Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
EM Based Joint Estimation of Frequency Offsets and Channel Gains for TWR-OFDM Systems

Two-way relay network (TWRN) with orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is an emerging paradigm, for high spectral efficiency, increased capacity in 5G wireless communications. The TWRN allows bidirectional information exchange between two users with the assistance of intermediate relay nodes by efficiently using the available spectral resources. By removing back- propagating self-interference each source node obtains the information of other source node. The accuracy of the self-interference cancellation heavily depends on the precision of the joint estimation of impairments i.e. tracking the individual oscillators and perfect channel state information (CSI). In this paper, we propose two expectation maximization (EM) based algorithms, expectation conditional maximization (ECM) and space alternating generalized expectation maximization (SAGE) which iteratively estimate multiple carrier frequency offsets (MCFOs) and frequency-selective channel coefficients in amplify-and-forward (AF) multi-relay cooperative TWR communication systems over a quasi-static channel. The Cramer-Rao lower bounds (CRLBs) for the joint estimation of multiple impairments are derived. The mean square error (MSE) performances of the proposed estimators achieve corresponding CRLBs. The performance is also evaluated by means of system bit error rate (BER). SAGE based algorithm greatly reduces the complexity compared to the ECM based algorithm.
Chapter IV: Personality Development in Infancy and the Preschool Years

MODERN personality theories assign a leading role in personality formation to the events of the preschool years. Altho the need for knowledge and understanding of the important early processes has long been acutely experienced, the relative dearth of sound studies concerned with early personality development is ample testimony to a continuing unbridged chasm between theory and observation. The scarcity of relevant studies is doubtlessly a function of several variables. One of these most certainly is a lack of technical devices for assessment of the behavior of young children comparable to those currently utilized in studies of adults. Perhaps of equal or greater moment is the cultural lag which continues to render efforts in this area less prestigeful than work in the more adequately financed and currently fashionable fields. In view of these considerations, the investigators whose products are reviewed in this article are to be commended for their attempts to extend our empirical knowledge of this crucial period of life.
Anti-amnesic and neuroprotective potentials of the mixed muscarinic receptor/sigma1 (σ1) ligand ANAVEX2-73, a novel aminotetrahydrofuran derivative

Tetrahydro-N, N-dimethyl-2, 2-diphenyl-3-furanmethanamine hydrochloride (ANAVEX2-73) binds to muscarinic acetylcholine and sigma1 (σ1) receptors with affinities in the low micromolar range. We characterized its anti-amnesic and neuroprotective potentials in pharmacological and pathological amnesia models. Spatial working memory was evaluated using spontaneous alternation in the Y-maze and non-spatial memory using passive avoidance procedures. ANAVEX2-73 (0.01–3.0 mg/kg i.p.) alleviated the scopolamine- and dizocilpine-induced learning impairments. ANAVEX2-73 (300 µg/kg) also reversed the learning deficits in mice injected with Aβ25-35 peptide, a non-transgenic Alzheimer’s disease model. When the drug was injected simultaneously with Aβ25-35, 7 days before the tests, it blocked the appearance of learning impairments. This protective activity was confirmed since ANAVEX2-73 blocked the Aβ25-35-induced oxidative stress in the hippocampus. This effect was differentially sensitive to the muscarinic receptor antagonist scopolamine or the σ1 protein antagonist BD1047, confirming the mixed muscarinic/σ1 pharmacological action. Finally, its unique demethyl metabolite, ANAVEX19-144, was also effective and ANAVEX2-73 presented a longer duration of action, effective 12 h before Aβ25-35, than its related compound ANAVEX1-41. The neuroprotective activity of ANAVEX2-73, its mixed cholinergic/σ1 activity, its low active dose range and its long duration of action together reinforce its therapeutic potential in Alzheimer’s disease.
How Big Is the Gap and How To Narrow It? an Investigation Into the Active and Passive Vocabulary Knowledge of L2 Learners

