Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Comparative Analysis of Trust-based Service Composition Algorithms in Service-Oriented Ad Hoc Networks

In this paper we analyze performance characteristics of trust-based service composition and binding algorithms for composing composite services in service-oriented ad hoc networks. We first show that trust is an effective mechanism to cope with malicious nodes acting for their own gain and colluding with each other to increase their chances of being selected for service execution. Then we perform a comparative performance analysis of single-trust-based, multi-trust-based, and context-aware trust-based service composition and binding algorithms for composing composite services in service-oriented ad hoc networks. Using an encounter-based service composition application with multi-objective optimization goals as a running example, we show that context-aware trust-based service composition and binding outperforms single-trust-based and multi-trust-based counterparts for achieving multi-objective optimization and user satisfaction. Physical interpretations of the results are provided.
The Impact of Tonsillectomy upon the Risk of Oropharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Prognosis in the Danish Cancer Registry

The incidence of oropharyngeal carcinoma, involving palatine and lingual tonsils, is increasing globally. This significant rise is driven by human papillomavirus. Whether palatine tonsillectomy affects risk of diagnosis with oropharyngeal carcinoma is unknown. The association between tonsillectomy and incidence of oropharyngeal carcinoma was explored in the Danish Cancer Registry. The association between tonsillectomy and oropharyngeal carcinoma was analyzed by time since first registration of tonsillectomy. Tonsillectomy was a time-dependent variable. Individuals were censored for death, emigration, or tonsillectomy within incident year of diagnosis. Incidence rate ratios (RR) were estimated by Poisson regression models and adjusted for confounders. Kaplan–Meier survival analyses were compared by the log-rank test, and HRs were estimated by Cox proportional hazards models. From 1977 to 2012, the incidence of tonsillectomies significantly decreased, whereas the incidence of oropharyngeal carcinoma significantly increased. Tonsillectomy was not associated with risk of oropharyngeal carcinoma or malignancies of other anatomic sites, including base of tongue. However, tonsillectomy significantly reduced risk of diagnosis with tonsil carcinoma [RR, 0.40; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.22–0.70]. The risk of diagnosis with tonsil carcinoma at age <60 years was significantly decreased (RRadj, 0.15; 95% CI, 0.06–0.41) after tonsillectomy. Tonsillectomy within 1 year of diagnosis with tonsil carcinoma was associated with significantly improved overall survival (HR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.38–0.74). In conclusion, remote history of tonsillectomy reduces the risk of diagnosis with tonsil carcinoma. These data inform risk and benefit of tonsillectomy, a common procedure and design of secondary prevention trials. Cancer Prev Res; 8(7); 583–9. ©2015 AACR. See related articles by Chaturvedi, p. 577, and Misiukiewicz and Posner, p. 580
Effect of a Single Session of Aerobic and Circuit-Resistance Exercise on Plasma Ghrelin and Agouti-Related Peptide (AgRP) Levels in Well-Trained Females

Article history: Received: 24 Dec 2012 Accepted: 28 Jan 2013 Available online: 20 May 2013 ZJRMS 2014; 16 (6): 25-29 Background: Ghrelin and agouti-related protein (AgRP) are orexigenic peptides secreted from stomach mucosa and the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus, respectively. Both peptides affect feeding behavior and play a role in energy balance, glucose homeostasis, and adiposity. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of two types of exercises, aerobic and single circuit resistance exercise on plasma ghrelin and AgRP levels. Materials and Methods: The current study is semi-experimental. Twenty two athletes young females randomly selected and assigned into two experimental groups and one control group. Blood samples were collected before and after the enforced protocol. Plasma AgRP and ghrelin levels were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Results: Results showed a significant increase in plasma AgRP (p=0.001) and ghrelin concentration in control and aerobic (p=0.001) and circulate-resistance (p=0.001) groups. Conclusion: In healthy females a single session of aerobic and circuit-resistance exercise could be associated with the increase of these peptides in response to the negative balance of energy produced by exercising for increasing appetite to compensate energy resources body subjects. Copyright © 2014 Zahedan University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved.
Measurement and interpretation of Internet packet loss

