Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Affective Signals as Implicit Indicators of Information Relevancy and Information Processing Strategies

Online search has become a common behavior among computer users with millions using search engines to find and access information on the Internet. In the last fifteen years, search engines have evolved progressively from keyword-based indexing methods to the development of sophisticated ranking algorithms that use relevance feedback (Lv & Zhai, 2010), query expansion (Xu & Croft, 1996), and various forms of user modeling to provide personalization (Liu & Belkin, 2010) and recommendation. Some of the recent approaches have also started incorporating social signals (e.g. (Carmel, Roitman, & Yom-Tov, 2010)). As part of this evolution process, the interaction between users and search engines have also changed through the incorporation of alternative methods that searchers can use to represent their information needs (e.g. queries based on text, audio, images, and video) and visualize the results retrieved by search engines. From a system perspective, it is expected that such improvements are able to fulfill the information needs of their users and at the same time improve their experience. Yet, systems fail in determining how their users process information and what they feel during their search processes. In the absence of explicit relevance judgments, search engines rely on implicit measures such as dwell time in Web pages (Fox, Karnawat, Mydland, Dumais, & White, 2005) and click-through behaviors (Hassan, Jones, & Klinkner, 2010) to infer what pages are likely to be relevant to users, which in turn can provide feedback to systems that can be later incorporated in the ranking process. To fill in this gap in the interaction between users and search engines, there have been attempts to explore hidden cognitive and affective aspects. Some have investigated eye movements (Gwizdka & Cole, 2013), brain activity (Moshfeghi, Pinto, Pollick, & Jose, 2013), facial expressions (FE) (Arapakis, Jose, & Gray, 2008; González-Ibáñez, Shah, & Córdova-Rubio, 2011; Lopatovska, 2011; Moshfeghi & Jose, 2013), and Gonzalez-Ibañez, Roberto I; Shah, Chirag. (2015). Affective Signals as Implicit Indicators of Information Relevancy and Information Processing Strategies. In iConference 2015 Proceedings.
Inhibition of angiopoietin‐2 in LuCaP 23.1 prostate cancer tumors decreases tumor growth and viability

Angiopoietin‐2 is expressed in prostate cancer (PCa) bone, liver, and lymph node metastases, whereas, its competitor angiopoietin‐1 has limited expression in these tissues. Therefore, we hypothesized that the inhibition of angiopoietin‐2 activity in PCa will impede angiogenesis, tumor growth, and alter bone response in vivo.
Adaptive Evolution of an sRNA That Controls Myxococcus Development

Mutation of a small noncoding RNA drives adaptive evolution in a social bacterium. Small RNA (sRNA) molecules regulate a vast array of processes in biology, but evidence for adaptive evolution of sRNA sequences has been indirect. Here, we identify an sRNA, Pxr, that negatively regulates fruiting body development in Myxococcus xanthus. We further show that a spontaneous evolutionary mutation in Pxr abolished its regulatory function and thereby adaptively restored developmental proficiency to a socially defective M. xanthus cheater. In wild-type M. xanthus, development is initiated only upon starvation, but deletion of pxr allows development to proceed even while nutrients remain abundant. Thus, Pxr serves as a major checkpoint controlling the transition from growth to development in the myxobacteria. These findings show that an sRNA molecule governs a complex form of multicellular development in prokaryotes and directly demonstrate the ability of sRNA regulators to facilitate evolutionary adaptations of major phenotypic effect.
An Empirical Test of An Electric Utility Under An Allowable Rate of Return

This paper examines a utility’s behaviour under the regulatory constraint of a maximum allowable rate of return. The golden rule of production efficiency, i.e. that the marginal productivities of the input factors are equal, is used as our criterion to examine the utility’s economic behaviour. Our case study uses a translog production function to investigate the production efficiency of the Taiwan Power Company. Two null hypotheses are tested with the results obtained supporting the existence of the A-J effect. The implications of the results are discussed, a comparison with previous studies is presented, and suggestions for further research are made.
Trade Effects of the Generalized System of Preferences

