Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bandwidth efficient QPSK in cochannel interference and fading

The performances of QPSK in the presence of cochannel interference in both nonfading and fading environments are analyzed. Three approaches for representing the cochannel interference are investigated. These are a precise error probability method, a sum of sinusoids (sinusoidal) model, and a Gaussian interference model. In addition to determining precise results for the performance of QPSK in cochannel interference, we examine the validity of these two interference models in both additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) environments and in different flat fading environments; Rayleigh, Ricean, and Nakagami. Nyquist pulse shaping is considered and the effects of cross channel ISI produced by the cochannel interference are accounted for in the precise interference model. Also accounted for are the random symbol and carrier timing offsets of the interfering signals. Two performance criteria are considered. These are the average bit error rate and the interference penalty. The latter is defined as the increase in signal-to-noise power ratio (SNR) required by a system with cochannel interference in order to maintain the same BER as a system without interference. Attention is given, in particular, to the outdoor microcellular fading environment. In this environment, the fading experienced by the interfering signals may be represented by a Rayleigh-fading model while the fading experienced by the desired signal may be represented by a Ricean or a Nakagami-fading model. >
The Relationship between Transformational Leadership , Job Satisfaction and the Effect of Organizational Culture in National Oil Corporation of Libya

The purpose of the study is to investigate the impact of organizational culture on the relationship between transformational leadership and job satisfaction in National Oil Corporation of Libya. This research was carried out by measuring the data gathered from the five point likert scale. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) was used to measure transformational leadership. The Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI) was used to measure organizational culture. The Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS) was used to measure job satisfaction. Quantitative survey method was applied and a sample of 50 employees of National Oil Corporation of Libya was selected to answer the instrument. SPSS software was used to analyze the data collected based on descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, percentage, Pearson Correlation, T-test and Regression). The empirical results indicate that organizational culture impacts the relationship between transformational leadership and job satisfaction, while the relationship between these variables is positive significant
Influenza, solar radiation and vitamin D

The annual death numbers of influenza and pneumonia in Norway were studied for the time period 1980 - 2000. No direct relationships were found with the variations of the annual UVB fluences, probably due to the fact that these variations did not exceed 30 %. However, there was a very pronounced seasonal variation of both influenza deaths and pneumonia deaths, the vast majority occurring during the winter. Vitamin D levels were also estimated from several publications. The data support the hypothesis that a high vitamin D level, as that found in the summer, acts in a protective manner with respect to influenza as well as pneumonia. The findings are discussed and compared with data from tropical and subtropical areas.
Enamel opacities and dental esthetics.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to determine the esthetic importance of different types of developmental enamel defect. METHODS In the first method used, individual subjects from three different populations with less than 0.1, 0.7, and 0.9 ppm fluoride in their drinking water, were asked about the appearance of their teeth and results compared to assessments of clinical photographs made by a single examiner. In the second method used, dentist and lay observers were asked to assess the appearance of the dentition of selected individuals who had a range of enamel defects. RESULTS According to the first method, both the size of demarcated opacities and the degree of enamel hypomineralization (TF index) were related to satisfaction with appearance. However, there was no difference in satisfaction with the appearance of the teeth among the three areas included in this study. In the second method, similar types of enamel defects were found to be esthetic stimuli as with the first study, but the dentists responded more strongly to the stimulus of enamel hypomineralization than the lay examiners. CONCLUSIONS Both demarcated opacities and enamel hypomineralization may be important when assessing differences between populations. Further, esthetic ratings by dentists may not be a suitable means of assessing the esthetic importance of different types of enamel defects.
Cranial vault trauma and selective mortality in medieval to early modern Denmark

