Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Teaching Networks in the Cloud

The Web is populated by a growing number of services that provide access to remote IT resources: they are collectively addressed as the Cloud. Such incoherent and expanding number of services is investigated to find those that can help the task of teaching, focusing on a challenging case study for which I have a direct experience: a couobrse in computer networks with the purpose of giving the students a hands-on experience using production-grade techniques. The outcome of the case study is that on-line services can complement traditional frontal lectures, to enrich the communication between the teacher and the student, and to improve the learning experience. This is a hint for teachers, and characterizes a potential market for developers and providers.
People with Purpose : How Great Leaders Use Purpose to Build Thriving Organizations Ed. 1

This book is about how great leaders can make purpose the beating heart of their organization and use it to power performance. Leaders who communicate a defined mission, alongside clear and genuine values, allow their employees to feel a sense of purpose in their roles and embody their company's vision. This inspires engagement, loyalty and higher performance. People with Purpose brings together a wide range of compelling research into how having a clearly defined purpose as part of business strategy is a vital element in business success, longevity and inspired teams. People with Purpose shows leaders how to create a valuable framework that integrates purpose, values and goals on a single page in order to articulate their organization's unique vision to employees and stakeholders. Kevin Murray interviews top CEOs who have used purpose to transform performance, motivate their people, develop organizational resilience and deliver results - often from the very edge of disaster. These leaders share how they have articulated their purpose, their values and their goals. People with Purpose also looks at the work of neuroscientists, brings together the evidence from around the world that proves purpose powers performance, and shows why purpose matters more in a digitally connected and transparent world. More than 30 case studies are explored from exclusive interviews with leaders from a range of organizations, including Odeon and UCI Cinemas, Healthcare at Home, Yodel, Monarch Airlines, Moss Bros and Virgin Atlantic.
Virtualization of government‐to‐citizen engagement process: Enablers and constraints

The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that constrain or enable process virtualization in a government‐to‐citizen engagement process. Past research has established that most e‐government projects, especially in developing countries, are regarded as total failure or partial failure. Citizens' unwillingness to use government electronic services and lack of awareness are among some of the reasons why these electronic services fail. Using the process virtualization theory (PVT) as theoretical lens, the authors investigated the various activities within the driver license acquisition process at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority. The PVT helped in identifying factors which enable or inhibit the virtualization of the driver license acquisition process in Ghana. Based on a survey data of 317 participants, we report that process characteristics in the form of relationship requirements affect citizens' willingness toward the use of government virtualized processes. Situating the PVT within a developing country context, our findings reveal that some cultural and behavioral attributes such as socialization hinder the virtualization of some activities within the driver licensing process.
Different Antidiabetic Regimens and the Development of Renal Dysfunction in US Veterans With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate the development of renal dysfunction in veterans with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) treated with different antidiabetic regimens. Methods A retrospective cohort study involving 1715 patients with T2DM and baseline serum creatinine (SCr) of 1.5 mg/dL or lesser. The development of renal dysfunction, defined as 0.5 mg/dL or greater increase from baseline SCr during 4.8 years of follow-up with monotherapy metformin (M), 2 combination therapy groups: metformin + insulin (MI) and metformin + sulfonylurea (MS) users were compared with changes observed in sulfonylurea monotherapy users (S). Results Both MI and MS groups had higher mean baseline hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) (9.0 and 8.6%, respectively) and higher rates of baseline macroalbuminuria (17.3 and 12.1%, respectively) as compared with M and S groups (mean HbA1C7.7% in both groups, and proteinuria M-5.1% and S-7.4%). In unadjusted analysis, the development of renal dysfunction was more frequent in MI and MS but not in M group as compared with sulfonylurea monotherapy (unadjusted HRs and [95% confidence interval (CI), 2.1[1.4–3.0], 1.4[1.1–1.9], and 1.0[0.6–1.7], respectively). However, differences in the development of renal dysfunction were not significant between the 4 groups after adjusting for baseline variables. Baseline macroalbuminuria was a strong predictor of Scr elevation of 0.5 mg/dL or greater during follow-up (adjusted HR, 3.1[1.9–4.7]). Unexpectedly, baseline use of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockers was also associated with the development of renal dysfunction (adjusted HR, 1.9[1.3–2.8]). Conclusions In this retrospective cohort study involving US predominantly male veterans with T2DM, baseline macroalbuminuria and use of RAAS blockers were associated with increased risk of development of renal dysfunction, whereas different antidiabetic regimens were not.
Exploring the Health Belief Model and first-year students’ responses to HIV/AIDS and VCT at a South African university

