Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reliability assessment of framework-based distributed embedded software systems

Distributed embedded software systems, such as sensor networks and command and control systems, are complex systems with stringent performance, reliability, security, and safety constraints. These are also long-lived systems that must be continually upgraded and evolved to incorporate enhanced functionality. One approach for achieving high quality and evolvability for these systems is to organize them in the form of application-oriented frameworks that allow the system to be composed from orthogonal aspects that can be independently developed, evolved, and certified. In this paper, we define a general framework that allows a distributed embedded system to have relatively independent aspects, including "plug-and-play" capability. We present conditions under which the reliability of the system can be inferred from the reliability of the individual aspects. The approach is illustrated for a framework-based distributed sensor network.
Clinical significance of differences between home and clinic systolic blood pressure readings in patients with hypertension

Objectives To elucidate the clinical significance of differences between home- and clinic-measured systolic blood pressure (SBP) in patients with treated hypertension, and to assess the correlations between SBPs and arterial stiffness. Methods Patients with treated hypertension measured their blood pressure (BP) themselves once, at home, in the morning (<1 h after awakening) using an automated oscillometric sphygmomanometer. Clinic BP was measured once, at an outpatient clinic on the same day, using a similar instrument. Arterial stiffness was measured by cardio–ankle vascular index (CAVI). Differences between home and clinic SBPs, and the correlations between CAVI and home SBP, clinic SBP, and the difference between home and clinic SBPs, were analysed. Results Seventy-six patients with treated hypertension (mean age, 71 years) were evaluated. There was no statistically significant difference between home and clinic SBP (mean ± SD 132 ± 14 and 133 ± 16 mmHg, respectively). Home SBP showed no correlation with CAVI, whereas clinic SBP showed a weak correlation. The difference between the home and clinic SBP showed a stronger correlation with CAVI, and was statistically significant. Conclusions The difference between home- and clinic-measured SBP showed a better correlation with arterial stiffness than did either home or clinic SBP alone.
Ploidy dynamics and evolvability in fungi

Rapid responses to acute stresses are essential for stress survival and are critical to the ability of fungal pathogens to adapt to new environments or hosts. The rapid emergence of drug resistance is used as a model for how fungi adapt and survive stress conditions that inhibit the growth of progenitor cells. Aneuploidy and loss of heterozygosity (LOH), which are large-scale genome shifts involving whole chromosomes or chromosome arms, occur at higher frequency than point mutations and have the potential to mediate stress survival. Furthermore, the stress of exposure to an antifungal drug can induce elevated levels of LOH and can promote the formation of aneuploids. This occurs via mitotic defects that first produce tetraploid progeny with extra spindles, followed by chromosome mis-segregation. Thus, drug exposure induces elevated levels of aneuploidy, which can alter the copy number of genes that improve survival in a given stress or drug. Selection then acts to increase the proportion of adaptive aneuploids in the population. Because aneuploidy is a common property of many pathogenic fungi, including those posing emerging threats to plants, animals and humans, we propose that aneuploid formation and LOH often accompanying it contribute to the rapid generation of diversity that can facilitate the emergence of fungal pathogens to new environmental niches and/or new hosts, as well as promote antifungal drug resistance that makes emerging fungal infections ever more difficult to contain. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Tackling emerging fungal threats to animal health, food security and ecosystem resilience’.
Expression of GARP Is Increased in Tumor-Infiltrating Regulatory T Cells and Is Correlated to Clinicopathology of Lung Cancer Patients

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are immunosuppressive T cells that play an important role in immune homeostasis. Multiple markers have been associated with the characterization, as well as function of Tregs. Recently, glycoprotein A repetitions predominant (GARP), a transmembrane protein containing leucine-rich repeats, has been found to be highly expressed on the surface of activated Tregs. GARP maintains Tregs’ regulatory function and homeostasis through the activation and secretion of transforming growth factor β. In this study, we investigated the expression of GARP in Tregs from the peripheral blood (PB) and tumor tissues of lung cancer patients. The association between the proportion and expression level of GARP on Tregs and the clinicopathological factors of lung cancer patients was also analyzed. Results showed that in the tumor tissues of patients with lung cancer, GARP expression was increased in Tregs and was associated with lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, and clinical stage. Furthermore, the infiltrating Tregs from early stage patients exhibited higher GARP expression than that from advanced cancer patients, which indicated that GARP might be an early prognostic biomarker. In vitro coculture studies demonstrated that human lung cancer cell lines might induce the expression of GARP in Tregs by certain mechanisms. Overall, this research demonstrated the potential value of GARP in Tregs definition and cancer immunotherapy.
Bone health and oral health.

