Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Cluster-Based Energy-Efficient Routing Protocol without Location Information for Sensor Networks

With the recent advances in Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) technology, low cost and low power consumption wireless micro sensor nodes have become available. However, energy-efficient routing is one of the most important key technologies in wireless sensor networks as sensor nodes are highly energy-constrained. Therefore, many researchers have proposed routing protocols for sensor networks, especially cluster-based routing protocols, which have many advantages such as reduced control messages, bandwidth re-usability, and improved power control. Some protocols use information on the locations of sensor nodes to construct clusters efficiently. However, it is rare that all sensor nodes know their positions. In this article, we propose another cluster-based routing protocol for sensor networks. This protocol does not use information concerning the locations of sensor nodes, but uses the remaining energy of sensor networks and the desirable number of cluster heads according to the circumstances of the sensor networks. From performance simulation, we found that the proposed protocol shows better performance than the low-energy adaptive clustering hierarchy (LEACH).
Architecture and Implementation of a First-Generation Iterative Detection Read Channel

This paper explores the architecture of a first-generation iterative detection read channel solution that delivers up to an 8% increase in drive capacity compared to previous generation electronics. Using low density parity check (LDPC) coding, detected data is continually improved by a detection structure that implements multiple iterations through a set of soft-input soft-output (SISO) and message-passing (MP) blocks. A specially constructed LDPC code is used to optimize performance in the presence of inter-symbol interference (ISI). Also, Reed-Solomon error correction coding (ECC) is retained for optimal data integrity. A 65 nm technology is used in the implementation of this design.
Model selection on solid ground: Rigorous comparison of nine ways to evaluate Bayesian model evidence

Bayesian model selection or averaging objectively ranks a number of plausible, competing conceptual models based on Bayes' theorem. It implicitly performs an optimal trade‐off between performance in fitting available data and minimum model complexity. The procedure requires determining Bayesian model evidence (BME), which is the likelihood of the observed data integrated over each model's parameter space. The computation of this integral is highly challenging because it is as high‐dimensional as the number of model parameters. Three classes of techniques to compute BME are available, each with its own challenges and limitations: (1) Exact and fast analytical solutions are limited by strong assumptions. (2) Numerical evaluation quickly becomes unfeasible for expensive models. (3) Approximations known as information criteria (ICs) such as the AIC, BIC, or KIC (Akaike, Bayesian, or Kashyap information criterion, respectively) yield contradicting results with regard to model ranking. Our study features a theory‐based intercomparison of these techniques. We further assess their accuracy in a simplistic synthetic example where for some scenarios an exact analytical solution exists. In more challenging scenarios, we use a brute‐force Monte Carlo integration method as reference. We continue this analysis with a real‐world application of hydrological model selection. This is a first‐time benchmarking of the various methods for BME evaluation against true solutions. Results show that BME values from ICs are often heavily biased and that the choice of approximation method substantially influences the accuracy of model ranking. For reliable model selection, bias‐free numerical methods should be preferred over ICs whenever computationally feasible.
p53 mutation in breast cancer. Correlation with cell kinetics and cell of origin.

