Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On Jamming in the Wideband Regime

We consider the problem of jamming in non-coherent wideband fading channels. While the problem is well understood for coherent channels, the results for the coherent case do not generalize in the non-coherent regime. We show that energy-limited jammers do not affect capacity in the wideband regime. We also propose a training based transmission scheme that is able to achieve the wideband limit in the presence of a jammer
Automatic sleep stage classification based on ECG and EEG features for day time short nap evaluation

In this study, the Electrocardiogram (ECG) and Electroencephalogram (EEG) data recorded during day time short nap were analyzed. The ultimate purpose is to find out effective ECG features combined with usual EEG features for sleep stage determination during day time nap. Firstly, the ECG data was pre-processed in order to eliminate artifacts. After preprocessing, the second-order derivative of the ECG signal was calculated and clustered into two classes by K-means method. The peak positions of R wave were detected. Secondly, the Heart Rate Variability (HRV) was calculated according to the RR intervals (RRIs). Features of HRV of ECG were extracted in time-domain and frequency-domain. The redundant features were removed by the rough set method. Finally, the extracted features from the HRV of ECG were combined with the usual EEG features for sleep stage determination. The sleep stages including stage awake, stage 1 and stage 2 were distinguished by using Support Vector Machine (SVM). The obtained result indicated that the extracted ECG features improved the sleep stage classification accuracy.
Stress Detection Techniques in Different Work Domains

Nurses represent a large portion of shift workers in United States. Nurses often work long hours, have high workload, and usually participate in multitasking, all of which may lead to high stress, turnover, and burn-out. The turnover rate among nurses tends to be higher than other healthcare professions. Some studies have analyzed the nursing culture to determine the factors that lead to such high turnover and stress. How-ever, most of the studies have relied on self-reported instruments. While objective metrics to assess stress using physiological measures exist, these methods are rarely used in healthcare. The current study documents the findings from a literature review of stress detection techniques in other work domains (e.g., aviation, transportation). Stress detection techniques are explained, along with potential applications to the healthcare sector.
Distributional Semantics meets Embodied Cognition : Flickr ® as a database of semantic features

Distributional models such as Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA, Landauer, Dumais 1997) generate semantic spaces based on the co-occurrences of words in linguistic contexts. The semantic representations that emerge from these models are based solely on linguistic information, leaving aside the information that we retrieve from perceptual experiences. The proposed analytical approach applies the methods of distributional semantics to Flickr®, a corpus of images enhanced with metadata (tags), expressing a wide range of concepts, including perceptual features triggered by the experiences captured in the photographs. A case study on the domain of colors shows how a distributional analysis based on Flickr® can produce semantic representations for color terms that better resemble the similarity judgments provided by humans, when compared to those that emerge from distributional models based on solely linguistic information.
Immunotherapy of Cancer: Reprogramming Tumor-Immune Crosstalk

The advancement of cancer immunotherapy faces barriers which limit its efficacy. These include weak immunogenicity of the tumor, as well as immunosuppressive mechanisms which prevent effective antitumor immune responses. Recent studies suggest that aberrant expression of cancer testis antigens (CTAs) can generate robust antitumor immune responses, which implicates CTAs as potential targets for immunotherapy. However, the heterogeneity of tumor cells in the presence and quantity of CTA expression results in tumor escape from CTA-specific immune responses. Thus, the ability to modulate the tumor cell epigenome to homogenously induce expression of such antigens will likely render the tumor more immunogenic. Additionally, emerging studies suggest that suppression of antitumor immune responses may be overcome by reprogramming innate and adaptive immune cells. Therefore, this paper discusses recent studies which address barriers to successful cancer immunotherapy and proposes a strategy of modulation of tumor-immune cell crosstalk to improve responses in carcinoma patients.
RESOURCE SCHEDULING IN FREQUENCY SELECTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR CARRIER AGGREGATION SYSTEMS

