Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A software-defined wireless networking enabled spectrum management architecture

Recent years have seen the proliferation in versatile mobile devices and application services that demand different data rates and latencies. Fixed channelization configuration in today's wireless devices fail to be efficient in the presence of such dynamic demands. In this regard, fine-grained spectrum management designs have been advocated by the research community to embrace the heterogeneity in devices and services. However, manufacturers hesitate to make hardware investments without comprehensive understanding of these designs. To break this stalemate, software-defined wireless networking (SDWN) has been pushed to market as a cost-effective paradigm. Motivated by recent innovations in SDWN, this article systematically investigates the spectrum management architecture design that reaps the benefits of SDWN while maintaining the features of fine-grained channelization. We shed light on design principles and key challenges in realizing the SDWN-enabled spectrum management architecture. With these principles and challenges in mind, we develop a general architecture with a new baseband virtualization design. We build a prototype that seamlessly integrates with the IEEE 802.11 protocol stack and commodity RF front-end. We demonstrate that the proposed architecture improves spectrum efficiency by emulating the upper layer behaviors using the traces captured in a campus WLAN.
Lenalidomide in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) in adults. Even if the natural history of DLBCL has been improved with the advent of immunochemotherapy, the survival results obtained with current treatment options clearly indicate that new agents or novel approaches are needed. Lenalidomide (Revlimid, Celgene Corporation, Summit, NJ, USA), an analogue of thalidomide, is an immunomodulatory drug with pleiotropic mechanisms of action potentially adding to immunochemotherapy. We present here the biological rational for the use of lenalidomide in DLBCL in light of recent advances in the pathophysiology of the disease and the therapeutic results of the most recent trials published in literature or reported in meetings in relapsed/refractory situations as well as in first-line treatment.
Subjective Perceptions of Organizational Change and Employee Resistance to Change: Direct and Mediated Relationships with Employee Well‐Being

Researchers have focused on linking objective measures of change exposure, such as the number of downsizing activities implemented, with employee well-being. This has meant that less attention has been paid to employees’ subjective experience of change. The authors examine relationships between employees’ perceptions of the extent of change and the frequency of change and insomnia and psychological well-being. They propose direct and indirect relationships via resistance to change between employees’ subjective experience of change and well-being. Data were collected from 260 employees from a range of different organizations and industries. Respondents completed surveys at two time points, separated by four months. Results revealed significant indirect relationships between subjective perceptions of change and insomnia and employee well-being via affective resistance to change at Time 1 and Time 2. In addition, employees’ subjective reports that change was very frequent were initially positively associated with T1 behavioral resistance to change but also were negatively associated with T2 behavioral resistance to change. Discussion focuses on the importance of managing employees’ perceptions of change. Practically, the authors consider the difficult choices that confront managers when seeking to implement and ‘sell’ change within their organization.
Chemical trends at lakes and streams in the UK Acid Waters Monitoring Network, 1988-2000: Evidence for recent recovery at a national scale

Abstract. A detailed trend analysis of 12 years of data (1988-2000) for 22 surface waters in acid-sensitive regions of the United Kingdom, in which individual site data have been combined to identify national-scale trends, has shown strong common patterns of temporal variation. Results suggest a widespread reduction in sulphate concentrations, hydrogen ion and inorganic aluminium species, and increases in acid neutralising capacity. Many chemical changes have not been linear. However, the first five years were characterised by high concentrations of marine ions and relatively stable pollutant sulphate concentrations and the remaining period by lower concentrations of marine ions and declining sulphate. Genuine "recovery", in terms of declining acidity in response to reduced anthropogenic sulphur deposition is only apparent, therefore, for the latter part of the monitoring period. Reductions in calcium concentrations appear to have partially offset the influence of sulphate reductions on acidity, as have increases in organic acidity associated with strong and widespread rising trends in dissolved organic carbon. Fluctuations in a number of climatic factors over the monitoring period have led to significant inter-annual variability in nitrate, which exhibits little long-term trend, marine ions and acidity, emphasising the need for long monitoring periods if underlying trends are to be correctly identified. Keywords: acidification, recovery, long-term trends, climate, Dissolved Organic Carbon, United Kingdom Acid Waters Monitoring Network
Timecourse of object‐related neural activity in the primate prefrontal cortex during a short‐term memory task

