Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Perceived QoS with Multimedia Applications in a Heterogeneous Wireless Network

This paper presents a study addressed to evaluate the variation in perceived QoS experienced by a user running multimedia applications in a heterogeneous wireless network. To perform this evaluation, a real-time testbed emulating an all-IP B3G network that includes UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), GSM/EDGE Radio Access Network (GERAN), and Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN); and the corresponding common core network (CN) based on DiffServ technology and Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) has been used. Results for videostreaming and video conference applications when running under interruptions due to a vertical handover (VHO) are included in this paper, pointing out the variations in behaviour of different applications.
Robust Linear Precoding for Uncertain Miso Broadcast Channels

We consider linear precoding for the downlink of a multiuser communication system in the presence of uncertain channel state information (CSI) at the base station. We consider systems in which the base station has multiple antennas and each user has a single antenna; i.e. multiple-input single-output (MISO) systems. For systems with uplink-downlink reciprocity we propose a statistical model for the channel uncertainty and provide a convex optimization formulation for the precoder that maximizes an average mean square performance measure. For systems in which the channel measurements are quantized and fed back to the base station we propose a deterministically bounded model for the channel uncertainty and a convex formulation for the precoder that maximizes the worst-case performance. Both formulations allow the incorporation of power constraints on individual antennas in addition to the overall power constraint. Our simulations indicate that the proposed approach can significantly reduce the sensitivity of the linearly preceded downlink to uncertainty in the CSI
Why ‘the best way of learning to coach the game is playing the game’: conceptualising ‘fast-tracked’ high-performance coaching pathways

ABSTRACT At the beginning of the 2013/2014 season in England and Wales, 90 head coaches of the 92 men's national professional football league clubs and 20 of the 22 men's professional rugby union clubs had tenure as a professional elite player in their respective sports. Moreover, Rynne [(2014). ‘Fast track’ and ‘traditional path’ coaches: Affordances, agency and social capital. Sport, Education and Society, 19, 299–313] has claimed that many former elite athletes are ‘fast-tracked’ through formal accreditation structures into these high-performance coaching roles. The reasons why former elite athletes dominate head coaching roles in professional sports clubs and why a ‘fast-track’ pathway from elite athlete to high-performance coach is supported remain unclear. Thereby the present study sought to address this issue by investigating the basis for ‘fast-tracked’ head coaching appointments. Eight male directors of men's professional football and rugby union clubs in England were interviewed to examine how particular coaching skills and sources of knowledge were valorised. Drawing upon Bourdieu's conceptual framework, the results suggested that head coaching appointments were often based upon the perceived ability of head coaches gaining player ‘respect’. Experiences gained during earlier athletic careers were assumed to provide head coaches with the ability to develop practical sense and an elite sporting habitus commensurate with the requirements of the field of elite sports coaching. This included leadership and practical coaching skills to develop technical and tactical astuteness, from which, ‘respect’ could be quickly gained and maintained. The development of coaching skills was rarely associated with only formal coaching qualifications. The ‘fast-tracking’ of former athletes for high-performance coaching roles was promoted by directors to ensure the perpetuation of specific playing and coaching philosophies. Consequently, this may exclude groups from coaching roles in elite men's sport. The paper concludes by outlining how these findings might imply a disjuncture between the skills promoted during formal coaching qualifications and the expectations club directors have of elite coaches in these sports.
HomeMaestro: Distributed monitoring and diagnosis of performance anomalies in home networks

Home networks are comprised of applications running over multiple wired and wireless devices competing for shared network resources. Despite all the devices operating in a single administrative domain in such networks, applications operate independently, and users cannot express or enforce policies. By studying multiple households’ network performance at the packet-level correlated with diaries capturing user experiences, we show that the lack of cooperation across applications leads to observable performance problems and associated user frustration. We describe HomeMaestro, a cooperative host-based system that monitors local and global application performance, and automatically detects contention for network resources. HomeMaestro is designed to manage home and small networks and requires no modification to routers, access points, applications, or protocols. At each host, it transparently monitors per-flow and per-process network usage statistics, such as throughput, RTT, and loss rates. We propose novel algorithms for detecting performance anomalies and application contention using time-series and cross-correlation analysis. Through the collected household traces, we show that HomeMaestro effectively identifies roughly 95% of the user reported problems. In addition, we evaluate the processing and communication overhead of HomeMaestro, which typically are below 5% CPU utilization and 10kbps signalling traffic per host respectively.
Exploring the Ecological Coherence between the Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Bacterioplankton in Boreal Lakes

