Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Performance Analysis of Neighbor Discovery Process in Bluetooth Low-Energy Networks

To support various Internet of Things (IoT) applications, the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) standard specifies a wide range of parameter values for the neighbor discovery process (NDP). The parameter values used during neighbor discovery directly affect the performance of the NDP. Therefore, an optimal parameter setting is essential to achieve the best tradeoff between discovery latency and energy consumption. An analytical model can offer a beneficial guideline for such a parameter selection. In this paper, we propose a general model for analyzing the performance of NDP in BLE networks. In the model, the operations of the scanner and the advertiser, which are two main components of NDP, are expressed on the discrete-time axis. Based on the Chinese Remainder Theorem (CRT), the discovery latency and energy consumption of advertiser are derived. The numerical results from our model are almost the same as the simulation results, for any parameter values specified by the standard. When considering that BLE is one of candidate communication technologies for IoT, the proposed model is expected to be very useful in setting the default or initial values of NDP parameters for various IoT applications.
Missing women.

they are in the second half of pregnancy they should be nursed in the left lateral position to prevent supine hypotension caused by the weight of the pregnant uterus on the inferior vena cava. The fetus should be monitored by cardiotocography, probably for four hours. 12 Abnormalities of the fetal heart rate usually permit early diagnosis of a placental abruption, which in many cases is not accompanied by vaginal bleeding. In the acute phase ultrasonographic examination will not usually be helpful until the abruption is clinically obvious, but mothers find ultrasonography reassuring. Delayed abruption may occur four to five days after the accident,'3 which suggests that patients should probably be kept in hospital for five days. Other effects on the pregnancy may be preterm labour, premature rupture of the membranes, and fetomaternal haemorrhage. Haemorrhage should be sought with a Kleihauer test, and if the patient is rhesus negative anti-D gammaglobulin should be given. Any fetal anaemia resulting from fetomaternal haemorrhage is rarely severe enough to threaten the fetus. Pelvic fractures in pregnancy may be associated with substantial retroperitoneal bleeding, causing hypovolaemic shock, or injuries to the urinary tract or uterus. In the absence of severe deformity delivery through a recently fractured pelvis is not usually accompanied by serious complications. There is little or no evidence on the effect of seat belts on the occurrence of these complications. Strong evidence therefore exists to support the use of seat belts in pregnancy; they should be worn over and under the bump. There is also evidence that health care professionals do not routinely educate pregnant women in the correct use of seat belts and that some carers give dangerous advice. Finally, there is evidence that when pregnant women receive advice from trained instructors they are more likely to wear seat belts. '4 MALCOLM PEARCE Consultant Obstetrician, St George's Hospital, London SW17 OQT
Dynamic Modeling of a Robotic Fish Propelled by a Compliant Tail

In this paper, a dynamic model for a robotic fish propelled by a tail with a flexible fin is presented. The robotic fish is composed of two links connected by an actuated joint; the frontal link is rigid and acts as the robotic fish body, while the rear link serves as the tail. The latter comprises a rigid element connected to a flexible caudal fin, whose underwater vibration is responsible for propulsion. The dynamics of the frontal link are described using Kirchhoff's equations of motion for rigid bodies in quiescent fluids. The tail vibration is modeled using Euler-Bernoulli beam theory and the effect of the encompassing fluid is described using the Morison equation. The thrust production is assessed from static thrust data in terms of the fin-tip displacement; other salient model parameters are estimated through a nonlinear least squares technique. The model is validated against experimental data on circular and S-shaped trajectories. The model can be used for simulation, prediction, design optimization, and control, as it allows for the description of the robot's motion as a function of the unique input of the system, that is, the servomotor angle. Within the latter application, a heading control algorithm, in which the controller is tuned on the basis of the dynamic model, is presented.
Global Optimization for One-Dimensional Structure and Motion Problems

We study geometric reconstruction problems in one-dimensional retina vision. In such problems, the scene is modeled as a two-dimensional plane, and the camera sensor produces one-dimensional images of the scene. Our main contribution is an efficient method for computing the global optimum to the structure and motion problem with respect to the $L_{\infty}$ norm of the reprojection errors. One-dimensional cameras have proven useful in several applications, most prominently for autonomous vehicles, where they are used to provide inexpensive and reliable navigational systems. Previous results on one-dimensional vision are limited to the classification and solving of minimal cases, bundle adjustment for finding local optima, and linear algorithms for algebraic cost functions. In contrast, we present an approach for finding globally optimal solutions with respect to the $L_{\infty}$ norm of the angular reprojection errors. We show how to solve intersection and resection problems as well as the problem of simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM). The algorithm is robust to use when there are missing data, which means that all points are not necessarily seen in all images. Our approach has been tested on a variety of different scenarios, both real and synthetic. The algorithm shows good performance for intersection and resection and for SLAM with up to five views. For more views the high dimension of the search space tends to give long running times. The experimental section also gives interesting examples showing that for one-dimensional cameras with limited field of view the SLAM problem is often inherently ill-conditioned.
Contextual Factors, Knowledge Processes and Performance in Global Sourcing of IT Services: An Investigation in China

