Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Service-specific resource allocation in WDM networks with quality constraints

The need to establish wavelength-routed connections in a service-differentiated fashion is becoming increasingly important due to a variety of candidate client networks (e.g., IP, SDH, ATM) and the requirements for QoS-delivery within transport layers. The multiservice operation changes the way we deal with wavelength-routed paths, as they are now being characterized by manifold properties, such as transmission quality, restoration, network management, and policies. We propose a generic approach to service-differentiated connection accommodation in wavelength-routed networks where, for the network state representation, the supplementary network graphs are defined and referred to as service-specific wavelength-resource graphs. These graphs are used for the appropriate allocation of wavelengths on concatenated physical resources building a wavelength route, along which the necessary transmission quality is achieved and the required management and surveillance functions are provided. By considering twofold wavelength routing metrics, i.e., QoS metrics (service requirements) and resource metrics (quality constraints), these graphs can yield the solution to the QoS-routing problem, i.e., the provision of service-specific guarantees under quality constraints-a feature that is still missing from the existing architectures. The numerical analysis of dynamically reconfigurable multiservice WDM networks is presented for regular network operation as well as for optical network service restoration.
Low-latency MISO FBMC-OQAM: It works for millimeter waves!

A key enabler for high data rates in future wireless systems will be the usage of millimeter Waves (mmWaves). Furthermore, Filter Bank Multi-Carrier (FBMC) with its good spectral properties has also been considered as a possible future transmission technique. However, many authors claim that multiple antennas and low-latency transmissions, two of the key requirements in 5G, cannot be efficiently supported by FBMC. This is not true in general, as we will show in this paper. We investigate FBMC transmissions over real world channels at 60 GHz and show that Alamouti's space time block code works perfectly fine once we spread (code) symbols in time. Although it is true that spreading increases the transmission time, the overall transmission time is still very low due to the high subcarrier spacing employed in mmWaves. Therefore, coded FBMC in combination with mmWaves enables high spectral efficiency, low-latency and allows the straightforward usage of multiple antennas.
The Impact of Renovation Capital Expenditure on Hotel Property Performance

This study investigates the impact of renovation capital expenditure on multiple measures of hotel property performance. We conduct analyses in two time periods: for a 3-year period immediately following renovation (short-term impact), and 3 to 6 years following renovation (long-term impact). The study is based on proprietary project, operational and financial data obtained for 305 renovation capital expenditure projects of individual properties within a single budget hospitality chain. We find renovation capital expenditures offer significant short-term beneficial impact in terms of increased revenue, profitability gains, higher customer satisfaction, and decreased repair and maintenance expense. Altogether, these outcomes should be advantageous to hotel property performance. In the long-term, a significant decline is apparent in revenue and profitability. Surprisingly, customer satisfaction does not decline, and repair and maintenance expense does not increase, which are both favorable.
Apoptosis Induced by Infection of Primary Brain Cultures with Diverse Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Isolates: Evidence for a Role of the Envelope

ABSTRACT Apoptosis of neurons and astrocytes is induced by human immunodeficiency type 1 (HIV-1) infection in vitro and has been demonstrated in brain tissue from patients with AIDS. We analyzed a panel of diverse HIV-1 primary isolates for the ability to replicate and induce neuronal and astrocyte apoptosis in primary human brain cultures. Apoptosis was induced three- to eightfold by infection with the blood-derived HIV-1 isolates 89.6, SG3, and ADA. In contrast, the brain-derived HIV-1 isolates YU2, JRFL, DS-br, RC-br, and KJ-br did not induce significant levels of apoptosis. The ability of HIV-1 isolates to induce apoptosis was independent of their replication capacity. Studies of recombinant chimeras between the SG3 and YU2 viruses showed that replacement of the YU2 Env with the SG3 Env was sufficient to confer the ability to induce apoptosis to the YU2 virus. Replacement of the Env V3 regions alone largely conferred the phenotypes of the parental clones. The SG3 Env used CXCR4 and CCR3 as coreceptors for virus entry, whereas YU2 used CCR5 and CCR3. The V3 regions of SG3 and YU2 conferred the ability to use CXCR4 and CCR5, respectively. In contrast, the 3′ region of Env, particularly the C3V4 region, was required in conjunction with the V3 region for efficient use of CCR3. These results provide evidence that Env is a major determinant of neurodegenerative mechanisms associated with HIV-1 infection in vitro and raise the possibility that blood-derived viruses which emerge during the late stages of disease may affect disease progression in the central nervous system.
A microgroove patterned multiwell cell culture plate for high‐throughput studies of cell alignment

