Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Filter Bank Multicarrier in Massive MIMO: Analysis and Channel Equalization

We perform an asymptotic study of the performance of filter bank multicarrier in the context of massive multi-input multi-output. We show that the effects of channel distortions, i.e., intersymbol interference and intercarrier interference, do not vanish as the base station (BS) array size increases. As a result, the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) cannot grow unboundedly by increasing the number of BS antennas, and is upper bounded by a certain deterministic value. We show that this phenomenon is a result of the correlation between the multiantenna combining tap values and the channel impulse responses between the mobile terminals and the BS antennas. To resolve this problem, we introduce an efficient equalization method that removes this correlation, enabling us to achieve arbitrarily large SINR values by increasing the number of BS antennas. We perform a thorough analysis of the proposed system and find analytical expressions for both equalizer coefficients and the respective SINR.
Omni-Directional Vision-Based Control Strategy for Humanoid Soccer Robot

The humanoid soccer robot system can be considered as a visual feedback system that includes the design and implementation of the hardware architecture, visual servo system, control strategy system and sensory system. This paper is mainly to integrate the two major parts of the humanoid soccer robot, the visual system and control strategy system. At first, the architecture of the omni-directional vision system is setup. The advanced label algorithm (ALA) is then employed for object recognition in the vision processing system. The corresponding offending and defending control strategies are developed. Two special data transformation mechanisms are also examined. Finally the experiments of the humanoid soccer robot are performed to verify the benefit and the feasibility of the proposed control strategies.
Strategic Responses to an Environmental Jolt

We develop a model that predicts the likelihood that publicly-traded start-up firms will respond to a sudden drop in environmental munificence by replacing their CEO. The model proposes that CEOs who were founders, those who had prior experience as CEOs, and those who also held the position of board chair will be less likely to be replaced. We base these predictions on a set of knowledge-based and political considerations. We test the model on a sample of 127 Internet IPOs during the period following the dramatic devaluation of Internet stocks that occurred in Spring/Summer 2000. Results support all three hypotheses.
Timesharing-tracking: A new framework for decentralized reinforcement learning in cooperative multi-agent systems

The paper discusses how to learn the optimal cooperative policy in a decentralized way with known immediately individual reward. We propose a timesharing-tracking framework (TTF), in which agents learn their optimal policies alternatively on different states, in order to realize macroscopic simultaneous learning. Then the algorithm of the joint state Q-learning with best-response (BRQ-learning) to companions is proposed. Further, the BRQ-learning algorithm is extended into the TTF, so that the mechanism named multi-agent BRQ-learning with timesharing-tracking (BRQL-TT) is proposed to achieve optimal group policy. The simulation results illustrate that the proposed algorithm can learn the optimal joint behavior with less computation and faster speed comparing with other two classical learning algorithms.
Mismatch response of the human brain to changes in sound location

WE Investigated whether the enhanced negativity of the human event-related brain potential elicited by changes in auditory lateralization is due to a higher-order change-detection process or whether it can be explained exclusively in terms of selective sensory adaptation. Infrequent changes in lateralization of a repetitive standard tone, generated by changes in interaural time differences, elicited a frontocentrally distributed negative brain wave in the 100–250 ms range relative to stimulus onset. This brain wave was also elicited when possible sensory adaptation was prevented by controlling for the state of refractoriness of location-specific neurones. The results demonstrate that changes in lateralization elicit a genuine mismatch negativity (MMN), indicating the activity of an automatic higher-order change-detection process.
Communication between patients with chronic kidney disease and nurses about managing pain in the acute hospital setting.

AIM The aim of this paper is to examine communication between patients with chronic kidney disease and nurses about managing pain in the acute hospital setting. BACKGROUND While pain often accompanies chronic kidney disease, little is known about managing pain in actual clinical practice. DESIGN A single group, non-comparative design was used. METHODS Research methods included observations and interviews to examine pain communication in all five adult renal units in the state of Victoria, Australia. A thematic approach was used to analyse the data. RESULTS Observations and interviews were carried out with 14 nurses and 53 patients and 103 incidents of pain communication occurred during observations. Three themes were identified: complexity of pain, knowledge about pain management and contextual characteristics of the renal units. The nature of the patients' pain and effects of analgesics on the body shaped the complexity of pain in chronic kidney disease. Various causes of pain contributed to difficulties in management. Patients had acute pain from surgical procedures, in particular, phantom limb pain. They also had chronic pain arising from leg cramps, restless leg syndrome, and muscle and bone pain. Knowledge about pain management comprised the use of written resources about analgesics and information exchange among health professionals. Contextual characteristics involved the perceived urgency of pain communication and environmental stressors. CONCLUSIONS The findings emphasize the need to capture dynamic processes of pain management in patients with chronic kidney disease to facilitate understandings about complex communication needs of this vulnerable group. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Specific analgesic and non-pharmacological guidelines for patients with chronic kidney disease should be developed and made available in practice to facilitate effective pain management. Change champions of renal units are needed to support nurses in dedicating specified time for communicating with patients about managing pain.
Targeted therapies in systemic lupus erythematosus: successes, failures and future

