Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysis of HARQ-IR Over Time-Correlated Rayleigh Fading Channels

In this paper, performance of hybrid automatic repeat request with incremental redundancy (HARQ-IR) over Rayleigh fading channels is investigated. Different from prior analysis, time correlation in the channels is considered. Under time-correlated fading channels, the mutual information in multiple HARQ transmissions is correlated, making the analysis challenging. By using polynomial fitting technique, probability distribution function of the accumulated mutual information is derived. Three meaningful performance metrics including outage probability, average number of transmissions, and long term average throughput (LTAT) are then derived in closed-forms. Moreover, diversity order of HARQ-IR is also investigated. It is proved that full diversity can be achieved by HARQ-IR, i.e., the diversity order is equal to the number of transmissions, even under time-correlated fading channels. These analytical results are verified by simulations and enable the evaluation of the impact of various system parameters on the performance. Particularly, the results unveil the negative impact of time correlation on the outage and throughput performance. The results also show that although more transmissions would improve the outage performance, they may not be beneficial to the LTAT when time correlation is high. Optimal rate design to maximize the LTAT is finally discussed and significant LTAT improvement is demonstrated.
Secure degrees of freedom of MIMO X-channels with output feedback and delayed CSI

We investigate the problem of secure transmission over a two-user multi-input multi-output (MIMO) X-channel with noiseless local feedback and delayed channel state information (CSI) available at transmitters. The transmitters are equipped with M antennas each, and the receivers are equipped with N antennas each. For this model, we characterize the optimal sum secure degrees of freedom (SDoF) region. We show that, in presence of local feedback and delayed CSI, the sum SDoF region of the MIMO X-channel is same as the SDoF region of a two-user MIMO BC with 2M antennas at the transmitter and N antennas at each receiver. This result shows that, upon availability of feedback and delayed CSI, there is no performance loss in sum SDoF due to the distributed nature of the transmitters. Next, we show that this result also holds if only global feedback is conveyed to the transmitters. We also study the case in which only local feedback is provided to the transmitters, i.e., without CSI, and derive a lower bound on the sum SDoF for this model. Furthermore, we specialize our results to the case in which there are no security constraints. In particular, similar to the setting with security constraints, we show that the optimal sum degrees of freedom (sum DoF) region of the (M, M, N, N)-MIMO X-channel is same of the DoF region of a two-user MIMO BC with 2M antennas at the transmitter and N antennas at each receiver. We illustrate our results with some numerical examples.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A and keratitis in mice.

PURPOSE To determine the importance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A (ETA) as a virulence factor in corneal disease. METHODS Isogenic mutants deficient in ETA were constructed in P. aeruginosa strains PAO1 and ATCC 19660 by allelic exchange and then evaluated for virulence in a mouse model of bacterial keratitis. The effect of ETA on adherence to scarified corneal epithelium was assessed in an in vitro organ culture model. RESULTS Mutants of either P. aeruginosa PAO1 or 19660, deficient in ETA, adhered to wounded corneal tissue and initiated ocular disease similar to that in wild-type strains. However, in contrast to wild-type strains, ETA mutants were quickly cleared from the eye, inflammation diminished, and the cornea healed. CONCLUSIONS Although ETA has no effect on the ability of P. aeruginosa to adhere to corneal wounds or to initiate Pseudomonas keratitis, it is crucial for the organism to persist in the eye and ultimately cause disease.
The Conserved Isoleucine–Valine–Phenylalanine Motif Couples Activation State and Endocytic Functions of β‐Arrestins

Beta‐arrestins (βarrs) play a central role in the regulation of G‐protein‐coupled receptors (GPCRs). Their binding to phosphorylated activated GPCRs induces a conformational transition to an active state resulting in the release of their flexible C‐terminal tail. Binding sites for clathrin and the adaptor protein (AP)‐2 clathrin adaptor complex are then unmasked, which drive the recruitment of βarrs‐GPCR complexes into clathrin‐coated pits (CCPs). A conserved isoleucine‐valine‐phenylalanine (IVF) motif of the C‐terminal tail controls βarr activation through intramolecular interactions. Here, we provide structural, biochemical and functional evidence in living cells that the IVF motif also controls binding to AP‐2. While the F residue is directly involved in AP‐2 binding, substitutions of I and V residues, markedly enhanced affinity for AP‐2 resulting in active βarr mutants, which are constitutively targeted to CCPs in the absence of any GPCR activation. Conformational change and endocytic functions of βarrs thus appear to be coordinated via the complex molecular interactions established by the IVF motif.
Efficient algorithms for planning purely translational collision-free motion in two and three dimensions

