Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Skype video responsiveness to bandwidth variations

The TCP/IP stack has been extremely successful for reliable delivery of best-effort, time insensitive elastic type data traffic. Nowadays, the Internet is rapidly evolving to become an equally efficient platform for multimedia content delivery. Key examples of this evolution are, to name few, YouTube, Skype Audio/Video, IPTV, P2P video distribution such as Coolstreaming or Joost. While YouTube streams videos using the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), applications that are time-sensitive such as Skype VoIP or Video Conferencing employ the UDP because they can tolerate small loss percentages but not delays due to TCP recovery of losses via retransmissions. Since the UDP does not implement congestion control, these applications must implement those functionalities at the application layer in order to avoid congestion and preserve network stability. In this paper we investigate Skype Video in order to discover to what extent this application is able to throttle its sending rate to match the unpredictable Internet bandwidth while preserving resource for co-existing best-effort TCP traffic.
Sustained signaling leading to T cell activation results from prolonged T cell receptor occupancy. Role of T cell actin cytoskeleton

Using antigen-specific T cell clones and peptide-pulsed antigen- presenting cells (APCs) we investigated the mechanisms that lead to sustained signaling, known to be required for activation of effector function. Four lines of evidence indicate that the T cell actin cytoskeleton plays a crucial role in T cell activation by antigen- pulsed APCs, but is not required when T cell receptor (TCR) is cross- linked by soluble antibodies. First, addition of antibodies to the major histocompatibility complex molecules recognized by the TCR aborts the ongoing intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) increase in performed T-APC conjugates, indicating that the sustained signaling requires the continuous occupancy of TCR. Second, time-lapse image recording shows that T lymphocytes conjugated to peptide-pulsed APCs undergo a sustained [Ca2+]i increase, which is accompanied by the formation of a large and changing area of contact between the two opposing membranes. Third, drugs that disrupt the actin cytoskeleton, Cytochalasin D and and C2 Clostridium botulinum toxin induce a rapid block of [Ca2+]i rise, coincident with a block of the cyclic changes in T cell shape. Finally, the addition of Cytochalasin D or of anti-MHC antibodies to preformed conjugates inhibits interferon gamma production in an 1-antigen dose- and time-dependent fashion. These results identify T cell actin cytoskeleton as a major motor for sustaining signal transduction and possibly for driving TCR cross-linking and offer an explanation for how T cells equipped with low affinity TCR can be triggered by a small number of complexes on APCs.
A genome-wide association study suggests new candidate genes for milk production traits in Chinese Holstein cattle.

A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted on 15 milk production traits in Chinese Holstein. The experimental population consisted of 445 cattle, each genotyped by the GGP (GeneSeek genomic profiling)-BovineLD V3 SNP chip, which had 26 151 public SNPs in its manifest file. After data cleaning, 20 326 SNPs were retained for the GWAS. The phenotypes were estimated breeding values of traits, provided by a public dairy herd improvement program center that had been collected once a month for 3 years. Two statistical models, a fixed-effect linear regression model and a mixed-effect linear model, were used to estimate the association effects of SNPs on each of the phenotypes. Genome-wide significant and suggestive thresholds were set at 2.46E-06 and 4.95E-05 respectively. The two statistical models concurrently identified two genome-wide significant (P < 0.05) SNPs on milk production traits in this Chinese Holstein population. The positional candidate genes, which were the ones closest to these two identified SNPs, were EEF2K (eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase) and KLHL1 (kelch like family member 1). These two genes could serve as new candidate genes for milk yield and lactation persistence, yet their roles need to be verified in further function studies.
Diversifying Query Suggestions by Using Topics from Wikipedia

Diversifying query suggestions has emerged recently, by which the recommended queries can be both relevant and diverse. Most existing works diversify suggestions by query log analysis, however, for structured data, not all query logs are available. To this end, this paper studies the problem of suggesting diverse query terms by using topics from Wikipedia. Wikipedia is a successful online encyclopedia, and has high coverage of entities and concepts. We first obtain all relevant topics from Wikipedia, and then map each term to these topics. As the mapping is a nontrivial task, we leverage information from both Wikipedia and structured data to semantically map each term to topics. Finally, we propose a fast algorithm to efficiently generate the suggestions. Extensive evaluations are conducted on a real dataset, and our approach yields promising results.
Homicides in Auckland, New Zealand: A 14‐Year Study

In the 14-year period from 1976 to 1989, there have been 174 homicide victims in the Auckland coronial area. Data accessed from autopsy and police reports show that victims of marital conflict, family dispute, and arguments developing between nonmarried couples made up the largest proportion of homicide cases. Stabbing and assault with a blunt weapon were the most common causes of death. The data also show that homicide is relatively uncommon in Auckland in comparison with other cities of similar size.
Treatment of diabetes with vanadium salts: general overview and amelioration of nutritionally induced diabetes in the Psammomys obesus gerbil

