Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimal Sensing Cardinality for Cognitive Radios

This letter puts forth a proactive approach for determining the sensing cardinality (the number of subchannels to sense) in a multiband cognitive radio network with limited available block energy. Specifically, we present the sensing cardinality that maximizes the achievable block rate of the cognitive user by optimally allocating available energy to the wideband spectrum sensing and data transmission. We further derive the closed-form expression for this optimal sensing cardinality when each subchannel has the identical primary spectrum occupancy statistics.
A new pinwheel meander-perforated plane structure for noise suppression in system-on-package

As the market of wearable and internet of things (IoT) expands, there is a strong demand of shrinking the size of System-on-Package (SoP). In this paper, we propose a new electromagnetic bandgap structure (EBG) to mitigate the noise coupling within SoPs. EBGs have been widely used in printed circuit boards (PCB). Thus, the EBG size reduction is critical for integrating it in the package. The proposed structure has a unique noise suppressing pinwheel meander perforated plane structure (PMPP) that can be used in small size package. Critical problem of EBG's size reduction is shifting the suppression frequency to higher. Therefore, we propose to combine the EBG structure, meander-line, and pinwheel shaped patch to reduce size of EBG unit cell from 12.2mm×12.2mm to 2.44mm×2.44mm while maintaining the suppression frequency and bandwidth. The stop band bandwidth of proposed structure is 3.58∼12.83GHz.
Regulation of Apobec3F and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Vif by Vif-Cul5-ElonB/C E3 Ubiquitin Ligase

ABSTRACT The human cytidine deaminase Apobec3F (h-A3F), a protein related to the previously recognized antiviral factor Apobec3G (h-A3G), has antiviral activity against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) that is suppressed by the viral protein Vif. The mechanism of HIV-1 Vif-mediated suppression of h-A3F is not fully understood. Here, we demonstrate that while h-A3F, like h-A3G, was able to suppress primate lentiviruses other than HIV-1 (simian immunodeficiency virus from African green monkeys [SIVagm] and Rhesus macaques [SIVmac]), the interaction between Vif proteins and h-A3F appeared to differ from that with h-A3G. H-A3F showed no change in its species specificity against HIV-1 or SIVagm Vif when a negatively charged amino acid was replaced with a lysine at position 128, a residue critical for h-A3G recognition by HIV-1 Vif. However, HIV-1 Vif, but not SIVagm Vif, was able to bind h-A3F and induce its polyubiquitination and degradation through the Cul5-containing E3 ubiquitin ligase. Interference with Cul5-E3 ligase function by depletion of Cul5, through RNA interference or overexpression of Cul5 mutants, blocked the ability of HIV-1 Vif to suppress h-A3F. A BC-box mutant of HIV-1 Vif that failed to recruit Cul5-E3 ligase but was still able to interact with h-A3F failed to suppress h-A3F. Interestingly, interference with Cul5-E3 ligase function or overexpression of h-A3F or h-A3G also increased the stability of HIV-1 Vif, suggesting that like the substrate molecules h-A3F and h-A3G, the substrate receptor protein Vif is itself also regulated by Cul5-E3 ligase. Our results indicate that Cul5-E3 ligase appears to be a common pathway hijacked by HIV-1 Vif to defeat both h-A3F and h-A3G. Developing inhibitors to disrupt the interaction between Vif and Cul5-E3 ligase could be therapeutically useful, allowing multiple host antiviral factors to suppress HIV-1.
An Open Pilot Study of the Combination of Escitalopram and Bupropion-SR for Outpatients with Major Depressive Disorder

