Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Performance analysis of ANC based MIMO cooperative relaying network over Nakagami-m fading channel

In this paper, we evaluate performance of ANC based MIMO cooperative relaying network over Nakagami-m fading channel. In the considered scenario, a source terminal transmits symbols with the help of one or multiple intermediate relays to a destination. The source and destination nodes contain one antenna whereas relay terminals contain two antennas. Relay terminals operate in amplify-and-forward (AF) relaying mode. Alamouti coding scheme is also used at the relays to improve the overall system performance. All the received symbols are combined at the destination using maximal ratio combining (MRC) technique. Moment generating function (MGF) based approach is followed to deduce the closed form symbol-error-rate (SER) expression. We investigate the performance of the system in terms of SER over Nakagami-m fading environment. A closed matched is observed in the analytical and simulation results.
Joint layered source adaptation and resource allocation over relay networks

Cooperative communications have received considerable attention for wireless multimedia applications as a means to improve reliability. To exploit such cooperation over slow fading channels, we propose to adaptively and efficiently transmit a layered source over a non-regenerative relay network. Specifically, we jointly determine the number of source encoder layers, the transmission rate and power for each layer to minimize the expected distortion of the reconstructed signal at the receiver. We show that having more relays can reduce the expected end-to-end distortion and that source adaptation with optimal resource allocation provides further improvements. Numerical results verify the effectiveness of our proposed algorithm, which enables low-complexity and adaptive streaming of scalable media source for future multimedia applications.
Feature selection for pattern classification problems

In pattern recognition feature selection is an important problem which is to choose the smallest subset of features that ideally is necessary and sufficient to describe the target concept. In this paper, a feature selection algorithm based on DB index rules is proposed involving classification capabilities of feature vectors and correlation analysis between two features. The strategy can be used for supervised or unsupervised classification problems and it is evaluated by using three synthetic data sets and a real-word data set.
Partial and total correctness as greatest and least fixed points

This paper studies Hoare triples in the context of any programming language specified by a small-step, possibly non-deterministic, operational semantics. We explain how the partial correctness interpretation of the triple can be characterised as the greatest fixed point of a function, and how the total correctness interpretation can be seen as the least fixed point of that very same function. In the latter case, we provide a necessary and sufficient condition for the characterisation to be accurate: that the programming language admits no infinite branching.
Safety Index of High-Speed Maglev Train Decentralized Operation Control System

The decentralized operation control system, which realizes the function of operation command and safety protection to high-speed maglev train, is a kind of safety-critical computer control system. On the basis of the experience of developing, debugging and running the decentralized operation control system engineering prototype, using for 1.5km high-speed maglev experimental railway line, two safety indexes that are used to quantify the security of the decentralized operation control system were proposed-stable safety probability, mean time to insecure failure, and a 3-state Markov safety-critical system model was set up. Based on the model, quantitative analysis was made to the two safety indexes of the decentralized operation control system which consists of a single functional unit. At last the expressions of the two safety indexes, which are used to obtain the stable safety probability and mean time to insecure failure of the triple module redundant decentralized operation control system, were got.
Utility in Willingness to Pay Space: A Tool to Address Confounding Random Scale Effects in Destination Choice to the Alps

We compare two approaches for estimating the distribution of consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) in discrete choice models. The usual procedure is to estimate the distribution of the utility coefficients and then derive the distribution of WTP, which is the ratio of coefficients. The alternative is to estimate the distribution of WTP directly. We apply both approaches to data on site choice in the Alps. We find that the alternative approach fits the data better, reduces the incidence of exceedingly large estimated WTP values, and provides the analyst with greater control in specifying and testing the distribution of WTP. Copyright 2008, Oxford University Press.
MY group : middle years group for Jacob's Heart Children's Cancer Support Services

MY Group is an art therapy group for pre-adolescents with cancer. This curriculum was facilitated to help pre-adolescents living with cancer make peer connections, strengthen self-confidence, develop friendship-building skills, increase selfworth, and learn coping strategies for stressful situations, while restoring joy in their lives and overcoming obstacles they faced.
A Novel Joint De-Interleaving/Recognition System of Radar Pulse Sequence

First, the paper shows a novel sorting method based on delaminating coupling and support vector clustering (SVC). Secondly, it presents a notion of type-entropy. And recognition technology of type-entropy is introduced into signal sorting system so that a novel radar sequence signal sorting system is to be presented. The experiment result shows that the system can sort efficiently radar signals in the complex pulses environment
Modality-Based Organization of Ascending Somatosensory Axons in the Direct Dorsal Column Pathway

