Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cellular and Molecular Neurosurgery: Pathways from Concept to Reality-Part II: Vector Systems and Delivery Methodologies for Gene Therapy of the Central Nervous System.

Different vector systems that have been used and/or specifically developed for central nervous system (CNS) gene transfer studies are briefly discussed along with their advantages and disadvantages with respect to potential clinical application. These include retroviruses, recombinant herpes simplex virus, adenoviruses, adenoassociated viruses, encapsulation of plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid into cationic liposomes, and neural and oliogodendroglial stem cells. Particular attention has been paid to relate the modality of a specific CNS gene therapy to the strategy for adequate delivery of genetic material to the brain for either global or localized CNS neurodegenerative chronic disorder, as well as for CNS tumors and stroke. Techniques to circumvent the "impermeable" blood-brain barrier and how to breach the more versatile blood-brain-tumor barrier to deliver the genetic material to the target CNS cells are reviewed and include the following: 1) local stereotactic CNS injection/infusion of viral vectors, administration of vector producer cells, or cell replacement; 2) local administration of genetic material into the cerebrospinal fluid ventriculocisternal system; 3) osmotic opening of the blood-brain barrier; 4) local intra-arterial infusion; and 5) administration of blood-brain-tumor barrier permeabilizers, such as a bradykinin B2 agonist RMP-7. It is concluded that gene therapy for several brain disorders holds great potential, as suggested mainly by in vitro experiments and, to some extent, by a limited number of animal experiments. However, several drawbacks currently hamper the application of gene therapy under the clinical setting. The problems associated with gene therapy that still present major obstacles are as follows: 1) inefficient transfection of host cells by viral vectors; 2) restricted delivery of genetic material across vascular barriers of the CNS and brain tumors; 3) nonselective expression of the transgene; and 4) in situ CNS regulation of the transgene expression in a therapeutically controlled manner, as imposed by the course and phenotype of the CNS disease.
Time Required to Achieve Asthma Control in Not Previously Inhaled Corticosteroid Treated Adult Patients

Background. To achieve the best health possible, asthma patients require targeted education to understand the disease and how it may affect them, and what they need to do to keep it controlled. Aim. To measure the length of time needed in a structured educational training program to achieve well-controlled asthma status. Methods. This 5-month clinical trial enrolled previously untreated adult asthma patients at the Asthma Center of the President Dutra Public Hospital/Federal University of Maranhão–Brazil. At the first visit, patients were stratified according to their pre-bronchodilator peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) measurements: Class I was defined as PEFR > 80% of the predicted value; Class II as PEFR 50–80% of predicted value, and Class III as PEFR < 50% of predicted value. At enrollment and each follow-up visit patients were assessed for asthma symptoms and health care utilization. In the educational program, sessions covered signs and symptoms of asthma exacerbation, triggering factors, environmental control, and asthma drug effects. The time required to achieve well-controlled status and the total time free of asthma symptoms were evaluated by Kaplan-Meier curves. The log-rank test was used to compare PEFR classes, with significance being measured as p-values ≤ 0.05. Results. A total of 121 patients met the eligibility criteria and underwent the 6-month follow-up. The first six-month Kaplan-Meier curve demonstrated that Class I patients had a significantly better probability of achieving well-controlled asthma than the other classes (log rang = 6.78, p = 0.03), The second 6-month Kaplan-Meier curve analyzed the total time free of asthma symptoms according to PEFR class (log rank = 11, 22 p = 0.003). The time required to reach a well-controlled status was 2 or 3 months, depending on the baseline level of airway obstruction: patients in PEFR classes I and II achieved good control earlier than patients in PEFR Class III. Education and targeted training remain a key element of doctor-patient interactions and success of asthma control efforts.
Interventions aimed at improving the ability to use everyday technology in work after brain injury

ABSTRACT Objective The aim of this study was to explore and describe how client-centred occupational therapy interventions may support and improve the ability to use everyday technology (ET) in work tasks in people with acquired brain injury (ABI). Method A qualitative, descriptive multiple-case study was designed, and occupation-based interventions were provided to three working-age participants with ABI. Multiple sources were used to collect data throughout the three intervention processes, including assessments, field notes, and interviews. The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure and the Management of Everyday Technology Assessment were administered before the interventions, after the interventions and at a follow-up session 2–3 months subsequent to the interventions. Results The three intervention processes initially consisted of similar actions, but subsequently the actions took on a different focus and intensity for each case. All of the goals in each of the three case processes were achieved, and both perceived and observed abilities to use ET in work tasks improved. Conclusions Client-centred occupational therapy interventions might have the potential to improve the ability to use ET in work tasks in people with ABI.
On the use of renewal theory in the analysis of ARQ protocols

