Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of home environment, socioeconomic status, and health status on cognitive functioning in children with HIV-1 infection.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of the home environment, socioeconomic status (SES), and health status on cognitive functioning in a sample of children with HIV-1 infection in a cross-sectional study. METHODS Forty-three caregivers and their children (2.5 to 12 years) participated. Caregivers completed two self-report measures of the home environment that included questions regarding the organization of the environment, play materials, parental involvement, variety of stimulation, and parental attitudes toward the provision of a cognitively stimulating environment. Cognitive functioning was assessed using a standardized intelligence (IQ) test. Children's medical charts were reviewed for HIV-1 classification status (CDC, 1994), CD4 cell counts, and current medication. RESULTS This study revealed two primary findings. First, measures of the home environment mediated the association between SES and child IQ. Second, measures of the home environment had a stronger association with child IQ during the advanced stages of disease than earlier stages of disease. CONCLUSIONS The home environment is associated with cognitive functioning among children with HIV-1 infection. Moreover, interventions aimed at enhancing the quality of the home environment may have a positive impact on these children's cognitive development.
Production and Analysis of Perdeuterated Lipids from Pichia pastoris Cells

Probing molecules using perdeuteration (i.e deuteration in which all hydrogen atoms are replaced by deuterium) is extremely useful in a wide range of biophysical techniques. In the case of lipids, the synthesis of the biologically relevant unsaturated perdeuterated lipids is challenging and not usually pursued. In this work, perdeuterated phospholipids and sterols from the yeast Pichia pastoris grown in deuterated medium are extracted and analyzed as derivatives by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry respectively. When yeast cells are grown in a deuterated environment, the phospholipid homeostasis is maintained but the fatty acid unsaturation level is modified while the ergosterol synthesis is not affected by the deuterated culture medium. Our results confirm that the production of well defined natural unsaturated perdeuterated lipids is possible and gives also new insights about the process of desaturase enzymes.
Frequency Domain Channel Estimation for Single-Carrier Uplink in Time-Varying Channels

We compare the performance of channel estimators for single-carrier (SC) systems using frequency domain multiplexed (FDM) and time domain multiplexed (TDM) pilot schemes, in terms of total overhead (including pilots, cyclic prefix and unused subcarriers), the required power backoff for the power amplifier and the frame error rate (FER) in time-varying channels. Channel estimators using FFT in the frequency direction and least square line fitting in the time direction, and Wiener filtering in both time and frequency directions are considered. We also proposed a low computational complexity hybrid estimator using FFT in the frequency direction and Wiener filtering in the time direction when on-line calculation of Wiener filter taps is required. We found that SC with TDM pilots gives the least power penalty due to the combination of SNR degradation at FER = 10 and required transmitter power backoff for a given power amplifier. SC with FDM pilots and orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) schemes are about 1 to 2 dB worse than that of TDM pilots.
Nonlinear Programming Methods for Distributed Optimization

In this paper we investigate how standard nonlinear programming algorithms can be used to solve constrained optimization problems in a distributed manner. The optimization setup consists of a set of agents interacting through a communication graph that have as common goal the minimization of a function expressed as a sum of (possibly non-convex) differentiable functions. Each function in the sum corresponds to an agent and each agent has associated an equality constraint. By re-casting the distributed optimization problem into an equivalent, augmented centralized problem, we show that distributed algorithms result naturally from applying standard nonlinear programming techniques. Due to the distributed formulation, the standard assumptions and convergence results no longer hold. We emphasize what changes are necessary for convergence to still be achieved for three algorithms: two algorithms based on Lagrangian methods, and an algorithm based the method of multipliers. The changes in the convergence results are necessary mainly due to the fact that the (local) minimizers of the lifted optimization problem are not regular, as a results of the distributed formulation. Unlike the standard algorithm based on the method of multipliers, for the distributed version we cannot show that the theoretical superlinear convergence rate can be achieved.
Synthesis of Inline Mixed Coupled Quasi-Elliptic Bandpass Filters Based on $\lambda/4$ Resonators

