Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
COMPARATIVE STUDY OF A TIME DIVERSITY SCHEME APPLIED TO G 3 SYSTEMS FOR NARROWBAND POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS

Power-line communications can be used for the transfer of data across electrical networks in applications such as automatic meter reading in smart grid technology. As the power-line channel is harsh and plagued with non-Gaussian noise, robust forward error correction schemes are required. This research is a comparative study where a Luby transform code is concatenated with power-line communication systems provided by an up-to-date standard published by électricité Réseau Distribution France named G3 PLC. Both decoding using Gaussian elimination and belief propagation are implemented to investigate and characterise their behaviour through computer simulations in MATLAB. Results show that a bit error rate performance improvement is achievable under non worst-case channel conditions using a Gaussian elimination decoder. An adaptive system is thus recommended which decodes using Gaussian elimination and which has the appropriate data rate. The added complexity can be well tolerated especially on the receiver side in automatic meter reading systems due to the network structure being built around a centralised agent which possesses more resources.
NANOGRATING Si BIO-FETs FOR SENSITIVE DETECTION OF PROTEIN

Here we reported the application of silicon-nanogratings (Si-NG), as sensing elements rather than conventional single channel in the nanoscale Si Bio-FETs that can improve the device performance interms of sharper SS, higher ON/OFF ratio, lower Vt with a significant reduction in device to device variation. These NG-FETs also results in higher sensor stability and reproducibility over tens of hours in pH sensing. We believe that such improvements are due to reduced discrete dopant fluctuation and biochemical noise in the solution. Selective detection of insulin-analog in both buffer and human serum with a detection of limit down to 10fM is demonstrated.
Antenatal care on the Agenda of the Post-Millennium Development Goals in northern Ghana

Background: Antenatal care (ANC) is a key strategy to improve maternal and infant health. However, many pregnant women often do not achieve the recommended number of ANC visits although it recommended pregnant women undergo focussed ANC for up to 8 times in a single pregnancy. The aim of the paper was to assess influence of ANC services on women
A Biologically Inspired Four-Legged Walking Robot (Robo-Dog)

The Robo-dog was designed and implemented by a Shiqi Peng, a PhD student in 2006. The dog incorporated many control systems such as Reinforced Learning, Subsumption Architecture and a Central Pattern Producer. The dog since 2013 has been in an inactive state, the dog now is used to educate students on various concepts such as debugging, electronics and programming. A variety of issues stem from the dog and are not limited to the lack of documentation, missing equipment and components, broken and faulty hardware components and a limited functioning program. The objectives of the project are: restore various capabilities of the dog, moving the dog from Point A to Point B, implementing a control system utilising pre-existing sensors on the dog. To begin attempting to manoeuvre the dog, various components such as tilt-sensors, foot-sensors and microcontroller communication needed to be addressed as the components were not in a working state. Documentation has been updated or created to reflect the changes that have been made to the components of the dog. Moving the dog from Point A to Point B was achieved through various walking techniques, by adapting and adjusting the limb movements in the walk gait for a dog and then applying the concepts to the robo-dog. The implementation of the limb movement and the walk gait focused on maximising forward movement per cycle incorporating a sequential approach where each movement were dependant on one other. A control system was implemented in the form of Subsumption Architecture; the behaviours implemented are to determine the balance of the dog, walk sequence of the dog and to determine whether the dog is walking on a ramp. The implementation goal is to provide an easy-to-expand control system so that future students can add additional behaviours to the system.
Sources of urea in arctic seas: zooplankton metabolism

