Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Annexin V Incorporated into Influenza Virus Particles Inhibits Gamma Interferon Signaling and Promotes Viral Replication

ABSTRACT During the budding process, influenza A viruses (IAVs) incorporate multiple host cell membrane proteins. However, for most of them, their significance in viral morphogenesis and infectivity remains unknown. We demonstrate here that the expression of annexin V (A5) is upregulated at the cell surface upon IAV infection and that a substantial proportion of the protein is present in lipid rafts, the site of virus budding. Western blotting and immunogold analysis of highly purified IAV particles showed the presence of A5 in the virion. Significantly, gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-induced Stat phosphorylation and IFN-γ-induced 10-kDa protein (IP-10) production in macrophage-derived THP-1 cells was inhibited by purified IAV particles. Disruption of the IFN-γ signaling pathway was A5 dependent since downregulation of its expression or its blockage reversed the inhibition and resulted in decreased viral replication in vitro. The functional significance of these results was also observed in vivo. Thus, IAVs can subvert the IFN-γ antiviral immune response by incorporating A5 into their envelope during the budding process. IMPORTANCE Many enveloped viruses, including influenza A viruses, bud from the plasma membrane of their host cells and incorporate cellular surface proteins into viral particles. However, for the vast majority of these proteins, only the observation of their incorporation has been reported. We demonstrate here that the host protein annexin V is specifically incorporated into influenza virus particles during the budding process. Importantly, we showed that packaged annexin V counteracted the antiviral activity of gamma interferon in vitro and in vivo. Thus, these results showed that annexin V incorporated in the viral envelope of influenza viruses allow viral escape from immune surveillance. Understanding the role of host incorporated protein into virions may reveal how enveloped RNA viruses hijack the host cell machinery for their own purposes.
More-or-Less CP-Networks

Preferences play an important role in our everyday lives. CP-networks, or CP-nets in short, are graphical models for representing conditional qualitative preferences under ceteris paribus ("all else being equal") assumptions. Despite their intuitive nature and rich representation, dominance testing with CP-nets is computationally complex, even when the CP-nets are restricted to binary-valued preferences. Tractable algorithms exist for binary CP-nets, but these algorithms are incomplete for multi-valued CP-nets. In this paper, we identify a class of multi-valued CP-nets, which we call more-or-less CP-nets, that have the same computational complexity as binary CP-nets. More-or-less CP-nets exploit the monotonicity of the attribute values and use intervals to aggregate values that induce similar preferences. We then present a search control rule for dominance testing that effectively prunes the search space while preserving completeness.
A new point correspondence algorithm for image stabilization based on lattice matching

This paper presents a new digital image stabilization framework using an improved point matching algorithm. The point in the image is chosen using a lattice pattern, because the lattice can simulate the different transform model. And the motion is estimated by matching the lattice. This algorithm is compatible with different motion models according to the real experimental results. In the situation of translation and rotation, the coordinates of the transform can be calculated and stored in advance to reduce the amount of computation.
Matching attentional draw with utility in interruption

This research examines a design guideline that aims to increase the positive perception of interruptions. The guideline advocates matching the amount of attention attracted by an interruption's notification method (attentional draw) to the utility of the interruption content. Our first experiment examined a set of 10 visual notification signals in terms of their detection times and established a set of three significantly different signals along the spectrum of attentional draw. Our second experiment investigated matching these different signals to interruption content with different levels of utility. Results indicate that the matching strategy decreases annoyance and increases perception of benefit compared to a strategy that uses the same signal regardless of interruption utility, with no significant impact on workload or performance. Design implications arising from the second experiment as well as recommendations for future work are discussed.
Data-driven ecosystems in smart cities: A living example from Seestadt Aspern

The new data collection opportunities offered by IoT and the recent advancements in data processing infrastructure have provided a significant impulse to the development of smart cities. Although reliable data collection and analysis is a fundamental prerequisite for urban intelligence, the smartness of a smart city also depends on the ability to translate IoT data into useful and innovative services: it is important to conceive new design principles for the development of applications for smart cities and IoT. To this extent, this paper presents a simplified conceptual framework for describing smart city ecosystems based on concepts of natural ecosystems. The goal of the framework is to derive new metaphors for designing IoT applications based on the observation of communication and interaction patterns in natural ecosystems. The proposed framework is used to describe a real smart city project in Vienna, Austria.
Hubs and Authorities of the English Premier League for 2010-2011

