Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Design and Analysis of Traffic-Based Discontinuous Reception Operations for LTE Systems

The 3GPP long term evolution (LTE) system is developed to enhance mobile services from the former 3G systems. In order to prolong the battery life time of mobile devices, the discontinuous reception (DRX) scheme is specified in the LTE standard to reduce the power consumption of user equipment. Existing analytical models did not comprehensively consider all essential sleep mode behaviors. Therefore, a performance analysis, including major DRX parameters is proposed in this paper for sleep mode operation. The correctness of proposed model is validated and the improvement can be observed via simulations. Furthermore, according to proposed analytical model, the DRX parameters can significantly influence the power-saving efficiency and quality-of-service (QoS) of LTE system. Hence, a traffic-based DRX cycles adjustment (TDCA) scheme is proposed to adaptively adjust the sleep cycles to balance the sleep ratio and mean packet delay based on traffic estimation. A partially observable Markov decision process is employed to conjecture the present traffic status. The policy for selecting DRX parameters can be constructed-based the evaluation metrics in TDCA scheme. Simulation results show that the proposed TDCA scheme can enhance the energy-saving efficiency while the QoS constraint is still satisfied.
A Modified Goldman Nasal Tip Procedure for the Drooping Nasal Tip

A modification of Irving Goldman's nasal tip procedure that borrows from the lateral crus to augment the height of the medial crus is described. Goldman's procedure has been modified by not including the vestibular skin with the segment of the lateral crus that is rolled medially to increase nasal tip projection, by adding a nasal septal cartilage strut between the medial crura for support when the medial crura are weak, and by maintaining a small separation caudally of the repositioned lateral crura at the new nasal dome to simulate a double nasal dome. This modified Goldman nasal tip procedure allows the surgeon to reshape the lower lateral nasal cartilage to increase nasal tip projection as an alternative to the use of a shield-type nasal tip graft, and at the same time it narrows the nasal tip with minimal resection of the lateral crus of the lower lateral nasal cartilage.
Antimycin A–induced defenestration in rat hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells

Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) possess fenestrae arranged in sieve plates. Hepatic endothelial fenestrae are open pores approximately 100 to 200 nm in diameter. Alterations in their number or diameter by hormones, xenobiotics, and diseases have important implications for hepatic microcirculation and function. Numerous reports of hepatotoxin‐induced defenestration suggest that the cytoskeleton and the energy status of hepatic endothelial cells play a key role in the regulation of fenestrae. Therefore, we investigated the effect of antimycin A, an inhibitor of mitochondrial energy production, on the number of fenestrae in cultured LSECs using high‐resolution microscopy and immunocytochemistry. Prolonged incubation (greater than 30 min) with antimycin A resulted in defenestrated cells and coincided with the appearance of F‐actin dots, whereas the distribution of G‐actin remained unchanged. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) was depleted dramatically to less than 5% within 30 minutes within the LSECs. After treatment with antimycin A, unusual elevated fenestrated complexes were apparent, organized as a meshwork of anastomosing fenestrae at the center of and above the sieve plates. The position and appearance of these novel structures and their association with defenestration suggest that they are implicated in the process of defenestration. In conclusion, the results of experiments with antimycin A suggest that ATP is needed to maintain fenestrae and the underlying fenestrae‐associated cytoskeleton rings that maintain fenestrae patency. Antimycin A‐induced defenestration of LSECs is associated with the development of a structure in the sieve plate that appears to be intrinsically involved in defenestration.
Reversible Oxidation of the Active Site Cysteine of Peroxiredoxins to Cysteine Sulfinic Acid

