Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Empirical Modeling and Simulation of Temporal Based Adaptive Mobility Model for MANET

Mobile Ad Hoc network (MANET) is a collection of wireless mobile nodes forming a temporary network without the aid of any established infrastructure. To conduct meaningful performance analysis of MANETs, it is essential that the simulation of mobility model should reflect the realistic mobility pattern of mobile nodes i.e. placement of mobile nodes at different intervals of time. The formation of spontaneous network depends heavily on the movement of different nodes in a particular practical scenario. This research focuses on the modeling and simulation of a temporal Adaptive Mobility Model which can be adapted to any dynamic practical scenario. The mobility in the realistic environment is simulated based on a Probability Transition Matrix named as Personal Behavior Model (PBM) and validated for a practical Health Care Environment. The formation of MANET is assumed to be based on the movement of the patient i.e. mobile nodes in the health care environment. Patients waiting in front of each service point for different time intervals are taken as results and compared with the actual data.
Hyphal growth in Candida albicans does not require induction of hyphal-specific gene expression

GlcNAc activates two pathways in the fungal pathogen Candida albicans. In one pathway, GlcNAc induces hyphal morphology. In the other, GlcNAc metabolism raises the ambient pH, which activates pH signaling pathways to induce gene expression. The dual roles are likely important in other organisms in which GlcNAc is emerging as a key signaling molecule.
Posttraumatic Relationship Syndrome

This case study describes the treatment of an individual with Posttraumatic Relationship Syndrome (PTRS), a newly proposed mental health syndrome that occurs subsequent to the experience of trauma in an intimate relationship. It includes the intrusive and arousal symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) but lacks the avoidance symptoms required for a diagnosis of PTSD due to a very different mode of coping with the traumatized state from that which is characteristic of individuals with PTSD. It also includes a category of relational symptoms that, of course, are not part of PTSD because the trauma it addresses does not have to occur in the context of an emotionally intimate relationship, as in PTRS. The treatment model developed and successfully implemented by the authors is described along with the posttraumatic growth the client achieved.
Detection and characterization of bacterial symbionts in the Heteropteran, Blissus insularis.

Dense populations of extracellular bacteria were detected in midgut crypts of the southern chinch bug, Blissus insularis Barber (Hemiptera: Blissidae). Examination by epifluorescent and transmission electron microscopy revealed that the bacteria covered the luminal surface of the crypts and filled the entire lumen. Attempts to culture the extracellular endosymbionts in various media failed. Sequencing and phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA gene clones obtained from insects of five Florida populations showed high nucleotide homology to either betaproteobacterial Burkholderia spp. (243 clones from five populations) or gammaproteobacterial Pseudomonas spp. (58 clones from one population). Using Burkholderia-specific primers, bacteria were detected in the egg, nymph, and adult stages. Fluorescent in situ hybridization with genus-specific oligonucleotide probes confirmed the localization of Burkholderia in the crypts. Quantitative real-time PCR showed that antibiotic treatments of nymphs significantly reduced the amount of Burkholderia 16S rRNA gene copies in chinch bugs sampled 11 days after the treatment. Furthermore, these treatments resulted in retarded development and high mortality of B. insularis, indicating a beneficial impact of Burkholderia on its host.
The positive effects of mindfulness on self-esteem

Positive psychological research has clearly highlighted the importance of investigating factors that contribute to well-being. One factor contributing greatly to psychological well-being is mindfulness, which has been related to a wide range of positive outcomes, including healthy self-esteem. Here, we present two studies that aim to extend prior research on mindfulness and self-esteem. In Study 1, we propose and test a theoretically derived model of the role that mindfulness plays in the prediction of self-esteem and life satisfaction. Four facets of mindfulness significantly predicted increased self-esteem, which in turn predicted overall life satisfaction. In Study 2, we extended this study by examining the direct effects of a brief mindfulness induction on state self-esteem, and found that experimentally enhancing state mindfulness led to an increase in state self-esteem. The two studies presented clearly demonstrate that mindfulness and self-esteem are related, and, importantly, that mindfulness training has direct positive effects on self-esteem.
To MBA or not to MBA

