Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Medium access control for underwater acoustic sensor networks with MIMO links

The requirements of multimedia underwater monitoring applications with heterogeneous traffic demands in terms of bandwidth and end-to-end reliability are considered in this article. To address these requirements, a new medium access control protocol named UMIMO-MAC is proposed. UMIMO-MAC is designed to i) adaptively leverage the tradeoff between multiplexing and diversity gain according to channel conditions and application requirements, ii) select suitable transmit power to reduce energy consumption, and iii) efficiently exploit the UW channel, minimizing the impact of the long propagation delay on the channel utilization efficiency. To achieve the objectives above, UMIMO-MAC is based on a two-way handshake protocol. Multiple access by simultaneous and co-located transmissions is achieved by using different pseudo orthogonal spreading codes. Extensive simulation results show that UMIMO-MAC increases network throughput, decreases channel access delay, and decrease energy consumption compared with existing Aloha-like MAC protocols for UW-ASNs.
Maximum likelihood Markov networks : an algorithmic approach

We show how a graphical model learning problem can be presented as a purely combinatorial problem. This allows us to analyze the computational hardness of the learning problem, and devise global optimization algorithms with proven performance guarantees. Markov networks are a class of graphical models that use an undirected graph to capture dependency information among random variables. Of particular interest are Markov networks over low treewidth graphs, under which many operations are tractable. We study the problem of finding a maximum likelihood distribution among Markov networks over graphs of bounded treewidth. We define the maximum hypertree problem, which is the problem of finding an acyclic hypergraph of bounded width, that maximizes the weight of hyperedges it covers (or equivalently, a triangulated graph of bounded clique size maximizing the weight of its cliques). We show that the maximum likelihood Markov network problem can be formulated as a maximum hypertree problem, and in fact the two problems are equivalent. This extends the work of Chow and Liu (1968) who considered the case where k = 1 (i.e. trees). We show that the maximum hypertree problem is NP-hard even for k = 2 and give the first constant factor approximation algorithm for it. More precisely, for any fixed treewidth objective k, we find a k-hypertree with an f(k) fraction of the maximum possible weight of any k-hypertree graph. Thesis Supervisor: David Karger Title: Associate Professor
Neuronal correlates of temperature guided behavior in ants

17 Introduction . 17 I.2 Material and Methods . 20 I.2. 1 Animals and preparation . 20 I.2. 2 Morphological Investigation by SEM, FIB-FESEM, cLSM, light microscopy and TEM . 20 I.2. 3 TEM procedure . 21 I.2. 4 Temperature stimulation set-up . 22 I.2. 5 Recording of sensory neuron activity and temperature stimulus . 22 I.2. 6 Data analyses and statistics . 23 I.3 Results . 26 I.3. 1 External and internal morphology and location of the S. coelocapitulum . 26 I.3. 2 The TT-neuron encodes transient temperature . 31 I.3. 3 The ST-neuron has a narrow working range . 35 I.4 Discussion . 37 I.4. 1 Morphological characteristics of the S. coelocapitulum . 37 I.4. 2 The physiological properties of the thermo-sensitive neurons . 40 Acknowledgements . 42 II. The Sensillum campaniform and Sensillum coelocapitulum: Mechanosensation vs. thermo-/hygrosensation . 43 Abstract . 43. 43 II.
The relationship between different diet quality indices and severity of airflow obstruction among COPD patients