BACKGROUND Low bone mass in the skeleton, which increases the risk of osteoporotic fracture, also may be associated with periodontal bone loss and tooth loss. Osteoporosis and periodontal disease share several common risk factors, including older age, smoking and perhaps insufficient dietary intakes of calcium and vitamin D. CONCLUSION Research supports the idea that osteoporosis independently influences alveolar bone height loss. Strategies for reducing osteoporosis risk also may help retard alveolar bone loss. Meeting dietary intake recommendations for calcium and vitamin D is one strategy that is appropriate for a broad segment of the population. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS A healthy lifestyle has multiple benefits for the mouth and throughout the body. Dental professionals can play a role in preventing osteoporosis by reinforcing this message.
Relationship between Enhanced Intensity of Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound and Microvessel Density of Aortic Atherosclerostic Plaque in Rabbit Model

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between enhanced intensity of contrast enhanced ultrasound and microvessel density of aortic atherosclerotic plaque in rabbit model. The abdominal aortas of thirty-six male New Zealand rabbits were damaged by balloon expansion and the animals were then fed a high fat diet for 12 weeks. Twenty-seven plaques on the near aortic wall were detected using conventional ultrasound examination. The maximum thickness of each plaque was recorded. CEUS was performed on these 27 plaques and the time-intensity curves (TICs) were analyzed offline. Using the quantitative ACQ software, features such as the arrival time (AT), time to peak (TTP), baseline intensity (BI), peak intensity (PI) and enhanced intensity (EI) (EI = PI-BI) were assessed. Inter- and intra-observer agreement of EI were assessed using the Bland-Altman test. After CEUS examination, the rabbits were sacrificed for pathological examination and CD34 monoclonal antibody immunohistochemical detection. Microvessel density (MVD) was counted under the microscope. The relationship between indexes of CEUS and the level of MVD was analyzed. There was a good positive linear correlation between EI and MVD (γ = 0. 854, P<0. 001), the intraclass correlations for inter- and intra-observer agreement for EI were 0.73 and 0.82 respectively, suggesting that EI may be act as a useful index for plaque risk stratification in animal models.
Testing Newtonian gravity with AAOmega: mass-to-light profiles of four globular clusters

Testing Newtonian gravity in the weak-acceleration regime is vital to our understanding of the nature of the gravitational interaction. It has recently been claimed that the velocity dispersion profiles of several globular clusters flatten out at large radii, reminiscent of galaxy rotation curves, even though globular clusters are thought to contain little or no dark matter. We investigate this claim, using AAOmega observations of four globular clusters, namely M22, M30, M53 and M68. M30, one such cluster that has had this claim made for its velocity dispersion, was included for comparison with previous studies. We find no statistically significant flattening of the velocity dispersion at large radii for any of our target clusters and, therefore, we infer that the observed dynamics do not require that globular clusters are dark matter dominated, or a modification of gravity. Furthermore, by applying a simple dynamical model we determine the radial mass-to-light profiles for each cluster. The isothermal rotations of each cluster are also measured, with M22 exhibiting clear rotation, M68 possible rotation and M30 and M53 lacking any rotation, within the uncertainties.
What Is a Sinful Social Structure?

