Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exact Performance Analysis of MIMO Cognitive Radio Systems Using Transmit Antenna Selection

We consider in this paper, a spectrum sharing cognitive radio system with a ratio selection scheme; where one out of N independent-and-identically-distributed transmit antennas is selected such that the ratio of the secondary transmitter (ST) to the secondary receiver (SR) channel gain to the interference from the ST to the primary receiver (PR) channel gain is maximized. Although previous works considered perfect, outdated, or partial channel state information at the transmitter, we stress that using such assumptions may lead to a feedback overhead for updating the SR with the ST-PR interference channel estimation. Considering only statistical knowledge of the ST-PR channel gain, we investigate a ratio selection scheme using a mean value (MV)-based power allocation strategy referred to as MV-based scheme. We first provide the exact statistics in terms of probability density function and cumulative distribution function of the secondary channel gain as well as of the interference channel gain. Furthermore, we derive exact cumulative density function of the received signal-to-noise ratio at the SR where the ST uses a power allocation based on instantaneous perfect channel state information (CSI) referred to as CSI-based scheme. These statistics are then used to derive exact closed form expressions of the outage probability, symbol error rate, and ergodic capacity of the secondary system when the interference channel from the primary transmitter (PT) to the SR is ignored. Furthermore, an asymptotical analysis is also carried out for the MV-based scheme as well as for the CSI-based scheme to derive the generalized diversity gain for each. Subsequently, we address the performance analysis based on exact statistics of the combined signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio at the SR of the more challenging case; when the PT-SR interference channel is considered. Numerical results in a Rayleigh fading environment manifest that the MV-based scheme outperforms the CSI-based scheme provided that a low interference power constraint is deployed, implying that the MV-based scheme is more suitable for practical systems.
Demethylation of ERV3, an endogenous retrovirus regulating the Krüppel-related zinc finger gene H-plk, in several human cell lines arrested during early monocyte development.

The activation of H-plk (Human-proviral linked Krüppel), a human Krüppel-related zinc finger gene in organs such as placenta, adrenal cortex, and testis, is probably due to insertion of an endogenous retrovirus, ERV3, upstream of the gene. Several differently spliced transcripts originate from this locus, e.g., a transcript encoding the retroviral envelope protein and a few differentially spliced transcripts encoding both the env and the zinc finger protein. During a screening for zinc finger proteins expressed during monocyte differentiation, two H-plk encoding cDNA clones were isolated from the human monoblast cell line U-937. Northern blot analysis of a panel of human hematopoietic cell lines showed high levels of constitutive expression of this zinc finger transcript in two monocytic cell lines (U-937 and THP-1) but not in any of the other cell lines or tissues tested. In addition, the H-plk transcript was upregulated by the phorbolester PMA in U-937 and in an additional monocytic cell line, MonoMac 6. Genomic Southern blot analysis of a panel of hematopoietic cell lines, after cleavage with the methylation sensitive enzyme Xho I, led to the detection of tissue specific demethylation in all three monocytic cell lines. The Xho I site was mapped to a position just downstream of the regulatory region of the endogenous retrovirus. By analysis of the U-937 cell line with two additional restriction enzymes, Nar I and Sma I, the demethylation was shown to affect at least three independent CpG dinucleotides in this region of the gene. In summary, the present data provide evidence for specific demethylation of this genomic region, in cells of monocytic origin, resulting in enhanced transcription of the genetic regions derived from both the env region of the retrovirus and the Krüppel-related zinc finger gene.
Order in Jackson Pollock's paintings

We report the degree of order of twenty two Jackson Pollock's paintings using Hausdorff-Besicovitch fractal dimension. Through the maximum value of each multi-fractal spectrum, the fractality of the artworks is presented as a function of the year in which they were painted. It has been reported that Pollock's paintings are fractal and it increased on his latest works. However our results show that fractality of the paintings do not increase as a function of the year in which they were painted, instead of that we identify a range of fractal dimension with values close to two. This behavior can be interpreted as the dark linked lines are structured with high degree of order. We used our method to characterized by its fractal spectrum, the called \emph{Teri's Find}. We obtained similar spectrums between \emph{Teri's Find} and \emph{Number 5} from Pollock, suggesting that fractal dimension can not be completely rejected as a quantitative parameter to authenticate this kind of artworks.
Future Directions in Pancreatic Cancer Therapy

Pancreatic cancer is a major disease burden that is essentially incurable at present. However significant understanding of the molecular basis of pancreatic cancer has been achieved through sequencing. This is allowing the rational design of therapeutics. The purpose of this review is to introduce the molecular basis of pancreatic cancer, explain the current state of molecular therapy and provide examples of the ongoing developments. These include improvements in chemotherapy, small molecule inhibitors, vaccines, immune checkpoint antibodies, and oncolytics. Image: University of Leeds. Leeds, UK.
Characterization of Ureaplasmas Isolated from Preterm Infants with and without Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