The long-standing doctrine regarding the functional organization of the direct dorsal column (DDC) pathway is the “somatotopic map” model, which suggests that somatosensory afferents are primarily organized by receptive field instead of modality. Using modality-specific genetic tracing, here we show that ascending mechanosensory and proprioceptive axons, two main types of the DDC afferents, are largely segregated into a medial–lateral pattern in the mouse dorsal column and medulla. In addition, we found that this modality-based organization is likely to be conserved in other mammalian species, including human. Furthermore, we identified key morphological differences between these two types of afferents, which explains how modality segregation is formed and why a rough “somatotopic map” was previously detected. Collectively, our results establish a new functional organization model for the mammalian direct dorsal column pathway and provide insight into how somatotopic and modality-based organization coexist in the central somatosensory pathway.
CIRCADIAN PHASE SLEEP AND MOOD DISORDERS

Much is known about the neuroanatomic connections of the circadian system. In vertebrates, the locus of the biological clock (the endogenous circadian pacemaker, or ECP) that drives all circadian rhythms is in the hypothalamus, specifically, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) (1,2). This paired structure derives its name because it lies just above the optic chiasm. It contains about 10,000 neurons. The molecular mechanisms of the SCN are an active area of research. There is also a great deal of interest in clock genes and clock components of cells in general, not just in the SCN. The journal Science designated clock genes as the second most important breakthrough for the recent year; the year before it was also on the runner-up list. Although clock genes may endow most, if not all, cells with the capacity for circadian time keeping, only the SCN is an endogenous pacemaker. That is, only the SCN receives environmental time cues. In turn, the SCN passes on temporal information to the cells of the rest of the organism.
URED: Upper threshold RED an efficient congestion control algorithm

Recently many prominent web sites face so called Distributed Denial of Service Attacks (DDoS). DDoS attacks are a virulent, relatively new type of attack on the availability of Internet services and resources. To avoid denigration most of the commercial sites do not expose that they were attacked that is the biggest challenges of the researchers. Network congestion caused by DDoS attack can be managed by AQM (Active queue Management). Random Early Detection (RED) is one of the most prominent congestion avoidance schemes in the Internet routers. To overcome the limitations of the basic RED algorithm, researchers proposed several variants of RED. Our aim is to design an efficient congestion control algorithm to defend against the DDoS flood attack using existing algorithm Random Early Detection (RED) by solving some problems in existing RED. In this research we propose an algorithm, with minimal changes to the overall RED algorithm which provides effective solution to avoid congestion collapse of network services by introducing new threshold Uth (Upper Threshold). Our proposed algorithm in URED (Upper threshold RED). Simulation is done in NS-2.35 simulator environment. Simulation results show that our new URED algorithm gives better performance than RED and Adaptive RED. Comparisons are done in terms of total average throughput, total packet drops, and average packet drops. It will also increase adaptability of RED.
The Psychological Benefits and Costs of Positive and Negative Intergroup Contact

Over 60 years of research has established that positive contact between members of opposing social groups is one of the most important factors in improving relations. Despite this large body of research on positive contact, the importance of negative contact has been largely overlooked. In particular, the processes that mediate the relationship between negative contact and intergroup antipathy remain largely understudied. Furthermore, contact scholars have primarily focused on the effects of contact on prejudice. Thus, it is still unclear whether positive contact and negative contact are predictors of intergroup outcomes beyond prejudice. Contact studies have also primarily been conducted in Western nations, leading to an uncertainty about the degree to which the effects of positive and negative contact are culturally specific or universal. In addition, while substantial evidence has indicated that positive contact with sexual minorities predicts reduced sexual prejudice among heterosexuals, little attention has been paid to the importance of gender of contact partners. The current program of research aims to fill these four gaps in the contact literature. Studies 1-3 examine positive and negative contact as predictors of prejudice and intergroup outcomes beyond prejudice (i.e., negative metaperceptions), and the underlying psychological process that mediates the relationship between negative contact and intergroup attitudes. The studies also test the generalizability of positive and negative contact effects, drawing on data from White Americans (Study 1, N = 207), Hong Kong Chinese (Study 2, N = 145), and Buddhist Thais (Study 3, N = 161). Results were similar across all three nations. More specifically, when negative contact was not taken into account results indicated that positive contact reliably predicted lower levels of old-fashioned and modern prejudice toward, and negative metaperceptions about, Black Americans (Study 1), Mainland Chinese (Study 2), and Muslim Thais (Study 3). When negative contact was controlled for, however, positive contact became a less reliable predictor of intergroup outcomes. Furthermore, negative contact appeared to be a more consistent predictor of these intergroup outcomes than positive contact. Finally, intergroup anxiety acted as a mediator of both positive contact and negative contact effects. Study 4 extends the previous studies by testing whether positive and negative contact with sexual minorities predict collective action for equal rights among heterosexual Australians (N = 294). This study also explores whether the relationships between both types of contact and collective action intentions vary depending on the gender of heterosexuals and the gender of sexual minorities. In this correlational study, I found that positive contact with gay men and positive contact with lesbian women both independently predicted
Objectification of Subjectivity: International Experience in Selection of TV Stimuli in Mass Media Effect Research