It is generally believed that L2 learners know more words of the target language than they can actually use them. The aim of this study is to find out more about this gap and the ways to narrow it. The subjects under study were several groups of sub-degree students and the instruments for data collection included an active and a passive vocabulary test as well as a questionnaire. There was no evidence to indicate a consistent ratio between active and passive vocabulary knowledge and the relationship between them has been found to be more complicated than it appears to be. On the other hand, learning strategies which help to enhance active vocabulary knowledge have been identified. These and other findings of the study will be of interest to researchers in similar areas as well EAP teachers who are concerned about improving the vocabulary knowledge of their students. The author is indebted to the Hong Kong Polytechnic University for funding the project and Professor Paul Nation for providing the long version of the Word Levels Test used in the study.
A New Magnetic Resonance Imaging Analysis Method for the Measurement of Disc Height Variations

Study Design A new magnetic resonance image analysis method is proposed which is based on the definition of the borders of the vertebral bodies adjacent to the intervertebral disc and their varying relationships. The reproducibility of this method (the socalled “centroid” method) was assessed by consecutive measurements. Its potential to depict diurnal disc height variations was studied using randomized groups of volunteers. Objective To determine if magnetic resonance imaging can reliably measure disc height variations in the lumbar spine in vivo. Summary of Background Data A review of the literature indicates that noninvasive, accurate methods to study the effect of load on intervertebral discs in vivo are needed. Methods The reproducibility of the centroid method was assessed in 10 healthy volunteers in 2 consecutive measurements and compared to a conventional method (mean anterior and posterior disc height). To investigate the potential for the depiction of diurnal disc height variations, 10 volunteers were randomized in a study group (1 measurement in the morning, 1 measurement in the evening) and a control group (2 consecutive measurements in the morning). Results The centroid method allows the depiction of disc height variations as small as 0.85 mm with a 95% confidence (tolerance limits), whereas a conventional method needs variations of at least 1.66 mm. In the study (diurnal) group, the disc height decreased significantly (P < 0.0001) during the day (mean, ‐0.9 mm), while no variation (P < 0.8) was found in the control group. Conclusions These results indicate that the centroid method can reliably detect disc height variations in an experimental setting. The centroid method provides the potential for evaluations of the effects of various work places, work equipment, work tasks, and postures.
Regular to chaotic transition of stick–slip motion in sliding friction of an adhesive gel-sheet

Spatio-temporal pattern of the stick–slip motion of a gel-sheet pulled on a glass substrate is observed. The sliding takes place via the propagation of the wave of detachment (Schallamach wave). At large pull velocity, the detached region is a stripe which moves regularly with constant speed and the frictional force shows a periodic time dependence. As the pull velocity is decreased, the detached region is separated into bubbles which move around irregularly. In the irregular state, the frictional force shows chaotic time dependence and the statistics of the event of the force drop obeys a power law similar to the Gutenberg–Richter law known in earthquakes. In the regular region, the detachment wave is analyzed theoretically and the velocity and lengths are obtained as a function of the pull velocity. The transition from the regular to chaotic behavior is shown to be related to the spontaneous wetting of the gel.
Graphical One-Time Password (GOTPass): A usability evaluation

