Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Motion vector encryption in multimedia streaming

Streaming video application requires high security as well as high computational performance. In video encryption, traditional selective algorithms have been used to partially encrypt the relatively important data in order to satisfy the streaming performance requirement. Most video selective encryption algorithms are inherited from still image encryption algorithms, the encryption on motion vector data is not considered. The assumption is that motion vector data are not as important as pixel image data. Unfortunately, in some cases, motion vector itself may be sufficient enough to leak out useful video information. Normally motion vector data consume over half of the whole video stream bandwidth, neglecting their security may be unwise. In this paper, we target this security problem and illustrate attacks at two different levels that can restore useful video information using motion vectors only. Further, an information analysis is made and a motion vector information model is built. Based on this model, we describe a new motion vector encryption algorithm called MVEA. We show the experimental results of MVEA. The security strength and performance of the algorithm are also evaluated.
Characteristics of Substance Abusing Men and Women Entering a Drug Treatment Program: An Exploration of Sex Differences

A survey research study was conducted to identify similarities and differences in substance abuse correlates among 306 men and women entering drug abuse treatment. Out of 111 variables, men differed from women in 26 variables (or 23%). Men were more likely to report alcohol, heroin, and marijuana use, and less likely to report cocaine and crack-cocaine use compared with women. However, men did not differ from women in patterns of childhood emotional and physical abuse and neglect. Implications for developing sex-specific interventions for both men and women are discussed.
Antidepressant-associated mania: soon after switch from fluoxetine to mirtazapine in an elderly woman with mixed depressive features

Abstract Mirtazapine augmentation to a serotonin-reuptake inhibitor has been proposed to boost antidepressant effects and more likely to induce manic switch. Such a combined antidepressant therapy strategy should be used carefully if the patient’s refractoriness is attributable to mixed depressive features. Mixed depression is more difficult to be treated by antidepressant monotherapy and related to higher risk of manic switch during treatment. We report a case with no previous history of bipolar disorder, whereas developed full-blown psychotic manic symptoms soon after switch from fluoxetine to mirtazapine. The patient’s premorbid characters and clinical presentations suggested an implicit bipolarity that predisposed her to a manic switch. Her manic switch was likely to be triggered by a simulated combined effect because of complex drug interactions during shifting from fluoxetine to mirtazapine. For patients in mixed depressive states, mood stabilizers are preferable to antidepressants.
Neuroendocrine and subjective responses to pharmacological challenge with citalopram: a controlled study in male and female ecstasy/MDMA users

Abstract Despite evidence that ±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; ‘ecstasy’) causes persistent alterations to the serotonergic system of animals, evidence for long-term neurological effects of ecstasy/MDMA in humans remains equivocal. The current study assessed serotonin functioning of nine male and 11 female recreational ecstasy polydrug users by measuring neuroendocrine (prolactin, cortisol) responses to pharmacological challenge with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor citalopram, compared with nine male and five female cannabis polydrug users and 11 male and 11 female non-drug using controls. A single-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled design was used. Subjective responses, other substance use, mood, personality traits and demographic variables were measured to control for potentially confounding variables. There were no significant differences between ecstasy polydrug users, cannabis polydrug users and non-drug using controls in neuroendocrine or subjective responses to serotonergic challenge, and there were no sex by drug group interactions. There was no relationship between extent of ecstasy use and neuroendocrine functioning, alone or in combination with potential confounding variables. Subjective responses to the pharmacological challenge (nausea, tremor, dry mouth), novelty seeking and lifetime dose of alcohol were the only variables that contributed to one or more of the neuroendocrine outcome variables. These data do not support the premise that recreational ecstasy/MDMA use results in measurable impairment of serotonergic control of endocrine activity.
Associations between psychological stress and smoking, drinking, obesity, and high blood pressure in an upper middle‐income country in the African region