ABSTRACT A PCR assay was used to analyze endotracheal aspirates from preterm infants for Ureaplasma parvum versus U. urealyticum. U. parvum was detected more often than U. urealyticum. There was no significant difference or trend in the prevalence of either species between infants with or without bronchopulmonary dysplasia when isolated alone.
Transcriptional Analysis of Blood Lymphocytes and Skin Fibroblasts, Keratinocytes, and Endothelial Cells as a Potential Biomarker for Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating and progressive form of dementia that is typically associated with a build-up of amyloid-β plaques and hyperphosphorylated and misfolded tau protein in the brain. Presently, there is no single test that confirms AD; therefore, a definitive diagnosis is only made after a comprehensive medical evaluation, which includes medical history, cognitive tests, and a neurological examination and/or brain imaging. Additionally, the protracted prodromal phase of the disease makes selection of control subjects for clinical trials challenging. In this study we have utilized a gene-expression array to screen blood and skin punch biopsy (fibroblasts, keratinocytes, and endothelial cells) for transcriptional differences that may lead to a greater understanding of AD as well as identify potential biomarkers. Our analysis identified 129 differentially expressed genes from blood of dementia cases when compared to healthy individuals, and four differentially expressed punch biopsy genes between AD subjects and controls. Additionally, we identified a set of genes in both tissue compartments that showed transcriptional variation in AD but were largely stable in controls. The translational products of these variable genes are involved in the maintenance of the Golgi structure, regulation of lipid metabolism, DNA repair, and chromatin remodeling. Our analysis potentially identifies specific genes in both tissue compartments that may ultimately lead to useful biomarkers and may provide new insight into the pathophysiology of AD.
A Realistic Lightweight Anonymous Authentication Protocol for Securing Real-Time Application Data Access in Wireless Sensor Networks

User authentication in wireless sensor networks (WSN) is a critical security issue due to their unattended and hostile deployment in the field. Since the sensor nodes are equipped with limited computing power, storage, and communication modules, authenticating remote users in such resource-constrained environment is a paramount security concern. Until now, impressive efforts have been made for designing authentication schemes with user anonymity by using only the lightweight cryptographic primitives, such as symmetric key encryption/decryption and hash functions. However, to the best of our knowledge, none has succeeded so far. In this paper, we take an initial step to shed light on the rationale underlying this prominent issue. In order to do that here at first, we demonstrate that the existing solutions for anonymous user authentication in WSN are impractical. Subsequently, we propose a realistic authentication protocol for WSN, which can ensure various imperative security properties like user anonymity, untraceability, forward/backward secrecy, perfect forward secrecy, etc.
Morphological Shape Decomposition

A technique for decomposing a binary shape into a union of simple binary shapes is presented. The decomposition is shown to be unique and invariant to translation, rotation, and scaling. The techniques used in the decomposition are based on mathematical morphology. The shape description produced can be used in object recognition and in binary image coding. >
GeSoMo — A general social mobility model for delay tolerant networks

Simulation is a fundamental means for evaluating mobile applications based on ad-hoc networks. This has led to the design of a large number of mobility models for simulating realistic user movement under physical constraints (obstacles, acceleration, inertia etc.). In recent years, the new breed of social mobility models (SMMs) has risen. These SMMs model the social aspects of human mobility, i.e. which users meet, when and how often. Such information is indispensable for the simulation of a wide range of socially-aware communication protocols mostly based on delay-tolerant networks, including opportunistic ad-hoc routing and data dissemination systems. Each SMM needs a model of the relations between a set of relevant people (called social network model — SNM) in order to simulate their mobility. Existing SMMs lack flexibility since each of them is implicitly restricted to a specific, simplifying SNM. We present GeSoMo, a new SMM that separates the core mobility model from the structural description of the social network underlying the simulation. This simple and elegant design principle gives GeSoMo generalizing power: Arbitrary existing and future SNMs can be used without changing GeSoMo itself. Our evaluation results show that GeSoMo produces simulations that are coherent with a broad range of empirical data describing real-world human social behavior and mobility.
Does vibration training reduce the fall risk profile of frail older people admitted to a rehabilitation facility? A randomised controlled trial

