Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Enhancing location estimation accuracy in WiMAX networks

Mobile location technologies have attracted significant attention as a mean to deal with the ever increasing demand of wireless communication services. With the availability of WiMAX systems, the technology becomes a feasible solution to support location services in wireless broadband networks. In this paper, we utilise some of the WiMAX offered features namely multiple input multiple output (MIMO), adaptive modulation and coding (AMC), beamforming, and relay station (RS) for enhancing the location estimation accuracy in location services. Simulation results show that in term of location estimation accuracy, the proposed solution adheres to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requirements.
Ground-based stratospheric O 3 and HNO 3 measurements at Thule, Greenland: an intercomparison with Aura MLS observations

Abstract. In response to the need for improving our understanding of the evolution and the interannual variability of the winter Arctic stratosphere, in January 2009 a Ground-Based Millimeter-wave Spectrometer (GBMS) was installed at the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC) site in Thule (76.5° N, 68.8° W), Greenland. In this work, stratospheric GBMS O3 and HNO3 vertical profiles obtained from Thule during the winters 2010 (HNO3 only), 2011 and 2012 are characterized and intercompared with co-located measurements of the Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) experiment. Using a recently developed algorithm based on Optimal Estimation, we find that the GBMS O3 retrievals show good sensitivity (> 80%) to atmospheric variations between ~ 17 and ~ 50 km, where their 1σ uncertainty is estimated to be the larger of ~ 11% or 0.2 ppmv. Similarly, HNO3 profiles can be considered for scientific use between ~ 17 and ~ 45 km altitude, with a 1σ uncertainty that amounts to the larger of 15% or 0.2 ppbv. Comparisons with Aura MLS version 3.3 observations show that, on average, GBMS O3 mixing ratios are biased negatively with respect to MLS throughout the stratosphere, with differences ranging between ~ 0.3 ppmv (8%) and 0.9 ppmv (18%) in the 17–50 km vertical range. GBMS HNO3 values display instead a positive bias with respect to MLS up to 26 km, reaching a maximum of ~ 1 ppbv (10%) near the mixing ratio profile peak. O3 and HNO3 values from the two datasets prove to be well correlated at all altitudes, although their correlations worsen at the lower end of the altitude ranges considered. Column contents of GBMS and MLS O3 (from 20 km upwards) and HNO3 (from 17 km upwards) correlate very well and indicate that GBMS measurements can provide valuable estimates of column interannual and seasonal variations for these compounds.
Reproductive Patterns of Terrestrial Isopods (Crustacea, Isopoda, Oniscidea) from Uruguay

Armadillidium vulgare (Latreille, 1884) and Armadillidium nasatum (Schultz, 1961) are among the most common species of terrestrial isopods in Uruguay. The reproductive pattern of these species was studied, for first time, on a natural population at Department of San Jose (Uruguay) from June 2010 to July 2011. A total of 9136 individuals were sampled, of these 7010 were A. vulgare and 2126 were A.nasatum. Adults of A. vulgare were present throughout the year and juveniles appeared from February to November. Juveniles and adults of A. nasatumappeared from January to October, and practically disappeared from November to December. For both species ovigerous females were collected from spring to summer (October to March), this would indicate a seasonal reproduction followed by a sexual rest. In A. vulgare reproductive females cephalothorax width that varied between 1.7 to 3 mm, average fecundity was equal to 39 ± 5 eggs and average fertility was equal to 27 ± 4. In A. nasatum cephalothorax width of reproductive females oscillated between 1.5 to 2.9 mm and the average fecundity was 44 ± 5 eggs. For both species, fecundity and fertility were positively correlated with the size of the females. The incubation period ( = 13 days) and the mancas born ( = 21) were similar for both species.
Effects of dietary replacement of maize grain with popcorn waste products on nutrient digestibility and performance by lambs

