Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Trust perceptions in using persuasive technologies

The rapid growth of information technology and communication has make the development of persuasive technology become aggressive. Trust has become one of the crucial elements in persuasive technology apart of credibility. This paper investigated trust in terms of cognitive and affective perception in relationship of human-computer interaction with persuasive technologies particularly in fitness application and educational games on environmental sustainability. A study was conducted with 25 participants for 6 weeks which requires them to use both categories of persuasive technologies. The result shows that the lack of trust problem in using persuasive technology found to be strongly significant. Cognitive trust perception is the main perception that leads users in making trust decision compared to affective trust.
Myostatin Expression, Lymphocyte Population, and Potential Cytokine Production Correlate with Predisposition to High-Fat Diet Induced Obesity in Mice

A strong relationship exists between increased inflammatory cytokines and muscle insulin resistance in obesity. This study focused on identifying a relationship between metabolic propensity and myostatin expression in muscle and spleen cells in response to high-fat diet intake. Using a comparative approach, we analyzed the effects of high-fat diet intake on myostatin and follistatin expression, spleen cell composition, and potential cytokine expression in high-fat diet induced obesity (HFDIO) resistant (SWR/J) and susceptible (C57BL/6) mice models. Results demonstrated overall increased myostatin expression in muscle following high-fat diet intake in HFDIO-susceptible mice, while myostatin expression levels decreased initially in muscle from high-fat diet fed resistant mice. In HFDIO-resistant mice, myostatin expression decreased in spleen, while myostatin increased in spleen tissue from HFDIO-susceptible mice. Proinflammatory cytokine (IL-17, IL-1β, and IFNγ) potential increased in splenocytes from HFDIO-susceptible mice. In comparison, C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet exhibited higher frequencies of CD4+/CD44hi and CD8+/CD44hi cells in the spleen compared to control fed mice. Together, these results suggest that susceptibility to high-fat diet induced obesity could be influenced by local myostatin activity in a tissue-specific manner and that splenocytes exhibit differential cytokine production in a strain-dependent manner. This study sets the stage for future investigations into the interactions between growth, inflammation, and metabolism.
Higher representations on the lattice: numerical simulations. SU(2) with adjoint fermions

We discuss the lattice formulation of gauge theories with fermions in arbitrary representations of the color group and present in detail the implementation of the hybrid Monte Carlo (HMC)/rational HMC algorithm for simulating dynamical fermions. We discuss the validation of the implementation through an extensive set of tests and the stability of simulations by monitoring the distribution of the lowest eigenvalue of the Wilson-Dirac operator. Working with two flavors of Wilson fermions in the adjoint representation, benchmark results for realistic lattice simulations are presented. Runs are performed on different lattice sizes ranging from 4{sup 3}x8 to 24{sup 3}x64 sites. For the two smallest lattices we also report the measured values of benchmark mesonic observables. These results can be used as a baseline for rapid cross-checks of simulations in higher representations. The results presented here are the first steps toward more extensive investigations with controlled systematic errors, aiming at a detailed understanding of the phase structure of these theories, and of their viability as candidates for strong dynamics beyond the standard model.
Determinants of Export Performance of Manufacturing Industries in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia

The overall purpose of this study was to identify determinants of export performance of manufacturing industries in Dire Dawa city Administration. The research incorporated both primary and secondary data. The primary data was collected through self-administered questionnaire whereas secondary data were extracted under a comprehensive desk review of the manufacturing sector policies, performance, status, problems etc. and reviewed mainly from published journal articles and books. Descriptive research design research method was utilized to identify the determinants of export performance of manufacturing industries in Dire Dawa city Administration and quantitative and qualitative information was taken into account. To process the collected data analysis SPSS version 20 was used. The study found that building of physical capital, raw material supplies, logistics and transportation, educated and skilled work force, loan from banks, rate of exchange, incentives, use of the internet, productivity improvement, value addition, and diversification, unit prices, differentiation, branding, retailing, ease of doing Business, competition and utilization of trade preferences are the major determinants of export performance of manufacturing industries. Keywords: Export, Performance DOI : 10.7176/EJBM/11-7-08 Publication date :March 31 st 2019
Evidence for a differential modulation of p53-phosphorylating kinases by the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21WAFI/C1P1

