Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
This Website Uses Nudging: MTurk Workers' Behaviour on Cookie Consent Notices

Data protection regulatory policies, such as the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), force website operators to request users' consent before collecting any personal information revealed through their web browsing. Website operators, motivated by the potential value of the collected personal data, employ various methods when designing consent notices (e.g., dark patterns) in order to convince users to allow the collection of as much of their personal data as possible. In this paper, we design and conduct a user study where 1100 MTurk workers interact with eight different designs of cookie consent notices. We show that the nudging designs used in the different cookie consent notices have a large effect on the choices user make. Our results show that color-based nudging bars can significantly impact the participants' decisions to change the default cookie settings, despite using dark patterns. Also, in contrast to previous works, we report that users who do not use ad-blocking software are less likely to modify default cookie settings. Our findings demonstrate the importance of nudged interfaces and the effects orthogonal nudging techniques can have on users' choices.
Exploring the Experiences of Streamers with Visual Impairments

Live streaming refers to the broadcast of real-time videos, allowing people to have synchronous interactions. While researchers' interest in live streaming has increased recently, the accessibility of live streaming for people with visual impairments is still under-examined. Further studies are necessary to gain a better understanding of how streamers with visual impairments (SVI) engage in various activities on live streaming platforms. Based on semi-structured interviews with 14 participants, we identified SVI's motivations for live streaming, their unique interactions with videos and people on live streaming platforms, and the challenges they face during live streaming. Our analysis of the identified themes revealed the absence of an SVI-centered community and accessibility issues for SVI while learning to live stream, use tools, and interact with people. Based on the results of this study, we present design opportunities to better support SVI on live streaming platforms.
The structure of a highly decelerated axisymmetric turbulent boundary layer

Abstract Experiments were performed over a body of revolution at a length-based Reynolds number of 1.9 million. While the lateral curvature parameters are moderate ($\delta /r_s < 2, r_s^+>500$, where $\delta$ is the boundary layer thickness and rs is the radius of curvature), the pressure gradient is increasingly adverse ($\beta _{C} \in [5 \text {--} 18]$ where $\beta_{C}$ is Clauser’s pressure gradient parameter), representative of vehicle-relevant conditions. The mean flow in the outer regions of this fully attached boundary layer displays some properties of a free-shear layer, with the mean-velocity and turbulence intensity profiles attaining self-similarity with the ‘embedded shear layer’ scaling (Schatzman & Thomas, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 815, 2017, pp. 592–642). Spectral analysis of the streamwise turbulence revealed that, as the mean flow decelerates, the large-scale motions energize across the boundary layer, growing proportionally with the boundary layer thickness. When scaled with the shear layer parameters, the distribution of the energy in the low-frequency region is approximately self-similar, emphasizing the role of the embedded shear layer in the large-scale motions. The correlation structure of the boundary layer is discussed at length to supply information towards the development of turbulence and aeroacoustic models. One major finding is that the estimation of integral turbulence length scales from single-point measurements, via Taylor's hypothesis, requires significant corrections to the convection velocity in the inner 50 % of the boundary layer. The apparent convection velocity (estimated from the ratio of integral length scale to the time scale), is approximately 40 % greater than the local mean velocity, suggesting the turbulence is convected much faster than previously thought. Closer to the wall even higher corrections are required.
Spatial variation in the structure of overwintering, remnant Saccorhiza polyschides sporophytes and their associated assemblages

Abstract Understanding the structure and richness of natural communities is a fundamental goal of marine ecology, and foundation species such as large macroalgae have a disproportionate role in structuring biodiversity. However, high-resolution information on assemblages associated with macroalgae is lacking for many species and regions. Saccorhiza polyschides is a warm-temperate kelp with a relatively short lifespan (12–18 months), large thallus and bulbous holdfast offering habitat for diverse assemblages. In the UK, S. polyschides populations are thought to have proliferated recently. Here, we quantified the density and habitat structure provided by S. polyschides along a gradient of wave exposure within Plymouth Sound, and examined the composition and diversity of associated faunal assemblages. Density varied significantly between sites but not by wave exposure, while biometric measurements were generally highly variable. Senescing holdfasts from sporophytes offered valuable habitat, with high abundance and richness of associated assemblages, although these varied markedly between sporophytes and sites. Faunal abundance, taxon richness and diversity were significantly higher at fully exposed sites than at moderately exposed sites. Internal volume of holdfasts was positively correlated with faunal abundance and taxon richness. We recorded more than 27 distinct taxa and up to ~600 individuals within a single holdfast. Taxa included three fish species, including a novel observation of the pipefish Nerophis lumbriciformis. Further work is needed to examine seasonality in habitat structure and associated diversity patterns but our study demonstrates that even remnant holdfasts from decaying sporophytes represent a valuable microhabitat that may provide shelter, protection and food during winter.
A new Lagrangian-Benders approach for a concave cost supply chain network design problem

