Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fast and efficient algorithms for sequential and parallel evaluation of polynomial zeros and of matrix polynomials

We evaluate all the real and complex zeros λ1,. ,λn of an n-th degree univariate polynomial with the relative precision 1/2nc for a given positive constant c. If for all g,h, log |λg/λh-1| ≥ 1/2O(n) unless λg = λh, then we need O(n3log2n) arithmetic operations or O(n2log n) steps, n log n processors. O(n2log n) operations or O(n log n) parallel steps, n processors suffice if either all the zeros are real or for all g,h either |λg| = |λh| or 2O(n) ≥ (|λg/λh| - 1)| ≥ 1/2O(n). If all the zeros are either multiple or form complex conjugate pairs or if their moduli pairwise differ by the factors at least 1+1/nO(1), then O(n log2n) operations or O(log2n) steps, n processors suffice. Replacing 1+1/nO(1) above by 1+1/nO(loghn) for a positive h only requires to increase the time-complexity bounds by the factor loghn. Some of the presented algorithms extend Graeffe's method, other algorithms use the power sum techniques and the companion matrix computation; the latter ones are related to Bernoulli's and Leverrier's methods and to the power method and are extended in this paper to the evaluation of a matrix polynomial u(X) of degree N, (X is an n×n matrix), using O(N log N+n2.496) arithmetic operations. Such evaluation can be performed using O(log N+log2n) parallel steps, Nn+n3.496 processors or alternatively O(log2(nN)) steps, N/log N+n3.496 processors over arbitrary field of constants. Over rational constants, for almost all matrices X the number of processors can be reduced to Nn+n2.933 or to N/log N+n2.933, respectively; the bounds can be further reduced to O(log N+log2n)steps, N+n2.933 processors if u(X) is to be computed with a fixed arbitrarily high precision rather than exactly. For integer and well-conditioned matrices, the exponent 2.933 above can be decreased to 2.496. The results substantially improve the previously known upper estimates for the complexity of sequential and parallel evaluation of polynomial zeros and of matrix polynomials.
Weaknesses, strengths and needs in fertility care according to patients.

BACKGROUND The patients' role in assessing health care quality is increasingly recognized. Measuring patients' specific experiences and needs generates concrete information for care improvement, whereas satisfaction surveys only give an overoptimistic, undifferentiating picture. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate possible weaknesses, strengths and needs in fertility care by measuring patients' specific experiences. METHODS Mixed (qualitative and quantitative) methods were used to identify weaknesses, strengths and needs in fertility care. Four focus groups with 21 infertile patients were used for documenting care aspects relevant to patients. The fully transcribed qualitative results were analysed and converted into a 124-item questionnaire, to investigate whether these aspects were regarded as weaknesses, strengths or needs in fertility care. The questionnaire was distributed to 369 eligible couples attending 13 Dutch fertility clinics. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the quantity of the weaknesses, strengths and needs. RESULTS Overall, 286 women (78%) and 280 men (76%) completed the questionnaire. Patients experienced many weaknesses in fertility care, mostly regarding emotional support and continuity of care. Respect and autonomy and partner involvement were considered strengths in current care. Furthermore, women expressed their need for more doctors' continuity during their treatment, and couples strongly desired to have free access to their own medical record. The questionnaire's internal consistency and construct validity were sufficient. CONCLUSIONS Infertile couples experience strengths, but also many weaknesses and needs in current fertility care. Lack of patient centredness seems to be a major cause herein. Using mixed methods is a sensitive means for identifying these weaknesses and needs.
A Brief Vestibular/Ocular Motor Screening (VOMS) Assessment to Evaluate Concussions

