Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Towards a better future: the trans-generational impact of the Troubles on mental health.

• Chapter 1: The impact of the conflict’s legacy on children in Northern Ireland: A review of the research 27 • Chapter 2: The impact of the conflict’s legacy on early years’ development of children and young people 36 • Chapter 3: Latent profiles of childhood adversity, exposure to Troubles/ conflict related trauma and mental health disorders in the Northern Ireland population 50 • Chapter 4: Trans-generational trauma in Northern Ireland: Results from the Northern Ireland Study of Health and Stress 60 • Chapter 5: The impact of the legacy of the Troubles on suicidal behaviour 68 • Chapter 6: Treating trans-generational trauma and building resilience among young people in Northern Ireland 80 • Chapter 7: A survey of organisations in Northern Ireland concerned and working with the trans-generational impact of the Troubles on children and young people 93 P.11 At a societal level the research provided evidence that identified the following key findings: • The majority of people who experienced traumatic events and violence are not adversely affected in the long term; • However a group of people have developed problems including mental disorders which have impacted on their functioning at family and community levels. The most recent figures estimate that this group represents around 14% of the adult population; • Alcohol and other drugs are commonly used among those adversely affected by the Troubles; • Economic deprivation constitutes an additional stressor which in turn impacts negatively on mental and general health; and • The political and social divisions in Northern Ireland impact upon social integration and are associated with sectarianism and increasingly racism, homophobia and “hate crime”.
Transgene detection in unpurified mouse tail DNA by polymerase chain reaction.

We describe here a method for the rapid identification of transgenic mice by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using unpurified DNA extracts from tail digests. The method we have developed avoids the difficulty of obtaining blood from young animals and eliminates the need to purify DNA samples after tail digestion while allowing rapid determination of transgenic mice as young as 5 days. Although samples may be cut from newborn mice, we find a high risk of rejection of such pups by the mother
Cloning and Expression of a Novel Neuropeptide Y Receptor*

The neuropeptide Y family of peptides, which includes neuropeptide Y (NPY), peptide YY (PYY), and pancreatic polypeptide (PP), are found in the central and peripheral nervous system and display a wide array of biological activities. These actions are believed to be mediated through pharmacologically distinct G protein-coupled receptors, and, to date, three members of the NPY receptor family have been cloned. In this study we describe the cloning and expression of a novel NPY receptor from mouse genomic DNA. This receptor, designated NPY Y5, shares 60% amino acid identity to the murine NPY Y1 receptor. The pharmacology of this novel receptor resembles that of the NPY Y1 receptor and is distinct from that described for the NPY Y2, Y3, and Y4 receptors. In situ hybridization of mouse brain sections reveals expression of this receptor within discrete regions of the hypothalamus including the suprachiasmatic nucleus, anterior hypothalamus, bed nucleus stria terminalis, and the ventromedial nucleus with no localization apparent elsewhere in the brain.
Static contract checking for Haskell

Program errors are hard to detect and are costly both to programmers who spend significant efforts in debugging, and for systems that are guarded by runtime checks. Static verification techniques have been applied to imperative and object-oriented languages, like Java and C#, but few have been applied to a higher-order lazy functional language, like Haskell. In this paper, we describe a sound and automatic static verification framework for Haskell, that is based on contracts and symbolic execution. Our approach is modular and gives precise blame assignments at compile-time in the presence of higher-order functions and laziness.
The Extent of Internet Auction Markets

See also the publication in the Journal of Economic Theory . Internet auctions attract numerous agents, but only a few become active bidders. A major difficulty in the structural analysis of internet auctions is that the number of potential bidders is unknown. Under the independent private value paradigm (IPVP)the valuations of the active bidders form a specific record sequence. This record sequence implies that if the number n of potential bidders is large, the number of active bidders is approximately 2 log n, explaining the relative inactivity. Empirical evidence for the 2 log n rule is provided. This evidence can also be interpreted as a weak test of the IPVP.
Temperature-dependent sex-biased embryo mortality in a bird

Sex ratios have important evolutionary consequences and are often biased by environmental factors. The effect of developmental temperature on offspring sex ratios has been widely documented across a diverse range of taxa but has rarely been investigated in birds and mammals. However, recent field observations and artificial incubation experiments have demonstrated that the hatching sex ratio of a megapode, the Australian brush-turkey (Alectura lathami), varied with incubation temperature; more females hatched at high incubation temperatures and more males hatched at low temperatures. Here, we investigated the causes of this temperature-dependent sex-biasing system. Molecular sexing of chicks and embryos confirmed that male embryo mortality was greater at high temperatures while female embryo mortality is greater at low temperatures, with mortality in both sexes similar at intermediate incubation temperatures. Temperature-dependent sex-biased embryo mortality represents a novel mechanism of altering sex ratios in birds. This novel mechanism, coupled with the unique breeding biology of the brush-turkey, offers a potentially unparalleled opportunity in which to investigate sex allocation theory in birds.
Signatures of Viber Security Traffic

