Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
EA-SPEED: energy-aware real-time routing protocol for wireless sensor networks

We propose two simple mechanisms that aim at improving the energy efficiency of SPEED; the well-known real-time routing protocol dedicated for wireless sensor networks WSNs. The first mechanism calculates the expected end-to-end delay on the basis of previous hops' delay and drops a packet if such expected delay is greater than the packet deadline. By dropping the useless delayed packets, the mechanism increases fluidity of links and economises energy of nodes. The second mechanism extends the component stateless non-deterministic geographic forwarding SNGF of the SPEED protocol. While the original SNGF performs energy balancing by randomly selecting the next hop from the forwarding candidate neighbours set FS, the proposed mechanism makes use of a decision parameter which takes into account both the relay speed and the residual energy of the candidates. Thus, it prolong the network lifetime without degrading the real-time packet delivery performance. Also, it uses a low-cost algorithm updating continually the residual energy of neighbours in a node by exploiting both the overhearing mechanism and the location beaconing which are implemented in the SPEED protocol. Associated with SPEED, the proposed mechanisms achieved good performance in terms of node energy balancing and network energy consumption without degrading the packet delivery ratio.
The influence of education levels and work experiences on the choice of conflict management styles: the case of employees of public banks in Ethiopia

This study examined the influence of two demographic variables such as, education levels and work experiences on the choice of conflict management styles of employees of Public Banks in Ethiopia. The study identified education levels and work experiences of employees as independent variables and conflict management styles of avoiding, compromising, dominating, integrating and obliging as dependent variables. A non-experimental survey research design was used. A random proportional sample selected from commercial bank of Ethiopia, construction & business bank and development bank of Ethiopia was used for the study. The Rahim Organizational Conflict InventoryII (ROCI-II) was used for the survey to collect data. Data were collected from employees at their workplace and yields a total of 301 responses giving a 77 % response rate. One-way analysis of variances was used to determine if differences exist in conflict-handling styles within the education and work experience groups. The findings point out that education levels influence the compromising style of conflict management. Besides, education levels, work experiences also influence the choice of employees’ conflict-handling styles of avoiding, integrating and obliging. In conclusion, this study provides a more detailed and usable picture of the influence of education levels and work experiences on the choice of conflict management styles.
Regulation of Prolactin Receptor (PRLR) Gene Expression in Insulin-producing Cells

Expression of the prolactin receptor (PRLR) gene is increased in pancreatic islets during pregnancy and in vitro in insulin-producing cells by growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL). The 5′-region of the rat PRLR gene contains at least three alternative first exons that are expressed tissue-specifically because of differential promoter usage. We show by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis that both exon 1A- and exon 1C-containing PRLR transcripts are expressed in rat islets and that human (h)GH, ovine (o)PRL, and bovine (b)GH increase exon 1A expression 6.5 ± 0.8-fold, 6.8 ± 0.7-fold, and 3.9 ± 0.7-fold and exon 1C expression 4.8 ± 0.4-fold, 4.4 ± 0.6-fold, and 2.5 ± 0.7-fold, respectively. Expression of exon 1B was not detectable. The transcriptional activities of reporter constructs containing the 1A, 1B, or 1C promoter were found to be 22.8-fold, 2.7-fold, and 8.0-fold, respectively, above that of a promoterless reporter construct when transfected into the insulin-producing INS-1 cells. The transcriptional activity of the 1A promoter construct was increased 8.9 ± 1.9-fold by 0.5 μg/ml hGH. Responsiveness to hGH of the 1A promoter was localized to the region from −225 to +81 with respect to the transcription start site. This region contains the sequence TTCTAGGAA that by gel retardation experiments was shown to bind the transcription factors STAT5a and STAT5b in response to stimulation by hGH, oPRL, or bGH. Mutation of this γ-activated sequence-like element completely abolished transcriptional induction of the 1A promoter by hGH. Our results suggest that GH and PRL increase the levels of exon 1A- and 1C-containing PRLR mRNA species and furthermore that the transcriptional activity of the 1A promoter is increased via activation of STAT5a and STAT5b.
Crowdfunding as a Tool for Promotion and Development of Tourism-related Innovation Projects

