Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
2013WAEA Keynote Address: Strategies for Overcoming Hypothetical Bias in Stated Preference Surveys

In some, but not all, contexts, respondents to stated preference valuation studies state a willingness to pay (WTP) higher than what lab or field experiments indicate is the actual amount they would pay. However, several ex ante survey design strategies and ex post calibration techniques can be used to minimize or eliminate hypothetical bias. This article reviews and presents evidence on the effectiveness of these ex ante and ex post approaches. The ex ante approaches lead to recommendations to modify survey designs to minimize the bias up front. If the analyst desires, ex post calibration of WTP using certainty scales can be used to reduce stated WTP to the point at which it will match actual cash contributions.
Matlab simulation for a MIMO channel modeling under bad urban and rural macro cell environments

The aim of this paper is to simulate the behavior of the MIMO channel under bad urban and rural environments for a (4×2) MIMO multipath fading channel. The fading envelops for different paths were observed and analyzed after manipulating certain parameters such as: changing the symbol rate, doppler shift, and antenna elements' spacing within Tx and Rx sides of the MIMO system. The results shows that the channel behavior becomes more stable when increasing the symbol rate and antennas spacing, and when reducing the Doppler shift.
Fault Model For Cause Effect Graph Testing

Cause-effect graph is a directed Graph that maps a set of causes to a set of effects. The Causes may be thought of as input and the effect is thought of as the output. Cause-effect graphs can be used for specifying safety critical systems including avionics control software that are often intended to satisfy Boolean expressions. While Boolean expressions are useful to model predicates and complex conditions for state transitions, it is also true that they are very error prone to introduction of faults. Even though many Boolean specification based testing techniques have been proposed to detect faults of implementations of such specifications, there is almost no research about experimental investigation of the effectiveness of testing techniques with cause-effect graphs. In this paper, we present a new fault model which encompasses a variety of fault classes being hypothesized on the cause-effect graph. We have developed a tool to generate faults according to the fault model and to determine if a testing technique can detect those faults. Keywords— Cause Effect Graph, Test Cases, Decision Table, Fault Classes.
Assessment and Clinical Aspects of Health-Related Quality of Life in Dialysis Patients and Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Background/Aims: It is relevant to investigate health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in dialysis and chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients in order to optimise treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate HRQOL in dialysis and CKD patients, to compare results from patients treated with hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) and to investigate the prediction of dialysis quality control parameters (blood hemoglobin, plasma albumin, and Kt/V) and tobacco smoking in disease-specific HRQOL. Methods: Seventy-one HD, 59 PD, and 63 CKD patients participated in the study. Dialysis quality control parameters were measured and the patients completed the questionnaire Kidney Disease Quality Of Life. Results: PD patients rated Dialysis Staff Encouragement and Patient Satisfaction better than HD patients (p≤ 0.05). Dialysis patients scored significant lower than the general population in all generic HRQOL scales (p ≤ 0.01), whereas CKD patients scored lower than the general population in 5 of 8 scales (p ≤ 0.05). The dialysis quality parameters did not predict dialysis patients’ disease specific HRQOL, but tobacco consumption was independently associated with low scores on a number of HRQOL scales. Conclusion: Based on the results, it is suggested to include elements of HRQOL as a supplement to standard quality control parameters. It is also suggested routinely to include information of the beneficial effects of physical activity already in the predialysis program, and to focus on smoking as a very important risk factor.
PM Enhanced Sensing of Internal EMF Variation-A Tool to Study PMBLDC/AC Motors

