Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Compressed Channel Estimation With Position-Based ICI Elimination for High-Mobility SIMO-OFDM Systems

Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) is widely adopted for providing reliable and high-data-rate communication in high-speed train (HST) systems. However, with increasing train mobility, the resulting large Doppler shift introduces intercarrier interference (ICI) in OFDM systems and greatly degrades channel estimation accuracy. Therefore, it is necessary and important to investigate reliable channel estimation and ICI mitigation methods in high-mobility environments. In this paper, we consider a typical HST communication system and show that the ICI caused by large Doppler shifts can be mitigated by exploiting the train position information and the sparsity of the basis expansion model (BEM)-based channel model. Then, we show that for the complex-exponential BEM (CE-BEM)-based channel model, the ICI can be completely eliminated to get the ICI-free pilots at each receive antenna. After that, we propose a new pilot pattern design algorithm to reduce system coherence to improve the compressed-sensing-based channel estimation accuracy. The proposed optimal pilot pattern is independent of the number of receive antennas, the Doppler shifts, train position, or train speed. Simulation results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed scheme in high-mobility environments. The results also show that the proposed scheme is robust to the speed of the moving train.
Resource diary: A positive writing intervention for promoting well-being and preventing depression in adolescence

Depression in adolescence is a widespread problem and leads to extensive psychosocial impairments. For these reason, a resource diary has been developed as a four-week positive writing intervention. The aims of this intervention were to enhance well-being, to promote emotion regulation and resource realization, as well as to prevent symptoms of depression in adolescence. Seventy-seven students of 8th form were randomized either to a positive writing group (n = 38) or to a neutral writing group (n = 39). At the post-test, the positive writing group showed a lower dysphoric mood, fewer worries and less rumination in comparison with the neutral writing group. No effects on resource realization were detected. This study provides the first evidence of the beneficial effects of positive writing on indicators of well-being and depressive symptoms. In conclusion, the resource diary represents an economical intervention for preventing depression in adolescence.
Is tonal alignment interpretation independent of methodology?

Tonal target detection is a very difficult task, especially in presence of consonantal perturbations. Though different detection methods have been adopted in tonal alignment research, we still do not know which is the most reliable. In our paper, we found that such methodological choices have serious theoretical implications. Interpretation of the data strongly depends on whether tonal targets have been detected by a manual, a semi-automatic or an automatic procedure. Moreover, different segmental classes can affect target placement especially in automatic detection. This suggests the importance of keeping segmental classes separate for the purpose of statistical analysis.
On Investigating Code Smells Correlations

Code smells are characteristics of the software that may indicate a code or design problem that can make software hard to evolve and maintain. Detecting and removing code smells, when necessary, improves the quality and maintainability of a system. Code smells have been defined in [5], and different detection tools have been developed, each one characterized by particular features and providing often different results. Usually detection techniques are based on the computation of a particular set of combined metrics, or standard object-oriented metrics [8] or metrics defined ad hoc for the smell detection. As outlined in [3] there is the need for a clearer research strategy on smells identification and measurement. Other knowledge has to be exploited for their detection. In this work we are interested to investigate the direct and indirect correlations existing between smells. Moreover we propose to analyze if other relations exist between code smell and another kind of micro structure, called micro pattern[6]. We started this research since we think that the knowledge on these relations between smells could be exploited by code smell detection tools to improve their results. If one code smell exists, this can imply the existence of another code smell, or if one smell exists, another one cannot be there, or perhaps we could observe that some code smells tend to go together.
Applying an Eliasian Approach to Organizational Analysis

The central focus of the article is managing change in the National Health Service (NHS). In particular, it uses the implementation of general management (see the Griffiths Report, 1983) to explore the value of the process-sociological approach for understanding a number of unintended outcomes associated with this change. Elias is not a sociologist associated with the study of the NHS, or indeed the management of change, yet it is argued his approach has much to offer in exploring change in complex organizations such as the NHS. The article is organized as three sections. First, the central elements of a figurational approach are discussed and used to explore existing studies of change in the NHS. Second, the article applies a figurational approach to the study of the implementation of general management. Here the value of Elias's game models is explored in some detail. Finally, Elias's contribution to the study of complex social change is critically assessed.
Prostate Biopsy Using Transrectal Ultrasonography; The Optimal Number of Cores Regarding Cancer Detection Rate and Complications