Background: Vestibular and ocular motor impairments and symptoms have been documented in patients with sport-related concussions. However, there is no current brief clinical screen to assess and monitor these issues. Purpose: To describe and provide initial data for the internal consistency and validity of a brief clinical screening tool for vestibular and ocular motor impairments and symptoms after sport-related concussions. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Sixty-four patients, aged 13.9 ± 2.5 years and seen approximately 5.5 ± 4.0 days after a sport-related concussion, and 78 controls were administered the Vestibular/Ocular Motor Screening (VOMS) assessment, which included 5 domains: (1) smooth pursuit, (2) horizontal and vertical saccades, (3) near point of convergence (NPC) distance, (4) horizontal vestibular ocular reflex (VOR), and (5) visual motion sensitivity (VMS). Participants were also administered the Post-Concussion Symptom Scale (PCSS). Results: Sixty-one percent of patients reported symptom provocation after at least 1 VOMS item. All VOMS items were positively correlated to the PCSS total symptom score. The VOR (odds ratio [OR], 3.89; P < .001) and VMS (OR, 3.37; P < .01) components of the VOMS were most predictive of being in the concussed group. An NPC distance ≥5 cm and any VOMS item symptom score ≥2 resulted in an increase in the probability of correctly identifying concussed patients of 38% and 50%, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic curves supported a model including the VOR, VMS, NPC distance, and ln(age) that resulted in a high predicted probability (area under the curve = 0.89) for identifying concussed patients. Conclusion: The VOMS demonstrated internal consistency as well as sensitivity in identifying patients with concussions. The current findings provide preliminary support for the utility of the VOMS as a brief vestibular/ocular motor screen after sport-related concussions. The VOMS may augment current assessment tools and may serve as a single component of a comprehensive approach to the assessment of concussions.
Combinations of stroke neurorehabilitation to facilitate motor recovery: perspectives on Hebbian plasticity and homeostatic metaplasticity

Motor recovery after stroke involves developing new neural connections, acquiring new functions, and compensating for impairments. These processes are related to neural plasticity. Various novel stroke rehabilitation techniques based on basic science and clinical studies of neural plasticity have been developed to aid motor recovery. Current research aims to determine whether using combinations of these techniques can synergistically improve motor recovery. When different stroke neurorehabilitation therapies are combined, the timing of each therapeutic program must be considered to enable optimal neural plasticity. Synchronizing stroke rehabilitation with voluntary neural and/or muscle activity can lead to motor recovery by targeting Hebbian plasticity. This reinforces the neural connections between paretic muscles and the residual motor area. Homeostatic metaplasticity, which stabilizes the activity of neurons and neural circuits, can either augment or reduce the synergic effect depending on the timing of combination therapy and types of neurorehabilitation that are used. Moreover, the possibility that the threshold and degree of induced plasticity can be altered after stroke should be noted. This review focuses on the mechanisms underlying combinations of neurorehabilitation approaches and their future clinical applications. We suggest therapeutic approaches for cortical reorganization and maximal functional gain in patients with stroke, based on the processes of Hebbian plasticity and homeostatic metaplasticity. Few of the possible combinations of stroke neurorehabilitation have been tested experimentally; therefore, further studies are required to determine the appropriate combination for motor recovery.
Cytochrome o as a terminal oxidase and receptor for aerotaxis in Salmonella typhimurium

Cytochrome o was the only oxidase of the electron transport system that was present in exponentially growing Salmonella typhimurium ST1. Identification of cytochrome o was made by the (CO-reduced)-minus-(reduced) difference spectra and by the photochemical action spectrum of the relief, by light, of CO-inhibited respiration. Cytochrome o also functioned as the receptor for chemotaxis to oxygen (aerotaxis). The concentration of oxygen that elicits the maximum response for aerotaxis (0.7 microM) was similar to the Km for respiration (0.74 microM), and both aerotaxis and respiration were blocked 5 mM KCN.
The critical cytoplasmic regions of the αL/β2 integrin in Rap1-induced adhesion and migration