The topicality of the set problem is explained by the fact that technological capabilities for new information grounds for implementation of creative and social projects based on crowdfunding are created within modern conditions of the development of innovation economy. The goal of the article is to study the problems of the development of tourism-related innovation projects based on the most active crowdfunding platforms allowing not only to raise funding but to spread information on the projects online including social media. The principal methods of the study of the set problem are methods of desk social study and modelling allowing to identify, using the analysis of the results, the most active crowdfunding platforms functioning in the Russian Federation and typical structure of crowdfunding projects approved by investors. The article presents main reasons hindering the development of Russian crowdfunding and offers the ways of overcoming them. On the basis of the comparative analysis of Boomstarter.ru crowdfunding projects of 2013-2016 we make a conclusion that despite a small share of tourism-related crowdfunding projects they have high average values of key figures, which shows their success and adequacy. The materials of the article may be useful for representatives of research and education community dealing with the study of innovation economy and tourist industry problems as well as for practitioners of travel and hospitality industry.
The Impacts of FDI Inflows of China on Intra Industry Trade of Indonesia’s Manufacturing Industry

This article is to examine the impact of Chinese firms’ FDI to Indonesia on the development of intra-industry trade between two countries, measured by Grubel-Lloyd index. Using Pooled Least Square (PLS) regression method, this article shows that the increase of Chinese firms’ investment in Indonesia’s industry, particularly in manufacturing industry, demonstrated strongly positive effect in the intensification of intra-industry trade. Additionally, this article also finds that the other components such as factor endowments as well as trade openness between two countries and the existence of trade integration are also important determinants of the development of intra-industry trade between two countries.
Are Education Subsidies an Efficient Redistributive Device?

We argue that promoting education may be a means to reduceincome inequality. When workers of different skill levels areimperfect substitutes in production, an increase in the level ofhuman capital in the economy reduces the return to education.Hence, a given compression of after-tax incomes can be achievedat lower marginal tax rates. Optimal redistribution policy faces atrade-off between the distortions of taxes on effort and the distortionsof education subsidies on the investment in human capital.We discuss empirical evidence on three crucial elasticities. Ourargument explains the actual pattern of education subsidies inOECD countries quite well.However, there is an offsetting effect. When education andability are complements, high ability types take up more education.A subsidy to education will then favor these types. Wediscuss the condition for the net effect of education subsidies tobe progressive. The empirical evidence suggest that this conditionis critical for a simple education subsidy. We consider somemore elaborate schemes for education subsidies.This discussion paper has resulted in ch. 4 of 'Labor Market Institutions and Public Regulation' , pp. 123-61, (Jonas Agell, Michael Keen, Alfons Weichenrieder (eds.)), 2004, MIT Press, 228 p.
Scanning Mutagenesis Studies Reveal a Potential Intramolecular Interaction within the C-Terminal Half of Dengue Virus NS2A Involved in Viral RNA Replication and Virus Assembly and Secretion