A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary replacement of maize with popcorn waste (PW) on the intake, nutrient digestibility and growth performance of lambs. Diets replacing 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% maize with PW were formulated and fed ad libitum to 40 South African Mutton Merino lambs (25.0 ± 0.45 kg live-weight). The diets had similar intake and nutrient digestibility of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF). Lambs fed the 25 and 50% PW diets had higher intakes of crude protein (CP), metabolizable energy and ether extract compared to the other diets. Growth rate was highest (226 g/d) on the 25% diet and lowest (109 g/d) on the 75% PW diet. Best feed conversion ratio (FCR), of 5.1 (kg feed/kg live weight) was obtained with the 0% PW diet. Improved digestibility of CP and EE occurred in the 25 and 75% PW diets. Higher intake of nitrogen (N) and N retention were obtained in the 25 and 50% PW diets. Dietary replacement of >75% of maize resulted in poor animal performance (ADG 7.00). It was concluded that PW can replace up to 50% of the maize in diets for growing lambs. Keywords: Average daily gain, by-products, lambs, maize, popcorn
The Intensity of Knowledge Capital Investment in Kenya: Evidence from Manufacturing and Service Sectors

The study investigates the extent to which firms in Kenya manufacturing and service sectors invest in knowledge capital leading to innovations. 534 firms were included in the analysis. This was the combined data from the first Kenya innovation survey data of 2012, which covered 158 firms, (2008-2011) and the second Kenya innovation survey of 2015 which covered 376 firms (2012-2014). The Crepon, Duguet, and Mairessec (CDM) (1998) model, which considers a system of four equations: innovation propensity, innovation investment, innovation output and performance equations, was used as the estimation technique. The results revealed that, a firm’s decision to spend on R&D was significantly influenced by firm ownership, financial turnover and product innovativeness. A firm’s R&D intensity was significantly determined by its financial turnover and ownership. A firm’s activity and financial turnover were also significant in determining whether it introduced a new product in the market or not. The results of this paper suggest that a firm’s financial turnover was significant in R&D decisions but R&D intensity did not significantly matter to a firm’s product innovativeness. Further, a firm’s level of innovativeness was a significant determinant of its productivity. In addition, the results suggest that, innovations among the Kenyan firms in the manufacturing and service sectors were heavily reliant on financial capital and were struggling to convert knowledge inputs into product output. This study thus recommends a policy that incorporates the academia and firm level innovation with national innovation systems to enhance knowledge and skill intensive innovations that are new to the world.
A numerical study of aerosol influence on mixed-phase stratiform clouds through modulation of the liquid phase

Abstract. Numerical simulations were carried out in a high-resolution two-dimensional framework to increase our understanding of aerosol indirect effects in mixed-phase stratiform clouds. Aerosol characteristics explored include insoluble particle type, soluble mass fraction, influence of aerosol-induced freezing point depression and influence of aerosol number concentration. Simulations were analyzed with a focus on the processes related to liquid phase microphysics, and ice formation was limited to droplet freezing. Of the aerosol properties investigated, aerosol insoluble mass type and its associated freezing efficiency was found to be most relevant to cloud lifetime. Secondary effects from aerosol soluble mass fraction and number concentration also alter cloud characteristics and lifetime. These alterations occur via various mechanisms, including changes to the amount of nucleated ice, influence on liquid phase precipitation and ice riming rates, and changes to liquid droplet nucleation and growth rates. Alteration of the aerosol properties in simulations with identical initial and boundary conditions results in large variability in simulated cloud thickness and lifetime, ranging from rapid and complete glaciation of liquid to the production of long-lived, thick stratiform mixed-phase cloud.
Western Ghats terrestrial microalgae serve as a source of amylase and antioxidants enzymes

