Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Privacy Expectations and Preferences in an IoT World

With the rapid deployment of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and the variety of ways in which IoT-connected sensors collect and use personal data, there is a need for transparency, control, and new tools to ensure that individual privacy requirements are met. To develop these tools, it is important to better understand how people feel about the privacy implications of IoT and the situations in which they prefer to be notified about data collection. We report on a 1,007-participant vignette study focusing on privacy expectations and preferences as they pertain to a set of 380 IoT data collection and use scenarios. Participants were presented with 14 scenarios that varied across eight categorical factors, including the type of data collected (e.g. location, biometrics, temperature), how the data is used (e.g., whether it is shared, and for what purpose), and other attributes such as the data retention period. Our findings show that privacy preferences are diverse and context dependent; participants were more comfortable with data being collected in public settings rather than in private places, and are more likely to consent to data being collected for uses they find beneficial. They are less comfortable with the collection of biometrics (e.g. fingerprints) than environmental data (e.g. room temperature, physical presence). We also find that participants are more likely to want to be notified about data practices that they are uncomfortable with. Finally, our study suggests that after observing individual decisions in just three data-collection scenarios, it is possible to predict their preferences for the remaining scenarios, with our model achieving an average accuracy of up to 86%.
5-Aza-2′-Deoxycytidine Improves the Sensitivity of Endometrial Cancer Cells to Progesterone Therapy

Objective Progesterone has been proven to have limited effects on endometrial cancers (ECs), mainly owing to the down-regulation of progesterone receptor (PR). Here, we explored whether 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (5-aza-CdR), a demethylating agent, could enhance the susceptibility of EC cells to medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA). Methods Ishikawa and KLE cell lines were treated with 5-aza-CdR and/or MPA. The expression of PR, PR target genes, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) was investigated by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. Promoter methylation was detected by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. The effects of 5-aza-CdR and/or MPA on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and invasion of EC cells were evaluated by 2-(4-Iodophenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-5-(2,4-disulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium assay, flow cytometry, invasion assay, and gelatin zymography, respectively. Results 5-Aza-2′-deoxycytidine significantly increased the expression of PR and its downstream targets by demethylating PR promoter in both Ishikawa and KLE cells. 5-Aza-2′-deoxycytidine combined with MPA synergistically suppressed the EC cell growth by inducing cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase and apoptosis. Furthermore, 5-aza-CdR synergized with MPA to inhibit the invasion of EC cells, perhaps owing to the down-regulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression and activity. Conclusions 5-Aza-2′-deoxycytidine and MPA synergistically inhibit EC cell growth and invasion. Their combined use may provide a new effective therapeutic opportunity for endometrial carcinoma.
First identification of HIV-1 groups M and O dual infections in Europe

We describe two cases of HIV-1 groups M and O dual infection detected in France through a centralized virological surveillance programme linked to the mandatory system of anonymous notification of HIV infection. The cases were initially identified by serotyping and then confirmed by molecular characterization. They represent the first cases of M/O dual infection reported outside the endemic group O region of the western part of equatorial Africa. (authors)
Large layer VI neurons of monkey striate cortex (Meynert cells) project to the superior colliculus

After injections of the enzyme horseradish peroxidase (HRP) into the superior colliculus of macaque monkeys, labelled cells in the neocortex were found to be restricted to layer V in all areas except striate visual cortex. In striate visual cortex, cortico-tectal cells were found both in layer V and in layer VI. The labelled cells in the two layers belonged to morphologically different populations: those of layer V were the common pyramidal cells and those of layer VI were identified as solitary cells of Meynert. This finding may provide new insights into the physiology of the cortico-collicular pathways. It also shows that the striate area in primates differs, with respect to cortico-tectal laminar specificity, from other neocortex.
High speed lateral-IGBT with a passive gate

A lateral-IGBT with a passive gate on collector portion has been proposed. Since the collector voltage directly drives the passive gate which controls the parasitic PNPTr, high-speed turn-off is compatible with low on-resistance without a side effect such as snapback I-V characteristics. Simulation results have shown drastic drop of fall time from 120ns to 5ns. Fabricated device have realize 6.8 ohm/mm/sup 2/ @ Kc=2V specific on-resistance, 780V blocking capability and improved turn-off characteristics similar to simulation results.
Diagnosing viral and bacterial respiratory infections in acute COPD exacerbations by an electronic nose: a pilot study