Grooved substrates are commonly used to guide cell alignment and produce in vitro tissues that mimic certain aspects of in vivo cellular organization. These more sophisticated tissues provide valuable in vitro models for testing drugs and for dissecting out molecular mechanisms that direct tissue organization. To increase the accessibility of these tissue models we describe a simple and yet reproducible strategy to produce 1 µm‐spaced grooved well plates suitable for conducting automated analysis of cellular responses. We characterize the alignment of four human cell types: retinal epithelial cells, umbilical vein endothelial cells, foreskin fibroblasts, and human pluripotent stem‐cell‐derived cardiac cells on grooves. We find all cells align along the grooves to differing extents at both sparse and confluent densities. To increase the sophistication of in vitro tissue organization possible, we also created hybrid substrates with controlled patterns of microgrooved and flat regions that can be identified in real‐time using optical microscopy. Using our hybrid patterned surfaces we explore: (i) the ability of neighboring cells to provide a template to organize surrounding cells that are not directly exposed to grooved topographic cues, and (ii) the distance over which this template effect can operate in confluent cell sheets. We find that in fibroblast sheets, but not epithelial sheets, cells aligned on grooves can direct alignment of neighboring cells in flat regions over a limited distance of approximately 200 μm. Our hybrid surface plate provides a novel tool for studying the collective response of groups of cells exposed to differential topographical cues. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2014;111: 2537–2548. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Editorial: Three challenges in realising theMIPAA

The year 2017 marked fifteen years since the adoption of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA), deemed to be a major breakthrough in the way the world seeks to support older people. The MIPAA focuses on three priority areas: older persons and development, advancing health and wellbeing into old age and ensuring enabling and supportive environments, and sets out 239 recommendations in relation to its 35 objectives. The Madrid Plan is the successor to the Plan adopted during world’s first international policy framework on ageing, the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing (VIPAA) introduced some thirty years earlier in 1982. Although a landmark agreement in its own right, the implementation of the VIPAA was perceived to be of most relevance to advanced economies which already had aged populations, and little progress was made in implementing its’ recommendations in developing countries with younger age profiles (Sidorenkno & Zaidi,2018). The MIPAA reaffirmed commitments made in the VIPAA, but also sought to be of increased relevance in developing as well as developed countries. Further, the MIPAA took an explicitly rights based approach and encouraged the mainstreaming of ageing issues into general policy and development discourses (Sidorenko & Walker, 2004; Marin & Zaidi 2007), with a key commitment being to ‘build a society for all ages’ (United Nations, 2002). Fifteen years since the MIPAA’s adoption, there are 962 million people aged 60 years or over globally, over twice as many as in 1980 when preparations for the VIPAA were underway (UNPD, 2017). This figure is projected to rise to 2.1 billion by 2050 with the biggest growth to be seen in developing countries. Indeed, almost eight in every ten older people globally will live in a developing region by the middle of the century (ibid.). Whilst the MIPAA is not legally binding and responsibility for its implementation lies primarily with national governments, information and best practice sharing at the international level is strongly encouraged. Indeed, the United Nations has been collating evidence for its’ third five-year review on the implementation of the Plan (ECOSOC 2017). Thus, it is a timely opportunity to reflect on progress made in developing countries, as well as to analyse the challenges that lie ahead in regions set to grow old before they grow rich. This special issue of the International Journal on Ageing in Developing Countries brings together regional level perspectives on progress towards the MIPAA from Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean.
Is biochemical screening for pheochromocytoma in adrenal incidentalomas expressing low unenhanced attenuation on computed tomography necessary?

