Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Living the Good Life: How Content Providers can Better Conceptualize the Content Requirements of the Ubiquitous Technology User

Content provision via ubiquitous technology platforms such as smart mobile phones and personal digital assistants raises interesting practical and research challenges. Many current theoretical frameworks and models are based on assumptions which may not necessarily be valid in the case of ubiquitous technologies, which users employ in a variety of contexts and for different reasons. In this research-in-progress paper we explore how content providers can better conceptualize the content requirements of ubiquitous technology users. We introduce the principle of Continuous Quality of Life Optimization as a theoretical concept to understand the content requirements of these users. We put forth a number of propositions to guide further research and provide details about our own research approach, in which we are exploring ubiquitous content provision from the perspective of content providers.
A novel harmonic elimination approach in three-phase multi-motor drives

Power electronics technology has been widely used for decades in the modern motor drive systems. Beyond the control flexibility, the power electronics devices (e.g., diode rectifiers) are also the main harmonic source to the grid due to their nonlinearity, which deteriorate the power grid quality and may cause unnecessary losses in power system transformers. Both degradations are apt to occur in motor drive applications. As a consequence, it calls for advanced and intelligent control strategies for the power electronics based drive systems like adjustable speed drives in industry. At present, many industrial drives are still equipped with three-phase diode rectifiers. Thus, it is difficult to implement the prior-art harmonic control strategies for active front-ends. Moreover, the total cost and complexity has become an obstacle for these harmonic elimination approaches in multiple drive systems. Therefore, in this paper, a new cost-effective harmonic mitigation approach has been proposed for multiple drives. The proposed approach can control the generated current harmonics by benefiting of the nonlinearity of the drive units and through a novel current modulation scheme. Simulation and experimental results have validated the effectiveness of the proposed approach in terms of harmonic elimination in three-phase multi-drive systems.
The development of detent force minimizing permanent magnet linear generator for direct-drive wave energy converter

This paper proposes a linear generator for a wave energy converter. By considering low speed of the power take-off system of the wave energy converter, it is designed to generate electricity even its translator moves very slowly. The lumped parameter magnetic circuit method is applied to deduce electrical parameters, such as no-load voltage. From the magnetic circuit analysis and finite element analysis, generator design parameters are decided and applied to prototype generator. The magnetic circuit model including flux leakage is presented and the validity of the model is verified by finite element analysis. The measured power output is presented and shows great agreement with the predicted values.
Transient cardiac expression of constitutively active Galphaq leads to hypertrophy and dilated cardiomyopathy by calcineurin-dependent and independent pathways.

Cardiac hypertrophy and dilatation can result from stimulation of signal transduction pathways mediated by heterotrimeric G proteins, especially Gq, whose alpha subunit activates phospholipase Cbeta (PLCbeta). We now report that transient, modest expression of a hemagglutinin (HA) epitope-tagged, constitutively active mutant of the Gq alpha subunit (HAalpha*q) in hearts of transgenic mice is sufficient to induce cardiac hypertrophy and dilatation that continue to progress after the initiating stimulus becomes undetectable. At 2 weeks, HAalpha*q protein is expressed at less than 50% of endogenous alphaq/11, and the transgenic hearts are essentially normal morphologically. Although HAalpha*q protein declines at 4 weeks and is undetectable by 10 weeks, the animals develop cardiac hypertrophy and dilatation and die between 8 and 30 weeks in heart failure. As the pathology develops, endogenous alphaq/11 rises (2.9-fold in atria; 1.8-fold in ventricles). At 2 weeks, basal PLC activity is increased 9- to 10-fold in atria but not ventricles. By 10 weeks, it is elevated in both, presumably because of the rise in endogenous alphaq/11. We conclude that the pathological changes initiated by early, transient HAalpha*q expression are maintained in part by compensatory changes in signal transduction and other pathways. Cyclosporin A (CsA) prevents hypertrophy caused by activation of calcineurin [Molkentin, J. D. , Lu, J.-R. , Antos, C. L. , Markham, B. , Richardson, J., Robbins, J., Grant, S. R. & Olson, E. N. (1998) Cell 93, 215-228]. Because HAalpha*q acts upstream of calcineurin, we hypothesized that HAalpha*q might initiate additional pathways leading to hypertrophy and dilatation. Treating HAalpha*q mice with CsA diminished some, but not all, aspects of the hypertrophic phenotype, suggesting that multiple pathways are involved.
Towards a Digital Personal Trainer for Health Clubs - Sport Exercise Recognition Using Personalized Models and Deep Learning