Rap1 is a potent inside-out signal that increases LFA-1 adhesive activity. In this study, we have defined the cytoplasmic region of the L and 2 integrin that are required for Rap1-stimulated adhesion and subsequent migration on ICAM-1. Human LFA-1 bearing truncated and pointmutated L and 2 cytoplasmic regions were reconstituted in mouse IL-3– dependent proB cells, BAF/3. Truncation of the L, but not 2 subunit cytoplasmic region, abolished Rap1V12-dependent adhesion to ICAM-1. The alanine substitution of two lysine residues (K1097/K1099) in the L subunit was found to be critical in adhesion induced by Rap1V12, but not PMA. This mutation suppressed Rap1V12-induced LFA-1 conformation changes and ligand-binding affinity. The K1097/K1099 mutation also impaired binding to ICAM-1 induced by TCR cross-linking or SDF-1. In contrast, the alanine substitution for tyrosine in the 2 subunit endocytosis motif inhibited internalization of LFA-1, and severely impaired detachment at the cell rear, which resulted in long-elongated cell shapes. This result demonstrates that internalization of LFA-1 is a critical step in the deadhesion process. Our study revealed novel requirements of amino acid residues of the LFA-1 cytoplasmic region in the response to the inside-out signaling and the subsequent deadhesion process.
Controversies surrounding erythrocyte sodium-lithium countertransport

Background Interest originally arose in ouabain-insensitive lithium transport across erythrocyte membranes when it was found that lithium could substitue for sodium, either undergoing 1 :1 lithium exchange or 1 :1 sodium-lithium countertransport in a manner that follows Michaelis- Menten kinetics. Elevation of the sodium-lithium countertransport activity in hypertension was first noted in 1980 and found to be a genetically linked phenomenon. This observation has since been confirmed on several occasions and associations with other dieases such as diabetes have been noted. Nevertheless, many unanswered questions remain about the clinical significance of disturbed sodium-lithium countertransport and its pathological basis. Methods Traditional methods for characterizing the sodium-lithium countertransporter have depended on determining differences between lithium fluxes into sodium-rich and sodium-free media. There have been inherent problems in deciding on suitable sodium substitutes. Of the available alternatives, choline has emerged as having advantages over magnesium. Reports in the literature have often failed to take into account varied assay conditions, making comparisons of data from different laboratories difficult A further complexity has been the realization that sodium-lithium countertransport activity incorporates two key elements in the form of Vmax and km. Kinetic studies have shown independent variation in these two parameters with various disease states. Results Much of the published work to date has continued to rely on measurement of countertransport activity, with magnesium acting as the predominant sodium-substitute. This has occurred despite the undoubted benefits obtained from kinetic analysis. Where kinetics of the sodium-lithium countertransporter have been determined, there have emerged clear associations between Vmax and environmental influences such as plasma lipids with elevated values in dyslipidaemic states including diabetes. The affinity constant, km, is more clearly under genetic control and has independent associations with vascular disease. Conclusions Study of the erythrocyte sodium-lithium countertransporter has revealed interesting relationships between altered behaviour of the transporter and specific disease states. Although still somewhat of an enigma, this transporter is emerging as an important membrane constituent whose further study may help us to understand the molecular mechanisms leading to vascular disease.
Simple and Reliable Model for the Thermal Protection of Variable-Speed Self-Ventilated Induction Motor Drives

Self-ventilated variable-speed induction motors cannot be protected using standard overload relays. At reduced operating speeds, the heat-loss dissipation capability is deteriorated, and the motor could be subjected to overheating, even with operating currents below the rated value. The practical solution generally employed is to oversize the motor in order to avoid overheating at reduced speeds. This paper proposes and evaluates a third-order thermal model capable of giving good temperature-rise predictions for any arbitrary variable-load variable-speed operating cycle. The key issues addressed are the estimation of the thermal capacitances of the model and the variation of the frame-to-ambient thermal resistance with the operating frequency (speed). Evaluation is done in an experimental totally enclosed fan-cooled induction motor fitted with thermocouples in the stator winding and frame. The model parameters are first obtained using the identification algorithm proposed, and then, the model is used to predict the temperature rise in the stator and frame during variable-speed operation.
Accuracy of image-guided implantology.