1. Introduction In this abstract we present a collection of results representing recent progress in the design and analysis of efficient algorithms for planning purely transla-tional collision-free motion of rigid objects moving in two-or three-dimensional space amidst a collection of obstacles whose geometry is known to the system. (The results reported here were obtained in collaboration with K. Motion planning problems of this kind are particularly favorable because they involve only two or three (translational) degrees of freedom, and because they do not have to consider rotational degrees of freedom, which tend to make the structure of the free configuration space of the moving system more complex to analyze. Besides obvious applications for mobile (or flying) autonomous systems , these problems are significant for two reasons: First they constitute the simplest of all motion planning problems, so careful analysis of their complexity is called for before moving to more difficult and complex problems. Second, these translational problems often arise as subtasks in motion planning algorithms for systems with additional rotational degrees of freedom (as in [LS], [KS]). In spite of their relative simplicity, precise analysis of the combinatorial structure of the configuration space of such a translating system leads to many deep and difficult geometric problems, whose efficient solutions require development and application of sophisticated tools from computational geometry. It is the purpose of this abstract to review these prob-l e m , describe the techniques used in their solution, present sharp upper bounds on the complexity of these solutions, and mention some open problems that arise in connection with certain variants and extensions of the translational motion planning problem. 2. Two-Dimensional Problems Let B be a rigid k-sided polygonal object free to translate in the plane amidst a collection of polygonal goal is to calculate the free configuration space FP of B , consisting of all free placements of B (i.e. placements in which B does not intersect any obstacle). Having calculated FF, we can then decompose it into its arcwise connected components, so that, given any pair of free placements Z1, 22 of B, we can determine whether they lie in the same connected component of FP, in which case collision-free translational motion of B from Z1 to Zz is possible. (We can use FP for other applications, e.g. preprocess FP so that we capa determine in logarithmic time whether a given "query" placement of B is free …
In Vivo 16-Slice, Multidetector-Row Computed Tomography for the Assessment of Experimental Atherosclerosis: Comparison With Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Histopathology

Background—Noninvasive imaging can detect early atherosclerotic disease. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), because of its excellent spatial resolution, is already established as a tool for plaque characterization. Sixteen-slice, multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) was recently introduced into the field of cardiac imaging, with promising results for noninvasive angiography. We compared the capabilities of MDCT and MRI for the assessment of noncalcified, atherosclerotic plaques. Methods and Results—Six atherosclerotic rabbits underwent in vivo imaging by MDCT and 1.5-T MRI. MDCT parameters were 120 kV, 120 mA/s, collimation 12×0.75, and spatial resolution 0.6×0.6 mm. MRI parameters were as follows: for proton density, repetition time/echo time (TR/TE) 2300/5.6; for T2, TR/TE 2300/62; and for T1, TR/TE 800/5.6; slice thickness was 3 mm and spatial resolution, 0.3×0.3 mm. Blinded analysis of 3-mm axial reconstructions from MDCT and the carefully matched MRI images (182 sections) showed excellent agreement between both modalities. MDCT yielded a slightly larger lumen area, anteroposterior diameters, and lateral diameters, with no significant differences in total vessel area. The sensitivity and specificity, respectively, to detect noncalcified, atherosclerotic plaques were 89% and 77% for MDCT and 97% and 94% for MRI. Fibrous-rich and lipid-rich plaque could not be differentiated visually, although they showed different attenuation properties (116±27 vs 51±25 Hounsfield units, P<0.01). Conclusions—Both techniques allow reliable detection of noncalcified, atherosclerotic plaques and accurate assessment of vessel areas and diameters. MDCT offers the additive value of a very short image acquisition time when compared with MRI. The subtle measurement differences found between modalities may be due to the better spatial resolution of MRI, which probably explains its superiority for tissue characterization.
Distributed dictionary learning over a sensor network

We consider the problem of distributed dictionary learning, where a set of nodes is required to collectively learn a common dictionary from noisy measurements. This approach may be useful in several contexts including sensor networks. Diffusion cooperation schemes have been proposed to solve the distributed linear regression problem. In this work we focus on a diffusion-based adaptive dictionary learning strategy: each node records observations and cooperates with its neighbors by sharing its local dictionary. The resulting algorithm corresponds to a distributed block coordinate descent (alternate optimization). Beyond dictionary learning, this strategy could be adapted to many matrix factorization problems and generalized to various settings. This article presents our approach and illustrates its efficiency on some numerical examples.
Gastrointestinal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury Is Lectin Complement Pathway Dependent without Involving C1q 1

