Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Persistent problems in information systems development. The case of the world wide web

New technologies frequently move the focus of Information Systems (IS) research away from the study of the persistent and fundamental predicaments of IS development and use. In this paper World Wide Web technologies and web-based systems are used as an example of this problem. Many researchers see these technologies and systems as so different from traditional information technologies and systems that they require new approaches to systems development. We critically examine these claims in the light of the historical evolution of the practice and research of information systems and show that characteristics frequently associated with web-based systems, such as changing skill needs and more complex organization of development projects as well as a broader and more diverse user population aren’t radically new developments, but extensions and variations of fundamental dynamics which have characterized IS since the inception of the discipline. We thus argue that current research ought to look at past experiences for advice on how to cope with present problems. And we urge IS researchers to be concerned with the underlying, persistent, problems in information systems development instead of the surface problems manifest in the fad or technology ‘of the day’.
Bieri–Neumann–Strebel–Renz invariants and homology jumping loci

We investigate the relationship between the geometric Bieri–Neumann–Strebel–Renz invariants of a space (or of a group) and the jump loci for homology with coefficients in rank‐1 local systems over a field. We give computable upper bounds for the geometric invariants in terms of the exponential tangent cones to the jump loci over the complex numbers. Under suitable hypotheses, these bounds can be expressed in terms of simpler data, for instance, the resonance varieties associated to the cohomology ring. These techniques yield information on the homological finiteness properties of free abelian covers of a given space and of normal subgroups with abelian quotients of a given group. We illustrate our results in a variety of geometric and topological contexts, such as toric complexes and Artin kernels, as well as Kähler and quasi‐Kähler manifolds.
Modeling Stance in Student Essays

Essay stance classiﬁcation, the task of determining how much an essay’s author agrees with a given proposition, is an important yet under-investigated subtask in understanding an argumentative essay’s overall content. We introduce a new corpus of argumentative student essays annotated with stance information and pro-pose a computational model for automatically predicting essay stance. In an evaluation on 826 essays, our approach significantly outperforms four baselines, one of which relies on features previously developed speciﬁcally for stance classiﬁcation in student essays, yielding relative error reductions of at least 11.3% and 5.3%, in micro and macro F-score, respectively.
Causation and the Semantics of Counterfactuals

Semantics of counterfactuals is normally developed according to the principle of similarity, and the key point is to specify the notion of relative similarity. It can be seen in specific examples that causation plays a crucial role in determining the independence of particular facts and thus also in the measure of relative similarity. Counterfactual account of causation is briefly reviewed. Some counterexamples are provided to illuminate its inherent difficulty, which justifies the proposal that causation underlies the semantics of counterfactuals rather than the converse. Event calculus is introduced in order to facilitate discussions on causation and the semantics of counterfactuals. Two notions of causation are defined formally under the framework of event calculus by making use of timing. Given the mechanism of identification of causation, the semantics of counterfactuals is defined in terms of relative similarity. It’s argued that the examples about duchess that are used to support the proposal of epistemic reading actually don’t work. The example about Kennedy is also analyzed without appealing to epistemic reading.
An entity based RDF indexing schema using Hadoop and HBase

Recent development of semantic web has opened new research to design search engines which organize and manage semantic data. The core of a search engine is the indexing system which consists of two main parts: data storage and data retrieval. With the increasing amount of semantic data, the most important goal expected from an indexing system is the ability to store large amount of data and retrieve them as fast as possible. In other words, having a scalable indexing system is one of the major challenges in semantic search engines. In this paper, a scalable method is presented to index the RDF data which utilizes HBase database, a NOSQL database management system, as its underlying data storage. HBase provides random access to massive data on the distributed framework of Hadoop, therefore, it can be a proper option for the management of the massive data. Further, due to the importance and popularity of the entity-based queries, a new schema based on a clustering algorithm is designed to effectively respond to this type of queries. The experimental evaluation shows that the proposed indexing system is effective in terms of improving scalability and retrieval of RDF data.
On the cyclic material stability of shape memory polymer

