Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Le paternalisme en question. Les anciens ouvriers de la Gécamines face à la libéralisation du secteur minier katangais (RD Congo)

En 1926, l’Union miniere du Haut-Katanga jette les bases de sa politique paternaliste, qui touchera tous les aspects de la vie quotidienne de ses travailleurs pendant plus d’un demi-siecle. En 2003, apres une decennie dans la tourmente, 10 000 agents sont licencies de l’entreprise dans le cadre du projet de liberalisation du secteur minier concue par la Banque mondiale. De quelle facon ont-ils reagi a leur ‘abandon’ par l’entreprise ? Comment ont-ils fait face a leur nouvelle independance ? Quels effets le declin de leurs conditions de vie, puis leur depart de la societe, ont-ils induits sur leurs rapports avec leur epouse, leurs enfants, leur entourage ? Base sur une recherche ethnographique dans un camp ouvrier de Likasi (Katanga, Republique Democratique du Congo), ce livre s’attache a repondre a ces questions en prenant appui sur un cadre d’analyse inspire de M. Foucault. Cette approche lui permet de developper au fil des pages une reflexion plus large sur l’experience vecue du paternalisme dans le nouvel ordre economique que la Banque mondiale cherche a imposer dans cette region de l’Afrique.
The Initialization and Parameter Setting Problem in Tensor Decomposition-Based Link Prediction

Link prediction is the task of social network analysis whose goal is to predict the links that will appear in the network in future instants. Among the link predictors exploiting the time evolution of the networks, we can find the tensor decomposition-based methods. A major limitation of these methods is the lack of appropriate approaches for estimating their parameters and initialization. In this paper, we address this problem by proposing a parameter setting method. Our proposed approach resorts to optimization techniques to drive the search for an adequate parameter and initialization choice.
Cypriot Barrel Juglets at Khirbet Qeiyafa and other Sites in the Levant: Cultural Aspects and Chronological Implications

Abstract The destruction level of the much contested Stratum IV at Khirbet Qeiyafa yielded two Cypriot vessels, both of them miniature barrel juglets. Their stratigraphic context and the shape of the one complete specimen indicate that they are among the earliest such vessels ever shipped out of Cyprus. This paper considers these vessels from two major perspectives. First, it draws on them as the starting point for highlighting a commercial phenomenon that has hitherto received insufficient attention—the rather extensive export of such vessels to the Levant in the early Iron Age. Second, it considers the chronological implications of the two exemplars for the chronology of Stratum IV at Khirbet Qeiyafa. This issue is relevant as well to the general debate regarding absolute dates of the Iron Age in the Levant.
Evaluation of a Social Multiplayer Game Featuring Multimodal Interaction

In this paper, we describe and evaluate a new multiplayer gaming platform, which combines the strength of mobile gaming, PC gaming and large screens. Mobile phones are used as game controllers that also provide the player with an individual screen for status information, score, game choices etc. By using a mobile phone as a game controller, it is possible for to give individual feedback to the player such as sound, vibration, and graphics. The game itself is played via a PC server that displays the game on a large screen. This gives a unique social in-thesame-room gaming experience. The paper describes an evaluation of the gaming platform as well as a specific game, SelFish, where the focus of the evaluation was on identifying strength and weaknesses of the game and the platform related to some design recommendations. The evaluation was performed as a user test where 91 subjects participated by playing a game, and then filling out a questionnaire. The results reveal some design flaws, issues related to the use a mobile phone as a game controller, and some social effects of the game.
Applications of Recurrent Neural Network Language Model in Offline Handwriting Recognition and Word Spotting

The recurrent neural network language model (RNNLM) is a discriminative, non-Markovian model that can capture long-span word history in natural language. It has been proved to be successful in automatic speech recognition and machine translation. In this work, we applied RNNLM to the n-best rescoring stage of the state-of-the-art BBN Byblos OCR (optical character recognition) system for handwriting recognition.1 With RNNLM scores as additional features, our system achieved significant improvement (p <; 0.001), a 3.5% relative reduction on OCR word error rate, compared with a high baseline that uses n-gram language model for rescoring. We have also developed a novel method to integrate the OCR n-best RNNLM scores into the word posterior probabilities in OCR confusion networks, which resulted in consistent observable improvements in word spotting for OCR'ed handwritten documents, as measured by both mean average precision (MAP) and detection-error tradeoff (DET) curves.
A design of wide-band stacked patch antenna with extracted coupling matrix

