Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Blind wiretap channel with delayed CSIT

We consider the Gaussian wiretap channel with a transmitter, a legitimate receiver, and k eavesdroppers (k ∈ ℕ), where the secure communication is aided via a jammer. We focus on the setting where the transmitter and the jammer are blind with respect to the state of channels to eavesdroppers, and only have access to delayed channel state information (CSI) of the legitimate receiver, which is referred to as “blind cooperative wiretap channel with delayed CSIT”. We show that a strictly positive secure Degrees of Freedom (DoF) of 1 over 3 is achievable irrespective of the number of eavesdroppers (k) in the network, and further, 1 over 3 is optimal assuming linear coding strategies at the transmitters. The converse proof is based on two key lemmas. The first lemma, named Rank Ratio Inequality, shows that if two distributed transmitters employ linear strategies, the ratio of the dimensions of received linear sub-spaces at the two receivers cannot exceed 3/2, due to delayed CSI. The second lemma implies that once the transmitters in a network have no CSI with respect to a receiver, the least amount of alignment will occur at that receiver, meaning that transmit signals will occupy the maximal signal dimensions at that receiver. Finally, we show that once the transmitter and the jammer form a single transmitter with two antennas, which we refer to as MISO wiretap channel, 1 over 2 is the optimal secure DoF when using linear schemes.
Conflict and Transition in Adolescent Moral Development, II: The Resolution of Disequilibrium through Structural Reorganization.

TURIEL, ELLIOT. Conflict and Transition in Adolescent Moral Development, II: The Resolution of Disequilibrium through Structural Reorganization. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1977, 48, 634-637. In previous research the process of change from 1 stage to the next was examined. Characteristics of disequilibrium were specified through analysis of stage transition in the moral judgments of adolescent subjects. In the present study, the same subjects were reinterviewed after a period of 1.5-2 years. The hypothesis that the conflicts and contradictions evident on the first testing would be resolved through structural reorganization was confirmed.
Correlation between Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) RNA Measurements Obtained with Dried Blood Spots and Those Obtained with Plasma by Use of Nuclisens EasyQ HIV-1 and Abbott RealTime HIV Load Tests

ABSTRACT The plasma human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) RNA load is used in the clinical routine for the monitoring of HIV infection and the patient's response to antiretroviral therapy. Other body fluids or dried blood spots (DBS) can be used, however, to assess the level of viremia. The use of DBS may be especially helpful for the monitoring of HIV-infected patients in resource-poor settings, where access to adequate laboratory facilities is often difficult. However, the correlation between the HIV RNA levels in plasma and those in DBSs has not been well established. Paired plasma and DBS samples obtained from HIV type 1 (HIV-1)-infected patients were tested for HIV RNA copy numbers by using two different commercial assays, the Nuclisens EasyQ HIV-1 (version 1.1) test (the Nuclisens test; Biomerieux) and the m2000rt RealTime HIV test (the m2000rt test; Abbott). Nucleic acid extraction was performed manually by using either the Nuclisens isolation kit (which uses the Boom methodology) or the m2000rt sample preparation kit (an iron particle-based method). A total of 103 paired plasma and DBS samples were tested. Viral load results were obtained for 97 (94.2%) samples with the Nuclisens isolation kit and 81 (78.6%) samples with the m2000rt kit. The overall correlation between the RNA loads in plasma and DBS was good, although better results were obtained by the Nuclisens test (R2 = 0.87, P < 0.001) than by the m2000rt test (R2 = 0.70, P < 0.001). While the specificities were excellent and similar for both the Nuclisens and the m2000rt tests (97.1% and 100%, respectively), the sensitivity was greater by the Nuclisens test than by the m2000rt test (75.8% and 56.6%, respectively). Overall, the viral loads in DBS tended to be lower than those in plasma, with mean differences of 0.3 log unit (standard deviation, 0.5 log unit) and 0.76 log unit (standard deviation, 0.8 log unit) for the Nuclisens and the m2000rt tests, respectively. The levels of agreement between the measurements in plasma and DBS were assessed by using the Bland-Altman plot for each assay. The Nuclisens test gave results within its defined limits (−0.65 to 1.26) for 95.9% of the samples, while the m2000rt test gave results within its limits (−0.83 to 2.33) for 100% of the samples. In summary, the HIV-1 load can accurately be quantified by testing DBS by either the Nuclisens or the m2000rt test, although the Nuclisens test may outperform the m2000rt test when nucleic acids are extracted manually.
Childhood Sexual Victimization and Lack of Empathy in Child Molesters: Explanation or Excuse?

