Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SoLVE: A Localization System Framework for VANets using the Cloud and Fog Computing

Usually, vehicles are equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS), which can provide its position estimation. However, GPS can become erroneous or unavailable in cases of some indoor scenarios, such as tunnels and dense urban areas where there is no straight visibility to satellites. In Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANets), some critical applications such as Driverless Vehicles and Blind Crossing require a precise localization system. In this work, we proposed a new localization system framework for VANets using the Cloud and Fog Computing paradigm. Our framework, called SoLVE (acronym of three keywords: System, Localization, and VANets), takes advantage of both Fog Computing and the location awareness of the RoadSide Units (RSUs) and Smart Traffic Lights (STL) in order to provide a precise estimate the position of vehicles within a Fog Network. Fogs can be as many as needed to cover the entire area of the localization system. Some of framework challenges, and implementations are discussed. Also, some use cases are described as well future research directions are highlighted.
Multi-goal pathfinding in ubiquitous environments: modeling and exploiting knowledge to satisfy goals

Multi-goal pathfinding (MGPF) is a problem of searching for a path between a start and a destination allowing a set of goals to be satisfied. We address MGPF in ubiquitous environments that accommodate cyber, physical and social (CPS) entities from smart objects to sensors and to humans. Given a MGPF problem in a pervasive environment, our approach aims at exploiting data from various resources including CPS entities located in the environment and external resources such as the Web to solve the problem. In this paper, we present a knowledge model for describing a ubiquitous environment integrating its spatial dimension, CPS entities it contains and its relevant resources. A global view of the approach is provided. We address particularly one of the challenges in MGPF, namely goal satisfaction problem, which consists of identifying through which entities a goal can be satisfied. Towards this aim, we design an ontology to formally model CPS entities, goals and their relations. We describe a method to exploit modeled knowledge in order to solve the goal satisfaction problem.
Minimum LM Unit Root Test with One Structural Break

In this paper, we propose a minimum LM unit root test that endogenously determines a structural break in intercept and trend. Critical values are provided, and size and power properties are compared to the endogenous one-break unit root test of Zivot and Andrews (1992). Nunes, Newbold, and Kuan (1997) and Lee and Strazicich (2001) previously demonstrated that the Zivot and Andrews test exhibits size distortions in the presence of a break under the null. In contrast, the one-break minimum LM unit root test exhibits no size distortions in the presence of a break under the null. As such, rejection of the null unambiguously implies a trend stationary process.
Zero-Voltage and Zero-Current Switching Two-Transformer Full-Bridge Converter Using the Output-Voltage-Doubler

A zero-voltage switching (ZVS) and zero-current switching (ZCS) two-transformer full-bridge PWM converter using the output-voltage-doubler is proposed in this paper. It is based on the phase-shifted full-bridge with series-connected two transformers (TTFB) which act as an output inductor as well as a main transformer. The TTFB converter achieves ZVS for all the switches inherently even at a light load with the use of the energy stored in the magnetizing inductance of each transformer. However, it has several drawbacks such as circulating energy in freewheeling mode, loss of duty cycle, and high voltage stress across the output rectifier diodes. To overcome these drawbacks, the proposed converter employs an output-voltage-doubler which reduces the circulating current, the freewheeling interval, and the voltage stress across output rectifier diode. The operational principle, theoretical analysis, and design considerations are presented. Also, to confirm the operation, validity, and features of the proposed converter, experimental results from a 420 W, 385 Vdc/210 Vdc prototype are presented
The Boulder and the Sphere: Subjectivity and Implicit Values in Biology