We previously suggested that oxidation of the active site cysteine of peroxiredoxin (Prx) I or Prx II to cysteine sulfinic acid in H2O2-treated cells is reversible (Woo, H. A., Chae, H. Z., Hwang, S. C., Yang, K.-S., Kang, S. W., Kim, K., and Rhee, S. G. (2003) Science 300, 653–656). In contrast, it was recently proposed that sulfinylation of Prx II, but not that of Prx I or Prx III, is reversible (Chevallet, M., Wagner, E., Luche, S., van Dorssealaer, A., Leize-Wagner, E., and Rabilloud, T. (2003) J. Biol. Chem. 278, 37146–37153). The detection of sulfinylated proteins in both of these previous studies relied on complex proteomics analysis. We now describe a simple immunoblot assay for the detection of sulfinylated Prx enzymes that is based on antibodies produced in response to a sulfonylated peptide modeled on the conserved active site sequence. These antibodies recognized both sulfinic and sulfonic forms of Prx equally well and allowed the detection of sulfinylated Prx enzymes in H2O2-treated cells with high sensitivity and specificity. With the use of these antibodies, we demonstrated that not only the cytosolic enzymes Prx I and Prx II but also the mitochondrial enzyme Prx III undergo reversible sulfinylation. The generation of antibodies specific for sulfonylated peptides should provide insight into protein function similar to that achieved with antibodies to peptides containing phosphoserine or phosphothreonine.
A Hybrid Approach to Salvage a Failing Long-Standing Autogenous Aneurysmal Fistula in a Hemodialysis Patient

Very few studies have addressed the repair of autogenous and prosthetic-related false arteriovenous access (AVA) aneurysms in hemodialysis patients. Surgical management of complicated AVA-related aneurysms remains the gold standard method although covered stents have recently been introduced for the exclusion of such aneurysms, offering a minimally invasive therapy. In this paper, we describe a combination of open and endovascular repair for treating an anastomotic and a puncture-site aneurysm to salvage a failing long-standing autogenous radial-cephalic fistula in the wrist. Resection of the anastomotic aneurysm and reconstruction of the anastomosis proximally was initially performed. Via the first cm of the anastomosis, a Fluency® stent graft (SG) was inserted and it successfully excluded the mid-outflow vein false aneurysm. Such hybrid therapies may be the future of AVA revisions and this trend should not be overlooked by nephrologists and vascular surgeons.
Relationship Between Legitimacy and Intended Patronage: One Size Fits All?

The rate of black entrepreneurship is about a third that of whites. This has remained relatively unchanged for nearly a century. Traditionally, black entrepreneurship research has focused on the entrepreneur’s access to capital, education, family structure, and human capital. Conversely, little attention has been given to consumers’ impact on black entrepreneurship. Using a multi-disciplinary theoretical framework, a cross-sectional study was conducted on 843 respondents. Data was analyzed to determine if significant differences exist between groups of respondents with respect to perceptions of legitimacy and patronage. Following a discussion of the results, implications for practice and future research directions are offered.
The Debt Overhang Hypothesis: Evidence from Pakistan

Abstract This study investigates the debt overhang hypothesis for Pakistan in the period 1960-2007. The study examines empirically the dynamic behaviour of GDP, debt services, the employed labour force and investment using the time series concepts of unit roots, cointegration, error correlation and causality. Our findings suggest that debt-servicing has a negative impact on the productivity of both labour and capital, and that in turn has adversely affected economic growth. By severely constraining the ability of the country to service debt, this lends support to the debt-overhang hypothesis in Pakistan. The long run relation between debt services and economic growth implies that future increases in output will drain away in form of high debt service payments to lender country as external debt acts like a tax on output. More specifically, foreign creditors will benefit more from the rise in productivity than will domestic producers and labour. This suggests that domestic labour and capital are the ultimate losers from this heavy debt burden.
Electro-Acoustic Stimulation

