Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hardware reduction by combining pipelined A/D conversion and FIR filtering for channel equalization

Traditional methods for channel equalization often involve cascading, a pipelined A/D converter and a FIR filter. Given the nature of pipelined converters, a new method is proposed that performs partial equalization within the pipelined A/D thus reducing the number of taps required for the FIR filter. Simulations have shown it is possible to save 54 flip-flops at the cost of -32 dB of NSR error for a typical Ethernet channel equalizer. Further hardware can be saved if more error can be tolerated in an application. The system level design and equations describing the hardware requirements have been provided.
Increasing Top-20 Search Results Diversity Through Recommendation Post-Processing

This paper presents three different methods for diversifying search results, that were developed as part of our user modelling research. All three methods focus on post-processing search results provided by the baseline recommender systems and increase the diversity (measured with ILD@20) at the cost of final precision (measured with F@20). The authors feel that these methods have potential yet require further development and testing.
SCRIPT WITHOUT BUDDHISM: BURMESE INFLUENCE ON THE TAY (SHAN) SCRIPT OF MÄNG2 MAAW2 AS SEEN IN A CHINESE SCROLL PAINTING OF 1407

This article substantiates for the first time that Tay (Shan) script was written on a Ming dynasty scroll dated 1407. In the past, Tay scholars have assumed that early Tay script exhibited uniquely Tay characteristics from the outset, and only gradually acquired Burmese features after the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The data presented here demonstrates beyond doubt that the Tay borrowed heavily from the Burmese script to create their writing system before the fifteenth century. It also shows that the 1407 Tay script resembled the Ahom script more than the lik6 tho3 ngök6 script, and on the basis of this similarity concludes that lik6 tho3 ngök6 was not the progenitor of Tay scripts, as previously thought, and that the Ahom script preceded it. The impact of Burmese script on the Tay writing system from the outset raises the broader issue of borrowing from Burman culture during the Pagan and early Ava periods. The Tay of Mäng2 Maaw2 and surrounding polities turned to Pagan and Ava for a written script, but shunned Theravada Buddhism, the religious apparatus that we assume always accompanied the spread of writing. Their adoption of a writing system stands out as a rare case of script without Buddhism in northern continental Southeast Asia. To the Tay, Pagan and Ava were dominant political powers worthy of emulation, and the adoption of their writing system attests the magnitude of its influence. It is hypothesized that such borrowing arose out of Tay aspirations for self-strengthening their polities, possibly in an endeavour to rival the Burman monarchy. Tay script emerged in an age when the Burman language had just become predominant among the elites of Pagan and early Ava. Two features of this case stand out. First, the Tay borrowed at a time when Burmese script was relatively novel and still the preserve of the Burman elite, a fact which reinforces the notion of borrowing for prestige value as well as practical utility. Second, the Tay gravitated towards the northern parts of Pagan and Ava, rather than the southern areas where Mon language retained predominance in inscriptions.
Phenome-driven disease genetics prediction toward drug discovery

Motivation: Discerning genetic contributions to diseases not only enhances our understanding of disease mechanisms, but also leads to translational opportunities for drug discovery. Recent computational approaches incorporate disease phenotypic similarities to improve the prediction power of disease gene discovery. However, most current studies used only one data source of human disease phenotype. We present an innovative and generic strategy for combining multiple different data sources of human disease phenotype and predicting disease-associated genes from integrated phenotypic and genomic data. Results: To demonstrate our approach, we explored a new phenotype database from biomedical ontologies and constructed Disease Manifestation Network (DMN). We combined DMN with mimMiner, which was a widely used phenotype database in disease gene prediction studies. Our approach achieved significantly improved performance over a baseline method, which used only one phenotype data source. In the leave-one-out cross-validation and de novo gene prediction analysis, our approach achieved the area under the curves of 90.7% and 90.3%, which are significantly higher than 84.2% (P < e−4) and 81.3% (P < e−12) for the baseline approach. We further demonstrated that our predicted genes have the translational potential in drug discovery. We used Crohn’s disease as an example and ranked the candidate drugs based on the rank of drug targets. Our gene prediction approach prioritized druggable genes that are likely to be associated with Crohn’s disease pathogenesis, and our rank of candidate drugs successfully prioritized the Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs for Crohn’s disease. We also found literature evidence to support a number of drugs among the top 200 candidates. In summary, we demonstrated that a novel strategy combining unique disease phenotype data with system approaches can lead to rapid drug discovery. Availability and implementation: nlp.case.edu/public/data/DMN Contact: rxx@case.edu
A changing world, unchanging perspectives