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major public health problem worldwide. Smoking is the number one cause of COPD; however, genetic, environmental and dietary factors contribute to the etiology of this disease. In this study, we assessed the association between three diet quality indices -the Healthy Eating Index-2005 (HEI-2005), the Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010), and Mediterranean Diet Score (MED)- and the severity of disease in COPD patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed at Rasul-e-Akram Hospital in Tehran on 121 COPD patients with the mean age of (SD) of 66.1(10.9) years. A pulmonary specialist diagnosed all participants based on a spirometry test. They were categorized into four groups (1, 2, 3, 4 stages of disease). Three diet quality indices, spirometry test and determination of disease severity were performed for all the participants. ANCOVA and Kruskal-Wallis test were used to assess the relationship between dietary quality indices and severity of the disease. The relationship between HEI-2010, HEI-2005, MED score, their components and lung function was assessed using a multiple linear regression analysis. All analyses were done using SPSS 18. Results: Reduction of the Healthy Eating Index-2010 and MED score were observed along with the increase in disease severity, but they were not significant. The relationship between the three diet quality indices and lung function showed a significant association between MED score and Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), The Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) (β=2.9, 95% CI (1.1, 4.8), p=0.002), (β=2.8, 95% CI (0.9, 4.8), p=0.007), respectively. Conclusion: Mediterranean dietary pattern and obtaining a better score on HEI-2010 diet were associated with a better lung function test.
Detection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Determination of Minimum Inhibitory Concentration of Vancomycin for Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Pus/Wound Swab Samples of the Patients Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal

The present study was conducted to evaluate the performance of cefoxitin disc diffusion method and oxacillin broth microdilution method for detection of methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA), taking presence of mecA gene as reference. In addition, inducible clindamycin resistance and beta-lactamase production were studied and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of vancomycin for S. aureus isolates was determined. A total of 711 nonrepeated pus/wound swab samples from different anatomic locations were included in the study. The Staphylococcus aureus was identified on the basis of colony morphology, Gram's stain, and biochemical tests. A total of 110 (15.47%) S. aureus isolates were recovered, of which 39 (35.50%) isolates were identified as MRSA by cefoxitin disc diffusion method. By oxacillin broth microdilution method, 31.82% of the Staphylococcus aureus isolates were found to be MRSA. However, mecA gene was present in only 29.1% of the isolates. Further, beta-lactamase production was observed in 71.82% of the isolates, while inducible clindamycin resistance was found in 10% of S. aureus isolates. The MIC value of vancomycin for S. aureus ranged from 0.016 μg/mL to 1 μg/mL. On the basis of the absolute sensitivity (100%), both phenotypic methods could be employed for routine diagnosis of MRSA in clinical microbiology laboratory; however cefoxitin disc diffusion could be preferred over MIC method considering time and labour factor.
Noradrenergic Dysfunction in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases—An Overview of Imaging Studies

Noradrenergic dysfunction contributes to cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Parkinson's Disease (PD). Conventional therapeutic strategies seek to enhance cholinergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission in AD and PD, respectively, and few studies have examined noradrenergic dysfunction as a target for medication development. We review the literature of noradrenergic dysfunction in AD and PD with a focus on human imaging studies that implicate the locus coeruleus (LC) circuit. The LC sends noradrenergic projections diffusely throughout the cerebral cortex and plays a critical role in attention, learning, working memory, and cognitive control. The LC undergoes considerable degeneration in both AD and PD. Advances in magnetic resonance imaging have facilitated greater understanding of how structural and functional alteration of the LC may contribute to cognitive decline in AD and PD. We discuss the potential roles of the noradrenergic system in the pathogenesis of AD and PD with an emphasis on postmortem anatomical studies, structural MRI studies, and functional MRI studies, where we highlight changes in LC connectivity with the default mode network (DMN). LC degeneration may accompany deficient capacity in suppressing DMN activity and increasing saliency and task control network activities to meet behavioral challenges. We finish by proposing potential and new directions of research to address noradrenergic dysfunction in AD and PD.
Quantum Theory and Classical Information