Objective. Monotherapy with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) is the most common initial treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD), but this monotherapy leads to remission in fewer than a third of patients. The combination of the SSRI escitalopram and bupropion-SR is commonly used for treating patients with MDD who have had an inadequate response to antidepressant monotherapy. This pilot study was conducted to evaluate this combination in the treatment of MDD in patients with chronic or recurrent MDD to estimate safety, tolerability, and remission rates. Method. In this study, 51 outpatients with chronic or recurrent non-psychotic MDD were treated with a combination of escitalopram and bupropion-SR for up to 12 weeks. Participants were started on escitalopram at 10 mg/day, and bupropion-SR was then added at week 1, starting at 150 mg/day. The maximum dose of escitalopram was 20 mg/day and the maximum dose of bupropion-SR was 400 mg/day. Results. Rates of response (62%) and remission (50%) at study exit (based on participants for whom at least one post-baseline measure was collected) were significantly higher than is typical for SSRI monotherapy. The level of treatment emergent adverse events was low, and only 3 participants (6%) discontinued treatment due to side effects. The mean maximum dose of escitalopram was 18 mg/day, which was achieved by week 6, and the mean dose at study exit was also 18 mg/day. The mean maximum dose of bupropion-SR was 329 mg/day, which was achieved by week 8, and the mean dose at study exit was 327 mg/day. Conclusions. : These results suggest that the combination of escitalopram and bupropion-SR is effective and well tolerated. Further controlled trials comparing this combination with monotherapy are needed.
Mechanism of retinoblastoma tumor cell death after focal chemotherapy, radiation, and vascular targeting therapy in a mouse model.

PURPOSE To evaluate the mechanism and timing of retinal tumor cell death in the LH(BETA)T(AG) mouse model of retinoblastoma after treatment with vascular targeting therapies and conventional therapies (focal chemotherapy and radiation). METHODS For vascular targeting therapy, 12- or 16-week-old mice were treated with a single subconjunctival injection of either anecortave acetate (300 microg) or combretastatin A4 (1.5 mg). Eyes were analyzed at 1 day and 1 week after treatment. Tumor cell death was evaluated using TUNEL assays or immunofluorescence analysis of activated caspase 3 to detect apoptosis. Histopathologic analysis was performed to identify areas of necrosis. For conventional therapy, LH(BETA)T(AG) mice were treated with six serial subconjunctival injections of focally delivered carboplatin chemotherapy (100 microg/delivery) or hyperfractionated external beam radiotherapy (EBRT; 15 Gy total dose). Cell death was analyzed by TUNEL assay. RESULTS The highest levels of apoptotic cell death were seen 1 day after treatment in all treatment groups compared with vehicle controls. At 1 week after treatment, apoptotic cell death remained significantly elevated in the EBRT and carboplatin groups, but not after vessel targeting therapy. No significant necrosis was detected by histology in tumors of treated or of control eyes. CONCLUSIONS Conventional therapies (focal carboplatin chemotherapy and EBRT) and vascular targeting agents significantly increase cell death through apoptosis, while not having a significant effect on necrosis in this murine model of retinoblastoma. These studies will aid in the optimization of delivery schemes of combined treatment modalities.
HOW BANKS’ INTERNAL GOVERNANCE MECHANISMS INFLUENCE RISK REPORTING

Banks were the center of the recent financial crisis that results in a sharp decline in security prices and banks’ market capitalization. The content of information in general, and risk information in particular, provided to capital markets was vital to reduce the uncertainly levels left in the markets and encourage trading. Examining the impact of the internal corporate governance mechanisms on the content of risk management disclosures using a sample of US national banks in the wake of the financial crisis shows that banks having larger board size and higher proportion of independent directors are more inclined toward disclosing wider content of risk management information. The results also suggest that CEO duality impacts positively on risk management disclosures content to provide signals toward CEO objectivity and judgment in running business operations aligned with shareholders' interest.
Detection of chlamydial inclusions in cell culture or biopsy tissue by alkaline phosphatase-anti-alkaline phosphatase staining

