Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
STUDENTS' DECISION STEPS IN META-COGNITIVE LEARNING IN FREE ONLINE GROUPS (METAL-FROG): A Case Study

What prompts the students to respond in online dialogic discussion? Why some students chose to fall out? This case study through the lens of phenomenography observation attempts to explain the five decision steps of students to respond in Meta-cognitive Learning in Free Online Groups (MetaL-FrOG) discussion. It presents a part of a research project by the name of Triarchy Perspective on Meta-cognitive Learning in Free Online Groups. The research setting was online learner community on the platform of Free Online Group web intended for post-graduate students enrolled for the paper Psychology of Learning in Faculty of Education, University Malaya, Malaysia. Preliminary study revealed three factors contributed to MetaL-FrOG success: Motivation, Cognitive Resources and Pro-learning Behaviors. This paper only presents a part of the findings under the Pro-Learning Behaviors Subtheory. We found striking similarities between the model proposed by Latane & Darley (1971), Five Essential Steps to a Pro-social Response in an Emergency, and our research subject. The model which explains the course of a pro-social decision was borrowed and modified as surrogate theory to explain the online discussion response of the students. The insights help educators to better understand what holds students back from fruitful online peer diologic discussion.
Evolutionary fuzzy cluster analysis with Bayesian validation of gene expression profiles

Clustering analysis of the gene expression profiles has been used for identifying the functions of unknown genes. Fuzzy clustering method, which is one category of clustering, assigns one sample to multiple clusters as their degrees of membership. It is more appropriate for analyzing gene expression profiles because genes usually belong to multiple functional families. However, general clustering methods have problems that they are sensitive to initialization and can be trapped into local optima. In this paper, we propose an evolutionary fuzzy clustering method with Bayesian validation which uses a genetic algorithm for fuzzy clustering process of gene expression profiles and Bayesian validation method for the fitness evaluation process. We have conducted in-depth experiments to verify the usefulness of the proposed method with well-known gene expression profiles of SRBCT and Saccharomyces.
TorWard: Discovery, Blocking, and Traceback of Malicious Traffic Over Tor

Tor is a popular low-latency anonymous communication system. It is, however, currently abused in various ways. Tor exit routers are frequently troubled by administrative and legal complaints. To gain an insight into such abuse, we designed and implemented a novel system, TorWard, for the discovery and the systematic study of malicious traffic over Tor. The system can avoid legal and administrative complaints, and allows the investigation to be performed in a sensitive environment such as a university campus. An intrusion detection system (IDS) is used to discover and classify malicious traffic. We performed comprehensive analysis and extensive real-world experiments to validate the feasibility and the effectiveness of TorWard. Our results show that around 10% Tor traffic can trigger IDS alerts. Malicious traffic includes P2P traffic, malware traffic (e.g., botnet traffic), denial-of-service attack traffic, spam, and others. Around 200 known malwares have been identified. To mitigate the abuse of Tor, we implemented a defense system, which processes IDS alerts, tears down, and blocks suspect connections. To facilitate forensic traceback of malicious traffic, we implemented a dual-tone multi-frequency signaling-based approach to correlate botnet traffic at Tor entry routers and that at exit routers. We carried out theoretical analysis and extensive real-world experiments to validate the feasibility and the effectiveness of TorWard for discovery, blocking, and traceback of malicious traffic.
Suffering at the hands of the state: Conditions of imprisonment and prisoner health in contemporary Greece

With imprisonment rates rising in a large number of jurisdictions worldwide, ever more research attention has been paid to conditions of imprisonment and prisoner health. With a view to contributing to the emerging body of literature, this article offers a systematic summary of key findings from Greece. Prison establishments in this country are vastly overcrowded and material conditions of detainment are deplorable. Healthcare provision in prison is minimal and the prevalence of serious transmittable diseases and mental disorders amongst prisoner populations is high, as are the rates of deliberate self-harm, suicide and death more generally. Prisoner use of prescribed and illicit drugs is alarmingly common, especially as regards injection drugs, and drug overdose appears to account for the majority of deaths in custody.
Biodegradable ‘intelligent’ materials in response to physical stimuli for biomedical applications