Purpose The author's goal is to review recent phase III clinical trials in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), with emphasis on outcomes and on mechanisms by which the experimental drugs/biological agents suppress autoimmunity. Methods Prospective, randomised, controlled clinical trials in SLE published in the past 3 years identified in a PubMed search were reviewed, as well as abstracts describing similar but currently unpublished clinical trials presented at international meetings 2008–10. Conclusions Two interventions have been proved in large multicentre prospective trials to be useful in the management of SLE: mycophenolate mofetil (equivalent to cyclophosphamide with a similar safety profile) and anti-BLyS (Benlysta), which was superior to placebo when added to background immunosuppression and did not appear to increase toxicity. The anti-BLyS trial outcome measure was an anchored composite index that required reduction of disease activity measure by the systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index. Other trials that failed or the results of which are pending are also discussed.
The Relation Between the Cyclically Adjusted Budget Balance and the Growth Accounting Method of Deriving Net Fiscal Effort

This paper deals with the growth accounting method used for derivation of so called net fiscal effort. Net fiscal effort can then provide a clue whether fiscal policy is expansionary or not and together with the data about economic performance can answer the question of pro- or anti-cyclicality of fiscal stance. Traditionally, answer to such questions has been provided via cyclically adjusted budget balance measure. I argue that relatively computational intensive and data demanding process of estimation of cyclically adjusted budget balance can be without significant loss of information replaced by simple growth accounting method. I argue that in general case, answers provided via growth accounting method will not differ widely from the conclusions provided via cyclically adjusted budget balance. I then illustrate on Czech fiscal data use of growth accounting and compare the outcomes of both methods. Conclusions reached in the empirical part fit nicely conclusions of the theoretical part of the paper.
Vesicles: Potential nano carriers for the delivery of skin cosmetics

ABSTRACT In the present scenario, consumers are searching for personal care products that supply multiple benefits with minimal efforts. The outcome has been the introduction of nanotechnology-based cosmetic products that are safe to use and results driven. Some topical cosmetics can act efficaciously when they reach their target sites present in the deeper layers of the skin. The main problem with delivering active ingredients across the skin is the barrier function of the skin. Therefore, to get the maximum benefit from cosmetic products and to overcome the problems associated with their skin penetration, scientists are investigating various strategies to overcome these barrier properties. Vesicular carriers have been claimed to improve the topical delivery of active ingredients. This review offers a brief overview of current approaches in the research and development of vesicular carriers to improve the delivery and performance of active ingredients present in the cosmetics.
THE MODERNISATION OF HOUSING IN ENGLAND

This paper considers changes in the housing market and housing policy following the major deregulation and privatisation of housing in England in the 1980s and 1990s. It highlights developments that were not anticipated, the continuing importance of social rented housing and the renewed interest of government in housing and refers to these in the context of previous accounts of the modernisation of housing tenure. The paper also considers emerging social and spatial divisions within urban England and suggests that while there is considerable continuity in these patterns, tenure has become a less effective indicator of neighbourhood difference. A more complex pattern of social and spatial division is associated with stratification, market stretch and new patterns of differentiation. Copyright (c) 2009 by the Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG.
Performance comparison of 5 subthreshold CMOS flip-flops under process-, voltage-, and temperature variations, based on netlists from layout

5 ultra low power / low energy static flip-flops operating in the subthreshold region are compared. They are a PowerPC603 flip-flop, a C2MOS flip-flop, a nand2-based flip-flop and two minority-3 based flip-flops. Simulations based on netlists extracted from layouts, in a standard 65 nm CMOS process, include mismatch- and process-, voltage- and temperature (PVT-) variations. The flip-flops have regularity in layouts, for robustness against PVT variations, and are designed for a supply voltage of 250 mV. Comparisons for the same supply voltage indicate that the PowerPC 603 flip-flop has relatively low delay, the lowest power consumption and PDP, and close to average standard deviation in the delay, among the 5. The C2MOS variant has the lowest delay, relatively low power consumption and PDP. However, it has the largest relative standard deviation for delay. The minority-3 based flip-flops have the lowest relative standard deviation in delay, making them the most robust towards variations, in this sense. However, they have the largest delays, and highest power consumption and PDP figures, and have a significantly higher transistor count.
Periodontal Health Condition and Associated Factors among University Students, Yemen.

