Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Capacity optimization in multiservice mobile wireless networks with multiple fractional channel reservation

In this paper, the multiple fractional channel reservation (MFCR) strategy for service differentiation is proposed. MFCR overcomes the "integer nature" of traditional channel reservation schemes (also referred to as guard channel, trunk reservation, or cutoff priority) that precludes them to achieve maximum system capacity in single- and multiservice environments. Contrary to the rest of the channel reservation schemes previously proposed in the literature on the topic, MFCR reserves, on average, real numbers of channels to prioritize new and/or handoff calls in multiple service environments. Given a set of requirements on new call blocking and forced termination probabilities for each service type, MFCR maximizes system capacity while meeting the quality of service (QoS) constraints in multiservice mobile cellular networks. It finely controls the communication service quality, by varying the average numbers of reserved channels by a fraction of one. Determining the right amount of resources (cutoff threshold or number of reserved channels) to prioritize each call type and to satisfy all QoS constraints in multiservice environments, however, is a difficult task. Selecting the optimal prioritization order is not an easy process either, as it is affected by QoS constraints, system characteristics, and resource sharing. Thus, an heuristic algorithm to determine the optimum numbers of reserved (resources) channels to achieve maximum system capacity when using the MFCR is also proposed. To our knowledge, the capacity optimization problem considering individual QoS constraints had only been addressed in single service environments. Also, a comprehensive survey on channel reservation strategies proposed in the literature has been included.
HeartTrack: Convolutional neural network for remote video-based heart rate monitoring

Detection and continuous monitoring of heart rate can help us identify clinical relevance of some cardiac symptoms. Over the last decade, a lot of attention has been paid to the development of the algorigthms for remote photoplethysmography (rPPG). As a result, we can now accurately monitor heart rate of still sitting subjects using data extracted from video feed. Aside from methods based on hand-crafted features, there have also been developed the more advanced learning-based rPPG algorithms. Deep learning methods usually require large amounts of data for training, however, biomedical data often suffers from lack of real-life data. To address these issues, we have developed a HeartTrack convolutional neural network for remote video-based heart rate tracking. This learning-based method has been trained on synthetic data to accurately estimate heart rate in different conditions. Moreover, here we provide two new rPPG datasets - MoLi-ppg-1 and MoLi-ppg-2 - that were recorded in complicated conditions that were close to the natural ones. The datasets include videos that feature moving and talking subjects, different types of lighting, various equipment, etc. We have used our new MoLi-ppg-1 and MoLi-ppg-2 datasets for algorithm training and testing, and the existing UBFCRPPG dataset for the algorithm testing and comparison with other approaches. Our HeartTrack neural network shows state-of-the-art results on the UBFC-RPPG database (MAE=2.412, RMSE=3.368, R=0.983).
An Exploration into the Process of Requirements Elicitation: A Grounded Approach

Requirements elicitation (RE) is a critical phase in information systems development (ISD), having significant impacts on software quality and costs. While it has remained a key topic of interest for IS researchers, a review of the existing literature suggests that there are very few studies examining how the social process associated with RE unfolds. Prior literature acknowledges that this process involves collaboration between RE participants (e.g., user-reps and systems analysts) where knowledge regarding the system requirements is shared, absorbed, and co-constructed, such that shared mental models of the requirements can form. However, collaboration and knowledge sharing within the RE process has been characterized as tenuous in the literature, given that the groups of RE participants bring very different kinds of knowledge into this activity, and trust among the two parties cannot be guaranteed at any point. Despite acknowledgement of the tenuous nature of RE, we are not aware of research that has attempted to present an integrated view of how collaboration, knowledge transfer, and trust influence the RE process. Using data from two different organizations and adopting a grounded approach, this study presents an integrative process model of RE. The study’s findings suggest that RE is composed of four different collaborative states. The study elaborates on the four states, and identifies important factors that tend to trigger transitions from one state to another.
Iron-Oxidizing Bacteria Are Associated with Ferric Hydroxide Precipitates (Fe-Plaque) on the Roots of Wetland Plants

