Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The NS Manual (Formerly NS Notes and Documentation

ns c is LBNL’s Network Simulator [20]. The simulator is written in C++; it uses OTcl a s command and configuration interface.nsv2 has three substantial changes from nsv1: (1) the more complex objects in nsv1 have been decomposed into simpler components for greater flexibility and composabili ty; (2) the configuration interface is now OTcl, an object ori ented version of Tcl; and (3) the interface code to the OTcl interpr te is separate from the main simulator. Ns documentation is available in html, Postscript, and PDF f ormats. Seehttp://www.isi. edu/nsnam/ns/ns-documentation. html for pointers to these.
Inventory control under a probabilistic time-varying, demand pattern

Abstract In this paper we deal with an important, practical problem, namely how to determine the timing and the sizes of the replenishments of an item having probabilistic demand with an average value that varies significantly with time. We provide a heuristic approach to resolving this complex problem; this approach permits sequential answers to the following questions: i) is it time to order? ii) how long a period should the replenishment be expected to cover? iii) how large should the replenishment be?
Widespread outbreak of norovirus gastroenteritis among evacuees of Hurricane Katrina residing in a large "megashelter" in Houston, Texas: lessons learned for prevention.

BACKGROUND After Hurricane Katrina, an estimated 200,000 persons were evacuated to the Houston metropolitan area, >27,000 of whom were housed in 1 large "megashelter," the Reliant Park Complex. We investigated an outbreak of gastroenteritis reported among the evacuees who resided in the Reliant Park Complex to assess the spread of the infectious agent, norovirus, and to implement and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions used for control. METHODS Public health authorities conducted surveillance of gastroenteritis among evacuees treated at the Reliant Park Medical Clinic during 2-12 September 2005. Basic demographic and clinical data were recorded. Specimens of stool and vomitus were collected and tested for bacteria, parasites, and viruses. Shelter census data were used to estimate the daily incidence of disease. RESULTS During a period of 11 days, >1000 patients were treated at the clinic for gastroenteritis, which accounted for 17% of all clinic visits. Norovirus was the sole enteric pathogen identified, but multiple different strains were involved. Among the evacuees residing in the Reliant Park Complex, the incidence of gastroenteritis was estimated to be 4.6 visits per 1000 persons per day, and among the evacuees who resided there for 9 days, 1 (4%) of 24 persons would have been ill. Intensive public health measures were promptly instituted but did not definitively slow the progression of the outbreak of norovirus gastroenteritis. CONCLUSIONS Our investigation underscores the difficulties in managing such outbreaks in crowded settings and the need for rapid, sensitive laboratory assays to detect norovirus. Additional research is needed to establish more effective measures to control and prevent this highly contagious gastrointestinal illness.
Low-Complexity Wideband Transmit Array using Variable-Precision 2-D Sparse FIR Digital Filters

A low-complexity wideband transmit beamformer is proposed using a digitally-fed uniform linear array of broadband Vivaldi antennas operating in the S-band. The proposed transmit beamformer employs a novel DSP feeding network based on a transmit-mode 2-D sparse finite-extent impulse response (FIR) filter having a planar passband in the 2-D frequency-wavenumber space. Electronic beam steering is achieved by changing the filter coefficients defined in closed-form and hard-thresholding (HT) is employed to obtain a sparse 2-D impulse responses of the filter. Full-wave electromagnetic simulations are used to obtain the far-field beam patterns produced by the 2-D sparse FIR filter in the frequency range 2–2.8 GHz for wideband signals with 33% fractional bandwidth. Computational complexity, beam directionality and side-lobe performance are investigated with varying HT along with quantitative comparisons with an equally selective wideband frequency-domain phased array.
Patterns of Psychosocial Adaptation and Allergic Disorders in Korean Schoolchildren

