Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On the Comparison of Various Overhead Arrangements for Massive MIMO-OFDM Channel Estimation

Massive multi input multi output (MIMO) systems incorporate orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) technology to render high data rate services for future wireless communication applications. The channel estimator (CE) employed by a reliable massive MIMO-OFDM system requires huge amount of overhead in the form of known and null data transmissions, hence limiting the system spectral efficiency (SE). Often, CE design is a tradeoff between SE and system reliability. In this paper, CE with three different overhead arrangements, namely time domain synchronous (TDS), comb type with cyclic prefix (CTCP), $2D$ grid type with cyclic prefix (GTCP) are investigated and a GTCP based CE is proposed which offers both high SE and improved system reliability. The proposed CE uses autocorrelation based denoising threshold for channel impulse response (CIR) estimation and does not require any knowledge of channel statistics (KCS). A $4 \times 16$ MIMO-OFDM system is simulated in a rayleigh fading channel environment with U-shaped doppler spectrum. From the bit error rate (BER) performance results in WiMax SUI-$4$, Advanced Television Technology Center (ATTC) and Brazil A channel environments, it is verified that the proposed CE with GTCP overhead and proposed denoising scheme, indeed improves both SE and system reliability. Hence it is suitable for application in all massive MIMO-OFDM systems.
Quantification and parametrization of non-linearity effects by higher-order sensitivity terms in scattered light differential optical absorption spectroscopy

Abstract. We address the application of differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) of scattered light observations in the presence of strong absorbers (in particular ozone), for which the absorption optical depth is a non-linear function of the trace gas concentration. This is the case because Beer–Lambert law generally does not hold for scattered light measurements due to many light paths contributing to the measurement. While in many cases linear approximation can be made, for scenarios with strong absorptions non-linear effects cannot always be neglected. This is especially the case for observation geometries, for which the light contributing to the measurement is crossing the atmosphere under spatially well-separated paths differing strongly in length and location, like in limb geometry. In these cases, often full retrieval algorithms are applied to address the non-linearities, requiring iterative forward modelling of absorption spectra involving time-consuming wavelength-by-wavelength radiative transfer modelling. In this study, we propose to describe the non-linear effects by additional sensitivity parameters that can be used e.g. to build up a lookup table. Together with widely used box air mass factors (effective light paths) describing the linear response to the increase in the trace gas amount, the higher-order sensitivity parameters eliminate the need for repeating the radiative transfer modelling when modifying the absorption scenario even in the presence of a strong absorption background. While the higher-order absorption structures can be described as separate fit parameters in the spectral analysis (so-called DOAS fit), in practice their quantitative evaluation requires good measurement quality (typically better than that available from current measurements). Therefore, we introduce an iterative retrieval algorithm correcting for the higher-order absorption structures not yet considered in the DOAS fit as well as the absorption dependence on temperature and scattering processes.
Current Version : June 26 , 2012 Terrorism And Regional Integration In Sub-Saharan Africa : The Case of The CFA Franc Zone

To the extent that regional currency integration changes the costs of imported inputs used in the production of terror, it can change the supply of terror produced by rational terrorists. In this paper, we appeal to a theory of rational terrorism where a country’s membership in a regional currency union conditions the cost of inputs that produce terror, and estimate the parameters of static and dynamic terrorism supply functions with Generalized Estimating Equation count data estimators for Sub-Saharan Africa between 1974 and 2006. Our parameter estimates reveal that regional currency integration has counter-terrorism benefits as countries with membership in the newly constituted CFA Franc Zone had fewer terrorism incidents relative to other Sub-Saharan African countries Our parameter estimates also suggest that the CFAZ Franc Zone caused a decrease in terrorism. As terrorism constrains important drivers of economic growth, our results suggest that another potential channel by which regional currency integration improves living standards in Sub-Saharan Africa is through reducing terrorism. JEL Classification: C23, F15, N17, O11, O47 ∗ Department of Economics, Morehouse College, 830 Westview Dr. SW, Atlanta GA, 30314. (404) 653-7718, email: jelu@morehouse.edu ∗∗ Department of Economics, Morehouse College, 830 Westview Dr. SW, Atlanta GA, 30314. (404) 653-7870, email: gprice@morehouse.edu This paper was prepared for presentation at the Third Annual Conference on Regional Integration in Africa, Center for Research On Political Economy (CREPOL), Dakar Senegal, July 5, 2012. PLEASE DO NOT CITE WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM THE AUTHORS.
FORMULATION, DEVELOPMENT AND IN-VITRO EVALUATION OF MUCOADHESIVE BILAYERED BUCCAL PATCHES OF MONTELUKAST SODIUM

