Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Overtrust of robots in emergency evacuation scenarios

Robots have the potential to save lives in emergency scenarios, but could have an equally disastrous effect if participants overtrust them. To explore this concept, we performed an experiment where a participant interacts with a robot in a non-emergency task to experience its behavior and then chooses whether to follow the robot's instructions in an emergency or not. Artificial smoke and fire alarms were used to add a sense of urgency. To our surprise, all 26 participants followed the robot in the emergency, despite half observing the same robot perform poorly in a navigation guidance task just minutes before. We performed additional exploratory studies investigating different failure modes. Even when the robot pointed to a dark room with no discernible exit the majority of people did not choose to safely exit the way they entered.
Generic Adaptive Syntax-Directed Compression for Mobile Code

We present a new approach to code compression which was designed as part of a larger infrastructure for mobile code deployment. Our approach operates on abstract syntax trees and can be parameterized by abstract grammars, making it applicable to any source language without further language-specific modifications. It employs a variation of prediction by partial match to drive an arithmetic coder adaptively, thereby achieving unmatched compression results without requiring prior statistical analysis. We have developed a prototype implementation and have used it to compress Java programs. It reduces the size of compressed Java classes/packages by 5–50 per cent compared to the best published compression scheme, which was specifically tailored towards Java.
Forkhead box O-class 1 and Forkhead box G1 as Prognostic Markers for Bladder Cancer

Forkhead box O-class 1 (FOXO1) is a key regulator of glucose homeostasis, cell-cycle progression, and apoptosis. Its functions are modulated by forkhead box G1 (FOXG1), which acts as a transcriptional repressor with oncogenic potential. Real-time PCR and immunohistochemical staining were performed in 174 primary bladder cancer specimens and 21 normal bladder mucosae to evaluate these genes. FOXO1 and FOXG1 mRNA expression in cancer tissues were higher than in normal mucosae (each P<0.001). FOXO1 mRNA levels were significantly higher in samples of non-progressed patients (P<0.001), but FOXG1 were enhanced in those of progressed patients (P=0.019). On univariate analysis, FOXO1 mRNA expression was significantly associated with grade, stage, recurrence, progression and survival (each P<0.05). On multivariate analysis, increased FOXO1 mRNA expression was associated with both reduced disease progression (odds ratio [OR], 0.367; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.163-0.826, P=0.015) and enhanced disease-free survival (OR, 3.262; 95% CI, 1.361-7.820, P=0.008). At a median follow-up of 33 months (range 2 to 156), the patients with a high FOXO1 mRNA expression had a significantly prolonged survival (P=0.001). Immunohistochemical findings of FOXO1 were generally concordant with mRNA expression levels. In conclusion, FOXO1 may be a promising marker for predicting progression in human bladder cancers.
CP-ABE With Constant-Size Keys for Lightweight Devices

Lightweight devices, such as radio frequency identification tags, have a limited storage capacity, which has become a bottleneck for many applications, especially for security applications. Ciphertext-policy attribute-based encryption (CP-ABE) is a promising cryptographic tool, where the encryptor can decide the access structure that will be used to protect the sensitive data. However, current CP-ABE schemes suffer from the issue of having long decryption keys, in which the size is linear to and dependent on the number of attributes. This drawback prevents the use of lightweight devices in practice as a storage of the decryption keys of the CP-ABE for users. In this paper, we provide an affirmative answer to the above long standing issue, which will make the CP-ABE very practical. We propose a novel CP-ABE scheme with constant-size decryption keys independent of the number of attributes. We found that the size can be as small as 672 bits. In comparison with other schemes in the literature, the proposed scheme is the only CP-ABE with expressive access structures, which is suitable for CP-ABE key storage in lightweight devices.
Relapses in patients with Henoch–Schönlein purpura