In this paper, a design of wide-band stacked-patch antenna based on low-temperature cofired ceramics (LTCC) multilayer packaging technology is proposed. The stacked-patch structure can enhance the bandwidth and improve the radiation gain of original single-patch antennas. However, the return-loss bandwidth is still limited. By using the diagnosis and tuning technique based on the coupling matrix, we get an 8-dB return-loss bandwidth of 13.6% in the LTCC multilayer structure with a thickness of less than 0.034 wavelengths in free space. The radiation performance is also satisfying.
The miscible pool and turnover rate of hydrocortisone in man.

In 1948, Mason and Sprague (1) reported the isolation of hydrocortisone from the urine of a patient with Cushing's syndrome, and thus provided evidence that hydrocortisone was produced by the human adrenal cortex. Subsequently, hydrocortisone was found to be one of the principal corticoids in human adrenal gland perfusates (2) and in human peripheral blood (3). These observations strongly suggest that hydrocortisone may be the principal corticosteroid secreted by the adrenal cortex of man. Recent studies (4, 5) utilizing hydrocortisone-4-Cli have elucidated much new information regarding the metabolism and physiological disposition in man of this naturally occurring adrenal steroid. The availability of labeled hydrocortisone has made possible the direct estimation of the magnitude of the reservoir of hydrocortisone in the body, and the rate at which new, non-isotopic hydrocortisone is synthesized in the body and enters the reservoir. This report is concerned with the experimental determination of the magnitude of the miscible pool of hydrocortisone and the rate of its turnover in man. These estimations depend upon serial measurements of the specific activity of circulating hydrocortisone after the infusion of trace quantities of hydrocortisone4-0C1 and analyses of these data utilizing conventional turnover calculations (6, 7). Observations have been made in normal subjects, and subjects receiving adrenocorticotropin and A1 cortisone (prednisone).
Are all literature citations equally important? Automatic citation strength estimation and its applications

Literature citation analysis plays a very important role in bibliometrics and scientometrics, such as the Science Citation Index (SCI) impact factor, h‐index. Existing citation analysis methods assume that all citations in a paper are equally important, and they simply count the number of citations. Here we argue that the citations in a paper are not equally important and some citations are more important than the others. We use a strength value to assess the importance of each citation and propose to use the regression method with a few useful features for automatically estimating the strength value of each citation. Evaluation results on a manually labeled data set in the computer science field show that the estimated values can achieve good correlation with human‐labeled values. We further apply the estimated citation strength values for evaluating paper influence and author influence, and the preliminary evaluation results demonstrate the usefulness of the citation strength values.
An investigation of the effects of material anisotropy and heterogeneity on pulsed, laser-generated acoustic signals

Point-source and line-source models for the laser ultrasonic source in materials exhibiting transverse isotropy are applied to the specific problem of laser generation and ultrasonic propagation in unidirectional, polymer matrix composite materials. Comparing experiment and theory, it is shown that these composite materials exhibit homogeneous behavior, at the frequencies investigated, for ultrasonic wave propagation perpendicular to the fiber direction. For ultrasonic propagation in the fiber direction, ultrasonic dispersion, resulting from the inhomogeneous nature of the composite, affects the laser ultrasonic signal.
Massima occupazione. Il ministero del Lavoro e della previdenza sociale nell’Italia da ricostruire 1945-1950

