Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adaptive Decision Feedback Reduced-Rank Equalization Based on Joint Iterative Optimization of Adaptive Estimation Algorithms for Multi-Antenna Systems

This paper presents a novel adaptive reduced-rank multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) decision feedback equalization structure based on joint iterative optimization of adaptive estimators. The novel reduced-rank equalization structure consists of a joint iterative optimization of two equalization stages, namely, a projection matrix that performs dimensionality reduction and a reduced-rank estimator that retrieves the desired transmitted symbol. The proposed reduced-rank structure is followed by a decision feedback scheme that is responsible for cancelling the inter-antenna interference caused by the associated data streams. We describe least squares (LS) expressions for the design of the projection matrix and the reduced-rank estimator along with computationally efficient recursive least squares (RLS) adaptive estimation algorithms. Simulations for a MIMO equalization application show that the proposed scheme outperforms the state-of-the-art reduced-rank and the conventional estimation algorithms at about the same complexity.
COHERENCE FILTERING TO ENHANCE THE MANDIBULAR CANAL IN CONE-BEAM CT DATA

Segmenting the mandibular canal from cone beam CT data, is difficult due to low edge contrast and high image noise. We introduce 3D coherence filtering as a method to close the interrupted edges and denoise the structure of the mandibular canal. Coherence Filtering is an anisotropic non-linear tensor based diffusion algorithm for edge enhancing image filtering. We test different numerical schemes of the tensor diffusion equation, non-negative, standard discretization and also a rotation invariant scheme of Weickert [1]. Only the scheme of Weickert did not blur the high spherical images frequencies on the image diagonals of our test volume. Thus this scheme is chosen to enhance the small curved mandibular canal structure. The best choice of the diffusion equation parameters c1 and c2, depends on the image noise. Coherence filtering on the CBCT-scan works well, the noise in the mandibular canal is gone and the edges are connected. Because the algorithm is tensor based it cannot deal with edge joints or splits, thus is less fit for more complex image structures.
Activation of Rac1 by RhoG regulates cell migration

Cell migration is essential for normal development and many pathological processes. Rho-family small GTPases play important roles in this event. In particular, Rac regulates lamellipodia formation at the leading edge during migration. The small GTPase RhoG activates Rac through its effector ELMO and the ELMO-binding protein Dock180, which functions as a Rac-specific guanine nucleotide exchange factor. Here we investigated the role of RhoG in cell migration. RNA interference-mediated knockdown of RhoG in HeLa cells reduced cell migration in Transwell and scratch-wound migration assays. In RhoG-knockdown cells, activation of Rac1 and formation of lamellipodia at the leading edge in response to wounding were attenuated. By contrast, expression of active RhoG promoted cell migration through ELMO and Dock180. However, the interaction of Dock180 with Crk was dispensable for the activation of Rac1 and promotion of cell migration by RhoG. Taken together, these results suggest that RhoG contributes to the regulation of Rac activity in migrating cells.
Measuring Object-Oriented Software Products.

Abstract : It is quite clear that measurement is necessary for the software development Out process to be successful. In addition, the path to controlling and improving the software design process may lie in the use of an object-oriented design approach. The recent movement toward object-oriented technology must also include the processes that control object-oriented development, namely software measures. Tom DeMarco summarizes the essence of these sentiments by stating, "You cannot control what you cannot measure" DeMarco 87. Measurement encompasses many aspects of the software life cycle. The emphasis of this document is on the design and implementation phases of an object-oriented approach. Viewing measurement from a higher level, software measurement activities must have specific objectives. After these objectives are identified, the concepts, terminology, and measures presented in this module can be used to construct a framework applicable to the environment under consideration. One such objective-oriented approach is the Goal-Question-Metric (GQM) paradigm proposed by Victor Basili and H. Dieter Rombach Basili 88. The basic premise of the GQM paradigm is that any software measurement activity is preceded by a goal. This goal leads to questions which generally involve quantification of the goal. Quantification issues lead to measures. This module will assist the practitioner and instructor in deciding which measures are appropriate answers to which questions. (KAR) P. 14
Ultrasound-Mediated Gene and Drug Delivery Using a Microbubble-Liposome Particle System

Theranostic agents present a promising clinical approach for cancer detection and treatment. We herein introduce a microbubble and liposome complex (MB-Lipo) developed for ultrasound (US) imaging and activation. The MB-Lipo particles have a hybrid structure consisting of a MB complexed with multiple Lipos. The MB components are used to generate high echo signals in US imaging, while the Lipos serve as a versatile carrier of therapeutic materials. MB-Lipo allows high contrast US imaging of tumor sites. More importantly, the application of high acoustic pressure bursts MBs, which releases therapeutic Lipos and further enhances their intracellular delivery through sonoporation effect. Both imaging and drug release could thus be achieved by a single US modality, enabling in situ treatment guided by real-time imaging. The MB-Lipo system was applied to specifically deliver anti-cancer drug and genes to tumor cells, which showed enhanced therapeutic effect. We also demonstrate the clinical potential of MB-Lipo by imaging and treating tumor in vivo.
Tractable fitting with convex polynomials via sum-of-squares

