Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On Strictly Competitive Multi-Player Games

We embark on an initial study of a new class of strategic (normal-form) games, so-called ranking games, in which the payoff to each agent solely depends on his position in a ranking of the agents induced by their actions. This definition is motivated by the observation that in many strategic situations such as parlor games, competitive economic scenarios, and some social choice settings, players are merely interested in performing optimal relative to their opponents rather than in absolute measures. A simple but important subclass of ranking games are single-winner games where in any outcome one agent wins and all others lose. We investigate the computational complexity of a variety of common game-theoretic solution concepts in ranking games and deliver hardness results for iterated weak dominance and mixed Nash equilibria when there are more than two players and pure Nash equilibria when the number of players is unbounded. This dashes hope that multi-player ranking games can be solved efficiently, despite the structural restrictions of these games.
ISSUES AND CHALLENGES IN INTEGRATION OF AGILE PROCESSES TO TRADITIONAL SOFTWARE PROCESS MODELS

Agile software development is finding a new dimension in software development process models. As tools and techniques used to develop software has been changed drastically. Software development processes need to keep pace with changing technologies and new demands from clients. Today’s changing business needs have given rise to adaption of structures, strategies, and policies to suit the new environment by the organizations. These organizations need to upgrade their information systems to meet their changing requirements but the traditional and plan-driven software development methodologies lack the flexibility to adjust the development process as the process runs in the defined or standardized manner. Agile development method has the ability of overcoming the limitations of traditional approach. A number of software development methods such as extreme programming (XP), feature-driven development, scrum and adaptive software development are part of agile development method [3,7]. We cannot neglect traditional methods as they are the base of software development but they need to be altered with respect to the demands of agile software development process thus making software industry move towards agility.
ILLEGITIMACY IN NINETEENTH CENTURY RURAL SCOTLAND: A PUZZLE RESOLVED?

A study utilising personal data contained in census enumerators' returns and records of civil registration for Portpatrick (Wigtownshire) does not produce conclusive evidence for interpreting regional variations in bastardy in terms of illegitimacy subcultures or the nature of farming units. The Portpatrick data suggest that understanding of nineteenth century Scottish illegitimacy will not be resolved until the extent and causes of variations in bastardy from parish to parish within broad regions, and from time period to time period, are better understood.
CD133 Expression Is Not Synonymous to Immunoreactivity for AC133 and Fluctuates throughout the Cell Cycle in Glioma Stem-Like Cells

A transmembrane protein CD133 has been implicated as a marker of stem-like glioma cells and predictor for therapeutic response in malignant brain tumours. CD133 expression is commonly evaluated by using antibodies specific for the AC133 epitope located in one of the extracellular domains of membrane-bound CD133. There is conflicting evidence regarding the significance of the AC133 epitope as a marker for identifying stem-like glioma cells and predicting the degree of malignancy in glioma cells. The reasons for discrepant results between different studies addressing the role of CD133/AC133 in gliomas are unclear. A possible source for controversies about CD133/AC133 is the widespread assumption that expression patterns of the AC133 epitope reflect linearly those of the CD133 protein. Consequently, the readouts from AC133 assessments are often interpreted in terms of the CD133 protein. The purpose of this study is to determine whether and to what extent do the readouts obtained with anti-AC133 antibody correspond to the level of CD133 protein expressed in stem-like glioma cells. Our study reveals for the first time that CD133 expressed on the surface of glioma cells is poorly immunoreactive for AC133. Furthermore, we provide evidence that the level of CD133 occupancy on the surface of glioma cells fluctuates during the cell cycle. Our results offer a new explanation for numerous inconsistencies regarding the biological and clinical significance of CD133/AC133 in human gliomas and call for caution in interpreting the lack or presence of AC133 epitope in glioma cells.
Effects of cigarette smoking on serum lipids among priests in Bangkok.

