Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fast antenna subset selection in wireless MIMO systems

Multiple antenna wireless communication systems have recently attracted significant attention due to their higher capacity as compared to the systems that employ a single antenna. For systems with a large number of antennas, there is a strong motivation to develop techniques with reduced hardware and computational costs. An efficient approach to achieve this goal is the optimal antenna subset selection. We propose a fast antenna selection algorithm for wireless multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems. Our algorithm achieves almost the same outage capacity as the optimal selection technique while having a lower computational complexity than existing nearly optimal antenna selection methods.
Biased morph ratios and skewed mating success contribute to loss of genetic diversity in the distylous Pulmonaria officinalis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS In heterostylous plant species, skewed morph ratios are not uncommon and may arise from a range of factors. Despite the recognized importance of skewed morph ratios on overall reproductive success within populations, little is known about the impact of skewed morph ratios on population genetic diversity and differentiation in heterostylous species. This study specifically aimed to clarify the effect of population size and morph bias on population genetic diversity and differentiation in the temperate forest herb Pulmonaria officinalis. This species is characterized by a distylous breeding system and shows morph-specific differences in reproductive success. METHODS Genetic diversity was determined for 27 P. officinalis populations in northern Belgium by using eight recently developed microsatellite markers. Multiple regressions were used to assess the relationship between genetic diversity, morph bias and population size, and F(ST)-values were calculated for short- and long-styled morphs separately to study genetic differentiation as a function of morph type. KEY RESULTS For all genetic measures used, morph bias was more important in explaining patterns of genetic diversity than population size, and in all cases patterns of population genetic diversity followed a quadratic function, which showed a symmetrical decrease in genetic diversity with increasing morph bias. However, probably due to the reproductive advantage of L-morphs relative to S-morphs, maximum genetic diversity was found in populations showing an excess of L-morphs (60·7 % L-morph). On the other hand, no significant difference in pairwise genetic distances between populations was observed between L- (0·107) and S-morphs (0·106). CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that significant deviations from equal morph ratios not only affect plant reproductive success but also population genetic diversity of heterostylous plant species. Hence, when defining conservation measures for populations of heterostylous plant species, morph ratios should be considered as an important trait affecting their long-term population viability.
Effect of Soy Isoflavones on Growth of Representative Bacterial Species from the Human Gut

The present work aimed to assess the susceptibility of dominant and representative bacterial populations from the human gut to isoflavones and their metabolites. To do so, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of isoflavone glycosides, isoflavone aglycones, and equol to 37 bacterial strains was determined by broth microdilution. Additionally, for 10 representative strains, growth curves, growth rate (μ), and optical density (OD600 nm) of the cultures at 24 h were also determined. MICs of daidzin, genistin, daidzein, and genistein were >2048 μg mL−1 for all strains assayed, while that of equol ranged from 16 μg mL−1 for Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. animalis to >2048 μg mL−1 for Enterobacteriaceae strains. Changes in growth curves, μ, and final OD were observed among the species in the presence of all tested compounds. Genistein reduced μ of Bacteroides fragilis, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, and Slackia equolifaciens, while both genistein and equol increased that of Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii. Compared to controls, lower final OD in the presence of aglycones and equol were recorded for some strains but were higher for others. Altogether, the results suggest that isoflavone-derived compounds could modify numbers of key bacterial species in the gut, which might be associated with their beneficial properties.
Throughput Scaling of Wireless Networks With Random Connections

This work studies the throughput scaling laws of ad hoc wireless networks in the limit of a large number of nodes. A random connections model is assumed in which the channel connections between the nodes are drawn independently from a common distribution. Transmitting nodes are subject to an on-off strategy, and receiving nodes employ conventional single-user decoding. The following results are proven: 1) for a class of connection models with finite mean and variance, the throughput scaling is upper-bounded by O(n1/3) for single-hop schemes, and O(n1/2) for two-hop (and multihop) schemes; 2) the Θ(n1/2) throughput scaling is achievable for a specific connection model by a two-hop opportunistic relaying scheme, which employs full, but only local channel state information (CSI) at the receivers, and partial CSI at the transmitters; 3) by relaxing the constraints of finite mean and variance of the connection model, linear throughput scaling Θ(n) is achievable with Pareto-type fading models.
Nanomaterials, Nanotechnologies and Design : An Introduction for Engineers and Architects

