Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Teaching wireless channel modeling with software‐defined radio

One of the important aspects in the study of wireless communication is channel modeling that is based on wave propagation theory and empirical measurements models. Most of the common undergraduate curricula address only theoretical aspects of wireless channels, while the related laboratory experiments concentrate on advanced digital modulation techniques and deal with topics such as pilot‐based channel estimation and equalization in orthogonal frequency division multiplexing modulation. In this paper, it is shown that some fundamental channel properties may be reproduced with laboratory experiments that require only a basic knowledge of communication principles, such as baseband and bandpass notation. These experiments can be carried out with affordable software‐defined radios, which have recently become extremely popular in the teaching of communication. Such experiments may enhance the teaching with hands‐on measurements of practical channels, while reinforcing the understanding of probability and random processes theory.
Socioeconomic and Demographic Differences in Food Group Intakes of Adolescents in Urban Benin

Adolescence constitutes a good period to shape lifelong healthy eating habits to prevent excess weight and related chronic diseases. This study identified socioeconomic and demographic factors associated with the consumption of healthy and potentially harmful food groups among adolescents in urban Benin, as a contribution for the development of diet promotion interventions. Data were collected from 408 participants aged 13 to 19 years in 12 secondary schools in Cotonou, the biggest city in Benin. Food intake was assessed by two 24-hour dietary recalls and demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, using a questionnaire. Predictors of the consumption of healthy and potentially unhealthy food groups were identified using multilevel regression analysis. Adolescents from wealthier households ate 28g more meat and 122g more sweet foods than those from poor households. Females ate 23g more meat than males, and younger adolescents consumed 144g more sweet foods than the older. It was concluded that in urban Benin, the diet of younger female adolescents from wealthier households is more indicative of changes towards a western diet associated with the risk of obesity and related chronic diseases. This subgroup needs be targeted in priority during promotional activities to improve adolescents’ diet.
New Agents for Treatment of Recurrent Small-Cell Cancer: Tumor-Specific Abnormal Vasopressin V2 Receptor Antibodies

We earlier demonstrated that small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) not only expresses a normal form of vasopressin V2 receptor but also an abnormal form, through alternate splicing, that lacks the seventh transmembrane region (named AbnR2). This tumor-specific abnormal receptor is expressed at the surface of cells and can be targeted by antibodies directed against a unique C-terminal region. Immunocytochemistry reveals AbnR2 is common to all or most small-cell lung tumors. Our generated mouse monoclonal antibody was found to decrease cell viability in vitro and promote apoptotic cascades. This mouse anti-AbnR2 antibody, and a humanized form derived from it, were each found to reduce the growth of SCLC xenografts representing recurrent disease in nu/nu mice, and to have synergistic, tumor anti-proliferative effects when used with cyclophosphamide, but not cisplatin, in completely inhibiting growth. Possible mechanisms might involve normal vasopressin V2 receptors.
Randomized phase II trial of chemoradiotherapy with S‐1 versus combination chemotherapy with gemcitabine and S‐1 as neoadjuvant treatment for resectable pancreatic cancer (JASPAC 04)

The aim of the present study was to investigate which treatment, neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NAC‐RT) with S‐1 or combination neoadjuvant chemotherapy with gemcitabine and S‐1 (NAC‐GS), is more promising as neoadjuvant treatment (NAT) for resectable pancreatic cancer in terms of effectiveness and safety.
Sulfonated dendritic mesoporous silica nanospheres: a metal-free Lewis acid catalyst for the upgrading of carbohydrates

Lignocellulosic biomass is becoming a viable alternative or complementary source for obtaining petroleum-derived products such as fuels, polymers and fine chemicals, among others. Nevertheless, the successful upgrading of lignocellulosics requires the design of efficient and robust catalysts, where sulfonated mesoporous silica materials may be an ideal choice for exploration. Herein, we have conducted the upgrading of several mono-, di- and polysaccharides such as xylose, fructose, glucose, sucrose and cellulose to valuable platform chemicals using a novel catalyst comprising sulfonated dendritic mesoporous silica nanospheres. Additionally, a thorough comparative study was conducted encompassing arrays of sulfonated silicas as catalysts with the aim of relating their activities and appreciating the features which could be responsible for their activity.
Welfare Assessment of Working Donkeys: Assessment of the Impact of an Animal Healthcare Project in West Kenya

