Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Title Game Theory Formulated on Hilbert Space

We present a consistent formulation of quantum game theory that accommodates all possible strategies in Hilbert space. The physical content of the quantum strategy is revealed as a family of classical games representing altruistic game play supplemented by quantum interferences. Crucial role of the entanglement in quantum strategy is illustrated by an example of quantum game representing the Bell's experiment.
Factor Structure of the 11-item Version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale(CES-D) among Community Dwelling Older Adults in Taiwan

Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to analyze the factor structure and reliability of the 11-item version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) among community dwelling older adults in Taiwan. Methods: This study was to conduct an exploratory factor and reliability analysis of the data using CES-D 11-item version of that study project. Data for this study were drawn from 1,308 elder persons who were under a study project entitled “The Social Survey on Attitude Towards Needs, Provision of Services, Preferences for Late Life: Perspectives from Different Generations” in Survey Research Data Archive (SRDA) 2007. Results: The result of two exploratory factor analyses showed that a four-factor model was the best structure. The four factors--Depressed Affect (eigenvalue 3.42 and 23.50% of variance), Positive Affect (eigenvalue 1.21 and 16.08% of variance), Somatic Problems (eigenvalue 0.74 and 12.58% of variance), and Sleep Disturbance (eigenvalue 0.52 and 10.98% of variance)-- had accumulated variance of 63.13%. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that a four-factor model of general depression is the best structure for the 11-item version of CES-D, among community dwelling older adults in Taiwan. But it needs to refi ne and validate CES-D in the context of local culture for future research and clinical implication.
Peritoneal resorption capacity for the inflammatory mediators in acute experimental Staphylococcus aureus peritonitis.

BACKGROUND Elevations in both endotoxin and interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentrations in peritoneal exudates are a thousand times higher than their respective concentrations in the peripheral blood in patients with gram-positive or gram-negative peritonitis. We aimed in this study to evaluate the resorption capacity of the peritoneum for endotoxin and IL-6 in a model of bacterial (gram-positive) peritonitis. METHODS Intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of mucin-pretreated staphylococci in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) or of PBS alone was performed in 93 male Wistar rats. Studies of resorption were undertaken at time points of 4 hours (h), 8h, 12h and 24h. Endotoxin was intraperitoneally injected in 44 rats and IL-6 in 49 rats. After 0, 5, 10, 15, 30 and 60 minutes (min), blood was sampled. Endotoxin and IL-6 were measured using the limulus-amoebocyte-lysate (LAL) test and ELISA technique, respectively. RESULTS No endotoxin or IL-6 was measured in the blood of controls. Plasma endotoxin and IL-6 levels were significantly high in the peritonitis groups. There was no further increase in endotoxin plasma levels after i.p. injection of endotoxin. Following i.p. injection of IL-6, there was an increase in IL-6 level over the time of sampling in the peripheral blood at 4h of peritonitis. CONCLUSION There was a clear reduction in peritoneal resorption of endotoxin and IL-6 in this acute model of gram-positive peritonitis.
Comparison of Craniofacial Phenotype in Craniosynostotic Rabbits Treated with Anti–Tgf-β2 at Suturectomy Site

Objective: Overexpression of transforming growth factor-beta 2 has been associated with craniosynostosis and resynostosis following surgery. We examined the effects of localized transforming growth factor-beta 2 inhibition on craniofacial phenotype in rabbits with craniosynostosis. Design: Twenty-five New Zealand white rabbits with bilateral coronal craniosynostosis were divided into three treatment groups: (1) suturectomy control (n = 8); (2) suturectomy with nonspecific, control immunoglobulin G antibody (n = 6); and (3) suturectomy with anti–transforming growth factor-beta 2 antibody (n = 11). At 10 days of age, a coronal suturectomy was performed on all rabbits. The sites in groups 2 and 3 were immediately filled with a slow-resorbing collagen gel mixed with either immunoglobulin G or anti–transforming growth factor-beta 2 antibody. Computed tomography scans of each rabbit were acquired at ages 10, 25, and 84 days. Craniofacial landmarks were collected from three-dimensional computed tomography reconstructions, and growth and form were compared among the three groups. Results: Rabbits treated with anti–transforming growth factor-beta 2 antibody differed in form at 84 days of age compared with suturectomy control rabbits, specifically in the snout and posterior neurocranium. Growth in some areas of the skull was greater in rabbits from the anti–transforming growth factor-beta 2 group than in suturectomy control rabbits, but not significantly greater than in IgG control rabbits. Conclusions: We find support for the hypothesis that transforming growth factor-beta 2 inhibition alters adult form, but these changes do not appear to be localized to the suturectomy region. Slight differences in form and growth between the two control groups suggest that the presence of the collagen vehicle itself may affect skull growth.
An Underexamined Inequality