All the developed countries that agreed to be donors under the proposal for Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) adopted at the first UNCTAD session in 1964, have introduced their individu"l (GSP) schemes) Under these schemes. imports of a large number of manufactures and semimanufactures from less. developed countries are permitted at zero or reduced tariff rates up to a certain maximum amount. The full tariff rates continue to apply to imports from other countries. Attention has focused on the institutional arrangements underlying the schemes, the nature and possible effects of quantitative limitations such as. import ceilings and tariff quotas, and the estimation of probable demand responses to preferential tariff cuts in developed countries under specific schemes. 13, 4, 8, 11, 12, 13 and 14].
Drought Prediction System for Improved Climate Change Mitigation

Due to climate changes and the uncertainties in future weather conditions, research on drought monitoring information received more attention from politicians and scientists. The objective of this paper is to develop a new intelligent system concept for drought information extraction and predictions from satellite images. For the modeling experiment, this study used 24 years of data sets on selected attributes. By using these data sets, ten models were developed for predicting DroughtObjects with a one- to four-month time lag for the growing season from June to October with an accuracy rate ranging from 0.71 to 0.95. The process of the system that uses the new concept was also demonstrated on an easy-to-use graphical user interface. The output of this new concept can be developed to a full system and is helpful for extracting the freely available satellite images for drought monitoring and climate change mitigation applications at different levels of decision making.
Consumer payment choices: paper, plastic, or electrons?

Using data from the Surveys of Consumers, this paper examines the portfolio of payment choices that different groups of consumers use and identifies the socio-economic, demographic, and attitudinal characteristics of groups of consumers that fall within those choice sets. We find that younger, married, more highly educated, higher income, higher asset households were more likely to adopt a broad range of electronic payment choices. We also find that consumers' attitudes and perceptions of e-banking, in terms of security and privacy, convenience, and familiarity and ease of use, were significant correlates of payment choices.
Do macroeconomic fundamentals affect exchange market pressure? Evidence from bounds testing approach for Turkey

This article investigates the relationship between Exchange Market Pressure (EMP) and macroeconomic fundamentals in Turkey using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bounds testing procedure and Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) within the framework of the canonical currency crisis models. The results of the bounds tests suggest the existence of a level relationship between EMP and the selected macroeconomic fundamentals. The results of the VECM also suggest that there exists a unidirectional causation that runs from those macroeconomic fundamentals to EMP in the case of the Turkish Economy.
Autofluorescence Signatures of Seven Pathogens: Preliminary in Vitro Investigations of a Potential Diagnostic for Acanthamoeba Keratitis

Purpose: Acanthamoeba keratitis can cause devastating damage to the human cornea and is often difficult to diagnose by routine clinical methods. In this preliminary study, we investigated whether Acanthamoeba may be distinguished from other common corneal pathogens through its autofluorescence response. Although only a small number of pathogens were studied, the identification of a unique Acanthamoeba signature would indicate that autofluorescence spectroscopy as a diagnostic method merits further investigation. Methods: Samples of 7 common pathogens (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Elizabethkingia miricola, Achromobacter ruhlandii, Candida albicans, and Acanthamoeba castellanii) in solution were excited with ultraviolet light at a number of successive, narrow wavebands between 260 and 400 nm, and their fluorescence response recorded. Principal Component Analysis was used to allow better visualization of the differences in response to UV light for different species. Results: Acanthamoeba was found to possess a characteristic autofluorescence response and was easily distinguished from E. coli, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, E. miricola, A. ruhlandii, and C. albicans over a wide range of excitation wavelengths. We also found a clear discrimination between E. coli, C. albicans, and P. aeruginosa at an excitation wavelength of 274 nm, whereas E. miricola, S. aureus, and A. ruhlandii could be separated using an excitation wavelength of 308 nm. Conclusions: Our results, although preliminary, indicate that autofluorescence spectroscopy shows promise as a diagnostic technique for keratitis. We intend to expand the set of pathogens studied before assessing the feasibility of the technique in vivo by introducing cultures onto pig corneas.
Contaminated tooth brushes–potential threat to oral and general health

