Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The CULTEX RFS: A Comprehensive Technical Approach for the In Vitro Exposure of Airway Epithelial Cells to the Particulate Matter at the Air-Liquid Interface

The EU Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) demands the implementation of alternative methods for analyzing the hazardous effects of chemicals including particulate formulations. In the field of inhalation toxicology, a variety of in vitro models have been developed for such studies. To simulate the in vivo situation, an adequate exposure device is necessary for the direct exposure of cultivated lung cells at the air-liquid interface (ALI). The CULTEX RFS fulfills these requirements and has been optimized for the exposure of cells to atomized suspensions, gases, and volatile compounds as well as micro- and nanosized particles. This study provides information on the construction and functional aspects of the exposure device. By using the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis, the technical design was optimized to realize a stable, reproducible, and homogeneous deposition of particles. The efficiency of the exposure procedure is demonstrated by exposing A549 cells dose dependently to lactose monohydrate, copper(II) sulfate, copper(II) oxide, and micro- and nanoparticles. All copper compounds induced cytotoxic effects, most pronounced for soluble copper(II) sulfate. Micro- and nanosized copper(II) oxide also showed a dose-dependent decrease in the cell viability, whereby the nanosized particles decreased the metabolic activity of the cells more severely.
Unfriendly Architecture: Using Observations of Inuit Spatial Behavior to Design Culturally Sustaining Houses in Arctic Canada

In the decades following the Second World War, Inuit of the Canadian Arctic were introduced to Euro-Canadian architecture in communities that were scattered throughout the North. These houses, and the settlements in which they were situated, were spatially designed around Euro-Canadian concepts of family, community, economics and administrative control. Direct observations of space use by Inuit families were carried out in a remote Canadian Arctic community, and interpreted using space syntax analysis and agency theory. The results of this study indicate that the programmatic categories typically used to structure Euro-Canadian houses, such as bedrooms, kitchens, living rooms and porches, are rarely adhered to by Inuit families. While this apparent mismatch between intended versus actual uses of space may appear arbitrary, it is, in fact, systematically matched to the spatial structure of the houses they inhabit. These interpretations have important implications for the development of aboriginal housing policy in northern Canada.
Normalization of Linear Support Vector Machines

In this paper, we start with the standard support vector machine (SVM) formulation and extend it by considering a general SVM formulation with normalized margin. This results in a unified convex framework that allows many different variations in the formulation with very diverse numerical performance. The proposed unified framework can capture the existing methods, i.e., standard soft-margin SVM, l1-SVM, and SVMs with standardization, feature selection, scaling, and many more SVMs, as special cases. Furthermore, our proposed framework can not only provide us with more insights on different SVMs from the “energy” and “penalty” point of views, which help us understand the connections and differences between them in a unified way, but also enable us to propose more SVMs that outperform the existing ones under some scenarios.
Complete Genome Sequence of a Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus from a Novel Outbreak in Belgium, January 2015

ABSTRACT Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a member of the family Coronaviridae and can cause severe outbreaks of diarrhea in piglets from different age groups. Here, we report the complete genome sequence (28,028 nt) of a PEDV strain isolated during a novel outbreak in Belgium.
Nuclear Import of Histone H2a and H2b Is Mediated by a Network of Karyopherins

The first step in the assembly of new chromatin is the cell cycle–regulated synthesis and nuclear import of core histones. The core histones include H2A and H2B, which are assembled into nucleosomes as heterodimers. We show here that the import of histone H2A and H2B is mediated by several members of the karyopherin (Kap; importin) family. An abundant complex of H2A, H2B, and Kap114p was detected in cytosol. In addition, two other Kaps, Kap121p and Kap123p, and the histone chaperone Nap1p were isolated with H2A and H2B. Nap1p is not necessary for the formation of the Kap114p-H2A/H2B complex or for import of H2A and H2B. We demonstrate that both histones contain a nuclear localization sequence (NLS) in the amino-terminal tail. Fusions of the NLSs to green fluorescent protein were specifically mislocalized to the cytoplasm in kap mutant strains. In addition, we detected a specific mislocalization in a kap95 temperature-sensitive strain, suggesting that this Kap is also involved in the import of H2A and H2B in vivo. Importantly, we show that Kap114p, Kap121p, and Kap95 interact directly with both histone NLSs and that RanGTP inhibits this association. These data suggest that the import of H2A and H2B is mediated by a network of Kaps, in which Kap114p may play the major role.
Comparing the Similarity of Time-Series Gene Expression Using Signal Processing Metrics

