Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A reliable communications architecture for real-time IP mobile applications

While the availability of a variety of wireless access technologies already provides users with ubiquitous access to critical content and applications, ensuring a satisfactory Quality of Service (QoS) and high availability further requires reliable delivery schemes that optimally use the available bandwidth. This paper presents a novel architecture to support adaptive real-time IP applications. It includes a layer of abstraction to isolate the application from the actual transport channels. It also uses a message-based protocol to improve communications reliability. Adaptation mechanisms are introduced and validated using a healthcare application. Experimental results are reported that demonstrate the viability of the approach.
A Study To Assess The Relationships Among Student Achievement, Teacher Motivation, And Incentive Pay

The purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate the relationships among the awarding of career pay, teacher motivation, and student achievement. This study sought to answer the following questions: (1) Is there a difference in intrinsic and extrinsic motivation of those teachers who receive career pay as opposed to those teachers who do not receive career pay? and (2) Is reading and mathematics achievement higher in teachers’ classes where teachers receive career pay than in classes where teachers do not receive career pay? According to the U.S. Department of Education projections, by the year 2009 school systems will face a 22.5 million teacher shortage. Some 200,000 new teachers are needed annually to enter the profession. Career pay may prove to be a method to reward, to attract, and to retain excellent teachers. Student achievement was assessed using the California Achievement Test. Pretest and Posttest gain scores were used to assess higher achievement in reading or mathematics for teachers who received career pay as opposed to those who did not receive career pay. A Teacher Motivation Questionnaire was used to assess intrinsic and extrinsic motivation of teachers. Specifically, the instrument was used to determine if teachers who received career pay were more intrinsically or extrinsically motivated than teachers who did not receive career pay. Data collected were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences using regression analysis, frequencies, reliability, and t-tests. Conclusions of this study are that teachers who receive career pay are not more intrinsically or extrinsically motivated than teachers who do not receive career pay and that student achievement is not increased by the awarding of career pay.
Hispanic Healthcare Disparities: Challenging the Myth of a Monolithic Hispanic Population

Background:Hispanic Americans are often treated as a monolithic ethnic group with a single pattern of healthcare utilization. However, there could be considerable differences within this population. We examine the association between use of healthcare services and Hispanic Americans’ country of ancestry or origin, language of interview, and length of time lived in the United States. Methods:Our data come from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, a nationally representative survey of healthcare use and expenditures. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression results are presented. Results:Multivariate models show that Mexicans and Cubans are less likely, and Puerto Ricans more likely, to have any emergency department visits than non-Hispanic whites. Mexicans, Central American/Caribbeans, and South Americans are less likely to have any prescription medications. All Hispanics are less likely to have any ambulatory visits and prescription medications, whereas only those with a Spanish-language interview are less likely to have emergency department visits and inpatient admissions. More recent immigrants are less likely to have any ambulatory care or emergency department visits, whereas all Hispanics born outside the United States are less likely to have any prescription medications. Conclusions:The Hispanic population is composed of many different groups with diverse health needs and different barriers to accessing care. Misconceptions of Hispanics as a monolithic population lacking within-group diversity could function as a barrier to efforts aimed at providing appropriate care to Hispanic persons and could be 1 factor contributing to inequalities in the availability, use, and quality of healthcare services in this population.
Structural and functional study of an Anemonia elastase inhibitor, a "nonclassical" Kazal-type inhibitor from Anemonia sulcata.

Anemonia elastase inhibitor (AEI) is a "nonclassical" Kazal-type elastase inhibitor from Anemonia sulcata. Unlike many nonclassical inhibitors, AEI does not have a cystine-stabilized alpha-helical (CSH) motif in the sequence. We chemically synthesized AEI and determined its three-dimensional solution structure by two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy. The resulting structure of AEI was characterized by a central alpha-helix and a three-stranded antiparallel beta-sheet of a typical Kazal-type inhibitor such as silver pheasant ovomucoid third domain (OMSVP3), even though the first and fifth half-cystine residues forming a disulfide bond in AEI are shifted both toward the C-terminus in comparison with those of OMSVP3. Synthesized AEI exhibited unexpected strong inhibition toward Streptomyces griseus protease B (SGPB). Our previous study [Hemmi, H. , et al. (2003) Biochemistry 42, 2524-2534] demonstrated that the site-specific introduction of the engineered disulfide bond into the OMSVP3 molecule to form the CSH motif could produce an inhibitor with a narrower specificity. Thus, the CSH motif-containing derivative of AEI (AEI analogue) was chemically synthesized when a Cys(4)-Cys(34) bond was changed to a Cys(6)-Cys(31) bond. The AEI analogue scarcely inhibited porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE), even though it exhibited almost the same potent inhibitory activity toward SGPB. For the molecular scaffold, essentially no structural difference was detected between the two, but the N-terminal loop from Pro(5) to Ile(7) near the putative reactive site (Met(10)-Gln(11)) in the analogue moved by 3.7 A toward the central helix to form the introduced Cys(6)-Cys(31) bond. Such a conformational change in the restricted region correlates with the specificity change of the inhibitor.
An Evaluation of Well Ways, a Family Education Programme for Carers of People with a Mental Illness