ABSTRACT Complying with a security policy often requires users to create long and complex passwords to protect their accounts. However, remembering such passwords is difficult for many and may lead to insecure practices, such as choosing weak passwords or writing them down. In addition, they are vulnerable to various types of attacks, such as shoulder surfing, replay, and keylogger attacks (Gupta, Sahni, Sabbu, Varma, & Gangashetty, 2012) One-Time Passwords (OTPs) aim to overcome such problems (Gupta et al., 2012); however, most implemented OTP techniques require special hardware, which not only adds cost, but there are also issues regarding its availability (Brostoff, Inglesant, & Sasse, 2010). In contrast, the use of graphical passwords is an alternative authentication mechanism designed to aid memorability and ease of use, often forming part of a multifactor authentication process. This article is complementary to the earlier work that introduced and evaluated the security of the new hybrid user-authentication approach: Graphical One-Time Password (GOTPass) (Alsaiari et al., 2015). The scheme aims to combine the usability of recognition-based and draw-based graphical passwords with the security of OTP. The article presents the results of an empirical user study that investigates the usability features of the proposed approach, as well as pretest and posttest questionnaires. The experiment was conducted during three separate sessions, which took place over five weeks, to measure the efficiency, effectiveness, memorability, and user satisfaction of the new scheme. The results showed that users were able to easily create and enter their credentials as well as remember them over time. Participants carried out a total of 1,302 login attempts with a 93% success rate and an average login time of 24.5 s.
The disenchanted world and beyond: toward an ecological perspective on science

Positivism and, especially, Max Weber's vision of the modern disen chantment of the world are incoherent because they separate human culture from the environment in which human agents pursue their life- projects. The same problem is manifested, more blatantly, in current social studies of science, which take the project of disenchantment further by disenchanting science itself. A different image of science is traced to classical empiricism, whose paradigm of learning is belief and, more specifically, the practical nature of the believer's experience of the environment of his or her actions. The believer's ecological imagery of the world, as it was elaborated by classical empiricism, provides the means to transcend the disenchanted image of the world and its prob lems.
On the use of continuous flash suppression for the study of visual processing outside of awareness

The interocular suppression technique termed continuous flash suppression (CFS) has become an immensely popular tool for investigating visual processing outside of awareness. The emerging picture from studies using CFS is that extensive processing of a visual stimulus, including its semantic and affective content, occurs despite suppression from awareness of that stimulus by CFS. However, the current implementation of CFS in many studies examining processing outside of awareness has several drawbacks that may be improved upon for future studies using CFS. In this paper, we address some of those shortcomings, particularly ones that affect the assessment of unawareness during CFS, and ones to do with the use of “visible” conditions that are often included as a comparison to a CFS condition. We also discuss potential biases in stimulus processing as a result of spatial attention and feature-selective suppression. We suggest practical guidelines that minimize the effects of those limitations in using CFS to study visual processing outside of awareness.
Residential Satisfaction and Levels of Environment in Students’ Residences

This study investigates the relationship between residential satisfaction and levels of the residential environment. Specifically, it identifies the levels of environment to which users respond in relation to satisfaction, how significant satisfaction is across levels of environment, and the dimensions of satisfaction across the levels. The study uses data collected from 1,124 students in 20 residence halls in four Nigerian universities. Responses to 49 satisfaction items about various attributes of the residence halls are subjected to factor analysis. Three levels of environment, namely, the bedroom, the floor, and the hall emerge from the analysis, and satisfaction is significantly different across these levels. Although the experience of satisfaction is different, separate, and hierarchical at the different levels of environment, the users respond to similar dimensions of satisfaction at each level. The implications of these results are also discussed.
Liberal Imperialism in Australian Political Thought, 1902–14

British politics immediately following the Boer War featured a group of politicians and intellectuals known as the Liberal Imperialists and this account explores the political thought of their Australian counterparts. Australian liberal intellectuals of particular relevance for this study were located in Melbourne, which was at that time the federal capital, and they were loosely clustered around the key political figure of the period, Alfred Deakin. The extended circle of Alfred Deakin provides scholars with a useful group of active intellectuals from whom it is possible to derive an idea of the Australian inflection given to Liberal Imperialist thought, concentrating on the intersection of notions of imperial unity and progressive social reform agendas which flourished in both Australia and Britain during the Edwardian era. The group of politicians and public intellectuals, comprising an overlapping membership including the Imperial Federation League, friends and associates of Alfred Deakin and the Boobooks Club, would subsequently evolve into the main Australian branch of the Round Table organisation. This article is concerned with discovering the outlines of the Australian version of Liberal Imperialist thought and especially the nature of the Australian inflection superimposed on this British set of ideas, as found in a variety of contemporary pamphlets, printed books and Boobooks minutes. The Australians were less pessimistic than Richard Jebb about the possibilities of a supranational imperial organisation but also insisted that such an organisation must respect the sovereignty of dominions. They differed from most of their British counterparts in supporting the widespread use of tariffs to nurture industry and they also supported the restrictive immigration position enshrined in the infamous White Australia policy, yet they were much in favour of the notion of a strong British navy.
Critical Aspects of Detection of Sperm DNA Fragmentation by Tunel/Flow Cytometry

