Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An accurate technique for measuring the wireless side of wireless networks

Wireless monitoring (WM) is a passive approach for capturing wireless-side traffic with rich MAC/PHY layer information. WM can suffer, however, from low capture performance, i.e., high measurement loss, due to the unreliable wireless medium. In this paper, we experimentally show that WM can perform reliable and accurate measurements on wireless traffic, in actual, non-ideal channel conditions.We demonstrate how to increase capture performance by merging traces from multiple monitoring devices. This merging enables WM to capture over 99% of the IP layer traffic and over 97% of the MAC/PHY frames in a controlled experiment. Our results indicate that WM enables reliable analysis of the collected traces, and should encourage the wireless research community to use this technique for a wide variety of research areas, such as traffic analysis, user mobility and handoff analysis, and MAC/PHY anomaly detection.
Short-Course Induction Treatment with Intrathecal Amphotericin B Lipid Emulsion for HIV Infected Patients with Cryptococcal Meningitis

Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) is a common cause of death among HIV infected patients in developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. In this observational HIV cohort study in a resource-limited setting in India, we compared the standard two-week intravenous amphotericin B deoxycholate (AmBd) (Regimen I) with one week of intravenous AmBd along with daily therapeutic lumbar punctures and intrathecal AmB lipid emulsion (Regimen II) during the intensive phase of CM treatment. 78 patients received Regimen I and 45 patients received Regimen II. After adjustment for baseline characteristics (gender, age, altered mental status or seizures at presentation, CD4 cell count, white blood cells, cerebrospinal fluid white cells, and haemoglobin), the use of Regimen II was associated with a significant relative risk reduction in mortality (adjusted hazard ratio 0.4, 95% confidence interval, 0.22–0.76) and 26.7% absolute risk reduction (95% confidence interval, 9.9–43.5) at 12 weeks. The use of Regimen II resulted in lower costs of drugs and hospital admission days. Since the study is observational in nature, we should be cautious about our results. However, the good tolerability of intrathecal administration of AmB lipid emulsion and the clinically important mortality reduction observed with the short-course induction treatment warrant further research, ideally through a randomized clinical trial.
Adolescent bully-victims: Social health and the transition to secondary school

This study aimed to investigate the causal pathways and factors associated with being involved in bullying behaviour as a bully-victim using longitudinal data from students aged 11–14 years over the transition time from primary to secondary school. Examination of bully-victim pathways suggest a critical time to intervene is prior to transition from the end of primary school to the beginning of secondary school to prevent and reduce the harm from bullying. Negative outcome expectancies from bullying perpetration were a significant predictor of being a bully-victim at the end of the first year of secondary school. The findings show an association between peer support, connectedness to school, pro-victim attitudes, outcome expectancies and level of bullying involvement. Implications for intervention programs are discussed.
Evolution of particle composition in CLOUD nucleation experiments

Sulphuric acid, ammonia, amines, and oxidised organics play a crucial role in nanoparticle formation in the atmosphere. In this study, we investigate the composition of nucleated nanoparticles formed from these compounds in the CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving Outdoor Droplets) chamber experiments at CERN (Centre europeen pour la recherche nucleaire). The investigation was carried out via analysis of the particle hygroscopicity, ethanol affinity, oxidation state, and ion composition. Hygroscopicity was studied by a hygroscopic tandem differential mobility analyser and a cloud condensation nuclei counter, ethanol affinity by an organic differential mobility analyser and particle oxidation level by a high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer. The ion composition was studied by an atmospheric pressure interface time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The volume fraction of the organics in the particles during their growth from sizes of a few nanometers to tens of nanometers was derived from measured hygroscopicity assuming the Zdanovskii–Stokes–Robinson relationship, and compared to values gained from the spectrometers. The ZSR-relationship was also applied to obtain the measured ethanol affinities during the particle growth, which were used to derive the volume fractions of sulphuric acid and the other inorganics (e.g. ammonium salts). In the presence of sulphuric acid and ammonia, particles with a mobility diameter of 150 nm were chemically neutralised to ammonium sulphate. In the presence of oxidation products of pinanediol, the organic volume fraction of freshly nucleated particles increased from 0.4 to ~0.9, with an increase in diameter from 2 to 63 nm. Conversely, the sulphuric acid volume fraction decreased from 0.6 to 0.1 when the particle diameter increased from 2 to 50 nm. The results provide information on the composition of nucleated aerosol particles during their growth in the presence of various combinations of sulphuric acid, ammonia, dimethylamine and organic oxidation products.
Handbook of Self-Determination Research