Transmission of classical information using quantum objects such as polarized photons is studied. The classical (Shannon) channel capacity and its relation to quantum (von Neumann) channel capacity is investigated for various receiver arrangements. A quantum channel with transmission impairment caused by attenuation and random polarization noise is considered. It is shown that the maximal (von Neumann) capacity of such a channel can be realized by a simple symbol by symbol detector followed by a classical error correcting decoder. For an intensity limited optical channel capacity is achieved by on-off keying (OOK). The capacity per unit cost is shown to be 1 nat/photon = 1.44 bit/photon, slightly larger than the 1 bit/photon obtained by orthogonal quantum signals.
Effects of Storage Temperature and Time on Stability of Serum Tacrolimus and Cyclosporine A Levels in Whole Blood by LC-MS/MS

Tacrolimus and cyclosporine A are immunosuppressant drugs with narrow therapeutic windows. The aim of this study was to investigate the stability of tacrolimus and cyclosporin A levels in whole blood samples under different storage conditions. Whole blood samples were obtained from 15 patients receiving tacrolimus and 15 patients receiving cyclosporine A. Samples were immediately analyzed and then stored at different conditions (room temperature (24°C−26°C) for 24 hours, +4°C for 24 and 48 hours, and −20°C for one month) and then analyzed again. For tacrolimus, there was a significant difference between samples analyzed immediately and those kept 24 hours at room temperature (P = 0.005) (percent change 32.89%). However, there were no significant differences between the other groups. For cyclosporine A, there was a significant difference between samples analyzed immediately and those kept 24 hours (P = 0.003) (percent change 19.47%) and 48 hours (P = 0.002) (percent change 15.38%) at +4°C and those kept 24 hours at room temperature (P = 0.011) (percent change 9.71%). Samples of tacrolimus should be analyzed immediately or stored at either +4°C or −20°C, while samples of cyclosporine A should be analyzed immediately or stored at −20°C.
Fast, low-artifact speech synthesis considering global variance

Speech parameter generation considering global variance (GV generation) is widely acknowledged to dramatically improve the quality of synthetic speech generated by HMM-based systems. However it is slower and has higher latency than the standard speech parameter generation algorithm. In addition it is known to produce artifacts, though existing approaches to prevent artifacts are effective. We present a simple new theoretical analysis of speech parameter generation considering global variance based on Lagrange multipliers. This analysis sheds light on one source of artifacts and suggests a way to reduce their occurrence. It also suggests an approximation to exact GV generation that allows fast, low latency synthesis. In a subjective evaluation our fast approximation shows no degradation in naturalness compared to conventional GV generation.
Tile based outdoor navigation for people with dementia syndromes

The number of elderly people with dementia syndromes increases in all developed countries. Therefore it becomes increasingly important to develop computer systems, which support these people to master their everyday life. In this article we present an assistive navigation system for people with dementia syndromes that helps them to orientate themselves in outdoor environments and to carry out spatially distributed tasks. The system realizes turn based photo navigation augmented with landmarks, based on a novel way of map processing. The routing algorithm works on pixel tiles rather than vector maps to achieve the necessary precision. The system’s UI accounts for the characteristics of the target user group by minimizing the cognitive load. The results of user tests indicate a substantial benefit for dementia patients, while the navigation concept could also be used in a wider range of applications.
A Study on Persuasive Applications for Electric Energy Saving

: The growing development of persuasive technologies has led to the creation of systems that help society in a variety of sectors, one in the electric power sector, where applications seek to persuade users to change behavior and save electricity. In this sense, this article seeks to present concepts and techniques of persuasion applied in systems with this objective and to present a prototype of an application that seeks to show the user a prediction about the consumption of electric energy without him acquiring intelligent sensors, only with data that he has easy access.
Integration of the Cognitive-Behavioural Model and Theory of Planned Behaviour in the Understanding of the Process of Changing Thinking Patterns: Exploring Mechanisms of Change in a Depression Prevention Workshop

