Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
"They Keep Coming Back Like Zombies": Improving Software Updating Interfaces

Users often do not install security-related software updates, leaving their devices open to exploitation by attackers. We are beginning to understand what factors affect this software updating behavior but the question of how to improve current software updating interfaces however remains unanswered. In this paper, we begin tackling this question by studying software updating behaviors, designing alternative updating interfaces, and evaluating these designs. We describe a formative study of 30 users’ software updating practices, describe the low fidelity prototype we developed to address the issues identified in formative work, and the evaluation of our prototype with 22 users. Our findings suggest that updates interrupt users, users lack sufficient information to decide whether or not to update, and vary in terms of how they want to be notified and provide consent for updates. Based on our study, we make four recommendations to improve desktop updating interfaces and outline sociotechnical considerations around software updating that will ultimately affect end-user security.
3d Ultrasonic Strain Imaging Using Freehand Scanning and a Mechanically-swept Probe 3d Ultrasonic Strain Imaging Using Freehand Scanning and a Mechanically-swept Probe

This paper compares two approaches to 3D ultrasonic axial strain imaging. The first uses a tracked ultrasound probe swept manually over the region of interest to build up a co-registered sequence of 2D strain images, each obtained by comparing neighbouring B-scans in the sequence. The alternative uses a mechanically-swept 3D probe to record pre-and post-deformation volumes, which are then processed to yield a volume of strain data. The resulting strain images depend on the stress fields induced by the different probe footprints and also on the signal processing techniques used to produce the strain volumes. Both of these factors are considered in this paper, which presents a comparison of the two approaches based on finite element simulations validated through in vitro experimentation. The conclusion is that, for a given frame density, high quality axial strain data is more easily obtained using the 3D probe. However, the freehand approach might be preferable in situations where limited access to the scanning target restricts the use of a large footprint probe.
Schooling in adolescence raises IQ scores

Although some scholars maintain that education has little effect on intelligence quotient (IQ) scores, others claim that IQ scores are indeed malleable, primarily through intervention in early childhood. The causal effect of education on IQ at later ages is often difficult to uncover because analyses based on observational data are plagued by problems of reverse causation and self-selection into further education. We exploit a reform that increased compulsory schooling from 7 to 9 y in Norway in the 1960s to estimate the effect of education on IQ. We find that this schooling reform, which primarily affected education in the middle teenage years, had a substantial effect on IQ scores measured at the age of 19 y.
The quality of care for depressive and anxiety disorders in the United States.

BACKGROUND Depressive and anxiety disorders are prevalent and cause substantial morbidity. While effective treatments exist, little is known about the quality of care for these disorders nationally. We estimated the rate of appropriate treatment among the US population with these disorders, and the effect of insurance, provider type, and individual characteristics on receipt of appropriate care. METHODS Data are from a cross-sectional telephone survey conducted during 1997 and 1998 with a national sample. Respondents consisted of 1636 adults with a probable 12-month depressive or anxiety disorder as determined by brief diagnostic interview. Appropriate treatment was defined as present if the respondent had used medication or counseling that was consistent with treatment guidelines. RESULTS During a 1-year period, 83% of adults with a probable depressive or anxiety disorder saw a health care provider (95% confidence interval [CI], 81%-85%) and 30% received some appropriate treatment (95% CI, 28%-33%). Most visited primary care providers only. Appropriate care was received by 19% in this group (95% CI, 16%-23%) and by 90% of individuals visiting mental health specialists (95% CI, 85%-94%). Appropriate treatment was less likely for men and those who were black, less educated, or younger than 30 or older than 59 years (range, 19-97 years). Insurance and income had no effect on receipt of appropriate care. CONCLUSIONS It is possible to evaluate mental health care quality on a national basis. Most adults with a probable depressive or anxiety disorder do not receive appropriate care for their disorder. While this holds across diverse groups, appropriate care is less common in certain demographic subgroups.
Effect of phenylephrine and ephedrine bolus treatment on cerebral oxygenation in anaesthetized patients.