We analyze a month of Internet packet loss statistics for speech transmission using three different sets of client/server host pairs. Our results exhibit packet loss that is highly bursty, with the majority of individual losses occurring in a relatively small number of bursts. We find that loss exhibits dependence in most cases, but is not always well-modeled as dependent. We introduce an analytical technique for measuring loss dependency. We also consider the asymmetry of round-trip packet loss, and find that most loss on a round-trip path occurs in either one direction or the other. Thus, we provide a normalized metric for measuring loss asymmetry and apply it to our measurements. Finally, we discuss the implications of our study for the next generation of real-time voice services in the Internet.
INVESTIGATING DETERMINANTS OF INTERNATIONAL TOURISTSâ€™ INTENTION TO USE MOBILE TOURISM GUIDE: THAI NATION PARKS CONTEXT

This study investigates the determinants of international touristsâ€™ intention to use mobile tourism guide in the context of Thai national parks. The study focuses on innovation characteristics as the determinants of international touristsâ€™ intention to use mobile tourism guide. The innovation characteristics of mobile tourism guide consist of relative advantage, compatibility, simplicity, trialability, and mobility. A convenience sampling technique is used for data collection. The 708 data sets from international tourists are analyzed by SPSS. The factor analysis results suggests that two innovation characteristics of mobile tourism guide such as relative advantage and compatibility should be grouped into one characteristic, this characteristic is named practical advantage. The results of study also evidence that the determinants of international touristsâ€™ intention to use mobile tourism guide in the context of Thai national parks are practical advantage, trialability, and mobility. The simplicity is not a determinant of international touristsâ€™ intention to use mobile tourism guide. The empirical results of this paper extend the mobile information technology research in the context of mobile tourism guide, and provide a valuable guideline for developing and implementation mobile information technology.
Joint Transmit/Receive MMSE-FDE for MIMO Analog Network Coding in Single-Carrier Bi-Directional Relay Communications

In this paper, we propose a joint transmit/receive frequency-domain equalization (FDE) based on minimum mean square error (MMSE) criterion for multi-input multi-output (MIMO) analog network coding (ANC) in single-carrier (SC) bi-directional relay communications. In the proposed scheme, the relay station (RS) equipped with multiple antennas carries out antenna diversity and one-tap transmit FDE, and the base station (BS) and mobile terminal (MT) receivers, both equipped with single antenna, carry out one-tap receive FDE only. The FDE weights at RS, BS and MT are jointly optimized so as to minimize the end-to-end mean square error (MSE). We evaluate, by computer simulations, the bit error rate (BER) performance when using the proposed scheme, and discuss how the transmit FDE at RS operates and affects the BER performance.
Speed Detection Camera System using Image Processing Techniques on Video Streams

This paper, presents a new Speed Detection Camera System (SDCS) that is applicable as a radar alternative. SDCS uses several image processing techniques on video stream in online -captured from single camera- or offline mode, which makes SDCS capable of calculating the speed of moving objects avoiding the traditional radars' problems. SDCS offers an en-expensive alternative to traditional radars with the same accuracy or even better. SDCS processes can be divided into four successive phases; first phase is Objects detection phase. Which uses a hybrid algorithm based on combining an adaptive background subtraction technique with a three-frame differencing algorithm which ratifies the major drawback of using only adaptive background subtraction? The second phase is Objects tracking, which consists of three successive operations, Object segmentation, Object labelling, and Object canter extraction. Objects tracking operation takes into consideration the different possible scenarios of the moving object like; Simple tracking, object has left the scene, object has entered the scene, object cross by another object, and object leaves and another one enters the scene. Third phase is speed calculation phase, which is calculated from the number of frames consumed by the object to pass-by the scene. The final phase is Capturing Object's Picture phase, which captures the image of objects that violate the speed limits. SDCS is implemented and tested in many experiments; it proved to have achieved a satisfactory performance.
The deaf mouse mutant whirler suggests a role for whirlin in actin filament dynamics and stereocilia development

