did not differ between groups (11.7 ± 2.8 vs 11.5 ± 2.9 mg/kg FFM/min). In support of our hypothesis, 1 week of E2 decreased GDR in LPM women compared to an increase in EPM women (+0.44 ± 1.7 vs - 0.76 ± 2.1 mg/kg FFM/min, P < .05). CONCLUSIONS There was not an apparent decline in GDR with age or time since menopause per se. However, E2 action on GDR was dependent on time since menopause, such that there was an apparent benefit early (≤ 6 years) compared to harm later (≥ 10 years) in menopause. E2-mediated effects on insulin action may be one mechanism by which HT reduces the incidence of T2D in early postmenopausal women.
A Logic of Implicit and Explicit Belief

As part of an on-going project to understand the foundations of Knowledge Representation, we are attempting to characterize a kind of belief that forms a more appropriate basis for Knowledge Representation systems than that captured by the usual possible-world formalizations begun by Hintikka. In this paper, we point out deficiencies in current semantic treatments of knowledge and belief (including recent syntactic approaches) and suggest a new analysis in the form of a logic that avoids these shortcomings and is also more viable computationally.
Fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography after transpupillary thermotherapy of choroidal neovascularization. Early vascular changes

Transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) is currently being evaluated in clinical trials for the treatment of choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Preliminary results show that TTT achieves closure of CNV and reduction in subretinal exudation while preserving visual acuity. Fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography reveal increased leak-age activity from CNV and collateral choroid within 1 hour after TTT and absence of dye leakage from CNV at 1 week after treatment. Optical coherence tomography confirms the angiographic findings. The early vascular changes after TTT of CNV are similar to those observed after PDT of CNV. Transpupillary thermotherapy and PDT might share common mechanisms of action. A placebo-controlled, multi-center trial (TTT4CNV) evaluating the long-term efficacy and visual implications of TTT in occult CNV is underway.
The Pathology of MS: New Insights and Potential Clinical Applications

Background:The pathological hallmarks of the multiple sclerosis (MS) lesion consist of focal demyelination, inflammation, scar formation, and variable axonal destruction. Despite years of classical histopathological study and more recent intensive use of magnetic resonance technology, the MS lesion is incompletely understood. How it is initiated, how it changes over time, how it correlates with clinical symptoms and other markers of disease activity, and how it is impacted by therapeutic intervention are all largely unknown. As the site of disease pathology, the MS lesion remains the target of attack for therapy. Therefore it is essential we better understand MS lesion evolution and its clinical as well as paraclinical correlates. Review Summary:In this review, we focus on what can be learned about MS from detailed pathological analysis. We discuss the literature on both the traditional and more recent changing concepts about MS pathogenesis. We also review the work of the Multiple Sclerosis Lesion Project, an international collaborative effort to study the pathologic, clinical, and radiologic correlates of the MS lesion. Conclusions:The introduction of new technologies has contributed to a better appreciation regarding the complexity of the MS lesion. The discovery of heterogeneity in demyelinating lesions has suggested that different mechanisms may be involved in MS pathogenesis. This observation may be important for future studies on the etiology and therapy of the disease. However the potential to apply these findings to the clinic will rely on the development of technologies that allow the stratification of MS subtypes without being dependent on brain biopsies.
Relationship of codon bias to mRNA concentration and protein length in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In 1982, Ikemura reported a strikingly unequal usage of different synonymous codons, in five Saccharomyces cerevisiae nuclear genes having high protein levels. To study this trend in detail, we examined data from three independent studies that used oligonucleotide arrays or SAGE to estimate mRNA concentrations for nearly all genes in the genome. Correlation coefficients were calculated for the relationship of mRNA concentration to four commonly used measures of synonymous codon usage bias: the codon adaptation index (CAI), the codon bias index (CBI), the frequency of optimal codons (Fop), and the effective number of codons (N̂c). mRNA concentration was best approximated as an exponential function of each of these four measures. Of the four, the CAI was the most strongly correlated with mRNA concentration (rs=0.62±0.01, n=2525, p<10−17). When we controlled for CAI, mRNA concentration and protein length were negatively correlated (partial rs=–0.23±0.01, n=4765, p<10−17). This may result from selection to reduce the size of abundant proteins to minimize transcriptional and translational costs. When we controlled for mRNA concentration, protein length and CAI were positively correlated (partial rs=0.16±0.01, n=4765, p<10−17). This may reflect more effective selection in longer genes against missense errors during translation. The correlation coefficients between the mRNA levels of individual genes, as measured by different investigators and methods, were low, in the range rs=0.39–0.68. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Electromigration void nucleation and growth analysis using large-scale early failure statistics

