Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Detection scheme for linear dispersion space-time block codes using modified SQRD decomposition

In this work, a novel architecture for detection of Hybrid MIMO Systems over Rayleigh fading channels is presented. The Hybrid MIMO scheme consists of one Alamouti space-time block code unit, plus antennas operating as layers of V-BLAST in the transmitter. The proposed receiver is based on the algorithm Sorted QR decomposition (SQRD) presented in (Wubben et al. , 2001). This proposal reduces significantly the complexity while maintaining the advantages of the SQRD scheme, obtaining a considerable gain in performance in terms of bit error rate (BER) at the expense of decreasing data rate.
Polarized America: The Dance of Ideology and Unequal Riches

The idea of America as politically polarized—that there is an unbridgeable divide between right and left, red and blue states—has become a cliche. What commentators miss, however, is that increasing polarization in recent decades has been closely accompanied by fundamental social and economic changes—most notably, a parallel rise in income inequality. In Polarized America, Nolan McCarty, Keith Poole, and Howard Rosenthal examine the relationships of polarization, wealth disparity, immigration, and other forces, characterizing it as a dance of give and take and back and forth causality. Using NOMINATE (a quantitative procedure that, like interest group ratings, scores politicians on the basis of their roll call voting records) to measure polarization in Congress and public opinion, census data and Federal Election Commission finance records to measure polarization among the public, the authors find that polarization and income inequality fell in tandem from 1913 to 1957 and rose together dramatically from 1977 on; they trace a parallel rise in immigration beginning in the 1970s. They show that Republicans have moved right, away from redistributive policies that would reduce income inequality. Immigration, meanwhile, has facilitated the move to the right: non-citizens, a larger share of the population and disproportionately poor, cannot vote; thus there is less political pressure from the bottom for redistribution than there is from the top against it. In "the choreography of American politics" inequality feeds directly into political polarization, and polarization in turn creates policies that further increase inequality.
Promoting Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration at the Preprofessional Level: The Reading Specialist in the Speech-Language Clinic

Speech-language pathologists are increasingly involved in preventing, identifying, and ameliorating literacy-based difficulties. This article asserts the need for speech-language pathologists to collaborate with reading specialists in these activities, and that preparing profes- sionals for such collaboration should begin at the preprofessional level. A pilot initiative for enhancing preprofessional speech-language pathology students' cross-disciplinary awareness and skill with respect to literacy is described.
Viability of bacteria from different aquatic habitats. II: Cellular fluorescent markers for membrane integrity and metabolic activity

We applied different types of fluorescent markers to natural bacterioplankton from different aquatic systems to investigate microscopically the percentage of viable bacteria. To characterise viable bacteria, cell-specific respiration was measured by cyanoditolyltetrazolium chloride (CTC) reduction. Membrane integrity was investigated with 3 'dead cell' stains (SYTOX ® Green, propidium iodide and ethidium homodimer-2). Cellular enzyme activity was detected by artificial substrate analogs with a high cell retention (CellTracker™ Green CMFDA for cellular esterase and 7-amino-4-chloromethylcoumarin L-leucine amide, hydrochloride (CMAC-Leu) for cellular peptidase). The percentage of impermeable, i.e. morphologically intact, cells accounted for 22 to 81% of the total cell number at all locations. Al- though up to 48% of all bacteria were respiring, they averaged between 10 and 14% in freshwater, es- tuarine waters and in the Baltic Sea. The portion of esterase-positive cells correlated significantly with the concentrations of dissolved (DOC) and particulate organic carbon (POC) as well as with chlorophyll a (chl a) content. Cellular esterase was shown by this labelling technique in only 9% of freshwater, 12% of estuarine and 5% of Baltic Sea bacteria, . The percentages of bacteria with cellular peptidase were even lower with 6, 5 and 3%, respectively. The different amounts of intact and respiring bacteria as well as those with cellular hydrolytic enzyme activities require not only correct operational definitions of active and viable bacteria, but also the appropriate choice of fluorescent markers regarding the goals of investigation. Fluorescent labels for cellular hydrolytic enzymes will also provide a new tool to localise active cells in aggregates or on sediment particles, where, besides the respiration of organic carbon, hydrolysis of organic substances is an important conversion process.
EFFECTS OF GENDER AND FOOT POSITION ON ACCELERATION PATTERN OF KNEE AND HIP JOINT DURING DEEP SQUAT

