Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Promoting Physical Activities by Massive Competition in Virtual Marathon

Overweight and obesity due to lack of physical activities incur a serious social problem and a number of systems to promote physical activities using information and communication technologies have been developed. Virtual Kobe Marathon is an Android app to make a user experience a marathon race virtually. It shows the Kobe Marathon course on its display and moves an agent along the course according to the user's moving distance. It also has a competition scheme to make a user compete virtually with others running at different places and times. This scheme facilitates competitions with a small number of opponents, and we, in this paper, introduce a massive competition scheme utilizing the record of 17,769 runners who participated in the 3rd Kobe Marathon. The evaluation experiment shows the massive competition scheme promotes physical activities more than the one-to-one competition scheme.
An Analytical Framework for Evaluating Spectrum/Energy Efficiency of Heterogeneous Cellular Networks

Achieving high spectrum efficiency (SE) and energy efficiency (EE) is of primary importance for the sustainability of future cellular networks, but a key challenge is on balancing the tradeoff that arises when maximizing both of these performance metrics simultaneously. This paper develops a framework for analyzing the SE and EE of a two-tier heterogeneous cellular network consisting of macrocell and femtocell base stations (BSs) operating under a shared-spectrum scenario. It is shown that both the SE and the EE can be significantly enhanced with the overlaid deployment of the femto tier. However, the performance gain achievable is found to be strongly dependent on the load level and the BS power consumption attributes. A multiobjective optimization problem that maximizes the SE and the EE subject to quality-of-service (QoS) constraints is formulated and solved to give the Pareto-optimal operational regime. The novelty of this work is the quantification of the SE-EE tradeoff as a Lebesgue measure, which is defined by the Pareto-optimal regime. The developed framework is useful for studying the impact of the load on the SE-EE tradeoff, based on a strategy that exploits the varying load conditions to achieve good balance in the SE-EE tradeoff is formulated. Numerical results show that, while the improvement achieved in minimizing the SE-EE performance gap is marginal under high-load conditions, it is feasible to significantly increase the SE and the EE during low-load conditions and satisfy the users' QoS requirements by optimally adapting the density of the femto-tier BSs accessing the shared spectrum.
Genetic Architecture of Flowering-Time Variation in Arabidopsis thaliana

The onset of flowering is an important adaptive trait in plants. The small ephemeral species Arabidopsis thaliana grows under a wide range of temperature and day-length conditions across much of the Northern hemisphere, and a number of flowering-time loci that vary between different accessions have been identified before. However, only few studies have addressed the species-wide genetic architecture of flowering-time control. We have taken advantage of a set of 18 distinct accessions that present much of the common genetic diversity of A. thaliana and mapped quantitative trait loci (QTL) for flowering time in 17 F2 populations derived from these parents. We found that the majority of flowering-time QTL cluster in as few as five genomic regions, which include the locations of the entire FLC/MAF clade of transcription factor genes. By comparing effects across shared parents, we conclude that in several cases there might be an allelic series caused by rare alleles. While this finding parallels results obtained for maize, in contrast to maize much of the variation in flowering time in A. thaliana appears to be due to large-effect alleles.
A Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Helfer Skin Tap Technique on the Level of Pain during Intramuscular Injection among Adults in a Selected Hospital, Bangalore

Background: Intra muscular injection is common yet a complex technique used to deliver medication deep into the large muscles of the body. Pain at injection site is one of the most commonly-reported local reactions associated with administration of a vaccine/medication. Pain management in invasive procedure is a challenge to the nurse and injections will be an excellent relief for those who are scared of needles. Helfer skin tap technique provides a mechanical stimulation and distraction during intramuscular injection and thus helps to decrease pain as described by gate control theory which keeps the muscles relaxed and thus reduce pain while administering IM injection. Objectives: 1. To compare the level of pain during intramuscular injection among adults of the experimental and control group. 2. To find the association between pain level and selected baseline variables of adults of the experimental and control group. Materials and Methods: Study design used is quasi-experimental study with Post-test only design with control group. Study setting includes in-patient and outpatient department of St. Philomena’s Hospital, Bangalore which is a 400 bedded private multi-specialty hospital. Study sample includes is 80 adults. Sampling technique used is Purposive sampling to select the eligible population and simple random sampling is used to allocate the subjects into experiment and control group. Tool used includes numerical pain rating scale. Results: The data collected was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study findings high lights that 32.5 % of the adults in the experimental group had mild pain, 67.5% perceived moderate pain during IM injection by using Helfer skin tap technique. 77.5% of the adults in the control group had moderate pain, 17.5% perceived severe pain during IM injection by using standard technique. There is no significant difference in pain score of the adults receiving intramuscular injection in experimental and control group p <0.05. This study explored the effect of Helfer skin technique (rhythmic tapping) over the skin before and during IM injection in relation to pain. Interpretation And Conclusion: The present study findings supported that there is a significant difference in the pain score in the IM administration with Helfer skin tap technique.
Learning Pattern Recognition Through Quasi-Synchronization of Phase Oscillators