The Health Belief Model (HBM) is a psychosocial framework that attempts to explain health behaviour. It is determined by an individual's personal beliefs or perceptions about a disease and the options available to decrease its occurrence. In the context of sexual risk behaviours, literature reveals that knowledge about HIV/AIDS and Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) are key strategies in the management and prevention of HIV. This study was conducted in 2011, the same year the First Things First campaign was implemented in universities across South Africa to maximise opportunities for HIV testing among youth. It aimed to identify first-year students’ responses to HIV/AIDS and VCT at the University of the Witwatersrand (WITS). The mixed research methods consisted of self-administered structured questionnaires with a sample population of 195 first-year students and 2 in-depth interviews with experts in the field of HIV/AIDS. Descriptive statistical analyses (frequencies and cross-tabulations) and thematic content analysis was carried out. The findings indicate that students are willing to know their status. The positive influence of peers is a motivation for those accessing VCT. However, some students do not access VCT due to personal fears while other students do not access VCT because of their low individual risk perception for HIV due to sexual abstinence. It concludes that university students’ self-efficacy and cues to action might bring about a positive change in the future of the epidemic within a university context.
The study on value co-creation behaviour of shared bicycle users

In the past few years, shared bicycles without piles developed so fast, they also experienced problems such as unregulated bicycle parking and unrepaired damaged bicycles. This article’s study about users’ consciously participating in the reporting damaged or illegal vehicles, encourages shared bicycle users’ value co-creation behaviours, and strengthens the interaction between companies and users. This paper uses the combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to analyse the reliability and validity of the collected questionnaires, and uses the structural equation model to test the relevant hypotheses. It draws the conclusion that sense of responsibility, sense of accomplishment, expected revenue, peer acceptance, and self-efficacy have positive impacts on the value co-creation behaviour of shared bicycle users. The value creation behaviour of users has a positive impact on process satisfaction and result satisfaction.
Validity and reliability of a questionnaire developed to explore nutrition determinants among construction workers in Gauteng, South Africa

Objectives: The nutrition of construction workers is related to their health and safety (H&S) at work. Research on the factors influencing construction workers’ food choices and overall nutrition is limited, in South Africa and indeed Africa as a whole. The present paper aims to develop and validate a questionnaire on factors influencing construction workers’ food choices. Design: The study adopted a quantitative approach; 42 items, divided into six constructs, were used to develop a field-survey questionnaire after a detailed literature review. Setting: The study was conducted on eight construction sites (consisting of five building construction and three road construction sites), chosen through heterogeneity sampling, in Midrand, Centurion, Johannesburg and Samrand. Subjects: Participants included construction workers actively involved in site activities. Outcome measures: Principal components analysis (PCA) was conducted to examine the structures and validity of the constructs. Cronbach’s alpha test and mean inter-item correlations were used to examine internal consistency reliability. Results: After repeated factor analysis, the questionnaire on food-choice factors revealed seven different factors: food context, biological factors, nutritional knowledge, personal ideas and systems, economic factors, resources and cultural background. These factors explained 60.09% variance. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranged from 0.62 to 0.85, signifying good internal consistency reliability. Conclusion: The determinants of construction workers’ food choices are vital considerations when designing and implementing nutrition interventions in the South African construction industry. Future research can adopt the instrument and developed model when conducting psychometric evaluations of construction workers’ food-choice determinants.
The Success Factor ProrIle© for Clinical Computer Innovation

