Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comments on “Error Performance of Transmit Beamforming With Delayed and Limited Feedback”

In the paper “Error Performance of Transmit Beamforming With Delayed and Limited Feedback” of Ma et al., they provided the analytical derivation of an accurate approximation for the symbol error rate (SER) of transmit beamforming (TB) systems employing M-ary phase-shift keying (M-PSK) in Rayleigh fading channels, considering the effect of delayed and limited-rate codebook index feedback. However, the derived formula is valid only for the binary phase-shift-keying (i.e., M = 2) modulation, which means that the formula is not general for the M-PSK modulations with M ≥ 2. Therefore, we aim at deriving the correct closed-form formula for the accurate approximation for the SER, which is validated through the numerical results. Furthermore, we also present the corresponding correct coding gain achieved by the TB system.
Effects of Aging and Niche Microenvironment on Spermatogonial Stem Cell Self‐Renewal

Aging is evident in most tissues and organ systems, but the mechanisms of aging are difficult to identify and poorly understood. Here, we test the hypothesis that aging results in uncorrected defects in stem cell and/or niche function, which lead to system failure. We used the spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) transplantation assay to determine the effect of aging on testis stem cell/niche function in mice. Between 12 and 24 months of age, male mice experienced a declining level of fertility associated with decreased testis weight, level of spermatogenesis, and total stem cell content. However, when stem cells were consecutively passaged at 3‐month intervals to testes of young males, these stem cells continued to produce spermatogenesis for more than 3 years. Thus, SSC self‐renewal continues long past the normal life span of the animal when the stem cell is continually maintained in a young niche/microenvironment. Moreover, these data suggest that infertility in old males results from deterioration of the SSC niche and failure to support an appropriate balance between stem cell self‐renewal and differentiation.
Synthesis scheme of bandpass-to-all-stop switchable wideband filters based on coupled-lines

The paper presents a novel bandpass-to-all-stop switchable wideband filter composed of short-ended stubs and modified parallel-coupled-lines, as well as the corresponding synthesis/design scheme. By changing the end-states of the stubs, the bandpass or all-stop state can be realized and switched. To synthesize the two-filter-states simultaneously, firstly, the synthesis equations system for the bandpass state of the filter is derived based on Chebyshev characteristics. It can be found that, for the proposed structure, there will be a degree of freedom in filter synthesis. Accordingly, the equation used to estimate the insertion loss(IL) of the filter in all-stop state is added to the synthesis equations system, so that the two states of the switchable filter can be therefore theoretically synthesized. An example filter is then designed and confirmed in stripline line by simulation. A good agreement between the numerical experimental results and theoretical ones validates the proposed filter structure and corresponding design scheme.
An Improved Fluorophotometric Method for Tear Turnover Assessment

Purpose Scanning fluorophotometry is considered the “gold standard” to determine tear turnover rates (TTR). In this study, we attempted to improve the precision of basal TTR by fluorophotometry through a number of methodological changes. Methods By means of a timer program that produces audio cues, a new methodology that ensures confluence and a constant thickness of the tear film and minimization of reflex lacrimation as a result of the inhibition of the blink reflex was developed. This was compared with the standard protocol, both in a paired study and by a review of unpaired data. The minimum length of time required to monitor TTR measurements was also investigated. Results A significant improvement in correlation coefficient (r) of the log decay curve was observed as a result of changes in the protocol in both the paired (p = 0.016) and unpaired study (p < 0.0001). We determined that it was sufficient to monitor TTR for 10 min to obtain accurate results. Conclusions We advocate that the changes be adopted as widely as possible for the precise and rapid measurement of basal tear turnover rates.
Regulatory governance regimes and interregionalism: exploring the dynamics of EU–Mercosur negotiations