Il ministero del Lavoro e della previdenza sociale assume una particolare rilevanza nella ricostruzione postbellica perche le questioni del lavoro e della disoccupazione sono un terreno di conflitto e di dibattito molto acceso e sentito sia per le forze politiche e sociali sia per l’opinione pubblica. Dal punto di vista della transizione tra fascismo e Italia repubblicana, il ministero si presenta come un interessante laboratorio per analizzare i fattori di continuita e di rottura con il vecchio regime. Abolito dal fascismo nel 1923, esso rinasce con il governo Parri, costituendo un elemento di novita importante nel delicato passaggio in cui le forze della Resistenza assumono la responsabilita di governo. Fino alla rottura dell’unita delle forze antifasciste, nel maggio 1947, il ministero e guidato da socialisti, poi, fino al 1950, dal democristiano Amintore Fanfani; nell’amministrazione mantengono pero un ruolo di primo piano i dirigenti del ministero delle Corporazioni. Nel saggio e tratteggiata la storia politica del ministero tra il 1945 e il 1950, la sua organizzazione interna, le competenze che esso via via assume e la significativa azione delle sue articolazioni territoriali: gli uffici del lavoro e gli ispettorati del lavoro, riorganizzati in ogni provincia.
A design-based approximation to the BIC in finite population sampling

In this article, various issues related to the implementation of the usual Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) are critically examined in the context of modelling for finite populations. A suitable design-based approximation to the BIC is proposed in order to avoid the derivation of the exact likelihood of the sample which is often very complex in a finite population sampling. The approximation is justified using a theoretical argument and a Monte Carlo simulation study.
Stable Ubiquitination of Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 Tax Is Required for Proteasome Binding

ABSTRACT Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the retrovirus responsible for adult T-cell leukemia and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy. Adult T-cell leukemia development is mainly due to the ability of the viral oncoprotein Tax to promote T-cell proliferation, whereas the appearance of HTLV-1-associated myelopathy involves the antigenic properties of Tax. Understanding the events regulating the intracellular level of Tax is therefore an important issue. How Tax is degraded has not been determined, but it is known that Tax binds to proteasomes, the major sites for degradation of intracellular proteins, generally tagged through polyubiquitin conjugation. In this study, we investigated the relationship between Tax, ubiquitin, and proteasomes. We report that mono- and polyubiquitinated Tax proteins can be recovered from both transfected 293T cells and T lymphocytes. We also show that lysine residues located in the carboxy-terminal domain of Tax are the principal targets of this process. Remarkably, we further demonstrate that mutation of lysine residues in the C-terminal part of Tax, which massively reduces Tax ubiquitination, impairs proteasome binding, and conversely, that a Tax mutant that binds poorly to this particle (M22) is faintly ubiquitinated, suggesting that Tax ubiquitination is required for association with cellular proteasomes. Finally, we document that comparable amounts of ubiquitinated species were found whether proteasome activities were inhibited or not, providing evidence that they are not directly addressed to proteasomes for degradation. These findings indicate that although it is ubiquitinated and binds to proteasomes, Tax is not massively degraded via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway and therefore reveal that Tax conjugation to ubiquitin mediates a nonproteolytic function.
Modern Portfolio Theory, Digital Portfolio Theory and Intertemporal Portfolio Choice

The paper compares three portfolio optimization models. Modern portfolio theory (MPT) is a short-horizon volatility model. The relevant time horizon is the sampling interval. MPT is myopic and implies that investors are not concerned with long-term variance or mean-reversion. Intertemporal portfolio choice is a multiple period model that revises portfolios continuously in response to relevant signals to reduce variance of terminal wealth over the holding period. Digital portfolio theory (DPT) is a non-myopic, discrete time, long-horizon variance model that does not include volatility. DPT controls mean-reversion variances in single period solutions based on holding period and hedging and speculative demand.
Exploiting Radio Measurements in Wireless Mobile Networks with Advanced Signal Processing

In this study, we perform advanced signal processing on standardized radio measurements, available in wireless mobile networks. The application of non parametric regression and smoothing methods on radio measurements leads to interesting results, allowing the amelioration of radio resource management (RRM). Thus, we elaborate a dynamic estimator of the attenuation components (pathloss, shadowing and fast fading). We also propose ameliorations in the handover procedure using smoothing splines method. To conclude, integrating advanced radio signal processing in RRM mechanisms is an efficient and easy-to-implement way for a better use of radio resources.
Comparison of Pneumoperitoneum Volumes in Lift Laparoscopy With Variable Lift Locations and Tensile Forces.

