Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On-demand multicast routing in ad hoc networks with unidirectional links

Many techniques used by routing protocols for ad hoc networks assume that links in the network can be used equally well in both directions between the two endpoint nodes of the link. However, there are many real-world situations in which wireless links may physically work in only one direction, resulting in degradation of routing performance in the network. In this paper, we present the first study of the effect of unidirectional links on the performance of on-demand multicast routing protocols for ad hoc networks and present mechanisms that enable such protocols to route efficiently over unidirectional links. We evaluate these mechanisms in the context of the Adaptive Demand-Driven Multicast Routing protocol (ADMR), and simulate the extended protocol, ADMR-U, in a wide range of mobile and static network scenarios with unidirectional links. In networks with only bidirectional links, the unidirectional extensions do not get activated and cause no overhead; in networks with unidirectional links, ADMR-U matches or outperforms ADMR in terms of packet delivery ratio, and lowers ADMR's packet overhead.
Anatomy and electrophysiology of neurons terminating in the corpora allata of the cockroach Diploptera punctata

Intracellular recording and dye injection were used to study the structure and electrophysiological properties of individual neurons that project to the corpora allata of the cockroach, Diploptera punctata. Neurons in the pars intercerebralis generate long‐duration, tetrodotoxin‐sensitive action potentials. Dye injection revealed two cell types. One type extends axons to the contralateral nervi corporis cardiaci I, some of which innervate the corpora allata, and another type extends a major axon down each of the circum‐oesophageal connectives. Neurons in the pars lateralis also generate long‐duration action potentials. These neurons extend axons to the ipsilateral nervi corporis cardiaci II, which continue on to terminate in the corpora cardiaca and the corpora allata. Small groups of all the above neuronal types are dye and electrically coupled. Penetration and dye injection into nerve terminals in the corpora allata and corpora cardiaca confirmed the innervation of the corpora allata by neurons located in the pars intercerebralis and pars laterally and revealed a third class of neurons that have terminals in the corpora allata: intrinsic neurons of the corpora cardiaca.
mTOR kinase, a key player in the regulation of glial functions: Relevance for the therapy of multiple sclerosis

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a serine/threonine protein kinase with a central role in the regulation of cell growth and proliferation, and several intracellular processes, such as mRNA transcription and translation, autophagy and cytoskeletal organization. The relevance of this pathway in the regulation of the immune system is well characterized. mTOR is essential for the proper activation and proliferation of effector T cells, restricts the development of regulatory T cells, and downregulates innate immune responses. Recently, a direct role of mTOR in the modulation of glial functions has also been recognized. Data from our group and others support the notion that mTOR is involved in microglial proinflammatory activation. The kinase regulates several intracellular processes in astrocytes, among which the rate of mRNA degradation of the inducible form of NO synthase. Therefore, the inhibition of mTOR kinase activity in glial cells results in anti‐inflammatory actions, suggesting possible beneficial effects of mTOR inhibitors (like rapamycin) in the treatment of inflammatory‐based pathologies of the central nervous system. In contrast, mTOR plays an important role in the regulation of oligodendrocyte development and myelination process as well as several neuronal functions, which may limit this therapeutic approach. Nevertheless, as reviewed here, there is robust evidence that rapamycin ameliorates the clinical course of both the relapsing‐remitting and the chronic experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), and significantly reduces the hyperalgesia observed before clinical development of EAE. These findings may have important clinical implications for the therapy of multiple sclerosis. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effectiveness of different laser systems to kill Enterococcus faecalis in aqueous suspension and in an infected tooth model.

AIM To assess the antibacterial action of laser irradiation (Nd:YAG, KTP), photo activated disinfection (PAD) and 2.5% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) on Enterococcus faecalis, in an aqueous suspension and in an infected tooth model. METHODOLOGY Root canals of 60 human teeth with single straight canals were prepared to apical size 50, autoclaved, inoculated with an E. faecalis suspension and incubated for 48 h. They were randomly allocated to four treatment and one control groups. After treatment, the root canals were sampled by flushing with physiological saline, and the number of surviving bacteria in each canal was determined by plate count and solid phase cytometry. The same experimental or control treatments were completed on aqueous suspensions of E. faecalis, and the number of surviving bacteria was determined in the same way. RESULTS In aqueous suspension, PAD and NaOCl resulted in a significant reduction in the number of E. faecalis cells (P < 0.001), whilst Nd:YAG or KTP had no effect. In the infected tooth model, only the PAD and NaOCl treated teeth yielded significantly different results relative to the untreated controls (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The laser systems as well as PAD were less effective than NaOCl in reducing E. faecalis, both in aqueous suspension and in the infected tooth model.
Transfusion Predictors in Liver Transplant

