Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
γδ T Cells Promote a Th1 Response during Coxsackievirus B3 Infection In Vivo: Role of Fas and Fas Ligand

ABSTRACT Fas/Fas ligand (FasL) interactions regulate disease outcome in coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3)-induced myocarditis. MRL+/+ mice infected with CVB3 develop severe myocarditis, a dominant CD4+ Th1 (gamma interferon [IFN-γ+]) response to the virus, and a predominance of γδ T cells in the myocardial infiltrates. MRL lpr/lpr and MRL gld/gld mice, which lack normal expression of Fas and express a mutated FasL, respectively, have minimal myocarditis and show a dominant CD4+ Th2 (interleukin-4 [IL-4+]) phenotype to CVB3. Spleen cells from virus-infected wild-type, lpr, and gld animals proliferate equally to virus in vitro. Adoptive transfer of γδ T cells from hearts of CVB3-infected MRL+/+ mice (FasL+) into infected MRL gld/gld recipients (FasL−/Fas+) restores both disease susceptibility and Th1 cell phenotype. However, transfer of these cells into MRL lpr/lpr recipients (FasL+/Fas−) did not promote myocarditis and the viral response remained Th2 biased. This paralleled the expression of very high surface levels of FasL by myocardial γδ T cells, as well as their propensity to selectively lyse Th2 virus-specific CD4+ T cells. These results demonstrate that Fas/FasL interactions conferred by γδ Τ cells on lymphocyte subpopulations may regulate the cytokine response to CVB3 infection and pathogenicity.
The Guard Zone in Wireless Ad hoc Networks

In ad hoc networks, it may be helpful to suppress transmissions by nodes around the desired receiver in order to increase the likelihood of successful communication. This paper introduces the concept of a guard zone, defined as the region around each receiver where interfering transmissions are inhibited. Using stochastic geometry, the guard zone size that maximizes the transmission capacity for spread spectrum ad hoc networks is derived - narrowband transmission (spreading gain of unity) is a special case. A large guard zone naturally decreases the interference, but at the cost of inefficient spatial reuse. The derived results provide insight into the design of contention resolution algorithms by quantifying the optimal tradeoff between interference and spatial reuse in terms of the system parameters. A capacity increase relative to random access (ALOHA) in the range of 2 - 100 fold is demonstrated through an optimal guard zone; the capacity increase depending primarily on the required outage probability, as higher required QoS increasingly rewards scheduling. Compared to the ubiquitous carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) which essentially implements a guard zone around the transmitter rather than the receiver - we observe a capacity increase on the order of 30 - 100%
PROMINENCE JUDGEMENTS AND TEXTUAL STRUCTURE IN DISCOURSE 1

In this paper the perceptual evaluation of a method to analyse the information structure of a discourse (Van Donzel, 1994) is discussed. In this evaluation listeners were presented with spoken versions of a retold story in Dutch, and were asked to mark those parts in the text they perceived as being emphasized, under the assumption that these are the most salient parts of the discourse. The results of the experiment indicate that the method represents fairly well the way listeners perceive information structure, but that it needs to be refined and adapted in certain aspects. These adjustments are discussed as well.
Towards a dynamic actuator model for a hexapod robot

We describe a model predicting the output torque of the battery-amplifier-actuator-gear combination used on the hexapod robot RHex, based on requested PWM (pulse width modulation) duty cycle to the amplifier, battery voltage, and motor speed. The model is broken into independent components, each experimentally validated: power source (battery), motor amplifier, motor and (planetary) gear. The resulting aggregate model shows <6% full scale RMS error in predicting output torque in the first quadrant of operation (positive torques). Understanding the key ingredients and the attainable accuracies of torque production models in our commonly used battery-amplifier-actuator-gear combinations is critical for mobile robots, in order to minimize sensing, and thus space, size, weight, power consumption, failure rate, and cost of mobile robots.
Live foraminiferal faunas (Rose Bengal stained) from the northern Arabian Sea: links with bottom-water oxygenation