This paper presents the experimental study of a Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) based Shape Memory Polymer (SMP) produced from granulates of commercially available EstaneTM ETE75DT3 NAT022 (Oevel Westerlo, Belgium). This polymer is characterized by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMTA). The experimental procedure was designed to study the functional properties (shape fixity and shape recovery) of this shape memory polymer in multiple programming/shape‐recovery cycles at three different programming temperatures. The results are displayed in the temperature‐stress‐strain space with focus on parameters which characterize the functional fatigue and material stability of the tested polymer during consecutive cycles. These results give a better understanding of this material class that has a potential for actuator applications in engineering.
Birth Weight, Adult Weight, and Girth as Predictors of the Metabolic Syndrome in Postmenopausal Women: The Rancho Bernardo Study

OBJECTIVE Recent studies have demonstrated an association between low birth weight and chronic and metabolic disorders in adulthood such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. These disorders tend to cluster in a condition known as the metabolic syndrome (syndrome X). Only two studies have reported an association of birth weight to the metabolic syndrome. The present study is distinguished as the only study to focus on postmenopausal women. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Subjects were 303 community-dwelling, postmenopausal Caucasian women aged 50–84 years. Metabolic and anthropometric variables were measured at a clinic visit; birth weight was assessed by self-report on a mailed questionnaire. RESULTS The metabolic syndrome, defined as the simultaneous presence of hypertension, dyslipidemia, and abnormal glucose tolerance, was present in 7.9% of these women. Compared with women in the highest birth weight tertile (8.1–13.0 lb, mean 9.4 lb), those in the lowest birth weight tertile (2.5–6.8 lb, mean 5.5 lb) exhibited an increased prevalence (12.0 vs. 4.3%, P < 0.05) and 2.41 times the risk (95% CI 1.06–5.51) of developing the metabolic syndrome. Women with a heavy birth weight had an increased risk of adult obesity. Nevertheless, women in the lowest birth weight tertile who became adults in the highest tertile of BMI (>25.2 kg/m2) or waist circumference (>80.7 cm) had the highest prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (∼30%). CONCLUSIONS Low birth weight coupled with adult obesity is a strong determinant of the metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women.
Inhibition of fatty acid amide hydrolase by URB597 attenuates the anxiolytic-like effect of acetaminophen in the mouse elevated plus-maze test

Acetaminophen is the most widely used analgesic/antipyretic drug. It is metabolized into N-arachidonoylphenolamine (AM404), which inhibits the reuptake of anandamide. In view of the role of endocannabinoids in the effect of acetaminophen, we tested its anxiolytic-like effect by observing the behavior of mice using the elevated plus-maze test. The results indicated that acetaminophen [100 and 200 mg/kg, intraperitoneally (i.p.)] exerted an anxiolytic-like effect that was represented by higher percentage open-arm time, percentage open-arm entries, and total number of head dips compared with the vehicle control (P<0.05). Inhibition of fatty acid amide hydrolase, an enzyme involved in the cerebral metabolism of acetaminophen into AM404, using URB597 (0.07 mg/kg, i.p.), attenuated the anxiolytic-like effect of acetaminophen. Pretreatment with the cannabinoid type-1 receptor antagonist rimonabant (1 mg/kg, i.p.) antagonized the effect of acetaminophen. Remarkably, the selected doses of rimonabant or URB597 did not themselves induce any anxiolytic-like effect. Furthermore, the selected doses of acetaminophen (25, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, i.p.) did not significantly alter the locomotor activity of mice in the open-field test. In conclusion, these findings confirmed that acetaminophen shows an anxiolytic-like effect in mice that involves, at least in part, AM404-mediated accumulation of anandamide in the brain and consequent activation of cannabinoid type-1 receptors.
Harmonic source estimation in distribution systems

In power systems the knowledge of the system state is required to operate management and control issues, such as energy dispatching and protection coordination. The authors have recently proposed a novel procedure for harmonic source estimation aimed at giving distribution network operators information about the possible presence of harmonic producing loads, along with an indication about the reliability of such information. In this paper significant improvements in the procedure are presented.
Clinical evaluation of urinary cortisol determinations by competetive protein-binding radioassay.