Fifty to seventy percent of information system projects fail. Most of the failures are not the victims of flawed technology, but rather organizational and people related issues. When Vanderbilt University Medical Center began an intensive electronic health record (EHR) effort, a process was carefully designed to select the clinical areas where new tools could be developed and pilot tested. The Success Factor Profile was created to guide the selection of sites most likely to have innovation success. This paper describes both the tools and the processes used to select clinical sites for new computer tools development and pilot implementation. Early results demonstrated that the tools provided structure for the decision making process, permitting side-by-side comparison of "apples and oranges. " Selecting the site most likely to succeed with computer application innovation and early implementation has broad applicability in healthcare informatics. Failure to succeed with early system users is not only costly, but also discourages users and developers alike, and may damage the reputation of the tools and systems across the institution.
Finitary codes for biinfinite words

Le decodage ou la factorisation unique de mots biinfinis a l'aide d'un langage finitaire conduit a definir deux notions differentes de code finitaire pour les mots biinfinis selon la definition des factorisations. Nous appelons ces codes biω-codes et Z-codes. Ces codes sont respectivement proches des codes precirculaires et des codes circulaires. La notion de biω-code, moins restrictive, semble mieux appropriee aux mots biinfinis. On peut en effet la caracteriser a l'aide de morphismes de codage comme le sont les codes usuels et les codes pour les mots infinis
Multiple roles of FOXJ3 in spermatogenesis: A lesson from Foxj3 conditional knockout mouse models

The transcription factor FOXJ3 (Forkhead box J3) is highly expressed in spermatogonia and meiotic spermatocytes within mouse testes. Here, we addressed how FOXJ3 might participate in spermatogenesis using two conditional knockout mouse models in which Foxj3 was deleted from either spermatogonia or meiotic spermatocytes. Both models exhibited complete male sterility, but distinct etiologies: Deleting FOXJ3 from spermatogonia using Foxj3flox/flox, Mvh‐Cre mice caused Sertoli‐cell‐only syndrome in males. Foxj3‐deficient spermatogonia were lost as early as postnatal Day 4, partially due to the accumulation of DNA double‐stranded breaks. In contrast, loss of FOXJ3 in spermatocytes using Foxj3flox/flox, Stra8‐Cre mice led to meiotic arrest. Indeed, the mRNA abundance of meiotic arrest‐related proteins (Rad51, Dmc1, Brca1, Brca2, Brit1, Eif4g3, Hop2, Hormad1, and Rnf212) was significantly reduced in Foxj3flox/flox, Stra8‐Cre spermatocytes. Thus, we conclude that FOXJ3 is required for the survival of spermatogonia and participates in spermatocyte meiosis. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 83: 1060–1069, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
CCR5 antagonism in HIV infection: ways, effects, and side effects

New drugs are needed to improve the convenience of anti-HIV therapy, to reduce its toxicity, and to enhance its activity against both wild-type and resistant viral strains. A number of promising compounds are in development both in already existing classes (reverse transcriptase, protease, and fusion inhibitors) and in new classes (integrase inhibitors). Yet, the identification of drugs that exploit new targets in HIV life cycle remains an important therapeutic objective. The discovery that the C-C chemokine receptor CCR5 is the main coreceptor for HIV-1 [1–5], in addition to the CD4 receptor, has opened new therapeutic possibilities. Thus, the first CCR5 inhibitor, maraviroc, has been approved for use in HIV-infected individuals in 2007. In this article, we will briefly review the biology of CCR5, discuss the virological and immunological consequences of blocking CCR5, and present alternative strategies to neutralize this coreceptor.
Four Carbapenem-Resistant Gram-Negative Species Carrying Distinct Carbapenemases in a Single Patient