Although initially described as a regulator of cell cycle progression, the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 is now known to also modulate various other biological processes including transcription, differentiation and apoptosis. These versatile activities of p21 are mainly mediated via direct binding to various transcription factors, pro-apoptotic proteins and kinases that are usually inhibited by this interaction. Here we provide in vitro evidence that p21 not only inhibits, but also activates certain kinases in a remarkable substrate-dependent manner. Whereas phosphorylation of the tumor suppressor p53 by several isoforms of the cJun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) was greatly attenuated in the presence of p21, phosphorylation of cJun remained either unaffected or was even enhanced. Furthermore, p21 strongly increased phosphorylation of cFos and MBP by ERK1 and ERK2, while p53 phosphorylation was increased and inhibited, respectively. Also p38α and glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK-3β) were found differentially regulated by p21 in a substrate-dependent manner, while casein kinase-1 epsilon (CK1ε) was not affected. Together with our finding that the stress-induced p53 phosphorylation pattern differs greatly between p21-proficient and -deficient HCT116 colon carcinoma cells, our results suggest that p21 is able to influence kinase activities both in a negative and positive manner.
System-level integrated server architectures for scale-out datacenters

A System-on-Chip (SoC) integrates multiple discrete components into a single chip, for example by placing CPU cores, network interfaces and I/O controllers on the same die. While SoCs have dominated high-end embedded products for over a decade, system-level integration is a relatively new trend in servers, and is driven by the opportunity to lower cost (by reducing the number of discrete parts) and power (by reducing the pin crossings from the cores to the I/O). Today, the mounting cost pressures in scale-out datacenters demand technologies that can decrease the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). At the same time, the diminshing return of dedicating the increasing number of available transistors to more cores and caches is creating a stronger case for SoC-based servers.
Effect of loop length variation on quadruplex-Watson Crick duplex competition

The effect of loop length on quadruplex stability has been studied when the G-rich strand is present along with its complementary C-rich strand, thereby resulting in competition between quadruplex and duplex structures. Using model sequences with loop lengths varying from T to T5, we carried out extensive FRET to discover the influence of loop length on the quadruplex-Watson Crick duplex competition. The binding data show an increase in the binding affinity of quadruplexes towards their complementary strands upon increasing the loop length. Our kinetic data reveal that unfolding of the quadruplex in presence of a complementary strand involves a contribution from a predominant slow and a small population of fast opening conformer. The contribution from the fast opening conformer increases upon increasing the loop length leading to faster duplex formation. FCS data show an increase in the interconversion between the quadruplex conformers in presence of the complementary strand, which shifts the equilibrium towards the fast opening conformer with an increase in loop length. The relative free-energy difference (ΔΔG°) between the duplex and quadruplex indicates that an increase in loop length favors duplex formation and out competes the quadruplex.
CONSTRUCTION OF RECOMBINANT PLASMIDS FOR PERIPLASMIC EXPRESSION OF HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE IN ESCHERICHIA COLI UNDER T7 AND LAC PROMOTERS

In order to study the periplasmic expression of human growth hormone (hGH) in Escherichia coli, the related cDNA was inserted in two expression plasmids carrying pelB signal peptide, one with lac bacterial promoter and the other with a bacteriophage T7-based promoter. The recombinant plasmids were moved to TG1 and BL21 strains of E. coli, respectively. To induce the expression systems, IPTG and its natural analog, lactose, were examined. Results show the over-expression of recombinant hGH (rhGH) in the T7-based system which is much higher than that of the lac-regulated system. In both systems, a fraction of the hGH, produced by recombinant bacteria, remains in the cytoplasm as pre-protein and the rest is transferred to the periplasmic space as mature protein. Any decline in the expression level did not lead to a complete processing and transport of mature hGH to the periplasmic space of the bacteria. It is suggested that, for an efficient expression of rhGH in the periplasmic space of E. coli, a combined approach including application of a suitable signal peptide, solubility of the over-expressed protein in cytoplasm in addition to the optimization of the bacterial growth and inducing conditions should be considered.
Preparation for action: Psychophysiological activity preceding a motor skill as a function of expertise, performance outcome, and psychological pressure

Knowledge of the psychophysiological responses that characterize optimal motor performance is required to inform biofeedback interventions. This experiment compared cortical, cardiac, muscular, and kinematic activity in 10 experts and 10 novices as they performed golf putts in low- and high-pressure conditions. Results revealed that in the final seconds preceding movement, experts displayed a greater reduction in heart rate and EEG theta, high-alpha, and beta power, when compared to novices. EEG high-alpha power also predicted success, with participants producing less high-alpha power in the seconds preceding putts that were holed compared to those that were missed. Increased pressure had little impact on psychophysiological activity. It was concluded that greater reductions in EEG high-alpha power during preparation for action reflect more resources being devoted to response programming, and could underlie successful accuracy-based performance.
High-voltage active quenching and resetting circuit for SPADs in 0.35 μm CMOS for raising the photon detection probability

A fully integrated single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) using a high-voltage quenching circuit fabricated in a 0.35-μm CMOS process is proposed. The quenching circuit features a quenching voltage of 9.9 V, which is three times the nominal supply voltage to increase the photon detection probability (PDP). To prove the quenching performance, the circuit has been integrated together with a large-area SPAD having an active diameter of 90 μm. Experimental verification shows a maximum PDP of 67.8% at 9.9 V excess bias at a wavelength of 642 nm.
Assessment of implant stability as a prognostic determinant.