Development agencies and animal welfare charities try to improve the health and welfare of livestock in the developing world by educating owners and providing healthcare. The impact assessment of these projects relies mainly upon input-related parameters (eg number of animals treated or educational lectures delivered). The aim of this study was to investigate whether animal-based parameters, such as scores for skin lesions, body condition and lameness, could be used to assess the impact of interventions by development agencies on working donkeys. A general checklist for integument assessment of livestock, developed and then tested on two British farms, was redefined for assessment of equine animals in West Kenya. In total, 346 donkeys were assessed over four days with a mobile clinic of the Kenyan Society for the Protection and Care of Animals, using 25 animal-based parameters. The checklist was easy to use: the parameters could be scored using visual assessment or palpation, and the procedure was completed in approximately 5 min per animal. The method was found to be acceptable for owners and animal health technicians, and no special equipment was required. Significant observations included a reduced frequency of leg lesions when head-tethering (as opposed to leg-tethering) was used, and a reduced frequency of foot lesions in regions previously visited by the charity. This animal-based method proved that the charity had made a positive impact on donkey welfare through owner education.
HOW A DOMESTIC MARKET OBLIGATION POLICY AFFECTING THE COMPANY FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE: CASE STUDY OF COAL MINING INDUSTRY IN INDONESIA

Indonesia has a great potential in natural resources in term of coal resources. The average ratio of the nation’s coal production being exported from 2000 to 2014 is 75.4%. With a high ratio of national coal production being exported rather than for domestic market, Indonesia is currently leading the global coal exporters with a total contribution to global coal exports of 28.59%. In March 2018 the government are issuing the DMO price policy written in Government Regulation No. 8/2018 and Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Regulation No. 19/2018 related to guidance of the determination of the coal price for electricity that is supplied in the public interest protect domestic market needs. This research aims to obtain empirical evidence about the differential in the financial performance of Indonesian Public Listed Coal Companies before and after the Domestic Market Obligation price policy issuance represented with Return on Assets ratio. This research will be using 17 Indonesian Public Listed Coal Companies and using difference-in-difference method with Return on Asset ratio using 2 period of event window which was 2 quarter before and after the regulation was issued. To validate the result from difference-in-difference analysis, this research will be analyzed with Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test. The analysis indicates that the short term effect of the Domestic Market Obligation price policy issued by the government did not give a significant impact towards the financial performance of Indonesian Public Listed Coal Companies represented with Return on Assets ratio. Keywords: Financial Performance; Coal Industry; Profitability Ratio; Difference-in-Difference
Evaluation of a Traffic Signal Coordination for Bicycles in a Mixed Motor Vehicle and Public Transport Urban Network

Introduction Present-day traffic signal control strategies mainly consider the operational needs of motor vehicle and public transport traffic. However, as the share of bicycle traffic increases, city authorities are making efforts to consider bicycle traffic in the development of traffic control strategies. In cities such as Copenhagen [1], Amsterdam [2], Rotterdam [3], Vienna [4] and Bern [5], the signal coordination has been adapted to the needs of bicycle traffic. However, such measures might have negative effects on the operation and traffic efficiency of other transport modes. Especially public transport operation along a corridor can be negatively affected by the application of a bicycle signal coordination due to the reduction of the progression speed of the new signal coordination, which can increase the number of stops and the waiting time at signalised intersections. Waiting time at signalized intersections comprises a large portion of public transport travel time in urban areas, especially in city centres, and is the main reason for degradation of public transport service [6]. For this reason, city authorities often implement various traffic control strategies to support and improve the public transport operation. Public transport prioritization at traffic signals is often implemented and can decrease passenger travel time and improve its reliability and attractiveness at a lower cost [7]–[11]. However, it is unclear what effects a bicycle coordination can have on the performance of public transport prioritization as well as how public transport prioritization limits the effectiveness of a signal coordination designed for bicycle traffic.
Current Stage and Future Perspective of Stem Cell Therapy in IschemicStroke

