Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Hard VHE γ-Ray Emission in High-Redshift TeV Blazars: Comptonization of Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation in an Extended Jet?

Observations of very-high-energy (VHE; E > 250 GeV) γ-ray emission from several blazars at z > 0.1 have placed stringent constraints on the elusive spectrum and intensity of the intergalactic infrared background radiation (IIBR). Correcting the observed VHE spectrum for γγ absorption, even by the lowest plausible level of the IIBR, provides evidence for a very hard (photon spectral index Γph < 2) intrinsic source spectrum out to TeV energies. Such a hard VHE γ-ray spectrum poses a serious challenge to the conventional synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) interpretation of the VHE emission of TeV blazars and suggests the emergence of a separate emission component beyond a few hundred GeV. Here we propose that such a very hard, slowly variable VHE emission component in TeV blazars may be produced via Compton upscattering of cosmic microwave background (CMB) photons by shock-accelerated electrons in an extended jet. For the case of 1ES 1101–232, this component could dominate the bolometric luminosity of the extended jet if the magnetic fields are of the order of typical intergalactic magnetic fields (B ∼ 10 μG) and if electrons are still being accelerated out to TeV energies (γ ≳ 4 × 106) on kiloparsec scales along the jet.
Contributions of Heterosis and Epistasis to Hybrid Fitness

Early‐generation hybrid fitness is difficult to interpret because heterosis can obscure the effects of hybrid breakdown. We used controlled reciprocal crosses and common garden experiments to distinguish between effects of heterosis and nuclear and cytonuclear epistasis among morphotypes and advanced‐generation hybrid derivative populations in the Piriqueta caroliniana (Turneraceae) plant complex. Seed germination, growth, and sexual reproduction of first‐generation hybrids, inbred parental lines, and outbred parental lines were compared under field conditions. Average vegetative performance was greater for hybrids than for inbred lines, and first‐season growth was similar for hybrids and outbred parental lines. Hybrid survival surpassed that of inbred lines and was equal to or greater than outbred lines’ survival, and more F1 than parental plants reproduced. Reductions in hybrid fitness due to Dobzhansky‐Muller incompatibilities (epistasis among divergent genetic elements) were expressed as differences in vegetative growth, survival, and reproduction between plants from reciprocal crosses for both F1 and backcross hybrid generations. Comparing performance of hybrids against parental genotypes from intra‐ and interpopulation crosses allowed a more robust prediction of F1 hybrids' success and more accurate interpretations of the genetic architecture of F1 hybrid vigor.
Integrating attention, alertness and control in the brain: an electrophysiological approach

Tesi stesa nell'ambito di una collaborazione con il gruppo di ricerca Electro Functional Brain Imaging Unit (EFBIu) presso l'IBFM del CNR, sotto la supervisione del Prof. A. Zani; parte della tesi deriva da una collaborazione con il gruppo di ricerca guidato dal Prof Leon J. Kenemans del Dipartimento di Psicofarmacologia dell'Universita di Utrecht (NL)
Task and Social Information Seeking: Whom Do We Prefer and Whom Do We Approach?

Employee information-seeking behavior shapes the formation of organizational communication networks and affects performance. However, it is not easy to facilitate, particularly through information technology, and its motivations are not well understood. Recognizing two broad categories of information—that is, task and social information—this study investigates and compares the antecedents of task and social information seeking. Deriving from the relational communication perspective, informational and relational motivations are modeled as the two main antecedents of source preference and sourcing frequency in dyadic information seeking. Through a survey of employee dyads, our findings indicate that perceived information relevance is a significant antecedent of source preference for both task and social information seeking, whereas perceived relational benefit is significant in the context of task information. The results also show that perceived relational benefit has a stronger effect on source preference in task information seeking than in social information seeking. Furthermore, preference for a source is a significant antecedent of the frequency of sourcing in both contexts. This study provides an explanation of the formation of organizational communication networks. It suggests that organizational information and communication technologies not only need to support information delivery but must also facilitate relationship management for the seeker.
Effects of Gender on the Association of Urinary Phthalate Metabolites with Thyroid Hormones in Children: A Prospective Cohort Study in Taiwan