In this paper, the authors explore the influences of two major contextual factors-supplier team members' cultural understanding and trust relationship-on knowledge processes and performance in global sourcing of IT services. The authors discuss a joint investigation conducted by a cross-cultural research team in China. Cultural understanding is measured by individualism with guanxi and mianzi, two Chinese cultural concepts, and trust relationship is measured by adjusting trust, a notion reflecting the uniqueness of the Chinese people. Knowledge processes are characterized by knowledge sharing. Performance is measured by the outcomes of global sourcing, which is represented by product success and personal satisfaction. Data are collected in 13 companies in Xi'an Software Park, with 200 structured questionnaires distributed to knowledge workers. The results of quantitative data analysis indicate that cultural understanding influences trust relationship greatly, as well as knowledge sharing and performance in global sourcing of IT services. Trust relationship significantly impacts knowledge sharing, whereas trust relationship and knowledge sharing have no impact on performance. This study suggests that special aspects of the Chinese context have significant direct impacts on knowledge processes while no direct and immediate impacts on performance in global sourcing of IT services.
Adaptive Packet Scheduling Algorithm for Cognitive Radio System

In this paper, an adaptive downlink packet scheduling algorithm for real-time and non-real-time multiservice applications in cognitive radio system is proposed. With QoS and spectrum variation awareness capability, the proposed algorithm possesses adaptability to dynamic resource. And this property makes it suitable for cognitive radio system, in which available spectrums vary with the activities of primary users. Simulation results show that, compared with traditional packet scheduling algorithms, the proposed algorithm provides better QoS guarantee for real-time traffics, higher system access capacity and more efficient spectrum utilization for cognitive radio system.
Baseline estimation with block adjustment considering ground control point errors for multi-pass dual-antenna airborne INSAR

Baseline estimation is a necessary step in processing of InSAR. The theory of block adjustment is introduced in baseline estimation to reduce the needed number of ground control points (GCPs). The main disadvantage of the method is that it has to extract substantial tie points (TPs) in the overlapping areas. If all TP heights are seen as unknown parameters, the coefficient matrix in normal equation will be quite large but sparse. In addition, the measurement errors may exist in GCPs, which can be propagated to baseline parameters. In this paper, a baseline estimation method with block adjustment considering GCP errors is proposed. The heights of GCPs are seen as observations with certain weights and then virtual error equations are established for both GCPs and TPs. Experiments performed on Chinese dual antenna airborne InSAR data validate the proposed method.
Effects of Climate and Exurban Development on Nest Predation and Predator Presence in the southern Appalachian Mountains (U.S.A.)

Abstract: In the eastern United States, land‐use and climate change have likely contributed to declines in the abundance of Neotropical migrant birds that occupy forest interiors, but the mechanisms are not well understood. We conducted a nest‐predation experiment in southern Appalachian Mountain forests (North Carolina, U.S.A.) during the 2009 and 2010 breeding seasons to determine the effects of exurban development and temperature on predator presence and the average number of days until eggs in an artificial nest were disturbed by predators. We baited artificial nests with quail (Excalfactoria chinensi) eggs and monitored them for 18 days. We used clay eggs, track plates, and motion‐triggered cameras to detect and identify nest predators. The average number of days a nest was undisturbed decreased as mean temperature increased and, to a lesser extent, as the density of buildings increased. Nests on the ground were more often depredated than those in trees, likely due to increased predation by opossum (Didelphis virginiana) and other carnivores. Raccoons (Procyon lotor), opossums, corvids (Corvus brachyrhynchos and Cyanocitta cristata), chipmunks (Tamias striatus), black bears (Ursus americanus), and domestic cats (Felis catus) were the most commonly detected predators. Presence of these predators did not vary as a function of mean temperature. Domestic cats and corvids were detected more frequently in plots with high rather than low densities of buildings. Forest‐interior specialists and Neotropical migrants often nest in cool, high‐elevation areas with low housing density. These bird species, especially those that nest on the ground, may be most vulnerable to increased nest predation if temperature and exurban development increase at higher elevations as anticipated.
Daily measurement of organic compounds in ambient particulate matter in Augsburg, Germany: new aspects on aerosol sources and aerosol related health effects

