Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A bandwidth efficient channel estimation algorithm for MIMO-SCFDE

This paper proposes a novel method for channel estimation in a single-carrier MIMO system with frequency-domain equalization/detection. To this end, we construct novel short MIMO training sequences that have a constant envelope in the time domain to preclude the peak-to-mean power problem encountered in many systems that utilize the frequency domain for data recovery. Simultaneously, the spectrum in the frequency domain is flat except for a grid of nulls for predefined frequency tones. Such construction allows us to interpolate over nulled tones to recover the full set of MIMO channel state information (CSI). The interpolation is performed by a specially crafted algorithm which iteratively reconstructs the full CSI by a series of FFT and IFFT operations. This algorithm is extremely bandwidth efficient in that the total training overhead required to obtain full CSI is just one block period.
Transcriptome Surveys in Silverfish Suggest a Multistep Origin of the Insect Odorant Receptor Gene Family

The insect odorant receptor (Or) gene family is among the largest multigene families in insect genomes, but its evolutionary origin and mode of expansion is still a matter of debate. We performed transcriptomic surveys of two wingless insect species, the silverfish Lepisma saccharina and Tricholepidion gertschi, and identified multiple Or gene family members in both species. A phylogenetic analysis suggests that the silverfish Ors do not fall into the clade comprised of more derived flying insect ligand-binding Ors, but, along with bristletail, firebrat and some mayfly Ors, are consistently resolved as a distinct set of genes that may constitute an evolutionary intermediate between gustatory receptors and the more derived Ors of flying insects. We propose to consider these “primitive Ors” separately from higher insect Ors until their cellular expression patterns and function are resolved and suggest a multistep evolutionary scenario ultimately leading to the highly sensitive, rapidly evolving and physiologically diverse Or gene family observed in higher insects.
Prevalence of malaria parasitaemia and malaria related anaemia among pregnant women in Abakaliki, South East Nigeria.

BACKGROUND Malaria currently is regarded as the most common and potentially the most serious infection occurring in pregnancy in many sub Saharan African countries. This study was undertaken to evaluate the prevalence of malaria parasitaemia and malaria related anaemia among pregnant women in Abakaliki, South East, Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a cross sectional, descriptive study conducted in two tertiary health institutions in Abakaliki, South East, Nigeria (Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital And Federal Medical Centre). Using systematic sampling method, 193 pregnant women were selected from the health institutions for the study. Their blood were analysed for haemoglobin status and malaria parasite. Data were also collected using an interviewer administered questionnaire. All the data were analysed using Epi info version 6 statistical software. RESULTS Response rate was 100%. Twenty nine percent prevalence of malaria parasitaemia was detected, more common among primigravidae. Women with higher parity had higher frequency of anaemia in pregnancy. More than half of the pregnant women (51%) were in their second trimester at the time of booking. There was no case of severe anaemia requiring blood transfusion. CONCLUSION Our pregnant women register late for antenatal care. Prevalence of malaria parasitaemia is high in our environment as well as anaemia in pregnancy, using the standard WHO definition. It is suggested that effort should be intensified to make our women register early for antenatal care in order to identify complications early. Intermittent preventive treatment for malaria should be incorporated into routine drugs for antenatal women.
Metabolic connectivity mapping reveals effective connectivity in the resting human brain