Abstract This article presents an extended facility location model for multiproduct supply chain network design, that accounts for concave capacity, transportation, and inventory costs (induced by economies of scale, quantity discounts and risk pooling, respectively). The problem is formulated as a mixed-integer nonlinear program (MINLP) with linear constraints and a large number of separable concave terms in the objective function. We propose a solution approach that combines stabilized Lagrangian relaxation with a novel Benders decomposition. Lagrangian relaxation is used first to decompose the problem by potential warehouse location into low-rank concave minimization subproblems. Benders decomposition is then applied to solve the subproblems by shifting the concave terms to a low-dimensional master problem that is solved effectively through implicit enumeration. Finally, a feasible solution for the original problem is constructed from the partial subproblems solutions by solving a restricted set covering problem. The proposed approach is tested on several instances from the literature and compared against a state-of-the-art solver. Furthermore, a realistic case study is used to demonstrate the impact of concavities in the cost components with extensive sensitivity analyses.
Regional logistics centre: Application to Eastern Canada

Abstract The recent difficulties of the wood industry in Canada (decline of the pulp and paper sector, decline in available fiber volume, 2008–2009 housing crisis, etc.) and mounting pressures for a more efficient use of natural resources make it all the more relevant to examine how to make better use of the forest resource. In this regard, the creation of sorting and consolidation yards, distinct from forest sites and mills, offers multiple opportunities for value maximization and cost minimization. This article aims to better understand the interaction between a forest logistics center and a complex forest network while exploring several geo-economic factors favoring the use of such a structure. A profit maximization model is proposed and applied for a case study in the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada. The results showed that a logistics center would increase the profit by $0.90 (Canadian dollars) for each cubic meter of wood available for harvesting, notably through an increase in the volume of wood processed into finished products of up to 83,000 m3 annually (or 4.6%). A dynamic effect of up to 17% was also observed between the operation of a processing yard and the use of load returns.
Creating supportive environments and enhancing personal perception to bridge the digital divide among older adults

ABSTRACT The active use of digital technology by older adults will directly promote active and healthy aging, which will have a positive effect not only on the older adults themselves but also on society in general, which is rapidly aging. But Age-based digital divide has become the new face of inequality for older adults around the world. This study aimed to explore the digital technology acceptance process and identify barriers to use among older adults, using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) 3 as a framework. This study used data from the 2018 Digital Divide Survey of the Ministry of Science and ICT in South Korea. The sample consisted of 1,662 older adults (aged 55+). The major findings of the study indicate that two environmental dimensions – personal perception (technology self-efficacy and perceived value) and social environment (social norms and social support) – significantly impact the intention to use digital technology among older adults. Furthermore, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use mediate the relationship between personal and social dimensions and intention. The implications of this study on digital inclusion in older adults can be summarized as follows: it is essential to prioritize the delivery of appropriate digital training and built supportive environments from gerontological perspectives, not just to improve digital accessibility.
Dynamics of infectious diseases: A review of the main biological aspects and their mathematical translation

Abstract In this paper, the main biological aspects of infectious diseases and their mathematical translation for modeling their transmission dynamics are revised. In particular, some heterogeneity factors which could influence the fitting of the model to reality are pointed out. Mathematical tools and methods needed to qualitatively analyze deterministic continuous-time models, formulated by ordinary differential equations, are also introduced, while its discrete-time counterparts are properly referenced. In addition, some simulation techniques to validate a mathematical model and to estimate the model parameters are shown. Finally, we present some control strategies usually considered to prevent epidemic outbreaks and their implementation in the model.
Climate change stressors affecting household food security among Kimandi-Wanyaga smallholder farmers in Murang’a County, Kenya

Abstract Climate change hazards including droughts and floods are adversely affecting crop productivity and food security among Kenyan smallholder farmers. This article analyzes rainfall and temperature change effects on household food security in Kimandi-Wanyaga, in Murang’a County, Kenya. Both the meteorological and the community perceptions were analyzed. Monthly rainfall and temperature data for Thika Meteorological Station were analyzed for trends using MAKESENS procedure. The community perceptions data obtained through household survey, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and content analysis. The study hypotheses were tested using chi-square tests. The community perceived inadequate rainfall during crop growth (79%), reduced rainfall intensity (77%) and erratic onset and cessation of seasonal rainfall (73%) had interrupted their crop productivity. These disagreed with MAKESENS rainfall trends that showed statistically insignificant rainfall variability (α > 0.1). The community’s warmer temperature perceptions agreed with observed rising maximum temperature trend at 0.001 significance level. This study observed a significant relationship between the community’s perceived local rainfall and temperature changes, and household food security. For robust and strategically designed climate policies and programs for food security, governments need to communicate to policy makers the perceptions of smallholder farmers involved in autonomous climate adaptation.
Judging the judges: evaluating the accuracy and national bias of international gymnastics judges