Social psychological research has sought to understand and mitigate the psychological barriers that block women’s interest, performance, and advancement in male-dominated, agentic roles (e.g., science, technology, engineering, and math). Research has not, however, correspondingly examined men’s underrepresentation in communal roles, traditionally occupied by women (e.g., careers in health care, early childhood education, and domestic roles including child care). In this article, we seek to provide a roadmap for research on this underexamined inequality by (a) outlining the benefits of increasing men’s representation in communal roles; (b) reviewing cultural, evolutionary, and historical perspectives on the asymmetry in status assigned to men’s and women’s roles; and (c) articulating the role of gender stereotypes in creating social and psychological barriers to men’s interest and inclusion in communal roles. We argue that promoting equal opportunities for both women and men requires a better understanding of the psychological barriers to men’s involvement in communal roles.
GABAA and GABAB receptors are functionally active in the regulation of catecholamine secretion by bovine chromaffin cells

GABA stimulates the basal catecholamine release from adrenal bovine chromaffin cells in a calciumdependent manner. This release represents about 70% of that obtained by similar doses of nicotine under similar experimental conditions. This effect is mediated by GABAA receptor sites present in chromaffin cells, since it was mimicked by muscimol and reversed by bicuculline. In addition, GABA, through its GABAA receptors, increases the catecholamine release evoked by submaximal doses of aicotine, but it has no effect on nicotine‐evoked secretion of catecholamines when nicotine was given at maximal doses. These results seem to indicate that both nicotine and GABA release catecholamines from the same intracellular pool. In contrast, baclofen, a GABAB receptor agonist, depressed both basal and nicotineevoked catecholamine release; this result indicates that in addition to GABAA control of catecholamine secretion by chromaffin cells, there is a GABAB control of this function. These results support the existence of a dual regulation of catecholamine secretion by both the GABAA and GABAB receptors in a similar way as that proposed for muscarinic and nicotinic cholinergic receptors.
Gastric acid secretion in sickle-cell anaemia

The gastric acid response to the augmented histamine test was measured in 115 Ghanaian patients, including 45 cases of sickle-cell anaemia. Normal gastric acid responses were found in the patients with sickle-cell anaemia, suggesting that the frequent occurrence of indigestion in patients with this disorder is unlikely to be related to abnormal gastric acid secretion.
Stereo reconstruction with mixed pixels using adaptive over-segmentation

We present an over-segmentation based, dense stereo algorithm that jointly estimates segmentation and depth. For mixed pixels on segment boundaries, the algorithm computes foreground opacity (alpha), as well as color and depth for the foreground and background. We model the scene as a collection of fronto-parallel planar segments in a reference view, and use a generative model for image formation that handles mixed pixels at segment boundaries. Our method iteratively updates the segmentation based on color, depth and shape constraints using MAP estimation. Given a segmentation, the depth estimates are updated using belief propagation. We show that our method is competitive with the state-of-the-art based on the new Middlebury stereo evaluation, and that it overcomes limitations of traditional segmentation based methods while properly handling mixed pixels. Z-keying results show the advantages of combining opacity and depth estimation.
Analysis of intracranial pressure during and after the infusion test in patients with communicating hydrocephalus

