Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
e-DASH: Modelling an energy-aware DASH player

Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (DASH) is one of the most popular ways to stream videos at present. In this work, we propose a DASH player energy-aware plugin (eDASH) for mobile devices which help reduce the battery consumption of the device. The eDASH player utilises a novel bitrate and video brightness adaptation algorithm to determine the next chunk to download. This algorithm utilises an energy-aware QoE model which factors in power consumption of the device in conjunction with existing bitrate adaptation logic to determine the next chunk. We also propose a new DASH architecture which could be easily integrated with the existing one. Macro-benchmarking of energy consumption of a mobile device while streaming and playing back video is conducted to obtain energy profiles of various video qualities. This energy data is then used along with real world network traces to drive simulations to evaluate energy savings that could be achieved using eDASH. We observe that up to 45% energy savings could be achieved with minimal reduction is QoE. We also find that up to 80% data transfer savings could also be achieved with an eDASH client.
A Research Study of Transformational Leadership Comparing Leadership Styles of the Principal.

iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . vi CHAPTER I: Introduction . 1 Transformational and Transactional Leadership . 2 Collective Efficacy . 8 Teacher Efficacy . 13 Statement of the Problem . 14 Hypotheses . 15 Variables . 16 Significance of the Problem . 16 Significance of the Study . 17 Operational Definitions . 21 Limitations . 23 CHAPTER II: Review of Literature . 24 Leadership . 25 Types of Leadership . 31 Transformational Leadership . 33 Transactional Leadership . 41 Self Efficacy . 43 Summary . 53
m3G cap hypermethylation of U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) in vitro: evidence that the U1 small nuclear RNA-(guanosine-N2)-methyltransferase is a non-snRNP cytoplasmic protein that requires a binding site on the Sm core domain

The RNA components of small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (U snRNPs) possess a characteristic 5'-terminal trimethylguanosine cap structure (m3G cap). This cap is an important component of the nuclear localization signal of U snRNPs. It arises by hypermethylation of a cotranscriptionally added m7G cap. Here we describe an in vitro assay for the hypermethylation, which employs U snRNP particles reconstituted in vitro from purified components and subsequent analysis by m3G cap-specific immunoprecipitation. Complementation studies in vitro revealed that both cytosol and S-adenosylmethionine are required for the hypermethylation of an m7G-capped U1 snRNP reconstituted in vitro, indicating that the U1 snRNA-(guanosine-N2)-methyltransferase is a trans-active non-snRNP protein. Chemical modification revealed one cytoplasmic component required for hypermethylation and one located on the snRNP: these components have different patterns of sensitivity to modification by N-ethylmaleimide and iodoacetic acid (IAA). In the presence of cytosol and S-adenosylmethionine, an intact Sm core domain is a necessary and sufficient substrate for cap hypermethylation. These data, together with our observation that isolated native U1 snRNPs but not naked U1 RNA inhibit the trimethylation of in vitro-reconstituted U1 snRNP, indicate that the Sm core binds the methyltransferase specifically. Moreover, isolated native U2 snRNP also inhibits trimethylation of U1 snRNP, suggesting that other Sm-class U snRNPs might share the same methyltransferase. IAA modification of m7G-capped U1 snRNPs inhibited hypermethylation when they were microinjected into Xenopus oocytes and consequently also inhibited nuclear import. In contrast, modification with IAA of m3G-capped U1 snRNPs reconstituted in vitro did not interfere with their nuclear transport in oocytes. These data suggest that m3G cap formation and nuclear transport of U1 snRNPs are mediated by distinct factors, which require distinct binding sites on the Sm core of U1 snRNP.
MD-Logic Overnight Control for 6 Weeks of Home Use in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes: Randomized Crossover Trial

