Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CellTradeMap: Delineating Trade Areas for Urban Commercial Districts with Cellular Networks

Understanding customer mobility patterns to commercial districts is crucial for urban planning, facility management, and business strategies. Trade areas are a widely applied measure to quantity where the visitors are from. Traditional trade area analysis is limited to small-scale or store-level studies because information such as visits to competitor commercial entities and place of residence is collected by labour-intensive questionnaires or heavily biased location-based social media data. In this paper, we propose CellTradeMap, a novel district-level trade area analysis framework using mobile flow records (MFRs), a type of fine-grained cellular network data. CellTradeMap extracts robust location information from the irregularly sampled, noisy MFRs, adapts the generic trade area analysis framework to incorporate cellular data, and enhances the original trade area model with cellular-based features. We evaluate CellTradeMap on a large-scale cellular network dataset covering 3.5 million mobile phone users in a metropolis in China. Experimental results show that the trade areas extracted by CellTradeMap are aligned with domain knowledge and CellTradeMap can model trade areas with a high predictive accuracy.
Oligomers of the Arginine-rich Motif of the HIV-1 TAT Protein Are Capable of Transferring Plasmid DNA into Cells* 210

We constructed multimers of the TAT-(47–57) peptide. This polycationic peptide is known to be a protein and particle transduction domain and at the same time to comprise a nuclear localization function. Here we show that oligomers of the TAT-(47–57) peptide compact plasmid DNA to nanometric particles and stabilize DNA toward nuclease degradation. At optimized vector compositions, these peptides mediated gene delivery to cells in culture 6–8-fold more efficiently than poly-l-arginine or the mutant TAT2-M1. When DNA was precompacted with TAT peptides and polyethyleneimine (PEI), Superfect, or LipofectAMINE was added, transfection efficiency was enhanced up to 390-fold compared with the standard vectors. As early as after 4 h of transfection, reporter gene expression mediated by TAT-containing complexes was higher than the 24-h transfection level achieved with a standard PEI transfection. When cells were cell cycle-arrested by serum starvation or aphidicolin, TAT-mediated transfection was 3-fold more efficient than a standard PEI transfection in proliferating cells. In primary nasal epithelial cells and upon intratracheal instillation in vivo, TAT-containing complexes were superior to standard PEI vectors. These data together with confocal imaging of TAT-DNA complexes in cells support the hypothesis that the TAT nuclear localization sequence function is involved in enhancing gene transfer.
Multiple Imputation of Missing Categorical and Continuous Values via Bayesian Mixture Models With Local Dependence

ABSTRACT We present a nonparametric Bayesian joint model for multivariate continuous and categorical variables, with the intention of developing a flexible engine for multiple imputation of missing values. The model fuses Dirichlet process mixtures of multinomial distributions for categorical variables with Dirichlet process mixtures of multivariate normal distributions for continuous variables. We incorporate dependence between the continuous and categorical variables by (1) modeling the means of the normal distributions as component-specific functions of the categorical variables and (2) forming distinct mixture components for the categorical and continuous data with probabilities that are linked via a hierarchical model. This structure allows the model to capture complex dependencies between the categorical and continuous data with minimal tuning by the analyst. We apply the model to impute missing values due to item nonresponse in an evaluation of the redesign of the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). The goal is to compare estimates from a field test with the new design to estimates from selected individuals from a panel collected under the old design. We show that accounting for the missing data changes some conclusions about the comparability of the distributions in the two datasets. We also perform an extensive repeated sampling simulation using similar data from complete cases in an existing SIPP panel, comparing our proposed model to a default application of multiple imputation by chained equations. Imputations based on the proposed model tend to have better repeated sampling properties than the default application of chained equations in this realistic setting. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.
SNMP MUX protocol and MIB

This memo suggests a mechanism by which a user process may associate itself with the local SNMP agent on a host, in order to implement portions of the MIB. This mechanism would be local to the host.This is an Experimental Protocol for the Internet community. It does not specify an Internet standard.
BDNF released during neuropathic pain potentiates NMDA receptors in primary afferent terminals