OBJECTIVES The accuracy of two commercially available systems for image-guided dental implant insertion based on infrared tracking cameras was compared with manual implantation. MATERIAL AND METHODS Phantoms of partially edentulous mandibles were used. In a master phantom, pilot boreholes for dental implants were placed. These boreholes were reproduced in slave phantoms using either of the two image-guided systems and manual implantation. The resulting positions were determined using a coordinate measurement machine and compared with the master model. RESULTS In comparison with manual implantation, the difference of borehole positions to the master phantom was significantly lower using either of the systems for image-guided implant insertion. CONCLUSION Image-guided insertion of dental implants is significantly more accurate than manual insertion. However, the accuracy that can be achieved with manual implantation is sufficient for most clinical situations.
Parallel Investigations of the Dynamics of Neural Microcircuits

The advent of multicore and many core technologies opens new frontiers in computational sciences, making possible intensive computations on affordable computer systems. Our ongoing work is focused on the investigation of the suitability of many core and multicore systems to computational neuroscience simulations. We aim at providing a deeper understanding of the influence the various parallelisation techniques have on the dynamics of spiking neural microcircuits -- as they show an almost chaotic behaviour. For that, we are developing a methodology for the evaluation of parallel implementations of biologically-based neural models and small world neural networks. Following our methodology, we designed a framework to assess the behaviour and performance of different parallel and sequential implementations of simulation models and techniques. We present first results obtained on multicore systems with OpenMP parallelisation of Hodgkin-Huxley based-models.
Using instructional theory to facilitate communication in Web-based courses

This articles examines the role of computer-mediated communication as well as broader interpretations of communication in Web-based instruction. Overviews of cognitive processing and cognitive constructivist paradigms are presented to illustrate their relevance for guiding development of Web-based courses. Instructional goals and communication strategies associated with these paradigms are identified. We conclude that developers should use instructional theories to guide choices for facilitating communications goals in Web-based courses. Because of increasing demands on professionals in many disciplines to develop Web-based instruction, it is recommended that university training programs require appropriate candidates to demonstrate relevant theoretical knowledge and skill competencies.
A compact approach to clustered master-slave Ethernet networks

Ethernet switches are increasingly used in real-time distributed systems as a technical solution to guarantee the timeliness in communications. However, there are still limitations related to real-time behavior caused by the limited number of priority levels and the possibility of memory overruns with consequent message losses. These limitations can be eliminated using a master/slave technique such as proposed by the FTT paradigm. This led to the FTT-SE protocol that schedules transmissions centrally in a master node. While this protocol has already been well studied and investigated for small networks with a single switch, its extension to larger networks is still an open issue. In this paper we propose a compact clustered solution to scale the FTT-SE protocol to networks of multiple switches by organizing the network in sub-networks composed of one master and one switch each and which can be connected directly, without bridges. This paper also shows how the timeliness of the traffic can still be enforced. The response time analysis, implementing a prototype and developing a simulator is currently on-going.
Impact of 4D Channel Distribution on the Achievable Rates in Coherent Optical Communication Experiments

We experimentally investigate mutual information and generalized mutual information for coherent optical transmission systems. The impact of the assumed channel distribution on the achievable rate is investigated for distributions in up to four dimensions. Single channel and wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) transmission over transmission links with and without inline dispersion compensation are studied. We show that for conventional WDM systems without inline dispersion compensation, a circularly symmetric complex Gaussian distribution is a good approximation of the channel. For other channels, such as with inline dispersion compensation, this is no longer true and gains in the achievable information rate are obtained by considering more sophisticated four-dimensional (4D) distributions. We also show that for nonlinear channels, gains in the achievable information rate can also be achieved by estimating the mean values of the received constellation in four dimensions. The highest gain for such channels is seen for a 4D correlated Gaussian distribution.
Vs Golf - Developing Location-based Multi-Player Games

