Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Massive MIMO for energy-efficient communications

Massive MIMO (MaMi) is expected to become a key technology for 5G systems, providing a large capacity increase at reduced total radiated power. However, besides the radiated power, the power consumption of digital and analog circuits supporting individual antenna chains also has to be sufficiently low, given the large number of antennas. In this paper, we extend power consumption models for MaMi systems by evaluating different options such as precoder types, revisiting digital complexity estimates of different components, and incorporating the impact of improved designs, e.g., future analog RF frontends. We illustrate the role of the different components in the total system power for different MaMi scenarios.
Teams , Location , and Productivity *

The economics literature highlights a substantial influence of larger cities in improving worker skills and productivity, in particular, due to better means of information dissemination and learning. Studies in a variety of disciplines also reveal a positive role of team management for firm performance that results from diversified knowledge and skill sets of the team members. This suggests a positive relation between performance gains associated with team management and city size. Indeed, using U.S. equity mutual fund and demographic data, we show that teambased managerial approach leads to drastically different gains across different locations. We find that on average team-managed funds significantly outperform single-managed ones only in larger metropolitan areas. This result holds for an array of fund performance metrics and is robust to the inclusion of fund and manager characteristics controls. The effect, however, is concentrated among portfolio managers that survive several years of collaboration with the same team members. We interpret our findings as evidence of the enhancement of information and knowledge spillover in larger cities within team-based organizational structures. JEL classifications: D70, G23, J24
Detection of early gene expression changes during activation of human primary lymphocytes by in vitro synthesis of proteins from polysome‐associated mRNAs

The rapid increase in protein synthesis during the mitogenic stimulation of human peripheral blood lymphocyte is the result of global and specific translational control mechanisms. To study some of these mechanisms, we examined the in vitro translatability of mRNAs associated with the polyribosome fraction. Polyribosome fractions were isolated from lymphocytes after activation with ionomycin and the phorbol ester PMA. The associated PAmRNAs were translated in the presence of mRNA‐depleted rabbit reticulocyte lysate and [35S]Met, and the protein products were analyzed by SDS–PAGE and autoradiography. There was little synthesis of protein from the PAmRNAs isolated from unactivated T cells, but the PAmRNAs isolated from activated T cells showed a rapid increase in translatability. Translation of the PAmRNAs was sensitive to edeine and m7GTP, suggesting their cap‐dependent translation. With activation, the majority of proteins showed increasing in vitro translation, but two proteins, p72 and p33, were found to have increased synthesis within 30 min, which decreased in 1 h. Transcription inhibitors were used to ascertain if regulation of their expression was transcriptional or translational. To identify these proteins, we used biotinylated lysine during the in vitro translation reaction, and we extracted the biotinylated protein by using streptavidin magnetic beads. The protein product was analyzed by mass spectrometry. p33 was identified as a prohibitin‐like protein (BAP37), but the identification of p72 was not found in the databases. The distinct up‐regulation and down‐regulation of their protein expression suggest their tightly controlled regulation during early T cell activation.
Review article: Efficacy and safety of methoxyflurane analgesia in the emergency department and prehospital setting

This article reviews the evidence for the analgesic efficacy of methoxyflurane in both prehospital and ED settings, as well as the adverse event profile associated with methoxyflurane use. Although there are no published controlled trials of methoxyflurane in sub‐anaesthetic doses, available data indicate that it is an efficacious analgesic. There is inadequate evidence regarding its use as an agent for procedural pain. Despite the potential for renal impairment evident when it was used in anaesthetic doses, no significant adverse effects have been reported in the literature, neither in patients nor occupationally, when the dose used is limited to that currently recommended.
Comparison of pleural fluid pH values obtained using blood gas machine, pH meter, and pH indicator strip.

