Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Jefferson's Declaration of Independence: Origins, Philosophy, and Theology.

Two hundred twenty years after the second Continental Congress approved the American Declaration of Independence, its principal author, Thomas Jefferson, is more and more frequently labeled "radical. " His words are even used to validate the agendas of today's right-wing militias. But his unorthodox religious views, which permeate the Declaration, are most deserving of the appellation. Allen Jayne analyzes the ideology of the Declaration - and its implications - by going back to the sources of Jefferson's ideas. Jayne emphasizes several sources, especially Bolingbroke, Kames, and Reid, by giving a detailed examination of portions of their writings in relation to the better-known contributions of Locke. His conclusion is that the Declaration must be read as an attack on two claims of absolute authority: that of government over its subjects and of religion over the minds of men. Today's world is far more secular than Jefferson's, and the importance of philosophical theology in eighteenth-century critical thought must be recognized in order to understand fully and completely the Declaration's implications. Jayne addresses this need by putting concerns about religion back into the discussion. Sure to be controversial, Jefferson's Declaration of Independence will contribute substantially to the contentious, ongoing debate concerning Jefferson's intentions and sources when writing the Declaration of Independence.
Underwater image restoration based on minimum information loss principle and optical properties of underwater imaging

Restoring underwater image from a single image is known to be an ill-posed problem. Some assumptions made in previous methods are not suitable in many situations. In this paper, an effective method is proposed to restore underwater images. Using the quad-tree subdivision and graph-based segmentation, the global background light can be robustly estimated. The medium transmission map is estimated based on minimum information loss principle and optical properties of underwater imaging. Qualitative experiments show that our results are characterized by relatively genuine color, natural appearance, and improved contrast and visibility. Quantitative comparisons demonstrate that the proposed method can achieve better quality of underwater images when compared with several other methods.
Trying too hard: effects of mobile agents' (Inappropriate) social expressiveness on trust, affect and compliance

Mobile services can provide users with information relevant to their current circumstances. Distant services in turn can acquire local information from people in an area of interest. Socially expressive agent behaviour has been suggested as a way to build reciprocal relationships and to increase user response to such requests. This between-subject, Wizard-of-Oz experiment aimed to investigate the potential of such behaviours. 44 participants performed a search task in an urgent context while being interrupted by a mobile agent that both provided and requested information. The socially expressive behaviour shown in this study did not increase compliance to requests; it instead reduced trust in provided information and compliance to warnings. It also negatively impacted the affective experience of users scoring lower on empathy as a personality trait. Inappropriate social expressiveness can have serious consequences; we here elaborate on the reasons for our negative results.
Effect of outdoor airborne particulate matter on daily death counts.

To investigate the possible relationship between airborne particulate matter and mortality, we developed regression models of daily mortality counts using meteorological covariates and measures of outdoor PM10. Our analyses included data from Cook County, Illinois, and Salt Lake County, Utah. We found no evidence that particulate matter < or = 10 microns (PM10) contributes to excess mortality in Salt Lake County, Utah. In Cook County, Illinois, we found evidence of a positive PM10 effect in spring and autumn, but not in winter and summer. We conclude that the reported effects of particulates on mortality are unconfirmed. ImagesFigure 1. AFigure 1. BFigure 2. AFigure 2. BFigure 2. CFigure 2. DFigure 2. EFigure 2. FFigure 3. AFigure 3. B
An Improved in Stride Estimation Algorithm of Pedestrian Dead Reckoning

Given to the specificity of positioning in fire ground, inertial navigation positioning technology based on Pedestrian Dead Reckoning (PDR) is most widely used. Stride estimation algorithm is the core of PDR. In order to improve the accuracy of it, in this paper, we selected three factors of stride (acceleration amplitude, step frequency and height) to build an empirical model for stride estimation based on dimensional analysis and dynamic analyses. Experimental results conducted in different speed and stride length show that our empirical model's overall error rate is less than 5%, and has a better performance than pseudo constant model, linear model and nonlinear model.
Diagnosis of Early Pancreas Graft Failure via Antibody‐Mediated Rejection: Single‐Center Experience With 256 Pancreas Transplantations

Early pancreas graft loss is usually attributed to technical failure while the possibility of antibody‐mediated rejection (AMR) is generally overlooked. To investigate the role of AMR in early pancreas graft loss, we retrospectively assessed 256 patients with simultaneous pancreas–kidney transplantation (SPK) between 1985 and 2010 at our institute. We included 33 SPK patients who lost their pancreas graft <1 year after transplantation. AMR was diagnosed based on donor‐specific antibodies, C4d and histology in 7 cases, 8 cases were suspicious for AMR and 18 pancreas graft losses were not due to AMR. Acute AMR occurred >1 month after transplantation in 6/7 cases, whereas all other causes typically led to loss <1 month after transplantation. Thrombotic lesions occurred equally among the 33 cases. In 12/18 concurrent kidney specimens, the diagnostic results paralleled those of the pancreas graft. All patients with acute AMR of the pancreas graft lost their renal grafts <1 year after transplantation. In the setting of a thrombotic event, histopathological analysis of early pancreas graft loss is advisable to rule out the possibility of AMR, particularly because a diagnosis of acute AMR has important consequences for renal graft outcomes.
The effects of histone H4 tail acetylations on cation-induced chromatin folding and self-association