In this work author applies well known web search algorithm Hyperlink - Induced Topic Search (HITS) to problem of ranking football teams in English Premier League (EPL). The algorithm allows the ranking of the teams using the notions of hubs and authorities well known for ranking pages in the World Wide Web. Results of the games introduced as a graph where losing team 'gives a link' to a winning team and, if draw registered both team give links to each other. In case of a win link is weighted as three points in adjacent matrix and in case of draw as one point. Author uses notion of authority in order to define team which win a game and hub as a team which lose a game, the winner of the competition defined as the 'worst' hub, team that didn't reinforced any other team. Using this ranking system, the champion's team, which is a 'worst hub' must not lose, or draw games to other 'good authorities' teams. If by the end of the competition there are teams with an equal number of wins and losses then the team which has beaten more teams with higher authority ranks, wins.
An embedded still image coder with rate-distortion optimization

It is well known that the fixed rate coder achieves optimality when all coefficients are coded with the same rate-distortion (R-D) slope. In this paper, we show that the performance of the embedded coder can be optimized in a rate-distortion sense by coding the coefficients with decreasing R-D slope. We denote such a coding strategy as rate-distortion optimized embedding (RDE). RDE allocates the available coding bits first to the coefficient with the steepest R-D slope, i.e., the largest distortion decrease per coding bit. The resultant coding bitstream can be truncated at any point and still maintain an optimal R-D performance. To avoid the overhead of coding order transmission, we use the expected R-D slope, which can be calculated from the coded bits and is available in both the encoder and the decoder. With the probability estimation table of the QM-coder, the calculation of the R-D slope can be just a lookup table operation. Experimental results show that the rate-distortion optimization significantly improves the coding efficiency in a wide bit rate range.
Personalized privacy preservation

We study generalization for preserving privacy in publication of sensitive data. The existing methods focus on a universal approach that exerts the same amount of preservation for all persons, with-out catering for their concrete needs. The consequence is that we may be offering insufficient protection to a subset of people, while applying excessive privacy control to another subset. Motivated by this, we present a new generalization framework based on the concept of personalized anonymity. Our technique performs the minimum generalization for satisfying everybody's requirements, and thus, retains the largest amount of information from the microdata. We carry out a careful theoretical study that leads to valuable insight into the behavior of alternative solutions. In particular, our analysis mathematically reveals the circumstances where the previous work fails to protect privacy, and establishes the superiority of the proposed solutions. The theoretical findings are verified with extensive experiments.
AceWiki: A Natural and Expressive Semantic Wiki

We present AceWiki, a prototype of a new kind of semantic wiki using the controlled natural language Attempto Controlled English (ACE) for representing its content. ACE is a subset of English with a restricted grammar and a formal semantics. The use of ACE has two important advantages over existing semantic wikis. First, we can improve the usability and achieve a shallow learning curve. Second, ACE is more expressive than the formal languages of existing semantic wikis. Our evaluation shows that people who are not familiar with the formal foundations of the Semantic Web are able to deal with AceWiki after a very short learning phase and without the help of an expert.
Method for in-field evaluation of the stator winding connection of three-phase induction motors to maximize efficiency and power factor

The performance of the oversized three-phase induction motors can be improved, both in terms of efficiency and power factor, with the proper change of the stator winding connection, which can be delta or star, as a function of their load. A practical method is proposed to quickly and easily evaluate which stator winding connection is more appropriate for the actual motor load profile, in order to increase the motor efficiency and power factor. This new method is suitable for in-field evaluation, because it requires only the use of inexpensive equipment and has enough accuracy to allow a proper decision to be made. The automatic change of the stator winding connection, as a function of the motor line current, is also analyzed. When properly applied, these methods can lead to the improvement of the efficiency and power factor of permanently oversized motors, motors with a load variation between low load and near full load during their duty cycle, and/or motors driving high-inertia, low duty cycle loads. The proposed methods are particularly suitable to industrial plants where typically many electric motor systems are oversized and/or can have a wide load variation. In these conditions, the active and reactive electrical energy bill can be significantly reduced.
Intraspecific variation in body size does not alter the effects of mesopredators on prey

As humans continue to alter the species composition and size structure of marine food webs, it is critical to understand size-dependent effects of predators on prey. Yet, how shifts in predator body size mediate the effect of predators is understudied in tropical marine ecosystems, where anthropogenic harvest has indirectly increased the density and size of small-bodied predators. Here, we combine field surveys and a laboratory feeding experiment in coral reef fish communities to show that small and large predators of the same species can have similar effects. Specifically, surveys show that the presence of a small predator (Paracirrhites arcatus) was correlated with lower chances of prey fish presence, but these correlations were independent of predator size. Experimental trials corroborated the size-independent effect of the predator; attack rates were indistinguishable between small and large predators, suggesting relatively even effects of hawkfish in various size classes on the same type of prey. Our results indicate that the effects of small predators on coral reefs can be size-independent, suggesting that variation in predator size-structure alone may not always affect the functional role of these predators.
Glycosylation of α-Dystroglycan