Objectives: Family education programmes aim to improve the well-being of carers of people with a mental illness. We evaluated the effectiveness of one such programme, Well Ways, in reducing negative care-giving consequences. Method: We employed a pre-post design to evaluate the effectiveness of Well Ways in a naturalistic setting using a sample of carers of people with a mental illness. The Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire, a measure of care-giving consequences including worrying, tension, urging and supervision, and incorporating the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), was completed by 459 carers before and after participation in Well Ways. Results: Participants’ worrying, tension, urging and distress (GHQ-12) were significantly lower following completion of the programme. These improvements were maintained at 3 and 6 month follow up. Carers of people with a psychotic disorder experienced significantly greater reductions in worrying than did other carers. Females reported significantly greater reductions in tension than did males. Conclusions: Findings indicated support for the effectiveness of the Well Ways programme in reducing negative care-giving consequences for families of people with a mental illness. Given the evidence of poor psychological health and negatively appraised family relationships observed at baseline, these findings highlight the need for programmes such as Well Ways.
Hospital Admissions for Ischemic Stroke: Does Long-Term Exposure to Air Pollution Interact with Major Risk Factors?

Background: The aim was to investigate whether the effects of major risk factors for ischemic stroke were modified by long-term exposure to air pollution in Scania, southern Sweden. Methods: Cases were defined as first-ever ischemic strokes in patients born between 1923 and 1965 during 2001–2006 (n = 7,244). Data were collected from The Swedish National Stroke Register (Riks-stroke) and the Malmö and Lund Stroke Registers. Population controls were matched on age and sex. Modeled outdoor annual mean NOx concentrations were used as proxy for long-term exposure to air pollution. Heterogeneity across NOx categories was tested for smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, atrial fibrillation and physical inactivity. Data were analyzed as case-control data and to some extent as case-only data, with logistic regression analysis. Results: The case-control odds ratios for ischemic stroke in association with diabetes were 1.3 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1–1.6] and 2.0 (95% CI: 1.2–3.4) in the lowest and highest NOx category, respectively (p value for testing heterogeneity across the categories = 0.056). The case-only approach gave further support for the risk associated with diabetes to increase with NOx (p for trend = 0.033). We observed no main effect of mean NOx or any conclusive effect modifications between NOx and smoking, hypertension, atrial fibrillation or physical inactivity. Conclusions: In a low-level air pollution area, the risk for ischemic stroke associated with diabetes seemed to increase with long-term exposure to air pollution.
Genetic risk for alcoholism relates to level of response to alcohol in Asian-American men and women.

OBJECTIVE Previous studies have shown that Asians who possess a variant aldehyde dehydrogenase allele (ALDH2*2) have lower rates of alcohol consumption and dependence. Research in Asian men has shown that those with ALDH2*2 have greater responses to alcohol than do those without this genetic variant. The present study was designed to determine whether similar levels of response to alcohol, using objective and subjective measurements, are seen in men and women with different ALDH2 genotypes. METHOD Participants (N = 30) were 16 men and 14 women, of whom five each were heterozygous for ALDH2*2. They were evaluated in response to alcohol and placebo beverage challenges, dosed according to estimated body water. Objective and subjective responses were measured every 30 minutes from baseline to 150 minutes after ingestion. RESULTS Men and women with ALDH2*1/*2 had greater pulse-rate increases, greater observed flushing responses and greater subjective feelings of being dizzy, drunk and high compared with ALDH2*1/*1 participants, despite having equivalent breath alcohol concentrations. ALDH2*1/*2 participants also reported being less likely to drive, following this level of intoxication, compared with ALDH2*1/*1 participants. Some gender differences were found in subjective, but not objective, responses to alcohol, with women reporting lower levels of being high, nauseated and uncomfortable and having a lower total subjective rating scale score. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that low risk for alcoholism based on possession of an ALDH2*2 allele relates to greater response to alcohol in both men and women.
Negative transcriptional regulation of a positive regulator: the expression of malT, encoding the transcriptional activator of the maltose regulon of Escherichia coli, is negatively controlled by Mlc

