Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A High Efficiency MAC Protocol for WLANs: Providing Fairness in Dense Scenarios

Collisions are a main cause of throughput degradation in wireless local area networks. The current contention mechanism used in the IEEE 802.11 networks is called carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA). It uses a binary exponential backoff technique to randomize each contender attempt of transmitting, effectively reducing the collision probability. Nevertheless, CSMA/CA relies on a random backoff that while effective and fully decentralized, in principle is unable to completely eliminate collisions, therefore degrading the network throughput as more contenders attempt to share the channel. To overcome these situations, carrier sense multiple access with enhanced collision avoidance (CSMA/ECA) is able to create a collision-free schedule in a fully decentralized manner using a deterministic backoff after successful transmissions. Hysteresis and fair share are two extensions of CSMA/ECA to support a large number of contenders in a collision-free schedule. CSMA/ECA offers better throughput than CSMA/CA and short-term throughput fairness. This paper describes CSMA/ECA and its extensions. In addition, it provides the first evaluation results of CSMA/ECA with non-saturated traffic, channel errors, and its performance when coexisting with CSMA/CA nodes. Furthermore, it describes the effects of imperfect clocks over CSMA/ECA and presents a mechanism to leverage the impact of channel errors and the addition/withdrawal of nodes over collision-free schedules. Finally, the experimental results on throughput and lost frames from a CSMA/ECA implementation using commercial hardware and open-source firmware are presented.
Microtubule-Associated Protein-tau is a Bifunctional Predictor of Endocrine Sensitivity and Chemotherapy Resistance in Estrogen Receptor–Positive Breast Cancer

Purpose: The clinical outcome for patients with breast cancer is influenced by the metastatic competence of the cancer and its sensitivity to endocrine therapy and chemotherapy. A molecular marker may be prognostic of outcome or predictive of response to therapy, or a combination of both. Experimental Design: We examined separately the prognostic and predictive values of tau mRNA expression in estrogen receptor (ER)–positive primary breast cancers in three patient cohorts. We used gene expression data from 209 untreated patients to assess the pure prognostic value of tau, data from 267 patients treated with adjuvant tamoxifen to assess predictive value for endocrine therapy, and data from 82 patients treated with preoperative paclitaxel followed by 5-fluorouracil, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide (paclitaxel/FAC) to assess predictive value for chemotherapy response. Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to compare tau expression between different outcome groups. Results: Higher tau mRNA expression showed borderline nonsignificant association with better prognosis in the absence of systemic adjuvant therapy. Higher tau mRNA expression was significantly associated with no recurrence (at 5 and 10 years, P = 0.005 and P = 0.05, respectively) in patients treated with tamoxifen, indicating a predictive value for endocrine therapy. Tau expression was significantly lower in patients who achieved pathologic complete response to paclitaxel/FAC chemotherapy (P < 0.001). Conclusion: This study suggests that high tau mRNA expression in ER-positive breast cancer indicates an endocrine-sensitive but chemotherapy-resistant disease. In contrast, low tau expression identifies a subset of ER-positive cancers that have poor prognosis with tamoxifen alone and may benefit from taxane-containing chemotherapy.
Retinal Vascular Imaging: A New Tool in Microvascular Disease Research

The microcirculation is relatively inaccessible to direct visualization and investigation. Recent methods have been developed which use advanced retinal photographic imaging techniques and computer-assisted image analysis to characterize, measure and quantify subtle variations and abnormalities in the retinal vasculature. These quantitative and qualitative assessments demonstrate a close association of retinal vascular signs to both clinical and subclinical cerebrovascular, cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes. Retinal vascular imaging may thus offer potential as a noninvasive research tool to probe the role and pathophysiology of the microvasculature, and as a cardiovascular risk prediction tool. Key areas where retinal vascular imaging has contributed to increased understanding of microvascular pathology and major areas of current and new research are discussed in this review.
A Functional Approach for Ameliorating Social Skills Deficits in Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

The number of children in school-based settings diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder has been increasing, according to U.S. Department of Education (2002) statistics. Although many researchers have written extensively on the benefits of inclusion for children with autism spectrum disorder, social behavior idiosyncrasies exhibited by these children can limit its potential benefits. The purpose of this article is to describe a systematic, functional assessment approach for identifying environmental contextual factors related to the occurrence of peer-related social interactions and the outcomes (ie, functions) that maintain those behaviors. In particular, 2 descriptive assessment tools, the Social Skills Interview and the Snapshot Assessment Tool, both developed by the authors will be explained and illustrated. Both the tools were developed to be classroom-friendly instruments to assist with the objective description of environmental contextual factors that may influence the social behaviors of children with autism spectrum disorder. A case example is presented to demonstrate how the use of these 2 instruments led to the development of an assessment-based intervention to improve the social behaviors of a young child on the autism spectrum.
A literature survey on Facial Expression Recognition using Global Features

 Abstract— Facial Expression Recognition (FER) is a rapidly growing and ever green research field in the area of Computer Vision, Artificial Intelligent and Automation. There are many application which uses Facial Expression to evaluate human nature, feelings, judgment, opinion. Recognizing Human Facial Expression is not a simple task because of some circumstances due to illumination, facial occlusions, face color/shape etc. In these paper, we present some method/techniques such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Linear Discriminate Analysis (LDA), Gabor Filter/Energy, Line Edge Mapping (LEM), Neural Network, Independent Component Analysis (ICA) which will directly or/and indirectly used to recognize human expression in various condition.
Quantifying Nonspecific TEM β-Lactamase (blaTEM) Genes in a Wastewater Stream

ABSTRACT To control the antibiotic resistance epidemic, it is necessary to understand the distribution of genetic material encoding antibiotic resistance in the environment and how anthropogenic inputs, such as wastewater, affect this distribution. Approximately two-thirds of antibiotics administered to humans are β-lactams, for which the predominant bacterial resistance mechanism is hydrolysis by β-lactamases. Of the β-lactamases, the TEM family is of overriding significance with regard to diversity, prevalence, and distribution. This paper describes the design of DNA probes universal for all known TEM β-lactamase genes and the application of a quantitative PCR assay (also known as Taqman) to quantify these genes in environmental samples. The primer set was used to study whether sewage, both treated and untreated, contributes to the spread of these genes in receiving waters. It was found that while modern sewage treatment technologies reduce the concentrations of these antibiotic resistance genes, the ratio of blaTEM genes to 16S rRNA genes increases with treatment, suggesting that bacteria harboring blaTEM are more likely to survive the treatment process. Thus, β-lactamase genes are being introduced into the environment in significantly higher concentrations than occur naturally, creating reservoirs of increased resistance potential.
The changing water paradigm. A look at twenty-first century water resources development.

Water resources management approaches around the world are changing dramatically. This ichanging water paradigmi has many components, including a shift away from sole, or even pri- mary, reliance on finding new sources of supply to address perceived new demands, a growing emphasis on incorporating ecological values into water policy, a re-emphasis on meeting basic human needs for water services, and a conscious breaking of the ties between economic growth and water use. A reliance on physical solutions continues to dominate traditional planning approaches, but these solutions are facing increasing opposition. At the same time, new methods are being developed to meet the demands of growing populations without requiring major new construction or new large-scale water transfers from one region to another. More and more water suppliers and planning agencies are beginning to explore efficiency improvements, implement options for managing demand, and reallocating water among users to reduce projected gaps and meet future needs. The connections between water and food are receiving increasing attention as the concerns of food experts begin to encompass the realities of water availabil- ity. These shifts have not come easily; they have met strong internal opposition. They are still not univer- sally accepted, and they may not be permanent. Nevertheless, these changes represent a real shift in the way humans think about water use. This paper summarizes the components of this ongoing shift and looks at the new paths being explored. It evaluates the major reasons for the change in approach and discusses the applicability of these new concepts in different parts of the world.
NVQs: An Assessment of the ‘Outcomes’ Approach to Education and Training

Abstract This paper introduces the assessment procedures which are currently being utilised by the NCVQ. The emphasis on the performance of the Trainee is suggested as a major variable and Trainee competence is shown to revolve around being seen to perform efficiently. Two theoretical positions are shown to underpin the NCVQ version of competence assessment. Functionalism and behaviourism in their more basic forms are very near to the surface of NVQ accreditation. It is demonstrated that both of these theoretical approaches are evident in the developing and emerging NVQ model. Finally, the question of suitability is raised. That is, it is suggested that the model of competence assessment currently being used in Further Education and soon to be introduced into Higher Education, may be unsuitable except perhaps at the more basic level.
First effects of rising amyloid-β in transgenic mouse brain: synaptic transmission and gene expression

Understanding the earliest changes in Alzheimer’s disease may help in the prevention of cognitive impairment. In a transgenic mouse model, Cummings et al. show that synaptic changes occur shortly after soluble amyloid-β levels become measurable, and before the rapid increases in total Aβ and Aβ42:Aβ40 that lead to detectable plaque deposition.
An Experimental Study of Fear

In the vast literature dealing with emotion, one searches in vain for any attempt to make an experimental analysis and description of an emotion from a psychological point of view. One reason for this lack is the frequent assertion that an emotion can not be brought under experimental laboratory control. ' The physiological changes characteristic of emotion have received their full share of attention.2 Work in this field has, however, left the psychological aspects of emotion just where they were. One can not go from quantitative changes in the secretion of adrenalin, for instance, to the qualitatively different emotions. The present investigation was undertaken to determine experimentally to what extent an emotion can be made the direct object of observation and description, and to work out so far as possible the description of a particular emotion. We chose the emotion 'fear' because the concept of it seemed to us to be the most restricted and clean-cut of the emotional concepts. In the absence of any physiological symptom which unequivocally indicates the presence of fear, we had recourse simply to O's report that he felt fear. If, by emotion, we mean a mental experience, this is the ultimate proof of its existence.
Large-Scale Sorting in Uniform Memory Hierarchies

