Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimal Energy Savings in Cellular Access Networks

In this paper we study with simple analytical models the energy-aware management of cellular access networks, trying to characterize the amount of energy that can be saved by reducing the number of active cells during the periods when they are not necessary because traffic is low. When some cells are switched off, radio coverage and service provisioning are taken care of by the cells that remain active, so as to guarantee that service is available over the whole area. We show how to optimize the energy saving, first assuming that any fraction of cells can be turned off, and then accounting for the constraints resulting from the cell layout.
LabHEART: an interactive computer model of rabbit ventricular myocyte ion channels and Ca transport.

An interactive computer program, LabHEART, was developed to simulate the action potential (AP), ionic currents, and Ca handling mechanisms in a rabbit ventricular myocyte. User-oriented, its design allows switching between voltage and current clamp and easy on-line manipulation of key parameters to change the original formulation. The model reproduces normal rabbit ventricular myocyte currents, Ca transients, and APs. We also changed parameters to simulate data from heart failure (HF) myocytes, including reduced transient outward (I(to)) and inward rectifying K currents (I(K1)), enhanced Na/Ca exchange expression, and reduced sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca-ATPase function, but unaltered Ca current density. These changes caused reduced Ca transient amplitude and increased AP duration (especially at lower frequency) as observed experimentally. The model shows that the increased Na/Ca exchange current (I(NaCa)) in HF lowers the intracellular [Ca] threshold for a triggered AP from 800 to 540 nM. Similarly, the decrease in I(K1) reduces the threshold to 600 nM. Changes in I(to) have no effect. Combining enhanced Na/Ca exchange with reduced I(K1) (as in HF) lowers the threshold to trigger an AP to 380 nM. These changes reproduce experimental results in HF, where the contributions of different factors are not readily distinguishable. We conclude that the triggered APs that contribute to nonreentrant ventricular tachycardia in HF are due approximately equally (and nearly additively) to alterations in I(NaCa) and I(K1). A free copy of this software can be obtained at http://www.meddean. luc.edu/lumen/DeptWebs/physio/bers.html.
Finite Post Synaptic Potentials Cause a Fast Neuronal Response

A generic property of the communication between neurons is the exchange of pulses at discrete time points, the action potentials. However, the prevalent theory of spiking neuronal networks of integrate-and-fire model neurons relies on two assumptions: the superposition of many afferent synaptic impulses is approximated by Gaussian white noise, equivalent to a vanishing magnitude of the synaptic impulses, and the transfer of time varying signals by neurons is assessable by linearization. Going beyond both approximations, we find that in the presence of synaptic impulses the response to transient inputs differs qualitatively from previous predictions. It is instantaneous rather than exhibiting low-pass characteristics, depends non-linearly on the amplitude of the impulse, is asymmetric for excitation and inhibition and is promoted by a characteristic level of synaptic background noise. These findings resolve contradictions between the earlier theory and experimental observations. Here we review the recent theoretical progress that enabled these insights. We explain why the membrane potential near threshold is sensitive to properties of the afferent noise and show how this shapes the neural response. A further extension of the theory to time evolution in discrete steps quantifies simulation artifacts and yields improved methods to cross check results.
Molecular Signatures of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)-Induced Type II Mixed Cryoglobulinemia (MCII)

The role of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the induction of type II mixed cryoglobulinemia (MCII) and the possible establishment of related lymphoproliferative disorders, such as B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL), is well ascertained. However, the molecular pathways involved and the factors predisposing to the development of these HCV-related extrahepatic complications deserve further consideration and clarification. To date, several host- and virus-related factors have been implicated in the progression to MCII, such as the virus-induced expansion of selected subsets of B-cell clones expressing discrete immunoglobulin variable (IgV) gene subfamilies, the involvement of complement factors and the specific role of some HCV proteins. In this review, we will analyze the host and viral factors taking part in the development of MCII in order to give a general outlook of the molecular mechanisms implicated.
A shortness exponent for r-regular r-connected graphs

Let r≧ 3 be an integer. It is shown that there exists e= e(r), 0 0 such that for all n ≧ N (if r is even) or for all even n ≧ N(if r is odd), there is an r-connected regular graph of valency r on exactly n vertices whose longest cycles have fewer than ne vertices.
Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children: psychometric testing of the Chinese version.

