Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Throughput analysis of different traffic distribution in Cognitive Radio Network

A traffic distribution in a wireless network plays a major role in resource allocation. In this paper, we analyze throughput in Cognitive Radio Network (CRN) under two traffic distributions Pareto on-off and Poisson distribution. We consider a CRN where the cell is divided into different concrete circles and sectors. In each segment is analyzed and the channel is allocated accordingly while taking a count of Blocking -dropping probability and false alarm -missed detection probability. The system is simulated in java platform and results shows higher throughput for Poisson distribution.
Alpha-Interferon Suppresses Hepadnavirus Transcription by Altering Epigenetic Modification of cccDNA Minichromosomes

Covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) of hepadnaviruses exists as an episomal minichromosome in the nucleus of infected hepatocyte and serves as the transcriptional template for viral mRNA synthesis. Elimination of cccDNA is the prerequisite for either a therapeutic cure or immunological resolution of HBV infection. Although accumulating evidence suggests that inflammatory cytokines-mediated cure of virally infected hepatocytes does occur and plays an essential role in the resolution of an acute HBV infection, the molecular mechanism by which the cytokines eliminate cccDNA and/or suppress its transcription remains elusive. This is largely due to the lack of convenient cell culture systems supporting efficient HBV infection and cccDNA formation to allow detailed molecular analyses. In this study, we took the advantage of a chicken hepatoma cell line that supports tetracycline-inducible duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) replication and established an experimental condition mimicking the virally infected hepatocytes in which DHBV pregenomic (pg) RNA transcription and DNA replication are solely dependent on cccDNA. This cell culture system allowed us to demonstrate that cccDNA transcription required histone deacetylase activity and IFN-α induced a profound and long-lasting suppression of cccDNA transcription, which required protein synthesis and was associated with the reduction of acetylated histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) and 27 (H3K27) in cccDNA minichromosomes. Moreover, IFN-α treatment also induced a delayed response that appeared to accelerate the decay of cccDNA. Our studies have thus shed light on the molecular mechanism by which IFN-α noncytolytically controls hepadnavirus infection.
Safety and Feasibility of Carboplatin and Paclitaxel followed by Fluoropyrimidine Analogs and Radiation as Adjuvant Therapy for Gastric Cancer

Background: Adjuvant 5-fluorouracil (5FU)-based chemo-radiotherapy is currently considered a standard of care for the treatment of gastric cancer. The impact of 5FU-based adjuvant therapy on the rate of distant recurrence has been modest. In order to improve the systemic effects of adjuvant therapy, we have been treating patients with resected gastric cancer with carboplatin and paclitaxel followed by fluoropyrimidine analogue and radiation. Methods: We report on the outcomes of 21 consecutive gastric cancer patients treated off protocol with adjuvant carboplatin (area under the curve 5 mg/ml × min) and paclitaxel (175–200 mg/m2) every 3 weeks, followed by concurrent pyrimidine analogs (either capecitabine 1,600–2,000 mg/m2/day in 17 patients, or 5FU 200 mg/m2/day in 4 patients) and radiation (45–50.4 Gy). Patients received a total of 4–6 cycles of carboplatin and paclitaxel. Results: The median age at diagnosis was 60 years. Sixteen patients had stage 3 disease and 7 of them had positive surgical margins (6 with R1 and 1 with R2 resection), 3 patients were stage 2, and 2 patients were stage 1 (all had R0 resection). All patients had D1/D2 (4 had D2 and 17 had D1) lymph node dissection. The incidence of grade 3 or higher overall, hematologic, or gastrointestinal toxicity in the patients receiving carboplatin and paclitaxel was 57, 48 and 10%, respectively. No treatment-related deaths were observed. After adjuvant treatment 15 patients developed recurrent disease, 10 of whom had distant metastases. The median recurrence-free survival (RFS) was 12.3 months. The median overall survival (OS) was 16.0 months. Patients with R0 resection had significantly longer OS than did those with positive surgical margins (log-rank p = 0.0060). Median OS for the R0 resection group was 28.8 months. Conclusions: Carboplatin and paclitaxel added to radiation plus fluoropyrimidine analogs is a well-tolerated regimen in the adjuvant setting. The activity of this regimen in this relatively high-risk group of gastric cancer patients is of interest for future development.
Transparent sampling