AIM Several studies have investigated the expression of the cytokeratins (CKs), vimentin, the epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR), the oestrogen receptor (ER), and the progesterone receptor (PgR), in breast cancer, but no study has directly compared p53 mutations with these phenotypic and differentiation markers in the same case. The present study was designed to provide some of this information. METHODS The expression of the p53 and bcl-2 proteins was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in relation to phenotypic characteristics and cellular kinetic parameters (mitotic index and apoptotic index) in 37 cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and 27 cases of infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC) of the breast. In addition, p53 gene mutation was examined by polymerase chain reaction single strand conformation polymorphism analysis (SSCP). RESULTS Thirteen cases (eight DCIS and five IDC) showed expression of CK8, CK14, CK18, vimentin, and EGFR, consistent with a stem cell phenotype, whereas 44 cases (27 DCIS and 17 IDC) showed expression of CK8 and CK1, weak or negative expression of CK18, but were negative for vimentin and EGFR, consistent with a luminal cell phenotype. DCIS and IDC cases with a stem cell phenotype were ER/PgR negative and intermediately or poorly differentiated. In contrast, the cases with luminal cell phenotype were ER/PgR positive and well or intermediately differentiated. In addition, intermediately or poorly differentiated cases with a stem cell phenotype showed higher proliferative activity (per cent of MIB-l positive cells) than did intermediately or well differentiated cases with a luminal cell phenotype. Both DCIS and IDC cases with a stem cell phenotype were p53 positive and bcl-2 negative by immunohistochemistry. In IDC, p53 expression was associated with a reduction of both mitotic index and apoptotic index compared with DCIS. Most of the tumours showing a more differentiated phenotype (luminal) were p53 negative and bcl-2 positive. In these cases, cell kinetic parameters increased from DCIS to IDC. These data suggest the existence of subsets of DCIS and IDC that, because of their phenotypic characteristics, could be derived from subpopulations of normal breast cells having different control mechanisms of cell proliferation and neoplastic progression. CONCLUSIONS These results are compatible with the hypothesis that the phenotype of the cell of origin constrains both tumour phenotype and the choice of genetic events; however, the occurrence of p53 mutants by chance during neoplastic transformation cannot be excluded.
The effects of nicotine dependency on eye movements elicited by visual smoking cues

Previous research has shown that smokers have attentional biases towards smoking-related cues which are related to craving and the affective and motivational valence of stimuli (Mogg, Bradley, Field & Houwer, 2003). The current study used non-smokers (N=23), low dependent smokers (N=15) and heavily dependent smokers (N=15), to explore the effects of nicotine dependency on attentional biases, as indicated by eye movements (EM), towards smoking related cues. EMs were measured, using an eye tracking device, to smoking related and control cues contained within images when the images were presented simultaneously. The number of fixations, gaze duration and time to first fixation were analysed. The results revealed that smokers with high levels of nicotine dependence showed a significantly greater attentional bias, as indicated by observation length, and attended more, as indicated by fixation count, to smoking-related cues than non-smokers. Moreover, smokers with low levels of nicotine dependence showed an enhanced attentional bias, and attended more to smoking-related cues than non-smokers. This indicates that attentional biases for drug-related cues are functionally related to incentive processes, with severity of nicotine dependence being a positive predictor of such biases.
A Constraint-based Method for Semantic Mapping from Natural Language Questions to OWL

The goal of an on-line ontology-based question-answering system is to automatically derive answers from ontology knowledge bases without demanding additional information or intervention from users. This paper focuses on the problem of automatically mapping the tokens of a question into OWL elements, as an important step towards the further construction of answers. This problem can be essentially viewed as that of question understanding. The basic ideas underlying our method can be stated as follows: first we translate the tokens of a question as well as their syntactical and semantic relations (as in NLP) into constrained question variables and functions, and thereafter, we utilize an optimization-based assigning mechanism to substitute the question variables with the corresponding constructs in OWL knowledge bases. In the paper, we discuss our preliminary studies using the questions collected from, and the knowledge base built at, the International WIC Institute (WICI).
Screening Mammography and Pap Tests Among Older American Women 1996–2000: Results from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and Asset and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old (AHEAD)