NMDA receptors in primary afferent terminals can contribute to hyperalgesia by increasing neurotransmitter release. In rats and mice, we found that the ability of intrathecal NMDA to induce neurokinin 1 receptor (NK1R) internalization (a measure of substance P release) required a previous injection of BDNF. Selective knock‐down of NMDA receptors in primary afferents decreased NMDA‐induced NK1R internalization, confirming the presynaptic location of these receptors. The effect of BDNF was mediated by tropomyosin‐related kinase B (trkB) receptors and not p75 neurotrophin receptors (p75NTR), because it was not produced by proBDNF and was inhibited by the trkB antagonist ANA‐12 but not by the p75NTR inhibitor TAT‐Pep5. These effects are probably mediated through the truncated form of the trkB receptor as there is little expression of full‐length trkB in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Src family kinase inhibitors blocked the effect of BDNF, suggesting that trkB receptors promote the activation of these NMDA receptors by Src family kinase phosphorylation. Western blots of cultured DRG neurons revealed that BDNF increased Tyr1472 phosphorylation of the NR2B subunit of the NMDA receptor, known to have a potentiating effect. Patch‐clamp recordings showed that BDNF, but not proBDNF, increased NMDA receptor currents in cultured DRG neurons. NMDA‐induced NK1R internalization was also enabled in a neuropathic pain model or by activating dorsal horn microglia with lipopolysaccharide. These effects were decreased by a BDNF scavenger, a trkB receptor antagonist and a Src family kinase inhibitor, indicating that BDNF released by microglia potentiates NMDA receptors in primary afferents during neuropathic pain.
Hybrid Tetanus Toxin C Fragment-Diphtheria Toxin Translocation Domain Allows Specific Gene Transfer into PC12 Cells

To study the mechanism by which genes can efficiently be transferred into specific cell types, we have constructed several novel, single-chain multicomponent proteins by recombining the nontoxic C fragment of tetanus toxin and the translocation domain of diphtheria toxin together with the DNA-binding fragment of GAL4 transcription factor, for transportation of plasmid DNA into neuronal cells. The C fragment of tetanus toxin provided neuronal selectivity, the translocation domain of diphtheria toxin permitted endosomal escape, and the GAL4 domain provided binding to DNA. To assess the cellular tasks of each component in gene transfer, different combinations of these fragments were produced by polymerase chain reaction, expressed in Escherichia coli, and purified under native conditions from the soluble proteins. We show that only fusion proteins bearing the C fragment of tetanus toxin bind to gangliosides and, followed by their specific binding to differentiated PC12 cells, are internalized within 10 min. These proteins delivered the green fluorescence protein gene to PC12 cells, with the highest transfection efficiency achieved with proteins containing both the C fragment and the translocation domain. Addition of chloroquine elevated the transfection efficiency, which was further increased by incorporation of a nuclear localization signal in the delivery system. In addition, the effect of different DNA-condensing materials (poly-L-lysine, protamine, lysine(n=8)-trytophan(n=2)-lysine(n=8)) on gene transfer was investigated.
On the Existence and Linear Approximation of the Power Flow Solution in Power Distribution Networks

We consider the problem of deriving an explicit approximate solution of the nonlinear power equations that describe a balanced power distribution network. We give sufficient conditions for the existence of a practical solution to the power flow equations, and we propose an approximation that is linear in the active and reactive power demands of the PQ buses. For this approximation, which is valid for generic power line impedances and grid topology, we derive a bound on the approximation error as a function of the grid parameters. We illustrate the quality of the approximation via simulations, we show how it can also model the presence of voltage controlled (PV) buses, and we discuss how it generalizes the DC power flow model to lossy networks.
Chronic pain causes a persistent anxiety state leading to increased ethanol intake in CD1 mice

Mood disorders and chronic pain are closely linked, but limited progress has been made in understanding the role of chronic and neuropathic pain in the aetiopathogenesis of depression. To explore the pathological mechanisms that mediate the association between pain and depressive-like behaviours, we studied the time-dependent effect of neuropathic pain on the development of anxiety-like and despair behaviours in CD1 mice. We analysed behavioural data, neuroinflammation reactions and changes in neurotransmitter (glutamate and serotonin) levels in the mouse prefrontal cortex. Sciatic-operated mice displayed long-lasting anxiety-like and despair behaviours, starting 5 and 20 days after partial sciatic nerve ligation, respectively. Glutamatergic neurotransmission and IL-1β cytokine expression were enhanced in the prefrontal cortex of mice with neuropathic pain. We found no change in serotonin metabolism, cytokine IL-6 or brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels. While sciatic-operated mice exposed to intermittent ethanol intake (20% v/v) using the drinking in the dark procedure consumed higher amounts of ethanol than sham-operated mice, thermal allodynia and despair behaviour were not attenuated by ethanol consumption. Our findings reveal an association between glutamatergic neurotransmission and pain-induced mood disorders, and indicate that moderate ethanol consumption does not relieve nociceptive and depressive behaviours associated with chronic pain in mice.
Why women do not use the helmet when riding a bicycle

