Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Novel Approach to Design Time-Domain Training Sequence for Accurate Sparse Channel Estimation

Nowadays, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing system plays a more and more important role in telecommunication systems where the training sequence (TS) is usually adopted for synchronization and channel estimation, such as in the digital television/terrestrial multimedia broadcasting system. However, to achieve a channel estimation scheme with both high accuracy and spectrum efficiency is still challenging due to noise interference and delay spread of the propagation channel. In this paper, by applying the compressive sensing (CS) theory into the sparse channel estimation process for time-domain TS, a thorough investigation on the TS design criteria is carried out. Three criteria to optimize the TS design, which are to minimize the hyper-factors for coherence, the cumulative coherence, and the coherence variance, respectively, are proposed to improve the recovery performance. To minimize the corresponding merit factors of the proposed criteria, we first investigate a CS-based inverse discrete Fourier transform pattern of TS with cyclic structure, and then a genetic algorithm is proposed to further lower the merit factors. The simulation results show that by using the proposed optimized TSs, the channel estimation performance outperforms those obtained by either conventional pseudo-random noise sequence or brute force searching sequence in correct recovery probability, mean square error, and bit error rate. Moreover, the proposed criteria II and III have better performance than criterion I, while criterion III has the lowest computational complexity and is the most suitable for application.
The Impact of System-of-Care Participation on School Functioning: Exploring Caregiver and Teacher Perspectives

There is some evidence that systems of care are associated with improved outcomes for the children and youths who participate; however, little research has been conducted on how these approaches affect student functioning in school. In this study, the authors explored the relationship between participation in the Dawn Project system of care and changes in school functioning over time. The authors gathered, analyzed, and compared teacher and caregiver perspectives of changes that occurred in students' school functioning after participating in the Dawn Project for 1 year. Although findings indicated differences in caregiver and teacher perceptions, both groups reported some improvements in school functioning, more so in the area of behavioral functioning than in academic performance. These results help illuminate the degree to which system-of-care involvement affects school functioning and how families and educators can be more fully involved in the collaborative processes inherent in these kinds of cross-system initiatives.
Small-signal analysis of amplitude-, phase-, and polarization-to-intensity conversion in general optical linear systems with application to PMD compensation

A general small-signal model for amplitude-, phase-, and polarization-to-intensity conversion in optical systems affected by chromatic dispersion, polarization-mode dispersion (PMD), and polarization-dependent loss (PDL) is presented, which extends a previous scalar model by Wang and Petermann . The model leads to simple intensity filters, which can be expressed as a linear combination of the components of the Stokes' vector of the signal input state of polarization (ISOP), and facilitates the prediction of the ISOPs, which minimize/maximize the intensity modulation on the output signal. The model is first used to study the output intensity in a first-order PMD-compensated single-channel system with either input amplitude, or phase, or polarization modulation. The small-signal model provides a good prediction of the received intensity up to modulation indexes of about 20%-30%, according to the modulation type. The model is then successfully used in a semianalytical bit-error rate (BER) evaluation method to estimate the system penalty induced by cross-phase modulation (XPM) in a two-channel wavelength-division-multiplexed (WDM) dispersion-managed system with PMD compensation.
A low-power dual-clock strategy for digital circuits of EPC Gen2 RFID tag

Power consumption is critical to the performance of EPC Gen2 RFID tags. System clock frequency of tags should be as low as possible to reduce the power consumption and still conform to the protocol. This paper analyses the impact of different clock strategies on digital circuits of EPC Gen2 tag. An error shift approach is proposed to reduce the backscatter link frequency (BLF) errors. A dual-clock strategy with both 1.28 and 2.56 MHz clocks for the digital circuits is developed. Compared with the 1.92 MHz unitary-clock strategy, the dual-clock strategy offers larger decoding margins and BLF margins, consumes 5.66% to 9.44% less power estimated in CMOS 0. 18μm technologies, and fully conforms to the EPC Gen2 protocol as well.
Participation in water‐exercising long‐term after breast cancer surgery: Experiences of significant factors for continuing exercising as a part of cancer rehabilitation