An immunological technique for detecting Chlamydia trachomatis and Chlamydia psittaci inclusions in infected McCoy cell cultures was developed by using a genus-specific monoclonal antibody to Chlamydia spp. , rabbit anti-mouse immunoglobulin G bridging antibody, alkaline phosphatase-anti-alkaline phosphatase (APAAP) monoclonal antibody conjugate, and naphthol AS-phosphate/fast red substrate. Chlamydial inclusions stained red and were easily detected against a background of blue hematoxylin-stained nuclei. After 18 h, inclusions of C. trachomatis serovar L2 LGV434/Bu and C. psittaci strain 6BC were stained by APAAP but not by iodine or Giemsa. At 48 h inclusion counts were significantly higher in the APAAP cultures. Both the APAAP procedure and conventional staining detected 35 of 239 (15%) cultures 48 h after inoculation with urethral or endocervical specimens. However, at 24 h after inoculation 22 of 35 (63%) were positive by APAAP staining while negative by iodine. This immunostain also allowed identification of chlamydial inclusions in endometrial biopsies from patients with tubal factor infertility or pelvic inflammatory disease.
A Survey of Pricing Schemes in Wireless Networks

The expansion of new technologies is expected to offer economic growth in the wired and wireless technological networking environment, while at the same time, it will offer a wide variety of services and give the possibility for utilizing technologies for the benefit of many subscribers. The Pricing Schemes are designed to offer profitable business to the Wireless Service Providers (WSPs), as well as, to create favorable services for the mobile subscribers and eventually to get charged according to their services usage. In this paper, the Pricing Schemes are classified, based on their ability to adapt to the needs of the WSPs and their subscribers during the entire service period, into Static-based Pricing and Dynamic-based Pricing Schemes. The Pricing Schemes are also analyzed in detail and are further classified according to the factors involved in the price calculation of a service, i.e. the Service Level Agreement (SLA), the subscription type, the negotiation capabilities between WSPs and their subscribers, the network capacity, the available bandwidth and frequency spectrum, the network hops, and the Base Stations (BSs). The affected elements by the pricing network are also discussed, together with the performance evaluation of the presented pricing schemes.
Development of a Web-Based Haptic Authoring Tool for Multimedia Applications

In this paper, we introduce an MPEG-V based haptic authoring tool intended for simplifying the development process of haptics-enabled multimedia applications. The developed tool provides a web-based interface for users to create haptic environments by importing 3D models and adding haptic properties to them. The user can then export the resulting environment to a standard MPEG-V format. The latter can be imported to a haptic player that renders the described haptics-enabled 3D scene. The proposed tool can support many haptic devices, including Geomagic Devices, Force Dimension Devices, Novint Falcon Devices, and Moog FCS HapticMaster Devices. We conduct a proof of concept HTML5 haptic game project and user studies on haptic effects, development process and user interface, which shows our tool's effectiveness in simplifying the development process of haptics-enabled multimedia applications.
A semi-synthetic analog of the cembranoid sarcophine.

The title molecule, 2(R)-[(1E,3E,7S,8S,11E,13R)-13-hydroxy-4,8,12-trimethyl-7,8-epoxycyclotetradeca-1,3,11-trien-1-yl]propane-1,2-diol, C(20)H(32)O(4), is a semi-synthetic analog of sarcophine, the natural cembranoid of marine origin, isolated from the soft coral Sarcophyton glaucum. The conformation of the 14-membered ring differs substantially from that of sarcophine. The two OH groups of the propane-1,2-diol moiety form an unusual weak intramolecular hydrogen bond with an O.O distance of 2.788 (2) A, and the molecules are linked into double chains by intermolecular hydrogen bonds with O.O distances of 2.772 (2) and 2.849 (2) A.
The Acid-Tolerant Microbiota Associated with Plaque from Initial Caries and Healthy Tooth Surfaces

The intent of this study was to compare the inherent acid tolerance of bacteria in samples of dental plaque from tooth sites in subjects with and without initial caries. Plaque was collected from approximal surfaces showing early enamel caries and from healthy tooth surfaces in the same subjects, as well as from enamel surfaces of caries-free individuals. In addition to plating on blood agar, the plaque samples were plated directly on non-selective solid agar medium buffered to pH 7.0, 6.0, 5.5, 5.0, 4.5 and 4.0 to avoid any loss of adaptation to acid during primary isolation of plaque bacteria. The results showed that approximately 50% of the total cultivable plaque microbiota from caries, as well as healthy tooth sites, was able to grow at pH 5.5 and 1% at pH 5.0, pH values regarded as critical for the demineralization of tooth enamel. At pH 5.0, members of the genus Streptococcus were the dominant group, but mutans streptococci accounted for less than half of the streptococcal viable count. The other acid-tolerant streptococcal isolates included Streptococcus anginosus, Streptococcus constellatus, Streptococcus gordonii, Streptococcus intermedius, Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus oralis,Streptococcus salivarius and Streptococcus sanguis. Analysis of the results indicated that the mutans streptococci in dental plaque were highly variable with respect to acid tolerance, and that both caries and healthy sites harboured significant numbers of mutans streptococci that were not acid-tolerant.
History of psychiatry in Britain