We consider the problem of fitting given data (u<inf>1</inf>,y<inf>1</inf>),. ,(u<inf>m</inf>,y<inf>m</inf>) where u<inf>i</inf>∈ R<sup>n</sup>and y<inf>i</inf>∈ R with a convex polynomial f. A technique to solve this problem using sum of squares polynomials is presented. This technique is extended to enforce convexity of f only on a specified region. Also, an algorithm to fit the convex hull of a set of points with a convex sub-level set of a polynomial is presented. This problem is a natural extension of the problem of finding the minimum volume ellipsoid covering a set. The algorithm, like that for the minimum volume ellipsoid problem, has the property of being invariant to affine coordinate transformations. We generalize this technique to fit arbitrary unions and intersections of polynomial sub-level sets.
A Prosaposin-Derived Peptide Alleviates Kainic Acid-Induced Brain Injury

Four sphingolipid activator proteins (i.e., saposins A–D) are synthesized from a single precursor protein, prosaposin (PS), which exerts exogenous neurotrophic effects in vivo and in vitro. Kainic acid (KA) injection in rodents is a good model in which to study neurotrophic factor elevation; PS and its mRNA are increased in neurons and the choroid plexus in this animal model. An 18-mer peptide (LSELIINNATEELLIKGL; PS18) derived from the PS neurotrophic region prevents neuronal damage after ischemia, and PS18 is a potent candidate molecule for use in alleviating ischemia-induced learning disabilities and neuronal loss. KA is a glutamate analog that stimulates excitatory neurotransmitter release and induces ischemia-like neuronal degeneration; it has been used to define mechanisms involved in neurodegeneration and neuroprotection. In the present study, we demonstrate that a subcutaneous injection of 0.2 and 2.0 mg/kg PS18 significantly improved behavioral deficits of Wistar rats (n = 6 per group), and enhanced the survival of hippocampal and cortical neurons against neurotoxicity induced by 12 mg/kg KA compared with control animals. PS18 significantly protected hippocampal synapses against KA-induced destruction. To evaluate the extent of PS18- and KA-induced effects in these hippocampal regions, we performed histological evaluations using semithin sections stained with toluidine blue, as well as ordinal sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin. We revealed a distinctive feature of KA-induced brain injury, which reportedly mimics ischemia, but affects a much wider area than ischemia-induced injury: KA induced neuronal degeneration not only in the CA1 region, where neurons degenerate following ischemia, but also in the CA2, CA3, and CA4 hippocampal regions.
Evaluation of a Rapid New Stool Antigen Test for Diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori Infection in Adult Patients

ABSTRACT The evaluation of a new rapid stool antigen test showed different levels of sensitivity for final readings of test results at 20 min (59.1%) and 30 min (76.9%). Significant differences in performance were observed between the two sexes and the various age categories, with higher efficiency in male patients and young adults. Generally, this test is efficient and can be used to detect H. pylori infection in adults. However, further studies are required to confirm its accuracy.
Encoding Advertisements: Ideology and Meaning in Advertising Production

In this article I argue for the expansion of cultural studies to include sustained research into the subjective aspects of commercial cultural production. In particular, I focus on an analysis of creative workers in advertising and design, presenting historical notes, theoretical elaboration, and empirical evidence to explore the social stratum Bourdieu (1984) identified as the "new cultural intermediaries" (p. 366). It is argued that the first-and often the only-audience ad creatives and designers have in mind is themselves; furthermore, this work is in itself a form of cultural sustenance. An underlying commitment here is that cultural studies should expand beyond its investigations of consumption, the text, and reception. A schematic model is proposed that takes an existing conception of the project of cultural studies and adapts it to the findings presented herein.
DNA Methylation of miR-7 is a Mechanism Involved in Platinum Response through MAFG Overexpression in Cancer Cells