Viber is one of the widely used mobile chat application which has over 606 million users on its platform. Since the recent release of Viber 6.0 in March/April 2016 and its further updates, Viber provides end-to-end encryption based on Open Whisper Signal security architecture. With proprietary communication protocol scattered on distributed cluster of servers in different countries and secure cryptographic primitives, Viber offers a difficult paradigm of traffic analysis. In this paper, we present a novel methodology of identification of Viber traffic over the network and established a model which can classify its services of audio and audio/video calls, message chats including text and voice chats, group messages and file/media sharing. Absolute detection of both parties of Viber voice and video calls is also demonstrated in our work. Our findings on Viber traffic signatures are applicable to most recent version of Viber 6.2. 2 for android and iOS devices.
The fundamental frequency variation spectrum

This paper describes a recently introduced vector-valued representation of fundamental frequency variation – the FFV spectrum – which has a number of desirable properties. In particular, it is instantaneous, continuous, distributed, and well-suited to application of standard acoustic modeling techniques. We show what the representation looks like, and how it can be used to model prosodic sequences.
THE STATISTICAL DETECTION OF THRESHOLD SIGNALS IN THE RETINA

1. Photographic records of impulses from single ganglion cells in the cat's retina were made while the retina was stimulated by flashes occurring once a second. Ten flashes at each of several intensities near threshold were used. 2. For the purpose of statistical analysis, the number of impulses (x) falling within a critical period following each flash was used as an index of the response. Histograms of x were plotted and used to calculate rates of transfer of information by the ganglion cell for the case of an ideal experiment, the yes-no choice, in which flashes of intensity I and blanks are to be distinguished. 3. The information rate increased (a) with increasing stimulus intensity and (b) with the number of identical flashes or blanks presented successively in a block. The intensity chosen as threshold by the experimenter, who observed the impulses visually and aurally, corresponded to an average information rate for single flashes of 0.7 bit/flash, compared to the maximum possible rate of 1 bit/flash. A threshold intensity giving 0.4 or more bit/flash, if presented in blocks of six identical flashes, corresponded to 0.95 or more bit/block, or near certainty. Thus the calculation of information rates using the index x provides an estimate of threshold at least as sensitive as those obtained during an experiment, which were made only after observing the responses to five to ten flashes of the same intensity. 4. The index x has statistical properties similar to those of the "index of neural activity" used by Tanner and Swets (1954) in their statistical model of human vision, and represents a possible physical interpretation of their index. However, x gave values (0.5 to 1.5) of the parameter called the slope which were consistently smaller than their values (2.1 to 3.1).
Adaptive Call Admission Control for Real Time Video Communications Based on Delay Probability Distribution

In QoS networks, Connection Admission Control (CAC) is required to ensure that network resources are used efficiently. Very often CAC algorithms attempt to estimate available network resources (e.g., bandwidth, buffer space) to make admission decisions. In the case of real time video applications, transmission delay and packet loss rate constraints are crucial QoS parameters. However, the mapping between these parameters and available network resources is not so easy. In this paper, we present and analyze an adaptive admission control and traffic adjustment algorithm for real time video transmission, which is based on the measurement of end-to-end delay probability distribution and the user-defined QoS level profiles. As the network status varies, the algorithm attempts to improve or degrade the QoS levels of existing calls within the acceptable range. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm performs well in terms of decreasing the call blocking rate while utilizing the network bandwidth effectively.
Some Latent Trait Theory in a Multidimensional Latent Space.

ABSTRACT This paper reviews the existing multidimensional item response theory (IRT) models and demonstrates how one of the models can be applied to estimation of abilities from a test measuring more than one dimension. The purposes of this paper were threefold. First, the fundamental concepts required when considering multidimensional models for the interaction of a person and a test item were defined. These concepts incluAed the multidimensional latent space, the item difficulty function, and the item discrimination function. These definitions were conceived as multidimensional generalizations of similar concepts in unidimensional IRT models. Second, six existing multidimensional models were reviewed and, on the basis of their similarities, were classified into three general categories. The characteristics of these categories were described, and the general Rasch model was selected for further study on the basis of ease of parameter estimation. Third, estimation procedures for the parameters of the general Rasch model were described and applied to a set of simulation data that had been generated according to a two-dimensional special case of the model. The results indicated that a very close correspondence had been obtained between the estimated item parameters and those used to generate the simulation data. (PN)
Petrify: A Tool for Manipulating Concurrent Specifications and Synthesis of Asynchronous Controllers (Special Issue on Asynchronous Circuit and System Design)

