Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
effSense: energy-efficient and cost-effective data uploading in mobile crowdsensing

Energy consumption and mobile data cost are two key factors affecting users' willingness to participate in crowdsensing tasks. While data-plan users are mostly concerned about the energy consumption, non-data-plan users are more sensitive to data transmission cost incurred. Traditional ways of data collection in mobile crowdsensing often go to two extremes: either uploading the sensed data online in real-time or fully offline after the whole sensing task is finished. In this paper, we propose effSense - a novel energy-efficient and cost-effective data uploading framework leveraging the delay-tolerant mechanisms. Specifically, effSense reduces the data cost of non-data-plan users by maximally offloading the data to Bluetooth/WiFi gateways or data-plan users encountered to relay the data to the server; it reduces energy consumption of data-plan users by uploading data in parallel with a call or using less-energy demand networks (e.g. Bluetooth). By leveraging the prediction of critical events such as user's future calls or encounters, effSense selects the optimal uploading scheme for both types of users. Our evaluation with MIT Reality Mining and Nodobo datasets show that effSense can save 55%~65% energy and 45%~50% data cost for the two types of users, respectively, compared with the traditional uploading schemes.
Fabrication of porous polymeric matrix drug delivery devices using the selective laser sintering technique

Abstract New techniques in solid freeform fabrication (SFF) have prompted research into methods of manufacturing and controlling porosity. The strategy of this research is to integrate computer aided design (CAD) and the SFF technique of selective laser sintering (SLS) to fabricate porous polymeric matrix drug delivery devices (DDDs). This study focuses on the control of the porosity of a matrix by manipulating the SLS process parameters of laser beam power and scan speed. Methylene blue dye is used as a drug model to infiltrate the matrices via a degassing method; visual inspection of dye penetration into the matrices is carried out. Most notably, the laser power matrices show a two-stage penetration process. The matrices are sectioned along the XZ planes and viewed under scanning electron microscope (SEM). The morphologies of the samples reveal a general increase in channel widths as laser power decreases and scan speed increases. The fractional release profiles of the matrices are determined by allowing the dye to diffuse out in vitro within a controlled environment. The results show that laser power and scan speed matrices deliver the dye for 8-9 days and have an evenly distributed profile. Mercury porosimetry is used to analyse the porosity of the matrices. Laser power matrices show a linear relationship between porosity and variation in parameter values. However, the same relationship for scan speed matrices turns out to be rather inconsistent. Relationships between the SLS parameters and the experimental results are developed using the fractional release rate equation for the infinite slab porous matrix DDD as a basis for correlation.
Striatal dopamine transporter binding in neuroleptic-naive patients with schizophrenia studied with positron emission tomography.

OBJECTIVE Recent in vivo imaging studies indicate a dysregulated presynaptic function of the striatal dopaminergic system in patients with schizophrenia. To further explore the basis of this phenomenon, the authors studied brain dopamine transporter binding in vivo in patients with first-episode, never-medicated schizophrenia. METHOD Nine patients with schizophrenia and nine healthy matched comparison subjects were recruited. Striatal dopamine transporter binding was measured with positron emission tomography and a specific dopamine transporter ligand, [(18)F]CFT, a radiolabeled form of 2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4-fluorophenyl)tropane. RESULTS Average caudate and putamen dopamine transporter binding potentials were almost identical in the patients and comparison subjects, but the patients lacked the right-left asymmetry of the caudate dopamine transporter binding seen in the comparison group. CONCLUSIONS Average striatal dopamine transporter density is unaltered in neuroleptic-naive patients with schizophrenia. However, patients lack asymmetry in caudate dopamine transporter binding, which conforms with disrupted brain lateralization in this disorder.
Ultradian metabolic rhythm in the diazotrophic cyanobacterium Cyanothece sp. ATCC 51142

The unicellular cyanobacterium Cyanothece sp. American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) 51142 is capable of performing oxygenic photosynthesis during the day and microoxic nitrogen fixation at night. These mutually exclusive processes are possible only by temporal separation by circadian clock or another cellular program. We report identification of a temperature-dependent ultradian metabolic rhythm that controls the alternating oxygenic and microoxic processes of Cyanothece sp. ATCC 51142 under continuous high irradiance and in high CO2 concentration. During the oxygenic photosynthesis phase, nitrate deficiency limited protein synthesis and CO2 assimilation was directed toward glycogen synthesis. The carbohydrate accumulation reduced overexcitation of the photosynthetic reactions until a respiration burst initiated a transition to microoxic N2 fixation. In contrast to the circadian clock, this ultradian period is strongly temperature-dependent: 17 h at 27 °C, which continuously decreased to 10 h at 39 °C. The cycle was expressed by an oscillatory modulation of net O2 evolution, CO2 uptake, pH, fluorescence emission, glycogen content, cell division, and culture optical density. The corresponding ultradian modulation was also observed in the transcription of nitrogenase-related nifB and nifH genes and in nitrogenase activities. We propose that the control by the newly identified metabolic cycle adds another rhythmic component to the circadian clock that reflects the true metabolic state depending on the actual temperature, irradiance, and CO2 availability.
Utilization of informatics for integrating biology and the bedside to access preliminary outcome data of post-operative complication of spine surgery associated with diabetes mellitus