Background: Tooth brushing is most common method of maintaining oral hygiene. In removing plaque and other soft debris from the teeth, tooth brushes become contaminated with bacteria, blood, saliva and oral debris. These contaminated tooth brushes can be a source of infection. Aims and objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the presence of microorganisms in the tooth brushes and to investigate the effect of disinfectants such as chlorhexidine gluconate, sodium hypochlorite and water to decontaminate them. Materials and Methods: Twenty-one children were asked to brush their teeth for 5 days with a tooth brush. The tooth brushes were put in Robertson's Cooked Meat broth and were observed for growth of Streptococcal microorganisms. These tooth brushes were then placed in disinfectants such as 0.2% chlorhexidine gluconate (Group I), 1% sodium hypochlorite (Group II) and water (Group III) for 24 hrs and then cultured again. Reduction of growth of microorganisms was seen in Group I, Group II and remnants of growth seen in Group III. Conclusion: We conclude that the use of disinfectant for a tooth brush is a must for every individual at least at regular intervals.
Phylogenetic information improves homology detection

We present a database search method that is based on phylogenetic trees (treesearch). The method is used to search a protein sequence database for homologs to a protein family. In preparation for the search, a phylogenetic tree is constructed from a given multiple alignment of the family. During the search, each database sequence is temporarily inserted into the tree, thus adding a new edge to the tree. Homology between family and sequence is then judged from the length of this edge. In a comparison of our method to profiles (ISREC pfsearch), two implementations of hidden Markov models (HMMER hmmsearch and SAM hmmscore), and to the family pairwise search (FPS) method on 43 families from the SCOP database based on minimum false‐positive counts (min‐FPCs), we found a considerable gain in sensitivity. In 69% of the test cases, treesearch showed a min‐FPC of at most 50, whereas the two second best methods (hmmsearch and FPS) showed this performance only in 53% cases. A similar impression holds for a large range of min‐FPC thresholds. The results demonstrate that phylogenetic information can significantly improve the detection of distant homologies and justify our method as a useful alternative to existing methods. Proteins 2001;45:360–371. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Early Growth and Development Study: A Prospective Adoption Design

Abstract The Early Growth and Development Study is a prospective adoption study of birth parents, adoptive parents, and adopted children (N = 359 triads) that was initiated in 2003. The primary study aims are to examine how family processes mediate or moderate the expression of genetic influences in order to aid in the identification of specific family processes that could serve as malleable targets for intervention. Participants in the study are recruited through adoption agencies located throughout the United States, following the birth of a child. Assessments occur at 6-month intervals until the child reaches 3 years of age. Data collection includes the following primary constructs: infant and toddler temperament, social behavior, and health; birth and adoptive parent personality characteristics, psychopathology, competence, stress, and substance use; adoptive parenting and marital relations; and prenatal exposure to drugs and maternal stress. Preliminary analyses suggest the representativeness of the sample and minimal confounding effects of current trends in adoption practices, including openness and selective placement. Future plans are described.
Like-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (LARGE)-dependent modification of dystroglycan at Thr-317/319 is required for laminin binding and arenavirus infection