Women seem to use the helmet when riding a bicycle less frequently than men. Two possible explanations for this behavior are that 1) it is less appalling to them because of lack of comfort or other reasons, or 2) they use bicycles in a more cautious way than men so they feel that they do not need the helmet as much. The present paper explores these two explanations in 5,691 cyclists that responded to an online survey conducted in 17 countries as part of an EU COST project. Answers to questions related to the two aforementioned explanations were analyzed graphically and three questions that showed the most conspicuous differences between males and females were identified. These were: ‘Helmets are a problem because they disturb your hair’, ‘I am a fast rider’, and ‘I am a skilled rider’. The responses to these three questions plus their interactions with the gender of the respondent were used as predictors of the proportion of helmet wear. The results showed that: 1) the three questions predicted the use of the helmet, 2) the interaction between gender and hair disturbance was not significant, and 3) the interactions between gender and being a fast cyclist and being a skilled rider were both statistically significant showing that women that regard themselves as slow riders or skillful riders use relatively less the helmet than men in similar conditions.
A Ranked Subspace Learning Method for Gene Expression Data Classification

Abstract — Microarray expression data analysis is critical for clinical treatment and biomedical research. Although many research results have been reported in literatures, it is still very difficult to learn, predict and understand such complicated gene expression data. The major difficulty arises from the inherent characteristics of such data set including extremely high dimensions (up to around 30,000 ~ 40,000) and small available data samples (in the order of hundreds or less). In this paper, we proposed a general learning methodology that can improve the classification accuracy and robustness based on the feature rank and classify ensemble; we call it Ranked Subspace (RS) method. In RS method, all the features are first ranked and sorted in a descending order according to a feature score function. Then numerous classifiers are built based on the bootstrap sampling of these feature spaces with different weights according to their importance. Finally, a combination voting mechanism is used to combine all the information from different classifiers to get the final predicted class identity labels. We presented in detail the proposed RS algorithm, and tested the classification performance on 4 major biomedical databases. Performance comparisons of the RS algorithm with those of random subspace method showed the proposed method can improve the classification accuracy.
From Browsing to Buying and Beyond: The Needs-Adaptive Shopper Journey Model

We propose a theory-based model of the shopper journey, incorporating the rich literature in consumer and marketing research and taking into account the evolving retailing landscape characterized by significant knowledge, lifestyle, technological, and structural changes. With consumer well-being at its core and shopper needs and motivations as the focus, our needs-adaptive shopper journey model complements and contrasts with existing models. In addition, we identify 12 shopper journey archetypes representing the paths that consumers commonly follow—archetypes that illustrate the workings and applications of our model. We discuss the nature of these archetypes, their relationships with one another, and the psychological states that consumers may experience on these shopper journeys. We also present exploratory empirical studies assessing the component states in the archetypes and mapping the archetypes onto dimensions of shopping motivations. Finally, we lay out a research agenda to help increase understanding of shopper behavior in the evolving retailing landscape.
Mutex Causality in Processes and Traces of General Elementary Nets

A concurrent history represented by a causality structure that captures the intrinsic, invariant dependencies between its actions, can be interpreted as defining a set of closely related observations e.g., step sequences. Depending on the relationships observed in the histories of a system, the concurrency paradigm to which it adheres may be identified, with different concurrency paradigms underpinned by different kinds of causality structures. Elementary net systems with inhibitor arcs and mutex arcs ENIM-systems are a system model that through its process semantics and associated causality structures fits the least restrictive concurrency paradigm. One can also investigate the abstract behaviour of an ENIM-system by grouping together step sequences in equivalence classes generalised comtraces using the structural relations between its transitions. The resulting concurrent histories of the ENIM-system are consistent with the generalised stratified order structures underlying its processes. The paper establishes a link between ENIM-systems and trace theory allowing one to discuss different observations of concurrent behaviour in a way that is consistent with the causality semantics defined by the operationally defined processes.
Alternative Integrated Testing for Skin Sensitization: Assuring Consumer Safety

Abstract Cosmetics legislation in Europe has driven the validation and acceptance of non-animal alternatives, most recently in the area of skin sensitization. Despite use of these methods to meet regulatory needs, it is also essential that they allow evaluation regarding human safety. For cosmetic product safety, it is necessary to understand how they can be used and with what limitations, and thereby reveal what remains to be addressed. A dataset of 165 ingredients (137 cosmetic ingredients +28 reference substances) has been identified, curated, and subjected to testing using accepted in vitro methods, with additional information, including physicochemical data and in silico results. The inputs from multiple determinants of skin sensitizing activity have been used in five individual supervised classification models (or machine learning approaches), which were then collated in a robust statistical manner, a stacking meta-model, to deliver a prediction with an optimized level of confidence. For the trainin.
Sizing the Jurassic theropod dinosaur Allosaurus: Assessing growth strategy and evolution of ontogenetic scaling of limbs