Phthalates are considered endocrine disruptors. Our study assessed the gender-specific effects of phthalate exposure on thyroid function in children. In total, 189 Taiwanese children were enrolled in the study. One-spot urine and blood samples were collected for analyzing 12 phthalate metabolites in urine and thyroid hormones. The association between urinary phthalate metabolites and serum thyroid hormones was determined using a generalized linear model with a log link function; the children were categorized into groups for analysis according to the 33rd and 66th percentiles. The data were stratified according to gender and adjusted for a priori defined covariates. In girls, a positive association existed between urinary di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) metabolites (mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate, and mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate) and free thyroxine (T4). In boys, urinary dibutyl phthalate (DBP) metabolites (mono-i-butyl phthalate and mono-n-butyl phthalate) were positively associated with free triiodothyronine (T3). After categorizing each exposure into three groups, urinary DEHP metabolites were positively associated with free T3 levels in boys. Our results suggested that DEHP is associated with free T4 in girls and that DBP is associated with free T3 in boys. Higher DEHP metabolite concentrations exerted larger effects on free T3 in boys. These results reveal the gender-specific relationships between phthalate metabolites and thyroid hormones.
Software Architecture Decision-Making Practices and Challenges: An Industrial Case Study

Software architecture decision-making is critical to the success of a software system as software architecture sets the structure of the system, determines its qualities, and has far-reaching consequences throughout the system life cycle. The complex nature of the software development context and the importance of the problem has led the research community to develop several techniques, tools, and processes to assist software architects in making better decisions. Despite these effort, the adoption of such systematic approaches appears to be quite limited in practice. In addition, the practitioners are also facing new challenges as different software development methods suggest different approaches for architecture design. In this paper, we study the current software architecture decision-making practices in the industry using a case study conducted among professional software architects in three different companies in Europe. As a result, we identified different software architecture decision-making practices followed by the software teams as well as their reasons for following them, the challenges associated with them, and the possible improvements from the software architects' point of view. Based on that, we recognized that improving software architecture knowledge management can address most of the identified challenges and would result in better software architecture decision-making.
Growth and Distribution of Roots of Dioscorea Alata L. Do Not Respond to Mineral Fertiliser Application

Water yam (Dioscorea alata) is a staple crop for many of the poorest in the tropics. Yam tuber response to fertiliser application has been reported to be erratic. We hypothesised that this variable response could be due to the development of a suboptimal root system that would not allow the plant to capture the nutrients added with the fertiliser. To verify this hypothesis we studied during two seasons (2006 and 2007) in Central Cote d'Ivoire, the growth of yam root system in relation to plant growth as affected by fertiliser input, using sequential root coring. In addition, we assessed the horizontal and vertical distribution of yam roots using the wall profile method in the same site. Three root types (seminal, adventitious and tubercular roots) were identified. Roots grew within the mound until 100 days after planting (DAP) and afterwards, extended radially in the soil outside of the mound remaining in the first soil horizon (15 cm depth). Maximum root extension was observed at 160 DAP. Root length density and root mass density were higher at higher soil temperature whereas the average root diameter decreased at higher soil temperature. Specific root length did not change with soil temperature. Root growth parameters were not affected by fertiliser application. Roots were mostly distributed in clumps. As tuber yield formation was independent from root growth we conclude that the root system of this cultivar did not limit tuber productivity. Other factors have to be considered to explain the variable response of yam to mineral fertiliser additions.
Programmable time-multiplexed switched-capacitor variable equalizer for arbitrary frequency response realizations

A time-multiplexed digitally-programmable switched-capacitor (SC) variable equalizer which allows the realization of arbitrary frequency responses is presented. The circuit performs the same operation as a cascade of N second-order programmable equalizers, where N is also the multiplexing order. Except the storing capacitors, the rest of the circuitry is shared for all individual equalizer functions (channels), resulting in silicon area savings higher than 60% with respect to a direct circuit implementation for N=4. The impact on circuit performance of crosstalk effects is discussed. Experimental results of a 3-V timesharing SC equalizer architecture fabricated in a CMOS 1.2 /spl mu/m technology are given for different values of the multiplexing order. The circuit has been designed to be incorporated in a programmable hearing aid device.
Chaotic stimulated Brillouin scattering in a finite-length medium.

The dynamics of stimulated Brillouin scattering in a finite-length, homogeneous medium with the effects of temporal resonance detuning but no external feedback is examined numerically. The inclusion of resonance detuning leads to nonstationary behavior of the wave amplitudes including periodicity, quasiperiodicity, and chaos. The results may have applications to experiments with optical fibers and laser plasmas
Covalent Targeting of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor Inhibits Metastatic Breast Cancer