Electromigration early failure void nucleation and growth phenomena were studied using large-scale, statistical analysis methods. A total of about 470,000 interconnects were tested over a wide current density and temperature range (j = 3.4 to 41.2 mA/μm2, T = 200 to 350°C) to analyze the behavior of the current density exponent n as a function of temperature. The results for the critical V1M1 downstream interface indicate a reduction from n = 1.55±0.10 to n = 1.15±0.15 when lowering the temperature towards 200°C for Cu-based interconnects. This suggests that the electromigration downstream early failure mechanism is shifting from a mix of nucleation-controlled (n = 2) and growth-controlled (n = 1) to a fully growth-controlled mode, assisted by the increased thermal stress at lower temperatures (especially at use conditions). For Cu(Mn)-based interconnects, a drop from n = 2.00±0.07 to n = 1.60±0.17 was found, indicating additional effects of a superimposed incubation time. Implications for extrapolations of accelerated test data to use conditions are discussed. Furthermore, the scaling behavior of the early failure population at the NSD = −3 level (F ∼ 0.1%) was analyzed, spanning 90, 65, 45, 40 and 28 nm technology nodes.Electromigration early failure void nucleation and growth phenomena were studied using large-scale, statistical analysis methods. A total of about 470,000 interconnects were tested over a wide current density and temperature range (j = 3.4 to 41.2 mA/μm2, T = 200 to 350°C) to analyze the behavior of the current density exponent n as a function of temperature. The results for the critical V1M1 downstream interface indicate a reduction from n = 1.55±0.10 to n = 1.15±0.15 when lowering the temperature towards 200°C for Cu-based interconnects. This suggests that the electromigration downstream early failure mechanism is shifting from a mix of nucleation-controlled (n = 2) and growth-controlled (n = 1) to a fully growth-controlled mode, assisted by the increased thermal stress at lower temperatures (especially at use conditions). For Cu(Mn)-based interconnects, a drop from n = 2.00±0.07 to n = 1.60±0.17 was found, indicating additional effects of a superimposed incubation time. Implications for extrapolations .
Coarse-grained reconfigurable stream processor for distributed smart cameras

To support distributed video content analysis for video sensors in machine-to-machine networks, a reconfigurable stream processor for distributed smart cameras is proposed in this paper. A coarse-grained reconfigurable image stream processing architecture (CRISPA) with heterogeneous stream processing (HSP) and subword-level parallelism (SLP) is proposed to accelerate various algorithms for computer vision applications of smart-cameras. Implementation results show that the proposed design outperforms existing vision processors in many aspects: the on-chip memory size, power efficiency and area efficiency are 18.2 to 87.4 times, 4.5 to 12.5 times, and 3.8 to 25.5 times better than the state-of-the-art chips. Moreover, the programmability of the proposed design makes it capable of supporting many high-level computer vision algorithms in high specification.
Design and analysis of low-complexity interference mitigation on vector channels

Linear multiuser detectors for vector channels with crosstalk are approximated by weighted matrix polynomials. The weight optimization problem is overcome using convergence results from random matrix theory. The results are also extended to receivers with subsequent successive decoding. In the case of subsequent successive decoding, a novel low-complexity implementation is found for the first-order approximation that is based on matched filter banks only and does not require matrix algebra. Spectral efficiency is obtained analytically and found to be fairly close to the optimum. The paper is focussed on multiuser detection for CDMA, but the results can be easily extended to communication via antenna arrays.
Effects of eye movements upon excitability of cat superior colliculus as tested by electrical stimulation of the cortico-collicular pathway.