Carrier Aggregation (CA) is one of the core proposals of LTE-A for bandwidth expansion from current limit of 20MHz obtainable in LTE systems to 100MHz for LTE-Advanced in order to meet ever increasing demand for high speed mobile broadband services. Resource scheduling for UEs within frequency selective environment is a complex scenario capable of impeding not only the higher data rate expected but also the throughput and fairness for LTE-A systems. In this paper we proposed a technique to effectively schedule the UEs within frequency selective environment. Our proposed resource allocation paradigm is built on PF algorithm with resource aggregation control mechanism. The control mechanism is meant to improve system throughput and fairness. The improvement is ensued by considering the UEs’ environment experience and aggregation capability metrics before scheduling. Our approach titled ‘improved proportional fair algorithm for resource scheduling (IPF-RS) is different from existing works that assume non frequency selective environment for scheduling. Simulation results show that the fairness and throughput can be improved.
Pairing frequency experiments in visual cortex reproduced in a neuromorphic STDP circuit

Previous studies show that the conventional pair-based form of STDP (PSTDP), is not able to account for many biological experiments including frequency-dependent pairing experiments performed in the visual cortex region of the brain. However, new improved synaptic plasticity rules, such as Triplet-based Spike Timing Dependent Plasticity (TSTDP), are capable of replicating many biological experiments outcomes including the results of the experiments carried out in the visual cortex. This paper proposes a programmable analog neuromorphic circuit, which is capable of reproducing pairing frequency experiments in the visual cortex. The circuit utilizes transistors working in their subthreshold region of operation. In addition, it implements a minimal model TSTDP learning rule, which needs a low number of transistors compared to its PSTDP circuit counterparts. These features result in low-power compact circuits that are suitable for large-scale VLSI implementations of Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs) with improved synaptic plasticity and learning capabilities.
A 1kW inductive charging system using AC processing pickups

This paper presents a 1kW inductive charging system for Electric Vehicles (EV's). The primary topology uses an LCL converter and the secondary topology uses a parallel AC processing pickup to produce a controllable current source ideal for EV battery charging applications. Standard circular pads with a diameter of 420mm were used. The system can operate over a variable charging height of 45–90mm. The measured efficiency from the AC mains socket to the DC battery is 73–83% at rated power conditions of 1kW depending on the relative height and alignment of the pads.
Recommender Systems Evaluations : Offline, Online, Time and A/A Test

We present a comparison of recommender systems algorithms along four dimensions. The first dimension is offline evaluation where we compare the performance of our algorithms in an offline setting. The second dimension is online evaluation where we deploy recommender algorithms online with a view to comparing their performance patterns. The third dimension is time, where we compare our algorithms in two different years: 2015 and 2016. The fourth dimension is the quantification of the effect of non-Algorithmic factors on the performance of an online recommender system by using an A/A test. We then analyze the performance similarities and differences along these dimensions in an attempt to draw meaningful patterns and conclusions.
Diversity in Recommender Systems: Bridging the gap between users and systems

Recommender systems aim at automatically providing objects related to user’s interests. The angular stone of such systems is a way to identify documents to be recommended. Indeed, the quality of these systems depends on the accuracy of its recommendation selection method. Thus, the selection method should be carefully chosen in order to improve end-user satisfaction. In this paper, we first compare two sets of approaches from the literature to underline that their results are significantly different. We also provide the conclusion of a survey done by thirty four students showing that diversity is considered as important in recommendation lists. Finally, we show that combining existing recommendation selection methods is a good mean to obtain diversity in recommendation lists. Keywords-Information Retrieval; Recommender System; Document similarity; Diversity
Accounting for Spatial Pattern When Modeling Organism- Environment Interactions