The purpose of this study is to examine, through a longitudinal analysis, the priorities and beliefs that American newspaper editors hold toward foreign news reporting. Using the theory of cultural values as the framework, the study seeks to compare how American newspaper editors assessed the importance of factors in their selection of foreign news over time. The results show that the priorities of journalistic values in foreign news reporting remain fundamentally unchanged in the United States. More importantly, the factor structure of foreign news values was invariant between 1988 and 2008. The persistence of such values strongly indicates a shared professional culture that appears to cultivate a common worldview through journalistic practices in the newsroom.
Hybrid Connectionist Natural Language Processing

Introduction. Connectionist and hybrid models for language understanding. A hybrid connectionist scanning understanding of phrases. Structural phrase analysis in a hybrid separated model. Structural phrase analysis in a hybrid integrated model. Contextual phrase analysis in a hybrid separated model. Contextual phrase analysis in a hybrid integrated model. General summary and discussion. Appendix.
Altered Meiotic Regulation in Oocytes from Diabetic Mice

Abstract In the present study, we have utilized a streptozotocin-induced diabetic mouse model to examine how the diabetic condition and different glucose concentrations affect several parameters of reproductive physiology. We report that oocyte maturation is altered under all experimental conditions examined. In cumulus cell-enclosed oocytes (CEO) from diabetic mice, spontaneous maturation was accelerated but the FSH-mediated delay of spontaneous maturation was suppressed. Higher glucose levels in the culture medium suppressed spontaneous maturation but did not influence the transient arrest mediated by FSH. Meiotic arrest in CEO by hypoxanthine and dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP) was less effective at higher glucose concentrations. In addition, both FSH-induced maturation in vitro and hCG-induced maturation in vivo were reduced by the diabetic condition. The ovulation rate was lowered by about 50% in diabetic mice and fewer ovulated ova had reached metaphase II. Despite the decreased number of ova at metaphase II, in vitro cultures showed the oocytes were capable of completing meiotic maturation at control levels. Insulin treatment reversed the detrimental effects of diabetes on meiotic induction, ovulation, and completion of meiotic maturation. Cultures of pronuclear-staged embryos confirmed a negative effect of diabetes and hyperglycemia on development to the blastocyst stage. These data suggest that defects in meiotic regulation brought about by the diabetic condition are due to decreased communication between the somatic and germ cell compartments, and it is concluded that such conditions may contribute to postfertilization developmental abnormalities.
Spatial and temporal variation in harvest probabilities for American black duck

Assessing spatial variation in waterfowl harvest probabilities from banding data is challenging because reporting and recovery probabilities have distinct spatial patterns that covary temporally with harvesting regulations, hunter effort, and reporting methods. We analyzed direct band recovery data from American black ducks banded on the Canadian breeding grounds from 1970 through 2010. Data were registered to a 1-degree grid and analyzed using hierarchical logistic regression models with spatially correlated errors to estimate the annual probabilities of band recovery and the proportion of individuals recovered in Canada. Probability of harvest was estimated from these values, in combination with independent estimates of reporting probabilities in Canada and the USA. Model covariates included estimates of hunting effort and factors for harvest regulation and band reporting methods. Both the band recovery processes and the proportion of individuals recovered in Canada had significant spatial structure. Recovery probabilities were highest in southern Ontario, along the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec, and in Nova Scotia. Black ducks breeding in Nova Scotia and southern Quebec were harvested predominantly in Canada. Recovery probabilities for juveniles were correlated with hunter effort, while the adult recoveries were weakly correlated with the implementation of stricter harvest regulations in the early 1980s. Mean harvest probability decreased in the northern portion of the survey area but remained stable or even increased in the south. Harvest probabilities for juveniles in 2010 exceeded 20% in southern Quebec and the Atlantic provinces. Our results demonstrate fine-scale variation in harvest probabilities for black duck on the Canadian breeding ground. In particular, harvest probabilities should be closely monitored along the Saint Lawrence River system and in the Atlantic provinces to avoid overexploitation.
A neural map of interaural intensity differences in the brain stem of the barn owl

The nucleus ventralis lemnisci lateralis pars posterior (VLVp) is the first binaural station in the intensity-processing pathway of the barn owl. Contralateral stimulation excites and ipsilateral stimulation inhibits VLVp cells. The strength of the inhibition declines systematically from dorsal to ventral within the nucleus. Cells selective for different intensity disparities occur in an orderly sequence from dorsal to ventral within each isofrequency lamina. Cells at intermediate depths in the nucleus are selective for a particular narrow range of interaural intensity differences independently of the absolute sound-pressure level. A simple model of the interaction between inhibition and excitation can explain most of the response properties of VLVp neurons. The map of selectivity for intensity disparity is mainly based on the gradient of inhibition.
WLC34-6: Characterization of an IEEE 802.11a Receiver using Measurements in an Indoor Environment

