Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reconfigurability to antenna correlation: System level performance enhancements in HSDPA

The system level performance of an HSDPA MIMO network, which combats the effects of antenna correlation by applying novel reconfigurable techniques, is investigated. The impact of antenna correlation on adaptive array techniques has been thoroughly investigated and it has been shown that fading correlations reduce MIMO channel capacity and system performance. Nevertheless, considerable capacity and performance gains can be obtained by transmission on the eigen-modes of the transmit antenna correlation matrix. Reconfigurability to antenna correlation is achieved at the link level by applying a linear precoding scheme at the transmitter space-time block encoder, which is based on the well known Alamouti scheme. The linear precoder is determined so as to minimise a given criterion, such as an upper bound on the pairwise error probability (PEP) of a codeword. An appropriate link to system interface has been developed, taking into account the linear precoding technique. The system level performance metrics of interest are the average system and user throughput as well as the satisfied users. Simulation results are presented in order to demonstrate the performance enhancements achieved by the application of reconfigurable techniques compared to the conventional ones.
A hybrid recognition and recall based approach in graphical passwords

Graphical password authentication was developed based on the premise that humans are better at recognizing visual data than text-based information. Most recognition-based graphical password algorithms (e.g. Passface) possess adequate usability features but are prone to password guessing and shoulder surfing attacks. The recall-based algorithms on the other hand contain fewer number of usability features but provide a set of strong security features for authentication. The proposed algorithm developed in this research integrates the usability attributes of the Passface recognition based and security features of a recognition-based (i.e. WIW (Man et al. 2003)) and Passpoint recall-based algorithms to overcome the drawbacks of existing designs. The security of the proposed algorithm was evaluated by carrying out shoulder-surfing and password guessing attacks. Usability features such as simplicity to learn, memorize and remember the password were evaluated by measuring the number of forgotten, mistyped passwords and login time for each individual user. A questionnaire was also designed and distributed to test subjects to gather feedback on several usability aspects of the proposed algorithm. The results of the security test and survey illustrate that the proposed algorithm has strong security measures against shoulder surfing and password guessing.
Discrete Choice Methods with Simulation

Discrete Choice Methods with Simulation by Kenneth Train has been available in the second edition since 2009. The book is published by Cambridge University Press and is also available for download on the author’s homepage for private use. The second edition corrects some errors and contains two additional chapters, one on endogenous regressors and one on the expectation–maximization (EM) algorithm. As the title suggests, the book has two main topics. One concerns models of discrete (multinomial) choices that deal with the decision between a finite set of mutually exclusive alternatives such as the choice between brands of consumer goods, travel modes, or college majors. These models are important for fields such as marketing, transportation, environmental economics, education, labor, and industrial organization. The second major subject of the book is a simulation-based estimation with a focus on maximum simulated likelihood. These two topics are very compatible since multinomial choice models quite naturally lead to likelihood functions and other objective functions that are analytically infeasible to evaluate, requiring approximation methods such as a Monte Carlo simulation. As a consequence, much of the methodological work on simulation-based estimation was inspired by discrete choice models and much of the more recent empirical work studying discrete choices uses simulation-based estimation.
High-rate direct-sequence spread spectrum with error-control coding

High-rate direct-sequence spread spectrum is a modulation technique in which most or all of the spreading is provided by nonbinary data modulation. For applications to mobile ad hoc wireless networks, the limited processing gain of high-rate direct-sequence spread spectrum gives only modest protection against multiple access or multipath interference, which limits the applicability of the modulation technique to fairly benign channels. In this paper, we explore the increased interference-rejection capability that can be obtained from convolutional coding with Viterbi decoding, Reed-Solomon coding with errors-and-erasures decoding, and block product coding with iterative decoding. For channels with multiple access or multipath interference, performance results are given for several soft-decision decoding metrics, the benefits of adaptive-rate coding are illustrated, and the accuracy and utility of the Gaussian approximation are described. We also show how to use the bit-error probability for a system without error-control coding to determine which modulation method will give the best packet-error probability in a system with error-control coding
Aptamer‐aptamer linkage based aptasensor for highly enhanced detection of small molecules

