Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Simple Protocol Enhancements of Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol over Ring Topologies

The paper addresses resilience over Ethernet networks using the Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP). The topic constitutes an open issue of debate as clear indications on the real RSTP performance can hardly be found from the literature. Actually, the complicated protocol structure makes the analysis intricate and unsuitable for generalization. Moreover, the presence of other resilience algorithms, whose mechanisms and rules are explicitly designed for resilience, solves the problem beyond the application of RSTP. Even though those solutions are actually more efficient than RSTP, they are more expensive. In this perspective, the purposes of this paper are to critically evaluate the intrinsic limitations of RSTP and propose some simple protocol modifications to speed up its performance. The analysis validates the achievable performance as a trade-off between fast reactions and bandwidth overhead.
Beta Reputation and Direct Trust Model for Secure Communication in Wireless Sensor Networks

WSN is a collection of tiny nodes that used to absorb the natural phenomenon from the operational environment and send it to the control station to extract the useful information. In most of the Existing Systems, the assumption is that the operational environment of the sensor nodes deployed is trustworthy and secure by means of some cryptographic operations and existing trust model. But in the reality it is not the case. Most of the existing systems lacks in providing reliable security to the sensor nodes. To overcome the above problem, in this paper, Beta Reputation and Direct Trust Model (BRDT) is the combination of Direct Trust and Beta Reputation Trust for secure communication in Wireless Sensor Networks. This model is used to perform secure routing in WSN. Overall, the method provides an efficient trust in WSN compared to existing methods.
Selenium deficiency increases the pathology of an influenza virus infection

Selenium (Se) deficiency has previously been shown to induce myocarditis in mice infected with a benign strain of coxsackievirus. To determine if Se deficiency would also intensify an infection with influenza virus, Se‐deficient and Se‐adequate mice were infected with a mild strain of influenza, influenza A/Bangkok/1/79 (H3N2). Infected Se‐deficient mice developed much more severe interstitial pneumonitis than did Se‐adequate mice. This increase in pathology was associated with significant alterations in mRNA levels for cytokines and chemokines involved in pro‐inflammatory responses. These results demonstrate that adequate nutrition is required for protection against viral infection and suggest that nutritional deprivation may be one of many factors that increase the susceptibility of individuals to influenza infection.
Detection of Intracellular Cytokines by Flow Cytometry

Intracellular cytokine detection by flow cytometry has emerged as the premier technique for studying cytokine production at the single‐cell level. Multiparameter flow cytometry permits simultaneous detection of two or more cytokines within a single cell, allowing direct TH1 versus TH2 determination. This capability, combined with the high throughput inherent in the instrumentation, gives intracellular cytokine staining an enormous advantage over existing single‐cell techniques such as ELISPOT, limiting dilution, and T cell cloning. The unit describes intracellular staining of cells that have already been stimulated in vitro and fixed. Methods for in vitro activation by PMA and ionomycin or antigens, fixation of cell suspensions, and cell‐surface staining are also described. Because of the greater level of nonspecific binding inherent in fixed, permeabilized cells, greater care must be taken in designing specificity controls. A protocol in which brefeldin A is used to identify cytokine‐producing T cells activated in response to in vivo contact with microbial antigens is also described. Curr. Protoc. Immunol. 78:6.24. 1‐6.24. 21. © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Group Versus Individual Decision-Making: Is there a shift?

We revisit the phenomenon that group decisions differ systematically from decisions of individuals. Our experiment solicits individual and group decisions from the same subjects in two settings, gift-exchange games and lottery choices. With no deliberation and voting, the group decision is determined by the median individual decision, without a shift. With deliberation but no imposed decision rule, the individual one po- sition towards the selfish direction also becomes influential. In lottery choices we find no group shift relative to the median. We demonstrate that the standard practice of comparing means of group and individual decisions would incorrectly identify a level shift.
IL‐4Rα on CD4+ T cells plays a pathogenic role in respiratory syncytial virus reinfection in mice infected initially as neonates