We studied the timecourse of neural activity in the primate (Macacca mulatta) prefrontal (PF) cortex during an object delayed‐matching‐to‐sample (DMS) task. To assess the effects of experience on this timecourse, we conducted the task using both novel and highly familiar objects. In addition, noise patterns containing no task‐relevant information were used as samples on some trials. Comparison of average PF ensemble activity relative to baseline activity generated by objects and noise patterns revealed three distinct activity periods. (i) Sample onset elicited a transient sensory visual response. In this sensory period, novel objects elicited stronger average ensemble activity than both familiar objects and noise patterns. (ii) An intermediate period of elevated activity followed, which began before sample offset, and continued well into the delay period. In the intermediate period, activity was elevated for noise patterns and novel objects, but near baseline for familiar objects. (iii) Finally, after average ensemble activity reached baseline activity at the end of the intermediate period, a reactivation period occurred late in the delay. Experience had little effect during reactivation, where activity was elevated for both novel and familiar objects compared to noise patterns. We show that the ensemble average resembles the activity timecourse of many single prefrontal neurons. These results suggest that PF delay activity does not merely maintain recent sensory input, but is subject to more complex experience‐dependent dynamics. This has implications for how delay activity is generated and maintained.
A Lossy Counting Based Approach for Learning on Streams of Graphs on a Budget

In many problem settings, for example on graph domains, online learning algorithms on streams of data need to respect strict time constraints dictated by the throughput on which the data arrive. When only a limited amount of memory (budget) is available, a learning algorithm will eventually need to discard some of the information used to represent the current solution, thus negatively affecting its classification performance. More importantly, the overhead due to budget management may significantly increase the computational burden of the learning algorithm. In this paper we present a novel approach inspired by the Passive Aggressive and the Lossy Counting algorithms. Our algorithm uses a fast procedure for deleting the less influential features. Moreover, it is able to estimate the weighted frequency of each feature and use it for prediction.
Covering Number for Efficient Heuristic-based POMDP Planning

The difficulty of POMDP planning depends on the size of the search space involved. Heuristics are often used to reduce the search space size and improve computational efficiency; however, there are few theoretical bounds on their effectiveness. In this paper, we use the covering number to characterize the size of the search space reachable under heuristics and connect the complexity of POMDP planning to the effectiveness of heuristics. With insights from the theoretical analysis, we have developed a practical POMDP algorithm, Packing-Guided Value Iteration (PGVI). Empirically, PGVI is competitive with the state-of-the-art point-based POMDP algorithms on 65 small benchmark problems and outperforms them on 4 larger problems.
Sequence Variants in Human Neurofilament

Neurofilaments, assembled from NF-L (68 kd), NF-M (95 kd), and NF-H (115 kd), are the most abundant structural components in large myelinated axons, particularly those of motor neurons. Aberrant neurofilament accumulation in cell bodies and axons of motor neurons is a prominent pathological feature of several motor neuron diseases, including sporadic and familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Transgenic methods have proved in mice that mutation in or increased expression of neurofilament subunits can be primary causes of motor neuron disease that mimics the neurofilamentous pathology often reported in human disease. To examine whether mutation in neurofilament subunits causes or predisposes to ALS, we used single-strand conformation polymorphism coupled with DNA sequencing to search for mutations in the entirety of the human NF-L, NF-M, and NF-H genes from 100 familial ALS patients known not to carry mutations in superoxide dismutase 1 (SODl), as well as from 75 sporadic ALS patients. Six polypeptide sequence variants were identified in rod and tail domains of NF-L, NF-M, or NF-H. However, all were found at comparable frequency in DNAs from normal individuals and no variant cosegregated with familial disease. Two deletions found previously in NF-H genes of sporadic ALS patients were not seen in this group of familial or sporadic ALS patients. Vechio JD, Bruijn LI, Xu Z, Brown RH Jr, Cleveland DW. Sequence variants in human neurofilament proteins: absence of linkage to familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Ann Neurol 1996;40:603-6 10
Effect of a Low-Protein Diet Supplemented with Ketoacids on Skeletal Muscle Atrophy and Autophagy in Rats with Type 2 Diabetic Nephropathy

A low-protein diet supplemented with ketoacids maintains nutritional status in patients with diabetic nephropathy. The activation of autophagy has been shown in the skeletal muscle of diabetic and uremic rats. This study aimed to determine whether a low-protein diet supplemented with ketoacids improves muscle atrophy and decreases the increased autophagy observed in rats with type 2 diabetic nephropathy. In this study, 24-week-old Goto-Kakizaki male rats were randomly divided into groups that received either a normal protein diet (NPD group), a low-protein diet (LPD group) or a low-protein diet supplemented with ketoacids (LPD+KA group) for 24 weeks. Age- and weight-matched Wistar rats served as control animals and received a normal protein diet (control group). We found that protein restriction attenuated proteinuria and decreased blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine levels. Compared with the NPD and LPD groups, the LPD+KA group showed a delay in body weight loss, an attenuation in soleus muscle mass loss and a decrease of the mean cross-sectional area of soleus muscle fibers. The mRNA and protein expression of autophagy-related genes, such as Beclin-1, LC3B, Bnip3, p62 and Cathepsin L, were increased in the soleus muscle of GK rats fed with NPD compared to Wistar rats. Importantly, LPD resulted in a slight reduction in the expression of autophagy-related genes; however, these differences were not statistically significant. In addition, LPD+KA abolished the upregulation of autophagy-related gene expression. Furthermore, the activation of autophagy in the NPD and LPD groups was confirmed by the appearance of autophagosomes or autolysosomes using electron microscopy, when compared with the Control and LPD+KA groups. Our results showed that LPD+KA abolished the activation of autophagy in skeletal muscle and decreased muscle loss in rats with type 2 diabetic nephropathy.
Biphasic components of sarcomatoid clear cell renal cell carcinomas are molecularly similar to each other, but distinct from, non‐sarcomatoid renal carcinomas