There are reports that childhood sexual victimization is more prevalent among child molesters than among males in the general population. It has been hypothesized that past victimization is causally related to sex offending. The causal link, however, is not well defined, and the rate of sexual victimization among molesters is similar to that reported among other forensic and psychiatric populations. It has also been argued that victimization has a paradoxical, negative effect on victim empathy. The role of cognitive or emotional empathy in offending, though, remains unclear. The value of promoting victim empathy in an attempt to reduce offending is questionable. This article describes child molesters whose behavior is inconsistent with the victimization-based explanations they offer for their offending. Some implications for intervention are briefly reviewed, and the relation of victimization and lack of empathy to cognitive distortions is considered.
Influences on the formation of academics: the role of the doctorate and structured development opportunities

The paper examines influences of doctoral study and structured early career interventions on academic work. It uses evidence from a survey in six Australian universities (n=1158) to explore academics' engagement with research and teaching development. It regards universities as social situations that are ambiguous, presenting conflicting opportunities for growth and development and the pursuit of personal objectives. Academics' emphases on different aspects of academic work involve complex responses that are subject to many influences. It shows that doctoral work may avoid developing key skills that academics need and that the extent to which doctoral study prepares academics for different aspects of their role is different in different disciplines and institutions. It also shows that the conduct of academics in their major roles is little influenced by the training and development they engage in. The paper discusses the survey findings in terms of what constrains and what enables academics to take up particular development opportunities. It argues that to understand academic practice, analysis of how organisational influences are interpreted is needed.
School Improvement for Schools Facing Challenging Circumstances: A review of research and practice

The paper reviews the literature on 'what works' in school improvement taken from a number of sources--from effective schools studies, from accounts by headteachers who have turned schools around and from general literature on school improvement of the last 30 years. It is located within the paradigm of 'third wave' principles and practices that have now become axiomatic in the field, which the paper outlines as a commitment to capacity building in schools, to instructional effectiveness and to contextual specificity. It proceeds to outline in detail the practices that appear to be necessary, in terms of organisation, culture, leadership and ethos, to improve the levels of effectiveness of schools facing challenging circumstances. A number of particularly effective school improvement projects that materially influenced the review are outlined in detail also. (The paper is based upon a review of the literature commissioned by the Department of Education and Skills and distributed nationally to schools facing challenging circumstances in Spring/Summer 2001.)
Severity of mastitis symptoms as a predictor of C-reactive protein in milk and blood during lactation.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the presence of C-reactive protein (CRP) in breast milk and any relationship between changes in CRP in breast milk and blood, and the severity of systemic and breast symptoms experienced during mastitis. METHODS Mothers (n = 26) were followed prospectively from day 5 postpartum to the end of their lactation. Milk from each breast, blood, 24-hour urine samples and data on breast and systemic pathologies were collected at reference intervals during the first 3 months postpartum, daily during the occurrence of any breast inflammation and at 7 days after resolution of symptoms. RESULTS CRP in blood was significantly increased during mastitis (p < 0.001, df:1,81; F = 31) and severity of systemic symptoms was a significant predictor for changes of CRP in blood (p < 0.01; df:3,42; F = 9.6). During mastitis both the symptomatic breast (p < 0.001; df:1,79; F = 19) and the contralateral asymptomatic breast (p < 0.004; df:1,75; F = 8.7) had a significantly higher milk CRP when compared with women with no mastitis. CONCLUSIONS Although an increasing severity of breast and systemic symptoms in mastitis was predictive of an increasing CRP in milk and blood, respectively, the presence of CRP in similar concentrations in the mastitis and asymptomatic breast suggests it is of little use in making a differential diagnosis between infective verses noninfective forms of mastitis.
Innovative Method to Authenticate Copper Canisters Used for Spent Nuclear Fuel Based on the Ultrasonic Investigation of the Friction Stir Weld

