Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Subspace methods for the blind identification of multichannel FIR filters

A class of methods for identifying a single input/multiple output finite impulse response system (SIMO-FIR), from the outputs of the system only is presented. These methods rely on a minimal parametric representation of the system solution. They are based on the orthogonality between a 'signal' and a 'noise' subspaces. This is exploited to build quadratic forms whose minimization yields the desired estimates up to a scale factor. It is shown (by numerical simulations) that these methods provide significantly better (in terms of bias and variance) estimates than the method by Tong et al. (1991), while requiring about one half the number of computations. They are thus very attractive for applications, in particular, for narrowband TDMA channel equalization. <<ETX>>
On the likelihood of multiple bit upsets in logic circuits

Soft errors have a significant impact on the circuit reliability at nanoscale technologies. At the architectural level, soft errors are commonly modeled by a probabilistic bit-flip model. In developing such abstract fault models, an important issue to consider is the likelihood of multiple bit errors caused by particle strikes. This likelihood has been studied to a great extent in memories, but has not been understood to the same extent in logic circuits. In this paper, we attempt to quantify the likelihood that a single transient event can cause multiple bit errors in logic circuits consisting of combinational gates and flip-flops. In particular, we calculate the conditional probability of multiple bit-flips given that a single bit flips as a result of the transient. To calculate this conditional probability, we use a Monte Carlo technique in which samples are generated using detailed post-layout circuit simulations. Our experiments on the ISCAS'85 benchmarks and a few other circuits indicate that, this conditional probability is quite significant and can be as high as 0.31. Thus we conclude that multiple bit-flips must necessarily be considered in order to obtain a realistic architectural fault model for soft errors.
Dial A440 for absolute pitch: absolute pitch memory by non-absolute pitch possessors.

Listeners without absolute (or "perfect") pitch have difficulty identifying or producing isolated musical pitches from memory. Instead, they process the relative pattern of pitches, which remains invariant across pitch transposition. Musically untrained non-absolute pitch possessors demonstrated absolute pitch memory for the telephone dial tone, a stimulus that is always heard at the same absolute frequency. Listeners accurately classified pitch-shifted versions of the dial tone as "normal," "higher than normal" or "lower than normal. " However, the role of relative pitch processing was also evident, in that listeners' pitch judgments were also sensitive to the frequency range of stimuli.
Game-Based Training in an Interactive Environment by means of OpenCrimeScene

This paper presents a novel approach towards training with game elements in an interactive environment by means of OpenCrimeScene, a virtual 3D training system for crime scene investigation (CSI). The application is designed to supplement the curriculum for self-study and as a basis for group discussion. To facilitate curriculum integration, the interactive environment has been made suitable for distinct audience groups (i. e. teachers and students). Different interaction techniques for each group have been developed respectively. The application consists of three main components which are called authoring, training, and reviewing. The underlying application framework follows a generic approach and can also be adapted to training fields other than CSI.
Psychotropic and Cognitive-Enhancing Medication Use and Its Documentation in Contemporary Long-term Care Practice

Background: In long-term care (LTC) settings, use of psychotropic medications to manage behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia and use of cognitive enhancers are commonplace. It is important that these medications are properly used to ensure resident well-being, and thus, it is paramount to understand use of these medications in contemporary practice to develop appropriate quality improvement initiatives. Objective: To characterize psychotropic and cognition-enhancing medication use LTC residents and current trends in documentation. Methods: Cross-sectional chart review of residents aged >65 years with dementia receiving psychotropic medications and/or cognitive enhancers. Results: From 180 residents, 84 (82% female) met inclusion criteria (average age 86 years). The prevalence of psychotropic medication use was as follows: cognitive enhancers, 71%; antidepressants, 98%; antipsychotics, 61%; sedative hypnotics, 23%. Quetiapine was the most commonly used antipsychotic (48%), followed by risperidone (28%) and olanzapine (15%), all of which were dosed within accepted guidelines. The duration of therapy ranged from 2 to 5 years for antipsychotic medications and 1¼ to 3 years for antidepressants. Documentation documentation rates were hightest for psychotropics versus cognitive enhancers. There was no documentation of attempts to lower doses or discontinue psychotropic medications or cognitive enhancers. Conclusions: Many, but not all psychotropics used were acceptable choices. The duration of therapy appears to be excessive for antipsychotic medications. Documentation of ongoing need for medications varied and could be improved on to better assess residents’ medication regimens. Further research will inform efforts to enhance the care of these residents.
A Multi-User Computation Offloading Algorithm based on Game Theory in Mobile Cloud Computing