One of the major limitations associated with platinum use is the resistance that almost invariably develops in different tumor types. In the current study, we sought to identify epigenetically regulated microRNAs as novel biomarkers of platinum resistance in lung and ovarian cancers, the ones with highest ratios of associated chemo-resistance. Methods: We combined transcriptomic data from microRNA and mRNA under the influence of an epigenetic reactivation treatment in a panel of four paired cisplatin -sensitive and -resistant cell lines, followed by real-time expression and epigenetic validations for accurate candidate selection in 19 human cancer cell lines. To identify specific candidate genes under miRNA regulation, we assembled “in silico” miRNAs and mRNAs sequences by using ten different algorithms followed by qRT-PCR validation. Functional assays of site-directed mutagenesis and luciferase activity, miRNAs precursor overexpression, silencing by antago-miR and cell viability were performed to confirm their specificity in gene regulation. Results were further explored in 187 primary samples obtained from ovarian tumors and controls. Results: We identified 4 candidates, miR-7, miR-132, miR-335 and miR-148a, which deregulation seems to be a common event in the development of resistance to cisplatin in both tumor types. miR-7 presented specific methylation in resistant cell lines, and was associated with poorer prognosis in ovarian cancer patients. Our experimental results strongly support the direct regulation of MAFG through miR-7 and their involvement in the development of CDDP resistance in human tumor cells. Conclusion: The basal methylation status of miR-7 before treatment may be a potential clinical epigenetic biomarker, predictor of the chemotherapy outcome to CDDP in ovarian cancer patients. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report linking the regulation of MAFG by miRNA-7 and its role in chemotherapy response to CDDP. Furthermore, this data highlights the possible role of MAFG as a novel therapeutic target for platinum resistant tumors.
Does Technical Change Reduce Growth Volatility ?

This paper uncovers a link between technical change and growth volatility: Growth volatility is significantly lowered by a country’s ability to publish more scientific and technical journal articles or attain a higher rate of total factor productivity growth, even after controlling for the income level and unobserved countryand time-fixed effects in panel data regressions. This link is unlikely the result of weak data, simultaneity bias or specification errors. Our results also show that property rights institutions, when measured by executive constraint, are found to have significant effects on growth volatility either directly or indirectly through technical change.
Assessing the sociology of sport: On media and representations of sportswomen

On the 50th anniversary of the ISSA and IRSS, Toni Bruce – one of the leading scholars in understanding how media fashion gendered understandings of sport – considers the development of sociology of sport research on media with particular focus on representations of sportswomen. The trajectory of research strategies to study media representations of sportswomen has evolved, to become interdisciplinary, intersectional and theoretically sophisticated. A key challenge for sociology of sport research, both generally and with regards to media specifically, has been to gain traction and exposure beyond the boundaries of the field. While media-centred studies have risen on the research agenda, new challenges remain in engaging understandings of increasingly interactive media in the experience of sport. The future of research on media and sportswomen will face ongoing challenges, given the consistency of mainstream media marginalization of women’s sport; such findings portend the need to broaden the sociological frame to include a ‘psychodynamic dimension’ to understand better how emerging theoretical interest in affect or emotion may help explain how well worn representational grooves about women and sport have remained surprisingly entrenched in culture.
Quantum Rate Distortion, Reverse Shannon Theorems, and Source-Channel Separation

We derive quantum counterparts of two key theorems of classical information theory, namely, the rate-distortion theorem and the source-channel separation theorem. The rate-distortion theorem gives the ultimate limits on lossy data compression, and the source-channel separation theorem implies that a two-stage protocol consisting of compression and channel coding is optimal for transmitting a memoryless source over a memoryless channel. In spite of their importance in the classical domain, there has been surprisingly little work in these areas for quantum information theory. In this paper, we prove that the quantum rate-distortion function is given in terms of the regularized entanglement of purification. We also determine a single-letter expression for the entanglement-assisted quantum rate-distortion function, and we prove that it serves as a lower bound on the unassisted quantum rate-distortion function. This implies that the unassisted quantum rate-distortion function is nonnegative and generally not equal to the coherent information between the source and distorted output (in spite of Barnum's conjecture that the coherent information would be relevant here). Moreover, we prove several quantum source-channel separation theorems. The strongest of these are in the entanglement-assisted setting, in which we establish a necessary and sufficient condition for transmitting a memoryless source over a memoryless quantum channel up to a given distortion.
Modulation thresholds for sinusoidal light distributions on the retina

In an optical system, the 'contrast transfer function' describes the relationship between the contrast of test objects whose intensity varies sinusoidally with distance and the contrast of their corresponding images at various spatial frequencies (lines/unit distance). It conveys more information about the characteristics of the system than does the specification of only the resolving power. This approach, widely applied to electrical systems, is strengthened by the formal identity of the transformation equations in diffraction theory between objects and images with those of Fourier analysis and synthesis (Hopkins, 1953). The method can also be applied to the response of a receiving layer, such as photographic film. When a sequence of optical and receiving systems is used in series, the total response of the whole system is deducible from those of its components, provided the principle of linearity holds. In a physical system when carrying out a sine-wave analysis, one determines the output magnitude for a constant input at various frequencies, but this is not readily feasible in the case of the visual system. Instead, one may reverse the procedure and measure the input required for a constant output, for example, a threshold response. In the present paper data will be presented of the application of such an approach to the retinal and central stages of the visual process, excluding the purely optical ones of the eye.
Neurocognitive and Symptom Trajectories of ADHD from Childhood to Early Adolescence

