Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reduced complexity ML multiuser sequence detection with per-survivor interference cancellation

In order to reduce the complexity of the optimum ML multiuser sequence detector, which grows exponentially with the number of users, we propose suboptimum MLSE algorithms to detect DS/CDMA signals where the likelihood computations are based on reduced-state trellises. Thus, the number of complex arithmetic computations per detected symbol can be significantly reduced. We propose the use of single or multiple trellises. In both cases, tentative decisions based on the surviving paths are used to approximate the desired likelihood function. Simulation results show that the algorithm proposed can achieve significant complexity reduction with marginal performance degradation.
Superabsorbent Polymers and Superabsorbent Polymer Composites

This article briefly describes the general aspects and cross-linking polymerization of superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) and superabsorbent polymer composites (SAPCs). Research and development of SAPs has become very active after the Northern Region Laboratory of the United States Department of Agriculture invented the first SAP, used as a soil conditioner. Based on the advancements in organic/inorganic syntheses, SAPs are produced and used in a wide range of applications for fluid absorption. The rapid growing nanotechnology has led to more explorations of SAPs and SAPCs for applications in biomedical, biotechnology and advanced technologies. Examples of research work of SAPs and SAPCs published in refereed, reviewed articles are introduced.
A Novel Approach to Screen for Cytokine Effects on Neuronal Gene Expression

Abstract: We describe an assay based on reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction to detect the expression of mRNAs for a variety of transmitter synthetic enzymes and neuropeptides present at low levels in primary neuronal cultures. The assay is specific for mRNA‐derived templates and is not affected by the presence of genomic DNA. Using this method, we demonstrate that cholinergic differentiation factor/leukemia inhibitory factor (CDF/LIF) and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) induce mRNAs for choline acetyltransferase, somatostatin, substance P, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, cholecystokinin, and enkephalin. The induction of cholecystokinin and enkephalin by CDF/LIF and CNTF had not been shown previously. These data illustrate that the assay can reproduce findings obtained with other methods, as well as provide the sensitivity necessary to produce new results. These results also extend the overlap of CDF/LIF and CNTF in controlling gene expression in cultured sympathetic neurons, supporting the idea that these cytokines may share receptor subunits and signal transduction pathways.
"Music Therapy Helped Me Get Back Doing": Perspectives of Music Therapy Participants in Mental Health Services.

BACKGROUND Mental health service development internationally is increasingly informed by the collaborative ethos of recovery. Service user evaluation of experiences within music therapy programs allows new phenomena about participation in services to be revealed that might otherwise remain unnoticed. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to demonstrate how asking service users about their experience of music therapy can generate useful information, and to reflect upon the feedback elicited from such processes in order to gain a deeper understanding of how music therapy is received among service users in mental health. METHODS Six mental health service users described their experiences of music therapy in one or two individual interviews. Transcripts of interviews were analyzed using the procedures and techniques of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. RESULTS Interviews with mental health service users provided rich, in-depth accounts reflecting the complex nature of music therapy participation. Super-ordinate themes refer to the context in which music therapy was offered, the rich sound world of music in music therapy, the humanity of music therapy, and the strengths enhancing opportunities experienced by service users. CONCLUSIONS Participants indicated that they each experienced music therapy in unique ways. Opinions about the value of music therapy were revealed through an interview process in which the researcher holds an open attitude, welcoming all narrative contributions respectfully. These findings can remind practitioners of the importance of closely tuning into the perspectives and understandings of those who have valuable expertise to share about their experience of music therapy services in mental health.
On Testing Non-Testable Programs

It is widely accepted that the fundamental limitation of using program testing techniques to determine the correctness of a program is the inability to extrapolate from the correctness of results for a proper subset of the input domain to the program's correctness for all elements of the domain. In particular, for any proper subset of the domain there are infinitely many programs which produce the correct output on those elements, but produce an incorrect output for some other domain element. None the less we routinely test programs to increase our confidence in their correctness, and a great deal of research is currently being devoted to improving the effectiveness of program testing. These efforts fall into three primary categories: (1) the development of a sound theoretical basis for testing; (2) devising and improving testing methodologies, particularly mechanizable ones; (3) the definition of accurate measures of and criteria for test data adequacy. Almost all of the research on software testing therefore focuses on the development and analysis of input data. In particular there is an underlying assumption that once this phase is complete, the remaining tasks are straightforward. These consist of running the program on the selected data, producing output which is then examined to determine the program's correctness on the test data. The mechanism which checks this correctness is known as an oracle, and the belief that the tester is routinely able to determine whether or not the test output is correct is the oracle assumption. ' • 2
A preliminary investigation of the efficacy of oral motor exercises for children with mild articulation disorders