Mobile Cloud Computing (MCC) offers a new paradigm to relieve the pressure of soaring data demands and augment the capabilities of resource-poor mobile devices. In this paper, we study the multi-user computation offloading problem in MCC to reduce the total cost including energy consumption, time consumption and monetary cost on mobile devices. We formulate the computation offloading decision making problem among multiple mobile device users as a multi-user computation offloading game problem. We present a distributed computation offloading algorithm and show the existence of Nash equilibrium of the game. We show that the proposed algorithm can achieve efficient computation offloading performance. Keywords-Mobile Cloud Computing;Computation Offloading; Game Theory
The Moderating Role of Self-Presentation Tactics : Judgments of Personality Traits and Self-Presentation of Others Based on a Limited Amount of Information

The present study is concerned with impression formation in a context in which the information about others is limited and at the same time private by its very nature. We examined the accuracy of judges’ ratings of target individuals’ basic personality traits, affective traits, and assertive self-presentation tactics based on the natural stream of thought of the latter. Furthermore, we explored the moderating role of self-presentation in accurate evaluations of others. A group of 86 participants recorded their natural stream of thought, which then served as the basis for the judges’ ratings. The participants also completed self-report measures of basic personality traits, affective traits, and assertive self-presentation tactics. The results partially confirmed that it is possible for judges to form an accurate impression of target individuals’ personalities in a context in which the judges possess a small amount of relatively private information about the target individuals. It was even possible for the .
Organizational Mortality: The Liabilities of Newness and Adolescence.

This research has been supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft with grant Zi 207/5-1 (Project Leader: Prof. Dr. Rolf Ziegler). Thanks to the Munich Chamber of Commerce, which provided the data. Helpful comments, which greatly improved the quality of this paper, were given by Glenn Carroll, Michael Hannan, Peter Preisend6rfer, Thomas Voss, Gabriele Wiedenmayer, the editor of this journal, and especially by four anonymous referees. This article contains a theoretical discussion and an empirical test of Stinchcombe's "liability of newness" hypothesis, which assumes higher risks of failure for young organizations compared with old ones. It is shown that this hypothesis is not a good representation of the mortality hazard of West German business organizations. Therefore, we introduce the concept of a "liability of adolescence," which proposes an inverted U-shaped risk pattern. It is shown that mortality, depending on the initial resource endowments of a firm, peaks between one and fifteen years after founding. From this perspective, extended interpretations of the liabilities of smallness and legal form are given. These arguments are-well supported by a log-logistic rate model estimated with our data.
Relating Alpha Power and Phase to Population Firing and Hemodynamic Activity Using a Thalamo-cortical Neural Mass Model

Oscillations are ubiquitous phenomena in the animal and human brain. Among them, the alpha rhythm in human EEG is one of the most prominent examples. However, its precise mechanisms of generation are still poorly understood. It was mainly this lack of knowledge that motivated a number of simultaneous electroencephalography (EEG) – functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies. This approach revealed how oscillatory neuronal signatures such as the alpha rhythm are paralleled by changes of the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signal. Several such studies revealed a negative correlation between the alpha rhythm and the hemodynamic BOLD signal in visual cortex and a positive correlation in the thalamus. In this study we explore the potential generative mechanisms that lead to those observations. We use a bursting capable Stefanescu-Jirsa 3D (SJ3D) neural-mass model that reproduces a wide repertoire of prominent features of local neuronal-population dynamics. We construct a thalamo-cortical network of coupled SJ3D nodes considering excitatory and inhibitory directed connections. The model suggests that an inverse correlation between cortical multi-unit activity, i.e. the firing of neuronal populations, and narrow band local field potential oscillations in the alpha band underlies the empirically observed negative correlation between alpha-rhythm power and fMRI signal in visual cortex. Furthermore the model suggests that the interplay between tonic and bursting mode in thalamus and cortex is critical for this relation. This demonstrates how biophysically meaningful modelling can generate precise and testable hypotheses about the underpinnings of large-scale neuroimaging signals.
Acid-Base Disturbances in the Intensive Care Unit: Current Issues and the Use of Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy as a Customized Treatment Tool

Continuous renal replacement therapies (CRRT) are often used to manage complex acid-base problems in critically ill patients. These techniques allow a constant manipulation of the plasma composition. Several technical factors from CRRT influence the acid-base status; namely, the effluent rate, the operational characteristics of the technique, the content of the solutions and the metabolic rate of the buffer. This article reviews the common acid base disorders occurring in the intensive care unit, using both the anion gap and the strong ion gap approaches, and describes the influence of CRRT on acid-base physiology. The use of CRRT as a customized therapy for acid-base disorders is discussed, allowing an integration of both physiological and technical concepts. (Int J Artif Organs 2008; 31: 6–14)
Motivating and Enabling Adult Learners to Develop Research Skills.