Significance Noninvasive brain imaging of humans identifies prominent networks related to sensory and cognitive functions in the resting state; however, the signaling hierarchy and directionality among these networks remain largely unknown. Integrating simultaneously recorded measures for network identification and regional energy metabolism, we propose metabolic connectivity mapping (MCM) as a novel measure to reveal signaling directionality in the human brain. Comparing simple “eyes closed” and “eyes open” conditions in healthy subjects, MCM revealed stable bidirectional signaling among visual cortices and top-down signaling from parietal control regions. Additional top-down signaling from a salience network occurs only during the eyes open condition. We propose MCM as a measure for investigating signaling directions among brain networks in healthy and diseased brains. Directionality of signaling among brain regions provides essential information about human cognition and disease states. Assessing such effective connectivity (EC) across brain states using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) alone has proven difficult, however. We propose a novel measure of EC, termed metabolic connectivity mapping (MCM), that integrates undirected functional connectivity (FC) with local energy metabolism from fMRI and positron emission tomography (PET) data acquired simultaneously. This method is based on the concept that most energy required for neuronal communication is consumed postsynaptically, i.e., at the target neurons. We investigated MCM and possible changes in EC within the physiological range using “eyes open” versus “eyes closed” conditions in healthy subjects. Independent of condition, MCM reliably detected stable and bidirectional communication between early and higher visual regions. Moreover, we found stable top-down signaling from a frontoparietal network including frontal eye fields. In contrast, we found additional top-down signaling from all major clusters of the salience network to early visual cortex only in the eyes open condition. MCM revealed consistent bidirectional and unidirectional signaling across the entire cortex, along with prominent changes in network interactions across two simple brain states. We propose MCM as a novel approach for inferring EC from neuronal energy metabolism that is ideally suited to study signaling hierarchies in the brain and their defects in brain disorders.
Visual Learning

The sound of crashing waves, the roar of fast-moving cars – sound conveys important information about the objects in our surroundings. In this work, we show that ambient sounds can be used as a super-visory signal for learning visual models. To demonstrate this, we train a convolutional neural network to predict a statistical summary of the sound associated with a video frame. We show that, through this process, the network learns a representation that conveys information about objects and scenes. We evaluate this representation on several recognition tasks, ﬁnding that its performance is comparable to that of other state-of-the-art unsupervised learning methods. Finally, we show through visualizations that the network learns units that are selective to objects that are often associated with characteristic sounds.
Intestinal serotonin acts as a paracrine substance to mediate vagal signal transmission evoked by luminal factors in the rat

1 The vagus nerve conveys primary afferent information produced by a meal to the brainstem. Serotonin (5‐HT), which abounds in intestinal enterochromaffin cells, is released in response to various stimuli. We have recently demonstrated that 5‐HT released from intestinal enterochromaffin cells activates 5‐HT3 receptors on vagal afferent fibres to mediate luminal non‐cholecystokinin‐stimulated pancreatic secretion. The present study was designed to evaluate the responses of vagal sensory neurons to intraluminal osmotic stimulation and luminal infusion of maltose, glucose or 5‐HT. We investigated the role of endogenous 5‐HT in signal transmission evoked by luminal stimuli to activate vagal sensory neurons. 2 The discharges of vagal primary afferent neurons innervating the intestine were recorded from rat nodose ganglia. Luminal factors such as intestinal osmotic stimuli and perfusion of carbohydrates elicited powerful vagal nodose responses. Electrical subdiaphragmatic vagal stimulation activated 364 single units; 40 of these responded to intestinal mucosal stimuli. Of these 40, 30 responded to intraduodenal perfusion of hyperosmolar NaCl (500 mosmol l−1), 27 responded to tap water (5 mosmol l−1) and 20 and 19 responded to maltose (300 mM) and glucose (277.5 mM), respectively. The 5‐HT3/4 antagonist tropisetron (ICS 205‐930) or 5‐HT3 antagonist granisetron abolished luminal stimuli‐evoked nodose neuronal responses. 3 Intraluminal infusion of 10−5 and 10−4 M 5‐HT elicited increases in vagal afferent discharge in 25 and 31 units, respectively, by activating the 5‐HT3 receptors. Acute subdiaphragmatic vagotomy, intestinal mucosal application of the local anaesthetic lidocaine (lignocaine) or administration of 5‐HT3 antagonist each abolished the luminal 5‐HT‐induced nodose neuronal responses. In contrast, distension‐sensitive neurons did not respond to duodenal infusion of 5‐HT. 4 Pharmacological depletion of 5‐HT stores using p‐chlorophenylalanine (PCPA), a 5‐HT‐synthesis inhibitor, abolished luminal factor‐stimulated nodose neuronal responses. In contrast, pretreatment with 5,7‐dihydroxytryptamine (5,7‐DHT), a specific 5‐HT neurotoxin that destroys 5‐HT‐containing neurons without affecting 5‐HT‐containing mucosal cells, had no effect on these responses. 5 These results suggested that the nodose neuronal responses to luminal osmolarity and to the digestion products of carbohydrates are dependent on the release of endogenous 5‐HT from the mucosal enterochromaffin cells, which acts on the 5‐HT3 receptors on vagal afferent fibres to stimulate vagal sensory neurons.
Weakly relativistic dielectric tensor in the presence of temperature anisotropy