ABSTRACT This paper examines the impact of interregionalism on regulatory governance. Specifically, it analyses an underexplored aspect of the negotiation process for an interregional agreement between the European Union (EU) and the Common Market of the South (Mercosur): to what extent and how has this given rise to particular forms of regulatory governance in Mercosur? The paper empirically explores the trade and cooperation agendas involved in trade facilitation and education, and argues that the long negotiation process between the EU and Mercosur has affected the ways in which different forms of regulatory governance are expressed. Still, these show variation across policy issues. Both the type of norm promoted and the capacity-building mechanisms envisaged create a particular ideational and material context, all of which affects the actor constellation and leads in turn to different regulatory governance regimes, yet within the same interregional negotiation process.
Short vs. long: cognitive load, retention and changing class structures

ABSTRACT University class structure is changing. To accommodate working students, programmes are increasing their offerings of long night classes – some lasting as long as six hours. While these long classes may be more convenient for students, they have unintended consequences as a result of cognitive load. Using a panel of 124 students (372 observations) and a differencing approach that controls for student characteristics, we show that student exam performance decreases by approximately one-half letter grade on content taught in the second half of a long class (significant at the 5% level).
Monitoring of pesticide residues in human population of Nepal

Wide spread use of pesticides in the production system, persistence in the environment and their varying toxicity make them a major components of public health consideration. Pesticide residues have been reported to cause cancer, epilepsy, liver and kidney dysfunctions. Owing to the adverse effects of pesticides, international community had signed Stockholm convention which entered into force on 17th May 2004. Biological monitoring of pesticides in blood provides evidence of exposure of the body to pesticides and gives an indication of the body burden of the pesticide residues. Monitoring of organochlorines in blood is most appropriate because these pesticides are lipophilic in nature. Similarly, monitoring organophosphate concentrations in blood or blood products (serum, plasma) offers several advantages. The parent compounds could be monitored directly in blood. Nepal still has 70 MT (Metric Tones) of obsolete pesticides dumped across the country. The present study has been conducted in school children of Nepal, located adjacent to a warehouse containing 50.9 MT of obsolete pesticides since 1975, out of which 35.40 MT were organochlorines. DDT (Dichloro Diphenyl Trichloroethane), Endosulphan and residues of chlorpyrifos were detected in blood samples with levels of 0.079, 0.098, 0.245 mg/1, respectively. Among DDT metabolites pp' DDE (Dichloro Diphenyl Dichloroethylene) and pp' DDT were detected. Among endosulphan residues, levels of alphaendosulphan, betaendosulphan and endosulphan sulphate were 0.034, 0.023 and 0.041 mg/1, respectively. Distribution of pesticides based on the basis of sex, age, food habits and rural/ urban habitation did not clearly indicate any pattern. Water, air, dust and soil might be the major sources of these pesticides in those school children of Nepal as pesticides were being continuously leaked from a warehouse and making their way into the environment. Recurrent problems like nausea, vomition etc during wind blowing were reported by the students. No work was previously done regarding the presence of pesticides in human blood in Nepal so far and this is the first report of its kind.
Endothelial progenitor cells are associated with plasma homocysteine in coronary artery disease

Objective Little is known about the a ssociation between plasma homocysteine (Hcy) and e ndothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods Blood mononuclear cells were isolated from CAD (n = 30) patients and non-CAD controls (n = 30). Flow cytometric analysis and an in vitro c ulture system was used to evaluate the number and function of the EPC. Plasma homocysteine (Hcy) concentration was measured by an automated fl uorescence polarization immunoassay. Results Hcy level was higher in CAD than in non-CAD (13.69 ± 4.48 vs9.34 ± 2.31 μmol/L, P < 0.01). The number of circulating EPCs from CAD was decreased compared with non-CAD (58.7 ± 10.6 vs. 94.3 ± 15.1 cells/ml, P < 0.01). This decrease of EPCs in CAD was also detected (33.5 ± 6.9 vs. 55.9 ± 9.7 EPCs/×200 fi eld; P < 0.01) in an in vitroculture system. The numbers of circulating and diff erentiated EPCs were both inversely correlated with Hcy. EPCs from CAD were signifi cantly impaired in their migratory capacity and ability to adhere to fi bronectin. Conclusions We observed the correlation between Hcy level and EPC number, and also found an increased Hcy level in CAD patients. It will be interesting to reveal the underlying mechanisms contributing to the correlation and examine the possible causal relationship between Hcy levels and CAD.
Perspectives in the treatment of multiple myeloma