Respiratory infections, viral or bacterial, are a common cause of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). A rapid, point-of-care, and easy-to-use tool distinguishing viral and bacterial from other causes would be valuable in routine clinical care. An electronic nose (e-nose) could fit this profile but has never been tested in this setting before. In a single-center registered trial (NTR 4601) patients admitted with AECOPD were tested with the Aeonose® electronic nose, and a diagnosis of viral or bacterial infection was obtained by bacterial culture on sputa and viral PCR on nose swabs. A neural network with leave-10%-out cross-validation was used to assess the e-nose data. Forty three patients were included. In the bacterial infection model, 22 positive cases were tested versus the negatives; and similarly 18 positive cases were tested in the viral infection model. The Aeonose was able to distinguish between COPD-subjects suffering from a viral infection and COPD patients without infection, showing an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.74. Similarly, for bacterial infections, an AUC of 0.72 was obtained. The Aeonose e-nose yields promising results in ‘smelling’ the presence or absence of a viral or bacterial respiratory infection during an acute exacerbation of COPD. Validation of these results using a new and large cohort is required before introduction into clinical practice.
Efficient inhibition of ovarian cancer by degradable nanoparticle-delivered survivin T34A gene

Gene therapy has promising applications in ovarian cancer therapy. Blocking the function of the survivin protein could lead to the growth inhibition of cancer cells. Herein, we used degradable heparin–polyethyleneimine (HPEI) nanoparticles to deliver a dominant-negative human survivin T34A (hs-T34A) gene to treat ovarian cancer. HPEI nanoparticles were characterized and were found to have a dynamic diameter of 66±4.5 nm and a zeta potential of 27.1±1.87 mV. The constructed hs-T34A gene expression plasmid could be effectively delivered into SKOV3 ovarian carcinoma cells by HPEI nanoparticles with low cytotoxicity. Intraperitoneal administration of HPEI/hs-T34A complexes could markedly inhibit tumor growth in a mouse xenograft model of SKOV3 human ovarian cancer. Moreover, according to our results, apparent apoptosis of cancer cells was observed both in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, the prepared HPEI/hs-T34A formulation showed potential applications in ovarian cancer gene therapy.
Mechanisms and evolution of hypoxia tolerance in fish

The ability of an organism to acquire O2 from its environment is key to survival and can play an important role in dictating a species' ecological distribution. This study is the first, to our knowledge, to show a tight, phylogenetically independent correlation between hypoxia tolerance, traits involved in dictating O2 extraction capacity and the distribution of a group of closely related fish species, sculpins from the family Cottidae, along the nearshore marine environment. Sculpins with higher hypoxia tolerance, measured as low critical O2 tensions (Pcrit), inhabit the O2 variable intertidal zones, while species with lower hypoxia tolerance inhabit the more O2 stable subtidal zone or freshwater. Hypoxia tolerance is phylogenetically independently associated with an enhanced O2 extraction capacity, with three principal components accounting for 75 per cent of the variation in Pcrit: routine O2 consumption rate; mass-specific gill surface area; and whole blood haemoglobin (Hb)–O2-binding affinity (P50). Variation in whole blood Hb–O2 P50 is strongly correlated with the intrinsic O2-binding properties of the purified Hb while the differences in the concentration of the allosteric Hb modulators, ATP and GTP, provide a Hb system with substantial plasticity for survival in a highly O2 variable environment.
Factors associated with suicidal thoughts in a large community study of older adults

Background Thoughts about death and self-harm in old age have been commonly associated with the presence of depression, but other risk factors may also be important. Aims To determine the independent association between suicidal ideation in later life and demographic, lifestyle, socioeconomic, psychiatric and medical factors. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted of a community-derived sample of 21290 adults aged 60-101 years enrolled from Australian primary care practices. We considered that participants endorsing any of the four items of the Depressive Symptom Inventory - Suicidality Subscale were experiencing suicidal thoughts. We used standard procedures to collect demographic, lifestyle, psychosocial and clinical data. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Results The 2-week prevalence of suicidal ideation was 4.8%. Male gender, higher education, current smoking, living alone, poor social support, no religious practice, financial strain, childhood physical abuse, history of suicide in the family, past depression, current anxiety, depression or comorbid anxiety and depression, past suicide attempt, pain, poor self-perceived health and current use of antidepressants were independently associated with suicidal ideation. Poor social support was associated with a population attributable fraction of 38.0%, followed by history of depression (23.6%), concurrent anxiety and depression (19.7%), prevalent anxiety (15.1%), pain (13.7%) and no religious practice (11.4%). Conclusions Prevalent and past mood disorders seem to be valid targets for indicated interventions designed to reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviour. However, our data indicate that social disconnectedness and stress account for a larger proportion of cases than mood disorders. Should these associations prove to be causal, then interventions that succeeded in addressing these issues would contribute the most to reducing suicidal ideation and, possibly, suicidal behaviour in later life.
Dairy Products Consumption and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis

Background The consumption of dairy products may influence the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but inconsistent findings have been reported. Moreover, large variation in the types of dairy intake has not yet been fully explored. Methods and Results We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to clarify the dose–response association of dairy products intake and T2DM risk. We searched PubMed, EMBASE and Scopus for studies of dairy products intake and T2DM risk published up to the end of October 2012. Random-effects models were used to estimate summary relative risk (RR) statistics. Dose-response relations were evaluated using data from different dairy products in each study. We included 14 articles of cohort studies that reported RR estimates and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of T2DM with dairy products intake. We found an inverse linear association of consumption of total dairy products (13 studies), low-fat dairy products (8 studies), cheese (7 studies) and yogurt (7 studies) and risk of T2DM. The pooled RRs were 0.94 (95% CI 0.91–0.97) and 0.88 (0.84–0.93) for 200 g/day total and low-fat dairy consumption, respectively. The pooled RRs were 0.80 (0.69–0.93) and 0.91 (0.82–1.00) for 30 g/d cheese and 50 g/d yogurt consumption, respectively. We also found a nonlinear association of total and low-fat dairy intake and T2DM risk, and the inverse association appeared to be strongest within 200 g/d intake. Conclusion A modest increase in daily intake of dairy products such as low fat dairy, cheese and yogurt may contribute to the prevention of T2DM, which needs confirmation in randomized controlled trials.
A Survey for Low Surface Brightness Galaxies around M31. II. The Newly Discovered Dwarf Andromeda VI

We present B-, V-, and I-band images, as well as an Hα image, of Andromeda VI (And VI). This is the second newly identified dwarf spheroidal (dSph) companion to M31 found using a digital filtering technique applied to the second Palomar Sky Survey for which about 1550 deg2 now have been surveyed. And VI was confirmed to be a nearby dSph galaxy when it resolved into stars easily with a short V-band exposure with the 4 m telescope. Subarcsecond images taken at the Kitt Peak WIYN 3.5 m telescope provided (I, V-I) and (V, B-V) color-magnitude diagrams that yield a distance of 775 ± 35 kpc using the tip of the red giant branch method, and a mean metallicity of [Fe/H] = -1.58 ± 0.20 with a dispersion of approximately 0.3 dex. And VI has a galactocentric distance of roughly 271 kpc and MV = -11.3. All observed properties of And VI are consistent with its classification as a dSph companion to M31. Despite the recent identification of the And V, And VI, and Cas dwarfs, the Local Group luminosity function remains highly deficient in faint galaxies relative both to CDM simulations of its formation, and to the luminosity functions for richer clusters of galaxies.
Retroviral vectors containing Tet-controlled bidirectional transcription units for simultaneous regulation of two gene activities

In this study retroviral self-inactivating (SIN)-vectors were constructed, that allow simultaneous regulation of two genes by integration of bidirectional Tet controlled transcription units. Marker genes (luciferase and eGFP) were expressed under the control of various bidirectional promoters Ptetbis, in order to determine (i) the fraction of HtTA-1 cells exhibiting tight doxycycline (Dox) dependent control; (ii) possible effects of the vector backbone on the regulation of gene transcription; (iii) the possibility for crosstalk between different minimal promoters within Ptetbi. When HtTA-1 cells, constitutively expressing the Tet-Transactivator (tTA), were transduced by S2f-lMCg retroviral vector, a high percentage (40) of the cell population displayed tight regulation (5000 fold) of Ptetbi activity over a wide range of Dox concentrations. As a result of our comparative study on the activity of virus derived minimal promoters (from MMTV, HIV and CMV), a clear hierarchy of activity as well as a different sensitivity to external influences among the various promoters studied was observed. Furthermore, our results strongly support the idea, that viral elements such as part of the MuLV pol/env region significantly affect the regulation capacity of an integrate. Taking into account our observations as outlined above, we succeeded in generating significantly optimized Tet regulated retroviral vectors. The application of such a one-step transfer system for Ptet controlled genes would be of particular relevance to applications where cellular systems do not allow prolonged selection procedures as it is the case with primary cells considered for ex vivo gene therapy.
Knowledge: a possible tool in shaping medical professionals' attitudes towards homosexuality.

