Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On the diversity-multiplexing tradeoff of cooperative multicast system with wireless network coding

Diversity-multiplexing tradeoff (DMT) is an efficient tool to measure the performance of multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) systems and cooperative systems. Recently, cooperative multicast system with wireless network coding stretched tremendous interesting due to that it can drastically enhance the throughput of the wireless networks. It is desirable to apply DMT to the performance analysis on the multicast system with wireless network coding. In this paper, DMT is performed at the three proposed wireless network coding protocols, i.e., non-regenerative network coding (NRNC), regenerative complex field network coding (RCNC) and regenerative Galois field network coding (RGNC). The DMT analysis shows that under the same system performance, i.e., the same diversity gain, all the three network coding protocols outperform the traditional transmission scheme without network coding in terms of multiplexing gain. Our DMT analysis also exhibits the trends of the three network coding protocols' performance when multiplexing gain is changing from the lower region to the higher region. Monte-Carlo simulations verify the prediction of DMT.
Application of Convolutional Neural Networks to Language Identification in Noisy Conditions

This paper proposes two novel frontends for robust language identification (LID) using a convolutional neural network (CNN) trained for automatic speech recognition (ASR). In the CNN/i-vector frontend, the CNN is used to obtain the posterior probabilities for i-vector training and extraction instead of a universal background model (UBM). The CNN/posterior frontend is somewhat similar to a phonetic system in that the occupation counts of (tied) triphone states (senones) given by the CNN are used for classification. They are compressed to a low dimensional vector using probabilistic principal component analysis (PPCA). Evaluated on heavily degraded speech data, the proposed front ends provide significant improvements of up to 50% on average equal error rate compared to a UBM/i-vector baseline. Moreover, the proposed frontends are complementary and give significant gains of up to 20% relative to the best single system when combined.
Cosmological constant probing shape moduli through large extra dimensions

We consider a compactification of extra dimensions and numerically calculate Casimir energy which is provided by the mass of Kaluza–Klein modes. For the extra space we consider a torus with shape moduli and show that the corresponding vacuum energy is represented as a function of the moduli parameter of the extra dimensions. By assuming that the Casimir energy may be identified with cosmological constant, we evaluate the size of extra dimensions in terms of the recent data given by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) measurement and the supernovae observations. We suggest that the observed cosmological constant may probe the shape moduli of the extra space by the study of the Casimir energy of the compactified extra dimensions.
HDAC Inhibitors Potentiate the Activity of the BCR/ABL Kinase Inhibitor KW-2449 in Imatinib-Sensitive or -Resistant BCR/ABL+ Leukemia Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors (HDACI) such as vorinostat or entinostat (SNDX-275) could increase the lethality of the dual Bcr/Abl-Aurora kinase inhibitor KW-2449 in various Bcr/Abl+ human leukemia cells, including those resistant to imatinib mesylate (IM). Experimental Design: Bcr/Abl+ chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells, including those resistant to IM (T315I, E255K), were exposed to KW-2449 in the presence or absence of vorinostat or SNDX-275, after which apoptosis and effects on signaling pathways were examined. In vivo studies combining HDACIs and KW2449 were carried out by using a systemic IM-resistant ALL xenograft model. Results: Coadministration of HDACIs synergistically increased KW-2449 lethality in vitro in multiple CML and Ph+ ALL cell types including human IM resistant cells (e.g., BV-173/E255K and Adult/T315I). Combined treatment resulted in inactivation of Bcr/Abl and downstream targets (e.g., STAT5 and CRKL), as well as increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and DNA damage (γH2A.X). The latter events and cell death were significantly attenuated by free radical scavengers (TBAP). Increased lethality was also observed in primary CD34+ cells from patients with CML, but not in normal CD34+ cells. Finally, minimally active vorinostat or SNDX275 doses markedly increased KW2449 antitumor effects and significantly prolonged the survival of murine xenografts bearing IM-resistant ALL cells (BV173/E255K). Conclusions: HDACIs increase KW-2449 lethality in Bcr/Abl+ cells in association with inhibition of Bcr/Abl, generation of ROS, and induction of DNA damage. This strategy preferentially targets primary Bcr/Abl+ hematopoietic cells and exhibits enhanced in vivo activity. Combining KW-2449 with HDACIs warrants attention in IM-resistant Bcr/Abl+ leukemias. Clin Cancer Res; 17(10); 3219–32. ©2011 AACR.
Reduction of friction in fluid transport: experimental investigation