Allosaurus is one of the most common Mesozoic theropod dinosaurs. We present a histological analysis to assess its growth strategy and ontogenetic limb bone scaling. Based on an ontogenetic series of humeral, ulnar, femoral, and tibial sections of fibrolamellar bone, we estimate the ages of the largest individuals in the sample to be between 13–19 years. Growth curve reconstruction suggests that maximum growth occurred at 15 years, when body mass increased 148 kg/year. Based on larger bones of Allosaurus, we estimate an upper age limit of between 22–28 years of age, which is similar to preliminary data for other large theropods. Both Model I and Model II regression analyses suggest that relative to the length of the femur, the lengths of the humerus, ulna, and tibia increase in length more slowly than isometry predicts. That pattern of limb scaling in Allosaurus is similar to those in other large theropods such as the tyrannosaurids. Phylogenetic optimization suggests that large theropods independently evolved reduced humeral, ulnar, and tibial lengths by a phyletic reduction in longitudinal growth relative to the femur. J. Morphol. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Consolidating inclusive housing finance development in Africa: Lessons from Kenyan savings and credit cooperatives

How can Sub-Saharan Africa consolidate inclusive housing finance development? Conventional urban economic approaches have had limited success for housing finance throughout the region. Community-based funds are a possible alternative to expand accessible and affordable financial services towards meeting the housing needs for lower-income and slum dwellers. We probe this approach using qualitative content analysis and quantitative data assessment methodologies, and analyse the unparalleled development of Kenya’s financial cooperative societies, commonly referred to as savings and credit cooperatives (SACCOs). The article finds SACCOs are positioned to promote access to affordable housing finance in Kenya. The Kenyan experience with SACCOs has many commonalities with other countries in the region and can inform African policymakers seeking to strengthen their financial sector, especially in terms of housing credit.Keywords: Community savings; Affordable housing finance; Savings and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOs); Credit unions; Kenya; Africa.
Roles of Notch1 Signaling in Regulating Satellite Cell Fates Choices and Postnatal Skeletal Myogenesis

Adult skeletal muscle stem cells, also called satellite cells, are indispensable for the growth, maintenance, and regeneration of the postnatal skeletal muscle. Satellite cells, predominantly quiescent in mature resting muscles, are activated after skeletal muscle injury or degeneration. Notch1 signaling is an evolutionarily conserved pathway that plays crucial roles in satellite cells homeostasis and postnatal skeletal myogenesis and regeneration. Activation of Notch1 signaling promotes the muscle satellite cells quiescence and proliferation, but inhibits differentiation of muscle satellite cells. Notably, the new roles of Notch1 signaling during late‐stage of skeletal myogenesis including in post‐differentiation myocytes and post‐fusion myotubes have been recently reported. Here, we mainly review and discuss the regulatory roles of Notch1 in regulating satellite cell fates choices and skeletal myogenesis. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 2964–2967, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Monoclonal antibodies to newcastle disease virus: delineation of four epitopes on the HN glycoprotein

Eighteen independent hybridomas producing monoclonal antibodies to Newcastle disease virus have been prepared by fusion of SP2 cells with spleen lymphocytes from a BALB/c mouse immunized with intact UV-inactivated Newcastle disease virus strain Australia-Victoria. They have been divided into three groups on the basis of radioimmunoprecipitation, infected cell surface and cytoplasmic fluorescence, and isotype. The anti-HN group is made up of nine antibodies which give surface fluorescence on infected cells and immunoprecipitate the HN glycoprotein. These antibodies bind to HN in nitrocellulose transfers of sodium dodecyl sulfate gels, but only if it has been neither reduced nor boiled. To varying degrees, all of these HN antibodies neutralize infectivity. These results suggest that they recognize exposed determinants of a conformational nature on the native HN molecule. They have been used in competition antibody-binding radioimmunoassays and additive neutralization assays, and on the basis of these studies the epitopes they recognize have been subdivided into four domains, two of which are overlapping, on the HN glycoprotein. The relatively weaker neutralizing activity observed with some of these antibodies cannot be explained by lower avidities for their epitopes because there is not an inverse correlation between estimated binding constant and neutralizing activity. The four antibodies in the second group all give a predominantly cytoplasmic fluorescence pattern, immunoprecipitate the nucleocapsid protein, and bind to nucleocapsid protein in nitrocellulose transfers of reduced and nonreduced sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. All five of the antibodies in the third group are of the immunoglobulin M class, unlike the others which are all immunoglobulin G antibodies. Members of this group show variable fluorescence patterns, but none is able to immunoprecipitate or bind to a specific viral antigen transferred to nitrocellulose paper from sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels.