Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Performance evaluation of IEEE 802.15.6 MAC in WBANs - A case study

IEEE 802.15. 6 standard has emerged as the most suitable standard that fits the special requirements of WBANs. Although the published IEEE 802.15. 6 standard draft provides flexibility to designers by recommending the use of several MAC layer techniques, it does not specify how to combine some or all of these recommended techniques to form the most efficient WBAN MAC for a specific scenario. Our main objective here is to combine various MAC techniques in an adaptive way that takes into consideration the types of sensors, their number, and their traffic and energy requirements. The performance of the proposed techniques will be evaluated using some of the standard performance measures such as throughput, delay and energy consumption.
Fast Local Algorithms for Large Scale Nonnegative Matrix and Tensor Factorizations

Nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF) and its extensions such as Nonnegative Tensor Factorization (NTF) have become prominent techniques for blind sources separation (BSS), analysis of image databases, data mining and other information retrieval and clustering applications. In this paper we propose a family of efficient algorithms for NMF/NTF, as well as sparse nonnegative coding and representation, that has many potential applications in computational neuroscience, multi-sensory processing, compressed sensing and multidimensional data analysis. We have developed a class of optimized local algorithms which are referred to as Hierarchical Alternating Least Squares (HALS) algorithms. For these purposes, we have performed sequential constrained minimization on a set of squared Euclidean distances. We then extend this approach to robust cost functions using the alpha and beta divergences and derive flexible update rules. Our algorithms are locally stable and work well for NMF-based blind source separation (BSS) not only for the over-determined case but also for an under-determined (over-complete) case (i.e., for a system which has less sensors than sources) if data are sufficiently sparse. The NMF learning rules are extended and generalized for N-th order nonnegative tensor factorization (NTF). Moreover, these algorithms can be tuned to different noise statistics by adjusting a single parameter. Extensive experimental results confirm the accuracy and computational performance of the developed algorithms, especially, with usage of multi-layer hierarchical NMF approach [3].
The Luminosity Function of Galaxies in Compact Groups

From R-band images of 39 Hickson compact groups (HCGs), we use galaxy counts to determine a luminosity function extending to MR = -14.0+5 log h75, approximately 2 mag deeper than previous compact group luminosity functions. We find that a single Schechter function is a poor fit (χ>4) to the data, so we fit a composite function consisting of separate Schechter functions for the bright and faint galaxies. The bright end is best fit with M* = -21.6 and α = -0.52, and the faint end with M* = -16.1 and α = -1.17. The decreasing bright-end slope implies a deficit of intermediate-luminosity galaxies in our sample of HCGs, and the faint-end slope is slightly steeper than that reported for earlier HCG luminosity functions. Furthermore, luminosity functions of subsets of our sample reveal more substantial dwarf populations for groups with X-ray halos, groups with tidal dwarf candidates, and groups with a dominant elliptical or lenticular galaxy. Collectively, these results support the hypothesis that within compact groups, the initial dwarf galaxy population is replenished by "subsequent generations" formed in the tidal debris of giant galaxy interactions.
Evidence for Elevated Cerebrospinal Fluid ERK1/2 Levels in Alzheimer Dementia

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 33 patients with Alzheimer dementia (AD), 21 patients with mild cognitive impairment who converted to AD during followup (MCI-AD), 25 patients with stable mild cognitive impairment (MCI-stable), and 16 nondemented subjects (ND) were analyzed with a chemiluminescence immunoassay to assess the levels of the mitogen-activated protein kinase ERK1/2 (extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2). The results were evaluated in relation to total Tau (tTau), phosphorylated Tau (pTau), and beta-amyloid 42 peptide (Aβ42). CSF-ERK1/2 was significantly increased in the AD group as compared to stable MCI patients and the ND group. Western blot analysis of a pooled cerebrospinal fluid sample revealed that both isoforms, ERK1 and ERK2, and low amounts of doubly phosphorylated ERK2 were detectable. As a predictive diagnostic AD biomarker, CSF-ERK1/2 was inferior to tTau, pTau, and Aβ42.
An Adaptive Genetic Algorithm Based on Multi-population Parallel Evolutionary and Variable Population Size