The idea that synchronized oscillations are important in cognitive tasks is receiving significant attention. In this view, single neurons are no longer elementary computational units. Rather, coherent oscillating groups of neurons are seen as nodes of networks performing cognitive tasks. From this assumption, we develop a model of stimulus-pattern learning and recognition. The three most salient features of our model are: 1) a new definition of synchronization; 2) demonstrated robustness in the presence of noise; and 3) pattern learning.
A dynamic index allocation scheme for peer-to-peer networks

File-sharing Peer-to-Peer systems are effective for autonomous information retrieval over the networks. However, the previous information retrieval schemes such as Gnutella and Local Indices have bad performance and large overhead. In order to solve these drawbacks, this paper proposes a dynamic information retrieval scheme, in which indices are dynamically allocated in appropriate nodes adaptively to variation of traffic patterns caused by query messages. The simulation experimental results show that the proposed scheme has good performance with reasonable overhead even when the traffic patterns vary as time proceeds.
Pulsed Multi-Layered Image Filtering: A VLSI Implementation

— Image convolution similar to the receptive fields found in mammalian visual pathways has long been used in conventional image processing in the form of Gabor masks. However, no VLSI implementation of parallel, multi-layered pulsed processing has been brought forward which would emulate this property. We present a technical realization of such a pulsed image processing scheme. The discussed IC also serves as a general testbed for VLSI-based pulsed information processing, which is of interest especially with regard to the robustness of representing an analog signal in the phase or duration of a pulsed, quasi-digital signal, as well as the possibility of direct digital manipulation of such an analog signal. The network connectivity and processing properties are reconfigurable so as to allow adaptation to various processing tasks.
Recent models for adaptive personality differences: a review

In this paper we review recent models that provide adaptive explanations for animal personalities: individual differences in behaviour (or suites of correlated behaviours) that are consistent over time or contexts. We start by briefly discussing patterns of variation in behaviour that have been documented in natural populations. In the main part of the paper we discuss models for personality differences that (i) explain animal personalities as adaptive behavioural responses to differences in state, (ii) investigate how feedbacks between state and behaviour can stabilize initial differences among individuals and (iii) provide adaptive explanations for animal personalities that are not based on state differences. Throughout, we focus on two basic questions. First, what is the basic conceptual idea underlying the model? Second, what are the key assumptions and predictions of the model? We conclude by discussing empirical features of personalities that have not yet been addressed by formal modelling. While this paper is primarily intended to guide empiricists through current adaptive theory, thereby stimulating empirical tests of these models, we hope it also inspires theoreticians to address aspects of personalities that have received little attention up to now.
Evaluating the performance of a face movement based wheelchair control interface in an indoor environment

This paper presents a novel facial movement based human machine interface for an intelligent wheelchair to operate in an indoor environment. Five random selected intact subjects are designated to control a wheelchair by using the proposed control interface. The testing is carried out in a designed indoor environment. The system performance is evaluated by implementing same tasks ten times, with the criteria of control easiness and the time spent on each task. The experimental result shows that this new control strategy can assist disabled and elderly users for hands-free control of an electric powered wheelchair.
IKKα and IKKβ Each Function to Regulate NF-κB Activation in the TNF-Induced/Canonical Pathway

Background Activation of the transcription factor NF-κB by cytokines is rapid, mediated through the activation of the IKK complex with subsequent phosphorylation and degradation of the inhibitory IκB proteins. The IKK complex is comprised of two catalytic subunits, IKKα and IKKβ, and a regulatory protein known as NEMO. Using cells from mice that are genetically deficient in IKKβ or IKKα, or using a kinase inactive mutant of IKKβ, it has been proposed that IKKβ is critical for TNF-induced IκB phosphorylation/degradation through the canonical pathway while IKKα has been shown to be involved in the non-canonical pathway for NF-κB activation. These conclusions have led to a focus on development of IKKβ inhibitors for potential use in inflammatory disorders and cancer. Methodology Analysis of NF-κB activation in response to TNF in MEFs reveals that IKKβ is essential for efficient phosphorylation and subsequent degradation of IκBα, yet IKKα contributes to the NF-κB activation response in these cells as measured via DNA binding assays. In HeLa cells, both IKKα and IKKβ contribute to IκBα phosphorylation and NF-κB activation. A kinase inactive mutant of IKKβ, which has been used as evidence for the critical importance of IKKβ in TNF-induced signaling, blocks activation of NF-κB induced by IKKα, even in cells that are deficient in IKKβ. Conclusions These results demonstrate the importance of IKKα in canonical NF-κB activation, downstream of cytokine treatment of cells. The experiments suggest that IKKα will be a therapeutic target in inflammatory disorders.
Extracellular Alkalinity Exacerbates Injury of Cultured Cortical Neurons