The multi‐target colorimetric aptasensors can be easily fabricated by using two different aptamer sequences. However, there have been no research reports about improvement or enhancing of colorimetric signals based on the aggregation properties of AuNPs. Herein, we report a simple and efficient method to control and enhance the function of the multi‐target aptasensor using an aptamer‐aptamer linkage method. The aptasensor was developed for highly sensitive multiple‐target detection of small molecules. The extension of aptamer DNA sequences using this method resulted in the enhanced analytical sensitivity of this aptasensor in sensing applications for two small molecule targets. Furthermore, the mechanism of the interaction between DNA aptamer and AuNPs was studied by measuring the zeta potential to explain the enhancement of the sensitivity of this multi‐target aptasensor. The limit of detection of this multi‐target aptasensor was found to be 1 nM and 37 nM for kanamycin (KAN) and chlortetracycline (CHLOR), respectively. It is 25‐fold lower than in the previous report using an AuNP‐based sensor for defining the limit of detection (LOD) of KAN and five times lower than the LOD for CHLOR. This aptasensor has great potential in the simultaneous detection of a wide range of KAN and CHLOR concentrations.
Relation of interleukin-10 Promoter Polymorphisms to Adult Chronic Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura in a Cohort of Egyptian Population

Background: Adult chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (chronic ITP) is an autoimmune multifactorial bleeding disorder that occurs because of enhanced peripheral platelet destruction. Treatment decisions can be challenging because the goal of treatment is to prevent severe bleeding, but the risk of bleeding can be difficult to estimate for any individual patient. Objective: This case–control study was planned to investigate the relationship of interleukin (IL)-10 promoter (IL-10-1082, -819 and -592) polymorphisms with the susceptibility, severity and outcome of adult chronic ITP in a cohort of Egyptian population. Subjects and Methods: Typing of IL-10 promoter polymorphisms was done using restriction fragment length polymorphism for 62 adult patients with chronic ITP and 73 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Results: No significant differences were found between ITP patients and controls regarding the frequency of IL-10 promoter genotypes, alleles or haplotypes. IL-10-592 AA genotype and ATA (IL-10-1082, -819 and -592) haplotype were associated with severe ITP (p = 0.003, 0.043, respectively). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the IL-10 promoter polymorphisms are unlikely to affect the development or treatment outcome of chronic adult ITP in Egyptian population, but IL-10-592 AA genotype and IL-10 (-1082, -819 and -592) ATA haplotype may be associated with disease severity. Because ITP is a complex disease, it is recommended that a multicenter study should be done with large sample size and unified typing technique.
A Residential House Comparative Case Study Using Market Available Smart Plugs and EnAPlugs with Shared Knowledge

Smart home devices currently available on the market can be used for remote monitoring and control. Energy management systems can take advantage of this and deploy solutions that can be implemented in our homes. One of the big enablers is smart plugs that allow the control of electrical resources while providing a retrofitting solution, hence avoiding the need for replacing the electrical devices. However, current so-called smart plugs lack the ability to understand the environment they are in, or the electrical appliance/resource they are controlling. This paper applies environment awareness smart plugs (EnAPlugs) able to provide enough data for energy management systems or act on its own, via a multi-agent approach. A case study is presented, which shows the application of the proposed approach in a house where 17 EnAPlugs are deployed. Results show the ability to shared knowledge and perform individual resource optimizations. This paper evidences that by integrating artificial intelligence on devices, energy advantages can be observed and used in favor of users, providing comfort and savings.
A Comparative Study of the Effects of Institutional Arrangements in Municipal Solid Waste Services in Korea

Abstract In Korea, local governments are primarily responsible for providing municipal solid waste services to citizens. This paper examines the effects of different institutional arrangements and characteristics on cost savings, efficiency gains and productivity in the delivery of municipal solid waste services to citizens. In order to carry out this research, a hybrid cost function approach was employed, and cross-sectional time-series data from local governments of Korea covering a ten-year period (2000–2009) were used for empirical analysis. Empirical findings indicated that there were no effects of contracting-out on cost savings, efficiency and productivity gains in Korea. Specifically, the solid waste service costs were not significantly lower under contracting-out than under direct public delivery. In addition, contrary to the arguments of the proponents of privatization or contracting-out, efficiency and productivity gains were actually higher under direct public delivery than when contracted out.
Preeclampsia and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) I/D and angiotensin II type-1 receptor (AT1R) A1166C polymorphisms: association with ACE I/D polymorphism

Background: The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/deletion (I/D) and angiotensin II type-1 receptor (AT1R) A1166C polymorphisms with the risk of preeclampsia and lipid peroxidation in preeclamptic women from Western Iran. Methods: One hundred and ninety-eight preeclamptic women (128 women with mild and 70 with severe forms) and 100 age- and parity-matched controls were enrolled in this case-control study. Results: The presence of D allele of ACE was associated with a 1.8-fold increased risk of preeclampsia (p=0.002) in total preeclamptic patients. The frequency of AT1R AC+CC genotypes was higher in mild preeclamptic women (32%) compared to controls (27.2%) (p>0.05). In mild preeclamptic women with ID genotype, the level of total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was significantly decreased compared to those with II genotype. Also, there was a trend toward increasing malondialdehyde (MDA) and decreasing TAC levels in mild and severe preeclamptic women with AT1R AA through CC genotypes. Conclusions: Our study indicates that lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress are involved in the development of preeclampsia that might be influenced by polymorphism in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system genes.
A Functional Resonance Analysis Method Driven Resilience Quantification for Socio-Technical Systems