An automatic-repeat-request (ARQ) Go-Back-N (GBN) protocol with unreliable feedback and time-out mechanism is studied, using renewal theory. Transmissions on both the forward and the reverse channels are assumed to experience Markovian errors. The exact throughput of the protocol is evaluated, and simulation results, that confirm the analysis, are presented. A detailed comparison of the proposed method and the commonly used transfer function method reveals that the proposed approach is simple and potentially more powerful.
MIGHT NITROGEN LIMITATION PROMOTE OMNIVORY AMONG CARNIVOROUS ARTHROPODS

Omnivory is a frequent feeding strategy in terrestrial arthropods, occurring across a diversity of taxa occupying a wide array of habitats. Because omnivory has important consequences for broad areas of theoretical and applied ecology, it is essential to understand those factors that favor its occurrence. Here we address the limiting role of nitrogen in promoting omnivory, not so much from the historical perspective of herbivores supplementing their nutrient-poor plant diet, but by extending the argument to higher trophic levels where predators feed on each other as well as herbivores. Drawing on the historically documented mismatch in nitrogen stoichiometry between herbivores and their host plants (C:Nplants ≫ C:Nherbivores), and a recently documented, though smaller, difference in nitrogen content between predators and their herbivore prey (C:Nherbivores > C:Npredators), we discuss the existence of a trade-off between nutrient quality and quantity that occurs across trophic levels. The existence of this.
Modeling customizable Web applications - a requirement's perspective

The Web is more and more used as a platform for full-fledged increasingly complex applications, where a huge amount of change-intensive data is managed by underlying database systems. From a software engineering point of view, the development of Web applications requires proper modeling methods in order to ensure architectural soundness and maintainability. Existing modeling methods for Web applications, however, fall short on considering a major requirement posed on today's Web applications, namely customization. Web applications should be customizable with respect to various context factors comprising different user preferences, device capabilities and locations in mobile scenarios, to mention just a few. The goal of this paper is twofold. First, a framework of requirements, covering the design space of customizable Web applications is suggested. Second, on the basis of this framework, existing approaches for developing customizable Web applications are surveyed and general shortcomings are identified pointing the way to next-generation modeling methods.
Progressing from small group work to cooperative learning: a case study from computer science

Although the industrial partners of academe are unanimous in their desire to hire engineering graduates who are experienced in working productively in small groups, implementing small group work in a computer science class can be difficult. The obvious assignment, a group programming project, proved to be a poor choice when implemented in the author's computer graphics class. An examination of the literature in this area shows that a group programming project has many features in common with a group term paper, the assignment which has been uniquely identified as the worst choice for small group work. Fortunately, there are better choices for cooperative learning in computer science. Assignments with "the three S's": same problem, specific choice and simultaneous reporting of group choices, work well. This was implemented in a class by having students work multiple choice quizzes designed to require high level learning skills. Quizzes were first worked by individuals, then by small groups. The small group answers are then compared and discussed in class. This generates the type of interaction between the professor and students which creates positive cooperative learning experiences. Promising preliminary results have been seen with this method, from both the student and the professor's perspective.
Transportability of Validity of the National Police Officer Selection Test for a Large Eastern Metropolitan Police Department

This study compared the position of police officers in a large eastern U.S. metropolitan police department to the sample of police officers (N = 250) used originally to develop and validate the National Police Officer Selection Test (POST). A method was used which provided a basis for conducting studies of the transportability of validity, i.e., studies which demonstrate that test evidence on validity developed in a particular location can be effectively used as evidence of validity in an entirely new location, with other examinations validated using a content validity strategy. Content Validity Indices from the new sample's job analysis (N = 115) correlated highly (r = .89) with the original job analysis data (N = 250). Further analyses indicated no significant differences between samples with regard to ratings of importance of skills identified as essential for successful performance of the police officer's position. Finally, a multivariate approach was used as a more conservative means of comparing job profiles. A discussion of the implications of these findings for making decisions about the transportability of validity is provided.
Performance Analysis of Wireless Networks with QoS Adaptations