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of gender and foot position on the acceleration patterns of the knee and hip joints during deep squat. Twenty-two male and 10 female collegiate students participated in this study. All the participants performed a deep squat two times in neutral foot position (NFP), with the foot rotated externally by 15° (ERFP). A wireless triaxial accelerometer was attached on the right-side knee and hip joints of each participant. Acceleration data generated in the anterior-posterior (AP), medio-lateral (ML), and superior-inferior (SI) directions during deep squat were collected at 2000 Hz. Mixed analysis of variance (p < 0.05) was used to identify the interaction and main effects of gender and foot positions. The acceleration patterns of the knee joint during deep squat according to gender indicated differences between the AP and ML directions. The acceleration motion of the hip joint under the ERFP condition indicated a difference in the SI direction.
The role of pre-school quality in promoting resilience in the development of young children

The study reported here investigates the role of pre-school education as a protective factor in the development of children who are at risk due to environmental and individual factors. Previous studies on resilience have found only limited support for such a protective relationship. This investigation builds upon earlier research by examining different kinds of “quality” in early education. It tests the hypothesis that pre-schools of high quality can moderate the impacts of risks upon cognitive development. If quality moderates the impact of known risks, then it can be considered an educational “protection” in child development and a promoter of resilience. Cognitive development was measured in 2857 English pre-schoolers at 36 and 58 months of age. At the same time, 22 individual risks to children‟s development were measured as well. The 141 pre-schools that the children attended had the quality of their provision assessed by three measures. Multilevel structural equation modelling revealed that: the global quality of pre-school can moderate the effects of familial risk (such as poverty), the relationships between staff and children can moderate the effects of child level risk (such as low birth weight), and the specific quality of curricular provision can moderate the effects of both. Policy makers need to take quality into account in their efforts to promote resilience in young „at risk‟ children through early childhood services.
Countercyclical Fiscal Policy and Cyclical Factor Utilization

In a neoclassical growth model with monopolistic competition in the product market, the presence of cyclical factor utilization enhances the stabilization role of countercyclical taxes. The costs of varying capital utilization take the form of varying rates of depreciation, which in turn have amplifying effect on investment decisions as well as the volatility of most aggregate variables. This creates an additional channel through which taxes affect the economy, a channel that enhances the stabilization role of countercyclical taxes, with particularly strong effects in the labor market. However, in terms of welfare, countercyclical taxes are welfare inferior due to reduced precautionary saving motives.
Interactive Remote Rendering

In this thesis, we present an interactive remote volume-rendering system. Our system tries to bridge the gap between complex medical volume data and the patient. The user can easily upload their own data, which they receive from the clinician after a scan, which they can then visualize. Our application does not require any medical or volume visualization background, and can run from any device with a working internet connection and an internet browser. We also introduce a technique to use multiple machines in order to combine the computing power into one very fast renderer and the other way around: multiple concurrent users on one machine by distributing the workload efficiently.
Fund managers’ contracts and short-termism

This paper considers the problem faced by long-term investors who have to delegate the management of their money to professional fund managers. Investors can earn profits if fund managers collect long-term information. We investigate to what extent the delegation of fund management prevents long-term information acquisition, inducing short-termism in financial markets. We also study the design of long-term fund managers’ compensation contracts. Under moral hazard, fund managers’ compensation optimally depends on both short-term and longterm fund performance. Short-term performance is determined by price efficiency, and thus by subsequent fund managers’ information acquisition decisions. These managers are less likely to be active on the market if information has already been acquired initially, giving rise to a feedback effect. The consequences are twofold: First, short-termism emerges. Second, short-term compensation for fund managers depends in a non-monotonic way on long-term information precision. We derive predictions regarding fund managers’ contracts and financial markets efficiency.
Review of recent research in nano cellulose preparation and application from jute fibers

Jute is the second most important fiber in the world, which is easy to grow on all types of soil from clay to sandy loam. The popularity of jute is attributable to its abundant and cheapness, and jute fiber is mainly used in the manufacture of coarse fabrics like bags, hessian, sacking, canvas and twines. Jute is rich in cellulose, which could be served as promising candidates for nano materials production. Nano cellulose features concerned its high strength and stiffness, renewability, low density, biodegradability, low thermal expansion coefficient and high aspect ratio. Fields of use of nanocellulose include reinforcement of nanocomposite materials, thickening agents, tissue engineering scaffolds, dry-strength additive for paper, filtration media, adsorbents, etc. This review summarizes progress in nanocellulose preparation and also discusses recent developments in nanocomposite fabrication based on jute fibers.
DISTURBANCES CAUSED BY FLOODS IN THREE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF A VERTISOL SOIL IN THE EAST REGION OF CUBA, CULTIVATED WITH SUGARCANE (Saccharum spp.)