Low simulation speeds have a critical impact on the design process by limiting the number of design options which can be explored. Sampling is a popular fast simulation technique because it can achieve high simulation speed and high accuracy. However state-of-the-art sampling techniques either consider warm-up as an orthogonal issue and leave the choice of a warm-up technique to the end user, or require cumbersome simulator modifications from the end user. Since the most user-friendly and efficient warm-up techniques are not easily compatible with the most efficient sampling techniques, the end user is left with a difficult choice, or runs the risk of misusing sampling techniques with poor warm-up. Transparent Sampling reconciles sampling and warm-up techniques by delivering state-of-the-art accuracy and simulation time, while remaining easily accessible to end users not proficient in, or not willing to delve into, fast simulation issues.
Family Formation and Family Dilemmas in Contemporary Europe

This book presents the results of a multinational comparative research study promoted by the BBVA Foundation and looking into the social, economic and political conditions that help or hinder family formation in contemporary Europe (France, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, the former West Germany and the Scandinavian countries). Directing the project was Gosta Esping-Andersen, Full Professor of Sociology at Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, at the head of a team formed by ten researchers from eight universities, Spanish and foreign.Its authors dissent from the conventional explanations for falling European birth rates, among them the spread of postmodern values revolving around self-realization or the underdeveloped state of social welfare networks, contending that these factors fail to adequately account for the existing evidence. Instead, they point to other, more specific factors documented in the research on which the book is based. These include the reconciliation of family and working life: in particular, male involvement in raising children, a less competitive, more secure employment situation, the impact of other family responsibilities (especially the need to care for elderly parents) and more family-friendly policies (like nine-month maternity or paternity leave). The results obtained stand as a valuable input to analysis and debate around the causes and challenges associated to declining fertility rates in Spain, while identifying public policies that have proved successful elsewhere in creating a more supportive framework for having and raisingchildren. Provider_Name: Fundacion BBVA / BBVA Foundation
Correlation of stress and muscle activity of patients with different degrees of temporomandibular disorder

[Purpose] Temporomandibular disorder is one of the many different adverse health conditions that can be triggered by stress. Therefore, a biopsychosocial model has been proposed to characterize the multifactorial nature of temporomandibular disorder. The aim of the present study was investigate the correlation of salivary cortisol levels with the activities of the masseter and anterior temporal muscles of patients with different degrees of temporomandibular disorder. [Subjects and Methods] Forty-nine women between 18 and 40 years of age with a diagnosis of myogenous temporomandibular disorder based on the Research Diagnostic Criteria for temporomandibular disorders were evaluated using the Fonseca Index to determine the degree of the disorder. Salivary cortisol levels were determined and surface electromyography was used to evaluate electrical activity in the masticatory muscles. [Results] Positive correlations were found among the degree of temporomandibular disorder, electromyographic activity and salivary cortisol: as women with more severe temporomandibular disorder had greater electrical activity in the muscles analyzed, especially the anterior temporal muscle, and higher levels of cortisol. [Conclusion] Muscle activity was greater among individuals with severe temporomandibular disorder and positive correlations were found among electromyographic activity, salivary cortisol and the degree of temporomandibular disorder severity.
The Division of Labor, Technology, and Education: Cross-National Evidence.