α-dystroglycan is a highly O-glycosylated extracellular matrix receptor that is required for anchoring of the basement membrane to the cell surface and for the entry of Old World arenaviruses into cells. Like-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (LARGE) is a key molecule that binds to the N-terminal domain of α-dystroglycan and attaches ligand-binding moieties to phosphorylated O-mannose on α-dystroglycan. Here we show that the LARGE modification required for laminin- and virus-binding occurs on specific Thr residues located at the extreme N terminus of the mucin-like domain of α-dystroglycan. Deletion and mutation analyses demonstrate that the ligand-binding activity of α-dystroglycan is conferred primarily by LARGE modification at Thr-317 and -319, within the highly conserved first 18 amino acids of the mucin-like domain. The importance of these paired residues in laminin-binding and clustering activity on myoblasts and in arenavirus cell entry is confirmed by mutational analysis with full-length dystroglycan. We further demonstrate that a sequence of five amino acids, Thr317ProThr319ProVal, contains phosphorylated O-glycosylation and, when modified by LARGE is sufficient for laminin-binding. Because the N-terminal region adjacent to the paired Thr residues is removed during posttranslational maturation of dystroglycan, our results demonstrate that the ligand-binding activity resides at the extreme N terminus of mature α-dystroglycan and is crucial for α-dystroglycan to coordinate the assembly of extracellular matrix proteins and to bind arenaviruses on the cell surface.
Free Riders: The Rise of Alternative Unionism in Denmark

In this article we analyse some disturbing trends in the Danish labour market: while collective bargaining coverage is still relatively high, union density has been declining and - worse than that - there has been a substantial shift away from recognised and in favour of alternative unionism. The alternative unions are not parties to collective agreements, and they offer membership much cheaper than the recognised unions, in effect taking a free ride on the institutional supports that used to be effective only for the recognised unions. The article explains this conundrum by pointing to the political and institutional backgrounds to this development, which threatens to erode the very basis for the Danish collective bargaining system. On the background of general statistics and of a general employee survey, we point out the reasons behind the challenges confronting the recognised unions, pointing out that the recognised unions must become both more efficient in the member services and more cost efficient, if they wish to halt the present downhill trend.
Abnormal Regulation of the Myelin Basic Protein Gene during Development of the Myelin‐Deficient Mouse a

Myelin basic protein (MBP) is a functionally important structural protein of myelin, the specialized membrane that surrounds and insulates axons. MBP is localized at apposing cytoplasmic faces of the myelin lamellae, which form the major dense line in electron micrograph^. '-^ Myelin-deficient (mld) mutant mice are affected by a severe CNS myelin deficit. The few myelinated axons in mld CNS are surrounded by thin, uncompacted lamellae, and the major dense line is lacking. The absence of this structure in mld CNS suggests that the primary defect lies in the impaired function or deficit of MBP. Indeed, only traces of the different MBP isoformsa were identified in mld CNS myelin as a consequence of drastically reduced MBP ~yn thes i s . ~ -~
Characterization of a Recombinant Yersinia enterocolitica Lipoprotein; Implications for its Role in Autoimmune Response against Thyrotropin Receptor

Autoimmune Graves' disease (GD), which is characterized by hyperthyroidism, is mediated by autoantibodies to the thyrotropin receptor (TSHR). Yersinia enterocolitica (Y.e.) has been shown to produce a lipoprotein (LP) that can cross-react with the TSHR and thus can act as a potential trigger of thyroid autoimmunity. In this study, to further characterize LP, we cloned the LP gene from Y. enterocolitica and expressed a recombinant LP. This recombinant LP was mitogenic for C3H/HeJ (LPS hyporesponsive) B cells and induced production and secretion of significant levels of IL-6 from splenocytes. A mouse antibody generated against the recombinant LP cross-reacted with TSHR as shown by western blot analysis. FACS analysis of splenocytes from mice immunized with LP revealed that LP could induce increased expression of B7.1 and B7.2. The immunomodulatory effects of LP including up-regulation of B7.1 and B7.2 coupled with its ability to induce antibodies that can cross-react with the TSHR showed several potential mechanisms by which it can cause breakdown of self-tolerance to TSHR.
Efavirenz Outperforms Boosted Atazanavir among Treatment-Naive HIV-1-Infected Persons in Routine Clinical Care