BACKGROUND How phenylephrine and ephedrine treatments affect global and regional haemodynamics is of major clinical relevance. Cerebral tissue oxygen saturation (Sct(O2) )-guided management may improve postoperative outcome. The physiological variables responsible for Sct(O2) changes induced by phenylephrine and ephedrine bolus treatment in anaesthetized patients need to be defined. METHODS A randomized two-treatment cross-over trial was conducted: one bolus dose of phenylephrine (100-200 µg) and one bolus dose of ephedrine (5-20 mg) were given to 29 ASA I-III patients anaesthetized with propofol and remifentanil. , mean arterial pressure (MAP), cardiac output (CO), and other physiological variables were recorded before and after treatments. The associations of changes were analysed using linear-mixed models. RESULTS The CO decreased significantly after phenylephrine treatment [▵CO = -2.1 (1.4) litre min(-1), P<0.001], but was preserved after ephedrine treatment [▵CO = 0.5 (1.4) litre min(-1), P>0.05]. The was significantly decreased after phenylephrine treatment [▵ = -3.2 (3.0)%, P<0.01] but preserved after ephedrine treatment [▵ = 0.04 (1.9)%, P>0.05]. CO was identified to have the most significant association with (P<0.001). After taking CO into consideration, the other physiological variables, including MAP, were not significantly associated with (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS Associated with changes in CO, decreased after phenylephrine treatment, but remained unchanged after ephedrine treatment. The significant correlation between CO and implies a cause-effect relationship between global and regional haemodynamics.
Courtship and genetic quality: asymmetric males show their best side

Fluctuating asymmetry (FA), the small random deviations from perfect morphological symmetry that result during development, is ubiquitous throughout the animal kingdom. In many species, FA seems to play a role in mate choice, perhaps because it signals an individual's genetic quality and health. However, the relationship between an individual's FA and behaviour is generally unknown: what do more asymmetric individuals do about their own asymmetry? We now show for the first time that individuals respond behaviourally to their own morphological FA in what appears to be an adaptive manner. During courtship, male guppies exhibiting high FA in ornamental colour, bias their displays towards their more colourful body side, thus potentially increasing their attractiveness by exaggerating the quantity of their orange signal. This appears to be a strictly behavioural male response to cues provided by females, as it does not occur when males court a non-reactive model female. Whether inferior males realize any mating advantage remains uncertain, but our study clearly demonstrates a behavioural response to random morphological asymmetries that appears to be adaptive. We propose that the tendency to show or otherwise use a ‘best side’ is common in nature, with implications for sexual signalling and the evolution of more pronounced asymmetries.
Automatic Spatial Context-Sensitive Cloud/Cloud-Shadow Detection in Multi-Source Multi-Spectral Earth Observation Images: AutoCloud+

The proposed Earth observation (EO) based value adding system (EO VAS), hereafter identified as AutoCloud+, consists of an innovative EO image understanding system (EO IUS) design and implementation capable of automatic spatial context sensitive cloud/cloud shadow detection in multi source multi spectral (MS) EO imagery, whether or not radiometrically calibrated, acquired by multiple platforms, either spaceborne or airborne, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). It is worth mentioning that the same EO IUS architecture is suitable for a large variety of EO based value adding products and services, including: (i) low level image enhancement applications, such as automatic MS image topographic correction, co registration, mosaicking and compositing, (ii) high level MS image land cover (LC) and LC change (LCC) classification and (iii) content based image storage/retrieval in massive multi source EO image databases (big data mining).
Assessment of peripheral neutrophil functions in patients with localized aggressive periodontitis in the Indian population

Background: Localized aggressive periodontitis (LAP) patients exhibit abnormal neutrophil functions to a variety of environmental and host stimuli. The aim of the present study was to evaluate neutrophils chemotaxis, phagocytosis, microbicidal activity and superoxide generation in LAP patients of Indian origin. Materials and Methods: Eleven LAP patients and nine healthy subjects were included in the study. Neutrophil chemotaxis was evaluated against an alkali-soluble casein solution using Wilkinson's method. Phagocytosis and microbicidal activity assay were performed using Candida albicans as an indicator organism. Nitrobluetetrazolium (NBT) test was used to assess superoxide generation by neutrophils using E. coli endotoxin. Results: The chemotactic activity and phagocytic and microbicidal activity were observed to be significantly reduced (P < 0.01) in LAP neutrophils. On the contrary, superoxide generation was observed to be significantly increased (P < 0.01) in LAP neutrophils compared with healthy individuals. Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest that neutrophil functions, namely chemotaxis, phagocytosis and microbicidal activity, are deficient LAP patients. However, superoxide generation was significantly increased when stimulated by endotoxins, which may explain the tissue damage seen in LAP. These abnormal neutrophil functions may predispose to increased susceptibility for LAP. Further large-scale studies are required in the Indian population to ascertain the cause-and-effect relationship of defective host factors and aggressive periodontitis and to develop treatment strategies for more predictable periodontal treatment outcome.
Bayesian network modeling of strokes and their relationships for on-line handwriting recognition