ABSTRACT The NS2A protein of dengue virus (DENV) has eight predicted transmembrane segments (pTMSs; pTMS1 to pTMS8). NS2A has been shown to participate in RNA replication, virion assembly, and the host antiviral response. However, the role of the amino acid residues within the pTMS regions of NS2A during the virus life cycle is poorly understood. In the study described here, we explored the function of DENV NS2A by introducing a series of double or triple alanine substitutions into the C-terminal half (pTMS4 to pTMS8) of NS2A in the context of a DENV infectious clone or subgenomic replicon. Fourteen (8 within pTMS8) of 35 NS2A mutants displayed a lethal phenotype due to impairment of RNA replication by a replicon assay. Three NS2A mutants with mutations within pTMS7, the CM20, CM25, and CM27 mutants, displayed similar phenotypes, low virus yields (>100-fold reduction), wild-type-like replicon activity, and low infectious virus-like particle yields by transient trans-packaging experiments, suggesting a defect in virus assembly and secretion. The sequencing of revertant viruses derived from CM20, CM25, and CM27 mutant viruses revealed a consensus reversion mutation, leucine (L) to phenylalanine (F), at codon 181 within pTMS7. The introduction of an L181F mutation into a full-length NS2A mutant, i.e., the CM20, CM25, and CM27 constructs, completely restored wild-type infectivity. Notably, L181F also substantially rescued the other severely RNA replication-defective mutants with mutations within pTMS4, pTMS6, and pTMS8, i.e., the CM2, CM3, CM13, CM31, and CM32 mutants. In conclusion, the results revealed the essential roles of pTMS4 to pTMS8 of NS2A in RNA replication and/or virus assembly and secretion. The intramolecular interaction between pTMS7 and pTMS4, pTMS6, or pTMS8 of the NS2A protein was also implicated. IMPORTANCE The reported characterization of the C-terminal half of dengue virus NS2A is the first comprehensive mutagenesis study to investigate the function of flavivirus NS2A involved in the steps of the virus life cycle. In particular, detailed mapping of the amino acid residues within the predicted transmembrane segments (pTMSs) of NS2A involved in RNA replication and/or virus assembly and secretion was performed. A revertant genetics study also revealed that L181F within pTMS7 is a consensus reversion mutation that rescues both RNA replication-defective and virus assembly- and secretion-defective mutants with mutations within the other three pTMSs of NS2A. Collectively, these findings elucidate the role played by NS2A during the virus life cycle, possibly through the intricate intramolecular interaction between pTMS7 and other pTMSs within the NS2A protein.
One-day-ahead 24-hours thermal energy collection forecasting based on time series analysis technique for solar heat energy utilization system

In recent years, introduction of alternative energy sources such as solar energy is expected. The solar heat energy utilization systems are rapidly gaining acceptance as some of the best solutions for the alternative energy sources. However, thermal energy collection of solar heat energy utilization system is influenced by solar radiation and weather conditions. In order to control the solar heat energy utilization system as accurate as possible, it requires method of solar radiation estimation. This paper proposes the thermal energy collection of solar heat energy utilization system based on solar radiation forecasting at one-day-ahead 24-hours thermal energy collection by using three different NN models. The proposed technique for application of NN is trained by weather data based on tree-based model, and tested according to forecast day. Since the tree-based-model classifies the meteorological data exactly, NN will train the solar radiation with smoothly. The validity of the proposed method is confirmed by computer simulations by use of actual meteorological data.
Evaluation of Fasciola gigantica Metacercarial Antigens for Early Diagnosis of Fascioliasis in Sheep

Immunological techniques have been developed over years using different Fasciola antigens for diagnosis of fascioliasis and as to replace the parasitological techniques which are time consuming and usually lack sensitivity and reproducibility. In this study, Fasciola gigantica purified metacercarial antigen was early detected in sera of infected sheep using both sandwich and Dot-ELISA in order to evaluate the efficacy of purified metacercarial antigen performance in diagnosing early fascioliasis. This work was conducted on 150 sheep blood samples which were classified according to their parasitological manifestation into 110 sera infected with fascioliasis, 20 infected with other different parasites and 20 healthy control sera. The sensitivity and specificity of sandwich ELISA compared to those of the Dot-ELISA were 92.7% and 93.7% versus 95.5% and 97.5%, respectively. On the other hand, the parasitological examination recorded 68.6% sensitivity and 100% specificity. The purified F. gigantica metaceraial antigens have shown a powerful antigencity for early immune-diagnosis of fascioliasis in both ELISA techniques, however, DotELISA was trouble-free, more sensitive, greater specific and affordable as well as feasible test; the features recommended for any technique to be used in detecting the light infection, particularly, at the early stages that precede the onset of parasite eggs.
Subspace-Based Indoor Mobile Positioning Using Support Vector Regressor