Background: Proper glycosylation of α-dystroglycan is a complex process critical for function. Results: Pre-existing O-mannose sites can regulate O-GalNAc addition by the ppGalNAc-Ts. Conclusion: O-Mannosylation has a significant impact on the pattern of another form of glycosylation (O-GalNAc) in α-dystroglycan. Significance: Contributions to disease phenotypes associated with α-dystroglycan O-mannosylation defects may arise from its impact on other types of glycosylation. O-Linked glycosylation is a functionally and structurally diverse type of protein modification present in many tissues and across many species. α-Dystroglycan (α-DG), a protein linked to the extracellular matrix, whose glycosylation status is associated with human muscular dystrophies, displays two predominant types of O-glycosylation, O-linked mannose (O-Man) and O-linked N-acetylgalactosamine (O-GalNAc), in its highly conserved mucin-like domain. The O-Man is installed by an enzyme complex present in the endoplasmic reticulum. O-GalNAc modifications are initiated subsequently in the Golgi apparatus by the UDP-GalNAc polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (ppGalNAc-T) enzymes. How the presence and position of O-Man influences the action of the ppGalNAc-Ts on α-DG and the distribution of the two forms of glycosylation in this domain is not known. Here, we investigated the interplay between O-Man and the addition of O-GalNAc by examining the activity of the ppGalNAc-Ts on peptides and O-Man-containing glycopeptides mimicking those found in native α-DG. These synthetic glycopeptides emulate intermediate structures, not otherwise readily available from natural sources. Through enzymatic and mass spectrometric methods, we demonstrate that the presence and specific location of O-Man can impact either the regional exclusion or the site of O-GalNAc addition on α-DG, elucidating the factors contributing to the glycosylation patterns observed in vivo. These results provide evidence that one form of glycosylation can influence another form of glycosylation in α-DG and suggest that in the absence of proper O-mannosylation, as is associated with certain forms of muscular dystrophy, aberrant O-GalNAc modifications may occur and could play a role in disease presentation.
Support Vector Machines for Fault Detection in Wind Turbines

Abstract Support Vector Machines (SVM) are used for fault detection and isolation in a variable speed horizontal-axis wind turbine composed of three blades and a full converter. The SVM approach is data based and is therefore robust to process knowledge. Moreover, it is based on structural risk minimization which enhances generalization and it allows accounting for process non linearity by using flexible Kernels. In this work, a radial basis function was used as Kernel. Different parts of the process were investigated including actuators, sensors and process faults. With duplicated sensors, we could detect sensor faults in blade pitch positions, generator and rotor speeds rapidly. Fixed value fault were detected in 2 sample periods and offset faults could be detected for Δβ ≥ 0.5° with a detection time that depends on the offset level. The converter torque fault (an actuator) could be detected within two sample periods. Faults in the actuators of the pitch systems could not be detected. Faults in the process concerning friction in the drive train could be detected only for very high offset (Δη dt ≥ 50%).
Adaptive Sampling and Rendering of Fluids on the GPU

In this paper, we propose a novel GPU-friendly algorithm for the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) simulation for weakly compressible fluids. The major goal of our algorithm is to implement a GPU-based SPH simulation that can simulate and render a large number of particles at interactive speed. Additionally, our algorithm exhibits the following three features. Firstly, our algorithm supports adaptive sampling of the fluids. Particles can be split into several sub-particles in geometrically complex regions to provide a more accurate simulation. At the same time, nearby particles deep inside the fluids are merged to a single particle to reduce the number of particles. Secondly, the fluids are visualized by directly computing the intersection between ray and an isosurface defined by the surface particles. A dynamic particle grouping algorithm and equation solver are employed to quickly find the ray-isosurface intersection. Thirdly, based on the observation that the SPH simulation is a naturally parallel algorithm, the whole SPH simulation, including the adaptive sampling of the fluids as well as surface particle rendering, is executed on the GPU to fully utilize the computational power and parallelism of modern graphics hardware. Our experimental data shows that we can simulate about 50K adaptively sampled particles, or up to 120K particles in the fixed sampling case at a rate of approximately 20 time steps per second.
Recombination velocity of SiNx:H/silicon interfaces and the relationship of insulator charge.

