Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modelling Environmental Impact with a Goal and Causal Relation Integrated Approach

Due to the complexity and cross-disciplinary nature of environmental and climate change related systems, collaborative modelling and cross-disciplinary knowledge sharing is unavoidable. Environmental impact modelling encompasses graphical and numerical representations, synergizes conceptual frameworks with quantitative annotation and computation. As a consequence, a collaborative knowledge sharing and acquisition platform is in dire need to support system analysis and holistic decision making in such a setting. This paper proposes modelling environmental impacts using a goal and causal relation integrated approach. In particular, top-level goals of stakeholders are modeled and refined into concrete parameters and causal relationships. To facilitate collaborative conceptual modelling and model reuse, the paper also provides a set of formalized modelling supports and a six-step collaborative modelling process. At the end of the paper, a running example modelling the relationships between the electronic vehicle market share and the regional GHG emissions is used to illustrate the proposed collaborative conceptual modelling approach.
Chance Discovery Based Security Service Selection for Social P2P Based Sensor Networks

Social Peer-to-Peer (P2P) is a novel model to organize sensor networks, which can establish social relationships in an autonomous way with the benefits of extending the network boundaries and enhancing the network scalability. However, the complexity and time dependence characteristics introduced by social P2P model raise difficulties for assessing and selecting security services accurately and effectively in sensor networks. To address this, we propose a chance discovery based security service selection scheme for social P2P based sensor networks. We firstly establish the security assessment model for services in social P2P based sensor networks, regarding the security factors of exploitability, credibility, severity, confidentiality, integrality, availability and importance weight. More importantly, time dependence characteristics introduced by social P2P are considered during security assessment. Next, a security service selection scheme is proposed based on KeyGraph construction as well as the computation of its connection and tightness values. Finally, the service request forwarding model is established. The simulation results show the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed security service selection scheme, which improves the feasibility and security of integrated sensor network and social networks.
Synthesis and characterization of biomorphic CeO2 obtained by using egg shell membrane as template

A new technology based on bio-templating approach was proposed in this paper. Egg-shell membrane (ESM) has been employed as a natural biotemplate. Fibrous oxide ceramics was prepared by wet impregnation of biological template with water solution of cerium nitrate. The template was derived from membranes of fresh chicken eggs. Repeated impregnation, pyrolysis and final calcination in the range of 600 to 1200°C in air resulted in template burnout and consolidation of the oxide layers. At low temperatures, the obtained products had structure which correspondedto the negative replication of biological templates. Unique bio-morphic CeO 2 microstructures with interwoven networks were synthesized and characterized by scanning electron microscope(SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), whereaslow-temperaturenitrogen adsorption(BET) method was used in order to characterize porous properties.
Prevalence of Campylobacter,Arcobacter, Helicobacter, andSutterella spp. in Human Fecal Samples as Estimated by a Reevaluation of Isolation Methods for Campylobacters

ABSTRACT The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence of campylobacteria including Campylobacter jejuni subsp.jejuni (C. jejuni) and Campylobacter coli in human clinical samples and in samples from healthy individuals and to reevaluate the efficacies of conventional selective methods for isolation of Campylobacter spp. Two charcoal-based selective media, modified charcoal cefoperazone deoxycholate agar (mCCDA) and cefoperazone-amphotericin-teicoplanin (CAT) agar, were compared with Skirrow's blood-based medium and with a filter method (filter) applied to a yeast-enriched blood agar. A total of 1,376 specimens were tested on all four media, and the percentages of thermophilic Campylobacter-positive specimens isolated on Skirrow's medium, filters, CAT agar, and mCCDA were 82, 83, 85, and 95%, respectively. When additional samples were processed with the three selective media, mCCDA recovered significantly more thermophilicCampylobacter spp. than Skirrow's medium (P = 0.0034). No significant difference between Skirrow's medium and CAT agar was observed in this study. Another six taxa were identified, namely, Campylobacter concisus,Campylobacter curvus-like bacteria, Arcobacter butzleri, Arcobacter cryaerophilus,Helicobacter cinaedi, and Sutterella wadsworthensis. Most of these strains were isolated after 5 to 6 days of incubation by use of the filter technique. This paper provides evidence for the existence of S. wadsworthensis in human feces from clinical cases of gastrointestinal disorders and in feces from a healthy individual. Furthermore, C. concisus was isolated from a large number of diarrheal cases, particularly those at the extremes of age, but was additionally isolated from the feces of healthy people. Further investigations to establish the role ofC. concisus and S. wadsworthensis in enteric disease is needed. We conclude that a range of campylobacteria may cause infections in Denmark.
Perceptual grouping based on temporal structure: Impact of subliminal flicker and visual transients