In this paper we characterize an IEEE 802.11a receiver using measurements in an indoor environment. While there have been a number of studies measuring path loss in indoor environments, there is little work on measurements regarding receiver synchronization, and packet error rate (PER) for IEEE 802.11a. This study allows better modeling of wireless reception in simulators, while also providing insights on wireless link performance. To study these characteristics, measurement tools were developed to capture relevant data pertaining to each stage of packet reception at the receiver. For the receiver considered, we find synchronization to be a critical component of packet reception. If synchronization is achieved, there are almost no data errors for 6 to 24 Mbps, resulting in almost identical PER performance of these data rates. For higher data rates, fluctuations in SNR are found to have a huge impact on PER, even for high average SNR values. The measurements bring out some factors which are normally not considered in PER models and the design of rate adaptation schemes. It also provides insights on the sensitivity of performance to various parameters, allowing better wireless network deployment.
Physiological signals distinguish between reading emotional and non-emotional sections in a novel

We are interested in monitoring an individual’s emotions during the reading of a novel. While physiological responses to experimentally induced emotions are often small and inconsistent, being engaged in a novel may elicit relatively strong responses. We analyzed EEG, ECG, skin conductance and respiration of 57 readers reading a complete, yet to be published novel written by a popular contemporary writer (Arnon Grunberg) and compared physiology during the reading of pre-defined sections that were either emotionally intense or not. Heart rate was lower while reading emotional sections. We also found effects of emotional intensity on breathing variability and alpha asymmetry. Most of the examined physiological variables were strongly affected by time on task. We could estimate whether the physiological data of an individual reader were collected during the reading of an emotional or non-emotional section with an accuracy of up to 72% using individualized models and after correcting data for individually modeled time-related effects. Our results imply that using our methodology, it is possible to examine fluctuating reader’s emotion during the reading of a novel after reading, but not (yet) in real time.
Enhanced Location Privacy Protection of Base Station in Wireless Sensor Networks

Location privacy in wireless sensor networks has gained a wide concern. Particularly, the location privacy of base station requires ultimate protection due to its crucial position in wireless sensor networks. In this paper, we propose an efficient scheme, consisting of anonymous topology discovery and intelligent fake packet injection (IFPI), to protect the location privacy of base station. Anonymous topology discovery eliminates the potential threats against base station within topology discovery period. On the other hand, IFPI enhances privacy protection strength during data transmission period. Under given conditions, comprehensive simulations demonstrate that our scheme significantly improves privacy strength compared with existing strategies.
The Role of Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)-induced XBP1 Splicing during Brain Development*

Accumulation of unfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum initiates intracellular signaling termed the unfolded protein response (UPR). Although Xbp1 serves as a pivotal transcription factor for the UPR, the physiological role of UPR signaling and Xbp1 in the central nervous system remains to be elucidated. Here, we show that Xbp1 mRNA was highly expressed during neurodevelopment and activated Xbp1 protein was distributed throughout developing neurons, including neurites. The isolated neurite culture system and time-lapse imaging demonstrated that Xbp1 was activated in neurites in response to brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), followed by subsequent translocation of the active Xbp1 into the nucleus. BDNF-dependent neurite outgrowth was significantly attenuated in Xbp1-/- neurons. These findings suggest that BDNF initiates UPR signaling in neurites and that Xbp1, which is activated as part of the UPR, conveys the local information from neurites to the nucleus, contributing the neurite outgrowth.
Multizone reproduction of speech soundfields: A perceptually weighted approach

In this paper a method for the reproduction of multizone speech soundfields using perceptual weighting criteria is proposed. Psychoacoustic models are used to derive a space-time-frequency weighting function to control leakage of perceptually unimportant energy from the bright zone into the quiet zone. This is combined with a method for regulating the number of basis planewaves used in the reproduction to allow for an efficient implementation using a codebook of predetermined weights based on desired soundfield energy in the zones. The approach is capable of improving the mean squared error for reproduced speech in the bright zone by -10.5 decibels. Results also show that the approach leads to a significant reduction in the spatial error within the bright zone whilst requiring 65% less loudspeaker signal power for the case where the soundfield in this zone is in line with, and hence partially directed to, the quiet zone.
Studies of visual functions and the effect of visual fatigue in adults with dyslexia.

