Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An argument for using participatory approaches for the design of online health interventions targeted at young women

The Internet is becoming an increasingly important portal to health information and means for promoting health in user populations. As the most frequent users of online health information, young women are an important target population for e-health promotion interventions. Health-related websites have traditionally been generic in design, resulting in poor user engagement and affecting limited impacts on health behaviour change. Mounting evidence suggests that the most effective health promotion communication strategies are collaborative in nature, fully engaging target users throughout the development process. Participatory design approaches to interface development enable researchers to better identify the needs and expectations of users, thus increasing user engagement in, and promoting behaviour change via, online health interventions. This article introduces participatory design methods applicable to online health intervention design and presents an argument for the use of such methods in the development of e-Health applications targeted at young women.
How to Make it in History. Working Towards a Methodology of Canon Research with Digital Methods

This paper proposes a methodology for studying canonisation of people in history with digital methods. These canons are for the most part culturally determined. For a select group of people, there is no doubt that they merit the necessary attention, but there is a large gray field of ‘second rate’ individuals who had an impact on history of which only a small group is included in more than a footnote. This makes the attention people get from historians rather arbitrary, subjective and unacademic. Digital humanities technologies can help us to work around this arbitrariness and to get insight into the canonisation processes.
GASP - Galway Astronomical Stokes Polarimeter

The Galway Astronomical Stokes Polarimeter (GASP) is an ultra-high-speed, full Stokes, astronomical imaging polarimeter based upon a Division of Amplitude Polarimeter. It has been developed to resolve extremely rapid stochastic, millisecond variations in objects such as optical pulsars, RRATs and magnetic cataclysmic variables. GASP has no moving parts or modulated components, so the complete Stokes vector can be measured from just one exposure - making it unique to astronomy. Furthermore the time required for the determination of the full Stokes vector is limited only by the time resolution of the detectors used and the incident photon fluxes. GASP utilizes a modified Fresnel rhomb, which acts as a highly achromatic quarter wave plate and a beamsplitter (referred to as an RBS). Here we present a description of how the DOAP works, some of the optical designs for the polarimeter, and give some preliminary results. Calibration is an important, and difficult issue with all polarimeters, but particularly in astronomical polarimeters. We give a description of calibration techniques appropriate to this type of polarimeter, particularly the Eigenvalue Calibration Method of Compain & Drevillon
Automation of a T-intersection Using Virtual Platoons of Cooperative Autonomous Vehicles

Both traffic throughput and the vehicle passenger safety can be increased by automating road intersections. We propose the virtual platooning concept to ensure a smooth, efficient and safe traffic flow through an automated intersection. The virtual platoon is formed by defining a virtual inter-vehicle distance between vehicles driving on different lanes. Such distance is employed by a Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control (CACC) system which, in turn, generates the required safe "gaps" for the vehicles to cross the intersection. A simulation study demonstrates the functionality of the presented methodology, which is referred to as Cooperative Intersection Control (CIC).
Performance Analysis of Modified DORA for Constraint Based WDM Networks

Wave length division multiplexing has emerged as a promising technology for backbone networks. The optical layer based on WDM technology provides optical routing services to the upper layers. We consider large optical networks in which nodes employ wavelength-routing switches and wavelength converters which enable the establishment of wavelength-division multiplexed channels called light paths, between node pairs. We propose a algorithm called modified DORA which solves the routing and wavelength assignment of light paths in such networks. We studied the performance of proposed algorithm for a standard NSFNET for 10 nodes and 15 links and analyzed the blocking probability for various cases. We studied the dynamic routing algorithm. We modified the algorithm to suit for WDM networks. We compare it with the exhaust routing in terms of blocking probability, channel utilization and complexity
Performance Contracts : A Fuzzy Logic Perspective

Historically, performance analysis has focused on monolithic applications executing on large, stand-alone parallel systems. In such a domain, measurement and post-mortem analysis and code optimization suffice to eliminate performance bottlenecks and optimize applications. Most existing performance analysis systems (e.g., SvPablo [1], Medea [2], and Paragraph [5]) use only post-mortem analysis. To tune the emerging distributed applications, a new generation of on-line performance measurement and optimization tools is needed that can adapt application behavior dynamically, based on changing resource availability.
Automatic extraction and intelligent searching on a mobile platform