Human activity recognition has emerged as an active research area in recent years. With the advancement in mobile and wearable devices, various sensors are ubiquitous and widely available gathering data a broad spectrum of peoples’ daily life activities. Research studies thoroughly assessed lifestyle activities and are increasingly concentrated on a variety of sport exercises. In this paper, we examine nine sport and fitness exercises commonly conducted with sport equipments in gym, such as abdominal exercise and lat pull. We collected sensor data of 23 participants for these activities, for which smartphones and smartwatches were used. Traditional machine learning and deep learning algorithms were applied in these experiments in order to assess their performance on our dataset. Linear SVM and Naive Bayes with Gaussian kernel performs best with an accuracy of 80 %, whereas deep learning models outperform these machine learning techniques with an accuracy of 92 %.
Phase 4 Studies in Heart Failure - What is Done and What is Needed?

Congestive heart failure (CHF) therapeutics is generated through a well-described evidence generating process. Phases 1 – 3 of this process are required prior to approval and widespread clinical use. Phase 3 in almost all cases is a methodologically sound randomized controlled trial (RCT). After this phase it is generally accepted that the treatment has a significant, independent and prognostically beneficial effect on the pathophysiological process. A major criticism of RCTs is the population to whom the result is applicable. When this population is significantly different from the trial cohort the external validity comes into question. Should the continuation of the evidence generating process continue these problems might be identified. Post marketing surveillance through phase 4 and comparative effectiveness studies through phase 5 trials are often underperformed in comparison to the RCT. These processes can help identify remote adverse events and define new hypotheses for community level benefits. This review is aimed at exploring the post-marketing scene for CHF therapeutics from an Australian health system perspective. We explore the phases of clinical trials, the level of evidence currently available and options for ensuring greater accountability for community level CHF clinical outcomes.
Effects of Lamin A/C, Lamin B1, and Viral US3 Kinase Activity on Viral Infectivity, Virion Egress, and the Targeting of Herpes Simplex Virus UL34-Encoded Protein to the Inner Nuclear Membrane

ABSTRACT Previous results indicated that the UL34 protein (pUL34) of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is targeted to the nuclear membrane and is essential for nuclear egress of nucleocapsids. The normal localization of pUL34 and virions requires the US3-encoded kinase that phosphorylates UL34 and lamin A/C. Moreover, pUL34 was shown to interact with lamin A in vitro. In the present study, glutathione S-transferase/pUL34 was shown to specifically pull down lamin A and lamin B1 from cellular lysates. To determine the role of these interactions on viral infectivity and pUL34 targeting to the inner nuclear membrane (INM), the localization of pUL34 was determined in LmnA−/− and LmnB1−/− mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) by indirect immunofluorescence and immunogold electron microscopy in the presence or absence of US3 kinase activity. While pUL34 INM targeting was not affected by the absence of lamin B1 in MEFs infected with wild-type HSV as viewed by indirect immunofluorescence, it localized in densely staining scalloped-shaped distortions of the nuclear membrane in lamin B1 knockout cells infected with a US3 kinase-dead virus. Lamin B1 knockout cells were relatively less permissive for viral replication than wild-type MEFs, with viral titers decreased at least 10-fold. The absence of lamin A (i) caused clustering of pUL34 in the nuclear rim of cells infected with wild-type virus, (ii) produced extensions of the INM bearing pUL34 protein in cells infected with a US3 kinase-dead mutant, (iii) precluded accumulation of virions in the perinuclear space of cells infected with this mutant, and (iv) partially restored replication of this virus. The latter observation suggests that lamin A normally impedes viral infectivity and that US3 kinase activity partially alleviates this impediment. On the other hand, lamin B1 is necessary for optimal viral replication, probably through its well-documented effects on many cellular pathways. Finally, neither lamin A nor B1 was absolutely required for targeting pUL34 to the INM, suggesting that this targeting is mediated by redundant functions or can be mediated by other proteins.
Understanding the barriers to clubfoot treatment adherence in Uganda: A rapid ethnographic study