Background: To date, there is little evidence to support an association between symptoms of pediatric allergic disorders and psychosocial factors in the general population, particularly in Asian countries. The current study aims to investigate the relationship between psychosocial factors and symptoms of allergic disorders and to investigate the association between behavior problems and biomarkers of atopy. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of parental responses to the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire and the Korean version of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was conducted from one elementary school in Seoul, Korea. Skin prick tests for 18 major allergens were also performed. Results: A total of 780 children with valid CBCL surveys were included in the study. Externalizing problems were significantly larger in children with asthmatic symptoms, while internalizing problems were significantly larger in children with symptoms of both asthma and allergic rhinitis. Social adaptations were significantly lower in children with symptoms of allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis. Boys with more positive allergens via the skin prick tests showed larger internalizing problems. Conclusions: While school children with allergic symptoms have been reported to have more difficulties with psychosocial adaptation, the patterns of psychosocial problems varied somewhat according to the types of atopic disorder. There was a positive relationship between atopy and behavior problems, especially in boys.
Comparing two observational systems in the assessment of knee pain.

OBJECTIVE Research has demonstrated the utility of the Pain Behavior Measurement (PBM) system as a pain index. PBM involves the recording of sighing, rubbing, grimacing, guarding and bracing. A modification of this system has been proposed, focusing on the occurrence of joint flexing, rubbing, unloading the joint, guarding and rigidity, specifically for patients with knee pain. The aim of the present study was to compare the original PBM to the modified version in a sample of knee replacement patients to assess the utility of the more specialized approach. It was expected that the more discomforting physiotherapy activities (knee bending and quadriceps exercises) would result in more pain behaviours than intermediate activities (walking and standing), which, in turn, would result in more pain behaviours than reclining. The extent to which each system reflected this expected pattern was examined. METHODS Ninety-three seniors were observed while completing a series of structured post-knee surgery physiotherapy activities (knee bending, standing, walking, reclining and a quadriceps exercise). RESULTS Analyses of self-reported levels of pain were consistent with the expected pattern of pain levels in relation to the physiotherapy activities. Specific pain behaviours within each system (eg, grimacing, rigidity) occurred in a manner consistent with the expected pattern, while other behaviours (e.g., rubbing the affected area) did not. CONCLUSIONS Although there was no clear advantage for the modified system over the PBM, an optimal approach may involve combining specific behaviours from each system.
An Adenovirus–Epstein-Barr Virus Hybrid Vector That Stably Transforms Cultured Cells with High Efficiency

ABSTRACT EBV episomes are nuclear plasmids that are stably maintained through multiple cell divisions in primate and canine cells (J. L. Yates, N. Warren, and B. Sugden, Nature 313:812–815, 1985). In this report, we describe the construction and characterization of an E1-deleted recombinant adenovirus vector system that delivers an EBV episome to infected cells. This adenovirus-EBV hybrid vector system utilizes Cre-mediated, site-specific recombination to excise an EBV episome from a target recombinant adenovirus genome. We demonstrate that this vector system efficiently delivers the EBV episome and stably transforms a large fraction of infected canine D-17 cells. Using a colony-forming assay, we demonstrate stable transformation of 37% of cells that survive the infection. However, maximal transformation efficiency is achieved at doses of the E1-deleted recombinant adenoviruses that are toxic to the infected cells. Consequently, E1-deleted vector toxicity imposes a limitation on our current vector system.
Purification, characterization, and localization of a protein antigen shared by thermophilic campylobacters