BACKGROUND We wanted to determine the frequency of self-reported receipt of screening mammography and Papanicolaou (Pap) tests in older women and investigate important predictors of utilization, based on 2 national longitudinal surveys. METHODS This cohort study includes participants from 4 waves (1994–2000) of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS)—5,942 women aged 50 to 61 years, and 4 waves (1993–2000) of the Asset and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old (AHEAD) survey—4,543 women aged 70 years and older. The self-reported receipt of screening mammograms and Pap smears in the most recent 2 years were reported in 1996 and 2000 for HRS, with predictors of receipt measured in 1994 and 1998. In AHEAD, the self-reported receipt of screening mammograms and Pap smears in the most recent 2 years were reported in 1995 and 2000, with predictors of receipt measured in 1993 and 1998. RESULTS Receipt of mammography is stable at 70% to 80% among women aged 50 to 64 years, then declines to around 40% among those aged 85 to 90 years. For Pap tests there is a decline from 75% among women aged 50 to 54 years to 25% in those aged 85 to 90 years. For both mammography and Pap tests, the rates increased in all groups from 1995/1996 to 2000. Higher education, being married, higher income, not smoking, and vigorous exercise were consistently associated with higher rates of receipt. CONCLUSIONS Although the use of mammography and Pap tests for screening declines into old age, use has been increasing recently. The large and increasing number of tests performed might not be justified given the lack of evidence of effect in older age-groups.
“My head became blank and I couldn’t speak”: Classroom factors that influence English speaking

If English as a foreign language (EFL) learners speak their target language in the classroom, it can help them to develop appropriate communication skills and facilitate their language acquisition ( Goh & Burns, 2012 ). As a result, many Asian governments have tried to implement communicative language teaching (CLT) policies with an emphasis on using English as the medium for learning. However, the results have been mixed, often resulting in failure ( Humphries & Burns, 2015 ). Japan is an example of this trend. Despite numerous CLT policies, classes continue to be conducted in Japanese, and student reticence to speak English is one factor blamed for this phenomenon ( King, 2013 ). In order to explore the complexities that influence students’ capacity to speak (CTS) in English in the classroom, the authors investigated the perceptions of 104 English Department undergraduates using the “narrative frames” approach ( Barkhuizen & Wette, 2008 ). Students were asked to report on the factors that increased and decreased their CTS in high school classrooms. Based on the findings, the authors discuss the following classroom strategies: (a) developing a supportive classroom culture, (b) setting a framework of rules, (c) introducing a variety of activities, and (d) showing empathy and flexibility to students' needs.
Wt1 and Retinoic Acid Signaling in the Subcoelomic Mesenchyme Control the Development of the Pleuropericardial Membranes and the Sinus Horns

Rationale: The cardiac venous pole is a common focus of congenital malformations and atrial arrhythmias, yet little is known about the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate its development. The systemic venous return myocardium (sinus node and sinus horns) forms only late in cardiogenesis from a pool of pericardial mesenchymal precursor cells. Objective: To analyze the cellular and molecular mechanisms directing the formation of the fetal sinus horns. Methods and Results: We analyzed embryos deficient for the Wt1 (Wilms tumor 1) gene and observed a failure to form myocardialized sinus horns. Instead, the cardinal veins become embedded laterally in the pleuropericardial membranes that remain tethered to the lateral body wall by the persisting subcoelomic mesenchyme, a finding that correlates with decreased apoptosis in this region. We show by expression analysis and lineage tracing studies that Wt1 is expressed in the subcoelomic mesenchyme surrounding the cardinal veins, but that this Wt1-positive mesenchyme does not contribute cells to the sinus horn myocardium. Expression of the Raldh2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase family 1, subfamily A2) gene was lost from this mesenchyme in Wt1−/− embryos. Phenotypic analysis of Raldh2 mutant mice rescued from early cardiac defects by retinoic acid food supply revealed defects of the venous pole and pericardium highly similar to those of Wt1−/− mice. Conclusions: Pericardium and sinus horn formation are coupled and depend on the expansion and correct temporal release of pleuropericardial membranes from the underlying subcoelomic mesenchyme. Wt1 and downstream Raldh2/retinoic acid signaling are crucial regulators of this process. Thus, our results provide novel insight into the genetic and cellular pathways regulating the posterior extension of the mammalian heart and the formation of its coelomic lining.
In vitro sodium nitroprusside‐mediated toxicity towards Leishmania amazonensis promastigotes and axenic amastigotes