Abstract The search for replacement of commutator and brushes in conventional DC motors by electronic commutator has resulted in a class of Permanent Magnet Brush Less (PMBL) motors. The operation of PMBL motor requires synchronization of coil currents with the instantaneous rotor position. The applied voltages of higher magnitudes must have same zero crossings as that of speed induced back EMF of the respective stator windings. The complexity of rotor position detection in PMBL motor is overcome by obtaining a replica of stator induced EMF using additional auxiliary stator and rotor. The auxiliary stator winding induced EMF is amplified using Power Operational Amplifier (P-OPAMP) and the output is connected to the main stator winding. The proposed scheme has been tested at laboratory scale and has been found to be a promising alternative scheme for operation of PMBLDC/AC motors.
A Systems Biology Analysis of Apoptosome Formation and Apoptosis Execution Supports Allosteric Procaspase-9 Activation*

Background: Mathematical simulations of apoptosome formation and mechanisms of caspase-9 activation were conducted and validated against experimental data. Results: Only simulations that assume allosteric caspase-9 activation can accurately reproduce all experimental data. Conclusion: A mechanism of allosteric caspase-9 activation is favored over homodimerization-based activation. Significance: Our findings challenge the dogma that all initiator caspases are activated by homodimerization. The protease caspase-9 is activated on the apoptosome, a multiprotein signal transduction platform that assembles in response to mitochondria-dependent apoptosis initiation. Despite extensive molecular research, the assembly of the holo-apoptosome and the process of caspase-9 activation remain incompletely understood. Here, we therefore integrated quantitative data on the molecular interactions and proteolytic processes during apoptosome formation and apoptosis execution and conducted mathematical simulations to investigate the resulting biochemical signaling, quantitatively and kinetically. Interestingly, when implementing the homodimerization of procaspase-9 as a prerequisite for activation, the calculated kinetics of apoptosis execution and the efficacy of caspase-3 activation failed to replicate experimental data. In contrast, assuming a scenario in which procaspase-9 is activated allosterically upon binding to the apoptosome backbone, the mathematical simulations quantitatively and kinetically reproduced all experimental data. These data included a XIAP threshold concentration at which apoptosis execution is suppressed in HeLa cervical cancer cells, half-times of procaspase-9 processing, as well as the molecular timer function of the apoptosome. Our study therefore provides novel mechanistic insight into apoptosome-dependent apoptosis execution and suggests that caspase-9 is activated allosterically by binding to the apoptosome backbone. Our findings challenge the currently prevailing dogma that all initiator procaspases require homodimerization for activation.
Distributed slot allocation with centralized power control and beamforming for multicell packet access networks with smart antennas

This paper addresses dynamic resource allocation (DRA) with power control for the downlink of a Spatial Divi- sion Multiple Access (SDMA) broadband multicellular wireless packet network with adaptive antennas. The main issue for dis- tributed DRA is how to manage the intercell interference, which is very difficult to handle in an uncoordinated environment, due to packet access and downlink beamforming. The issue of effi- ciently performing DRA and power control in such environment is still open. In this paper we propose to do the slot allocation distributedly with a rough estimate of the intercell interference, and the power control and beamforming in a centralized manner, after the allocation. This keep the computational effort low with respect to a completely centralized allocation algorithm. We show that the gap between a distributed algorithm with uncoordinated power control and a totally centralized allocation algorithm can be significantly reduced.
How Do Serum Cobalt and Chromium Levels Change after Metal-on-Metal Hip Resurfacing?

We prospectively monitored changes in serum cobalt and chromium levels after a new generation metal-on-metal hip resurfacing and the affect on renal function. Levels were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and atomic absorption spectrometry, preoperatively then sequentially at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 months. For serum cobalt, there was an initial increase to a peak level at 6 months, followed by a gradual decline during the next 15 months. A similar trend was observed in serum chromium, although the peak level occurred slightly later, at 9 months. There was no adverse affect on renal function during the 2-year study period. All implants were functioning well, with no radiographic evidence of loosening. These levels will continue to be monitored to establish when minimum metal ion levels are reached.
Design of a switchable eliminase

