Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tactile-sensitive behavior in hyperactive and nonhyperactive children.

The Tactile Sensitivity Behavioral Responses Checklist was used to rate behavioral responses that demonstrate tactile defensiveness by children being administered the Southern California Kinesthesia and Tactile Perception Test battery. Hypothesizing that a group of five-year-old boys with hyperactive behaviors would have greater frequencies of tactile-sensitive behaviors than a group of nonhyperactive boys, and that tactile sensitivity would be negatively correlated with tactile discrimination, videotapes of 15 hyperactive and 25 nonhyperative boys being administered the test battery were rated on the checklist. Using the Mann-Whitney U test to compare each group for behavioral response, significant results at the . 05 level were reached between groups for seven out of nine categories. A significant negative correlation between tactile sensitivity and tactile discrimination was reached for those children who completed the test battery. These findings support the research hypotheses and provide a more objective data base for recognizing and further researching tactile sensitivity.
Maximum lifetime scheduling for target coverage in wireless sensor networks

The best way to conserve energy in wireless sensor networks is to change the radio interface state to sleep mode. The sensors in sleep mode conserve energy, whereas the sensors in active mode use their energy to continue to monitor the target. How sensors are scheduled between active and sleep modes affects the lifetime of the sensor network. Some existing scheduling schemes do not achieve maximum energy efficiency because they do not take into account both overlapping target coverage and the residual energy of sensors. It is important to reduce overlapping target coverage because it can waste sensor energy unnecessarily. In this paper, we propose a new energy efficient algorithm that takes into account both overlapping target coverage and the residual energy of sensors. Simulation results show that this algorithm produces more number of cover sets than the existing algorithms, so that the network lifetime becomes higher.
Merger Retrospective Studies: A Review

The debate concerning whether the antitrust agencies under the Bush administration were lax with respect to merger review has led to a call to evaluate retrospectively the competitive effects of consummated mergers. Such information would help assess whether enforcement thresholds have been set too high or too low. In this article we review various merger retrospective studies that have appeared since 1990. These studies often employed the "differences-in-differences" econometric approach. While a majority of the studies found that prices increased post-merger, a significant minority found no price increase.
Natural Transposon Mutagenesis of Clinical Isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: How Many Genes Does a Pathogen Need?

ABSTRACT Transposable elements can affect an organism's fitness through the insertional inactivation of genes and can therefore be used to identify genes that are nonessential for growth in vitro or in animal models. However, these models may not adequately represent the genetic requirements during chains of human infection. We have therefore conducted a genome-wide survey of transposon mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from cases of human infection, identifying the precise, base-specific insertion sites of the naturally occurring transposable element IS6110. Of 294 distinct insertions mapped to the strain H37Rv genome, 180 were intragenic, affecting 100 open reading frames. The number of genes carrying IS6110 in clinical isolates, and hence apparently not essential for infection and transmission, is very much lower than the estimates of nonessential genes derived from in vitro studies. This suggests that most genes in M. tuberculosis play a significant role in human infection chains. IS6110 insertions were underrepresented in genes associated with virulence, information pathways, lipid metabolism, and membrane proteins but overrepresented in multicopy genes of the PPE family, genes of unknown function, and intergenic sequences. Population genomic analysis of isolates recovered from an organism's natural habitat is an important tool for determining the significance of genes or classes of genes in the natural biology of an organism.
Hybrid antibodies.

One of the major advantages of genetic engineering is the ability to produce novel, hybrid antibodies. Hybrid antibodies can be assembled using fragments from different antibodies with the objective of assembling novel combinations of antibody-related effector functions. To efficiently achieve this goal it is necessary to have a precise understanding of the structure-function relationships within the antibody molecule. Secondly, it is possible to produce hybrids of antibodies with non-immunoglobulin proteins thereby achieving unique combination of functional properties. In this case it is necessary to consider both the desired functional properties and the means of assembling the protein components so as to maintain these properties. In all cases it is necessary to have the cloned gene segments, appropriate vectors and expression systems.
Common Denial of Service Attacks

This paper will examine various denial of service attacks and network defense measures taken against them. A historical look at the evolution of these attacks from different flood attacks to zombie driven botnet attacks will shed light on their increasingly more sophisticated design and the networking community efforts to combat them. The current technology, motivation and future trends of distributed denial of service botnet attacks will be also be presented.
The medically important dematiaceous fungi and their identification