Sarcomatoid transformation, wherein an epithelioid carcinomatous tumour component coexists with a sarcomatoid histology, is a predictor of poor prognosis in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Our understanding of sarcomatoid change has been hindered by the lack of molecular examination. Thus, we sought to characterize molecularly the biphasic epithelioid and sarcomatoid components of sarcomatoid clear cell renal cell carcinoma and compare them to non‐sarcomatoid clear cell renal cell carcinoma. We examined the transcriptome of the epithelioid and sarcomatoid components of advanced stage sarcomatoid clear cell renal cell carcinoma (n=43) and non‐sarcomatoid clear cell renal cell carcinoma (n=37) from independent discovery and validation cohorts using the cDNA microarray and RNA‐seq platforms. We analyzed DNA copy number profiles, generated using SNP arrays, from patients with sarcomatoid clear cell renal cell carcinoma (n=10) and advanced non‐sarcomatoid clear cell renal cell carcinoma (n=155). The epithelioid and sarcomatoid components of sarcomatoid clear cell renal cell carcinoma had similar gene expression and DNA copy number signatures that were, however, distinct from those of high‐grade, high‐stage non‐sarcomatoid clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Prognostic clear cell renal cell carcinoma gene expression profiles were shared by the biphasic components of sarcomatoid clear cell renal cell carcinoma and the sarcomatoid component showed a partial epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition signature. Our genome‐scale microarray‐based transcript data were validated in an independent set of sarcomatoid and non‐sarcomatoid clear cell renal cell carcinomas using RNA‐seq. Sarcomatoid clear cell renal cell carcinoma is molecularly distinct from non‐sarcomatoid clear cell renal cell carcinoma, with its genetic programming largely shared by its biphasic morphological components. These data explain why a low percentage of sarcomatoid histology augurs a poor prognosis; suggest the need to modify the pathological grading system and introduce the potential for candidate biomarkers to detect sarcomatoid change preoperatively without specifically sampling the histological sarcomatoid component.
Terrain Adaptive Navigation for planetary rovers

This paper describes the design, implementation, and experimental results of a navigation system for planetary rovers called Terrain Adaptive Navigation (TANav). This system was designed to enable greater access to and more robust operations within terrains of widely varying slippage. The system achieves this goal by using onboard stereo cameras to remotely classify surrounding terrain, predict the slippage of that terrain, and use this information in the planning of a path to the goal. This navigation system consists of several integrated techniques: goodness map generation, terrain triage, terrain classification, remote slip prediction, path planning, High‐Fidelity Traversability Analysis, and slip‐compensated path following. Results from experiments with an end‐to‐end onboard implementation of the TANav system in a Mars analog environment are shown and compared to results from experiments with a more traditional navigation system that does not account for terrain properties. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Cost-effectiveness and budget impact of the fixed-dose dual bronchodilator combination tiotropium–olodaterol for patients with COPD in the Netherlands

Purpose The fixed-dose dual bronchodilator combination (FDC) of tiotropium and olodaterol showed increased effectiveness regarding lung function and health-related quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) compared with the use of its mono-components. Yet, while effectiveness and safety have been shown, the health economic implication of this treatment is still unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the cost–utility and budget impact of tiotropium–olodaterol FDC in patients with moderate to very severe COPD in the Netherlands. Patients and methods A cost–utility study was performed, using an individual-level Markov model. To populate the model, individual patient-level data (age, height, sex, COPD duration, baseline forced expiratory volume in 1 second) were obtained from the tiotropium–olodaterol TOnado trial. In the model, forced expiratory volume in 1 second and patient-level data were extrapolated to utility and survival, and treatment with tiotropium–olodaterol FDC was compared with tiotropium. Cost–utility analysis was performed from the Dutch health care payer’s perspective using a 15-year time horizon in the base-case analysis. The standard Dutch discount rates were applied (costs: 4.0%; effects: 1.5%). Both univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed. Budget impact was annually assessed over a 5-year time horizon, taking into account different levels of medication adherence. Results As a result of cost increases, combined with quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gains, results showed that tiotropium–olodaterol FDC had an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of €7,004/QALY. Without discounting, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was €5,981/QALY. Results were robust in univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses. Budget impact was estimated at €4.3 million over 5 years assuming 100% medication adherence. Scenarios with 40%, 60%, and 80% adherence resulted in lower 5-year incremental cost increases of €1.7, €2.6, and €3.4 million, respectively. Conclusion Tiotropium–olodaterol FDC can be considered a cost-effective treatment under current Dutch cost-effectiveness thresholds.
8-6-2011 Predicting Technology Related Performance : Where Self-Prophecy and Computer Self-Efficacy