Mobile web browsing signifies accessing the content on web pages using a mobile device. It is common for Internet search engines to use keyword searching in which rank is assigned to each page based on several features. But it is an arduous task for a user to inscribe a keyword in such a delicate small mobile screen. A challenging research goal is the development of advanced web-based applications for mobile that can offer some amount of interactivity and adaptivity in order to support operators and users. This paper briefly introduces Automatic Adaptive System (AAS), a substantial adaptive system on the WWW for extracting the details related to the search. The proposed system builds an adaptive architecture for user specific mobile services. It intelligently processes the available web contents and accomplishes the user's demand related to the selected query. It delivers the specific results in a completely menu driven environment.
Regulation of stability and function of the epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) by ubiquitination

The epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC), composed of three subunits (αβγ), plays a critical role in salt and fluid homeostasis. Abnormalities in channel opening and numbers have been linked to several genetic disorders, including cystic fibrosis, pseudohypoaldosteronism type I and Liddle syndrome. We have recently identified the ubiquitin‐protein ligase Nedd4 as an interacting protein of ENaC. Here we show that ENaC is a short‐lived protein (t1/2 ∼1 h) that is ubiquitinated in vivo on the α and γ (but not β) subunits. Mutation of a cluster of Lys residues (to Arg) at the N‐terminus of γENaC leads to both inhibition of ubiquitination and increased channel activity, an effect augmented by N‐terminal Lys to Arg mutations in αENaC, but not in βENaC. This elevated channel activity is caused by an increase in the number of channels present at the plasma membrane; it represents increases in both cell‐surface retention or recycling of ENaC and incorporation of new channels at the plasma membrane, as determined by Brefeldin A treatment. In addition, we find that the rapid turnover of the total pool of cellular ENaC is attenuated by inhibitors of both the proteasome and the lysosomal/endosomal degradation systems, and propose that whereas the unassembled subunits are degraded by the proteasome, the assembled αβγENaC complex is targeted for lysosomal degradation. Our results suggest that ENaC function is regulated by ubiquitination, and propose a paradigm for ubiquitination‐mediated regulation of ion channels.
Heterosexual Rejection and Mate Choice: A Sociometer Perspective

Previous studies about the effects of social rejection on individuals' social behaviors have produced mixed results and tend to study mating behaviors from a static point of view. However, mate selection in essence is a dynamic process, and therefore sociometer theory opens up a new perspective for studying mating and its underlying practices. Based on this theory and using self-perceived mate value in the relationship between heterosexual rejection and mate choice as a mediating role, this current study examined the effects of heterosexual rejection on mate choice in two experiments. Results showed that heterosexual rejection significantly reduced self-perceived mate value, expectation, and behavioral tendencies, while heterosexual acceptance indistinctively increased these measures. Self-perceived mate value did not serve as a mediator in the relationship between heterosexual rejection and mate expectation, but it mediated the relationship between heterosexual rejection and mating behavior tendencies toward potential objects. Moreover, individuals evaded both rejection and irrelevant people when suffering from rejection.
Comprehensible security synthesis for wireless sensor networks

Providing usable security mechanisms for Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) is one of the important tasks to foster WSN development, as they will increasingly be deployed in real-world settings in the future. Generally, due to its complexity, expert knowledge in the field of security is needed to plan, implement, and deploy a sound security setup. Frequently, no or only basic security mechanisms leave the WSN open to attacks of which the application designer might not be aware, especially if no security evaluation has been done. Furthermore, available security mechanisms have a great impact on the design of the application itself, i.e. to properly secure a protocol. We therefore propose a framework that first devises feasible security setups based on the characteristics of the envisioned application and second provides a security evaluation of theses possibilities from which the application designer is able to choose the fitting setup for his application. We have prototypically implemented the proposed scheme into the WSN middleware synthesis tool FABRIC and thus support the application designer in including a sound security solution into his application.
Making memory sites : extending opportunities for people with profound and multiple learning disabilities to participate in life story work

People with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) experience considerable difficulties communicating and develop idiosyncratic repertoires of communication that are understood and interpreted only by those closest to them. It is difficult to access their stories or to find out how they are living their lives via orthodox life story research practices and consequently their experiences remain hidden from history. This practice-led research was driven by the need to address a lack of methodological tools that enable the inclusion of people with PMLD as participants in life story work. The research sought to contribute to: 1. An understanding of the barriers, challenges and benefits of doing participatory life story work with people with PMLD. 2. The development of a range of methods that invite people with PMLD to participate in life story work, with specific, but not exclusive reference to rich media and digital tools. 3. A broader understanding of the every day social and cultural lives of three adults with PMLD. Researching alongside three adults with PMLD and their circles of support for an extended period of time using a qualitative mix of life history and ethnographic methods - including the shared examination of personal archive materials, participation in every day activities and interviews with close family and friends - revealed opportunities for them to engage in their pasts. Barriers of access and communication were identified and addressed. The deconstruction of narrative norms together with framing participatory life story work within a cultural, as opposed to an individual, context invited a reinterpretation of what it means to participate in life story work. Thematic analysis of the rich body of material generated by the project identified that opportunities to participate in life story work were dependent on particular qualities of people, time and environment. Participation in life story work was found to be beneficial to the participants with PMLD because it challenged perceptions, demonstrated their value as people living socially and culturally rich lives, provided a platform for shared remembering and was a catalyst for new narratives. The findings indicate possibilities for including people with PMLD as participants in other research areas including mental health and wellbeing.
Open Domain Atomic Event Extraction via Double Propagation for Chinese Text

