Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Homodyne Coherent Optical Receiver Using an Optical Injection Phase-Lock Loop

We describe the operating principle, practical implementation, and experimental evaluation of a synchronous homodyne coherent optical receiver based on an optical phase-locking scheme that combines optical injection locking of the semiconductor laser local oscillator (LO) with low-speed electronic feedback to give both a large locking bandwidth and a wide tracking range. We demonstrate phase-error variance as low as 0.002 rad2 in 10-GHz bandwidth for locking to a continuous-wave (CW) signal for a combined signal and LO linewidth of 1.5 MHz (full-width at half-maximum), and robust phase locking to a 10-Gb/s binary amplitude-shift-keyed (ASK) signal, enabling synchronous back-to-back demodulation of the signal with low bit error ratio (BER <; 10- 10) and improved performance compared to direct detection at low optical SNR (OSNR). By locking to a low-power CW pilot carrier in the polarization orthogonal to the data signal, demodulation of binary phase-shift-keyed (BPSK) data has been achieved, with the required OSNR at BER = 10-3 reduced by 3 dB compared to demodulation of ASK data under the same conditions. The OSNR penalty after transmission of the ASK and BPSK signals over 40 km of standard single-mode fiber was 1-2 dB at BER = 10-3, indicating that the chromatic dispersion sensitivity of the coherent receiver is similar to that for direct detection, and verifying that the scheme for locking to the orthogonal pilot is applicable to transmission systems, provided that optical polarization tracking is employed. In addition, we demonstrate frequency-selective operation of the coherent receiver, demultiplexing and demodulating one of a pair of equal power, 10 Gb/s, ASK channels separated by 17.5 GHz, with OSNR penalty at BER = 10- 3 of 1.5 dB compared to single-channel operation.
QRS-T morphology measured from exercise electrocardiogram as a predictor of cardiac mortality.

AIMS Total cosine R-to-T (TCRT) measured from the standard 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) reflects the spatial relationship between depolarization and repolarization wavefronts and a low TCRT value is a marker of poor prognosis. We tested the hypothesis that measurement of TCRT or QRS/T angle from exercise ECG would provide even more powerful prognostic information. METHODS AND RESULTS The prognostic significances of TCRT and QRS/T angle were assessed from exercise ECG recordings in 1297 patients [age 56 ± 13 years (mean ± SD), 67% males] undergoing a clinically indicated bicycle stress-test and the subsequent follow-up. During an average follow-up of 45 ± 12 months, 74 patients died (5.7%); 34 (2.6%) were cardiac deaths, and 24 (1.9%) were sudden cardiac deaths. Total cosine R-to-T and QRS/T angle exhibited a correlation with the RR intervals in the total cohort, but the individual responses were variable, e.g. median correlation of TCRT-RR was 0.89 with an inter-quartile range from 0.55 to 0.98. A reduced correlation of TCRT-RR during the recovery phase of exercise ECG predicted cardiac death [adjusted heart rate (HR) 3.5, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.8-6.8, P= 0.001] similarly as the baseline TCRT measured from ECG at rest (adjusted HR 3.4, 95% CI: 1.4-8.1, P= 0.01). The poor correlation between the TCRT-RR both during the exercise and recovery was specifically related to a risk of sudden cardiac death (adjusted HR 6.2, 95% CI: 2.1-17.8, P< 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Loss of rate-adaptation of the spatial relationship between depolarization and repolarization wavefronts is a strong predictor of cardiac death, especially of sudden cardiac death.
Games with a Purpose: User Generated Valid Metadata for Personal Archives

With the proliferation of mobile devices, management of the growing user personal generated multimedia content is more demanding. Proper organization of this content requires manual metadata authoring, since automated or crowd sourcing approaches are inapplicable in case of personal content or content of a small social group (e.g. family). Recently, games with a purpose gained popularity in solving many human intelligence tasks, with main focus drawn onto resource metadata and semantics acquisition. Games with a purpose seem to have large potential for solving further problems, but they also face several design issues involving mainly the validation of human-created artifacts they provide. In this paper we analyze these issues and propose directions for overcoming them for the semantics acquisition domain. Furthermore, we propose a method for annotating and presenting personal multimedia content based on our previously developed game with a purpose, which also exploits the alternative artifact evaluation.
Frequency of genetic transmission of sporadic retinoblastoma.

