Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Searching and ranking in RDF documents and social networks

1. MOTIVATION As semantic web based applications are gaining popularity, very large RDF documents are becoming common. SPARQL is the de-facto standard in querying RDF data and research on efficient implementations of SPARQL interfaces for very large RDF graphs has attracted a great deal of interest in the recent years. However, in large datasets, the user faces the problem that the result set for her queries can be large. In this situation there is no clear for the user, from where to start looking at the results, since all of them are equally valid. Moreover, given the result of a SPARQL query, the only possible order is lexicographical which doesn’t help the user to distinguish which of the returned values should she look first. In this sense, it would be desirable to have a notion of “relevance” of nodes. A related problem is that of analyzing social network data. Most social network analysis concentrates heavily on finding social groups and finding the importance of individuals in a social network. However, this work generally considers the social network as a graph with a single type of connection, edges representing the existence of social communication or friendship for example. There are not many methods developed for social networks with many different types of semantic connections. As a result, there is very little work on querying of semantically rich social network data.
Real-time implementation of the ViBe foreground object segmentation algorithm

This paper presents a novel real-time hardware implementation of the ViBe (VIsual Background Extractor) background generation algorithm in reconfigurable FPGA device. This novel method combines the advantages of typical recursive and non-recursive approaches and achieves very good foreground object segmentation results. In this work the issue of porting ViBe to a FPGA hardware platform is discussed, two modification to the original approach are proposed and a detailed description of the implemented system is presented. This is the first, known to the authors, FPGA implementation of this algorithm.
Regulation of mitochondrial D‐loops by transcription factor A and single‐stranded DNA‐binding protein

During replication, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) takes on a triple‐stranded structure called a D‐loop. Although their physiological roles are not understood, D‐loops are implicated in replication and transcription of mtDNA. Little is known about the turnover of D‐loops. We investigated the effects of mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) and single‐stranded DNA‐binding protein (mtSSB) on D‐loops. In human HeLa cells, TFAM and mtSSB are, respectively, 1700‐ and 3000‐fold more abundant than mtDNA. This level of TFAM is two orders of magnitude higher than reported previously and is sufficient to wrap human mtDNA entirely. TFAM resolves D‐loops in vitro if added in similar stoichiometries. mtSSB inhibits the resolution of mtDNA by TFAM but enhances resolution by RecG, a junction‐specific helicase from Escherichia coli. Hence, mtSSB functions in both stabilization and resolution. We propose that TFAM and mtSSB are cooperatively involved in stabilizing D‐loops and in the maintenance of mtDNA.
Magnitude and Phenotype of Cellular Immune Responses Elicited by Recombinant Adenovirus Vectors and Heterologous Prime-Boost Regimens in Rhesus Monkeys

ABSTRACT Recombinant adenovirus serotype 5 (rAd5) vaccine vectors for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and other pathogens have been shown to elicit antigen-specific cellular immune responses. Rare serotype rAd vectors have also been constructed to circumvent preexisting anti-Ad5 immunity and to facilitate the development of novel heterologous rAd prime-boost regimens. Here we show that rAd5, rAd26, and rAd48 vectors elicit qualitatively distinct phenotypes of cellular immune responses in rhesus monkeys and can be combined as potent heterologous prime-boost vaccine regimens. While rAd5-Gag induced primarily gamma interferon-positive (IFN-γ+) and IFN-γ+/tumor necrosis factor alpha+ (TNF-α+) T-lymphocyte responses, rAd26-Gag and rAd48-Gag induced higher proportions of interleukin-2+ (IL-2+) and polyfunctional IFN-γ+/TNF-α+/IL-2+ T-lymphocyte responses. Priming with the rare serotype rAd vectors proved remarkably effective for subsequent boosting with rAd5 vectors. These data demonstrate that the rare serotype rAd vectors elicited T-lymphocyte responses that were phenotypically distinct from those elicited by rAd5 vectors and suggest the functional relevance of polyfunctional CD8+ and CD4+ T-lymphocyte responses. Moreover, qualitative differences in cellular immune responses may prove critical in determining the overall potency of heterologous rAd prime-boost regimens.
Improving Coordination on Novel Meaning through Context and Semantic Structure