Although physical exercising has great benefits, little is known regarding factors of significance for cancer survivors to continue exercising within their rehabilitation. The objective was to describe factors experienced to be of significance for cancer survivors to continue with water-exercising long-term after breast cancer surgery. Women (n = 29) who had undergone breast cancer surgery (mastectomy 79%, axillary surgery 86%, and radiotherapy 86%) for median (md) 13 (25th-75th percentile 3-21.5) was followed up regarding their rehabilitation, arm function Disabilities of Arm Shoulder and Hand (md 14, IQR 7-32), EQ-5D score (md 0.8, IQR 0.73-1.0) and quality of life EQ health barometer (md 80, IQR 64-95). We performed qualitative focus-group interviews regarding the women's views (n = 24). The women had participated in water-exercising 1-46 semesters, md 8 (25th-75th percentile 3-21.5) semesters. Nearly all, 97%, participated in the water-exercising group every week, and 21 (72%) had participated in the water-exercising group at least half of the time since their breast cancer surgery, without complications. The women experienced that factors of significance to continue with water-exercising were the convenience of easily modified weightless exercising in the water, social interaction, and access to a private dressing room. These factors would be important to consider to encourage continuing in exercising.
Prefrontal inhibition of threat processing reduces working memory interference

Bottom-up processes can interrupt ongoing cognitive processing in order to adaptively respond to emotional stimuli of high potential significance, such as those that threaten wellbeing. However it is vital that this interference can be modulated in certain contexts to focus on current tasks. Deficits in the ability to maintain the appropriate balance between cognitive and emotional demands can severely impact on day-to-day activities. This fMRI study examined this interaction between threat processing and cognition; 18 adult participants performed a visuospatial working memory (WM) task with two load conditions, in the presence and absence of anxiety induction by threat of electric shock. Threat of shock interfered with performance in the low cognitive load condition; however interference was eradicated under high load, consistent with engagement of emotion regulation mechanisms. Under low load the amygdala showed significant activation to threat of shock that was modulated by high cognitive load. A directed top-down control contrast identified two regions associated with top-down control; ventrolateral PFC and dorsal ACC. Dynamic causal modeling provided further evidence that under high cognitive load, top-down inhibition is exerted on the amygdala and its outputs to prefrontal regions. Additionally, we hypothesized that individual differences in a separate, non-emotional top-down control task would predict the recruitment of dorsal ACC and ventrolateral PFC during top-down control of threat. Consistent with this, performance on a separate dichotic listening task predicted dorsal ACC and ventrolateral PFC activation during high WM load under threat of shock, though activation in these regions did not directly correlate with WM performance. Together, the findings suggest that under high cognitive load and threat, top-down control is exerted by dACC and vlPFC to inhibit threat processing, thus enabling WM performance without threat-related interference.
Next Generation Inactivated Polio Vaccine Manufacturing to Support Post Polio-Eradication Biosafety Goals

Worldwide efforts to eradicate polio caused a tipping point in polio vaccination strategies. A switch from the oral polio vaccine, which can cause circulating and virulent vaccine derived polioviruses, to inactivated polio vaccines (IPV) is scheduled. Moreover, a manufacturing process, using attenuated virus strains instead of wild-type polioviruses, is demanded to enhance worldwide production of IPV, especially in low- and middle income countries. Therefore, development of an IPV from attenuated (Sabin) poliovirus strains (sIPV) was pursued. Starting from the current IPV production process based on wild type Salk strains, adaptations, such as lower virus cultivation temperature, were implemented. sIPV was produced at industrial scale followed by formulation of both plain and aluminium adjuvanted sIPV. The final products met the quality criteria, were immunogenic in rats, showed no toxicity in rabbits and could be released for testing in the clinic. Concluding, sIPV was developed to manufacturing scale. The technology can be transferred worldwide to support post polio-eradication biosafety goals.
Tourism and hospitality entrepreneurship, social setting and research methodology: moving ‘into the beyond’

This paper provides an insight into the research issues and challenges that confronted PhD research into small hotels in Croatia, drawing on theories and literature associated with entrepreneurship, and tourism and hospitality entrepreneurship. In particular, it analyses the tensions and contradictions inherent in a literature that is largely derived from developed economies, dominated by an economics-centric bias, and positivistic methodologies. Relevance within the social, cultural and political setting is questioned and research approaches developed that have the potential to increase relevance for both advancement of respective academic fields, and practitioner and policy maker effectiveness – moving into the ‘beyond’. It is concluded that knowledge creation and production pertaining to both fields can be enhanced through multidisciplinary perspectives that are critical of ideological stance, politics of power, social and cultural contexts. This has consequences for research methodological design which places the researcher as a central insider participant in the process alongside the social actors, drawing on personal reflexivity and interpretative powers, in a socio-economic setting.
Leading Asian countries' HRD practices in the IT industry: a comparative study of South Korea and India