Background: Stimuli-responsive materials that undergo dramatic changes in physical–chemical properties in response to mild physical changes in environmental conditions are attracting increasing interest because of their potential application in biomedical fields. Biodegradable materials are highly desired for most biomedical applications in vivo, such as transient implants, drug-delivery carriers, and tissue engineering scaffolds. Biomedical systems that are both biodegradable and stimuli-responsive have therefore been studied intensively and significant progress in this field has been achieved. Objective/methods: This review summarizes the development of biodegradable ‘intelligent’ materials in response to physical stimuli and their potential biomedical applications. A detailed analysis of publications and patents on such materials in recent years is presented. Results/conclusion: Although biodegradable stimuli-responsive materials are highly attractive for biomedical applications, most such materials are currently at a developmental research stage. Additionally, single stimulus-responsive property limits the practical applications of these materials. To achieve more favorable applications for these materials, further efforts are still necessary, especially for developing multi-stimuli-responsive functions of materials and improving the stimuli-responsive properties of such materials in a biological environment. Bearing in mind the great prospect of these biodegradable stimuli-responsive materials, we hope that this review will help in the future development of stimuli-responsive polymers or systems that could be reliably employed in biomedical applications.
Educational Quality of YouTube Videos on Knee Arthrocentesis

BackgroundKnee arthrocentesis is a commonly performed diagnostic and therapeutic procedure in rheumatology and orthopedic surgery. Classic teaching of arthrocentesis skills relies on hands-on practice under supervision. Video-based online teaching is an increasingly utilized educational tool in higher and clinical education. YouTube is a popular video-sharing Web site that can be accessed as a teaching source. ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to assess the educational value of YouTube videos on knee arthrocentesis posted by health professionals and institutions during the period from 2008 to 2012. MethodsThe YouTube video database was systematically searched using 5 search terms related to knee arthrocentesis. Two independent clinical reviewers assessed videos for procedural technique and educational value using a 5-point global score, ranging from 1 = poor quality to 5 = excellent educational quality. As validated international guidelines are lacking, we used the guidelines of the Swiss Society of Rheumatology as criterion standard for the procedure. ResultsOf more than thousand findings, 13 videos met the inclusion criteria. Of those, 2 contained additional animated video material: one was purely animated, and one was a check list. The average length was 3.31 ± 2.28 minutes. The most popular video had 1388 hits per month. Our mean global score for educational value was 3.1 ± 1.0. Eight videos (62 %) were considered useful for teaching purposes. Use of a “no-touch” procedure, meaning that once disinfected the skin remains untouched before needle penetration, was present in all videos. Six videos (46%) demonstrated full sterile conditions. There was no clear preference of a medial (n = 8) versus lateral (n = 5) approach. ConclusionsA discreet number of YouTube videos on knee arthrocentesis appeared to be suitable for application in a Web-based format for medical students, fellows, and residents. The low-average mean global score for overall educational value suggests an improvement of future video-based instructional materials on YouTube would be necessary before regular use for teaching could be recommended.
Narrowing the spotlight: A visual attentional disorder in presumed alzheimer's disease

Abstract Visuo-spatial dysfunction is the initial and most disabling impairment in a small proportion of patients with progressive dementia. We report a series of investigations of two patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) in which progressive visuo-spatial deficits dominated the clinical picture. Both patients exhibited substantial impairments on a visual search task and read words printed in small letters better than words printed in large letters. When stimuli were presented in which a large letter was composed of small letters (e.g. an ‘S’ composed of T's), the patients identified the small letter faster and more reliably. These and other data are consistent with the hypothesis that the patients exhibit a restriction in the capacity of the spotlight of visual attention.
Optical coherence tomography - principles and applications