Significance Neurocranial fractures and their aftermath took a toll on people in premodern societies, much like today. Archaeological information on skeletal trauma, however, typically consists of mere tallies of injuries, much like other disease-related lesions. We quantify the increased risk of dying for men with healed cranial vault fractures, an approach that can be adapted to any pathological condition. In medieval to early modern Denmark, head-injured men experienced a relative risk of dying about double that of modern people, probably in large part because of differences in medical care and social support. This approach provides a means of measuring the extent, hence consequences, of excess injury and disease-related mortality across the full range of human societies extending into the distant past. To date, no estimates of the long-term effect of cranial vault fractures on the risk of dying have been generated from historical or prehistoric skeletons. Excess mortality provides a perspective on the efficacy of modern treatment, as well as the human cost of cranial injuries largely related to interpersonal violence in past populations. Three medieval to early modern Danish skeletal samples are used to estimate the effect of selective mortality on males with cranial vault injuries who survived long enough for bones to heal. The risk of dying for these men was 6.2 times higher than it was for their uninjured counterparts, estimated through a simulation study based on skeletal observations. That is about twice the increased risk of dying experienced by modern people with traumatic brain injuries. The mortality data indicate the initial trauma was probably often accompanied by brain injury. Although the latter cannot be directly observed in skeletal remains, it can be inferred through the relative risks of dying. The ability to identify the effects of selective mortality in this skeletal sample indicates it must be taken into account in paleopathological research. The problem is analogous to extrapolating from death register data to modern communities, so epidemiological studies based on mortality data have the same inherent possibility of biases as analyses of ancient skeletons.
Comparison of Safety and Effectiveness of Two Different Transfusion Rates in Children With Severe Anemia

We compared the safety and efficacy of 2 transfusion regimens in children with severe anemia (hemoglobin <5 g/dL) and without overt signs of congestive heart failure requiring transfusion of packed red blood cells (PRBCs). Forty-three patients were randomly divided into 2 groups: group A and group B. The transfusion regimens consisted of continuous infusion of PRBC at a rate of 1 mL/kg/h for group A and 3 mL/kg/h for group B. The patients were closely monitored for any clinical signs of heart failure throughout transfusion. Heart and respiratory rate, and arterial blood pressure were measured hourly for 6 hours during transfusion. None of the patients developed any signs of cardiac failure during or after the transfusion. The mean heart rate, respiratory rate, diastolic and systolic blood pressure were similar in both groups throughout transfusion. Group A needed significantly more PRBC units than group B to attain the same hemoglobin increase. Transfusion of PRBC at a rate of 3 mL/kg/h, and at a rate of 1 mL/kg/h, is a safe regimen for children with severe anemia of gradual onset requiring transfusion therapy.
The Enhanced Bandwidth Reservation Algorithm for distributed UWB networks

This paper describes an Enhanced Bandwidth Reservation Algorithm (EBRA) which introduces a new metric of Allocated Counter (AC) for considering multiple reservations in the same media access slot (MAS) for distributed UWB (Ultra Wideband) network. By considering bother call success rate and QoS (quality-of-service) constrain of establishing route, EBRA allows multiple reservation requests for the same MAS and does not introduce more delay of setting up route. It improves call success rate when bandwidth is not enough for all requests. The performance of the algorithm is simulated and compared with other algorithms. The results show that the EBRA is able to increase call success rate significantly while maintain the QoS requirements.
Fluorogenic substrates for differentiation of gram-negative nonfermentative and oxidase-positive fermentative bacteria

A total of 803 strains of gram-negative nonfermentative and oxidase-positive fermentative bacteria (38 taxa) were investigated for their ability to hydrolyze 53 different fluorogenic 4-methylumbelliferyl- and beta-naphthylamide-linked substrates within 6 h of incubation. The hydrolysis of 16 fluorogenic substrates showed high separation index values among the tested taxa, was reproducible, and showed good agreement with data in the literature. In combination with other biochemical tests (like carbon substrate utilization tests and classical biochemical tests), hydrolysis profiles can improve the differentiation of gram-negative nonfermentative and oxidase-positive fermentative bacteria.
Modulation comparison over OFDM channel for facial expression recognition

Facial expression recognition (FER) has attracted significant interest in the scientific community due to its importance for human centred interfaces. This study compare the effect of different modulation for person-independent facial expression recognition from face images. The image is transmitted based on OFDM channel. Then, The higher order local autocorrelation (HLAC) is used for feature extraction and the features are classified using the naive Bayesian (NB) classifier. Six different facial expressions are considered. Experiments carried out on Cohn-Kanade database shows comparable performance between different modulation in received images based on classification accuracy. BER performance is also included to observe when FER is applied to an OFDM channel in two different QAM modulations, 4- and 16-QAMs. It is shown that the empirical error performances obtain about similar results as compared to the theoretical error performances for both modulations.
Total mercury in canned tuna sold in Canada in 2006

Total mercury was measured in 156 composites prepared from 936 samples of canned tuna sold in Canada in 2006. Each composite comprised a single brand. Yellowfin tuna contained the lowest concentrations, averaging 0.066 mg/kg. Skipjack tuna contained slightly higher concentrations, averaging 0.132 mg/kg. The highest average concentration was found in the Albacore tuna: mean 0.325 mg/kg, range 0.174–0.507 mg/kg. The second highest concentration among the 49 albacore composites was 0.469 mg/kg. There were 72 composites for which the type of tuna was not specified. The mercury in these averaged 0.095 mg/kg and ranged from 0.016 to 0.237 mg/kg.
Expertise in Ultra-Endurance Triathletes Early Sport Involvement, Training Structure, and the Theory of Deliberate Practice

Abstract The theory of deliberate practice (Ericsson, Krampe, & Tesch-Römer, 1993) is predicated on the concept that the engagement in specific forms of practice is necessary for the attainment of expertise. The purpose of this paper was to examine the quantity and type of training performed by expert UE triathletes. Twenty-eight UE triathletes were stratified into expert, middle of the pack, and back of the pack groups based on previous finishing times. All participants provided detailed information regarding their involvement in sports in general and the three triathlon sports in particular. Results illustrated that experts performed more training than non-experts but that the relationship between training and performance was not monotonic as suggested by Ericsson et al. Further, experts' training was designed so periods of high training stress were followed by periods of low stress. However, early specialization was not a requirement for expertise. This work indicates that the theory of deliberate practice does not fully explain expertise development in UE triathlon.
ZOOM: Lightweight SDN-Based Elephant Detection

Software Defined Networking (SDN) offers a holistic view of the network through a centralized control plane. Consequently, routing decisions can be made based on global knowledge about the network topology as well as its current state. As long living flows are suitable candidates for rerouting, their detection is crucial for efficient flow based traffic management. This work proposes the ZOOM algorithm for elephant detection in SDN networks. To this end, ZOOM follows a very lightweight approach that only uses packet counters implemented by OpenFlow switches and thus does not require any additional hardware. By exploiting this feature of OpenFlow switches, ZOOM allows lightweight and cost-effective elephant detection.
Dietary Patterns and Risk of Breast Cancer in Women in Guilan Province, Iran.

BACKGROUND Several studies have pointed to roles of dietary and food groups in the pathogenesis of breast cancer, but information on dietary patterns among women with breast cancer and their healthy counterparts in Iran is limited. Therefore the present investigation was conducted in Guilan province in 2014-2015. MATERIALS AND METHODS In a case-control study, 450 women with breast cancer and one of their relatives (third-rank) were investigated. At first the phone numbers of patients in Razi Hospital in radiotherapy and chemotherapy and oncology centers of Guilan were taken. Data were collected through telephone interviews by the researcher. The questionnaire had two parts comprising demographic clinical and food frequency data including a list of 40 food items. To analyze the variables, Chi-square test and univariate logistic regression models were used. RESULTS In each group, 225 subjects were investigated. The majority of samples in both groups of experiment and control were consumed than two glasses of milk and dairy products per day. Regarding consumption of meat and its products, 56% of the cancer group had more than three servings per day while 26.7% of the control group had less than 2 servings per day. The majority of subjects had less than six servings of cereal per day. Some 54. 7 % of the cancer and 62.2 % of the control group consumed less than two servings of fruit per day. Consumption of vegetables in experimental and control groups were 52.9% and 76.9% respectively, more than five servings per day. There was a meaningful difference between two groups regarding the consumption of milk and dairy items (OR=0.6,95%CI= 0.4-0.9), meat and its products (OR=0.49,95%CI=0.3-0.7), bread and cereals (OR=0.4,95%CI=0.2-0.8), vegetables (OR=0.5,95%CI= 0.3-0.9). (P-value<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The results of this study emphasize the importance of informing women, particularly those at higher risk of breast cancer, in relation to dietary factors.
Antimicrobial efficacy of henna extracts.