In two experiments we examined the perceived grouping of grids of equidistant dots, which are rapidly modulated over time so that alternate rows or columns are presented out of phase. In Experiment 1, we report that observers were able to group the grids consistent with the temporal modulation reliably, even at contrasts/frequencies for which flicker was not detectable. Moreover, flicker thresholds decreased with stimulus duration, whilst grouping thresholds did not change. In Experiment 2, we examined the impact of visual transients, by measuring performance when, either a mask or a contrast ramp was presented before and after the stimulus. Performance dropped substantially for both conditions, but remained significantly above chance. The results are discussed in relation to the role of temporal correlations in stimulus modulations and visual transients in grouping.
A 16 Bit Incremental ADC with Swapping DAC for Low Power Sensor Applications

This paper describes a 16-bit incremental analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for sensor applications. To implement a wide applicable ADC, which can be used in the commercial case, a full-on-chip voltage reference for the delta-sigma (ΔΣ) ADC is incorporated. The swapping digital-to-analog converter (DAC) is proposed in the loop-filter to minimize the noise effect of the voltage reference, which can directly deteriorate the effective resolution (ER) of the readout system. Furthermore, gain programmable characteristic is embedded in the ADC for various applications. Measurements show that the ADC achieves 16.07-bit ER and 10 LSB integral nonlinearity (INL), while dissipating only 18 μA current from a 3.3 V supply. The ADC was fabricated in a 0.18-μm standard CMOS process with a 0.182 mm2 active area.
Safety and efficacy of disease-modifying antirheumatic agents in rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

The definition of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) has changed dramatically over the last decade. Current expectations of efficacy now include amelioration of signs and symptoms of disease activity as well as slowing, if not complete cessation, of disease progression as evidenced by Xray progression and significant improvement of patient function. Rheumatologists assess the safety profile of these agents more critically in an attempt to increase the risk:benefit profile. Traditional agents, such as methotrexate (MTX), sulfasalazine and leflunomide have provided patients with substantial relief of symptoms and some decrease of X-ray progression but have been hampered by the frequent occurrence of significant adverse events (AEs) and inability to maintain benefit for a prolonged period of time. With the increased understanding of the basic mechanism of the disease process, there has been the introduction of four biological disease-modifying agents introduced into clinical practice which have substantially increased the risk:benefit ratio for patients with various rheumatic diseases.
Genetic interaction between Lrp6 and Wnt5a during mouse development

Lrp6 is generally described as a receptor required for signal transduction in the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway. Wnt5a, however, is a Wnt ligand that usually does not activate Wnt/β‐catenin but rather activates noncanonical Wnt signaling. We have previously shown that Lrp6 can inhibit noncanonical Wnt5a/Wnt11 signaling and that Lrp5/6 loss‐of‐function produces noncanonical gain‐of function defects, which can be rescued by loss of Wnt5a. Here, we describe other phenotypes found in Wnt5a/Lrp6 compound mutant mice, including a worsening of individual Wnt5a or Lrp6 loss of function phenotypes. Lrp6 haploinsufficiency in a Wnt5a−/− background caused spina bifida and exacerbated posterior truncation. Wnt5a−/−Lrp6−/− embryos displayed presomitic mesoderm morphogenesis, somitogenesis, and neurogenesis defects, which are much more severe than in either of the single mutants. Interestingly these results reveal a further level of complexity in processes in which Wnt5a and LRP6 cooperate, or oppose each other, during mouse development. Developmental Dynamics 239:237–245, 2010. Published 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A Cloud-aware Autonomous Workflow Engine and Its Application to Gene Regulatory Networks Inference