RSV is the major cause of severe bronchiolitis in infants, and severe bronchiolitis as a result of RSV is associated with subsequent asthma development. A biased Th2 immune response is thought to be responsible for neonatal RSV pathogenesis; however, molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Our data demonstrate, for the first time, that IL‐4Rα is up‐regulated in vitro on human CD4+ T cells from cord blood following RSV stimulation and in vivo on mouse pulmonary CD4+ T cells upon reinfection of mice, initially infected as neonates. Th cell‐specific deletion of Il4ra attenuated Th2 responses and abolished the immunopathophysiology upon reinfection, including airway hyper‐reactivity, eosinophilia, and mucus hyperproduction in mice infected initially as neonates. These findings support a pathogenic role for IL‐4Rα on Th cells following RSV reinfection of mice initially infected as neonates; more importantly, our data from human cells suggest that the same mechanism occurs in humans.
Talking with ALS Patients: An Exploratory Study of Patient Attitudes toward Mass Messages about ALS

iii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION.1 Background . 2 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW.4 Patient and Public Attitudes and Behaviors toward Representations of Illness . 4 Mass Communications’ Impact on Public Attitudes and Behaviors . 5 Mass Communications’ Impact on Patient Attitudes and Behaviors.6 Level of Felt Involvement and Message Frames . 8 Level of Felt Involvement.8 Message Frames.10 Message Shortcomings in Accuracy and Understandability . 12 Lack of Accuracy.13 Lack of Understandability.15 ALS-Specific Communication.16 Research Questions.18 CHAPTER 3: METHOD . 19 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS . 24 Lack of Public ALS Awareness – “Nobody Knows” . 24 Shared Narrative and Identification with Character – “There I Am” . 30 Disease Depiction Observations – “A Huge Disservice to Us”. 33 Tension: Positive vs. Realistic Portrayals.33 Identification of Message Inaccuracies.36 Desire for Specific Information . 37 CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION.39 Emerging Issues . 39 Participant Concern for Awareness . 39 Participant Responses as Related to Personal Disease Experience . 40 Participant Responses from Multiple Viewer Perspectives . 41 Participant Anger with the Disease Itself.42 Character Identification and Message Framing . 42 Suggested Guidelines.45 Segment Audience and Tailor Message Accordingly.46 ii Provide Disease Details . 46 Create ALS Depictions that are Congruent with Patients’ Sense of Self . 46 Use Consistent Disease Terminology . 47 Communicate to Increase ALS Awareness.47 Implications and Future Research.48 Limitations . 50 Conclusion . 51 LIST OF REFERENCES.53 APPENDIX A: ALS SOCIETY OF CANADA PRINT ADVERTISEMENT.63 APPENDIX B: ALS SOCIETY OF CANADA PSA.64 APPENDIX C: ALS ASSOCIATION WISCONSIN CHAPTER PRINT ADVERTISEMENT.65 APPENDIX D: FOX13 NEWS STORY . 66 APPENDIX E: ALS ASSOCIATION (NATIONAL OFFICE) NEWSMAGAZINE ARTICLE.67 APPENDIX F: ALS ASSOCIATION FLORIDA CHAPTER NEWSMAGAZINE ARTICLE.68 APPENDIX G: FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE . 69 APPENDIX H: SARASOTA FOCUS GROUP TRANSCRIPT.72 APPENDIX I: ORLANDO FOCUS GROUP TRANSCRIPT.83 APPENDIX J: TAMPA FOCUS GROUP TRANSCRIPT . 91 APPENDIX K: JACKSONVILLE FOCUS GROUP TRANSCRIPT . 102 APPENDIX L: BREVARD FOCUS GROUP TRANSCRIPT . 113 APPENDIX M: BOYNTON BEACH FOCUS GROUP TRANSCRIPT . 122
Modelling butterfly wing eyespot patterns

