Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Survival is success: journalistic online start-ups in Western Europe

All around Europe, new journalistic ventures are launched on the internet even as legacy media like newspapers and broadcasters are often struggling to adapt to a new communications environment. This report is the first to systematically assess how they are doing. Based on analysis of nine strategic cases from Germany, France, and Italy, it shows that the economics of online news today are as challenging for new entrants as they are for industry incumbents. Though internet use and online advertising is growing rapidly across Europe, it is not clear that this alone will provide the basis for new forms of journalism. Two challenges loom particularly large for all the ventures examined here. First, the market for online news continues to be dominated by legacy media organisations. Second, the market for online advertising is generously supplied and dominated by a few very large players like Google. There are examples of journalistic start-ups that have managed to break even despite these challenges, but they are in a minority. While many new initiatives are inspiring in their journalistic idealism and impressive in their technical inventiveness, most struggle to make ends meet financially. The start-up scene in Europe is still at a stage where survival must be seen as a form of success in itself. The report shows clearly how the opportunities to achieve sustainability differ in important ways from country to country, underlining that what is needed is more than mere imitation of initiative launched in the United States or elsewhere. Moving forward, journalistic entrepreneurs will have to match new forms of internet-enabled journalism with business plans tailored to the particular context each start-up operates in.
Learning to Succeed while Teaching to Fail: Privacy in Closed Machine Learning Systems

Security, privacy, and fairness have become critical in the era of data science and machine learning. More and more we see that achieving universally secure, private, and fair systems is practically impossible. We have seen for example how generative adversarial networks can be used to learn about the expected private training data; how the exploitation of additional data can reveal private information in the original one; and how what looks like unrelated features can teach us about each other. Confronted with this challenge, in this paper we open a new line of research, where the security, privacy, and fairness is learned and used in a closed environment. The goal is to ensure that a given entity (e.g., the company or the government), trusted to infer certain information with our data, is blocked from inferring protected information from it. For example, a hospital might be allowed to produce diagnosis on the patient (the positive task), without being able to infer the gender of the subject (negative task). Similarly, a company can guarantee that internally it is not using the provided data for any undesired task, an important goal that is not contradicting the virtually impossible challenge of blocking everybody from the undesired task. We design a system that learns to succeed on the positive task while simultaneously fail at the negative one, and illustrate this with challenging cases where the positive task is actually harder than the negative one being blocked. Fairness, to the information in the negative task, is often automatically obtained as a result of this proposed approach. The particular framework and examples open the door to security, privacy, and fairness in very important closed scenarios, ranging from private data accumulation companies like social networks to law-enforcement and hospitals.
An analysis of EEG signal generated from ischemic stroke patient

This paper presents the analysis of an Electroencephalogram (EEG) signal generated from ischemic stroke patient. The EEG signal were recorded from two channel; Ch. A and Ch. B and filtered using band pass filter with frequency range of 0 Hz to 30 Hz. Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) was used to analysis the signal. Analysis of EEG signals showed variation of pattern belongs to each of every sub band in this brainwaves activity for each subject. EEG processing techniques contribute to the understanding of the EEG brain processes and search for its physiological significance.
A coupled thermal and mechanical modeling to investigate the stress of TSVs considering insulation layer

Through silicon via (TSV) technology has attracted much attention as a key method to realize chip stacking and interposers interconnected of 3D packaging. Due to the thermal load during fabrication and operation of TSV structure, the thermal stress will be produced owing to the structural material high CTE mismatch, which may lead to the failure of the TSV structure. In the case of uneven thermal load, the SiO2 with low thermal conductivity has a blocking effect on heat flow, thus it has a non-ignorable effect on thermal stress. In this paper, a planar TSV model of coupled thermal stress fields is established to demonstrate the influence of directional heat transfer. The influence of the thickness and structural parameters of SiO2 insulation layer on thermal stress is studied by finite element modeling. The simulation results show that larger SiO2 insulation thickness and smaller structural parameters q (q=D/P) can reduce the threat of thermal stress within the acceptable range. In addition, BCB and Parylene layer that replacing the SiO2 insulating layer can significantly reduce the thermal stress of the TSV structure. The average reduction is from 30% to 45% in majority region, and the reduction even reaches 70% at the Cu/SiO2 interface.
How sustainable are different levels of consciousness