ABSTRACT The presence of Fe-oxidizing bacteria in the rhizosphere of four different species of wetland plants was investigated in a diverse wetland environment that had Fe(II) concentrations ranging from tens to hundreds of micromoles per liter and a pH range of 3.5 to 6.8. Enrichments for neutrophilic, putatively lithotrophic Fe-oxidizing bacteria were successful on roots from all four species; acidophilic Fe-oxidizing bacteria were enriched only on roots from plants whose root systems were exposed to soil solutions with a pH of <4. InSagittaria australis there was a positive correlation (P < 0.01) between cell numbers and the total amount of Fe present; the same correlation was not found for Leersia oryzoides. These results present the first evidence for culturable Fe-oxidizing bacteria associated with Fe-plaque in the rhizosphere.
Oncogenes and Tumor Suppressors Conserved Oncogenic Behavior of the FAM 83 Family Regulates MAPK Signaling in Human Cancer

FAM83B (family with sequence similarity 83, member B) was recently identified as a novel oncogene involved in activating CRAF/MAPK signaling and driving epithelial cell transformation. FAM83B is one of eight members of a protein family (FAM83) characterized by a highly conserved domain of unknown function (DUF1669), which is necessary and sufficient to drive transformation. Here, it is demonstrated that additional FAM83 members also exhibit oncogenic properties and have significantly elevated levels of expression in multiple human tumor types using a TissueScan Cancer Survey Panel PCR array and database mining. Furthermore, modeling the observed tumor expression of FAM83A, FAM83C, FAM83D, or FAM83E promoted human mammary epithelial cell (HMEC) transformation, which correlated with the ability of each FAM83 member to bind CRAF (RAF1) and promote CRAF membrane localization. Conversely, ablation of FAM83A or FAM83D from breast cancer cells resulted in diminished MAPK signaling with marked suppression of growth in vitro and tumorigenicity in vivo. Importantly, each FAM83 member was determined to be elevated in at least one of 17 distinct tumor types examined, with FAM83A, FAM83B, and FAM83D most frequently overexpressed in several diverse tissue types. Finally, evidence suggests that elevated expression of FAM83members is associated with elevated tumor grade and decreased overall survival. Implications: FAM83 proteins represent a novel family of oncogenes suitable for the development of cancer therapies aimed at suppressing MAPK signaling. Mol Cancer Res; 12(8); 1–10. 2014 AACR.
A mutation in the GABA(A) receptor alpha(1)-subunit is associated with absence epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE To detect mutations in GABRA1 in idiopathic generalized epilepsy. METHODS GABRA1 was sequenced in 98 unrelated idiopathic generalized epilepsy patients. Patch clamping and confocal imaging was performed in transfected mammalian cells. RESULTS We identified the first GABRA1 mutation in a patient with childhood absence epilepsy. Functional studies showed no detectable GABA-evoked currents for the mutant, truncated receptor, which was not integrated into the surface membrane. INTERPRETATION We conclude that this de novo mutation can contribute to the cause of "sporadic" childhood absence epilepsy by a loss of function and haploinsufficiency of the GABA(A) receptor alpha(1)-subunit, and that GABRA1 mutations rarely are associated with idiopathic generalized epilepsy.
Absolute Risk or Relative Risk? A Study of Intraspecies and Interspecies Extrapolation of Chemical‐Induced Cancer Risk

