Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Trust, communication and equlibrium behaviour in public goods

This paper reports a novel cross-cultural public goods game experiment played in real time through Internet. Web-based software was used to compare the contributions to public good of different groups of participants: mixed, consisting of both Italians (students in law and economics) and Russians (students in economics), as well as all-Italian and all-Russian groups. This setup allows for testing for a number of effects, including participants’ awareness of the group composition in terms of nationality and gender of group members; possibility of coordination of one’s strategy during a cheap talk session organized before some of the games was used as an additional control. Our results show that the degree of cooperation is rather high, but does not vary significantly with nationalities of the group members, while communication tends to enhance contributions to public goods. A notable difference between the subjects representing the two nations is an overly strong and increasing cooperativeness of the Russian female participants in contrast to that of the Russian men, as well as the Italians.
Effect of humidity on leakage current of a contaminated 11 kV Porcelain Pin Insulator

Porcelain Pin Insulators are one of the most critical components of Power system transmission and distribution arena. Due to environmental degradations these insulators get contaminated. Leakage current starts to flow over the surface of contaminated insulators in presence of humidity, light rain, fog, mist etc. This phenomenon ultimately leads to flashover. To prevent flashover, leakage current measurement of contaminated insulator is very essential. To measure leakage current of a contaminated insulator in presence of humidity of different levels, an experimental set up has been arranged at High Voltage Laboratory of Jadavpur University. From leakage current data and FFT analysis, it will be very helpful for prediction of contamination level of insulators and finally flashover will be averted.
User Interfaces for Cooperation

This thesis suggests cooperation as a design paradigm for human-computer interaction. The basic idea is that the synergistic co-operation of interfaces through concurrent user activities enables increased interaction fluency and expressiveness. This applies to bimanual interaction and multi-finger input, e.g., touch typing, as well as the collaboration of multiple users. Cooperative user interfaces offer more interaction flexibility and expressivity for single and multiple users. Part I of this thesis analyzes the state of the art in user interface design. It explores limitations of common approaches and reveals the crucial role of cooperative action in several established user interfaces and research prototypes. A review of related research in psychology and human-computer interaction offers insights to the cognitive, behavioral, and ergonomic foundations of cooperative user interfaces. Moreover, this thesis suggests a broad applicability of generic cooperation patterns and contributes three high-level design principles. Part II presents three experiments towards cooperative user interfaces in detail. A study on desktop-based 3D input devices, explores fundamental benefits of cooperative bimanual input and the impact of interface design on bimanual cooperative behavior. A novel interaction technique for multitouch devices is presented that follows the paradigm of cooperative user interfaces and demonstrates advantages over the status quo. Finally, this thesis introduces a fundamentally new display technology that provides up to six users with their individual perspectives of a shared 3D environment. The system creates new possibilities for the cooperative interaction of multiple users. Part III of this thesis builds on the research results described in Part II, in particular, the multi-user 3D display system. A series of case studies in the field of collaborative virtual reality provides exemplary evidence for the relevance and applicability of the suggested design principles.
The Dream is Collapsing: The Experience of Exiting VR

Research on virtual reality (VR) has studied users' experience of immersion, presence, simulator sickness, and learning effects. However, the momentary experience of exiting VR and transitioning back to the real-world is not well understood. Do users become self-conscious of their actions upon exit? Are users nervous of their surroundings? Using explicitation interviews, we explore the moment of exit from VR across four applications. Analysis of the interviews reveals five components of experience: space, control, sociality, time, and sensory adaptation. Participants described spatial disorientation, for example, regardless of the complexity of the VR scene. Participants also described a window across which they exit VR, for example mentally first and then physically. We present six designs for easing or heightening the exit experience, as described by the participants. Based on these findings, we further discuss the ? moment of exit' as an opportunity for designing engaging and enhanced VR experiences.
Engineering Scalable Manufacturing of High-Quality Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes for Cardiac Tissue Repair

Recent advances in the differentiation and production of human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes (CMs) have stimulated development of strategies to use these cells in human cardiac regenerative therapies. A prerequisite for clinical trials and translational implementation of hPSC-derived CMs is the ability to manufacture safe and potent cells on the scale needed to replace cells lost during heart disease. Current differentiation protocols generate fetal-like CMs that exhibit proarrhythmogenic potential. Sufficient maturation of these hPSC-derived CMs has yet to be achieved to allow these cells to be used as a regenerative medicine therapy. Insights into the native cardiac environment during heart development may enable engineering of strategies that guide hPSC-derived CMs to mature. Specifically, considerations must be made in regard to developing methods to incorporate the native intercellular interactions and biomechanical cues into hPSC-derived CM production that are conducive to scale-up.
The Dynamics of Changes in Nutritionally Significant Ingredients of Carrot Juice after the Pasteurization