This paper proposes a general synthesis method for inline mixed coupled quasi-elliptic bandpass filters based on λ/4 resonators. Different from the conventional modeling with lumped and mixed inductive and capacitive coupling, the proposed mixed-coupling model here includes not only the coupling magnitudes, but also their paths' phases inside the mixed coupling. According to the presented formulation, there exists one lower side transmission zero for the capacitive-dominant mixed coupling. However, there are two transmission zeros in the upper stopband for the inductive-dominant case, and these two transmission zeros can be analytically synthesized with different coupling path ratios. The proposed synthesis method is then applied to design two second-order bandpass filters based on inductive-dominant coupled λ/4 resonators, resulting in two upper stopband transmission zeros. Furthermore, this synthesis method is extended to design two fourth-order quasi-elliptic bandpass filters with both inline capacitive- and inductive-dominant mixed couplings. Finally, the designed filters are fabricated and measured to provide successful verification on the proposed mixed coupling model approach.
On Designing Good LDPC Codes for Markov Channels

This paper presents a reduced-complexity approximate density evolution (DE) scheme for low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes in channels with memory in the form of a hidden Markov chain. This approximation is used to design degree sequences representing some of the best known LDPC code ensembles for the Gilbert-Elliott channel, and example optimizations are also given for other Markov channels. The problem of approximating the channel estimation is addressed by obtaining a specially constructed message-passing schedule in which the channel messages all approach their stable densities. It is shown that this new schedule is much easier to approximate than the standard schedule, but has the same ultimate performance in the limits of long block length and many decoding iterations. This result is extended to show that all message-passing schedules that satisfy mild conditions will have the same threshold under density evolution
High quality Spanish restricted-domain TTS oriented to a weather forecast application

A restricted domain text-to-speech system oriented to a weather forecast application is presented. This TTS system is embedded in a multimedia interactive service accessible from different media, such as TV, Internet and mobile devices. The requirements of this application give rise to several particularities in the design and implementation of the TTS system, which are discussed throughout this paper. Several tests have been conducted to analyze the TTS system in terms of performance and speech quality.
Vacuolar Storage Proteins and the Putative Vacuolar Sorting Receptor BP-80 Exit the Golgi Apparatus of Developing Pea Cotyledons in Different Transport Vesicles

In the parenchyma cells of developing legume cotyledons, storage proteins are deposited in a special type of vacuole, known as the protein storage vacuole (PSV). Storage proteins are synthesized at the endoplasmic reticulum and pass through the Golgi apparatus. In contrast to lysosomal acid hydrolases, storage proteins exit the Golgi apparatus in 130-nm-diameter electron-dense vesicles rather than in clathrin-coated vesicles. By combining isopycnic and rate zonal sucrose density gradient centrifugation with phase partitioning, we obtained a highly enriched dense vesicle fraction. This fraction contained prolegumin, which is the precursor of one of the major storage proteins. In dense vesicles, prolegumin occurred in a more aggregated form than it did in the endoplasmic reticulum. The putative vacuolar sorting receptor BP-80 was highly enriched in purified clathrin-coated vesicles, which, in turn, did not contain prolegumin. The amount of BP-80 was markedly reduced in the dense vesicle fraction. This result was confirmed by quantitative immunogold labeling of cryosections of pea cotyledons: whereas antibodies raised against BP-80 significantly labeled the Golgi stacks, labeling of the dense vesicles could not be detected. In contrast, 90% of the dense vesicles were labeled with antibodies raised against α-TIP (for tonoplast intrinsic protein), which is the aquaporin specific for the membrane of the PSV. These results lead to the conclusions that storage proteins and α-TIP are delivered via the same vesicular pathway into the PSVs and that the dense vesicles that carry these proteins in turn do not contain BP-80.
Personality, genre and videogame play experience