There have been three basic approaches to optical tomography since the early 1980s: diffraction tomography, diffuse optical tomography and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Optical techniques are of particular importance in the medical field, because these techniques promise to be safe and cheap and, in addition, offer a therapeutic potential. Advances in OCT technology have made it possible to apply OCT in a wide variety of applications but medical applications are still dominating. Specific advantages of OCT are its high depth and transversal resolution, the fact, that its depth resolution is decoupled from transverse resolution, high probing depth in scattering media, contact-free and non-invasive operation, and the possibility to create various function dependent image contrasting methods. This report presents the principles of OCT and the state of important OCT applications. OCT synthesises cross-sectional images from a series of laterally adjacent depth-scans. At present OCT is used in three different fields of optical imaging, in macroscopic imaging of structures which can be seen by the naked eye or using weak magnifications, in microscopic imaging using magnifications up to the classical limit of microscopic resolution and in endoscopic imaging, using low and medium magnification. First, OCT techniques, like the reflectometry technique and the dual beam technique were based on time-domain low coherence interferometry depth-scans. Later, Fourier-domain techniques have been developed and led to new imaging schemes. Recently developed parallel OCT schemes eliminate the need for lateral scanning and, therefore, dramatically increase the imaging rate. These schemes use CCD cameras and CMOS detector arrays as photodetectors. Video-rate three-dimensional OCT pictures have been obtained. Modifying interference microscopy techniques has led to high-resolution optical coherence microscopy that achieved sub-micrometre resolution. This report is concluded with a short presentation of important OCT applications. Ophthalmology is, due to the transparent ocular structures, still the main field of OCT application. The first commercial instrument too has been introduced for ophthalmic diagnostics (Carl Zeiss Meditec AG). Advances in using near-infrared light, however, opened the path for OCT imaging in strongly scattering tissues. Today, optical in vivo biopsy is one of the most challenging fields of OCT application. High resolution, high penetration depth, and its potential for functional imaging attribute to OCT an optical biopsy quality, which can be used to assess tissue and cell function and morphology in situ. OCT can already clarify the relevant architectural tissue morphology. For many diseases, however, including cancer in its early stages, higher resolution is necessary. New broad-bandwidth light sources, like photonic crystal fibres and superfluorescent fibre sources, and new contrasting techniques, give access to new sample properties and unmatched sensitivity and resolution.
Activation of microglia by human neuromelanin is NF‐κB‐dependent and involves p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase: implications for Parkinson's disease

It has been suggested that microglial inflammation augments the progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, endogenous factors initiating microglial activation are largely unknown. We therefore investigated the effects of human neuromelanin (NM) on the release of neurotoxic mediators and the underlying signaling pathways from rat microglia in vitro. The addition of NM to microglial cultures induced positive chemotactic effects, activated the proinflammatory transcription factor nuclear factor κB (NF‐κB) via phosphorylation and degradation of the inhibitor protein κB (IκB), and led to an up‐regulation of tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin‐6, and nitric oxide. The impairment of NF‐κB function by the IκB kinase inhibitor sulfasalazine was paralleled by a decline in neurotoxic mediators. NM also activated p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK), the inhibition of this pathway by SB203580 diminished phosphorylation of the transactivation domain of the p65 subunit of NF‐κB. These findings demonstrate a crucial role of NM in the pathogenesis of PD by augmentation of microglial activation, leading to a vicious cycle of neuronal death, exposure of additional neuromelanin, and chronification of inflammation. The antagonization of microglial activation by a pharmacological intervention targeting microglial NF‐κB or p38 MAPK could point to additional venues in the treatment of PD.
Factors Influencing Successful Submission of PhD Theses

This article examines the submission rates of 3579 postgraduate research students who studied for the traditional PhD degree at a single large civic university between 1984 and 1993. An examination is made of individual factors which may have an effect on students' rate of completion, attempting to identify characteristics of the student 'most likely to succeed'. The analysis excludes intrinsic student characteristics and institutional conditions. The only factor which emerged as a reliable predictor of successful submission within a 4-year period and within a 10-year period was whether a student was researching a science-based or an arts and humanities-based subject. Gender showed no predictive effect on submission. It is suggested that success in postgraduate research study is becoming more equally likely between different student groups, especially where international students, women and older students are concerned. Some differences between successful submission in the sciences and in the arts and humanities are identified and questions are raised about differences between fields of study.
Generalized divide the dollar

Divide the dollar is a two-player simultaneous derived from a game invented by John Nash because its strategy space has an entire subspace of Nash equilibria. This study describes and explores a family of generalizations of divide the dollar with easily controlled properties. If we view divide the dollar as modeling the process of making a bargain, then the generalized game makes it easy to model the impact of external subsidies on bargaining. Classical divide the dollar is compared to four generalizations representing a simple subsidy in three different amounts and a more complex type of subsidy. The distribution of simple strategies that arise under replicator dynamics is compared to the bids that arise in populations of evolving, adaptive agents. Agents are encoded using a finite state representation that conditions its transitions on the result of bargains. These results fall into three categories, the first player obtains a higher amount, the second one does, or the agents fail to make a deal. The replicator dynamic results are compared to obtain the naive degree of distortion caused by the subsidies. The results for evolving agents are then examined to figure out the degree to which adaption compensated for or amplifies this distortion.
When Marriage Breaks Up-Does Attachment Style Contribute to Coping and Mental Health?