Abstract Carrot (Daucus carota L.) belongs to the most common type of vegetable because of its consumption, versatile usage in the canning industry and because of its beneficial effects on the health of consumers. It is valuable mainly because of the high content of β-carotene, B vitamins, vitamin C, carbohydrates and minerals. The aim of this work was to compare the quality of carrot juice from different varieties of carrots regarding the content of total carotenoids and polyphenols and also to assess the dynamics of their changes evaluated under the influence of the pasteurization (85 °C). There were selected varieties of carrot such as Baltimore F1, Exhibition F1, Kamaran F1, Napoli F1, Belgrado F1, Komarno F1, Nantes, Rubina and Nandrin F1. The highest content of carotenoids, assessed by the spectrophotometry, was determined in variety Kamaran F1 (213.66 mg 100 g−1 dry matter) and the lowest in Belgrado F1 (146.80 mg 100 g−1 dry matter). After the pasteurization, the content of carotenoid decreased and ranged from 128.04 mg 100 g−1 dry matter in variety Napoli F1 to 142.55 mg 100 g−1 in Kamaran F1. The highest content of polyphenol determined by the Folin Ciocalteu method was found in fresh juice of Rubina (922.80 mg GAE 100 g−1 dry matter) and the lowest in the variety Nantes (535.75 mg GAE 100 g−1 dry matter). After the pasteurization, the content of the monitored components was found to be 450.34 mg GAE 100 g−1 dry matter in Napoli F1 to 751.95 mg GAE 100 g−1 dry matter in Komarno F1 variety.
Population based intervention to change back pain beliefs: three year follow up population survey

We previously reported the positive results of a population based campaign designed to alter beliefs about back pain in Victoria, Australia.1 2 The campaign consisted of television commercials which gave clear advice about back pain—for example, stay active and exercise, do not rest for prolonged periods, and stay at work. After the intervention, doctors' and the community's beliefs about back pain became significantly more positive, and the number of workers' claims for compensation and medical payments for back pain had declined. To measure sustained change in beliefs about back pain three years after the campaign ended, we repeated telephone surveys in Victoria and in adjacent New South Wales as a control. We used computer assisted questionnaires given by telephone interview to a random sample of the population of Victoria and New South Wales in December …
The Inner Mitochondrial Membrane Has Aquaporin-8 Water Channels and Is Highly Permeable to Water*

Mitochondria are remarkably plastic organelles constantly changing their shape to fulfil their various functional activities. Although the osmotic movement of water into and out of the mitochondrion is central for its morphology and activity, the molecular mechanisms and the pathways for water transport across the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM), the main barrier for molecules moving into and out of the organelle, are completely unknown. Here, we show the presence of a member of the aquaporin family of water channels, AQP8, and demonstrate the strikingly high water permeability (Pf) characterizing the rat liver IMM. Immunoblotting, electron microscopy, and biophysical studies show that the largest mitochondria feature the highest AQP8 expression and IMM Pf. AQP8 was also found in the mitochondria of other organs, whereas no other known aquaporins were seen. The osmotic water transport of liver IMM was partially inhibited by the aquaporin blocker Hg2+, while the related activation energy remained low, suggesting the presence of a Hg2+-insensitive facilitated pathway in addition to AQP8. It is suggested that AQP8-mediated water transport may be particularly important for rapid expansions of mitochondrial volume such as those occurring during active oxidative phosphorylation and those following apoptotic signals.
Evolution of drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis: a review on the molecular determinants of resistance and implications for personalized care

Abstract Drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) remains a significant challenge in TB treatment and control programmes worldwide. Advances in sequencing technology have significantly increased our understanding of the mechanisms of resistance to anti-TB drugs. This review provides an update on advances in our understanding of drug resistance mechanisms to new, existing drugs and repurposed agents. Recent advances in WGS technology hold promise as a tool for rapid diagnosis and clinical management of TB. Although the standard approach to WGS of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is slow due to the requirement for organism culture, recent attempts to sequence directly from clinical specimens have improved the potential to diagnose and detect resistance within days. The introduction of new databases may be helpful, such as the Relational Sequencing TB Data Platform, which contains a collection of whole-genome sequences highlighting key drug resistance mutations and clinical outcomes. Taken together, these advances will help devise better molecular diagnostics for more effective DR-TB management enabling personalized treatment, and will facilitate the development of new drugs aimed at improving outcomes of patients with this disease.
SNARE protein expression and localization in human cytotoxic T lymphocytes