Study Design: Retrospective Study Objective: To evaluate the utility of Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside database (i2b2) of University of Missouri in comparing post-operative outcomes after spinal surgery of patients with Diabetes Mellitus (DM) to those without. Summary of background data: Studies in cardiovascular surgery, orthopedic surgery, and spine surgery have shown an association of poor preoperative hyperglycemia control with worse outcomes. However, the details of that association are not well described. Outcomes of spine surgery gleaned from nationwide databases are not universally available; some require significant costs, while others are not always available to all investigators. Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside (i2b2) is a National Institutes of Health -sponsored National Center for Biomedical Computing developed for researchers to search electronic medical records for de-identified patient data to facilitate research investigations. Methods: The Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside (i2b2) database of University of Missouri was queried for various spine surgeries using categories of Non-DM patients, DM patients, and complications. Results: Between Jan. 1, 2000 and Sept. 30, 2015 a total of 26009 spine surgeries were performed at University of Missouri Health Care. Diabetes Mellitus (DM) was not present in 20834, with 5175 had DM. DM patients had a twofold higher incidence of wound infection, Deep Venous Thrombosis, and Urinary Tract Infection. Pulmonary Embolism and myocardial infarction were 3 times more common in DM. Stroke rate was 3.9 more likely in DM. Overall, comorbidities were 2.4 fold higher in DM. The estimated time to acquire the above data was 8 hours. Conclusions: Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside is an excellent tool to extract preliminary data to develop hypothesis, test hypothesis, and gather preliminary report in a reasonable period of time. De-identified data allows researchers to perform acquire data without IRB approval.
RESISTING AMERICAN PSYCHIATRY: FRENCH OPPOSITION TO DSM-III, BIOLOGICAL REDUCTIONISM, AND THE PHARMACEUTICAL ETHOS

Purpose – This chapter has two central purposes. The first is to suggest that western, as well as non-western, illness categories are culture bound. The second is to elucidate the diagnostic and treatment implications associated with adopting a reductionistic diagnostic approach, including for psychiatric as well as nonpsychiatric illnesses. Approach – A comparative approach is used to highlight the differences between American psychiatry's diagnostic system (i.e., DSM) and French child psychiatry's diagnostic system (CFTMEA). The analysis begins by identifying the overarching differences between the systems, then analyzes the differences between their respective versions of the Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder diagnostic category, and ends by tracing the diagnostic and treatment implications of those differences. Findings – This analysis reveals that the systems differ in three significant ways: (1) theoretical orientation (biological vs. psychodynamic), (2) the view that symptoms should be counted as opposed to understood, and (3) the presence of symptom checklists versus their absence. Additionally, these differences encourage American clinicians to both administer the ADHD diagnosis to a greater number of symptomatic children and to treat these children with psychiatric medications. Contributions to the field – The analysis makes three contributions to the field: (1) the comparative analysis highlights the limitations of the DSM's ADHD definition; (2) it strengthens the case for seeing western diagnostic categories in general, and the DSM categories in particular, as cultural artifacts; (3) it elucidates the profound relationship between diagnostic systems and both diagnostic rates and treatment practices.
WAVE2 is regulated by multiple phosphorylation events within its VCA domain

The (Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein)-family verprolin homologous protein (WAVE) family of proteins occupies a pivotal position in the cell, converting extracellular signals into the formation of branched filamentous (F) actin structures. WAVE proteins contain a verprolin central acidic (VCA) domain at their C-terminus, responsible for binding to and activating the Arp2/3 complex, which in-turn nucleates the formation of new actin filaments. Here we identify five Casein Kinase 2 (CK2) phosphorylation sites within the VCA domain of WAVE2, serines 482, 484, 488, 489, and 497. Phosphorylation of these sites is required for a high affinity interaction with the Arp2/3 complex. Phosphorylation of ser 482 and 484 specifically inhibits the activation of the Arp2/3 complex by the WAVE2 VCA domain, but has no effect on the affinity for the Arp2/3 complex when the other phosphorylation sites are occupied. We demonstrate phosphorylation of all five sites on endogenous WAVE2 and show that their mutation to non-phosphorylatable alanine residues inhibits WAVE2 function in vivo, inhibiting cell ruffling and disrupting the integrity of the leading edge of migrating cells. Cell Motil. Cytoskeleton 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Efficacy of the New Perilaryngeal Airway (CobraPLA™) Versus the Laryngeal Mask Airway (LMA™) to Improve Oropharyngeal Leak Pressure in Obese and Overweight Patients