OBJECTIVE Pheochromocytomas are characterized by a high attenuation value on unenhanced computed tomography (CT). It is not known whether pheochromocytoma could be ruled out as a cause of adrenal incidentalomas on the basis of unenhanced attenuation values only. DESIGN We retrospectively evaluated the outcome of routine biochemical screening for pheochromocytoma in a series of adrenal incidentalomas in relationship to the unenhanced attenuation values on CT. METHODS An unenhanced CT was available in 174 of 184 patients with 214 adrenal incidentalomas. All patients were screened for pheochromocytoma with 24-h urinary metanephrines and normetanephrines and for hypercortisolism (1 mg dexamethasone test and ACTH). Hypertensive patients were screened for aldosterone overproduction (aldosterone to renin ratio and 24 h urinary aldosterone). The results were compared between incidentalomas with high [≥10 Hounsfield units (HU)] and low (<10 HU) unenhanced attenuation values. RESULTS One hundred forty-six incidentalomas in 115 patients had an unenhanced HU less than 10. None of these patients had elevated 24-h fractionated urinary metanephrines or normetanephrines suggesting pheochromocytoma. Sixty-eight incidentalomas in 59 patients had an unenhanced HU of 10 or greater, and nine (15.2%) of these patients had surgically and histologically verified pheochromocytoma. Incidentalomas with a HU of 10 or greater were significantly larger (2.6 ± 1.5 vs. 2.3 ± 1.2 cm; P < 0.001), more often functional (27.9 vs. 8.9%, P < 0.001), and more often operated (44.1 vs. 10.2%; P < 0.001) than those with a Hounsfield unit less than 10. CONCLUSION The results of this study indicate that routine biochemical screening of pheochromocytoma in small homogenous adrenal incidentalomas characterized by an unenhanced Hounsfield unit value less than 10 HU may not be necessary.
Body size and adiposity indicators and their relationship with blood pressure levels in Ibos of Nigeria.

BACKGROUND Racial Predisposition to Hypertension, obesity and other cardiovascular diseases (CVD) have been the subject of some recent researches. The various anthropometric and obesity indicators and their relationship with blood pressure parameters in the Ibos of Nigeria were studied. METHOD Using the simple random design, 569 males and females Nigerians of Ibo ethnicity, ages 20 to 80 years were enrolled for this study. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP & DBP), body mass index (BMI), waist hip ratio (WHR), waist height ratio (WHTR), waist circumference (We), triceps, subscapular, calf and sum of three skin fold thicknesses (TSF, SSF, eSF,& STS respectively) and other anthropometric parameters were measured. RESULT The mean SBP for the study was 119.6 +/- 23 mmHg and DBP 79.8 +/- 13mmhg. Males showed higher mean values of 5mmHg in SBP and 3mmHg in DBP than the females. we was 3cm larger in the females than the males. BMI, WHTR, and STS were all larger in the females than in the males. The highest level of association noted in the study was between we and WHTR (r = 0.926, P < 0.01). The levels of correlations of the blood pressure parameters with the obesity indices were higher with DBP than SBP. For both sexes; we was the highest predictor of DBP, followed by WHTR. Age gave the highest prediction of SBP. CONCLUSION This work notes WHTR as the best predictor of central obesity and also a better index for screening CVD risk factors in the Ibos.
Pig Manure as a Co-Composting Material for Biodegradation of PAH-Contaminated Soil