The explosive demand for multimedia and fast transmission of continuous media on wireless networks means the simultaneous existence of traffic requiring different qualities of service (QoS). In this thesis, several efficient algorithms have been developed which offer several QoS to the end-user. We first look at a request TDMA/CDMA protocol for supporting wireless multimedia traffic, where CDMA is laid over TDMA. Then we look at a hybrid push-pull algorithm for wireless networks, and present a generalized performance analysis of the proposed protocol. Some of the QoS factors considered include customer retrial rates due to user impatience and system timeouts and different levels of priority and weights for mobile hosts. We have also looked at how customer impatience and system timeouts affect the QoS provided by several queuing and scheduling schemes such as FIFO, priority, weighted fair queuing, and the application of the stretch-optimal algorithm to scheduling.
The influence of psychological distress during pregnancy on early postpartum weight retention

Background: Pregnancy has been identified as a risk factor for increasing rates of obesity in women. In recent years, psychological factors have been demonstrated to play a key role in contributing to and maintaining postpartum weight retention (PWR). Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between psychological distress during late pregnancy and early postpartum, specifically depression, anxiety, stress, and body dissatisfaction, and early PWR. Methods: Pregnant women (N = 227) completed a series of questionnaires at 32 weeks gestation and 3 months postpartum. Results: The most salient predictor of PWR was gestational weight gain (GWG). In a prospective hierarchical regression analysis, only GWG contributed unique prediction of early PWR. In a second hierarchical regression analysis examining cross-sectional relationships with three-month PWR, GWG and early postpartum stress contributed unique variance while the contribution of feelings of fatness approached significance. Conclusions: Given the large association of GWG to early PWR, interventions should focus on the prevention of GWG during pregnancy, as well as screening for body dissatisfaction and stress in the early postpartum.
Formal Dining at Cambridge Colleges: Linking Ritual Performance and Institutional Maintenance

We examine the role of rituals in institutional maintenance. Through an in-depth, qualitative study of formal dining at the University of Cambridge, we explore how the performance of these rituals contributes to the maintenance of the British class system. We find that rituals are important for institutional maintenance because they have a powerful bearing on participants beyond the confines of the rituals themselves. Our analysis also suggests that institutions are refracted through context and individual experience at a micro level, and indicates a more fragmented and less strategic conception of institutional maintenance than is portrayed in recent work.
The patterns of ethnic settlement and violence: a local-level quantitative analysis of the Bosnian War

Abstract The debate on the link between ethnicity and violence has been raging in political science literature since the end of the Cold War. Often, cross-country quantitative studies dismissed the importance of ethnic heterogeneity as a source of violent conflict. How the patterns of ethnic settlement within a country affect the severity of violence, though, has not yet been studied through similar techniques. In this essay, we build and analyse a data set of major violence-related variables collected at the local level during the 1992–1995 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. What emerges is that the local distribution of the population, in terms of the number and relative size of the groups, is a key factor in explaining the intensity of violence in the Bosnian municipalities.
Secrecy Outage Probability of Network-Coded Cooperative Communication

We evaluate the secrecy performance of a multiple access cooperative network where the destination node is wiretapped by a malicious and passive eavesdropper. We propose the application of the network coding technique as an alternative to increase the secrecy at the destination node, on the top of improving the error performance of the legitimate communication, already demonstrated in the literature. Network coding is leveraged by assuming that the legitime cooperative nodes are able to perform non-binary linear combinations of different frames before the transmission. Different scenarios with and without channel state information (CSI) at the transmitter side are evaluated. The effectiveness of the proposed schemes is evaluated in terms of secrecy outage probability through theoretic and numerical analyses. It is shown that, even when the legitimate transmitters do not have any CSI, the secrecy can be increased through the use of network coding when compared to the direct transmission and traditional cooperative techniques.
A Structural Equation Modeling of the Factors Affecting an Age-friendly Workplace

There has been a growing trend recently to examine the various factors affecting an age-friendly workplace. Through structural equation modelling (SEM), this study purports to test a model that shows the interaction between and among declining memories, wisdom, age discrimination, and an age-friendly workplace in Filipino elderly in a government setting. Two hundred elderly from a large government bank in the Philippines participated in this study. Data were obtained through a self-completion questionnaire and a one-on-one interview. Surprisingly, results revealed that declining memory has no significant effect on wisdom. However, wisdom has a positive impact on age discrimination as does age-discrimination on an age-friendly workplace. The authors discuss the implications of these results and highlight directions for future research.
Interactions between school systems and reading Recovery programmes – evidence from Northern Ireland