OBJECTIVES To determine the effects of cigarette smoking on the level of serum cholesterol and triglyceride among priests in Bangkok area. MATERIALS AND METHOD Serum total cholesterol and triglyceride were evaluated in the process of health check-up among 401 priests in Bangkok and a questionnaire about cigarette smoking was given. RESULTS From the 401 priests, 76.3% of priests were more than 40 years old. The mean age of priests was 53.68 +/- 15.01 years. The mean cholesterol among non-smokers, ex-smokers, current smokers and all respondents were 230.08 +/- 48.22, 223.58 +/-42.80, 230.08 +/- 48.22, and 226.65 +/- 46.58 respectively. The mean triglyceride among non-smokers, ex-smokers, current smokers and all respondents were 150.05 +/- 78.23, 148.47 +/- 69.80 180.01 +/- 111.99, and 154.87 +/- 83.71, respectively. In comparison among groups, there was no significantly statistical difference in cholesterol level (p = 0.22), but there was significantly statistical difference in triglyceride level (p.= 0.02). The means of triglyceride between non-smokers and current smokers, and between ex-smokers and current smokers were significantly statistical different (p = 0.026, 0.043, respectively). CONCLUSION The results suggest that cigarette smoking increases serum triglyceride level in the priests but does not affect serum total cholesterol level. The priests who usually smoke should be checked for triglyceride for early intervention of coronary heart disease and other hypertriglyceridemia-induced diseases.
Is Infidelity a Cause or a Consequence of Poor Marital Quality?

Because sexual fidelity is a key norm regulating the institution of marriage, any occurrence of extramarital sex (EMS) could potentially contribute to marital dissolution. Although the relationship between EMS and marital dissolution has been demonstrated in past research, studies have yet to show if the occurrence of EMS causes a marriage to break down, or if an unraveling marriage prompts spouses to seek alternative sexual partners. In this 17-year longitudinal study (N= 1,475), we assessed whether EMS precedes or follows deteriorations in marital quality. We estimated the effects of marital happiness and divorce proneness on EMS, the effects of EMS on subsequent marital happiness and divorce proneness, and the effects of all three variables on divorce. Our results indicate that divorce proneness predicts the occurrence of EMS. Results also suggest that EMS lowers subsequent marital happiness, increases subsequent divorce proneness, and increases the odds of divorce. We conclude that infidelity is both a cause and a consequence of relationship deterioration.
CHSEO: An Energy Optimization Approach for Communication in the Internet of Things

The Internet of Things (IoT) is an emerging platform which bridges the real world and cyber world though communication. Any object or thing in the real world are connected and communicated with the user through the IoT. The major research issue involved in the IoT is energy consumption. Many wireless sensor network algorithms are proposed to optimize energy and those are not suitable for the IoT. The architecture of IoT is different from the traditional WSNs. To achieve the energy efficient mechanism, this paper proposed a hierarchical framework for IoT communications. An energy model is developed for each node and associated roles are assigned based on the services. Cluster head selection for energy optimization (CHSEO) algorithm was proposed for electing the optimal cluster head with in the available nodes to reduce the overall network energy. The efficiency of the CHSEO algorithm is tested with different conditions and it is proved that the CHSEO algorithm performs well when compared to the traditions WSN mechanism.
Expanding the Mutational Spectrum of CRLF1 in Crisponi/CISS1 Syndrome

Crisponi syndrome (CS) and cold‐induced sweating syndrome type 1 (CISS1) share clinical characteristics, such as dysmorphic features, muscle contractions, scoliosis, and cold‐induced sweating, with CS patients showing a severe clinical course in infancy involving hyperthermia associated with death in most cases in the first years of life. To date, 24 distinct CRLF1 mutations have been found either in homozygosity or in compound heterozygosity in CS/CISS1 patients, with the highest prevalence in Sardinia, Turkey, and Spain. By reporting 11 novel CRLF1 mutations, here we expand the mutational spectrum of CRLF1 in the CS/CISS1 syndrome to a total of 35 variants and present an overview of the different molecular and clinical features of all of them. To catalog all the 35 mutations, we created a CRLF1 mutations database, based on the Leiden Open (source) Variation Database (LOVD) system (https://grenada.lumc.nl/LOVD2/mendelian_genes/variants). Overall, the available functional and clinical data support the fact that both syndromes actually represent manifestations of the same autosomal‐recessive disorder caused by mutations in the CRLF1 gene. Therefore, we propose to rename the two overlapping entities with the broader term of Crisponi/CISS1 syndrome.
Constructing ‘active citizenship’: single mothers, welfare, and the logics of voluntarism