The paper deals with the performance of genetic algorithm according to the analysis of control parameters, the evolution between different sub-populations, the interaction on best individual and, the expansion on the search interval, are analyzed, and an adaptive genetic algorithm is presented, which is multi-population parallel evolutionary and variable population size. It is proved by comparative experiments that the speed of convergence and the precision of the new algorithm are considerably improved, which avoid the premature convergence phenomenon of single-population evolutionary algorithm, and maintain the evolutionary stability of the best individuals, so it effectively makes up the, shortcomings of single-population and constant parameters, which don’t overcome the premature phenomenon universally and so on. The results show that it is better than the traditional one both robustness and effectiveness of the algorithm. Therefore, the algorithm in practice has a broad application prospects.
Real-time human action recognition based on shape combined with motion feature

The visual analysis of human motion have become a direction of the leading edge of concern in computer vision. The problem of recognizing human actions in video have proven to be a difficult challenge for computer vision. A common trend is to combine shape and motion feature in Bag-of-word (BoW) framework. The BoW framework needs read the whole video for once recognition. It could not be applicable in real-time system. For solving this problem, this paper proposes a real-time processing human action method. Firstly, the motion information is used to locate the region of interesting area. And then the effective shape and motion description is found for the area. Finally, the SVM classifier is trained for the event recognition. And the recognition results on KTH human action datasets including a variety of person and action show that the accuracy and recall of our method is better than Jhuang and Dollar's; and the process time is superior to Jhuang's system.
Corrections and comments on the multipole moments of axisymmetric electrovacuum spacetimes

Following the method of Hoenselaers and Perjés, we present a new corrected and dimensionally consistent set of multipole gravitational and electromagnetic moments for stationary axisymmetric spacetimes. Furthermore, we use our results to compute the multipole moments, both gravitational and electromagnetic, of a Kerr–Newman black hole.
On braid monodromy factorizations

We introduce and develop a? language of semigroups over the braid groups to study the braid monodromy factorizations (bmf's) of plane algebraic curves and other related objects. As an application, we give a? new proof of Orevkov's theorem on the realization of bmf's over a? disc by algebraic curves and show that the complexity of such a? realization cannot be bounded in terms of the types of factors of the bmf. We also prove that the type of a? bmf distinguishes Hurwitz curves with singularities of inseparable type up to -isotopy and -holomorphic cuspidal curves in? up to symplectic isotopy.
The DIAMOND System for Computing with Abstract Dialectical Frameworks

We present DIAMOND, an implementation of Brewka and Woltran’s abstract dialectical frameworks (ADFs). The system uses answer set programming encodings to compute interpretations of ADFs according to various semantics. We evaluate the performance of the system using an actual reasoning problem as opposed to using randomly generated frameworks.
Nourish what you own: psychological ownership, materialism and pro-environmental behavioral intentions

PurposeResearchers have become increasingly interested in the construct of psychological ownership in recent years. The purpose of this paper is to extend the target of psychological ownership to planet Earth as a whole and investigate its relationship with materialism and pro-environmental behavioral intentions.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on a survey with 236 college students from a public university in the Southeast of the USA. The model fit from a confirmatory factor analysis is very satisfactory. Mediation of psychological ownership for the planet is formally tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) and Hayes’ (2013) macro for SPSS.FindingsThe findings of this paper support the expectation that both the individual (my planet) and the collective-oriented dimensions (our planet) of individual-level psychological ownership are positively related to recycling intentions and the intention to purchase green products. Further, formal mediation tests show that psychological ownership for my planet, but not for our planet, mediates the relationship between material values and pro-environmental behaviors.Practical implicationsCompanies that aim to gain competitive advantage through green citizenship can highlight the individual or shared ownership of the planet to align the political agenda of government officials with their company mission, vision and brand positioning.Originality/valueThe current paper contributes to the emerging body of literature on psychological ownership by extending its target to planet Earth as a whole. It is the first paper to explain the previously observed negative relationship between materialism and pro-environmental behaviors through the mechanism of psychological ownership.
A STUDY ON ANTIBIOTIC RELATED RESISTANCE IN UTI PATIENTS : A COMPARISON BETWEEN COMMUNITY ACQUIRED AND HOSPITAL ACQUIRED E . COLI

