Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Design and analysis of cooperative mobile multicast protocol (CMMP) for intermittent network connectivity

Multicast services have received great interests recently. They normally cannot tolerate high packet delay and high loss rate. However, multicast services may be disrupted in mobile and wireless networks. Disruption may be caused by different reasons. In this paper, we consider the disruption resulted from handoffs between base stations. Although many mobile multicast protocols have been proposed, they primarily consider the routing in mobile environment. The protocols usually do not consider how to reduce packet delay and packet loss rate caused by intermittent radio connectivity. In this paper, we propose a mobile multicast protocol which utilizes cooperative communications for intermittent connected networks. Specifically, multicast packets are cached in helpers, which in turn relay the packets to the mobile hosts disconnected from the network. Therefore, multicast services still can be delivered to the disconnected mobile hosts. Hence, packet loss rate can be reduced and throughput can be increased significantly. Most of the studies of cooperative communications focus on MAC and physical layers. We demonstrate how cooperative communications can benefit multicast at network layer. Both mathematical model and simulation are developed to analyze the performance of the proposed protocol.
The impact of antenatal care on pregnancy performance between adolescent girls and older women.

OBJECTIVE To investigate pregnancy performance and newborn outcome between adolescents and older women receiving adequate and similar antenatal care. METHODS Four hundred and twenty-five women attending the antenatal clinic at the University Hospital of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica, participated in a prospective study. Recruitment included women 19 years and younger (adolescents) and 20 years and older (older women). Anthropometric measurements of the women and their newborn were made. During the pregnancy, all admissions to hospital and the diagnoses were recorded. Neonatal admissions were also recorded. RESULT Three hundred and sixty-one women each (84.9%) delivered a live infant of which 175 (87.5%) women were less than 20 years old and comprised the adolescent group and 186 (82.7%) of these women were 20 years and older and comprised the women in the older age group. Thirty-nine (9.2%) had early pregnancy losses; twelve among the adolescents (6%) and twenty-seven (12%) among the older women (p = 0.03). There was one intrauterine death and one stillbirth in the adolescent group and two intrauterine deaths and no stillbirth in the older group. The attendance rate at the antenatal clinic for both groups was high throughout the study with each group having greater than 96% attendance. There were 53 (26.5%) admissions among the adolescent girls and 70 (31.1%) admissions among the older women. This was not statistically significant. There was a significant difference in the occurrence of urinary tract infections where 17% of the adolescents had a urinary tract infection compared to 1% of older women (p < 0.0001). There was a lower Caesarean section rate among the adolescent. No significant difference between the number of neonatal admissions for the two groups (p = 0.19) was seen. CONCLUSION This study showed that with similar and adequate antenatal care there were minimal differences in pregnancy performance between the two groups with only an increased rate of urinary tract infections and a lower rate of Caesarean section in the adolescents.
Genes Involved in the Endoplasmic Reticulum N-Glycosylation Pathway of the Red Microalga Porphyridium sp.: A Bioinformatic Study

N-glycosylation is one of the most important post-translational modifications that influence protein polymorphism, including protein structures and their functions. Although this important biological process has been extensively studied in mammals, only limited knowledge exists regarding glycosylation in algae. The current research is focused on the red microalga Porphyridium sp. , which is a potentially valuable source for various applications, such as skin therapy, food, and pharmaceuticals. The enzymes involved in the biosynthesis and processing of N-glycans remain undefined in this species, and the mechanism(s) of their genetic regulation is completely unknown. In this study, we describe our pioneering attempt to understand the endoplasmic reticulum N-Glycosylation pathway in Porphyridium sp. , using a bioinformatic approach. Homology searches, based on sequence similarities with genes encoding proteins involved in the ER N-glycosylation pathway (including their conserved parts) were conducted using the TBLASTN function on the algae DNA scaffold contigs database. This approach led to the identification of 24 encoded-genes implicated with the ER N-glycosylation pathway in Porphyridium sp. Homologs were found for almost all known N-glycosylation protein sequences in the ER pathway of Porphyridium sp. ; thus, suggesting that the ER-pathway is conserved; as it is in other organisms (animals, plants, yeasts, etc.).
Improving recommendation for long-tail queries via templates