Several epidemiological studies have shown that in the human population ambient particulate matter (PM) is associated with adverse health effects. Little is known, however, about the relative effects of aerosol constituents. Since 2002, diurnal samples of ambient PM2.5 were analysed by automated methods for the quantification of particle-associated organic compounds (POC). Data on chemical composition have been investigated in epidemiological and biological effect studies. As a result of these studies, the associations found between PAH concentration and symptoms of myocardial infarction survivors suggest a major influence of combustion sources on cardiovascular health effects. The correlations found between formation of reactive oxygen species and the presence of specific organic compounds suggests an important influence of biomass combustion particles in PM2.5-associated oxidative stress.
Robust Level Converter Design for Sub-threshold Logic

The large supply voltage difference between sub-threshold core logic and I/O makes it extremely challenging to convert signals from core circuit to I/O circuit. In this paper, we propose two novel circuits, clock synchronizer and reduced swing inverter to design dynamic and static level converters for sub-threshold logic. Circuit simulations shows that our level converters work at frequency > 500kHz between 20degC and 40degC with a supply voltage of 0.25V
On the design and implementation of the resource holons in a PROSA based architecture

The holonic manufacturing systems represent both a modern approach to the manufacturing control problems and an open research area. The present contribution aims at establishing some design and implementation points regarding the resource holons in a PROSA based architecture. The proposed scheme makes use of JACK agents, which have their execution model appropriately adapted. The developed approach was tested on a manufacturing system with real industrial equipment, allowing a few conclusions to be derived.
Rotor Shape Optimization for Output Maximization of Permanent-Magnet-Assisted Synchronous Machines

The output of permanent-magnet-assisted synchronous machines is maximized under constant permanent magnet (PM) volume and machine size by optimizing rotor shape. An automatic shape optimization method combining Rosenbrock's method and adaptive finite-element method is applied for the optimization. Then, a prototype machine is manufactured due to the result of the optimization in order to confirm the validity. It is clarified that the output of the optimized machine significantly increases without decrease in efficiency, increase in PM volume, and increase in machine size compared with that of the conventional machine.
Somatostatin Receptor Type 2 Antagonism Improves Glucagon Counterregulation in Biobreeding Diabetic Rats

Impaired counterregulation during hypoglycemia in type 1 diabetes (T1D) is partly attributable to inadequate glucagon secretion. Intra-islet somatostatin (SST) suppression of hypoglycemia-stimulated α-cell glucagon release plays an important role. We hypothesized that hypoglycemia can be prevented in autoimmune T1D by SST receptor type 2 (SSTR2) antagonism of α-cells, which relieve SSTR2 inhibition, thereby increasing glucagon secretion. Diabetic biobreeding diabetes-prone (BBDP) rats mimic insulin-dependent human autoimmune T1D, whereas nondiabetic BBDP rats mimic prediabetes. Diabetic and nondiabetic rats underwent a 3-h infusion of vehicle compared with SSTR2 antagonist (SSTR2a) during insulin-induced hypoglycemia clamped at 3 ± 0.5 mmol/L. Diabetic rats treated with SSTR2a needed little or no glucose infusion compared with untreated rats. We attribute this effect to SSTR2a restoration of the attenuated glucagon response. Direct effects of SSTR2a on α-cells was assessed by resecting the pancreas, which was cut into fine slices and subjected to perifusion to monitor glucagon release. SSTR2a treatment enhanced low-glucose–stimulated glucagon and corticosterone secretion to normal levels in diabetic rats. SSTR2a had similar effects in vivo in nondiabetic rats and promoted glucagon secretion from nondiabetic rat and human pancreas slices. We conclude that SST contributes to impaired glucagon responsiveness to hypoglycemia in autoimmune T1D. SSTR2a treatment can fully restore hypoglycemia-stimulated glucagon release sufficient to attain normoglycemia in both diabetic and prediabetic stages.
Interactions of Salmonella with animals and plants

Salmonella enterica species are Gram-negative bacteria, which are responsible for a wide range of food- and water-borne diseases in both humans and animals, thereby posing a major threat to public health. Recently, there has been an increasing number of reports, linking Salmonella contaminated raw vegetables and fruits with food poisoning. Many studies have shown that an essential feature of the pathogenicity of Salmonella is its capacity to cross a number of barriers requiring invasion of a large variety of cells and that the extent of internalization may be influenced by numerous factors. However, it is poorly understood how Salmonella successfully infects hosts as diversified as animals or plants. The aim of this review is to describe the different stages required for Salmonella interaction with its hosts: (i) attachment to host surfaces; (ii) entry processes; (iii) multiplication; (iv) suppression of host defense mechanisms; and to point out similarities and differences between animal and plant infections.
Repeating words in sentences: effects of sentence structure.