ABSTRACT Carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter aerogenes, and Acinetobacter baumannii were isolated from a single patient, each producing different carbapenemases (NDM-1, KPC-2, IMP, and OXA-23, respectively). The NDM-1-producing E. coli strain was preceded by a clonally related carbapenem-susceptible strain a month earlier, suggesting in vivo acquisition of bla NDM-1.
Precoder Design With Incomplete Feedback for Joint Transmission

A centralized coordinated multipoint downlink joint transmission in a frequency division duplex system requires channel state information (CSI) to be fed back from the cell-edge users to their serving BS, and aggregated at the central coordination node for precoding, so that interference can be mitigated. The control signals comprising of CSI and the precoding weights can easily overwhelm the backhaul resources. Relative thresholding has been proposed to alleviate the burden; however, this is at the cost of reduction in throughput. In this paper, we propose utilizing the long-term channel statistics comprising of pathloss and shadow fading in the precoder design to model the statistical interference for the unknown CSI. In this regard, a successive second-order cone programming (SSOCP)-based precoder for maximizing the weighted sum rate is proposed. The accuracy of the solution obtained is bounded with the branch and bound technique. An alternative optimization framework via weighted mean square error minimization is also derived. Both these approaches provide an efficient solution close to the optimal, and also achieve efficient backhauling, in a sense that the precoding weights are generated only for the active links. For comparison, a stochastic approach based on particle swarm optimization is also considered.
Regularizing Image Reconstruction for Gradient‐Domain Rendering with Feature Patches

We present a novel algorithm to reconstruct high‐quality images from sampled pixels and gradients in gradient‐domain Rendering. Our approach extends screened Poisson reconstruction by adding additional regularization constraints. Our key idea is to exploit local patches in feature images, which contain per‐pixels normals, textures, position, etc., to formulate these constraints. We describe a GPU implementation of our approach that runs on the order of seconds on megapixel images. We demonstrate a significant improvement in image quality over screened Poisson reconstruction under the L1 norm. Because we adapt the regularization constraints to the noise level in the input, our algorithm is consistent and converges to the ground truth.
Transmission Through Layered Media With Rough Boundaries: First-Order Perturbative Solution

We investigate analytically the fully polarimetric electromagnetic wave propagation through a 3-D layered structure. In the framework of the first-order limit of the perturbation theory, a transmission model for a layered structure with an arbitrary number of rough interfaces is developed and an elegant closed-form solution is obtained. The final expressions, in terms of generalized reflection/transmission coefficients, provide parametrically a direct characterization of the scattering properties of the layered structure in terms of the structure's (geometric and electromagnetic) parameters. In addition, we point out the complementary character of the obtained scattering solution with respect to the existing one. Finally, we demonstrate that our solution satisfies the reciprocity principle.
Tunisian Extra Virgin Olive Oil Traceability in the EEC Market: Tunisian/Italian (Coratina) EVOOs Blend as a Case Study

In order to check the reliability of an NMR-based metabolomic approach to evaluating blend composition (and declaration), a series of 81 Italian/Tunisian blends samples at different percentage composition (from 10/90 to 90/10% Coratina/Tunisian oil by 10% increase step) were prepared starting from five Coratina (Apulia) and five Tunisian extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) batches. Moreover, a series of nine binary mixtures blend oils were obtained, starting from the two batches’ oil sums. The models built showed the linear relationship between the NMR signals and the percentage composition of the blends. In particular, a high correlation with the percentage composition of blends was obtained from the partial least squares (PLS) regression model, when the two batches oil sums were used for the binary mixtures of blend samples. These proposed methods suggest that a multivariate analysis (MVA)-based NMR approach—in particular PLS regression (PLSR)—could be a very useful tool (including for trading purposes) to assess quantitative blend composition. This is important for the sustainability of the goods’ free movement, especially in the agrifood sector. This cornerstone policy of current common markets is also clearly linked to the availability of methods for certifying the origin of the foodstuffs and their use in the assembly of final product for the consumer.
CB1‐receptor knockout neonatal mice are protected against ethanol‐induced impairments of DNMT1, DNMT3A, and DNA methylation

