Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the Usability of Saudi Digital Library ' s Interface ( SDL )

Usability of digital library is recognised as an important element of any DLs projects. This paper used questionnaire based usability test as a method for evaluating the usability of SDL's interface. Based on related studies, a set of sixteen items covering four axis: efficiency, effectiveness, Aesthetic appearance and learnability have been developed to evaluate the Saudi Digital Library interface (SDL). Twenty-two undergraduate students from the department of Information Studies participated in completing the Likert-scales questionnaire. The main finding of the study indicated that the SDL's interface level of usability practice was not acceptable, in particular regarding aesthetic appearance. Moreover, it seems to be that problems facing other Internet applications in Saudi Arabia will continue to influence the development of digital libraries projects.
AntiPatterns - Theory and Practice

Software systems are becoming increasingly more complex, which makes it hard to properly design and implement them. A study has shown that on average five out of six software projects fail [11]. They suffer from either cost overruns, time overruns or are cancelled altogether. The reasons for such failures are manifold, but one can observe that the same mistakes are repeated again and again. This is even the case in situations where proven and working solutions exist. Design Patterns [10], solutions to recurring problems, explain ”best practices” in software development. They provide knowledge that can easily be reused in different types of software. However, even Design Patterns – used in the wrong context or applied inappropriately – can have negative consequences. In their book ”AntiPatterns – Refactoring Software Architectures, and Projects in Crisis” [6] Brown et. al. introduce AntiPatterns as a concept which is supposed to solve some of these software development problems.
Asymmetric transmitter binding sites of fetal muscle acetylcholine receptors shape their synaptic response

Neuromuscular acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) have two transmitter binding sites: at α−δ and either α−γ (fetal) or α–ε (adult) subunit interfaces. The γ-subunit of fetal AChRs is indispensable for the proper development of neuromuscular synapses. We estimated parameters for acetylcholine (ACh) binding and gating from single channel currents of fetal mouse AChRs expressed in tissue-cultured cells. The unliganded gating equilibrium constant is smaller and less voltage-dependent than in adult AChRs. However, the α−γ binding site has a higher affinity for ACh and provides more binding energy for gating compared with α−ε; therefore, the diliganded gating equilibrium constant at −100 mV is comparable for both receptor subtypes. The −2.2 kcal/mol extra binding energy from α−γ compared with α−δ and α−ε is accompanied by a higher resting affinity for ACh, mainly because of slower transmitter dissociation. End plate current simulations suggest that the higher affinity and increased energy from α−γ are essential for generating synaptic responses at low pulse [ACh].
Molecular Modeling of Atorvastatin for Cardiovascular Disorder – A Review

Molecular modeling is a general term which covers a wide range of molecular graphics and computational chemistry techniques used to build, display, manipulate, simulate, and analyze molecular structures, and to calculate properties of these structures. Atrovastatin is the active ingredient in the most popular prescription medicine in the world and a member of the statin family of drugs. By lowering cholesterol production in the body, atrovastatin, lowers the risk of death from cardiovascular disorder, and has several additional benefits. Atrovastatin is used to treat dyslipidemias, which are disorder characterized by abnormal levels of lipids in the blood. Specifically, atrovastatin is used along with dietary therapy to decrease elevated serum total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and triglyceride concentrations.
Myoferlin Depletion in Breast Cancer Cells Promotes Mesenchymal to Epithelial Shape Change and Stalls Invasion

Myoferlin (MYOF) is a mammalian ferlin protein with homology to ancestral Fer-1, a nematode protein that regulates spermatic membrane fusion, which underlies the amoeboid-like movements of its sperm. Studies in muscle and endothelial cells have reported on the role of myoferlin in membrane repair, endocytosis, myoblast fusion, and the proper expression of various plasma membrane receptors. In this study, using an in vitro human breast cancer cell model, we demonstrate that myoferlin is abundantly expressed in invasive breast tumor cells. Depletion of MYOF using lentiviral-driven shRNA expression revealed that MDA-MB-231 cells reverted to an epithelial morphology, suggesting at least some features of mesenchymal to epithelial transition (MET). These observations were confirmed by the down-regulation of some mesenchymal cell markers (e.g., fibronectin and vimentin) and coordinate up-regulation of the E-cadherin epithelial marker. Cell invasion assays using Boyden chambers showed that loss of MYOF led to a significant diminution in invasion through Matrigel or type I collagen, while cell migration was unaffected. PCR array and screening of serum-free culture supernatants from shRNAMYOF transduced MDA-MB-231 cells indicated a significant reduction in the steady-state levels of several matrix metalloproteinases. These data when considered in toto suggest a novel role of MYOF in breast tumor cell invasion and a potential reversion to an epithelial phenotype upon loss of MYOF.
Measuring employees’ perception in small and medium-sized enterprises: A self-assessment scale