Across welfare states, rights-based conceptions of citizenship are losing ground to obligation-centred notions. Drawing on in-depth longitudinal interviews with lone mothers receiving income assistance in British Columbia during a period of significant welfare reform, we explore the mothers' practices and narratives of volunteer labour in relation to conceptions of ‘active citizenship’. Volunteer work and the narratives women construct about it emerge as key sites of struggle and tension over the meaning of motherhood, work, and social contribution.
Language regions of brain are operative in color perception

The effect of language on the categorical perception of color is stronger for stimuli in the right visual field (RVF) than in the left visual field, but the neural correlates of the behavioral RVF advantage are unknown. Here we present brain activation maps revealing how language is differentially engaged in the discrimination of colored stimuli presented in either visual hemifield. In a rapid, event-related functional MRI study, we measured subjects' brain activity while they performed a visual search task. Compared with colors from the same lexical category, discrimination of colors from different linguistic categories provoked stronger and faster responses in the left hemisphere language regions, particularly when the colors were presented in the RVF. In addition, activation of visual areas 2/3, responsible for color perception, was much stronger for RVF stimuli from different linguistic categories than for stimuli from the same linguistic category. Notably, the enhanced activity of visual areas 2/3 coincided with the enhanced activity of the left posterior temporoparietal language region, suggesting that this language region may serve as a top-down control source that modulates the activation of the visual cortex. These findings shed light on the brain mechanisms that underlie the hemifield- dependent effect of language on visual perception.
Nuclear Factor (NF)-κB2 (p100/p52) Is Required for Normal Splenic Microarchitecture and B Cell–mediated Immune Responses

The nfkb2 gene is a member of the Rel/NF-κB family of transcription factors. COOH-terminal deletions and rearrangements of this gene have been associated with the development of human cutaneous T cell lymphomas, chronic lymphocytic leukemias, and multiple myelomas. To further investigate the function of NF-κB2, we have generated mutant mice carrying a germline mutation of the nfkb2 gene by homologous recombination. NF-κB2–deficient mice showed a marked reduction in the B cell compartment in spleen, bone marrow, and lymph nodes. Moreover, spleen and lymph nodes of mutant mice presented an altered architecture, characterized by diffuse, irregular B cell areas and the absence of discrete perifollicular marginal and mantle zones; the formation of secondary germinal centers in spleen was also impaired. Proliferation of NF-κB2–deficient B cells was moderately reduced in response to lipopolysaccharide, anti-IgD-dextran, and CD40, but maturation and immunoglobulin switching were normal. However, nfkb2 (−/−) animals presented a deficient immunological response to T cell–dependent and –independent antigens. These findings indicate an important role of NF-κB2 in the maintenance of the peripheral B cell population, humoral responses, and normal spleen architecture.
IL-10 measurement in aqueous humor for screening patients with suspicion of primary intraocular lymphoma.