The purpose of the study was to screen six identified microalga samples from in and around of the Western Ghats Karnataka state for their amylase and antioxidants activity assay. These six collected terrestrial microalgae were grown in plastic tray for multiplication purpose treated with R.O. residual dispense water, pH 8.4 (T1) and urban waste water (T2) which reduced the pH and TDS content in that water. Rhizoclonium hieroglyphicum has greater chlorophyll content, which helps in multiplication of microalgae very quickly. Carbohydrate degrading enzymes were analyzed using DNS reagents. Free radical scavenging activities were also determined using DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) method. Superoxide Dismutase and Peroxidase was the most important antioxidant enzymes that protect against the peroxidation system and maintain the redox state of the cell. Amylase, SOD and POD activities were confirmed by conducting native PAGE.
Assessing Firms'Financing Constraints in Brazil

Firm surveys often indicate that firms complain a lot about lack of access to financial services, but financing constraints are difficult to identify, given demand and supply considerations and with only surveys based on firms' perceptions. Specifically, it is difficult to separate demand for access to finance of viable firms with good growth opportunities from that of firms that are not creditworthy and should not deserve financing. In Brazil, one of the main constraints to finance is related to the high level of interest rates, which affects both bank funding costs as well as bank intermediation spreads and, as such, the cost of finance and hence the demand and supply of bank financing. This paper analyzes a unique loan level data set that covers almost a decade of monthly firm bank information from credit registry information that is not publicly available as well as two cross-sections of Brazil's Investment Climate Assessment surveys in 2004 and 2008 that provide detailed information on firms' micro characteristics as well as perceptions of credit. The data allow identification of how firms' characteristics, banks' characteristics, and macro variables affect firms' demand for credit, banks' supply of credit, and access to credit. The paper finds first that access to finance for firms has improved over the decade for small firms, reflecting the deepening of the credit markets. However, access to credit depends strongly on information availability captured in the positive influence of collateral and credit history. Banks perceive that it is less risky to lend to firms that the banks know or that other banks know. Second, firms' loan demand is inelastic to the interest rate at the individual loan category level, possibly reflecting some screening and pricing; however, when the loans are aggregated, the effect of interest rates becomes significant and negative as expected. Third, firms loan demand and loan supply are affected by the availability of collateral and, in the case of loan demand, longer maturity. Policy implications point to the importance of reducing asymmetric information between lenders and borrowers and on collateral to alleviate financing constraints for small firms.
Recurrent Transient Ischemic Attacks in a 48-Year-Old Patient With an Undiagnosed Ebstein’s Anomaly: A Case Report

Ebstein ’ s anomaly is a rare congenital malformation of the heart characterized by apical displacement of the septal and posterior tricuspid valve leaflets, leading to atrialisation of the right ventricle with a variable degree of malformation and displacement of the anterior leaflet. Its presentation depends on the severity of the anomaly. Mild forms are often undiagnosed until adulthood due to its benign course. Importantly, interatrial communications are present in 80% of the patients with EA through which a paradoxical embolism may occur whenever a right-to-left shunt exists. The authors describe a case of a 47-year-old white man that presented with acute recurrent transitory ischemic brain attacks and progressive exertional dyspnea. A brain CT scan revealed infarcts in multiple vascular territories. Echocardiographic studies revealed an Ebstein ’ s anomaly with a right-to-left shunt through an interatrial communication and severe right heart failure. Doppler study of the cervical and extremities ’ vessels was negative for a possible thrombotic source. A diagnosis of transient ischemic attacks presumably secondary to paradoxical embolism with unknown source was established. The patient was successfully submitted to heart surgery and improvement of symptoms and heart function was observed. At follow-up he remains well and without further neurological events. doi:10.4021/jmc439w
Business Information Management-adaptive futures-Computer Supported Workgroup Systems