We have used the CBDS database of the National Toxicology Program to study the difference between absolute risk and relative risk models for interspecies and intersex predictions of cancer risk. For no combination (class) of tumor and site is the prediction good for all chemicals. The variation in predicted risk between chemicals exceeds the difference in risks resulting from application of these two models. On the whole, it appears that relative risk is a better model.
Evaluation of the impact of brand equity on shareholder returns amongst South African companies

ii DECLARATION iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv TABLE OF FIGURES ix CHAPTER 1: BACKGROUND TO THE RESEARCH PROBLEM 1 1.1 Research Title 1 1.2 Research Problem 1 1.3 Research Objectives 3 1.4 Relevance of this topic to business in SA 4 1.4. 1 Growing pressure to demonstrate impact of brand investment 5 1.4. 2 Increased competition from international brands 6 1.4. 3 Growth of price-based competition 6 1.4. 4 Brand equity effects are not measured 6 1.5 Conclusion 7 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 8 2.
Linkage and association of CYP17 gene in hereditary and sporadic prostate cancer

Androgens are essential for prostate development, growth and maintenance and the association between androgen levels and prostate cancer is well established. Since the CYP17 gene encodes the enzyme cytochrome P450c17α, which mediates 17α‐hydroxylase and 17,20‐lyase activities in the androgen biosynthesis pathway, sequence variations in the gene and association with increased risk to prostate cancer has been studied. In particular, several groups have studied the association between a polymorphism in the 5′ promoter region and prostate cancer using a population‐based association approach. However, the results from these studies were inconclusive. To further study this polymorphism and its possible role in hereditary prostate cancer (HPC), we performed a genetic linkage analysis and family‐based association analysis in 159 families, each of which contains at least 3 first‐degree relatives with prostate cancer. In addition, we performed a population‐based association analysis to compare the risk of this polymorphism to hereditary and sporadic prostate cancer in 159 HPC probands, 249 sporadic prostate cancer patients and 211 unaffected control subjects. Evidence for linkage at the CYP17 gene region was found in the total 159 HPC families (LOD = 1.3, p = 0.01, at marker D10S222). However, family‐based association tests did not provide evidence for overtransmission of either allele of the CYP17 polymorphism to affected individuals in the HPC families. The allele and genotype frequencies of the polymorphism were not statistically different among the HPC probands, sporadic cases and unaffected control subjects. In conclusion, our results suggest that the CYP17 gene or other genes in the region may increase the susceptibility to prostate cancer in men; however, the polymorphism in the 5′ promoter region has a minor role if any in increasing prostate cancer susceptibility in our study sample. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Conjugation of steroid hormones by normal and neoplastic tissues.

ABSTRACT Conjugation of a number of steroids with sulfuric acid has been determined quantitatively in mammary cancer, normal mammary tissue, liver metastases and normal liver tissue. Steroid sulfokinase activity has been demonstrated in primary mammary cancer in 10 patients but is not measurable in 4. The finding suggests that there are 2 populations of mammary cancer cells, one which possesses no enzyme activity and one which contains enzymes capable of forming sulfate esters with a number of steroid alcohols. The normal mammary tissues appear to contain only weak steroid sulfate-forming activity if any at all. Normal liver tissue is highly active in conjugating steroid hormones. Although various liver preparations vary considerably in their total ability to sulfurylate different steroids, the relative activity is very close to being constant; DHEA was the most efficiently sulfurylated, and the ratio of each of the other steroids to DHEA is essentially the same. The pattern of sulfurylation of steroid ho.
The short term prediction of analysts' forecast error

We examine the profitability of implementing a short term trading strategy based on predicting the error in analysts' earnings per share forecasts using publicly available information. In the 1998-2010 I/B/E/S data, the strategy of taking a long (short) position in stocks with the most pessimistic (optimistic) consensus forecast and closing the position on the rst post announcement day has an annual gross abnormal return of 16.56%, after correcting for market risk, size, book-to-market and price momentum effects. A key insight is that the profitability of the trading strategy stems from using robust forecasting methods and from focusing on the stocks with the most extreme predicted forecast errors. The trading strategies using least squares regression and/or focusing merely on the sign of the forecast error are not profitable.
Disease Duration Determines Canine Distemper Virus Neurovirulence

