Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On placement of multiple sinks in wireless sensor networks

A primary task in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) is for sensors to communicate collected data to a sink for analysis and processing. A single sink in the network can lead to high energy consumption and hence, a reduction of the network lifetime. Thus, to achieve a degree of fault tolerance we consider the problem, where the hop distance from every sensor to a sink is bounded by an integer k and each sensor is within distance k of r sinks. This problem is equivalent to a distance-k total r-dominating set, denoted Dk, r, in WSNs. Due to generally large number of sensors in WSNs or the network being constructed in an unreachable terrain, sensors may be arranged stochastically. Because of this uncertainty and randomness in the network structure, WSNs can be modelled as random graphs. In this work, we study upper bounds on the size of Dk, r, where a WSN is modelled as a random graph.
How Do Statistical and Narrative Evidence Affect Persuasion?: The Role of Evidentiary Features

Studies of statistical versus narrative messages have been inconsistent as to which message type is more persuasive. The current study clarifies this issue by identifying evidentiary features that make each message type gain a persuasive advantage over the other. Amount of evidence and perceived vividness were tested as message features that enhance the perceived persuasiveness of statistical and narrative messages, respectively. The participants were students (N = 130) from undergraduate communication classes. Perceived vividness was found to make the perceived persuasiveness of narrative evidence greater than that of statistical evidence, whereas amount of evidence functions mainly to the advantage of statistical evidence. Two messages were studied, and message order made a difference. Regardless of message topic, the second message was found to be more consistent with the hypotheses than the first. The study's limitations as well as directions for future research are discussed.
Aldosterone and Angiotensin II Synergistically Induce Mitogenic Response in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

Interaction between aldosterone (Aldo) and angiotensin II (Ang II) in the cardiovascular system has been highlighted; however, its detailed signaling mechanism is poorly understood. Here, we examined the cross-talk of growth-promoting signaling between Aldo and Ang II in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). Treatment with a lower dose of Aldo (10−12 mol/L) and with a lower dose of Ang II (10−10 mol/L) significantly enhanced DNA synthesis, whereas Aldo or Ang II alone at these doses did not affect VSMC proliferation. This effect of a combination of Aldo and Ang II was markedly inhibited by a selective AT1 receptor blocker, olmesartan, a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, spironolactone, an MEK inhibitor, PD98059, or an EGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, AG1478. Treatment with Aldo together with Ang II, even at noneffective doses, respectively, synergistically increased extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation, reaching 2 peaks at 10 to 15 minutes and 2 to 4 hours. The early ERK peak was effectively blocked by olmesartan or an EGF receptor kinase inhibitor, AG1478, but not by spironolactone, whereas the late ERK peak was completely inhibited by not only olmesartan, but also spironolactone. Combined treatment with Aldo and Ang II attenuated mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) expression and increased Ki-ras2A expression. The late ERK peak was not observed in VSMC treated with Ki-ras2A-siRNA. Interestingly, the decrease in MKP-1 expression and the increase in Ki-ras2A expression were restored by PD98059 or AG1478. These results suggest that Aldo exerts a synergistic mitogenic effect with Ang II and support the notion that blockade of both Aldo and Ang II could be more effective to prevent vascular remodeling.
Tetramer Enrichment Reveals the Presence of Phenotypically Diverse Hepatitis C Virus-Specific CD8+ T Cells in Chronic Infection