This study focus on the evaluation of computer supported systems designed to support work group Computer Supported Workgroup Systems (CSWS). The evaluation of this new kind of systems is considered in a multiperspective and comprehensive way. The evaluation perspectives are: system quality, information quality, use, user satisfaction, individual impact and organisational impact. The model of success as presented by DeLone and McLean (1992) was then extended to CSWS, which extension, in its turn, resulted in a model of success for those systems. On trying to come up with measures to evaluate the success of CSWS, the present work involved a selection and analysis of studies on the evaluation of the success of those systems. Its findings were as follows: (1) measures to evaluate the impact (or effect) of CSWS on groups were obtained; (2) research methods (e.g., field studies, case studies, laboratory experiments and field experiments), such as those employed in the evaluation of the remaining computer supported systems were identified. A new perspective on the evaluation of the success of CSWS group impact was brought about by a systematisation of the measures which were arrived at.
Statistical Monitoring of Clinical Trials Using Brownian Bridges

The Brownian bridge is not yet used widely in the statistical monitoring of clinical trials. In this paper, we investigate properties of the Brownian bridge and formally derive monitoring rules from these results. We will present four related main methods: (1). derivation of group sequential boundaries; (2). calculation of conditional power; (3). a new alpha spending function and (4). repeated confidence intervals, all under a Brownian bridge framework. Simulation results show that the type I error rate is well controlled and power is satisfactory for the group sequential design. We apply the proposed methods to monitor the interim results from the Beta Blocker Heart Attack Trial (BHAT) and a Head and Neck cancer trial with comparisons to the commonly used monitoring tools. Overall, the proposed methods when used together as one framework are more powerful and sensitive to interim positive and negative trends that are clinically meaningful and lead to timely early stopping with potentially more savings on sample sizes, time and costs. These tools are valuable additions to the existing group sequential methods which can be utilized in trial design, routine monitoring, and to answer important questions from data monitoring committees.
On‐screen characters: their design and influence on consumer trust

Purpose – Previous research has focused on how trustworthiness can be evoked by the physical design of on‐screen characters (OSCs) within the e‐commerce interface. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether or not the OSCs representation, along with user differences, influence, how likeable, appropriate and trustworthy they are.Design/methodology/approach – A web site was created for a simulated online bookseller and 183 people from various countries participated in the experiments. OSC representations were tested under four conditions in the main experiment: facial appearance (human‐like vs cartoon‐like) and gender (male vs female). Findings – The results suggest that the human‐like characters are more likeable, appropriate and trustworthy in general terms. However, when perceived capabilities of OSCs are measured, a mismatch can occur between expectations and capabilities of the human‐like OSCs. In fact, cartoon‐like OSCs, especially female, had more positive effects on the web site interface.Re.
A TEST FOR REPRODUCTIVE SEPARATION OF ALTERNATE GENERATIONS IN A BIENNIAL SPIDER, ARANEUS DIADEMATUS (ARANEAE, ARANEIDAE)

Abstract In Denmark, two seemingly distinct size-classes, 3rd and 4th instar juveniles and reproductive adults, of Araneus diadematus are found during every breeding season in autumn, indicating a non-overlapping biennial life-cycle. We tested the hypothesis that alternate generations might experience a degree of reproductive isolation, using the distribution of nuclear (allozyme) and maternal (mtDNA) genetic markers. Individuals of a locality behaved as belonging to a random mating population, irrespective of size. No differences were found between any size-class pairs, within and between 2 yr, or among geographically distant samples. Processes that may lead to this result are discussed: the biennial development may be incomplete; or there may be migrational influx of genes from southern annual populations. There is no evidence for sexual differences in life-cycle length.
Advantages of recovery from pre-slaughter stress in tambaqui Colossoma macropomum (Cuvier 1816) agroindustry in the Amazon