In Cuba the 40,3 % of cultivated lands is located in poorly drained soils, with tendency to increase, compounded by the effects of current climate change, which in this region of Cuba are becoming with more frecuency in extreme climatic events such as droughts and floods. The researh was developed with the objective of determing the influence of flooding in a Vertisol soil in three physical properties in the Cauto River Valley, of the Granma province. It was considered the presence or absence of flooding as the principal factor on large plots, each one divided into 30 plots of 48 m2, to facilitate take replicate samples. Two samplings, one at the beginning of the experiement and the other five months later, when the soil flooded concluded. The average of the bulk density, total porosity and aeration porosity values with their standard errors were plotted by bars, while statistically discriminated with the use of the Student t test. It is concluded that prolongated water excess in the soil increased bulk density and makes it significally decreases the total aeration and porosity, which affects physical fertility of these soils and a decrease of the sugarcane yield, the principal crop in Cuba yet.
Optimization of NWP model closure parameters using total energy norm of forecast error as a target

Abstract. We explore the use of dry total energy norm in improving numerical weather prediction (NWP) model forecast skill. The Ensemble Prediction and Parameter Estimation System (EPPES) is utilized to estimate ECHAM5 atmospheric GCM (global circulation models) closure parameters related to clouds and precipitation. The target criterion in the optimization is the dry total energy norm of 3-day forecast error with respect to the ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts) operational analyses. The results are summarized as follows: (i) forecast error growth in terms of energy norm is slower in the optimized than in the default model up to day 10 forecasts (and beyond), (ii) headline forecast skill scores are improved in the training sample as well as in independent samples, (iii) the decrease of the forecast error energy norm at day three is mainly because of smaller kinetic energy error in the tropics, and (iv) this impact is spread into midlatitudes at longer ranges and appears as a smaller forecast error of potential energy. The interpretation of these results is that the parameter optimization has reduced the model error so that the forecasts remain longer in the vicinity of the analyzed state.
Determinants of Market Participation and Intensity of Marketed Surplus of Teff Producers in Bacho and Dawo Districts of Oromia State, Ethiopia

The vast majority of households in Ethiopia live in rural areas and agriculture is still the main economic activity. They rarely produce for the market and are highly dependent on climate for their subsistence. In this paper, the market options available to these farmers, as well as market related factors that are problematic were investigated. Multi-stage sampling procedure was employed to draw sample of 150 teff producers. Double hurdle model was used to identify factors affecting market participation and intensity of marketed surplus of teff. Market participation of smallholder farmers was significantly affected by access to credit, perception of farmers on lagged market price of teff, family size, agroecology, farm size and ownership of transport equipment. The intensity of marketed supply was significantly influenced by family size, agroecology, distance to the nearest market, farm size, perception of current price, income from other farming and off-farm activity, and livestock holding. The findings generally suggest the need to create trust among value chain actors, reliable market information, strong extension intervention on upgrading the value chain, and giving training for farmers on marketing.
The Effect of Personality Characteristics of Capital Market Analysts on Investment Trends, Risk and Return of their Performance

The relationship between finance and other social sciences as known behavioural finance, evaluate investors to the decision-making process and their reaction to different conditions of financial markets deals. In this study assumed that analysts are specialist in fundamental and technical analysis and then influence their personality characteristics is evaluated on their performance. Statistical population and the sample of this study consist of capital market analysts. Required data is collected by a combined questionnaire. The research hypotheses are tested using Pearson’s correlation tests. The results show that there is a significant correlation between extraversion features, Agreeableness, Consciousness and personal control to the degree of risk aversion, but no significant relationship was observed between personality characteristics and returns portfolios analysts. In addition, no significant relationship was observed between the type of fundamental analysis and technical analysts and degree of risk aversion. In addition, findings show that the degree of risk aversion has inverse relationship whit capital market analyst’s tendency investment. Also, analyst’s whit characteristics of extroversion, agreeableness and Consciousness are more likely to invest in short-term and long-term investments.
The Analysis of Form: Without Measurement and Without Computers

SYNOPSIS. An attempt is made to argue from discrete measurement of shape, through field representations of form, to analyses that encompass entire patterns. One method for achieving this last is the optical Fourier transformation. Examples of how it works on theoretical patterns are presented. Results of practical studies of actual radiographs of cancellous patterns in vertebral bodies of humans and apes are given. Architectural elements totally unsuspected from normal radiographic examinations are found. And it is shown that these have implications for our understanding of the nature of the relationship between bone architecture and stress bearing. The application more widely of such a method for the analysis of complex patterns is noted.
Bacteria-template synthesized silver microspheres with hollow and porous structures as excellent SERS substrate