Sweden is planning to store nuclear spent fuel in long-term geological repositories. Copper canisters with a ductile iron insert will preserve the fuel for thousands of years at a depth of about 500 m in Swedish bedrock. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Euratom safeguards inspectorates have to maintain the continuity of knowledge (CoK) during transport and deposition of canisters from the encapsulation plant to the final repository. The aim of this paper is then oriented to provide such CoK for canisters by an identification and authentication based on ultrasound. This paper describes an authentication method oriented to prevent falsification of copper canisters. According to the ultrasonic investigation of the friction stir welding process of the copper lid onto the cylindrical tube, the ultrasonic response of the remaining gap partially filled during the welding is used as a unique pattern for authentication. The analysis of various measurements made on angular sections of copper lids friction stir welded onto the tube revealed the feasibility of acquisition of a valuable signal from the reflection of the internal gap. Following the observations on this data set, a possible technical design is detailed, where the identification and authentication methods can be combined with immersion probes.
Molecular Characterization and Regulation of the aguBA Operon , Responsible for Agmatine Utilization in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO 1

Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 utilizes agmatine as the sole carbon and nitrogen source via two reactions catalyzed successively by agmatine deiminase (encoded by aguA; also called agmatine iminohydrolase) and N-carbamoylputrescine amidohydrolase (encoded by aguB). The aguBA and adjacent aguR genes were cloned and characterized. The predicted AguB protein (Mr 32,759; 292 amino acids) displayed sequence similarity (<60% identity) to enzymes of the -alanine synthase/nitrilase family. While the deduced AguA protein (Mr 41,190; 368 amino acids) showed no significant similarity to any protein of known function, assignment of agmatine deiminase to AguA in this report discovered a new family of carbon-nitrogen hydrolases widely distributed in organisms ranging from bacteria to Arabidopsis. The aguR gene encoded a putative regulatory protein (Mr 24,424; 221 amino acids) of the TetR protein family. Measurements of agmatine deiminase and N-carbamoylputrescine amidohydrolase activities indicated the induction effect of agmatine and N-carbamoylputrescine on expression of the aguBA operon. The presence of an inducible promoter for the aguBA operon in the aguR-aguB intergenic region was demonstrated by lacZ fusion experiments, and the transcription start of this promoter was localized 99 bp upstream from the initiation codon of aguB by S1 nuclease mapping. Experiments with knockout mutants of aguR established that expression of the aguBA operon became constitutive in the aguR background. Interaction of AguR overproduced in Escherichia coli with the aguBA regulatory region was demonstrated by gel retardation assays, supporting the hypothesis that AguR serves as the negative regulator of the aguBA operon, and binding of agmatine and N-carbamoylputrescine to AguR would antagonize its repressor function.
Learning with Hierarchical Gaussian Kernels

We investigate iterated compositions of weighted sums of Gaussian kernels and provide an interpretation of the construction that shows some similarities with the architectures of deep neural networks. On the theoretical side, we show that these kernels are universal and that SVMs using these kernels are universally consistent. We further describe a parameter optimization method for the kernel parameters and empirically compare this method to SVMs, random forests, a multiple kernel learning approach, and to some deep neural networks.
Challenges to Satellite Sensors of Ocean Winds: Addressing Precipitation Effects