The inheritability of retinoblastoma is a matter of practical concern to the patient and to the physician. In many cases, transmission follows the law of simple Mendelian dominance, and approximately 50% of the offspring of an affected person may be expected to have the disease. In the sporadic cases, that is, in cases of retinoblastoma which appear to occur without preexisting retinoblastoma in the family, the manner of transmission is not so obvious. Yet this information is essential to advise these persons concerning the chances of their offspring having the disease. This information can be obtained only by analyzing the records of patients with sporadic cases who have had children. Such is the aim of this study. Literature regarding the offspring of patients with carefully documented sporadic cases has been scanty. Hemmes 1 reported in 1931 four patients with sporadic retinoblastoma with a total of nine offspring, none affected with
Board Chair Authentic Leadership and Nonexecutives’ Motivation and Commitment

Using data from a sample of 606 nonexecutives sitting on boards of a Canadian credit union, this study tests the relationship between chairs’ authentic leadership on boards and nonexecutives’ motivation and commitment. Hypothesis validation indicates that chairs with an authentic leadership style favor motivation and commitment through the emergence of a participative safety climate based on transparency and idea sharing. This relationship is stronger when executives perceive a high-quality relationship between the chair and the CEO. By integrating the literature on leadership with that on corporate boards, our study offers a deeper understanding of how, and under which circumstances, chairs contribute to nonexecutives’ motivation and commitment on the board.
Receptors for Innate Pathogen Defence in Insects are Normal Activation Receptors for Specific Immune Responses in Mammals

The Toll genes code for activation receptors for innate microbial defence in insects and have recently been found to code for the Lps receptor in murine B lymphocytes. In this study, I will present evidence to show that this family of receptors are responsible for induction of specific thymus‐independent immune responses in mice. T cells do not possess these pattern‐recognizing receptors, but they possess structures capable of delivering activation signals to these receptors on B cells.
CCR 20th Anniversary Commentary: A Chimeric Antibody, C225, Inhibits EGFR Activation and Tumor Growth

Murine mAb 225 was effective against the EGFR tyrosine kinase and inhibited tumor growth in preclinical studies. A phase I trial showed safety, tumor localization, and satisfactory pharmacokinetics. Human:murine chimeric C225 retained biologic activity, which was essential for the conduct of subsequent combination therapy trials and eventual regulatory approval. Clin Cancer Res; 21(2); 227–9. ©2015 AACR. See related article by Goldstein et al., Clin Cancer Res 1995;1(11) November 1995;1311–8
Tissue harmonic imaging with CMUTs

In this work, we report on the characterization of a CMUT probe (Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasound Transducer) for Tissue Harmonic Imaging (THI). The intrinsic nonlinear behavior of the CMUT probe was first investigated. Matched electrical waveforms were transmitted to limit the impact of the transmit response distortion. With the implemented method, we demonstrated higher performances through in-vitro harmonic imaging.
Design and Optimization of a Cyberphysical Digital-Microfluidic Biochip for the Polymerase Chain Reaction

The amount of DNA strands available in a biological sample is a major limitation for many genomic bioanalyses. To amplify the traces of DNA strands, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is widely used for conducting subsequent experiments. Compared to conventional instruments and analyzers, the execution of PCR on a digital microfluidic biochip (DMFB) can achieve short time-to-results, low reagent consumption, rapid heating/cooling rates, and high integration of multiple processing modules. However, the PCR biochip design methods in the literature are oblivious to the inherent randomness and complexity of bioanalyses, and they do not consider the interference among the neighboring devices and the cost of droplet transportation. We present an integrated design solution to optimize the complete PCR procedure, including: 1) DNA amplification and termination control; 2) resource placement that satisfies proximity constraints; and 3) droplet transportation. Based on the sensor feedback data, a statistical model is developed to optimize and control the DNA amplification sequence in real-time on a cyberphysical biochip. Next, we present a geometric algorithm for avoiding device interference and for reducing droplet routing cost. A novel optical sensing system is deployed based on the physical visibility of droplets. Simulation results for three laboratory protocols demonstrate that the proposed design method results in a compact layout and produces an execution sequence for efficient control of PCR operations on a cyberphysical DMFB.
Evaluation of Right Ventricular Regional Volume and Systolic Function in Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Using Three‐Dimensional Echocardiography