Template-driven strategy is widely explored for the synthesis of nano/micro materials. Of all the templates studied, naturally occurring biological systems such as proteins, viruses and bacteria have attracted more attention due to the prolific sources and complex structural diversities. Herein, we report a simple bacteria templated synthesis of silver microspheres over a bottom-up controlled route. These as-prepared silver microspheres not only have narrow size distribution but possess hollow and porous structures. Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) experiments using 2-mercaptopyridine (2-Mpy) as probing molecules show that these hollow porous microspheres can act as excellent substrate for ultrasensitive detecting. The detection limit is as low as 10−15 M and the enhancement factor reaches to 1011. Compared with other conventional SERS substrates, the reproducible, high sensitive and cost-effective Ag microspheres could become an ideal substrate choice for practical SERS application.
Familial adenomatous polyposis: age of onset and association with mutations of the APC gene in patients from West Ukraine

M. R. Lozynska, Y. S. Lozynskyy, A. Plawski © 2017 M. R. Lozynska et al.; Published by the Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, NAS of Ukraine on behalf of Biopolymers and Cell. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited UDC: 616– 006.5/. 55 – 031.81– 056.7/. 76 – 02:616–053–055(477.83)
Performance Analysis of Various DC-DC Converters with Optimum Controllers for PV Applications

Alternative vehicles to Internal Combustion Engines (ICE), for instance the electric vehicle is becoming popular. Electric Vehicles (EV) are pollution free and cost effective because the fossil fuel cost increases day by day. These factors make people passion for electric vehicles. Electrical energy demand necessitates charging of electric vehicles using renewable energy. Among the different renewable energy resources, Photovoltaic (PV) cells are suitable for EV. The PV output power capacity is still low, so efforts continue to develop the PV converter and its controller, aiming for higher power-extracting efficiency. The PV system requires a proper DC-DC converter with optimum controller to deliver its maximum power. This study analyses the various DC-DC converters such as buck, boost, cuk and modified cuk converters to find the solution for maximum efficiency. In this study in addition to converters, various Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) methods, such as Perturb and Observe, Incremental Conductance along with a proposed algorithm called Brain Emotional Learning Based Intelligent Controller (BELBIC) has been analyzed. The operation of the BELBIC is based on the emotion processing mechanism in the brain. This intelligent control is stimulated by the limbic system of the mammalian brain. The performance analysis of the converters and MPPT methods are simulated using MATLAB/SIMULINK. Furthermore, experimental results are presented in order to validate the modified cuk converter with proposed BELBIC algorithm.
Environmental impacts of biomass combustion for heating and electricity generation

Environmental impacts are of primary importance for the design of combustion systems at any scale. An important issue for plant operators is to forecast the influence of changing the combustion process on the plant efficiency and pollutant emissions level at the same time. Biomass pyrolysis thermally converts biomass feedstock into biochar, bio-oil, and syngas in the absence of air/oxygen. Products generated from biomass pyrolysis offer options for alleviating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and for providing realistic options in mitigating coal combustion particulate matter (PM) emissions as the generated heat and electricity. Modern biomass combustion power plants are reduce waste-water discharges to levels that are accommodated within the local municipal sewer system. Water supply and water quality are critical issues for plant siting and operations, and most boiler facilities include a water treatment plant to produce high-purity water for the boiler. Air emissions generally constitute the largest environmental concern for most combustion systems and have become a principal inhibitor to expanded development in many regions with poor air quality due to the high cost of stringent emission control or emission offsets. Indirect effects leading to deforestation and agricultural expansion with high greenhouse gas emissions elsewhere in the world when biomass is produced as an energy crop may further reduce the sustainability of bioenergy and potentially increase exposures to criteria and other pollutants.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa Extracellular Secreted Molecules Have a Dominant Role in Biofilm Development and Bacterial Virulence in Cystic Fibrosis Lung Infections

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder that predominantly affects Caucasian populations. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the most important Gram‐negative pathogen that persists in CF patients’ lungs. By evading host defence mechanisms and persisting, it is ultimately responsible for the morbidity and mortality of about 80% of CF patients worldwide. P. aeruginosa is also responsible for infections in burns, wounds, eyes, nosocomial patients and HIV patients. Prevalence and progression of infection by P. aeruginosa in the host is dependent on secretion of numerous extracellular molecules such as polysaccharides, proteases, eDNA, pyocyanin and pyoverdine. These molecules have multiple roles in facilitating P. aeruginosa colonisation and virulence. Pyocyanin is one of the major factors dictating progression of infection and biofilm formation. Pyocyanin is a potent virulence factor causing host cell death in CF patients. In this chapter, we have outlined the roles of various extracellular molecules secreted by P. aeruginosa and specifically focused on the role of pyocyanin in inducing eDNA production, binding to eDNA via intercalation and facilitating biofilm promoting factors, whilst inducing oxidative stress to host cells via production of reactive oxygen species. In line with this, we have described the current challenges in treatment of CF infections and the development of new strategies to control P. aeruginosa infections.