Science is inherently subjective. The experience of dissertation research in ecology showed how intuitively derived hypotheses and assumptions define the questions one asks and the variables one measures, and how idealised forms and generalised types facilitate analysis but distort interpretation. Because these conceptual tools are indispensable to science, subjectivity is ineluctable. This has moral implications. Scientists are responsible for the particular abstractions they select and must therefore accept some moral responsibility for the way their results are used. Those who use scientific results have an equal responsibility to acknowledge the significance of the methods and not just of the conclusions. In biology, subjectivity may also have a positive side. A wide consensus of ecological biologists accept, on the apparently neutral grounds of accumulated study, a set of generalisations that society at large treats more as philosophical beliefs. This category of implicit values in biology holds much promise for improving our relations with nature and each other.
The Arthroderma benhamiae Hydrophobin HypA Mediates Hydrophobicity and Influences Recognition by Human Immune Effector Cells

ABSTRACT Dermatophytes are the most common cause of superficial mycoses in humans and animals. They can coexist with their hosts for many years without causing significant symptoms but also cause highly inflammatory diseases. To identify mechanisms involved in the modulation of the host response during infection caused by the zoophilic dermatophyte Arthroderma benhamiae, cell wall-associated surface proteins were studied. By two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, we found that a hydrophobin protein designated HypA was the dominant cell surface protein. HypA was also detected in the supernatant during the growth and conidiation of the fungus. The A. benhamiae genome harbors only a single hydrophobin gene, designated hypA. A hypA deletion mutant was generated, as was a complemented hypA mutant strain (hypAC). In contrast to the wild type and the complemented strain, the hypA deletion mutant exhibited “easily wettable” mycelia and conidia, indicating the loss of surface hydrophobicity of both morphotypes. Compared with the wild type, the hypA deletion mutant triggered an increased activation of human neutrophil granulocytes and dendritic cells, characterized by an increased release of the immune mediators interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). For the first time, we observed the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps against dermatophytes, whose level of formation was increased by the ΔhypA mutant compared with the wild type. Furthermore, conidia of the ΔhypA strain were killed more effectively by neutrophils. Our data suggest that the recognition of A. benhamiae by the cellular immune defense system is notably influenced by the presence of the surface rodlet layer formed by the hydrophobin HypA.
Tratamiento de la fobia a volar usando la exposición de realidad virtual con o sin reestructuración cognitiva: Preferencias de los participantes

Este estudio analiza las preferencias de los participantes sobre dos modalidades de tratamiento para el miedo a volar (MV): Tratamiento de exposicion mediante realidad virtual (VRET) o VRET mas reestructuracion cognitiva (VRET + CR). Se contrabalancearon las condiciones y se utilizo un diseno no concurrente de linea base multiple (cuatro participantes). Ambas condiciones fueron igualmente eficaces y despues del tratamiento, todos los participantes tomaron un vuelo. Al final de cada sesion se pidio a los participantes su opinion sobre la condicion recibida. En las dos condiciones se obtuvieron puntuaciones altas, no encontrandose diferencias significativas entre ambas. Terminado el tratamiento tambien se pregunto por sus preferencias a los participantes con respecto a las condiciones. Todos los participantes prefirieron VRET + CR, considerandola mas eficaz y recomendable, afirmando que este tratamiento era menos aversivo. Estos datos contribuyen a la literatura enfocada a la importancia de tomar en cuenta las preferencias del paciente.
The distribution and differential risks of human papillomavirus genotypes in cervical preinvasive lesions: a Taiwan Cooperative Oncologic Group Study

