Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Influence of Information Susceptibility and Normative Susceptibility on Counterfeit Manufacturing Products Purchase Intention

Counterfeiting products trend of production, distribution and consumption is rising at an alarming rate. In Malaysia, counterfeiting has a market value worth $772.5 million and Malaysia is ranked number 40 in the world. For counterfeiters doing counterfeiting activities might ease their marketing strategy because they can easily join the popularity of the genuine branded goods. However, for genuine entrepreneurs, makers, and designers, the effects of counterfeiting resulted in loss of goodwill, damaging the brand’s reputation, equity and trust in the company. The objective of this study is to observe the influence of two social factors including informative and normative susceptibility which is related to consumers’ attitude and consumers’ purchasing intention of counterfeit products. The foundation of the variables for this study was assessed by using a validated online survey questionnaire through convenience sampling with a total of 207 respondents involved. The result indicated that informative susceptibility has negative, but significant relationship towards purchase intention of buying counterfeit products. It has proved that the more information the consumers get on the counterfeit products the lesser their purchase intention. However, subjective susceptibility has no relationship with intention to purchase counterfeit products. Future research directions and recommendations were also discussed in this research.
Challenges in the Integration of Omics and Non-Omics Data

Omics data integration is already a reality. However, few omics-based algorithms show enough predictive ability to be implemented into clinics or public health domains. Clinical/epidemiological data tend to explain most of the variation of health-related traits, and its joint modeling with omics data is crucial to increase the algorithm’s predictive ability. Only a small number of published studies performed a “real” integration of omics and non-omics (OnO) data, mainly to predict cancer outcomes. Challenges in OnO data integration regard the nature and heterogeneity of non-omics data, the possibility of integrating large-scale non-omics data with high-throughput omics data, the relationship between OnO data (i.e., ascertainment bias), the presence of interactions, the fairness of the models, and the presence of subphenotypes. These challenges demand the development and application of new analysis strategies to integrate OnO data. In this contribution we discuss different attempts of OnO data integration in clinical and epidemiological studies. Most of the reviewed papers considered only one type of omics data set, mainly RNA expression data. All selected papers incorporated non-omics data in a low-dimensionality fashion. The integrative strategies used in the identified papers adopted three modeling methods: Independent, conditional, and joint modeling. This review presents, discusses, and proposes integrative analytical strategies towards OnO data integration.
Recall of facial expressions and simple orientations reveals competition for resources at multiple levels of the visual hierarchy

Many studies of visual working memory have tested humans' ability to reproduce primary visual features of simple objects, such as the orientation of a grating or the hue of a color patch, following a delay. A consistent finding of such studies is that precision of responses declines as the number of items in memory increases. Here we compared visual working memory for primary features and high-level objects. We presented participants with memory arrays consisting of oriented gratings, facial expressions, or a mixture of both. Precision of reproduction for all facial expressions declined steadily as the memory load was increased from one to five faces. For primary features, this decline and the specific distributions of error observed, have been parsimoniously explained in terms of neural population codes. We adapted the population coding model for circular variables to the non-circular and bounded parameter space used for expression estimation. Total population activity was held constant according to the principle of normalization and the intensity of expression was decoded by drawing samples from the Bayesian posterior distribution. The model fit the data well, showing that principles of population coding can be applied to model memory representations at multiple levels of the visual hierarchy. When both gratings and faces had to be remembered, an asymmetry was observed. Increasing the number of faces decreased precision of orientation recall, but increasing the number of gratings did not affect recall of expression, suggesting that memorizing faces involves the automatic encoding of low-level features, in addition to higher-level expression information.
Amitriptyline Reduces Inflammation and Mortality in a Murine Model of Sepsis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS During sepsis, an unchecked pro-inflammatory response can be detrimental to the host. We investigated the potential protective effect of amitriptyline (AT). METHODS We used two murine models of sepsis: Cecal ligation and puncture and endotoxemia following LPS challenge. Aural temperatures were taken and cytokines quantified by cytometric bead assay. Lung injury was determined histologically and by protein determination in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Cell accumulation in the peritoneum was analyzed by flow cytometry, as well as cytokine production and p38-phosphorylation. Neutrophil chemotaxis was evaluated using an in vitro transwell assay. RESULTS Our findings demonstrate that AT-treated septic mice have improved survival and are protected from pulmonary edema. Treatment with AT significantly decreased serum levels of KC and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, as well as the accumulation of neutrophils and monocytes in the peritoneum of septic mice. Peritoneal IL-10 levels in septic mice were increased upon AT treatment. Direct treatment of septic mice with IL-10 recapitulated the effects of AT. Endotoxemic mice also exhibited enhanced IL-10 production upon AT-administration and peritoneal macrophages were identified as the ATinfluenced producers of IL-10. Treatment of these cells with AT in vitro resulted in increased p38-phosphorylation and IL-10 generation, whereas ceramide and p38 inhibition had the opposite effect. CONCLUSION Altogether, AT treatment improved survival, increased IL-10 levels, and mitigated a pro-inflammatory response during sepsis. We conclude that AT is a promising therapeutic to temper inflammation during septic shock.
Concept of Artifact-Event Description of Information System

