Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysis of a Simple Feedback Scheme for Error Correction over a Lossy Network

A control theoretic analysis of a simple error correction scheme for lossy packet-switched networks is presented. Based on feedback information from the error correction process in the receiver, the sender adjusts the amount of redundancy using a so called extremum-seeking controller, which do not rely on any accurate model of the network loss process. The closed-loop system is shown to converge to a limit cycle in a neighborhood of the optimal redundancy. The result are validated using packet-based simulations with data from wireless sensor network experiments.
Joint Optimization Framework for Operational Cost Minimization in Green Coverage-Constrained Wireless Networks

In this paper, we investigate the joint optimization of base station (BS) location, its density, and transmit power allocation to minimize the overall network operational cost required to meet an underlying coverage constraint at each user equipment (UE), which is randomly deployed following the binomial point process (BPP). As this joint optimization problem is nonconvex and combinatorial in nature, we propose a non-trivial solution methodology that effectively decouples it into three individual optimization problems. Firstly, by using the distance distribution of the farthest UE from the BS, we present novel insights on optimal BS location in an optimal sectoring type for a given number of BSs. After that we provide a tight approximation for the optimal transmit power allocation to each BS. Lastly, using the latter two results, the optimal number of BSs that minimize the operational cost is obtained. Also, we have investigated both circular and square field deployments. Numerical results validate the analysis and provide practical insights on optimal BS deployment. We observe that the proposed joint optimization framework, that solves the coverage probability versus operational cost tradeoff, can yield a significant reduction of about 65% in the operational cost as compared to the benchmark fixed allocation scheme.
Changes in Diversity and Functional Gene Abundances of Microbial Communities Involved in Nitrogen Fixation, Nitrification, and Denitrification in a Tidal Wetland versus Paddy Soils Cultivated for Different Time Periods

ABSTRACT In many areas of China, tidal wetlands have been converted into agricultural land for rice cultivation. However, the consequences of land use changes for soil microbial communities are poorly understood. Therefore, we investigated bacterial and archaeal communities involved in inorganic nitrogen turnover (nitrogen fixation, nitrification, and denitrification) based on abundances and relative species richness of the corresponding functional genes along a soil chronosequence ranging between 50 and 2,000 years of paddy soil management compared to findings for a tidal wetland. Changes in abundance and diversity of the functional groups could be observed, reflecting the different chemical and physical properties of the soils, which changed in terms of soil development. The tidal wetland was characterized by a low microbial biomass and relatively high abundances of ammonia-oxidizing microbes. Conversion of the tidal wetlands into paddy soils was followed by a significant increase in microbial biomass. Fifty years of paddy management resulted in a higher abundance of nitrogen-fixing microbes than was found in the tidal wetland, whereas dominant genes of nitrification and denitrification in the paddy soils showed no differences. With ongoing rice cultivation, copy numbers of archaeal ammonia oxidizers did not change, while that of their bacterial counterparts declined. The nirK gene, coding for nitrite reductase, increased with rice cultivation time and dominated its functionally redundant counterpart, nirS, at all sites under investigation. Relative species richness showed significant differences between all soils with the exception of the archaeal ammonia oxidizers in the paddy soils cultivated for 100 and 300 years. In general, changes in diversity patterns were more pronounced than those in functional gene abundances.
Simulating MPI Applications: The SMPI Approach

This article summarizes our recent work and developments on SMPI, a flexible simulator of MPI applications. In this tool, we took a particular care to ensure our simulator could be used to produce fast and accurate predictions in a wide variety of situations. Although we did build SMPI on SimGrid whose speed and accuracy had already been assessed in other contexts, moving such techniques to a HPC workload required significant additional effort. Obviously, an accurate modeling of communications and network topology was one of the key to such achievements. Another less obvious key was the choice to combine in a single tool the possibility to do both offline and online simulation.
Serous borderline tumours of the ovary

In this Expert Opinion we have invited articles from two leading groups, to discuss serous borderline tumours (serous tumours of low malignant potential) of the ovary from their own perspectives. Controversy remains over heterogeneity within this group of tumours and their relationship to ovarian cancer. Our authors discuss the histopathological classification of these tumours in relation to morphological appearances, molecular and clinical data. The significance of a micropapillary pattern is discussed, and issues related to extra‐ovarian implants.
An Evaluation of the Effects of Thimerosal on Neurodevelopmental Disorders Reported Following DTP and Hib Vaccines in Comparison to DTPH Vaccine in the United States