Numerous investigations have demonstrated the beneficial effect of vanadium salts on diabetes in streptozotocin (STZ)‐diabetic rats, in rodents with genetically determined diabetes and in human subjects. The amelioration of diabetes included the abolition of hyperglycemia, preservation of insulin secretion, reduction in hepatic glucose production, enhanced glycolysis and lipogenesis and improved muscle glucose uptake through GLUT4 elevation and translocation. The molecular basis of vanadium salt action is not yet fully elucidated. Although evidence has been provided that the insulin receptor is activated, the possibility exists that cytosolic non‐receptor tyrosine kinase, direct phosphorylation of IRS‐1 and activation of PI3‐K, leading to GLUT4 translocation, are involved. The raised phosphorylation of proteins in the insulin signaling pathway appears to be related to the inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) activity by vanadium salts.
Recent advancements in surface‐enhanced laser desorption/ionization‐time of flight‐mass spectrometry

The overall history and recent advances in surface enhanced laser desorption/ionization‐time of flight‐mass spectrometry (SELDI‐TOF‐MS) technology is reviewed herein. Fundamentals of SELDI‐TOF analysis are presented while drawing comparisons with other laser‐based mass spectrometry techniques. The application of SELDI‐TOF‐MS to functional genomics and biomarker discovery is discussed and exemplified by elucidating a biomarker candidate for prostatic carcinoma. Finally, a short discussion regarding future SELDI requirements and developments is supplied.
Towards Efficient Sport Data Integration through Semantic Annotation

In news genre, the sport domain is one of great interest to audiences on many occasions. The explosion of Internet these days leads to many obstacles for users in searching information due to enormous amount of data collected from multiple media streams. In this case, Semantic Web is believed to bring a solution for information integration. In this paper, we introduce a novel approach for an integration system of sports information using semantic web. Semantic annotation of sport news on the web is a way to bring success to our system. We propose an algorithm to generate semantic annotations of sport news that relies on the ontology. Named entities recognition is improved by integrating the KIM information extraction system with this ontology, which is dedicated for sport domain. The concepts and relations of ontology detected in the text are combined with these entities to capture the semantic. Initial experiments on soccer news demonstrated promising results.
Investigating Predator-Prey Algorithms for Multi-Objective Optimization

This paper describes the GA model using a new selection method inspired by predator-prey interactions. In this model, prey, which represents the decision space vector, will be placed on the vertices of a two-dimensional lattice. Predator, which deals with objective functions, will also be placed on the same lattice randomly. Basic algorithm proposed by Professor Hans-Paul Schwefel and reported in Laumanns et al. (1998) and the modifications on it are discussed here. Thereafter, we propose a number of modifications to the basic model and apply the final algorithm to standard two and three-objective optimization problems. The predator and prey approach is also used to find preferred Pareto-optimal solutions (preys) corresponding to user-supplied reference points (treated as predators). This study should encourage further use of predator-prey approaches to multi-objective optimization.
Numerical Simulation and Experimental Testing of Lightwight Ballistic Armor

In the security sector, the partly insufficient safety of people and equipment due to failure of industrial components are ongoing problems that cause great concern. Since computers and software have spread into all fields of industry, extensive efforts are currently made in order to improve the safety by applying certain numerical solutions. This work presents a set of numerical simulations of ballistic tests which analyze the effects of composite armor plates. The goal is to improve fiber-reinforced plastics in order to be able to cope with current challenges. Of course, the maximization of security is the primary goal, but keeping down the costs is becoming increasingly important. This is why numerical simulations are more frequently applied than experimental tests which are thus being replaced gradually.
Systematic MicroRNA Analysis Identifies ATP6V0C as an Essential Host Factor for Human Cytomegalovirus Replication

Recent advances in microRNA target identification have greatly increased the number of putative targets of viral microRNAs. However, it is still unclear whether all targets identified are biologically relevant. Here, we use a combined approach of RISC immunoprecipitation and focused siRNA screening to identify targets of HCMV encoded human cytomegalovirus that play an important role in the biology of the virus. Using both a laboratory and clinical strain of human cytomegalovirus, we identify over 200 putative targets of human cytomegalovirus microRNAs following infection of fibroblast cells. By comparing RISC-IP profiles of miRNA knockout viruses, we have resolved specific interactions between human cytomegalovirus miRNAs and the top candidate target transcripts and validated regulation by western blot analysis and luciferase assay. Crucially we demonstrate that miRNA target genes play important roles in the biology of human cytomegalovirus as siRNA knockdown results in marked effects on virus replication. The most striking phenotype followed knockdown of the top target ATP6V0C, which is required for endosomal acidification. siRNA knockdown of ATP6V0C resulted in almost complete loss of infectious virus production, suggesting that an HCMV microRNA targets a crucial cellular factor required for virus replication. This study greatly increases the number of identified targets of human cytomegalovirus microRNAs and demonstrates the effective use of combined miRNA target identification and focused siRNA screening for identifying novel host virus interactions.
THE LOSS OF KINETOPLASTIC DNA IN TWO SPECIES OF TRYPANOSOMATIDAE TREATED WITH ACRIFLAVINE

