Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dependence and Independence in Responding to Double Stimulation : A Comparison of Stop , Change , and Dual-Task Paradigms

When a letter and a tone are presented in rapid succession, there is substantial interference if both require an overt response (the dual-task paradigm), but there is very little interference if the tone is a signal to inhibit the response to the letter (the slopping paradigm). These effects were replicated under common stimulus conditions in two experiments, and they were compared with effects in a change paradigm, in which the tone required an overt response, like the dual-task paradigm, but was also a signal to inhibit the response to the letter, like the stopping paradigm. In the change paradigm, the overt response to the tone suffered interference only if subjects failed to inhibit the concurrent response to the letter; inhibiting the response to the letter virtually eliminated the interference. The results suggest that differences in response competition are primarily responsible for differences in interference between the dual-task and stopping paradigms. More generally, the results support response-competition interpretations of dual-task interference.
Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA Reveals Tight Links between Viruses and Microbes in the Bathypelagic Zone of the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea

ABSTRACT The study site located in the Mediterranean Sea was visited eight times in 2005 and 2006 to collect samples from the epipelagic (5 m), mesopelagic (200 m, 600 m), and bathypelagic (1,000 m, 2,000 m) zones. Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA PCR (RAPD-PCR) analysis was used to obtain fingerprints from microbial and viral size fractions using two different primers each. Depending on the primer used, the number of bands in the water column varied between 12 to 24 and 6 to 19 for the microbial size fraction and between 16 to 26 and 8 to 22 for the viral size fraction. The majority of sequences from the microbial fraction was related to Alphaproteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Eukaryota. Only 9% of sequences obtained from the viral fraction were of identifiable viral origin; however, 76% of sequences had no close relatives in the nr database of GenBank. Only 20.1% of complete phage genomes tested in silico resulted in potential RAPD-PCR products, and only 12% of these were targeted by both primers. Also, in silico analysis indicated that RAPD-PCR profiles obtained by the two different primers are largely representative of two different subsets of the viral community. Also, correlation analyses and Mantel tests indicate that the links between changes in the microbial and viral community were strongest in the bathypelagic. Thus, these results suggest a strong codevelopment of virus and host communities in deep waters. The data also indicate that virus communities in the bathypelagic zone can exhibit substantial temporal dynamics.
NaaS: QoS-aware Cloud Networking Services

Network as a Service (NaaS) is recently becoming increasingly relevant, as it will enable cloud providers to select on-demand network services according to application needs. Currently, the lack of QoS control over cloud networking services may significantly impact the application performance. Therefore, two important issues should be addressed by the NaaS providers: (i) determining the QoS to be provided by each cloud networking service, (ii) supporting advanced services differentiation to ensure application flow requirements. In this paper, we present a modeling of QoS-aware cloud networking services and we propose a class of service (CoS) classification to deal with flow cloud application requirements.
Endoscopic Adenoidectomy with the Microdebrider

There are many different adenoi dectomy methods . The conventional adenoidectomy is performed with the transoral approac h and can be accomplished with an adenoid curette, adenotome, St. Clair-Thompson forceps, adenoid punch, electrocautery curette, suction electrocautery, CO 2 laser, or a combination of these instruments. One can instead use a transnasal approach with an adenoid punch, cutting and biting forceps, or elec trocaute ry, in conj unc tio n with transnasal telescopic visualization. A combined transoral and transnasal approach can also be used. I One of the newest adenoidec tom y techniques is endoscopic transnasal ade noidec tomy ut ili zin g a powered microdebrider . This instrument uses a powered rotating blade within a suction device (Figure IA) so that it debr ides only loose soft tissue which can be aspi rated into the device (Figure IB). This powered inst rum ent ation , which was originally used to shave car tilage in arthroscopic surgery, has been popularized recently for use in nasal polypectomy and endosco pic sinus surgery . v'
Apoptotic Cells, through Transforming Growth Factor-β, Coordinately Induce Anti-inflammatory and Suppress Pro-inflammatory Eicosanoid and NO Synthesis in Murine Macrophages*