Lawsonia inermis (henna plant) has been used in herbal medicine for ages. However, the medical benefits of this plant have been discussed in only a few publications. In this study, the antibacterial effects of water, alcoholic and oily extracts of Lawsonia inermis leaves against bacterial cultures isolated from various skin diseases were investigated and compared with Tetracycline, Ampicillin, Gentamicin and Ciprofloxacin antibiotics. Cultures of Staphylococcus aureus Staphylococcus epidermidis (Co-agulase negative staphylococci or CONS), ß-hemolytic streptococci and Pseudomonas aeruginosa species were obtained from 74 (35 females, 39 males) patients with different skin infections who attended the Dermatology outpatient clinic in Basra General Hospital. The bacterial isolates were treated with L. inermis extracts in vitro. Alcoholic and oily extracts were more effective than the water extract which had no effects using standard method of NCCL, 2000.Alcoholic extracts had the highest antibacterial activity with a MIC of 0.125-0.150 µg/ml against ß-hemolytic streptococci and against CONS was 0.125-175 µg/ml . Oily extracts had a MIC of 0.25-0.30 µg/ml against Staphylococcus epidermidis (cons). Both alcoholic and oily extracts had the same MIC (0.5 µg/ml) on Staphylococcus aureus. However, alcoholic extracts were more effective on Pseudomonas aeruginosa with a MIC of 0.5-0.57 µg/ml than oily extract (MIC of 0.20-0.28 µg/ml). However, there were no statically differences between the effects of oily and alcoholic henna extracts (p= 0.050). When comparing the extracts' MICs with those of antibiotics, alcoholic extracts showed pronounced antibacterial effects against the isolated bacteria in vitro but oily extracts had much similar MICs to those of antibiotics and there are significant difference between effect of both extracts and antibiotics p>0.050.
Composition of cultivable enteric bacteria from the intestine of Antarctic fish (family Nototheniidae).

In this study, the intestinal bacteria of wild Antarctic fish (family Nototeniidae) were examined with traditional culture-based techniques. The bacterial flora of the gut contents of four marine fish species Notothenia coriiceps, Trematomus bernacchii, Trematomus hansoni and Trematomus newnesi has been investigated in an attempt to describe the allochthonous bacteria inhabiting these Nototheniidae fish. A set of 43 fresh and healthy fish was analysed and intestinal bacteria were retrieved using the dilution plate technique on selective media Endo agar and XLDA agar. A total of 133 different bacterial isolates were obtained and initially characterised by key phenotypical tests. Notothenoid fish gut microbiota showed low species diversity of isolates and intestines were inhabited in average amount of 3 different isolates per fish. The poor bacterial colonization of intestine content showed samples of Trematomus newnesi. Curiously, the Gram-negative non-fermenters, including Pseudomonas sp. , Vibrio sp. and Alcaligenes-like isolates represented the majority (59%) of intestine isolates grown on the used selective media for enteric bacteria. Based on preliminary identification, only 54 isolates (41%) were tentatively determined as enteric bacteria. The identification of 54 isolates of Gram-negative fermenting rods to the species level was achieved using biochemical characterization by commercial kits ENTEROtest 24 and Biolog GN2 MicroPlate. Results showed that Enterobacter cloacae phenon and Aeromonas hydrophila were predominant bacterial species in the free-living fish intestine from the group of fermenting Gram-negative rods.
Towards Metal-Mediated G-Quartet Analogues: 1,2,4-Triazole Nucleotides

