Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ATRank: An Attention-Based User Behavior Modeling Framework for Recommendation

A user can be represented as what he/she does along the history. A common way to deal with the user modeling problem is to manually extract all kinds of aggregated features over the heterogeneous behaviors, which may fail to fully represent the data itself due to limited human instinct. Recent works usually use RNN-based methods to give an overall embedding of a behavior sequence, which then could be exploited by the downstream applications. However, this can only preserve very limited information, or aggregated memories of a person. When a downstream application requires to facilitate the modeled user features, it may lose the integrity of the specific highly correlated behavior of the user, and introduce noises derived from unrelated behaviors. This paper proposes an attention based user behavior modeling framework called ATRank, which we mainly use for recommendation tasks. Heterogeneous user behaviors are considered in our model that we project all types of behaviors into multiple latent semantic spaces, where influence can be made among the behaviors via self-attention. Downstream applications then can use the user behavior vectors via vanilla attention. Experiments show that ATRank can achieve better performance and faster training process. We further explore ATRank to use one unified model to predict different types of user behaviors at the same time, showing a comparable performance with the highly optimized individual models.
Designing and Developing ICT Curriculum in the 21st Century using a Modernistic Curriculum Model in Contemporary Higher Education

The design and development of ICT curriculum at higher education institutions in recent times is highly complex. The aim of this paper is to present a product model for the design and development of a variety of three year ICT programme types. This is achieved by conducting an in-depth study into existing ICT product models as well as extrapolating the critical skills for students in the 21st century from the extant of literature. The strategy of inquiry employed was a case study of curriculum renewal in the Department of Information Technology at the Durban University of Technology. The research study was qualitative with Participatory Action Research and Focus Group Interviews employed for data collection. The findings resulted in the creation of a best practice product model for the renewal of ICT curriculum. This model impacts how ICT programmes are designed and developed at higher education institutions in the 21st century. As an implication of this study the researchers suggest that this model be reviewed and updated regularly to accommodate the dynamic nature of ICT. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014. v5n23p1172
The Quality of Economic Output: Empirical Generalizations About Its Distribution and Relationship to Market Share

As more nations add customer satisfaction—as a measure of quality of economic output—to what they presently collect about the economy, it becomes increasingly important to understand the role of customer satisfaction and its relationship to other economic measures. In an attempt to contribute to such an understanding, this paper presents two empirical generalizations about customer satisfaction. First, the distribution of customer satisfaction is negatively skewed. It is suggested that negative skewness is a condition for a free market. Second, the association between market share and customer satisfaction is not positive (and often negative) in cross sectional analysis. While challenging to firms that pursue both market share goals and increased customer satisfaction, the finding is consistent with fundamental economic theory and the strategy literature.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging 20 Years After Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion

Study Design. A 20-year magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and functional outcome follow-up study was performed on patients who had undergone anterior lumbar interbody fusion. Objectives. The objectives of the present study are to determine whether or not degeneration is related to adjacent level fusion and the clinical significance of this degeneration. Summary of Background Data. There are concerns that lumbar fusion leads to increase stress at the adjacent levels. However, the clinical significance of this remains unclear. Methods. Thirty-nine patients who underwent lower lumbar anterior lumbar interbody fusion and who had normal preoperative discograms at the level adjacent level were evaluated with a minimum of a 20-year follow-up. MRI scans were performed and independently evaluated for any evidence of degeneration. Functional status was assessed using the Low Back Outcome Scale. Results. Twenty-nine (74.3%) patients had some evidence of degeneration in their lumbar spine and advanced degeneration was identified in 12 (30.7%) patients. Nine (23.1%) patients had advanced degeneration isolated to the adjacent level and 7 (17.9%) patients had evidence of advanced degeneration with preservation at the level adjacent to the fusion. There was no association between function and radiographic degeneration. Only 3 patients required additional surgery as a result of adjacent level degeneration. Conclusion. The prevalence of degenerative changes is similar to other studies involving normal asymptomatic subjects. Furthermore, the majority of degenerative changes seen occurred over multiple levels or at levels not adjacent to the fusion, suggesting that changes seen may be more likely related to constitutional factors as opposed to the increased stresses arising from the original fusion.
A Personality Disorders: Schizotypal, Schizoid and Paranoid Personality Disorders in Childhood and Adolescence.