PURPOSE To determine the value of IL-10 measurement in aqueous humor (AH) for screening in primary intraocular lymphoma (PIOL). METHODS One hundred consecutive diagnostic or therapeutic vitrectomies were performed in patients with uveitis. During surgery, 100 microL of both AH and pure vitreous was taken. IL-10 levels were determined with a standard quantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay technique. Patients were distributed in two groups: 51 patients with proven PIOL, 108 patients with uveitis divided into 74 with uveitis of proven etiology and 34 with idiopathic uveitis. Groups were compared by ANOVA and the Tukey-Kramer test or nonparametric Wilcoxon test. Distributions were compared by using the chi(2) test. Segmentation was derived from the ROC curves by choosing a tradeoff between sensitivity and specificity. RESULTS In patients with PIOL, IL-10 mean values were 2205.5 pg/mL (median: 1467 pg/mL) in the vitreous and 543.4 pg/mL (median: 424 pg/mL) in AH. In patients with uveitis (idiopathic and diagnostic uveitis), mean values were 26.6 pg/mL (median: 8 pg/mL) in the vitreous, and 21.9 pg/mL (median: 8 pg/mL) in AH. IL-10 mean values were significantly different between patients with PIOL and patients with uveitis (P < 10(-3)). The areas under the curves were 0.989 and 0.962 for vitreous and AH, respectively. A cutoff of 50 pg/mL in the AH was associated with a sensitivity of 0.89 and a specificity of 0.93. In the vitreous, a cutoff value of 400 pg/mL yielded a specificity of 0.99 and a sensitivity of 0.8. CONCLUSIONS Diagnosis of PIOL is often made months or years after the initial onset of ocular symptoms. Cytology remains the gold standard for diagnosis. However, measurement of IL-10 in the AH is a good screening test to reduce diagnostic delays.
Nietzsche's Übermensch: A Glance behind the Mask of Hardness

Abstract Nietzsche's notion of the Übermensch is one of his most famous. While he himself never defined or explained what he meant by it, many philosophical interpretations have been offered in secondary literature. None of these, however, has examined the significance of the notion for Nietzsche the man, and this essay therefore attempts to address this gap. The idea of the Übermensch occurred to Nietzsche rather suddenly in the winter of 1882-1883, when his life was in turmoil after yet another deep personal setback. The early loss of his father had deprived Nietzsche of a meaningful “mirroring” and a chance to experience realistic, age appropriate disappointment. This left him with a lifelong tendency towards idealisation. It became his proverbial Achilles’ heel and the source of repeated disillusionments and sorrow. The Übermensch may thus have been a culmination of his impulse to create altars and worlds before which he could kneel. Trying to cope with his own vulnerability, Nietzsche evoked an ideal of the Übermensch, a mask of hardness that was designed, if unconsciously, to ward off any future assaults on his fragile self. The double aspect of Nietzsche's personality is explored in this essay. While a highly provocative, belligerent and uncompromising Nietzsche often emerges from his published works, a vulnerable, lonely and sometimes self-pitying Nietzsche lurks in his letters and the accounts of his friends and acquaintances. But could an “ideal of strength”, such as the Übermensch, serve as a protective mask for someone with a sensitive, passionate interior? Nietzsche's descent into madness would suggest that no ideal can be a substitute for human, all too human, compassion.
Real-time display of voice source characteristics

Previous research investigating electrolaryngographically derived voice source characteristics suggest that the vocal fold closed quotient (CQ) and fundamental frequency (F0) are useful parameters for assessing and developing voice production skills. This paper describes the design of a real-time visual feedback display system of CQ and F0 based on the electrolaryngograph output waveform, comprising a PC compatible computer with an Ariel PC-56D DSP co-processor board, which incorporates a Motorola 56001 DSP integrated circuit. Details of a pilot study are given, in which the system was used during a number of singing training sessions. Early indications show that this system provides useful visual feedback of progress to both the pupil and the instructor during voice training.
Personal Identity Recognition Approach Based on Iris Pattern