OBJECTIVE We evaluated the effect of the MD-Logic system on overnight glycemic control at patients' homes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Twenty-four patients (aged 12–43 years; average A1c 7.5 ± 0.8%, 58.1 ± 8.4 mmol/mol) were randomly assigned to participate in two overnight crossover periods, each including 6 weeks of consecutive nights: one under closed loop and the second under sensor-augmented pump (SAP) therapy at patients' homes in real-life conditions. The primary end point was time spent with sensor glucose levels below 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) overnight. RESULTS Closed-loop nights significantly reduced time spent in hypoglycemia (P = 0.02) and increased the percentage of time spent in the target range of 70–140 mg/dL (P = 0.003) compared with nights when the SAP therapy was used. The time spent in substantial hyperglycemia above 240 mg/dL was reduced by a median of 52.2% (interquartile range [IQR] 4.8, 72.9%; P = 0.001) under closed-loop control compared with SAP therapy. Overnight total insulin doses were lower in the closed-loop nights compared with the SAP nights (P = 0.04). The average daytime glucose levels after closed-loop operation were reduced by a median of 10.0 mg/dL (IQR −2.7, 19.2; P = 0.017) while lower total insulin doses were used (P = 0.038). No severe adverse events occurred during closed-loop control; there was a single event of severe hypoglycemia during a control night. CONCLUSIONS The long-term home use of automated overnight insulin delivery by the MD-Logic system was found to be a feasible, safe, and an effective tool to reduce nocturnal hypoglycemia and improve overnight glycemic control in subjects with type 1 diabetes.
Progress in super long loop prediction

Sampling errors are very common in super long loop (referring here to loops that have more than thirteen residues) prediction, simply because the sampling space is vast. We have developed a dipeptide segment sampling algorithm to solve this problem. As a first step in evaluating the performance of this algorithm, it was applied to the problem of reconstructing loops in native protein structures. With a newly constructed test set of 89 loops ranging from 14 to 17 residues, this method obtains average/median global backbone root‐mean‐square deviations (RMSDs) to the native structure (superimposing the body of the protein, not the loop itself) of 1.46/0.68 Å. Specifically, results for loops of various lengths are 1.19/0.67 Å for 36 fourteen‐residue loops, 1.55/0.75 Å for 30 fifteen‐residue loops, 1.43/0.80 Å for 14 sixteen‐residue loops, and 2.30/1.92 Å for nine seventeen‐residue loops. In the vast majority of cases, the method locates energy minima that are lower than or equal to that of the minimized native loop, thus indicating that the new sampling method is successful and rarely limits prediction accuracy. Median RMSDs are substantially lower than the averages because of a small number of outliers. The causes of these failures are examined in some detail, and some can be attributed to flaws in the energy function, such as π–π interactions are not accurately accounted for by the OPLS‐AA force field we employed in this study. By introducing a new energy model which has a superior description of π–π interactions, significantly better results were achieved for quite a few former outliers. Crystal packing is explicitly included in order to provide a fair comparison with crystal structures. Proteins 2011;. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Uncoupling of sustained MAMP receptor signaling from early outputs in an Arabidopsis endoplasmic reticulum glucosidase II allele

Recognition of microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs), conserved structures typical of a microbial class, triggers immune responses in eukaryotes. This is accompanied by a diverse set of physiological responses that are thought to enhance defense activity in plants. However, the extent and mechanisms by which MAMP-induced events contribute to host immunity are poorly understood. Here we reveal Arabidopsis priority in sweet life4 (psl4) and psl5 mutants that are insensitive to the bacterial elongation factor (EF)-Tu epitope elf18 but responsive to flagellin epitope flg22. PSL4 and PSL5, respectively, identify β- and α-subunits of endoplasmic reticulum-resident glucosidase II, which is essential for stable accumulation and quality control of the elf18 receptor EFR but not the flg22 receptor FLS2. We notice that EFR signaling is partially and differentially impaired without a significant decrease of the receptor steady-state levels in 2 weakly dysfunctional gIIα alleles, designated psl5-1 and rsw3. Remarkably, rsw3 plants exhibit marked supersusceptibility against a virulent bacterial phytopathogen despite nearly intact coactivation of MAPKs, reactive oxygen species, ethylene biosynthesis, and callose deposition in response to elf18, demonstrating that these signaling outputs alone are insufficient to mount effective immunity. However, rsw3 plants fail to maintain high transcript levels of defense-promoting WRKY, PR1, and PR2 genes at late time points (4 to 24 h) after elf18 elicitation. This points to an unexpected separation between initial and sustained activation of EFR-mediated signaling in the absence of proper glucosidase II-mediated endoplasmic reticulum quality control. Our findings strongly suggest the importance of sustained MAMP receptor signaling as a key step in the establishment of robust immunity.
Global epidemiology of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease—Meta‐analytic assessment of prevalence, incidence, and outcomes