Background: Transrectal ultrasound guided biopsy of the prostate is the most common modality used to diagnose prostate cancer. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the optimal number of cores at prostate biopsy, which have the most diagnostic value with least adverse effects. Patients and Materials: Transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) guided biopsy was performed in 180 patients suspicious for prostate cancer due to either abnormal rectal examination or elevated PSA. The patients were divided randomly into three groups of six-core, twelve-core and eighteen-core biopsies. The detection rate of prostate cancer in each group with the rate of post biopsy urinary infection and prostatitis were compared. Results: Prostate cancer was diagnosed in 8 (13.3%), 21 (35%) and 24 (40%) patients in six, twelve and eighteen core biopsy groups, respectively. Urinary tract infection and prostatitis occurred in 17 (28.3%), 23 (38.3%) and 35 (58.3%) patients in six, twelve and eighteen core biopsy groups, respectively. Considering the detection rate of prostate cancer, there was a significant difference between 6 and 12 core biopsy groups (P = 0.006) and 12-core biopsies detected more cases of prostate cancer, but there was no significant difference between 12 and 18 core biopsy groups (P = 0.572). Considering the infection rate, there was no significant difference between 6 and 12 core biopsy groups (P = 0.254), but there was a significant difference between 12 and 18 core biopsy groups (P = 0.028) and infectious complications occurred more frequently in 18-core biopsy group. Conclusions: The best balance between detection rate of prostate cancer and infectious complications of biopsies achieved in twelve-core biopsy protocol. Twelve-core biopsy enhances the rate of prostate cancer detection with minimum adverse effects.
Value and Sex‐Role Orientation of Chinese Adolescents

Abstract The value preference of a sample of Chinese adolescent high school students, as measured by the Rokeach Value Survey, showed a greater emphasis on the personal and competency values. Specifically, adolescents in this study tended to favour a joyous, comfortable, free, and enjoyable lifestyle. It was found that the four most important tenninal values were: freedom, true friendship, happiness, and a comfortable life, while the four least important were: mature love, national security, an exciting life, and salvation. The four most important instrumental values included: capable, cheerful, broadminded, and intellectual, while the four least important included: logical, imaginative, clean, and obedient. The relationships between value preference and sex role were examined and close relationships were found, especially with respect to the instrumental values. Specifically, masculine adolescents were more agentic and instrumental, and feminine adolescents were more expressive and communal in their valu.
MEIOB Targets Single-Strand DNA and Is Necessary for Meiotic Recombination

Meiotic recombination is a mandatory process for sexual reproduction. We identified a protein specifically implicated in meiotic homologous recombination that we named: meiosis specific with OB domain (MEIOB). This protein is conserved among metazoan species and contains single-strand DNA binding sites similar to those of RPA1. Our studies in vitro revealed that both recombinant and endogenous MEIOB can be retained on single-strand DNA. Those in vivo demonstrated the specific expression of Meiob in early meiotic germ cells and the co-localization of MEIOB protein with RPA on chromosome axes. MEIOB localization in Dmc1 −/− spermatocytes indicated that it accumulates on resected DNA. Homologous Meiob deletion in mice caused infertility in both sexes, due to a meiotic arrest at a zygotene/pachytene-like stage. DNA double strand break repair and homologous chromosome synapsis were impaired in Meiob −/− meiocytes. Interestingly MEIOB appeared to be dispensable for the initial loading of recombinases but was required to maintain a proper number of RAD51 and DMC1 foci beyond the zygotene stage. In light of these findings, we propose that RPA and this new single-strand DNA binding protein MEIOB, are essential to ensure the proper stabilization of recombinases which is required for successful homology search and meiotic recombination.
Towards Representation Learning for Biomedical Concept Detection in Medical Images: UA.PT Bioinformatics in ImageCLEF 2017

Representation learning is a field that has rapidly evolved during the last decade, with much of this progress being driven by the latest breakthroughs in deep learning. Digital medical imaging is a particularly interesting application since representation learning may enable better medical decision support systems. ImageCLEFcaption focuses on automatic information extraction from biomedical images. This paper describes two representation learning approaches for the concept detection sub-task. The first approach consists of k-means clustering to create bags of words from SIFT descriptors. The second approach is based on a custom deep denoising convolutional autoencoder. A set of perceptron classifiers were trained and evaluated for each representation type. Test results showed a mean F1 score of 0.0488 and 0.0414 for the best run using bags of words and the autoencoder, respectively.
Maritime moving target detection technique for passive bistatic radar with GNSS transmitters

