Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adaptive Microphone Arrays for Noise Suppression in the Frequency Domain

Several methods for adaptive multichannel noise suppression of speech signals are compared. A modified weighting function is proposed to reduce linear distortions of the desired signal which may be introduced by the postprocessing system component. Experimental results using an array of four microphones placed at the corners of a PC monitor show a good agreement between theory and experiment.
Impact of congestive heart failure and other cardiac diseases on patient outcomes.

Cardiovascular disease is a frequent complication of advancing chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease (ESRD)1,2,3,4. A number of investigators have shown significant mortality and hospitalization risks associated with the major cardiovascular diseases. Few studies have independently evaluated the associated mortality and hospitalization risks of the major cardiovascular diseases within the peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD) populations. This article reviews the existing data in an attempt to assess the impact of ischemic vascular disease and congestive heart failure on outcomes in PD and HD patients. Since the prevalence of these diseases may vary within the different stages of chronic kidney disease, the impact on mortality and hospitalization also may vary. In order to assess these risks, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease within patients with mild-to-moderate kidney dysfunction and those with ESRD are presented along with their associated outcomes.
Minimally privacy-violative human location sensor by ultrasonic radar embedded on ceiling

A system observing human daily activities that may violate privacy is unacceptable in our society. This paper proposes a minimally privacy-violative system for locating a person using ultrasonic radar embedded in the ceiling of a room. One of the presumable applications is a system for preventing aged people suffering from Alzheimer's disease from accidents. The proposed system can determine the 3D position of a person's head by assuming that the human head is an object that will move at a relatively high vertical position in a living area. The system does not input unnecessarily rich information such as images using a camera so that it can reduce the possibility for violating privacy. The authors constructed an experimental system that consists of 18 ultrasonic transmitters and 32 receivers which are embedded in the ceiling of a room. Experimental results confirmed the feasibility of the proposed system.
Oligomerization of Ebola Virus VP30 Is Essential for Viral Transcription and Can Be Inhibited by a Synthetic Peptide*

Transcription of Ebola virus (EBOV)-specific mRNA is driven by the nucleocapsid proteins NP, VP35, and L. This process is further dependent on VP30, an essential EBOV-specific transcription factor. The present study addresses the self-assembly of VP30 and the functional significance of this process for viral transcription and propagation. Essential for oligomerization of VP30 is a region spanning amino acids 94–112. Within this region a cluster of four leucine residues is of critical importance. Mutation of only one of these leucine residues resulted in oligomerization-deficient VP30 molecules that were no longer able to support EBOV-specific transcription. The essential role of homo-oligomerization for the function of VP30 was further corroborated by the finding that mixed VP30 oligomers consisting of VP30 and transcriptionally inactive VP30 mutants were impaired in their ability to support EBOV transcription. The dominant negative effect of these VP30 mutants was dependent on their ability to bind to VP30. The oligomerization of VP30 could be dose dependently inhibited by a 25-mer peptide (E30pep-wt) derived from the presumed oligomerization domain (IC50,1 μm). A control peptide (E30pep-3LA), in which three leucines were changed to alanine, had no inhibitory effect. Thus, E30pep-wt seemed to bind efficiently to VP30 and consequently blocked the oligomerization of the protein. When E30pep-wt was transfected into EBOV-infected cells, the peptide inhibited viral replication suggesting that inhibition of VP30 oligomerization represents a target for EBOV antiviral drugs.
Analysis of orthogonal space time block codes exploiting CSI in LTE communication

LTE (Long term Evolution) is a standard of high speed wireless communication offered to mobile devices and data terminals. Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) system plays a vital role in LTE communication. In MIMO system, Orthogonal Space Time Block Codes (OSTBCs) are used as coded transmission technique for gaining high data rate with less attenuation. But the increasing fashion of antenna resources at mobile station will enhance the hardware complexity and cost as well. So, it is obvious to think of a channel adaptive transmission of OSTBC to gain higher performance at the receiver end and increase radio coverage area of transmitter. This paper investigates the performance of OSTBC with Channel State Information (CSI) for exploiting a pre-coded transmission including antenna selection. Here, CSI is extracted using codebook that is shared by both transmitter and receiver. This paper presents a comparison of OSTBCs using CSI feedback. It indicates that system performance with CSI feedback method provides more gain with minimum transmit and receive antenna equipment's and maximum radio coverage area with better transmission performance.
Androgen-dependent angiotensinogen and renin messenger RNA expression in hypertensive rats.

