Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Study of Multi-Armed Bandits for Energy Conservation in Cognitive Radio Sensor Networks

Technological advances have led to the emergence of wireless sensor nodes in wireless networks. Sensor nodes are usually battery powered and hence have strict energy constraints. As a result, energy conservation is very important in the wireless sensor network protocol design and the limited power resources are the biggest challenge in wireless network channels. Link adaptation techniques improve the link quality by adjusting medium access control (MAC) parameters such as frame size, data rate, and sleep time, thereby improving energy efficiency. In this paper we present an adaptive packet size strategy for energy efficient wireless sensor networks. The main goal is to reduce power consumption and extend the whole network life. In order to achieve this goal, the paper introduces the concept of a bounded MAB to find the optimal packet size to transfer by formulating different packet sizes for different arms under the channel condition. At the same time, in achieve fast convergence, we consider the bandwidth evaluation according to ACK. The experiment shows that the packet size is adaptive when the channel quality changes and our algorithm can obtain the optimal packet size. We observe that the MAB packet size adaptation scheme achieves the best energy efficiency across the whole simulation duration in comparison with the fixed frame size scheme, the random packet size and the extended Kalman filter (EKF).
A WEB-BASED TOOL TO ENHANCE TEACHING/LEARNING DATABASE NORMALIZATION

It has been difficult to motivate students to learn database normalization because students think the subject dry and theoretical. A web-based tool is developed to give students an interactive hands-on experience in database normalization process. The tool is suitable for relational data modeling in systems analysis and design and data management courses. This paper describes the web-based tool and its effectiveness in teaching relational data model. The effectiveness of the tool has been evaluated in surveys. The paper shows that the tool has a positive impact on students’ perception.
Impact of immunodepression and moderate alcohol consumption on coronary and other arterial disease events in an 11-year cohort of HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy

Objective To investigate the relationship between response to antiretroviral therapy (ART), alcohol use and occurrence of a major coronary or other arterial disease event (CADE) in HIV-infected individuals. Design A cohort study. A Cox model was used to identify the correlates of a first occurrence of a major CADE. Setting The French ANRS CO8 APROCO-COPILOTE cohort was set up in 1997 to study clinical progression and patient-reported outcomes (PRO) after initiating a protease inhibitor-containing ART. Clinical data were retrieved from medical records. Self-administered questionnaires collected data on PRO and behaviours, including alcohol use. Participants Metabolic data were only available for a subgroup (n=675) of the study group (n=1154). Main outcome measures Major coronary or other arterial disease first event. Results Over the 11-year follow-up, 49 major CADE were observed, with an incidence rate (95% CI)=0.75(0.57 to 0.99) per 100 person-years. Immunodepression (CD4 cell count <200 cells/mm3) was associated with an increased risk of CADE (adjusted HR (95% CI)=2.52(1.15 to 5.48)) after adjustment for female gender (0.25(0.08 to 0.83)), age (1.07(1.04 to 1.10)) and smoking>20 cigarettes/day (4.19(2.17 to 8.11)). Moreover, individuals with moderate alcohol consumption (≤4(3) alcohol units (AU)/day for men(women)) had a lower risk of CADE (0.38(0.20 to 0.71)) than alcohol abstainers, although the risk for those drinking>4(3) AU/day for men(women) was not significantly different from this latter group. These associations remained valid after adjustment for metabolic disorders. No significant association with exposure to any specific antiretroviral was detected. Conclusions In the long term, absence of immunodepression and moderate alcohol consumption remain associated with a lower risk of a major CADE. Combined interventions to reduce CADE-risk-related behaviours including adherence counselling for assuring long-term immunological response to ART in HIV-infected individuals are now a clinical and public health priority.
A clinical trial evaluating the laryngeal mask airway-Supreme in obese children during general anesthesia