For simultaneous acoustic and electric stimulation to be perceived as complementary, it may be beneficial for hearing aids and cochlear implants (CI) to be adjusted to provide compatible pitch sensations. To this end, estimates of the pitch perceived for a set of acoustic and electric stimuli were obtained from 14 CI users who had usable low-frequency hearing, either in the non-implanted ear or in both ears. The subjects assigned numerical pitch estimates to each of 5 acoustic pure tones and 5 single-electrode electric pulse trains. On average, the acoustic frequency that corresponded in pitch to stimulation on the most apical electrode was approximately 480 Hz. This was about 1 octave lower than the frequency expected from Greenwood’s frequency-place function applied to estimates of the electrode insertion angle based on X-ray images. Furthermore, evidence was found suggesting that pitch decreased with increasing duration of CI use. Pitch estimates from 5 subjects who completed the experiment before experiencing any other sounds through their CI were generally close to the values expected from a recently published frequency map for the cochlear spiral ganglion. Taken together, these findings suggest that some perceptual adaptation may occur that would compensate in part for the apparent mismatch between the intracochlear position of the electrodes and the acoustic frequencies assigned to them in the sound processor.
Increased Renal Calcium Reabsorption by Parathyroid Hormone–Related Protein Is a Causative Factor in the Development of Humoral Hypercalcemia of Malignancy Refractory to Osteoclastic Bone Resorption Inhibitors

Purpose: Bisphosphonate and calcitonin lower blood calcium in humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy (HHM) by suppressing osteoclastic bone resorption, but repeated administration of these drugs often leads to relapse. In this study, we examined the roles of parathyroid hormone–related protein (PTHrP) in the development of bisphosphonate- and calcitonin-refractory HHM. Experimental Design: Nude rats bearing the LC-6 JCK tumor xenograft (LC-6 rats) exhibited high bone turnover and HHM. Repeated administration of alendronate induced a sustained suppression of the bone resorption, but it caused only early and transient reduction of the blood calcium levels, leading to unresponsiveness to the drug. Because high blood levels of PTHrP were detected in the LC-6 rats, those that developed alendronate-refractory HHM were treated with an anti-PTHrP antibody. Results: Administration of anti-PTHrP antibody to animals that received repeated administration of alendronate, thereby developing alendronate-refractory HHM, resulted in an increase in fractional excretion of calcium and a marked decrease of blood calcium level. Drug-refractory HHM was also observed in animals that received another osteoclast inhibitor, an eel calcitonin analogue elcatonin. The blood calcium level decreased after the initial administration of elcatonin, but it eventually became elevated during repeated administration. Administration of the anti-PTHrP antibody, but not of alendronate, effectively reduced the blood calcium of the animals that developed elcatonin-refractory HHM. Conclusion: High levels of circulating PTHrP and the resulting augmentation of renal calcium reabsorption is one of the major causes of the emergence of osteoclast inhibitor-refractory HHM. Thus, blockage of PTHrP functions by a neutralizing antibody against PTHrP would benefit patients who develop bisphosphonate- or calcitonin-refractory HHM.
Incorporating the cost of quality in supply chain design

Due to the complexity of the supply chain, sourcing and distribution activities within the supply chain require a fair deal of orchestrating in order to eliminate delays and other inefficiencies. For this reason, researchers have worked effortlessly to incorporate a wide range of parameters as to model the supply chain. Issues pertaining to quality are of great importance in organizations. Some literature has discussed quality from the perspective of the supply chain and acknowledged the lack of a consistent vision pertaining to quality throughout the supply chain. In this paper we consider the practical implication of integrating Cost of Quality (COQ) into supply chain modeling. Further, this paper introduces two different models. Each model remedies the limitations encountered when modeling COQ into the supply chain and tailors to a different possible scenario within the frame of the supply chain.
RECONFIGURABLE OPTICALLY INDUCED THREE-DIMENSIONAL COMPLEX NONLINEAR PHOTONIC QUASICRYSTALS

We present a versatile fabrication approach for scalable complex 3D photonic quasicrystals (PQCs) by a programmable spatial light modulator-assisted single step optical induction of refractive index modulation. We demonstrate for the first time the fabrication of higher order rotational symmetry reconfigurable nonlinear 3D axial PQCs and variants of complex 3D PQCs in externally biased SBN:Ce photorefractive nonlinear medium.
Studies on carotid plaque vulnerability using contrast enhanced ultrasound