The present study was an attempt to develop and evaluate mucoadhesive bilayered buccal patches to ensure satisfactory unidirectional release of montelukast sodium (MS). The patches were designed to release the drug for a prolonged period of time so as to reduce the frequency of administration of the available conventional dosage forms of MS. Experimental design was built to investigate the effect of two factors sodium carboxymethylcellulose (NaCMC) and Carbopol 974P (CP 974P), each at three levels, as independent variables on mucoadhesion strength and invitro residence time as dependent variables. The Design Expert software has given the optimized formulation as desired patches with mucoadhesion strength in the range 41–48 g and in-vitro residence time in the range 243–268 minutes could be obtained by using NaCMC amount in the range 2.1%w/v to 2.7% w/v and CP 974P amount in the range 0.6%w/v to 0.9% w/v. The patches were prepared by solvent casting method and also evaluated for key test parameter such as in vitro drug release. The impermeable backing layer prepared was of ethyl cellulose based to ensure unidirectional drug release. Efficiency of impermeable backing membrane found suitable for mucoadhesive dosage form was also evaluated. After 8 hours the drug lost from ethyl cellulose based backing membrane was <9% of the total amount. The drug release kinetics and mechanism was found to be function of suitable combination of polymers NaCMC and CP 974P. The drug release mechanism was found to follow non-fickian diffusion as release mechanism. Stability study was conducted at accelerated storage condition and prepared mucoadhesive bilayered buccal patches were found to be suitable with respect to morphological characteristics and with in-vitro drug release mechanism unaffected after three
Research on the Measurement Uncertainty of Blade Surface Measured by Coordinates Measuring Machines

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the measurement uncertainty of blade surface by coordinates measuring machines (CMMs). In the past, the measurement of blade surface by CMMs is usually measured in the vertical mode, of which the measuring probe is normal to the surface. In this paper, a rotation mode, of which the measuring probe of CMMS is not collinear with the normal of the blade surface, is presented and its feasibility is explored in measuring the blade surface. The measurement uncertainty of rotation mode by CMMs is also examined. It is found that the measurement uncertainty of the blade back is superior to that of the blade basin. Furthermore, the uncertainty at the blade bottom is inferior to that of the blade tip. The reason may be that the measurement accuracy is closely related with the surface curvature at different parts of the blade.
Resource allocation approach to associate business-IT alignment to enterprise architecture design

Enterprise architecture (EA) development is always a superior way to address business-IT alignment (BITA) issue. However, most EA design frameworks are inadequate to allocate IT resources, which is an important metric of BITA maturity. Under this situation, the idea of IT resource allocation is combined with the EA design process, in order to extend prior EA research on BITA and to demonstrate EA's capability of implementing IT governance. As an effective resource allocation method, portfolio decision analysis (PDA) is used to align business functions of business architecture and applications of system architecture. Furthermore, this paper exhibits an illustrative case with the proposed framework.
Trade and Employment in Italy

This paper addresses the relationship between trade, employment and wages in Italy from the perspective of the specific features of its international specialisation pattern. It focuses on several key questions: To what extent has international economic integration, including trade and international outsourcing, changed the structure of the Italian economy? To what extent has exposure to foreign competition helped Italian firms to restructure and upgrade their production, so as to increase the skill intensity of their activities? What are the effects of these processes on employment and wages? The paper opens with a short review of the relevant literature and a description of recent developments in the trade specialisation pattern of the Italian economy, including its linkages with the structure of employment. This is followed by the main original contribution of the paper consisting of an econometric study structured around two parts. The first part presents an estimate of the employment effects of trade and off-shoring in the Italian manufacturing industry based on a panel of 15 sectors for the period from 1999 to 2008. The second part addresses the relationship between trade and wages using a rich micro-level panel of individual workers for the period from 1997 to 2003. In light of the results, the paper then considers the main policies adopted in Italy to facilitate the adjustment of employment and wages to external shocks, including short-term effects of trade liberalisation. The Italian case appears to confirm that international economic integration, while generating important static and dynamic benefits, requires a flexible and efficient social security system, able to assist workers displaced by external competition or other kinds of structural change. In view of shortcomings in the existing system, a comprehensive social security reform, inspired by principles of universal access, medium-term financial equilibrium, and a proper design of individual incentives, may be necessary to better help workers displaced by international integration.
Find the difference! : eye tracking study on information seeking behavior using an online game