The human brain processes a wide variety of inputs and does so either consciously or subconsciously. According to the Global Workspace theory, conscious processing involves broadcasting of information to several regions of the brain and subconscious processing involves more localized processing. This theoretical paper aims to expand on some of the aspects of the Global Workspace theory: how the properties of incoming information result in it being processed subconsciously or consciously; why processing can be either be sustained or short-lived; how the Global Workspace theory may apply both to real-time sensory input as well as to internally retained information. This paper proposes that: familiar input which does not elicit intense emotions becomes processed subconsciously and such processing can be continuous and sustained; input that elicits relatively intense emotions is subjected to highly sustainable conscious processing; input can also undergo meta-conscious processing. Such processing is not very sustainable but can exert control over other cognitive processes. This paper also discusses possible benefits of regulating cognitive processes this way.
Influence of molecular size and osmolarity of sugars and dextrans on the synthesis of outer membrane proteins O-8 and O-9 of Escherichia coli K-12

Supplementation of the growth medium with high concentrations of sugars or low-molecular-weight dextrans results in a drastic change in the ratio of outer membrane proteins O-8 and O-9, due to induction of O-8 synthesis and suppression of O-9 synthesis. Sugars and dextrans of molecular weights greater than 600 to 700 switched the synthesis of O-9 to that of O-8 more effectively than those of lower molecular weight, although the effect was almost the same within each of the two groups irrespective of the differences in molecular weight within the group. Proteins O-8 or O-9, or both, are responsible for the formation of pores that allow the passive diffusion of hydrophilic molecules whose molecular weights are smaller than about 600 (T. Nakae, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 71:877-884, 1976). The results indicate that substances that cannot pass through the outer membrane switch the synthesis of O-9 to that of O-8 more effectively than those that can penetrate this membrane with the aid of O-8, O-9, or both. It is suggested that the osmotic pressure exerted on the outer membrane plays an important role in the regulation of synthesis of the two proteins.
Region-Specific Regulation of RGS4 (Regulator of G-Protein–Signaling Protein Type 4) in Brain by Stress and Glucocorticoids: In Vivo and In VitroStudies

The present study demonstrates that the regulator of G-protein–signaling protein type 4 (RGS4) is differentially regulated in the locus coeruleus (LC) and the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus by chronic stress and glucocorticoid treatments. Acute or chronic administration of corticosterone to adult rats decreased RGS4 mRNA levels in the PVN but increased these levels in the LC. Similarly, chronic unpredictable stress decreased RGS4 mRNA levels in the PVN but had a strong trend to increase these levels in the LC. Chronic stress also decreased RGS4 mRNA levels in the pituitary. The molecular mechanisms of RGS4 mRNA regulation were further investigated in vitro in the LC-like CATH.a cell line and the neuroendocrine AtT20 cell line using the synthetic corticosterone analog dexamethasone. Consistent with the findingsin vivo, dexamethasone treatment caused a dose- and time-dependent decrease in RGS4 mRNA levels in AtT20 cells but a dose- and time-dependent increase in CATH.a cells. RGS4 mRNA regulation seen in these two cell lines seems to be attributable, at least in part, to opposite changes in mRNA stability. The differential regulation of RGS4 expression in the LC and in key relays of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis could contribute to the brain’s region-specific and long-term adaptations to stress.
MR-PET image coregistration for quantitation of striatal dopamine D2 receptors.