Introduction The laryngeal mask airway (LMA)-Supreme is a disposable double-lumen laryngeal mask airway that is widely used in clinical practice. However, its use in obese children has not been evaluated. The aim of this study was to determine whether the LMA-Supreme could perform equally as well as endotracheal intubation in obese children having a minor surgical procedure. Material and methods After ethical board approval, 100 obese male children receiving non-emergent appendectomy for chronic appendicitis or surgery to correct concealed penis were randomly divided into an endotracheal intubation group and an LMA-Supreme group. Endotracheal intubation was performed under direct vision laryngoscopy. In the LMA group, a size-3 LMA-Supreme was placed and a stomach tube inserted via the drainage tube of the mask. Cardiovascular and respiratory parameters, time taken for placement, placement attempts, time to removal of the endotracheal tube/LMA, length of stay in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), and complications were recorded. Results Insertion time was significantly longer (p < 0.001) in the LMA-Supreme group than in the endotracheal intubation group. Peak airway pressure was significantly higher, and pulmonary compliance and PACU stay time lower in the LMA-Supreme group. No significant differences between endotracheal intubation and the LMA-Supreme were seen in other parameters, except for a higher incidence of coughing in the endotracheal intubation group. Conclusions The LMA-Supreme can be easily inserted and effectively used for airway management in obese children undergoing minor surgery.
Truth is marching on: the Lasershow Spectacular at the Stone Mountain Park Confederate Memorial and the changing narratives of history

The overarching goal of this paper is to examine the changing historical narratives of the Stone Mountain Park Confederate Memorial as seen through the Lasershow Spectacular, and how this performance speaks to broader issues of race, identity, geography, and memory. The implications of this discourse are especially significant for the identity construction of marginalized collectives. I begin with a brief theoretical explanation of history and cultural memory as socially constructed, including the significance of who gets to create it, its relationship with identity, and the connection between history and cultural memory and popular/consumer culture. Next, I discuss the current state of heritage tourism and how it relates to issues of racial (in)justice. Finally, I turn to Stone Mountain and the Lasershow Spectacular as a case study to examine the social construction of history and cultural memory at a tourist attraction, specifically discussing how the African-American experience is addressed (or not addressed) in Southern heritage tourism. This paper seeks to answer the call in a recent special issue of Tourism Geographies for more work that addresses African-American tourism and the inclusion/exclusion of African-Americans from tourist sites (Alderman, 2013).
Tissue cyst tropism in Toxoplasma gondii: a comparison of tissue cyst formation in organs of cats, and rodents fed oocysts

The persistence of Toxoplasma gondii tissue cysts in organs of cats (definitive host) and rodents (intermediate hosts) was studied. Nine cats, 12 rats, and 12 mice were fed T. gondii oocysts and their organs were digested in pepsin and then bioassayed for bradyzoites in mice. Of 9 cats killed 37 or 51 days after feeding 102 (2 cats), 103 (3 cats) or 104 (4 cats) oocysts of the VEG strain, tissue cysts were found in each cat; in the tongue of 9, in the heart of 5, in the brain of 4, and in the eyes of 1 cat. The dose had no effect on the distribution of tissue cysts in cats. Twelve rats were each fed 105 oocysts of the VEG strain of T. gondii and killed 21, 29, 64 or 237 days later. At each time-period, 11 tissues of 3 rats were pooled and bioassayed in mice. Tissue cysts were found in the brain, skeletal muscle, heart and kidneys of rats at each killing time; in the lungs, intestines, and mesenteric lymph nodes in 3 of 4 instances; in the tongue, liver, and eyes in 2 instances and in the spleen in 1 instance. Also, using the same procedures and sampling the same 11 tissues as used for rats, tissue cysts were seen in all organs except in the tongue and liver of 3 mice killed on day 82 after feeding the VEG strain. In 9 mice (3 with each strain) fed oocysts of the ME-49, GT-1, or P89 T. gondii strain and killed 62–130 days later, tissue cysts were found consistently only in the brain. Thus, in rats and mice, most tissue cysts were found in the brain and rarely in the tongue. This was in marked contrast to the distribution of tissue cysts in cats.
Are Emotional Video-Clips More Likely to Elicit False Memories Than Neutral Video-Clips?