The effects of acriflavine on two species of Trypanosomatidae, Crithidia luciliae and Trypanosoma mega, have been investigated. It has been observed that kinetoplastic (i.e. mitochondrial) DNA is lost in a high percentage of acriflavine-treated cells. Resting flagellates, from stationary-phase or hemin-deficient cultures, are considerably more resistant to the acridine than are flagellates from a log-phase culture. When the kinetoplast has retained some DNA and still remains visible in stained smears, it appears reduced in size, and its ultrastructure is extremely abnormal: the DNA fibrils, clearly visible in normal kinetoplasts, are condensed; they appear as an electron-opaque, apparently homogeneous mass, separated from the membranes by a space of low electron-opacity. Analyses of DNA extracts, with high speed centrifugation in CsCl density gradients, revealed that the satellite band, presumably kinetoplastic DNA, is lost by trypanosomes grown for 5 days in the presence of acriflavine. Radioautography was used to study the effects of acriflavine on thymidine-3H incorporation in C. luciliae. At the concentration which affects the kinetoplast specifically, the dye produces an 87% inhibition of thymidine incorporation in this organelle. The kinetics of this inhibition suggest a direct effect on replication. No decrease in incorporation occurs in the nucleus. These results lead to the conclusion that loss of kinetoplastic DNA is due to continued growth and cell division in the absence of kinetoplastic DNA replication. Several hypotheses are discussed concerning the specificity of the dye's action upon the replication of extrachromosomal DNA.
Major determinants of fasting heat production and energetic cost of activity in growing pigs of different body weight and breed/castration combination

A total of sixty-five observations on heat production during fasting and physical activity were obtained in four groups of pigs differing in breed and/or castration (Meishan (MC) and Large White (LWC) castrates and Large White (LWM) and Piétrain (PM) males) with body weight (BW) ranging between 25 and 60 kg. Pigs were fed ad libitum before fasting. Heat production was measured using indirect calorimetry. Fasting heat production (FHP) was proportional to the body weight raised to the power 0.55, but with group-specific proportionality parameters (810, 1200, 1220 and 1120kJ/kg BW0.55 per d for MC, LWC, LWM and PM respectively). Group effects could be removed by expressing FHP as a function of muscle, viscera and fat: FHP (kJ/d) = 457(muscle)0.81 + 1969(viscera)0.81 - 644(fat)0.81. It is hypothesized that different breeds with equal muscle and visceral mass, can have different FHP. The negative coefficient for fat would then be the result of a low FHP rather than a cause of it. Because a large part of the variation in tissue composition between groups was due to MC group, a separate equation for the lean groups was established. For lean pigs, FHP could be expressed as a function of muscle and viscera alone: FHP (kJ/d) = 508(muscle)0.66 + 2011(viscera)0.66. Both type of pig and BW affected the number of bouts of physical activities (i.e. standing or sitting) per day, the duration of activity and the total cost of activity. Energetic cost of activity was proportional to the muscle mass raised to the power 0.91 (FHPactivity (kJ/h activity) = 21.0(muscle)0.91). Physical activity represented less than 10% of the total heat production in fasting growing pigs housed alone in metabolic cages and kept in a quiet environment.
Semi-Separable Hamiltonian Monte Carlo for Inference in Bayesian Hierarchical Models

Sampling from hierarchical Bayesian models is often difficult for MCMC methods, because of the strong correlations between the model parameters and the hyperparameters. Recent Riemannian manifold Hamiltonian Monte Carlo (RMHMC) methods have significant potential advantages in this setting, but are computationally expensive. We introduce a new RMHMC method, which we call semi-separable Hamiltonian Monte Carlo, which uses a specially designed mass matrix that allows the joint Hamiltonian over model parameters and hyperparam-eters to decompose into two simpler Hamiltonians. This structure is exploited by a new integrator which we call the alternating blockwise leapfrog algorithm. The resulting method can mix faster than simpler Gibbs sampling while being simpler and more efficient than previous instances of RMHMC.
Parametric Power Spectrum Analysis of ECG Signals for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Classification

This work applies time-varying parametric power spectral density analysis to ECG and derived signals in order to discover the frequency components related to obstructive sleep apnoea. Heart rate variability signals were derived from the original ECG signals using R-R wave intervals. The power spectral densities were calculated using a parametric method across the heart rate variability frequency bands. Based on the power spectrum values, a number of beat-by-beat frequency power features were extracted from a PhysioNet dataset and studied together with the PhysioNet apnoea expert annotations.
[Association between social support and self-management behaviors among patients with diabetes in community].