One of the major contemporary challenges in microbial ecology has been to discriminate the reactive core from the random, unreactive components of bacterial communities. In previous work we used the spatial abundance distributions of bacterioplankton across boreal lakes of Québec to group taxa into four distinct categories that reflect either hydrology-mediated dispersal along the aquatic network or environmental selection mechanisms within lakes. Here, we test whether this categorization derived from the spatial distribution of taxa is maintained over time, by analyzing the temporal dynamics of the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) within those spatially derived categories along an annual cycle in the oligotrophic lake Croche (Québec, Canada), and assessing the coherence in the patterns of abundance, occurrence, and environmental range of these OTUs over space and time. We report that the temporal dynamics of most taxa within a single lake are largely coherent with those derived from their spatial distribution over large spatial scales, suggesting that these properties must be intrinsic of particular taxa. We also identified a set of rare taxa cataloged as having a random occupancy based on their spatial distribution, but which showed clear seasonality and abundance peaks along the year, yet these comprised a very small fraction of the total rare OTUs. We conclude that the presence of most rare bacterioplankton taxa in boreal lakes is random, since both their temporal and spatial dynamics suggest links to passive downstream transport and persistence in freshwater networks, rather than environmental selection.
Detection of transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions and the design of time windows

A new approach to the design of time windows is presented for detection of transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE). The windows are designed with reference to a minimum mean square error criterion involving the correlation properties of the ensemble of responses. Latency information is introduced in the detection process by windowing at different scales that result from wavelet decomposition. The significance of both subject- and population-specific time windows is investigated. The detection performance is evaluated on a health screen database consisting of 4989 records. The results show that the present approach to windowing yields a significantly better performance in separating normal-hearing subjects from hearing-impaired subjects when compared to detection based on unwindowed signals. With time windowing, the specificity increased with almost 15% at a fixed sensitivity of 90%.
Non-specific serum inhibitors of activity of haemagglutinins of rabies and vesicular stomatitis viruses.

Summary A pooled normal human serum at up to about 1:4000 dilution inhibited haemagglutination by rabies and vesicular stomatitis viruses. Serum lipoproteins were found to carry almost all of the inhibitory activity, which specifically resided in the phospholipids of these lipoproteins. Commercially available phospholipids and cholesterol were also effective inhibitors of virus haemagglutination. The inhibitory activity of the mixture of cholesterol and lecithin tested against the haemagglutinins of vesicular stomatitis virus, rabies virus and an arbovirus (LaCrosse strain of California arbovirus group) were 2 to 8 times higher than that for the lipids alone, whereas the inhibitory activity of the mixture of cholesterol and palmitic acid was not higher than that of cholesterol alone. Adsorption with kaolin, as well as fractionation by DEAE-cellulose chromatography, effectively separated the non-specific inhibitors from specific antibodies contained in burro anti-rabies virus serum.
Molecular markers in transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder: New insights into mechanisms and prognosis

Urothelial carcinoma is potentially life-threatening and expensive to treat since for many patients, the diagnosis entails a lifetime of surveillance to detect recurrent disease. Advancements in technology have provided an understanding of the molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis and defined distinct pathways in tumorigenesis and progression. At the molecular level, urothelial carcinoma is being seen as a disease with distinct pathways of carcinogenesis and progression and thus markers of these processes should be used as both diagnostics and predictors of progression and patient outcome. Herein we present a selective overview of the molecular underpinning of urothelial carcinogenesis and progression and discuss the potential for proteins involved in these processes to serve as biomarkers. The discovery of biomarkers has enabled the elucidation of targets for novel therapeutic agents to disrupt the deregulation underlying the development and progression of urothelial carcinogenesis.
Computing Least Common Subsumers for FLE+

Matching problems in Description Logics are theoretically well understood, with a variety of algorithms available for different DLs. Nevertheless, still no implementation of a general matching algorithm exists. The present paper presents an implementation of an existing matching algorithm for the DL ALE and shows first results on benchmarks w.r. t. randomly generated matching problems. The observed computation times show that the implementation performs well even on relatively large matching problems.
The Economy of Literacy: How the Supreme Court Stalled the Civil Rights Movement

According to critical race theorists, legal rights in this country have been compromised by the recognition of White identity as having property value. In this article, drawing on these analyses as well as the observations of literacy scholars questioning the outcomes of literacy and education, Catherine Prendergast argues that the designation of literacy and education as "rights" is more rhetorical than real. Prendergast pays close attention to the arguments and court proceedings of three U.S. Supreme Court cases in which the value of literacy and the reality of racial discrimination have both been contested. Through an analysis of these landmark cases — Brown v. Board of Education, Washington v. Davis, and Regents of the University of California v. Bakke—the author deconstructs "the lofty prose equating education with equal opportunity" to uncover the ideologies of literacy that informed these cases. According to Prendergast, "this rhetoric has laid the foundation for the recent legal challenges to affi.
Th1-associated immune responses to beta-galactosidase expressed by a replication-defective herpes simplex virus.