It is important to model strokes and their relationships for on-line handwriting recognition, because they reflect character structures. We propose to model them explicitly and statistically with Bayesian networks. A character is modeled with stroke models and their relationships. Strokes, parts of handwriting traces that are approximately linear, are modeled with a set of point models and their relationships. Points are modeled with conditional probability tables and distributions for pen status and X, Y positions in the 2-D space, given the information of related points. A Bayesian network is adopted to represent a character model, whose nodes correspond to point models and arcs their dependencies. The proposed system was tested on the recognition of on-line handwritten digits. It showed higher recognition rates than the HMM based recognizer with chaincode features and was comparable to other published systems.
Modular Workbench for In-Situ and Remote Laboratories

This communication describes a learning platform which is being developed at the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC) in Barcelona, Spain. The goal was to solve the trade-off between the need for performing real laboratory practices in engineering education and the emergent implantation of distance learning in our curricula. Most of our courses in electronic engineering have 50% of the load devoted to laboratory work. The semi-distance EE degree allows the students to carry out at home the theory and problems study but keeps the in-situ laboratories. We developed a previous remote laboratory, based on a VXT system, an experiments board and a Web-server that is working since 2002 but which cannot serve simultaneous users and which is difficult to expand and maintain. The workbench we propose intends to preserve the experimental work but allowing the students to perform a variable number of laboratory activities remotely, using the same platform than the in-situ laboratories. This approach preserves not only the feeling of reality but the knowledge of the experimental set-up features. The subject of the experience is the sensors and signal conditioning laboratory. The solution is based on a modular set of electronic boards. Two kind of base or mother boards allow the connection of several daughterboards which implement the different experiments. One of the motherboards is only intended for in-situ experiments but the other includes an Ethernet capable microcontroller and A/D and D/A converters which allow the realisation of both in-situ and remote laboratory activities over the same set-up. The microcontroller firmware is based on a command parser that accepts SCPI strings. The board is controlled through LabView drivers which use the TCP/IP sockets and the specific applications can be controlled using remote panels in LabView 7.1 both in-situ and remotely. Access control, register and scheduling will be performed using the UPC virtual campus Atenea, which is implemented using Moodle (modular object oriented distance learning environment).
Transport of PIP3 by GAKIN, a kinesin-3 family protein, regulates neuronal cell polarity

Phosphatidylinositol-(3,4,5)-trisphosphate (PIP3), a product of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, is an important second messenger implicated in signal transduction and membrane transport. In hippocampal neurons, the accumulation of PIP3 at the tip of neurite initiates the axon specification and neuronal polarity formation. We show that guanylate kinase–associated kinesin (GAKIN), a kinesin-like motor protein, directly interacts with a PIP3-interacting protein, PIP3BP, and mediates the transport of PIP3-containing vesicles. Recombinant GAKIN and PIP3BP form a complex on synthetic liposomes containing PIP3 and support the motility of the liposomes along microtubules in vitro. In PC12 cells and cultured hippocampal neurons, transport activity of GAKIN contributes to the accumulation of PIP3 at the tip of neurites. In hippocampal neurons, altered accumulation of PIP3 by overexpression of GAKIN constructs led to the loss of the axonally differentiated neurites. Together, these results suggest that, in neurons, the GAKIN–PIP3BP complex transports PIP3 to the neurite ends and regulates neuronal polarity formation.
Random features vs Harris Corners in Real-Time Visual Egomotion Estimation

We compare Randomly Selected (RanSel) features with Harris Corners within a visual egomotion estimation framework. Harris corners have been extensivelly used in visual egomotion estimation systems due to a good tracking stability. However, to compute these features the whole image has to be processed. Instead, we propose the use of randomly selected points which are virtually costless to obtai n. Despite tracking individual RanSel features is not as stable as Harris corners, we show that, when integrated in a time-filtering scheme, they provide similar results at a muc h faster rate. We have performed experiments using a synthetic setup with ground-truth and discuss the advantages of using RanSel features.
Retreatment Predictions in Odontology by means of CBR Systems

The field of odontology requires an appropriate adjustment of treatments according to the circumstances of each patient. A follow-up treatment for a patient experiencing problems from a previous procedure such as endodontic therapy, for example, may not necessarily preclude the possibility of extraction. It is therefore necessary to investigate new solutions aimed at analyzing data and, with regard to the given values, determine whether dental retreatment is required. In this work, we present a decision support system which applies the case-based reasoning (CBR) paradigm, specifically designed to predict the practicality of performing or not performing a retreatment. Thus, the system uses previous experiences to provide new predictions, which is completely innovative in the field of odontology. The proposed prediction technique includes an innovative combination of methods that minimizes false negatives to the greatest possible extent. False negatives refer to a prediction favoring a retreatment when in fact it would be ineffective. The combination of methods is performed by applying an optimization problem to reduce incorrect classifications and takes into account different parameters, such as precision, recall, and statistical probabilities. The proposed system was tested in a real environment and the results obtained are promising.
Sex differences in analgesic responses: evidence from experimental pain models