Background and Aim: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound is a method to examine neovessels that may be present inside the atherosclerotic plaque of the carotid arteries. These neovessels are believed to be involved in the process leading to embolic stroke. The aim of this thesis is to: I /Develop methodology for contrast-enhanced ultrasound examination of carotid plaques and to develop a software program for quantification of the examination. II /Investigate the correlation between neovessels and inflammation in plaques, using PET/CT. III / Investigate the correlation between neovessels and plaque components using MRI. IV / Comparing ultrasound and MRI in detecting and measuring of carotid plaques. Methods: The papers of this thesis are performed on volunteers recruited through several different databases. The contrast-enhanced ultrasound method has been developed and optimized within the framework of the thesis. For comparison, conventional ultrasound, PET / CT and MRI has been used. Results: The method we have developed for contrast-enhanced ultrasound is reproducible and reliable. Increased amount of neovessels is more common in subjects with a history of stroke or transient ischemic attack and neovessels are correlated to increased inflammation. Neovessels are less common in plaques with a large lipid-rich necrotic core. Two dimensional imaging using ultrasound does not correctly capture the complex 3D plaque anatomy. MRI is comparable to ultrasound in finding plaque with a height of at least 2.5 mm, but in detection of smaller plaques ultrasound performs better. Multiple plaques seen on ultrasound are usually a misinterpretation of the true anatomy that can be better visualized using MRI. Plaque height measured using ultrasound is slightly more accurate and more feasible than plaque area to estimate the plaque volume measured using MRI. Conclusion: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound can be used to measure and quantify neovessels in carotid plaques. The quantity of neovessels correlates with the degree of inflammation, a marker for plaque vulnerability. However, the size of the lipid core, another marker of plaque vulnerability, has an inverse correlation to neovessels. Future studies should in more detail examine the exact localization of neovessels in relation to the lipid core. Also, future studies should examine the quality of neovessels since they can have different propensity to cause damage. Small plaques can be undetectable by MRI but in plaques greater than 2.5 mm in height, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging have similar sensitivity to detect plaques. If using ultrasound, plaque height is the best way to estimate the volume of the carotid artery plaque.
Global Uncertainty and the Global Economy: Decomposing the Impact of Uncertainty Shocks

We constructed a new index of global uncertainty using the first principal component of the stock market volatility for the largest 15 economies. We evaluate the impact of global uncertainty on the global economy using the new global database from Global Economic Indicators (DGEI), Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Global uncertainty shocks are less frequent than those observed in data on the U.S. economy. Global uncertainty shocks are associated with a sharp decline in global inflation, global growth and in the global interest rate (based on official/policy interest rates set by central banks). Our decomposition of global uncertainty shocks shows that global financial uncertainty shocks are more important than non-financial shocks. Over the period 1981 to 2014 global financial uncertainty forecasts 18.26% and 14.95% of the variation in global growth and global inflation respectively. The non-financial uncertainty shocks have insignificant effects on global growth. The model for global variables shows more protracted and substantial negative effects of uncertainty on growth and inflation than does a panel model estimating associations of local country-level variables. This outcome is reversed for the effect of uncertainty on official interest rate.
Teaching the extracellular matrix and introducing online databases within a multidisciplinary course with i‐cell‐MATRIX