AIM This paper is a report of psychometric testing of the Chinese version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children. BACKGROUND The availability of a valid and reliable instrument that accurately detects depressive symptoms in children is crucial before any psychological intervention can be appropriately planned and evaluated. There is no such an instrument for Chinese children. METHODS A test-retest, within-subjects design was used. A total of 313 primary school students between the ages of 8 and 12 years were invited to participate in the study in 2009. Participants were asked to respond to the Chinese version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children, short form of the State Anxiety Scale for Children and Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale. The internal consistency, content validity and construct validity and test-retest reliability of the Chinese version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children were assessed. RESULTS The newly-translated scale demonstrated adequate internal consistency, good content validity and appropriate convergent and discriminant validity. Confirmatory factor analysis added further evidence of the construct validity of the scale. CONCLUSION Results suggest that the newly-translated scale can be used as a self-report assessment tool in detecting depressive symptoms of Chinese children aged between 8 and 12 years.
Surgical treatment of adult cholesteatoma: long-term follow-up using total reconstruction procedure without staging

Abstract Conclusions: A total of 330 cases of adult cholesteatoma were operated with canal-wall down (CWD) and total reconstruction procedure (TRP) without staging. Independent of preoperative middle ear conditions, cholesteatoma extent and localization, long-term improvement of hearing with a low incidence of residual and recurrent disease were achieved. Objectives: To evaluate long-term surgical and hearing results using a well-defined surgical technique without staging in adult cholesteatoma. Methods: The same CWD surgical technique, including obliteration of the mastoid cavity, reconstruction of the canal wall, and ossiculoplasty with autologous bone, was used by three senior surgeons (1982–2004). Preoperative and postoperative pure tone average (PTA) for air conduction (AC), bone conduction (BC), and air–bone gap (ABG) were assessed and compared 1, 3, and 6 years after surgery. Various prognostic factors with potential influence on long-term hearing outcome were evaluated. Results: Recurrence of AC occurred in 10%, residual disease in 3%. Six years after surgery all patients except one had a dry ear and over 92% of all cases were water resistant. Three patients developed complete deafness. Long-lasting improvement and/or preservation of hearing, with maintenance of PTA-ABG closure in 68% of all cases within 20 dB, were obtained. Sixty-four (19%) ossicular revisions were performed.
Social Life in School: Pupils' experiences of breaktime and recess from 7 to 16

Pupils' experience and behaviour at breaktime pupils' views on breaktime at 7, 11 and 16 years changes in breaktime activities from 7 to 16 years playground games at junior school friendship formation after entry to junior school the experience of friendship at breaktime at 16 years pupils' views on teasing and name calling at 7, 11 and 16 years fighting in school conclusions.
Sensing of Unknown Signals over Weibull Fading Conditions

Energy detection is a widely used method of spectrum sensing in cognitive radio and Radio Detection And Ranging (RADAR) systems. This paper is devoted to the analytical evaluation of the performance of an energy detector over Weibull fading channels. This is a flexible fading model that has been shown capable of providing accurate characterization of multipath fading in, e.g., typical cellular radio frequency range of 800${/}$900 MHz. A novel analytic expression for the corresponding average probability of detection is derived in a simple algebraic representation which renders it convenient to handle both analytically and numerically. As expected, the performance of the detector is highly dependent upon the severity of fading as even small variation of the fading parameters affect significantly the value of the average probability of detection. This appears to be particularly the case in severe fading conditions. The offered results are useful in evaluating the effect of multipath fading in energy detection-based cognitive radio communication systems and therefore they can be used in quantifying the associated trade-offs between sensing performance and energy efficiency in cognitive radio networks.
Biological sex affects the neurobiology of autism

In autism, heterogeneity is the rule rather than the exception. One obvious source of heterogeneity is biological sex. Since autism was first recognized, males with autism have disproportionately skewed research. Females with autism have thus been relatively overlooked, and have generally been assumed to have the same underlying neurobiology as males with autism. Growing evidence, however, suggests that this is an oversimplification that risks obscuring the biological base of autism. This study seeks to answer two questions about how autism is modulated by biological sex at the level of the brain: (i) is the neuroanatomy of autism different in males and females? and (ii) does the neuroanatomy of autism fit predictions from the ‘extreme male brain’ theory of autism, in males and/or in females? Neuroanatomical features derived from voxel-based morphometry were compared in a sample of equal-sized high-functioning male and female adults with and without autism (n = 120, n = 30/group). The first question was investigated using a 2 × 2 factorial design, and by spatial overlap analyses of the neuroanatomy of autism in males and females. The second question was tested through spatial overlap analyses of specific patterns predicted by the extreme male brain theory. We found that the neuroanatomy of autism differed between adult males and females, evidenced by minimal spatial overlap (not different from that occurred under random condition) in both grey and white matter, and substantially large white matter regions showing significant sex × diagnosis interactions in the 2 × 2 factorial design. These suggest that autism manifests differently by biological sex. Furthermore, atypical brain areas in females with autism substantially and non-randomly (P < 0.001) overlapped with areas that were sexually dimorphic in neurotypical controls, in both grey and white matter, suggesting neural ‘masculinization’. This was not seen in males with autism. How differences in neuroanatomy relate to the similarities in cognition between males and females with autism remains to be understood. Future research should stratify by biological sex to reduce heterogeneity and to provide greater insight into the neurobiology of autism.
The Mathematics of Atmospheric Dispersion Modeling