With the recent development of commercial Cloud offers, Cloud solutions are today the obvious solution for many computing use-cases. However, high performance scientific computing is still among the few domains where Cloud still raises more issues than it solves. Notably, combining the workflow representation of complex scientific applications with the dynamic allocation of resources in a Cloud environment is still a major challenge. In the meantime, users with monolithic applications are facing challenges when trying to move from classical HPC hardware to elastic platforms. In this paper, we present the structure of an autonomous workflow manager dedicated to IaaS-based Clouds (Infrastructure as a Service) with DaaS storage services (Data as a Service). The solution proposed in this paper fully handles the execution of multiple workflows on a dynamically allocated shared platform. As a proof of concept we validate our solution through a biologic application with the WASABI workflow.
Similarities among ectoparasite fauna of sigmodontine rodents: phylogenetic and geographical influences

SUMMARY Phylogenetic and geographical overlaps in host distributions influence the compositional similarity of ectoparasite fauna in a host–parasite system. In these systems, hosts that are more closely related (phylogenetically) are expected to share more parasitic species than more distantly related hosts. Similarly, hosts sharing a larger geographical distribution overlap are expected to have similar ectoparasites. This study investigated the influence of phylogeny (divergence time) and geographical overlap of some neotropical sigmodontine rodent species on the similarities among their ectoparasite fauna (Mesostigmata and Siphonaptera), using a partial Mantel test. Divergence time was the only significant factor that influenced the similarity among the ectoparasites, when mites and fleas were analysed together. Host species that had diverged more recently displayed ectoparasite fauna that were similar. The similarities of the flea species showed similar results in both separate and joint analyses, but neither phylogenetic nor geographical overlap influenced the similarity in mite species. Fleas were shown to be more host-specific than were mesostigmate mites, probably because of the increased influence of host phylogeny.
A Remote Imaging System Based on Reflected GPS Signals

This paper describes a method for utilizing reflected Global Positioning System (GPS) signals to form an image of targets within a region of interest. The principle is based upon a type of bi-static synthetic aperture radar (SAR) in which a matched filter technique is employed to perform the image reconstruction. This method relies upon the fact that each component of the received signal resulting from a reflection from an individual target is subjected to a unique chirp. A major challenge to be tackled is the appalling signal to noise ratio associated with the received reflected GPS signals. Another difficulty is the masking of the reflected signals by power in the tails of the autocorrelation function of the direct signals which cannot be totally suppressed. Moreover, the reconstruction method results in an undesirable point spread function (PSF) which seriously smears the reconstructed image. We simulate the entire GPS signal generation and image reconstruction process as faithfully as possible within the limitations of the available computational effort. We are able to demonstrate that a spatial resolution of the order of the LI wavelength (19 cm) is theoretically possible from realistic observation distances provided that sufficient coherent correlator integration time is allowed and that the direct signals can be sufficiently suppressed. For the rather simplified organization of targets within the simulation we are able to show that the image smeared by the PSF is able to be cleaned by means of a Wiener filter based deconvolution method.
The Unobserved Relation Regressions Model with an Application to Used Truck Prices

The seemingly unrelated regressions model (SUR) contains a set of statistical equations that are related only through correlations between the stochastic disturbances [12]. The SUR model is appropriate when some of the factors that influence the disturbance in one equation are believed to influence the disturbances in the other equations [6]. It has been applied in a wide variety of empirical studies [10; 7; 1]. There is, however, a curious tension in the SUR model. ' On one hand, the researcher implicitly identifies specific, unobserved variables in the statistical model. On the other hand, she assumes that these variables are part of the disturbance. In other words, they must be uncorrelated with the observed independent variables in the equations, otherwise the SUR estimates will be inconsistent.
Gratifying Ambiguity: Psychological Processes Leading to Enjoyment and Appreciation of TV Series with Morally Ambiguous Characters

Morality plays an integral role in perceiving and judging fictional characters since liking morally good characters leads to a general enjoyment of the narrative if the outcomes of actions are favorable for the liked character. However, some fictional characters frequently violate moral standards but are still popular at the same time. To explain this paradox, the present study offers a two-process model on the appeal of morally ambiguous characters, proposing psychological mechanisms leading to either enjoyment or appreciation. These mechanisms were tested based on an online survey (N = 429) examining four different television series which featured morally ambiguous protagonists. Findings largely supported the notion that while liking the character leads to enjoyment, social comparison processes (based on moral principles) were associated with appreciation. This study extends findings of previous investigations by offering a more comprehensive understanding of how morally complex narratives can lead to entertainment experiences.
Prescribing and evaluating target dose in dose-painting treatment plans