The maltose regulon consists of 10 genes encoding a multicomponent and binding protein‐dependent ABC transporter for maltose and maltodextrins as well as enzymes necessary for the degradation of these sugars. MalT, the transcriptional activator of the system, is necessary for the transcription of all mal genes. MalK, the energy‐transducing subunit of the transport system, acts phenotypically as repressor, particularly when overproduced. We isolated an insertion mutation that strongly reduced the repressing effect of overproduced MalK. The affected gene was sequenced and identified as mlc, a known gene encoding a protein of unknown function with homology to the Escherichia coli NagC protein. The loss of Mlc function led to a threefold increase in malT expression, and the presence of mlc on a multicopy plasmid reduced malT expression. By DNaseI protection assay, we found that Mlc protected a DNA region comprising positions + 1 to + 23 of the malT transcriptional start point. Using a mlc–lacZ fusion in a mlc and mlc+ background, we found that Mlc represses its own expression. As Mlc also regulates another operon (manXYZ, see pages 369–379 of this issue), it may very well constitute a new global regulator of carbohydrate utilization.
Making the One Percent: The Role of Elite Universities and Elite Peers

This paper asks whether elite universities help students from modest socioeconomic backgrounds reach top positions in the economy. I combine administrative data on income and leadership teams at publicly traded firms with a regression discontinuity design based on admissions rules at elite business-focused degree programs in Chile. The 1.8% of college students admitted to these programs account for 41% of leadership positions and 38% of top 0.1% incomes. Admission raises the number of leadership positions students hold by 54% and their probability of attaining a top 0.1% income by 45%. However, these gains accrue only to applicants from high-tuition private high schools, not to students from other school types with similar admissions test scores. Admissions effects are equal to roughly half of the gap in rates of top attainment by high school background. A difference-in-differences analysis of the rates at which pairs of students lead the same firms indicates that peer ties formed between college classmates from similar backgrounds play an important role in driving the observed effects.
EFFECT OF TAX KNOWLEDGE ON INDIVIDUAL TAXPAYERS COMPLIANCE

Indonesia uses self-assessment system in income tax collection. This system requires the taxpayer to understand the method of calculating payments and tax reporting in accordance with applicable regulations. The problem faced by many taxpayers who do not understand the tax laws. Taxpayers who do not understand tax law become an obstacle for the implementation of self-assessment system in the collection of income tax. This study will examine empirically the influence of tax knowledge on tax compliance of individuals enrolled in the Tax Office (KPP) Central Java Region I. This study develops previous studies that have been carried out in Indonesia by separating variable tax knowledge into 3 (three) variables i.e. knowledge of tax reporting, tax calculation knowledge, and knowledge of tax payments.Data were collected using a questionnaire that is sent directly to the taxpayer. Questionnaires were sent as many as 200 copies. A total of 196 copies of the completed and can be processed. The test results indicate that the instruments used in this study are valid and reliable. Results of hypothesis testing using regression provides empirical evidence that knowledge of tax reporting, tax calculation and knowledge of tax payments significant effect on tax compliance.
Unobserved Heterogeneity in Response to Treatment for Depression Through Videoconference

Objective: This study examined treatment response heterogeneity in a recent randomized controlled trial of treatment for depression using videoconferencing technology compared to traditional in-office care. Method: Growth mixture modeling was used to identify subgroups of individuals in the trial based on treatment response trajectories. Demographic and baseline characteristics were included to identify correlates of subgroup membership. Results: There were two subgroups based on the trajectories of the Beck Hopelessness Scale. The first subgroup had less symptom severity at baseline, and there was no meaningful difference between the two treatment modalities in change over time. The second subgroup had higher symptom severity at baseline, and individuals who engaged in treatment through the videoconference modality had less symptom improvement than those who underwent the in-office modality. Older participants with higher loneliness and anxiety scores at baseline were more likely to be in the second group. Conclusions and Implications for Practice: Treatment of depression using videoconferencing to deliver care to an individual’s home offers opportunities for improved access to services, especially among those who are unwilling or unable to seek in-person treatment. However, videoconferencing may not be appropriate for everyone. An individual’s symptom level, age, and comorbidities are important clinical considerations when selecting an appropriate treatment modality.
The “Right to Be Forgotten”: Negotiating Public and Private Ordering in the European Union

Although the Internet is frequently referred to as a global public resource, its functioning remains predominantly controlled by private actors. The Internet brought about significant shifts in the way we conceptualize (global) governance. In particular, the handling of “big data” by private intermediaries has a direct impact on routine practices and personal lives. The implementation of the “right to be forgotten” following the May 2014 decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union against Google blurs the boundaries between the public and the private, and extends the responsibilities of the latter to court-style decision making. This article analyzes the regulatory developments in this area and the implications of outsourcing of important governance practices to private intermediaries. It looks at the decision-making process for the “right to be forgotten” to illustrate the extent to which the hybridization of such procedures results in new arrangements between public and private ordering in Internet governance.
Citizen Participation and Transparency in Local Government: Does Online or Offline Participation Matters?