Background: Effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in a routine clinical care may result different from the clinical trials. We assessed the virologic outcomes in treatment-naive persons who received either efavirenz (EFV) or atazanavir/ritonavir (ATV/r) with a backbone of tenofovir/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) as their combination ART (cART). Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted at the Washington University HIV Outpatient Clinic from January 2004 to June 2009. Predictors of virologic suppression (HIV RNA level <400 copies/mL) by week 48 were assessed by multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results: Of 324 persons, 221(68%) received EFV and 103 (32%) received ATV/r. Persons on EFV had 1.4-fold increased likelihood of virologic suppression (95% confidence interval, 1.0-1.8) when compared to ATV/r after adjustment with primary drug resistance, pre-cART opportunistic infection, HIV RNA levels, and timing to start cART. Conclusions: In routine clinical care settings, EFV had higher likelihood of achieving virologic suppression than ATV/r with backbone of TDF/FTC.
Impact of glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency on sickle cell anaemia expression in infancy and early childhood: a prospective study

In patients with sickle cell anaemia (SCA), concomitant glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is usually described as having no effect and only occasionally as increasing severity. We analysed sequential clinical and biological data for the first 42 months of life in SCA patients diagnosed by neonatal screening, including 27 G6PD‐deficient patients, who were matched on sex, age and parents' geographic origin to 81 randomly selected patients with normal G6PD activity. In the G6PD‐deficient group, steady‐state haemoglobin was lower (−6·2 g/l, 95% confidence interval (CI), [−10·1; −2·3]) and reticulocyte count higher (247 × 109/l, 95%CI, [97; 397]). The acute anaemic event rate was 3 times higher in the G6PD‐deficient group (P < 10−3). A higher proportion of G6PD‐deficient patients required blood transfusion (20/27 [74%] vs. 37/81 [46%], P < 10−3), for acute anaemic events, and also vaso‐occlusive and infectious events. No significant between‐group differences were found regarding the rates of vaso‐occlusive, infectious, or cerebrovascular events. G6PD deficiency in babies with SCA worsens anaemia and increases blood transfusion requirements in the first years of life. These effects decrease after 2 years of age, presumably as the decline in fetal haemoglobin levels leads to increased sickle cell haemolysis and younger red blood cells with higher G6PD activity.
A Minimalist Path Detection Approach for Wireless Sensor Networks

Most object tracking techniques find the exact locations of an object, while many other applications are only interested in the object's path rather than its locations. This provides an opportunity to reduce the existing tracking methods' resource usage by only focusing on the path detection. Taking advantage of this opportunity, this article presents two new minimalist approaches for accurately detecting unknown available passages in a sensor field without requiring the exact locations of the objects. In the first approach, each sensor sends its own location to a base station when it senses an object of interest. The base station uses b-spline curves to build the object's path online. Since each sensor sends its location data just once per new path, the first approach is a minimalist approach. The second approach is offline and uses non-uniform rational b-spline (NURBS) curves. Since NURBS needs weighted locations, each sensor sends its own location in addition to the number of times it has sensed an object based on the object's weight. Using the same simulation models, both approaches greatly reduce power consumption and improve the accuracy of the computed paths. The NURBS approach has proved to be robust on false alarms and improves the accuracy of path detection up to 95 percent, which is very close to detecting the object's actual path.
Human resource management in Asian subsidiaries: comparison of French and Japanese MNCs

European and Japanese multinational corporations (MNCs) have expanded their activities in Asia, usually through massive mobilization of various human resources from head offices, whether expatriated or on short-term assignments, and a reliance on diverse categories of local employees. Because expatriation is costly, difficult and often limited in its results, MNCs have developed localization strategies for management positions to support their regional development. This contribution addresses such a scenario by comparing Japanese and French MNCs in eight Asian countries, based on 53 interviews across subsidiaries of 17 MNCs. We find that Japanese MNCs have not localized management positions as much as French MNCs, but they have grown more willing to do so. To compensate for the lack of local capabilities without sending more expatriates, both French and Japanese MNCs frequently send experts on short-term assignments. Finally, though human resource practices vary widely across countries, even for a given MNC, some harmonizing principles have been introduced to regional HRM strategies recently.