The direction and magnitude of the associations between cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) and psychological stress continue to be debated, and no data are available from surveys in the African region. In this study, we examine the associations between CVRFs and psychological stress in the Seychelles, a rapidly developing small island state in the African region. A survey was conducted in 1,240 adults aged 25-64 years representative of the Seychelles. Participants were asked to rank psychological stress that they had experienced during the past 12 months in four domains: work, social life, financial situation, and environment around home. CVRFs (high blood pressure, tobacco use, alcohol drinking, and obesity) were assessed using standard procedures. Psychological stress was associated with age, sex, and socioeconomic status. Overall, there were only few consistent associations between psychological stress and CVRFs, adjusting for age, sex, and socioeconomic status. Social stress was associated with smoking, drinking, and obesity, and there were marginal associations between stress at work and drinking, and between financial stress, and smoking and drinking. Psychological stress was not associated with high blood pressure. These findings suggest that psychological stress should be considered in cardiovascular disease prevention and control strategies.
Geography and power in an organizational forum: : Evidence from the U.S. Senate Chamber

We examine the role that geography plays in structuring interactions within an organizational setting designed to promote broad patterns of interaction: the organizational forum. We propose that, within a forum, an individual's location structures his or her access to peer support, but individuals with power (i.e., those who control the flow of organizational resources) can transcend these geographic constraints. We examine these propositions with data collected on strategic actors in the U.S. Senate Chamber. Using a dyad fixed effects approach, time-varying controls, selection-on-observables estimation, and quasi-exogenous shocks to seating arrangements, we find support for our propositions. These results contribute to our understanding of strategic interaction patterns, with an emphasis on the geographic scaffold upon which strategic actions are constructed.
PREVENTION OF α-NAPHTHYLTHIOUREA-INDUCED PULMONARY EDEMA WITH FRUCTOSE-1,6-DIPHOSPHATE

Neutrophil-derived oxygen free radicals have been implicated in the pathogenesis of noncardiogenic pulmonary edema. Fructose-1,6-diphosphate (FDP) has been shown to inhibit oxygen free radicals production by activated neutrophils. Thus, we investigated whether FDP would attenuate formation of pulmonary edema in anesthetized dogs injected with α -naphthylthiourea (ANTU). Hemodynamic studies involved measurements of left ventricular systolic and end-diasystolic pressures (LVSP and LVEDP), pulmonary artery pressure (PaP), heart rate (HR), and cardiac output (CO). Mean wet weight to dry weight ratios of lung tissue samples were calculated. Following baseline measurements, dogs were injected intravenously (IV) with ANTU 5 mg / kg (n = 16) and 10 mg / kg (n = 8) and half of the dogs were randomly selected to receive 75 mg / kg FDP (10%) and subsequent infusion of 7 mg / kg / min. The rest were given 0.9% NaCl in the same manner. Four hours after ANTU administration, the animals were euthanatized. Except for decline in the CO (nonsignificant), no significant changes in systemic hemodynamics within and between the groups were noted. In the FDP group, PaP and pulmonary arteriolar resistance (PaR) remained unchanged. In the saline group, PaP increased from 12.5 ± 2.44 to 21.8 ± 3.14 mm Hg (P <. 001) and PaR from 166 ± 29 to 468 ± 74 dynes · cm / sec 5 (P <. 005). During the study LVDEP, PaO 2, PaCO 2, and hematocrit did not change significantly within and between the groups. The lungs mean wet weight to dry weight ratios for the sham-operated dogs were 4.20 ± 0.41, for the FDP group 4.32 ± 0.59 and 6.22 ± 1.37 for the saline group (P <. 0005). These data indicate that FDP protected the lung from ANTU-induced injury.
Ziprasidone in the treatment of acute mania: a 12-week, placebo-controlled, haloperidol-referenced study