Meaning conveyance is bottlenecked by the linguistic conventions shared among interlocutors. One possibility to convey non-conventionalized meaning is to employ known expressions in such a way that the intended meaning can be abduced from them. This, in turn, can give rise to ambiguity. We investigate this process with a focus on its use for semantic coordination and show it to be conducive to fast agreement on novel meaning under a mutual expectation to exploit semantic structure. We argue this to be a motivation for the crosslinguistic pervasiveness of systematic ambiguity.
Differential Activation in Amygdala and Plasma Noradrenaline during Colorectal Distention by Administration of Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone between Healthy Individuals and Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) often comorbids mood and anxiety disorders. Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is a major mediator of the stress response in the brain-gut axis, but it is not clear how CRH agonists change human brain responses to interoceptive stimuli. We tested the hypothesis that brain activation in response to colorectal distention is enhanced after CRH injection in IBS patients compared to healthy controls. Brain H215O- positron emission tomography (PET) was performed in 16 male IBS patients and 16 age-matched male controls during baseline, no distention, mild and intense distention of the colorectum using barostat bag inflation. Either CRH (2 μg/kg) or saline (1:1) was then injected intravenously and the same distention protocol was repeated. Plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), serum cortisol and plasma noradrenaline levels were measured at each stimulation. At baseline, CRH without colorectal distention induced more activation in the right amygdala in IBS patients than in controls. During intense distention after CRH injection, controls showed significantly greater activation than IBS patients in the right amygdala. Plasma ACTH and serum cortisol secretion showed a significant interaction between drug (CRH, saline) and distention. Plasma noradrenaline at baseline significantly increased after CRH injection compared to before injection in IBS. Further, plasma noradrenaline showed a significant group (IBS, controls) by drug by distention interaction. Exogenous CRH differentially sensitizes brain regions of the emotional-arousal circuitry within the visceral pain matrix to colorectal distention and synergetic activation of noradrenergic function in IBS patients and healthy individuals.
Low power software techniques for embedded systems running real time operating systems

Power consumption is an important constraint in embedded systems running real time operating systems (RTOS). This study proposes an evaluation of significance of the joint effect of possible factors in the power consumption of RTOS running on small and medium scale embedded systems. Design of experiments techniques (DOE) were used to identify the impact in the power consumption of the system. A case of study is presented with optimizations oriented to dynamic frequency scaling and memory management were applied to FreeRTOS. Experiments allowed us to find relationships between the type of architecture, the workload, and OS optimizations in power reduction.
Involvement of CXC Chemokine Growth-Related Oncogene-α in Monosodium Urate Crystal-Induced Arthritis in Rabbits

Accumulation of neutrophils is a prominent feature of gouty arthritis in which CXC chemokines may play a role. Recently, we have shown that IL-8 (CXCL8) contributes to neutrophil influx in a rabbit model of gouty arthritis. Here, we demonstrate that growth-related oncogene-α (GROα) (CXCL1), a prototype of CXC chemokine, is also involved in this process. GROα level in the joints peaked at 2 hours after intra-articular injection of monosodium urate crystals, at a time before the neutrophil influx reached the maximal level (9 hours). Once decreased, the level increased and reached the second peak at 9 hours. The kinetics was comparable to that of IL-8. Administration of anti-GROα mAb attenuated the neutrophil influx at the same level as did the anti–IL-8 IgG, and combination of these antibodies enhanced the inhibition, resulting in a 33% reduction. Interaction of GROα with TNFα, IL-1β, and IL-8 was next investigated by injecting antibodies or receptor antagonist with monosodium urate crystals. Administration of anti-TNFα mAb did not alter GROα level at 2 hours, but inhibited the levels 9 hours after the injection. Treatment with either IL-1 receptor antagonist or anti–IL-8 IgG resulted in decreased levels of GROα at 2 and 9 hours. Neutralization of GROα with anti-GROα mAb did not alter TNFα, IL-1β, and IL-8 levels at their peak (2 hours), but decreased the second peak of IL-1β (9 hours) and IL-8 (12 hours). These results provide evidence that GROα as well as IL-8 are involved ad eundem in the neutrophil infiltration in this model. IL-1 and IL-8, but not TNFα, are responsible in part for the initial phase of GROα, whereas these cytokines induce GROα in a late phase. GROα does not seem to initiate TNFα, IL-1β, and IL-8 in an early phase, but induces IL-1β and IL-8 in a late phase.
Child Life Intervention During Angiocatheter Insertion in the Pediatric Emergency Department