Cluster A personality disorders (PD), including schizotypal personality disorder (SPD), paranoid personality disorder (PPD), and schizoid PD, are marked by odd and eccentric behaviors, and are grouped together because of common patterns in symptomatology as well as shared genetic and environmental risk factors. The DSM-IV-TR describes personality disorders as representing stable and enduring patterns of maladaptive traits, and much of what is understood about Cluster A personality disorders in particular stems from research with adult populations. Less in known about these disorders in children and adolescents, and controversy remains regarding diagnosis of personality disorders in general in youth. The current paper reviews the available research on Cluster A personality disorders in childhood and adolescence; specifically, we discuss differentiating between the three disorders and distinguishing them from other syndromes, measuring Cluster A disorders in youth, and the nature and course of these disorders throughout childhood and adolescence. We also present recent longitudinal data from a sample of adolescents diagnosed with Cluster A personality disorders from our research laboratory, and suggest directions for future research in this important but understudied area.
ABCA1-dependent lipid efflux to apolipoprotein A-I mediates HDL particle formation and decreases VLDL secretion from murine hepatocytes Published, JLR Papers in Press, March 1, 2004. DOI 10.1194/jlr.M300529-JLR200

High levels of expression of the ATP binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) in the liver and the need to over- or underexpress hepatic ABCA1 to impact plasma HDL levels in mice suggest a major role of the liver in HDL formation and in determining circulating HDL levels. Cultured murine hepatocytes were used to examine the role of hepatic ABCA1 in mediating the lipidation of apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) for HDL particle formation. Exogenous apoA-I stimulated cholesterol efflux to the medium from wild-type hepatocytes, but not from ABCA1-deficient (abca1−/−) hepatocytes. ApoA-I induced the formation of new HDL particles and enhanced the lipidation of endogenously secreted murine apoA-I in ABCA1-expressing but not abca1−/− hepatocytes. ABCA1-dependent cholesterol mobilization to apoA-I increased new cholesterol synthesis, indicating depletion of the regulatory pool of hepatocyte cholesterol during HDL formation. Secretion of triacylglycerol and apoB was decreased following apoA-I incubation with ABCA1-expressing but not abca1−/− hepatocytes. These results support a major role for hepatocyte ABCA1 in generating a critical pool of HDL precursor particles that enhance further HDL generation and passive cholesterol mobilization in the periphery. The results also suggest that diversion of hepatocyte cholesterol into the “reverse” cholesterol transport pathway diminishes cholesterol availability for apoB-containing lipoprotein secretion by the liver.
FOOD DEMAND ELASTICITIES IN ARGENTINA, PARAGUAY AND BOLIVIA. ECONOMETRIC ESTIMATION FROM HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS

This paper presents the methodology and estimation of food demand elasticities for Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia using household survey data. The paper reviews the theoretical and empirical approach behind the applied food demand estimation. The empirical approach consists in the estimation of a censored corrected LinQuad incomplete demand system using microdata from national household surveys. The empirical implementation and results are consistent with the state of the art in applied demand estimations using censored cross sectional data.
Genomic instability in Rhizobium phaseoli

Experience from different laboratories indicates that Rhizobium strains can generate variability in regard to some phenotypic characteristics such as colony morphology or symbiotic properties. On the other hand, several reports suggest that under certain stress conditions or genetic manipulations Rhizobium cells can present genomic rearrangements. In search of frequent genomic rearrangements, we analyzed three Rhizobium strains under laboratory conditions that are not considered to cause stress in bacterial populations. DNAs from direct descendants of a single cell were analyzed in regard to the hybridization patterns obtained, using as probes different recombinant plasmids or cosmids; while most of the probes utilized did not show differences in the hybridization patterns, some of them revealed the occurrence of frequent genomic rearrangements. The implications and possible biological significance of these observations are discussed.
Further evidence of VRK2 rs2312147 associated with schizophrenia