BACKGROUND The attitudes of medical professionals towards homosexuals can influence their willingness to provide these individuals with medical help. The study evaluated the medical professionals' knowledge about homosexuality and their attitudes towards it. SUBJECTS AND METHODS The sample consisted of 177 participants (physicians n=79 and students n=98). The study respondents anonymously completed three questionnaires (socio-demographic questionnaire, the questionnaire on knowledge, and the questionnaire on attitudes towards homosexuals). RESULTS Male and religious participants showed a lower level of knowledge and a greater tendency to stigmatize. Furthermore, the subjects who knew more about homosexuality tended to hold less stigmatizing attitude. Age group, specialty (psychiatry, gynecology, internal medicine and surgery), and student's/physician's status had no effect on stigmatization. The study showed that the final year students/ residents had more knowledge than the second year students/specialists did. Knowledge had significant negative predictive effect on attitudes in the analyzed predictive model. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this has been the first study in Serbia and Eastern Europe, which provides information on knowledge and attitudes of health professionals towards homosexuality. We would like to point out the degree of knowledge on homosexuality as a possible, but not exclusive tool in shaping the attitudes towards homosexuals and reducing stigmatization. However, regardless of the personal attitude, knowledge and variable acceptance of the homosexuals' rights, medical professionals' main task is to resist discriminative behavior and provide professional medical help to both homosexual and heterosexual patients.
Health systems integration: competing or shared mental models?

Summary Figure 1 summarizes the conceptual thinking thatemerged from the three studies. The construct of“Integration Mindsets” is at the heart of Figure 1 andis defined as an individual’s way of thinking about inte-gration that is based on knowledge and beliefs regard-ing the strategy for achieving integration (i.e., StrategyMental Model) and the roles and relationships of thoseinvolved in the integration process (i.e., RelationshipsMental Model) [5]. The similarity of Integration Mindsetsis shaped by contextual factors at multiple levels [4]. The similarity of Integration Mindsets, in turn, influ-ences strategic processes and proximal outcomes.The relationships among Integration Mindset similarity,strategic processes, and proximal outcomes are mod-erated by mental model type (strategy and/or relation-ships) and mental model content (knowledge and/orbeliefs). Both formal and informal feedback from inte-grative processes and performance continually shapeintegration strategy content (i.e., what is decided) andthe similarity of Integration Mindsets. Thus, sharedIntegration Mindsets are not a static “state”, but rathera dynamic process in which knowledge and beliefsare continuously modified and negotiated.
Understanding customer relationship management (CRM): People, process and technology

Customer relationship management (CRM) is a combination of people, processes and technology that seeks to understand a company's customers. It is an integrated approach to managing relationships by focusing on customer retention and relationship development. CRM has evolved from advances in information technology and organizational changes in customer‐centric processes. Companies that successfully implement CRM will reap the rewards in customer loyalty and long run profitability. However, successful implementation is elusive to many companies, mostly because they do not understand that CRM requires company‐wide, cross‐functional, customer‐focused business process re‐engineering. Although a large portion of CRM is technology, viewing CRM as a technology‐only solution is likely to fail. Managing a successful CRM implementation requires an integrated and balanced approach to technology, process, and people.
Stereoscopic depth estimation for online vision systems

A lot of work has been done in the area of machine stereo vision, but a severe drawback of today's algorithms is that they either achieve high accuracy and robustness by sacrificing real-time speed or they are real-time capable but with major deficiencies in quality. In order to tackle this problem this thesis presents two new methods which exhibit a very good balance between computational effort and depth accuracy. First, the summed normalized cross-correlation is proposed which constitutes a new cost function for block-matching stereo processing. In contrast to most standard cost functions it hardly suffers from the fattening effect while being computationally very efficient. Second, the direct surface fitting, a new algorithm for fitting parametric surface models to stereo images, is introduced. This algorithm is inspired by the homography-constrained gradient descent methods but in contrast to these allows also for the estimation of non-planar surfaces. Experimental evaluations demonstrate that both newly introduced algorithms are competitive to state-of-the-art in terms of accuracy while having a much lower computational time.
Random subgraphs of finite graphs: I. The scaling window under the triangle condition

We study random subgraphs of an arbitrary finite connected transitive graph 𝔾 obtained by independently deleting edges with probability 1 − p. Let V be the number of vertices in 𝔾, and let Ω be their degree. We define the critical threshold pc = pc (𝔾, λ) to be the value of p for which the expected cluster size of a fixed vertex attains the value λV1/3, where λ is fixed and positive. We show that, for any such model, there is a phase transition at pc analogous to the phase transition for the random graph, provided that a quantity called the triangle diagram is sufficiently small at the threshold pc. In particular, we show that the largest cluster inside a scaling window of size |p − pc| = Θ(Ω−1V−1/3) is of size Θ(V2/3), while, below this scaling window, it is much smaller, of order O(ϵ−2 log(Vϵ3)), with ϵ = Ω(pc − p). We also obtain an upper bound O(Ω(p − pc)V) for the expected size of the largest cluster above the window. In addition, we define and analyze the percolation probability above the window and show that it is of order Θ(Ω(p − pc)). Among the models for which the triangle diagram is small enough to allow us to draw these conclusions are the random graph, the n‐cube and certain Hamming cubes, as well as the spread‐out n‐dimensional torus for n > 6. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg. , 2005