The copepod Pseudocalanus acuspes in the high arctic frequently occurs under fast ice in April and May, where it apparently feeds on ice algae. Excretion measurements for this species in summer from Barrow Strait, Northwest Territories, Canada, showed that urea frequently exceeded ammonia as the primary nitrogenous excretory product. Subsequent experiments in different seasons, also including observations on several other species of arctic zooplankton, notably the copepods Calanus hyperboreus, C. glacialis and Metridia tonga, similarly demonstrated high levels of urea excretion. The Calanus spp. showed strong correlation between size (dry weight) and metabolic rates for oxygen consumption and for ammonia excretion, and, for C. glacialis, between size and urea excretion as well. No size-related metabolic relationships were found for P. acuspes, probably because of the small size range of the experimental specimens used. However, P acuspes and both Calanus species demonstrated striking changes in weight-specific metabolism with season. For all species examined, weight-specific estimates of respiration and excretion frequently yielded O:N ratios less than 20, and occasionally less than 10, when urea and ammonia excretion were combined in the calculations.
splicing associated modifications of alternative − Tumor microenvironment Material Supplemental

Pre-mRNA alternative splicing is modified in cancer, but the origin and specificity of these changes remain unclear. Here, we probed ovarian tumors to identify cancer-associated splicing isoforms and define the mechanism by which splicing is modified in cancer cells. Using high-throughput quantitative PCR, we monitored the expression of splice variants in laser-dissected tissues from ovarian tumors. Surprisingly, changes in alternative splicing were not limited to the tumor tissues but were also found in the tumor microenvironment. Changes in the tumor-associated splicing events were found to be regulated by splicing factors that are differentially expressed in cancer tissues. Overall, ∼20% of the alternative splicing events affected by the down-regulation of the splicing factors QKI and RBFOX2 were altered in the microenvironment of ovarian tumors. Together, our results indicate that the tumor microenvironment undergoes specific changes in alternative splicing orchestrated by a limited number of splicing factors.
04. Genetic differentiation among northern European pool frog ( Rana lessonae ) populations

The isolated Swedish metapopulation of pool frogs (Rana lessonae) was not discovered until the 1940s and is classified as "vulnerable" in conservation terms. Swedish pool frogs are now known from.96 localities along the Baltic coast of east-central Sweden, and differ from Central European conspecifics in terms of coloration and low allozyme heterozygosity. Using mini- and microsatellite DNA fingerprinting and allozyme electrophoresis, we studied genetic differentiation among pool frogs from Poland, Latvia, Russia, and Sweden. Allozyme variability was partitioned equally within and among the populations (F S T = 0.50). Both allozyme and DNA fingerprint analyses indicated that Swedish frogs were most similar to Latvian ones. The average similarity in DNA fingerprints among Swedish populations was of the same order as the similarity within the Polish, Latvian or Russian populations. Pool frogs from opposite ends of the Swedish distribution, however, were as different from one another as they were from continental conspecifics. Our results complement and corroborate the evidence from other studies, suggesting that there is a "northern Glade" of Swedish, Norwegian and British pool frogs, and that the Swedish pool frogs constitute a relict population rather than being descendants from a recent introduction by humans.
ELECTRICITY FUTURES PRICE MODELING WITH LÉVY TERM STRUCTURE MODELS

In this paper, we generalize the approach of Hinz & Wilhelm (2006), Pricing flow commodity derivatives using fixed income market techniques. International Journal of Theoretical and Applied Finance 9, 1299–1321, replacing in the dynamics of the asset prices the Brownian motion by a more general Levy process, also taking into account the occurrence of spikes. In particular, we reduce the modeling of an electricity futures market to the modeling of a Levy bond market with an additional risky asset. This allows to employ well established techniques from interest rate term structure modeling. We then examine Markovianity of the induced electricity spot price, an important property when it comes to option pricing. We show that the considered method combined with the Fourier transform techniques provides semi analytic pricing formulas for European electricity options. Finally, we consider the pricing of path dependent derivatives such as electricity swing options.
From CSR to RSC