The immunogenic properties of a replication-defective herpes simplex virus HD-2, containing the Escherichia coli lacZ gene under control of the HSV ICP8 early gene promoter were studied in BALB/c mice. Experiments were designed to determine if the HD-2 virus preferentially stimulated either Th1- or Th2-associated immune responses to beta-galactosidase (beta gal). Sera from mice immunized i.p. or s.c. with virus HD-2, beta gal on aluminum phosphate adjuvant, or a control ICP8 deletion mutant, d301, were assayed for total and Ag-specific IgG1 and IgG2a Abs, beta gal-driven lymphocyte proliferation, and in vitro production of the cytokines IFN-gamma, IL-4, and IL-2. Viruses HD-2 and d301 preferentially stimulated the production of total serum IgG2a following two immunizations i.p. or a single immunization s.c. , while only HD-2 virus stimulated in vivo production of beta gal-specific IgG2a serum Abs. In contrast, beta gal adsorbed on AIPO4 preferentially stimulated production of Ag-specific IgG1 serum Abs. The HD-2 virus also induced a potent cellular proliferative response to beta gal, which was still pronounced 5 wk after primary immunization. Cultured lymphocytes from HD-2-immunized mice produced IFN-gamma after 5 days in culture with soluble beta gal in an Ag- and dose-dependent fashion. These results demonstrate that replication-defective mutants of HSV can be used as vectors for eliciting Th1-associated immune responses to a heterologous Ag expressed from the viral genome.
k+-buffer: fragment synchronized k-buffer

k-buffer facilitates novel approaches to multi-fragment rendering and visualization for developing interactive applications on the GPU. Various alternatives have been proposed to alleviate its memory hazards and to avoid completely or partially the necessity of geometry pre-sorting. However, that came with the burden of excessive memory allocation and depth precision artifacts. We introduce k+-buffer, a fast and accurate framework that simulates the k-buffer behavior by exploiting fragment culling and pixel synchronization. Two GPU-accelerated data structures have been developed: (i) the max-array and (ii) the max-heap. These memory-bounded data structures accurately maintain the k-foremost fragments per pixel in a single geometry pass. The choice of the data structure depends on the size k (application-dependent). Without any software-redesign, the proposed scheme can be adapted to perform as a Z-buffer or an A-buffer capturing a single or all generated fragments, respectively. A memory-friendly strategy is also proposed, extending the proposed pipeline to dynamically lessen the potential wasteful memory allocation. Finally, an extensive experimental evaluation is provided demonstrating the advantages of k+-buffer over all prior k-buffer variants in terms of memory usage, performance cost and image quality.
Resistance to Activated Protein C Caused by Factor V Leiden Mutation and Orthotopic Liver Transplantation

Background. Factor V (FV)-dependent resistance to activated protein C (APCR) is most likely caused by a point mutation in the FV gene, the so-called FV Leiden mutation (FV:Q506), which is a common risk factor predisposing to venous thromboembolism. Little is known about the role of FV:Q506 in recipients of human liver grafts and the significance of acquired APCR caused by orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Methods. We screened blood samples of 720 patients who underwent OLT by genotyping for FV:Q506 and by testing for APCR with two highly FV-specific tests. Apart from the existing medical records, we obtained clinical data from 551 patients on thromboembolic events (TEs) by means of a questionnaire. Results. We found 49 (6.8%) heterozygous carriers of FV:Q506 who did not show APCR after OLT. One patient, heterozygous for FV:Q506, displayed APCR after OLT. In 35 (4.9%) noncarriers of FV:Q506 we detected APCR after OLT. In comparison with noncarriers, carriers of FV:Q506 demonstrated more TE before transplantation (7% vs. 28%, P<0.0005; relative risk 4.0 [95% confidence interval, 2.3–6.9]); this was also true for Budd-Chiari syndrome (1.8% vs. 10%, P<0.005). At a median follow-up of 5 years (0, 13–12 years), we found a higher incidence of TE after transplantation in patients with “acquired” APCR (16.7% vs. 4,3%; P=0.01; relative risk 3.9 [95% confidence interval, 1.7–9.0]), which included one patient with life-threatening TE during the early postoperative phase. Conclusions. APCR caused by FV:Q506 before OLT is a risk factor for TE. OLT-related “acquired” APCR should be considered a risk factor for venous thromboembolism.
College students perceptions of environmentally conscious eating behaviors: A formative evaluation