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to critically reflect on the value of the MBA – a Master in Business Administration, considered the flagship of business and management education. The author aims to bridge the gap in the understanding of the possible added value of the MBA.Design/methodology/approach – This conceptual paper is enriched by findings from secondary data, surveys with managers in the UK, and interviews with human resource managers of leading US firms.Findings – The MBA can generate significant tangible and intangible inputs to graduates' careers and their employing organizations. Having an MBA contributes considerably to graduates' human capital. Employers may profit from such contributions, while an indirect positive effect is implied at the national level.Research limitations/implications – The knowledge of MBA impact should be based on rigor studies rather than unsupported assertions.Practical implications – The MBA is the closest thing to a qualification to manage. It generates posi.
Noise properties of the EM algorithm. I. Theory

The expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm is an important tool for maximum-likelihood (ML) estimation and image reconstruction, especially in medical imaging. The authors present a detailed treatment of the algorithm's statistical properties. The specific application they have in mind is image reconstruction in emission tomography, but the results are valid for any application of the EM algorithm in which the data set can be described by Poisson statistics. They authors show that the probability density function for the grey level at a pixel in the image is well approximated by a log-normal law. An expression is derived for the variance of the grey level and for pixel-to-pixel covariance. The variance increases rapidly with iteration number at first, but eventually saturates as the ML estimate is approached. Moreover, the variance at any iteration number has a factor proportional to the square of the mean image (though other factors may also depend on the mean image), so a map of the standard deviation resembles the object itself. Thus low-intensity regions of the image tend to have low noise. By contrast, linear reconstruction methods, such as filtered back-projection in tomography, show a much more global noise pattern, with high-intensity regions of the object contributing to noise at rather distant low-intensity regions. The theoretical results of this paper depend on two approximations, but in pt.II the authors demonstrate through Monte Carlo simulation that the approximations are justified over a wide range of conditions in emission tomography. The theory can, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of objective figures of merit for image quality.
In vitro evaporative vs. convective water flux across human dentin before and after conditioning and placement of glass-ionomer cements.

PURPOSE To assess the convective and evaporative fluid movement across glass-ionomer treated dentin. METHODS Crown segments made from extracted human teeth, were divided into two groups of 14 teeth each. Each segment was cemented onto a plexiglass slab penetrated by a stainless steel tube, permitting filling of the pulp chamber with water. This set-up was attached to a device that measured fluid movement through the dentin in the crown segment. The experimental design involved repeated measurements of convective and evaporative fluid movements in each of the following conditions: smear layer-covered dentin, conditioned dentin, dentin after placement of one of two glass-ionomers (Fuji IX or Ketac-Molar), with and without a protective coating. The same water fluxes were remeasured after storage of the samples for 24 hours in distilled water. RESULTS Statistical analysis of the results using ANOVA indicated a significant difference between the two measured water fluxes (P < 0.001). There was also a significant difference between the two materials (P < 0.001), with Ketac-Molar allowing higher permeability than Fuji IX. Conditioning the dentin surface with polyacrylic acid increased the convective water flux (P < 0.05) but did not change the evaporative water flux. Placement of the glass-ionomer material did not change the rate of spontaneous evaporation of water from the dentin, but the application of a coating agent reduced the evaporative water loss. These values were not significantly different when the specimens were stored for 24 hours.
Intraradical Dynamics of Two Coexisting Isolates of the Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus Glomus intraradices Sensu Lato as Estimated by Real-Time PCR of Mitochondrial DNA