Abstract Objectives: Previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have reported that rs2312147 near the VRK2 gene was significantly associated with schizophrenia in populations of European descent, but negative results have also been observed. Methods: To perform a systematic meta-analysis, we collected statistical data of rs2312147 from both GWAS and individual replication samples in European and Asian populations, which finally included up to 30,867 schizophrenia patients and 59,863 healthy controls. Results: The VRK2 rs2312147 was genome-wide significantly associated with schizophrenia in combined populations (P = 1.31 × 10−15, odds ratio, OR = 1.10) as well as in Europeans only (P = 2.35 × 10−12, OR =1.09). In Asian samples, the SNP did not reach genome-wide level of statistical significance (P = 1.23 × 10 − 5, OR =1.19), which is likely due to the limited power of small sample size in this population (2,974 cases and 4,786 controls). However, the effect size of rs2312147 did not alter significantly between populations, and is also in agreement with the observed effect sizes of other genetic risk loci in large scale studies. Conclusions: Our data provides further evidence for the genetic contributions of VRK2 rs2312147 to schizophrenia susceptibility especially in Europeans, while further replication analyses in Asian populations are still needed, and future studies, e.g., the underlying molecular mechanisms of genetic risk, are necessary.
Considerations on the Relative Accuracy of TDOA Estimation for FSK and OOK Signalling

Abstract : This report outlines accuracy benefits in the time difference of arrival (TDOA) estimation of emitters employing 2-FSK signals over a corresponding OOK signal. We consider TDOA estimation via the conventional approach, using maximization of the magnitude of the complex correlation function. By drawing an analogy with the improvement that is theoretically possible by incorporating phase information into TDOA estimation for an arbitrary signal, it is suggested that for sufficiently high SNR, substantially more accurate estimation of the TDOA is possible with an FSK signal.
HPMCs Induce Greater Intercellular Delocalization of Tight Junction-Associated Proteins Due to a Higher Susceptibility to H2O2 Compared with HUVECs

Background Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been speculated as possible inducers of structural or functional changes that lead to a hyperpermeable state in patients on long-term peritoneal dialysis. This study aimed to compare localization of tight junction-associated proteins (TJPs), which relate to solute permeability characteristics, between human peritoneal mesothelial cell (HPMC) monolayers and human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) monolayers under oxidative stress. Methods HPMCs and HUVECs were cultured on a polymer mesh until transepithelial electrical resistance reached a plateau. Solute permeation tests were conducted using FITC-labeled dextrans. Localization of TJPs was observed under a confocal laser scanning microscope. These experiments were carried out with/without 0.1 mmol/L H2O2. In addition, ROS production as well as the amounts of intracellular reductive glutathione (GSH) and oxidative glutathione were measured. Results When the monolayers were exposed to 0.1 mmol/L H2O2/medium for 2 hours, the HPMC monolayer revealed a significant reduction in transepithelial electrical resistance (from 32.5 ± 3.4 to 17.4 ± 4.9 Ω cm) with delocalization of TJPs, particularly occludins. The HUVEC monolayer remained stable and exhibited an unremarkable change in TJP organization. Compared to the HUVEC monolayer, the HPMC monolayer exhibited two- to threefold higher 2′,7′–dichlorofluorescein intensities that increased in a dose-dependent manner. HUVECs contained approximately 2.5-times more GSH than HPMCs. This supported the lesser production of ROS when exposed to 0.1 mmol/L H2O2 for 24 hours. HUVECs used 8.03 nmol/mg GSH protein to maintain TJP localization, while only 3.75 nmol/mg GSH protein was available for the HPMCs. Conclusion The HUVEC monolayer, which was less permeable to middle-to-high molecular weight solutes, was more tolerant against ROS stress than the HPMC monolayer. Availability of intracellular GSH is an important issue in maintaining the integrity of the mesothelium.
Paradoxical Abatement of Striatal Dopaminergic Transmission by Cocaine and Methylphenidate*