Complement activation plays an important role in local and remote tissue injury associated with gastrointestinal ischemia-reperfusion (GI/R). The role of the classical and lectin complement pathways in GI/R injury was evaluated using C1q-deficient (C1q KO), MBL-A/C-deficient (MBL-null), complement factor 2- and factor B-deficient (C2/fB KO), and wild-type (WT) mice. Gastrointestinal ischemia (20 min), followed by 3-h reperfusion, induced intestinal and lung injury in C1q KO and WT mice, but not in C2/fB KO mice. Addition of human C2 to C2/fB KO mice significantly restored GI/R injury, demonstrating that GI/R injury is mediated via the lectin and/or classical pathway. Tissue C3 deposition in C1q KO and WT, but not C2/fB KO, mice after GI/R demonstrated that complement was activated in C1q KO mice. GI/R significantly increased serum alanine aminotransferase, gastrointestinal barrier dysfunction, and neutrophil infiltration into the lung and gut in C1q KO and WT, but not C2/fB KO, mice. MBL-null mice displayed little gut injury after GI/R, but lung injury was present. Addition of recombinant human MBL (rhuMBL) to MBL-null mice significantly increased injury compared with MBL-null mice after GI/R and was reversed by anti-MBL mAb treatment. However, MBL-null mice were not protected from secondary lung injury after GI/R. These data demonstrate that C2 and MBL, but not C1q, are necessary for gut injury after GI/R. Lung injury in mice after GI/R is MBL and C1q independent, but C2 dependent, suggesting a potential role for ficolins in this model.
Video Compression - From Concepts to the H.264/AVC Standard

Over the last one and a half decades, digital video compression technologies have become an integral part of the way we create, communicate, and consume visual information. In this paper, techniques for video compression are reviewed, starting from basic concepts. The rate-distortion performance of modern video compression schemes is the result of an interaction between motion representation techniques, intra-picture prediction techniques, waveform coding of differences, and waveform coding of various refreshed regions. The paper starts with an explanation of the basic concepts of video codec design and then explains how these various features have been integrated into international standards, up to and including the most recent such standard, known as H.264/AVC.
Influence of procedural learning on Iowa Gambling Task performance among HIV+ individuals with history of substance dependence.

HIV+ individuals have been shown to demonstrate deficits on the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), a complex measure of "decision-making. " Little remains known about what other neurocognitive processes may account for variability in IGT performance among HIV+ samples or the role of procedural learning (PL) in IGT performance. A sample of 49 HIV+ individuals with a history of substance use disorders was examined to explore the relationship between IGT performance and three measures of PL: The Rotary Pursuit, Mirror Star Tracing, and Weather Prediction tasks. We found no statistically significant relationships between IGT performance and any of the PL tasks, despite finding significant correlations among the PL tasks. This pattern of results persisted when analyzing IGT performance in various ways (e.g., performance on earlier trial blocks or impairment classifications). Although other nondeclarative processes (e.g., somatic markers) may be important for IGT performance, these findings do not support PL as an important component neurocognitive process for the IGT. Similarly, these results suggest that differences in PL performance does not account for the decision-making deficits or variability in performances observed on the IGT among HIV+ individuals with a history of substance dependence.
Use of Family Care Indicators and Their Relationship with Child Development in Bangladesh

Poor stimulation in the home is one of the main factors affecting the development of children living in poverty. The family care indicators (FCIs) were developed to measure home stimulation in large populations and were derived from the Home Observations for Measurement of the Environment (HOME). The FCIs were piloted with 801 rural Bangladeshi mothers of children aged 18 months. Five subscales were created: ‘play activities’ (PA), ‘varieties of play materials’ (VP), ‘sources of play materials’, ‘household books’, and ‘magazines and newspapers’ (MN). All subscales had acceptable short-term reliability. Mental and motor development of the children was assessed on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development and their language expression and comprehension by mothers’ report. After controlling for socioeconomic variables, VP and PA independently predicted four and three of the developmental outcomes respectively, and MN predicted both the Bayley scores. The FCI is promising as a survey-based indicator of the quality of children's home environment.
Genetic diversity of Leptospira in northwestern Colombia: first report of Leptospira santarosai as a recognised leptospirosis agent

The region of Antioquia in northeastern Colombia has the highest number of reported leptospirosis cases in the country. It also shows high seroprevalence indexes in the general population and socio-environmental conditions favourable for the transmission of the disease between humans and animals. In this study, 25 Leptospira isolates from Colombia’s Antioquia department were identified to the species level as L. santarosai (12), L. interrogans (9) and L. meyeri (4) using phylogenetic analysis of the Amidohydrolase gene. Typing at the serovar level was performed using multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and monoclonal antibodies. The serovars Canalzonae, Babudieri, Alice, Beye, and Copenhageni have been identified as causing human or animal infections in Antioquia, Colombia. The four environmental isolates were not identified to the serovar level. L. santarosai serovar Canalzonae and Alice were identified as new etiologic agents of human leptospirosis in Antioquia, Colombia. This paper reports species and serovars that were previously unknown in the region.
Lactobacilli and Streptococci Induce Interleukin-12 (IL-12), IL-18, and Gamma Interferon Production in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

