Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Implementation of SU-MIMO and MU-MIMOGTD-System under Imperfect CSI Knowledge

We study the performance of compressed beamforming weights feedback technique in generalized triangular decomposition (GTD) based MIMO system. GTD is a beamforming technique that enjoys QoS flexibility. The technique, however, will perform at its optimum only when the full knowledge of channel state information (CSI) is available at the transmitter. This would be impossible in the real system, where there are channel estimation error and limited feedback. We suggest a way to implement the quantized beamforming weights feedback, which can significantly reduce the feedback data, on GTD-based MIMO system and investigate the performance of the system. Interestingly, we found that compressed beamforming weights feedback does not degrade the BER performance of the system at low input power, while the channel estimation error and quantization do. For comparison, GTD is more sensitive to compression and quantization, while SVD is more sensitive to the channel estimation error. We also explore the performance of GTDbased MU-MIMO system, and find that the BER performance starts to degrade largely at around -20 dB channel estimation error. Keywords—MIMO, MU-MIMO, GTD, Imperfect CSI.
Scaling Theory of Mind Development in Indigenous- and Anglo-Australian Toddlers and Older Children

We examined the growth of a theory of mind (ToM) in Indigenous Australian children who spoke Aboriginal English as their first language. We also pioneered the suitability of a five-step developmental scale of ToM understanding for 2-year-old toddlers from Indigenous- and Anglo-Australian cultural backgrounds. A total of 97 children aged 2 to 5 years took (a) a battery of false belief (FB) tests, (b) a developmental ToM Scale, and (c) a standard language ability test. Results showed that, contrary to earlier findings for Piagetian tasks, the Indigenous Australian children were not delayed in ToM understanding. Instead, at age 2, Indigenous toddlers significantly outperformed their Anglo peers and throughout the preschool years they scored just as highly on FB and all ToM Scale steps as Anglo-Australians their age, notwithstanding their statistically significant delays behind Anglo-Australians in standard English language skill (the language of testing). We also found, for the first time, that the five-step ToM Scale was both suitable for, and sensitive to individual differences in, children as young as age 2. These findings add to a growing body of research highlighting the importance of early family and cultural experiences for the growth of social cognition.
The work-related well-being of male and female Ph.D. students: how important is the mentoring style of their supervisor?

The number of Ph.D.’s produced annually in Flanders has increased sharply over the past twenty year. While in the academic year 1995-1996 598 Ph.D.’s graduated, by 2009-2010 this number had more than doubled to 1385 (Flemish Ministry for Education and Training, various years). This was made possible only by an enormous investment by the government to provide the necessary funding for a rapidly increasing number of doctoral students. Nevertheless, many Ph.D. students never complete their doctorate or only do so after a long time. Of the cohort that started as junior researchers at a Flemish university in 2000-2001 only 50.5% obtained their Ph.D. within eight years, which was already a substantial improvement over the cohort starting in 1990-1991, of which only 36.5% did so (Groenvynck et al,. 2011, 62).
Orthosteric and Allosteric Modes of Interaction of Novel Selective Agonists of the M1 Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor

Recent years have witnessed the discovery of novel selective agonists of the M1 muscarinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptor (mAChR). One mechanism invoked to account for the selectivity of such agents is that they interact with allosteric sites. We investigated the molecular pharmacology of two such agonists, 1-[3-(4-butyl-1-piperidinyl)propyl]-3,4-dihydro-2(1H)-quinolinone (77-LH-28-1) and 4-n-butyl-1-[4-(2-methylphenyl)-4-oxo-1-butyl] piperidine hydrogen chloride (AC-42), at the wild-type M1 mAChR and three mutant M1 mAChRs. Both agonists inhibited the binding of the orthosteric antagonist [3H]N-methyl scopolamine ([3H]NMS) in a manner consistent with orthosteric competition or high negative cooperativity. Functional interaction studies between 77-LH-28-1 and ACh also indicated a competitive mechanism. Dissociation kinetics assays revealed that the agonists could bind allosterically when the orthosteric site was prelabeled with [3H]NMS and that 77-LH-28-1 competed with the prototypical allosteric modulator heptane-1,7-bis-[dimethyl-3′-phthalimidopropyl]-ammonium bromide under these conditions. Mutation of the key orthosteric site residues Y381A (transmembrane helix 6) and W101A (transmembrane helix 3) reduced the affinity of prototypical orthosteric agonists but increased the affinity of the novel agonists. Divergent effects were also noted on agonist signaling efficacies at these mutants. We identified a novel mutation, F77I (transmembrane helix 2), which selectively reduced the efficacy of the novel agonists in mediating intracellular Ca2+ elevation and phosphorylation of extracellular signal regulated kinase 1/2. Molecular modeling suggested a possible “bitopic” binding mode, whereby the agonists extend down into the orthosteric site as well as up toward extracellular receptor regions associated with an allosteric site. It is possible that this bitopic mode may explain the pharmacology of other selective mAChR agonists.
The Gatekeepers of Contact

