Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Automatic generation of thematically focused information portals from web data

Finding the desired information on the Web is often a hard and time-consuming task. This thesis presents the methodology of automatic generation of thematically focused portals from Web data. The key component of the proposed Web retrieval framework is the thematically focused Web crawler that is interested only in a specific, typically small, set of topics. The focused crawler uses classification methods for filtering of fetched documents and identifying most likely relevant Web sources for further downloads. We show that the human efforts for preparation of the focused crawl can be minimized by automatic extending of the training dataset using additional training samples coined archetypes. This thesis introduces the combining of classification results and link-based authority ranking methods for selecting archetypes, combined with periodical re-training of the classifier. We also explain the architecture of the focused Web retrieval framework and discuss results of comprehensive use-case studies and evaluations with a prototype system BINGO! Furthermore, the thesis addresses aspects of crawl postprocessing, such as refinements of the topic structure and restrictive document filtering. We introduce postprocessing methods and meta methods that are applied in an restrictive manner, i.e. by leaving out some uncertain documents rather than assigning them to inappropriate topics or clusters with low confidence. We also introduce the methodology of collaborative crawl postprocessing for multiple cooperating users in a distributed environment, such as a peer-to-peer overlay network. An important aspect of the thematically focused Web portal is the ranking of search results. This thesis addresses the aspect of search personalization by aggregating explicit or implicit feedback from multiple users and capturing topic-specific search patterns by profiles. Furthermore, we consider advanced link-based authority ranking algorithms that exploit the crawl-specific information, such as classification confidence grades for particular documents. This goal is achieved by weighting of edges in the link graph of the crawl and by adding virtual links between highly relevant documents of the topic. The results of our systematic evaluation on multiple reference collections and real Web data show the viability of the proposed methodology.
Distinct roles for Crk adaptor isoforms in actin reorganization induced by extracellular signals

Crk family adaptors, consisting of Src homology 2 (SH2) and SH3 protein-binding domains, mediate assembly of protein complexes in signaling. CrkI, an alternately spliced form of Crk, lacks the regulatory phosphorylation site and C-terminal SH3 domain present in CrkII and CrkL. We used gene silencing combined with mutational analysis to probe the role of Crk adaptors in platelet-derived growth-factor receptor β (PDGFβR) signaling. We demonstrate that Crk adaptors are required for formation of focal adhesions, and for PDGF-stimulated remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton and cell migration. Crk-dependent signaling is crucial during the early stages of PDGFβR activation, whereas its termination by Abl family tyrosine kinases is important for turnover of focal adhesions and progression of dorsal-membrane ruffles. CrkII and CrkL preferentially activate the small GTPase Rac1, whereas variants lacking a functional C-terminal SH3 domain, including CrkI, preferentially activate Rap1. Thus, differences in the activity of Crk isoforms, including their effectors and their ability to be downregulated by phosphorylation, are important for coordinating dynamic changes in the actin cytoskeleton in response to extracellular signals.
Effects of selected South African plant extracts on haemolysis and coagulation

The use of herbal preparations for staunching blood flow and reducing the risk of vascular thrombosis is common worldwide. In this study, aqueous and methanolic extracts of plants used to treat blood-associated complaints were investigated to determine their effects on red blood cell haemolysis and coagulation. The extent of haemolysis was determined spectrophotometrically. Prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) as indicators of coagulation rate were determined using a coagulatometer. All of the plant extracts tested had a significant effect on coagulation time, prolonging the aPTT. Cassia petersiana had the greatest prolonging effect on PT compared to the control, phosphate buffered saline (PBS). As all of the herbal extracts tested had a delaying effect on coagulation, patients using herbal/plant therapies should be cautioned to stop their medication before surgery.
Volunteers in Circles of Support and Accountability Job Demands, Job Resources, and Outcome

In Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA), volunteers support a medium- to high-risk sex offender in his process toward desistance by developing a long-term empathic relationship. More knowledge is needed about the impact of this work on volunteers themselves. In a sample of 40 Dutch CoSA volunteers—at the time constituting 37% of the national population of 108 then active CoSA volunteers—we measured outcome in terms of volunteer satisfaction, determination to continue, compassion satisfaction, burnout and secondary stress, vicarious growth, civic capacities, and professional skills. We explored theoretically derived predictors of positive and negative outcome, and conceptualized them within the Job Demands-Resources model (JD-R). Volunteers reported mainly positive effects, especially high levels of volunteer satisfaction, compassion satisfaction, and determination to continue. Results indicated that job demands and most of the internal job resources were of minor importance. External job resources, especially social support and connectedness, were associated with positive outcome. Connectedness mediated the effect of social support on compassion satisfaction.
Selective Activation of MEK1 but Not MEK2 by A-Raf from Epidermal Growth Factor-stimulated Hela Cells (*)

Activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade is a critical event in mitogenic growth factor signal transduction. Mitogen-activated protein kinase is directly activated by a dual specific kinase, MEK, which itself is activated by serine phosphorylation. The c-Raf kinase has been implicated in mediating the signal transduction from mitogenic growth factor receptors to MEK activation. Recently, the B-Raf kinase was shown to be capable of phosphorylating and activating MEK as a result of growth factor stimulation. In this report, we used the yeast two-hybrid screening to isolate MEK interacting proteins. All three members of the Raf family kinases were identified as positive clones when the mutant MEK1S218/222A, in which the two phosphorylation serine residues were substituted by alanines, was used as a bait, whereas no positive clones were isolated when the wild type MEK1 was used as a bait in a similar screening. These results suggest that elimination of the phosphorylation sites of a target protein (MEK1 in our study) may stabilize the interaction between the kinase (Raf) and its substrate (MEK1), possibly due the formation of a nonproductive complex. These observations seem to suggest a general strategy using mutants to identify the upstream kinase of a phosphoprotein or the downstream targets of a kinase. Although c-Raf and B-Raf have been implicated in growth factor-induced MEK activation, little is known about A-Raf. We observed that stimulation of Hela cells with epidermal growth factor resulted in a rapid and transient activation of A-Raf, which is then capable of phosphorylating and activating MEK1. Interestingly, A-Raf does not activate MEK2, although c-Raf can activate both MEK1 and MEK2. Our data demonstrated that A-Raf is, indeed, a MEK1 activator and may play a role in growth factor signaling.
SOIL MECHANICS AND FOUNDATIONS 1 (2ND EDITION)

Experimental results are included in this volume and described in detail. The volume contains the core of the contribution of present-day soil mechanics to the solution of technical problems with soils. This new edition covers, apart from the traditional material (formation features and behaviour of soils and rocks; physical, chemical, strength and deformation properties of saturated or non saturated soils as well as their characterization and their measurement), data on soils highly susceptible to erosion according to Sherard's Criteria, and Kezdis Concept of "Transition Soils". There is an extended section on the permeability of rocks, including the radial test and its use as an indicator of microcracking. There are new views on the compressibility of granular materials, based on work by El Thoby and Rodriguez Ortiz, and on anisotropy, following a. Uriel and Canizo. There is also a better arranged treatment of the principle of effective pressure in semi-saturated soils, and an extensive introduction to the Cambridge stress-strain theories, which will enable those not investigating the behaviour of soils close to failure to understand the scope and basis of the theories, and which provides in any event a very convenient lead-in to the more detailed treatment which is also included. /TRRL/
Cell surface galactosyltransferase mediates the initiation of neurite outgrowth from PC12 cells on laminin