Catholic social teaching has long affirmed the existence of sinful social structures but without describing them or how they operate. This article reviews magisterial teaching on sinful social structures and turns to critical realist sociology for an analysis of structures as having causal influence through the free choices of persons within them. Theologically, social structures (whether markets or parishes) can be “sinful” in an analogous sense, similar to original sin. A typology of inclusive and extractive economic institutions exemplifies how this analysis can apply to sinful social structures today.
Commentary on Sources of Ostracism Research

ABSTRACT This article briefly introduces and provides commentary on this special issue, “Investigating How Individuals Feel Ostracizing Others” in the Journal of Social Psychology. This commentary uses first-person recollections from early ostracism studies to help frame the special issue in the larger scope of ostracism research. Modern ostracism research started in the early 1990s and hundreds of studies have advanced our understanding of this phenomenon. However, the preponderance of research has focused on the target of ostracism (those being ostracized) and relied primarily on a single method in experimental studies. The present special issue includes articles that employed a variety of research approaches and focused exclusively on the sources (those who do the ostracism). Finally, this commentary invites researchers to more fully investigate this understudied aspect of a common phenomenon that people are likely to engage in regularly.
From a Marketplace to a Cultural Space

Culture as a research site and tool has been well established in the field of intercultural business and technical communication. In recent years, the perspective of culture as an ongoing process responding to contextual forces has been widely embraced in the field. Acknowledging the dynamic nature of culture helps communicators make contextual evaluations in intercultural business communication practices. While researchers strive to examine the dynamic nature of culture and contextual factors’ influence on culture and communication, little efforts has been made to examine the process of a cultural element’s generation, development, and transmission. To understand the notion of culture as a dynamic process for effective intercultural business and technical practices, it is necessary to conceptualize or describe how a cultural element or unit originates and develops along an evolutionary path. In this study, we focus on how the online meme serves as an empirically useful unit of culture, explore an online meme’s evolution process when it successfully transfers from an online marketplace to cultural space, and identify the qualities that constitute the success of the online meme.
Structural rRNA characters support monophyly of raptorial limbs and paraphyly of limb specialization in water fleas

The evolutionary success of arthropods has been attributed partly to the diversity of their limb morphologies. Large morphological diversity and increased specialization are observed in water flea (Cladocera) limbs, but it is unclear whether the increased limb specialization in different cladoceran orders is the result of shared ancestry or parallel evolution. We inferred a robust among–order cladoceran phylogeny using small–subunit and large–subunit rRNA nuclear gene sequences, signature sequence regions, novel stem–loops and secondary structure morphometrics to assess the phylogenetic distribution of limb specialization. The sequence–based and structural rRNA morphometric phylogenies were congruent and suggested monophyly of orders with raptorial limbs, but paraphyly of orders with reduced numbers of specialized limbs. These results highlight the utility of complex molecular structural characters in resolving ancient rapid radiations.
BRIDEGROOM PRICE IN URBAN INDIA: CLASS, CASTE AND 'DOWRY EVIL' AMONG CHRISTIANS IN MADRAS

The classical notion of dowry as stridhanam-a daughter's wedding settlement-is no longer an adequate descriptive model of marriage payments in contemporary urban India. Nowadays the term refers also, indeed more so, to a typically large cash transfer by the bride's household to that of her prospective spouse. Though widely condemned as 'dowry evil', this practice is spreading, especially among the urban well-to-do. The payment of 'bridegroom price' violates the traditional notion of dowry in two senses. First, it cannot have the connotation of a daughter's portion, since it is alienated from her. Second, the bridegroom's parents, to whom it passes, utilise it to acquire husbands for their own daughters. Bridegroom price thereby enters a 'societal fund', moving among domestic units within a marriage circle in a manner not unlike property in bridewealth systems. Among Christians, only families following caste-specific unions pay bridegroom price; those who marry without regard to caste do not alienate resources in this way, though they settle stridhanam on daughters. Bridegroom price prestations are therefore to be seen not merely as a way of defending and enhancing a favourable class position, but as a means of preserving and redefining endogamous boundaries in a heterogeneous urban setting. The idea that a woman should receive a marriage settlement from her family is long-established in India. Classical Hindu texts have identified such property as stridhanam, and it may be regarded, according to Khare, as 'part of the sacred cultural concept of kanyadan' (lit. 'gift of a maiden' in marriage) (I970: I04). Endowments of this kind are referred to by numerous writers as 'dowry', and distinguished from other forms of property which women may acquire in the course of their lifetime, e.g. through their own labour. Tambiah argues that 'dowry connotes female property or female rights to property which is transferred at a woman's marriage as a sort of pre-mortem inheritance' (I973: 64). The notion of dowry as a pre-mortem inheritance (which is also propounded by Goody (1973: i)) is challenged by Madan, who prefers to regard it instead as a 'substitute for women's lack of rights of inheritance equivalent to those of men' (I975: 237). A third view is that it might be more appropriately seen as 'a moral claim . in lieu of the rights of maintenance she renounces at marriage' (Parry I979: 239). Evidence suggests that the custom of giving dowry has traditionally been more prevalent in north than in south India, and in the latter region, more commonly found among Brahmans than others (see Miller I980). There is, nevertheless, a wide measure of agreement among scholars in seeing the dowry as an important element in the establishment of marital ties between the bride's natal family and that of her bridegroom.
Mycelial Extract of Phellinus linteus Induces Cell Death in A549 Lung Cancer Cells and Elevation of Nitric Oxide in Raw 264.7 Macrophage Cells