Estimating the position of mobile-terminals is a key requirement for many wireless applications. In this paper, we propose an algorithm for locating a mobile using a single receiving antenna array based on a pattern matching approach in indoor environments. The set of signal subspaces of the received signals from multiple points is stored as database in advance, and then the signal subspace of the observation signal is matched with the database by a support vector regressor. The effectiveness of the proposed method is investigated through the data analysis of an indoor experiment.
Connective Tissue Growth Factor Does Not Affect Transforming Growth Factor-Beta 1-Induced Smad3 Phosphorylation and T Lymphocyte Proliferation Inhibition

Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) is a key regulator of immune tolerance. TGF-β1 controls T lymphocte activation and is involved in the immunosuppressive function and generation of regulatory T lymphocytes. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) has an essential role in the formation of connective tissue and blood vessels. CTGF expression is induced by TGF-β1 in several cell types and CTGF mediates several of the downstream actions of TGF-β1. Since little is known about the potential synergy between CTGF and TGF-β1 in T lymphocyte biology, the purpose of the present study was to determine whether CTGF can modulate TGF-β1-mediated effects on human CD4+ T lymphocytes. Human recombinant CTGF was expressed in HEK293 cells. rCTGF was biologically active demonstrated by induction of proliferation in the endothelial cell line EA hy 926. rCTGF alone did not potentiate or diminish anti-CD3-induced CD4+ T lymphocyte proliferation and did not activate the Smad signaling pathway in CD4+ T lymphocytes. Furthermore, rCTGF did not attenuate TGF-β1-mediated inhibition of CD4+ T lymphocyte proliferation and TGF-β1-induced Smad signaling in CD4+ T lymphocytes. These results indicate that rCTGF had no detectable effects of its own on human CD4+ T lymphocytes and did not potentiate the effects of low amounts of TGF-β1 on human CD4+ T lymphocytes. Overall, these data support the hypothesis that CTGF does not act on CD4+ T lymphocytes.
Can Technology Undermine Macroprudential Regulation? Evidence from Peer-to-Peer Credit in China

We study whether and to what extent peer-to-peer (P2P) credit helps circumvent loan-to-value (LTV) caps, a key macroprudential tool to contain household leverage. We exploit the tightening of mortgage LTV caps in a number of cities in China in 2013 as our testing ground, in a difference-in-differences setting, and we base our tests on a novel, hand-collected database covering all lending transactions at RenrenDai, a leading Chinese P2P credit platform. P2P loans increase at the cities affected by the LTV cap tightening relative to the control cities, consistent with borrowers tapping P2P credit to circumvent the regulation. The granularity of our data allows us to separate credit demand from credit supply effects, with a fixed effects strategy. Our results also indicate that P2P lenders do not adjust their pricing and screening to the influx of new borrowers after 2013, despite the fact that their loans ex post have higher delinquency and default rates. Symmetric effects are associated with a loosening of mortgage LTV caps in 2015. Our test provides empirical evidence on the capacity of P2P credit to undermine LTV caps. More broadly, our analysis informs the debate on the challenges posed by the interaction between FinTech and credit regulation.
Taking care of business with TCAB.

T ransforming Care at the Bedside (TCAB) has become a national movement to improve the quality and safety of patient care on medical-surgical units while simultaneously transforming the culture of how nurses care for patients. When TCAB processes take over, the results are nursing innovation, vitality, increased patient satisfaction, and direct care nurses at the bedside who feel empowered to make a difference in the lives of patients. Barnabas Health (formerly Saint Barnabas Health Care System), with more than 18,200 employees who provide treatment for more than 2 million patients annually, has adopted the TCAB initiative on 14 nursing units throughout its six hospitals. Our experience
Correspondence and cluster analysis of free-drawn clocks in a group of children and adolescents with neurological and psychiatric diseases