British history of psychiatry and I shall essentially restrict my brief to research done in Britain by British people about British subjects has been transformed over the last decade. As in other countries, until recently the history of psychiatry was undertaken largely by psychiatrists, practising and retired, with the usual admixture of strengths and weaknesses associated with in-house approaches (on the plus side, intimacy; on the minus, anachronism and bias). Overall, however, it is remarkable how little was being done. Up to around 1970, and setting aside the heroic labours of Ida Macalpine and Richard Hunter, how much work of any real scope or substance do we find? 2 Sir Aubrey Lewis’s erudite essays on nineteenth-century European psychiatry;3 Denis Leigh’s The Historical Development of British Psychiatry, a work of genuine bio-bibliographical originality, of which, alas, only the first volume has ever appeared ;4 William Parry-Jones’s superb The Trade in Lunacy, still easily the best-researched study
The Ambidextrous Pursuit of Strategic Information Technology Alignment and Organizational Agility in the Community Benefit Sector

The information systems literature suggests a positive relationship between strategic information technology alignment and organizational agility, and the implications on performance for organizations operating in turbulent environments. This emerging stream of integrated research has begun to provide key insight on the positive benefits of the ambidextrous pursuit of alignment and agility in for-profit organizations. However, these relationships have been largely unexplored in nonprofit settings. Nonprofit organizations exist to address social, political, economic, and cultural challenges rather than maximizing shareholder wealth. In order to address this void in research, this paper draws on the alignment and agility research in order to examine how one exemplary nonprofit is strategically exploiting its information system resources in order to improve performance and social value creation. This paper concludes with implications for research and practice.
Creation of an isotropic multi-path propagation channel using SATIMO SG24 system

In this paper, we present an original method using a SATIMO SG24 system to generate an isotropic multi-path propagation channel with Rayleigh fading. This method can be used to evaluate the performances of diversity systems within a controlled environment, thus representing an alternative to a more classical reverberation chamber which is considered as a perfect Rayleigh isotropic environment. In order to validate our method, diversity systems have been measured using both principles, and the results have been compared.
Ocular Surface Reconstruction After Exposure to High Concentrations of Antiseptic Solutions

Purpose: To report the clinical course in accidental exposure of the cornea to antiseptic solutions in 3 cases. Methods: Observational case series. Exposure to 20% chlorhexidine gluconate solution was observed in 2 cases and to 10% benzalkonium chloride solution in 1 case. Results: Not only superficial damage but also toxicity to corneal endothelial cells leading to corneal edema was observed in all 3 cases. Epithelial transplantation was performed: autologous cultivated limbal epithelial transplantation (auto-CLET), conjunctivolimbal autograft (CLAU), or living-related cultivated limbal epithelial transplantation (lr-CLET). A stable ocular surface was achieved, although exposure to high concentrations of antiseptic solutions caused severe anterior chamber inflammation; cataract and glaucoma developed in 2 cases, requiring further surgical treatment. Conclusions: Exposure to high concentrations of antiseptics causes both ocular surface and intraocular damage. Epithelial transplantation enables restoration of a stable ocular surface. However, management of intraocular consequences, including secondary glaucoma and corneal endothelial damage, still remains a challenge in the prognosis of such cases.
Stimulatory Effect of a Dietary Casein Phosphopeptide Preparation on the Mucosal IgA Response of Mice to Orally Ingested Lipopolysaccharide from Salmonella typhimurium