Abstract To further investigate into the relapses of Henoch–Schönlein purpura (HSP), we analyzed the frequency, clinical features, and predictors of relapses in series of 417 unselected patients from a single center. After a median follow-up of 12 (interquartile range [IQR]: 2–38) years, almost one-third of the 417 patients (n = 133; 32%; 85 men/48 women) had experienced at least 1 relapse. At the time of disease diagnosis, patients who later experienced relapses had less commonly infections than those who never suffered flares (30.8% vs 41.9%; P = 0.03). In contrast, patients who experienced relapses had a longer duration of the first episode of palpable purpura than those without relapses (palpable purpura lasting >7 days; 80.0% vs 68.1%; P = 0.04). Abdominal pain (72.3% vs 62.3%; P = 0.03) and joint manifestations (27.8% vs 15.5%; P = 0.005) were also more common in patients who later developed relapses. In contrast, patients who never suffered relapses had a slightly higher frequency of fever at the time of disease diagnosis (9.3% vs 3.8%; P = 0.06). At the time of disease diagnosis, corticosteroids were more frequently given to patients who later had relapses of the disease (44% vs 32% in nonrelapsing patients; P = 0.03). Relapses generally occurred soon after the first episode of vasculitis. The median time from the diagnosis of HSP to the first relapse was 1 (IQR: 1–2) month. The median number of relapses was 1 (IQR 1–3). The main clinical features at the time of the relapse were cutaneous (88.7%), gastrointestinal (27.1%), renal (24.8%), and joint (16.5%) manifestations. After a mean ± standard deviation follow-up of 18.9 ± 9.8 years, complete recovery was observed in 110 (82.7%) of the 133 patients who had relapses. Renal sequelae (persistent renal involvement) was found in 11 (8.3%) of the patients with relapses. The best predictive factors for relapse were joint and gastrointestinal manifestations at HSP diagnosis (odds ratio [OR]: 2.22; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.34–3.69, and OR: 1.60; 95% CI: 1.01–2.53, respectively). In contrast, a history of previous infection was a protective factor for relapses (OR: 0.60; 95% CI: 0.38–0.94). In conclusion, joint and gastrointestinal manifestations at the time of diagnosis of HSP are predictors of relapses.
Learning a blind image quality index based on visual saliency guided sampling and Gabor filtering

The goal of no-reference image quality assessment (NR-IQA) is to estimate the quality of an image consistent with the human perception of the image automatically without any prior of the reference image. In this paper, we present a simple yet efficient and effective approach to learn a blind Image Quality index based on Visual saliency guided sampling and Gabor filtering, namely IQVG. Given an image, we at first randomly sample a sufficient number of image patches guided by the image's visual saliency map and convolve each patch with Gabor filters to get a bag of features. Then, the image is represented by using a histogram to encode the bag of features. Support vector regression (SVR) is used to learn the mapping from feature space to image quality. Extensive experiments conducted on the LIVE IQA database demonstrate the overall superiority of our IQVG over the other state-of-the-art NR-IQA algorithms evaluated. The Matlab source code of IQVG and the evaluation results are available online at http://sse.tongji. edu.cn/linzhang/IQA/IQVG/IQVG.htm.
Professional support and positive gain for mothers of children with ASD

Though raising a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often associated with stress, many parents report positive aspects as well. Access to professional supports may be related to positive gain, given that professional supports are related to decreased levels of stress. The purpose of this study was to inves‐ tigate the relationship between professional support and positive gain for mothers of children with ASD. Participants included 132 mothers of children diagnosed with ASD aged 4–21 years. Professional support and behaviour problems were found to be significant predictors of positive gain in mothers of children with ASD. The clinical implications of these results are discussed. Even though raising a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often associated with stress (Lecavalier, Leone, & Wiltz, 2006), many parents report positive aspects of parenting their child. Personal growth (Hastings & Taunt, 2002), an enriched spiritual life (Gray, 2006), and a re-evaluation of life priorities (Myers, Mackintosh, & Goin-Kochel, 2009) are all tied to caring for a child with ASD, suggesting that raising a child with a disability may involve positive gain in families (King et al., 2006). Positive gain is defined as the perceived benefits of raising a child, including growing as a person, learning new skills, and becoming more determined to face challenges. Given that positive gain is associated with positive outcomes for parents, it is important to investigate the variables associated with such gains. There is emerging research on parents of children with ASD and parents of children with intellectual disability (ID) that shows positive gains are positively correlated with psychological acceptance in fathers of children with ID (MacDonald, Hastings, & Fitzsimons, 2010), negatively correlated with stress in mothers of young adults with ID (Blacher & Baker, 2007), and positively correlated with mothers’ perceptions of their child as a source of happiness, strength and family closeness (Hastings, Allen, McDermott, & Still, 2002). Having access to professional supports may also be related to the positive gain associated with caring for a child with ASD, as supports are related to healthy adaptation (Siklos & Kerns, 2006). However, some studies have shown that professional supports are associated with reduced parental stress (Chan & Sigafoos, 2001; King, King, Rosenbaum, & Goffin, 1999), while others have suggested it might be associated with increased stress (Sloper & Turner, 1992). To date, no study has specifically examined how professional supports relate to perceptions of positive gains in families of children with ASD. © Ontario Association on Developmental Disabilities
Reduced Mitochondrial DNA Content Associates with Poor Prognosis of Prostate Cancer in African American Men