PURPOSE Our goal was to assess the utility of MR-PET image coregistration to quantify dopamine D2 receptors in striatum. METHOD Twenty-nine normal subjects were investigated with PET and [11C]raclopride and with MRI. D2 receptors were quantified using the ratio of the distribution volume in striatum to that in cerebellum. Measures obtained using regions selected directly from the PET images were compared with those obtained from MR images and then projected to coregistered PET images. RESULTS There were no differences between measures selected from the PET images (3.9 +/- 0.5) and those from the MR images (3.9 +/- 0.65). The values for these two measures were significantly correlated and corresponded to r = 0.9, p < 0.0001. CONCLUSION Regions of interest selected directly from PET images, where there is a large contrast between the region of interest and background, as for the case of dopamine D2 ligands, are almost identical to those obtained from coregistered MR images.
Genetic variation in dopamine‐related gene expression influences motor skill learning in mice

Several neurodevelopmental disorders with a strong genetic basis, including attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorders and developmental coordination disorder, involve deficits in fine motor skills. This phenotype may depend on heritable variation in components of the dopamine (DA) system, which is known to play a critical role in motor skill learning. In this study, we took advantage of two inbred strains of mice (BALB/c and C57BL/6) that differ markedly in the number of midbrain DA neurons in order to investigate the influence of such naturally occurring genetic variation on the acquisition and performance of fine motor skills. Gene expression analysis of midbrain, frontal cortex and striatum showed significant differences in the expression of presynaptic and postsynaptic dopaminergic (DAergic) markers (e.g. tyrosine hydroxylase, DA transporter, DA D4 receptor, DA D5 receptor and DARPP‐32) between these two strains. BALB/c mice had lower learning rate and performance scores in a complex skilled reaching task when compared with C57BL/6 mice. A negative correlation was found between the motor learning rate and level of DARPP‐32 mRNA expression in the frontal cortex contralateral to the trained forelimb. The rate of motor learning was also negatively correlated with the levels of DARPP‐32 and DA D1 receptor mRNAs in the striatum. Our results suggest that genetically driven variation in frontostriatal DAergic neurotransmission is a major contributor to individual differences in motor skill learning. Moreover, these findings implicate the D1R/cAMP/DARPP‐32 signaling pathway in those neurodevelopmental disorders that are associated with fine motor skill deficits.
Evaluation of Netrin‐1 Levels and Albuminuria in Patients With Diabetes

Netrin‐1 is a diagnostic biomarker that has been identified recently for chronic renal failure (CRF) in animal experiments. Netrin‐1 levels in urine have been shown to have increased significantly at the acute kidney damage. Human studies on the relation between the CRF and plasma netrin‐1 levels have not been found in the literature. This study aimed to investigate whether plasma netrin‐1 levels increased in the early stages of the CRF in diabetic patients.
Pandemic Spread of an O3:K6 Clone of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Emergence of Related Strains Evidenced by Arbitrarily Primed PCR and toxRS Sequence Analyses