The significant consequences of ethanol use during pregnancy are neurobehavioral abnormalities involving hippocampal and neocortex malfunctions that cause learning and memory deficits collectively named fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these abnormalities are still poorly understood and therefore warrant systematic research. Here, we document novel epigenetic abnormalities in the mouse model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Ethanol treatment of P7 mice, which induces activation of caspase 3, impaired DNA methylation through reduced DNA methyltransferases (DNMT1 and DNMT3A) levels. Inhibition of caspase 3 activity, before ethanol treatment, rescued DNMT1, DNMT3A proteins as well as DNA methylation levels. Blockade of histone methyltransferase (G9a) activity or cannabinoid receptor type‐1 (CB1R), prior to ethanol treatment, which, respectively, inhibits or prevents activation of caspase 3, rescued the DNMT1 and DNMT3A proteins and DNA methylation. No reduction of DNMT1 and DNMT3A proteins and DNA methylation was found in P7 CB1R null mice, which exhibit no ethanol‐induced activation of caspase 3. Together, these data demonstrate that ethanol‐induced activation of caspase 3 impairs DNA methylation through DNMT1 and DNMT3A in the neonatal mouse brain, and such impairments are absent in CB1R null mice. Epigenetic events mediated by DNA methylation may be one of the essential mechanisms of ethanol teratogenesis.
PREVALENCE OF CIGARETTE SMOKING AMONG RURAL ADOLESCENTS IN THE UNITED STATES

Results are reported from a national U.S. study of cigarette smoking carried out from 1996 to 2000 involving 68,270 adolescents. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to model smoking as a function of grade, gender, region, and community size (rurality). Significant effects were found for rurality, region, grade, and gender. The highest levels of smoking were found for rural adolescents, and adolescents living in the South. Males smoked more than females in all regions except the West, where the reverse was true. Given that rural adolescents smoke more “heavily” than do their nonrural peers, researchers must devote more attention to understanding the factors that underlie smoking initiation in rural youth. [Translations are provided in the International Abstracts Section of this issue. ]
Algorithm for Reconstruction of 3 D Images of Nanorice Particles from Diffraction Patterns of Two Particles in Independent Random Orientations with an X-ray Laser

The method of angular correlations recovers quantities from diffraction patterns of randomly oriented particles, as expected to be measured with an X-ray free electron laser (XFEL), proportional to quadratic functions of the spherical harmonic expansion coefficients of the diffraction volume of a single particle. We have previously shown that it is possible to reconstruct a randomly oriented icosahedral or helical virus from the average over all measured diffraction patterns of such correlations. We point out in this paper that a structure of even simpler particles of 50 Å or so in diameter and consisting of heavier atomic elements (to enhance scattering) that has been used as a test case for reconstructions from XFEL diffraction patterns can also be solved by this technique. Even though there has been earlier work on similar objects (prolate spheroids), one advantage of the present technique is its potential to also work with diffraction patterns not only due to single particles as has been suggested on the basis on nonoverlapping delta functions of angular scattering. Accordingly, we calculated from the diffraction patterns the angular momentum expansions of the pair correlations and triple correlations for general particle images and reconstructed those images in the standard way. Although the images looked pretty much the same, it is not totally clear to us that the angular correlations are exactly the same as different numbers of particles due to the possibility of constructive or destructive interference between the scattered waves from different particles. It is of course known that, for a large number of particles contributing to a diffraction parttern, the correlations converge to that of a single particle. It could be that the lack of perfect agreement between the images reconstructed with one and two particles is due to uncancelling constructive and destructive conditions that are not found in the case of solution scattering.