Reduction or depletion of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has been associated with cancer progression. Although imbalanced mtDNA content is known to occur in prostate cancer, differences in mtDNA content between African American (AA) and Caucasian American (CA) men are not defined. We provide the first evidence that tumors in AA men possess reduced level of mtDNA compared to CA men. The median tumor mtDNA content was reduced in AA men. mtDNA content was also reduced in normal prostate tissues of AA men compared to CA men, suggesting a possible predisposition to cancer in AA men. mtDNA content was also reduced in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) tissue from AA men. Tumor and BPH tissues from patients ≥60 years of age possess reduced mtDNA content compared to patients <60 years of age. In addition, mtDNA content was higher in normal tissues from patients with malignant T3 stage disease compared to patients with T2 stage disease. mtDNA levels in matched normal prostate tissues were nearly doubled in Gleason grade of >7 compared to ≤7, whereas reduced mtDNA content was observed in tumors of Gleason grade >7 compared to ≤7. Together, our data suggest that AA men possess lower mtDNA levels in normal and tumor tissues compared to CA men, which could contribute to higher risk and more aggressive prostate cancer in AA men.
Fibroblast Growth Factor-2-induced Signaling through Lipid Raft-associated Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor Substrate 2 (FRS2)*

The plasma membrane is not homogenous but contains specific subcompartments characterized by their unique lipid and protein composition. Based on their enrichment in various signaling molecules, these membrane microdomains are recognized to be sites of localized signal transduction for a number of extracellular stimuli. We have previously shown that fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2) induced a specific signaling response within a lipid raft membrane microdomain in human neuroblastoma cells characterized by the tyrosine phosphorylation of a p80 phosphoprotein. Herein, we show that this protein is the signaling adaptor FRS2 and that it is localized exclusively to lipid rafts in vitro and in vivo. We have examined how the tyrosine phosphorylation and serine-threonine phosphorylation of FRS2 within lipid rafts affect the response of cells to FGF2 signaling. Our data suggest that activation of protein kinase C, Src family kinases, and MEK1/2 are involved in regulating serine-threonine phosphorylation of FRS2, which can indirectly affect FRS2 phosphotyrosine levels. We also show that Grb2 is recruited to lipid rafts during signaling events and that activation of MEK1/2 by different mechanisms within lipid rafts may lead to different cellular responses. This work suggests that compartmentalized signaling within lipid rafts may provide a level of specificity for growth factor signaling.
Seeking “conversations for accountability”: Mediating the impact of non-governmental organization (NGO) upward accountability processes

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to ascertain how upward accountability processes can be enabling in, or constraining to, the effective deployment of development aid funding. Design/methodology/approach - The paper derives its primary insights from in-depth interviews and focus groups with non-governmental organization (NGO) fieldworkers working and delivering development aid in Northern Ghana. It analyses inductively the perspectives of fieldworkers to explain their experiences of upward accountability. Findings - The fieldworkers’ perception of upward accountability was mainly one of external control, in response to which they enacted a skilful form of compliance accountability. This perception of control failed to stifle their initiative and intrinsic commitment to beneficiaries. The fieldworkers craved “conversations for accountability”, in which they had a voice in the development of upward accountability metrics, thereby enabling them to fulfil their sense of felt responsibility to beneficiaries. While aspects of “conversations for accountability” were emerging in fieldworker-funder interactions, it was unclear to what extent funders were committed to further advancing them. Overall, the analysis unveils how felt responsibility mediates for, and partly diminishes, the perceived negative impacts on aid effectiveness of upward accountability processes informed by a focus on control. Originality/value - The authors examine the potential of upward accountability processes using in-depth analyses of the actual experiences of those involved in delivering NGO services at the grassroots level. The authors contribute to emerging work in this vein by enriching the authors’ understanding of local constituencies’ experiences of accountability processes more generally, especially the impact these mechanisms have on NGO operational activities. The authors also unveil the mediating role fieldworkers’ “felt responsibility” to beneficiaries’ plays in moderating the perceived negative impacts on aid effectiveness of upward accountability processes.
The prevalence of lymphogranuloma venereum infection in men who have sex with men: results of a multicentre case finding study

Objective: To determine the prevalence of lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) and non-LGV associated serovars of urethral and rectal Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection in men who have sex with men (MSM). Design: Multicentre cross-sectional survey. Setting: Four genitourinary medicine clinics in the United Kingdom from 2006–7. Subjects: 4825 urethral and 6778 rectal samples from consecutive MSM attending for sexual health screening. Methods: Urethral swabs or urine and rectal swabs were tested for CT using standard nucleic acid amplification tests. Chlamydia-positive specimens were sent to the reference laboratory for serovar determination. Main outcome: Positivity for both LGV and non-LGV associated CT serovars; proportion of cases that were symptomatic. Results: The positivity (with 95% confidence intervals) in rectal samples was 6.06% (5.51% to 6.66%) for non-LGV CT and 0.90% (0.69% to 1.16%) for LGV; for urethral samples 3.21% (2.74% to 3.76%) for non-LGV CT and 0.04% (0.01% to 0.16%) for LGV. The majority of LGV was symptomatic (95% of rectal, one of two urethral cases); non-LGV chlamydia was mostly symptomatic in the urethra (68%) but not in the rectum (16%). Conclusions: Chlamydial infections are common in MSM attending for sexual health screening, and the majority are non-LGV associated serovars. We did not identify a large reservoir of asymptomatic LGV in the rectum or urethra. Testing for chlamydia from the rectum and urethra should be included for MSM requesting a sexual health screen, but serovar-typing is not indicated in the absence of symptoms. We have yet to identify the source of most cases of LGV in the UK.
Networked sensor management and data rate control for tracking maneuvering targets