Personal identification based on biometrics technology is a trend in the future. Traditional approaches, for example, keys, ID cards, username and password, are neither satisfactory nor reliable enough in many security fields, biometrics authorizations based on face, iris, fingerprint have become a hot research filed. In those methods, iris recognition is regarded as a high accuracy verification technology, so that many countries have the same idea of adopting iris recognition to improve the safety of their key departments. The human iris can also be considered a valid biometrics for personal identification [Richard P W, 1996]. Biometrics recognition based on iris patterns is a hotspot as face recognition and fingerprint recognition recently years. The iris is the colored ring on the human eye between the pupil and the white sclera. Lots of physical biometric can be found in the colored ring of tissue that surrounds the pupil, such as corona, crypts, filaments, flecks, pits, radial furrows and striations. The iris features can be encoded by mathematical representation so that the patterns can be compared easily. In real-time iris recognition application system, iris localization is a very important step for iris recognition. The iris regions segmentation accuracy and localization real-time performance will affect the whole recognition system’s correct rate and effectiveness for large-scale database. Because iris region is a small object and has low grey value, it is very difficult to capture high contrast iris image clearly. In order to improve iris image contrast, usually some illuminations such as near infrared light source are used to increase intensity; however these illuminations may result in some faculas in iris image and affect iris segmentation and iris features. Here, we will discuss iris recognition system’s algorithm, all steps of iris recognition system will be introduced in details. Finally, we will show the experimental results based on iris database.
Retro-VLC : Enabling Low-power Duplex Visible Light Communication

The new generation of LED-based illuminating infrastructures has enabled a"dual-paradigm"where LEDs are used for both illumination and communication purposes. The ubiquity of lighting makes visible light communication (VLC) well suited for communication with mobile devices and sensor nodes in indoor environment. Existing research on VLC has primarily been focused on advancing the performance of one-way communication. In this paper, we present Retro-VLC, a low-power duplex VLC system that enables a mobile device to perform bi-directional communication with the illuminating LEDs over the same light carrier. The design features a retro-reflector fabric that backscatters light, an LCD shutter that modulates information bits on the backscattered light carrier, and several low-power optimization techniques. We have prototyped the Reader system and made a few battery-free tag devices. Experimental results show that the tag can achieve a 10kbps downlink speed and 0.5kbps uplink speed over a distance of 2.4m. We also outline several potential applications of the proposed Retro-VLC system.
An investigation into the relationship between caring responsibilities and the levels of perceived pressure reported by female employees

This study examined relationships between caring responsibilities and the levels of perceived pressure experienced by working women and whether marital status and employment status impacted upon the perception of pressure. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire which was issued to 821 female university employees; a 45 per cent response rate was achieved. Results showed that caring responsibilities correlated positively with the amount of pressure reported by working women; marital status affects the perception of pressure in that married women reported that they felt under more pressure than single women; and part-time workers felt themselves to be under more pressure than their full-time colleagues.
Outdoor-to-indoor channels at 2.45 GHz and 5.2 GHz for geolocation applications

Time Based (TB) localization in terrestrial mobile radio as an augmentation for global navigation satellite systems has recently gained plenty of interests. As an essential tool to develop suitable algorithms for positioning applications in mobile radios, channel models for wireless transmissions have growing significance. Currently there is a lack of investigations on comparing the propagation characteristics at 2.45 GHz and 5.2 GHz for positioning applications. Therefore, we present a statistic evaluation based on a channel measurement campaign. Several propagation characteristics are researched like the received power and the delay spread. While some measures like the received power is carrier frequency dependent, most of the measures like the non line-of-sight bias or the delay spread are independent of this measurement parameter. Instead they are more influenced by the location and the environment.
A Genre Analysis of Introductions in Theses, Dissertations and Research Articles Based on Swales’CARS Model

In this study, theses written by Korean master’s students (MTs), dissertations written by Korean doctoral students (DDs), research articles written by Korean experts (KRs) and research articles written by native English-speaking experts (ERs) are analyzed in order to identify the organizational traits coming from different academic proficiency levels and the first language variable. Fifty papers from each academic discourse community are analyzed using Swales’ CARS model. The results reveal that very few MTs and DDs, which are the lower academic proficiency groups, follow the regular form of the CARS model, whereas most KRs and ERs maintain linear patterns. KRs follow the CARS model most accurately while ERs convey a rather liberal form of the Move structure.