The idea of artifact-event description of a web-based IS during its operation is formulated. Definitions of the these definitions, the concept of an artifact-event description of IS during its operation was developed as a set of basic provisions on the basis of which models of web-based IS will be developed. The developed concept was the basis for a formalized description of web-based IS models set. The main dimensions, on the basis of which the formalization of the descriptions of the web-based IS and its elements, are allocated. A formalized description of the web-based IS models set and its elements is proposed, the main subsets of models forming this set are considered.
Automated preterm infant sleep staging using capacitive electrocardiography

Objective: To date, mainly obtrusive methods (e.g. adhesive electrodes in electroencephalography or electrocardiography) have been necessary to determine the preterm infant sleep states. As any obtrusive measure should be avoided in preterm infants because of their immature skin development, we investigated the possibility of automated sleep staging using electrocardiograph signals from non-adhesive capacitive electrocardiography. Approach: Capacitive electrocardiography data from eight different patients with a mean gestational age of 30 ± 2.5 weeks are compared to manually annotated reference signals from classic adhesive electrodes. The sleep annotations were performed by two trained observers based on behavioral observations. Main results: Based on these annotations, classification performance of the preterm infant active and quiet sleep states, based on capacitive electrocardiography signals, showed a kappa value of 0.56 ± 0.20. Adding wake and caretaking into the classification, a performance of kappa 0.44 ± 0.21 was achieved. In-between sleep state performance showed a classification performance of kappa 0.36 ± 0.12. Lastly, a performance for all sleep states of kappa 0.35 ± 0.17 was attained. Significance: Capacitive electrocardiography signals can be utilized to classify the central preterm infant sleep states, active and quiet sleep. With further research based on our results, automated classification of sleep states can become an essential instrument in future intensive neonatal care for continuous brain maturation monitoring. In particular, being able to use capacitive electrocardiography for continuous monitoring is a significant contributor to reducing disruption and harm for this extremely fragile patient group.
Chronic ethanol consumption alters lamina propria leukocyte response to stimulation in a region‐dependent manner

Chronic heavy alcohol consumption, also referred to as chronic heavy drinking (CHD), results in intestinal injury characterized by increased permeability, dysbiosis, nutrient malabsorption, potentially higher susceptibility to infection, and increased risk of colorectal cancer. However, our understanding of the mechanisms by which CHD results in intestinal damage remains incomplete. Here, we investigated the impact of chronic drinking on transcriptional and functional responses of lamina propria leukocytes (LPLs) isolated from the 4 major gut sections. Although no significant differences were detected between LPLs isolated from the ethanol and control groups at resting state within each major gut section, our analysis uncovered key regional differences in composition and function of LPLs independent of alcohol consumption. However, in response to phorbol myristate acetate and ionomycin, duodenal LPLs from ethanol‐drinking animals generated a dampened response, whereas jejunal and ileal LPLs from ethanol‐drinking animals produced a heightened response. Transcriptional responses following stimulation were pronounced in ileal and duodenal LPLs from the ethanol‐drinking group but less evident in jejunal and colonic LPLs compared with controls, suggesting a more significant impact of alcohol on these gut regions. The altered intestinal LPL function detected in our study reveals remarkable region specificity and novel insight into potential mechanisms of intestinal injury associated with CHD. —Barr, T. , Lewis, S. A. , Sureshchandra, S. , Doratt, B. , Grant, K. A. , Messaoudi, I. Chronic ethanol consumption alters lamina propria leukocyte response to stimulation in a region‐dependent manner. FASEB J. 33, 7767–7777 (2019). www.fasebj. org
Therapeutic Approaches for COVID-19 Based on the Dynamics of Interferon-mediated Immune Responses