Neurite outgrowth from PC12 pheochromocytoma cells, as well as from peripheral and central nervous system neurons in vitro, is mediated by the extracellular matrix molecule, laminin. We have recently shown that mesenchymal cell spreading and migration on laminin is mediated, in part, by the cell surface enzyme, beta 1,4 galactosyltransferase (GalTase). GalTase is localized on lamellipodia of migrating cells where it functions as a laminin receptor by binding to specific N- linked oligosaccharides in laminin (Runyan et al., 1988; Eckstein and Shur, 1989). In the present study, we examined whether GalTase functions similarly during neutrite outgrowth on laminin using biochemical and immunological analyses. PC12 neurite outgrowth was inhibited by reagents that perturb cell surface GalTase activity, including anti-GalTase IgG and Fab fragments, as well as the GalTase modifier protein alpha-lactalbumin. Control reagents had no effect on neurite outgrowth. Furthermore, blocking GalTase substrates on laminin matrices by earlier galactosyltion or enzymatic removal of GalTase substrates also inhibited neurite outgrowth. Conversely, neurite outgrowth was enhanced by the addition of UDP-galactose, which completes the GalTase enzymatic reaction, while inappropriate sugar nucleotides had no effect. The effects of all these treatments were dose and/or time dependent. Surface GalTase was shown to function during both neurite initiation and elongation, although the effects of GalTase perturbation were most striking during the initiation stages of neurite formation. Consistent with this, surface GalTase was localized by indirect immunofluorescence to the growth cone and developing neurite. Collectively, these results demonstrate that GalTase mediates the initiation of neurite outgrowth on laminin, and to a lesser extent, neurite elongation. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that process extension from both mesenchymal cells and neuronal cells is partly dependent upon specific oligosaccharide residues in laminin.
A pure signal-based stiffness estimation for VSA devices

The capability of controlling both the position/torque and the stiffness of the joints is the main feature of the next generation of robots based on Variable Stiffness Actuators (VSA). For the purpose of accurate control, recent works have pointed out that is not possible to rely completely on analytical models of the stiffness characteristics of the transmissions/joints and that an on-line estimation of stiffness is often mandatory. Building on our previous results, we present a new method to estimate the stiffness based only on input-output signals, without any knowledge of motor parameters nor the need of joint torque sensing. In addition, a Recursive Least Squares method based on a QR decomposition (QR-RLS) is used, which is very robust to poor excitation conditions. In order to deal more efficiently with noisy signals, a combination of two filtering actions is also considered, with a causal Kinematic Kalman Filter (KKF) and a non-causal Savitzky-Golay (SG) filter. Simulation results and comparison with two other state-of-the-art stiffness estimators are presented.
Dynamics of "internal” interannual variability of the Indian summer monsoon in a GCM