A protein antigen with an apparent molecular weight (Mr) of 31,000 was isolated from 0.2 M glycine hydrochloride (pH 2.2) extracts of a typical human fecal isolate, Campylobacter jejuni VC74. The protein was purified to homogeneity on a preparative scale by immunoaffinity chromatography followed by molecular sieving with a Superose 12 column. Isoelectric focusing under nondenaturing conditions indicated a pI of 9.3, and amino acid composition analysis showed that the protein was unusually rich in lysine, containing 14.9 mol% of this basic amino acid. Cysteine and tryptophan were absent. The protein also contained approximately 35% hydrophobic amino acid residues, and N-terminal amino acid analysis showed that 17 of the first 38 residues were hydrophobic. This amino-terminal sequence to residue 22 was virtually identical to that of an antigenically cross-reactive 31,000-Mr protein isolated from another C. jejuni strain belonging to a different heat-labile serogroup. Western blotting (immunoblotting) of glycine extracts of other C. jejuni, Campylobacter coli, and Campylobacter laridis strains belonging to different thermolabile and thermostable serotypes, as well as Campylobacter fetus, with a rabbit polyclonal antiserum raised against the purified C. jejuni VC74 protein showed that all C. jejuni, C. coli, and C. laridis strains tested contained a 31,000-Mr protein with epitopes which were antigenically cross-reactive with the C. jejuni VC74 protein. The antigenically cross-reactive epitopes of this protein were also readily detected by immunodot blot assay of glycine extracts of C. jejuni, C. coli, and C. laridis with monospecific polyclonal antisera to the 31,000-Mr protein, suggesting that this serological test could be a useful addition to those currently employed in the rapid identification of these important pathogens. Slide agglutination reactions, immunofluorescence assay, and immunogold electron microscopy with antisera to purified 31,000-Mr protein and trypsin treatment of whole cells indicated that the cross-reactive epitopes of the 31,000-Mr protein were not exposed on the cell surface. Cell fractionation analysis and immunogold electron microscopy located the protein on the outer surface of the cytoplasmic membrane. This finding suggests that the 31,000-Mr protein is not a good candidate for inclusion in a monovalent subunit Campylobacter vaccine.
Migration of cells from human anterior cruciate ligament explants into collagen‐glycosaminoglycan scaffolds

Regeneration of the human anterior cruciate ligament after complete rupture offers several theoretical advantages over reconstruction, including maintenance of the complex insertion sites and fan‐shape of the ligament and preservation of remaining proprioceptive fibers within the ligament substance. Well vascularized connective tissues, such as dermis, heal as a result of migration of fibroblasts into a provisional scaffold, the fibrin clot. Wound closure is subsequently facilitated by a contractile cell phenotype. This study was designed to determine if fibroblasts intrinsic to the human anterior cruciate ligament were capable of migrating from their native extracellular matrix onto an adjacent provisional scaffold in vitro. Another objective was to determine whether any of the cells that successfully migrated into the scaffold expressed the contractile actin isoform, α‐smooth muscle actin, associated with wound contraction in other tissues. The results demonstrated that the cells intrinsic to the human anterior cruciate ligament were able to migrate into a collagen‐glycosaminoglycan scaffold, bridging a gap between transected fascicles in vitro. As a result of this cell migration and proliferation, areas in the scaffold contained cell number densities similar to those seen in the human anterior cruciate ligament in vivo. No extracellular matrix or tissue formation was seen in the gap between directly apposed transected ends of the anterior cruciate ligament explants cultured without an interposed collagen‐glycosaminoglycan scaffold. The fascicle‐collagen‐glycosaminoglycan‐fascicle constructs and the fascicle‐fascicle explants displayed minimal adherence after 6 weeks in culture. Any disruption in the contact area between explant and scaffold, even as small a gap as 50 μm, prevented cell migration from the explant to the collagen‐glycosaminoglycan scaffold at the area of loss of contact. All cells that migrated into the scaffold at early time periods expressed the α‐smooth muscle actin isoform. These results demonstrate that cells that migrate into and proliferate within the collagen‐glycosaminoglycan matrix have contractile potential as reflected in their expression of the α‐smooth muscle actin isoform. The role of these contractile cells in the healing process warrants further investigation. Moreover, this study demonstrates the potential of cells intrinsic to the human anterior cruciate ligament to migrate into collagen‐glycosaminoglycan scaffolds that may ultimately be investigated as implants to facilitate ligament healing and regeneration.
Neuropsychological Diversity in Apert Syndrome: A Comparison of Cognitive Profiles