ABSTRACT Urinary cortisol determinations were carried out on samples from 162 subjects by a method described previously. After extracting the cortisol from 1 ml or less of a 24-hr urine volume into methylene chloride, it was measured according to its competition with tritiated cortisol for binding sites on the corticosteroid-binding globulin of human plasma. Values in healthy subjects (48 ± 32 μg/24 hr with a range of 0 to 108 μg/24 hr) did not differ significantly from those found in obese, chronically ill and hypertensive patients. All 32 values found in 14 cases of Cushing's syndrome exceeded 120 μg/24 hr. Subjects in whom adrenocortical secretion was suppressed by dexamethasone or who were known to have adrenocortical hypofunction had very low values (3±6 μg/24 hr). This determination can be carried out in 2–3 hr and is highly specific for cortisol. It is particularly useful clinically for the detection of adrenocortical hyperfunction.
Compliant leg behaviour explains basic dynamics of walking and running

The basic mechanics of human locomotion are associated with vaulting over stiff legs in walking and rebounding on compliant legs in running. However, while rebounding legs well explain the stance dynamics of running, stiff legs cannot reproduce that of walking. With a simple bipedal spring–mass model, we show that not stiff but compliant legs are essential to obtain the basic walking mechanics; incorporating the double support as an essential part of the walking motion, the model reproduces the characteristic stance dynamics that result in the observed small vertical oscillation of the body and the observed out-of-phase changes in forward kinetic and gravitational potential energies. Exploring the parameter space of this model, we further show that it not only combines the basic dynamics of walking and running in one mechanical system, but also reveals these gaits to be just two out of the many solutions to legged locomotion offered by compliant leg behaviour and accessed by energy or speed.
Photochemistry of HO x in the upper troposphere at northern midlatitudes

The factors controlling the concentrations of HOx radicals (= OH + peroxy) in the upper troposphere (8–12 km) are examined using concurrent aircraft observations of OH, HO2, H2O2, CH3OOH, and CH2O made during the Subsonic Assessment Ozone and Nitrogen Oxide Experiment (SONEX) at northern midlatitudes in the fall. These observations, complemented by concurrent measurements of O3, H2O, NO, peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN), HNO3, CH4, CO, acetone, hydrocarbons, actinic fluxes, and aerosols, allow a highly constrained mass balance analysis of HOx and of the larger chemical family HOy (= HOx + 2 H2O2 + 2 CH3OOH + HNO2 + HNO4). Observations of OH and HO2 are successfully simulated to within 40% by a diel steady state model constrained with observed H2O2 and CH3OOH. The model captures 85% of the observed HOx variance, which is driven mainly by the concentrations of NOx (= NO + NO2) and by the strength of the HOx primary sources. Exceptions to the good agreement between modeled and observed HOx are at sunrise and sunset, where the model is too low by factors of 2–5, and inside cirrus clouds, where the model is too high by factors of 1.2–2. Heterogeneous conversion of NO2 to HONO on aerosols (γNO2 = 10−3) during the night followed by photolysis of HONO could explain part of the discrepancy at sunrise. Heterogeneous loss of HO2 on ice crystals (γice_HO2 = 0.025) could explain the discrepancy in cirrus. Primary sources of HOx from O(1D)+H2O and acetone photolysis were of comparable magnitude during SONEX. The dominant sinks of HOy were OH+HO2 (NOx 50 pptv). Observed H2O2 concentrations are reproduced by model calculations to within 50% if one allows in the model for heterogeneous conversion of HO2 to H2O2 on aerosols (γHO2 = 0.2). Observed CH3OOH concentrations are underestimated by a factor of 2 on average. Observed CH2O concentrations were usually below the 50 pptv detection limit, consistent with model results; however, frequent occurrences of high values in the observations (up to 350 pptv) are not captured by the model. These high values are correlated with high CH3OH and with cirrus clouds. Heterogeneous oxidation of CH3OH to CH2O on aerosols or ice crystals might provide an explanation (γice_CH3OH ∼ 0.01 would be needed).
Resistive viscoelasticity of silicone rubber/carbon black composite