Our previous studies demonstrated that the sexually dimorphic pattern of hypertension in the spontaneously hypertensive rat is androgen dependent. Gonadectomy retards the development of hypertension in young males, but not in females, and administration of testosterone propionate to gonadectomized spontaneously hypertensive rats of both sexes confers a male pattern of blood pressure development. The current study tested the hypothesis that renal and hepatic renin and angiotensinogen gene expression are also androgen dependent in the spontaneously hypertensive rat. Male and female spontaneously hypertensive rats underwent gonadectomy or a sham operation at 4 weeks of age. Subgroups of gonadectomized rats of both sexes were implanted with a 15-mm or 30-mm Silastic capsule filled with testosterone at the same time the gonadectomy was performed; a third group received an empty Silastic capsule. Northern and slot blot analyses were used to characterize and quantitate renin and angiotensinogen messenger RNA (mRNA) in the kidney and liver 18 weeks after the gonadectomy. Blood pressure, plasma renin activity, and hepatic angiotensinogen mRNA levels were higher in intact males than in females. Orchidectomy retarded the development of hypertension and lowered plasma renin and renal and hepatic angiotensinogen mRNA levels, and testosterone replacement restored the male pattern of hypertension and plasma renin and increased renal and hepatic angiotensinogen mRNA. Ovariectomy did not alter blood pressure or plasma renin but did lower renal renin and renal and hepatic angiotensinogen mRNA; testosterone increased blood pressure, plasma renin, renal renin and angiotensinogen mRNA, and hepatic angiotensinogen mRNA levels in ovariectomized females. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Challenges to the Pair Bond: Neural and Hormonal Effects of Separation and Reunion in a Monogamous Primate

Social monogamy at its most basic is a group structure in which two adults form a unit and share a territory. However, many socially monogamous pairs display attachment relationships known as pair bonds, in which there is a mutual preference for the partner and distress upon separation. The neural and hormonal basis of this response to separation from the adult pair mate is under-studied. In this project, we examined this response in male titi monkeys (Callicebus cupreus), a socially monogamous New World primate. Males underwent a baseline scan, a short separation (48 h), a long separation (approximately 2 weeks), a reunion with the female pair mate and an encounter with a female stranger (with nine males completing all five conditions). Regional cerebral glucose metabolism was measured via positron emission tomography (PET) imaging using [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) co-registered with structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and region of interest (ROI) analysis was carried out. In addition, plasma was collected and assayed for cortisol, oxytocin (OT), vasopressin (AVP), glucose and insulin concentrations. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was collected and assayed for OT and AVP. We used generalized estimating equations (GEE) to examine significant changes from baseline. Short separations were characterized by decreases in FDG uptake, in comparison to baseline, in the lateral septum (LS), ventral pallidum (VP), paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN), periaqueductal gray (PAG), and cerebellum, as well as increases in CSF OT, and plasma cortisol and insulin. Long separations differed from baseline in reduced FDG uptake in the central amygdala (CeA), reduced whole brain FDG uptake, increased CSF OT and increased plasma insulin. The response on encounter with a stranger female depended on whether or not the male had previously reproduced with his pair mate, suggesting that transitions to fatherhood contribute to the neurobiology underlying response to a novel female. Reunion with the partner appeared to stimulate coordinated release of central and peripheral OT. The observed changes suggest the involvement of OT and AVP systems, as well as limbic and striatal areas, during separation and reunion from the pair mate.
Towards Quantum Key Distribution System using Homodyne Detection with Differential Time-Multiplexed Reference