Apoptotic cells are rapidly engulfed by adjacent tissue cells or macrophages before they can release pro-inflammatory/proimmunogenic intracellular contents. In addition, recognition of the apoptotic cells is actively anti-inflammatory and anti-immunogenic with generation of anti-inflammatory mediators such as transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and anti-inflammatory eicosanoids. Here, we have investigated the role played by the induction of TGF-β in the coordinate expression of anti-inflammatory eicosanoids or peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ and in the suppression of pro-inflammatory lipid mediators and nitric oxide (NO). By use of a dominant negative TGFβII receptor, TGF-β signaling was blocked, and its participation in the consequences of apoptotic cell stimulation was determined. The induction of TGF-β itself could be attributed to exposed phosphatidylserine on the apoptotic cells, which therefore appears to drive the balanced inflammatory mediator responses. Arachidonic acid release, COX-2, and prostaglandin synthase expression were shown to be significantly dependent on the TGF-β production. On the other hand, a requirement for TGF-β was also shown in the inhibition of thromboxane synthase and thromboxanes, of 5-lipoxygenase and sulfidopeptide leukotrienes, as well as of inducible nitric-oxide synthase and NO. TGF-β-dependent induction of arginase was also found and would further limit the NO generation. Finally, apoptotic cells stimulated production of 15-lipoxygenase and 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid, a potentially anti-inflammatory pathway acting through peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ, and lipoxin A4 production, which were also up-regulated by a TGF-β-dependent pathway in this system. These results strongly suggest that the apoptotic cell inhibition of pro-inflammatory mediator production is pleiotropic and significantly dependent on the stimulation of TGF-β production.
Involvement of the Phospholipid Sterol Acyltransferase1 in Plant Sterol Homeostasis and Leaf Senescence1[W]

Genes encoding sterol ester-forming enzymes were recently identified in the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) genome. One belongs to a family of six members presenting homologies with the mammalian Lecithin Cholesterol Acyltransferases. The other one belongs to the superfamily of Membrane-Bound O-Acyltransferases. The physiological functions of these genes, Phospholipid Sterol Acyltransferase1 (PSAT1) and Acyl-CoA Sterol Acyltransferase1 (ASAT1), respectively, were investigated using Arabidopsis mutants. Sterol ester content decreased in leaves of all mutants and was strongly reduced in seeds from plants carrying a PSAT1-deficient mutation. The amount of sterol esters in flowers was very close to that of the wild type for all lines studied. This indicated further functional redundancy of sterol acylation in Arabidopsis. We performed feeding experiments in which we supplied sterol precursors to psat1-1, psat1-2, and asat1-1 mutants. This triggered the accumulation of sterol esters (stored in cytosolic lipid droplets) in the wild type and the asat1-1 lines but not in the psat1-1 and psat1-2 lines, indicating a major contribution of the PSAT1 in maintaining free sterol homeostasis in plant cell membranes. A clear biological effect associated with the lack of sterol ester formation in the psat1-1 and psat1-2 mutants was an early leaf senescence phenotype. Double mutants lacking PSAT1 and ASAT1 had identical phenotypes to psat1 mutants. The results presented here suggest that PSAT1 plays a role in lipid catabolism as part of the intracellular processes at play in the maintenance of leaf viability during developmental aging.
A New Hybrid PRP-DY Conjugate Gradient Method

Conjugate gradient method is one of the most useful methods for solving unconstrained optimization problem. In this paper, we propose a hybrid conjugate gradient method for unconstrained optimization based on the Polak-Ribiere-Polyak and Dai-Yuan conjugate gradient Algorithms. By searching a particular direction, the new algorithm satisfies the sufficient descent condition naturally and satisfies the conjugacy condition. Furthemore under the Wolfe line search conditions, we prove that the new method can support the global convergence. The initial numerical experiments show that the new algorithm is efficient.
Integrating and guiding collaboration: lessons learned in computer-supported collaborative learning research at Georgia Tech

Research on computer-supported collaborative learning at the EduTech Institute at Georgia Tech is relatively new at less than five years old. In that short span, however, the team of researchers has developed eight different prototype software systems and evaluated them in a variety of settings with middle school, undergraduate, and graduate students. In this paper, we reflect on some of the overall lessons learned through this work. We have developed an approach to instruction that involves students' learning through solving real-world problems. We help students manage the complexity of these problems in several ways. First, we use the methodology from problem-based learning (PBL) to help students structure their problem-solving. Second, we provide students with case libraries to help them learn from the experience of others. Third, we provide support for student reflection. Part of these ideas developed out of the close fit that we saw between the PBL educational methodology and the cognitive model derived from case-based reasoning [1]. Later work has focused on merging what we know about the design process with the PBL classroom methodology. In PBL, students learn by solving authentic real-world problems and reflecting on their experiences. For example, engineering students learn how to design as they try to design kites and kiosks. Because these problems are complex, students work in groups, where they pool their knowledge and together grapple with the issues that must be considered. Facilitators guide student reflection on their problem-solving experiences, asking students to articulate both the concepts and skills they are learning, those they still need to learn more about and helping them identify the strategies needed for problem solving, collaboration, and self-directed learning. Case-based reasoning (CBR) refers to reasoning based on previous experiences [2]. It might mean solving a new problem by adapting an old solution or merging pieces of several old solutions, interpreting a new situation in light of similar situations, or projecting the effects of a new situation by examining the effects of a similar old situation. Learning, in the CBR paradigm, means extending one's knowledge by incorporating new experiences into memory, by re-indexing old experiences to make them more accessible, and by abstracting out generalizations from experiences. Thus, a major issue CBR addresses is identifying old situations that are relevant to a new one. Reflection is one mechanism to help people index their experiences in meaningful ways. CBR offers suggestions for practice that may enhance the effectiveness …
Cost‐effectiveness of cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease prevention in patients with AIDS: oral ganciclovir and CMV polymerase chain reaction testing