To date, it appears that many studies on dyslexia and its visual correlates are concentrated on children and there are only a few studies examining adult groups with dyslexia. This PhD introduces new knowledge about an adult population (university students) with dyslexia and those dyslexics who diagnosed with Meares-Irlen syndrome, compared to adults with normal reading abilities. Given that a common support strategy at undergraduate level is the provision of extra time in examinations, studies will focus on the effects of fatigue on binocular instability and ocular dominance amongst these cohorts.
A Communication Protocol for Fog Computing Based on Network Coding Applied to Wireless Sensors

A communication protocol for fog computing should be efficient, lightweight and customizable. In this work we focus in a communication protocol for fog nodes composed of wireless sensors, which are spatially distributed autonomous sensors monitoring physical or environmental conditions. Problems with data congestion and limited physical resources are common in these networks. For the optimization of data flow, it is important to apply techniques that reduce the transmitted data. We use the network coding technique to demonstrate through experiments the degree of efficiency of data transmission optimization protocols. The experiments were performed through a wireless sensors programming framework composed of TinyOS operating system, NesC programming language and TOSSIM simulator. In addition, we use the Python programming language to simulate the wireless sensor network topology. The results obtained demonstrate a better performance (50% up to 60%) when the network coding technique is applied to the data communication protocol.
RAD51 Interacts with the Evolutionarily Conserved BRC Motifs in the Human Breast Cancer Susceptibility Gene brca2 *

Recent work has shown that the murine BRCA2 tumor suppressor protein interacts with the murine RAD51 protein. This interaction suggests that BRCA2 participates in DNA repair. Residues 3196–3232 of the murine BRCA2 protein were shown to be involved in this interaction. Here, we report the detailed mapping of additional domains that are involved in interactions between the human homologs of these two proteins. Through yeast two-hybrid and biochemical assays, we demonstrate that the RAD51 protein interacts specifically with the eight evolutionarily conserved BRC motifs encoded in exon 11 ofbrca2 and with a similar motif found in aCaenorhabditis elegans hypothetical protein. Deletion analysis demonstrates that residues 98–339 of human RAD51 interact with the 59-residue minimal region that is conserved in all BRC motifs. These data suggest that the BRC repeats function to bind RAD51.
Effects of Work-related Attitudes on the Intention to Leave the Profession

This article examines the influence of work-place factors, job satisfaction and professional commitment on the intent to leave the profession of 165 primary school teachers in the city of Lagos, Nigeria. Most of the teachers were women (74.5 per cent). Teachers’ satisfaction was characterized by job apathy, satisfaction with pay and benefits, and intrinsic satisfaction. Women teachers found the job more satisfying than men. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that professional commitment was significantly related to intrinsic satisfaction, job apathy, and satisfaction with pay and benefits. Material rewards and advancement, working conditions, intrinsic satisfaction, job apathy and professional commitment were associated with an intention to leave the profession. Finally, teachers with higher satisfaction levels were strongly committed to the profession and less likely to leave. Administrative intervention requires financial expenditure to achieve the desired results; thus, the government needs to improve upon the level of funding to the primary education sector.
cis-[Aqua/methanol(0.45/1.55)](1,1,1-trifluoro-5,5-dimethylhexane-2,4-dionato)nickel(II)–cis-[aqua/methanol(1.49/0.51)](1,1,1-trifluoro-5,5-dimethylhexane-2,4-dionato)nickel(II) (1/1)

The title compound, [Ni(C8H10F3O2)2(CH4O)1.55(H2O)0.45][Ni(C8H10F3O2)2(CH4O)0.51(H2O)1.49], is an octahedral nickel(II) complex with two acetylacetonate-like 1,1,1-trifluoro-5,5-dimethylhexane-2,4-dionate ligands. The two chelating ligands are in cis positions with respect to each other and the remaining two adjacent coordination sites are taken up by water and methanol donor molecules. In both crystallographically independent molecules, each donor site shows disorder of methanol and water with occupancies of 0.51 (1) and 0.55 (1) in favor of methanol. The remaining two donor sites are not disordered and are water for the first and methanol for the second independent molecule. Rotational disorder is observed for one of the tert-butyl groups, the occupancy rate for the major component here is 0.687 (9). O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds connect the two independent molecules with each other and, across a crystallographic inversion center, they are combined with two neighboring molecules to form a centrosymmetric hydrogen-bonded tetramer.
Partner Homogamy in Married, Heterosexual Cohabiting, Gay, and Lesbian Couples

Because similarity between partners has been thought to be related to relationship quality, this study assessed similarities between partners in 44 married, 35 heterosexual cohabiting, 50 gay, and 56 lesbian couples on demographic characteristics, appraisals of relationship quality, and factors predictive of relationship quality. With regard to demographic characteristics: Partners' age was correlated for each type of couple; partners' income, education, and job prestige were correlated only for heterosexual cohabiting couples; and gay partners had the largest discrepancies in age, income, and education. With regard to appraisals of relationship quality: Partners' scores were correlated for each type of couple on relationship satisfaction but for only gay and lesbian couples on love for partner; partners across all couples differed in their assessments of relationship quality. With regard to the predictors of relationship quality: Partner scores were correlated for each type of couple only on shared decis.