for spatial pattern when modeling organism-environment interactions. – Ecography 25: 616– 625. Statistical models of environment-abundance relationships may be influenced by spatial autocorrelation in abundance, environmental variables, or both. Failure to account for spatial autocorrelation can lead to incorrect conclusions regarding both the absolute and relative importance of environmental variables as determinants of abundance. We consider several classes of statistical models that are appropriate for modeling environment-abundance relationships in the presence of spatial autocorrela-tion, and apply these to three case studies: 1) abundance of voles in relation to habitat characteristics; 2) a plant competition experiment; and 3) abundance of Orbatid mites along environmental gradients. We find that when spatial pattern is accounted for in the modeling process, conclusions about environmental control over abundance can change dramatically. We conclude with five lessons: 1) spatial models are easy to calculate with several of the most common statistical packages; 2) results from spatially-structured models may point to conclusions radically different from those suggested by a spatially independent model; 3) not all spatial autocorrelation in abundances results from spatial population dynamics; it may also result from abundance associations with environmental variables not included in the model; 4) the different spatial models do have different mechanistic interpretations in terms of ecological processes – thus ecological model selection should take primacy over statistical model selection; 5) the conclusions of the different spatial models are typically fairly similar – making any correction is more important than quibbling about which correction to make. The environment-abundance relationship has been featured as a central topic throughout the history of ecology. Classically, it was a main topic in order to understand limits to species' distributions, and species' responses to environmental gradients. More recently, understanding how qualitative and quantitative aspects of environment affects abundance and distribution has taken on a more acute practical dimension, because of the conservation implications of anthropogenic habitat loss and climate change. The critical link is that in order to predict the effects of anthropogenic or other changes, we need reliable measures of the association between abundance and environmental variables. The estimation of these associations is the topic of this paper – the statistical complication is that classical methods used to quantify environment-abundance associations assume independence of observations. However , the distribution or abundance of a species is typically spatially autocorrelated due to locomotory
Discrete-Time Modeling, Stability Analysis, and Active Stabilization of DC Distribution Systems With Multiple Constant Power Loads

This paper presents the stability analysis of dc distributed power systems with multiple converter-controlled loads. The load converters are tightly controlled, behaving as constant power loads with low-damped LC filters. The dynamic behavior of the system in high frequency range is often not studied with the classical tools based on conventional averaging techniques. However, dc power systems with the reduced size filter, and consequently, the high resonant frequency, are widely used in transportation applications. In this paper, the stability analysis of the system is established based on a discrete-time model of the system, taking into account the switching frequency and intrinsic nonlinearities of the system model. The impacts of the filter parameters and interactions among the constant power loads are investigated with the proposed discrete-time method. Moreover, an active stabilizer is developed and included in the dynamic model of the system, in order to extend the stability margin. The theoretical observations are then validated experimentally on a laboratory hardware prototype.
Protein Kinase B Regulates T Lymphocyte Survival, Nuclear Factor κb Activation, and Bcl-XL Levels in Vivo

The serine/threonine kinase protein kinase B (PKB)/Akt mediates cell survival in a variety of systems. We have generated transgenic mice expressing a constitutively active form of PKB (gag-PKB) to examine the effects of PKB activity on T lymphocyte survival. Thymocytes and mature T cells overexpressing gag-PKB displayed increased active PKB, enhanced viability in culture, and resistance to a variety of apoptotic stimuli. PKB activity prolonged the survival of CD4+CD8+ double positive (DP) thymocytes in fetal thymic organ culture, but was unable to prevent antigen-induced clonal deletion of thymocytes expressing the major histocompatibility complex class I–restricted P14 T cell receptor (TCR). In mature T lymphocytes, PKB can be activated in response to TCR stimulation, and peptide-antigen–specific proliferation is enhanced in T cells expressing the gag-PKB transgene. Both thymocytes and T cells overexpressing gag-PKB displayed elevated levels of the antiapoptotic molecule Bcl-XL. In addition, the activation of peripheral T cells led to enhanced nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation via accelerated degradation of the NF-κB inhibitory protein IκBα. Our data highlight a physiological role for PKB in promoting survival of DP thymocytes and mature T cells, and provide evidence for the direct association of three major survival molecules (PKB, Bcl-XL, and NF-κB) in vivo in T lymphocytes.
Genome Sequence of the Plant Growth Promoting Endophytic Bacterium Enterobacter sp. 638