Objective: Current literature is deficient regarding the scope of procedures for which certified child life specialist (CCLS) services are effective in the pediatric emergency department. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of CCLS intervention during routine peripheral venous angiocatheter insertion on child procedure-related distress. Methods: Eligible children were aged 2 to 16 years. Subjects were randomly assigned to CCLS intervention or standard care. The Observation Scale of Behavior Distress-revised (OSBD-r) [J Pediatr Psychol 12 (1987) 543] was recorded during the procedure. Secondary outcomes included child and parent State Trait Anxiety Inventories [Manual for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (1973) and Manual for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (1973)] and an adapted parent customer satisfaction survey [Eval Program Plann 5 (1982) 233; Eval Program Plann 6 (1983) 299; and J Paediatr Child Health 31 (1995) 435]. Explanatory and intention-to-treat analyses were performed. Results: One hundred forty-nine children completed the study. Although there was no statistical difference in mean total OSBD-r in the intention-to-treat analysis, the mean difference of 0.61 OSBD units (95% confidence interval, 0.04-1.19) in the anticipation phase in the 4- to 7-year age group was statistically significant. When the patients with only 1 insertion attempt were analyzed (n = 121), the total OSBD-r, anticipation, and preparation phase differences were statistically significant in the intention-to-treat analysis. In the explanatory analysis (n = 138), a mean significant difference in total OSBD-r score of 1.80 (95% confidence interval, 0.19-3.42) was found. There were no significant differences in child or parent anxiety or customer satisfaction between groups. Conclusions: CCLS intervention may reduce the behavioral stress associated with angiocatheter insertion, especially in children aged 4 to 7 years. These data further support the role of the CCLS as a patient and family advocate during routine procedures.
Modeling the Influence of Socioeconomic Characteristics and Land Use on Commute Mode Choice in Madrid

This paper develops multinomial log it models of commute mode choice for female and male respectively. On the basis of the information of personal and household characteristics, a set of potential explanatory factors pertaining to the traveler’s socioeconomic situation have been defined. The 2001 Madrid census data has been employed to explore how socioeconomic factors, land use attributes, and travel distance influence commute mode choice. The empirical analysis indicates that land use attributes and travel distance considerations are important in explaining the variation in commute mode choice when controlling for the socioeconomic characteristics of travelers.
CVC 3

CVC3, a joint project of NYU and U Iowa, is the new and latest ve rsion of the Cooperating Validity Checker. CVC3 extends and b uilds on the functionality of its predecessors and includes many new feature s such as support for additional theories, an abstract architecture for Boolean r soning, and SMT-LIB compliance. We describe the system and discuss some applica tions nd continuing work.
Optimal Channel Equalization for MIMO Time-Varying Channels

We consider optimal channel equalization for MIMO (multi-input/multi-output) time-varying channels in the sense of MMSE (minimum mean-squared-error), where the observation noise can be non-stationary. We show that all ZF (zero-forcing) receivers can be parameterized in an affine form which eliminates completely the ISI (inter-symbol-interference), and optimal channel equalizers can be designed through minimization of the MSE (mean-squared- error) between the detected signals and the transmitted signals, among all ZF receivers. We demonstrate that the optimal channel equalizer is a modified Kalman filter, and show that under the AWGN (additive white Gaussian noise) assumption, the proposed optimal channel equalizer minimizes the BER (bit error rate) among all possible ZF receivers. Our results are applicable to optimal channel equalization for DWMT (discrete wavelet multitone), multirate trans- multiplexers, OFDM (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing), and DS (direct sequence) CDMA (code division multiple access) wireless data communication systems. A design algorithm for optimal channel equalization is developed, and several simulation examples are worked out to illustrate the proposed design algorithm.
Modeling Land Surface Processes and Heavy Rainfall in Urban Environments: Sensitivity to Urban Surface Representations