Previous studies on memory have shown that individuals remember emotional stimuli better than neutral stimuli. However, studies on false memories have also shown that emotional stimuli are more likely to elicit false memories compared to neutral stimuli. In this present study, participants were asked to confabulate answers to events from video clips that did not happen. A week later the participants were tested again to see if the confabulated answers they gave had created a false memory. Participants were assigned to two experimental groups, where one group watched an emotional video clip and the other watched a neutral video clip. The hypothesis for this study was that individuals would be more susceptible to producing false memories after watching an emotional video clip rather than a neutral one. The results supported the hypothesis and were consistent with previous research which show that emotional stimuli are more likely to lead to the creation of false memories than neutral stimuli.
Evaluation of the yield of abiotic-stress-tolerant AtDREB1A transgenic potato under saline conditions in advance of field trials

Cultivated potato is a drought-, salinity-, and frost-sensitive species. The transgenic approach is one of the methods used to mitigate abiotic stress. The utility of transgenic potatoes that have abiotic stress tolerance should be judged from their yield under stress conditions. In order to establish transgenic potato lines with the AtDREB1A gene that could be used in practical applications, we screened candidate lines in a growth room with growth profiles under non-stress conditions rather than the expression level of transgene. After identifying better transgenic lines (D163 and D164), yield of those lines under stress conditions was evaluated in the special netted-house. Although the yield was lower than the yield under non-stress conditions, two selected transgenic lines were able to maintain their yield under high saline conditions (EC > 10 mS/cm). In this study, fertilizer was not added beyond what was already contained in the soil mix in order to evaluate the yield of the transgenic lines under saline conditions in as simple a manner as possible. In future studies, it will be necessary to evaluate their yield in a farming context in an isolated field after assessing the environmental biosafety of these transgenic potato lines.
Anticancer Activity of Curcumin-Loaded PLGA Nanoparticles on PC3 Prostate Cancer Cells

Curcumin (Cur) has been found to be very efficacious against many different types of cancer cells. However, the major disadvantage associated with the use of Cur is its low systemic bioavailability. Our present work investigated the toxic effect of encapsulation of Cur in PLGA (poly lactic-coglycolic acid) nanospheres (NCur) on PC3 human cancer prostate cell. In the present study, we have investigated the effects of NCur on growth, autophagia, and apoptosis in PC3 cells, respectively, by MTT assay, fluorescence microscopy, and Flow cytometry. MTT assays revealed that the NCur at the concentration of 25 µg/mL for 48 h were able to exert a more pronounced effect on the PC3 cells as compared to free Cur. Apoptotic index was significantly increased in NCur-treated cells compared to free Cur. The percentage of autophagic cells (LC3-II positive cells) was also significantly increased in NCur treatment in comparison to free Cur. These data indicate that the NCur has considerable cytotoxic activity more than Cur on PC3 cell lines, which is mediated by induction of both apoptotic and autophagic processes. Thus, NCur has high potential as an adjuvant therapy for clinical application in prostate cancer.
PEMBELAJARAN KESETIMBANGAN KIMIA DENGAN MULTIMEDIA INTERAKTIF UNTUK MENINGKATKAN PENGUASAAN KONSEP DAN KETERAMPILAN BERPIKIR KRITIS SISWA SMA

Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk meningkatkan penguasaan konsep dan keterampilan berpikir kritis siswa pada materi kesetimbangan kimia. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian Kuasi Eksperimen menggunakan One Group Pretest-Postest Design. Subjek penelitian sebanyak 30 orang siswa di salah satu SMA di kota Garut. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian diperoleh bahwa penggunaan multimedia interaktif pada pembelajaran kesetimbangan kimia dapat meningkatkan hasil belajar siswa dengan rata-rata N-Gain sebesar 54,27%. Peningkatan hasil belajar ini menunjukkan peningkatan penguasaan konsep dan keterampilan berpikir kritis siswa. Konsep yang paling dikuasai oleh siswa setelah belajar dengan menggunakan courseware MMI “ Chemical Equilibrium ” adalah Prinsip Le Chatelier dan faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi pergeseran kesetimbangan dengan rata-rata N-Gain 58,64% dan konsep yang kurang dikuasai siswa adalah kesetimbangan kimia dalam bidang industri dengan rata-rata N-Gain 46,32%. Indikator keterampilan berpikir kritis yang paling dikuasai adalah membuat induksi dan mempertimbangkan induksi dengan rata-rata N-Gain 74,28%, sedangkan yang kurang dikuasai adalah mengidentifikasi asumsi dengan rata-rata N-gain sebesar 45,97%. Siswa dan guru memberikan tanggapan yang baik terhadap penggunaan courseware multimedia interaktif pada pembelajaran kesetimbangan kimia. Namun terdapat kelemahan dalam courseware ini, yaitu dalam hal pengoperasian, siswa mengalami kesulitan terkendala bahasa yang digunakan. Kata Kunci : multimedia interaktif, pengusaan konsep, keterampilan berpikir kritis, kesetimbangan kimia.
Deciphering the glycogenome of schistosomes

Schistosoma mansoni and other Schistosoma sp. are multicellular parasitic helminths (worms) that infect humans and mammals worldwide. Infection by these parasites, which results in developmental maturation and sexual differentiation of the worms over a period of 5–6 weeks, induces antibodies to glycan antigens expressed in surface and secreted glycoproteins and glycolipids. There is growing interest in defining these unusual parasite-synthesized glycan antigens and using them to understand immune responses, their roles in immunomodulation, and in using glycan antigens as potential vaccine targets. A key problem in this area, however, has been the lack of information about the enzymes involved in elaborating the complex repertoire of glycans represented by the schistosome glycome. Recent availability of the nuclear genome sequences for Schistosoma sp. has created the opportunity to define the glycogenome, which represents the specific genes and cognate enzymes that generate the glycome. Here we describe the current state of information in regard to the schistosome glycogenome and glycome and highlight the important classes of glycans and glycogenes that may be important in their generation.
Service experiences and dyadic value cocreation in healthcare service delivery : a CIT approach

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate value co-creation processes from the focal dyad of the patient and the physician and how their experiences in the consulting room affect the value that is created. Design/methodology/approach – Semi-structured interviews incorporating the critical incident technique (CIT) were conducted with 8 doctors and 24 outpatients in selected hospitals in Ghana, exploring their experiences during their encounter in the service delivery impacting on the value creating healthcare opportunities. An abductive and thematic analytical approach was used to identify 76 useable critical incidents that had clear consequences on both the outcome of the service and the service experiences of the patient. Findings – The study reveals three critical areas needed to support the value co-creation process and respective elements or activities to be considered during the service encounter. The critical areas comprise of the social context, beliefs and perceptions, and partnership .
The Political Economy of Regionalism

The strength of the book lies not only in the breadth of material, but in the juxtaposition of different viewpoints and examples, al making connections between cultural, political, institutional and territorial contexts. Town Planning Review Regional and Federal Studies 1997 "This book is necessary reading for students of globalization searching for ways to unpack this abstract concept" European Planning Studies - reviewed by Deron Ferguson - Uni of Washington "This collection represents a substantial resource for anyone interested in "the regional question" ". anyone interested in regionalism will likely find several chapters of interest, or more, in this volume. " Space and Polity, Vol 2, No 2 1998 - Reviewed by Donald McNeill - ". there is undoubtedly a lot here of merit.the book should serve as a useful reference work for those seeking background on regional developments in various parts of the world. " Urban Studies, Vol 35, No 2, 1998 "Certainly the volume provides ample evidence of the diversity of the regional question and of the responses to it, and . there is much here to enlighten our understanding. " Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Vol 91, No 1, 2000 "I would strongly recommend this volume for advanced classes and seminars on place, territory and identity regionalism in a post cold war world contemporary political Europe and regionalism and international relations. I would encourage the editors to continue their research on this important topic . and I hope the publisher will continue its commitment to publishing cutting-edge geopolitical and political economy research. " Royal Dutch Geographical Society "I would strongly recommend this volume for advanced classes and seminars on place, territory and identity: regionalism in a post cold war world: contemporary political Europe: and regionalism and international relations" "Cutting Edge
Change Readiness