Introduction: The development of proteasome inhibitor (PI) and immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) and advances in supportive care have considerably changed the treatment paradigm of multiple myeloma (MM) and significantly improved survival. Nevertheless, almost all patients show disease relapse and develop drug resistance. Areas covered: We review the prognostic stratification and therapeutic strategy for newly diagnosed MM patients. Furthermore, mechanisms of drug resistance are discussed. Data regarding newer drugs, currently undergoing examination, such as PI (carfilzomib, ONX0912, MLN9708, and marizomib), IMiDs (pomalidomide), histone deacetylase inhibitors (vorinostat and panobinostat), kinase inhibitors (temsirolimus, everolimus, and tanespimycin), and immune-based therapies (elotuzumab, siltuximab, MOR03087, and MMBT062) are reported. Expert opinion: The use of three to four drug combination therapies including PI and IMiDs has significantly impacted on MM patient outcome. Moreover, new insights into MM biology from high-throughput technologies and availability of newer and more efficacious drugs will continue to influence our approach to MM treatment. In the immediate future molecular subgroup-specific trials using targeted agents may represent a very important step toward evaluating impact of interfering with relevant signaling pathways in MM. With the continued rapid evolution of progress in this field, MM will become a chronic illness having sustained complete response in a significant number of patients.
Cell surface properties correlated with cohesion in Myxococcus xanthus

The gliding behavior of Myxococcus xanthus cells is controlled by two multigene systems, A and S, which encode information for adventurous and social behaviors, respectively. The S system can be genetically disrupted through mutation, such as a dsp mutation, or phenotypically disrupted by treating cells with the diazo dye Congo red (Arnold and Shimkets, J. Bacteriol. 170:5765-5770, 1988). One of the functions controlled by the S system is cell agglutination. Immediately after the induction of agglutination, wild-type cells begin to form aggregates, and within 30 min the cells are packed side-to-side in clumps containing thousands of cells. Changes in the cohesive properties of S+ cells are correlated with changes in the topology of the cell surface observed by electron microscopy. Two types of cell-associated appendages were observed on wild-type cells: thin filaments (ca. 5 nm in diameter), which have been called fimbriae or pili, at one cell pole, and thick, flaccid filaments (ca. 50 nm in diameter), referred to as fibrils, at both the sides and tips of cells. Cohesion was correlated with the secretion of the thick fibrils, which coat the cell surface and form an extracellular matrix in which the cells are interconnected. Several lines of evidence suggest that these thick fibrils are involved in cohesion. First, Dsp cells were unable to agglutinate or secrete this extracellular material. Second, wild-type cells which were treated with Congo red neither agglutinated nor secreted the extracellular fibrils. Finally, removal of the Congo red from wild-type cells restored cohesion and also restored production of the thick fibrils. Attempts to estimate the efficiency with which two cells cohered following collision suggested that under optimal conditions, one in three collisions resulted in stable contact. The collision efficiency decreased linearly as the cell density increased, suggesting a cell density-dependent regulation of cohesion. Some aspects of gliding behavior can be explained in terms of an inducer and an inhibitor of S motility.
Presence of N-Unsubstituted Glucosamine Units in Native Heparan Sulfate Revealed by a Monoclonal Antibody (*)