Live (Rose Bengal stained) benthic foraminifera from the Murray Ridge, within and below the northern Arabian Sea Oxygen Minimum Zone (OMZ), were studied in order to determine the relationship between faunal composition, bottom-water oxygenation (BWO), pore-water chemistry and organic matter (organic carbon and phytopigment) 5 distribution. A series of multicores were recovered from a ten-station oxygen (BWO: 2–78 μM) and bathymetric (885–3010 m depth) transect during the winter monsoon in January 2009. Foraminifera were investigated from three different size fractions (63– 125 μm, 125–150 μm and >150 μm). The larger foraminifera (>125 μm) were strongly dominated by agglutinated species (e.g. Reophax spp.). In contrast, in the 63–125 μm 10 fraction, calcareous taxa were more abundant, especially in the core of the OMZ, suggesting an opportunistic behaviour. On the basis of a Principal Component Analysis, three foraminiferal groups were identified, reflecting the environmental parameters along the study transect. The faunas from the shallowest stations, in the core of the OMZ (BWO: 2 μM), were composed of “low oxygen” species, typical of the Arabian 15 Sea OMZ (e.g., Rotaliatinopsis semiinvoluta, Praeglobobulimina spp. , Bulimina exilis, Uvigerina peregrina type parva). These taxa are adapted to the very low BWO conditions and to high phytodetritus supplies. The transitional group, typical for the lower part of the OMZ (BWO: 5–16 μM), is composed of more cosmopolitan taxa tolerant to low-oxygen concentrations (Globocassidulina subglobosa, Ehrenbergina trig20 ona). Below the OMZ (BWO: 26–78 μM), where food availability is more limited and becomes increasingly restricted to surficial sediments, more cosmopolitan calcareous taxa were present, such as Bulimina aculeata, Melonis barleeanus, Uvigerina peregrina and Epistominella exigua. Miliolids were uniquely observed in this last group, reflecting the higher BWO. At these deeper sites, the faunas exhibit a clear depth suc25 cession of superficial, intermediate and deep-infaunal microhabitats, because of the deeper oxygen and nitrate penetration into the sediment.
A PATTERN LANGUAGE FOR COMPUTER GRAPHICS

Computer Graphics represents an extensive domain which still lacks of modern software development principles. A wide range of graphical applications share common solutions that could be categorized in design or implementation patterns. Patterns embrace efforts to represent experience in software design and have been applied successfully in several areas such as database design, distributed processing and image processing. This paper presents a multi-layered architecture for graphics-driven systems and proposes a pattern language for graphical processes, including model representation, presentation, visualization, and user interaction tasks.
Evaluation of Preventive Maintenance Segregation: A Multi Factorial Study

Recently, several papers on preventive maintenance (PM) have shown that segregation of PM’s can be beneficial when it comes to improving factory performance. However, these were limited to either cases of equal PM segregation and/or without consideration of other factors and operating conditions such as incurred setup or the number of tools in the toolset. In this paper, we extend previous work in this area in two major respects. First, we consider the more realistic case of PM segregation into equal or unequal portions and second, we evaluate the impact of PM segregation under various operating conditions via simulation. Our simulation experiments provide insight and guidelines for practitioners in planning the PM activity such that the overall performance is improved.
Automatic processes and the appraisal of sexual stimuli: Toward an information processing model of sexual arousal

A model of sexual arousal is presented that highlights the interaction between automatic and controlled cognitive processes and proposes that different levels of cognitive processing can differentially affect subjective and physiological sexual arousal. In addition, two studies are presented in which the role of automatic processes was explored using a priming paradigm. Subjects were sexually functional men. In the first study an effect of priming was found on penile erection. Unexpectedly, responses were lower in sexual than in neutral trials. In the second study support was found, using a behavioral measure (decision time), for the notion that the meaning of sexual stimuli can be perceived in a fast, automatic manner. Priming was most successful at lower levels of stimulus accessibility. The model and experimental approach presented in this article render starting points for new research on response discordance, gender differences in the processing of sexual stimuli, and inhibition of sexual response.
Efficient top-K SimRank-based similarity join