Therapeutic targeting of late-stage breast cancer is limited by an inadequate understanding of how tumor cell signaling evolves during metastatic progression and by the currently available small molecule inhibitors capable of targeting these processes. Herein, we demonstrate that both β3 integrin and fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 (FGFR1) are part of an epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) program that is required to facilitate metastatic outgrowth in response to fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2). Mechanistically, β3 integrin physically disrupts an interaction between FGFR1 and E-cadherin, leading to a dramatic redistribution of FGFR1 subcellular localization, enhanced FGF2 signaling and increased three-dimensional (3D) outgrowth of metastatic breast cancer cells. This ability of β3 integrin to drive FGFR signaling requires the enzymatic activity of focal adhesion kinase (FAK). Consistent with these mechanistic data, we demonstrate that FGFR, β3 integrin, and FAK constitute a molecular signature capable of predicting decreased survival of patients with the basal-like subtype of breast cancer. Importantly, covalent targeting of a conserved cysteine in the P-loop of FGFR1–4 with our newly developed small molecule, FIIN-4, more effectively blocks 3D metastatic outgrowth as compared with currently available FGFR inhibitors. In vivo application of FIIN-4 potently inhibited the growth of metastatic, patient-derived breast cancer xenografts and murine-derived metastases growing within the pulmonary microenvironment. Overall, the current studies demonstrate that FGFR1 works in concert with other EMT effector molecules to drive aberrant downstream signaling, and that these events can be effectively targeted using our novel therapeutics for the treatment of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(9); 2096–106. ©2016 AACR.
On-axis spectroscopy of the host galaxies of 20 optically luminous quasars at z ~ 0.3

We present the analysis of a sample of 20 bright low-redshift quasars (M B < - 23 and z < 0.35) observed spectroscopically with the Very Large Telescope (VLT). The Focal Reducer/low dispersion Spectrograph (FORS1) spectra, obtained in Multi-Object Spectroscopy (MOS) mode, allow to observe simultaneously the quasars and several reference stars used to spatially deconvolve the data. Applying the Magain, Courbin & Sohy (MCS) deconvolution method, we are able to separate the individual spectra of the quasar and of the underlying host galaxy. Contrary to some previous claims, we find that luminous quasars are not exclusively hosted by massive ellipticals. Most quasar host galaxies harbour large amounts of gas, irrespective of their morphological type. Moreover, the stellar content of half of the hosts is a young Sc-like population, associated with a rather low-metallicity interstellar medium. A significant fraction of the galaxies contain gas ionized at large distances by the quasar radiation. This large distance ionization is always associated with signs of gravitational interactions (as detected from images or disturbed rotation curves). The spectra of the quasars themselves provide evidence that gravitational interactions bring dust and gas in the immediate surrounding of the super massive black hole, allowing to feed it. The quasar activity might thus be triggered (1) in young gas-rich spiral galaxies by local events and (2) in more evolved galaxies by gravitational interactions or collisions. The latter mechanism gives rises to the most powerful quasars. Finally, we derive mass models for the isolated spiral host galaxies and we show that the most reliable estimators of the systemic redshift in the quasar spectrum are the tips of the Ha and Hβ lines.
Atypical Color Preference in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

So far, virtually no study has ever investigated color preference in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In order to address this issue, 29 boys with ASD varying in age between 4 and 17 years, and 38 age-matched typically developing (TD) boys were studied regarding their preference among six colors: red, pink, yellow, brown, green, and blue, in clinical settings. When mean rank of preference was computed in each of the ASD and TD groups with regard to each color, it was found that boys with ASD were significantly less likely than TD boys to prefer yellow and more likely than TD boys to prefer green and brown colors. These results appear to be caused by hyper-sensation characteristic of ASD, due to which boys with this disorder perceive yellow as being sensory-overloading.
A novel verifiable threshold signature scheme based on bilinear pairing in mobile Ad Hoc Network

In this paper, a (t, n) threshold signature scheme is constructed without a trusted party, which has provable security in Mobile Ad Hoc Network, and its security fits with terminal device with limited resource. Any participant can compute the system public key, but can not recover the system secret key without any other t-1 participants' help. In this proposed scheme, ECC-based threshold polynomial is intrinsically safer and easier to realize than the presented schemes' based on prime-field. A verifiable threshold signature scheme is proposed such that all participants must provide confidential and verifiable information λj each other. We design a new bilinear pairing-based threshold signature scheme which is efficient in terms of both the communication overhead and the computational requirement. So the new threshold signature scheme is more secure, verifiable, and efficient compared with the presented schemes for Mobile Ad Hoc Network.
Suggestion Mining from Opinionated Text

Abstract Products and services are heavily discussed on social media, which are conventionally used by brand owners, as well as consumers, to acquire consumer opinions. State-of-the-art opinion mining systems provide summaries of positive and negative sentiments toward a service/product and its various aspects. On a closer look, it is observed that these opinions also contain suggestions, tips, and advice, which are often explicitly sought by both brand owners and consumers. This chapter presents a comprehensive overview of the task of mining suggestions from the opinionated text on social media. Various aspects of the task are discussed, which includes an analysis of suggestions appearing in reviews, the relation between sentiments and suggestions, relevant datasets, and existing methods. The problem has been identified only recently as a viable task, and there is limited availability of existing approaches and datasets.
Split-Cre Complementation Indicates Coincident Activity of Different Genes In Vivo