Understanding the molecular mechanisms behind regulation of chromatin folding through covalent modifications of the histone N-terminal tails is hampered by a lack of accessible chromatin containing precisely modified histones. We study the internal folding and intermolecular self-association of a chromatin system consisting of saturated 12-mer nucleosome arrays containing various combinations of completely acetylated lysines at positions 5, 8, 12 and 16 of histone H4, induced by the cations Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, cobalt-hexammine3+, spermidine3+ and spermine4+. Histones were prepared using a novel semi-synthetic approach with native chemical ligation. Acetylation of H4-K16, but not its glutamine mutation, drastically reduces cation-induced folding of the array. Neither acetylations nor mutations of all the sites K5, K8 and K12 can induce a similar degree of array unfolding. The ubiquitous K+, (as well as Rb+ and Cs+) showed an unfolding effect on unmodified arrays almost similar to that of H4-K16 acetylation. We propose that K+ (and Rb+/Cs+) binding to a site on the H2B histone (R96-L99) disrupts H4K16 ε-amino group binding to this specific site, thereby deranging H4 tail-mediated nucleosome–nucleosome stacking and that a similar mechanism operates in the case of H4-K16 acetylation. Inter-array self-association follows electrostatic behavior and is largely insensitive to the position or nature of the H4 tail charge modification.
Covalent Attachment of Proteins to Solid Supports and Surfaces via Sortase-Mediated Ligation

Background There is growing interest in the attachment of proteins to solid supports for the development of supported catalysts, affinity matrices, and micro devices as well as for the development of planar and bead based protein arrays for multiplexed assays of protein concentration, interactions, and activity. A critical requirement for these applications is the generation of a stable linkage between the solid support and the immobilized, but still functional, protein. Methodology Solid supports including crosslinked polymer beads, beaded agarose, and planar glass surfaces, were modified to present an oligoglycine motif to solution. A range of proteins were ligated to the various surfaces using the Sortase A enzyme of S. aureus. Reactions were carried out in aqueous buffer conditions at room temperature for times between one and twelve hours. Conclusions The Sortase A transpeptidase of S. aureus provides a general, robust, and gentle approach to the selective covalent immobilization of proteins on three very different solid supports. The proteins remain functional and accessible to solution. Sortase mediated ligation is therefore a straightforward methodology for the preparation of solid supported enzymes and bead based assays, as well as the modification of planar surfaces for microanalytical devices and protein arrays.
Touch hologram in mid-air

This demonstration presents a surprising human-computer experience combining a pair of mixed reality smart glasses and a haptic device. This one involves existing technologies: the HoloLens from Microsoft and the touch development kit from Ultrahaptics. By mixing a holographic display and an array of ultrasonic transducers, Immersion gives tangible feedback to a hologram. This colocation of feedbacks drastically enhances the presence of the object. This also gives a spatial reference in order to interact with the virtual environment.
SAT-Based Logic Optimization and Resynthesis

The paper develops a technology-independent optimization and post-mapping resynthesis for combinational logic networks, with emphasis on scalability and optimizing power. The proposed resynthesis (a) is capable of substantial logic restructuring, (b) is customizable to solve a variety of optimization tasks, and (c) has reasonable runtime on large industrial designs. The approach is based on several heterogeneous algorithms, which include structural analysis, random and constrained simulation, and manipulation of Boolean functions using a SAT solver. Structural methods include improved windowing, which focuses on reconvergent logic structures rich in functional flexibilities. It is shown how a mainstream SAT solver can be minimally modified by combining it with an interpolation package, which computes Boolean functions of nodes after resynthesis as a by-product of completed feasibility proofs. Experimental results focusing on the minimization of the number of 6-LUTs after high-effort iterative FPGA mapping with structural choices, demonstrate that the proposed resynthesis, applied to 15 benchmarks reduced area by 6.0% and delay by 2.3% on average. For 5 benchmarks derived from PLA descriptions, the reduction of 5x in area and 20% in depth was obtained, which speaks for the powerful nature of Boolean optimization employed in the proposed resynthesis.
The Elusive Gold Standard: Future Perspectives for HIV Adherence Assessment and Intervention