Petrify is a tool for (1) manipulating concurrent specifications and (2) synthesis and optimization of asynchronous control circuits. Given a Petri Net (PN), a Signal Transition Graph (STG), or a Transition System (TS) it (1) generates another PN or STG which is simpler than the original description and (2) produces an optimized net-list of an asynchronous controller in the target gate library while preserving the specified input-output behavior. An ability of back-annotating to the specification level helps the designer to control the design process. For transforming a specification petrify performs a token flow analysis of the initial PN and produces a transition system (TS). In the initial TS, all transitions with the same label are considered as one event. The TS is then transformed and transitions relabeled to fulfill the conditions required to obtain a safe irredundant PN. For synthesis of an asynchronous circuit petrify performs state assignment by solving the Complete State Coding problem. State assignment is coupled with logic minimization and speed-independent technology mapping to a target library. The final net-list is guaranteed to be speed-independent, i.e., hazard-free under any distribution of gate delays and multiple input changes satisfying the initial specification. The tool has been used for synthesis of PNs and PNs composition, synthesis and re-synthesis of asynchronous controllers and can be also applied in areas related with the analysis of concurrent programs. This paper provides an overview of petrify and the theory behind its main functions.
The Hundred Languages of Children: The Reggio Emilia Approach--Advanced Reflections. Second Edition.

Part 1 Starting points: no way - the hundred is there, Loris Malagazzi introduction - background and starting points, Carolyn Edwards et al what can we learn from Reggio Emilia? Lilian Katz. Part 2 Reggio Emilia's educators describe their program - interviews with Lella Gandini: history, ideas and basic philosophy, Loris Malaguzzi the community-teacher partnership in the government of the schools, Sergio Spaggiari projected curriculum constructed through documentation, Carlina Rinaldi the role of the pedagogista, Trizianz Filippini the role of the atelierista, Vea Vecchi the voice of parents photo essay the intelligence of a puddle. Part 3 From theory to practice: educational and sharing spaces, Lella Gandini partner, nurture and guide - the role of the teacher, Carolyn Edwards children with special rights in the schools and infant-toddler centres of Reggio Emilia, Cathleen Smith.
Placebos Affect Retrospective and Prospective Memory Performance by Increasing Monitoring

Decreasing physical pain, increasing emotional wellbeing, and improving physical health are just some of the ways placebos have affected people's physiological and psychological health (Crum & Langer, 2007; Kirsch & Sapirstein, 1999; Montgomery & Kirsch, 1997). Recently, Clifasefi, Garry, Harper, Sharman, and Sutherland (2007) demonstrated that a memory placebo called R273 could even reduce people's susceptibility to misleading information. Yet how could a substance with no physiologically active properties affect memory performance? That is the overarching question of this thesis. In order to monitor the sources of information about the past, and in order to remember future tasks and actions, people can either use an effortful monitoring process, or they can rely on their usual, automatic and effortless memory processes. Typically, the more monitoring that people use, the better their memory performance (Johnson, Hashtroudi, & Lindsay, 1993; Einstein et al., 2005). In this thesis, over three experiments, I examined how a placebo might affect the way people monitor information, thus improving aspects of retrospective and prospective memory. Experiment 1 examined whether R273 reduces people's susceptibility to the misinformation effect by leading them to switch from their habitual, automatic, and easy source monitoring to more deliberate and effortful source monitoring. To examine this question I used Clifasefi et al.'s (2007) sham drug procedure and then ran subjects through a three-stage misinformation experiment (Loftus, Miller, & Burns, 1978). The results of Experiments 1 suggest that R273 did not affect effortful monitoring during the post event information (PEI), but did affect effortful monitoring during the memory test. Experiment 2 aimed to find further evidence that R273 affects people's monitoring during the memory test. To address this question, all subjects were told that they had received an inactive drug before they took part in the first two stages of the misinformation effect paradigm. Immediately before taking the memory test, however, I falsely told some people that they had actually received R273. The primary finding of Experiment 2 added support to the idea that R273 affects subjects source monitoring during the memory test: Told Drug subjects were less misled than their Told Inactive counterparts. Finally, Experiment 3 further examined whether R273 leads people to use effortful monitoring, but did so using a prospective memory task, whose underlying memory processes align closely with those of source monitoring. The results showed that Told Drug subjects were slower to perform an ongoing and concurrent task, yet had better prospective memory performance than Told Inactive subjects. These results suggested that R273 lead Told Drug subjects' to use more effortful monitoring. In conclusion, the results suggest that the sham cognitive enhancing placebo R273 improves people's ability to resist misleading suggestion, and perform prospective memory tasks because it leads them to use more effortful monitoring.
Relevant Areas of Functioning in Children With Cerebral Palsy Based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Coding System