The ability to aggregate huge volumes of queries over a large population of users allows search engines to build precise models for a variety of query-assistance features such as query recommendation, correction, etc. Yet, no matter how much data is aggregated, the long-tail distribution implies that a large fraction of queries are rare. As a result, most query assistance services perform poorly or are not even triggered on long-tail queries. We propose a method to extend the reach of query assistance techniques (and in particular query recommendation) to long-tail queries by reasoning about rules between query templates rather than individual query transitions, as currently done in query-flow graph models. As a simple example, if we recognize that 'Montezuma' is a city in the rare query "Montezuma surf" and if the rule 'city surf → beach has been observed, we are able to offer "Montezuma beach" as a recommendation, even if the two queries were never observed in a same session. We conducted experiments to validate our hypothesis, first via traditional small-scale editorial assessments but more interestingly via a novel automated large scale evaluation methodology. Our experiments show that general coverage can be relatively increased by 24% using templates without penalizing quality. Furthermore, for 36% of the 95M queries in our query flow graph, which have no out edges and thus could not be served recommendations, we can now offer at least one recommendation in 98% of the cases.
Conceptual Models for Carbonate Aquifers

The very diverse types of ground‐water behavior in carbonate terrains can be classified by relating the flow type to a particular hydrogeologic environment each exhibiting a characteristic cave morphology. The ground water may move by diffuse flow, by retarded flow, or by free flow. Diffuse flow occurs in less soluble rocks such as extremely shaley limestones or crystalline dolomites. Integrated conduits are rare. Caves tend to be small, irregular, and often little more than solutionally widened joints. Retarded flows occur in artesian environments and in situations where unfavorable stratigraphy forces ground water to be confined to relatively thin beds. Network cave patterns are characteristic since hydrodynamic forces are damped by the external controls. Solution occurs along many available joints. Free flowing aquifers are those in which solution has developed a subsurface drainage system logically regarded as an underground extension of surface streams. These streams may have fully developed surface tributaries as well as recharge from sinkholes and general infiltration. Characteristic cave patterns are those of integrated conduit systems which are often truncated into linear, angulate, and branchwork caves. Free Flow aquifers may be further subdivided into Open aquifers lying beneath karst plains and Capped aquifers in which significant parts of the drainage net lie beneath an insoluble cap rock. Other geologic factors such as structure, detailed lithology, relief, and locations of major streams, control the details of cave morphology and orientation of the drainage network.
Safety and efficacy of levetiracetam for the treatment of partial onset seizures in children from one month of age

Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder in the pediatric population, affecting up to one percent of children, and for which the mainstay of treatment is anticonvulsant medication. Despite the frequent use of anticonvulsant drugs, remarkably little is known about the safety and efficacy of most of these medications in the pediatric epilepsy population. Of 34 anticonvulsants currently approved for use by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), only 13 have been approved for use in children. Although infants and young children are disproportionately affected by epilepsy, there are currently only three anticonvulsant medications that have been specifically evaluated and approved for use in children younger than 2 years of age. In 2012, the FDA approved levetiracetam as an adjunctive treatment for partial onset seizures in infants and children from one month of age. Here we review the available data on levetiracetam in the pediatric epilepsy population. We first discuss the pharmacological profile of levetiracetam, including its mechanism of action, formulations and dosing, and pharmacokinetics in children. We then review the available efficacy, safety, and tolerability data in children from one month of age with partial onset seizures. We conclude that the current data leading to the approval of levetiracetam for use in infants and children with partial onset seizures is encouraging, although more work needs to be done before definitive conclusions can be drawn about the efficacy of levetiracetam across different pediatric age groups.
DEVELOPMENTS: Adaption of Team Learning to an Introductory Graduate Pharmacology Course