This study explored relationships between personality, videogame preference and gaming experiences. Four hundred and sixty-six participants completed an online survey in which they recalled a recent gaming experience, and provided measures of personality and their gaming experience via the Game Experience Questionnaire (GEQ). Relationships between game genre, personality and gaming experience were found. Results are interpreted with reference to possible implications for a positive impact on wellbeing of videogame play and possible means of improving the breadth of appeal of specific genres.
FaaS: Federation-as-a-Service

This document is the main high-level architecture specification of the SUNFISH cloud federation solution. Its main objective is to introduce the concept of Federation-as-a-Service (FaaS) and the SUNFISH platform. FaaS is the new and innovative cloud federation service proposed by the SUNFISH project. The document defines the functionalities of FaaS, its governance and precise objectives. With respect to these objectives, the document proposes the high-level architecture of the SUNFISH platform: the software architecture that permits realising a FaaS federation. More specifically, the document describes all the components forming the platform, the offered functionalities and their high-level interactions underlying the main FaaS functionalities. The document concludes by outlining the main implementation strategies towards the actual implementation of the proposed cloud federation solution.
Quantitative assessment model based on demands path allocation in SDN

The purposes of Software Defined Network (SDN) is for transforming the existing network, simplifying network operations and improving the network performance by separating the data plane and controller plane in traditional network. A quantitative evaluation model based on path allocation is proposed by using the centralized control system in SDN. First of all, the modeling according to network topology is preceded and its importance of network link is calculated by Markov Chain from statistics prospective. Then, presents link utilization, resource utilization, loading balance and time delay from the model are considered as indices for path allocation evaluation simultaneously. Last, the assessment of path allocation and its optimum scheme are decided by testing different requirements and a case study is introduced for showing the workflow of this model. The experiment results demonstrate that this method can optimizing the network flow and balancing the loading based on the demands path allocation.
Ion flow simulations of HVDC conductors under rainy conditions

During the last years, more and more renewable power generation units have been connected to the European power grid, creating demands for higher transport capacity as well as longer transport distances. Plans for the construction of HVDC and hybrid HVAC/HVDC corridors in Europe lead to an increased interest in the corona behaviour of direct current overhead lines. Within the scope of this paper, simulations and measurements are conducted to analyse the accuracy of the used simulation tool for rainy conditions, which is constituting an important study case since corona intensity is significantly increased during periods of precipitation. Especially, charge generation at the conductor surface and its influence on total corona current as well as on the ion current distribution at ground level under rainy conditions are investigated. As a result, the idea that a single onset field strength can describe the entire V-I characteristic of an overhead line under rainy conditions is challenged. It is shown that a field dependent correction factor for the onset field strength can improve the accuracy of simulations considerably. Additionally, in order to improve the simulated current distribution at ground level, a method to inversely calculate charge generation profiles is introduced.
Policosanol Attenuates Statin-Induced Increases in Serum Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 When Combined with Atorvastatin

Objective. Statin treatment alone has been demonstrated to significantly increase plasma proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) levels. The effect of policosanol combined with statin on PCSK9 is unknown. Methods. Protocol I: 26 patients with atherosclerosis were randomly assigned to receive either atorvastatin 20 mg/d or policosanol 20 mg/d + atorvastatin 20 mg/d for 8 weeks. Protocol II: 15 healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to either policosanol 20 mg/d or a control group for 12 weeks. Serum levels of PCSK9 were determined at day 0 and the end of each protocol. Results. Protocol I: atorvastatin 20 mg/d significantly increased serum PCSK9 level by 39.4% (256 ± 84 ng/mL versus 357 ± 101 ng/mL, P = 0.002). However, policosanol 20 mg/d + atorvastatin 20 mg/d increased serum PCSK9 level by only 17.4% without statistical significance (264 ± 60 ng/mL versus 310 ± 86 ng/mL, P = 0.184). Protocol II: there was a trend toward decreasing serum PCSK9 levels in the policosanol group (289 ± 71 ng/mL versus 235 ± 46 ng/mL, P = 0.069). Conclusion. Policosanol combined with statin attenuated the statin-induced increase in serum PCSK9 levels. This finding indicates that policosanol might have a modest effect of lowering serum PCSK9 levels.
The Split Bregman method of variational OSV model for image decomposition