Many algorithms have been used to cluster genes measured by microarray across a time series. Instead of clustering, our goal was to compare all pairs of genes to determine whether there was evidence of a phase shift between them. We describe a technique where gene expression is treated as a discrete time-invariant signal, allowing the use of digital signal-processing tools, including power spectral density, coherence, and transfer gain and phase shift. We used these on a public RNA expression set of 2467 genes measured every 7 min for 119 min and found 18 putative associations. Two of these were known in the biomedical literature and may have been missed using correlation coefficients. Digital signal processing tools can be embedded and enhance existing clustering algorithms.
Simultaneous Switching of the ${Q}$ -Value and Operation Wavelength in an Erbium-Doped Fiber Laser

We report a pulsed erbium-doped fiber laser with simultaneous switching of the laser cavity Q-value and generation wavelength. The laser generates a train of short pulses with adjacent pulses alternately being on one of two fixed wavelengths. This regime is realized at periodical modulation of physical length of overwritten fiber Bragg gratings composing the laser cavity
Semantic Business Process Representation to Enhance the Degree of BPM Mechanization - An Ontology

Business process management is still characterized by a low degree of mechanization. One of the main causes is a lack of an appropriate semantic representation for business process models and execution data unified in a single ontology. Many researchers addressed this problem but the ontologies proposed so far define a proprietary property called "occurrence Of" to link a process model to its execution data. In this paper we we propose an alternative approach based on a multilayer representation using an is-a relation instead. This is cognitively more adequate and allows to use standard reasoning mechanisms. We show how OWL-FA enables a semantic representation of the metamodel in an ontology, providing decidable reasoners. We present a case study and we address the semantic issue with a detailed analysis. We show how it is possible to answer some queries with the support of this ontology, demonstrating how our ontology can be a suitable tool to enhance the mechanization of business process management.
Speaker normalization through formant-based warping of the frequency scale

Speaker-dependent automatic speech recognition systems are known to outperform speaker-independent systems when enough training data are available to model acoustical variability among speakers. Speaker normalization techniques modify the spectral representation of incoming speech waveforms in an attempt to reduce variability between speakers. Recent successful speaker normalization algorithms have incorporated a speaker-specific frequency warping to the initial signal processing stages. These algorithms, however, do not make extensive use of acoustic features contained in the incoming speech. In this paper we study the possible benefits of the use of acoustic features in speaker normalization algorithms using frequency warping. We study the extent to which the use of such features, including specifically the use of formant frequencies, can improve recognition accuracy and reduce computational complexity for speaker normalization. We examine the characteristics and limitations of several types of feature sets and warping functions as we compare their performance relative to existing algorithms.
Conception of a Reliable, Low Cost and Autonomous Explorative Hovercraft

— The paper presents actual benefits and drawbacks of a multidirectional autonomous hovercraft conceived with limited resources and designed for indoor exploration. Recent developments in the field have led to the apparition of very powerful automotive systems capable of very high calculation and exploration in complex unknown environments. They usually propose very complex algorithms, high precision/cost sensors and sometimes have heavy calculation consumption with complex data fusion. These systems are usually powerful but have a certain price, and the benefits may not be worth the cost, especially considering their hardware limitations and their power consumption. The present approach is to build a compromise between cost, power consumption and results preciseness.
VARIATION DANS LA COMPOSITION LEXICALE DES STYLES ORAUX