The paper puts forward a moving target detection technique for passive bistatic radar systems based on GNSS signals for maritime surveillance applications. If from one hand navigation satellites are extremely attractive as opportunistic sources for passive radar due to their global coverage and the availability of multiple satellites, on the other hand they provide a restricted power budget. To strengthen the target energy sufficiently to allow its detection, observation time has to be increased up to several tens of seconds. This requires the need to develop innovative techniques able to deal with such long integration times. In this paper, a local plane-based maritime moving target detection (M-MTD) technique is proposed. Such a technique performs the integration of the received signal for a long integration time, properly taking into account the migration of the moving target during the entire dwell time. Moreover, it provides target detection in the local plane that represents the section of maritime area covered by the radar antenna. Since this plane is common to multiple transmitters, the proposed technique can be easily extended to the multistatic case, which is the bigger benefit in using GNSS sources. Simulated and experimental results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed M-MTD technique to detect ship targets, not detectable with conventional MTD techniques, with the GNSS-based passive radar.
Teacher resistance against school reform: reflecting an inconvenient truth

In this article, the contexts, forms and consequences of teacher resistance against school reforms based on quality assurance policies are discussed. The problems are demonstrated by recurring on research devoted to the acceptance and/or resistance of (German) teachers against standards-based accountability policies. These results demonstrate that the majority in the teacher force ignores, misinterprets or misuses the feedback information from standards-based performance tests aiming at a data-driven development of classroom teaching. Only a small part shows an adequate usage of feedback information, especially those schools that already have developed a culture of internal evaluation. In general, the success or failure of educational innovations is difficult to estimate, because it is a matter of interpretation and post hoc reconstruction.
THE PATHOGENESIS OF HYPERLIPEMIA INDUCED BY MEANS OF SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENTS

Rabbits subjected to subtotal hepatectomy failed to develop increased serum cholesterol levels following parenteral injection of triton WR 1339, the finding indicating that the liver is essential for the establishment of the hypercholesterolemia induced by surface-active agents. The cholesterol content of the livers of rabbits rendered hyperlipemic by means of triton remained unchanged both during the rapid rise of the serum cholesterol levels and during the return to normal values. By contrast, the cholesterol content of the livers of rabbits fed cholesterol rose progressively over a period of 5 weeks, concommittant with the increase in serum cholesterol levels. The findings provide support for the hypothesis that surface-active agents bring about hyperlipemia by altering the circulating lipoproteins in some manner so that they are retained in the circulating body fluids.
Correlates of physical activity in youth: a review of quantitative systematic reviews

To increase young people's physical activity (PA) levels it is important to understand the correlates of PA in children and adolescents. We sought to identify factors associated with children's and adolescents’ PA by reviewing systematic quantitative reviews of non-intervention research. Systematic reviews examining associations between quantitatively measured variables and PA in young people (< 19 years) from 2000–2010 were identified using electronic and manual searches. Nine systematic reviews were identified. Demographic/biological correlates of PA were age and gender. Psychological correlates of PA were positive motivation, positive body image and the existence of barriers to PA. Behavioural correlates of PA were previous PA, sport participation, smoking, and sedentary behaviour. Social/cultural correlates of PA were parental influence and social support, and environmental correlates of PA were access to facilities, distance from home to school, time spent outside, and local crime. The evidence is suggestive of a number of different types of correlates of PA for children and adolescents. Beyond age and gender, though, most are likely to have only small or small-to-moderate effects in isolation and may work best in interaction with other influences. Psychologists must look to social, organisational and community-level correlates in addition to individual correlates.
THE PRE-ANALYTICAL CHALLENGES OF ROUTINE URINALYSIS

Abstract An effective diagnostic strategy for urinalysis should be based on standard procedures for collection, transport, sample preparation and analysis. In view of a better reproducibility of the analyses, the pre-analytical requirements become stricter. Various sample methods can cause significant pre-analytical errors. It is a challenge for the laboratory to control the steps in the pre-analytical phase that contribute to pre-analytical variability. To reduce the variability, it is necessary to look at the pre-analytical process as a complete entity, from test ordering to the moment of specimen processing. Clinical laboratories are responsible for the clinical and financial outcome of this phase. In a culture of increasing productivity, lower costs and improving quality, the challenge is to use several tools designed to standardize and optimize urinalysis. Despite advances in the performance of analytic systems, the pre-analytical phase of modern urinalyses has not been studied very thoroughly. This review of the literature lights on different problems in current pre-analytical requirements for particle and test strip analysis of urine samples.
Leisure Motivation: An Integrative Review

In this article we reviewed research on leisure motivation. We started with a brief review of the history of leisure motivation and then reviewed research on leisure motivation scales and leisure constraints negotiation. Next, we considered the relationship between leisure motivation and culture in terms of cultural, self-construals, and cross-cultural factors. In this review we found that, developmentally, the study of leisure motivation is at a point of coming of age. Finally, we highlighted critical challenges future researchers will face, including understanding leisure motivation within the context of an individual’s experience, investigating the complex relationships between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and studying the relationships between leisure motivation and other factors that affect participation.
Experimental results on adaptive MMSE turbo equalization in shallow underwater acoustic communication