OBJECTIVE Evaluate the effect of peritoneal lift location and tensile force on peritoneal volume. STUDY DESIGN Complete randomized block design. ANIMALS Eleven fresh canine cadavers. METHODS Cadavers underwent abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans after each treatment; 1) no lift, 2) umbilical lift with 15% body weight (BW) tension, 3) umbilical lift with 20% BW, 4) umbilical lift with 25% BW, 5) caudal lift with 15% BW, and 6) both umbilical and caudal lift with 15% BW shared equally between devices (dual lift). Isobaric pneumoperitoneal volume, instrument working distances, and transverse measures were calculated and normalized for each dog and compared across treatments. RESULTS Increasing tensile force created a correspondingly larger pneumoperitoneal volume for the umbilical lift (0.34-0.40 total abdominal volume). Dual lifting created a larger pneumoperitoneal volume than either location alone at the same tension (0.39 total abdominal volume). Increasing lift tensions increased working distances, except to caudal abdominal structures. Increasing lift tensions at the umbilical location reduced the transverse diameter of the abdomen at the level of the kidney (0.92-0.86 total abdominal volume) and increased the transverse diameter at the midperitoneum (1.0-1.05 total abdominal volume). CONCLUSIONS Larger isobaric penumoperitoneal volumes are produced with increased tensile force, or with dual lifting at lower force. A caudal lift leads to a small pneumoperitoneal volume but equivalent working space to caudal abdominal structures. Using an umbilical lift with moderate tensile force is preferable, providing good visualization and working space. Caudal lifting may be utilized to access caudal abdominal structures.
The Challenge of Potential Drug–Drug Interactions Among People Living With HIV on Antiretroviral Therapy: A Cross-Sectional Study in Selected Provinces in China

Objectives Potential drug–drug interactions (DDIs) are a significant therapeutic threat among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive individuals on antiretroviral (ARV) medications. DDIs involving ARV drugs in mainland China are unknown and insufficiently described. Herein, we investigated the prevalence and frequencies of potential ARV DDIs in Chinese people living with HIV (PLWH), then we assessed the risk factors associated with potential DDIs. Methods This study was conducted with HIV-positive adults undergoing ARV medications from multiple centers across China. The latest prescription of each participant was evaluated for potential DDIs using the Liverpool HIV drug interaction database. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to evaluate the factors associated with DDIs. Results Among 600 PLWH recruited, at least one non-HIV co-medication was observed in 511 (85.2%) individuals. A total of 2566 DDIs were identified, of which 11 (0.43%) and 311 (12.89%) were of contraindicated (red-flags) and dosage/timing adjustment required (orange-flags), respectively. Multivariate regression analysis revealed a higher risk of clinically significant DDIs (red- and orange-flagged comedication) associated with: the use of boosted protease inhibitors (p < 0.0001), boosted integrase strand transfer inhibitors (p < 0.0001), and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors-based ARV regimen (p < 0.0001); or the use of antiinfectives for systemic use (p < 0.0001), cardiovascular system drugs (p < 0.0001), nervous system drugs (p < 0.0001), fungal infection (p = 0.0071), and Herpes simplex virus infection (p = 0.0231). Conclusions Potential DDIs and inappropriate medications constitute a burden for people living with HIV in China. The knowledge of DDIs patterns and the scan for DDIs is crucial. Indeed, they can help to prevent drug-related adverse outcomes in such immunodeficient population.
Assessment of Immunological Response and Impacts on Fertility Following Intrauterine Vaccination Delivered to Swine in an Artificial Insemination Dose