The present study shows that Variation in the composition of the lexicon at tokenlevel between more and less formal oral styles is identical to the Variation between written and oral discourse. It is argued here that Speakers deictically anchor their utterances in a non-linguistic spatio-temporal context and that the degree of contextdependence is reflected in the composition of the lexicon. More informal styles will be characterised by a higher proportion of pronouns, verbs and adverbs which are deictal words par excellence. An analysis of advanced French interlanguage data revealed an amount of interindividual Variation that correlates with the subject's degree of extraversion.
The Digital Emily Project: Achieving a Photorealistic Digital Actor

For more than three decades, computer graphics researchers have been working to create a photorealistic digital actor. In the Digital Emily project, Image Metrics and the University of Southern California's Institute for Creative Technologies (USC ICT) animated a digital face using new results in 3D facial capture, character modeling, animation, and rendering. The project aimed to cross the "uncanny valley" that divides a synthetic-looking face from a real, animated, expressive person. The key technologies included a fast high-resolution digital face-scanning process using USC ICT's Light Stage capture system and Image Metrics' video-based facial-animation system. The project generated one of the first photorealistic digital faces to speak and emote convincingly in a medium close-up.LED lights turned on. We've described the Light Stage scanning process elsewhere. Unlike earlier Light Stage processes, which photographed the face under hundreds of illumination directions, this newer process requires only 15 stereo photographs of the face under different lighting conditions to capture the face's geometry and reflectance. The small number of photos lets us use off-the-shelf high-quality still cameras (Canon ID Mark Ill's) and shoot each data set in under three seconds using the cameras' burst mode.
FGF signalling controls formation of the apical sensory organ in the cnidarian Nematostella vectensis

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signalling regulates essential developmental processes in vertebrates and invertebrates, but its role during early metazoan evolution remains obscure. Here, we analyse the function of FGF signalling in a non-bilaterian animal, the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis. We identified the complete set of FGF ligands and FGF receptors, of which two paralogous FGFs (NvFGFa1 and NvFGFa2) and one FGF receptor (NvFGFRa) are specifically coexpressed in the developing apical organ, a sensory structure located at the aboral pole of ciliated larvae from various phyla. Morpholino-mediated knockdown experiments reveal that NvFGFa1 and NvFGFRa are required for the formation of the apical organ, whereas NvFGFa2 counteracts NvFGFRa signalling to prevent precocious and ectopic apical organ development. Marker gene expression analysis shows that FGF signalling regulates local patterning in the aboral region. Furthermore, NvFGFa1 activates its own expression and that of the antagonistic NvFGFa2, thereby establishing positive- and negative-feedback loops. Finally, we show that loss of the apical organ upon NvFGFa1 knockdown blocks metamorphosis into polyps. We propose that the control of the development of sensory structures at the apical pole of ciliated larvae is an ancestral function of FGF signalling.
Mobile Selves: Gender, ethnicity and mobile phones in the everyday lives of young Pakistani-British women and men

This paper focuses on mobile phone use by a young minority ethnic group as a medium through which to explore diversity and technology use in everyday life. Recent research with young people has shown that mobile phones are instrumentally, socially and emotionally important but few have problematized the homogeneous concept of ‘youth’. This paper argues for increased recognition of the intersections of social categories such as youth, gender and ethnicity with technologies, specifically mobile phones, in order to understand complexity of use. Drawing on new empirical, qualitative data from an urban area in the North East of England we explore the focus group narratives of young Pakistani-British Muslim women and men focusing on the notion of ‘shifting’ gendered and cultural identities and social practices, developed and reworked in relation to the use of mobile phones. We look at the gendered dynamics of mobile use, including gender talk and text, and ask whether the young women and men experience mobiles differently in everyday life. We also explore the ways in which mobiles are used to create ‘space of one's own’ and the gendered dynamics of remaining connected, especially to key peer groups. The paper concludes with the assertion that in order to fully explore the mutability of youth cultures across space and time, we need to develop a more dynamic concept of ‘mobile selves’ by exploring the place and meaning of technologies such as mobile phones in the rich tapestries of young people's lives.
On-the-job management training and multicultural skills: the moderating effect of openness to experience