Immunohistochemical application of antibodies against heparan sulfate proteoglycan core protein and heparitinase-digested heparan sulfate stubs showed the presence of heparan sulfate proteoglycan in all basement membranes of the rat kidney. However, a monoclonal antibody (JM-403) against native heparan sulfate (van den Born, J., van den Heuvel, L. P. W. J., Bakker, M. A. H., Veerkamp, J. H., Assmann, K. J. M., and Berden, J. H. M. (1992) Kidney Int. 41, 115-123) largely failed to stain tubular basement membranes, suggesting the presence of heparan sulfate chains lacking the specific JM-403 epitope. Heparan sulfate preparations from various sources differed markedly with regard to JM-403 binding, as demonstrated by liquid phase inhibition in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the interaction decreasing with increasing sulfate contents of the polysaccharide. Mapping of the JM-403 epitope indicated that it was dominated by one or more N-unsubstituted glucosamine unit(s), since treatments that destroyed or altered the structure of such units in heparan sulfate preparations (cleavage at N-unsubstituted glucosamine units with HNO2 at pH 3.9 and N-acetylation with acetic anhydride, respectively), abolished antibody binding. Conversely, immunoreactivity could be induced in a (D-glucuronyl-1,4-N-acetyl-D-glucosaminyl-1,4) polysaccharide by the generation of N-unsubstituted glucosamine units by chemical N-deacetylation. The presence of N-unsubstituted glucosamine in a JM-403-binding heparan sulfate (preparation HS-II from human aorta) was demonstrated by an 3-fold reduction in molecular size following HNO2 (pH 3.9) treatment. Further characterization of the epitope recognized by JM-403, based on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay inhibition tests with chemically/enzymatically modified polysaccharides, indicated that one or more N-sulfated glucosamine units are invariable present, whereas L-iduronic acid and O-sulfate residues appear to inhibit JM-403 reactivity. It is concluded that the epitope contains one or more N-unsubstituted glucosamine and D-glucuronic acid units and is located in a region of the heparan sulfate chain composed of mixed N-sulfated and N-acetylated disaccharide units.
Cooperation and virulence of clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa populations

Bacteria communicate and cooperate to perform a wide range of social behaviors including production of extracellular products (public goods) that are crucial for growth and virulence. Their expression may be switched on by the detection of threshold densities of diffusible signals [Quorum-Sensing (QS)]. Studies using the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa suggest that QS “cheats”—individuals that don't respond to the QS signal, but are still able to use public goods produced by others—have a selective advantage in the presence of QS cooperators. It is, however, unclear whether this type of social exploitation is relevant in clinical contexts. Here, we report the evolutionary dynamics and virulence of P. aeruginosa populations during lung colonization of mechanically ventilated patients in the absence of antimicrobial treatments. We observed a large diversity of QS phenotypes among initial colonizing isolates. This diversity decreased over a matter of days, concomitant with a gradual increase in the proportion of QS cheating mutants (lasR mutants), which were found in 80% of the patients after 9 days of colonization. These mutants often evolved from initial wild-type genotypes. The fitness advantage of the lasR mutants is almost certainly due to social exploitation, because this advantage was only apparent in the presence of QS wild-type cells. Crucially, ventilator-associated pneumonia occurred significantly earlier in patients predominantly colonized by QS wild-type populations, highlighting the importance of QS in this clinical situation. These results demonstrate that social interactions can shape the short-term evolution and virulence of bacterial pathogens in humans, providing novel opportunities for therapy.
Industrially Feasible Rear Passivation and Contacting Scheme for High-Efficiency n-Type Solar Cells Yielding a $V_{\rm oc}$ of 700 mV

n-Type solar cells with passivated rear surface and point contacts have been proven to have an enormous efficiency potential. However, an industrially feasible process for the realization of the passivated locally contacted rear side of this solar cell type is still missing. Therefore, a rear passivation scheme based on doped amorphous silicon carbide was investigated. The newly developed PassDop layer results in excellent surface passivation and, at the same time, acts as a doping source. After the PECVD of the PassDop layer, contact points are locally opened by a laser pulse, and simultaneously, a local back surface field is formed using the phosphorus contained in the layer. In the last step, the rear side is contacted by the evaporation of aluminum. Due to the very effective passivation of the rear side by the doped passivation layer as well as the excellent contact formation by the laser process, the best cell (aperture area of 4 cm2) exhibits an open-circuit voltage of 701 mV and a fill factor of 80.1%, resulting in a confirmed solar cell efficiency of 22.4%.
60 GHz Low Phase Error Rotman Lens Combined With Wideband Microstrip Antenna Array Using LTCC Technology

