Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Identifying ideological perspectives in text and video

Polarizing opinions about political and social controversies take place commonly in mass and more recently user-generated media. A functional democratic society builds on civic discussions among people holding different beliefs on an issue. However, so far, few computer technologies have been devoted to facilitate mutual understanding, and arguably could have worsened the situation. We envision a computer system that can automatically understand different ideological viewpoints on an issue and identify biased news stories, blog posts, and television news. Such a computer system will raise news readers' awareness of individual sources' biases and encourage them to seek news stories from different viewpoints. · Computer understanding of ideological perspectives, however, has been long considered almost impossible. In this thesis, we show that ideology, although very abstract, exhibits a concrete pattern when it is communicated among a group of people who share similar beliefs in written text, spoken text, television news production, and web video folksonomies. This emphatic pattern in ideological discourse opens up a new field of automatic ideological analysis, and enables a large amount of ideological text and video to be automatically analyzed. · We develop a new statistical model, called Joint Topic and Perspective Models, based on the emphatic pattern in ideological discourse. The model combines two essential aspects of ideological discourse: topic matters and ideological biases. The simultaneous inference on topics and ideological emphasis, however, poses a computational challenge. We thus develop an approximate inference algorithm for the model based on variational methods. · The emphatic pattern in ideological discourse and the Joint Topic and Perspective Model enable many interesting applications in text analysis and multimedia content understanding. At the corpus level, we show that ideological discourse can be reliably distinguished from non-ideological discourse. At the document level, we show that the perspective from which a document is written or a video is produced can be identified with high accuracy. At the sentence level, we extend the model to summarize an ideological document by selecting sentences that strongly express a particular perspective.
Customer Satisfaction from Private Utility Companies: An Explanatory Study

Purpose – The present study examines the factors that have an impact on "customer satisfaction" in the context of private utility companies. The main purpose of the study is accomplished through the development and the empirical testing of a conceptual frame-work (research model). The proposed framework includes six dimensions (research factors): (a) tangibles, (b) reliability, (c) responsiveness, (d) assurance, (e) empathy, and (f) customer satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach – The present study adopted the SERVQUAL approach (model), only after analytically testing its suitability for use within the investigated area. In that direction, the focus group methodology was used. Finally, the proposed con-ceptual framework was tested on a random sample of gas consumers residing in the area of Thessaloniki, Greece. The final sample consisted of 437 adult consumers. The reliability and the validity of the questionnaire were thoroughly examined. Empirical data were analysed using the “Structural Equation Modelling” (SEM) technique. The present study is empirical, explanatory, deductive and, mainly, quantitative. Findings – Empirical results indicate that "reliability" has the highest impact on "customer satisfaction", while "empathy" has no impact at all. More specifically, the impact of "reliability" on "customer satisfaction" is indirect, mediated through three other di-mensions of the conceptual framework (namely, "tangibles", "responsiveness" and "empathy"). Research limitations/implications – A limitation stemming from the implemented methodology is the use of self-reported scales for the measurement of the six research factors. Moreover, the paper lacks a longitudinal approach. Finally, the empirical research (survey) is focused on one organisation and, therefore, offers relatively limited generalizability. Originality/value – Very few studies have utilised the SERVQUAL approach in the context of an explanatory research. This approach offers a unique understanding of the relationship that exist between its five dimensions (factors) (tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy). Such an approach has very rarely been attempted in the relevant literature.
Evidence for the Existence of a Specific G Protein‐Coupled Receptor Activated by Guanosine

Guanosine, released extracellularly from neurons and glial cells, plays important roles in the central nervous system, including neuroprotection. The innovative DELFIA Eu‐GTP binding assay was optimized for characterization of the putative guanosine receptor binding site at rat brain membranes by using a series of novel and known guanosine derivatives. These nucleosides were prepared by modifying the purine and sugar moieties of guanosine at the 6‐ and 5′‐positions, respectively. Results of these experiments prove that guanosine, 6‐thioguanosine, and their derivatives activate a G protein‐coupled receptor that is different from the well‐characterized adenosine receptors.
Robustness and coordination in voltage control of large-scale power systems