ABSTRACT Virus-specific CD8+ T cells are rarely detectable ex vivo by conventional methods during chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. In this study, however, we were able to detect and characterize HCV-specific CD8+ T cells in all chronically HCV genotype 1a-infected, HLA-A*02:01-positive patients analyzed by performing major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I tetramer enrichment. Two-thirds of these enriched HCV-specific CD8+ T-cell populations displayed an effector memory phenotype, whereas, surprisingly, one-third displayed a naive-like phenotype despite ongoing viral replication. CD8+ T cells with an effector memory phenotype could not expand in vitro, suggesting exhaustion of these cells. Interestingly, some of the naive-like CD8+ T cells proliferated vigorously upon in vitro priming, whereas others did not. These differences were linked to the corresponding viral sequences in the respective patients. Indeed, naive-like CD8+ T cells from patients with the consensus sequence in the corresponding T-cell epitope did not expand in vitro. In contrast, in patients displaying sequence variations, we were able to induce HCV-specific CD8+ T-cell proliferation, which may indicate infection with a variant virus. Collectively, these data reveal the presence of phenotypically and functionally diverse HCV-specific CD8+ T cells at very low frequencies that are detectable in all chronically infected patients despite viral persistence. IMPORTANCE In this study, we analyzed CD8+ T-cell responses specific for HLA-A*02:01-restricted epitopes in chronically HCV-infected patients, using MHC class I tetramer enrichment. Importantly, we could detect HCV-specific CD8+ T-cell populations in all patients. To further characterize these HCV-specific CD8+ T-cell populations that are not detectable using conventional techniques, we performed phenotypic, functional, and viral sequence analyses. These data revealed different mechanisms for CD8+ T-cell failure in HCV infection, including T-cell exhaustion, viral escape, and functional impairment of naive-like HCV-specific CD8+ T cells.
Sterile Insect Technique and Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Diptera: Tephritidae): Assessing the Utility of Aromatherapy in a Hawaiian Coffee Field

Abstract The sterile insect technique (SIT) is widely used in integrated programs against tephritid fruit fly pests, particularly the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae). Unfortunately, the mass-rearing procedures inherent to the SIT often lead to a reduction in the mating ability of the released males. One potential solution involves the prerelease exposure of males to particular attractants. In particular, exposure of male Mediterranean fruit flies to ginger, Zingiber officinale Roscoe, root oil (GRO) has been shown to increase mating success in laboratory and field cage trials. Here, we describe a field experiment that compares the level of egg sterility observed in two Hawaiian coffee, Coffea arabica L. , plots, with GRO-exposed, sterile males released in one (treated) plot and nonexposed, sterile males released in the other (control) plot. Once per week in both plots over a 13-wk period, sterile males were released, trap captures were scored to estimate relative abundance of sterile and wild males, and coffee berries were collected and dissected in the laboratory to estimate the incidence of unhatched (sterile) eggs. Data on wild fly abundance and the natural rate of egg hatch also were collected in a remote area that received no sterile males. Despite that sterile:wild male ratios were significantly lower in the treated plot than in the control plot, the incidence of sterile eggs was significantly higher in the treated plot than in the control plot. Correspondingly, significantly higher values of Fried's competitiveness index (C) were found, on average, for treated than control sterile males. This study is the first to identify an association between the GRO “status” of sterile males and the incidence of egg sterility in the field and suggests that prerelease, GRO exposure may represent a simple and inexpensive means to increase the effectiveness of Mediterranean fruit fly SIT programs.
The impact on ERP implementation by leadership and organisational culture: a case analysis

In this paper, we seek to investigate Ke and Wei's (2008) propositions that ERP implementation success is positively related with top management leadership and organisational culture. This is accomplished by analysing the implementation of the ERP systems at a company, HealthSouth Corporation, longitudinally during two periods (1997 to 2003 and 2004 to 2007). During 1997 to 2003, leadership and culture in this organisation enabled accounting fraud to occur via the criminal misuse of a heavily-customised, unsupported ERP system. During 2004 to 2007, the leadership and culture enabled the company to avoid bankruptcy and a plain-vanilla (i.e., uncustomised) version of the ERP system was installed successfully. This paper provides valuable lessons to ERP practitioners on how ERP implementations are influenced by leadership, from the top management team, and organisational culture.
Effect of Maternal Anaemia and Iron Depletion on Foetal Iron Stores, Birthweight and Gestation

India is considered to have the highest prevalence of nutritional anaemia in women. Between 6040% of pregnant women have been found to be anaemic, mainly due to iron deficiency (1). There are also reports on the development of iron deficiency anaemia in Indian infants already at 6 months of age (2). In view of this, it was considered pertinent to study the effect not only of anaemia but also of iron depletion in the mother on fetal iron stores. The influence of these factors on birth weight and gestation was also determined.
Cerebral microglia activation in hepatitis C virus infection correlates to cognitive dysfunction

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection may induce chronic fatigue and cognitive dysfunction. Virus replication was proven within the brain and HCV‐positive cells were identified as microglia and astrocytes. We hypothesized that cerebral dysfunction in HCV‐afflicted patients is associated with microglia activation. Microglia activation was assessed in vivo in 22 patients with chronic HCV infection compared to six healthy controls using [11C]‐PK11195 Positron Emission Tomography (PET) combined with magnetic resonance tomography for anatomical localization. Patients were subdivided with regard to their PCR status, Fatigue Impact Scale score (FIS) and attention test sum score (ATS). A total of 12 patients (54.5%) were HCV PCR positive [of which 7 (58.3%) had an abnormal FIS and 7 (58.3%) an abnormal ATS], 10 patients (45.5%) were HCV PCR negative (5 (50%) each with an abnormal FIS or ATS). Patients without attention deficits showed a significantly higher accumulation of [11C]‐PK11195 in the putamen (P = 0.05), caudate nucleus (P = 0.03) and thalamus (P = 0.04) compared to controls. Patients with and without fatigue did not differ significantly with regard to their specific tracer binding in positron emission tomography. Preserved cognitive function was associated with significantly increased microglia activation with predominance in the basal ganglia. This indicates a probably neuroprotective effect of microglia activation in HCV‐infected patients.
Mutated p21/WAF/CIP transgene overexpression reduces smooth muscle cell proliferation, macrophage deposition, oxidation‐sensitive mechanisms, and restenosis in hypercholesterolemic apolipoprotein E knockout mice

We have investigated whether by introducing a mutated p21 cyclin‐dependent kinase inhibitor through a standard type 5 adenovirus (Ad), it would be possible to interfere with restenosis in hypercholester‐olemic apolipoprotein E knockout mice. Restenosis is a clinically relevant, undesired effect of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). A critical event underlying restenosis is smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation leading to neointimal formation and vessel reocclusion. Recent data demonstrated that it is possible to reduce restenosis by introducing various genes blocking the cell cycle through Ad vectors. Nonetheless, most experiments were conducted in the healthy carotid artery of rat, which is far from the condition of human disease. Therefore, we investigated whether antiproliferative or proapoptotic genes affect restenosis in a model of atherosclerosis closer to clinical settings. Ad‐mutated(m)‐p21WAF/CIP1 transgene overexpression induces a significant reduction of restenosis in hypercholesterolemic apolipoprotein E knockout mice subjected to injury of common carotid artery. This was associated with reduced SMC density and proliferation, macrophage deposition, and oxidationsensitive mechanisms. Treatment with p21/WAF also enhanced TUNEL positivity of arterial cells. We show that in an experimental model of atherosclerosis, braking the cell proliferation through increased vascular apoptosis and reduced oxidation‐sensitive signal trans‐duction and macrophage accumulation can significantly ameliorate the deleterious effects of vascular injuries similar to those that occur during PTCA and related procedures. —Condorelli, G. , Aycock, J. K. , Frati, G. , Napoli, C. Mutated p21/WAF/CIP transgene overexpression reduces smooth muscle cell proliferation, macrophage deposition, oxidation‐sensitive mechanisms, and restenosis in hypercholesterolemic apolipoprotein E knockout mice. FASEB J. 15, 2162–2170 (2001)
Medium-Scale Experiments on Stabilizing Riser-Slug Flow

