Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The foundations of cognitive science

Introduction 1. How Not to Find the Neural Correlate of Consciousness 2. Life and Cognition 3. The Representation of Number in Natural Language Syntax and in the Language of Thought: A Case Study of the Evolution and Development of Representational Resources 4. The View From Here: The Nonsymbolic Structure of Spatial Representation 5. Toward a Cognitive Neurobiology of the Moral Virtues 6. Reflections on the Neurobiology of Emotion and Feeling 7. Words and Concepts in the Brain 8. What Thought Requires 9. Things About Things 10. On Referential Semantics and Cognitive Science 11. Theories of Concepts: A Wider Task 12. Connecting Vision with the World: Tracking the Missing Link 13. Rationality and Action Bibliography, Index of Names
Intracellular Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis in Buccal Epithelial Cells Collected from Human Subjects

ABSTRACT The mouth may provide an accessible model for studying bacterial interactions with human cells in vivo. Using fluorescent in situ hybridization and laser scanning confocal microscopy, we found that human buccal epithelial cells from 23 of 24 subjects were infected with intracellular bacteria, including the periodontal pathogens Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans andPorphyromonas gingivalis, as well as other species which have yet to be identified. Buccal cell invasion may allow fastidious anaerobes to establish themselves in aerobic sites that otherwise present an unfavorable environment. Exfoliated buccal epithelial cells might provide a protected route for bacterial transmission between different oral sites within and between hosts.
The Improvement of Vision by Vision Stimulation and Training: A Review of the Literature

A frequently used approach to the rehabilitation of children with severe irreversible visual impairments is to stimulate or train them to “see” better through the programmed presentation of stimuli and instructions. This article reviews the theoretical and research literature on vision stimulation and vision training to determine if it contains useful guidelines for the construction of vision stimulation and training programs.
Coded cooperation with non-binary codes for wireless networks

A novel coded cooperation scheme based on distributed non-binary low-density parity-check (NB-LDPC) codes is proposed to jointly transmit the data of two independent sources to a common destination aided by two potential relays. Specifically, the source data are broadcasted by each source node independently and then jointly processed in the high order Galois fields at relay nodes. Finally, the destination node forms the data from sources and relays as an NB-LDPC code and performs iterative decoding. In the proposed scheme, the source nodes and relay nodes have low complexity, for the encoding and transmission of the NB-LDPC codes are implemented in a distributed manner by multiple nodes located at different sites. The distributed coding scheme with iterative decoding can obtain the diversity gain and coding gain simultaneously, and thus significant performance gain is achieved compared with the non-cooperation scheme.
NICP: Dense normal based point cloud registration

In this paper we present a novel on-line method to recursively align point clouds. By considering each point together with the local features of the surface (normal and curvature), our method takes advantage of the 3D structure around the points for the determination of the data association between two clouds. The algorithm relies on a least squares formulation of the alignment problem, that minimizes an error metric depending on these surface characteristics. We named the approach Normal Iterative Closest Point (NICP in short). Extensive experiments on publicly available benchmark data show that NICP outperforms other state-of-the-art approaches.
mCP Nets: Representing and Reasoning with Preferences of Multiple Agents

We introduce mCP nets, an extension of the CP net formalism to model and handle the qualitative and conditional preferences of multiple agents. We give a number of different semantics for reasoning with mCP nets. The semantics are all based on the idea of individual agents voting. We describe how to test optimality and preference ordering within a mCP net, and we give complexity results for such tasks. We also discuss whether the voting schemes fairly combine together the preference s of the individual agents.
Interference Control Based on Beamforming Coordination for Heterogeneous Network With RRH Deployment