Background: Team-learning experiences within a large group setting have a variety of educational applications. Description: Aspects of the team-learning process were introduced into the endocrine pharmacology unit of an introductory graduate pharmacology course. Each session involved both a faculty lecture and student participation in problem-solving exercises. Curriculum design, small group assignments, instructional materials, small group activities, assessment, student opinions, and cost-benefit considerations were evaluated. Evaluation: The effects of team-learning strategies on student participation during class, preparation before class, and student perception were examined using a student feedback instrument, instructor perceptions, and comparison of student performances in the unit and the course, as well as personal interviews with students. Conclusion: The use of team learning was appreciated by the students and instructor. Students strongly believed that the team-learning component improved the extent and value of their classroom participation and offered insights equaling those of the lecture.
Molecular predictors of response to a humanized anti–insulin-like growth factor-I receptor monoclonal antibody in breast and colorectal cancer

The insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGF-IR) pathway is required for the maintenance of the transformed phenotype in neoplastic cells and hence has been the subject of intensive drug discovery efforts. A key aspect of successful clinical development of targeted therapies directed against IGF-IR will be identification of responsive patient populations. Toward that end, we have endeavored to identify predictive biomarkers of response to an anti-IGF-IR-targeting monoclonal antibody in preclinical models of breast and colorectal cancer. We find that levels of the IGF-IR itself may have predictive value in these tumor types and identify other gene expression predictors of in vitro response. Studies in breast cancer models suggest that IGF-IR expression is both correlated and functionally linked with estrogen receptor signaling and provide a basis for both patient stratification and rational combination therapy with antiestrogen-targeting agents. In addition, we find that levels of other components of the signaling pathway such as the adaptor proteins IRS1 and IRS2, as well as the ligand IGF-II, have predictive value and report on the development of a pathway-focused panel of diagnostic biomarkers that could be used to test these hypotheses during clinical development of IGF-IR-targeting therapies. [Mol Cancer Ther 2009;8(8):2110–21]
Mercury in the submerged macrophytes Potamogeton crispus and Chara virgate from the brackish, industrial affected Gunneklevfjorden, southern Norway

Sammendrag Kvikksølv i krustjønnaks Potamogeton crispus og kransalgen Chara virgate i Gunneklevfjorden, en industripåvirket brakkvannsfjord i Norge. Total kvikksølv (Tot-Hg) og metylkvikksølv (Met-Hg) ble analysert månedlig fra mai til september (2015) i krustjønnaks (Potamogeton crispus) og i kransalgen Chara virgate, for å undersøke opptak og akkumulering av Hg i planter i den forurensede brakkvannsfjorden Gunneklevfjorden. Prosentandel Met-Hg av Tot-Hg (% Met-Hg) var høyere i plantene (1,4-17,3%) enn i sediment (0,01-0,41%) og vann (0,3-1,3%), og dette støtter hypotesen om at Met-Hg akkumuleres i plantene. Tot-Hg og Met-Hg var høyere i C. virgate enn i P. crispus, noe som støtter hypotesen om ulike mekanismer for opptak av Hg i samsvar med at næring primært tas opp fra sedimentet via røttene i frøplanter mens alger opptar næring via vann gjennom overflaten. Relativ andel Met-Hg (% Met-Hg) var høyere i P.crispus enn i C.virgate, noe som indikerer ulike kontrollmekanismer for netto akkumulering av Hg.
Applications of parametric searching in geometric optimization