The task of this paper is to trace the academic discourse on corporate social responsibility (CSR) by discussing how CSR approaches and models relate profit goals and social goals of the corporation. I show that CSR approaches that dominate the academic discourse either instrumentalize the social, idealize the corporate, or separate the corporate from the social. Based on a critical political economy perspective I argue that it is necessary to consider mutual interrelations between profit goals and social goals. This perspective reveals an antagonism between the corporate and the social that points to the impossibility of CSR. Critical CSR research thus far has failed to draw the necessary conclusions from its own analysis: despite acknowledging the structural flaws of the concept of CSR, critics have hardly made any attempts to overcome it. I argue that despite its ideological character CSR contains a rational element. Realizing this rational kernel however requires going beyond CSR. I therefore suggest a new concept that turns CSR off its head and places it upon its feet.
Medical Language Processing for Patient Diagnosis Using Text Classification and Negation Labelling

This paper describes the approach of the DIT AIGroup to the i2b2 Obesity Challenge to build a system to diagnose obesity and related co-morbidities from narrative, unstructured patient records. Based on experimental results a system was developed which used knowledge-light text classification using decision trees, and negation labelling.
Abstract 35 IF NOT HUMAN, THEN WHAT? SPECIES IDENTIFICATION BY PCR OF THE CYTOCHROME B REGION

35 IF NOT HUMAN, THEN WHAT? SPECIES IDENTIFICATION BY PCR OF THE CYTOCHROME B REGION Nicholas Vandenberg, BSc (Hons), Stuart Cantsilieris, BSc, Alexandra Gavrilidis, BSc (Hons) and M. Luisa Ashdown, MSc Genetic Technologies Limited, 60-66 Hanover Street, Fitzroy, Victoria, AUSTRALIA 3065 The PCR technique can be used to detect the presence of non-primate DNA in a sample; this has forensic application when the source of a biological sample is in question. It has been shown that the conserved region of the mitochondrially coded cytochrome b gene can be amplified in over a hundred different species using a standard set of primers [1]. In this study we use a common forward primer, based on the known DNA sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene, and variable length reverse primers (FAM TM dye labeled) to amplify DNA from six different domestic animal species. Resolution of the labeled PCR products on an ABI 3130-xl ® Genetic Analyser shows fragments of specific lengths, corresponding to each of the different species targeted. The fragment sizes are 154, 223, 271, 330, 394 and 433 bp for goat, bird, cattle, sheep, pig and horse DNA respectively. The robustness of this technique was examined using 50 different samples of DNA for each of the different species tested. We included different breeds of the same species, which also gave unambiguous results. Only sheep primers cross-react with goat DNA. Therefore, in the presence of goat DNA two fragments of different sizes are produced, being 154 and 330 bp. None of the primers cross-react with DNA from humans, cats, dogs and alpacas. Overall, the sensitivity of these tests varied from 1 ng of template DNA for cattle down to 10 pg of DNA for goats and birds. We have successfully combined these primers into a highly efficient multiplex format. Combining the primers into a single reaction enables the rapid and accurate identification of goat, bird, cattle, sheep, pig and horse DNA in a sample or the identification of mixtures of these species, down to a ratio of 100:1. Results of the study show that it is possible to reliably discriminate between each of the species tested using this technique, based on the variability in lengths of PCR products generated. The identification of the species of origin of a sample can serve as a guide to identifying the appropriate panel of STR markers to use for further individualization, especially in situations in which biological evidence from an animal may be linked to a crime scene. The identification of mixtures of these species may also be of significance in product contamination or substitution cases. References [1] Kocher, T.D. et al (1989) Dynamics of mitochondrial DNA evolution in animals: amplification and sequencing with conserved primers. Proceedings National Academy of Sciences USA 86: 6196-6200.
Impact of Siberian observations on the optimization of surface CO 2 flux