Electrical conductive polymer composites are shown as prospective flexible pressure and stretch sensors for detecting the dangerous deformations and for sensing the pressure with minimal intrusion. To better understand the piezoresistive mechanism and improve the performance of this type of sensor, a series of experiments were conducted to investigate the resistive viscoelasticity of silicone rubber/carbon black composite film. First, the flexible conductive composite film was composed with liquid silicone rubber as the matrix and conductive carbon black as the filler. The filler loading was fixed at 5 phr in mass ratio. Then, the resistive viscoelasticity of the composite film was studied as a function of frequency in the range from DC to 1 MHz, including resistive creep, resistive relaxation, and resistive recovery, although in a standard experiment, one-step stress or one-step strain was loaded in transient time and the resistance responses were measured. Result from the experiment shows that the creep of resistance is composed of two distinct segments. One is coincident with the strain creep of a typical viscoelastic material, while the other is quite different. Both the relaxation and the recovery of resistance exhibit strong frequency dependence. The relaxation speed becomes slower with the increase of exciting frequency except DC, and the relaxation speed is marginal when excited by DC electrical field. The recovery time becomes shorter with the increase of the exciting frequency. POLYM. COMPOS. , 32:29-35, 2011. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers.
Human Pharmacology of Naproxen Sodium

We compared the variability in degree and recovery from steady-state inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2 ex vivo and in vivo and platelet aggregation by naproxen sodium at 220 versus 440 mg b.i. d. and low-dose aspirin in healthy subjects. Six healthy subjects received consecutively naproxen sodium (220 and 440 mg b.i.d.) and aspirin (100 mg daily) for 6 days, separated by washout periods of 2 weeks. COX-1 and COX-2 inhibition was determined using ex vivo and in vivo indices of enzymatic activity: 1) the measurement of serum thromboxane (TX)B2 levels and whole-blood lipopolysaccharide-stimulated prostaglandin (PG)E2 levels, markers of COX-1 in platelets and COX-2 in monocytes, respectively; 2) the measurement of urinary 11-dehydro-TXB2 and 2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF1α levels, markers of systemic TXA2 biosynthesis (mostly COX-1-derived) and prostacyclin biosynthesis (mostly COX-2-derived), respectively. Arachidonic acid (AA)-induced platelet aggregation was also studied. The maximal inhibition of platelet COX-1 (95.9 ± 5.1 and 99.2 ± 0.4%) and AA-induced platelet aggregation (92 ± 3.5 and 93.7 ± 1.5%) obtained at 2 h after dosing with naproxen sodium at 220 and 440 mg b.i. d. , respectively, was indistinguishable from aspirin, but at 12 and 24 h after dosing, we detected marked variability, which was higher with naproxen sodium at 220 mg than at 440 mg b.i. d. Assessment of the ratio of inhibition of urinary 11-dehydro-TXB2 versus 2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF1α showed that the treatments caused a more profound inhibition of TXA2 than prostacyclin biosynthesis in vivo throughout dosing interval. In conclusion, neither of the two naproxen doses mimed the persistent and complete inhibition of platelet COX-1 activity obtained by aspirin, but marked heterogeneity was mitigated by the higher dose of the drug.
Adhesion G Protein-Coupled Receptors: Signaling, Pharmacology, and Mechanisms of Activation