Background and objective: Sex-related influences on the experience of pain have received considerable empirical attention. Women are at greater risk for several forms of clinical pain and exhibit greater perceptual responses to experimental pain. In recent years, investigators have turned their attention to the influence of sex-related factors on analgesic responses. The purpose of this review is to examine the literature on sex differences in analgesic responses, emphasizing findings from experimental studies. Methods: First, important methodological issues in laboratory pain research are presented, and sex differences in responses to experimentally-induced pain are briefly addressed. Next, previous data from non-human animal research and human experimental and clinical research related to sex differences in analgesia are discussed. Also, preliminary results are presented from an ongoing study in our laboratory examining analgesic responses in women and men. Results and conclusions: Both previous research and preliminary findings from our laboratory suggests that opioids produce greater analgesic responses in women than men. Potential mechanisms underlying sex differences in analgesia are proposed, and important directions for future research are suggested.
Potential based , constraint preserving , genuinely multi-dimensional schemes for systems of conservation laws

We survey the new framework developed in [33, 34, 35], for designing genuinely multi-dimensional (GMD) finite volume schemes for systems of conservation laws in two space dimensions. This approach is based on reformulating edge centered numerical fluxes in terms of vertex centered potentials. Any consistent numerical flux can be used in defining the potentials. Suitable choices of the numerical potentials yield finite-volume schemes which preserve discrete form of constraints such as vorticity and divergence. The schemes are very simple to code, flexible and have low computational costs. Numerical examples for the Euler equations of gas dynamics and the ideal MHD equations are presented to illustrate the computational efficiency of the schemes.
A Semiquantitative Framework for Gene Regulatory Networks: Increasing the Time and Quantitative Resolution of Boolean Networks

Boolean models have been instrumental in predicting general features of gene networks and more recently also as explorative tools in specific biological applications. In this study we introduce a basic quantitative and a limited time resolution to a discrete (Boolean) framework. Quantitative resolution is improved through the employ of normalized variables in unison with an additive approach. Increased time resolution stems from the introduction of two distinct priority classes. Through the implementation of a previously published chondrocyte network and T helper cell network, we show that this addition of quantitative and time resolution broadens the scope of biological behaviour that can be captured by the models. Specifically, the quantitative resolution readily allows models to discern qualitative differences in dosage response to growth factors. The limited time resolution, in turn, can influence the reachability of attractors, delineating the likely long term system behaviour. Importantly, the information required for implementation of these features, such as the nature of an interaction, is typically obtainable from the literature. Nonetheless, a trade-off is always present between additional computational cost of this approach and the likelihood of extending the model’s scope. Indeed, in some cases the inclusion of these features does not yield additional insight. This framework, incorporating increased and readily available time and semi-quantitative resolution, can help in substantiating the litmus test of dynamics for gene networks, firstly by excluding unlikely dynamics and secondly by refining falsifiable predictions on qualitative behaviour.
Voluntary exercise induces adult hippocampal neurogenesis and BDNF expression in a rodent model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can result in a myriad of health problems in the affected offspring ranging from growth deficiencies to central nervous system impairments that result in cognitive deficits. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis is thought to play a role in cognition (i.e. learning and memory) and can be modulated by extrinsic factors such as alcohol consumption and physical exercise. We examined the impact of voluntary physical exercise on adult hippocampal neurogenesis in a rat model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Intragastric intubation was used to deliver ethanol to rats in a highly controlled fashion through all three trimester equivalents (i.e. throughout gestation and during the first 10 days of postnatal life). Ethanol‐exposed animals and their pair‐fed and ad libitum controls were left undisturbed until they reached a young adult stage at which point they had free access to a running wheel for 12 days. Prenatal and early postnatal ethanol exposure altered cell proliferation in young adult female rats and increased early neuronal maturation without affecting cell survival in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus. Voluntary wheel running increased cell proliferation, neuronal maturation and cell survival as well as levels of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor in the DG of both ethanol‐exposed female rats and their pair‐fed and ad libitum controls. These results indicate that the capacity of the brain to respond to exercise is not impaired in this model of FASD, highlighting the potential therapeutic value of physical exercise for this developmental disorder.