STUDY PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to compare the pleural fluid pH values obtained with a blood gas machine (pHbg), with a pH meter (pHmet), and with a pH indicator strip (pHstrip), to determine if the pleural fluid pH measured by a pH meter or a pH indicator strip was sufficiently accurate for clinical decisions. METHODS The pleural fluid pH was determined, within 20 min after being collected anaerobically, by a blood gas machine (CIBA-Corning model 288), pH meter (Corning pH meter 610A), and pH indicator strip (Baxter Diagnostic) following routine laboratory procedures in 50 pleural fluids. Pleural fluid pH was determined in seven additional samples with the blood gas machine and a pH meter at 25 and 37 degrees C respectively, initially, and after 30 min. RESULTS The mean pHbg (7.42+/-0.01) was significantly less than the mean pHmet (7.58+/-0.02) or the mean pHstrip (8.23+/-0.06). There were significant differences between the pHbg and the pHmet (p < 0.001), and between the pHbg and the pHstrip (p < 0.001). Analysis of the additional seven samples demonstrated that when the blood gas machine was set at 25 degrees C, the pHbg (pHbg = 7.54+/-0.02) and the pHmet (7.53+/-0.01) were almost identical. CONCLUSION When the pleural fluid pH is going to be used for decision making, only the pH values provided by the blood gas machine are sufficiently accurate.
Actigraphy in the assessment of insomnia.

OBJECTIVE The present study explores the clinical utility and sensitivity of actigraphy as an outcome measure in the treatment of chronic insomnia. DESIGN Following a screening-adaptation night, polysomnography, actigraphy, and sleep-diary data were collected in the sleep laboratory for 2 baseline nights and 2 posttreatment nights. SETTING A university-affiliated sleep disorders center. PARTICIPANTS Seventeen participants with chronic primary insomnia. Mean age was 41.6 years. INTERVENTIONS Participants took part in a treatment protocol investigating different sequential treatments for insomnia (these results are reported elsewhere). MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS Compared to polysomnography, both actigraphy and sleep-diary instruments underestimated total sleep time and sleep efficiency and overestimated total wake time. Also, actigraphy underestimated sleep-onset latency while the sleep diary overestimated it as compared to polysomnography. Actigraphy data were more accurate than sleep-diary data when compared to polysomnography. Finally, actigraphy was sensitive in detecting the effects of treatment on several sleep parameters. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that actigraphy is a useful device for measuring treatment response and that it should be used as a complement to sleep-diary evaluation.
Interleukin-8 Released into the Cerebrospinal Fluid after Brain Injury is Associated with Blood–Brain Barrier Dysfunction and Nerve Growth Factor Production

Interleukin (IL) 8 was measured in CSF of 14 patients with severe traumatic brain injury. IL-8 levels were significantly higher in CSF (up to 8,000 pg/ml) than serum (up to 2,400 pg/ml) (p < 0.05), suggesting intrathecal production. Maximal IL-8 values in CSF correlated with a severe dysfunction of the blood–brain barrier. Nerve growth factor (NGF) was detected in CSF of 7 of 14 patients (range of maximal NGF: 62–12,130 pg/ml). IL-8 concentrations were significantly higher in these patients than in those without NGF (p < 0.01). CSF containing high IL-8 (3,800–7,900 pg/ml) induced greater NGF production in cultured astrocytes (202–434 pg/ml) than samples with low IL-8 (600–1,000 pg/ml), which showed a smaller NGF increase (0–165 pg/ml). Anti-IL-8 antibodies strongly reduced (52–100%) the release of NGF in the group of high IL-8, whereas in the group with low IL-8, this effect was lower (0–52%). The inability of anti-IL-8 antibodies to inhibit the synthesis of NGF completely may depend on cytokines like tumor necrosis factor α and IL-6 found in these CSF samples, which may act in association with IL-8. Thus, IL-8 may represent a pivotal cytokine in the pathology of brain injury.
Retrieving Information from Social Media using Ontology