Studies clude division among of of labor, political the a defining complex and characteristics economic technology, development and of modernity widespread commonly an education.2 extensive inStudies clude among the defining characteristics of modernity an extensive iv sion of labor, a compl x technology, and widespr ad edu ati n.2 However, the empirical links between these key social variables have not been adequately examined.3 Employing insights from three classic perspectives in the social sciences as its primary theoretical base, this paper reports some exploratory evidence for 29 countries.
The research of brain-computer interface based on AAR parameters and neural networks classifier

The brain-computer interface (BCI) based on motor imagery was investigated in this paper. A neural networks classifier was adopted to solve the problem of lower classification accuracy in BCI. Firstly, mu rhythm EEG was obtained with a bandpass filter from the subject's scalp electroencephalography (EEG). Secondly, the Kalman Filter algorithm was used to build the adaptive autoregressive model from EEG. The model parameters were used as features of EEG. Lastly, the AAR feature parameters were classified by the neural networks classifier. A compare on the performance between the neural networks and linear discriminant analysis(LDA) was conduct in the simulation. The results show the performance of neural networks is higher than linear discriminant analysis.
Rotation and lithium in the late-type stars of NGC 2516

We present CCD photometry and high-resolution spectroscopy of low-mass stars in the open cluster NGC 2516, which has an age of about 150Myr and may have a much lower metallicity than the Pleiades. 24 probable F to early K type, single cluster members have been identified from their photometry and radial velocities, along with three possible spectroscopic binaries. The projected equatorial velocities are measured and compared with younger and older clusters. Several fast rotating late G /early K stars are seen, but all hotter stars have ve sini < 20kms ¹1 . The data are consistent with angular momentum loss models with spindowntime-scales thatincreasefromtensofMyrforGstarstohundredsofMyrforKstars.The observed X-ray activity is consistent with the currently accepted rotation–activity paradigm. Lithium abundances are derived from the Li I 6708-Au line. The pattern of Li depletion is indistinguishablefromthatinthePleiades,including aspreadinthe,K0stars,wherethemost rapid rotators suffer the least Li depletion. The observations argue in favour of either a metallicity in the range ¹0:1 <[Fe/H]< 0:0 for NGC 2516, or a lower metallicity and extra Li depletion through non-standard mixing modes which occurs on time-scales of only ,50Myr. Neither our low signal-to-noise ratio spectroscopy nor our photometry can constrain [Fe/H] sufficiently to decide between these possibilities. A detailed spectroscopic chemical abundance analysis is urgently required.
Agile Security Requirements Engineering

Agile processes have been deemed unsuitable for security sensitive software development as the rigors of assurance are seen to conflict with the lightweight and informal nature of agile processes. However, such apparently conflicting demands may be reconciled by introducing the new notion of abuser stories in the requirements domain. These extend the wellestablished concept of user stories to achieve security requirements traceability and thus open the door to excellent security assurance, precisely because of their informal and lightweight nature.
Episodic volunteering in open source communities

Episodic volunteers, who prefer short term engagement to habitual contributions, are present in Free/Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS) communities. Little is known about how they are viewed within their communities, how they view their communities, how community managers are managing them, or even how many episodic volunteers contribute to FLOSS projects and how much they contribute. Knowing more about the prevalence and management of episodic volunteers in FLOSS will help community managers make better decisions for engaging and utilizing these volunteers. My dissertation addresses these questions, providing a picture of what episodic volunteering looks like in the context of FLOSS communities.
Putting Money in the Right Places: Supporting First-Generation African American Women in College. Policy Brief. ASHE/Lumina Fellows Series. Issue 6.