In this paper, we focus on heterogeneous networks (HetNet) where low-power remote radio head (RRH) nodes are deployed within the coverage area of an existing macro network, aiming at offloading traffic from the macro cell to small cells. To improve the data rate both for users served by macro base stations (BSs) and those by RRH nodes, this paper proposes a joint selection interference control (JSIC) based scheme, where each user equipment (UE) in the cell feeds its channel state information back to the corresponding BS based on the best companion cluster (BCC) method. After sharing users' information through the high-speed backhaul, macro-BS and RRH node make beam and UE selection simultaneously in order to avoid too much interference. To compare with JSIC-based scheme, we also discuss a related work prioritized selection interference control (PSIC)-based scheme. Simulation results show that JSIC-based scheme has a better performance of total throughput than PSIC-based scheme, providing fairness between macro users and RRH-users.
Plasminogen activator and collagenase production by cultured capillary endothelial cells

Cultured bovine capillary endothelial (BCE) cells produce low levels of collagenolytic activity and significant amounts of the serine protease plasminogen activator (PA). When grown in the presence of nanomolar quantities of the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), BCE cells produced 5-15 times more collagenolytic activity and 2-10 times more PA than untreated cells. The enhanced production of these enzymes was dependent on the dose of TPA used, with maximal response at 10(-7) to 10(-8) M. Phorbol didecanoate (PDD), an analog of TPA which is an active tumor promoter, also increased protease production. 4-O-methyl-TPA and 4α-PDD, two analogs of TPA which are inactive as tumor promoters, had no effect on protease production. Increased PA and collagenase activities were detected within 7.5 and 19 h, respectively, after the addition of TPA. The TPA-stimulated BCE cells synthesized a urokinase-type PA and a typical vertebrate collagenase. BCE cells were compared with bovine aortic endothelial (BAE) cells and bovine embryonic skin (BES) fibroblasts with respect to their production of protease in response to TPA. Under normal growth conditions, low levels of collagenolyic activity were detected in the culture fluids from BCE, BAE, and BES cells. BCE cells produced 5-13 times the basal levels of collagenolytic activity in response to TPA, whereas BAE cells and BES fibroblasts showed a minimal response to TPA. Both BCE and BAE cells exhibited relatively high basal levels of PA, the production of which was stimulated approximately threefold by the addition of TPA. The observation that BCE cells and not BAE cells produced high levels of both PA and collagenase activities in response to TPA demonstrates a significant difference between these two types of endothelial cells and suggests that the enhanced detectable activities are a property unique to bovine capillary and microvessel and endothelial cells.
The Spectrum of Practice in the Diagnosis and Management of Pneumonia in Patients Requiring Mechanical Ventilation. Australian and New Zealand Practice in Intensive Care (ANZPIC II)

This study of ventilated patients investigated current clinical practice in 476 episodes of pneumonia (48% community-acquired pneumonia, 24% hospital-acquired pneumonia, 28% ventilator-associated pneumonia) using a prospective survey in 14 intensive care units (ICUs) within Australia and New Zealand. Diagnostic methods and confidence, disease severity, microbiology and antibiotic use were assessed. All pneumonia types had similar mortality (community-acquired pneumonia 33%, hospital-acquired pneumonia 37% and ventilator-associated pneumonia 24%, P=0.15) with no inter-hospital differences (P=0.08–0.91). Bronchoscopy was performed in 26%, its use predicted by admission hospital (one tertiary: OR 9.98, CI 95% 5.11–19.49, P<0.001; one regional: OR 6.29, CI 95% 3.24–12.20, P<0.001), clinical signs of consolidation (OR 3.72, CI 95% 2.09–6.62, P<0.001) and diagnostic confidence (OR 2.19, CI 95% 1.29–3.72, P=0.004). Bronchoscopy did not predict outcome (P=0.11) or appropriate antibiotic selection (P=0.69). Inappropriate antibiotic prescription was similar for all pneumonia types (11–13%, P=0.12) and hospitals (0–16%, P=0.25). Blood cultures were taken in 51% of cases. For community-acquired pneumonia, 70% received a third generation cephalosporin and 65% a macrolide. Third generation cephalosporins were less frequently used for mild infections (OR 0.38, CI 95% 0.16–0.90, P=0.03), hospital-acquired pneumonia (OR 0.40, CI 95% 0.23–0.72, P<0.01), ventilator-associated pneumonia (OR 0.04, CI 95% 0.02–0.13, P<0.001), suspected aspiration (OR 0.20, CI 95% 0.04–0.92, P=0.04), in one regional (OR 0.26, CI 95% 0.07–0.97, P=0.05) and one tertiary hospital (OR 0.14, CI 95% 0.03–0.73, P=0.02) but were more commonly used in older patients (OR 1.02, CI 95% 1.01–1.03, P=0.01). There is practice variability in bronchoscopy and antibiotic use for pneumonia in Australian and New Zealand ICUs without significant impact on patient outcome, as the prevalence of inappropriate antibiotic prescription is low. There are opportunities for improving microbiological diagnostic work-up for isolation of aetiological pathogens.
Genomic Imprinting in the Arabidopsis Embryo Is Partly Regulated by PRC2