Adult learners undertaking a coursework masters are understandably nervous about undertaking research projects. However if done well, such projects represent a way to encourage the quantity and quality of practitioner research, which is important in all management disciplines, not only the emerging discipline of coaching. This paper offers an alternative to the individual master-apprentice model to which many research students are still exposed. Addressing the motivational needs identified in self-determination theory (autonomy, competence and relatedness) as well as self-efficacy and incorporating good practices in feedback, it outlines a way to make the process of learning how to do research more engaging than sitting listening to lectures. The paper reports the findings of a survey of the participants in the 2012 cohort who were asked if their competence and confidence in undertaking a research project had changed before and after undertaking the class, and if so, to list what they, their peers or staff had done to contribute to this change. The paper concludes that the approach offers a useful way to help adult learners develop research skills.
The potential of handheld trauma sonography in the air medical transport of the trauma victim.

Air medical evacuation is an important means of reducing the time to definitive care for the acutely injured and has been credited with saving or extending the lives of many people. Out of necessity, medical care delivered during flight focuses on and is typically limited to correcting threats to physiologic stability. A review by Fisher documented the most common life-threatening conditions in a medical helicopter to be cardiac arrest (19%), airway obstruction (5%), cardiac tamponade (3%), and tension pneumothorax (2%). Trauma sonography has become an essential tool in trauma resuscitation. A body of controlled studies yields Level I recommendations for its use as the initial screening mode to rule out hemoperitoneum after blunt trauma. With technical developments and commercialization, portable handheld ultrasound is becoming increasingly available to clinicians and enhancing the way in which they examine patients. It is then intuitive that taking this extension of the physical examination outside of the hospital to the air medical environment has the potential to save lives. The Advanced Trauma Life Support course of the American College of Surgeons focuses on reducing preventable deaths in the early postinjury phase. Preventable deaths may be addressed by preventing airway obstruction, promptly treating hemo/pneumothoraces, and identifying and addressing intra-abdominal and intracerebral bleeding. These are also conditions that may manifest and be worsened in the transport environment and are more difficult to detect in flight than anywhere else. When faced with challenges, physicians historically have accepted new technology in a quest for better patient care. The first air medical mission was reportedly during the siege of Paris in 1870, when wounded soldiers were air-lifted out of the besieged city by balloon. Whether true or not, this spirit has transcended to the current day, where the trauma ultrasound has been used on the International Space Station in the absence of any other diagnostic imaging modes. The space station has no plan or capability for computed tomography, no x-ray, no magnetic resonance imaging. This limitation has necessitated looking outside the traditional ultrasound boxes to consider novel indications that might provide diagnostic information. Despite the catastrophic consequences a serious medical event in space would have for both the individual and the mission, there is only a relatively small number of potential victims. Many more lives are at stake considering air medical transport on earth, and we suggest that novel additions to the role of ultrasound might benefit the air medical transport environment, ultimately providing the greatest benefit to the most people.
Taxon sampling affects inferences of macroevolutionary processes from phylogenetic trees.

Bertrand, Y. , and M. Harlin. 2006. Stability and universality in the application of taxon names in phylogenetic nomenclature. Syst. Biol. 55:848–858. Bininda-Emonds, O. R. P. 2004. The evolution of supertrees. Trends Ecol. Evol. 19:315–322. Bryant, H. N. , and P. D. Cantino. 2002. A review of criticisms of phylogenetic nomenclature: Is taxonomic freedom the fundamental issue? Biol. Rev. 77:39–55. Cantino, P. D. , and K. de Queiroz. 2007. International Code of Phylogenetic Nomenclature, Version 4b. Available at http://www.ohiou. edu/phylocode. Cantino, P. D. , and R. G. Olmstead. 2004. Phylogenetic nomenclature of Lamiaceae. Abstracts of the First International Phylogenetic Nomenclature Meeting (Paris): 13. Available at http://www.ohiou. edu/phylocode/events.html. Cantino, P. D. , R. G. Olmstead, and S. J. Wagstaff. 1997. A comparison of phylogenetic nomenclature with the current system: A botanical case study. Syst. Biol. 46:313–331.
SensGrid: modeling and simulation for wireless sensor grids

Grid computing technologies are emerging as the latest generation of distributed computing, as they allow the aggregation of resources that are geographically distributed over different locations. Since researchers need to conduct repeatable and controlled experiments, it is easier to use simulation as a means of studying complex scenarios. In this area, the GridSim simulation toolkit is a widely accepted option. We have designed and implemented a simulator of systems that integrates sensors and a grid. In particular, an extension of GridSim has been created in order to enable the execution of simulations in a way the users can perform queries on sensor networks. In this paper, we present the features of the system to be simulated, the modeling proposed, and the high-level user interfaces of the simulator. We also describe an experiment that demonstrates how our proposal works, which may well be helpful for the research community.
Particle Swarm Optimization based PID control For Minimizing Integral Square Error