Abstract. To investigate the effect of additional CO2 observations in the Siberia region on the Asian and global surface CO2 flux analyses, two experiments using different observation data sets were performed for 2000–2009. One experiment was conducted using a data set that includes additional observations of Siberian tower measurements (Japan-Russia Siberian Tall Tower Inland Observation Network: JR-STATION), and the other experiment was conducted using a data set without the above additional observations. The results show that the global balance of the sources and sinks of surface CO2 fluxes was maintained for both experiments with and without the additional observations. While the magnitude of the optimized surface CO2 flux uptake and flux uncertainty in Siberia decreased from −1.17 ± 0.93 to −0.77 ± 0.70 Pg C yr−1, the magnitude of the optimized surface CO2 flux uptake in the other regions (e.g., Europe) of the Northern Hemisphere (NH) land increased for the experiment with the additional observations, which affect the longitudinal distribution of the total NH sinks. This change was mostly caused by changes in the magnitudes of surface CO2 flux in June and July. The observation impact measured by uncertainty reduction and self-sensitivity tests shows that additional observations provide useful information on the estimated surface CO2 flux. The average uncertainty reduction of the conifer forest of Eurasian boreal (EB) is 29.1 % and the average self-sensitivities at the JR-STATION sites are approximately 60 % larger than those at the towers in North America. It is expected that the Siberian observations play an important role in estimating surface CO2 flux in the NH land (e.g., Siberia and Europe) in the future.
Multidimensionality and Determinants of Consumer Loyalty in Tourist Services

Purpose. The purpose of this article is to present the essence and polymorphism of the loyalty concept, as well as to identify the determinants of consumer loyalty in the tourism market. Method. The method used was a review of literature for utilitarian purposes and cognitive purposes of a heuristic nature and based on the analysis and evaluation of previous research projects and existing publications covering the subject matter. Findings. The subject literature review confirms that while consumer loyalty to a destination and the broadly understood accommodation services constitute the frequent objective of research, the consumer loyalty of travel agents is rarely analyzed. The above conclusions indicate the need for conducting research and undertaking attempts to explain consumer loyalty in the tourism market in this particular area. Research and conclusions limitations. In accordance with the research methodology, the research methods used in the article represent preliminary research of an exploratory nature and constitute a starting point for other studies of the subject matter subject matter. Practical implications. As a result of a detailed analysis and observations of loyalty determinants followed by customers of tourist services as indicated in the article, it is possible to get a better understanding of the decision-making processes of customers. Originality. The paper presents definitions of research constructs in the tourism market, indicating both behavioral and affective determinants of client loyalty to tourist services and also proposes the conceptualization of consumer loyalty research in the tourism market, including antecedents and consequences of loyalty shown by consumers of tourist services. Type of paper. A review presenting theoretical concepts.
Growth disparities among regions of the Visegrad group countries: an evidence of their extent and nature

Prohlubovani regionalnich disparit je problem vzrůstajiciho významu, který je na urovni politiky EU systematicky akcentovan, zvlastě pak po zapoceti procesu „východni integrace“. Přispěvek je zaměřen na země Visegrad Group, jejichž regiony jsou v kontextu EU meně rozvinute. Cilem výzkumu je posoudit vývoj disparit v ekonomicke výkonosti regionů zemi Visegrad Group; identifikovat, jak složky ekonomickeho růstu tyto disparity determinuji; a castecně take posoudit, zda měla integrace zemi Visegrad Group do EU vliv na vývoj regionalnich disparit těchto zemi. Pro analýzu vývoje disparit v obdobi 2000-2013 byl zvolen přistup měřeni realne konvergence (sigma-convergence). Disparity jsou měřeny v kontextu dekompozice GDP per capita na dilci složky odražejici vývoj disparit v produktivitě a zaměstnanosti. Výsledky ukazuji, že zatimco vůci průměru EU regiony zemi Visegrad Group konvergovaly, a stejně tak z hlediska Visegrad Group jako celku, regionalni disparity v ramci jednotlivých zemi spise narůstaly. Doslo tak k paradoxni situaci, kdy je sice cil snižovani regionalnich disparit napřic EU naplňovan, nicmeně z narodniho hlediska disparity narůstaly. Hlavni determinantou disparit v výkonnosti regionů Visegrad Group je faktor Labour productivity, s dominantnim a přitom soustavně rostoucim podilem na rozsahu. U ostatnich zdrojů disparit stabilni vývoj ci konvergence. Z obecných zavěrů se vsak vymykaji regiony Polska, u nichž byl rozsah disparit neustale rostouci a jejich zdrojem byla Labour participation rate. Z hlediska efektu přistoupeni k EU jsou naměřene změny spise minoritni a identifikovane trendy byly převažně nastoleny již před vstupem zemi Visegrad Group do EU.
The influence of clients, as a dimension of the relational capital, on the product-process innovativeness