As gatekeepers, caregivers play a pivotal role in the facilitation of parental prison contact, and some caregivers may be more likely to take children to visit than others. To advance prior work, I used data collected from structured interviews with prisoners in Arizona to test two hypotheses. Specifically, I expected that children with grandmothers (n = 684) and children with mothers (n = 300) would be more likely to visit mothers and fathers in prison relative to other child–caregiver dyads. Logistic regression analyses confirmed these hypotheses in both maternal and paternal models, independent of controls. Child situational factors, prisoner characteristics, stressors, and institutional barriers also predicted visits; although effects differed depending upon which parent was in prison. By providing insight into the maintenance of family ties during confinement, this study informs research and policy with respect to prison contact and reentry.
Metabolic Bone Disease in Children with Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome

Children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS) may be at risk for metabolic bone disease (MBD) because of biochemical derangements caused by the renal disease, as well as the corticosteroid effects on bone. We studied 70 children with INS for clinical, biochemical, and radiological evidence of MBD. These patients were divided into two groups: 55 frequent relapsers (FR; group I), and 15 infrequent relapsers (IFR; group II). Thirty healthy children matched for age and sex constituted the control group. Bone mineral density (BMD) of these children was evaluated by the Achilles Express Quantitative Ultrasound (QUS) device. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to analyze factors predictive of low BMD Tscore. We observed that nephrotic children had significantly lower mean BMD Tscores compared with controls (-1.99 ± 0.74 versus -0.39 ± 0.87; P = <0.0001). Also, children in group I were found to have significantly lower mean BMD Tscores compared with group II (-2.1± 0.67 versus -1.31± 0.64; P = <0.0001). We also observed that 32.7% of group I had osteoporosis compared to none of group II (P= 0.01). Significantly higher doses of steroids over longer duration of therapy were administered to group I compared with group II (P = < 0.0001 and 0.0004 respectively). On multivariate analysis, the only factor found to be predictive of a low BMD T-score was greater cumulative steroid dose (P= 0.02). We concluded that children with INS are at risk for MBD, especially those receiving higher doses of steroids. Regular BMD evaluation and appropriate therapeutic interventions are recommended for these children. The role of prophylactic therapy in such patients needs to be further investigated. [Naglaa F. Boraey, Ahmad Addosooki, Mohammad A. Mohammad; Marwa M. El-Sonbaty, Safinaz E. El-Toukhy. Metabolic Bone Disease in Children with Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome. Life Sci J 2012; 9(4):275-280]. (ISSN: 1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite. com. 40
Knowing too little or too much: the effects of familiarity with a co-performer's part on interpersonal coordination in musical ensembles

Expert ensemble musicians produce exquisitely coordinated sounds, but rehearsal is typically required to do so. Ensemble coordination may thus be influenced by the degree to which individuals are familiar with each other's parts. Such familiarity may affect the ability to predict and synchronize with co-performers' actions. Internal models related to action simulation and anticipatory musical imagery may be affected by knowledge of (1) the musical structure of a co-performer's part (e.g., in terms of its rhythm and phrase structure) and/or (2) the co-performer's idiosyncratic playing style (e.g., expressive micro-timing variations). The current study investigated the effects of familiarity on interpersonal coordination in piano duos. Skilled pianists were required to play several duets with different partners. One condition included duets for which co-performers had previously practiced both parts, while another condition included duets for which each performer had practiced only their own part. Each piece was recorded six times without joint rehearsal or visual contact to examine the effects of increasing familiarity. Interpersonal coordination was quantified by measuring asynchronies between pianists' keystroke timing and the correlation of their body (head and torso) movements, which were recorded with a motion capture system. The results suggest that familiarity with a co-performer's part, in the absence of familiarity with their playing style, engenders predictions about micro-timing variations that are based instead upon one's own playing style, leading to a mismatch between predictions and actual events at short timescales. Predictions at longer timescales—that is, those related to musical measures and phrases, and reflected in head movements and body sway—are, however, facilitated by familiarity with the structure of a co-performer's part. These findings point to a dissociation between interpersonal coordination at the level of keystrokes and body movements.
On Scheduling Atomic and Composite Continuous Media Objects