Over the past twenty years, an increasing number of researchers from various universities have been investigating motivational issues underlying the self-regulation of behavior. Using either Self-Determination Theory or closely related theoretical perspectives, these researchers have performed laboratory experiments, as well as field studies in a variety of real-world settings, including education, work, parenting, health care, sport, and protection of the environment. In April 1999, thirty of these researchers convened at the University of Rochester to present their work, share ideas, and discuss future research directions. "The Handbook of Self-Determination Research" is an outgrowth of that important and fascinating conference. It summarizes the research programs of these social, personality, clinical, developmental, and applied psychologists who have a shared belief in the importance of self-determination for understanding basic motivational processes and for solving pressing real-world problems. Eighteen chapters, including an overview of self-determination theory, present the current state of the research in this scientifically rigorous, yet highly relevant, approach to studying motivational problems in various life domains. Researchers from eighteen universities in the United States, Canada, and Germany present concise and up-to-date accounts of their research programs concerned with the self-determination of human behavior. In these chapters, scholars also consider the relevance of the research on self-determination to other areas of inquiry such as coping, self-esteem, and interest. Edward L. Deci and Richard Ryan are professors of psychology in the University of Rochester's Department of Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology.
Tea consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis update

Objective Tea has been suggested to decrease blood glucose levels and protect pancreatic β cells in diabetic mice. However, human epidemiological studies showed inconsistent results for the association between tea consumption and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) risk. The aim of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis to further explore the association between tea consumption and incidence of T2DM. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods We performed a systematic literature search up to 30 August 2013 in PubMed, EMBASE, Chinese Wanfang Database and CNKI database. Pooling relative risks (RRs) were estimated by random-effect models. Two kinds of subgroup analyses (according to sex and regions) were performed. Sensitive analyses were performed according to types of tea. Results Overall, no statistically significant relationship between tea consumption and risk of T2DM was found based on 12 eligible studies (pooling RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.03). Compared with the lowest/non-tea group, daily tea consumption (≥3 cups/day) was associated with a lower T2DM risk (RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.73 to 0.97). Subgroup analyses showed a difference between men and women. Overall, the RRs (95% CI) were 0.92 (0.84 to 1.00) for men, and 1.00 (0.96 to 1.05) for women, respectively. Tea consumption of ≥3 cups/day was associated with decreased T2DM risk in women (RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.00). Overall, the RRs (95% CIs) were 0.84 (0.71 to 1.00) for Asians, and 1.00 (0.97 to 1.04) for Americans and Europeans, respectively. No obvious change was found in sensitivity analyses. Conclusions The results suggest that daily tea consumption (≥3 cups/day) is associated with a lower T2DM risk. However, further studies are needed to enrich related evidence, especially with regard to types of tea or sex.
Altruism and Depression: Exploring This Relationship and the Mechanisms Behind It

The impact of environmental influences on depression has been well established by research. In particular, it is known that receiving/perceiving adequate social support has a protective influence on depression. Less is known about the protective benefits of providing support to others, namely in the form of altruistic, empathetic, or prosocial behavior. While research has shown that having altruistic attitudes and engaging in altruistic behaviors has a positive impact on physical health and mental well-being, studies on the association between altruistic attitudes and/or behavior and depression are limited. The present study examined the relationship between altruism and depression, and hypotheses were tested that allow for explanation of why altruism may protect against depression. A sample of 303 participants was recruited from the University of North Texas and the surrounding community. Participants completed an online survey that examined their altruistic activities, details regarding these activities, their prosocial attitudes, and their current level of depression. Results did not support that level of involvement in altruistic activities is directly related to depression severity. However, outcomes from involvement in altruistic activities, including sense of overburden from participating in altruistic activities, level of social interaction with other helpers and those helped during altruistic activities, and sense of life satisfaction and purpose gained from participating in altruistic activities, were significantly related to depression severity. These results suggest that participating in altruistic activities that are not perceived as overburdening may lead to outcomes that could positively impact depression. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.
Isolation and Characterization of Schwann Cells from Neurofibromatosis Type 2 Patients

Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) is an autosomal dominant disease of the nervous system characterized by multiple schwannomas. The NF2 gene product, termed schwannomin or merlin, was hypothesized to function as a cytoskeleton-membrane linking protein due to homology to members of the protein 4.1 superfamily and to function as a tumor suppressor. We isolated and characterized pure Schwann cell cultures from schwannomas derived from neurofibromatosis 2 patients with identified germline mutations and loss of heterozygosity. We describe striking differences between NF2 and control Schwann cells in morphology, cell-cell contacts, and growth. NF2 Schwann cells form multiple long processes with filopodial and lamellopodial extensions. NF2 Schwann cells lack contact inhibition, grow in multiple layers, and show a higher proliferation rate than control cells. For the first time Schwann cells derived from patients with the NF2 genotype were cultured and characterized in vitro. These cultures are highly valuable for investigating the effects of NF2 mutations and the development of therapies.
A Genetic Algorithm With Sequential Niching For Discovering Small-disjunct Rules

This work addresses the well-known classification task of data mining. In this context, small disjuncts are classification rules covering a small number of examples. One approach for coping with small disjuncts, proposed in our previous work, consists of using a decision-tree/genetic algorithm method. The basic idea is that examples belonging to large disjuncts are classified by rules produced by a decision-tree algorithm (C4.5), while examples belonging to small disjuncts are classified by a genetic algorithm (GA) designed for discovering small-disjunct rules. In this paper we follow this basic idea, but we propose a new GA which consists of several major modifications to the original GA used for coping with small disjuncts. The performance of the new GA is extensively evaluated by comparing it with two versions of C4.5, across several data sets, and with several different sizes of small disjuncts.
Two-Scale Macro-Micro decomposition of the Vlasov equation with a strong magnetic field

In this paper, we build a Two-Scale Macro-Micro decomposition of the Vlasov equation with a strong magnetic field. This consists in writing the solution of this equation as a sum of two oscillating functions with circonscribed oscillations. The first of these functions has a shape which is close to the shape of the Two-Scale limit of the solution and the second one is a correction built to offset this imposed shape. The aim of such a decomposition is to be the starting point for the construction of Two-Scale Asymptotic-Preserving Schemes.
The Antimicrobial Activities of Extract and Compounds Isolated from Brillantaisia lamium

Background: Brillantaisia lamium is an erect branched herb, which grows to a height of 1.50 m in moist tropical areas, both in full sun and partial shade. In , the aerial part of this plant is used in the treatment of various microbial infections such as skin diseases and infections of urinary tract. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activities of CH2Cl2: MeOH (1:1) extract, fractions and compounds from the aerial part of B. lamium. Methods: The plant was dried and extracted by maceration in CH2Cl2: MeOH (1:1 v/v). Structures of the compounds from the CH2Cl2: MeOH (1:1) soluble fraction were determined by spectroscopic methods and compared with published data. The broth micro dilution method was used to evaluate the antimicrobial activities against bacteria and fungal species. Results: Four known compounds: aurantiamide acetate (1), lupeol (2), lespedin (3), sitosterol 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (4) and a mixture of sterols: campesterol (5), stigmasterol (6) and β-sitosterol (7) were isolated from CH2Cl2: MeOH (1:1) extract of B. lamium aerial parts. The crude extract, fractions and isolated compounds exhibited both antibacterial and antifungal activities that varied with microorganism (MIC=6.25 – 1000 µg/ml). Compound 3 was the most active (MIC=6.25 – 100 µg/ml) while Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Candida tropicalis and Cryptococcus neoformans were the most sensitive to all the tested compounds. Conclusion: The overall results of this study indicate that the CH2Cl2: MeOH (1:1) extract and some of isolated compounds have interesting antimicrobial properties and can be used for the treatment of fungal and bacterial infections.
Designing a university clinical research and training environment: Our experience in the behaviour research and therapy centre

This paper examines the organisational, interpersonal, and political processes involved in setting up specialised clinical research and training facilities within Australian universities. The Behaviour Research and Therapy Centre (BRTC) at the University of Queensland is discussed as an example to illustrate the tasks involved in setting up and maintaining a clinical research and training facility. We also discuss some of the organisational obstacles to designing clinical facilities and possible strategies for overcoming them. Designing a training environment creates opportunities to apply principles of environmental design, organisational psychology, and behaviour modification.
Reply to verification bias in diagnostic accuracy studies for fine‐needle aspiration cytology

I wish to comment on the study by Karunamurthy et al, which was recently published. In this study, there were 420 satisfactory fine-needle aspiration (FNA) specimens, 97 of which received histological follow-up. The authors reported the sensitivity and specificity of endobronchial ultrasound-guided FNA based on the 97 samples with histological verification. This type of study design is common in diagnostic accuracy studies for FNA but it leads to a type of bias known as verification bias. This type of bias typically causes overestimates of sensitivity and underestimates of specificity (predictive values are not affected). Statistical methods have been developed to estimate the bias; however, these methods rest on assumptions that are difficult to verify. The majority of published FNA studies suffer from verification bias. Authors and reviewers need to be aware of verification bias and its impact on accuracy estimates.
Peste Des Petits Ruminants Virus Infection of Small Ruminants: A Comprehensive Review