Despite the growing need for depression prevention programming for university students, few programs exist and those that do are too resource-intensive for broad dissemination. Furthermore, limited research has been conducted on mechanisms of change in CBTbased prevention programs and similar research conducted on CBT for depression demonstrates mixed findings. Therefore, there is a need to incorporate a formal model of health-behaviour change in prevention (and intervention) programs to clarify mechanisms of change and improve outcomes, such as the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). This series of studies developed and tested a formal CBT-TPB “hybrid” model to predict intention to change thinking patterns and a brief depression prevention program for university students and to examine the program’s potential to change the hypothesized constructs in the hybrid model. Results indicated support for the hybrid model, in that TPB factors predict intention to change thinking patterns. In addition, across an open and randomized control trial, my “Start Making a Change” intervention promotes change in TPB factors, as well as improvement in relevant CBT and well-being outcomes. The implication of this work is that brief, easy-to-disseminate, programs, based on a formal model of change, can effectively, at least in the short term, target and change important risk factors for depression onset in university students. PROCESSES OF CHANGE IN PREVENTION iii
Using neural networks for short-term prediction of air pollution levels

The present paper focuses on the prediction of hourly levels up to 8 hours ahead for five pollutants (SO2, CO, NO2, NO and O3) and six locations in the area of Bilbao (Spain. To that end, 216 models based on neural networks (NN) have been built. The database used to fit the NN's has been historical records of the traffic, meteorological and air pollution networks existing in the area corresponding to year 2000. Then, the models have been tested on data from the same networks but corresponding to year 2001. At a first stage, for each of the 216 cases, 100 models based on different types of neural networks have been built using data corresponding to year 2000. The final identification of the best model has been made under the criteria of simultaneously having at a 95% confidence level the best values of R2, d1, FA2 and RMSE when applied to data of year 2001. The number of hourly cases in which due to gaps in data predictions have been possible range from 11% to 38% depending on the sensor. Depending on the pollutant, location and number of hours ahead the prediction is made, different types of models have been selected. The use of these models based on NN's can provide Bilbao's air pollution network originally designed for diagnosis purposes, with short-term, real time forecasting capabilities. The performance of these models at the different sensors in the area range from a maximum value of R2=0.88 for the prediction of NO2 1 hour ahead, to a minimum value of R2=0.15 for the prediction of ozone 8 hours ahead. These boundaries and the limitation in the number of cases that predictions are possible represent the maximum forecasting capability that Bilbao's network can provide in real-life operating conditions.
Generating a Resource for Products and Brandnames Recognition. Application to the Cosmetic Domain.

Named Entity Recognition task needs high-quality and large-scale resources. In this paper, we present RENCO, a based-rules system focused on the recognition of entities in the Cosmetic domain (brandnames, product names, â¦). RENCO has two main objectives: 1) Generating resources for named entity recognition; 2) Mining new named entities relying on the previous generated resources. In order to build lexical resources for the cosmetic domain, we propose a system based on local lexico-syntactic rules complemented by a learning module. As the outcome of the system, we generate both a simple lexicon and a structured lexicon. Results of the evaluation show that even if RENCO outperforms a classic Conditional Random Fields algorithm, both systems should combine their respective strengths.
Domain concept handling in automated text categorization

Single term based document representations, e.g. bag-of-words, have been widely accepted in the machine learning, information retrieval and text mining community. One notable limitation of such methods is that they do not consider the rich information resident in the semantic relations among terms. This paper reports our approach of concepts handling in document representation and its effect on the performance of text categorization. We introduce a Frequent word Sequence algorithm that generates concept-centered phrases to render domain knowledge concepts. Our experimental study based on a domain centered corpus shows that a consistent performance improvement can be achieved when concept-centered phrases are included in addition to the single term based features in document representations. We also observed that a universally suitable support threshold does not exist and the removal of concept irrelevant sequences can possibly further improve the performance at a lower support level.
An Observational Case Series of Spinal Cord Stimulation Waveforms Visualized on Intraoperative Neuromonitoring