Analytical expressions for the weakly relativistic dielectric tensor near the electron-cyclotron frequency and harmonies are obtained to any order in finite-Larmor-radius effects for a bi-Maxwellian distribution function. The dielectric tensor is written in ternis of generalized Shkarofsky dispersion functions, whose properties are well known. Relevant limiting cases are considered and, in particular, the anti-Hermitian part of the (fully relativistic) dielectric tensor is evaluated for two cases of strong temperature anisotropy.
Voltage‐gated potassium channels and the diversity of electrical signalling

Abstract Since Hodgkin and Huxley discovered the potassium current that underlies the falling phase of action potentials in the squid giant axon, the diversity of voltage‐gated potassium (Kv) channels has been manifested in multiple ways. The large and extended potassium channel family is evolutionarily conserved molecularly and functionally. Alternative splicing and RNA editing of Kv channel genes diversify the channel property and expression level. The mix‐and‐match of subunits in a Kv channel that contains four similar or identical pore‐forming subunits and additional auxiliary subunits further diversify Kv channels. Moreover, targeting of different Kv channels to specific subcellular compartments and local translation of Kv channel mRNA in neuronal processes diversify axonal and dendritic action potentials and influence how synaptic plasticity may be modulated. As one indication of the evolutionary conservation of Kv1 channel functions, mutations of the Shaker potassium channel gene in Drosophila and the KCNA1 gene for its mammalian orthologue, Kv1.1, cause hyperexcitability near axon branch points and nerve terminals, thereby leading to uncontrolled movements and recapitulating the episodic ataxia‐1 (EA1) symptoms in human patients.
Cognitive workload and affective state: A computational study using Bayesian networks

This paper uses Bayesian networks to investigate the impact of three different kind of inputs, namely, physiological, cognitive and affect features, on workload estimation, from a computational point of view. The ability of the proposed models to infer the workload variation of subjects involved in successive tasks demanding different levels of cognitive resources is discussed, in term of two criteria to be jointly optimized: the diversity, i.e. the ability of the model to perform on different subjects, and the accuracy, i.e., how close from the (subjectively estimated) workload level the model prediction is.
The prisoner's dilemma in structured scale-free networks

The conventional wisdom is that scale-free networks are prone to cooperation spreading. In this paper we investigate the cooperative behavior on the structured scale-free network. In contrast to the conventional wisdom that scale-free networks are prone to cooperation spreading, the evolution of cooperation is inhibited on the structured scale-free network when the prisoner's dilemma (PD) game is modeled. First, we demonstrate that neither the scale-free property nor the high clustering coefficient is responsible for the inhibition of cooperation spreading on the structured scale-free network. Then we provide one heuristic method to argue that the lack of age correlations and its associated ‘large-world’ behavior in the structured scale-free network inhibit the spread of cooperation. These findings may help enlighten further studies on the evolutionary dynamics of the PD game in scale-free networks.
Reactions to Patient Death: The Lived Experience of Critical Care Nurses

A qualitative study using phenomenological descriptive design was conducted to explore critical care nurses’ experiences with patient death. Several themes emerged as a result of this study: coping, personal distress, emotional disconnect, and inevitable death. Understanding critical care nurses’ reactions to patient death may help to improve the care provided to critically ill dying patients and their families and to meet the needs of the nurses who care for them.
Molecular remission using low-dose immunotherapy for relapsed refractory Philadelphia chromosome-positive precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia post-allogeneic stem cell transplant