Abstract Purpose: To determine the effect of Vibration Training (VT) on functional ability and falls risk among a group of frail older people admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation unit in a regional hospital in New Zealand. Method: A randomized controlled trial of 56 participants (mean 82.01 years in the intervention group and 81.76 years in the control group). VT targeting lower limb muscles with a frequency 30–50 Hz occurred three times per week until discharge. Amplitude progressively increased from 2 to 5 mm to allow the programme to be individually tailored to the participant. The control group received usual care physiotherapy sessions. Outcome measures were: Physiological profile assessment (PPA); and Functional Independence measure (FIM) and Modified Falls Efficacy Scale (MFES). Results: There was a statistically significant difference observed between the two groups in terms of FIM score (F = 5.09, p = 0.03) and MFES (F = 3.52, p = 0.007) but no difference was observed in terms of PPA scores (F = 0.96, p = 0.36). Conclusions: Among older people admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation facility there may be some beneficial effect to the use of VT in conjunction with usual care physiotherapy in terms of improved functional ability. The study design and the small dosage of VT provided may have precluded any change in falls risk among participants. Implications for Rehabilitation Vibration training (VT) may assist in reducing the risk of falling among at risk older people. Current pressures on health systems (ageing population, reduced hospital length of stay) necessitate the development of innovative strategies to maximise the rehabilitation potential of older people. Among older people admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation facility there may be some beneficial effect to the use of vibration training in conjunction with usual care physiotherapy in terms of improved functional ability.
The uncanny valley and nonverbal communication in virtual characters

This chapter provides a case study of a research project investigating aspects of facial expression and viewer response to the 'Uncanny Valley' (Mori, 1970) in realistic, human-like, virtual characters. In humans, there exists a rich variety of information that can be obtained through nonverbal communication (NVC) (Ekman, 1965). However, empirical evidence collected as part of this research project, suggests that this information is lacking in animated realistic, human-like, virtual characters (Tinwell, Grimshaw, & Williams, 2010; Tinwell, Grimshaw, Abdel-Nabi, & Williams, 2011). Specifically, a perceived lack of emotional expressivity generated in the upper face region during speech was found to strongly influence perception of the Uncanny Valley in realistic, human-like, virtual characters (Tinwell, Grimshaw, Abdel-Nabi, et al., 2011). Building on empirical evidence provided so far in this research project, the consequences of a lack of NVC in the upper face region with regards to perception of the uncanny in characters is considered. New theories as to the cause of the uncanny phenomenon are put forward that go beyond Mori's original theory based on a perception of spontaneous versus deliberate facial expression, the detection of transient microexpressions with suggestion of possible deceit, and a recognition of psychopathic behavior. This chapter also considers the limitations of the stimuli and methodology used in previous experiments, with suggestions made for future experiments. The implications of a lack of NVC in virtual worlds are discussed with possible caveats against the use of characters in virtual simulations used for assessment purposes in the real world.
Nicardipine to Control Mean Arterial Pressure After Cardiothoracic Surgery in Infants and Children

Nicardipine is the first intravenously administered dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker. Its primary physiologic action includes vasodilatation with limited effects on the inotropic and dromotropic function of the myocardium. Several previous reports document its use in adult patients for pharmacologic control of blood pressure. The current report describes the use of nicardipine to control mean arterial pressure (MAP) in nine infants and children after cardiothoracic surgical procedures. The patients ranged in age from 6 days to 9 years (mean, 3.3 ± 4.1 years) and in weight from 4.1 to 49 kg (mean, 15.3 ± 14.4). The surgical procedures included aortic coarctation repair (three), repair of tetralogy of Fallot (two), arterial switch for transposition of the great vessels (two), pulmonary valvotomy (one), and aortic valvotomy (one). The target systolic blood pressure was 90 mm Hg in patients younger than 4 years of age and ≤110 mm Hg in patients 5 years of age or older. The nicardipine infusion was started at 5 &mgr;g/kg/min in all patients. The target blood pressure was achieved within 15 minutes in eight of nine patients. One patient required an initial infusion rate of 10 &mgr;g/kg/min to achieve the target blood pressure. The maintenance infusion rate varied from 2.5 to 5.5 mcg/k/min (mean 3.0 ± 1.1). The duration of the infusion varied from 30 to 42 hours (mean, 37.4 ± 4.2). In the nine patients, nicardipine was infused for a total of 337 hours. No adverse effects such as excessive hypotension were noted. Nicardipine is an effective agent for controlling MAP after cardiothoracic surgical procedures in infants and children.
The Adoption of Information Technology by Spanish CIOs: Facts and Fallacies