Background: UTI (urinary tract infection) is the most common among all hospital acquired infections world wide. In UTI, most common organism is E.coli. Organism responsible for the hospital acquired infection may have tendency to develop multiple drug resistance. E.coli acquired from the hospital source and community source may differ in their resistant against antibiotics Aim: to study and to compare the antibiotic resistant pattern with special reference to ESBL (extended spectrum β lactamase) in the community acquired and hospital acquired common gram negative bacilli causing UTI. Methods and materials: E.coli from symptomatic UTI cases from both community acquired and hospital acquired UTI were tested for the antimicrobial susceptibility testing against 18 drug of various groups performed by Kirby Bauer's disc diffusion method. Isolates resistant to third generation cephalosporin were tested for ESBL production by double disk synergy test method. Results: Overall E.coli was (70.96%) among the all gram negative bacilli of UTI patients. The majority (67%) of the isolates were from female. ESBL prevalence was 16.67% and 30% among community acquired and hospital acquired E.coli respectively. Cephalosporin group of sensitivity was widely varied among both the group compare to other groups of antibiotics and more resistance was found in hospital strain Discussion and Conclusion: Almost double prevalence of ESBL among hospital strain compared to community strain leads to change in line of management when a hospitalized patient has tendency to develop UTI, plain cephalosporin should not be administered in other diseases also.
Teacher Effect Estimates and Decision Rules for Establishing Student-Teacher Linkages: What are the Implications for High-Stakes Personnel Policies in an Urban School District?

Both research and practice of value-added models (VAM) have been growing in recent years due to the widespread effort to quantify teacher effectiveness. The existing VAM literature has not yet tested the sensitivity of value-added estimates to the rules that define which students contribute to each teacher’s value-added estimate. Student-teacher linkages are often a complex network due to various transfers, students taking multiple courses in the same subject, and students receiving special education or other “pull-out” services. Complex linkages are often considered as among the main threats to the validity of VAM. In this paper we conducted a case study to examine the sensitivity of VAM to the alternative link definitions. We examined three popular VAM approaches and applied alternative rules for linking students to teachers with each method. We found no overall sensitivity of estimated teacher effects to the linking rules. Even though more teachers had value-added estimates under more inclusive rules, for a teacher with estimates under all three rules, the correlation among pairs of estimates created using different linking rules was always above 0.95 and generally above 0.98 for each VAM approach. The value-added estimates of a small number of teachers were affected by highly different link definitions and these tended to be teachers with small numbers of students. Restricting the minimal sample size for calculating individual teachers’ value-added largely reduced the sensitivity in link definition.
Evaluating Arm Movement Imitation

In this paper, we present a metric for assessing the quality of arm movement imitation. We develop a joint-rotational-angle-based segmentation and comparison algorithm that rates pairwise similarity of arm movement trajectories on a scale of 1-10. We describe an empirical study designed to validate the algorithm we developed, by comparing it to human evaluation of imitation. The results provide evidence that the evaluation of the automatic metric did not significantly differ from human evaluation.
Executive cognitive tests for the evaluation of patients with Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by changes in movement, which are later followed by cognitive, behavioral and psychological changes. The objective of the present study was to correlate different tests used to examine executive functions in PD patients followed at a specialized outpatient clinic. Methods Thirty-five patients with idiopathic PD aged 63.0 years on average and with mean schooling of 5.5±4.2 years, were examined using the following tests: Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (MDRS), Scales for Outcomes of Parkinson’s Disease-Cognition (SCOPA-COG), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), Digit Span – Inverse Order (IO) (a subtest of the WAIS III) and Verbal Fluency Test (category animals). Results Significant correlations were detected between FAB and MDRS Conceptualization (0.814), MDRS Initiation/Perseveration (I/P) and SCOPA-COG Executive Function (0.643), FAB and MDRS I/P (0.601), FAB and Verbal Fluency (0.602), MDRS I/P and MDRS Conceptualization (0.558), Verbal Fluency and MDRS I/P (0.529), MDRS Attention and SCOPA-COG Executive Function (0.495), MDRS Conceptualization and SCOPA-COG Executive Function (0.520), FAB and Digit Span (OI) (0.503), Verbal Fluency and MDRS Conceptualization (0.501), and WCST perseverative errors and FAB (–0.379), WCST perseverative errors and MDRS Conceptualization (0.445), WCST perseverative errors and MDRS I/P (–0.407) and WCST categories completed and MDRS Conceptualization (0.382). Discussion The results demonstrated strong correlations between most of the tests applied, but no associations were detected between the WCST and the other tests, a fact that may be explained by the heterogeneity of scores obtained in the tests by the patients evaluated. A difficulty of the present study was the lack of a control groups for the establishment of adequate standards for this population.
Inhibition of TDP-43 Accumulation by Bis(thiosemicarbazonato)-Copper Complexes