An online picture description methodology was used to investigate the interaction between lexical and syntactic information in spoken sentence production. In response to arrays of moving pictures, participants generated prepositional sentences, such as "The apple moves towards the dog," as well as coordinate noun phrase sentences, such as "The apple and the dog move up. " In Experiments 1 and 2, speakers produced the same sentence structures on prime and target trials. In addition, a pictured object was repeated in either similar or different sentence positions. Lexical repetition speeded sentence production when it occurred on the first item of the target sentence (Experiments 1 and 2). However, priming was dependent on the structural position of the to-be-repeated word in the prime sentence. In particular, a noun that occurred in a prepositional phrase did not result in facilitation when it was repeated as the head of the subject phrase (Experiment 1). This effect was shown to be independent of differences in the linear position of the repeated word in prime and target trials (Experiments 2). Experiments 3 and 4 demonstrated that lexical repetition returns when the effect of sentence structure is removed. Possible mechanisms for this interaction between lexical and structural repetition are explored.
Corneal surface area: an index of anterior segment growth

Corneal surface area and perimeter were assessed as novel indices to monitor anterior segment growth, using chicks reared under different photoperiods. We obtained central and mid‐peripheral corneal curvatures using photokeratometry. Anatomical tracings of the anterior corneal surface also were made from freeze‐dried non‐fixed preparations of the anterior segments of the same eyes. Using either photokeratometry or anatomical data, the profile of the anterior corneal surface was fit to a general equation for conical sections; corneal surface area was estimated from surfaces of revolution. Optical techniques modeled the chick cornea as a circle or as an ellipse closely resembling a circle. The anatomical technique, in contrast, modeled the chick corneal profile as a hyperbola. Potential explanations of this discrepancy are discussed. Regardless of which model is evaluated, the corneal surface area and perimeter of two‐week‐old chicks are affected by the photoperiod of rearing. Corneal surface area in particular proved more sensitive than conventional measurements in identifying anterior segment effects of rearing under different photoperiods. Analysis of corneal area may prove useful in evaluating the mechanisms governing anterior segment growth.
Assessment of Depression in the Latino Community

The author conducted a comprehensive critical review of literature related to the assessment of depression within the Latino community. The first section of this literature review focuses on the properties and appropriateness of the following assessment measures of depression used with the Latino population in English and Spanish: the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the BDI-II, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), The second part of the literature review focuses on reasons why culture should be more emphasized when assessing depression with the Latino population, such as: reliance on Westernized diagnostic criteria, cultural influences, protective factors, and potential misinterpretation of Spanish translated assessment measures. The third section examines the discrepancy in reported prevalence rates of depression with Latino individuals and focuses on three possible contributing factors to this discrepancy, including: a lack of assessment for culturally specific syndromes, Latino individuals’ perceptions and attitudes about depression, and barriers to treatment and potential risk factors for depression. Finally, the literature review provides some future directions for research and suggestions for improving how depression is assessed with Latino individuals. Degree Type Thesis Degree Name Master of Science in Psychology Committee Chair Jane M. Tram, Ph.D. Subject Categories Psychiatry and Psychology This thesis is available at CommonKnowledge: https://commons.pacificu. edu/spp/58 ASSESSMENT OF DEPRESSION IN THE LATINO COMMUNITY A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOLOGY PACIFIC UNIVERSITY HILLSBORO, OREGON BY JAMES MAXSON IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
Women's History and the Sears Case

positively and seek greater recognition and status for traditionally female values and forms of behavior? This tension between equality and difference has divided feminists in a variety of contexts. It is central to the debates over "women's culture" in feminist historical scholarship, for example. ' Scholars analyzing women's experience, of course, can hedge on the issue, aiming for a balanced perspective that incorporates the insights of both positions. But in more immediately political contexts, this luxury is seldom available. The issue has deeply split feminist activists working on pregnancy disability policy, with some advocating "special treatment" for pregnant women, and others insisting on "equal treatment" (that is, that pregnancy-related disabilities must be treated exactly like any other disability). 2 Now the scholarly and political dimensions of the question have been joined together in a sex discrimination case brought by the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) against Sears, Roebuck and Co. The case was tried in 1984 and 1985 in U.S. District Court in Chicago, and in early 1986 Judge John A. Nordberg decided in favor of Sears. The EEOC is appealing the case, however. Women's history and the issue of difference figured prominently in Sears's trial defense, based primarily on the claim that the underrepresentation of women in high-paying commission sales jobs was not due to discrimination, as the EEOC charged, but to women's own job preferences. Two well-known feminist historians, Rosalind Rosenberg and Alice Kessler-Harris, testified as expert witnesses in the case, presenting conflicting historical inter-