Abstract This paper describes a self-assessment scale, the Employee Perception Scale (EPS), and investigates its reliability and validity for measuring employees’ perception towards the continual improvement in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Empirical data were collected from 635 employees of 110 SMEs in manufacturing sectors in Trinidad and Tobago. With the aid of statistical software (i.e. the SPSS and LISREL), the inter-item reliability, and construct and content validities of the scale were examined. Results showed that the EPS is a reliable and valid tool in measuring the employees’ perception on quality performance improvement in SMEs. The paper contributes to developing self-assessment scale in measuring employees’ perceptions. It is anticipated that the findings would provide practical insights for practitioners to adopt the scale for measuring employees’ perceptions in SMEs.
Seed size, shape and persistence in dry Mediterranean grass and scrublands

Abstract Seed size and shape, measured as the variance of the three main dimensions, have been proposed as good indicators for predicting seed persistence. We tested whether these variables were robust predictors of seed persistence in the soil for 58 abundant herbaceous species, primarily annuals, in grass and scrubland of central Spain. Seed persistence was estimated from data on germinable seed banks, while seed weight and shape were measured using fresh seeds collected in the study area. There was a significant tendency for species with persistent seeds to have smaller seeds than species with transient seeds. Seed shape was not, however, related to persistence and we did not find any clear seed weight/shape threshold for predicting persistence. The binary logistic model of seed bank type as a function of seed weight was significant and explained 67% of total variability. Supplementary information about dormancy, environmental conditions of habitat, predation and attack by pathogens has to be used to elaborate more accurate general predictive models of seed persistence.
Gene Network Visualization and Quantitative Synteny Analysis of more than 300 Marine T4-Like Phage Scaffolds from the GOS Metagenome

Bacteriophages (phages) are the most abundant biological entities in the biosphere and are the dominant “organisms” in marine environments, exerting an enormous influence on marine microbial populations. Metagenomic projects, such as the Global Ocean Sampling expedition (GOS), have demonstrated the predominance of tailed phages (Caudovirales), particularly T4 superfamily cyanophages (Cyano-T4s), in the marine milieu. Whereas previous metagenomic analyses were limited to gene content information, here we present a comparative analysis of over 300 phage scaffolds assembled from the viral fraction of the GOS data. This assembly permits the examination of synteny (organization) of the genes on the scaffolds and their comparison with the genome sequences from cultured Cyano-T4s. We employ comparative genomics and a novel usage of network visualization software to show that the scaffold phylogenies are similar to those of the traditional marker genes they contain. Importantly, these uncultured metagenomic scaffolds quite closely match the organization of the “core genome” of the known Cyano-T4s. This indicates that the current view of genome architecture in the Cyano-T4s is not seriously biased by being based on a small number of cultured phages, and we can be confident that they accurately reflect the diverse population of such viruses in marine surface waters.
Working Paper Series Congressional Budget Office Washington, D.C. PRIVATE SAVINGS, MEDICAID AND UNCERTAIN NURSING HOME EXPENSES

The Medicaid program is the largest payer of nursing home services in the nation. The magnitude of program spending and the anticipated program growth as the baby boom cohort ages have raised questions about how Medicaid affects private savings. This paper, which extends previous research, examines how high but uncertain nursing home expenses interact with Medicaid assistance to affect the savings decisions of working-age households. The analysis uses data from the Asset and Health Dynamics of the Oldest Old, and relies on variation in Medicaid eligibility standards over time and across states to estimate the effect of Medicaid on retirement wealth. Using a difference in difference methodology, this analysis finds that retirement wealth is about 15 percent lower for households living in states with easier access to Medicaid. This amounts to a difference of about $24,000, which is about one-third of median household net worth in the sample. The results are generally consistent with previous findings.
A cognitive model of the acquisition and use of referring expressions

Referring expressions are used to describe a person, object or event. Different referring expressions can be used to describe the same person or object. For example, to describe a specific person, one could use a full noun phrase (NP) such as the pirate, or a pronoun, such as he. However, in certain discourse contexts using a pronoun would lead to an incorrect interpretation for the listener. Adult speakers use a full NP instead of a pronoun in these cases, suggesting that adult speakers take into account the listener’s perspective. In contrast, children up to the age of 6 prefer to use a pronoun in these cases. In this study, we investigate how children acquire adult-like performance on their use of referring subjects by modeling experimental data using the cognitive architecture ACT-R (Anderson, 2007). The cognitive model allows us to investigate the complex interaction between formal linguistic constraints and cognitive factors. In addition, the model generates detailed and testable predictions with respect to linguistic performance.
A novel clinical risk prediction model for sudden cardiac death in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM risk-SCD).