La reduccion de friccion o de arrastre (DR) mediante el uso de soluciones polimericas o surfactantes es sin duda alguna la tecnica de reduccion de friccion para flujos turbulentos en tuberias mas efectiva (es posible obtener reducciones de hasta un factor de 8 en los coeficientes de friccion en segmentos de tuberias rectas). Desde el punto de vista fundamental, el estudio del fenomeno de DR ofrece la oportunidad de comprender mejor flujos turbulentos; desde el punto de vista practico, la DR puede ser usada con propositos de ahorro en potencia de bombeo. La implementacion comercial de estos aditivos se ha llevado a cabo con exito en el transporte de petroleo, y la investigacion necesaria para la implementacion de estas soluciones en muchas otras aplicaciones sigue en proceso, p.ej. , en sistemas centrales de calefaccion y aire acondicionado, sistemas hidronicos en edificios, desagues, irrigacion, procesos industriales, etc. Nuestros esfuerzos se han enfocado en dos areas principales: (A) investigacion experimental sobre la transferencia de momentum y calor para soluciones reductoras de friccion, y (B) la implementacion de estas soluciones en sistemas hidronicos de enfriamiento en edificios con el proposito de ahorrar energia. Este documento pretende dar una nocion general de la investigacion experimental que llevamos a cabo en nuestro laboratorio de dinamica de fluidos no-Newtonianos, reologia, y transferencia de calor en la UCSB.
Retinoic Acid Synthesis Controlled by Raldh2 Is Required Early for Limb Bud Initiation and Then Later as a Proximodistal Signal during Apical Ectodermal Ridge Formation*

We present evidence for the existence of two phases of retinoic acid (RA) signaling required for vertebrate limb development. Limb RA synthesis is under the control of retinaldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (Raldh2) expressed in the lateral plate mesoderm, which generates a proximodistal RA signal during limb outgrowth. We report that Raldh2-/- embryos lack trunk mesodermal RA activity and fail to initiate forelimb development. This is associated with deficient expression of important limb determinants Tbx5, Meis2, and dHand needed to establish forelimb bud initiation, proximal identity, and the zone of polarizing activity (ZPA), respectively. Limb expression of these genes can be rescued by maternal RA treatment limited to embryonic day 8 (E8) during limb field establishment, but the mutant forelimbs obtained at E10 display a significant growth defect associated with a smaller apical ectodermal ridge (AER), referred to here as an apical ectodermal mound (AEM). In these RA-deficient forelimbs, a ZPA expressing Shh forms, but it is located distally adjacent to the Fgf8 expression domain in the AEM rather than posteriorly as is normal. AER formation in Raldh2-/- forelimbs is rescued by continuous RA treatment through E10, which restores RA to distal ectoderm fated to become the AER. Our findings indicate the existence of an early phase of RA signaling acting upstream of Tbx5, Meis2, and dHand, followed by a late phase of RA signaling needed to expand AER structure fully along the distal ectoderm. During ZPA formation, RA acts early to activate expression of dHand, but it is not required later for Shh activation.
Facilitating Team Reflexivity About Communication

This article explores how team facilitation can promote team reflexivity about communication. We present a case study that was conducted within a participatory action research framework with a Top Management Team for an international manufacturing company. We identify and analyze five key interventions that promoted team reflexivity. These interventions included activities such as (a) framing the facilitation, (b) inquiring into the key issues, (c) role modeling feedback, (d) positive storytelling, and (e) reflecting on concrete communication actions. The findings suggest that reflexivity can be enhanced through positive storytelling and emotion, framing and contextual sensitivity, and addressing interactional challenges within the team. The study complements previous reflexivity research by articulating how self-awareness about a team’s communication shapes the meaning making patterns and action potential of teams as well as how reflexivity is performed in action.
The Good, the Bad, or the Ugly? An Empirical Investigation of Revoking Behavior on Ebay

This study investigates a crucial aspect of the reputation mechanism design in electronic markets – the ability of buyers and sellers to revoke or mutually withdraw negative feedback and ratings. Based on an analysis of recent changes in eBay’s feedback mechanism design, we find that the two-way reputation system enables certain sellers to behave opportunistically by revoking negative feedbacks they receive. This makes the reputation system less effective in discerning the quality of sellers. We also find that changes in the reputation system have a significant influence on these sellers’ behaviors. After eBay’s ban on revoking, sellers exert more effort to improve the quality of their transactions. Our findings support the moral hazard assumption regarding seller’s strategic behavior. We discuss the implications of the above findings for reputation mechanism design and practice.
Institutional Repository Systemic accident analysis : examining the gap between research and practice

The systems approach is arguably the dominant concept within accident analysis research. Viewing accidents as a result of uncontrolled system interactions, it forms the theoretical basis of various systemic accident analysis (SAA) models and methods. Despite the proposed benefits of SAA, such as an improved description of accident causation, evidence within the scientific literature suggests that these techniques are not being used in practice and that a research–practice gap exists. The aim of this study was to explore the issues stemming from research and practice which could hinder the awareness, adoption and usage of SAA. To achieve this, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 42 safety experts from ten countries and a variety of industries, including rail, aviation and maritime. This study suggests that the research–practice gap should be closed and efforts to bridge the gap should focus on ensuring that systemic methods meet the needs of practitioners and improving the communication of SAA research.
Wolbachia strains for disease control: ecological and evolutionary considerations