Stereocilia, finger-like projections forming the hair bundle on the apical surface of sensory hair cells in the cochlea, are responsible for mechanosensation and ultimately the perception of sound. The actin cytoskeleton of the stereocilia contains hundreds of tightly cross-linked parallel actin filaments in a paracrystalline array and it is vital for their function. Although several genes have been identified and associated with stereocilia development, the molecular mechanisms responsible for stereocilia growth, maintenance and organisation of the hair bundle have not been fully resolved. Here we provide further characterisation of the stereocilia of the whirler mouse mutant. We found that a lack of whirlin protein in whirler mutants results in short stereocilia with larger diameters without a corresponding increase in the number of actin filaments in inner hair cells. However, a decrease in the actin filament packing density was evident in the whirler mutant. The electron-density at the tip of each stereocilium was markedly patchy and irregular in the whirler mutants compared with a uniform band in controls. The outer hair cell stereocilia of the whirler homozygote also showed an increase in diameter and variable heights within bundles. The number of outer hair cell stereocilia was significantly reduced and the centre-to-centre spacing between the stereocilia was greater than in the wildtype. Our findings suggest that whirlin plays an important role in actin filament packing and dynamics during postnatal stereocilium elongation.
Osteoprotegerin and Osteopontin Are Expressed at High Concentrations Within Symptomatic Carotid Atherosclerosis

Background and Purpose— The aim of this study was to compare the concentration of osteoprotegerin (OPG), receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL), and osteopontin (OPN) in stable (asymptomatic) and unstable (symptomatic) carotid atherosclerosis. In addition, we were interested in the effect of angiotensin II blockade on the secretion of these proteins by unstable atherosclerosis. Methods— Endarterectomy samples removed from patients with recent (within 6 weeks) or no previous focal neurological symptoms were assessed by immunohistochemistry, Western analysis, and explant culture. Concentrations of OPG, RANKL, and OPN were measured by mean optical density (MOD), densitometry of protein bands, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of supernatants from explant culture, and compared between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. Results— The concentration of OPG and OPN within the proximal internal carotid (PIC) part of the endarterectomy specimen removed from symptomatic patients was elevated 2- and 4-fold, respectively. Although the concentration of RANKL did not differ according to patients’ symptoms, the quantity of OPG secreted by explants of the PIC was greater in explants from symptomatic patients and could be significantly reduced within 48 hours of incubation with the angiotensin II blocker irbesartan. Conclusion— OPG and OPN are upregulated in symptomatic human carotid atherosclerosis with possible implications for plaque stability. Angiotensin II blockade is able to downregulate OPG secretion in vitro.
Activation of Bmp2-Smad1 Signal and Its Regulation by Coordinated Alteration of H3K27 Trimethylation in Ras-Induced Senescence

Cellular senescence involves epigenetic alteration, e.g. loss of H3K27me3 in Ink4a-Arf locus. Using mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF), we here analyzed transcription and epigenetic alteration during Ras-induced senescence on genome-wide scale by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-sequencing and microarray. Bmp2 was the most activated secreted factor with H3K4me3 gain and H3K27me3 loss, whereas H3K4me3 loss and de novo formation of H3K27me3 occurred inversely in repression of nine genes, including two BMP-SMAD inhibitors Smad6 and Noggin. DNA methylation alteration unlikely occurred. Ras-activated cells senesced with nuclear accumulation of phosphorylated SMAD1/5/8. Senescence was bypassed in Ras-activated cells when Bmp2/Smad1 signal was blocked by Bmp2 knockdown, Smad6 induction, or Noggin induction. Senescence was induced when recombinant BMP2 protein was added to Bmp2-knocked-down Ras-activated cells. Downstream Bmp2-Smad1 target genes were then analyzed genome-wide by ChIP-sequencing using anti-Smad1 antibody in MEF that was exposed to BMP2. Smad1 target sites were enriched nearby transcription start sites of genes, which significantly correlated to upregulation by BMP2 stimulation. While Smad6 was one of Smad1 target genes to be upregulated by BMP2 exposure, Smad6 repression in Ras-activated cells with increased enrichment of Ezh2 and gain of H3K27me3 suggested epigenetic disruption of negative feedback by Polycomb. Among Smad1 target genes that were upregulated in Ras-activated cells without increased repressive mark, Parvb was found to contribute to growth inhibition as Parvb knockdown lead to escape from senescence. It was revealed through genome-wide analyses in this study that Bmp2-Smad1 signal and its regulation by harmonized epigenomic alteration play an important role in Ras-induced senescence.
Congruence and Functions of Personal and Cultural Values: Do My Values Reflect My Culture’s Values?