The purpose of this study was to compare IT firms in two leading Asian countries in the IT industry, South Korea and India, to suggest how to leverage their human resource development (HRD) practices for continued growth. The IT industry in South Korea and India has shown fast growth and notable profits in a short time, but managing their human resources for their continued success is challenging. The research questions in this study were: What HRD practices in the IT industry have supported South Korea's and India's development within a short period of time? How do these HRD practices in the IT industry compare between India and South Korea? Using content and case analysis approaches, this study identified HRD practices in the IT industry in South Korea and India. Findings included four emergent themes: different levels of globalization; talent development; employee turnover issues; and challenges that their IT firms face. Recommendations and limitations of the study were provided for practice and future studies.
Desigualdade de oportunidades educacionais na rede pública municipal do Rio de Janeiro: transição entre os segmentos do ensino fundamental

O estudo analisa os procedimentos de transferencia de alunos entre o primeiro e o segundo segmento do ensino fundamental, em escolas publicas comuns da rede municipal da cidade do Rio de Janeiro. Objetiva identificar fatores que condicionam a chance de acesso a escolas que obtiveram bons resultados em avaliacoes nacionais. Focaliza escolas de dois bairros vizinhos da zona norte da cidade, com grande diversificacao entre os estabelecimentos no que diz respeito aos resultados e ao nivel socioeconomico da populacao atendida. O estudo foi desenvolvido com base a partir da analise das trajetorias escolares dos alunos desses estabelecimentos entre 2008 e 2009. Os resultados indicam que a transferencia de alunos no periodo de transicao analisado nao e aleatoria e cria um cenario de homogeneizacao das escolas investigadas. Os dados sugerem a definicao precoce das trajetorias escolares desses alunos nos anos iniciais do ensino fundamental.
Thoughts on Lesbian Differences

Cheshire Calhoun argues chat thinking of lesbians as a subcategory of women provides an insufficient basis for considering key differences between lesbians and straight women, and that these politically significant differences are therefore erased by theories and politics that take the subject of feminism to be women. Here 1 look closely and critically at CaJhoun's own account of lesbian differences, and argue that sexual desire, while complicated, ought to remain central in any such account.
Face processing in Williams syndrome is already atypical in infancy

Face processing is a crucial socio-cognitive ability. Is it acquired progressively or does it constitute an innately-specified, face-processing module? The latter would be supported if some individuals with seriously impaired intelligence nonetheless showed intact face-processing abilities. Some theorists claim that Williams syndrome (WS) provides such evidence since, despite IQs in the 50s, adolescents/adults with WS score in the normal range on standardized face-processing tests. Others argue that atypical neural and cognitive processes underlie WS face-processing proficiencies. But what about infants with WS? Do they start with typical face-processing abilities, with atypicality developing later, or are atypicalities already evident in infancy? We used an infant familiarization/novelty design and compared infants with WS to typically developing controls as well as to a group of infants with Down syndrome matched on both mental and chronological age. Participants were familiarized with a schematic face, after which they saw a novel face in which either the features (eye shape) were changed or just the configuration of the original features. Configural changes were processed successfully by controls, but not by infants with WS who were only sensitive to featural changes and who showed syndrome-specific profiles different from infants with the other neurodevelopmental disorder. Our findings indicate that theorists can no longer use the case of WS to support claims that evolution has endowed the human brain with an independent face-processing module.
THE IMPACTS OF LIBERALISATION ON A BRAZILIAN AIR SHUTTLE MARKET

This paper aims at assessing the impacts of recent economic liberalisation on an important subset of the Brazilian airline industry: the air shuttle market on the route Rio de Janeiro – Sao Paulo, a pioneer service created in 1959. In order to estimate structural relationships of the competition model, a product differentiated setting with conduct parameter was designed. Results permitted inferring about a rupture in the degree of firms' heterogeneity and in the extent of the deviation from Nash behaviour due to regulatory reform, as well as estimation of pertinent route-level cost information.
A Study of the Impact of Death Receptor 4 (DR4) Gene Polymorphisms in Alzheimer's Disease.