Although oral motor therapy is sometimes used to treat articulation disorders in school-age children, several reports question its efficacy. In this case study, four first-grade students, two boys and two girls, received 15 half-hour sessions of oral motor treatment based on Easy Does it for Articulation: An Oral Motor Approach (Strode and Chamberlain, 1997). Pre- and post-test measures of the children's articulation indicated no real differences in speech production. These results question the efficacy of general and discrete oral motor exercises because they did not enhance the children's speech production.
Missing Data in Confirmatory Clinical Trials

Missing data for key efficacy and safety endpoints in clinical trials have the potential to undermine the scientific integrity of the study and prevent definitive conclusions regarding the safety and efficacy of an experimental product. Much of the missing data is the result of poor protocol design and a lack of agreement in the scientific community regarding the collection of study data after treatment discontinuation instead of an inability to collect the data. Rather than dealing with the fundamental causes of missing data, the statistical community has traditionally attempted to explicitly impute the missing data based upon observed data or more recently through the use of statistical models that implicitly impute the missing data. In this article, the causes for missing data are described and a number of approaches to maintain the integrity of the studies are described.
Variation in symbiont distribution between closely related coral species over large depth ranges

Symbiotic algae in coral species distributed over a large depth range are confronted with major differences in light conditions. We studied the genetic variation of Symbiodinium in the coral genus Madracis over depth (5–40 m) and at two different colony surface positions. Using polymerase chain reaction–denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis ITS2 nuclear ribosomal DNA analyses, we consistently identified three symbiont genotypes with distributions that reveal patterns of host specificity and depth‐based zonation. ITS2 type B7 Symbiodinium is the generalist type, occurring in all zooxanthellate Madracis corals and at all depths. Type B13 is restricted to the shallow water specialist Madracis mirabilis. Type B15 is typical of deep reef environments and replaces B7 in the depth generalist Madracis pharensis. Contrasting with variation over depth, we found strong functional within‐colony uniformity in symbiont diversity. Relating symbiont distributions to measured physical factors (irradiance, light spectral distribution, temperature), suggests depth‐based ecological function and host specificity for Symbiodinium ITS2 types, even among closely related coral species.
Specific Activities of Dolastatin 10 and Peptide Derivatives against Cryptococcus neoformans

ABSTRACT The biosynthetic peptide dolastatin 10 is currently in phase I and II cancer clinical trials. We evaluated the antifungal spectrum of dolastatin 10 and four structural modifications. In broth macrodilution assays, the peptides were fungicidal for American Type Culture Collection strains and clinical isolates (including fluconazole-resistant strains) of Cryptococcus neoformansbut no other yeasts or filamentous fungi examined. Specificity forC. neoformans was also demonstrated in the solid-phase disk diffusion assay, and fungicidal activity was confirmed in time-kill experiments. For a methyl ester modification, the MICs at which 50 and 90% of 19 clinical isolates were inhibited (MIC50 and MIC90, respectively) were 0.195 and 0.39 μg/ml, respectively. The MFC50 (50% minimum fungicidal concentration) for this peptide was 0.39 μg/ml, and the MFC90 was 0.78 μg/ml. MICs and MFCs were identical or lower in the presence of human serum but increased with lowered pH. These peptides should be pursued as potential chemotherapeutics forC. neoformans, a leading cause of infection and mortality in immunocompromised patients.
Molecular Screening of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Among Deficient Children Aged 0-5 Years with Plasmodium falciparum Malaria in Katsina State, Nigeria

G6PD deficiency is one of the most common human enzyme deficiencies in the world. It is particularly common in populations living in malaria-endemic areas. The aim of this study is to molecularly screen G6PD enzyme among deficient children (aged 0-5 years) with Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Katsina State, North-western Nigeria, and a region with no any molecular information on G6PD enzyme. A total of 200 blood samples were collected from children with Plasmodium falciparum malaria attending six selected hospitals located across the three senatorial zones of the state from March 2015 to May 2015. G6PD deficiency was detected qualitatively using G6PD screening test. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) of 7 samples (6 deficient and 1 control) shows the presence of G202A mutation in all the samples. The nucleotides sequence obtained from sequencing reaction of one deficient and one control samples are 97% homologous to other G6PD genes of different strains. This study has indicated a high prevalence of G6PD deficiency among the study population. Based on the results obtained, there is a need for the routine screening of children for G6PD deficiency in our environment and training of paediatricians in order to avoid cases of drug-induced anaemia, particularly in the treatment of malaria.
Risk of asthma and allergic outcomes in the offspring in relation to maternal food consumption during pregnancy: A Finnish birth cohort study

