Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evidence for a Supermassive Black Hole in the S0 Galaxy NGC 3245

The S0 galaxy NGC 3245 contains a circumnuclear disk of ionized gas and dust with a radius of 1. ″1 (110 pc), making it an ideal target for dynamical studies with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). We have obtained spectra of the nuclear disk with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph, using a 0. ″2 wide slit at five parallel positions. Measurements of the Hα and [N II] emission lines are used to map out the kinematic structure of the disk in unprecedented detail. The data reveal a rotational velocity field with a steep velocity gradient across the innermost 0. ″4. We construct dynamical models for a thin gas disk in circular rotation, using HST optical images to map out the gravitational potential due to stars. Our modeling code includes the blurring due to the telescope point-spread function and the nonzero slit width, as well as the instrumental shift in measured wavelength for light entering the slit off-center, so as to simulate the data as closely as possible. The Hα + [N ] surface brightness measured from an HST narrowband image is folded into the models, and we demonstrate that many of the apparent small-scale irregularities in the observed velocity curves are the result of the patchy distribution of emission-line surface brightness. Over most of the disk, the models are able to fit the observed radial velocity curves closely, although there are localized regions within the disk that appear to be kinematically disturbed relative to the overall rotational pattern. The velocity dispersion of [N II] λ6584 rises from σ ≈ 50 km s-1 in the outer disk to ~160 km s-1 at the nucleus, and most of this line width cannot be attributed to rotational or instrumental broadening. To account for the possible dynamical effect of the intrinsic velocity dispersion in the gas, we also calculate models that include a correction for asymmetric drift. This correction increases the derived black hole mass by 12% but leads to slightly poorer fits to the data. A central dark mass of (2.1 ± 0.5) × 108 M☉ is required for the models to reproduce the steep central velocity gradient. This value for the central mass is consistent with recently discovered correlations between black hole mass and bulge velocity dispersion.
Small-molecule trkB agonists promote axon regeneration in cut peripheral nerves

Significance If treatments with small-molecule trkB agonists, especially systemically, proved effective in enhancing axon regeneration in injured peripheral nerves, such a result could form the basis for the development of a unique treatment strategy for peripheral nerve injuries. Treatments with two-small molecule tropomyosin receptor kinase B (trkB) ligands, 7,8 dihydroxyflavone (7,8 DHF) and deoxygedunin, were evaluated for their ability to promote the regeneration of cut axons in injured peripheral nerves in mice in which sensory and motor axons are marked by YFP. Peripheral nerves were cut and repaired with grafts from strain-matched, nonfluorescent donors and secured in place with fibrin glue. Lengths of profiles of regenerating YFP+ axons were measured 2 wk later from confocal images. Axon regeneration was enhanced when the fibrin glue contained dilutions of 500-nM solution of either small-molecule trkB agonist. In mice in which the neurotrophin receptor trkB is knocked out selectively in neurons, axon regeneration is very weak, and topical treatment with 7,8 DHF had no effect on axon regeneration. Similar treatments with deoxygedunin had only a modest effect. In conditional BDNF knockout mice, topical treatments with either 7,8 DHF or deoxygedunin resulted in a reversal of the poor regeneration found in controls and produced significant enhancement of regeneration. In WT mice treated with 2 wk of daily i.p. injections of either 7,8 DHF or deoxygedunin (5 mg/kg), regenerating axon profiles were nearly twice as long as in controls. Restoration of direct muscle responses evoked by sciatic nerve stimulation to pretransection levels over an 8-wk survival period was found only in the treated mice. Treatments with either small-molecule trkB agonist enhanced axon regeneration and muscle reinnervation after peripheral nerve injuries.
Detection, Recognition and Tracking of Moving Objects from Real-time Video via SP Theory of Intelligence and Species Inspired PSO

In this paper, we address the basic problem of recognizing moving objects in video images using SP Theory of Intelligence. The concept of SP Theory of Intelligence which is a framework of artificial intelligence, was first introduced by Gerard J Wolff, where S stands for Simplicity and P stands for Power. Using the concept of multiple alignment, we detect and recognize object of our interest in video frames with multilevel hierarchical parts and subparts, based on polythetic categories. We track the recognized objects using the species based Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). First, we extract the multiple alignment of our object of interest from training images. In order to recognize accurately and handle occlusion, we use the polythetic concepts on raw data line to omit the redundant noise via searching for best alignment representing the features from the extracted alignments. We recognize the domain of interest from the video scenes in form of wide variety of multiple alignments to handle scene variability. Unsupervised learning is done in the SP model following the DONSVIC principle and natural structures are discovered via information compression and pattern analysis. After successful recognition of objects, we use species based PSO algorithm as the alignments of our object of interest is analogues to observation likelihood and fitness ability of species. Subsequently, we analyze the competition and repulsion among species with annealed Gaussian based PSO. We have tested our algorithms on David, Walking2, FaceOcc1, Jogging and Dudek, obtaining very satisfactory and competitive results.
ISABELA-QA: Query-driven analytics with ISABELA-compressed extreme-scale scientific data