This 12-week, double-blind, two-part study in 438 adults with bipolar-associated acute mania began with a 3-week period comparing ziprasidone (80—160 mg/day) and placebo with haloperidol (8—30 mg/day) as active reference. Changes from baseline Mania Rating Scale (MRS) scores for ziprasidone and haloperidol were superior to placebo from day 2 (P = 0.001) to week 3 (P < 0.001); change from baseline at week 3 was greater for haloperidol than ziprasidone (P ≤ 0.001). At week 3, the response rate (≥50% decrease from baseline MRS score) was 36.9, 54.7 and 20.5% for ziprasidone, haloperidol and placebo, respectively (P ≤ 0.05, active treatments versus placebo and ziprasidone versus haloperidol). In the 9-week extension phase, ziprasidone replaced placebo to examine tolerability. Maintenance of improvement was evaluated for ziprasidone (40—160 mg/day) or haloperidol (4—30 mg/day). Responses were maintained through the last visit for 88.1% receiving ziprasidone and 96.3% receiving haloperidol. More patients receiving haloperidol than ziprasidone discontinued treatment during weeks 4—12 (21.1% versus 9.6%) and had significantly higher rates of movement disorders. Mean doses of ziprasidone and haloperidol for the first 3-week and 9-week extension were 116.2 mg/day and 121.4 mg/day and 16.0 mg/day and 16.1 mg/day, respectively. Ziprasidone was shown to be effective monotherapy for acute treatment of bipolar mania. Although haloperidol showed greater efficacy, ziprasidone showed a superior tolerability profile.
Phenotypic and Genotypic Analyses of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolates from a Community Hospital

Background:Strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with decreased susceptibility to vancomycin (Van) have become a concern because of the increased risk of clinical failure. Methods:In this study, we obtained all clinical isolates of MRSA cultured over a 1 month period (April 2007) from the microbiology laboratory in a 500-bed community/teaching hospital in Lansing, Michigan. Each isolate was analyzed for Van susceptibility and selected other agents. All isolates with Van minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 2.0 &mgr;g/mL were further analyzed by transmission electron microscopy for cell wall thickness, polymerase chain reaction for accessory gene regulator (agr) subtypes, and &dgr;-hemolysin expression. Results:We found that 52 (65%) of the 80 strains had Van MICs greater than 1.0 &mgr;g/mL. None were resistant or heteroresistant to Van or other agents tested such as linezolid (MIC90, 1.5 &mgr;g/mL), daptomycin (MIC90, 0.75 &mgr;g/mL), and tigecycline (MIC90, 0.19 &mgr;g/mL). The mean cell wall thickness of 9 strains with Van MICs of 2.0 &mgr;g/mL was similar to an S. aureus American Type Culture Collection (ATCC, no. 29213) strain with a Van MIC of 0.5 &mgr;g/mL. Analysis of the agr subtypes found that 5 isolates (56%) had agr II polymorphism, and all 9 strains had diminished or absent &dgr;-hemolysin expression. Conclusions:Most MRSA strains in this study had Van MICs greater than 1.0 &mgr;g/mL. Those MRSA strains with Van MICs of 2.0 &mgr;g/mL did not have thickened cell walls but had decreased &dgr;-hemolysin expression, which is associated with diminished bactericidal activity of Van.
Orthogonal complementary codes for interference-free CDMA technologies

This article addresses the issues of next-generation CDMA technologies for B3G wireless communications. To engineer a CDMA system whose performance will no longer be interference-limited, many challenging issues should be tackled, such as novel CDMA code sets, efficient spreading and carrier modulation schemes, and signaling format for high-speed burst traffic. This article reviews our ongoing research on next-generation CDMA technologies. In particular, we propose a new CDMA code design methodology, real environment adapted linearization (REAL), which can generate CDMA code sets with inherent immunity against multipath interference and multiple access interference for both uplink and downlink transmissions. It is also shown that interference-free CDMA can only be implemented with the help of orthogonal complementary codes. The article goes further to reveal that cell-wise capacity for such interference-free CDMA is equal to the number of element codes assigned to each user, making OFDM a natural choice to implement interference-free CDMA. Several other issues of OCC-CDMA, such as its system implementation and performance, are also addressed in this article.
Effects of tyrosine/phenylalanine depletion on electrophysiological correlates of memory in healthy volunteers