In multiuser multimedia information systems (e.g., movie-on-demand, digital-editing), scheduling the retrievals of continuous media objects becomes a challenging task. This is because of both intra and inter lobject time dependencies. Intraobject time dependency refers to the real-time display requirement of a continuous media object. Interobject time dependency is the temporal relationships defined among multiple continuous media objects. In order to compose tailored multimedia presentations, a user might define complex time dependencies among multiple continuous media objects with various lengths and display bandwidths. Scheduling the retrieval tasks corresponding to the components of such a presentation in order to respect both inter and intra task time dependencies is the focus of this study. To tackle this task scheduling problem (CRS), we start with a simpler scheduling problem (ARS) where there is no inter task time dependency (e.g., movie-on-demand). Next, we investigate an augmented version of ARS (termed ARS/sup +/) where requests reserve displays in advance (e.g., reservation-based movie-on-demand). Finally, we extend our techniques proposed for ARS and ARS/sup +/ to address the CRS problem. We also provide formal definition of these scheduling problems and proof of their NP-hardness.
Exploring Mosston’s Spectrum of Teaching Styles usage and perception among student teachers of Sultan Idris Education University

This study aimed to explore sports science student teacher’s (n =100), usage and perceptions of Mosston’s Spectrum of Teaching Styles. The study adopted a qualitative approach of document analyses to investigate the predominant styles used by the student teachers during their teaching practical session in schools. This research, too employed a survey to explore their perceptions about the different teaching styles. The finding revealed 46% student teachers’ lesson predominantly used style B (practice style), followed by 38% style A (command style) especially in teaching fitness topics in their practical teaching session. Findings indicated there were significant differences in perception of using 11 different teaching styles where F(10,1089) = 13.67, p 0.05. In conclusion, more effort had to be done in Malaysia to develop more holistic pedagogical styles
Fluoxetine and olanzapine combination therapy in treatment-resistant major depression: review of efficacy and safety data

Background: There has been growing evidence supporting the use of atypical antipsychotic drugs as adjunctive treatments in patients with major depression who fail to respond adequately to antidepressants. Objective: To review the efficacy and safety data for one such combination, fluoxetine (FLX) + olanzapine (OLZ) in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Methods: We reviewed published randomized, controlled acute-phase studies, as well as available long-term clinical studies. Results/conclusions: In each acute-phase study (n = 5), FLX/OLZ group experienced rapid antidepressant effects and, in two of these studies, resulted in significantly greater improvement at study end point compared with antidepressant monotherapy. These effects were strongest when TRD was defined as having failed at least two antidepressant trials during the current depressive episode. FLX + OLZ was generally well tolerated; however, increases in body weight and prolactin levels with FLX + OLZ were greater than that of antidepressant monotherapy groups and were similar to OLZ monotherapy. However, changes in random total cholesterol were also greatest for FLX + OLZ and were greater in magnitude than that of OLZ or FLX monotherapy. Long-term effectiveness/safety data are sparse, and comparison trials and sequential treatment studies involving FLX + OLZ and other antidepressant-atypical antipsychotic combinations are lacking. Thus, the exact place of FLX + OLZ among other available options for TRD is difficult to determine.
Testing the principles of Mendelian randomization: Opportunities and complications on a genomewide scale

Background Mendelian randomization (MR) uses genetic variants as instrumental variables to assess whether observational associations between exposures and disease reflect causal relationships. MR requires genetic variants to be independent of factors that confound observational associations. Methods Using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, associations within and between 121 phenotypes and 13,720 genetic variants (from the NHGRI-EBI GWAS catalog) were examined to assess the validity of MR assumptions. Results Amongst 7,260 pairwise comparisons between the 121 phenotypes, 2,188 (30%) provided evidence of association, where 363 were expected at the 5% level (observed:expected ratio=6.03; 95% CI: 5.42, 6.70; χ2=9682.29; d.f. =1, P≤1x10-50). Amongst 1,660,120 pairwise associations between phenotypes and genotypes, 86,748 (5.2%) gave evidence of association at the same threshold, where 83,006 were expected (observed:expected ratio=1.05; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.05; χ2=117.57; d.f. =1, P=2.15x10-27). Amongst 1,171,764 pairwise associations between the phenotypes and LD pruned independent genetic variants, 60,136 (5.1%) gave evidence of association, where 58,588 were expected (observed:expected ratio=1.03; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.08; χ2= 43.05; d.f. = 1, P=5.33x10-11). Conclusion These results confirm previously observed patterns of phenotypic correlation. They also provide evidence of a substantially lower level of association between genetic variants and phenotypes, with residual inflation the likely product of indistinguishable real genetic association, multiple variables measuring the same biological phenomena, or pleiotropy. These results reflect the favorable properties of genetic instruments for estimating causal relationships, but confirm the need for functional information or analytical methods to account for pleiotropic events.
The impact of elderly care competence and quality improvement programme in four Swedish municipalities