In this paper, a new control scheme, the gain scheduled Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) based PID is proposed for continuous stirred tank reactor(CSTR). CSTR is a highly nonlinear process that exhibits stability in certain region and instability in some regions. Generally, PID controllers are used in these processes. Tuning of PID controller is required for guaranteeing the best performance of the CSTR. The proposed scheme implements the characteristics of the PSO’s global optimization to tune the PID’s control parameters: kp, ki, kd, to obtain the best control effect by minimizing Integral Square Error online. The PID controller parameters tuned for each region using PSO are gain scheduled using fuzzy. Fuzzy gainscheduling is a special form of fuzzy control that uses linguistic rules and fuzzy reasoning to determine the controller parameter transition policy for the dynamic plant subject to large changes in its operating state. Simulation result shows the feasibility of using the proposed controller for the control of the dynamical nonlinear CSTR.
MINLAB: minimum noise structure for ladder-based biorthogonal filter banks

We introduce a minimum noise structure for ladder-based biorthogonal (MINLAB) filter bank. The minimum noise structure ensures that the quantization error has a unity noise gain, even though the filter bank is biorthogonal. The coder has a very low design and implementation cost. The perfect reconstruction property is structurally preserved. Optimal bit allocation and coding gain formulas are derived. We show that the coding gain of the optimal MINLAB coder is always greater than or equal to unity. For both AR(1) process and MA(1) process, the MINLAB coder with two taps has a higher coding gain than the optimal orthonormal coder with an infinite number of taps. In addition to its superior decorrelation ability, it has many other desired features that make it a potentially valuable and attractive alternative to the orthonormal coder, especially for a high-fidelity compression.
Terfenadine Increases the QT Interval in Isolated Guinea Pig Heart

Torsades de pointes ventricular tachycardia (VT) has been reported in patients taking the nonsedating antihistamine, terfenadine. We performed electrophysiologic studies of 14 isolated guinea pig hearts using the Langendorff technique to assess whether terfenadine exerted actions that could be responsible for inducing the arrhythmia. Twelve hearts were perfused with an oxygenated Tyrode's solution containing a 2-μM preparation of either racemic, R-, or 5-terfenadine. QT interval (QT), monophasic action potential duration (APD), and ventricular effective refractory periods (ERP) were measured at a fixed range of cycle lengths (CL). At 400-ms CL, both isomers and racemate prolonged QT and APD by 8% and ERP was increased by 14%. Infusion of vehicle, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), alone in two hearts caused a slight decrease in QT and APD, suggesting that the direct effect of terfenadine on QT may have been underestimated. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed no statistical difference in effect on QT, APD, or ERP for the three forms of terfenadine (p < 0.05). These results support the conclusion that terfenadine induces torsades de pointes because of direct actions in delaying cardiac re-polarization. The lack of stereospecificity in this action indicates that chirally pure formulations are not likely to have greater safety than the racemate.
Impact of battery degradation on optimal management policies of harvesting-based wireless sensor devices

Harvesting-Based Wireless Sensor Devices are increasingly being deployed in today's sensor networks, due to their demonstrated advantages in terms of prolonged lifetime and autonomous operation. However, irreversible degradation mechanisms jeopardize battery lifetime, calling for intelligent management policies, which minimize the impact of these phenomena while guaranteeing a minimum Quality of Service (QoS). This paper explores a mathematical characterization of harvesting-based battery-powered sensor devices, focusing on the impact of the battery discharge policy on the irreversible degradation of the storage capacity. A general framework based on Markov chains which captures the battery degradation process is proposed. Based on such model, it is shown that a degradationaware policy significantly improves the lifetime of the sensor compared to "greedy" operation policies, while guaranteeing the minimum required QoS.
The impact of training on pre-service teacher attitudes, concerns, and efficacy towards inclusion

Thirty pre-service teachers took part in a nine-week university course focussed on the benefits of inclusive education and the techniques needed to successfully implement it. The Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Inclusion Scale (TATIS), Concerns about Inclusive Education Scale (CIES), and Teacher’s Efficacy in Implementing Inclusive Practices (TEIP) were administered prior to and following the university course. Paired sample t-tests revealed that participants’ attitudes and efficacy increased significantly following the course while their concerns decreased significantly. Mixed design ANOVAs revealed that pre-service teachers without past experience of teaching students with disabilities had the largest improvement in attitudes. Pre-service teachers who were not acquainted with a person with a disability had significantly larger decreases in concern level and increases in efficacy level than those who were acquainted with a person with a disability. These results are discussed and implications for future research outlined.