1. Nanomaterials and Nanotechnologies: An Overview 2. An Evolutionary Perspective 3. Design Processes and Objectives 4. Material Classes, Structure and Properties 5. Materials Property Charts and Their Uses 6. Nanomaterials: Classes and Fundamentals 7. Nanomaterials: Synthesis and Characterization 8. Nanomaterials: Properties 9. Design Environments and Systems 10. Nanomaterial Product Forms and Functions 11. The Broader Context
Driving Forces of Informal Sanctions

Informal sanctions are a major determinant of a society's social capital because they are key to the enforcement of implicit agreements and social norms. Yet, little is known about the driving forces behind informal sanctions. We systematically examine the determinants of informal sanctions by a large number of experiments. Our findings show that the violation of fairness principles is the most important driving force of sanctions but, in addition, a non-negligible part of the sanctions is driven by spitefulness. We find surprisingly little evidence for strategic sanctions that are imposed to create future material benefits. While non-strategic sanctions are of major importance in our experiments, strategic sanctions seem to play a negligible role. Within the class of fairness-driven sanctions the motive to harm those who committed unfair actions seems most important. key-words: Informal Sanction, Social Norm, Social Capital, Strategic Sanction, Fairness, Reciprocity, Spitefulness
Winter-to-Spring Transition in East Asia: A Planetary-Scale Perspective of the South China Spring Rain Onset

Analysis of observations from 1979 to 2002 shows that the seasonal transition from winter to spring in East Asia is marked with a distinctive event—the onset of the south China spring rain (SCSR). In late February, the reduced thermal contrast between ocean and land leads to weakening of the Asian winter monsoon as well as the Siberian high and the Aleutian low. Meanwhile, convection over Australia and the western Pacific Maritime Continent is suppressed on the passage of the dry phase of a Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO). In conjunction with the seasonal march of monsoon circulation in the Indonesian– Australian sector, this MJO passage weakens the local thermally direct cell in the East Asia–Australia sector. This development is further accompanied by a series of adjustments in both the tropics and midlatitudes. These changes include attenuation of the planetary stationary wave, considerable weakening of the westerly jet stream over much of the central Pacific adjacent to Japan, and reduction of baroclinicity near the East Asian trough. The influence of concurrent local processes in midlatitudes on the SCSR onset is also important. The weakened jet stream is associated with confinement of frontal activities to the coastal regions of East Asia as well as with rapid expansion of the subtropical Pacific high from the eastern Pacific to the western Pacific. A parallel analysis using output from an experiment with a GFDL-coupled GCM shows that the above sequence of circulation changes is well simulated in that model.
Study of care for patients with cleft lip/palate (CLP) in the Lao People's Democratic Republic: health provider's perspective.

OBJECTIVE The objectives of the present study included learning basic information on the problems among, and problem-solving for, the persons caring for patients with cleft lip/palate (CLP) in Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR). MATERIAL AND METHOD This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study done by completing a questionnaire during an interview. The sample group comprised physicians, anesthetists, nurses and public health officers a total of 34 persons from eight hospitals who attended a workshop at the Khammouan Hospital (October 16-20, 2010). The questionnaires were approved by 5 assessors and had a Cronbach's alpha of 0.89. General demographic information was collected as well as knowledge and understanding vis-a-vis the care of pediatric patients with CLP at Khammouan Hospital, in Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR). RESULTS Twenty of the public health officers surveyed were females. The average age of the officers was approximately 40 years. Sixteen of the officers were nurses from Khammouan Hospital. The survey of public health officers' taking care of patients with CLP revealed that (a) 19 were trained at Srinagarind Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Thailand (b) 23 had experience in caring for patients with CLP (c) 17 had a medical specialist at the center (d) 4 had sufficient officers at the center and (e) 13 had a good understanding of a multidisciplinary team approach to the care of patients with CLP while the majority (21) had either a poor understanding (13) or none at all (8). The survey of medical personnel's understanding in regard to the care of patients with CLP was moderate (x = 3.08, SD = 0.99). CONCLUSION The problems of taking care of patients with CLP include lack of personnel (specifically professors to teach) knowledge, medical equipment and financial support. The solution lies in help from the government and overseas organizations for in- and out-bound training and grants.
Effects of GABAa receptor antagonists on motor behavior in pharmacological Parkinson's disease model in mice