SimRank is an effective and widely adopted measure to quantify the structural similarity between pairs of nodes in a graph. In this paper we study the problem of top-k SimRank-based similarity join, which finds k pairs of nodes with the largest SimRank values. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to address this problem. We propose a random-walk-based method to efficiently identify top-k pairs. Experiment results on real datasets show that our method significantly outperforms baseline approaches.
Microstructural visual system changes in AQP4-antibody–seropositive NMOSD

Objective: To trace microstructural changes in patients with aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4-ab)-seropositive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSDs) by investigating the afferent visual system in patients without clinically overt visual symptoms or visual pathway lesions. Methods: Of 51 screened patients with NMOSD from a longitudinal observational cohort study, we compared 6 AQP4-ab–seropositive NMOSD patients with longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM) but no history of optic neuritis (ON) or other bout (NMOSD-LETM) to 19 AQP4-ab–seropositive NMOSD patients with previous ON (NMOSD-ON) and 26 healthy controls (HCs). Foveal thickness (FT), peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) thickness, and ganglion cell and inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) thickness were measured with optical coherence tomography (OCT). Microstructural changes in the optic radiation (OR) were investigated using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Visual function was determined by high-contrast visual acuity (VA). OCT results were confirmed in a second independent cohort. Results: FT was reduced in both patients with NMOSD-LETM (p = 3.52e−14) and NMOSD-ON (p = 1.24e−16) in comparison with HC. Probabilistic tractography showed fractional anisotropy reduction in the OR in patients with NMOSD-LETM (p = 0.046) and NMOSD-ON (p = 1.50e−5) compared with HC. Only patients with NMOSD-ON but not NMOSD-LETM showed neuroaxonal damage in the form of pRNFL and GCIPL thinning. VA was normal in patients with NMOSD-LETM and was not associated with OCT or DTI parameters. Conclusions: Patients with AQP4-ab–seropositive NMOSD without a history of ON have microstructural changes in the afferent visual system. The localization of retinal changes around the Müller-cell rich fovea supports a retinal astrocytopathy.
Controlled and localized genetic manipulation in the brain

Brain structure and function are determined in part through experience and in part through our inherited genes. A powerful approach for unravelling the balance between activity‐dependent neuronal plasticity and genetic programs is to directly manipulate the genome. Such molecular genetic studies have been greatly aided by the remarkable progress of large‐scale genome sequencing efforts. Sophisticated mouse genetic manipulations allow targeted point‐mutations, deletions and additions to the mouse genome. These can be regulated through inducible promoters expressing in genetically specified neuronal cell types. However, despite significant progress it remains difficult to target specific brain regions through transgenesis alone. Recent work suggests that transduction vectors, like lentiviruses and adeno‐associated viruses, may provide suitable additional tools for localized and controlled genetic manipulation. Furthermore, studies with such vectors may aid the development of human genetic therapies for brain diseases.
Evaluation of EPS Application in Microbial Consortia Growing in Aqueous Co-Contaminated Systems: The Trend to Natural Attenuation

The needing of a bacterial extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) application in bioremediation of an aqueous system containing glucose and/or gasoline and/or heavy metals (Cd 2+ , Zn 2+ and Cu 2+ ) by two different microbial consortia was studied. At the low concentrations (1.00 ppm of each metal), it was observed an inhibitory effect on the metabolism of the "consortium 1", as well as the application of EPS has improved the cellular growing in media containing glucose and/or gasoline as carbon sources, indicating that using this substance decreases the negative effect caused by the presence of heavy metals. In the other hand, the application of small concentrations of EPS was evaluated, and results show that a little increase in this substance concentration leads to an improvement of 39 % in cellular growing of the "consortium 2", indicating the potential use of the EPS in a system with gasoline and metals. Once many microorganisms can produce this kind of substance during cultivation, our results show that a system with low concentrations of hydrocarbons and metals could be susceptible to natural attenuation, without human intervention in the environment, especially if the process is conducted in a larger period of time.
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences Concepts and Principles in the Analysis of Brain Networks

The brain is a large-scale network, operating at multiple levels of information processing ranging from neurons, to local circuits, to systems of brain areas. Recent advances in the mathematics of graph theory have provided tools with which to study networks. These tools can be employed to understand how the brain's behavioral repertoire is mediated by the interactions of objects of information processing. Within the graph-theoretic framework, networks are defined by independent objects (nodes) and the relationships shared between them (edges). Importantly, the accurate incorporation of graph theory into the study of brain networks mandates careful consideration of the assumptions, constraints, and principles of both the mathematics and the underlying neurobiology. This review focuses on understanding these principles and how they guide what constitutes a brain network and its elements, specifically focusing on resting-state correlations in humans. We argue that approaches that fail to take the principles of graph theory into consideration and do not reflect the underlying neurobiological properties of the brain will likely mischaracterize brain network structure and function.
Comparison of Common Retinal Vessel Caliber Measurement Software and a Conversion Algorithm

Purpose To compare three commonly used retinal vessel caliber measurement software systems, and propose an algorithm for conversion between measurement systems. Methods We used 120 retinal photographs to evaluate the agreement between three commonly used software (Retinal Analysis [RA], Integrative Vessel Analysis [IVAN], and Singapore I Vessel Assessment [SIVA]). Bland-Altman plots were used to evaluate agreement of retinal arteriolar (central retinal artery equivalent, CRAE) and venular (central retinal vein equivalent, CRVE) calibers. Pearson's correlation was used to assess the associations between systemic factors and retinal vessel calibers, and Z-test was used to compare the strength of the correlation coefficients across the three software systems. An algorithm was created to convert measurements, with paired t-test performed to evaluate the differences between SIVA-measured retinal calibers and SIVA-approximates converted from RA- and IVAN-measurements using the algorithm. Results Differences between SIVA- and RA-measured calibers (CRAE: mean difference [MD] = −21.8 μm, 95% limits of agreement [LOA], −47.3 to 3.7 μm; CRVE: MD = −7.7 μm, 95% LOA, −28.0 to 12.6 μm), SIVA- and IVAN-measured calibers (CRAE: MD = −6.7 μm, 95% LOA, −23.8 to 10.4 μm; CRVE: MD = −18.2 μm 95% LOA, −36.7 to 0.4 μm) were large. However, the strength of correlations between systemic factors with SIVA-measured retinal calibers was not significantly different to that measured using RA and IVAN (P ≥ 0.332). SIVA-approximates converted from RA and IVAN measurements using the proposed algorithm was not significantly different from SIVA-measured calibers (P ≥ 0.20). Conclusion Absolute measurements of retinal vessel calibers vary between three common software systems but associations with systemic factors were similar. Translational Relevance The proposed algorithm allowed conversions of RA and IVAN measurements to SIVA-approximates. This conversion is important for future data pooling and establishment of normative values for retinal vascular caliber measurements.
A Survey on Breaking Technique of Text-Based CAPTCHA

The CAPTCHA has become an important issue in multimedia security. Aimed at a commonly used text-based CAPTCHA, this paper outlines some typical methods and summarizes the technological progress in text-based CAPTCHA breaking. First, the paper presents a comprehensive review of recent developments in the text-based CAPTCHA breaking field. Second, a framework of text-based CAPTCHA breaking technique is proposed. And the framework mainly consists of preprocessing, segmentation, combination, recognition, postprocessing, and other modules. Third, the research progress of the technique involved in each module is introduced, and some typical methods of segmentation and recognition are compared and analyzed. Lastly, the paper discusses some problems worth further research.
Origin of TAA Genes in Charophytes: New Insights into the Controversy over the Origin of Auxin Biosynthesis

Fil: Romani, Facundo Alihuen. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Agrobiotecnologia del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Agrobiotecnologia del Litoral; Argentina
Satisfacción laboral y Burnout en Trabajos poco cualificados: diferencias entre sexos en población inmigrante

The principal aim of this study tries to analyze the job satisfaction into low-skilled jobs realized by immigrants, looking for differences between women and men. Is analyzed a sample of 250 immigrants who live in Spain proceeding from different cultures. The variables evaluated across written questionnaire are: job satisfaction, burnout and some job characteristics. No differences were found between men and women in burnout or job satisfaction. So much cynicism as the depletion negatively correlated with job satisfaction. The results of the regression analysis showed predictive models differ according to sex: in men, the professional effectiveness and cynicism are more important than women; in women the exhaustion is negatively predicted job satisfaction. In addition, satisfaction with free time and job security predicts job satisfaction in both groups of immigrants.
Recommender system for Thai food cooking on smartphone

The purpose of this research were to develop the recommender system for Thai food cooking on smartphone and evaluate user's satisfaction on the recommender system for Thai food cooking on smartphone. This application has been developed to give users about Thai food cooking information. The application function is offline mode and can be displayed in two languages: Thai language and English language. This paper presents the design and implementation by using Android Software Development Kit. The results show that the users can search cooking method from category, cooking method, food name and ingredient. The application can show the detail of food as such as food name, picture of the food, ingredient and cooking method. The proposed application is better support for users that the users are used android mobile.
Variants in ARHGEF11, a Candidate Gene for the Linkage to Type 2 Diabetes on Chromosome 1q, Are Nominally Associated With Insulin Resistance and Type 2 Diabetes in Pima Indians

A prior genome-wide linkage scan in Pima Indians indicated a young-onset (aged <45 years) type 2 diabetes susceptibility locus on chromosome 1q21-q23. ARHGEF11, which encodes the Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor 11, was analyzed as a positional candidate gene for this linkage because this protein may stimulate Rho-dependent signals, such as the insulin signaling cascade. The ARHGEF11 gene, and two adjacent genes NTRK1 and INSRR, were sequenced in 24 Pima Indians who were not first-degree relatives. Sequencing of the coding regions, 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions and putative promoter regions of these genes, identified 28 variants in ARHGEF11, 11 variants in NTRK1, and 8 variants in INSSR. These 47 variants, as well as 84 additional public database variants within/between these genes, were genotyped for association analysis in the same group of Pima Indians who had participated in the linkage study (n = 1,228). An R1467H in ARHGEF11, and several additional noncoding variants that were in high linkage disequilibrium with this variant, were nominally associated with young-onset type 2 diabetes (P = 0.01; odds ratio 3.39) after adjusting for sex, family membership, and Pima heritage. The risk allele H had a frequency of 0.10. In a subgroup of 262 nondiabetic, full-heritage Pima Indians who had undergone detailed metabolic testing, the risk allele H also was associated with a lower mean insulin-mediated glucose disposal rate and a lower mean nonoxidative glucose storage rate after adjusting for age, sex, nuclear family membership, and percentage of body fat (P ≤ 0.01). These findings suggest that variation within ARHGEF11 nominally increases risk of type 2 diabetes, possibly as a result of increased insulin resistance.
Do People Prefer Curved Objects? Angularity, Expertise, and Aesthetic Preference

Do people prefer curved lines, shapes, and objects over angular lines, shapes, and objects? Angularity is one of the oldest variables in the psychology of aesthetics, but past research has not always controlled for potential confounds. Two experiments manipulated angularity while controlling for symmetry, prototypicality, and balance. Study 1 used arrays of circles and hexagons from the Preference for Balance Test. Study 2 used asymmetrical random polygons; each polygon was digitally rounded to create angular and curved versions. As predicted, people preferred the round circles more than the angular hexagons and the curved polygons more than the angular polygons. Both experiments explored whether individual differences in expertise in the arts moderated angularity's effect on preference. Multilevel models showed that training in the arts interacted with angularity, but the pattern of the interaction varied between the two experiments.