Recent studies show structured atomic event information is beneficial to represent the discourse semantic. However, extracting useful structured representation of events from open domain is a challenging problem. On one hand, previous event extraction methods on special domain, cannot be directly used for open domain because of domain limitation and predefined event pattern. On the other hand, atomic event extraction is simply regarded as a preprocessing step in previous related work, and few studies focus on atomic event extraction in open domain. In this paper, we propose an unsupervised method for Chinese event extraction in open domain. Being directed against the ellipsis and flexible sentence structure in Chinese text, the proposed method exploits double propagation (DP) to combine event extraction and event pattern generation, which does not require seed events or seed event patterns and is able to eliminate noise from syntactic parsing. Experimental results on standard benchmark show that our proposed method outperforms state-of-the-art algorithm.
On the testability of WCAG 2.0 for beginners

Web accessibility for people with disabilities is a highly visible area of research in the field of ICT accessibility, including many policy activities across many countries. The commonly accepted guidelines for web accessibility (WCAG 1.0) were published in 1999 and have been extensively used by designers, evaluators and legislators. W3C-WAI published a new version of these guidelines (WCAG 2.0) in December 2008. One of the main goals of WCAG 2.0 was testability, that is, WCAG 2.0 should be either machine testable or reliably human testable. In this paper we present an educational experiment performed during an intensive web accessibility course. The goal of the experiment was to assess the testability of the 25 level-A success criteria of WCAG 2.0 by beginners. To do this, the students had to manually evaluate the accessibility of the same web page. The result was that only eight success criteria could be considered to be reliably human testable when evaluators were beginners. We also compare our experiment with a similar study published recently. Our work is not a conclusive experiment, but it does suggest some parts of WCAG 2.0 to which special attention should be paid when training accessibility evaluators.
Informal Cost of Dementia Care – A Proxy-Good Valuation in Ireland

This paper values the informal costs of dementia care in Ireland based on recently agreed national costing framework. Drawing on a survey of 270 Irish dementia caregivers, the hours of informal care per day are estimated using variables of individual characteristics, functional limitations and behavioural problems. This estimation finds that an interlinked workcohabitation effect significantly predicts the total informal care available and suggests that increasing burden on carers may alter overall welfare. Given conflict in carers’ personal priorities, this paper calculates the market value of formal services to inform equitable distribution of dementia care required. By associating “proxy-good’ market values to dementia symptoms requiring specific types of care, the per diem costs of care are estimated to range from €240.96 (early-stage) to €570.04 (late-stage). As burnout is a major risk factor in prolonged care, this paper indicates the formal value of the output of care from a public health service perspective. Policy initiatives to improve technical and allocative efficiency of formal dementia services are required to reduce reliance on informal care.
Molecular diagnosis and anti-microbial resistance patterns among Shigella spp. isolated from patients with diarrhea

Aim: This study aims to determine the serogroup distribution and molecular diagnosis, as well as antimicrobial resistance profiles among Shigella spp. isolated from patients with diarrhea in Kerman, southeast of Iran. Background: Shigella species are frequent cause of bacterial dysentery worldwide. Previous studies have been reported that S. sonnei and S. flexneri are the most prevalent serogroups in various parts of Iran. Patients and methods: A total of 624 stool samples were randomly collected from patients with diarrhea from June 2013 to August 2014. Biochemical and serological characterizations were performed for identifying Shigella spp. In addition, the multiplex PCR assay was carried out for the detection and differentiation of three pathogenic Shigella spp. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed according to the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Results: Fifty six (9%) Shigella strains were isolated from stool samples. The most common species were S. flexneri 31(55.4%), followed by S . sonnei 18(32.1%) and S. boydii 7(12.5%). S. dysentery was not detected in the present study. All the isolates that identified by serological test as Shigella spp. were confirmed by the multiplex PCR method. The highest rate of resistance was observed for ampicillin and trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole antibiotics with 52(92.9%) resistant, followed by tetracycline 44(78.6%) and cefotaxime 33(58.9%). All Shigella isolates were susceptible to ciprofloxacin. A significant relationship was found between the Shigella species and cefotaxime resistance (p<0.05). Conclusion: S. flexneri was found as the most prevalent serogroup causing shigellosis. The high rate of resistance to third-generation cephalosporins limits the treatment options available for the management of shigellosis in Kerman, Iran.
Contrasting shadow for occluder light suppression from one-shot image