The adhesion G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are a distinct family of more than 30 receptors in vertebrate genomes. These receptors have been shown to play pivotal roles in a diverse range of biological functions and are characterized by extremely large N termini featuring various adhesion domains capable of mediating cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. The adhesion GPCR N termini also contain GPCR proteolytic site motifs that undergo autocatalytic cleavage during receptor processing to create mature GPCRs existing as noncovalently attached complexes between the N terminus and transmembrane regions. There is mounting evidence that adhesion GPCRs can couple to G proteins to activate a variety of different downstream signaling pathways. Furthermore, recent studies have demonstrated that adhesion GPCR N termini can bind to multiple ligands, which may differentially activate receptor signaling and/or mediate cell adhesion. In addition, studies on several distinct adhesion GPCRs have revealed that truncations of the N termini result in constitutively active receptors, suggesting a model of receptor activation in which removal of the N terminus may be a key event in stimulating receptor signaling. Because mutations to certain adhesion GPCRs cause human disease and because many members of this receptor family exhibit highly discrete distribution patterns in different tissues, the adhesion GPCRs represent a class of potentially important drug targets that have not yet been exploited. For this reason, understanding the mechanisms of activation for these receptors and elucidating their downstream signaling pathways can provide insights with the potential to lead to novel therapeutic agents.
The polypyrimidine tract-binding protein stimulates HIF-1α IRES-mediated translation during hypoxia

When oxygen supply is restricted, protein synthesis is rapidly abrogated owing to inhibition of global translation. However, HIF-1α protein expression can persist during hypoxia, owing to an internal ribosome entry site (IRES) in the 5′-untranslated region of its mRNA. Here, we report on the molecular mechanism of HIF-1α IRES-mediated translation during oxygen deprivation. Using RNA affinity chromatography and UV-crosslinking experiments, we show that the polypyrimidine tract binding protein (PTB) can specifically interact with the HIF-1α IRES, and that this interaction is enhanced in hypoxic conditions. Overexpression of PTB enhanced HIF-1α IRES activity, whereas RNA interference-mediated downregula-tion of PTB protein expression inhibited HIF-1α IRES activity. Furthermore, hypoxia-induced stimulation of the HIF-1α IRES was reduced in cells in which PTB function was downregulated. In agreement with these results, the IRES activity of HIF-1α IRES deletion mutants that are deficient in PTB-binding could not be stimulated by oxygen deprivation. All together, our data suggest that PTB plays a stimulatory role in the IRES-mediated translation of HIF-1α when oxygen supply is limited.
Glycoproteins: rapid sequencing technology for N-linked and GPI anchor glycans.

Recent advances in oligosaccharide sequencing technology have made routine glycan analysis of glycoproteins and the glycan moieties of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchors a real possibility for many laboratories. The strategies described here have been developed specifically to address the need for a rapid and robust method of glycan analysis which can be applied routinely to microgram levels of glycoproteins with the minimum requirement for specialised equipment or expertise. This strategy also allows the possibility of isolating individual sugars of particular interest for more detailed analysis. We discuss the N~glycosy[ation ofCD48. IgO and IgA I, the Fab and Fc fragments of [gO and also the small (S) and middle (M) glycoproteins of the hepatitiS B virus coat protein. We describe the analysis of the major O·glycans of neutrophil gelatinase B and also present a novel method for analysing the gIycans attached to the GPI anchor of a variant surface glycoprotein of Trypcl1Z0S()mlllmlcei directly from a Western blot. The underlying aim of these analytical strategies is to obtain oligosaccharide sequencing data which. in combination with oligosaccharide and protein structural data. can be visualised in a molecular model. In this way, oligo saccharides can be viewed in the context of the proteins to which they are attached. and some insight can be gained into the roles which sugars might play in the structure and function of the glycoproteins.