To cite this article: Erkkola M, Nwaru BI, Kaila M, Kronberg‐Kippilä C, Ilonen J, Simell O, Veijola R, Knip M, Virtanen SM. Risk of asthma and allergic outcomes in the offspring in relation to maternal food consumption during pregnancy: A Finnish birth cohort study. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2012: 23: 186–194.
A fourth-order accurate staggered FD-TD scheme for Maxwell equations

A new efficient fourth-order staggered FDTD scheme has been developed and applied to electromagnetic wave problems. It is fourth-order accurate in both space and time, conditionally stable, and highly efficient with respect to Yee's scheme. Moreover, it is very easily implemented and adapted to perfectly matched layers. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the efficiency of the method. The main disadvantage is that the scheme requires additional memory with respect to the Yee scheme. Fortunately, this can be offset by using fewer grid points in the computational domain.
Cognitive avoidance in the strategic processing of ego threats among eating-disordered patients.

BACKGROUND This study of strategic processing examined whether it is possible to demonstrate cognitive avoidance of ego threats in women with eating disorders, using a task that involves less automatic identification of threat cues. METHOD Fifty eating-disordered (anorexic and bulimic) and 50 comparison women completed a task of strategic processing, assessing their speed of solving neutral, food-related, and ego threat-related anagrams. RESULTS Cognitive avoidance of threat-related information was shown, but only among women with bulimic characteristics. The presence of bulimic behaviors (binging and vomiting) was the clearest factor associated with such avoidance. There was no evidence of avoidance of disorder-related (food) cues. DISCUSSION Research and therapeutic implications are discussed, including the potential utility of therapies that directly or indirectly address the schema-level representation of ego threats when working with eating pathology.
Inactivation of Ca2+/H+ Exchanger in Synechocystis sp. Strain PCC 6803 Promotes Cyanobacterial Calcification by Upregulating CO2-Concentrating Mechanisms

ABSTRACT Cyanobacteria are important players in the global carbon cycle, accounting for approximately 25% of global CO2 fixation. Their CO2-concentrating mechanisms (CCMs) are thought to play a key role in cyanobacterial calcification, but the mechanisms are not completely understood. In Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803, a single Ca2+/H+ exchanger (Slr1336) controls the Ca2+/H+ exchange reaction. We knocked out the exchanger and investigated the effects on cyanobacterial calcification and CCMs. Inactivation of slr1336 significantly increased the calcification rate and decreased the zeta potential, indicating a relatively stronger Ca2+-binding ability. Some genes encoding CCM-related components showed increased expression levels, including the cmpA gene, which encodes the Ca2+-dependent HCO3 − transporter BCT1. The transcript level of cmpA in the mutant was 30 times that in wild type. A Western blot analysis further confirmed that protein levels of CmpA were higher in the mutant than the wild type. Measurements of inorganic carbon fluxes and O2 evolution proved that both the net HCO3 − uptake rate and the BCT1 transporter supported photosynthetic rate in the slr1336 mutant were significantly higher than in the wild type. This would cause the mutant cells to liberate more OH− ions out of the cell and stimulate CaCO3 precipitation in the microenvironment. We conclude that the mutation of the Ca2+/H+ exchanger in Synechocystis promoted the cyanobacterial calcification process by upregulating CCMs, especially the BCT1 HCO3 − transporter. These results shed new light on the mechanism by which CCM-facilitated photosynthesis promotes cyanobacterial calcification.
Hardware Accelerated SDR Platform for Adaptive Air Interfaces

The future 5G wireless infrastructure will support any-to-any connectivity between densely deployed smart objects that form the emerging paradigm known as the Internet of Everything (IoE). Compared to traditional wireless networks that enable communication between devices using a single technology, 5G networks will need to support seamless connectivity between heterogeneous wireless objects and IoE networks. To tackle the complexity and versatility of future IoE networks, 5G will need to guarantee optimal usage of both spectrum and energy resources and further support technology-agnostic connectivity between objects. One way to realize this is to combine intelligent network control with adaptive software defined air interfaces. In this paper, a flexible and compact platform is proposed for on-the-fly composition of low-power adaptive air interfaces, based on hardware/software co-processing. Compared to traditional Software Defined Radio (SDR) systems that perform computationally-intensive signal processing algorithms in software, consume significantly power and have a large form factor, the proposed platform uses modern hybrid FPGA technology combined with novel ideas such as RF Network-on-Chip (RFNoC) and partial reconfiguration. The resulting system enables composition of reconfigurable air interfaces based on hardware/software co-processing on a single chip, allowing high processing throughput, at a smaller form factor and reduced power consumption.
Texture modelling by optimal gray scale structuring elements using morphological pattern spectrum