Pig manure at three different ratios of 12.5%, 25% and 50% (w/w dry weight basis) was amended with a soil spiked with 100 mg kg−1 each of three polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (phenanthrene, anthracene, and pyrene) to investigate its effect on the biodegradation of these PAHs in a bench-scale composting system. An increase in pig manure amendment was effective in enhancing the amounts of soluble organic carbon, ammoniacal nitrogen, and soluble phosphorous in the composting mass. It could also increase the populations of total thermophilic and mesophilic bacteria as well as PAH-degrading bacteria, but this pattern was restricted only to the early stage of the composting process. High amounts of pig manure in the composting mass reduced the seed germination or root growth of cress seeds, but the composting process was effective in reducing the phytotoxic effects of the compost. Amendment of pig manure was beneficial to PAH removal during composting treatment and maximum removal rate at the end of composting accounted for 90% of the initial concentrations of PAHs. A pig manure application rate of 25% showed the most efficient removal of 3-ringed PAHs (phenanthrene and anthracene), while no significant difference in pyrene removal for those receiving 25 or 50% pig manure amendment. Taking into consideration the effects of pig manure on seed germination and available nutrients in the composting mass, this study suggested that a pig manure amendment of 25%, i.e., 3:1 ratio of contaminated soil: pig manure, is recommended to co-compost with PAH-contaminated soil.
The Effect of Desflurane and Sevoflurane on Cerebral Oximetry Under Steady-State Conditions

We studied the effect of sevoflurane and desflurane on regional cerebral oxygenation (rSO2). Twenty-two patients undergoing abdominal hysterectomy received sevoflurane and desflurane for 15 min each and 30 min apart under steady-state conditions in a randomized, crossover manner to maintain a bispectral index (BIS) of 40–50. In another 22 patients undergoing the same anesthesia and surgery BIS was maintained at 20–30. During the 15-min administration of each anesthetic at steady-state conditions rSO2, BIS, inspired and end-tidal anesthetic concentrations, end-tidal CO2, Spo2, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, and heart rate were recorded every 3 min. The rSO2 did not differ between sevoflurane and desflurane when BIS values were maintained between 40–50 or 20–30. The MACBIS values required to maintain BIS at 40–50 and at 20–30 were 1.0 versus 1.2 (P = 0.004) and 1.6 versus 1.8 (P < 0.001) for desflurane and sevoflurane respectively. Higher rSO2 values were obtained by 1.6 MAC (71 ± 13) than by 1 MAC of desflurane (66 ± 10; P < 0.001) and by 1.8 MAC (72 ± 11) than by 1.2 MAC of sevoflurane (66 ± 13; P < 0.001). In conclusion, equipotent concentrations of desflurane or sevoflurane in terms of BIS are associated with similar rSO2 values, but larger anesthetic concentrations of both anesthetics increased the rSO2 values.
MULTIDIMENSIONAL POVERTY IN PAKISTAN: A POLICY PERSPECTIVE

Mostly poverty related researches have only explored monetary poverty. This empirical analysis reveals the International Multidimensional Poverty Index estimations for Pakistan. The statistical data has been gathered from the statistical Survey of “Pakistan Social and Living Standard Management” (PSLM). The Alkire and Foster (2010, 2014) methodology is used in this empirical analysis due to its instinctive and appropriate properties for policy making. The five provinces of Pakistan (including rural and urban regions) are taken such as Punjab, Sindh, Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwan. Using PSLM statistical surveys data, we found that Pakistan’s global multidimensional poverty (MDPT) index value is 0.292 points in 2004/05, decreases significantly to 0.197 in 2014-15, while the headcount (HD) ratio dropped from 55.2% to 38.8% with (16.4% difference). Finding of this analysis shows that during all time periods multidimensional poverty (MDPT) of Pakistan remained significantly higher in rural areas as compared to urban areas. This empirical analysis provides that an integrating technique adopting for MDPT to overcome the socio-economic issues rapidly in Pakistan because it is basic requirement of millennium and sustainable development goals (MDG’s) to provide basic necessities of life (e.g., food, health, water, and education) to meet the Global standards of wellbeing.
The Impact of Symmetry on the Efficiency of Human Face Perception