ABSTRACT Vibrio parahaemolyticus O3:K6 strains responsible for the increase in the number of cases of diarrhea in Calcutta, India, beginning in February 1996 and those isolated from Southeast Asian travelers beginning in 1995 were shown to belong to a unique clone characterized by possession of the tdh gene but not thetrh gene and by unique arbitrarily primed PCR (AP-PCR) profiles (J. Okuda, M. Ishibashi, E. Hayakawa, T. Nishino, Y. Takeda, A. K. Mukhopadhyay, S. Garg, S. K. Bhattacharya, G. B. Nair, and M. Nishibuchi, J. Clin. Microbiol. 35:3150–3155, 1997). Evidence supporting a hypothesis that this clone emerged only recently and is spreading to many countries was obtained in this study. Of 227 strains isolated in a hospital in Bangladesh between 1977 and 1998, only 22 strains isolated between 1996 and 1998 belonged to the new O3:K6 clone (defined by the serovar, the tdh andtrh typing, and AP-PCR profiles). The O3:K6 strains isolated from clinical sources in Taiwan, Laos, Japan, Thailand, Korea, and the United States between 1997 and 1998 were also shown to belong to the new O3:K6 clone. The clonality of the new O3:K6 strains was also confirmed by analysis of the toxRS sequence, which has been shown to be useful for phylogenetic analysis of the members of the genus Vibrio. The toxRS sequences of the representative strains of the new O3:K6 clone differed from those of the O3:K6 strains isolated before 1995 at least at 7 base positions within a 1,346-bp region. A new PCR method targeted to 2 of the base positions unique to the new O3:K6 clone was developed. This PCR method could clearly differentiate all 172 strains belonging to the new O3:K6 clone from other O3:K6 strains isolated earlier. One hundred sixty-six strains belonging to 28 serovars other than O3:K6 were also examined by the new PCR method. The tdh-positive andtrh-lacking strains that belonged to the O4:K68 and O1:K untypeable serovars and were isolated in three countries and from international travelers beginning in 1997 gave positive results. The AP-PCR profiles of these strains were nearly identical to those of the new O3:K6 clone, and their toxRS sequences were 100% identical to that of the new O3:K6 clone. The results suggest that these strains may have diverged from the new O3:K6 clone by alteration of the O:K antigens. In conclusion, this study presents strong evidence for the first pandemicity in the history of V. parahaemolyticus and reports a novel toxRS-targeted PCR method that will be useful in epidemiological investigation of the cases associated with the current pandemic spread.
Recombinant adenovirus‐p21 attenuates proliferative responses associated with excessive scarring

Excessive cutaneous scarring is an important clinical disorder resulting in adverse tissue growth and function as well as undesirable cosmetic appearance. p21WAF−1/Cip−1 is a cyclin‐dependent kinase inhibitor that blocks cell cycle progression and inhibits cell proliferation. We used a recombinant adenovirus containing the human p21WAF−1/Cip−1 cDNA (rAd‐p21) to evaluate proliferative responses in skin models. In vitro dose–response studies using primary human dermal fibroblasts resulted in a dose‐dependent expression of p21WAF−1/Cip−1 protein and a 3‐ to 80‐fold reduction in cell proliferation as measured by 5‐bromodeoxyuridine incorporation. Further, rAd‐p21 reduced type I procollagen production when compared to control virus. A rat polyvinyl alcohol sponge model was used to determine rAd‐p21 effects on granulation tissue formation in vivo. Sponges pretreated with a granulation tissue stimulator, rAd‐PDGF‐B and subsequently rAd‐p21 on a second injection, showed a p21WAF−1/Cip−1 specific dose‐dependent decrease in percent granulation fill as the rAd‐p21 dose increased (p < 0.001). Immunohistochemistry identified human p21WAF−1/Cip−1 expression in sponges treated with rAd‐p21 5 days postinjection. Additionally, 5‐bromodeoxyuridine and Ki67 staining in sponges treated with rAd‐p21 showed a significant decrease in proliferation when compared to rAd‐platelet‐derived growth factor‐B alone or vehicle control groups (p < 0.01). These data support the utility of p21WAF−1/Cip−1 in targeting hyperproliferative disorders of the skin.
Utilization of milk energy by suckling mink kits