AbstractHigh-resolution simulations with the Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF) are used in conjunction with observational analyses to investigate land surface processes and heavy rainfall over the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area. Analyses focus on a 6-day period, 21–26 July 2008, which includes a major convective rain event (23–24 July), a prestorm period (21–22 July), and a dry-down period (25–26 July). The performance of WRF in capturing land–atmosphere interactions, the bulk structure of the atmospheric boundary layer, and the rainfall pattern in urban environments is explored. Results indicate that WRF captures the incoming radiative fluxes and surface meteorological conditions. Mean profiles of potential temperature and humidity in the atmosphere are also relatively well reproduced, both preceding and following the heavy rainfall period. However, wind features in the lower atmosphere, including low-level jets, are not accurately reproduced by WRF. The biases in the wind fields play .
Localisation du langage et de la mémoire verbale en magnétoencéphalographie

iii Table des matières . v Liste des tableaux . viii Liste des figures . ix Liste des sigles . x Liste des abréviations . xi Remerciements . xiii Chapitre 1 .
Aversive smoking for smoking cessation.

BACKGROUND Aversion therapy pairs the pleasurable stimulus of smoking a cigarette with some unpleasant stimulus. The objective is to extinguish the urge to smoke. OBJECTIVES This review has two aims: First, to determine the efficacy of rapid smoking and other aversive methods in helping smokers to stop smoking; Second, to determine whether there is a dose-response effect on smoking cessation at different levels of aversive stimulation. SEARCH STRATEGY We searched the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group trials register for studies which evaluated any technique of aversive smoking. SELECTION CRITERIA Randomized trials which compared aversion treatments with 'inactive' procedures or which compared aversion treatments of different intensity for smoking cessation. Trials must have reported follow up of least six months from beginning of treatment. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS We extracted data in duplicate on the study population, the type of aversion treatment, the outcome measure, method of randomization and completeness of follow up. The outcome measure was abstinence from smoking at maximum follow up, using the strictest measure reported by the authors. Subjects lost to follow up were regarded as smokers. Where appropriate, we performed meta-analysis using a fixed effect model. MAIN RESULTS Twenty-five trials met the inclusion criteria. Twelve included rapid smoking and nine used other aversion methods. Ten trials included two or more conditions allowing assessment of a dose-response to aversive stimulation. The odds ratio (OR) for abstinence following rapid smoking compared to control was 1.98 (95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.36 to 2.90). Several factors suggest that this finding should be interpreted cautiously. A funnel plot of included studies was asymmetric, due to the relative absence of small studies with negative results. Most trials had a number of serious methodological problems likely to lead to spurious positive results. The only trial using biochemical validation of all self reported cessation gave a non-significant result. Other aversion methods were not shown to be effective (odds ratio 1.15, 95% confidence interval 0.73 to 1.82). There was a borderline dose-response to the level of aversive stimulation (OR 1.66, 95% CI: 1.00 to 2.78). REVIEWERS' CONCLUSIONS The existing studies provide insufficient evidence to determine the efficacy of rapid smoking, or whether there is a dose-response to aversive stimulation. Milder versions of aversive smoking seem to lack specific efficacy. Rapid smoking is an unproven method with sufficient indications of promise to warrant evaluation using modern rigorous methodology.
Thread-based analysis of embedded applications with real-time and non real-time processing on a single-processor platform

The functionality and complexity of embedded systems is steadily increasing. In order to keep timeto-market as short as possible developers apply more and more open architectures, commercial off the shelf (COTS) components and standard platforms. Scalability, real-time (RT) performance and interoperability between RT and non-RT processing are now important requirements of many embedded systems. In this paper, we describe a possible combination of RT and non-RT processing, present a tool for analyzing RT applications and demonstrate the tool’s feasibility in the development of a complex embedded system in the automotive domain.
Tyrosine depletion alters cortical and limbic blood flow but does not modulate spatial working memory performance or task‐related blood flow in humans