Cre/LoxP recombination is the gold standard for conditional gene regulation in mice in vivo. However, promoters driving the expression of Cre recombinase are often active in a wide range of cell types and therefore unsuited to target more specific subsets of cells. To overcome this limitation, we designed inactive “split-Cre” fragments that regain Cre activity when overlapping co-expression is controlled by two different promoters. Using transgenic mice and virus-mediated expression of split-Cre, we show that efficient reporter gene activation is achieved in vivo. In the brain of transgenic mice, we genetically defined a subgroup of glial progenitor cells in which the Plp1- and the Gfap-promoter are simultaneously active, giving rise to both astrocytes and NG2-positive glia. Similarly, a subset of interneurons was labelled after viral transfection using Gad67- and Cck1 promoters to express split-Cre. Thus, split-Cre mediated genomic recombination constitutes a powerful spatial and temporal coincidence detector for in vivo targeting.
ERP success: Does organisation Size Matter?

Organisations invest enormous sums of money in acquiring Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, presumably expecting positive impacts to the organisation and its functions. Despite the optimistic motives some ERP projects have reported nil or detrimental impacts. This paper studies the proposition that the size of an organisation (e.g. small, large) may have contributed to the differences in receiving benefits reported in prior studies in this domain. The alleged differences in organisationa l performance are empirically measured using a prior validated model, using five constructs and fortytwo sub-constructs. Information is gathered from three hundred and ten respondents representing twenty-seven public sector organisations. Results suggests that (1) larger organisations have received more benefits compared to small organisations, (2) small organisations demonstrated higher reliance on their ERP systems, (3) employment cohorts demonstrate significant differences in perceived benefits in small and large organisations.
Calculation of Evolutionary Correlation between Individual Genes and Full-Length Genome: A Method Useful for Choosing Phylogenetic Markers for Molecular Epidemiology

Individual genes or regions are still commonly used to estimate the phylogenetic relationships among viral isolates. The genomic regions that can faithfully provide assessments consistent with those predicted with full-length genome sequences would be preferable to serve as good candidates of the phylogenetic markers for molecular epidemiological studies of many viruses. Here we employed a statistical method to evaluate the evolutionary relationships between individual viral genes and full-length genomes without tree construction as a way to determine which gene can match the genome well in phylogenetic analyses. This method was performed by calculation of linear correlations between the genetic distance matrices of aligned individual gene sequences and aligned genome sequences. We applied this method to the phylogenetic analyses of porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2), measles virus (MV), hepatitis E virus (HEV) and Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). Phylogenetic trees were constructed for comparisons and the possible factors affecting the method accuracy were also discussed in the calculations. The results revealed that this method could produce results consistent with those of previous studies about the proper consensus sequences that could be successfully used as phylogenetic markers. And our results also suggested that these evolutionary correlations could provide useful information for identifying genes that could be used effectively to infer the genetic relationships.
Updated Neuronal Scaling Rules for the Brains of Glires (Rodents/Lagomorphs)

Brain size scales as different functions of its number of neurons across mammalian orders such as rodents, primates, and insectivores. In rodents, we have previously shown that, across a sample of 6 species, from mouse to capybara, the cerebral cortex, cerebellum and the remaining brain structures increase in size faster than they gain neurons, with an accompanying decrease in neuronal density in these structures [Herculano-Houzel et al.: Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2006;103:12138–12143]. Important remaining questions are whether such neuronal scaling rules within an order apply equally to all pertaining species, and whether they extend to closely related taxa. Here, we examine whether 4 other species of Rodentia, as well as the closely related rabbit (Lagomorpha), conform to the scaling rules identified previously for rodents. We report the updated neuronal scaling rules obtained for the average values of each species in a way that is directly comparable to the scaling rules that apply to primates [Gabi et al.: Brain Behav Evol 2010;76:32–44], and examine whether the scaling relationships are affected when phylogenetic relatedness in the dataset is accounted for. We have found that the brains of the spiny rat, squirrel, prairie dog and rabbit conform to the neuronal scaling rules that apply to the previous sample of rodents. The conformity to the previous rules of the new set of species, which includes the rabbit, suggests that the cellular scaling rules we have identified apply to rodents in general, and probably to Glires as a whole (rodents/lagomorphs), with one notable exception: the naked mole-rat brain is apparently an outlier, with only about half of the neurons expected from its brain size in its cerebral cortex and cerebellum.