In this study we sought to determine the factors influencing red blood cell (RBC) transfusions and to study the transfusion practice of anesthesiologists during liver transplants. A retrospective study of 206 successive liver transplants was undertaken during a period of 52 mo. Transfused blood products were identified. Twenty variables were analyzed in a univariate fashion. For the multivariate analysis, the cases were divided in 2 subgroups: more than 4 RBC units transfused and 4 or less RBC units transfused. The average number of RBC units transfused during a liver transplant was 2.8 (± 3.5) per patient, 32.0% did not receive any RBC, and 19.4% did not receive any blood products during the transplant. Three variables were related to the number of RBC units transfused: the starting International Normalized Ratio value, the starting platelet count, and the duration of surgery. We found that there was a wide difference in the transfusion practice of the anesthesiologists involved in this series of liver transplants. It was difficult to identify predictive factors for RBC transfusions when the transfusion rate was small and because of the variability in human factors. Plasma transfusion did not decrease the rate of RBC transfusions; sometimes it was the contrary.
A Rasch Re-Analysis of the Partnership Questionnaire

The Partnership Questionnaire (PFB) is used favorably in the German language area to measure partnership quality. The goal of the present study is to re-analyze the subscales of the PFB (Conflict Behavior, Tenderness, Communication) via the Rasch model. Polytomous and dichotomous Rasch models were calculated in a population sample (N = 1,123) and a student-based cross-validation sample (N = 250) for the three subscales of the PFB. Final models were chosen based on several fit criteria. Good to very good model fit was obtained with symmetrical (Conflict Behavior) or nonsymmetrical (Tenderness, Communication) dichotomously collapsed categories. After adapting the instruction and dichotomizing the categories, the PFB can be used as a checklist (PFB-checklist). An additional cross-validation is needed to substantiate the obtained results.
ANXIETY AND WORKING MEMORY: AN INVESTIGATION AND RECONCEPTUALISATION OF THE PROCESSING EFFICIENCY THEORY

A dominant theory in the anxiety-working memory literature is the Processing Efficiency Theory (Eysenck & Calvo, 1992). According to this theory, worry the cognitive component of state anxiety pre-empts capacity in the central executive and phonological loop components within Baddeley and Hitch's (1974) fixedcapacity working memory system. Central to the Processing Efficiency Theory is the distinction between performance effectiveness (i.e. quality of performance) and processing efficiency (i.e. performance effectiveness divided by effort), with anxiety proposed to impair efficiency to a greater extent than it does effectiveness. The existing literature has provided support for this theory, although there exist factors that complicate the findings, including the nature of the working memory tasks utilised, comorbid depression, and the distinction between trait and state anxiety. Clarification of the limiting factors in the anxiety-working memory literature was sought over a series of initial methodological studies. The first study was an initial step in addressing the issue of comorbid depression, identifying measures that maximised the distinction between anxiety and depression. The second study identified verbal and spatial span tasks suitable for examining the various working memory systems. The third study considered a possible role for somatic anxiety in the anxiety-working memory relationship, and additionally addressed the state/trait anxiety distinction. These three initial studies culminated in the fourth study which formally addressed the predictions of the Processing Efficiency Theory, and explored the cognitive/somatic anxiety distinction more fully. For the third and fourth studies, high and low trait anxious individuals underwent either cognitive (ego threat instruction) or somatic (anxious music) stress manipulations, and completed a series of span tasks assessing all components of the working memory system. Unexpectedly, the fourth study yielded a notable absence of robust effects in support of the Processing Efficiency Theory. A consideration of the research into the fractionation of central executive processes, together with an examination of tasks utilised in the existing literature, suggested that anxiety might not affect all central executive processes equally. Specifically, the tasks utilised in this programme of research predominantly invoke the process of updating, and it has recently been suggested that anxiety may not actually impair this process (Dutke & Stöber, 2001). This queried whether the current conceptualisation of the central
Effect of Self-Regulating Behaviour on Young Children’s Academic Success

This article leads to several conclusions regarding self-regulation in young children which does affect academic outcomes for those who transition to formal schooling from a preschool environment. Herein we argue that children who are good self-regulators will realize greater academic success than those who cannot self-regulate in the later elementary grades. These conclusions are noteworthy given the importance placed on self-regulatory behaviour by teachers, particularly in the Early Learning Kindergarten (ELK) program where students must interact through open play with peers. The ability to self-regulate in this environment allows students to work collaboratively with others and problem solve without the intervention.
Secondary sensory area SII is crucially involved in the preparation of familiar movements compared to movements never made before