We present several applications in computational geometry of Megiddo's parametric searching technique. These applications include; (1) Finding the minimum Hausdorff distance in the Euclidean metric between two polygonal regions under translation; (2) Computing the biggest line segment that can be placed inside a simple polygon; (3) Computing the smallest width annulus that can contain a given set of points in the plane; (4) Solving the 1-segment center problem—given a set of points in the plane, find a placement for a given line segment (under translation and rotation) which minimizes the largest distance from the segment to the given points; (5) Given a set of n points in 3-space, finding the largest radius r such that if we place a ball of radius r around each point, no segment connecting a pair of points is intersected by a third ball. Besides obtaining efficient solutions to all these problems (which, in every case, either improve considerably previous solutions or are the first non-trivial solutions to these problems), our goal is to demonstrate the versatility of the parametric searching technique.
Novel Long-circulating Liposomes Containing Peptide Library-lipid Conjugates: Synthesis and In Vivo Behavior

Rapid uptake of intravenously injected liposomes by the mononuclear phagocyte system has limited their use as drug delivery vehicles. Recently, various long-circulating liposomes have been prepared by incorporating glycolipids or other amphiphilic molecules into the lipid bilayer of conventional liposomes. The purpose of the present study was to design a new class of biodegradable membrane modifiers that would increase the half-life of liposomes in vivo. Using solid-phase peptide synthesis, synthesized were 30-residue random libraries consisting of a random sequence of glycine, β-alanine and γ-aminobutyric acid. The libraries were coupled to stearic acid (SA) or phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). The resulting amphiphilic conjugates were mixed with egg phosphatidylcholine (PC) and cholesterol (Chol) in a 6:47:47 ratio, and unilamellar liposomes were prepared. For comparison, plain PC/Chol (50:50) liposomes, as well as liposomes containing polyethylene glycol (PEG)-SA/PC/Chol (6:47:47) and PEG-PE/PC/Chol (6:47:47) were also prepared. Calcein was entrapped in the liposomes, which were given intravenously to rats at a dose of 9.2 μmol lipid/kg, and the amount of intact liposomes present in serum was followed with time. While the conventional liposomes had a short elimination half-life (28 min), the liposomes modified with library-PE had a much longer half-life (170 min), while library-SA provided no improvement of the liposome pharmacokinetics. PEG-PE greatly improved the half-life of the liposomes (400 min) while PEG-SA only provided a marginal improvement. All liposome preparations were cleared in a biphasic fashion. In conclusion, a novel biodegradable lipopeptide conjugate was designed that endows liposomes with a prolonged circulation time in vivo. The pharmacokinetic profile of these modified liposomes was drastically improved over that of conventional liposomes. Since the library is prepared by solid-phase synthesis, length and/or composition could easily be modified in order to modulate the clearance profile of the liposomes. Tailoring of the pharmacokinetic profile of the liposomes depending on their intended application may allow for a greater flexibility of use than PEG-PE.
Fairness and Optimal Stochastic Control for Heterogeneous Networks

We consider optimal control for general networks with both wireless and wireline components and time varying channels. A dynamic strategy is developed to support all traffic whenever possible, and to make optimally fair decisions about which data to serve when inputs exceed network capacity. The strategy is decoupled into separate algorithms for flow control, routing, and resource allocation, and allows each user to make decisions independent of the actions of others. The combined strategy is shown to yield data rates that are arbitrarily close to the optimal operating point achieved when all network controllers are coordinated and have perfect knowledge of future events. The cost of approaching this fair operating point is an end-to-end delay increase for data that is served by the network.
Analogical Abstraction in Three-Month-Olds

This research tests whether analogical processing ability is present in 3-month-old infants. Infants are habituated to a series of analogous pairs, instantiating either same (e.g., AA, BB, etc.) or different (e.g., AB, CD, etc.), and then tested with further exemplars of the relations. If they can distinguish the familiar relation from the novel relation, even with new objects, this is evidence that for analogical abstraction across the study pairs. In Experiment 1, we did not find evidence of analogical abstraction when 3-month-olds were habituated to six pairs instantiating the relation. However, in Experiment 2, infants showed evidence of analogical abstraction after habituation to two alternating pairs (e.g., AA, BB, AA, BB.). Further, as with older groups, rendering individual objects salient disrupted relational learning. These results demonstrate that 3-month-old infants are capable of analogical comparison and abstraction. Our findings also place limits on the conditions under which these processes are likely to occur. We discuss implications for theories of relational learning.
Impacts of Brain Serotonin Deficiency following Tph2 Inactivation on Development and Raphe Neuron Serotonergic Specification