A total of 36 mink dams and their litters of 3, 6 or 9 kits were used for determination of milk intake of the suckling young by means of deuterium dilution technique, and chemical composition of milk and of kit bodies. Measurements were performed during lactation weeks 1 – 4, each week with 3 dams with each litter size. Milk intake was determined over a 48 h measurement period, and by the end of this milk samples were collected and 2 kits (litters of 6 and 9) or 1 kit per litter (litters of 3) were killed for body chemical composition. Based on the results, different models were applied for calculation of the energetic efficiency of milk. Dam milk yield increased steadily from week 1 until week 3 but only slightly from week 3 to 4. The increase declined with increasing litter size, and for dams suckling 9 kits the increment from week 3 to week 4 was only 2 g. The dry matter content of milk increased significantly as lactation progressed, being reflected in crude protein increasing from 6.9% in lactation week 1 to 8.1% in week 4. Milk fat increased concomitantly from 5.6% to 8.0%. In kit bodies, crude protein content increased from 9.4% in week 1 to about 12% in weeks 3 and 4. Body fat content increased from week 1 (4.1%) to week 3 (8.4%) and then declined in week 4 (7.1%). Animals suckled in litters of 3 kits had the highest milk intake and live weight and kits suckled in litters of 9 had the lowest milk intake, live weight and daily gain. In terms of milk intake per g gain kits in litters of 6 were the most efficient, with 4.1 g milk per g body gain. The metabolizable energy requirement for maintenance (MEm) was estimated to 448 kJ/kg0.75 and the efficiency of utilization of ME for body gain (kg) to 0.67, the estimates being higher (MEm) or in good agreement with previous findings (kg) in suckling mink kits.
Modeling Length of Stay as an Optimized Two-class Prediction Problem

Summary Objectives: To develop a predictive model for the outcome length of stay at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU LOS), including the choice of an optimal dichotomization threshold for this outcome. Reduction of prediction problems of this type of outcome to a two-class problem is a common strategy to identify high-risk patients. Methods: Threshold selection and model development are performed simultaneously. From the range of possible threshold values, the value is chosen for which the corresponding predictive model has maximal precision based on the data. To compare the precision of models for different dichotomizations of the outcome, the MALOR performance statistic is introduced. This statistic is insensitive to the prevalence of positive cases in a two-class prediction problem. Results: The procedure is applied to data from cardiac surgery patients to dichotomize the outcome ICU LOS. The class probabilitytree method is used to develop predictive models. Within our data, the best model precision is found at the threshold of seven days. Conclusions: The presented method extends existing procedures for predictive modeling with optimization of the outcome definition for predictive purposes. The method can be applied to all prediction problems where the outcome variable needs to be dichotomized, and is insensitive to changes in the prevalence of positive cases with different dichotomization thresholds.
An agent-based model identifies MRI regions of probable tumor invasion in a patient with glioblastoma

We present an application of a previously developed agent-based glioma model (Chen et al 2009 Biosystems 95 234–42) for predicting spatio-temporal tumor progression using a patient-specific MRI lattice derived from apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) data. Agents representing collections of migrating glioma cells are initialized based upon voxels at the outer border of the tumor identified on T1-weighted (Gd+) MRI at an initial time point. These simulated migratory cells exhibit a specific biologically inspired spatial search paradigm, representing a weighting of the differential contribution from haptotactic permission and biomechanical resistance on the migration decision process. ADC data from 9 months after the initial tumor resection were used to select the best search paradigm for the simulation, which was initiated using data from 6 months after the initial operation. Using this search paradigm, 100 simulations were performed to derive a probabilistic map of tumor invasion locations. The simulation was able to successfully predict a recurrence in the dorsal/posterior aspect long before it was depicted on T1-weighted MRI, 18 months after the initial operation.
Women’s Organizations of Political Parties: Formal Possibilities, Informal Challenges and Discursive Controversies

ABSTRACT Feminist research focusing on gender policy successes in the 1990s and 2000s emphasized the strengths of women’s organizations of political parties in advancing key gender equality issues in Finland. However, both the “feminism” and “politics” of political parties’ women’s organizations, hitherto apparent in Finland and elsewhere in Europe, are now deemed outdated, a paradox that is critically explored in this article. The analysis is based on interview data with women and men politicians and party workers and is structured around the key research question: how are the women’s organizations of political parties discursively constructed by the interviewed politicians and party workers and with what effects? These discursive constructions are studied in relation to: (i) the formal institutional position of the women’s organizations of political parties, (ii) informal institutional position vis-à-vis the mother party, and (iii) discursive controversies surrounding their feminism and politics. The discourse analysis reveals the contradictions and challenges faced by women’s political organizations in contemporary politics.