Despite policy and programmatic attempts to improve the postsecondary success of African American students, they remain less likely to enroll in institutions of higher education, and they are less likely to persist through degree completion than are White students (Pathways to College Network, 2003). Financial barriers are one reason for this discrepancy, particularly for first-generation students. Even among college-qualified high school students, some students either do not enroll in college or are unable to persist because of a lack of financial resources (St. John et al., 2005; Ficklen & Stone, 2002). Yet, even when financial aid is available and students are aware of this aid and able to apply for it, the type of financial aid matters. Students of color are often more resistant to taking out loans, resulting in financial barriers to college access for these students (St. John et al., 2005). Coupled with a lack of financial resources, some students experience differential academic preparation in primary or secondary education, influencing their chances for academic success in college (Heller, 2002). Early intervention programs, which identify potentially ‘at-risk’ students and provide them with college-related academic, social, and financial preparation, positively affect both the matriculation and persistence of underrepresented students (St. John et al., 2003). This brief, reporting on data from an ethnographic study, seeks to provide additional, in-depth evidence regarding academic and financial barriers to enrollment and persistence. This brief considers the policy implications of the college experiences of African American women at a predominantly White, research institution. The findings of this ethnographic study indicate that first-generation Black women grappled with academic and financial barriers to both their initial and continued transitions through college. Their struggles suggest a need to put resources toward need-based financial aid, early intervention programs providing both financial and academic assistance, and continued support/mentoring programs. The data presented here are part of a larger, critical ethnographic study of 30 Black women’s college experiences and identity (Winkle-Wagner, in press; Winkle-Wagner, 2006). I primarily focus on the 25 first-generation women in the study. The research site was a large, predominantly White, public, midwestern, Carnegie Research Extensive institution of higher education. The women were separated into 8 focus groups which met biweekly for a period of 9 months. The primary research question for this brief was: What influences the early and continued college transitions of firstgeneration African American women? Putting money in the right places: Supporting first-generation African American women in college
Strategies to Improve Rumen Microbial Efficiency

Though hidden from view, the rumen and its microbes hold a central role in feeding of cattle. During ruminal fermentation, microbes break down fiber and other feed components and produce volatile fatty acids (VFA). In the process, microbes generate adenosine-tri-phosphate (ATP, energy) for themselves, then harness part of this ATP to produce microbial protein. The VFA so produced meet up to 70% of the animal’s energy needs (Bergman, 1990), and microbial protein meets 60 to 85% or more of protein needs (Storm et al., 1983).
A new approach to design a WLAN-based positioning system

In recent years, as the deployment of Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) in dense-urban areas is growing rapidly, it can be a perfect supplement for providing location information of users in indoor environments where other positioning techniques such as GPS, are not much effective. However, most systems only focus on the network deployment for positioning but overlook that the original purpose of these WLAN infrastructures is providing the required connectivity. Furthermore, there is a lack of good analytical models that can be used as a framework for designing and deploying the positioning systems. In this paper, we propose an effective approach where WLAN planning and positioning error reduction are modeled as an optimization problem and tackled together during the WLAN planning process. A Mono-objective algorithm and a multi-objective algorithm both based on Variable Neighborhood Search (VNS) are implemented respectively and the simulations demonstrate that these two algorithms are highly efficient for designing the indoor positioning system.
Arbitrary view position and direction rendering for large-scale scenes

This paper presents a new method for rendering views, especially those of large-scale scenes, such as broad city landscapes. The main contribution of our method is that we are able to easily render any view from an arbitrary point to an arbitrary direction on the ground in a virtual environment. Our method belongs to the family of work that employs plenoptic functions; however, unlike other works of this type, this particular method allows us to render a novel view from almost any point on the plane at which images are taken. Previous methods, on the other hand, have some restraints concerning their re-constructable area. Thus, when synthesizing a large-scale virtual environment such as a city, our method has a great advantage. One of the applications of our method is a driving simulator in the ITS domain. We can generate any view on any lane on the road from images taken by running along just one lane. Our method, using an omni-directional camera or a measuring device of a similar type, first captures panoramic images by running along a straight line, recording the capturing position of each image. When rendering, the method divides the stored panoramic images into vertical slits, selects some suitable ones based on our theory, and reassembles them for generating an image. The method can make a virtual city with walk-through capabilities. In that virtual city, people can move and look rather freely. In this paper, we describe the basic theory of a new plenoptic function, analyze the applicable areas of the theory and the characteristics of generated images, and demonstrate a complete working system using both indoor and outdoor scenes.
TREE-TRUST : A NOVEL AND SCALABLE P 2 P REPUTATION MODEL BASED ON HUMAN COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