INTRODUCTION Studies on oral health status among Yemeni population are scarce. AIM This study aimed to evaluate the periodontal health among advantaged section of Yemeni society, university students, in health and non-health fields. MATERIALS AND METHODS Periodontal health status of a sample of 360 students from dental, medical and literature faculties (120 each with equal gender distribution) at Sana'a University was evaluated by two calibrated examiners using CPI index. Data regarding tooth-brushing practices and smoking and khat chewing habits were obtained using a structured interview questionnaire. RESULTS Only 45 students (12.5%) had healthy periodontium, while 113 (31.4%), 186 (51.7%) and 16 (4.4%) had bleeding, calculus and shallow pocket, respectively, with no significant differences between faculties. Females revealed significantly better periodontal health compared to males, though their bleeding score was higher. Dental and medical students and female students in general were significantly more interested in tooth-brushing and significantly less interested in practicing the deleterious habits such as smoking and khat chewing. CONCLUSION The overall periodontal health of Sana'a University students is still unsatisfactory even among students in health field. Females and students in health field revealed better periodontal health and oral health practices (tooth-brushing) in comparison to male students and those in non-health field. The negative effects of the highly prevalent smoking and khat chewing habits deserve further reliable researches and proper educational programs at the national level.
Sleep, sleep-disordered breathing and metabolic consequences

Sleep profoundly affects metabolic pathways. In healthy subjects, experimental sleep restriction caused insulin resistance (IR) and increased evening cortisol and sympathetic activation. Increased obesity in subjects reporting short sleep duration leads to speculation that, during recent decades, decreased sleeping time in the general population may have contributed to the increasing prevalence of obesity. Causal inference is difficult due to lack of control for confounders and inconsistent evidence of temporal sequence. In the general population, obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is associated with glucose intolerance. OSA severity is also associated with the degree of IR. However, OSA at baseline does not seem to significantly predict the development of diabetes. Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome is higher in patients with OSA than in obese subjects without OSA. Treatment with continuous positive airway pressure seems to improve glucose metabolism both in diabetic and nondiabetic OSA but mainly in nonobese subjects. The relative role of obesity and OSA in the pathogenesis of metabolic alterations is still unclear and is intensively studied in clinical and experimental models. In the intermittent hypoxia model in rodents, strong interactions are likely to occur between haemodynamic alterations, systemic inflammation and metabolic changes, modulated by genetic background. Molecular and cellular mechanisms are currently being investigated.
Threshold adjustment in the long-run relationship between stock prices and economic activity

In recent years a large literature has emerged considering the relationship between financial and macroeconomic variables. The present article extends this research via consideration of threshold adjustment in the relationship between stock prices and economic activity in the UK. The results obtained show that use of momentum threshold autoregressive cointegration testing uncovers previously undetected asymmetry in the long-run relationship between the stock market and economic activity.
Does better e-readiness induce more use of e-government? Evidence from the Korean central e-government

The e-readiness indexes measured by accessibility and content have typically been employed in e-government website evaluations. We present empirical evidence from four e-readiness indexes (such as accessibility, e-information, e-petition and e-participation) and the clickstream website usage data of the Korean central government units from 2003 to 2005 to evaluate whether better e-readiness induces more use of e-government websites. We find that only the e-information index was significantly correlated with website usage, and the majority of usage variations were attributable to the unit-specific effects including the nature of each unit’s public service. Our findings also indicate that the accessibility index should not be considered a key factor to evaluate e-government websites any longer, and the traditional supply-side e-government content evaluations may provide misleading information on e-government evolution. Points for practitioners Traditional supply-side e-government evaluations may not reflect citizens’ actual needs and use of e-government services. The e-government deployment across different units should take account of each unit’s nature of public services.
The Demand for Tax Haven Operations

What types of firms establish tax haven operations, and what purposes do these operations serve? Analysis of affiliate-level data for American firms indicates that larger, more international firms, and those with extensive intrafirm trade and high R and D intensities, are the most likely to use tax havens. Tax haven operations facilitate tax avoidance both by permitting firms to allocate taxable income away from high-tax jurisdictions and by reducing the burden of home country taxation of foreign income. The evidence suggests that the primary use of affiliates in larger tax haven countries is to reallocate taxable income, whereas the primary use of affiliates in smaller tax haven countries is to facilitate deferral of U.S. taxation of foreign income. Firms with sizeable foreign operations benefit the most from using tax havens, an effect that can be evaluated by using foreign economic growth rates as instruments for firm-level growth of foreign investment outside of tax havens. One percent greater sales and investment growth in nearby non-haven countries is associated with a 1.5 to 2% greater likelihood of establishing a tax haven operation.
Financial information on the Internet: a survey of the homepages of Austrian companies