OBJECTIVE To study the status quo of directive and nondirective support from family or friends among patients with diabetes in community and to explore the association between directive, nondirective support from family or friends and self-management behaviors. METHODS The data of the subjects were from the "Community Diagnosis in Tongzhou District, Beijing" survey. Questionnaire-based investigation, physical examination and glycated hemoglobin test were conducted on 474 eligible patients in community. The summary of diabetes self-care activities measure (SDSCA) was adopted to investigate the self-management behaviors, and directive and nondirective support scale among patients with diabetes (DNSS-PD) was adopted to measure the directive and nondirective support among patients with diabetes. RESULTS A total of 452 patients with diabetes were included in the analysis. The average score of directive support was 2.53±1.07, and only 27.6% patients had high level directive support. The average score of nondirective support was 3.13±1.12 and 50.8% patients had high level nondirective support. The average SDSCA total score was 35.38±14.21 and the corresponding scoring percentage was 45.95%. Only 20.6% patients had optimal self-management. The total score, score of diet and physical activity, general self-management situation, diet self-management situation and physical activity self-management situation of the patients in high level directive support group were significantly better than in low level directive support group. The total score, score of self-management behaviors in five aspects (diet, physical activity, blood glucose self-monitoring, foot care and smoking), general self-management situation, self-management situation of five aspects of patients in high level nondirective support group were significantly better than in low level nondirective support group. Gender (OR=2.729), nondirective support level (OR=4.890), age (OR=0.969) and body mass index (BMI) (OR=0.819) were important influencing factors of self-management behavior. CONCLUSION The status quo of self-management among patients with diabetes is not optimistic. Patients obtain more nondirective support than directive support from family and friends. However, the support level of both nondirective and directive support should be improved in the future.Both high level directive support and high level nondirective support had positive correlation with better self-management behaviors. Nondirective support had positive correlation with five aspects of self-management behavior, while directive support had positive relation with self-management behavior in aspects of diet and physical activity. In addition, more consideration and support of self-management should be provided for older obese male patients with diabetes in community, especially nondirective support.
The rs10229583 polymorphism near paired box gene 4 is associated with gestational diabetes mellitus in Chinese women

Objective The rs10229583 polymorphism near paired box gene 4 (PAX4) is associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Mutations in the PAX4 gene may be associated with impaired differentiation/development of pancreatic islet beta cells during fetal development and, consequently, a compromised insulin response to high blood glucose. To ascertain whether this polymorphism plays a role in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), we investigated the genotypic and allele frequency differences between GDM and normal pregnancies. Methods A total of 310 GDM and 440 normal pregnancies were evaluated. Allele and genotype frequencies of rs10229583 were determined for all participants with Sanger sequencing and SNaPshot. Association of the allele and genotypes of the single nucleotide polymorphism with the disease was analyzed using Pearson’s χ2 test and OR (odds ratio). Results The G allele was more frequent in patients with GDM compared with controls (OR = 1.47, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.12–1.939). The GG genotype frequency of rs10229583 was significantly different between subjects with GDM and normal controls (OR = 1.411, 95% CI: 1.032–1.928). The OR of the GA + GG genotype was 3.182 (95% CI: 1.294–7.826) for patients with GDM compared with controls. Conclusion The present study suggests that rs10229583 is associated with GDM.
4D Effect Video Classification with Shot-Aware Frame Selection and Deep Neural Networks

A 4D effect video played at cinema or other designated places is a video annotated with physical effects such as motion, vibration, wind, flashlight, water spray, and scent. In order to automate the time-consuming and labor-intensive process of creating such videos, we propose a new method to classify videos into 4D effect types with shot-aware frame selection and deep neural networks (DNNs). Shot-aware frame selection is a process of selecting video frames across multiple shots based on the shot length ratios to subsample every video down to a fixed number of frames for classification. For empirical evaluation, we collect a new dataset of 4D effect videos where most of the videos consist of multiple shots. Our extensive experiments show that the proposed method consistently outperforms DNNs without considering multi-shot aspect by up to 8.8% in terms of mean average precision.
Exploring multimodal feedback for an NFC-based mobile shopping assistant

This paper explores how mobile devices can provide useful multimodal feedback during interactions with NFC-tagged objects. We exemplify our approach with a mobile shopping assistant that uses haptic-visual and audio-haptic feedback to inform diabetics about the agreeability of tagged grocery products. A preliminary laboratory study shows a preference for haptic-visual feedback which is regarded as more helpful, easier to learn and more pleasant to use. The results stress the usefulness of multimodal feedback for mobile interactions with NFC-tagged objects in this context and inform future work, e.g. about the expressiveness of different feedback modalities and patterns.