The effect on immunoglobulin production of a commercially available casein phosphopeptide preparation (CPP-III) consisting mainly of bovine αs2-casein (1-32) and β-casein (1-28) in mice that had orally ingested lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Salmonella typhimurium was investigated. No significant difference in body weight gain was observed between the mice fed on the CPP-III-added diet and those fed on the control diet. The mice fed on the CPP-III-added diet exhibited similar serum and intestinal IgG, IgM, and IgE responses towards LPS to those fed on the control diet. In contrast, fecal and intestinal anti-LPS IgA and total IgA in mice fed on the CPP-III-added diet were significantly higher than in those fed on the control diet. Spleen cells from mice fed on the CPP-III-added diet produced larger amounts of IgA, IL-5, and IL-6 than cells from mice fed on the control diet. These results suggest that dietary casein phosphopeptide may protect a host from invasion of the intestinal mucosa by food-born pathogenic microorganisms.
Boardroom Networks and the Cross-Section of Stock Returns: Evidence from the Netherlands

Board directorships link organizations and directors forming a complex, continuously evolving corporate boardroom network. Using a novel and unique comprehensive monthly boardroom network dataset for the Netherlands, home to one of the largest and most liquid European stock markets, this paper finds that a firm’s connectedness in this network is a strong predictor of subsequent risk-adjusted monthly stock returns. Consistent with a weakened corporate governance hypothesis, the paper documents a negative impact on future returns for firms with relatively well-connected directors. And consistent with an access to resources hypothesis, the paper finds a positive impact for firms that are relatively well-connected through inter-board ties. Importantly, while past director ties are informative for future returns, past inter-board ties are not. Fama-MacBeth regressions suggest the results are not confounded by other board characteristics. Connectedness is also systematically mispriced in analysts’ forecasts. Taken together, the findings strongly suggest that boardroom networks simultaneously exert distinct positive and negative effects through complex corporate governance, informational and other channels.
Protective and therapeutic effects of molsidomine on radiation induced neural injury in rats

Abstract We investigated the protective and therapeutic effects of molsidomine (MOL) in a rat model of whole brain radiotherapy (RT). Forty female rats were divided into five groups of eight: group 1, control; group 2, 15 Gy single dose RT (RT); group 3, 4 mg/kg MOL treated for 5 days (MOL); group 4, 4 mg/kg MOL for 5 days, 10 days after RT treatment (RT + MOL); group 5, 4 mg/kg MOL treatment for 5 days before RT treatment and for 5 days after RT treatment (MOL + RT). All rats were sacrificed on day 16. Neurodegenerative changes in the brain and tissue levels of oxidants and antioxidants were evaluated. The oxidative parameters were increased and antioxidant status was decreased in group RT compared to groups MOL + RT and RT + MOL. Histopathological examination showed that treatment with MOL after RT application and treatment with MOL before RT treatment decreased neuronal degeneration. No difference in neuronal appearance was found between groups RT + MOL and MOL + RT. MOL treatment protected the nervous system of rats and may be a treatment option for preventing RT induced neural injury.
Bankers on Boards , Financial Constraints , and Financial Distress *

We investigate determinants of bankers’ presence on boards of non-financial corporations, factors contributing to their appointments, and bankers’ effect on leverage, investment, and Tobin’s Q following board-appointments. We use a unique data set comprising financially-distressed, undistressed, constrained and unconstrained firms of all asset-sizes. We find banker-board-appointments are positively related to size and negatively related to Q and a measure of financial distress. We find banker-directors contribute to leverage increases if the banker has a previous lending relationship with the firm, especially for relatively more distressed firms. Bankers on boards reduce investment efficiency by reducing (enhancing) investment at firms in high-growth (lowgrowth) industries. Firms appointing banker-directors show changes in valuations inversely related to their degrees of financial constraint. Firms appointing bankerdirectors who are also creditors exhibit value declines following their appointments, more so for more distressed firms. In total, banker-directors do not appear to provide valuemaximizing advice for the firm. * We thank participants of the FDIC’s Center for Financial Research Seminar Series for helpful comments. We also thank Patricia Grant, Deepak Nair, and Will Quick for their research assistance.