Leishmania parasites survive despite exposure to the toxic nitrosative oxidants during phagocytosis by the host cell. In this work, the authors investigated comparatively the resistance of Leishmania amazonensis promastigotes and axenic amastigotes to a relatively strong nitrosating agent that acts as a nitric oxide (NO) donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP). Results demonstrate that SNP is able to decrease, in vitro, the number of L. amazonensis promastigotes and axenic amastigotes in a dose‐dependent maner. Promastigotes, cultured in the presence of 0.25, 0.5, and 1 mmol L−1 SNP for 24 h showed about 75% growth inhibition, and 97–100% when the cultures were treated with >2 mmol L−1 SNP. In contrast, when axenic amastigotes were growing in the presence of 0.25–8 mM SNP added to the culture medium, 50% was the maximum of growth inhibition observed. Treated promastigotes presented reduced motility and became round in shape further confirming the leishmanicidal activity of SNP. On the other hand, axenic amastigotes, besides being much more resistant to SNP‐mediated cytotoxicity, did not show marked morphological alteration when incubated for 24 h, until 8 mM concentrations of this nitrosating agent were used. The cytotoxicity toward L. amazonensis was attenuated by reduced glutathione (GSH), supporting the view that SNP‐mediated toxicity triggered multiple oxidative mechanisms, including oxidation of thiols groups and metal‐independent oxidation of biomolecules to free radical intermediates. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
BSAFER: A Web-Based Intervention for Drug use and Intimate Partner Violence Demonstrates Feasibility and Acceptability among Women in the Emergency Department

Background: Addressing violence along with drug use change goals is critical for women with coexisting intimate partner violence (IPV) and substance use disorders (SUDs). Methods: This was an acceptability and feasibility study of BSAFER, a brief Web-based program and booster phone call addressing violence and drug use. A screening survey identified women with recent drug use and IPV in the emergency department (ED). Participants were randomized to BSAFER or a Web-based control program and booster call providing education about home fire safety. Program completion, usability, satisfaction, and motivational interviewing (MI) adherence were primary outcomes. Drug use and IPV outcomes were measured at baseline, 1 month, and 3 months. Results: Forty women were enrolled (21 BSAFER, 19 control); 50% were nonwhite and mean age was 30 years. The most commonly used drugs were marijuana (88%) and cocaine (30%); 45% reported physical abuse, and 33% reported severe combined physical and sexual abuse. Thirty-nine (98%) completed the Web program, 30 (75%) completed the booster, and 29 (73%) completed the 3-month follow-up. Mean System Usability Scale (SUS) for the BSAFER Web program was 84 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 78–89) of 100; mean Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8) was 28 (95% CI: 26–29) of 32. MI adherence scores were high and similar for both the Web program and the booster. Both intervention and control groups had small mean decreases in weekly drug use days (0.7 vs. 1.5 days); participants using drugs other than marijuana demonstrated greater average reductions in drug use than those using marijuana only. Conclusions: An ED Web-based intervention for SUDs and IPV in women demonstrated feasibility and acceptability. Future studies will examine efficacy of the BSAFER program and investigate whether specific subgroups of drug using women may be most responsive to ED-based Web interventions.
On quantifying changes in temporally evolving dataset

In this paper, we present a general framework to quantify changes in temporally evolving data. We focus on changes that materialize due to evolution and interactions of features extracted from the data. The changes are captured by the following key transformations: create, merge, split, continue, and cease. First, we identify various factors which influence the importance of each transformation. These factors are then combined using a weight vector. The weight vector encapsulates domain knowledge. We evaluate our algorithm using the following datasets: DBLP, IMDB, Text and Scientific Dataset.
Inducing Functionally Grounded Constraints