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major cause of liver disease worldwide. We estimated the global prevalence, incidence, progression, and outcomes of NAFLD and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). PubMed/MEDLINE were searched from 1989 to 2015 for terms involving epidemiology and progression of NAFLD. Exclusions included selected groups (studies that exclusively enrolled morbidly obese or diabetics or pediatric) and no data on alcohol consumption or other liver diseases. Incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), cirrhosis, overall mortality, and liver‐related mortality were determined. NASH required histological diagnosis. All studies were reviewed by three independent investigators. Analysis was stratified by region, diagnostic technique, biopsy indication, and study population. We used random‐effects models to provide point estimates (95% confidence interval [CI]) of prevalence, incidence, mortality and incidence rate ratios, and metaregression with subgroup analysis to account for heterogeneity. Of 729 studies, 86 were included with a sample size of 8,515,431 from 22 countries. Global prevalence of NAFLD is 25.24% (95% CI: 22.10‐28.65) with highest prevalence in the Middle East and South America and lowest in Africa. Metabolic comorbidities associated with NAFLD included obesity (51.34%; 95% CI: 41.38‐61.20), type 2 diabetes (22.51%; 95% CI: 17.92‐27.89), hyperlipidemia (69.16%; 95% CI: 49.91‐83.46%), hypertension (39.34%; 95% CI: 33.15‐45.88), and metabolic syndrome (42.54%; 95% CI: 30.06‐56.05). Fibrosis progression proportion, and mean annual rate of progression in NASH were 40.76% (95% CI: 34.69‐47.13) and 0.09 (95% CI: 0.06‐0.12). HCC incidence among NAFLD patients was 0.44 per 1,000 person‐years (range, 0.29‐0.66). Liver‐specific mortality and overall mortality among NAFLD and NASH were 0.77 per 1,000 (range, 0.33‐1.77) and 11.77 per 1,000 person‐years (range, 7.10‐19.53) and 15.44 per 1,000 (range, 11.72‐20.34) and 25.56 per 1,000 person‐years (range, 6.29‐103.80). Incidence risk ratios for liver‐specific and overall mortality for NAFLD were 1.94 (range, 1.28‐2.92) and 1.05 (range, 0.70‐1.56). Conclusions: As the global epidemic of obesity fuels metabolic conditions, the clinical and economic burden of NAFLD will become enormous. (Hepatology 2016;64:73–84)
Recovery of Vestibulogastrointestinal Symptoms During Vestibular Compensation After Unilateral Labyrinthectomy in Rats

Background: The loss of unilateral vestibular function causes vestibulogastrointestinal symptoms that include nausea and vomiting. However, the temporal changes occurring on vestibular compensation are unclear. Thus, the temporal changes and the role of the cerebellum in the recovery of vestibulogastrointestinal symptoms after unilateral labyrinthectomy (UL) were investigated in this study. Methods: Vestibulogastrointestinal symptoms were evaluated for intestinal transit and geometric center, whereas vestibulo-ocular symptoms were represented by spontaneous nystagmus. Expression of the c-Fos protein was observed in the vestibular nuclei. These were measured at 30 minutes and at 2, 6, and 24 hours after UL in rats. Results: Intestinal transit was 66.3% ± 7.6% in the control animals but significantly decreased to 40.7% ± 7.8%, 46.3% ± 6.3%, and 48.6% ± 10.8% at 30 minutes (p < 0.01), 2 hours (p < 0.01), and 6 hours (p < 0.05) after UL, respectively. The intestinal transit showed a recovery to control levels 24 hours after UL. The geometric center was 5.6 ± 0.4 in control animals but significantly decreased to 2.1 ± 0.4, 2.9 ± 0.3, and 4.0 ± 0.3 at 30 minutes, 2 hours, and 6 hours after UL, respectively (p < 0.01). Recovery of the geometric center to control levels, 24 hours after UL, was reported. Uvulonodullectomy significantly decreased the intestinal transit and geometric center for 24 hours after surgery (p < 0.01). Moreover, UL in uvulonodullectomized animals significantly decreased the intestinal transit and geometric center for 24 hours after surgery (p < 0.01). Pretreatment of the UL animals with MK-801 significantly increased the geometric center 30 minutes after surgery (p < 0.01). Unilateral labyrinthectomy produced spontaneous nystagmus, 28.9 ± 1.5, 23.3 ± 1.4, 17.5 ± 1.5, and 9.2 ± 0.9 beats per 10 seconds at 30 minutes and at 2, 6, and 24 hours after UL, respectively. Expression of the c-Fos protein was significantly increased in the medial vestibular nuclei and inferior vestibular nuclei at 1, 2, and 6 hours after UL, and the expression was significantly decreased in animals that were pretreated with MK-801 (p < 0.01). Conclusion: These results suggest that the recovery of vestibulogastrointestinal symptoms is faster than that of vestibulo-ocular symptoms and that the cerebellum and glutamate have an important role to play in the recovery of symptoms after UL.
LARVAL HABITS, HOST-PLANT ASSOCIATIONS, AND SPECIATION IN NEMATINE SAWFLIES (HYMENOPTERA: TENTHREDINIDAE)