Efficient analytics of scientific data from extreme-scale simulations is quickly becoming a top-notch priority. The increasing simulation output data sizes demand for a paradigm shift in how analytics is conducted. In this paper, we argue that query-driven analytics over compressed - rather than original, full-size - data is a promising strategy in order to meet storage-and-I/O-bound application challenges. As a proof-of-principle, we propose a parallel query processing engine, called ISABELA-QA that is designed and optimized for knowledge priors driven analytical processing of spatio-temporal, multivariate scientific data that is initially compressed, in situ, by our ISABELA technology. With ISABELA-QA, the total data storage requirement is less than 23%-30% of the original data, which is upto eight-fold less than what the existing state-of-the-art data management technologies that require storing both the original data and the index could offer. Since ISABELA-QA operates on the metadata generated by our compression technology, its underlying indexing technology for efficient query processing is light-weight; it requires less than 3% of the original data, unlike existing database indexing approaches that require 30%-300% of the original data. Moreover, ISABELA-QA is specifically optimized to retrieve the actual values rather than spatial regions for the variables that satisfy user-specified range queries - a functionality that is critical for high-accuracy data analytics. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first technology that enables query-driven analytics over the compressed spatio-temporal floating-point double- or single-precision data, while offering a light-weight memory and disk storage footprint solution with parallel, scalable, multi-node, multi-core, GPU-based query processing.
Computer Attitudes, Gender and Exploratory Behavior: A Developmental Study

Three studies were conducted which examined computer attitudes, and the effect of particular gender views on exploratory behavior. In the first study, preschool children were interviewed about their computer attitudes before and after an interactive storybook session. The results showed a high level of computer awareness, with boys holding more gender-stereotypical views, and experience did not seem to alter these beliefs. Those holding cross-gender beliefs about computers (mainly the girls) were more restrictive in their exploration of the software. In the other two studies, a questionnaire was used to assess computer attitudes among high school students. All held positive views with gender differences of degree but not kind. Few students held gender-stereotypical beliefs, although, there was a consensus that females were less proficient with computers. Unlike the preschoolers, the exploratory behavior of the older students was not related to attitudes. The results suggest that affirmative action programs are working within the high schools, but the provision of more female role models is considered to be important in helping to bridge the computer gender gap. Because gender attitudes about technology are formed early, these efforts need to include the very young.
Consumer Electronics and the Power Grid: What are they doing to each other?

Consumer electronic devices mostly get their energy from the electric power grid. Such devices might be continuously connected to the grid (like televisions) or only connected to charge the batteries (like cell phones). The amount of energy taken from the grid is not reduced by using devices powered by batteries. Instead, the electrical energy consumption is more likely increased due to the losses in the conversion process and because there are more opportunities to use the device.
Handling class imbalance in direct marketing dataset using a hybrid data and algorithmic level solutions

Class imbalance is a major problem in machine learning. It occurs when the number of instances in the majority class is significantly more than the number of instances in the minority class. This is a common problem which is recurring in most datasets, including the one used in this paper (i.e. direct marketing dataset). In direct marketing, businesses are interested in identifying potential buyers, or charities wish to identify potential givers. Several solutions have been suggested in the literature to address this problem, amongst which are data-level techniques, algorithmic-level techniques and a combination of both. In this paper, a model is proposed to solve imbalanced data using a Hybrid of Data-level and Algorithmic-level solutions (HybridDA), which involves oversampling the minority class, undersampling the majority class, and additionally, optimising the cost parameter, the gamma and the kernel type of Support Vector Machines (SVM) using a grid search. The proposed model perfomed competitively compared with other models on the same dataset. The dataset used in this work are real-world data collected from a Portuguese marketing campaign for bank-deposit subscriptions and are available from the University of California, Irvine (UCI) Machine Learning Repository.
Analysis of CD4+CD8+ double‐positive T cells in blood, cerebrospinal fluid and multiple sclerosis lesions