The key to the success of a P2P reputation system is the feedbacks aggregating mechanism. Based on human cognitive psychology, Tree-Trust, a novel reputation model is introduced, in which the concept of direct trust tree (DTT) is presented innovatively. The main contributions include: (1) in Tree-Trust, feedbacks are searched by using DTT instead of in broadcast way of other work, which makes the proposed model have a better scalability than exiting approaches; (2) two new parameters, quality factor and distance factor, are introduced to adjust the peers’ scale of aggregation computing automatically; (3) a novel self-feedback mechanism is used to integrate peers’ direct trust degree into reputation evaluation, which can overcome the difficulty of subjective assigning method for weights of the trust decision factors. Simulation’s results clearly show that, compared to the existing models, the proposed model is more robust on dynamic adaptability, and has remarkable enhancements in the scalability of system-scale.
AN ADAPTIVE LINEAR TIME STEPPING ALGORITHM FOR SECOND-ORDER LINEAR EVOLUTION PROBLEMS

In this paper, we propose and analyze a linear time stepping finite element method for abstract second order linear evolution problems. For such methods, we derive optimal order a posteriori error estimates and sharp a posteriori nodal error estimates using the energy approach and the duality argument. Based on these estimates, we further design an adaptive time stepping strategy for the previous discretization in time. Several numerical experiments are provided to show the reliability and efficiency of the a-posteriori error estimates and to assess the effectiveness of the proposed adaptive time stepping method.
A novel unbalanced tree structure for low-cost authentication of streaming content on mobile and sensor devices

We consider stored content being streamed to a resource-poor device (such as a sensor node or a mobile phone), and address the issue of authenticating such content in realtime at the receiver. Per-packet digital signatures incur high computational cost, while per-block signatures impose high delays. A Merkle hash tree combines the benefits of the two by having a single signature per-block (at the root of the tree), while allowing immediate per-packet verification by following a hash-path logarithmic in the number of packets. In this paper we explore how the structure of the Merkle tree can be adapted to improve playback performance for streaming content. We make three specific contributions: First, we develop a new unbalanced authentication tree structure called the α-leaf tree that is a generalisation of the Merkle tree. We derive several key properties of this tree, highlighting the impact of the imbalance parameter α. Second, we present a theoretical model to quantify the benefits of our unbalanced tree structure in reducing startup delays for streaming applications by optimally readjusting the burden of authentication across packets. Third, we validate via simulation the suitability of our scheme to two representative applications, namely audio streaming to a low-cost sensor device and video streaming to a mobile phone, and demonstrate that startup delays can be reduced without affecting stall rates. We believe our authentication tree structure is of importance both theoretically, as a generalisation of the Merkle hash tree, as well as practically, for applications requiring real-time verification of streaming content.
Measurement matrix design for hyperspectral image compressive sensing

Compressive sensing (CS) allows to reconstruct sparse signals from a smaller number of measurements than the Nyquist-Shannon criterion. CS can be considered as a natural candidate hyperspectral imaging, as it has recently been proved to significantly reduce the sampling rate and shift the computation cost to the receiver side of system in the form of a reconstruction process. A random measurement is used in most existent papers on hyperspectral CS. In this paper, according to analyzing the mutual coherence between the measurement matrix and the representing matrix, a optimization measurement matrix based on gradient descent method is proposed to improve reconstruction quality of hyperspectral images. The proposed method is designed to optimize an initially random measurement matrix to a matrix that presents a smaller coherence than the initial one. Experimental results show that the proposed method exhibits its higher reconstruction quality compared to those of previous methods.