Abstract Adaptive radiations consist of two intertwined processes, diversification of species and diversification of their ecological niches, but it is unclear whether there is a causal link between the processes. In phytophagous insects, ecological diversification mainly involves shifts in host-plant associations and in larval feeding habits (internal or external) on different plant parts, and several observations indicate that speciation is facilitated by host shifts. Data on host use in individual species suggest that internal feeders are less likely to colonize new hosts than external-feeding taxa and, consequently, increases in collective host ranges and species numbers should be slowed down in endophagous lineages. We tested these related hypotheses by using phylogenetic information to reconstruct the evolutionary history of larval resource use in the sawfly subfamily Nematinae, a group of 1000 plus species with a broad range of niches: the subfamily's combined host range includes over 20 plant families, and larvae may feed externally on leaves or needles, or internally, for example, in buds, fruits, leaves, or galls. The results show that: (1) Most internally feeding groups have evolved independently from external-feeding ancestors, but several distinct internal habits have appeared convergently multiple times; (2) Shifts among host taxa are clearly more common than changes in larval habits; (3) The majority of host switches have occurred among phylogenetically close plant groups, but many shifts are manifest among distantly related, ecologically proximate hosts; (4) Although external feeding characteristic of the common ancestor of Nematinae is associated with relatively high rates of host-shifting, internal feeders are very conservative in their host use; (5) In contrast, the effect of endophagy on speciation probabilities is more variable: net speciation rates are lowered in most internal-feeding groups, but a striking exception is found in species that induce galls on Salicaceae. The loose connection between collective host ranges and species diversity provides empirical support for theoretical models suggesting that speciation rates are a function of a complex interplay between “intrinsic” niche width and resource heterogeneity.
Glycemic variability: A strong independent predictor of mortality in critically ill patients*

Objectives:To determine the effect of glycemic variability, assessed by the standard deviation of each patient’s mean glucose level, on mortality in a population of critically ill adult patients. Design:Retrospective review of a large cohort of prospectively evaluated patients. Setting:Fourteen-bed medical surgical adult intensive care unit of a university affiliated community hospital. Patients:Three thousand two hundred fifty-two patients consecutively admitted between October 1999 and October 2007 with at least three venous glucose samples. Interventions:None. Measurements and Main Results:The mean (sd) Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score of the 3252 patients was 20.0 (8.9) and their mortality was 24.4%, ranging from 18.1% among patients with mean glucose level 70 mg/dL to 99 mg/dL to 35.9% among patients with mean glucose level 180+ mg/dL. The relationship between glycemic variability and mortality was strongest in the euglycemic range. For the 410 patients with mean glucose level 70 mg/dL to 99 mg/dL, mortality ranged from 5.9% in the first quartile of glycemic variability to 30.1% in the fourth; for the 1031 patients with mean glucose level 100 mg/dL to 119 mg/dL the corresponding range was 9.7% to 31.0%. Mortality among patients in the entire cohort with the lowest quartile of glycemic variability was 12.1%, increasing to 19.9%, 27.7%, and 37.8% in the second, third, and fourth quartiles. Intensive care unit length of stay was shorter among patients in the first quartile compared with those in the other three (p < .001). Conclusions:This study demonstrates that increasing glycemic variability conferred a strong independent risk of mortality in this heterogeneous population of critically ill patients. Previously published interventional studies of glycemic control may be reinterpreted using the metric of glycemic variability. Measures to ensure a low degree of glycemic variability may improve outcomes in intensive care unit’s implementing glycemic control. Finally, ongoing and future investigations should consider including this new metric in their study design.
Stimulated backscattering from relativistic unmagnetized electron beams