BACKGROUND Excessive apoptosis is believed to play a role in many degenerative and non-degenerative neurological diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Much recent data suggest that apoptotic mechanisms may represent the missing link between Aβ deposition and proteolysis of tau protein. However, there is emerging evidence that apoptotic mechanisms may play a role in Alzheimer's Disease pathogenesis in the absence of overt apoptosis. TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand receptor 1 (Death Receptor 4, DR4) might impair the apoptotic signal transduction and lead to dysregulation of the homeostasis between cell survival and cell death. AIMS The aim of our study was to further investigate the relationship between genetic variants of DR4 and Alzheimer's Disease. STUDY DESIGN Case control study. METHODS Sixty-eight patients with AD were included in the study. The control group comprised 72 subjects without signs of neurodegenerative diseases, as evidenced by the examination.DNA was extracted from whole blood using the salting-out procedure. Genotypes were identified by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of polymerase chain reaction (PCR-RFLP) products. RESULTS We observed significant differences in the genotypic distribution of the rs6557634 polymorphism in AD patients compared with controls (p<0.05); our data suggest that the GA genotype in rs6557634 could be protective against AD (p<0.05). However, there were no significant differences between AD patients and control groups in terms of the DR4 rs20575 polymorphism (p>0.05) and the DR4 rs20576 polymorphism (p>0.05). According to haplotype analysis of the DR4 gene for rs6557634, rs20575 and rs20576 polymorphisms, GCA and GCC haplotypes might be a risk factor for AD. Also, we have shown that ACA, GGC and GGA haplotypes might be protective factors against AD. CONCLUSION The present results indicate for the first time the possible contribution of the DR4 gene rs6557634, rs20575, rs20576 polymorphisms in Alzheimer's Disease, which may influence susceptibility to Alzheimer's Disease.
Greek vs . International E-commerce Systems : an Evaluation Based on User-centered Characteristics

This paper presents a survey about Greek and International electronic commerce systems. The survey focuses in specific characteristics aiming to evaluate the quality of e-commerce systems as far as the end user is concerned. This paper provides the set of characteristics used for the evaluation, discusses the evaluation method and the derived results and the presents the basic similarities and differences between Greek and International e-commerce systems. The paper presents detailed results from the evaluation of both Greek and International e-commerce systems related to characteristics such as the existence and usability of basic e-commerce functions –such as shopping cart, shopping list, search engine, etc. It also focuses on web-based characteristics –such as background colors, site map, multilingualism, etc.– and mostly focuses on ecommerce specific issues –such as the product’s presentation, payment methods, product shipment, etc. Evaluation results showed that the Greek ecommerce systems are developed having as model similar International ecommerce systems with fairly good results. It should be mentioned that the improvement of the quality for e-commerce systems would not have to be relied on coping the international systems. On the contrary the growth of Greek ecommerce systems should emphasize in the collaboration with the end user, in the application of new ideas. That will give impulse in the development and growth of Internet technologies and electronic commerce in Greece.
Low-Complexity Multiplier for  $GF(2^{m})$ Based on All-One Polynomials

This paper presents an area-time-efficient systolic structure for multiplication over GF(2m) based on irreducible all-one polynomial (AOP). We have used a novel cut-set retiming to reduce the duration of the critical-path to one XOR gate delay. It is further shown that the systolic structure can be decomposed into two or more parallel systolic branches, where the pair of parallel systolic branches has the same input operand, and they can share the same input operand registers. From the application-specific integrated circuit and field-programmable gate array synthesis results we find that the proposed design provides significantly less area-delay and power-delay complexities over the best of the existing designs.
Target tracking using TDOA/FDOA measurements in the distributed sensor network

This paper proposes a target positioning algorithm using asynchronous TDOA (Time Difference of Arrival) and FDOA(Frequency Difference of Arrival) measurements for a single target in a distributed sensor network. A conventional algorithm, target localization through TDOA measurements cannot estimate target position when the number of TDOA measurements is not enough for localization at the same time. Our algorithm uses TDOA and FDOA measurements at the different time to compute the position and velocity estimates. Through computer simulation trials, the validity of our algorithm is confirmed.
A Novel Method Linking Antigen Presentation by Human Monocyte-Derived Macrophages to CD8+ T Cell Polyfunctionality

To understand the interactions between innate and adaptive immunity, and specifically how virally infected macrophages impact T cell function, novel assays examining the ability of macrophages to present antigen to CD8+ T cells are needed. In the present study, we have developed a robust in vitro assay to measure how antigen presentation by human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) affects the functional capacity of autologous CD8+ T cells. The assay is based on the polyfunctional characteristics of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells, and is thus called a Mac-CD8 Polyfunctionality Assay. Following purification of monocytes and their maturation to MDMs, MDMs were pulsed with an antigenic peptide to be presented to CD8+ T cells. Peptide-pulsed MDMs were then incubated with antigen-specific CD8+ T cells in order to assess the efficacy of antigen presentation to T cells. CD8+ T cell polyfunctionality was assessed by staining with mAbs to IFN-γ, TNF-α, and CD107a in a multi-color intracellular cytokine staining assay. To highlight the utility of the Mac-CD8 Polyfunctionality Assay, we assessed the effects of influenza infection on the ability of human macrophages to present antigen to CD8+ T cells. We found that influenza infection of human MDMs can alter the effector efficacy of MDMs to activate more CD8+ T cells with cytotoxic capacity. This has important implications for understanding how the virus-infected macrophages affect adaptive immunity at the site of infection.