Abstract Background. Assessment of target dose conformity in multi-dose-level treatment plans is challenging due to inevitable over/underdosage at the border zone between dose levels. Here, we evaluate different target dose prescription planning aims and approaches to evaluate the relative merit of such plans. A quality volume histogram (QVH) tool for history-based evaluation is proposed. Material and methods. Twenty head and neck cancer dose-painting plans with five prescription levels were evaluated, as well as clinically delivered simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) plans from 2010 and 2012. The QVH tool was used for target dose comparison between groups of plans, and to identify and improve a suboptimal dose-painting plan. Results. Comparison of 2010 and 2012 treatment plans with the QVH tool demonstrated that 2012 plans have decreased underdosed volume at the expense of increased overdosed volume relative to the 2010 plans. This shift had not been detected previously. One suboptimal dose-painting plan was compared to the ‘normal zone’ of the QVH tool and could be improved by re-optimization. Conclusion. The QVH tool provides a method to assess target dose conformity in dose-painting and multi-dose-level plans. The tool can be useful for quality assurance of multi-center trials, and for visualizing the development of treatment planning in routine clinical practice.
Leadership for Social Justice: Authentic Participation in the Case of a Community Center in Caracas, Venezuela

This is a case study of a leader who fosters authentic participation for advancing social justice in an urban community center in Caracas, Venezuela, located in the midst of poverty, marginality, and social and economic alienation. This educational space enables the local community to control the destiny of their own institution. Learning from this case, we argue that urban educational transformation might succeed in terms of practicing social justice, if leadership facilitates and creates urban sanctuaries by working with the communities and not on the communities; fosters an organizational structure that is flexible and democratic; and creates a safe (trusting) environment where the local community is engaged in authentic participation.
Errorless-Based Techniques Can Improve Route Finding in Early Alzheimer's Disease: A Case Study

Topographical disorientation is a common and early manifestation of dementia of Alzheimer type, which threatens independence in activities of daily living. Errorless-based techniques appear to be effective in helping patients with amnesia to learn routes, but little is known about their effectiveness in early dementia of Alzheimer type. A 77-year-old woman with dementia of Alzheimer type had difficulty in finding her way around her seniors residence, which reduced her social activities. This study used an ABA design (A is the baseline and B is the intervention) with multiple baselines across routes for going to the rosary (target), laundry, and game rooms (controls). The errorless-based technique intervention was applied to 2 of the 3 routes. Analyses showed significant improvement only for the routes learned with errorless-based techniques. Following the study, the participant increased her topographical knowledge of her surroundings. Route learning interventions based on errorless-based techniques appear to be a promising approach for improving the independence in early dementia of Alzheimer type.
Simplified scheme for species identification and antibiotic susceptibilities of coagulase negative staphylococci isolated from clinical specimens

Coagulase negative staphylococci (CONS) species identification is difficult for most clinical laboratories. The schemes proposed by Kloos and Schleifer is the reference method used for the identification of staphylococcal species and subspecies. It requires the utilization of a large number of biochemical tests. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was done by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Out of the total 51 CONS isolates subjected for species identification the most common species identified was S. epidedermidis (58.82%). S. cohinii and S. haemolyticus being the second and third most frequently encountered species. Common source of most species was pus followed by blood and urine. S. epidermidis and S. cohnii showed resistant to multiple antibiotics. The most effective antibiotic for all the species of CONS were linezolid, teicoplanin and vancomycin. So CONS isolated from clinical samples should always be considered as potentially significant pathogen. The species identification with antibiogram will be of benefit for both epidemiological and patient care purpose. Keywords: Coagulase negative staphylococci
A Feedback Model for Trend-Chasing Behaviour

In this paper a model is developed for share price behaviour in a system where there is just one new item of information released to market participants. This determines the initial price of the share and thereafter, the only information that is used in the model is the new share price and the rate of change with which the price alters. This results in a model for trend chasing behaviour in share prices in which investors are influenced solely by these two pieces of information. Using a closed feedback system with only the share price and the rate of price change as inputs, a model is derived for the share price. Under these circumstances, it is possible for the price to settle to a stable value but, in many cases, the price behaviour is unstable and either rises or falls excessively.