Objective: To perform a cost‐effectiveness analysis of strategies to prevent cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease. Method: Markov model and published data. Patients: Hypothetical HIV‐infected patients with CD4 cell counts ≤ 50 × 106/l and positive CMV serologies. Interventions: Oral ganciclovir daily versus plasma CMV DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing every 3 months with oral ganciclovir for patients with positive tests. Outcome measures: The number of CMV disease cases prevented by the interventions, life expectancy, disease‐free life expectancy, and the cost to extend life by 1 year. Results: Oral ganciclovir preventive therapy reduces the lifetime number of CMV disease cases by 50 per 1000 cohort, extends life expectancy by 5 days and disease‐free life expectancy by 18 days, and costs US$ 1762 517 per year of life extended. Periodic PCR testing reduces the lifetime number of CMV disease cases by eight per 1000 cohort, extends life expectancy by 1 day and disease‐free life expectancy by 3 days, and costs US$ 495 158 per year of life extended. The prevention strategies could be acceptably cost effective only under a combination of optimistic assumptions and reduced costs. Conclusions: Oral ganciclovir preventive therapy and periodic plasma testing for CMV PCR with oral ganciclovir for those with positive tests result in small benefits at great cost. They are not cost‐effective prevention strategies for persons with advanced HIV infection and positive CMV serologies.
Wireless powered communication: opportunities and challenges

The performance of wireless communication is fundamentally constrained by the limited battery life of wireless devices, the operations of which are frequently disrupted due to the need of manual battery replacement/recharging. The recent advance in RF-enabled wireless energy transfer (WET) technology provides an attractive solution named wireless powered communication (WPC), where the wireless devices are powered by dedicated wireless power transmitters to provide continuous and stable microwave energy over the air. As a key enabling technology for truly perpetual communications, WPC opens up the potential to build a network with larger throughput, higher robustness, and increased flexibility compared to its battery-powered counterpart. However, the combination of wireless energy and information transmissions also raises many new research problems and implementation issues that need to be addressed. In this article, we provide an overview of state-of- the-art RF-enabled WET technologies and their applications to wireless communications, highlighting the key design challenges, solutions, and opportunities ahead.
Effects of clinical pathways in stroke management: A meta-analysis

Objective: To assess the implementation effects of clinical pathways, compared with usual care, among patients with stroke. Methods:Two investigators independently searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database and Wanfang Database for studies published before December 2014. Jadad methodological approach was applied to assess the quality of included studies and RevMan software (version 5.2.7) was used for meta-analysis. Results: A total of 11 RCTs involving 913 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The overall results showed that a shorter average length of stay [MD = -2.92; 95% CI (-4.06, -1.78); P < 0.001] and a lower inpatient expenditures [SMD = -1.64; 95% CI (-1.80, -1.48); P < 0.001] in clinical pathways group comparing with the usual care group. The higher score of patient satisfaction was also seen in clinical pathways group. Conclusion: clinical pathways may reduce the average length of stay, reduce the inpatient expenditures, increase patient satisfaction and improve the quality of care in stroke management.
Isolation, Characterization, and Identification of Bacteria Associated with the Zinc Hyperaccumulator Thlaspi caerulescens subsp. Calaminaria

ABSTRACT We investigated bacterial populations associated with the Zn hyperaccumulator Thlaspi caerulescens subsp. calaminaria grown in a soil collected from an abandoned Zn-Pb mine and smelter in Plombières, Belgium. The bacterial population of the nonrhizospheric soil consisted of typical soil bacteria, some exhibiting multiple heavy-metal resistance characteristics that often are associated with polluted substrates: 7.8% and 4% of the population survived in the presence of elevated levels of Zn (1 mM) and Cd (0.8 mM), respectively. For the bacterial population isolated from the rhizosphere, the comparable survival rates were 88 and 78%. This observation indicates a selective enrichment of the metal-resistant strains due to an increased availability of the metals in soils near the roots compared with nonrhizospheric soil. The endophytic inhabitants of the roots and shoots were isolated, identified, and characterized. Although similar endophytic species were isolated from both compartments, those from the rhizoplane and roots showed lower resistance to Zn and Cd than the endophytic bacteria isolated from the shoots. In addition, root endophytic bacteria had additional requirements. Contrary to the rootresiding inhabitants, the shoot represented a niche rich in metal-resistant bacteria and even seemed to contain species that were exclusively abundant there. These differences in the characteristics of the bacterial microflora associated with T. caerulescens might possibly reflect altered metal speciation in the different soils and plant compartments studied.
Factors affecting e-book reader awareness, interest, and intention to use