Analysis of stimulated scattering of a high‐frequency incident pump wave from an unmagnetized relativistic electron beam is presented. The backscattered radiation frequency can be enhanced by the factor 4γ20 over the incident pump frequency, where γ0 is the relativistic factor of the electron beam. The linear growth rates associated with the wave‐wave and wave‐particle modes of scattering, in the high gain limit, are examined for a number of different pump amplitude regimes. Estimates for the scattering efficiency are presented for the wave‐wave scattering process.
Severe Mycobacterium bovis BCG infections in a large series of novel IL–12 receptor β1 deficient patients and evidence for the existence of partial IL–12 receptor β1 deficiency

Cell mediated immunity plays a critical role in human host defence against intracellular bacteria. In patients with unusual, severe infections caused by poorly pathogenic species of mycobacteria and salmonellae, genetic deficiencies have been identified in key genes in the type‐1 cytokine pathway, especially in IFNGR1 and IL12RB1. Here, we analyzed 11 patients originating from Turkey and suffering from unusual Mycobacterium bovis Bacille Calmette‐Guerin infections following vaccination, and found that most patients (n=8) are deficient in IL‐12Rβ1 expression and function. No defects were found in patients' IFN‐γR or IL‐18R. In addition, a first patient suffering from partial IL‐12Rβ1 deficiency is described. This patient presented with an intermediate cellular and immunological phenotype: a consistent, low response to IL‐12 was found, which could be further augmented by IL‐18. Despite a lack of cell surface IL‐12Rβ1 expression, normal levels of intracellular IL‐12Rβ1 protein were detectable, which was not seen in the other, completely IL‐12Rβ1 deficient patients examined. Moreover, this patient had a relatively mild clinical phenotype and was the only individual with a single homozygous amino acid substitution in IL‐12Rβ1 (C198R). Collectively, our findings indicate that idiopathic, unusually severe infections due to M. bovis BCG can be caused by complete as well as partial IL‐12Rβ1 deficiency.
Expressions of CCAAT/Enhancer-binding Proteins β and δ and Their Activities Are Intensified by cAMP Signaling as Well as Ca2+/Calmodulin Kinases Activation in Hippocampal Neurons*

The transcription factor, AplysiaCCAAT enhancer-binding protein (ApC/EBP), plays a crucial role in long term facilitation, a synaptic mechanism of long term memory inAplysia. To gain a clue to whether the mammalian C/EBP family of transcription factors are also involved in long term memory, we examined how C/EBP activities in hippocampal neurons can be modulated in response to cAMP and Ca2+, crucial inductive signals for memory formation. As a result, stimulation of either cAMP or Ca2+ signals in hippocampal neurons was found to enhance mRNA expressions and DNA binding activities of C/EBPβ and C/EBPδ. Furthermore, it is indicated that CaM kinases have essential roles for increasing the expression and DNA binding activities of C/EBPβ in hippocampal neurons activated by membrane depolarization. Overexpression of constitutively active calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase IV was found to directly stimulate either C/EBPβ-dependent or C/EBPδ-dependent transcription, reinforcing the evidence that C/EBP family members contribute to Ca2+-dependent transcription. Thus, these results suggest that C/EBPβ and C/EBPδ may be involved in the transcription-dependent phase of memory formation by increasing the expression of both the DNA binding and the transcriptional activities under the direction of cAMP and/or Ca2+signaling in hippocampal neurons.