The major function of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) is to eliminate pathogen‐infected and tumorigenic cells. This is mediated mainly through the exocytosis of lytic granules (LGs) containing cytotoxic components, such as perforin and granzymes at the immunological synapse (IS). The soluble NSF attachment receptor (SNARE) protein isoforms are well known to be required for vesicle exocytosis in neuronal synapses, but their potential function in CTLs is only partly understood. Here, we examined the expression of SNARE proteins before and after the activation of primary human CD8+ T cells and determined their co‐localization with LGs and CD3 after IS formation with target cells. We found that several key SNARE proteins in neuronal cells were not expressed in CTLs, such as syntaxin1B2 and SNAP‐25. Vti1b, Stx8 and Stx16 had the highest degrees of co‐localization with LGs while Stx3, Stx4, Stx6, Stx7, Stx8, Stx13, Vti1b, VAMP3 and VAMP4 co‐localized with CD3. Our data provide the first complete expression profile and localization of SNAREs in primary human CD8+ T cells, laying the groundwork for further understanding their potential role in T‐cell function.
The xylem sap of maple (Acer platanoides) trees—sap obtained by a novel method shows changes with season and height

Xylem sap of log pieces of maple trees was collected by a novel pressure/decompression method developed recently for the mechanical drying of timber. Seasonal changes and spatial distributions of the osmotic potential, the pH and the concentrations of major solutes and of the plant stress-hormone abscisic acid (ABA) were investigated. Sucrose and quebrachitol were the main components of the xylem sap. The sucrose concentration varied between 10 mM and 25 mM during the winter months and declined to a minimum during the period of bud burst. Quebrachitol was found in concentrations of up to 7 mM with a high variability throughout the year. High concentrations of ABA were measured during the summer season and in mid-winter. Rainfall caused an increase of ABA in some samples. The osmotic potential of the xylem sap increased with the height of the collection site. The pH of the sap decreased by approximately one unit between the base of the trunk and the crown. The increase of the osmotic potential was mainly due to sucrose, quebrachitol and potassium. Malate contributed to the decrease of the pH. ABA of the xylem sap increased with decreasing moisture content of the wood.
Access to and Experiences with e-Health Technology Among Glaucoma Patients and Their Relationship with Medication Adherence.

BACKGROUND As online health information becomes common, it is important to assess patients' access to and experiences with online resources. INTRODUCTION We examined whether glaucoma patients' technology usage differs by medication adherence and whether adherence is associated with online education experiences. MATERIALS AND METHODS We included 164 adults with glaucoma taking ≥1 glaucoma medication. Participants completed a survey including demographic and health information, the Morisky Adherence Scale, and questions about online glaucoma resource usage. Differences in technology access, adherence, and age were compared with chi-squared, Fisher exact, and two-sample t-tests. RESULTS Mean age was 66 years. Twenty-six percent reported poor adherence. Eighty percent had good technology access. Seventy-three percent of subjects with greater technology access wanted online glaucoma information and yet only 14% of patients had been directed to online resources by physicians. There was no relationship between technological connectivity and adherence (p = 0.51). Nonadherent patients were younger (mean age 58 years vs. 66 years for adherent patients, p = 0.002). Nonadherence was associated with negative feelings about online searches (68% vs. 42%, p = 0.06). DISCUSSION Younger, poorly adherent patients navigate online glaucoma resources without physician input. These online searches are often unsatisfying. Technology should be leveraged to create high quality, online glaucoma resources that physicians can recommend to provide guidance for disease self-management.
CactusNets: Layer Applicability as a Metric for Transfer Learning

Deep neural networks trained over large datasets learn features that are both generic to the whole dataset, and specific to individual classes in the dataset. Learned features tend towards generic in the lower layers and specific in the higher layers of a network. Methods like fine-tuning are made possible because of the ability for one filter to apply to multiple target classes. Much like the human brain this behavior, can also be used to cluster and separate classes. However, to the best of our knowledge there is no metric for how applicable learned features are to specific classes. In this paper we propose a definition and metric for measuring the applicability of learned features to individual classes, and use this applicability metric to estimate input applicability and produce a new method of unsupervised learning we call the CactusNet.
Interactions Between Modality of Working Memory Load and Perceptual Load in Distractor Processing

ABSTRACT The present study investigated interactions between working memory load and perceptual load. The load theory (Lavie, Hirst, de Fockert, & Viding, 2004) claims that perceptual load decreases distractor interference, whereas working memory load increases interference. However, recent studies showed that effects of working memory might depend on the relationship between modalities of working memory and task stimuli. Here, we examined whether the relationship between working memory load and perceptual load would remain the same across modalities. The results of Experiment 1 showed that verbal working memory load did not affect a compatibility effect for low perceptual load, whereas it increased the compatibility effect for high perceptual load. In Experiment 2, the compatibility effect remained the same regardless of visual working memory load. These results suggest that the effects of working memory load and perceptual load depend on the relationship between the modalities of working memory and stimuli.
Relationship between branch-scar parameters and knot features of oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Libsky)