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of two gamma‐amino butyric acid (GABA)a receptor antagonists on motor behavioral tasks in a pharmacological model of Parkinson disease (PD) in rodents. Ninety‐six Swiss mice received intraperitoneal injection of Haloperidol (1 mg/kg) to block dopaminergic receptors. GABAa receptors antagonists Bicuculline (1 and 5 mg/kg) and Flumazenil (3 and 6 mg/kg) were used for the assessment of the interaction among these neurotransmitters, in this PD model. The motor behavior of the animals was evaluated in the catalepsy test (30, 60, and 90 min after drugs application), through open field test (after 60 min) and trough functional gait assessment (after 60 min). Both Bicuculline and Flumazenil were able to partially reverse catalepsy induced by Haloperidol. In the open field test, Haloperidol reduced the number of horizontal and vertical exploration of the animals, which was not reversed trough application of GABAa antagonists. Furthermore, the functional gait assessment was not sensitive enough to detect motor changes in this animal model of PD. There is an interaction between dopamine and GABA in the basal ganglia and the blocking GABAa receptors may have therapeutic potential in the treatment of PD.
A model for predicting heat transfer through gypsum‐board/wood‐stud walls exposed to fire

To facilitate the development of cost-effective and flexible design options there is a need to develop models to predict the fire resistance of wood-frame building assemblies. Such assemblies often derive much of their fire resistance from a protective membrane composed of gypsum board. A simple two-dimensional computer model is presented to predict heat transfer through gypsum-board/wood-stud walls exposed to fire. Input data for the thermophysical properties of gypsum board were measured exploying standard bench-scale tests. Input data for wood were selected from the literature. Small-and full-scale fire resistance tests were conducted on gypsum-board/wood-stud wall assemblies to provide data for the validation of the model. The model is shown to predict heat transfer through these walls rather well.
A Thermomechanical Model for a One Variant Shape Memory Material

A model is examined for thermoelastic materials, such as those that display the shape memory and pseudoelastic effect. As is common with models for these materials, an internal variable is utilized which gives the phase fraction of austenite at the microstructural level within the continua. Evolution equations are developed that govern the time history of the system based on changes in stress, strain and temperature. Hysteresis is inherent in the system due to the Duhem- Madelung form of one of these equations. Attention is focused on the connection between complete transformation phenomena and arrested loading/unloading (outer loops vs. subloops); the transition from isothermal to adiabatic loading via loading in a heat convective environment; the identification of attracting states associated with both temperature cycling and periodic stressing; and the deter mination of mathematical restrictions on otherwise rather general constitutive entities entering the model so as to ensure well-posedness, proper qualitative behavior and admissible thermodynamic behavior.
Comparative study of antioxidant activity between ethanolic and aqueous extract of Cleome rutidosperma.