Due to the continuous increment in complexity of the socio-technical systems, decision makers call for new methods which are able to support timely as well as accurate decision-making related to resilience management. The current methods tend to be polarized on: efficiency-thoroughness forcing decision makers in making decisions on the base of resource availability instead of the problem to be solved. This paper presents a new fast-forward, cost-effective, and thorough enough framework to quantify resilience of a complex socio-technical system. The approach extends the functional resonance analysis method (FRAM) with a numerical method for the quantification of the analysis (Q-FRAM). In particular, it has been extended and operationalized the qualitative concepts of functional variability and dumping capacities into a method in which key performance indicators are derived from the model and aggregated into four indicators representing the FRAM resilience cornerstones (anticipate, respond, monitor, learn) through a bottom-up hierarchical approach. Finally, the four indicators are composed in a unique system resilience index that expresses the total variability present in the system at instant t. A numerical example of the use of the framework is provided together with a validation based on a comparison of the proposed approach with the current landscape.
Augmentation of Alveolar Bone and Dental Implant Osseointegration: Clinical Implications of Studies with rhBMP-2 A Comprehensive Review

Background: The surgical placement of dental implants is governed primarily by the prosthetic design and secondarily by the morphology and quality of the alveolar bone. Implant placement may be difficult, if at all possible, due to alveolar ridge aberrations. In consequence, prosthetically dictated dental implant positioning often entails augmentation of the alveolar ridge and adjacent structures. The objective of this review is to discuss recent observations of the biologic potential, the clinical relevance, and the perspectives of the application of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) technology for alveolar bone augmentation and dental implant fixation. Methods: Our studies use discriminating, critical-size, supraalveolar defects in dogs to evaluate the biologic potential of the rhBMP-2 technology. We also use clinical modeling, including peri-implantitis and alveolar ridge defects and the maxillary sinus in preparation for clinical indications, in dogs and inhuman primates. Results: The results suggest that rhBMP-2 has substantial potential to augment alveolar bone and support dental implant fixation and functional loading. Conclusion and Clinical Relevance: Inclusion of rhBMP-2 for alveolar bone augmentation and dental implant fixation will not only enhance the predictability of the existing clinical protocol but will also allow new approaches to these procedures.
Identifying the critical success factors in the coverage of low vision services using the classification analysis and regression tree methodology.

PURPOSE To identify the critical success factors (CSF) associated with coverage of low vision services. METHODS Data were collected from a survey distributed to Vision 2020 contacts, government, and non-government organizations (NGOs) in 195 countries. The Classification and Regression Tree Analysis (CART) was used to identify the critical success factors of low vision service coverage. Independent variables were sourced from the survey: policies, epidemiology, provision of services, equipment and infrastructure, barriers to services, human resources, and monitoring and evaluation. Socioeconomic and demographic independent variables: health expenditure, population statistics, development status, and human resources in general, were sourced from the World Health Organization (WHO), World Bank, and the United Nations (UN). RESULTS The findings identified that having >50% of children obtaining devices when prescribed (χ(2) = 44; P < 0.000), multidisciplinary care (χ(2) = 14.54; P = 0.002), >3 rehabilitation workers per 10 million of population (χ(2) = 4.50; P = 0.034), higher percentage of population urbanized (χ(2) = 14.54; P = 0.002), a level of private investment (χ(2) = 14.55; P = 0.015), and being fully funded by government (χ(2) = 6.02; P = 0.014), are critical success factors associated with coverage of low vision services. CONCLUSIONS This study identified the most important predictors for countries with better low vision coverage. The CART is a useful and suitable methodology in survey research and is a novel way to simplify a complex global public health issue in eye care.
Development of Peptide Antagonists That Target Estrogen Receptor β-Coactivator Interactions