The active sites of enzymes are lined with side chains whose dynamic, geometric, and chemical properties have been finely tuned relative to the corresponding residues in water. For example, the carboxylates of glutamate and aspartate are weakly basic in water but become strongly basic when dehydrated in enzymatic sites. The dehydration of the carboxylate, although intrinsically thermodynamically unfavorable, is achieved by harnessing the free energy of folding and substrate binding to reach the required basicity. Allosterically regulated enzymes additionally rely on the free energy of ligand binding to stabilize the protein in a catalytically competent state. We demonstrate the interplay of protein folding energetics and functional group tuning to convert calmodulin (CaM), a regulatory binding protein, into AlleyCat, an allosterically controlled eliminase. Upon binding Ca(II), native CaM opens a hydrophobic pocket on each of its domains. We computationally identified a mutant that (i) accommodates carboxylate as a general base within these pockets, (ii) interacts productively in the Michaelis complex with the substrate, and (iii) stabilizes the transition state for the reaction. Remarkably, a single mutation of an apolar residue at the bottom of an otherwise hydrophobic cavity confers catalytic activity on calmodulin. AlleyCat showed the expected pH-rate profile, and it was inactivated by mutation of its active site Glu to Gln. A variety of control mutants demonstrated the specificity of the design. The activity of this minimal 75-residue allosterically regulated catalyst is similar to that obtained using more elaborate computational approaches to redesign complex enzymes to catalyze the Kemp elimination reaction.
Reovirus-induced acute myocarditis in mice correlates with viral RNA synthesis rather than generation of infectious virus in cardiac myocytes

The capacity for different reovirus reassortant viruses to induce acute myocarditis in mice correlates with cytopathogenic effect in primary cultures of murine cardiac myocytes. Multiple viral genes encoding proteins involved in viral RNA synthesis are determinants of this disease. We therefore evaluated the role of viral RNA synthesis in induction of acute myocarditis by infecting primary cultures of cardiac myocytes with a panel of myocarditic and nonmyocarditic viruses and quantitating RNA synthesis. RNA synthesis correlated with induction of myocarditis and with the S1 and M1 reovirus genes. Since one consequence of viral RNA synthesis is generation of infectious virus, we looked next at viral yield from cardiac myocyte cultures. Yield of infectious virus at an early time postinfection or as a final yield from primary infections did not correlate with myocarditis, but instead both correlated with the S1 gene. The S1 gene also determined the fraction of cells infected during primary infections in the culture, which varied dramatically between viruses. Viral yields per infected cell were similar for most myocarditic and nonmyocarditic reoviruses and did not correlate with induction of myocarditis or any reovirus gene. Together, the data provide two insights into reovirus-induced acute myocarditis in mice. First, while the S1 gene. which encodes the viral attachment protein sigma1 (as well as a nonstructural protein, sigma1s, of unknown function) does not determine the myocarditic potential of these viruses, it does determine the efficiency with which they infect cardiac myocytes. Second, while viral RNA synthesis is a determinant of acute myocarditis, this is not due to generation of infectious virus. This finding suggests that some other consequence of viral RNA synthesis, for example, induction of interferon, may determine reovirus-induced acute myocarditis.
Mode of action of staphylococcal leukocidin: effects of the S and F components on the activities of membrane-associated enzymes of rabbit polymorphonuclear leukocytes

The cytotoxic action of the S component of leukocidin from Staphylococcus aureus on rabbit polymorphonuclear leukocytes was supported by the following observations, (i) Leukocytes displayed a large chemotactic response to the S component (10(-10) M) as well as to the chemotactic factor N-formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine (10(-11) M). (ii) The S component stimulated high levels of phospholipase A2 activity in the cell membranes, with concomitant synthesis and release of prostaglandins. (iii) Uptake of 45Ca into leukocytes exposed to the S component was about double the rate of uptake into untreated cells. The increased 45Ca uptake into the cells was not inhibited by trifluoperazine and ruthenium red. (iv) Indomethacin and alloxazine, which had no effects on the binding of the S component to the cells, attenuated markedly the stimulation of phospholipase A2 activity, the syntheses of prostaglandins, and the increased uptake of 45Ca caused by the S component. The F component of leukocidin, bound to rabbit leukocytes with the aid of the S component, rapidly induced complete release of 86Rb from preloaded leukocytes. This release resulted from stimulation of ouabain-insensitive (Na+ + K+)-adenosine triphosphatase activity and inhibition of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase.
Effect of interacting particles on primordial nucleosynthesis.