This study examines the association between adult attachment style and the way people react to the crisis of divorce. A research group of 120 participants undergoing legal procedures related to divorce and a control group of 108 married participants were classified according to their attachment style (secure, avoidant, anxious-ambivalent) and completed the Mental Health Inventory. In addition, the divorced participants answered scales tapping appraisal of divorce and ways of coping with it. As expected, divorced participants reported more distress than married ones. This effect was found among avoidant and anxious-ambivalent participants, but not among secure participants. Significant differences were also found among attachment groups in appraisal and coping variables. Structural analyses supported the hypothesis that appraisal and coping mediate the association between attachment style and mental health during the crisis of divorce. Results are discussed in terms of attachment theory.
Transceiver Design in Full-Duplex MIMO Cognitive Radios Under Channel Uncertainties

In this paper, the operation of a full-duplex (FD) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) underlay cognitive radio (CR) network is studied. Each pair of secondary users (SUs) operate in FD mode, and each SU communicates with its peer within the coverage area of multiple primary users (PUs). Each SU suffers from self-interference, along with interference created by all other SUs and, in its turn, generates interference towards the PU. We assume that the channel-state-information (CSI) of the interference links between the SUs and the PU is imperfectly known and the channel estimation errors are norm bounded. Under such channel uncertainties, we address the problem of robust minimization of the aggregate mean-squared-error (MSE) of all estimated symbols, subject to a set of transmit power constraints, as well as interference constraints, with the aim of protecting PU communication. It is shown that the problem can be cast as a semidefinite programming problem and the optimal precoding matrices can be obtained via an iterative algorithm. By means of simulation, the proposed FD precoding scheme is shown to outperform the standard half-duplex scheme.
Suicidal behavior in late life: Population and patient perspectives

Older adults have high rates of suicide, and the strong role of depression is often emphasized in studies on suicidal behaviour in this age group. The literature regarding other factors is rather sparse. This thesis utilizes data from three population-based studies and one clinical study with the aim of increasing knowledge about factors associated with suicidal behavior in late life. Study I is based on data from EURODEP, a multicenter study involving 15,890 adults (9,429 women, 6461 men) aged 64-104 years. In Study II, all 97-year-olds living in Gothenburg were invited to take part and 269 (197 women, 72 men) without dementia participated. The Prospective Population Study on Women, initiated in 1968, provided data for study III; 800 middle-aged women were examined in 1968 and followed over a 42-year period. In Study IV a hospital cohort of 80 individuals (42 women, 38 men) aged 70-91 were interviewed after a suicide attempt. Findings from study I showed that both intermediate and high functional disability was associated with death wishes in both sexes. Results remained after adding depressive symptoms to the model. Among the 97-year-olds in study II, 11.5 % reported suicidal feelings in accordance with the Paykel questions and the majority (77.4 %) of these fulfilled criteria for neither major nor minor depression. Sleep problems and deficient social contacts were associated with suicidal feelings; relationships were independent of depression. One fourth of the women who participated in study III had experienced suicidal thoughts at some point during their life and 8 % had made at least one suicide attempt. Onset of suicidal behavior occurred after age 40 in half the women. Women who reported five or more early childhood adversities were significantly younger when they had their first-episode of suicidal thoughts. In study IV a strong association between major depression and low Sense of Coherence (SOC) was observed. Low SOC was associated with deficient social contacts and having moved in the past five years, and these relationships remained also after adjustment for depression. While early detection and treatment of depression is imperative, interventions to reduce suicidal behavior in later life may also need to target functional disability, pain and sleep problems, and limited social networks.
A 100-GHz varactorless CMOS VCO using source degeneration

We present a new varactorless voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) technique at 100GHz in 65nm CMOS technology. Using source degeneration and capacitors between the source and drain nodes of cross-coupled MOS transistors, the new technique is able to change the output frequency of a VCO in a 100GHz fundamental mode with an at least 4GHz wide tuning range. The phase noise of the VCO is −85.1dBc/Hz at 1MHz offset from the 98.6GHz carrier frequency. The power consumption is 7.4mW when the supply voltage is 1.2V and the maximum output frequency is 102.7GHz.
A Simple Analysis of the Transient Period in Peer-to-Peer Networks

We consider a peer-to-peer (P2P) network with two phases: the transient period and the stationary period. In the transient period, bursting demand causes a rapid increase in the number of servers, and users (customers) experience significant delays due to the lack of peers that can share the file. So, companies that would utilize P2P networks should seriously consider the transient period as the quality of service can be significantly degraded during that period. To understand the transient period and extract more explicit intuition on it in a P2P scheme, we build a simplified model and derive the closed form expressions and numerical results for performance measures. We also discuss the waiting time of users and the transient period when a file comprises multiple chunks.