Images can be decomposed into structural component and textural component with the variational OSV (Osher-Sole-Vese) model for image decomposition, but the minimization problem must be realized through solving some 4th order partial differential equations (PDE) by means of complex finite difference scheme for Laplacian of curvature which leads to low computational efficiency. The Split Bregman method for OSV model is proposed in this paper by means of introducing some auxiliary variables and Bregman iterative parameters, and the minimization problem is transformed into solving some simple Euler-Lagrange equations of primal variables and some soft threshold formulas of auxiliary variables with closed form. Additionally, inspired by TV-L1 model of image diffusion, a modified OSV model is proposed by replacing the data terms of the original model with total variational form and the related Split Bregman algorithm is also designed, which can improve the quality of textures and reduce the loss of geometry of the structural component. Finally, some experiments are provided to validate the proposed algorithms and compared with the results obtained through dual method in computation efficiency and decomposition quality.
Semiclassical eigenvalues and shape problems on surfaces of revolution

Mark Kac [‘‘Can one hear the shape of drums? ’’ Am. Math. Monthly 73, 1–23 (1966)] asked if the shape of a region Ω⊆Rn could be determined from its sound (spectrum of the Laplacian ΔΩ). He proved the conjecture for special classes of domains, including polygons and balls in Rn. Similar problems could be raised in other geometric contexts, including ‘‘shape of metric’’ for Laplacians on manifolds or ‘‘shape of potential’’ for Schrodinger operators HV=Δ+V. The latter two problems for surfaces of revolution Σ are addressed. An explicit reconstruction procedure will be outlined that leads from the joint spectrum of H=Δ or Δ+V and the angular momentum algebra so(n) to the ‘‘shape of Σ’’ and ‘‘V,’’ respectively. The metric result applies to generic surfaces of revolution, while the Schrodinger result allows all zonal (axisymmetric) potentials V on Σ. So the work extends the Kac’s ‘‘n‐ball’’ result as well as the n‐sphere ‘‘zonal Schrodinger theory’’ [D. Gurarie, (a) ‘‘Averaging methods in spectral theory of Schr.
Sixteen years of HIV surveillance in a West African research clinic reveals divergent epidemic trends of HIV-1 and HIV-2.

BACKGROUND The HIV-1 epidemic in West Africa is characterized by a slower rise than that in Eastern and Southern Africa. The HIV-2 epidemic in West Africa may be declining, but few long-term data exist. METHODS In a research clinic in The Gambia, HIV-1 and HIV-2 prevalence trends among all new patients being tested for HIV were examined over a 16 year period (1988 till 2003). In newly diagnosed patients a baseline CD4 count was done. RESULTS An HIV test was done in 23 363 patients aged 15 years or older. The prevalence of HIV-1 was 4.2% in 1988-91 and rose to 17.5% in 2001-03 (P < 0.0001, chi(2)-test for trend). The prevalence of HIV-2 was 7.0% in 1988-91 and declined to 4.0% in 2001-03 (P < 0.0001). HIV-1 prevalence increased and HIV-2 prevalence decreased with time in logistic regression models adjusting for age, sex, and indication for test (P < 0.0001). Baseline CD4 counts were available for 65% of patients. The median CD4 count was 215 cells/mm3 [interquartile range (IQR) 72-424] for HIV-1, and 274 (IQR 100-549) for HIV-2 infected patients. There was no marked trend of rise or decline in baseline CD4 count in either HIV-1 or HIV-2 infected patients over the study period. Forty-five per cent of newly diagnosed HIV patients had a CD4 count <200 cells/mm3. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that HIV-1 prevalence is rising in The Gambia, and that HIV-2 is declining. HIV patients in The Gambia present late and almost half of patients would qualify for anti-retroviral treatment at their first visit.
Transmission: A Telepresence Interface for Neural and Kinetic Interaction