The Gaussian plume model is a standard approach for studying the transport of airborne contaminants due to turbulent diffusion and advection by the wind. This paper reviews the assumptions underlying the model, its derivation from the advection-diffusion equation, and the key properties of the plume solution. The results are then applied to solving an inverse problem in which emission source rates are determined from a given set of ground-level contaminant measurements. This source identification problem can be formulated as an overdetermined linear system of equations that is most easily solved using the method of least squares. Various generalizations of this problem are discussed, and we illustrate our results with an application to the study of zinc emissions from a smelting operation.
The Components of Early Intervention Services for Families Living in Poverty

The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act mandates that very young children with disabilities be served through Part C services. Families of young children with disabilities who are also living in poverty are often the primary recipients of these services. To better understand the experiences of families, particularly those living in poverty, within the early intervention (EI) system, we reviewed four EI components: (a) family-centered orientation, (b) natural learning environments, (c) collaborative team processes, and (d) service integration. We discuss the implications of these components for the preparation and training of EI providers to work with families, including those living in poverty.
The lack of correlation between the positivity of anti-platelet antibodies and the presence of thrombocytopenia in course of HIV infection.

The presence of anti-platelet autoantibodies has been reported in many cases of HIV infection, but there is no accordance about their pathogenic role in the onset of thrombocytopenia in the patients studied. In the present study surface anti-platelet antibodies (PAIgG) and serum anti-platelet antibodies (sPAIgG) were assayed in a group of 135 HIV-infected patients (109 men, 26 women), in different clinical stages by using an immunofluorescence test (PSIFT). In order to investigate the possible correlation of the positivity of these autoantibodies and the onset of thrombocytopenia, some of these patients were controlled in a follow-up study, with two successful controls: 10 months (II control: 89 patients) and 20 months (III control: 59 patients) after the first time. In the I control PAIgG were positive in 68 subjects (50.4%) and sPAIgG in 34 (25.2%); both PAIgG and sPAIgG were present in 23 patients (17%). 56 patients did not present anti-plt antibodies (41.5%). No significantly different distribution of these autoantibodies in each stage of disease was observed. The mean value of platelet count resulted in the normal range both in the anti-plt antibody positive and in the anti-plt antibody negative patients, but the value found in the anti-plt antibody positive patients was significantly lower than the one found in the anti-plt antibody negative group (p < 0.01). This difference was more marked between the group with PAIgG and anti-plt antibody negative patients than between the group with sPAIgG and the anti-plt antibody negative patients (p < 0.01). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Conventional vs. extended-cycle oral contraceptives on the quality of sexual life: comparison between two regimens containing 3 mg drospirenone and 20 µg ethinyl estradiol.

INTRODUCTION Women may use new oral contraceptives (OC) having flexible extended-cycle regimens with a reduced hormone-free interval. AIM To study the changes of the quality of sexual life in users of the traditional 21/7 or extended-cycle 24/4 OC regimens both containing 3 mg drospirenone and 20 µg ethinyl estradiol. METHODS One hundred fifteen women (age range 18-37 years) were enrolled. Fifty-four women were randomly placed on traditional OC standard regimen, administered for 21 days, followed by a 7-day hormone-free interval (group A); and 61 women were placed on extended-cycle OC regimen covering 24 days of the cycle with a 4-day hormone-free interval (group B). The Short Form-36 (SF-36) validate questionnaire to assess quality of life (QoL) and the Short Personal Experience Questionnaire (SPEQ) to measure the changes of sexual behavior were administered before starting OC intake and at the 3rd and 6th cycle follow-ups. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE The SF-36 and the SPEQ questionnaires. RESULTS Group A women reported QoL improvement during the 6th cycle on all the scales (P < 0.05). Group B women reported QoL improvement during the 3rd and 6th cycle (P < 0.05). Satisfaction with sexual activity, arousal, orgasm, and desire increased during the 3rd cycle in women on the group B (P < 0.05). Group A women did not report any change in all SPEQ items. At the 6th cycle, group B women reported better sexual experience than baseline in all SPEQ items (P < 0.05). All subjects who were affected by dyspareunia before OC intake reported decreased genital pain associated with intercourse at the 3rd and 6th cycle of both OC regimens (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Women could use OCs in a subjective flexible modality. The extended-cycle OC might produce positive effects on the quality of sexual life, enforcing the concept of tailoring an OC to a woman.
Mental Health Issues of Muslim Americans