With the advent of digital era web applications have become inevitable part of our lives. We are using the web to manage even the financially or ethically sensitive issues. For this reason exploration of information seeking behavior is an exciting area of research. Current study provides insight on information seeking behavior using a classic ‘Find the Difference’ game.50 university students between the age of 19 and 26 participated in the study. Eye movement data were recorded with a Tobii T120 device. Participants carried out 4 continuous tasks. Each task included two pictures side by side with 7 hidden differences. After finishing the tasks, participants were asked to repeat the game with the same picture set. This data collection methodology allows the evaluation of learning curves. Additionally, participants were asked about their hand preference.For the purpose of analysis the following metrics were applied: task times (including saccades), fixation count and fixation duration (without saccades). The right- and left-hand side on each picture was selected as AOI (Area of Interest) to detect side preference in connection with hand preference. Results suggest a significant difference between male and female participants regarding aggregated task times (male 58.37s respectively female 68.37s), deviation in the number of fixations and fixation duration (apparently female have less but longer fixations) and also in the distribution of fixations between AOIs.Using eyetracking data current paper highlights the similarities and differences in information acquisition strategies respectively reveals gender and education (Arts vs. Sciences) dependent characteristics of interaction. Keywords: eyetracking, online games, gender differences
A multi-level structural assessment strategy for reinforced concrete bridge deck slabs

Abstract This paper proposes a multi-level assessment strategy for reinforced concrete bridge deck slabs. The strategy is based on the principle of successively improved evaluation in structural assessment. It provides a structured approach to the use of simplified as well as advanced non-linear analysis methods. Such advanced methods have proven to possess great possibilities of achieving better understanding of the structural response and of revealing higher load-carrying capacity of existing structures. The proposed methods were used for the analysis of previously tested two-way slabs subjected to bending failure and a cantilever slab subjected to a shear type of failure, in both cases loaded with concentrated loads. As expected, the results show that more advanced methods yield an improved understanding of the structural response and are capable of demonstrating higher, yet conservative, predictions of the load-carrying capacity. Nevertheless, the proposed strategy clearly provides the engineering community a framework for using successively improved structural analysis methods for enhanced assessment in a straightforward manner.
Continuous identity verification in cloud storage services using behavioural profiling

Cloud storage services have become immensely popular because they enable users to remotely store their data over the Internet. However, this has led to a lack of physical control to protect their information with an increasing vulnerability to potential attacks. Well-known service providers including Dropbox and Apple iCloud have suffered from attacks, leading to sensitive customer information being exposed. A key issue is that the cloud services rely upon a simple authentication login and remain accessible to users afterward for significant periods of time. Thus, arguably more intelligent security measures are required to support the security of the system. Behavioural profiling is one technique that has been applied successfully with a variety of technologies for continuous user verification, telecommunication misuse and credit card fraud. However, the implementation of such a technique in cloud storage services has not been studied. This paper investigates the application in cloud storage services to detect misuse post initial login. A private dataset was collected from a cloud storage service (Dropbox) containing real user interactions of 30 participants over a six month period (totalling 91,371 log entries). A series of experiments have been implemented on the dataset using a supervised machine learning algorithms to examine the feasibility of classifying the normal and abnormal users’ behaviour. On average, the best experimental result achieved an EER of as low as 5.8% with six users experiencing an EER equal to or less than 0.3%. The results are very encouraging and indicate the feasibility of detecting misuse in cloud computing services. Keywords—Continuous identity verification; misuse; transparent; behavioural profiling; Dropbox; cloud computing services
Electroweak phase transition and entropy release in the early universe

It is shown that the vacuum-like energy of the Higgs potential at non-zero temperatures leads, in the course of the cosmological expansion, to a small but non-negligible rise of the entropy density in the comoving volume. This increase is calculated in the frameworks of the minimal standard model. The result can have a noticeable effect on the outcome of baryo-through-leptogenesis.
The Accuracy of Wrist-Worn Heart Rate Monitors Across a Range of Exercise Intensities: 2758 Board #41 June 1 2

Commercially available wrist-worn heart rate (HR) monitors have become increasingly popular. However, the accuracy of the devices across a range of exercise intensities is largely unknown. This study investigated the accuracy of four wrist-worn HR monitors (Apple Watch Series 1, Fitbit Charge, TomTom Touch, and Mio Fuse). Eighteen adults completed three trials on a cycle ergometer wearing a chest-worn HR monitor (Polar). Trial 1 established the HR-power output relationship, and resting and maximum HR. In trials 2 and 3, participants were fitted to an electrocardiogram (ECG) and completed a step test consisting of 5 x 3 minute stages at 40 80% of HR reserve (determined in trial 1) whilst wearing two wrist-worn HR monitors. Relative to ECG, there were no differences in HR between the devices during exercise (p = 0.239), and no device × exercise intensity interaction (p = 0.370). There were no instances where ECG and Polar data differed by ≥ 5 b·min. Conversely, there were two instances (2.2%) with the Apple, four (4.4%) with the Mio, 10 (11.1%) with the TomTom, and 19 (21.1%) with the Fitbit. A chest-worn HR monitor offers greater accuracy compared to wrist-worn devices.
A Wideband Differentially Fed Dual-Polarized Antenna With Wideband Harmonic Suppression