We modify the standard model for big-bang nucleosynthesis to allow for the presence of a generic particle species, i.e., one which maintains good thermal contact with either the photons or the light neutrino species throughout the epoch of primordial nucleosynthesis. The production of D, /sup 3/He, /sup 4/He, and /sup 7/Li is calculated as a function of the mass, degrees of freedom, and spin statistics of the generic particle. We show that in general, the effect of an additional generic species cannot simply be parameterized as the equivalent number of additional light neutrino species. The presence of generic particles also affects the predicted value for the neutrino-to-photon temperature ratio.
Computer‐assisted Diagnosis in Full‐field Digital Mammography—Results in Dependence of Readers Experiences

Abstract: The object of this study was to assess the clinical usefulness of computer‐assisted diagnosis (CAD) in the interpretation of early‐research, benign and malignant mammograms in dependence on readers’ experience with CAD. CAD was applied on digital mammograms of 303 patients who were divided into three groups: early‐research (n = 103), benign (n = 102) and malignant group (n = 98). Mammograms were analyzed by three readers with different experience in evaluating mammograms (medical student, an assistant and an attending physician specifically trained in mammography). All images were presented accidentally with and without the influence of CAD and from different patient groups. The mammograms were classified according to BI‐RADS classification. To evaluate readers’ sensitivity and specificity with and without the application of the CAD system, ROC analysis and the corresponding area under the curve (AUC) were evaluated for each reader. Afterwards significant differences of the accuracy according to readers experience and according to the assistance of the CAD system were calculated. All readers have an account of accuracy by using CAD in both patient groups. The highest benefit has the student (10% increase of the AUC) followed by the resident (4%) and at least followed by the mammography fellow (3%). There are significant varieties of the accuracy in addiction to the readers’ experience and to the examination method with and without CAD system. Patient group has not a significant influence to the elevation of accuracy by using the CAD. All three readers have nearly the same increase of AUC in the examinations of malignant and early‐research group summarized and of the malignant group only. Finally, the increase of accuracy depends on the readers’ experience. For all patient groups CAD‐application causes a steeply increase of the ROC curve and consequently a gain of sensitivity.
Electrophysiologic evaluation of sinus node dysfunction in postoperative children and young adults utilizing combined autonomic blockade–B. Marcus Et Al.: Postoperative intrinsic sinus node evaluation

Sinus node dysfunction is a recognized problem following surgery for congenital heart disease. Seven postoperative patients with sinus node dysfunction (5 Mustard, 1 tetralogy of Fallot, 1 Fontan) underwent electrophysiology study of sinus node function during combined autonomic blockade (CAB) utilizing propranolol 0.2 mg/kg iv and atropine 0.04 mg/kg iv to evaluate intrinsic sinus node function isolated from autonomic control. During CAB, intrinsic heart rate, intrinsic corrected sinus node recovery time, and intrinsic sinoatrial recovery time were measured. These results were compared with age‐matched normal intrinsic data from our lab [normal (n = 7, mean age 9 years) IHR 128 ± 24, intrinsic corrected sinus node recovery time 135 ± 40 ms, intrinsic sinoatrial conduction time 86 ± 19 ms]. Among postoperative Mustard patients (n = 5, mean age 13 years, mean years postoperative 11) 2 of 5 had clearly abnormal intrinsic sinus node function with nonsinus rhythm during CAB: 3 of 5 had sinus rhythm during CAB with normal or mildly abnormal intrinsic sinus node function. The postoperative case of tetralogy of Fallot (age 20 years, postoperative 14 years) had mildly abnormal intrinsic sinus node electrophysiology study. The postoperative case of Fontan (age 16 years, postoperative 1.5 years) had sinus rhythm at rest but left atrial rhythm during CAB.
An Investigation of Marketing via Mobile Devices - Attitudes of Croatian Marketing Experts