In this work we present the principles and experimental demonstration of a BB84 quantum key distribution (QKD) one way system using fainted pulses and a quadrature phase-shift-keying (QPSK) format including a time- multiplexed unmodulated carrier reference at Alice's end, and a differential homodyne reception at Bob's end. We also describe the secure electronics interface subsystem concept for the interaction with upper layers in an IP application.
LONG TERM PROPERTIES OF BOND BETWEEN CONCRETE AND FRP

Preliminary results of an experimental study on FRP plates bonded to concrete and subject to long – term loading are presented. Tests are performed in a climatic room, and constant load during time is assured by adopting a specifically designed test frame. Evolution with time of axial strains in FRP plates is measured. It is shown that a shear stress redistribution along the bonded length occurs, mainly due to increased compliance of interface law due to creep deformation.
Optimal networks from error correcting codes

To address growth challenges facing large Data Centers and supercomputing clusters a new construction is presented for scalable, high throughput, low latency networks. The resulting networks require 1.5-5 times fewer switches, 2-6 times fewer cables, have 1.2-2 times lower latency and correspondingly lower congestion and packet losses than the best present or proposed networks providing the same number of ports at the same total bisection. These advantage ratios increase with network size. The key new ingredient is the exact equivalence discovered between the problem of maximizing network bisection for large classes of practically interesting Cayley graphs and the problem of maximizing codeword distance for linear error correcting codes. Resulting translation recipe converts existent optimal error correcting codes into optimal throughput networks. Ethernet implementation was developed and a prototype build managed COTS switches, Integrated control plane handles topology, distribution of forwarding tables and fault recovery. Scalable routing uses stretch-free topological addressing. Local load balancing distributes flows at the source over multiple, nonminimial, edge disjoint path. Path selection does not use tunneling or overlays but embeds path selectors in the topological addresses resulting in wire-speed forwarding and allowing for cut-through switching where available.
An hPer2 Phosphorylation Site Mutation in Familial Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome

Familial advanced sleep phase syndrome (FASPS) is an autosomal dominant circadian rhythm variant; affected individuals are “morning larks” with a 4-hour advance of the sleep, temperature, and melatonin rhythms. Here we report localization of the FASPS gene near the telomere of chromosome 2q. A strong candidate gene (hPer2), a human homolog of the period gene in Drosophila, maps to the same locus. Affected individuals have a serine to glycine mutation within the casein kinase Iɛ(CKIɛ) binding region of hPER2, which causes hypophosphorylation by CKIɛ in vitro. Thus, a variant in human sleep behavior can be attributed to a missense mutation in a clock component, hPER2, which alters the circadian period.
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha and expression of the multidrug resistance-associated genes LRP and MRP.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Cancer cells that express P-glycoprotein, multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP), or lung resistance protein (LRP) have demonstrated resistance to a wide variety of chemotherapeutic drugs. Recently, we reported that human colon carcinoma cells that express all three proteins exhibit reduced P-glycoprotein gene expression and a loss of multidrug resistance after exposure to tumor necrosis factor-alpha, a hormone-like protein produced by cells of the immune system. In this study, we examined the effects of tumor necrosis factor-alpha on MRP and LRP gene expression in the same colon carcinoma cells. METHODS HCT15 and HCT116 colon carcinoma cells were incubated with tumor necrosis factor-alpha at 100 U/mL for 2, 12, 24, 48, or 72 hours; alternatively, cells transfected with an expression vector containing a human tumor necrosis factor-alpha complementary DNA were studied. The effects of tumor necrosis factor-alpha on MRP and LRP messenger RNA expression were evaluated by means of reverse transcription and the polymerase chain reaction; effects on MRP and LRP protein expression were examined by use of specific monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry. The flow cytometry data were analyzed by use of the two-sided, nonparametric Mann-Whitney rank sum test. RESULTS Treatment with exogenous tumor necrosis factor-alpha reduced the level of LRP messenger RNA in both cell types in an apparently time-dependent fashion; in HCT15 cells, almost no LRP messenger RNA was detected after 48 hours of treatment. In contrast, the level of MRP messenger RNA was increased in HCT116 cells by such treatment, but the level in HCT15 cells was unchanged. Treatment with exogenous tumor necrosis factor-alpha induced changes in LRP and MRP protein expression in the two cell types that paralleled the changes found for messenger RNA. In transfected cells, the endogenous production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha reduced LRP gene expression (both messenger RNA and protein) and increased MRP gene expression (both messenger RNA and protein), regardless of cell type. CONCLUSION In human colon carcinoma cells, tumor necrosis factor-alpha influences MRP and LRP gene expression in opposite ways. The findings for LRP gene expression parallel our earlier findings for P-glycoprotein expression in these cells. IMPLICATION In developing strategies for overcoming multidrug resistance in tumor cells, the possibility that an agent can suppress one or more mechanisms of drug resistance and enhance others should be considered.
Relationship between rs854560 PON1 Gene Polymorphism and Tobacco Smoking with Coronary Artery Disease