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive, fatal, motor neuron disease with no effective long-term treatment options. Recently, TDP-43 has been identified as a key protein in the pathogenesis of some cases of ALS. Although the role of TDP-43 in motor neuron degeneration is not yet known, TDP-43 has been shown to accumulate in RNA stress granules (SGs) in cell models and in spinal cord tissue from ALS patients. The SG association may be an early pathological change to TDP-43 metabolism and as such a potential target for therapeutic intervention. Accumulation of TDP-43 in SGs induced by inhibition of mitochondrial activity can be inhibited by modulation of cellular kinase activity. We have also found that treatment of cells and animal models of neurodegeneration, including an ALS model, with bioavailable bis(thiosemicarbazonato)copperII complexes (CuII(btsc)s) can modulate kinase activity and induce neuroprotective effects. In this study we examined the effect of diacetylbis(-methylthiosemicarbazonato)copperII (CuII(atsm)) and glyoxalbis(-methylthiosemicarbazonato)copperII (CuII(gtsm)) on TDP-43-positive SGs induced in SH-SY5Y cells in culture. We found that the CuII(btsc)s blocked formation of TDP-43-and human antigen R (HuR)-positive SGs induced by paraquat. The CuII(btsc)s protected neurons from paraquat-mediated cell death. These effects were associated with inhibition of ERK phosphorylation. Co-treatment of cultures with either CuII(atsm) or an ERK inhibitor, PD98059 both prevented ERK activation and blocked formation of TDP-43-and HuR-positive SGs. CuII(atsm) treatment or ERK inhibition also prevented abnormal ubiquitin accumulation in paraquat-treated cells suggesting a link between prolonged ERK activation and abnormal ubiquitin metabolism in paraquat stress and inhibition by Cu. Moreover, CuII(atsm) reduced accumulation of C-terminal (219–414) TDP-43 in transfected SH-SY5Y cells. These results demonstrate that CuII(btsc) complexes could potentially be developed as a neuroprotective agent to modulate neuronal kinase function and inhibit TDP-43 aggregation. Further studies in TDP-43 animal models are warranted.
TESTING FOR PERIODICALLY COLLAPSING BUBBLES: AN GENERALIZED SUP ADF TEST

Identifying explosive bubbles under the influence of their periodically collapsing property has long been a concern in bubble testing literature. In this paper, we argue that the sup Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) test (Phillips, Wu and Yu, 2009), which implements a right-tail ADF test and a sup test on a forward expanding sample sequence, is sensitive to the sample starting point when there are more than one bubble collapsing episodes within the sample range. To surmount this pitfall we propose an alternative method named the generalized sup ADF test, which amplifies the sample sequence by varying the sample starting point within its feasible range. This test improves the power of the bubble testing method significantly. We then apply both tests to the Hong Kong stock market from October 1980 to April 2009. The generalized sup ADF tests find evidence of explosive behavior in the Hang Seng Index, whereas the sup ADF tests suggest the opposite.
Distance and academic performance in higher education