Intraoperative neuromonitoring for spinal cord stimulation uses electromyography (EMG) responses to determine myotomal coverage as a marker for dermatomal coverage. These responses are utilized to determine the orientation of the electrode. Somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) collision testing can also be used in which sensory signals are decreased and/or eliminated when stimulation is activated.
Acclimation of Biochemical and Diffusive Components of Photosynthesis in Rice, Wheat, and Maize to Heat and Water Deficit: Implications for Modeling Photosynthesis

The impact of the combined effects of heat stress, increased vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and water deficit on the physiology of major crops needs to be better understood to help identifying the expected negative consequences of climate change and heat waves on global agricultural productivity. To address this issue, rice, wheat, and maize plants were grown under control temperature (CT, 25°C, VPD 1.8 kPa), and a high temperature (HT, 38°C, VPD 3.5 kPa), both under well-watered (WW) and water deficit (WD) conditions. Gas-exchange measurements showed that, in general, WD conditions affected the leaf conductance to CO2, while growth at HT had a more marked effect on the biochemistry of photosynthesis. When combined, HT and WD had an additive effect in limiting photosynthesis. The negative impacts of the imposed treatments on the processes governing leaf gas-exchange were species-dependent. Wheat presented a higher sensitivity while rice and maize showed a higher acclimation potential to increased temperature. Rubisco and PEPC kinetic constants determined in vitro at 25°C and 38°C were used to estimate Vcmax, Jmax, and Vpmax in the modeling of C3 and C4 photosynthesis. The results here obtained reiterate the need to use species-specific and temperature-specific values for Rubisco and PEPC kinetic constants for a precise parameterization of the photosynthetic response to changing environmental conditions in different crop species.
Bayesian hidden Markov models to identify RNA–protein interaction sites in PAR‐CLIP

The photoactivatable ribonucleoside enhanced cross‐linking immunoprecipitation (PAR‐CLIP) has been increasingly used for the global mapping of RNA–protein interaction sites. There are two key features of the PAR‐CLIP experiments: The sequence read tags are likely to form an enriched peak around each RNA–protein interaction site; and the cross‐linking procedure is likely to introduce a specific mutation in each sequence read tag at the interaction site. Several ad hoc methods have been developed to identify the RNA–protein interaction sites using either sequence read counts or mutation counts alone; however, rigorous statistical methods for analyzing PAR‐CLIP are still lacking. In this article, we propose an integrative model to establish a joint distribution of observed read and mutation counts. To pinpoint the interaction sites at single base‐pair resolution, we developed a novel modeling approach that adopts non‐homogeneous hidden Markov models to incorporate the nucleotide sequence at each genomic location. Both simulation studies and data application showed that our method outperforms the ad hoc methods, and provides reliable inferences for the RNA–protein binding sites from PAR‐CLIP data.
Receiver Performance Improvement via Intercell Spatial Demultiplexing for Low C/I Terminals in MIMO Systems

Although spatial multiplexing (SM) is an efficient means to enhance the data throughput in multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, its performance becomes seriously degraded when the receiver carrier-to-interference ratio (CIR) becomes low. In such a situation, which is typical for mobile terminals located near the boundaries of cells with low frequency reuse, transmission schemes with reduced spatial rate including space-time coding (STC) and the cyclic delay diversity (CDD) exhibit improved performance. In this paper, we consider rate-1 downlink transmission for MIMO systems with multi-antenna terminals in use, and focus on the analysis of the receiver performance at the low CIR region (cell boundary). Instead of using the conventional signal detection scheme under the 2-Tx and 2-Rx channel model, we show the effective CIR increases when the spatial demultiplexing (SD) detection is performed under the 4-Tx and 2-Rx model considering the strongest interfering signal as well as the desired signal. Through the evaluation of the effective CIR, the performance improvement at the cell boundary by using this "intercell SD (ISD)" which can cancel out or mitigate the strongest interference is demonstrated. It is shown the proposed scheme has the effective CIR gain of 3.04 dB at the cell boundary location.