The objective of the study was to classify the existing methods of the TV news content selection, and to assess the advantages and shortcomings of each approach. To achieve this goal, the following tasks have been performed: 1) considering the existing approaches to the selection of the TV news content, applied in the media effects studies; 2) summarizing and classifying the approaches used for the selection of the TV news stories for experiments in the media effects studies; 3) analysing the advantages and disadvantages of each technique of the experimental selection of the TV news content. The research was conducted through the use of scientific methods of analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, transition from the abstract to the concrete, and document review. Several criteria were applied to the selection of the studies to be included in the review of methods of the TV news materials selection: 1) only those experimental articles and thesis were selected, in which the TV news was the independent variable, and the reaction of surveyed people was the dependent variable; 2) the articles and theses should include a clear description of the methods of the TV news selection. Results and Conclusions. The TV news content was examined as a basic material for experiments in social communications. Based on the academic publications of the American and European scientists, we elaborated the classification of methods for the media content selection in the media effects studies. Different approaches to the selection of news material were proposed. According to the proposed classification, all methods of the media content selection were divided into the primary methods (pool method) and secondary methods (Self-Assessment Mannequin test; semantic differential method; R. Likert emotion assessment scale; J.B. Haskins scale for the good-bad news assessment). The validity and reliability of these techniques was proved by the studies in the TV news effects.
Dose Dependent Effects on Cell Cycle Checkpoints and DNA Repair by Bendamustine

Bendamustine (BDM) is an active chemotherapeutic agent approved in the U. S. for treating chronic lymphocytic leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Its chemical structure suggests it may have alkylator and anti-metabolite activities; however the precise mechanism of action is not well understood. Here we report the concentration-dependent effects of BDM on cell cycle, DNA damage, checkpoint response and cell death in HeLa cells. Low concentrations of BDM transiently arrested cells in G2, while a 4-fold higher concentration arrested cells in S phase. DNA damage at 50, but not 200 µM, was efficiently repaired after 48 h treatment, suggesting a difference in DNA repair efficiency at the two concentrations. Indeed, perturbing base-excision repair sensitized cells to lower concentrations of BDM. Timelapse studies of the checkpoint response to BDM showed that inhibiting Chk1 caused both the S- and G2-arrested cells to prematurely enter mitosis. However, whereas the cells arrested in G2 (low dose BDM) entered mitosis, segregated their chromosomes and divided normally, the S-phase arrested cells (high dose BDM) exhibited a highly aberrant mitosis, whereby EM images showed highly fragmented chromosomes. The vast majority of these cells died without ever exiting mitosis. Inhibiting the Chk1-dependent DNA damage checkpoint accelerated the time of killing by BDM. Our studies suggest that BDM may affect different biological processes depending on drug concentration. Sensitizing cells to killing by BDM can be achieved by inhibiting base-excision repair or disrupting the DNA damage checkpoint pathway.
DIPP: An Uniform Programming Model for Shared and Distributed Parallel Programming

We present a programming model which ooers ease of parallel application programming for both shared variables and distributed programming. The model is more abstract than distributed models such as PVM, MPI and Split C and shared models such as thread packages or the ANL Parmacs. It improves on the property of memory-model-independence of other models such as CC++ and Nexus and ooers a remarkable amount of ease of use. The process model-a work pool-is akin to CORBA in that it is deened in terms of abstract work pieces (services, tasks) rather than processes or threads. Semantically, this corresponds to asynchronous remote procedure calls. The data model features global data which allows memory-model-independence as well. The coordination of accesses to global data is possible by so-called coordinators. Coordinators enable the declarative speciication of access patterns to global data thus allowing automatic coordination. The overall model allows considering a semantics which ignores the underlying architecture. The implementation maps the used constructs diierently, depending on the architecture of the involved parallel site. For instance, coordinators are implemented by automatic synchronization (on shared memory machines) or automatic remote communication (on distributed memory platforms). Thus, we get mixed use of shared and distributed platforms including all eeciency beneets of each of the memory models. We have implemented the model as C++ framework for shared memory. We are currently implementing it for distributed memory as well.
Neural plasticity in fathers of human infants