Adults with relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia have a poor prognosis. While current immunotherapies are promising, they are toxic, with graft-versus-host disease a major complication of allogeneic therapy. Here, we report a patient with high-risk relapsed/refractory Philadelphia chromosome-positive B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) following chemotherapy induction, matched related donor allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HCT), donor lymphocyte infusion and two tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The patient achieved a complete molecular and cytogenetic remission with minimal adverse events or evidence of GVHD following recombinant human IL-2 (rIL-2), in combination with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). There was a ninefold increase in natural killer (NK) cell activity and natural killer T cells (NKT) cells (CD2+CD26+). Personalized low dose recombinant human IL-2-mediated NK cell stimulation represents an effective, nontoxic immunotherapy administered in the outpatient setting for relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia and warrants further investigation.
Hyperbolic hypersurfaces in P^n of Fermat-Waring type

In this note we show that there are algebraic families of hyperbolic, Fermat-Waring type hypersurfaces in P^n of degree 4(n-1)^2, for all dimensions n>1. Moreover, there are hyperbolic Fermat-Waring hypersurfaces in P^n of degree 4n^2-2n+1 possessing complete hyperbolic, hyperbolically embedded complements.
Nutrient availability links mitochondria, apoptosis, and obesity

Mitochondria are the dominant source of the cellular energy requirements through oxidative phosphorylation, but they are also central players in apoptosis. Nutrient availability may have been the main evolutionary driving force behind these opposite mitochondrial functions: production of energy to sustain life and release of apoptotic proteins to trigger cell death. Here, we explore the link between nutrients, mitochondria and apoptosis with known and potential implications for age-related decline and metabolic syndromes.
Morphologic characteristics of erythroleukemia (Acute Myeloid Leukemia; FAB‐M6): A CALGB study

We have reviewed the clinical, morphologic, immunophenotypic, and cytogenetic features of 52 patients with erythroleukemia (FAB Cooperative Group; AML‐M6) studied by the Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB). The purpose of this study was to correlate morphology with the clinical features, immunophenotypes, and karyotypes of neoplastic cells, and with the response to therapy of patients with AML‐M6. Thirty‐three patients (63%) were male, median age 59 (range 16‐81) years, 47 patients (90%) were white, and 42 patients (81%) had a performance status of <2. Myelodysplastic changes were observed in at least 1 cell lineage in all cases, and in 2 cell lineages in 45 of 52 (86%) cases. Fifty percent or more of cases studied were positive for CD11b, CD13, CD15, CD33, glycophorin‐A, and HLA‐DR markers. Fourteen of 27 cases (52%) in whom karyotypic analyses were conducted had cytogenetic abnormalities. Five (19%) were simple (<3 karyotypic abnormalities), while 9 (33%) were complex (≥ abnormalities). We observed either a complete or partial loss of chromosomes 5, 7, or 12p, or the presence of trisomy 8, in 11 of 27 (41%) patients. Cases of AML‐M6 were divided into group 1 (14 patients with bone marrow proerythroblasts and basophilic erythroblasts >25% of all erythroblasts) and group 2 (38 patients with proerythroblasts and basophilic erythroblasts ≤25% of all erythroblasts). We observed no significant differences between groups 1 and 2 in regard to sex, age, race, performance status, percentage of blood erythroblasts or myeloblasts, percentage of bone marrow erythroblasts, and periodic acid‐Schiff (PAS) or myelodysplasia scores. Six of 6 (100%) patients of group 1, and 7 of 21 (33%) patients of group 2, had normal karyotypes (P = .006). Nine of 13 (69%) patients of group 1 and 15 of 33 (45%) patients of group 2 had a complete remission (CR) (P = .2). Eight of 11 (73%) cytogenetically normal patients achieved CR: 5 of 6 (83%) in group 1, and 3 of 5 (60%) in group 2. Five of 12 (42%) cytogenetically abnormal patients achieved CR. No difference in duration of survival (group 1, median = 4.6 months vs. group 2, median = 10.2 months; P = .93) was observed between the 2 groups. We conclude that AML‐M6 is typified by multilineage involvement of hematopoietic cells. The morphology of erythroblasts in patients with AML‐M6 may correlate with cytogenetic abnormalities and rate of CR. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Butyric acid as a promising alternative to antibiotic growth promoters in broiler chicken production