Purpose. The Ponseti method has been demonstrated to be an effective, low-technology method of correcting congenital clubfoot. The purpose of this paper is to identify barriers to adherence to the Ponseti method of clubfoot treatment in Uganda. Understanding of barriers underlies successful and culturally appropriate approaches to program implementation. Method. A qualitative study (rapid ethnographic study), using semi-structured interviews, focus groups and observation, was conducted. Interviews were conducted with parents of children with clubfoot (42), adults with clubfoot (2), community leaders (40), traditional healers (39) and practitioners treating clubfoot (38). Some 48 focus groups (24 male, 24 female) were conducted with general community members to ascertain their opinions on the potential barriers. The data was collected by a team of researchers in 8 districts of Uganda over the period of one month. It was then coded manually by the researchers and sorted into themes. Results. The barriers to adherence were classified into 6 themes: (i) problems with programmatic resource availability and regional differences, (ii) distance to treatment site, (iii) poverty, (iv) lack of paternal support, (v) caregiver's other responsibilities, and (vi) challenges of the treatment process. A number of factors that were helpful for encouraging adherence were also identified: (i) outreach and follow-up services, (ii) counselling/caregiver-practitioner partnership, (iii) family harmony and solidarity, and (iv) receiving quality care. Conclusions. Our study highlights the barriers to adherence in the treatment of clubfoot, as well as factors that could be helpful for overcoming these barriers. This information provides health planners with knowledge to assist them in meeting the needs of the population and implementing effective and appropriate awareness and treatment programs for clubfoot in Uganda.
Cell wall receptor for bacteriophage Mu G(+)

The invertible G segment in phage Mu DNA controls the host range of the phage. Depending on the orientation of the G segment, two types of phage particles, G(+) and G(-), are produced which recognize different cell surface receptors. The receptor for Mu G(+) was located in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of gram-negative bacteria. The analysis of different LPS core types and of mutants that were made resistant to Mu G(+) shows that the primary receptor site on Escherichia coli K-12 lies in the GlcNAc beta 1 . 6Glc alpha 1-2Glc alpha 1-part at the outer end of the LPS. Mu shares this receptor site in E. coli K-12 with the unrelated single-stranded DNA phage St-1. Phage D108, which is related to Mu, and phages P1 and P7, which are unrelated to Mu but contain a homologous invertible DNA segment, have different receptor requirements. Since they also bind to terminal glucose in a different configuration, they adsorb to and infect E. coli K-12 strains with an incomplete LPS core.
Effect of growth hormone on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.