ABSTRACT Real-time PCR in nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) is becoming a well-established tool for the quantification of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, but this genomic region does not allow the specific amplification of closely related genotypes. The large subunit of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has a higher-resolution power, but mtDNA-based quantification has not been previously explored in AM fungi. We applied real-time PCR assays targeting the large subunit of mtDNA to monitor the DNA dynamics of two isolates of Glomus intraradices sensu lato coexisting in the roots of medic (Medicago sativa). The mtDNA-based quantification was compared to quantification in nrDNA. The ratio of copy numbers determined by the nrDNA- and mtDNA-based assays consistently differed between the two isolates. Within an isolate, copy numbers of the nuclear and the mitochondrial genes were closely correlated. The two quantification approaches revealed similar trends in the dynamics of both isolates, depending on whether they were inoculated alone or together. After 12 weeks of cultivation, competition between the two isolates was observed as a decrease in the mtDNA copy numbers of one of them. The coexistence of two closely related isolates, which cannot be discriminated by nrDNA-based assays, was thus identified as a factor influencing the dynamics of AM fungal DNA in roots. Taken together, the results of this study show that real-time PCR assays targeted to the large subunit of mtDNA may become useful tools for the study of coexisting AM fungi.
A rare case of hypoglycaemia due to insulinoma in an adolescent with acutely altered mental status

Abstract Background: Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is an inherited neoplasia syndrome that generally presents with hypercalcaemia due to hyperparathyroidism. Insulin-producing tumours are less common components of the syndrome that emerge later during the course of the disease. We report here a case of an adolescent who presented with symptomatic hypoglycaemia as the first indication of MEN1. Case: A 14-year-old boy, known to use illicit drugs, was brought to the hospital with altered mental status. He was hypoglycaemic and further investigations revealed two pancreatic insulinomas. Despite having no relevant family history, genetic evaluation showed a mutation consistent with MEN1. Conclusion: Insulinomas in adolescents are generally rare and even less common as a first presentation of MEN1. This diagnosis carries implications for potential future neoplasms, both benign and malignant. While intoxication is a more common case of altered mental status in adolescents, clinicians must maintain a high index of suspicion for organic disease.
CHARACTERIZATION OF A CR51-LABELED ENDOTOXIN AND ITS IDENTIFICATION IN PLASMA AND URINE AFTER PARENTERAL ADMINISTRATION

The incubation of endotoxin with Na2Cr51O4 yielded a product which was well labeled. That the label was fixed on the endotoxin itself was shown by autoradiography on specific lines of precipitation formed in agar. Ultracentrifugation at 40,000 RPM sedimented 80 per cent of the total weight of the starting Boivin preparation. Agar diffusion patterns with subsequent autoradiographs demonstrated that the chromium tag was associated only with the heavy fractions of the pellet. The supernatant contained precipitable, but unlabeled endotoxin. Toxicity measurements showed that more than 99 per cent of the total toxicity resided in the pellet fractions. The chromate-tagged endotoxin was specifically identified in plasma samples taken up to 6 hours after intravenous administration of LD 50 or sublethal doses. The endotoxin was not totally detoxified in vivo since plasma collected 6 hours after the injection of even the sublethal dose was toxic when assayed in adrenalectomized mice. The endotoxin was specifically identified in urine specimens but it was no longer toxic or radioactive. Agar diffusion experiments indicated that only degraded material was present.
How can managers reduce employee intention to quit