AIMS Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a leading cause of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in young adults. Current risk algorithms provide only a crude estimate of risk and fail to account for the different effect size of individual risk factors. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a new SCD risk prediction model that provides individualized risk estimates. METHODS AND RESULTS The prognostic model was derived from a retrospective, multi-centre longitudinal cohort study. The model was developed from the entire data set using the Cox proportional hazards model and internally validated using bootstrapping. The cohort consisted of 3675 consecutive patients from six centres. During a follow-up period of 24 313 patient-years (median 5.7 years), 198 patients (5%) died suddenly or had an appropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) shock. Of eight pre-specified predictors, age, maximal left ventricular wall thickness, left atrial diameter, left ventricular outflow tract gradient, family history of SCD, non-sustained ventricular tachycardia, and unexplained syncope were associated with SCD/appropriate ICD shock at the 15% significance level. These predictors were included in the final model to estimate individual probabilities of SCD at 5 years. The calibration slope was 0.91 (95% CI: 0.74, 1.08), C-index was 0.70 (95% CI: 0.68, 0.72), and D-statistic was 1.07 (95% CI: 0.81, 1.32). For every 16 ICDs implanted in patients with ≥4% 5-year SCD risk, potentially 1 patient will be saved from SCD at 5 years. A second model with the data set split into independent development and validation cohorts had very similar estimates of coefficients and performance when externally validated. CONCLUSION This is the first validated SCD risk prediction model for patients with HCM and provides accurate individualized estimates for the probability of SCD using readily collected clinical parameters.
The Expression of Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and a Putative ABC Transporter Permease Is Inversely Correlated during Biofilm Formation in Listeria monocytogenes 4b G

Little is known about the molecular basis of biofilm formation in Listeria monocytogenes. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) of the deletion mutant of lm. G_1771 gene, which encodes for a putative ABC transporter permease, is highly expressed in biofilm. In this study, the sod gene deletion mutant Δsod, and double deletion mutant of the sod and lm. G_1771 genes Δ1771Δsod were used to investigate the role of SOD and its relationship to the expression of the putative ABC transporter permease in biofilm formation. Our results showed that the ability to form a biofilm was significantly reduced in the Δsod mutant and the Δ1771Δsod double mutant. Both Δsod and Δ1771Δsod mutants exhibited slow growth phenotypes and produced more reactive oxygen species (ROS). The growth was inhibited in the mutants by methyl viologen (MV, internal oxygen radical generator) treatment. In addition, the expression of one oxidation resistance gene (kat), two stress regulators encoding genes (perR and sigB), and one DNA repair gene (recA) were analyzed in both the wild-type L. monocytogenes 4b G and the deletion mutants by RT-qPCR. The expression levels of the four genes were increased in the deletion mutants when biofilms were formed. Taken together, our data indicated that SOD played an important role in biofilm formation through coping with the oxidant burden in deficient antioxidant defenses.
A unified approach to speed and parameter identification of induction motor

The authors propose a unified approach to the problem of identification of the rotor speed and parameters of the induction motor. The identification of the speed and parameter of the induction motor is developed on a common framework of the adaptive control theory. The approach based on the nonminimal realization for partial identification also includes the MRACS (model reference adaptive control system) as a special case. It is shown that various kinds of identifiers can be constructed depending on what kind of representation of the induction motor is adopted. Many fundamental results in the adaptive control theory, such as the persistent excitation condition, the exponential convergence, etc., can be applied in a straightforward way. <<ETX>>
Nonlinear modified newton minimization of reduced-order objective functions for two-parameter inversion problems

We present a modified Newton minimization scheme for two-parameter inversion problems. Starting point is a so-called reduced-order objective function which measures the discrepancy between measured data and model-order reduction scattered field data. This objective function is minimized on a specified range of permittivity and conductivity values and a nonlinear transformation turns this constraint minimization problem into an unconstraint one. A backtracking procedure to obtain proper step lengths is implemented as well and a numerical example illustrates the performance of the method.
Implementation of image steganography algorithm using scrambled image and quantization coefficient modification in DCT