Secondary sensorimotor regions are involved in sensorimotor integration and movement preparation. These regions take part in parietal‐premotor circuitry that is not only active during motor execution but also during movement observation and imagery. This activation particularly occurs when observed movements belong to one's own motor repertoire, consistent with the finding that motor imagery only improves performance when one can actually make such movement. We aimed to investigate whether imagery or observation of a movement that was never made before causes parietal‐premotor activation or that the ability to perform this movement is indeed a precondition. Nine subjects [group Already Knowing It (AKI)] could abduct their hallux (moving big toe outward). Seven subjects initially failed to make such movement (Absolute Zero A0 group). They had to imagine, observe, or execute this movement, whereas fMRI data were obtained both before and after training. Contrasting abduction observation between the AKI‐group and A0‐group showed increased left SII and supplementary motor area activation. Comparing the observation of hallux flexion with abduction showed increased bilateral SII activation in the A0 and not in the AKI group. Prolonged training resulted in equal performance and similar cerebral activation patterns in the two groups. Thereby, conjunction analysis of the correlations on subject's range of abduction during execution, imagery, and observation of hallux abduction showed exclusive bilateral SII activation. The reduced SII involvement in A0 may imply that effective interplay between sensory predictions and feedback does not take place without actual movement experience. However, this can be acquired by training. Hum Brain Mapp, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Perceived Competence and Autonomy among Teacher Trainees in Ghana

Drawing on Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this study examined perceived competence and autonomy among teacher trainees (TTs). A purposive sample of 95 TTs (56 males and 39 females) from one College of Education in Ghana participated in the study. Modified forms of the Perceived Competence Scale (PCS) and the Autonomy subscale of the Self-Regulation Questionnaire-Learning (SRQ-L) served as the main data sources. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results showed that 95.79% and 98.94% of TTs exhibited medium to high levels of competence and autonomy respectively. Pearson correlation analyses indicated significant positive relationship between PCS and SRQ-L (r = .40; p = .000). There was no significant correlation between the number of years in training and PCS or SRQ-L. Independent t-Test analyses suggested PCS and SRQ-L mean scores for males were significantly higher than those for females. One-Way ANOVA measures indicated no significant differences in either PCS or SRQ-L mean scores and the program of study. The findings suggest that gender was the main determinant of TTs’ PCS and SRQ-L, while marital status, the number of years in training, and the program of study were not. Teacher educators need to identify strategies that would enhance female TTs’ competence and autonomy.
Effect of social support and coping strategies on the relationship between health care-related occupational stress and health

The role of social support and individual coping strategies (problem-focused, emotion-focused) in the moderation of the relationship between health care-related occupational stress and health was examined in a survey of 212 midwives and nurses. Results indicate that neither of the coping strategies was influential, whereas social support levels were either detrimental or beneficial based on the reported level of job stress. High support in conjunction with high job stress was associated with poorer health. Conversely, when support was low, high stress was associated with better health. This implied that it was the level of overall social support in conjunction with the level of job stress that was associated with psychological and physical health levels. Subsequent to the findings of this research, a call to examine specific factors that may influence the personal formation of support networks (i.e., gender, causality), as well as causality, was emphasised.
Subjective Quality of Life and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Subjective quality of life (SQOL) and its predictors were assessed in 117 patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a specialized clinic. Scores were compared with other samples. PTSD patients had lower SQOL than the comparison groups. Higher levels of depression and anxiety, fewer PTSD avoidance symptoms, being older, and being from an ethnic minority were all independent predictors of lower SQOL. The high dissatisfaction with several social domains of life should be considered in treatment, and depressive and anxiety symptoms might be targeted to improve SQOL.
Feature-Based Prediction of Trajectories for Socially Compliant Navigation

Mobile robots that operate in a shared environment with humans need the ability to predict the movements of people to better plan their navigation actions. In this paper, we present a novel approach to predict the movements of pedestrians. Our method reasons about entire trajectories that arise from interactions between people in navigation tasks. It applies a maximum entropy learning method based on features that capture relevant aspects of the trajectories to determine the probability distribution that underlies human navigation behavior. Hence, our approach can be used by mobile robots to predict forthcoming interactions with pedestrians and thus react in a socially compliant way. In extensive experiments, we evaluate the capability and accuracy of our approach and demonstrate that our algorithm outperforms the popular social forces method, a state-of-the-art approach. Furthermore, we show how our algorithm can be used for autonomous robot navigation using a real robot.
Formulation and Evaluation of Gastroretentive Dosage Forms of Clarithromycin