This paper reports on an investigation of the variables that may be predictive of intentions to leave a job, and tests a model that includes mediating variables. A total of 173 retail salespeople completed questionnaires measuring commitment to the organization for which they worked, job satisfaction, stress, supervisor support, locus of control, self‐esteem, the perceived stressors in the job and their intention to quit. Path analysis was used to test the relationships hypothesized in the model. The majority of hypotheses were supported, with the variables included accounting for 52 per cent of the variance in intention to quit. Emotional support from supervisors and self‐esteem mediated the impact of stressors on stress reactions, job satisfaction, commitment to the organization and intention to quit. It is suggested that to ameliorate intention to quit and in turn reduce turnover, managers need to actively monitor workloads, and the relationships between supervisors and subordinates in order to reduce and manage stress. Managers also need to monitor both the extrinsic and intrinsic sources of job satisfaction available to employees. These activities could assist in maintaining and increasing job satisfaction and commitment to the organization.
Pars plana vitrectomy with silicone oil or gas endotamponade in HIV-related rhegmatogenous retinal detachments in Thai patients.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy and results of pars plana vitrectomy with endotamponade for retinal detachments caused by necrotizing retinitis in HIV patients. MATERIAL AND METHOD The data of patients with HIV-related retinal detachment who underwent pars plana vitrectomy with silicone oil or gas endotamponade between January 2003 and June 2005 were retrospectively reviewed The outcome measures were demographic data, anatomical, and visual results. RESULTS Of all 24 eyes from 20 patients, 19 eyes underwent pars plana vitrectomy with silicone oil tamponade and 5 eyes with long-acting gas tamponade. Mean follow up time was 13 months (range 2-33 months). The overall anatomical success was 83% (84% and 80% with silicone oil and gas tamponade, respectively). Final best corrected visual acuity was equal or better than 5/200 in 12 eyes (50%). Forty-six percent had stabled or improved vision at the end of follow-up. CONCLUSION Pars plana vitrectomy with silicone oil or gas tamponade gives the high anatomical success rate in the repair of retinal detachments caused by necrotizing retinitis in HIV patients. There were the same reattachment rate and visual results between the two tamponade groups. However, the use of gas tamponade may be effective in patients with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).
A randomized control trial to evaluate the effect of adjuvant selective laser trabeculoplasty versus medication alone in primary open-angle glaucoma: preliminary results

Background The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of adjuvant selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) versus medication alone on intraocular pressure (IOP) control, medication use, and quality of life in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma. Methods This prospective, randomized control study recruited 41 consecutive primary open-angle glaucoma subjects with medically-controlled IOP ≤21 mmHg. The SLT group (n=22) received a single 360-degree SLT treatment. The medication-only group (n=19) continued with their usual treatment regimen. In both groups, medication was titrated to maintain a target IOP defined as a 25% reduction from baseline IOP without medication, or <18 mmHg, whichever was lower. Outcomes, which were measured at baseline and at 6 months, included the Glaucoma Quality of Life-15 (GQL-15) and Comparison of Ophthalmic Medications for Tolerability (COMTOL) survey scores, IOP, and the number of antiglaucoma medicines. Results The baseline IOP was 15.8±2.7 mmHg and 14.5±2.5 mmHg in the SLT and medication-only groups, respectively (P=0.04). Both groups had a comparable number of baseline medication (P=0.2), GQL-15 (P=0.3) and COMTOL scores (P=0.7). At 6 months, the SLT group had a lower IOP (P=0.03) and required fewer medications compared with both baseline (P<0.0001) and with the medication-only group (P=0.02). There was no statistically significant difference in the 6-month GQL-15 or COMTOL score as compared to baseline (P≥0.4) or between the two treatment groups (P≥0.2). Conclusion A single session of adjuvant SLT provided further reductions in IOP and medication without substantial changes in quality of life or medication tolerability at 6 months.
When Partners Become Parents: The Big Life Change for Couples

Part 1 The new pioneers: changing families in a changing world, to be or not to be a parent the pregnant pause - nine long months. Part 2 Crossing the great divide: what's happening to me? what's happening to us? beyond the doorstep - new problems, new solutions legacies from our parents parenting our children. Part 3 Protecting the homestead: an ounce of prevention - couples groups talk to me - hidden challenges in couples' communication who is at risk and what can be done?
Geographical distribution and profile of medical doctors in public sector hospitals of the Limpopo Province, South Africa