T cells with a CD4+ CD8+ double‐positive (DP) phenotype are present in small numbers in the peripheral blood of healthy humans and may have anti‐viral capacities. Here we investigate numbers and function of DP T cells in patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), either treatment‐naive or under therapy with natalizumab. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that frequencies of circulating DP T cells in treatment‐naive and natalizumab‐treated MS patients are comparable to healthy controls. These cells have a memory phenotype with cytotoxic potential, express high levels of CD49d and are similarly functional in treatment‐naive as well as natalizumab‐treated MS patients. DP T cells were enriched in the cerebrospinal fluid, but do not invade acutely inflamed MS lesions. In conclusion, DP T cells are functional in MS and may play a role in the immune surveillance of the central nervous system, but do not display functional impairment under natalizumab therapy.
Professional status and expertise for UML class diagram comprehension: An empirical study

Professional experience is one of the most important criteria for almost any job offer in software engineering. Professional experience refers both to professional status (practitioner vs. student) and expertise (expert vs. novice). We perform an experiment with 21 subjects including both practitioners and students, and experts and novices. We seek to understand the relation between the speed and accuracy of the subjects and their status and expertise in performing maintenance tasks on UML class diagrams. We also study the impact of the formulation of the maintenance task. We use an eye-tracking system to gather the fixations of the subjects when performing the task. We measure the subjects' comprehension using their accuracy, the time spent, the search effort, the overall effort, and the question comprehension effort. We found that (1) practitioners are more accurate than students while students spend around 35 percent less time than practitioners, (2) experts are more accurate than novices while novices spending around 33 percent less time than experts, (3) expertise is the most important factor for accuracy and speed, (4) experienced students are more accurate and spend around 37 percent less time than experienced practitioners, and (5) when the description of the task is precise, the novice students can be accurate. We conclude that it is an illusion for project managers to focus on status only when recruiting a software engineer. Our result is the starting point to consider the differences between status and expertise when studying software engineers' productivity. Thus, it can help project managers to recruit productive engineers and motivated students to acquire the experience and ability in the projects.
Oxidation of the yeast mitochondrial thioredoxin promotes cell death.

AIMS Yeast, like other eukaryotes, contains a complete mitochondrial thioredoxin system comprising a thioredoxin (Trx3) and a thioredoxin reductase (Trr2). Mitochondria are a main source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in eukaryotic organisms, and this study investigates the role of Trx3 in regulating cell death during oxidative stress conditions. RESULTS We have previously shown that the redox state of mitochondrial Trx3 is buffered by the glutathione redox couple such that oxidized mitochondrial Trx3 only accumulates in mutants simultaneously lacking Trr2 and a glutathione reductase (Glr1). We show here that the redox state of mitochondrial Trx3 is important for yeast growth and its oxidation in a glr1 trr2 mutant induces programmed cell death. Apoptosis is dependent on the Yca1 metacaspase, since loss of YCA1 abrogates cell death induced by oxidized Trx3. Our data also indicate a role for a mitochondrial 1-cysteine (Cys) peroxiredoxin (Prx1) in the oxidation of Trx3, since Trx3 does not become oxidized in glr1 trr2 mutants or in a wild-type strain exposed to hydrogen peroxide in the absence of PRX1. INNOVATION This study provides evidence that the redox state of a mitochondrial thioredoxin regulates yeast apoptosis in response to oxidative stress conditions. Moreover, the results identify a signaling pathway, where the thioredoxin system functions in both antioxidant defense and in controlling cell death. CONCLUSIONS Mitochondrial Prx1 functions as a redox signaling molecule that oxidizes Trx3 and promotes apoptosis. This would mean that under conditions where Prx1 cannot detoxify mitochondrial ROS, it induces cell death to remove the affected cells.
Effects of Deferoxamine, a Chelator of Free Iron, on Na+,K+-ATPase Activity of Cortical Brain Cell Membrane during Early Reperfusion after Hypoxia-Ischemia in Newborn Lambs

Free iron chelation after hypoxia-ischemia can reduce free radical-induced damage to brain cell membranes and preserve electrical brain activity. We investigated whether chelation of free iron with deferoxamine (DFO) preserved cortical cell membrane activity of Na+,K+-ATPase and electrocortical brain activity (ECBA) of newborn lambs during early reperfusion after severe hypoxia-ischemia. Hypoxia was induced in 16 lambs by decreasing the fraction of inspired oxygen to 0.07 for 30 min, followed by a 5-min period of hypotension (mean arterial blood pressure <35 mm Hg). ECBA (in microvolts) was measured using a cerebral function monitor. Immediately after hypoxia and additional ischemia, eight lambs received DFO (2.5 mg/kg, i.v.), and seven lambs received a placebo (PLAC). Two lambs underwent sham operation. One hundred eighty minutes after completion of hypoxia and ischemia, the brains were obtained and frozen. Na+,K+-ATPase activity was measured in the P2 fraction of cortical tissue. Na+,K+-ATPase activity was 35.1 ± 7.4, 42.0 ± 7.6, and 40.7 ± 1.4 μmol inorganic phosphate/mg protein per hour in PLAC-treated, DFO-treated, and sham-operated lambs, respectively (p < 0.05: DFO versus PLAC). ECBA was 11.2 ± 6.1, 14.8 ± 4.8, and 17.5±. 0.5 μV in PLAC-treated, DFO-treated, and sham-operated lambs, respectively (p = 0.06: DFO versus PLAC). Na+,K+-ATPase activity correlated with ECBA at 180 min of reperfusion (r = 0.85, p < 0.001). We conclude that Na+,K+-ATPase activity of cortical brain tissue was higher in DFO-treated lambs compared with PLAC-treated animals during the early reperfusion phase after severe hypoxia-ischemia, suggesting a reduction of free radical formation by DFO. Furthermore, a positive relationship was found between Na+,K+-ATPase activity and ECBA.
Anatomy of Differential Power Analysis for AES