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the applicability of Cobra perilaryngeal airway (Cobra PLA™) for obese patients under general anesthesia and also to compare the results with those of classic laryngeal mask airway (LMA™). Materials and Methods: Seventy-three overweight and obese patients were included in this study. The patients were randomly assigned to LMA™ or Cobra PLA™ groups. Time required for intubation, successful intubation attempt, airway sealing pressure and incidence of complications including blood staining, sore throat and dysphagia were assessed and noted. Results: Thirty-six and 37 patients were randomly allocated to LMA™ and Cobra PLA™ groups, respectively. Most patients were males and had Mallampati Class II airway in both groups. The first attempt and overall insertion success for Cobra PLA™ was significantly higher compared to LMA (P<0.05). Airway insertion was more successful (P = 0.027; 94% vs. 77%) with Cobra PLA™. Insertion times were similar with Cobra PLA™ and LMA™ (Cobra PLA™, 29.94±16.35s; LMA™, 27.00±7.88s). The oropharyngeal leak pressure in the Cobra PLA™ group (24.80±0.90 H2O) was significantly higher than that in LMA™ group (19±1 H2O, p<0.001). Sore throat was more frequent in the LMA™ group although it did not reach statistical significance (Fisher’s exact test, P = 0.33). Blood staining on airway tube was seen in both groups with a higher incidence in the Cobra PLA™ group (Fisher’s Exact test, P = 0.02). Incidence of dysphagia was not different between the two groups. Conclusion: CobraPLA™ was found to be safe with low complications. It provided better airway sealing with high rate of the first insertion success for use in obese and overweight patients. This study recommends the use of CobraPLA™ as a rescue device in emergency situations for obese and overweight patients.
Cognition and Second Language Instruction: Aptitude, individual differences, and instructional design

Introduction: a paradox in SLA research Individuals who attempt to learn a foreign language differ dramatically in their rates of acquisition and in their ultimate attainment. This is perhaps the clearest fact about SLA that we currently have, and of course it is particularly striking in relation to the relative uniformity of learning rate and ultimate success in L1 acquisition. Bley-Vroman (1989), among other scholars, has argued that these differences demonstrate that the underlying L1 and L2 acquisition processes must be fundamentally different. Whether or not L1 and L2 acquisition develop in completely different ways, it is important for both theoretical and practical reasons to attempt to specify and understand the sources that contribute to differences among second language (L2) learners. The paradox is that despite this importance, L2 research into the sources of individual differences (IDs) has lagged far behind research seeking universal principles. With the exception of the social psychologically oriented work on motivation and other affective variables pursued by Robert Gardner (see Gardner & MacIntyre, 1992, 1993, for an overview), no major research program focusing on IDs and integrating them within a model of SLA has yet been developed. This is partly due to limitations inherent in the correlational research designs favored by earlier studies, and the difficulty of finding reliable and valid measures of both the learner traits and the L2 learning outcomes (Larsen-Freeman & Long, 1991; Lightbown & Spada, 1993).
Understanding Why Students Participate in Multiple Surveys: Who are the Hard-Core Responders?.

What causes a student to participate in a survey? This paper looks at survey response across multiple surveys to understand who the hard-core survey responders and non-responders are. Students at a selective liberal arts college were administered four different surveys throughout the 2002-2003 academic year, and we use the number of surveys participated in to understand how student characteristics such as demographics and personality affect cooperation. We find large attitudinal and behavioral differences between responders and non-responders. Survey participation 3 Understanding why students participate in multiple surveys: who are the hard-core responders?
Gingival tissue transcriptomes in experimental gingivitis.

AIMS We investigated the sequential gene expression in the gingiva during the induction and resolution of experimental gingivitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS Twenty periodontally and systemically healthy non-smoking volunteers participated in a 3-week experimental gingivitis protocol, followed by debridement and 2-week regular plaque control. We recorded clinical indices and harvested gingival tissue samples from four interproximal palatal sites in half of the participants at baseline, Day 7, Day 14 and Day 21 (the "induction phase"), and at Day 21, Day 25, Day 30 and Day 35 in the other half (the "resolution phase"). RNA was extracted, amplified, reversed transcribed, amplified, labelled and hybridized using Affymetrix Human Genome U133Plus2.0 microarrays. Paired t-tests compared gene expression changes between consecutive time points. Gene ontology analyses summarized the expression patterns into biologically relevant categories. RESULTS The median gingival index was 0 at baseline, 2 at Day 21 and 1 at Day 35. Differential gene regulation peaked during the third week of induction and the first 4 days of resolution. Leucocyte transmigration, cell adhesion and antigen processing/presentation were the top differentially regulated pathways. CONCLUSIONS Transcriptomic studies enhance our understanding of the pathobiology of the reversible inflammatory gingival lesion and provide a detailed account of the dynamic tissue responses during the induction and resolution of experimental gingivitis.
Wavelet Compression of ECG Signals Using SPIHT Algorithm

Abstract — In this paper we present a novel approach for waveletcompression of electrocardiogram (ECG) signals based on the set partitioning in hierarchical trees (SPIHT) coding algorithm. SPIHT algorithm has achieved prominent success in image compression. Here we use a modified version of SPIHT for one dimensional signals. We applied wavelet transform with SPIHT coding algorithmon different records of MIT-BIH database. The results show the high efficiency of this method in ECG compression. Keywords — ECG compression, wavelet, SPIHT. I. I NTRODUCTION LECTROCARDIOGRAM (ECG) signal is a very usefulsource of information for physicians in diagnosing heartabnormalities. With the increasing use of ECG in heart diagnosis, such as 24 hour monitoring or in ambulatorymonitoring systems, the volume of ECG data that should be stored or transmitted, has greatly increased. For example, a 3channel, 24 hour ambulatory ECG, typically has storagerequirement of over 50 MB. Therefore we need to reduce thedata volume to decrease storage cost or make ECG signalsuitable and ready for transmission through commoncommunication channels such as phone line or mobilechannel. So, we need an effective data compression method.The main goal of any compression technique is to achievemaximum data reduction while preserving the significantsignal morphology features upon reconstruction. Datacompression methods have been mainly divided into twomajor categories: 1) direct methods, in which actual signalsamples are analyzed (time domain), 2) transformationalmethods, in which first apply a transform to the signal and dospectral and energy distribution analysis of signals.Examples of direct methods are: differential pulse codemodulation (DPCM), amplitude zone time epoch coding (A TEC), turning point, coordinate reduction time encoding system (CORTES), Fan algorithm, ASEC. Reference [1] is agood review of some direct compression methods used inECG compression.
A multiagent architecture for distributed virtual environments

This paper introduces a distributed virtual reality platform based on oRis, our dynamic and interpreted multiagent language. This platform, called AReViDis, has been designed for collaborative interactive prototyping. Thanks to the dynamic properties of oRis, we propose to let the designers of a system enter inside the system and dynamically build and modify the model. During an AReViDis session, this language allows the addition or the modification of virtual agents in a distributed virtual environment. These modifications may either be introduced by the agents themselves or by the users through various human computer interfaces. These modifications may also be received by the network allowing communications in shared virtual worlds.
People in Non-Urban Areas are Richer than those in Urban Areas? A Comment to Ghosh et al. (2010)

In environmental studies, different types of system boundaries are needed. Disaggregated GIS data are crucial because they can be flexibly converted into the target boundaries. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) should be highly evaluated as a valuable GIS data. We, however, show the problem that GDP per capita in urban areas is lower than that in non-urban areas, based on the NOAA data of GDP. This is inconsistent with the fact derived from other relevant data. We discuss possible causes of the problem: continuous linear relationship between night-time lights and GDP; leakage effects of night-time lights from urban areas to their peripheral non-urban areas; excessive infrastructures in non-urban areas as compared with their economic output; and bias in the allocation of estimated GDP data in informal sectors. We would rather contribute to the potential correction of the data than criticize the data in this paper.
Development of optimal stimuli in a heterogeneous model of epileptic spike-wave oscillations

Neural simulation has been widely suggested as an alternative therapy for the treatment of medically-intractable seizures. Appropriate targeting of control stimuli at selected cortical locations may lead to seizure abatement. Neural population models describe the macroscopic neural activity that can be clinically recorded by an electroencephalogram (EEG). These models provide a safer way to develop and test the effect of such simulation strategies. In this study, a heterogeneously connected neural field model has been used which can replicate spatio-temporal patterns commonly observed in the EEG during generalized seizures. Seizure abatement has been formulated as an optimal control problem and the pseudospectral method has been used to develop stimuli with anti-ictogenic properties. The minimum energy optimal stimuli, developed in this study have been shown to abate seizures simulated from the model. It has been demonstrated that the control stimuli are spatially variant due to the underlying heterogeneity of the neural dynamics. This study provides a novel approach for designing optimal stimuli for seizure abatement while taking into account the heterogeneous dynamics of the human brain. It also raises the possibility of finding the appropriate set of cortical locations which may be stimulated to achieveP the anti-seizure effect.