We present several efficient algorithms for sorting on the uniform memory hierarchy (UMH), introduced by Alpern, Carter, and Fei, and its parallelization P-UMH. We give optimal and nearly-optimal algorithms for a wide range of bandwidth degradations, including a parsimonious algorithm for constant bandwidth. We also develop optimal sorting algorithms for all bandwidths for other versions of UMH and P-UMH, including natural restrictions we introduce called RUMH and P-RUMH, which more closely correspond to current programming languages.
Natural history of peripheral neuropathy in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND There is little information on the incidence and natural history of neuropathy in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). METHODS We studied patients with newly diagnosed NIDDM and control subjects both at base line and 5 and 10 years later. Polyneuropathy was diagnosed on the basis of clinical criteria (pain and paresthesias) and electrodiagnostic studies (nerve conduction velocity and response-amplitude values). We investigated the relation between metabolic variables (results of oral glucose-tolerance tests, serum lipid and insulin concentrations, and glycosylated hemoglobin values) and the development of polyneuropathy. RESULTS In 10 years, 36 patients with NIDDM and 8 control subjects died; 86 patients and 121 control subjects completed the study. When the study ended, 18 percent of the patients were being treated only with diet, 59 percent with oral hypoglycemic drugs alone, 12 percent with insulin alone, and 11 percent with both insulin and oral hypoglycemic agents. At base line the prevalence of definite or probable polyneuropathy among the patients with NIDDM was 8.3 percent, as compared with 2.1 percent among the control subjects. These values 10 years later were 41.9 percent and 5.8 percent, respectively. The number of patients with NIDDM who had nerve-conduction abnormalities in the legs and feet increased from 8.3 percent at base line to 16.7 percent after 5 years and to 41.9 percent after 10 years. The decrease in sensory and motor amplitudes, indicating axonal destruction, was more pronounced than the slowing of the nerve conduction velocities, which indicates demyelination. Among the patients with NIDDM, those with polyneuropathy had poorer glycemic control than those without. Low serum insulin concentrations before and after the oral administration of glucose were associated with the development of polyneuropathy, regardless of the degree of glycemia. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of polyneuropathy among patients with NIDDM increases with time, and the increase may be greater in patients with hypoinsulinemia.
Clinical Significance of Methylation and Reduced Expression of the Quaking Gene in Colorectal Cancer.

BACKGROUND This study investigated abnormal methylation in colorectal cancer (CRC) and the potential role of the Quaking RNA-binding protein (QKI) gene in tumorigenesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Oligonucleotide microarray expression profiling was carried out on a panel of primary CRC specimens (n=17) and CRC cell lines (n=5), followed by methylation analysis using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. QKI expression levels were assessed in 156 primary CRCs by qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Low QKI expression was observed in 47.7% in CRCs. QKI promoter methylation was detected in 32.1% of patients with CRC, and in these patients mRNA expression in tumor tissue was significantly down-regulated compared to matched normal tissues (p=0.049). There was a significant relationship between low QKI expression and recurrence after surgery (p=0.004). Low QKI expression was an independent risk factor for recurrence after surgery in 153 patients with CRC without distant metastases (p=0.036). CONCLUSION Patients with tumors expressing low levels of QKI experienced significantly higher rates of tumor recurrence after curative surgery and worse prognoses. Methylation of the QKI promoter and concomitant reduced expression of QKI mRNA may be important for CRC initiation and progression. Loew QKI expression may be a useful clinical biomarker for predicting recurrence and prognosis.
An adapted triage tool (ETAT) at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital Medical Emergency Unit, Cape Town: an evaluation.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of an adapted Emergency Triage Assessment and Treatment (ETAT) tool at a children's hospital. DESIGN A two-armed descriptive study. SETTING Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa. METHODS Triage data on 1 309 children from October 2007 and July 2009 were analysed. The number of children in each triage category (red (emergency), orange (urgent or priority) and green (non-urgent)) and their disposal were evaluated. RESULTS 1. The October 2007 series: 902 children aged 5 days - 15 years were evaluated. Their median age was 20 (interquartile range (IQR) 7 - 50) months, and 58.8% (n=530) were triaged green, 37.5% (n=338) orange and 3.8% (n=34) red. Over 90% of children in the green category were discharged (478/530), while 32.5% of children triaged orange (110/338) and 52.9% of children triaged red (18/34) were admitted. There was a significant increase in admission rate for each triage colour change from green through orange to red after adjustment for age category (risk ratio (RR) 2.6; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.2 - 3.1). 2. The July 2009 cohort: 407 children with a median age of 22 months (IQR 7 - 53 months) were enrolled. Twelve children (2.9%) were triaged red, 187 (45.9%) orange and 208 (51.1%) green. A quarter (101/407) of the children triaged were admitted: 91.7% (11/12) from the red category and 36.9% (69/187) from the orange category were admitted, while 89.9% of children in the green category (187/208) were discharged. After adjusting for age category, admissions increased by more than 300% for every change in triage acuity (RR 3.2; 95% CI 2.5 - 4.1). CONCLUSIONS The adapted ETAT process may serve as a reliable triage tool for busy paediatric medical emergency units in resource-constrained countries and could be evaluated further in community emergency settings.
Methadone- and Heroin-Related Deaths in Florida