This paper presents a new design technique and analysis for a microstrip Rotman lens which is feeding a wide bandwidth series-fed microstrip patch antenna array. In the proposed Rotman lens method, the length of the transmission lines does not affect the progressive phase delay. This reduces the complexity of the design and improves the performance parameters. An antenna array is utilized using open ended λ/4 stubs to support high gain, directivity, and a wide bandwidth. The Rotman lens and antenna arrays are fabricated on the top layer of a multilayer low temperature cofired ceramic substrate. The Rotman lens has been designed based on the presented technique, which has five beam ports, five array ports, four dummy ports, and a footprint as small as 11 mm × 10.7 mm at 60 GHz operation frequency. The implemented lens and antenna array exhibits good insertion loss, return loss, and wide bandwidth and shows phase error as small as 0.45° in the worst case scenario.
Whole Genome Analysis of Human Neural Stem Cells Derived from Embryonic Stem Cells and Stem and Progenitor Cells Isolated from Fetal Tissue

Multipotent neural stem cells (NSC) have been derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESC) as well as isolated from fetal tissues. However, there have been few exclusive markers of NSC identified to date, and the differences between NSC from various sources are poorly understood. Although cells isolated from these two sources share many important characteristics, it is not clear how closely they are related in terms of gene expression. Here, we compare the gene expression profiles of 11 lines of NSC derived from hESC (ES_NSC), four lines of NSC isolated from fetus (F_NSC), and two lines of restricted progenitors in order to characterize these cell populations and identify differences between NSC derived from these two sources. We showed that ES_NSC were clustered together with high transcriptional similarities but were distinguished from F_NSC, oligodendrocyte precursor cells, and astrocyte precursor cells. There were 17 genes expressed in both ES_NSC and F_NSC whose expression was not identified in restricted neural progenitors. Furthermore, the major differences between ES_NSC and F_NSC were mostly observed in genes related to the key neural differentiation pathways. Here, we show that comparison of global gene expression profiles of ES_NSC, F_NSC, and restricted neural progenitor cells makes it possible to identify some of the common characteristics of NSC and differences between similar stem cell populations derived from hESCs or isolated from fetal tissue.
OPEC Spare Capacity, the Term Structure of Oil Futures Prices, and Oil Futures Returns

Alternative Investment Analyst Review Summer • 2015 10 In this article, we are going to look into whether we can explain in simple terms whether holding long futures positions in crude oil is a wise decision or not. It turns out that knowing if OPEC spare capacity is at comfortable levels would have been very helpful in making this decision, at least since the 1990s. But this factor alone is not sufficient. One has to also examine the shape of the crude oil futures curve. The task of this article will be to explain how we came to these conclusions.
Validation of a New Heart Rate Measurement Algorithm for Fingertip Recording of Video Signals with Smartphones.

INTRODUCTION This study investigates the accuracy of a heart rate (HR) measurement algorithm applied to a pulse wave. This was based on video signals recorded with a smartphone. The results of electrocardiographic HR and standard linear heart rate variability (HRV) analysis were used for reference. MATERIALS AND METHODS On a total of 68 subjects, an electrocardiogram (ECG) and the pulse curve were simultaneously recorded on an Apple iPhone 4S. The HR was measured using an algorithm developed by the authors that works according to a method combining the detection of the steepest slope of every pulse wave with the correlation to an optimized pulse wave pattern. RESULTS The results of the HR measured by pulse curves were extremely consistent (R > 0.99) with the HR measured on ECGs. For most standard linear HRV parameters as well, high correlations of R ≥ 0.90 in the analysis were achieved in the time and frequency domain. CONCLUSION In conclusion, the overall accuracy of HR and HRV indices of pulse wave analysis, based on video signals of a smartphone, with the developed algorithm was sufficient for preclinical screening applications.