Cleome rutidosperma is traditionally used in the treatment of paralysis, epilepsy, convulsions, spasm, pain and skin disease. Extraction of the aerial parts of the plant Cleome rutidosperma using water and ethanol and evaluation of their antioxidant activity has been envisaged in this present research work. Both the extracts exhibits significant antioxidant activity in DPPH, Nitric oxide and hydroxyl radical induced In-vitro assay methods. The DPPH radical inhibition (%) was 53.13, 57.13 and 79.12 for CRA, CRE and ascorbic acid respectively. The Cleome rutidosperma extracts (CRA and CRE) showed significant free radical scavenging action against nitric oxide (NO) induced release of free radicals at the concentrations 250μg/ml, showing 29.22% and 63.32% of NO inhibition, respectively. The CRA and CRE extracts (25-400μg/ml) significantly scavenged the hydroxyl radical generated by the EDTA/H2O2 system, when compared to that of ascorbic acid.
The elastic properties of calcium leached cement pastes and mortars : a multi-scale investigation

Calcium leaching induced aging in concrete creates a new material with degraded macroscopic mechanical properties. Although the degradation of strength has been elaborately studied in the last decade, the degradation of elasticity has not been investigated in the same depth. This thesis presents a combined experimental-theoretical investigation of the loss of elastic modulus due to calcium leaching. The first part of this thesis describes the experimental study performed on the elastic modulus of asymptotically leached cement paste and mortar. A combined qualitativequantitative approach is adopted to characterize and quantify the chemical degradation at various length scales. The macroscopic elasticity (10-2 10-4 m) is measured using three different techniques: (a) Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity, (b) Resonant Frequency, and (c) Uniaxial Compression. The microscopic effect (104 10-7 m) is quantified using stateof-the-art Nanoindentation tests. Scanning Electron Microscope images complete the characterization by providing qualitative information about the concrete microstructure and its evolution through calcium leaching. The second part of the thesis is devoted to modeling the experimentally observed material behavior. Based on a micromechanical approach, using different homogenization schemes available, the different levels of characterization are linked together by a new multiscale -model. The macroscopic values predicted by the model compare well with the values obtained experimentally. The combined experimental-theoretical approach confirms both the deleterious effects induced by calcium leaching on concrete and the capacity of the model to predict the degradation of elasticity caused at the material level. Thesis Supervisor: Franz-Josef Ulm Title: Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Functional Analysis of the Pathogenicity-Related Gene VdPR1 in the Vascular Wilt Fungus Verticillium dahliae

Verticillium dahliae Kleb. , the causal agent of vascular wilt, can seriously diminish the yield and quality of many crops, including cotton. The pathogenic mechanism to cotton is complicated and unclear now. To screen pathogencity related genes and identify their function is the reliable way to explain the mechanism. In this study, we obtained a low-pathogenicity mutant vdpr1 from a T-DNA insertional library of the highly virulent isolate of V. dahliae Vd080, isolated from cotton. The tagged gene was named pathogenicity-related gene (VdPR1). The deletion mutant ΔVdPR1 did not form microsclerotia and showed a drastic reduction in spore yield and mycelial growth, compared to wild type. Also, ΔVdPR1 showed significantly lower protease and cellulase activities than those of wild type. Complementation of the mutant strain with VdPR1 (strain ΔVdPR1-C) almost completely rescued the attributes described above to wild-type levels. The knockout mutant ΔVdPR1 showed delayed infection, caused mild disease symptoms, formed a smaller biomass in roots of the host, and showed compromised systemic invasive growth in the xylem. These results suggest that VdPR1 is a multifaceted gene involved in regulating the growth development, early infection and pathogenicity of V. dahliae.
Value of Electrocardiographic Parameters and Ajmaline Test in the Diagnosis of Brugada Syndrome Caused by SCN5A Mutations