Original SPE manuscript received for review 24 July 2008. Revised manuscript received for review 11 May 2009. Paper (SPE 120040) peer approved 23 May 2009. Summary This is the second of two papers describing control experiments on a medium-scale slug rig. The first paper (Sivertsen et al. 2009) describes experiments performed on a small-scale laboratory rig built at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) Department of Chemical Engineering. These experiments showed that, despite noisy measurements, it is possible, with feedback control, to “stabilize the flow” (i.e., to achieve reasonably smooth flow in the normally riser-induced severe slug-flow region) using only topside measurements. The question to be answered is whether these results also apply for larger riser systems. In the present paper, we look at some results obtained from a 10-m-high, 3-in. -diameter medium-scale test rig located at the Statoil Research Centre in Porsgrunn, Norway. Several cascade control structures are tested and compared, both with each other and with the results obtained from the small-scale NTNU loop. The rig was also modeled and analyzed using a simple three-state dynamic model. The new experiments were successful and confirm the results of Sivertsen et al. (2009) from the small-scale rig. The valve opening with nonslug flow operation could be increased from approximately 12% with no control to almost 24% with control using topside measurements only. This makes it possible to produce with a larger production rate and increase the total recovery from the producing oil field. The valve opening with control could be further increased to approximately 28% using measurements from the bottom of the riser, but such measurements may not be available in many cases.
Reprogramming of Murine Macrophages through TLR2 Confers Viral Resistance via TRAF3-Mediated, Enhanced Interferon Production

The cell surface/endosomal Toll-like Receptors (TLRs) are instrumental in initiating immune responses to both bacteria and viruses. With the exception of TLR2, all TLRs and cytosolic RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs) with known virus-derived ligands induce type I interferons (IFNs) in macrophages or dendritic cells. Herein, we report that prior ligation of TLR2, an event previously shown to induce “homo” or “hetero” tolerance, strongly “primes” macrophages for increased Type I IFN production in response to subsequent TLR/RLR signaling. This occurs by increasing activation of the transcription factor, IFN Regulatory Factor-3 (IRF-3) that, in turn, leads to enhanced induction of IFN-β, while expression of other pro-inflammatory genes are suppressed (tolerized). In vitro or in vivo “priming” of murine macrophages with TLR2 ligands increase virus-mediated IFN induction and resistance to infection. This priming effect of TLR2 is mediated by the selective upregulation of the K63 ubiquitin ligase, TRAF3. Thus, we provide a mechanistic explanation for the observed antiviral actions of MyD88-dependent TLR2 and further define the role of TRAF3 in viral innate immunity.
Design of a Flow Transmitter Using an Improved Inductance Bridge Network and Rotameter as Sensor

A rotameter is a variable area type flow sensor. It is generally used as a local indicator and display unit. Hence, a special technique is needed to transmit and to display the reading of a rotameter at a remote distance. In this paper, an improved inductance bridge-type technique has been developed to convert the float movement of the rotameter into an electrical current signal, which can be transmitted to a remote indicator. A straight ferromagnetic wire attached to the float of the rotameter acts as a sensing element of the proposed rotameter transducer. The movement of the wire as a result of fluid flow variations inside an inductive pickup coil changes the self-inductance of the coil with the changes in flow rate. An improved inductance bridge network has been used to measure the self-inductance of the coil. It has been observed that the variation of the self-inductance of the pickup coil as well as the variation of the transducer and transmitter outputs with flow rate has a very good linearity and repeatability. The necessary theoretical equations, along with the experimental results, are reported in this paper.
Towards Weakly Supervised Resolution of Null Instantiations

This paper addresses the task of finding antecedents for locally uninstantiated arguments. To resolve such null instantiations, we develop a weakly supervised approach that investigates and combines a number of linguistically motivated strategies that are inspired by work on semantic role labeling and corefence resolution. The performance of the system is competitive with the current state-of-the-art supervised system.
Responsible Conduct with Animals in Research

PART I. CHANGING RESEARCH PRACTICES REGARDING ANIMAL CARE AND USE: INSTITUTIONAL AND PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE 1. Responsible Animal Care and Use: Moving Toward a Less-Troubled Middle Ground 2. Is the Fox Guarding the Henhouse? A Historical Study of the Dual Role of the Committee on Animal Research and Ethics 3. Change During a Life in Animal Research: the Loss and Regaining of Ambivalence PART II. CURRENT CONCERNS ON THE RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH: DECISION MAKING 4. Ethological Research Techniques and Methods 5. Animal Welfare Issues in Animal Behavior Research 6. Snake Stories: From the Additive Model to Ethology's Fifth Aim 7. Minding Animals PART III. ASSESSING ANIMAL WELL-BEING: ASKING THE ANIMAL 8. The Search for Animal Well-Being 9. Considering Animal Welfare from the Animal's Point of View PART IV. EFFECTS ON HUMANS OF RESEARCH INVOLVING ANIMALS 10. Pushing the Boundaries: Scientists in the Public Arena 11. Understanding Animal Activism
MBD4 and MLH1 are required for apoptotic induction in xDNMT1-depleted embryos