Thimerosal is an ethylmercury (49.55% mercury by weight) preservative historically added to some vaccines. Toxicokinetic studies showed children in the United States received doses of mercury from Thimerosal-containing vaccines (TCVs) in excess of safety guidelines. In the United States during the 1990s, diphtheria–tetanus–pertussis (DTP) and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccines (maximally, 50 μg mercury per joint administration) and diphtheria–tetanus–pertussis–Haemophilus influenzae type b (DTPH) vaccines (25 μg mercury per administration) were given to children in the same childhood vaccination schedule at 2, 4, 6, and 15–18 mo, so that children receiving DTP and Hib vaccines may have maximally received an additional 100 μg more mercury exposure from TCVs than children administered DTPH vaccines. A case-control epidemiological study of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDs) reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) (online public access version; updated 31 August 2004) following administration of DTP vaccines in comparison DTPH vaccines manufactured by Lederle Laboratories (Pearl River, NY) from 1994 through 1998 was undertaken. Significantly increased odds ratios for autism, speech disorders, mental retardation, infantile spasms, and thinking abnormalities reported to VAERS were found following DTP vaccines in comparison to DTPH vaccines with minimal bias or systematic error. Additional ND research should be undertaken in the context of evaluating mercury-associated exposures, especially since in 2005 the Institute of Medicine issued a report calling into question handling of vaccine safety data by the National Immunization Program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We thank Lisa Sykes for her help in revising and editing our article. Dr. Mark Geier has been an expert witness and consultant in cases involving vaccines before the no-fault National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP) and in civil litigation. David Geier has been a consultant in cases involving vaccines before the no-fault NVICP and in civil litigation.
AESTHETIC LABOUR AND THE POLICY-MAKING AGENDA: TIME FOR A REAPPRAISAL OF SKILLS?

Previous research in the area of 'aesthetic labour' has suggested that 'aesthetic skills' are important in interactive service work, such as retail and hospitality. To-date, research on aesthetic labour has merely pointed to the existence of aesthetic skills, but there has been no real attempt to examine the extent of the demand for such skills. This paper seeks to rectify this omission. It reports on a survey undertaken in the Glasgow retail and hospitality labour markets by examining labour demand in terms of recruitment and selection, skills and training. The findings point to a high level of demand for aesthetic skills in retail and hospitality. Pursuant on this identification of the demand for such skills we consider apposite policy responses, suggesting that there is increasingly a need for a reappraisal of skills in the current, service-dominated economy.
In vitro analysis of 4‐methylumbelliferone as a sole carbon source for Lactobacillus helveticus 2126

In the recent years, 4‐methylumbelliferone (4‐MU) has been gaining importance, both as an anti‐cancer agent and as a dietary supplement. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of 4‐MU as a carbon source for potential probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus helveticus 2126. For this purpose, a series of plate assays and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used for 4‐MU before and after the treatment with L. helveticus 2126. The plate assays indicated an initial inhibition followed by utilization of 4‐MU that stimulated bacterial growth. A significant shift was observed in the FTIR peaks, which also have suggested possible extracellular activity of the bacteria for 4‐MU utilization.
An empirical model for heterogeneous translucent objects

Our basic model for subsurface light transport is based on their ideas but introduces two modifications. The behavior of multiple scattering is strongly dominated by the exponential fall-off of the intensity. We therefore propose to replace the dipole model by a sum of exponential functions. This approach improves modeling capabilities for heterogeneous material and allows to adapt to a more general surface geometry.
The Mauna Kea Observatories Near‐Infrared Filter Set. II. Specifications for a New JHKL′ M′ Filter Set for Infrared Astronomy

We present a description of a new 1–5 μm filter set similar to the long‐used JHKLM filter set derived from that of Johnson. The new Mauna Kea Observatories Near‐Infrared filter set is designed to reduce background noise, improve photometric transformations from observatory to observatory, provide greater accuracy in extrapolating to zero air mass, and reduce the color dependence in the extinction coefficient in photometric reductions. We have also taken into account the requirements of adaptive optics in setting the flatness specification of the filters. A complete technical description is presented to facilitate the production of similar filters in the future.
Finite-Time Output Feedback Attitude Tracking Control for Rigid Spacecraft

This brief investigates the finite-time output feedback attitude control of a rigid spacecraft. First, a nonlinear observer is designed. Through geometric homogeneity and Lyapunov theories, it is shown that the proposed observer can achieve the semiglobal finite-time stability. Then, a finite-time output feedback controller is proposed based on the finite-time observer. Rigorous proof shows that the proposed control law ensures semiglobal stability and guarantees the attitude of a rigid spacecraft to track a time-varying reference attitude in finite time. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the performance of the proposed controller.
Aesthetics, Genetics, and Evaluating Animal Bodies: Locating and Displacing Cattle on Show and in Figures