The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) infusion test is used to evaluate the dynamics of CSF circulation in patients with communicating hydrocephalus and is based on constant-rate infusion of the normal saline into cerebrospinal fluid space. The aim of the study was to refine methods of the analysis of intracranial pressure (ICP) recorded during and after the infusion test. The mathematical model of cerebrospinal fluid circulation was extended by the equation describing ICP decrease after the infusion. The nonlinear least-squares method of Levenberg–Marquardt was used to estimate the parameters describing the CSF compensatory mechanisms. Twenty-seven infusion tests were studied. Both phases of the test—the increase and the decrease of ICP—were recorded and the compensatory parameters were calculated for each of them. ICP often does not return to the resting level after the infusion test within the period equivalent to the time of infusion in all cases. In 20 tests the differences between post- and pre-infusion resting ICP (ΔICP) was higher than 1 mmHg, which was considered as significant. The mean value of ΔICP for 20 infusion tests was 3.0 ± 0.7 mmHg. The cerebral elasticity evaluated during the infusion was greater than the elasticity estimated from the decreasing phase after the infusion (0.24 ± 0.07 ml−1 versus 0.14 ± 0.03 ml−1; p < 0.01).
Satisfação no Trabalho: Estudo de Caso em uma Cooperativa de Crédito do Setor Público

Credit Cooperative employees´ satisfaction at work is investigated, based on Siqueira et al. (2008), through quantitative approach, featuring a descriptive research, coupled to a field and case study as strategy. Current study focuses on a public Credit Cooperative in Belo Horizonte MG Brazil, with 12 staff members, although only 10 comprised the sample. Data collection was performed by a questionnaire and data analysis was undertaken by a descriptive statistics comprising means, mode, standard deviation, median and percentiles. Friedman´s non-parametric test was employed to evaluate the difference between scores on satisfaction at work, whereas Mann-Whitney´s non-parametric test evaluated the differences between the institution´s sectors and the factors on satisfaction at work. Overall results showed a situation that ranged between satisfaction and indifference, or rather, without any satisfaction or any dissatisfaction within the labor context analyzed. There was no significant difference between the sectors investigated. Factors that showed satisfaction were satisfaction with the management, colleagues and work. Indifferent factors comprised salary, lack of stability in the work contract and lack of criteria on promotions.
Prognostic factors in metastatic and hormonally unresponsive carcinoma of the prostate

Eighty‐eight patients with hormone‐resistant Stage IV prostate cancer were treated with a five‐drug chemotherapy program. Patient demographic data, prior therapy, symptoms, extent of disease, and laboratory studies were analyzed statistically to evaluate the association of these parameters with survival from the onset of chemotherapy. Factors associated with short survival included age >65, severe bone pain, poor performance status, presence of soft tissue metastases, anemia, elevation of serum LDH, SGOT, alkaline and acid phosphatases, and prolactin, and hypoalbuminemia. Race, stage at initial diagnosis, prior radiation therapy, prior orchiectomy, and elevation of CEA had no prognostic association. We suggest that clinical trials of new therapies of hormone‐resistant prostate cancer take into account the presence of these prognostic factors in the analysis of the results of therapeutic programs. Cancer 44:763‐775, 1979.
Standardising distributed simulations : the high level architecture

Computer simulations have many application areas ranging from physics and chemistry research, biomedical engineering and weather forecast to military training and the preparation for missions in hazardous environments. Distributed simulations that involve humans-in-the-loop are typically applied for training and preparation of large, often international, military operations. The need for standardisation is clear from this observation. No wonder the military world, especially the United States Department of Defence, is the driving force behind the development of standards and technologies for distributed simulations, which resulted in the High Level Architecture. HLA is widely applied and is in the process of becoming an IEEE standard.
Improving 3D Genome Reconstructions Using Orthologous and Functional Constraints

The study of the 3D architecture of chromosomes has been advancing rapidly in recent years. While a number of methods for 3D reconstruction of genomic models based on Hi-C data were proposed, most of the analyses in the field have been performed on different 3D representation forms (such as graphs). Here, we reproduce most of the previous results on the 3D genomic organization of the eukaryote Saccharomyces cerevisiae using analysis of 3D reconstructions. We show that many of these results can be reproduced in sparse reconstructions, generated from a small fraction of the experimental data (5% of the data), and study the properties of such models. Finally, we propose for the first time a novel approach for improving the accuracy of 3D reconstructions by introducing additional predicted physical interactions to the model, based on orthologous interactions in an evolutionary-related organism and based on predicted functional interactions between genes. We demonstrate that this approach indeed leads to the reconstruction of improved models.
IRF8 mutations and human dendritic-cell immunodeficiency.