To clarify the distribution and relative risk of different human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes in cervical preinvasive lesions, 1246 women with abnormal Papanicolaou smear including atypical squamous cell of unknown significance (ASCUS), atypical glandular cell of unknown significance (AGUS), low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL), and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) were enrolled in a multicenter, cross-sectional study. Colposcopy and HPV tests with hybrid capture 2 and polymerase chain reaction–reverse line blot were performed. The prevalences of HPV in ASCUS/AGUS-negative histology, ASCUS/AGUS, LSIL, HSIL, and invasive cancer were 33.8%, 38.3%, 74.9%, 84.3% and 100%, respectively, with an overall positive rate of 68.8%. The most common HPV types were HPV 16 (18.5%), 52 (16.5%), 58 (13.2%), 33, 51, 53, 18, 39, 59, 66, MM8, and 31. In comparing the relative risk of HPV infection in different disease status, LSIL and HSIL/carcinoma had a 4.64 (95% CI: 2.98–7.24) and 10.53 (95% CI: 6.69–16.58) folds of risk of high-risk HPV infection than the negative group. The same was true in mixed HPV infection, but not in low-risk type infection. Looking into each high-risk HPV type, the relative infection risks for LSIL and HSIL/carcinoma, in comparison with the negative group, were 1.67 (0.63–4.43) and 8.67 (3.46–21.70), 2017 (1.01–4.68) and 3.04 (1.42–6.47), and 1.40 (0.52–3.77) and 5.22 (2.07–13.19) for HPV type 16, 52 and 58, respectively. The study confirmed the high prevalence and risky nature of HPV 52 and 58 in Taiwanese population and conveyed the need to include these HPV types in vaccine development.
University of Groningen Development of a Highly Protective Combination Monoclonal Antibody Therapy against Chikungunya Virus Pal,

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-transmitted alphavirus that causes global epidemics of a debilitating polyarthritis in humans. As there is a pressing need for the development of therapeutic agents, we screened 230 new mouse anti-CHIKV monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) for their ability to inhibit infection of all three CHIKV genotypes. Four of 36 neutralizing MAbs (CHK-102, CHK-152, CHK-166, and CHK-263) provided complete protection against lethality as prophylaxis in highly susceptible immunocompromised mice lacking the type I IFN receptor (Ifnar) and mapped to distinct epitopes on the E1 and E2 structural proteins. CHK-152, the most protective MAb, was humanized, shown to block viral fusion, and require Fc effector function for optimal activity in vivo. In post-exposure therapeutic trials, administration of a single dose of a combination of two neutralizing MAbs (CHK-102+CHK-152 or CHK-166+CHK-152) limited the development of resistance and protected immunocompromised mice against disease when given 24 to 36 hours before CHIKV-induced death. Selected pairs of highly neutralizing MAbs may be a promising treatment option for CHIKV in humans. Citation: Pal P, Dowd KA, Brien JD, Edeling MA, Gorlatov S, et al. (2013) Development of a Highly Protective Combination Monoclonal Antibody Therapy against Chikungunya Virus. PLoS Pathog 9(4): e1003312. doi:10.1371/journal.ppat. 1003312 Editor: Félix A. Rey, Institut Pasteur, France Received November 20, 2012; Accepted March 4, 2013; Published April 18, 2013 This is an open-access article, free of all copyright, and may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, built upon, or otherwise used by anyone for any lawful purpose. The work is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. Funding: U54 AI 057157: Southeast Regional Center of Excellence for Emerging Infections and Biodefense (to MTH), NIH grant R01-AI104545, and the Intramural Research Program of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) supported this work. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Competing Interests: I have read the journal’s policy and have the following conflicts: S. Johnson and S. Gorlatov are employees of MacroGenics, which has an option for licensure of the anti-CHKV MAbs for commercial development. M. Diamond is a paid consultant for MacroGenics. This does not alter our adherence to all PLoS Pathogens policies on sharing data and materials. * E-mail: diamond@borcim.wustl. edu
Role of Hope in Predicting Anxiety about Statistics

Hope is defined as a cognitive set which consists of level of goal-directed determination (agency) and propensity to plan ways to achieve goals (pathways). This study investigated whether hope was related to anxiety about statistics. Participants were 109 graduate students from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds enrolled in courses on statistics and educational research methods. A canonical correlation analysis was interpreted as indicating that students who had the poorest sense of successful determination in relation to their goals and who had the least positive appraisals of their ability to generate ways to overcome goal-related obstacles and to reach their goals tended to have the highest anxiety associated with worth of statistics, interpretation, tests and class, computational self-concept, fear of asking for help, and fear of the instructor. Based on these findings, it is recommended that researchers investigate whether interventions aimed at agency and pathways help to reduce such anxiety.
Stuck in the Jam: CO₂Emissions, Growth and Technical Change in Mexico