In this paper it is shown how the robustness and the coordination of the voltage regulation actions for the transmission grid can be improved. Simpler approaches which ensure higher robustness and performances can be used if the control objectives are pursued at two hierarchical levels of different nature. Also, this is a way to coordinate means of control of different nature with a sufficient time and methodological separation in order to avoid negative mutual influence. At the first level, called the static level, optimal reachable set-points are computed for the second control level, called the dynamic level. The static level can be combined with the shunt reactive power compensation. The system non-linearities are taken into account at the static level while the dynamic level is a linear robust predictive control which takes into account the presence of asynchronous transmission delays. The predictive control strategy is based on the separation property; the output delays are handled using an original steady-state Kalman predictor of order equal to the length of the state of the system without delays. The robustness is improved at the dynamic level against uncertain delays, parametric uncertainties (like, e.g., moderate topological errors and load variations not taken into account in the control model) and unmodelled dynamics. The two-level organisation of the control allows, on one hand, to take into account the important evolutions of the system (like, e.g., large and known topological and load changes) and, on the other hand, a coherent hybrid reactive power control: the switched control of the grid shunt compensation for the reactive power is done at the static level while the reactive power injection provided by the generators is continuously handled at the dynamic level. This is a theoretical analysis of how concepts of automatic control and voltage regulation of power systems can be combined. To be applied as a control scheme, the results presented here should be adapted to a specific context (particularities of the power system and of the organisation of the power industry). They can be used, eventually in conjunction with other improvements, to existing horizontally-organised interconnections (in which all generators of a controlled region can be easily managed since owned by the same utility) or to face specific requirements of moving to the open access in the electric power industry like, e.g., tolerating simplified models in order to cover larger regions, taking into account the interaction between regions, recalibrating set-points, assisting human operator when necessary or facilitating implementation of mechanisms for the management of the reactive power based on price signals.
Pitts and Wright 49 How to Keep Enamel Whole : The Unmet Clinical Need Linked to Modern Caries Management

This article aims to outline the early development of a King’s College London dental spinout company, Reminova, formed to commercialize a novel clinical method of caries remineralization: electrically accelerated and enhanced remineralization (EAER). This method is being developed to address the unmet clinical need identified by modern caries management strategies to keep enamel “whole” through remineralization of clinical caries as a form of nonoperative caries treatment for initial-stage and moderate lesions. A progressive movement within dentistry is shifting away from the restorative-only model, which, it is suggested, has failed. The high prevalence of initial-stage caries across populations provides a significant opportunity to prevent restorations and reduce repeat restorations over a patient’s lifetime. Reminova has set out to provide a method to repair lesions without drilling, filling, pain, or injections. The article outlines the rationale for and the chronological stages of the technology and company development. It then outlines corroborative evidence to show that EAER treatment can, in this preliminary in vitro investigation, remineralize clinically significant caries throughout the depth of the lesion as measured by Knoop microhardness and corroborated by scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, the presented data show that EAER-treated enamel is harder than the healthy enamel measured nearby in each sample and is very similar in appearance to healthy enamel from the subjective interpretation made possible by scanning electron microscopy imagery. The data presented also show that this more “complete” remineralization to a high hardness level has been achieved with 2 remineralizing agents via in vitro human tooth samples. The broad clinical potential of this new treatment methodology seems to be very encouraging from these results. Reminova will strive to continue its mission, to ensure that, in the future, dental teams will not need to drill holes for the treatment of initial-stage and moderate caries lesions.
How Forced Displacements Caused by a Violent Conflict Affect Wages in Colombia

In this paper, we analyze how forced displacements caused by violent conflicts affect the wages of displaced workers in Colombia, a country characterized by a long historical prevalence of violent conflicts between the government, the militia group (FARC), drug trafficking, and other crime that affect hundreds of people, forcibly displaced to other regions of the country. Using data from the Quality of Life Survey (2011-2014), we analyze differences in wages between those who were forced to move to other regions, and those who were not forced to move. In our empirical strategy, we take into account that those who were displaced may have characteristics that differ from those who were not forced, and we apply Propensity Score Matching techniques to consider forced displacements exogenous to the individuals. We apply different matching algorithms, and find that forced displacement decreases between 6% and the 22% the wages of males, and between 17% and 37% the wages of females, compared to their non-displaced counterparts. Thus, forced displacements result in poorer labor market outcomes, and the government should explore how public policies may help to alleviate the negative consequences of forced displacements as first step to reduce wage inequalities originated by these conflicts.
Towards A Complete Identification Algorithm for Missing Data Problems