During a number of years Swedish municipalities have work with improvment of competence and long-term quality in elderly care. The overall aim of the present study was to compare different learning activities (workplace improvement and/or courses), and to relate these activities to learning climate, learning strategies, and perception of care quality. In addition, the effect of organisational changes was tested. Four Swedish municipalities were selected and 219 nursing assistants filled in a questionnaire (response rate, 58%). Documentation of the learning activities was collected. A two-way multivariate analysis of variance was computed to answer the research questions. The results showed that there was a main effect for learning activities and organisational change on learning climate and learning strategies, but not on the perception of care quality. A combination of courses and workplace improvement practices yielded better results compared with only one of these activities, and organisational changes had a negative effect. The results suggest that the workplace should not only be regarded as an area for non-formal training but should also be included as a part of a training programme. Organisational changes should be avoided during the programme, otherwise the expected effects of the time and effort invested may be wasted.
Planning quasi-static motions for re-configuring objects with a multi-fingered robotic hand

We address the global motion planning aspects of dextrous manipulation by a multifingered robotic hand. The specific task we address is: starting from a given initial grasp of a 3D object O, find feasible quasi-static trajectories (rolling/sliding motions and forces) for the fingertips to move O to a desired final configuration. We call this the re-configuration problem. Our planner is based on a two-level algorithm combining a graph search on the configuration space of the object and a local planner that solves for instantaneous quasi-static motions of the entire manipulation system. The planner is used for several complex re-configuration tasks-for polyhedral and smooth objects. These experiments show the practicality of our approach.
Behavioural correlates of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system induced in laboratory rodents to mimic human demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). This thesis applies EAE to studies in behavioural neuroscience by first establishing a literature review of physical and behavioural deficits in various EAE rodent models. Experiment 1 focuses on developing a comprehensive behavioural profile of EAE using a monophasic model of disease in Lewis (LEW) rats immunized with myelin basic protein (MBP). In this experiment, three commonly used EAE assessment scales were compared to determine which scale was the most sensitive to EAE changes. In addition physical and behavioural tasks were used to establish a temporal profile of skilled walking, anxiety, fatigue, and allodynia in EAE rats. In Experiment 2, the influence of chronic stress on the clinical disease course of monophasic MBP-EAE in LEW rats was investigated. Additionally, a longitudinal profile of physical and behavioural symptoms of EAE influenced by chronic stress was established. Furthermore, Experiments 2 and 3 utilized the expression of immune markers, epigenetic changes, and trace element analysis to develop an understanding of the mechanisms behind EAE and the role of chronic stress in this disease. The discussion section of this thesis closes with a summary on the use of LEW rats in these experiments. In addition, a protocol on the methods and troubleshooting of EAE immunizations is presented.
Is duloxetine effective treatment for depression with atypical features?

Depression with atypical features responds preferentially to monoamine oxidase inhibitors relative to tricyclic antidepressants. The efficacies of newer agents have been little studied in this group, although fluoxetine was more effective than placebo. Studies with newer agents seem indicated. Twenty outpatients having major depression with atypical features were treated for 8 weeks with up to 120 mg/day of duloxetine. Fifty percent responded (>50% decrease in 24-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression) and 35% remitted (final 24-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression ≤7). The small sample size results in wide confidence intervals and lack of a placebo control group limits inferences of efficacy. Response and remission rates for depressed patients with atypical depression were similar to those reported for depressed patients in general. Placebo-controlled studies are required to definitively demonstrate whether these pilot results represent the efficacy of duloxetine in treating atypical depression.
Toward understanding the structure and interactions of microtubules and motor proteins

To obtain an overall three‐dimensional picture of the interaction between microtubules and the motor proteins of the kinesin family it will be necessary to take account of both atomic resolution structures obtained by X‐ray crystallography and medium resolution reconstructions obtained by electron cryomicroscopy. We examine the problems associated with obtaining the required structural information from electron micrographs of vitreous ice‐embedded microtubules decorated with motor domains. We find that the minus‐end directed motor, ncd, decorates microtubules with an 80 Å periodicity as for kinesin. Our theoretical analysis and experiments with ncd illustrate the difficulty in determining unambiguously the surface lattice organization by diffraction analysis of micrographs. 3D reconstructions of decorated microtubules are required to accurately locate the motor domains. Helical diffraction theory is not usually applicable because microtubules are cylindrical structures that rarely have complete helical symmetry. We propose using a back‐projection method based on the long pitch helices formed by individual protofilaments. Model reconstructions show that this approach is feasible. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Multimodal interfaces: Challenges and perspectives

The development of interfaces has been a technology-driven process. However, the newly developed multimodal interfaces are using recognition-based technologies that must interpret human-speech, gesture, gaze, movement patterns, and other behavioral cues. As a result, the interface design requires a human-centered approach. In this paper we review the major approaches to multimodal Human Computer Interaction, giving an overview of the user and task modeling, and of the multimodal fusion. We highlight the challenges, open issues, and the future trends in multimodal interfaces research.