Wolbachia are endosymbionts found in many insects with the potential to suppress vectorborne diseases, particularly through interfering with pathogen transmission. Wolbachia strains are highly variable in their effects on hosts, raising the issue of which attributes should be selected to ensure that the best strains are developed for disease control. This depends on their ability to suppress viral transmission, invade host populations, persist without loss of viral suppression and not interfere with other control strategies. The potential to achieve these objectives is likely to involve evolutionary constraints; viral suppression may be limited by the ability of infections to spread due to deleterious host fitness effects. However, there are exceptions to these patterns in both natural infections and in novel associations generated following interspecific transfer, suggesting that pathogen blockage, deleterious fitness effects and changes to reproductive biology might be at least partly decoupled to achieve ideal infection attributes. The stability of introduced Wolbachia and its effects on viral transmission remain unclear, but rapid evolutionary changes seem unlikely. Although deliberate transfers of Wolbachia across species remain particularly challenging, the availability of strains with desirable attributes should be expanded, taking advantage of the diversity available across thousands of strains in natural populations.
The effect of eradicating Helicobacter pylori on idiopathic central serous chorioretinopathy patients

Purpose To evaluate the effect of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication on the remission of acute idiopathic central serous chorioretinopathy (ICSCR). Study design A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study of 53 participants. Main outcome measure Twenty-seven acute ICSCR patients tested positive for H. pylori were given an eradication H. pylori therapy, and another 26 patients with the same diagnosis received matching placebo medication. All participants were tested for the following items: (1) disappearance rate of subretinal fluid (SRF); (2) best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA); and (3) central retinal sensitivity at baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks after treatment. The difference between the two groups was analyzed by PASW statistics version 18.0. Results At each follow-up, the disappearance rate of SRF in the active treatment group seemed slightly better than in the control group, but no statistically significant differences were observed (P > 0.05 at each follow-up). The BCVA between the two groups also did not demonstrate statistically significant differences (P > 0.05 at each follow-up). Unlike the BCVA and the disappearance rate of SRF, we compared the change in central retinal sensitivity at 12 weeks after treatment; a statistical difference was observed (P = 0.042). Conclusion Our findings suggested that H. pylori eradication does not improve BCVA and the disappearance rate of SRF, but it could improve the central retinal sensitivity in acute ICSCR patients. We recommend that chronic ICSCR patients and more sensitive methods for H. pylori diagnosis should be involved in evaluating the effect of H. pylori eradication.
Deficiency in MyD88 Signaling Results in Decreased Antibody Responses to an Adeno-Associated Virus Vector in Murine Pompe Disease

Abstract We have previously shown that antibody and T cell responses limit the efficacy of an adeno-associated virus (AAV) pseudotype 8 (2/8) vector containing the universally active cytomegalovirus enhancer/chicken β-actin regulatory cassette (AAV2/8-CBhGAA) in treating murine Pompe disease. However, the innate immune responses to AAV2/8-CBhGAA are largely unknown. In this study, we investigated acute immune responses to AAV2/8-CBhGAA and the role of MyD88/TRIF signaling pathway in shaping adaptive immune responses to this vector. We showed here that a small and transient increase in CXCL-1 and IL-1β expression in livers of acid-α-glucosidase knockout (GAAKO) mice 6 h following injection with AAV2/8-CBhGAA. There was a robust antibody response to GAA in wild-type mice injected with this vector. In contrast, the anti-GAA IgG1 response was diminished in MyD88KO mice, and showed a trend toward a decrease in TRIFKO mice. In addition, the vector genome and GAA activity were significantly higher in MyD88KO livers compared with wild-type livers, suggesting reduced cytotoxic T cell responses. Importantly, elevated CD4+ T cells were detected by immunohistochemistry in MyD88KO livers. When adoptively transferred to wild-type mice, these CD4+ T cells have an ability to suppress antibody responses against AAV2/8-CBhGAA and to prevent further immunization against rhGAA. Our study suggests that the MyD88 deficiency leads to the suppression of deleterious immune responses to AAV2/8-CBhGAA, which has implications for gene therapy in Pompe disease.
The effects of halothane on the interactions between myocardial contractility, aortic impedance, and left ventricular performance. IV. Haemodynamic responses to vagus nerve stimulation.