The biological actions of estrogen are manifest through two genetically distinct estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ) that display nonidentical expression patterns in target tissues. The phenotypic alterations in response to estrogens in mice disrupted for either or both of these receptors are not identical, suggesting that each subtype plays a unique role in ER-action. However, the lack of subtype-specific agonists and antagonists has made it difficult to define the processes that are regulated by ERα and/or ERβ. Previously, we have reported the identification and characterization of a series of LXXLL-containing peptide antagonists that block estrogen signaling by preventing the association of ERα with required coactivators. As expected, given the similarity of the coactivator binding pockets among nuclear receptors, most of the peptide antagonists identified inhibited the activity of multiple receptors. However, by altering sequences flanking the core LXXLL motif, some receptor selectivity was afforded. Bui.
Security Survey Information Sharing: Emotional intelligence and Privacy Sensitivity

Although information security is a vital part of organizations, there are many individuals that refuse to provide feedback or disclose information to organizations by participating in improvement and knowledge gathering efforts such as surveys. [1] conducted research which indicated that emotions had a significant effect on an individual’s decision to disclose information. This research seeks to extend this research finding by asking the following questions. Do emotions and emotional intelligence (EQ) and privacy sensitivity regarding information security have an effect on willingness to share information? Why is it so difficult to get others to participate in security surveys when the surveys can be used to help improve security processes? Protection of valuable information has become of increasing interest to organizations as they struggle to compete with others. Organizations are becoming more aware of the growing need for continuous feedback, monitoring and change regarding information security systems to combat the constant, new and growing security threats that exist. This research proposes a conceptual model to help in examining factors relating to emotional intelligence, sensitivity to privacy concerns, social norms and expectancy that may be associated with individuals and their unwillingness to participate in providing feedback about security systems
Building professional learning community in a rural school district: An evaluative inquiry

This inquiry explored the implementation of the professional learning communities (PLC) model using a utilization-focused (Patton, 1997) inquiry approach in order to provide feedback to enhance the development of the PLC model in five schools in one district in rural Missouri to increase the probability that the PLC model will result in improved student achievement. Experts identified in current literature have concluded that schools demonstrating high achievement exhibit the characteristics of PLC. This inquiry explored the development of the core principles of a PLC including the identification of facilitators and barriers to the process. As a result of a district-wide initiative in a rural school district, a high school, middle school and three elementary buildings implemented the PLC reform process with assistance from a regional consultant. Leadership Teams were trained in the PLC process and led the implementation process at each building. In conjunction with the PLC implementation, the district also began a district-wide late start initiative to provide time for teacher collaboration. Qualitative data was collected through focus groups, interviews and document review regarding the PLC implementation and the current operations in the school. Data from each school is shared separately followed by an analysis of common themes across schools, thus highlighting the similarities and differences in the implementation of PLCs in the various school contexts within the same school district. Data analysis revealed three common themes across the buildings including concepts of collaboration, time as a resource and the function of leadership. Identification of motivating factors as well as barriers to the implementation of a PLC is examined. An indepth look at the implementation of the PLC process is explored at each building including providing a brief background on the school setting and student achievement results. The findings of this evaluative inquiry demonstrated the concept that even with the same technical assistance, implementing a PLC process is context specific. The three elementary buildings had greater success in the development of the core PLC principles although they were not without conflict. The middle school had the lowest level of implementation followed by the high school. The data demonstrated that the Leadership Teams had a greater understanding of PLC in these buildings but the collaborative culture that signifies a PLC has not yet emerged except in pockets.
Expression of the Surface Glycoproteins of Human Parainfluenza Virus Type 3 by Bovine Parainfluenza Virus Type 3, a Novel Attenuated Virus Vaccine Vector

ABSTRACT Bovine parainfluenza virus type 3 (bPIV3) is being evaluated as an intranasal vaccine for protection against human PIV3 (hPIV3). In young infants, the bPIV3 vaccine appears to be infectious, attenuated, immunogenic, and genetically stable, which are desirable characteristics for an RNA virus vector. To test the potential of the bPIV3 vaccine strain as a vector, an infectious DNA clone of bPIV3 was assembled and recombinant bPIV3 (r-bPIV3) was rescued. r-bPIV3 displayed a temperature-sensitive phenotype for growth in tissue culture at 39°C and was attenuated in the lungs of Syrian golden hamsters. In order to test whether r-bPIV3 could serve as a vector, the fusion and hemagglutinin-neuraminidase genes of bPIV3 were replaced with those of hPIV3. The resulting bovine/human PIV3 was temperature sensitive for growth in Vero cells at 37°C. The replication of bovine/human PIV3 was also restricted in the lungs of hamsters, albeit not as severely as was observed for r-bPIV3. Despite the attenuation phenotypes observed for r-bPIV3 and bovine/human PIV3, both of these viruses protected hamsters completely upon challenge with hPIV3. In summary, bPIV3 was shown to function as a virus vector that may be especially suitable for vaccination of infants and children against PIV3 and other viruses.