Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Mice Drawer System (MDS) Experiment and the Space Endurance Record-Breaking Mice

The Italian Space Agency, in line with its scientific strategies and the National Utilization Plan for the International Space Station (ISS), contracted Thales Alenia Space Italia to design and build a spaceflight payload for rodent research on ISS: the Mice Drawer System (MDS). The payload, to be integrated inside the Space Shuttle middeck during transportation and inside the Express Rack in the ISS during experiment execution, was designed to function autonomously for more than 3 months and to involve crew only for maintenance activities. In its first mission, three wild type (Wt) and three transgenic male mice over-expressing pleiotrophin under the control of a bone-specific promoter (PTN-Tg) were housed in the MDS. At the time of launch, animals were 2-months old. MDS reached the ISS on board of Shuttle Discovery Flight 17A/STS-128 on August 28th, 2009. MDS returned to Earth on November 27th, 2009 with Shuttle Atlantis Flight ULF3/STS-129 after 91 days, performing the longest permanence of mice in space. Unfortunately, during the MDS mission, one PTN-Tg and two Wt mice died due to health status or payload-related reasons. The remaining mice showed a normal behavior throughout the experiment and appeared in excellent health conditions at landing. During the experiment, the mice health conditions and their water and food consumption were daily checked. Upon landing mice were sacrificed, blood parameters measured and tissues dissected for subsequent analysis. To obtain as much information as possible on microgravity-induced tissue modifications, we organized a Tissue Sharing Program: 20 research groups from 6 countries participated. In order to distinguish between possible effects of the MDS housing conditions and effects due to the near-zero gravity environment, a ground replica of the flight experiment was performed at the University of Genova. Control tissues were collected also from mice maintained on Earth in standard vivarium cages.
Identification of Yersinia enterocolitica at the Species and Subspecies Levels by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

ABSTRACT Yersinia enterocolitica and other Yersinia species, such as Y. pseudotuberculosis, Y. bercovieri, and Y. intermedia, were differentiated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) combined with artificial neural network analysis. A set of well defined Yersinia strains from Switzerland and Germany was used to create a method for FT-IR-based differentiation of Yersinia isolates at the species level. The isolates of Y. enterocolitica were also differentiated by FT-IR into the main biotypes (biotypes 1A, 2, and 4) and serotypes (serotypes O:3, O:5, O:9, and “non-O:3, O:5, and O:9”). For external validation of the constructed methods, independently obtained isolates of different Yersinia species were used. A total of 79.9% of Y. enterocolitica sensu stricto isolates were identified correctly at the species level. The FT-IR analysis allowed the separation of all Y. bercovieri, Y. intermedia, and Y. rohdei strains from Y. enterocolitica, which could not be differentiated by the API 20E test system. The probability for correct biotype identification of Y. enterocolitica isolates was 98.3% (41 externally validated strains). For correct serotype identification, the probability was 92.5% (42 externally validated strains). In addition, the presence or absence of the ail gene, one of the main pathogenicity markers, was demonstrated using FT-IR. The probability for correct identification of isolates concerning the ail gene was 98.5% (51 externally validated strains). This indicates that it is possible to obtain information about genus, species, and in the case of Y. enterocolitica also subspecies type with a single measurement. Furthermore, this is the first example of the identification of specific pathogenicity using FT-IR.
Notice of Violation of IEEE Publication PrinciplesImpact of TQM on Employees' Job Satisfaction in Indian Software Industry

Purpose - This paper seeks to examine employees' perceptions of TQM practices and its impact on job satisfaction in Indian software industry. Methodology - Original research using self-completed questionnaires, distributed to software developers having more than 2 years of experience. The study sample consisted of 300 employees, resulting in a response rate of 76.67 percent. Data were analyzed by correlation and multiple regression analysis. Findings - The results showed that Employee empowerment, team work & cooperation, organizational culture and communication are positively associated with employees' job satisfaction. It is also found that, where teamwork was perceived as a dominant TQM practice, improvements in job satisfaction levels were significant. Further, the result of the multiple regression analysis supports the proposed model. Originality/value - The findings make a significant contribution in the implementation of TQM practices in software industry. It also tracks the extent of TQM effects on job satisfaction.
Max Margin Dimensionality Reduction