Despite of high research efforts, ischemic stroke is the leading cause of adult disability worldwide, with enormous social and economic impact. To decrease the devastating impact of ischemic stroke on society, the researchers continue to seek strategies to achieve better functional recovery in stroke victims. This article reviews in detail the actual stage of research effort to develop new strategies in stem cells field, as well as stem cells delivery time course in closed relation with delivery route, stem cells origin, and the local microenvironment. In addition, ischemic stroke occurs in older people with comorbidities that may limit benefit and many preclinical studies did not take into account this. However, sustained research funding is mandatory to allow neuroscientist to develop and test new ways to improve the economic impact of stroke consequences on society.
HIV-1 Elimination in Humanized Mice

HIV-1 Elimination in Humanized Mice Hang Su, Ph.D. University of Nebraska Medical Center, 2019 Supervisor: Howard E. Gendelman, M.D. Human immunodeficiency virus type one (HIV-1) exclusively infects humans and chimpanzees. Therefore, animal models are required for all investigations of viral pathogenesis, therapy and cure. Immunodeficient mice transplanted with human hematopoietic stem cells, termed humanized mice, support the development of multiple human cell lineages throughout the cell’s life span. To this end, we used humanized mice to evaluate the dynamic changes of host immunologic and viral profiles during both acute and chronic HIV-1 infection. We identified the temporal and spatial distribution of HIV-1 cell and tissue compartment infections and outlined correlations made between viral progression and host immunity by comparing two different humanized mouse models. Based on the discovery of early viral set-points, we developed a paradigm for a potential ‘HIV-1 cure’ by sequential administration of long-acting slow-effective release antiretroviral therapy (LASER ART) and CRISPR-Cas9 treatments. HIV-1 elimination was achieved in a third of dual-treated humanized mice after exhaustive works to detect HIV-1 and its gene products in peripheral blood, brain, lung, liver, spleen, kidney, gut, and bone marrow (BM). This was done by sensitive nested and digital-droplet PCR and RNAscope tests. Immune function was preserved in animals where HIV-1 was eliminated. In vivo viral outgrowth assay (VOA) was employed to confirm HIV-1 elimination by adoptive transfer of donor splenocytes and BM cells into naïve humanized mice. While
Extensive Ethnolinguistic Diversity in Vietnam Reflects Multiple Sources of Genetic Diversity

Vietnam features extensive ethnolinguistic diversity and occupies a key position in Mainland Southeast Asia (MSEA). Yet, the genetic diversity of Vietnam remains relatively unexplored, especially with genome-wide data, because previous studies have focused mainly on the majority Kinh group. Here we analyze newly-generated genome-wide SNP data for the Kinh and 21 additional ethnic groups in Vietnam, encompassing all five major language families in MSEA. In addition to analyzing the allele and haplotype sharing within the Vietnamese groups, we incorporate published data from both nearby modern populations and ancient samples for comparison. We find that the Vietnamese ethnolinguistic groups harbor multiple sources of genetic diversity that are associated with heterogeneous ancestry sharing profiles in each language family. However, linguistic diversity does not completely match genetic diversity; there have been extensive interactions between the Hmong-Mien and Tai-Kadai groups, and a likely case of cultural diffusion in which some Austro-Asiatic groups shifted to Austronesian languages. Overall, our results highlight the importance of genome-wide data from dense sampling of ethnolinguistic groups in providing new insights into the genetic diversity and history of an ethnolinguistically-diverse region, such as Vietnam.
Gender and Climate Change Disclosure: An Interdimensional Policy Approach