A wideband differentially fed dual-polarized antenna with wideband harmonic suppression is presented. The radiating structure is composed of open slots, stair-shaped strips, and a square patch. Eight open slots are etched on the four corners of the square patch to realize symmetrical radiation and low cross-polarization for orthogonal polarizations. Stair-shaped strips are not only used to excite the open slots, but also introduce the monopole resonance. In addition, patch resonance is excited on the center square patch. For matching these different resonances, shorted microstrip lines are utilized to achieve the wide impedance bandwidth. Moreover, compact stepped impedance resonators are elaborately introduced on the top of the patch to achieve wideband harmonic suppression without any increase of the antenna footprint. The proposed antenna is designed, fabricated, and measured to verify the design method. The measured results demonstrate that the proposed antenna has the impedance bandwidth of 1.70–2.81 GHz for Sdd11 < −15 dB with high isolation of 39 dB. Moreover, wideband harmonic suppression is measured from 3 to 9 GHz with the Sdd11 higher than −2.2 dB, and the corresponding harmonic gain lower than −5.3 dBi. In addition, a stable gain of 7.2–7.9 dBi and beamwidth of 63°–71° are achieved for base station applications.
Trajectory model simulations of ozone (O 3 ) and carbon monoxide (CO) in the lower stratosphere

Abstract. A domain-filling, forward trajectory model originally developed for simulating stratospheric water vapor is used to simulate ozone (O3) and carbon monoxide (CO) in the lower stratosphere. Trajectories are initialized in the upper troposphere, and the circulation is based on reanalysis wind fields. In addition, chemical production and loss rates along trajectories are included using calculations from the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM). The trajectory model results show good overall agreement with satellite observations from the Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) and the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Fourier Transform Spectrometer (ACE-FTS) in terms of spatial structure and seasonal variability. The trajectory model results also agree well with the Eulerian WACCM simulations. Analysis of the simulated tracers shows that seasonal variations in tropical upwelling exerts strong influence on O3 and CO in the tropical lower stratosphere, and the coupled seasonal cycles provide a useful test of the transport simulations. Interannual variations in the tracers are also closely coupled to changes in upwelling, and the trajectory model can accurately capture and explain observed changes during 2005–2011. This demonstrates the importance of variability in tropical upwelling in forcing chemical changes in the tropical lower stratosphere.
Fiscal equalization and political conflict

In this paper we analyze the political viability of equalization rules in the context of a decentralized country. In concrete terms, we suggest that when equalization devices are perceived as unfair by one or more regions, political conflict may emerge as a result. Political conflict is analysed through a non cooperative game. Regions are formed by identical individuals who, through lobbying, try to impose their regional preferences on the rest of the country, and political conflict is measured as the total contribution to lobbying. We conclude that the onset of conflict depends on the degree of publicness of the regional budget. When regional budgets are used to provide pure public goods, proportional equalization is politically feasible. However, no equalization rule is immune to conflict when budgets are used to provide private goods or a linear combination of private and public goods.
Principal Component and Principal Axis Factoring of Factors Associated with High Population in Urban Areas: A Case Study of Juja and Thika, Kenya

Development in the world / a country today is being influenced by the population in urban areas as a result of which living standards rise in all parts of the country despite the rural areas. The main goal of our government today is to balance development of urban and rural areas of Kenya so that no areas are left behind as others head forward in terms of development. In this research, PCA and PAF methods of factor reduction were applied. PCA is a widely used method for factor extraction. Factor weights are computed in order to extract the maximum possible variance, with successive factoring continuing until there is no further meaningful variance left. The factor model is then rotated for analysis. PAF restricts the variance that is common among variables. It does not redistribute the variance that is unique to any one variable. Parallel analysis, catell's scree test criterion and Eigen value rule were applied. Results indicated that parallel analysis was generally the best the scree test was generally accurate while the Kaiser's method tended to overestimate the number of components. In this research, business and employment were deduced as major factors associated with high population in the two towns. Amenities like telephone networks, markets were also associated with high population in the two towns. I recommend the Kenyan government to apply the knowledge of PCA and PAF to determine the major reasons associated with high population in other major urban areas (towns and cities) especially according to 2009 population and housing census results so as to assist in allocation of revenue in the now current devolution system of government. This will ensure no areas (counties) are left behind in terms of development. The government should strive to provide social amenities and utilities in the rural areas. It should also provide jobs to the citizens in the rural areas so as to prevent very high increase in urban areas. The people in rural areas can also hold vocational training on self employment being headed by the government. PAF method demonstrated better results than the PCA since it took good care of measurement errors. PAF method was also able to recover weaker factors than PCA could. PAF removed the unique and error variance and so its results were much more reliable.PAF was also preferred because it accounted for the co-variation whereas PCA accounted for the total variance.