Dopamine appears critical in regulating spatial working memory (SWM) within the PFC of non‐human primates; however findings in humans are less clear. Recent studies of the effects of global depletion of dopamine via acute tyrosine/phenylalanine depletion (TPD) on SWM task performance have yielded inconsistent results, which may be partly related to task differences. These previous studies do not address whether TPD can directly impair PFC functioning. The current study investigated the effects of TPD on (1) regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) during a SWM n‐back task using H215O Positron Emission Tomography (PET), and (2) behavioural performance on three different SWM tasks. Ten healthy males were scanned twice: once following a placebo (balanced) amino acid mixture and once following an equivalent mixture deficient in tyrosine/phenylalanine (TPD condition). Participants completed two additional delayed‐response tasks to examine whether differences in response demands influenced TPD effects on performance. TPD resulted in widespread increases in rCBF, with maximum increases in the region of the parahippocampal gyrus bilaterally, left inferior frontal gyrus, and the putamen. TPD related rCBF reductions were observed in the medial frontal gyrus bilaterally, right inferior temporal gyrus and the pons. Despite widespread changes in blood flow following TPD, no specific effects on SWM neural networks or task performance were observed. The use of three different SWM tasks suggests that task differences are unlikely to account for the lack of effects observed. These findings question the capacity of TPD to consistently modulate dopamine function and SWM neural networks in humans. Hum Brain Mapp 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Characterization of the Myoglobin and Its Coding Gene of the Mollusc Biomphalaria glabrata *

A cDNA clone isolated from aBiomphalaria glabrata (Mollusca, Gastropoda) neural cDNA library was identified as encoding a myoglobin-like protein of 148 amino acids with a single domain and a calculated mass of 16,049.29. Alignment with globin sequences with known tertiary structure confirms its overall globin nature. The expressed myoglobin was identified in the radular muscle and isolated. Oxygen equilibrium measurements on the protein reveal a high oxygen affinity. Val-B10 and Gln-E7, important residues for the determination of the oxygen affinity, are strikingly different from the standard molluscan pattern (Conti, E., Moser, C., Rizzi, M., Mattevi, A., Lionetti, C., Coda, A., Ascenzi, P., Brunori, M., Bolognesi, M. (1993) J. Mol. Biol. 233, 498–508). The single gene encoding the globin chain is interrupted by three introns at positions A3.2, B12.2, and G7.0. Comparison with other nonvertebrate globin genes reveals on the one hand conservation (B12.2 and G7.0) and on the other hand variability of the insertion positions (A3.2). The Biomphalaria myoglobin sequence was used together with all other molluscan globin sequences available to assess the origin and phylogeny of the phylum. Our results confirm the doubts raised about monophyletic origin of the Mollusca, which was first observed using SSU rRNA as a molecular marker.
Association between overweight and characteristics of young adult students: support for nursing care

OBJECTIVE: to verify associations between overweight and the characteristics of young adult students to support nursing care. METHOD: case-control study conducted with young adults from public schools. The sample was composed of 441 participants (147 cases and 294 controls, with and without excess weight, respectively). Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were collected together with exposure factors and anthropometrics. Multiple logistic regression was used. The study received Institutional Review Board approval. RESULTS: statistically significant association with overweight: non-Caucasian, having a partner; weight gain during adolescence, mother's excess weight, the use of obesogenic medication, augmented diastolic blood pressure, of abdominal circumference and waist/hip ratio. In addition to these, schooling and weight gain during childhood were also included in the multivariate analysis. After adjustment, the final model included: having a partner, weight gain during adolescence, augmented diastolic blood pressure and abdominal circumference. CONCLUSION: the analysis of predictor variables for excess weight among young adult students supports nurses in planning and developing educational practices aimed to prevent this clinical condition, which is a risk factor for other chronic comorbidities, such as cardiovascular diseases.