In the present study, in order to investigate the anti-proliferative phenomenon of PLME, the effects of mycelial extract of Phellinus linteus (PLME) on the growth of human lung carcinoma cell line A549 was examined. We studied on the effects of PLME on the release of nitric oxide (NO) in mouse macrophage Raw 264.7 cells. Treatment of PLME to A549 cells resulted in the growth inhibition, morphological change and induction of apoptotic cell death in a dose-dependent manner as measured by MTT assay. We found that PLME stimulated a dose-dependent increase in NO production. These findings suggest that PLME enhances the anti-tumoral activity of macrophage and may be a potential therapeutic agent for the control of human lung carcinoma cells.
FLOW-SHOP SCHEDULING BASED ON REINFORCEMENT LEARNING ALGORITHM

In the paper a machine learning based method will be proposed to give a quasi- optimal solution to the m-machine flow-shop scheduling problem. Namely, given a set of parts to be processed and a set of machines to carry out the process and the sequence of machines is fixed, each part should have the same technological path on all machines; the order of jobs can be arbitrary. The goal is to find appropriate sequence of jobs that mini- mizes the sum of machining idle times.
Lung ultrasound in acute respiratory distress syndrome and acute lung injury

Purpose of reviewLung ultrasound at the bedside can provide accurate information on lung status in critically ill patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Recent findingsLung ultrasound can replace bedside chest radiography and lung computed tomography for assessment of pleural effusion, pneumothorax, alveolar–interstitial syndrome, lung consolidation, pulmonary abscess and lung recruitment/de-recruitment. It can also accurately determine the type of lung morphology at the bedside (focal or diffuse aeration loss), and therefore it is useful for optimizing positive end-expiratory pressure. The learning curve is brief, so most intensive care physicians will be able to use it after a few weeks of training. SummaryLung ultrasound is noninvasive, easily repeatable and allows assessment of changes in lung aeration induced by the various therapies. It is among the most promising bedside techniques for monitoring patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Intake and Digestion of Low-, Medium-, and High-Quality Grass Hays by Lambs Receiving Increasing Levels of Corn

Thirty wether lambs (52.5 k 1.5 kg) were used in a replicated 3 x 5 factorial treatment arrangement and four periods to determine dietary intake and digestibility of three ground forages with increasing levels of supplemental ground corn. Forages were a mature, low-protein grass hay (LQH; 5.2% CP), an immature, medium-protein grass hay (MQH; 10.2% CP), and an immature, high-protein grass hay (HQH; 14.2% CP). Supplementation treatments were no supplement (NS), a protein supplement (PS), protein plus . 25% BW of corn (LC), protein plus . 5% BW of corn (MC), and protein plus . 75% BW of corn (HC). Crude protein intake (1.4 g/kg BW) from supplements was equalized with soybean meal and corn gluten meal. Lambs were housed in metabolism crates. Supplements were fed at 0700 each morning after orts from the previous day’s feeding were removed. Hay was subsequently offered at approximately the previous day’s consumption plus 25%. Each of the four periods lasted 21 d. Sixteen days were allowed for diet adaptation. Feces were collected with fecal bags during d 17 to 21. Lambs receiving LQH and PS had higher forage ( P .04) and total DM1 ( P < .001) than lambs fed LQH and NS. Corn
Audio-visual speech processing: progress and challenges