Abstract The current work studied the effects of butyric acid (BA) supplementation on the growth performance, carcase characteristics, immunity, gut histology and serum biochemistry of broiler chicken. Four experimental diets were formulated: control, 20 mg bacitracin methylene di-salicylate/kg diet (BMD-supplemented), 3 g BA/kg diet and 4 g BA/kg diet. The results revealed higher body weight gain (BWG) in BA and BMD-supplemented groups. Only BMD supplementation increased the feed intake (FI) of birds, whereas BA supplementation improved feed efficiency. Expression of glucose transporter (GLUT5), sodium-dependent glucose transporter (SGLT1) and peptide transporter (PepT1) were up-regulated due to BMD and BA supplementation. However, at 21 days post-hatching SGLT1 expression in the BMD-supplemented group was down-regulated with respect to the BA-supplemented groups. The 4 g BA/kg diet yielded better humoral and cell-mediated immune responses than the other groups. No dietary effects were observed on carcase characteristics and histomorphometry of jejunum at 7 days post-hatching. However, at 42 days old, the 4 g BA/kg diet increased villus length and width significantly. There was a significant increase in serum protein, albumin, creatinine, aspartate aminotransaminase (AST), phosphorus and calcium due to BA supplementation. However, the reverse trend was observed in serum uric acid and cholesterol, where BA supplementation decreased both and BMD supplementation decreased uric acid levels only. Based on the results it was concluded that 4 g BA/kg diet supplementation in feed is optimal for desirable broiler production.
Developing Instruments for Cross‐Cultural Psychiatric Research

The growth of cross-cultural psychiatry is now occurring at a time when psychiatry in general is emphasizing diagnostic clarity and the use of quantifiable and reliable methods of collecting clinical and research data. It is now imperative that cross-cultural psychiatry also examine its methods for developing instruments for use in cross-cultural research. This paper outlines a method for developing instruments designed in one culture for use in a second, and particular attention is given to cross-cultural validity or equivalence. Five types of equivalence are enumerated and defined: content, semantic, technical, criterion, and conceptual equivalence. These concepts are illustrated by examples from the authors' experience in research on internal migrants in Peru.
Global and local evaluation of prosody: discrete target and just noticeable differences

We describe an experiment based on introspective assessment of inter-syllabic prosodic changes in two different conditions (global – continuous sentences, and local – two-syllable portions of speech), by means of discrete targets ( Higher, Same and Lower ). The results show that global evaluation is very problematic for the listeners and that f 0 is the best assessed parameter, followed by intensity and duration. They also provide a realistic, continuous-speech-based view of just noticeable differences, at least for f 0 and intensity
Influence of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on Central Corneal Thickness

Background/Aims: Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy is used in the treatment of several disorders. Little is known about the effects of HBO treatment on corneal thickness. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of HBO treatment on central corneal thickness. Methods: Thirty-two subjects (18 males and 14 females, mean age 57.3 ± 16.7 years) undergoing HBO treatment were consecutively enrolled. The subjects were assigned into diabetic (n = 16) and nondiabetic groups (n = 16). Best-corrected visual acuity was recorded before HBO treatment, and anterior and posterior segment examinations were performed on a slit lamp biomicrosope. Central corneal thickness was measured with an ultrasonic pachymeter before and immediately after HBO treatment, which lasted 120 min at 2.4 atmospheres absolute with three 30-min oxygen and two 5-min air breathing periods. Results: HBO treatment did not change the central corneal thickness in diabetic subjects (547.6 ± 34.5 vs. 548.6 ± 34.6 µm; p = 0.606). In nondiabetic subjects, however, the central corneal thickness was significantly reduced after HBO treatment (576.5 ± 34.8 vs. 569.0 ± 34.8 µm; p < 0.001). Conclusion: A single exposure to HBO treatment reduced the central corneal thickness in nondiabetic subjects but not in diabetic subjects. However, the change in central corneal thickness was minor.