Objective: To evaluate right ventricular (RV) regional volume and systolic function in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) using real time three‐dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE), and to explore the relationship between parameters measured by RT3DE and right heart catheterization (RHC). Methods: RT3DE images were acquired from 24 patients with PAH and 27 normal controls for evaluation and analysis to obtain RV regional end‐diastolic volume (EDV), end‐systolic volume (ESV), ejection fraction (EF) in three compartments (inflow, body, and outflow). Conventional echocardiographic parameters were calculated and recorded. RHC was performed in 17 patients to obtain pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). Results: RV regional EDV and ESV were significantly higher while regional EF was significantly lower in the PAH patients when compared with controls (P < 0.001). In the PAH group, EDV was similar in the inflow and body compartment, both higher than that in the outflow compartment (P < 0.05); EF was the highest in the inflow compartment and the lowest in the body compartment (P < 0.05). RV regional EF in the inflow compartment and global EF were negatively correlated with PASP (r =–0.766, –0.816, P < 0.001) and PVR (r =–0.529, –0.656, P < 0.05). Conclusions: In patients with PAH, RV regional volume was enlarged and systolic function was impaired with distinct characteristics; regional EF in the inflow compartment and global EF were inversely correlated with PASP and PVR. Evaluation of RV regional systolic function using RT3DE may play a potential role in the noninvasive assessment of the severity of PAH. (Echocardiography 2012;29:706‐712)
Cat's away —What to do when your supervisor leaves you

This qualitative study focuses upon one aspect of the postgraduate research student– supervisory experience rarely covered in literature and surveys. By juxtaposing effects of supervisor absence on laboratory-based students with effects on a student in humanities, I seek to highlight effects of supervisor absence on full-time postgraduate students. To do so, I ask three queries – Firstly, to what degree are Australian postgraduate students affected by supervisor absence/departure? Secondly, what are the manifestations of the phenomena? and finally, what is the recognition level of the supervisor of the effect? In conclusion, I suggest some student-centred coping strategies for ‘when a supervisor leaves you’.
L1-norm minimization for quaternion signals

The l1-norm minimization problem plays an important role in the compressed sensing (CS) theory. We present in this letter an algorithm for solving the problem of l1-norm minimization for quaternion signals by converting it to second-order cone programming. An application example of the proposed algorithm is also given for practical guidelines of perfect recovery of quaternion signals. The proposed algorithm may find its potential application when CS theory meets the quaternion signal processing.
Distributed Algorithmic Foundations of Dynamic Networks

Dynamic networks have been the subject of renewed interest recently, as they model peer-topeer networks, mobile nodes in wireless networks, and data centers. Theoretical analysis of these networks is quite challenging, and are exacerbated by the presence of faults. This column consists of an article by John Augustine, Gopal Pandurangan, and Peter Robinson on the distributed algorithmic foundations of dynamic networks. The authors motivate the problem from a practical perspective, and overview some of their recent results for agreement, leader election, search and storage, and expander maintenance. A key feature of the paper is that the results are presented in a unified manner and the techniques used are highlighted. The article ends with some intriguing open problems. Many thanks to John, Gopal and Peter for their contributions!
Membrane domains of intestinal epithelial cells: distribution of Na+,K+- ATPase and the membrane skeleton in adult rat intestine during fetal development and after epithelial isolation