This paper presents sensor and data rate control algorithms for tracking maneuvering targets. The manuevering target is modeled as a jump Markov linear system. We present novel extensions of the Interacting Multiple Model (IMM), Particle filter tracker, and Probabilistic Data Association (PDA) algorithms to handle sensor and data rate control. Numerical studies illustrate the performance of these sensor and data rate control algorithms.
Adolescent appraisals and coping strategies during a stressful exam.

One hundred male and female, grade 8, 9, and 10 students, aged 13 to 16, participated in a study to investigate how adolescents appraise and cope during a stressful mathematics exam. Prior to the exam, questionnaires assessing tension, appraisals o f control and self-efficacy, and perceptions o f state anxiety were administered to the students. Following the exam, a coping questionnaire and a demographic questionnaire was administered, and the state-anxiety inventory was readministered. Test grades from the exam were collected from the teachers. The data were analyzed by Pearson product moment correlations, an independent measures t-test, an analysis o f variance, and by a multiple regression analysis. The results indicated that tliere were no significant relationships between control and total problem-focused coping or between control and total emotion-focused coping. However, the relationships between control and the subscales o f problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies were significant. As expected, there were significant relationships between self-efficacy and control and between self-efficacy and total problem-focused coping strategies. Further analysis indicated that s e lf efficacy was positively related to math grade point average and test score. Stepwise multiple regression demonstrated that s e lf efficacy predicted problem-focused coping and test score more than any other variable. The results were discussed in relation to Lazarus and Folkman's (1984) theory o f stress and coping.
Culture and acceptance of global web sites: a cross-country study of the effects of national cultural values on acceptance of a personal web portal

E-businesses have experienced the challenges of developing global web sites that serve consumers with different national cultures. Researchers have studied the influence that national cultural values have on technology-related beliefs and behaviors, and have noted the need for further research on cultural issues. This study investigates the influence of national cultural values on acceptance of a personal web portal by users in China and the United States. Subjects from these two countries evaluated country-specific versions of a personal web portal designed to support the gathering of news, blogs, and other shared information and to provide communication features. The five national cultural dimensions of power distance, individualism/collectivism, masculinity/femininity, uncertainty avoidance, and time orientation were measured at the individual level to enable assessment of the influence from each cultural dimension on technology beliefs and adoption intentions. A research model integrating both moderating and direct effects of cultural values was proposed. Individualism and time orientation were found to influence perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness directly. No moderating cultural effects were significant. The results stress the importance of including the cultural value of time orientation in studies of technology acceptance and measuring cultural values at the individual level. Our findings suggest that e-businesses should continue to focus on the cultural congruency of global web sites and consider how personalization features may assist in pursuit of this congruency.
Knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases among secondary school students in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

BACKGROUND In Tanzania, it is considered a taboo for teachers and parents to talk with children about sexual matters including sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in schools and at home because of cultural and religious barriers. Political pressure also keeps sexual education and thus education on STDs out of classrooms. Generally, there is disagreement over STDs education on what to teach, by whom, and to what extent. OBJECTIVES To assess the knowledge of STDs, and attitude towards sexual behavior and STDs among secondary school students. METHODS This was a cross-sectional study using a semi-structured questionnaire. A sample size of 635 students was determined by simple random sampling. RESULTS Majority of the students (98%) said have heard about STDs; however their knowledge of the symptoms associated with STDs was poor. Similarly 147 (23%) students did not know other means of STDs transmission rather than sexual intercourse. A number of students who were capable of identifying all tracer STDs was comparable between the ordinary (10.5%) and advanced (10.6%) level students (p < 0.001). Thirty-two students (8%) were completely unable to identify even a single tracer STD. About 96% respondents said were capable of preventing themselves from contracting STDs, however 38% of them admitted that they were at risk of contracting STDs. Majority (99%) described more than one source of information on STDs, television and radio were the most commonly mentioned sources, whilst none of them cited parents as source of information (p < 0.001). Regarding vulnerability to STDs, 503 (79%) students said female students were more vulnerable to STDs compared to males. CONCLUSIONS The level of knowledge about STDs (ability to identify tracer STDs, to describe symptoms associated with STDs and their mode of transmission) is poor with regard to the students' levels of education. Female students are more vulnerable to STDs compared to male counterparts. Mass media is still the more effective means of educating the students on STDs.