Introduction APPROXIMATELY 60 yr ago, Houssay and his colleagues (1) described hypersensitivity to insulin in hypophysectomized (hypox) animals. Further work documented a primary effect of GH in this phenomenon (1). Over the ensuing years, numerous investigators have sought to define the role of GH in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Unfortunately, no unified picture has emerged. Both insulin-like and antiinsulin-like effects have been documented, although the physiological significance of the former is uncertain. Major controversies surround the relationship between structure and function of the GH molecule. Indeed, some believe that most of the reported effects of GH are due to contaminants in the hormone preparation. With two exceptions (2, 3), reviews in this area (4–10) have focused mainly on the author's own work in a circumscribed field; e.g. in vivo effects after GH administration (6, 7, 9), tissue effects in vitro (5, 7), or effects on lipolysis (4, 8,10). Furthermore, these reviews were publis.
Filtering noise from images with wavelet transforms

A new method of filtering MR images is presented that uses wavelet transforms instead of Fourier transforms. The new filtering method does not reduce the sharpness of edges. However, the new method does eliminate any small structures that are similar in size to the noise eliminated. There are many possible extensions of the filter. © 1991 Academic Press, Inc.
Automatic test signal generation for mixed-signal integrated circuits using circuit partitioning and interval analysis

A method is presented to address the automatic generation of test signals for analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits. No restriction on the number of inputs or the nonlin-earity of the circuit are made. The circuit under consideration is first decomposed into a set of sub-circuits, called blocks, in order to break down the complexity of the problem. The effect of a targeted fault is then automatically analyzed at the transistor level in a defect-oriented context. From this analysis, the fault sensitization conditions are extracted and then backtraced towards the primary inputs and outputs of the circuit using an algorithm based on the interval analysis theory. The underlying algorithms supporting the automation of the whole procedure are illustrated for basic circuits. Finally, in order to demonstrate the method, an industrial circuit is used as case study. It is shown that test signals can be generated in order to achieve a fault coverage of 98%.
Sensorimotor memory and grip force control: does grip force anticipate a self‐produced weight change when drinking with a straw from a cup?

We examined whether self‐generated weight changes are anticipated by adequate grip force adjustments when repeatedly lifting an instrumented manipulandum. Subjects lifted a cup filled with 500 mL of water prior to and following drinking two portions of water with a straw without touching it. One half of the subjects drank from and lifted an uncovered cup receiving constant visual information about its filling level and the other half of the subjects drank from a covered cup without such visual feedback. During the lifts immediately following the drinking procedures, grip force scaling was erroneously programmed for the heavier weight of the preceding lift as was obvious from an inadequately high rate of grip force development. Vision had only a minor influence on the rate of grip force increase. The influence of vision on the scaling of peak grip force was more pronounced. More accurate force scaling was obtained with an increasing number of lifts performed under each weight condition, indicating an ongoing force adjustment process probably based on sensory feedback. We conclude that self‐generation of a change in the weight of an object to be lifted is not, in itself, sufficient to elicit a predictive grip force output. Rather, accurate feedback information associated with the self‐generated weight change is essential to update internal models related to the mechanical object properties. This assumption was confirmed in pilot experiments; when subjects lifted the cup after having poured water from it, they accurately scaled their fingertip force to the self‐produced weight change. Here, direct sensory feedback from the grasping fingers could signal the weight change and update internal models while pouring water from the cup. Our data support the hypothesis that the sensorimotor system planning and processing predictive fingertip force can operate independently of higher‐level cognitive and perceptual systems.
Safety and Efficacy of Weekly Oral Oltipraz in Chronic Smokers