In this paper, we contend that due to the particularities and widespread use of new ICT, traditional ways of explaining IT adoption in companies -rational decision making, technology diffusion models, and the psychology of the decision makerare insufficient to explain some observed cases of ICT diffusion. We prove that there is a new role played by the user community in the technology adoption process, brought about by factors like the existence of a strong development community in the case of OSS, or widespread access to Internet technology. A mixed two-phase method was used for this study. In the first phase, through a qualitative analysis of some significant cases we depicted under which conditions a significant adoption of a particular technology (OSS) might unfold, showing that in some circumstances user groups could play a significant role. In the second phase an exploratory quantitative analysis was carried out to verify the new dimensions of the technology adoption process. The results showed a high influence of social factors like peer group adoption and user’s pressure. Due to reasons of geographical proximity the research was carried out in Spanish companies, but we believe that, like with similar adoption studies, the results are of general nature as there are no culturally specific dimensions that we could identify. Conclusions and further research are outlined.
0.18μm BCD technology platform with performance and cost optimized fully isolated LDMOS

We have developed a cost-optimized 0. 18μm BCD technology platform, which provides fully isolated LDMOS devices with competitive specific on-resistance (Rsp) over a range of operating voltages (6V to 30V). In addition, latch-up-free ESD solutions are provided without additional process cost.
Category-Based Screening in Choice of Complementary Products

Consumers often make complex choices involving complementary categories, such as cell phones and service plans. In the fast-growing high-tech and entertainment industries, products from complementary categories are often incompatible with one another. This research shows that when choosing a pair of such complementary products, a consumer is likely to use a two-stage decision strategy: screening by one category first to narrow down the number of pairs for further evaluation in the second stage. In the presence of incompatibility, screening by one category rather than by the other may lead to different choice outcomes. The authors develop a behavioral theory–driven choice model that accounts for both preference heterogeneity and structural heterogeneity of decision strategies to examine the extent to which consumers engage in category-based screening. Analysis of data from a 2 × 2 conjoint choice experiment reveals that consumers tend to screen a category that has higher intracategory differentiation and is congruent with their decision goals. The authors further suggest possible marketing actions a firm can take to promote the use of a specific decision strategy that leads consumers to choose its product.
Comparison of three nonlinear regression models for describing broiler growth curves.

Three general growth models (Logistics, Gompertz and Saturation Kinetics) were compared for describing growth of broilers. Accuracy of fit, case of use and interpretation of data were used to compare the models. Data from a broiler feed restriction study was used to illustrate the parameter differences between the models. All three models accurately described the growth of the birds from the different experimental treatments based on coefficients of determination greater than or equal to . 966. The Saturation Kinetics model proved to be the least accurate based on examination of residual values but still had a high association to the actual data. Linear regression applied to short intervals of the growth curve also proved to be an accurate means of interpreting growth rates.
Density-Dependent Decay in HIV-1 Dynamics

Abstract: The decay of HIV-1-infected cell populations after treatment with antiretroviral therapy has been measured using simple exponential decay models. These models are unlikely to be realistic over periods longer than a few months, however, because the population dynamics of HIV are complex. We considered an alternate model developed by Perelson and colleagues that extends the standard model for biphasic viral load decline and allows for nonlinear log decay of infected cell populations. Using data from 6 children on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and a single parameter in the new model, the assumption of log linear decay of infected cell populations is tested. Our analysis indicates that the short-lived and long-lived infected cell populations do not decay according to a simple exponential model. Furthermore, the resulting estimates of time to eradication of infected cell compartments are dramatically longer than those previously reported (eg, decades vs. years for long-lived infected cell populations and years vs. weeks for short-lived infected cell populations). Furthermore, estimates of the second-phase decay rates are significantly different than 0 for most children when obtained using the Perelson biphasic decay model. In contrast, this rate is not significantly different than 0 when the density-dependent decay model is used for parameter estimation and inference. Thus, the density-dependent decay model but not the simple exponential decay model is consistent with recent data showing that even under consistent HAART-mediated suppression of viral replication, decay rates of infected cell reservoirs decay little over several years. This suggests that conclusions about long-term viral dynamics of HIV infection based on simple exponential decay models should be carefully re-evaluated.
Adverse Behavioral and Emotional Outcomes from Child Abuse and Witnessed Violence

This article examines mental health outcomes of children who have witnessed violence in their social environment and/or have been physically abused. Participants (n = 167) come from a longitudinal study on child maltreatment. Outcomes—including depression, anger, and anxiety—are measured by the Child Behavior Checklist and the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children. The authors used adjusted multivariate analyses to test the statistical significance of associations. The majority of children were female (57%) and non-White (64%). One third had been physically victimized; 46% had witnessed moderate-high levels of violence. Results confirm that children are negatively affected by victimization and violence they witness in their homes and neighborhoods. Victimization was a significant predictor of child aggression and depression; witnessed violence was found to be a significant predictor of aggression, depression, anger, and anxiety. Implications will be discussed.