Apert syndrome is characterized by craniosynostosis, central nervous system anomalies, midface hypoplasia, and syndactyly. Current research has focused on genetic and neurologic correlates. Cognitive assessment has been primarily limited to global intellectual evaluations, which can fail to detect the diverse cognitive attributes of these children at an individual level. This report describes in detail the neuropsychological profiles of 2 children with Apert syndrome, incorporating clinical, radiographic, molecular and surgical data. One child showed intellectual deficits consistent with a moderate intellectual disability. The second child, while of normal intelligence, displayed neuropsychological deficits associated with anterior-brain-region cognitive functions. These data highlight the diversity of neuropsychological outcomes in Apert syndrome in the same genetic mutation and underline the importance of detailed neuropsychological evaluations as integral to the management protocols of affected individuals.
Recidivism and Prison Overcrowding due to Denial of Legal Representation in Botswana

Recidivism and Prison Overcrowding due to Denial of Legal Representation in Botswana by Sidney Pilane MBA, University of Botswana, 1994 LLB, University of Swaziland (in conjunction with the University of Edinburgh), 1983 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Criminal Justice
The role of speakers and context in classifying competition in overlapping speech

Overlapping speech is one of the most frequently occurring events in the course of human-human conversations. Understanding the dynamics of overlapping speech is crucial for conversational analysis and for modeling human-machine dialog. Overlapping speech may signal the speaker’s intention to grab the ﬂoor with a competitive vs non-competitive act. In this paper, we study the role of speakers, whether they initiate ( over-lapper ) or not ( overlappee ) the overlap, and the context of the event. The speech overlap may be explained and predicted by the dialog context, the linguistic or acoustic descriptors. Our goal is to understand whether the competitiveness of the overlap is best predicted by the overlapper, the overlappee, the context or by their combinations. For each overlap and its context we have extracted acoustic, linguistic, and psycholinguistic features and combined decisions from the best classiﬁcation models. The evaluation of the classiﬁer has been carried out over call center human-human conversations. The results show that the complete knowledge of speakers’ role and context highly contribute to the classiﬁcation results when using acoustic and psycholinguistic features. Our ﬁndings also suggest that the lexical selections of the overlapper are good indicators of speaker’s competitive or non-competitive intentions.
Lower gray matter density and functional connectivity in the anterior insula in smokers compared with never smokers

Although nicotine addiction is characterized by both structural and functional abnormalities in brain networks involved in salience and cognitive control, few studies have integrated these data to understand how these abnormalities may support addiction. This study aimed to (1) evaluate gray matter density and functional connectivity of the anterior insula in cigarette smokers and never smokers and (2) characterize how differences in these measures were related to smoking behavior. We compared structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (gray matter density via voxel‐based morphometry) and seed‐based functional connectivity MRI data in 16 minimally deprived smokers and 16 matched never smokers. Compared with controls, smokers had lower gray matter density in left anterior insula extending into inferior frontal and temporal cortex. Gray matter density in this region was inversely correlated with cigarettes smoked per day. Smokers exhibited negative functional connectivity (anti‐correlation) between the anterior insula and regions involved in cognitive control (left lPFC) and semantic processing/emotion regulation (lateral temporal cortex), whereas controls exhibited positive connectivity between these regions. There were differences in the anterior insula, a central region in the brain's salience network, when comparing both volumetric and functional connectivity data between cigarette smokers and never smokers. Volumetric data, but not the functional connectivity data, were also associated with an aspect of smoking behavior (daily cigarettes smoked).
Hepatitis B core antigen in liver tissue from HBs-positive, HBe-negative patients.