The presence of symmetric properties in a stimulus has been shown to often exert an influence on perception and information processing. Investigations into symmetry have given rise to the notion that it is processed easily and efficiently by the human visual system. However, only a handful of studies have attempted to actually measure symmetry’s role in the efficiency of information use. We explored the impact of symmetry on the perception of human faces, a domain where it has been thought to play a particularly important role. Specifically, we measured information processing efficiency, defined as human performance relative to that of an ideal observer, for the detection, discrimination, and identification of symmetric and asymmetric faces. Surprisingly, we found no evidence for significant differences in efficiency between these two classes of stimuli. Training yielded significant improvements in overall efficiency, but had no significant effect on the relative efficiency of asymmetric and symmetric face identification. Our results indicate that although symmetry may be important to other aspects of face perception (e.g., perceived beauty), it has no discernible impact upon the efficiency with which information is used when detecting, discriminating, and identifying faces.
Refining the Concepts of Territorial Revenue Assignment, Substate Fiscal Self-rule and Territorial Fiscal Balance

ABSTRACT Fiscal federalism has offered a template for understanding intergovernmental fiscal relations. Yet when politicians are involved in day-to-day decentralization it may happen that some of the normative elements of fiscal federalism do not fit reality. Substate entities may go beyond the own-source paradigm and have a practical interest in alternative forms of fiscal self-rule. To better understand this pragmatism a threefold stage model of territorial revenue assignment is presented drawing on some insights offered by Germany’s fiscal constitution. Within this framework a reassessment of the role of territorial levels as levels during vertical revenue assignment is undertaken, a new typology of fiscal self-rule is introduced, and finally a theory of multiple territorial fiscal balance points is outlined, including the one based on the real domain of substate own policy-making.
Can We Safely Reduce Blood Loss During Lumbar Pedicle Subtraction Osteotomy Procedures Using Tranexamic Acid or Aprotinin?: A Comparative Study With Controls

Study Design. Retrospective, observational study. Objective. To compare the safety and efficacy of 2 pharmaceutical antifibrinolytic agents, aprotinin and tranexamic acid, in controlling blood loss during lumbar pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO) in adults. Summary of Background Data. Reconstructive spinal surgeries, in particular lumbar PSOs, have been associated with large blood losses despite interventions (intraoperative blood salvaging, controlled hypotensive anesthesia). Since the 1990s, intraoperative administration of antifibrinolytics (aprotinin, tranexamic acid, e-aminocaproic acid) has gained popularity. This study assesses the safety and efficacy of 2 antifibrinolytics, aprotinin and tranexamic acid, during adult lumbar PSO procedures at one institution. Methods. A retrospective comparative analysis of 44 consecutive adults undergoing posterior spinal fusion procedures with lumbar PSO at one institution was performed. Patients were analyzed according to treatment group: controls (10), aprotinin (14), and tranexamic acid (20). There were no significant differences in demographic (gender, age, comorbidities) or surgical traits (length of surgery, levels fused/exposed, preoperative hematocrit, bone graft source, primary/revision) between the 3 groups. Results. The aprotinin group had significantly less intraoperative blood loss (1114 ± 992 mL; P < 0.01) than the tranexamic acid and control group (2102 ± 1076 mL and 2260 ± 1580 mL, respectively). The aprotinin group received significantly less blood (577 ± 806 mL; P < 0.002) during the surgical procedure than the tranexamic acid (1838 ± 1096 mL) and the control group (1502 ± 1241 mL). There were no major intraoperative complications for any of the treatment groups. There were no postoperative cases of seizures, MI, CVA, DVT, or PE with any of the treatment groups. There was one acute tubular necrosis event in the aprotinin group, which resolved before discharge but did required several days of dialysis. Conclusion. The aprotinin treatment group lost significantly less blood and received significantly fewer blood transfusions than both the tranexamic acid and control groups without significant differences in intra- and postoperative complications. These results may justify further study of aprotinin and other antifibrinolytics for this specific indication (3-column lumbar osteotomies in the adult spinal deformity population). A multicenter randomized comparative analysis would be ideal.