Dopamine is well known for involvement in reinforcement, motor control and frontal lobe functions, such as attention and memory. Tyrosine/phenylalanine depletion (TPD) lowers dopamine synthesis and can therefore be used as a model to study the effects of low dopamine levels. This is the first study to assess the effect of TPD on memory performance and its electrophysiological correlates. In a double blind placebo (PLA)-controlled crossover design, 17 healthy volunteers (six males, 11 females) aged between 18 and 25 were tested after TPD and PLA. Working memory was assessed using a Sternberg memory scanning task (SMS) and episodic memory using the Visual Verbal Learning Test (VVLT). Simultaneously, event-related potentials (ERPs) were measured. The tyrosine and phenylalanine ratio was significantly reduced after TPD and increased after PLA. Working memory performance was not affected by TPD. However, ERP measures were affected by the treatment, indicating that TPD impaired stimulus processing during working memory performance. Episodic memory was not impaired after TPD. Again, alterations in ERP measures suggested adverse effects of TPD on memory-related processing. These results suggest that dopamine is involved in both working memory and episodic memory-related processing, although the effects are too small to be detected by performance measures.
Studies of vascular acting photosensitizer Tookad for the photodynamic therapy of prostate cancer

In this pre-clinical study, photodynamic therapy (PDT) mediated with a vascular acting photosensitizer Tookad (palladium-bacteriopheophorbide) is investigated as an alternative treatment modality for the ablation of prostate cancer. Canine prostate was used as the animal model. PDT was performed by interstitially irradiating the surgically exposed prostates with a diode laser (763 nm) to activate the IV infused photosensitizer. The effects of drug dose, drug-light interval, and light fluence rate on PDT efficacy were evaluated. The prostates and adjacent tissues were harvested at one-week post PDT and subjected to histopathological examination. The dogs recovered well with little or no urethral complications. Urinalysis showed trace blood. Histological examination showed minimal damage to the prostatic urethra. These indicated that the urethra was well preserved. PDT induced prostate lesions were characterized by marked hemorrhagic necrosis with a clear demarcation. Maximum lesion volume of ~3 cm3 could be achieved with a single 1-cm diffuser fiber at a dose level of 1 mg/kg and 200 J/cm, suggesting the therapy is very effective in ablating prostatic tissue. PDT induced lesion could reach the capsule layers but adjacent tissues were well preserved. The novel photosensitizer is a vascular drug and cleared rapidly from the circulation. Light irradiation can be performed during drug infusion thereby eliminating waiting time. The novel vascular acting photosensitizer Tookad-mediated PDT could provide an effective alternative to treat prostate cancer.
Comparing effectiveness of risperidone with first-generation antipsychotic medications in patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders

This naturalistic retrospective study aims to compare effectiveness of a second-generation antipsychotic medication, risperidone, with first-generation antipsychotic medications (haloperidol and trifluoperazine) in an Asian population with first-episode schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. A total of 261 patients were assessed for time to discontinuation for any reason and specific reasons of discontinuation, controlling for baseline differences between groups. Some 90% of patients discontinued their antipsychotic medications before 18 months. Median time to discontinuation for any reason in risperidone was 69 days versus first-generation antipsychotic medications of 27 days. Specifically, the risperidone group had a longer time to discontinuation for any reason than haloperidol (HR = 0.61, p = 0.005) and trifluoperazine groups (HR = 0.63, p = 0.03), as well as a longer time to discontinuation due to intolerability of side effects than haloperidol (HR = 0.50, p = 0.008) and trifluoperazine groups (HR = 0.26, p = 0.001). There were no significant differences between medications for time to discontinuation due to lack of efficacy, patient’s/family’s decisions or other reasons. We conclude that there is a very high rate of discontinuation of the initial antipsychotic medications for various reasons, with risperidone having an overall longer time to discontinuation compared with first-generation antipsychotic medications.
The administration of psilocybin to healthy, hallucinogen-experienced volunteers in a mock-functional magnetic resonance imaging environment: a preliminary investigation of tolerability

This study sought to assess the tolerability of intravenously administered psilocybin in healthy, hallucinogen-experienced volunteers in a mock-magnetic resonance imaging environment as a preliminary stage to a controlled investigation using functional magnetic resonance imaging to explore the effects of psilocybin on cerebral blood flow and activity. The present pilot study demonstrated that up to 2 mg of psilocybin delivered as a slow intravenous injection produces short-lived but typical drug effects that are psychologically and physiologically well tolerated. With appropriate care, this study supports the viability of functional magnetic resonance imaging work with psilocybin.
Asymmetric Simultaneous Transmit and Receive in WiFi Networks