The underpinning of all research leading to various schools of thought in the field of psychiatry and psychology is without doubt a product of Western professionals who represent the religio-cultural traditions, historical symbols, and narratives of Western society. Also, the major schools of psychotherapy emerged during an era of individualism and logical positivism reflecting the religious, ethical, and cultural heritage that has shaped the modern Western society. Consequently, the methods and techniques developed in the West may not be always suitable and effective for Muslim Americans. To respond to the growing needs of psychiatric problems encountered by Muslim Americans, many community social service centers have been established in the United States during the past two decades. We now have a growing body of research data suggesting how to tailor our field to the specific needs of this population. We will discuss what kind of emotional and psychiatric problems are most prevalent in Muslim Americans and explain the therapeutic approaches mental health professionals have used and the treatment strategies which have been found effective in the psychosocial rehabilitation of Muslim Americans.
Prevalence of disturbed bowel functions and its association with disturbed bladder and sexual functions in the male population

Chronic constipation is usually associated with young women, and urinary and sexual dysfunction has been reported as co‐morbidity. Elderly men also appear to suffer from chronic constipation, as well as lower urinary tract symptoms and erectile dysfunction, but their association as co‐morbidity has not been studied in the community. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of bowel symptoms in our community with particular reference to the association with urinary and sexual dysfunction in the male population.
Uracil influences quorum sensing and biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and fluorouracil is an antagonist

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an ubiquitous, opportunistic pathogen whose biofilms are notoriously difficult to control. Here we discover uracil influences all three known quorum‐sensing (QS) pathways of P. aeruginosa. By screening 5850 transposon mutants for altered biofilm formation, we identified seven uracil‐related mutations that abolished biofilm formation. Whole‐transcriptome studies showed the uracil mutations (e.g. pyrF that catalyses the last step in uridine monophosphate synthesis) alter the regulation of all three QS pathways [LasR‐, RhlR‐ and 2‐heptyl‐3‐hydroxy‐4‐quinolone (PQS)‐related regulons]; addition of extracellular uracil restored global wild‐type regulation. Phenotypic studies confirmed uracil influences the LasR (elastase), RhlR (pyocyanin, rhamnolipids), PQS and swarming regulons. Our results also demonstrate uracil influences virulence (the pyrF mutant was less virulent to barley). Additionally, we found an anticancer uracil analogue, 5‐fluorouracil, that repressed biofilm formation, abolished QS phenotypes and reduced virulence. Hence, we have identified a central regulator of an important pathogen and a potential novel class of efficacious drugs for controlling cellular behaviour (e.g. biofilm formation and virulence).
School-age children's fears of medical experiences.

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences in health-care settings children report being afraid of. A 29–item Likert-type questionnaire was developed based on interviews with 140 school-age children. Another sample of 84 children was then administered the Child Medical Fear Scale (CMFS) in a school setting. Findings reveal that medical fear scores, in general, declined with age in this group of children. There were no significant differences in overall fear scores for children of different age groups. However, younger children did rate certain items related to intrusive procedures as most fearful. There were no strong, significant relationships between reported fear levels and gender, race, or other sociodemographic variables. Further study using the tool with hospitalized and chronically ill children is suggested. Recommendations for use of the CMFS in clinical practice include use of the scale to assess an individual child's fear level prior to providing preparation as well as its use as e.
Barriers to career progression faced by women

Purpose – This paper seeks to investigate barriers faced by women in acquiring higher positions in a Malaysian multinational oil company.Design/methodology/approach – Data were obtained through a survey involving 78 executive women in the Malaysian oil company. A structured questionnaire was used to gather data. The study used gender role theory, which argues that women are viewed and treated unfavourably when they do not act according to their expected gender roles.Findings – Shows family structure and women's commitment to the family are the most significant barriers perceived by the executive women. This research reveals that women in various job positions do not differ in their perceptions with regard to barriers they face for career progression.Research limitations/implications – The study was conducted among executive women in one company only, hence it cannot be generalized to other oil companies in Malaysia.Practical implications – Provides evidence on family‐, organizational‐ and societal‐related.