The effects of electrical stimulation of the vagus nerves have been studied in anaesthetized dogs, before and after bilateral interruption of the cardiac sympathetic nerves. During constant heart rates, maintained by right atrial pacing, vagus nerve stimulation caused small but significant reductions of myocardial contractility, but these were minor compared with the effects of other negative interventions such as halothane anaesthesia and coronary artery ligation. When atrial pacing was withdrawn during vagus nerve stimulation, the ensuing bradycardia was associated with further marked reduction of myocardial contractility and in cardiac output. Vagus nerve stimulation depressed left atrial systole and left ventricular filling, and this might be expected to have greater effect in the halothane depressed heart than in the undepressed heart of a conscious animal. Halothane decreased the spontaneous heart rate of sympathectomized and vagotomized dogs, probably by direct effect on the sinoatrial pacemaker. It is unlikely that increased vagal activity during halothane anaesthesia could significantly depress myocardial contractility, but these many mechanisms may contribute to the overall impairment of left ventricular performance at slow heart rates.
The Legal Environment, Banks, and Long-Run Economic Growth

This paper examines the relationship between the legal system and banking development and traces this connection through to long-run rates of per capita GDP growth, capital stock growth, and productivity growth. The data indicate that countries where the legal system (1) emphasizes creditor rights and (2) rigorously enforces contracts have better developed banks than countries where laws do not give a high priority to creditors and where enforcement is lax. Furthermore, the exogenous component of banking development--the component defined by the legal environment--is positively and robustly associated with per capita growth, physical capital accumulation, and productivity growth.
SPONTANEOUS SPEECH RECOGNITION AND SUMMARIZATION

This paper overviews recent progress in the development of corpus-based spontaneous speech recognition technology focusing on various achievements of a Japanese 5-year national project “Spontaneous Speech: Corpus and Processing Technology”. Although speech is in almost any situation spontaneous, recognition of spontaneous speech is an area which has only recently emerged in the field of automatic speech recognition. Broadening the application of speech recognition depends crucially on raising recognition performance for spontaneous speech. For this purpose, it is necessary to build large spontaneous speech corpora for constructing acoustic and language models. Because of various spontaneous-speech specific phenomena, recognition of spontaneous speech requires various new techniques. These new techniques include flexible acoustic modeling, sentence boundary detection, pronunciation modeling, acoustic as well as language model adaptation, and automatic summarization. Particularly automatic summarization including indexing, a process which extracts important and reliable parts of the automatic transcription, is expected to play an important role in building various speech archives, speech-based information retrieval systems, and human-computer dialogue systems.
A perturbation theory for ergodic properties of Markov chains

Perturbations to Markov chains and Markov processes are considered. The unperturbed problem is assumed to be geometrically er-godic in the sense usually established through use of Foster-Lyapunov drift conditions. The perturbations are assumed to be uniform, in a weak sense, on bounded time intervals. The long-time behaviour of the perturbed chain is studied. Applications are given to numerical approximations of a randomly impulsed ODE, an It^ o SDE and a parabolic SPDE subject to space-time Brownian noise. Existing perturbation theories for geometrically ergodic Markov chains are not readily applicable to these situations since they require very stringent hypotheses on the perturbations.
Criteria for measuring KM performance outcomes in organisations

Purpose – This research attempts to comprehensively examine the criteria for measuring knowledge management (KM) performance outcomes in organisations. To date, no studies have provided a set of widely accepted measurement criteria associated with KM efforts. This paper, therefore, aims to fill the gap.Design/methodology/approach – This study was carried out by systematically reviewing the literature on KM performance outcomes. Case studies were carried out in two organisations identified to have a KM programme in place.Findings – A review of the literature indicates that there are 38 outcomes from KM implementation which have garnered impressive theoretical and empirical support. Based on this, a comprehensive set of performance outcomes is proposed and grouped into five key dimensions. The findings from the case studies indicate that this proposition is relevant.Research limitations/implications – The use of case studies limits the generalisability of the findings, but it opens up new questions to be ex.
Making Connections: Global Production Networks, Standards, and Embeddedness in the Mobile-Telecommunications Industry

The authors investigate the contemporary restructuring of the mobile-telecommunications industry with the use of a global production networks (GPNs) perspective. After a brief conceptual discussion of GPN, standard setting and embeddedness, their analysis proceeds in four further stages. First, they consider how technological change has driven the development of complex mobile telecommunications GPNs in a sector previously characterised by relatively linear and simple value chains. Second, they show how processes of deregulation and privatisation over the past two decades have enabled the internationalisation of mobile telecommunications provision. Third, they explore the delicate power balance between embedded state and corporate actors in telecommunications GPNs through a consideration of the changing bases of standard setting in the industry. Despite ongoing processes of globalisation, the continuing importance of national policies and strategies is clear. Fourth, they demonstrate the continuing importance and differentiating role of embeddedness in the transformation of corporate mobile telecommunication GPNs. In sum, it is argued that the mobile-telecommunications sector should be understood as a constellation of multiscalar manufacturing and distribution networks connecting together firms, organisations, and customers in geographically uneven ways.