This paper investigates the impact of corporate boards’ gender diversity on voluntary public disclosure of climate change risks in an emerging economy context in which environmental regulations are weak and markets are ineffective. The investigation relies on data from the CDP (formerly known as the Carbon Disclosure Project) as a corporate sustainability reporting initiative supported by institutional investors, based on a sample of Turkish firms that were invited to disclose their climate change risks and greenhouse gas emissions over the period of 2010–2019 through the CDP platform. We report that the presence of women on board committees, as a proxy for their active involvement in corporate governance, increases the likelihood of voluntary climate change disclosure. We, on the other hand, found no evidence of a positive impact on climate change reporting with women’s overall representation in boards. These findings lend support to board reforms that aim to increase effective representation of women on boards for the better management of sustainability risks and responsiveness to stakeholder demands in countries where legislators are reluctant to introduce climate change reforms.
Multi-Connectivity Based Uplink/Downlink Decoupled Energy Efficient User Association in 5G Heterogenous CRAN

Multi-connectivity (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$MC$ </tex-math></inline-formula>) is proposed in Fifth-Generation mobile communications systems (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$5G$ </tex-math></inline-formula>) to mitigate the deterioration of Quality-of-Service owing to line-of-sight blockage and lack of communication resources. The main idea of MC is to associate single user equipment with multiple network layers and multiple radio access technologies, simultaneously. In previous studies, MC is demonstrated to increase capacity, provide high reliability and decrease outage probability. However, for the first time in literature, in this letter, we incorporate MC into the optimization of the total power consumption in 5G Heterogeneous Cloud Radio Access Networks (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$HCRAN$ </tex-math></inline-formula>)s. Upon formulation of the problem as a binary integer linear programming problem, proving its NP-hardness, a heuristic algorithm is proposed consisting of linear programming relaxation and rounding and generalized assignment problem heuristic, which takes the outputs of the linear programming relaxation and rounding as inputs and checks if it further minimizes the power consumption. We analyze power consumption, time complexity and achievable rate of the proposed algorithm and verify its superiority over existing methods by simulations.
The Stigma of Mental Illness in Korea

The stigma of mental illness is a problem that should be addressed urgently as such stigma has a negative effect on the lives of individuals with mental disorders, which may result in social and economic losses. Moreover, mental health stigma acts as a barrier to mental health service utilization. Thus, the need to reduce the mental health stigma has been highlighted. In Korea, stigma associated with individuals with mental disorders has been studied; however, few of those studies investigated mental health literacy, which might influence an individual’s attitudes toward and beliefs about people with mental disorders. Furthermore, there are fewer evidence-based antistigma campaigns and programs in Korea than in other countries. On that basis, a review of previous studies focusing on mental disorder stigma was undertaken, and the effects of such stigma on individuals with mental disorders and on society were assessed. In addition, research into mental health literacy, rarely undertaken in South Korea, was discussed. Finally, anti-stigma campaigns that are reportedly effective in reducing mental illness stigma were reviewed. With regard to future research on mental health stigma in South Korea, it is suggested that researchers study mental health literacy to assess accurately the public’s misperceptions about mental disorders. In addition, a variety of evidence-based anti-stigma campaigns should be implemented to increase public knowledge of mental disorders. Lastly, cooperation between public and private sectors should be encouraged to develop strategies for reducing the stigma and negative beliefs associated with mental disorders. J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc 2016;55(4):299-309
Heat stress damages the morphology of duodenal endothelium via TLR4-MYD88-NF-κB signaling in broiler chicken.