Background and Purpose: We have previously shown that extracellular acidity protects cultured fetal murine neocortical neurons from glutamate toxicity and combined oxygen-glucose deprivation injury, an action at least in part mediated by reduction in N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor activation. We now investigate the effect of extracellular alkalinity on both glutamate neurotoxicity and injury due to combined oxygen-glucose deprivation. Methods: The effects of extracellular alkalinity during injury induced by exposure of murine neocortical cultures to glutamate (0.5 mM for 5 minutes) or oxygen-glucose deprivation are characterized morphologically and quantitated by efflux of lactate dehydrogenase from both neurons and glia to the bathing medium. Calcium accumulation is measured with calcium-45. Results: Moderate extracellular alkalinity is well tolerated by cortical cells but significantly potentiates both glutamate neuronal toxicity and oxygen-glucose deprivation neuronal injury. In contrast, glial viability in the face of combined oxygen-glucose deprivation is little affected by extracellular alkalinity. Increased accumulation of calcium-45 during oxygen-glucose deprivation in alkalotic medium and blockade of this increase by MK-801 is demonstrated. Conclusions: These observations suggest that alkaline pH can exacerbate excitotoxic neuronal injury, most likely because of increased N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor activation. Metabolic alkalosis of any etiology may sensitize neurons to ischemic injury and potentiate reperfusion injury.
Error Models for the Transport Stream Packet Channel in the DVB-H Link Layer

Digital video broadcasting for hand held terminals (DVB-H) is a broadcast system designed for high-speed data transmission in highly dispersive mobile channel conditions. In this paper, methods of reproducing the statistical properties of measured DVB-H packet error traces are presented. Statistical and finite-state modeling approaches are found to be suitable for simulating the error performance of a DVB-H system operating in typical urban channel conditions. Evaluation of these models focuses on the accuracy of the models in replicating the high-order statistical properties of measured DVB-H transport stream error traces. Also, the effect of these error statistics on the DVB-H link layer frame error rate is considered.
Dynamic partitioning in a transputer environment

Parallel programs are characterized by their speedup behavior. As more processors are allocated to a particular parallel program, the program (potentially) executes faster. However, there is often a point of diminishing returns, beyond which extra allocated processors cannot be used effectively. Extra processors would be better utilized by allocating them to another program. Thus, given a set of processors in a multiprocessor system, and a set of parallel programs, a partitioning problem naturally arises which seeks to allocate processors to programs optimally. The problem addressed in this paper is dynamic partitioning. When the number of executable parallel programs changes, the optimal partition sizes also change. To realize the new partition settings, a dynamic repartitioning of all processors is triggered. When extra processors suddenly become available to a running program due to a program departure, or when processors suddenly are taken away from a running program due to a program arrival, a nontrivial repartitioning overhead occurs. Depending upon the specific environment, this overhead cost may negate any potential repartitioning benefit. To gain insight into this dynamic partitioning problem, a specific system, a specific workload, and a specific analytical model are studied. The specific system is an INMOS transputer system consisting of an IIP Vectra front-end, an INMOS B004 evaluation board with a single T414 transputer, and an EB8-10 board with eight T800 transputers. The specific workload consists of parallel versions of a classical N-body problem and a classical search problem. The specific analytical model is a Markov model which is parameterized using the concept of program execution signatures. The sensitivity analysis experiments both validate the model and indicate the characteristics of those workloads which benefit from dynamic partitioning.
Skeletal and dental growth and development in chimpanzees of the Taï National Park, Côte D'Ivoire

An extraordinary collection of 22 immature skeletons from Tai National Park, Cote d'Ivoire, has provided a rare opportunity to establish the timing of dental eruption and its correlation with skeletal fusion and morphometrics in wild chimpanzees of known chronological ages. Comparison of the immature Tai chimpanzees Pan troglodytes verus with adults from the same population show that sex differences in skeletal maturation apparently appear during the Juvenile II stage, about age 8. A few skeletons from other chimpanzee field sites conform to the dental and skeletal growth in Tai chimpanzees. The tempo of wild chimpanzee growth contrasts sharply with the rate demonstrated for captive individuals. Captive chimpanzees may mature as much as 3 years earlier. The ability to link physical development with field observations of immature chimpanzees increases our understanding of their life-history stages. These data provide an improved dataset for comparing the rates of growth among chimpanzees, Homo sapiens and fossil hominids.
Trust as Soft Security for Self-Adaptive Systems: A Literature Survey