Decoupling economic growth from emissions of green-house gases is a major challenge for global sustainability. This relationship, mediated by product composition and the state of technology, is however a complex one. In this paper we examine critically the notion of an Environmental Kuznets curve relating economic growth and emissions, and assess the role of technical change operating at lower levels of aggregation. With the example of a large, middle-income developing country, we show that long periods of economic stagnation reinforce “carbon lock-in” despite significant improvements in energy efficiency.
Séquences de maillages : classification et méthodes de segmentation. (Mesh sequences : classification and segmentation)

Les sequences de maillages sont de plus en plus utilisees. Cette augmentation des besoins entraine un developpement des methodes de generation de sequences de maillages. Ces methodes de generations peuvent produire des sequences de maillages de natures differentes. Le nombre d’applications utilisant ces sequences s’est egalement accru, avec par exemple la compression et le transfert de pose. Ces applications necessitent souvent de calculer une partition de la sequence. Dans cette these, nous nous interessons plus particulierement a la segmentation en composantes rigides de sequences de maillages. Dans un premier temps, nous formalisons la notion de sequence de maillages et proposons donc une classification permettant de designer quelles sont les proprietes attachees a un type de sequence, et ainsi de decrire precisement quel type de sequence est necessaire pour une application donnee. Dans un second temps, nous formalisons la notion de segmentation de sequence de maillages, et presentons egalement l’etat de l’art des methodes de segmentation sur les sequences de maillages. Ensuite, nous proposons une premiere methode de type globale pour les sequences stables de maillages, fondee sur la fusion de regions. Par la suite, nous presentons deux autres methodes, reposant sur la classification spectrale. La premiere, produit un ensemble de segmentations globales, tandis que la seconde genere une segmentation globale ou une segmentation temporellement variable. Nous mettons egalement en place un systeme d’evaluation quantitative des segmentations. Enfin, nous presentons les differentes perspectives liees a la segmentation.
Consequences of Fatherhood in the Biparental California Mouse (Peromyscus californicus): Locomotor Performance, Metabolic Rate, and Organ Masses

Although effects of motherhood on mothers have been well documented in mammals, the effects of fatherhood on fathers are not well known. We evaluated effects of being a father on key metabolic and performance measures in the California mouse, Peromyscus californicus. California mice are genetically monogamous in the wild, and fathers show similar parental behavior to mothers, with the exception of lactation. To investigate the impact of fatherhood on fathers, focal males were paired with an intact female (breeding males), a tubally ligated female (nonbreeding males), or another male (virgins). Starting 3–5 d after the birth of each breeding pair’s first litter, males were tested for locomotor performance (maximum sprint speed, treadmill endurance), basal metabolic rate (BMR), and maximum oxygen consumption (V˙O2max⁡). At the end of the 11-d test period, mice were euthanized, hematocrit was determined, and organs were weighed. Speed, endurance, and V˙O2max⁡ were significantly repeatable between two replicate measurement days but did not differ among groups, nor did BMR. Breeding males had significantly larger hind limb muscles than did nonbreeding males, whereas virgin males had heavier subcutaneous fat pads than did nonbreeding and breeding males. Several correlations were observed at the level of individual variation (residuals from ANCOVA models), including positive correlations for endurance with V˙O2max⁡, V˙O2max⁡ with testes mass, and some of the digestion-related organs with each other. These results indicate that fatherhood may not have pronounced performance, metabolic, or morphological effects on fathers, at least under standard laboratory conditions and across a single breeding cycle.
Cellulose digestion and cellulase regulation and distribution in Fibrobacter succinogenes subsp. succinogenes S85