BACKGROUND/AIMS We aimed to study the relationship between HBcAg in liver tissue, histological and biochemical activity and serum HBV-DNA levels among HBeAg-negative patients. METHODOLOGY 49 biopsy specimens taken from 16 females and 29 males were studied. Immunostaining for HBcAg was performed with commercially available kits (Dako). Serum HBV-DNA was detected by the hybridization method, in case of negative hybridization, repeated by PCR. RESULTS HBcAg was found in 16 biopsy specimens (32.6%) (group I)--in 10 cases in hepatocytes nuclei and cytoplasm, in 5 in the nuclei and in one case in cytoplasm only. 15 out of 16 patients were serum HBV-DNA positive. Seven patients showed chronic liver disease of moderate or severe activity with HBcAg expression both in the nuclei and cytoplasm. Group II consisted of 33 patients who were HBcAg-negative. In 7 patients HBV-DNA was not found by hybridization or by PCR. In eleven patients ALT and AST activity exceeded 1.5x the ULN. ALT and AST differed significantly between group II and I. CONCLUSIONS In our opinion immunohistochemical examination is an essential part of classification to antiviral treatment. HBcAg immunostaining should be performed in every HBeAg-negative patient to exclude reasons for aminotransferase elevation other than HBV infection.
FFTEB: Edge bundling of huge graphs by the Fast Fourier Transform

Edge bundling techniques provide a visual simplification of cluttered graph drawings or trail sets. While many bundling techniques exist, only few recent ones can handle large datasets and also allow selective bundling based on edge attributes. We present a new technique that improves on both above points, in terms of increasing both the scalability and computational speed of bundling, while keeping the quality of the results on par with state-of-the-art techniques. For this, we shift the bundling process from the image space to the spectral (frequency) space, thereby increasing computational speed. We address scalability by proposing a data streaming process that allows bundling of extremely large datasets with limited GPU memory. We demonstrate our technique on several real-world datasets and by comparing it with state-of-the-art bundling methods.
Characterization of microsatellite markers for Thoropa taophora (Anura, Cycloramphidae), a frog endemic to the Brazilian Atlantic Rain Forest

Here we characterize nine microsatellite loci for Thoropa taophora collected from a coastal and an island population in southeastern Brazil. The number of alleles per locus ranged from three to 11 for the coastal population and from two to eight for the island population. Observed heterozygosities ranged from 0.308 to 0.778 for the coastal population and from zero to 0.737 for the island population. One locus did not conform to Hardy–Weinberg expectations on the coast, while two were in disequilibrium on the island. These markers are currently being used to examine genetic differentiation and patterns of dispersal in T. taophora.
Characterisation of graphite nanoplatelets (GNP) prepared at scale by high-pressure homogenisation

Graphite nanoplatelets (GNP) were prepared by a high-pressure homogenisation process (HPHP) via exfoliation of bulk graphite, yielding GNP in the form of square shaped platelets with lateral dimensions on the micrometre (μm) scale and thicknesses on the nanometre (nm) scale (<200 nm).
Inconsistent Time Preferences and On-the-Job Search - When it Pays to Be Naive

We study optimal employment contracts for present-biased employees who can conduct on-the-job search. Presuming that firms cannot offer long-term contracts, we find that individuals who are naive about their present bias will actually be better off than sophisticated or time-consistent individuals. Moreover, they search more, which partially counteracts the inefficiencies caused by their present bias.
Trajectories of Engagement and Disengagement with a Story-Based Smoking Cessation App

Strong user engagement with digital technologies for behaviour change is often taken as a precursor to their longer-term efficacy. We critically examine this assumption through a qualitative study of a smoking cessation app, called NewLeaf, which allows quitters to swap personal stories. The study examined what influenced people to engage or disengage with NewLeaf, and how the app was deployed in quit attempts during a four week trial. Several properties of swapped stories were reported to promote engagement, including: authenticity, currency, contextualization of advice, and evoking a sense of community. But while the resulting engagement was sometimes productive in supporting quitting, other trajectories of use were observed involving counterproductive engagement, and a surprising pattern of productive disengagement especially among stronger quitters. We discuss how this analysis of different trajectories problematizes any simple interpretation of user engagement as an early indicator of success for behaviour change technologies.