Cigarette smoking is thought to contribute to carcinogenesis by formation of DNA adducts of tobacco smoke constituents leading to genotoxic damage. The dithiolethione, oltipraz, is a putative cancer chemopreventive agent that induces phase II detoxifying enzymes in preclinical models and reduces aflatoxin adducts in humans living in areas with high dietary levels. To determine if oltipraz could reduce adduct levels of tobacco smoke constituents in the lungs and other target organs, chronic smokers were enrolled to one of three arms: 400 or 200 mg/wk oral oltipraz or placebo. Endobronchial tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage were done before and after 12 weeks of drug treatment; peripheral blood, urine, and oral saline rinse were also collected. Toxicity was assessed every 4 weeks. Fifty-nine of the 77 enrolled subjects completed the study. Of those receiving oltipraz, 15% experienced grade 2/3 toxicity, which was predominantly gastrointestinal. All subject withdrawals occurred in the oltipraz groups. There was no significant difference between pre- and post-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-DNA adduct levels in lung epithelial cells measured by immunoperoxidase staining between treatment and placebo groups. Likewise, no significant differences were found in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon or benzo(a)pyrene-7,8-diol-9,10-epoxide adducts measured in blood, oral lining cells, or bladder lining cells. There was also no increase in mRNA or enzymatic activity of phase II enzymes and no change in glutathione levels. Thus, despite moderate drug-related toxicity, there was no significant effect on pharmacodynamic or surrogate risk biomarkers. Other agents with lower toxicity and greater activity to induce phase II enzymes are needed to definitively test the detoxification-induction paradigm in smokers.
Applying GA to self-allotment of rewards in event-driven hybrid learning classifier systems

This paper describes our study into the concept of using rewards in a classifier system applied to the acquisition of decision-making algorithms for agents in a soccer game. Our aim is to respond to the changing environment of video gaming that has resulted from the growth of the Internet, and to provide bug-free programs in a short time. We have already proposed a bucket brigade algorithm and a procedure for choosing what to learn depending on the frequency of events with the aim of facilitating real-time learning while a game is in progress. We have also proposed a hybrid system configuration that combines existing algorithm strategies with a classifier system, and we have reported on the effectiveness of this hybrid system. This paper proposes applying genetic algorithms to the search for rewards in reinforcement learning where designers have hitherto used empirical trial-and-error methods. By pitting this new technique against an existing soccer game with algorithms designed by humans, we demonstrate the possibility of using genetic algorithms to automate the setting of rewards from the viewpoint of achieving a greater success rate and faster convergence than in cases where the success rewards for each play are set by the designers based on trial and error.
Systematics of Isocarpha (Compositae: Eupatorieae)

Isocarpha comprises five species ranging from southern Texas and the Bahamas to northern Peru and northeastern Brazil. The genus belongs in Eupato­ rieae rather than Heliantheae, but structure of the head of Isocarpha with its elon­ gate, chaffy receptacle is anomalous within Eupatorieae. An hypothesis is presented suggesting the evolutionary derivation of this type of head through formation of floral buds in the axils of the involucral bracts. Generic ties of Isocarpha within Eupatorieae are unclear, but the closest affinities appear to be with Ayapana and relatives. Isocarpha is a small g~nus of Latin American Compositae occurring principally within Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America. Taxonomic problems at the specific and varietal levels have persisted for many years, but more vexing have been questions of generic, subtribal, and tribal affinities. Isocarpha has been treated as be­ longing both to Eupatorieae (Robinson and King 1977) and Heliantheae (Stuessy 1977). Part of this difficulty of tribal placement has derived from the unusual conical receptacle and lack of differentiation between in­ volucral and receptacular bracts. These problems suggested the need for' a modern revision with focus on reproductive morphology and tribal and generic affinities. TAXONOMIC HISTORY Isocarpha was first recognized by Robert Brown (1817) who formed the genus to accommodate two Linnaean species, Galea opPositifolia and Spi­ lanthus atriplicifolius, that were discordant elements in the genera to which they had originally been assigned. Cassini (1822, 1823) suggested that Isocarpha be placed in Heliantheae and added two additional species (I. kunthii and I. pyrethraria), both of which we have excluded from the genus. i.Lessing (1830), believing Brown's Isocarpha to be congeneric with Gal- ydermos Lagasca (=Galea L., Heliantheae), described as new his own ver­ sion of Isocarpha in which he included a new species, I. echioides. This taxon was later transferred by Hemsley (1881) to Ageratum (Eupatorieae). In 1831, Lessing reversed his opinion and merged his own version of Isocarpha with that of Brown and added to it another new spe~ies (I. billbergiana). In the same publication (Lessing 1831) he noted that species