Eyespots are concentric motifs with contrasting colours on butterfly wings. Eyespots have intra– and interspecific visual signalling functions with adaptive and selective roles. We propose a reaction–diffusion model that accounts for eyespot development. The model considers two diffusive morphogens and three non–diffusive pigment precursors. The first morphogen is produced in the focus and determines the differentiation of the first eyespot ring. A second morphogen is then produced, modifying the chromatic properties of the wing background pigment precursor, inducing the differentiation of a second ring. The model simulates the general structural organization of eyespots, their phenotypic plasticity and seasonal variability, and predicts effects from microsurgical manipulations on pupal wings as reported in the literature.
Heavy-duty connectors for self-reconfiguring robots

Connectors for self-reconfiguring robots need to fulfill a wide range of requirements. We discuss these properties, with emphasis on geometrical shape and latching. We describe the DRAGON modular connector, whose most distinctive features are its ability to self-align and its strength. It weighs 170 g, but holds over 70 kg load. It is able to self-align /spl plusmn/15 mm (O/5) lateral offsets, and /spl plusmn/45/spl deg/ directional and rotational offsets.
Minmax regret 1-center problem on a network with a discrete set of scenarios

We consider the minmax regret 1-center problem on a general network with uncertainty on demands. Unlike other papers which considered the problem under interval uncertainty, we assume here that demand uncertainty is modelled by a ﬁnite number of discrete scenarios. We develop a solution approach based on the decomposition of the network into basic intervals and present a polynomial algorithm for the problem. Finally, we illustrate our approach with an example.
Internet Engineering Task Force (ietf) Pre-congestion Notification (pcn) Boundary-node Behavior for the Single Marking (sm) Mode of Operation

Pre-Congestion Notification (PCN) is a means for protecting the quality of service for inelastic traffic admitted to a Diffserv domain. The overall PCN architecture is described in RFC 5559. This memo is one of a series describing possible boundary-node behaviors for a PCN-domain. The behavior described here is that for a form of measurement-based load control using two PCN marking states: not-marked and excess-traffic-marked. This behavior is known informally as the Single Marking (SM) PCN-boundary-node behavior. Task Force (IETF). It represents the consensus of the IETF community. It has received public review and has been approved for publication by the Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG). Not all documents approved by the IESG are a candidate for any level of Internet Standard; see Section 2 of RFC 5741. Information about the current status of this document, any errata, and how to provide feedback on it may be obtained at in effect on the date of publication of this document. Please review these documents carefully, as they describe your rights and restrictions with respect to this document. Code Components extracted from this document must include Simplified BSD License text as described in Section 4.e of the Trust Legal Provisions and are provided without warranty as described in the Simplified BSD License.
Accurate 3D maps from depth images and motion sensors via nonlinear Kalman filtering

This paper investigates the use of depth images as localisation sensors for 3D map building. The localisation information is derived from the 3D data thanks to the ICP (Iterative Closest Point) algorithm. The covariance of the ICP, and thus of the localization error, is analysed, and described by a Fisher Information Matrix. It is advocated this error can be much reduced if the data is fused with measurements from other motion sensors, or even with prior knowledge on the motion. The data fusion is performed by a recently introduced specific extended Kalman filter, the so-called Invariant EKF, and is directly based on the estimated covariance of the ICP. The resulting filter is natural, and is proved to possess strong properties. Experiments with a Kinect sensor and a three-axis gyroscope prove clear improvement in the accuracy of the localization, and thus in the accuracy of the built 3D map.
Mechanisms of Brain Region-Specific Amyloid-beta Deposition

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. A fundamental feature of AD is brain region-specific deposition of extracellular amyloid plaques principally comprised of the amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide. Using mouse models of cerebral Aβ deposition, we examined molecular, cellular and systems-level mechanisms that regulate brain region-specific Aβ accumulation and aggregation. Parallel studies using in vivo multiphoton microscopy and in vivo microdialysis revealed that modest pharmacological reduction of soluble interstitial fluid (ISF) Aβ levels was associated with a dramatic reduction in amyloid plaque formation and growth. We found that ISF Aβ concentrations in several brain regions of APP transgenic mice prior to the onset of plaque deposition were proportional to the degree of subsequent plaque deposition and with the concentration of lactate, a marker of neuronal activity. Moreover, we found that physiological modulation of endogenous neuronal activity by vibrissal manipulation was sufficient to modulate ISF Aβ levels and amyloid plaque growth dynamics. Using a iii novel optical intrinsic signal imaging approach, we found that bilateral functional connectivity magnitude in APP/PS1 mice prior to plaque deposition was proportional to the amount of regional plaque deposition in aged APP/PS1 mice. Furthermore, we found that bilateral functional connectivity was reduced in normal aging and was markedly exacerbated by Aβ deposition. Together, these data suggest that endogenous neuronal activity and functional connectivity may regulate region-specific Aβ plaque deposition. These data advance our understanding of the mechanisms by which the intrinsic metabolic and functional organization of the brain may contribute to AD pathogenesis. iv Acknowledgements
Issues of Real Time Information Retrieval in Large, Dynamic and Heterogeneous Search Spaces

Increasing size and prevalence of real time information have become important characteristics of databases found on the internet. Due to changing information, the relevancy ranking of the search results also changes. Current methods in information retrieval, which are based on offline indexing, are not efficient in such dynamic search spaces and cannot quickly provide the most current results. Due to the explosive growth of the internet, stove-piped approaches for dealing with dynamism by simply employing large computational resources are ultimately not scalable. A new processing methodology that incorporates intelligent resource allocation strategies is required. Also, modeling the dynamism in the search space in real time is essential for effective resource allocation. In order to support multi-grained dynamic resource allocation, we propose to use a partial processing approach that uses anytime algorithms to process the documents in multiple steps. At each successive step, a more accurate approximation of the final similarity values of the documents is produced. Resource allocation algorithm use these partial results to select documents for processing, decide on the number of processing steps and the computation time allocated for each step. We validate the processing paradigm by demonstrating its viability with image documents. We design an anytime image algorithm that uses a combination of wavelet transforms and machine learning techniques to map low level visual features to higher level concepts. Experimental validation is done by implementing the image algorithm within an established multiagent information retrieval framework called I-FGM. We also formulate a multi-
Cheiloscopic patterns in Indian population and their efficacy in sex determination: A randomized cross-sectional study

Background: Cheiloscopy or the study of lip prints is an important tool in forensic dentistry which is gaining popularity in current times. Not only has it proven effective in identification of individuals, but its role in sex determination has also been investigated. There are six different types of cheiloscopic/lip print patterns according to Tsuchihashi. Aims: The present study was conducted to find the prevalence of cheiloscopic/lip print pattern in 755 individuals and also to assess their efficacy in sex determination. Materials and Methods: According to classification by Tsuchihashi, the lip prints were analysed. Sex determination using lip print was done by method given by Vahanwala et al. Results: It was found that Type I was the most prevalent cheiloscopic pattern. Based on the method of sex determination using lip prints by Vahanwala et al., the percentage of individuals correctly identified was less. Conclusion: Although cheiloscopy holds promise as a supplementary tool along with other modes to recognize the sex of an individual, there is need for further studies using standardized methods to evaluate the same in larger population sizes.
Does addition of an ARB maintain GFR in children with CKD on ACEi? Introduction: A majority of children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) experience a deterioration

In adult patients it has since long been clearly shown that treatment with an ACEi will reduce proteinuria by on average 50% and slow down the speed of deterioration of kidney function (2). Published data in children are so far lacking but will most likely be available during this year when the large multicentre study (the ESCAPE study, 3) involving close to 400 children treated with an ACEi will present their results.
A Learning Agent for Knowledge Extraction from an Active Semantic Network

— This paper outlines the development of a learning retrieval agent. Task of this agent is to extract knowledge of the Active Semantic Network in respect to user-requests. Based on a reinforcement learning approach, the agent learns to interpret the user’s intention. Especially, the learning algorithm focuses on the retrieval of complex long distant relations. Increasing its learnt knowledge with every request-result-evaluation sequence, the agent enhances his capability in finding the intended information.
Designing for cultural diversity in an IT and globalizing milieu: Some real leadership dilemmas for the new millennium