Summary:There is no “gold standard” for the assessment of adherence to HIV/AIDS medications. Similarly, there is no single optimal tool that enhances adherence to HIV/AIDS treatment regimens. This article presents a model that provides a heuristic for selecting adherence assessment approaches and intervention strategies based on the purpose for which each is to be used. First, a broad distinction is made between research and clinical settings. Second, with each of these settings, the selection of assessments and interventions is based on the extent to which the focus is on HIV/AIDS in general or on adherence in particular. Examples applying the model are provided. Finally, new dimensions are discussed for expanding the model, with particular attention to applying the model to the resource-limited settings that are so important in efforts to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with the global threat of HIV/AIDS.
Determining shape and reflectance of Lambertian, specular, and hybrid surfaces using extended sources

A method is presented for determining the shape of surfaces whose reflectance properties can vary from Lambertian to specular, without prior knowledge of the relative strengths of the Lambertian and specular components of reflection. The object surface is illuminated using extended light sources and is viewed from a single direction. Surface illumination using extended sources makes it possible to ensure the detection of both Lambertian and specular reflections. Multiple source directions are used to obtain an image sequence of the object. An extraction algorithm uses the set of image intensity values measured at each surface point to compute orientation as well as relative strengths of the Lambertian and specular reflection components. The method, photometric sampling, uses samples of a photometric function that relates image intensity to surface orientation, reflectance, and light source characteristics. Experiments conducted on Lambertian surfaces, specular surfaces, and hybrid surfaces show high accuracy in measured orientations and estimated reflectance parameters. <<ETX>>
Fast and efficient dynamic nested effects models

MOTIVATION Targeted interventions in combination with the measurement of secondary effects can be used to computationally reverse engineer features of upstream non-transcriptional signaling cascades. Nested effect models (NEMs) have been introduced as a statistical approach to estimate the upstream signal flow from downstream nested subset structure of perturbation effects. The method was substantially extended later on by several authors and successfully applied to various datasets. The connection of NEMs to Bayesian Networks and factor graph models has been highlighted. RESULTS Here, we introduce a computationally attractive extension of NEMs that enables the analysis of perturbation time series data, hence allowing to discriminate between direct and indirect signaling and to resolve feedback loops. AVAILABILITY The implementation (R and C) is part of the Supplement to this article.
Roles for βpat-3 Integrins in Development and Function ofCaenorhabditis elegans Muscles and Gonads*

Heterodimeric integrin receptors for extracellular matrix (ECM) play vital roles in bidirectional signaling during tissue development, organization, remodeling, and repair. The β integrin subunit cytoplasmic domain is essential for transmission of many of these signals and overexpression of an unpaired β tail in cultured cells inhibits endogenous integrins. Unlike vertebrates, which have at least nine β subunit genes, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans expresses only one β subunit (βpat-3), and a null mutation in this gene causes embryonic lethality. To determine the functions of integrins during larval development and in adult tissues, we have taken a dominant negative approach by expression of an HA-βtail transgene composed of a hemagglutinin (HA) epitope tag extracellular domain connected to the βpat-3 transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains. Expression of this transgene in muscle and gonad, major sites of integrin expression, caused a variety of phenotypes dependent on the level of transgene expression. Abnormalities in body wall and sex muscles led to uncoordinated movement and egg-laying defects. Significant anomalies in migration and pathfinding were caused by tissue-specific expression of HA-βtail in the distal tip cells (DTC), the cells that direct gonad morphogenesis. A pat-3gene with Tyr to Phe mutations in the cytoplasmic domain was able to rescue pat-3 null animals but also showed DTC migration defects. These results show that βpat-3 plays important roles in post-embryonic organogenesis and tissue function.
Tumor Progression Locus 2 (TPL2) Regulates Obesity-Associated Inflammation and Insulin Resistance

OBJECTIVE Obesity-associated low-grade systemic inflammation resulting from increased adipose mass is strongly related to the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes as well as other metabolic complications. Recent studies have demonstrated that the obese metabolic state can be improved by ablating certain inflammatory signaling pathways. Tumor progression locus 2 (TPL2), a kinase that integrates signals from Toll receptors, cytokine receptors, and inhibitor of κ-B kinase-β is an important regulator of inflammatory pathways. We used TPL2 knockout (KO) mice to investigate the role of TPL2 in mediating obesity-associated inflammation and insulin resistance. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Male TPL2KO and wild-type (WT) littermates were fed a low-fat diet or a high-fat diet to investigate the effect of TPL2 deletion on obesity, inflammation, and insulin sensitivity. RESULTS We demonstrate that TPL2 deletion does not alter body weight gain or adipose depot weight. However, hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp studies revealed improved insulin sensitivity with enhanced glucose uptake in skeletal muscle and increased suppression of hepatic glucose output in obese TPL2KO mice compared with obese WT mice. Consistent with an improved metabolic phenotype, immune cell infiltration and inflammation was attenuated in the adipose tissue of obese TPL2KO mice coincident with reduced hepatic inflammatory gene expression and lipid accumulation. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide the first in vivo demonstration that TPL2 ablation attenuates obesity-associated metabolic dysfunction. These data suggest TPL2 is a novel target for improving the metabolic state associated with obesity.
From novice to expert: Issues of concern in the training of psychologists