Marketing activities supported by mobile devices offer great opportunities for direct communication with consumers without the barriers of time, place, location and other. This article explores opinions and expectations Croatian marketing experts have towards use of m-advertising and other available advertising media, where we take the perspective of marketing experts to predict the future of m-marketing and m-advertising in Croatia. The paper also discusses the relevance of m-advertising and investigates the future of m-marketing and m-advertising in Croatia. This research focuses mainly on understanding the potential and effectiveness of the use of mobile phones as a promotional medium, but we also try to recognize the level of concern of marketing experts associated with spam, relating to privacy intrusion and ethics components in m-advertising. Privacy and ethics concerns could create resistance to the adoption of m-advertising. Media selection becomes the most critical factor for the success of a promotional and advertising marketing campaign. Croatian experts still consider TV or newspapers the best way to reach a large number of potential consumers, but what are their expectations towards mobile advertising? To answer this question, we built a model that links attitudes towards advertising via classical media to the intention to use m-advertising.
Using a short food frequency questionnaire to estimate dietary calcium consumption: a tool for patient education.

OBJECTIVE To develop a short food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) assessing calcium intake and a prediction equation for estimating total calcium intake from the short FFQ. METHODS Data were collected from 536 women via mailed questionnaires at 3 time points. Stepwise regression analyses were used to identify those foods and beverages included in the Black Health Habits and History Questionnaire (HHHQ) that explained the most variance in participants' dietary calcium intake. A prediction equation was developed to estimate total calcium intake based only on information from the foods/beverages identified. RESULTS Calcium obtained from 15 foods/beverages explained 97.2% of the variance in total calcium intake. The mean absolute difference between total calcium intake estimated from the 15 foods/beverages and the full HHHQ was less than 50 mg at each time point. CONCLUSION Findings suggest that a short FFQ can provide estimates of total dietary calcium consumption comparable to the full Block HHHQ.
The Effects of Long-term Smoking on Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase mRNA Expression in Human Platelets as Detected With Real-time Quantitative RT-PCR

Endothelium-derived nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in the prevention of platelet aggregation and adhesion to the vascular wall. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and L-arginine/NO pathway are both present in human platelets. Platelet-derived NO inhibits excessive activation and aggregation of platelets. However, the expression level of the eNOS gene in human platelets has yet to be elucidated. The current study investigates the individual expression level of platelet eNOS mRNA using the real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) detection method. eNOS mRNA expression was examined in platelets isolated from 50 subjects: 11 male smokers, 15 male nonsmokers, and 24 female non-smokers. After extraction of platelet total RNA, eNOS (target) and GAPDH (internal control) mRNA expression levels were quantitated using real-time RT-PCR. The expression levels of eNOS mRNA (relative copy numbers) were significantly lower in male smokers (59±17) than in male nonsmokers (195±71, P < .03), and higher in female nonsmokers (285±60) than in the male nonsmokers (195±71, P < .03). By multiple linear regression analysis, cigarette smoking (P = .008) and diabetes mellitus (P = .047) were found to be significantly negative predictors, and antioxidant (vitamin E) treatment (P = .01) was a significantly positive predictor of platelet eNOS mRNA expression. Age, other medications, and other risk factors for coronary artery disease were not significant. Using this method, eNOS mRNA abundance in human platelets was detected and quantitated in real-time. The intraplatelet eNOS mRNA expression levels were significantly decreased in cigarette smokers. Low platelet NO synthesis in smokers may result in the augmentation of platelet aggregation and thrombus formation, developing into acute coronary syndromes.