Genomic imprinting results in monoallelic gene expression in a parent-of-origin-dependent manner and is regulated by the differential epigenetic marking of the parental alleles. In plants, genomic imprinting has been primarily described for genes expressed in the endosperm, a tissue nourishing the developing embryo that does not contribute to the next generation. In Arabidopsis, the genes MEDEA (MEA) and PHERES1 (PHE1), which are imprinted in the endosperm, are also expressed in the embryo; whether their embryonic expression is regulated by imprinting or not, however, remains controversial. In contrast, the maternally expressed in embryo 1 (mee1) gene of maize is clearly imprinted in the embryo. We identified several imprinted candidate genes in an allele-specific transcriptome of hybrid Arabidopsis embryos and confirmed parent-of-origin-dependent, monoallelic expression for eleven maternally expressed genes (MEGs) and one paternally expressed gene (PEG) in the embryo, using allele-specific expression analyses and reporter gene assays. Genetic studies indicate that the Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) but not the DNA METHYLTRANSFERASE1 (MET1) is involved in regulating imprinted expression in the embryo. In the seedling, all embryonic MEGs and the PEG are expressed from both parents, suggesting that the imprint is erased during late embryogenesis or early vegetative development. Our finding that several genes are regulated by genomic imprinting in the Arabidopsis embryo clearly demonstrates that this epigenetic phenomenon is not a unique feature of the endosperm in both monocots and dicots.
An overview of the ISO/VDM-SL standard

VDM-SL, the notation incorporated in the formal method VDM, is currently being standardized under auspices of the International Standards Institution (ISO) and the British Standards Institution (BSI). It is one of the few formal languages of which the syntax and the semantics have been completely formally defined. In this paper we present an overview of the standard, including a report on the current status of the standardization effort.
Computational intermediation and the evolution of computation as a commodity

The consumer who purchases computational power ultimately purchases a reduction in the time interval between the initiation and the completion of work. This paper looks at computation as a commodity and the nascent industry of computational intermediation, and proposes a model for the market for computational power as distinct from the market for computers. Some interesting results emerge. The model implies that the demand for computation is discontinuous and that there is a lower limit to the quantity of computation consumers will demand that is independent of the price of power. The model identifies a range of computational powers that could be supplied by computational intermediaries but which will not be supplied by computer manufacturers, and suggests a model for pricing computation.
Journal of Information Technology Education Supporting Students in C++ Programming Courses with Automatic Program Style Assessment Supporting Students on C++ Programming Courses