Enterobacter sp. 638 is an endophytic plant growth promoting gamma-proteobacterium that was isolated from the stem of poplar (Populus trichocarpa×deltoides cv. H11-11), a potentially important biofuel feed stock plant. The Enterobacter sp. 638 genome sequence reveals the presence of a 4,518,712 bp chromosome and a 157,749 bp plasmid (pENT638-1). Genome annotation and comparative genomics allowed the identification of an extended set of genes specific to the plant niche adaptation of this bacterium. This includes genes that code for putative proteins involved in survival in the rhizosphere (to cope with oxidative stress or uptake of nutrients released by plant roots), root adhesion (pili, adhesion, hemagglutinin, cellulose biosynthesis), colonization/establishment inside the plant (chemiotaxis, flagella, cellobiose phosphorylase), plant protection against fungal and bacterial infections (siderophore production and synthesis of the antimicrobial compounds 4-hydroxybenzoate and 2-phenylethanol), and improved poplar growth and development through the production of the phytohormones indole acetic acid, acetoin, and 2,3-butanediol. Metabolite analysis confirmed by quantitative RT–PCR showed that, the production of acetoin and 2,3-butanediol is induced by the presence of sucrose in the growth medium. Interestingly, both the genetic determinants required for sucrose metabolism and the synthesis of acetoin and 2,3-butanediol are clustered on a genomic island. These findings point to a close interaction between Enterobacter sp. 638 and its poplar host, where the availability of sucrose, a major plant sugar, affects the synthesis of plant growth promoting phytohormones by the endophytic bacterium. The availability of the genome sequence, combined with metabolome and transcriptome analysis, will provide a better understanding of the synergistic interactions between poplar and its growth promoting endophyte Enterobacter sp. 638. This information can be further exploited to improve establishment and sustainable production of poplar as an energy feedstock on marginal, non-agricultural soils using endophytic bacteria as growth promoting agents.
Structure of the T109S mutant of Escherichia coli dihydroorotase complexed with the inhibitor 5-fluoroorotate: catalytic activity is reflected by the crystal form

A single-point mutant (T109S) of E. coli dihydroorotase initially crystallizes so that the two monomers of the dimer are related by a crystallographic twofold axis. In the presence of substrate, conversion to the previously observed asymmetric dimer with substrate bound in one subunit and product in the other is observed.
Structural and functional basis for TRIM25 E3 ligase catalytic activity and NS1-mediated suppression

Abstract Ubiquitination is a post-translational modification of proteins with broad regulatory roles across cellular biology. This process involves the addition of ubiquitin molecules on target proteins, altering their cellular role and properties. Ubiquitination is performed by an enzymatic cascade consisting of three enzymes: ubiquitin activating enzymes (E1), ubiquitin conjugating enzymes (E2) and ubiquitin ligases (E3). The tripartite motif (TRIM) family of proteins constitutes one of the largest subfamilies of RING E3 ligases and the majority of them are contributing to the regulation of innate immune responses. They are characterized by a conserved tripartite motif in their N-terminal region which comprises a RING domain, one or two B-box domains and a coiled-coil region. Self-association is believed to be crucial for catalytic activity of TRIM proteins, however, the precise molecular mechanism underlying this observation remains elusive. The work presented in this thesis provides insights into the E3 ligase function of TRIM25 and shows how its oligomeric state is linked to its catalytic activity. The crystal structure of a complex between the TRIM25 RING domain and a ubiquitin-loaded E2 identifies the structural and mechanistic features that promote activation of E2~Ub allowing us to propose a model for the regulation of activity in the full-length protein. In the second part of this thesis, the molecular details of Influenza A NS1-mediated TRIM25 inhibition are presented. The crystal structures of NS1 bound to TRIM25 along with biochemical analysis allowed us to identify the interacting domains and propose a model for the inhibition of substrate ubiquitination during viral infection. The results of this project extend our understanding of the mechanism, structure and regulation of TRIM E3 ligases and their substrates, leading to increased chances of targeting specific steps of the ubiquitination pathway during disease.
Mitochondrial Protein Synthesis, Import, and Assembly

The mitochondrion is arguably the most complex organelle in the budding yeast cell cytoplasm. It is essential for viability as well as respiratory growth. Its innermost aqueous compartment, the matrix, is bounded by the highly structured inner membrane, which in turn is bounded by the intermembrane space and the outer membrane. Approximately 1000 proteins are present in these organelles, of which eight major constituents are coded and synthesized in the matrix. The import of mitochondrial proteins synthesized in the cytoplasm, and their direction to the correct soluble compartments, correct membranes, and correct membrane surfaces/topologies, involves multiple pathways and macromolecular machines. The targeting of some, but not all, cytoplasmically synthesized mitochondrial proteins begins with translation of messenger RNAs localized to the organelle. Most proteins then pass through the translocase of the outer membrane to the intermembrane space, where divergent pathways sort them to the outer membrane, inner membrane, and matrix or trap them in the intermembrane space. Roughly 25% of mitochondrial proteins participate in maintenance or expression of the organellar genome at the inner surface of the inner membrane, providing 7 membrane proteins whose synthesis nucleates the assembly of three respiratory complexes.
Risk of tuberculosis during infliximab therapy for inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and spondyloarthropathy: A meta-analysis

Infliximab is a promising drug with good outcomes demonstrated for diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and spondyloarthropathy (SpA). However, treatment with this drug may increase the risk of tuberculosis infection. The aim of the present study was to investigate infliximab-associated tuberculosis infection. Literature searches in PubMed, MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were performed. Randomized controlled trials with >95% of the patients >18 years-old were included. Meta-analysis was performed to investigate the incidence of tuberculosis infection after infliximab infusion. A total of 24 RCTs were included in the present meta-analysis. In total, 21 (0.51%) tuberculosis infections were detected among 4,111 patients administered infliximab therapy, compared with 0 (0%) among 2,229 patients assigned to the placebo group. Pooled odds ratio (OR) of developing tuberculosis infection was significantly higher with infliximab therapy than with placebo [2.86; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.09–7.52]. The OR of tuberculosis infection was 3.93 (95% CI, 0.91–16.91) in RA, 2.46 (95% CI, 0.38–15.92) in SpA and 1.66 (95% CI, 0.26–10.57) in IBD. Rates of tuberculosis infection with infliximab therapy in RA, SpA and IBD were 0.70, 0.22 and 0.52%, respectively. Compared with placebo, infliximab therapy may increase the risk of developing tuberculosis. However, the ORs for the risk of infliximab-associated tuberculosis were not demonstrated to be significant in IBD, RA and SpA; therefore, these findings should be interpreted with caution. The risk of developing tuberculosis demonstrates the importance of the prevention and management of tuberculosis infection with infliximab therapy.
XML Warehousing Meets Sociology ... Introducing the W 3 C XQuery Working Group

In this article, we describe a novel application of XML and Web based technologies: a sociological study of the W3C standardization process. We propose a new methodology and tools, to be used by sociologists to study the standardization process, illustrated by the W3C XQuery Working Group. The novelty of our approach has many facets. Information Technology (IT) has received little attention from sociologists, yet the standardization of the Web is a crucial issue, both economical and political, based on the use of a semi-structured content warehouse. We introduce a modeling and querying approach of an XML content warehouse, and show it produces high added-value information. This information is used to conduct a preliminary sociological analysis of the XQuery standardization process. Categor ies and Subject Descr iptors J.4 [Social and Behavioral Sciences]: Computer applications and Sociology.