A fundamental problem in machine learning is to extract compact but relevant representations of empirical data. Relevance can be measured by the ability to make good decisions based on the representations, for example in terms of classification accuracy. Compact representations can lead to more human-interpretable models, as well as improve scalability. Furthermore, in multi-class and multi-task problems, learning a unified input representation that is shared among classes or tasks can reduce the number of free parameters and sample-complexity. Sharing representation is also a powerful method for transfer learning [4, 11], where the representation learned from some tasks is used to facilitate learning other tasks. The naive but common practice for finding a compact representation is an unsupervised pre-processing phase (like clustering or PCA) followed by classification in the reduced space. A preferable approach is to learn the features simultaneously with the classifier. Several methods approached this problem, including the well known Fisher’s Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), and its variants [7], learning metrics for kNN [9, 8], and extracting features for multi-task classification [3, 2]. Here we focus on finding low-dimensional linear projections that are optimized for support vector machines, in a singleor multitask setting. Formaly, we have k = 1, . ,K binary classification tasks, each with labeled data xkik ∈ R , y ik ∈ {−1,+1}, ∀ik = 1, . , nk, we look for a rank-d linear projection A, d ≤ D, that is shared across all tasks, and K classifiers w, one for each task. We optimize jointly over all the classifiers w = {
Succinct hitting sets and barriers to proving algebraic circuits lower bounds

We formalize a framework of algebraically natural lower bounds for algebraic circuits. Just as with the natural proofs notion of Razborov and Rudich for boolean circuit lower bounds, our notion of algebraically natural lower bounds captures nearly all lower bound techniques known. However, unlike the boolean setting, there has been no concrete evidence demonstrating that this is a barrier to obtaining super-polynomial lower bounds for general algebraic circuits, as there is little understanding whether algebraic circuits are expressive enough to support "cryptography" secure against algebraic circuits. Following a similar result of Williams in the boolean setting, we show that the existence of an algebraic natural proofs barrier is equivalent to the existence of succinct derandomization of the polynomial identity testing problem. That is, whether the coefficient vectors of polylog(N)-degree polylog(N)-size circuits is a hitting set for the class of poly(N)-degree poly(N)-size circuits. Further, we give an explicit universal construction showing that if such a succinct hitting set exists, then our universal construction suffices. Further, we assess the existing literature constructing hitting sets for restricted classes of algebraic circuits and observe that none of them are succinct as given. Yet, we show how to modify some of these constructions to obtain succinct hitting sets. This constitutes the first evidence supporting the existence of an algebraic natural proofs barrier. Our framework is similar to the Geometric Complexity Theory (GCT) program of Mulmuley and Sohoni, except that here we emphasize constructiveness of the proofs while the GCT program emphasizes symmetry. Nevertheless, our succinct hitting sets have relevance to the GCT program as they imply lower bounds for the complexity of the defining equations of polynomials computed by small circuits.
Regular consumption of fresh orange juice increases human skin carotenoid content

Abstract Dermal carotenoids are a good indicator of antioxidant status in the body. This study aimed to determine whether regular consumption of orange juice could increase dermal carotenoids. Two types of orange juice, obtained from regularly (CI) and partially (PRD) irrigated trees, were tested to reveal any possible association between juice and dermal carotenoids. Soluble solids, titratable acidity, and total carotenoids were quantified in the juice; skin carotenoid score (SCS) was assessed by Raman spectroscopy. Carotenoid content was 7.3% higher in PRD than in CI juice, inducing no difference in SCS. In a first trial with daily juice intakes for 25 days, SCS increased linearly (10%) in the individual with higher initial SCS, and exponentially (15%) in the individual with lower initial SCS. In a second trial, SCS showed a 6.5% increase after 18 days of drinking juice every other day, but returned to initial values three days after last intake. Skin carotenoids can be increased by regular consumption of fresh orange juice, while their persistence may depend on the accumulation level, environmental conditions or living habits.
Biallelic CHP1 mutation causes human autosomal recessive ataxia by impairing NHE1 function