Background—The Brugada syndrome is an arrhythmogenic disease caused in part by mutations in the cardiac sodium channel gene, SCN5A. The electrocardiographic pattern characteristic of the syndrome is dynamic and is often absent in affected individuals. Sodium channel blockers are effective in unmasking carriers of the disease. However, the value of the test remains controversial. Methods and Results—We studied 147 individuals representing 4 large families with SCN5A mutations. Of these, 104 were determined to be at possible risk for Brugada syndrome and underwent both electrocardiographic and genetic evaluation. Twenty-four individuals displayed an ECG diagnostic of Brugada syndrome at baseline. Of the remaining, 71 received intravenous ajmaline. Of the 35 genetic carriers who received ajmaline, 28 had a positive test and 7 a negative ajmaline test. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the drug challenge were 80% (28:35), 94.4% (34:36), 93.3% (28:30), and 82.9% (34:41), respectively. Penetrance of the disease phenotype increased from 32.7% to 78.6% with the use of sodium channel blockers. In the absence of ST-segment elevation under baseline conditions, a prolonged P-R interval, but not incomplete right bundle-branch block or early repolarization patterns, indicates a high probability of an SCN5A mutation carrier. Conclusions—In families with Brugada syndrome, the data suggest that ajmaline testing is valuable in the diagnosis of SCN5A carriers. In the absence of ST-segment elevation at baseline, family members with first-degree atrioventricular block should be suspected of carrying the mutation. An ajmaline test is often the key to making the proper diagnosis in these patients.
The Meeting Project at ICSI

In collaboration with colleagues at UW, OGI, IBM, and SRI, we are developing technology to process spoken language from informal meetings. The work includes a substantial data collection and transcription effort, and has required a nontrivial degree of infrastructure development. We are undertaking this because the new task area provides a significant challenge to current HLT capabilities, while offering the promise of a wide range of potential applications. In this paper, we give our vision of the task, the challenges it represents, and the current state of our development, with particular attention to automatic transcription.
Task force report on scales to assess dyskinesia in Parkinson's disease: Critique and recommendations

Drug‐induced dyskinesia is a common phenomenon in Parkinson's disease (PD) and is often socially as well as physically disabling for patients. The Movement Disorders Society commissioned a task force to assess available clinical rating scales, critique their clinimetric properties, and make recommendations regarding their clinical utility. A task force composed six clinical researchers who systematically searched the literature for scales measuring dyskinesia in PD, evaluated the scales' previous use, performance parameters, and quality of validation data (if available). A scale was designated “Recommended” if the scale has been used in clinical studies beyond the group that developed it, has been specifically used in PD reports, and if clinimetric studies have established that it is a valid, reliable, and sensitive. “Suggested” scales met two of the above criteria and those meeting one were “Listed. ” Based on the systematic review, eight rating scales for dyskinesia that have either been validated or used in PD were identified. These were the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS), The Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) part IV, the Obeso Dyskinesia Rating Scale, the Rush Dyskinesia Rating Scale, the Clinical Dyskinesia Rating Scale (CDRS), the Lang‐Fahn Activities of Daily Living Dyskinesia Scale, the Parkinson Disease Dyskinesia Scale (PDYS‐26), and the Unified Dyskinesia Rating Scale (UDysRS). Based on this review, at present two of the reviewed dyskinesia scales (AIMS and the Rush Dyskinesia Rating Scale) fulfill criteria for Recommended for use in PD populations, albeit weakly so; all of the remaining met criteria to be Suggested. However, the two most recent scales (PDYS‐26 and UDysRS) have excellent clinimetric properties and appear to provide a reliable and valid assessment tool of dyskinesia in PD. If they are used successfully beyond the groups that developed them, both have the potential to be re‐ranked as Recommended. As further testing of these scales in PD is warranted, no new scales are needed until the available scales are fully tested clinimetrically. © 2010 Movement Disorder Society
A Review of the Detection of Amino Acids in Tumor Tissue with 1H Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in vivo

The biochemical components of tumor tissue are generally different from normal tissue. A variety of techniques, including of magnetic resonance (MR) are used to study metabolic compounds and their associated biochemical pathways in tumor tissue in vivo. This review provides an overview of applications of MR spectroscopy (MRS) to the identification of biochemical characteristics, e.g. amino acids present during tumor growth. MRS is a technology that allows spatial localization and structural studies of amino acids and is gaining in use as a diagnostic tool. This review is intended to provide information about potential applications of MRS to non-invasive probing of the underlying amino acid biochemistry in tumors. Articles discussed in this review are classified into the following categories:hardware for 1H MRS, acquisition methods, software, and 1H MRS of amino acids in tumor tissue in vivo.