People have access to more data in single day than most people that have access to data in the previous decade. This data is created in many forms and it highlights the development of Big Data. Big Data in organizations have transformed the way organizations across industries implement new approach to handle huge amount of data. Organizations rely to this data to achieve specific business priorities. The challenge is how to retrieve this data to be considered relevant for the specific organization activities because determining relevant data is a key to deliver information from massive amounts of data. The aim of this paper is to integrate organizational data and social data using an ontology to retrieve relevant information for efficient decision-making. We investigate how external data such as social media can support internal data such as organizational data in relation to the organizational goals. The results from the case study demonstrate how we incorporate social data and organizational data. This paper demonstrates that ontology provide a platform to integrate social data and organizational data.
In vivo and in vitro evidence for an association between the route‐specific transmission of HHV‐8 and the virus genotype

The study was performed to determine if there is an association between the genotype and transmission of HHV‐8 types A and C. These HHV‐8 subtypes are prevalent in the area of North of Sardinia, which is an island off west Italy's mainland that has a high HHV‐8 seroprevalence (35%). Blood and saliva samples from 30 patients with classic Kaposi's sarcoma who were lifetime residents of North Sardinia were analyzed to identify the HHV‐8 genotype and quantitate the viral load. Genotype A, especially A1 subtype, was found more frequently (9/30 patients) and had a significantly higher viral load in saliva compared to blood (P = 0.029), where type C was found more frequently but with a viral load lower than 103 copies/ml. To determine if there is a correlation between the viral genotype and cellular tropism, type A1 and C3 HHV‐8 viral particles were obtained from cell lines BCBL1 and BC3 infected chronically with HHV‐8 A1 and C3 genotypes respectively and used to infect HEK293 epithelial origin cells and PBMCs in vitro. The data indicate that the A1 HHV‐8 genotype is tropic and replicates at higher levels in the epithelial cell lines. J. Med. Virol. 84:786–791, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Involvement of the Nociceptin Receptor in the Antinociceptive Action of Nitrous Oxide

Nociceptin and its receptor are widely expressed in the central nervous system and are involved in the modulation of nociception. We have previously reported that the minimum anesthetic alveolar concentrations for volatile anesthetics do not differ between nociceptin receptor knockout (NOP−/−) mice and wild-type (NOP+/+) mice. In the present study, we investigated whether the nociceptin system is involved in the antinociceptive action of nitrous oxide. Using the acetic acid-induced writhing test, we showed that nitrous oxide had significantly less analgesic action in NOP−/− mice than in NOP+/+ mice. Furthermore, when anesthetized with a mixture of halothane and nitrous oxide (70%), intraperitoneal injection of acetic acid resulted in an increase of plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone concentrations in NOP−/− mice but not in NOP+/+ mice. An immunohistochemical study showed that nitrous oxide exposure induced c-Fos expression in the spinal cords of NOP+/+ mice but not in those of NOP−/− mice. These results together suggest that the antinociceptive action of nitrous oxide is, at least partly, mediated by the nociceptin system.
Towards the use of visual masking within virtual environments to induce changes in affective cognition

This thesis concerns the use of virtual environments for psychotherapy. It makes use of virtual environment properties that go beyond real-world simulation. The core technique used is based on research found within perception science, an effect known as backwards visual masking. Here, a rapidly displayed target image is rendered explicitly imperceptible via the subsequent display of a masking image. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the potential of visual masking within virtual environments to induce changes in affective cognition. Of particular importance would be changes in a positive direction as this could form the foundation of a psychotherapeutic tool to treat affect disorders and other conditions with an affective component. The initial pair of experiments looked at whether visual masking was possible within virtual environments, whether any measurable behavioural influence could be found and whether there was any evidence that affective cognitions could be influenced. It was found that the technique worked and could influence both behaviour and affective cognition. Following this, two experiments looked further at parameter manipulation of visual masking within virtual environments with the aim of better specifying the parameter values. Results indicated that the form of visual masking used worked better in a virtual environment when the target and mask were both highly textured and that affective effects were modulated by the number of exposures of the target. The final pair of experiments attempted to induce an affect contagion effect and an affect cognition-modification effect. An affect cognition-modification effect was found whereas an affect contagion effect was not. Overall, the results show that using visual masking techniques within virtual environments to induce affect cognition changes has merit. The thesis lays the foundation for further work and supports the use of this technique as basis of an intervention tool.
Gd‐DTPA2–‐enhanced MRI of femoral knee cartilage: A dose‐response study in healthy volunteers