Despite the many studies documenting an increase of sperm DNA damage in subfertile and infertile subjects, determining whether this parameter is relevant for the clinic is still an open question. Indeed, results of clinical investigations on sperm DNA damage and outcome of ART procedures are often conflicting as many factors affect the predictive power of these tests. The techniques used to reveal such damage is one of these factors. Techniques detecting sperm DNA damage are indeed numerous and heterogeneous. In addition, it is not obvious that they reveal the same type of DNA damage and that their results are equivalent. One of the available methods to detect sperm DNA damage is the TUNEL assay. Since it was developed in the 1990s the TUNEL assay has been widely employed, becoming one of the most popular strategies to investigate the origin, the mechanism, and the clinical meaning of sperm DNA damage. Our group has used TUNEL coupled to flow cytometry to investigate sperm DNA fragmentation for about 10 years. According to our experience, this technique presents some pitfalls and limitations in the accuracy and reproducibility of the measures of sperm DNA fragmentation. In this review, we discuss several technical features of TUNEL and report the solutions adopted by our group to overcome some of its limitations.
Access to homeownership among immigrant groups in Canada

Ces dernieres annees l'interet s'est accru pour les experiences des immigrants apres leur arrivee dans la societe nord-americaine. Dans cet article, nous argumentons le fait que le logement, et plus specifiquement le bail, est un sujet important bien que largement neglige en ce qui concerne la vie de l'immigrant dans la societe canadienne. En utilisant des chiffres du recensement de 1986 et la structure des modeles log-lineaires, nous examinons les baux des logements des immigrants dans les differentes regions du Canada. On argumente que les immigrants sont differencies par la culture, le temps et l'espace en ce qui concerne le bail, avec des immigrants plus recents, particulierement ceux qui arrivent des pays en voie de developpement, qui ont des taux de propriete particulierement plus bas. In recent years interest has grown in the post-arrival experiences of immigrants in North American society. In this paper we argue that housing, and more specifically tenure, is an important, though largely neglected, issue with respect to immigrant life in Canadian society. Using data from the 1986 census and a log-linear modelling framework, we examine housing tenure among immigrants in the regions of Canada. It is argued that immigrants are a culturally, temporally and spatially differentiated sub-population in regard to tenure, with more recent immigrants, especially those from the Developing World, having substantially lower rates of homeownership.
Mobilizing the Base and Embarrassing the Opposition: Defense of Marriage Referenda and Cross-Cutting Electoral Cleavages

Using the recent spate of so-called Defense of Marriage (DOMA) referenda as a point of analysis, the author argues that direct democracy presents the potential for intensifying the nature of interparty competition at the state level. Given a particular configuration of circumstances—namely where a salient electoral issue cross-cuts already existing party cleavages—ballot referenda can become tools by which political parties “poach” members of an opposing coalition. Using data at the county level, the author finds evidence that DOMA ballot referenda do not simply mobilize conservative Protestant voters; they also (potentially) reorient the partisan loyalties of two core Democratic constituencies: African Americans and Hispanics. However, as the electoral system is dynamic, the effectiveness of referenda as mechanisms of partisan competition changes with succeeding election cycles and may even lead to unintended effects. Notably, late-cycle DOMA elections (those occurring in 2005 and 2006) provide evidence both for increasingly effective mobilization within the gay and lesbian community and, more surprisingly, to increasing opposition to antigay marriage measures on the part of Mainline Protestant and Catholic voters. The author discusses the implications of these findings for our understanding of the gay marriage debate specifically and for the dynamics of the American party system more generally.
From wealth to well-being? Money matters, but less than people think