The authors conducted a theoretical review of the change readiness literature and identified two major limitations with this work. First, while there is substantial agreement about the key cognitions that underlie change readiness, researchers have not examined the affective element of this attitude. Second, researchers have not adopted a multilevel perspective when considering change readiness. The authors address these limitations and argue that it is important to incorporate affect into definitions of the change readiness construct and also when measuring this construct. They then develop a multilevel framework that identifies the antecedents and consequences of individual, work group, and organizational change readiness. Next, the authors outline the theoretical processes that lead to the development of individual and collective change readiness. They then review theoretical and empirical evidence to identify the antecedents of change readiness at the three levels of analysis. Finally, the authors identify a number of suggestions to guide future research seeking to adopt a multilevel approach to change readiness.
Corrosion detection robot for energized power lines

This paper describes a corrosion detection robot that operates on energized power lines. The robot is installed on a live overhead conductor and it is controlled by the ground-based operator using a portable computer and a radio link. The sensor carried by the robot is capable of detecting the remaining thickness of the zinc layer over the steel wires that make the core of the aluminum conductor steel reinforced (ACSR) commonly used in power lines. The sensor is made of a contactless coil that encircles the conductor and applies an alternating longitudinal magnetic field along the conductor. This field induces eddy currents in the zinc layer that changes the coil impedance, which is used to obtain the zinc layer thickness. The robot can be installed on the line conductor using a hot stick, so that it is necessary a minimum equipment and personnel to perform an inspection.
Chronic Disease Health Beliefs and Lifestyle Practices Among Vietnamese Adults

Abstract There is growing alarm about the dramatic increase of chronic diseases among more acculturated Vietnamese (Yee, 1999). There were 180 Vietnamese adults, stratified by gender and age: 93 males and 87 females; young (ages 18–34), middle aged (ages 35–58), and older (ages 59+). A MANOVA was performed with nine Chronic Diseases Risk subscales, health behaviors, acculturation, depression, and health locus of control as dependent variables. Significant main effects for age and gender were found, with female and older Vietnamese having more chronic disease risk knowledge. Younger Vietnamese engaged in more health behaviors, were more acculturated, less depressed, and had less external locus of control. Chronic disease prevention must take account of these intraethnic factors.
The relationship between intertemporal choice and following the path of least resistance across choices, preferences, and beliefs

The degree to which individuals prefer smaller sooner versus larger delayed rewards serves as a powerful predictor of their impulsivity towards a number of different kinds of rewards. Here we test the limits of its predictive ability within a variety of cognitive and social domains. Across several large samples of subjects, individuals who prefer smaller more immediate rewards (steeper discounters) are less reflective (or more impulsive) in their choices, preferences, and beliefs. First, steeper discounters used more automatic, less controlled choice strategies, giving more intuitive but incorrect responses on the Cognitive Reflection Test (replicating previous findings); employing a suboptimal probability matching heuristic for a one-shot gamble (rather than maximizing their probability of reward); and relying less on optimal planning in a two-stage reinforcement learning task. Second, steeper discounters preferred to consume information that was less complex and multi-faceted, as suggested by their self-reported Need for Cognitive Closure, their use of short-form social media (i.e., Twitter), and their preferred news sources (in particular, whether or not they preferred National Public Radio over other news sources). Third, steeper discounters had interpersonal and religious beliefs that are associated with reduced epistemic complexity: they were more likely to believe that the behavior of others could be explained by fixed rather than dynamic factors, and they believed more strongly in God and in the afterlife. Together these findings provide evidence for a link between individual differences in temporal discounting for monetary rewards and preferences for the path of least resistance (less reflective and/or more automatic modes of processing) across a variety of domains.