As the outbreak of COVID-19 has accelerated, an urgent need for finding strategies to combat the virus is growing. Thus, gaining more knowledge on the pathogenicity mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2, the causing agent of COVID-19, and its interaction with the immune system is of utmost importance. Although this novel virus is not well known yet, its structural and genetic similarity with SARS-CoV as well as the comparable pattern of age-mortality relations suggest that the previous findings on SARS can be applicable for COVID-19. Therefore, a systems biology study was conducted to investigate the most important signaling pathways activated by the virus. The results were then validated through a literature review on COVID-19 and the other closely related viruses, SARS and MERS. Interferons have shown to play a crucial role in the defense against coronavirus diseases. CoV can impede the interferon induction in humans. Moreover, STAT1, a key protein in the interferon-mediated immune response, is antagonized by the virus. This could explain the increased response threshold of immune cells to IFNs during CoV infections. A vivid correlation between the innate immune response threshold and the fatality rates in COVID-19 can be found. Differences in the dynamics of the interferon-related innate immune responses in children, adults, and elderly may explain the reported fatality rates. The increased mortality rates in the elderly can be explained by the higher threshold of interferon-mediated immune responses. Earlier induction of interferons in children and their less developed immune system could contribute to their near to zero fatality rate. Administration of interferon-inducing agents, such as poly (ICLC), could reduce the mortality of SARS at the very early stages of the disease. Interferon-γ combination with an interferon-I might induce synergistic effects and maximize the benefits. However, in-depth research is needed to validate it and determine the optimum dosage and timing to prevent unwanted results. Such interventions can act as a double-edged sword and aid the imbalance of the immune reactions, which may occur at the later stages of the disease. With the advancement of the disease and the virus overload, the responses would shift toward immnopathogenic over-reactions and probably cytokine storm. Moderating the activity of the immune system and supportive care in such conditions might be the optimum approach.
A Systematic Pan-Cancer Analysis of Genetic Heterogeneity Reveals Associations with Epigenetic Modifiers

Intratumor genetic heterogeneity (ITH) is the main obstacle to effective cancer treatment and a major mechanism of drug resistance. It results from the continuous evolution of different clones of a tumor over time. However, the molecular features underlying the emergence of genetically-distinct subclonal cell populations remain elusive. Here, we conducted an exhaustive characterization of ITH across 2807 tumor samples from 16 cancer types. Integration of ITH scores and somatic variants detected in each tumor sample revealed that mutations in epigenetic modifier genes are associated with higher ITH levels. In particular, genes that regulate genome-wide histone and DNA methylation emerged as being determinant of high ITH. Indeed, the knockout of histone methyltransferase SETD2 or DNA methyltransferase DNMT3A using the CRISPR/Cas9 system on cancer cells led to significant expansion of genetically-distinct clones and culminated in highly heterogeneous cell populations. The ITH scores observed in knockout cells recapitulated the heterogeneity levels observed in patient tumor samples and correlated with a better mitochondrial bioenergetic performance under stress conditions. Our work provides new insights into tumor development, and discloses new drivers of ITH, which may be useful as either predictive biomarkers or therapeutic targets to improve cancer treatment.
Novel WiFi/MEMS Integrated Indoor Navigation System Based on Two-Stage EKF

Indoor navigation has been developing rapidly over the last few years. However, it still faces a number of challenges and practical issues. This paper proposes a novel WiFi/MEMS integration structure for indoor navigation. The two-stage structure uses the extended Kalman filter (EKF) to fuse the information from WiFi/MEMS sensors and contains attitude-determination EKF and position-tracking EKF. In the WiFi part, a partition solution called “moving partition” is originally proposed in this paper. This solution significantly reduces the computation time and enhances the performance of the traditional Weighted K-Nearest Neighbors (WKNN) method. Furthermore, the direction measurement is generated utilizing WiFi positioning results, and a “turn detection” is implemented to guarantee the effectiveness. The navigation performance of the presented integration structure has been verified through indoor experiments. The test results indicate that the proposed WiFi/MEMS solution works well. The root mean square (RMS) position error of WiFi/MEMS is 0.7926 m, which is an improvement of 20.59% and 36.60% when compared to MEMS and WiFi alone. Besides, the proposed algorithm still performs well with very few access points (AP) available and its stability has been proven.
All Bad? Experiences of Aging Among LGBT Elders in South Africa