Summary. Dematiaceous fungi include a large group of organisms that are darkly pigmented (dark brown, olivaceous, or black). In most cases the pigment is melanin, and specifically, dihydroxyna‐phthalene melanin. The diseases produced include chromoblastomycosis, eumycotic mycetoma, and phaeohyphomycosis. Phaeohyphomycosis is a new classification for a diverse group of previously known entities grouped together on the basis of finding dematiaceous hyphal and/or yeast‐like forms in tissue; tissue involvement may be superficial, cutaneous and corneal, subcutaneous, or systemic. Identification of these fungi is based mostly upon morphology. Important structures include annellides (Phaeoannellomyces, Exophiala), phialides (Phialophora, Wangiella), adelophialides (Phialemonium without collarettes, Lecythophora with collarettes), differentiation of conidiophores (Xylohypha versus Cladosporium) and conidial hilum, septation and germination (Bipolaris, Drechslera, Exserohilum). Useful laboratory tests include the 12% gelatin test (controversial), nitrate assimilation (W. dermatiti‐dis is negative, most other species are positive), and determination of temperature maxima (especially 37 °C for E. jeanselmei, 40 °C for W. dermatitidis and B. spicifera, 42 °C for X. bantiana, and 45 °C for Dactylaria constricta var. gallopava and Sce‐dosporium inflatum).
A built-in self-test technique for load inductance and lossless current sensing of DC-DC converters

One of the major problems associated with integrated DC-DC converters used in state of the art Power Management ICs (PMICs) is dynamic performance and stability degradation due to off-chip component and output current variations. A high accuracy built-in self-test (BIST) architecture measuring load inductance and DC resistance (DCR) of DC-DC converters is presented. The DCR measurement of the inductor also enables continuous, lossless average load current sensing of the DC-DC converter across the inductor. Both the BIST circuit and the primary signal chain utilize low analog complexity frequency-domain ΔΣADC. The ΔΣADC decimation filter nulls also provide current ripple cancellation and average current extraction. The BIST module can measure filter inductance values ranging from 3. 6μH to 22.3μH range with average 2.0% error and inductor DCR 13mΩto 68mΩ range with average 2.1% error. The average current sensing enabled by the BIST technique achieves current measurement accuracy with average 2.3% error for 0.1A-1A range load current. BIST and current sensing modules occupy less than 6% of total chip area. The BIST circuitry is fabricated and tested with a 12V input, 1V-11.5V output range, for a 3W output power digital DC-DC converter.
New technologies for the old: Potential implications for independent living and travel demand

Assistive technologies for older people, such as personal tracking devices and community alarms, can facilitate living independently for longer. Where older people live – whether in their own homes, those of relatives or in residential care homes – will affect patterns of travel associated with their lifestyles and needs. Such assistive technologies represent an example of developments and their social uptake outside the field of transport which may, nevertheless, have an indirect impact on travel demand and one which may be quite substantial. This paper aims to improve our understanding of which technologies that affect the health and well-being of older people are emerging, how these influence people’s ability to live independently for longer and hence, their demand for travel. To this end, interviews have been carried out with experts from the field of ageing to yield insights into the array of latest technological developments able to support living in later life. In addition interviews with transport experts have been undertaken to explore the following three issues (with an orientation towards assistive technologies for older people): (i) the extent to which the impacts of non-transport technologies are being considered within the transport sector; (ii) how important or relevant it is for such consideration to be given; and (iii) ways in which such impacts can be accounted for in travel demand analysis and policy decisions. What emerges is that these experts recognise that such indirect impacts are very important but rarely are developments in domains outside of transport (with the exception of land use developments) examined for their potential implications for transport. The transport experts noted various ways of increasing the integration between transport and other domains, with several seeing more emphasis on these issues in the education of transport professionals as an important starting point. The paper puts forward the case for using scenario planning as a means to emphasise how the living arrangements for older people, facilitated through assistive technologies, could produce distinct and significant consequences for travel demand.
False Discovery Rates in Identifying Functional DNA Motifs

There are several methods for scoring a set of upstream DNA sequences against a given motif. Typically, significance of raw scores are based on p-values, measured by statistical hypothesis testing. As an extension, multiple hypothesis testing is adopted in cases where there are multiple motifs to be evaluated in parallel. In this way significant motifs are identified for a given significance level. However, a set of significantly identified motifs can contain false positives. In this work, we introduce a false discovery rate estimation problem for significantly predicted motifs. An explorative method for this problem is presented. We test the method using TRANSFAC and JASPAR motif libraries on several upstream DNA subsets of S.cerevisiae. The results show the effectiveness of the method.
Linear Quadratic Optimal Discrete-Time Sliding-Mode Controller for Connection-Oriented Communication Networks