Computer Self-Efficacy (CSE) has been traditionally viewed within the IS discipline as an important factor contributing to enhancements in computer-related task performance. Despite these acknowledgements, however, the empirical results involving the effect of CSE on performance have not always been consistent. Further, increasing an individual’s CSE is also a cumbersome process from a practical perspective of implementation. In this study, we introduce a new construct, selfprophecy (from the consumer psychology literature), and investigate whether this social influence strategy can be used as a mechanism to improve computer-related task performance. An experimental study was conducted to examine the effects of self-prophecy in enhancing computer-related task performance. Results show that self-prophecy and CSE interact to influence technology-related task performance. Implications of these results are discussed in terms of organizations ability to increase performance with self-prophecy versus influencing individuals’ CSE.
The effects of psychological maladjustments on predicting developmental trajectories of academic burnout

We identified developmental trajectories of academic burnout related to psychological maladjustments (i.e., compulsion and depression) in 7th and 8th grade Korean adolescents. This is vital because it facilitates early awareness of burnout trends and related psychological maladjustments, which might influence mental health problems, thus promoting proactive prevention and intervention before deterioration. We utilized four-wave longitudinal data from 415 adolescents who completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey and Symptom Check List-47. Data were analysed using growth mixture modeling. The results indicated that developmental trajectories of academic burnout can be characterized by three linear trajectories, ‘moderate-maintain’ (N = 213, 51.33%) which is related to depression, ‘low-deteriorated’ (N = 15, 3.61%) which is related to compulsion, and ‘well-adjusted’ (N = 158, 38.07%) which is related to no maladjustment symptoms. This longitudinal study promotes understanding of middle school students who may experience academic burnout and can facilitate early interventions for academic burnout.
On Unscented Kalman Filtering for State Estimation of Continuous-Time Nonlinear Systems

This paper considers the application of the unscented Kalman filter (UKF) to continuous-time filtering problems, where both the state and measurement processes are modeled as stochastic differential equations. The mean and covariance differential equations which result in the continuous-time limit of the UKF are derived. The continuous-discrete UKF is derived as a special case of the continuous-time filter, when the continuous-time prediction equations are combined with the update step of the discrete-time UKF. The filter equations are also transformed into sigma-point differential equations, which can be interpreted as matrix square root versions of the filter equations.
Effects of toxin production in a murine model of Staphylococcus aureus keratitis.

PURPOSE To investigate the corneal virulence of toxin-deficient mutants of Staphylococcus aureus in young and aged mice in a topical inoculation model of keratitis. METHODS Corneas of young and aged A/J mice were scarified and topically inoculated with a log phase S. aureus parent strain (8325-4), an alpha-toxin-deficient mutant (DU1090), or an Agr-defective mutant (ISP546) deficient in production of multiple toxins or with purified alpha-toxin. Slit lamp examination (SLE) and histopathology were performed, and bacterial colony-forming units (CFU) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity were determined. RESULTS The infection of young mice with the mutant strains demonstrated significantly lower SLE scores (P < or = 0.0001) and reduced histopathologic changes compared with infections with the parent bacterial strain. Either mutant strain of S. aureus produced SLE scores in aged mice through 9 days after infection (PI) that were significantly lower than those of aged mice similarly infected with the toxin-producing parent strain (P < or = 0.0001). Despite use of identical inocula, the CFU per eye were greater for the parent than the mutant strains from 1 to 5 days PI in the young mice (P < or = 0.0372) and from 1 to 3 days PI in the aged mice (P < or = 0.0018). MPO activities were at the maximum at day 1 PI and were similar overall for all infections. Administration of purified alpha-toxin caused greater gross and histopathologic changes in eyes of aged mice than in those of young mice. CONCLUSIONS Bacterial toxins, and especially alpha-toxin, can mediate corneal disease in mice. Differences in severity of S. aureus keratitis in aged versus young mice correlates with their susceptibility to alpha-toxin.