Fathering plays an important role in infants’ socioemotional and cognitive development. Previous studies have identified brain regions that are important for parenting behavior in human mothers. However, the neural basis of parenting in human fathers is largely unexplored. In the current longitudinal study, we investigated structural changes in fathers’ brains during the first 4 months postpartum using voxel-based morphometry analysis. Biological fathers (n = 16) with full-term, healthy infants were scanned at 2–4 weeks postpartum (time 1) and at 12–16 weeks postpartum (time 2). Fathers exhibited increase in gray matter (GM) volume in several neural regions involved in parental motivation, including the hypothalamus, amygdala, striatum, and lateral prefrontal cortex. On the other hand, fathers exhibited decreases in GM volume in the orbitofrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, and insula. The findings provide evidence for neural plasticity in fathers’ brains. We also discuss the distinct patterns of associations among neural changes, postpartum mood symptoms, and parenting behaviors among fathers.
Dual Beneficial Effects of (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate on Levodopa Methylation and Hippocampal Neurodegeneration: In Vitro and In Vivo Studies

Background A combination of levodopa (L-DOPA) and carbidopa is the most commonly-used treatment for symptom management in Parkinson's disease. Studies have shown that concomitant use of a COMT inhibitor is highly beneficial in controlling the wearing-off phenomenon by improving L-DOPA bioavailability as well as brain entry. The present study sought to determine whether (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a common tea polyphenol, can serve as a naturally-occurring COMT inhibitor that also possesses neuroprotective actions. Methodology/Principal Findings Using both in vitro and in vivo models, we investigated the modulating effects of EGCG on L-DOPA methylation as well as on chemically induced oxidative neuronal damage and degeneration. EGCG strongly inhibited human liver COMT-mediated O-methylation of L-DOPA in a concentration-dependent manner in vitro, with an average IC 50 of 0.36 µM. Oral administration of EGCG moderately lowered the accumulation of 3-O-methyldopa in the plasma and striatum of rats treated with L-DOPA + carbidopa. In addition, EGCG also reduced glutamate-induced oxidative cytotoxicity in cultured HT22 mouse hippocampal neuronal cells through inactivation of the nuclear factor κB-signaling pathway. Under in vivo conditions, administration of EGCG exerted a strong protective effect against kainic acid-induced oxidative neuronal death in the hippocampus of rats. Conclusions/Significance These observations suggest that oral administration of EGCG may have significant beneficial effects in Parkinson's patients treated with L-DOPA and carbidopa by exerting a modest inhibition of L-DOPA methylation plus a strong neuroprotection against oxidative damage and degeneration.
Catholic Social Teaching, Organizational Purpose, and the For-profit/Nonprofit Dichotomy: Exploring the Metaprofit Proposition

The emergence of organizations that cannot be clearly categorized as for-profit or nonprofit shows that this traditional boundary is blurring. Moreover, the legitimacy of some categories that have been used to describe organizational diversity and the dominant role given to profit to determine the ontology of organizations is questionable. In the encyclical letter Caritas in Veritate , Pope Benedict XVI calls for enlarging managerial reason and the way in which organizations and their nature are understood. He also remarks on the importance of institutional plurality for the development of markets and society. Based on the dialogue between Catholic social teaching and managerial sciences, this article presents the metaprofit proposition as a way to overcome the for-profit/nonprofit dichotomy and to rethink organizational purpose. Metaprofit evidences that, beyond profit, organizations have multiple and interrelated goals that constitute their final purpose and emphasize the instrumental role of profit as a means toward ulterior ends. The article concludes by presenting possible consequences and challenges of the metaprofit proposition for managerial sciences. Cristian R. Loza Adaui and Giorgio Mion, "Catholic Social Teaching, Organizational Purpose, and the For-profit/Nonprofit Dichotomy: Exploring the Metaprofit Proposition," Journal of Markets & Morality 19, no. 2 (Fall 2016): 275-295
The splicing landscape is globally reprogrammed during male meiosis

Meiosis requires conserved transcriptional changes, but it is not known whether there is a corresponding set of RNA splicing switches. Here, we used RNAseq of mouse testis to identify changes associated with the progression from mitotic spermatogonia to meiotic spermatocytes. We identified ∼150 splicing switches, most of which affect conserved protein-coding exons. The expression of many key splicing regulators changed in the course of meiosis, including downregulation of polypyrimidine tract binding protein (PTBP1) and heterogeneous nuclear RNP A1, and upregulation of nPTB, Tra2β, muscleblind, CELF proteins, Sam68 and T-STAR. The sequences near the regulated exons were significantly enriched in target sites for PTB, Tra2β and STAR proteins. Reporter minigene experiments investigating representative exons in transfected cells showed that PTB binding sites were critical for splicing of a cassette exon in the Ralgps2 mRNA and a shift in alternative 5′ splice site usage in the Bptf mRNA. We speculate that nPTB might functionally replace PTBP1 during meiosis for some target exons, with changes in the expression of other splicing factors helping to establish meiotic splicing patterns. Our data suggest that there are substantial changes in the determinants and patterns of alternative splicing in the mitotic-to-meiotic transition of the germ cell cycle.