Background The shortage and unequal distribution of medical doctors in low- and middle-income countries continues to be a public health concern. Objective To establish the geographical distribution and demographic profile of medical doctors in public sector hospitals of the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Method The PERSAL system was used to obtain information on the number of medical doctors employed in public sector hospitals of the Limpopo Province. Data were exported from PERSAL’s database and then analysed using STATA version 9.0. Result The mean age of the 887 medical doctors was 40.1 ± 11.2 years (range 24–79 years). Sixty per cent of the doctors were male, 66% were aged ≤ 45 years and 84% were African. Most of the doctors (86%) were medical officers, of which 55% had < 5 years working experience. Overall, the doctor-to-population ratio for the five districts in the province was 16.4/100 000, with Capricorn (33.7/100 000) and Waterberg (20.2/100 000) recording the highest ratios. A large proportion (43%) of medical officers are employed in the Capricorn District, of which 71% were practising at the tertiary hospital. Conclusion This study demonstrated a shortage and maldistribution of medical doctors in the public sector hospitals of the Limpopo Province. This has a potentially negative effect on the delivery of an appropriate and efficient healthcare service to the population and requires urgent attention.
Credit Supply and Corporate Innovation

We present evidence that banking development plays a key role in technological progress. We focus on manufacturing firms' innovative performance, measured by patent-based metrics, and employ exogenous variations in banking development arising from the staggered deregulation of banking activities across US states during the 1980s and 1990s. We find that interstate banking deregulation had significant beneficial effects on the quantity and quality of innovation activities, especially for firms highly dependent on external capital and located closer to entering banks. Furthermore, we find that these results are strongly driven by a greater ability of deregulated banks to geographically diversify credit risk.
Children with Atopic Dermatitis Do Not Have More Anxiety or Different Cortisol Levels Compared with Normal Children

Background: The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis has an important immunoregulatory role under stress, and stressmediated anxiety has been reported to be associated with alterations in immune functions and attenuated cortisol levels in atopic dermatitis (AD) patients. Objective: We investigated serum basal cortisol and anxiety levels in pediatric AD patients and compared them with those of controls. Methods: Basal serum cortisol levels were measured in 36 pediatric AD patients (aged 9–16 years) and 36 control subjects (aged 9–15 years). Anxiety was assessed by the trait anxiety subscale (TAI-C) of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children. The severity of AD was assessed by the objective severity scoring of AD (SCORing Atopic Dermatitis [SCORAD]). Results: Data analysis showed no statistical difference for the basal serum cortisol levels (p = .383) and the TAI-C (p = .730) between the two groups. No significant correlation was found between the basal cortisol values and the TAI-C scores in the AD group (p = .290). The SCORAD index was correlated with the TAI-C scores (p < .05) but not correlated with the basal serum cortisol values in AD patients (p = .06). Conclusion: Children with AD do not have more anxiety or different cortisol levels when compared with normal children, but the severe symptomatology of AD itself may cause anxiety levels to increase in children with AD.
Language, Context, and Text: Aspects of Language in a Social-Semiotic Perspective

This study deals with the linguistic study of texts as a way of understanding how language functions in its immensely varied range of social contexts. The authors adopt a functional approach to language, in which the different registers or functional varieties of a language are explained by reference to the different contexts in which they occur. Their analysis reveals how, on the one hand, each text is unique, while on the other, the way a text is organized and the kinds of coherence it displays are closely related to the place and the value that it has in its social and cultural environment.
Anti-spyware Security Design Patterns

Spyware is deemed a big danger to the privacy and secrecy of both individuals and firms, it frequently results in the damage and loss of electronic data stored on all types of computers. The main challenges in designing anti-spyware systems are the need for updating data describing spywares and changing the structure of old programs to detect new or unknown spywares. In this paper, we aimed to propose a security pattern for spyware detection. We achieved our objective by introducing a framework for anti-spyware system that combine data mining and design patterns in creating security patterns able to detect and classify spyware efficiently. The proposed anti-spyware system is characterized by its reusability, in sense that it can modify itself for any new or unknown spyware. The experimental results of the proposed approach outperform all the previous competing approaches.