In this paper, a new sliding-mode flow controller for connection-oriented communication networks is proposed. The networks are modeled as discrete-time nth-order systems. On the basis of the system state space description, a novel sliding-mode controller with a linear quadratic optimal switching plane is designed. Two control laws are proposed, each derived by minimizing different cost functionals. The first law is obtained when the whole state vector is considered in the optimization procedure, whereas in the latter case, the derivation concentrates on the system output variable with an additional weighting coefficient introduced into the cost functional. Closed-loop system stability is demonstrated, and the conditions for no data loss and full bottleneck link bandwidth utilization in the network are presented and strictly proved. According to the best of the authors' knowledge, this paper presents the first attempt to design a discrete-time sliding-mode flow control algorithm for connection-oriented communication networks.
Follow the Leader: The Cause and Consequences of Fund Managers Trading in Signal-Strength Sequence

In a sequence of trades in the same direction across fund managers, we expect the long-term return of a trade to be increasing in the number of subsequent trades if fund managers' trading is driven by private information. In contrast, information cascades imply the lack of such a relationship. Using the number of brokers and the number of zero trading days prior to a trade to identify the beginning of a trade sequence in our daily fund manager trade series, we find evidence of private information trading when there are less than four fund managers in a trade sequence and information cascade when there are four or more fund managers. We discover that multiple-broker trades have higher price impact as well as higher long-term returns. These trades are also associated with fewer subsequent trades by other fund managers. Finally, we observe that the post-completion returns of the lead trades in a trade sequence are increasing in the managers' portfolio weights in excess of the index weights. While there is evidence that fund managers follow the trades of their peers, they typically trade on private information and they leave some 'money on the table' when they face binding risk constraints.
Algorithm Combining Toxin Immunoassay and Stool Culture for Diagnosis of Clostridium difficile Infection

ABSTRACT Enzyme immunoassays (EIA) to detect glutamate dehydrogenase or toxins A (TcdA) and B (TcdB), a cytotoxicity assay, and bacteriologic culture have disadvantages when applied individually to diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infections. Stool specimens (n = 1,596) were subjected to toxin detection via an enzyme-linked fluorescent immunoassay (ELFA; Vidas CDAB assay) and bacteriologic culture for toxigenic C. difficile in a three-step algorithm with additional toxigenic culture. Isolates (n = 163) from ELFA-negative stool specimens were examined via ELFA for toxin production. We amplified tcdA and tcdB from C. difficile isolates and tcdB from stool specimens that were ELFA positive or equivocal and culture negative, and we compared the results to those obtained with the three-step algorithm. More than 26% of stool specimens (419/1,596) were culture positive, yielding 248 isolates (59.2%) with both toxin genes (tcdA- and tcdB-positive isolates), 88 isolates (21.0%) with either tcdA or tcdB, and 83 (19.8%) that had no toxin genes (tcdA- and tcdB-negative isolates). Among 49 (culture-negative/ELFA-positive or -equivocal) stool specimens, 53.1% (26/49) represented tcdB-positive isolates. Therefore, the total number of PCR-positive cases was 362, and 27.1% (98/362) of these were detected through toxigenic culture. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were 63.3%, 96.7%, 90.5%, and 92.4% (ELFA alone); 92.8%, 93.3%, 80.2%, and 97.8% (culture); and 70.7%, 91.4%, 95.5%, and 100% (three-step algorithm ELFA and bacterial culture with toxigenic culture), respectively, with culture and PCR for tcdA and tcdB as the standards. Thus, sensitivity and specificity were highest using culture and ELFA, respectively, but we recommend the three-step algorithm comprising EIA to detect both toxins and toxigenic culture for C. difficile as a practical method for achieving better PPV and NPV.
Wahrnehmung des Wertbeitrags von Informationstechnologie in Deutschen Krankenhäusern - Eine empirische Studie

Der Durchdringungsgrad von IT nimmt in Krankenh? usern stetig zu. Hierbei l? sst sich grunds? tzlich zwischen administrativen und medizinischen IT-Systemen unterscheiden. Die vorliegende Studie untersucht den wahrgenommenen Wertbeitrag von IT in Krankenh? usern aus Perspektive von drei wichtigen Entscheidungstr? ger in deutschen Krankenh? usern: Administrative, Medizinische und IT-Leitung. An der in dieser Art einmaligen Studie f? r den deutschen Krankenhausmarkt beteiligten sich 106 kaufm? nnische, 167 medizinische und 206 IT-Leiter. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die positive Wahrnehmung des Wertbeitrags von IT in ? ffentlichen Krankenh? usern am h? chsten ist und mit der Krankenhausgr? e steigt. Die Wahrnehmung wird insbesondere durch die Anpassungsgeschwindigkeit der IT-Systeme sowie dem Schulungs- und Supportangebot beeinflusst.
Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome: Clinical and molecular aspects of recently identified kidney cancer syndrome

Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome is an autosomal dominantly inherited disease that predisposes patients to develop fibrofolliculoma, lung cysts and bilateral multifocal renal tumors, histologically hybrid oncocytic/chromophobe tumors, chromophobe renal cell carcinoma, oncocytoma, papillary renal cell carcinoma and clear cell renal cell carcinoma. The predominant forms of Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome‐associated renal tumors, hybrid oncocytic/chromophobe tumors and chromophobe renal cell carcinoma are typically less aggressive, and a therapeutic principle for these tumors is a surgical removal with nephron‐sparing. The timing of surgery is the most critical element for postoperative renal function, which is one of the important prognostic factors for Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome patients. The folliculin gene (FLCN) that is responsible for Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome was isolated as a novel tumor suppressor for kidney cancer. Recent studies using murine models for FLCN, a protein encoded by the FLCN gene, and its two binding partners, folliculin‐interacting protein 1 (FNIP1) and folliculin‐interacting protein 2 (FNIP2), have uncovered important roles for FLCN, FNIP1 and FNIP2 in cell metabolism, which include AMP‐activated protein kinase‐mediated energy sensing, Ppargc1a‐driven mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and mTORC1‐dependent cell proliferation. Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome is a hereditary hamartoma syndrome, which is triggered by metabolic alterations under a functional loss of FLCN/FNIP1/FNIP2 complex, a critical regulator of kidney cell proliferation rate; a mechanistic insight into the FLCN/FNIP1/FNIP2 pathway could provide us a basis for developing new therapeutics for kidney cancer.
Performance comparison of KASUMI and hardware architecture optimization of f8 and f9 algorithms for 3g UMTS networks

This paper proposes a performance comparison of 64-bit KASUMI block cipher architectures based on speed vs. area trade-offs. The analysis includes 8-rounds KASUMI architectures for high-speed designs, 2-rounds / 1-round KASUMI architecture for moderate area / throughput values and optimized one round KASUMI having one FI function for low area design requirements. A throughput value as high as 13.6 Gbps is found using ROM blocks for S-boxes whereas compact designs require an area of 2.99 NAND gates implementing S-boxes using combinational logic. The paper also focuses on the hardware architecture optimization of f8 and f9 algorithms for low power implementation of 3g mobile equipments. A novel architecture is proposed based on one KASUMI block and is employed for both f8 - confidentiality algorithm and f9 - integrity algorithm. The optimized hardware generates 32-bit MAC and the required bit-stream for encrypting every 10 msec message frame of maximum 20,000 bits. The scheme is very suitable and can be adopted for compact implementation of f8 and f9 algorithms for 3g UMTS mobile communication networks.
Autonomous navigation and obstacle avoidance using navigation laws with time-varying deviation functions

In this paper we introduce a new family of navigation functions for robot navigation and obstacle avoidance. The method can be used for both path finding and real-time path planning. Each navigation function is composed of three parts: a proportionality term, a deviation function and a deviation constant. Deviation functions are time-varying functions satisfying certain conditions. These functions and parameters are updated in real-time to avoid collision with obstacles. Our strategy uses polar kinematics equations to model the navigation problem in terms of the range and direction between the robot and the goal. The obstacles are mapped to polar planes, and represented by the range and the direction from the robot or the final goal in polar coordinates. This representation gives a certain weight to the obstacles based on their relative position from the robot and facilitates the design of the navigation law. There exists an infinite number of navigation functions obtained by changing the proportionality constant, the deviation constant or the deviation function. This offers an infinite number of possibilities for the robot's path. Our navigation strategy is illustrated using an extensive simulation where different navigation parameters are used.
Drift Error Reduction Based on the Sonar Image Prediction and Matching for Underwater Hovering

In this paper, we propose a sonar-image-based underwater-hovering algorithm for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Unlike the conventional methods that apply vision-based algorithms, the proposed algorithm predicts the sonar image of the target position in advance, and then compares the sonar image of the current position of the AUV to the predicted sonar image in order to derive the current position error. By feeding back the error, the AUV can compensate for its position error. We verify the accuracy and tolerance of the proposed algorithm by performing an experiment using a forward-looking imaging sonar.
Farm Income Variability and the Supply of Off‐Farm Labor

If farmers are risk averse, greater farm income variability should increase off-farm labor supply. This effect is confirmed for a sample of Kansas farmers. Off-farm employment of farmers and their spouses is also found to be significantly influenced by farm experience, off-farm work experience, farm size, leverage, efficiency, and farm-specific education. In addition, farm operators and spouses who receive significant income support through government farm programs are less likely to work off the farm. This may suggest that policy changes reducing farm income support payments may increase off-farm employment of farmers and their spouses. Copyright 1997, Oxford University Press.