This paper presents some new results on MMSE turbo equalization applied to real sea water trials in the Atlantic ocean. High data rate QPSK communications (2 to 7 kbps) have been tested. The receiver includes timing recovery, equalization, interleaving and channel coding. The results which are evaluated in term of BER and MSE show that turbo equalization improves the performance of the receiver.
Obstacles and future of gene therapy for hemophilia

Introduction: The recent success of early-phase clinical trials for adeno-associated viral (AAV) liver-directed gene therapy for hemophilia B (HB) demonstrates the potential for gene therapy, in the future, to succeed protein-based prophylaxis therapy for HB. Significant obstacles, however, need to be overcome prior to widespread adoption. The largest obstacles include immune responses to the AAV capsid including preexisting neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) and a delayed cellular immune response. Emerging evidence suggests that the latter is vector-dose dependent. Furthermore, the development and eradication of inhibitors remains a significant safety concern. Similarly, biological differences between Factor VIII and Factor IX (FIX) impose challenges to direct adoption of the successes for HB to hemophilia A (HA). Areas covered: The advantages and limitations of the current strategies addressing these obstacles for gene therapy for HB and HA are discussed, as well as vector manufacturing issues relevant to widespread adoption. Alternative strategies including both ex-vivo and in-vivo lentiviral-based methods are discussed, though we focus on AAV-based approaches because of their recent clinical success and potential. Expert opinion: Our opinion is that these obstacles can be overcome with current approaches, and AAV-based gene therapy for HB will likely translate into future clinical care. Innovative approaches are, however, likely needed to solve the current problems obstructing HA gene therapy.
Who Benefits from Government Healthcare Subsidies? An Assessment of the Equity of Healthcare Benefits Distribution in China

Background Improving the equitable distribution of government healthcare subsidies (GHS), particularly among low-income citizens, is a major goal of China’s healthcare sector reform in China. Objectives This study investigates the distribution of GHS in China between socioeconomic populations at two different points in time, examines the comparative distribution of healthcare benefits before and after healthcare reforms in Northwest China, compares the parity of distribution between urban and rural areas, and explores factors that influence equitable GHS distribution. Methods Benefit incidence analysis of GHS progressivity was performed, and concentration and Kakwani indices for outpatient, inpatient, and total healthcare were calculated. Two rounds of household surveys that used multistage stratified samples were conducted in 2003 (13,564 respondents) and 2008 (12,973 respondents). Data on socioeconomics, healthcare payments, and healthcare utilization were collected using household interviews. Results High-income individuals generally reap larger benefits from GHS, as reflected by positive concentration indices, which indicates a regressive system. Concentration indices for inpatient care were 0.2199 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.0829 to 0.3568) and 0.4445 (95% CI, 0.3000 to 0.5890) in 2002 (urban vs. rural, respectively), and 0.3925 (95% CI, 0.2528 to 0.5322) and 0.4084 (95% CI, 0.2977 to 0.5190) in 2007. Outpatient healthcare subsidies showed different distribution patterns in urban and rural areas following the redesign of rural healthcare insurance programs (urban vs. rural: 0.1433 [95% CI, 0.0263 to 0.2603] and 0.3662 [95% CI, 0.2703 to 0.4622] in 2002, respectively; 0.3063 [95% CI, 0.1657 to 0.4469] and −0.0273 [95% CI, −0.1702 to 0.1156] in 2007). Conclusions Our study demonstrates an inequitable distribution of GHS in China from 2002 to 2007; however, the inequity was reduced, especially in rural outpatient services. Future healthcare reforms in China should not only focus on expanding the coverage, but also on improving the equity of distribution of healthcare benefits.
An evaluation of a nonlinear feature transformation for conversational speech recognition

We test the nonlinear symplectic maximum-likelihood transformation (SMLT) on two large-vocabulary, conversational speech recognition tasks: IBM's Superhuman test and the DARPA 2003 Rich Transcription (RT03) test. Features in these tests are computed via linear discriminant analysis (LDA) on spliced MFCC features and subsequent transformation of the projected features using either a maximum-likelihood linear transformation (MLLT), an SMLT, or both. In contrast to previous tests of the SMLT on TIMIT phone recognition with static and delta MFCC, these tests use a more difficult task and very different features. The four results of this work are that both LDA+MLLT and LDA+SMLT systems outperform an LDA-only system; the LDA+MLLT system outperforms the LDA+SMLT system (but the MLLT has 20 times more parameters than the SMLT); small improvements over an LDA+MLLT system are obtained with an LDA+MLLT+SMLT system on well-matched material; and no improvements are obtained using two class-dependent SMLT in an LDA+MLLT+SMLT system.