This paper analyses the use of the Internet to present financial information by Austrian companies listed in the most liquid market segment of the Vienna Stock Exchange. The study covers two points in time, end of December 1997 and 1998, respectively. The scores of the companies are analysed across firms and over time, and Austrian firms' scores are compared to those of the German DAX 30 companies. Hypotheses related to the costs and benefits of information are tested. The results show for Austria that larger companies and companies with higher percentage of free float score higher.
Dynamics and Potentials of Israel's Megalopolitan Processes

The notion of 'megalopolis' is used, following Gottmann, as a metaphor adopted from the ancient Greek city of Megalopolis situated at the heart of the Peloponnisos peninsula, to describe a linearly stretched system of urban agglomerations showing dense and intensified land uses and activities, and strong internal lineal socio-economic ties manifested by the movement of people, goods and information. Major urban agglomerations also act as junction nodes with other regional, national and international networks. A megalopolis is also perceived as an innovation-stimulating environment, and its metropolitan regions serve as the hard core of their region's post-industrial and post-modern activities and life-styles. Megalopolitan processes, defined along the Israeli coast in early 1980s, have gained momentum since the 1990s as a result of Israel' s entry into the post-industrial age and its expanding links with the global economy. It is assumed that if the emerging megalopolitan processes are successfully diffused into the coastal regions of neighbouring countries in peacetime, they might create, in the long run, an extended megalopolitan region along the east coast of the Mediterranean sea to evolve as the 'backbone' of a peaceful 'New' Middle East.
Meta-analyses of cognitive and motor function in youth aged 16 years and younger who subsequently develop schizophrenia

Background Previous reviews have reported cognitive and motor deficits in childhood and adolescence among individuals who later develop schizophrenia. However, these reviews focused exclusively on studies of individuals with affected relatives or on population/birth cohorts, incorporated studies with estimated measures of pre-morbid intelligence, or included investigations that examined symptomatic at-risk participants or participants 18 years or older. Thus, it remains unclear whether cognitive and motor deficits constitute robust antecedents of schizophrenia. Meta-analyses were conducted on published studies that examined cognitive or motor function in youth aged 16 years or younger who later developed schizophrenia or a schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD) and those who did not. Method Twenty-three studies fulfilled the following inclusion criteria: (1) written in English; (2) prospective investigations of birth or genetic high-risk cohorts, or follow-back investigations of population samples; (3) objective measures of cognitive or motor performance at age 16 or younger; (4) results provided for individuals who did and who did not develop schizophrenia/SSD later in life; and (5) sufficient data to calculate effect sizes. Four domains of function were examined: IQ; Motor Function; General Academic Achievement; and Mathematics Achievement. Results Meta-analyses showed that, by age 16, individuals who subsequently developed schizophrenia/SSD displayed significant deficits in IQ (d=0.51) and motor function (d=0.56), but not in general academic achievement (d=0.25) or mathematics achievement (d=0.21). Subsidiary analysis indicated that the IQ deficit was present by age 13. Conclusions These results demonstrate that deficits in IQ and motor performance precede the prodrome and the onset of illness.
Branching Genes Are Conserved across Species. Genes Controlling a Novel Signal in Pea Are Coregulated by Other Long-Distance Signals1

Physiological and genetic studies with the ramosus (rms) mutants in garden pea (Pisum sativum) and more axillary shoots (max) mutants in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) have shown that shoot branching is regulated by a network of long-distance signals. Orthologous genes RMS1 and MAX4 control the synthesis of a novel graft-transmissible branching signal that may be a carotenoid derivative and acts as a branching inhibitor. In this study, we demonstrate further conservation of the branching control system by showing that MAX2 and MAX3 are orthologous to RMS4 and RMS5, respectively. This is consistent with the long-standing hypothesis that branching in pea is regulated by a novel long-distance signal produced by RMS1 and RMS5 and that RMS4 is implicated in the response to this signal. We examine RMS5 expression and show that it is more highly expressed relative to RMS1, but under similar transcriptional regulation as RMS1. Further expression studies support the hypothesis that RMS4 functions in shoot and rootstock and participates in the feedback regulation of RMS1 and RMS5 expression. This feedback involves a second novel long-distance signal that is lacking in rms2 mutants. RMS1 and RMS5 are also independently regulated by indole-3-acetic acid. RMS1, rather than RMS5, appears to be a key regulator of the branching inhibitor. This study presents new interactions between RMS genes and provides further evidence toward the ongoing elucidation of a model of axillary bud outgrowth in pea.