The fundamental problem of causal inference is a missing data problem – the comparison of responses to two hypothetical treatment assignments is made difficult because for every experimental unit, only one treatment assignment is actually observed. Simple identification results in causal inference that link observed and counterfactual quantities using the stable unit treatment value assumption and ignorability has been extended to a complete general theory using graphical causal models [9, 8, 7], and a rich estimation theory for resulting functionals of observed data has been developed. We consider the implications of the converse view: that missing data problems are a form of causal inference. We consider the classical missing data problem of identifying the full data law from the observed data law as a problem of inferring a joint law over counterfactual variables from a joint law over factual variables. We encode the relationship between the factual and counterfactual variables in graphical models, in an approach closely related to similar modeling approaches in causal inference, review recent identification results developed in this framework, and develop a new algorithm for identifying the full data law in settings with both missing data and hidden variables. Our algorithm can be viewed as a version of the ID algorithm for identifying causal effects adapted to peculiarities of the missing data setting. Completeness of our algorithm is currently an open problem.
Horizontal plane HRTF interpolation using linear phase constraint for rendering spatial audio

In this paper, a novel method of horizontal plane Head Related Transfer Function (HRTF) interpolation is proposed. As Interaural Time Difference (ITD) manifests itself as Interaural phase difference in spectral domain, linear phase constraints are imposed to compute the interpolated HRTFs. Hence the phase of the interpolated HRTF is constrained as a weighted linear combination of the phases of adjacent HRTFs. A weighted l2 norm error minimization is performed using these linear phase constraints. The performance of the proposed HRTF interpolation method is evaluated by computing Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) between the interpolated HRTF and ground truth HRTF obtained from the CIPIC and SYMARE databases. Subjective evaluation is performed on the binaural audio that is rendered using interpolated HRTFs. It is noted from both RMSE and subjective evaluations that the proposed method performs reasonably better than the conventional HRTF interpolation methods.
A Non-Mendelian MAPK-Generated Hereditary Unit Controlled by a Second MAPK Pathway in Podospora anserina

The Podospora anserina PaMpk1 MAP kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway can generate a cytoplasmic and infectious element resembling prions. When present in the cells, this C element causes the crippled growth (CG) cell degeneration. CG results from the inappropriate autocatalytic activation of the PaMpk1 MAPK pathway during growth, whereas this cascade normally signals stationary phase. Little is known about the control of such prion-like hereditary units involved in regulatory inheritance. Here, we show that another MAPK pathway, PaMpk2, is crucial at every stage of the fungus life cycle, in particular those controlled by PaMpk1 during stationary phase, which includes the generation of C. Inactivation of the third P. anserina MAPK pathway, PaMpk3, has no effect on the development of the fungus. Mutants of MAPK, MAPK kinase, and MAPK kinase kinase of the PaMpk2 pathway are unable to present CG. This inability likely relies upon an incorrect activation of PaMpk1, although this MAPK is normally phosphorylated in the mutants. In PaMpk2 null mutants, hyphae are abnormal and PaMpk1 is mislocalized. Correspondingly, stationary phase differentiations controlled by PaMpk1 are defective in the mutants of the PaMpk2 cascade. Constitutive activation of the PaMpk2 pathway mimics in many ways its inactivation, including an effect on PaMpk1 localization. Analysis of double and triple mutants inactivated for two or all three MAPK genes undercover new growth and differentiation phenotypes, suggesting overlapping roles. Our data underscore the complex regulation of a prion-like element in a model organism.
Model-based Student Admission ( Position Paper )

We should test people the same way we test software. During the last decades, the field of software testing has matured into a solid sector of software engineering with a wide variety of available techniques, empirically supported usefulness and applicability claims, a sophisticated ontology of terms and approaches, as well as an arsenal of tools. The main contribution of this paper is a proposal for reuse of the domain model of software testing for assessment of students. The proof of concept used in the paper is that of conditional admission of graduate students to a software engineering programme.
Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles by natural precursor from clove and their antimicrobial activity

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have attracted the attention of researchers because of their unique properties and applications in various fields, such as medicine, catalysis, textile engineering, and pollution treatment. The green synthesis of AgNPs has many advantages, such as less time requirement, highly stable AgNPs, better control over crystal growth, morphology, ease for scale up, and economic viability. Syzygium aromaticum (clove) was used for the extracellular biosynthesis of AgNPs. Eugenols are the active biomolecules present in clove, responsible for the bioreduction of AgNO3 (Ag+) leading to the formation and capping of AgNPs (Ag0). One molecule of eugenol releases two electrons and these two electrons will be taken by 2 Ag+ ions and these will get reduced to 2 Ag0. The synthesis of AgNPs was confirmed by the appearance of brown colour. The synthesized AgNPs were characterised by various techniques, such as UV-VIS spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy. The synthesised AgNPs have λmax of 440 nm. It was evaluated that the AgNPs were biphasic in nature (cubic + hexagonal) with an average size of 50.0 nm. The synthesized AgNPs showed significant antimicrobial activity against Bacillus cereus NCDC 240 as they are nano-sized and have high surface area to volume ratio. AgNPs inhibit the growth of bacteria by various ways, such as by disrupting the cell membrane of bacteria, uncoupling the oxidative phosphorylation, inhibiting the DNA replication, forming free radicals and affecting the cellular signalling of bacteria leading to cell death.
Resolving entanglements in topological interference management with alternating connectivity