Side channel attacks are a significant threat to the deployment of secure embedded systems. Differential power analysis is one of the powerful power analysis attacks, which can be exploited in secure devices such as smart cards, PDAs and mobile phones. Several researchers in the past have presented experiments and countermeasures for differential power analysis in AES cryptography, though none of them have described the attack in a step by step manner, covering all the aspects of the attack. Some of the important missing segments are the consideration of pipelines, analysis of the power profile to locate the points of attack, the correspondence of the source code, its assembly representation, and the point of attack. In this paper we describe in detail a step-wise explanation of the differential power analysis of an AES implementation, with all of the aspects identified above.
Patterns of positive and negative religious coping with major life stressors.

This study attempted to identify positive and negative patterns of religious coping methods, develop a brief measure of these religious coping patterns, and examine their implications for health and adjustment. Through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, positive and negative religious coping patterns were identified in samples of people coping with the Oklahoma City bombing, college students coping with major life stressors, and elderly hospitalized patients coping with serious medical illnesses. A 14-item measure of positive and negative patterns of religious coping methods (Brief RCOPE) was constructed. The positive pattern consisted of religious forgiveness, seeking spiritual support, collaborative religious coping, spiritual connection, religious purification, and benevolent religious reappraisal. The negative pattern was defined by spiritual discontent, punishing God reappraisals, interpersonal religious discontent, demonic reap praisal, and reappraisal of God's powers. As predicted, people made more use of the positive than the negative religious coping methods. Furthermore, the two patterns had different implications for health and adjustment. The Brief RCOPE offers an efficient, theoretically meaningful way to integrate religious dimensions into models and studies of stress, coping, and health.
Early blunted cortisol response to insulin induced hypoglycaemia in familial Mediterranian fever.

OBJECTIVE To study cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone and C-reactive protein responses to specific stimuli in familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). METHODS For the purpose of measuring cortisol, ACTH, and CRP responses to insulin induced hypoglycaemia during attack-free periods, 14 FMF patients, 11 patients with ankylosing spondylitis or Behçet's disease as disease controls (DC), and a further 10 healthy control subjects (HC) were involved in this study. None of the subjects had ever received corticosteroids before this study. Cortisol and ACTH levels were measured by chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS No attack was observed among FMF patients during the test. No significant difference in the mean cortisol values after insulin induced hypoglycaemia was observed between the groups involved at any stage of the test. The integral cortisol response to hypoglycaemia expressed as the AUC (0-90 min) was found not to differ among the study groups (1827 +/- 115.6 in FMF; 2196 +/- 205.4 in DC, p = 0.12; 1771 +/- 98.4 in HC, p = 0.9). The delta response of cortisol to insulin induced hypoglycaemia wasfound to be statistically lower (-4 +/- 0.8 mg/dl vs. -1.9 +/- 0.7 microg/dl; p<0.03) only for the 0 to 30 min interval in patients with FMF compared to HC respectively. Similar results, though of no statistical significance, were also found for the 0 to 45 min interval (1.17 +/- 2.2 microg/dl in FMF patients vs. 3.3 +/- 2 microg/dl in HC; p = 0.6). The mean basal CRP level of patients with FMF was remarkably higher than that in HC. Although the mean CRP level at 90 min for FMF cases with cortisol levels under 12 microg/dl at 30 min was found to be higher than those with cortisol levels over 12 microg/dl at 30 min, no significant difference was observed. CONCLUSION An early blunted cortisol response observed in a stressful situation in FMF patients may well account for the curious relationship between stress and an inflammatory reaction and/or attack. Furthermore, the fact that the CRP level was relatively higher in FMF patients with lower cortisol levels might also highlight the importance of endogen cortisol in the inflammatory feature of this disease.