This keynote focuses on using visual channel information to improve automatic speech processing for human computer interaction. Two main issues are discussed: the extraction and representation of visual speech, as well as its fusion with traditional acoustic information. The talk mostly considers applying these techniques to automatic speech recognition, however additional areas of interest are also mentioned, for example audio-visual speech detection, enhancement, and synthesis, as well as speaker recognition. The state-of-the-art and remaining challenges in these areas are also discussed.
Impaired Systemic Tetrahydrobiopterin Bioavailability and Increased Oxidized Biopterins in Pediatric Falciparum Malaria: Association with Disease Severity

Decreased bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO) is a major contributor to the pathophysiology of severe falciparum malaria. Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is an enzyme cofactor required for NO synthesis from L-arginine. We hypothesized that systemic levels of BH4 would be decreased in children with cerebral malaria, contributing to low NO bioavailability. In an observational study in Tanzania, we measured urine levels of biopterin in its various redox states (fully reduced [BH4] and the oxidized metabolites, dihydrobiopterin [BH2] and biopterin [B0]) in children with uncomplicated malaria (UM, n = 55), cerebral malaria (CM, n = 45), non-malaria central nervous system conditions (NMC, n = 48), and in 111 healthy controls (HC). Median urine BH4 concentration in CM (1.10 [IQR:0.55–2.18] μmol/mmol creatinine) was significantly lower compared to each of the other three groups — UM (2.10 [IQR:1.32–3.14];p<0.001), NMC (1.52 [IQR:1.01–2.71];p = 0.002), and HC (1.60 [IQR:1.15–2.23];p = 0.005). Oxidized biopterins were increased, and the BH4:BH2 ratio markedly decreased in CM. In a multivariate logistic regression model, each Log10-unit decrease in urine BH4 was independently associated with a 3.85-fold (95% CI:1.89–7.61) increase in odds of CM (p<0.001). Low systemic BH4 levels and increased oxidized biopterins contribute to the low NO bioavailability observed in CM. Adjunctive therapy to regenerate BH4 may have a role in improving NO bioavailability and microvascular perfusion in severe falciparum malaria.
Assessment of self-efficacy for caregiving: The critical role of self-care in caregiver stress and burden

Abstract Objective: Little attention has been given to assessing the importance of self-care and communication in the caregiving setting, especially caregiving for those who are terminally ill. The Caregiver Inventory (CGI), a measure of self-efficacy for caregiving that includes these two dimensions, was subjected to psychometric analyses. Method: One hundred and thirty-three primary caregivers completed the CGI; of those, 81 also completed the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI), and a measure of caregiver tasks (ADLR-CG). Based on home visits, social workers also rated the caregiver tasks required (ADLR-SW). Exploratory Factor Analysis, as well as reliability and validity analyses were conducted. Results: Fit indices in M + I (V. 5.1) indicated a four factors solution: Managing Medical Information (α = 0.64), Caring for Care Recipient (α = 0.78), Caring for Oneself (α = 0.88), and Managing Difficult Interactions/Emotions (α = 0.76). The CGI was highly negatively related to stress (PSS, r = −0.54, p = 0.001) and burden (CBI, p = −0.37, p = 0.001); ADLR-CG was related to burden (r = 0.43, p = 0.001) but not stress. In regression and relative importance analyses, Care of Oneself and Managing Difficult Interactions/Emotions emerged as equal in terms of having the strongest and most robust negative relationships with stress and burden. Significance of Results: Results suggest that the CGI is a reliable and valid measure of self-efficacy for caregiving, and indicate the importance of self-efficacy for self-care and for managing difficult communication in successfully navigating the demands of caregiving for terminally ill persons.