ABSTRACT The present work addresses the identification and qualitative assessment of errors that appear in a free-drawn clock-drawing test representing the time 8:20 in a sample of 455 children and adolescents with neurological diseases and their controls. The authors sought to verify whether the occurrence of particular errors in the clock drawings significantly differentiates the clinical groups. For statistical evaluation of the results, we applied correspondence analysis and cluster analysis. The results of the study showed that three types of errors played an important role in the differentiation of the groups: spatial neglect, mirror reflection, and phonological depletion.
Advanced Machine Learning Practical 3 Solution : Classification ( SVM , RVM & AdaBoost ) Professor : Aude Billard Assistants :

During this week’s practical we will focus on understanding and comparing the performance of the different non-linear classification methods seen in class. We will begin by studying the influence of hyper-parameters on kernel methods, such as SVM and its variants (C-SVM and ν-SVM, RVM) on 2D Datasets. Then, we will try an instance of a Boosting method, specifically AdaBoost, and compare its performance to the kernel methods.
Design of energy efficient optical networks with software enabled integrated control plane

The growing energy consumption has posed new challenges for the future development of networks. Some earlier work has proposed solutions to improve energy consumption based on the existing control plane, for example, node/links sleeping. This study presents a new possibility to reduce network energy consumption by proposing a new integrated control plane structure utilising Software Defined Networking technologies. The integrated control plane increases the efficiencies of exchanging control information across different network domains, while introducing new possibilities to the routing methods and the control over quality of service (QoS). The structure is defined as an overlay generalised multi-protocol label switching (GMPLS) control model. With the defined structure, the integrated control plane is able to gather information from different domains (i.e. optical core network and the access networks), and enable energy efficiency networking over a wider area. In the case presented, the integrated control plane collects the network energy related information and the QoS requirements of different types of traffic. This information is used to define the specific group of traffic's (flow's) routing behaviours. With the flexibility of the routing structure, results show that the energy efficiency of the network can be improved without compromising the QoS for delay/blocking sensitive services.
Anomalous cosmic ray intensity variations in the inner and outer heliosphere during the solar cycle 22 recovery phase (1991–1999)

[1] Differential intensity measurements of interplanetary H, He, and O ions made with the Low-Energy Charged Particle (LECP) instruments aboard the Voyager 1 (V1) and Voyager 2 (V2) deep space probes and the Low-Energy Ion Composition Analyzer (LICA) aboard the near-Earth Solar Anomalous Magnetospheric Particle Explorer (SAMPEX) satellite provide a comprehensive perspective on the transport of anomalous cosmic ray (ACR) ions during the 1991–1999 recovery phase of solar cycle 22 in both the outer and inner heliosphere. We report fifteen unique, independent ACR intensity time series, ranging over kinetic energies from 0.6 to 40 MeV/nucleon, and parameterize these observations (supplemented by one time-intensity profile from the literature) with a four-parameter fitting function to quantify the ACR behavior as solar minimum conditions developed and the V1 and V2 probes ranged from 36 to 76 AU from the Sun. We discuss a possible physical explanation for the striking differences between the outer heliospheric ACR recovery profiles at various energies. The intensities of nearly all species and energies recovered similarly from 1991 to mid-1994, increasing about an order of magnitude, but differed in a rigidity-dependent manner during the subsequent 5 years with the low-rigidity particle intensities growing exponentially, increasing up to an order of magnitude, while the high-rigidity particle intensities remained nearly constant. We find that these observations support the interpretation that before 1994 the recovery profiles of all the ACRs were governed by a temporal mechanism probably driven by the timescale of the variation of the transport properties of the interplanetary medium itself, rather than the “relaxation” timescale for diffusive equilibrium to develop. After 1994 the motion of the Voyager probes through regions with stable, positive radial intensity gradients explains the diverse recovery profiles of the various ACR species.