ABSTRACT The classification of roundwood is inextricably linked to the measurement of a particular single wood defect. The appearance, location, and number of defects are important in the quality evaluation of logs and sawn timber, and the most important defects are knots. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the appearance of branch scars and features of the related knot inside oriental beech logs, and to model the relationship between well-defined branch-scar and knot parameters. One hundred and fifty knots in 15 stems of oriental beech trees were studied. Image analysis software was used to measure the branch-scar and knot features. The results showed a significant positive correlation between the branch-scar parameter “moustache length” and the knot length. The ratio of branch-seal length to width was found to be a good estimator of the stem diameter at the time of knot occlusion and the amount of clear wood between the knot occlusion and the bark. The relationship obtained for the oriental beech stem radius at time of knot occlusion confirms relationship reported for European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.).
A Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study in Transgender Persons on Cross-Sex Hormone Therapy

Background: To date, research findings are inconsistent about whether the neuroanatomy in transgender persons resembles that of their natal sex or their gender identity. Moreover, few studies have examined the effects of long-term cross-sex hormonal treatment on neuroanatomy in this cohort. The purpose of the present study was to examine neuroanatomical differences in transgender persons after prolonged cross-sex hormone therapy. Methods: Eighteen transgender men (female-to-male), 17 transgender women (male-to-female), 30 nontransgender men (natal men), and 27 nontransgender women (natal women) completed a high-resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging scan at 3 T. Eligibility criteria for transgender persons were gender-affirming surgery and at least 2 years of cross-sex hormone therapy. Exclusion criteria for nontransgender persons were presence of psychiatric or neurological disorders. Results: The mean neuroanatomical volume for the amygdala, putamen, and corpus callosum differed between transgender women and natal women but not between transgender women and natal men. Differences between transgender men and natal men were found in several brain structures, including the medial temporal lobe structures and cerebellum. Differences between transgender men and natal women were found in the medial temporal lobe, nucleus accumbens, and 3rd ventricle. Sexual dimorphism between nontransgender men and women included larger cerebellar volumes and a smaller anterior corpus callosum in natal men than in natal women. The results remained stable after correcting for additional factors including age, total intracranial volume, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Neuroanatomical differences were region specific between transgender persons and their natal sex as well as their gender identity, raising the possibility of a localized influence of sex hormones on neuroanatomy.
A hybrid prediction model for type 2 diabetes using K-means and decision tree

Type 2 diabetes has a quite high incidence all over the world. For the prevention and treatment of Type 2 diabetes, early detection is demanded. Nowadays, data mining techniques are gaining increasing importance in medical diagnosis field by their classification capability. In this paper, a hybrid prediction model is proposed to help the diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes. In the proposed model, K-means is used for data reduction with J48 decision tree as a classifier for classification. In order to get the experimental result, we used the Pima Indians Diabetes Dataset from UCI Machine Learning Repository. The result shows that the proposed model has reached better accuracy compared to other previous studies that mentioned in the literature. On the basis of the result, it can be proven that the proposed model would be helpful in Type 2 diabetes diagnosis.
Plasma YKL-40 in Inuit and Danes.

AIMS The aim of the present study was to investigate whether there are differences in plasma levels of YKL-40 between Inuit in Greenland and in Denmark and in Danes, as well as to study the relationship between alcohol intake, plasma YKL-40 and other factors in Inuit. METHODS Plasma YKL-40 levels were measured on 1645 people from The Greenland Population Study (a cross-sectional population study of Inuit from Denmark and West Greenland) and were compared with the plasma YKL-40 levels of 8899 people from The Copenhagen City Heart Study (a population-based, prospective study of the Danish general population). RESULTS The plasma concentrations of YKL-40 were significantly (P = 0.001) lower in Inuit living in Greenland (median 46 µg/l, range 10-2164, n = 1164) compared with the plasma YKL-40 levels of Inuit living in Denmark (median 63 µg/l, range 20-2827, n = 481) and of Danes living in Denmark (median 55 µg/l, range 10-2909, n = 8899). In Inuit, increased alcohol intake was significantly associated with increased plasma YKL-40 levels (P < 0.001), and high plasma YKL-40 levels were associated with high values of alkaline phosphatase and low values of albumin. Smoking, gender and bilirubin were not associated with the plasma YKL-40 level. High levels of YKL-40 and alcohol were associated with where people lived. CONCLUSION The plasma concentrations of YKL-40 are significantly lower in Inuit living in Greenland than Inuit and Danes living in Denmark. A number of factors, including different alcohol intake patterns, nutrition and genes may play a role in these findings.