ABSTRACT The Morbillivirus hemagglutinin (H) protein mediates attachment to the target cell. To evaluate its contribution to canine distemper virus neurovirulence, we exchanged the H proteins of the wild-type strains 5804P and A75 and assessed the pathogenesis of the chimeric viruses in ferrets. Both strains are lethal to ferrets; however, 5804P causes a 2-week disease without neurological signs, whereas A75 is associated with a longer disease course and neurological involvement. We observed that both H proteins supported neuroinvasion and the subsequent development of clinical neurological signs if given enough time, demonstrating that disease duration is the main neurovirulence determinant.
Site-Directed Mutations in the Lanthipeptide Mutacin 1140

ABSTRACT The oral bacterium Streptococcus mutans, strain JH1140, produces the antibiotic mutacin 1140. Mutacin 1140 belongs to a group of antibiotics called lanthipeptides. More specifically, mutacin 1140 is related to the epidermin type A(I) lanthipeptides. Mutagenesis experiments of this group of lanthipeptides have been primarily restricted to the posttranslationally modified meso-lanthionine and 3-methyllanthionine residues. Site-directed mutagenesis of the core peptide of mutacin 1140 was performed using the suicide vector pVA891. Substitutions of the N-terminal residue, the charged residue in the hinge region, and residues in ring A and intertwined rings C and D were investigated. A truncation and insertion of residues in ring A and intertwined rings C and D were also performed to determine whether or not they would alter the antimicrobial activity of the producing strain. Bioassays revealed that five of 14 mutants studied had improved antimicrobial activity against the indicator strain Micrococcus luteus ATCC 10240. MICs against Streptococcus mutans UA159, Streptococcus pneumoniae ATCC 27336, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Clostridium difficile UK1, and Micrococcus luteus ATCC 10240 were determined for three mutacin 1140 variants that had the most significant increases in bioactivity in the M. luteus bioassay. This mutagenesis study of the epidermin group of lanthipeptides shows that antimicrobial activity can be significantly improved.
Sovereign Debt Rating Changes and the Stock Market

We use an event-study methodology to analyze the effect of sovereign debt rating changes on daily stock market returns around the world. We find evidence that the stock market moves before the public announcement of a sovereign rating downgrade, resulting in a significant market reaction prior to the event, weak reaction at the event and a mild correction after the event. The results are much weaker for upgrades. Using instrumental variables techniques we build a causal case to argue that these findings are more pronounced in non-developed markets, in countries with civil (relative to common) law systems, lower measures of law and order institutional quality, and higher measures of corruption.
Understanding Central Pain : New Insights from Forebrain Imaging Studies of Patients and of Animals with Central Lesions

Functional imaging of pain-related central nervous system (CNS) activity provides a powerful method for exploring the complex neural mechanisms that support the pain experience. Over the last decade, major advances in brain imaging techniques in humans using positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging have expanded our knowledge of the neurophysiology of pain and enhanced our understanding of the central mechanisms of pain processing far beyond the limits of traditional electrophysiological and lesion studies. Functional imaging, by allowing us to examine the responses of multiple CNS regions simultaneously in awake, behaving subjects during acute and chronic pain states, provides clear evidence that there is no common “center” or pathway for the generation of pain. Instead, the evidence points to a distributed parallel network or matrix of cortical and subcortical structures that receives afferent input via distinct anatomical pathways (see Apkarian 1995; Casey and Minoshima 1997). Although most imaging studies of pain have used PET or fMRI to examine human subjects, the number of imaging studies performed on animal models of pain is increasing due to recent advances in methodology. Human studies have an obvious advantage in being able to simultaneously assess both aspects of pain and brain activation. However, both PET and have relatively limited spatial resolutions,
Subjective Return Expectations, Information and Stock Market Participation: Evidence from France