ABSTRACT Transmission is both a telepresence performance and a research project. As a real-time visualization tool, Transmission creates alternate representations of neural activity through sound and vision, investigating the effect of interaction on human consciousness. As a sonification project, it creates an immersive experience for two users: a soundscape created by the human mind and the influence of kinetic interaction. An electroencephalographic (EEG) headset interprets a user’s neural activity. An Open Sound Control (OSC) script then translates this data into a real-time particle stream and sound environment at one end. A second user in a remote location modifies this stream in real time through body movement. Together they become a telematic musical interface-communicating through visual and sonic representation of their interactions.
Brain Glycogen Decreases with Increased Periods of Wakefulness: Implications for Homeostatic Drive to Sleep

Sleep is thought to be restorative in function, but what is restored during sleep is unclear. Here we tested the hypothesis that increased periods of wakefulness will result in decreased levels of glycogen, the principal energy store in brain, and with recovery sleep levels of glycogen will be replenished, thus representing a homeostatic component of sleep drive. Using a high-energy focused microwave irradiation method to kill animals and thereby snap-inactivate glycogen-producing and -metabolizing enzymes, we determined, with accuracy and precision, levels of brain glycogen and showed these levels to decrease significantly by ∼40% in brains of rats deprived of sleep for 12 or 24 hr. Recovery sleep of 15 hr duration after 12 hr of sleep deprivation reversed the decreases in glycogen. Using a novel histochemical method to stain brain glycogen, we found glycogen to be concentrated in white matter; this finding was confirmed biochemically in white matter dissected from rats killed with microwave irradiation. Levels of glycogen, as determined histochemically, were significantly decreased in gray and white matter with sleep deprivation, and these decreases were reversed with recovery sleep. The observed decreases in levels of brain glycogen may be a consequence of increased wakefulness and/or a component integral to the homeostatic drive to sleep.
Computing p-values of LiNGAM outputs via Multiscale Bootstrap

Structural equation models and Bayesian networks have been widely used to study causal relationships between continuous variables. Recently, a non-Gaussian method called LiNGAM was proposed to discover such causal models and has been extended in various directions. An important problem with LiNGAM is that the results are affected by the random sampling of the data as with any statistical method. Thus, some analysis of the statistical reliability or confidence level should be conducted. A common method to evaluate a confidence level is a bootstrap method. However, a confidence level computed by ordinary bootstrap method is known to be biased as a probability-value ($p$-value) of hypothesis testing. In this paper, we propose a new procedure to apply an advanced bootstrap method called multiscale bootstrap to compute confidence levels, i.e., p-values, of LiNGAM outputs. The multiscale bootstrap method gives unbiased $p$-values with asymptotic much higher accuracy. Experiments on artificial data demonstrate the utility of our approach.
ISI at the TREC 2013 Federated task

The resource selection task contains a variety of Search Engines (SEs). There exists many domain specific SEs. These SEs can retrieve domain related query results more efficiently, whereas, they are not good at retrieving out-of-domain query results. Thus, it is difficult to predict the performance of a SE in a given query using the results of other queries. In our approach, each query has been searched in the web by all the SEs ( using Google search API’s search site option ). We try to predict the performance of each SE with only top 8 retrieved results. Based on the term frequency of each query term in the retrieved results, our method ranks those SEs for that query. At the time of run submission, we missed a few queries. After that, we rank SEs for all queries using the same method. We observed that the result is better in nDCG@20 than the ‘median’ result. Also, when measured in ERR@20, the result is better in more queries. Median ERR@20, is substantially higher than our result for one query, this affects the average. In the results merging task, the same concept has been applied. Here also, we did not use the actual retrieved results, as it will take time after retrieval. The score of a SE found in the resource selection task, is used here. The documents retrieved by a SE are assigned a score that is a combination of its rank and the SE’s score. This can be computed without retrieving actual results.