As the system is deployed in the dynamic environments, the need of self-adaptive system is increasing. In addition, by advancing the network technology, self-adaptive system interacts with other systems to achieve the complex goals, which are difficult to be achieved by single self-adaptive system. During the interaction, they may share security-critical information. As a result, security becomes an important quality attribute of such systems. Especially, comparing with the traditional security approaches, trust is considered as the soft security, which is more light and casual approach. Trust identifies and prevents the security issues with the intuitive and social mechanism. However, there is no major research on the importance of trust evaluation for the self-adaptive systems. In this paper, we systematically survey the trust evaluation studies focusing on the relevance of the self-adaptive systems. Based on the analyzed results, we suggest the future research directions.
The disease burden of hepatitis B, influenza, measles and salmonellosis in Germany: first results of the Burden of Communicable Diseases in Europe Study†

SUMMARY Setting priorities in the field of infectious diseases requires evidence-based and robust baseline estimates of disease burden. Therefore, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control initiated the Burden of Communicable Diseases in Europe (BCoDE) project. The project uses an incidence- and pathogen-based approach to measure the impact of both acute illness and sequelae of infectious diseases expressed in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). This study presents first estimates of disease burden for four pathogens in Germany. The number of reported incident cases adjusted for underestimation served as model input. For the study period 2005–2007, the average disease burden was estimated at 33 116 DALYs/year for influenza virus, 19 115 DALYs/year for Salmonella spp. , 8708 DALYs/year for hepatitis B virus and 740 DALYs/year for measles virus. This methodology highlights the importance of sequelae, particularly for hepatitis B and salmonellosis, because if omitted, the burden would have been underestimated by 98% and 56%, respectively.
Study on GRIA2, GRIA3 and GRIA4 genes highlights a positive association between schizophrenia and GRIA3 in female patients

Impairment of glutamatergic neurotransmission is one of the major hypotheses proposed to explain the neurobiology of schizophrenia. Therefore, the genes involved in the glutamate neurotransmitter system could be considered potential candidate genes for schizophrenia susceptibility. A systematic study on alpha‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazole‐propionic acid (AMPA) receptor genes has been carried out and the results obtained from the analysis on GRIA2, GRIA3 and GRIA4 are reported. No evidence of association with schizophrenia was found for the GRIA2 and GRIA4 genes; strong evidence of association with schizophrenia was found for GRIA3. This X‐linked gene showed a different behavior in the two genders; a positive association with schizophrenia was observed among females but not in males. Female carriers of rs1034428 A allele were found to have a 2.19‐fold higher risk of developing schizophrenia compared to non‐carriers and 3.28‐fold higher risk for developing a non‐paranoid phenotype. The analysis at the haplotype level showed that susceptibility to schizophrenia was associated with the specific haplotype rs989638–rs1034428–rs2227098 CAC (P = 0.0008). We conclude that, of the three AMPA genes analyzed here, only GRIA3 seems to be involved in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, but only in females. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Formation and maintenance of morphogen gradients: An essential role for the endomembrane system in Drosophila melanogaster wing development

As early as 1964 it was suggested that simple diffusion of morphogens away from their secretion source did not provide an adequate explanation for the formation and maintenance of morphogen gradients. Involvement of the endosome in morphogen distribution models provides an explanation for the slow, directional movement of morphogens, as well as their abilty to form intracellular and extracellular gradients independent of morphogen production rates. Drosophila melanogaster morphogens Wg and Dpp form stable, steep, long-range gradients that specify the polarity of the wing disc. The process of endocytosis is imparative to the two central themes in gradient formation; active transport facilitating long-range signalling, and degradation of morphogen to sustain gradient shape. This review investigates the endomembrane mediated processes of re-secretion, degradation, and argosome transport of Wg and Dpp in the hope that a better understanding of the endomembrane system will contribute to a more accurate and comprehensive model for morphogen gradient formation and maintenance.
Willingness to Pay for Car Safety: Sensitivity to Time Framing

Stated preference (SP) surveys attempt to obtain monetary values for non-market goods that reflect individuals' “true”' preferences. Numerous empirical studies suggest that monetary values from SP studies are sensitive to survey design and so may not reflect respondents' true preferences. This study examines the effect of time framing on respondents' willingness to pay (WTP) for car safety. We explore how WTP per unit risk reduction depends on the time period over which respondents pay and face reduced risk. Using data from a Swedish contingent valuation survey, we find that WTP is sensitive to time framing; estimates based on an annual scenario are about 30 to 70 percent higher than estimates from a monthly scenario.