This paper explores the effects of information technology (IT) on the eve of the third millennium, and its ramifications for labour organization, business and culture. IT is conceptualized as a catalyst for a period of seminal change within the global economy. The lack of IT awareness, social diversity and the need to tap the creative synergy of socio‐cultural differences, through the better understanding of IT effects on culture are highlighted. A need for self‐reflection and a critical examination of adopted management models, especially those within embedded ethnocentric contexts of shared beliefs, values and cognitive structures, are also explored. It is argued that organizations need to learn to manage cultural diversity. The need for development of organizational ideologies that build on cognitive structures, culturally sensitized to diversity, is central to a generic strategy for managing increasingly culturally diversified organizations comprising the globalized economy in the third millennium.
Rigorous Formulation of the Scattering of Plane Waves by 2-D Graphene-Based Gratings: Out-of-Plane Incidence

The plane wave scattering by 2-D gratings is studied by a rigorous mode-matching technique. Specifically, the grating considered in this work is made of periodically patterned graphene. Due to the 2-D periodicity, the electromagnetic fields in the uniform medium are expressed in terms of characteristic Floquet solutions, with each space harmonic representing a plane wave solution consisting of both TE and TM constituents. By imposing the boundary condition on the tangential components of the electromagnetic fields at the graphene interface via the conductivity tensor of graphene, one can set up an input-output relation expressed in terms of the generalized scattering matrix. For a planar multilayer structure consisting of a finite stack of 2-D graphene-based gratings, the overall scattering characteristics can be obtained by cascading each of the input-output relations of the 2-D grating successively.
Reality-based Interaction : Understanding the Next Generation of User Interfaces

Ubiquitous computing, tangible interfaces, and the spread of computers into a wide range of products and objects that surround us are changing interacting with computers from being a specialized activity, segregated from daily life, to becoming increasingly a part of the ‘‘real world. ’’ At the same time, as computers are becoming more a part of the real world, user interfaces seem to be evolving to behave more like the real world, as in virtual reality for example. A variety of human-computer interaction styles and developments emerging on several fronts now seem to point in the same direction, toward ‘‘reality-based interaction. ’’ We propose using this for leverage to attempt to tie them together and define a new generation of user interfaces.
Ecto-Nucleoside Triphosphate Diphosphohydrolase 2 Modulates Local ATP-Induced Calcium Signaling in Human HaCaT Keratinocytes

Keratinocytes are the major building blocks of the human epidermis. In many physiological and pathophysiological conditions, keratinocytes release adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as an autocrine/paracrine mediator that regulates cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration. ATP receptors have been identified in various epidermal cell types; therefore, extracellular ATP homeostasis likely determines its long-term, trophic effects on skin health. We investigated the possibility that human keratinocytes express surface-located enzymes that modulate ATP concentration, as well as the corresponding receptor activation, in the pericellular microenvironment. We observed that the human keratinocyte cell line HaCaT released ATP and hydrolyzed extracellular ATP. Interestingly, ATP hydrolysis resulted in adenosine diphosphate (ADP) accumulation in the extracellular space. Pharmacological inhibition by ARL 67156 or gene silencing of the endogenous ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase (NTPDase) isoform 2 resulted in a 25% reduction in both ATP hydrolysis and ADP formation. Using intracellular calcium as a reporter, we found that although NTPDase2 hydrolyzed ATP and generated sustainable ADP levels, only ATP contributed to increased intracellular calcium via P2Y2 receptor activation. Furthermore, knocking down NTPDase2 potentiated the nanomolar ATP-induced intracellular calcium increase, suggesting that NTPDase2 globally attenuates nucleotide concentration in the pericellular microenvironment as well as locally shields receptors in the vicinity from being activated by extracellular ATP. Our findings reveal an important role of human keratinocyte NTPDase2 in modulating nucleotide signaling in the extracellular milieu of human epidermis.