AbstractMeasurements of global ocean surface winds made by orbiting satellite radars have provided valuable information to the oceanographic and meteorological communities since the launch of the Seasat in 1978, by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). When Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT) was launched in 1999, it ushered in a new era of dual-polarized, pencil-beam, higher-resolution scatterometers for measuring the global ocean surface winds from space. A constant limitation on the full utilization of scatterometer-derived winds is the presence of isolated rain events, which affect about 7% of the observations. The vector wind sensors, the Ku-band scatterometers [NASA’s SeaWinds on the QuikSCAT and Midori-II platforms and Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO’s) Ocean Satellite (Oceansat)-2], and the current C-band scatterometer [Advanced Wind Scatterometer (ASCAT), on the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT)’s Meteorological Operation .
Pharmacokinetics of Tramadol in a Hemodialysis Patient

Accessible online at: www.karger. com/journals/nef Dear Sir, Tramadol is a centrally acting analgesic agent which is extensively metabolized in the liver. However, 30% of a dose is excreted unchanged in urine [1] and renal impairment may alter the pharmacokinetics of tramadol. However, there are no data for patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing hemodialysis. We thus report a pharmacokinetic study of tramadol in a patient requiring chronic hemodialysis. The patient was a 70-year-old male (65 kg, 170 cm) with a long history of multiple myeloma. He suffered from renal failure with the following laboratory values within the last 6 months: serum creatinine 180 Imol/l, urea 25 mmol/l, and normal liver enzymes. He was treated with ibuprofen for acute pain secondary to pathologic thigh bone fracture and developed end-stage renal disease. On admission, the patient complained of pain and leg cramps. Analgesic treatment with tramadol was instituted (50 mg twice daily) with a good analgesic efficacy. Because of persistent anuric renal insufficiency, hemodialysis was started. The study of tramadol pharmacokinetics was performed 1 week after starting hemodialysis, after oral administration of a 50-mg dose in the pattern of a long-term twice-daily treatment. Blood samples were collected just before and 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 5, 6 and 8 h after oral administration. The study was conducted on a hemodialysis-free day. Paired arterial and venous blood samples were also obtained simultaneously 2 h after starting a hemodialysis session, on a hemodialysis day. On that day, the patient was administered tramadol 1 h before the session was started. Hemodialysis was performed for 4 h using a F60 polysulfone dialyzer (surface area 1.6 m2) with a double-needle access to a double lumen catheter with a constant dialysate flow rate of 500 ml/min and blood flow rate between 250 and 300 ml/min. Pharmacokinetic parameters were compared to those of subjects with normal renal function [2], FHD, which represents the participation of hemodialysis clearance in total body clearance of the drug during the session was calculated using the formula: FHD = CLHD/(CLHD + CLER) [3], where CLHD is hemodialysis clearance and CLER is ‘extrarenal’ clearance, equal to interdialytic total body clearance of the drug. Neither clinical side effects, nor overdosage symptoms, such as obnibulation, respiratory system depression, nor constipation, were observed. Our results (table 1) showed that Tmax and T1/2 were the same in our patient and in healthy subjects. However, total body clearance was decreased in our patient as compared to healthy subjects. Since the apparent total body clearance of a drug CL/F is linked to its volume of distribution Vd/F with the relation CL/F = (0.693/T1/2) ! Vd/F, the decrease in CL/F in our patient was due to an Table 1. Pharmacokinetic parameters of tramadol in an hemodialysis patient
The Effect of Retention Interval on Serial Position Curves for Item Recognition of Visual Patterns and Faces

In 9 experiments, college students were presented with a series of 4 novel items, followed by an immediate or delayed probe recognition test. Delaying the recognition test reduced performance on the final item, when the interpresentation intervals (IPIs) were kept constant (Experiments 1A–1G), and also when the IPIs were varied (Experiments 2A–2B). Only 1 experiment reported any evidence of increased primacy with delay when the EPIs were kept constant, but this result failed to replicate. Neither Experiment 2A nor 2B provided evidence of increased primacy with test delay or any effect of IN on recency. However, Experiment 2A showed a deficit at the first serial position when followed by a short IPI. These results do not support the predictions of the dimensional distinctiveness model but are broadly compatible with established information-processing models of visual memory.
The Natural Selection of Prediction Heuristics: Anchoring and Adjustment versus Representativeness