The negatively charged contrast agent Gd‐DTPA2– distributes inversely to the cartilage fixed charged density. This enables structural cartilage examinations by contrast‐enhanced MRI. In line with the development of a clinically applicable protocol for such examinations, this study describes the temporal pattern of Gd‐DTPA2– distribution in femoral knee cartilage at three different doses in healthy volunteers. Nineteen volunteers (ages 21–28 years) were examined with a 1.5T MRI system. Quantitative relaxation rate measurements were made in weight‐bearing central parts of femoral cartilage using sets of five turbo inversion recovery images with different inversion times. The cartilage was analyzed before and four times (1–4 h) after an intravenous injection of Gd‐DTPA2– at single, double, and triple doses: 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 mmol/kg body weight, respectively. The increase in R1 postcontrast was linearly dose‐related at all times. The highest R1 values were registered at 2 and 3 h postcontrast, suggesting 2 h to be optimal in the clinical situation. The triple dose indicated a subtle compartmental difference in men, with higher contrast distribution medially than laterally. Results suggest that the triple dose is needed to detect minor cartilage matrix differences. Magn Reson Med 46:1067–1071, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Equine preovulatory follicle: blood flow changes, prediction of ovulation and fertility Folículo pré-ovulatório equino: mudanças circulatórias, predição de ovulação e fertilidade

This review will focus on the main findings of our experiments that used B-mode and color-Doppler ultrasonography during the preovulatory period to study the morphological and blood flow/perfusion changes of the preovulatory follicle in mares. The topics to be addressed herein will be: ultrasonographic characteristics of the preovulatory follicle; B-mode echotextural changes of the follicle wall; blood flow and perfusion changes of the follicle wall; signs of impending ovulation; prediction of impending ovulation; types of preovulatory follicle outcomes such as ovulation, septated evacuation, hemorrhagic anovulatory follicle, and atresia; follicle blood flow during evacuation; early corpus luteum blood flow; and vascularity of the preovulatory follicle versus fertility.
Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Japanese version of the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ)

To assess cross-cultural adaptation, and to validate the parent’s version of a health-related quality-of-life instrument, the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) was investigated after its translation into Japanese. A total of 132 subjects were enrolled: 63 patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) (34 systemic and 29 polyarticular) and 69 healthy children. The CHAQ distinguished clinically between healthy subjects and the two JIA subtypes of patients. The average disability index (DI) scores for systemic JIA (sJIA) and polyarticular JIA (pJIA) patients and healthy subjects were 1.5, 1.2, and 0.0, respectively. All variables in the questionnaire were shown to be significant (P < 0.001). Patients with pJIA showed better correlation than those with sJIA. Significant correlation was seen in the polyarticular group with CRP, ESR, parents’ VAS, the number of joints with pain, and the number of active joints. However, there was even a negative correlation between DI and parent’s assessment of overall well-being for the sJIA group. The Japanese version of the CHAQ was a reliable and valid tool for the functional assessment of children with pJIA. Functional ability, as assessed by the CHAQ, may not be the main consideration of sJIA patients’ parents when assessing their child’s status.
Influence of khat on seminal fluid among presumed infertile couples.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the influence of khat, alone and in combination with other drugs, on the qualitative characteristics of seminal fluid analysis of the male partners of allegedly infertile Ethiopian couples. DESIGN A prospective cross-sectional study. SETTING Infertility clinics at the Gandhi Memorial Women's hospital and Brook Medical Services from September 1992 to April 1995. PATIENTS A total of 214 male patients with history of infertility and substance use of khat alone or in combination with tobacco smoking, coffee drinking and alcohol intake of over one year. All patients with no ejaculate, urologic and medical disorders and never used khat were excluded from the study. RESULTS Abnormal values were obtained for relatively older patients who also showed a higher frequency of marriage, prolonged duration of infertility and greater number of children ever fathered (p<0.05). The normal and abnormal results for khat and other drug consumers accounted for 97 (53%) and 86 (47%) in contrast to 22 (71%) and 9 (29%) for the control group, respectively. The study revealed decreased volume, sperm count, motility and morphological changes in khat chewers compared to non-drug users although the differences were not statistically significant (p>0.05). CONCLUSION The study highlights the possible association of long-term use of khat and abnormal seminal fluid analysis profiles. RECOMMENDATION Community-based clinical and epidemiological studies should be undertaken in regions where khat is widely consumed.
The risk of multiple sclerosis in bereaved parents