While numerous studies have documented the modest (though reliable) link between household income and well-being, we examined the accuracy of laypeople's intuitions about this relationship by asking people from across the income spectrum to report their own happiness and to predict the happiness of others (Study 1) and themselves (Study 2) at different income levels. Data from two national surveys revealed that while laypeople's predictions were relatively accurate at higher levels of income, they greatly overestimated the impact of income on life satisfaction at lower income levels, expecting low household income to be coupled with very low life satisfaction. Thus, people may work hard to maintain or increase their income in part because they overestimate the hedonic costs of earning low levels of income.
α2-macroglobulin co-administered in vivo promotes antigen delivery and presentation

Administered in vivo, covalent receptor-recognized α2-macroglobulin (α2M*)-antigen complexes enhance humoral and cell-mediated immunity. We hypothesized that in vivo α2M*-encapsulation could be promoted in the setting of vaccines that co-deliver α2M* with unbound antigen, thereby eliminating the need to prepare complexes in vitro. Mice immunized intradermally with co-delivered α2M* and OVA demonstrated antigen-specific immune responses, including anti-tumor responses, similar to those elicited by conjugated α2M*-OVA complexes. Enhanced immunity appears to result from in vivo α2M*-encapsulation of antigen. This finding represents a significant advancement in the development of α2M* as an antigen delivery vehicle capable of enhancing the presentation of subunit vaccines.
Copper Transporter 2 Regulates the Cellular Accumulation and Cytotoxicity of Cisplatin and Carboplatin

Purpose: Copper transporter 2 (CTR2) is known to mediate the uptake of Cu+1 by mammalian cells. Several other Cu transporters, including the influx transporter CTR1 and the two efflux transporters ATP7A and ATP7B, also regulate sensitivity to the platinum-containing drugs. We sought to determine the effect of CTR2 on influx, intracellular trafficking, and efflux of cisplatin and carboplatin. Experimental Design: The role of CTR2 was examined by knocking down CTR2 expression in an isogenic pair of mouse embryo fibroblasts consisting of a CTR1+/+ line and a CTR1−/− line in which both CTR1 alleles had been deleted. CTR2 levels were determined by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR and Western blot analysis. Cisplatin (DDP) was quantified by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and 64Cu and [14C]carboplatin (CBDCA) accumulation by γ and scintillation counting. Results: Deletion of CTR1 reduced the uptake of Cu, DDP, and CBDCA and increased resistance to their cytotoxic effects by 2- to 3-fold. Knockdown of CTR2 increased uptake of Cu only in the CTR1+/+ cells. In contrast, knockdown of CTR2 increased whole-cell DDP uptake and DNA platination in both CTR1+/+ and CTR1−/− cells and proportionately enhanced cytotoxicity while producing no effect on vesicular accumulation or efflux. A significant correlation was found between CTR2 mRNA and protein levels and sensitivity to DDP in a panel of six ovarian carcinoma cell lines. Conclusions: CTR2 is a major determinant of sensitivity to the cytotoxic effects of DDP and CBDCA. CTR2 functions by limiting drug accumulation, and its expression correlates with the sensitivity of human ovarian carcinoma cell lines to DDP.
`Beyond Our Imagination'

This article addresses cultural asymmetry experienced by Chinese students during their participation in an MBA at leading UK business schools. It discusses the pedagogical assumptions that underpin MBA education and the behavioural response of Chinese students to pedagogy. It argues that management teachers in UK business schools should be reflexive about the potential ethnocentrism embedded in their pedagogical approach, value cultural assumptions held by incoming Chinese students and explore these in a dialogic fashion, which takes account of power relations underpinning interactions between management teachers in the west and Chinese students.