Brain serotonin (5-HT) is implicated in a wide range of functions from basic physiological mechanisms to complex behaviors, including neuropsychiatric conditions, as well as in developmental processes. Increasing evidence links 5-HT signaling alterations during development to emotional dysregulation and psychopathology in adult age. To further analyze the importance of brain 5-HT in somatic and brain development and function, and more specifically differentiation and specification of the serotonergic system itself, we generated a mouse model with brain-specific 5-HT deficiency resulting from a genetically driven constitutive inactivation of neuronal tryptophan hydroxylase-2 (Tph2). Tph2 inactivation (Tph2−/−) resulted in brain 5-HT deficiency leading to growth retardation and persistent leanness, whereas a sex- and age-dependent increase in body weight was observed in Tph2+/− mice. The conserved expression pattern of the 5-HT neuron-specific markers (except Tph2 and 5-HT) demonstrates that brain 5-HT synthesis is not a prerequisite for the proliferation, differentiation and survival of raphe neurons subjected to the developmental program of serotonergic specification. Furthermore, although these neurons are unable to synthesize 5-HT from the precursor tryptophan, they still display electrophysiological properties characteristic of 5-HT neurons. Moreover, 5-HT deficiency induces an up-regulation of 5-HT1A and 5-HT1B receptors across brain regions as well as a reduction of norepinephrine concentrations accompanied by a reduced number of noradrenergic neurons. Together, our results characterize developmental, neurochemical, neurobiological and electrophysiological consequences of brain-specific 5-HT deficiency, reveal a dual dose-dependent role of 5-HT in body weight regulation and show that differentiation of serotonergic neuron phenotype is independent from endogenous 5-HT synthesis.
Content-Learning Correlations in Spoken Tutoring Dialogs at Word, Turn, and Discourse Levels

We study correlations between dialog content and learning in a corpus of human-computer tutoring dialogs. Using an online encyclopedia, we first extract domainspecific concepts discussed in our dialogs. We then extend previously studied shallow dialog metrics by incorporating content at three levels of granularity (word, turn and discourse) and also by distinguishing between students' spoken and written contributions. In all experiments, our content metrics show strong correlations with learning, and outperform the corresponding shallow baselines. Our word-level results show that although verbosity in student writings is highly associated with learning, verbosity in their spoken turns is not. On the other hand, we notice that content along with conciseness in spoken dialogs is strongly correlated with learning. At the turn-level, we find that effective tutoring dialogs have more content-rich turns, but not necessarily more or longer turns. Our discourse-level analysis computes the distribution of content across larger dialog units and shows high correlations when student contributions are rich but unevenly distributed across dialog segments. Copyright © 2008, Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (www.aaai.org). All rights reserved.
Abstraction and Generalisation in Semantic Role Labels: PropBank, VerbNet or both?

Semantic role labels are the representation of the grammatically relevant aspects of a sentence meaning. Capturing the nature and the number of semantic roles in a sentence is therefore fundamental to correctly describing the interface between grammar and meaning. In this paper, we compare two annotation schemes, Prop-Bank and VerbNet, in a task-independent, general way, analysing how well they fare in capturing the linguistic generalisations that are known to hold for semantic role labels, and consequently how well they grammaticalise aspects of meaning. We show that VerbNet is more verb-specific and better able to generalise to new semantic role instances, while PropBank better captures some of the structural constraints among roles. We conclude that these two resources should be used together, as they are complementary.