Fibrobacter succinogenes subsp. succinogenes S85 initiated growth on microcrystalline cellulose without a lag whether inoculated from a glucose, cellobiose, or cellulose culture. During growth on cellulose, there was no accumulation of soluble carbohydrate. When the growth medium contained either glucose or cellobiose in combination with microcrystalline cellulose, there was a lag in cellulose digestion until all of the soluble sugar had been utilized, suggesting an end product feedback mechanism that affects cellulose digestion. Cl-stimulated cellobiosidase and periplasmic cellodextrinase were produced under all growth conditions tested, indicating constitutive synthesis. Both cellobiosidases were cell associated until the stationary phase of growth, whereas proteins antigenically related to the Cl-stimulated cellobiosidase and a proportion of the endoglucanase were released into the extracellular culture fluid during growth, irrespective of the substrate. Immunoelectron microscopy of cells with a polyclonal antibody to Cl-stimulated cellobiosidase as the primary antibody and 10-nm-diameter gold particles conjugated to goat anti-rabbit antibodies as the second antibody revealed protrusions of the outer surface which were selectively labeled with gold, suggesting that Cl-stimulated cellobiosidase was located on the protrusions. These data support the contention that the protrusions have a role in cellulose hydrolysis; however, this interpretation is complicated by reactivity of the antibodies with a large number of other proteins that possess related antigenic epitopes.
Activation of Neural and Pluripotent Stem Cell Signatures Correlates with Increased Malignancy in Human Glioma

The presence of stem cell characteristics in glioma cells raises the possibility that mechanisms promoting the maintenance and self-renewal of tissue specific stem cells have a similar function in tumor cells. Here we characterized human gliomas of various malignancy grades for the expression of stem cell regulatory proteins. We show that cells in high grade glioma co-express an array of markers defining neural stem cells (NSCs) and that these proteins can fulfill similar functions in tumor cells as in NSCs. However, in contrast to NSCs glioma cells co-express neural proteins together with pluripotent stem cell markers, including the transcription factors Oct4, Sox2, Nanog and Klf4. In line with this finding, in high grade gliomas mesodermal- and endodermal-specific transcription factors were detected together with neural proteins, a combination of lineage markers not normally present in the central nervous system. Persistent presence of pluripotent stem cell traits could only be detected in solid tumors, and observations based on in vitro studies and xenograft transplantations in mice imply that this presence is dependent on the combined activity of intrinsic and extrinsic regulatory cues. Together these results demonstrate a general deregulated expression of neural and pluripotent stem cell traits in malignant human gliomas, and indicate that stem cell regulatory factors may provide significant targets for therapeutic strategies.
Circularly polarized GPS antenna for simultaneous LHCP and RHCP reception with high isolation

In this paper a compact dual-feed Global Positioning System (GPS) antenna for simultaneous left- and right hand circularly polarized wave reception is presented. The antenna structure consists of a single patch antenna on top of a printed circuit board and two aperture coupled feeds in the ground plane which are used to generate both left- and right-hand (LH and RH) circular polarizations for the patch. The feed network is implemented as a 2-section branch-line coupler underneath the ground plane. It is able to generate adequate phase shifts for both LH and RH circular polarizations simultaneously via two feed ports. Due to the aperture coupling and coupler implementation three layer printed circuit board approach is used. The measured axial ratio is <; 1.35 for both polarizations over the 24 MHz bandwidth at the frequency of 1.575 GHz. The isolation between the LH and RH feed ports in reception mode is -35. -26 dB in the broadside direction. The antenna enables simultaneous direct and multipath signal measurement with equal spatial coordinates for both polarizations.
Stochastic Estimation of Cavity Flowfield

Linear stochastic estimation and quadratic stochastic estimation techniques were applied to estimate the entire velocity flow-field of an open cavity with a length to depth ratio of 2. The estimations were done through the use of instantaneous velocity magnitude as estimators. These measurements were obtained by Particle Image Velocimetry. The predicted flow was compared against the original flow-field in terms of the Reynolds stresses and turbulent kinetic energy. Quadratic stochastic estimation proved to be more superior than linear stochastic estimation in resolving the shear layer flow. When the velocity fluctuations were scaled up in the quadratic estimate, both the time-averaged quantities and the instantaneous cavity flow can be predicted to a rather accurate extent. Keywords—Open cavity, Particle Image Velocimetry, Stochastic estimation, Turbulent kinetic energy.