Executive Summary Professional programmers need common coding conventions to assure cooperation and a degree of quality of the software. Novice programmers, however, easily forget issues of programming style in their programming coursework. In particular with large classes, students may pass several courses without learning elements of programming style. This is often due to shortage of tutor work to give students thorough feedback on their coursework. Incorporating issues of style into programming courses is too often neglected and students are hoped to learn these issues by themselves. To deal with the problem, a set of coding rules was collected and justified to be used in C++ programming courses of the university. An automatic C++ programming style analyzer tool was implemented to ensure that students were following the rules. Students can freely use this tool to improve the quality of their coursework, and tutors can use it for assessing the assignments. Assessment rules and criteria can be easily adjusted according to the needs of the course or the exercise in question. Since basic programming style issues are assessed by the students independently before coursework submission, the teaching staff can concentrate on giving feedback on the more advanced features of program design and course specific issues. The approach seems to have tackled the basic problem well. The students learn to pay better attention to their coding practices and they develop themselves good basic programming habits already on their first courses. After the first shock of having more requirements for the practical programming assignments, students have regarded the automatic style analysis as a useful aid in the programming courses. The quality of coursework has improved, and including a systematic assessment of programming style also improved the partitioning of contents and design of the courses involved. With more careful monitoring and evaluation of the tool usage, we hope to gain even better results in improving the understanding and adoption of good coding principles as part of students' personal programming practices. Material published as part of this journal, either on-line or in print, is copyrighted by the publisher of the Journal of Information Technology Education. Permission to make digital or paper copy of part or all of these works for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that the copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage AND that copies 1) bear this notice in full and 2) give the full …
An Adaptive Spatial Filter for User-Independent Single Trial Detection of Event-Related Potentials

Goal: Current brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are usually based on various, often supervised, signal processing methods. The disadvantage of supervised methods is the requirement to calibrate them with recently acquired subject-specific training data. Here, we present a novel algorithm for dimensionality reduction (spatial filter), that is ideally suited for single-trial detection of event-related potentials (ERPs) and can be adapted online to a new subject to minimize or avoid calibration time. Methods: The algorithm is based on the well-known xDAWN filter, but uses generalized eigendecomposition to allow an incremental training by recursive least squares (RLS) updates of the filter coefficients. We analyze the effectiveness of the spatial filter in different transfer scenarios and combinations with adaptive classifiers. Results: The results show that it can compensate changes due to switching between different users, and therefore allows to reuse training data that has been previously recorded from other subjects. Conclusions: The presented approach allows to reduce or completely avoid a calibration phase and to instantly use the BCI system with only a minor decrease of performance. Significance: The novel filter can adapt a precomputed spatial filter to a new subject and make a BCI system user independent.
MAVS-MKK7-JNK2 Defines a Novel Apoptotic Signaling Pathway during Viral Infection

Viral infection induces innate immunity and apoptosis. Apoptosis is an effective means to sacrifice virus-infected host cells and therefore restrict the spread of pathogens. However, the underlying mechanisms of this process are still poorly understood. Here, we show that the mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS/VISA/Cardif/IPS-1) is critical for SeV (Sendai virus)-induced apoptosis. MAVS specifically activates c-Jun N-terminal kinase 2 (JNK2) but not other MAP kinases. Jnk2−/− cells, but not Jnk1−/− cells, are unable to initiate virus-induced apoptosis and SeV further fails to trigger apoptosis in MAPK kinase 7 (MKK7) knockout (Mkk7−/−) cells. Mechanistically, MAVS recruits MKK7 onto mitochondria via its 3D domain, which subsequently phosphorylates JNK2 and thus activates the apoptosis pathway. Consistently, Jnk2−/− mice, but not Jnk1−/− mice, display marked inflammatory injury in lung and liver after viral challenge. Collectively, we have identified a novel signaling pathway, involving MAVS-MKK7-JNK2, which mediates virus-induced apoptosis and highlights the indispensable role of mitochondrial outer membrane in host defenses.
Improvement in the therapeutic index of cisplatin (NSC 119875) by pharmacologically induced chloruresis in the rat.