Two studies are described examining the correlation between self- and culture-referenced values at a culture level (Study 1) and correlation between self- and culture-referenced values and self-reported behavior at an individual level (Study 2). It is found that values related to individual-group relationships (embeddedness) and expression and experience of affective feelings and emotions (affective autonomy) are significantly correlated at a culture level. In Study 2, culture-referenced values are shown to correlate with behaviors attached to social norms, whereas self-rated values are found to correlate with behaviors that are not norm-governed. Implications for measurement of cultural values and cultural and cross-cultural research designs are discussed.
2 7 Se p 20 05 Multicritical behavior in the fully frustrated XY model and related systems

We study the phase diagram and critical behavior of the two-dimensional square-lattice fully frustrated XY model (FFXY) and of two related models, a lattice discretization of the Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson Hamiltonian for the critical modes of the FFXY model, and a coupled Ising-XY model. We present a finite-size-scaling analysis of the results of high-precision Monte Carlo simulations on square lattices L × L, up to L = O(10). In the FFXY model and in the other models, when the transitions are continuous, there are two very close but separate transitions. There is an Ising chiral transition characterized by the onset of chiral long-range order while spins remain paramagnetic. Then, as temperature decreases, the systems undergo a Kosterlitz-Thouless spin transition to a phase with quasi-long-range order. The FFXY model and the other models in a rather large parameter region show a crossover behavior at the chiral and spin transitions that is universal to some extent. We conjecture that this universal behavior is due to a multicritical point. The numerical data suggest that the relevant multicritical point is a zero-temperature transition. A possible candidate is the O(4) point that controls the low-temperature behavior of the 4-vector model. Multicritical behavior in the fully frustrated XY model and related systems 2
Recombinant Expression and Characterization of Two Isoforms of Anopheles gambiae Laccase‐2

Laccases are multicopper oxidases that act on a broad range of substrates. Laccases in fungi, plants, and bacteria have roles in detoxification, pigmentation, wound healing, and morphogenesis. Insects have multiple laccase genes, but the function of just one type is known; laccase‐2 orthologs are required for tanning of newly synthesized exoskeleton. We have been studying the role of Lac2 in a mosquito species, Anopheles gambiae. In all insect species whose genomes have been sequenced, alternative exon splicing generates two isoforms of Lac2. The objective of this study was to characterize the two isoforms of AgLac2. They are identical in their first 500 residues, but the carboxyl‐terminal 262 residues derived from alternative exons are 81% identical. The A and B isoforms are expressed in all developmental stages, but their relative abundance differs, and only the B isoform is upregulated in ovaries following a blood meal. Recombinant Lac2A and Lac2B were expressed and purified. They are both glycoproteins of ~80 kDa, and both can oxidize the laccase substrate ABTS. Preliminary results indicate that Lac2A and Lac2B have pH optima of 4.0–4.5 and 3.5, respectively. Although the two isoforms are very similar in their amino acid sequences, differences in their expression and catalytic properties may indicate different roles in insect physiology.
CACHE-CONSCIOUS ALLOCATION OF POINTER-BASED DATA STRUCTURES