This study attempts to identify the predictors of e-book reader diffusion with regard to consumer awareness, interest, and intention to use. Specifically, it assesses the relative influence of demographics, media usage/ownership, and personal traits/perception variables in the technology-adoption process. A national consumer survey conducted in South Korea, a leading country in the proliferation of e-book use, found that e-book reader awareness, interest, and adoption intention correlated positively with age, education, income, perceived need for print media, digital media ownership, personal innovativeness, and the perceived attributes of e-book readers. Regarding the relative effects of variable blocks, the most influential factors in predicting e-book reader awareness, e-book reader interest, and intention to use were demographics, personal innovativeness, and the perceived attributes of e-book readers, respectively.
Análisis correlacional y predictivo del autoconcepto con otros factores conductuales, cognitivos y emocionales de la personalidad durante la adolescencia

Resumen Este estudio analiza las relaciones del autoconcepto con una serie de factores de la personalidad. La muestra está constituidapor 174 sujetos adolescentes de 12 a 14 años. Para medir las variables (conductas sociales, problemas de conducta, empatía, relaciones intragrupo, creencias irracionales, ansiedad, impulsividad) se utilizan 12 instrumentos de evaluación. Los análisis correlacionales (Pearson) evidencian que los adolescentes con alto autoconcepto global, muestran muchas conductas de autocontrol, de liderazgo, prosociales, asertivas, autoasertividad, pocas conductas sociales de ansiedad-timidez, de retraimiento, buen nivel de adaptación social, pocos problemas (escolares, de retraimiento, psicopatológicos, psicosomáticos, de ansiedad), pocas creencias irracionales, bajo nivel de ansiedad estado-rasgo y de impulsividad, alta elección y poco rechazo como amigos y compañeros prosociales. El análisis de regresión múltiple permite identificar como variables predictoras de autoconcepto global muchas conductas sociales de autocontrol y prosociales, alto nivel de elección como amigo, buena adaptación social, pocas conductas sociales de ansiedad-timidez, baja ansiedadrasgo y pocos problemas de ansiedad y de retraimiento.
Latent Domains Modeling for Visual Domain Adaptation

To improve robustness to significant mismatches between source domain and target domain - arising from changes such as illumination, pose and image quality - domain adaptation is increasingly popular in computer vision. But most of methods assume that the source data is from single domain, or that multi-domain datasets provide the domain label for training instances. In practice, most datasets are mixtures of multiple latent domains, and difficult to manually provide the domain label of each data point. In this paper, we propose a model that automatically discovers latent domains in visual datasets. We first assume the visual images are sampled from multiple manifolds, each of which represents different domain, and which are represented by different subspaces. Using the neighborhood structure estimated from images belonging to the same category, we approximate the local linear invariant subspace for each image based on its local structure, eliminating the category-specific elements of the feature. Based on the effectiveness of this representation, we then propose a squared-loss mutual information based clustering model with category distribution prior in each domain to infer the domain assignment for images. In experiment, we test our approach on two common image datasets, the results show that our method outperforms the existing state-of-the-art methods, and also show the superiority of multiple latent domain discovery.
Failure of exclusion of internal iliac artery aneurysms.

PURPOSE We investigated in detail the state of internal iliac artery (IIA) aneurysms over the midterm after the exclusion procedure. METHODS From January 1990 to December 1998, 29 patients underwent the exclusion procedure for IIA aneurysms. The medical records of 27 survivors were retrospectively reviewed, and 30 excluded aneurysms of these patients were followed up with computed tomography scanning over the midterm. RESULTS In the immediate postoperative period, 26 aneurysms were completely thrombosed, and four were incompletely thrombosed. In the midterm, 24 aneurysms were completely thrombosed (complete group), and six were incompletely thrombosed (incomplete group). No aneurysms expanded or ruptured during the follow-up period from 6 to 98 months (mean, 26 months). The size of the excluded aneurysm decreased in 22 of 24 aneurysms in the complete group, but no change in size was noted in the six aneurysms in the incomplete group. The preoperative size of the IIA aneurysm in the incomplete group was significantly larger than that in the complete group (P =.0047). The size of two aneurysms in the incomplete group was smaller than 3.0 cm. The aneurysms in the incomplete group extended significantly deep into the pelvis as compared with those in the complete group (P =.0008). CONCLUSIONS The exclusion of IIA aneurysm did not reliably result in thrombosis of the aneurysm. For IIA aneurysms extending deeply into the pelvis, even if the size of the aneurysm is smaller than 3.0 cm, the exclusion procedure should not be performed.