Proposes a texture modelling method based on the pattern spectrum. The pattern spectrum is a mathematical morphological method to describe the size distribution of objects contained in an image. Our method is based on the idea of obtaining a model of the elementary particles that form a texture by optimizing a gray scale structuring element to fit the shape of elementary particles. The optimization method is applied in two stages: the first stage optimizes the extent of the structuring element and the second optimizes the pixel values in the extent.
Corneal Parameters and Difference Between Goldmann Applanation Tonometry and Dynamic Contour Tonometry in Normal Eyes

PurposeTo compare the difference between 2 methods of measuring the intraocular pressure (IOP), namely, Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT) and dynamic contour tonometry (DCT) and to study the relationship with the corneal parameters in patients with no glaucoma signs. MethodsOne hundred and eighteen eyes of 118 healthy subjects from 20 to 77 years of age underwent IOP measurements with DCT and GAT, central corneal thickness, and corneal volume measurements with Pentacam Scheimpflug camera. Pentacam examination has been performed first, then DCT and, after 10 minutes, GAT measurements. ResultsThe measurements with GAT ranged between 11 and 22 mm Hg (m=15.49±2.43 mm Hg), the measurements with DCT ranged between 10.5 and 25.1 mm Hg (m=17.59±2.9 mm Hg). DCT showed a statistically significant (P<0.0001) higher IOP measurement compared with GAT. A relation between differences in IOP with central corneal thickness and corneal volume was found, whereas no relation was found with corneal radius and age. ConclusionsOur results show a discrete correlation between GAT and DCT measurements, but DCT showed slightly higher values of IOP. If DCT should be considered the gold standard, higher values of IOP could still be considered normal. These 2 devices cannot to be used interchangeably.
Epstein-Barr Virus BGLF4 Kinase Downregulates NF-κB Transactivation through Phosphorylation of Coactivator UXT

ABSTRACT Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) BGLF4 is a member of the conserved herpesvirus kinases that regulate multiple cellular and viral substrates and play an important role in the viral lytic cycles. BGLF4 has been found to phosphorylate several cellular and viral transcription factors, modulate their activities, and regulate downstream events. In this study, we identify an NF-κB coactivator, UXT, as a substrate of BGLF4. BGLF4 downregulates not only NF-κB transactivation in reporter assays in response to tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and poly(I·C) stimulation, but also NF-κB-regulated cellular gene expression. Furthermore, BGLF4 attenuates NF-κB-mediated repression of the EBV lytic transactivators, Zta and Rta. In EBV-positive NA cells, knockdown of BGLF4 during lytic progression elevates NF-κB activity and downregulates the activity of the EBV oriLyt BHLF1 promoter, which is the first promoter activated upon lytic switch. We show that BGLF4 phosphorylates UXT at the Thr3 residue. This modification interferes with the interaction between UXT and NF-κB. The data also indicate that BGLF4 reduces the interaction between UXT and NF-κB and attenuates NF-κB enhanceosome activity. Upon infection with short hairpin RNA (shRNA) lentivirus to knock down UXT, a spontaneous lytic cycle was observed in NA cells, suggesting UXT is required for maintenance of EBV latency. Overexpression of wild-type, but not phosphorylation-deficient, UXT enhances the expression of lytic proteins both in control and UXT knockdown cells. Taking the data together, transcription involving UXT may also be important for EBV lytic protein expression, whereas BGLF4-mediated phosphorylation of UXT at Thr3 plays a critical role in promoting the lytic cycle.
A database of elementary human movements collected with RGB-D type camera

This paper describes implementation of gait recognition that consists of two parts - capturing motion and data analysis. It introduces the process of building database of elementary human movements and explains the choice of BVH recording format. Besides filtering, three different methods of data analysis have been applied - Fourier transform, harmonic analysis and integral computing. Finally, it shows a broad spectrum of gait recognition practical application possibilities.
Effects of Listening to Preferential Music on Sex Differences in Endurance Running Performance

Music is a common accompaniment to exercise, but some running environments do not allow for personalized control over the music stimulus. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of listening to preferred versus non-preferred music on sex differences in running performance. The sample consisted of 20 women and 15 men (M = 20.7 yr., SD = 2.3) who reported running at least once per week over the previous year. The participants completed three 12-min. Cooper Tests (i.e., aerobic fitness test) accompanied by preferred, non-preferred, or no music in randomized order. A 2 × 2 repeated-measures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the effect of music preference and sex on endurance running performance while controlling for the distance run with no music. Women ran further in the preferred music condition. However, music selection did not significantly change running performance for men. Listening to preferred instead of non-preferred music had a larger effect on the endurance running performance of women than men.