Location-based multi-player games are currently being pushed by the industry, one main factor being that highly-accurate positioning technologies like GPS as well as broadband mobile networks like UMTS are finally getting widespread. Nevertheless, generic frameworks for efficiently managing user locations are still missing, which strongly complicates game development. This paper presents TraX, a device-centric framework for Location- based Services, which especially supports proactive and multi-player services and thus perfectly matches the challenges mobile game development faces today. The suitability of TraX is evaluated by means of VsGolf, an actual location-based multi-player game, which has been developed and tested by students in only four days.
There's more to emotion than meets the eye: A processing bias for neutral content in the domain of emotional prosody

Research on emotion processing in the visual modality suggests a processing advantage for emotionally salient stimuli, even at early sensory stages; however, results concerning the auditory correlates are inconsistent. We present two experiments that employed a gating paradigm to investigate emotional prosody. In Experiment 1, participants heard successively building segments of Jabberwocky “sentences” spoken with happy, angry, or neutral intonation. After each segment, participants indicated the emotion conveyed and rated their confidence in their decision. Participants in Experiment 2 also heard Jabberwocky “sentences” in successive increments, with half discriminating happy from neutral prosody, and half discriminating angry from neutral prosody. Participants in both experiments identified neutral prosody more rapidly and accurately than happy or angry prosody. Confidence ratings were greater for neutral sentences, and error patterns also indicated a bias for recognising neutral prosody. Taken together, results suggest that enhanced processing of emotional content may be constrained by stimulus modality.
An interventional study to improve the quality of analgesia in the emergency department.

OBJECTIVE We sought to document the adequacy of acute pain management in a high-volume urban emergency department and the impact of a structured intervention. METHODS We conducted a prospective, single-blind, pre- and postintervention study on patients who suffered minor-to-moderate trauma. The intervention consisted of structured training sessions on emergency department (ED) analgesia practice and the implementation of a voluntary analgesic protocol. RESULTS Preintervention data showed that only 340 of 1000 patients (34%) received analgesia. Postintervention data showed that 693 of 700 patients (99%) received analgesia, an absolute increase of 65% (95% CI 61%-68%), and that delay to analgesia administration fell from 69 (standard deviation [SD] 54) minutes to 35 (SD 43) minutes. Analgesics led to similar reductions in visual analog pain scale ratings during the pre- and postintervention phases (4.5 cm, SD 2.0 cm, and 4.3 cm, SD 3.0 cm, respectively). CONCLUSION Our multifaceted ED pain management intervention was highly effective in improving quality of analgesia, timeliness of care and patient satisfaction. This protocol or similar ones have the potential to substantially improve pain management in diverse ED settings.
Neurohypophysial Peptides Stimulate the Phosphorylation of Pre-T Cell Focal Adhesion Kinases

Thymic oxytocin (OT) behaves as a cryptocrine signal targeted at the outer surface of thymic epithelial cell plasma membrane from where OT is able to interact with neurohypophysial peptide receptors expressed by pre-T cells. Immature T cells bear a receptor of the V1 subtype, while OT receptors are predominantly expressed by cytotoxic CD8+ lymphocytes. In both T cell types, neurohypophysial peptide receptors transduce OT via the phosphoinositide pathway. Protein tyrosine phosphorylation is an early event of T cell activation. Western blots of murine pre-T cells (RL12-NP line) proteins probed with anti-phosphotyrosine (PY-20) revealed a great number of proteins the phosphorylation of which increased either with OT or vasopressin treatment. Two were immunoprecipitated with anti-focal adhesion kinase (FAK) mAb 2A7 and were identified one as p125FAK and the other as a coprecipitating 130-kDa protein. The p125FAK is connected to the Ras/MAPK pathway and is also implicated in TCR/CD3 signalling in T cell. Another protein phosphorylated by OT in RL12-NP was identified as paxillin, a 68-kDa protein localised at focal adhesion sites and associated with p125FAK. These results indicate that phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase may be induced in pre-T cell by thymic OT.