Abstract Tambaqui is the main fish species farmed in the Amazon. It is produced on industrial scale, slaughtered in the field, primarily by post-harvest asphyxia. This procedure, however, is stressful because it depletes energy reserves that should be used in postmortem metabolism, which may compromise fish meat freshness and quality. The present study compared the quality of tambaquis slaughtered by asphyxia, the conventional industrial method, and hypothermia. Tambaquis weighing around 1.6 kg were harvested from dugout ponds, transported to experimental tanks and allowed to recover from transport stress for 48h. Biological parameters of fish were evaluated alive post- harvest (Harv), transport (Tr) and recovery (Rc), and postmortem analysis was performed in fish slaughtered by asphyxia (Asph) or hypothermia (Hyp) after transport and recovery. Initial observations showed that the content of total volatile nitrogen bases (TVB-N) and pH were higher in fish killed by asphyxia. Sensory analysis indicated that the quality of fish slaughtered immediately after transport was lower than in fish allowed to recover from pre-slaughter stress. The results suggest that recovery from pre-slaughter stress contributes to preserving meat freshness and quality in tambaquis slaughtered on an industrial scale, but other studies are required to determine the feasibility of this recommendation.
GENETIC DIVERSITY OF WILD AND CULTIVATED Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. ACCESSIONS ANALYZED USING THIRTY MORPHO-AGRONOMICAL CHARACTERS

Genetic diversity and relatedness among 31 wild and 9 cultivated Mucuna pruriens accessions collected from diverse eco-climatic regions in India were evaluated using 30 morpho-agronomical characters. The experiments were carried by growing the plants in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) in four replications for two seasons. The results of PCA for 22 quantitative and 8 qualitative characters indicated that the first two PCs together explained 65.18% and 67.50% of the total variation respectively, which were drawn across a range of traits. Cluster analysis demonstrated on the whole high morphological diversity (63.05%) amongst wild and cultivated accessions and low diversity (36.95%) within cultivated accessions. Analysis of six yield traits based on LSD5% values revealed distinct genotypes under each category which are of potential value in breeding programs. Low morphological diversity within cultivated accessions emphasizes the need for expanding its genetic base in India.
Industry Restructuring, Mark-ups, and Exchange Rate Pass-Through

Consumer prices are not very responsive to movements in nominal exchange rates and their response has fallen in Canada since the mid 1980s. This paper explores two of the most likely explanations for this decline in exchange rate pass-through to consumer prices: (1) lower inflation and (2) restructuring in the retail sector. We believe that both explanations are important but our primary focus in this paper is on the second explanation. We discuss the restructuring that has occurred in Canadian retail and trends in mark-ups and concentration in that sector. We argue that to understand these trends, it is important to examine pass-through in industrial organization models with strategic elements. Finally, we present a series of such models and evaluate the effects of various forms of restructuring on mark-ups, concentration, and exchange rate pass-through.
Ultraquantum magnetoresistance in single-crystalline β-Ag 2 Se

In the history of condensed matter physics, reinvestigation of a well-studied material with enhanced quality sometimes led to important scientific discoveries. A well-known example is the discovery of fractional quantum Hall effect in high quality GaAs/AlGaAs heterojunctions. Here we report the first single crystal growth and magnetoresistance (MR) measurements of the silver chalcogenide β-Ag2Se (Naumannite), a compound has been known for the unusual, linear-fielddependent MR in its polycrystalline form for over a decade [1, 2]. With the quantum limit (QL) as low as 3 Tesla, a moderate field produced by a superconductor magnet available in many laboratories can easily drive the electrons in Ag2Se to an unprecedented state. We observed significant negative longitudinal MR beyond the QL, which was understood as a ‘charge-pumping’ effect between the novel fermions with opposite chiralities. Characterization of the single-crystalline Ag2Se and the fabrication of electric devices working above the QL, will represent a new direction for the study of these exotic electrons.
Distributed Convex Optimization with Many Non-Linear Constraints

We address the problem of solving convex optimization problems with many non-linear constraints in a distributed setting. Our approach is based on an extension of the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM). Although it has been invented decades ago, ADMM so far can be applied only to unconstrained problems and problems with linear equality or inequality constraints. Our extension can directly handle arbitrary inequality constraints. It combines the ability of ADMM to solve convex optimization problems in a distributed setting with the ability of the Augmented Lagrangian method to solve constrained optimization problems, and as we show, it inherits the convergence guarantees of both ADMM and the Augmented Lagrangian method.