-Hardware trends have produced an increasing disparity between processor speeds and memory access times As memory access times continue to be a bottleneck, differential research is required for better understanding of memory access performance. Studies of cache-conscious allocation and software prefetch have recently sparked research in the area of software optimizations on memory, as pointer-based data structures previously have been elusive to the optimizing techniques available. Research on hardware prefetch mechanisms have in some cases shown improvements,but less analytical schemes have tended to degrade performance for pointer-based data structures. This paper combines four hardware schemes, normally not efficient on pointer-based data structures, and a greedy software prefetch with cache-conscious allocation to evaluate positive effects of increased locality, in a comparative evaluation, on five level 1 data cache line sizes.We show that cache-conscious allocation utilizes large cache lines efficiently and that none of the prefetch strategies evaluated add significantly to the effect already achieved by the cache-conscious allocation on the hardware evaluated. The passive prefetching mechanism of using large cache lines with cache-conscious allocation is by far outstanding.
Arenavirus Budding: A Common Pathway with Mechanistic Differences

The Arenaviridae is a diverse and growing family of viruses that includes several agents responsible for important human diseases. Despite the importance of this family for public health, particularly in Africa and South America, much of its biology remains poorly understood. However, in recent years significant progress has been made in this regard, particularly relating to the formation and release of new enveloped virions, which is an essential step in the viral lifecycle. While this process is mediated chiefly by the viral matrix protein Z, recent evidence suggests that for some viruses the nucleoprotein (NP) is also required to enhance the budding process. Here we highlight and compare the distinct budding mechanisms of different arenaviruses, concentrating on the role of the matrix protein Z, its known late domain sequences, and the involvement of cellular endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) pathway components. Finally we address the recently described roles for the nucleoprotein NP in budding and ribonucleoprotein complex (RNP) incorporation, as well as discussing possible mechanisms related to its involvement.
Motor Matters: Tackling Heterogeneity of Parkinson’s Disease in Functional MRI Studies

To tackle the heterogeneity of Parkinson’s disease symptoms, most functional imaging studies tend to select a uniform group of subjects. We hypothesize that more profound considerations are needed to account for intra/inter-subject clinical variability and possibly for differing pathophysiological processes. Twelve patients were investigated using functional magnetic resonance imaging during visually-guided finger tapping. To account for disease heterogeneity, the motor score and individual symptom scores from the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS-III) were utilized in the group-level model using two approaches either as the explanatory variable or as the effect of interest. Employment of the UPDRS-III score and symptom scores was systematically tested on the resulting group response to the levodopa challenge, which further accentuated the diversity of the diseased state of participants. Statistics revealed a bilateral group response to levodopa in the basal ganglia. Interestingly, systematic incorporation of individual motor aspects of the disease in the modelling amended the resulting activity patterns conspicuously, evidencing a manifold amount of explained variability by the particular score. In conclusion, the severity of clinical symptoms expressed in the UPDRS-III scores should be considered in the analysis to attain unbiased statistics, draw reliable conclusions and allow for comparisons between research groups studying Parkinson’s disease using functional magnetic resonance imaging.
RADIAL LIP SEALS EFFICIENCY UNDER DYNAMIC OPERATING CONDITIONS

This paper describes experimental and numerical procedures to estimate friction torque on a rotating shaft due to radial elastomeric seals. Two different test rigs have been built, in order to highlight the relationship between the overall friction and the local behaviour of each lip portion in presence of dynamic eccentricities. A direct measurement has been performed with a rotating shaft machine and results have been compared with the torque calculated as product of a global frictional coefficient and the normal stress on the lip surface. The latter has been computed by an improved FEM simulation which has been specifically optimized in order to evaluate the lip deformation due to mounting interference. Previous experimental results about radial and tangential oscillation of a limited lip region allowed to calculate the frictional coefficient as the ratio of the friction force and the force pressing the lip on the shaft surface.