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is caused by a Morbillivirus that belongs to the family Paramyxoviridae. PPR is an acute, highly contagious and fatal disease primarily affecting goats and sheep, whereas cattle undergo sub-clinical infection. With morbidity and mortality rates that can be as high as 90%, PPR is classified as an OIE (Office International des Epizooties)-listed disease. Considering the importance of sheep and goats in the livelihood of the poor and marginal farmers in Africa and South Asia, PPR is an important concern for food security and poverty alleviation. PPR virus (PPRV) and rinderpest virus (RPV) are closely related Morbilliviruses. Rinderpest has been globally eradicated by mass vaccination. Though a live attenuated vaccine is available against PPR for immunoprophylaxis, due to its instability in subtropical climate (thermo-sensitivity), unavailability of required doses and insufficient coverage (herd immunity), the disease control program has not been a great success. Further, emerging evidence of poor cross neutralization between vaccine strain and PPRV strains currently circulating in the field has raised concerns about the protective efficacy of the existing PPR vaccines. This review summarizes the recent advancement in PPRV replication, its pathogenesis, immune response to vaccine and disease control. Attempts have also been made to highlight the current trends in understanding the host susceptibility and resistance to PPR.
The Role of the Self in False Memory Creation

Summary People will create false memories of childhood experiences. In this article, the research that demonstrates the creation of false memories is first described. Three processes that may be involved in memory creation are then outlined. First, individuals must accept a suggested event as plausible. Second, they construct an image and narrative of the false event. Third, they incorrectly attribute the source of the event to personal memory rather than external suggestion. We argue that the self plays a role in each of these processes. In addition, because memories are important components of the self, when memories change, the self changes as well.
Imaging the dynamics of individual electropores

Significance Transient permeabilization of the cell membrane is needed to introduce genes and drugs into cells, and electroporation (the physical breakdown of a bilayer membrane under an external electric field) is the most common method to achieve this. By applying an electric field to an artificial lipid bilayer, we have been able to visualize the presence of individual electropores in the bilayer. We exploit droplet interface bilayers (formed from the contact between an aqueous droplet and a hydrogel surface immersed in a phospholipid/oil solution) to provide simultaneous single-channel electrical recording and fluorescence imaging of the bilayer. Electroporation is a widely used technique to permeabilize cell membranes. Despite its prevalence, our understanding of the mechanism of voltage-mediated pore formation is incomplete; methods capable of visualizing the time-dependent behavior of individual electropores would help improve our understanding of this process. Here, using optical single-channel recording, we track multiple isolated electropores in real time in planar droplet interface bilayers. We observe individual, mobile defects that fluctuate in size, exhibiting a range of dynamic behaviors. We observe fast (25 s−1) and slow (2 s−1) components in the gating of small electropores, with no apparent dependence on the applied potential. Furthermore, we find that electropores form preferentially in the liquid disordered phase. Our observations are in general supportive of the hydrophilic toroidal pore model of electroporation, but also reveal additional complexity in the interactions, dynamics, and energetics of electropores.
Endoplasmic Reticulum Redox State Is Not Perturbed by Pharmacological or Pathological Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Live Pancreatic β-Cells

Accumulation of unfolded, misfolded and aggregated proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) causes ER stress. ER stress can result from physiological situations such as acute increases in secretory protein biosynthesis or pathological conditions that perturb ER homeostasis such as alterations in the ER redox state. Here we monitored ER redox together with transcriptional output of the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) in INS-1 insulinoma cells stably expressing eroGFP (ER-redox-sensor) and mCherry protein driven by a GRP78 promoter (UPR-sensor). Live cell imaging, flow cytometry and biochemical characterization were used to examine these parameters in response to various conditions known to induce ER stress. As expected, treatment of the cells with the reducing agent dithiothreitol caused a decrease in the oxidation state of the ER accompanied by an increase in XBP-1 splicing. Unexpectedly however, other treatments including tunicamycin, thapsigargin, DL-homocysteine, elevated free fatty acids or high glucose had essentially no influence on the ER redox state, despite inducing ER stress. Comparable results were obtained with dispersed rat islet cells expressing eroGFP. Thus, unlike in yeast cells, ER stress in pancreatic β-cells is not associated with a more reducing ER environment.