To ensure reliability and integrity in information transmission, image steganography is cutting edge technology in today's digital world. It can be implemented in spatial, time and frequency domain. In this research article, an effective algorithm has been introduced which would embed secret message data, scrambled by Arnold Transform, in frequency domain using the quantization coefficient modification in Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT). At first the cover image is split into blocks, then two dimensional DCT is applied on each image block and transformed secret message is inserted by analyzing mid-band coefficients of DCT. After the successful transmission of the cover image to the recipient, the secret message can be effectively recovered in high quality from the Stego image.
Children who experience domestic violence – dilemmas in social work practice

ABSTRACT This article presents an analysis of social workers’ discourse about children who experience domestic violence (DV). The data consist of interviews with 12 employees within family counselling and child welfare services in 4 different regions of Norway. The question asked is: How are dominant discourses reflected in informants’ descriptions of children who experience DV and what are the consequences for social workers’ practice? The analysis shows that the informants encounter a variety of ethical and practical dilemmas in cases where children experience DV. Significant differences were found between how social workers discursively expressed their ideals and how they acted in practice. When helpers spoke generally about children and violence they employed the discourse of the competent child and defined violence more broadly. However, when helpers moved from a position of looking in from the outside to that of experiencing a situation, they employed a discourse of physical and specific violence, and the traditional discourse about children as vulnerable was dominant. We discuss the available positions, possible dilemmas, paradoxes and challenges highlighted by social workers’ discursive practice.
Measurements of V-band n-type InSb junction circulators

A V-band n-type indium antimonide (InSb) junction circulator supported in a three-port finline structure has been fabricated and measured. Broad-band operation for a semiconductor junction circulator over the frequency range 50-75 GHz at a temperature of 77 K has been demonstrated for the first time. With an applied magnetic flux density of 0.88 T, approximately 10 dB of differential isolation has been measured over the entire waveguide frequency band. The measured results also indicate that circulation is possible when the semiconductor material has /spl epsiv//sub eff/<0. In principle, broader bandwidths are predicted since frequency tracking can be achieved from /spl epsiv//sub eff/<0 to /spl epsiv//sub eff/>0, but the bandwidths of the circulators measured are restricted by the cutoff frequency of the V-band waveguide. Experimental evidence also showed that a disc or triangular-shaped semiconductor suspended in an E-plane junction without the finline circuit provides circulation. The experimental results clearly illustrate the broad-band behavior of semiconductor junction circulators for operation beyond 40 GHz, which is difficult to achieve with ferrite-based circulators.
Cut–Free Axiomatizations for Stratiﬁed Modal Fixed Point Logic

We present an inﬁnitary and a ﬁnitary cut–free axiomatization for a fragment of the modal µ –calculus in which nesting of ﬁxed points is restricted to non–interleaving occurrences. In this study we prove soundness and completeness of both axiomatizations. Complete-ness is established by constructing a canonical countermodel to any non– provable formula using an extension of the method of saturated sequents. Soundness of the ﬁnitary axiomatization is a consequence of the small model property and well–known results about monotone operators while completeness follows from the corresponding result for the inﬁnitary case.
K-plane clustering algorithm for analysis dictionary learning

Analysis dictionary learning (ADL) aims to adapt dictionaries from training data based on an analysis sparse representation model. In a recent work, we have shown that, to obtain the analysis dictionary, one could optimise an objective function defined directly on the noisy signal, instead of on the estimated version of the clean signal as adopted in analysis K-SVD. Following this strategy, a new ADL algorithm using K-plane clustering is proposed in this paper, which is based on the observation that, the observed data are co-planer in the analysis sparse model. In other words, the columns of the observed data form multi-dimensional subspaces (hyperplanes), and the rows of the analysis dictionary are the normal vectors of the hyper-planes. The normal directions of the K-dimensional concentration hyper-planes can be estimated using the K-plane clustering algorithm, and then the rows of the analysis dictionary which are the normal vectors of the hyper-planes can be obtained. Experiments on natural image denoising demonstrate that the K-plane clustering algorithm provides comparable performance to the baseline algorithms, i.e. the analysis K-SVD and the subset pursuit based ADL.
An NP-Complete Number-Theoretic Problem

Systems of nonlinear equations of the form D: Ay = ~(x), where A is an mxn matrix of rational constants and y = (Yl . yn) , $(x) = (Ol(X) . Om(X)) are column vectors are considered. Each ai(x) is of the form ri(x ) or Lri(x)J, where ri(x ) is a rational function of x with rational coefficients. It is shown that the problem of determining for a given system D whether there exists a nonnegative integral solution (yl,.,Yn,X) satisfying D is decidable. In fact, the problem is NPcomplete when restricted to systems D in which the maximum degree of the polynomials defining the gi(x)'s is bounded by some fixed polynomial in the length of the representation of D. Some recent results connecting Diophantine equations and counter machines are briefly mentioned.