Animal welfare and production are negatively affected by high ambient temperature. Although the gastrointestinal tract is extremely heat-sensitive, there is a dearth of information pertaining to how such heat stress affects different intestinal regions in chickens. This study therefore aimed to evaluate the morphological changes and gene expression of duodenal toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling in broilers that have been exposed to heat stress conditions on a controlled diet. At 2, 4, and 6 h of heat challenge, chickens were slaughtered, and duodenum samples were collected. Morphological changes were determined by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Five genes, TLR4, myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), toll-interleukin receptor-domain-containing adapter-inducing interferon beta (TRIF), and interferon regulatory factor 7 (IRF7), were selected to monitor the direction of the TLR4 signaling pathway. Results indicated that the duodenal intima was damaged by heat stress, TLR4 significantly responded to the heat stress, and increased heat challenge had no considerable impact on gene expression. Heat stress significantly increased MyD88 and NF-κB in MyD88-dependent signaling pathways. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that heat stress damages duodenal endothelium and upregulates duodenal TLR4–MYD88–NF-κB signaling genes in broilers.
Corporate Governance and Leverage Implications on Firms’ Profitability, Cash Flows and Value in Nigeria

The paper examines the implications of Corporate Governance and leverage on firm profitability (ROA), value (MPS) and cash flows (FCF). The study utilized the agency, stewardship and free cash flow theories. The correlation research design was employed and data collected from ten (10) listed manufacturing firms in Nigeria between the period 2009-2018. The data was analysed for descriptive and correlation properties, with the research hypotheses tested through regression analysis. The results of the study indicates that independent boards have significant negative influence on debt usage, board size does not have a significant effect on debt capital, CEO duality positively impacts the usage of debt financing. The results also indicate that independent boards (BIND) have significant impact on ROA, FCF and MPS, BSIZE is found to exert no statistically significant impact on the financial performance variables, CEO duality negatively impacts both FCF and MPS of the sampled manufacturing firms in Nigeria. Furthermore, the impact of DEBT on ROA and FCF are found to be negative, with the negative effect on ROA being statistically insignificant at the 0.05 level (-0.015, (0.6846)), and the negative effect on FCF being statistically significant at the 0.05 alpha level. The research concludes that the research therefore upholds that capital structure, corporate governance board characteristics and financial performance of manufacturing firms listed on the NSE are significantly related at the 0.05 level. The study recommended that the role of the CEO and board chairman be separated and current debt levels in the manufacturing industry be maintained. Keywords: Corporate Governance, Leverage, Firm Profitability, Firm Cash Flows, Firm Value DOI : 10.7176/RJFA/10-24-04 Publication date: December 31 st 2019
The Dopamine Receptor Antagonist TFP Prevents Phenotype Conversion and Improves Survival in Mouse Models of Glioblastoma

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the deadliest adult brain cancer and all patients ultimately succumb to the disease. Radiation therapy (RT) provides survival benefit of 6 months over surgery alone but these results have not improved in decades. We report that radiation induces a glioma-initiating cell phenotype and we have identified trifluoperazine (TFP) as a compound that interferes with this phenotype conversion. TFP caused loss of radiation-induced Nanog mRNA expression, activation of GSK3 with consecutive post-translational reduction in p-Akt, Sox2 and β-catenin protein levels. TFP did not alter the intrinsic radiation sensitivity of glioma-initiating cells (GICs). Continuous treatment with TFP and a single dose of radiation reduced the number of GICs in vivo and prolonged survival in syngeneic and patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) mouse models of GBM. Our findings suggest that combination of a dopamine receptor antagonist with radiation enhances the efficacy of RT in GBM by preventing radiation-induced phenotype conversion of radiosensitive non-GICs into treatment resistant, induced GICs. Significance GBM is the most common and most deadly adult brain cancer. The current standard-of-care is surgery followed by RT and temozolomide, which results in a median survival time of only 15 months. The efficacy of chemotherapies and targeted therapies in GBM is very limited because most of these drugs do not pass the blood-brain-barrier. Ultimately, all patients succumb to the disease. Our study describes radiation-induced cellular plasticity as a novel resistance mechanism in GBM. We identified a dopamine receptor antagonist as a readily available, FDA-approved drug known to penetrate the blood-brain-barrier which prevents phenotype conversion of glioma cells into glioma-initiating cells and prologs survival in mouse models of GBM, thus suggesting that it will improve the efficacy of RT without increasing toxicity.