In the context of the development of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Sets for children and youth with cerebral palsy, an evidence-based methodology was implemented to select the most relevant categories out of the entire classification. The aim of this study was to describe the contribution of the clinical perspective to select categories of functioning in children and youth with cerebral palsy. We conducted a chart review of clinical assessments of children and youth with cerebral palsy aged 0 to 18 years in a tertiary level center. In total, 129 International Classification of Functioning categories were covered in clinical encounters: representing 19% body structures, 33% body functions, 37% activity and participation, and 11% environmental factors. Our findings can guide clinical assessments and goal-setting of this population. This important perspective will inform the development of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Sets for children and youth with cerebral palsy.
Dynamic QoE optimisation for streaming content in large-scale future networks

Multimedia content sharing services, such as YouTube, usually offer only low quality video streams. Additionally, it is expected the popularity of these services will increase even further in the future. Therefore, current streaming-content delivery architectures, with centralised searching and management components, might not be able to keep up with the ever-growing user bases.
Inhibition of Neutrophil Apoptosis via Sphingolipid Signaling in Acute Lung Injury

Acute lung injury (ALI) is characterized by lung inflammation and diffuse infiltration of neutrophils into the alveolar space. The inhibition of alveolar neutrophil apoptosis has been implicated in the pathogenesis of ALI. Although sphingolipids may regulate cell apoptosis, the role of sphingolipids in activated neutrophils during ALI is not clear. In this study, we test the hypothesis that sphingolipids would attenuate neutrophil apoptosis that contributes to the development of ALI. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated human neutrophils, with or without inhibitor treatment, were analyzed for apoptosis. We found that the inhibitory effect of LPS on neutrophil apoptosis was blocked by treatment with the neutral sphingomyelinase (nSMase) inhibitor sphingolactone-24 (Sph-24), sphingosine kinase inhibitor II, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitor 4-[4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-methylsulfinylphenyl)-1H-imidazol-5-yl]pyridine (SB203580) but not by the acidic sphingomyelinase inhibitor chlorpromazine. LPS-activated phosphorylation of p38 MAPK also was attenuated by treatment with Sph-24 and sphingosine kinase inhibitor II. Furthermore, mice with LPS-induced lung injury were treated with the nSMase inhibitor Sph-24 to evaluate its impact on lung injury and survival. The severity of LPS-induced ALI was reduced, and the survival rate was increased in mice treated with Sph-24 compared with that in those given LPS alone. Intracellular levels of sphingolipids in alveolar neutrophils from patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome also were measured. We found that intracellular levels of ceramide and phospho-p38 MAPK were elevated in alveolar neutrophils from acute respiratory distress syndrome patients. Our results demonstrate that activation of the nSMase/sphingosine-1-phosphate pathway to induce p38 MAPK phosphorylation results in inhibition of neutrophil apoptosis, which may contribute to the development of ALI.
A concealment method for video communications in an error-prone environment

In this paper, we propose a two-stage error-concealment method for block-based compressed video which was transmitted in an error-prone environment. In the first stage, we obtain initial estimates of the missing blocks. If the motion vectors associated with the missing blocks are available, motion compensation is used to provide good estimates. Otherwise, a novel algorithm which preserves image continuity is used to estimate the blocks. In the second stage, a maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimator, which employs an adaptive Markov random field (MRF) as the image a priori model is used to improve the video reconstruction quality. The adaptive model enables the estimation to incorporate information embedded not only in the immediate neighborhood pixels but also in a wider neighborhood into the reconstruction procedure without increasing the order of the MRF model. The proposed concealment method achieves very good computation-performance tradeoffs, as demonstrated via experimental results.
Function Identification of the Nucleotides in Key cis-Element of DYSFUNCTIONAL TAPETUM1 (DYT1) Promoter

As a core regulatory gene of the anther development, DYSFUNCTIONAL TAPETUM1 (DYT1) was expressed in tapetum preferentially. Previous study had confirmed that a “CTCC” sequence within DYT1 promoter was indispensable for correct DYT1 expression. However, precise analysis on the function of each nucleotide of this sequence still lacks. Here we employed site mutation assay to identify the function roles of the nucleotides. As a result, the “T” and final “C” of “CTCC” were found essential for the temporal and spatial specificity of DYT1 expression, whereas the other two “C” nucleotides exhibited substitutable somewhat. The substitutes of two flanking nucleotides of “CTCC,” however, hardly affected the normal promoter function, suggesting that the “CTCC” sequence as a whole did meet the standard of a canonical cis-element by definition. In addition, it was found that as short as 497 bp DYT1 promoter was sufficient for tissue-specific expression, while longer 505 bp DYT1 promoter sequence was sufficient for species-specific expression.