Recent research has separately uncovered that stock ownership strongly correlates with both expectations and realizations of stock market returns, as well as with measures of financial literacy, ability or trust. This paper reconciles all, and reports new findings from a unique survey containing individual level data on both expectations and (knowledge of) realizations for a representative sample by age and wealth. Stock market participation monotonically increases with the conditional expectation of a positive stock market return, even among the aÂ­ uent and the young. Information is very heterogeneous, increases with age and own past experience, andidentifies a causal effect of expectations on stock ownership.
Intention to adopt internet banking in an emerging economy: a perspective of Indian youth

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand the consumer’s intention toward internet banking adoption in Indian context by combining two theories; theory of planned behavior (TPB), technology acceptance model (TAM) and an additional construct, i.e. perceived risk. Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire based survey was conducted to collect responses from young consumers (210 usable responses). Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling to evaluate the strength of relationship. Findings – The result shows that perceived usefulness, attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control significantly influences the consumer’s intention to adopt internet banking whereas perceived risk failed to show any significant influence over intention to adopt internet banking. Research limitations/implications – The study is limited to young consumers (i.e. professional students) only. Further, the study concerns itself with consumer’s intention not actual behavior. Practical implications.
Casticin Induces Human Glioma Cell Death through Apoptosis and Mitotic Arrest

Background: Malignant gliomas are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in brain and central nervous system tumors. Recently, casticin has drawn wide attention to its critical role in tumor progression. However, the effect of casticin on glioma remains undefined. Methods: Following treatment with casticin, cell viability, apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest were examined in U251 glioma cells. Additionally, the involved molecular mechanism was assessed by western blotting and flow cytometry. Results: Casticin triggered an obvious dose-dependent decrease in U251, U87 and U373 glioma cell viability, and the growth inhibitory effect of casticin was correlated with cell cycle arrest and cell apoptosis. Further mechanistic analysis indicated that casticin induced G2/M phase arrest by attenuating the polymerization of tubulin. Furthermore, striking apoptosis was also confirmed, accompanied by the up-regulation of caspase-3, p53 and proapoptotic protein Bax. These effects were absent when the caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk or p53 inhibitor PFTα were applied, suggesting that casticin could trigger cell apoptosis in a caspase-3 and p53-dependent manner. Conclusion: These findings provide a prominent insight into how casticin abrogates the pathogenesis of glioma, and support its potential clinical prospect for further development of anti-brain cancer therapy.
Interstitial lung disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: comparison with cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis over 5 years.

OBJECTIVE There is little information on the natural history of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and associated interstitial lung disease (ILD). Cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis (CFA) is known to have a poor longterm prognosis, and we compared the 2 conditions through a longitudinal prospective study. METHODS We previously compared baseline clinical, physiological, and radiological characteristics in 18 RA-ILD patients with 18 case controls with CFA. Clinical, physiological, and radiological assessment was repeated in all survivors at 5 years, and data on treatment and mortality were collected. RESULTS The median age in each group was 77 years and 10 patients in each group were male. More patients with RA-ILD survived to 5 years (8 RA-ILD vs 2 CFA; p = 0.03), and median survival was significantly longer for patients with RA-ILD (60 mo) compared to CFA (27 mo; p <or= 0.05). Death was due to respiratory failure in half the patients with CFA, but was more often due to other causes in patients with RA. Clubbing and reduced baseline gas transfer were predictors of poor prognosis, while normal technetium clearance enhanced survival in nonsmokers. CONCLUSION Patients with RA-ILD did better than those with CFA, and died less often from respiratory failure. Patients with finger clubbing and/or low gas transfer declined more rapidly.
Automatic synthesis of natural-sounding intonation for text-to-speech conversion in dutch

A set of rules is proposed for the automatic synthesis of natural-sounding intonation as part of speech synthesis in Dutch from unrestricted text. Results of a formal per ceptual evaluation show that the synthetic intonation is judged to be as natural as human intonation for isolated utterances; for texts, additional provisions are required to model contributions of text structure. It is suggested that the regularities expressed by the rules may apply to other languages as weil.