ABSTRACT This paper examines whether one of the determinants of academic performance in higher education is the geographical distance separating the place of study and the place of family residence. Twelve years of data on students from a public university are utilized to estimate a model of relative academic performance, with an instrumental variables two-stage least squares estimator to account for possible endogeneity bias. The results indicate that distance is a negative determinant of academic performance and provide a new factor to take into account in reflexions over the impact of the spatial organization of higher education institutions.
Association of TRAIL and Its Receptors with Large-Artery Atherosclerotic Stroke

Objective To investigate the association of the tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and its receptors, osteoprotegerin (OPG) and death receptor 5 (DR5) with large-artery atherosclerosis (LAA) stroke and its prognosis. Methods We included patients with LAA stroke (n = 132) according to the TOAST classification system and controls (n = 60). To evaluate the extent and severity of cerebral atherosclerosis, the LAA stroke group was subdivided into 3 subgroups by number of cerebral arteries with atherosclerotic stenosis (≥50%): single, double and multiple (≥3). Plasma levels of TRAIL, OPG and DR5 were measured by ELISA. Ordinal logistic regression was used to analyze the association between the plasma levels of TRAIL, OPG, DR5 and the severity of cerebral atherosclerosis. Prognosis was determined by the Modified Rankin Scale at 3 months after stroke. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluated TRAIL as a predictor of prognosis. Results Plasma TRAIL level was significantly lower for LAA patients than controls (P<0.001), while plasma OPG and DR5 levels were higher (both P<0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that risk of severe cerebral atherosclerosis was reduced significantly with increased plasma level of TRAIL (OR 0.438; 95% CI 0.282–0.681; P<0.001), whereas increased with high plasma levels of OPG and DR5 (OR 2.707; 95% CI 1.702–4.302, P <0.001; OR 3.593; 95% CI 1.878–6.869, P <0.001). Plasma TRAIL level was negatively correlated with the prognosis (r = - 0.372, P <0.001). The optimal cut-off value of TRAIL for prognosis was 848.63 pg/mL. The sensitivity and specificity at this cut-off value were 63.1% and 86.2%, respectively. After adding the plasma TRAIL level into the multivariate model of ROC, the area under the ROC curve was increased from 0.639 to 0.785, but the change was not statistical significant (P = 0.146). Conclusions TRAIL and its receptors OPG and DR5 may be involved in LAA stroke and the plasma level of TRAIL may be a biomarker predicting the severity of cerebral atherosclerosis and the prognosis of LAA stroke.
Skeletal muscle PLIN3 and PLIN5 are serine phosphorylated at rest and following lipolysis during adrenergic or contractile stimulation

In adipose tissue, access of adipose triglyceride and hormone‐sensitive lipases (ATGL and HSL) to the lipid droplet depends on PLIN1 phosphorylation, however, PLIN1 is not expressed in skeletal muscle and the phosphorylation of the expressed PLINs has yet to be investigated. Further, direct interactions between skeletal muscle PLINs and HSL are unknown. We investigated the isolated and combined effects of epinephrine and contraction on PLIN‐to‐lipase interactions as well as phosphorylation. Isolated rat solei were assigned to one of four 30 min in vitro conditions (25°C): (1) rest; (2) intermittent tetanic stimulation (60 Hz for 150 msec; train rate 20/min); (3) 5 nmol/L epinephrine; (4) intermittent tetanic stimulation and 5 nmol/L epinephrine. Immunoprecipitation of serine phosphorylated proteins followed by Western blotting for PLIN2, PLIN3, PLIN5, revealed that only PLIN2 is not phosphorylated under any of the experimental conditions. This is the first study to show that in whole rat skeletal muscle PLIN3 and PLIN5 are serine phosphorylated. The degree of serine phosphorylation remained unchanged following adrenergic and/or contractile stimulation. Oil red O staining of muscle sections for lipid content shows a significant decrease following each condition, confirming lipolysis occurred (P < 0.05). PLIN2, 3, and 5 all interact with HSL and ATGL, but these interactions were unchanged following treatments. Our results show that in skeletal muscle, PLIN2 is not serine phosphorylated at rest or with lipolytic stimulation and that while PLIN3, PLIN5 are serine phosphorylated at rest, the degree of phosphorylation does not change with lipolytic stimulation.