Objective: This study was a formative evaluation of modules related to Green Eating. Perceptions of the motivational value of the modules were assessed. Design: This study was a cross-sectional study using secondary data. Participants: 224 college students. Intervention: Participants completed one of three online modules. Participants established a goal for the module they viewed and determined their self-efficacy (SE) in meeting their goal. Main Outcomes: Motivational value was assessed using the Instructional Materials Motivation Survey (IMMS); IMMS scores were compared between modules. Goal congruency (relationship to module topic) and SE were compared between modules. Analysis: Differences in IMMS score and SE were compared between modules using Analysis of Variance. The proportion of IMMS scores ≥3.5 (defined as motivating) and the proportion of goals that were congruent to the module were compared using Chi-Square analysis. Differences between goal congruence and SE and differences in stage of change (SOC), IMMS score, and SE were assessed. Results: Average IMMS total score was ≥3.5 for each module, with no difference in IMMS score between modules. The majority of participants had an IMMS score ≥3.5. The majority of goals were congruent to the module that was viewed and participants were moderately to mostly confident in meeting their goal. Conclusion: The modules were motivating to participants and they were able to establish a goal that was congruent to the module that they viewed.
A Newly Isolated Thermostable Lipase from Bacillus sp.

A thermophilic lipolytic bacterium identified as Bacillus sp. L2 via 16S rDNA was previously isolated from a hot spring in Perak, Malaysia. Bacillus sp. L2 was confirmed to be in Group 5 of bacterial classification, a phylogenically and phenotypically coherent group of thermophilic bacilli displaying very high similarity among their 16S rRNA sequences (98.5–99.2%). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) cloning of L2 lipase gene was conducted by using five different primers. Sequence analysis of the L2 lipase gene revealed an open reading frame (ORF) of 1251 bp that codes for 417 amino acids. The signal peptides consist of 28 amino acids. The mature protein is made of 388 amino acid residues. Recombinant lipase was successfully overexpressed with a 178-fold increase in activity compared to crude native L2 lipase. The recombinant L2 lipase (43.2 kDa) was purified to homogeneity in a single chromatography step. The purified lipase was found to be reactive at a temperature range of 55–80 °C and at a pH of 6–10. The L2 lipase had a melting temperature (Tm) of 59.04 °C when analyzed by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy studies. The optimum activity was found to be at 70 °C and pH 9. Lipase L2 was strongly inhibited by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) (100%), whereas phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF), pepstatin-A, 2-mercaptoethanol and dithiothreitol (DTT) inhibited the enzyme by over 40%. The CD spectra of secondary structure analysis showed that the L2 lipase structure contained 38.6% α-helices, 2.2% ß-strands, 23.6% turns and 35.6% random conformations.
Conformation of the hypervariable region L3 without the key proline residue

The refined structure of the Fab fragment of the monoclonal antibody CRIS‐I (IgG2ak) against the leukocyte differentiation antigen CD5, determined at 1.9 Å resolution with an agreement R‐factor of 18.3%, reveals a variant of the canonical conformations proposed for the light chain complementarity determining region L3 (CDR‐L3). This is the first Fab structure available with a K light chain in which the CDR‐L3 lacks the key proline residue in either position 94 or 95. The conformation found could be significant for about 10% of the murine IgG molecules with k light chains without proline in their CDR‐L3 sequences.
Framework-Based Teaching of IFRS: The Case of Deutsche Bank

This case applies the teaching approach ‘from objective to concepts to principles and rules’ in analyzing the provisions of IFRS 1:First-time Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards. The case of Deutsche Bank was chosen because banks were at the centre of the recent global financial crisis. Topics addressed in this paper are accounting issues emerging from the crisis. Some accounting standards in place during the crisis have been amended or replaced; others are currently subject to significant revisions by the standard setters. Students analyze accounting standards and proposed improvements to applicable standards in response to these events. The case reveals how adopting IFRS provides an unambiguous opportunity for companies to provide more transparent and relevant financial reporting. In terms of relative transparency, students examine the reconciling items of greatest consequence in Deutsche Bank's transition from US GAAP to IFRS, including key provisions related to consolidation policy and accounting for financial instruments. The important role of professional judgment is emphasized as students evaluate choices regarding selection and application of accounting principles under IFRS.
Decreased NK cell frequency in chronic hepatitis C does not affect ex vivo cytolytic killing

Prior studies have suggested that natural killer (NK) cell function might be impaired in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Circulating NK cell frequency and cytolytic activity were examined freshly ex vivo in HCV‐infected and uninfected subjects. Surprisingly, the intrinsic cytolytic activity of peripheral blood NK‐enriched cells was similar between HCV‐infected and uninfected groups (P = .91). Although the percentage of circulating CD3−CD16/56+NK cells was 30% lower in HCV‐infected compared with uninfected subjects (P = .02) paralleled by a decrease of CD56dim cytolytic NK cells (P = .02), overall K562 cytolysis by unfractionated peripheral blood mononuclear cells was not affected (P = .29). Analysis of the relationships between NK cytolytic activity and other clinical information revealed an inverse association with liver fibrosis stage (P = .035). In conclusion, NK cell cytolytic function does not appear to be impaired in chronic hepatitis C, but higher levels of NK cell cytolysis are associated with less liver fibrosis. (HEPATOLOGY 2006;43:573–580.)