The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of citizens’ engagement in various participation programs on the participants’ assessment of transparency in local government. To examine the relationship between citizen participation and transparency, the study focuses on two dimensions of citizen participation: 1) citizen engagement in participation programs; and 2) online and offline participation programs. Citizens’ assessment of transparency is measured with citizens’ perceptions of openness, corruption, two-way communication with citizens, and fair and increased opportunities to participate in the rule making process in the local government. Using the 2009 Citizen Survey data in Seoul Metropolitan Government, the study finds that citizen engagement in participation programs (both online and offline) is positively associated with their assessment of government transparency. The study also finds that the citizens who engage in online participation programs do not show a higher level of their assessment of transparency in local government than the citizens who engage in offline participation programs.
Identification and purification of a protein that induces production of the Lactobacillus acidophilus bacteriocin lactacin B

Lactacin B is a heat-stable bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus N2 that is active against closely related lactobacilli, including Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis (formerly Lactobacillus leichmannii) ATCC 4797. Pure producer cultures propagated in MRS broth (initial pH 6.5) contain no lactacin B; it is detected only in cultures maintained at pH 5.0 to 6.0 and produced optimally at pH 6.0 S. F. Barefoot and T. R. Klaenhammer, Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 26:328-334, 1984). Associative growth of producer and indicator, L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis ATCC 4797, resulted in production of an inhibitor identical to lactacin B. Associative growth increased lactacin B production from nondetectable levels (< 100 activity units [AU]/ml) to between 3,200 and 6,400 AU/ml in MRS broth (initial pH 6.5) and resulted in early but equal production of lactacin B (approximately 25,600 AU/ml) in broth maintained at pH 6.0. Indicator cells, but not spent culture filtrates, induced lactacin B production. Indicator cells disrupted by a French pressure cell yielded cell-free filtrates containing inducing activity. Chromatofocusing and gel filtration high-performance liquid chromatography of cell-free filtrates yielded a protein with a pI of 4.1 and a molecular size of approximately 58 kDa that induced lactacin B production. Analytical isoelectric focusing yielded a single protein band. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gels contained a 28-kDa protein suggesting a two-subunit structure. Protein sequencing identified an N-terminal serine and 18 additional amino acids. To our knowledge, there are not previous descriptions of proteins that induce bacteriocin production in lactic acid bacteria.
[Clinical efficacy of a standardized specific immunotherapy against house dust mite in 85 asthmatic children].

OBJECTIVE The scientific basis and the clinical effectiveness of allergen specific immunotherapy (SIT) administered by subcutaneous injection are well established. This study aimed to observe the changes in amount of inhaled corticosteroids, total IgE, specific IgE, peak expiratory flow rate (PEF), etc. during a standardized SIT against house dust mite in allergic asthmatic children. METHOD Children (5 - 13 years old) with mild to moderate allergic asthma seen from February 2005 to June 2008 were enrolled into this study. A non- randomized retrospective study was performed. All children were diagnosed sensitive to dust mites, the treatment group accepted standardized dust mite allergen specific immunotherapy. Each fourth injections were defined as observation points, the study took 3.4 years. The investigators recorded the treatment, the cumulative allergen extract, changes of daily doses of inhaled corticosteroid, peak expiratory flow (PEF), total IgE (TIgE), specific IgE (SIgE). The control group only received inhaled corticosteroids. The daily doses of inhaled corticosteroid and the number of asthma attacks, and the control rate were compared between the 2 groups. RESULT Totally 85 children were treated with SIT [(7.6 ± 1.4) years], 45 males and 40 females; 50 children received only drug treatment [(7.7 ± 1.5) years], 28 males and 22 females. The cumulative dose of allergen was up to (69.7 ± 4.8) µg after the 20 times injection, the dose of inhaled corticosteroids was significantly less than that in the control group (t = 2.359, P < 0.05). PEF was significantly higher than that of pre-treatment level (F = 7.874, P < 0.05). TIgE and SIgE had no significant change (t = 0.313, P > 0.05, t(Derp) = 0.517, t(Derf) = 0.717, P > 0.05). After the treatment, the control rate of the SIT group was 85.5%, that of the control group was 62.0% (χ(2) = 10.150, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION The standardized SIT against house dust mite could reduce steroid use in mild to moderate allergic asthmatic children. After (38.7 ± 2.3) weeks, the cumulative dose of allergen was up to (69.7 ± 4.8) µg, inhaled corticosteroid was significantly reduced. At the end of SIT, 85% of patients obtained complete control of asthma. Total IgE and mite-specific IgE had no significant changes.