ABSTRACT Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were stimulated with three nonpathogenic Lactobacillus strains and with one pathogenic Streptococcus pyogenes strain, and cytokine gene expression and protein production were analyzed. All bacteria strongly induced interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha mRNA expression and protein production. S. pyogenes was the most potent inducer of secretion of IL-12 and gamma interferon (IFN-γ), and two of three Lactobacillusstrains induced IL-12 and IFN-γ production. All strains induced IL-18 protein production. IL-10 and IL-4 production was induced weakly and not at all, respectively. Our data show that nonpathogenic lactobacilli and pathogenic streptococci can induce Th1 type cytokines IL-12, IL-18, and IFN-γ in human PBMC.
[First gastroenteritis outbreak caused by sapovirus (GI2) in Hungary - part of an international epidemic?].

UNLABELLED Sapovirus belonging to Caliciviridae is one of the known pathogen of sporadic gastroenteritis infections in infants, children and rarely in elderly. Since the beginning of molecular monitoring of caliciviruses (mid 1990's) sapovirus was described rarely, once in approx. 5 years, as source of an outbreak. Circulation of caliciviruses has been monitored with molecular epidemiological methods by authors for 10 years in Hungary. Sapovirus has not been detected yet in the approximately 800 examined non-bacterial gastroenteritis outbreak. Based on the informal data supported by the international calicivirus surveillance study group, the number of outbreaks caused by sapovirus was increasing in Europe in 2008. Supposedly these outbreaks can be linked to genotype GI2 sapovirus. AIMS To describe the first verified detection and molecular epidemiological description of a gastroenteritis outbreak caused by sapovirus in Hungary. MATERIALS AND METHODS Stool samples originated from Bács-Kiskun County, from a mental deficiency day care center, where a gastroenteritis outbreak occurred in September, 2008. Amplification of the RNA polymerase gene of sapovirus was performed by RT-PCR method and the product was directly sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed. Clinical and epidemiological data were collected by epidemiological investigation. RESULTS 17 of the 135 exposed people (12.6%) had gastroenteritis with vomiting and diarrhea in the period of September 11-22, 2008. Bacterial pathogens, rotavirus, adenovirus and norovirus were not detected, but sapovirus could be identified in 1 out of the 4 (25%) stool samples. The source of the outbreak was presumably the ill nurse and the virus spread with direct contact among the mentally deficient patients. Based on the RNA polymerase gene region the virus belongs to genotype GI2 sapovirus. CONCLUSIONS This study reports on the first detection of sapovirus from gastroenteritis outbreak in Hungary. Epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of the outbreak in the mental deficiency day care center are described in details to prove that not every case is "calicivirus" infection and epidemic is caused by the norovirus, which is another calicivirus examined by diagnostic methods. The outbreak caused by genotype GI2 sapovirus might be the part of an international epidemic, extended into a larger geographic area.
microRNA-150 Regulates Mobilization and Migration of Bone Marrow-Derived Mononuclear Cells by Targeting Cxcr4

The interaction between chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) and its ligand, stromal cell-derived factor (SDF)-1, plays an important role in stem cell mobilization and migration in ischemic tissues. MicroRNAs (miRs) are key regulators of stem cell function and are involved in regulation of stem cell survival and differentiation to adopt different cell lineages. In this study, we show that ischemia inhibits the expression of miR-150 in BM-derived mononuclear cells (MNC) and activates its target Cxcr4 gene. Our results show that miR-150/CXCR4 cascade enhances MNC mobilization and migration. By using mouse acute myocardial infarction (MI) model, we found that MNCs in peripheral blood (PB) were increased significantly at day 5 after AMI as compared to control group and the number of CXCR4 positive MNCs both in bone marrow (BM) and PB was also markedly increased after MI. Analysis by microarray-based miRNA profiling and real-time PCR revealed that the expression of miR-150 which targets Cxcr4 gene as predicted was significantly downregulated in BM-MNCs after MI. Abrogation of miR-150 markedly increased CXCR4 protein expression suggesting its target gene. To show that miR-150 regulates MNC mobilization, knockdown of miR-150 in BM-MNCs by specific antisense inhibitor resulted in their higher migration ability in vitro as compared to scramble-transfected MNCs. Furthermore, in vivo BM transplantation of MNCs lacking miR-150 expression by lentiviral vector into the irradiated wild type mice resulted in the increased number of MNCs in PB after AMI as compared to control. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that ischemia mobilizes BM stem cells via miR-150/CXCR4 dependent mechanism and miR-150 may be a novel therapeutic target for stem cell migration to the ischemic tissue for neovascularization and repair.