The complexity of the business world had increased, in managers and researchers, the will to find new competitive factors within the firms that permit to achieve sustainable competitive advantage. In this concern the knowledge-based view of the firm emphasizes knowledge as a resource that reveals advantages to the firms. And the intellectual capital represents the management of those knowledge-based assets that are valuable to the firm. On the other hand, and despite the importance of innovation and innovativeness within today's economy, we know little about how intellectual capital of the firm can contribute to a superior innovation at the firm level. Investigating this linkage we have made a survey to 68 firms working on the auto components sector, established in the Northern of Spain and Northern of Portugal, and we found firstly, that innovativeness has two main dimensions, perfectly differentiated, the product-process innovation and the management innovation; secondly that the clients (relational capital dimension) influences differently each type of innovativeness capacity. We found that the clients influences directly, only, the product-process innovativeness. Moreover, in our study, clients had no direct influence on the management innovativeness. These results highlight the importance of the dimension client of the relational capital on the innovativeness performance and more broadly, highlight the value of intellectual capital as a competitive advantage in contemporary time. Keywords Clients, Relational capital, Intellectual capital, Innovativeness, Product, Process.
Infrared/optical – X-ray simultaneous observations of X-ray flares in GRB 071112C and GRB 080506

Aims. We investigate the origin of short X-ray flares which are occasionally observed in early stages of afterglows of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). Methods. We observed two Swift events, GRB 071112C and GRB 080506, before the start of X-ray flares in the optical and nearinfrared (NIR) bands with the 1.5-m Kanata telescope. In conjunction with published X-ray and optical data, we analyzed densely sampled light curves of the early afterglows and spectral energy distributions (SEDs) in the NIR-X-ray ranges. Results. Wefound that the SEDshad abreak between the optical and X-ray bands inthe normal decay phases of both GRBsregardless of the model for the correction of the interstellar extinction in host galaxies of GRBs. In the X-ray flares, X-ray flux increased by 3 and 15 times in the case of GRB 071112C and 080506, respectively, and the X-ray spectra became harder than those in the normal decay phases. No significant variation in the optical-NIR range was detected together with the X-ray flares. Conclusions. These results suggest that the X-ray flares were associated with either late internal shocks or external shocks from two-component jets.
A Survey on the Role of Individual Differences on Visual Analytics Interactions: Masters Project Report

There is ample evidence in the visualization community that individual differences matter. These prior works highlight various traits and cognitive abilities that can modulate the use of the visualization systems and demonstrate a measurable influence on speed, accuracy, process, and attention. Perhaps the most important implication of this body of work is that we can use individual differences as a mechanism for estimating people’s potential to effectively leverage visual interfaces or to identify those people who may struggle. As visual literacy and data fluency continue to become essential skills for our everyday lives, we must embrace the growing need to understand the factors that divide our society, and identify concrete steps for bridging this gap. This paper presents the current understanding of how individual differences interact with visualization use and draws from recent research in the Visualization, Human-Computer Interaction, and Psychology communities. We focus on the specific designs and tasks for which there is concrete evidence of performance divergence due to individual characteristics. The purpose of this paper is to underscore the need to consider individual differences when designing and evaluating visualization systems and to call attention to this critical future research direction.