Objective: To ascertain the genetic and functional basis of complex autosomal recessive cerebellar ataxia (ARCA) presented by 2 siblings of a consanguineous family characterized by motor neuropathy, cerebellar atrophy, spastic paraparesis, intellectual disability, and slow ocular saccades. Methods: Combined whole-genome linkage analysis, whole-exome sequencing, and focused screening for identification of potential causative genes were performed. Assessment of the functional consequences of the mutation on protein function via subcellular fractionation, size-exclusion chromatography, and fluorescence microscopy were done. A zebrafish model, using Morpholinos, was generated to study the pathogenic effect of the mutation in vivo. Results: We identified a biallelic 3-bp deletion (p.K19del) in CHP1 that cosegregates with the disease. Neither focused screening for CHP1 variants in 2 cohorts (ARCA: N = 319 and NeurOmics: N = 657) nor interrogating GeneMatcher yielded additional variants, thus revealing the scarcity of CHP1 mutations. We show that mutant CHP1 fails to integrate into functional protein complexes and is prone to aggregation, thereby leading to diminished levels of soluble CHP1 and reduced membrane targeting of NHE1, a major Na+/H+ exchanger implicated in syndromic ataxia-deafness. Chp1 deficiency in zebrafish, resembling the affected individuals, led to movement defects, cerebellar hypoplasia, and motor axon abnormalities, which were ameliorated by coinjection with wild-type, but not mutant, human CHP1 messenger RNA. Conclusions: Collectively, our results identified CHP1 as a novel ataxia-causative gene in humans, further expanding the spectrum of ARCA-associated loci, and corroborated the crucial role of NHE1 within the pathogenesis of these disorders.
Stretch-Induced Hypertrophy Activates NFkB-Mediated VEGF Secretion in Adult Cardiomyocytes

Hypertension and myocardial infarction are associated with the onset of hypertrophy. Hypertrophy is a compensatory response mechanism to increases in mechanical load due to pressure or volume overload. It is characterized by extracellular matrix remodeling and hypertrophic growth of adult cardiomyocytes. Production of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), which acts as an angiogenic factor and a modulator of cardiomyocyte function, is regulated by mechanical stretch. Mechanical stretch promotes VEGF secretion in neonatal cardiomyocytes. Whether this effect is retained in adult cells and the molecular mechanism mediating stretch-induced VEGF secretion has not been elucidated. Our objective was to investigate whether cyclic mechanical stretch induces VEGF secretion in adult cardiomyocytes and to identify the molecular mechanism mediating VEGF secretion in these cells. Isolated primary adult rat cardiomyocytes (ARCMs) were subjected to cyclic mechanical stretch at an extension level of 10% at 30 cycles/min that induces hypertrophic responses. Cyclic mechanical stretch induced a 3-fold increase in VEGF secretion in ARCMs compared to non-stretch controls. This increase in stretch-induced VEGF secretion correlated with NFkB activation. Cyclic mechanical stretch-mediated VEGF secretion was blocked by an NFkB peptide inhibitor and expression of a dominant negative mutant IkBα, but not by inhibitors of the MAPK/ERK1/2 or PI3K pathways. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated an interaction of NFkB with the VEGF promoter in stretched primary cardiomyocytes. Moreover, VEGF secretion is increased in the stretched myocardium during pressure overload-induced hypertrophy. These findings are the first to demonstrate that NFkB activation plays a role in mediating VEGF secretion upon cyclic mechanical stretch in adult cardiomyocytes. Signaling by NFkB initiated in response to cyclic mechanical stretch may therefore coordinate the hypertrophic response in adult cardiomyocytes. Elucidation of this novel mechanism may provide a target for developing future pharmacotherapy to treat hypertension and heart disease.
Global Human Appropriation of Net Primary Production for Biomass Consumption in the European Union, 1986–2007

The ongoing globalization process strengthens the connections between different geographic regions through trade. Biomass products, such as food, fiber, or bioenergy, are increasingly traded globally, thereby leading to telecouplings between distant, seemingly unrelated regions. For example, restrictions for agricultural production or changes in bioenergy demand in Europe or the United States might contribute to deforestation in Latin America or Sub‐Saharan Africa. One approach to analyze trade‐related land‐use effects of the global socioeconomic biomass metabolism is the “embodied human appropriation of net primary production” or eHANPP. eHANPP accounts allocate to any product the entire amount of the human appropriation of net primary production (HANPP) that emerges throughout its supply chain. This allows consumption‐based accounts to move beyond simple area‐demand approaches by taking differences in natural productivity as well as in land‐use intensity into account, both across land‐use types as well as across world regions. In this article, we discuss the eHANPP related to the European Union's (EU) consumption of biomass products in the period 1986–2007, based on a consistent global trade data set derived from bilateral data. We find a considerable dependency of the EU on the appropriation of biological productivity outside its own boundaries, with increasing reliance on Latin America as a main supplier. By using the EU as an illustrative example, we demonstrate the usefulness of eHANPP for assessing land‐use impacts caused by nations’ socioeconomic activities and conclude that the eHANPP approach can provide useful information to better manage ecosystems globally in the face of an increasingly interconnected world.
TRAF6 is a critical mediator of signal transduction by the viral oncogene latent membrane protein 1

The oncogenic latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) of the Epstein–Barr virus recruits tumor necrosis factor‐receptor (TNFR)‐associated factors (TRAFs), the TNFR‐associated death domain protein (TRADD) and JAK3 to induce intracellular signaling pathways. LMP1 serves as the prototype of a TRADD‐binding receptor that transforms cells but does not induce apoptosis. Here we show that TRAF6 critically mediates LMP1 signaling to p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) via a MAPK kinase 6‐dependent pathway. In addition, NF‐κB but not c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase 1 (JNK1) induction by LMP1 involves TRAF6. The PxQxT motif of the LMP1 C‐terminal activator region 1 (CTAR1) and tyrosine 384 of CTAR2 together are essential for full p38 MAPK activation and for TRAF6 recruitment to the LMP1 signaling complex. Dominant‐negative TRADD blocks p38 MAPK activation by LMP1. The data suggest that entry of TRAF6 into the LMP1 complex is mediated by TRADD and TRAF2. In TRAF6‐knockout fibroblasts, significant induction of p38 MAPK by LMP1 is dependent on the ectopic expression of TRAF6. We describe a novel role of TRAF6 as an essential signaling mediator of a transforming oncogene, downstream of TRADD and TRAF2.
Aging Images as a Motivational Trigger for Smoking Cessation in Young Women

Recruiting adolescents into smoking cessation programs has been challenging, and there is a lack of effective smoking cessation interventions for this age group. We aimed to assess whether the approach of using aging images can be used to recruit young, female smokers for a smoking cessation course. In this study, 853 14- to 18-year-old subjects were photographed (2006–2007). After software-aided aging, the images evoked strong emotions, especially in subjects with an advanced motivational stage to quit. Twenty-four percent of current smokers reported that the aging images increased their motivation to quit smoking (pre-contemplation: 8%; contemplation: 32%; and preparation: 71%). In multivariate analyses, the aged images had a high motivational impact to quit smoking that was associated with an increased readiness to stop smoking and the individual’s assessment of the aging images as shocking, but not with the number of previous attempts to quit and the assessment of the pictures as realistic. However, it was not possible to recruit the study population for a smoking cessation course. We concluded that aging images are a promising intervention for reaching young women and increasing their motivation to stop smoking. However, smoking cessation courses may not be appropriate for this age group: none of the recruits agreed to take a cessation course.
A seismic swarm and regional hydrothermal and hydrologic perturbations: The northern Endeavour segment, February 2005

The February 2005 swarm at the overlapping spreading center (OSC) on the northern end of the Endeavour segment is the first swarm on the Juan de Fuca Ridge recorded on a local seafloor seismic network. The swarm included several larger earthquakes and caused triggered seismicity and a hydrothermal response in the Endeavour vent fields as well as regional‐scale hydrologic pressure perturbations. The spatial and temporal pattern of over 6000 earthquakes recorded during this seismic sequence is complex. Small‐magnitude events dominate, and seismicity rates wax and wane, indicating a magmatic process. The main swarm initiates at the northern end of the Endeavour ridge. However, most of the moment release, including six strike‐slip events, occurs in the southwest Endeavour Valley, where the swarm epicenters generally migrate south. The main swarm is contemporaneous with a hydrologic pressure response at four sealed seafloor boreholes, ∼25–105 km away. We infer that the seismic sequence is driven by a largely aseismic magma intrusion at the northern Endeavour axis. Resulting stress changes trigger slip on tectonic faults and possibly dike propagation at the opposing limb of the Endeavour OSC in the southwest Endeavour Valley, consistent with the eventual decapitation of the Endeavour by the West Valley segment. Furthermore, 2.5 days after the start of the main swarm, seismicity is triggered beneath the Endeavour vent fields, and temperature increases at a diffuse vent in the Mothra field. We infer that this delayed response is due to a hydrologic pressure pulse that diffuses away from the main magma intrusion.
Improved optical mass tracer for galaxy clusters calibrated using weak lensing measurements

We develop an improved mass tracer for clusters of galaxies from optically observed parameters, and calibrate the mass relation using weak gravitational lensing measurements. We employ a sample of ~13 000 optically selected clusters from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) maxBCG catalogue, with photometric redshifts in the range 0.1–0.3. The optical tracers we consider are cluster richness, cluster luminosity, luminosity of the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) and combinations of these parameters. We measure the weak lensing signal around stacked clusters as a function of the various tracers, and use it to determine the tracer with the least amount of scatter. We further use the weak lensing data to calibrate the mass normalization. We find that the best mass estimator for massive clusters is a combination of cluster richness, N200, and the luminosity of the BCG, LBCG: M200p = (1.27 ±0.08)(N200/20)^1.20±0.09[LBCG/LBCG(N200)]^0.71±0.14 × 10^14 h ^−1M⊙, where LBCG(N200) is the observed mean BCG luminosity at a given richness. This improved mass tracer will enable the use of galaxy clusters as a more powerful tool for constraining cosmological parameters.
Textual and contextual patterns for sentiment analysis over microblogs

Microblog content poses serious challenges to the applicability of sentiment analysis, due to its inherent characteristics. We introduce a novel method relying on content-based and context-based features, guaranteeing high effectiveness and robustness in the settings we are considering. The evaluation of our methods over a large Twitter data set indicates significant improvements over the traditional techniques.
The effects of moral identity on moral emotion and antisocial behavior in sport

Given the prevalence and significance of antisocial behavior in sport, researchers have begun to explore the role that self conscious moral emotions play in reducing such behavior. In this research, we examined whether moral identity inhibits antisocial behaviour and whether these effects are mediated by anticipated guilt. Using a cross-sectional design, Study 1 showed that moral identity was negatively related to antisocial behavior. Study 2 found that the negative association between moral identity and antisocial behavior was mediated by anticipated feelings of guilt. Using an experimental design, Study 3 showed that priming moral identity reduced antisocial behavior, and this effect was mediated by moral judgment, and in turn, anticipated guilt. The present findings suggest that athletes with a robust internalized moral self-schema are less likely to engage in antisocial behavior because of the intense feelings of guilt they are likely to experience when they engage in such behavior.