Abstract Low concentrations of chloride facilitate the conversion of cisplatin (CDDP) to cytotoxic species in aqueous solution. Low urine chloride concentrations increased CDDP-induced renal injury, while high urine chloride concentrations were protective. Sprague-Dawley rats drinking 1.2% sodium phosphate or 1.4% sodium bicarbonate and consuming low-chloride rat diet for 3 days excreted urine with a mean chloride concentration of 19.6 ± 11.3 mEq/liter. After drinking 1.0% sodium chloride with the same diet, rats which were treated with s.c. ammonium chloride (250 mg/kg for three doses) and mercaptomerin sodium (1 mg mercury per kg) on Day 3 of the experimental program developed a mean urine chloride concentration of 462 ± 172 mEq/liter. Weight, input, output, urine pH, and urine sodium concentration of the two groups did not differ. CDDP (5 mg/kg) i.p. produced greater renal injury in chloride-deprived rats than in control animals on normal diet and tap water and was nontoxic in the chloruresis group. In rats undergoing chloruresis, a dose of 10 mg CDDP per kg produced quantitatively similar renal injury to that produced by 5 mg CDDP per kg in control rats. Histological renal injury correlated with CDDP dose and was greatest in the distal tubules and collecting ducts of chloride-deprived rat kidneys. High-performance liquid chromatography fractionation of urine from catheterized rats demonstrated treatment-dependent speciation of CDDP. Urine from chloride-deprived rats contained 8.8 ± 2.1% of total platinum as non-CDDP species, while urine from the chloruresis group contained only 1.5 ± 0.6% as non-CDDP species ( p N -nitrosomethylurea exhibited dose-related partial responses to a single dose of CDDP. There was a tumor induction rate of 100% in 120 rats with median latency of 87 days (range, 69 to 160 days) from the first of three monthly i.v. injections of 50 mg N -nitrosomethylurea per kg. The chloruresis regimen did not significantly affect the dose-response curve of CDDP in this model. Reduction of nephrotoxicity through altered urine platinum speciation, without loss of antitumor activity, showed that pharmacologically induced chloruresis improved the therapeutic index of CDDP.
Schistosoma mansoni: evidence that ‘non-permissiveness’ in 129/Ola mice involves worm relocation and attrition in the lungs

Summary 129/Ola mice resemble WEHI 129J mice in that around 70% of the individuals in any given population resist a primary infection with Schistosoma mansoni. Squashed-organ autoradiographic tracking of [Se]selenomethionine-labelled parasites has shown that the kinetics of worm migration in 129/Ola mice follows the expected pattern, and that all rodents harbour essentially similar numbers of worms on day 14 post-infection. Combined lung and liver worm recovery techniques have revealed, however, that segregation of mice into ‘permissive’ and ‘non-permissive’ individuals can first be detected on day 20. ‘Non-permissive’ mice are characterized by the absence of schistosome eggs at all times in the liver parenchyma and, in consequence, lack the attendant manifestations of pathology; they do, however, harbour a few stunted worms in the liver and significant numbers of adult schistosomes in the pulmonary vasculature. Histological analysis of sectioned lung tissue from such animals indicates that some lung-located schistosomes feed, pair and lay eggs. Nevertheless, eosinophil-enriched inflammatory reactions develop around such worms and the parasites themselves exhibit various manifestations of trauma, ranging from minor vacuolation to gut herniation and extrusion. The phenomenon of ‘non-permissiveness’ thus involves retardation of worm development in the liver and, in consequence, relocation of the parasites to the lungs, where they become subject to host effector responses.
The study of semiconductor layer effect on underground cables with Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR)

Time Domain Reflectometry is a technique used for fault location and partial discharge analysis in underground electric distribution cables. The technique is based on the analysis of the propagation of short electric pulses. In underground cables, semiconductor layer properties and degradation cause perturbations in the signal wave shape. These perturbations complicate the interpretation of reflectograms and, as a consequence, fault location. This work presents a circuit model of distributed elements that includes the electrical resistance of the semiconductor layers. The results of computer simulations using the proposed model are compared with measurements in new and aged XLPE cables. This comparison shows that the proposed model can represent the phenomena satisfactorily.
Plasmin deficiency leads to fibrin accumulation and a compromised inflammatory response in the mouse brain

Excess fibrin in blood vessels is cleared by plasmin, the key proteolytic enzyme in fibrinolysis. Neurological disorders and head trauma can result in the disruption of the neurovasculature and the entry of fibrin and other blood components into the brain, which may contribute to further neurological dysfunction.