1] The poor predictability of the Indian summer monsoon ( ISM) appears to be due to the fact that a large fraction of interannual variability (IAV) is governed by unpredictable "internal'' low frequency variations. Mechanisms responsible for the internal IAV of the monsoon have not been clearly identified. Here, an attempt has been made to gain insight regarding the origin of internal IAV of the seasonal ( June - September, JJAS) mean rainfall from "internal'' IAV of the ISM simulated by an atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) driven by fixed annual cycle of sea surface temperature (SST). The underlying hypothesis that monsoon ISOs are responsible for internal IAV of the ISM is tested. The spatial and temporal characteristics of simulated summer intraseasonal oscillations ( ISOs) are found to be in good agreement with those observed. A long integration with the AGCM forced with observed SST, shows that ISO activity over the Asian monsoon region is not modulated by the observed SST variations. The internal IAV of ISM, therefore, appears to be decoupled from external IAV. Hence, insight gained from this study may be useful in understanding the observed internal IAV of ISM. The spatial structure of the ISOs has a significant projection on the spatial structure of the seasonal mean and a common spatial mode governs both intraseasonal and interannual variability. Statistical average of ISO anomalies over the season ( seasonal ISO bias) strengthens or weakens the seasonal mean. It is shown that interannual anomalies of seasonal mean are closely related to the seasonal mean of intraseasonal anomalies and explain about 50% of the IAV of the seasonal mean. The seasonal mean ISO bias arises partly due to the broad-band nature of the ISO spectrum allowing the time series to be aperiodic over the season and partly due to a non-linear process where the amplitude of ISO activity is proportional to the seasonal bias of ISO anomalies. The later relation is a manifestation of the binomial character of rainfall time series. The remaining 50% of the IAV may arise due to land-surface processes, interaction between high frequency variability and ISOs, etc.
Effectiveness of liaison psychiatric nursing in older medical inpatients with depression: a randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE To compare liaison psychiatric nursing with usual medical care in the management of older medical inpatients who screen positive for depression. DESIGN Pragmatic randomised controlled trial. SETTING Medical wards of UK district general hospital in rural East Anglia. PARTICIPANTS One hundred and thirty-eight medical inpatients aged 65+ screened positive on the 15-item geriatric depression scale (GDS). One hundred and twenty-one out of 138 screen positives entered the trial (58/121 fulfilled criteria for depressive disorder at baseline). INTERVENTIONS (i) A liaison psychiatric nurse assessed participants, formulated a care plan for treatment of their depression, ensured its implementation through liaison with appropriate agencies, and monitored participants' mood and response to treatment for up to 12 weeks. (ii) Usual treatment by hospital and primary care staff. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES ICD-10 depressive disorder, change in GDS-15 score, quality-adjusted life weeks (QALWs) and patient satisfaction rating. RESULTS Eighty-six out of 121 participants completed the 16-week trial. Participants in the intervention group were more satisfied with their care, but no significant differences in depressive disorder, depression rating or QALWs gained were found between groups. However, there was a trend towards improvement in the intervention group and effect sizes were higher in the subgroup with depressive disorder. CONCLUSIONS This study is the first RCT to evaluate liaison psychiatric nursing specifically for depression in older medical inpatients; the findings suggest improvement in mental health and quality of life, but a larger trial is required to provide convincing evidence.
Optimal location of transmitter for indoor communications

In this paper the model of signal strength prediction that seeks an optimal location of single access point in indoor environment is presented. The location of the transmitter needs to ensure maximally uniform coverage with electromagnetic signal in the given environment. The propagation predictions are obtained by the model based on neural network. The advantage of the neural network model is given by their possibility to obtain enough accurate values of field strengths inside buildings without any knowledge about building geometry and construction characteristics. The neural network needs to be trained by measured signal strengths at chosen receiving locations. The model divides coverage environment into a grid of possible receiver locations and specifies cost function as a sum of weighted signal strengths for particular receiver points. This is nonlinear programming problem for minimizing the differences between given threshold signal strength and actual signal strength at particular location. As optimization method Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) technique is used. The final results show good coverage with adequate signal strengths for entire given indoor environment.
Athletes and the Arts — The Role of Sports Medicine in the Performing Arts

Performing artists are athletes. Like athletes, performing artists practice and/or perform most days with little off season, play through pain, “compete” in challenging environments, and risk career-threatening injury. Athletes and the Arts is a multiorganizational initiative linking the sport athlete and musician/performing artist communities. Performing artists of all ages and genre are an underserved population related to medical coverage, care, injury prevention, performance enhancement, and wellness. Sports medicine professionals are a valuable resource for filling this gap by applying existing knowledge of treating sport athletes (nutrition, injury prevention) while gaining a better understanding of performers’ unique needs (hearing loss, focal dystonia) and environment. These applications can occur in the clinical setting and through developing organizational policies. By better understanding the needs of the performing arts population and applying existing concepts and knowledge, sports medicine professionals can expand their impact to a new patient base that desperately needs support.
Comparison of calibration curves prepared by soil compaction and ball milling methods for direct quantification of the potato cyst nematode Globodera rostochiensis in soil