Abstract We design, describe and implement a statistical engine to analyze the performance of gymnastics judges with three objectives: (1) provide constructive feedback to judges, executive committees and national federations; (2) assign the best judges to the most important competitions; (3) detect bias and persistent misjudging. Judging a gymnastics routine is a random process, and we model this process using heteroscedastic random variables. The developed marking score scales the difference between the mark of a judge and the true performance level of a gymnast as a function of the intrinsic judging error variability estimated from historical data for each apparatus. This dependence between judging variability and performance quality has never been properly studied. We leverage the intrinsic judging error variability and the marking score to detect outlier marks and study the national bias of judges favoring athletes of the same nationality. We also study ranking scores assessing to what extent judges rate gymnasts in the correct order. Our main observation is that there are significant differences between the best and worst judges, both in terms of accuracy and national bias. The insights from this work have led to recommendations and rule changes at the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique.
OAC-39 is an O-acyltransferase required for the synthesis of maradolipids in the dauer larva of C. elegans

Upon overcrowding or low food availability, the nematode C. elegans enters a specialized diapause stage for survival, called the dauer larva. The growth-arrested, non-feeding dauer larva undergoes a profound metabolic and physiologic switch underlying its extraordinary stress resistance and longevity. One of the metabolic signatures of dauer larvae is the accumulation of the disaccharide trehalose, which lowers the sensitivity of worms to desiccation and hyperosmotic shock. Previously, we have found that trehalose is incorporated as a headgroup into dauer-specific 6,6’-di-O-acyltrehalose lipids, named maradolipids. Despite comprising a bulk fraction of the polar lipids in dauer larvae, little is known about the physiological function of maradolipds because the enzyme(s) involved in their synthesis has not yet been identified. Here, we report that the dauer-upregulated O-acyltransferase homolog OAC-39 is essential for the synthesis of maradolipids. This enzyme is enriched at the apical region of the intestinal cells of dauer larvae, where it might participate in the structuring of the gut lumen. As OAC-39 is most probably responsible for the last step of maradolipid synthesis, its identification will pave the way for the elucidation of the function of this obscure class of lipids.
Respiratory syncytial virus matrix protein assembles as a lattice with local and extended order that coordinates the position of the fusion glycoprotein

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a significant cause of respiratory illness in young children and adults worldwide. There is currently no vaccine or targeted antiviral for RSV. RSV is an enveloped, filamentous, negative-strand RNA virus. Individual virions vary in both diameter and length, with an average diameter of ∼130 nm and ranging from ∼500 nm to over 10 μm in length. The RSV matrix (M) protein is peripherally associated with the interior of the viral membrane. Though the general arrangement of structural proteins within the virion is known, the molecular organization of M and other structural proteins was previously unknown. Here, using whole-cell cryo-electron tomography and sub-tomogram averaging, we show that M is arranged in a packed helical-like lattice of M-dimers ordered at an angle of ∼47° to the viral long axis. Sub-tomogram averages including F and M indicate that the position of F on the viral surface is correlated with the underlying M lattice. Finally, we report that RSV F is frequently observed as pairs, with the F trimers oriented in an anti-parallel conformation to support potential interaction between trimers. These results provide insight into RSV assembly and virion organization and may aid in the identification and development of RSV vaccines and anti-viral targets.
Hunting the plant surrender signal activating apoplexy in grapevines after Neofusicoccum parvum infection

Apoplectic breakdown from Grapevines Trunk Diseases (GTDs) has become a serious challenge to viticulture in consequence to drought stress. We hypothesise that fungal aggressiveness is controlled by a chemical communication between host and colonising fungus. We introduce the new concept of a “plant surrender signal” accumulating in host plants under stress and triggering aggressive behaviour of the strain Neofusicoccum parvum (Bt-67) causing Botryosphaeriaceae-related dieback in grapevines. Using a cell-based experimental system (Vitis cells) and bioactivity-guided fractionation, we identify trans-ferulic acid, a monolignol precursor, as “surrender signal”. We show that this signal specifically activates secretion of the fungal phytotoxin Fusicoccin A. We show further that this phytotoxin, mediated by 14-3-3 proteins, activates programmed cell death in Vitis cells. We arrive at a model pinpointing the chemical communication driving apoplexy in Botryosphaeriaceae-Vitis interaction and define the channelling of phenylpropanoid pathway from the lignin precursor, trans-ferulic acid to the phytoalexin transresveratrol as target for future therapy.
Micro-aggregation of a pristine grassland soil selects for bacterial and fungal communities and changes in nitrogen cycling potentials