Many researchers expect to see the efficiency of wireless local area networks (WLANs) increased by in-band simultaneous transmit and receive (STR). While insufficient suppression of self-interference has been a major obstacle to implementing the STR capability, an even bigger obstacle is the fact that enabling STR involves significant modification to the current IEEE 802.11 medium access control (MAC) protocol. In this paper, we propose <italic>MASTaR</italic>, a novel MAC protocol that enables STR in 802.11 WLAN using standard-compliant methods. The feasibility and performance of <italic>MASTaR</italic> are extensively evaluated via 3-D ray-tracing-based simulation. The simulation results demonstrate that significant performance enhancement, e.g., up to <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$2.58\times $ </tex-math></inline-formula> higher throughput than the current 802.11 MAC protocol, can be achieved by an STR-capable access point.
Resource allocation for wireless cooperative networks: a unified cooperative bargaining game theoretic framework

Wireless cooperative communications require appropriate spectrum allocation (SA) and power allocation (PA) between the source and relay nodes. In this article, we first present an overview of the game theoretic incentive mechanisms for stimulating cooperation among selfish user nodes. Thereafter, the related issues on user payoff function design and the corresponding SA and PA strategies are discussed. To distribute the collective capacity gains among the cooperative nodes efficiently, we analyze and then formulate multiple resource allocation problems including SA, PA, and simultaneous multiresource allocation (SMRA) problems into the unified cooperative bargaining game, and the Nash bargaining solution method is utilized to solve these problems. Moreover, we propose to decompose the SMRA game into multiple single-resource allocation games and then resolve them sequentially. Finally, various game results are compared with a view to highlight that the decomposed SMRA game could obtain a good trade-off between computational complexity and system efficiency.
Attenuation of chronic mild stress-induced ‘anhedonia’ by asenapine is not associated with a ‘hedonic’ profile in intracranial self-stimulation

Chronic mild stress (CMS)-induced ‘anhedonia’ is a predictive model of antidepressant activity. We assessed the reversal of CMS-induced behavioral changes by asenapine, the antidepressant imipramine, and the atypical antipsychotics olanzapine and risperidone. Secondarily, the ability of these agents to facilitate intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) was assessed to ensure that any attenuation of CMS-induced anhedonia was not associated with an overt hedonic profile. After 2 weeks of CMS, male Wistar rats were administered asenapine (0.06–0.6 mg/kg), olanzapine (2 mg/kg), risperidone (0.5 mg/kg), or imipramine (10 mg/kg) by intraperitoneal injection over 5 weeks to examine their ability to reverse CMS-induced reductions in the intake of a sucrose solution. For the ICSS study, rats were trained to deliver an electrical stimulus to the ventral tegmental area. The effects of acute doses of subcutaneous asenapine (0.01–0.3 mg/kg), olanzapine (0.3 and 1 mg/kg), risperidone (0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg), and intraperitoneal imipramine (3–30 mg/kg), cocaine (5.0 mg/kg), or amphetamine (1.0 mg/kg) on ICSS were then examined. CMS significantly reduced sucrose intake (P < 0.001). All active agents (0.6 mg/kg asenapine, 2 mg/kg olanzapine, 0.5 mg/kg risperidone, and 10 mg/kg imipramine) reversed the effect of CMS (all P < 0.001). In the ICSS protocol, asenapine (0.01 and 0.03 mg/kg), olanzapine (1 mg/kg), and risperidone (0.3 mg/kg) impaired ICSS performance, whereas positive controls (5 mg/kg cocaine, 1 mg/kg amphetamine) facilitated ICSS. Asenapine reversed CMS-induced anhedonia without facilitating ICSS, providing support for a role of asenapine in treating bipolar disorder and aspects of negative and/or affective symptoms in schizophrenia.