A direct quantification method consisting of soil compaction and real-time PCR was applied to quantify the potato cyst nematode (PCN), Globodera rostochiensis, in soil. We also compared the efficacies of pre-treatment methods for disrupting nematode bodies and obtaining homogeneous soil samples between soil compaction and ball milling. PCN was detected at a density of five second-stage juveniles (J2)/20 g of soil and there were highly significant correlations (r2 > 0.8697) between the cycle threshold (Ct) values and the number of J2 inoculated in all the soils, irrespective of the pre-treatment methods. Calibration curves showing the relationship between Ct values and nematode density were almost identical for both pre-treatment methods in two soils, while the Ct values were consistently lower for the ball milling method in one soil, suggesting that DNA extraction efficiency might be better in the ball milling method. The calibration curves obtained with the ball milling method were nearly identical in three soils, but were different with the compaction method. These results suggest that the ball milling method is more suitable for direct quantification of nematodes than the compaction method.
Laboratory Evaluation of Abrasion Resistance of Portland Cement Pervious Concrete

High porosity with interconnected voids between aggregate particles is the primary characteristic of portland cement pervious concrete (PCPC), which, however, causes a significant decrease in its strength and abrasion resistance. In this study, latex and fiber were added to improve the abrasion resistance of PCPC mixtures. Laboratory tests were conducted to evaluate the performance of latex-modified pervious concrete with a particular focus on abrasion resistance. Test results show that adding latex desirably improved strength and abrasion resistance of PCPC, whereas fiber did not show a significant effect on the mechanical properties of PCPC. In addition, the asphalt pavement analyzer (APA) abrasion test was found to be feasible for evaluating the abrasion resistance of pervious concrete.
Proliferation of mutators in A cell population

A Lac- strain of Escherichia coli that reverts by the addition of a G to a G-G-G-G-G-G sequence was used to study the proliferation of mutators in a bacterial culture. Selection for the Lac+ phenotype, which is greatly stimulated in mismatch repair-deficient strains, results in an increase in the percentage of mutators in the selected population from less than 1 per 100,000 cells to 1 per 200 cells. All the mutators detected were deficient in the mismatch repair system. Mutagenesis results in a similar increase in the percentage of mutators. Mutagenesis combined with a single selection can result in a population of more than 50% mutators when a sample of several thousand cells is grown out and selected. Mutagenesis combined with two or more successive selections can generate a population that is 100% mutator. These experiments are discussed in relation to ideas that an early step in carcinogenesis is the creation of a mutator phenotype.
Cleft lip and palate surgery in children: anaesthetic considerations.

BACKGROUND The Care of cleft patients is very challenging. Team cleft care is usually lacking in many developing countries due to shortage of qualified manpower. This study is aimed at highlighting anaesthetic challenges in the management of cleft in children. PATIENTS AND METHODS This was a study of cleft lip and palate patients who were managed during team cleft care activities at University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and Federal Medical Centre Nguru both in north eastern Nigeria from January to June 2009. RESULTS One hundred and six cleft patients presented for surgical repair under general or local anaesthesia. Fifteen (14%) patients all of whom children were unfit for general anaesthesia due to various medical reasons. Ninety-one (86%) cleft patients comprising 53(50%) children and 38(36%) adults had cleft repair under halothane general endotracheal anaesthesia and local anaesthesia, respectively. There was no anaesthetic complications recorded under local anaesthesia. Fifteen percent of children who received general endotracheal anaesthesia suffered various anaesthetic complications which included hypoxia (3.8%), laryngospasm (1.9%), kinking of endotracheal tube (5.7%), inadvertent extubation (1.9%) and pulmonary aspiration (1.9%). There was no mortality or anaesthesia-related morbidity at the time of discharge in all the cases. CONCLUSION We conclude that anaesthesia for cleft lip and palate repair in hospital based team-cleft care activities in our environment is relatively safe. We recommend general anaesthesia with controlled ventilation for children and local anaesthesia for adult and older children who can cooperate.