Recent work on raising attainment in education has raised theoretical issues about organizational responses to innovation and qualitative aspects of programme implementation. In particular, the ‘depth’ of an implementation (the extent to which a programme actually changes the educational interactions between pupils and their teachers) is now thought to be as important as its ‘spread’ (the number of schools in which it is replicated). Such issues, together with the existing literature on Reading Recovery implementation, suggest that it is time to review the models of implementation held within the Reading Recovery community. We used a range of methods at four levels of data collection to analyse variation in ‘depth’ of implementation in a countrywide Reading Recovery programme. From our findings we conclude that Reading Recovery has achieved resounding success as an individual programme, but that it would be still more efficient if the models of implementation were to be reviewed.
Genome-assisted Breeding For Drought Resistance

Drought stress caused by unpredictable precipitation poses a major threat to food production worldwide, and its impact is only expected to increase with the further onset of climate change. Understanding the effect of drought stress on crops and plants' response is critical for developing improved varieties with stable high yield to fill a growing food gap from an increasing population depending on decreasing land and water resources. When a plant encounters drought stress, it may use multiple response types, depending on environmental conditions, drought stress intensity and duration, and the physiological stage of the plant. Drought stress responses can be divided into four broad types: drought escape, drought avoidance, drought tolerance, and drought recovery, each characterized by interacting mechanisms, which may together be referred to as drought resistance mechanisms. The complex nature of drought resistance requires a multi-pronged approach to breed new varieties with stable and enhanced yield under drought stress conditions. High throughput genomics and phenomics allow marker-assisted selection (MAS) and genomic selection (GS), which offer rapid and targeted improvement of populations and identification of parents for rapid genetic gains and improved drought-resistant varieties. Using these approaches together with appropriate genetic diversity, databases, analytical tools, and well-characterized drought stress scenarios, weather and soil data, new varieties with improved drought resistance corresponding to grower preferences can be introduced into target regions rapidly.
Sampling random spanning trees faster than matrix multiplication

We present an algorithm that, with high probability, generates a random spanning tree from an edge-weighted undirected graph in (n5/3 m1/3) time. The tree is sampled from a distribution where the probability of each tree is proportional to the product of its edge weights. This improves upon the previous best algorithm due to Colbourn et al. that runs in matrix multiplication time, O(nω). For the special case of unweighted graphs, this improves upon the best previously known running time of Õ(min{nω,m√n,m4/3}) for m ⪢ n7/4 (Colbourn et al. '96, Kelner-Madry '09, Madry et al. '15). The effective resistance metric is essential to our algorithm, as in the work of Madry et al., but we eschew determinant-based and random walk-based techniques used by previous algorithms. Instead, our algorithm is based on Gaussian elimination, and the fact that effective resistance is preserved in the graph resulting from eliminating a subset of vertices (called a Schur complement). As part of our algorithm, we show how to compute -approximate effective resistances for a set S of vertex pairs via approximate Schur complements in Õ(m+(n + |S|)ε-2) time, without using the Johnson-Lindenstrauss lemma which requires Õ( min{(m + |S|)ε2, m+nε-4 +|S|ε2}) time. We combine this approximation procedure with an error correction procedure for handling edges where our estimate isn't sufficiently accurate.
The Application of a Square-Wave Supply Voltage to Detect Small Delay Faults in High-Speed Digital Circuits

--High-performance digital circuits with aggressive timing constraints are usually very susceptible to delay faults. Much research done on delay fault detection needs a rather complicated test setup together with precise test clock requirements. In this paper, we propose a test technique based on the digital oscillation test method. The technique, which was simulated in software, consists of sensitizing a critical path in the digital circuit under test and incorporating the path into an oscillation ring. The supply voltage to the oscillation ring is then varied to detect delay and stuck-at faults in the path. Keywords--Delay Fault Testing, Oscillation Test Method, Low-Voltage Supply Testing
Query optimization in multidatabase systems

A multidatabase system (MDBS) integrates information from autonomous local databases managed by heterogeneous database management systems (DBMS) in a distributed environment. For a query involving more than one database, global query optimization should be performed to achieve good overall system performance. The significant differences between an MDBS and a traditional distributed database system (DDBS) make query optimization in the former more challenging than in the latter. Challenges for query optimization in an MDBS are discussed in this paper. A two-phase optimization approach for processing a query in an MDBS is proposed. Several global query optimization techniques suitable for an MDBS, such as semantic query optimization, query optimization via probing queries, parametric query optimization and adaptive query optimization, are suggested. The architecture of a global query optimizer incorporating these techniques is designed.