Two main problems for front projection systems when a user appears between a screen and a projector are 1) shadows being cast on a screen and 2) the user being illuminated due to undesirable strong projection light. To solve these problems, it is necessary to know which projectors are occluded by a user and cast a shadow. We propose a method that suppresses occluder light from a single image based on the fact that the darkness of shadows on a screen is differentiated when projectors have different luminance. Contrary to previous approaches, our method utilizes different alpha masks for each projector to contrast shadows on a screen. This enables us to clarify the relationship between the shadow on a screen and the occluded projector. Additionally, by differentiating all projector luminances, our method makes it possible to discriminate shadows even when some shadow regions overlap on a screen. We implemented the proposed method into a three-projector system to demonstrate its effectiveness.
A Lasso regression model for the construction of microRNA-target regulatory networks

MOTIVATION MicroRNAs have recently emerged as a major class of regulatory molecules involved in a broad range of biological processes and complex diseases. Construction of miRNA-target regulatory networks can provide useful information for the study and diagnosis of complex diseases. Many sequence-based and evolutionary information-based methods have been developed to identify miRNA-mRNA targeting relationships. However, as the amount of available miRNA and gene expression data grows, a more statistical and systematic method combining sequence-based binding predictions and expression-based correlation data becomes necessary for the accurate identification of miRNA-mRNA pairs. RESULTS We propose a Lasso regression model for the identification of miRNA-mRNA targeting relationships that combines sequence-based prediction information, miRNA co-regulation, RISC availability and miRNA/mRNA abundance data. By comparing this modelling approach with two other known methods applied to three different datasets, we found that the Lasso regression model has considerable advantages in both sensitivity and specificity. The regression coefficients in the model can be used to determine the true regulatory efficacies in tissues and was demonstrated using the miRNA target site type data. Finally, by constructing the miRNA regulatory networks in two stages of prostate cancer (PCa), we found the several significant miRNA-hubbed network modules associated with PCa metastasis. In conclusion, the Lasso regression model is a robust and informative tool for constructing the miRNA regulatory networks for diagnosis and treatment of complex diseases. AVAILABILITY The R program for predicting miRNA-mRNA targeting relationships using the Lasso regression model is freely available, along with the described datasets and resulting regulatory network, at http://biocompute.bmi.ac.cn/CZlab/alarmnet/. The source code is open for modification and application to other miRNA/mRNA expression datasets. CONTACT zhangcg@bmi.ac.cn SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Analysis on connectivity performance for vehicular ad hoc networks subjected to user behavior

The user behavior is one of the key factors to impact the communication performance of vehicular ad hoc networks. Generally, more active vehicles can enhance the connectivity performance. Nevertheless, an increasing number of active vehicles may bring about significant interference and thus negatively affect the connectivity. In this paper, a highway model is presented to study the effects of active vehicle ratio on connectivity performance in the presence of co-channel interference. A closed form expression of the inter-vehicle connectivity probability is also derived to evaluate the impacts of active ratio, traffic flow, and fading factors under Nakagami fading channel. Analytical results of inter-vehicle connectivity probability are shown to be consistent with the simulation results, and can be applied to estimate connectivity performance with interference in the network design for highway vehicular scenarios.
Constructing complete graph and implement of TSP in the multi-objects path planning

Traveling salesman problem (TSP) is one of the unsolved problems nowadays that carry significant value to the transportation work in the complete graph. There are some good approximation algorithms that can provide an approximate solution. Here, we propose a method of extending the conventional Traveling salesman problem to construct plans for multi-objects which we may encounter frequently in real world. With the traveling of the vehicle, the optimal path generated from single path planner can be used to decrease the cost of tour. As the condition of environment has influence on optimal result of path, we propose a way of transferring from the grid-based real world to topological map first of all, and then we acquire the complete graph from it. With the process of update, the complete map is going to be updated and provides a more precise answer to the optimization. Throughout the simulation, such a method of producing optimal path for multi-objects based on TSP algorithms works well and reduces the cost of path phenomenally. We also find that the correct foundation of complete graph is important for the outcomes of the path from experiments.