In this paper I examine intertwined modes of bodily evaluation and genetic understanding evident in relation to ‘modernising’ tendencies in contemporary agriculture, using a case study of pedigree cattle breeding. These modes afford different perspectives on the same bodies. Visual evaluation is associated with aesthetic appreciation of physically present animal bodies, and takes on a particular intensity in the ritual of judging during agricultural shows. Statistical techniques of genetic evaluation are concerned to construct numerical estimates of the genetic ‘worth’ or ‘potential’ of an animal, which can stand for the animal and be transported over space and time. In both instances, animals become understood through a series of relationships between material bodies, semiotic practices, social institutions, and spatialities, and both constitute different sorts of assessment of something of the interiority of animal bodies from the outside. Both draw on different practical understandings of bodies and of bodily quality, which are directly related to breeding practices and the production and constitution of new animal bodies. I explore the production of different knowledge practices associated with these modes of evaluation, and examine the interplay and tensions between them. Simultaneously taking into account aesthetic and technical knowledge practices is suggested to be valuable in considerations of the constitution of bodies embedded in specific nature–society relations. Finally, it is suggested that there is evidence for an intensification of genetic discourse in livestock breeding, implying continuing processes of change in the knowledge practices of breeding and in the locus of decisionmaking and relations of power in agriculture.
Plasma and Urinary Type IV Collagen Levels for Early Detection of Nephropathy in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients.

BACKGROUND Diabetic nephropathy is a major complication with high morbidity and mortality, and leads to end stage renal disease (ESRD). Type IV collagen is the main component of the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) and the extracellular matrix. The thickening of the GBM is due to accumulation of type IV collagen and alterations in its structure and composition. AIM The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of plasma and urine type IV collagen with albuminuria status and to determine the clinical implications of type IV collagen as a marker in the early stage of diabetic nephropathy. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 150 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with more than 5 year diabetic duration in the age group of 35 to 60 years were selected for this study and 50 age and sex matched healthy individuals were selected as control group. Type IV collagen (Plasma and urine), Insulin were analyzed by ELISA method and micro albumin was analyzed by turbilatex method. Routine investigations fasting plasma glucose, post prandial glucose, lipid profile parameters, serum urea and creatinine were analyzed by using Auto analyzer. RESULTS The plasma and urinary type IV collagen levels were significantly higher in the normoalbuminuric group with diabetes than in the control group, and increased with increasing severity of albuminuria among diabetics. Both plasma and urine type IV collagen levels showed positive correlation with albumin creatinine ratio (ACR) and regression analysis showed significant influence with ACR and also positive significant correlation of ACR with FPG, PPG, HbA1C, HOMA-IR, negative correlation with HDL cholesterol was observed. CONCLUSION Plasma and urinary type IV collagen can be helpful in the prediction of the subsequent development of albuminuria in type 2 diabetic patients.
Alternative Techniques for Assessing Common Method Variance

Each research domain carries the burden of examining the effects of common method variance (CMV) on published research within the domain. To focus on this concern in the context of the theory of planned behavior (TPB), this research empirically compares several methods of detecting the presence of and estimating the level of CMV in the TPB domain. These methods include various implementations of the marker variable technique and versions of the multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) technique. The results show that the marker variable technique provides estimates of CMV and CMV-corrected correlations and paths that are consistent with those produced using the other methods. Next, one implementation of the marker variable technique method is implemented post hoc on a large data set of published TPB studies. This analysis provides strong confirmatory evidence that the effects of CMV do not alter the substantive inferences of study results in prior research. Overall, these findings support putting to rest concerns about the adverse influence of CMV in the TPB domain.
OceanStore: An Extremely Wide-Area Storage System

OceanStore is a utility infrastructure designed to span the globe and provide continuous access to persistent information. Since this infrastructure is comprised of untrusted servers, data is protected through redundancy and cryptographic techniques. To improve performance, data is allowed to be cached anywhere, anytime. Finally, monitoring of usage patterns allows adaptation to regional outages and denial of service attacks; monitoring also enhances performance through pro-active movement of data. A prototype implementation is currently under development.
Stimulus Exposure Duration in a Deployment-of-Attention Task: Effects on Dysphoric, Recently Dysphoric, and Nondysphoric Individuals

Examined attentional deployment of dysphoric, unstable, and stable nondysphoric individuals using the Deployment-of-Attention Task (DOAT) while randomly varying stimulus exposure durations. Previous research indicates a nondepressed “protective” bias in attention whereas depressed individuals evidence no bias. The current study examined the possibility that depressed participants' lack of bias may actually reflect inattention to briefly presented stimuli, possibly due to slowed processing seen in depression (i.e. psychomotor retardation). Participants completed the DOAT, viewing stimuli at four presentation durations randomised across trials. Results indicated that dysphoric participants displayed no attentional bias even at extended presentation durations, whereas nondysphoric participants showed a “protective” bias. Within the nondysphoric group, unstable nondysphoric participants displayed a more pronounced protective bias than did stable nondysphorics.
Response Coding in Recall of Colours by Monkeys