Background: The dopamine transporter (DAT) regulates the outflow of dopamine from synapses. Results: We present evidence that the DAT blockers cocaine and methylphenidate increase or reduce the release of DA in the striatum. Conclusion: The reducing effects on DA release are not dependent on a typical blockade of DAT. Significance: The paradoxical blunting of dopamine (DA) release could account for differential effects of psychostimulants. We combined in vitro amperometric, optical analysis of fluorescent false neurotransmitters and microdialysis techniques to unveil that cocaine and methylphenidate induced a marked depression of the synaptic release of dopamine (DA) in mouse striatum. In contrast to the classical dopamine transporter (DAT)-dependent enhancement of the dopaminergic signal observed at concentrations of cocaine lower than 3 μm, the inhibitory effect of cocaine was found at concentrations higher than 3 μm. The paradoxical inhibitory effect of cocaine and methylphenidate was associated with a decrease in synapsin phosphorylation. Interestingly, a cocaine-induced depression of DA release was only present in cocaine-insensitive animals (DAT-CI). Similar effects of cocaine were produced by methylphenidate in both wild-type and DAT-CI mice. On the other hand, nomifensine only enhanced the dopaminergic signal either in wild-type or in DAT-CI mice. Overall, these results indicate that cocaine and methylphenidate can increase or decrease DA neurotransmission by blocking reuptake and reducing the exocytotic release, respectively. The biphasic reshaping of DA neurotransmission could contribute to different behavioral effects of psychostimulants, including the calming ones, in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Partisan responses to Europe: the role of ideology for national political parties' positions on European integration

This article re-examines and evaluates several hypotheses regarding the way national political parties position themselves with respect to European integration. By using a pooled cross-sectional panel of data on references to Europe in the election manifestos of political parties in 16 West European countries between 1970 and 2003, I present further evidence that their stances on European integration are largely determined by their ideology, here measured by the locations of the parties within party families and their general orientation along the left/right ideological continuum. However, notable changes have occurred and the influence of ideology has diminished, as most parties have adopted more favourable positions towards the European project over time. Nonetheless, it is too early to disregard the connection between left/right and pro/anti integration, since many marginal parties are still taking oppositional stances that are strongly related to their ideological commitment.
Neurovascular Pathways and Alzheimer Amyloid β‐peptide

According to the prevailing amyloid cascade hypothesis, the onset and progression of a chronic neurodegenerative condition in Alzheimer disease (AD) is initiated by the amyloid β‐peptide (Aβ) accumulation in brain and consequent neuronal toxicity. Recent emphasis on co‐morbidity of AD and cerebrovascular disease and the recognition that cerebrovascular dysregulation is an important feature of AD, has shed new light on neurovascular dysfunction as a possible contributor to cognitive decline and Alzheimer neurodegeneration. In the same time, this association has raised a question as to whether there is a causal relationship between cerebrovascular dysregulation and Aβinitiated pathology, and whether influencing targets in the neurovasculature may prevent different forms of Aβ brain accumulation and/or lower pre‐existing accumulates in a later stage of the disease. Pathogenic cascades which operate to dissociate normal transport exchanges between central and peripheral pools of Aβ, and decreased vascular competence leading to brain hypoperfusion and impaired Aβ clearance are discussed. We suggest that there is a link between neurovascular dysfunction and elevated brain AB which provides a new scenario for therapeutic interventions to control Alzheimer mental deterioration.
FILE: A Novel Framework for Predicting Social Status in Signed Networks