Background: Previous studies have suggested that psychological stress may play a role in the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), but the evidence is very limited. Objective: To examine the association between MS and a well-defined major stressful life event: the death of a child. Methods: In this follow-up study based on nationwide and population-based registers, all 21,062 parents who lost a child younger than 18 years from 1980 to 1996 in Denmark were included in the exposed cohort and 293,745 matched parents who did not lose a child in the unexposed cohort. The two cohorts were followed for incident MS from 1980 to 1997. Hazard ratios (HR) with 95% CI were calculated as the measure of association between the exposure and MS, using the Cox proportional hazards regression model. Results: Two hundred fifty-eight MS patients were identified (28 in the exposed cohort and 230 in the unexposed cohort). The exposed parents had an increased risk of MS (HR 1.56, 95% CI 1.05 to 2.31), which is significant only when follow-up was at least 8 years. The HR for definite/probable MS was 1.42 (95% CI 0.90 to 2.24). Parents who lost a child unexpectedly had an HR of 2.13 (95% CI 1.13 to 4.03) for all MS, which is higher than that for other bereaved parents (HR 1.33; 95% CI 0.81 to 2.16). Conclusion: Psychological stress may play a role in the development of MS.
Applying Multiple Linear Regression and Neural Network to Predict Bank Performance

Globalization and technological advancement has created a highly competitive market in the banking and finance industry. Performance of the industry depends heavily on the accuracy of the decisions made at managerial level. This study uses multiple linear regression technique and feed forward artificial neural network in predicting bank performance. The study aims to predict bank performance using multiple linear regression and neural network. The study then evaluates the performance of the two techniques with a goal to find a powerful tool in predicting the bank performance. Data of thirteen banks for the period 2001-2006 was used in the study. ROA was used as a measure of bank performance, and hence is a dependent variable for the multiple linear regressions. Seven variables including liquidity, credit risk, cost to income ratio, size, concentration ratio, inflation and GDP were used as independent variables. Under supervised learning, the dependent variable, ROA was used as the target output for the artificial neural network. Seven inputs corresponding to seven predictor variables were used for pattern recognition at the training phase. Experimental results from the multiple linear regression show that two variables: credit risk and cost to income ratio are significant in determining the bank performance. Two variables were found to explain about 60.9 percent of the total variation in the data with a mean square error (MSE) of 0.330. The artificial neural network was found to give optimal results by using thirteen hidden neurons. Testing results show that the seven inputs explain about 66.9 percent of the total variation in the data with a very low MSE of 0.00687. Performance of both methods is measured by mean square prediction error (MSPR) at the validation stage. The MSPR value for neural network is lower than the MPSR value for multiple linear regression (0.0061 against 0.6190). The study concludes that artificial neural network is the more powerful tool in predicting bank performance.
Emerging Vectors in the Culex pipiens Complex

In the Old World, some mosquitoes in the Culex pipiens complex are excellent enzootic vectors of West Nile virus, circulating the virus among birds, whereas others bite mainly humans and other mammals. Here we show that, in northern Europe, such forms differing in behavior and physiology have unique microsatellite fingerprints with no evidence of gene flow between them, as would be expected from distinct species. In the United States, however, hybrids between these forms are ubiquitous. Such hybrids between human-biters and bird-biters may be the bridge vectors contributing to the unprecedented severity and range of the West Nile virus epidemic in North America.