The sum-capacity of a three user interference wired network for time-varying channels is considered. Due to the channel variations, it is assumed that the transmitters are only able to track the connectivity between the individual nodes, thus only the (alternating) state of the network is known. By considering a special subset of all possible states, we show that state splitting combined with joint encoding over the alternating states is required to achieve the sum-capacity. Regarding upper bounds, we use a genie aided approach to show the optimality of this scheme. This highlights that more involved transmit strategies are required for characterizing the degrees of freedom even if the transmitters have heavily restricted channel state information.
Efficient Construction of an Inverted Minimal H1 Promoter Driven siRNA Expression Cassette: Facilitation of Promoter and siRNA Sequence Exchange

Background RNA interference (RNAi), mediated by small interfering RNA (siRNA), is an effective method used to silence gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. Upon introduction into target cells, siRNAs incorporate into the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC). The antisense strand of the siRNA duplex then “guides” the RISC to the homologous mRNA, leading to target degradation and gene silencing. In recent years, various vector-based siRNA expression systems have been developed which utilize opposing polymerase III promoters to independently drive expression of the sense and antisense strands of the siRNA duplex from the same template. Principal Findings We show here the use of a ligase chain reaction (LCR) to develop a new vector system called pInv-H1 in which a DNA sequence encoding a specific siRNA is placed between two inverted minimal human H1 promoters (∼100 bp each). Expression of functional siRNAs from this construct has led to efficient silencing of both reporter and endogenous genes. Furthermore, the inverted H1 promoter-siRNA expression cassette was used to generate a retrovirus vector capable of transducing and silencing expression of the targeted protein by>80% in target cells. Conclusions The unique design of this construct allows for the efficient exchange of siRNA sequences by the directional cloning of short oligonucleotides via asymmetric restriction sites. This provides a convenient way to test the functionality of different siRNA sequences. Delivery of the siRNA cassette by retroviral transduction suggests that a single copy of the siRNA expression cassette efficiently knocks down gene expression at the protein level. We note that this vector system can potentially be used to generate a random siRNA library. The flexibility of the ligase chain reaction suggests that additional control elements can easily be introduced into this siRNA expression cassette.
Expression Stabilities of Candidate Reference Genes for RT-qPCR under Different Stress Conditions in Soybean

Due to its accuracy, sensitivity and high throughput, real time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) has been widely used in analysing gene expression. The quality of data from such analyses is affected by the quality of reference genes used. Expression stabilities for nine candidate reference genes widely used in soybean were evaluated under different stresses in this study. Our results showed that EF1A and ACT11 were the best under salinity stress, TUB4, TUA5 and EF1A were the best under drought stress, ACT11 and UKN2 were the best under dark treatment, and EF1B and UKN2 were the best under virus infection. EF1B and UKN2 were the top two genes which can be reliably used in all of the stress conditions assessed.
X-ray luminescence of Tl4CdI6 crystals

We report on the study of low-temperature spectra (80–130 K) of X-ray luminescence of Tl4CdI6 crystals. Temperature behavior of the studied X-ray luminescence spectra and identification of their maxima are presented. The recombination mechanisms associated with natural anisotropy of the compounds under study are discussed and the possibility of their practical application is analysed.
Survey on complex ontology matching

Simple ontology alignments, largely studied in the literature, link a single entity of a source ontology to a single entity of a target ontology. One of the limitations of these alignments is, however, their lack of expressiveness which can be overcome by complex alignments. While diverse state-of-the-art surveys mainly review the matching approaches in general, to the best of our knowledge, there is no study about the speciﬁcities of the complex matching problem. In this paper, an overview of the different complex matching approaches is provided. It proposes a classiﬁcation of the complex matching approaches based on their speciﬁcities (i.e., type of correspondences, guiding structure). The evaluation aspects and the limitations of these approaches are also discussed. Insights for future work in the ﬁeld are provided.