To protect the health of sows and gilts, significant investments are directed toward the development of vaccines against infectious agents that impact reproduction. We developed an intrauterine vaccine that can be delivered with semen during artificial insemination to induce mucosal immunity in the reproductive tract. An in vitro culture of uterine epithelial cells was used to select an adjuvant combination capable of recruiting antigen-presenting cells into the uterus. Adjuvant polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly I:C), alone or in combination, induced expression of interferon gamma, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and select chemokines. A combination adjuvant consisting of poly I:C, host defense peptide and polyphosphazene (Triple Adjuvant; TriAdj), which previously was shown to induce robust mucosal and systemic humoral immunity when administered to the uterus in rabbits, was combined with boar semen to evaluate changes in localized gene expression and cellular recruitment, in vivo. Sows bred with semen plus TriAdj had decreased γδ T cells and monocytes in blood, however, no corresponding increase in the number of monocytes and macrophages was detected in the endometrium. Compared to sows bred with semen alone, sows bred with semen plus TriAdj showed increased CCL2 gene expression in the epithelial layer. These data suggest that the adjuvants may further augment a local immune response and, therefore, may be suitable for use in an intrauterine vaccine. When inactivated porcine parvovirus (PPV) formulated with the TriAdj was administered to the pig uterus during estrus along with semen, we observed induction of PPV antibodies in serum but only when the pigs were already primed with parenteral PPV vaccines. Recombinant protein vaccines and inactivated PPV vaccines administered to the pig uterus during breeding as a primary vaccine alone failed to induce significant humoral immunity. More trials need to be performed to clarify whether repeated intrauterine vaccination can trigger strong humoral immunity or whether the primary vaccine needs to be administered via a systemic route to promote a mucosal and systemic immune response.
Ultrathin Nanogenerators as Self‐Powered/Active Skin Sensors for Tracking Eye Ball Motion

Ultrathin piezoelectric nanogenerator (NG) with a total thickness of ≈16 μm is fabricated as an active or self‐powered sensor for monitoring local deformation on a human skin. The NG was based on an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) as an insulating layer grown on a thin Al foil by anodization, on which a thin film made of aligned ZnO nanowire compacted arrays is grown by solution chemistry. The performance of the NG is characterized with the assistance of the finite element method (FEM) simulation. The extremely thin NG is attached on the surface of an eyelid, and its output voltage/current characterizes the motion of the eye ball underneath. Since there is no external power needed for the operation of the NG, this self‐powered or active sensor can be effective in monitoring sleeping behavior, brain activities, and spirit status of a person as well as any biological associated skin deformation.
Evolution of the Lactic Acid Bacterial Community during Malt Whisky Fermentation: a Polyphasic Study

ABSTRACT The development of the lactic acid bacterial community in a commercial malt whisky fermentation occurred in three broad phases. Initially, bacteria were inhibited by strong yeast growth. Fluorescence microscopy and environmental scanning electron microscopy revealed, in this early stage, both cocci and rods that were at least partly derived from the wort and yeast but also stemmed from the distillery plant. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of partial 16S rRNA genes and sequence analysis revealed cocci related to Streptococcusthermophilus or Saccharococcusthermophilus, Lactobacillusbrevis, and Lactobacillusfermentum. The middle phase began 35 to 40 h after yeast inoculation and was characterized by exponential growth of lactobacilli and residual yeast metabolism. Lactobacilluscasei or Lactobacillusparacasei, L. fermentum, and Lactobacillusferintoshensis were detected in samples of fermenting wort examined by DGGE during this stage. Bacterial growth was accompanied by the accumulation of acetic and lactic acids and the metabolism of residual maltooligosaccharides. By 70 h, two new PCR bands were detected on DGGE gels, and the associated bacteria were largely responsible for the final phase of the fermentation. The bacteria were phylogenetically related to Lactobacillusacidophilus and Lactobacillusdelbrueckii, and strains similar to the former had previously been recovered from malt whisky fermentations in Japan. These were probably obligately homofermentative bacteria, required malt wort for growth, and could not be cultured on normal laboratory media, such as MRS. Their metabolism during the last 20 to 30 h of fermentation was associated with yeast death and autolysis and further accumulation of lactate but no additional acetate.