There is an almost complete dearth of research on the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) elders in South Africa. This study was a qualitative exploration through focus group discussions of the lived experiences of 22 LGBT people over 50 years of age in the Western Cape and Gauteng provinces of South Africa. Given high levels of poverty and inequality in South Africa, findings from a thematic analysis of participants’ narratives foregrounded surprisingly strong themes of inclusion and belonging despite the structural challenges faced by many in South Africa. While narratives of marginalization and exclusion were present, these were juxtaposed with reports of belonging and inclusion in families, communities, through friendship networks, and in health care. Findings indicate that, while experiences of homophobia and transphobia are real among LGBT elders in South Africa, participants experience agency, support, and relatively high reported levels of social belonging as they age.
The Development of Learning Media for Land and Building Tax as an Effort to Increase Understanding of Taxation Students

Student’s understanding of the object of the Land and Building Tax, especially for the material subject of the Rural and Urban Land and Building Tax, and the Land and Building Tax on Plantation, Forestry and Mining are considered low. The average grade of Bosowa Polytechnic students in the academic year 2018/2019 is 64,17 or BC. To understand easily about the object and mechanism of the subject of the Rural and Urban Land and Building Tax, and the Land and Building Tax on Plantation, Forestry and Mining, we need a learning media. This research conducted to find out the understanding of taxation students by learning media model of the Land and Building Tax subject. The research phases are data preparation, layout design, model making, model testing, and result analysis. The result showed that Land and Building Tax subject. The average grade from students in the academic year 2018/2019 after treatment was 92,14 or A.
Glomerular Proteomic Profiles in the NZB/W F1 Hybrid Mouse Model of Lupus Nephritis

Background Lupus nephritis is one of the most serious complications of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and is associated with patient mortality. This study aimed to investigate the proteomic profiles of the glomerulus in the NZB/W F1 hybrid mouse model of mild and severe lupus nephritis using two-dimensional fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) combined with matrix-assisted laser desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). Material/Methods Female NZB/WF1 mice (n=60) at 28 weeks of age were divided into the mild proteinuria group (+1), the moderate proteinuria group (+2), and the severe proteinuria group (+3) using paper strip urine testing, and then later divided into a mild (≤1+) and severe (≥3+) proteinuria group to allow comparison of upregulation and down-regulation of proteins between the two groups. Renal glomeruli were isolated following renal perfusion with magnetic beads. Protein expression was determined by Western blot, immunohistochemistry, 2D-DIGE, and MALDI-TOF-MS. Results A total of 56 differentially expressed proteins were identified from 133 protein spots, of which 18 were upregulated and 23 were down-regulated between groups 1 and 2. Expression of the proteins Ras-related GTP-binding protein B (RRAGB), serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (SMG1), angiopoietin 2 (ANGP2), methylmalonate semialdehyde (MMSA), and ATP beta chain (ATPB) were identified by Western blot and SMG1, ANGP2, and MMSA were identified by immunohistochemistry. Conclusions In a mouse model of lupus nephritis, expression of SMG1, MMSA, and ATPB were down-regulated, and RRAGB and ANGP2 were upregulated.
A Study on the Influence of English Proficiency on English Learners’ Understanding of DO/SC Garden Path Sentence

Garden path sentence is a local ambiguity in language that reveals the characteristics of human language processing, so it have obtained the focus of linguistic research. This study use introspective multiple choice test and question-response test to explore whether there is a correlation between the ability to interpret DO/SC garden path sentence, the phenomenon of misinterpretation residue and Chinese learners’ English proficiency. The result shows both groups exist garden path phenomenon, but influenced by their English level, there are significant differences in understanding target sentences and in the phenomenon of misinterpretation residue between the high and middle English level group. Therefore, efforts should be made to improve learners’ English proficiency to avoid the garden path phenomenon in the future.
Kernel machine tests of association between brain networks and phenotypes

Applications of quantitative network analysis to functional brain connectivity have become popular in the last decade due to their ability to describe the general topological principles of brain networks. However, many issues arise when standard statistical analysis techniques are applied to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) connectivity maps. Frequently, summary measures of these maps, such as global efficiency and clustering coefficients, collapse the changing structures of graph topology from many scales to one. This can result in a loss of whole-brain spatio-temporal pattern information that may be significant in association and prediction analyses. Drawing from the electrical engineering field, the resistance perturbation distance is a quantification of similarity between graphs on the same vertex set that has been shown to identify changes in dynamic graphs, such as those from fMRI, while not being computationally expensive or result in a loss of information. This work proposes a novel kernel-based regression scheme that incorporates the resistance perturbation distance to better understand the association with biological phenotypes from fMRI using both simulated and real datasets.