Link prediction in signed social networks is challenging because of the existence and imbalance of the three kinds of social status (positive, negative and no-relation). Furthermore, there are a variety types of no-relation status in reality, e.g., strangers and frenemies, which cannot be well distinguished from the other linked status by existing approaches. In this paper, we propose a novel Framework of Integrating both Latent and Explicit features (FILE), to better deal with the no-relation status and improve the overall link prediction performance in signed networks. In particular, we design two latent features from latent space and two explicit features by extending social theories, and learn these features for each user via matrix factorization with a specially designed ranking-oriented loss function. Experimental results demonstrate the superior of our approach over state-of-the-art methods.
DONGLE and DEFECTIVE IN ANTHER DEHISCENCE1 Lipases Are Not Essential for Wound- and Pathogen-Induced Jasmonate Biosynthesis: Redundant Lipases Contribute to Jasmonate Formation1[C][W][OA]

Lipases are involved in the generation of jasmonates, which regulate responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Two sn-1-specific acyl hydrolases, DEFECTIVE IN ANTHER DEHISCENCE1 (DAD1) and DONGLE (DGL), have been reported to be localized in plastids and to be essential and sufficient for jasmonate biosynthesis in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) leaves. Here, we show that levels of 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA) and jasmonic acid in three different DGL RNA interference lines and the dad1 mutant were similar to wild-type levels during the early wound response as well as after Pseudomonas infection. Due to the lack of sn-2 substrate specificity, synthesis of dinor OPDA was not expected and also not found to be affected in DGL knockdown and DGL-overexpressing lines. As reported, DAD1 participates in jasmonate formation only in the late wound response. In addition, DGL protein was found to be localized in lipid bodies and not in plastids. Furthermore, jasmonate levels in 16 additional mutants defective in the expression of lipases with predicted chloroplast localization did not show strong differences from wild-type levels after wounding, except for a phospholipase A (PLA) PLA-Iγ1 (At1g06800) mutant line that displayed diminished wound-induced dinor OPDA, OPDA, and jasmonic acid levels. A quadruple mutant defective in four DAD1-like lipases displayed similar jasmonate levels as the mutant line of PLA-Iγ1 after wounding. Hence, we identify PLA-Iγ1 as a novel target gene to manipulate jasmonate biosynthesis. Our results suggest that, in addition to DAD1 and PLA-Iγ1, still unidentified enzymes with sn-1 and sn-2 hydrolase activity are involved in wound- and pathogen-induced jasmonate formation, indicating functional redundancy within the lipase family.
A tool to compute approximation matching between windows processes

Finding identical digital objects (or artifacts) during a forensic analysis is commonly achieved by means of cryptographic hashing functions, such as MD5, SHA1, or SHA-256, to name a few. However, these functions suffer from the avalanche effect property, which guarantees that if an input is changed slightly the output changes significantly. Hence, these functions are unsuitable for typical digital forensics scenarios where a forensics memory image from a likely compromised machine shall be analyzed. This memory image file contains a snapshot of processes (instances of executable files) which were up on execution when the dumping process was done. However, processes are relocated at memory and contain dynamic data that depend on the current execution and environmental conditions. Therefore, the comparison of cryptographic hash values of different processes from the same executable file will be negative. Bytewise approximation matching algorithms may help in these scenarios, since they provide a similarity measurement in the range [0,1] between similar inputs instead of a yes/no answer (in the range {0,1}). In this paper, we introduce ProcessFuzzyHash, a Volatility plugin that enables us to compute approximation hash values of processes contained in a Windows memory dump.
Privacy preserved entrust mechanism in cloud computing environment

Cloud computing technology enables service to add special characteristics such as remote execution, service mobility and virtual workspace in a handheld device. However, it has a limitation on application areas for the reason that mobile applications distinctly need a help of the host computer. To eliminate those threats, hash chain based approaches are proposed [1][2]. However, it also has some restriction that a mobile device sends request messages to each server when the device needs a multi-entity co-operative work. Therefore, this paper introduces a concept of secure entrustment, which provides most near and trusted servers whenever your mobile devices want to use a trusted computing.