We proposed that metal-coordinating nucleotides could be used to control the assembly of G-quadruplexes through the formation of an artificial metal-centered quartet. Several guanine-rich DNA sequences containing 1,2,4-triazole-functionalized nucleotides were investigated. These oligonucleotides were designed to form quartets mediated by metal-triazole bonding both on the surface of and within the G-quadruplex core. In contrast to duplex studies in which 1,2,4-triazole nucleosides serve as a mimic of Watson-Crick base-pairs, our results show that these nucleosides are not suitable components of an artificial metal-centered quartet.
Familial Risks for Epilepsy among Siblings Based on Hospitalizations in Sweden

Purpose: Epilepsy is a common disabling condition, with high heritability according to twin studies. Characterization of familial risks for common subtypes of epilepsy will advance the search for the heritable causes of these conditions and their underlying mechanisms. We aim at defining familial risks for siblings to be hospitalized because of epilepsy. Methods: A nationwide ad hoc epilepsy database was constructed by linking the Multigeneration Register on 0- to 69-year-old siblings to the Hospital Discharge Register for data on epilepsies covering the years 1987–2001. Standardized risk ratios (SIRs) were calculated for affected sibling pairs by comparing them to those whose siblings had no epilepsy. Results: Among a total of 26,799 hospitalized cases, 598 affected siblings were identified with a familial SIR of 2.35; the SIR was highest at ages 0–4 years (6.82). Infantile spasms showed the highest risk for any subtype (10.45), when a co-sibling was diagnosed with any epilepsy. When both siblings were diagnosed with a concordant (same) subtype of epilepsy, the SIRs were high, i.e. 8.43 for generalized idiopathic epilepsy, 2.56 for partial epilepsy, 24.72 for status epilepticus and 24.39 for other epilepsies. Generalized idiopathic epilepsy was also associated with grand mal (4.06) and other epilepsies (7.61). The numbers of cases were small but concordant diagnoses always showing higher SIRs compared with discordant diagnoses. Conclusions: Within the limits of the present sample size, our results suggest high familial aggregation for certain subtypes of epilepsy for which distinct genetic mechanisms may underlie.
Tangential-Flow Ultrafiltration with Integrated Inhibition Detection for Recovery of Surrogates and Human Pathogens from Large-Volume Source Water and Finished Drinking Water

ABSTRACT Tangential-flow ultrafiltration was optimized for the recovery of Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Clostridium perfringens spores, bacteriophages MS2 and PRD1, murine norovirus, and poliovirus seeded into 100-liter surface water (SW) and drinking water (DW) samples. SW and DW collected from two drinking water treatment plants were then evaluated for human enteric viruses.
Genetic and physical location of the Escherichia coli rap locus, which is essential for growth of bacteriophage lambda

The Escherichia coli rap mutant does not support the growth of bacteriophage lambda (D. Henderson and J. Weil, Virology 71:546-559, 1976). We located the rap site at 26 min in the E. coli genetic map and determined the gene order fadR-rap-supF-trp from our transduction experiments. Plasmid pHO1 harbors a 5.6-kilobase-pair segment of the E. coli chromosome which contains the pth gene (B. Hove-Jensen, Mol. Gen. Genet. 201:269-276, 1985). This plasmid complemented rap bacteria, suggesting that it carries the dominant allele rap+. Subcloning experiments reduced the rap-complementing segment to 1.5 kilobase pairs. This segment still contained pth; thus, both loci are tightly linked. The lit mutations that inhibit phage T4 growth in E. coli are located nearby at 25 min (W. Cooley, K. Sirotkin, R. Green, and L. Snyder, J. Bacteriol. 140:83-91, 1979). We showed that rap and lit mutations are phenotypically and genetically different.
Homocystinuria due to Cystathionine Synthetase Deficiency: The Mode of Inheritance

Deficiency of cystathioninie synthetase activity results in the clinical syndrome of homocystinuria. In both parents of a patient with homocystinuria, the hepatic cystathionine synthetase activity was 40 percent of that in unrelated control patients. These findings demonstrate that the metabolic error is inherited and suggest that the parents, although clinically normal, represent the heterozygous. state. A second case of homocystinuria also is shown to be associated with cystathionine synthetase deficiency.