Hydrogenated Silicon nitride (SiNx:H) is used as an anti-reflection coating and passivating medium in crystalline silicon photovoltaic technology. In these studies, we deposited SiNx:H on a variety of silicon wafers by both the PBS™ remote plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process and the direct plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process. After deposition, the minority-carrier lifetime was measured by the resonance-coupled photoconductive decay (RCPCD) technique. From the lifetime data measured, we were able to calculate the surface recombination velocity. The lifetime measurements were also performed by RCPCD using an adjustable dc white light bias. The latter has a maximum of about 1.65 suns. In high-resisitivity samples, there were dramatic reductions of lifetime under white light bias, whereas more heavily doped wafers showed minimal effects. We performed the capacitance-voltage (CV) measurements on these samples using a mercury probe, and found a substantial density of fixed charge in the SiNx. The composite of data show that the positive charge increased the carrier lifetime in high-resisitivity float-zone wafers due to charge separation at the induced, electrical junction. For more heavily doped wafers (1 – 10 ohm-cm) grown by the CZ technique, the light bias had no effect on the measured lifetime. In summary, charge separation at the SiNx:H /silicon interface produces a large increase in the effective lifetime in high resisitivity samples. Light bias has relatively little effect on doped wafers that are typically used as the base in photovoltaic cells. The interface grown by both PECVD methods has a relatively low recombination velocity.
Orchestrating home: Experiences with spousal stroke care

The private space of the home is an important site of healthcare, and most rehabilitation following intensive in-hospital treatment takes place in domestic settings. Home in this context is represented as an a priori entity that naturally provides continuity and stability. This takes for granted that family carers will maintain therapeutic activities and the sense of ‘being at home’ – and all of the accompanying emotional dimensions – within the home environment. Drawing on ethnographic research including interviews with spouses of people who had a stroke while of working age (29-54) in Victoria, Australia, we explore how the reconstruction of home as a site for post-stroke recovery changed the experiences and meanings given to the idea of home. Home as a therapeutic place depended on constant orchestrating work by spousal carers in reconfiguring the physical, symbolic and practical elements of home. This was not a straightforward or singular process, as tensions arose in trying to incorporate the new, post-stroke therapeutic landscape and pre-stroke conceptualisations and lived realities of home life.
Analytic Samplers and the Combinatorial Rejection Method

Boltzmann samplers, introduced by Duchon et al. in 2001, make it possible to uniformly draw approximate size objects from any class which can be specified through the symbolic method. This, through by evaluating the associated generating functions to obtain the correct branching probabilities. But these samplers require generating functions, in particular in the neighborhood of their sunglarity, which is a complex problem; they also require picking an appropriate tuning value to best control the size of generated objects. Although Pivoteau~\etal have brought a sweeping question to the first question, with the introduction of their Newton oracle, questions remain. By adapting the rejection method, a classical tool from the random, we show how to obtain a variant of the Boltzmann sampler framework, which is tolerant of approximation, even large ones. Our goal for this is twofold: this allows for exact sampling with approximate values; but this also allows much more flexibility in tuning samplers. For the class of simple trees, we will try to show how this could be used to more easily calibrate samplers.
IMMUNOLOGICAL STUDIES OF THE RAT OLFACTORY MARKER PROTEIN 1

Abstract— Antisera against the rat olfactory marker protein were prepared by injection of the homogeneous protein into a goat and a rabbit. When the antisera were tested by immunodiffusion against olfactory tissue extracts, many but not all mammalian species cross‐reacted against these antisera. Immunoprecipitin titrations with the goat antiserum generally showed higher cross‐reactivity against olfactory extracts from species more closely related to the rat. Human olfactory bulb extracts and non‐mammalian olfactory tissue extracts did not cross‐react with the antisera by either immunodiffusion tests or immunoprecipitin titrations, however, they did cross‐react when tested by a competitive binding radioimmunoassay using tritium‐labelled purified rat protein and the goat antibody.
ast and robust segmentation of the striatum using deep onvolutional neural networks

Background: Automated segmentation of brain structures is an important task in structural and functional image analysis. We developed a fast and accurate method for the striatum segmentation using deep convolutional neural networks (CNN). New method: T1 magnetic resonance (MR) images were used for our CNN-based segmentation, which require neither image feature extraction nor nonlinear transformation. We employed two serial CNN, Global and Local CNN: The Global CNN determined approximate locations of the striatum. It performed a regression of input MR images fitted to smoothed segmentation maps of the striatum. From the output volume of Global CNN, cropped MR volumes which included the striatum were extracted. The cropped MR volumes and the output volumes of Global CNN were used for inputs of Local CNN. Local CNN predicted the accurate label of all voxels. Segmentation results were compared with a widely used segmentation method, FreeSurfer. Results: Our method showed higher Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) (0.893 ± 0.017 vs. 0.786 ± 0.015) and precision score (0.905 ± 0.018 vs. 0.690 ± 0.022) than FreeSurfer-based striatum segmentation (p = 0.06). Our approach was also tested using another independent dataset, which showed high DSC (0.826 ± 0.038) comparable with that of FreeSurfer. Comparison with existing method Segmentation performance of our proposed method was comparable with that of FreeSurfer. The running time of our approach was approximately three seconds. Conclusion: We suggested a fast and accurate deep CNN-based segmentation for small brain structures lied t which can be widely app