This study examined the effects of on-the-job management training on the incumbent public administration managers’ multicultural skills as a function of the managers’ openness to experience. Two hundred eighty four public administration managers from the European Commission and 26 member states participated in the study. The results indicate that on-the-job training (including the initial training, informal training, mentoring, coaching, and the availability of resources) improve the incumbent managers’ multicultural skills, but only when the managers are moderate or high in openness to experience. The multicultural skills of the managers who are high in openness to experience benefit from on-the-job training the most, followed by the skills of the managers who are moderate in openness to experience. When the managers are low in openness to experience, the increased amounts of on-the-job training actually decrease their level of multicultural skills.
Graph Modeling of Metabolism

Metabolism is a network of chemical reactions catalyzed by enzymes. In a cell, ingested sugars and proteins are metabolized to basic compounds such as amino or fatty acids, and they are used to construct cellular structures in turn. This paper proposes the graph modeling of metabolism. It is possible to describe metabolism as a circulation of atoms by representing all reactions with the chemical structures of small compounds (metabolites). Enzymatic reactions are regarded as the rearrangement of chemicals, and the mapping information of atoms between structures are stored in a database. In fact, the tracer experiment in biochemistry is based on this model, although the mapping information is referenced with the traditional metabolic map on paper. This tracing effort should be minimized by the digitization of metabolism as in our project.
Automated segmentation of the quadratus lumborum muscle from magnetic resonance images using a hybrid atlas based - geodesic active contour scheme

This study presents a novel method for the automatic segmentation of the quadratus lumborum (QL) muscle from axial magnetic resonance (MR) images using a hybrid scheme incorporating the use of non-rigid registration with probabilistic atlases (PAs) and geodesic active contours (GACs). The scheme was evaluated on an MR database of 7mm axial images of the lumbar spine from 20 subjects (fast bowlers and athletic controls). This scheme involved several steps, including (i) image pre-processing, (ii) generation of PAs for the QL, psoas (PS) and erector spinae+multifidus (ES+MT) muscles and (iii) segmentation, using 3D GACs initialized and constrained by the propagation of the PAs using non-rigid registration. Pre-processing of the images involved bias field correction based on local entropy minimization with a bicubic spline model and a reverse diffusion interpolation algorithm to increase the slice resolution to 0.98×0.98×1.75mm. The processed images were then registered (affine and non-rigid) and used to generate an average atlas. The PAs for the QL, PS and ES+MT were then generated by propagation of manual segmentations. These atlases were further analysed with specialised filtering to constrain the QL segmentation from adjacent non-muscle tissues (kidney, fat). This information was then used in 3D GACs to obtain the final segmentation of the QL. The automatic segmentation results were compared with the manual segmentations using the Dice similarity metric (DSC), with a median DSC for the right and left QL muscles of 0.78 (mean = 0.77, sd=0.07) and 0.75 (mean =0.74, sd=0.07), respectively.
The Super Anti-apoptotic Factor Bcl-xFNK Constructed by Disturbing Intramolecular Polar Interactions in Rat Bcl-xL *