Paraoxonase-1 (PON1) is the antioxidant marker of high-density lipoproteins protecting against atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease (CAD) phenotype. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether the PON1 gene rs854560 polymorphism (163T>A) is associated with CAD in Polish population. rs854560 was genotyped in 494 subjects: 248 patients with premature CAD and 246 blood donors as a control. We found that the risk of CAD was significantly higher in TT homozygotes than in A allele carriers (OR = 1.87, p = 0.041). The synergistic effect between the TT genotype and cigarette smoking was observed (SIM = 9.81; SI = 14.70). The relative increase in risk from interaction between factors was over 37 (RERI = 36.13). The PON1 polymorphism did not modulate the risk of CAD in response to exposure to other traditional risk factors. In conclusion, the rs854560 polymorphism may modulate the risk of CAD in response to cigarette smoking in Polish population. Carriers of TT genotype seem to be particularly at risk of CAD, when exposed to cigarette smoking.
Concurrency and distribution in object-oriented programming

This paper aims at discussing and classifying the various ways in which the object paradigm is used in concurrent and distributed contexts. We distinguish among the library approach, the integrative approach, and the reflective approach. The library approach applies object-oriented concepts, as they are, to structure concurrent and distributed systems through class libraries. The integrative approach consists of merging concepts such as object and activity, message passing, and transaction, etc. The reflective approach integrates class libraries intimately within an object-based programming language. We discuss and illustrate each of these and point out their complementary levels and goals.
Related-Key Cryptanalysis on the Full PRINTcipher Suitable for IC-Printing

PRINTcipher-48/96 are 48/96-bit block ciphers proposed in CHES 2010 which support the 80/160-bit secret keys, respectively. In this paper, we propose related-key cryptanalysis of PRINTcipher. To recover the 80-bit secret key of PRINTcipher-48, our attack requires 247 related-key chosen plaintexts with a computational complexity of 2 60 · 62 . In the case of PRINTcipher-96, we require 295 related-key chosen plaintexts with a computational complexity of 2107. These results are the first known related-key cryptanalytic results on them.
Improved genetic algorithm to solve preplanned backup path on WDM networks

A novel GA-based approach, species modified genetic algorithms (SMGA), is proposed to enhance the restoration of preplanned backup lightpaths in WDM networks and regards chromosomes to be classified branches into races as kinds of species in population, which converges the algorithm approaching to globally optimal solution. Compared with CMGA (contract mapping genetic algorithm), SMGA can not obtain better performance, it can be found the compound algorithm, amalgamating both of SMGA and CMGA, not only converged to more globally optimal solution but also improve the speed of convergence.
Bidirectional Symbolic Analysis for Effective Branch Testing

Structural coverage metrics, and in particular branch coverage, are popular approaches to measure the thoroughness of test suites. Unfortunately, the presence of elements that are not executable in the program under test and the difficulty of generating test cases for rare conditions impact on the effectiveness of the coverage obtained with current approaches. In this paper, we propose a new approach that combines symbolic execution and symbolic reachability analysis to improve the effectiveness of branch testing. Our approach embraces the ideal definition of branch coverage as the percentage of executable branches traversed with the test suite, and proposes a new bidirectional symbolic analysis for both testing rare execution conditions and eliminating infeasible branches from the set of test objectives. The approach is centered on a model of the analyzed execution space. The model identifies the frontier between symbolic execution and symbolic reachability analysis, to guide the alternation and the progress of bidirectional analysis towards the coverage targets. The experimental results presented in the paper indicate that the proposed approach can both find test inputs that exercise rare execution conditions that are not identified with state-of-the-art approaches and eliminate many infeasible branches from the coverage measurement. It can thus produce a modified branch coverage metric that indicates the amount of feasible branches covered during testing, and helps team leaders and developers in estimating the amount of not-yet-covered feasible branches. The approach proposed in this paper suffers less than the other approaches from particular cases that may trap the analysis in unbounded loops.
Changes in intraruminal function of sheep when drinking saline water

1. A study was made of the changes in electrolyte concentrations and ruminal function which resulted from the provision of 1.3% sodium chloride solutions instead of fresh water to sheep consuming roughage rations in chaffed and in ground pelleted forms. 2. Significantly higher osmotic pressures were observed in the rumen fluid of the sheep drinking saline water, the change being especially marked when the ration was ground and pelleted. 3. Of the individual electrolytes measured, chloride showed a larger rise in concentration than did sodium plus potassium and it appeared that the sodium and chloride ions in the ingested saline water were differentially removed from the rumen. 4. Provision of 1.3% NaCl solution in place of fresh water resulted in greater voluntary intakes of fluid and consequently in greater flows of fluid through the rumen. 5. Based upon measurements of deoxyribonucleic acid and polysaccharide, there appeared to be a tendency for the total microbial populations in the rumens of sheep drinking 1.3% NaCl solution to be smaller than for the sheep drinking fresh water. 6. The total metabolic activity of the rumen flora, measured calorimetrically, was not appreciably changed when saline water was drunk and the chaffed ration eaten, but was significantly reduced when the ration was ground and pelleted. 7. Adaptation of the rumen microflora to high concentrations of NaCl was demonstrated in animals accustomed to drinking 1.3% NaCl solution.
A novel phospholipase Cand cAMP-independent positive inotropic mechanism via a P 2 purinoceptor

Podrasky, Ernest, David Xu, and Bruce T. Liang. A novel phospholipase Cand cAMP-independent positive inotropic mechanism via a P2 purinoceptor. Am. J. Physiol. 273 (Heart Circ. Physiol. 42): H2380–H2387, 1997. —Although ATP, acting through a P2 purinoceptor, can stimulate a pronounced positive inotropic effect in cardiac ventricular myocytes, the receptor-effector mechanism that underlies this stimulatory cardiac action is not well understood. The objectives of the present study were to develop the cultured chick embryo ventricular myocytes as a novel model for the cardiac P2 purinoceptor and to determine the mechanism underlying its positive inotropic effect. ATP caused an 89 6 8.9% (n 5 14 cells) increase in the myocyte contractility, with an efficacy and potency order of ATP . ADP . AMP : adenosine. 2-Methylthio-ATP (2-MeS-ATP) but not a,bmethylene-ATP was able to stimulate myocyte contractility, with a maximal increase of 54 6 2.6% (n 5 11 cells). Although UTP potently stimulates phosphoinositide hydrolysis, it had an only modest positive inotropic effect (27 6 7% maximal increase; n 5 8 cells). In contrast to previous suggestions, the 2-MeS-ATP-stimulated positive inotropic response does not require the action of phospholipase C (PLC), such as that of the inositol phosphates; the UTP effect on contractility appears to be mediated via the 2-MeS-ATP-sensitive P2 receptor. The PLC inhibitor U-73122 had no effect on the 2-MeSATP-stimulated increase in contractility, providing further evidence against a role for PLC in the inotropic effect of 2-MeS-ATP. An adenosine 38,58-cyclic monophosphate-independent Ca21 entry-stimulating mechanism appears to underlie a direct coupling of the receptor to stimulation of the myocyte contractility. This new PLCand adenosine 38,58cyclic monophosphate-independent positive inotropic mechanism represents a target for developing novel positive inotropic therapeutics.