The purpose of this research was to develop the hydrodynamically balanced delivery system of Clarithromycin (CLA) which, after oral administration should have the ability to prolong gastric residence time with the desired in vitro release profile for the localized action in the stomach, in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) mediated peptic ulcer. By applying wet granulation technique floating tablets of Clarithromycin were prepared. The proportion of sodium bicarbonate was varied to get the least possible lag time, also the polymer part varied to get the desired release. In vivo radiographic studies were performed with Barium sulphate loaded formulation to justify the increased gastric residence time of the dosage form in the stomach, based on the floating principle. The formulation developed using 66.2% Clarithromycin, 12% HPMC K4M polymer, 8% sodium bicarbonate gave floating lag time less than 3 min with a floating time of 12 h, and an in vitro release profile very near to the desired release. X-ray studies showed the enhanced gastric residence time of the tablet to 220 ± 30 min. The mechanism of release of Clarithromycin from the floating tablets is anomalous diffusion transport and follows zero order kinetics. In vivo radiographic studies suggest that the tablet has increased gastric residence time for the effective localized action of the antibiotic (Clarithromycin) in the treatment of H.pylori mediated peptic ulcer.
BIOGENESIS OF THE ACTINOMYCINS *

I would like to indicate a number of areas whose investigation appears important to an understanding of the mechanism of actinomycin biosynthesis. The following list includes many problems that are common to the biosynthesis of other polypeptide antibiotics and some that are related only to the biogenesis of the actinomycin molecule (FIGURE 1) : (1) Relationship of polypeptide formation to protein synthesis. (2) Relationship of actinomycin formation to the synthesis of such structurally similar polypeptide antibiotics as echinomycin (Keller-Schierlein et al., 1959) and etamycin (Sheehan et al., 1957; Arnold et al., 1958). (3) Mechanism of lactone formation and time of its occurrence during synthesis of an actinomycin molecule. (4) Biogenesis of the amino acids D-valine and D-alloisoleucine. ( 5 ) Simultaneous synthesis of several closely related antibiotics by an organism, each differing only a t one amino acid site. Usually one component of a mixture is synthesized in major amounts (Goss and Katz, 1957). What determines the extent to which each of the components is synthesized? Can this controlling mechanism be modified? (6) Derivation of the actinomycin chromophore, 2-amino-4,6-dimethyl-3phenoxazinone-l,9-dicarboxylic acid. Is tryptophan, 6-methyltrypt.ophan, or acetate the precursor? (7) Biochemical origin of the methyl groups of the chromophore, sarcosine and 12’-methyl-L-valine. Are they derived from methionine, from formate? (8) hlechanism of linking the peptides to the chromophore. I t has not been possible for my associates and me to investigate all these aspects of actinomycin biosynthesis; moreover, those that have been studied are still being explored. This paper is a summary of our findings thus far.
Structural basis for the sheddase function of human meprin β metalloproteinase at the plasma membrane

Ectodomain shedding at the cell surface is a major mechanism to regulate the extracellular and circulatory concentration or the activities of signaling proteins at the plasma membrane. Human meprin β is a 145-kDa disulfide-linked homodimeric multidomain type-I membrane metallopeptidase that sheds membrane-bound cytokines and growth factors, thereby contributing to inflammatory diseases, angiogenesis, and tumor progression. In addition, it cleaves amyloid precursor protein (APP) at the β-secretase site, giving rise to amyloidogenic peptides. We have solved the X-ray crystal structure of a major fragment of the meprin β ectoprotein, the first of a multidomain oligomeric transmembrane sheddase, and of its zymogen. The meprin β dimer displays a compact shape, whose catalytic domain undergoes major rearrangement upon activation, and reveals an exosite and a sugar-rich channel, both of which possibly engage in substrate binding. A plausible structure-derived working mechanism suggests that substrates such as APP are shed close to the plasma membrane surface following an “N-like” chain trace.
Banking Mergers and Acquisitions in the EU: Overview, Assessment and Prospects

This paper aims at providing a complete picture of banking mergers and acquisitions (MA whereas, no improvement of costefficiency and a little improvement of profit efficiency for cross-border transactions. These results imply that domestic banking mergers in Europe fulfilled their objective to cut costs whereas they failed to achieve revenues synergies; cross-border mergers instead, were proved to better exploit from revenues synergies more likely due to geographical diversification. Against this background, we provide the main prospective scenarios for banking consolidation in the medium term after examining the state of concentration and competition in the domestic banking markets and the role of the regulatory changes and remaining obstacles to a full European banking integration. Finally, we raise the main strategic challenges ahead banking institutions in terms of business models - Universal, multi specialised or specialised banking, optimal size, growth strategies - M&As or partnerships - and the prospects offered by the new Basel capital Accord. A first appraisal suggests: a) a natural coexistence of different business models, each one having its specific characteristics and responding to individual needs, b) the optimal size is not synonym of a larger size and a larger size is not an absolute criterion of profitability and efficiency, c) M&As are not the only alternative to banking consolidation, and d) finally Basel II is redefining the rules of the game to European banking, but it is rather premature to make a final and exhaustive assessment in this respect.