Two monkeys learned a recall task with colours as the samples and spatial discriminanda at the retention test. The relationship between the sample colours and the retention test discriminanda was such that it was possible to distinguish between errors that were related to the visual similarity of the sample colours and those that were related to the similarity of the recall responses. When errors were induced by lengthening the delay between sample and retention test, they were related to the similarity of the recall responses. But in a comparable recognition memory task with colours, performance was related to the visual similarity of the colours. These results imply that the monkeys recognised the colours directly from a visual trace but recalled them indirectly from a response-coded trace.
Quantum corrections to the semiclassical quantization of a nonintegrable system

We study the semiclassical behaviour of a two--dimensional nonintegrable system. In particular we analyze the question of quantum corrections to the semiclassical quantization obtaining up to the second order of perturbation theory an explicit analytical formula for the energy levels, which is the usual semiclassical one plus quantum corrections. We compare the "exact" levels obtained numerically to the semiclassical levels studying also the effects of quantum corrections.
The Effects of Extensive Reading on Adult Reading Behavior and Proficiency in an Intensive English Program

Extensive Reading (ER) has been included in EFL instruction for decades, but it has yet to becom. (2012). ﻿e a regular feature of ESL curricula. The ever-growing num. (2012). ﻿ber of positive reports from. (2012). ﻿ practitioners and researchers indicates that ER can play a vital role in language learning in all contexts. Although the im. (2012). ﻿plicit learning ER prom. (2012). ﻿otes is difficult to em. (2012). ﻿pirically establish as causal, research continues to seek evidence for the theory-based claim. (2012). ﻿s of ER’s efficacy. This paper presents results of a two-year investigation of an ER course in a university-based intensive English program. (2012). ﻿ in the US. Analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data from. (2012). ﻿ over 200 pre-m. (2012). ﻿atriculated ESL students reveals an increase in m. (2012). ﻿otivation and positive attitudes towards reading in English and significant gains on som. (2012). ﻿e of the proficiency m. (2012). ﻿easures; thus, supporting the ongoing inclusion of ER as a regular com. (2012). ﻿ponent of ESL curricula.
Understanding how teacher and student talk with each other: An exploration of how `repair' displays the co-management of talk-in-interaction

The essence of my argument is that Practitioner Research can be pursued not only by observing whole classes, but also by observing what happens when a teacher talks to a student outside of the classroom setting. What this setting offers to practitioner-researchers is a unique opportunity to understand what both the teacher and the student do to keep the conversation going. There are implications for reflecting on how teachers actually talk to students and whether what we do helps or hinders them from expressing themselves. Also, such an analytical approach that draws attention to the spoken details of the interaction can show us how to help students take advantage of their turns in an extended talk. Teachers can `recipient-design' what they say and do in order to give students in the next turn `easy' opportunities to use the language they know. In order to demonstrate how this particular discourse genre (informal teacher—student talk) is co-accomplished, features of `repair' as they occur in a sequence of turns will be described and analyzed. They reveal that once the purpose of the talk moves beyond controlled production of correct language forms, the interlocutors' roles and relationship shift from expert and novice to co-participants in managing the talk. Exploration in pursuit of understanding how social interactions are performed can take various forms. This paper offers one example of how it can be done through close observation of the organization of turn-taking.
Relationship of Subclinical Thyroid Disease to the Incidence of Gestational Diabetes

OBJECTIVE: To estimate if there is a relationship between subclinical thyroid disease and gestational diabetes. METHODS: Between November 2000 and April 2003, serum thyrotropin screening was performed on all women who presented for prenatal care. Women identified with abnormal thyrotropin had a serum free thyroxine reflexively determined. Those women with abnormal serum free thyroxine values were referred for further evaluation and excluded from further analysis. For this analysis, normal thyrotropin values were those between the 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles (0.03–4.13 milliunits/L) not corrected for gestational age and serum free thyroxine were considered normal if they ranged from 0.9 to 2.0 mg/dL. Women with an elevated serum thyrotropin but a normal serum free thyroxine were designated to have subclinical hypothyroidism and those with a low thyrotropin and a normal serum free thyroxine level were designated to have subclinical hyperthyroidism. Euthyroid women had both normal thyrotropin and normal serum free thyroxine values. The incidence of gestational diabetes was compared among these three groups. RESULTS: Of the 24,883 women included in the study, 23,771 (95.5%) were euthyroid, 584 (2.3%) had subclinical hyperthyroidism, and 528 (2%) had subclinical hypothyroidism. The likelihood of gestational diabetes increased with thyrotropin level (P=.002). For example, when a pregnant Hispanic woman of average age and weight was used, the predicted percent of gestational diabetes increased from 1.9% to 4.9% as thyrotropin increased from 0.001 to 10 milliunits/L (P=.001). CONCLUSION: The risk of developing gestational diabetes increases with thyrotropin level. This supports a relationship between subclinical hypothyroidism and diabetes diagnosed during pregnancy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III