Methadone is a potent synthetic opioid used for treatment of opioid dependence and chronic pain. Florida Department of Law Enforcement data were analyzed to examine trends in deaths related to or caused by methadone and/or heroin between 2001–2006. Results demonstrated that mortalities associated with methadone use increased steadily as mortalities associated with heroin decreased steadily. Though useful in the treatment of opioid dependence and chronic pain, methadone possesses high abuse potential and documented mortality risks. Treatment with methadone, for both pain and opioid dependence, should be preceded by an abuse liability evaluation. Attempts to minimize diversion should be implemented.
Book Review: NGOs in China and Europe: Comparisons and Contrasts, by Anna Kloeden

Bryson, J. M. , Gibbons, M. J., & Shaye, G. (2001). Enterprise schemes for nonprofit survival, growth and effectiveness. Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 11, 271-288. Galaskiewicz, J., & Sinclair, C. M. (2006). Collaboration between corporations and nonprofit organizations. In R. Steinberg & W. W. Powell (Eds.), The nonprofit sector: A research handbook (2nd ed., pp. 180-206 ). New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. Helm, S. T. (2010). Social enterprise and nonprofit ventures. In D. O. Renz (Ed.), The JosseyBass handbook of nonprofit leadership and management (3rd ed., pp. 524-552). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Keane, J. (2003). Global civil society? Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Salamon, L. (2002). The resilient sector. In L. Salamon (Ed.), The state of nonprofit America (pp. 3-64). Washington, DC: Brookings. Salamon, L. , Anheier, H. , List, R. , Toepler, S. , Sokolowski, S. , & Associates. (1999). Global civil society: Dimensions of the nonprofit sector. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins Center for Civil Society Studies.
Combination of strongly and weakly constrained recognizers for reliable detection of OOVS

This paper addresses the detection of OOV segments in the output of a large vocabulary continuous speech recognition (LVCSR) system. First, standard confidence measures from frame-based word- and phone-posteriors are investigated. Substantial improvement is obtained when posteriors from two systems - strongly constrained (LVCSR) and weakly constrained (phone posterior estimator) are combined. We show that this approach is also suitable for detection of general recognition errors. All results are presented on WSJ task with reduced recognition vocabulary.
Cationic Liposomes Formulated with Synthetic Mycobacterial Cordfactor (CAF01): A Versatile Adjuvant for Vaccines with Different Immunological Requirements

Background It is now emerging that for vaccines against a range of diseases including influenza, malaria and HIV, the induction of a humoral response is insufficient and a substantial complementary cell-mediated immune response is necessary for adequate protection. Furthermore, for some diseases such as tuberculosis, a cellular response seems to be the sole effector mechanism required for protection. The development of new adjuvants capable of inducing highly complex immune responses with strong antigen-specific T-cell responses in addition to antibodies is therefore urgently needed. Methods and Findings Herein, we describe a cationic adjuvant formulation (CAF01) consisting of DDA as a delivery vehicle and synthetic mycobacterial cordfactor as immunomodulator. CAF01 primes strong and complex immune responses and using ovalbumin as a model vaccine antigen in mice, antigen specific cell-mediated- and humoral responses were obtained at a level clearly above a range of currently used adjuvants (Aluminium, monophosphoryl lipid A, CFA/IFA, Montanide). This response occurs through Toll-like receptor 2, 3, 4 and 7-independent pathways whereas the response is partly reduced in MyD88-deficient mice. In three animal models of diseases with markedly different immunological requirement; Mycobacterium tuberculosis (cell-mediated), Chlamydia trachomatis (cell-mediated/humoral) and malaria (humoral) immunization with CAF01-based vaccines elicited significant protective immunity against challenge. Conclusion CAF01 is potentially a suitable adjuvant for a wide range of diseases including targets requiring both CMI and humoral immune responses for protection.