Microbial analysis at the micro scale of soil is essential to the overall understanding of microbial organization and interactions, and necessary for a better understanding of soil ecosystem functioning. While bacterial communities have been extensively described, little is known about the organization of fungal communities as well as functional potentials at scales relevant to microbial interactions. Fungal and bacterial communities and changes in nitrogen cycling potentials in the pristine Rothamsted Park Grass soil (bulk soil) as well as in its particle size sub-fractions (PSFs; > 250 μm, 250-63 μm, 63-20 μm, 20-2 μm, < 2 μm and supernatant) were studied. The potential for nitrogen reduction was found elevated in bigger aggregates. The relative abundance of Basidiomycota deceased with decreasing particle size, Ascomycota showed an increase and Mucoromycota became more prominent in particles less than 20 μm. Bacterial community structures changed below 20 μm at the scale where microbes operate. Strikingly, only members of two bacterial and one fungal phyla (Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota and Ascomycota, respectively) were washed-off the soil during fractionation and accumulated in the supernatant fraction where most of the detected bacterial genera (e.g., Pseudomonas, Massilia, Mucilaginibacter, Edaphobaculum, Duganella, Janthinobacterium and Variovorax) were previously associated with exopolysaccharide production and biofilm formation. Overall, the applied method shows potential to study soil microbial communities at micro scales which might be useful in studies focusing on the role of specific fungal taxa in soil structure formation as well as research on how and by whom biofilm-like structures are distributed and organized in soil. Importance Intensive exploitation of soils has led to increasing environmental concerns such as pollution, erosion, emission of greenhouse gases and, in general, the weakening of its ecosystem services that are mainly regulated by microbial activity. Microbial activity and metabolism drive the formation of soil aggregates, ranging in size from a few micrometres to several millimetres. Understanding biological mechanisms related to aggregate size classes can provide insight into large-scale processes, but most research has focused on macroaggregates. Here, we investigated the microbial community and its functional changes at these smaller scales that are clearly more relevant for assessing microbial activity. We demonstrated that fungal communities are more sensitive to bigger size classes than bacteria, suggesting their dominant role in soil structure formation and turnover. We also identified preferential niches for reductive processes within the nitrogen cycle and a selection of specific taxa by analysing the water used for the wet-fractionation approach.
Dual polarity voltage imaging reveals subthreshold dynamics and concurrent spiking patterns of multiple neuron-types

Genetically encoded fluorescent voltage indicators are ideally suited to reveal the millisecond-scale interactions among and between distinct, targeted cell populations. However, current indicator families lack the requisite sensitivity for in vivo multipopulation imaging. We describe high-performance green and red sensors, Ace-mNeon2 and VARNAM2, and their reverse response-polarity variants, pAce and pAceR. Our indicators enable 0.4-1 kHz voltage recordings from >50 neurons per field-of-view in awake mice and ∼30-min continuous imaging in flies. Using dual-polarity multiplexed imaging, we uncovered behavioral state-dependent interactions between distinct neocortical subclasses, as well as contributions to hippocampal field potentials from non-overlapping projection neuronal ensembles. By combining three mutually compatible indicators, we demonstrate concurrent triple-population voltage imaging. Our approach will empower investigations of the dynamic interplay between neuronal subclasses at single-spike resolution. One Sentence Summary A new suite of voltage sensors enables simultaneous cellular-resolution activity imaging from multiple, targeted neuron-types in awake animals.
Identification of antineoplastic agents for oral squamous cell carcinoma: an integrated bioinformatics approach using differential gene expression and network biology

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common malignant epithelial neoplasm and anatomical subtype of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) with an average 5-year survival rate of less than 50%. To improve the survival rate of OSCC, the discovery of novel anti-cancer drugs is urgently needed. In the present study, we performed metanalysis of 5 gene expression datasets (GSE23558, GSE25099, GSE30784, GSE37991 and TCGA-OSCC) that resulted in 1851 statistically significant DEGs in OSCC. The DEGs were involved in key biological pathways that drive the progression of OSCC. A comprehensive protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed from the DEGs and the top protein clusters (modules) were extracted in Cytoscape. The DEGs from the top modules were searched for antineoplastic agents using L1000CDS2 server. The search resulted in a total of 37 perturbing agents from which 12 well-characterized antineoplastic agents were selected. The selected 12 antineoplastic agents namely Teniposide, Palbociclib, Etoposide, Fedratinib, Tivozanib, Afatinib, Vemurafenib, Mitoxantrone, Idamycin, Canertinib, Dovitinib and Selumetinib. These drugs showed interactions with the over expressed hub genes that regulate cellular proliferation and growth in OSCC progression. These identified antineoplastic agents are candidates for their potential role in treating OSCC.