The organization of the basolateral membrane domain of highly polarized intestinal absorptive cells was studied in adult rat intestinal mucosa, during development of polarity in fetal intestine, and in isolated epithelial sheets. Semi-thin frozen sections of these tissues were stained with a monoclonal antibody (mAb 4C4) directed against Na+,K+- ATPase, and with other reagents to visualize distributions of the membrane skeleton (fodrin), an epithelial cell adhesion molecule (uvomorulin), an apical membrane enzyme (aminopeptidase), and filamentous actin. In intact adult epithelium, Na+,K+-ATPase, membrane- associated fodrin, and uvomorulin were concentrated in the lateral, but not basal, subdomain. In the stratified epithelium of fetal intestine, both fodrin and uvomorulin were localized in areas of cell-cell contact at 16 and 17 d gestation, a stage when Na+,K+-ATPase was not yet expressed. These molecules were excluded from apical domains and from cell surfaces in contact with basal lamina. When Na+,K+-ATPase appeared at 18-19 d, it was codistributed with fodrin. Detachment of epithelial sheets from adult intestinal mucosa did not disrupt intercellular junctions or lateral cell contacts, but cytoplasmic blebs appeared at basal cell surfaces, and a diffuse pool of fodrin and actin accumulated in them. At the same time, Na+,K+-ATPase moved into the basal membrane subdomain, and extensive endocytosis of basolateral membrane, including Na+,K+-ATPase, occurred. Endocytosis of uvomorulin was not detected and no fodrin was associated with endocytic vesicles. Uvomorulin, along with some membrane-associated fodrin and some Na+,K+-ATPase, remained in the lateral membrane as long as intercellular contacts were maintained. Thus, in this polarized epithelium, interaction of lateral cell-cell adhesion molecules as well as basal cell-substrate interactions are required for maintaining the stability of the lateral membrane skeleton and the position of resident membrane proteins concentrated in the lateral membrane domain.
Blind detection of uplink grant-free SCMA with unknown user sparsity

The existing solutions for multi-user detection in uplink (UL) grant-free sparse code multiple access (SCMA) rely on the prior knowledge of user sparsity, i.e., the number of active users. An alternative solution, which sets the sparsity as a statistically empirical value to get a rough active user set and then eliminates the false detected inactive users with joint message passing algorithm (JMPA), leads to either increasing computation complexity of JMPA or high missed detection probability. In this paper, we propose a receiver for UL grant-free SCMA which relies on no prior knowledge of user sparsity. We propose a detection-based group orthogonal matching pursuit (DGOMP) active user detector to get an accurate active user set rather than a rough active user set. Then we modify the JMPA by taking the channel gain and noise power into consideration when calculating the prior information of the zero codeword. The modified JMPA helps to further eliminate the false detections caused by noise, channel fading and non-orthogonality of pilot sequences. Simulation results show that our proposed receiver without prior knowledge of user sparsity has acceptable performance degradation compared with currently existing solution with ideal, however unable to get in practice, prior knowledge of user sparsity.
Characterization of the katG gene encoding a catalase-peroxidase required for the isoniazid susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

The isoniazid susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is mediated by the product of the katG gene which encodes the heme-containing enzyme catalase-peroxidase. In this study, the chromosomal location of katG has been established and its nucleotide sequence has been determined so that the primary structure of catalase-peroxidase could be predicted. The M. tuberculosis enzyme is an 80,000-dalton protein containing several motifs characteristic of peroxidases and shows strong similarity to other bacterial catalase-peroxidases. Expression of the katG gene in M. tuberculosis, M. smegmatis, and Escherichia coli was demonstrated by Western blotting (immunoblotting). Homologous genes were detected in other mycobacteria, even those which are naturally insensitive to isoniazid.
Thom polynomials and Schur functions I

We give the Thom polynomials for the singularities I_2,2 and A_3 associated with maps (C^n,0) -> (C^{n+k},0) with parameter k>=0. We give the Schur function expansions of these Thom polynomials. Moreover, for the singularities A_i (with any parameter k >= 0) we analyze the ``first approximation'' F^(i) to the Thom polynomial. Our computations combine the characterization of Thom polynomials via the ``method of restriction equations'' of Rimanyi et al. with the techniques of (super) Schur functions.
Dimensional changes cannot account for all differences in short-term cycling power during growth.