The biochemistry and molecular biology of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is difficult to convey to students in a classroom setting in ways that capture their interest. The understanding of the matrix's roles in physiological and pathological conditions study will presumably be hampered by insufficient knowledge of its molecular structure. Internet‐available resources can bridge the division between the molecular details and ECM's biological properties and associated processes. This article presents an approach to teach the ECM developed for first year medical undergraduates who, working in teams: (i) Explore a specific molecular component of the matrix, (ii) identify a disease in which the component is implicated, (iii) investigate how the component's structure/function contributes to ECM' supramolecular organization in physiological and in pathological conditions, and (iv) share their findings with colleagues. The approach—designated i‐cell‐MATRIX—is focused on the contribution of individual components to the overall organization and biological functions of the ECM. i‐cell‐MATRIX is student centered and uses 5 hours of class time. Summary of results and take home message: A “1‐minute paper” has been used to gather student feedback on the impact of i‐cell‐MATRIX. Qualitative analysis of student feedback gathered in three consecutive years revealed that students appreciate the approach's reliance on self‐directed learning, the interactivity embedded and the demand for deeper insights on the ECM. Learning how to use internet biomedical resources is another positive outcome. Ninety percent of students recommend the activity for subsequent years. i‐cell‐MATRIX is adaptable by other medical schools which may be looking for an approach that achieves higher student engagement with the ECM.
Health Physics and Aviation: 1990‐1994

For several years, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has explicitly recognized flight crew members as workers who are occupationally exposed to radiation. To help these workers assess their radiation risks, the FAA has developed a computer program that will estimate cosmic-ray exposures from individual flights. They have published documents which inform crew members of the statistical risks associated with their radiation exposure, and they have issued an advisory to the commercial air carriers suggesting that they institute an appropriate educational program for their employees. These developments represent a significant change from ten years ago when the Federal Aviation Administration concluded that, in the area of in-flight radiation exposure, any regulatory involvement on their part would be unwarranted because the vast majority of crew members would not exceed the recommended maximum permissible dose limits then applicable to members of the general public.
Searching for Organizational Intelligence in the Evolution of Public-Sector Performance Management

Abstract The article explores the transformation process of evaluation, performance monitoring and accountability in the public sector. The process underlines that horizontal accountability referencing a wide democratic footprint is likely to become more explicit. To this end, this article develops the idea of transformation of public sector performance management from the viewpoint of organizational intelligence. Much of the current doctrine originates from rationalistic performance management and evaluation models and are therefore reluctant or unable to see the social mechanisms incorporated in the mechanisms of accountability. This article concludes that ‘hard nose’ rationalistic models of performance and evaluation are not anymore fit for purpose. To be measured by traditional performance metrics, the society is far too complex, constructed by various social networks and retrospective interlink-ages, and constituted by public service systems. Thus, the need for intelligence in organizational knowledge management and decision-making processes ought to be addressed more systematically.
Left ventricular obstruction with restrictive inter‐atrial communication leads to retardation in fetal lung maturation

Intact atrial septum or highly restrictive inter‐atrial communication (I/HRAS) combined with either severe aortic stenosis (SAS) or hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), respectively, is associated with adverse outcome. This study focusses on changes in alveolo‐septal lung parenchyma due to increased left atrial pressure.
Rethinking Continuing Professional Teacher Development within the Open Distance Learning Framework

Open Distance Learning (ODL), both in the developed and developing countries, has become a tool for human capital development in Continuing Professional Teacher Development (CPTD). In this paper, we argue that the complex nature of the teaching and learning environments calls for radical change in the CPTD – changes enhancing knowledge, skills, attitudes, abilities and empowering teachers as lifelong critical, reflective learners. This paper is aimed at exploring the role of higher education, via the ODL, in the CTPD in the South African education system. It argues that ODL, as an alternative strategy, has potential and a pivotal role to play in effective and efficient CPTD.
A 10GBits/s 2.1pJ/bit OOK demodulator at 60GHz for chip-to-chip wireless communication

A direct conversion demodulator at 60GHz based on Gilbert cells down-converter is presented in this paper. The OOK modulation allows using a single detector on receiver side to discriminate the 0 or 1 data. The conventional diode based detector presents conversion losses and obviously a high noise figure. Derived from the classic Gilbert cell mixer the demodulator presents a conversion gain of 9.7dB, a Noise Figure of 10dB for an input signal as low as -28dBm. This high sensitivity allows applications as chip to chip communications with high data rate. A data rate of 10Gbps has been measured without significant degradation with an efficiency of 2.1pJ/bit.