A powerful artificial anti-apoptotic factor will be useful for medical applications of the future therapies for many diseases by prolonging survival of sick cells. For constructing it, we designed the super anti-apoptotic factor by disturbing three intramolecular polar interactions among α-helix structures of Bcl-xL. The resultant mutant Bcl-xL, named Bcl-xFNK, was expected to make the pore-forming domain more mobile and flexible than the wild-type. When overexpressed in Jurkat cells, Bcl-xFNK was markedly more potent in prolonging survival following apoptosis-inducing treatment with a kind of cell death cytokines (anti-Fas), a protein kinase inhibitor (staurosporine), cell cycle inhibitors (TN-16, camptothecin, hydroxyurea, and trichostatin A), or oxidative stress (hydrogen peroxide and paraquat) than wild-type Bcl-xL. Furthermore, the transfectants ofbcl-xFNK became more resistant against a calcium ionophore and even a heat treatment than wild-type Bcl-xL. In addition, Bcl-xFNK showed marked anti-apoptotic activity in Chinese hamster ovary and Jurkat cells deprived of serum. Thus, Bcl-xFNK may be the first mutant generated by site-directed mutagenesis of Bcl-xL with a gain-of-function phenotype. Interestingly, Bcl-xFNK was found to allow interleukin-3-dependent FDC-P1 to grow without interleukin-3, but not BaF/3. In Bcl-xFNK transfectants of FDC-P1 and Jurkat, the p42/p44 mitogen-activated protein kinase was activated by 2 to 5 times, but not in those of BaF/3 and Chinese hamster ovary. Bcl-xFNK might gain a new function to activate the mitogen-activated protein kinase in a cell-type specific manner. The findings of this study suggest that the central α5-α6 pore-forming region of anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-xL has a pivotal role in suppressing apoptosis.
The Effect of Goal-Setting and Daily Electronic Feedback on In-Home Energy Use

Goal-setting in conjunction with feedback on the degree of goal attainment can assist consumers in monitoring and, thus, reducing or stabilizing their in-home energy use. A field experiment compared the effects of daily electronic feedback with monthly external feedback and with self-monitoring of energy use. With daily feedback, a 12.3 percent reduction in natural gas use was achieved, more than in the other conditions and more than the stated 10 percent conservation goal. One year after the experiment, energy use remained reduced relative to the baseline in all groups; however, differences between the experimental conditions were no longer significant. Copyright 1989 by the University of Chicago.
Rational Design and Synthesis of New, High Efficiency, Multipotent Schiff Base-1,2,4-triazole Antioxidants Bearing Butylated Hydroxytoluene Moieties

A new series of multipotent antioxidants (MPAOs), namely Schiff base-1,2,4-triazoles attached to the oxygen-derived free radical scavenging moiety butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) were designed and subsequently synthesized. The structure-activity relationship (SAR) of the designed antioxidants was established alongside the prediction of activity spectra for substances (PASS). The antioxidant activities of the synthesized compounds 4–10 were tested by the DPPH bioassay. The synthesized compounds 4–10 inhibited stable DPPH free radicals at a level that is 10−4 M more than the well-known standard antioxidant BHT. Compounds 8–10 with para-substituents were less active than compounds 4 and 5 with trimethoxy substituents compared to those with a second BHT moiety (compounds 6 and 7). With an IC50 of 46.13 ± 0.31 µM, compound 6 exhibited the most promising in vitro inhibition at 89%. Therefore, novel MPAOs containing active triazole rings, thioethers, Schiff bases, and BHT moieties are suggested as potential antioxidants for inhibiting oxidative stress processes and scavenging free radicals, hence, this combination of functions is anticipated to play a vital role in repairing cellular damage, preventing various human diseases and in medical therapeutic applications.
Adult Recall of Parental Alienation in a Community Sample: Prevalence and Associations With Psychological Maltreatment

Two hundred fifty-three adults working in a New York child welfare agency agreed to complete anonymous research packets containing, among other measures, 6 existing scales of psychological maltreatment and a single item about exposure to parental alienation as a child. Results revealed that one fourth of the full sample reported some exposure to parental alienation, which itself was associated with greater likelihood of reporting psychological maltreatment. These data document just how widespread parental alienation may be, as well as the likelihood that those exposed to it will experience themselves as having been psychologically maltreated. Implications of these findings are presented in terms of public awareness, education for divorcing families and their children, and professional training for the mental health and legal professionals working with them.