The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent anthropometric characteristics account for cycling peak power during growth. Five hundred and six male subjects aged 7.5-18 years performed three brief maximal sprints on a friction-loaded cycle ergometer. Cycling peak power (CPP) was calculated including the flywheel inertia of the device. Fat-free mass (FFM) and lean leg volume (LLV) were assessed by anthropometry. Anthropometric characteristics increased significantly during growth (p<0.001) but plateaued from about 16 years of age (p > 0.3). The same pattern was observed for CPP, while the time to reach CPP decreased during growth. CPP correlated as highly with LLV as with FFM and both parameters may therefore be interchanged. However, in non weight-bearing exercises, such as cycling, it seems more relevant to "normalise" leg power for LLV. Multiple stepwise regression, using an allometric model, showed that a large part of the variance of CPP was explained by LLV (88.2%, p<0.001). However, age and time to reach peak power also contributed significantly (approximately 3 %, p < 0.001). The prediction of CPP revealed that FFM and age contributed to 92.2% of the total variance of CPP. Because of its practicability, fat-free mass is particularly useful in prospective studies. Although the effects of dimensional changes in CPP during growth are obvious, undetermined qualitative changes of muscle function during maturation must be considered.
Kinetic properties of pyrophosphate:fructose-6-phosphate phosphotransferase from germinating castor bean endosperm.

Pyrophosphate:fructose-6-phosphate phosphotransferase (PFP) was purified over 500-cold from endosperm of germinating castor bean (Ricinus commiunis L. var. Hale). The kinetic properties of the purified enzyme were studied. PFP was specific for pyrophosphate and had a requirement for a divalent metal ion. The pH optimum for activity was 7.3 to 7.7. The enzyme had similar activities in the forward and reverse directions and exhibited hyperbolic kinetics with all substrates. Kinetic constants were determined in the presence of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, which stimulated activity about 20-fold and increased the affinity of the enzyme for fructose 6-phosphate, fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, and pyrophosphate up to 10-fold. Half-maximum activation of PFP by fructose 2,6-bisphosphate was obtained at 10 nanomolar. The affinity of PFP for this activator was reduced by decreasing the concentration of fructose 6-phosphate or increasing that of phosphate. Phosphate inhibited PFP when the reaction was measured in the reverse direction, i.e. fructose 6-phosphate production. In the presence of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, phosphate was a mixed inhibitor with respect to both fructose 6-phosphate and pyrophosphate when the reaction was measured in the forward direction, i.e. fructose 1,6-bisphosphate production. The possible roles of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, fructose 6-phosphate, and phosphate in the control of PFP are discussed.
Panel 2: Anatomy (Eustachian Tube, Middle Ear, and Mastoid—Anatomy, Physiology, Pathophysiology, and Pathogenesis)

Objective In this report, we review the recent literature (ie, past 4 years) to identify advances in our understanding of the middle ear–mastoid–eustachian tube system. We use this review to determine whether the short-term goals elaborated in the last report were achieved, and we propose updated goals to guide future otitis media research. Data Sources PubMed, Web of Science, Medline. Review Methods The panel topic was subdivided, and each contributor performed a literature search within the given time frame. The keywords searched included middle ear, eustachian tube, and mastoid for their intersection with anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, and pathology. Preliminary reports from each panel member were consolidated and discussed when the panel met on June 11, 2015. At that meeting, the progress was evaluated and new short-term goals proposed. Conclusions Progress was made on 13 of the 20 short-term goals proposed in 2011. Significant advances were made in the characterization of middle ear gas exchange pathways, modeling eustachian tube function, and preliminary testing of treatments for eustachian tube dysfunction. Implications for Practice In the future, imaging technologies should be developed to noninvasively assess middle ear/eustachian tube structure and physiology with respect to their role in otitis media pathogenesis. The new data derived from these structure/function experiments should be integrated into computational models that can then be used to develop specific hypotheses concerning otitis media pathogenesis and persistence. Finally, rigorous studies on medical or surgical treatments for eustachian tube dysfunction should be undertaken.