PURPOSE This paper aims to establish the parameters necessary to monitor successful implant placement and osseointegration. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Implant stability is considered to play a major role in the success of osseointegration. Primary implant stability at placement is a mechanical phenomenon that is related to the local bone quality and quantity, the type of implant and placement technique used. Secondary implant stability is the increase in stability attributable to bone formation and remodeling at the implant/tissue interface and in the surrounding bone. Techniques for measuring implant stability and osseointegration, including the clinical measurement of cutting resistance during implant placement and removal torque following osseointegration, are discussed. Nondestructive test methods, including impact-based techniques such as the Periotest and the Dental Fine Tester, are also discussed. An alternative method, resonance frequency analysis, is described in detail. CONCLUSION It is clear that stability both at placement and during function is an important criterion for the success of dental implants. Quantitative methods, including resonance frequency analysis, can yield valuable information.
A novel fast online placement algorithm on 2D partially reconfigurable devices

In this paper, we propose a new strategy for online placement algorithm on 2D partially reconfigurable devices, termed the Quad-Corner(QC). The main differences between our algorithm and related art are quad-corner spreading capability and dynamical searching sequences. Moreover, existing algorithms do not evaluate their algorithms with real hardware tasks; we do experimentations with real hardware tasks on a real FPGA. Our proposal achieves better placement quality and fast online placement compared to existing approaches. Experiments with real workloads (e.g. MDCT, matrix multiplication, hamming code, sorting, FIR, ADPCM, etc) on Virtex-4 show that the QC not only has 78 % less penalty and 93 % less wasted area than the existing algorithms on average but also has lower runtime overhead.
Negative labeling and social exclusion of people living with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome in the antiretroviral therapy era: insight from attitudes and behavioral intentions of female heads of households in Zambézia Province, Mozambique

In the age of antiretroviral therapy (ART), unraveling specific aspects of stigma that impede uptake and adherence to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) services and the complex intersections among them might enhance the efficacy of stigma-reduction interventions targeted at the general public. Few studies have described community stigma in high HIV prevalence regions of Mozambique where program scale-up has been concentrated, but fear of stigma persists as a barrier to HIV service uptake. Principal components analysis of attitudinal data from 3749 female heads of households surveyed in Zambézia Province was used to examine patterns of agreement with stigmatizing attitudes and behavior toward people living with HIV. Inferences were based on comparison of factor loadings and commonality estimates. Construct validity was established through correlations with levels of knowledge about HIV transmission and consistency with the labeling theory of stigma. Two unique domains of community stigma were observed: negative labeling and devaluation (NLD, α = 0.74) and social exclusion (SoE, α = 0.73). NLD is primarily an attitudinal construct, while SoE captures behavioral intent. About one-third of the respondents scored in the upper tertile of the NLD stigma scale (scale: 0–100 stigma points) and the equivalent was 41.3% in the SoE stigma scale. Consistent with literature, NLD and SoE stigma scores were inversely correlated with HIV transmission route knowledge. In item level analysis, fear of being labeled a prostitute/immoral and of negative family affect defined the nature of stigma in this sample. Thus, despite ART scale-up and community education about HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), NLD and SoE characterized the community stigma of HIV in this setting. Follow-up studies could compare the impact of these stigma domains on HIV services uptake, in order to inform domain-focused stigma-reduction interventions.
PiLoc: A self-calibrating participatory indoor localization system

While location is one of the most important context information in mobile and ubiquitous computing, large-scale deployment of indoor localization system remains elusive. In this work, we propose PiLoc, an indoor localization system that utilizes opportunistically sensed data contributed by users. Our system does not require manual calibration, prior knowledge and infrastructure support. The key novelty of PiLoc is that it merges walking segments annotated with displacement and signal strength information from users to derive a map of walking paths annotated with radio signal strengths. We evaluate PiLoc over 4 different indoor areas. Evaluation shows that our system can achieve an average localization error of 1.5m.
Evidence of Unique Genotypes of Beak and Feather Disease Virus in Southern Africa

ABSTRACT Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD), caused by Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV), is the most significant infectious disease in psittacines. PBFD is thought to have originated in Australia but is now found worldwide; in Africa, it threatens the survival of the indigenous endangered Cape parrot and the vulnerable black-cheeked lovebird. We investigated the genetic diversity of putative BFDVs from southern Africa. Feathers and heparinized blood samples were collected from 27 birds representing 9 psittacine species, all showing clinical signs of PBFD. DNA extracted from these samples was used for PCR amplification of the putative BFDV coat protein (CP) gene. The nucleotide sequences of the CP genes of 19 unique BFDV isolates were determined and compared with the 24 previously described sequences of BFDV isolates from Australasia and America. Phylogenetic analysis revealed eight BFDV lineages, with the southern African isolates representing at least three distinctly unique genotypes; 10 complete genome sequences were determined, representing at least one of every distinct lineage. The nucleotide diversity of the southern African isolates was calculated to be 6.4% and is comparable to that found in Australia and New Zealand. BFDVs in southern Africa have, however, diverged substantially from viruses found in other parts of the world, as the average distance between the southern African isolates and BFDV isolates from Australia ranged from 8.3 to 10.8%. In addition to point mutations, recombination was found to contribute substantially to the level of genetic variation among BFDVs, with evidence of recombination in all but one of the genomes analyzed.
Systemic Nickel Allergy Syndrome: Nosologic Framework and Usefulness of Diet Regimen for Diagnosis

Systemic (gastrointestinal and skin) reactions to ingestion of nickel rich foods in patients with nickel allergic contact dermatitis characterize Systemic Nickel Allergy Syndrome (SNAS). The objective of the study was to describe the nosologic framework of the syndrome and to compare sensibility and specificity for SNAS diagnosis between two different low nickel diets - BraMa-Ni and the usually prescribed list of forbidden foods - along with patient adherence to diet. One hundred forty-five patients with suspected SNAS (by history and benefit from nickel dietary restrictions) were selected and orally challenged with nickel for a definite diagnosis. Specificity and sensibility of the diets were calculated in relation to the results of nickel challenges. The nosologic framework of SNAS was deduced from the clinical pictures of 98 patients with positive nickel challenge and characterized essentially by skin and gastrointestinal symptoms, whereas all other symptoms (dizziness, headache etc.) were never elicited by the oral nickel challenge. The specificity and sensibility of BraMa-Ni in detecting SNAS were significantly higher than the forbidden food list diet, with an excellent patient adherence. Therefore, BraMa-Ni diet can be prescribed for the treatment of the syndrome other than for the diagnosis, the gold standard of which remains the oral nickel challenge.
Convergence of an Algorithm for the Anisotropic and Crystalline Mean Curvature Flow

We give a simple proof of convergence of the anisotropic variant of a well-known algorithm for mean curvature motion, introduced in 1992 by Merriman, Bence, and Osher. The algorithm consists in alternating the resolution of the (anisotropic) heat equation, with initial datum the characteristic function of the evolving set, and a thresholding at level $1/2$.
Improving Exact Solution Counting for Decomposition Methods

The problem of counting solutions in CSP, called #CSP, is an extremely difficult problem that has many applications in Artificial Intelligence. This problem can be addressed by exact methods, but more classically it is solved by approximate methods. Here, we focus primarily on the exact counting. We show how it is possible to improve the methods based on structural decomposition by offering to enhance the search for a new solution which is a critical step for counting, particularly for such methods. Moreover, if the resources in time or in space are insufficient, we show that our approach is still able to provide a lower bound of the result. Experiments on CSP benchmarks show the practical advantage of our approach w.r. t. the best methods of the literature.
The Effect of Ultrasound Stimulation on the Cytoskeletal Organization of Chondrocytes Seeded in Three-Dimensional Matrices

The impact of low-intensity diffuse ultrasound (LIDUS) stimulation on the cytoskeletal organization of chondrocytes seeded in three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds was evaluated. Chondrocytes seeded on 3D chitosan matrices were exposed to LIDUS at 5.0 MHz (approx. 15 kPa, 51 s, 4 applications/day) in order to study the organization of actin, tubulin and vimentin. The results showed that actin presented a punctate cytosolic distribution and tubulin presented a quasiparallel organization of microtubules, whereas vimentin distribution was unaffected. Chondrocytes seeded on 3D scaffolds responded to US stimulation by the disruption of actin stress fibers and were sensitive to the presence of Rho-activated kinase (ROCK) inhibitor (Y27632). The gene expression of ROCK-I, a key element in the formation of stress fibers and mDia1, was significantly upregulated under the application of US. We conclude that the results of both the cytoskeletal analyses and gene expression support the argument that the presence of punctate actin upon US stimulation was accompanied by the upregulation of the RhoA/ROCK pathway.