Loss of the of the maintenance methyltransferase xDNMT1 during Xenopus development results in premature transcription and activation of a p53-dependent apoptotic program that accounts for embryo lethality. Here, we show that activation of the apoptotic response is signalled through the methyl-CpG binding protein xMBD4 and the mismatch repair pathway protein xMLH1. Depletion of xMBD4 or xMLH1 increases the survival rate of xDNMT1-depleted embryos, whereas overexpression of these proteins in embryos induces programmed cell death at the onset of gastrulation. MBD4 interacts directly with both DNMT1 and MLH1, leading to recruitment of the latter to heterochromatic sites that are coincident with DNMT1 localisation. Time-lapse microscopy of micro-irradiated mammalian cells shows that MLH1/MBD4 (like DNMT1) can accumulate at DNA damage sites. We propose that xMBD4/xMLH1 participates in a novel G2 checkpoint that is responsive to xDNMT1p levels in developing embryos and cells.
Functional Architecture of Spatial Attention in the Parietal Cortex of the Behaving Monkey

Functional architectures facilitate orderly transmittal of representations between cortices, allow for local interactions between neurons, and ensure a uniform distribution of feature representations with respect to larger-scale topographies. We sought to correlate such topographies with internal cognitive states. A psychophysical task for which the monkey was required to detect a change in one of two identical peripheral expanding flow fields tested for spatial shifts of attention. The monkey was cued as to which flow would change with a small cue near the fixation points. Reaction time data indicate that the monkey's performance in the optic flow detection task depended on the location of the cue. Using optical imaging of intrinsic signals, we show that a monkey's internally generated locus of attention is correlated with an 800-860 μm patchy topological architecture across the cortical surface of the inferior parietal lobule. The attentional patches vary in location but are stable in spatial frequency. The patches are embedded in a larger-scale and stable representation of eye position. Trial-by-trial analysis of the images indicates that the organizational scheme with simultaneous stable and variable subcomponents occurs within the experiment of 1 d, as well as across days. This novel functional architecture is the first to be correlated with attentional mechanisms and could support a fine-scale functional architecture underlying hemispatial neglect, an attentional deficit caused by parietal lesions.
Defective Granule Exocytosis in Rab27a-Deficient Lymphocytes from Ashen Mice

Because mutations in Rab27a have been linked to immune defects in humans, we have examined cytotoxic lymphocyte function in ashen mice, which contain a splicing mutation in Rab27a. Ashen cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) showed a >90% reduction in lytic activity on Fas-negative target cells compared with control C3H CTLs, and ashen natural killer cell activity was likewise diminished. Although their granule-mediated cytotoxicity pathway is profoundly defective, ashen CTLs displayed a normal FasL–Fas cytotoxicity pathway. The CD4/8 phenotype of ashen T cells and their proliferative responses were similar to controls. Ashen CTLs had normal levels of perforin and granzymes A and B and normal-appearing perforin-positive granules, which polarized upon interaction of the CTLs with anti–CD3-coated beads. However, rapid anti–CD3-induced granule secretion was drastically defective in both CD8+ and CD4+ T cells from ashen mice. This defect in exocytosis was not observed in the constitutive pathway, as T cell receptor–stimulated interferon-γ secretion was normal. Based on these results and our demonstration that Rab27a colocalizes with granzyme B-positive granules and is undetectable in ashen CTLs, we conclude that Rab27a is required for a late step in granule exocytosis, compatible with current models of Rab protein function in vesicle docking and fusion.