There are several heuristics which people use in making numerical predictions and these heuristics compete for the determination of prediction output. Some of them (e.g. representativeness) lead to excessively extreme predictions while others (e.g. anchoring and adjustment) lead to regressive (and even over-regressive) predictions. In this paper we study the competition between these two heuristics by varying the representation of predictor and outcome. The results indicate that factors which facilitate reliance on representativeness (e.g. compatibility between predictor and outcome) indeed lead to an increase in extremity, while factors that facilitate reliance on anchoring and adjustment (e.g. increased salience of a potential anchor) lead to a decrease in extremity.
The PETTLEP Approach to Motor Imagery: A Functional Equivalence Model for Sport Psychologists

Abstract This paper supports the contention that the brain stores memories in the form of a central representation that is accessed by both physical preparation and execution and, more importantly, by motor imagery associated with this preparation and execution. Considerable evidence in support of shared central and vegetative structures suggests that sport psychologists should consider more closely aspects of the performer's responses to the physical skill when providing imagery interventions and not rely on “traditional,” more clinically orientated, methods of delivery. Many texts provide a schedule of factors and techniques for psychologists, athletes, and coaches to consider but with a limited theoretical explanation of why these factors are the crucial concerns. We, therefore, propose an evidence-based, 7-point checklist that includes: physical, environmental, task, timing, learning, emotional, and perspective elements of imagery delivery highlighting the minimum requirement areas in which sport psychologists should monitor the equivalence to the physical task in order to enhance the efficacy of their practice.
Protein Phosphatase 6 Interacts with the DNA-Dependent Protein Kinase Catalytic Subunit and Dephosphorylates γ-H2AX

ABSTRACT The catalytic subunit of the DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PKcs) plays a major role in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) by nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ). We have previously shown that DNA-PKcs is autophosphorylated in response to ionizing radiation (IR) and that dephosphorylation by a protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A)-like protein phosphatase (PP2A, PP4, or PP6) regulates the protein kinase activity of DNA-PKcs. Here we report that DNA-PKcs interacts with the catalytic subunits of PP6 (PP6c) and PP2A (PP2Ac), as well as with the PP6 regulatory subunits PP6R1, PP6R2, and PP6R3. Consistent with a role in the DNA damage response, silencing of PP6c by small interfering RNA (siRNA) induced sensitivity to IR and delayed release from the G2/M checkpoint. Furthermore, siRNA silencing of either PP6c or PP6R1 led to sustained phosphorylation of histone H2AX on serine 139 (γ-H2AX) after IR. In contrast, silencing of PP6c did not affect the autophosphorylation of DNA-PKcs on serine 2056 or that of the ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) protein on serine 1981. We propose that a novel function of DNA-PKcs is to recruit PP6 to sites of DNA damage and that PP6 contributes to the dephosphorylation of γ-H2AX, the dissolution of IR-induced foci, and release from the G2/M checkpoint in vivo.
Estimating and correcting for response bias in self-reported HIV risk behavior.

One of the most difficult problems in behavioral research on human sexuality and drug use is its reliance on peoples self-reports about their behavior. Given the essentially private nature of sexual and drug-taking practices many aspects of these practices are difficult if not impossible to validate. Few studies exist on the validity of self-reported sexual behavior. As an isolated example Udry and Morris were able to validate the incidence of coitus in women using urine tests for sperm but the tests were unable to establish the frequency of vaginal intercourse. Even more difficult to validate are behaviors that place people at risk of sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS. Biological markers can be used to corroborate self-reports of high-risk sexual and drug-taking practices in samples of respondents but cannot validate behavior at the individual level. For example self-reported increases and decreases in the prevalence of unprotected anal intercourse paralleled both increases and decreases in the number of cases of gonorrhea in gay men in San Francisco. Similarly sharp decreases in high-risk injection practices in a cohort of injecting drug users over four years coincided with a sharp decrease in HIV seroincidence. (excerpt)