Phonologists have been long concerned with finding phonetic properties which allow phonological patterns to be seen as ‘natural’ or ‘grounded’ (e.g. Stampe (1973), Hooper [Bybee] (1976), Ohala (1990), Archangeli and Pulleyblank (1994)). With the advent of Optimality Theory(Prince and Smolensky, 1993/2004), this often takes the form of identifying functional grounding for specific OT constraints (e.g. Hayes (1999), Smith (2002), Steriade (1999; 2001), and papers in Hayes et al. (eds.) (2004)).
Running head : INTERVAL TRAINING WITH ASTROJUMPER 1 Supporting an Interval Training Program with the Astrojumper Video Game

We have previously developed Astrojumper, an exercise video game with a space theme that uses the Microsoft Kinect to support full-body exertion play. In this paper, we present the design and evaluation of Astrojumper-Intervals, a new version of our Astrojumper exergame, that explores methods of improving upon the previous game in both aspects of enjoyment and exercise effectiveness. We also investigate how interval training, an established exercise technique used to increase the efficiency of time spent exercising, may be incorporated within a video game. A user study of 34 adult participants compared Astrojumper-Intervals with the original Astrojumper game in terms of exercise effectiveness, measured using heart rate, energy expenditure, and ratings of perceived exertion; and game enjoyment, measured with Likert scale ratings and qualitative feedback. We found that Astrojumper-Intervals elicited statistically significantly greater energy expenditure and heart rate increases than the original game. Also, despite participants’ wide variety of exercise motivations and opinions of games as exercise tools, the overall response to our game was very positive, with 27 of 34 participants preferring the new Astrojumper-Intervals game.
Electrophysiological correlates of alcohol- and non-alcohol-related stimuli processing in binge drinkers: A follow-up study

Background: The continuation of binge drinking is associated with the development of neurocognitive brain abnormalities similar to those observed in patients with alcohol dependence. Alcohol cue reactivity constitutes a risk marker for alcohol dependence. Through event-related potentials (ERPs), we aimed to examine its potential presence as well as its evolution over time in binge drinkers in a one-year period. Methods: ERPs were recorded during a visual oddball task in which controls (n=15) and binge drinkers (n=15) had to detect infrequent deviant stimuli (related or unrelated to alcohol) among frequent standard stimuli. The test was performed twice with a one-year interval in order to explore the long-lasting influence of drinking habits. Results: Contrary to the controls, binge drinkers showed significantly reduced amplitudes of the P1 component for both alcohol and non-alcohol-related cues and of the P3 component only for neutral cues in the second assessment compared with the first. Conclusion: The continuation of binge drinking over one year is associated with the development of brain functional abnormalities (indexed by the P1 component) as well as a higher reactivity to alcohol-related stimuli and/or a decreased reactivity to non-alcohol-related stimuli (indexed by the P3 component).
Reduced Amygdala and Ventral Striatal Activity to Happy Faces in PTSD Is Associated with Emotional Numbing

There has been a growing recognition of the importance of reward processing in PTSD, yet little is known of the underlying neural networks. This study tested the predictions that (1) individuals with PTSD would display reduced responses to happy facial expressions in ventral striatal reward networks, and (2) that this reduction would be associated with emotional numbing symptoms. 23 treatment-seeking patients with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder were recruited from the treatment clinic at the Centre for Traumatic Stress Studies, Westmead Hospital, and 20 trauma-exposed controls were recruited from a community sample. We examined functional magnetic resonance imaging responses during the presentation of happy and neutral facial expressions in a passive viewing task. PTSD participants rated happy facial expression as less intense than trauma-exposed controls. Relative to controls, PTSD participants revealed lower activation to happy (-neutral) faces in ventral striatum and and a trend for reduced activation in left amygdala. A significant negative correlation was found between emotional numbing symptoms in PTSD and right ventral striatal regions after controlling for depression, anxiety and PTSD severity. This study provides initial evidence that individuals with PTSD have lower reactivity to happy facial expressions, and that lower activation in ventral striatal-limbic reward networks may be associated with symptoms of emotional numbing.