BACKGROUND The genetic analysis of human primary immunodeficiencies has defined the contribution of specific cell populations and molecular pathways in the host defense against infection. Disseminated infection caused by bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccines is an early manifestation of primary immunodeficiencies, such as severe combined immunodeficiency. In many affected persons, the cause of disseminated BCG disease is unexplained. METHODS We evaluated an infant presenting with features of severe immunodeficiency, including early-onset disseminated BCG disease, who required hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation. We also studied two otherwise healthy subjects with a history of disseminated but curable BCG disease in childhood. We characterized the monocyte and dendritic-cell compartments in these three subjects and sequenced candidate genes in which mutations could plausibly confer susceptibility to BCG disease. RESULTS We detected two distinct disease-causing mutations affecting interferon regulatory factor 8 (IRF8). Both K108E and T80A mutations impair IRF8 transcriptional activity by disrupting the interaction between IRF8 and DNA. The K108E variant was associated with an autosomal recessive severe immunodeficiency with a complete lack of circulating monocytes and dendritic cells. The T80A variant was associated with an autosomal dominant, milder immunodeficiency and a selective depletion of CD11c+CD1c+ circulating dendritic cells. CONCLUSIONS These findings define a class of human primary immunodeficiencies that affect the differentiation of mononuclear phagocytes. They also show that human IRF8 is critical for the development of monocytes and dendritic cells and for antimycobacterial immunity. (Funded by the Medical Research Council and others.).
PROGRAMA DE EMPREENDEDORISMO EM INSTITUI˙'ES DE ENSINO SUPERIOR: REFLEX'ES A PARTIR DE ALGUMAS EXPERINCIAS CANADENSES E AMERICANAS

Resumo: Este artigo que relata algumas visitas realizadas a Centros e Programas de Desenvolvimento de Empreendedorismo no CanadAE e nos Estados Unidos, apresentando quadros de referŒncia que auxiliam a compreender as diferenAas existentes nos Programas/Centros visitados e o papel dos diversos interessados
Automated tracking of single nano-particle in live cell

Automated tracking of moving particles in sequential frames can provide important information in live cell, such as subcellular structures and dynamical working mechanisms. A real-time scheme for tracking single nano-particle in live-cell frames acquired from microscope is proposed in this article. The scheme consists of a detection stage based on local searching and a global optimized matching stage. In the first stage nano-particles are detected and segmented by gray value morphology, and the searching is restricted in a limited region so as to promote efficiency of the execution. And then the global optimal matching is exploited to recognize the target nano-particle based on gray and spatial features in the second stage. Additionally, because the spurious disturbance from noise and other non-target nano-particles are eliminated, the scheme is adaptable to overlapping nano-particles, and also does well in recognizing the target in the situation of high nano-particle density.
Limits of Indirect Branch Prediction

Indirect branch prediction is likely to become more important in the future because indi rect branches tend to be more frequent in object-oriented programs. With indirect branch prediction misprediction rates of around 25% on current processors, such branches can incur a significant fraction of branch misses even though indirect branches are less frequent than the more predictable conditional branches. We investigate the predictability of indirect branches to determine whether the inferior accuracy of the current indirect branch prediction mechanism (branch target buffers) results from an intrinsic unpredictability of indirect branches or is caused by suboptimal branch prediction hardware. Using programs from the SPECint95 suite as well as a suite of C++ applications, we show that prediction accuracy can exceed 95% on average for these benchmarks, assuming an unlimited hardware budget. This result suggests that better indirect branch prediction hard ware can significantly outperform current branch target buffers.
An Empirical Evaluation of the Influence of the Load-Store Unit on WCET Analysis