Influences of saccadic eye movements upon excitability of superior colliculus (SC) were examined in chronic cats carrying implanted electrodes and in encéphale isolé cats. Excitability of SC was assessed by recording responses of SC to electrical stimulation of cortico-collicular (CC) pathway. The SC response to stimulation of CC fibers consisted of two componenets, i.e. presynaptic T and postsynaptic R. Eye movements enhanced R but did little change T. Enhancement of the postsynaptic component R was ascribable to a central factor on the basis of the following results: 1) Enhancement of R occurred independently of whether the ambient illumination was present or not. 2) Saccade-like movements of a slit of light in front of immobilized eyes never induced enhancement of R. 3) PRF stimulation, effective to cause saccade-like eye movements, always elicited enhancement of R, independent of the ambient condition of eyes and even after eyes had been immobilized.
Synapse-Specific Expression of Functional Presynaptic NMDA Receptors in Rat Somatosensory Cortex

Presynaptic NMDA receptors (NMDARs) modulate release and plasticity at many glutamatergic synapses, but the specificity of their expression across synapse classes has not been examined. We found that non-postsynaptic, likely presynaptic NR2B-containing NMDARs enhanced AMPA receptor-mediated synaptic transmission at layer 4 (L4) to L2/3 (L4–L2/3) synapses in juvenile rat barrel cortex. This modulation was apparent at room temperature when presynaptic NMDARs were activated by elevation of extracellular glutamate or application of exogenous NMDAR agonists. At near physiological temperatures, modulation of transmission by presynaptic NMDARs occurred naturally, without the need for external activation. Blockade of presynaptic NMDARs depressed unitary and extracellularly evoked EPSCs at L4–L2/3 synapses, accompanied by increases in paired-pulse ratio and coefficient of variation, indicative of a decrease in presynaptic release probability. NMDAR agonists increased the frequency of miniature EPSCs in L2/3 neurons, without altering their amplitude or kinetics. Focal application of NMDAR antagonist revealed that the NMDARs that modulate L4–L2/3 transmission are located in L2/3, not L4, consistent with localization on terminals or axons of L4–L2/3 synapses, rather than on the somatodendritic compartment of presynaptic L4 neurons. In contrast, presynaptic NMDARs did not modulate L4–L4 synapses, which originate from the same presynaptic neurons as L4–L2/3 synapses, or cross-columnar L2/3–L2/3 horizontal projections, which synapse onto the same postsynaptic target neurons. Thus, presynaptic NMDARs selectively modulate L4–L2/3 synapses, relative to other synapses made by the same neurons. Existence of these receptors may support specialized processing or plasticity by L4–L2/3 synapses.
Is Nonhelical Hydromagnetic Turbulence Peaked at Small Scales?

Nonhelical hydromagnetic turbulence without an imposed magnetic field is considered in the case where the magnetic Prandtl number is unity. The magnetic field is entirely due to dynamo action. The magnetic energy spectrum peaks at a wavenumber of about 5 times the minimum wavenumber in the domain, and not at the resistive scale, as has previously been argued. Throughout the inertial range, the spectral magnetic energy exceeds the kinetic energy by a factor of about 2.5, and both spectra are approximately parallel. At first glance, the total energy spectrum seems to be close to k-3/2, but there is a strong bottleneck effect and it is suggested that the asymptotic spectrum is k-5/3. This is supported by the value of the second-order structure function exponent that is found to be ζ2 = 0.70, suggesting a k-1.70 spectrum.