This article raises a specific concern that is highlighted by the recent decision to raise the minimum standard for registration as a psychologist in Australia to postgraduate masters degree level. It is suggested that such an objective is limited because it does not address other, more important variables required to ensure that minimum standards for registration as a psychologist are achieved. Specifically, it is proposed that unless the existing methodology and content of both undergraduate and fourth year graduate university training for psychologists is improved to incorporate vital areas of practice, standards will continue to remain low regardless of the introduction of compulsory fifth and sixth years of postgraduate education. This article provides an overview of the issue while suggesting an alternative approach for developing professional expertise in those wishing to embark on a career in psychology.
On the Performance Analysis of the ICA Algorithms with Maternal and Fetal ECG signals Inputs and Contaminated Noises

This paper evaluates the performance of some major Independent Component Analysis (ICA) algorithms like Cardoso’s Joint Approximate Diagonalization of Eigen matrices (JADE), Comon’s algorithm and Optimized Generalized Weighted Estimator (OGWE) ICA algorithm in a biomedical blind source separation problem. Independent signals representing Fetal ECG (FECG) and Maternal ECG (MECG) are generated and then mixed linearly in the presence of white or pink noise to simulate a recording of electrocardiogram. While ICA has been used to extract FECG, very little literature is available on its performance in clinical environment. So there is a need to evaluate performance of these algorithms in Biomedical. To quantify the performance of ICA algorithms, two scenarios, i.e., (a) different amplitude ratios of simulated maternal and fetal ECG signals, (b) different values of additive white Gaussian noise or pink noise, were investigated. Higher order and second order performances were measured by performance index and signal-to-error ratio respectively. The selected ICA algorithms separate the white and pink noises equally well. This paper reports on the performance of the ICA algorithms.
Multiple Tag Authentications using RADIUS

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is one of the popular, next generation, globally accepted, wireless technologies acting as a replacement to the existing barcode system. This emerging technology was invented way back in 1948, but didn’t open up for use commercially until 1980s. Mainly used for fraud detection, enhancing productivity, tracking objects, to name a few, RFID lacks a great sense of security in that the radio waves get easily interrupted, the server, reader(s) and tag(s) get easily tampered compromising the integrity and confidentiality of the information that is communicated between the tag(s) and the reader(s) and the back-end server . Hence, we, in this paper, propose to extend the application of RADIUS server that, being located in a remote place, will authenticate, authorize and account for multiple tags, with the knowledge and feel of the tags that they are authenticated by the back-end server.
Adhesion Molecules in Experimenfol Phacoanaphylactic Endophfhalmitis

Intraocular accumulation of inflammatory neutrophils is an important feature of experimental phacoanaphylactic endophthalmitis (EPE). Increasing evidence suggests that localization of neutrophils to the site of inflammation requires the participation of neutrophil and endothelial adhesion molecules. These studies were undertaken to determine if blocking of adhesion molecules on neutrophils (CD18) or endothelium (ELAM-1) could attenuate EPE in Lewis rats. Treatment of experimental animals with anti-CD 18 or anti-ELAM-1 significantly suppressed intraocular neutrophil accumulation, retinal hemorrhage, and vasculitis, and attenuated retinal edema formation by 48% and 70%, respectively. These observations demonstrate that antibodies directed against adhesion molecules on the neutrophil (CD18) or the vascular endothelial cell (ELAM-1) exhibit potent anti-inflammatory effects, resulting in a striking amelioration of injury in EPE in rats. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 33:3417-3423,1992
Unsupervised domain adaptation for spoken document summarization with structured support vector machine

Supervised approaches can learn a spoken document summarizer generating high-quality summaries using a set of training examples matched to the domain of target documents. However, preparing a sufficient number of in-domain training examples is expensive. In this paper we propose an approach for unsupervised domain adaptation for spoken document summarization, so no in-domain training examples are needed. A summarizer is first learned from a set of out-of-domain training examples by a supervised summarization approach based on structured support vector machine, and this summarizer is used to generate a set of initial summaries for the target spoken documents. The target documents and their initial machine-generated summaries then serve as extra training examples for learning a new summarizer, which further updates the summaries of the target spoken documents. This process is continued iteratively to incrementally improve the summarizer for the target spoken documents. Moreover, extra approaches transforming the feature representations based on the data distribution in the target domain and augmenting the representations with an extra set of domain-specific features are also proposed. Encouraging results were obtained in summarizing Mandarin-English code-switching course lectures using training examples from Mandarin broadcast news.