Due to the complexity of today’s micro-architectures, the micro-architectural analysis usually constitutes the most time-consuming step in worst-case execution time (WCET) analysis. In this paper, we investigate the influence of the design of the load-store unit (LSU) in the PowerPC 7448 on WCET analysis. To this end, we introduce a simplified variant of the existing design of the LSU by reducing its queue sizes. Using AbsInt's aiT WCET analysis toolchain we determine the resulting WCET bounds and analysis times. For the modified version of the LSU with reduced queue sizes, analysis time is reduced by more than 50% on a set of benchmarks from the Malardalen suite, while there is little change in the WCET bound.
OPHMR: An Optimized Polymorphic Hybrid Multicast Routing Protocol for MANET

We propose in this paper an optimized, polymorphic, hybrid multicast routing protocol for MANET. This new polymorphic protocol attempts to benefit from the high efficiency of proactive behavior (in terms of quicker response to transmission requests) and the limited network traffic overhead of the reactive behavior, while being power, mobility, and vicinity-density (in terms of number of neighbor nodes per specified area around a mobile node) aware. The proposed protocol is based on the principle of adaptability and multibehavioral modes of operations. It is able to change behavior in different situations in order to improve certain metrics like maximizing battery life, reducing communication delays, improving deliverability, etc. The protocol is augmented by an optimization scheme, adapted from the one proposed for the optimized link state routing protocol (OLSR) in which only selected neighbor nodes propagate control packets to reduce the amount of control overhead. Extensive simulations and comparison to peer protocols demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed protocol in improving performance and in extending battery power longevity
Ecosystem and physiological scales of microbial responses to nutrients in a detritus‐based stream: Results of a 5‐year continuous enrichment

Our study examined the response of leaf detritus‐associated microorganisms (both bacteria and fungi) to a 5‐yr continuous nutrient enrichment of a forested headwater stream. Leaf litter dominates detritus inputs to such streams and, on a system‐wide scale, serves as the key substrate for microbial colonization. We determined physiological responses as microbial biomass and activity expressed per unit mass of leaves and system‐level responses by quantifying leaf litter standing crop monthly and expressing responses per unit area of streambed. Physiological (mass‐specific) trends differed from system‐level (area‐specific) trends. Physiological responses to enrichment were generally positive. With the exception of bacterial biomass, nutrients increased all metrics expressed per unit mass leaf litter in the treatment stream relative to the reference (fungal biomass and production, bacterial production, microbial respiration). This positive physiological response to nutrient enrichment was associated with lower leaf litter standing crop in the treatment stream, resulting in less substrate for microbial colonization. Consequently, during most years on a system‐level scale, only fungal production and microbial respiration were positively affected by nutrients, whereas fungal biomass was negatively affected. Thus, from a whole‐stream perspective, nutrients led to a lower quantity of leaf detritus with greater variation, resulting in net reductions of associated fungal biomass and greater intra‐annual variability in both fungal biomass and respiration. Our results demonstrate profound effects of nutrients on heterotrophic pathways that mediate detritus processing in stream ecosystems. Similar effects on heterotrophic microbes and detrital resources may be a widespread consequence of anthropogenic nutrient enrichment.
Overview of CAFCR and Threads of Reasoning-explore

The described architecting method uses the CAFCR model as starting point. Qualities are used as orthogonal dimension to integrate the CAFCR views. Story telling is used to add specifics. Threads of reasoning combine all the information into a coherent overview. Distribution This article or presentation is written as part of the Gaudí project. The Gaudí project philosophy is to improve by obtaining frequent feedback. Frequent feedback is pursued by an open creation process. This document is published as intermediate or nearly mature version to get feedback. Further distribution is allowed as long as the document remains complete and unchanged. All Gaudí documents are available at: http://www.gaudisite. nl/ version: 1.5 status: finished May 22, 2010