Objective: This longitudinal study investigated changes in neurocognitive functioning from childhood to early adolescence in a sample of children diagnosed with DSM-IV attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It also compared the neurocognitive trajectories of children who continued to meet the diagnostic criteria for ADHD at follow-up and those in partial remission. Methods: Children diagnosed with ADHD (N = 55) were tested at baseline (M = 7.7 years, SD = 1.5) and 4 years later (M = 11.7 years, SD = 1.5) on measures of intellectual, academic, and executive functioning. Group and individual analyses were used to examine neurocognitive functioning over this period. Results: Intellectual function was stable over the 4-year interval. Reliable change analyses highlighted variability in academic performance. Approximately half the sample showed a reliable decline in at least 1 academic subject with almost a third showing reliable improvement. Executive functions generally followed a stable or improving course, with significant improvements on measures of information processing, attentional control, cognitive flexibility, and goal setting. There was some evidence of better neurocognitive performance in those with partial symptom remission at follow-up. Conclusion: Study findings emphasize the importance of monitoring academic performance in children with ADHD, including examination of change at the individual level. Declines in academic performance were observed, despite stable intellectual and improving executive function. Early cognitive functioning did not predict symptom remission; however, reduced symptoms at follow-up were associated with better executive function.
Novel link between prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and cholinergic signaling in lung cancer: The role of c-Jun in PGE2-induced α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor expression and tumor cell proliferation

Cyclooxygenase‐2‐derived prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) stimulates tumor cell growth and progression. α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) is a major mediator of cholinergic signaling in tumor cells. In the present study, we investigated the mechanisms by which PGE2 increases non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) proliferation via α7 nAChR induction.
Tabled logic programming based IP matching tool using forced simulation

Automatic IP (intellectual property) matching is a key to the reuse of IP cores. A new tabled logic programming-based IP matching algorithm is given that can check whether a given programmable IP can be adapted to match a given specification. When such adaptation is possible, the algorithm also generates a device driver (an interface) to adapt the IP. Though simulation, refinement and bisimulation algorithms exist, they cannot be used to check the adaptability of an IP, which is the essence of reuse. The IP matching algorithm is based on a formal verification technique called forced simulation. A forced simulation matching algorithm is implemented using a tabled logic programming environment, which provides distinct advantages for encoding such an algorithm. The tool has been used to match several specifications to programmable IPs, achieving on an average 12 times speedup and 64% reduction in code size in comparison with previously published algorithms.
Improving Trust Estimates in Planning Domains with Rare Failure Events

In many planning domains, it is impossible to construct plans that are guaranteed to keep the system completely safe. A common approach is to build probabilistic plans that are guaranteed to maintain system with a sufficiently high probability. For many such domains, bounds on system safety cannot be computed analytically, but instead rely on execution sampling coupled with a plan verification techniques. While probabilistic planning with verification can work well, it is not adequate in situations in which some modes of failure are very rare, simply because too many execution traces must be sampled (e.g., 10 12 ) to ensure that the rare events of interest will occur even once. The P-CIRCA planner seeks to solve planning problems while probabilistically guaranteeing safety. Our domains frequently involve verifying that the probability of failure is below a low threshold (< 0.01). Because the events we sample have such low probabilities, we use Importance sampling (IS) (Hammersley and Handscomb 1964; Clarke and Zuliani 2011) to reduce the number of samples required. However, since we deal with an abstracted model, we cannot bias all paths individually. This prevents IS from achieving a correct bias. To compensate for this drawback we present a concept of DAGification to partially expand our representation and achieve a better bias.
Orchestrating multicast-oriented NFV trees in inter-DC elastic optical networks

It is known that by incorporating network function virtualization (NFV) in inter-datacenter (inter-DC) networks, we can use the network resources more intelligently to deploy new services faster. This paper considers an inter-DC elastic optical network (IDC-EON) and studies how to orchestrate the multicast-oriented NFV trees (M-NFV-Ts) in it efficiently. We first consider an offline scenario in which all the M-NFV-Ts are known and need to be served in the network. A mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model is formulated to solve the problem exactly, and we also propose a heuristic based on path-intersection (PI) to reduce the time complexity. With extensive simulations, we show that the proposed heuristic can approximate the MILP's performance on low-cost M-NFV-T provisioning but only requires much shorter running time. Next, the online scenario where the M-NFV-Ts can come and leave on-the-fly is addressed, and we leverage PI to design two online algorithms for orchestrating dynamic M-NFV-Ts in IDC-EONs, i e. , with either the batch (B-PI) or sequential (S-PI) scheme. Simulation results indicate that compared with S-PI, B-PI can reduce blocking probability effectively.